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SM/DC Chapter 75 : Cadmus Under Attack
🕑 Added 2025-03-31 21:42:14 +0000 UTCCadmus sometime ago -
The hum of machines filled the Cadmus facility, casting a cold glow over the reinforced chamber. In the center of the room, a cloning tube stood tall, filled with bubbling suspension fluid. Inside, an ashen-haired boy floated, his body eerily still. The monitors tracking his vitals beeped in slow, rhythmic pulses.
Lex Luthor, clad in an immaculate black suit, stepped forward, his sharp gaze flickering between the subject in the tube and the woman standing before him. Galatea, bruised but unbroken, crossed her arms as she regarded the man in front of her.
Lex exhaled through his nose, his expression unreadable. "Where is what I asked for?"
Galatea’s lips curled into a slight smirk. "I ran into a little problem."
She turned, gesturing towards the clone floating in the tube, a near-perfect replication of their target. Not the original. But close.
Lex let out a long, controlled sigh, his fingers pressing together in a steeple. "I expected that sort of hindrance..." His voice was calm, yet tinged with the irritation of a man who did not appreciate this sort of things to happen.
But then, Galatea extended her hand, revealing several strands of hair. She held them between her fingers like a peace offering.
"This should be enough," she stated firmly.
Lex studied the strands, his mind already racing with calculations, possibilities, contingencies. Then, after a moment, he plucked them from her grasp.
"It must." His words carried an unspoken weight, a command, a demand, and an expectation.
Behind him, Dr. Emil Hamilton, the lead scientist of Cadmus and perhaps the only man whose intellect Lex truly respected, adjusted his glasses and stepped closer. His eyes flicked over the sample before nodding in approval.
"It should be," Emil confirmed. "No need for the whole person. This will be sufficient for our task. You did well, Galatea."
For the first time, Galatea’s usually sharp, battle-hardened expression softened just a fraction. "Thank you, Father." Her voice carried something rare, genuine warmth.
Lex, however, had already turned away, uninterested in sentiment. "Prepare the test batch immediately," he ordered, striding toward the exit.
Emil hesitated for a moment before following, but Galatea placed a hand on his arm, stopping him.
"That person," she said, her voice quieter now, almost introspective. "He's strong. I understand why Lex wants that power so badly."
Emil exhaled, rubbing the bridge of his nose as if trying to fend off a headache. Then, without looking at her, he murmured:
"No, Galatea... I'm afraid this isn’t about wanting power anymore. It’s an obsession."
Galatea said nothing.
After a beat, Emil adjusted his glasses and sighed. "Go rest."
She simply nodded, her gaze lingering on the clone in the tube.
As she turned to leave, she clenched her fists. visibly bothered by something.
****
Gotham -
The city stretched below them, an endless sea of flickering lights and restless motion. Gotham at night was a living thing, cold, unforgiving, and ever-watchful. Arthur Blackwynd sat at the very edge of a towering building, the wind tugging at his cloak, his jet-black clothes blending into the darkness. The neon signs below flickered, reflecting in his silver-white hair as he focused on the glowing blue interface only he could see.
Lines of text hovered before him, his status shifting and evolving as he finished allocating his latest ability points.
