Post by Merai on Aug 5, 2009 7:02:45 GMT -5
Nekron's hand reached out from the split in the Sun that he was climbing out from. The members of the Justice League were poised for action, but this thing, this immensity, was beyond their imaginations. The Flash had vanished in an explosion of thunder, storming footsteps that only he could hear fast approaching which had taken him with them as they passed. Superman had been betrayed by his own physiology, Kryptonian solar-cells absorbing Black Sun radiation and then detonating, some alien chain reaction that no one could have prevented claiming the life of the greatest hero the universe had ever seen. Metropolis was a scorched ruin. The world was in disarray.
Wonder Woman was the first person to step forward, "Green Lantern, I want something between that thing and the world. Do you have the imagination?"
"Hell yes I do," said Hal Jordan, as he shot into the air. "Green Lantern 2814.2! Hank! I need air-support and I need it ten minutes ago! Track my co-ordinates and join the line!"
Wonder Woman span around to the Martian Manhunter, "J'onn?"
"I hear you," J'onn J'onzz replied, as he put his hands to his temples and begin to double in size, again and again, as his consciousness reached out to the world. <Remain calm. Help is on the way. The Justice League will not let you down.> The towering mass of tangible telepathic consciousness turned, a massive world tree of compassion, and spoke directly into the minds of the displaced residents of Metropolis. <The Hall of Justice is prepared to hold you all during this time of crisis. Emergency tesseract chambers await you.>
The Dark Knight turned to the Question, who was surprised to see the vigilante standing there. "Vic Sage, right? I know we all try and keep our identities on the down low, but what the Hell just happened with Hawkman and Zauriel? Your guy freaked out! Where did they go?"
"You're Jason Todd. You've... you've been gone for ten years..." The Question shook his head. "I don't know where Hawkman went, he's been acting weird since this crisis started and I think it might have something to do with the reality incursion that Hawkgirl, Elongated Man and he stopped under Mistakontic University a few weeks back-- It's this damn Circle organisation... if I hadn't been so distracted by super-villains and would-be world conquerors I would have seen the connection... dammit!" He clenched his fist.
Wonder Woman turned to Hawkgirl, "Jason isn't the only one here who wants to know what's happening with Katar, Kendra. Take him with you and locate them, keep in constant telepathic contact."
"Right, Diana," replied Kendra Saunders as she put her hand on Jason's shoulder. "Hold onto your cowl, stranger, we're going for a ride."
"I'm all a-quiver with expectation," said the Dark Knight, as he braced himself. The two of them were gone in a ploom of dust, shooting into the sky to hunt the two MIA winged heroes.
"Arthur, I need you back at the Hall of Justice. Rally everyone together through J'onn's telepathic connection. The Titans, the Outsiders, the Justice Society, everyone. We don't need a League right now, we need an army." Wonder Woman looked over to the King of the Seven Seas as he nodded slowly, and then turned to the faceless vigilante that was Charles Szasz's alter ego and Ralph Dibny, the ductile detective. "Question, Elongated Man, go with him, you'll be most effective helping Aquaman with the deluge of information that task requires. We need everyone unified."
King Orin's grip tightened around the ancient trident that had assisted him so effectively during this madness so far, "Of course."
"We're on it, Diana," said Elongated Man with a smile, the three heroes now heading toward the Hall of Justice, on the outskirts of the destroyed Metropolis.
Wonder Woman then looked back in the sky, as Nekron grew closer and closer, as the immense being pulled himself out of his cage. "This is not the end of the world. Not today. Not now." Her skin tingled, and she was suddenly on edge. She could feel it coming before it even arrived, and she immediately readied herself for battle... "New Gods..."
The Boom Tube formed vertically down, globules of energy being sucked into the event horizon, howling winds gushing downwards causing more dust to be kicked up. Wonder Woman squinted, Kid Eternity and Manitou Dawn at her side. "Keep clear!"
“Gghgghhhhhheeeaahhh…!” The new arrival landed hard, face first on the scorched, ash covered ground. His costume was on fire, and he patted himself down frantically, putting out the flames before they spread, and then, when he was done, he finally looked up at the world he had arrived upon. “What happened…what...” he stood up slowly. The Black Sun, a mighty split gutting it, crackling overhead, meant only one thing. “...I’m too late.”
"Scott Free! Mr Miracle!" Wonder Woman's guard dropped, and she hurried over to the master escape artist, "I wish you were here under better circumstances, where's--"
"Time differentials are in place, I thought I could get here before universal lock down--" said Mr Miracle frantically, pulling off his mask to reveal a worn, gaunt expression, "this solar system is impenetrable, Highfather Orion sent me to help your forces escape, but I'm too late! We're trapped--!"
"With you here?" said Wonder Woman with a small smile. "Impossible."
...The clouds will part and the sky crack open, and God himself will reach his arm through, just to push you down, just to hold you down...[/center][/size]
Supergirl stepped through the glowing blue portal inside the Fortress of Solitude. Alarms blared. The Fortress was opaque, the crystals not letting any light inside. Kelex had appeared before her, and was interfacing with the systems, catching up on time lapsed whilst they were off-dimension.
“Kara.”
“Kal?” Supergirl turned as a shimmering hologram of Superman rose up from the ground, fragments of light glistening outwards, jerking up and down as the image of Kal-El smiled. “…hello?”
“I’m sorry, Kara, I truly am. I promised myself… that I wouldn’t put myself between you and the world. I promised that I wouldn’t hold you back. But I was scared, and I couldn’t… I wouldn’t… risk you. You mean too much to me.”
<Mistress Kara Zor-El, there has been a grave mass occurrence of omega level crises across Earth,> Kelex floated back view, and Supergirl turned slowly toward him, not wanting to left the flickering image of Superman out of sight, in case he might disappear once more. <You are witnessing a theta-wave recording, a…>
“...Last will and testament?” whispered Supergirl, her hand stroking through the hologram, the light dispersing at her touch. “He’s dead, isn’t he?”
“Black sun radiation has been theorised to turn Kryptonian solar cells explosive. If I am not there to meet you when you step out from the tesseract portal, I did not reach the Fortress before the chain reaction in my body reached critical.”
<Kkt. Kkt. …Master Kal-El is currently missing-in-action, feared dead. Feared… feared… dead.>
“He… Kal sent us away to save us? But he… it was something he could have done, and… I don’t understand! I have to, I have to--” The monitor holograms recording the events of the world outside caught her eye, and she breathed a curse underneath her breath. “Rao…” The Black Sun blazed in all its glory. “…Black Zero?”
Titans Tower held. The Teen Titans had flocked back when the Black Sun rose up, and when all seemed lost they had done what they could for the residents of the city. Kid Flash was still out running side by side with Wonder Girl, patrolling the streets, the citizens on edge as a being of immense size and power simply climbed out of a fiery star. Cyborg , with assistance from Robin, had jury-rigged all streetlights with his technology into emitting the brightest light possible, to disperse the apparently haunted shadows that crept across the streets, and was making sure that the power-grid stayed secure. Meanwhile, Raven and Terra lay in the medical centre below Titans Island, both suffering from radically different ailments.
