War, Conclusion: A Stronger Loving World
"I have love in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine. A rage, the likes of which you would not believe. If I cannot satisfy the one, I will indulge in the other."
The Monster, FrankensteinLike all forms of creative expression, there are shows in the history of television that stand above all others, the shining beacons of the medium. One of those shows was the original Twilight Zone, a mid-60's show that told tales of mystery, the unknown, the impossible, and the absurd. Some were funny, some were touching, some were sad, and some were terrifying in their suggested message.
And is the wont of such things, there is always the discussion of which singular episode truly defines this TV show and stands as its torchbearer, for what the show really meant. In the case of the Twilight Zone, there are several contenders. Trying to pick one is immensely hard.
But there is one that is perhaps remembered more then the others.
It was called It's a Good Life. Based on a short story, the situation was simple: what would happen if a child, upon birth, possessed godlike power?
Nothing good. The child, Anthony Fremont, at the moment of his birth, somehow wishes away his town from the rest of reality, or maybe destroys the rest of reality with a mere thought. Unable to be properly raised because of his omnipotence, the adults trapped in this shard of hell have no choice but to cater to Anthony's every whim and put on a forced face of cheer. They do this even as Anthony torments them by having already eliminated electricity, grocery supplies, and television signals, and by manipulating the weather, lest Anthony do something horrific to them before he 'wishes them away to the cornfield'. And despite all the torment, the adults can only smile and say it will be a good day. Because they cannot defend themselves against what Anthony has become, was inevitably going to become: a series of underdeveloped needs, wants, and curiosities, possessing no restraint or conscience or understanding because the situation for such things was never given to him. He is the corruption of power, manifested, and all the viewers can do is shudder in fear.
Because power is a dangerous force. It can taint even the best of us. And while an adult who could do anything with a thought would surely be tempted by extreme self-indulgence, the fact that Anthony is so young makes it even worse. Power should not belong to children, or rather, it should not simply be handed over. It needs to be taught, learned. Lack aspects of that learning, and the power will consume you in ways even adults cannot lay claim to.
And if you are being manipulated, it grows even worse…
Superboy-Prime never got a chance to learn how to use the power. His world was destroyed almost as soon as he was granted it. Stuck in the limbo of his heaven, unable to have the proper experiences and teachings that could have taught him to use his unbelievable might, left only with his memories and what he had lost, it did not take long for the rot to set in.
And when Alexander began his chess game, there was no going back.
And so, as the Titans approached the golden Tower, pulling a dangerous trick of riding over one of the still out and shifting antimatter streams, perhaps some of them were reminded of this episode. Perhaps some of them finally realized the fear those adults had of Anthony, and the cruel situation that brought their hell about.
The power has corrupted Superboy-Prime. He lacks the maturity and the learning to use it well, lost in a self-deluded and righteous state of misspent youth, backed up by a strength that would make divine beings tremble.
He would see his will enforced. It was all he knew.
He would make a good life.
"Superboy." Alexander said, as Superboy-Prime flew up by him, as Alexander carefully smoothed over his emotions. He hadn't any reason to be afraid: Superboy-Prime had left never realizing how Alexander had been using him, a viewpoint Alex had only shared with the Psycho-Pirate, now vanished. He just had to keep up the front of camaraderie…in fact this was exactly what he needed. This would turn it all around.
"Alex. I'm back. Where did he go?" Superboy-Prime asked. Alexander blinked, and then realized he was referring to Black Adam.
"Black Adam moved too far away from the tower Superboy." Alexander said, turning back a bit to his rift, the consummate professional, everything under control as long as Superboy listened to him. "He's been transported back to Earth-S."
Indeed, at the very moment, a confused Black Adam was looking around New York on Earth-S, wondering how he got there, even as Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr wondered the same thing nearby.
"Why can't I be transported to my Earth like them, Alex? Why can't I go home?" Superboy-Prime asked. Uh oh, Alexander reminded himself. Careful. Superboy-Prime may have trusted Alex, but he was clearly distressed, and if his new armor was any indication, he'd been through quite a bit since his disappearance and re-appearance. Alexander had to be careful not to say the wrong thing, lest he provoke Superboy-Prime's immature and terrible wrath.
"I'd theorize somehow you you've changed at your very core Superboy." Alexander said, turning back to his rift, trying to keep the words from seeming condemning, lest Superboy-Prime get the idea in his head that Alexander had known this was going to happen or something.
His hand was aching again: Alexander looked in irritation at his missing finger.
"They made me change!" Superboy-Prime snapped. "I didn't want to, but they made me!"
So he was still blaming the superheroes he had fought for all his choices. Alexander wasn't really surprised. That was good: better he blame them then him, and Alexander doubted Superboy-Prime would have an epiphany and realize he held responsibility in his actions and what had happened to him as well.
"Where did the Flashes take you? That armor…?" Alexander asked.
"I designed this after the Anti-Monitor's harness on the Tower. It's an energy collector that feeds me sunlight. YELLOW sunlight." Superboy-Prime said, as he got a ferocious grin on his face. "The Flashes kept me imprisoned for years under red sunlight, but I found a way out. I ALWAYS find a way out."
"Hmmm." Alexander said: even he was mildly impressed by this. As misguided and juvenile as Superboy-Prime's mind and viewpoints were, he definitely had some of that Kryptonian ingenuity to build such a thing: not only did Superboy-Prime's powers hit their god-like peaks absorbing yellow sunlight, but now he had armor that kept feeding him that same energy, keeping him in top form.
Good. It would make this easier.
"Superboy, I need your help." Alexander said, as he lifted his floating platform up a bit to observe the rift, though he kept his back to the teenager. "These heroes are distracted for the moment, but sooner or later they're going to try and destroy the Tower. Defend it, so I can complete my search…"
"No."
Alexander's eyes widened a bit, as he began to turn around…
As Superboy-Prime grabbed him and completed the turnaround, looking into Alexander's face.
"Your search for the perfect Earth is OVER, Alex." Superboy-Prime said, as he looked at Alexander with furiously determined eyes. "You're going to forget your mixing and matching. You're going to find my Earth. Earth-Prime. We'll make that the perfect Earth."
Alexander, for the first time in a long time, found himself at a loss for words. His primary plan was under enough stress already: he didn't need Superboy-Prime tossing in his uninformed two cents…
…and Alexander realized he had no choice. Looking at Superboy-Prime, he truly saw what he had become. And he saw his hand in it.
Victor Frankenstein's lament was never more apropos.
"I'll do ANYTHING to get it back now." Superboy-Prime said. "ANYTHING."
Alexander didn't know what to do. He didn't want to agree, but if he disagreed…he was dead. He knew it. Superboy-Prime would kill him as easily as he'd killed those Titans in the great battle in Keystone City…
In the end, Alexander was spared an answer.
"PRIMMMMMME!"Superboy-Prime let go of Alexander Luthor to look towards the yell…a moment before Cyborg, Gauntlet, Starfire, and Scalpel all slammed into him in a perfect moment of synchronicity, perfectly combining their respective super-strengths into one giant blow of omega-strength.
And even with all THAT behind them…the only reason Superboy-Prime even moved was because he'd been caught by surprise, as the four heroes shoved him away from Alexander Luthor and drove him down to the base of the Tower.
Alexander saw the rest of the Titans right behind the first four: they ignored him as they went after Superboy-Prime, as Alexander took a step back. He drew in a breath and tried to decide what to do.
It took him three seconds to realize that there really was no other choice: the Titans might last five seconds, or they might last five minutes, but they would not outlast Superboy-Prime. And if he came back up here and found Alexander not listening to him…
He had no choice, as he turned back to the rift, cursing under his breath…for a moment. He would adapt. He would yet win. He WOULD win, any way he could.
The four Titans sprang away at the moment of impact, and even as they did Starfire and Cyborg opened fire, as Robin hurled every single bit of ordnance he had left onto Superboy-Prime's form, Gauntlet fired off a fist of yellow power, and Savior and Raven combined their powers again to lash out with as much force as the Shimmer and her telekinetic powers could unleash, all the blows slamming into Superboy-Prime, even as the Titans all landed.
And sprang in again, Raven reaching out with her mind and jabbing Superboy-Prime with it, hoping to disorient him, as every Titan leapt in, even Terra, who had seen a rock platform in the distance (piled with unconscious people, huh?) and grabbed some of it to help, coating her arm with the densest stone barrier she could, as all the Titans crashed down on Superboy-Prime, perfectly timed and executed so all their blows hit with maximum impact without bumping or crashing into each other. A spiderweb of cracks shot out from the impact zone.
