The "World of Heroes" DC RPG Season VIII

[Watchman]

Darkseid is the End
Darkseid is the Beginning

Time and Reality contracts, expands, bends, and cracks around him. He feels everything, knows all, is all. He closes his eyes no longer than a single moment and sees eons away. Worlds unknown to most. All joining him. He sees across dimensions, across Earths, one by one succumbing to Anti-Life, to Darkseid. Worlds, realities coming apart and disappearing forever. Freedom from thought, from choice, from life.

That is Darkseid.

"Kryptonian, I accept your offering, an infinite landscape for me to rule over. For it to join me. My will stretched across the absolute. In turn, I will reward you kindly. I will transform you into the enemy of all. The enemy of Darkseid."

Darkseid is Damnation
Darkseid is Salvation
*******
"NO! No! no!"

Ivy Town has fallen. First what seemed like a small scale riot has augmented. Ray Palmer's lab is separated from the rest of the town. All his power, computers, and machines are connected to Palmer self-generated power source. He briefly picked up the signal from the outside and closed himself from the outside. He can't contact anyone, he has been completely isolated. Dread sinks in as he stares on his holo-chalkboard.

"Impossible." He tries again. Writing out the simplest equation.

2+2= Darkse...

"NO!" 2+2 does not equal that. It equals....it equals.....He can't bear himself to finish the thought. Entire formula have been rewritten. Thoughts, theories, laws don't make anymore sense to him when they all come out to the same answer. The fundamental laws of the universe are breaking down. There is only one correct equation now. It proves God. It proves that he is master of everything.

That was even the worst of it. He has been tracking extreme amounts of energy being release. A few months ago during the second coming of the Dark Alliance something big had ripped into our point in space. Something fell. Then there was the event. Something monumental. It was series of events that were on the same level of the big bang. Of course these events have consequences. He has been trying to figure them out. Basically the universe is at a weak point. Whatever fell through has been bringing everything down with it.

To put it optimistically, the Earth has a Black Hole on it.

Someone was in his lab. One of those god awful Justisfers? He crawl out of his micro-lab.

"Professor Palmer?" The voice called out.

"You're not one of those horrifically annoying Jusitfers are you?"

"No, no. If I was you would be getting a earful of inane gospel."

"Don't I know?"

"Well I hope Kal mentioned me. I am Brainiac 5 and I'm from the future. Or shall I say what's left of the future."

"It's going to be one of those days isn't it?"

"I'm afraid so. Although your technology is painfully obsolete it looks like I can work with it. An upgrade can't hurt, though." Brainiac takes out a sphere.

"I would like more up-to-date accommodations...please." The sphere stretches band breaks up. It latches on to the Atom's lab. It beings to change.

"Wait...you can't do this! What are you doing to my lab?!"

"A portable device that allows me to change matter on a base level. Ancient technology. I'm a superhero from the 30th century, there isn't even a limit to what I can do or think of."

"That's amazing, truly I'm in awe but you can't just break into my lab and start rearranging particles."

"Professor Palmer, please, you're education does not even break a first year where I come from. I respect what you in your time by now leave this someone who knows what they are doing. Now please will you round up your friends."

"I have feeling that we are not going to get along."
********
Orion, we both made a foolish mistake. We believe in the prophecy. We believe that one day I was suppose to fall by your hand. That you would become the new ruler of my kingdom. I am writing a new future, my dead one. What we knew was false. The future is being written not alright before us and that future is Darkseid.

They say when the Third World destroyed itself the Fourth World rose. The dawning of the Fifth World is here and Darkseid will be the reign. I have spat into the eye of fate and made its new creed Anti-Life.

Boom Tubes open up in his castle. Jusitfers without question march through it. Floating toward him was Granny along with his son Kalibak. They say that the Third World fell with the death of the old gods. The old gods still cling to his reality. He will snuff them out, he would grow more powerful.

"Father, I grow restless. Give me skulls to smash, give me bodies to eviscerate." He grinned.

"And you shall, my spawn. Today we hunt gods, Today we take Paradise Island."

"Oh most glorious Darkseid, I will finally have my Furies." Kalibak step through a boom tube. Darkseid steps through a final one.

Darkseid is Freedom

 

[Bounce]

"Now, I can tell from how I ran into you that...this whole shabang...it's in your blood. Your motives may differ, no...definitely differ than Bruce's. But you want to deliver your own brand of justice. And I...humbly applaud you kid."

I cut the rope keeping his hands bound, and pull his arms free. I come around him, digging the kris knife into the arm rest of the chair as he gets up and continue to leave my back freely open to him to attack. Stopping, I simply tilt my head and crack my neck.

"I tried to think of a way of saying this that didn't sound lame. It appears there isn't really a way around it. So, what do you say, Damian?"

Turning around, I see he has his eyes set on that kris knife but he has yet to grasp for it.

"Wanna be my side-kick?"

The knife routine was cute. The League uses techniques like that to condition new assassins, except our program is worse. The trainers wait until your confidence is up and then they stab you with the knives. And not like that superficial cut on my leg either. There's a reason the League employs more doctors and surgical specialists than Gotham Metropolitan Hospital. Its all a lot of theatrics and threats of force with no real danger behind them, the same cheap trick I see my father using. Really, if you were not prepared to kill your opponent then what was the point? Then again, father had some odd ideas about justice and morality that Damian just couldn't comprehend. They were world's apart from what he'd grown up learning, which was that the weak were ruled by the strong. And power defied societal or moral definitions. Drug lords, politicians, corporate executives... strip away the legal systems around them and what you were left with were men engaged in urban warfare to control others. The means of that control varied somewhat, but not greatly, and the ends were definitely the same.

Money.

