The Guild of Gamers: The Nightmare

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters and works; all other characters and worlds belong to their respective owners. I'm just playing with them.

Betad by Beans, Marethyu, Priapus, Mike God of Lore

The Guild of Gamers: The Nightmare

Chapter 15: Dark Dreams

– Barbara Gordon (Oracle) –

Watching her monitor, she felt herself scowl. It wasn't quite a signature Batfamily Scowl, as that was reserved for dealing with criminals, but it was a fierce one as she aimed it at the source of her irritation.

Vicki Fucking Vale.

From the Clocktower, she watched as Vicki and Markus enjoyed their date. Vicki had not hesitated to rush Markus now that he was back, and the bitch had gotten a head-start. She still wanted to speak to Markus, her saviour, but being confined to the Clocktower or Batcave really limited her socialisation opportunities.

Yes, she had feelings for Markus. After everything he had done for her, was it any surprise? Yes, she had been planning to approach Markus, both because she feared he was marked by Legion and simply because she wanted to. They had near-constant surveillance on him, ready to act if 'Neo' showed up again, so technically, she was just doing her job, right?

Watching Vicki flirt and tease Markus, who was certainly not unreceptive to her advances, Barbara scowled deeper. She was so tempted to disrupt their date. It would be so easy, even from here… but she held back.

After dessert, Vicki dragged Markus off to a nearby club. At least it wasn't the Iceberg Lounge since that had once again been shut down, rather explosively this time. She didn't want to watch Markus and Vicki flirt and dance, but there was every chance that Markus would be targeted.

They'd already shut down a copycat gang's plans to kidnap and murder Markus on stream. Copycat Legions were becoming an epidemic, not just in Gotham. Both those who believed in Legion's madness and those who wanted a scapegoat were running around wearing that damned mask.

Markus was a good dancer, and his semi-famous status got him quite a lot of attention at the bar. He was a hero, but not some cape-wearing masked superhero. There were few in Gotham who didn't know his name and face, but it seemed like the negative attention was remarkably absent today. The raging gang war was probably distracting them.

– Neo –

Humming to herself, she watched the naughty little boy who wanted to interrupt Markus' date struggle against the ropes. He screamed something into the gag, but she didn't listen as she looked over her collection of fun toys. 

Yeah, that would do.

Grabbing the flask with a grin, she ripped off his gag and, before he could react, forced the flask against his lips and tilted his head back. 

His friends watched in horror as he started to scream, the acid eating away at his throat and stomach, and she giggled. Marky deserved a night off, and the least she could do was make sure her bestie got laid without having to worry about interruptions, right?

And games aside, she did love getting her hands dirty. With a smile, she turned to the others. Their struggles and screams intensified, but she just didn't get it. They dressed like Legion, and they wanted to act like him, so why were they so pathetic? Honestly, Marky could take this and more without screaming. If they showed a little spine, then maybe she'd have kept them around for the games.

Well, one of them was showing some spine as she looked over at the eviscerated corpse. 

Time to make the others show some guts.

– Barbara Gordon (Oracle) –

As their date progressed, she kept it on one of her monitors. She could never devote her entire time to a single… crisis, not with a full-blown gang war between the Penguin, Falcone and the Black Mask getting hotter every day, but she couldn't stop herself from continuing her observation of Markus and Vicki.

In one of the club's private booths, Vicki sat in his lap, his hands on her ass as they kissed. Both were somewhat intoxicated but not drunk enough to let things get too out of hand. At least she could confirm that Markus liked redheads. Markus had work in the morning, so it was no real surprise when their clubbing came to an end… and they both got into a taxi for Markus' apartment.

Given that Bruce had given him the place, it was inevitable that the entire place was bugged to high hell, with audio and visuals in every single room as the pair reached his place. She should stop watching, because it didn't take a genius to work out what was going to happen next. Then again, she had never been very good at doing what she should.

They'd barely gotten inside before Vicki got to work removing Markus' fancy shirt, her own dress discarded quickly. Ugh, the lacy pink matching pair of underwear was the type you only wore if you planned for them to get seen. Vicki had always planned to put out on the first date.

Vicki giggled as Markus picked her up, easily carrying her through the house. She knew first-hand how strong Markus could be, having carried her through an entire jungle. Markus kicked open his bedroom door and quickly made his way to the bed, tossing Vicki onto it as she smirked and crooked a finger at him.

Vicki's bra was quickly tossed away, and Barbara briefly compared herself to the topless reporter. Her genius brain helpfully informed her that she was at least two cups smaller than Vicki, making her scowl as Markus removed his trousers.