[Status Bar]
[Name: Arthur Blackwynd]
[Job: Necromancer]
[Title: Bane of the Unworthy] (+20% attack against those who harbor evil intent)
[Level: 88 → 99]
[Fatigue: 0]
[HP: 7600]
[MP: 9250]
[Strength: 180 → 200]
[Health: 150 → 161]
[Agility: 150 → 169]
[Intelligence: 180 → 191]
[Sense: 113 → 140]
[Available Ability Points: 33 → 0]
[Passive Skill: Tenacity (Level 1)]
Insanity's Gambit ‘new’ (Grants immunity to mind control, fear, and sanity-based debuffs)
[Job-Specific Skill: Shadow Extraction
Shadow Exchange
Monarch’s Domain ]
[Skills:
Bloodlust (Level 2)
Ruler’s Authority
Mutilation
Sword Rush
. ]
Equipment :
Omega-Hardened Hide
Abyssforged Necklace
[Inventory:]
Doomsday’s Bone Gauntlets
Abyssforged Necklace
Azarath Knight Armor Set
Greatsword of the Lowborn
Promethium Sword
Anti-Kryptonian Blood Vial (Epic)
Shattered Bolt
Demon King Longsword
Kryptonite Sword
Tower of Fate Key
Legacy Shadow Legion Dungeon Key ]
A slow exhale left him as he dismissed the interface with a mere thought. He flexed his fingers, feeling raw power hum through his veins, his body felt sharper, faster, more attuned to the darkness within him.
"You’ve been daydreaming for a while now," a familiar voice broke through the night.
Arthur glanced to his side. Kara stood beside him, arms crossed, her golden hair swaying slightly in the wind. She was clad in her classic Supergirl suit, red and blue with the unmistakable "S" gleaming on her chest. The moonlight caught on her silhouette, giving her an almost ethereal presence.
Arthur leaned back slightly, tilting his head. "No, I’m just mentally preparing myself, that’s all."
Kara arched a brow, smirking. "Hmph. That’s what all guys say when they’re caught staring at something for too long."
Arthur rolled his eyes. "Sure. Let’s go with that ‘blue’ girl."
His gaze flickered over her suit before he could stop himself. Noticing, Kara placed her hands on her hips. "What? You don’t like it?"
Arthur blinked. "No, that’s not what I meant."
Kara leaned forward slightly, an amused glint in her eyes. "Uh-huh. Then what did you mean?"
Arthur let out a breath. "It’s just... very bright."
She scoffed. "It’s called looking heroic, you know the S on my suit means.."
Arthur said calmly “Hope.“
He returned his gaze to the skyline, eyes narrowing as if watching something in the distance. The storm was coming, and they both knew it.
After a beat, Kara spoke again. "Yes...” she then added “Shouldn’t you use a mask or something? You’re kind of... noticeable."
Arthur let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "I’m afraid it’s too late for that."
Then, his phone buzzed.
He didn’t even need to check the caller. It was time.
Flipping it open, he brought it to his ear.
"It’s time," Jason’s voice came through, steady and controlled. "Harley’s in. She’ll do what she does best. I’m going in as well."
Arthur closed his eyes for a moment before exhaling. "Very well."
With a click, he ended the call, sliding the phone back into his coat. Then, he pushed himself up, stretching his arms as though shaking off the weight of hesitation. His blue eyes gleamed under the moonlight as he turned toward Kara.
She stood there, arms crossed, her blue and red uniform standing out against Gotham’s darkness. Her expression was unreadable, but her eyes those piercing blue eyes held something deeper. Determination and Conflict. A fire that refused to go out.
Arthur met her gaze and extended a hand. "You can back out now if you want. I won’t force you to do anything."
Kara’s eyes narrowed slightly, her jaw tightening. "No. I’ll go with you guys. I need to get this over with as well."
Arthur studied her for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, then."
Without another word, Kara stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. A firm, unwavering grip. Arthur felt her heartbeat steady, strong. He could tell she wasn’t afraid.
His fingers flexed as dark energy coiled around them, the very fabric of reality bending to his will.
"Exchange."
The rooftop was engulfed in shadows. A pulse of abyssal power.
In an instant, Arthur and Kara vanished replaced by a monstrous, hulking shadow demon.
****
Cadmus -
The underground corridors of Cadmus Labs were quiet, filled with the hum of computers and the occasional chatter of scientists. Security personnel patrolled in perfect formation, scanning for anything out of place. Nothing ever was.
Until now.
A shipment had just arrived a standard routine, passing security checks with no issue. The crates, stamped with the official insignia of Blackwynd Science Group, were rolled into storage without a second thought.
