Chapter 19: Her Wings? Your Wings? No, My Wings!

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Chapter 91: Her Wings? Your Wings? No, My Wings! II

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"Huh? Are you saying the boss is stupid? Boss! Give me my bat! I have to educate them on how skulls are brok... Ahem... I mean, Oops?"

She was doing her job well, Ian noted. He ignored her words, and explained, "I know what am doing. I just want you to make it as small as possible while focusing on flexibility, but size comes first."

"Mm mm I agree, size comes first." Harley nodded in agreement.

Again, Ian ignored her comments and continued, "The material I'll provide is extremely scarce, and I was only able to acquire a bit of it, so be careful with it."

Cisco and Caitlin wanted to ask Ian, so many questions, but they saw his focus on business, so they remained silent. Harrison was the one to make the decision after looking through the blueprint for a while, "What material are we talking about?"

"Promethium. Everything necessary should be delivered by tomorrow." The same material he made the staff of all things with. He still has left but very little.

"We can do it. The contract is already prepared." And that they did, they signed the completed the deal, and all Ian had to do was to wait for the results.

"Are you a metahuman?" However, while walking Ian and his group outside, Caitlin, the curious person that she is, she couldn't help but inquire.

"Maybe? Who knows." A shrug was basically his answer.

"Oh oh I know! I know, he's a collector! You know, of women?" Harley cutely eyed Ian, almost questioning him.

'Ughh, I guess my personal team is only composed of women? But I swear I didn't mean for that to happen... It all natural, all led by a higher power.'

Ian convinced himself of what he perceived to be the truth and ignored Harley again, making her pout. On the bright side, Selina was amused. She still didn't take that possibility into consideration, simply because she doesn't care for one reason or another.

The project will certainly take a while, so Ian decided to acquire one of the most objects that currently exist on the face of the earth. He didn't instruct Layla to do something before though, he instructed her to send a few messages... That's it.

He went on to disappear for a few days, leaving the disappointed Harley in training with Layla. He did have to come back very soon though he had completed his objective, and it was surprisingly easy. His target was after all just framed in a glass case on a wall. It was almost like a charity.

He was called upon by S.T.A.R labs themselves, inviting him back for an emergency.

Caitlin was again waiting at the front for him though this time, she appeared apologetic as she said, "This... Can they wait outside?" It seemed that they didn't think he'd bring Selina and Harley again.

"Huh? Are you saying that I, the boss's right-hand man, his protector, and the vice boss of the entirety of Gotham can't go in with him?" It was like an instinctive reaction as Harley seriously and Earnestly spoke... Caitlin almost believed her if not for Ian flicking the clown's forehead with a speechless expression.

"Aww Why Boss? Was I too gentle? But I don't have my bat, how can I go hard without it?" She was a master of nonsense, no opponent could even stand to face her... Except for someone with a tiny bit of a distorted sense of reality. Tiny bit I must stress.

"How about if you jump into a fast-moving vehicle and when you survive, she'll take pity on you and let you in," Ian suggested.

"Aw? Hmm... That might just be a very good idea." And she was about to try it as she turned around. Caitlin was quick though as she stopped her.

"I... A... Tha, you can come in also, yeah, just please come in." She even pushed her inside when she noticed Harley looking disappointed.

Much to Ian's surprise, the flash himself was actually inside. Ian had to try hard to show a surprised expression for some reason. It's not like he was expecting this somehow.

But Ian could somehow sense something, 'I sense charity heading my way for some reason. It must be a coincidence again...'

The flash was adorned in his flash outfit, not showing his face though Ian knows that basically every one of the flash team knows the latter's identity, 'He doesn't trust me... I wonder why?'

"The flash huh? I had my suspicion but you're really working here." Ian murmured, letting Barry Allen knows that he knows so that the flash can also let him that he knows and that he did.

"... Batman didn't lie." The flash murmured, cautiousness appearing in his eyes.

"So Batman did tell you about me huh? I'm kind of sad, I expected better from a friend... Really, too bad." Ian looked downcast, and almost everyone in the room believed him, except Barry.

The way Batman talked about Ian was as if he was speaking of a virus he wishes to get rid of but not at the same time.

Suddenly Ian felt someone hugging him from behind. He clearly felt the sensation of two bountiful mounds on his back. Wonder what those are?

