11 Justice League Night Falls

Superman flew directly at Surtur. The giant fire demon chuckled as he slashed his flaming sword across Superman's chest. The Kryptonian cried out and plummeted to the ground. Diana joined him to see what was the matter.

"He…he burned me," Superman stammered.

"This creature is magical," Diana informed him, "You are vulnerable to magic. What will you do now? Withdraw?"

He caught the accusation in her tone and he frowned, "I'm going right back at him."

"And I shall be beside you," Diana said happily.


"Hawk, you need to watch out!" Dove admonished.

"Aw, shaddup!" Hawk snarled.

A fire demon punched him in the face. He retaliated and then turned on Dove, "Where the hell were you? Why didn't you warn me about that critter?"

Dove shrugged, "You wanted me to shut up. So I did."

"Lady, you are on my last nerve," Hawk growled.

"Hawk, duck," Dove instructed.

"What?" Hawk was befuddled. Another fire demon smacked him in the face. Hawk smashed it down.

"You think you're really funny, don't you?" Hawk accused.

"Only slightly," Dove admitted, "Now step aside."

Hawk finally listened and she kicked another approaching demon in the face. She smiled at him, "Wasn't that easier?"

"You still ain't my brother," Hawk snapped and he threw himself into a cluster of fire demons.

Dove sighed. Her Lord of Order patron had warned her that this partnership wouldn't be easy. She was half tempted to tell her patron where to stick it though. Maybe she would after this crisis was averted.


Cyborg's sonic cannon literally carved a channel through a sea of demons. Beside him, Vibe used his vibration inducing powers to shake the demons until they spilled onto the ground. They were inordinately pleased with themselves until they realized one thing. There was a seemingly inexhaustible supply of demons streaming out of where James Rice's apartment had used to be.

"You get the feeling we're holding back a tidal wave with just our hands?" Cyborg asked his friend.

"We can't win this until someone plugs that hole," Vibe concurred.

"Yeah, but who's gonna do that?" Cyborg wondered.

Vibe had no answer.


Captain Atom and Starman were having better luck. Their energy bursts actually shredded their demons. But as had been noticed by others, it did nothing to stem the wave of destruction.

"Want to take this to its source?" Captain Atom asked Starman.

"Gladly," Starman agreed.

They flew to the rift, but standing at its base was Obsidian. James Rice hung next to him bound in darkness. He saw his former teammates and called out to them.

"I wouldn't try what you're thinking of doing," he taunted.

"And why is that?" Captain Atom retorted.

"Because then I'll have to do this" Obsidian waved hand in their direction. Darkness swallowed them and they found themselves sucked into the Shadow Realms themselves. And they also discovered what lived there.


Katana was a pure engine of destruction. She cleaved off heads, arms, and bodies down the middle without a thought or concern. Black Canary had taken charge of a small group that supported Katana. Mainly they kept other demons off of her back. Catwoman and Batwoman assisted Black Canary in this effort.

"I wonder if the Shining Knight is this freewheeling." Catwoman asked Batwoman.


"Dang Justin!" Vigilante yelped as Sir Justin split another demon in two, "Ever thoughta just woundin' `em?"

"Nay," Sir Justin said tersely.

Batwing, Booster Gold, and Plastic Man were beside them. Batwing's arsenal of non-lethal weaponry kept the demons at bay temporarily but they always rose and resumed their attack. Booster's proton blaster seemed to make almost as big an impact as Sir Justin's sword.

Fortunately Plastic Man was resistant to burning so he was able to use his elasticized body to rally against the demon horde. As they continued to fight, Vigilante noticed that Black Canary's group was nearby. He called out to the Shining Knight.

"Hey Justin! See the gal posse over there? Think ya'll can clear us a path ta join `em?" Vigilante wondered.

"It shall be as you say!" Sir Justin declared and he began to cut his way to Black Canary's team.

He came alongside Katana, "Allow me the honor to fight beside you, milady."

"The honor is mine," Katana admitted. At that point they really began to create carnage.

Black Canary eased up a bit as she turned to Vigilante, "Thanks for the assist, Vig."

"Aw shucks, ma'am. We were just in the neighborhood. It's not like ya'll really need the help. Ah reckon us hombres need it more `n you," Vigilante demurred.

"No wonder Heather keeps you around," Black Canary commented.

"Ah try. Ah shorely do," Vigilante admitted, "Now whut do ya say ta killin' a few demons?"

"You're on Cowboy!" Black Canary enthused.


Fire, Ice, the Flash, Vixen, Aztek, Red Tornado, and the Ray stood their ground. The Ray's solar powers obliterated demons one by one but there were always more to fight in their place. Fire's powers were useless. The demons were energized by her flames.

