To all you Comicbook Fans: Split Infinity

[Stravo]

I've been enjoying the latest round of interesting topics in comic books which I stopped collecting back in 94. I started recently rereading some of my collection out of curiousity and nostalgia. Then as I was working on a particulalry boring memo, I decided to write a little on the side today with some ideas I had been toying with. Now you may hate it and think this is ridiculous or you may like it.

I'm doing this for a little fun to see if I can actually write in a comic genre.

If this suuuucckkkss please let me know, and I'll stick to what I know, if you fanboys out there like this I may start making this into some sort of monthly installements like the comics.

To all you Starcrossed fans this WILL NOT interefer with Starcrossed as I knocked this baby out in under 4 hours and don't intend to let it take up too much time.




SPLIT INFINITY
Issue #1
PROLOGUE: PAST IS PROLOGUE



It was all about will.

Willpower was the central driving force and he could utilize his to wield a weapon like no other.

He soared between the streaking chunks of debris as he approached the massive meteor that was plunging towards the small bluish world beneath him. The meteor would strike with such fury that it might crack a continent. Millions if not billions could die in the aftermath. They had not seen the threat until too late and the meteor was beginning to blot out the skies above their easternmost continent, announcing the impending doom with authority and fear.

There was nothing they could do but pray to whatever deities they believed in and hope that their end would be swift and painless.

He did not have such limitations. He could and would act.

A particularly large chunk of rock broke away and nearly took his head off but there was no frightened reaction for he did not know fear, none of his brethren did. It was one of the prime requirements to accept the responsibility, to don the uniform, to wear the ring.

“Alright, let’s get this done.” he muttered and focused his will. The bright green ring on his finger flashed suddenly an a pulsing emerald plasma erupted forth like light from a star and lanced out at the meteor. The plasma was driven by the ring, the ring driven by his will, his will fueled by his animation and the plasma took shape. A large funnel shape solidified on the meteor’s path.

He had to be careful, the thing had built up a lot of momentum and he doubted that even he could simply pull it out of its flight path without a major expenditure of power. He could try to blast it apart, but that ,may leave too many smaller fragments to deal with in time to stop them all before they struck the planet.

Those were usually the options he had when younger and headstrong. Now, experience, the greatest teacher of all was telling him that he did not need to do either. His goal was simple, stop the meteor from striking the planet. Nowhere did it say that he had to blast it or waste power pushing it out of the flight path. The old Hal would have simply made giant hand and pushed his will power to its limits and move the celestial body.

This Hal Jordan solely needed to give it a little nudge and away it went.

The meteor followed the funnel, slowly turning away from the planet and suddenly released, the funnel disappeared in a green flash of light and Hal Jordan soared over the asteroid, letting its tail wash over and around him. his personal force field glowed brightly as the miniature particles and gasses burned against his shield. He was in no danger of injury, it ouwld take far more than this to injure a bearer of a power ring.

The meteor skipped off the atmosphere and flashed away into the void, hopefully not to bother another inhabited world again.

Hal frowned. Hmmm, perhaps he should make sure of that.

“Ring, calculate meteor’s trajectory and estimate any danger to inhabited planets in Sector 2814.” Hal asked as he watched the meteor fading away into the void, its passage only marked by a field of ice and rock.

METEOR WILL CONTINUE ON CURRENT TRAJECTORY FOR 225.6 STANDARD YEARS BEFORE HAVING A 97.2% CHANCE OF IMPACTING AGAINST THE GAS GIANT X-12 IN THE WOLF STAR CLUSTER.

“Hmmm….not bad at all if I may say so myself.” Hal said with a smile.

“You, stand aside and make way.” a voice intruded on his reverie. Hal stopped short and faced the new comer. The fact that sound was generated in space and he could have a conversation in the vacuum no longer fazed him. As a member of the Green Lantern Corps, he had faced far more improbable things.

“Make way?”

The source of the voice stood before him several hundred meters away. He was a human, of that there was no doubt, but his flesh was silver and ran like quicksilver over a well muscled body. He stood on a board that seemed to be constructed of the same material.

“Stand aside, alien, you are in the path of the Great one and he is coming to feed.”

Hal frowned slightly and floated before the silver surfer board alien. Was that really a surfboard?

“I am Hal Jordan, Green Lantern of this sector and no one is going to do anything until I find out what you are talking about.

