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Post by Admin on Aug 29, 2006 20:22:47 GMT -5
Desaad’s secret sanctum was in the black bowels of the Citadel, squatting like a swollen loathsome spider in the midst of a vast web. No Nazi torture-chamber in Auschwitz was more filled with unspeakable horror and misery than the lair of Desaad.
The Flash arrived first, and was at once taken aback by the sights of the chamber. A scientist himself, he could actually grasp what some of the wicked-looking instruments were intended for--- and he had to swallow hard to avoid retching.
“It’s not much, but with a little redecorating…”
The voice came from a woman huddled in a corner, a human in black leather with her hair singed off and one eye swollen shut.
“Nothing that can’t be fixed by a hydrogen bomb, a very long shower, and years of psychotherapy...” She finished with what passed for a smile.
At first he thought she was insane, but she held his piteous gaze with a forthrightness that belied her sorry state.
“Back home they call me Black Canary. You’re the Flash, right?”
He nodded, just as Superman and the Martian Manhunter arrived on the scene. Superman’s eyes swept the room, and he immediately found what Flash had not seen at first.
Desaad.
The Master Torturer and Chief Scientist of Apokolips was pinned to a far wall, various of his instruments driven through his flesh to suspend him--- in great agony--- off the ground.
He was conscious and moaning.
One look at Black Canary, his subject and plaything since the beginning of the invasion, and the Man of Steel thought he understood.
“She didn’t do that.”
They were joined in the lab by Scott, Barda, Himon and the rest of the Outsiders. Zatanna and Babs ran to Dinah, enfolding her in their embrace.
“I did.” It was Ollie who had spoken, his chin jutting out as if daring Superman to say something sanctimonious.
But the Man of Steel knew he had no time for debate. They needed the device Metron had told them about.
“I need him awake.” He pointed to Desaad.
Ollie nodded. “Desaad.” He said in a sharp voice. “Tell the nice man with the square jaw everything he wants to know--- or I will start throwing sharp instruments at you again.”
This got an instant reaction. The torturer’s eyes opened wide.
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Post by Admin on Aug 29, 2006 20:25:35 GMT -5
Darkseid loomed over the heroes of Earth, his mighty fists poised to smash them.
As one, Aquaman and Wonder Woman charged the Tyrant of Apokolips, ax and Trident flashing. The force of their impact blew out a crater where they stood, but all three of them held their ground. There, in front of the boom tube to the Promethean Galaxy, they slugged it out. Wonder Woman hammered on her foe with the ax, and when it broke, she used her fists. Aquaman blasted him with the Trident, throwing every ounce of magical power at the dark god.
Darkseid tried to simply push past them, flailing about him with his fists. But the heroes dodged the blows and pressed their attack harder. Aquaman poured everything he had at the Tyrant, a constant stream of energy sizzling from the tines of his weapon. The Sea King dug in, refusing to give ground.
But Darkseid was inexorable. As hard as they fought him, as much as they threw at him, he advanced, step by step, pushing them ever backward, towards the boom tube.
In a last desperate effort, the Tyrant of Apokolips upon him, Aquaman reared back and drove the barbed points of the Trident at Darkseid’s gut. It was halted inches from impact, Darkseid’s hand on the haft! He wrenched the weapon out of Aquaman’s grasp, and batted him aside with it, then on the return swing smashed Wonder Woman out of his path.
At last, his way to the boom tube was clear! He was seconds away from stepping into it. He sneered at the fallen heroes and said, “Did you really think you could stop me?”
Then he turned, taking the last steps towards the interdimensional portal--- and was jerked back!
A lasso of golden links encircled his arms and chest!
He whirled in place, even as Wonder Woman strained with all her might to pull him towards her.
“We don’t have to stop you, monster.” The Amazon Princess gritted her teeth and dug her heels into the ground. “We just had to delay you...!”
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Post by Admin on Aug 29, 2006 20:27:34 GMT -5
The device was identical to the one that Mister Miracle had freed himself from only hours before, except this one was hastily rigged by the Flash (with some unexpected help from Himon) to include not one but four cranial interface caps.
“We need to tap into the Anti-Life Equation.” The Flash told Himon as the two discussed some last minute adjustments. They faced a holo-board, and the stylus in Barry’s hand was a blur as scrawled out the calculations he memorized from Metron, turning to recalibrate the device at super speeds. “We know we can’t wrest the power from Darkseid--- he’s too strong for that!--- but we think we can deny it to him!”
After a moment’s study, Himon frowned at the Flash’s notes. “But that’s not the correct--- Of course! I see!” His face grew animated with enlightenment. “You don’t want to use the Equation, you want to poison it! That’s a flaw you’re introducing into it, an intentional fallacy. You’re going to re-write it so he can’t use it anymore!”
