Dark. It was so dark. Cassius struggled to open his eyes, but they wouldn't obey him.
'What's… going on? His thoughts were sluggish, his mind groggy and disoriented. Where was he?
And then it hit him—like a truck. Because that's what had hit him.
He'd been walking back from school, earbuds in, watching a breakdown of Sukuna and Megumi in Young Justice. Then, out of nowhere, a truck. Pain. Impact. And then… nothing.
Cassius tried to steady himself, tried to understand. Panic threatened to bubble up, but he clamped down on it.
That's when he heard the voice.
"Cas? Are you alright, my friend?"
Cassius froze. The voice wasn't his own. It wasn't even human.
"Who are you? What's going on?" Cassius thought, trying to speak. To his shock, the words didn't leave his mouth but instead echoed in his mind.
The voice paused, considering. Then it spoke again, somber and quiet.
"Ah, I see. You're a Cassius from another world. My Cassius… he died, summoning you to take his place. First, let me say this—I'm sorry. This isn't your world. You're in Young Justice, and you've become Cadmus' first experiment."
'Young Justice?' Cassius' thoughts raced. 'That show? The one he'd been watching before he died?'
"You're in the body of my old host," the voice continued. "My name is Toxin. I'm like the symbiotes from Marvel you're familiar with—only I lack the sound and fire weaknesses. Excessive amounts can still hurt me, but you'll find we're far more resilient. Together, we're perfectly bonded due to the experiments done on us. I kept your old self alive long enough for you to… transition."
Cassius' mind churned as the voice laid out his situation. He was no stranger to the concept of reincarnation, but this? This was on another level. "What else should I know?" he asked after a moment of stunned silence.
"You're a Jujutsu Sorcerer now. You have two innate techniques: Shrine—your original—and the Ten Shadows Technique. I'll warn you, though. Your old self killed his family when he first awakened Shrine. He lost control and dismantled their car during a trip, causing an accident that nearly killed him as well."
Cassius swallowed hard.
"The rest is simple," Toxin added. "When we bonded, after more experiments, your old self went berserk and wiped out most of Cadmus' staff. That's why we're here now, in the facility from the show. They're keeping you in stasis."
"Why?"
"Because they fear you."
Silence settled between them. Cassius processed the revelations in grim contemplation.
"So," he began, breaking the silence, "what are we working with here? Spider-Man-like powers? Strength, agility, that kind of thing?"
Toxin chuckled. "Close enough. I enhance your physique, and you can manipulate your body however you see fit—shape-shifting, weapon creation, you name it. I'll also act as a sort of… stand-in Spider-Sense."
"And the sorcerer abilities?" Cassius pressed.
"Basic for now. You have Dismantle, Cleave, and Furnace from Shrine, along with the Divine Dogs from Ten Shadows. Furnace is slower since you lack a binding vow like Sukuna's. Still, it's a terrifying arsenal."
Cassius thought for a moment. This was… a lot. But he needed to focus. One step at a time.
"Do you know what year it is?"
"No," Toxin replied. "I've kept you alive, but I've had no way of tracking time."
"Wake me," Cassius ordered.
"I can, but we should wait until the right moment. There's a break-in happening now—the weapon has awakened. If you wake now, you can make a proper entrance."
Cassius hesitated, that means it was the start of the canon, then nodded. "Fine. Wake me when the moment comes."
---
"The Genomorphs' telepathic network is frantic, Cas. The sidekicks have breached security."
Cassius' eyes snapped open—or tried to. His body wouldn't move.
"The weapon? Has it awoken?"
"Yes."
"Then it's time. Let's make an impression."
Cassius channeled his negative emotions, his flat hand pressing against the inside of the pod that held him. He whispered the word in his mind: [Cleave].
The glass shattered, cubed fragments falling in slow motion as his body spilled out of the pod.
"Toxin!"
Tentacles surged from Cassius' back, catching him mid-fall and lowering him gently to the ground.
"Okay," Cassius muttered. "Shock me awake."
Sparks of bioelectricity danced over his body, snapping him into consciousness. Cassius coughed violently, his lungs burning as he gasped for air.
"You good?" Toxin asked.
"Yeah," Cassius rasped, taking in his surroundings.
Rows of pods stretched across the warehouse-like room, each containing grotesque creations. At the center stood a larger pod labeled Match.
"The weapon's older brother," Toxin commented.
Cassius smirked. "Let's grab some data before we move." A tendril slithered into the nearest terminal, downloading everything Cadmus had on their experiments.
Once done, Cassius turned to the exit—a massive circular door. A tendril shot from his wrist, web-like fluid anchoring to the door. With a sharp tug, the door groaned and fell, slamming into the floor with a resounding crash.
"That'll attract attention," Toxin warned.
"Then let's move fast."
....
Conference room
"Doctor Desmond, you require an audience with the Light?" L1 asked, their down even and deep.
"Yes, very sorry to disturb you at this late hour-" Desmond began but was cut off by a different member of the Light.
"Just make your report." The silhouette said tiredly
Of course, well we had a small fire here at Project Cadmus, the origin of which is still unclear, but it seems to have attacked some. Unwanted attention. Three sidekicks, Robin, Aqualad, and Kid Flash breached security they found and realised the weapons of the superboy.