Vixen was doing her best but she could only handle touching a fire demon for the briefest of moments so her contribution wasn't as large as it could have been under other circumstances. Aztek also destroyed demons by the droves. His mystical armor protected him as well as granted him major offensive capabilities. Vixen acted as his spotter and together they made a stronger gestalt than they would have been individually.


The Flash beat at demons one right after the other. His physical assault repelled them but they soon came back. He tried creating vortexes to cool their bodies and he scattered a few dozen of them.

"Hey Reddy!" Flash called out to Red Tornado, "Why don't you pitch in?"

"I cannot," Red Tornado announced, "The elemental composition of the atmosphere has been altered. The nanotech that allows me to create vortexes is unable to manipulate the air."

"But I thought Cyclone's powers had been created by her being injected with that same nanotech," Flash countered.

"Her abilities are altered by her bio interface," Red Tornado explained, "And if you have a moment, you will observe that Cyclone is barely able to generate a wind capable of moving a single demon much less a horde."

"Bummer!" Flash realized, "Well, I guess you can fight the ol' fashioned way. Give `em the ol' one-two."

"I have been. I fear I am inefficient at it," Red Tornado almost sounded sad.

"You learn by doing," Flash encouraged and then returned his full attention to the demon onslaught.


Ice was freezing demons in their tracks but even as she watched, the demons thawed themselves out through sheer effort. Her powers had never been tested like this before. In Norway, she'd lived the life of a goddess. The human world was fraught with perils she'd never dreamt of. It was little wonder her people had locked themselves away for thousands of years now. She didn't know if these beings could kill one such as her but if it was her day to die, she would make her ancestors proud of her.


Zatanna pulled Silver Sorceress and Blue Jay out of the fray. Silver Sorceress frowned, "Where have you been?

"Talking to Atom Smasher," Zatanna revealed, "Anna Fortune is among the possessed. We need her."

"Who?" Silver Sorceress was confused by this new name.

"The former JLU spellcaster I mentioned that got transferred to the JSA," Zatanna reminded her, "Remember?"

"Vaguely," Silver Sorceress dimly recalled, "Why do we need her?"

"She's an Agent of Order," Zatanna revealed, "And she has mystical weapons called spell casings. One of them may prove the key for the Justice Society's victory over the King of Tears."

"What about Surtur?" Silver Sorceress wondered.

"We'll worry about him in turn," Zatanna decided, "You and Anna are the keys to our success."

"Me?" Silver Soccer's squeaked.

"You control the White Light of Life," Zatanna reminded her, "I think that will prove instrumental in repelling the darkness of the Shadow Realms."

"Okay," Silver Sorceress said dubiously, "Do you have a picture? Because neither of even knows what she looks like."

"Atom Smasher had a couple," Zatanna handed a portrait to Silver Sorceress and a picture of the couple to Blue Jay. Zatanna grinned at Blue Jay, "She's the blonde."

"I wouldn't have guessed," he quipped.

"She's unconscious about six blocks east of here," Zatanna informed them, "Free her and bring her back ASAP."

"She's a mystic," Silver Sorceress reminded Zatanna, "What if my little 'trick' doesn't work on her?"

"Then if you need to, you find another way of freeing her. Barring that, you take the spell casings and her cannon from her," Zatanna instructed.

"And if she resists?" Blue Jay asked.

"Try not to kill her but if she leaves you no choice, do what you have to do. We need those spell casings," Zatanna said grimly.


A green chisel carved its way through the possessed crowd. Once they were shunted aside, it opened into a tunnel that the Justice Society poured through. When they reached the open territory surrounding the King of Tears, Sentinel collapsed the tunnel. In his place, Jade formed a wall construct that surrounded the King of Tears and kept the possessed at bay.

"Jennie, are you sure you've got this? After all it's been a while," Sentinel inquired.

"Dad, there are certain things like being green that just never go away," Jade said wryly, "I've got this. Take care of business."

The Justice Society squared up against the King of Tears. Only the original members had ever faced him. They had no idea of the indestructible power the demigod wielded but they were about to learn.

A tentacle rose from the pulsating, bulbous mass and a stream of energy, akin in appearance to lightening streamed forth from it. Unlike lightning, however, this could make flesh crumble off of bone. Jay shoved Wildcat aside at super speed. Jesse did the same for Hourman.

"Okay, head's up people!" Sand began directing the battle while the King re-examined his options, "Sentinel, strike from the air. Flash and Jesse Quick, hit it every way you can from everywhere you can. Atom Smasher, crush the King of Tears. Commander Steel and Hourman, take him head on."

