Chapter 81: Arrival

Within moments, the figure of Darkseid appeared on the holo-communication screen, seated upon his throne aboard The Final Judgment. His face was as cold and expressionless as the stone that lined the throne room.

"Thanos," Darkseid acknowledged without emotion, his eyes glowing with the Omega Effect.

"Darkseid," Thanos responded with equal coldness. "You dare to mobilise against Earth without my permission?"

A small, derisive smirk tugged at the corner of Darkseid's mouth. "Permission? You believe you are in a position to grant me permission, Mad Titan?"

Thanos' eyes narrowed. "I have long since set my sights on that planet. It is the key to my greater purpose. Stay your hand, Darkseid. There is no need for conflict between us, but if you proceed, I will not hesitate to show you who is truly the superior being."

Darkseid leaned forward slightly, his face an unreadable mask. "I care nothing for your greater purpose. Earth is mine to conquer. The Anti-Life Equation will be found, and it will bring the universe to its knees beneath my rule."

Thanos' temper flared at the mention of the Anti-Life Equation. Darkseid was obsessed with domination, enslaving minds to his will. Thanos' goal was far more profound—the annihilation of half of all life for balance. They had no common ground, and now, they had crossed into open enmity.

"I will not ask again," Thanos said, voice low and dangerous. "Stand down, or you will face my wrath."

Darkseid, with his unfathomable arrogance, simply laughed. "You overestimate your importance, Thanos. The galaxy will kneel before me, not because of some stones you chase, but because I will command them. Cross me if you dare. I welcome it."

The communication ended abruptly, leaving the Mad Titan standing in a brooding silence.

Thanos turned slowly, his face now contorted with a fury that burned like the core of a dying star. "He leaves me no choice," he muttered darkly. "Darkseid seeks to disrupt the natural order, to interfere in my quest for universal balance. But he will soon learn who commands the universe."

Thanos strode from his war room, each step heavy with anger and resolve. As he marched through the dark corridors of the Sanctuary II, his hand reached out to press a panel on the wall. In seconds, his most trusted lieutenants, Ebony Maw and Supergiant, appeared before him.

"My Lord," Ebony Maw said smoothly, bowing deeply. "How may we serve you?"

Thanos regarded them with cold, calculated precision. "Darkseid has forced my hand. He dares to invade Earth and interfere with my plans. I want you two to go ahead of his forces. Find the Infinity Stones on Earth, and secure them for me. We cannot afford delay, nor can we allow Darkseid to gain the upper hand."

Ebony Maw nodded, a sinister gleam in his eyes. "It shall be done, my Lord. The stones will be in our possession soon enough."

Supergiant's grin widened, her telepathic powers crackling in the air around her as she anticipated the havoc she could wreak. "Earth will fall before our might, and the stones will be yours."

Thanos' eyes glowed with malice as he addressed them. "Move swiftly. Gather my Black Order. And when you arrive, let Earth's so-called heroes know they face the true end of all things."

Ebony Maw and Supergiant bowed deeply, swiftly leaving to assemble the forces and depart for Earth ahead of Darkseid's armada. Their task was clear—locate the stones, sow chaos, and ensure Darkseid's invasion was a mere footnote in Thanos' rise to power.

As they departed, Thanos turned his gaze back to the galactic map, his mind already forming strategies. His forces would remain, but he himself would not join the battle just yet. He had one task left.

"Darkseid…" Thanos whispered. "You will learn that no one stands in my way."

The Mad Titan smirked as he thought of the inevitable confrontation. He would deal with Darkseid personally. And when the time came, he would break him, just as he had broken countless worlds before.

For now, he would let Ebony Maw and Supergiant lead the way to Earth. And when the moment was right, Thanos would descend and remind the universe why he was the one to fear.

-

-

-

[A few moments later]

Ebony Maw and Supergiant moved through the vastness of space with terrifying speed, the stars blurring past as they hurtled towards their destination—Earth. Their ship, sleek and menacing, cut through the cosmic fabric like a shadow, its path undetectable to even the most advanced surveillance systems.

Their mission was clear: find the Infinity Stones before Darkseid's forces could claim them.

