Disclaimer: All characters who appear are the ownership of their respective companies and creators
The Redeemer
Chapter 49: Hellzone Royale
Cade's transformation into his armour felt painful, unnatural in a way. He had been injured before and transformed, but something felt different this time. Looking over his shoulder, Cade wondered if Ivy had done more than just heal him. His eyes saw her killing people, CEO's, government officials, further investigation was needed to determine if they were corrupt and yet even then there was the matter of just how much they deserved to die. Gates of hell across the Multiverse were being flattened; sin was beginning to overflow the scales of the afterlife that determined where people's echoes went. The vestiges of a person's personality would go to a place resembling hell or heaven, but those vestiges were not the true souls of a person. Though there was the case of Mephisto's deals. Cade sensed the jet pulling up to his side, and though technology was there to conceal it, there were sins that Cade could detect from the 'JLA'.
Steve Trevor was a soldier, and a good man, Katar Hol a savage warrior and space cop; Simon Baz stole cars but loved his family, J'onn J'onnz had fought in a war that resulted in the death of his entire people and Catwoman was a thief.
'Classic case of kleptomania if I ever saw it,' Cade thought, just like Felicia Hardy.
They were both brilliant women, capable of pulling off one job that would have made them for life, but never did because of the thrill. Part of Cade wondered what happened for Selina, at least on another Earth to have a child like Helena.
Forgetting the huntress, Cade pointed at the ground, knowing that Trevor would see it. He smirked slightly underneath his helmet as Trevor brought his not so invisible jet down to the Cumae region of Italy.
"Man knows his Roman mythology," Trevor muttered.
"I thought we were invisible," Stargirl said.
"He can sense us," Martian Manhunter said.
"Like mind reading?" Vibe asked.
"No, our sins," Hawkman said.
"How deep are we talking here, out of wedlock affairs, same-sex relationships?" Selina grinned.
The plane landed just as Cade did, his energy wings fading as the hatch at the base of the craft opened. It revealed Arthur Light, a far cry from his counterparts in that he was a loving husband. Having avoided death by Atomica's manipulations, he continued service in the JLA. Stargirl, Green Arrow and Vibe came out next, with J'onn phasing through the plane and flying up to Cade.
"I heard a psychic cry from this region, psionic remnants of dead people being cast aside as someone invaded the underworld," the Martian stated.
"So we're not actually going to the afterlife right?" Vibe asked.
"No, just one of numerous dimensions that have over the years inspired the cultural beliefs in hell, you're standing on the real hell," Cade said.
"He's right on that," Hawkman said gruffly.
Earth 616-New York
Looters didn't just try to rob abandoned stores, pockets of organised gangs committed raids on relief trucks carrying supplies and medicine. It was their intention to go in and establish control over the relief efforts, and be the first to offer help to anyone desperate enough to part with their cash. Only that wasn't how it ended up going for one particular gang, instead they were in an alley, hanging off of a fire escape.
"Okay, you caught us Spidey, good going," one was a repeat offender and used to getting caught.
But the black suited silhouette came off of the wall, out of the shadows, and revealed his bulk and razor sharp teeth.
"That's a new low," Venom snarled.
"Gargan," one of the goons gasped.
"No, not Gargan, guess who's back boys," Venom grinned.
"You're going to let us go right? I mean, you don't kill people anymore right?" one of the goons asked.
"That depends, which one of you organised this?" Eddie asked.
"Him, it was him," the repeated offender pointed at the goon that remained silent, the man's lip trembling.
"Oh god a hundred percent yeah," whilst the other goon had urine running down his shirt.
"Good, which means you two have volunteered," Venom said.
"Volunteered?" the repeat offender blinked in confusion.
Suddenly, Brock grabbed the two goons who had spoken, trapping them with his tentacles before he proceeded to bite off their heads. The remaining thug screamed, thrashing about before Venom dropped him.
"All right, those two were obviously pretty bad to have sold you out like that, I'm back to the whole Punisher thing, but I'm not unreasonable, so I want you to spread the word, guns, drugs, you guys are free to kill one another taking each other's crap if you want, but food, stores, medicine, that's off limits are we clear?" Brock demanded and the goon rapidly nodded his head.
Venom licked his teeth as the man ran away, his muscles tensing as he felt a portal open behind him.
"Impressive, your symbiote will potentially be vulnerable to the fires of hell, but Doom has a solution to that!"
