Chapter Three: Empty Skies
[Location: Apokolips, outskirts of the Ignis sector: Vorago.]
"…not invincible."
Steppenwolf surfaced from the subterranean chasm of sleep. He rolled over to face the balcony that offered an expansive view of the Ignis sector. Scintillant light from distant fire pits skittered off the tile floor in brief bursts. One could see from the balcony that the Ignis sector was crowded with familiar industrialization that encompassed most of Apokolips. Steppenwolf's residence happened to be in a pocket of space known as Vorago. This was a rare open area near the Sphere of No-Form. Some of those deemed important to the monarchy lived in these residential units. And Steppenwolf was an individual who was considered useful.
Steppenwolf felt irritated. As his mind swiftly caught up with his surroundings, Steppenwolf suddenly realized what was bothering him so much. There was someone knocking continuously at his door. Steppenwolf never talked to his neighbors. In fact, he rarely ever even saw them. And the lower classes would be shot on sight if they came anywhere near Vorago.
"…Who?"
Steppenwolf threw himself out of bed, ready to knock the lights out of whoever was trying to pester him. He stomped down to the first level and cracked the door open a few inches. Malice rained down in fiery showers from Steppenwolf's expression at the squat annoyance standing before him.
"Godfrey? What are you doing here?"
"Steppe, friend! I'm glad you came so quickly!"
Glorious Godfrey was a young trainee attempting to join the ranks of the Apokoliptian military. He was charismatic and could talk a good game, but Steppenwolf knew he was in for a headache whenever Godfrey's sprightly russet hair appeared on the horizon. Everyone else didn't seem to be at odds with Godfrey, but his energetic nature clashed with Steppenwolf's somber attitude.
Steppenwolf opened the door all the way, now perplexed.
"What… did you just call me?"
"It's a nickname! Anyways, I am here by the specific request of the King, that's right! I was sent here to retrieve: You! The great Yuga Khan requests your presence at the royal palace!"
Godfrey's excitable ways may have irked Steppenwolf, but he knew the trainee wouldn't lie about the king of Apokolips desiring his presence.
"…I understand. But… I won't show you any mercy if you call me 'Steppe' again."
"Suli Lux. Do you know why you've been brought before me?"
"Q-queen Heggra… I don't-"
Heggra loomed over the frightened woman kneeling before her. Her favored Female Furies stood on each side of the prisoner in pairs. The atmosphere of the Sphere of No-Form usually crackled with the heat of cramped trainees. But now it was cavernous, echoing with the voices of the six within its walls. The appearance was different too. Gone was the simulator used in every day training, lowered underground and replaced with a physical arena. Death was not preferable in daily training as it was considered a waste of those with potential. However, tangible battles were fought when trainees were set to graduate into the elite service of the Apokoliptian military. Those who lived were placed into ranks according to how well they fought and how many opponents they defeated. But Suli Lux was not a warrior. Heggra knew this.
Suli struggled with her restraints. Heggra then uttered the name of her child.
"Uxas."
Suli froze, lifting her gaze with trepidation. Heggra tilted her head back towards the ceiling.
"How did you meet my magnificent son?"
Suli shook her head and opened her mouth to respond, but Heggra callously interrupted.
"Actually, I don't care. Listen to me, you little harlot: my son has immense potential. Who but Heggra could have could have borne a child with such a vast reserve of colossal power!? But do you know what he speaks of now? A woman… A woman scrounged from the Abyssus sector. Peaceful and calm…" Heggra pointed a finger in Suli's face, her voice beginning to quake with rage. "Uxas does not need PEACE and CALM. He is Apokoliptian ROYALTY. He will eventually have an entire planet to worry about. He must mistake me for being softer than I really am, because he told me… he told me of you. And he said your name as if it was the sweetest thing his lips had ever tasted. My Uxas does NOT need LOVE. You will make him weak. And I can't accept that or YOU!"
Heggra's voice nearly rose to a shriek as she ended her tirade. The Furies were used to the Queen's eruptions of anger, so they stood without reaction as her emotions hemorrhaged. On the other hand, Suli's expression deflated into a sheet of distress.
"It's not his fault…" Suli murmured.
Heggra looked disgusted.
"What was that? 'It's not his fault?' You ignorant nymphet, I know it's not his fault! Marraxa, uncuff her. Wunda, Chasma – give me your weapons."
As Heggra received the electric spears the Furies guarded her with, Suli was released from her bonds. Heggra took a few steps back and leveled her gaze with Suli. She pointed one of the electric spears towards Suli before speaking once more.
"Suli Lux. Get up. I'll warn you right now: If you attempt to flee, I will kill you immediately. You are now my opponent and I'm going to show you how much I care about my son's glorious future. Now, I'm not completely unfair. You'll get one of these weapons I'm holding. But I will not be easy to defeat. I am QUEEN HEGGRA of APOKOLIPS. Now fight me, you sorceress!"
One of the Furies that handed over a weapon looked at Suli sadly.
