“I will see you pay for what you have done, wench.”

The Anti-Monitor reared up his demon-steed and brandished his war-axe. His armor was made of the palest bone and glistened in the light of the firepits that gave Hell its luminescence. His eyes glowed with the power and age that bespoke his true nature.

“And I will see you returned to the nothingness from which you sprang, demon.” Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, flipped her own axe in her right hand, her golden shield grasped in the other.

Purple energy sparked across the chamber as their weapons made contact. The Anti-Monitor used his steed to make Hippolyta hold back, but as soon as the demonsteed prepared for another charge, Hippolyta struck back at the Monitor with another swipe of her blade.

Meanwhile, mere feet away, Hourman, the Flash and the current incarnation of the Lord of Order known as Dr. Fate were combatting a horde of demons. Hourman dove into the throng of demonspawn, his superhuman strength and stamina more than a match for their hellborne ability. Razor-sharp claws raked over his body, tearing his uniform to shreds as he fought. His skin tore at their assault, but the Miraclo that boosted his metabolism healed any wounds practically instantaneously.

The Flash wound his way through the horde of demons faster than the eye could see. A lightning bolt shaped like a man plowed through the demons like a scythe through wheat. Realizing these creatures were something dead and not truly alive, he vibrated himself through their bodies at sub-light speed, tearing them asunder.

The being known as Fate floated above the throng, his hands extended to his sides. His golden helmet gleamed in the light of hellfire. The mystical amulet he wore around his neck emanated a bright light that burned any demon that dared lay eyes on him. The red circuitry on Fate’s black tunic began to glow and show small electrical charges firing across it. Demons not caught in the wake of the magic light, nevertheless backed away. A sense of power was in the air, and not one friendly to demons.

Behind the army of demons and their bone-clad leader, was a globe of hellfire. Inside the globe was a formless blob of energy. It writhed against its prison, trying vainly to escape, but coming up against resistance at every step. The blob of energy was a Lord of Order. It was also known by another name: Nabu.

Hourman gained a few seconds respite before the next wave of demons began to regroup on him. He was bloody and ragged, but he wasn’t about to give up. He was Hourman. A member of the Justice Society of America. And the son of Rex Tyler.

As he leaped into the throng of demons, he smiled, hoping that his father was watching from a far better place than this.

Faux-DC Proudly Presents:

#6

EVIL REBORN – Part the Last

“Crossover”

Written by Mike Hintze

Edited by “Miry” Clay Arceneaux
And
Ralph Angelo, Jr.

Dedicated to Ron Hintze

“Where in hell are we??”

Jack Knight, known to some as Starman, couldn’t believe his eyes. Seconds ago, he had been in a starship, navigating his way through the black recesses of Shadow Realms in an attempt to return home to Earth after weeks in outer space. He had been searching for Will Payton, the man who had assumed the role of Starman before Jack, at the request of his lover (and Will’s sister) Jayne Sadie Payton. He was enroute through the shadowrealms that were the domain of Jack’s friend and ally known as the Shade in an attempt to return to Earth. He had been told by a shadow creature known as Smudge (a minion of the Shade) that Will Payton had reappeared on Earth. Trying to come home via a shortcut in the Shadowrealms seemed like a good idea…until they suddenly crash-landed after coming out of the enlarged shadow-form of JSA member Obsidian. Now Jack, the former Starman known as Mikaal Tomas and a Mother Box hologram construct patterned on Jack’s father Ted Knight, the original Starman, were left in what seemed like a real-time rendition of Dante’s Inferno.

“I think your initial description was more than accurate, Jack,” replied Mikaal. His chest crackled with stellar energy from the alien amulet embedded in his chest.

“I concur with Mikaal, Jack,” said ‘Ted’. “My preliminary scans indicate that we are surrounded by hellborne magicks. We are, quite literally, in Hell.” His energy form shimmered as if the hologram was being scrambled by interference.

Jack brought his cosmic rod up in a defensive stance. “Well, wherever we are, it looks like the Justice Society is here, and it looks like they need help…look!”

Not far from their location was a pool of molten lava. The pool began to bubble and roil, until a 100-foot figure rose from its depths. The figure was Neron, self-styled ruler of this particular level of Hell…and he was not pleased.

“You earth-bound specks have toyed with me for the last time!” he screamed. His tunic and cloak were burnt and shredded, his face melted half away to reveal bone black as night. His eyes glowed with the fire that only someone as evil as he could hope to produce. But he wasn’t looking at Starman and his companions. He was looking at someone else.