The League accepted, no embraced, this reality. In the pursuit of its own agenda, they killed anyone who got in their way. Damian killed anyone who got in his way, just like he'd murdered that Yellow Lantern back in the Batcave. But whereas his mother would have praised him, his father seemed left with no end of contempt for the boy's actions. A fact which still both confused and infuriated the child. What was wrong with his father that he could not see the insignificance of that ring-powered goon? Why should Damian care about protecting lives that had no meaning to him?

Looking down at the kris, the child was left staring at the back of his enemy - a man who was in his way. But Damian knew not to wage a battle he couldn't win, so he wouldn't attack Jason Todd. Hell, it sounded as though Todd might well be willing to teach Damian what he needed to know to kick not only Todd's brain-damaged ass but father's as well. And that had the boy's interest.

"You're wrong," Damian stated quietly, idly walking over to the plate of leftover kolaches and picking one up. "The only thing in my blood is an assassin. What you saw tonight was only me trying to understand why my father does what he does," the boy commented before taking a bite.

Looking up at Jason, Damian was now curious as to how he could use the man as a resource. Bruce had actually spent time with his wards, right? In that case, they were in a position to know more about his father than he did. "The guy that killed you... the clown or whatever... Batman didn't even kill him did he?" the boy asked aloud, though he knew the answer. He just wanted to voice it aloud to see if it sounded as absurd as he thought it to be.

"Father told me that, when you kill someone, you destroy all of what that person was or ever would be..." Damian began, recalling Bruce's words in the Batcave earlier. Finally, the boy turned and demanded an answer he'd wanted to know from the man who'd walled himself off from the boy.

"Why? Why does he care?" the child snapped angrily, glaring at Todd in the moment at which he thought he was yelling at someone else. Realizing of course that Jason wasn't the one he was angry at, Damian's shoulders sagged as he just looked away again. "He won't even talk to me, except to yell that what I do is wrong."

Pausing, the boy turned his head to glare back over at Jason. "I'm not in it for some ubiquitous truth and I don't give two ****s about justice," Damian declared rashly. "I just want to send a message to both my parents that they can go to hell. If you'll help me do that, then yeah. I'll be your 'Robin' or whatever."

 

[Andy C.]

When Mr. Mxyzptlk and I emerge from the other side of the Source Wall, it's hard to tell where exactly we wound up.

There's no headless body of General Zod, as Mxyzptlk dropped his departed spirit back into the afterlife.

There's no alternate-universe parallel to New York City.

There's, well.....not really much of anything. Everything is just stark white.

"Where are we?" I say to Mxyzptlk, who seems to be fading away.

"We're in the Fortress, far away from the Crisis unfolding back on Earth."

"I built the Fortress of Solitude by hand, Mxy, and I know every inch of it. This isn't it."

"Not your Fortress....well, not yet, anyway. Long story short, this particular Fortress was pulled from the remains of the 853rd Century before it was all undone. But it'll do for the time being. This is where you need to be."

The usually-sneering little imp falters a little, his breathing suddenly becoming labored.

"Are you all right? What's--"

"I'm fading out, Supes. The rules of reality are being written over like dry-erase markers, and that includes the Fifth Dimension this time. He's pulling everything apart, shaping it in his own image...and he's decided that his brave new world doesn't include me."

"Who's doing this?"

"Oh, come on, Blue. You can figure it out? Who could do something like this?"

Mxy doubles over, going pale as he falls onto a transparent floor.

"When it really comes down to it, there's only one thing that can ever get rid of him....and that's you. Just.....heh.....give him one for me."

And with that, Mr. Mxyzptlk vanishes, written out of existence completely if he was telling the truth.

Before I can really process what he was telling me, a door opens, and out comes a face that I can't honestly say I'm too surprised to see.

"Superman! Like, our Superman! Holy crap, am I glad to see you!"

"Jimmy?" Jimmy Olsen, photographer for the Daily Planet and the one person on Earth who's stumbled into more trouble than Lois. Considering the places he's wound up in and the situations he's gotten involved in, it's hardly a shock to see him here....wherever 'here' is.

"Man, you would not believe the stuff I went through to find you, and of course no luck, but then you wind up right here anyway! But I guess that's another story for another time. Right now, the universe is about to end, and we need you here to stop it."

"Who's 'we,' Jimmy?"

"Well, pretty much just me......well, all of me."

He starts to walk back towards the door, gesturing me to follow, which I do. I figure if I want to know what's going on, let alone actually do something about it, standing around isn't going to do me much good.

As we step through what I can only assume is a hallway (it's hard to tell because everything around us is still all white, and the only time I can see if there's any structure at all is when a door opens or closes), we step out into a large open foyer.......the shape of which I can only tell because of the dozens of Jimmy Olsens leaning against the walls, or on top of the catwalk along the second floor, or sitting on the transparent furniture.

"Guys, he's finally here!" Jimmy announces to the...other Jimmys. "We've all spent a lot of time in a lot of universes tracking down our own specific Superman, but now we can finally do what we came here to do! Places, everybody! Places!"

The Olsens all scatter, heading to different stations through different doors and platforms that I can't see.

"Jimmy, what's going on?"

"Well, it's a long story, but if reality itself is in danger, then who better to save it than Superman? And if Superman isn't immediately available, then who better to track him down than Superman's Best Pal?"

It's almost mind-boggling how much sense that actually makes.

"So every Jimmy Olsen in every universe got together..."

"....to find every Superman in every universe, and then bring you here!"

Jimmy starts to walk away, heading towards another door that leads out of the room. I try to follow, but he puts up his hand.

"You've gotta stay here, man. I, on the other hand, have to get to a safe distance before the roof opens up on you. You're pretty much the only person in existence who can survive this, but believe me, you'll thank me for it."

He steps through the door, and looks back.

"I was brought here to help with the Ascension. Now that you're here, it can happen. Good luck, Superman."

"Jimmy, wait! Where are we?!"