Raven was engulfed by the darkness that was covering the world. The maelstrom effect of the Black Sun rising up and touching the residents of the world shocked her system with such intensity she could barely think. Meanwhile, Terra was feeling the loss of the spirit of the Earth that only those who had a connection to the elemental nature of the world could. She was hurting. She couldn’t stand. Gar Logan was by her side whilst Dagon was at Raven’s, and they didn’t know what to do.
“You’ve gotta’ wake up, Tara, you have to,” whispered Gar Logan as he held her hand tightly. “You don’t get to keel over and not get back up, you don’t have permission to.”
“We’re at half strength, Gar,” said Dagon, as he looked over to his comrade-in-arms, “Nightwing isn’t here, we’re two Titans down, Robin and Cyborg is busy trying to keep New York from tumbling down, and Wally and Donna are the only guys we’ve got on the street.”
“Then why don’t you go out and join them?!” snapped Gar. “Why don’t you just leave…?”
Dagon smiled, fangs just visible. “You’re angry about being powerless in this situation, you’re worried about Tara, so I’ll let that outburst slide. But you know why I don’t go out? Because Black Sun or yellow Sun, it’s only just setting outside. Means I go out I burn alive. A real team mate wouldn’t want to inflict that on me, would they?”
Gar went a paler shade of green, and then shook his head. “Sorry Dagon. I don’t know what came over me, I’m just… ah, damn, you’re right, I don’t know what to do.”
“Don’t worry about it kiddo,” replied Dagon, before checking the instruments that watched over the two patients. “Oh, Hell, Raven’s got no heartbeat! There are--” he looked over to where Raven had been lying mere moments before and then staggered back. “Where did she go?!”
The Flash was moving faster than he had moved before. He wasn't aware of his legs moving, he couldn't be sure if that was the case, but lightning streaked around him, his muscles were full of that infectious electricity that riddled one who had touched the Speed Force, and right now... all he could see was white light. "Gt yr hd n th gm, Flsh!"
Barry Allen's concentration snapped into focus. He was running. He was flanked by another man, also borderline mainlining the Speed Force. "What's going on?! Who are you?"
"Lsn, lsn t m, th wrld ss ndin. *Hhhk* Sorry, had to speed you up, run our speeds parallel," the man looked familiar to Barry, something about him plucking at his memory... "The world is ending. Earth is like a domino waiting to fall, and we had to whisk you out of the running and put you into another kind of race all together to help save it."
"Who are you?"
"Did you know that events that took place in 21st Century Earth are hugely unknown to the future? Did you wonder why the Legion of Superheroes never visits anymore? Why Rip Hunter hasn't returned home yet? Did you ever wonder why hundreds of speedsters on hundreds of cosmic treadmills came to pay their respects for the passing of Jay Garrick, when he simply came back a year later? No one knows what happens or when, but they have vague details. A great darkness. A great darkness over runs the world and from then on it's Hell. I hate timelines. They confuse me. I want to run my life the way I see it, like a great man taught me to, I don't want the world to dictate to me how I live. Never enjoyed the concept of epiphenomenalism."
"WHO ARE YOU?"
"A speedster! Just like you! I've got to give you the same message they gave me when I started this run. We're in a relay race, Barry! The future saw it coming! They finally pierced the veil! So they sent their speedster running back, passing on their velocity again and again to the next speedster in the next generation or whatever, and finally we've come to you! I'm about to pass the collective speed of a hundred generations of speedsters into you, and you know what you have to do? You have to run so fast that you break through the walls erected around creation, to the point where the universe was a whole different thing entirely--!"
Barry trusted this man. Maybe it was the intrinsic link that speedsters shared because of the Speed Force, as mad as that sounded, but something about this man caused Barry to trust him. "To do that would save the world?"
"The whole universe, Barry!"
"...Do it, stranger. Give me the push."
"Whatever you say, Uncle Barry--!"
Barry's head whipped round, but the speedster's hand was on his shoulder before he could say anymore, and then everything went white--!!
Green Lanterns have to think to have their powers manifest. The harder they think, the more will power they pour into their rings, the more power will manifest. Hal Jordan and Hank Henshaw are both Honour Guard of the Green Lantern Corps. Sector Lanterns 2814.1 and 2814.2 respectively. Their rings were networked. Their power pooled. The universe was around them, Earth below them, a hollow sun in front of them. "The Book of Oa knows about this. The Guardians of the Universe aren't telling us something. A thousand Suns across a thousand Sectors turned pitch black over the past few weeks, and now this thing is out and causing Earth to go to Hell? We need back up."[/b]
"Then we call the Corps in, Hal! We get Kilowog and Salakk and Katma and everyone to storm the Earth and help us keep it from this... thing!"
Hal's frustration bristled over his face, and his tone turned sharp. "What do you think I've been trying to do for the past hour?! This is bigger than the League! Superman is dead! The Flash is gone! Hawkman's gone AWOL and the team is in pieces and now we're facing something that--"
I TASTE... DEATH... INSIDE YOU. Hal reeled back as something touched his mind, and Hank thought up a dozen different psychic buffers when he heard the whisper in his head that was a shout inside Hal's. THE GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR IT, WAITING IN THE DARKNESS.
"HAL! Install psychic buffers! The closer... hhhkk... the closer we get... the stronger..."
"Gotta... gotta... warn... Diana... gotta... save... save... the..."
The Guardians of the Universe floated inside their Citadel on the planet Oa, at the center of the known universe, and watched as Nekron rose out of his prison.
“The Sun at the centre of the Circle has completed the chain reaction."
"The cage was unlocked."
"The markers held true, the prophecies came to pass."
“Nekron, the so-called 'King of the Dead', is still rising from below the texture of reality.”
“He has not fully formed yet."
"His psychic influence is formidable, capable of overriding even the strongest Green Lantern's defences if caught unaware."
"We have time. We have the Corps. It is time we interrupted Nekron's homecoming."
Zauriel and Hawkman soared above the world, still battling, still throwing punches and jabs and kicks and any attack that would connect. Hawkman, fuelled by demonic possession and Nth metal, and Zauriel, powered by the pure righteousness allowed by his lineage. “Fight this, Katar Hol! This is not you!”
“No, this is all me! Me and my master, fuelled by the hate and the pain of the world!” Katar grabbed Zauriel by the neck, thumbs grinding into soft muscle around his throat. “You abandoned this world! And now it’s his!!”
Beams of heavenly light spilt through Zauriel’s eyes, blinding Hawkman, and the angel brought up his blazing sword, “then I am sorry, Thanagarian.”
And then he plunged it in the Hawk-Knight’s chest.
"It is here," said the Phantom Stranger. "The Black Sun has opened and now... Nekron has risen."
"Nekron? What's a Nekron, what are you...?" Zatanna looked out of the study window, and through the mystical realm that the House of Mystery resided inside, she saw the world beyond, and the Black Sun that shone down it's obsidian rays. And from inside the Sun... "Nekron... is that... oh, God."
