HEY EVERYONE! Here's Chapter 20! We're getting closer to the FINALE! Speaking of the FINALE, I'm making lots of changes for that, so y'all better be ready for it! More info will be at the bottom of this chapter!
The air in Kahndaq crackled with an ancient energy, thick and heavy like a tomb. Two figures stood before a shimmering, barely-there gateway: Black Adam, his chiseled form radiating power, and Aquaman, his trident gleaming in the harsh desert sun.
"The Rock of Eternity is hidden in a pocket dimension," Black Adam stated, his voice a low rumble that resonated with the very land. "I've refrained from opening the gateway to it since Brainiac's invasion."
Aquaman nodded, his eyes sharp and focused. "Because it would draw his eye."
"Precisely," Adam confirmed. "Once the door is opened, it's only a matter of time before Brainiac attacks."
A grin cracked across Aquaman's face, a stark contrast to the somber mood. "A fight I look FORWARD to!"
Adam turned toward the gateway, the ancient symbols etched into its ethereal frame seeming to pulse with life. He raised his hands, palms open to the sky. "Ancient ones, unveil the golden path to me. In your names: Shu, Heru, Amon, Zehuti, Aton, Mehen!"
A blinding bolt of lightning engulfed Black Adam, the power surging through him, then shot forth from his chest, slamming into the gateway with a concussive force. The air shimmered, the barely-there portal now a vibrant swirl of golden light.
...
On board Brainiac's colossal skull-like ship, a tremor rippled through the control deck.
Gorilla Grodd, his fur bristling, looked up from his console. "A power spike in Kahndaq, sir."
Brainiac, his calculating eyes glowing with an inner light, turned from his own holographic displays. "Black Adam has revealed Kahndaq's power… and its location. The Society will obtain a sample of the Rock of Eternity for me. I wish to study Earth's so-called 'magic'."
Grodd sneered, his lips curling back to expose his teeth. "The Society is disbanded. They thought Earth would be theirs to conquer, not yours to destroy."
Brainiac's gaze narrowed on the gorilla. "And you, Grodd?"
"Earth can go to hell!" Grodd roared, pounding his chest with a meaty fist. "I serve Brainiac."
"As you should," the alien said, his voice devoid of emotion. "I will give you new soldiers. Bring me that sample before the Earth is destroyed, and your loyalty will be rewarded."
Grodd bowed deeply to his master before being enveloped in a beam of light and teleported away. Brainiac then turned, his attention focusing on a small, worm-like creature wriggling in a tank, its tiny eyes glittering with malevolent intent.
"Mr. Mind." The name was a cold, dispassionate statement.
Mr. Mind squirmed in his enclosure. "Kahndaq… It's been years since I've been here… Being trapped for so long…!"
"You were correct about the Earth's so-called magic being here, life-form," Brainiac said, his thoughts already racing, calculating the magical forces at play.
"Of course, I was…" Mr. Mind hissed. "Now, we wait 'til Black Adam opens the path to the Rock of Eternity… Then, the Mage and his champions will die once and for all…"
Brainiac, however, his mind a labyrinth of strategic calculations, thought not of the Mage but of Billy Batson. He intended to capture and "study" him to see what fueled the young adult and caused the power surge within him.
...
Back in Kahndaq, the air buzzed with the power of the opened dimension. Black Adam, his eyes blazing with purpose, stepped towards the gateway. "Let's work quickly."
As they moved, a distorted, half-human, half-mechanized voice cut through the air. Black Adam and Aquaman turned to see Black Canary and Green Arrow advancing toward them, leading an army of grotesque, genetically-modified gorillas.
"Don't bother; there's no time left," Black Canary said, her face devoid of emotion. She was speaking as if she were a robot. "An Extractor Ship is on its way. Kahndaq will be Brainiac's."
Adam's face contorted with rage. "Grodd will NOT defile Kahndaq!" He launched himself into the air, a torrent of lightning arcing from his hands, blasting the gorillas and narrowly missing Green Arrow, giving Aquaman an opportunity to push back the simian horde.
"Such misplaced pride you have," Black Canary hissed. "Compared to my achievements, you are NOTHING, Adam!"
BLACK ADAM VS BLACK CANARY
Black Canary, though clearly under Brainiac's control, was nonetheless a formidable opponent. She managed to deliver several impactful blows, but Adam, fueled by the power of his godly benefactors, quickly knocked her unconscious with a final, fierce blast of Shazam-charged magic.
BLACK ADAM WINS!
"Come out, Grodd! Face me!" Black Adam roared. A gorilla soldier tried to sneak up from behind, but Aquaman hurled the Trident, piercing the creature's back. Adam looked annoyed. "I require no assistance."
Aquaman withdrew his trident with a small flourish, then followed Adam's gaze toward the darkening sky. An Extractor Ship, a skeletal monstrosity, descended. It spat out numerous Beta drones, their tendrils already reaching out to digitize the city.
...
Green Arrow nocked an arrow and drew his bow, a cruel smile twisting his lips. "Here comes the cavalry. Fitting that you two die together, the last of mankind's monarchs."
Aquaman stared at his former mind-controlled ally, his eyes filled with disgust. "What kind of ruler sacrifices his own people for Brainiac?!"
"My loyalty isn't to Brainiac or Gorilla City," Green Arrow replied, his voice strangely calm. "It's to myself. I'll wait until that alien exposes his weakness and kill him. With his ship, I will be unstoppable!"
"You're deluded, Grodd," Aquaman said, the name dripping with disgust. He looked at Black Adam, who nodded, a silent understanding passing between the two monarchs. Black Adam rocketed towards the Extractor Ship.
Aquaman turned back to Green Arrow and lunged, trying to pin him with the trident. But the archer, surprisingly strong, parried the blow.
"How did it feel to lose your people, Aquaman?" Green Arrow taunted.
"I didn't lose them," Aquaman roared, rage surging through him. "They were STOLEN from me!"
AQUAMAN VS GREEN ARROW
The two fought, Aquaman using his superior strength and close-quarters combat skills to press the attack. Green Arrow, nimble and quick, tried to keep his distance. This was before Aquaman used the nearby Mediterranean Sea to flood the area, washing Arrow closer to him and bringing him down for the count.
AQUAMAN WINS!
"I will avenge Atlantis!" Aquaman shouted, then turned and raced back towards the gateway to rejoin Adam.
...
At the gateway, he saw Adam once more opening the shimmering golden path to the Rock of Eternity. As he did, Aquaman felt a presence behind them. He turned to see Blue Beetle, his metallic armor scarred and dented, touching down.
"Blue Beetle? We thought you were dead." Aquaman said, surprised.
"The Scarab's hard to kill," Blue Beetle quipped, his voice modulated by the alien symbiote. "Batman told me you guys needed a hand. Consider me your sidekick."