"It's okay boss, I understand," Harley consoled him with a bit of sadness in her voice, almost tearing up, "Someone I considered a friend betrayed me once... It was Headbreaking. Just remembering that sweet sensation of my bat crushing her soft skull... Ahn! wonderful. Wanna try it, boss?"

"Actually..." The fact that Ian was considering it made everyone even more speechless. They were simply stunned not sure whether she was joking or not, "Maybe? I mean, Ahem, she's a special case, so just ignore her."

'Lair! Can you be more obvious?!'

Even Selina was a bit speechless, 'Is she like converting him? But he's already crazy, it couldn't possibly get any worse, right?'

"Anyway, what's the emergency? It's not something about the commission, is it?" Ian wondered.

"No... I need your help."

'Hmm, something is strange. I expected something similar but... Is it Batman?' Still, Ian indicated for him to continue.

"Normally, I would be able to take care of it myself, but a certain emergency happened... Three metahumans started working together, and I want to stop them without risking innocent lives." Barry spoke seriously, stressing the last part.

"Aren't you like the fastest man alive?"

"Yeah yeah! just run there and beat them up before they react... I can even give you my bat, the skull crusher!" Childish is what she was though one could argue she was just a free cheerful soul.

"I... It's not that easy."

"Of course it's not," Ian seemed to agree, "So what's the price?"

"Price?"

"Don't act dumb. Batman must've told you how I am."

"What if... No, I shouldn't say it." Harley interrupted again while still hugging him from behind, taking her liberties right in front of the uncaring Selina, though she stopped herself from continuing... Just for a second.

"I have to continue! Can I? What if he's actually dumb!" The silence in the room drove an apologetic expression on her face, "Sorry, my tongue slipped... Hehe."

Yeah, she was definitely apologetic, and everyone in the room believed her, so everyone chose to just ignore her from now on as Barry asked, "Well, what do you want?"

"You're right. What do I want? What do you think Harley?" Ian was curious about her perspective.

"Well a bat of course. What else more could anyone wish for?"

"Oh right. How about you help me with an experiment? It should be quite easy for you. In fact, I'm losing here." After little contemplation, Ian made his offer.

"As long as it's not something dangerous to anyone else, or me then I don't mind." The flash's answer was as quick as if he thought it all through.

"So let me tell you about them. The first is someone who can multi..."

"Multiplex!" Cisco interrupted with enthusiasm, and took over the scene, "I call him Multiplex because he can multiply, as in literally create clones of himself. They were even able to beat B... The Flash!"

"You didn't have to say tha..." Barry murmured under his breath, his expression was bleak.

"Pfft hahhahaha, the fastest man alive Hahahaha."

Hell, even Selina was confused, 'Ian told me of how fast he is, so how? If only I had such... But Ian did tell me I will be overdosing with happiness by the end of the trip, so perhaps...'

Anticipation was apparent on her face, but she didn't forget to casually observe the very advanced lab from time to time. That's part of why she's here after all.

"Is it time to softly brush some skulls?" Harley whispered in Ian's ear, making sure no one else hears her.

"It's called gently poke I believe?"

"But I have a bat?"

"But I have a spear?"

"..."

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Chapter 92: Her Wings? Your Wings? No, My Wings! III

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"Yahhhoo!" That was followed directly by the distinct sound of something crashing a skull.

"Stop it! What if you kill him!" Much to Harley's annoyance, someone stopped her, the Flash.

"It's okay, just let her have her fun. They're just clones anyway... I'm sure she won't do the same if it's the real one." Ian did a little convincing that made more sense than it should.

Before the trio of Ian, Barry, and Harley were three people... Three of the same exact people though one had his skull opened. They were clones of their target, Multiplex.

Still, the Flash acted by himself and hurridly incapacitated the remaining two clones. His speed was truly marvelous, "Can you imagine just how many skulls I will be able to break per second with such speed?"

Harley gulped with apparent desire in her eyes, "He must be moving at like 100 skulls per second!"

Her eyes suddenly lit up as she jumped into Ian's arms, her whispers were already reaching his ears showing her eagerness, "Boss, I'm also your girl, right? Please g..."

"No," Ian pushed her away and walked towards the warehouse before them. The Flash was already inside, befitting of his title, "Let's take care of business first."

He spoke as he extended both of his hands as if seeking to take hold of something, a staff, and a dagger.

"Soo cool!"

The warehouse was filled with clones, almost like an army. Ian counted more than a hundred clones that the Flash was already fighting.

