Deep beneath the frozen wasteland, all Mother Box pulsed with violent energy.
Each pulse sent seismic waves racing across the planet.
In Tokyo, skyscrapers swayed.
In New York, the ground cracked.
In London, Big Ben's clock stopped as the tower shook.
"Global seismic activity unprecedented!" a scientist shouted into his radio. "Every fault line on Earth is activating!"
Military bases worldwide erupted into action.
American F-22 Raptors screamed from Edwards Air Force Base.
Russian MiGs launched from Siberian airfields.
British Typhoons lifted off from carriers in the North Sea.
Chinese J-20s roared toward the South Pole.
"All available aircraft, converge on Antarctica," ordered Admiral Harrison from Pentagon command. "Nuclear options are authorized."
But every military leader knew the truth—conventional weapons wouldn't save them.
Above Antarctica, the sky tore open.
A boom tube the size of Manhattan materialized in the clouds.
Ships poured through—thousands of them.
Dark metal. Spiked armor. Engines that screamed across dimensions.
Leading the armada was Darkseid's flagship.
A mountain of twisted steel and hate.
On its bridge stood the dark god himself.
Darkseid surveyed Earth through the viewing portal.
Eight feet of stone-gray muscle and eternal malice.
His red eyes had watched civilizations rise and fall across the universe.
"This world ends today," he rumbled.
Behind him, his elite commanders waited.
Steppenwolf knelt, still bearing scars from Ojaga's previous beating.
Kalibak cracked his massive knuckles with anticipation.
Granny Goodness smiled coldly, Mega-Rod crackling.
And in the shadows, a figure in black Kryptonian armor stood silent.
Kara Zor-El. Supergirl. Brainwashed and weaponized.
Neither she nor her cousin Clark would recognize each other.
"Deploy everything," Darkseid commanded. "Female Furies. Parademons. Justifiers."
"Leave nothing alive."
The invasion began.
The Heroes Assemble
On the ice shelf near the buried Mother Box, seventeen heroes gathered.
Clark landed heavily, his reduced flight speed making the journey exhausting.
His 150-ton strength was still formidable, but far from his old god-like power.
Diana touched down gracefully, sword and shield ready.
Her Amazon training and million-plus power level made her one of Earth's strongest defenders.
Bruce transformed into Shazam mid-flight, lightning crackling around his muscular form.
Magic-enhanced strength put him in the same league as Diana.
Ojaga descended with golden ki trailing behind him.
His base Saiyan power of 200,000 was impressive, but still below the elite heroes.
Barry arrived in a red blur, Amazon swords gleaming on his back.
Without super-speed, his power level was only human-range, but his tactical skills were sharp.
Victor materialized through a boom tube, cybernetic body humming with Mother Box energy.
Arthur emerged from Antarctic waters, trident in hand.
His Atlantean strength of 700,000 power level made him a heavy hitter.
From around the world, more heroes converged.
Hal Jordan flew in, Green Lantern ring blazing.
Without ring constructs, his power was human-level, but his willpower was unbreakable.
Doctor Fate appeared in mystical energy, golden Helm of Nabu gleaming.
Hawkgirl swooped down on powerful wings, her Thanagarian strength at 600,000 power level.
Black Canary and Blue Beetle arrived via military transport.
Both were peak human fighters—brave but physically outclassed.
J'onn J'onzz phased into visibility, his Martian strength matching Diana and Bruce.
"Seventeen of us," Bruce counted. "Against an army."
Diana drew her sword. "Then we make every life count."
Clark looked at his weakened hands. "I'm not at full strength anymore."
Ojaga cracked his knuckles. "Don't worry. We've trained for this."
Arthur raised his trident. "For Earth."
The First Wave
The sky went black with parademons.
Thousands of the creatures poured from Darkseid's ships.
Each parademon possessed 50,000 to 100,000 power level—dangerous to humans, manageable for heroes.
