DC One Million: "End Times" #5 Written by Shadowstar,
Edited by Marvelite |
DC One Million:
"END TIMES"
(*ORACLE FACT-FILE: Here's the story so far - the year is 85,273, approximately one million months after the first appearance of Superman Prime in the 20th Century. Superman Prime, Wonder Woman and the spirit of Maleca'andra J'onn J'onzz have been absorbed by the wizard Faust and the mysterious being named Apoch.)
(Meanwhile, Aquaman has been destroyed by magic and Batman eliminated from time by means of magic. The current Superman has deduced an outside force is eliminating the Justice Legion A one by one and has gone to the prison planet of Pluto.)
(And now for the legal stuff. DC One Million and all characters within were created by Grant Morrison during his run on the JLA title and all are copyright to DC Comics © and are used in this story without profit, but totally for fun!)
CHAPTER
5
"Apocalypse"
Justice Legion A Roll Call:
Superman Prime = Superman Dynasty =
Batman =
The Flash
Aquaman = Wonder
Woman = Owlwoman = The Atom
Continued from Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, and Chapter 4
The
bright dusty rings of Saturn shine a strange shade of pink as the light of the
transformed Super-Sun reflects off them. The gaseous yellow world on which they
revolve remains still and silent on a background of the millions of bright
shining stars which have reached Sol System in the 853rd Century. It
remains one of the few to be terraformed and populated - but on this day a
meeting of cosmic significance is to take place . . .
On
one side is the being named Lzyxm Ltpkz, the enigmatic Superman of the Fifth
Dimension. It is recorded that after the marriage of a Superman into the Fifth
Dimension's royal family that the legendary Dynasty broke into two separate
directions with each universe having it's own version of the hero.
On
the other, resting in his time-travelling "Morbius Chair" is the New
God of Knowledge known as Metron. Though he is not originally of Fourth World
origins he does have power and intellect on such a high level that he was
accepted into their ranks. He scours various timestreams and realities, forever
studying and striving toward becoming all knowing.
More
recently, however, he has acquired the Worlogog - a New God map of time-space in
miniature. It's bearer gains the ability to see and influence over all
comprehensible reality, but is now resting safely in the right hand of Metron
who uses it exclusively for the purpose of widening his already vast
understanding.
The
mood shared between the two is somewhat grim as they are of the few whom
understand, even know of the current goings on within Sol System. They share a
knowing glance, both fully trusting the other with the valuable information they
are each about to learn.
"The
Justice Legion A's intervention was for too long delayed," comments the New
God pondering his 'Philosopher's Stone'. "I fear that Faust's plan of
oblivion may succeed, especially after summoning one of Apoch's power."
"You
underestimate them, Metron," responds the Imp calmly. "The
Legionnaires and the Superman Dynasty are the greatest heroes in the modern-day
Sol System as well as the hundreds of other Justice Legions at bay. Surely, we
have the advantage."
"I
wish it were so. For so long the forces of order have been in power - for
balance to be achieved and life to continue chaos too must have it's reign.
Faust is a more formidable foe than you realize, Lzyxm Ltpkz."
"Of
this I am aware. It was only a matter of months ago that a mystical text written
by the ancient Techno-Wizards known as the Grmplktz was stolen. It contains all
of the secrets of our arts and it will allow a regular mortal the powers of a
Fifth Dimensional native."
"Then
he has great power under his control," he ponders. "He could eliminate
them all with a snap of his fingers . . . if he weren't as naive to not know how
to use it."
"We
can't risk anticipating his ignorance," responds Lzyxm with a tone of
concern.
"Certainly
not," states Metron matter-of-factly. "Though it would be just as
foolish to anticipate a victory over one such as Apoch. He, and his creations
have brought an end to many great civilizations, including those of the New Gods
over history."
"Tell
me more of . . . Apoch," he asks curiously.
"Before
the Fifth World of Sol System, even before the Fourth Worlds of New Genesis and
Apokolips was Urgrund - the home of the Old Gods. On the Second World were the
primordial Seven Giants of Chaos, one of whom was Apoch, the Prophet of the
Anti-Sun and creator of the Primordial Annihilator - Mageddon*."
