CLIV
Darkseid vs. The Justice League
Part Eleven: The Return to Battle
Prologue:
Deep in the heart of Gotham General Hospital, Bruce Wayne had been rushed into a private operating room and was currently being examined by the top physicians available. He even recognized a few of them from the various charity functions Wayne Industries had sponsored over the years. Hell, they had even named a wing of this hospital after his late father…
Still, even after detailed initial observations, the attending doctors and Bruce Wayne failed to see eye-to-eye on how exactly to proceed regarding his various injuries. The doctors held one point of view, while Bruce held the opposite…
"Look, I'm fine. I would like to leave now."
"I'm sorry, Mr. President… but it's evident that you've suffered a great deal of trauma. This is just a mild sedative to help you relax while we conduct further necessary tests. There may be some delicate operations required, depending on the results of these tests…"
"No sedative... I'm fine."
"President Wayne… Let's get down to the brass tacks… You have a large number of epidural haematomas and I can't rule out a subdural haematoma. One side of your body has the haemorrhage pattern of a car-crash victim and the results of the extreme pulmonary hypertension exam are still inconclusive. Frankly… I'm amazed that you're even conscious and having this conversation with me..."
"My wife healed me… I'm fine."
"Let's just make sure of that, shall we? Wayne, look… we know that you have a job to do… but so do we. A subdural haematoma can be instantly fatal... We need to be certain, for all of our sakes… You've donated so much money to this hospital that I would hate to lose one of our greatest benefactors in this way… terrible black eye on our reputation here at Gotham General."
Bruce Wayne sighed like a man deflated.
"…Fine."
The acting President felt the initial dulling effect of the sedative and then he felt a strange tingling on his left wrist… but then it went away. But then it started again… and only around his left wrist. Was he suffering numbness? A stroke?!...
Slowly, Bruce lifted his left arm to examine the source of this strange vibrating sensation… And discovered… the smart-watch. Of course, they vibrated for incoming calls!… On the screen, an image of Tim Drake appeared with a flashing 'incoming' below it, although it seemed to be getting blurry… or was that just him?
Bruce wearily double-tapped the Tim-icon.
A live video of Tim Drake instantly appeared on its small screen, which drew disapproving looks from the four physicians who were waiting for Bruce to slip into unconsciousness. Tim's anxious voice suddenly cut across the stuffy operating room.
"Bruce… where are you, man?!"
It had been some time since Bruce had seen a calm Tim… Had it been back when Tim was a teenager designing microcircuits in his head as a lunch-time hobby? And now this young man looked so damned funny again… frantically blurring in-and-out of focus… Damn his one eye and all its funny business… It's the sedative, you dope… Talking was suddenly harder than it should have been… His tongue didn't want to work… Damn it, he was going to make a mess of this…
"At th' Hospital… in Got'am… Whazzup?"
"You're in Gotham? Thank God! It's the Russians and the Chinese, Bruce… They've both launched ICBM's at Kahndaq! You've got to get everyone out of there!…"
And with that startling revelation… Bruce Wayne finally succumbed to the drug's silent effects and slid into unconsciousness.
To Barbara Gordon, the end of the world was nothing more than a surreal dance of violence decorated by falling shrapnel. Machine parts fell from the sky above her… until the sands of Kahndaq became a scrapheap, metal embers falling from a sky of brilliant green, red and white fireworks.
Princess Diana of Themyscira and Barda Free of Apokolips danced like deadly partners – each circling around the stone statue of death, striking and defending against its angry Omega Beams. As brilliant as their war-dance was, they had been nothing more than ineffective bees - angrily buzzing around a God of hard stone. Diana had landed countless strikes with her sword and her shield against Darkseid's stone hide… unwilling to accept the fact that an Amazon was unable to even so much as scratch this mountain of evil.
Where Diana's dance was a flashing samba of sharp violence, Barda had relied on the blunt strategy of ambush, timing her strikes while Darkseid's attention was focused on the quick Amazon. With her Mega Rod, the Female Fury had knocked down the stone God numerous times, her powerful blows sending shock waves through Barbara's hair while Diana pounced on the opening.
But Darkseid had simply risen each time. These warrior woman were nothing more than an annoyance to the God.
Even with her Ring, Barbara had been only a wallflower in this dance - protecting her friends from the hot, falling metal from above… and that had been all she had been able to do. The white beams of the Manhunters cut through her projected shields - as though they were nothing more than a shimmering green reflection in the sky. And those deadly beams were striking around them with increased frequency as the battle wore on.
Indeed, they had been extremely fortunate that even one of those lethal white beams hadn't cut one of them in half yet… But as time passed, those odds were stacked less-and-less in their favour. She had already counted five extremely close calls amongst the group so far. Each near miss causing her heart to skip a beat as the women faced the stone God.