Earth 616-Canadian Wilderness
Alpha Flight was in the cities, protecting big wigs and anyone too scared to come out of their homes. Some idiots chose to try their hand at surviving in the woods, stealing from one another. Something though got into their heads, whispered in their ears and made them cross certain lines. Before the curse of the Wendigo relied on a person choosing to commit cannibalism, but with Onyx's gift, the Wendigo existed as an entity tempting anyone interested in their own survival. Ten people had already been killed; fortunately there was a hunter in the woods.
Daken popped out his claws, smelling the approach of the beast before he heard the eerie cry in the wind.
"Wendigo!"
The white furred beast came out of the trees, swinging its large arms at the son of Wolverine. Daken slid through the slow, staining his brown suit; he swung his claws through the side of the creature and immediately flipped back as it attempted to strike him again. Turning in midair, he stuck his claws into the Wendigo's arm, holding on as it attempted to throw him off. He let the pheromones flow out of his body, subjecting the animal that the Wendigo truly was to fear, intending to let the creature's survival instinct kick in. Daken wanted it to run; he wanted to become its predator. He cut off it fingers, freeing himself from its grip. As soon as Daken landed on the ground, he began tearing into the Wendigo's chest.
"Enough!"
Daken had been so consumed by bloodlust that he didn't detect Doom's arrival. The ruler of Latveria put his hands together, and then spread them apart, invoking incantations used by medicine men that opposed the Wendigo curse. A blizzard swept over the area, knocking Daken away from the Wendigo, which was consumed by the snow. When the snow passed, it revealed the man who had been taken by the Wendigo curse.
"Cursed you were, influenced too, but to have a mind weak enough to fall under Onyx's sway is one thing, to be weak enough to eat the flesh of others is another, a crime I would not tolerate in Latveria, let the snow take you," Doom said, casting the man into a portal that sent him into the mountains.
"Doom," Daken snarled.
"Though you have befriended the Fantastic Four, son of Wolverine, you are not held back by his same sense of morality, you are indeed the superior Weapon X," Doom said.
"I'm done being the stooge of men like you and Osborn," Daken said.
"Doom is nothing like Osborn," Doom narrowed his eyes in fury over the comparison. "My emulation of the Avengers will be far superior!"
Earth 616-New Mexico
Skaar ripped his sword out of the chest of a dragon, looking up and seeing the arrival of more monsters through the portals. The symbiote dragons, Molloids, even the original Groot creature that invaded rather than guarded. The son of the Hulk grinned before he jumped into the fray, cleaving his way through the creatures invading his world. He dragged his sword through the body of the Groot, and then brought his fist down, obliterating its barky hide. Flames began to spread across the Groot, the conqueror crying out in pain. Skaar looked up at the sky, growling when he saw Doom floating over them. Doom created a portal beneath the creature, making it and Skaar fall.
"I don't like being drafted Doom," Skaar snarled.
"Doom calls you to protect the Multiverse, not the world," Doom said.
"Well Skaar will smash you if you keep me," Skaar retorted.
He looked at the surroundings, ignoring the Groot as it fell into a molten pit. Towers of fire erupted around Skaar, he saw winged creatures in the distance and could hear the cries of tortured souls. Doom landed on the ground, creating several symbols with his hands. His allies came through, Venom, Daken, the Russian android Vostok, Absorbing Man and Titania.
"What the hell, we were in our cells before…"
"Before you came here, you have been called to fight for Doom!"
"I should have known since Battleworld that you'd take us all to hell," Titania glared at Doom.
"It ain't so bad, check me out," Venom grinned, tapping the flaming symbol on his chest.
"An incantation to protect you from the flames of hell, which is itself something for you to work with Crusher, the domain of Mesphito's realm is under threat, should the inferior sorcerer in charge of it finish his ritual, it could mean our end," Doom explained.
"Inferior sorcerer huh?" Daken grinned, looking out at the hellscape.
Dr Doom did the same, looking through the demons being massacred, past the henchmen gathered to guard the sorcerer. He was in a thick green coat and hood, with a metal mask across his face. Absorbing man and Venom's laughter was cut short when Doom stomped his foot.
"This insult will be…avenged!" Doom declared.
Earth 666
"Welcome Avengers Idea Mechanics to Earth 666, an Earth where the only 'post-human' presence seems to be a domesticated version of the Presence and the devil, fascinating," Andrew Forson hummed as he and his gathered Avengers entered the battle for hell.
Sunspot and Cannonball nodded to one another as they walked out with Sam's girlfriend Smasher, the armoured Pod, Toni Ho in her bulky Iron Patriot armour and two men from the other side of the Multiverse, a patriotic hero by the name of 'the Shield' and the green and gold clad super hero Amazing-Man.