(*ORACLE
FACT-FILE: Mageddon, the Primordial Annihilator was a machine of the Old Gods,
which not only destroyed the Second World of Urgrund and the mystical
Wonderland, but was destroyed in the 20th Century by Superman Prime
and the other heroes of Earth.)
He
continues in his explanation. "Apoch, the original creator of Mageddon,
managed to harness to the rays of what he called 'the Anti-Sun', whose effects
would stimulate the R-complex within a living brain. The result of which would
turn life forms against themselves."
"And
you don't doubt his capability to destroy the universe?"
"He
is a God," Metron affirms. "He would be capable of achieving anything
- especially in this day and age."
Lzyxm
Ltpkz stares off to the dying Super-Sun and sighs in despair. "May the Gods
have mercy on the Justice Legion A . . ."
The
planet Maleca'andra J'onn J'onzz - the battleground for the mystical battle
between the forces of order, represented by the heroic Justice Legion A, and
chaos embodied in the immortal wizard named Faust. By looking at it's still and
serene red Martian sands no one would guess that here the fate of all the
universe would be decided in only a matter of hours.
Though
life on this world is not obvious anyone familiar to its terrain would know that
now it is lacking . . . spirit? It was rumored that the ghost of the great
Martian Manhunter watches over this planet, and it was confirmed only a year ago
upon the return of the legendary Justice Legion A to Sol System. Everyone knows
he exists, but the entity as he is today still remains somewhat of an enigma . .
.
Even
to the Justice Legion A.
They
scan the barren deserts in hopes of finding that obvious villain in which they
can do battle. No such luck. Faust is accustomed to life in the shadows, there
is no way he would make his presence so easily known or felt. He has the element
of surprise on his hands, and the partially reluctant heroes have to rely on
their wits instead of a battle-plan formulated within the Strategy Engine.
Batman,
the Atom, Owlwoman, Aquaman, the Flash and Superman Dynasty - still powerless
under a red sun - stand side by side, outstretched from one another like desert
marauders in some long lost, forgotten western movie. They all stand plain
sight, perhaps foolishly waiting for Faust to strike first. Though truth be
told, none of them are sure as to where to start looking.
"A
villain from the ancient past,"
smiles the demon Etrigan to himself knowing, resting on the rocks beside them
lazily. "Let's see how long you
heroes last."
Once
upon a time, even before the 20th Century age of heroes to the year
of 560 there lived a great wizard by the name of Merlin. He summoned his demonic
half brother to do battle with Morgan Le Fay who, as legend has it, had her eyes
set on the crown of the noble Arthur Rex of Camelot. Having no more need for his
sibling he bound him to a cage of flesh and blood named Jason, who due to the
merging went mad and murdered his loving family.
Over
the centuries the immortal Jason Blood accumulated a vast fortune, and summoned
Etrigan to his aid whenever it was convenient for him. But demons cannot be
trusted . . . ever.
For
his own bitter amusement he stole Jason's memories in attempts to connive
control over his body, but did not succeed until the 666th Century
when his human cage was destroyed, and finally he had the chance to seize
control instead of Neron. What resulted instead was a bloody war, leading to one
of two damnations for condemned souls.
"Where
could he possibly be?" Although concerned, Superman Dynasty does not sound
overly anxious to find the sorcerer - and who could blame him considering his
current predicament?
"The
foe you seek lies just ahead, praying to skies of bloody red. We find and kill
him. That's the plan. So says the demon Etrigan!"
"Everyone
leaves alive," barks the Batman furiously. "Your hunger for blood will
not be satisfied today, Etrigan. I promise you that."
"Oh,
twinkle twinkle little Bat. How I wonder what you're at. You're a fool to try
and defy me, so I'll drink your blood. Just wait and see . . ."
"Should
we really be trusting him?" The Flash is put at discomfort by the gory
details of the demon's threats.
"We
have little other options, John," sighs Superman, taking a deep breath and
bounding down the rocks with average strength and agility. "We have no
other leads. We have limited experience against enemies of a magical nature. We
are entering a battle with no clue as to what kind of power we are up against.
Do you have any other suggestions?"
"Maybe
not," comments Owlwoman following down the rocky path behind him.
"Though I still say it's too great a risk to place any trust in a demon,
especially one who wants Faust's soul as badly as his rival kin."
