The best of the best
I read a lot of comics yesterday which were, almost without exception, brilliant. The first four issues of the new Iron Man series were top-notch; Avengers and Avengers Assemble continue to be fantastic reads. The latest Transformers: More than Meets the Eye damn near broke my heart a few times. Only Green Lantern: New Guardians was sub-par (honestly, DC: your new canon is but 16 months old - there's no excuse for nonsense like page eight) but, even so, it remained enjoyable.
Brilliance aside, not a single comic I read yesterday was anywhere near as enjoyable, exciting, thrilling, interesting or jaw-droppingly surprising as the finale to LJ's grand Enchantress epic.
It all started here, and she's been building up to it ever since. Of anyone who's sampled the kidlet's imagination, I ask this favour: please, take a moment this holiday season to sit down and read through this stuff. The imagination she's shown is breathtaking, and her ideas truly have moved to the next level. The conclusion alone will blow your mind.
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Lights flashed and klaxons blared throughout Hero Headquarters - there was an emergency to attend to! The Avengers and Justice League raced for their vehicles and weaponry. This was not an ordinary emergency but a top-level "omega" threat, meaning the entire planet was in danger! Even SHIELD got in on the act; the mighty Helicarrier soared into formation with the heroic armada. Over a loudspeaker, SHIELD director Nick Fury and his lieutenant, Maria Hill, temporarily deputized the heroes as official global peace-keeping agents. They had to - the emergency signal was coming from the other side of the Super Hero City wall, meaning the good guys needed to cross into Villainville itself!
Captain America led the way on his motorcycle, closely followed by the Batmobile. The Sentinel of Liberty and the Dynamic Duo jumped the wall first, but Batman's mind was on other things. "It's odd," he said to Robin. "The emergency signal we received in the Batcave was the same one the League received in the Watchtower. But it didn't come from one of our members - it came from Iron Man."
"Really?" Captain America, listening in via radio, asked. "We didn't hear anything from Tony. The alert we received came from Doctor Strange. Usually he'd send an astral projection, or contact us via telepathy, but this time he used the radio."
Robin swallowed hard. "So we're thinking this is a trap, right?"
"Almost certainly," Batman frowned.
Cap screeched to a halt - there was a body on the road ahead! Cautiously, the heroes stepped out of their vehicles and walked toward it. "Enchantress," Cap breathed, recognising the lithe blonde figure. "Unconscious, from appearances."
"Appearances can be deceiving," Batman said, pulling a device from his utility belt, "and usually are." He scanned the fallen villain with the gizmo and nodded. "But not in this case - she's deeply unconscious."
"Maybe it was a coup?" Robin suggested. "The other villains figured out Amora was controlling them with her magic lipstick and so kicked her out?"
Before Batman could answer, the other heroes caught up to them. The Helicarrier, hover-car and Batwing locked their weapons onto Enchantress' slumbering form while Firestorm, Blue Beetle and the others drew bead with their respective powers. Superman touched down lightly next to Cap; Spider-Man, who'd been riding on the Man of Steel's back, leaped off and crouched next to Amora. "Anyone noticed she's kind of pretty when she's not trying to kill us?" he quipped. Something caught the web-slinger's eye and he leaned in closer. "Uh, guys? She's wearing the Locket of Lavaworld..."
His spider-senses blared and, on instinct, Spidey threw a web-net over Cap, Batman and Robin and pulled them aside. Superman took to the air just in time - the other heroes weren't as lucky. The ground beneath their feet changed into a sea of grabbing, ripping, tearing talons and held them fast! Indescribable creatures emerged out of thin air to attack - and attach to - their faces! Still more monstrosities soared up to meet the airborne heroes and vehicles, battering them from all sides! Amid the maelstrom, Amora the Enchantress opened her eyes... her glowing, lightning-flecked eyes... and laughed.
"How...?" Robin asked.
"That would be me," said a mocking voice behind them. Kang stepped out from the shadows of the wall. "It was laughingly simple for my advanced technology to duplicate your emergency signal." He grinned beneath his blue face-shield. "All the better to lure you here with."
A crackle of raw power lashed out and slammed him into the wall. The pain-racked heroes watched in shock as Enchantress battered her own servant rather than listen to him speak. Clearly, she had gone mad.
"Welcome to the end of your world, heroes," she shrieked.
What followed was not a battle - it was a massacre. As Odin the All-Father and Arion the mage had theorised, wielding the energies of the Infinity Sword, Wand of Atlantis and Ring of Gervache all at once gave a person ultimate power. Reality itself was Enchantress' plaything and, against such forces, no hero could hope to succeed. Amora turned the Hulk into a toddler, extinguished Firestorm and drove Scarlet Witch insane. She devolved Wonder Woman into clay, forced the scarab to attack Blue Beetle, snatched Hawkeye's arrows from the air and shot them at Black Widow. Cyborg malfunctioned, the Helicarrier fell to pieces, Scarlet Spider suffered clone degeneration and the Batwing and hover-car fell from the sky. Robin was back-handed into the wreckage; Superman's best punch was shrugged off like a light breeze. He, too, fell before Amora's stolen might - leaving only Batman, Captain America, Spider-Man and the Martian Manhunter standing.
"J'onn," Batman snapped. "Turn invisible, now, and go get help!"
"I won't leave you," Manhunter protested.
"Follow orders, soldier," Cap said tersely. "One of us has to survive and, right now, you're the best candidate!"
"Go already," Spidey pleaded. "We won't be able to hold her off for long!"
Wincing in grief, Manhunter turned invisible and raced toward the wall. Through his mental link, he felt his friends' courage in the face of inevitable defeat... their persistence in the face of annihilation... and their agony as Amora's power tore through their bodies.
