“Come on, big guy,” Kara shifted her course, on target for the western coast of America. The cries of countless citizens, terrified and desperate, echoed in her ears. “Cal and the others are already on the way to their battle grounds, we’ve been tasked with saving as many as we can.”
“Just drop me in front of my target and take care of yourself, little bird,” Juggernaut’s eyes flashed, a crackle of red lightning that caused Kara to flinch. “This En Sabah Nur has made a fool of me once, he won’t do so again…”
Kara rolled her eyes and accelerated towards the first city they hoped to clear. Stark’s satellites showed it was occupied by the Anubis-faced Horseman of Death, alongside a collection of empowered mutants.
A scan along the coast showed the Horseman of War, seated atop a pyramid of flame. The city of Los Angeles burnt around her, filled with the cries of the helpless. Kara measured the distance, arm raised to heft Juggernaut over her head.
“Deal with War first, Apocalypse will take more than the two of us to take down,” Kara hurled her oversized burden, before he had a chance to respond. The crimson missile raced towards the distant Horseman, while she turned her attention back to Death. “Now, let’s see if Cal’s new spell is enough to pin this shadowy freak down…”
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“We have to act, Ikaris,” Sersi leaned forward, hands pressed to the stone tabletop that served as the meeting place of the leadership of the Eternals. “En Sabah Nur was meant to be the guardian of evolution on this planet, not its lord and master. Superman has vanished, we are this world's only hope now…”
“Arishem’s orders limit our involvement in the human world,” Ikaris shook his head, eyes cold as he avoided Seri’s gaze. “Supergirl and the other members of the Order of Krypton are nearly as powerful as our united might, our involvement may not even change the outcome.”
“The actions of Apocalypse are within our domain of action, you know that as well as I, Ikaris,” Zuras drummed his fingers against the tabletop, his lips drawn in a frown. “He has perverted our master’s technology, turned it to a twisted purpose that cannot be tolerated… If you will not go, then I shall accept the unity and challenge him myself.”
“That is your right, as the eldest among us,” Ikaris shrugged as he rose from his seat. He floated into the air, face locked in a neutral mask. “Do as you will, but know that I shall report these events to our master.”
“Very well,” Zuras nodded as he looked around at the Eternal’s that remained. “Arishem will only support the reclamation of his stolen knowledge. Come now, let us complete the unity and assault the betrayer in his den…”
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
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“Come on, Prime… the word is falling apart,” Domino balled her hands into fists as the mechanical Superman blocked her exit from the Fortress. “We should be out there fighting, not boarding a ship and running into space!”
“Dom is right,” Darwin cracked his knuckles, eyes dark as he stared down the first of the Primes. “Supergirl and the others need our help, there’s no way they can handle everything on their own.”
“They will not be alone,” Prime waved a hand and the floor rolled under the gathered mutant’s feet, a wave that ushered them deeper into the Fortress. “My brothers and sisters have joined them, with me soon to follow. Your place is with the younger students, you must assist their new guardians in defending them until it is safe to return home.”
Prime One guided the young x-men into the central production chamber, where a vast number of newly constructed robots waited for activation. Central among them was an oversized unit, still under construction. Howard and Tony scrambled, focused completely on their task as they hurried to assemble the enhanced model.
“Wait here, I shall return in a moment,” Prime One floated into the air, on course for the father-son duo. Hand extended, he summoned the All-Spark from its housing above and drew it toward his chest. “I must animate the Guardian, as well as awaken the sparks within my new-born brothers and sisters.”
The vast, mechanical cube folded itself down, until it was small enough to rest in the palm of his hand. Prime One closed his eyes and pressed it to his chest, socketed under his skin with a rush of electric-blue.
Tony glanced up at the lightshow, hand raised to wipe the sweat from his brow. Howard waved to regain his son’s attention, and they inserted a final component. The pair had only had full access to Krypton’s databases for a little more than a month, yet they had already improved upon a great number of systems.
“It’s ready, I think…” Howard scooped Tony into his arms and scampered back from the humanoid robot. “We didn’t have time to test everything, almost nothing really…”
“It will be more than enough,” Prime One opened eyes filled with near boundless light, hand raised to release a wave of energy onto the silent machines. “The All-Spark will correct any minor mistakes, and time is running out.”
Metal shifted, melded and reshaped by the All-Spark’s power. The army of regular robots reformed into countless Primes, each one in the shape of a metallic Kryptonian. The Guardian in the centre folded in on itself, compressed until a seven foot tall, golden figure took its place.
“Rise, Prime Zero,” Prime One motioned to the Golden Superman and infused yet more energy into its mechanical skin. “The servants of Krypton require your protection…”
Prime One glanced to the side, where the x-men should have been. They were gone, not a single member left behind. A sigh slipped past the Prime’s lips as he found their location. Domino piloted a scoutcraft, on course for their home state of New-York.
“Come, Prime Zero, you must board the starship and get the younger members to safety,” Prime One shook his head. The x-men had made their choice, time was too limited to call them home and their efforts may save countless lives among the humans. “The rest of you, prepare to join our brethren on the stage of war!”
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“I can feel it…” Dan floated, eyes closed as he orbited around his phantom star. The universe that was connected to the infinity stone in his grasp was barely visible, separated from the phantom zone by a layer of space. “Without the stone, I might have lost it altogether.”
There were other universes as well, some clearer than others, all connected to the phantom zone’s fractal void. The power stone called to one amongst the many, clearly the place where his people awaited his return.
“I’m not sure how much time has passed,” Dan frowned as he focused his power, alongside the might of the stone. Together they burrowed a tunnel, through the countless realities and toward his target universe. “I hope everyone is alright…”