The endless reaches of space, a peaceful vastness that while beautiful, was not without danger. Near the rings of Saturn, one of the many asteroids that made up its rings had been knocked off course, and would eventually reach earth. However, the League was already a few steps ahead.
Superman shoved a probe into the asteroid, reading the composition of the stone. J'honn floated off to the side, a tablet in hand as he read the outlines. As he did, Kari bobbed over, peeking over his shoulder.
"How're we looking?" she asked.
"32% Iron oxide, 21% carbon, 19% silicon." J'honn listed off.
"You getting this, Hawkgirl?" Superman asked.
Back in the Watchtower, Hawkgirl looked over the data before turning to her comm.
"As if you were in the next room." she replied. "I'm sending your data through back-up analysis as we speak."
"Still can't believe this thing is three miles wide." Kari remarked. "If this thing hit the earth, we'd have an extinction level event that rivaled the dinosaurs."
"That's why we're here." Superman replied.
J'honn took Kari's arm, pulling her away as Superman flew over with a large bomb. He slammed it into the crust of the asteroid, activating it. J'honn grabbed another bomb and did the same. The two shared a thumbs up, then they flew back to the waiting Javelin with Kari. She looked back at the asteroid, smiling.
"Thanks for letting me tag along." she told them. "It's nice being in space. The zero g's is amazing."
"Just wait until the fireworks." Hawkgirl told her.
"You sure you can handle it, J'honn?" Superman questioned.
"I will have to." he replied. "With Green Lantern on another assignment, there was no one else capable of completing the task."
Kari took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.
"I got you." she promised. "Don't worry."
As the countdown continued, Hawkgirl saw something on the monitors. She gasped, immediately turning to the comms.
"Superman!" she cried out. "The other 28% of the asteroid is hydrogen gas! Get away from that thing before it-!"
The asteroid then exploded into bits, igniting the hydrogen gas and causing a much larger combustion than anticipated. The three Leaguers were blown out into open space, the explosion tearing through the Javelin like it was made of tissue paper. In the Watchtower, Hawkgirl's comms were nearly blown out by the sudden explosion. She yelped in pain, pulling the receiver from her ear. Suddenly, everything went dead. The reading were reduced to static, as was the comms. She picked it up again, trying desperately to reach them.
"Superman!" she shouted. "J'honn! Kari! Do you read me?!"
Upon getting no answer, Hawkgirl slowly lowered the receiver, fearing the worst.
...
At the wreckage of the crash site, bits of the asteroid floated amongst the pieces of the javelin. Superman, J'honn, and Kari were floating aimlessly as well, their space suits miraculously undamaged. They were all unconscious though, and thus helpless as a large alien craft closed in on them.
"Life functions still active sir." one of the aliens of the ship announced.
The captain of the ship looked out at the wreck.
"Incredible." he let out. "Bring them aboard."
A blue tractor beam then engulfed the three of them and pulled them on board.
...
Unsure of what to do, Hawkgirl had called the first League she thought of. When he got there and she explained what happened, he was less than thrilled.
"How could you let this happen?!" Green Lantern demanded. "You were supposed to be monitoring them!"
"What to do think I was doing, filing my nails?" Hawkgirl snapped. "I kept an eye on the readings and alerted them the second I knew about the hydrogen pockets."
"Well now, three of our teammates are out there, injured." GL continued. "Maybe worse."
"You wanna stand around, pointing fingers all day," Hawkgirl asked, "or do you want to do something about this?"
GL lifted up his ring hand, green energy buzzing on the top.
"Let's go." he declared.
...
Superman slowly came to, finding himself suspended by his wrists. His space suit was gone, and he was not alone. Many other aliens, some unconscious, other barely so, were in a state similar to his own. Off to the side, he could see J'honn and Kari, both of them still out cold.
"J'honn..." he let out. "Kari..."
He tried pulling free of the bonds, but they were electrified. As he sagged back down, a pair of aliens watched him.
"Your instincts were right about this one, Captain." one of the aliens spoke up. "My tests say he's a Kryptonian."
"A Kryptonian." the captain marveled. "I thought they were all extinct."
"Apparently not." the first alien replied.
"A rare specimen, and a strong one to boot." the captain mused. "He should do well on War World."
Superman didn't have long to contemplate the fate these aliens had placed on him. The force of the electric shocks, as well as the fatigue and wounds from the explosion, pulled him back into the black abyss of unconsciousness.
...
The aforementioned War World was a barbaric planet, one where the daily fights were a common spectacle. The bloodthirsty masses cheered as gladiators fought to the gruesome finish, often ending with the loser's demise. At the current time, the undefeated champion of the fights was a being known as Draaga. The entire arena cheered his name, throwing their fists in the air
"Save your cheers, that's not what Draaga fights for!" Draaga declared, lifting up his axe. "Draaga fights for honor!
The masses broke out into applause at this as Draaga turned his attention towards a large balcony.
"And for our great leader, The Great Mongol!" he shouted.
From an entry in that balcony, entered a large humanoid creature with yellow skin and purple garb with a metal headpiece on the back of his head sitting on a hovering throne that moved out to the edge.
"Well said, Draaga." Mongol agreed, standing up. "But I wonder what your opponent thinks. Don't you?!"
The crowds erupted in response, much to Mongol's elation. He grinned viciously, then began the introduction.
"He hails from parts unknown, at a weight of 720 mass units." He began. "Meet Krodar the Terrible!"
A panel next to Draaga opened, allowing a strange, techno-organic jellyfish looking alien to emerge. It had several weapons attached to its tentacles, ranging from knives to guns. It squelched over to its place, awaiting the battle to begin. Krodar fired off a shot, blasting off a nearby outreaching spike, which crashed to the ground.
"He prefers to let his weapons do the talking." Mongol advertised. "And that's exactly what they'll do, on War World!"
The crowds began cheering once more, shouting 'War World' over and over again. As they did, a teleportation gun emerged from under Mongol's balcony. The shooter on duty blasted both gladiators, transporting them to the arena, War World's ruined moon.
The entire moon was covered in burnt-out buildings and piles of rubble. Whether they were remnants of a civilization or merely a setting for the games was unknown. However, no life existed on the moon, save for the two gladiators sent there.
Once he arrived on the moon, Draaga readied his axe, prepared to defend himself. When he realized his opponent was not there, he took off into the ruins, several floating camera droids following his movements. These droids are what allowed the arena back on War World to enjoy the fight, playing the fight from various angles.