"Your sacrifice will not be in vain," Manhunter whispered. "I promise!"
As the smoke of the slaughter cleared, MODOK gingerly peered over the battlements of the Villainville castle. "Is it safe to come out, now?" he squeaked.
Enchantress, her battle-lust temporarily sated, smiled. "Of course it is, my dears." She beckoned them with a finger. "Come join me, darlings - and rouse Kang while you're at it. He'll have learned, now, not to boast of his own cleverness when in my presence."
Villainville's population tip-toed onto the battlefield, feeling bolder with every step. Upon seeing their hated foes so utterly decimated, the bad guys began to smile. An impromptu celebration broke out - the heinous criminals hugged one another and cheered; some cried tears of relief while MODOK and Abomination danced through the carnage singing: "She are the champions, she are the champions!"
At Amora's command, the villains gathered up the fallen heroes and dragged them to Arkham Asylum. A wave of her hand melted the prison's walls and freed their captured allies. A second wave levitated the defeated good guys into the penitentiary. Enchantress clicked her fingers - Iron Man, Doctor Strange and Loki appeared in a puff of pink smoke. The lord of mischief had been held prisoner ever since Amora's rise to power. Iron Man and Doctor Strange, meanwhile, had been the first to suffer her new abilities.
"It's even worse than I'd feared," Strange said mournfully.
"We’d have been fine if you’d warned me she could fly,” Iron Man muttered. “Don't get too used to feeling superior, Amora," he yelled at Enchantress. "This is all going to end badly for you - you know that, right?"
Amora tutted. "Foolish mortal. Can't you see the rules have changed?"
An irresistible force dragged Iron Man, Doctor Strange and a begging, pleading Loki into Arkham. The walls re-formed around them... but Amora's magic did not stop there. Under her influence, Arkham transformed into an enormous green-and-gold castle, surrounded on all sides by a lake of fire! Every corner was topped with spikes or fitted with bear-traps, while the guards were skeletal warriors made of brick and steel. Each heroes cell morphed into a realisation of their ultimate terror, assailing them non-stop and causing even the bravest of them to shriek in absolute terror.
"A hell for heroes," Amora sneered. "It's still less than you all deserve but it will do. For now."
Gorilla Grodd knuckled forward. Though he was part of Enchantress' inner circle, the simian genius wasn't about to assume that granted him immunity. "Um, mistress?" he said quietly. "What are your plans for preventing the Super Hero City authorities from detecting your... uh, renovations... and further, um, causing you annoyance? BecauseofcourseIknowyou'llhaveaplanIjustwonderedwhatitwas!"
"Dear Grodd, you have nothing to fear from me," Amora said, her tone of voice proving her words an outright lie. "As we speak, Super Hero City is descending into panic and mob-rule because I've deactivated all their televisions, radios and computers. The police are far too busy stopping the citizens fighting over wi-fi to worry about Arkham Asylum and Villainville. But, just in case any of them find a spare moment..."
She gestured at the wall and it, like Arkham Asylum, changed - into a kilometres-high pyre of sulfur, liquid magnesium and acid rain! J'onn J'onnz had only just crossed over the wall when it ignited, and the scorching heat wreaked havoc on his Martian physiology. Badly burnt, his powers drained, the hero nonetheless dragged himself toward the rioting city in the hope of summoning reinforcements.
“Grodd, you and a few others will come with me,” Amora glowered. “The rest of you: get back inside the castle and stay there!”
The villains did not argue, and trampled one another in their haste to follow their goddess’ command.
Fortunately for Martian Manhunter, help was not far away. Rescue, War Machine and Deadpool were on the grounds of Stark Tower, trying to help calm the panicked citizens. They were quickly joined by Green Lantern and Flash - back from space, power battery in-hand, completely shocked at the scene before their eyes. Less surprised were the last heroes to arrive. Thor and Aquaman emerged from the surf armed with the details of Enchantress' plan and a burning desire to rout it. When Martian Manhunter finally joined them... and collapsed from exhaustion... they were able to talk strategy.
"So what's her weakness?" Green Lantern asked. "These 'ultimate power' deals always have some kind of weakness, right?"
"If there is, friend Kyle, we do not know it," Aquaman shook his head. "Our ancestors never actually tried this idea out."
"Theory only? Aw man," Flash groused. "That's the least interesting kind of science!"
Manhunter cried out in pain and fell to his knees, gripping his head with his hands. "I can feel them," he gasped, still mentally linked to his Justice League team-mates. "They're suffering horrible, horrible tortures!"
"Enchantress is beaming One Direction music videos directly into their brains?" Deadpool fumed. "The fiend!"
A blow from Thor's hammer silenced the merc-with-a-mouth (temporarily, of course).
"Our path be clear," the thunder god intoned, drawing himself up to his full height. "Though we know not her Achilles Heel, all assembled here understand Enchantress must have one. We, who art the last of the heroes, have no choice but to throw ourselves into battle until she breaks against the force of our will. There will be nothing glorious about this fight - this is for survival, for the fate of all realms - and yet we shall be glorious in combat. For thou art the great powers of the universe combined: magic, technology, alien strength, the speed force, cosmic energy..."
"Cosmic energy," Green Lantern repeated. "Cosmic energy!" His ring flashed and he soared into the air. "I just had the best idea ever," he cried happily. "Hold the line, guys - I'll be back as soon as I can!"
"Where are you going?" Flash called.
"Tell you when I get back," Green Lantern replied as he streaked into orbit.
"There goes the greatest weapon in the universe," War Machine said sourly.