The Flash couldn’t refrain from a wolfish grin. “Wish I could take the credit for it, but it was Batman’s idea. Of course this beauty of an invalid disjunctive syllogism right here is my own personal touch…” He cast around until his eyes found the Martian Manhunter’s. “J’onn, call the little blue guy. It’s ready.”
*Wise One, it is time.*
A slight shimmering announced the arrival of the Guardian Appa Ali Apsa to the laboratory. The Oan looked weary but determined, only hours removed from death’s door.
“I am ready, my friends.”
Mister Miracle and Superman had already attached their headpieces when Big Barda abruptly approached Scott, and seizing him by the face, kissed him hard and urgently. When she was finished, she stepped away without a word, leaving a smug Mister Miracle to smirk at the expression on Superman’s face.
“Flash, this is your chance to finally prove you’re faster than me.” Challenged the Man of Steel as J’onn and Appa were finally strapped in. “Show me what you’ve got.”
Barry Allen nodded, tethering himself to the generator wheel atop the device with a length of high density cable. He was running before they even realized it.
He broke the sound barrier in the first second, causing everyone in the room to cover their ears in pain. He ran a tight circuit around the device and the four figures hooked up to it. But it still wasn’t fast enough. The Speed Force, Metron had theorized, was the instrument by which they would insert the flaw into the Equation, but to break into it, Barry Allen was going to have to go faster. Much faster. Faster than he had ever gone before.
The device read and analyzed the Kryptonian, the Martian, the Oan and New God genetic code, transmitting it to the optic-scanner Flash wore on his head. He thought about the New Equation, repeating it over and over in his head until he knew it verbatim.
The speeds he was reaching now were absurd. Light was bending before his eyes, and reality was curving in ways that distorted his perception. His head was light, curiously so--- almost non-existent. Was this what had happened to Jay? Had he lost himself in the Speed Force, raced himself out of existence…? He could not afford to think about it now. He thought about the New Equation. He thought about all the people depending on him. He thought about Iris…
Then he thought he could go a little faster…
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Post by Admin on Aug 29, 2006 20:28:29 GMT -5
Then, four minds telepathically linked by a Martian transmitted one single, unique and deadly Trojan Horse-of-a-thought--- and reality was changed for the second time that day.
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Post by Admin on Aug 29, 2006 20:30:12 GMT -5
Darkseid roared in frustration and fury, pulling on the golden lasso.
Wonder Woman was unable to resist his strength however hard she strained to pull back, and found herself being dragged inexorably towards Darkseid.
Then Aquaman was there, lending his strength to hers, wrapping his arms around her slim shoulders, grabbing the golden rope. And for a moment, the forward motion was arrested, the two heroes planted firmly against the maddened god in a tug of war, with the universe at stake!
Behind him, mere inches away and the force of it beckoning to him, the boom tube waited. With a fearsome exertion, Darkseid pulled on the lasso and tore it from the heroes’ grasp! They collapsed to the ground, face first in the dirt, their muscles twitching.
Wonder Woman was able to lift her head in time to see the lasso fall to the ground at Darkseid’s feet.
“Hera, NO!”
The Tyrant of Apokolips was taking the last step towards the boom tube when it hit him. Abruptly, the grand design in his head, the dark and deadly chorus of celestial music that was the Anti-Life Equation, changed! It did not cease, but it soured, warped into something unrecognizable. He struggled to grasp it, to wrestle it down the twisting pathways of consciousness and thought, but it eluded him, sluicing through his fingers like water. The Anti-Life Equation had become, suddenly, profoundly, and irrevocably useless!
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Post by Admin on Aug 29, 2006 20:30:50 GMT -5
And all that he had wrought with it faded and was no more. On Earth, billions of minds and souls were reawakened and freed. People opened their eyes, as if for the first time, not unaware of what had almost been taken from them. And when they looked around and saw the now skeleton-crew of Apokoliptian forces occupying the formerly pacified planet, they rose up and joined the fight to take back their world!
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Post by Admin on Aug 29, 2006 20:31:25 GMT -5
His mind and consciousness in turmoil, Darkseid fell to his knees by the boom tube, his face in his hands.
“They did it!” Wonder Woman clutched Aquaman’s arm. “They corrupted the Equation!”
“It’s not over yet!” Aquaman called to her, over the din of the howling boom tube. They clung together, on the ground, scant feet from the Tyrant of Apokolips. “If we don’t stop him now, this will all begin again!”