Black Adam, turning his gaze toward the newly arrived hero, simply said, "Come along." The three heroes stepped through the opening, ready to face whatever lay beyond the veil of reality.
Back with the heroes, they were waiting for their signal from Aquaman and Black Adam. Kara Zor-El had always heard from Wonder Woman, Black Adam, Damian, Lady Arkham, Blackfire, and Superman that Batman was egotistical and uncaring. Yet, fighting alongside him, she felt more alive and hopeful than ever.
Gathering her courage, she approached him. "B-Batman," she stammered, "I...I want to apologize for everything. For what happened with my cousin, for what happened between us."
Batman, his gaze fixed on the horizon, nodded. "We've all made mistakes, Kara. What's important is what we do now."
She nodded, then asked, "I-I have to know something... Diana and the others told me half-truths... lies... everything about you turning your back on Kal when he needed you most... But I really want to know... What really went down between you two?"
Batman wasn't surprised by Diana's deception. "What you've heard... it's complicated," he began, finally meeting Supergirl's gaze. "Superman and I had our differences, yes. But it was never about turning my back on him. It was about stopping him from crossing a line that even he knew he couldn't come back from."
Supergirl searched his eyes, desperate for the truth. "But... but why?"
"Let's just say... it was a misunderstanding that got out of hand," Batman replied, pain and frustration mingling in his voice. "The Joker... he did something to Superman, something that made him..." He trailed off, his fists clenching.
Flashback…
The small apartment hummed with the quiet morning sounds of a city waking up. Sunlight, filtered through the thin curtains, painted stripes across the cluttered floor of the shared bedroom. On one side, a neatly made bed sat; on the other, clothes were strewn across a chair like a colorful, discarded skin. Lois Lane, perched on the corner of her bed, was staring at Clark, who stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, a half-eaten bagel clutched in his hand.
"How often do you do this?" Lois chuckled, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "It's a little weird."
Clark blinked, his brow furrowing in confusion. He looked down at the bagel, as if expecting it to provide an answer. "Do what?"
"Stand there," Lois gestured with a wave of a hand, "just… staring." She leaned forward, her voice dropping to a playful whisper, "Especially considering you're usually half-dressed before I even open my eyes."
He suddenly went pale, his eyes widening in a way Lois had only seen when a Kryptonian menace was about to level a city. "You're… You're pregnant?"
Lois gasped softly, her hand flying to her stomach. "We're pregnant?"
"We are!" Clark exclaimed, his face breaking into a wide, almost childlike grin. "We're pregnant. Mostly you, but I helped." He punctuated the sentence with a goofy thumbs-up that made Lois laugh.
She shook her head, but a smile played on her lips. "Okay, okay. This is… big." Her mind, never one for slow starts, began whirring at a frantic pace. "The preschools are better here, but I really want him or her to go to high school in Smallville. Maybe that could be our compromise?" she said, more to herself than Clark. "And what about college? Do we want our child to study abroad? A broadened worldview is important, but people will notice if I'm constantly patrolling Oxford."
Clark's grin deepened, a mixture of excitement and utter bewilderment coloring his features. "We have our entire lives to make all of those wonderful decisions. But today we work, like always. I have to go get ready." He moved with a newfound spring in his step towards the bathroom, the half-eaten bagel forgotten on his nightstand.
"Don't we always?" Lois said with a sigh and a smile of her own, a touch of weariness in her voice. The life of a journalist in Metropolis was never dull, and it seemed about to get much more complicated, in the best possible way.
…
Later that morning, the sounds of the city echoed through the alleyway where Superman landed. He had just arrived to find a familiar dark figure already engaged in a skirmish with some petty thugs.
"[Thug, from a distance] It's Batman! Shoot him!"
A series of poorly aimed gunshots echoed through the narrow space.
[Thug 1, grunting in pain] [Thug 2, groaning]
There was a metallic squeak, followed by a confused grunt and an "Ahh!" as something went terribly wrong for the thugs.
Batman, never one for dramatic entrances, stood amidst the downed bodies. "I had him," he stated flatly.
"Nice to see you, too," Superman replied, shaking his head and dusting off nothing in particular. "And to what do I owe the pleasure?"
Batman adjusted his cape, the faintest hint of impatience in his voice. "The Joker is in Metropolis. I'm here to find out why."
A device on Superman's belt trilled, a reminder of the ever-present chaos of his dual life. "Joker… Right…" He hesitated, a slight tremor now in his voice that was unrelated to the fight. "I have news, Bruce."
Batman looked at him, his dark eyes sharp and knowing. "Lois is pregnant."
Superman's jaw dropped. "How…"
"Your hands didn't tremble when you faced Doomsday," Batman stated matter-of-factly. "They are now." The device trilled again, and Batman added, "And you're grinning like an idiot."
Superman's hand moved to his face, as if checking to see if his grin could be wiped away. He then burst into a nervous laugh, a sound completely out of character for the Man of Steel. "Well, I'll be. I'm terrified."
A rare twitch of amusement played at the corner of Batman's mouth, but he quickly stifled it. "Congratulations, Clark. I'll be out of your city as soon as I find the Joker. You mind cleaning this up?" He then turned and vanished as silently as he had appeared.
Superman stared at the space where Batman had been, his grin returning with full force as he shook his head and laughed. "Every single time," he said to himself before getting to work; the thought of changing a diaper was far more daunting than any supervillain he had ever faced.
The First Flashback ended...
Kara observed as Batman became lost in his memories; memories of a life she had never truly grasped. Despite the animosity and secrets that existed between them, she felt a wave of sadness for the friendship they had lost before it even began.
"Lois was pregnant?" Kara whispered, wide-eyed with shock and sudden comprehension. "With...Superman's child?"
"Yes," Batman replied, his voice strained with unspoken emotions. "And I was going to be the godfather. But the Joker had other plans."
"Other plans?" Kara's voice cracked as her eyes filled with tears.
Wonder Woman smirked, "Yes Bruce... Tell her why The Joker was in Metropolis. Tell her about your little... mishap."
Batman's fist clenched in anger at Diana's words, but he knew he owed Kara the truth. "The Joker had found out about the baby. He had a way of doing that, of finding out about things he shouldn't know. He had... plans. Dangerous plans that would have put everything at risk. And I... I failed to stop him in time."
The Second Flashback…
The harsh, flickering light of the projection screen cast long, distorted shadows across the Gotham Police Department. On it, the iconic Daily Planet logo, chipped and broken, lay amidst a pile of rubble. The camera slowly zoomed out, revealing the horrifying truth: Metropolis, once a gleaming beacon, was now a smoldering ruin. The headline blazoned across the screen in stark, blood-red letters: "METROPOLIS DESTROYED - MILLIONS DEAD."
Chaos reigned. Detectives stood frozen, their faces masks of disbelief. Officers moved in slow-motion, like figures caught in a nightmare, their hands reaching out to colleagues, finding only stunned silence. The air thrummed with a low, guttural moan of shared horror. The scene was a tableau of stunned panic and utter disarray.