Ian had to hold his side of the bargain as he also joined the fight though he was much more conservative lest the crowd of clones overpowers him.

This was the first time Harley saw him in action. A lot of time passed since his fight with Deathstroke, and his training with Richard never stopped. He was still devouring knowledge and experience like a black hole, and she got to witness the exquisite result of his practice.

It was more like a dance as he sliced through the clones with his daggers, and stabbed right through the ones in his way. They were barely able to touch him before his attacks reach them, and what followed is death.

'I have to wonder though, why aren't they using guns?' Ian frowned and leaped backward in contemplation. The clones were sloppy with no fighting experience at all. Honestly, they were child's play to him.

"Flash!" Ian's yell attracted the flash's attention, noticing Ian's frown. He saw the latter having no trouble dealing with them at all, so he had to wonder where that came from.

"This is a trap... The other two must be elsewhe..." Just those first words were enough to alert the Flash of a possibility as anxiousness instantly emerged on his face.

"Just go. I'll take care of things here." Ian didn't need to repeat his words for the Flash to disappear, leaving him alone with Harley and a few dozen clones.

"Huh? What's happening?"

"Multiplex's teammates may just attack the S.T.A.R labs," Ian explained as he leaped back again, evading the mindless clones.

"Now, let the fun begin," A smile of anticipation arose on Ian's pale face as he sent his dagger back to his dimension, leaving only his staff, "Harley, keep distance from me."

"So many guinea pigs. You have such an amazing power that I wouldn't mind you working for me. Who knows, I may just find it in my heart to help you solve your problem."

He didn't wait to receive an answer as he pointed his staff at one of the clones. He unleashed his life force at full power, transferring it to the staff and triggering the first vessel.

"First Vessel- Red Kryptonite." A crimson beam was instantly released from the vessel as the latter was overwhelmed with a bright red light. The beam's target was the clone.

Strangely, it did absolutely no damage to it, it was as if nothing happened but Ian refused to blink in expectation.

Every other clone in the warehouse already stopped at Ian's words, seemingly stunned to react, and they just watched as that specific clone experienced a complete transformation, growing hair all over, becoming nothing but a ball of hair much to everyone's dismay.

"Boss, I suddenly like staffs and spears more than bats... Would you find it in your ki."

"No," His quick refusal left her pouting in disappointment though her eyes were still on the staff.

"Hmm, quite interesting." Ian was about to continue with his experimentation, but he heard a voice other than Harley near him.

"Who are you?" He turned his head to see one of the clones looking at him vigilantly, seeming more alive than the rest.

"Oh, you can take control of specific clones? Even better!" Happy was an understatement for Ian's mood. A guinea pig can't get much better than this.

Ian performed a small elegant bow, "It's pleasure to meet you. I'm Ian Rose, a crime lord in Gotham... The only crime lord in Gotham."

"What did you mean by solving my problem?" The clones made an audible gulp as he questioned.

"I mean exactly what you understand. For now, just wait." Ian then ignored him and approached the hairy clone. He touched the clones' hair and observed it for a bit, "Hmm very interesting."

He aimed his staff at it again and activated the first vessel though this time, the green Kryptonite instead of the red. The two were vastly different as the former acts more as a wave or a constantly expanding zone of radiation.

A glob of transparent energy was released from the staff and enveloped the Hairy clone. Ian constantly increased the input of his life force, raising the potency of the green radiation until he finally noticed a change, the hair was receding albeit slowly.

"Perfect!" Ian sent the staff away and stood up. His expression was bright as he walked up to the fully controlled clone and hugged the confused man like they were long-time friends, "You're gonna be a great genuine p... friend. I'm sure we'll have a great working relationship!"

"Huh?"

Multiplex became even more confused once he lost connection with another clone of his, and heard a loud bang. He turned his head to look at Harley who went on to deliver another blow to the clone's head.

"Boss... I think I'm starting to fall for you. Your vision is truly magnificent. You saw through my difficulties and brought me an infinite generator of skulls to crush." She was almost tearful, looking touched.

"Hmm? Oh, right... Of course, my vision is unparalleled." Ian nodded, leaving Multiplex confused with a few words, "I will contact you soon, and we'll discuss the conditions. Also, your friends have likely been caught by now."

"How... you... wait..." Multiplex felt like the truth of the universe was starting to dawn on him, "The messages... Could it be?"

