Daphne hovered in the air as she tried to catch her breath. Every inch of her body ached, especially her stomach where she’d previously been impaled, and she was completely and utterly exhausted. She didn’t have the energy to keep fighting, but neither did she have a choice.

While she took a brief respite, she looked around the battlefield, wincing at all the violence and chaos. Good people had died today, some of whom she considered to be her friends. And from the vicious fighting, she knew that she was probably going to lose even more friends before this was all over.

A small group of heroes were trying to hold the ravens back from the camp, creating a powerful defense that managed to at least keep the ravens from overwhelming them completely. Lady Hexx was so exhausted that she could barely stand, yet she still managed to create a sink hole right beneath the advancing solders. Standing right beside her was Neon, Daphne’s newly discovered uncle, who was protecting Lady Hexx and keeping her from being overrun.

Further down, Daphne saw her own team, the Miracle Men, fighting to protect the camp as well. Quartz, Surge, and Splash were working together to push the ravens back, while Rumor kept sneaking around and attacking their enemies from behind. Of course, there were other heroes within the camp, who were dealing with the few ravens who managed to get past the defenders. Figment, Velvet, and Impact had taken this task for themselves.

And then, there was everyone else. Mega was thirty feet tall as she charged through the mass of enemy soldiers, kicking them out of her way. Circuit, Nike, Marvel, and Praxis were all attacking from the air, which mostly consisted of dive bombing the ravens, though Circuit kept opening fire with her energy weapons and causing a great deal of damage.

The White Knight, Daphne’s biological father, was trying to keep everything organized, alternating between issuing commands and fighting the ravens himself. At the same time, he was obviously concerned with his family, many of whom were fighting. That thought drew Daphne’s attention to the area where Target, Agony, and Shuriken were trying to fight.

Sanction and Lightning Force, the two latest groups to arrive, were also the most organized at the moment. Each group remained together and worked as a team, rather than getting spread out like nearly everyone else had. However, Mindseye seemed to have been injured, while Sanction’s leader Discharge, had just been grabbed by a flying creature with long tentacles.

Daphne took all of this in, and though she wanted to help some of the others, she had her own opponent to deal with. Her attention locked back onto Baron Nevermore, whom she’d been fighting. Fortunately, she hadn’t been fighting him alone. It was only the fact that Grendel and his mother were keeping Baron Nevermore occupied, that gave her the opportunity for this much needed break.

Grendel gave off a deafening roar and charged straight at Baron Nevermore, swinging his massive clawed fist. However, he smashed into a glowing green wall and was flung back.

While Grendel was trying to attack Baron Nevermore from the front, Grendel’s Mother had been taking advantage of that distraction to come at the villain from behind. However, Baron Nevermore seemed to see her coming, because he snapped around and fired a blast of red energy which caught the blue skinned amazon in the chest…and sent her flying back with a howl of pain.

“Just go down already,” Daphne snarled, glaring at the monster who’d murdered her mother.

Deciding that she’d caught her breath enough, Daphne flung herself back into the fight, opening up with some golden energy blasts, then switching to her fists as she got close. The green barrier that had stopped Grendel, suddenly appeared in front of her, blocking her from the villain. She punched at the barrier as hard as she could, though she already knew that if Grendel couldn’t break through that way, she certainly couldn’t.

But as dangerous as Baron Nevermore was, the fact that he wasn’t alone made him even more so. He still had his smoke snake, as well as an army of ravens. It was only the fact that most of those ravens were being kept busy by the other heroes, that gave her and the Grendels a chance to go after Baron Nevermore himself.

Baron Nevermore held out his hand and a blast of purple energy shot out and hit Grendel. Grendel howled in rage and agony as his skin burned and melted away, the sight of which made Daphne sick. She grimaced and fired another blast of energy at Baron Nevermore, trying to take his attention away from Grendel, and it worked.

“You cheap copy,” Daphne yelled at the villain. “Everything you do is ripped off of from Edgar Allan Poe…”

“The writer?” Baron Nevermore asked in surprise, then amusement. “I knew the writer well…”

Daphne glanced to Grendel and was relieved to see that he was already healing, and that his skin was mostly regrown. Grendel was nearly as resilient as these ravens, and for once, Daphne was thankful for that.

“The writer was my protégé,” Baron Nevermore continued, his arrogant expression radiating a sense of dark amusement and even…pride. “I taught him the power of fear. It was I who inspired him…”

For a moment, Daphne just stared at Baron Nevermore, surprised by his claims to not only have known Edgar Allan Poe…but to have been his teacher. She’d always thought that Baron Nevermore had been obsessed with Poe, but if what he said was true, then he was actually the source of Poe’s stories…or at least, a strong source of inspiration. Of course, Daphne had no way of knowing if this was true, or if Baron Nevermore had simply made this up.

“Either way,” Daphne exclaimed with a fierce determination. “I’m going to stop you…once and for all.”

Baron Nevermore just sneered, obviously not impressed. “You have already hurt me once,” he said, his eyes locked on her. “You trapped me in a very dangerous realm and cost me my body…”

“You murdered my mother,” Daphne snapped back.