Of course, the boy is under our telepathic control, and if turned against he would be a liberator. The three are contained and we don't believe the league knows they are here." Demond said and then paused.
"Err, what should I do with them?" Demond asked nervously.
There's a pause in the room before one of the Lights members goes to say "Clone-" when another voice interrupts.
"I think the better question, is what am I going to do to you?"
Desmond wheels around, to see Cas, leaning against the desk. Demonds Genomorph in his hands, dead.
"You!" Demond exclaims but then is cut off by Cas' hand around his throat.
"Toxin say hi to Dr. Desmond," Cas says with a smirk.
A red and black head emerges from Cassius' shoulder, "Hello there doctor Desmond." The gravelly voice of Toxin spits out.
Cas shoots out and slams a fist into Desmond's stomach, who coughs up blood violently. He slumps to the ground. Cas kneels and places a hand on demands back. [Cleave]. Bloodlines open up on Demonds back. His skin was shredded, the wounds were bone-deep.
Cas kicks him and sends him skidding towards the door, where he remains inert. Cas then turns his attention back to the big screens.
"You must be Cassius. We thought Desmond disposed of you a while ago. It seems he wasn't quite as honest as we had hoped." A bald silhouette said.
"Oh don't blame him too much, he did try. He liquidized me in fact. But the natural form of Toxin here is semi-liquid and apparently I'm a perfect host. So Toxin here was able to heal me."
"Interesting, so you can't be killed?" The voice was recognizable, it was the one who first spoke to Desmond and one Cas recognized as Vandal Savage the Immortal.
"Everything can be killed, I'm just harder to put down than most people." Cas pauses here. "So who are you guys." He asked nonchalantly. Pretending like he didn't already know who they were from his knowledge of the series
"We are the Light little sorcerer," Savage responds after a moment. "We guide humanity to make sure they don't stray from the light."
Cas tilts his head to the side and ponders the moment "Kinda vague big man, what's this arbitrary light you talk about?"
"The strong must protect the weak." Another voice cuts in, a foreign male voice. 'Not French so it must be Ra's' Cas deduced quickly. "Heard of this saying? We believe a war is coming where only the strong survive. So we we plan to make humans as strong as possible before this happens" He continues.
"Why are we telling this brat anything?" A sharp arrogant voice cuts in, female.
'Queen bee' Cas thought in a moment of contemplation. 'Am I agreeing with them? I did believe in their philosophy when I watched the show. But to really stand before these people can I truly say I don't see their side? I only watched seasons one and two but I heard spoilers that this war they talk of is with Darkseid. The literal antithesis of all life and free will. Sure their actions may be torturous. But is it wrong when they know what's coming?'
"Silence! Les enfant 'es thinking." A heavily French-accented voice spoke up cutting through Queen Bees's annoyance, the room quickly fell silent.
Cas looks back up at the screens. "What you did to this bo-… what you did to me. That cannot happen again. You went too far. I don't care if the war risks the fate of humanity. If you do that to everyone, they'll just die rather than go through it."
"You are subject number 001, we made plenty of mistakes with you. We freely admit that, but here you stand. With the potential to kill Superman." Luthor says in response.
Cas clicks his tongue, 'Damn twisty logic users. Can't argue with that "You're suggesting that the process has been refined over the years?"
"Yes very much so."
Cas went silent. Thinking... 'What they did to me... torturing me... endlessly. Prodding, poking me, tasering, cutting me open to see what they could remove and what would regrow thanks to Toxin. Should I kill them all? Vandal is immortal. No, they're useful, I'll join them, grow in power, and live exactly how I want to.'
Cas stared into the Light and the Light stared back. "I want to join you in this Light."
"Ridiculous, you're a child. You should be thanking us for what we did to you!" The imperial tone of the queen bee cut through the room.
"Well, this woman speaks the bullshit, to the adults here. What is your answer." Cas says, ignoring the queen bee.
Vandel seems interested. "You are but a child right now, work in accordance with the light for a few years and you will have a place among us."
Cas bobs his head from side to side "I only take orders from the light directly, no middleman so to speak. No involving kids."
Luthor speaks up from the side. "Do kids extend to sidekicks of heroes?"
"No. I heard there's a break-in, want me to deal with it?"
"No leave them, the weapon leaving our hands temporarily may be useful. Just deal with the sensitive info we kept here on site. Then leave through the tunnels you'll find on sub-section 5. If you meet the sidekicks you're welcome to deal with them as you see fit." Vandal says.
Cas glanced to the conscious Desmond who was slowly inching away from him and to the door. He had gotten a decent distance, his blood smearing the ground.
"you hungry Toxin"
"STARVING!" Toxin lunges forward and chomps down. Its teeth sank into the flesh of Desmond's neck, its mouth swallowing his head whole. With a twist, it comes clean off, blood gushing from the headless corpse. And Toxin chewed loudly.
Desmond's corpse falls to the ground, blood pooling around the stump of the neck. Cassius looks from the body to the Light Council. This was his first kill... Probably the first of many, he had to get used to this feeling. Learn to like it like how the Hound or the other killers in series like Game of Thrones did.
'You alright friend?' Toxin asked through their bond.
'Peachy red, just thinking.' Cas responded with a mental sigh.