Ian left with Harley nagging him with questions and wishes nonstop. She was simply acting like herself... Too much like herself. She was having too much fun though it's in her nature to make the most out of every situation.

Honestly, even Ian doesn't quite understand how Harley can be fit to replace Layla, but the latter seems to understand, and Ian can make a few assumptions based on what knows about Layla's life... She must've seen something he didn't.

If he had to answer, Ian would say that he trusts Layla more than anyone in this world. Even a cult leader would find it to be an impossible task to change the beliefs of his cult.

It's easier to convince God that he's not actually a god than it is to convince his believers otherwise... Yeah, this analogy makes perfect sense.

"What happened?" Ian asked as he reached the labs which were looking partially destroyed.

"They attacked the lab... The other two. Luckily, almost no one was hurt." Cisco was the one to explain, and Caitlin added, "The Flash came back just as they started their attack."

"Oh, and where is he? And why didn't the police investigate the incident?" The crime lord wondered.

"He's being taken care of by a personal doctor. He's been hurt badly. About the police, we have our ways." Dr. Harrison explained, his face looked a bit gloomy.

"I see. Tell him that I couldn't catch Multiplex. He wasn't there to begin with, he just sent his clones... I guess I didn't end up doing much? But did you know that actors that signed a contract will get paid regardless of whether they did any acting in the film?

If the director chooses to let them go after the contract because they found an alternative or something similar, they still have to pay them the full amount... Wonderful, isn't it? The power of contracts. Anyway, Tell him to contact me when he feels fine."

"Wahh, absolutely shameless. As expected of the Boss." Harley's loud words forced a sigh out of Ian, she just had to go and ruin the mood every time... It's kind of amusing though.

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Chapter 93: Her Wings? Your Wings? No, My Wings! IV

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It took seven whole days for the Flash to come to his door though much to Ian's surprise, he also brought the device with him, the thing he was waiting for.

Those seven days weren't spent doing nothing though. He met up with Multiplex, or what he assumed to be his clone. Of course he wouldn't be trusted so easily.

They spent a while negotiating the slave contract... Well, kinda. It appears that Multiplex's real name was Danton Black, and his wife died indirectly due to his former boss.

The boss of Stagg Industries took Danton's credit for the work he was responsible for, namely cellular regeneration, something he hoped would cure his wife. Unfortunately...

Thus Ian had a new employee, and he made sure to exploit him fully by experimenting on his clones, specifically working on his Anti-Kryptonite project.

Luckily, pain doesn't transfer from the clones to the main body, letting Danton let a sigh of relief after seeing what Ian's experimentation was like.

The experiments were quite simple, consisting of using the Red Kryptonite energy on a clone and then trying to reverse the process.

The majority of the time, the effect of the Red Kryptonite will be negative, something no one wants, but there are those rare times when the effect is positive, wonderful even. It's extremely unlikely however.

Ian wants to see if he can control the positive and negative effects of the Red Kryptonite and if tweaking with the energy can produce an intended effect.

Unfortunately, he has come to discover that that's just not possible, yet at least. Maybe he was missing something, but no matter what he did, the effect was still random, and that says a lot considering his continuously improving control over the staff of all things.

So his focus changed to the next best thing, using the Red Kryptonite and then reversing the process with the Green Kryptonite if the effect is not desirable.

It was a project he started after Selina's infection, and only now did he have success though there are still some dangers he has to eliminate as some of the Red Kryptonite's effects can lead to instant death.

"This is good enough for now. I guess I should cure Selina first, but if I fully complete the project..."

Thus the days of experimentation were done, and before him stood the Flash himself, holding a small box in his hands, "Is that it?"

"Yup, I don't exactly what you want to do with something like this, but it's not dangerous... It's actually kinda useless, but whatever."

You are reading story DC: Rose Of Death at novel35.com

Ian didn't pay attention to Barry's babbles. He took the box and opened it, showing the holy grail of the world! Two pieces of dark metal, appearing quite complicated with a bunch of what looks like spider-like limbs?

It looked useless, yet Ian touched it like it was the most precious treasure in the world. He then closed the box before sending it to his dimension.

"About our deal... Just contact me when you need my help. As long as I can, I will help." Barry further added, seemingly about to leave.

"Wait... What I want you to help with is actually pretty simple," Ian's staff appeared in his hand again. He extended it to the far right, away from him before making his wish clear, "I just want you to run, run so fast and accumulate energy, then release it at the staff."