Then, the focus shifted. The somber mood dissolved into the cold, clinical atmosphere of the interrogation room. Heavily armed SWAT members, their faces grim, stood guard outside. Inside, the scene was a stark contrast to the muted despair outside. Laughter, manic and shrill, echoed off the sterile walls. The Joker's voice, sharp and cruel, sliced through the air.
Batman, his jaw clenched and his eyes burning with an unholy fury, slammed his fist onto the steel table. The sound was like a gunshot in the confined space.
"The nuke!" he growled, his voice rough with suppressed rage. "Where did you get it?!"
The Joker, slumped in his chair, grinned with a disturbing glee. His green hair was a tangled mess, his painted smile a mockery of joy. "Why, you want one?" he jeered, his voice dripping with playful malice. "Copy bat."
Batman surged forward, driven by a righteous fury that threatened to consume him. His fist connected with the Joker's jaw with a sickening crunch. The clown's head snapped back, but the laughter didn't cease. It was a hollow, maddening sound. He was furious for two reasons. One was that The Joker had finally managed to commit a genocide unlike anything Earth has ever seen since the day they first met. But also equally upsetting was the cause of this had been at the hands of someone whom Batman had felt was a true rival and friend as Alfred and Nightwing were.
"You drugged him with Kryptonite and Scarecrow's toxin..." Batman's voice was low, each word a deliberate weapon. "You took his wife... you took his unborn child and his city… Why?!"
The Joker's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, a flicker of genuine surprise, before returning to their usual manic gleam. "After all these years, Batsy," he crooned, his tone almost conversational, "you really need reasons from me?"
"This has always been about us. Why do this to him?!" Batman's hand tightened into a fist again. Every part of him desperately wanted to pound Joker to a bloody pulp.
"Because every time you and I play, I lose," the Joker replied, his voice rising with each word. "So I thought I'd try our game on easy mode for once! And it was as easy as beating a puppy to death with a kitten!" He burst into another fit of laughter, the sound bouncing off the walls in a cacophony of madness. He stopped abruptly seeing Bruce's face was frozen in place.
"Someone took everything from you, didn't they?" Joker said, tilting his head, his eyes gleaming with dark amusement. "And look at what you became. The punching, kicking embodiment of wrath. What do you think he'll become, hmm? A god who deluded himself into believing he was just a man? What will Superman turn into?"
Batman was silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the Joker with a chilling intensity. "There are some things even you can't corrupt, Joker."
The Joker chuckled softly, a low, ominous sound. "Oh, Batsy. You honestly think he'll still be fun to play with?"
"He'll grieve, yes," Batman said through gritted teeth. "But he will continue to be the best man I know."
The Joker let out a manic cackle, his laughter echoing in the small room. "Oh no." he breathed, his eyes gleaming with a dark, terrifying triumph. "This time, the joke's on you. And the world will burn."
The wall behind them exploded, showering the room in dust and debris. Stepping through the jagged hole was Superman, but not the hero they knew. This Superman was different. His fists were clenched tight, his jaw set in a rigid line. The blue of his eyes had been replaced with a furious red, locked directly on the giggling form of the Joker.
"Get away from him!" Superman's voice was a low growl, resonating with a barely contained rage.
Batman, his cowl partially obscured by the settling dust, stood firm. "I'm handling this…" His tone was clipped, a warning clear in its brevity.
But Superman's focus was locked on the Joker. He moved with brutal speed, crossing the room and snapping the table the Joker leaned on in half. The twisted metal and shattered wood clattered against the opposite wall as he grabbed the villain by the collar, slamming him against the same wall, the Joker's wild laughter cut short by a grunt of pain.
"YOU DRUGGED ME!" Superman roared, his voice cracking. "Made me…." He lowered his head, the rage momentarily giving way to a raw anguish and pure remorse. "Lois… My son…"
Minutes Ago…
Superman held Lois's lifeless body, the weight of her as heavy as lead in his arms. This wasn't supposed to happen. The day was supposed to be filled with laughter and promises, with the gentle flutter of new life. He'd revealed his identity to Lois, the woman he loved, and asked her to be his wife. She'd accepted, her eyes sparkling with joy, and soon after, their world had expanded, a small miracle growing within her. They'd already chosen a name for their son, a tribute to his earthly father: Jonathan. They had planned for his first day of school, his first bike ride, his first everything.
But tragedy had intervened, a cruel twist of fate orchestrated by the Joker. He and Harley Quinn had kidnapped Lois, their twisted experiments leaving her broken and scarred. The Justice League had worked tirelessly, finally locating the twisted duo, but what awaited them was not what they expected... Doomsday.
Superman, desperate to protect his family, had engaged the monster in a ferocious battle, taking his fight to space to shield the world from the collateral damage. It was only there, amidst the cold vacuum, that he realized it was not Doomsday that he was fighting. It was the broken, bleeding, and dying form of Lois Lane, floating amidst the stars.
One moment, his super senses were screaming, registering her death and the death of his unborn child. The next, a blast in Metropolis caught his peripheral vision. His senses were on fire, but he couldn't hear anything. He was numb, carrying her still form outside of the city, ignoring the attempts of Wonder Woman and Green Lantern to comfort him. It was like watching a film play out, an awful tragedy that he had no control over. He was barely registering the news that the Joker was back in Arkham Asylum under interrogation, and certainly not the cries of his fellow Justice Leaguers as he took off towards the city.
On Metropolis…
Wonder Woman cautiously approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Kal-El… Clark."
His voice was hollow, devoid of its usual warmth. "Diana… I-I killed them…"
"No!" Wonder Woman's voice was firm. "That madman orchestrated this. He's responsible. Only him."
He stared at Lois's face, the life so brutally taken. "Will you keep her safe?" He carefully, tenderly, handed her his precious burden.
"Of course," she whispered, her voice thick with grief.
Minutes later…
Green Lantern approached him cautiously, his ring humming with its usual power. "Superman, are you okay?"
Superman's head snapped up, his eyes burning with a terrifying intensity. "Where is he? Where is the Joker?!"
"Batman took him to Arkham Asylum. But I don't think you should be anywhere near him," Green Lantern tried to reason, his voice laced with concern.
Superman moved to push past him, but Green Lantern blocked his path. "You've had an unfathomable loss. You need time to process it."
Superman stared at him, his face a mask of barely restrained fury. With a swift movement, he ripped Green Lantern's ring off his finger, the sudden surge of power causing Hal to stumble. He looked down, horrified, as he began plummeting to the earth. Superman caught him just before he hit the ground, the move almost an afterthought.
Hal Jordan, his face pale, struggled to his feet, the ring now safely back in his hand. "Please don't do something you'll regret for the rest of your life…"
Superman's voice was devoid of emotion, his grief and anger a cold, hard force. "I already have." Then, he was gone, a red and blue blur against the darkening sky.