Silence fills the air until Queen Bee cuts in. "See a child, let his emotions get the better of him and now we're down a valuable scientific mind!" The queen complains.
"Now now, young Cassius was entitled to a little revenge. Desmond carried out quite a few experiments on the young boy without our say-so. Some that would never have gotten our approval." Ra's said chidingly.
Cassisu tilted his head, "Um you haven't lost a valuable scientific mind, I have it now." Cas said as the necessary information and memories flowed from Toxin into himself. However, there wasn't much of a difference due to how closely they were bonded.
Vandal seemed to understand his words. "Interesting, so you have an intellect-devouring ability, does this come with the memories?"
"Some of them but not all of them, it's like luck of the draw as the symbiote devours the brain for nutrients. Until he's done eating he can't give me anything and can't look at what he's eating." Cas explained.
Vandal nodded, "A valuable ability, now then Cassius you should make your way out via the tunnels after destroying the necessary data. We'll have someone waiting for you on the other side. He's our enforcer and will be in charge of training you up."
Cassius responded quickly, "I have no need for a babysitter."
Luthor spoke up, "Think of him as a guardian then and you his ward. You are still young and need someone. He has a direct line to us and therefore so will you. And we can directly instruct you in what needs to be done.
"Fine, what needs to be done?"
…
After sorting through what needed to be deleted and making his way to sub-section 5, Cass entered the tunnels by the hidden door in the wall the Light told him about. From his memories of the show, it seems that Sportsmaster would be waiting on the other side of the tunnel for him.
The tunnel wasn't so bad, at least he could stand up in it, but there was no light in the tunnel. 'Perhaps it's so it doesn't show up on the electrical maps of the building.' Cadmus held a lot of secrets and with his own intelligence. He could have a lot of fun making things with his newfound knowledge of genetics, biomedical science, and biochemistry, perhaps a Super Soldier Serum would be a good place to start.
Eventually, he climbed out of the tunnel he was in. He found himself coming out of a pantry of an abandoned house. It was dusty and unused. Cass wandered into the living room area.
'BEHIND YOU!' Toxin called in his mind.
Cass immediately ducked down as a heavy metal ball swung through the air where his head was a second ago. He formed a scythe out of his arm and swung it as he spun on his heel. Sportsmaster ducked and lashed out with a heel.
Cass tilted his head to the side and let the foot whizz past, before grabbing it and throwing Sportsmaster into the TV on the other side of the room. And then got up from his position on the ground and walked over to the man who had gotten to all fours.
Cass leaned over and held a hand out to him, which the man smacked away as he got up and dusted himself off with his hands. "Not bad kid, not bad at all. Thought they were sending me some useless test subject. But you'll do nicely." The gruff voice came out from under his hockey mask.
"You must be the Light's enforcer. You're here earlier than I thought you would be, I thought I'd have to wait around for you. You're lucky I didn't kill you." Cass said as he stood in front of Sportsmaster.
"HA! I'd like to see you try little brat." Sportsmaster scoffed.
Cas tilted his head with a smile and reached out his arm to the side, [Cleave], the sofa in the corner of the room was immediately gouged with deep groves. "Could have done that to you old man. Normal humans aren't that tough."
Sportsmaster surveyed the damage caused by the wave of Cas's hand. "Oh, you'll do nicely." He said, and Cas could tell he was smiling under his mask.
"Alright let's move, you're a scientist too right, that's what they told me. You'll have a lab in the place you'll be staying at so don't worry about that." Sportsmaster said
"Cool," Cass said.
…
"Woah..." Cas had just stepped into the laboratory of the new housing he was staying at with Sportsmaster. The housing was just a normal house but in the basement was an elevator to secret sub-sections, it was pretty cool.
One of these subsections was the lab Cas had stepped into. The cool sterile air carried the faint smell of antiseptic. The was vast and, for now, meticulously organised, gleaming with cutting-edge tech. Rows of polished counters, topped with state-of-the-art equipment stretched across the room. They were separated into designated workstations for each field of study.
Overhead, bright LED lights illuminate every surface casting a sharp clinical glow across the entire laboratory. To the right, a wall of advanced centrifuges, DNA sequencers, and cryogenic freezers hum quietly. Ready to handle any genetic material or biochemical samples.
Large transparent storage containers filled with vials chemical compounds and biological reagents were neatly labeled and color-coded. There was a digital interface on the wall, allowing for quick access to stored samples, research data, and environmental controls for the lab.
Directly in front of Cas, sleek modern biosafety cabinets line the far wall their hoods fitted with ultra-fine filtration systems. Here he could conduct genetic manipulation and cell culture work, safely handling volatile or sensitive biological materials. Slightly beyond them sat a few liquid nitrogen tanks, able to cool samples to subzero temperatures. Next to these sat a few cages containing mice, that were clearly to be utilised for experimentation.
To the left is a high-tech multi-spectral microscope setup with advanced imaging capabilities. The station was trained for in-depth genetic analysis, cellular research, and tissue engineering. The adjacent workstation was equipped with a digital holographic interface allowing for 3D modeling and simulation of complex biochemical reactions and genetic modifications.
