Tykondrius felt the face of the body that he had possessed and looked upon the wounds that the magic user's spell had left on it. They were already beginning to heal, but the dark god's pride would take longer. He had not expected his return to begin so dismally. After the thousands of years, his powers were more diminished than he had thought. But he would soon enough regain his full power.

"How were you defeated so easily?" Eradicator said as he intangibly sunk through the roof of the cave that Tykondrius had been teleported into. "You are a god, are you not? The tales said your power broke kingdoms and made millions weep. Were those tales false?"

"Even the most powerful misstep on occasion," Tykondruis said, not looking directly at the Kryptonian android. Who was The Eradicator to question his power when the living depository of knowledge hadn't lifted a finger to help him? "There will be other opportunities to strike. Now I know exactly what I can and cannot do. My powers are not yet at their full strength."

"Power is a common occurrence amongst the denizens of this world. We cannot afford to wait for you to regain your full powers. The one called Superboy has many allies and he will more than likely bring them down on our head. I joined you believing that you could come to this world and create change. I believed you could turn this backwater abyss into a new Krypton."

"Oh be quiet!" Tykondrius' eyes were full of rage. He would not be talked down to by a lifeless thing. Tykrondius had ruled armies that would have swarmed over the insolent falsehood of lie. "I will grow powerful and this world shall be a new Krypton. I am not a foolish god who goes back on his promises. If this Superboy has allies then perhaps we should scour some of our own too. People willing to help me bring this world to its knees."

"Where shall we find such allies? The pitiful creatures of this world will not be so eager to have it transformed?" Eradicator asked, toning down his voice after the dark god's outburst. He had not expected such a strong response from Tykondrius, but it was a hopeful reaction. The dark god was not a coward and the alien android grew hopeful that he would see a new Krypton.

"Every puzzle has a solution." Tykondrius tapped the side of his host body's head. "This boy comes from another Earth. An Earth with every reason to hate this world and to want to see it brought to its knees. We travel there and we shall find our allies."

Red lights grew bright in The Eradicator's eyes. He had indeed been given a new hope and gave thanks for Tykondrius so quickly unraveling their problem. But still more questions remained. "How shall we travel to this world? Traversing the dimensional barriers is not at all an easy task."

"Have faith Eradicator," Tykondrius said as he floated up to face the android eye to eye. "With every passing second my powers grow stronger. I shall use the residual energies within this boy from his own dimensional crossing to secure our journey. Krypton will be born once again!"

"A saying is uttered on this rock. It is one of the few bits of wisdom to be found here. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Despite our initial setback, I believe we are taking ours. These inferior beings will be washed aside for a greater glory."

Superboy stood in front of Colonel Winterbourne with Manitou Raven, his wife, Nyssa Al-Ghul and her little brother behind him. The four had mysteriously become a part of the universe due to the machinations of the Toyman. It was all too much for Superboy to wrap his head around and he rather not try. What he did know was that some angry entity had taken hold of Wildcard (who was already pretty angry himself) and that he was still out there.

But to make matters worse, he had The Eradicator with him. That robot Superman wannabe was enough bad news in and of itself. He just wanted to bust these guys and call it a day. Colonel Winterbourne had other plans. "Some of the scientists were checking the energy output that Wildcard was giving off and it was pretty damn strong. But the power is growing and it's growing fast. I want him here for study."

"Even if he becomes too unstable to control?" Manitou Raven asked. "I felt the power of that entity and I believe we have only seen just a fraction of it. That creature must be destroyed before it can be allowed to reach its full power."

"Everything happens for a reason Mr. Raven," Colonel Winterbourne said with all the authority behind his title. "I do not believe this entity appeared in front of my base to only be wiped away like some smear on a t-shirt. I want him and I want him brought to me. Whatever this energy is, I will see it put to the best use of the United States government."

"Nonsense," Nyssa Al-Ghul said. She truthfully wanted nothing to do with this and return to The League of Assassins. But Superboy had saved their lives and she did not walk away from a debt. Neither did Damien. They would stay until it was properly repaid. "If we do not properly deal with this creature you will put many at risk."