"What are you talking about?" Deadpool grinned. "I've got my swords right here!"
War Machine shot him in the face.
Martian Manhunter looked up. His red eyes were haunted. "They're here," he rasped.
From out the flames of the wall stepped Enchantress. Her “chosen ones” - Grodd, MODOK, Abomination, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Mr Freeze, Leader and Magneto - followed in formation behind her. “Wait here,” she commanded, “I would speak with Thor alone.” Though unhappy, the villains dared not protest.
“I will speak with her,” Thor told his friends, “but be ready when the hammer doth fall.”
The Asgardians met in the middle of the warring groups. Thor stood resolute; Amora floated a few inches off the ground. “I am here, Enchantress,” the thunder god began, “and I beseech thee, please: let go this un-earned power. ‘Tis not for the likes of any one, be they mortal or Aesir, to wield.”
“The Locket protects me,” Amora replied.
“Aye, but that is proof of its foul nature,” Thor countered. “Thou art unable to control it thyself, and so should not possess it. What prompted such madness, Amora? Why go to such lengths?”
“For love, of course,” she said simply. Her answer knocked Thor back a step. “Come now, Odinson, be not surprised,” she continued. “You know all I’ve ever wanted was your love. I had it, once, but you broke free of my spell. There and then I did promise myself I’d become strong enough to hold on to you forever - and now that day has come! Take my hand and accept my kiss, Prince of Asgard. Together, you and I shall unite the Nine Realms and rule over all!”
Amora leaned in for a kiss, blind to Thor’s revulsion. “I say thee nay,” he barked, lashing out with Mjolnir. The enchanted hammer slammed into Enchantress’ face and sent her soaring back into the wall of flame. She emerged but a moment later, radiating fury and insanity. “Kill him!” she screamed.
The villains dog-piled onto Thor; he vanished beneath a swarm of hairy, scaly, leafy, gamma-irradiated fists and feet. “Let ring… the most noble… of all battle cries,” he gasped from beneath the donnybrook.
“Avengers Assemble?” Deadpool queried.
“Kill it with fire!” Thor answered.
With War Machine in the lead, the remaining heroes went on the offensive. Though it hurt their hearts, they left Thor to his fate and zeroed in on Enchantress. She was, after all, the real danger. Flash lent speed to them all and they fought bravely but, once again, the outcome was never in doubt.
“My swords,” Deadpool wailed. “The blades, they do nothing!”
Not even his healing factor could cope with Enchantress’ onslaught. Deadpool collapsed beneath a blast of flesh-melting heat and joined his peers in unconsciousness. Martian Manhunter’s last agonised thoughts were shame; he was guilt-striken that he had let his friends down.
A few metres away, the writhing pile of villains trembled… flinched… and then exploded. Sizzling-white ball lightning erupted in all directions and, from the very centre of the maelstrom, Thor bellowed a single word.
“AMORA!”
Battered, beaten but unbroken, Thor climbed atop his defeated opponents and dared Enchantress to fight him. The witch, meanwhile, looked upon the thunder god and felt her madness slip away. Once again her heart filled with unrequited love. She conjured indestructible bonds out of thin air, stapled Thor to the ground and kneeled alongside him.
“I forgive you, my darling,” she whispered, brushing strands of golden hair out of his face. “And once I have favoured you with my kiss, you shall forgive me, as well.”
Enchantress puckered up… and was smacked in the lips by a glowing green sandal!”
“Geez, lady,” Green Lantern taunted. “Do you have some personal boundary issues, or what?”
Kyle Rayner was smiling, and with good reason. Behind him was an enormous ring-created wormhole bringing Earth with deepest space. Out of the wormhole flew some of the most powerful beings in all the universe - Ms Marvel, Silver Surfer, Saint Walker, Guy Gardner and the honour guard of the Green Lantern Corps. Kyle’s real trump card, however, was bringing up the rear. Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds, had neither forgotten nor forgiven the interruption to his all-you-can-eat buffet.
“Light ‘em up,” Gardner ordered, throwing Ms Marvel a surreptitious wink.
Backed by the Power Cosmic, boosted by the blue light of hope, the Green Lanterns unleashed a blinding, devastating barrage of pure energy. Thor, still trapped, watched in awe as Enchantress dropped to one knee… then to both knees… and finally fell beneath his friends’ combined willpower! Her elation was short-lived - amazingly, the all-powerful sorceress fought her way back upright and pushed back with her own energies. Birthed, as they were, from an unholy mixture of magic, science and Power Cosmic, they threatened to overwhelm the space heroes as they had Earth’s finest.
“Powers combined,” Thor realised. “Therein lies the key to victory!” He looked to the skies. “Heimdall,” he cried, “open the Bifrost!”
A column of kaleidoscoping rainbow energy stabbed into the ground between the combatants, blocking their competing powers. The light faded to reveal Odin of Asgard, riding tall atop Slepnir and seconded by the Destroyer armour. He followed by his greatest warriors: Sif the Berserker, Fandral the Dashing, Hogun the Grim and Volstagg the Voluminous had answered the call-to-arms. Even great Heimdall had left his post to join the battle. Standing amongst them, axe and club at the ready, was Konkar the Frost Giant.
“We shall not fight alone,” Odin decreed. At his command, the Destroyer walked through the flaming wall and charged the nightmare Arkham Asylum had become. Its magical barriers shattered, incapable of withstanding the enchanted armour’s inexorable tread. The Avengers and Justice League, freed from their torment, filed through the gaps created by the Destroyer. They took to the battlefield, led by Captain America and Superman. Pausing only to rouse Flash, War Machine and the others, the heroes of Earth fell into formation with the guardians of space and the armies of Asgard. Even Loki joined in!
