DC: Fading Away

Skogar. A small village that grew popular for travellers passing through. Less than 35 villagers lived in this small community. Close knit and familiar. This place wasn't far from Skógafoss. While seemingly small, tourist business was big. 

A medium sized museum along with a gift shop is what entertained anyone that made the journey. Not to mention the buffet style restaurant in the middle of the settlement. The smell that wafted out the front doors could tempt anyone. 

Tobi calmly ate his food. He hadn't spoken with the villagers much. They seemed a bit intimidated by his looks and demeanor. When he wasn't smiling, the young man did indeed seem a bit…unapproachable. 

Several days had gone by. He hadn't slept, instead spending his time near the peaceful lagoons and beaches. The only reason there were no nightmares when he last slept beside Tatsu was because he'd just fulfilled his revenge. He'd just avenged his family and community. A good sleep was the only reward before he left Gotham. 

The future was inevitable. Nightmares would come. It wouldn't be pretty. It would test his limits. All he could do was accept it at this point. When they started…they started. Simple as that. 

Today was Derrick's birthday. His father. A grumpy man who was actually soft inside. Someone who'd always made sure certain things were prepared at all times. At least…until he couldn't walk anymore. That had broken the old man. 

"Happy birthday." Tobi muttered to the air. 

Once he was done eating, he wiped his area clean, set down the plate and tray, then left. Eyes followed him on the way out. Sighs of relief sounded as the doors closed behind him. 

The young esper didn't waste another moment. With only a thought, he appeared in a larger city about an hour from Skogar. Selfoss. Another tourist attraction for travelers. It housed a waterfall just like Skógafoss. The difference is that while the previous one was more of a calm and private place, the Selfoss waterfall was filled with people taking pictures and having picnics. 

"................."

Tobi hadn't spoken with anyone for a long time. He'd kept to himself most of his journey. With his hands in his pockets, he casually strolled around the city. The overcoat on his shoulders flapped in the breeze, almost like a cape. 

'Good thing the weather is nice.' He thought. If it was hotter, he'd be taking off layers. 

It was risky to appear in larger populated areas. All it took was being seen through a single camera for Batman's supercomputer to find a match to his face and location. Still, the young man didn't care. What could Batman do? The dark hero was probably busy with other things. 

After a good amount of time, he stepped into a small pop shop. He then grabbed a pack of top shelf cigars and a vintage lighter. There was a small pep in his step as he found a bench on the hillside. 

Green plains as far as the eye could see. A collection of waterfalls to the far left, and the city on the right. A mountain range behind it. What a beautiful view. This country didn't seem to have anything ugly about it. So far. 

Pulling out his personal stash of alcohol, he started downing it. It was only once he felt himself going numb that he put the cigar to his lips. The lighter's flame caught on the cigar as he inhaled. 

Oh? He exhaled. A puff of thick smoke dispersed in the gentle breeze. This was good stuff. Tasted right too. His eyes closed as he searched for inner peace. Finding a balance within the sorrow. He didn't want to be controlled by it. He didn't want to be a slave to it. 

Memories of his father came to mind. The pillar of his life who'd taught him how to hold a conversation. Taught him how to tie his shoes. Taught him how to focus. To breathe. 

'The mind is a powerful tool. Train it to be disciplined…and you'll find the obstacles in your life quite simple to overcome.' Derrick had once said. Back when he was still whole.

Tobi couldn't help but think about the good times. With the lovely scenery and the sound of nature, positive thoughts were natural. Despite the crushing essence of his melancholy. 

"Excuse me!" A feminine voice called out to him. Tobi's empty gaze turned to the speaker. 

It was a woman wearing a casual black suit and slacks. Short black hair angled sharply that stopped at the base of her neck. Rectangular glasses resting on the base of her nose. Elegant and eloquent. A smooth combo.

".............." He waited for her to speak with a lazy glance. 

"I've been passing out flyers today. Please take one." She asked politely. 

With a slight bow, she held out a black ticket that almost seemed like a credit card. He didn't think too hard about it. Curiosity had already moved his hand. Once his finger touched the material, an ethereal wave of energy pulsed out. 

