Titan-
Somewhere in the Negative Zone…

“They're leaving…”

Mentor raised his arm, shielding his eyes from the harsh white glare that was swiftly receding through the Rift. The strange cascading energies that had been spewing from the tear had slowly vanished as well, sucked through the hole in a spiraling vortex, like filthy water down the drain. And thankfully, with the storms and lightning, the red skies and the white bubble, so too went the creatures of Chaos.

They had been trapped in the Negative Zone for months now, the Eternals of Earth and Titan, trapped on the latter when the very moon had been shifted to the anti-matter realm to save them all. It had been a hard existence. The Zone was a cruel and thankless mistress, yet it had never been so harsh as in this, what they all had thought to be the final battle. When the dark skies had turned red and the very fabric of space had ripped asunder, when the creatures of the Wall born of Chaos had come streaming through the Rift there had been many that foresaw there doom; the end.

But now the skies had reverted, returning to the strange and swirling brilliance that they had once been before. Truth, Mentor had never seen the space of the Zone so stark in all their months of exile. So barren and…clean…

“It would appear that we have won.”

Mentor turned to look at Thena as she stepped to his side. The beauteous ruler of Earth's Eternals was wounded, her golden armor ripped and showing skin and blood. Her right arm hung limply at her side, yet she stood tall and uncomplaining, proud.

“I do not know,” Mentor replied, casting his gaze upon the devastation. The great city that they had been constructing lay savaged and in ruins about them. Many of the mighty spires lay toppled or burning. The Great Hall was shattered, smoke rising from the broken, ivory dome. All about them too lay the dead. There were so many.

“Rather, I believe the battle has moved on, passing us by. We have done all that we could, but-“

“We have done all that was expected, Mentor of Titan.”

Both Mentor and Thena turned to the sound of the all-too familiar voice and saw Adam Warlock descending into their midst, his Infinity Watch at his side- and one other- Rick Jones, partner and link to the hated Genis-Vell, the son of the Captain Marvel. They appeared as battered and bruised as the rest of Titan, scarred and bloodied. In truth, Pip the Troll was unconscious, held by Gamora the Assassin. Even Thanos the Mad Titan and son of Mentor himself seemed shaken, recently freed from his own imprisonment at the hands of a dark god. Only Warlock seemed unperturbed as he landed in a swirl of ragged cloak, planting his staff to earth for support. The green Soul Gem on his golden brow glistened in the queer light.

“We have given our all. We can do no more.”

“As always, you speak in riddles Warlock. Have we won, or-“

“We are safe, at least for now. As you suppose, Mentor, the battle rages on without us.”

“Marv says that the storms have moved beyond Shiar space as well,” Rick said, stepping within the select group. “Worlds vanished from the quadrant, but the ‘fabric' survives, whatever that means.”

“And what of his vaunted ‘Awareness', Jones,” Thena said with a sneer. There was no love lost between the Eternals trapped on Titan in the Negative Zone, and the so-called Protector of the Universe. “What, pray tell does that tell you.”

Rick frowned, gazing up at the Rift in the Zone and raking his fingers back through his hair. Not so far away he could see the fluctuating energies of the Exploding Atmosphere, that gateway to Earth that defied their passing. “He says ‘the energies yet burn, but elsewhere'. He can feel them swelling and spreading, but somehow being contained like…

“He says he senses Norrin Radd.”

“The Silver Surfer?” Starfox said, limping up to the crowd. Eros, the other son of Mentor stared at his brother with a flicker of hate- an oddity for the one-time God of Love- before returning his attention to Jones. “How is the former Herald of Galactus involved in all of this?”

“He says he can't pierce that veil, Eros. He simply ‘hears his agony'.”

“That particular veil was never meant for even Genis' father to pierce, Jones.”

There was a collective gasp as all eyes turned skyward again, staring at a strange rippling in the fabric of space. All save one feared that a new tear was forming, that the disaster was renewing, yet as they watched something seemed to form. It was large and oddly chair-shaped, and sitting in it, a man. He was grim-faced and dressed in blue, his costume flickering with unearthly streaks of light and energy-

“I am Metron,” he said simply and with certainty, as though that explained all. Starfox and Gamora leaped to the front, ready to attack but both Mentor and Warlock stayed their rage.

“Stop! This is no foe.”

“Nor is he truly friend, Mentor ,” Warlock said and the being simply nodded.

“You are indeed wise, Adam Warlock, but hark. I have much to say, but my time here is limited. It has taken all the energies and power of my Mobius Chair to cross the threshold, and it is only by the very disaster we all seek to avert that I was able this time."

“Speak then, stranger,” Mentor said taking charge to silence uneasy murmurings of the gathering crowd. “What have you to tell us?”

“Little that your wisdom has not already gleaned. Know however that steps are being taken to repair the damage that has been done. Even now a conclave of Mages struggles at the very edge of reality to repair the Wall, trying to ultimately hold back the floodtide of Chaos itself. Too, beings struggle at the dimensional crossings; the Avatars of Earth in all dimensions seek to control the surge of anti-matter, to keep it at bay. The very Gods of all worlds strive against the creatures of Chaos; the Asgardians and Olympians, the Titans of Old, the Gods of New Genesis that are a mirror of your own Eternals. The war has come to my home reality however, and it is there that the ultimate battle will be fought.”

“Then we have to get there, Metron,” Starfox said. “Show us the way!”

Metron shook his head as a scream of agony cut through the air. All eyes turned to the source and saw Pip the Troll staring wide-eyed into space, his chest falling as his final breath fled his body.

“Pip!” Gamora shouted, running back to the creature that had inadvertently become her friend over time. She was an assassin by trade, created by Thanos for his own dark schemes. She had seen Death in all her glory and knew even as she crouched at the Troll's still form that he was gone. She looked up and about, wiping away a single tear, almost surprised to find it there.

“His Gem is gone- stolen!” then, “Where's Thanos?”

Everyone turned, all searching for any sign of the Mad Titan, nowhere to be seen. All save Adam Warlock who stared at Metron, watching as the strange visitor began to fade-

“There are other worlds…” Metron said as he vanished, his image fading on the wind.

“Other worlds to conquer…” Warlock added, finally turning away…

VS

Chapter Eight:

Last Stand!

Written by Curt Fernlund
Story by Chris Munn and Curt Fernlund

The Aerie
Mt. Annapurna
Nepal:

Ra's al Ghul squinted into the brilliance of victory.