WARNING LANTERN, THIS BEING IS COLLECTING COSMIC ENERGY AT AN UNPRECEDENTED LEVEL. HE REPRESENTS A THREAT TO YOU. THIS RING CANNOT FULLY PROTECT YOU AGAINST SUCH ENERGY LEVELS. The ring whispered in his mind. Hal paused. The ring rarely if ever warned him about a threat. This must be serious.

“Green Lantern? I have not heard of such a being or organization and I have soared the space ways of my home galaxy from one end to the other through the Shiar, Skrull and Kree Empires and beyond. There has never been such a being reported and this system is unfamiliar to me but the Great One must feed.” his voice was proud and he sounded of all things like a poet. It was as if he really did not belong here.

“I don’t know about any Shiar, Skrull or Kree Empires, but I do know that what you intend sounds like something that the folks back there on Cor 4 would not want so I’m warning you to cease and desist.”

The silver being seemed taken aback.

“I am the Silver Surfer, herald of Galactus, and you will not bar his passage.” He replied and suddenly raised his hands in a guard position, bright red energy gathered on his fingertips.

“Galactus?”

The blast of energy was stunning, sending him hurtling backwards as the emerald sheath of energy flashed around him upon impact. He finally gathered his wits enough to stop his retreat. He calmed himself and emerald energy washed over his right fist as he clenched it and turned back to the surfer.

It was all about will.

And Hal Jordan had the will to do anything.





The impact of the blow was like the world had fallen on him and he stumbled backwards, never in his life had he felt this way. So vulnerable, so weak, so tired. Blood was falling in his left eye. His blood. He tried to recover his sense but the next impact was even more jarring than the last and he felt blood explode up into his mouth.

This was not supposed to be happening. He was the most powerful being on the planet and it was trying to destroy the city he so loved.

He grunted like an animal as he cut loose with his own blow that struck the beast and it was like hitting a mountain. There was a deep impact like meet struck by a jack hammer. The beast did not seem affected and roared a challenge as it charged.

He willed himself to fly, rise out of its path, he could shed the bonds of gravity as easily as a man could jump but he was too slow, too tired, too wounded and the beast struck him in the stomach. The impact sent him crashing over its shoulder and impaling his left side on one of the bony spikes protruding from the thing’s hide, leaving a bloody stain on the white bone spur. He launched himself off the thing’s shoulder and whipped around with a roundhouse kick that connected with the back of its head sending it stumbling forward into the ground.

“Burn you bastard.” he hissed as his eyes spat fire, roasting the things back as the grayish stone like flesh actually sizzled under the intense heat beams. It howled in pain – finally! He had hurt the thing and confidence surged in him.

Yes, maybe this could be won, maybe it was as hurt, tired and wounded as he was. Maybe he could save the day and stop Doomsday.

But the battle grew fiercer and as each blow hammered on him and he returned the vicious punishment he saw flashes of something else.

A green barren world with crystalline spires jutting up into the sky. The world was ancient and massive.

I’ve never seen this place but I know it.

Doomsday pounded him through the foundations of a building as a kick sent Doomsday soaring high up into the Metropolis skyline.

It’s Krypton.

Doomsday landed in the center of the busiest avenue in Metropolis and before he could get there the thing had vented its fury on a city bus and three cars. He impacted against it like a cannon shell sending both of them into a construction site.

Krypton was dying. But this was different, far different than what his ship had relayed to him so many years ago. The planet was tearing itself apart, but not because of the geological stresses building deep within its core. There was something in the distance, something massive and it strode on the green world like a mighty colossus, something else was flying ahead of the giant.

Doomsday used the massive crane like a club and slammed the thing over his head, sending him to his knees as the crane collapsed around him, encasing him like a tomb. he took a deep breath and flexed out with his mighty arms, the metal exploding outward like a bomb had gone off within.

He was so very tired.

The crystalline tower in the giant’s path came into focus and he saw something that chilled him. A young man moving meticulously and without fear, setting up the final coordinates as the giant strode towards him. The tiny ship swung into position as a silver shape flashed overhead.

The next series of blows managed to push Doomsday out into the main thoroughfare again. The thing was starting to breath heavily, it sounded like a great engine of doom as it took deep ragged breaths, its roars no longer as vital or strong.