As Draaga continued to skulk through the ruins, he kept a sharp eye out for his opponent. Suddenly, one of Krodar's tentacles shot out and grabbed him by the neck. Thinking fast, Draaga sliced the tentacle clean off, freeing himself. Krodar screamed in pain, firing at Draaga with its gun. Draaga easily avoided the blasts, then launched his axe at the building Krodar was clinging to. It crumbled around the alien jellyfish, burying it in rubble.
As the dust began to settle, Draaga got to his feet, reclaiming his axe. As he grabbed it, what remained of Krodar's body lurched out, fizzing and bleeding a black ichor. Though it was still alive, it was clearly in no position to fight. The crowds began booing and jeering, angry at how quickly the fight had been decided.
"Once again, the winner is mighty Draaga." Mongol declared.
"Shall I spare him my lord?" Draaga asked.
"What say the rest of you?" Mongol proposed to the crowds.
The crowd began howling for blood, calling for the death of Krodar. Mongol smiled, having expected as much.
"The people have spoken!" he declared, throwing his arms into the air. "Long live Democracy!"
Draaga then brought his axe down on Krodar, killing him instantly. Even still, the crowd was restless and angry, still mad about the short fight. Upon realizing this, Mongol lowered his arms, scowling bitterly.
...
Back onboard the ship carrying the captive Leaguers, a call came in for the captain. He answered it, an image of Mongol now dominating the front window of the ship.
"Captain." Mongol greeted. "I want you to hear something."
The sounds of various 'boos' from the crowd began ringing out.
"They're expressing their disappointment in the last specimen you brought." Mongol elaborated.
"Great Mongol, please-" The captain tried.
"A dozen creatures you brought me, and not a single one could last more than two minutes against Draaga."
"I promise, the next one will be sure to please you." The captain insisted. "I have managed to locate a Kryptonian, no doubt one of the last survivors of that decimated planet."
"A Kryptonian, you say." Mongol pondered. "This may have promise."
"I guarantee you Lord Mongol, he'll give Draaga the fight of his life." the captain promised.
"He'd better." Mongol threatened before cutting off.
The captain released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, genuinely afraid for his life.
...
GL and Hawkgirl arrived at the wreck of the Javelin, both of them surrounded in a bubble of green energy. They'd followed the ship's tracking beacon, which was thankfully still active. They looked around, Hawkgirl holding her mace nervously.
"I don't see them." she told her companion.
"The blast wasn't powerful enough to vaporize them." GL muttered. "A passing ship must have seen the explosion and came to the rescue."
"Either that, or they decided to take advantage of three helpless castaways." Hawkgirl added.
"Right." GL let out, scanning the wreck for any trace of an ion trail.
After a bit of looking, he finally caught sight of one.
"Got it." he announced. "Our 'Good Samaritans' went this way."
He then chased after the trail, Hawkgirl in tow.
...
Deep in the bowels of War World, various alien slaves were chained to the walls and support columns. Superman was among them, Draaga standing over him before delivering a cruel kick to the Man of Steel's stomach. He let out a grunt as Draaga lorded over him, scowling in disgust.
"Pathetic." He criticized. "The whole lot of you. Not real warrior in the bunch!"
He then bent down, meeting Superman's eyes.
"And you, the Kryptonian." he continued. "You're the biggest disappointment of all."
He then spat in his face before walking away. Once he was gone, Superman easily snapped the chains binding him, wiping his face with his sleeve. A mantis-like alien watched him in surprise.
"Why didn't you do that when Draaga was here?" he questioned.
"It's called turning the other cheek." Superman explained. "I have to find some friends of mine."
He then walked towards the doors of the large cell, easily punching it away. Once he was out in the halls, he began to hear a familiar voice.
"Wake up, J'honn!" Kari begged. "We need to get out of here!"
He followed the voice, eventually entering a large room mostly taken up by the dead bodies of past gladiators. Off to the side, Kari was shaking J'honn as hard as she could, looking out at the water in terror.
"Wake up!" she cried out.
"Kari?" Superman called out.
Kari turned in an instant.
"Superman!" she cheered. "We have to get out of here, now!"
"What's going on?" he questioned. "What are you afraid of?"
Just them a large alligator like creature came up out of the murky water, leering towards them. It roared loudly as Kari went pale.
"Does that answer your question?" she asked.
Superman flew forward and punched the creature in the face. The creature reeled a bit before charging forward. Superman punched it again, this time so hard it fell back into the water. Once the creature was dealt with, Superman went back over to J'honn and Kari.
"You two okay?" He asked.
"I'm okay." Kari assured him. "Unfortunately, these guys found out I'm crippled and dumped me down here. As for J'honn, he's barely conscious, and can hardly move. This place… it's draining him."
"Well it won't be for long." Superman promised. "We're getting out of here."
He scooped up J'honn under one arm and Kari under the other. He then started carrying the two out of the croc pit and back up into the main hallway.
"Which way?" Kari questioned.
About that time, a low moan emanated from the Martian as he stirred in Superman's grip. He looked up, then his eyes widened.
"Look out!" he warned.
Superman just barely dodged some oncoming blaster fire, coming from security robots closing in on them.
"Looks like that way's out of the question." he declared, taking off in the opposite direction.
They ran around the corner, Superman depositing J'honn and Kari on the ground as he ripped a chunk of the wall off. He then chucked it around the corner at the robots, destroying them. One of the gun arms skittered across the floor towards Kari, allowing her to grab it. She primed it as more robots came charging at them, blasting them away as she covered J'honn.
"Thank you for all those shooting lessons, Bats." she said quietly.
"Up there!" J'honn pointed out, gesturing upward.
The two looked and saw a hole in the ceiling created by the blast. Superman grabbed the two and flew straight up out of the hole and towards the city outside the arena. As he flew towards the edge of the arena however, an invisible energy field stopped him from leaving.
Superman and Kari plummeted to the ground, but J'honn ended up going flying through the field, landing on the other side. The three slowly sat up, Superman reaching for the barrier. The second his hand touched it, he ended up electrocuting himself. Kari was met with a similar result when she tried.
"No!" she cried out. "Damnit!"
"It's a force field." Superman realized.
J'honn began getting to his feet, obviously shaky and weak. When he saw his friends trapped on the other side, he moved to help them. Unfortunately, that's when more robotic guards appeared, closing in on the two trapped Leaguers.
"J'honn, you need to get out of here!" Superman insisted. "Go!"
"I won't leave you!" J'honn insisted.
"You'll have a better chance of helping us from out there!" Superman told him. "Now go!"
Kari kept firing on the robots, but after about three shots, her gun fizzled out. The soldiers moved in, grabbing her as more shot at Superman. The blasts knocked him out, allowing the robots to cart him away. J'honn watched his friends get carried off, then reluctantly ran from the arena.
...
