The Final War is close. Forces gather for the last final Round.

After Talia had left the castle, she watched the countless spirits in the sky that were scattered in all directions. She herself didn't favor this tactic, but she had to admit that so many eyes were advantageous. However, she had an advantage over these spirits. She knew Selina and also many of her hiding places. It was natural for her to keep an eye on this little whore after Damien was born. Half the night, however, she had been on the road for nothing. Nowhere had she found a clue to the thief. The hiding places were all abandoned. Slowly she ran out of ideas where to look. Even the old hiding places of Ivy and Harley had been a failure. Now she sat helplessly on a roof and wondered where she could still search. Shortly the thought came to her to call the League of Shadows for help, but she quickly rejected this thought again. It would take far too long until the teams would be here. In a few days the full moon was to be seen in the sky and then it would come to the big fight. Selina was sure that this full moon would bring the decision. The people of Gotham were as sure of that as she was. They were waiting for Batman to come and save them. As always.

Suddenly the smell of fresh blood rose to her nose. Actually, it wasn't unusual in this city, but the intensity of that smell was quite strong. Strangely enough, it also smelled of dozens of different blood types. In the meantime she could clearly filter out the smell of the different blood groups. She jumped from the roof and when she landed 30 floors below, she looked up laughing and grinned.

"And in Underworld I found the scene so ridiculous" she grinned broadly as she thought of the vampire movie. But what she could see in the alley had no resemblance to the film. She could see over 40 corpses. Each of them was completely sucked and bloodless. She bent over to the next bodies and examined them. The bite wounds were quite unsightly. They weren't clean, smooth bite wounds, but the carotid arteries seemed to be literally shredded. At first sight she had believed that they had been werewolves, but the corpses were without blood. This indicated a pack of vampires. Had the presence of Dracula also lured other vampires into the city? Surely Dracula would not like it at all. At least not if they were such barbaric creatures.

She followed the dark alley and found more bodies. That was enough blood for 30 vampires. Even Dracula had never needed so many unless he had been badly injured. It was a real bloodbath. As she turned another corner, she pulled up the brow in amazement. Instead of finding a pack of vampires she stood in front of Vicky who was about to drink another citizen. She threw the dried-up corpse fall and looked at Talia. Her whole face was full of blood. It was so much that it had long since dripped down her chin and ruined her chest. Basically she was covered with blood all over. Talia looked at her in horror and wondered what Vicky had put into such a bloodlust.

But Vicky just laughed at her and showed her fangs. To her astonishment, Talia could see more than 2 fangs. In Vickies mouth she could almost see the teeth of a predator. She also immediately noticed Vicky's eyes. They looked milky and dull, as if she had gone blind.

"What happened to your eyes Vicky? Were you blinded? she asked and felt her neck hairs lining up. It was a subliminal feeling of danger. The strange thing was that this danger seemed to come from Vicky.

"What should have happened to my eyes" Vicky laughed like in rapture. With a simple kick she threw the last corpse away. The power behind this kick was impressive. Talia could hear clearly how the bones were smashed on the wall on impact. "Oh... you don't have to be afraid Talia."

"Who says I'm scared?" asked Talia.

"I say that! I can smell your fear! I can SEE your fear! I can see everything" Vicky said exuberantly and threateningly. "I will live forever! I will kill them all!"

"Have you drunk a junkie? Are you crazy? We have a mission and our master will be pissed off if we fail!"

Talia now turned completely to her and strained her muscles. Her bloodstained clothes were tense to the breaking point. Vicky seemed almost changed. Her whole figure was more muscular and stronger. Her fingernails had also grown and looked claw-like.

"As if I didn't know! You don't have to tell me that! I will find her! I will bring her to the Master! And I will be the one to tear her head off her shoulders!" she laughed wildly and violently. Talia couldn't believe what she had just heard.

"Have you gone completely mad now?! You want to cheat our master? He will kill us all if you hurt her! I will not let that happen" she hissed and began to channel her powers. Vicky was a manipulator. A deceiver and trickster. She was neither very strong nor had she received great powers. At least in comparison to Talia. The only thing that made Vicky special was the fact that she could heal incredibly fast. She was also fully nourished. That meant her powers were at their peak.

While Talia was still going through the tactics she saw Vicky rushing. She had never seen anyone but Dracula or her move so fast before. But it wasn't fast enough for her. Vicky had made progress and yet it wasn't enough. Light as a feather she swerved to the side and grinned arrogantly. However, Vicky whirled around as if from ghostliness and managed to change direction in the middle of the jump. Talia still managed to grab her wrist, but no distraction or anything like that helped with this unbridled power. Her arm just mercilessly pierced her defense and grabbed her by the neck. As they crashed against the next house, Vicky grinned broadly.

"Well, what is it little girl? Get yourself free! Go ahead! Show me your strength!

Talia rammed 2 daggers into her kidneys but these did not even show an effect on the fury. On the contrary this only led to Vicky biting her laughing and Talia screaming in pain. She could feel how she simply tore away most of the flesh on her neck and let it fall to the ground. Talia grabbed her neck as she concentrated on healing. She could only watch as Vicky just left the alley and staggered over her shoulder.

"See you weakling!"