As if he had heard them, Darkseid’s head snapped up, and on his face was an expression of such hate and fury that it struck the heroes dumb to behold it. But before anyone could take another breath, a sharp whistle came from overhead, and a blue and red blur streaked past them--- slamming into Darkseid and carrying them both into the boom tube!
“That was Superman!” Wonder Woman exclaimed. “Hurry, we have to help him!”
As they leaped into the portal after the Man of Steel and the Tyrant of Apokolips, they were followed a split second later by the Flash and Martian Manhunter.
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Post by Admin on Aug 29, 2006 20:37:34 GMT -5
On the other side of the boom tube, Green Lantern called out in warning, “Here they come!”
Superman and Darkseid burst into the Promethean Galaxy at speeds too fast for the human eye to track. They arced across space and slammed like a falling meteor into the Source Wall. The Tyrant of Apokolips was clearly stunned, disoriented, and unable to fend off Superman’s relentless assault. The Man of Steel pounded on his enemy, one fist after another, rising and falling at super speed, smashing Darkseid into the Wall itself!
“Yeah!” Hal yelled. “Go get ‘em, Big Blue!”
Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Flash and Martian Manhunter emerged from the boom tube, the Flash carried by J’onn. Hal slapped the speedster and the Sea King with protective green auras, grinning in delight.
“Are you guys a sight for sore eyes…!”
At that moment, Darkseid recovered his wits. With one titanic blow, he sent Superman spiraling away from him. The Man of Steel tumbled backward in a freefall--- only to land softly against a giant green catcher’s mitt in space.
Darkseid pushed himself from the Wall with a bellow of uncontainable rage. Here he was, after all, the Source Wall! Inwardly, he wracked his mind, clutching at the echoes of power left by the Anti-Life Equation. Something must remain! His destiny would not end here!
But if he could not find the path through the wall, then he would break it all to pieces--- and Metron’s words of warning be damned.
Calling upon every iota of his divine power, the Tyrant of Apokolips began to swell, his mass and form increasing exponentially as he drew upon every measure of his godhead.
“Great Rao! What’s happening?” Superman gasped, watching in disbelief as Darkseid expanded to fill his vision.
*He’s assuming his true form; this is as he is in his own dimension!* J’onn sent to them.
I don’t care what he’s doing! Came Batman’s voice. He can’t be allowed to leave this place!
The Dark Knight swooped down upon the colossus that was Darkseid, harnessed into Orion’s Astro-glider, cannons of Astro-force blazing!
As one, the world’s greatest heroes launched themselves at Darkseid. Superman’s heat vision scarred the surface of his hide, leaving long black trails. Wonder Woman and Martian Manhunter hurled their bodies, fists first, at the god’s head, rebounding, then soaring back in again. Aquaman blasted him with bolt after bolt from his Trident, and Batman strafed the colossus with scorching beams of Astro-force! Only Green Lantern hung back, sweat beading on his forehead, his ring straining for action. But his mind, and his incredible will, was focused on another, far more critical task.
Darkseid swatted at the heroes as if they were flies buzzing around him. But his size now worked against him. They avoiding his killing blows, swooping in and out from all sides, under his guard, never relinquishing the momentum of their attack. The dark god was enraged, his cries filling the universe and deafening them.
He would first destroy them, these insignificant mortal fleas who had caused him so much grief, then he would tear down the Source Wall, with his bare hands, even if it took him an eon to do it!
GL, how much more time do you need? Batman sent to him urgently. We’re barely putting a dent in him!
Darkseid seized the Martian Manhunter in his grip, and squeezed. J’onn’s psychic scream tore through the heroes, but only for a moment as the Martian became intangible and dropped away, hurt but already recovering.
Almost there, Batman. Hal sent back, even his thoughts strained. This isn’t easy. It’s like I’m trying to shift all the sand in all the deserts of the world…
I know it isn’t easy, but you can do it, Lantern! This is what you do! You’re a superhero!
Hal Jordan felt a smile spread across his face, and bore down with all his willpower, Batman’s words echoing in his head: You’re a superhero…!
Alright, you crusty old gargoyles, Hal bared his teeth and gave it one last push. WAKE UP!
There was a sudden explosion of emerald light, bright enough to blind them all, including Darkseid. Throughout the galaxy there came the clarion sound of one cosmic bell ringing, echoing and not fading.
The emerald light faded, and when they could see again, the vision that awaited them was awesome. The faces embedded on the Source Wall had come to life! Hot argent light was pouring from their open mouths and eyes, like a billion flood lamps lighting up the vast darkness of space.
Darkseid shielded his eyes, the clear pure light noxious to him. The crystalline sound reverberating in his head was like a spike driving through his brain. The god squinted through the awful light, daring to gaze upon the glory of the awakened Source Wall.