Hundreds of lightyears away, GL and Hawkgirl were still following the ion trail through the cosmos. Unfortunately, they came across a small problem when their trail crossed paths with several others. GL brought the pair to a stop at that, cursing under his breath.
"What's wrong?" Hawkgirl asked.
"This area is a well-traveled space line." He explained. "The trail from the ship carrying Superman, J'honn and Kari is getting mixed in with half a dozen other trails."
"Probably because of that." Hawkgirl suggested, pointing to a small planetoid off to the side.
"Looks like a refueling station." GL deduced.
"You think, Sherlock?" Hawkgirl quipped. "Let's just go down there and see if anyone's seen our friends."
"Who's driving this thing, anyway?" GL asked.
Still, he did as he was told and directed them down towards the planetoid.
...
In Mongol's throne room, the monarch listened as his advisor informed him of the state of his planet. He was not surprised to hear that things were looking grim for his people, but it did not change how little he cared.
"Food rations are being cut by 15%." the advisor began. "The medical shortages continue, and we've had a rash of blackouts that continue to grow in length and frequency. Dissent continues to grow amongst the people, and I fear that if this continues, we may have a rebellion on our hands."
Mongol scoffed, waving a bored hand.
"You bore me with these petty complaints." He dismissed. "There won't be a rebellion."
He then got off his throne and walked over to a window overlooking the arena.
"Not if I can keep giving them fights." He continued. "Good ones. Ones that will take their minds off their petty troubles."
As he said this, the security bots dragged a semi-conscious Superman and a struggling Kari into the throne room. Mongol stared at them in confusion, contempt, and annoyance.
"Let go of us, you stupid rust buckets!" Kari screamed.
"What's this?" Mongol asked.
"The Kryptonian and his broken humanoid companion." the advisor answered. "Apparently they tried to escape."
"Get these robots to let me go, and I'll show you just how tough this 'broken' humanoid can be!" Kari challenged.
"Your friend is quite spirited." Mongol noted. "Now what can be done about that?"
"Leave… her alone..." Superman growled.
"So you wish to take her punishment?" Mongol questioned. "Fine by me. I was hoping to warm you up with a few preliminary matches, but now it seems I'll have to make an example out of you. Take him to Draaga!"
The robots began dragging Superman away, much to Kari's horror.
"No!" she screamed. "Stop this! You can't do this!"
In anger, Mongol slapped Kari hard across the face. She dropped, out once more and with a large bruise on her face.
"Bring her to the ring." He ordered. "Let her watch as her Kryptonian friend meets his match. Perhaps that will curb that insolent tongue of hers."
They dragged her off as well as Mongol looked out at the arena, excited about the upcoming match.
...
Back in the fueling station, GL and Hawkgirl were interrogating some of the various lowlifes who frequented the planetoid. GL had one pinned against the wall, the bruises on the guy suggesting he'd been under the Green Lantern's thumb for a while.
"How many times do I have to tell you?" the alien insisted. "I don't know nothing! I mind my own business, and you should too."
GL then threw him against another wall in frustration.
"My friends are missing." He told him. "That is my business."
"Sorry pal, but I ain't your guy." the alien insisted. "Around here, you stick your nose out and you're liable to lose it."
"Why is that?" GL asked, dropping him.
"There's a lot going on." The alien explained. "Smuggling, bootlegging, slave trading-"
Just then, a blue alien came flying through the window of a nearby pub. As he landed on the ground, Hawkgirl came climbing through the broken window, looking beyond pissed. The alien GL had been interrogating took off as GL approached his irritated teammate. The three aliens began circling Hawkgirl before moving in. She easily kicked the first two aside before being dogpiled by one of them. The other two followed suit piling on her. Finally, GL intervened and used his ring to grab the three of them and lift them into the air.
"Let me guess, it was something you said." GL remarked, deactivating his ring and letting them fall.
"I was doing fine, you know." she snapped, getting up and dusting herself off.
"I've got more important things to do than save your butt." GL said sternly.
"Listen, those three knew something about what happened to our friends." Hawkgirl insisted. "And now, thanks to you, they're getting away."
"Hold on, don't get your panties in a bunch." GL told her.
Hawkgirl just looked at him blankly.
"What are 'panties'?" she questioned. "And what do they have to do with those guys getting away."
This time it was GL's turn to go silent.
"Never mind." He replied before shooting his ring out and grabbing one of the aliens as he tried to run.
The alien struggled in the grip of the green energy before he was deposited into GL's grip. He struggled slightly, but GL quickly quelled that.
"Relax." GL told him. "All we want is information about our friends. You can talk to me, or you can talk to her."
He gestured to Hawkgirl with his thumb, the Thanagarian slapping her mace against her palm. The alien looked at her, then back at GL.
"There was talk of a Kryptonian being found in the middle of a wrecked ship." the alien explained. "Some slavers picked him and his buddies up, taking them to War World."
"War World?" GL questioned.
"Nasty place." the alien told them. "Heavy into carnage for the masses."
"Gladiatorial fights." Hawkgirl surmised before realization dawned. "If that's the case, then they'll have no use for anyone who can't fight."
Realizing what that meant, GL turned to the alien with a cold glare.
"You're taking us there, now." he snarled coldly.
...
Back on War World, the next fight had been announced, drawing the entire planet to the arena. Amongst the spectators was J'honn, wearing a ratted cloak to disguise himself since he was too weak to maintain a transformation for long periods of time. As he doddled there, the atmosphere robbing him of his momentum, one of the spectators bumped into him.
"Move it!" She snapped. "You don't wanna miss the fight!"
"So many spectators." J'honn noted. "Do these people not have families, or jobs?"
"Jobs?" the old hag cackled. "Don't know where you've been pal, but there ain't no jobs here."
"That is dreadful." J'honn lamented.
"You wanna talk dreadful, you should have seen the last games." the hag replied before continuing inside.
...
Inside the arena, Mongol sat before his people yet again to introduce the fight. The first to rise up on the stage was Draaga, much to the elation of the crowd. He raised an axe, calling out to them.
"Let anyone who dares to challenge me come forward!" He shouted. "No matter where they come from, they will all fall before Draaga!"
The crowds roared as Mongol began to address the crowds.
"Citizens of War World," Mongol addressed. "Today, Draaga will face his greatest foe: the man from Krypton!"
Superman was brought up next to Draaga, thick shackles on his wrists. The crowd gasped at the sight of him, including J'honn. As one of the robots freed him from his shackles, Mongol turned to Kari, who saw on the ground with her hands chained behind her. She stared out at Superman, clearly nervous. Seeing the look on her face brought a smile to Mongol's. One of the droids flew out to Superman and freed him from his bonds, before handing him a battle axe.
"Are you ready Kryptonian?" Mongol asked.
