AFTER THE CRUCIBLE # 7

CRUSADER CRISIS, PART THREE

By Barry Reese

LIMBO

In the small area of time and space that is Limbo, madness reigned. The Crusaders of the Red Circle Universe, defeated by Kalathar and now controlled by the evil Brain Emperor, are set to do battle with their counterparts from the Impact Universe. Meanwhile, towering above them, the cosmic beings Mr. Justice and Kalathar are conducting warfare of both a psychic and physical nature.

At stake? The fate of two universes.

"Why am I always forced to bear witness to such atrocities?" The man called Pariah felt the first tear fun slowly down his cheek as he watched from afar.

The woman's voice was soothing, but chiding as well. Lyta, known to the heroes of Earth-Sigma as Harbinger, floated beside him. She tapped a few keys on the monitor device she held in her hands, studying the scene before her. "Stop complaining, Mossa. I've told you my theory that your current situation is as much a result of your continued guilt as it is the Monitor's manipulations. When you decide you've been punished for you sins adequately, your 'curse' will be lifted."

Pariah wiped away his tears and pulled his hood back over his face. "I hope you're right, Lyta. I don't know how much longer I can survive witnessing things like this. One or both of the worlds before us is doomed and we're helpless to stop it...."

EARTH, IMPACT UNIVERSE

Josh Sterling stared up into the blood-red skies and wondered if this was really It. Armageddon. He hadn't read Revelations since he was a boy, but the fear that welled up inside him right now made him wonder if this was the Biblical End. Part of him wanted to head back into the hospital and sit with Michael Barnes, but he knew that Michael was with his family right now. The drugs pumped into him during the battle with the Caregiver were still wreaking havoc with his system and the doctors weren't sure he was going to pull through.

Josh, known to the world as Steel Sterling of the Crusaders, pulled his jacket tightly against him. The wind was howling and the rain fell in heavy sheets. Stepping out into the unknown, he resolved to do whatever he could to help people. If it's all falling apart, we're going to have to band together. That's why I joined the Crusaders - to help people. And I'm going to do it til the day I die....

All around the world, in numbers great and small, the people of Earth prepared for the End.

LIMBO

The Comet stared into the angry face of his doppleganger and instantly saw himself mirrored back at him. Rob Connors dodged his opponent's eye blasts and zoomed to the side. The two heroes were by far the fastest of the combatants and their battle was being waged at speeds that were far beyond what the human eye could follow. "Listen to me! You can fight the Brain Emperor's control -- we don't have to fight!"

The original Comet gritted his teeth and blasted again, this time striking Rob in the stomach and sending him flying. "All he's done is lift the barriers we usually have in place! I'm no longer the soft, mind-controlled slave of the Altroxians* -- I'm the Comet, as I was always meant to be!"

(*The alien Altroxians once helped stabilize the Comet's mental state, curing his homocidal rages.)

Rob felt his own anger start to rise in his heart, but he pressed it down. He'd made way too many mistakes in the past by giving in to his rage -- the time for feeling sorry for himself was over. "Look, Comet... I can see some of myself in you. Heck, maybe I am you in some odd way. But that doesn't mean I can hold back and let you help Kalathar win. So, I'm sorry -- but I've gotta take you down!"

The Impact Comet fired his most powerful blast at the Red Circle Comet. His enemy matched his energy output and the two heroes shown like stars in the night.

Meanwhile, the two men who called themselves Shield traded blows at close quarters. The original Shield was far stronger but the later Shield's force field helped even the odds. Punch after punch landed, but neither man would give any ground.

The same results could be seen in the other clashes, as well. The two Jaguars growled like their namesakes, grappling with one another with surprising ferocity. While Maria was the stronger of the two, Ralph Hardy's rocket belt gave him more range and manueverability.

The two Flys buzzed about one another, with Jason's wing-based sonic attack cancelled out by Thomas Troy's buzz gun. Jason ducked a powerful blow from the original Fly and delivered a strong kick into his opponent's midsection. "Listen to me! If the Fly People trusted you with that ring, it's because your heart is pure! Don't let the Brain Emperor distort that -- it's an insult not only to yourself, but to the faith the Fly People put in you!"

Thomas Troy hesitated a moment. Something in the young man's voice was indeed reaching him. He felt the Brain Emperor straining to maintain control and he clutched at his head in agony. "No! The boy's right! Turan told me I had to fight for honor and justice!" The Fly screamed, his younger counterpart reaching out to touch his hand. Their Fly Rings connected and, for just a moment, their minds came together. In that instant, the Brain Emperor's control was shattered.

The telepathic villain sensed the tide beginning to turn immediately. Each of his pawns was now shaking his head as if to clear it of cobwebs. "No! I was so close... but there's still a chance. If Kalathar wins, that's all that matters!"