"Those
words may be your very last,"
scowls the demon with a hellish frown. "I'll send you to Neron very fast. So be careful what you say of
me, else your flesh will quench my bloody greed!"
"You
are trespassing,"
echoes a voice from the psychic plain and into reality. It is blurred and
distorted, yet they understand the harsh words with full clarity. It's obvious
by its deep, harsh, somewhat ancient tones that it is definitely not pleased.
It
seems safe to assume the Justice Legion A have found what they are looking for. "Prepare
to meet your maker . . ."
A
dark rumble emerges from the heart of the planet causing hundreds of pebbles to
jump and the thin layers of sand to sift through the cracks in it's surface.
They manage to stand their ground, each of them swaying with the termors which
are become all the more violent with each passing moments.
The
ground's crust begins to break with fragments of stone collapsing within the
deep underground caverns. Batman and Owlwoman use the anti-gravitational
capabilities within their suits to keep from falling, each holding onto the
flightless heroes about to plunge into the dark abyss below.
Rock
daggers shoot up, making their descent all the more treacherous. They make it to
the ground, landing with a hard thud and leaving the other heroes to veritably
fall off of them. With no time to collapse, they all begin to run down the
labyrinth of what are now roofless caves while a wave of spikes rises behind
them angrily.
Trapped
by a mountain wall all seems doomed as certain death rolls ever closer. But wait
- it's died down, as if the planet itself was herding them to this one
particular corner.
From
nowhere appears a mysterious emerald smoke encircling a single enigmatic figure
materializing from its depths. The swirls of mist fly apart with but a flick of
his hand and there floating before the Justice Legion A is the rogue at the
center of this crisis . . .
Faust.
Felix Faust.
Longevity
of life has not been as kind to him as it has to other immortals. Every single
day of his aging is obvious, making him to look like a living corpse. His clear
white eyes bulge from the dark rings of wrinkled flesh hanging from under them.
His long, tangled silver hair blows out in all directions, making him look more
to be like the supernatural being he is.
In
his right hand he bears the stolen text of Grmplktz allowing him the limited
control over time and space he has managed to grasp. He looks down upon the
entrapped heroes much like a spider would to a number of squirming flies. With
disgust and hatred spewing from his heart he begins to formulate the many
gruesome ways he can end each of their tedious existences.
From
behind laughs the demonic Etrigan, finding morbid amusement in the Legion's
struggle - though in particular the desperate attempts of Faust. Does he really
think he'll be able to pull off total oblivion?
"You
. . ."
Faust spits in disgust. In his philosophy there is no way in either Hells that
he would allow himself to become subservient to another demon - to become it's
pet, it's toy, it's piece of animal meat!
He'd
sooner butcher all of Sol System before he'd let that happen - in fact, that is
his plan.
Knowing
what he must do he collects an eerie blue ball of light into the cup of his
palm, then firing it at the devil he knows so well in a single continuous beam.
Though Etrigan has a trick up his sleeve, as the illusion of his sinister self
disappears and is replaced by the heroic Aquaman, who then refracts the ray
through formed water particles in the air.
"Let's
see if you can take it as well as you can dish it out," remarks the
Neptunian protector, hurling his heavy metal anchor at the foe. It misses, then
stops and wraps around Faust tightly, which, on an ordinary human would
constrict breathing - and probably kill them.
Unfortunately
for Aquaman, Faust is no ordinary human . . .
With
inhuman strength and brutality the sorcerer spreads his arms, breaking apart the
chains and leaving the hero under his mercy. Having none he pulls on what
remains of the chain attached to Aquaman's arm, thus sending him flying through
the air until such time as he releases and leaves him to collide with the cliff
face and plummet lifelessly.
Owlwoman
cries out, "You bastard!" She attacks head-on, exchanging blows whilst
John Fox sneaks from behind. He leaps, his grip focused tightly on Faust's
scrawny, withered neck - though it will not break, as if it is made of steel . .
.
Laughing
off their pitiful attempt he blurs at super-speed, then throwing punches and
kicks to where Owlwoman would be in only 0.1 seconds time, thus defeating her
echo fighting techniques. She is knocked back by the might punches, as if
Superman Prime himself had turned on her and defeated her so.