"Huh? Why?" Barry was confused and hesitant, "I... I'm not sure if I can do that?"

"Hmm? You're not sure? Well, just try it. I just want to test a theory of mine." Ian noted that Barry still seems a bit inexperienced which makes sense considering his nemesis is still alive and well.

"I'll try." Barry wasn't sure exactly what Ian's goal was, so he was hesitant. The two walked out of the villa, the area around it was large enough to give him the chance to run around Ian and reach the required speed.

However, Barry was smart enough to run far away before as if he wants to create distance, but in reality, he contacted S.T.A.R labs and informed them about the situation. Surprisingly, it was Dr. Harrison who gave him the green light.

He started running and running, reaching Ian in the blink of an eye, passed by him, and performed a full circle around the villa.

He continued until he felt like his speed was enough as going on any further may bring about some kind of disaster. In fact, signs of a hurricane were already starting to appear, faint but still there.

He came to a quick halt very close to Ian and released all of the accumulated energy directly at the staff. A burst of golden brilliance traveled through time and space to reach the staff, colliding against it before scattering around as if nothing really happened.

However, Barry being a speeder wasn't just for show, he could see. He saw a small portion of that force being absorbed into the staff, into one of its vessels though he could see nothing within it in contrast to the first vessel where he could clearly glimpse a cluster of green and red energies.

"Hmm, that's disappointing, but thank you nonetheless." Ian still had his eyes closed for a few more seconds. To him, everything happened in a matter of seconds, and couldn't even react to the burst of golden light.

He did however prepare beforehand as he had released all of his life force into the staff, initiating its devouring ability, making it in constant activation, so even though he saw nothing, the staff still did its job.

The Flash was also confused, he observed the staff for a little bit more before leaving, and the first thing he did is informing Batman.

'The staff was able to devour a bit of that force, a speck so small even he couldn't see it,' But Ian can feel it. His control over staff was so strong by this point that it felt like an extra limb to him.

'I still don't get it though. Why was this particular force assimilated so easily? And why was I able to assimilate it despite how little there was?'

He tried assimilating magic and holy power into the vessels to no avail. The staff needed a constant transfer of the two powers for a long time to assimilate them, and without a stop at that.

However, he didn't, and he still doesn't have the necessary amount of energy required to sustain the assimilation.

Yet here he was with a power that was assimilated in an instant. Moreover, most of the force released by Barry was lost, scattered around as the staff was only able to devour a tiny bit of it, both due to constraints of the staff and how much life force Ian can discharge at a time.

Despite all of that, he was still able to assimilate it, 'Unless this isn't the speed force? It's possible, after all, that burst of energy was mostly composed of lightning, but it was lightning built by the speed force.'

Ian took a bet on that possibility, whether his staff will absorb the lightning or the speed force, and he still doesn't have his answer.

He went back inside the villa, closed himself in the basement, and unleashed his life force through the place, trying to sense if anything is inside with him.

That was a way he figured out to expand his senses though it's a very slow process, but he knows for a fact that he can sense almost anything due to his life force interacting with it.

Thus started a cycle of tests and errors, trying different methods to activate that tiny force, 'Huh? It does grow just like magic and holy energy, but it's so much slower... The good news though is that it's speed force.'

Ian let out a sigh. The limits of his life force were nowhere to be seen, it's so much more than he thought it'd be, and it's still growing stronger.

It's still in a constant state of transformation, a proof of which is the growing black dots on his back, slowly forming into some kind of symbol.

'But this is even better. Only with enough power can I acquire the answers I desire...'

The following week was spent in research, not just on his projects but also on magic. The latter may just be the key ingredient to a whole new world on how to control his life force.

He just has to understand the core mechanisms of magic... Something even the most renowned of magic users doesn't understand, but he at least hopes Constantine's books give him a clue.

Still, Ian didn't ignore his training, not for one day. Richard though him the value of commitment, and he plans to go all out, especially in enhancing his 'I wanna die!' fighting style.

It was harmless, peaceful training, so imagine Ian's surprise when just outside the villa, in the grassy garden, he felt something strike him in the chin with such a force it sent him up in the air, almost knocking him out.

'Unleash...' It was an instinctive reaction. Ian released the incomplete result of one of his projects, uncaring about the consequences. Not knocking him out in one hit may have been a mistake.