Jimmy just smiles before the door closes.

"We're in the heart of the Sun. Neat, huh?"

The door closes on him, and the roof opens.....




.....and the whole world erupts into white-hot flames.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Sector 2814
Earth
Coast City

I'm back in Coast City, even though it's probably the last place in the universe I want to be. But I need to do it. I need to tell Carol.

"No Lantern escapes the Alpha Lanterns!"

I suddenly find myself wrapped in glowing green chains. No, not now...

"You were supposed to remain under my supervision, Lantern Jordan," sneered Boodikka with cold, robotic contempt, "Yet you fly away to other planets when the notion takes you, even when your own homeworld is under threat? What are you up to, Jordan? What nasty little secret are you hiding this time?"

"My son was kidnapped by an alien monster called Kryb. I had to travel to the creature's homeworld to try and rescue him. Sorry if I didn't wait for your permission first!"

The green chains evaporate. After a long pause, Boodikka spoke in a softer voice.

"Were you able to save him?"

I can only shake my head.

There is another long pause. And when Boodikka speaks, there is once again a trace of emotion in there, pity. I preferred it when she sounded like a robot.

"Lantern Jordan.... I am sorry..."

"Don't," is all I can say, "Just... don't."

I fly away, and Boodikka makes no attempt to stop me, or follow me. I need to see my wife. I need to tell Carol...

 

[Keyser Soze]

Dinah Lance walked through her apartment, brushing her teeth. She looked down at the blue ring on her finger, thinking about how all of a sudden, a whole lot of people were interested in it. But none of them were connected to the ring she was...

*CRASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The whole side wall of her home exploded, knocking her to the ground with the sheer force of the blast. And hovering outside were a hideous orange creature Dinah had never seen before. And The Joker.

"Hello there, pretty pretty. That's a nice ring you've got on your finger..."

 

[Byrd Man]

"Watchus!" I shouted back as we kept circling the earth over and over, hoping to put some distance between the personification of death.

Wally and I cover the Earth many times over, picking up speed as we go. The Black Racer stays behind us, gaining ground with each passing second.

"Wegottadosomething! Wecan'tkeepupthese...."

Idea.

"Keeprunning!"

Hitting the brakes, Wally and Black Racer run past we. I come to a skidding stop in the Sahara desert, I start to run again and catch up with Wally and the Racer. Wally runs in the front, the Black Racer in the middle, and I'm bringing up the rear.

"What did I say? You cannot outrun death!"

"Who says we're going to outrun you? Wally, let's kick it up a notch and introduce our friend to the Speed Force."

 

[Blacklight]

Wally and I cover the Earth many times over, picking up speed as we go. The Black Racer stays behind us, gaining ground with each passing second.

"Wegottadosomething! Wecan'tkeepupthese...."

Idea.

"Keeprunning!"

Hitting the brakes, Wally and Black Racer run past we. I come to a skidding stop in the Sahara desert, I start to run again and catch up with Wally and the Racer. Wally runs in the front, the Black Racer in the middle, and I'm bringing up the rear.

"What did I say? You cannot outrun death!"

"Who says we're going to outrun you? Wally, let's kick it up a notch and introduce our friend to the Speed Force."

"Let's!" I said as I began to bring up my speed to the maximum, Uncle Barry doing the same.

 

[Keyser Soze]

"You might not want to take my word for it, but we don't want to hurt you. Honest. Scout's Honor. We just want you to come with us."

Grinning like a cheshire cat, The Joker extended his hand.

"Shall we, my dear?"

Dinah took a step towards The Joker, then blasted him across the apartment with a surge of blue energy from her ring. Then, she jumped out of the window, the ring carrying her through the air.

"MINE!"

Larfleeze gave pursuit, flying through the sky after her. Dinah let a bright blue beacon shine into the night sky, hoping to attract the attention of someone that could help her.

 

[trustyside-kick]

OOC: Previously...

The Oblivion Bar

The Shadowpact bring my dilemma to the attention of their leader, Jim Rook. Remember him? Yup. The owner of this bar is also their leader. Though he's known by another name: Nightmaster. He's brought me before his magical sword to test that I'm saying the truth. I play a convincing role Blue Devil said but at the same time after they had their laugh about how easy my situation seemed the chance that it could be a trap. The chance that when the Shadowpact arrives to answers Atlantis' supposed call by me, a supposed former Prince then brief King, was too much to risk.

There are many properties bestowed upon Rook's sword. One of them, is its ability to compell them to utter the truth. I agree to their terms, hoping that once they see that I am telling the truth we can be on our way as soon as possible.

"Just relax. Clear your mind and let the spell flow upon you."


Mercy Reef, Atlantis
In a cove several miles away

"Time is far too short. To look for the one I seek by any other way could take...it could be too late. I sense the forces and by the time I make back from my journey Atlantis could already be in ruin."

The Dweller starts to channel a spell. Imagining Garth in his mind, the spell is very similar to the tracking spell he used to discover Tempest in the first place. As the magical and psychic energies surge through his body, the Dweller of the Deep realizes something, and the spell quickly dies. Eyes shot open, he realizes what it could do to him.

"...Such a spell could kill me. Alas, I have no chose. The Once and Future King must be found. This man can help me save Atlantis. It must be done."

And so the Dweller starts the spell once again.


Poseidonis, Atlantis
The Royal Throne Room

The shouts echoed through the entire kingdom, for his entire journey to the throne room. Pushing the large doors with no strain whatsoever put upon him Triton so easily opens wide the entry to the throne room. Hagen stands beside the thrown with four of his mystic counsel.

"Triton, shouting my name throughout the dome leaves me to think that something is amiss."

Hagen casts his counsel aside, shaking his head as he continues to speak.

"But at the same time, it is you I am speaking to so for all I know you could be heated becau--"

"The sea wench has escaped the city! Lady Mera is no where to be found!"