"Oh,
please,"
groans the wizard at the futility of the Flash's no more than human strength
strangle hold. With a though he sends the disgraced hero tumbling over, living
nightmares of the Speed Metals, the Black Flash and the Chronovore . . . Oh, how
the mighty have fallen.
This
sends John Fox running - though not at the velocity of one pertaining to the
legacy of the Flash. Surely not. He makes a very rough guess that his clumsy
steps have him fleeing in a mad panic at something only at the rate of 25.31
kilometers per cycle.
Yes,
that is fast for a normal human - but it is not even dawdling to the Flash.
"Just
so you know,"
he boasts, condescending the Justice Legion A smugly, "that
I am more powerful than you could ever hope to imagine. Not a few days ago did I
steal away the spirits of this world, your Wonder Woman, and . . . Superman
Prime!"
"Is
he serious?" From the tone of his query, the Atom isn't placing much faith
in Faust's claims.
"I
wouldn't doubt it," grumbles the Batman awaiting battle anxiously.
"We've seen so many fantastic evils over the past few days that his current
declaration will be too radical to be accepted as a bluff."
"Felix,
you fool. Cannot you see?"
taunts Etrigan from his rise above him in the rocky mountains. "There
is no way to win against me!"
"We'll
just see about that,"
he remarks back as he fires a pair of bright red lasers towards the demon,
spewing forth from his very eyes. This marvel confirms to the remaining Justice
Legion A that he is able to draw on the powers of the great Superman Prime . . .
The
Atom, not leaving Faust an opening for attack breaks down into billions of
miniscule versions of himself, then projecting a radical beam towards the foe
and searing away his flesh with a deadly heat. Not many people realize the true
power of the new Atom - in particular his power to break down and 'mimic' other
kinds of atoms.
Enraged,
Faust turns back, resisting the ray with his eye-beams. So far they seem equally
matched, but fortunately for the Atom the Justice Legion A are not quite yet
down and out . . .
From
all sides 17 Savitars of the Batman appear and leap onto the evil wizard. He
knows only one is real, but every single one of their blows is solid as if it
were a real human being. He fires blasts in random directions from his palms,
only slowly and eventually taking down each Batman one by one.
Wait
. . . where is the Grmplktz? Drat! It has been knocked from his hands and out of
his reach. Now he's vulnerable.
Meanwhile,
just 2.314 kilometers away - John Fox continues to run for dear life as the
ghosts of his past continue to chase him to the ends of Sol System. Oh, God,
will it never cease? He stumbles and falls into the sand, holding his head in
his hands with a swarm of tears flowing out, knowing it's all over for good.
Though the evils he so feared have passed right by . . .
He
looks back to the battlefield. There bright lights explode across the starry sky
and the chalky horizon. He thinks of how sick and tired he has become of
running. Perhaps now is the time to face his problems, regardless of whether or
not he can beat them!
"Get
it together, John," he coaxes himself. "All of history, the 833
Centuries of the Flash have lead to this point - to you! You can't just let them
down now without a fight!
You-are-the-future!"
Now
a little built up he begins to run back at the same slow rate as before, though
not driven by despair, but by frustration and the drive to stop being a coward.
A bright flash from the sky appears in the distance, followed by the roar of
thunder 5.23 seconds later. The Speed Force is coming back to him now.
With
a mighty explosion his feet begin to blur at lightspeed and once again he is
living Heaven on Earth. In less than a moment he is back on the field and
zooming around Faust at terminal velocity. He makes another pass, this time
adding overdrive and allowing the mass of his body to be pulled toward infinity
creating in him an unstoppable speed machine.
With
a single punch Faust is sent flying even further than before. He blurs over to
the spot where he is destined to land in hopes of laying another shot even
Superman Prime would have had a hard time in taking. A pity he did not have the
chance as Faust coursed through the air ready for another attack.
Both
wheeze heavily, trying to regain their breath. They have just reached a
stalemate in their battle.
"Listen
to me, John Fox," pants Faust without the same power as he had managed to
harness before. "The text known as the Grmplktz, I must reclaim it or else
Sol System will have to face a second civil war between the two Hells!"
"To
give you back the book," Flash points out, "would be to allow you to
destroy reality."