"Come here, hero, let me show you just how grateful I am that you got us out," Vicki purred as she pulled him onto the bed, hands running down his chest as she grasped his cock and began to stroke it.

She really should stop watching. Keeping an eye out for Legion or any copycats wasn't really working as an excuse unless she thought a villain was hiding in Markus' closet. 

Watching as Vicki went down on Markus, her hand hesitated over the button to cut off the feed. The sensors weren't picking up any heat signatures beyond Markus and Vicki, and there were no unusual activities in the building itself, so there was no reason to keep such a close eye on the pair.

Glaring at Vicki on the monitor, she watched the older woman with nicer red hair bobbing her head in Markus' lap. 

– Vicki Vale –

As she pleasured Markus, she giggled mentally at his reactions. He might be the big damn hero in the games, but he was clearly unused to pleasure after so much time dealing with pain. 

Every single game she'd watched had her realise something. She would never have escaped. She liked to think she was strong and intelligent, but she would have been one of the 'contestants' who lost and then was taken away, never to be seen again. Every game she watched Markus fight through, whether he won or lost, made her all the more grateful that he'd been the one to stay behind.

Markus had joked with her and Lois when they were in that damned temple. He said that at least they'd have one hell of a story to take back home, and jokes aside? He was right. She'd profited from her time in that hell while Markus was still suffering. 

A personal report from a survivor, written by a professional journalist, had been extremely popular, even with the event being live-streamed. Her career had never been better, and the fact that she was doing well while Markus was being tortured by that psychotic midget had filled her with guilt.

It wasn't like that was the only reason she had approached the admittedly very cute Markus, but it certainly pushed her to give it her all as she blew his mind (and his cock).

Markus really did have the cutest reactions. He was the perfect mix between adorable and handsome, gasping as she deepthroated him with some effort. He really was packing, and she couldn't wait to feel this monster inside her.

As he came, she swallowed down each spurt with a sultry grin, never breaking eye contact until the last of his load was safely deposited in her stomach, pulling back with an audible pop as she released his cock from her lips.

"Damn," Markus said, making her laugh.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Vicki teased, happy to see that he was still hard as she stood up, pushing down her panties and kicking them off before she sat back down in his lap. His cock was trapped under her dripping pussy, and she ground against him for a moment with a hungry smirk. 

"You should," Markus admitted, his hands moving to her hips before they slid up to her breasts.

"Go ahead, hero, play with them. Tonight is all about you, hot stuff," Vicki swore, running her hands down his chest. They lingered on the scars. Legion healed you up once they killed you, but sometimes they kept a few souvenirs. Each one was a story about his time with those monsters.

Grasping his cock, she lifted her hips before she lined them up and dropped back down, letting out a moan as he filled her up. The entire jungle experience was something she'd rather forget, but at least one good thing had come from it as Markus flipped them over, grinning down at her as he began to move.

The night passed by, passion and desires intermingled as she thanked her saviour in the oldest way, and Markus' stamina impressed her as he went round after round. She made a note to get some morning-after pills as she fell asleep in his arms, snuggled against him.

– Koriand'r (Starfire) –

As she drifted into a sleep, she blinked rapidly as her vision blurred.

Standing on an all-too-familiar planet, Starfire looked down at herself. Her pyjamas were gone, replaced with an outfit she would rather have just forgotten entirely. The incredibly revealing, mostly translucent purple fabric sent a shiver through her entire body as long-suppressed memories came to the forefront of her mind.

The slave uniform sent her back to a place she wished she could forget, and her surroundings were unmistakably the Gordanian slave pens on Karna. Faceless figures leered and taunted her as she was dragged through the streets with a golden chain, her strength missing as she was led to the pleasure palaces.

This was just a nightmare. She wasn't that girl anymore. And yet, her reassurances did nothing as she failed to break the chains holding her, her strength and powers missing. Her struggles were met with an electric prod, pain shooting through her body as she was punished for her disobedience.

She was a hero, she had fought villains far stronger than the Gordanian slavers, and yet… she could do nothing in these dark dreams as she was led into one of the rooms. Chains bound her, dragging her to the bed and tearing away her barely-concealing clothing, and she could only flail helplessly as a shadowy figure mounted her.

Ancient trauma resurfaced, her body shrinking to the size of the younger Starfire she had been when the Gordanians had owned her. It made the size of the male shadow all the worse as she felt an uncomfortable fullness.

She had not dreamed of her time with the Gordanians in years, but her nightmares were back with a vengeance as she cried and tried to throw off the figure. It didn't work, unable to do anything but lie there as the figure claimed something he had no right to. Disgust filled her as the figure took his pleasure from her body, his face and body shrouded in shadows.