"What?!?"

Urgently Hagen comes close enough to Triton to utter a whisper.

"And how, may I ask...did she get OUT of your sight?"

"I asked her to fetch me a--"

"Always making Mera do things for you instead of the servants. In dwelling in what joy it brings you to have the former Queen of Atlantis on her knees, you've let her slip right out of your fingers. YOU FOOL!"

Backhanding the God of the Sea, Hagen becomes so infuriated that a magical aura comes about him as though he was about to blast Triton into oblivion. However the warlock takes hold of himself and lucky for him the Godling does not fight back; although Triton does glare back at him showing that he'd have no qualms taring his head off.

"Gather the War Counsel. I'd say the chance that we are going to have a Revolution on our hands is very high."


The Oblivion Bar

They started off with the basics: 'Is my name Garth, am I from Atlantis, etc etc, how is it that I seem to be the only one who knows what is really going on'. They ask me all of those things, and I tell him. I tell Nightmaster about Atlan and everything else I already told the Chimp and the rest of his crew. I pass the test with flying colors with his magical sword so far.

"Alright there's only a few more questions for us to ask. Garth, have you turned? Did you already try to overthrow this Hagen and Triton and did they submit you into trying to set-up the Shadowpact by luring us to a--"

That's when something unexpected happens. This aura made up of Atlantean symbols and runes suddenly appears around me. Aw crap, I know exactly what this is. Someone has located me via telepathic link, and is teleporting me to their current location. That, or to any location of their choosing.

Hagen? Has he and Triton found out that I'm here? Mera. Oh no. Did they find her and get her to tell them everything? They have every reason to be suspicious of her at any given time of the day. I don't have much time left until I'm warped clean out of the Oblivion Bar. I look to the monkey with great urgency. I could tell he believed me from the get-go.

"Listen, you guys HAVE to believe me, you have to--"

And then I'm gone.


Mercy Reef, Atlantis
In a cove several miles away

An aura appears before the Dweller of the Deep as his spell is near complete. The pain...both mentally and physical is excruciating. But the old mystic does not give up. As the aura widens and the Atlantean symbols and runes start to become vibrant at an uncanny speed, the portal finally opens and out pops Garth.

"It is him, with his help I can...ugh..."

As Garth makes full entry, the portal closes, the spell and the runes disappear and the Dweller faints. Garth finds himself in an unknown place underwater, and swims up to the unconscious sorcerer, catching his body as it drifts through the water.

"...Who...are you?"

 

[Saved]

"He WAS a friend. An ally."

Kara could only think of the man she had fought along side during the Dark Alliance attacks and during the Unity invasion.

"Control and power through fear. The champions of fear shall rule the universe!"​

"Apparently that has changed. Tell me why. I SAID TALK."

Kara's eyes start to go red and the bug can feel the air around his head heat.

"Control and power through fear. The champions of fear shall rule the universe!"​

As he says those last words he spits a green muck in Kara's face. It tingles a little, and she can tell if she were not Kryptonian, it would have melted her face.​

"That was a mistake. Because I too am a champion bug. I am the champion of Rao. And this planet is under HIS protection."​

With that she punched the insect creature in the mandible and watched as it cracked in two. The insect was unconscious as the Titans flew to the ground.​

"Kon, I'd love to catch up, but there is someone I need to see. Can you handle this from here? Thanks."​

Without waiting for his response, Kara was gone.​

​

Zach, Megan, and I stand in silence for a moment as Kara disappears into the clouds above us.
"Dang..." Zach says in a drawn out voice - continuing to gaze into the sky. "You've gotta get her back on the team, Kon."
"She's married," I reply quickly, slightly defensive. I know how Zach's mind works; I don't need Megan to tell me what he's thinking right now.
"Bummer. Wait, can you be dead and still be married?"
"Zach..." Megan interjects, trying to get his attention.
"Cause I never see widows or widowers getting divorces before they remarry, so does death nullify the whole thing?"
"ZACH!" She says, this time more insistent. Zach catches the look on Megan's face and quickly becomes quiet. Out of the corner of my eyes I see his body slump, embarassed and slighty ashamed. Maybe he realizes now just what I'm going through.

"Superboy," Megan says, placing her hand on my shoulder as she approaches me. "Are you...?"
"I'm fine, Megan," I say, my voice almost devoid of emotion. She knows I'm lying, and I know she knows it. But how can I help the way I feel after this? My cousin's back from the dead ... it's not something one can easily digest.

As my mind runs wild with desperate attempts at rationalization, the thought of the alien monster suddenly returns to the forefront of my mind. I turn to the beast to see him lying there on the ground at our feet - unconscious and powerless. "Megan," I speak up, taking command of the team once more. "You and Zach take this creature to STAR labs, he ... it can be dealt with later. In the mean time, I want to find out what's going on. We'll rendezvous at the tower in an hour, okay?' They both nod, "Good."
Zach and Megan grab the alien and take off, heading for their designated location. As I watch them go, I slowly begin to levitate in the air, rising higher and higher as I begin to contemplate my next move.

 

[Blacklight]

​

From what it seemed, the threat of these Yellow Lanterns has been nipped in the bud, and since the Star Sapphires have parted ways, I've been leading the remaining Lanterns stationed on Oa in damage control. Although I haven't heard anything of what happened to Hal or the Earth in general...

"MINE!"

Larfleeze gave pursuit, flying through the sky after her. Dinah let a bright blue beacon shine into the night sky, hoping to attract the attention of someone that could help her.

But I guess now's a good a time as any.

"Ring, take me to the origin of that blue beam, please. Hyperspeed, preferably..."

"Request granted."

It's time I see what's going on on Earth...

In mere moments, I was zoomed down to find something of which was sure to make the Guardians' little blue heads spin if they saw what was happening.