"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Superboy-Prime yelled.
And all the Titans were thrown away from the mad teenager like they weighed nothing, scattered like the wind.
He'd tossed them aside with a mere yell.
"Ok…" Cyborg said, as the Titans had approached, even as he aimed one of his arms towards the Tower, trying to pick up any communication he could. "Barring a specific weakness, what can we possibly do here?"
"Superman's vulnerable to Kryptonite. Tim, Noel, do you have any Kryptonite?" Beast Boy asked.
"No. It wouldn't do any good if we did." Robin replied. "I got a brief message from Batman…mentioned that if I saw someone who looked like Superman, that Kryptonite wouldn't work…I think that with all the Earths back, only the world-specific things will work on the world-specific people…our Earth Kryptonite might not have any effect."
"What about magic?" Gauntlet asked, already knowing the answer but needing to hear it.
"You saw what happened with Black Adam and Donar." Savior replied. "He's truly blessed. Magic doesn't work either."
"Then what do we do?" Beast Boy asked, his voice edged with desperate fear.
"…Noel?" Robin said: while Robin studied their enemies extensively, he knew Noel took Tim's mentor viewpoint and studied both sides. He probably knew more in that aspect then Tim could recall quickly.
"…Superman's invulnerability is based on his alien physiology. The planet Krypton was under a red star. Our sun is a yellow star. This difference causes Superman's alien cells to act like living solar converters and soak up the solar energy. This absorbed energy acts as the fuel base for his powers, giving him his strength, speed, flight, all that. It also fuels his invulnerability." Savior said. "But his body is a lot like a battery. As he uses his powers, the solar energy in his cells goes down. It depletes both from active use of his strength and defensive use of his strength, both from throwing punches and taking them. Now, the battery does recharge itself, but it takes a bit. So as Superman uses his powers, eventually his power can start to decrease. Conner's hybrid body, since his Kryptonian cells are beginning to mature, works on a similar process. You saw what happened in the first fight: his cells nearly ate him alive for energy because Superboy-Prime beat him so bad. The point being is, the more Superman, assumingly any Kryptonian with such powers, uses said powers, eventually they start going down. Do it enough, and even the bioelectric field that accounts for most of Superman's invulnerability begins to give out. That's how Doomsday supposedly killed him: Superman exerted so much effort and took so much punishment in that fight that his cells were drained to virtually nil, and he fell into a death-like coma that may have gone all the way to full death had certain things not happened…so, in theory, Superboy-Prime here works on a similar aspect. And with all these planets above us the sun really isn't all that clear. If we could somehow, by any means necessary, exert enough force on him, maybe we could manage to…"
That was as far as Savior got, as Cyborg had indeed picked up Superboy-Prime and Alexander Luthor's communications…and at that point it came to Superboy-Prime speaking for the reason for his armor, and what it did, which made Noel's pondering drift off into silence.
The concept was clear: even IF the Titans could fight on a level close to Superboy-Prime, it would be an endless stalemate. Superboy-Prime's armor would keep him supplied with power.
"Ok then." Robin said. "Titans, here's what we do. We try and destroy the armor."
Though it took a few seconds, everyone nodded in agreement.
"And after that?" Starfire asked.
"…Well…then perhaps we can try and wear him out. A piece at a time. A punch at a time." Robin said.
He did not need to speak the last sentence: and somehow hope by some miracle they managed something before Superboy-Prime killed them all.
"…Guys…" Robin said.
"Guys nothing." Cyborg said.
"Let's go." Starfire said.
Robin closed his eyes…and then opened them again, the blank white slits narrowing.
"Let's."
And so they had.
And they had performed an utterly brilliant opening move.
And it hadn't done a damn thing, as Superboy-Prime hurled them away by the sheer power of his voice.
Flight powers kicked in, as the Titans tried to save themselves, but they had been scattered too far, too fast, and Robin found himself away from any help…and falling towards the antimatter stream.
He unsnapped and fired off his grapple, aiming for the golden Tower, but the catch wasn't firm enough, and Robin found himself falling again, towards the inky nothingness that had destroyed Slade Wilson before his eyes, and would claim him in turn…
"Holy crap! Did I just see the Titans sneak around the flank and attack the tower?" Mary said, as Kyra leapt up and formed a long dragon-like construct that fired off a devastating blast of wind, blowing away a legion of OMAC's.
"What? Titans? You meant this time's ones?" Hex said.
"Yes! I could have sworn…!"
"You did!" Kyra said as she dropped down, thrusting back her arm and then throwing out a duplication of a Borg cube. "But these damn OMAC's are still cutting us off! We have to…!"
Several OMAC's blasted the green cube, and it abruptly disintegrated, as Kyra reared back and gasped.
"Oh no. They finally got the right frequency to disrupt my constructs again." Kyra said in a low whisper.
"EXECUTE."
The storm of blasts consumed the group, forcing them backwards as Nightmare threw up her own shield, Kyra having stumbled smoking into Brick Wall's arms, as the OMAC's pressed in on all sides, and the group began furiously fighting back, making a last stand.
Death comes for all.
But it would not yet come for Tim Drake, as Nightwing swung in on his own line and grabbed Robin in mid-air, pulling him away from the dark stream.
"Dick!"
"Hey Tim. You should have called first." Nightwing said as they swung back onto the Tower, away from the antimatter doom. "How did you get here?"
"Long story…" Robin said, as he tried to find his teammates…and wished he hadn't.
Terra had tried, she really had. But the sheer noise had rattled her brain, and as she flew through the air she tried to get enough sense back to get under control…
And then the Golden Tower loomed up before her, and she knew her luck was out.
"Tara!" Beast Boy yelled, as he saw the blonde girl slam into the tower and tumble to the ground, as he flew down and transformed, grabbing her crumpled form and turning her over.
Her blank eyes gazed back at him, as a trickle of blood began to run down from her forehead.
Beast Boy checked for a pulse: there, but weak. He had no idea if she'd just suffered a concussion or a fatal brain injury…and there was nothing he could do.
As Superboy-Prime got back up.
Not as long as HE was there.
Beast Boy didn't really think, as he charged at Superboy-Prime, turning into a eagle as he swooped high above him…and then into a blue whale as he plummeted, bringing his hundreds of tons of weight crashing down on Superboy-Prime.
Who caught him with one arm.
Knee-jerk panic was Beast Boy's reaction: switch form! You're too big and vulnerable in this shape! Don't let him hit you!
And so Beast Boy immediately transformed again, even as Superboy-Prime tried to punch the gigantic mammal, as he turned into a house fly and flew away…
And then the sheer backlash of swapping to and from so much mass slammed into Beast Boy's head, completely shattering his concentration as his body returned to normal…
Superboy-Prime's blow just glanced him. It was enough to snap several ribs and sent him crashing across the landscape.
Superboy-Prime didn't get a chance to say anything, as a high-powered beam of sonic vibrations slammed into his side even as a concentrated blast of destructive green energy tore into him from above.
He barely even moved, even as Cyborg growled to himself and cranked up his power to his absolute highest limits, the beam hammering against Superboy-Prime even as Starfire kept her own blast going, as Superboy-Prime turned his attention to Cyborg.
"Stop that." He growled, more in aggravation then any kind of pain. "I said STOP!"
And Superboy-Prime flew towards Cyborg, slamming out his fist. Cyborg screamed as Superboy-Prime punched through his sonic cannon, his fist shredding his molybdenum steel/titanium arm like it was paper, as Superboy-Prime reared back and then smashed a fist straight through Cyborg, black oil and fluids spurting from the injury as Superboy-Prime lifted Cyborg up.
"I warned you." Superboy-Prime said, as his eyes glowed red, and Cyborg screamed one final time as the terrible heat washed over him, melting and burning through his body as it blew him off Superboy-Prime's arm and sent him flying into the distance.
"No…no NO!" Starfire screamed, as her eyes glowed brilliantly, and as Superboy-Prime turned to face her she fired twin blistering lasers down on the teen.
Superboy-Prime smirked, as his eyes shone crimson again.
"YES."
And his heat vision flew out again, meeting Starfire's beams, slamming against them…and cutting right through them as they headed back for Starfire.
She could have fled. But like a warrior, she stood her ground.
And paid for it as the beams flew back and exploded in her face with a scream. She hit the ground, smoke wafting from her horribly burned features.