At the back wall, there was an advanced biomedical analysis suite – a set of tools designed for the rapid development and testing of bioengineer organisms or devices. The robotic arms there seemed like they were able to manipulate even the smallest of particles with precision.
A faint smile tugged at Cas' lips as he surveyed the space in front of him, his benefactors were very generous it seemed. This was opportunity at its finest.
Cas leaned over and pressed the intercom by the elevator, "I'll be down in the Lab until you drag me away for training or a mission." Cas intoned to Sportsmaster who was doing who knows what upstairs.
'Okay, the first step before anything is finding out what exactly is up with me and my biology.' Cas thought as he moved over to a counter and pulled open a draw labeled 'Syringes' he looked around for the one labeled 'Vials' and quickly found it. With practiced motions, he drew a sample of his blood from his arm. He felt his skin's resistance to the needle and he had to force the needle to break the skin.
On that note. 'Toxin, are you, the suit you'll form and any clothes you make bulletproof?' Cas asked curiously.
'Yes, I'm ballistic proof, I can force absorbant to a degree so the blows you experience will be weakened when they reach your body.' Toxin responded.
'Good to know.' As he examined the vial of his blood in the vial, it just seemed like normal blood. 'Toxin are you in this sample?'
'Hmm good question, I feel a connection to it, maybe if you lost blood and I consciously tried to leave part of my consciousness in the lost blood the connection would be stronger?'
'We'll try that later. Just the basics for now.' Cas responded.
Cas moved over to the right side of the laboratory where the centrifuge was, and he placed the blood sample into it. He wanted to isolate the plasma from the cellular components. After the sample had been had been prepped in the centrifuge he transferred it to eh DNA sequencer.
The machine whirred to life and began to rapidly decode his genetic material. On the holographic display, the familiar double helix of the DNA spiral appeared though it was interrupted with unfamiliar foreign DNA, from Toxin. It began to unravel to reveal intricate and unexpected modifications.
First, to be displayed was the effects of his symbiote, its own DNA, if Toxin truly had DNA, whatever it was, was interwoven into Cas' own biology. This created a hybrid structure that seemed to be responsible for his enhanced physique.
What was surprising was the second finding, his Meta gene, which glowed in the holographic display in an eerie fluctuation gue. It was unlike anything he could imagine a gene to be, it was constantly shifting and its pattern was unstable. Suggesting rapid adaption and evolution on the genetic level. His Meta gene wasn't just active, it was hyperactive, constantly evolving in response to external stimuli in extreme duress and the symbiote's influence.
This lined up with the memories he had sorted through during his time in the pod, CADMUS had loved having a Jujutsu Sorceror with a Meta Gene. One with limitless applications, they had tortured him and starved him until he had evolved to overcome these problems he faced. One quite literally raised his intelligence so that they would feed him. Cas didn't even understand how his Meta Gene had done that.
'Interesting basically, improvise, adapt, evolve. Fascinating.' Cas thought to himself.
Next, he moved on to the Bio-imaging station, where he took another blood sample and loaded it into the microscope's automated slide system. The system scanned his blood at the cellular level and projected the image onto a large holographic display, Cas then zoomed in to examine it. What he saw equally caused a sensation of awe and a feeling of unsettlement.
His red blood cells were larger than what would be considered normal, they were denser with a darker more vibrant hue. Indicating an enhanced oxygen-carrying capacity. The symbiotes on cells weave through his bloodstream like black tendrils, attaching to his cells at random intervals. Each bond was seamless and didn't disrupt his natural biology.
It was as if the symbiote was acting as an enhancement – fortifying his cells, and increasing their durability. Not to mention the enhancement to his regenerative abilities, those were frightening to think about. Cas didn't even have Reversed Cursed Technique.
The next test focused on his body's energy production and metabolic rate. Using the bioreactor, Cas isolated a small group of his cells and exposed them to various readings. As he had expected his metabolism was working at an accelerated rate, they processed energy far more efficiently than normal humans.
To quantify this Cas compared the ATP production in his cells to the data of a baseline human. The results spoke for themselves, his cells produced energy at ten times the rate of baseline humans. This explained his enhanced physical abilities.
After a long period of testing Cas sat back in his chair and sighed, it was a lot to take on. His body was a wealth of scientific experiments waiting to be conducted.
First, he wanted to test this thing with Toxin about consciousness transferal, which sounds like it could be a useful ability. 'Toxin I'm going to draw some blood, I want you to do what you mentioned earlier and try to extend your control to the extracted blood.' Cas said as he gathered another vial of blood and a syringe.
He drew blood out and examined it in the air in front of him. It seemed a little different, it seemed like it was moving a little of its own volition. 'Toxin?'
'It worked, I, and you by extension, have control over the drawn blood.' Toxin responded in his mind.
"Interesting, what could we do with this." Cas mused to himself, his eyes were drawn to the mice at the back of the room. An idea struck him, inspired by an ability he had read about in an online web novel back in his previous life.
Cas moved over to the cages and opened one of them and took out one of the white mice. It looked at him and squeaked as it moved in his hand. Using the syringe he infused his blood into the rodent in his hand.
"Toxin tell me what you can feel now."
'Hmm, it seems like I have the option to read the thoughts and impulses of the host of the blood. If I were to activate the blood more I could take full control over the host.' Toxin informed Cas.