"Understand this," Colonel Winterbourne said nearly barking. "My word is law around here. So you can either be a part of this or you can taken out of the picture. I have plenty of other resources at my command and I certainly don't need any of you around. You're already on thin ice with me so don't push it."

"Nevermind." Superboy threw his arms up into the air completely exasperated. "We'll find Wildcard and bring him back here. Just don't say we didn't warn you when he tears this whole place down."

"Like you wouldn't mind," the Colonel said with a wolf's smirk. He knew Superboy had a great disdain for the place and only stayed for the same reason any teenager hung around somewhere they didn't want to be. He just didn't have anywhere else to really go.

Every fiber in Superboy’s being told him to lay out the Army officer with one good punch. It would be no less than the man deserved, but they all needed focus. And that focus needed to be square on Wildcard and whatever had taken control of him. Superboy wasn’t really sure whether he felt sorry for him or not. He wouldn’t wish that kind of fate on anyone, but Wildcard had been part of a horrible world.

A wave of determination rushed through Superboy. He was going to find Wildcard and he was going to stop whatever possessed him. But he knew he needed more information before trying to take on the endeavor. Turning to Manitou Raven and Manitou Dawn, two ancient Atlantean sorcerers with brick red complexions and strange markings across their bodies, he knew he might find that information through them. “Do you think you can get us some more information about whatever took over Wildcard? The more we know the better off we’ll be.”

“Such a thing should not be completely beyond us,” Manitou Raven said as he took the hand of his wife. Superboy could tell that there was genuine love between the two of them. He had never known love himself, but it seemed like that emotion could be recognized by all. Especially when it was present in its most raw and true form, like that which existed between the two sorcerers. The two of them joined hands, sat on the ground, and closed their eyes. Superboy immediately felt their energy surge through the room.

“How is this supposed to help anything?” Colonel Winterbourne abruptly asked. “You all need to get your asses out there and start searching for Wildcard.”

Erupting with anger, Damien Al-Ghul stepped towards Colonel Winterbourne. The intensity of his face was enough to even make Winterbourne step back a few steps. “Shut your stupid mouth! What good is searching for someone if we don’t even have the slightest clue where to start?”

“Don’t raise your voice to me little boy! I’ll pull your pampers right over your head,” Colonel Winterbourne said, pointing a finger in Damien’s face. Superboy smiled, pleased that someone else was willing to put the stuffy military officer in his place. Damien had just earned a few brownie points with him.

“All of you be quiet!” Manitou Raven said as blue mist began to come out of his and Dawn’s nostrils. The mists began to move around them and swirl in a perfect circle. Their breathing became deeper and their eyes shot open. Blue light beamed through them and the markings across their body started to glow. Superboy was able to pick up on the smallest of hums coming from the markings.

“Such darkness,” Manitou Dawn said. “The entity that has taken hold of Wildcard’s body is an ancient and alien one. It does not come from Earth. It hails from…Krypton. The entity is one of its old gods of a long forgotten pantheon. His name is Tykondruis. He was imprisoned because of the darkness of his reign brought to millions.”

“And now this creature walks among us again,” Nyssa Al-Ghul said. She considered her skills to be of a higher quality, but she had no idea how she would handle fighting a god. Her blows could break the bones of mortals. Could she do the same against an immortal? Judging by what she had seen of Wildcard and this dark god thus far, she didn’t think so. But she felt she owed a debt to Superboy and she was not going to leave until it was fully repaid. It would be cowardly of her to do anything else.

“Now can you find this creature?” Colonel Winterbourne asked as the ceremony between Manitou Raven and Manitou Dawn died down. “I sure hope so because otherwise that was a colossal waste of time.”

“I was able to find where Tykondrius and Wildcard are,” Manitou Raven said as he got to his feet and helped his wife to stand as well. They looked like they had just run a couple of miles. “Give us a few moments and we’ll be able to teleport to him.”

Admittedly, Superboy was impatient. He wanted to get to Wildcard and settle this whole matter now. The two Atlantean sorcerers looked like they were going to need more than a few moments. “Just tell me where he’s at and I’ll fly there myself. I don’t need to involve all of you in this.”

