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The sky above Metropolis trembled.
It began with a sound a deep, mechanical groan that rolled through the clouds like thunder. Then, the light dimmed. A shadow fell across the city as something enormous broke through the haze above the skyline.
The World Engine.
A massive, black construct descended slowly, its surface rippling with energy. Its spires twisted like jagged thorns, and its core pulsed with a sickly, white light that seemed to drink in the very color of the world around it. The ground shook when it finally settled, the force rippling through glass, steel alike.
Cars screeched to a halt. Windows shattered.
Then came the panic.
People screamed, rushing in every direction, their voices blending into a rising wave of fear. Strangers grabbed the wounded from the sidewalks. Someone shouted, "Not again! Not another invasion!"
Another man, sweating, dragging his daughter by the hand, yelled over the chaos, "Can't we get one normal week in this damn city?!"
A woman clutching a phone to her chest cried, "Where's Superman?! He's supposed to be here!"
The massive black machine loomed above them all, its energy growing louder an unbearable sound that made the air vibrate. Lightning-like arcs of white energy burst from its sides, striking nearby buildings. The smell of burning metal filled the streets.
And then on the rooftops and in the alleys, the heroes were there.
The Flash stood on the cracked asphalt, yellow lightning flickering across his suit as he scanned the chaos. Beside him, Shazam landed with a shockwave that cracked the pavement, his cape fluttering in the hot wind. From a distance, Green Arrow stood on top of a parking structure, arrow notched, eyes fixed on the machine, while Black Canary helped direct people away from the collapsing street.
"What the hell is that thing?" Shazam muttered, staring up at the World Engine as it began to split open at its center, releasing vapor into the sky.
"No idea," Flash said, tapping his earpiece. "But it's definitely not from Home Depot."
A burst of static came through the comm, then a voice Batman's, calm and clipped.
"Flash."
Barry looked up immediately. "Yeah, Bats, I'm here. You seeing this?"
"I'm seeing it," Batman's voice replied, steady even over the distant rumble of the machine. "Your priority is evacuation. Get every civilian out of that area. Now."
Flash blinked, pacing as he talked. "Wait, what about Clark and the others? I thought you were still on the Watchtower what happened to that H'El guy? Is he.."
"Handled?" Batman cut in. "Not yet. Clark and the others are occupied. That machine is Kryptonian tech, Flash. You don't want to be anywhere near it when it activates."
Barry grimaced, glancing at the machine again. The core was starting to spin, rings of black matter rotating like the iris of some colossal eye. "Yeah, well, too late for that. It's already starting."
"Then move faster," Batman said flatly. "I'll join you soon."
The comm cut.
Flash sighed, "Man, the one time I don't want to hear that Bat-gravel voice." He looked up, lightning crackling around him. "All right, people, you heard the man let's make this city a ghost town!"
In a flash of light, he vanished streaking through the panicked streets, pulling people out of cars, ferrying them to safety in a blur.
Shazam floated higher, electricity rippling across his gauntlets. "This doesn't feel right," he muttered. "It's like it's draining the atmosphere…"
On the building above him, Green Arrow squinted through his scope. "If I shoot an arrow at it, you think it'll notice?"
"Probably," Canary said beside him, her tone dry as she scanned the ground below. "And then it'll vaporize you for annoying it."
Oliver grinned faintly. "I'll take that as a maybe."
Below, the tremors grew worse. The World Engine's pulse deepened, a bass rumble that could be felt more than heard. White energy spilled upward, staining the clouds.
Barry reappeared for a moment beside Shazam, panting slightly from the speed. "I've cleared five blocks, but there's too many people.."
Then he looked up again, his voice dropping to a whisper. "That's one mean-looking machine…"
Shazam followed his gaze, the glow of the World Engine reflected in his eyes. "Let's just hope the others get here before it does whatever the hell it's built to do."
"I'll try to attack it now," Billy said before he could talk himself out of it. His voice had the reckless, desperate certainty of someone who believed a single true strike could change everything.
Barry's hand shot up,"Don't," he snapped.
Shazam gave Barry a crooked grin that was all heroism and impatience. "Relax, Flash. I got this." He drew in a great breath and lightning danced up the seams of his cloak. A halo of power crowned him; he looked like n a living thunderbolt.
Barry's jaw tightened. He tried one last appeal: "Wait for a plan..."
