After The Monitor announced a "Crisis" was coming we were all suddenly portaled to the DEO. All of us looked around, but the Monitor was nowhere in sight. We all looked at each other with utter confusion as the room began to shake. I helped Kara to sit down while Brainy frantically ran to the scanners to figure out why this earthquake was happening.
He looked at the monitors and confusion spread across his face, but not just normal confusion. Brainy's eyes went wide with fear, which made everyone in the room just a little uneasy. Luckily, Alex broke the silence first, "Brainy, what is happening?"
"This earthquake is not only affecting the city, but the entirety of earth." Brainy explained, pulling up a 3D model of the earth while he continued to specify, "Yet this earthquake is not happening from within, but from the outside."
"What could cause an earth-wide earthquake?" Kara asked as if every word put her out of breath.
Brainy pulled up a map of the universe with a line of energy snaking across it. He turned toward the group and pointed at it, "Whatever it is, it is hurtling through space at an impossible speed. I calculate it will reach the edge of the universe in exactly 5 hours, at which point, it will boomerang back. Once it intersects again with our solar system, the results will be, in a word, cataclysmic."
"When is this going to hit us?" I asked
"There are too many variables to calculate precisely, but I will say this. If this wave isn't stopped by tomorrow night there will be no more us. No more future. No more anything." Brainy said with certainty.
Kara tried to get off her chair, but her legs wobbled. I saved her from falling as she looked at Brainy with need, "Are there any inhabited planets in its trajectory?"
"Just one." Brainy said as a 3D model of Argo City appeared on the screen.
Kara's eyes teared up as we all realized what that meant, "Oh, my God. Clark's there with Lois and my mom. I have to go there and warn them."
She tried to walk from me, but her legs gave out and she landed back in my arms. She tried again, but I made sure she couldn't escape my grasp, "Kara, you are in no condition to do anything. You need to get your strength back before anything else. You will go to the infirmary and use the yellow sun transmitters so you are back to full strength. Okay?"
She wanted to fight me, but everyone in the room agreed with me. She sighed in defeat, but suggested something else, "Can we warn them with a hologram or voice file?"
"Argo Harun-El sure makes communication difficult, but I will try." Brainy said as he ran to one of the computers and began rapidly typing.
As he got to work on the message, I helped Kara to the infirmary. She laid on the table and I turned the light transmitters on full blast. She would be fine within 15 minutes so I sat by her side until the strength within came back. We sat in silence for quite awhile...well...until Kara spoke up at least.
"Carly, Deirdre mentioned something before I came to rescue you." Kara said as I looked into her bright blue eyes, "I haven't had the chance to bring it up since the Monitor showed up. She mentioned you felt deeply for me and she said I would have to ask you what that meant. What did she mean by that?"
My stomach fell to the floor. Deirdre had mentioned my feelings to Kara. Not specifically outright saying it, but the meaning behind those words was quite obvious. I tried to stay calm as I spouted the truth, "Kara, I care about you a lot. You are my best friend and you have trusted me with your secret for so long. We have grown together and fought battles, even if I didn't throw a punch. Kara, I L…"
As I was about to say the one thing I had always wanted to tell her, Alex and Brainy ran into the room. We looked from each other to them and their facial expressions meant something went wrong. Kara sat up and asked the question on her mind, "Did you get the message through?"
Brainy and Alex looked at one another as Brainy told her the news, "The message was a success, but we have no idea if they got off in time. Argo City is gone, Kara."
Kara began to cry as I pulled her in for a hug. She dug her face into my shoulder and soaked my sweater with tears. Alex came over and squeezed Kara's shoulder as Brainy looked on with worry. The building shook again as everything turned red. We left the infirmary to find the sky a blood red and a woman standing on the front steps.
"Hey! Face down on the floor. Now!" Alex yelled as she ran down the stairs, pointing her gun at the mysterious woman.
Kara, Brainy, and I appeared beside Alex with the same hateful glances. Kara being the first to ask, "Did you do this? Did you destroy Argo?"
The woman said nothing as people appeared behind her including Green Arrow, Mia, Batwoman, Superman, and Lois. Kara's eyes went wide with joy as she ran forward, hugging Lois and Clark. This time happy tears filled her eyes as she pulled back from them, "I am so glad you are both okay."
"Thanks to her." Clark said motioning to the mystery woman, "She appeared at the last second and brought us here."
"And my mother?" Kara asked with hopeful eyes.
Clark and Lois looked at one another and then back at Kara. That simple movement made Kara know exactly what they were about to say. Clark placed his hand on her shoulder and shook his head, "I'm sorry, Kara."