“I will not give you such an opportunity again,” Baron Nevermore finished.

Daphne yelled out as she charged Baron Nevermore again, only to have him throw a ball of purple energy at her. She’d seen what that had done to Grendel, so quickly dodged the attack. The ball of purple energy struck a raven warrior instead, and he screamed in agony as his body began to melt and dissolve into a puddle of black goo. The sight of it made Daphne shudder.

“Swear your fealty to me and my queen,” Baron Nevermore announced, as though he was making a generous offer, “and I shall allow you to live…”

“How about I kick your ass instead,” she responded, firing a blast of golden energy at him, only to have it miss.

“You are persistent,” Baron Nevermore commented. “I was fond of the writer, so I shall do you the honor of laying your bones beside his…”

Grendel gave a deafening roar and charged straight at Baron Nevermore again, not seeming to consider the fact that the villain had already stopped his previous charges and had hurt him. Grendel was a creature of near mindless ferocity, and at the moment, he seemed absolutely determined to tear Baron Nevermore to pieces.

Suddenly, flaming chains burst out of the ground around Grendel, grabbing hold of him and entrapping him. As the flaming chains wrapped around the massive monster, Grendel’s Mother came charging in again. She opened her mouth and fired a blast of green energy at Baron Nevermore. A quick thought flittered through Daphne’s mind, and for a brief instant, she wondered what that would taste like.

The giant snake made of smoke began to wrap around Grendel’s Mother, though she fought it frantically, blasting energy at it from her mouth. The snaked kept breaking apart as she did this, but quickly reformed. Though she was able to keep it from fully entrapping her, it seemed to take her full effort just to do so.

Daphne flung herself at Baron Nevermore, trying to catch him while he was distracted by the Grendels. However, he saw her coming and turned, sending a wave of green energy in her direction. She flew straight up, just barely avoiding the attack.

Suddenly, an eerie howling sound began to fill the air, and when Daphne looked for the source, she was shocked to see that it was coming from the army of ravens. Most of them were crying out, and every single one had turned to look towards Baltimore, with looks of shock and pain on their faces. Something was happening, something that was disturbing all the ravens.

“My queen,” Baron Nevermore exclaimed, turning to stare at Baltimore as well with a look of stunned disbelief.

Daphne was confused by what was going on and tried to decide if it was a good thing or a bad. Before she could decide, nearly the entire raven army abruptly turned away from the heroes and began to fly away.

Everywhere Daphne looked, enemy soldiers transformed into ravens and flew into the air, starting to head in different directions. However, Daphne quickly realized that no matter which direction each raven started to fly in, each and every one of them quickly changed direction towards Baltimore, even when the birds were clearly flapping as hard as they could to go in the opposite direction. Some force was pulling them towards Baltimore…dragging them kicking and screaming.

“What the hell?” Daphne gasped.

Baron Nevermore remained standing where he was, making no move to transform and fly away like all of the others. He stared at them with an expression that seemed to be a mixture of anger, confusion, and even fear. And while he was distracted, Grendel smashed into the ground at this feet, tearing himself free from the flaming chains. The massive blue monster ignored the charred wounds that the chains had left and rushed directly at Baron Nevermore.

“Get him,” Grendel’s Mother yelled out, just a moment before Grendel hit Baron Nevermore.

There was a loud cracking sound as Grendel’s fist connected with the villain, and Baron Nevermore was sent flying back, where he smashed into the ground. Seeing her opportunity, Daphne flew straight at Baron Nevermore, determined to make sure he stayed down.

“No,” Baron Nevermore exclaimed, gesturing with his hand and a mass of flaming chains burst out of the ground and shot up to wrap around Daphne’s legs. She howled in pain but continued to fight against them, determined to get to her enemy no matter what. “I have not the time to deal with you… My queen requires me…”

Baron Nevermore fixed Daphne with his glowing red eyes, a sneer forming on his lips. He held out his hands and balls of purple energy formed in each. She gulped, suddenly realizing that this time, he fully intended to finish her off. She struggled against the chains, hoping that Grendel or his mother would hit Baron Nevermore before he could kill her.

Suddenly, a new figure dropped out of the sky, right in front of Baron Nevermore. “You won’t harm her,” the White Knight announced, already swinging his glowing white sword at the villain.

Baron Nevermore tried to blast the White Knight, but Daphne’s father raised a glowing white shield, which deflected most of the blast. The purple energy hit his glowing white armor, which broke apart and dissolved, though the shield and armor managed to protect the man beneath.

“You will NOT hurt my daughter,” the White Knight exclaimed, taking another swing at Baron Nevermore, who twisted to the side and was struck in his upper shoulder.

Baron Nevermore snarled in pain, but didn’t cry out. Instead, he glared at Daphne’s birth father with a look of pure hatred. “I will strip the flesh from your bones and feed your soul to the pit…”

Daphne was grateful for the rescue, yet embarrassed as well. She was no damsel in distress that needed someone to rescue her. She was Ms. Miracle…leader of the Miracle Men and a hero in her own right. With a deep breath, she charged at Baron Nevermore once again.

“You are a monster,” Daphne yelled.