"The world is not a simple construct, Zatanna," whispered the Stranger, "it moved into place a long time ago, but before it was here, something else was. Something else entirely. Layers of reality have fallen again and again, and I have walked through many of them, and I have discovered things that no one ever should. If I were still of mortal flesh I would have been driven insane a billion years ago."
"What is this... Nekron?"
"There are no words that can safely describe what that being is," the Phantom Stranger turned to look at the other members of the magic community as he spoke, "but know that he is beyond humanity in ways that would confound you just by considering them. We cannot fight him alone. We need allies, and so--"
Sebastian Faust entered the study, holding the comatose body of Raven in his arms. "A simple incantation. Winded me, but I did the deed."
"Ley-lines are draining. The collective consciousness of humanity is spiralling down. Soon, it won't just be a metaphysical disaster-- but a complete and utter ecological one too. We need one more to secure the world, and then... then we can think to fight."
Batman pulled himself out of the wreckage of the bat-plane's escape pod, and surveyed the scene. "Damn, I am never doing that again."
"You're not the only one," said Manhunter, as he patted himself down, making sure his scorched costume was no longer on fire. The master-tracker looked around the fields and dark, grassy knolls that surrounded them, and then grunted. "The Plains. We're near the Hub."
"Yeah," Batman pointed to the silhouette of the city, and then began to rummage through the remains of the pod. "A good hour's walk, if we hurry up."
Manhunter checked his knives and then started to walk. "Then let's get moving. Before this night gets any worse."
"Night? It was day when we--" Dick looked up to the Sun and saw it, closer and larger than any celestial body had the right to be, and pulling itself free from the inside. "No."
"Mary and Joseph," whispered Kirk, "you were right. The Black Sun was a cage. Now whatever was inside is coming out. How the Hell am I supposed to kill that?"
"We need a miracle," said Dick. "No time to loiter about, we need to run!"
"Hhkkk." They had landed on a deserted highway, miles away from Metropolis. Katar Hol gagged as black ichor dribbled from out of his lips, groping finger tips clawed at his chest where cold, angelic steel sliced through bone, muscle and tissue and emerged out on the over side. Flames cauterized the wound, but he was caught like a fly in a web, unable to move, paralyzed completely. Zauriel was whispering in Katar's ear, and the Hawk-knight of Thanagar was twitching every now and then, unable to act. "hhhhkkk"
"This fire will cleanse you of the sin you have become infected by, Katar Hol. You will be free of the taint of the demon Black Sun, and you will continue--"
"GET OFF OF HIM!" Hawkgirl swooped toward Zauriel, releasing the Dark Knight and letting him roll to a stop on the concrete floor of the highway, and brought up her mace.
Zauriel put up his hand, his other still holding fast to his sword, "You don't understand. I cannot do that."
"THEN I'LL MAKE--" Hawkgirl was interrupted mid-sentence by a line tightening around her ankle, "-- Wha--?"
Jason Todd grinned. "You don't drop me." He held up his hands, and then motioned to the empty car next to him, where the line was hooked. Hawkgirl was suddenly snapped back, and slammed into the road, and the Dark Knight leapt over to her, and cut off the harness that allowed her to fly. "He's an angel, sweetheart. You think he's doing what he's doing for £$%^s and giggles?"
"Your faith..." grunted Kendra Saunders, "is impressive..." she slammed up her fist against Jason Todd's jaw, and sent the vigilante stumbling back, "but I want an explanation, and I want one now!"
"The one you call Hawkman has been corrupted by a demonic presence. It has been festering inside him for weeks now, and it finally took complete control in the light of the Black Sun. I am cleansing him of that corruption, the only way I think will work."
"Think?! You stabbed him in the chest, and you think it'll work?!"
Zauriel turned his attention back to Katar Hol, who seized up, sword still embedded in his chest, and grabbed the angel by his shoulders. "I can think... clearly..."
"Have faith," Zauriel said, "that I can save you."
Captain Marvel and the Mighty Adam shot into space, just as the two Green Lanterns began to shake off the effects of Nekron's assault. Black Adam was shaking his head, whispers in his head growing louder and louder as they flew closer and closer, until the Wisdom of Zehuti was drowned out completely and he let out a silent scream of agony, clutching his skull as he faltered and began to fall back toward Earth.
Captain Marvel turned, reached out for his brother-in-lightning, but was suddenly engulfed by an emerald construct of such demonic complexity that it took his eyes seconds longer to fully realise what it was. Hal Jordan and Hank Henshaw were shooting toward him, their eyes seeping black gore around the edges, snarling in anger and viciousness as the neared the Captain.
Even in space, the Speed of Mercury was at his disposal, and he shot forward, out of the spiked mouth of the glowing torture devices that the Green Lanterns were creating, and grabbed the two of them by the heads, and then slammed them together with the Strength of Hercules. The Wisdom of Solomon told him what he feared, that Nekron was corrupting these noble heroes as he neared their world, and that the closer the Lord of Death got, the stronger his influence would be. Black Adam was already corrupted, a grey soul striving to persevere through his darkness, and so fell sooner... Billy Batson, inside Captain Marvel, couldn't help but feel afraid. Not because of Nekron touching his mind, or because doubt ravaged his being, but because he was unaffected. Marvel looked to Hal Jordan, floating silently in space, who had suddenly started to choke in silence underneath the force field he had created, his eyes fluttering as if he was having a seizure-- and then suddenly his eyes opened, his body rejecting the taint of Nekron, and he screamed as loud as his lungs would allow. Captain Marvel grabbed him, to try and calm him, but Hal Jordan grimaced, and then vanished in a burst of light, Hank Henshaw following swiftly.
He did not know what this meant, but Captain Marvel simply shook his head, and smiled, the Courage of Achilles granting him the peace of mind that he could overcome the odds... and with one look back at Nekron, as the being moved silently toward the world, he headed back to Earth, to warn the world of the coming evil!
Aquaman placed his hand on the Martian Manhunter's shoulder, steeled himself with his own psychic abilities, and then dove into the telepathic connection that J'onn J'onzz was the heart of. This was their last gambit to organise the heroes together, all other forms of communications sounding out only static. He reached out across the world, into the minds of every hero that was fighting, and began to speak.
<This is Aquaman speaking directly into your mind through the Justice League telepathic network. Do not be afraid-->
He cringed as a hundred thoughts hit him. "Where's Superman?" "What's happening?" "... Superman?" "Where is the Justice League?" "What is that thing in the sky?" "What do we hit?" "What can we do?" "...Metropolis..." "What do we do?"
<--In the face of darkness, in the gaze of evil, we do not falter. We do not step back and let the villains win, we do not surrender in the face of overwhelming odds. We hold the line until we are no longer able. We need the world to stay together, my friends, now is not the time for governments to start throwing nuclear weapons at each other as if that would stop this crisis in its tracks. Those of you that are space-flight capable are needed over Metropolis, we need to send what that thing is coming out the Black Sun back inside, and we need to make sure it never climbs back out. Those of you unable to journey into space, we need the cities held. You are all the Justice League. You know what that means.>
"Yes." "Oui." "Shi." "Yeah." "Da." "Yes." "Hell yeah."