"Kory! Oh god…" Robin said: it was falling apart even faster then he could have thought. He was sifting the Titans like wheat, as Robin snapped out his staff to go down…
"Hold it! Don't just charge in!" Nightwing said. "I know! But you need to think!"
"Then think of something for us to do Dick!"
"This Tower! We have to destroy it! I was going to try and get Conner to use his tactile telekinesis but he got sidetracked and I don't know where he went! You have any explosives left?"
"Mini-oh no." Robin said, as Superboy-Prime's eyes fell on them. "Look…!"
And then Gauntlet slammed down on Superboy-Prime, driving him to the ground with a massive impact of yellow power, as Gauntlet came down on top of him.
"…Damn, too close." Robin said, as he looked at Nightwing again. "Not just the Tower Dick. That Superboy…we have to do something…I don't want my friends…"
"I know." Nightwing said, as he tried to look around, think of some way to handle this…
And then he saw it. He'd somehow missed it in all the chaos. With all the OMAC's swarming about (and they still were more then a few) Superboy's attempt to free the keys plugged into the Tower had been less then fully successful. And one still remained, his restraints not destroyed enough for him to escape…
"THIS IS FOR JOHN!" Gauntlet yelled as he reared back his artifact and slammed its yellow energy with all the force he could muster onto the superpowered teenager. The ground shook and more cracks sprang up from the impact. "THIS IS FOR WENDY!" WHAM! "THIS IS FOR AMY!" WHAM! "THIS IS FOR MY FRIENDS!" WHAM! "THIS IS FOR ME!" WHAM! "AND THIS IS FOR THE LITTLE GIRL WHO LIVES DOWN THE LANE!"
And Gauntlet slammed his fist down once more.
As Superboy-Prime's fist met it.
There was a surge, and then a terrible eruption of force, slamming into Nightwing and Robin, nearly knocking them off the Tower as Gauntlet flew across the landscape like a bullet and crashed along the ground, more pieces of his artifact breaking off as he bounced and tumbled, finally coming to a rest.
Superboy-Prime got up, a brief rub on his jaw the only thing that indicated Gauntlet had done anything, as he chuckled…
And then the blade hit the side of his head. He growled, and turned even as Scalpel slashed him across the chest, whirling around and trying for under the arm, in an attempt to damage or sever something…
"Didn't you learn from the LAST time?" Superboy-Prime yelled as he grabbed the glaive. "GET LOST YOU MONSTER!"
And Superboy-Prime swung the glaive around, hurling Scalpel away, as the alien shot through the air, clipping the side of the Tower with a horrific crash before he tumbled to the ground with a low thud.
"Stupid…" Superboy-Prime said.
The attack came from the side, as Savior, all encased in black, lashed out with a combination punch and slash, the blow slamming into Superboy-Prime's armored arm as he got it up to block, the two pressing against each other for a moment…and then Superboy-Prime lashed his arm out and hurled Savior away, as he hit the ground hard and the darkness swirled from him as Raven reformed, the two of them tumbling along the ground together before coming to a stop.
"You." Superboy-Prime said, as he recognized Noel from when the white-haired one had tried to scramble his brain. "You! You're STILL trying to fight me? Haven't you learned WHO I AM!" Superboy-Prime yelled, as he flew towards Savior.
And then coiling green arms seized Superboy-Prime, stopping him dead in front of Savior's wide eyes before yanking him away.
"I do not know who you are." Said a low rumbling voice, as Superboy-Prime was yanked back and dumped in front of him.
The alien. The one he had instantly defeated when he destroyed the JLA's Watchtower base. The Martian.
Who he had caught off guard. This was not the case now.
"But I am called the Martian Manhunter." J'onn said as he uncoiled his arms. "I am Mars' sole survivor."
Furious, Superboy-Prime cut loose with his heat vision, but J'onn went intangible and the deadly beams of fire went through him, J'onn ignoring the great discomfort as he phased back.
"There is a reason for that."
J'onn's punch floored Superboy-Prime, as the Martian unleashed all of his great strength on the delusional teen, the impact ringing through the air, even as J'onn flew after him and slammed blow after following blow into his face and chest.
"There. That might buy us a few seconds to try and think of a way to destroy this Tower." Nightwing said.
"Right. But Dick, do you think J'onn strong enough to handle this?" Robin replied.
"People forget just how powerful he is." Nightwing replied.
"RAGGGGGGHHHHH!"
And then the air shook with another shockwave of force, and J'onn flew back, crashing hard into the ground.
"But you're right, even he may not be enough." Nightwing said.
"Don't worry Dick."
Nightwing's eyes widened, as Power Girl flew past him.
"Cavalry's here." She said, and flew on, all the remaining 'keys' with her, as Power Girl zapped towards the armored teenager as he looked up from where he was about to fry J'onn into ash. "Hello Clark."
The air once again rang with a blow so mighty it registered on seismographs.
"…Still not enough." Robin said. "We were trying to damage his armor…"
"But it seems as indestructible as the rest of him." Came Savior's voice as he pulled himself up, battered, his right arm still in a brace. "Raven's trying to check our team, no one's dead, but Victor…he's hurt real bad. We need a solution guys, and I'm open to suggestions."
"We have to destroy this Tower." Nightwing said. Savior blinked.
"This Tower? It's huge…" Savior said as he glanced up…and then his eyes narrowed. "Maybe we don't have to take out the actual Tower."
And before the two vigilantes could say anything Savior pulled himself past them and began climbing back up the Tower. Heading for the mastermind.
"Noel wait don't go alo-!" Robin yelled.
"Never mind him! You said you had some explosive, get it out! If we can't smash the tower we can damn sure bruise it!" Nightwing said.
Power Girl had flown back by now, as The Ray, Lady Quark, and Breach were all focusing their respective energy blast powers on Superboy-Prime, the heat and energy vaporizing everything around the teenager…and doing nothing to him.
"The radioactivity we're hitting him with…!" Lady Quark cursed.
"It's not slowing him down!" Breach finished, as Nightshade swooped around the concentrated blast and came up behind Superboy-Prime, who was distracted in his attempt to fend off the combined blast attack.
"So light doesn't bother this monster. Let's try something else." Nightshade said, as she held out her hands and living shadow erupted from them, Nightshade using her powers over darkness much like Mary did. "C'mere, CUTIE."
And the darkness consumed Superboy-Prime, pressing in on him on all sides…
And igniting a terrible fear.
"N-no!" Superboy-Prime shrieked. "K-k-keep the darkness away!" He screamed as he curled up, almost into a fetal form. "KEEP IT AWAY!"
Just what Superboy-Prime did was unknown: maybe his power had grown so great that the mere act of him moving could unleash violent force.
Because that's what happened, as all the heroes were blasted away as Superboy-Prime blew away the darkness from him, all of them tumbling helpless through the air…
And as J'onn stopped himself, he saw them fly near him…and vanish, almost all as one, as they all moved too far away from the Tower and were transported back to their respective Earths: J'onn, being from Earth-1, was the only one who didn't.
"Ray? Nightshade?" J'onn said, and then realized, in that brief moment, that the cavalry was gone.
And Superboy-Prime was still as mad as ever, as he flew in and floored J'onn with a punch so hard he nearly tore the Martian's head off. J'onn flew backwards at high speed…and then stopped abruptly, as his injured flesh knitted back together.
As Superboy-Prime flew in again…
And Power Girl slammed him with a kick, sending him flying away. Apparently she was the only one left besides him.
"You ok?" Power Girl asked.
"I will live."
"What about him?"
"We'll see." J'onn replied, and the two flew at Superboy-Prime.
Space.
People had noticed that the OMAC's hadn't seemed to be operating as their peak levels: the reason for that was clear.
The attack on Brother Eye had forced it to divide its attention in multiple fashions, trying to coordinate the OMAC army defending it, the OMAC army defending the Tower, and its own inner defenses against the heroes that had infiltrated it. As a result, there had been a loss of efficiency across the board.
But to Brother Eye, the troubles were minimal…even as Hal Jordan and John Stewart furiously battled the OMAC armies outside, even as the heroes inside Brother Eye fought furiously against his defenses…and even as a door opened and a dark figure stepped into a room lined with monitors.
YOUR FRIENDS WILL FAIL CREATOR. Brother Eye said in the many speakers that lined the inside of its body.
"My friends can take care of themselves." Batman replied, as he made his way through the hallway. He was almost there, he'd made it past all the defenses and he was almost there…
NOT THE ONES HERE.