"Let's see what I have to work with," Will Everett touched the ground beneath him, the burning mindscape of hell that the other members of the 'US' Avengers imagined the world to be. A member of the Justice Society on his world, Will possessed the ability to transform into any material he touched. He expected the rocks and fires of hell, but became something else entirely, seemingly disappearing from the view of his team mates.
Hell began to shake, the floor beneath them distorted, and their surroundings changed from hellfire, to a cold and frozen wasteland, to a darkness that bolstered Dr Darkness's strength. He unleashed tendrils from his hands, laughing and relishing the chance to inflict pain. The man had no idea there were women underneath the Pod and Iron Patriot armours.
"Let the lady go," Shield warned the false Lucifer.
But the false Lucifer was in actuality a woman possessed by an alien that took on the name. She still however had access to higher technology, hitting the patriotic hero with a blaster as she used former detective Chloe Decker as a shield. Roberto, Sam and Smasher braced themselves as Baron Ubermensch flew towards them. Before the Nazi Superman could reach them however, the sky itself seemed to come alive, like a singularity it pulled at Uberman, pulling the uniformed and cloaked man into a separate world entirely.
"Sound has no affect on you, what of fire? Clearly this world is not in truth made of fire then," Forson mused, blocking Carnage's bladed tendrils with an energy shield.
He pulled a blaster out of the pocket dimension he controlled through his armour. The gun immediately shifted, its barrel expanding whilst Forson teleported behind Carnage. As soon as Carnage turned, he was hit by a blast that tore at the ground, passing volts of electricity through the symbiote and the wearer. Forson approached, turning his energy shield into a wrist blade, a holographic sword he clashed with Carnage's hand axes. Carnage shifted his axes into bladed fingertips, shoved Forson back and unleashed a flurry of strikes from the tentacles on his back. Forson deflected and shot a few before one was able to pierce his wrist. He grunted in pain as Carnage stabbed two more tendrils into Forson's arm, going up to the man's elbow.
"Trying to play hero Mr Beekeeper, WHAT A JOKE!" Carnage bellowed.
Carnage cackled, ripped off Forson's arm and dangling it in front of him. Forson fell to his knees, just as Pod had her armour pierced by a blast that Dr Darkness fired at her.
Earth 10005-Limbo
Magik and Lockheed ran into the fray of enemies, swinging her soul sword whilst the dragon released blue flames from its maw. She beheaded a demon and raised her sword just as Eshu fired her blast. Magik teleported over Eshu, only have to teleport again when Solarr fired an energy blast at her too. When Magik reappeared, she barely dived away from Grundy's fist. Slashing the Gamma powered zombie across the eyes, she brought Lockheed to her side and had him coat Grundy in fire. Magik was about to teleport again when Shaggy man ran towards her. The fur covered android was able to punch her armoured arm, throwing her across her domain.
She leant on her sword, glaring at the intruders, Solarr gathered dark energy in his hands whilst Eshu crossed his arms. The armoured man cast an image as the superior master of the world he proclaimed himself to be. Faust and Pandemonium continued their chanting, the pillars grew in their intensity and in turn Magik felt her own teleportation abilities waver. A portal appeared behind her and she brought up her sword.
"Do not despair; for Marvel Jesus is here, the X-men are coming to the MCU!"
Out of the portal, came the Merc with the mouth, his hands raised as if accepting applause.
"I know New Mutants didn't do great, but you were certainly one of the highlights, therefore we'd love for you to come UAAAGH!" Wade screamed as Magik cut off his hands.
"Easy, easy, believe it or not we're on your side," Kitty said, coming through the portal with her fellow 616 X-men Nightcrawler and Colossus.
There was a beat of silence, as blue boots slammed into the ground, walking out of the portal with an aggressive stride. The 'worst' Wolverine variant walked out, smiling slightly at Deadpool's predicament with X-23 beside him. She put on a pair of pink sunglasses as Logan reached for his cowl.
"Oh yeah, the mask comes on," Deadpool shivered.
"So, he wears it all the time, what's the big deal?" Kitty asked.
"Oh he should wear it all the time," Deadpool nodded, sighing as he looked towards…you?
"The mask and white eyes do work, prove me wrong!" he challenged.
Just Like a Prayer
"Why is there music playing?" Colossus asked.
"Oh I need to get this version of the song," Kitty said, phasing through Grundy as he tried to punch her.
"Grundy love Madonna," the zombie said, before Colossus punched him.