Her own Clark battled in the skies above, cutting through the metal men with heat vision or simply smashing through the damned robots with fists of unimagined power. She knew her Man of Steel had already disposed of thousands of these ruthless flying power batteries, yet their numbers still filled the entire sky above. Besides Clark, the New God Lightray had also illuminated the night above like an avenging God of the Sun… but to no avail. And above these two flying warriors were the remaining Guardians of the Universe, struggling against an endless supply of Manhunters.
Barbara noted that Darkseid had been remarkably passive in this battle… almost as if he were allowing Diana and Barda to strike at will. True, the God had no reason to fear either of them… as neither had accomplished anything more than simply knocking him down since Diana's first blow. It came as a shock when he finally swung out his massive arm, swatting the Amazon to the ground like an insect.
Unfazed, Princess Diana immediately returned to her feet - but Barbara gasped in horror as the deadly melee of the Amazon Princess and the Great Tyrant was brought to heart-rending stop… Diana was mercilessly struck from above by one of the white beams of the Manhunters… Her sudden cry of agony stopping Barbara's breath in a moment of sheer, frozen horror.
While time crawled for Barbara, the fierce Goddess of Apokolips had snapped into action, rolling and snatching the Amazon's magic shield of stars and stripes - bringing it above the downed Amazon to protect her from the white death that rained upon them. Ten more beams suddenly deflected off the shield - threatening to crush the warriors beneath while a thousand more would soon be on their way…
Barbara needed to help them… fast!
And then she had an idea.
Littering the sands around her were thousands of Manhunter parts that had fallen from the war-torn skies above… including intact power batteries! Using her Ring to locate and grab any of these Manhunter power batteries, Barbara floated them to her and levitated the vacated Manhunter cores above an embattled, kneeling Barda and Diana… turning the battery openings towards the sky against a flurry of incoming deadly beams. In that instant, Barbara had been able to place hundreds of these batteries above the defending warriors…
And it worked! The floating batteries absorbed Manhunter beams! The red-and-blue Manhunters absorbed their energy through the lens in their chest, just like any other Lantern power battery. And it didn't matter whether they were attached or not! They would still store energy…
Within seconds, Barbara was able to build a thick dome of floating power batteries over Barda and Diana - and then extend it to cover a still-unconscious Orion. She made its walls as thick as she could, layering suspended batteries over batteries over batteries, leaving no openings for the Manhunters to exploit. The newest Green Lantern was pleased with her ingenuity… until a white beam grazed her thigh, and Barbara realized that she also needed to get below her improvised fort of Manhunter parts… and quickly!
Concentrating on maintaining the dome's three thousand batteries, Barbara managed to squeeze under its protective canopy. Once inside, she was instantly reminded of a bunker in one of those old war movies while shells exploded over their heads. But at least they were safe for now.
She watched as the tall Goddess named Barda stood and pointed her Mega Rod towards the dome's apex of power batteries above… while Barbara felt their weight drastically increase, using up even more of her Ring's power to keep them floating aloft.
"Barda… What are you doing?!"
"I'm increasing their molecular density… So that we may be able to survive at least one of Darkseid's Omega Beams."
"Thanks… but I'm more concerned about the Manhunters at the moment."
They both suddenly turned their attention to Diana as the Amazon struggled to rise unsteadily to her feet, firmly clutching a bleeding shoulder that looked very bad. There was a grimace of pain on Diana's strong face that made Barbara's heart rise to her throat. The Amazonian Princess looked at them both.
"May Hera bless you both. I owe the two of you my life… And I pray I may return that favour soon, sisters… However, I fear that the Sum of All Evils has only been toying with us. He treats us more like annoying gnats than a threat to his life. Even now he makes no attempt to pierce the defences you have created Green-Ring-Sorceress. It is almost as if he were waiting for something to happen…"
"Darkseid is a coward," spat Barda… "Always making his minions get their hands dirty for him. He'll let the Manhunters finish us."
"I suppose that's what makes him a Tyrant," suggested Barbara.
"We are a small group," observed Diana. "If all those machines above fired as one… would there have been any possible way we could have survived?"
"Good point," added Barbara. "I got the same impression about Darkseid. He's only keeping us busy… but for what?"
"He enjoys the suffering of others… We are nothing more than entertainment for him," scowled Barda.
"Perhaps…" contemplated Diana. "But he has no love of this combat, of that I am certain. He seemed offended that I should even dare to strike him. And though the battle above us seems hopeless due to the vast numbers of our enemy, many thousands of his machines have already been reduced to useless rubble. What advantage is there here for him to wait?"