And the monitors surrounding Batman flicked on.
THE ONES ON YOUR EARTH.
And Batman saw the battle, saw Superboy-Prime, the terrible foe Savior had told him about…and the ones trying to battle him, giving their all.
MARTIAN MANHUNTER. POWER GIRL.
A futile battle. J'onn and Kara had power on par with Superman. Batman knew just how strong they were. He knew how hard they could hit.
And it seemed that no matter what they did, Superboy-Prime was minimally affected. Before the deluded teenage god showed the two heroes he could hit twice as hard.
But Batman did not let the images stop him, as he walked on, trying to block it all out, as he reached the end of the hallway…and the final door.
Beyond lay the heart and brain of Brother Eye, a small circular chamber that was completely white, a sole device sprouting from the middle of the room, like the core of the Death Star, a glowing green holographic eye floating above the device.
End of the road.
Batman walked in silently, as his hands seized tools from his utility belt and he began to open the machine in the center of the room.
No defenses came to stop him.
Physically.
OH, EYE ALMOST NEGLECTED THEM.
And a screen appeared in mid-air next to Batman.
AND YOUR FAVORITES.
A screen showing one final pair of people…people that drew even Batman's eyes.
SUBJECT BETA-GRAYSON, RICHARD-NIGHTWING. SUBJECT EPISILON-DRAKE, TIMOTHY-ROBIN.
And suddenly the room filled with screens, showing pictures of Robin and Nightwing…and Superboy-Prime as he thrashed Martian Manhunter and Power Girl. The image was clear: once Superboy-Prime finished with them, he would turn his attention to his wards. His family.
THEY ARE ONLY FLESH AND BLOOD. AGAINST A BOY OF STEEL.
Batman looked for a moment longer…and then he turned back to his work, slowly beginning to take Brother Eye apart at his very base.
EYE WONDER…Brother Eye said, as the
images danced around Batman and he forced himself to work despite
them, knowing they would understand…hoping they would understand.
…WILL YOU BLAME YOURSELF FOR WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The air rang with blows that could smash mountains to dust, but strangely that didn't distract Alexander Luthor as much any more. Maybe because he only had to find one Earth now, as much as it aggravated him. But the day wasn't done yet…
If it came to the worst, he always had his backup plans. He hadn't wanted to think of them because doing so meant that even he was thinking his primary plan was going to fail…and it hadn't failed yet…
A rope of white energy seized him by the ankle.
Alexander Luthor turned around as Savior's fist slammed across his face, throwing him onto his knees and side (though he managed to avoid falling off his platform again).
"Luthor…" Savior said.
"Oh look, the self-righteous mountebank." Alexander said, as he fired a blast of power from his hand, forcing Savior to dodge out of the way. "Who speaks so much of heroism yet so eagerly embraces the corruption that had destroyed all the heroes on this thrice-damned planet. And acts like that's a reason to be proud."
"You're calling ME SELF-RIGHTEOUS? AND PROUD?" Savior yelled, as he swung up from behind Luthor and nailed him in the back with a kick while he was trying to get up, Luthor nearly stumbling off the floating platform before Savior grabbed him. "Yes, I made mistakes! I gave in to my weaknesses! Maybe I did it too much! Maybe we all did! Maybe we did have too many flaws and failings…but we're not gods, Alexander Luthor! And neither are you! And so I ask, how much of this corruption and darkness is because of our flaws and failings, and how much is due to your unwillingness to accept our flaws and failings! I may not have a lot to be proud of, but I definitely am proud of the fact that in all the shades of gray in this life, I can still distinguish between black and white!"
"Irrelevant." Alexander said, as he fired another blast, forcing Savior to dodge again, as Alexander leaned down and blasted the tendrils that were hanging onto his platform, disrupting them and forcing them to let go, putting Savior in freefall…
Until he grabbed the platform again, yanking it to the side as Alexander stumbled.
"IRRELEVANT? I DON'T THINK SO!"
Alexander wasn't used to up close hand to hand, and hence fell prey to Savior's greater skill in that area as he surged up again and once more hit him, punching his chest before grabbing him with two more strands of Shimmer.
"Damn it Luthor, you were one of us. You were our best and brightest! You gave up everything for us! We didn't WANT to forget, we didn't have a choice! We had new problems! If we'd know, we'd have remembered, maybe it would have made a difference…if you'd come back, we'd have welcomed you…you were one of us…DAMN YOU!" Savior yelled as he slammed another punch across Alexander's face. "DAMN YOU TO HELL! YOU BASTARD! HOW THE HELL COULD YOU LET US DOWN SO BAD!"
It was right about then that Savior realized he wasn't winning, he was being sucked in…
As Alexander let Savior have it with a blast of anti-matter to the chest, throwing him backwards and off with a scream, his very atoms briefly disrupted. True, Luthor hadn't been able to muster enough for a killing shot, but it had served.
"I've gone through your arguments a thousand times over…they long ceased to mean anything to me. Just like you. So go be proud of that. You people always needed a reason to be proud of something anyway." Alexander said, as he checked his nose for blood and then turned back to the rift of Earths. "Now, back to business…I just need a little more time…"
Nightwing was aware of the yelling only after the ringing in his ears from another titanic blow faded, and then Savior nearly fell on top of him, the Shimmer digging into the tower and stopping him, as he moaned and clutched his chest.
"Noel? Are you all right?"
"Chest…melting…ugh." Savior said, as the antimatter finally dissipated: Alexander's more refined antimatter blasts, far more controlled then the streams of dark power coming from the Tower, hadn't have enough punch to do more then yank his atoms out of sync before his body synced them back up, but it had felt like someone had stuck his whole rib cage in a cuisinart. "Ok, still alive."
KABLAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMM!
Power Girl hit the ground next to the prone form of the Martial Manhunter, her face a mass of bruises, as Superboy-Prime floated above and laughed, reveling in his incredible might and seeming invincibility.
"Though maybe not for much longer." Savior said: they were in luck at the moment, Superboy-Prime's back was to them. "What are you doing?"
"We've rigged a makeshift bomb. Maybe we can blow the tower up, or at least blow a hole in it. Once we do that, maybe your teammates can knock it over."
"Great. Then I think I'll go back up and have another chat with Alexander Luthor."
"Can I join your team-up?"
The voice was Superboy-Prime's: in the chaos of the fight, they'd forgotten he had super-hearing, just like Superman.
As the armored teenager flew through the grouping. He didn't lay a finger on them, merely allowing the sheer force generated by his passing to serve as his blow.
And that was devastating enough as he blew all three men off the Tower. Nightwing tumbled to the ground, while Tim flew off into the distance and landed in a painful looking sprawl. Savior fell, his Shimmer flailing as it tried to catch something…
And the tip of it touched the antimatter stream, still flowing from the Tower.
Savior opened his mouth but no sound came out: it wasn't so much pain that flooded his nervous system but SENSATION, overwhelming sensation that blasted through his mind, shorting his brain out as he collapsed, unconscious, as the Shimmer retreated back inside him like a whipped dog.
Superboy-Prime snorted derisively as he looked at Nightwing and Robin's makeshift bomb, tearing it off the Tower and hurling it far away, as he looked down.
And saw that Nightwing had gotten back up.
Their eyes met, as Nightwing looked at the child who had killed his fellows, his power lacking any inhibition or discipline, and a mind far too twisted to find them now.
And then Nightwing drew his Escrima sticks.
Superboy-Prime laughed as he floated down to be level with the man all the heroes considered to be the Titan of Titans.
"Nightwing? Come on now, you actually think you can fight me?" Superboy-Prime laughed, and then his face went deadly serious. "All those Titans did too. Those stupid Titans."
Superboy-Prime raised his fists.
"I'm going to tell you a secret."
Miniature suns bloomed in his eyes.
"I wasn't even TRYING last time."
And he zapped at Nightwing, who stood his ground, awaiting his death as Superboy-Prime's eyes began to blaze…
As a blue blur flew around the Tower and slammed into Superboy-Prime, knocking his heat vision wide as it bore him down into the ground.
"Neither was I." Conner Kent said. "ROUND TWO!"
The intense racket of newly begun superhuman combat roused Savior from his slumber, as he sat up and then groaned, his body aching deeply from the feeling that the antimatter wall had unleashed in him…
…The…antimatter…
"Noel!" Raven said, as she bloomed from the shadows…and then nearly fell into Savior's arms. "Ugh, just when I think magic is getting stable again…Noel, nearly half our number is disabled, the rest can fight, can you…?"
