Justice League America

“... as in a dream I seemed to climb
For ever: at the last I reached a door ...
It gave, and throe' a stormy glare, a heat
As from a seventimes-heated furnace ...
And yet methought I saw the Holy Grail
All palled in crimson samite ...”
-Lord Alfred Tennyson

Flash struggled to his feet. Every bone in his body ached and his head felt like it had been cracked open and filled with iodine and salt. He shakily rose to his feet, his legs threatening to collapse down. His accelerated metabolism was already working on his injuries but would still take some time. He looked about at the rest of the League. Time was something they might not have.

Wonder Woman and Green Lantern were sprawled out on the ground, stunned and disoriented. Superman was nowhere around and Aquaman was lying in a crumpled heap beside the groggy Batman. J’Onn was pulling himself together, literally. The mental assault had liquefied the Martian and scattered him across the room.

“Status?” Batman said using the pedestal in the middle of the room to pull himself to his feet. The pedestal that had, until recently, been the resting place of the Holy Grail.

The Grail lay on the ground nearby, discarded and forgotten. Their foe had drunk from it and just tossed it away, as he had no further use for it. They had all assumed that the person trying to take the Grail had been someone seeking immortality. They had been wrong. It was a dead foe, who had used the healing powers of the Grail to resurrect and empower himself.

Despero. A powerful psychic alien that was solely responsible for the destruction of several planets. He had faced down the League on several occasions and the League had beaten him every time, but just barely. Now the Grail had restored his body and mind to their full potential making him more powerful than ever before.

J’Onn helped Batman up and filled the Dark Knight in. Batman frowned; he hated being controlled and used. Despero had partially taken over his body and fed him a subconscious cue for an unknown time before taking completely over and betraying the League again.

Green Lantern wiped the blood from his nose and ears, “So Batman, what’s the plan?”

“We stop Despero.” Batman said grimly.

“How?” Flash asked bitterly, “We get within ten feet of him and his telepathic assaults fry our brains. Even J’Onn couldn’t keep him out.”

J’Onn nodded. “I was caught by surprise in the first assault, though. I may be able to shield myself now that I am prepared.”

Wonder Woman shook her head, “That will not help the rest of us. Despero is as powerful as Superman. You would not be able to beat him in single combat.”

Aquaman cleared his throat. “I have an idea. Just give me a few minutes,” he said then looked around. “Where is Superman anyway?”

Flash blinked away and returned with a battered Superman over his shoulder, “Someone give me a hand here.” He muttered, “Big Blue is kinda heavy.”

Aquaman picked Superman off Flash with one hand and gently laid him on the ground.

Green Lantern looked at Superman, “He looks fairly bashed up. Despero hit him hard.”

Batman looked outside through his binoculars. He could make out trails of black smoke in the distance. Despero was heading in a straight line away from them and destroying anything he came across. He would be easy to track. “Here is the plan,” he said calmly. “Despero needs to see us to make direct telepathic contact for metal assaults. J’Onn, go invisible and slow him down. Telepathically shield Wonder Woman and she can help. Green Lantern, you attack from a distance with your constructs, but keep out of sight. The rest of you stay here and help me.”

Despero backhanded the semi trailer and shattered it like it was tinfoil. Shards of metal flew in all directions from the blow. He tore through it, continuing on his way southeast. The vehicle exploded around him. He did not notice. The flames didn’t even tickle his skin.

“Nothing can stop me!” he yelled at the world, “My hate will consume all. It will burn everything to ash!!”

Up ahead he could see the coast. From there he would go on to the League’s home country and destroy everyone there. Between him and the sea was a large fishing and shipping community. It was not overly large, only a few hundred residents. Despero would finish them off before continuing.

There was the loud boom of something breaking the sound barrier and something hard and fast moving collided with his back. Despero staggered forward from the blow and looked around; there was nothing there. Then a blow from nowhere caught him in the side of the jaw. Despero roared in sudden pain from the punch.