Odin raised his trident… and let it fall. The forces of good attacked.
All-powerful though she was, Enchantress was still just one woman. Against isolated teams of heroes, she was invincible. Against the greatest, most heroic armada ever assembled, however, even gods must fall. She would deflect a fire bolt in time to be hit by a Batarang; heat vision would be evaded but chaos magic would strike home. As the battle wore on, more of the heroes’ powers were effective and more of their blows struck home. Arrows, missiles, widow's bites and shields chipped away at her invulnerability; astral assaults, mind-blasts and cosmic blasts sent her spinning and reeling. Thor’s guess had been correct: the heroes could match Amora’s combined energies by merging their own efforts!
Enchantress retreated toward Villainville, gasping and wincing under the sustained assault. “Help me,” she cried to her followers.
Kang, who was manning the castle drawbridge, smiled nastily. “Sorry, your highness,” he cackled, “you told us to stay inside!” He waited just long enough for Grodd and the others to cross before pulling the bridge up, leaving Amora alone with the heroes.
Unfortunately for the world, Kang’s betrayal snapped the last thread of Amora’s sanity. “All shall die,” she howled. “Every realm! And though you irritate and injure me, mortals, never shall you defeat me - for my weakness is a secret! A secret known only to myself!”
Keeping a secret can be difficult under normal circumstances. When one has gone insane, and is in the vicinity of the world’s most powerful telepath, it’s nigh-on impossible. Martian Manhunter seized his moment and read Amora’s mind, plucking from its unprotected depths the key to her defeat. “Her heart,” he said, broadcasting the revelation to his allies. “Her power and her body are indestructible, but her heart is close to breaking!”
Loki stepped forward. “Amora,” he snapped, “I will never forgive you for imprisoning me, and I will never help you in any scheme ever again!”
“Amora,” cried Sif. “You shall never be welcome amongst the Asgardian sisterhood, for you are cruel and vain and selfish!”
“Enchantress,” Odin boomed. “I cast you out of Asgard for all eternity! Thou hath no home now, witch! No people, no purpose - no family!”
“Amora,” Konkar growled, “I have sided with the Asgardians to make amends for all the evil I’ve done in your name and at your bidding! Never will I stand by your side, never! My heart is as hard and cold as my home, Amora, and neither have any place or room for you!”
The emotional blows struck Enchantress harder than any physical attack. She staggered under each one, clutching at her chest. Her face was a mask of pure anguish; it seemed to all assembled that her heart might burst free from her body at any second. Thus it was that Thor stepped forth.
“No, not this,” Amora pleaded, tears streaming down her face. “Not you, Thor. Please, I couldn’t bear it…”
Angered beyond belief, Thor was still a hero. Breaking a person’s heart is never a heroic thing to do - yet shouldering such an awful task, for the sake of reality, is. “Amora,” he said, steeling himself against her tears, “no matter where you go, what you do, what spells you weave… even if you change your ways and become a noble being… you shall never be loved by me.”
Enchantress wailed - a plaintive, wretched sound that came from the very depths of her soul. Empowered as she was, her anguish knocked the heroes off their feet. Amora clutched at her chest once again… this time, her fingers found the Locket of Lavaworld. Overcome by grief, she grabbed the locket with both hands, tore it from her neck and threw it to one side - robbing her body of protection and leaving it to suffer the unfettered force of her stolen power!
“This is our chance,” Doctor Strange said. “Martian Manhunter, hold her tight! Captain America, I need your shield! Hurry!”
J’onn’s malleable form flowed around Enchantress and kept her in place. Doctor Strange levitated above them, whispering incantations and conjuring hexes. Cap raised his shield and, when Strange told him to, brought it down on Amora’s emerald crown. The vibranium clanged and hummed upon impact and the stolen magic vibrated out of Enchantress’ body! The energies of the Ring of Gavache arced across the battlefield and settled in Galactus’ grateful tummy. The Infinity Sword reappeared in Iron Man’s hand, and the Wand of Atlantis materialised in front of Aquaman. “Outrageous,” he breathed.
Enchantress went limp in the Manhunter’s grip. He returned to his normal form; she was sound asleep, still weeping softly. “Like a child,” Doctor Strange said.
“But her punishment will be that of a grown woman,” Odin said, moving to take custody of his wayward citizen.
“No, father,” Thor said, stepping between them. “Amora’s threat has passed, now. Her crimes were against Midgard; she shall serve her punishment here.”
Odin wrinkled his nose. “Was not your prison ruined by my Destroyer?”
“We’ll rebuild it,” Iron Man said happily. “Better than ever before!”
“Oh will we, now?” Batman arched an eyebrow. “Who’s paying for that?”
“Relax, Bruce - we’re rich!” Iron Man grinned.
“There is wisdom in your words,” Odin nodded, “as there was when Amora’s plan was uncovered. I am… unaccustomed… to you having such insight, Thor. It pleases me.” He signalled to his warriors. “We shall take our leave of Earth, for it is well-protected,” he announced, favouring his son with a smile. “All save Slepnir, that is. If Thor is determined to stay here on Midgard, he should be caring for his own pet.”
The eight-legged horse licked Thor’s face happily. The other heroes laughed.
Hands were shaken, hugs exchanged and goodbyes offered. The forces of Asgard rode the Bifrost back to their inter-dimensional home, Loki teleported to parts unknown and Guy Gardner led the cosmic heroes back into space. Nursing their bumps, bruises and wounds, the Justice League, the Avengers and SHIELD began the long trek back to Super Hero City. There was still a riot to quell, social order to restore and a prison to be built - but they did not fear the challenge. They had been shaken by their ordeal, but never would they shirk their duty.