Even from miles distant the Babel Tower gleamed, crackling with power as it drew in the strange negative energies of the storms that had spread across the planet. Ra's al Ghul watched with barely contained excitement as the power pulsed and throbbed, the Tower itself wavering, barely able to contain the devastating anti-matter that would soon be released across the globe in a cleansing wave that would cull all of those not worthy to reside in his Utopia to come.

He could hear the agonized screams of the silver man, that being that had fallen from the stars and had brought his dreams to the cusp of realization. The cosmic Powers contained within that one creature, that alien were vast, and all that Ra's al Ghul needed to capture the crisis and turn it to his favor and goals. Truth, the silver creature was barely visible in the pulsing flare of energy erupting within the Control Room, the machines of the demon's Head stripping away his abilities and powers, using both to his own ends. Soon…

“Ahhh!”

Ra's al Ghul turned to the new cry, his eyes scanning the shielded room beyond to find Lund struggling at his controls. The scientist was expendable of course- they all were- but he MUST finish his duty before he succumbed.

“Lund , you fool!” Ra's al Ghul snapped as he depressed the button on his own console. Immediately he heard the roar of uncontained power beyond, the screams of his chosen scientists as they burned for the glory of the Demon's Head. “If you cannot control-“

“Not my fault!” Lund shrieked, his hands a flurry of motion as he adjusted the controls. The actual mechanics of the machinery were lost on al Ghul, though it had been his brilliance that had conceived the final glory. His ‘ Babel Towers ' had been positioned about the world, his original goal to throw humanity into chaos by taking away their ability to communicate. Only the strong would have survived that, only those worthy. With the advent of the red skies however, and the silver man, his plans had been changed, and the Towers converted or shut down to further his new scheme. Here in Nepal , his Babel Tower drew in the chaos of the storms, the unbridled energies held in check by the powers of the silver being. When the time was right, Ra's al Ghul would unleash the Negative Energy upon the world in devastating effect, wiping away those that deserved a quick death and would not fit into his ideals of the world. He would control those that remained, guiding them into a new, golden age…

“The energies are spiking, coming in too fast. The Tower can't contain… there's something… Nooo!”

Ra's al Ghul grimaced, actually flinching, staggering back in momentary worry as the room beyond flared white. He heard Lund's scream- the terrified screams of all of his scientists as a wave of anti-matter washed through the fortified Control Room, wiping away the unworthy; Lund and his minions. They all simply faded away, the negative images of their skeletons lingering momentarily in his mind's eye.

“Father?”

Talia was at his side, but he paid her no heed as he stared into the room. The silver man had survived, but the scientists were gone. In their place however were three others, lying on the floor and connected by charred bands of steel and leather, smoldering and hurt- though alive!

“Ho… Holy… Holy shit…”

Hawkeye raised his head, immediately regretting it as the world swam and spun about him. He lowered his head quickly, but too late as his stomach churned and lurched and whatever was left in his stomach spewed out across the floor.

He lay there a moment, gagging and hacking as he tried to get a grip, tried to focus. He was in a lab- he had seen that much before the world went screwy. It looked like one of Doom's labs- or Reed Richards' with a thousand whirring and clicking machines just to make a cup of coffee. Somehow though he imagined that whatever the lab's purpose with all its gleaming machines and gear lining every free space of wall, it was a bit more complicated than that.

He looked up again, struggling to get up off the dirty tiled floor, his bow a familiar piece of reality in his hand. He had seen something else before his last lunch had come rushing back- something that he recognized-

“The Silver Surfer?”

Clint Barton stared at the former Herald of Galactus. The man was trapped, secured inside some kind of tube and writhing about like someone was sticking pins in his brain. Why, Hawkeye did not have a clue, but he knew that he had to get the man out. No way he was there for any good purpose.

Against all odds Hawkeye struggled to his hands and knees, trying to rise, trying to get to his feet. To his credit, he almost made it before leather coiled about his throat and a jolt of electricity shot through his brain.

Oubliette stood on shaky legs and high heels as she looked down at the archer spasming at her feet, dangling the coils of her whip wrapped about Hawkeye's throat. She smiled, then frowned quickly as she looked to her father just a few feet away, trying to rise. The Exterminatrix stepped over Hawkeye's prone form, her heels clacking as she ran to her father-

“Daddy?” she said, kneeling beside her father, Doctor Midas. He seemed weak as well, confused as he struggled to his knees. He still held the Negative Rod in his hands, and Oubliette gasped as she stared at the small metallic cylinder that they had received from Annihilus- in a round about way. It was still crackling with energy, pulsing even more vibrantly if possible, as it seemed to be drawing in the energies that danced about the lab. She had no idea what was happening, but she could see the glory reflected in her father as he hugged the rod to the golden chestplate of his armor. He was ecstatic.

Midas stood and held the Rod out, laughing as the energies flared and coruscated about the nozzle of the cylinder. Oubliette could see the very air shimmering as the Nega Rod sucked up the energy in the room, lines of power arcing out and away to the machinery and the writhing body of the Silver Surfer. She shivered, licking her lips-

“Daddy?”

“It's here, daughter- finally!” Midas cackled as his hand started to glow, caught up in the energies of the Rod. “Power! Right here…”

Oubliette stared at the machinery, at the Surfer squirming in agony. Where were they? She had no idea as she slowly turned, trying to take it all in. Finally she saw the people beyond- the old man and the woman both wearing the dark goggles, watching them from beyond the thick safety glass in another room. She heard the crackle of an intercom-

“Who are you?”

Midas turned, staring at the man beyond the thick glass that was staring back with equal intensity. Doctor Midas laughed-

“I?” Midas said, raising the Cosmic Control Rod high overhead and Oubliette felt the sudden surge of power, making her hair stand on end with a crackle of electricity, and more…

“I AM…”

And the Control Room exploded…

Manhattan,
Avenger's Mansion-
Sub-basement Level 2
Storage Vault:

“It should be here somewhere…”

The Black Panther crouched, his keen eyes swiftly reading the labels on the many boxes that lined the shelves and corners, every bit of free space of the storage area. There were years of memories here; machines and tokens, mementos from past adventures all stacked and stored away for future use or future generations. There were weapons here as well, devices taken from defeated villains and locked away for study. Weapons they had created. Too, there were monuments-

“Here,” Captain America said drawing everyone's attention. “I think this is it.”

The Panther moved closer, inspecting the small crate that his friend had found, reading the label as the Batman stepped near as well.

“It's smaller than I would have imagined,” he said, eyeing the crate as Captain America pried it open at T'Challa's nod.

“Power is not often measured in size, my friend. At least not on this world.” Batman smirked, nodding.

“Touché.”