“I’m going to outlast you monster.” he spat and delivered a crushing blow to its jaw that sent blood spilling from its mouth, blackish ichor like blood.

“You’re finally bleeding you monster!” he roared in triumph as another hammer like blow took the beast in the midsection. It whipped a free hand to grab his wrist and sent him hurtling into a dump truck. He crashed through its side like paper and came to a bone jarring stop.

“My son.” the man whispered and touched the gray birth matrix.

The silver shape floated overhead, a human wreathed in silver skin and a board of silver floated by as the giant form came to a halt.

“This is the place.” it announced and the voice was like Armageddon itself.

“And so you feed, great Galactus.”

“And so I feed.” The Giant sounded almost sorrowful.

“My son.” Jor El whispered one last time before activating the launch controls. The small ship did not hesitate and leapt off the rails, racing away from the spire as the giant opened its expansive arms and began to sink into the planet.

No this is not supposed to be this way.

The punch nearly robbed him of the last of his strength and he stared at the beast, it too stood on shaky legs and stared at him with such hatred and fury.

“This ends here.” he muttered.

Doomsday seemed to agree and roared a challenge.

They charged at each other, each of them gathering their titanic strength for one last blow, a blow strong enough to shatter mountains.

The mountain chains of Krypton began to collapse as the giant sank deep into the planet, drinking of its life essence as the tiny rocket shot away. The silver surfer watched the rocket ascend with a dispassionate gaze and then began to rise as the planet exploded violently around him.

The rocket cleared the planet and the hyperdrive unit kicked in just as the mighty proud planet exploded into a sea of green debris and fire.

“NO!” he sat up in the bed, sweat drenched his chest.

“Superman.”

He glanced around quickly.

“What?”

“Superman, I need your help.”

Superman spotted him, standing in the doorway of his bedroom, arms crossed across his chest, a red cape flapping softly behind him in an invisible breeze. He was a tall slim man, with black hair, save for several white streaks along the temple and a very neat goatee sculpted along his chin.

“Who are you?” he asked still slightly confused.

“My name is Doctor Strange and I am in need of your assistance if we are to put right what has been undone.”

Superman slowly got out of bed and stared hard at the man standing in his doorway. His X-Ray vision revealed nothing, microscopic vision the same. Super hearing detected a regular strong heartbeat, thermal vision revealed standard human heat patterns.

“You wouldn’t happen to be any relation to Dr. Fate, would you?” he asked.

Doctor Strange smiled mysteriously.

“Unfortunately, Doctor Fate may be the reason why I’m here.” Strange answered.





He examined the report with a critical eye and nodded slowly.

“And so you expect me to join in this plan of yours?” he asked softly. his voice was like ice as he slowly turned to face the newcomer. Around him the only lights were the great bonfires outside. He did not allow any other illumination in his private chambers.

“I think you’ll find it mutually beneficial for the both of us. You are the only being in this reality that has the foresight and ability to fully grasp my plan and its full impactions.”

“You are rather arrogant for a human.” he replied sardonically and looked back at the report.

“I have tread in the shoes of the divine, even if for a short while. I am well aware of what a god can and cannot do.” the stranger replied. There was such arrogance in his words. He briefly considered annihilating him out of annoyance but refrained. He had not ruled this world for so long to be a slave to his passions. He left that weakness to his sons.

“And so you think you know my mind on this, human?”

“I know that you hunger for yet more power and this new found status of our twop realities is ripe for potential.”

“And why not do this thing yourself. If you are as ambitious as I think you are you want al of this power for yourself.”

“I admit that I do this with great trepidation, but there is simply no choice. I do not have the power or the resources to accomplish this goal, but you do.”

He nodded to himself again and put the report down.,

“And the others?”

“They can be easily manipulated. While you and I are ambitious beyond our means, they are simply ambitious out of custom and simple desires. Many of these fools merely want to rule the world or some other nonsensical motive. But we, we aspire to something else.”

“What would that be?”

“Apotheosis.” the other replied without hesitation.

“This new situation will be difficult to control.”

“But the rewards for the risk. There can be no other option. When will such an opportunity appear again?”

“In your lifetime never.”

“And in yours?” the stranger pressed.

He nodded reluctantly.

“I have given your plan much thought, and there can be no other alternative. We can do this thing, but it will require great sacrifices and risks from both of us.”

