posted
LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES V.3 #37 - “TWILIGHT”
She saw it coming, and yet she did nothing to stop it.
From outer space, a titanic mass of energy, colored a sickly yellow and shaped like a skull, fell to Earth with a speed belying its size.
Imra Ardeen, also known as Saturn Girl of the Legion of Super-Heroes, stared at the mass as it came ever closer...but still did nothing to stop it. Neither did any of her fellow Legionnaires, nor the Science Police, nor the millions of civilians they had all sworn to protect. They simply stood and waited.
When the mass hit ground zero, Imra felt her skin scorch and her hair and clothing turn to ash. Looking around her, she saw nothing but millions of skeletons and a bleak, burned-out landscape.
Suddenly, she was not alone anymore. The ghost of Universo appeared from out of nowhere, locking eyes with her as he loudly scolded her.
“You fool! By stopping me from carrying out my plan, you have doomed us all!”
Imra opened her mouth and began to scream, louder and louder with no sign of ever stopping.
Only when she felt her legs kicking and her sweaty body lurching forward did she realize she had just had a nightmare. If her husband Garth had been next to her, he would have kissed her and cuddled her and comforted her. But he was vacationing on Winath with their sons, while she had been sleeping alone at Legion Headquarters ever since returning to active membership one month earlier.
It had been an uneventful month since the defeat and capture of Universo, a feat Imra had accomplished almost single-handedly. Before he was imprisoned at Labyrinth, she had read his mind and discovered that his master plan of world domination would have culminated in a declaration of war against Oa, the insular, hostile, and extremely powerful planet which served as the home of the Guardians of the Universe and their Green Lantern Corps. Imra remembered saying to her fellow Legionnaire Tellus, “The chilling question is why did Universo want to go to Oa – and I hope we never find out the answer the hard way.” She shivered as she remembered the exact words she had used. After climbing out of bed and slipping on her nightgown, she headed for the recreation room, where she could continue her contemplation in a less dark and claustrophobic setting.
Imra was surprised to find someone else already in the recreation room – Tasmia Mallor, Shadow Lass, who appeared to be meditating. Imra began to quietly turn around to leave, when Tasmia spoke up.
“You’re not interrupting anything, Imra. It’s okay if you join me in here.”
“Thanks, Tasmia.”
“I could not sleep, and I’ve been trying to figure out why.” explained Tasmia.
“I was sleeping,” replied Imra, “but I don’t want to go back to sleep.”
“Why?”
Imra hesitated, and then, with no little difficulty, related her nightmare to Tasmia, sparing no gory details.
“Perhaps it’s your mind’s way of dealing with the things you faced recently.” said Tasmia.
“I hope that’s all it is. Though I can’t help but wonder if Dream Girl also...”
“Speak of the devil.”
Nura Nal, Dream Girl, entered the recreation room, her high heels wobbling precariously on the floor. She had clearly been out partying.
“Evening, ladies,” slurred Nura, “or is it morning already?” She appended a giggle.
“It is morning.” hissed Tasmia icily.
“N-Nura,” said Imra with uncharacteristic hesitation, “have...have you dreamed anything ominous recently?”
“Nope.” replied a grinning Nura. “The future’s never looked brighter, and I’m going to keep living it up to the fullest. Nite nite, girls.” She spun around and was gone.
Imra didn’t read her teammates’ minds on principle, but she didn’t need her telepathy to see that Nura’s good cheer seemed more forced than usual as her separation from Star Boy – Thom Kallor – grew longer and the status of their relationship more questionable. Still, she reasoned, Nura may be self-centered at times, but she would never be so irresponsible as to hide a vision as apocalyptic as the one Imra had experienced.
Tasmia broke the silence. “I appreciate your sharing your nightmare with me. It must have been very difficult. Now I know what I must do, so if you’ll please excuse me, I have preparations to make before daybreak.”
“Of course.” said Imra. “Be safe.”
Alone again, Imra reflected that she, too, knew what she must do, but she was not going to enjoy it one bit.
**********
Tinya Wazzo, Phantom Girl, poked her head into her best friend Tasmia’s quarters.
“So, Shady, where do you think we should go shopping today?”
“I am sorry,” replied Tasmia as she closed a suitcase, “but I must return immediately to Talok VIII. I seek an answer and I know I’ll only find it there.”
“Could you please be a little less vague?” said Tinya.
“I fear not. Please give Mon-El my love if he returns from his mission before I do.” She hugged her friend.
“Take care.” said Tinya.
**********
Legion leader Brek Bannin, Polar Boy, and Legion deputy leader Jan Arrah, Element Lad, had both listened patiently to Imra. Jan was the first to reply. “That was a horrible nightmare, and I’m sorry you had it.”
“But,” interjected Brek, “we need more than that to go by before we declare a state of alarm.”
“Then would you at least authorize a trip for me to Labyrinth, so I can probe Universo’s mind further?” asked Saturn Girl.
“Sure.” said Brek. “But I still think this is making a mountain out of a molehill.”
“Take it from an old hand at the leadership game, Brek,” said Jan, “hunches usually do turn out to have merit.”
“Thanks, guys.” said Imra.
**********
But even as Imra and Tasmia mobilized themselves, it looked like they may have been too late. For, on Oa, a mighty armada was assembling to attack Earth. On the front lines would be the Manhunters, seemingly unstoppable robot warriors; they would be followed by the Weaponers of Qward, riding rocket packs, breathing through special helmets, and wielding lightning bolts; and finally, behind them would be the last surviving former Green Lanterns, who now called themselves simply Lanterns, and who had changed over to a different color of light-based energy, that of the fear-driven yellow. They now charged their rings from the giant yellow power battery at the center of Oa’s main citadel.
***********
Tasmia landed her cruiser at the foot of the hills which would to the cavern where she had first learned her destiny, as had all of Talok VIII’s champions before her. She knew this area like the back of her hand, and found the cavern easily. She entered without fear, but with intense anxiety over what new turn her destiny would now take.