Firestorm soared up above the world, making a bee-line toward Metropolis. He'd heard Aquaman's call-to-arms, as had dozens, maybe hundreds of other heroes across the world, and so he did what he did best, and put aside his fears and rallied to the cause.
“How are you holding up, Ronald?”
Ronnie Raymond smiled at Martian Stein's voice in his head. “Feeling fine, Professor. Guess we’re in the big leagues now, yeah?”
“Doesn’t it seem horrifying that we’re always present when the world is about to end? The Zero Hour Event that nearly cracked the multiverse in two, numerous other occasions…”
“They know who they need in their corner is all, Professor.” Ronnie laughed, more out loud than inside his head, where the conversation between Professor Martin Stein’s consciousness and his own took place. If the Justice League were present, they wouldn't have reacted. Time and again they'd fought side-by-side with the Nuclear Man, and as such, they all knew that Firestorm was a bit crazy...
"Emoc ot eht esuoH fo yretsyM, mrotseriF!"
"Prof, did you say--" Firestorm blinked and was suddenly in the middle of an elegantly decorated study, and around him was a circle of magicians, warlocks and sorcerers, all staring intently at the new arrival. "Oh, Hell."
The Phantom Stranger stepped forward. "We have need of you, Firestorm. You and your talents. Do you wish to save the world and humanity?"
"That's... the Phantom Stranger..." whispered Martin Stein. "Then the world really is in danger, Ronald..."
"It really is, Professor," replied the Stranger, much to Firestorm's collective surprise. "Yes, I can hear you. And yes, the world is in mortal danger. If we fall here, then humanity will never rise to the pinnacles it was once destined to reach."
"Ronald..."
"We don't really have a choice then, do we?" said Firestorm, trying his best to not appear terrified. "We're with you."
YOU DO NOT SEEM TO UNDERSTAND, Nekron's voice was weak, his being a millions of miles away, but those of a specific, darker inclination heard the whisper none the less, that voice at the fringe of their sanity, fraying the seams between what should and what shouldn't... THERE IS NO GOD. THERE IS NO DEVIL. THERE IS ME. THERE IS DEATH. THE ONE, TRUE, INEVITABILITY. YOU WOULD FIGHT ME LIKE YOU WOULD FIGHT THE TIDE: PATHETICALLY, AIMLESSLY, BECAUSE I WILL KEEP COMING. I WILL NEVER STOP.
Paul Kirk grunted. Dick Grayson turned to him, "are you alright?"
DEATH IS THE ONLY CONSTANT IN ALL EXISTENCE.
"Fine. Fine. Nothing. S'nothing."
AND I AM HERE. I AM HERE TO RAISE YOU UP FROM YOUR EMPTY LIVES. I AM HERE TO FULFIL YOUR DESTINY.
Batman didn't want to turn his back on Manhunter. He knew something was wrong, but right now he wasn't sure if he could take the elder hero down. The device strapped to his side was whispering to him, Ping-Ping-Ping, Hub City was in sight, the bridge that connected the city to the rest of the world just a little bit further down the road. The city stood silent. "I don't like this, Manhunter."
TURN TO ME FOR SALVATION. TURN TO ME. ACCEPT ME.
"S'not right, that's what it is," said Manhunter, "this city should be teeming, why would it be quiet? Why would it be so damn quiet?"
MY CHILDREN. MY FOLLOWERS. MY WORSHIPPERS.
"Because we were waiting..." The voice was so loud that it nearly caused Batman to topple over. "...For you."
SAY THE NAME THAT WILL SCAR CREATION.
"My God," Batman whispered, as every single man, woman and child of Hub City took a step forward over the bridge. "Whatever that thing is inside the Sun..."
SAY MY NAME... PAUL KIRK... SAY IT.
"Nekron," said Manhunter with a pathetic sense of finality.
NEKRON! LORD OF THE DEAD! KING OF THE PASSED! LORD OF THE UNLIVING! ACCEPT ME, AS INEVITABLE AS THE NEED TO BREATHE! THE NEED TO BE!
"What?"
"It's name... is Nekron... and it wants me to kill you, Dick," Paul Kirk fell to his knees. "Because I'm not right inside... Gggoddd... because... because I've let the darkness in already, and now that door is open, it can never be closed..."
"Paul Kirk, you stand up right now," hissed Dick, "you aren't weak, you don't take crap from anybody. You stand up right now, side by side with me, and you face the end of the world swinging."
...THE END OF ALL...
"A pep... a pep talk..." Manhunter slammed his fist into the ground, and Batman saw the floor give, "isn't going to... isn't going to save the day... this time..."
"Stop complaining, Manhunter! You're better than this! You're better than--" The crowd surged forward toward Batman. A slow jog at first, but then he saw the blackness dribble out from around their eyes, a million pairs all staring at him, wanting him dead, "you're better than that, Paul, you're better than that."
"I..." Paul Kirk sobbed, "I... can't... I... I... I am sorry, Dick Grayson."
"Oh, no, no, no..." Batman stumbled back, as Manhunter stood up slowly, ichor dripping down from his face like tears, streaming down his cheeks and onto his already dirtied uniform. "PAUL!"
"Do not pray to your gods, Dick. He killed them. Nekron, your master, he slaughtered those you would put your faith in, and he wears their skins as a mighty cloak..."
Dick Grayson didn't hesitated. He threw up a grapnel and fired it onto the upper rafters of the bridge, and then shot up into the sky before Paul Kirk could tackle him to the ground. The Manhunter dove for him but missed. "I hate... that... thing..." Then, when the crowds arrived and joined his former-ally, Dick knew what he had to do. He began to run. Because that's all that was left for him.
Wonder Woman was flanked by dozens of heroes. Aquaman had done his job. Booster Gold, Fire, Power Girl, the Rocket Reds, the JSA's Green Lantern, and many more were flocking to what was left of Metropolis as Wonder Woman floated, waiting for the army to form. Dozens of heroes comprising the new Justice League, one borne for this moment this moment alone--
They knew what they had to do.
YOU. CANNOT. STOP. ME.
"What is that--?!" Power Girl asked, before her eyes opened wide and she saw the pair of pale, dead eyes staring back at her. "Oh, God."
I WAS THE DARKNESS BEFORE THERE WAS LIGHT. BANISHED ON A WHIM. TRAPPED IN A CAGE. THE LIGHT IS GONE NOW. THERE IS ONLY ME.
Wonder Woman could not speak before a rotting, disembodied hand reached out from space and slammed into the Earth. Tectonic plates scraped against one another, earthquakes ravaged cities across the globe. From Japan to Britain to Russia, the effect was felt. Aquaman clutched his head in pain as he felt the cries of the assorted heroes echoing into his mind as they were all crushed into the soil of the world. Nekron's touch blistered their skin, caused grass to turn to ash and soil to stone; a mighty gash was cut into the planet Earth, and as soon as the assault had started, it had ended. The hand floated back up out of orbit, the globe quivering as the orbit of the world was altered, and rejoined Nekron's body millions of miles away.