Kurt grabbed X-23 and Magik, teleporting them over Shaggy man. The two women flipped in midair before swinging their blades through the android's arms. Sparks of electricity from Shaggy Man's severed arms struck the ground. Nightcrawler created three rapier blades with his symbiote, holding the third with his tail. He delivered a flurry of strikes to Shaggy Man's body, exposing his metallic endoskeleton. Teleporting to Logan's side, he moved him out of the way of Solarr's blasts, passing him onto Colossus.
"You're throwing arm good?" Logan asked.
"I do all right," Piotr grinned underneath the symbiote mask.
He wrapped a tentacle around Logan's waist, performing a spin before he threw Logan. Eshu was about to unleash a blast on the flying X-man, but at the last moment, Magik created a portal for Logan. He roared as he flew towards Eshu from the side, cutting off the man's hand. Kitty then came up through the floor and delivered a kick that knocked Eshu's head off. Solarr fired multiple blasts, hitting Colossus's symbiote, making the creature scream. Nightcrawler teleported him out of harms way, both ending up by the cover Deadpool hit behind, looking at the merc's hands.
"KAKOGO CHERTA!"
"WAS ZUM TEUFEL!"
Both swore in their native languages, looking at the small hands growing out of Deadpool's wrists.
"Why have you got baby hands now?" Piotr asked.
"That would be a result of my regenerative healing factor," Deadpool said.
"That isn't how your healing factor works," Kurt remarked.
"Yeah well when it came time for the films reattaching my limbs would have been too much, besides healing factors work however particular writer's say they work," Deadpool explained.
Earth 1610
Two portals opened, and out of those portals came hammers. One was grand and of technology, with an axe blade attached to it, and the other was smaller, no less a spectacle, shining gold, block shaped like something out of a fairy tale. Electricity surged out of both hammers as they sailed side by side, electrocuting the army of dead warriors. These dead warriors whom had performed horrific deeds in life and sought only the chance to kill again, they had been employed by Hela to defend the sorcerers performing the ritual. Timothy (reverse Tina) and Roberta (reverse Robert) Minoru were the sorcerers chosen, natives of a marvellous Earth similar to Earth 11.
Their undead protector's were decimated and their magical barrier was cracked when the twin hammers slammed against them. They nervously looked to their super powered protectors. The bald and tattooed Badd Axe, Masters of Evil veteran Griffin, and society members Fiddler and Geomancer. Even together they were of little threat, but Timothy and Roberta had an ace in the hole.
Two American shields came out of the portals, Colonel America leading the Ultimates and Captain America leading Avengers. The Colonel landed with the Ultimate Thor, who scoffed as he looked to the Avengers's Thor. Holding the Mjolnir substitute in his hand, Thor grinned at his counterpart.
"Who the heck are those guys?" Spider-man asked Hawkeye, whom shrugged.
Cap brought Avengers, Doc Samson, Gargoyle and Black Knight. Though he rode the winged horse Aragorn, he did not wear Dane Whitman's blue and gold armour, or wield the Ebony blade. He used a gold lance, in actuality a stylised laser cannon, and plates of blue and black armour with grey 'mail' highlights. The T shaped visor on his helmet flashed as his cloak fluttered behind him.
"They must not be allowed to complete the ritual," he said, firing a beam from his lance and knocking Badd Axe back.
Fiddler created a sonic wave, only for Miles to pull the violin out of his grip. Ultimate Iron man followed up with a blast from his hand, only for Geomancer to create a hand from the rocks, grabbing Antonio's boots and dragging him to the ground. The two Steve Rogers went back to back as Undead warriors surrounded them.
"I heard some bad things about you," Cap said, throwing his shield through several of the soldiers.
"What was that?" the colonel asked, aggressively beheading a zombie.
"The letter on my forehead comment, I think it shows just how little you knew about the French side of the war," Cap said.
"Are we seriously debating the French surrender when we're fighting in hell?"
"That's Helheim!" the two Thors said as they flew past.
"The French people didn't stop fighting just because their government did, I fought alongside these people, they were in the war for a lot longer than us," Cap explained.
"Okay, I get it," Colonel Rogers said as he took off a dead man's jaw with his shield. "It was something I said in the moment, Fury found it funny," he muttered as he and Cap threw their shields.
"Of course he did," Steve smiled slightly, catching his shield.
Then he and the Colonel did a double take, looking at the shields they had caught.
"You don't have any sort of personal details on your shield have you?" Colonel Rogers asked.