"Interesting, so it's like a Maurders Parasitism from Lord of the Mysteries, useful, Toxin while in phase one, the hidden stage where you just read the thoughts of the host could you make them loyal to me? Sort of like a Blood bond or Sire bond?" Cas asked curiously.
'With a little work, I assume that would be possible. As it's effects would only be to enhance the feelings of loyalty a subjects has towards you. Their personality and everything else would remain the same.'
"Interesting, this would work when I set up my own faction. Perhaps I could set up an information faction across the world. With spies and forces completely loyal to me, broker of knowledge and information. I would extend this to all sorts of business, transportation, identity creation, and mediation between factions. Though I would have to have the strength to back this up, which as I experiment with the techniques I have that should be fine." Cas planned.
"Toxin, you're fully fused with my body yeah? So could you change my appearance?" Cas asked his symbiote companion.
Cas could feel Toxin give a mental nod, 'Yes that should be possible, would you like to change your appearance? Just picture it in your head and I'll make it happen.' Toxin said
In his mind, Cas pictured young Gojo from Jujutsu Kaisen. Instantly he felt his body shift and start to change, his height grew his hair grew spikey and he grew leaner. He moved around the room to take a look at his new image, there were quite a few reflective surfaces in the room so it was easy to check his new look.
Holding a reflective dish in his hands Cas rubbed his jawline and moved his head from side to side, "Damn this is pretty cool. I guess I'm the Honoured one now." He thought with a chuckle.
"How long can these changes be put into effect?" Cas queried.
"Permanently if you'd like," Toxin answered.
"Hmm, interesting," Cas mused.
Toxin slowly reverted him to his original appearance, he looked a lot like Yuji Itadori, or rather Sukuna without Tattoos on Yuji's body. You couldn't convince Cas they looked the same without lines, they looked like two completely different people when compared. He had seen Yuji compared to tattooless Sukuna before online and Sukuna looked like Yuji's older brother.
"Cool, so to list my powers, Shrine, Ten Shadows, Body manipulation, Paracitism, and evolution," Cas said succinctly.
'A powerful array of powers, I would suggest not using the infinite evolution too much, it already had its hands full when integrating all of your other powers and advanced traits into your body when CADMUS was experimenting.' Toxin advised.
Cas nodded, "I won't go around creating blood serums of people and injecting myself, I'd much rather be a master of the abilities I have now before moving on to take more. My foundation is already jumbled, I would be more interested in creating a near-perfect body and transferring my consciousness into it using you before accumulating more powers."
Toxin went silent, and then laughed, 'I hadn't even thought to think of using the parasitism abilities like that. That means as long as a conscious drop of our blood remains in this world you're effectively immortal Cas. Even if you're disintegrated if you've prepared a vessel beforehand you're golden.'
"Well for the near future, I don't see myself winding up in any near-death scenarios, so there's no need to prepare a vessel for now," Cas said after a moment's thought about the timeline of Young Justice.
'So what's our plan for the next couple of weeks Cas?' Toxin asked.
"Hmm," Cas sat down and up his feet up on the desk in the lab, "Well we have about two weeks before our first real mission starts, though I expect we'll be called in earlier for that for a test run. So how about I focus on Combat with Sportsmaster until he gets too tired to play anymore and then we can do science."
'Why only until Sportsmaster gets tired?" Toxin queried.
"With my powers what I'm really missing is experience in using them against people, I may have trained in the mindscape with you, against things you remember but that was a fake world. I have no true experience."
'How long do you expect to need training for?' Toxin asked.
'I suspect I'll get sent out on a mission soon.' Cas responded, 'They'll want to see how I do in a combat scenario.'
'Then we should get to work until then.'
…
15th June, Gotham City.
Cassius leaned back against a steel pillar, arms crossed, watching the goons of Intergang scurry around like headless chickens. Their disorganized movements were almost entertaining. He had decided on his work appearance: spiky black hair, glowing red eyes, and intricate tattoos snaking across his skin—the perfect facade. In this world, he'd look like Meguna, an avatar of power and malice.
Two weeks of sparring under Sportsmaster's grueling regimen had honed his abilities, giving him a solid understanding of his enhanced physique and abilities. He'd also tamed several of the 10 Shadows' Shikigami, though their visibility to non-sorcerers in this world had its downsides. The fantasy of sending an invisible Mahoraga to beat Superman into submission had been dashed early—too bad. He chuckled at the thought.
"Divine Dog," Cas muttered, summoning the inky black wolf from the shadows. Ash emerged, his hulking form radiating power and loyalty. "Who's a good boy, huh? Yes, you are!" Cas ruffled Ash's fur affectionately, the wolf wagging its tail as though the entire world had melted away at that moment.
"Go stand guard by the package," Cas instructed, pointing toward the large crate near the loading vehicle. "Don't trust these idiots not to mess it up."
Ash gave a soft growl of acknowledgment before bounding off, blending seamlessly into the shadows near the crate.
'Why are we babysitting idiots again?' Cas whined mentally.
'Sportsmaster recommended it,' Toxin replied, his tone weary. 'He said you needed a small mission before getting into the big stuff. The Light agreed.'
"Bullshit," Cas muttered aloud, just as the lights in the warehouse flickered out.