Black Canary? And... the Joker!?

Some hellish creature with an orange ring was chasing after Dinah and the Joker was standing idly by, laughing...

They must be working together...

I blasted the orange ring-bearing monster without hesitation, and then turned to the Joker. Between the two, I don't know which one scares me more.

"Whatever it is you think you're doing, Joker, I'm putting an end to it. Now you can come with me quietly, or we can do this the hard way... Your choice."

 

[wiegeabo]

"Listen up, poozers! Something big is going down, and the Guardians want the Corps out there. Apparently there's some big brawl building up involving other Lantern Corps. I just got back from a fight on Earth, and now these other Corps have got something cooking again. Me? I wanna be out there where I belong, giving those pretenders what they deserve. But the Guardians want me here, training you rookies, getting you ready to join the others."

"If some other world is going through what Earth just got through, then I'm more than ready to get out there right now and help."

Kilowag steps in front of me and stares me down. "You say somethin', rookie?"

"I ain't no rookie, Sarge. I've been fightin' on Earth with the JSA for decades."

"Have you now? And just how long have you had that ring?"

"Since the Lantern attack on Earth."

"That long, huh?" he says, sarcasm dripping from his words.

"Those bastards did a lot of damage to my home. I'm not about to stand outta the way and let them do it to someone else if I can help it."

"I like the attitude, rook, but ya ain't got the expertise to deal with-"

"I'm. Not. A. Rookie."

We stare each other down. "You aint, eh? Let's see somethin' then." Kilowag takes a step back and gets into a fighting stance.

I take up a stance of my own. "Yeah, lets."

***

"AHHHHHHHGGGHH!!!" Mr. Terrific grabs his head in pain, and his T-spheres crash to the ground.

"Michael!" Karen's by his side a moment before I am.

"I'm...I'm alright. Something...something overloaded the T-spheres. Some kind of...weird signal. Felt like it was frying my brain for a second."

"Weird signal?"

"Something about fear...despair...death...? The spheres filtered some of it out."

"Sounds charming."

"What does it mean?" Courtney asks.

"I'm not sure. And I'm not sure I want to find out. You all get Michael back to Gotham. Maybe he can use the Brownstone computers to figure it out."

"What about you, Jay?"

"I'll stay around here. There's still plenty of work to do. And I'm going to try find the other Flashes."


***

THUD

The crowd roars in sympathetic pain and then the cheer that always follows a good fight.

I step over Kilowag's body and address the other Lanterns. "The big guy was right, you all need to stay here and train. But me, I'm going to help the others."

I look up into the sky and snap my body straight. Nothing happens. The crowd of Lanterns looks at me and each other in confusion. "Um...ring?"

Awaiting instruction

"Let's go help the other Lanterns, you know...in space."

Affirmative

Suddenly I'm in the air, rocketing towards the vacuum of space. Not quite the impressive departure I was looking for. Here's hoping I didn't just look before I leaped.

When the ring drops me out of that crazy hyper-space vomit ride, it's out in space, with a planet in the distance. And between me and that planet are a lot of bright colors. Green, red, yellow.

"Well, this looks really familiar."

I dive towards the fight, ready to bloody up some faces, not noticing the dark shadows between the lights...

***

"Thanks Flash!"

I wave down at the people of the street. It took me about five minutes to rebuild their small apartment building, and I'm starving. I run down to the other side of town to my favorite deli. I could kill for some good pastrami right now, but I can't take the time for a dash to the east coast. Luckily, Sid's is the next best thing.

"HeySid! Don'tmindme. I'mjustgrabbingtheusual. Bebytomorrowtosettleupwithyou."

By the time I'm done, I've got five sandwiches wrapped up under one arm, and a large drink in my other hand. The patrons almost don't even notice anything but a rush of wind. And I don't notice Sid's words to me as I rush out the door.

"All is one..."

 

[Byrd Man]

"Let's!" I said as I began to bring up my speed to the maximum, Uncle Barry doing the same.

The world shifts into one big gray blur, the Black Racer caught between Wally and I. Energy begins to spark around us. I can feel a tingling in my spine. The gray shifts to white, and then to red. With a final cracking of energy, the three of us break through the barrier of time, space, and energy that bars our dimension from this one.

"Welcome to the speedster promise land, Black Racer. Welcome to the Speed Force."

"You're on our turf now, buddy!" A voice calls out from the hazy red mist. "3X2(9YZ)4A!"

A person appears from the red energy and tackles the Racer.

"I can't do this alone, fellas!"

"I'm with you, Johnny!"

Max Mercury joins the fight, appearing and tackling the Black Racer along with Johnny.

"Barry, Wally. Go. We can handle him."

"We have to help!"

"We have this. You two are needed on Earth. We can see the coming events. The two of you and Jay are needed."

"We can't just leave you!"

"We've got this. Besides, Death isn't as scary to two guys who have already died."

"Now go. And remember, think of your loved ones. That's the only way you can make it back."

 

[Keyser Soze]

​

From what it seemed, the threat of these Yellow Lanterns has been nipped in the bud, and since the Star Sapphires have parted ways, I've been leading the remaining Lanterns stationed on Oa in damage control. Although I haven't heard anything of what happened to Hal or the Earth in general...



But I guess now's a good a time as any.

"Ring, take me to the origin of that blue beam, please. Hyperspeed, preferably..."

"Request granted."

It's time I see what's going on on Earth...

In mere moments, I was zoomed down to find something of which was sure to make the Guardians' little blue heads spin if they saw what was happening.

Black Canary? And... the Joker!?

Some hellish creature with an orange ring was chasing after Dinah and the Joker was standing idly by, laughing...

They must be working together...

I blasted the orange ring-bearing monster without hesitation, and then turned to the Joker. Between the two, I don't know which one scares me more.

