The Prodigal Sons

JaK Sage was becoming a social sensation due to his increased activity fighting crime as of late. He cleaned the slums, took dangerous drugs off the street, joined the Teen Titans, stopped gangs in Steel City. It was starting to look as if there was nothing this boy wasn't capable of when he put his mind to it. However, little did JaK know someone was watching his rise and was waiting to tear him down when he was at his highest point.

It was supposed to be routine - Jump City Hospital had reported a gas leak but the team that was sent to fix it never came back. Nor did the second or third. That's when people figured out that maybe it wasn't a gas leak and the Titans were brought in. However for such a small task JaK volunteered to handle it alone. Noxious fumes had rather no effect on him anyway so it made sense for JaK to be the one handle the issue.

When JaK arrived at the hospital basement he pulled out his flashlight and searched the area for anything meta-human but found nothing until he started to discover something disturbing. The three man teams that had been sent before him....They were here but they were scarred? To be exact they all had very serious burn damage. The burns were so severe you could see the bone underneath the charred skin. And that was just the first team, the second team seemed to all be dead and the third team was a mix of half dead and half severe burn victims. "What the hell is going on here?" There were four dead and five injured - a gas leak that was so potent even JaK was starting to get a little hazy and there seemed to be no sign of an evil meta-human or anything else that could have caused this.

JaK carried the living back towards the entrance and laid them there in a row. He needed to get them to safety but the gas leak also needed to be stopped. JaK continued his search until he finally found the source of the issue and now was on the alert because fowl play was definitely involved. The pipe had been torn from the wall and melted as if molten lava had been poured on it. Not to mention something with the same acidic potency had melted away the wall itself to even give access to the pipe in the first place. Something wasn't right. This seemed like a trap and based on the way the pipe was destroyed, plus the civilians who were injured, JaK had an idea of who had set it. With no tools to fix the damage and injured pedestrians near the entrance JaK had no time to figure out how to weld this damage. He grabbed his communicator to issue an evacuation notice when suddenly something, or rather someone, swung from the basement ceiling and drop kicked JaK to the floor causing him to drop the communicator.

"Did you need a little light?" A voice rang out. And in doing so JaK immediately recognized who it was. The voice belonged to an older teenager with a hulking figure and golden eyes just like JaK. His skin was also pale and muscles were just as tight, fit, and pristine as JaK's. Not to mention when he stepped on JaK's communicator his foot melted the device as if it was being pressed to the sun's surface. "It's been a long time, bro...or should I call you Sage now? That's what you go by, right?"

"Eat a dick David," JaK said as he got back to one knee and gritted his teeth. This was not the ideal situation to confront his brother. To many innocent lives hung in the balance and with this gas all over the room, one real spark could blow everything sky high. But of course, JaK knew that David knew this. This was all part of his sick plan. "Stick with Nightmare I say, it suits you better."

Nightmare smirked, making him look like a manic Cheshire cat in the darkness. Most people wouldn't be able to see in this darkness. Nightmare had also knocked out the light fixtures but both the Sage brothers had the same physical capabilities. If anything JaK may be a bit stronger and smarter but Nightmare got the lions share of the healing factor and physical prowess. Not to mention his other ability that JaK didn't have at all - Blood fire is what JaK called it once - Nightmare was a pyromancer but his flames seemed to have no end to their intensity. Furthermore, while he and JaK both had healing factors, David's was on another level. At one point JaK wondered if he could even be killed at all. But this was not the time for doubt. JaK brandished his collapsible pole and took a defensive stance. David, had to die!

"Ohh, straight to the point. That's why I like you brother. You're like me. Not too much talking, straight to---"

"I'm nothing like you, and this ends today.!" JaK said before David could get out another word. The two began to circle each other. With their enhanced vision this darkness wasn't enough to stop either from noticing the other's fine movements.

"End? It's never gonna end JaK. I'm gonna torment you for as long as possible and then right when you wish it would end. Then, and only when I feel like it, will I watch you burn."

"Why David!? Why did you do it?? Mom loved you. She loved us both! Why are you like this now...?"