'I think you jinxed it,' Toxin remarked, amusement laced in his tone.
"Dogshit," Cas cursed, his red eyes glowing faintly in the sudden darkness. A sharp hiss pierced the silence as an arrow shattered through the warehouse window, landing with a resounding thud before exploding in a blinding flash.
A small figure darted through the chaos, firing another arrow. The projectile exploded mid-flight, releasing a burst of cables that wrapped tightly around two goons. Smoke arrows followed, blanketing the warehouse floor and adding to the confusion.
Cas watched from his perch, smirking as the intruder moved with practiced precision, dismantling Intergang's forces one arrow at a time.
"Well, well," he muttered, intrigued. "Looks like we've got company. Toxin, this could be fun."
The chaos below continued as the archer—female, judging by her build and movements—dispatched the last of the goons in a fluid dance of efficiency. She moved like a professional, a cut above the average vigilante.
"She's good," Cas praised. "But Ash is a good boyo."
In the shadows, Ash crept closer, a silent predator stalking his prey. The archer seemed to sense something, her movements slowing as she scanned her surroundings. But she was too late. Ash lunged, slamming into her with the force of a battering ram and pinning her to the ground.
The archer rolled, evading Ash's snapping jaws and pulling a blade from her belt. She slashed at the wolf, landing a shallow cut along his flank. Ash growled, circling her with predatory intent.
"Tsk. Big mistake," Cas called from above, his voice dripping with amusement. "He doesn't like getting scratched."
The archer gritted her teeth, pulling a small device from her belt. She activated it, and a high-pitched frequency filled the air, causing Ash to stagger briefly.
Cas raised an eyebrow, impressed. "A sonic disruptor? Clever."
Before she could make her move, Cas landed behind her, his tattoos glowing faintly in the dim light. His presence was suffocating, a heavy weight that made the air itself feel hostile.
"You're pretty good," he said casually, hands in his pockets. "But you're way out of your league."
The archer spun, her blade raised defensively. "Who the hell are you?"
Cas tilted his head, a smirk playing at his lips. "That's not really important, is it?"
The archer glared, nocking an arrow and pointing it directly at his face. "Call off your mutt, or I swear—"
Cas interrupted with a chuckle. "Heroes don't kill. You must be new if you didn't know that."
Her arm trembled slightly, but she held her ground. Cas raised his hand lazily, and with a single motion, [Dismantle] shredded her bow and arrow into pieces.
Ash took this time to pounce on her. Landing on her back with a heavy thud, forcing her to the ground. Snarling over her and snapping at her head. "Down boyo. We need her alive. She reminds me of someone." The smirk evident in his voice.
"You don't know me!" The young archer snapped.
Cas crouched down in front of her with a smile, "Well how about we get to know each other? What's the name you go by?" He asked with a smile.
The blonde glared at him but eventually said. "Artemis."
"Ohhh, goddess of the hunt, eternal maiden, and daughter of the king of the gods." Cas rested his head on his hand. "A wonderful role model to take after."
"You piece of shit don't you dare mock me!" Artemis spat.
"Ohhh feisty. You really remind me of him!" Cas chuckled. "Ohhh I know let's send him a photo."
Cas pulled out his phone and crouched down and posed near Artemis' head, Ash stopped snarling to put his head in the frame to be included.
Artemis struggled to get free but Ash was too heavy and felt too dangerous to upset. Snap! Cas took a selfie. "Cool now to send this to him!" Cas snickered.
"You damn bastard, just who the hell are you going to send that to!" Artemis yelled.
"A man who realllllly obsessed with sports equipment." Cas responded.
Artemis froze, "...What?"
Cas snickered "Yeah like really obsessed it's a little unhealthy in my opinion."
"NO don't!" Artemis yelled.
"Too late!" Cas chirped as he sent the photo. "What should I send after? Hashtag found your daughter, hashtag your daughter ain't shit, hashtag who the bestest boi, hashtag Ash is!" Cas nodded as he spoke out loud.
Artemis could only stare at the young man, 'He's insane... completely insane.' She thought.
"Well this has been fun but we should really wrap this up." Cas said as he spotted a chair and some rope in the corner of the warehouse. He quickly retrieved it and tied Artemis' hands behind her and then her to the chair.
Then he went around and slapped each of the beaten goons awake. "fuck..." One muttered as he got up, "That little bitch!" He scowled, storming over to Artemis and slamming a fist into her gut.
Cas just watched from the side of the warehouse, his job done. The package just had to get to The Brain's transport and he was relieved of duty. All this was just part of his job.
"This little whore!" One goon spat as he slapped Artemis across the face. He leaned in close and sneered. "You don't seem like much now."
Artemis grinned and spat in his face, causing Cas to chuckle. The goon's head snapped around to look who laughed. "Who the fuck just laughed!" He yelled.
Cas grinned "I did, problem? I found you funny, she kicked your ass and now she's helpless you feel the need to get back at her. It's truly pathetic."
The goon gritted his teeth in anger, but also fear—he'd seen how his boss treated the young man. "Nothing, sir. You're right," he spat through gritted teeth.
He turned back to Artemis, still bound to the chair. She glared defiantly at her captors, blood dripping from her lip, her eyes blazing with fury. His anger boiled over, and he started throwing punches, gripping her hair, and pummeling her until he felt satisfied.
