(Davian's P.O.V)

"Davian!"

Chase yelled in alarm as black flames roared along the chains around us. Then we started burning.

The others screamed themselves raw while Harley laughed, seeming to enjoy the pain.

"Those are hell chains. They burn your soul and mind without really killing you."

Constantine's voice sounded out from my left.

I grit my teeth, enduring the pain while looking up at him.

"Yes! I'm a bastard." He spread out his hands.

"I make the choices that no one else has to!"

He was just behind Raven, on the outside of the huge pentagram but far enough that none of us could get to him. Least of all her. Raven, like the rest of us was ensnared in hell chains, eyes wide with pain while her body shook.

"Damn you Constantine!"

Ivy snarled, the Serpent breaking free of the chains and speeding towards Constantine. It sprayed it's venom towards the magician, who looked not even the least bit worried.

"No!"

I yelled for her to stop but I was too slow. Constantine stepped to the side, hands in his pocket as the venom landed behind him.

The whole mind scape begun shaking when the Venom found a target. The huge Raven construct that had dove in to try to and rescue Raven.

The bird screamed as darkness surged out of it's form from the hole created by the venom.

Raven's screams turned even more agonizing.

"Raven!! Fuck! Constantine Let her go!"

I tried to get up by the chains seemed to weigh down on me. I couldn't call upon my Reiryoku or enter Shikai. The pain was even preventing me from using my Fullbring.

"Assero Animalis Vocare! I free your summons, Spawn of the World Tree! Return from whence you came!"

Constantine chanted and the Serpent begun burning in green flames, before turning into ash and scattering away into the air.

"Chase! Help!"

I called out in desperation.

"I can't seem to take control of your energy to free you!"

Chase answered, his tone hurried as well.

It was our last resort and even that had failed. Damn it! I had played right into Constantine's hands. I should have just killed him when I had the chance, instead of monologuing.

'No more. When I get out of here... he's dead. Utterly and completely dead.'

"You forgot what the lad said."

Constantine grinned as he addressed Poison Ivy.

"Venom from the spawn of Jormungandr can erode anything. Matter, energy even mental constructs designed to keep people out of someone's mind. And with the Lass's security feature down...one can enter or leave as they please."

With one last cry, the Raven disappeared. In its previous position was an unstable rift.

"Goodbye and..." he said as he turned around, throwing his next words over his shoulders.

"I'm sorry."

Then he jumped through the rift, causing it to collapse behind him.

And just like that we were trapped. Things only got worse from there. The whole Mind scape begun trembling even more intensely.

"You need to find a way out of here Davian. The destruction of Raven's soul self is causing a collapse in her mind scape. I estimate you have about 20 seconds before we are all dead."

Chase delivered the grim news.

Dammit.

(General P.O.V)

Kalibak and Ma'ale'faak walked silently through the darkened hallway of Darkseid's palace, their footsteps echoing off the cold stone walls. Ma'ale'faak's eyes glowed with a fierce intensity as he spoke in hushed tones to Kalibak.

"We must not forget my purpose here, Kalibak. And the wait is killing my efforts already. My people await action, and I am here to ensure the supremacy of our race, to rid my world of those who would stand in my way."

The White Martian complained.

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Kalibak growled, stopping.

His massive frame towered over Ma'ale'faak.

"Watch your tone, Martian. Ambition without the power to back it up is a double-edged sword, Ma'ale'faak."

People took Kalibak for a fool. What they forgot was that he was a new god. He just liked handling things with his fists, that did not mean he was dumb.

"Be respectful in the presence of my father. He will not endure your nagging the same way I have."

The New God added, continuing to walk on.

Ma'ale'faak's lips thinned as he bowed slightly, cowed.

"Of course. I have nothing but absolute respect for Darkseid."

He quickly replied.

In his mind however, he held nothing but contempt. To him Darkseid's pathetic attempts to rule the universe, were just that, pathetic. For all his power, why stop at the universe? Why not below and above it?

"I will play the game for now, as long as it serves my purpose."

He thought.

They soon approached the entrance to the throne room, which had two para-demons standing guard, mostly for show. No one thought Darkseid needed protecting.

Kalibak took a deep breath and straightened his shoulders. Then he pushed the huge doors in with minimal effort, walking in.

The ornate but grim chamber loomed before them, the size of a football stadium and draped with valuables and opulence from billions of worlds. Yet everything was in shades of black or red.

On a massive throne at the far end of the room, Darkseid sat, exuding an aura of power that made Ma'ale'faak's skin crawl.

Another New God stood by his side. A man long white hair and skin that was tinted purple. He seemed strong. But his strength was overshadowed by what sat beside him, as tall when sitting as Grayven was when standing.

The light from the nearby fire pit, caused Shadows to fall inside the throne room, concealing Darkseid's huge form. Only his scarlet eyes were visible. Sweeping across the two, judging and finding them unworthy.

Kalibak bowed and Ma'ale'faak followed suit.

And then he spoke. His voice was like a rumble. Ma'ale'faak felt the screams of trillions echo low under Darkseid's words as they died over and over again under Darkseid's Omega Sanction.