The Present…
Back in the interrogation room, the Joker, despite being thrown around like a ragdoll, was still laughing. "First Krypton, now Metropolis… People you love tend to blow up, don't they?" He tilted his head, a sick grin twisting his lips.
Superman raised his fist, the force behind it threatening to shake the very foundations of the asylum…
"Superman, don't!" Batman protested.
But he missed.. The punch impacted the wall, creating another gaping hole.
"That's why I like you, Superman," the Joker chuckled, wincing as he held his side. "You're much more gullible than…." He glanced at Batman, his eyes momentarily flashing with a flicker of something akin to fear.
Superman grabbed him again, tossing him across the room like he was a bag of trash. The Joker awkwardly righted himself, returning to his chair, a mocking smile still plastered on his face. "You think you can have a family? That locking me up will magically reform me? And then they'll be safe? So big, so dumb…" He snickered. "Now, run along so I can break out of here. I've got lots of planning to do to top this!"
Superman's rage reached a terrifying crescendo. He grabbed the Joker's throat, his grip tightening with each passing second, ready to do what was necessary to save lives.
"That's enough!" Batman yelled, stepping forward, his voice edged with desperation.
He tried to reach Superman, to pull him away, but the hero simply swatted him aside like an annoying fly. He didn't want anyone getting in his way. Not now.
The Joker continued, seemingly oblivious to the danger, his manic glee only growing. "I know it's soon, but… Think you'll ever love again? Maybe you won't kill your next family…"
The Joker's laughter grew, rising to a crescendo of insanity. Superman raised his arm, his face a mask of pure, unadulterated fury and pain. Batman watched in horror, helpless to stop the inevitable, as the Man of Steel drove his hand through the Joker's chest. The Joker's laugh gurgled in his throat.
"Now that's a punchline… Hahahahahahaha…" He gasped as Superman ripped his heart from his chest. "HHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA…!"
Silence filled the room, the absence of the Joker's laughter as chilling as his presence had been. Superman stood there, his hand still dripping red, the rage still burning in his eyes. He had crossed a line, a point of no return. He had finally allowed himself to break.
The last thing Batman heard from The Joker was a dominant, maniacal laugh, with a mixture of pain and insanity in his voice.
The Joker was dead. The Clown Prince of Crime who tried to rule Gotham City with an iron fist was no more.
And worst of all, Batman knew that The Joker's death was only the beginning.
Second Flashback Ends...
Supergirl was quite shocked by the story after Batman had finished explaining. "You mean... Superman killed him?"
Batman nodded gravely, "He did what he thought he had to, but it changed him. It changed us all."
Bat-Kid then walked towards them and showed her and his father the video loop of Joker planning to top his destruction of Metropolis, "Now run along, so I can break out of here, I've got lots of planning to do to top this."
He then said, "He lost his home, he was tricked into killing his wife and unborn son, Joker was gonna try to top that, he admitted it to your face and Superman's. What's next? Bomb every capital in America? Your rule would've put millions at risk, Joker should've been the exception, not the rule! You're right about the Regime, that was a mistake, but Joker's death? No, not after Metropolis!"
Batman and Supergirl were surprised by Bat-Kid's revelation. "What does that mean for us now?" Supergirl asked, her voice shaky.
"I once believed in Superman... That's why I joined him behind my father's back... Until... I-I..." He then starts to cry, "Killed Dick Grayson..."
Supergirl's eyes widened, "What?!"
Batman gently placed his hand onto her shoulder, "Damian didn't mean to kill him, it was an accident... But...it's what the Joker wanted. He knew if he could make Superman snap, he could break us all. And he was right."
Nightwing/Dick Grayson nodded, "Most of us definitely agree that Joker deserved to die years ago... The justice system let Clark down, but the reason why Batman doesn't kill, why the league doesn't kill, is because of what Clark became. It only takes one and there is no going back, once you justify the first death it doesn't take much to justify thousands and once you start taking those thousands, it's inevitable... innocents or undeserving are caught in the crossfire..."
Batman nodded before turning to Supergirl, "I'll admit... Joker deserved to die... Clark was right to kill him... But the no kill philosophy existed for a reason. Superman... was what I feared of what he would become..."
"But why?" Supergirl's voice was barely above a whisper, the weight of the revelation crushing her. "Why would you fear him?"
"He just explained why," Red Hood spoke up, his voice laced with bitterness. "He feared the power Superman holds. The same power that could save us all, could just as easily destroy us if it was ever directed at the wrong target."
Batman then opened up another video and showed it to her, "This is what he did to Metropolis later on... He sent Doomsday on a rampage after the deaths of Lex Luthor and Shazam by his hands.
The video played out the events of Injustice: Gods Among Us. The Joker had tricked Superman into killing a pregnant Lois Lane and destroying Metropolis with a nuclear weapon. The Joker's laugh echoed through the room, taunting them from the past... Before he killed the Joker himself
Next it shows Superman killing other heroes such as Green Arrow, Martian Manhunter, the Green Lanterns, Ganthet, Hercules, Renee Montoya, Hawkman, Batwoman, Lex Luthor, Shazam, and everyone else Superman killed during the time of the Regime.
Then another shows Doomsday destroying Metropolis under the orders of Superman.
Kara was surprised and shocked to see a monster like that, "What is that thing!?"
Batman's expression grew even grimmer, "Doomsday." He paused, his voice heavy with the weight of his words. "A creature from Krypton's past, a living weapon designed to destroy everything in its path. Superman released him, thinking he could control the beast, that he could control Metropolis..."
Supergirl's eyes were glued to the screen, her heart racing as the scenes of destruction unfolded before her. "But why?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Why would he do that?"
Shazam then walked up towards her, "Because of me..."
Supergirl looked at him, "What do you mean?"
He then removed his hood, showing her the faded laser marks on his forehead, "He blamed himself for Lois and the baby. And he blamed the world for letting the Joker live. He wanted to control everything, to prevent any more tragedies, even if it meant becoming a monster himself... But when the world turned against him... He decided to... 'make an example'..."
Third Flashback...
The cavernous expanse of the Fortress of Solitude, usually a bastion of quiet contemplation, thrummed with barely contained rage. Snow swirled outside the towering crystal windows, mirroring the storm brewing within. The Regime, or what was left of it, stood in a tense circle around the long, ice table. Gone was Lex Luthor's strategic brilliance, replaced by a volatile mix of fear and fury.
"The duplicates. They've incited insurrection," Wonder Woman stated, her voice tight with frustration. The existence of mirror images, champions who openly defied their rule, had sparked a fire of rebellion in the hearts of the populace.
"We must suppress this filth," Sinestro snarled, his yellow power ring pulsing with barely suppressed aggression. His contempt for humanity, always simmering beneath the surface, was now boiling over.