“Hear me, ancestors of mine.” said Tasmia. “I have heeded your call and am present and prepared for whatever lies ahead.”
Out of the darkness, in which Tasmia could see as clearly as if it were daylight, came forth the previous champions of Talok VIII. She recognized her grandfather, Sarven Mallor, who had addressed her the first time she had entered the cavern years ago, but it was not him who would be addressing Tasmia today. That duty fell to Lydea Mallor, who had inherited the mantle in the late 20th Century and carried it for the better part of the 21st Century. She appeared to Tasmia as an old woman with flowing waist-length white hair.
“At last we meet, child. I am Lydea Mallor.” she said in a voice rich in experience and wisdom.
Tasmia kneeled. “I have heard so many stories about you.”
“And they are all even wilder than you’ve been told.” said Lydea, smiling slyly. “But time grows short, so let us get to the one story you must hear today.”
***********
The guards at Labyrinth let Imra into Universo’s cell. He remained as she had last seen him, encased in a large stasis pod. The outer shell which kept Universo from view receded when the guard pressed the appropriate button. Imra gingerly approached the gauntly sinister figure, reaching out with her fingertips to the spot on the pod that covered his head.
Instantly she felt a nauseating rush of hatred, bitterness, and ugliness. But she was an experienced enough telepath to quickly sort out the thoughts and fixate on what was important.
She saw Universo as a young man, as Vidar, the last of the great Green Lanterns, earnestly fighting evil across the galaxy during the years before the formation of the Legion of Super-Heroes.
She saw that what turned him bitter and twisted was not merely an overwhelming vision of the beginning of time itself during a disastrous mission at the Time Institute which brought him in conflict with the Legion, but also his intense frustration at the Guardians’ beginning to argue amongst themselves and the splintering of the Green Lantern Corps which he foresaw as leading to civil war on Oa, and possibly even Oa declaring hostilities on the rest of the universe. Disillusioned and cynical, Vidar turned to villainy and became Universo. His ultimate goal of controlling the galaxy’s heroes was to use them to destroy both of the warring sides on Oa and conquer the planet as he had conquered Earth. From there would have come the galaxy, then the universe...
She withdrew her hand. This had been a mistake, she thought at first. There was nothing in Universo’s head which was relevant to the current situation on Oa. But she had seen enough to deduce that there was a very real possibility the war on Oa had ended and the winning side would seek to conquer Earth...or destroy it.
*********
Saturn Girl’s scenario was not far from the reality of Oa. As the last of the Lanterns finished charging their batteries, they climbed down to the foot of the giant stairway leading to the giant yellow power battery, and gathered together in the courtyard to kneel before their one and only leader, a massive grey-skinned humanoid who stood at least ten feet tall, and who now strode confidently at the top of the stairs and took center stage. He opened his mouth and spoke in a cavernous baritone that echoed for many miles.
“Of all the worlds across time and space, it is Earth which has most vexed me. In order for our dream of a new universe to be fulfilled – EARTH MUST DIE!!”
The crowd went wild.
“And once the new universe is born, all will hail the master of all that is! All will hail...KRONA.”
As the cheers and the clapping reached a fever pitch, Krona, nearly omnipotent and thoroughly evil, took a moment to reflect on the events that had brought him to this point. In the early 21st Century, he had been imprisoned within the Earth itself by the planet’s super-heroes. His consciousness remained there for a millennium, gradually infecting and corrupting the Earth before beginning to spread across the universe. In the early 22nd Century, the super-heroes of Earth cast his consciousness out of the planet and scattered it to the corners of the universe. It took until the late 29th Century for Krona to gradually piece himself back together. This time, he decided, he would achieve his goals more stealthily, and he bound his consciousness to Oa, allowing another century to pass as his influence over the planet and its inhabitants grew. Being of the same stock as the Guardians of the Universe, he found it easy to possess and/or influence a number of them, setting the Guardians and the Green Lanterns against each other and throwing Oa into civil war. The Guardians were destroyed, and the surviving Lanterns all lived to serve him. After fashioning himself a new body out of the remains of the Guardians, he routed the yellow fear-based energy from the anti-matter universe to Oa, and reshaped the planet to his own needs.
And now, at last, he felt his moment of glory and triumph lay ahead. Krona gave the signal, and the armada was launched toward Earth. No one could stop him, he thought, least of all Earth’s current generation of heroes. And should it appear that the battle was turning in Earth’s favor, he always had...his ultimate weapon.
*********
“Okay, Imra,” said Polar Boy from the Mission Monitor Board, “I’ve gathered as many Legionnaires as we had available and put them on standby.”
“Good.” replied Saturn Girl from the cockpit of her cruiser. “Meanwhile, I’m going to Oa.”
“No! It’s too dangerous!” exclaimed Polar Boy.
“I can take care of myself. Saturn Girl out.”
“She’s fearless.” remarked Element Lad.
“Foolhardy is more like it.” sighed Polar Boy.
“Whatever she is, it’s Imra through and through.” said Element Lad, smiling.
“Hey, Jan,” said Polar Boy, “I think you better take this call.”
“Hi, Shvaughn.” Element Lad greeted his girlfriend, Shvaughn Erin, who also happened to be the Science Police’s Legion liaison.
“Hi, Jan.” she replied in a businesslike tone. “Brace yourselves, because this looks like the mother of all invasions.”
“My god,” gasped Polar Boy as he took in the sight of the approaching armada, “Imra was right.”
“Told you so.” said Element Lad.
“Okay, I want you out in the field, Jan. You’re one of our big guns. Get going.”
“No.”
“WHAT??”
“This is your first major crisis as leader. Trust me when I say you’re going to need someone by your side.”
“Well, if we get trashed, it’s all gonna be on YOUR shoulders.”
Brainiac 5, who was also present at the Mission Monitor Board for his scientific knowledge about Oa and the Lanterns, spoke up. “This is no time for childish arguments!”
