Avenging Justice 2:
Caught Between an Ultron and a Doomsday
Part XLII
Earth, Low Orbit
High above Earth's artificial satellite system glinted as the rays of the sun bounced off their solar panels. On certain days, it was a beautiful sight to behold, one that allowed the Man of Steel a bit of perspective. Humanity was just starting to venture out, testing their abilities beyond their home world. Soon, they could be trekking across the stars, and hopefully wouldn't by drawn into any wars. He wanted a bright future for them, and to see where they would go.
However, at that moment, there was a dangerous threat that had to be taken care of. Despite his strength, Doomsday was taking all his might to hold onto. Wherever the creature had come from, and why, it was a danger to his adopted world. So far it had taken out almost every hero that had come to stand up to it. He had to stop it, before more people were hurt.
The monster kept squirming around, finally breaking Superman's grip. A roar dying in the thin air, it slugged him hard and started back towards the beautiful planet below. Of course Superman had to go after it, he had to try. Despite the blows that he suffered, the damage being done to him, he yanked the creature and threw it. Doomsday skipped off the atmosphere, each time orange red air surrounded the monster.
Superman dived and came back under the creature, battering into the creature and sending it outward into space. For a briefest of moments, it looked like it might work, and then Superman felt his cape being pulled. Even as quick as he was, by the time he got his arms up to block, Doomsday's powerful blow sent them both towards Earth at a deadly speed. The creature was on him, battering him, biting, and cutting him with those bony protrusions.
He tried to change their trajectory, find someplace uninhabited. However, with Doomsday fighting him, most of his attention was taken on staying in one piece. As such, when they crashed into the ground, and continued on through the street, it took him a moment. Down below, even past the sewers and subway tunnels, they continued their descent. Above cries were heard and Superman's heart almost stopped.
In Metropolis the day had been quiet, with everyone glued to their smart phones, televisions and computers. The fight between the monster and the heroes trying to stop it, held not only the nation, but the world captive. Coming on the heels of the Ultron and Avenger's battle, the world held its breath again.
Then came the explosion, as material and debris flew up into the air, about the height of the tallest of skyscrapers. Traffic came to a halt, as a huge whole had instantly appeared in the middle of an intersection. Some weren't so lucky and were drawn into the hole, the promise of a dark death looming as they fell. Above news choppers, police helicopters and Search and Rescue copters rose to meet the coming disaster.
Inside the Daily Planet, Lois Lane was out of her office heels and running to the waiting helicopter with untied military boots. Right behind her, struggling to keep up, was Jimmy Olsen. Around his neck were the tools of his trade, several cameras with lens attachments and more. He stumbled as he boarded the helicopter, only to be nearly yanked inside by Lois.
"Get this bird in the air now!" she said to the pilot, who instantly put the flying machine into motion.
Superman saw the falling vehicles, and reached down into himself. With a blast of heat vision, he directed it into the creature's face. It wasn't enough to get him released, but enough to distract the thing. Then with all his might, he sent a left hook that connected soundly. He heard cracking, and didn't even stop to see if his hand was broken. Instead, with the creature off balance, he grabbed with his other hand and threw the creature like a spear upwards.
Even before Doomsday was out of his sight, he was flying up to meet the falling cars. Catching the first one, he tore the door off and ripped the seat belt. All of this was done so fast, the occupant didn't see anything, just felt the quick movements. The occupant released, Superman held firmly as he went to the second hard, busted out the rear window and tossed the first drive in the back seat. Then he grabbed the falling car, and rose to meet the third. This one he grasped with his other hand and flew both up to the street level.
Doomsday landed hard, crushed asphalt between its fingers and charged at the hated Kryptonian. His back was turned and was putting the metal things down gently. He was vulnerable, but the creature really didn't think this, it just knew it. Following pure instinct, it didn't understand more complex emotions like mercy, love, compassion, or duty. It only knew survival, hatred, death and destruction. Doomsday was going to see an example of something else it didn't understand, heroism.
Before Doomsday could get withing a football field's length of Superman, another form landed in front of it. The creature was surprised as a beautiful warrior, complete with shield and sword stood before it. Above the roar of multidirectional engines signaled the arrival of a Quinjet. It didn't understand this, nor what that would signify. All Doomsday knew, was another for it to destroy, before it could cause harm, pain, suffering.
"That is far enough foul beast," Wonder Woman growled. "If you wish a fight, let an Amazon show you how it is done!"
She started with a slash from her sword, little bits of the bony protrusions fell as the blade hit. The creature threw a blow out, and she parried it with her shield, feeling the resounding thud as the creature's attack bounced off. Wonder Woman followed it up with a savage front kick, sending the monster back a bit. However, just as quickly, it was back on her. She hit it several more times, both with sword and shield, and on the final strike, her sword finally lopped a small protrusion off.
It was a tiny one, just above the left eye of the creature. No real damage to the creature, but it looked at the falling piece, then turned its eyes back to her. Then it roared and the Amazon found herself being pushed back. The creature came at her, and even all her years of training didn't prepare her for the fury. First to go was her sword, she saw it fly towards a nearby building, where it was impaled into the side of the building. Next was her shield, as the creature nearly took her arm off removing it.
Holding it back, Doomsday slammed it into her, following up with a savaged stomp that took her breath away. Still, this wasn't Wonder Woman's first fight, she was back up and slamming her own fists into the creature. It took every blow, and then at the end of her flurry of attacks, slammed its forehead into her head.