Kara blinked away the tears as Alex got to the point. She put her gun away and took a step toward the mystery woman. Alex was pissed and wanted answers, "Okay, you. Start talking."
"My name is Lyla, but I go by Harbinger. Follow me." Harbinger said as she began walking.
Alex led her and everyone else to the conference room. We all took a seat at the table and a small smile appeared on my face. I was never allowed into meetings for this sort of thing, but now that I had abilities I could help. The woman pulled up the same diagram Brainy had shown earlier as she faced the group.
"There's a wave of anti-matter sweeping across this universe, destroying everything in its path. I brought you all to Earth-38 because this is where the Monitor wants you to make your stand. This universe is the tipping point. If we don't stop the anti-matter wave here, it will continue to the next universe, and the next, and the next. Until it has obliterated, not only every Earth, but every thing across all reality." Harbinger explained with utmost importance.
Oliver was the first to speak up, "Right. So, we are going to need a bigger team. Where's Barry? Where are the legends?"
"Doing reconnaissance. I'm headed to check on them now." Harbinger announced as she vanished out of thin air.
The room went silent as Alex tried to lighten the mood, "Well, Brainy's algorithm will help forecast exactly how much time we have until the anti-matter wave hits."
"Thank you all for being here. I know we can beat this together." Kara said with optimism.
Suddenly the building shook even worse than the last time. The group headed into the hall to see a giant tower appear from the earth. We all looked at one another as Kara decided, "I can handle it."
Kara was about to fly off when Harbinger reappeared with Flash, Atom, and White Canary. Barry stepped forward with hands raised, "Wait, the tower isn't a threat. It's a quantum tower, apparently, and it's the only thing that can save the people of this world."
Harbinger motioned everyone to come to the monitors in the main room. We all followed suit and she explained the situation, "At the dawn of time, the Monitor placed quantum towers on key Earths as a last line of defense. The red skies are dissipating, which means it's working."
Brainy scanned the designs for the tower, "From this design, it looks like the tower is capable of generating a quantum flux field, which can, theoretically…"
"Reverse the exogenic state of the anti-matter wave, thereby dissipating the anti-matter energy." Ray interrupted
Brainy looked over at Ray with a smile, "Yes. Finally, someone who speaks my language."
"So the tower can stop this Earth from being destroyed?" Kara asked
"If you can protect it." Harbinger said as she continued to explain, "The Anti-Monitor. He commands forces greater than any army. When the tower stops the wave, they will come to thwart any effort to save this planet and its people."
"I will try my best to get an evacuation started." Alex said as she and J'onn headed off to figure out what to do next. The rest of us had to figure out how we were going to protect that tower.
When we began splitting into groups, Barry was the first to really notice I was there. I had been involved with the events last year, but I was never in the middle. He walked away from Oliver and appeared beside me with a question, "So, Carly, what are you doing here?"
"A lot has happened since last year, Barry." I said as I watched Kara follow after Clark. He had wandered onto the balcony and was staring up at the sky. He was worried about Lois and his son and Kara had similar worry with her mother being gone. Barry noticed where I was looking, but wasn't going to go without an answer.
"Something is off with you." Barry said as he looked at me with curiosity, "You seem different."
"I was turned into vamtronian and I fully transitioned a few days ago." I said as he looked at me with utter confusion so I specified, "Vamtronians are aliens that have super speed, strength, senses, live forever, and they drink blood. So I'm pretty much a space vampire."
"Well, that's new. On my earth we don't even have aliens, let alone vampire aliens. Are you okay?" Barry asked with honest concern.
Since Barry had visited this earth we have always been friendly to one another. We understood each other quite well and he was a good friend. I wish I could have a love like he had with Iris one day, yet I was too scared to tell Kara so I don't know if that would ever happen.
I looked at Barry and shook my head, "Honestly, I have no idea. This whole thing is a mess...I mean I almost died yesterday from a vamtronian mob boss and now the whole universe might end. Everything is just going down the shitter and I have no idea how to even feel. I'm surprised I can even breathe."
"Vamtronian mob moss?" Barry asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Long story for another time." I said as Clark left Kara on the balcony, "I'll be right back."
Barry nodded as I walked over to Kara. She was looking down at the city as I leaned against the railing beside her, "We can do this, Kara. I know we can."
"We?" Kara questioned as she looked at me with alert.
I looked down at my feet and then I took her hand in mine, "Kara, I can't sit on the sidelines any longer. The world is literally ending and I'm going to be there by your side the whole time. Let me help you."