"You're right about that, but he isn't going to win!" Darkling, revived from her earlier injury, threw her cloak around the villain. "Go to Hell." Her mystic cloak did its job well, twisting time and space. In an instant, the Brain Emperor was gone.

Her teammates crowded around her, still confused from the battle but quickly returning to normal. The Shield touched her arm. "Darkling! Should have known you'd show up in the middle of all this! Where have you been*?"

(*Darkling was lost in limbo way back in Red Circle/Archie Adventure's Mighty Crusaders # 11.)

The beautiful heroine smiled but shook her head. "Time for explanations later, my friends."

Maria growled her agreement. As usual, as combat wore on, she'd become far more animalistic. With a snarl, she said "We have to stop Kalathar, no matter what it takes. The worlds are almost merged now!"

The combined Crusaders of two worlds stared at the awesome sight before them. Two Earths, slowly merging, while Kalathar and Mr. Justice continued to battle. It was the Impact Universe's Shield who took charge. "Comets, Flys and Shields -- I want us to attack Kalathar directly! Jaguars and Darkling, check out the Brain Emperor's ship -- there may be something onboard we can use."

Jason Troy held out a hand, which was quickly covered by the gloved hand of the Red Circle Fly. "Let's do this, guys. It's all or nothing." One by one, the heroes followed suit, each resting their hand on those in the middle. "Crusaders Together!"

Harbinger lowered her monitor device. She wanted to take part, down in the pit of her belly she could feel a tight knot of fear. She held back,however, trying to remember what the Monitor had always told her. In the crucible of conflict, heroes were forged. In this section of the mulitverse, the heroes before her were the best.

"You want to help, don't you?" Pariah peered out from under his hood. "It's possible, you know. I helped save Lady Quark and we both averted destruction in the War of the Gods. We can do it."

Lyta smiled softly. "You're nurturing a heroic streak, aren't you? I'll lend a hand if it looks like the day is lost, but not before. I'm trying to catalog their powers and skills, just as the Monitor would have done. Interfering would only taint the results."

"But he was surveying metahumans for use in the war with the Anti-Monitor. What are you studying them for?"

Harbinger didn't answer, instead focusing on the scene before her. Right now, she couldn't even trust Mossa with the truth of what's coming.

INSIDE THE K'BALLA SHIP

Darkling gasped as she stepped into the Brain Emperor's vessel. A plethora of costumed individuals were lying in disarray, their breath coming rapidly. A rotund man with several spider-like legs attached to his waist stirred in his uneasy sleep, a moan escaping his lips.

Darkling knelt and touched his face. "What happened here?"

Ralph Hardy, the Jaguar, joined his former teammate. "They're in some sort of coma -- related to this, no doubt." He tilted the man's head and revealed a small, flickering device attached to the back of his skull.

Maria growled. "That's Arachnus, he's one of my husband's enemies."

Ralph grasped the device firmly. He hated to remove it without knowing exactly what it was, but he had a sneaking suspicion about its purpose. The Brain Emperor had mind-controlled the Crusaders and Ralph would be willing to bet that this device did something similar to Arachnus and the others. Using the strength of an elephant, he pulled it away. A small trickle of blood oozed from the wound. "There. Let's just hope I haven't doomed this poor guy...."

Arachnus stirred, his eyes opening wide in horror. "My lord! I thought that thing was going to kill me...."

Darkling touched his arm to keep him from rising. "The device?"

He looked at her for the first time and gripped her hand. "No! Kalathar! He was draining us of our mental and physical power! As long as he's doing that, he'll be unstoppable."

Maria smiled and reached down for the Black Witch. She pulled her head up and reached for the device that rested on the back of her neck. "Then we know what to do. I imagine that the Legion might even be willing to help us if need be."

Darkling looked back out at the battle. It was going poorly for now, but hopefully this would turn the tide. She couldn't stop a feeling of dread that was slowly spreading in her heart, however. What am I sensing? Who's in such danger that my mystic senses are going so crazy?

"The day is lost! Surrender your fight and I shall make sure that in the new universe you will be treated fairly!" Kalathar's voice boomed through the psychic planes as he pounded Mr. Justice with enough force to destroy a city.

"As long as God above still exists, I shall fight on, Kalathar. For it is He who resurrected me to protect the world and it is He who shall smite you down!"

"With a little help from the Crusaders, 'natch!" Jason Troy led the attack force which consisted of himself, the other universe's Fly and the two Comets. John Dickering and Rob Connors flew at Kalathar from opposite directions, unleashing their atomic powers at once. The alien warrior staggered in pain, giving Mr. Justice an opening. The spectral hero pounded his opponent savagely, until Kalathar regrouped and blasted his opponents with Eterno's powers. He then used the Eraser's disintegration power against the Impact Comet, narrowly missing him.