Starman couldn’t believe his eyes. He saw a huge man made of emerald fire even larger than Neron, his hands coruscating energy. Even amidst the flames, Starman recognized the man as Alan Scott, The Sentinel. He did not look happy.

“Neron,” said Sentinel, “You’ve been allowed free reign in human lives for far too long. This ends…now.” With those words, Sentinel brought his arms up to bear and fired a brilliant blast of emerald fire at Neron. The demonlord screamed as the fire peeled away his skin and muscle, revealing his true demonic form beneath. Neron fell back to another pit of lava, and sank.

“Wow,” said Starman. He activated his cosmic rod and flew up to Sentinel’s eye level. “Hey, Alan! It’s Jack Knight! You mind filling me in on what’s going on here?”

Sentinel absorbed the emerald energy that made up his giant form, and returned to his normal stature. As he did so, he staggered, and would have collapsed had Jack not been there to catch him. Jack slowly returned Sentinel to the ground.

“Jack,” said Mikaal, “This one is hurt as well. I believe his name is Obsidian.” Beside Mikaal, Jack could see Obsidian lying on the ground, his shadowform flickering in and out of flux.

“Neither of these guys look good,” said Jack. “Ted, do what you can for them. I’m going to make sure that demon guy is down for the count.”

“As you wish,” said Ted, “But be careful, Jack. The laws of physics do not behave here as they do on Earth. Your cosmic rod may not work properly.”

“I’ll be watching,” replied Jack. “You just get these two to safety.” He flew off to check on Neron.

As he flew higher, he saw a cloaked figure floating in the air above the lava pit that had once again swallowed Neron. Jack immediately recognized him.

“Spectre? Mr. Corrigan, is that you?”

The Spectre turned to face Jack, his pale white face covered in shadow from the nose up. “No, Jack Knight. I am not Jim Corrigan. But I am the Spectre.”

Jack was momentarily confused, but decided an explanation would be better served for another time and place. “Well, whoever you are, Alan and Todd need help down there. Is there anything you can do?”

The Spectre’s face began to radiate fury. “Not now. Now, I have more important things to tend to. During the fight, I…held back. I can do so no longer. Neron must be vanquished for all eternity. He must be destroyed…and I am the only one who can do it.” The Spectre then flew down at incredible speed and entered the pool of lava, splashing up as he did so. Seconds passed…

…Then the pool roiled and bubbled…and exploded outwards in a fury of molten rock.

Elsewhere in Hell

“Die, Monster!”

Hippolyta cleaved the head off the Anti-Monitor’s demonsteed with a huge swipe. Green and black blood spilled onto the ground as the creature’s lifeless body collapsed on the ground. The Anti-Monitor fell off the steed, landing on his stomach, his bone armor protecting him from the effects of the sudden fall. He reached out for his lance several feet away…until an axe blade landed between himself and the weapon. Looking up, he saw Hippolyta standing over him, a look of murder on her face.

“You’re going to find out if its truly possible for a dead man to die again,” she said. She brought up her axe to behead the Monitor…but was suddenly tackled from behind as several demons tried to save their master. Hippolyta was brought down hard, her axe and shield scattered out of her reach. She tried to reach it…until pale white feet clad in bone stepped on both sides of her head.

She turned to look up, and saw the Monitor standing over her, his lance in hand, raised up with the killing point aimed towards her.

“DIE,” was all he said, as he ran the length of his lance through Hippolyta’s abdomen and into the ground beneath her.

“Is everyone all right?”

Jack Knight looked around in the force field he had hastily constructed using his cosmic rod. In the luminescence of the cosmic energy, he could see Sentinel, Mikaal, Ted and Obsidian within its protective confines. Lava surrounded them from all sides as the Spectre caused the molten rock to heave over them from whatever he was doing with Neron.

“I’m…all right,” said Sentinel. “Thanks for the quick save, Jack.”

Obsidian helped his father up to his feet. “Where the hell did you come from? You just…popped out of me.”

“That is a phenomenon I would be greatly interested in exploring further, Obsidian,” replied Ted. “However, suffice it to say, we have more important matters ahead of us. Such as getting out of here.” The hologram form of ‘Ted’ began to shimmer and shake. “It also seems that our starship is being overcome by the assault being handed out by the Spectre. My Mother Box housing is becoming compromised.” His image shimmered and became static-like.

“We have to save that ship”, said Jack. “To save Ted’s Mother Box.”