"Only
for your own sake as well as my own," retorts Felix. "You don't
understand like I do. You don't understand that life isn't worth living . . .
that the only true pleasure in life is death, when you can resign the tedious
cares of the physical! Surely you, having touched Heaven can comprehend . .
."
"Job
well done and very good, Flash!"
The demon Etrigan has suddenly reappeared above them both - perhaps to
sadistically taunt them both into creating an ultimatum on the fate of the
entire universe. "Now the wretch is
mine, feel free to dash."
"I
can't do that, Etrigan," says John sternly. "Faust is not your
property - he is a human being. A human beings whom has committed grave crimes,
and must be punished in this dimension."
Etrigan
raises an eyebrow in perplexment. Who does this human
think he is? Surely he does not expect him to pay any attention to a mediocre
speech about the supposed greatness of humanity. The very idea is laughable at
the very least!
The
demon's eyes glow, and in doing that so do those of the mystical Felix Faust. A
bright red 'E', the mark of Etrigan burns into his forehead as his will is
forced to succumb to that of his new owner. His arms wrap around the Flash,
crushing the life out of him with a force that could tear apart whole worlds.
John's
body plummets to the ground limp, as if he were nothing more than a rag doll.
Faust stares blankly at his master, awaiting his next orders. It was only with
the Grmplktz that he could work in his own strength, but now all hope seems
lost.
"What
is your next order, Lord Etrigan?" He bows against his will, but does so
out of 'respect'. Deep down, the urge and desire for death is all the more
strengthened. "Would you like me to find and destroy Superman
Dynasty?"
"Forget
about the Superman,"
he laughs hideously to the figure hiding in the cliffs. "He's nothing next to Etrigan. After all, he's just a man . .
."
The
angel Zauriel passes through a slim gash in space and into the empty expanse
that is the otherworldly Phantom Zone. This place has had many names, all of
them describing the limbo through which spirits pass and look back into the many
worlds - whether they are physical or of dreams created with a single thought.
He
searches the bleak, white abyss in search of three heroes, recently disappeared
in the Civil War of the Hell was savagely re-ignited. Their exact location is as
of late unknown - he only has a vague trail of thoughts and emotions to follow.
To a spiritual being they are like food in which they grow stronger and more
powerful.
The
three 'gods' of Sol System - J'onn J'onzz, Wonder Woman and Superman Prime - are
nowhere to be found in the mortal reality, and Zauriel is the only one who can
ever hope to find them . . .
Wait,
there they are. Each of them are trapped in a prison of dreams whilst their
bodies are being siphoned to another mystical force - namely Felix Faust.
Their
dreams manifest in front of him, with space being the sheet in which their
thoughts are being projected. Firstly, there's J'onn J'onzz. The Martian
Manhunter pines for the red sands of his home planet, even when in an induced
sleep. He fantasizes about the day his people will come back, and they too will
be as proud and as strong in the very same way the rest of Sol System is.
Next,
there is Superman Prime. He stands there in the middle of a Kansas field in the
20th Century, still gleaming gold alongside his resurrected wife
Lois. They embrace each other, and look over to the farmhouse where Kal grew up
as his biological Kryptonian parents, Jor-El and Lara meet with his adopted
family of Jonathan and Martha Kent.
The
guardian angel smiles knowingly, as he has watched over the lives of the Justice
League ever since his time among them, and is re-affirmed in the fact that
dreams do come true. He knows that the meeting does in fact take place. After
all, he was there - in spirit at least.
The
fact of the matter is that Kal-El had not in fact lived it yet . . .
Lastly,
there is Wonder Woman. She still dreams of Superman, and the ways she has loved
him in one form or another. In fact, at one point it was rumored she had his
child in the 432nd Century. For countless ages her desire has burned
only for him, and continues to do so until this very day.
Though
Zauriel is somewhat surprised to look in upon a fantasy about their wedding
night when . . . "Oh my!"
As
a being of light it is his duty to look away from such carnality. Not to mention
that as a gentleman he believes everyone has the right to some privacy regarding
their train of thoughts. With a wave of his hand the three of them awaken,
though somewhat disorientated.
"Wh-where
are we?" Superman Prime's expanded intellect seems to not be registering
enough information to inform his as to his location - especially when it's as
desolate as this place.
"We,
Superman, are in the Phantom Zone," answers Zauriel working his magic.