As soon as she was gone and Talia's healing was complete, she stood up again and held her neck. Even though the wound was gone it still felt strange. It was like the bite of a vampire was something other than a pistol bullet.

"You regret that, miserable whore. As soon as I have fulfilled the master's wish I will take care of you". She hissed and went on only to stop after a few hundred meters and pull both Katanas.

"Do you really want to start this fight?" asked a female voice behind her. A voice she knew all too well. Slowly she turned around and looked at Poison Ivy standing in front of her. In her human form she looked ridiculously small compared to the 5 werewolves who rebelled behind her. Talia only looked at the wolves for a short time. For some reason she wasn't afraid of them. The only dangerous opponent was Ivy. Even in her human form she had impressive powers, but physically she had never been particularly impressive. Now, on the other hand, she had left that flaw behind. Thanks to the werewolf she was a worthy opponent. Moreover, Talia was sure that there were worlds between Ivy and the other wolves. Ivy played in a league of her own.

"You look good Talia. The undead seems to be getting you. How are you doing? Apparently you don't get along very well," smiled Ivy, who had noticed Talia's staring gaze.

"Perfect. Would recommend it to you but my master has a dog hair allergy. Besides, wet dogs always smell so strong Ivy." Grinned Talia and used the time of rest to get her blood pumping.

"Please. Please. I have discarded this old name. Call me Aloe Vera."

"What kind of stupid name is that?" Talia laughed amusedly and tightened her fists tighter around the blades but the otherwise so irritable Poison Ivy remained completely calm and smiled.

"One that my children will proudly pronounce."

"Children? You call these monsters your children? I thought it was crazy for you to call your plants that, but that's what they are! That is insanity."

"I mean the children I gave birth to. Not the ones I have transformed."

"You are barren! Or has this curse changed that? Can you also reproduce normally? BRUCE" she hissed suddenly when she realized that Bruce would be the father of her children but Ivy smiled.

"Forgive me Talia. Unfortunately, I don't have time for you anymore. My darling wishes an end to this fight and we both know that this end will come in 3 days. Tell your master that he has one last chance to leave Gotham peacefully. If you leave Gotham before the full moon we will not pursue you. But if you want war, you can have it."

"Pah! As if my master will get into this! We will destroy you. Do you really think you could take on us? You have never been my equal as a human being and now, as the bride of Dracula, you are all just victims for me!

"Whatever you mean. Children... Please protect me." She smiled and gently stroked the snout of one of the werewolves. The werewolves, who had so far worked gently, bared their teeth and took up positions between Talia and Ivy. "I hope you'll forgive me for imposing this on you," she said before she turned around and left. She realized that none of the wolves would have a chance against Talia and that she had just sent her pack to its death. However, they had been aware of it and had followed her. They were ready to sacrifice themselves for her.

But she was aware that she had no time. Even 5 werewolves would hardly be able to stop Talia. She had to bring as much distance between herself as possible in this short time. While walking she dropped her human shell and sprinted through the alleys on all fours. Her eyes glowed as she created plants everywhere around a mile away that smelled the same as she did. That would confuse Talia and give her a little more time.

But suddenly she stopped and straightened up to full size. She pricked up her ears and sucked the air through the nostrils. It was less the conscious perception she had stopped. It was a feeling. A hunch. She turned to the side and looked east.

It was a truly epic image that revealed itself to her. Against the background of the ring of fire she could see a were-creature. However, it was not a werewolf, but a cat. Astonished, she pulled up the brow and looked at the female Were-cat. She could feel the power of the umbra in this person. It was as if a mirror had been held out to her before the were-cat scurried away. With an elegance that was second to none, the woman had disappeared into the darkness of the night.

"So be it. Dearest. I am sorry. But this decision you will have to make alone. I won't be able to help you" Ivy sighed as she realized that it was more than just werewolves against vampires.

Meanwhile in the Watchtower.

"What do you mean you won't intervene?" hissed a furious Constantine when Wonder Woman and Superman informed him about the situation. "Do you idiots even know what's going on? Who's down there?"

"We know that. And so far we only know that Batman was corrupted. And we don't have to say what that means, do we?" Superman replies calmly. It was always hard to talk to Constantine.

"YOU don't know shit, you alien asshole! You son of a..." he roared angrily until he noticed the eyes of Superman glowing threateningly red.

"Careful what you say about my mother Constantine," Clark said, reasonably controlled.

"Pah. Do you think I..." he was about to answer as he opened his eyes. All the magically gifted heroes in the station reacted similarly. A tremendous, almost uncanny magical power had appeared on Earth. "FUCK!"

With a hasty spell Constantine cast a portal that took him away.

"Could someone please explain to me what's going on?" asked a confused Superman when the first magicians had recovered. "Where did Constantine go?"

From a huge golden Ankh, Dr. Fate appeared floating on the station and spoke quietly, but in a serious voice.

"Stay out of this. Anyone who goes to Gotham must pass me! I will stop anyone who interferes. I'm sorry I have to threaten you but this is about much more than you can imagine. From now on, the fate of the world is in the hands of Batman."

"Could have been worse." Diana said calmly and to relieve the general tension a little she smiled, "Could have been Flash anyway!

"HEY!" Flash said before everyone started laughing.