Chapter 7

Faking that he is still unconscious, Superman draws more air into his lungs. Have to do this slowly so Scrios doesn't notice any change. Maybe I can get him off of me for a minute, but how to capture him? He is like smoke...or is there more to Scrios than that? Perhaps I will find out more soon. Superman continues drawing breath into his powerful lungs. Holding his breath easily.

Scrios holding Superman in a vice-like grip laughs evilly. Consumed with squeezing the life from Superman, he fails to invade Superman's mind again while Superman is supposedly unconscious. Picking up the Man of Steel, Scrios carries his adversary with him far up into the night sky. The stars blotted out by the strange sight.

Mr. Church sits in the comfort of his suit of rooms watching the plan unfold before him. He watches with interest as the police arrive and enter into a firefight with the gang. Not caring about their fate, but watching the violence for the sheer pleasure it brings him.

Hmmm, I will have to do something about those captured weapons. No matter, I can always get more. Won't that cause a lot of havoc at the Police Station when I start detonating those guns?

Superman peering through slitted eyelids notices that Scrios is carrying him upward nearing the end of the atmosphere and breathable air. Taking a chance Superman tries to draw in more air at a time. Unfortunately Scrios notices the change....

Hope this works....

The smoke swirls...suddenly Superman is free.

Shock at being freed from Scios' embrace momentarily immobilizing him. Panting he tries to quickly formulate a plan. Perhaps another blast will reveal what type of being Scios is or that he is truly made of smoke. Filling his lungs with air, Superman unleashes another blast of superbreath at Scrios...

The smoke billows and ebbs. The being is revealed...Oh man what is that? It looks like a giant squid with many tentacles instead of the standard eight. A large glowing eye centered in the orb that makes up the head. Ugh..."I think I liked you better as smoke." Bravado covering the fact that Superman was drained from being enveloped in Scrios' disgusting embrace.

"Look upon my true form with terror, Superman. Mine is the last visage you will ever see in this world." Scrios' telepathic voice screams at Superman.

"Why are you doing this?" Superman trying to buy a little time to recover.

Sickening laughter issues forth from Scrios. "I bring terror to worlds. Taking their heroes from them strips them of hope. Then I can feed freely upon their pain."

"You feed on pain? What about any other emotion?" Superman thinking quickly.

"Pain and terror are the strongest emotions and I feed well." Scios appears to grow larger before Superman's very eyes.

Superman looks down to the streets below. All fighting has ceased...all eyes look up at the spectacle that is Scrios. Superman can almost feel their fear himself. Oh no...this is not good...Scrios is feeding off their fear that he inspired just by the sight of him.

Distracted by the sight below him Superman leaves himself vulnerable to Scrios. Scios is on Superman in the blink of an eye. The struggle resumes. Once again unable to draw a breath, Superman holds onto the air he has.

Ok heatvision didn't work, superbreath only revealed his true form, he just absorbs my blows...What next? I have to hurry before I lose consciousness again.

The psychic scream of pain almost overwhelms Superman's senses almost driving him into unconsciousness again. The tentacle holding him glistens with ice...Superman then using a double fisted hammerhanded blow smashes into the crackling frozen section. The the tentacle explodes in frozen chunks freeing Superman.

Scrios writhes in pain whipping his many tentacles back and forth in a frenzy.

One of the tentacles hits Superman squarely in the chest. The blow excruciating to Superman's already aching ribs. Should have dodged better. Scrios is huge where to start now that I know that Ice breath harms him. Better try to gain some time to recuperate. "Scrios, what was the purpose of the dream alternate reality?" Dodging another swiping tentacle.

"Hahahaha how better to defeat you than to make you believe you were powerless. In your dream you had no power, people thought you were crazy, and you were sick. Everything you are not here. Belief in self is a powerful tool enabling people to do amazing things. Lack of belief makes them weak." Scios' evil laughter making Superman's skin crawl.

He's up to something again. Otherwise he wouldn't be so confident. Or would he?

Suddenly Superman is attacked...not by Scrios, but from the ground. The Bloody Hands having finished with their foes trained their weaponry on Superman. Blasted from several directions at once. Sonic disrupters, intense heat, and something that tried to suck the moisture from the very cells of his body. None of them doing any real damage to Superman, except to distract him.