“You’re right, Brainy.” said Polar Boy. “Sorry, Jan.”
“Apology accepted.” replied Element lad serenely.
*********
Moments later, a sizable chunk of the Legion of Super-Heroes charged like a futuristic light brigade: Sensor Girl, Tellus, Quislet, Wildfire (his first outing in the field since Quislet taught him how to turn his pure energy self into a humanoid construct), Dawnstar, Ultra Boy, Phantom Girl, and Lightning Lass.
First came the wave of Manhunters. Quislet took the point. “Hoo boy!” he exclaimed in his squeaky voice. “Quislet about to have fun! Go, go, go!”
Quislet exited his miniature ship and began possessing several Manhunters, molding their metal bodies into one giant robot and smashing the rest of the Manhunters.
“Ya-hooooo!” exhulted Wildfire. “That’s my pal!”
Tellus concurred. “Quislet is not to be underestimated.”
Next came the Weaponers. Lightning Lass saw them firing thunderbolts and grinned. “Leave this to me.” she said. She absorbed the thunderbolts and returned them thousandfold, shocking a whole host of Weaponers unconscious.
By the time the Lanterns approached, Phantom Girl was short-circuiting the last remaining Manhunters and Tellus was clearing the debris with his telekinesis, while all the others were besting the remaining Weaponers at hand-to-hand combat.
Finally, the Lanterns, a phantasmagoria ranging from beautiful to bizarre, moved in. The Legionnaires each dealt with them their own way: Wildfire and Lightning Lass matched their firepower; Quislet’s small size and speed distracted them so that others could assault them more easily; Sensor Girl disoriented them with illusions; Dawnstar, thanks to her wings, could out-maneuver them; Tellus stunned them with telepathic blasts and shook them with telekinesis; Phantom Girl shocked them by phasing through them; and Ultra Boy quickly switched from one power to the next – invulnerability to take their blasts, ultra-breath to scatter them, flash vision to shock them, and most of all, ultra-strength to knock them out cold.
From Oa, Krona watched impassively and grudgingly admitted to himself that he had underestimated Earth’s heroes, and it was time for the ultimate weapon.
*********
Tasmia pushed her cruiser to its maximum speed, destination Earth. She was still trying to digest what had been one of the most overwhelming experiences of her life.
First had come Lydea’s story, that of Lyssa Drak, born and raised in the mid-late 20th Century on Talok VIII’s savage sister planet, Talok IV. Unlike the sexually progressive Talok VIII, the natives of the fourth world in this system were very sexist. Frustrated by his inability to father a son, Lyssa’s father abused his wife and daughters. Lyssa was the only one who would stand up to him until a particularly violent confrontation where she was kicked out from home. Fending for herself in the streets, Lyssa fell in with a group of practitioners of the cosmic dark arts. Upon learning of the Book of Parallax, she made it her life mission to find the book and master its teachings. Her journey led her to the Anti-Matter Universe and a brief empowerment through yellow light energy, during which she attempted to conquer Talok IV and was stopped by none other than Lydea herself, the first of what would be many confrontations between them.
*********
With a mere thought, Krona had a stasis pod transport itself out of the citadel and placed itself at his feet.
*********
After a decisive, near-fatal confrontation, between Lydea and Lyssa, Lydea convalesced for a very long time while Lyssa joined the legendary Sinestro Corps and fought in at least two Wars of Light. Lydea did not know what Lyssa’s subsequent fate was.
**********
Again with a mere thought, Krona willed the pod to open itself, revealing that Lyssa Drak was alive and well in the 30th Century, and still in possession of the Book of Parallax, though no longer chained to it.
She stood up, tall and proud, and locked eyes with Krona. “So,” she said, “the day has finally come.”
“Yes,” replied Krona, “now fulfill your destiny.”
Lyssa grinned, flashing her sharp teeth, then flew into the giant power battery.
Moments later, she emerged, surrounded by an insect-shaped aura of deadly yellow light energy. “At last,” she declared, “I am one with Parallax!!”
***********
Imra brought her cruiser into the atmosphere of Oa. Her powerful telepathy informed her that there were only two life-forms remaining on the planet – and both of them had sick minds. The ugliness of their thoughts was almost tactile, and Imra’s stomach turned. She could feel one of the minds getting more intense, which meant that person must be near. A couple seconds later, Lyssa saw her.
Lyssa zapped the cruiser with yellow bolts of energy, blowing it to smithereens. She laughed maniacally as she flew away.
TO BE CONCLUDED IN ISSUE #38
[ September 03, 2012, 12:14 PM: Message edited by: Fanfic Lady ]
posted
LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES V.3 #38: “BEWARE MY POWER”
Above Earth, the Legionnaries were calmly and cheerfully rounding up the remains of the armada.
“This was a piece of cake.” laughed Ultra Boy.
“I sense it is not over.” warned Sensor Girl.
“She speaks the truth,” declared Tellus, “I detect the approach of a sentient being with some of the most evil thoughts imaginable.”
A yellow dot, resembling a star at first, quickly grew larger and larger until it resembled a cloud and then a plague of insects. The insects, some of them normal size and others human-sized, were actually yellow energy constructs created by their leader, once the Lantern named Lyssa Drak, now the avatar of the evil fear entity Parallax.
“Parallax,” whispered Brainiac 5 at the Mission Monitor Board as the insects spread out and descended on Earth, “my worst fear has come true.” He turned to Brek and Jan. “Tell the S.P.s to prepare themselves for widespread violence across the planet.”
Above, the Lanterns, bound in chains created from the Manhunter debris, felt first the power of their rings slip away, and then their very life force, all absorbed into Parallax, who declared, “You have served your purpose and failed utterly! Now you are but nourishment to me! The Lanterns are no more, now there is only Parallax!”
