Chapter Eighty:
The fight was going to begin and it was an all hands on deck situation. Several television screens played the arrival of Supergirl, Astra, and Alura. Others were down on the ground, dealing with Darkseid's forces. The only reason why Darkseid did not take care of these people was because he obviously wanted an audience to the destruction of the world.
Lena Luthor took a moment to walk into the lab. Several blood samples were on the table. She ran one final test, hoping that it would be enough to negate at least one of Darkseid's powers. Gwen moved into the lab.
"Maybe you should be out there?" Lena asked.
"And who would deliver whatever antidote you're cooking up?" Gwen asked. "Besides, I can help you out here. And if you don't finish this out, Darkseid can just drop everyone in a snap of a finger."
Lena remembered the stories of Darkseid and his power quite well. This had been a real turning point for the world and for the history of Superman. Of course, it also opened people's eyes of there being real threats, in addition to aliens just trying to find their place.
Of course, Darkseid was just no mere alien, as Lena knew. He had been a self proclaimed god. Whether or not that held any basis in reality, Lena could not tell and would not even begin to speculate about the existence of any gods, because going down that road lead to nothing but the worst kind of madness.
Lena kept her focus on the task at hand. Regardless of what Darkseid was or was not ,the damage he caused pretty much spoke for himself.
"What happens if we fail?" Gwen asked.
"Well, we won't be around to deal with the consequences," Lena said.
Gwen inclined her head. She had fought many foes over the past couple of years. After getting bitten by that spider, Gwen enjoyed the ride. She had her ups, her downs, her twists, her turns, but everything ended up with Gwen winning the day. She needed to be Spider-Girl because the world counted on her.
But, being Gwen Stacy and helping Lena counteract the powers of the Worldkillers was just as important right now.
"He won't win," Gwen said. "He can't win."
"No, he can't," Lena said.
Supergirl was out there, fighting. But would she be enough? Ninety-nine times out of one hundred, Lena had the ultimate faith in Kara to do what needed to be done to get the job done. But, there were circumstances like this where Lena was not completely sure.
"There," Lena said.
On the screen, Gwen caught an image of Wonder Woman joining the battle. The assembled crowd got some hope as the fierce Amazon Warrior jumped in and nailed her enemies with everything.
"Pestilence is taken care of at the very least," Lena said.
"He's still dangerous without those powers," Gwen reminded her.
Lena knew, oh she knew. She stepped over and came across Sam who had been standing outside.
"I offered to take you to see your daughter, if this was the end," Lena said. "It's not too late to take you on that offer."
"It won't be the end," Sam said.
"Look, I understand if you're scared…."
"Scared, yes," Sam said. "It was my blood in part that unleashed this monster. And I know that he'll come after me because he thinks that I'm a threat. But, maybe...just maybe I can be a threat."
Lena just frowned and Gwen did as well.
"Samantha, don't be a hero,' Lena muttered.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm standing up to fight him," Sam said. "Normal people should know that it's okay to be afraid, but you have to face your fears."
"You remember he made an example out of that cop when he stood up to him didn't you?" Lena asked. "Turpin, Darkseid obliterated him."
"Yes, I remember," Sam said. "But, Reign and I have been talking...and we both agree that no matter what our differences is, Darkseid will ruin both of our existences."
Lena realized that despite her early thoughts, Reign was not buried too far deep into Sam. The stress that Darkseid caused, force Reign to return to the surface, at the worst possible time. Lena stretched over and put a hand on Sam's shoulder.
"You need to just sit down….."
"Don't tell me what to do!" Sam snapped. "I know you're my boss…."
"And yet, I'm not telling you this as your boss, I'm telling you this as your friend. You let Reign out of that cage, and she's never coming back in."
"Maybe," Sam said. "Or maybe she's the thing that's needed to shut down Darkseid once and for all."
To say Lena did not like this would be the understatement to end all understatements. She caught a glimpse of a woman who had been more set in her ways. More determined than anything Lena had ever seen in her life. She had been amazed by Sam's bold determination and now she had her mind set on something.
"Reign and I have come to an understanding. We can do this."
"I'll...stand by you," Gwen said. "Give you the help."
"Thanks," Sam said. "But, don't hold me back from what needs to be done."
Further back up for Wonder Woman in the form of Batgirl and Batwoman arrived and helped bring Darkseid's forces back. Despite the fact that his forces were beginning to fall, they still lagged behind where they needed to be.
Chaos reigned, as Darkseid had been nailed full force by Supergirl with a kick to the face. The Girl of Steel pummeled Darkseid with as many punches as she could muster. She took him back into the side of the building.
Astra took out two members of Darkseid's elite forces and drove them down onto the ground. She punched through them as fast as possible.
"You!" Astra yelled.
"You are strong, General," Selena said. "Your survival skills are commendable!"
Alura dodged the energy staff from one of the Parademons. She grabbed it and took him to the ground. While Alura's fighting skills were not exactly on par with Astra's, she could hold her own. She felt the heat vision kick in, and she blasted one of the Parademons back.
