AN: ...It's happening. ENJOY.

ARC Nine: Infinite Crisis

Chapter Ninety Eight: Engrossing Envy

There was a single moment, where Bruce saw Subaru looking down at him, that he felt something. Something that gave a sliver of hope within himself.

"He's still in there…"

Dodging another light based boomerang, he flew across the grand setting they found themselves in.

Specks of light danced around them, looking like miniature stars twinkling around them. Batman tossed several batarangs at Subaru, he in return created a barrier.

The barrier was struck by Rem's icicle attacks.

"Subaru-kun! Please hear Rem!"

"Cut it out already! Subaru can't do anything, even if he wanted to!"

She let out a scream. Hoping it would reach him.

"Subaru-kun! My Love! My Hero! You have to fight back, don't give up!"

"...?!"

"...If not...Reinhard and Slade's deaths will be for naught!"

Subaru had a single tear trickle down his cheek, from where his cybernetic eye was, forcing him to wipe his face. He glared down at Rem, making her make a determined face.

"Subaru-kun!"

"Just leave us alone!"

He jetted down towards Rem, intending to impale her with a Minya spear, but Frederica tackled her away from the attack, forcing the magical attack to clash with Sarah's blades.

She kicked Subaru, but with only the bare minimum of force, as to not hurt him.

However, they noticed that the hit made his eye suddenly revert back to normal...only for it to switch back.

"You…!"

"Yes, I am helping to restore Subaru-sama back to normal! Even if it is against the Great Sage himself!"

He created a whip made of red energy and tried attack her with it, only for her to dodge each of his strikes...until he created a rift next to her, making the whip slash her face. She fell back and had a Minya blade fired at her.

Batman used his hand to grab it and crush it.

"Bruce!"

She watched as he flung himself towards Subaru, who summoned countless Minya blades at once...only to be tackled away.

"Subaru, snap out of it!"

"Cut the shit, Batman! He's not coming out! I WILL NOT ALLOW IT!"

He fired a beam straight through Batman's upper shoulder, but it did not deter him.

"I know Subaru very well, you bastard! I know he's not giving up, even as we speak!"

"No, that's-"

Subaru scrunched his face in pain, as his sole normal eye would fluctuate in colors, he then let out a groan as he let out a shockwave that knocked Batman back. He created wings on his back and shot straight at him, making his possessed friend create a light blade...and so did he.

Their two blades struck each other and sent out a barrage of sparks between them...the sight of which made Rem want to cry. Seeing the two men she saw as almost brothers...fighting to the death. It pained all of them.

Still she looked back and saw Dr. Fate continuing his meditation, as strange symbols circled around him. Beatrice kept putting more energy into her barrier, trying to keep Satella away from them, though it was beginning to crack.

"...Er, Betty cannot hold this for too much longer."

She also allowed drool to escape her mouth as she began to sweat profusely.

"The miasma is leaking through as well, I suppose."

Satella growled and moaned as she clawed and banged at the barrier.

"Su...baru...Flu...gel...Flu...FLUGEL FLUGEL! FLUGEL! GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

More overwhelming energy seeped out of her as the barrier-

"Huh?!"

The void around them began to shift around, making all in the parties stop and gaze around.

"This is-"

"-It's happening!"

Outside, the magic users were finished with their incantations. They made it so that the Algol Tree would be more tangible...more vulnerable...and easier to attack…

Constantine tossed away his cigarette and gave a thumbs up.

"Let er' have it!"

A large contingency of heroes and even villains charged flew forward, attacking the tree. Wonder Woman sliced off a branch. Julius sliced away at it. Priscilla cut apart a huge branch from it. Cyborg fired a gigantic beam at it. Felt stabbed into it with a blade. Raven had her shadows snap away parts of it. Knight Subaru cut into it with orbs of magic. Black Adam slammed his fists against it. Superman fired his heat vision beams at it.

Everyone was doing their part in destroying it.

Karagari Batman was in the Fortress of Solitude now, he was preparing the machine to fire up. As electricity surged around the coils that made up it's base...Tia turned around and saw the very person both of them expected to see.