COME, LORD OF APOKOLIPS. TAKE YOUR PLACE AMONG US…
“No…” He pushed away from the wall, the horror growing in his mind as he recognized one of the faces calling to him…
COME TO ME, MY SON. I HAVE LONG AWAITED YOU!
The heroes, reeling from the flashes of light, recovered quickly.
“Now!” Superman called to the others. “While he’s disoriented! Together!”
The Man of Steel flew at Darkseid, smashing fist first into the dark god. Only microseconds behind him was the Martian Manhunter, the second impact propelling the stunned Darkseid forward. Wonder Woman hit next, then Aquaman and Batman fired their weapons at him, then Green Lantern joined the attack with a huge green boxing glove. Even the Flash dashed across the colossal surface of the god’s swollen body, pounding away.
Like a doomed and drowning leviathan, Darkseid drifted closer and closer to the Source Wall.
“One more time! With me!” Superman yelled.
Shoulder to shoulder, he and Wonder Woman and Martian Manhunter slammed full-tilt into the Tyrant of Apokolips, the force of their combined blow enough to drive Darkseid, face first, into the Wall.
Something clicked in the universe, as if something always meant to be had occurred.
The heroes of Earth floated back away from the Wall, watching in horror as Darkseid seemed to be sucked into the very fabric of it. The Tyrant of Apokolips twisted and worked his way around, struggling with an insane effort to pull himself free of the Wall’s grip. His face was too hideous to behold, transformed into something cosmically repugnant. A piteous howl escaped him, full of rage and frustration.
Then his hand broke from the Wall! It spasmed and clutched at freedom, by degrees the rest of the mammoth arm surfacing!
*Moons of Mars, he’s breaking free!* J’onn’s voice was filled with something none of them till that point had heard in it before: despair.
Superman was already in action. “Not if I can help it!” He called over his shoulder to them as he shot towards the Wall. “I don’t care if I have to spend the rest of my days bound in battle with him, he’s not escaping that Wall!”
The Man of Steel put his head down and hurled himself at Darkseid. He thought about the sacrifice Captain Marvel had made, and he thought about the heroes in who’s company he had fought this last great battle. His heart swelled. This was what he had to do. This was the good fight, the never-ending battle. He had no regrets…
He was brought up suddenly by an impenetrable force field, his forward progress stopped short of the Wall and the raging Darkseid who had even now freed his head and most of his body.
Highfather Izaya floated in the space before Superman, his staff held aloft and a light on his brow.
“Yours is a valiant soul, Kal-El of Krypton, but this is the task appointed to me.” Izaya passed his staff to Superman, a gentle smile on his face. “Give this to my people. They shall create a New Genesis the likes of which not even the Old Gods dreamed.”
With that, the Highfather turned towards Darkseid, his own form expanding in size to match the Tyrant of Apokolips.
“Come, my dark twin, we have grappled together so long. Let us at last have some measure of peace!”
Holding his arms wide as if to embrace him, Izaya fell upon the wide-eyed Darkseid, and in the moment of their collision, the light shining forth from the Source Wall banked a thousand-fold, flooding all the universe with one perfect flash of radiance…
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Post by Admin on Aug 29, 2006 20:38:52 GMT -5
And when the light faded, the clarion ringing was gone, and the Wall was still. The faces of the Promethean Giants were blank and closed again--- and a new one had joined their ranks. It was not quite Darkseid and not quite Izaya, the likeness trapped somewhere between the two. It was neither hideous nor beautiful, but it was at peace…
For one long moment, the heroes of Earth could only stare, floating in a space so serene it was hard to believe the chaos and calamity that had existed only moments before…
“We did it.” Green Lantern was the first to break the silence. “We really did it. He’s gone… It’s over…”
As one, the heroes released a collective breath and the floodgates opened. Tears in her eyes, Wonder Woman embraced Aquaman, the Flash clasped his hand in J’onn Jonzz’s, and Superman and Green Lantern both heaved a sigh of relief that came from the pit of their stomach.
Even Batman had to take a moment, and cleared his throat before saying. “Alright, folks, we’ve got a lot of cleaning up to do on Earth. Let’s go home.”
He spoke into his Mother Box and opened a boom tube, and the world’s greatest heroes left the Promethean Galaxy without a look backward…
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Post by Admin on Aug 29, 2006 20:39:31 GMT -5
With the fall of Darkseid, the fight had all but gone out of the forces of Apokolips. Not that they would have stood much of a chance if they pursued the war. Supertown had drawn most of the invading forces off Earth to protect Apokolips, and then had handily defeated Steppenwolf’s armada in orbit. His fleet shattered around him, and his flagship on fire, Steppenwolf surrendered unconditionally to Lightray, and was brought in chains to Supertown.
