Unstoppable
Disclaimer: DC owns the characters within, not I.
"How?" Darkseid questioned as he looked down at his arm held in place from a blocked punch. His eyes moved to meet Superman's as a fist came into his field of vision and he found himself flying through the air and crashing into a row of trees, shattering each as they failed to stop him.
"You should have stayed wherever you came from," Superman responded as he flew overtop the still in motion Darkseid. He reached down and snatched him by the neck and lifted him up high over the woods that he had purposely flown him to. "This planet has been through enough."
"Give me the box and I will leave," Darkseid bargained as he pawed at Superman's hand across his neck.
"We both know that is not true," Superman countered.
"You know nothing," Darkseid replied before headbutting Superman in a desperate, but successful, attempt to put distance between them.
Darkseid used the space to fire a blast of his Omega beam at Superman who managed to speed to the side as it incinerated several trees on the ground. Superman shook his head at the damage and flew at Darkseid and hit him with a punch that knocked him to the ground below. He then flew down and landed feet first on his chest as he attempted to sit up.
"Stay down," Superman commented as he fired some heat vision down onto Darkseid's chest. Darkseid grabbed his foot and tossed him off of him and to the grass next to them. Darkseid got to his feet just as Superman reached him and hit him with another punch that knocked him back down to one knee.
"I don't know how you've done it Kryptonian... but this newfound strength of yours will still not be enough," Darkseid remarked as he rose to his feet once more. "I will get the box... and I will take pleasure into turning this world... your world... into ash.."
"I can't let that happen," Superman replied as he tackled Darkseid and the went flying across a field and crashing into a nearby barn. Superman got to his feet and waved the dust and debris out of his face as he looked around the darkened barn for a sight of his foe. He didn't see the Omega beam coming until it had already hit him across the chest.
Superman found himself flying back out across the field and dread crept over him as he expected to black out like before. He felt relief when it did not happen and he was able to stop his momentum and straighten up. He glanced up to see Darkseid stepping out of the hole in the side of the barn. He stopped in his tracks when he saw him.
"No... it can't be," Darkseid remarked as he saw the Kryptonian seemingly unharmed and walking across the field towards him. Darkseid's mind began to race as he considered his options.
Superman reached Darkseid once more and punched through an attempted block by his larger foe. His fist connected with his chin with such force that he felt a shift and knew he had dislocated it. Darkseid's hands went up to address his chin leaving his midsection free for a punch. Darkseid doubled over only to be met with a knee to the bridge of his nose.
"Argh!" Darkseid exclaimed unintelligibly as he stumbled backward. He regained his composure and felt anger welling up in him, the likes he had not felt in centuries. "You will pay for this.."
Darkseid moved quickly to grab Superman around the neck and lift him into the air. He slammed him hard down to the ground. He repeated the action. Then again. Yet once more for emphasis before he tossed Superman aside. Superman attempted to get to his feet just as Darkseid hit him with a backhand that spun him back to the ground.
Superman spat the blood out of his mouth and saw it stain the grass beneath him. He then felt himself being lifted off of the ground and then the searing pain as Darkseid brought him crashing down back first across his knee.
"I will rip you apart with my bare hands, Kryptonian," Darkseid warned as he lifted Superman once more over his head and fired an Omega beam into his back at close distance. The blast sent Superman into the air and then crashing down to the ground in front of Darkseid. Darkseid walked over and raised his boot to stomp down on the face of his fallen opponent.
"No," Superman's voice came from the ground as he reached up to stop the boot from crushing his face. He pushed up against it even as Darkseid increased the pressure from above. Superman fired a blast of heat vision that caused Darkseid to retract his boot and step back. He wasted little time and reaching down and yanking Superman to his feet.
Darkseid held Superman in front of him as he began to throw punch after punch directly into his exposed face and head. After several of these punches, he dropped Superman to the ground. He expected him to fall limp, however, was surprised when the Man of Steel went only to one knee.
"You will fall at my hand..." Darkseid stated. "It's inevitable."
Darkseid threw a punch that knocked Superman backward flat to the ground. He shook his head though as he rose back to his feet. Darkseid took several large steps into the next punch and hit him once more. This shot landed clean but seemed to do even less damage as Superman fell back at a smaller distance.
Darkseid got a run built up and rared back for another blow. This time, however, he was caught by surprise as a sword impaled his shoulder. Darkseid stumbled forward to the ground in front of Superman as he looked down to see the sword sticking out of him. He reached up to remove it and then turned to see Superman surrounded on both sides.
"Are you okay?" Wonder Woman questioned as she moved a hand up to Superman's face to wipe some of the blood from his cheek. Superman nodded.
"I am now," Superman answered as the two moved their attention back to Darkseid.
"No matter how many oppose me... I will not fail... I do not fail..." Darkseid puffed his chest metaphorically.
"First time for everything," Aquaman countered as he gripped his trident with both hands and then flung it at Darkseid. It pierced him in the already open wound on his shoulder. Darkseid went to remove it but felt it being driven deeper into him by a force he could not detect with his naked eye. He swung wildly hoping to land a hit on the Flash that he knew was in front of him.