"Bruce is right...you are just full of yourself."

Roswaal was lurching forward, covered in bandages and without his usual attire, even in this cold environment, glaring at the two of them.

Subaru held his head, he was muttering to himself as the void continued to shift around themselves. As he opened his eyes to glare at them-

Beatrice raised her hand at him.

"NOW FATE!"

Fate had an astral projection of himself shoot out of his body as it charged straight at Subaru. He snarled at him as he summoned Invisible Providence at him...only for him to freeze in place. He looked over at the small spirit who was the one responsible.

"BEATRICE!"

"This is for Subaru's sake, I suppose."

The astral projection flew into Subaru…

Inside the reaches of his mind, Fate found Subaru floating in a dark void...when Subaru saw him, he reached out his hand. Then, a strange darkish purple mass appeared next to him, as he looked over, he then saw on his other side, darkish green spirals dance around him. Both of them took individual forms.

"Satella."

The darkish purple form was a red eyed Satella.

"Flugel."

The spirals took the form of a humanoid shape with glowing green eyes.

"You two have inhabited this boy for far too long."

His projection glowed brightly as an ankh symbol appeared in his chest. His eyes glow brightly with his spell being activated, several gigantic figures appeared behind him letting down their shadowy faces down at them.

"Your engrossing envy has plagued both of your minds. They have costed you, your very souls! Becoming abbritions that have cursed so many lives! As a vessel of order, I will see to your defeat!"

Satella crawled towards him...until she found her form melting away the closer she got to him, so she backed away. Flugel's form dissipated as it spiraled around Fate, trying to ensnare him.

"I will not lose this body, this is my chance at saving Satella once and for all...I MADE A PROMISE!"

Subaru remembered how he promised to save Satella back at the dream realm in the Sanctuary...even he thought it was odd how he promised to save her, just like that. Now he realized it wasn't himself...but Flugel who made that promise.

Fate peered around at the attempt to stop him...but it was fruitless.

"Enough, you stand no chance of defeating me!"

He surged in magical power, seeping into him was magic from outside.

Satella was outside the barrier as she realized the heroes outside were sending magical energy straight to Fate. She roared out as she sent countless Unseen Hands out from behind herself and out to the others. They soon began impaling themselves through various people, including Manitou Dawn, Doctor Mist, Shadow Thief and various others, killing them instantly.

The survivors created countermeasure spells to bounce them back, but Satella had magic beams break through her hands as they injured various others.

Satella growled...just as the tree base cracked in half. Wonder Woman carried off Julius and several others.

"It's done! The tree is collapsing!"

Energy was leaking out of the tree, but also absorbing it. Al found himself feeling something slip away from him.

"Oh shit...it's gone."

He knew right away that his Authority, Re-Try...was gone for good. Just as he was about to leap off the branch he was on with Priscilla...he saw that the branch instantly snapped off and was making them tumble to the space below them. So he ran forward and knocked Priscilla to her platform…just as a bright light shot out from the branch and enveloped.

"Guess that's that-"

He disappeared instantly.

"Aldebaran!"

She screamed out his name as she landed safely on her piece of earth, calling out to her knight...with no response heard. She let out a small sigh, as she ran back to the others.

Satella screamed out as the black mass began to melt around her, the invisible field around her body faded away, her Unseen Hands began to shatter like glass. She let out her hideous scream.

"YOUUUUUU!"

She clawed at the barrier, feeling the very forces that made her such an imposing threat slip away from her, made Satella panic. But her efforts paid off as she felt the barrier break...then seeing her biggest threat, she fired her last Unseen Hand.

It shot around Beatrice and straight through Dr. Fate's chest...Frederica rushed to him.

"FATE!"

Dr. Fate felt how his physical body was damaged beyond repair, so he let out a large booming yell as the magical symbols around him beamed out and plucked the two figures out of the dark void. He grabbed Subaru's hand and they both destroyed the darkness around them.