But their numbers were overwhelming.
"Here they come!" Barry shouted.
The clash was immediate and brutal.
Barry became a red blur, his Amazon swords slicing through parademon wings.
"Speed kills!" he roared, cutting down fifteen creatures in one dash.
But without super-speed, he was just a very fast human.
Claws raked across his back, drawing blood.
Bruce-Shazam flew into a formation, magic-enhanced fists exploding through armor.
"SHAZAM'S LIGHTNING!"
Electricity arced between enemies, frying dozens.
His million-plus power level demolished parademon ranks.
Hal Jordan created massive green constructs.
A giant flyswatter swept through enemy formations.
"Just like pest control," he muttered.
But the constructs required concentration.
Parademons swarmed from all angles, forcing him to constantly adapt.
Doctor Fate raised his hands, golden energy spiraling.
"By the power of Order!"
Ancient spells turned parademons to dust mid-flight.
But magical combat was exhausting.
Diana led an Amazon-style charge.
Her sword sang through the air, each swing cutting through multiple enemies.
"For Themyscira!" she cried.
Her million-plus strength made each strike devastating.
Aquaman's trident impaled groups of parademons with each thrust.
"The ocean remembers its enemies!"
His 700,000 power level let him hurl creatures like projectiles.
Hawkgirl spun her mace in deadly arcs.
Her 600,000 power level shattered parademon armor like glass.
Thanagarian combat training made her movements precise and lethal.
Black Canary and Blue Beetle fought back-to-back.
Their human-level strength barely kept them alive.
"We need backup!" Black Canary shouted.
J'onn J'onzz shape-shifted his arms into hammers.
His Martian durability absorbed parademon attacks while he smashed through their ranks.
But even his million-plus power was being tested.
Clark threw punches that folded parademon armor.
His reduced 150-ton strength was still devastating to normal enemies.
But he tired faster now, breathing hard after each exchange.
Ojaga charged ki in both hands.
"SAIYAN BARRAGE!"
Golden energy blasts erupted from his palms.
Each explosion vaporized entire squadrons.
His 200,000 power level was overwhelming individual parademons.
But for every ten he destroyed, twenty more took their place.
Victor opened boom tubes beneath enemy formations.
Creatures fell through portals that closed, cutting them in half.
"Teleportation tactics," he announced. "Highly effective."
For thirty minutes, the heroes held their ground.
Seventeen fighters against thousands.
Bodies piled on the ice.
Parademon screeches filled the air.
But slowly, inevitably, the numbers began to tell.
The Elite Arrive
Kalibak landed on the ice with an impact that cracked the shelf for miles.
His massive frame towered over the battlefield.
1.2 million power level strength radiated from every muscle.
"Father promised me the strongest warriors," he roared. "Which of you wants to die first?"
Diana stepped forward, sword raised.
"Come and find out."
They clashed in a thunderclap of force.
Diana's sword met Kalibak's massive fists.
The impact created sonic booms that shattered ice for miles.
Both fighters possessed similar power levels—just over a million each.
But Kalibak had size and reach advantages.
His punch caught Diana's shield, sending her skidding backward.
"Amazon filth!" he bellowed. "Father will mount your head on his throne!"
Diana gritted her teeth, parrying his next swing. "Your father can try."
Granny Goodness descended like a nightmare.
Her Mega-Rod fired energy blasts at the mid-tier heroes.
Hal Jordan created green shields, but her attacks shattered them.
"Children need discipline!" she cackled.
Doctor Fate cast protection spells.
Golden barriers absorbed the impacts, but barely.
Her 800,000 power level was overwhelming their defenses.
The Female Furies spread across the battlefield.
Lashina's energy whips wrapped around Hawkgirl's mace.
With similar power levels, they were evenly matched.
But Lashina had backup.
Bernadeth tackled Black Canary with superhuman force.
The human-level hero screamed as she was hurled into an ice formation.