"The rest of you, follow Wildcat and deal with Johnny Sorrow," Sand instructed, "That sonuvabitch has to pay for what he did to Johnny Thunder. But don't ever look at his face! If he reaches for his mask, duck and cover. He'll have to stay corporeal until he reaffixes the mask. If he approaches you, take him out without looking at him."


Sentinel used a scythe construct to slice through the King of Tear's flesh. While he attempted to cleave off a portion of the beast, the wound healed even more quickly than Sentinel recalled the King being able to do. He opted to shift his tactics and began hurling bursts of needles into the King of Tears. Unfortunately, the wounds healed nearly as fast as they were made.


Atom Smasher tripled his height until he towered over the King of Tears' immense bulk. Tentacles lashed out towards him. He took hold of them and bent them so they were redirected at the King himself. The energy bolts disintegrated flesh.

These wounds took longer to heal and Atom Smasher began to kick at the King of Tears' wounded flank. Hourman and Commander Steel joined in and began to rip away putrid flesh. Maggots dropped out of the King of Tears flesh and they came at the Justice Society members with razor sharp teeth hidden inside of round mouths.

One of them engulfed Commander Steel's arm. He stood his ground as the maggot tried to tear his arm out of its socket. While the maggot struggled, Commander Steel groped around its innards and found a mass of tissue. Grabbing hold of it, he placed his other hand on the maggot's mouth and pulled his captive arm free.

Commander Steel clutched at a ganglion mass and his arm dripped with saliva. Hourman tossed a maggot aside and grimaced at Commander Steel's work, "Helluva way to kill one of these buggers."

"Give me time. I'll make it easier," Commander Steel vowed.


Jay and Jesse raced around the King of Tears' mass and struck at the bloated creature as fast as they ran. They skirted the section where Hourman, Commander Steel, and Atom Smasher were working. As they ran, Jesse came up behind Jay.

"We aren't accomplishing anything," she lamented.

"There is a way," Jay proclaimed, "But it's dangerous."

"Like this isn't?" she wondered.

"Honey, we'd have to tap into the Speed Force. Just like your father did before he was lost inside of it," Jay warned.

"Wally made it out," Jesse countered.

"Wally had help," Jay reminded her, "You'd have to be my help."

"Why me? Why can't I tap the Speed Force?" Jesse protested.

"Jesse, you'll have to boost me so I can go fast enough to reach it," Jay told her.

"But...!" she began to squawk.

"Jesse, you have Rick to think of," Jay gently reminded her, "Your life together has just begun. Don't throw that away."

"What about you?" Jesse shot back, "Won't Joan miss you as well?"

"Joan knew what my coming back to the JSA could mean," Jay argued, "I married her after I was freed of Ragnarok, remember? My first wife had remarried and moved on decades before I even met Joan."

"Damn you!" Jesse tried not break down, "This isn't fair! It's like watching my father all over again."

"So are we going to do this?" jay wondered.

"Why not?" Jesse capitulated.

They began to race in a circle along the border of Jade's wall construct. They went faster and faster until they were passing their previous sonic booms. Jay could feel it start to happen.

"Now Jesse!" he shouted, "Break off!"

Jay had been tapping into Jesse's Speed Force presence to boost his abilities. Now he was directly touching the Speed Force itself. He vectored in on the King of Tears. He thrust his flattened hand into the King's flesh and began his circle.

Atom Smasher, Hourman, and Commander Steel had broken off when the sonic booms began. Hourman had discussed the legendary Speed Force with his wife and he had a fair idea of what she and the Flash were attempting.

The King of Tears was gutted. His innards spilled forth as his flesh was slit by Jay's efforts. Once the innards were exposed, they too were filleted. It seemed as the King of Tears was collapsing in on himself. Jay broke free.

He desperately tried to slow himself but it seemed he couldn't. He thought of Joan. They'd never had kids. It seemed the chemical process that turned him into the Flash had sterilized him. The kids in the JSA were his ersatz children. Which is why he couldn't let them die. Suddenly Jesse came up beside him and pulled at his arm. She gradually slowed herself and dropped him into a slower rate of speed through pure drag.

Eventually they slowed enough to come to a halt. Hourman rushed to his wife, "That was amazing!"

"Jay did the difficult work," Jesse admitted.

"Well it was fantastic!" Hourman enthused, "The King of Tears is nothing but a sagging bag of flesh."

"Not quite," Sand suddenly said, "Take a look now."

Everyone was staring in horror as the King of Tears regenerated. The spilled organs were simply divested as new ones grew in their place. The King's outer skin was already almost healed.

"Have any other tricks up your sleeve?" Commander Steel inquired.