She turned to face the Legionnaires and let out a war cry, her screaming mouth enlarging and distorting itself into a terrifying maw with not one but two sets of big sharp teeth. She blasted bolts of yellow energy at Ultra Boy, who instinctively switched to invulnerability yet was still staggered by the blast. Knowing that the other Legionnaires would be hurt even more by the blasts, Ultra Boy began switching back and forth from ultra-speed to invulnerability as fast as he could, blocking each blast that Parallax aimed at his teammates.
“Good work, Jo.” said Wildfire. “Now I’ll take care of Miss Charming.” He let loose with the mightiest anti-energy blasts he was capable of. Parallax laughed it off. “Ah, Wildfire. I sense such tasty emotions in you – anger, insecurity, and most of all, fear, delicious fear. Come to me, be a part of me.” Her two arms became eight tentacles and wrapped themselves around Wildfire’s construct body, beginning to absorb him as the Legionnaires looked on in horror.
“Tellus,” said Dawnstar, “use your telepathy to help me get into Wildfire’s mind.”
“Brilliant strategy.” opined Tellus as he did just what Dawnstar ordered.
“Drake,” said Dawnstar, addressing Wildfire by his birth name, “resist her influence and break free.”
“No!” yelled Wildfire, “Parallax is right! Fear is the only way!”
“Please, Drake,” begged Dawnstar, “be strong. I...I love you.”
Hearing what he had wanted to hear for years from Dawnstar, Wildfire came to his senses and ripped apart the tentacles which had been binding him. Parallax was momentarily startled by this turn of events.
“Now,” commanded Sensor Girl, “attack her from all sides!”
The Legionnaires all pounced on Parallax at the same time, not letting up on their assaults for a second.
Below, at Mission Monitor Board, Brek prematurely declared victory. “That’s the Legion I know and love!”
Brainiac 5 was less sanguine. “They won’t hold out for long, and then...wait, what’s this??”
On one of the screens, scanners showed a tremendous energy surge taking place at Valhalla Fields. Brainy punched a key and the screen changed to an image of a tomb glowing green.
“Moons of Colu!” exclaimed Brainy, “That tomb belongs to our friend, Rond Vidar!” His voice dropped. “Our...friend.”
*********
Above the surface of Oa, the evil demigod Krona transported himself with the speed of thought to the location where Imra’s cruiser had met its end. Within the vicinity, he sighted an escape pod on the surface, and transported himself to where it lay.
The outermost layer of the pod had been caught in the ship’s blast and was scorched. Perhaps, wondered Krona, the sentient being inside had been roasted to death...?
Imra answered his question by bursting out of the pod. Her skin was red and tender and steam flowed all around her, but she was very much alive. Before Krona could react, she stunned him with the most powerful mind-blast she was capable of.
“I’m not afraid of you!” said Imra defiantly. “I’ve faced down Darkseid himself!”
“Darkseid?” laughed Krona. “That dithering neurotic? This is Krona who stands before you!”
“I’m not impressed.” hissed Imra.
“Very well, then,” replied Krona, “a contest of wills!”
*********
“ENOUGH!!” declared Parallax as she shook of the Legionnaires with a yellow-energy shockwave, leaving them all temporarily unconscious. “First I shall feed quickly on these fallen heroes, then I shall descend to the surface and feast on fear and loathing!”
“No, Parallax,” came an authoritative voice out of nowhere, “this ends now!”
“ION!” snarled Parallax, sighting the glowing green outline of her eternal nemesis surrounding the strapping form of a resurrected and Lantern-ring-wielding Rond Vidar.
“It is too late to stop what I have begun.” said Parallax.
“Wrong.” said Ion, as he encased the unconscious Legionnaires in a protective bubble. “As we speak, my green-energy constructs are exterminating your yellow-energy constructs and quelling the riots below.”
“So,” said Parallax, “this is what it has come down to, then – a duel...TO THE DEATH!!”
And the skies came alight with giant bolts of green energy and yellow energy being fired back and forth.
********
Below, at the Mission Monitor Board, the Legion’s leader, deputy leader, and chief scientist were mesmerized by the battle above.
“So Rond was secretly a Green Lantern all along. His ring must have kept him alive.” mused Brainy. “And Ion hadn’t been seen since the death of his last avatar, the legendary Sodam Yat. The Guardians must have sensed that only Rond was worthy of wielding such power...”
Brainy was interrupted by a scream from Nura, who barged into the Mission Monitor Board.
“I had a vision – Oa is going to be destroyed with Saturn Girl on it!” she exclaimed, her beautiful eyes bulging scarily.
“I knew it, I knew it! I should have been more firm with her!” cried Brek in helpless frustration.
“It’s not too late.” said Jan calmly. “Let’s see which active Legionnaires are closest to Oa.”
*********
On Oa, the ground shook as Imra dismantled Krona’s illusion of wholeness, piece by painful piece. She had seen in his mind how the Earth’s heroes of the 22nd Century had defeated him, by shattering and dispersing his consciousness. She also knew that his consciouness was bound to Oa and the planet would be destroyed, but she rationalized that the only life lost would be hers, and though Garth and the boys would be heartbroken, she knew that an evil like Krona’s could not run free through the universe and destroy everything she held dear.
*********
On Earth, the entire planet watched in horror as Parallax began to outfight and overpower Ion.
“Surrender your will to my might!” commanded Parallax.
“Never.” grimaced Ion.
Suddenly, a female voice caught Parallax’s attention.
“Face me, monster!” said Tasmia, who had stealthily exited her cruiser a short distance away and used her flight ring to sneak up behind Parallax.
Before Parallax could react, Tasmia manifested giant tendrils of shadow force and bound Parallax in them.
*********
“It is time you learn the full range of powers at your command.” Lydea Mallor had said to Tasmia at the cavern on Talok VIII. “You are capable of manipulating the shadows the way the Lanterns manipulate light.”
“But will that be enough to defeat the enemy I must face?” asked Tasmia.
“I’m sorry, child, I cannot give you an assurance of that. What I can tell you is that when the darkness meets the light, two paths will open – one of love, one of hate, and you must stay on the path of love.”