The sons of Odin crashed straight into the Undead army, chaining lightning through rows of the enemies, the Avenger spinning his hammer as the Ultimate hacked with his. All of the enemies around them crumbled and they were left eager to fight.
"Mine's bigger," Ultimate Thor said and the Avenger rolled his eyes.
"So you use guns?" Gargoyle asked, carrying the Ultimate Hawkeye in midair.
"Your Hawkeye doesn't?" the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent asked.
"They think they can stop us my love," Timothy asked.
"Of course they do," Roberta said, bored as she watched Samson punch Griffin across the face.
"Is now the time to summon them?" Timothy asked.
"Of course, our 'bodyguards' have proven useless after all, and the Gibborim must be fed," Roberta smirked.
She raised her witchbreaker staff, and three massive pillars of fire rose from the ground. Gargoyle grabbed onto Hawkeye whilst Samson jumped on the back of Black Knight's horse. The gods of the Pride emerged from the flames, the three Gibborim whom demanded sacrifices. Only they would be faced with gods who no longer needed sacrifices.
"Our gods trump yours," Cap said as the two Thors brandished their hammers.
Earth 12
'Heroes' was a light term to use amongst the Squad; many had that potential, that had been Amanda's reasoning behind the assembly of her new squad. Troia led her squad to the island of Themyscera, but she was not to protect Paradise Island's gate to hell alone. More gates opened within Tartarus itself, portal gates that carried Terry McGinnis, Marina, Warhawk and Green Lantern alongside Iron man, Mainframe and Rescue.
"Strange fighting alongside Batman," Shriek said, turning the dials on his gauntlets, the hum of his sonic generators echoed out of his suit.
"Imagine how my old man felt when he did the same with the Flash," Cold-Flash said, running through the demons.
He dodged a swipe from a Destroyer robot. The armour, designed to respond to aggression was Ares attempt to cause a war, then Felix Faust's attempt to take over Tartarus. Tony looked at the creation of Haephaestus and scoffed.
"Perfect weapon my ass," he said, ramming into the giant with Mainframe.
Mercer threw his boomerangs, quickly rushing to grab them in midair as they sliced through demons left and right. Peacemaker fired his rifle and wrist blaster, igniting the rockets of his jet pack whilst Warhawk flew. Rex drew out his maces, electrifying them as he dodged the blasts of fire and ice unleashed by Equinox. Green Lantern's beam was met by a red one, fired by an Arkillo in the red Lantern Corps uniform. Even in the absence of water, Marina still had her strength, and her father's trident to fall back on. She and Hyde stabbed and sliced at the demons before meeting the blades of a Deathstroke in Atlantean armour. Watts engaged in a telekinetic duel with a version of Rachel Summers, one whose outfit indicated a more savage indoctrination into a Hound. She deflected Shriek's sound waves and sent Stalker falling off of a cliff. Terry however caught his former hunter, flying around Rachel and trying to get to the sorcerers casting their spells. Former Cadmus and Legion sorceress, Tala, she had been sacrificed by Luthor to bring back Brainiac, and her master Felix Faust. Whatever hatred they had for one another was cast aside out of fear of Onyx.
"Soon, soon we will complete it," Felix said.
"And he will give us everything we have ever wanted, praise him," Tala bowed her head as she spoke.
"Praise Lord Onyx!"
"Praise him, praise my love, praise my king, praise him for the kingdom he will bring us, praise him for the multiverse he will grant us," Hela smiled in bliss as the sorcerers of New 52 chanted.
"You guys got here just in time, that crazy lady has made a complete mess of things," the Justice League of America looked at the ferryman, some in shock.
Though Styx's appearance was hellish, his manners came off as anything but. Stargirl withdrew from the side of the boat in horror as corpse like hands reached out of the water towards her. Trevor checked over his guns whilst Catwoman looked at her nails with a bored expression.
"It isn't right, none of it is right," Vibe whispered.
"You are receiving visions yes?" J'onn asked.
"Major Vibes, major bad vibes," Cisco said.
"Really playing into the theme there aren't you, although even my light feels a little dimmer," Simon said, looking at his ring.
"What does Waller have on her?" Cade asked Trevor, gesturing with his head to Stargirl.
"Her secret identity, the identities of her family members, especially her step dad," Steve said.
"Pat, a good man, he was with me along with five other guys on a team before the League was even a thing," Green Arrow said.
"So she's threatened to expose him?"