"Willfulness leads to anarchy. It cannot be allowed to spread," boomed Black Adam, his hands clenched into fists. He saw the burgeoning rebellion as a personal affront, a challenge to the order he had always represented.
Then, Superman spoke. His voice, once the beacon of hope, was now laced with bitterness. "I made them safe. Shielded them. But are they grateful? Do they appreciate my protection? No. They whine. Argue. Complain! Side with those criminals." He pushed back from his seat, the metallic scrape of the cold chair echoing through the chamber. "If they prefer chaos, I'll give it to them."
He started pacing, a caged predator sizing up its prey. "Metropolis and Gotham… I'll flatten them! Set an example… Then I'm finding the dimension these duplicates came from. They'll pay for interfering."
The sudden arrival of The Flash, Shazam, and Yellow Lantern broke the tense silence. They had clearly just arrived from the outside world, perhaps having sensed the shift in the atmosphere.
"Wait. We're wiping out whole cities? Invading worlds in other dimensions?!" Shazam asked, his voice filled with a youthful innocence now out of place in this brutal setting.
Superman turned on him, a dangerous edge creeping into his tone. "You got a problem, Billy?"
"Well… Yeah. It's crazy. It's going too far!" Shazam stammered, his boyish features contorted in disbelief.
Wonder Woman stepped forward, her expression stern but her words meant to reassure. "This world is incapable of self-rule. We will preserve order."
Shazam took a hesitant step forward, The Flash instinctively falling into step beside him only to be held back by the stern hand of Yellow Lantern, "No… No… There have to be limits. Even on us. Especially on us!"
"That's Enough!" Superman roared, his eyes burning with suppressed rage.
"We can't do this… Have you gone nuts?! Lois would never want-"
The mention of Lois Lane, the woman Superman had killed on that fateful day, triggered something dark within him. He lunged forward, his powerful hand clamping around Shazam's throat, cutting off his protests.
"SHA-" Shazam began, desperate to call down the magical lightning that would empower him, but before he could complete the word, Superman froze his mouth with a touch of his icy breath.
Shazam's eyes widened in terror. Helpless, he could only watch as Superman unleashed his heat vision, the crimson beams boring into his forehead. The scent of burning flesh filled the air, and a pained, muffled sound escaped from his constricted throat as everyone bore witness to the hideous act.
With a final, shuddering breath, Billy Batson went limp, his body slumping to the cold floor. The silence that followed was thick and suffocating. Shazam, the boy who had held so much hope, was gone.
Superman stood over the corpse, his chest heaving, his eyes hard. "Anyone else?" he dared, his voice a low growl. The others stared, their faces etched with horror and disbelief. They remained silent, the shock of what they had just witnessed holding them captive.
No one spoke. No one moved. Cyborg's metallic fingers trembled as he stared at the body, his mind struggling to reconcile the image before him with the man he had once respected. Raven's eyes, usually hidden behind her hood, were wide with horror, her emotions a volatile mix of fear and despair. The Flash, his face pale, visibly struggled not to vomit, the speedster unable to process what he had just witnessed. Even the ever-stoic Yellow Lantern looked like he had seen a ghost, his power ring dimming slightly.
"Cyborg. Raven." Superman finally broke the silence, his voice calm again, though with an edge of icy control. "Take control of all media broadcasts. I want everyone to see this. Wonder Woman. Hawkgirl. Adam. You're with me. Sinestro. Prepare your ground forces. Lantern. Flash. Get Doomsday ready."
They couldn't believe it. Superman, the symbol of hope, the protector of Earth, had just murdered a kid, a teenager, their teammate... A hero... the line had been crossed, and they had all just witnessed it. They knew their alliance with Superman had become something far more sinister, far more dangerous. The fight for order, had become a descent into absolute tyranny.
No one dared to question him. They had seen the depths of his rage and were left with a chilling understanding – the lines had been blurred; Superman was no longer their savior, he was their tyrant. And the world was about to pay the price.
Third Flashback Ends...
Shazam finishes his story, "I refuse to do what he said... And when I did... He... He killed me... Nobody, but Barry, cared. He managed to turn himself around before it was too late." He looked at the Flash with a forgiving smile, "Thanks, by the way."
The Flash looked at the floor, his eyes haunted by the memory. "It wasn't enough," he murmured. "I tried to save you, to save all of us. But I was too late."
Supergirl was indeed horrified once she heard the story... She walked up to Billy... and gave him a big hug. "I am so sorry," she whispered, her eyes full of tears.
"It's okay," Billy said, his voice crackling with emotion. "I've had time to deal with it. And I've made peace with it. But I want you to understand what happened here, Kara. What we were fighting against."
"We all wanted peace after what happened at Metropolis," Green Lantern starts, "But we joined the wrong side... We didn't realize what we were fighting for until it was too late."
Supergirl looked around at the heroes who had once been part of the regime. She could feel the weight of their guilt, the pain of their past choices etched into their very beings. "But why? Why did you all follow him?"
"At first, I understood why..." Green Lantern starts, "He only wanted to make sure nothing bad happens again... I didn't want Carol or my family to end up like what happened to Lois..."
"Yeah, I even told Billy and asked myself, 'What if what happened to Lois happen to Iris?'" The Flash said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But we lost ourselves in the process. We forgot who we were fighting for."
"My family understood as well… I was also making sure that I kept Clark in check… It once made sense at first... Bad people like the Joker got what they deserved... but now... we saw that we were going too far..." Shazam continued, his voice trailing off.
"At least Flash, Green Lantern and Shazam had good intentions even when they were with the Regime," Batman said, his voice tight, "Unlike the others..." He glared at Wonder Woman, Lady Arkham and Blackfire.
Wonder Woman then walked up to her former friend in anger, "Bruce, how can you stand here and judge us?!"
"Judge? I am not judging anyone!" Batman replied, his voice rising, "But we have to face the consequences of our actions!"
"You say that we're the villains when you're the one who kept Joker and Harley alive for years!" Diana shot back, her voice echoing off the area "How many lives could have been saved if we had ended them when we had the chance?!"
The redeemed Harley Quinn walked up to the one who stabbed her, "You know what... I deserved that"
"Harley-" Batman was about to interject, but she raised her hand, cutting him off.
"Let me finish, Bats," she said, her voice eerily calm. "Wonder-Beard, you're right. I was a monster... So was Mr. J. But he's dead now, and I'm trying to be better." She glanced at Bat-Kid, who nodded slightly. "But what we did, we did because we thought we had to. And maybe we did, maybe we didn't. But now we know."
She then walked up to Supergirl, "Blondie, I don't expect you to forgive me for turning your cousin into, and I quote, the "tyrant", he is today... Hell, not even his adoptive parents forgive me for turning their baby boy into a killer..." She looked away, her voice cracking before looking back at Kara, "But I hope that someday that you'll find it in your heart to forgive me..."
Kara looked up to the one she just saved from Wonder Woman a while ago... Finding out that Superman became a monster because of the Joker and Harley... was too much for her.