"For the past few days the three of you have been held hostage by the
wizard Felix Faust and were being used as batteries for the being known as Apoch,
the Prophet of the Anti-Sun."
"Anti-Sun?"
the Martian Manhunter queries in a ghostly tone. "You mean as in . . .
Mageddon?"
"The
very same," says Zauriel as he summons them all to new surroundings. "Apoch
was the creator of the legendary Primordial Annihilator. Now, he's been brought
back to fulfil Faust's evil purposes. Now, we must find an old ally in order to
defeat him . . ."
Suddenly,
the futuristic heroes are faced with a scenery not seen since the times before
humanity moved off the Earth's face and into the corners of Tesseract Space, to
times when the power of only simplistic computers were harnessed - World War II.
There they are in the killing fields, where the smoke is still rising from fresh
corpses lay in the trenches are the smell of blood and decay permeated the air.
These
were the dark days of humanity - though they were vital in the leading up to the
utopian 853rd Century, and now its salvation.
"What
are we doing here?" Wonder Woman is somewhat bewildered by becoming an
anachronism in the 20th Century for the second time in so may days.
"The
inhabitants of the Phantom Zone live in a series of different worlds," the
Guardian Angel explains. "Here, your thoughts, feelings and dreams are
brought into visual reality. It's due to this that many societies across the
universe have used it as an inter-dimensional prison."
"So,
none of this is real?" Superman Prime too is disorientated by his presence
in this timeline. "Who are we here to find?"
"To
answer your first question, Superman, it depends on your definition of 'real'.
If you comprehend a reality, does it not then exist? To one man, the man we are
here to find, this is very real. To answer your second question . . ."
"Halt,"
interrupts a voice from on high. "Who goes there?"
They
recognize the voice immediately. Looking up they can see a team of ancient
heroes who fought against the Third Reich during those infamous dark days. They
are the originals - Green Lantern, the Flash, Hawkman, Black Canary, Starman,
Hourman, the Spectre and Dr. Fate - the Justice Society of America!
"We
seek the one named Doctor Fate," says Zauriel bluntly. "We are in
desperate need of his presence elsewhere."
"It's
not as simple as that," replies Green Lantern. "If he is to go with
you, then so do the other members of the JSA."
"I'm
afraid not," the Guardian Angel states simply. "You are all but a
dream."
The
Justice Society takes their positions for battle. Obviously they won't give up
Dr. Fate without a fight. Though to Zauriel it is simply frustrating tedium that
he should fight with that which does not exist, the basic products of a single
human mind. Then again, it's best they get it all over and done with.
"I'll
take the Flash and Green Lantern," commands Superman Prime forming a
battle-plan for them all to follow. "J'onn, you can handle Starman and
Hourman. Wonder Woman, you take Hawkman and Black Canary. Zauriel can take care
of the mystics. Agreed?"
"Agreed,"
says Wonder Woman.
"Agreed,"
says J'onn.
"Agreed,"
says Zauriel, revealing his divine flaming sword from its golden sheath. He
looks up to the heroes with his weapon in front, spiked for attack when needed -
and the JSA share the same readiness and determination. "Let's do
this."
With
a single bound he is away, his darting body causing the golden age team to
scatter. His fellow heroes quickly follow, then splitting them all into
different corners of battle.
Green
lances of light fly out, forming elongated ropes chasing and entangling Superman
Prime. While he's distracted by disbanding Green Lantern's attack with his
laser-vision the Flash whirs around punching him at an average rate of 26 blows
per second.
If
he's going to defeat them quickly and easily, then he has to take them out of
their element and eliminate them one by one. He starts by flexing his arms and
breaking the shackles only as strong as Alan Scott, the original Green Lantern's
will.
The
Flash darts up to him, hoping to lay a number of attacks before Superman would
have a moment to retaliate. Though he does not realize his full power, and is
swept away when he's caught up in a crushing bear hug and lifted 1.205
kilometers off the ground in 2.34 seconds.
With
no grounding, there is no way for the first Flash, Jay Garrick to mount any kind
of offense. With just one punch to the chest Superman Prime winds him, causing
Flash to fall unconsciously to the ground below. Fortunately, he was saved by a
giant emerald hand reaching out to catch him.
