Chapter Seventy-Nine:
Lucy Lane settled down for one of the least favorite things in the world she had to do. Paperwork. The woman bit down on her lip and looked quite frankly bored. Lightly, she tapped her finger on the edge of the desk to try and find some way to pass the day which did not end in total crippling boredom.
Loud screams of horror came from outside of the window. Lucy almost jumped straight up off of her chair. Several people crowded around the window.
"What the hell is going on?"
The person who asked it had their answer, when several winged, ugly creatures made their way outside of the building. A closer look made Lucy see that there were more of these creatures and more of those portals. Civilians tried to panic on the street.
"You're not going to believe this!"
A man running up the steps almost tripped over a rug when he rushed up to tell them the news. Two of his fellow officers grabbed him to prevent the man from making a complete and utter fool of himself in doing a faceplant down onto the nearest rub.
"What aren't we going to believe, Jefferson!"
"It's Darkseid!"
This very name sent chills down the spine of Lucy Lane. Anyone who remembered the dark days of May Thirteenth, ten years ago, remembered Darkseid. He had came to Earth, to try and enslave the people. Countless lives had been lost on that day and Lucy still remembered it being darkest right before the end. Right before the world's hero saved them.
Superman stopped Darkseid on this day. It turned the corner and changed a lot of minds on Superman. They respected him a lot more upon that defeat of Darkseid, although he had been beloved. Of course, it also made a lot of people more open-eyed on how dangerous certain threats from beyond the stars could be.
Lucy moved over. There's no way this could be real. There's no way this could really be happening, could it? Lucy scrambled about as fast as her legs could carry her, in the general direction of her office phone.
"What are they doing?"
Good questions, and Lucy hoped to have answers. She dialed up the phone. Frantic breaths followed, with Lucy hoping that the phone would ring sooner rather than later. She waited and waited some more for the person on the other end of the line to pick up.
"Damn it, Lois, answer!" Lucy snapped.
Naturally, this did not make her sister answer any faster. Lucy came to the conclusion that Lois was already in the thick of things. Hopefully, she did not get herself into too much trouble.
Then again, Lucy should really be in the thick of things. She moved under her desk and retrieved a weapon Alex gave her for emergency purposes. Lucy did not know whether or not it would be able to be used on Darkseid's minions. So far, they did not breach the building.
But, just because they did not breach the building just yet, it did not mean that they would not target it.
Lucy dialed the phone, a different number.
"Lucy, what is it?" Alex asked.
"Darkseid's here...he's back...I don't know how!"
"I know," Alex grimly responded. "He's...there's portals opening all of National City…..can't stay...be safe out there….I'm going to see what I can do to help...stay safe!"
"You too, Alex," Lucy said.
Although with Darkseid, Lucy did not know how they were going to all stay safe. Superman barely was able to beat Darkseid one time. A second time, they might not be as lucky. That much was for certain, in Lucy's fractured and extremely frustrated mind.
The alarms went off in the building. Talk about a cause for concern, even more so than usual. Lucy unclipped her hair and moved out with the weapon. Hoping they did not find a way to breach inside.
And fear that the man himself was here was always present in Lucy's mind.
A swarm of dangerous and deadly creatures circled around the top of L-Corp. Parademons, they were called, the minions of Darkseid.
The prophecy was true. Kara suited up as Supergirl and flew up to fight them. The symbol on her chest proved to be a target as these hideous creatures went right after her. Razor sharp claws and sharper teeth flashed the second they started to target Kara.
Fortunately, these creatures were not too entirely smart. Kara dodged the attacks of one of them. Two more punches caught one of them across the back of the head. Kara clipped another one of the creatures with an uppercut which rocked the creature's jaw and sent him crashing into the side of the building.
Three more grabbed Kara. Claws sunk into the side of her neck.
Gwen webbed onto one of the creature and did an acrobatic flip high into the air. She smashed down onto another creature and sent him crashing down onto the ground.
"They just keep coming!" Gwen yelled.
Lena chimed in over the radio.
"As long as those portals keep opening, Darkseid will draw upon an infinite number of minions," Lena said. "Just try and power on through."
Gwen noted that, but she knew they would not be able to keep up the endless fight for too long. The web slinger whipped herself off of the building and slammed down onto the creatures. They collapsed down onto the ground from the impact of Gwen's feet slamming down onto the back of the creature's head.
"So, do you have any way to shut down the portal?" Gwen asked.
"Working on it," Lena said.
Astra flew out into the path of these creatures. She flew side by side with Kara.
"Formation Alpha Nine!" Astra called.
The Girl of Steel followed Astra's lead. The two of them created a cyclone which enveloped the Parademons up and caused them to cycle around. It would not hold them forever. But it would hold them for long enough.
A flash of light brought the one and only Phoenix into the party. Jean closed her eyes and locked onto them. A large army of Parademons crumbled back into the ash that spawned them.