"I may be a prisoner Mongol," Superman spoke before breaking his axe. "But I'm no executioner.
The crowd was surprised, but Kari just smirked.
"You really think you can control Superman?" she jeered. "He'll never bow to your whims."
"Perhaps," Mongol replied. "But let's just see how long his idealism will last on… War World!"
With that, Draaga and Superman were both beamed to the planet's moon, the screen coming to life and showing the two combatants.
Before Superman even had a chance to get his bearings, Draaga came running up, swinging his axe. Superman barely dodged the initial attack, the blade just slicing a bit of his costume.
"Draaga!" Superman called out. "We don't have to do this."
"That's where you're wrong, Kryptonian." Draaga replied. "We must. There's no other choice."
He charged again, nearly bringing the axe down on Superman's head. Superman quickly grabbed it by the handle and struggled to keep it from coming down on his face. Draaga then punched Superman, knocking him back into a fallen wall. Superman then scrambled to get away from another swing, part of his cape getting caught in the blade.
Once his cape tore free, Superman tackled Draaga, knocking him down and claiming his axe. He wasted no time using his heat vision to melt the blade. Once he discarded the handle, Draaga tried coming up from behind and punching him. However, Superman just dodged the blow, picked him up, and threw him into the ground.
"Yes!" Kari cheered. "Go Superman!"
Mongol looked down at her, then back at the fight, surprised by the turn of events. Back in the fight, Draaga grabbed a giant piece of rock and threw it at Superman. The Man of Steel quickly leapt on and over the rock as it sailed past. He landed safely on the ground as Draaga grabbed a broken pole, throwing it like a javelin. Superman ducked under it as Draaga tackled him through a wall. As Draaga threw him to the ground, he began wailing on Superman endlessly.
"No..." J'honn gasped.
Kari strained against her chains, watching with a pained expression as Superman was savagely beaten. The crowd, however, did not share their sentiment. They were cheering loudly, happy to have finally gotten a good fight. Mongol just smirked, confident in how the fight would end.
"Give it to him, Draaga!" the old hag from before jeered. "Kill that lousy Kryptonian!"
For a moment, it almost seemed like she'd get her wish. Superman slumped in Draaga's grip, his hand flopping over to a pipe. However, his hand merely wrapped around it before he bashed Draaga in the face with it. Once Draaga was off of him, Superman got up and socked him in the face so hard he went flying out of the structure.
In a desperate gamble to win, Draaga scraped up a small handful of dirt, blowing it in Superman's face. The Man of Steel rubbed it away, only to see Draaga's fist connect with his face. This was followed by two more attacks before Draaga grabbed him by his cape, pulling him back before dropping the cape unceremoniously over his face. He then began to pull a large slab of stone out of the rubble, his intentions clear.
"No!" Kari shrieked. "Superman, get out of there!"
Draaga then brought the slab down on him, but Superman was quick to stop it. They struggled over it for a few seconds, then Superman shoved it away. Draaga stumbled, holding the stone above his head as Superman delivered another punch to his face. This caused Draaga to fall, and the slab to fall on top of him. Even Mongol seemed to be smiling at this turn of events. As Superman walked over to take the slab off of him, Draaga punched through it, nailing Superman in the face.
As Superman fell, Draaga grabbed another rock and threw it at him, connecting with his face. With his opponent momentarily incapacitated, Draaga set his sights on a giant rock slab, running towards it. It was cracked near the bottom, a flaw Draaga took advantage of by striking it in this weak spot. It crumbled a bit, allowing Draaga to lift the giant slab off its perch and over his head.
By this point, Superman was coming to, rubbing his face as the slab came flying at him. He barely had a chance to stand up before the slab came down, crushing him. The crowd cheered at Superman's apparent defeat, J'honn looking away in anguish and Kari fighting back tears.
"Superman..." she sobbed.
One of the camera bots flew over to Draaga, who lorded over Superman's slab.
"The Kryptonian has fallen!" he declared. "Draaga claims victory!"
Just then, the slab started shaking and cracking. It then exploded in a massive shockwave, revealing Superman still alive and kicking.
"Enough!" Superman declared.
Kari and J'honn both smiled in relief as Superman emerged from the dust.
"Yes." J'honn let out.
Draaga pushed a piece of rubble off of himself, attempting to fight once more. Superman simply socked him across the jaw, sending him stumbling back. This was followed by three more blows before Draaga was sent face first into a rock slab. The warrior made a vain attempt to swipe at Superman, but his strength was clearly gone. He leaned against the rock slab, sliding to the ground in exhaustion and defeat.
"He won..." Kari whispered before brightening. "He won!"
"Not yet he hasn't." Mongol told her before rising to his feet to address the crowd. "A stunning development! The Kryptonian has emerged the greater in his fight. Now, the fate of his opponent. What say you?!"
The crowd began booing and jeering, calling for Draaga's head. J'honn looked around the crowd, realizing what Mongol planned have Superman do.
"It's unanimous then!" Mongol declared. "The people have spoken! Finish him."
"I refuse." Superman said.
"You think you have a choice?" Mongol snapped. "I order you to finish him!"
"No." Superman answered.
"Do it..." Draaga groaned, drawing Superman's attention. "Give me… an honorable death. Here… on the battlefield."
"Sorry." Superman told him, looking away. "But I can't."
"How can I live with this shame?" Draaga asked. "Don't make me beg."
"Do as he says." Mongol told him. "This is your last chance. Either he dies…"
Just then, several security drones surrounded Superman, weapons at the ready.
"Or you do." Mongol finished.
"Greater men then you have tried." Superman told him.
"Then so be it." Mongol said, waving a hand.
Instantly, the robots began firing on Superman, catching him in a continuous stream of painful energy. He howled in agony, much to the horror of his friends.
"No!" Kari cried out. "Stop this! Please!"
"Your friend made his choice." Mongol replied.
"The Kryptonian won!" J'honn cried out. "Don't you want to see him fight again?!"
"Well… I'll admit he's pretty good!" The old hag commented. "A real champ!"
"He's more than that!" J'honn insisted. "He's a Superman!"
The robots stopped firing, a camera moving in on Superman to see if he was still alive. To Mongol's surprise, he began to stir. The monarch actually stumbled back a step as Superman glared at the camera defiantly.
"Is that the best you can do?" the Man of Steel taunted.
"You're tougher than I thought." Mongol conceded. "But I doubt even you could survive a high powered blast at close range."
"Take your best shot." Superman challenged.
Snarling, Mongol did just that, ordering the robots to fire once again. As they powered up their blasters, J'honn jumped to his feet.
"Superman!" He chanted. "Superman! Superman!"