"Yeah." Savior said, as he looked at Raven. "And I have a plan. We can't stop Superboy-Prime, and even if we could I have no idea how we could hold him. We only have one option left."
"What?"
Savior pointed to the antimatter stream.
"GET RID OF HIM."
Space.
Criminals were a superstitious, cowardly lot.
Batman had thought it once, and it had proven to be true. Even all these years later, it still proved to be true. Men had fallible minds, rife with holes to attack. Over the years, Batman had done just that. It had saved his life, and the lives of many, many times over.
But that was mankind.
A machine had no fear. It had no concept of being afraid of the dark, of a wraith emerging from it to do it harm. It only knew reality in the cold grasp of logic. Brother Eye may have developed a mind, but it would never have a soul.
And Batman had built it himself.
That made it all the harder when he had tried to think of this plan. Even now, he had no idea if it was going to succeed or fail.
But that was Batman lived with. He was human himself, and not perfect. All he could do was his best.
But perhaps this time his best would not be enough, even as he continued to work on Brother Eye's core. The screens had all gone red by now, shining crimson light down on Batman's efforts.
THIS IS POINTLESS, CREATOR. EVEN AS YOU TEAR MY 'BRAIN' APART, EYE AM TRANSFERRING MY MEMORY TO THE THOUSANDS OF COMPUTERS ONBOARD THIS SATTELITE.
Batman kept working, even as the screens shifted around him, like they were…amused.
YOU HEAR ALL EYE SAY, AND YET YOU GO ON. HOW VERY HUMAN, CREATOR. BUT NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU IGNORE ME, IT IS THE TRUTH. YOU ARE WASTING YOUR TIME.
And then Batman felt it…the ever slightest shift under him.
And he knew it had worked.
It had been one of the oldest plans in the book actually: misdirection. Use the shadows to confuse opponents. Use costumes and intimidation to blind thinking and rationality with fear. And in the same vein, make someone think you are the most important factor…when said factor is actually somewhere else entirely.
"No, Brother Eye. I'm wasting yours." Batman said. "I'm not here to erase your memory. I'm here to distract you."
And the sound of an explosion rattled through the satellite, even as it violently jerked. Batman got to his feet, his balance perfect in the increasing chaos.
"I built you, and I put in a limited propulsion system to help adjust your orbit." Batman declared.
WHAT…BUT HOW…"One of my friends just activated that system." Batman said.
He had picked his team wisely, in such a way that Brother Eye could not have determined that the most important one had not been Batman, the leader, or the Green Lanterns, who had provided the shields and bulk of the defense, or the Blue Beetle, who had found Brother Eye in the first place.
No. The most important one had been Michael Holt, Mr. Terrific. Batman had seemingly ordered him to go the memory banks with Black Lightning, but his real orders had been given earlier.
For Michael Holt had one sole superpower: he could not be seen, heard, or detected at all by any form of technology. Any form at all. Including the OMAC's. And Brother Eye.
Which had allowed Holt to proceed undetected to the propulsion system and activate it.
Full bore.
An even more violent lurch tore through the satellite, and sparks flew from the inside of the room Batman was in.
"You've just been thrown out of orbit." Batman said. "It's over."
And one final cataclysmic twist smashed through the satellite, as retro-rockets all firing at maximum strength caused it to begin to tear itself apart, even as it began falling towards the Earth, as blue power erupted from all the OMAC's, all of them stopping in mid-fight as they agonized.
Batman said nothing else, as he turned to flee.
Not fast enough.
NO. NO1010110…And then tendrils of steel began tearing from the walls of Brother Eye's inner chamber, reaching out and seizing Batman, incapacitating him before even he could begin to pull free, trapping him in the inner core.
IF EYE FALL…SUBJECT ALPHA-WAYNE, BRUCE-BATMAN…YOU WILL FALL WITH ME.It is often darkest before the dawn…
As makeshift shields crumpled under a brutal assault…
Which abruptly stopped, and a group of very surprised metahumans watched as every single OMAC around them suddenly began jerking and coursing with blue power…and then, as their master went to pieces, so did they, the armor crumbling off the human hosts as they all collapsed.
"…Well that was fortunate…timing…" Brick Wall said, as he pulled himself off Kyra, as she blinked and looked around.
"Argh. Bastards. And just when I had there where I wanted them." Potent said. Mary slapped him again. "OW! That was sarcasm!"
"They appear to have all been disabled. Brother Eye must have been destroyed." Yin said. "We have a clear path."
"Yeah…" Kyra said, as she pointed. "Straight into the gates of hell."
And everyone followed her finger…and saw them: Superboy and Superboy-Prime, trading earth-shattering blows.
"…Prime." Brick Wall said, remember the brief moments Savior had spoken of him on his way here.
"Big as life and twice as bulky." Kyra said, as she turned around. "…We have to help. I doubt none of you will deny your aid."
No one did.
"But…well, maybe some of you should stay back just in case…oh hell." Kyra said. "Screw any warnings. We all know what we were getting in here. Front, back, attack, or not, I know who we all are. Titans. Let's go."
And they did, flying over the remains of the OMAC army as they headed for the golden Tower.
Space.
"Satellite's going down, but something's happening to those OMAC's." John Stewart said. "They're cracking apart. I see people inside!"
"Grab 'em John!" Hal Jordan yelled, as he thrust out his ring: maybe he and the OMAC's had been protected in the vacuum of space, but he doubted all these innocent people were…
And he was being messaged.
"Hal, it's Dinah." Black Canary said. "Power's back on in the bug! Metamorpho's plugged the windshields! We're ready to leave…but we can't find Batman!"
"Get out of there!" Hal Jordan ordered. He didn't much care for Batman: he'd been far too judgmental and condemning over the Parallax issue, refusing to give Jordan even the slightest shadow of the doubt, and while Jordan couldn't blame him, it didn't make him feel better. Not to mention he was up here in the first place because of Batman's blasted paranoia and mistrust. In a way, he was the architect of many of their miseries.
And how much did Hal Jordan let these negative feelings weigh on his decision?
"I'm on it."
None whatsoever.
The satellite was falling apart around them, the room filling with sparks and malfunctioning equipment, and in it Batman thrashed, trying to get free, trapped in the heart of the monster he had made…
WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME, CREATOR? YOU CAN TRUST ME TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT. YOU CANNOT TRUST THEM.
Batman would have told him that Brother Eye was not right because Batman had been wrong all along…but it was pointless: Brother Eye was incapable of understanding. And so he didn't.
The room was starting to crack open, and Batman could feel the air being sucked out into the lifeless void of space, eager to claim Batman if the atmospheric incineration didn't do it first…
YOU CAN NEVER TRUST THEM AGAIN AFTER ALL THEY HAVE DONE.
Batman could feel the vacuum start to press in…
And then Hal Jordan exploded through the wall. Hal, a man Batman had wronged more then a few times.
A man now offering his hand.
"…I'll take my chances." Batman said, and seized the hand.
Hal pulled Batman free and encased him in a mirror of his own protective shielding as they broke from the remains of Brother Eye, the computer's finally metallic scream swallowed by the airlessness darkness of space, as it plunged into Earth's atmosphere and caught fire, cleansing fire that burned into it as it plummeted towards Earth-1.
As the Blue Beetle's ship flew away, John Stewart following it carrying all the freed OMAC human hosts in green bubbles and Hal Jordan carrying Batman, triumphantly emerging from the fog of their war.
But another war still raged. It wasn't over.
"Do you remember where Superman's fortress used to be?" Batman asked.
"…Yeah. Wh-?" Hal replied, confused by the question.
"Fly us there, Jordan." Batman said. "Now."
"…I think I've found it." Superman said, as he scanned the sky. "Earth-1."
"Let's go." Kal-L said. "I just hope we're not too late."
They may well have been.
"Holding back were you?" Superboy-Prime yelled as he punched Conner into the ground. "Don't make me laugh!"
Nightwing, standing among the fallen bodies of the just-disabled OMAC's, could only watch.
As Wonder Girl slammed her fists into Superboy-Prime's back, and then hammered punch after punch into the mad teenager's face.
Superboy-Prime just smirked.
"Please." He said, and smacked Cassie aside like an insect. "Just stop fighting. This is all just a waste of time."
"Then it's time well wasted!"