Wonder Woman lay on the floor, empty eyes staring into nothingness. She said nothing. She thought nothing. Aquaman could hear no semblance of a single, living thought coming from her mind, as he raced out of the Hall of Justice and sprinted toward his fallen comrades. "No," he whispered, as he found her, "no, not you, no, Diana... no!" He cradled her in his arms, "NO!"
Wonder Woman was the first person to step forward, "Green Lantern, I want something between that thing and the world. Do you have the imagination?"
"Hell yes I do," said Hal Jordan, as he shot into the air. "Green Lantern 2814.2! Hank! I need air-support and I need it ten minutes ago! Track my co-ordinates and join the line!"
Wonder Woman span around to the Martian Manhunter, "J'onn?"
"I hear you," J'onn J'onzz replied, as he put his hands to his temples and begin to double in size, again and again, as his consciousness reached out to the world. <Remain calm. Help is on the way. The Justice League will not let you down.> The towering mass of tangible telepathic consciousness turned, a massive world tree of compassion, and spoke directly into the minds of the displaced residents of Metropolis. <The Hall of Justice is prepared to hold you all during this time of crisis. Emergency tesseract chambers await you.>
The Dark Knight turned to the Question, who was surprised to see the vigilante standing there. "Vic Sage, right? I know we all try and keep our identities on the down low, but what the Hell just happened with Hawkman and Zauriel? Your guy freaked out! Where did they go?"
"You're Jason Todd. You've... you've been gone for ten years..." The Question shook his head. "I don't know where Hawkman went, he's been acting weird since this crisis started and I think it might have something to do with the reality incursion that Hawkgirl, Elongated Man and he stopped under Mistakontic University a few weeks back-- It's this damn Circle organisation... if I hadn't been so distracted by super-villains and would-be world conquerors I would have seen the connection... dammit!" He clenched his fist.
Wonder Woman turned to Hawkgirl, "Jason isn't the only one here who wants to know what's happening with Katar, Kendra. Take him with you and locate them, keep in constant telepathic contact."
"Right, Diana," replied Kendra Saunders as she put her hand on Jason's shoulder. "Hold onto your cowl, stranger, we're going for a ride."
"I'm all a-quiver with expectation," said the Dark Knight, as he braced himself. The two of them were gone in a ploom of dust, shooting into the sky to hunt the two MIA winged heroes.
"Arthur, I need you back at the Hall of Justice. Rally everyone together through J'onn's telepathic connection. The Titans, the Outsiders, the Justice Society, everyone. We don't need a League right now, we need an army." Wonder Woman looked over to the King of the Seven Seas as he nodded slowly, and then turned to the faceless vigilante that was Charles Szasz's alter ego and Ralph Dibny, the ductile detective. "Question, Elongated Man, go with him, you'll be most effective helping Aquaman with the deluge of information that task requires. We need everyone unified."
King Orin's grip tightened around the ancient trident that had assisted him so effectively during this madness so far, "Of course."
"We're on it, Diana," said Elongated Man with a smile, the three heroes now heading toward the Hall of Justice, on the outskirts of the destroyed Metropolis.
Wonder Woman then looked back in the sky, as Nekron grew closer and closer, as the immense being pulled himself out of his cage. "This is not the end of the world. Not today. Not now." Her skin tingled, and she was suddenly on edge. She could feel it coming before it even arrived, and she immediately readied herself for battle... "New Gods..."
BOOM!
The Boom Tube formed vertically down, globules of energy being sucked into the event horizon, howling winds gushing downwards causing more dust to be kicked up. Wonder Woman squinted, Kid Eternity and Manitou Dawn at her side. "Keep clear!"
“Gghgghhhhhheeeaahhh…!” The new arrival landed hard, face first on the scorched, ash covered ground. His costume was on fire, and he patted himself down frantically, putting out the flames before they spread, and then, when he was done, he finally looked up at the world he had arrived upon. “What happened…what...” he stood up slowly. The Black Sun, a mighty split gutting it, crackling overhead, meant only one thing. “...I’m too late.”
"Scott Free! Mr Miracle!" Wonder Woman's guard dropped, and she hurried over to the master escape artist, "I wish you were here under better circumstances, where's--"
"Time differentials are in place, I thought I could get here before universal lock down--" said Mr Miracle frantically, pulling off his mask to reveal a worn, gaunt expression, "this solar system is impenetrable, Highfather Orion sent me to help your forces escape, but I'm too late! We're trapped--!"
"With you here?" said Wonder Woman with a small smile. "Impossible."
The DC2 Proudly Presents:
...The clouds will part and the sky crack open, and God himself will reach his arm through, just to push you down, just to hold you down...[/center][/size]
Supergirl stepped through the glowing blue portal inside the Fortress of Solitude. Alarms blared. The Fortress was opaque, the crystals not letting any light inside. Kelex had appeared before her, and was interfacing with the systems, catching up on time lapsed whilst they were off-dimension.
“Kara.”
“Kal?” Supergirl turned as a shimmering hologram of Superman rose up from the ground, fragments of light glistening outwards, jerking up and down as the image of Kal-El smiled. “…hello?”
“I’m sorry, Kara, I truly am. I promised myself… that I wouldn’t put myself between you and the world. I promised that I wouldn’t hold you back. But I was scared, and I couldn’t… I wouldn’t… risk you. You mean too much to me.”
<Mistress Kara Zor-El, there has been a grave mass occurrence of omega level crises across Earth,> Kelex floated back view, and Supergirl turned slowly toward him, not wanting to left the flickering image of Superman out of sight, in case he might disappear once more. <You are witnessing a theta-wave recording, a…>
“...Last will and testament?” whispered Supergirl, her hand stroking through the hologram, the light dispersing at her touch. “He’s dead, isn’t he?”
“Black sun radiation has been theorised to turn Kryptonian solar cells explosive. If I am not there to meet you when you step out from the tesseract portal, I did not reach the Fortress before the chain reaction in my body reached critical.”
<Kkt. Kkt. …Master Kal-El is currently missing-in-action, feared dead. Feared… feared… dead.>
“He… Kal sent us away to save us? But he… it was something he could have done, and… I don’t understand! I have to, I have to--” The monitor holograms recording the events of the world outside caught her eye, and she breathed a curse underneath her breath. “Rao…” The Black Sun blazed in all its glory. “…Black Zero?”
* * *
Titans Tower held. The Teen Titans had flocked back when the Black Sun rose up, and when all seemed lost they had done what they could for the residents of the city. Kid Flash was still out running side by side with Wonder Girl, patrolling the streets, the citizens on edge as a being of immense size and power simply climbed out of a fiery star. Cyborg , with assistance from Robin, had jury-rigged all streetlights with his technology into emitting the brightest light possible, to disperse the apparently haunted shadows that crept across the streets, and was making sure that the power-grid stayed secure. Meanwhile, Raven and Terra lay in the medical centre below Titans Island, both suffering from radically different ailments.
Raven was engulfed by the darkness that was covering the world. The maelstrom effect of the Black Sun rising up and touching the residents of the world shocked her system with such intensity she could barely think. Meanwhile, Terra was feeling the loss of the spirit of the Earth that only those who had a connection to the elemental nature of the world could. She was hurting. She couldn’t stand. Gar Logan was by her side whilst Dagon was at Raven’s, and they didn’t know what to do.