And then BOOM!
The lid of one exploded off, flying across the room and smashing into a security terminal. From within the box, a figure popped out like a deranged jack-in-the-box, dressed in her usual attire.
"SURPRISE, YA EGGHEADS!"
Harley Quinn grinned wildly as she hopped out of the crate, stretching like she’d just woken from a nap. "Boy, that was a tight squeeze! Thought I was gonna get a cramp sittin' in there like a freakin’ sardine!"
A security guard barely had time to react before she cracked him across the face with her mallet, sending him flying into a desk.
Alarms blared. Scientists scrambled for cover. Cadmus was officially in chaos.
Harley twirled her mallet and skipped forward. “Now, where’s all the fun stuff? Ohhh, big shiny screens!” She yanked out a revolver and unloaded rounds into a row of monitors, sending sparks flying. "Hehe! Lights out, nerds!"
A squad of security officers stormed into the room, weapons drawn.
"FREEZE!"
Harley pouted. "Oh, boys, boys, boys… always so eager to get rough with lil’ ol’ me." She hurled a smoke grenade, filling the air with pink and purple mist.
By the time it cleared, three of them were laid out, groaning in pain.
Harley dusted off her hands. "Puddin’ would be so proud," she giggled.
****
Cadmus Command Center -
Amanda Waller was not amused.
Standing in front of a massive wall of security feeds, she narrowed her eyes at the blonde lunatic tearing through her facility like a sugar-rushed tornado.
"The hell is going on down there?" she demanded.
A frantic technician stammered, “Ma’am, uh—it’s Harley Quinn! She, uh… she—”
"She what?"
The technician swallowed hard. "...She emerged from the latest shipment we received.”
Waller’s expression darkened. “From where?”
The room went silent.
Another agent hesitated before answering, "...The shipment was from Blackwynd Science Group."
She gritted her teeth and barked, “Stop that fool! I want a full containment team on her—NOW!”
Another call came from another agent “We need help, someone or something is leaving a trail of beaten up guards, we can’t see a thing!”
Waller's gaze sharpened instantly. “How?”
Security forces mobilized instantly, armed to the teeth and rushing toward the chaos.
Meanwhile, Waller turned her attention back to the monitors, her mind racing.
this wasn’t just some random break-in. And she knew it.
****
Galatea stood before a series of glowing monitors, her arms crossed as she reviewed the latest developments. Scientists scurried around her like nervous rodents, adjusting data and refining Lex’s latest obsession.
Then something shifted.
A subtle distortion crept along the floor beneath her, barely noticeable at first. But then her shadow twisted unnaturally, warping and splitting away from her own body like ink dissolving in water.
Her instincts flared.
Something else was inside the room.
And then they emerged.
A black mist coiled into existence, swallowing the space beside her before unraveling into two figures.
Arthur Blackwynd stepped forward, his eyes razor-sharp, his presence imposing the shadows flickering around him, beside him, Kara Zor-El, clad in her iconic Supergirl uniform, stood tall, the bold ‘S’ emblem burning like a challenge.
Galatea’s eyes widened.
she hadn’t expected this.
Arthur parted his lips to speak
But before he could, Kara stepped forward, her blue eyes blazing with something more than just determination.
This wasn’t just about stopping an enemy.
This was personal.
Kara clenched her fists, the fabric of her gloves tightening against her knuckles. Her voice was calm but sharp, carrying a weight that shook the air itself:
"This ends now, Galatea. Cadmus, Luthor—all of it. We’re shutting you down.”
The room shook from the sheer force of her conviction.
Galatea’s lips curled into a smirk, masking the brief flicker of unease in her expression. "Big words." Her fists clenched.
Arthur exhaled, rolling his shoulders as a shadowy aura swirled around him like tendrils of midnight. He cracked his knuckles, his tone effortlessly cold:
"You have no idea what’s coming.”
