VOLUME 2
Stark Tower.
The hero's stirred as their vision returned to them; blinded earlier by great flashes of light.
When it returned, something was wrong.
"Okay, who played hide and seek?" Spiderman asked, lying on the floor after falling from the ceiling, he was helped up by Daredevil
Half of the heroes were gone. There wasn't any sign of them leaving, but they were gone.
"Did those flashes, or explosion, kill them?" Tony asked among them.
"No" The watcher, still present answered. "They were simply transported"
"Transported?"
"To the other worlds"
Stark turned to his computer, and saw an image of a ring of planets surrounding a great, violet gas cloud. Ten planets, five from each universe.
"Well…that's interesting" he remarked. "What do we do now cap…Cap?"
Tony looked back, Captain America was among the missing.
"Well, that's no good" he said.
"C'mon, we can go ahead and…do whatever we have to do without him" Spiderman said. "um, what do we have to do?"
As if to answer his questions, more explosions, more natural sounding now, were heard outside. Everyone was immediately at the windows, and watched as the city was attacked by what may have been hero's from the other universe.
"Fight back" Reed said. "It's all we can do"
The Watchtower.
The Justice League looked around as many of them were missing, gone without a trace.
"What happened?" Flash asked. "Last thing I know we were all gathered to talk about space parties that we weren't invited to, then the party comes to us in a big…um…flash"
Red Tornado shook his head, as well as many others. "This is not good" he said, looking out from the observation deck. "Look"
They turned their attention to the deck windows, and saw the violet gas cloud surrounded by a ring of planets, familiar and unfamiliar.
The planet Apokolips was in sight, being attacked by an unknown force.
"Looks like we're at war" Hawkman said, gripping his mace.
"That we are"
Everyone turned to see Superman arrive. "Our first course of action is to defend our planets, whether they are heros or not" he said.
"We're helping villains?" Flash asked.
"We have no option" Superman said blankly. "It's their universe as well, and Luthor has agreed to fight alongside us and is leading whatever villains are on Earth"
There was silence in the Watchtower, no one seemed too happy about it.
"I'm sorry"
"I understand" Wonderwoman said, putting a hand on Superman. "We all do, even if we don't like it"
Superman nodded.
"I'm heading out to the other Earth, their Earth" Superman explained. "To see if we can stop this before it even starts"
"I'll go with you" Wonderwoman said.
Green Lantern flew at the giant called Galactus.
His ring formed a large fist, pulled behind him as he zoomed towards the world eater.
He neared, 'punched', and the giant simpply raised a hand to stop him; Lantern's green fist puched the palm of Galactus and did not make a single scratch.
"What?" he grunted.
A sphere of energy began to grow from Galactus' palm. It exploded, and Lantern was blown back.
"Foolish green man" Galactus sneered as the Green Lantern balanced himself. "You cannot defeat Galactus"
Green Lantern gritted his teeth and flew at Galactus again. This time, he went for the head. He created a giant hammer out of green energy, and swung it at the giants head. Galactus grabbed the hammer, and raised his free hand towards Green Lantern, another sphere of energy grew from his palm.
Lantern gasped, and flew up above Galactus' head as a beam of crimson energy shot from the palm of Galactus; he still had the hammer portuding from his ring.
"Try this then" Lantern grunted, and swung the hammer downwards.
It got Galactus square in the face, knocking the giant back into what must have been his throne inside his spherical ship. Green Lantern chased, now changing the hammer into a giant blade, hoping to impale Galactus.
Galactus' eyes glowed, and two beams of crimson energy shot from them. They blasted Green Lantern, sending him slamming into the walls of the ship.
Galactus' eyes glowed again, and Green Lantern created a large shield to block the crimson beams.
He began to sweat under the pressure of the beams trying to break through his shield; he couldn't hold it.
Damn it, he thought.
Galactus stood, focusing more strength into the beams of energy. Lantern's shield was failing.
Suddenly, a yellow being invaded the ship. it spun around Galactus, turning his attention away from Green Lantern.
Lantern seized the opportunity to drop down to the deck Galactus had used to stand on, recovering his strength.
"Parallax" he breathed. "What are you doing here?"
the yellow being Parallax glided down to meet him, taking on the form that looked human enough for Lantern to speak to.
"I have come to help" it rasped.