“Let me try,” said Sentinel. He extended his arms out, and emerald fire shot out at the force field. It immediately overcame the cosmic energy, and expanded the sphere of protection the original force field had held. Suddenly, the ground beneath their feet lifted as well, and the assembled heroes saw that they were being levitated, with the ground beneath them, up into the air. They could see the ground below them, and saw the lava pool that the Spectre had dived into had become even more violent than before. Then, abruptly, it settled.

A large hand extended out of the lava, and everyone gave a sigh of relief when they saw the body to whom it belonged. The Spectre rose, his body hundreds of feet high. In his other hand, was the severed, blackened head of Neron.

“I CAST YOU DOWN ONCE AGAIN, DEMONSPAWN!”, boomed the Spectre, as he threw down Neron’s head to the lava-soaked ground. A look of triumph washed over his face, as if he was on an adrenaline rush. Suddenly, his face turned from victory and triumph…to grave concern.

“HIPPOLYTA!” he yelled, and he immediately shrunk down to his normal stature before speeding in the direction of the other team. Sentinel willed his sphere to follow.

The Flash saw it first. He had just cut a swath through another in an endless throng of demons, when he heard the muffled scream. Looking over, he saw Hippolyta writhing against the pike that was thrust through her.

“Hippolyta!” He ran. He ran as fast as he could towards Hippolyta, yet he felt as if he were hardly moving at all. That was the nature of Hell; laws of physics didn’t behave here as they would on Earth. He was able to move fast enough so far in this battle that he was still a threat to any demon…now, he couldn’t move fast enough.

He knelt down to Hippolyta, blood running out of the corner of her mouth. He supported her head, not wanting to remove the lance for fear of forcing more internal bleeding than she already had.

“Polly? Polly, it’s Jay…can you hear me? You’re going to be all right, Polly.” Tears began to flow down his cheeks. A demon leaped at him, and without looking he reached his arm out and threw a piece of debris through the hellspawn’s head, its cranium exploding like a crushed grape.

Several feet away, Hourman looked over and saw Jay kneeling with Hippolyta’s head in his arms. He grabbed a demon, and threw it into a throng of other demons. He began to rush over to Jay, when a voice boomed into the surrounding cavern. He looked up, and saw the Anti-Monitor standing on an outcropping above their heads. Blood stained the feet of his bone armor.

“Loyal hellspawn…kill them! One of them has fallen…the rest will follow! A place in my new regime to each of you who fells one of these so-called heroes!” He then retreated into an exit behind him, Nabu’s energy prison following as he left.

The demons seemed to come from nowhere, their numbers and initiative doubling and redoubling again. Hourman made it to where Jay knelt with Hippolyta, Fate following close behind, floating above them, his amulet glowing in the dank gloom. These members of the Justice Society were ready for their last stand. To the death.

The demons approached. Closer…closer…

“Need a hand?”

Tendrils made of shadow spun out of the demon swarm, the ends of them showing snapping jaws and faces. The demons were being consumed by the shadow creatures, cutting them down. At the same time, green flame cut a swath through more demons, burning them in eldritch energy. Then, finally, a golden forcefield came out of the darkness, golden energy cutting a path into the demons. They shied away from the light, fearful of it. As the swarm parted, Hourman and the rest saw their friends approach. Obsidian, who seemed to have the shadow creatures flowing out of his own body. Sentinel, with the Green Flame flowing out of his hands. And someone else, holding a glowing rod that fired energy…behind them came The Spectre and two others…a blue skinned man holding a small box-like device, and another man who glowed as if unreal.

“Hippolyta,” said Obsidian, “Is she…”

“She’s holding on…barely,” replied Jay. He cradled her gently; Hippolyta began to speak.

“Tell…”, she whispered, “Tell…Diana…I love her…The Amazons are….her’s to rule now…” With those words, Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, breathed her last.

Everyone was silent for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, Jay Garrick let Hippolyta’s head onto the ground, and stood up. His face was stone.

“Today…is the end of that monster.”

The Anti-Monitor entered his secret chamber grimly. He was prepared for annoyances like those heroes…but he also knew the lengths to that they could and would go now that one of their own had fallen. That had been his downfall last time in the events that had been dubbed the Crisis. He chided himself for again repeating his error…but this time, he had an escape plan.

Neron was only a means to an end. A resource to be tapped, used and discarded. Once Neron had discovered him in his ancient prison deep in Hell, he had been made an ally and companion to the Lord of the Netherworld. Given access to his mystical resources, he had searched and looked…and found information that could undo all his past defeats, and make him ruler of not only this universe…but ALL universes.

