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Scott didn’t remember the trip from the site of Nightmare’s massacre back to his home, however, he found himself struggling to make his way down the short hallway to the door of his apartment. In all his life, he couldn’t remember ever being in so much pain. His suit was warm and sticky from the blood that had oozed from his wounds, and his leg felt like a mangled mess. Though he had already begun healing, it would take time for him to fully recover from his injuries.

And in the back of his mind, he still felt a strange fear prying against his consciousness, forcing itself upon him. He had never faced anything quite like Nightmare, and he didn’t know if he could defeat the monster. He was afraid and unsure of himself, and it was almost as if his doubts were those of someone else. He tried to pinpoint exactly when he began to experience these feelings, and eventually it came to him. 

The lack of confidence and fear that he felt came on shortly after the woman in black and gold had engulfed him in that strange black flame. From that moment, he had not felt completely like himself. However, he was unsure if that was the cause of these feelings, or a mere coincidence. However, it didn’t matter whether it was caused by the strange woman or not. It was something that he knew that he would need to overcome if he was going to have any shot at defeating Nightmare. 

Finally, he limped to him apartment door and slowly opened it. He could hear the TV in the living room and had assumed that Eric had stayed in order to wait up for him. Eric had been concerned for him when he returned from the Valor Institute, and had tried to talk him out of trying to find Nightmare.

[i]He was right, I had no business going after that monster.[/i] Scott thought to himself as he limped into the apartment. 

As he sat on the couch, Eric Dean heard the front door open to the apartment, and a wave of relief washed over him. The events from earlier in the night were splashed all across the television screen. Countless ravers were dead, as were a number of STRIKE agents, apparently at the hands of the murderous psychopath Nightmare. 

“About time you got home, I was starting to…”He never finished his sentence. He looked over to his friend and saw the tattered costume, the bruises on his face…and the blood. He had never seen so much blood in his life. His friend, who he had always thought of as untouchable, looked as if he’d been mauled half to death by a wild animal. 

Scott looked to Eric, and began to say something, however the words never came out. Instead, his entire world turned to darkness as he fell to the floor.