"Carly, this is dangerous." Kara whined
"I know it is and I don't care." I said confidently with crossed arms, "The world is ending and it needs as many heroes as possible. I might not have the expertise the others have, but I want to help. I know I can do something. Sometimes you need protection just as much as the rest of us."
"Fine, but only because the world is ending." Kara warned as we were about to get me battle ready. I took a few steps forward before Kara grabbed my hand and pulled me back. I looked at her with confusion as continued our conversation from earlier, "Before Alex and Brainy walked into the room you were going to tell me something. What were you going to say?"
I wanted to tell her, but I couldn't. Now with the world ending, spouting something like this out in the open could make things complicated. I didn't want to distract her and I didn't want to cause more trouble. So I put a smile on my face and lied through my teeth, "It was nothing. Just that you are the most important person in my life and I will be there through everything. You are like my sister, Kara."
Kara looked down at where my heart was and I knew she could tell I was lying. Kara had very good hearing and she always knew when someone was telling a lie as their heart would skip a beat. She wanted to pry more, but she knew when I was ready I would tell her what I truly meant. She nodded and left to prepare for the fight to come.
I on the other hand had a call to make. I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and dialed Deirdre's number. It rang only once before she had began sputtering into the phone, "Carly, what is happening?"
"Long story short the universe is going to be disintegrated by a wave of anti-matter, but Supergirl and her friends are trying to stop it. There are ships arriving downtown that are going to pick up as many people as they can. I need you and Cillian to get on one of those ships." I explained
"If the universe is going to end, what is the point of getting on a ship?" Deirdre questioned
"We are working on that right now." I said as I looked up at the tinted sky, "Alex is working on a transmatter portal big enough for the ships to get through. That way everyone will be taken to Earth-1."
"Wait, there are multiple earths?" Deirdre asked with shock
"Yeah, the multiverse exists. Kind of confusing if you ask me, but that isn't important right now. I need you both to get on a ship because if you don't then you'll be erased from existence. Please get to safety." I begged
Deirdre sighed into the phone, but agreed, "We will do our best. See you soon."
"See you soon, Deirdre." I said as I ended the call.
Alex and J'onn needed a way to get the people out of this universe and fast. They had the ships, but they needed a transmatter portal big enough for the ships to make it through. Sadly, the only one who could possibly make that was the one person who hated everyone, Lena.
J'onn organized the ships while Alex went over to L-Corp. She made it to Lena's office as Lena turned around with disgust. She was angry and not in the mood for Alex so she annoyingly asked, "Are you here to arrest me during the apocalypse, or to try and kill me because you weren't successful the other day?"
"I wasn't trying to hurt you, Lena. I was trying to stop you from using Myriad." Alex admitted
"I didn't use Myriad, that was Eve Tessmacher." Lena denied with a sip of her drink.
Alex scuffed, "You and I both know that that isn't true." Suddenly the building began to shake again so Alex got to the point, "The reason the sky is red, and the planet feels like it's falling apart is because it is. There is an anti-matter wave that is tearing through the universe right now, and it will destroy Earth if Kara and the other heroes don't stop it. Now, I am working with J'onn to hedge our bets and mount an evacuation, but in order to do that we need your help. I know that you feel burned by us, but if you could please just put your feelings aside, J'onn and I really, really, need your help."
Lena got up from her desk with a sigh, "I'm surprised you would ask for my help after what happened with Carly."
Alex sighed just as loud and pretty much begged, "What you did to Carly is unforgivable, but the world is ending Lena. I am desperate and I need your help or everyone on this planet is done for. I...we need you help, Lena."
"I don't want your apology, Alex. You will never again have my friendship or my trust as I have learned my lesson from all of you. But if the world is at stake, then of course, I'll help. It is blasphemy that you think I wouldn't, what do you need me to do?" Lena said with crossed arms.
The plan was simple; protect the tower at all costs. Oliver, Mia, Kate, Ray, Barry, and I would protect the base of the building while Kara and Clark flew around the top. When we arrived, Kara and Clark shot into the sky as the rest of us walked into the building side by side. Kara wanted to keep an eye on me, but she had to protect the top of the tower so she made Oliver my babysitter.
I was going to help, but I wasn't allowed to jump in front of the danger as I had never been in a true fight before. I had fought in the past, but nothing like this. When the dementor-like beings started coming for us it was all hands on deck. Oliver and Mia stood back to back shooting as many creatures as they could with their bows. Barry attacked the ones getting too close while Ray and Kate used their batarangs and laser beams to destroy a few more.