The three men turned then as Captain America cradled the machine, heading for the door. Thor and Superman waited patiently, both knowing that they were out of their depths in Avenger's knowledge and sciences. There were many similarities of course, but then too there were multitudes of differences. Thor stared at the small machine however, his eyes sparking with a glint of recognition as the Panther once again secured the vault door.

“I do recall yon device now,” he said, following as the small group made their way back up the stairs and out of the sub-basements of the mansion far beneath the streets. “'Twas when our allies- Goliath, the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver and… the Vision were lost to us for a time-“

“On the Squadron Supreme's world,” the Panther said remembering the adventure well. He had been called in by Stark to help create the very device they now carried. “It was the first time we learned the truth behind the Squadron Sinister's origins. Not our first journey to other dimensions, but an enlightening one.”

T'Challa, Son of T'Chaka and King of all the Wakandas listened only partially as Thor recounted the tale of the Black Knight's quest as they walked. The quest to cleanse the Ebony Blade of its Blood Curse, of their battles upon Arkon's world against the Enchantress and the resulting separation of the team upon attempting to return home. When the four afore-mentioned members were lost- tossed to the strangely similar world of the Squadron Supreme for the first time.

There had been other battles between the two teams of course, since, and many monumental. It almost seemed second nature now traversing the gap of dimensional space for the two teams to meet. Were that that was the case now, but it was never simple it seemed.

They passed up the flights of stairs, and T'Challa watched their new, erstwhile companions. Superman seemed almost intrigued, actually smiling on occasion to Thor's recounting. Yet there was some deeper mystery troubling the ‘Man of Steel'. Something bothered his heart. The Justice League had recounted their most recent tales of being cast into the Negative Zone and their own encounter with the Squadron Supreme. Their battle with the being they called the Time Trapper before that, and more importantly the alleged ‘murder' of the child of Arcanna. To hear their side it had been an accident, and in truth- to the Black Panther at least- that seemed the way of it. Whatever the circumstance had fueled the rage they all had felt over that had passed it seemed. Grudges remained of course, and memories, but that however was not what held Superman's true attention. There was something more.

The loss of their comrades in the Negative Zone perhaps? The League had said as much, though not in great detail. Six were lost, presumed dead from their initial travels. Was there one there special to the Man of Steel? Or was it simply the dire threat that they all still faced? The recently missing Martian Manhunter and Wonder Woman- along with Hawkeye and Iron Man- two of the Avengers' own? Perhaps the very fate of their own home world lost to them for so long?

And what of the Batman- what was he thinking?

His grim façade barely ever broke. The Panther had yet to see the man sleep, let alone eat or simply rest. And his eyes never stopped moving, taking in everything. Even now he scanned the grand hallways of the Mansion, taking note of furniture, noting the many pictures and portraits, marking the windows and doors to memory. What drove a man to such extremes? His peers often considered the Panther grim and stoic, but he was nothing compared to this man from another world.

“Jarvis…”

The Panther looked ahead, drawn from his pondering to see Captain America speaking with the Avenger's butler. Jarvis had been with the Avengers from the very beginning, and nothing ever seemed to disturb his sense of dignity and duty. Not even the sudden intrusion of eight unknown heroes from another dimension. The aging butler stood proudly in his own version of attention, nodding slightly to each man in turn, returning his attention then to Captain America-

“I have presented Brunch for your pleasures, sirs,” Jarvis stated matter-of-factly. “Though beyond coffee and light breads, most seem content to simply rest and exchange pleasantries. Master Beast is still in the Medical Labs tending to Masters Flash and Green Lantern?” Jarvis looked to Superman for reassurance as to the names and the Man of Steel grinned, nodding. Jarvis smiled in return,” and I believe Miss Wanda and Miss Van Dyne are giving Miss Zatanna an impromptu tour of the upper living areas and recreational facilities.”

“Thank you, Jarvis,” Cap said, and with a nod of his head the man smartly stepped about his serving cart and headed back towards the kitchen. Cap turned and saw the Batman watching the receding retainer with some interest, but whatever he was thinking remained a mystery behind the white slits of his cowl.

“We should get set up as soon as possible, Cap,” the Panther said before the group could enter the parlor. “I'll have to give the machine a diagnostics. It has been years since we last used it, after all. I wish Iron Man was here,” the Panther said with a sigh as he took the dimensional gate device from Captain America . “It is his creation, more than mine.”

“I have some experience with electronics, Panther,” the Batman spoke up. “If I can be of any help…”

“Any assistance would be appreciated, Batman. And best you come as well, Thor. As you will recall, we will need the power of M'Jolnir soon enough.”

“Aye, my friend,” Thor said with a nod. “I stand e'er ready to thine aid.”

“Call us when you're ready, T'Challa,” Cap said as the three men were departing for the Science Labs. “We'll be here working on morale.”

Manhattan,
Avenger's Mansion-
Third Floor
Living Quarters:

“It's very impressive,” Zatanna said as she walked alongside the Scarlet Witch and the Winsome Wasp. All three women had taken the time to shower and freshen up, now awaiting Jarvis' announcement that their uniforms were cleaned and repaired as well- except for the Wasp of course. Zatanna had been truly dazzled by the woman's wardrobe, which took up one of the smaller rooms in itself. A pity she was shorter than the other two women were, as Zatanna would have loved to swap clothes, if just for awhile.

Still, she was glad for the downtime as the three strolled the wide, lush halls of the mansion's upper floors. Wanda had said that it had once been the residence of Anthony Stark's parents- the Iron Man. She could easily see that the man had to be in the league of Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor when it came to money, if those artifacts and relics littering the halls were at all close in equal value to their duplicates on her own world. She marveled at the décor; the furnishings rich but in excellent taste, the extravagant pottery and paintings, statues and simpler busts by masters both old and new. There were many statuettes by a woman named Masters that were truly extraordinary, and all the more so as Janet said that the woman was blind.

She stared at the many portraits as well. Members past and present of the organization she supposed, recognizing those that she had only just met. She paused, sipping at her mug of coffee as she eyed a collage of reproduced newspaper and magazine articles touting a ‘new' assemblage from years before. Captain America stood in the center of Wanda, her brother and a brooding Hawkeye. All had been villains apparently, at least at one point, and the media seemed to doubt the team's legitimacy. It was so unlike home…

“Those were hard times,” Wanda said as though reading the other magician's mind. Zatanna glanced at the Scarlet Witch, hearing the almost longing in her voice, but saw the smile as well. “The best of times as well. We were all so young and arrogant and so eager to prove ourselves, both to the world as well as those that came before.” Wanda grinned, feeling Janet Van Dyne's hand on her arm.