There was a flash of motion and another fist connected with the enraged alien, only this target was visible. Wonder Woman drew back her arm and punched him again. Despero staggered backwards and stumbled. He lashed out mentally and found her mind shielded. He fought against the barrier as he stood up, only to be sent spinning from twin blows. One from the Amazon, the other from the invisible assailant.

Despero got to his feet and lashed out again, only this time with a sudden telekinetic surge. Wonder Woman was sent flying as the blast scattered everything in the area flying. Loose gravel and grass scattered about in the assault. A cleared circle of barren rock surrounded the alien tyrant as he looked around. J’Onn stood up from where he had been knocked down. Despero smiled evilly as he saw the invisible figure covered in dust. The alien’s third eye glowed and cracked with energy.

“Now!” Despero called, “Burn! Burn with my rage!” he yelled before unleashing a destructive blast of energy. J’Onn’s skin sizzled from the energy as the Martian was sent flying backwards from the blast. He impacted hard against a hill and cratered into the side. The top-heavy hill collapsed from the blow and avalanched down on the injured hero.

Despero walked forward to the stunned Wonder Woman as she slowly rose. His eye prepared for another blast. Wonder Woman looked at him, seeing double. With J’Onn stunned, her defenses were down and Despero was twisting her mind like it was silly putty. The energy halo around his eye grew, then unleashed with a destructive blast.

Wonder Woman tried to brace for the blow but her arms would not respond. She tried to close her eyes and look away but was frozen in place. Suddenly a glowing green walnut shell appeared around her. The blast fragmented over the shell and exploded in the ground nearby. Dust filled the air from the blast.

Despero looked around, he couldn’t see the ring wielder. A large ape and a colossal lizard appeared and collided into Despero. The pink skinned invader repeatedly blasted the emerald constructs.

“Coward!” the pink alien screamed at the unseen assailant. “Show yourself and face my wrath!”

The King Kong backhanded Despero and sent him spinning as the Godzilla unleashed a blast of radioactive breath that knocked the alien onto his back.

Despero concentrated and sent out a sudden wave of psychic energy in all directions. Every telepath on the planet suddenly gripped their temples from a sudden migraine. An aboriginal in Australia was demonstrating meditative dreamwalking when he suddenly hemorrhaged and died. A fortuneteller in Los Angeles suddenly dropped dead of a stroke in mid prediction.

Green Lantern grabbed his head and screamed. He fell from the sky where he was hidden behind a cloud and plummeted to the earth. He couldn’t see anything but a glowing red eye burned into his mind.

Kyle Rayner watched helpless as he sped towards the rocks. He would hit them at several hundred miles per hour. They’d be scraping him off for days. He tried to focus but his brain was mush. He closed his eyes and everything went red.

A ripple appeared on the surface of the water. Something beneath the surface bubbled and began to rise. A call went out summoning the king.

Despero moved closer to the town. He could see the people obliviously going through their lives, unaware that death was coming from them. He moved closer, at the outskirts of town he could see the small suburb housing. Despero smiled as he prepared to destroy them.

The world exploded around him. The ground erupted in explosions. The Batplane spun around for another pass and unleashed another barrage of stinger missiles.

Despero snarled – was that expected to stop him? His eye charged for a blast.

Batman targeted the giant again. He knew the missiles wouldn’t stop Despero. But then, they weren’t meant to. They were just to slow him down until Superman built up enough speed.

Superman set down Green Lantern after he had caught him inches from the ground and left the young hero wrapped in his cape. Batman had used the Grail on Superman to close his wounds, poured the healing fluid on the injuries. He felt better than ever. Invigorated by the magicks. Batman had deduced the loophole in the Grail’s power that could let then stop Despero. The Grail could only grant immortality to someone that did not need healing. Someone like Superman, who was badly injured, could be healed but would not gain eternal life. Despero had been restored and invigorated, but was still mortal.