She didn't remember the names or faces of the men she'd been sold to, so it felt oddly fitting. It was a dark part of her past that she had tried very hard to put behind her. 

With a grunt, the figure soiled her as he released his seed into her unwilling body, her disgust and anger growing. It pulled away, leaving her feeling dirty and used, but her struggles only made things worse as this sordid nightmare continued. She had displeased a client with her struggles, and her punishment was the whip.

It tore away at her back as her masters lashed her for her disobedience. Their jeers and insults struck deep, but she was a slave no longer. She was Starfire, a hero. She was no longer alone. She had friends, a lover. She would never go back.

The dream continued, with her back in that cursed bed, her face pushed into the silk sheets as another shadowy figure took her from behind. His breath on her neck made her shudder and sob as he pumped into her body, and she prayed this nightmare would end.

Again, her failure to please her client resulted in her punishment, and it all felt so real as her mind raced from servitude and discipline. Despite her mind being aware this wasn't real, she felt her hips move as she tried to avoid another punishment from her owners. She rode the next client until he finished inside her, her traitorous body climaxing with the pig.

It shocked her how long a single nightmare could seemingly drag on, but as she was led into the throne room, she heard two words, and her body reacted.

"Kneel, Slave."

Starfire knelt before the shadowed figure, naked and used, as he clicked his fingers and gestured to his belt. Her hands moved, removing the largest manhood she had ever seen, and without waiting for her order, she took the shaft into her mouth and fellated the figment of her past. Dick had been shocked by how good she was at oral, right up until he realised why she had so much skill on her knees.

The fight had left her as she tried to wait for this nightmare to end, willingly, submissively, serving the shadowed figure. She looked up and froze as she saw the mask of Legion staring back down at her.

"Keep sucking, slave," Legion commanded, and her training kicked in as she did exactly that. Her conscious mind raged with the realisation that this was no dream. Dick had warned her that helping him may cause Legion's attention to fall upon her, and she'd waved him off. Now she understood that she had been wrong to assume that she'd be fine.

She could not get her dream self to stop her fervent oral worship, slobbering on Legion's cock as she deepthroated it with devotion.

"You can pretend to be a hero, Koriand'r. You can call yourself a Titan, a mentor, even a girlfriend, but deep down… you will never escape this one simple truth," Legion's voice echoed through her entire being. "You are, and always will be… a slave."

She thought of her friends, of Dick, but as she tried, she felt those memories fading away. They drowned in a sea of false memories of her life if she had never escaped, as she raged against whatever Legion was trying to do. Her body continued to pleasure him, rising at his command as she climbed into his lap and rode the cock of her enemy with zealous fervour.

Legion was her master, she had to please-

No! She was Starfire, she was not a slave, she would never be a slave again!

And yet, her hips kept moving, her mind kept sinking, and as he thrust up into her and filled her with his foul seed, she snapped awake. 

Tears poured down her cheeks, but she could not recall what she had dreamt of that was so bad, shaking her head. She was a little beyond night terrors, wasn't she?

Heading to her bathroom, she stretched before she brushed her teeth and got ready for the new day. Her eyes widened as she saw a figure behind her, spinning to confront Legion as he lurked in the corner of her bathroom.

'Kneel, Slave.' 

Staring up at her master from her knees, she waited patiently for her orders. Kori didn't know how she had ended up in this strange-looking bathroom, but it didn't matter as Legion stroked her head. Master was pleased with her, she was sure of it.

As he undid his belt, she eagerly opened her mouth and took his impressive length into it, pleasuring her master with eagerness. He was the best master she'd ever had, and she didn't want him to sell her off. He used her throat with a total disregard for her comfort, but she just kept her tongue rubbing along his magnificent phallus until he finally blew his load.

His seed splattered across her face and breasts, and she simply knelt there and let him paint her features. It made her proud to wear her master's essence. It showed that she had properly pleased him. Her mouth remained open, taking some of the seed into it, the salty taste being her favourite meal of all.

Her master spoke to her, but the orders didn't make sense. She didn't know anyone called Dick Grayson, she had never heard of the people he listed, but she listened all the same. Master was the smartest. If he thought she needed to know this, she would take it all in.

"Rise, Hero."

Starfire blinked, tasting something odd as she stood in her bathroom. What- Shaking her head, she brushed her teeth as she stared into the mirror. Something in the back of her head screamed that something was terribly wrong, but she ignored it as she cleaned her face, blinking in confusion. Why did her face feel sticky?

Showering, she felt the same stickiness again, but her mind didn't comprehend what she was cleaning from her body. The taste on her lips was so familiar, so delicious, but she just couldn't place it.