Because they were heroes.
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Greet the Fire as Your Friend,
SF
Brilliance aside, not a single comic I read yesterday was anywhere near as enjoyable, exciting, thrilling, interesting or jaw-droppingly surprising as the finale to LJ's grand Enchantress epic.
It all started here, and she's been building up to it ever since. Of anyone who's sampled the kidlet's imagination, I ask this favour: please, take a moment this holiday season to sit down and read through this stuff. The imagination she's shown is breathtaking, and her ideas truly have moved to the next level. The conclusion alone will blow your mind.
----------
Lights flashed and klaxons blared throughout Hero Headquarters - there was an emergency to attend to! The Avengers and Justice League raced for their vehicles and weaponry. This was not an ordinary emergency but a top-level "omega" threat, meaning the entire planet was in danger! Even SHIELD got in on the act; the mighty Helicarrier soared into formation with the heroic armada. Over a loudspeaker, SHIELD director Nick Fury and his lieutenant, Maria Hill, temporarily deputized the heroes as official global peace-keeping agents. They had to - the emergency signal was coming from the other side of the Super Hero City wall, meaning the good guys needed to cross into Villainville itself!
Captain America led the way on his motorcycle, closely followed by the Batmobile. The Sentinel of Liberty and the Dynamic Duo jumped the wall first, but Batman's mind was on other things. "It's odd," he said to Robin. "The emergency signal we received in the Batcave was the same one the League received in the Watchtower. But it didn't come from one of our members - it came from Iron Man."
"Really?" Captain America, listening in via radio, asked. "We didn't hear anything from Tony. The alert we received came from Doctor Strange. Usually he'd send an astral projection, or contact us via telepathy, but this time he used the radio."
Robin swallowed hard. "So we're thinking this is a trap, right?"
"Almost certainly," Batman frowned.
Cap screeched to a halt - there was a body on the road ahead! Cautiously, the heroes stepped out of their vehicles and walked toward it. "Enchantress," Cap breathed, recognising the lithe blonde figure. "Unconscious, from appearances."
"Appearances can be deceiving," Batman said, pulling a device from his utility belt, "and usually are." He scanned the fallen villain with the gizmo and nodded. "But not in this case - she's deeply unconscious."
"Maybe it was a coup?" Robin suggested. "The other villains figured out Amora was controlling them with her magic lipstick and so kicked her out?"
Before Batman could answer, the other heroes caught up to them. The Helicarrier, hover-car and Batwing locked their weapons onto Enchantress' slumbering form while Firestorm, Blue Beetle and the others drew bead with their respective powers. Superman touched down lightly next to Cap; Spider-Man, who'd been riding on the Man of Steel's back, leaped off and crouched next to Amora. "Anyone noticed she's kind of pretty when she's not trying to kill us?" he quipped. Something caught the web-slinger's eye and he leaned in closer. "Uh, guys? She's wearing the Locket of Lavaworld..."
His spider-senses blared and, on instinct, Spidey threw a web-net over Cap, Batman and Robin and pulled them aside. Superman took to the air just in time - the other heroes weren't as lucky. The ground beneath their feet changed into a sea of grabbing, ripping, tearing talons and held them fast! Indescribable creatures emerged out of thin air to attack - and attach to - their faces! Still more monstrosities soared up to meet the airborne heroes and vehicles, battering them from all sides! Amid the maelstrom, Amora the Enchantress opened her eyes... her glowing, lightning-flecked eyes... and laughed.
"How...?" Robin asked.
"That would be me," said a mocking voice behind them. Kang stepped out from the shadows of the wall. "It was laughingly simple for my advanced technology to duplicate your emergency signal." He grinned beneath his blue face-shield. "All the better to lure you here with."
A crackle of raw power lashed out and slammed him into the wall. The pain-racked heroes watched in shock as Enchantress battered her own servant rather than listen to him speak. Clearly, she had gone mad.
"Welcome to the end of your world, heroes," she shrieked.
What followed was not a battle - it was a massacre. As Odin the All-Father and Arion the mage had theorised, wielding the energies of the Infinity Sword, Wand of Atlantis and Ring of Gervache all at once gave a person ultimate power. Reality itself was Enchantress' plaything and, against such forces, no hero could hope to succeed. Amora turned the Hulk into a toddler, extinguished Firestorm and drove Scarlet Witch insane. She devolved Wonder Woman into clay, forced the scarab to attack Blue Beetle, snatched Hawkeye's arrows from the air and shot them at Black Widow. Cyborg malfunctioned, the Helicarrier fell to pieces, Scarlet Spider suffered clone degeneration and the Batwing and hover-car fell from the sky. Robin was back-handed into the wreckage; Superman's best punch was shrugged off like a light breeze. He, too, fell before Amora's stolen might - leaving only Batman, Captain America, Spider-Man and the Martian Manhunter standing.
"J'onn," Batman snapped. "Turn invisible, now, and go get help!"
"I won't leave you," Manhunter protested.
"Follow orders, soldier," Cap said tersely. "One of us has to survive and, right now, you're the best candidate!"
"Go already," Spidey pleaded. "We won't be able to hold her off for long!"
Wincing in grief, Manhunter turned invisible and raced toward the wall. Through his mental link, he felt his friends' courage in the face of inevitable defeat... their persistence in the face of annihilation... and their agony as Amora's power tore through their bodies.
"Your sacrifice will not be in vain," Manhunter whispered. "I promise!"