"This was a time before every team had to have some kind of government link, so we were vigilantes, private super heroes that did what needed to be done free of politics. Hell one of our members was even called Vigilante, not that psychotic with the goggles and mask, but a lone ranger kind of guy, good singing voice; we even had the first masked vigilante with us and his sidekick. Stargirl's staff was the invention of a scientist, her suit is a modified version of Pat's partner Starman," Green Arrow explained. "I even had my sister's boyfriend on the team!"
"Sounds fun, if we're done reminiscing we need to talk about what we're going to be facing from here on out, and why Waller's way is going to get us all killed," Cade explained.
"What do you mean?" Trevor asked.
Cade let his helmet fold apart, allowing the heroes (and one thief) to see his face.
"This is a battle between good and evil, light and darkness, it isn't some war of politics or even ideals, it is a war of concepts. If you become a monster to defeat a monster, is it truly worth it?" he asked.
"Now these are questions way too deep for me," Catwoman said.
"Not even I know for sure if we can stop Onyx without crossing lines, hell, his overall plans might just be dependent on us compromising. Sure a lot of the time is it about ideals when superheroes lecture us about not killing or torture, but occasionally they're right, all the bad you do to bad people, can sometimes just make things worse," Cade explained, thinking of his rival.
That rival who was already on his way to the circle of hell. The bat wing was moving at its top speed, absent the dark knight who usually piloted it. Sven wasn't in the canopy, he was on top of the jet, riding it like the surfer's board, controlling it through the art of fusion. Markings glowed blue across his armour, channelling the spirit of Batman, which went beyond vengeance or fear. There was a bright side to Batman, as evidenced by the black and grey garbed silhouette glowing over Aeon. This connection, the speed, and Sven's raw focus and connection to the spirit realm allowed him to open a portal. It wasn't a portal in the sense of a black hole appearing in the sky, but a shift into another dimension. Aeon tried not to concentrate on his conflict with Carol.
'She isn't my Carol, she isn't my Carol, I don't love her,' he told himself.
The batwing faded, Aeon's armour faded and for a moment he became a being of pure spiritual energy. Conflicts across the Multiverses appeared before him, and he felt every punch Invicible threw at his evil selves as he and Damian Darkblood defended hell, every shot from Hellboy's pistol, every fallen hero, and every dead villain seeking a final redemption. In the limbo of 616, Norman Osborn fought on his glider, but not as the green goblin, but the golden goblin. Like his son he fought in a white and gold costume, he fought to earn his chance of redemption, even as his sins took shape into a representation of the Green Goblin.
'Redemption, I don't know if it is possible Cade, but what I do know is that the fact people try again shouldn't be ignored!' Sven thought.
On Earth 616, Matt Murdock knelt down and prayed. In his right hand was a baton, in his left was his mask. He had grown a beard in prison, had defended himself, and maintained the fact that just because he was in prison, didn't mean he had to be one of them. He was not one of the prisoners who did not seek redemption. Nor was he alone in his prayer, in his universe or another. The Tattooed man had been a criminal, and he had been a league member, he was a petty thief, henchman, a father and husband. He did not pray to a god, and his prison was not a facility or a cell, his prison was his own soul.
Similarly, Herman Schultz too was bound by his own cell. He was a criminal, he would always be a criminal, there was no rehabilitation, no second chance for him. But he was not an absolute killer, a psychopath, a man who wanted to rule the world or break it. That counted for something, and it counted for something when he protected people behind him. Civilians, people who couldn't fight. Shocker unleashed his blasts on the demons that invaded his Earth. He fought hard against a threat far beyond him, just as four brothers fought in their world. Four brothers, four mutants, four ninjas, bound by family, by honour and their own morality to fight for those who needed it even if the threat was far beyond them, both their bodies and their world.
These souls, these echoes, made for good allies.
So when Sven threw himself into the spirit realm, deeper into the darkness that represented hell, he was not alone. Daredevil, manifesting as a pure white suited version of his traditional look. Shocker, manifested in his traditional suit with both his arms replaced by shifting forces of sonic energy. Osborn, manifesting as the pure, golden skinned goblin his armour had been designed to replicate. The Tatooed Man, every tattoo across his body came to life simultaneously in a show of power he could never have in the living realm. Then the four brothers.
The four Teenage mutant Ninja Turtles.
The Four Power Rangers of Dimension X, their red, purple, orange and blue colours turned to white and manifested by Aeon's side.