Just as Baron Nevermore turned to face her, she used her left hand to fire a blast of golden energy into his chest. Baron Nevermore took the attack with a grunt of pain and a snarl, though Daphne had never meant it to truly hurt him. Instead, that had just been a distraction while she focused all her remaining energy into her right hand, using a newly learned trick to form a sword from this energy. Then, as Baron Nevermore reacted to the first attack, she swung her sword right through his neck.

Baron Nevermore’s head went flying while his decapitated body collapsed lifelessly to the ground. Seconds later, Daphne watched as both head and body began to melt into puddles of black goo. She stared at this for a moment, then collapsed to her knees, no longer having the energy to stand much less continue fighting.

“Are you all right?” the White Knight gently asked. Daphne didn’t answer. He came over and put a comforting hand on her shoulder, though he didn’t say anything else. Instead, he just stood there in awkward silence.

Daphne was vaguely aware that the fighting was over, that the last of the raven solders were in the process of departing. There were cheers from the other heroes, though not from her. Instead, her heart and mind were both racing yet confused. Finally, Daphne looked up into the sky, and with tears pouring down her cheeks, she whispered, “Rest in peace, Mom…”

--------------------

Gwen stared up into the sky with a cold dread, unable to tear her eyes off the massive flock of ravens that was flying towards them. She wasn’t the only one who was concerned by their approaching enemies.

Lady Knight had her hand out in front of her, and several glowing pink bubbles kept floating around it. She was prepared to form a weapon the instant it was needed, though she was keeping her options open for the moment.

Alleycat, Poison, and Stealth stood guard by Glamour Girl, who was still sitting on the ground since she didn’t have the energy to stand yet. Instead, she kept staring into the portal with a look of grief and guilt on her face, as though she blamed herself for her teammate’s death.

Legacy had reappeared, having come back out of the Empty after the Queen of Ravens had been thrown through the portal. Like Glamour Girl, she kept looking at the portal. And like Glamour Girl, she couldn’t stand on her own, and had burned out most of her powers. She would have been sitting on the ground too, if she wasn’t leaning against Mystik for support. Counterweight stood on the other side of her, as though offering her own moral support, if nothing else.

“I don’t know how much longer I’ll have these powers,” Mystik reminded everyone. “Catalyst said that they’d only last for an hour…” No one paid her much attention.

Then, Gwen looked off into the distance, trying to guess where the mysterious Harbinger was hiding. Wherever she was, Gwen was pretty sure that she was watching them…ready to shoot someone else if she had to. Normally, Gwen would have been concerned about someone pointing a gun in her direction, but Harbinger had saved Glamour Girl’s life, and had helped them against the raven soldiers.

“They’re coming,” Lady Knight pointed out.

As the ravens came rushing down on them, Gwen braced herself to cast a spell, even though she wasn’t sure that she even had enough magical energy left. But as the first raven arrived, it flew right past all of them and directly into the portal. The second raven ignored them too, as did the third.

“They’re not fighting,” Gwen said in relief, letting out a faint sigh.

“I don’t think they can,” her father commented. “Without their queen, none of them has the strength to fight…even if they could escape the portal…”

Gwen watched the ravens being pulled into the portal and saw what her dad meant. Some of the ravens were flying straight into it, but most were trying to escape it, flying as hard as they could in the other direction, though it did no good. They fought, and they shrieked, and they flailed, but they were still pulled backwards into the portal where they vanished. The air was filled with a cacophony of their cries, making it difficult for Gwen to hear anything else.

For several minutes, Gwen watched the ravens with a morbid fascination, then she looked around at the other monsters who’d been surrounding them. To her surprise, they were no longer hiding near the surrounding buildings and lurking in shadows, they were coming out into the open…and dying. Something that looked like a bald and mangy lion staggered and collapsed to the ground, where his body quickly began to crumble to dust. All of the other monsters were doing the same thing.

When the ravens finally stopped pouring into the portal, there was a loud cracking sound as the stone arch shattered and crumbled. Gwen jumped in surprise, letting off a loud gasp as the entire arch imploded in a flash of red. A moment later, there was nothing but a small crater where the stone arch and portal had been.

“The portal is closed,” Gwen’s dad announced unnecessarily.

“Well, duh,” Counterweight commented wryly.

“But, Channel,” Gwen whispered with tears in her eyes.

“Channel sacrificed herself to stop the queen,” her father told her sadly. “She was a brave young woman…”

“She did it herself,” Glamour Girl said quietly. “This time, it wasn’t one of her spirits. It was all her.”

Poison bowed her head and said, “I’m sorry for her loss. But unfortunately, we can’t grieve just yet.” She looked directly at Gwen’s dad. “You said that only the ravens that the queen brought with would be pulled back. That means we still need to deal with Baron Nevermore…”

“Um,” Lady Knight said, holding her hand up a bit for attention. “I’m pretty sure that Baron Nevermore has already been dealt with. You know…sixth sense and all.”

Poison stared at her for a moment before nodding. “Maybe, but we still need to make sure.”

“I’ll open a doorway,” Gwen’s dad said with an exhausted sign. “But it looks like this is finally over…”