"You cannot stop me! I have the powers of my world's great villains!" He began plucking out images of terror from their minds, using the Dream Demon's ability, but he gaped as they began to fade away into nothingness.

"Looks like your world's villains aren't all they're cracked up to be," deadpanned the Red Circle Fly. As Kalathar began to shrink in size, he fired his buzz gun. The blast made Kalathar howl.

"What is happening?!"

"Your pawns are awake." Darkling, flanked by the two Jaguars, floated in front of the assembled Malevolent Legion. "And with your devices removed by myself and the Jaguars, your stolen powers are no longer in effect!"

Kalathar watched with widening eyes as the Legion launched their own attack. In concert with the Crusaders, they were now battering Kalathar into submission. The villain howled in anger and rage. "Nooooo! My people must live again! They must!"

The Shield of the Impact Universe fired his energy blasts into Kalathar's now human-sized frame. They were a variant of the weapons system that Michael used and they gave him the ability to strike from a distance. "You've failed, Kalathar. As long as even one of us remains, we'll fight you. Your race thrived only by subverting the ideals and beliefs of others, conquering all who stood against you -- you're just another two-bit dictator with dreams of glory! Surrender and we'll try to help you deal with the loss of your people -- unlike you, we don't kill our enemies!"

With a burst of pure hate, Kalathar channeled every last bit of energy he possesed into an energy blast. "If my people cannot rule, then no one shall!" Kalathar, drained of all energy, slumped forward into a fetal position as his beam of death headed towards its target.

The energy burst rocketed towards the two Earths, even as Mr. Justice sought to use his powers to help separate them. The Comets both started off in pursuit but neither was positioned correctly to stop it.

The Shield, Joe Higgins of the Impact Universe, stood in the direct path of the blast. With only a split-second to decide whether or not to jump out of the way or stay his ground, Joe lived up to his name. Activating his force field, he served as a human shield to save humanity. He heard someone call his name, but his mind never had time to register who it was. The blast hit him and, slowed only somewhat by his force field, tore through his body immediately. The energy blast dissipated well short of its goal, leaving only a shocked group of heroes in its wake. The Shield's red, white and blue costume floated in space.

Some distance away, the man called Pariah lowered his head in sadness.

EPILOGUE - RED CIRCLE UNIVERSE

"So the villains have been returned to prison?"

Maria Troy, in her true form, nodded as she walked alongside Darkling outside the Crusaders' HQ. Darkling couldn't help but be amazed that the quiet, shy Maria was actually the amazonian Jaguar. "Yes, thanks to Mr. Justice. And Kalathar should be safely locked away in that prison your Comet devised for him."

Darkling nodded. "John's Altroxian technology is amazing, isn't it? Kalathar should be trapped out of phase with your reality forever, never aging or changing, but never quite free either."

Maria grasped her own arms, hugging herself tightly. "I can't believe Joe's gone. It still seems so unreal. I keep expecting him to walk into the room, full of confidence. He was the best of us. When we all played at being heroes, he was one."

Darkling put an arm around her friend. "A few years ago, we lost a Shield, too. Lancelot Strong. He died saving innocent lives and none of us have ever forgotten his sacrifice. The pain will get easier with time -- just don't make his sacrifice in vain."

Maria nodded. The two of them had come up to where the two sets of Crusaders were saying goodbye. Maria moved over and took her husband's hand, casting an uneasy glance at Rob Conners. Why did Joe die, while Rob keeps cheating death again and again? she thought, guilt chasing the idea away almost immediately. Joe had been willing to give Rob a second chance and perhaps she should, too.

The Joe Higgins of this world stepped forward. "I'm sorry our first meeting couldn't have been a happier one. I'd like to suggest we do this on a regular basis in the future -- both to get to know one another and to remember your friend and all he did for us."

Jason took the offered hand and smiled. "You bet. We'll be in touch, I promise."

After a small flurry of farewells, Darkling swept them up in her cloak.

The battle had been won, but at quite a cost.

Next Issue : The funeral of the Shield! Plus : Michael Barnes makes a decision that will alter his life forever! And be sure to check out the upcoming Crusaders Annual for a tribute to the Shield and the full story of the Crusaders' "8 year gap."

AUTHOR'S NOTES

It's here. The finale to the "Crusader Crisis." Next issue will see the first in a series of "smaller" stories, getting to explore the characters outside their costumes. Look for Michael Barnes and Steel Sterling to return to the ranks next issue, with the new lineup (for now, at least) looking like this : American Shield, Fly, Jaguar, Comet and Steel Sterling. There will be a new female member in future issues and a whole lot of questions about the Comet -- sure, the Crusaders might be willing to give him another shot at redemption, but how about the U.S. government or the survivors of Evergreen?

If people want it, I might do another Crusader/Crusader team-up someday, though I'm not looking forward to handling that many characters again. Hope you enjoyed the ride, though. I did.

Barry Reese