As the smoke of the slaughter cleared, MODOK gingerly peered over the battlements of the Villainville castle. "Is it safe to come out, now?" he squeaked.
Enchantress, her battle-lust temporarily sated, smiled. "Of course it is, my dears." She beckoned them with a finger. "Come join me, darlings - and rouse Kang while you're at it. He'll have learned, now, not to boast of his own cleverness when in my presence."
Villainville's population tip-toed onto the battlefield, feeling bolder with every step. Upon seeing their hated foes so utterly decimated, the bad guys began to smile. An impromptu celebration broke out - the heinous criminals hugged one another and cheered; some cried tears of relief while MODOK and Abomination danced through the carnage singing: "She are the champions, she are the champions!"
At Amora's command, the villains gathered up the fallen heroes and dragged them to Arkham Asylum. A wave of her hand melted the prison's walls and freed their captured allies. A second wave levitated the defeated good guys into the penitentiary. Enchantress clicked her fingers - Iron Man, Doctor Strange and Loki appeared in a puff of pink smoke. The lord of mischief had been held prisoner ever since Amora's rise to power. Iron Man and Doctor Strange, meanwhile, had been the first to suffer her new abilities.
"It's even worse than I'd feared," Strange said mournfully.
"We’d have been fine if you’d warned me she could fly,” Iron Man muttered. “Don't get too used to feeling superior, Amora," he yelled at Enchantress. "This is all going to end badly for you - you know that, right?"
Amora tutted. "Foolish mortal. Can't you see the rules have changed?"
An irresistible force dragged Iron Man, Doctor Strange and a begging, pleading Loki into Arkham. The walls re-formed around them... but Amora's magic did not stop there. Under her influence, Arkham transformed into an enormous green-and-gold castle, surrounded on all sides by a lake of fire! Every corner was topped with spikes or fitted with bear-traps, while the guards were skeletal warriors made of brick and steel. Each heroes cell morphed into a realisation of their ultimate terror, assailing them non-stop and causing even the bravest of them to shriek in absolute terror.
"A hell for heroes," Amora sneered. "It's still less than you all deserve but it will do. For now."
Gorilla Grodd knuckled forward. Though he was part of Enchantress' inner circle, the simian genius wasn't about to assume that granted him immunity. "Um, mistress?" he said quietly. "What are your plans for preventing the Super Hero City authorities from detecting your... uh, renovations... and further, um, causing you annoyance? BecauseofcourseIknowyou'llhaveaplanIjustwonderedwhatitwas!"
"Dear Grodd, you have nothing to fear from me," Amora said, her tone of voice proving her words an outright lie. "As we speak, Super Hero City is descending into panic and mob-rule because I've deactivated all their televisions, radios and computers. The police are far too busy stopping the citizens fighting over wi-fi to worry about Arkham Asylum and Villainville. But, just in case any of them find a spare moment..."
She gestured at the wall and it, like Arkham Asylum, changed - into a kilometres-high pyre of sulfur, liquid magnesium and acid rain! J'onn J'onnz had only just crossed over the wall when it ignited, and the scorching heat wreaked havoc on his Martian physiology. Badly burnt, his powers drained, the hero nonetheless dragged himself toward the rioting city in the hope of summoning reinforcements.
“Grodd, you and a few others will come with me,” Amora glowered. “The rest of you: get back inside the castle and stay there!”
The villains did not argue, and trampled one another in their haste to follow their goddess’ command.
Fortunately for Martian Manhunter, help was not far away. Rescue, War Machine and Deadpool were on the grounds of Stark Tower, trying to help calm the panicked citizens. They were quickly joined by Green Lantern and Flash - back from space, power battery in-hand, completely shocked at the scene before their eyes. Less surprised were the last heroes to arrive. Thor and Aquaman emerged from the surf armed with the details of Enchantress' plan and a burning desire to rout it. When Martian Manhunter finally joined them... and collapsed from exhaustion... they were able to talk strategy.
"So what's her weakness?" Green Lantern asked. "These 'ultimate power' deals always have some kind of weakness, right?"
"If there is, friend Kyle, we do not know it," Aquaman shook his head. "Our ancestors never actually tried this idea out."
"Theory only? Aw man," Flash groused. "That's the least interesting kind of science!"
Manhunter cried out in pain and fell to his knees, gripping his head with his hands. "I can feel them," he gasped, still mentally linked to his Justice League team-mates. "They're suffering horrible, horrible tortures!"
"Enchantress is beaming One Direction music videos directly into their brains?" Deadpool fumed. "The fiend!"
A blow from Thor's hammer silenced the merc-with-a-mouth (temporarily, of course).
"Our path be clear," the thunder god intoned, drawing himself up to his full height. "Though we know not her Achilles Heel, all assembled here understand Enchantress must have one. We, who art the last of the heroes, have no choice but to throw ourselves into battle until she breaks against the force of our will. There will be nothing glorious about this fight - this is for survival, for the fate of all realms - and yet we shall be glorious in combat. For thou art the great powers of the universe combined: magic, technology, alien strength, the speed force, cosmic energy..."
"Cosmic energy," Green Lantern repeated. "Cosmic energy!" His ring flashed and he soared into the air. "I just had the best idea ever," he cried happily. "Hold the line, guys - I'll be back as soon as I can!"
"Where are you going?" Flash called.
"Tell you when I get back," Green Lantern replied as he streaked into orbit.
"There goes the greatest weapon in the universe," War Machine said sourly.
"What are you talking about?" Deadpool grinned. "I've got my swords right here!"
War Machine shot him in the face.
Martian Manhunter looked up. His red eyes were haunted. "They're here," he rasped.