Kari perked up at J'honn's voice, fighting the urge to search the crowd as she joined in the chant.
"Superman!" she shouted, shaking her chains in time to the chant. "Superman! Superman!"
Soon the rest of the crowd began joining in, shouting Superman's name. Mongol looked out at them all, his brow furrowed in annoyance as his advisor turned to him.
"If you execute him now, you'll have a riot on your hands." he warned.
Kari paused her chant, looking up at Mongol with a cocky grin.
"He's right." she quipped. "After all, the people have spoken."
Mongol growled in response.
"Very well." Mongol conceded. "The Kryptonian lives."
The crowd all cheered as the robots powered down their weapons. J'honn sagged back into his seat in relief, grateful his impromptu plan worked.
…
Later, Superman and an unconscious Draaga were transported back into the slave pens. Not long after that, Kari was blasted in as well, since Mongol was growing tired of her gloating face.
"Superman!" she shouted.
"Kari." He called back.
He turned and picked her up, easily snapping the chains on her cuffs so she could throw her arms around him.
"Thank God you're okay..." she said quietly. "I was a little worried for a minute there."
"I appreciate the concern." Superman replied.
"You got guts, Kryptonian." one of the other slaves announced, approaching the pair. "Nobody's ever defied Mongol and lived."
"Draaga tried, but he decided he'd rather live than die a pointless death." another slave added.
"After what you did today, you deserve to live too." a third slave said. "We've arranged an escape for you and your friend there."
"There's a garbage scow that's headed off planet." the first slave explained. "Once you're free, you can get back to your home planet, wherever that is."
"We can't." Kari insisted. "J'honn's still on the planet. I heard him in the crowd during the fight. We can't just leave him here."
"We won't." Superman promised. "But it's not safe for you here."
Kari wanted to argue, but he quickly cut her off.
"I know you don't want to leave J'honn, but now that I've made an enemy of Mongol, he'll use any leverage he can against me." he rationalized. "That includes you."
She let out a sigh, then met Superman's eyes.
"Fine." she told him. "But the second I get off planet, I'm going to find the nearest Green Lantern and get in contact with John. I am coming back."
"I know." Superman replied.
He handed her over to one of the slaves, who took her in their arms before heading off. Two more aliens then grabbed Draaga's unconscious body
"What are you gonna do with him?" Superman asked.
"Take him where the weak and defeated always go." one of the aliens answered.
"That croc pit." Kari realized. "You can't do that."
"Kid, Draaga ain't the kind of guy you want to spare." the alien holding her explained. "Since your Kryptonian friend defeated him, he won't rest until he evens the score."
Superman looked down at the fallen champion, and came up with an idea.
"Think he'll fit on that garbage scow?" he asked.
The aliens looked at Superman and Kari, who just nodded to Superman's request.
"I can't tell if these two are brave, or just plain crazy." the one holding Kari remarked.
"Definitely crazy." One of the aliens holding Draaga insisted.
...
Back with GL and Hawkgirl, the two leaguers were stuffed in the back of a cramped ship, their unwilling guide taking them to War World. Their ride was uncomfortable to say the least.
"Ouch!" Hawkgirl yelped. "Get off my wing!"
"I'm trying." GL assured her.
"I still say we should have just flown with your ring rather than let this guy shove us into this rust bucket." she snarled.
"Look lady, the galaxy ain't exactly small." the alien remarked. "I need my navi-computer to find War World."
"He's right." GL concurred.
"Great, take his side." Hawkgirl grumbled.
"I'm not taking his side." GL insisted. "I'm just saying-"
"I know exactly what you're saying." Hawkgirl interjected. "I'm wrong again and I should just shut up and blindly follow orders."
The alien glanced back at the two Leaguers, watching as they began to get into it.
"Y'know, I'm getting real sick of your attitude." GL responded. "Is everyone on Thanagar this thick headed?"
"Thick headed?!" Hawkgirl exclaimed. "Why you self-centered, green-eyed-!"
The alien took advantage of their fight, raising up a barrier between himself and the leaguers. He then activated a special feature in the back chamber, filling it with knockout gas.
"And another thing," Hawkgirl continued. "Just because you have that fancy ring, doesn't make you-"
She then inhaled some of the gas and began coughing. GL did the same, both of them breaking down into coughing fits. The two banged on the barrier, futily trying to escape. Hawkgirl managed to crack it before they both succumbed to the gases effects. They collapsed on top of one another, much to the alien's amusement.
...
Meanwhile, on a garbage dump, the War World garbage scow dumped its haul down onto the surface. Along with the several pounds of garbage, Draaga and Kari came falling out, landing in a heap. The sudden descent roused Draaga from his forced slumber, just in time to watch the scow fly off.
"What?" he let out. "No!"
"Glad you're finally awake, Draaga." Kari groaned, forcing herself to sit up. "You slept like the dead the entire flight."
Draaga ignored her as he ran towards the ship, trying to catch it. Unfortunately, it left before he had the chance. He cried out in fury.
"Look, it's not coming back." Kari called out to him. "We're free now. You can go home, and I can find my way to a Green Lantern outpost."
"I must go back!" Draaga let out. "I must return to War World."
"Are you insane?" she insisted. "If Superman hadn't put you on that scow with me, you'd be croc chow!"
"He denied me the chance to redeem myself!" Draaga retorted.
"He saved your life!" Kari screamed.
He just ignored her as he grabbed a piece of metal from a burning pile and bent into an S.
"What are you doing?" Kari questioned.
"He threw me away like someone's garbage." Draaga growled. "And I will never forgive him for that."
He then shoved the burning metal against his chest, right where Superman's S usually was. He howled in pain as he branded himself, removing the S and tossing it aside. Kari stared at him in shock as he climbed down from his perch, his chest still smoking as he grabbed her by the back of her shirt.
"You… You and the Kryptonian are close." he observed. "You call him by name, and he helped you escape."
"He's my friend." Kari told him, more than a little nervous. "That's why I have to find help, and save him."
"And how do you plan to do that?" he questioned. "Only scavengers and refuse can be found here."
Kari went pale at that as Draaga dropped her back onto the ground.
"But fear not." he told her. "You are my only connection to the Kryptonian now. Until my vengeance is fulfilled, you will be safe in my care."
He then sat down next to her, nothing to do but wait and hope for rescue.
...
The next day in War World, Mongol's advisor walked through the streets of the city, making his way towards the royal palace. As he did, he spotted a young teen spray painting on the wall. It didn't take a genius to see he was painting the Superman symbol, which had become a beacon of hope to the people after he'd stood up to Mongol.
"Hey!" the advisor called out, startling the kid. "You! Stop that!"