Bruises bloomed across Artemis's face and body. Her eye swelled shut and her lips were split, blood trailing down her chin. She sagged in the chair but still managed to glare at him, defiance radiating despite her pain.
One of the goons, a burly man with a twisted grin, crouched in front of her. "You're a tough one, huh? Let's see how long that lasts," he sneered.
Artemis flinched as his hand reached for her cheek. She tried to jerk her head away, but he grabbed her jaw, forcing her to face him.
"Relax, sweetheart," he said, his voice dripping with malice. His hand trailed down, brushing against her legs before creeping to her inner thigh. "There's nothing hotter than a pair of perfectly toned legs," he smirked.
Artemis struggled against the bonds, her breathing sharp and panicked, but the ropes held firm.
His grin grew deeper and lustful as his hands crept higher, massaging the skin of Artemis' inner thigh.
Then something small and hard flew through the air and struck the man's temple with a sharp crack.
"Ow! What the—?"
He didn't get to finish the sentence.
A blur shot out of the shadows, and before anyone could react, a fist smashed into his face. The sickening crunch of bone echoed through the warehouse as he was sent flying across the room like a broken doll. He slammed into the wall with a resounding thud, crumpling to the floor in a heap. Blood pooled beneath his shattered nose, and his body twitched once before going still.
The remaining goons froze, their mouths hanging open.
Cassius stood in the center of the chaos, his glowing red eyes narrowed into slits. The dim light cast eerie shadows across his face.
His silence was deafening.
The goons took a collective step back, their weapons trembling in their hands.
Cassius didn't speak, his fury radiating off him like heat from a furnace. But then, as quickly as the rage had appeared, it vanished, replaced by a mischievous smirk.
"Huh," he said, his tone almost casual. "Sorry about that. I meant to say 'stop,' but it looks like I punched him instead."
"Play time's over, get back to work."
One of the goons, the one who had inflicted the most damage on Artemis, stepped forward, pulling a knife from his pocket. His grin was gone, replaced by something darker "Yeah, let me just fini-"
A line appeared on his forehead, and then the top half of his head was gone, reduced to a fine red mist. The [Dismantle] carved through the air, gouging deep into the wall behind him.
The body slumped to its knees and collapsed face-first onto the floor, half of its brain spilling loose. The other goons recoiled in horror as blood spread beneath their fallen comrade. Cassius ran a hand through his spiky black hair, his voice calm and measured. "Back. To. Work."
The goons nodded frantically as Cassius's Cursed Energy washed over them, malevolent and suffocating. They scrambled to their tasks, scurrying like rats to avoid his wrath.
Cassius leaned back against the wall without sparing Artemis another glance, though her swollen bloodied eyes followed him with a mix of gratitude and wariness 'That was dramatic,' Toxin chuckled in his mind.
'I got angry,' Cassius replied flatly.
'That much is clear. That guy isn't moving. Think he's dead?' Toxin asked with mock innocence
'Hope so. That probably wasn't going to be his first time,' Cassius sneered mentally.
Most likely,' Toxin agreed, his voice dripping with dark satisfaction.
A little while later the courier arrived in his nondescript van, its engine humming softly as it approached and pulled up softly to the warehouse. The Intergang goons still scrambling from Cassius' demonstration earlier hurried to load the package. A few glances were shot to the gouged wall.
The package was quickly loaded and one of the goons banged on the back of the van, signally it was all good. The lights flickered and something flew through the air aiming for the tires.
Cas shot out a tentacle of symbiote out and smacked the thing away.
A Batarang...
Toxin looked up at the window on the ceiling, a large man, built like a slim tank, in a pitch black and grey suit. A familiar Bat emblem on the front and pointed cowl.
Cas looked at Artemis, her breathing was getting labored and her eyes showed she was drifting in and out of consciousness. Cas rubbed his face in annoyance and approached her, batarangs shot through the air as he approached.
They harmlessly bounced off his symbiote-enhanced clothes. Cas went to flick a finger but smiled up at the Bat and then knelt and undid her bindings by hand. He picked her up in his arms and offered her to the Dark Knight.
They stared at each other until the hero dropped through the window. His cape fanning behind him as gravity pulled on him. He landed like a hero, and then stood and looked down over Cas' 5'10 with his 6'2 physique.
"She needs medical attention, you can handle that right?" Cas asked.
Batman looked at him and then at the green-clothed archer silently, behind the dark hero the Intergang goons recovered their wits and went to raise their weapons. Only to see tentacles emerge from Cas and shoot toward them, grabbing the guns and smacking them in their faces with them.
"Focus on the job, get the package to the buyer," Cas said to them without breaking eye contact with the Bat.
The Intergang goons hesitated but soon got in their vehicles and drove off. Within moments, the warehouse was silent, leaving only Batman, Cas, and the barely conscious Artemis.
"Why?" Batman's gravelly voice cut through the stillness.
Cas tilted his head, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Expound. Give me something to work with here."
"Why attempt to save her? Why stop them?" Batman asked, his gaze dropping briefly to Artemis before locking back onto Cas.
"Because I wanted to," Cas replied, tilting his head as if confused by the question.