Perhaps Wonder Woman was right about Harley being the catalyst for Superman's downfall. Perhaps Batman had allowed the Joker to live for too long. Supergirl didn't know what to think. Her mind raced with questions, but she knew they didn't have time to dwell on the past. After all, Harley is trying to change for the better, unlike the Joker, and even if the former clown princess of crime deserved to get stabbed by Wonder Woman like that, she still didn't deserve to die like that.
"Harley..." Supergirl starts, her voice wavering with emotion. "I... I don't know what to say. But I do know that we all make mistakes, and it's what we do after those mistakes that truly define us."
Batman nods solemnly, his gaze moving from Harley to Supergirl. "We can't change the past, but we can learn from it. We must come together, not as a regime, but as heroes. We have to find a way to stop Brainiac before he destroys everything we love."
Harleen smiled before hugging Supergirl, crying into her shoulder, "Thank you for saving me... Thank you for giving me a chance..."
Supergirl smiled a bit, patting Harley on the back gently, "You're welcome. Just remember, we're all in this together now."
Diana rolled her eyes out of annoyance, "Making amends with the enemy... How touching."
Shazam, tired of Wonder Woman's accusations, stepped between them, his fists clenched. "This isn't about you or your grief, Diana! This is about all of us, together, trying to fix what's been broken!"
Wonder Woman glared at Shazam, but she knew he was right. Even then, the anger was still there, "I know... But we cannot forget the path they've walked... the destruction that they've caused!"
The hero then said something to his former friend, "I was 15-17 Diana, I was just a kid. I have super powers, immortality in this form, Intelligence hindered by being a dumb kid, but at the end of the day I wasn't even old enough for a driver's permit. You stood there and watched, all of you did and all except Barry didn't seem to care. All for what? Because I wouldn't kill innocents? Because I wouldn't invade another world? Because I knew better? I'll never forget the pain, the fear, the betrayal, the sheer horror of what he did to me and how you all just stood there and watched then went about your sadistic plan like nothing happened. You can't possibly imagine what that's like. I trusted you and Superman, he murdered me and you all let him do it. So tell me Diana, who's the real traitor in this picture?"
Wonder Woman's expression went from anger to shock and regret in a heartbeat. She looked down at the floor, her hand moving to her chest. "Billy, I... we never wanted it to come to that," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"And yet, you didn't do anything," Shazam said, bitterness and regret in his voice, "The only one who tried to at least was Barry, and he only didn't do it because Hal stopped him"
"That's not entirely true," The Flash spoke up, his voice quiet but firm. "We all had moments where we could have made a difference. Where we could have stopped the madness. But fear and loyalty held us back."
Wonder Woman looked at him with a mix of anger and pain. "You call it fear and loyalty. I call it betrayal. You watched as he turned us into monsters."
"At least Hal, Barry and Billy got out of it! Same for Damian... He was just a kid," Red Hood said, his voice filled with accusation, pointing at Batman.
Batman took a deep breath, his eyes never leaving Diana's, "We're all responsible for our actions, Diana. Even the ones we're too afraid to take."
Wonder Woman continued to glare at her former allies, feeling anger, remorse, shock, betrayal and pain at the same time! And yet, she hasn't forgotten what she had to do. "But we're not going to solve anything with accusations and anger," she said, her voice firm despite the turmoil within. "We have a mission, and if we don't focus on that, we're going to fail."
"Hope Black Adam and Aquaman are okay," Starfire said, breaking the tension that had settled over the group. The mention of their friends brought them back to the present, to the task at hand.
"They will... Hopefully..." Shazam said, his voice trailing off as he thought of his former allies.
Supergirl then turned to Mary Marvel, "Sorry about what I said about your family."
"Apology accepted" Mary replies.
Back with Aquaman, Black Adam and Blue Beetle
The air hung heavy with the scent of cold stone and something acrid, like burnt metal, as the three of them stepped through the shimmering gateway. It deposited them into a chamber that looked ripped from the darkest pages of history – iron shackles hung from the walls, rusty torture devices lay scattered on the floor, and the very air seemed to whisper of suffering. In the center of the room, a stone throne dominated the space, its surface covered in intricate, disturbing carvings of twisted figures and agonizing faces.
Aquaman, his trident held loosely at his side, surveyed the unsettling scene. "How does this work, exactly?" he asked, his voice echoing in the unsettling silence.
Black Adam, his dark eyes glinting with an almost predatory intensity, moved towards the throne. "We imbue your Trident with a spark of the Rock's power," he explained, his voice resonating with ancient authority. "When its full might is released, it will seek out your weapon. Your thoughts will guide the wizard's power to its final target." He settled onto the cold, hard throne, the stone seeming to pulse with a faint energy under his touch.
Aquaman, his gaze fixed on the throne, felt a strange pull, a sense of purpose surging through him. "I am ready," he declared, and extended his trident towards Black Adam.
The Kahndaq King reached out, his hand crackling with an inner energy, and took the trident. He began to draw power from the throne and channel it into the Atlantean weapon, the stone around him glowing with an angry, red light. Suddenly, a bolt of blue energy slammed into Black Adam's chest, halting the charging process with a jolt.
"Beetle!" Aquaman exclaimed, turning to see Blue Beetle, his armored form shifting slightly. "What are you doing?!"
A guttural laugh echoed from the shadows. A hulking figure emerged, his eyes burning with cold intelligence. "My bidding!" roared Grodd, the powerful gorilla's voice booming through the chamber.
Black Adam's face contorted in anger and recognition. "A sleeper agent…to lead you here."
Grodd fixed his gaze on Blue Beetle. "Despite the power of his Scarab, the boy was easily manipulated. Now, Jaime...kill them!"
Blue Beetle's armored arm shifted, morphing into a series of menacing blades and energy cannons. "So many ways to kill you!" he hissed, his voice distorted by the Scarab.
Black Adam, having recovered from the initial shock, rose from the throne, his power clearly surging. "The Scarab's gimmicks are no match for the Rock of Eternity!"
BLACK ADAM VS BLUE BEETLE
A battle erupted. Black Adam engaged Blue Beetle, their power levels surprisingly on par. Yet, Adam, infused with a sliver of the Rock's power, possessed a slight edge. He traded blows with the Scarab, his Kahndaq might meeting the alien technology with brutal force. With a final surge of power, he managed to put Blue Beetle to sleep, the young hero collapsing to the ground.
BLACK ADAM WINS!
"Child's play!" Adam declared, a hint of arrogance in his tone as he rejoined Aquaman, who was holding off Grodd.
Grodd, frustrated by his inability to directly engage Aquaman, used his psychic powers to hurl a massive stone statue towards the back of Aquaman's head. But before it could connect, Black Adam unleashed a blast of crimson energy, shattering the statue into gravel.
...
