Legends End: Issue 3

October 27th, 1945, Austria

Adolf Hitler, despotic madman, murderer of millions… evil incarnate.

<" You have one last opportunity to surrender your amulet & helmet, Fate. Or suffer the fate of your friends!"> Hitler demanded (_{Editors note: translated from German}). He held the spear of destiny in one hand, with the ring of Rasputin in the other.

Dr. Fate, mystic vessel of Nabu, Lord of Order and ancient wizard from the 3rd dynasty of Egypt… The last hero of the famed Justice Society of America left standing.

[glow=yellow,2,300]"Your fate is sealed insect!"[/glow] Dr Fate declared the air around him thick with energy. The Ancient Egyptian symbol for life and magical protection, known as the Ankh, enveloped Fate as he launched a beam of energy toward Hitler.

Hitler stood steadfast, holding the broadsword, blocking the blast.

<"American fool… did you think I wasn’t prepared to fight you?"> Hitler scoffed, <"Even your Lords of Order are no match for me! I am the Woden… I have defeated the Gods that walk this Earth… And with that amulet, I will purge the Earth of the impure!">

Hitler thrust the sword again towards Fate, who jumped back defensively. The sword could break his magical barriers. If Fate attempted to use a weapon against the madman, the Ring of Rasputin would protect him from harm. The ring, however, would not protect him from magic. Fate needed to get the sword away from him!

Every offensive Dr. Fate used was blocked; every defense he attempted was useless. The madman had the upper hand.



Jay Garrick, the Flash, fastest man alive… and leader of the Justice Society of America.

The Flash slowly opened his eyes… he had the worst nightmare. An army of undead Nazi monsters had ambushed them… Libby was gone. He slowly raised up on his elbow, and realized he wasn’t in his comfy bed at home in Keystone.

The sound of a small explosion shook the remaining cobwebs from his mind. About 3 yards away Dr Fate was battling Hitler, and as far as he could tell, Fate was losing. He tried to move, but found that he couldn’t. The barrier he hit was more effective than just knocking him cold. For some reason he couldn’t move his legs… it felt as though they were encased in concrete. He had feeling in them, so he knew he wasn’t permanently paralyzed.

He moved his hand in front of his face as fast as he could without attracting attention to himself. The world around him slowed as his eyes focused in on his hand. His speed was intact… He really hated magic.

Dr, Fate was in trouble… he had to do something. He looked around for anything he could use to help… he then caught site of something silver just a few feet past his reach. His helmet. He began to slowly drag himself toward it.



Dr. Fate was exhausted. Every attack had been parried, every defense shattered. Though he was loath to admit it… Hitler had him beat. He would die before he would concede.

Hitler swung his broadsword wide, again clipping Fate in the helmet. The helmet cracked shards of it falling at his feet. Fate stumbled backward, falling over the body of a fallen comrade.

<"You are no match for me hero!"> Hitler declared, lifting his sword for the kill.

Suddenly, a flash of silver and gold shot out of the darkness shattering Hitler’s wrist. He dropped the sword, screaming in agony.

Dr. Fate glanced to his left and saw the Flash give him a quick salute. With a nod, Fate launched himself at Hitler. But Hitler turned at the last second and plunged the Spear of Destiny into Dr. Fates amulet.

The spear broke the amulet in half and tore through Fate’s flesh and bone. The force of Fate’s attack drove the wooden end of the spear back into Hitler, piercing his chest and impaling his heart.

"No!" The Flash yelled in horror at the sight of his dying friend.

With his last ounce of strength, Fate lurched the spear from his chest and drove it deeper into his enemy.
[glow=yellow,2,300]
"You are… finished." [/glow]Fate spat as Hitler drew in his last breath.

Fate removed his helmet; his pale bloodied face wrought with pain. He dropped to his knees. A surge of light filled the bunker, emanating from Fate’s broken amulet, then faded. The amulet fell from around his neck, the two halves landing upright on the floor before him. A second burst of energy emanated from it upon impact and in the blink of an eye… everything was gone.

Except for the dying body of Kent Nelson. He fell backward on the concrete floor of the bunker, coughing up blood upon impact. His uniform, the helmet, the broken amulet… gone. His friends… even Hitler’s body… gone. The artifacts that lined the walls had vanished as well…

"… Na *cough*… Nabu…”

Nothing remained except for the lone hero, dying on a concrete floor of an Austrian bunker.

"…Inza…"

The body of Kent Nelson was never recovered.

The tomb of Nabu was sealed tight. The darkened entrance had sealed when Hector and Lyta exited it earlier in the day. Haston strode toward the wall the entrance had been on.

"Yes!" He shouted jubilantly, "Open it."

"It will only…" Hector strained as he leaned up against a wall, "it will only… open for us."