He turned around and flew away from Despero before turning around. He had to build up speed, and it took room to accelerate.

The world blurred around Superman as he shot towards Despero at Mach speeds. He had long since passed escape velocity and was traveling at dozens of miles per second. Despero couldn’t hear him coming, he was traveling faster than sound, but the alien felt him. He turned at the last second and saw Superman’s fists aimed directly at his head.

Despero was ten more miles away from the town before he even registered the punch and twenty more before he felt the pain.

The shockwave from the blow blew out all the windows on the closest side of the town and sent rocks and dirt scattering. The sound from the impact was like a bomb going off. Animals and birds ran away.

Despero skidded to a stop leaving a long scar across the landscape like a knife wound to the planet. He rose and tried to shout threats but waves of pain from his jaw stopped him. The blow had shattered his jawbone. He roared with pain and rage.

Superman appeared before Despero and swung a hard right to Despero’s wounded face. The giant doubled over from the blow. The man of steel drove his fist into Despero’s ribs like a jackhammer into the street then followed through with a devastating uppercut. Despero flew backwards into the dirt.

Superman sped over to the limp body and swung another blow. Despero rolled to the side. Superman faked to the left and tossed a right hook. The pink giant blocked the blow easily. The Kryptonian let loose a barrage of blows at supersonic speeds. Each punch shattered the sound barrier with ease. Despero sidestepped and blocked all of them then smiled.

Superman threw one last punch and Despero tossed up his hand and caught Superman’s fist. Realization dawned, Despero was reading his mind and anticipating his blows. Despero backhanded Superman while still gripping Superman’s left hand. Despero drew back and hit him again. There was a loud crack as Superman’s nose broke. Despero just smiled and hit him again.

Despero eventually let go and Superman collapsed to his hands and knees, barely staying conscious. He reached out one hand and casually blocked the incoming shock rocket from the Batplane. Fire shot around him as the rocket impacted on his palm. The force knocked the dazed Superman over. Despero just looked up and sent an eyebeam at the troublesome plane.

The left wing turned into a smoking fireball as Batman struggled to land without turning into a smear.

Despero turned and began the long trek back to the town. For all the trouble, he was going to make them suffer now.

The water bubbled and a hand rose from the shining surface. The feminine hand tightly gripped a weapon of legend. Powerful and mystical, it was the weapon of a king among men. She held it aloft where the weapon brightly caught the light of the setting sun. With a singly flick of the wrist she sent the weapon sailing through the air. It spun gracefully into the waiting hand of its rightful owner.

He felt the power of it course through his veins. The weapon added its strength to his own. With it he knew what he had to do. Aquaman raised Poseidon’s trident in a salute, “I thank you, Lady of the Lake.” He said.

Mera smiled back. “Any time… King Arthur.”

Aquaman ran to the others. He helped Wonder Woman to her feet.

“Where is Despero?” she asked, her mind still shaken.

“He’s heading right this way.” Aquaman said.

Flash joined them, first with Batman then the injured Superman. Green Lantern landed with the shaken Martian Manhunter behind him.

“Ready, Arthur?” Batman asked watching the rapidly approaching tyrant.

“We make our stand here.” Aquaman said.

“We still can’t get close enough to face him.” Green Lantern said, “And now we’re even more beat up.”

Aquaman shook his head, “True, we can’t stop his telepathy alone.” He said, “But with the trident I am not alone. I have seventy percent of the planet helping me. Even Despero cannot stop that many minds.”

J’Onn nodded in understanding, “Then I will help us connect with them too.”

Aquaman held out the trident. “Then join me… Sir Bernlad the Green Knight.”

J’Onn smiled and gripped the weapon. He opened his mind and dove into Aquaman’s psyche. For a second he lost himself in the depths of the gestalt. The union of all marine life known as The Clear. With experienced skill, the Martian forced his mind back to the surface. Aquaman turned and looked at the rest.

“Wally, or Sir Gawain. Kyle, or Sir Gareth.”