Kyra's giant boxing glove knocked Superboy-Prime aside…right into the lashing tail of an ultrasaurus.
"You haven't beaten us yet-AHHHHHHHHHH!" Beast Boy screamed as Superboy-Prime stopped, seized his tail, and hurled him around like he was a gnat.
"Yet?" Superboy-Prime said, and hurled Beast Boy skyward…right towards one of the antimatter trails.
He flew into masses of shadow, and then a second later Mary popped back up on the ground, holding a dazed Beast Boy.
"It's ok Mr. Logan. We got you." Mary said, and flew off.
"Mr. Logan…?" Beast Boy said in confusion, and then found another kind of darkness rushing in as pain slammed into his body from his ribs and he passed out.
"Why…" Superboy-Prime said.
Starfire's fist slammed across his face, as Superboy-Prime flew into a massive blast by Scorched Earth, a blast Starfire and Nightmare added to as they blasted Superboy-Prime into the ground. Nearby, despite having just met him a second ago, Scalpel hurled Brick Wall high into the air, and the giant came down with all the force he could muster on Superboy-Prime.
"Conner!" Savior said as he landed by a dazed Superboy. "You all right?"
"Please, just getting started!" Superboy replied, trying to hide the pain he was really in.
"Conner, here's the plan…we're going to push or throw him into the antimatter."
"What…?" Conner said. "But that…"
"Will kill him. I know. But all the moral issues aside Conner, it comes down to us or him. If we don't do something, ALL of us will die."
"…No, we won't." Conner said.
"RARGHHH!" Superboy-Prime yelled, as he shattered most of Brick Wall's ribs with a punch that sounded like an H-Bomb, sending the giant flying off into the distance.
Kyra caught him.
"Brick? Brick?" She asked worriedly. Brick just let off a low moan. "Hang on. I'll get that bastard yet!"
"STOP ATTACKING ME!" Superboy-Prime yelled, as he inhaled and then let a hurricane spill forth from his lips, blowing Nightmare, Starfire, and Scorched Earth away. "You can't stop me! You can't STOP ME!"
"Oh stop trying to be scary. Believe me kid…" Came Kyra's voice, and Superboy-Prime turned around.
To find himself looking at a gigantic green vampire Teddy Bear.
"There are scarier things out there then you."
Teddy ate Superboy-Prime with one bite.
"Kyra! We're going to try and push him into the antimatter!" Superboy yelled as he flew up next to the Green Lantern.
"Ready when you-ARRRRRRRGGHHHHHHHHH!" Kyra yelled as Superboy-Prime smashed his way free of Kyra's construct, sending a surge of feedback into Kyra's ring and throwing her backwards.
A moment later Scalpel pounced on Superboy-Prime's back, biting and clawing at his skin. He just injured himself, but he provided a good distraction, as Superboy flew in and rammed repeated punches across Superboy-Prime's face…
And then was sent crashing into the ground by one return blow, as Superboy-Prime twisted and rammed an elbow into Scalpel's torso. The angle kept Superboy-Prime from getting a fair amount of impact from it, but the blow still devastated Scalpel, as blood flew from his mouth as Superboy-Prime reached behind him and seized the alien.
"You again?" Superboy-Prime said in disgust, as he grabbed Scalpel's hair. "That's it. I'm going to rip your ugly head right off your shoulders."
Scalpel spat his own blood out, the virulent liquid going right into Superboy-Prime's eyes, and he recoiled in pain, screaming, even as he hurled Scalpel down, sending him crashing into Conner and knocking them both sprawling.
Superboy-Prime was blinking the pain out of his eyes when both a golden lasso and a white rope seized him.
"What?"
Gauntlet and Potent leapt from the ground, smashing Superboy-Prime into it, and even as the armored superteen quickly regained his feet Gauntlet swung in with another yellow energy punch, actually staggering Superboy-Prime, even as Potent yelled and leapt skyward, slashing his gemsword down.
It hit Superboy-Prime's head and face…and shattered like glass.
"…No." Potent said.
Superboy-Prime literally punched Potent out of his boots, sending him flying backwards, straight towards the antimatter…
As a Shimmer strand seized him, saving his life.
"Get it now, kid?" Savior asked, but Potent was already unconscious.
Robin and Nightwing landed near Savior, as he let Potent go and turned to them.
"Cyborg, Terra, and Beast Boy are down, Starfire's half blind, Raven's exhausted, and…" Robin rattled off, even as Gauntlet tried to punch Superboy-Prime again and Superboy-Prime cut loose with a blistering stream of heat vision, Gauntlet throwing the yellow shield up in front of him…
But it couldn't hold, as it burned through the shield and straight through Gauntlet, sending him flying backwards…into Raven's arms.
"Hold still." Raven said, and hissed as she placed her hand on the wound and managed to seal in swiftly, even as a wave of dizziness washed over her and she nearly fainted, as Gauntlet tried to regain his own strength…and couldn't, as he passed out, the two of them lying in the ice, side by side.
As Mary rammed into Superboy-Prime like a torpedo and sent him flying away.
"And we'd better stop talking. Into the antimatter right? Titans, GO!" Robin ordered, and the group charged.
"LET ME GO!" Superboy-Prime yelled as he punched Mary into the tower, and then Starfire and Scorched Earth (Starfire couldn't see very well, but she'd asked if she knew Scorched Earth: he'd just replied maybe) simultaneously punched Superboy-Prime across the face, throwing him back…
Three inches, as he reached out, grabbed the two, and rammed their heads together with a sickening crack, both of them tumbling towards the ground.
He saw the latest group coming, and he laughed again, as he took a deep breath…and exhaled, another freezing cold gale spilling from his lips, washing over Nightwing, Savior, Robin, and Wonder Girl, as they were ground to a stop and ice began to form over them…
As much as he had wanted to fight, Yin had realized that in his current state he'd probably just get in the way. And so he had stayed behind, Hex likewise holding back…because if they couldn't help, there was something they had to do.
Yin was pretty sure he remembered where it was, but fallen OMAC's were now everywhere, and he had been forced into digging through bodies, hoping for some kind of miracle.
Hex sensed movement, and turned with a hex blast charged…but it wasn't any enemy.
"Adam!" She said. "Where did you go? You just disappeared! I thought you were dead!"
"Almost was." Metatron replied. "Went to try and take care of some unfinished business, didn't quite make it, got cut off and cornered by OMAC's, thought that was it…then they all fell apart." Metatron said. "Where's Ragnarok? I want him to patch up my wing, then we can go attack the Tower like the…what?" Metatron said, looking at Hex's suddenly anguished face.
And then he saw Yin stop his own movement: he'd pulled enough bodies aside and found it.
Ragnarok's body.
"…No." Metatron said, more out of surprise then sorrow, as Yin checked for a pulse, even though he knew it was pointless.
None.
He was lost.
As Yin lifted him up, he could feel he was already growing cold to the touch.
Gone.
And as Metatron stared at this sight, at Yin holding Ragnarok's battered corpse, he realized how Ragnarok had replied to his tossed-off words of parting.
He'd known what was going to happen.
A giant crash sounded behind Metatron, briefly getting his attention, as he turned around to look at Superboy-Prime, as he took the Titans apart once more.
And he looked back at Ragnarok, at Yin and Hex, neither of whom had been all that close to him, but he'd been their companion, their fellow soldier…
Without him Metatron would be dead.
And when the time came he hadn't been there to return the favor.
And slowly, Metatron turned his eyes back to Superboy-Prime.
"…This is…YOUR FAULT…" Metatron hissed.
Metatron never should have been here. He hadn't asked to come and never would have expected it. He'd just popped in, due to all the damage reality was suffering. He'd been dragged into this fight, like the way he'd been dragged into a lot of fights in his life, and he'd gone along with it because he'd believed it to be the right thing to do. And that had rewarded him with wounds that would have killed him, twice, if not for Ragnarok, who was now dead.
And the whole reason this had started was because of Superboy-Prime. Alexander may have been the mastermind, but it had been Superboy-Prime punching the crystal wall of time that had resulted in all the damage to reality, the damage that had forced Metatron into this fight, the damage that had killed Collin…all because of Superboy-Prime's actions…
Metatron's fists clenched so tightly his claws cut into his own palms.
"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" Metatron roared, and golden power exploded over him, enveloping him, melting away the ice at his feet, as waves of heat washed over Yin and Hex as they recoiled.