"Whatever it is you think you're doing, Joker, I'm putting an end to it. Now you can come with me quietly, or we can do this the hard way... Your choice."

"Heh. Hard way sounds fun."

The Joker formed a construct of a giant yellow fridge, and smacked Kyle Rayner across the face with it.

 

[Blacklight]

"Heh. Hard way sounds fun."

The Joker formed a construct of a giant yellow fridge, and smacked Kyle Rayner across the face with it.

I felt the impact of his construct as it made contact, and the sheer force of the blow sent me crashing into the wall of a building adjacent to us. But that wasn't going to stop me, I've taken worse hits...

"Lucky shot, Joker. Now it's my turn..."

Figuring he's Batman's archnemesis, I thought it would be fitting to make a construct of a huge Batarang, holding it high above my head.

"Stop me if you've heard this one..."

Then I chucked it at the Joker, making direct contact with his gut, making him keel over.

 

[Keyser Soze]

I felt the impact of his construct as it made contact, and the sheer force of the blow sent me crashing into the wall of a building adjacent to us. But that wasn't going to stop me, I've taken worse hits...

"Lucky shot, Joker. Now it's my turn..."

Figuring he's Batman's archnemesis, I thought it would be fitting to make a construct of a huge Batarang, holding it high above my head.

"Stop me if you've heard this one..."

Then I chucked it at the Joker, making direct contact with his gut, making him keel over.

The Joker fell to his knees, wiping a little blood from his mouth. He smiled.

"That hurt a little. I like that..."

Grinning wildly, The Joker launched himself at Kyle, spawning a gang of hideous, half-child/half-lizard monstrosities and unleashing them on Kyle.

 

[Keyser Soze]

I don't want to go inside. I know Carol's waiting for me inside, and she'll have seen me coming, so I can't linger. Every bone in my body is screaming for me to not open that door, to turn around and fly into deepest space and never come back.

I open the door.

I hear Carol rushing to her feet as I step into her family home. She runs around the corner to greet me, her face red and puffy from tears already spent. More begin to well in her eyes when she sees I am not holding our son in my arms.

"Martin? Where's Martin?"

She already knows the answer. My mask dissolves away on my face, as tears begin to run down my eyes. All I can do is shake my head.

"NO! NO! NOOOOOO!"

She slaps me across the face, several times. She pounds at my chest. I let her.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

The screams get worse, turning into something sounding more animal than human. Still she pounds on my chest with her balled up fists, but the strikes are getting slower now. She's exhausted herself. She slides down against my chest, and I catch her in my arms.

"I'm so sorry, Carol. I'm so sorry...."

"My baby! Martin!"

"I tried to stop Kryb, the thing that took him. I tried, but when I got there... it was too late. He was already... he was already dead. I killed the monster, it's dead. But Martin... he's gone. Oh God, Carol, our baby's gone."

The lies sound hollow and obscene to me as I speak them, leaving a bad taste in my mouth.

"You let him die."

"Carol, please..."

"You let him die! Why couldn't you save him? Why couldn't you..."

Carol broke down into inarticulate sobs, falling against my chest once more. I slump down onto my knees, the two of us awkwardly falling into a heap on the floor of our apartment. This was our home, our family home. Now what we had is lost, gone forever.

No, not gone.

Taken from us.

"They're going to pay, Carol. I'll make them all pay."

 

[Harlekin]

"I take the four on the right, you take the two on the left."

Jason Bard winced as a Chinese chef, six feet and eight inches tall and weighing in with well over 220 lbs, came running at him with a massive blade in his hand. Despite the fellow’s girth, he moved with surprising speed and the private investigator barely managed to evade a swipe of the knife. In the hope of deflecting the following strike, Bard threw up his wooden walking stick, but the result was merely a shortened cane.

Responding quickly, the detective swung the stick upwards, slamming it into the cook’s face. Even though the attack took the man by surprise, Bard’s opponent seemed unfazed. The chef yelled angrily then, splinters jutting out of his cheeks. He charged towards Bard, thrusting his massive stomach forward.

The PI stepped back quickly, nearly falling over his feet but successfully evading the Asian behemoth. Dodging one danger had led Bard into the hands of another though: the chef’s partner – a much leaner and lankier man – stood behind the investigator, brandishing a large cooking pan. Bard smiled sheepishly as he called out: “Uhm, Bats, a little help?”

Without responding or turning around, the Batman flung a batarang at Bard’s opponent, disarming him swiftly. The criminal cook yelled in pain as he grabbed his hand and the private investigator used the moment to deliver a quick blow to the man’s stomach. His adversary doubled over, but just as Bard was about to finish the fight with an uppercut, two massive arms reached around him and lifted him off the ground.

<“I’m going to crush the life out of you, fool,”> the Chinese behemoth said in his native tongue as he embraced Bard tightly. The investigator struggled vehemently, but futilely as the life was slowly crushed out of him. Fortunately, the detective had enough of his wits about him to throw up his good leg and kick away the giant’s partner, who charged at them. The kick floored the man immediately, but Bard was still in danger of blacking out.

THWACK!

A batarang connected with the upside of the chef’s head. He relaxed his arms, allowing Bard to escape, before finally toppling over. Bard steadied himself, wincing as his feet connected with the floor, sending a jolt to his knee. Meanwhile, the batarang had returned to the Batman’s hand. Around him were strewn the bodies of the four armed heavies.

Before either Bard or the vigilante could say anything, a man came walking down the stairs, laughing.

“Oh, that’s nice.”

 

[Blacklight]

The world shifts into one big gray blur, the Black Racer caught between Wally and I. Energy begins to spark around us. I can feel a tingling in my spine. The gray shifts to white, and then to red. With a final cracking of energy, the three of us break through the barrier of time, space, and energy that bars our dimension from this one.

"Welcome to the speedster promise land, Black Racer. Welcome to the Speed Force."