“You’ve gotta’ wake up, Tara, you have to,” whispered Gar Logan as he held her hand tightly. “You don’t get to keel over and not get back up, you don’t have permission to.”
“We’re at half strength, Gar,” said Dagon, as he looked over to his comrade-in-arms, “Nightwing isn’t here, we’re two Titans down, Robin and Cyborg is busy trying to keep New York from tumbling down, and Wally and Donna are the only guys we’ve got on the street.”
“Then why don’t you go out and join them?!” snapped Gar. “Why don’t you just leave…?”
Dagon smiled, fangs just visible. “You’re angry about being powerless in this situation, you’re worried about Tara, so I’ll let that outburst slide. But you know why I don’t go out? Because Black Sun or yellow Sun, it’s only just setting outside. Means I go out I burn alive. A real team mate wouldn’t want to inflict that on me, would they?”
Gar went a paler shade of green, and then shook his head. “Sorry Dagon. I don’t know what came over me, I’m just… ah, damn, you’re right, I don’t know what to do.”
“Don’t worry about it kiddo,” replied Dagon, before checking the instruments that watched over the two patients. “Oh, Hell, Raven’s got no heartbeat! There are--” he looked over to where Raven had been lying mere moments before and then staggered back. “Where did she go?!”
* * *
The Flash was moving faster than he had moved before. He wasn't aware of his legs moving, he couldn't be sure if that was the case, but lightning streaked around him, his muscles were full of that infectious electricity that riddled one who had touched the Speed Force, and right now... all he could see was white light. "Gt yr hd n th gm, Flsh!"
Barry Allen's concentration snapped into focus. He was running. He was flanked by another man, also borderline mainlining the Speed Force. "What's going on?! Who are you?"
"Lsn, lsn t m, th wrld ss ndin. *Hhhk* Sorry, had to speed you up, run our speeds parallel," the man looked familiar to Barry, something about him plucking at his memory... "The world is ending. Earth is like a domino waiting to fall, and we had to whisk you out of the running and put you into another kind of race all together to help save it."
"Who are you?"
"Did you know that events that took place in 21st Century Earth are hugely unknown to the future? Did you wonder why the Legion of Superheroes never visits anymore? Why Rip Hunter hasn't returned home yet? Did you ever wonder why hundreds of speedsters on hundreds of cosmic treadmills came to pay their respects for the passing of Jay Garrick, when he simply came back a year later? No one knows what happens or when, but they have vague details. A great darkness. A great darkness over runs the world and from then on it's Hell. I hate timelines. They confuse me. I want to run my life the way I see it, like a great man taught me to, I don't want the world to dictate to me how I live. Never enjoyed the concept of epiphenomenalism."
"WHO ARE YOU?"
"A speedster! Just like you! I've got to give you the same message they gave me when I started this run. We're in a relay race, Barry! The future saw it coming! They finally pierced the veil! So they sent their speedster running back, passing on their velocity again and again to the next speedster in the next generation or whatever, and finally we've come to you! I'm about to pass the collective speed of a hundred generations of speedsters into you, and you know what you have to do? You have to run so fast that you break through the walls erected around creation, to the point where the universe was a whole different thing entirely--!"
Barry trusted this man. Maybe it was the intrinsic link that speedsters shared because of the Speed Force, as mad as that sounded, but something about this man caused Barry to trust him. "To do that would save the world?"
"The whole universe, Barry!"
"...Do it, stranger. Give me the push."
"Whatever you say, Uncle Barry--!"
Barry's head whipped round, but the speedster's hand was on his shoulder before he could say anymore, and then everything went white--!!
* * *
Green Lanterns have to think to have their powers manifest. The harder they think, the more will power they pour into their rings, the more power will manifest. Hal Jordan and Hank Henshaw are both Honour Guard of the Green Lantern Corps. Sector Lanterns 2814.1 and 2814.2 respectively. Their rings were networked. Their power pooled. The universe was around them, Earth below them, a hollow sun in front of them. "The Book of Oa knows about this. The Guardians of the Universe aren't telling us something. A thousand Suns across a thousand Sectors turned pitch black over the past few weeks, and now this thing is out and causing Earth to go to Hell? We need back up."[/b]
"Then we call the Corps in, Hal! We get Kilowog and Salakk and Katma and everyone to storm the Earth and help us keep it from this... thing!"
Hal's frustration bristled over his face, and his tone turned sharp. "What do you think I've been trying to do for the past hour?! This is bigger than the League! Superman is dead! The Flash is gone! Hawkman's gone AWOL and the team is in pieces and now we're facing something that--"
I TASTE... DEATH... INSIDE YOU. Hal reeled back as something touched his mind, and Hank thought up a dozen different psychic buffers when he heard the whisper in his head that was a shout inside Hal's. THE GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR IT, WAITING IN THE DARKNESS.
"HAL! Install psychic buffers! The closer... hhhkk... the closer we get... the stronger..."
"Gotta... gotta... warn... Diana... gotta... save... save... the..."
* * *
The Guardians of the Universe floated inside their Citadel on the planet Oa, at the center of the known universe, and watched as Nekron rose out of his prison.
“The Sun at the centre of the Circle has completed the chain reaction."
"The cage was unlocked."
"The markers held true, the prophecies came to pass."
“Nekron, the so-called 'King of the Dead', is still rising from below the texture of reality.”
“He has not fully formed yet."
"His psychic influence is formidable, capable of overriding even the strongest Green Lantern's defences if caught unaware."
"We have time. We have the Corps. It is time we interrupted Nekron's homecoming."
* * *
Zauriel and Hawkman soared above the world, still battling, still throwing punches and jabs and kicks and any attack that would connect. Hawkman, fuelled by demonic possession and Nth metal, and Zauriel, powered by the pure righteousness allowed by his lineage. “Fight this, Katar Hol! This is not you!”
“No, this is all me! Me and my master, fuelled by the hate and the pain of the world!” Katar grabbed Zauriel by the neck, thumbs grinding into soft muscle around his throat. “You abandoned this world! And now it’s his!!”
Beams of heavenly light spilt through Zauriel’s eyes, blinding Hawkman, and the angel brought up his blazing sword, “then I am sorry, Thanagarian.”
And then he plunged it in the Hawk-Knight’s chest.
* * *
"It is here," said the Phantom Stranger. "The Black Sun has opened and now... Nekron has risen."
"Nekron? What's a Nekron, what are you...?" Zatanna looked out of the study window, and through the mystical realm that the House of Mystery resided inside, she saw the world beyond, and the Black Sun that shone down it's obsidian rays. And from inside the Sun... "Nekron... is that... oh, God."
"The world is not a simple construct, Zatanna," whispered the Stranger, "it moved into place a long time ago, but before it was here, something else was. Something else entirely. Layers of reality have fallen again and again, and I have walked through many of them, and I have discovered things that no one ever should. If I were still of mortal flesh I would have been driven insane a billion years ago."
"What is this... Nekron?"