***********
Parallax appeared to be completely sealed off in shadow. But that illusion was shattered when she clawed her way out of the shadow cocoon and lunged at Tasmia, her torso mutating into a maw large enough to swallow both Tasmia and the unconscious Ion.
“Now no force in the universe can stop me!” shouted Parallax.
***********
Rallying all his strength, Krona psionically pushed away Imra’s telepathic force, momentarily stunning her.
“You have proven a most worthy opponent,” said Krona, “but it is time for this game to come to its end.”
Suddenly, a sentient physical force came down hard on Krona, knocking him to the ground. He picked himself up to see the mighty Mon-El hovering in the air.
“Hello, Krona.” said Mon-El. “It’s been, what, eight centuries?”
“You damnable Daxamite!” roared Krona. “This will be our final battle!”
“I’m counting on it.” replied the unflappable Mon-El, who blasted Krona with full-force heat vision, followed, without hesitation, by a flurry of kicks and punches. Krona, for his part, fought back every bit as hard. The galaxy’s mightiest mortal and the would-be overlord of the universe gave each other no quarter.
Now recovered, Imra seized the opportunity. With Krona weakened by Mon-El’s attack, Imra mounted her most forceful assault yet on Krona’s consciousness, ripping out chunk after chunk and casting it into the farthest reaches of the universe. Oa quaked, erupted, and crumbled as it lost more and more of Krona’s consciousness, which had, over the centuries, become the very thing that held the planet together.
***********
Tasmia found herself in a viscous, humid environment where tentacles growing out of the walls kept trying to attach themselves to her and absorb her life force. She repeatedly blasted them with shadow bolts. During a brief lull, she heard the unmistakable sound of crying. She ventured further into the void.
There, chained to the wall by more of those tentacles, was Lyssa Drak herself. Next to her, Ion, who was just beginning to regain consciousness.
“Why do you weep?” Tasmia asked Lyssa cautiously.
“Leave me alone!” yelled Lyssa in reply.
“I’ll venture a guess,” said an unruffled Tasmia, “and suggest that ultimate power hasn’t made you any happier and you still don’t see the point of it all.”
Lyssa frowned but stayed silent.
“My ancestor told me about the abuse you suffered on Talok IV. But you must rise above it. Then you’ll see that live is worth living and the universe is worth saving.”
Lyssa remained silent.
“We may come from different worlds, but we are still sisters at heart. Take my hand, let me show you the path of redemption...and love.”
Ion, by now fully conscious, watched tensely to see what Lyssa would do. Pessimistically, he expected her to refuse Tasmia’s kindness.
Instead, Lyssa took Tasmia’s hand.
“Now, Rond,” said Tasmia to Ion, “we must combine our powers and free ourselves.”
In a heartbeat, swirling beams that combined light and shadow began bursting out of Parallax’s body. With a scream and a rending of flesh and torrents of yellow blood, Parallax was torn to pieces as Tasmia, Ion, and Lyssa fought their way out.
As the trio got their bearings, the disembodied essence of Parallax kicked and clawed spastically at empty space. Abruptly, the essence of Ion left the body of Rond Vidar and spoke to the trio.
“Thank you for all you have done. It is now time for the final battle in the eternal war between myself and Parallax – but it shall not happen in this dimension.”
Ion opened a portal to another dimension just as Parallax pounced on Ion, who used the momentum to proper both of them through the portal, which then closed itself.
***********
By now, Oa was in the final stages of self-destruction and Krona knew he was losing the battle, but he remained defiant to the end.
“You may have denied me my victory, but though it will take centuries, I shall return to torment your descendants! Live with that knowledge...if you can!”
His final words echoed as Imra broke apart the last remaining bits of his consciousness and cast them away. And with that, Krona’s body returned to its original gruesome form of random body parts of dead Guardians...and Oa came completely undone.
Mon-El flew himself and Imra a safe distance away from the collapsing wreckage of Oa. An era had ended.
EPILOGUE THE FIRST
As fires were put out and debris cleared, celebration was the order of the day across Earth. The apocalypse had been averted.
No place was more celebratory than Legion headquarters. Not only had none of the Legionnaires been seriously hurt, but Tasmia was now more powerful than ever and the Legion’s friend Rond Vidar was alive and well.
“This is a historic occasion.” Brainy said to Rond.
“That it is.” agreed Rond. “And as long I wield the last Green Lantern ring, there shall never again be a misguided monolith of an entity like the Green Lantern Corps.”
EPILOGUE THE SECOND
“You fool,” Parallax taunted Ion, “with only the two of us in this limbo dimension, my victory is assured.”
“Did you truly think,” Ion said, “that I would choose any random dimension?”
Parallax screamed in panic upon seeing what Ion meant. Every surviving Controller – immensely powerful brethren to the late Guardians of the Universe – surrounded Parallax.
“We have at last served our purpose,” declared the lead Controller, “and with our sacrifice and that of Ion, Oa and everything about it shall pass into the books of history. Now we must all unleash our power for the final time.”
An indescribably bright explosion of white light expanded across the dimension, gradually converting the dimension and all it contained into nothingness. Parallax died screaming, but Ion and the Controllers died in peace, knowing that they had achieved their life mission of making the universe a safer and better place.
THE END
[ September 03, 2012, 12:12 PM: Message edited by: Fanfic Lady ]
posted
LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES V.3 #39 - "SPY GAME"
“Sorry we’re late,” said Phantom Girl as she and Mon-El entered the Mission Monitor Board, “we were seeing off Tasmia as she left to take Lyssa Drak to Talok VIII.” The two Legionnaires noted that their leader, Polar Boy, was present as expected, and so were Chameleon Boy, Invisible Kid, and Shrinking Violet. There was also an elegant woman with a severe demeanor, whom Polar Boy now gestured towards.