Big Barda engaged Aquaman reluctantly.
Her 900,000 power level was higher than his 700,000.
"I take no pleasure in this," she said, striking with her Mega-Rod.
"Then don't do it," Arthur replied, parrying with his trident.
Steppenwolf sought revenge against Ojaga.
"Saiyan whelp!" he snarled. "You humiliated me before!"
Ojaga turned, ki blazing. "Want a rematch? I'm stronger now."
But Steppenwolf wasn't alone.
Three Female Furies flanked him.
Four fighters with 800,000 to 1.2 million power levels surrounded one Saiyan with 200,000.
"This time," Steppenwolf said, "you fall."
The Slaughter Begins
What followed wasn't a battle.
It was systematic destruction.
Kalibak's massive fist caught Diana across the jaw.
The impact sent her flying three miles into a mountain.
The peak collapsed, burying her under tons of rock.
Granny Goodness fired point-blank at Doctor Fate.
His magical shields cracked, then shattered.
The blast hurled him unconscious across the ice.
Lashina's whips wrapped around Hawkgirl's wings.
A brutal yank tore muscle and bone.
Hawkgirl screamed, crashing into the frozen ground.
Bernadeth stomped on Black Canary's ribs.
The crack echoed across the battlefield.
Blue Beetle tried to help.
Big Barda's casual backhand sent him flying into the ocean.
Steppenwolf and the Furies overwhelmed Ojaga.
Energy whips held his arms.
Electro-axe strikes carved through his defenses.
"This is for making me flee!" Steppenwolf roared.
His axe buried deep in Ojaga's shoulder.
The young Saiyan screamed, golden ki flickering.
Even with battle-fury boosting his power, four elite enemies were too much.
Aquaman's trident bent under Big Barda's Mega-Rod.
The metal, forged by Atlantean gods, cracked and broke.
Arthur stared in shock.
Barda's punch drove him into the ice shelf.
The impact created a crater fifty feet deep.
Hal Jordan's constructs failed as Granny Goodness overwhelmed his concentration.
Her Mega-Rod struck him directly.
Green energy flickered and died.
Bruce-Shazam tried to rally the heroes.
"SHAZAM'S LIGHTNING!"
The magical bolt struck Kalibak.
The massive warrior stumbled but didn't fall.
"My turn," Kalibak growled.
His uppercut caught Bruce in the stomach.
The impact folded the hero in half.
Lightning flickered as Bruce powered down, unconscious.
Clark faced three Female Furies alone.
His reduced strength made each exchange harder.
Lashina's whips wrapped around his wrists.
Bernadeth's kicks bruised his ribs.
Big Barda's Mega-Rod struck his back.
Even weakened, Clark's Kryptonian durability kept him fighting.
But he was losing.
Badly.
J'onn J'onzz tried his shape-shifting against Steppenwolf.
Stretching to avoid the electro-axe.
Hardening his skin against impacts.
But Steppenwolf had fought shapeshifters before.
The axe found its mark.
J'onn's green blood splattered across white ice.
Victor attempted to boom-tube heroes to safety.
But the Female Furies disrupted his technology.
Energy whips wrapped around his cybernetic limbs.
Sparks flew as systems shorted out.
The God Arrives
Then Darkseid himself stepped onto the battlefield.
The ground cracked under his boots.
His presence was suffocating—raw malice that had conquered galaxies.
5 million power level.
Beyond anything Earth had ever faced.
"Enough," he said simply.
The remaining heroes—those still conscious—turned to face him.
Clark struggled to his feet, blood running from his mouth.
Diana crawled out from under the collapsed mountain.
Ojaga limped forward, ki barely flickering.
Barry gripped his swords with shaking hands.
"Together," Clark whispered.
They charged as one.
Diana's sword, forged by gods, struck Darkseid's armor.
The blade shattered like glass.
Clark's punch—everything he had left—connected with Darkseid's jaw.