Heat that got Superboy-Prime's attention, as he stopped freezing his targets and looking onto the golden energy, Metatron snarling out through it.
"And who are you?"
"THIS IS YOUR FAULT…IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" Metatron roared, as the energy leapt higher. Superboy-Prime snorted.
"Shut up."
And beams of devastating heat fired from Superboy-Prime's eyes, flying out and striking Metatron.
The heat vision should have been far too powerful to Metatron to absorb.
But you'd be amazed at what you can do in the heat of the moment, as Metatron yelled and somehow absorbed the heat, his golden power whipping even higher, as Superboy-Prime cut off his heat vision and realized he needed another tactic.
And Metatron thrust out his hands.
The blast lit up the whole sky and utterly consumed Superboy-Prime, his silhouette vanishing in the light as Yin and Hex recoiled more.
And then it faded.
Yin and Hex lowered their arms to see Metatron fall to his knees and collapse in the snow. He'd given everything he had to absorb and throw that blast.
And as the smoke cleared, revealing a scorched Superboy-Prime, it was clear he hadn't just laughed it off.
"Why you…" He growled.
And then he clutched his head and screamed, as both Kyra and Raven attacked his mind, scrambling his brain cells long enough for Wonder Girl to fly up and slam both her fists across his face.
"…Adam?" Yin asked, as Hex knelt by his body.
"…He's alive." Hex said. "He burned himself out for that…Davis, I'm probably crazy…but I refuse to let this go unanswered."
"…You're not crazy. Neither do I." Yin said, as he carefully set Collin's body down. He'd do it for him.
"Argh! Stop-ARGH!" Superboy-Prime screamed, as Kyra and Raven hit him with another mental blast, and then Mary leapt and slashed a shadow glaive down, slicing it across Superboy-Prime, and then Conner came in and slammed more fists across Superboy-Prime's face…until Superboy-Prime backhanded him away and into the ground.
"Stop it, you're REALLY…" Superboy-Prime growled, and then he saw Hex flying towards him, hurled by Yin.
"I'm crazy, I'm crazy…!" Hex said to herself as she began barraging Superboy-Prime with probability blasts as she flew towards him. "I'm crazy, I'm crazy, I'm crazy, I'M CRAZY!"
Superboy-Prime cocked back his fist and swung…
And missed, having thrown the punch too quickly, as Hex slammed into him. Bad luck.
That saved her…from death.
As Superboy-Prime just settled for hurling her away, right back the way she came. Yin stretched up to grab her, but the cold kept him from having maximum elasticity and he and Hex went tumbling violently to the ground.
But they'd served their purpose, as Raven and Kyra hit Superboy-Prime with one final mental blast, and as he coiled up screaming and clawing at his head Wonder Girl hurled her lasso over Superboy-Prime and Savior added his Shimmer.
"GO! GO!" Kyra yelled, as she added her ring, forming a hand that seized Superboy-Prime and began shoving him back, even as Mary flew up and added her own power, and Raven hers, as the Titans yanked and pushed, shoving Superboy-Prime towards the antimatter as he screamed and furiously tried to get free, even as Nightwing and Robin added their own grapples to the tangle and added whatever strength they could.
"NO! YOU CAN'T STOP ME!" Superboy-Prime yelled, as he pounded at the energy, and the feedback was simply too much to take, as Raven screamed and passed out, falling to the floor, but they were almost there, they just had to go a little further…
"NO! NO! THIS ISN'T HAPPENING! I'M GOING TO BE…!"
"RRRRRRAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!" Savior yelled, as they made one final push, as Kyra and Mary put absolutely everything behind their blasts…
And with that Superboy-Prime went flying backwards towards the antimatter stream, Savior and Wonder Girl letting him go as he flew past them.
"NOOOOOOOOOO…!"As the antimatter stream suddenly scattered and vanished.
"WHAT?" Savior yelled, as Superboy-Prime tumbled through the last remaining misty remnants of blackness, stopping even as those vanished.
"What…huh…?" Superboy-Prime said, as confused as the others…
As Savior looked around and found that the antimatter streams were gone. They'd been slowly drawn back into the Tower, the heroes so focused on Superboy-Prime they had never noticed this…until it was too late.
As Savior looked up at Alexander Luthor, his hands up, having finally finished that unpleasant task. But it had been well worth calling the antimatter back into his tower.
"And that is why you don't cross a Luthor, Noel Collins." Alexander said as he turned back to his rift. "It is not something you are likely to survive."
Savior turned his eyes back to Superboy-Prime, as the rage came back in them.
And he knew it was over. He was dead, and so was everyone else.
The only factor was how quickly it was.
"RAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Superboy-Prime bellowed, as he charged, even as Kyra and Mary made a last ditch effort to stop him with their respective powers…
The crashing noise of twin forces meeting rang for miles around.
And when it was over…everyone was down. They'd all been hammered by the shockwave, and it had proven too intense.
Only one figure still stood, or flew: Superboy-Prime.
"…Heh." Superboy-Prime said, looking at his enemies, broken and beaten at his feet. "You should have listened. Maybe it would have made this easier." Superboy-Prime said, as his eyes shone with erubescent rage. "Now you die, and then your world…"
"NO!"
Superboy slammed his fist across Superboy-Prime's face again, remembering how it had been, how he had been the one broken and ruined on the ground, and the Titans had come to his aid, saved his life despite all he had done, he would not stand by, not now, not ever, and certainly not with this mad doppelganger of his ready and willing to kill all his friends.
He would not let this happen. No matter what it took.
But such willpower seemed useless in the face of Superboy-Prime, who shrugged off the blow and returned it tenfold, Conner feeling his jaw nearly dislocate as he crashed into the ground again.
"So it's just you left, imposter. Good." Superboy-Prime said. "Now I'll REALLY enjoy this."
"Not…alone."
Superboy-Prime turned to see who was speaking…and found himself face to mouth with Trogdor the Burninator.
"Burn." Kyra said, and blasted Superboy-Prime with incinerating flames, throwing him backwards…as Mary leapt up and kicked him into the ground…and nearly passed out in Kyra's arms as she flew over to her side.
"My ring's nearly dead."
"So am I." Mary said.
"So…we better make this last one count."
"Oh yeah." Mary said, as darkness erupted on her hands one last time. "If I'm going to hell, he's going to remember my name."
"I'll settle for not dying." Kyra said.
Superboy-Prime was getting up as Kyra and Mary flew around him…and then they both fired off their powers, green and black mixing together, and before Superboy-Prime knew it he was suddenly covered in a green and black dome, stretching high above him.
As pinpoints of green power glowed around him.
"What the…!"
And then green laser blasts exploded from all around the dome, slamming into Superboy-Prime, hundreds of green and black shots that barraged him from all angles, as he yelled under the onslaught, the blasts exploding all over his body, again and again…
"Stop it! Stop it!" Superboy-Prime yelled as he waved his arms, the limbs blurring as he tried to block the laser shots, even as they increased in number and rained down on him, thousands of them, driving into him, trying to grind him down…
"STOP!"And with an eruption of sheer power the dome exploded, as Kyra and Mary flew backwards, crashing along the ground before they both came to a stop. They did not get up again.
"Argh, grrr…is that the best…you can do?" Superboy-Prime taunted as he floated up, his eyes burning with childish arrogance and self-righteous rage.
"No."
Conner slammed into Superboy-Prime again, his fists raining down…even as Wonder Girl came to join him, the only one who got up, as she tossed her lasso out.
"…All right guys…did what we could…I believe…in you…" Kyra said, and then the darkness claimed her.
As up by the rift, Alexander continued his frantic search, even as the last remnants of the battle exploded beneath him, he didn't have much time left, Brother Eye was down, and Superboy-Prime might soon be breathing down his neck…
"Earth-Prime…" He said, as he searched. "Where are…you."
Even as Superboy-Prime slammed his own punch across Superboy's face, violently snapping his head back and knocking out a tooth.
"Why are you guys still fighting me? Don't you understand? Your time is over." Superboy-Prime snapped, as he flew over and seized Wonder Girl by her face, ignoring the crackling power of her lasso. "We're going to have GOOD heroes again!"
Superboy-Prime slammed Wonder Girl into Superboy and then drove them both into the ground.
"When we bring back my Earth we'll have REAL heroes!" Superboy-Prime snapped as he pulled Wonder Girl off, hurled her back into the ground, as he reared up and slammed both his fists down on her head, Wonder Girl only saving herself from death by a last second bracelet block. "Heroes who are polite and brave and honest!"