The kid dropped his spray can in a panic, running away before disappearing through a hole in a wall. The advisor then picked up the fallen spray can and noted the symbol on the wall. To his surprise, it was one of many that dotted the city.
...
Back at Mongol's palace, he was quickly becoming irritated by the constant chanting of Superman's name.
"Listen to them!" Mongol spoke. "Why do they flock to him?!"
"Because the Kryptonian is so powerful, he doesn't fear anyone." The advisor explained. "Not even you."
"Then we must teach him fear." Mongol declared.
…
Hawkgirl began to stir, finally shaking off the effects of the gas. As her eyes fluttered open, she found herself alone on a barren planet.
"Lantern?" She let out.
"Over here." he called out, approaching from over a hill. "Looks like we got taken for a ride."
"Where are we?" Hawkgirl questioned.
"I haven't the faintest idea." GL answered. "From the looks of it, our ride decided to ditch us on this rock."
"I knew we shouldn't have trusted that slimy son of a-" Hawkgirl began.
"Calm down." GL told her.
"Easy for you to say." Hawkgirl replied. "We're stuck on a planet we don't recognize. We don't know where War World is, or even how to get back to earth. I mean, I fail to see how our situation could get any worse!"
"My ring could get us home," GL said. "But without knowing where exactly we are, we can't take the risk it'll run out of power before we find another habitable world."
"So… we can't get home." Hawkgirl realized. "And the two of us will be trapped here."
"Maybe forever." GL added.
"Oh..." Hawkgirl let out, sagging somewhat. "It just got worse."
As Hawkgirl walked off, she took off into the air, landing behind an outcropping of rocks for a moment of privacy, GL flew up next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Look, I'm sorry." he told her. "I've been hard on you ever since this mess happened. I guess I was just so worried about our teammates that I lashed out at you."
"I didn't exactly help matters either." Hawkgirl admitted. "I- lights!"
GL turned and saw some bright lights off in the distance.
"Maybe we're not the only ones here after all." He rationalized.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Hawkgirl questioned, grabbing GL's hand. "Let's go!"
The two then flew off to investigate the lights.
...
Rather than finding any sign of civilization, they came across a decrepit camp, no doubt set up by scavengers or another poor soul stranded there. They landed, Hawkgirl looking around in disgust.
"What a dump." she remarked.
"I've seen worse." GL replied.
"I'll bet." Hawkgirl quipped.
As they looked around, something moved behind a pile of rubble. GL noticed the movement, signaling to Hawkgirl. She nodded, readying her mace. He then sent out an energy blast, grabbing the rubble and yanking it out of the way. Much to his surprise, this revealed a figure they did NOT expect to see.
"Kari?" Hawkgirl questioned.
"Hawkgirl!" Kari cried out. "GL! You found me!"
She was dirty, her clothes slightly torn and the broken shackles still on her wrists, but she seemed relatively unharmed.
"Glad to see you're alright." GL told her, boosting her up with his ring. "Are Superman and J'honn with you?"
"No." she answered. "They're still on War World. J'honn was weakened by the atmosphere, but was able to escape from the arena. Superman was forced into a fight, and after standing up to their tyrannical ruler, he earned the respect of the other slaves and they offered him an escape route. He turned it down so he could help J'honn, but arranged for me to escape. Unfortunately, I wasn't the only one Superman released."
"What do you mean?" GL asked.
That's when Draaga emerged from the shadows, gripping a makeshift axe in his hands.
"Release her now, or lose your hand, Green Lantern." the former champion threatened.
"Draaga, stop." Kari insisted. "They're my friends. Superman's friends!"
Draaga stopped upon hearing that.
"Is that so?" He pondered.
"We need to get to War World." GL told him. "I'm assuming you can help us?"
"Indeed I can." Draaga confirmed.
...
Sometime later, the four of them were flying in one of GL's energy bubbles across the galaxy.
"We're almost there." Draaga assured them.
Hawkgirl looked at Draaga, noting the burn on his chest. She then turned to Kari.
"Did he always have that?" she asked.
Kari shook her head.
"He did that to himself not long after we were dumped on the garbage planet." she explained. "He believes Superman robbed him of an honorable death on the battlefield. Because of this, he's sworn vengeance."
"Then why are we bringing him with us?" Hawkgirl questioned.
"Because he's the only one who knows how to get to War World." GL answered.
"There it is!" Draaga announced, pointing towards the planet.
...
Once they reached the planet's surface, they continued flying around on the lookout for their friends. GL and Hawkgirl marveled at the size of the place as Kari sighed.
"Back again." she let out.
"Well we won't be staying for long." GL told her. "Once we find Superman and J'honn, we're out of here."
"We know where Superman is, but what about J'honn?" Hawkgirl questioned.
"That's your problem." Draaga announced.
Before anyone could react, Draaga punched GL with all his strength, knocking the Green Lantern out and causing the bubble to dissipate. Everyone save for Hawkgirl began free falling. Thinking fast, Hawkgirl dove for GL, scooping him up. She tried to get to Kari, but someone beat her to the punch. Down on the ground, a figure in a ragged, brown cloak held out his arms, allowing her to fall into his arms.
"Kari?" the figure questioned.
Still a bit shaken by her fall, she didn't recognize the voice at first. However, once she saw the face under the cloak, she broke out into a grin.
"J'honn!" she cheered, throwing her arms around his neck. "I found you!"
"It is good to see you alright." J'honn told her, smiling down at her.
While the two got reunited, Draaga fell through three different awnings, cushioning his fall to the point that he could land safely, taking off down an alley. J'honn saw him, momentarily surprised.
"That was Draaga." he noted. "What is he-?"
"Long story for another time." Hawkgirl answered, landing with a still reeling GL in her arms. "Right now, we need to get to Superman."
...
"People want fights." Mongol said to a restrained Superman. "That's what I give them."
"What you're giving them is a substitute for what they really need." Superman retorted. "Food, medicine, and housing. What kind of ruler neglects his people so harshly?"
Mongol slapped him.
"No one talks to me that way, Kryptonian." He snarled.
Superman just smirked.
"Maybe somebody should." he replied. "Maybe then it would be your name the people are chanting out there instead of mine."
Mongol's scowled at that.
"Y'know, Draaga once said the same thing." he recalled. "He thought that since he had the love of the masses, he could make some changes around here. Luckily for him, I was able to make him see reason."
"What do you mean?" Superman questioned.
"It'll be easier to show you." Mongol answered, nodding towards his advisor.
The advisor looked down at a tablet in his hands, hitting a button and activating a holo-screen behind Mongol. An image of what looked like a large laser cannon shimmered into view.