The royal palace sat upon an artificial hill, shimmering like a kaleidoscopic mirage that inhabitants of the surrounding slums could never reach. Traveling from the Ignis sector to the royal palace didn't take long by hovercraft. But it did require a detour through a zone near one of the largest fire pits on Apokolips. This was done to avoid the blight of the poorest area on the planet: Armagetto.
Godfrey had been tasked with retrieving everyone who Yuga Khan was assembling at the palace. Godfrey had saved Steppenwolf for last, so he could chatter about the gloriousness of being able to fight for the will of Apokolips. Steppenwolf knew Godfrey expected him to agree. And he did, but Steppenwolf didn't want to waste energy keeping up with Godfrey's accelerated rants. So, Steppenwolf was quiet on the ride from Ignis to the palace.
After a short walk from the craft multiplex, they neared the palace gates. It suddenly occurred to Steppenwolf that there was a vast cluster of Apokoliptians buzzing around. Those from many different castes were assembled: Female Furies, warriors, scientists, doctors, priests, and so on. Steppenwolf came to a halt, but Godfrey kept going, still gibbering about how he was going to be a magnificent warrior.
"Godfrey. Hey… GODFREY!"
Godfrey paused. He dramatically swiveled around in slow motion.
"Yes, friend?" He replied with an overzealous grin.
"Just how many has the King gathered?" Steppenwolf asked, slightly disappointed his summoning didn't appear to be all that unique.
Godfrey's grin somehow grew wider.
"I, Glorious Godfrey, have acquired the presence of over one thousand suitable candidates for the splendid troops of the great Yuga Khan!"
Steppenwolf didn't reply, but he knew why they were here when the word troops left Godfrey's lips. Evidently, even trainees were being utilized this time.
"Another invasion… How interesting."
Yuga Khan burst forth onto the balcony overlooking his flock of underlings as this thought drifted around Steppenwolf's mind. Startled, Godfrey jumped and scrambled to join the crowd. Steppenwolf quickly joined him. Yuga Khan surveyed the masses before stretching his arms out to the sides, basking in the cheers the Apokoliptians dutifully released for him. Standing high above the rest, Yuga Khan was a towering figure with arched horns stemming from a regal helmet. They reached high above his head in graceful curves, making him seem even larger than he already was. His royal outfit was constructed with symbols of death, meant to strike fear in all that opposed his might.
This was Heggra's husband. King of Apokolips.
"MY LOYAL SUBJECTS! I stand before you today in great determination and zeal! If you have guessed that I have brought so many here for something deeply important: You would be correct. Too long… Too long has our planetary twin tried to make a mockery of us by deriding our efforts to colonize the known universe. That deranged old man they put in charge sends his pithy children to halt our efforts. I think it's time to put an end to that. Yes… It's time for us to destroy… New Genesis."
New Genesis was a planet occupying the same interdimensional space as Apokolips. It was said that both Apokolips and New Genesis used to be a singular planet known as Urgrund. This planet was split in half after a cataclysmic event that killed a race of powerful beings known as the Old Gods. After the Old Gods were obliterated and Urgrund divided, New Genesis and Apokolips were born inside a realm of time and space known as the Fourth World. These two planets created the New Gods: the denizens of each planet. Beings born as New Gods inside the Fourth World were more powerful and lived longer than those outside the space. This was due to the planets' proximity to a primordial energy known only as the Source. The Apokoliptians didn't know much about the Source because the people of New Genesis guarded it with ferocious ardor.
In addition to their citizens being elevated to cosmic status, Apokolips and New Genesis were also technologically advanced. These things aided Apokolips well since its rulers wanted to conquer the planets outside the Fourth World. Their armed forces would simply crack open Boom Tubes – super-powered wormholes they could connect anywhere with the aide of devices known as Mother Boxes – and leave. Yuga Khan was now addressing the problem of New Genesis meddling in these plans. The Apokoliptian military would invade planets that already had intelligent life, reconstructing everything they encountered. The ruler of New Genesis, the Highfather, didn't approve of this. He constantly was finding ways to stop the Apokoliptian forces. And that is what Yuga Khan sought to put an end to.
Steppenwolf became awash in puzzlement as Yuga Khan continued his speech.
"The King could crush New Genesis just by standing on it's surface. After all this time… After all this rage, why doesn't he want to do it himself?"
"…And so, my loyal subjects, we will obliterate the stain of New Genesis from our very reality! And then… NOTHING WILL OPPOSE YOUR KING'S MIGHT! Each and every one of you are to report to the Sphere of No-Form tomorrow to receive your individual post and assignments. A week from now… only Apokolips will be left to occupy the Fourth World."
With that, Yuga Khan nodded and disappeared back into the palace amidst another wave of obligatory cheers. The assembled Apokoliptians broke into groups to gossip amongst themselves. Steppenwolf turned to leave until a familiar voice eddied through the air, catching his attention with its intensity.
"Harriet! Harriet! You'll never guess what Chasma told me Queen Heggra is doing!"