From out the flames of the wall stepped Enchantress. Her “chosen ones” - Grodd, MODOK, Abomination, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Mr Freeze, Leader and Magneto - followed in formation behind her. “Wait here,” she commanded, “I would speak with Thor alone.” Though unhappy, the villains dared not protest.
“I will speak with her,” Thor told his friends, “but be ready when the hammer doth fall.”
The Asgardians met in the middle of the warring groups. Thor stood resolute; Amora floated a few inches off the ground. “I am here, Enchantress,” the thunder god began, “and I beseech thee, please: let go this un-earned power. ‘Tis not for the likes of any one, be they mortal or Aesir, to wield.”
“The Locket protects me,” Amora replied.
“Aye, but that is proof of its foul nature,” Thor countered. “Thou art unable to control it thyself, and so should not possess it. What prompted such madness, Amora? Why go to such lengths?”
“For love, of course,” she said simply. Her answer knocked Thor back a step. “Come now, Odinson, be not surprised,” she continued. “You know all I’ve ever wanted was your love. I had it, once, but you broke free of my spell. There and then I did promise myself I’d become strong enough to hold on to you forever - and now that day has come! Take my hand and accept my kiss, Prince of Asgard. Together, you and I shall unite the Nine Realms and rule over all!”
Amora leaned in for a kiss, blind to Thor’s revulsion. “I say thee nay,” he barked, lashing out with Mjolnir. The enchanted hammer slammed into Enchantress’ face and sent her soaring back into the wall of flame. She emerged but a moment later, radiating fury and insanity. “Kill him!” she screamed.
The villains dog-piled onto Thor; he vanished beneath a swarm of hairy, scaly, leafy, gamma-irradiated fists and feet. “Let ring… the most noble… of all battle cries,” he gasped from beneath the donnybrook.
“Avengers Assemble?” Deadpool queried.
“Kill it with fire!” Thor answered.
With War Machine in the lead, the remaining heroes went on the offensive. Though it hurt their hearts, they left Thor to his fate and zeroed in on Enchantress. She was, after all, the real danger. Flash lent speed to them all and they fought bravely but, once again, the outcome was never in doubt.
“My swords,” Deadpool wailed. “The blades, they do nothing!”
Not even his healing factor could cope with Enchantress’ onslaught. Deadpool collapsed beneath a blast of flesh-melting heat and joined his peers in unconsciousness. Martian Manhunter’s last agonised thoughts were shame; he was guilt-striken that he had let his friends down.
A few metres away, the writhing pile of villains trembled… flinched… and then exploded. Sizzling-white ball lightning erupted in all directions and, from the very centre of the maelstrom, Thor bellowed a single word.
“AMORA!”
Battered, beaten but unbroken, Thor climbed atop his defeated opponents and dared Enchantress to fight him. The witch, meanwhile, looked upon the thunder god and felt her madness slip away. Once again her heart filled with unrequited love. She conjured indestructible bonds out of thin air, stapled Thor to the ground and kneeled alongside him.
“I forgive you, my darling,” she whispered, brushing strands of golden hair out of his face. “And once I have favoured you with my kiss, you shall forgive me, as well.”
Enchantress puckered up… and was smacked in the lips by a glowing green sandal!”
“Geez, lady,” Green Lantern taunted. “Do you have some personal boundary issues, or what?”
Kyle Rayner was smiling, and with good reason. Behind him was an enormous ring-created wormhole bringing Earth with deepest space. Out of the wormhole flew some of the most powerful beings in all the universe - Ms Marvel, Silver Surfer, Saint Walker, Guy Gardner and the honour guard of the Green Lantern Corps. Kyle’s real trump card, however, was bringing up the rear. Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds, had neither forgotten nor forgiven the interruption to his all-you-can-eat buffet.
“Light ‘em up,” Gardner ordered, throwing Ms Marvel a surreptitious wink.
Backed by the Power Cosmic, boosted by the blue light of hope, the Green Lanterns unleashed a blinding, devastating barrage of pure energy. Thor, still trapped, watched in awe as Enchantress dropped to one knee… then to both knees… and finally fell beneath his friends’ combined willpower! Her elation was short-lived - amazingly, the all-powerful sorceress fought her way back upright and pushed back with her own energies. Birthed, as they were, from an unholy mixture of magic, science and Power Cosmic, they threatened to overwhelm the space heroes as they had Earth’s finest.
“Powers combined,” Thor realised. “Therein lies the key to victory!” He looked to the skies. “Heimdall,” he cried, “open the Bifrost!”
A column of kaleidoscoping rainbow energy stabbed into the ground between the combatants, blocking their competing powers. The light faded to reveal Odin of Asgard, riding tall atop Slepnir and seconded by the Destroyer armour. He followed by his greatest warriors: Sif the Berserker, Fandral the Dashing, Hogun the Grim and Volstagg the Voluminous had answered the call-to-arms. Even great Heimdall had left his post to join the battle. Standing amongst them, axe and club at the ready, was Konkar the Frost Giant.
“We shall not fight alone,” Odin decreed. At his command, the Destroyer walked through the flaming wall and charged the nightmare Arkham Asylum had become. Its magical barriers shattered, incapable of withstanding the enchanted armour’s inexorable tread. The Avengers and Justice League, freed from their torment, filed through the gaps created by the Destroyer. They took to the battlefield, led by Captain America and Superman. Pausing only to rouse Flash, War Machine and the others, the heroes of Earth fell into formation with the guardians of space and the armies of Asgard. Even Loki joined in!
Odin raised his trident… and let it fall. The forces of good attacked.