“We always had faith in you,” the Wasp said, her own memories coming to fore. “We never would have accepted you if we didn't see the goodness within, and it was that very arrogance and eagerness that helped you all prove yourselves… eventually.”

“It seems your past was as hectic as the League's,” Zatanna added in understanding, “and as uncertain at times. I didn't join the League until much later, but I remember my father sharing many of their adventures with me, reading from the paper in the morning. There were too many times when it seemed the public had doubts, but we- the League always prevailed in the end.”

Both Wanda and Janet smiled, knowing exactly what the other woman meant. “We always do,” the Wasp added after a moment. “But hopefully not in our house coats,” she said with a grin. “Let's go see if Jarvis needs some help with the laundry.”

Manhattan,
Avenger's Mansion-
Sub-basement Level 1
Medical Labs:

“We hardly ever use this device,” the Beast said as he swiveled the telescoping extensor arm out over the table, aiming the lens over the Flash's leg. “Though why I can only imagine. It's not a catch-all per se, no miraculous healing mechanism, yet it does speed the process remarkably.”

“Seemed to work for me,” the Green Lantern said as he massaged his shoulder. “At least to a point.” Kyle Rayner winced as he felt a popping of bones in his neck and shoulder. The Avengers' Ultra-Rejuvenator had done a seemingly miraculous job of healing some of his minor injuries that had swelled and colored after the beating Thor had given him. Luckily there had been no internal injuries- or if there had the Ring had taken care of them. What the Ring could not heal though, the Beast's machine had for the most part. At least now he could move again without moaning.

“Goggles up,” the Beast said as he stepped behind the protective screen to operate the machine. Kyle held the dark goggles over his eyes, watching as Wally West forced a smile before doing the same. The Beast was not certain if the machine would help the Flash as his own aches and exhaustion was speculated as a result of being cut off from the Speed Force coupled with his own efforts to compensate. Wally had simply pushed himself too hard. As Kyle watched, squinting into the intense violet light he could see his friend's face relax just a bit. It did seem to help, and as the Beast shut down the machine's power the Flash actually collapsed back in a sprawl.

“Whoa… baby,” Flash said with a contented smile. “Give me one of these things and I might swear off sex for life.” Kyle and McCoy both laughed, stepping back up beside the examination table and the young speedster.

“It is refreshing,” Beast said as he slid a stethoscope pad along the Flash's chest, listening intently. “You're heart rate's still fast, though I assume that's normal? How's the legs?”

“Good,” Flash said as he swung his feet to the floor and tried to stand. He wavered a bit, his legs quivering, but the other two men were both at his side to support him. “Or better at any rate. The pain's gone but I still feel shaky.”

“Maybe some food,” Kyle suggested. “Like the old days?”

“Not a bad idea-“

Both men felt the quick breeze as a scarlet streak vanished through the suddenly open door. The Beast grinned, glancing at the Lantern.

“That certainly brings back memories from my youth. Quicksilver and I used to be at odds quite often, and too many times-“ But before the Beast could finish his statement the Flash had returned and piled plates of food up on the exam table. He faded into view with an empty plate in hand- then suddenly it was full again.

“Better dig in guys,” he said around a mouthful of eggs almost too fast to understand. “This is great, and thirds are definitely on the menu…”

And he was gone again…

“Oh, definitely,” the Beast chuckled, moving off to restore the Medical Lab to a ready condition. Rayner grinned, not really knowing why, but understanding none the less.

Manhattan,
Avenger's Mansion-
Main Floor
Parlor:

“Coffee, Cap?”

Steve Rogers turned from the window; his own thoughts and reminiscing interrupted by the soft voice at his side. Outside on Fifth Avenue the streets were abustle again, already. There was damage of course, but repair crews were already well at work, Damage Control and SHIELD over-seeing the worst. Traffic rolled along what was once known as Museum Mile, and beyond in Central Park he could see the usual crowds of people out enjoying the relatively good weather; the calm ‘between' the storms as it was generally called. It seemed that it took more than the potential devastation of the cosmos to put Manhattanites off their stride for more than a New York Minute.

Cap smiled down at the Black Canary, accepting the steaming mug that she offered him. “I usually don't. I've had trouble with addictive narcotics in the past, but I'll admit that today I can use the caffeine.” He took a sip, immediately feeling the very slight rush, then frowned as he saw the blonde strike a match to a cigarette. “You smoke?”

“When I'm anxious,” Dinah Laurel Lance said, waving the match out and dropping it into the ashtray situated on the windowsill. She sat in the window seat, Cap still standing over her as she blew smoke out the open window. “I started young for awhile, mainly to annoy my mother. I start and stop,” she said with a shrug. “I was surprised to find a humidor on the table, and a cigarette case. I'm surprised your butler allows it.”

“Jarvis does his job well, and there have been a few smokers in our ranks. Stark himself,” Cap smirked, “and even me for a time, back in the war before we knew better.”

“It's weird,” the Canary said changing the subject, watching the smoke spiral out the window and drift away on the breeze. “Not so long ago- on my Earth- I was right here, exactly. This building is a Justice League International embassy on my world. Mostly just a place to crash now, but it's an odd sense of déjà vu.”

“It's a mansion on the Squadron's world as well,” Cap added, sipping at his coffee. “At least it was. I suppose there are some constants in all dimensions.”

“I guess,” Dinah agreed as she crushed out her cigarette. Cap noted that it was barely half smoked. “I wish we could get moving. I hate this waiting.”

“I know what you mean.” Cap nodded, glancing about the room. He saw the Plastic Man simply content apparently to relax and eat. Cap wondered if the man's strange metabolism required extra nourishment- or any at all for that matter. He seemed a truly unique individual. Not so far away the boy- Ronnie Raymond sat watching the television, absorbed in the news of the strange world he was on apparently. He had yet to change back into his other persona- Firestorm- and Cap wondered if he had been trying, or if he could not. On the far side of the room he saw Warbird rubbing down Pietro's legs with liniment. It was an odd sight to see Carol Danvers involved in such a mundane task as she had recently been volatile to say the least. He remembered though that like he, she was ex-military and knew full well the benefits of downtime. Quicksilver for his part had declined to join the other speedster in the Med-Labs. He knew that as beneficial as the Ultra-Rejuvenator was, it could potentially be as addictive as any drug and as a rule of thumb it was only used for emergencies. A simple massage and ample rest and Pietro was usually fine.

Cap saw a shimmer of red as the Flash appeared again, but before he could even move the speedster was gone again with more food. Apparently the healing was going well.