"There are no words that can safely describe what that being is," the Phantom Stranger turned to look at the other members of the magic community as he spoke, "but know that he is beyond humanity in ways that would confound you just by considering them. We cannot fight him alone. We need allies, and so--"
Sebastian Faust entered the study, holding the comatose body of Raven in his arms. "A simple incantation. Winded me, but I did the deed."
"Ley-lines are draining. The collective consciousness of humanity is spiralling down. Soon, it won't just be a metaphysical disaster-- but a complete and utter ecological one too. We need one more to secure the world, and then... then we can think to fight."
* * *
Batman pulled himself out of the wreckage of the bat-plane's escape pod, and surveyed the scene. "Damn, I am never doing that again."
"You're not the only one," said Manhunter, as he patted himself down, making sure his scorched costume was no longer on fire. The master-tracker looked around the fields and dark, grassy knolls that surrounded them, and then grunted. "The Plains. We're near the Hub."
"Yeah," Batman pointed to the silhouette of the city, and then began to rummage through the remains of the pod. "A good hour's walk, if we hurry up."
Manhunter checked his knives and then started to walk. "Then let's get moving. Before this night gets any worse."
"Night? It was day when we--" Dick looked up to the Sun and saw it, closer and larger than any celestial body had the right to be, and pulling itself free from the inside. "No."
"Mary and Joseph," whispered Kirk, "you were right. The Black Sun was a cage. Now whatever was inside is coming out. How the Hell am I supposed to kill that?"
"We need a miracle," said Dick. "No time to loiter about, we need to run!"
* * *
"Hhkkk." They had landed on a deserted highway, miles away from Metropolis. Katar Hol gagged as black ichor dribbled from out of his lips, groping finger tips clawed at his chest where cold, angelic steel sliced through bone, muscle and tissue and emerged out on the over side. Flames cauterized the wound, but he was caught like a fly in a web, unable to move, paralyzed completely. Zauriel was whispering in Katar's ear, and the Hawk-knight of Thanagar was twitching every now and then, unable to act. "hhhhkkk"
"This fire will cleanse you of the sin you have become infected by, Katar Hol. You will be free of the taint of the demon Black Sun, and you will continue--"
"GET OFF OF HIM!" Hawkgirl swooped toward Zauriel, releasing the Dark Knight and letting him roll to a stop on the concrete floor of the highway, and brought up her mace.
Zauriel put up his hand, his other still holding fast to his sword, "You don't understand. I cannot do that."
"THEN I'LL MAKE--" Hawkgirl was interrupted mid-sentence by a line tightening around her ankle, "-- Wha--?"
Jason Todd grinned. "You don't drop me." He held up his hands, and then motioned to the empty car next to him, where the line was hooked. Hawkgirl was suddenly snapped back, and slammed into the road, and the Dark Knight leapt over to her, and cut off the harness that allowed her to fly. "He's an angel, sweetheart. You think he's doing what he's doing for £$%^s and giggles?"
"Your faith..." grunted Kendra Saunders, "is impressive..." she slammed up her fist against Jason Todd's jaw, and sent the vigilante stumbling back, "but I want an explanation, and I want one now!"
"The one you call Hawkman has been corrupted by a demonic presence. It has been festering inside him for weeks now, and it finally took complete control in the light of the Black Sun. I am cleansing him of that corruption, the only way I think will work."
"Think?! You stabbed him in the chest, and you think it'll work?!"
Zauriel turned his attention back to Katar Hol, who seized up, sword still embedded in his chest, and grabbed the angel by his shoulders. "I can think... clearly..."
"Have faith," Zauriel said, "that I can save you."
* * *
Captain Marvel and the Mighty Adam shot into space, just as the two Green Lanterns began to shake off the effects of Nekron's assault. Black Adam was shaking his head, whispers in his head growing louder and louder as they flew closer and closer, until the Wisdom of Zehuti was drowned out completely and he let out a silent scream of agony, clutching his skull as he faltered and began to fall back toward Earth.
Captain Marvel turned, reached out for his brother-in-lightning, but was suddenly engulfed by an emerald construct of such demonic complexity that it took his eyes seconds longer to fully realise what it was. Hal Jordan and Hank Henshaw were shooting toward him, their eyes seeping black gore around the edges, snarling in anger and viciousness as the neared the Captain.
Even in space, the Speed of Mercury was at his disposal, and he shot forward, out of the spiked mouth of the glowing torture devices that the Green Lanterns were creating, and grabbed the two of them by the heads, and then slammed them together with the Strength of Hercules. The Wisdom of Solomon told him what he feared, that Nekron was corrupting these noble heroes as he neared their world, and that the closer the Lord of Death got, the stronger his influence would be. Black Adam was already corrupted, a grey soul striving to persevere through his darkness, and so fell sooner... Billy Batson, inside Captain Marvel, couldn't help but feel afraid. Not because of Nekron touching his mind, or because doubt ravaged his being, but because he was unaffected. Marvel looked to Hal Jordan, floating silently in space, who had suddenly started to choke in silence underneath the force field he had created, his eyes fluttering as if he was having a seizure-- and then suddenly his eyes opened, his body rejecting the taint of Nekron, and he screamed as loud as his lungs would allow. Captain Marvel grabbed him, to try and calm him, but Hal Jordan grimaced, and then vanished in a burst of light, Hank Henshaw following swiftly.
He did not know what this meant, but Captain Marvel simply shook his head, and smiled, the Courage of Achilles granting him the peace of mind that he could overcome the odds... and with one look back at Nekron, as the being moved silently toward the world, he headed back to Earth, to warn the world of the coming evil!
* * *
Aquaman placed his hand on the Martian Manhunter's shoulder, steeled himself with his own psychic abilities, and then dove into the telepathic connection that J'onn J'onzz was the heart of. This was their last gambit to organise the heroes together, all other forms of communications sounding out only static. He reached out across the world, into the minds of every hero that was fighting, and began to speak.
<This is Aquaman speaking directly into your mind through the Justice League telepathic network. Do not be afraid-->
He cringed as a hundred thoughts hit him. "Where's Superman?" "What's happening?" "... Superman?" "Where is the Justice League?" "What is that thing in the sky?" "What do we hit?" "What can we do?" "...Metropolis..." "What do we do?"
<--In the face of darkness, in the gaze of evil, we do not falter. We do not step back and let the villains win, we do not surrender in the face of overwhelming odds. We hold the line until we are no longer able. We need the world to stay together, my friends, now is not the time for governments to start throwing nuclear weapons at each other as if that would stop this crisis in its tracks. Those of you that are space-flight capable are needed over Metropolis, we need to send what that thing is coming out the Black Sun back inside, and we need to make sure it never climbs back out. Those of you unable to journey into space, we need the cities held. You are all the Justice League. You know what that means.>
"Yes." "Oui." "Shi." "Yeah." "Da." "Yes." "Hell yeah."
* * *
Firestorm soared up above the world, making a bee-line toward Metropolis. He'd heard Aquaman's call-to-arms, as had dozens, maybe hundreds of other heroes across the world, and so he did what he did best, and put aside his fears and rallied to the cause.
“How are you holding up, Ronald?”