After
gently placing his team-mate safely on the ground the Green Lantern pushes back
his heavy purple cape to reveal his green and orange costume with the famous
lantern symbol on his chest. He looks back up to Superman Prime as a gush of
wind blows his light blond fringe to one side. He may be a dream, but he is
every bit the great hero that he was shaped after.
He
holds up his ring, unleashing all the powers of the Starheart within him
upwards. An emerald explosion reigns across the sky leaving a shower of energy
to fall to the ground. Superman is thrown off by his power, though manages to
counter it with his patented laser-vision.
Together
they wrestle, each trying to prove to the other that their will is greater.
He's
strong - even for a dream. Though he's not real, that's what Superman Prime has
to keep reminding himself. Being trapped as Apoch's 'battery' has left him
somewhat weaker, with only a strength equal to that of one of the past heroes -
but Green Lantern is not real!
A
thicker beam of energy rises up almost knocking Superman from the air. He
refuses to fall like this, especially at the time when Sol System needs him the
most. From that corner deep within he draws on his true strength, making his
will invincible.
His
energies bombard the dream figure, forcing him back. With anger and frustration,
fuelled by the thought of the deaths of Lois, New Krypton and all of Sol System
on his head he fires blasts with full force, leaving Alan Scott to fall into
obscurity, and fade . . .
Meanwhile,
Wonder Woman and the Martian Manhunter have their hands full with the other
JSA's Hourman, Black Canary, Starman and Hawkman. The four of them have the 853rd
century icons surrounded, waiting for them to make a first move so that they
might be able to attack them whilst their guard is down - even if only for a
split second.
Their
resemblance to the real team is so uncanny that it is difficult for them both to
think of this Justice Society as a figment of Doctor Fate's imagination. There
in her tight black uniform is the blonde-haired Black Canary, one of the
greatest martial artists and US. spies of her time.
Next,
there is the Hourman, Rex Tyler, cloaked in a heavy golden robe and a heavy cowl
masking his identity. With the powers granted to him by patented his 'Miraclo'
pills he has enhanced strength, speed and flight capabilities for exactly one
hour.
Beside
him is the original Starman, Ted Knight. He wears a red costume with a yellow
star on his chest and a large red fin on his helmet. This kind of garb could
only be fashionable in an age such as this. Most notably he was remembered for
his creation - the cosmic rod - a device able to wield vast amounts of cosmic
energy and has, over time, been compared to a more basic version of a Green
Lantern's power ring.
Lastly,
there is the heroic Hawkman of the planet Thanagar, Kator Hol. Armed with a
heavy iron mace, he was no doubt one of the better remembered of the original
JSA, who then managed to live up to the time where he joined an early
incarnation of the JLA. He spreads his large, silver wings and gazes at the two
strangers through his hawk mask.
It
really is hard to believe the figures before them are in fact unreal. Though the
fact still remains, the drained Sol System heroes are left greatly outnumbered.
"Cease
this conflict,"
says the Spectre to his teammates. The pale face of Jim Corrigan looks out from
under the jade hood of his spiritual alter ego. His expression is enough to
allow everyone to know that matters are more pressing than they would at first
appear.
"Spectre,
what's going on?" Alan Scott is nursing his head, still painfully living
the aftermath of his battle with Superman Prime.
"I
have been allowed to peer into the soul of the one known as Zauriel,"
continues the Spectre. "From what I
have been told by he, and now Dr. Fate, I have reason to believe that what he
speaks is the truth."
"Is
this true, Kent?" The Flash rushes to Dr. Fate's side, who then pulls off
the golden mask of the Nabu to reveal his true face. "Are we really but a
dream?"
"I'm
afraid that is so, Jay." Kent Nelson now knows the truth, and 833 centuries
of lost memories have been restored to him by the angelic Zauriel. Though he
does sound somewhat disappoint - it was true in this case that ignorance was
bliss. "I truly wish I could stay, but now I have a duty to fulfil - to Sol
System, it's inhabitants . . . and myself."
He
steps away with his mantle under his arm, turning back for only a moment to
witness the sad expressions on his comrade's faces. It must be rather
disappointing to say the least that you are not the dreamer, but in fact a part
of somebody else's dream.