“It’s now my duty,” he said, “to introduce the Legion Espionage Squad...plus Mon-El...to Agent Xtean Marxx of the Interstellar Counter-Intelligence Corps.”
“The information I am about to share with you is of a highly sensitive nature.” declared Agent Marxx crisply as she activated the holo-vid projector.
The projector showed vivid images of a handsome, athletic figure familiar to the Legionnaires while Agent Marxx continued her discourse.
“Dev-Em the Kryptonian is a self-made legend in the world of modern espionage, a dashing, daring adventurer always living life on the edge yet never going over that edge...until now.
“In his last successfully completed mission, he infiltrated the Dark Circle, was captured and cloned, then tortured through exposure to Kryptonite before being rescued by your team and being restored to health and wholeness...or so it seemed.
“Because what you have not been aware of is that his behavior became increasingly erratic and unprofessional until, finally, he disappeared several weeks ago. We fear he has gone rogue. The agents sent to retrieve him all died under mysterious circumstances.
“You are our last hope. Dev-Em is not only physically powerful, he also knows secrets that could spell disaster for the security of the United Planets. Your mission is to bring back Dev-Em – dead or alive.”
**********
At Science Police headquarters, Officer Shvaughn Erin banged her fist on her computer in frustration. Her friend and fellow Officer GiGi Cusimano walked over to her cubicle.
“Hey, roomie.”said GiGi. “What’s all the fuss about?”
“My computer’s down – again!” replied Shvaughn. “And just when I was supposed to receive and process some important information!”
GiGi smiled. “Is that all? You’re welcome to use my computer while I go for coffee. You want a cup, too?”
“That would be great.” said Shvaughn. “Thanks so much, Geeg, you’re a life-saver.”
Within minutes, Shvaughn had opened the file which had been electronically sent to her account. Her jaw dropped when she read what it said: the day before, five super-criminals – Emerald Empress, Mano, Flare, Caress, and Lightning Lord – had been quietly released from the prison planet Labyrinth, into the custody of a mysterious party who was apparently above the law. She knew she had to inform the Legion as soon as possible.
She quickly closed the file, stood up, and almost bumped into GiGi, who had returned with the coffee. “Sorry about that,” said Shvaughn, “but I gotta run. Thanks for the coffee.”
As Shvaughn sat back down at her cubicle, she took a generous gulp of the coffee before activating her vid-phone. She began dialing the secret number for Legion headquarters when suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her stomach that got worse and worse until, mere seconds later, she blacked out.
***********
“Penny for your thoughts, Mon-El?” inquired Invisible Kid softly of the brooding Daxamite slouching in the back seat of the cruiser.
“I just can’t believe that Dev-Em might have gone bad.” replied Mon-El. “This situation is sorely testing my faith in the basic goodness of sentient beings.”
“I understand.” nodded Phantom Girl. “He’s more than just an associate of the Legion – he’s our friend.”
“Fair-weather friend, it would seem.” sneered Shrinking Violet.
“Well,” sighed Chameleon Boy, “this mission’s off to a great start.”
***********
Meanwhile, at Legion headquarters...
“I’m usually not at a loss for words...” began Wildfire.
“That is an understatement.” interrupted Dawnstar drolly.
“What I’m tryin’ to say is...to ask you...” Wildfire sighed, then drew a deep breath, “...was it just the heat of battle, or did you really mean it when you said you loved me?”
“I meant every word.” replied a smiling Dawnstar.
“God, that’s...I mean...that’s the greatest thing you could ever tell me. And...and...listen, Quislet’s been showing me how to regulate my temperature, cause I was afraid I might burn you when we touch.”
“Would you like to try?” she extended her hand.
He took her hand with surprising gentleness, and the milliseconds turned to hours for both of them as they stared into each other’s eyes.
Then she pulled him closer, embraced him passionately, and gave him a deep kiss.
*********
“Dev’s last known location was in this remote cluster.” observed Chameleon Boy as the cruiser came in for a landing on a seedy little planetoid. “According to Agent Marxx’s intel, one of Dev’s many lovers frequents a club near here. Her name is Anela.” He took out a photo of a stunning brunette, and the others passed it around.
“Here’s the plan.” said Phantom Girl. “I’ll approach her directly, while Vi and Jacques use their powers to sneak up on her. Reep will cover the exit in case she tries to escape. Mon, stand by unless we absolutely need you.”
“But...” began Mon-El.
“Sorry, but you need to conserve all your power in case the suspicions about Dev prove true.”
Within minutes, all the members of the Legion Espionage Squad were at their posts. Phantom Girl spotted Anela at the club’s bar, and walked over to her.
“Excuse me, Anela?” she asked.
Anela didn’t answer, but she did turn her head and glare at Phantom Girl.
“I’ll get right to the point. What can you tell me about Dev-Em?”
Anela took a vicious swipe at Phantom Girl, but the Legionnaire’s reflexes were sharp as ever, and she went intangible just in time.
At that moment, Shrinking Violet, who had been standing on the bar at insect size, grew to her full height. Even though she was startled, Anela was still able to dodge Vi’s swift kick.
“Where are your manners, Madame?” said Invisible Kid as he became visible while attempting to pin back Anela’s arms. Instead, Anela tossed him over her shoulder, sending him crashing into a table of drunken club goers.
As the situation snowballed into a free-for-all, Anela took advantage of the chaos to head for the exit. Chameleon Boy saw her running away, so he shape-shifted into a giant bird of prey and picked her up off the ground, flying higher and higher.
“Put me down!” demanded Anela. “I’ll tell you what you want to know!”
A moment later, they landed in front of the bruised and angry Legionnaires who had exited the club.
“You surrendered very quickly.” snarled Vi. “You’re a lot softer than I expected.”
“Bah,” said Anela, “I would have told you anyway!”
“Then why did you attack us?” bristled Invisible Kid.
“Because,” smiled Anela, “it amused me to do so.”
The Legionnaires rolled their eyes.