"You're on our turf now, buddy!" A voice calls out from the hazy red mist. "3X2(9YZ)4A!"

A person appears from the red energy and tackles the Racer.

"I can't do this alone, fellas!"

"I'm with you, Johnny!"

Max Mercury joins the fight, appearing and tackling the Black Racer along with Johnny.

"Barry, Wally. Go. We can handle him."

"We have to help!"

"We have this. You two are needed on Earth. We can see the coming events. The two of you and Jay are needed."

"We can't just leave you!"

"We've got this. Besides, Death isn't as scary to two guys who have already died."

"Now go. And remember, think of your loved ones. That's the only way you can make it back."

"C'mon, Uncle Barry! We have to get out of here! I lost you once, and I'm not losing you again!" I exclaimed as I grabbed his hand and started running. As much as I'd like to save Max and Johnny too, I won't let my uncle be taken from me again.

That's when I started thinking of my loved ones... Jay. Aunt Iris. Linda. My kids. And Uncle Barry... and soon the red became white, and the white to gray. Before we knew it, we were both back in the real world.

 

[Byrd Man]

A batarang connected with the upside of the chef’s head. He relaxed his arms, allowing Bard to escape, before finally toppling over. Bard steadied himself, wincing as his feet connected with the floor, sending a jolt to his knee. Meanwhile, the batarang had returned to the Batman’s hand. Around him were strewn the bodies of the four armed heavies.

Before either Bard or the vigilante could say anything, a man came walking down the stairs, laughing.

“Oh, that’s nice.”

"Johnny Stitches."

"You truly are the world's greatest detective."

"You're coming with us. You murdered Michaelangelo Alfredo in cold blood."

"Cold blood? I murdered him in cold blood?" Stitches asks again as he touches his face. "Look what he did to me! I'm a goddamn freak thanks to him. I murdered him. He deserved it. Give me a knife and his pathetic excuse for a face and I'd do it again."

My hands slowly inch towards the batarang on my belt. Stitches sees the movement and reaches towards his jacket pocket.

"Gun!"

Grabbing Bard by the collar, I toss out a smoke bomb. The smoke fills the restaurant and Stitches stumbles through the cloud with his gun raised.

"Come on out and fight me, man to man. Where are you?"

"Right in front of you," I announce as my fist cuts through the smoke and knocks the gun out of Stitches' hands. He quickly pulls a knife, stabbing my shoulder. Wincing in pain, I kick him back into the smoke.

"Looks like the tables have turned," he says from somewhere close by. "You and your buddy are both dead."

 

[Watchman]

He was here. He could see it. He could feel it. The million eyes of Darkseid allowed him a greater vision. He has finally come back home.

"Soon," he whisper to himself.

The newly constructed Nightmare Factory came to life. Computers gave one a view of another world. Black Lanterns infested them. One by one worlds would fall under mighty Darkseid's black hand.

Portals to different dimensions surrounded them. Doors to other Earths, other universes. Prisoners to thought would be brought here and reworked into a new being. They would join Anti-Life, they would be one with Darkseid. Like Black Hand had learned. There is only one greater purpose in life: to live, to die, to be Darkseid.

Brightly colored costumes of beings from these Earths were dragged through the factory. They were the new shocktroppers of Darkseid's cult armies. Powered Justifiers that would destroy the universe. Normal Justifiers were now being fitted with Amazo chips to give them powers. Nothing will stand in there way.
******
Daxam,

"My son....my son died because of your Guardians. He died saving outsiders. If he didn't consort with you....with your Green Lanterns he would still be alive."

Arisa had decided to deliver the news of Sodam Yat's death, personally. The Guardians had sent him on a suicide mission. The only thing left of him was the Ion entity had escape. The Dark Gods had finally risen and Sodam died trying to fight. To cover for the Guardians' lie.

"Your son died a hero. He was one of the greatest Green Lantern. Your son sacrificed himself..."

"For a lie! For a cover-up. My son died for nothing! Leave my sight Lantern! Do not return to Daxam or I will have you jailed."

"Father..." the voice made them both jump. It was Sodam Yat's. He entered the room but he look different. His Green Lantern suit was now black. His eyes were red.

"Son..."

"Do not be made with Arisa...she does not understand what has happen to me."

"Don't! That's not Sodam Yat!"

"Silence, girl! I told you to leave!"

"Oh no, Arisa can stay. I want her to hear this to." Arisa pinned Sodam Yat to the wall. His father looked back furious.

"Release my son, Guardian dog, release him or I shall have him killed!"

"Look at him! That is not your son! That is not Sodam Yat! He's lost to us, he's a victim of Darkseid now."

"Impossible!"

"Father, I have found god. I have found one meaning. Look up in the sky, his first gift to our race." The red sun has turned to yellow.

"How?"

"He has many allies. Now, hear his gospel." Sodam shot his eye beams at Arisa knocking her over and breaking his restraints. He grabbed his father and brought him close.

"No, Sodam, you can't do this. You can't fight a planet full of superman. You will be killed!"

"Father, Anti-Life had arrived 35 minutes ago. We will attack Mogo with an entire army of supermen all for Darkseid." They were now surrounded by Daxamites all under control.

"Now, listen closely."
******
And Black Hand waits.

"Jordan," he whispers, "soon."

 

[Byrd Man]

"C'mon, Uncle Barry! We have to get out of here! I lost you once, and I'm not losing you again!" I exclaimed as I grabbed his hand and started running. As much as I'd like to save Max and Johnny too, I won't let my uncle be taken from me again.

That's when I started thinking of my loved ones... Jay. Aunt Iris. Linda. My kids. And Uncle Barry... and soon the red became white, and the white to gray. Before we knew it, we were both back in the real world.

With an ear-shattering sonic boom, Wally and I rip through the space-time barrier and come back to reality. I skid to stop, Wally beside me, on the outskirts of Central City.