"Good-bye,"
he whispers with a wave of his hand, dissolving them and their world while
taking himself, Zauriel, Superman Prime, Wonder Woman and J'onn J'onzz to his
Tower of Fate in the heart of the Dreaming.
"You
did well to awaken me," he says seriously, plotting the next course of
action. "Now is the time that we must end Faust's tyranny, and end the war
of the two Hells . . ."
In
the rocky cliffs of Maleca'andra J'onn J'onzz a single figure lays in wait,
watching as just below his vantage-point as the events deciding the fate of the
entire universe unfurl before his very eyes. It frustrates him beyond anything
else that he is powerless to do anything and that just below his friends may
very well lose their lives due to his lack of action.
Once
upon a time he was one of Sol System's greatest heroes - only a few days ago, he
was Superman Dynasty.
What
else can he do? How can he possibly hope to beat the master of chaos and a
reality-destroying threat without his powers? If only Superman Prime were there,
then he'd again be blessed with the power to destroy them all, and live up to
the name on which he's based much of his own existence.
There,
below him, around a fire ignited by the spawn of Satan is the demon Etrigan,
dancing and celebrating his victory in rhyme whilst sucking on a piece of bloody
meat in a miniature feast. It would seem he has already won the war, but perhaps
he gloats too soon.
There
is still Apoch to be seen, yet.
Next
to him is the wizard Faust, formerly a madman with a single desire to bring on
his own death and end the sentence he must live out in a physical prison - no
matter what the cost. Now, he is simply a slave to, as Etrigan proclaims, 'the
new and one true master of Hell'. He remains frozen, unable to act on any will
of his own until such time as the demon allows him.
And,
pinned to the cliff-face beneath him is the Justice Legion A - though right now
they are less than the majestic embodiment of the human race they were only a
few days ago. Now, they are chained to a stone wall, slowly dying of a sadistic
crucifixion, converting them from heroes to martyrs for what very well may be a
lost cause . . .
Superman
Dynasty turns his head and lets a tear fall down his cheek. How could so much
have happened so quickly? If only he'd known . . .
The
demon continues to laugh and feast, still ignorant to the goings on in his very
midst. He is too caught up in his current carnal pleasures in which he is
currently indulging. Not for a moment does he notice the stirring of Faust as
his eyes flicker, or his fingers wriggle slightly in rebellion of Etrigan's
control.
It
would seem the only one able to notice is Superman, who is still gazing down
from 17.852 meters above them - but what is he to do? He cannot let Faust free
himself, else he'll summon Apoch and all life is destroyed. He cannot let
Etrigan remain in control or else we'll start a second civil war and all life is
destroyed.
Damn.
He hates these 'damned if you do and damned if you don't' predicaments.
Suddenly
the ground begins to shake and crumble once more. Could this be a sign of
Faust's re-emergence? No . . . it's something far more sinister. The shards and
fragments of sand and stone fall upwards, as if an unstoppable new power from
deep below is rising up, despite whatever might be at the top.
"Apoch,"
whispers Superman Dynasty in silent horror. He knows for sure, as well as Faust,
that the time has come.
The
red lights of the Super-Sun pour down, heralding the arrival of the famed
'Prophet of the Anti-Sun'. Etrigan simply slows his chewing in confusion, trying
to comprehend the happening around him. He is taken completely by surprise when
the ground breaks and he is consumed into the emerging monster.
From
the dark pits comes a large golden bull, which would be considered a giant
amongst men. It is the size of an entire building, with a metallic shine as
bright as that of a sun or stellar computer. It is coated in midnight black
armor, making it seem all the more ferocious and in the center of it's horns a
bright orange orb - the symbol of the Anti-Sun.
"Lo and behold the inhabitants of Sol System," cries Faust's gravelly, angry voice to nobody and everybody in the same moment. "Behold the might that is Apoch - the Prophet of the Anti-Sun . . . and YOUR DOOM!"
NEXT ISSUE: A special extra-sized conclusion to DC One Million: "End Times"! Doctor Fate, the mystical master of order, returns to do battle with Faust, the mystical master of chaos! Meanwhile, the Justice Legion A battle Apoch, the Prophet of the Anti-Sun and the end of the universe. This, and more in Chapter 6, "Armageddon" . . .
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