Selfish Jackass? #295

One day after the start of the invasion

Gotham

'I'd like anyone to see anyone try and attack the city now...' I mused as I added the last touches to the last of the five shield generators I'd installed on the edges of Gotham.

Apokoliptan warships had incredible technology. Naturally, I wouldn't be me if I didn't instantly salvage whatever I could from them and use it to defend the city.

The shield generators were a byproduct, enhanced and fine-tuned to protect the city by yours truly. I also dismantled whatever blasters and energy canons the ships had and installed them all over the city, handing over their controls to Brother Eye.

I didn't leave it there as I distributed thousands of the special suits I'd recently created and several other gadgets to the Gotham police department.

I also filled every rooftop with heavily armed Sentry drones, armed with ballistic missiles and ready to destroy anything or anyone dumb enough to intrude.

While the world burned, Gotham was the only safe haven as Apokoliptan vanguards raided almost every country with warships, each carrying a swarm of Parademons, not to mention the dozens of Darkseid's elite agents.

In any case, I was ready to start the shield generator when someone interrupted me.

"The city is safe... we should help somewhere else..." Nightwing said, having waited for me to finish installing the last shield generator. "I hear Metropolis is on the verge of collapse..." He added, trailing at the end of his sentence.

"No. My priority is protecting Gotham," I replied, calmly shaking my head at Nightwing's words. "I won't stop you if you wish to go, but I'm not budging an inch," I added with a shrug.

"You can't be serious. Gotham will soon follow if we fail to stop Darseid's armies. " Nightwing said, his eyes widening in shock at my words. "They'd gang up on us once they've taken over the rest of the world..." He urgently reasoned, trying to make me change my mind.

"The city won't fall as long as I'm here," I replied in a neutral, confident tone. "I'm not afraid of being outnumbered. I can build an army of my own," I added as I turned away from Nightwing, activating the shield generator and watching as a giant transparent done engulfed the city.

"What good would an army do you when Darkseid shows up knocking on your door...?" Nightwing asked, appalled by my calm demeanor. "You realize he hasn't even shown his face, but the entire world is already crumbling..." He added with a frown.

"I'm fully aware..." I replied with a smile. "Worst case scenario, I'll simply have to get someone even worse to send him back to Apokolips if I can't beat him on my own..." I added, my mind wandering to the new set of perks and powers I received from the system.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but people are suffering! You can't sit here and do nothing about it!" Nightwing said, his tone growing more frustrated as he spoke.

"Not my people, not my business. Everything I care about is inside this city..." I said with a scoff. "I won't abandon it for anything," I firmly added in a matter-of-fact tone.

Some would feel that I was acting like a selfish jackass, but even with the defenses I've added to the city, Gotham wouldn't stand a chance if someone like Kalibak suddenly showed up, and I couldn't have that.

Could anyone really blame me for prioritizing my hometown over the rest of the world, especially considering I wasn't the only one with that mentality?

I might have said that Gotham was the only safe haven in the world, but there were other safe places, the best example being Atlantis and Ehemoscyira.

These two cities were nigh unassailable under normal circumstances as most of their population were warriors, capable of feats that no average man could dream of achieving. Yet their heroes, Aquaman and Wonder Woman, chose to stay there and protect their homes.

"Now go bother someone else. I still have work to do," I added as I jumped into the air and flew away, leaving the speechless Nightwing alone to stew in his frustration.

...

Massachusetts, Salem

The Tower of Fate

Glorious Godfrey couldn't help but grin like a maniac as he finally laid eyes on the Helmet of Fate, having spent an entire day working through the countless trials and traps designed to protect the magical artifact.

Godfrey and his sister suffered their fair share of injuries and hardship to get here, and the latter even almost lost her life to one of the traps, but they were finally here.

"Finally... the key to power... to my-- our freedom is at hand, dear sister..." Godfrey said, his smile widening as he approached the helmet, which was already radiating an intense golden light as if warning him.

"I know you're there, Nabu, but you won't stop me," Godfrey said as he reached into his breast pocket and retrieved a green metallic insect that screeched hideously at the sight of the golden helmet.

Naturally, Godfrey knew the helmet was a conduit of Nabu's power and that only those chosen by him could wear and wield his considerable might with the lord of order's blessings.

He came prepared as he tacked down and obtained an artifact once lost to space and time, crafted by Mordu, a Lord of Chaos and one Nabu's worst enemies.

Technically, the Lord of Chaos has yet to create it, as he would only find a way to influence the material world centuries into the future. But he would craft the sinister artifact to battle Nabu and the Lords of Order.

Still, Mordu's plans would fail, and the artifact would disappear into the streams of time after a great battle, only to end up here and now, in Godfrey's hands.

"This ought to keep silence you..." Godfrey said as he let go of the green insect, and it instantly flew toward the helmet, nesting on top of it as the glow started fading away.

Godfrey wanted nothing more than to instantly put on the helmet and bask in the power of a god, but he knew better than to be hasty. He needed to kill Darkseid if he were to achieve anything.

Gritting his teeth, he put away the helmet in an unusual storage container and teleported away alongside his sister. "Mind that you do not expose our plans before we lure him into showing his face, sister..." Godfrey said as he took out a Fatherbox, to which Amazing Grace nodded solemnly.

Even with the power of a Lord of Order, Godfrey didn't dare to fight Darkseid head-on as he knew he couldn't channel all of Nabu's powers without paying the ultimate price.

As an Apokoliptan New God, Godfrey could channel more of Nabu's power than any of his former hosts could, but even then, Darkseid was known as the God of Tyranny and Evil for a reason.

Godfrey knew that his only chance at success was to ambush Darkseid when the latter least expected it, but the God of Tyranny refused to participate in the war for reasons unknown.

"Oh, great one..." Godfrey said, putting on a submissive expression as he kneeled and contacted Darkseid, and a hologram of the latter's towering figure instantly appeared.

"My soldiers have taken the city as you commanded. Your armies are slowly but surely overrunning the earthlings' defenses..." Godfrey said, keeping his eyes on the ground. "I beg you, my lord, honor us with your presence... allow us to bask in your godly presence..." He added, banging his head against the floor.

"Do not presume to make requests of me, Godfrey..." Darkseid harshly replied. "Though I am most pleased with your service thus far..." He added in a thoughtful tone, seemingly contemplating.

"My generals tell me Earth still has several beacons of safety, foolishly clinging to flimsy hopes of victory..." Darkseid said, his red eyes glowing sinisterly. "Snuff the brightest of those beacons, and I shall consider your offer..." He concluded, letting out the faintest and most subtle of amused smiles before ending the call.

"Prepare the warships, sister..." Godfrey said as he slowly got up and turned to Amazing Grace. "We will raise Gotham to the ground," He added, a hint of determination and excitement flashing in his eyes.

...

Gotham

GCPD Headquarters

"If another raid comes our way, have your police officers protect the people and keep the peace..." I firmly instructed as I looked Deborah straight in the eye. "Let my machines do the heavy lifting. They're replaceable," I added, to which she could only nod with a tired sigh.

I was ready to give her further instructions, but I had to swallow my words as loud alarms rang all over the city. "Remember, no heroics," I concluded, taking out the Motherbox and teleporting away from Debroah's office without waiting for a reply.