"Fresh out, I'm afraid," Jay hated to admit.


"You know, you really should have brought Sandy with you," Johnny Sorrow warned the encroaching members of the JSA, "After all, he might have survived this."

Johnny Sorrow removed his mask. All of the JSA people hunkered down. Stymied, Johnny Sorrow approached Wildcat first. After all, the elder hero had been present at his "creation".

Sorrow reached out with his free hand to forcibly turn Wildcat towards him. What he got was an elbow in the gut. Normally being intangible, Johnny Sorrow was no longer used to physical contact much less physical pain.

Wildcat snapped off a right cross with his eyes closed. Johnny Sorrow reeled. He was used to horror and exploding eyeballs at this point. He certainly wasn't supposed to be getting trashed by a sixty year old former boxer.

He stumbled backwards and realized he had almost collided with Judomaster. Of course, he knew nothing about her so he was surprised that she evaded him without ever looking at him. He reached out for her as well. Again, she slipped out of his grasp and snapped off a sidekick into his stomach.

What was it with these people and his stomach? Judomaster smashed what would have been a nose on a typical face. The terror that comprised Johnny Sorrows face writhed in pain. Judomaster returned to his midsection with a knee. A spin kick to his head convinced him to reaffix his mask.

Her phoenix punch passed through him and she opened her eyes. She tried to grab him and pin him but she couldn't touch him. She called out at Johnny Sorrow's mask was back on.

Johnny Sorrow helplessly chuckled, "It seems we're at a standstill, boys and girls."

"Standstill this!" Stargirl shouted. The Cosmic Rod belched out stellar fury. Johnny Sorrow actually cried out in pain. His only weakness, besides when he was corporeal, was cosmic energy. The original Starman and Star Spangled Kid and discovered this. Johnny Sorrow had thought their troublesome days were long gone.

Smiling from her victory, Stargirl unleashed the combined might of the Cosmic Rod and the Cosmic Convertor Belt. Johnny Sorrow recoiled in agony. He dimly recalled something about a maiden touched by stellar energies with a pure heart. Stargirl's purity rang forth from her. He suddenly realized she could prove to be his salvation.

"This day is yours, Star Lady," Johnny Sorrow suddenly decided.

"That's Stargirl, moron," Stargirl retorted.

"Good to know," Johnny Sorrow replied with a jaunty wave, "Toodles!"

He vanished from sight. Wildcat was less than pleased, "Great. He's still loose."

"Excuse me, but what do we do about that?" Lightning pointed at the rapidly healing King of Tears as he unleashed energy bolt after energy bolt at the Justice Society members facing him.

"We pull the fire off of them, kid," Wildcat decided.

"And how are we supposed to do that?" Red Beetle suddenly asked.

"Any way we can," Wildcat said firmly. Seeing the incredulous looks from Red Beetle, Lightning, and even Mr. America, he shrugged, "Hey, you wanted to play dress up. I know you all really wanted to join the Justice League not the Justice Society. If you can't handle one of our missions how the hell can you handle a JLU mission where they face crap like this every day?"

Cyclone, King Chimera, and Ri nodded their understanding. Judomaster was as cool as ever. Stargirl got it from direct experience. From where the Batsons stood, or were bound, and Freddy Freeman stood beside Teth-Adam and Adrianna Tomaz, Wildcat knew they'd understand as well.

Now, he just had to wonder about Galatea and her little mission. Tea had been a member of four different teams in as many years. One of them had been the Legion of Doom. Then she'd been the big gun amongst the Global Guardians. Superman had made her life a living hell inside the Justice League and now she'd ended up with the Justice Society. He wondered how long that would last.

Galatea was fully trained. There was little Wildcat could teach her. It was more like she was on probation. Jay and Alan were the voices of experience she needed to hear.

Sand didn't like to hear it but the JSA was a relic. The JLU was the future. Maybe there was a way of adding the Society's legacy to the League's. Maybe not. But the JSA was from the past. It had been born, fought, and ostensibly died in the past. Maybe this revival wasn't such a good idea after all.

Sure, Wildcat had been nostalgic as hell. The chance to work with most of his old partners again? Who wouldn't jump at that? But their stated mission could be accomplished within the League's auspices. The Justice Society already had a museum dedicated to them for God's sake! Maybe the JSA brand should retire to the past even if the members stayed active.

But these considerations were for another day. Right now they had a pissed off demigod to trounce. He turned to Mr. Terrific.

"Zap us over there," Wildcat instructed, "The boys and girl need our help."

Mr. Terrific grinned, "I'm on it."

And one red flash later, they were in the midst of the struggle.