In the air, Astra and Selena circled each other. Their heat vision connected to each other. They had a beam war in the air.
From the otherside, Supergirl flew to the ground. Her cape tattered, her shirt ripped, scratches all over her body.
"You are a weak child," Darkseid said. "And now you will bow before me."
Supergirl hoisted up a large piece of rubble and used it to block Darkseid's Omega Beam strike before smashing him in the face as hard as possible.
"I'm going to put you down this time!" Supergirl yelled. "And you're going to stay down, you monster!"
Darkseid grabbed Supergirl's cape and pitched her off to one side. The Girl of Steel flew head over heels and landed down onto the ground.
Wonder Woman rushed in and engaged Darkseid in battle. The power of Darkseid matched the skills of the Amazon Princess. The might of Diana rained down punches against Darkseid. Darkseid absorbed then all and grabbed Wonder Woman by the throat, before launching her into a building.
Kara knocked down the guards who had been holding Lois and Clark captive.
"Good timing," Clark muttered.
"Go find a phone booth and change," Kara said. "I'm going need your help with this."
Clark zoomed off. Granted, in the current year, there were not too many phone booths around. But, he was going to find a way to change.
Supergirl jumped up to the air and hit one of the minions. She came back behind them. Batwoman nailed one of the minions with an uppercut punch to the side of the neck and caused him to slump down onto the ground.
"We have a serious problem."
Hearing Lena's voice in her ear and hearing her say there would be a serious problem did not make Kara very happy. She dodged the attack and got to a location where they could better have this conversation.
"Something more than Darkseid?" Kara asked.
"Yes," Lena said. "He has several drills. They're going to bury into the center of the Earth. And they're going to create…."
"Fire pits, just like on Apokolips!"
Galatea came in from behind then and her heat vision caused several of the Parademons to burst into flames. Supergirl dropped down next to her clone daughter and the two of them fought side by side against this hideous creatures.
"So, you didn't think that I would sit this one out, did you?" Galatea asked.
"I hoped you wouldn't," Kara said.
Suddenly, Darkseid sent Wonder Woman crashing down to the ground. The Amazon Princess scrambled up to her feet. Despite the beating she suffered, Wonder Woman persisted in going back to the battle.
"You won't…."
Superman dropped down to the ground in front of Darkseid.
"It's been a long time, Kal-El," Darkseid said.
"Not long enough," Superman said. "I'm stopping you."
"You only defeated me last time, barely, thanks to help from Orion," Darkseid said. "And my son is not here now. And you will lay on your face before me, broke, and battered."
Darkseid used the powers of one of the Worldkillers to attack Superman's super senses. That being his hearing and the Man of Steel slumped down to the ground. He bled from the ears and the nose.
"Oh, no you don't!"
Supergirl dodged Darkseid's Omega Beam strike and came from behind him. The beams ricocheted off and Darkseid canceled them just seconds before they would strike him against the back of the head.
Selena stood upon the top of one of the drills while Astra fought her way through the hoardes of minions. Soon, everything would be beautiful.
Sam closed her eyes and became one with Reign. She rushed up to the top of one of the drills, where Selena stood. Selena turned her attention towards Reign.
"My beautiful creation," Selena said. "Too bad it's tainted. And too bad you're obsolete! And I've found someone worthy of holding those powers. The problem is...you lived among the humans too much, that you grew attached to them. Emotion is a weakness that we will purge."
"You're a fool if you think Darkseid won't reduce you to ash the moment you stopped serving his purpose."
Astra appeared on one side and Alura appeared on the other side of her. Reign ascended to face off against Selena.
"You turned your back on everything we were taught," Alura said.
"No, you turned your back when you succumbed to the teachings of Rao," Selena said. "A false god, a false hope, which did not save Krypton. She stood and allowed Krypton to be destroyed."
Reign decided to knock Selena back and sent her almost flying over the edge of the pedestal. Selena held on and pulled herself back up.
Suddenly, Reign stopped cold from where she stood. Selena just smiled and slipped a glowing dagger out of her robe. Alura and Astra had been momentarily diverted by the attacks of Darkseid's minions.
"Did you not think I would have a failsafe against you?" Selena asked. "Against my own creation. Did you think there was any possibility that I would allow you to defeat me?"
Suddenly, Reign broke free and grabbed Selena around the throat. She squeezed tight to throttle the woman until unconscious and dropped her down onto the ground.
Off to the side, Darkseid blasted both Superman and Supergirl off to the side like they were nothing.
"So, this is Earth's greatest heroes," Darkseid said. "A real pity."
Supergirl struggled, the pain coursing through her body very real. She collapsed down as Darkseid stood over the top of her.
"I will offer you the release of oblivion," Darkseid said. "And you will thank you when you realize what this Earth is…."
Astra cut off Darkseid mid-speech and punched him back. She managed to get in two punches before Darkseid grabbed the feared General and took her out like she was a housefly at best.
The drills moved closer to their goal. Heroes fell before them, and the morale weakened. Darkseid broke out into a smile. Soon he would destroy them all.
Soon, the final phase of his plan would be enacted.
To Be Continued.