"Let's finish this..." Wonder Woman said as she stepped forward. A noise overhead revealed the Batplane coming into view. A blast from the descending Cyborg caused Darkseid to stumble backward.
"Victor..." The Flash commented as his friend landed on the ground next to him.
"Where have you been?" Wonder Woman questioned.
"Working on a way to stop him," Cyborg commented with a point in the direction of Darkseid who was recovering. Cyborg made eye contact with Superman. "It's good to see you again."
"Thanks... you too," Superman replied. He glanced behind the group to see Batman approaching.
"So what's the plan?" Aquaman questioned.
"I don't think we can stop him..." Cyborg began. "Not without risking too much..."
"So we have been working on a way to send him back," Batman finished. He gestured to Cyborg. "You know what to do."
Cyborg stepped forward and fired a blast that went just behind Darkseid. Darkseid glanced behind him, surprised that the shot was missed by so much. He soon realized why as he saw a portal opening behind him and recognized it immediately.
"No..." Darkseid said as he began to feel the pull of the Boom Tube behind him.
"Alright... we got to get him into that portal..." Batman said. "So hit him with everything you got... but be careful... if you get too close you could get pulled in."
"Got it," Superman responded as he was the first to race over and hit Darkseid with a punch that knocked him to the cusp of the tube. Wonder Woman was next with a kick as Darkseid grabbed at the air.
Aquaman and Cyborg were next to try their luck at knocking the behemoth into the portal. Neither was successful and rolled clear as Batman him with his most explosive Batarang. When the smoke cleared Darkseid was clinging to either side of the portal.
"He's too strong!" Aquaman commented as he watched Superman move to one arm to pry it loose as Wonder Woman did the same to the other.
"Barry..." Batman got the attention of the concerned looking speedster. "I need you to run..."
"What?" Flash responded, confused.
"I need you to get a running shoot... as far as you can get and hit him as hard as you can..." Batman stated. Flash nodded.
"What if I can't stop..." Flash questioned. "What if I get pulled in?"
"We won't let that happen," Batman assured him as he placed a hand on his shoulder. "Now go..."
The Flash nodded and ran past the portal and disappeared through the woods. Batman raced over to join the others who were attempting to push and pry Darkseid into the portal and out of their world. Batman leaned into Superman.
"You have to catch Barry," Batman said. Superman turned to him at first with a look of confusion but then the realization came over his face as he looked past Batman. He knew only he could see what was happening now as the Flash approached the group at speeds Superman was having trouble keeping in view.
In an instant, the Flash hit Darkseid in the chest with his shoulder and Superman felt Darkseid's grip loosen. He saw that the rest of the group were gonna be knocked clear but that Barry was following Darkseid into the tube. He reached out for him. He was going so fast that he nearly missed his attempt to grab his leg. Superman put his feet on either side of the entrance to the portal to brace and stop the Flash.
The momentum pulled them both into the tube and Superman glimpsed the other side. He saw the hellish landscape in front of him and closed his eyes as he used all of his strength to slingshot him and Flash back through the portal. The air changed as he found himself back on earth again and sliding across the grass still holding onto the Flash. Finally, the slide came to an end.
"Barry are you okay?" Superman asked as he helped him to his feet.
"I... I think so..." Flash said as he reached up to hold his head. "That jarred me a bit."
"I'd say so," Superman responded. He offered a smile that meant more to Barry than words would.
"You did it..." Wonder Woman commented as she came over to stand next to Superman. "You saved everyone."
"I... well... I mean... I just ran," Flash responded.
"In this case... that was the perfect thing to do," Cyborg added as the group gathered around.
"So is he really gone?" Flash asked, feeling embarrassed at the attention he was getting.
"For now..." Cyborg answered. He glanced back where the tube was still. He made eye contact with Batman before hitting it with another blast that closed it.
"How did you do that?" Aquaman asked as he glanced down at Cyborg's arm.
"I'm connected," Cyborg responded.
"Well... remind me to not get on your bad side... don't want to get blasted to God knows where," Aquaman countered with raised eyebrows. This got a chuckle out of Cyborg.
"We should get out of here," Wonder Woman suggested as she looked around at their surroundings.
"Let's," Superman agreed.
"I got room in the plane.." Batman said with a gesture towards it.
"Say no more," Aquaman responded as he was the first to make his way towards it. The group soon fell in line with him. Batman turned to the Flash.
"Exactly how far did you go?" Batman questioned. The rest of the team turned to Flash awaiting his answer.
"Well.. I wasn't for sure how much of a distance I would need... so..." Flash paused. "I kind of used it all."
"All?" Wonder Woman questioned with a furrowed brow.
"You mean you ran across..." Batman began. "All of it... the whole globe?"
"Yep," Flash replied with a shrug. "Go big or go home, right?"
"Right..." Batman responded with a nod and a slight grin.
"Well... let's go home," Superman said as they reached the jet and began to file inside.