Subaru let out a blood hurling scream as he clutched his head, his eyes shining as he did.

"Come on Subaru!"

As Batman called out to him, a shockwave shot out him, knocking them all out instantly.

As Batman struggled to open his eyes, a small voice called out to him.

"Is this where you give up?"

Batman shook his head.

"No...not ever."

"...Then you have to get up."

In his blurry vision, he saw someone was reaching out their hand to him. He took the hand and was helped up...floating in a bright blinding light…

"I know you don't give up...afterall…"

Bruce took off his helmet as he gazed...and began to tear up…

"No…"

"I have faith that you...and mama will win. Okay?"

In front of him was an adorable little girl with jet black hair, lime green eyes and a cute smile...that showed her fangs.

"M-!"

Bruce opened his eyes. He shot his body up and saw Subaru, still unconscious ahead of him.

Rem struggled to open her eyes...then she felt soft hands caressing her cheeks.

"Rem, don't slack off now."

"It's time to get up."

As she opened her eyes, she opened them wide. She recognized the two voices.

Her mother and father. As she looked behind their smiling faces...she saw a jet black dragon nod to her.

Rem woke up, instantly looking over at the still slumbering Emilia.

Frederica struggled to open her eyes...until she felt her hair being played with...in a very recognizable way. As she opened her eyes, she saw a person she hadn't seen in years. Her Mother.

She began to cry as she hugged her, only for her mother to softly break the hug and smile at her.

Then she felt soft hands on her sides, she looked over and saw a young girl...the sight instantly made her cry uncontrollably. She picked up the child and hugged her tightly. The child hugged her back...and whispered to her.

"Go with poppa."

"MILIANA!"

Frederica woke up and found herself in the void still...watching as Batman picked himself up. She wiped away her stray tears.

Sarah was helped up, focusing her eyes on her parents...she knew they were gone, so she let tears tickle down her cheeks. She felt a nudge on her shoulder. She turned around, only to widen her eyes...seeing Deathstroke pushing her forward.

"Get up."

Sarah woke up, seeing Frederica do the same.

Beatrice was crying as she was helped up by Lewes Meyer. She smiled happily at her, just as as she turned around and saw Deathstroke and Patrasche nod to her.

Beatrice woke up, seeing the heavily injured Dr. Fate floating next to her.

Emilia was getting up, seeing two hands being held out to her...as she took them she cried immensely, seeing it was Petelgeuse and Fortuna. As she got up, she looked behind them, seeing Patrasche and Deathstroke nudging her forward.

She continued to cry...weeping loudly as she could. Everyone nodded to her...just as she felt pat on the back.

"Quit the crying, Emilia. It's time to move out and kick ass, 'kay?"

She quickly turned around and smiled.

"Thanks Snart."

Leonard Snart smiled back, then Emilia woke up.

Subaru was floating in an endless black void...only for cracks of light to begin breaking through. He heard voices call out to him. All of them calling his name...

Reinhard.

Julius.

Wilhelm.

Deathstroke.

Pamela.

Crusch.

Ferris.

Felt.

Al.

Priscilla.

Captain Cold.

Dr. Fate.

Superman.

Black Adam.

Aquaman.

Joshua.

Rom.

The Three Stooges.

Kadomon and his family.

Liliana.

The Irlham Villagers.

The Dunharrow Villagers.

Shaula.

Meili.

Wonder Woman.

Green Lantern.

Blue Beetle.

Anastasia.

Mimi.

Garfiel.

Ricardo.

Tivey.

Hetaro.

Roswaal.

Ram.

Constantine.

Cyborg.

Starfire.

Wonder Girl.

Petra.

Frederica.

Sarah.

Naoko.

Keiichi.

Beatrice.

Puck.

Bruce.

Rem.

Emilia.

They all called out to him. Reaching out to him. Trying to save him. And he answered.

"I'm back!"

Subaru opened his eyes as he took Batman's hand. He grinned at him, as Batman did the same underneath his helmet. Rem surprised him with a humongous hug. She cried into his chest, making him rub his cheek on her head.