Steppenwolf slowly inched closer to the voice, curious upon hearing his elder sister's name being spoken with such excitement.
"Whaaat? What is our Queen doing to get you in such a fuss, Gilotina? Ha ha!"
Gilotina's voice lowered several octaves.
"Well, I heard from Chasma that the Queen is mighty upset with little ole Uxas and his girlfriend. Yeah, apparently he's been seeing some woman from Abyssus. So… the Queen is making her die for him in the Sphere of No-Form. Doesn't that sound like so much fun?"
Mad Harriet, the emerald haired Fury that Gilotina was prattling with, glanced up. Steppenwolf's lofty form was now lingering over both Furies. Steppenwolf's usually stoic expression was now an acidic basin of outrage. Upon seeing the disapproving look splashed across Steppenwolf's face, Harriet decided to take a swipe at him.
"Helloooooo, Steppenwolf! What do you think of your dear sister's plans today? Are they regal? Queenly? Ha ha!"
Gilotina swiveled around, defensively posing as if she expected Steppenwolf to attack.
"Steppenwolf! Why do you keep showing up everywhere I go? Can't you just leave a Fury in peace, you brute!?"
Before Steppenwolf could process everything that was said, another recognizable voice drifted to him through the humid air.
"Uncle?"
Steppenwolf pivoted towards the voice where he then saw the crowd had split in half. Standing in the middle was a young Apokoliptian robed in illustrious clothing that identified him as royalty. He looked to Steppenwolf quizzically.
"It is you!"
Steppenwolf started to back up, feeling his skin prickle with urgency.
"Sister… What are you doing? What's wrong with you!?"
"Steppenwolf…?"
"Uxas… I have… I have something I need to attend to."
Suli Lux had no intentions to fight the Queen in battle. She was peaceful by nature: A rarity on the blazing world of Apokolips. Hatred broiled around her, a boundless cauldron in the farthest reaches of the universe. However, Suli wished to help obtain splendor for her world, not by violence but through transformative science. Meeting Uxas, son of the Queen, had only been by chance but his powerful nature seized her heart. And her lust for bettering their world had captured his. But Heggra didn't know this nor would she even care if she did.
The graduation arena was full of marvelous devices designed to create engaging battles. Along the sides of the arena were raised platforms one could climb onto to swiftly escape a combatant. Suli had taken note of these before she was uncuffed. When Heggra freed Suli from her shackles, she tossed the Abyssus woman an electric spear belonging to one of her Furies. Suli threw down the weapon immediately and nimbly scurried up the tallest platform in the arena. That is where she sat now, with her arms crossed and legs carefully folded. Heggra stood beneath the platform, squawking in rage.
"WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU CAN ESCAPE ME THROUGH DISGUSTING ACTS OF PACIFISM?"
"Queen Heggra, I am not your enemy and I am not going to fight you. If you could just let me-"
"WUNDA! CHASMA! Get over here and get this blithering cretin down from there."
Wunda begun marching towards the Queen and Suli, but Chasma remained in place. Her neck was strained towards the entrance of the arena, listening to something no one else could hear.
"Chasma-!?"
"Somebody… big is in the Sphere of No-Form, my Queen. It's not any of the other Furies."
"WHAT!? I strictly told those six not to let anyone in!"
"Well, someone is in here and they're coming upstairs fas-"
The sealed entrance cracked open revealing the Queen's younger brother. He was now in the scope of his elder sister's stronghold. He had come promptly, worried for his sister's sanity. Wunda and Chasma sprinted towards him so they could restrain the intruder. But they were no match for him without their weapons. Without letting Heggra leave his line of vision, Steppenwolf easily threw Wunda and Chasma to the sides.
"SISTER…! Sister, why!? Why didn't you let me take… care of this? You are the queen! This isn't… something I would see you doing. You are beneath activities of this sort! Do you realize some of the Furies are spreading this…?"
Steppenwolf took notice of Suli who was regarding him with a look of complete calm.
"The woman… is not armed?"
Heggra looked as if she was about to fracture into a swell of molten rage.
"YOU MIGHTY FOOL! YOU'RE BRASH! INDIGNANT! And you have no right to be! You have meddled in something that was not meant for you! I'm grown – strong and powerful! I don't need you to protect me! You are right that I am your QUEEN. Not just your sister! Why must I remind you of this constantly!?"
Chasma cleared her throat, still laying where she had been thrown.
"My Queen. The prisoner has somehow escaped."
Heggra whipped her head around to find that the platform that Suli took refuge on was now empty. Heggra continued to stare at the platform but pointed her index finger at Steppenwolf. Chasma seemed relieved, but the Queen wasn't paying attention to her.
"Marraxa, Fovea – you both should have been watching that wretch." She scolded the Furies first before turning her attention to her brother. "Ah… Dearest Steppenwolf… You are to come back to the palace with me. And you are not to tell Uxas anything lest you face the wrath of a thousand fire pits."
Steppenwolf faltered for a moment before answering correctly.
"...Yes… My Queen."