Captain America downed the last of his coffee, setting down his mug. He had eaten lightly and felt fit and rested again, ready to go. Like the Canary however, the waiting was getting on his nerves. He glanced at the beautiful woman sitting before where he stood and found her looking up at him. She reminded him of Sharon Carter in a way; skilled and dedicated, determined and independent. Just as attractive, the same smile, huge blue eyes-

“Cap, I-“

The intercom buzzed and Cap heard the Panther's voice in the proverbial nick of time-

“We're ready...”

War World…

Ganthet staggered and collapsed, breathing heavily as he swayed on his hands and knees. His power was waning, he could feel it. The Flame still burned brightly he knew, but the negative energies, which threatened the very existence of the universe itself were cutting him from the source. It would not be long before his own reserves were totally depleted.

And still the creatures came.

He heard the roar of power, the blinding flash of light and saw Izaya not so far away still engaged in battle. He could tell that the Highfather was weakening as well, and so was Shazam. The magic like the Flame was in flux, surging at times and then barely a spark. If the creatures should mount an attack at their ebb, they would all be done.

Luckily however the monstrosities born of Chaos on the Great Wall were, for the most part, unthinking, unorganized killing machines. They swooped in like locusts, but a devastating swarm without guidance, their only purpose seemingly to devastate any and all in their path. Luckily too, individually they seemed to fall before the powers of the three.

There were just so many…

“Ganthet!” Highfather said, stepping closer. Light flared from his shepherd's staff and another of the creatures fell. Another took its place however, scrabbling closer. “Are you injured?”

Ganthet shook his head, struggling to rise. “No, old friend. Tiring, but I fight-“

Both men turned at Shazam's scream, watching as the old Wizard fell beneath a writhing mass of slick black.

“Shazam!” Lightning flashed at Ganthet's panicked shout but fizzled with nowhere to strike. The Guardian of the Universe saw Izaya's powers flare, blasting into the sea of creatures swarming over the Wizard and quickly steeled his will, adding to that power with the Green Flames of Oa. The creations of Chaos screamed and writhed, burning under the onslaught, yet still they could not see the Wizard-

There was a shimmering, a rippling as though the very fabric of space had suddenly been stirred, and just as suddenly the creatures were gone. The nearest swarm at least. Both Highfather and Ganthet stared at the still for of the old Wizard, bloodied and battered yet heaving for breath. They glanced at one another, both puzzled by the strange effect, but as they started for the old man-

“Darkseid…” Izaya gasped.

“Mongul!” Ganthet shouted, yet both knew that they were wrong even before their startled echoes died away.

The man kneeling at Shazam's side resembled both, and neither. The same size and monstrous shape, the same stony visage, yet there was something different about the blue-clad figure that neither would-be conqueror could match. There was an air of Death about him.

The stony-faced savior stood as the two older beings approached. Both were wary, and too both watched the skies for the next swarm of Chaos unleashed. The being however simply smiled, raising his hands-

“Peace, gentle beings,” the man said, his voice gravelly, as etched in stone as his face. “I bring good tidings,” he continued, the Wizard at his feet slowly beginning to stir. “I bring victory…”

The man gestured skyward, and Ganthet's eyes boggled at the sight. He wondered how he had not seen it before; it was so huge. It was a star ship the size of War World itself on which they all stood. It appeared spherical and white; smooth with distance save the one huge aperture on one hemisphere from which what appeared a gigantic lens protruded. Ganthet knew the wonders of the universe, yet there were few man-made structures that could compare with the might and majesty of War World. Yet this…

“I bring Galactus!”

Metropolis,
The Daily Planet Building :

Iron Man soared higher, swooping up to blast at the creature climbing the side of the building. He could hear the strained whine of his over-taxed Repulsor Rays, adjusted the gain just a bit from the boot jets to compensate as he let gravity do the armor's work for a few seconds. He had the solar receptors wide, letting the power cells feed what energy they might collect though sunlight was scarce with the roiling clouds churning overhead. The electrical pins were doing a better job but the computer was having a hard time sifting energy from the anti-matter.

He watched as the monster screamed, dropping from its perch and flailing as it fell to the streets below. Hopefully that was one more down, though he doubted it. It took a head on shot of the Repulsors to actually hurt one of the creatures, and from what he had seen they could survive a simple fall.

Kicking in his boot jets once more he sailed higher again, turning in a wide arc as he scanned the building. This one seemed secure enough for the moment, at least on the outside, but the rest of the city was still under siege by the creatures. The streets were crowded with the panicked and injured- and the dead. Smoke was rising from fires raging everywhere, whether sparked by the storms or the monsters he had no idea. Not that it mattered. The once pristine city was overrun and in shambles. Its huge towers were charred and crumbling, though surprisingly none had collapsed yet. Iron Man could see that it had been a beautiful city once; huge and stretching into suburbs dwindling in the distance. Even the slums seemed… clean, but for the war raging in the streets. He wondered just where he was.

He had simply appeared, spit from a tear in the sky so like those that had appeared on his own world. It had taken a moment simply to recover, a frantic few moments as his onboard computers rebooted to at least the point that he could control the armor again. He had brought up his Nav-software, but the system could not place his position, and simply looking around he could see that he was in no city that should exist on his own world. He saw the gigantic glass tower in the shape of an ‘L' almost in the city's center, and the other building, older and smaller with the huge golden Saturn-shaped globe on top. No, not his world at all…

The Justice League's Earth then. Had to be.

He had been scanning the city, searching for some sign of the others when the creature's started appearing. They were the same monstrosities that had come swarming from the Negative Zone on his own world. Slick black and armor plated, with nothing but destruction on mind they came tumbling into the city, ravaging everything in their path. There was little to do but try and help.

He saw others doing the same. There was a man dressed in blue and gold racing through the cityscape firing blasts of energy. There was another with the same color scheme carrying a shield and struggling through the streets. There was a machine shaped like a gigantic insect floating overhead…

He needed answers, but knew enough not to approach the city's heroes in a moment of crisis like this. Here he was the unknown, and past experience led him to believe that sudden appearances usually led to obligatory fights. Too, approaching the local authorities would probably have the same result. No doubt the city's emergency units were stretched and stressed to their limits and did not need a man in armor flying in to distract them. That left the newspapers. If anyone knew the state of the world- back home at any rate- it would be J. Jonah Jameson and his Daily Bugle. Here in this city, Iron Man hoped that this ‘Daily Planet' was the closest equivalent.

“Well,” he said to himself, checking his battery readings a final time before sealing his armor and shooting towards what appeared to be the ‘City Room', “nothing ventured- nothing gained.”