“I have risked my very soul for power. What is my life at this point. No, there can be no other choice and let us join then in this alliance.”

“An alliance of shadows, for we must be cautious. Great powers have been stirred up by this radical shift in reality and they are hungry.”

“We are hungrier, but in shadows we will remain, until the time is right to strike.”

“Very well then, Doctor. It shall be done.”

“Many thanks, Darkseid, ruler of Apokolips.”

“Together, Victor Von Doom, you and I will take from this universe what we wish.” Darkseid replied and both men slowly shook hands. Behind them, the fire pits illuminated their faces from the deep shadows.

[Mark S]

Clever

[Kuja]

Sounds interesting. I'd like to see more.

[Pastor Andy]

Outstanding! Stravo, your strength is in your characterizations: explaining the thoughts and intents of the actors on your stage. It's not enough for an author to simply chronicle events, it's the "whys" and "wherefores" behind those events that grip the imagination and pull you in to a new universe.

Plus you've already included two personal favorites of mine (the Doctors Strange and Doom). A fascinating read, so keep it coming!

[Jason von Evil]

Stravo, you have a true talent at writing.

[Kon_El]

Looks great so far

[Stravo]

SPLIT INFINITY


Issue #2

“The Calling”



The blast of energy as the two collided with each other nearly knocked the small satellite orbiting the planet out of orbit. Hal smiled as he swung around, emerald energy enveloped him in a steady pulsing shield. Nothing could harm him, nothing. His will was too strong, he would not allow it.

The Silver Surfer was clearly startled by the display of strength he had just witnessed. He coasted to a stop opposite Hal.

“You are powerful indeed Green Lantern but I am imbued with the power cosmic, I cannot be stopped from fulfilling my duty to my master.”

“I’m going to stop you, Surfer. One way or another you’re not going to lay claim to any world in my sector.”

The Silver Surfer did not respond, instead he rocketed forward, hands thrust outward and a blast of cosmic power lanced out and struck Hal. Hal was thrown backward by the impact as his emerald body field flickered for a moment.

He did not panic, instead he allowed the ring to correct his course and instead rallied his will power.

Surfer pressed his attack and zipped past delivering a crushing punch that jerked Hal’s head to the left and a flash of green energy accompanied the blow that would have snapped his neck if not for the ring’s power to harm all bearers from mortal harm.

Hal fought past the pain and shock and reached out with his will. The ring lit up and a giant hand reached out and took a firm hold of the board. Surfer leaned forward as the board came to a sudden stop and he very nearly went rocketing off the board. He held onto the bow of his board and began to turn, hands glowing with the built up energy to blast the emerald hand that held his board in place.

Hal smiled though he could feel blood seeping between his teeth, and delivered his next blow. A giant pool cue formed behind the board and thrust forward striking the surfer square in his chest like a jack hammer and sending him off his board into the void.

Hal floated by the board and gathered his wits. The guy was dangerous but he obviously needed the board as locomotion. No Board, no worries. Now it was a matter of clean up as he watched the Surfer slowly falling towards the silent moon below.

“You think you can hold the board of the silver surfer? The board is as much a part of me as my arm.” Surfer exclaimed. “To me my board!” he shouted and Hal was amazed as the board snapped forward like an eager dog to go to its owner. He concentrated more strength into the hand holding the board, astounded at the amount of will power it was taking to hold the thing still.

“You’re not getting away that easily.” he grunted, sweat starting to bead his brow.

Surfer glanced down at the rapidly approaching moonscape. He was not afraid of the impact, he had flown through meteor showers and the hot gasses of stars would not be harmed by a simple fall, but he did not relish taking this fight to the ground. He needed to be among the stars, soaring as one of them.

He saw his opening and smiled as he raised his hands and closed them into fists.

The blast of cosmic energy struck Hal and sent him hurtling upwards, the hand that held the board slowly dematerialized as his concentration faltered. The board eager to join its master put forth one last blast of speed and broke out of the hand’s grasp, shooting down to join the surfer.

Hal used the momentum of the blast to send him clear upward and focused himself as he had been taught.

The board reached the surfer a mere instant before he crashed into the lunar surface and he started to fly upwards, hands at his waist as he crouched for acceleration. A green bubble formed around him.