Going about her day, Starfire smiled to herself. She really felt like she had to see Dick today.

– Markus Grey (Legion) –

Honestly, I'm just having fun with my new powers as the Entity. I like running little tests, and implanting a hero with a second personality was a lot of fun. In a single night, I forced her mind to endure decades of slavery, and while it might not have included her body, it did affect her mind and soul.

I have such fun plans for Starfire, and I'd hate to ruin them so soon, but it will be funny to see if she can remember anything I have her do as a slave. Or if my instructions to her were properly planted in her subconscious. If she does realise, then she gets to live with the knowledge that she got used as a sex slave, and that's pretty funny as well.

She did clean herself up, as I told her to, but she might have been planning to do that either way. More tests are required. All the while, 'Markus' is sleeping in with Vicki as his alibi. He'll head to the GCPD soon, my alter ego going about his day as I wreak havoc as Legion.

Having a nine to five isn't so bad when you can split yourself and send a lesser version of you to do the tedious work. Besides, I do like my job. I get to see my own work firsthand, from an outsider's perspective. I really am an artist. 

Heading back to my evil lair, I smile to myself as I go over my inventory before I pause. Oh yeah, I did plan to do that. 

"You know, I totally forgot that I grabbed you," I admit as I open the cell, making the prisoner blink in confusion, which rapidly changes to fear.

– Floyd Lawson (Deadshot) –

He was sure his daughter was dead. How could she not be? She'd been in Star City when Legion had decided to raise the fucking dead. A horde of zombies ripped everyone apart, the heroes being utterly fucking useless in stopping the slaughter.

"You know, I have to commend your tastes," Legion said, ignoring the several bullet holes in his chest. "I wouldn't have married her, but I can see why you spent your blood money on the big booty Latina hookers."

The picture of Michelle, naked and clearly recently tortured, made him reload and empty a second clip into Legion, who once again ignored it.

"Come now, I save your daughter from an army of zombies, and this is how you thank me?" Legion asked playfully.

"An army you unleashed," Deadshot growled, ready to fight if the lunatic rushed him, but Legion just stood there, picking the bullets out of his chest with disturbing idleness.

"Meh, semantics," Legion said, shrugging as he tossed a picture to Floyd, who caught it. The picture of his daughter chained up in some cold, dark cell made him growl. Zoe was barely in her teens. She shouldn't have to go through shit like this. The next picture had Legion with one arm around her shoulders, giving a peace sign as Zoe cowered from the lunatic. "Look, the important thing is that little Zoe is perfectly healthy and utterly untouched. Aside from a little trauma, she's fineeee~ She wasn't eaten alive, and there's been no torture or rape at all. Do you know how rare that is for someone who's been my guest for this long?"

"And Michelle?" Floyd asked, making Legion pause.

"Oh, she annoyed me a little when I came for Zoe, so I had to discipline her. She's more or less fine, just a little flogging. She's a hooker, she's had worse. I even paid extra for the rough treatment!" Legion joked. "Anyway, why don't we talk about what you're going to do to get Zoe back?"

"Who do you want dead?" Floyd asked with no hesitation. He'd lost one kid. He wasn't going to leave Zoe in Legion's hands. He wasn't going to let history repeat itself like that. Eddie had died at the hands of a monster because he'd been too damn slow. Zoe wasn't going to suffer the same fate.

"That's the spirit. Don't worry so much. I was tempted to say something like Batman or Superman and make this difficult, but I am in a good mood today, and I'll make it easy for you. I just need you to kill some old man in Gotham for me, Alfred Pennyworth," Legion explained, making Deadshot pause.

"Wayne's Butler?" Deadshot asked, making Legion nod excitedly.

"If you do it in a way so Wayne sees it happen, I'll even release Zoe unharmed. If not, eh, she'll get over the trauma eventually, right?" Legion asked, his tone playfully malicious as Deadshot growled, clutching his fist.

"You-" 

Whatever he planned to say was cut off as the room was plunged into darkness, light returning as he found himself alone.

One last picture remained in his place, and Floyd picked it up. In it, Zoe was staring into the camera with tears in her eyes as Legion held up two fingers behind her head like bunny ears, his other hand holding a knife to Zoe's throat. The picture only showed her head and some upper body, but it was enough to show her bare shoulders.

On the back, Legion had scribbled something in a childish handwriting.

'Don't take too long, I might get bored xxx'

— Bonus Scene — Carmine Falcone

The Penguin thought he was clever with his little act.

Carmine scowled as he looked over the reports from the gang war and came to a simple conclusion. 

He was losing.