Nightmare grew serious for a second. "Is this where I give you my reasoning for why I turned into a bad guy? Were bad JaK, that's it. You and I don't get to be heroes. Still so soft even after growing up in Gotham's gutter. Well I found myself there. No matter how much you want to pretend. I love what I am, and I do what I want. And what I want, is to watch everything burn! You included."

JaK shook his head. "You're too far gone David, I gotta put you down." JaK charged at David ready to strike him with his bo staff. David just chuckled.

"You put me down? Oh JaK I think we'd all love to see that." Nightmare alluded to the bodies strewn around them and laughed as he charged at JaK as well. The two collided hard as both gripped ends of the pole and struggled to overpower each other. Again the Sage brothers were nearly identical physically with JaK having the ability to probably surpass David.

David eventually melted the metal pole causing JaK to leap backwards as David chased after him laughing. The two began hand to hand combat - JaK was far superior in melee combat than his brother and easily dodged, parried, and countered everything David did. However, each blow JaK landed on David grazed off his brother without seemingly leaving a single scratch. Which was not true, JaK was hurting David, but his healing factor was just THAT fast! JaK and Nightmare continued to tussle with one another until finally David grabbed JaK's forearm and melted through his zyon fiber sleeve and started to destroy the skin underneath. JaK howled as the pain shot through his arm but quickly brandished his tanto in response and with one swift movement he served David's hand. Blood gushed everywhere from the opened wound as both brother's backed away and the severed hand hit the floor. But Nightmare simply smirked and watched as a new palm slowly started to grow from his wrist before JaK's eyes.

"Yes, JaK. YES! This is what I wanted little brother. Someone that could push me a little bit. This is why left you alive all this time. I want you to get better, faster, stronger. Because then, and only then, when you think you've reached your peak am I gonna so enjoy watching you die right at my feet." Nightmare suddenly roared and charged JaK. JaK took a defensive position and kept slashing him with the blade but Nightmare simply allowed each cut and slash to tear his flesh while still tagging JaK with ultra-heated punches, knees, and kicks. At the end of the exchange JaK dropped to all fours while breathing heavily as his healing factor struggled to heal the damage done by Nightmare. Nightmare on the other hand just seemed to have ripped clothes and nothing more Once again the slash wounds from the tanto healed instantly. "And you're still too weak. What a disappointment JaK. Well I guess I had enough fun for today...How about we blow this joint." Nightmare raised his fingers in a snapping position. He was going to ignite a flame and fry himself, JaK, and the victims in the process.

"No..Don't...." JaK said as the powerlessness set into his body a. He resheathed his blade. It couldn't stop Nightmare and neither could he. Not as he was now. That's when his eyes began to shimmer. "Fuck it then..."

Nightmare cackled even louder. "Don't...and how do you think you'll stop m---" Suddenly Nightmare was punched in the throat. He was unable to speak due to his vocal cords collapsing from JaK's blow. JaK then followed up by poking both of Nightmare's eyes out with his fingers. David wreathed in pain but still cackled as he regrow both eyes and repaired the throat damage instantaneously. JaK's entire body was fuming. It seemed as if he had forcibly stopped healing his wounds and to focus every fiber of his being on his brother's complete destruction.

"Fuck it, if I can't kill you with my own power then I'll go all out and destroy both of us!" JaK took a runner's stance as every muscle, every vein, every part of his body bulged and teamed with energy. JaK took off at beyond human speeds and began pummeling Nightmare. Nightmare tried to fight back but JaK was fully dominant right now. JaK wouldn't let him snap his fingers, ignite a flame, JaK wouldn't even let him think! JaK tossed Nightmare all about the room and punched, kicked, kneed, elbowed, and broke many of his body parts and ligaments. Finally, after wailing on David until he was sure had had broken all of his major body appendages he darted outside the hospital basement with David in hand and threw Nightmare on the ground outside. He looked back to the hospital and sighed. JaK had done it, he had saved those people. He had saved everyone.

BOoOOooOOOOooOOOOM!!!!!!