The surfer did not hesitate and accelerated forward in a burst of silver light. The green bubble popped like soap bubble and the Surfer was free. Hal only had a moment to rally his power as the flash of silver arched up at him like and arrow and drove into him, the surfer’s arms crossed in front of his chest as he drove them into Hal’s midsection.

Hal looked down at the Silver Surfer’s face and grunted with effort and pain as he brought his ring up to the Surfer’s head and fired an emerald blast straight into his eyes. The Surfer exclaimed in pain and dropped the board and he down straight into the moon. Hal was unable to get free, the acceleration pinning him to the Surfer like a giant hand.

“You cannot blind one that has soared amongst the brightest stars of the universe.” Surfer declared as they crashed into the surface of the moon liken freight train. There was no movement for a time on the surface of the airless moon and the surfer slowly floated upward from the meters deep crater he had impacted into the rocky surface.

Hal lay at the bottom of the crater like a rag doll.

Surfer inspected his fallen foe for a moment, impressed with his abilities.

Hal’s eyes suddenly snapped open and a giant emerald jackhammer struck the surfer and steadily drove him off his board and into the rocky surface itself, each blow striking with greater force and speed as Hal recovered his senses. He draped a green net over the board and anchored it to the moon’s surface as well as the only thing visible of the Surfer was one arm jutting out of the crater that the jackhammer was creating.

“Whatever you are, friend, you’re certainly worthy of further interrogation on Oa by the Guardians and as soon as I’m sure you’re out cold we’ll be heading out there.” Hal promised as the Surfer’s arm disappeared under the incessant jack hammering.

He stopped after a few more minutes of steady powerful pounding and slowly swept the ground around the hole with his ring. The ghostly green light revealed what lay beneath the ground as he searched for the unconscious herald.

The ground underneath him exploded outward like an erupting volcano and the Surfer vaulted out of the ground and delivered a powerful roundhouse kick to Hal’s midsection, Hal doubled over as the Surfer stepped in and struck with a vicious uppercut that catapulted Hal off his feet and into a cliff face behind him.

He landed with a jarring impact and sunk several inches into the stony face.

Surfer approached with preternatural speed and snatched up Hal’s ring hand.

“This bauble is obviously the focus of your power and so it must be neutralized. I shall absorb its power and end this.” The Surfer promised and placed his silver hand over Hal’s ring.

“What the hell are you doing!?” Hal exclaimed.

The ring glowed green and the Surfer began absorbing its power.

Hal thought quickly as he noticed the Surfer’s silver hue suddenly shot with sparkling green energy. The insane alien was actually doing it!

<Ring, link to the main power batteries of Oa.> Hal ordered silently in his head.

<Acknowledged.>

<Now open the floodgates and do not stop until I say so.>

<This course of action is inadvisable->

<JUST DO IT>

<Acknowledged.>

Hal could feel his ring grow warm and the emerald energy was a deeper richer hue. The Surfer’s eyes snapped open in shock.

“What are you doing?!”

“You want energy, I’ll give you energy.” Hal spat and flood more power into the Surfer’s hand. The Surfer began to pull his hand away but Hal slapped his free hand over the Surfer’s and held it there.

“Stop it!” The Surfer exclaimed as his silver skin was now suffused by deep emerald pulses of light.

“I will…as soon as you’ve had your fill.” Hal vowed grunting with effort as he held the Surfer’s hand in place and poured yet more energy out through his hand.

“I…am…losing…focus.” Surfer stuttered as he desperately began dumping the excess energy into the environment around him but much of the emerald energy remained swirling inside of him, acting on the command of Hal Jordan’s will and not the Surfer’s. The energy was burning him up from inside and suddenly in one last final burst of green energy the Surfer threw back his head and screamed, his eyes completely green and collapsed onto the surface of the bone, greenish smoke rising from his still form.

Hal let out a sigh of relief. That had taken more out of him than he anticipated.

“Warning.”

“What?” Hal asked puzzled by the ring.

“Your charge will fail in 30m seconds.”

“Thirty seconds?! Ring I had a good twelve hours left on my charge.” Hal protested.

“The interface with the main power batteries on Oa and the exchange of energy into the alien entity has prematurely drained this ring of charge.”

“That’s impossible! The ring has never been ‘prematurely’ drained of charge no matter how much energy I use.”

“You now have twenty seconds.”

Hal cursed and prepared to escape with his prisoner to the planet’s surface where there was atmosphere until he could sort this mess out.