The dark god didn't even blink.
Bruce-Shazam's lightning struck directly.
Darkseid absorbed it without effect.
"Is this Earth's hope?" Darkseid asked mockingly.
His casual backhand sent Diana flying.
She hit the ice and didn't get up.
A punch drove Clark into the permafrost.
The crater was a hundred feet deep.
Bruce tried to transform again.
Darkseid grabbed him by the throat.
"Your magic is weak, child."
He squeezed.
Lightning flickered and died.
Ojaga attacked in desperation.
His ki blazed brighter as Saiyan fury took hold.
300,000 power level. 400,000.
His strongest punch connected with Darkseid's chest.
For a moment, the dark god seemed impressed.
"Ah. The Saiyan. You have some strength."
Then Darkseid retaliated.
His casual backhand sent Ojaga flying across Antarctica.
The young warrior crashed through ice shelf after ice shelf.
Finally stopping ten miles away.
Unconscious.
Broken.
Barry fought with everything he had.
Human-level strength against a god.
His swords struck Darkseid's armor uselessly.
"Courage without power," Darkseid observed. "Admirable. Pointless."
His kick sent Barry tumbling across the ice.
The Flash lay still, blood pooling beneath him.
Arthur tried one last charge.
His broken trident struck Darkseid's leg.
The metal bent further.
Darkseid stepped on Arthur's chest.
Ribs cracked. The Atlantean king coughed blood.
Hal Jordan created one final construct.
A green sword, powered by pure will.
It shattered against Darkseid's skin.
"Willpower without strength," Darkseid said. "Useless."
His punch sent Hal into the ocean.
The Green Lantern ring flickered and went dark.
J'onn J'onzz tried to phase through Darkseid's attack.
But the dark god's power transcended physics.
His punch connected with the Martian's essence itself.
J'onn screamed, his form dissolving.
Doctor Fate cast his most powerful spell.
"By all forces of Order and Chaos—BANISHMENT!"
Golden chains wrapped around Darkseid.
The dark god looked down at them with amusement.
"Your Earth magic is entertaining."
He flexed.
The chains shattered.
His grab caught Doctor Fate by the helmet.
"Sleep," Darkseid commanded.
The Helm of Nabu went dark.
Victor made one last desperate attempt.
Opening a boom tube directly beneath Darkseid.
"Fall into the void!" he shouted.
Darkseid stepped aside casually.
His punch caved in Victor's cybernetic chest.
Sparks flew. Systems failed.
The young hero collapsed, half his body shut down.
Hawkgirl, wings broken, crawled toward her mace.
Darkseid stepped on her hand.
Bones cracked.
"Stay down, bird."
Black Canary and Blue Beetle had been unconscious for minutes.
Human-level fighters had no place in this battle.
The Aftermath
Ten miles away, Ojaga slowly regained consciousness.
His body was broken.
Ribs cracked. Shoulder dislocated. Blood in his mouth.
But he was alive.
Barely.
He crawled through the ice, each movement agony.
The battlefield was silent now.
No more clashing. No more shouting.
Just the wind across frozen wasteland.
Bodies scattered across miles of ice.
Heroes who had seemed invincible lay motionless.
Ojaga reached Barry first.
The speedster's costume was torn, blood seeping through.
"Barry," Ojaga whispered. "Barry, wake up."
Barry's eyes fluttered open. "Did... did we win?"
Ojaga looked around at the devastation. "No. We lost."
He crawled further.
Found Bruce.
His friend lay motionless, the Shazam transformation long faded.
But what made Ojaga's blood freeze wasn't Bruce's stillness.
It was the hole.
A perfect circle through Bruce's chest.
Darkseid's omega beam.
The wound went completely through.
No blood. The heat had cauterized everything.
But Bruce was still breathing. Barely.
"Bruce," Ojaga whispered, tears cutting through the dirt on his face. "No. No, no, no."