Hawkgirl was three blocks from her apartment when Anton decided to strike. She was flying home after her patrol. The entire police was now after the man known as The Fadeaway Man.
She was banking left, preparing to descend towards her apartment when something seemed to press against her back, and a second later she felt a cut across her right wing.
Pain exploded at her joint, and she screamed, losing control of her flight. She looked back and saw Anton, standing on her, holding her wing and a knife coated in her blood in his other hand.
"You destroyed everything! My collection. My life," Anton yelled, his voice loud and raw.
Hawkgirl tried to maintain her flight, but her right wing wasn't responding properly.
"You're a thief. You violated..." She managed to yell back.
"I give love and care to art, protecting it from people like you who treat it like dirt," Anton cut her off, raising his hand, preparing to slash her wing again.
Hawkgirl rolled. Anton dropped his hand, holding on to her back, trying to not fall off. Hawkgirl swung her mace towards his back. It phased through, hitting only air. He swung the knife down again.
This time he caught her left wing with a deeper cut than the last. Hawkgirl fell through the air.
Hawkgirl spread her wings, trying to make them work. The left wing responded sluggishly, blood streaming from its joint with muscles torn. The right wing was barely functional. She was going to hit the ground.
Anton followed her down, the cloak streaming behind him with his knife still in his hand.
"Your wings. Your the greatest attribute. I'm going to take them from you and treat them with love and leave you helpless. Just the way you left me," Anton said, full of fury.
Hawkgirl hit the roof of a building hard, rolling across and coming up to a defensive crouch, her wings folded and useless. Pain stemmed from her wing joints. Anton landed twenty feet away, the blade still tight in his hand. His eyes are still engulfed with fury and rage.
"You're a collector, not a killer. Why go this far?" Hawkgirl asked, buying time.
"You made me this. I had everything, the finest collection anyone had ever assembled. Then you tracked your mace and ruined it all!" Anton replied, advancing forward.
"You nearly killed me and ten people when you interfered with Sophist's scenario," Hawkgirl replied.
"Sophist nearly killed ten people, and you, who are you to blame me? He put them there in the first place. It isn't my fault you were too weak!" Anton answered.
"Sophist loaded the gun, but you shot it," Hawkgirl replied.
"You destroyed someone's life's work. I can't get my collection back, and those pieces of art can never be replicated because you've ruined them. But I'll make you understand what you've taken from me," Anton replied, raising his blade and charged.
Hawkgirl was now unable to fly, her wings badly damaged. Anton slashed and she dodged.
She swung her mace, and he phased through before teleporting to her left, the blade coming down again. She rolled, feeling the knife graze her shoulder, leaving a sliver of blood.
Anton teleported again, appearing behind her and slashing at her wings again. She spun, using her mace to block. For a moment they were locked together.
Hawkgirl pushed, using her strength to push her back. He turned intangible, and her momentum sent Hawkgirl forward into empty air. He resolidified and kicked her in the back, sending her stumbling to the ground.
"For a warrior, you really are simple. I haven't had a single fight my entire life, yet look at me. Standing over the supposedly legendary warrior Hawkgirl. Brains over brawn, they say. It seems to be true. Soon your wings will become my first piece of my new collection," Anton mocked, gesturing at her damaged wings.
Hawkgirl was bleeding from multiple cuts now. Anton was targeting her wings. She needed a strategy, a way to turn the tables.
"Anton, you're right. I destroyed your collection, and I'm sorry," Hawkgirl said, backing away.
"Sorry?" he paused, suspicious.
"I didn't understand what it meant to you. Didn't consider how much you care about them. I just saw the thief. But you're not a thief but a collector. A scholar. Someone who actually appreciated what they take," Hawkgirl continued, keeping her voice level.
"Don't...Don't try to manipulate me! I know what you're doing. You're just stalling for time," Anton replied, his voice sharp.
"I'm acknowledging that I was wrong. I'm just being honest," Hawkgirl answered.
"You weren't wrong. I am a thief. I never claimed to be otherwise. But I loved those artefacts more than anyone could ever have. I would treat them better than you!" he replied, advancing forward again.
"Exactly. You're not a murderer. Would you rather be hailed as a thief or a murderer? You still have the time to decide," Hawkgirl continued.
"It's too late for that. You made sure of it when you found my apartment," Anton answered, charging towards Hawkgirl.
This time, Hawkgirl stayed still.
Sophist materialized between them, hands in his pockets and his expression calm. Anton stopped his charge and stepped back in shock.
"Good evening. I hope I'm not interrupting," Sophist said pleasantly.
"You?" Anton stared, staggered back.
"I believe we're acquainted, yet you never gave me your name, Anton," Sophist said before glancing at Shayera. "Your wings?"
"Damaged. Not destroyed," Hawkgirl answered.
"Can you fight?"
"Not at full capacity."
"Then let me offer you some advice. The Cloak of Cagliostro. Remarkable artefact and very wasted on a man of your... stature," replied Sophist, turning to Anton.
"Stay out of this! This is between me and..." Anton bickered.
"You made it my business when you interfered with my game. Actions have consequences," Sophist snapped.
"You're...the one who sets up those...scenarios," Anton said, his eyes widening and his voice fearful.
"I would advise you to be quiet, or your chances of survival will truly be zero. Let me speak to the lady now. Now then, Shayera, what have you noticed?" Sophist continued.
"He has to solidify to attack," Hawkgirl answered.
"Correct, but I'm looking for something more," Sophist replied.
Hawkgirl exchanged looks between Sophist and Anton, thinking about what she was missing.
"Alright then, I'll give you a hint. Anton can't fly like Martian Manhunter can. He doesn't have to worry about phasing through the Earth when he becomes intangible, so think to yourself, how does he stay on solid ground when he's supposed to be intangible?" Sophist told Hawkgirl.
Hawkgirl looked at Sophist and then looked at Anton. Her eyes then fell towards his feet. So he doesn't fall through the ground. He makes it so a part of him stays tangible. The rest of his body may be able to phase through everything, but his feet stay solid, so he doesn't phase uncontrollably.
"I think you've figured it out now," Sophist said, looking at the look in Hawkgirl's eyes. "Let the test resume."