“I want Dev-Em to suffer!” spat Anela. “He is a conceited cad incapable of truly loving! If you want to find him, he is at his estate on Zardom-3. Give him a punch in the face for me.”
**********
Meanwhile, at the Time Institute...
“It’s nice to see you in such a good mood.” said Rond Vidar to a busily bustling Brainiac 5.
“What’s not to be cheerful about?” asked Brainy. “We averted the end of times, and you’re back to life AND thinking of joining the Legion.”
“It’s not for certain yet,” said Rond, “but if it means that much to you...” He hesitated, then changed the subject. “What’s your latest project?”
“I’m glad you asked! The possibilities of tachyon manipulation have never seemed so clear to me until now...”
**********
The dense flora of Zardom-3 hid many a luxury retreat for the rich and decadent. The one which the Legion Espionage Squad now approached seemed distinctly run-down and weathered. It also displayed clear signs of breaking and entering.
“Reep, Vi, scout ahead!” commanded Phantom Girl.
Reep shape-shifted into an insect and Vi became small enough to ride him. Together, they flew into the dusty ominousness of Dev-Em’s estate.
“Nothing on this level...” Vi informed the others through her omnicom. “...hang on, I hear something. Do you hear it too, Reep?”
“Yes.” replied Reep. “It’s a very disturbing noise, and it seems to be coming from...the basement!”
They flew underneath the basement door, gained altitude and witnessed the horrifying sight of Dev-Em bound in Kryptonite chains and being tortured by four-fifths of the Fatal Five: Emerald Empress, Mano, Flare, and Caress.
**********
“So, Mekt Ranzz, we meet at last.”
The woman was a statuesque blonde with a husky voice that indicated she enjoyed the finer things in life, as if her extravagantly decorated chambers had not already provided a hint.
But Mekt Ranzz was too confused and frustrated to have much of an impression of his surroundings or the woman who had arranged for him to be snuck out of Labyrinth and taken away to this decadent fortress hidden within an asteroid. His reply was straight and to the point: “Who are you and why have you brought me here?”
She smiled, which actually made her look more sinister than before. “I am Maxine G’odd, soon to be the most powerful crime boss in the known galaxy.”
“Then why have I never heard of you?” inquired Mekt curtly.
“Because it has taken a millennium for my family to repair the damage done by the ancestors of your bitterest enemies, the Legion of Super-Heroes. Look to the holodeck, please.”
A hologram of a grossly obese man in quasi-religious garb appeared. “This was my ancestor, Maximillian G’odd, who ran the galactic mob in the late 20th Century. His life’s work was undone by...them!” The hologram changed to one of the 20th Century heroes known as the L.E.G.I.O.N., then quickly to one of a woman who was Maxine’s spitting image. “Maximillian’s daughter, Ig’nea, attempted to avenge her father and destroy the L.E.G.I.O.N., but she failed. And so it has taken centuries to rebuild the family empire, bit by painful bit. I am the G’odd lucky enough to be presiding over it when it is on the verge of its greatest breakthrough.”
“And what, pray tell, is my designated place in your new universal order?” asked Mekt sarcastically. “For that matter, what of the four other criminals you freed?”
“I want you to command my enforcers.” replied Maxine. “As for the others, they are serving their purpose even as we speak.”
**********
“Move in!” commanded Phantom Girl.
The Legion Espionage Squad charged into the estate and headed directly for the basement. Phantom Girl was first inside, thanks to her phasing ability. As soon as she entered, Reep returned to his normal form and Vi grew to full size. Before the villains could react, Mon-El had smashed down the door to let himself and Jacques in.
Vi and Caress began exchanging martial arts kicks and chops. Mano attempted to irradiate Tinya, but once again her reflexes were quick enough for her to go intangible and escape harm. The Emerald Empress’ Emerald Eye of Ekron was able to detect Jacques’ presence and zap him, but Reep was to agile for the Eye. And Flare fired a blazing blast which Mon-El took full in the chest.
“It tickles.” he smiled, just before blowing Flare aside with his super-breath.
“You’ll be all right, Dev.” he said as he approached his bloodied and beaten friend. “Just give me a second, and I’ll get those chains off you...”
Mon-El gasped when the chains turned out to be intangible – illusionary constructs created by the Emerald Eye, he realized. But it was too late. His mouth forming a psychotic grin, Dev-Em blasted Mon full in the face with heat vision, then began whaling into the Legionnaire with power to equal his own.
The Legionnaires were understandably startled, and this gave the villains the advantage, which they pressed gleefully. Soon all the Legionnaires were down.
“Emerald Empress,” said Mano, “you promised me official membership in the Fatal Five if I took a Legionnaire’s life. How fitting, then, that it shall be the mightiest of them all.”
And with those words, Mano unleashed his full power on the fallen Mon-El, power which had once destroyed Mano’s home planet. Even one with the endurance of Mon-El could not help but be severely harmed.
“Bah,” said the Emerald Empress as her Eye scanned the badly-burned form of Mon-El, “he still lives.”
Mano became tongue-tied. “It will only take one more blast...yes, one more...I merely require time to recharge.”
“Save it for later,” she said, “you’ve proven yourself to me. And so has...” she smiled wickedly, “...our newest member.”
“That’s me!” gloated Dev-Em, eyes bulging and grin wider than ever.
On the planet Talok VIII, Tasmia Mallor guided Lyssa Drak through the nooks and crannies of the steep hills which led to the sacred cavern where Tasmia had first found enlightment and where she now hoped Lyssa would find the same.
“I tire.” complained Lyssa. “Could this not hold until the morrow?”
At that moment, Tasmia turned her head and made eye contact with Lyssa. She saw in Lyssa’s eyes a great deal of hurt and anger, but also a considerable amount of childlike vulnerability. This awoke in Tasmia the nurturing instinct which so rarely broke through her natural reserve. She was already coming to regard Lyssa as the sister she had never had, and she vowed to prevent her from relapsing into the foul practice of evil for evil’s sake.