"Its power can decimate a planet." Mongol promised. "And that's exactly what I would have done to Draaga's planet had he not fallen back in line. I can do the same to yours as well."
"You're too late on that." Superman told him. "Krypton was destroyed years ago. There's nothing left but dust."
"No matter." Mongol dismissed. "Any planet will do. Even Draaga's."
"You can't!" Superman let out.
"I can, and I will." Mongol threatened. "I was planning on simply making you watch as I snapped your crippled friend's neck, but since she's disappeared, I've been forced to change my plans."
Mongol then walked up to Superman and grabbed his face.
"Listen, and listen well, 'Superman'." Mongol told him. "If you want that planet spared, you're going to have one last fight. Against me. And you're going to lose, badly. Understand?"
Superman pulled his face free of Mongol's grip, his gaze locked on the holographic image of the laser cannon. With a resigned sigh, he lowered his head in defeat.
"That's what I thought." Mongol replied, walking away.
Unbeknownst to the two of them, J'honn had phased into the building, listening to everything that had been said. He quickly phased out and met up with Kari, whom he'd left hidden in a corner. He picked her up, his face betraying his fear.
"How bad?" Kari asked.
"Mongol has a weapon capable of destroying worlds." J'honn reported. "He intends to use on Draaga's if Superman doesn't lose to him."
"Then we gotta destroy that weapon." GL decided.
"Where is it?" Hawkgirl questioned.
"Follow me." J'honn insisted.
He walked off, the two heroes flying behind them.
...
At the arena, the crowds arrived in droves for what promised to be the fight of the century.
"Superman vs the great Mongol!" the announcer promised.
Among the spectators entering the arena, was a cloaked Draaga, hoping for the chance to reclaim his lost honor. He blended in with the wild crowds, each of them cheering loudly as he took his seat.
...
On the planets moon, Superman and Mongol were transported into the dismal arena. Both combatants were armed with a plasma axe, which Superman activated just before Mongol came up and tried to bring his down on him. Superman quickly blocked the attack as Mongol continued his assault. Superman then knocked Mongol's axe out of his hands, causing Mongol to grab Superman by the arms.
"Remember, a planet's life depends on you." Mongol reminded.
"I remember." Superman replied.
Mongol then got Superman's axe out of his hands and threw it against a wall, almost hitting a camera orb. Mongol tried punching Superman, but he easily blocked the blows. Superman then punched Mongol so hard he flew right into a wall, causing it to crumble as he fell to the ground. Before he did though, Superman flew up and grabbed him before slamming him into the ground. Mongol then grabbed Superman and slammed him into the ground in response.
"What are you doing?!" Mongol demanded, putting Superman into a headlock.
"Making it convincing." Superman answered, freeing himself from Mongol's grip and backhanding him, causing him to stumble a bit before falling to the ground.
As Mongol picked himself up, he looked towards Superman, who was motioning him to come at him. Mongol obliged and charged at Superman grabbing him and slamming him into a nearby wall.
Back at the arena, the crowds were cheering loudly, both for Superman and for Mongol. Draaga watched the fight for a moment, then turned his eyes towards the transporter gun. He quickly grabbed the guard standing watch over it and pulled him aside, knocking him out.
...
At the site of the planet destroyer cannon, the four heroes peered inside, seeing several soldiers scurrying about and performing their designated duties.
"There's too many of them." Kari deduced. "We need a plan."
"J'honn, you think you're strong enough to hold a transformation?" GL questioned.
"I will try." J'honn answered.
J'honn then began morphing himself into Mongol. He had a bit of difficulty due to the planet's atmosphere, but he managed to pull it off. Straightening up, he walked into the building, doing his best to imitate Mongol's mannerisms.
"Be careful J'honn." Kari told him.
He nodded once, then walked inside.
"Hurry up!" one of the soldiers called out. "His royal pain could send the order at any minute."
"What was that?" 'Mongol' snapped.
The soldier turned around to see 'Mongol' standing before him, and quickly panicked.
"My lord!" He let out. "I thought that you were-"
"My plans have changed." 'Mongol' cut off. "Decommission this weapon, immediately."
"D-Decommission it?" The soldier questioned. "But-"
"Or do you think I'm being a 'royal pain'?" 'Mongol' interrupted, glaring at the soldier.
"N-no sire." the soldier reassured. "Of course not."
"Good." 'Mongol' replied. "Then do it, before I-"
'Mongol' then suddenly convulsed, clutching his head in pain. He stumbled back as the soldier approached cautiously.
"My Lord?" he questioned.
That's when the last of J'honn's strength left him, forcing him to revert to his normal form.
"What?!" the soldier cried out. "Get him!"
The soldiers all charged at J'honn, but the Martian was far from down. Even without his powers to rely on, he was still a member of the Justice League, a fact that shown as he backhanded a soldier away from himself and into two others. He then punched another oncoming soldier away as another soldier jumped on top of him. He then picked that soldier up and threw him aside. More soldiers came running in and began shooting at him.
From outside, the sound of gunfire quickly reached the ears of the remaining Leaguers.
"So much for plan A." GL lamented.
"Time for plan B!" Hawkgirl declared, flying in.
GL grabbed Kari, flying after Hawkgirl.
...
The fight between Mongol and Superman was still going on, with Mongol taking the lead. He grabbed a nearby piece of debris and used it to push Superman off a cliff. The debris fell on top of him, crushing him. Superman managed to push it off, but Mongol just grabbed him by the shirt and began wailing on him. He then punched Superman so hard, he went flying into the remains of a building, dropping to the ground upon impact. Mongol then grabbed a nearby wheel and lifted it over his head before walking over to Superman.
The crowds were all gasping in fear and horror, realizing what was about to happen. However, that's when a new cheer began to ring out. The crowds were not calling for Superman, nor for Mongol. Instead, it was for the sudden arrival of a third fighter.
"Draaga!" the crowd chanted. "Draaga!"
Mongol turned in surprise, getting a pipe to the face. He crumbled to the ground, the tire falling on top of him as Draaga approached Superman. The Kryptonian regained his senses, looking up to see Draaga toss the pipe aside.
"Time to settle our score." He declared, shedding his cloak.
"Wait!" Superman insisted.
Draaga did no such thing, grabbing Superman by the throat and hoisting him into the air.
"If I let Mongol kill you, then I'll never reclaim my honor." Draaga told him.
"Listen to me!" Superman let out.
He then brought his fists down on Draaga's arms, causing Draaga to let go before Superman punched him in the face, knocking him back.
"You have to stay out of this." Superman told him.
"I can't do that!" Draaga snapped, getting up and lunged at him.
Superman lifted him overhead and tossed him aside, causing him to fall to the ground once more.
"You have to!" Superman insisted. "Or he'll destroy your planet!"