I was standing at the back when I noticed Oliver got his bow thrown from his grasp. The others were busy and a creature was heading right toward him. I used my speed to appear in front of him and I shoved my fist right through the thing, disintegrating it into nothing. Oliver looked up at me with shock as I helped him up and his daughter, Mia, handed him his bow.
That's when I noticed Kara falling from the top of the building. Oliver tried to keep me back, but I wasn't going to let Kara hit the ground. I used my speed to catch her just as Barry caught Clark. The two thanked us as the others ran from the building to join us outside to see 100s of the dementor things flying in the sky.
"The tower is working again and the portal is open." Barry said as the others came to stand beside us.
"According to Brainy's algorithm, we have 14 minutes before it makes contact with Earth." Kara said as she looked down at her watch.
"Well, then we better make every minute count." Oliver said as the group looked toward him, "We need to keep those shadow demons at bay until every last ship gets through."
The plan was to make it to the top of the tower and take out as many as those beings as we could. Clark, Kara, and Barry helped get everyone to the top so we could end this. As Kara flew me to the roof I felt my phone buzz with a call, but I couldn't answer it now, there wasn't any time. We made it to the roof and the fight continued.
Each of us fought off as many as we could, but there were too many. As we fought I noticed something appear out of the corner of my eye. I turned and noticed the monitor standing there.
"The battle is lost! We must retreat and save our resources for battles yet to come!" The Monitor yelled as his hand shot out.
Suddenly portals began appearing behind everyone and sucking them in. First Batwoman, then the Atom, then Mia, then Superman, Kara, and Barry. The only two left were Oliver and I. A portal appeared behind me, but I made sure to push back because I noticed there wasn't a portal for Oliver. Oliver looked at me and whispered sorry as he pushed me into the portal.
I went through the portal and landed on the floor in a room I didn't recognize as Kara helped me up. The others looked at me for information about Oliver and I shook my head. A few minutes went by and we all just paced back and forth until another portal opened. The monitor appeared and so did a bloody Oliver.
We all ran to Oliver's side as the monitor spoke to the group, "He fought to his last breath. Knowing every moment was another life saved."
"Saved?" Kara asked with tears in her eyes.
"Of the 7.53 billion, three billion souls made it to Earth-1 on the armada of ships. I calculate one billion souls survived due to his noble sacrifice." The Monitor announced
The mood of the room dropped to an all time low. Everyone began to cry as they surrounded Oliver. He was still alive, but we all knew he wasn't going to make it. Barry grabbed Oliver's hand and squeezed it tight.
Oliver looked up at Barry with a weak smile, "Barry, you are an amazing hero. You are my friend and the very best of us. I gave it all up for you and Kara."
"What do you mean?" Barry and Kara asked at the same moment.
"I need the two of you to be the one to save us now."
Oliver looked up Kara and Barry as he took his last breath. The two began to cry as the others did the same. His daughter was barely able to stay on her feet. I was never close with Oliver, but he should have never had to go this way. It was unfair and heartbreaking.
I was with the group when suddenly my entire body erupted with pain, causing me to collapse onto the floor. Kara quickly appeared next to me and held my hand tight. Barry appeared on my other side as the others looked confused and just as worried. The pain came and vanished just as fast. When the pain vanished I felt empty, like a part of me had died, and then it hit me.
I quickly pulled myself from Kara and Barry while taking out my phone. Everyone watched as I frantically turned my phone on to see a message. I pushed play and put the phone to my ear.
The number was Deirdre's and the message said, "Carly, I was hoping I could get a hold of you, but...you are probably saving the world with Supergirl. Cillian and I couldn't make it to a ship. We arrived just as the last one was leaving for the portal. I am sorry you will have to feel me die, I truly am, but I know you will fix this. Help the heroes save the day and bring us back. I'm sorry…"
Then the message ended and I couldn't move. I dropped my phone and my vision blurred with tears. Everyone looked at me with confusion, but Kara knew exactly what happened. She tried to take a step forward to comfort me, but I couldn't. I backed away and ran out of the room. She followed after me as the others stayed with Oliver.
Barry looked from Oliver to The Monitor and noticed fear on his face as he spoke to the group, "It was not supposed to be like this. This is not his ending I foresaw. Things are turning out differently than I expected. But one thing is certain. Everything we know, everything there is, and everything there ever was is doomed."
The group stood in silence as they looked down at Oliver. They would do their best to stop this crisis, but for now Oliver deserved to be mourned. This should've never happened and every one in that room wished it had been them instead of Oliver. Every single one of them.