Grodd stepped into the light, his massive form casting a long shadow. "Look at us," he growled, his voice filled with self-importance. "Three kings."
Aquaman's brow furrowed. "A king, Grodd?! You're a brute!"
Black Adam, his jaw tight with anger, added, "A true leader serves his people. You only serve yourself!"
Grodd shifted his weight, the ground trembling under his heavy feet. "Be that as it may, I will be the only one who leaves this cave."
Aquaman and Black Adam exchanged a confident look, a silent agreement passing between them. Together, they advanced towards Grodd, ready to end his reign of terror. But Grodd's power was vast, and with a sudden mental thrust, he summoned a cascade of stalagmites from the cave ceiling, burying Black Adam under tons of rock and knocking him unconscious.
Aquaman stood firm, unwavering, the righteous anger blazing in his eyes. "You hurt my people, Grodd! In their name, I will have justice!"
AQUAMAN VS GORILLA GRODD
Grodd's psychic attacks were relentless, but Aquaman's Atlantean strength and willpower proved more than a match. He channeled the power of the oceans, his trident singing with a strange energy as he fought with the fury of a king protecting his kingdom. He finally managed to gain the upper hand, his final thrust sending Grodd crashing back, the hulking gorilla landing heavily on his back.
"NOT the day to test my resolve!" Aquaman roared, his voice echoing through the silent chamber.
He turned to see Black Adam stirring, pushing the rocks off his body, his face contorted in pain but his eyes filled with a vengeful fire.
...
The heavy thud of Aquaman's armored boot against the chest of the downed Gorilla Grodd echoed in the dimly lit chamber. Grodd, battered and bruised, lay on his back, gasping for breath. Aquaman, his face grim, stood over him, the trident held loosely in his hand.
"Stupid...humans..." Grodd rasped, his voice weak but still laced with his characteristic arrogance.
Aquaman had heard enough. With a guttural cry, he plunged the trident's prongs into Grodd's side, the metallic scrape piercing the air. "The people of Atlantis demand justice," he declared, withdrawing the weapon, leaving a gash that pulsed with dark blood.
Grodd, surprisingly, let out a chuckle through the pain-filled grimace. "Against Brainiac? Hehe... I've... seen his mind... felt his power. He... can't... be... stopped!"
Aquaman's eyes narrowed, a furious fire igniting in their depths. "But YOU can!" he roared, his voice resonating with Atlantean might. With a swift, brutal motion, he thrust the trident deep into Grodd's belly and twisted it violently. A final, choked grunt escaped the gorilla before his body went limp. Aquaman extracted his trident, its prongs dripping with Grodd's blood, his face a mask of cold satisfaction. Justice had been delivered - at least to this one foe.
...
Meanwhile, outside the shimmering portal, Black Canary and Green Arrow stirred, returning to consciousness. The lingering haze of Brainiac's control slowly faded. They helped each other to their feet, both feeling disoriented.
"How's your head?" Black Canary asked, rubbing her temples.
Green Arrow groaned. "Empty. Maybe more empty than usual." He smiled at the end.
Black Canary chuckled, a wry grin spreading across her face. "So not much has changed."
Just then, the portal shimmered, widened, and Aquaman burst through, his face urgent. "Canary! Arrow! Out of the way!"
...
He didn't pause, running past them with the trident held aloft. The prongs of the trident crackled with palpable energy, a visible resonance of the Rock's power. He stopped just a few feet away, planting the trident firmly into the ground. Inside the portal, Black Adam stood, his muscles bulging, channeling the Rock's power, the cavernous space around him vibrating from the overload of energy. He roared, "SHAZAM!"
A blinding blast of energy erupted from him, shooting through the portal and striking Aquaman's trident with explosive force. The trident absorbed the energy and stabilized it, forming a beam of pure power that Aquaman then redirected towards the sky.
Back in what remained of Metropolis, Supergirl and Shazam were pacing, their faces etched with worry. Nearby, Batman and Red Robin sat in the Batwing, monitoring the situation.
"The readings are off the charts," Red Robin said, his eyes glued to the screens. "It's like... something's about to happen."
"We just need to wait for Cyborg, Tim" Batman said calmly, his gaze never leaving the monitors. "The signal from Aquaman and Black Adam will come."
"I hope so," Red Robin said, his voice tight with anxiety. "This is taking too long."
The silence stretched, punctuated only by the soft hum of the Batwing's systems. Then, a voice crackled through the comms, the familiar gravel of Batman cutting through the tension.
"Cyborg, where's that signal disruptor?"
A beat of silence, then, "Comin' at you." Cyborg's voice, distorted slightly by the intercom, filled the Batwing. A Boom Tube materialized a few feet away, crackling with raw energy. Through it stepped Cyborg, a living fortress of metal and muscle, who tossed a sleek, gun-like object to Batman. "All you have to do is hit the trigger. But," Cyborg warned, his voice taking on a grim edge, "it only jams a local area. You need to get within arm's reach of Brainiac."
Supergirl, who had been listening intently, cracked her knuckles, a glint of resolve in her ice-blue eyes. "Good."
A low, guttural boom echoed from the sky, making them jump. They all looked up. An arc of raw, crackling energy, a bolt of pure power, tore through the air and slammed directly into the colossal Skull Ship that hovered ominously above them. Inside, Brainiac, surrounded by his technological hive, was visibly shaken. The impact of the energy wave rippled through his ship, throwing him off balance. As the shock settled, his ship's shields flickered and died, leaving the metallic monstrosity vulnerable.
Cyborg was already checking his arm-mounted computer. "They did it! Shields are down!"
Batman's voice, calm and utterly composed, cut through the air. "Red Robin, Shazam, Supergirl, on me! Victor, help the others fight those Betas!"
The Batwing's engines roared to life, blasting the car into the sky. Supergirl and Shazam, moving with the kind of practiced ease only a lifetime of fighting beside each other allows, flanked Batman. They evaded the swarm of Beta ships that swarmed around them, weaving expertly through the chaos to reach the Skull Ship itself. One of the Beta fighters, a metallic insect with malevolent intent, got a lucky shot and ripped through the Batwing's fuselage, sending it spiraling downwards.
"Eject!" Batman bellowed, his voice a command. He braced himself and with a surge of brute force, punched through the reinforced window of the cockpit. He and Red Robin jumped, landing hard on the metal floor of the Skull Ship. They were immediately surrounded by Betas, their metallic appendages glowing ominously, ready to digitize them. Before the Betas could fire, Supergirl and Shazam shot through the entryway. Supergirl's heat vision seared the Betas, melting their forms into slag, while Shazam's lightning surged and crackled, rendering them useless.
"That was intense..." Red Robin gasped, as he and Batman picked themselves up off the floor, brushing off the shards of metal and glass.
They pressed on, deeper into the belly of the beast. Batman drew the disruptor, the intensity of the signal pulsing along it. "The signal gets stronger this way."