The shock troopers and the parademon armies still on-planet quickly fell to the now superior numbers and firepower of the people of Earth. Most boom-tubed away, but many more refused to surrender, fighting to the death, something the people of Earth were more than happy to accommodate.
The war ended that day, and despite all the death and loss, there was much joy and celebration. Earth had survived. The Multiverse had survived. Tomorrow, everyone would wake up to a new sunrise and life would go on.
The Crisis was over…
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Post by Admin on Aug 29, 2006 20:40:37 GMT -5
Epilogue
There was jubilation in the streets of Metropolis as the last boom-tube opened up and disgorged the heroes of Earth. The crowds sent up wild cheers at the sight of them: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, the Flash and Green Lantern! The World’s Greatest Heroes.
For the first time in a long time, the skies above were clear. Only moments ago, Himon, the regent of Apokolips, had activated the boom-tube and transported the black planet out of Earth’s orbit, and back to its own dimension. It would be a long time before the fire-pits of that world were extinguished, but with Orion on the throne, and Bekka at his side, it would happen.
Especially now that Apokolips would have a new satellite itself. Supertown lingered in Earthspace, to help with the restoration, but would eventually boom tube back to its home dimension to keep an eye on the black planet. Superman had presented the staff of the Highfather to Lightray, who agreed to hold it in trust for Scott Free--- because neither he nor Big Barda could be found! Some said that they had decided to make their home on Earth, to make a new start together. Others, more cynical, said that getting out of the job of leader of the New Gods was Mister Miracle’s greatest escape yet…!
The Teen Titans met the heroes, along with the recovering members of the Outsiders, celebrating with the masses the great victory that had been won.
Surprising even himself, Batman gathered Nightwing in a rough but heartfelt embrace. Dick stiffened for a moment, then relaxed and grinned when his mentor and surrogate father released him.
Batman looked around the relatively undamaged Metropolis, then turned back to his former ward.
“Not bad.” Was all he said. But Dick could tell from the set of his jaw he was struggling not to burst into a proud smile.
And there were a couple of other surprises, as well. The Flash pointed out to Green Lantern the band of costumed men and women standing on a nearby roof-top, saluting the returned heroes.
“That’s the Justice Society of America!” Barry yelled over the noise of the crowd, grinning at his friend.
Hal Jordan nodded, impressed. Thinking of the stories Barry had been telling him of Jay Garrick, he told himself he was going to have to get to know the blond man in the purple domino mask smiling down at him.
“Superman, Superman!”
A little girl tugged on the Man of Steel’s cape, and he released the familiar news reporter he had been hugging, and bent down to her. She held in her hands the first newspaper to come out since the start of the war, shaking it at him excitedly.
He read the headline and a smile spread across his face. He picked up the little girl and hugged her, then turned back to Lois, still holding the little girl in one arm.
“You certainly do know how to coin a phrase, Ms. Lane.”
Lois’ eyes sparkled brilliantly, and she fell away to watch as the World’s Greatest Heroes passed through the adoring and grateful crowds…
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Post by Admin on Aug 29, 2006 20:54:07 GMT -5
"A Great Metropolitan Newspaper"
Vol. 112, No. 242,
Special Edition August 30th MMVI
Publisher: George Taylor
Editor-in-chief: Perry White
Contributing Patrons: David Charlton, Charles HoM, Brandon Herren, Scott Kruger, Ramon Villalobos, Brian Burchette, Mark Bowers, Dr. D. Read, John Elbe, Ellen Fleischer, Roy Flinchum, Borize, Chris Paugh, Matthew Davies, Susan Hillwig, Adam Tupper, Kevin Hill, Art “Steve” Teach, James Dufresne, J.R. Fan, Thor Thorvaldson, [name redacted], Rob Harding, Chase Magnett, Tim Drake, Sam Harrison, Mitch Coenen, et al.
WAR OVER!
JUSTICE LEAGUE TRIUMPHANT!
By Lois Lane
Their names will resound in the annals of our history: Superman, the Man of Steel, Batman, the Dark Knight Detective, Wonder Woman, the Amazing Amazon, J’onn J’onzz, the Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, King of the Seven Seas, Flash, the Fastest Man Alive and Green Lantern, the Emerald Gladiator! Banding together, these seven heroes saved the world from the would-be interdimensional conqueror Darkseid, Tyrant of Apokolips, forever putting an end to the dark god’s evil designs… |
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Post by Admin on Aug 29, 2006 20:58:59 GMT -5
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