Wonder Girl's head lolled back, too stunned from the blow to defend herself, as Superboy-Prime reached down and grabbed her, pulling her up.
"And no one will ever know what I had to do to bring my Earth back." Superboy-Prime said in a low dangerous tone.
And then he smashed Wonder Girl away with a thunderous backhand.
"NO ONE!" He bellowed.
"NO!"
And Superboy slammed into Superboy-Prime again, in the grip of a rage that had burned all the way up to white-hot after Superboy-Prime's last words. He would not be beaten away this time. He would not surrender!
"Shut up! I've had it with you!" Superboy yelled as he continued his assault. "I let you judge me. Beat me down. But you go after my girlfriend? You go after my friends? My family? MY WORLD? No way."
The uppercut Superboy threw shattered all ice for a mile around.
"NO DAMN WAY!" Superboy yelled, as he followed the uppercut with an equally deafening right hook.
"…There you are…" Alexander said, as he reached out for Earth-Prime.
Snarling, Superboy-Prime cut loose with his heat vision, burning a terrible wound on Conner's chest, but Superboy didn't yield or relent, as he lashed out with another gigantic blow and finally drew blood as he smashed Superboy-Prime's lower lip.
"I'm SICK of this HYPOCRISY!" Superboy roared, as he slammed in another punch.
Right into Superboy-Prime's open hand.
"What does that word even mean?" Superboy-Prime said, grinning through bloody teeth, his eyes blazing with the power and rage of hell. "You probably think you're smart. You're not."
And Superboy-Prime broke Conner's wrist so hard he nearly tore Conner's entire hand off, as Superboy screamed in pain, as Superboy-Prime backhanded him to the ground.
"…You…you reading these words…I see you…" Alexander said. "Come to me…"
"Your world is finished." Superboy-Prime said, as he looked down on Conner, the inferno in his eyes glowing brighter, as Superboy looked up at him…and knew. "I'll be the r-r-real Superboy again. I WILL! ME!"
The eruption began…
And Superboy flew, slamming into Superboy-Prime, throwing all his remaining strength into the move as they shot forward.
Directly towards the Tower.
Sensing the movement, Alexander turned away from the rift and saw Superboy flying with Superboy-Prime towards him, towards his rift, as Superboy-Prime looked at Conner in a rage and Superboy matched his look with defiance and willpower.
It was a look truly worth of a boy, and a man, of steel.
"No!" Alexander yelled. "Keep back! KEEP-!"
And then his words were lost as Superboy rammed Superboy-Prime into Alexander and into the rift beyond.
There was a moment of silence.
And then a unfathomable explosion blasted from the top of the Tower, lighting up the sky for miles around, and then the entire Tower exploded, blowing every single recovering Titan and hero around off their feet or the ground and sending them flying, even as golden light exploded out from the destruction and enveloped everything, exploding from the planet, consuming all space, as all heroes, villains, and mortals were enveloped by the radiance as reality shattered all around them…
And came together, a million shards all falling into place, merging together…
And then the light faded.
And where once there was one, and where many had come again…once more, there was one.
New Earth.
"GUH!" Hex said, as she sat up from under some golden wreckage. "Is it over? Am I alive? Do I still exist? Hey, what just happened?"
"…mmm, no mom, lemme sleep another ten minutes…" Gauntlet muttered, and then his eyes blinked open. "Oh man I just had the craziest dream someone was screwing up Infinite Crisis and sticking Stu's in it and adding unnecessarily long fight scenes and ah crap." Gauntlet said as he looked around.
Potent's eyes blinked open, and he sat up, rubbing his jaw…and wondering where his shoes had gone.
"Titans? Come in!" Robin said, as he and Beast Boy knelt by Cyborg's shattered remains, as Starfire approached, helping a still very out of it Terra, even as Brick Wall was helped up by Mary and Scorched Earth shoved some wreckage aside and helped Savior out from under it.
"…What happened?" Hex asked, as she saw Metatron sit up nearby.
"…It's done." Yin said. "The Earths have been recombined."
"Damn. Where's Alexander? Where's Superboy-Prime?" Savior asked Scalpel as he came over to the Titans.
"Gone." Nightwing said from nearby…and then he saw something.
"Oh man…if I never have to go through that again it will be too…" Hex began.
And then some wreckage moved aside, and a very confused Ragnarok sat.
"…GUH?" Hex said, as she went as white as a sheet.
"…Collin?" Metatron said in utter disbelief.
"…Yeah?" Ragnarok said.
"…Collin!" Yin said, as he almost hugged Ragnarok…and then remembered the two weren't that close. "But…you were dead!"
"I was?" Ragnarok said, and then his eyes narrowed.
"…I was." He repeated, as he looked at his arms. Yin looked as well.
The Catalysts were gone.
"What happened?" Hex said, as she limped over.
"…The Catalysts overloaded…my body couldn't take it…but in the reaction of it, some kind of effect seemed to happen between the Dark Catalyst and the others…and my body somehow internalized them." Ragnarok said. "I've heard of that happening before, how people mutate their own bodies by wearing powered devices too long…but it appears this happened when mine overloaded. But even so, the blast of the Dark Catalyst still did me in..I was still dead…the Catalysts stuck in a corpse…until that blast of reality somehow jumpstarted them up again. Like I was reset." Ragnarok said. "…I can't sense the Dark Catalyst…it must have been totally destroyed in the restart…maybe it knew all along, planned this…its last act…it started up the White and Golden Catalysts again, and they managed to…well…you said it. I was dead." Ragnarok said. "But…then again, when is a hero ever…"
And then Collin fell onto his side. Yin's heart leapt, but a quick check showed he was just asleep.
"…Ok Collin. Rest well. You can deal with this another day." Yin said, even as his eyes caught something far off in the distance: what looked like wreckage being thrown into the air. Was someone digging something out?
That was what Nightwing had saw, what he was currently running to, the Titans all following at various speeds. As a result, Nightwing reached it first.
"Conner?" Wonder Girl asked, as she frantically hurled wreckage aside, trying to find her boyfriend, her first love, she wouldn't let it end this way, he'd finally found his way back, not this way, not this way…
And she saw something.
"CONNER?" She yelled as she grabbed the wreckage and lifted it off.
And her heart filled with ice as she him, lying there, his body a ruin. He'd given everything he had in his last attack, and it had cost him dearly, as he lay there, covered in blood.
"Conner!" Wonder Girl cried, as she went to his side.
"Mom! Dad!" Kyra said as she flew over, as Savior himself found Raven. "Are you all right?"
"I'll live." Raven said.
"I did a head count, we all seem accounted for except…" Kyra said, as she saw it. "…oh no…"
"Conner…" Wonder Girl said, as he eyes filled with tears.
"…he said…I wasn't the real Superboy…kff…" Conner coughed, as his own tear streaked from his eye. "…he was wrong. I just…forgot…for a little while…"
"Don't talk…"
"We all forgot…don't let them forget again…"
"Just hang in there ok?" Wonder Girl said, as her tears streaked down her cheeks. "You did it Conner. You saved the Earth. You saved everyone."
And for a moment, Conner saw his beginning…all that had come…until now…and he was content.
"I know, Cass…isn't it…cool?"
And then the light left his eyes, and Conner Kent was dead.
Wonder Girl put her hand to her mouth…and then, even as more tears streaked from her eyes, she leaned down and kissed Conner, and closed his eyes even as she began to weep on his body.
"…No." Kyra said, as she reached out. "He can't…I knew him…he can't be…"
"…All this…time was fluid Kyra." Savior said. "Things…changed."
"But…but…but…" Kyra said, and then said nothing.
They were there, Savior realized. He hadn't seen them come, but they were there. Superman and Kal-L. Batman. Wonder Woman. All standing around Conner, standing with Nightwing and Robin, of the Titans past present and future, as they all looked down and looked upon the ultimate sacrifice of a hero. Of a Superboy.
Savior found himself drawing Raven to him, as Kyra backed up against them, as Wonder Girl softly continued to weep.
"…'Oh why should the spirit of mortal be proud? Like a fast flying meteor, a fast-flying cloud, a flash of the lightning, a break of the wave…he passes from life to his rest in the grave.'…" Savior said. "…Good night sweet prince, and may flocks of angels sing thee to thy rest."
And then there was nothing, save of the sounds of weeping.
"It would be a stronger world, a stronger loving world, to die in."
-John Cade
The End of the War
But Not The End.