Nyssa laughed. “I don’t know if you were listening or not child, but this is a god. No mere person that you can just beat with a few punches. You’ll need all the help you can get.”

Superboy didn’t want to believe it, but Tykondrius could very well me more than he could handle.

“War is soon to come to this world. And we shall be the heralds of it,” Tykondrius said, feeling his power growing stronger. He now had the strength he needed to travel to his host body’s home dimension. “Prepare yourself Eradicator. We shall soon be in this body’s home. And there we shall find our army.”

Righteous anger mixed with anticipation filled the android. He had been too long a prisoner on this rock. Watching its unworthy people parading around back and forth leading their boring, pathetic lives. They were unaware of the majesty and grandeur that existed throughout the known universe. They would never know the grandeur that had been Krypton.

“All of these pathetic life forms will be removed from our sight and Krypton restored. There is indeed some justice in the universe. I had almost given up on the notion,” Eradicator said. For so long he had believed he was being punished to live on this planet. As if it was some sort of jail sentence for not doing enough to save Krypton, but now he saw hope for the first time in millennia. Out of the ashes of this worthless world would arise the jewel of his home.

Tykondrius stepped into the center of the dimly lit room they were in and stretched his arms out to his sides, far as he could. He spread his fingers out as well and pushed his legs a good distance apart from each other. Bowing his head slightly towards the ground, Tykondrius began to slowly take deep breaths. After a few strong, deep breaths, the entire building began to shake and rattle. Tiny streaks of purple lightning began to rip out from his fingertips and spark around the room. Eradicator watched the electricity in awe because his sensors indicated that it actually had no real electric spark.

Hundreds of bolts coalesced together in front of Tykondrius until it formed only large shimmering pillar of purple light. Eradicator’s sensor began to go crazy as he picked up on the surge of dimensional energy within the pillar. It was the power that existed between realities and at that moment, Eradicator knew that they were about to cross over into Wildcard’s world. The android wondered what this Wildcard’s world was like. Would Krypton exist there? If it did, was there really any point in trying to change Earth into a version of it? If he chose to just stay in that world, how would Tykondrius react to it? He had no illusions about the deity being pleased.

“Our journey is soon to begin,” Tykondrius said as he ran his hand along the length of the purple pillar without every actually touching it. “Step into the light Eradicator and let us be gone.”

Following the dark god’s instructions, Eradicator floated off of the ground and into the light. He hoped that whatever was to come, that he would be able to find a place he could call home. Earth had trapped him for too long in misery. He couldn’t allow him to hold him any longer.

They both stepped into the light and disappeared through it. Just as they left, Superboy and his allies arrived. Manitou Raven and his wife both immediately furled up their noses. They looked in the direction of the purple pillar of light that still remained behind. “That magic is so foul I can barely breathe in here. Tykondrius’ taint is all over it.”

“You would think he would have came swinging at us by now,” Superboy said.

“Knowing what little I do of you, I’m sure you were eager for that to happen,” Nyssa said. She found the boy to be extremely immature, but he had a warrior’s spirit that was worth encouraging.

“Only if that were the case,” Manitou Dawn said, stepping to the pillar. “This is a portal. To another world. I can feel the lingering presence of Tykondrius around it. He must have traveled through.”

“Next question would be to where?” Damien asked.

“Don’t know. Don’t care,” Superboy said, stepping besides Manitou Dawn. “I’m going through after him.”

“Right now it doesn’t seem like we have much of a choice,” Manitou Raven said. “But allow me to offer us a spell of protection.” Inchuk!”

Inside all of their stomachs, they felt a warm, comfortable feeling that stretched across all of their bodies. Manitou Raven took the hand of his wife. “The spell will provide us protection against any magical hazards this pillar may have for us.”

“Understand one thing,” Manitou Dawn said looking at everyone. Her eyes were both kind and serious. “There is the possibility that once we step in here, we won’t come back.”

Superboy didn’t even take the time to respond, being the first to step through the portal.