Doomsday leaped from the sand towards the villain Apocalypse, who stood on top of the Great Pyramid. Apocalypse raised a hand and a great beam of purple energy shot at Doomsday.
Apocalypse smiled and lowered his hand. His smile dropped, and turned to surprise as the creature Doomsday still came towards, unscarred and unharmed.
Doomsday tackled Apocalypse, and the two flew down from the pyramid.
They crashed and rolled across the sands behind the pyramid. Apocalypse stood and faced the creature, which slowly walked towards him.
A stone pillar lay beside him. He splayed his hand and the pillar rose from the sand, spinning slowly. Using his telepathic power, Apocalypse threw the pillar at Doomsday like a javelin. It smashed into the monster's chest, breaking into rubble.
But it only moved him back a useless meter.
'What strength is this?" Apocalypse grunted. Doomsday just walked forward.
"SPEAK, MONSTER!"
No answer. It was clear Doomsday could not speak.
Angered, Apocalypse ran at Doomsday. Doomsday ran at him, and the two sent a fist at their opponent.
The fists met with each other, the power of it shook the very sand covered ruins.
Thanos caught Darkseid's punch, and Darkseid caught his.
The two struggled to throw the other aside while the Skrulls laid waste to the Planet Apokolips.
"You show great strength" Darkseid remarked
"As do you" Thanos returned. "But it is not enough to beat me"
Thanos kneed Darkseid in the stomach, and he stumbled back. He took the chance to swing an upper cut, but was kicked in the gut himself and was sent rolling back. Thanos quickly stood up, and took a few steps back as Skrulls arrived to attack Darkseid.
"Coward" Darkseid exclaimed.
Darkseid punched down one Skrull. He caught the incoming spear of another and shook the owner off it, then used the spear to impale another green alien.
Despite his ability to maw them down, they began to overwhelm him.
Thanos smiled, there was no need to use his strength. That was to be saved for foes stronger than this pathetic weakling.
Darkseid roared, and the Skrulls were suddenly taken down by a volley of yellow javelins.
They lay there, impaled. The javelins sticking through them soon dispersed, and the yellow clad Sinestro revealed himself.
"You will not destroy our universe" he said to Thanos.
"Leave him Sinestro, he is mine" Darkseid said regaining his strength.
Sinestro nodded, and flew off into battle with the Skrulls
Darkseid charged at Thanos. Thanos threw apunch, which Darkseid ducked under, who in turn threw one punch after another into Thanos' torso.
Thanos grunted with each punch deal to him, until he finally brought himself to bring two elbows down into Darkseid.
Darkseid collapsed, and Thanos kicked him back across the blackened ground.
Thanos spat blood, and wiped it from his mouth. He watched as Darkseid stood back up, then fell back to one knee. He simply smiled.
"Weak, did you call me?" he mocked.
#
Batman walked down the halls of Arkham; a confused Commisioner Gordon walked beside him.
"Let me get this right" Gordon said. "You want to release the maniacs in this place to help fight off invaders from another universe?"
"As crazy as it sounds, yes" Batman answered.
"God, I may as well believe it. hero's and villains disappeared from all over the world, other cities are being attacked by Hero's from that other universe. By the way, Joker's among the missing"
"That's no surprise"
"Not as an escape"
Batman stopped, and looked at Gordon. "Well, at least we won't have to deal with him through all this. That's the last thing we need"
They continued. "Anyone else gone?" Batman asked.
"Nygma and Freeze, last time I checked" Gordon answered.
Gordon's intercom buzzed static.
"Deathstroke is in the city. I repeat Slade, no two…two Deathstroke are in the city. And a man with a skull on his chest" said the officer on the other end.
"Two Slades?" Gordon exclaimed.
Batman stopped again, and gritted.
"Dammit" he grunted. "Forget about the inmates for now"
#
Deadpool wandered about the streets.
The city was in disarray. He didn't know what city it was, but the people called it "Coffin" he thinks. Makes sense, the place looked like it was made on top of a graveyard.
"Ah, Deathstroke"
Deadpool turned, and faced a deranged looking man with tally marks cut into him.
"I don't think I've had the pleasure to meet you, but now I'll have the pleasure of killing you" the man said, waving a knife.
"Deathstroke?" Deadpool said, confused. "Uh…
The man lunged, but was shot down by a familiar figure.