And Ma'ale'faak finally understood. He wasn't going after the heavens or hell because he didn't need to. He already had control over countless souls.

"Kalibak. And Ma'ale'faak, the white Martian supremacist. What brings you both to my throne room on this day?"

Kalibak straightened from his bow. "We come to reaffirm our loyalty to you, father, to offer my services in any way you see fit. He on the other hand...has a petition."

Darkseid laughed. The sound was harsh and unforgiving.

"Martian. You dare stand before Darkseid so boldly? You confuse bravely for stupidity. All your thoughts are laid bare to me."

Ma'ale'faak's mouth dried up, his white skinned and long limbed body shivering under the attention of this...thing. His thoughts?! But how!? He was a Martian! No one could read his mind!

Darkseid's lips twisted into a cruel smile.

"I see."

The New God said, causing Ma'ale'faak to blink in surprise.

"Uh excuse me?"

He managed to say.

"Your allies on Earth sent you here. Savage sent you here."

Darkseid replied, turning to his son, while leaving a speechless Ma'ale'faak. How had he known that?

"Their planet is undefended. The Kryptonian and his 'Justice League' are in shambles. Give me the earth."

Kalibak's eyes gleamed with excitement.

"I will do whatever is necessary to secure victory for you, my lord."

The scion bowed.

Ma'ale'faak's expression darkened as the fear was pushed to the side by anger and desperation. A part of the Earth was promised to him. He had already moved some of his operations there.

"And what of your deal with Savage Lord Darkseid? Will you not honor the deal you made with him?!"

In one fluid motion, an hammer swept his feet from under him, before the handle was held under his neck.

"Learn your place, Martian."

Kalibak growled.

"I apologize! I apologize for my disrespect Lord Darkseid!"

Ma'ale'faak hastily hacked, finding that he couldn't phase through the weapon on his neck.

Darkseid's eyes narrowed as he regarded Ma'ale'faak with a cold, calculating gaze. "I have no need for weaklings. Alliances are conditional. If you have enough mettle then your enemies will become Darkseid's enemies. And they shall be crushed like bugs. Savage will need to prove to me that he can defend his claim for the Earth."

The New God explained.

"You came here seeking my forces for him to use to fully conquer his home world. How pathetic that you carry out his bidding whilst your own people are continuously under the rule of those undeserving."

Every word was like a bomb going off the Martian's mind. He found himself pushed away by Kalibak.

Ma'ale'faak's lips curled into a snarl as he laid on the ground, knelt before the Impossible.

"Then I humbly request for a boon, lord."

He implored.

"You do not need your entire forces to conquer the planet. Let me do it for you! Honor me with that glory. In return, I offer my and Mars allegiance to Apokalips. To you."

And with those words, the fate of two planets hung in the balance, as Darkseid's laughter echoed out across the whole of Apokalips.

(Davian's P.O.V)

"10 seconds remaining."

Chase informed me of the countdown to our demise.

The rumbling had increased and cracks of wild black energy started ripping apart the space around us.

"Well... this...is bad. Very very..."

Green Arrow bit out from my side.

"Shut up and let me think!"

I snarled in irritation.

How was I going to get us out of here? I strained, sweeping my eyes out at the rest. Everyone was in the same mess. Black chains with flames dancing along their lengths, reaching into their souls and burning them.

Then my eyes landed on Raven.

Yeah...that could work, I realized.

"9 seconds remai..."

I tuned out Chase and tried to get Raven's attention.

"Hey! Raven!"

She managed to raise her head.

"Everything...hurts Davian!"

She screamed.

"It's okay! I can get us out of here but I need you to trust me. Can you create a small rift to the outside world?"

I urgently asked, doing my best to ignore the pain.

"I...I can't."

She groaned out, hands crawling over the chains to try and remove them.

"We're probably going to die here...guys. So, been nice Ives." Harley said in a clear tone, as if she wasn't feeling the same pain we were.

"Shame that I never got to play with your whip, Kitty. Or your longsword, Copkiller."

"Raven! You can do it! I believe in you. Just a tiny rift. Don't you want to get out of here and kill Constantine for doing this to us?!" I roared.

"Do you want to let that bastard or your father win?!"

My words seemed to lit a fire under her.

"They...they should burn...as well."

She stammered out, raising a hand and aiming it at me.

The space between us started warping as a black vortex swirled into existence. The vortex was unlike the one before. The biggest difference being that it was small. Smaller than the eye of a needle infact.

But it was more than sufficient.

"What are you..." Chase begun, before pausing. Then he started laughing.

Laughing in a way I had never heard before.

"I see. You truly are a worthy master, Davian Mabuz."

Through the small hole, a black string shot out, connecting me with the lone Shroud I had left outside the black dome. Through the string, I felt my awareness spread out to every Shroud in Gotham and then the county, then the U.S and finally...the entire planet.

It was overwhelming.

Overwhelmingly simple to give the command.

"Feed me your strength. Your energy. Yourselves. I WANT ALL OF IT!"

The world seemed to slow down as the string trembled in my hands. And then, in a never ending torrent came,

POWER.