He heard the obligatory screams as he sailed in slowly through the window. He cut the power to the jets, landing lightly to the floor as his scanners had read the structure as remarkably reinforced. Still, the dying winds roared scattering papers in a flurry, the heat of his over-worked jets making the worn tiles under his feet smolder.

He saw people ducking out of sight with little panic after his initial, dramatic appearance. Oddly, as a whole the newsroom staff seemed to have their ‘duck and cover' routine down to a tee, as though armored men flew through their windows on a regular basis. There was one man however that did not run, though he did put a desk between them. He was older, overweight with thin and graying hair and chomping down hard on the butt of a cigar-

“Great Caesar's Ghost…” he exclaimed as he tried to split his attention between the intruder and his people. The armor was reading too a sudden surge in cell phone activity, along with a strange ultrasonic signal that seemed to be coming from a red-haired boy snapping pictures. No present danger that Iron Man could see as it raised his hands, hoping to appear friendly-

“I… I come in peace.” Tony Stark grimaced beneath his mask, glad that his armor was all encompassing. He could feel his skin flush red, burning with embarrassment. “I'm… My name is Iron Man. I mean you no harm-“

“Then what in the name of thunder are you doing here, man?” the older man said. He was obviously Jameson's counterpart on this world, or at least in this city. “Don't you know where you are?” Tony Stark shrugged-

“Actually, sir, no. I'm from… out of town, but that's not important. I'm looking for the Justice League.”

“Well, you came to the right place then, son,” the old man said with a grin. He pointed to the window behind Iron Man, and the Golden Avenger turned, half expecting the worst.

He saw Wonder Woman there, perched in the window frame, one shapely leg stepping down to the floor. Iron Man sighed with relief to see a friendly face at last, then grimaced to see her right hand wrapped tightly in some kind of metal brace. He looked up to her face then and saw her smile-

“Hello, Iron Man,” she said, even though they had yet to actually meet.

“Welcome to Metropolis…”

Earth's Moon,
The JLA Watchtower:

As a scientist, Anthony Stark always marveled at the art of teleportation. It was a science that he had never managed to get a grasp of despite his best efforts and the accomplishments of his peers. Doom had managed it, as had Sunturion, but even studying the workings of the latter's armor- though he could copy the process he could never quite find the breakthrough to patent a version all his own. It was annoying to say the least.

But as he appeared on the platform that Wonder Woman had quickly described his scientific frustrations were swiftly forgotten. He had little to do in those first seconds as his computers rebooted yet again, recalibrating from the sudden flux of spatial transition. Little to do but stare in awe at his new surroundings…

He wished that he had more time as he ignored the rattling and ‘pinging' of his internal workings. He wished that the world- the very universe was not about to come crashing down around them all so that he could simply walk through the grand, sweeping halls and savor every inch of the headquarters of the Justice League. The Wonder Woman had a remarkable gift for understatement, having called their Moon base simply that, but as he craned his neck and stared trying to take it all in he knew that he was in Wonderland- or Olympus .

The walls were stark, sparkling in metallic cleanliness yet bristling with machinery that appeared baffling even to his genius at a glance. The floors were pristine tiles of white stretching out and dulling the sound of the station that seemed almost to vibrate in its glory. He could see the Earth, a great sweep of red flowing over Asia in waxing glow of earthshine, storms crackling with pinpoints of flashing light. There was a tower rising in the distance; some communications array no doubt, perhaps a beacon for ships and the transporter mechanisms. His audio sensors were filtering a babble of newsfeeds broadcasting somewhere within, and his sensors- as they popped to life one by one- quickly gave readings on the atmosphere and power output swirling about him-

“Iron Man?”

Tony Stark blinked to see Wonder Woman standing just ahead and waiting for him. He felt foolish, like a kid in a candy store and oddly started to blush again. Twice in so short a time, it was embarrassing.

“Sorry,” he said as he stepped fully from the transporter pad, still looking about but trying not to ignore his beautiful hostess. “It's… impressive. I've built my own space station, and worked on one for SHIELD and NASA, but this is truly remarkable. The technology is extraterrestrial?”

“In part,” Diana smiled, amazed that the man in the armor was learned enough to recognize that at a quick glance. “It's a combination of Martian and Thanagarian technologies mainly, though everyone who could contribute did. No little effort was provided from Earth itself; funding and technology, including certain things from my own people.”

“You're not from Earth?”

“Yes,” Wonder Woman corrected. “I'm what is called an Amazon.”

“We have Amazons,” Stark said. “I've encountered a few.”

“As foes it sounds,” she said, walking on, her soft footfalls almost inaudible on the strange acoustical tiles.

“More often than not,” Stark said as he raised his hands to the collar of his helmet. “Mind if I take this off for a bit? I could enjoy the opportunity to refurbish my supply and breathe some fresh air.”

“Please.” Wonder Woman watched as the man in the armor depressed hidden studs and opened locks. Soon, with a hiss of compressed air he tilted the golden faceplate and pulled the skullcap off and back while the neck bracing receded into the main torso. His hair was matted to his head, his face covered in sweat and some sort of gel, but she was pleasantly surprised to see how handsome he was under the armor. His smile was truly dazzling, and might have melted her heart in another time and circumstance. He held out his hand, still wrapped in heavy metal-

“Anthony Stark,” he said with a grin, almost embarrassed. She started to take his hand, then held it up, showing him the shattered remains in the metal brace. He blushed again. “Sorry,”

“No apologies,” she said, reaching out to embrace his wavering hand with her left. “I am Diana, Princess of Thymscira.” There was that smile again.

“Charmed…”

“Diana?”

And the moment passed.

Wonder Woman turned and saw the familiar form of one of her oldest friends. He was dressed in his old red and black costume, his red hair in disarray as his neck stretched forward to an ungodly length, his nose vibrating madly. She saw his wife and her dear friend standing in relative safely just a bit behind.

“All's well, Ralph,” she said, signaling the all-clear sign to stand down, a simple wave of her fingers in position. “This is a friend.” She turned back to Stark and saw his face alight with curiosity, making her smile. “Anthony Stark, meet Ralph Dibny- the Elongated Man, and his wife Sue. Ralph, Sue, this is Anthony Stark- the Iron Man. ”

Pleasantries were quickly exchanged as Diana stepped to the wall and the closest communicator. She was glad to have found Ralph, and more especially Sue here at the Watchtower when she and J'onn J'onzz had arrived back on their own world, miraculously more or less unscathed after their travails. They had appeared in Gotham, remarkably, and luckily had quickly found one of the Batman's teleport pads secreted on top of the Wayne Foundation Building . It was a simple matter from there to get back to the Moon.

