Aden Strong: Avatar In DC

(General P.O.V)

A conversation was going on in the penthouse. Lucifer's to be exact.
"He's going to be much stronger." Maze commented.
"You do know that right? And this times he's going to be prepared. Aden might even lose."
She further added.

Lucifer rolled his eyes at the Lilim.
"Maze we've been over this already. The boy needs this. Your incessant words of concern are not going to change my mind." The Devil told her firmly.

A smile crossed his face.
"Besides, he needs his own…what do the humans call it, Rogue's gallery. It's a custom in the cape business." Lucifer fully turned to stare at her incredulously,
"I don't think I've ever seen you worried about anyone else before, love. It's…he grimaced trying to come up with a word, "… disconcerting. Oddly endearing too but mostly disconcerting."
Maze crossed her hands in annoyance.
"I'm merely worried about my daggers. They're precious after all. Not that you'd appreciate the workmanship done on them."
She grumbled as Lucifer laughed.

Meanwhile the subject of their talk was doing his best to avoid getting skewered by roots.

(Aden's P.O.V)

"Could you stop attacking me for one second! I'm not here…For fuck's sake."
My words were cut off when another vine swiped at me.

I brandished my daggers while side stepping the huge ass vine. The damn thing was easily 1 meter thick and long. And it wasn't the only one or even the largest. I blocked it with my palm, firmly grasped it and pulled. The ground below me trembled as the whole thing broke at the base before I could pull it out completely. Thorns grew out of its length and tried to pierce me only to fail. I threw the whole thing to the side with a sigh. This was dumb. The dude wasn't even letting me talk! I couldn't use any of my flame attacks because of the close proximity to the huts and the villagers who were watching the altercation instead of running far away from the fight.

Guess dumb civilians with a death wish are a common staple everywhere. I had resolved not to use Airbending but it was fast becoming the only quick solution to this. I could blitz towards him at high speed, (I doubt any of his attacks could actually hurt me) and before he knows it quickly send him to dreamland through a love tap to the head. But that carried the risk of hurting him badly. Black Canary had always warned us to avoid using those types of moves if there was an alternative. Damnit, guess that leaves Airbending. Oh well, just this one time.

One of the daggers twirled in my hands, a minute draft getting produced by the action, while another vine slammed down on me. I sliced it apart like a Sushi chef, my hands dancing in the air with scary precision. Once Airbending came into play, this shit became too easy, especially given that I could sense the vibrations in the air as the vines shot towards me.

The guy swiped his hands out and the tattoos running up his arms glowed green even more. He stomped his left leg to the front and slammed his palms together, a grimace on his dark face. The energy I was feeling before, started pulsing in intensity, showing just how much power he was putting in this. The next attack was more exaggerated than effective. The ground started sprouting vines shaped like thorns. Sharp pointy thorns. I flew up and surveyed the scene. I was now close to the tree line.

I shook my head at this guy's impulsiveness. His attack had even taken out some of the huts closest to me. Luckily no one was injured. The same bland attacks came at me. This time the vines rose up like a tidal wave from my front.

Like a hundred Anacondas rising up to meet me, the vines sought to not only smack me out of the sky but to pierce through me like a pin cushion. I could fly even higher but the trees at my back extended their branches to box me in. Ok, gotta give some credit, that was a good strategy. The look on his face was smug satisfaction. That pissed me off. Oh oh, you have no idea who you're messing with man. I leaned forward, a sheath of wind springing up to cover the blade, enhancing it's already fearsome sharpness even further and then I slashed out.

One of the reasons I was wary to use my aerokinetic abilities, was how the air itself seemed to get excited around me. That led to even my smallest of attacks getting blown out of proportion.

A violent wind sprang up from my move, a keening sound wave following my intent, not only slicing the attack headed to me into little pieces but shredding and grinding those little pieces to dust. The vines disintegrated, the ground below was littered with cracks as the soil was unearthed. My eyes widened and I reigned in the air before I could kill everyone in the vicinity.

The massive winds of death were successfully contained. Luckily, the air was always ready to do my bidding. I released it into a gentle breeze that sent away all the dust hanging in the air and clouding the place. 3 huts were down. The thatched roof and wooden walls were just debris scattered about the battlefield.

I looked around at the devastation and sighed in helplessness. I love fighting just like any other power obsessed maniac but destroying property has always left a bad taste inside my mouth. The occasional pyromaniac induced burn it all down aside, this was just wasteful. I heard coughing just as I stepped down onto the ground. The warriors from earlier who had been carrying spears and shields dragged themselves up from their strewn about positions warily. Looks of shock were apparent on their faces after my little show of power.