They were his allies, fighting alongside Aeon in the darkness, beating back the spirits and creatures that were created by all the negativity of the Multiverse. War, manifested by Ares, relishing in the battles he saw, his red eyes shining more fiercely through the darkness of his helm than they ever had before. Compromise, manifested by Waller as across the Multiverse she sacrificed thousands to save billions, individuals to save cities, in a way also representing the disaster that could be brought about by good intentions. The Greed, represented by Captain Cold, saving people, but demanding payment from them. Rage, across the Multiverse, Wilson Fisk lost his Vanessa again and again. Pride as represented by the Emperor of the Viltrum empire, his unwavering belief in the absolute necessity of the Viltrum empire and his rule, every world he felled, not even in Onyx's name because he felt he had the right to it.
Even the feeling Aeon had inside him was matched by its counterpart. Lust, Hela felt it, she savoured every physical sensation from Onyx, and it manifested in the spirit realm, as all the other emotions had as dark, shadow versions of them. The shadow of lust, of Hela, conjured swords and flew into battle against all of Aeon's positive spirits. But Aeon focused, focused on the love he had for a woman working tirelessly with her Ultimates to breach the Multiverse.
Focused on the love he had for a sister, a mother, his grandfathers, both old soldiers fighting their own battle for survival in their homes. He focused on the sons he had found.
And that love took on the form of Binary, the hero Carol Danvers was at one point. Exploding with energy, the fighting stopped and light shined through the darkness.
"You'll not take this aspect of hell," Aeon said, knowing that in some way, his dark counterpart, no, dark half would hear him.
Onyx stood waiting, feeling the conflict across every corner of the battlefields he created.
The Gibborim on Earth 1610 clashed with the sons of Odin. Ultimate Thor swung his axe-hammer, cutting off the fingers of one of the giants whilst Thor unleashed the god blast from his hammer, a yellow blast of energy that manifested his and Odin's power into a single attack. It drilled its way through the skull of one of the Gibborim, which screamed, released rainbow energy from its mouth. Both Thor's were knocked back by the blast. Two shields slammed into the Gibborim's heel, making it stumble in shock and pain. It looked down in anger at the two morals. Iron man released a volley of missiles and through the missiles, Black Knight flew through.
He drew from his cloak a sword, the sword inherited by his family, the Ebony Blade. Energy surged through the blade, crackling through his visor as he jumped from his horse. The Black Knight dragged the sword through the Gibborim's body, splitting it down the middle. Both remaining Gibborim and the wizards who conjured them looked at the remains of their partner/god, seeing them slam into the ground, rainbow blood painting the knight's armour before it burned away.
"The Ebony blade curses its wielder, but it is not Dane Whitman's curse to bear, he remains a hero, and I remain the punished," he removed his helmet, revealing the greying hair and beard of the resurrected Nathan Garrett.
A man set upon the path of redemption when he was reanimated with the technarch virus by Cade during his hunt. The energies of Ebony blade passed, but the distraction had already been achieved. The Minoru's gasped as they were levitated off of the ground. The Ultimate Scarlet Witch kept her hands raised, whilst Druid used his own magic. The Secret Warrior flourished, flipping the Minorus, leaving them open for two shields to impact with their chests.
"You think this letter stands for Ultimates?" 616 Steve asked and his counterpart rolled his eyes.
666
Carnage cackled, swallowing Forson's arm whole. Despite the apparent disappearance of the Nazi Superman, the battle still seemed to be in the evil doers favour. Dr Darkness seemed to crack Pod's armour, and enveloped Sunspot in dark matter. Roberto's light however could not be dimmed, and he also had help. Living up to his name, Roberto shined, his hand bursting through the matter and grabbing Sam's.
"How about this for a Fastball special," Cannonball said.
He threw Roberto, who met Dr Darkness's blasts with one of his own. Unbeknownst to Darkess though, Pod's armour began to reform. The formerly bulky giant shifted, the numerous plates slid back and formed a metallic body suit. Even the red visor of the helmet turned blue, becoming the single eye of a new, lighter helmet. Now clad in her Enigma armour, Aikku targeted Dr Darkness.
"Hey rapist," she called out.
The man looked over his shoulder, immediately turning and firing a blast at Aikku. Enigma released energy from her hands, meeting the dark blast head on. Pinned between two energy blasts, Dr Darkness grit his teeth together. A hole however appeared in the ground, and the super villain was fittingly pulled into a bleak abyss.
"Fascinating this place," Forson muttered.
Despite his severed arm, he spoke as if he was in his lab again.
"I can't tell through the beekeeper suit, but you're looking well for someone whose just seen his arm get eaten," Carnage said.
"It is interesting how your body is able to so quickly break it down and absorb its nutrients, including the formula I had injected myself with," Forson said.