Using Neron’s scrying pool, he had searched for an answer to gaining victory over life. In the process, he had ended up communicating with another…being? No, that was wrong. He had communicated with a FORMER being, a shade of a living being, much like himself. He had physical power in Hell only because of the bone armor he wore. Without it, even in Hell he was less than a ghost. His plan to obtain a host body had failed*, but he had other plans now that he had met his fellow shade.

(*As shown in FDC’s Wonder Woman # 338 – WonderMike)

This shade was from another universe, and had gained and lost power as the Monitor himself had. He, too had been beaten and cast down by a group of heroes as well as a treacherous twin brother. He, too had been cast out into a spirit realm where he would live out his days as less than a spirit, alone and forgotten. Then, he and the Monitor had been able to communicate, by way of Neron’s scrying pool and the nature of the soul world his newfound companion had been cast to. Now, the Justice Society was on his trail. He had to enact the next part of his plan. And for that, he required Nabu.

He turned to the imprisoned Lord of Order, and began to incant an ancient invocation that he had learned from one of Neron’s mystical tomes. The energy field surrounding the Lord of Order went away, and the Monitor began to draw power from Nabu directly.

“You won’t get away with this, abomination,” said Nabu. “My allies are here to stop you. You have no idea how I have prepared for your defeat.”

“I suspect you are the last being I have to worry about at this point,” replied the Monitor. He continued with the incantation.

Suddenly, the chamber door was blown open, and the Justice Society stood in defiance of him. At the head, was the current incarnation of Fate, golden energy glowing in one hand, emerald Oan energy in the other. Beside him, the Spectre stood, his God-given power crackling from his fingertips. A word was uttered by Fate, and everything went white.

The Spectre’s energy flowed toward Nabu, while Fate projected the power gained from his association with New Genesis with the Oan power of the Guardians of the Universe. Sentinel stepped forward and added his own Green Flame to the mix. The Flash stepped forward as well, putting his hands out, projecting the power of the Speed Force. Hourman came into it as well, the flow of energies absorbing the temporal energy inherent in his being. Obsidian added the ShadowTalent that was his to command. Finally, Jack Knight and Mikaal Tomas added their cosmic might.

The power hit the Monitor like a tidal wave. His bone armor disintegrated in seconds, as his spirit form began to fade in and out of sight. Nabu then shimmered, and flowed himself into the body of Fate. Infused with raw might, the power running in Fate became a torrent that, together with the power of the others, obliterated the Anti-Monitor. His ghost form fell over into the scrying pool beside him…and the pool exploded in a flash of ethereal light. The only sound was of the Monitor’s screaming as he faded from existence.

“So what the hell happened here?”

The assembled heroes stood around the now dry scrying pool, the Monitor vanquished. Everyone demanded answers.

Fate stepped forward. “You all deserve the truth. And it shall be told. For it is Nabu who speaks to you now. You have been led here by this amalgamation of New Genesis, Oan and Order borne power.” Fate motioned at himself, once again restored to a semblance of his true self. “Now that I am free of the Anti-Monitor’s and Neron’s oppression, all shall be made known to you…my allies and dearest friends.”

He waved his hand, and an image projected above their heads. It showed a cosmic battle being fought, with the Anti-Monitor facing hundreds of heroes…many unrecognizable to anyone present. “The Anti-Monitor was responsible for the events we have come to call The Crisis. Many planets perished at the hands of this madman until Earth’s heroes were called upon to stand up and face his evil. Many of you here now took part in this, and remember it well. But there is a layer to this epic conflagration that is known by very few…myself, the Psycho Pirate and The Anti-Monitor…as well as one other.”

“The Crisis as you all knew it was a battle to be remembered…but the reality was much more far-reaching. You see, the world and time as we know it was not always this way. Before, there was not one universe…but many. Infinite Earths, so to speak.”

Fate paused before continuing.

“The Anti-Monitor was responsible for the deaths of billions of worlds and universes, as he claimed their places in the cosmic mire with his own anti-matter universe. Eventually, it came down to a select few universes, and their Earth’s respective champions, to bring about the downfall of the Anti-Monitor. This defeat of the Monitor occurred at the dawn of time, and while he was defeated and killed…time itself was restarted. The universes were merged…and the existence we call home was created.”