Suddenly, Supergirl clutched her head, a sharp cry escaping her lips. "What is it?" Batman asked, instantly on alert.
"Voices… billions of them!" she gasped, her face contorted in pain.
The heavy door before them hissed open, revealing a scene that made their blood run cold. Inside, countless blue globes pulsed with an eerie light, each containing a miniature city. But these weren't just Earth cities. They were cities from all corners of the universe, each a stolen world, forever trapped and digitized. And Supergirl heard them, the inhabitants trapped within those globes, their desperate cries for help echoing in her mind.
Supergirl staggered towards one of the globes, her eyes wide with recognition. Her hand trembling, she pulled it down, cradling the sphere in her arms. "Kandor… Argo City… HOME!" Tears welled in her eyes as she absorbed the pain and terror emanating from her lost people. "We have to help them!"
Batman placed a hand on the globe, the cold, smooth surface a sharp contrast to his own grim determination. "I'm not sure we can, Kara."
Her eyes, usually ablaze with hope, now burned with something akin to desperation. "There HAS to be a way…" she whispered, the weight of her lost world pressing down on her like a physical burden.
"Don't worry, Kara," Red Robin said, his voice filled with a fiery determination. "We'll find it together."
"Yeah," Shazam agreed, his eyes flashing with the power of the gods. "We're not leaving anyone behind."
The air crackled with alien energy, the metallic scent of Brainiac's ship heavy in their nostrils. Batman, his cape snagged in a stray tendril, struggled against the relentless pull. Red Robin, nimble as ever, tried to slice through the tendrils with his specialized batarangs, but they were like attacking iron vines. Supergirl, face contorted in effort, ripped at the tendrils with her bare hands. Her heat vision, usually a potent weapon, did nothing but momentarily sear the metallic surface, which quickly re-knit itself. Shazam, lightning dancing from his fingertips, shocked the tendrils, but they quickly wrapped around his arms and legs, constricting him.
More of Brainiac's Betas arrived, their metallic forms an extension of the ship itself. Batman's hand darted towards his belt, reaching for the disruptor he had been working on for weeks. It was their only hope against Brainiac's tech, but the tendrils had other plans. One shot out, scanned Supergirl from head to toe, and with a sickening tug, pulled her inexorably towards the monstrous ship.
"Kara Zor-El," Brainiac's voice boomed, cold and calculating, echoing through the cavernous space. It seemed to resonate from the very walls themselves. "Until recently, I had thought my collection of Krypton to be incomplete. Your capture will make it so." The tendrils retracted, pulling Supergirl into the wall, the sound like tearing metal ringing in the air before she disappeared behind it. The tendrils then swiveled, focusing on Shazam. "And you… You must be Billy Batson… A former child who has powers of the gods…"
"How did yo-" Shazam began, his youthful voice tinged with confusion.
Brainiac interrupted, "Mister Mind has told me all about you, little one…"
"Litt- Bruh! I'm over 18 now!" Shazam protested, indignant.
"And yet, you're still naive…" Brainiac retorted, his tone dripping with condescension.
"Rather be naive than be a monster!" Shazam shot back, his fists clenching.
"Hmfp… I'm offering you one more deal… I have your beloved city - Fawcett City - in my collection, including your family and your mentor, the Wizard… Surrender and I will not harm those who you care about."
A heavy silence descended. Shazam's eyes flickered with torment. He knew it was a trap. He knew it was foolish. But the image of Fawcett City, his adopted family, the very people he was sworn to protect, all encased within those alien globes… it was too much.
"Deal…" he whispered, the word hanging heavy in the air.
"No, Billy! Don't!" Batman yelled, but the words were too late. More tendrils shot out, securing Shazam, and pulled him, just like Supergirl, into the wall.
Brainiac turned his attention to Batman and Red Robin, his tendrils retracting, leaving them alone against the Betas. "You have failed in every effort to oppose me. You are not exceptional. Merely an ordinary specimen of a primitive species." He turned towards the Betas, his voice colder than the vacuum of space, "Dispose of them." The tendrils pulled him back, leaving Batman and Red Robin alone.
A Beta stepped forward, opening its palm to reveal a harpoon-like weapon reminiscent of Scorpion's. The world seemed to move in slow motion as the harpoon launched, aimed directly at Batman's head. Batman and Red Robin struggled in vain, their attempts to dodge were futile.
Then, a blur of red and blue rocketed into the scene. Superman, like a living comet, knocked the Betas aside, his supersonic speed a whirlwind of righteous fury. He caught the harpoon with his bare hand, mere inches from Batman's cowl, the force of its impact making his muscles strain. He stood, a beacon of hope in the metallic gloom, daring the Betas to challenge him.
"SUPERMAN?!" Red Robin exclaimed, disbelief and relief fighting for dominance in his voice. "Y-You're alive!"
The tendrils still pulled at them, but Superman moved, ripping the tendrils off Batman and Red Robin, catching them both in a steel grip before they fell.
Red Robin, looking at Batman, said, "And I thought you could make an entrance."
"Where's Kara?" Superman's voice was low, filled with barely contained rage.
"Captured. Somewhere onboard," Batman's voice was clipped, his mind already strategizing.
Superman turned away, the fury in his eyes practically burning. He had lost one planet, one family; he wouldn't allow Brainiac to steal another.
"We'll find her, but we only have 20 minutes before Brainiac's Betas scorch the Earth," Batman stated, his tone urgent.
"Why aren't the OTHERS here?" Superman looked at the two heroes, a hint of bewilderment in his voice.
"Shazam was with us, but Brainiac got him…" Red Robin explained, his voice laced with worry.
Superman's expression darkened, a wave of remorse washing over him as he thought about his past actions involving Shazam. "W-We'll find him..." he muttered, his voice tight with emotion. "And the others?" he asked, his eyes fixed on Batman.
"They're attacking the Betas... just in case we don't pull through," Batman answered, the grim reality of their situation weighing heavy on his shoulders.
Superman looked at them, his gaze resolute. The weight of the world seemed to rest on his shoulders, but he wouldn't falter. "We will!" he declared, his voice full of unwavering resolve. With that, he launched himself into the air, following Batman and Red Robin as they charged deeper into the heart of the ship, the sound of his flight echoing their determination to retrieve their friends and put an end to Brainiac's terror.
And that was the end of Chapter 20! We're so close at the FINALE... Oh, wait, we are at the FINALE LOL! Anyways, I wanna thank everyone for the support throughout the years to finish this story! I'm truly grateful for that!
Special thanks to the people below
Temporal King
Spectacular Webhead 11
drewhutchison00
Winnie the Drunk
wtroy479
mui goku
RonaldM40196867
Gundamfreedom0
ethanparker952
And...
still trying (Guest)
You guys are awesome! Well, I better get going! Today is my birthday and I don't wanna miss my party! See y'all next time! Read, comment/review and MAY GOD BLESS US ALL!