" And he also could have reduced Orion to a bloody smear long ago… but he didn't. Why?..." added a concentrating Barbara Gordon.
"He does not consider us even worthy of the effort…" There was an anger in Barda's voice - but even more frightening was the hint of disappointment… Death by Darkseid's hands would have been a welcome relief for her.
Sensing Barda's frustration, Diana turned and placed her wounded arm upon the shoulder of the large Goddess - peering steadily into her immortal blue eyes.
"We can not lose hope, good Barda. The warrior's victory is claimed, never granted…"
Barda could bear it no longer. She broke down. The strain she had carried was too much for her heart to bear.
"Victory, Diana?! What chance of victory did we ever have?! That's Darkseid out there! I'm not here to beat him… That's not even possible. I just wanted him to feel pain like I felt pain! Don't either of you understand?! We can't win! It's not even possible…"
Barbara and Diana stood in stunned silence as they watched the large warrior-Goddess collapse into a ball of tears and sobs. Barda bore no scars from the battle… but the deepest wound of all had shattered her warrior's heart before she had returned to Apokolips. The tears she had denied for Scott Free could be contained no longer… the grief within her heart would no longer be borne silently… They could only watch her cry from a love that had been lost.
"With Freedom, ALL is possible. With Love, I am never lost."
Barbara and Diana suddenly wheeled around to witness the handsome male stranger who had spoken these prophetic words… a smiling, dark-haired man dressed in white robes, who had materialized beneath the dome. In his chest was embedded a Mother Box which had once saved his life - after his battle with Teth Adam.
They watched as a shaking Barda now stood… pale and slow. Tears flowed from her unblinking eyes as the world around her seemed nothing more than a dream composed of this one man. She stared in disbelief at the sudden bright appearance of her beloved… the God of Freedom… Scott Free. In suspended wonder, she spoke to his figure…
"…Is this the form the Black Racer takes to bring this warrior's essence back to the Source? Is this the single boon I have left in all existence? If so, I go willingly and readily…"
Scott Free only grinned at his disbelieving wife, spreading his arms wide for her.
"That's too bad, pussycat… because I have no plans of going back there anytime soon."
Barda instantly flung herself into his awaiting arms, bringing an astonished Scott to the ground with her absolute unbridled joy and passionate, tumbling embrace. She smothered him with unrestrained tears and kisses while he held her tightly in his arms as well. Barbara felt a tear wet her own eye and a thankful smile spread across her face. The God of Freedom had indeed returned in the nick of time from the Dead for them… but more specifically for an elated Barda.
"The Universe itself could not hold such sadness as filled my heart… It had to return you to me! And you have slipped the cold clutches of Death! Oh, my love, my love…"
From where they lay, Scott kissed Barda gently on the forehead and then brushed many tears from her wet cheeks. Barbara was unsure of how, but before her was a perfect couple, each completing the other. Scott stroked Barda's hair.
"I had a little help, Barda."
"Did the Highfather himself tame Fate and Time to return you here to me? Did the bitter tears of all the Gods of Love cause a drowning Fortune to cast you back upon my shore?"
"Actually…It was Raven."
"The girl?! She has bartered with the Fates for your return? She has altered the stars and Gods… for me?"
"She did... and we can thank her personally, my love… She's just returned."
Above the sands of Kahndaq, Clark cut yet another two hundred Manhunters in half while weaving a twisted, erratic flight around their deadly beams. The gentle Lightray had also approached Clark's high tally of robotic demolition - with the New God's own rays and massive bursts of pure deadly light. To observers below, the battle may have seemed hopeless, but Clark knew better. He could keep this pace up for days… and by his calculations, he only needed another six hours to finish off Darkseid's million-Manhunter army by himself.
Even the Guardians above were holding their own, although they had required Clark's help on various occasions. He didn't mind… The Oans had done him a huge favour by making the Manhunters switch to white energy… which he found affected him much less than the green energy they had previously been using.
Clark also noticed that a contingent of alien Green Lanterns had recently joined the fray in the skies… these Lanterns must have survived the attack on Oa… from red-skinned women to dog-men and even flying octopi. Clark really didn't care… they needed all the help they could get. The Kryptonian knew he could take care of business in the skies by himself, but his thoughts kept drifting back to another red-haired Green Lantern who was facing Darkseid below. He needed to finish up here and get back to Barbara.