The deranged, tally mark man lay on the ground with a bleeding bullet hole through his head, Deadpool simply stared.
"Oh, hey Castle" Deadpool greeted.
Frank Castle, the Punisher, walked out onto the street reloading a revolver.
"Sup Wilson" he greeted (or grunted) "Hell you doin here?"
"Um, figuring out why I'm in the wrong publication" Deadpool said, looking around.
"Publication?"
"Never mind. Uh, have you seen the Cap around? I saw him earlier and now I'm trying to find him"
"Sorry, can't help you" Punisher said, and walked off into an alley.
"Well, that was awkward"
"Deathstroke!"
Deadpool looked up, and saw an unfamiliar figure. a black figure, that reminded him of a bat, standing on the edge of a building
"Why is everyone calling me Deathstroke? I've been around since 91, doesn't anyone know me yet?"
"Shut up" the bat said. "Either you're here to help or here for me"
"Actually, I'm the one who needs the help. Where am i?" Deadpool asked calmly.
There was silence.
"So, your from the other universe?" the bat asked.
"Um, the Marvel universe, if that's what you mean?"
The bat didn't respond, and just simply dived down at him. The 'cape' he wore spread out into bat wings and he zoomed towards Deadpool.
"Oh, here we go" Deadpool chuckled, drawing his swords.
The bat neared.
Deadpool raised his swords in defense, but no impact was made.
He looked up, and watched as the bat was sent flying back. The bat's attacker was none other than Captain America, who put his shield back over his arm.
The bat skidded across the ground, rolled and stood back up.
"This one is mine Wilson, just get out of here" the Captain ordered.
Deadpool looked on, and turned to leave, not sheathing his swords.
"Whatever cap" He said. "Who the hell is Deathstroke anyway?"
He held his swords up again as another sword came down upon them.
"That would be me" the attacker said, a man in black and orange armor.
Something about him seemed to mirror Deadpool, and now he knew why he was being mistaken for Deahtstroke.
Deadpool pushed the attacker away, and stood back to back with Captain America.
"Don't worry, I'm staying" he said.
The street was empty save for these two and a good thing too.
A bloodshed was on its way
#
Superman flew alongside Wonder Woman's invisible plane, which she had upgraded to be able to fly through space.
They arrived at the 'other' Earth, at it's New York.
It was almost identical to their own, save for a few different buildings. Superman could make out a building with STARK on it, and could also see, to his horror; the battles have already started here.
Smoke rose from fires, and explosions could be seen and heard. Hero's and villain's from their universe had already arrived here.
"We're too late" Superman said.
He dove towards the surface to see how bad the damage was
Wonder Woman started to follow him, but her plane was torn apart by a lightning strike.
She cried as she flew out from the explosion, and fell towards the burning city.
Superman looked up, and flew back up to catch her but was stopped by another lightning strike. He spun, balanced himself and watched as the lightning bolt that struck him turned around, coming towards him. Superman was too slow to counter it, and he was grabbed by it.
Lightning strike changed into a man. He sported long, blonde hair and a beard, and wielded a hammer and sported a red cape.
"You dare destroy this world!" the man growled, and struck Superman with his hammer, sending him flying back.
Superman regained his balance again, and faced his foe.
"You will be punished by the son of Odin!"
Still falling, Wonder Woman looked around for anything to help her.
All there was the falling, burning debris of her wrecked plane; and something else flying.
A woman with white hair.
She flew at Wonder Woman and put a hand around her throat, her eyes were as white as her hair.
The woman tightened her grip and pushed Wonder Woman faster towards the Brooklyn Bridge.
As they neared, Wonder Woman swung a kick into her attacker's side. She grunted and lost her grip, Wonder Woman fell into a car, smashing it.
Her attacker, the X-Men member Storm, skidded across the gravel of the bridge.
Wonder Woman climbed out from the what was left of the car.
Storm stood back up, and faced her foe.
The bridge was packed with cars, and many civilians. As they saw the coming battle, they ran even faster away from it, even back towards the burning city.
Wonde Woman brandished her whip, and Storm rose up as dark clouds covered the skies.
In the skies, Superman and Thor stared at each other as the storm clouds formed over them.
Superman clenched his fists, and Thor gripped his hammer.
As the war unfolded, the being responsible for it all still smiled.