Batman's eyes flicked to the two corpses lying crumpled on the ground, their blood pooling beneath them. "Did you also want to do that?"
"Yes," Cas said simply, his voice devoid of remorse.
Batman fell silent, the weight of the admission hanging heavy in the air. He stepped forward, kneeling beside Artemis and gently taking her from Cas's arms. He lowered her to the ground, his movements careful as he began administering emergency treatment. "Those tentacles… Are you Subject 001?" he asked bluntly.
Cas's eyes narrowed. 'This little shit. I destroyed all evidence on the servers, Desmond's dead, and I've changed my appearance. Did CADMUS even bother recording my face?'
"What's Subject 001?" Cas said, feigning ignorance.
Batman didn't bite. "Where did you go when CADMUS fell? You weren't there when they arrived," he said, ignoring the dodge.
"I was there," Cas said, his tone light. "But I guess my file wasn't as eye-catching as Project Kr."
"You're wrong," Batman said as he worked to stabilize Artemis. "They saw your file. It said, 'No survivors.' They assumed that meant you were dead."
"Hmm," Cas mused, almost to himself. "I suppose they were talking about the old CADMUS base. I don't think there were any survivors there when I was done."
Batman's hands didn't falter, Cas watched and then asked. "How did you know about the experimentations?"
"The head researcher, Dr. Desmond, kept hidden physical files on you. Those filled in the gaps from what Robin retrieved." Batman replied after a moment.
"Ahhh, the sneaky bastard." Cas scowled. "He got me."
Batman paused, his hands still as he looked up at Cas. "You could come with me. You're not beyond help."
Cas froze for a beat, caught off guard by the sincerity in the man's voice. He could see it—Batman meant it. He genuinely wanted to help him.
Cas tilted his head, his smirk returning. "… Joker's killed thousands of people. He'll kill thousands more. If he were hanging off the edge of a roof, starting to slip, would you help him?"
Batman frowned slightly beneath his cowl at the sudden question. He hesitated, then: "… Yes."
"Why?" Cas asked, his curiosity genuine.
"Because I would want to," Batman said, his voice calm, firm.
Cas narrowed his eyes. "You believe all human life is sacred, don't you? Aren't you trading Joker's life for the thousands more he'll inevitably kill?"
"Human life is sacred," Batman said firmly, his gravelly voice laden with conviction. "If I let Joker fall, I become the judge, jury, and executioner. That's not my role. The moment I cross that line, there's no going back."
"Life isn't a currency to be traded," he continued, his voice deliberate and steady. "Saving someone isn't about what they might do tomorrow—it's about what I can do today."
Cas chuckled, the sound low and sharp, his red eyes gleaming in the dim light. "Noble. But also naïve. You're letting your principles play roulette with other people's lives." He nodded toward Artemis. "What if it was her? What if saving Joker meant condemning her to die later? You still gonna play the hero?"
"I don't deal in hypotheticals," Batman countered, his voice hardening. "And neither should you. You're alive, Cas. That means you can choose. Every moment, every decision—you have a choice."
Cas's laughter was darker this time, his tattoos faintly pulsing in the dim light. "You really think the system works, Bats? Look around. Joker, Two-Face, Black Mask—they're walking proof that it doesn't. They're still out there because of your example. Thousands of lives are ruined because you refuse to pull the trigger. An endless cycle of bad guys for you to beat up."
He stepped closer, his smirk fading. "You call it a line. I call it a leash. And you're the one wearing it, Bats. The villains know you won't cross it. They exploit it. They thrive because of it."
His voice dropped to a near-whisper. "You think you're saving lives by holding back, but all you're doing is postponing the inevitable. Sometimes, a leash needs to be broken."
Batman's jaw tightened. "And what happens when there's no leash left? When you decide that every problem can be solved with violence?"
Cas's grin returned, sharper and colder. "Then you stop having problems. Violence isn't the answer—it's the goddamn question. And the answer is yes."
"You have lines," Batman said, his voice quiet but unwavering. "You killed those men for a reason. What was it?"
The humor drained from Cas's face, leaving something far darker. "Yeah, I have lines. But don't mistake them for morals, Bats. I do what I want. No more, no less. If I tell you they were going to gang rape her and I killed them for it, does that suddenly make me any more saveable in your eyes? Haven't I just done the wrong thing anyway?"
Batman's expression softened, a flicker of something almost paternal crossing his face. "I think you're a kid who's been through hell," he said quietly. "And I think you're still trying to figure out who you are. But it's not too late. You can choose to be better."
He rose to his full height, glancing down at Artemis before meeting Cas's gaze again. "I know what it's like to rebuild a life. I had a bad day too, once."
For a moment, something unreadable crossed Cas's face. Then, he laughed—a short, bitter sound. "My whole last decade has been bad days, Batman."
He turned away, his voice soft but cutting. "Take her and do your hero thing, Bats. Just stay out of my way."
Without waiting for a response, Cas disappeared into the shadows, his presence dissipating like smoke. Batman remained still, staring into the void where the young man had vanished.
"You're not beyond saving," Batman murmured, almost to himself.
Artemis stirred, pulling his focus back to her. As he worked to stabilize her, Batman's mind lingered on Cas. This was only the beginning.