Billy didn't wait.
He slammed a hand into open air and called down the heavens. Lightning answered a white-hot spear of electric fury slammed into the World Engine's flank. The blast painted the surrounding air in searing blue and gold. For a heartbeat, the beam struck true and the whole structure shuddered.
Then nothing.
The lightning fizzled against the alien plates. The energy didn't bite, it slid. The World Engine absorbed the strike with indifference; the impact bloomed outwards but did not destabilize the core. Instead, the ship's outer surface seemed to drink the lightning, the lines of light throbbing in response.
Billy frowned, then made the decision "Fine," he said aloud, "then I'll try this."
He gathered a column of raw thunder in both fists and charged forward. He struck the surface with both arms, a fistful of lightning driving into alien metal an upraised, powered punch meant to shatter a mountain.
It hit.
For an instant there was the roar of impact and then there was resistance. A translucent membrane bloomed outward from the world engine, Invisible pressure met Billy's shoulder and drove him back. His body spun like a ragdoll and he slammed into the side of a ten-story building with a sound like thunder.
Dust and shards rained down. Glass spidered out in a hundred directions.
Barry skidded to a stop a safe distance away, hands on his knees as he panted, jaw tight. He looked up at Billy and muttered to himself, "Idiot."
On the rooftop above, Black Canary's voice rang out with worry. "Billy!" she screamed, already leaping toward a safer descent. Green Arrow aimed an explosive-tipped arrow, then reconsidered when the machine's field shivered like an enraged animal. "We need a plan," Oliver said, voice urgent. "That thing is tough."
Shazam pushed himself up, chest heaving. He banged a fist against the cracked concrete and grimaced in a mix of pain and stubborn pride. "I'm fine," he growled. "That thing absorbed my lightning!" he added.
Barry crouched beside him, his crimson suit streaked with dust. "Yeah," Barry muttered.
"Hey."
The voice was casual. Calm. Too calm for the chaos around them.
Both men spun instinctively, Barry's lightning crackling around him, Shazam's fist already glowing with power.
Arthur stood a few feet away, his cloak of shadow fluttering in the rising wind, violet eyes faintly burning. Beside him, Kara hovered.
Shazam nearly jumped out of his boots. "Sweet holy thunderballs, warn a guy next time!" he shouted, clutching his chest.
Arthur's lips curved into a faint grin. "Didn't mean to startle you, Captain Lightning Bolt."
Barry, still catching his breath, let the tension roll off his shoulders. "Arthur. Kara. You two picked a hell of a time to show up, I mean look at that thing.."
Kara didn't respond immediately. Her gaze was locked on the World Engine, eyes narrowing as the black structure pulsed again. For a heartbeat, her expression was a mix of rage and sorrow.
"That bastard…" she muttered under her breath. "He's actually using a World Engine."
The name alone carried weight. Barry frowned. "You've seen one before?"
She nodded grimly, her voice low. "Back on Krypton. It was meant to shape barren planets into habitable ones, something we didn't do for a long time. But here? He's trying to terraform Earth, to make it another Krypton." Her fists tightened, knuckles whitening. "He'll kill everyone just to rebuild what's gone!"
Arthur stepped closer, his expression darkened, "Trying to terraform the Earth…" he said softly, his voice filled with that authority that made everyone else fall silent. "I'll take that thing down."
Barry asked, his brain moving a mile a sec. "Any chance you've got a plan that doesn't end with all of us turning into ash?"
Arthur's faint smirk returned. "Working on it." His eyes flicked toward the massive machine again, their violet glow reflecting off the burning horizon. "But first, it's strange that nobody is protecting that thing and Zod is getting chased by my soldiers, so he isn't here.."
Kara hovered beside Arthur now, the light of the World Engine painting her face. She looked at him just for a second and there was that unspoken exchange between them, Determination and trust.
Arthur looked back at the two heroes. "Evacuate the rest of the area. Once the civilians are out, get as far back as you can as well."
Barry frowned. "And you two?"
Arthur smirked faintly towards Kara, shadow energy rippling around his hands. "We'll handle the big guy."
/-\
If you Like this story! Check out my other stories! Solo leveling in Westeros.
&
If you wish to read more or simply support me than check out my patreon at
"https://www.patreon.com/FrenzyAren"
You can Get Access to 3 More Chapters OR 7 More Chapters if you want