Chapter 68)
Even amongst the void of time and space, the riff rattled the people inside of the Waverider.
"We are experiencing several fluctuations through time and space," Gideon commented.
"Well, that's not ideal," Sara said.
"It's not."
It would be very hard for them to forget the Beyonder stood right among them. However, the Beyonder made their presence known to give them some horrible news.
"Nora's riff might have put the Anti-Monitor in a place where he could not do any damage. However, there's a far more serious problem she's created. It's opened up several riffs in time and space which could threaten to take out everything on many Earths. If the riffs are not sealed in time that is."
Everyone looked at each other, anxious at the situation. Lena threw her head back and closed her eyes. The images of several Earths popped up and the portals kept opening up.
"Right, I don't know much about magic. But, I have an idea that we might be able to siphon off the energy flow to stop the portals from widening. At least enough where Nora could close the portals. At least, that's the idea."
"Well, yes, it should be," Jesse said. "We have to run really fast."
XS blinked and understood what Jesse was going for straight away. The two speedsters made their way to the edge of the ship. They knew what was on the line and more importantly they knew just how much this could screw up. One more only indecision just would cause all of the Earths to be crushed.
Nora might have kept the portals at bay.
"You're going to need to start running here," Caitlin said. "And you're going to have to steadily pick up momentum…."
"I will feed Doctor Snow's coordinates into your mind and her calculations," the Beyonder said. "They should work."
"They will work," Daisy said.
She double checked the math and had a good feeling they would work. There was no choice about it. They had to stop this and they had to stop this right now. The fate of not only their worlds, but an entire multiverse full of Earths hinged on their success on this day.
Nora Darhk, Kara Danvers, and Alex Danvers stood on the ground. Nora tried to stitch the vortexes together again and again, and again, but they broken apart like fabric tearing.
"We have an idea, which could work," Caitlin said to them.
"Just keep it at bay," Sara said.
Nora's eyes screwed shut and sweat of frustration rolled down her cheeks. Oh, that's what she was trying to do, attempting to keep it together. Of course, it only worked so well in a situation like this. She could feel the Earth rumbling underneath her feet and knew unfortunately that time was not on their side.
A blur of light, two of them in fact moved through the vortexes. Jesse Quick and XS ran through the vortexes as fast as they could manage.
Nora watched them. They siphoned off the energy. She made the calculations, and they could make it, if they just pushed themselves a little bit faster. However, even at their top speed, they would not be able to close the gap and seal the portal. It would cause a magical backwash which would cause havoc on at least a dozen Earths, if not more.
Thinking under pressure, it had not been Nora's best suit. However, she had an idea and turned to Kara.
"Get me as high as possible," Nora said. "And when I say the word, launch me into the central vortex."
"You're crazy," Kara said.
"Probably. But, I still want you to do it."
Kara shrugged and hoped Nora's plan would work. She wrapped her arms around Nora and launched her high into the sky. The magic caused Kara to flying jaggedly and she knew she might not be able to make the central point of the vortex if this kept up. Still, she had to try. Kara had to try. She blasted herself further and closer to the central point of the vortex, the energy rippled around her when she did so.
She could not even describe how insane this felt.
"LAUNCH ME!"
Kara hurled Nora Darhk like a fastball through the vortex right as the two speedsters passed through. Nora's glowing eyes locked onto place as she muttered words of a language unknown to Kara. The backwash sent Kara down to the ground and right at the feet of Alex.
The vortexes appeared to seal up right before their eyes. The loudest sound of them popping apart just echoed throughout the skies.
One of the vortexes popped open and released Nora, Nora, and Jesse all in one fluid motion. Then, the Anti-Monitor appeared on the ground. Red ripples of magical energy formed cracks in his body, but he still stood as dangerous as ever before.
"No," Nora Drahk breathed. "No, come on. NO!"
"You've got to be kidding me," the two speedsters.
"There is no joke about this. Your attempt to displace me was amusing. But, unfortunately, I have ultimate power."
Jesse and Nora rushed at the Anti-Monitor at the same time. The two speeders created a burst of kinetic energy which rocked across the Anti-Monitor's body. However. It was not strong enough. Supergirl charged him as well from the other side, but he smacked them all down with a thunderous motion.
Nora Darhk rolled over onto the ground, breathing heavily. The Anti Matter bolt rushed at her. She summoned all of the magic possible to block it, but however, it was nothing.