It felt like static had passed through his body. Suddenly, a large dome of invisible energy had covered the surrounding area of more than 400 yards. What was going on? Had he been tricked?

The woman took out her phone and set it down on the ground. The screen lit up…and a holographic figure appeared to stand on the ground. A bald man with blue eyes. He wore a vested three-layer suit. The watch on his wrist screamed money. 

"Hello, Tobi Adams. I'm contacting you today…because I deem you relevant. My name is Lex Luthor."

"...Lex Luthor? Where have I heard that name…Ah. Another depraved rich man." Tobi muttered. Lex's expression sharpened.

"Rude. I am more than that. I'm a genius. A prodigy. I'm the one who will lead humanity into the next era!"

"...Incredible. What does a saint want with a nobody like me?"

"A nobody? No. You bested Superman! He couldn't even catch you! I see the potential. If you want to see how much better you could become…listen closely."

"...Sigh." Tobi puffed another trail of smoke. He was unfazed.

"The world of 'heroes' is asinine. Humanity has no need of aliens like Superman. False gods pretending to be human. All of them! Subtly controlling the decisions we make. This…is a mistake."

"............." The young esper's dim gaze went to the sky. His mood was souring. They'd ruined his moment of reminiscing. Alcohol and tobacco were still rushing through his system. 

"Join my Legion, Tobi. With your abilities…we could change the world. We could lead it!"

"...I'd rather not be your tool. Useful when needed, thrown away if not. Please leave while I'm still being polite."

"Don't reject so hastily. Think about it. Think about it while I still allow you to." Lex's eyes grew cold. 

"Hmph." Tobi scoffed before taking another puff of smoke. 

Was that a threat? How unfortunate. They could've stayed strangers. That alone would've saved the man's life. 

The young esper rose to his feet. His cigar was returned to its case. That alongside the lighter. Only then did his hands return to rest in his pockets. 

"I was being nice, speaking to you first. Looks like I should've just taken your corpse and studied your DNA." Lex Luthor finally growled. 

"...So the mask is finally off." 

Tobi teleported…or he tried to. His body blurred before turning solid again. He hadn't moved. Eh?

"You can't teleport here. I've created this anti-space barrier just for you. The space within it is solidified. It won't disappear for another hour and a half. Try not to die too fast." The hologram finally disappeared. 

At this moment, 3 figures entered the barrier. They approached him without fear. Lex Luthor's assistant tried to sneak off, but Tobi grabbed her wrist and yanked her back. He stared into her now arrogant eyes.

"...Where do you think you're going?"

"If you're going to kill me then kill me." She spoke with reverence. Not toward him…but to Lex. She was a devout believer. 

BANG

"..........."

A bullet to the chest was enough. She asked for it. She got what she wanted. Tobi's gaze turned to the figures nearing his position. 

One man wearing an all red costume. Covered by a red cloak that hid the rest of his frame. A golden mask hid his features from view. Beside him was a heavyset man in a black and blue bodysuit. He was large and his form grew larger with every step. 

Finally, there was the most dangerous looking one. He floated behind the two with his hands behind his back. A purple skinsuit and cape, armored gauntlets and greaves. Purple energy radiated from his body. 

"You should've taken the offer." The purple figure said. 

Immediately, the two in front made their moves. The large man had turned into a giant at this point. His steps shook the ground. Black Mass raised his foot and stomped down. 

Tobi was calm and serene. A burst of mental energy moved him out of the way. His hands went back to his pockets. The large foot cratered the ground, leaving a deep sinkhole. 

'Has my teleportation truly been cut off?' He wondered. 

It didn't feel right. Cutting off his abilities so easily? Who decided that? With the power at his fingertips…it didn't seem believable. So he tested it. 

He tried to teleport again…and he was unsuccessful. So he tried again. And again…then it worked. The problem was that he only moved a few yards away. Hmmm. So it had been limited. It felt like he was moving through mud. No matter. Tobi adjusted and adapted.

"He can still teleport around? Lex's equipment is faulty." The man in purple muttered. 

Doctor Polaris had yet to make a move. He only floated while watching. The man seemed arrogant. Assured of victory.

The red man known as Psycho Pirate finally acted at this moment. Putting two fingers to his mask, the other hand reached out to Tobi. The young esper suddenly felt a drill slam against his mindscape. Trying to break through. 