“The threat of the Anti-Monitor was not ended, however. He died, and was cast to Hell…but in the instant of the rebirth of the universe, his spirit refused to end its existence. He lived again in this new universe, and instigated the Crisis once again…only this time the events played out as you all know them, with planets and galaxies threatened now instead of multiple universes. He was killed once again in this Crisis that you know, due to the efforts of Superman, Hippolyta and one other. He was cast down by the Presence from the dawn of time as the first denizen of Hell, before Lucifer or any of his cohorts were even a twinkle in God’s proverbial eye. The Almighty knew of the evil this being was capable of and had done in the past…and so the Monitor’s spirit was cast into a deep cavern in Hell, never to be found or seen by any eyes…demon or human.”

“But now the Anti-Monitor possesses two separate sets of memories…one of the previous life when he came close to obliterating all alternate universes…and another where he occupied this universe and fell again. He was less than a ghost now…but he remembered from his past defeats. He plotted and planned…and his lust for vengeance that knew no bounds before, expanded exponentially now. It would only be a matter of time before he made his return. To this end…a pact was made.”

“The pact was between the most powerful forces this universe had to offer: The Guardians of the Universe, the New Gods of New Genesis, The Almighty and the Lords of Order. Agents were designated to act on behalf of these forces: Myself on behalf of the Lords of Order, Ganthet of the Guardians of the Universe, a hand selected agent of Highfather of the New Gods, and The Spectre. The pact was initiated once The Monitor was released from his prison in Hell…but he was able to imprison me before I could contact the others.* To this end, I dispatched my helm with a preprogrammed set of commands to carry out the pact.** You all had a part to play in it, and did it admirably. The Speed Force, Green Flame, Shadow Talent, Temporal Energy, and Cosmic Energy combined with the Power of Order, Oan Energy, The Source, and The Presence…it defeated the Anti-Monitor. The universe has been saved once again. ”

(* As shown in FDC’s Showcase #1! – Monitor Mike)

(** As shown in JSA #1! – Buildin’ it up Mike)

“Wait a minute,” said Obsidian, “If he was such a threat…why did God or whoever is in charge up there let the Anti-Monitor live? Why not destroy his soul? Can’t He do that?”

Fate turned to the young hero. “There is a reason for everything…it is not for us to question why…”

“What about Hippolyta?!”, demanded the Flash. “We’ve lost a dear friend because a so-called higher power decided the Monitor had a higher purpose than she did! That’s not acceptable, Fate! Not by half!”

“Jay,” replied Fate, “I ask you…please trust me on this.”

“I don’t think any of us can fully trust you again, Nabu. Not ever again,” said Sentinel. With that, the heroes turned and walked out of the chamber back to the central cavern.

It was silent. Any demons, upon learning of the defeat of Neron and the Monitor, had long since retreated. A globe of Green Flame protected Hippolyta’s body. Sentinel waved his hand and the globe instead reformed into a platform that supported her body in the air. Hourman removed his tattered cloak and put it over Hippolyta.

“Jay,” said Fate, “Please understand…it was necessary.”

“Leave us alone,” said the Flash. “Get us out of here…and leave us alone, damn you.”

Fate remained silent, and rose into the air. Arcane powers enveloped the assembled heroes, and in a flash of light they were gone. Leaving Fate alone with the Spectre.

“Nabu,” said the Spectre, “Did we do the right thing? Was it worth it?”

Fate turned to face the new Wrath of God. “It has to be. You know as well as I that this had to happen…and what is still to come. Best we prepare them now rather than later. A war is coming…and the Justice Society needs to be ready.”

“They’ve lost faith in you,” said the Spectre.

“That is why I must take my leave for a while…But you must stay with them. Strenghten them…learn from them, old friend. I will return…but not now.” Fate then disappeared in a flash of eldritch light.

The Spectre looked around at the surrounding landscape one last time…and disappeared as well.

Elsewhere

The Anti-Monitor looked around…and saw nothing but empty darkness…he felt nothing…was he dead? Had he finally been destroyed? Or had his last ditch gambit worked after all?

He opened his eyes…and saw a dark sky overhead. Craggy mountain peaks surrounded him…he was no longer in Hell, but he wasn’t sure where he was now.

Then, a voice came from behind him.

“Greetings. I’ve been expecting you.”

The Anti-Monitor turned, and saw a man with blue skin and a ponytail wearing a tunic with a lightning bolt across his chest. He seemed to shimmer as if there, but not there. What got the Monitor’s attention wasn’t the stranger’s appearance…but rather his smile.

His insane grin.

“I have been known by several names…but you can call me…Magus.”

Next Issue: A funeral for a friend, new members…and, just what has Wildcat been up to?