“But, Lyssa,” replied Tasmia, “if not now, when? Trust me when I say that the trek shall reward you with the greatest experience of your life.”
Times such as this were times when Tasmia felt more emotional than she was comfortable feeling. It gave her a longing for the embrace of her lover, Mon-El, and she hoped they would see each other again sooner rather than later.
**********
At that moment, Mon-El stirred as he regained consciousness. Every cell in his mighty body ached beyond belief. Equally painful was the betrayal of Dev-Em, who now sided with the Fatal Five. From his rather humiliating position on the floor, Mon-El heard the self-satisfied villains conversing amongst themselves, seemingly unaware that he had awakened. This, he thought, could be his only chance.
Suddenly, Dev-Em began screaming incoherently and moving spastically.
The Emerald Empress responded stoically. “Caress,” she said, “it is past time for Dev-Em’s dosage of Kryptonite.”
From her belt, Caress produced a vial of bright green liquid and a plastic nozzle, with which she drew a small amount from the vial. She handed the nozzle to the Emerald Empress while Mano and Flare held Dev-Em still.
“Name your poison, indeed.” chuckled the Emerald Empress as the drops touched Dev-Em’s tongue and he swallowed them. As long as Dev-Em’s Kryptonite poisoning, originating with his torture by the Dark Circle, was prolonged, he was unstable and malleable, just the way the Fatal Five – and Maxine G’odd – needed him.
As Dev-Em’s episode came to an end, the Emerald Empress surveyed the basement where the battle against the Legionnaires had taken place. She smiled smugly as she registered the sight of the heroes scattered across the floor...until she realized that one of them was missing!
“Mon-El has escaped!” she screamed. “After him!”
It took every remaining micro-measurement of Mon-El’s strength to get him from Dev-Em’s estate and back to the Legion cruiser at super-speed. Once inside, he activated the cruiser and blasted off as fast as the ship could take him. He then turned on the cruiser’s radio and contacted the Legion’s Mission Monitor Board on Earth.
“This is Mon-El reporting!” he croaked. “We have been severely compromised, and the suspicions about Dev-Em’s loyalties have, unfortunately, proven true – he has joined the Fatal Five! I broke free, but am badly wounded and can be of no further use in the field. And so I am heading to Medicus One. My teammates are being held captive at the following coordinates...”
Unknown to Mon-El, the Emerald Empress had boarded a cruiser of her own and was intent on pursuing him. The other four villains had stayed behind to watch over the captives, with Flare as deputy leader.
The Emerald Empress now turned her cruiser’s offensive capabilities on Mon-El’s cruiser, taking out one of the engines with a well-aimed burst of laser fire.
Mon-El knew he had to make a crash-landing at the nearest planet. The ship’s scanners showed that the nearest one was a planet he knew very well...Talok VIII.
*********
At Mon-El’s original intended destination, Medicus One, Jan Arrah, also known as the Legionnaire Element Lad, bit back tears as he sat at the bedside of his lover, Shvaughn Erin, who had been admitted with a severe case of poisoning. The toxin had proven to be extremely complex, and Jan’s powers were now required to cleanse Shvaughn and save her life. Once the process was done, Shvaughn began moaning as she regained consciousness.
“Shh,” whispered Jan tenderly, “you’re okay now.”
“Jan,” she said, “thank God for you.”
“Do you have any idea who could have done this to you?”
“Well...um...I remember I was fine until right after I...drank the coffee...”
“Quite frankly, Polar Boy, the results of your Legionnaires’ efforts do not inspire confidence.” said Agent Marxx.
“They found their quarry, didn’t they?” responded Polar Boy angrily.
“Yes, and promptly got themselves either captured or severely wounded. So you would be advised to leave the remainder of this operation to the United Planets armed forces.”
“Give us another chance! I’ll prove to you that the Legion is the best option when dealing with villains of this caliber.”
“Do you wish to prove it to me...or to yourself?”
A tense silence followed which seemed to last forever.
“All I’m asking for,” said Polar Boy, “is twenty-four hours.”
“Very well,” said Agent Marxx, “your team has twenty-four hours starting right now.”
Polar Boy headed to the intercom. “I want the following Legionnaires to report to Mission Monitor Board on the double...”
*********
“We’re almost there.” Tasmia assured Lyssa.
“We had best be!” huffed Lyssa.
Suddenly, the two young women’s attention was diverted to the sky above.
“Is that not a Legion cruiser bearing down on the mountain at an excessive speed?” inquired Lyssa.
“By the ancestors, it is!” gasped Tasmia. “And it appears to be completely out of control!”
Instinctively, Tasmia created a spherical force-field of shadow matter around herself and Lyssa. She then picked up Lyssa and, using her flight ring, flew them away from the mountain just before the cruiser made impact, producing a blazing fireball followed by an avalanche of rocks and debris.
Once the falling matter had settled, Tasmia flew herself and Lyssa to the foot of the mountain. “We must search for survivors!” said Tasmia.
After what felt like an endless search through the massive pile of rocks and debris, Tasmia’s worst fears were confirmed. She shrieked as she recognized her burned and bruised lover, Mon-El. Frantically, she checked for a pulse, but her relief at finding one was exceeded only by her rage at the cruel fates which had made this so.
Somehow, Lyssa’s voice cut through Tasmia’s anguish. “Another cruiser approaches!” said Lyssa.
This cruiser made a smooth landing not far from the two young women. When Tasmia saw the Emerald Empress emerge, her rage multiplied thousandfold.
“Are you responsible for hurting my lover so?” demanded Tasmia.
“In a manner of speaking.” replied a smiling Emerald Empress.
“You shall pay!” howled Tasmia.
“So be it!” said the Emerald Empress. “I have desired a confrontation with you for years. Let the battle begin!”
Lyssa ran for cover, hauling Mon-El’s heavy body, as gigantic green and black bolts of mystical energy began flying back and forth, exploding across a wide radius, destroying everything in their path.
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