"Say goodbye to everyone on Earth 38, Supergirl," the Anti-Monitor said. "Starting with your sister….."
A bolt of anti-matter rushed towards Alex. Alex could not dodge it in time. But, she did not need to, as suddenly a glowing wave of fire appeared around her.
Jean Grey appeared in front of them, in her full glory as the Phoenix. The Anti-Monitor, the destroyer of life, came face to face with the woman who created life.
"Did you really think you would step foot on the Earth I called home without any ramifications?" Jean asked.
Jean launched a full force assault at the Anti-Monitor and knocked him down.
"I don't understand," The Anti-Monitor commented. "No, you're not going to win. Not even the Phoenix Force is strong enough to defeat me now."
The two engaged into battle with each other. Alex staggered to her feet, along with Kara, Nora, Nora, and Jesse. Jean held her own against the Anti-Monitor, and they realized they were not alone either. The Scarlet Witch turned up along with Overgirl, Flamebird, and Power Girl. The four Kryptonians stood against each other.
"No more," Wanda said. "No more death. No more Anti-Monitor. It's time for us to end this."
Wanda's magic amplified the powers of the triumvirate of Kryptonians who all glowed and soaked in more of the sun than they ever thought were possible. Supergirl lead the charge and lead them in, with the Anti-Monitor looking up only to get nailed in the face with a huge punch.
Power Girl, Flamebird, and Overgirl all bounced off of the Anti-Monitor and put cracks in his armor. Any attempts to summon the shadows had been destroyed by the power of the Phoenix Force, combined with that of the Flamebird entity. A glowing energy wave pushed through the ground.
Four Kryptonian super sonic missiles nailed the Anti-Monitor and caused him to flip into the air and be launched up. He crashed out into a field a way away from national city.
Alex and Wanda appeared. Wanda flicked her hand and Alex's body glowed. Suddenly, the symbiote manifested on her body.
"We're back!"
With the cannon in one hand and a sword created by the symbiote in the other hand, Alex dove at the Anti-Monitor and blasted him hard. The sword sliced into the Anti-Monitor's neck and caused a sickening purplish blood to ooze all over the place.
"Even the eternal bleed!" Alex yelled.
"No, I will be back, I will be stronger than ever, I will…."
The four Kryptonians cracked the Anti-Monitor's outer shell with the force of their amplified powers. The Anti-Monitor dropped to one knee and Alex bombarded him with the full force of the energy cannon.
"You're best is still not enough to defeat me."
Jean's eyes glowed and the energy around them rippled to light. She locked eyes with Wanda who responded with a nod and the power of the two women bombarded the Anti-Monitor with everything they had.
"I'll take him to the ends of time!" Jean yelled. "I'll see you again someday."
Jean locked onto the Anti-Monitor and his body antomized before the assembled group. It sent a pulsing wave through National City and the rest of Earth 38 which rocked everyone in their path and gave them a blast of hope.
Alex stood in the aftermath. The only hint of the Anti-Monitor had been here had been two smoldering footprints left in the ground.
"Anyone there?" Sara asked.
"We did it," Alex said.
"Wait a minute?" Kara asked. "If the Phoenix could be powerful enough to defeat and contain the Anti-Monitor, then why wasn't Jean brought along for the ride?"
"Because, the Anti-Monitor would have prepared for her," the Beyonder said. "We kept her off of the table as a wild card, so the moment he stepped foot on Earth 38, she would be aware of his presence. And she would act accordingly. Although, with Ms. Maximoff and her outburst, we managed to defeat him in a more permanent way."
Kara's nose scrunched up. Power Girl and Flamebird did not look too impressed, and even Overgirl, while she would normally be happy with strategy, looked a bit put out.
"How many people had to die for this gambit to work?" Kara asked.
"It's unfortunate, but perhaps you should think of it in the lives which you saved?"
Kara sighed in response. She would say anything. Alex wrapped an arm around her and pretty much told her everything had been saved.
The entire group would convene on the Waverider, and it would be time for them to finally go home. The Crisis was averted. They had stopped him, but it took a lot out of them. And many people on many different worlds would be wiped out of existence.
Wherever Jean sent the Anti-Monitor, they knew he would suffer for his crimes, and they were many. And Jean Grey would return back to them someday.
The Shameless Smut Continues In the Next Chapter.