They had found Ralph and Sue there, holding down the fort so to speak. Both were old friends, Ralph a long-standing member of the League so it was only mildly surprising. As they rushed her to the Medical Wing, Sue Dibny explained what had been happening in the relatively short time that they had been absent. It felt like months to the princess, but in actuality it had not even been a week in full. The strange oddities of the Time Stream had wrecked havoc with her senses apparently. Sue explained what had happened; the betrayal of Nabu and the Chaos war when the red skies had reappeared. The Justice Society had beat back Fate with the help of the Spectre and the combined efforts of the heroes of the world. No sooner had one earth-shattering catastrophe ended however, that the next had begun.

The red skies had remained, along with the strange rifts. The storms had spread, and now it seemed that strange creatures had invaded, coming through the Negative Zone. If that was truly where the tears in space led. The creatures themselves seemed oddly familiar as well, though she could not quite understand why. She had never encountered their like before this. Something from the files then?

While Ralph and Sue worked to mend her shattered fist –crushed on the other Earth by the monster Annihilus- the Martian Manhunter flew to the Monitor Womb to view the world's state, and hopefully find some sign of their still-missing friends. Not only those that they had left behind on the Avengers' Earth, but those lost to the Time Stream in the beginning; Aquaman, the Atom and Red Tornado along with Superman's parents and wife, Lois Lane. It was there that he first reported the ultrasonic alarm of Jimmy Olsen's Signal Watch. It was there that he saw the Iron Man…

“J'onn,” she said over the intercom, knowing that his mental abilities were probably straining to their limits at that moment. She hated to interrupt. He had been injured himself in the battle with the Avengers, and his time in the Womb was probably his first best chance to rest. Still…

“We're back. It was only the Iron Man alone.”

“Pity,” she heard J'onzz say, his voice sounding heavy and tired. “I had hoped this might be simple, but it never is.”

“J'onn, you should rest. I can take over-“

“You need to rest as well, Diana. More so perhaps, and the Iron Man as well. I can go longer without sleep. I shall be fine.”

“But, J'onn-“ he cut the signal.

Diana turned to find the other three watching, waiting. Finally she sighed.

“J'onn is doing all he can to search for any sign of our friends that may have come across. There is little we can do at the moment, so we should rest.” She directed the last to Stark, then turned to the Elongated Man. “You take the duty, Ralph. Keep abreast of the situation down below. I have every faith that the world's heroes can hold the tide, but stay alert in case things change. Anthony, I can show you to a guest room where you can rest.”

“Actually,” Stark said smiling at Sue. “Ralph's wife offered to give me the nickel tour, and believe it or not that would be more beneficial to my state of health than sleep. If there's someplace I could plug my armor in though, maybe freshen up a bit?”

“Of course,” Diana said, considering. “Steel's workshop I believe. Sue?”

“I'd be happy to, Mister Stark,” she said, crooking her elbow, which Stark automatically took.

“Anthony, Sue. Please…”

Ralph Dibny's head stretched forward, hovering just beside Diana's as the two watched the pair stroll away towards the elevators. The Princess could not help but smirk to see the Stretchable Sleuth's nose vibrating madly.

“Why do we always meet the smoothies, Diana? I really hate guys like that.”

Diana smiled, knowing full well that Ralph and Sue Dibny were perhaps the most happily married couple she had ever met. If Sue seemed flirtatious, it was simply out of good humor for her husband's sake, having left her alone at home for far too many nights whilst he was playing the hero and detective.

“I don't know, Ralph,” she said with a smile as she turned to her friend. “He is quite attractive however, I must admit.”

“Arrgh…”

Diana afforded a laugh as her friend receded, and finally she too walked away…

The Aerie,
Mt. Annapurna
Nepal:

“ Lund ! Lund !”

Ra's al Ghul shouted into the intercom knowing full well that he would receive no answer. There was nothing left beyond the thick, cracked safety glass separating him from what was once the main control room of Project: Babel . The vast array of machinery was simply gone. The walls, floor and ceiling had been blasted clean down to the reinforced neutronium shielding. The very plexiglas through which he stared was now warped and twisted from the heat of the negative energy that it had barely contained. Of his technical staff- and Lund- nothing remained but charred shadows etched on the walls and floor, a twisted visage of shock etched into the glass.

The room beyond was not empty however, nor still. Energy still crackled and sparked, the flickering illumination the only thing lighting the surrounding nearby labs. The entire section had shut down with the sudden surge and was dark and swiftly starting to chill. Al Ghul wondered if the entire facility had been affected, but swiftly dismissed his concern, knowing that his many followers would see to any catastrophe beyond. Smoke drifted in aftermath of the blinding blast of anti-matter that had scoured the room as well. Yet there was movement.

The silver man remained, though no longer constrained by the special machinery and devices that had encumbered his form before. The machines were gone, and he lay unconscious, smoldering on the barren floor. Too, there were the strange new comers-

The odd man garbed in purple and blue lay still on the ground, one hand yet clutching the strand of leather wrapped about his throat, the other cradling his bow. An archer then- probably a hero though not of Green Arrow's progeny nor the assassin, Merlin. Some unknown then, perhaps hoping to make a name for himself in light of the worldwide calamity.

The red-haired woman dressed tightly in leather was on her knees retching but remarkably conscious. Ra's al Ghul stared, squinting into the flickering light trying to fathom her special powers- her Meta, but she seemed no more outstanding than the unconscious archer. How had they survived?

But then he knew. He saw it. The woman had reached the last, the man in the golden armor and had been in contact when the surge had ripped through the room destroying months of work and preparation. The golden man stood close to the woman yet, and she in turn was linked to the bowman by the whip. Somehow the man had protected them all. He still held that small cylinder that he had been clutching before, and it was still leaking energy, but there was something different as well. Ra's al Ghul had seen the like before.

He was glowing. His eyes were red and wild with a sudden madness. He shivered and hunkered, clutching the rod whilst the energies washed over him. They almost seemed a part of him now, somehow and he was almost giddy with the power…

“Father?”

Talia had come up behind him and he was so distracted that he had not noticed. He needed to focus, and quickly, or this would all run away from him.

“Status, daughter?”

“I-“

“Status!”

“The Aerie is running on emergency power- eighty-seven percent in the upper levels, less here. Thirty-eight dead when the batteries overloaded and erupted. Another fifty-two injured directly, and over two hundred exposed to the radiation before the reactor was contained. Breach in Sections thirty-one through forty-two and flooding in eight through twelve-“

“The Tower?”

“Shut down. Without the control machinery the energies are blazing skywards like a shaft of light. They are being channeled into the Rift, though why or how is unknown.”