As the Earth's atmosphere began to close in around them, they descended rapidly, hurtling toward the surface with the precision of predators stalking their prey. The ship's cloaking mechanisms ensured their arrival would go unnoticed by the humans below.

Moments later, they landed in the desolate Mexican desert, the ship touching down softly on the scorching sand. The surrounding area was barren, with only the faintest hint of civilisation on the horizon.

The oppressive heat and the gusting winds did nothing to unsettle the two powerful beings.

Ebony Maw, slender and composed, stepped off the ramp first, his long fingers intertwining as he surveyed the empty landscape with disdain.

Supergiant followed, her expression twisted into a grin of anticipation, her telepathic powers already probing the area for any signs of life.

"The stones…" Ebony Maw muttered, his voice cold and smooth as he raised his hand, fingers twitching. His connection to the powerful cosmic forces surrounding the Infinity Stones was palpable. "There is one near. In the North... New York City."

Supergiant's eyes gleamed as she followed the trail with her own abilities, feeling the faint echoes of power radiating from the stones. "Mmm… so much energy, so much life to drain. This will be fun."

Ebony Maw turned to her with a sneer. "We are not here for amusement, Supergiant. The Mad Titan's orders are clear. We locate the stones, retrieve them, and report back. There is no room for chaos—only precision."

Supergiant laughed, the sound echoing across the empty desert. "You always take the fun out of things, Maw. But fine, the stones first. I can always play with the humans later."

With that, they set off at an alarming speed, their forms blurring as they streaked across the skies towards the heart of New York City. The cloaked ship remained behind in the desert, buried deep within the sand, waiting for their return.

As they soared over the vast Mexican landscape, their minds were already set on their task. The closest stone was somewhere in New York, and if their information was correct, it was in the hands of one of Earth's so-called heroes.

Ebony Maw and Supergiant would tear the city apart, if need be, to retrieve it. Nothing and no one would stand in their way.

Darkseid's forces may have been mobilising, but they were ahead of the game. They would find the stones, and Thanos' plan would come to fruition. The Mad Titan had set things in motion, and Ebony Maw was determined to see it through to the end.

-

Not long after Ebony Maw and Supergiant had vanished into the skies, another ship touched down near the Mexican desert—this one far less discreet.

The engines roared as it descended, kicking up sand and debris in every direction, the force of its landing shaking the ground beneath it.

Unlike Ebony's sleek, silent craft, this one was rugged and loud, leaving no doubt of its arrival.

The ramp of the ship lowered with a loud metallic thud, and stepping out from the smoke and dust was none other than Lobo, the infamous intergalactic bounty hunter.

His wild, spiked hair framed his menacing grin as he took in the desolate landscape with a sense of boredom.

He cracked his knuckles, stretching his muscles as if preparing for a good fight, his signature chain wrapped around his wrist.

"Darkseid sure knows how to pick the most boring places for a party," Lobo grumbled, spitting onto the sand. But a smirk spread across his face as he looked up towards the horizon.

"Doesn't matter. I'm here to bring the fun."

Lobo had been tasked by Darkseid to prepare Earth for the coming invasion by causing as much destruction as possible. His orders were simple: lay waste to anything and everything in his path, and make sure no one got in the way of Darkseid's grand designs.

And Lobo loved nothing more than a little chaos.

As he scanned the area, his enhanced senses kicked in, picking up a massive surge of energy to the west. It was far more potent than anything he had felt before—far beyond human capacity. It was raw, immense, and had a signature that screamed 'power.' His grin widened.

"Well, well, well… what do we have here?" Lobo chuckled, mounting his spacehog and revving the engine. The sound echoed through the desert as the bike hovered slightly above the sand. "Looks like ol' Lobo's about to crash the biggest party on Earth."

The energy was coming from the direction of Darius' Agency. Lobo didn't know exactly who or what was there, but he didn't care.

His only goal was to wreak havoc, and if that meant heading toward the biggest power source on the planet, so be it.

As the spacehog roared off towards the west, Lobo imagined all the destruction he would cause along the way. Buildings leveled, streets torn apart, heroes crushed beneath his boots. He'd tear through anything that got in his way, all to set the stage for Darkseid's grand entrance.

The Main Man was ready to turn Earth into a playground of destruction.

=========================================================