His dim expression turned hostile as he looked at the red villain. The pistol was pulled out from his waistband once again. That was when the surroundings turned dark. 

A massive fist was coming down from the sky. Blotting out the sun. It had casted his location in shadow. Tobi only tilted his head before disappearing. 

BOOM

The blow shook the ground. A deep crater appeared. By this point, any civilians nearby were evacuating as far as they could. The dumbest ones took out their phones to record. 

"Look! A group of villains are fighting!" Someone exclaimed. 

"Is it a falling out?"

"A sketchy deal went wrong, maybe!"

Tobi appeared on top of Black Mask's hand. He immediately ran up the arm. His expression was lax. Unfazed. 

"Making yourself bigger isn't going to help. Avoiding you just got easier."

"Grrrrrrr!" Black Mass growled in response. 

His other hand hurtled toward the shit talking man. He wanted to smash Tobi like a bug. The young esper teleported again and appeared on the giant's shoulder. That was when Psycho Pirate attempted another mental invasion. 

'Brother! Up!' Gummy's voice resounded in his mind. 

She appeared in front of him…her hands raised up high. Her face was bright and full of energy. His little Gummy Bear.

"............."

Tobi's expression turned eerie. His eyes finally turned a deathly red…and his killing intent skyrocketed. How dare this piece of shit…how dare this random bastard…use his memories against him? Fucking scum. 

The esper blinked out of existence. All of the villains looked around, their stances ready. They were on high alert. Tobi silently appeared beside Psycho Pirate. His hand clenched around the man's throat. 

CRACK

His neck snapped immediately…but that wasn't the end. Tobi's energy flooded the man's body. It felt like needles poking every organ. Knives cutting his veins. Not to mention the bloated feeling. Torture. Blood poured through the eyeholes of the golden mask. 

"Kaaagh!" The squeal of a dying animal. That was how he sounded. 

Finally, the energy became too much. Psycho Pirate's body swelled. Like a balloon that wasn't needed any longer, he popped. Exploded. Blood and organ bits flew everywhere. Dead. None of the slime touched him. His barrier stopped anything close.

"We miscalculated. Black Mass. Kill him NOW!" Polaris ordered.

The giant immediately sprinted toward Tobi. Even the air whistled as the massive villain loaded up a ground pound. The young esper clicked his tongue. 

"...You're becoming an eyesore." He raised his pistol. "Die."

KABLAM

A normal bullet shot out of the gun. Not wanting to take a chance, Doctor Polaris reached out toward the bullet. He could control magnetic fields at will. He could affect gravity to a degree. Stopping a bullet should've been child's play…but it wasn't. 

Tobi's energy covered the bullet. It couldn't be swayed. That wasn't all. The bullet accelerated faster than a bullet normally would. Multiple rings of air appeared behind it. It broke several atmospheric barriers. A line of kinetic energy trailed the bullet. 

It didn't matter that the giant was strong. It didn't matter that his skin could shrug off bullets any other time. Tobi's bullet drilled right through Black Mass' brain.

BOOOM

The entire upper half of the man's torso was blown away. Anything left was rounded out in a smooth manner. Almost as if a laser beam had carved through. A hole appeared in the clouds far off in the distance. 

'...Railgun.' Tobi thought. A good name for a powerful move. He blew the smoke off the barrel. 

Dr. Polaris was shook. The massive corpse fell to the ground. Blood poured onto the grass as if a bucket had tipped over. That alongside intestines and organs. Then…Tobi's red gaze turned to him. 

"!!!!!" He sweatdropped.

The purple villain immediately yanked on his magnetic field. Full strength from the start. Several large portions of the earth were carved out of the ground. Including where Tobi was standing. 

A large island rose into the sky while orbited by smaller chunks. It was fascinating to anyone watching the fight. A floating chain of land had just appeared! It defied gravity, almost as if they were standing in space. 

Even while standing on the floating ground, Tobi watched as more and more debris and structures were ripped into the sky. The range was massive. Reaching the outskirts of Selfoss, the streets and buildings were torn out of the ground. It kept spreading. This city wasn't going to survive.