"We put a dent in their forces," Jean said. "But nothing's assured until we get those portals shut."
"Or we find Darkseid," Astra said.
Gwen hurled the debris through the portal as fast as she could. While it did not stop the army, it did slow them down. Astra swooped into position and let out a huge gale force wind with her super breath. The Parademons flipped head over heels and landed on the portal.
"Look out!" Gwen yelled.
A huge exploding spear whizzed past Kara's ear. The spear hit the side of a building and caused it to explode. Gwen webbed up the debris while Kara was able to jump down and get people out of harm's way.
"The shields are failing," Lena said. "You have to keep them from getting them inside for just five minutes longer."
"Divert all of your attention to L-Corp front entrance!" Astra called.
Alex stepped out, both with the suit, and with a cannon. It resembled the one that she gave Lucy. Hopefully it would also put a dent in those things. But, only one way to test it.
The Parademons fled before Alex could utilize her cannon on them. Something spooked them, for some reason or called them off. And as much as Alex wanted to claim credit for it being her bad ass weapon, logic interceded at the worst possible time and Alex somehow doubted it had anything to do with her, if at all.
On the jumbotron, several images appeared. Now that that Parademons came out of National City, Lena, Alura, and Sam made their way outside. They had more fortified barrier and hopefully could close the portals, but it would not work if the portals that could move elsewhere.
"That's Metropolis," Alex said.
Kara's eyes opened up wide as she saw the Daily Planet. Or what was once the Daily Planet. It had been smoldering ashes. There had to be survivors. Darkseid could not have killed everyone in the Daily Planet. There was no way he could have. Right?
"Oh, Rao!" Kara murmured.
One hand came from Astra and the other hand came from Alex. Alura stepped in and closed her eyes. The images continued and several figures were being dragged down the street in chains. The signs of movement showed that they were alive, but the type of life they had is hollow.
A robed figure stepped up on a moving, elevated platform. She dropped her hood and revealed the face of Selena.
"You all stand upon the edge of a true god," Selena said. "And not the false idols that anyone on Krypton or Earth worship. For the Worldkillers were the first step in a new era of the people on Earth."
Astra decided to save telling Alura that she was right until after the alien invasion had wrapped up. She wondered what other surprises that would happen.
"We have to help," Kara said.
"And we will," Astra said. "But, we have to go in this smartly."
"Superman only beat him with help of Darkseid's son," Alex said. "And...I wouldn't know how to get in touch with him."
Ten years was a very long time. No one could know what happened to Orion.
"Sam, is everything alright?" Lena asked.
They all turned their attention to the woman who bent over slightly. Sam snapped back and took a deep breath.
"I saw the end," Sam breathed.
"The end of what?" Lena asked.
"The end of everything," Sam said. "Deep down, Reign's still there. And she's not happy about Darkseid having those powers."
"Wait, Darkseid has….?" Kara asked
"Yes," Jean confirmed.
Darkseid was all powerful, only just barely imprisoned. And the Worldkillers were just forces of nature on their own. Kara did not have the slightest idea how to stop these monsters at any state.
One thing the entire group could agree on was that Darkseid having those powers just ramped up the danger.
"Soon, I will end the war that has taken place in my absence on Apokolips," Darkseid said. "And I will call the rest of my followers."
Darkseid looked upon the battered civilians of Superman's favorite city. With a word he could bring them to their knees. With a nudge, he could break them. And with a flick of his finger, he could deliver them to death with a disease.
"My only fear is those barbarians destroyed everything that I built," Darkseid said.
"Then, you can use your powers to create a new world," Selena said. "And it can be over the ashes of the people of Earth."
"A tantalizing suggestion," Darkseid said.
Some of Darkseid's followers threw a ragged man in front of his feet. Darkseid leaned down and pulled the man up. Glasses dangled off of his face, and there had been several bruises upon it. Darkseid yanked the man forcefully to his feet for the entire world to see.
"Tell me your name," Darkseid said.
"Clark Kent...Daily Planet," he muttered.
"You must be sturdier than most, Clark Kent," Darkseid said. "To survive the destruction of the Daily Planet with a few scratches. But let's see…."
More of Darkseid's followers brought out a dark haired woman. Despite the fact her ankle bent off to the side as if it had been recently broken, this woman still stared at him with a fury that Darkseid remembered all too well.
"Ms. Lois Lane," Darkseid said in his gravely voice. "The one Superman always rescued. Let's see if your peril will draw him out."
"He will stop you," Lois said with defiance.
"Hardly," Darkseid said.
A small flick of his finger caused several civilians to drop from deadly illness. Just another sample of what power Darkseid wielded down he had the power of the Worldkilllers.
Three blurs popped up. Kara, Astra, and Alura dropped down in front of Selena and Darkseid.
"Not the Kryptonians I wanted. But you will serve as an example."
Darkseid's eyes glowed deadly with his Omega Beams when facing off against Supergirl and her companions.
To Be Continued