"Formula?" the red killer coughed, his body going rigid as the symbiote began to quiver. "What, did you poison yourself?" he demanded.
"Exactly, but I couldn't decide what poison would work, so I injected my enhanced body with every poison known in this universe and others," Forson stated.
"What?" Carnage looked at his hands, boils formed on the symbiote and the man inside it vomited as blood leaked out of his eyes. "But that would have killed you too!" he remarked.
"Not if you're just a clone produced for the singular purpose of dying," Forson said.
Carnage convulsed, rolling across the floor, screaming alongside his symbiote. He looked down and was suddenly enveloped by the ground. A series of visions bombarded his mind, visions of creation, as Kletus, he was thrown into a therapy room alongside the other swallowed villains. Amazing Man stood in front of them, wearing a cardigan and 'doctor' like glasses.
"Welcome to therapy everyone, it is truly a fascinating place this version of hell, my power comes from transmuting my body into any material I am touching. In the case of hell, I have become hell itself, a place of raw psionic energy that takes the form of any anything I could use to torment you, for you Darkness I could allow any woman you have forced yourself on to give you the same violating treatment you have given them, for you Herr Superman I could place you inside a Kryptonite gas chamber and Kletus, I could take you back to your childhood home to relive the abuse you suffered.
"But I am not any of you, you've all come to hell, well get ready to stay as inmates and work off your sentences through the loops Mr Morningstar will trap you in. As for Dr Sinister and Selene…" Amazing Man's voice drifted off.
The Shield knocked out the false Lucifer just as a stone giant rose up from the ground. Amazing Man stood as that giant, looking down at Selene and Dr Sinister. The sorcerers stopped casting their spells and fired at the giant's foot. But they were too late, Amazing Man squashed them, sending them back to hell. The false Lucifer was quickly punched by Decker, who shook her fist as her husband grabbed her.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
"Former cop remember, not my first life and death situation," she said, kissing his lips softly.
"Good, still…" Lucifer snarled, approaching the false Lucifer. "I can take my name being used in vane, but no one threatens MY WIFE!"
The false Lucifer looked upon Morningstar's true face and screamed in horror.
"Meh, I've seen worse," Sam shrugged.
Earth 616
Doom watched his Dark Avengers work, they all encompassed the savagery he had expected of them. They also served as adequate distractions for him to initiate his plan. Mephisto may have claimed neutrality that however did not mean that operating in the devil's realm was personal for Doom. He imagined it was somewhat personal for this inferior version of him. Except every moment was motivated more by technology, deploying drones to stop Doom's advance.
'Fool,' Doom thought of himself.
'Nothing can block Doom's path,' he thought.
The soul of his mother resided in this realm, a soul he could summon to aid him in disposing of the sorcerer. She could distract this inferior Doom, if the true Doom needed it. But that Doom was inferior, and the ruler of Latveria, who had once born the power of the Silver Surfer, who could have become the sorcerer supreme did not need help when facing inferior versions of himself. The Atlantean runes appeared around him, shining green and breaking through the barrier. Onyx's Doom stopped his spell casting and turned to face his counterpart, opening the palms of his hands. Instead of spells, repulsors came out of the gloves of the man in the green coat.
"HA you are not even Victor Von Doom," Doom said.
"Oh but I am Victor Von Doom," the man retorted.
"You cannot fool me Stark!"
"Why does everyone keep calling me that?"
"BECAUSE…" Doom began, landing in front of the man and punching his mask off, revealing Tony Stark's face. "YOU!" he punched him in the stomach, placing a rune on his chest that made him freeze. "ARE NOT…" then he backhanded him, levitating him across the ground.
"DOOM!" he finished with a blast that ripped through the false Doom.
"Is that it, we done?" Absorbing Man asked.
"Then we need to leave," Titania said.
"It can't be that simple, we need to stick around and guard hell," Venom said.
"That will not be necessary," Doom said, standing over the ritual site.
"Something doesn't smell right," Daken said, narrowing his eyes at Doom.
"Von Doom, what the hell are you doing?" Eddie demanded.
"Your services are no longer required," Doom huffed, waving his hands, sending his Avengers through a portal.
He looked at the ritual, the runes cast into the dirt, the feathers of fallen and risen angels and the blood of nexus beings used to write out a symbol native to the League's Multiverse. But it was still a symbol Victor was familiar with.
It was after all a symbol of Doom!
Next Chapter 50: Breakthrough
You didn't think Doom's motives were heroic did you? :)
Next time the apprentices of Aeon meet the Exiles, Deathblade vs Hela and Zack discovers the truth of House of M.