The two young heroes each grabbed a free hand. The Clear welcomed and embraced them.

Superman stepped forward and met Aquaman’s gaze. “Let me not forget Sir Lancelot. Or,” he said looking at Wonder Woman, “Brave royal Gwynevere.”

They rested their hands in Wally and Kyle’s grips. Diana looks slightly amused, “Do not think that reference completely slipped past me, Arthur.” She said with a grin.

Aquaman smiled slightly then turned to face the last, Batman. “And lastly, our ‘betrayer’. Join us, Sir Mordred.”

Batman grunted and stepped between Superman and Wonder Woman and united the circle. A circle of life.

The planet showed them the connection of marine life. The bond of water that united every living thing on the planet. The smallest plankton that fed the largest whale. The birds that grew strong from the fish. The amphibians and insects that thrived in their damp birthplaces. The plants that grew connecting the waters of the oceans with the fires of the sun. They were a part of it all.

Slowly they let go, but the circle remained. They stood as one before the approaching enemy.

Despero moved swiftly forward, unrelenting in his goal. His jaw was almost already healed. He saw the pesky Leaguers before him, blocking his way again. He had swatted them once, he could do it again.

They moved as a group, not giving him individual targets. The Flash lent them all his speed as they charged forward. Superman gave a blast of heat vision while J’Onn and Wonder Woman landed twin blows. Green Lantern charged atop a green stallion and struck hard with his lance. Batman ducked to the side and lobbed a flare into Despero’s face.

The giant staggered backwards, hurt and blinded. The blows came so fast and often he could no longer tell from where he was being attacked. His mind shot out trying to set their brains ablaze but only found dark inky depths like a deep ocean trench. Despero pulled back trying to free his mind from the void. Wonder Woman slammed both fists into Despero’s side. The alien’s ribs gave way with a loud wet snap. J’Onn phased his hand into Despero’s chest and partially re-solidified himself. The effect was like pushing a spoon into Jell-O. Despero howled with pain and coughed up blood. The League landed twenty more blows before the blood drops hit the ground.

Superman shot forward and gave one last punch that drove Despero chin deep into the bedrock. The alien moaned and fell unconscious.

J’Onn looked at the fallen foe and rubbed his knuckles, “I now fully understand the expression ‘like hitting a brick wall’.”

Green Lantern looked at Despero, “Okay now the really hard part. What do we do with him? How to you imprison a nigh-indestructible telekinetic, telepathic, killing machine?”

Despero walked up behind Superman. He was standing there ignorantly, completely unaware that of the threat behind him. Despero swung and put his fist straight through the man of steel’s head. Superman kept talking without missing a beat.

Despero roared but no one heard him, “I will kill you all! I will destroy!” he cried atop his lungs. No one even batted an eye. Despero watched vainly as Superman said something, but no sound came out. He swung again and again with no result.

Superman sat down at the meeting table. “Where is he now?”

Flash shrugged, “Probably still here in the Watchtower. We can’t see or hear him. He can probably see our pre-images, but that’s all.”

“I don’t like this.” Green Lantern said spinning around. “He could be watching us at any time. I’m never showering again.”

“We had no other choice.” Wonder Woman said. “He can move himself through space telekinetically. No prison could hold him, and with his new limitless psychic powers we can’t telepathically brainwash him.”

Batman nodded. “Temporal displacement was the only option. Having Flash decelerate him half a nanosecond backward in time. He cannot interact with anything. Not even psychically. Everything is ahead of him. And with the uncertainty he cannot even affect matter at the quantum level. In the past everything is effectively in two places at the same time.”

“I know. I know.” Green Lantern muttered, “That doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

A fraction of a fraction of a second earlier the last Kalanorian howled in impotent rage. He could do nothing. Nothing he could do would affect even the smallest piece of dust. But he still lived. And he still had his hate. It was all he had left.

The End...

Previous Issue | Next Issue