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Chapter 94: Her Wings? Your Wings? No, My Wings! V

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'Unleash...' It was an instinctive reaction. Ian released the incomplete result of one of his projects, uncaring about the consequences. Not knocking him out in one hit may have been a mistake.

Imagine holding a sea of fire in an empty dimension. Now imagine compressing all of that fire as much as possible, pushing it into a singular point, forming something akin to a sun, condensed to the point it looks solid.

Keep that compression on, constantly through whatever means necessary, including charity from demons... Now, release it, let it go... Let it all go! What would happen?

A burst so immense, so destructive that it can annihilate an entire city... But that would lead to Ian's death as the consequential outburst will envelop him in the process.

Yet, Ian's power didn't activate. It didn't stop him from releasing the blast nor did it save him from it because it never happened. What he was dealing with was way beyond his level.

Even that single thought and the instinctive reaction were way too slow because, for his opponent, it appeared as if time was still as he ran towards Ian, seemingly stepping on nothing but air to reach him and deliver another punch, a much stronger one, knocking him out.

The man was surprised. Ian not getting knocked out in the first hit was unexpected, especially with all of the force in that strike, but it still didn't matter... Speed is broken.

"Aghh," It was a while before Ian groggily opened his eyes, feeling a bit dazed though that went away quickly as he sobered up instantly, memories of what he remembered last were surfacing in his mind.

He clearly felt the pain in his chin, refreshing his recollection faster. His eyes brown eyes quickly got used to the darkness of the room, getting a glimpse of a shadowy figure before him.

"Who are you?" He was questioned instead of the otherwise around.

Ian took a deep breath, not losing his calm, his life force was already unleashed, slowly expanding outwards to sense things around among other things.

He was cuffed, but not just that, a metallic rope was binding him tightly to a pillar behind him, restricting his movement. He was almost entirely naked and... He didn't have his rings on.

However, he can sense them, they're in the room. He can even sense his staff within the rings as his connection with it was much stronger. The give and take process allowed for such a thing to be possible.

"Let's see, you're definitely not the Flash, but you're like him or you've some kind of time powers. I don't believe I've done anything to incur the wrath of someone like you, did I?"

Ian's words fell on deaf ears as the shadowy figure asked again, "Who are you!?"

'Hmm, he can not sense my life force, huh? Not too strange, only a few beings were able to sense it so far, and it seemed to be getting harder to sense by the day.'

He took a deep breath, holding back whatever emotions he was feeling inside, "Ian Rose, the crime lord and only lord of Gotham. Anything else you want to know?"

"Who are you?!" The man still asked again though this time, his tone was much more threatening.

"Can you like just ask a specific question?"

The shadowy figure remained silent, contemplating something before he got right to the point, "Why did you steal it?"

"Hmm?" Ian narrowed his eyes, he already made an assumption about who was standing before him, but he was even more sure now.

"The only thing I stole since I came to the central city was information... Is that what you're talking about? Do you have anything to do with Team Flash?"

"Why did you steal it?" The man repeated.

"Simple deductions. Everything that's happened in the past led me to believe that all the metahumans appearing here have something to do with S.T.A.R labs. All I had to do was some more investigation, leading me to the particle accelerator."

Ian was strangely cooperative, even as the man asked more specific questions, he still answered them all.

"What do you want to do with it?"

"Of course recreate it, study it, and see if I can have more control over it. Perhaps even being able to create metahumans in a more controlled manner."

"Where did you get those rings and the staff you used before?"

"Charity."

"Huh?"

The shadowy figure waited for a while, but Ian didn't seem to mean to explain his words.

"You're not going to answer?"

"You don't want me to answer." A smile surfaced on Ian's face seemingly undisturbed by the potential danger. The webs of his life force already found what he was looking for, it was all in motion.

"Do you know who the Flash is?"

"Not really, not yet at least."

"Not really? So you know something... How did you get to your position despite being so weak?"

"Huh?" Ian was confused, he was certainly weak in comparison to a speedster, but he's quite sure that he was one of the strongest crime lords there ever was, and that's without his rings and staff.

"I guess I just think a lot? If someone smart took ten minutes to solve a problem, then I take an hour to eliminate the concept of the problem from existing ever again... I also have a very strange superpower."

"You do?" The presence in the room tensed. Even though that was already a possibility in his mind, he was still cautious.

"Yeah, I'm a natural attractor of charity. Some being and people always find it in their heart to send things right to my doorstep."