"Subaru-kun! Subaru-kun!"

"This takes me back."

Emilia made it over and hugged him around his neck, planting a kiss on him.

"Subaru…"

"Emilia."

The others made it over, but instantly were shocked as they saw Dr. Fate holding onto his chest wound…

"Fate, oh god!"

"Now is...not...the time….to dwell...she is still…"

They looked behind them...seeing Satella.

She gave them an expression of pain and loss, reaching her hands feebly out to Subaru. She began to cry and scream, clawing at her shoulders.

"Subaru! Subaru! I want you! I need you!"

"Sa...tella…"

She began to have a wicked smile form on her face as she began tear away her dark colored clothing, revealing her naked body to them.

"Come here Subaru! Get away from them! You only need me! I will love you! I will make love to you! And you'll be apart of me! Be apart of me! Be me! ME! ME! ME!"

"Satella stop it!"

Soon cracks formed on her body as red colored crystals creeped out of her body…

"What is happening to her?!"

Everyone backed away from her., making her panic at the sight.

"No...SUBARU! COME HERE! P-PLEASE! G-GET AWAY FROM THEM!"

More crystals formed out of her body, making Beatrice and Dr. Fate explain.

"Her body has lost her Witch Genes, and because she is a half-elf, they can only live about four hundred years, I suppose."

"In other words...those genes were both preserving her life...but also damaging her spirit and mind...now without them…"

"She is breaking apart."

Satella let out a roar as blood leaked out of her eyes. Spiral lines formed around her.

"Flugel."

Now without a corporal body, he was latching onto to Satella, giving her access to his own magic. Both of them spoke in tandem.

"Our love is not going to fade away! We will have everything the world has taken from us!"

Batman and the others soon saw the void around them begin to crack and splinter away…

"No, it's started! We have to get out of here!"

Satella roared as she reached out to Subaru. Subaru put on the Helmet of Divinity, holding Rem and Emilia's hands. Batman raced forward...both men intending to finish the fight once and for all...as Dr. Fate and Beatrice began whispering something.

Roswaal ran forward, just as the Miracle Machine was firing up...only for Tia to slap him away and into the icy walls. He spat out blood as he growled at the Great Spirit.

"Look at you, madness seeping into you...and yet you still are trying?"

"I WILL UNDO THE DAMAGES DONE TO ME!"

He was getting up as he smiled. He peeked up, informing Tia of the charging Ram. Her horn shining brightly as she punched the ground, caving it in.

"After all that, you're still fighting for him!"

"I love him! I'll do whatever it takes to save him!"

"...He's beyond saving."

Tia narrowed her eyes, sharp blue auras floating around her.

Roswaal made a mad dash as he saw his opportunity. Using Ram as a distraction.

Still, Karagari Batman saw him running at him, with a panicked look on his face, the sight of which made him feel sick to his stomach.

"Damn it Roswaal."

Only for Roswaal to have his face kicked in by Garfiel.

"I made ya a promise didn' I?!"

He watched as Roswaal slammed into the walls adjacent to him, clearly breaking his spine. Roswaal crawled on the ground as he shot his bloodshot eyes right at Garfiel.

"I warned ya to knock off thi' crap Mathers...now...I'm gonna beat thi' lesson into ya."

His eyes shined viciously down at the man.

Behind them, the Miracle Machine fully activated, even as the two ladies continued their pointless battle.

Outside of the Algol Tree, they watched as it was collapsing ahead of them, the sight was astounding to witness...then Julius noticed in the midst of it...they could see red crystals breaking out of it. And also hideous shrieks echoing out of it…

It was that juncture of importance, that they knew this fight was coming to an end…

Satella Algol. The Witch of Envy.

Flugel Nova. The Great Sage.

Both were in their last moments together.

In the wake of this convergence, the war that resulted from it, and the lives lost because of it. Love is expressed, whether it would change their outcomes or diverge their destinys...was now to be known.

Yes.

The end was now.

AN: Next time, "Satella", See ya then.