Ronnie Raymond smiled at Martian Stein's voice in his head. “Feeling fine, Professor. Guess we’re in the big leagues now, yeah?”
“Doesn’t it seem horrifying that we’re always present when the world is about to end? The Zero Hour Event that nearly cracked the multiverse in two, numerous other occasions…”
“They know who they need in their corner is all, Professor.” Ronnie laughed, more out loud than inside his head, where the conversation between Professor Martin Stein’s consciousness and his own took place. If the Justice League were present, they wouldn't have reacted. Time and again they'd fought side-by-side with the Nuclear Man, and as such, they all knew that Firestorm was a bit crazy...
"Emoc ot eht esuoH fo yretsyM, mrotseriF!"
"Prof, did you say--" Firestorm blinked and was suddenly in the middle of an elegantly decorated study, and around him was a circle of magicians, warlocks and sorcerers, all staring intently at the new arrival. "Oh, Hell."
The Phantom Stranger stepped forward. "We have need of you, Firestorm. You and your talents. Do you wish to save the world and humanity?"
"That's... the Phantom Stranger..." whispered Martin Stein. "Then the world really is in danger, Ronald..."
"It really is, Professor," replied the Stranger, much to Firestorm's collective surprise. "Yes, I can hear you. And yes, the world is in mortal danger. If we fall here, then humanity will never rise to the pinnacles it was once destined to reach."
"Ronald..."
"We don't really have a choice then, do we?" said Firestorm, trying his best to not appear terrified. "We're with you."
* * *
YOU DO NOT SEEM TO UNDERSTAND, Nekron's voice was weak, his being a millions of miles away, but those of a specific, darker inclination heard the whisper none the less, that voice at the fringe of their sanity, fraying the seams between what should and what shouldn't... THERE IS NO GOD. THERE IS NO DEVIL. THERE IS ME. THERE IS DEATH. THE ONE, TRUE, INEVITABILITY. YOU WOULD FIGHT ME LIKE YOU WOULD FIGHT THE TIDE: PATHETICALLY, AIMLESSLY, BECAUSE I WILL KEEP COMING. I WILL NEVER STOP.
Paul Kirk grunted. Dick Grayson turned to him, "are you alright?"
DEATH IS THE ONLY CONSTANT IN ALL EXISTENCE.
"Fine. Fine. Nothing. S'nothing."
AND I AM HERE. I AM HERE TO RAISE YOU UP FROM YOUR EMPTY LIVES. I AM HERE TO FULFIL YOUR DESTINY.
Batman didn't want to turn his back on Manhunter. He knew something was wrong, but right now he wasn't sure if he could take the elder hero down. The device strapped to his side was whispering to him, Ping-Ping-Ping, Hub City was in sight, the bridge that connected the city to the rest of the world just a little bit further down the road. The city stood silent. "I don't like this, Manhunter."
TURN TO ME FOR SALVATION. TURN TO ME. ACCEPT ME.
"S'not right, that's what it is," said Manhunter, "this city should be teeming, why would it be quiet? Why would it be so damn quiet?"
MY CHILDREN. MY FOLLOWERS. MY WORSHIPPERS.
"Because we were waiting..." The voice was so loud that it nearly caused Batman to topple over. "...For you."
SAY THE NAME THAT WILL SCAR CREATION.
"My God," Batman whispered, as every single man, woman and child of Hub City took a step forward over the bridge. "Whatever that thing is inside the Sun..."
SAY MY NAME... PAUL KIRK... SAY IT.
"Nekron," said Manhunter with a pathetic sense of finality.
NEKRON! LORD OF THE DEAD! KING OF THE PASSED! LORD OF THE UNLIVING! ACCEPT ME, AS INEVITABLE AS THE NEED TO BREATHE! THE NEED TO BE!
"What?"
"It's name... is Nekron... and it wants me to kill you, Dick," Paul Kirk fell to his knees. "Because I'm not right inside... Gggoddd... because... because I've let the darkness in already, and now that door is open, it can never be closed..."
"Paul Kirk, you stand up right now," hissed Dick, "you aren't weak, you don't take crap from anybody. You stand up right now, side by side with me, and you face the end of the world swinging."
...THE END OF ALL...
"A pep... a pep talk..." Manhunter slammed his fist into the ground, and Batman saw the floor give, "isn't going to... isn't going to save the day... this time..."
"Stop complaining, Manhunter! You're better than this! You're better than--" The crowd surged forward toward Batman. A slow jog at first, but then he saw the blackness dribble out from around their eyes, a million pairs all staring at him, wanting him dead, "you're better than that, Paul, you're better than that."
"I..." Paul Kirk sobbed, "I... can't... I... I... I am sorry, Dick Grayson."
"Oh, no, no, no..." Batman stumbled back, as Manhunter stood up slowly, ichor dripping down from his face like tears, streaming down his cheeks and onto his already dirtied uniform. "PAUL!"
"Do not pray to your gods, Dick. He killed them. Nekron, your master, he slaughtered those you would put your faith in, and he wears their skins as a mighty cloak..."
Dick Grayson didn't hesitated. He threw up a grapnel and fired it onto the upper rafters of the bridge, and then shot up into the sky before Paul Kirk could tackle him to the ground. The Manhunter dove for him but missed. "I hate... that... thing..." Then, when the crowds arrived and joined his former-ally, Dick knew what he had to do. He began to run. Because that's all that was left for him.
* * *
Wonder Woman was flanked by dozens of heroes. Aquaman had done his job. Booster Gold, Fire, Power Girl, the Rocket Reds, the JSA's Green Lantern, and many more were flocking to what was left of Metropolis as Wonder Woman floated, waiting for the army to form. Dozens of heroes comprising the new Justice League, one borne for this moment this moment alone--
They knew what they had to do.
YOU. CANNOT. STOP. ME.
"What is that--?!" Power Girl asked, before her eyes opened wide and she saw the pair of pale, dead eyes staring back at her. "Oh, God."
I WAS THE DARKNESS BEFORE THERE WAS LIGHT. BANISHED ON A WHIM. TRAPPED IN A CAGE. THE LIGHT IS GONE NOW. THERE IS ONLY ME.
Wonder Woman could not speak before a rotting, disembodied hand reached out from space and slammed into the Earth. Tectonic plates scraped against one another, earthquakes ravaged cities across the globe. From Japan to Britain to Russia, the effect was felt. Aquaman clutched his head in pain as he felt the cries of the assorted heroes echoing into his mind as they were all crushed into the soil of the world. Nekron's touch blistered their skin, caused grass to turn to ash and soil to stone; a mighty gash was cut into the planet Earth, and as soon as the assault had started, it had ended. The hand floated back up out of orbit, the globe quivering as the orbit of the world was altered, and rejoined Nekron's body millions of miles away.
Wonder Woman lay on the floor, empty eyes staring into nothingness. She said nothing. She thought nothing. Aquaman could hear no semblance of a single, living thought coming from her mind, as he raced out of the Hall of Justice and sprinted toward his fallen comrades. "No," he whispered, as he found her, "no, not you, no, Diana... no!" He cradled her in his arms, "NO!"
