55 - Aftermath

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." - ‭‭John‬ ‭15:13…

*****

"GIVE HIM BACK!!!!"

"GIVE HIM BACK!!!!"

"GIVE HIM BACK!!!!" 

Zion screamed at the top of his lungs.

-A Few Moment Before-

The Spear of Destiny divided the Dark god's skin like a mathematician, precise. Zion's full focus was concentrated on ending him and he was too close to achieving it. He had sealed of his retreat and caught him unguarded, he couldn't and wouldn't let this guy leave here alive.

However, what Zion didn't expect was another's involvement. 

An Ax collided with the Spear of Destiny, derailing its path while a giant kicked Darkseid away from its grip. The Spear was fast enough to carve through the Dark god's chest, but was slow that it couldn't end him.

The spear ended its course and Zion looked at the bloodied spear in a daze for a moment. He couldn't believe that death of an arrogant god had slipped by his hands. His head snapped in Darkseid's direction, fury burning in his eyes. 

"GIVE HIM BACK!!!!"

"HE IS MINE!!!!"

Zion threw the spear in all fury. The Spear of Destiny cleaved through reality and stuck true as it ripped through the giant. But Zion was too late in his reaction. He watched as a Boom-Tube swallow Darkseid while his blood spilled all across the vacuum. {The spear have failed its destiny}

"Z.A.I!" Zion called as he willed the spear back.

["Couldn't stop it"]

["Mother box channeled all her energy to create those Boom-Tubes"]

["They were her final ones"]

"Haaaa," Zion breathed a long sigh and turned to the fish his spear had caught.

The giant of a man in full armor wearing a helmet adorned with horns. He lifted the spear and looked at the draining life of his annoyance. The guy was at deaths door, if not for the resilience of a New god that would have taken his life and Zion didn't exactly put the intent to kill, all he wanted was to stop Darkseid but hey, life isn't fair.

"Steppenwolf," Zion spoke, "Death will not grace you."

Zion planted his foot on Steppenwolf's body and ripped the spear out it. The blood spurted out and filled the empty space. Zion without a care for the blood that covered him, shook the blood of the spear. He then warped Steppenwolf to a chamber in his city where the New god physiology will be thoroughly studied. 

Zion then will himself a presentable and comfy dress. Grey hoodie and track suit. The shaft shrunk to a size that he could keep the spear in his pocket and warped back to metropolis, good as new. He arrived at the docks which looked exactly like when he arrived and Batman standing there. He had no idea what happened to Metallo.

"Batman," Zion gave a small wave as he walked.

Batman didn't wait for any formality and asked the question, "Where is he?"

"Who?" Zion tilted his head.

"Darkseid." (►__◄) 

"Escaped." (°ー°〃)

"Escaped?" (ㆆ_ㆆ) 

"Yes." （￣︶￣）

"Hmm," (ㆆ_ㆆ)

"Hmm," (OwO)

Zion and Batman looked at each other for a moment before Batman turned and walked away. He didn't pull his vanishing moved due to Zion just looking at him without being distracted. Batman walked back to his jet and rode it to the sun rise.

Zion stood as he watched sun rise. He watched the sky turned red as a yawn knocked at his mouth.

"Zai, Are the Mechmorphs back?" Zion asked as he yawned.

["Yes and all accounted"]

"Proceed with the plan, I will meet those idiots in a week," Zion stated as he glitched out of reality and appeared before his warehouse.

Zion opened the spatial lock and retrieved his car. He was tired and had spent a year's worth of social battery. He wanted to go home and not think about any of this. So, that's what he did.

He want home, to Heavenfield.

***

Z.A.I walked into the room full of people, four.

Superman, Kara, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern. The mightiest heroes of Earth. They had watched the whole fight between Zion and Darkseid. They saw the devastation of such fight. They were agitated at first when Z.A.I approached, but they were convinced after he showed them the image of Darkseid. 

"Hello guys, you can return home now," Z.A.I spoke ask he walked in, "Happy, （￣︶￣）↗　"

Z.A.I informed the heroes that they can go home. The heroes immediately stood up at his voice, each having a different emotions. They had seen the whole fight between Zion and Darkseid, also his escape. 

"Where is Zion?" Kara questioned.

"Zion went home," Z.A.I answered.

"Home?" Superman asked.

"Home," Zion answered, pressing the word.

"Then explain in his stead," Kara demanded.

Other heroes could only watch as Kara seemed more familiar to the person in question then them. They all watched them converse waiting to catch details they need, answers to their question.

"Explain why that guy was targeting Earth?" Kara demanded.

"Okay, I will try to explain what is going on," Z.A.I decided to give answers. "Let's start with Darkseid is. Darkseid is the ruler of a hell world called Apokolips. He was here to conqure earth and use its resources to power Apokolips. 

As for Darksied and his goons, they call themselves New gods. They are being who have reached the peack of evolution and genetic stability.