She found herself being buried into the asphalt, as the creature kept up its attack. Even as she put her arms up in a last-ditch defense, she soon found herself struggling to hang onto consciousness. She saw blood covering her arms, and one eye was nearly shut closed from the abuse being dished out. To make things worse, the creature was bringing the edge of her shield down at her now. Her own equipment used against her, and she barely had the strength to even defend herself.
"That's enough!" came Captain America's yell.
His vibranium shield flew through the air, with only the skill and strength of a Super Soldier behind it. It impacted the monster and rebounded off, coming back to its wielder. The creature turned to face him, only to be met with the repulsor beams of Iron Man blasting into it. The creature howled, picked up a huge chunk of asphalt and tossed it at both Avengers. Only for it to be blindsided by blow full of electricity from Mjolnir, and the mighty strength of Thor behind it.
"Big guy, get Wonder Woman in here," Black Widow said. "Then see if you can give the boys some room to breathe."
Even as she said this, she saw Iron Man bouncing off the nearest building, bits of the building coming with him as he ricocheted off. Wasp leapt out of the open back, and went down to lend what help she could to the others. Meanwhile Hulk gingerly picked up Wonder Woman, and put her inside the Quinjet. Ant-Man signaled to Black Widow, even as he sent a message out to Wasp.
Thor brought his hammer down on the creature, and found himself being slammed into car after car. He didn't let go of his hammer, but not even the Hulk had hit him this hard before. Next came the edge of a building, and he felt it digging into his spine. Just as quickly, he saw the huge first of Doomsday coming for his face.
Captain America's shield stopped it, but also sent the Super Soldier bouncing down two city blocks. By this time Iron Man was back, scuffed armor and all, proceeding to blast Doomsday with a pure stream of energy. The creature responded by taking Thor, and smashing him into his armored compatriot. The two were pushed through two buildings, before the creature came to a stop.
Soon Doomsday burst through the top of the building, just in time for a shadow to fall over it. Looking up the creature prepared to leap at the hovering Helicarrier, only to see two new figures coming at it. What it didn't see, were two other figures coming up behind it. As a result, Doomsday wasn't prepared for the entrance of Supergirl and Captain Marvel.
The duo hit the monster hard, Captain Marvel's fist surging with power, and Supergirl's eyes full of rage. Slamming the monster through the building again, they didn't see it begin to fail as the structural integrity failed. Instead, one hit, while the other came up from the side and continued the assault. Across ten city blocks they did this rotation, with Doomsday getting a hit in every so often. Behind them chaos was king.
As the building fell, Seth and Lara tried to hold it up, but it wasn't any use. They could see the people inside, they wouldn't stand a chance. Caught between actions, there were just milliseconds to make decisions, and thus very easy to make mistakes. However, something happened, that caused them to have more time. Gently the weight of the building lifted, and there floating in the sky was a helmeted man.
"Get those people out of there," Templar called out. "I'll try to hold the building together for a few minutes."
Off in the distance, he could see the fight progressing, as Captain Marvel and Supergirl kept the monster busy. However, more buildings were going to be falling soon if something wasn't done. One did fall, but a Jade Giantess bounded in, and started tossing the debris away, getting to the trapped people below. Meanwhile a very angry Hulk was leaping at Doomsday, joining the fight. Joining She-Hulk was a blue and red blur, as Superman attempted to save innocents, while Doomsday was being distracted. At one point he even used his heat vision to slice through steel beams holding a group trapped under rubble. Soon he had to leave, as the fight against the monster was turning again.
Seth and Lara dropped off the last of the survivors at the perimeter, the Metropolis P.D. had set up. They noticed the shocked look on the cops faces, and even those on the people behind them. They had seen much, but they'd never seen their champion so badly beaten. Both rushed towards the fighting, they had to do something.
Overhead the choppers of first responders, police and the media circled in their assigned patterns. On the jumbo screen on a nearby building, Superman joined the fight, blood and bruises covering his face. Doomsday kicked out, sending Captain Marvel into a nearby building, which proceeded to collapse in on her. Superman tried to hold the creature back, but it slammed him into the ground, then took Supergirl, and tossed her into another building.
The monster went after her, and was stopped as two green hands caught it in midair. Hulk brought up his knee, sending Doomsdays back into it. Surprisingly, the rage monster felt a tremendous amount of pain. Even more so as the bony protrusions sliced into his flesh. Hulk raged, and battered Doomsday, punch after punch, pummel after pummel and even slamming huge feet into the monster.
Inside, Banner let the Hulk go, knowing this creature was unlike any foe they had faced before. He knew, that if he let too much go, the Hulk may take over for good, but it was a risk worth taking. Much better this world deal with a Hulk, instead of this engine of destruction. At least he would have a chance of coming back, fighting the Hulk, trapping it away, then curing himself of it. If this Doomsday were to win, who knows if the Earth would survive, much less the people.
Doomsday growled, and caught the next footfall. Then as if the Hulk were a ragdoll, proceeded to slam the Jade Giant into every street, building and structure it could find. Then just as quickly, it bit into the Hulk, making him scream in agony. Superman and Supergirl came at the monster, and Doomsday used the Hulk as a bat to fend them off. Supergirl left a massive groove in the street as she impacted it hard. Finally, a city block away, she came to a stop, piles of debris falling over her.
Captain Marvel slammed into Doomsday, and it grabbed her, then had a wicked idea. Bringing both heroes in its grasp together, Doomsday smashed Captain Marvel and the Hulk together, like two cymbals. Then just as quickly, Doomsday tossed both into the sky, where they disappeared into the atmosphere. It then turned its attention to Superman and Supergirl, a growl rolling deep withing its throat.