They flinched when I raised my dagger, thinking I was about to attack. I made no sudden movements and slowly sheathed the blade inside my coat then raised my hands up to pacify them.

"Please, can we just talk now? I have no ill intent towards you people. I am here to hunt a demon."

For added measure, I removed the hood, covering most of my upper face and a collective gasp went through the warriors. Murmurs rose up and if anything the hostility gave way to confusion.

One of the thatched roofs from the destroyed huts was violently hurled away, and the angry vine guy stood up, holding his hand close to his body. A trail of blood was running down from his bicep where a spike was stuck inside. Some of the warriors ran to his side but he shrugged them off, his eyesight never leaving mine.

A hard look crossed my face as I prepared to suck the air out of him Incase he attacked me again.

"Careful buddy, this time I'm not going to show you mercy."

I warned him as he stepped closer, the grimace on his face showing both the pain he was under and the anger boiling underneath his face. What was this guy's problem? I mean, I understand asking somebody to leave but he almost seemed murderous. As if he was just using that excuse to take revenge for something.

The familiar green glow that I was quickly starting to form a theory about, manifested in his skin.

"Look around you fool...this fight is hurting your people more than it is me."

I implored. The warriors were now exchanging worried looks and some were talking to him, saying something along the lines of ' Wachana naye Mkuu wangu.' (Please stop it my lord.)

Before he could attack me again, an angry voice sounded out in the same language.

"Unaifanya nini! Nini inaendelea hapa?! Masali Wacha hii mambo!" (What are you doing! What is going on here?! Masali stop this now!)

Upon the name drop, everyone turned as a collective to stare at an elder gentlemen dressed in the same garb as the warriors. The only difference was how the same tattoos inscribed on the Vine guy I was now sure was named Masali, seemed to cover his whole body.

Masali looked back at the older gentleman and blinked in surprise and guilt.

"Mjomba..." (Uncle)

I breathed out a sigh and relaxed a little. Looks like the fight was over. For now at least. Gosh, Lucifer is right, I suck at first impressions. The pair of Masali and the older gentleman got into a heated argument and the younger of the two seemed to deflate in himself as he lost.

Masali threw me a disgusted look and stomped away, most of the warriors followed him and it was then I noticed how almost all of them were around Masali's age if not younger, which meant around mine. That's... unusual. I was pulled out of my musings by the older man who walked over to stand before me. He studied me for a few seconds which unnerved me more than I cared to admit. His eyes had a green glow that just seemed to see right through me.

"Stranger, I apologize for my nephew's brashness. These are troubling times you found my village in. Who are you?"

I raised an eyebrow. The old man could speak English! It was heavily accented but still...a welcome surprise.

"My name is Maelstrom. I mean no harm to your village. And I apologize for all the destruction my fight with your nephew caused." I bowed my head a little, as a sign of respect. "Are you the Leader?"

The man hummed and closed his eyes a little.

"I am not. The Village Chief is or rather was my brother...he has been missing along with most of our veteran warriors and a...white man for a week now." He stopped to gauge my reaction. I don't know what he was expecting because although that particular news was interesting...I had no context to judge it from.

"I'm sorry for that, but I'm not sure I understand."

I replied.

"So you were not together? Mmh... most curious. Follow me."

He told me and abruptly turned to leave.

I stepped up to follow behind him closely. We passed by more huts and villagers, all of whom looked at me warily.

"I am the High Shaman of He Who Illuminates The Garden."

He explained.

"I'm sorry, what?"

I didn't really understand what he was talking about. The guy was suffering from the being cryptic desease.

We diverged off the track towards a bigger hut set in the middle of the village and instead took one that went in between trees. A low hanging mist covered that direction and looked... ominous.

"Tell me champion of The White. What is it you seek?"

He enquired taking calm and measured steps towards the mist.

"The White? What is that? I know about the green but what is the white?"

He suddenly stopped and rounded up to stare at me. A look of surprise on his face.

"You are not aware of where you draw your strength from? Interesting."

He brought a hand to his chin and caressed it. A smile showing a surprisingly white set of teeth appeared on his face.

"We have much to talk about."

The look on his face told me I was about to get hit with some deep revelations. Dammit, this was supposed to be a fight with a demon. A simple affair.