Ian had his eyes closed for a while now, perhaps because the area is dark and he couldn't see anything anyway? That's what the shadowy figure thought at least.

But now, he felt something different, he felt danger. He clearly felt a chill run down in his spin.

Normally his speed would slow down time to such an instinct that everything becomes still in his eyes, and that did happen, but Ian had already acted long beforehand, the initiation of the plan was instant.

The dark room became bright in an instant as a massive ball of fire appeared surrounding Ian. Not just that, the speedster also felt a sea of fire being unleashed from a bag in the side of the room where Ian's rings were.

'How?! How was he able to use them when he's so far away?' The speedster was naturally confused. To function, Ian's rings just need his life force, and he can release it outwards and even control it, so what's stopping him from using them from afar?

All he had to do was to spread a part of his life force around him, creating a field of sorts. The other part of his life force was sent into the rings and created a similar field within the sea of Trigon's fire.

You see, the rings work in a complicated way, as an exchange in space. An area enveloped in his life force is exchanged with another area also shrouded in his life force.

Ian humored the vague figure who he was quite sure is Reverse-Flash. He answered his questioned and stalled for time until the exchange in space was ready.

And thus, a field of fire was created around him, a barrier isolating him from his enemy without hurting himself, but that can not go for the long, the temperature in the room will surely raise fast, this is Trigon's fire after all.

The speedster's reaction was quick as expected as time instantly became still for him. He didn't escape, he saw no need to, instead, he ran directly towards the fire.

Quire odd, isn't it? Not so much for him as his figure became fuzzy but also clear. The man was adorned in a yellow outfit, very similar to the Flash's.

The vagueness came from his strangely vibrating form as he went through the fire as if it were nothing. The atoms of his body were vibrating with such speed that he became intangible.

"What?" Much to the man's shock, Ian was nowhere to be seen. He wasn't inside, nor were the cuffs and the metallic rope. Everything seemed to have vanished, ceased to exist... Just what the fuck is happening?

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Chapter 95: Her Wings? Your Wings? No, My Wings! VI

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"What?" Much to the man's shock, Ian was nowhere to be seen. He wasn't inside, nor were the cuffs and the metallic rope. Everything seemed to have vanished, ceased to exist... Just what the fuck is happening?

Things that made no sense were nowhere near their end as an instant change happened again as if he had entered a trap. Within the field of fire was a large vacant area on which he stood. The fire around him was spreading but at an extremely slow rate, in his eyes at least.

However, that changed because in an instant, the area was vacant no more, a sea of fire shrouded him in a moment.

His senses alerted him to the danger all around him, but especially behind him. Something or someone appeared behind him, and he could feel something stabbing him instantly.

His speed didn't seem to matter as he felt himself burning, his skin scorching hot, and something akin to a spear stabbing him in the back.

From it, he felt a suction of not only his life force but also the speed force. He was being devoured alive... Unfortunately for Ian, a speedster as experienced as him isn't so easy to catch.

The Reverse-Flash reacted quickly and basically fell into the floor, ignoring the solid ground and falling into the lower floor. Neither the fire nor the staff was able to affect him anymore, but Ian also acted quickly... He vanished with the staff.

All that was left was raging flames, swimming about in hunger and devouring all that they can reach. Nothing was beyond Trigon's flames as even the metal structures of the small house were evaporated into nothingness.

Nothing was left... Nothing except five rings, lying on the ground, looking barely affected by the destructive flames. Within those Rings resides an odd dimension, and within that dimension floated a person, aimlessly moving about with a staff in his hand.

In an Oxygen deprived space such as this, he was using a portable oxygen tank to keep himself going while observing his staff, uncaring about all of the injuries all over his body.

His injuries were... Serious, to say the least. Most of his skin was burned, in fact, large parts of his flesh were missing, devoured by the flames he released by his own hands.

Yet he seemed calm. Ian was used to pain, accidents where his legs or arms end up broken weren't uncommon for him, but nothing even came this close.

He knows he should feel pain, and even scream at such a torturous experience, but he felt nothing. All he did was transfer his life force into his staff to heal himself, seemingly obsessed, his brain ignoring all the pain signals sent by his entire body.

He remained calm, undisturbed by all that's happened, or perhaps he just refused to think about anything at the moment.

He already realized the weakness of his powers... He can easily be sealed, or thrown to some closed dimension, and there is nothing he can do to get out of it.