A shadow fell over him and the fallen surfer. Hal looked up.

“Now what?”

A beam of light flashed over both of them and they vanished up into the massive worldship that floated overhead.




Hal stopped short as he rematerialized. The surfer was not by him, instead he floated in a soothing energy cocoon far above Hal and his board lay by the cocoon. A massive figure stood over him watching him intently with arms crossed.

“Twenty seconds.”

“Ixnay on the coundownay.” Hal muttered.

“This ring does not comprehend your language, Lantern, this is not a standard language found anywhere in Sector 2184. please clarify.

Hal rolled his eyes.

“I see you are indeed powerful, Green Lantern. To lay one such as my herald low is a mighty feet indeed.” the mighty being spoke, his voice was like the quiet storm, rumbling in the distance with a terrible promise of power and carnage. he wore ornate armor, a helm with mighty wings that swept out from the sides and his eyes were floodlights, pinning him down with their sheer power.

“I am Hal Jordan, Green lantern of Sector 2814 and I demand that you release me immediately under my authority as Green Lantern of this sector given to me by the Guardians of the Universe.”

“Guardians of the Universe, eh? So you like my herald are nothing more than a tool in the service of a higher power.”

“Will you comply?” Hal demanded in his best authoritative tone. He was not afraid, fear was the province of those that could not bear the ring.

“Ten seconds.”

“Can the countdown.” Hal spat.

“Acknowledged.”

“No Lantern. I will not. You are a guest of the Galactus. I am most curious about you, these Guardians you serve, the ring that serves your will and most importantly of all the power that they wield.”

“I will tell you nothing.”

Hal felt it. His uniform vanished and he wore his civilian clothing. The ring was silent on his finger and the once bright emerald metal was dull and dead.

Galactus noticed the sudden change but there was no shock on his imposing features.

“You will talk, Hal Jordan of Sector 2814. you will talk and tell me al that you know about the Great Power Battery of Oa.”

Hal did not flinch. Fear was not in the province of those that bore the mighty rings of Oa. But he was acutely aware that he was alone, powerless and in the grasp of a being whose power challenged those of his masters. All the will power in the universe was not going to get him out of this one anytime soon.




“Susan, could you see who that is?” Reed Richards asked as his left hand elongated with a strange quiet popping sound as tendons and bones elongated several times their normal length to reach a spanner on a far away table in his lab.

“Of course dear.” Susan replied wanly as she walked over to the door.

Reed did not notice his wife’s annoyance. He was far more concerned with the variances he saw in his equipment. There was something very wrong but he could not find out what it was. He was a scientist by profession and nature and a mystery of nature could not be ignored. What was driving his instruments so wild?

He heard voices in the hallway.

Soon the voices became raised.

Reed slowly and reluctantly turned his head from his equipment and his neck elongated taking his head out to the doorway of his lab. A lumbering behemoth was walking quickly past the lab to the front door.

“What’s happening?”

“I’m about to find out stretch.” Benjamin Grimm promised as he lumbered over to the door.

“Out of my way you lumbering orange oaf.” a voice cut through the air like a knife. It was a voice accustomed to power and command. The man was medium height, bald with piercing blue eyes and an immaculately pressed black suit. He was flanked by two bruisers in off the rack suits and sunglasses.

“Who are you?” Reed demanded.

“Who’re you calling an oaf shiny?” The Thing added.

“Reed, this man says that he now owns this building!” Susan Richards protested as she came back from the front door obviously angry at the bald man.

Reed’s head whipped back into the lab and a few moments later he stalked out dropping his lab coat on a chair at the entrance before standing toe to toe with the bald man who was peering hungrily past Reed at the lab beyond.

“I am Lex Luthor, perhaps you heard of me?” Luthor responded with a dark grin.

“Luthor? The Industrialist?” Reed replied but that was wrong. Wasn’t it? Somehow he said it and it sounded wrong, as if he should not have known that. It was as if he were in a dream, and everything here was a jumble of other things, half remembered faces and names.

“Indeed. You see this.” Luthor nodded to one of his bodyguards who whipped out a thick document. “This is the lease to your building. I now own everything here and I am here to inform you that unless you’re willing to sign this.” he nodded to the other bodyguard who whipped out another document and a pen. “I am going to give you your notice that you must vacate the premises.”