He'd gone after Penguin because nobody killed his family and got away with it, but Black Mask didn't hesitate to jump in. The two gangs were rapidly tearing apart his turf, and he didn't have the manpower to push them back.

Black Mask and Penguin would tear each other apart, but not until he was dead and gone. Slamming his fist down on the desk, he growled in fury. He was the last Falcone. The Penguin had tried to take him out with his fake Legions, and while that attack had failed… the bastard had managed to get rid of every single other family member.

Even those out of the city hadn't been spared.

As he went to his cabinet for a drink, a whistle made him freeze, spinning with his gun in hand as he stared at the figure that was standing at his desk. The mask was unmistakable as the latest Legion turned to him.

He didn't hesitate, firing his entire clip into the assassin, who just watched, looking down at the bullet holes in his jacket.

"Well, all things considered, I can't say I'm surprised," Legion said, his entire body shuddering unnaturally as the man lifted his mask and spat the bullets back out, the twisted metal dripping with something foul and black. "Hello, Don Falcone."

Oh fuck.

Despite his position, despite everything he'd seen and done, the mere presence of Legion had him backing up against his wall, wishing he'd kept a bullet for himself. He knew what Legion did to those who crossed him, and this was no copycat.

"Oh, no need for that," Legion reassured him with a chuckle. 

"W-what do you want?" Carmine asked, hating the tremble in his voice. "W-was it you? My family, did you kill them?"

"Nope," Legion said with a cheerful shrug. Carmine believed him. Someone like Legion didn't need to lie.

"D-did the Penguin pay you to kill me?" Carmine asked, and once again, the monster laughed.

"Do you think I can be bought? Moira Queen thought so, and she had more money than Cobblepot," Legion laughed. "No, this is about your little war with Cobblepot and Roman." 

Carmine hesitated, but Legion didn't let Carmine's terror interrupt him as he cheerfully gestured at the map.

"You see, I do find it amusing when people frame me for their crimes. Hell, I told them to, didn't I?" Legion asked, and Carmine nodded. He'd had his men pose as Legion for some crimes. Pretty much every gang in Gotham had. "But… the Penguin has been a naughty, naughty boy, hasn't he? I love a good gang war, but while I might find his little gambit funny, that doesn't mean I don't want to give the Penguin a little spank for it. Honestly? I just don't like him. Or the Iceberg Lounge. The drinks were overpriced, the music was terrible, and his staff were very rude to my beloved assistant when we visited, you know?"

Carmine nodded rapidly, but honestly? He'd agree to anything the maniac in front of him said. 

"S-so, what?" Carmine asked.

"So… since Penguin got to use a little Legion to start this gang war, how would you like to use a little to end it?" Legion asked, his tone malicious as he gestured to a crate sitting in the corner of his office. It sure as fuck hadn't been there earlier.

Moving over, he cracked it open and stared at the vials of black liquid with confusion.

"Consider them a gift. You don't have the power to hold off the Penguin and Black Mask but give those to your men, and that will all change," Legion promised. "Super-powers in a vial."

"W-what's the catch?" Carmine asked, making Legion chuckle.

"Like I said. I just want to give the Penguin a little spank for thinking he could involve me in his little power grab. I don't care who rules Gotham as long as they don't get in the way of my fun," Legion admitted. "And Batsy has annoyed me as well, so making his life harder sounds like a good way to spend my weekend. Kill the Penguin, and we're even."

"How can I trust that they work?" Carmine asked, straightening up as Legion chuckled.

"Grab someone off the street and force it down their throat? Or just use your most expendable man. The fact is, my work is done. The vials are distributed, and if you don't use them? Well, I don't think the Black Mask is quite as cautious as you," Legion laughed, making Carmine's eyes widen. "If you don't use them, and if Black Mask doesn't use them, I'll just toss them out in the gutter and watch what happens to the junkies who find them. That's the fun part of being me. No matter what happens, I win."

The lights started to flicker before they all shattered at once, plunging the room into total darkness. With a pounding heart, he lit his lighter and looked around the empty room. Finding nothing, he turned his attention back to the vials.

It was a bad idea… but Legion was right about one thing. He was going to get what he wanted, no matter what. 

His family was dead. His turf was under siege. His gang was falling apart.

The vial in his hand felt so heavy. All logic said not to trust Legion, but he wasn't going to leave his family unavenged. The Penguin would pay. If Legion wanted him dead, he would be dead. Whatever Legion was doing, his death wasn't the end goal. 

Uncapping the vial, he sniffed it, wincing at the strong stench coming from it, before he steadied his shaking hand and, in a moment of madness, downed the vial in one gulp.