Ra's al Ghul leaned forward resting his fists on the control panel on his side of the glass. The woman was struggling to rise now, but the man in the golden armor seemed unconcerned, or perhaps simply unaware. His thoughts were elsewhere, his gaze lost to something beyond-

“At last…” his voice boomed, echoing through the room, crackling over the intercom.

“Daddy?” the woman said. Ra's al Ghul could hear the terror lacing her voice.

The golden man looked down at the young woman, his face lost behind his helmet's mask. His eyes crackled with an internal fire. “I've done it, Oubliette…”

He held up his hands and Ra's al Ghul saw anti-matter dancing between his fingers like lightning. He dropped the rod, forgotten.

“Power…” he whispered watching the dancing lights, making them flare and grow. “POWER!”

“Initiate Project: Nullify,” Ra's al Ghul said, squinting into the light. “Start with Template: Steel. It probably won't work, but try none the less. Then shift to Firestorm. If that proves ineffective I shall have to reconsider. And find out just where that energy is funneling to.”

Ra's al Ghul heard his daughter on her communicator, static crackling through the outer chamber. She would initiate the contingency plans, he had no doubt. He only hoped that the Detective's countermeasures meant to incapacitate his teammates would work against the man in the golden armor.

Seeing the power, the raw energies rippling off of the man, the Demon's Head had his doubts. He would have to take measures of his own…

Manhattan,
Avenger's Mansion-
Sub-basement Level 1
Science Labs:

“Thor?” Captain America asked seeing the sudden strain wash over the Asgardian's face. The Thunder God grimaced, but his arms remained steady and the flow of energy uninterrupted.

“I sense…” Thor said through clenched teeth. He was sweating, his arms shaking as he held his hammer out, a coursing stream of mystical energy funneling into the Trans-dimensional machine that they had taken from storage. “There was a surge of strange energies, and it hast taken mine entire mettle to hold M'Jolnir fast and true.”

“A surge?” the Panther asked as he stared at the machine's displays. The energy readings were all topped into the red and off the scale.

“Aye. ‘Twas the foul stench of Annihilus.”

“Annihilus?” Superman asked, some worry in his voice.

“Thor speaks in prose,” the Scarlet Witch said with a grim smile. “It takes some getting used to. He means that the energy reminds him of Annihilus.”

“Anti-matter then?” Batman suggested, and the Panther nodded.

“Most likely. My monitors are off the scale. Something is definitely influencing your dimension. Whatever was here is there now, but multiplied by astronomical proportions.”

“So we can't get back?” Plastic Man asked. “That sucks BIG time.”

“I did not say that. The journey will be hard, but-“

“The Son of Odin stands ready to do his part. Fear not, thy assemblage shall traverse the dimensional gap and return to thy home in safe passage. I shall stand fast to guarantee thy safe journey. The portal shall remain open.” Thor settled in, standing fast as he rolled M'Jolnir in his sweating palms.

“That might not be necessary…”

All eyes turned to Kyle Rayner as he spoke up somewhat nervously. Thor himself eyed the Green Lantern with some suspicion, the word of the Nth Man lingering in the back of his very being. The Flash stepped up, suddenly at Rayner's side, his hand on his friend's shoulder.

“What do you mean, Kyle? What-“

“I can funnel the magic, the energy coming from… his hammer. I can see it through the Ring. It's…It's just another form of light.”

“Are you absolutely certain, Rayner?” Batman asked. The science was almost beyond him, and the strange magicks pouring from the seemingly simple stone hammer were baffling and confounding to say the least.

“It's easy,” Kyle Rayner said, his eyes sparkling in the glow. “I can make a construct that'll redirect his energies in a cycle. He can come too that way,” Kyle said with a shrug, looking at the rest of the assemblage- some of the greatest heroes he had ever seen or known. “Figure we'll need him. Long as I'm conscious- and the Ring doesn't run out of power…” Kyle shrugged again.

Thor stared at the boy that held one of the greatest weapons in the universe at his command. Kyle Rayner, Earth's last Green Lantern tried to smile, but it was forced and hollow.

“So be it. Do what you must, boy. Thor stands ready!”

Kyle Rayner looked; first to his ring, then casting his gaze to the assembled heroes. Thor stood at the rear of the small machine, his hammer channeling energy to create a portal before them all. He peered into the shimmering light but saw nothing beyond. The Thunder God seemed certain however, and the others trusted him; Batman and Superman, and the Avengers' Black Panther and Captain America . They had seen it all. They were the best. If they did not have faith…

He looked to each. Wally, probably his best friend- at least in the Meta World nodded quickly. Plastic Man grinned widely, nodding just the same. Zatanna- Zee smiled warmly, and Dinah gave him the thumbs up.

The Avengers seemed just a bit less certain. He saw the blonde- Warbird whispering to the Beast. The Scarlet Witch seemed aloof, and Quicksilver nervous, shaking at breakneck speeds. The Wasp lighted on Captain America 's shoulder and waved.

They trusted him- all of them. Even Thor- Even the man that had beat him to a pulp and left him for dead. He would have been but for the Ring- he knew that. He accepted that, accepted it –at least from the other side. Accident or no, he had killed a little kid. He had killed- at least inadvertently. He had killed, but the Ring had saved him again-

“Work thy Magic's, boy,” Thor snarled as the energy spurred again, lighting the room. “E'en the Odinson is not without limits.”

Kyle Rayner nodded, licking his lips. He concentrated, extending his arm- the one with the Ring, his other hand gripping the off wrist to hold it steady, keep it from shaking in terror. He held sixteen lives in his hands- him and the man… the God that had tried to kill him…

He had to get this right…

Earth's Moon,
The JLA Watchtower:

I HAVE THEM…

Wonder Woman staggered, slamming into the wall as the telepathic message of J'onn J'onzz almost bowled her over. Her hand went to her head and she winced again as she put pressure on her injured hand.

“J'onn…”

THEY”RE COMING…

“J'onn… I can't…”

HAWKEYE! I SENSE HIM, BUT…

“J'onn!” The princess pinched her eyes at the bridge of her nose as she hugged the wall, the world spinning…

THERE'S MORE! SPIKE! THERE'S…

“J'onn…” Diana dropped to her knees with the psychic assault. She heard Sue Dibny's screams…

NEFARIA…

To be continued…

Next Issue: At last, the conclusion. Be here to find out why and what, where and who. All answers will be revealed as the greatest battle of two universes comes to a dramatic conclusion as the Avengers and JLA play…

ENDGAME!

Be there…

Story © Curt F
Plot © Chris Munn and Curt F
Editing: Chris Munn