All-powerful though she was, Enchantress was still just one woman. Against isolated teams of heroes, she was invincible. Against the greatest, most heroic armada ever assembled, however, even gods must fall. She would deflect a fire bolt in time to be hit by a Batarang; heat vision would be evaded but chaos magic would strike home. As the battle wore on, more of the heroes’ powers were effective and more of their blows struck home. Arrows, missiles, widow's bites and shields chipped away at her invulnerability; astral assaults, mind-blasts and cosmic blasts sent her spinning and reeling. Thor’s guess had been correct: the heroes could match Amora’s combined energies by merging their own efforts!
Enchantress retreated toward Villainville, gasping and wincing under the sustained assault. “Help me,” she cried to her followers.
Kang, who was manning the castle drawbridge, smiled nastily. “Sorry, your highness,” he cackled, “you told us to stay inside!” He waited just long enough for Grodd and the others to cross before pulling the bridge up, leaving Amora alone with the heroes.
Unfortunately for the world, Kang’s betrayal snapped the last thread of Amora’s sanity. “All shall die,” she howled. “Every realm! And though you irritate and injure me, mortals, never shall you defeat me - for my weakness is a secret! A secret known only to myself!”
Keeping a secret can be difficult under normal circumstances. When one has gone insane, and is in the vicinity of the world’s most powerful telepath, it’s nigh-on impossible. Martian Manhunter seized his moment and read Amora’s mind, plucking from its unprotected depths the key to her defeat. “Her heart,” he said, broadcasting the revelation to his allies. “Her power and her body are indestructible, but her heart is close to breaking!”
Loki stepped forward. “Amora,” he snapped, “I will never forgive you for imprisoning me, and I will never help you in any scheme ever again!”
“Amora,” cried Sif. “You shall never be welcome amongst the Asgardian sisterhood, for you are cruel and vain and selfish!”
“Enchantress,” Odin boomed. “I cast you out of Asgard for all eternity! Thou hath no home now, witch! No people, no purpose - no family!”
“Amora,” Konkar growled, “I have sided with the Asgardians to make amends for all the evil I’ve done in your name and at your bidding! Never will I stand by your side, never! My heart is as hard and cold as my home, Amora, and neither have any place or room for you!”
The emotional blows struck Enchantress harder than any physical attack. She staggered under each one, clutching at her chest. Her face was a mask of pure anguish; it seemed to all assembled that her heart might burst free from her body at any second. Thus it was that Thor stepped forth.
“No, not this,” Amora pleaded, tears streaming down her face. “Not you, Thor. Please, I couldn’t bear it…”
Angered beyond belief, Thor was still a hero. Breaking a person’s heart is never a heroic thing to do - yet shouldering such an awful task, for the sake of reality, is. “Amora,” he said, steeling himself against her tears, “no matter where you go, what you do, what spells you weave… even if you change your ways and become a noble being… you shall never be loved by me.”
Enchantress wailed - a plaintive, wretched sound that came from the very depths of her soul. Empowered as she was, her anguish knocked the heroes off their feet. Amora clutched at her chest once again… this time, her fingers found the Locket of Lavaworld. Overcome by grief, she grabbed the locket with both hands, tore it from her neck and threw it to one side - robbing her body of protection and leaving it to suffer the unfettered force of her stolen power!
“This is our chance,” Doctor Strange said. “Martian Manhunter, hold her tight! Captain America, I need your shield! Hurry!”
J’onn’s malleable form flowed around Enchantress and kept her in place. Doctor Strange levitated above them, whispering incantations and conjuring hexes. Cap raised his shield and, when Strange told him to, brought it down on Amora’s emerald crown. The vibranium clanged and hummed upon impact and the stolen magic vibrated out of Enchantress’ body! The energies of the Ring of Gavache arced across the battlefield and settled in Galactus’ grateful tummy. The Infinity Sword reappeared in Iron Man’s hand, and the Wand of Atlantis materialised in front of Aquaman. “Outrageous,” he breathed.
Enchantress went limp in the Manhunter’s grip. He returned to his normal form; she was sound asleep, still weeping softly. “Like a child,” Doctor Strange said.
“But her punishment will be that of a grown woman,” Odin said, moving to take custody of his wayward citizen.
“No, father,” Thor said, stepping between them. “Amora’s threat has passed, now. Her crimes were against Midgard; she shall serve her punishment here.”
Odin wrinkled his nose. “Was not your prison ruined by my Destroyer?”
“We’ll rebuild it,” Iron Man said happily. “Better than ever before!”
“Oh will we, now?” Batman arched an eyebrow. “Who’s paying for that?”
“Relax, Bruce - we’re rich!” Iron Man grinned.
“There is wisdom in your words,” Odin nodded, “as there was when Amora’s plan was uncovered. I am… unaccustomed… to you having such insight, Thor. It pleases me.” He signalled to his warriors. “We shall take our leave of Earth, for it is well-protected,” he announced, favouring his son with a smile. “All save Slepnir, that is. If Thor is determined to stay here on Midgard, he should be caring for his own pet.”
The eight-legged horse licked Thor’s face happily. The other heroes laughed.
Hands were shaken, hugs exchanged and goodbyes offered. The forces of Asgard rode the Bifrost back to their inter-dimensional home, Loki teleported to parts unknown and Guy Gardner led the cosmic heroes back into space. Nursing their bumps, bruises and wounds, the Justice League, the Avengers and SHIELD began the long trek back to Super Hero City. There was still a riot to quell, social order to restore and a prison to be built - but they did not fear the challenge. They had been shaken by their ordeal, but never would they shirk their duty.
Because they were heroes.
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Greet the Fire as Your Friend,
SF