"What?!" Draaga let out.
"I promised I'd lose to Mongol so your world will be spared." Superman explained.
"You- You would do that?" Draaga questioned, honestly stunned by this revelation. "Even after all I've done to you?"
"I've come to value all lives, including those from worlds not my own." Superman told him.
As Draaga tried to process this sudden shift, the wall beside them began to crumble. It then broke apart, a heavy piece striking Draaga on the head as Mongol burst forward.
"Now Kryptonian, it's just you and me." Mongol declared.
He then charged forward and began beating on Superman, never showing the man of steel any leeway as he delivered one punch to the face after another. The crowd booed and jeered, seeing the fight for what it was and hating how it was going
…
Back at the cannon, J'honn was pinned behind a pillar as soldiers fired down at him from above. Another door opened up, revealing more soldiers entering the room and opening fire on J'honn. Thankfully, GL produced an energy bubble that shielded him from the blasts. Kari then dropped into his waiting arms as GL focused on the soldiers.
"GL, think you could score me one of those?" she questioned as J'honn adjusted his grip on her.
GL used his ring to pull one of the blasters out of the hands of one of the soldiers and dropped it into Kari's hands. She then took aim and fired, J'honn running from cover to cover as she did.
The guards lucky enough to avoid Kari's attacks soon fell victim to Hawkgirl's mace, the Thanagarian unleashing several days' worth of frustration on them. While the fight was progressing, one of the soldiers managed to activate the cannon. Kari heard the beeps, looking up.
"The cannon!" she shrieked.
The heroes all turned to see the cannon beginning to power up, battery nodes glowing an angry red and growing ever brighter. Thinking fast, Hawkgirl zipped up to the barrel of the cannon, powering on her mace.
"What is she doing?!" GL let out.
The cannon fired, and Hawkgirl swung her mace, sending the energy right back down the barrel. Realizing what she had just done, everyone began panicking.
"Evacuate!" the soldiers screamed.
Everyone began running, forgetting about the heroes in their haste to get away. GL immediately dropped the shield around the group, aiming his ring at the cannon to surround it. J'honn pulling Kari close, turning away from the cannon as they both closed their eyes.
The cannon went up in a fiery blaze, the explosion testing the limits of GL's will. Sweat poured down his brow as he tried to hold back the massive explosion, the force still managing to shake the building. Rubble rained down as Kari cried out in fear, J'honn still holding her tightly. By the time the explosion was over, the building was little more than a pile of rubble. GL's shield lowered as he fell to his knees, more than a little out of breath. Hawkgirl landed next to him, placing a hand on his back.
"Easy there." she told him.
J'honn and Kari straightened up, the former brushing debris off the both of them.
"Is everyone alright?" Kari questioned.
"For now." J'honn answered.
"Just one last job to do." Hawkgirl announced.
...
Back with Mongol and Superman, Mongol sent Superman flying through a building, causing him to stumble back before Mongol came up and punched him in the face over and over again. One final punch sent Superman flying to the ground, groaning in defeat. One of the camera orbs focused on his face, the unhappy jeers of the crowd pouring from the speakers.
"Hear what they think of their new hero now?" Mongol remarked.
Mongol then picked up a fallen plasma axe and activated it before raising it overhead.
"Game over." He declared.
As he brought it down though, a wall of green energy appeared and blocked the blow, shattering the axe in the process. Mongol looked down at his shattered weapon, then up at the source: the rest of the League.
"Not yet!" GL shouted. "We're going into overtime!"
With War World's toxic atmosphere no longer weakening him, J'honn's strength was back in full force as he, GL, and Hawkgirl flew down and landed beside Superman. Kari poked her head out from J'honn's back, aiming her stolen gun right at the tyrant's heart.
"We destroyed his cannon." J'honn reported. "Draaga's world is safe."
"You've lost, Mongol." Kari informed him. "Because now, Superman doesn't have to hold back."
Mongol gulped in fear as Superman got to his feet, cracking his knuckles.
"Then all bets are off." Superman told him. "You're mine."
"No!" Draaga declared, running towards them. "He's mine!"
Draaga then socked Mongol in the face, sending him flying through a wall, crumbling it to pieces. Everyone blinked in surprise, Kari lowering her gun.
"I forgot he was here." she muttered.
Draaga ran towards Mongol, shoving rubble aside to try and find him. Mongol then sprung up out of the rubble, scowling at Draaga.
"You'll regret that, Draaga!" Mongol swore.
Mongol then tackled Draaga, wrestling with him as the League moved in to help. Their aid was soon proven unnecessary as Draaga and Mongol traded blows with one another, the former quickly taking the lead. The crowd began to cheer wildly, chanting Draaga's name louder and louder. The fight continued as Mongol knocked Draaga back, only for GL to catch him.
"Keep your guard up on the left." GL advised.
Draaga nodded before charging back in. he blocked one of Mongol's strikes, but Mongol was quick to get the upper hand, knocking Draaga back to the ground. The camera orb flew towards the downed warrior, the cheers of the crowd roaring from the speakers.
"Draaga!" they shouted. "Draaga! Draaga!"
"Don't let them down, Draaga!" Kari cheered. "You can beat this guy!"
Draaga steeled himself before getting back to his feet.
"This is for my people!" Draaga declared before punching Mongol. "This is for my humiliation!"
He punched the tyrant again, causing him to fall to his knees.
"And this is for justice!"
With one final punch, Draaga knocked Mongol's crown off his head before he fell over in defeat. The crowds were beyond enthralled, rising to their feet and screaming in elation. Even Mongol's advisor was ecstatic, dropping his pad and throwing his fists in the air.
"Go Draaga!" he shouted. "Finish him!"
Draaga looked over his fallen opponent, contemplating whether or not to follow through with the crowd's demands for Mongol's death. The league tensed, wondering if he would do it, and preparing to interfere if he did. Luckily, Draaga merely turned away from the downed tyrant, shaking his head.
"No." he declared. "He doesn't deserve the honor."
"Then it's over." Superman spoke.
"Not yet." Draaga replied.
Draaga looked down at Mongol's fallen crown before picking it up and handing it to Superman.
"Here." He offered. "You should wear it."
"Keep it." Superman insisted. "I'm no king, and I've got people waiting for me back home."
"Besides, I think you've earned that crown just as much as Superman has." Kari spoke up.
"I… I don't think I'm worthy of it." Draaga responded. "What kind of ruler is one without honor?"
"Draaga, the true test of honor isn't how you die." Superman told him. "It's how you live."
With that, Superman walked over to the others as GL encompassed them in an energy bubble before flying off, leaving War World behind in the hands of a new champion, and a new future.