The past few minutes have seemed like days and weeks. Darkseid, Metron, running through against the Black Racer.

"Something's going on here," I say to Wally. "Something too big for either of us to handle alone. You heard Metron. A crisis is coming. We need the Justice League."

 

[Watchman]

Themyscira,

A green light bobs in the air. A black lantern encloses around. A small figure floats through the air. It weaves in and out of columns although it's presence does not go undetected.

"Come out, come out, where ever you are," the voice is an old woman but if you listen closely you can hear the thousand screams of insects.

"Dearie, come out, come to me dearie. Come see your Granny." A light explodes and Granny is now surrounded by Amazon Warrior brandishing spears, swords, shields. The group advance but a wall of green and black light stops their progress.

"Imp," one of the Amazon call out, "leave or we will have your head." Granny slowly shakes her head.

"Oh no, no, no. That won't do at all. Granny will have you. Granny will have you all, heart, head, and mind." She raises her hands and giant spider leg constructs reach up from the ground. The Amazons are tossed asides as the legs whip around and tear the ground apart. Granny is now in air the air raining down projectiles.

"I'm not leaving until she comes out. Where are you? Granny misses you so much. I want to drag you back to the orphanage?! Where are you, BARDA?"
*****
Shes has return from an invasion. Soldiers of light from the sky rain hell on the Earth below. Now her home is under attack. She looks over the balcony as light reaches into the air and tears down a building.

"Great Hera..." There a snort behind. It sounds like a boar or a bear, some sort of wild animal. Whoever it is it swings with a weapon. She turns around a blocks it with her bracelets. The impact pushes her back slightly but she stands her ground. She is able to shove the monster back.

"Kalibak, I assume your father is the one that has caused the disturbances amongst the world of gods."

"That is none of your business, Amazonian wench. The cruel one has arrived to crush skulls and feed on your entrails. My father has ruin your world and now you are my plaything." She punches Kalibak through a wall.

"A giant mistake, kill her! Kill her" Justifiers although they were not just the normal human soldiers. They all bore the same helmet but were draped in costumes. One was obviously super strong, while another was generated electricity.

"Your island is Darkseid's now."
*******
He waits at the edge of the island. A storm gathers and lighting strikes behind him. The dark god finally meets his victim.

"Leave now," Zeus, king of the Greek Pantheon, thunders, "leave now and never return."

"Empty threats, Zeus."

"You've poison the Earth, your arrival has broke the heavens, and now you come here to destroy my kind. Why?

"Why? Naive Zeus. Eons old and yet still a fool."

"How dare you!"

"The equation proves that I am everything. I am reality, I am space, I am concept, I am absolute. I am Darkseid, lord over all. The cities of the myth fall. Now paradise will be turned into hell. Now bow before your master."

"Never!"

"Very well, then you shall be destroyed." Zeus is tackled by creatures that rose up from the waters. Parademons, the armies of Darkseid have arrived.

"Insolent creature." A shock of lightning ignites the creatures. "Darkseid that will be your undoing. Now turn and face me!"

"Years ago you released the Kraken on man, did you not? I have since found him and made him my pet. He did not come from the gods but space." A tentacle reached up from the ocean grabbed a hold of the island. It swiped and knocked over a row of buildings. It pulled itself onto the island.

"I believe the mortals have dubbed it Starro the Conqueror." Zeus screams a battle cry. Lightening course over his entire body.

"Die, scum of Apokolips, die!" Darkseid's eyes light up two beams bend around Darkseid and hit Zeus. Zeus lets out a scream and is gone.

"Die, die for me." Parademons erupt from the ocean and head for the island.

 

[trustyside-kick]

Mercy Reef, Atlantis
In a cove several miles away

Whoever this...thing...is, it's been unconcious for the past half hour.
Don't know what it is. But it almost looks like a man...with a tentacle beard. That's not the only thing. He's half flesh and...half made up of something mystical and majestic. I haven't touched that half of him but...it looks like some sort of enchanted water. Though that's not all I've made sure to let be.

He was wielding a staff, a staff which I have yet to touch since. But I've been staring dead at it for quite a while. There's one thing any magic user knows...you don't mess with a staff you don't know anything about. And I most certaintly know it's some sort of magical staff and not just a trident because whoever this...thing is, it was able to not only place a locator spell on me but was able to teleport me to this very spot. So the question is...

Who is he and why did he take me here?

 

[trustyside-kick]

Pausing, the boy turned his head to glare back over at Jason. "I'm not in it for some ubiquitous truth and I don't give two ****s about justice," Damian declared rashly. "I just want to send a message to both my parents that they can go to hell. If you'll help me do that, then yeah. I'll be your 'Robin' or whatever."

Jason Todd- 'Sculpting'
-------------------------
"There's no F***ING way I'm wearing that!"

"You think you're going to run around with me, wearing part of my old ass costume that is too big for you? Not like I'm asking you to wear PIXIE boots! Wanna piss on your dad's face and REALLY make it stink? You put that damn costume on, Red X."

"I'm NOT being called Red X, you psychotic FU--"

*BRATTA BRATTA BRATTA*

Shooting the ceiling finally shut the twerp up. I'm done fighting with him through this damn door I can so easily kick down. I wait a moment, and the kid is silent; hopefully putting on the suit. I didn't waste my damn time making it. The kid wants to give his parents, particularly Bruce, the middle finger and he'll get that; I'll help him achieve that. Because in the end of the day he is going to be helping me more than I him.

"Be grateful you little snot. Those bullets could've gone through the walls."

I start to walk away from the door. Gotta get myself geared and ready to go for our first night of wreaking havoc across Gotham. Darkseid has a job for me to do. It's pretty straight and to the point but me I like to get create and have a little fun with it. Damian doesn't know what he's about to get himself into.