"Right! I almost forgot!" Quickly Haston turned to one of his guards, <"Leave us, and give me the satchel… and your rifle!"> He ordered in Egyptian. His cronie thug complied, handing over the requested items.

With almost a skip in his step Haston strode back over to where Hector stood, holding Lyta.

"You forget… I am part of this little dance of death as well." Haston smiled, "Please proceed."

Hector walked to the wall and placed his hand upon the wall. The Egyptian Hieroglyph appeared. He then placed Lyta’s hand on the wall beside his and the wall again surged to life.

"Hang on, honey… I promise I won’t let you die." Hector whispered to Lyta.

The wall’s movement ceased, the doorway was open.

"Shall we then?" Haston said cheerfully.

They walked through the long corridor, the torchlight again leading the way.

Haston stared in awe at the temple of Nabu, looking all around. The gray walls, the ceiling of stars, the seemingly endless stairways. Finally, he would end this endless circle of death & rebirth… and finally, he would emerge the victor!

Above, surrounded by the black clad tomb raiders, Hector’s archaeology team sat on the desert floor, fearing for their lives. The lifeless body of Khepri kept the workers in check, fearing they would share the same fate.

A light breeze began to kick up, softly licking at their clothes. As the breeze began to increase, sand started to pelt the captors.

<"LOOK!"> One of them shouted after looking over his shoulder.

<"By Allah! It is everywhere!"> Another gasped.

An enormous sandstorm had suddenly surrounded the entire encampment. In every direction sand & stone swirled through the air. There was nowhere to run, and nowhere to hide. The armed assailants joined their captives in the center of their circle and began to pray for their lives.

The sandstorm stopped advancing less than 15 feet from the crowd. As if from the eye of a hurricane, looking outward, they watched the fury of the sandstorm. None dared move closer to it.

Suddenly, the sandstorm parted, like Moses parting the Red Sea; there hovered Dr. Fate, just above the sand. His arms folded across his chest, golden helm gleaming in the moonlight, he floated there silently glaring at the black clad marauders.
[glow=yellow,2,300]
"Your master is gone. Leave this valley and never return, or suffer our wrath!"[/glow] Fate commanded.

The leader of the group, aimed his AK47 at Dr. Fate in response, but recoiled as his rifle transmuted into a snake. The other men dropped their weapons as well, as theirs also transformed. The wall of sand that surrounded them opened on the far end allowing the men in black to retreat. They ran into the desert, refusing to look back.

As the last of them disappeared from site, the wall of sand fell, yet Fate remained, hovering before the cowering workers.

[glow=yellow,2,300]"You have nothing to fear from us, people of Egypt. You are free to return to your homes. But do not search for this temple again, for you will not find it!"[/glow]

"What of Dr. Hall and Ms. Trevor?" a young man stepped forward, his accent thick, his cheeks stained with tears.

[glow=yellow,2,300]
"They are safe, son of Khepri."
[/glow]With a wave of his hand, and a silent incantation the body of Khepri lifted up from the sand and was placed gently upon the bed of a pickup truck several yards away.[glow=yellow,2,300] "We mourn for your loss, he was a good man. Honor him with your life"[/glow]

With a twirl of yellow cape and a puff of smoke, Dr. Fate disappeared.

Behind a statue of Horus in the tomb of Nabu a slimy skeletal creature seemingly made of tar hid in fear.

Where once a heart of ice beat, now only the wooden shard of a spear lay. Once he was a great & terrible leader. Once he had a name... one he did not remember. All he felt was hate. He once had a purpose; he once had a destiny.

He is Wotan.

Jay Garrick sat in the waiting room, alongside Rex. Ted paced the floor as if it were his wife in labor.

"Teddy… knock it off, your going to wear a hole in the floor!" Rex shouted.

"I can’t help it… you know the girl… not an ounce of fat on her body… she gained what, 2 pounds during her pregnancy??? Back in our day, a woman got nice & round when they were preggers!" Ted exclaimed. "All I’m sayin’ is that she’s in no condition to be giving birth!"

"Just relax, will you?" Jay said with a smile. He leaned his chair back on two legs, closing his eyes.

The door to the waiting room swung open causing him to jerk upright.

"Has it happened yet?" Dinah & Larry lance came running in. Her pregnant belly proceeded her.

"See, now that’s a woman!" Ted said with a grin.

"I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that ‘Wildcat’." Dinah said grimacing.

"Careful Ted, she could neuter you…" Jay replied leaning his chair back against the wall.

Just as Dinah’s rear touched the seat the waiting room door flew open again! Jay nearly fell completely backward, but caught himself at the last second.

Hector stood in the doorway in hospital scrubs. His hair tucked up into a cap, and a mask covering his mouth. He slowly and dramatically pulled down on the mask, revealing an emotionless face.

"Well son?" Jay asked, his heart in his throat.

Hector looked down at the floor and everyone took a deep breath…

"IT’S A BOY!" Hector shouted.