I hope this quench your curiosity because I can't give you another answer."

The heroes looked at Z.A.I still holding many questions but Z.A.I was not going to answer them.

"Some of you have the means to get your answers," Z.A.I threw a bone, looking at Wonder Woman and Green Lantern. "But now it is time for you to return. I will send the other back later. 

Bye-bye" 

"Wait-"

All of them glitched out before Kara could begin another chain of dialogues.

"Haaa," Z.A.I sighed, "I better let Zion deal with her. Let me return to courting Mother Box maybe she will hand over the rest of the authority. I should really find a better job."

***

The Heroes of Earth materialized before a crowd of onlookers who gasped at their sudden appearance. They quickly gathered around the four heores, making inquires about the abnormalities of the past hours. 

The onlookers consisting of police, reporters and civilians, barraged the heroes with question. Superheroes were overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of inquires. Green Lantern unable to take the pressure and not wanting to deal with crowd control took to the skies. He had questions and hoped the guardians would answer. 

"I will take my leave," Wonder Woman was polite enough to saw that before departing. She was going home to ask questions and hoped her mother or the gods would answer.

With only the Supers left behind, Superman being the mature one as both superhero and reporter decided to answer the inquires or at least calm the masses. He flew up so all could see him. 

"I do not know of the being who attacked Earth but I am familiar with this person who calls himself Nion. I have conversed with him and I believe he want to do good. But I assure you that If earth is endangered, I will be there to do my duty," Superman promised.

"So return home and wait for the authorities to handled this mess, please don't create panic among people. We will protect the Metropolis as we did before."

He then looked at the anxious faces of the people and gave them an assured smile. He knew that the people were afraid of the future and what it means for them. But he hoped Zion, as a terran, would only have Earths best in his mind. 

There were many reasons he didn't try to fight Zion in freeing Earth and letting it continue the way it did. As a reporter he had seen how corrupt the world is. He had seen the world for what it was but a change was needed. He could only do so much, but Zion with control over the whole planet and its government could do more.

He just hoped that it won't be another tyranny. He gave them a nod before flying away.

Kara flew up and looked down at the people, she could feel they still feared, "We will continue to protect this city. I will break the bones of those try to do otherwise." 

Kara assured in her own way before flying away. 

...

On one of the high towers of Metropolis had gathered the backup Batman called. They watched as the heroes appeared and be flanked by the crowd.

They had gathered here in after dealing with trouble of their own. Flash had helped the star labs on their own pest, but he was late to save the Dr. Stone's kid. however the doctor had already helped his son in his own way. 

But the kid flew away somewhere.

He also met the Mechmorph who only attacked the things that came out of the portal. So he let them alone to deal with the things in Central City and answered Batman's call and met up with the others he had gathered.

He then met up with Green Arrow, as the vigilante called himself, and Black Canary who arrived later. They had gather at the top to scout but they were unable to intervene in the fight due to the barrier. They didn't even try to destroy the barrier as it was the only thing that was protecting the rest of the city from being leveled.

Each recognized that the fight was beyond their pay grade. So they opt to watch and they did. They waited just in case something else pops up and saw the heroes appear.

"Should we go introduce ourselves?" Flash asked.

"No." Green Arrow gave his answer and took his head.

"We got nothing to do here," Canary took her leave too.

"Okay," Flash watched as Superman flew away and blitzed away.

***

It took few hours for people across the world to finally calm down. They all saw that they were not dead and their life continued the same as it did the day before. All had returned to the normal except for the glooming fear of unknown. 

People tried to return to their now so normal life until Nion released another message.

"Hello, people of Terra." Nion appeared in all screen across the world in his iconic suit and helmet, "I know that most of your are scared of the future after my whole announcement of taking over earth. Do not worry, there is nothing to fear, I only think to improve your lives.

And I mean, you have already let many deceive you and lead you astray with no hope in sight. You all messed up the whole planet and still struggling to even comprehend it. Those at the hierarchy lead you to nothing but destruction while they enjoy the riches, don't you think it is time for something better. 

Again I assure you that their will not be much change to your daily lived and I am going not trying slave you humans, but I have come to free your of your shackled and lead you to the stars. In about a decade after my take over, all of you can look forward to your journey to the stars. 

Even the distance of the next galaxy won't be an pipe dream. I will end poverty and make your lives better.

I promise you all of this on my takeover, but I can't guaranty that your government will like that growth, after all who would like their sheep's eyes being opened. 

I will meet the heads of your world in UN council in New York city next Sunday. I hope this transition is smooth and all of your are ready for the better future. 

Peace out. ヾ(￣▽￣) Bye~Bye~"

The screens turned dark, and the world stood still in silence. 

"Sorry, your communications are back!" Nion appeared again and gave a slight heart attack to people. 

With that the screen turned black and the notifications sound filled the cities as the communication network came back online. The amount of traffic in each of these sites crashed them. The people who couldn't communicate shared their thoughts across many platforms.