The underground cellar exploded and even the lower level/first floor of the hospital itself was now covered in flames which danced inside the hallways and waved to JaK from the windows. JaK looked on, mouth agape - shocked. But how? He had removed Nightmare, how did he manage too---

Nightmare stood up and cackled even harder. Parts of his body were still visibly resetting themselves but Nightmare seemed unbothered by his bones resetting and twisted fingers and toes cracking back into place. " I told you JaK," David grinned manically from ear to ear and lit his entire body ablaze. "I am here to bring you misery, forever and always."

JaK realized Nightmare must have brought a pipe bomb that had a timed detonator with him just to make sure the explosion occurred even if JaK did stop him. Those burn victims...they were all dead. Those people on the first floor of the hospital....Also dead or close to it. All because of Sage. No the Sage brothers. JaK dropped to his knees. He had failed again to save anyone from his brother. "No.." JaK whispered.

Nightmare walked up to JaK and kicked him hard in the face. "Yes!" David said. JaK flew across the road and coughed up blood as he lay there helpless. "You're getting it now. You're seeing it. The nightmare I've been planning for you is here little brother." Nightmare picked up JaK by his armpits and kneed him in the stomach, then headbutted him in the face busting JaK's nose like it was soft fruit. Sage didn't fight back. He just stared into his brother's eyes. JaK was saddened at his kin's expression of twisted mangled rage and delight. Nightmare spun around and lunged JaK into a car door. JaK crashed into the honda and dented the door, then was bathed in Nightmare's blue blood fire. JaK dropped to all fours afterwards and laid motionless as his healing factor went to work on repairing his entire top layer of skin.

"What happened to all the fight you had earlier JaK? Come on bro, do all those cool moves again. It's a fair fight now that I can turn up the heat don't ya think? And you don't have to protect anyone anymore." Nightmare spun around and lit two flames in his palms triumphantly. "Their all ash now! HaHaHa! Come on JaK, get up! Give me all you got! I thought you were gonna put a stop to me, eh?"

JaK just looked up at Nightmare and spoke weakly. "I won't play your game."

Nightmare stared at him quietly and then began to stomp on JaK over and over and over. "You're useless. You're trash! You were always an embarrassment. Always weak!! I always had to protect you in school, and from bullies. But those days are done JaK. If you won't fight me for yourself... I'll give you a reason too." Nightmare grinned from ear to ear as he walked towards the hospital. "I wonder how many newborns there were today?"

JaK's golden eyes began to shimmer again. "Wait..." JaK rose up and took an odd stance, as if about to toss a baseball as hard as he could. He stood in the knelt position, placed his fist into his palm and started to generate energy solely into his right fist. He could barely stand, his legs were wobbly, and his head was hazy but Nightmare was JaK's responsibility and he wasn't going to let anymore people die tonight. "I'll end it..." JaK said.

"What was that JaK?" Nightmare turned to Sage and put his hand to his ear. "You gotta speak up bro!"

"I SAID THIS ENDS...." JaK's fist began to glow bright white and the ground around Sage started to crack from the pressure. " NOW!!!"

"Ohh, so you did have something else to show me afterall!? Good, this is good, SHOW IT TO ME THEN!!!" Nightmare ran towards JaK with fire in both hands while his tongue hung out the side of his head.

Meanwhile, JaK prepared the massive golden white fist, cocked it back, and threw it forward at his brother. "NIGHTMAREEEEEEE!!!!!"




JaK awoke the next day. He was in the Titans Tower infirmary. The holoprojection TV was in front of his bed and the remote controller was next to his left arm. His right arm was now a nub and was heavily bandaged. The news station was reporting on the hospital incident and noted the crisis was averted with little to no casualties other than the original gas leak thanks to Sage of the Teen Titans. So JaK had stopped Nightmare but they also said no body was recovered so most likely Nightmare had survived. JaK thought 'most likely' only because the crater on the screen was massive! He almost didn't even think Nightmare could have survived that, JaK's arm sure didn't..."Almost." But sadly JaK knew this wasn't the end of his brother's torment for him. Far from it. They would meet again. And next time JaK would for sure be ready to end this Nightmare.