Skeletons in the closet

In the darkness somewhere, without light save for the thin lines of moonlight cutting through the grated steel overhead, two onlookers chuckled at the sight of one of their men putting Karn’el out of his misery.

“Sounds like the blowhard finally got what was coming to him.”

“YeAh… ThE bLoWhArD hAd HiS hEaD bLoWn OfF… TiMe To ShOw’Em WhAt ReAlLy BuMpS In ThE NiGhT!”

*

Gunfire filled the streets as men and women in robes and masks who had been in hiding during the assault of Karn’el’s coup, revealed themselves and fired at the hovering krypto-wolves. Surprisingly wounding many when they attempted to guard themselves with their arms, only to find searing hot silver imbed their flesh and rob them of their powers. One by one the Krypto-wolves fell to the ground like rocks and other lycanthropes found themselves wounded while others were rounded up at gunpoint by the gunmen.

Meaning to fight back, the wolves, spiders and serpents tried to find an opening as they were rounded up and gathered to the center of the festival grounds. One spider sprung to action to pounce on one of the gunmen. Only for that robed attacker to raise what looked like a small jar filled with metallic powder and smash it on the ground. The moment the jar burst open; particles of metallic dust filled the air… And made the beast cry out in pain as her flesh burned on contact.

“SILVER! SILVER!” She screeched, scuttling back, and guarding her face as she and the others were rounded up.

Five of the robed figures surrounded Dracula, demanding the man surrender as they pointed their weapons at him and his wife.

“Alright pal, get on your knees with your hands above your head.”

Keeping Selina close for her safety, the Count smirked back at the armed attackers.

“On my knees then? Just like your mother last night?”

“You MUTHERFU…” firing once, the goon didn’t even have time to register what happened. His eye just realising the man had caught the silver bullet in the air with his outstretched fingers and flicked it right back at him at the same speed it was fired. The gunman going limp and dropping to his knees as blood pooled out his mouth and at the back of his skull where the bullet had exited.

“WHO ELSE WISHES TO TEST ME?” Demanded the count, his arms outstretched as he smiled a toothy grin at the remaining robed figures. “I HAVE TRAVELLED AN OCEAN OF TIME, DEFEATED ARMIES FROM LONG DEAD NATIONS, I EVEN CONQUERED DEATH ITSELF! DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU CAN DEFEAT ONE SUCH AS I?!”

One of the robed men stepped forward, setting his weapon down as he reached into his robes. Dracula was prepared for anything these peasants had literally up their sleeve. That was to say, he was until the familiar shape of a silver cross was pointed in front of his face. Wide eyed, and inhaling sharply, the vampire turned to look away, only to find another shoved in front of his face. Then another, boxing him against the wall as a robed figure grabbed hold of Selina’s arm and pressed a silver cross against her shoulder and back, instantly searing her fur as she fell to her hands and knees.

Seeing several men and women barking orders with their firearms pointed at them, the Wolf King and his two mates traded looks and slowly raised their hands, lowering to one knee to surrender. Not too far away he could see Dracula convulse on the ground as the three robed figures recited scripture in his presence while holding crosses, the act physically harming him as he fell into a rigor state while Selina cried out for them to stop. Not too far away, Dick and Kori were bound at gun point while the same treatment was being given to Talia, the woman shuddering helplessly on the pavement as two robed figures chanted while pointing a pair of crosses down at her.

Looking up from his prone spot to see the other robed men and women who appeared in charge talk, they noticed the Wolf King look their way and one of them approached, with weapon in hand.

“Who are you all? And what do you want?”

The masked robe wearing gunman pulled off the jack-o-lantern from his face to grin down at the Wolf King, an incredulous look on his face as he looked around to find the others had rounded up the lycanthropes in the area and had the remaining humans set aside to keep out of the way.

“You probably don’t know me; I’d be surprised if you did. The name’s Harold, Harold Tapper. About 5 years ago when wolves started cropping up out of the woodworks, I lost my family to one of you furballs.”

Exhaling and softening his expression, Bruce lowered his head. “I’m sorry for your loss. In the beginning, those who got turned were…”

“Yeah, yeah. I get it, not one of them had a thought in their heads when they started howling at the moon and went Cujo on anyone who moved. I don’t blame the wolf that killed my family, I blame the wolf that MADE him.”

A second robed figure joined the man, pulling off her wicked witch mask to reveal her face and shake free her long black hair. “I lost my family to this walking mosquito and his merry band of undead whores! My son and husband drained like a pair of oranges to feed that top hat wearing bitch of hers.”

“We’ve ALL lost loved ones to your little war.” Scoffed Harold, waving his arms out to gesture to the rest of the robed figures who had the lycanthropes all rounded up. “Either as food or conscripts in your personal war. Then it all ended, and we had to go back to our old lives like it never happened.”

“To go back to a home that is empty at best or just doesn’t exist anymore at worse.”

“Wayne enterprises tried everything to repair the damage brought on from the war.” Explained Pamela, while her mate narrowing his yellow eyes as he inspected the area, trying to find an opening. “I’ve tried so hard to undo the damage we caused and make life better for everyone.”

“Pff… You’re one to talk.” Snorted the woman. “There’s a graveyard of people with your name on it LONG before you decided to be a fucking furry.”

“So what? You’z just gonna kill every wereanimal here and think the rest of the town’s gonna give ya a parade?!” Accused Harleen, her ears twitching over her lupin head.

“Why not? They did with you. Once the dust settled and all your furry freaks were singing kumbaya, the whole lot of you got a pat on the back from the city for turning it into a zoo with a big ass tree.”

“Meanwhile WE had to dig through the rubble and bury our loved ones.”

“You didn’t do this all by yourself.” Pointed Bruce, eyeing the guns with silver ammunition. “You had help, someone supplied you, trained you.”

Sharing a look and grin with each other, the robed man and woman chuckled as the one who was wearing the wicked witch mask pulled out a phone and dialed. “You’re right, he’s been planning this for years, and now that we have you all RIGHT where we want you, he’s been pretty eager to let you know who’s been responsible.” Hearing the phone dial in her hand, the woman remained silent until she heard the line pick up. “It’s time boss.”

Hearing the phone hang up, the woman pocketed the cell phone and stepped aside. What happened next shocked everyone present when the streets began to groan and buckle. The crossroad of the street bulged, as if something huge was forcing itself out from the earth. Then panic erupted in the crowds of humans when a massive claw burst through the pavement and concrete, slamming down to rake claws as long as swords through the stone as easily as carving bread, pulling the rest of it out from the ground. Another craw shot out from the earth, finding purchase, and pulling the rest of its body up to freedom. Everyone present backed up to give room to the monstrosity that pulled itself free, looming higher and taller the more it climbed out of the sewers. A tail with a forked tip pulled itself free and snapped back, knocking over a food truck with incredible strength as legs dug free and pulled the rest of its body up to shake its shoulders of any debris and rear its two serpentine heads up to look down at the festival from their 3-story high vantage.

Rearing its two heads high, the beast bellowed out a terrible roar that could be heard throughout all of New Gotham.