As he sliced through more of the metal warriors, his super-hearing picked up a different sound approaching from the north… something that sounded like a… rocket? Weaving his way towards the sound, his worst fears were confirmed as he recognized a pair of Russian Topol-M's rapidly approaching from above. A quick scan with his X-Ray vision confirmed that each missile was equipped with eight 125-kiloton nuclear payloads… enough to incinerate 160 square miles. The Russians weren't holding back! A large portion of the Persian Gulf would be evaporated spreading radioactive rain throughout Asia, Europe and Africa…
Clark immediately turned his supersonic flight northwards, towards the first Russian Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, arriving in a matter of seconds below its hull as the nuclear weapon streaked across the night-time sky. Carefully placing both of his hands under its carriage, he gently guided the missile upwards towards outer space.
The first green beam him as he flung the large ICBM beyond the Earth's atmosphere… And then another beam struck him. And then a third…
These emerald beams hurt, but he could handle that pain. The true tragedy was that they were now preventing him from stopping the second missile which hurtled past him agonizingly close… cruising towards Barbara and his friends below! He attempted to break free as more and more of the emerald beams found their mark upon him. He needed help now… or else they were all going to die!
And then - while the Man of Steel raged against the crushing green grip of the Manhunter beams - he observed the final two horsemen of this nuclear Apocalypse…
Two Chinese DF-41 ICBM's approaching from the east…
Raven left the Norns and the Realm of Fate to teleport directly back to Kahndaq, back into the heart of the battle. She only prayed that she was not too late to save her friends from deadly Darkseid. She saw that even in the darkness, the stone tyrant still cut an imposing silhouette - confident and aloof. A large dome of Manhunter parts infused with green energy was erected on the ground near him. Within it, Raven sensed the familiar emotions of Barbara Gordon, Barda and Princess Diana. If she concentrated, she could also sense Orion. They were alive…
Bits of Manhunter pieces were piled knee-deep along the desert sands while the sky above lit the battlefield in a strange fireworks display. It appeared that Clark and Lightray battled above while Barbara protected the group below. The constant glow of green illuminating her dome was suddenly made a brilliant white by the impact of a dozen Manhunter beams, while the fires of dead metal burned all around her. Smoke was now everywhere.
Without bothering to look over at her, Darkseid spoke aloud to the scene.
"More and more, this reminds me of the fire pits of Apokolips. The smell is certainly nostalgic… Have you reconsidered my offer then, lovely Raven?"
She now teleported in front of him… with no fear in her heart. She stood tall against the God while her blue robe and cloak fluttered in the night-time winds of the desert.
"I have come to present you my own offer, Darkseid… Surrender."
The God of Tyranny roared with deep laughter, almost doubling over. She had apparently amused him greatly.
"Oh my dearest Raven… You are such mirthful company. I have already surrendered to your charms… I feared that you were serious for a moment. There is a stupidity to heroism that is contagious… I had worried that perhaps you may have caught it.
Indeed, you are fortunate to join me now… fore there is a lesson to be learned here. You may study it while these brave heroes are shown the final destiny that awaits such noble endeavours... Lovely Raven, consider this… if you were but to do me the honour of your hand, I may even be convinced to spare one of them… but I would decide rather quickly… if I were you."
Among all his familiar feelings of superiority, pride and pure evil, Raven could sense that the Tyrant God was not bluffing. Her friends were in immediate peril!
"What have you done, Darkseid?!"
"Me?... I have done nothing… Why should I do anything when I can simply revel in the ironic fate that awaits such struggling fools? Look upon this turtle-shell of heroism before us! They have risked life and limb to save this pathetic world, and now this world repays them… with oblivion… sending four missiles that will tear their very atoms apart… Fate steps on its saviours, Raven. Learn this lesson well... Come with me to Apokolips and be my Queen. You will see that it is better to rule fools than to suffer their so-called mercies."
Missiles!… This was what Bruce had feared the most. It was why he wanted to take this battle off-planet for fear that the world would try to burn away its panic in an atomic fire. She had to stop it! Unconcerned with the approaching holocaust, Darkseid still awaited her answer to his mad proposal. Was he so desperate?
"Darkseid… I'm already married."
"Oh, you do play hard-to-get! Is this the only answer your ignorant tongue knows, girl?! I warn you, do not try my patience! Your mortal man does not matter to me!"
Raven slowly smiled as she remembered that she was more than just Mrs. Wayne (even though she would always be Bruce's wife). She flashed her mysterious indigo eyes and her coy grin at the God of Tyranny while she carefully lowered the hood from her cloak, her long black hair spilling across her shoulders. The Tyrant's own smile slowly returned, his absolute will once again imposed, awaiting her obedient reply.
"I do have another answer for you, Lord Darkseid."
"Finally!… Then speak it girl. Time grows short."
"SHAZAM!"
Next Chapter: The first appearance of Half-Demon, Magical Girl Raven!