It was a weakness he was working on eliminating, and even his current methods aren't guaranteed because if Reverse-Flash didn't make the mistake of leaving his rings close by, he wouldn't have been to do much.

Indeed, the key to all of Ian's odd moves before were his rings. If Ian can send anything enveloped in his life force into the Black Rose dimension, then why can't he send himself in there?

If he can send himself into his dimension, then of course he can send himself out to a specific location where his life force resides.

He can of course release his life force outside of his rings to choose a place to teleport to. To a certain extent, Ian created a way to teleport without intending to, hell, even the demons that helped him create the rings didn't see such a possibility.

However, something still bugged Ian's mind... He wasn't able to teleport Reverse-Flash inside. His thought process was simple, just send the enemy within the sea of Trigon's fire, and he shall perish in seconds.

Even if some speedsters can run through space and time, he still shouldn't be to run out of there or not pass out and even die in an instant in there.

'I was able to transfer an angel inside, but not a speedster? Is it because the latter's powers have something to do with space and time? Or did the speed force itself forbid that?'

Ian retracted all of the other rings from the outside world, leaving only one out there. He then started releasing some of Trigon's fire outside, creating a sort of barrier around lest Reverse-Flash comes back.

The ring may get damaged even more as a result, but that was a sacrifice Ian was willing to make. He still kept his life force wandering around the ring just in case.

He remained there for quite a while, sensing no one coming close to the area, specifically the Flash who should've responded to an emergency such as burning flames devouring a house.

That led him to believe that he was in an isolated area, either in an abandoned place or somewhere far from the city.

All alone, floating in the darkness of space, no air within, quite cold but the pressure wasn't low, not like normal empty space else he would've been dead by now.

His only solace was constantly pumping life force into his staff, slowly healing his wound while waiting and waiting. He couldn't risk going out, not with the potential danger of Reverse-Flash... Unless.

A hazy purple figure appeared within the sea of fire, unconcerned about the flames that sought to devour her. A massive purple barrier was protecting her as she released a wave of purple magic around, quickly finding her target, Ian's ring.

Ian only stopped releasing the flames once he saw who it was, but he still didn't go out. Instead, he looked through the things he threw in the dimension, quickly finding a piece of paper and a pen.

He wrote something on it before sending it out to Raven's hand as quickly as he could. The first thing written on the paper was 'Don't touch the ring with your bare skin.' The ring can after all suck one's life force at an alarming rate.

The second was simpler 'Take the ring back home and be careful. Don't cancel the barrier but enforce it if possible.'

Raven saw the severity of the situation and acted quickly. She didn't go to the closest city which is Central city but in accordance with his instructions, she made her way home.

Ian disappearing amidst his practice was certainly strange, and not seeing a shadow of him even after hours was alarming, so Selina instantly informed everyone on the team.

Raven naturally arrived first with all of her magical nonsense and instantly sensed the sea of flames. It's after all Trigon's flames, and he is her father, so her connection allowed her to easily reach the flame zone.

Raven didn't let her worry get to her, instead, she informed the team before focusing on flying back as fast as possible.

Thankfully, Ian had plenty of oxygen tanks in the dimension, that and plenty of other useless stuff which can prove to be useful in certain circumstances.

Raven received yet another piece of paper when they arrived, instructing her to head to the basement door and keep her barrier on.

Then he appeared before her, stark naked. She would've been dying in embarrassment if she didn't see all the scars and burns on his body.

She almost teared up as she stuttered her words, "H.. wh... Are you ok... What should I do?" She was confused, trying to approach him but afraid of hurting him.

Just that much was frightening to her, one can only imagine how she would've felt if she saw him right after the incident. Most of the burns were healed by now, yet he still looks... Dreadful.

"I'll be inside. Also, call Victor here... Nevermind, just tell the team that I am fine, I'll be out in a while." He was unusually calm, making Raven scared and unsure of what to do.

She just watched as Ian put in the codes and entered the basement closing the door behind him. Her mouth was opening and closing in confusion, so she decided to tell Selina, and she'll know what to do.

"I wasn't planning on paying attention to you so soon, but you forced my hands... I usually think a lot, but I need to think more, much more about how I can make you lose your mind in despair."

He let out a long breath, not seeming angry, but his words sure insinuate wrath, "I have to make myself happy to calm down... Meeting Lucifer will do."

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