“Vacate Four Freedoms plaza?” Susan exclaimed.

“Actually Luthorcorp Freedom Plaza as of today.” Luthor corrected her.

“And what is this?” Reed asked darkly.

“An agreement to work for me, Doctor Richards. A man of your talent would be a valuable asset to Luthorcorp.”

“I am not an asset.”

“We are all assets, Dr. Richards. Its merely a question of how valuable an asset you see yourself as and what your price is.”

“You can’t buy me Luthor.” Reed replied frostily.

Luthor shrugged.

“It’s a damned shame Dr. Richards. I would have thought that a man of your vision would see the advantages that I can bring you as a silent partner.”

“I can also see the price that would have to be paid and I decline, now please, get out of my house.” Reed ordered tersely.

“Wong again, Dr. Richards. My house in seven days.”

“Seven days? Why you little-“”

“Ben, hold on.” Reed said standing between Luthor and the angry Ben Grimm.

“That’s quiet alright, Dr. Richards. Take it from me, compared to Superman, this rocky goon is a poor man’s thug.”

“You bastard.” The Things spat.

“Now I will acceded to your wishes but I’ll leave this here in case you come to your senses.” Luthor promised and dropped the agreement on a table before snapping his fingers and the bodyguards quickly followed him out.

“Reed.” Susan began. Reed turned slowly to face her.

“This doesn’t seem right at all.” he whispered.

“Reed, what do we do?” Susan asked.

“I know what I wanna do and as soon as Johnny gets back we’re going to pay that turd a visit.” Ben vowed.

“This doesn’t seem right at all.” Reed muttered.





“Careful with that you dullards.”

“Sorry boss.”

“One wrong step and you could damage it.” Otto Octavius hissed as he oversaw the three men slowly loading the small reactor core onto the back of the van. It would power his secret base for years to come.

A shadow fell over the trio behind the van.

“What the-”

The shadowy figure leapt down amongst the three thieves and his legs were in motion, swinging in quick rapid kicks. The thieves barely had time to say a word when they were knocked into the van or against the far wall of the alleyway.

The small reactor core began to fall out of the back of the van. Octavius cursed and suddenly his trench coat exploded, four silvery metallic arms snaked out like striking cobras. The dark figure rolled forward and avoided one of the arms, the other struck in and the figure crouched just as it passed over head and punched a hole into the concrete wall behind him.

The dark figure glanced back at the hole for a moment, quickly assessed the arm’s strength and knew that he would not withstand one its blows. He quickly decided that this fight needed to end now.

Octavius snarled defiantly as two of his four tentacles reached out and caught the reactor core, holding it steady. The other two lashed outward, one high and one low to catch the interloper.

“you should never have come to my city, Doctor Octopus. You’re kind aren’t welcome here.”

“Don’t tell me what to do! You are not the spider! You cannot harm me, you’re just a man. You’re not fast enough!” The Dark figure vaulted over one arm, twisted his body in midair at the waist as the next tentacle whipped by his head by a hairsbreadth “You’re not strong enough!” Dr. Octopus barked as the figure landed in front of him and delivered a haymaker to the Doctor’s face, crushing his nose in one soft sickly snap, and then delivered a hammer kick to the stunned Dr’s midsection sending him down on his knees where a snap kick to the temple sent the doctor into unconsciousness.

The figure took a deep breath and watched the tentacles flexing and writhing in brief spasms.

“That was good work.”

Batman frowned and turned his head slowly.

“What are YOU doing here?”

Superman smiled pleasantly as he floated over the alleyway accompanied by a man with a flowing red cape and blue tunic.

“This isn’t my idea.”

“I certainly hope not.” Batman muttered as he bent down and snapped cuffs on the unconscious Doctor Octopus and inspected the reactor core.

“I have come to ask your assistance Batman on a mission most vital.”

“You travel with strange folks these days. He talks like Dr. Fate.”

“Dr. Fate might be part of the problem.” Superman replied.

Batman paused and looked back at the duo floating overhead.

“You want me to go with you now? My city is being over run by the two bit rogues’ gallery of other heroes and you want me to leave?”

“What other heroes, I don’t know that man.” Superman replied pointing to the unconscious Dr. Octopus.

“What do you mean? That’s Dr. Octopus…arch enemy of Spider man in New York City.” Batman suddenly stopped as he felt an odd warning in the back of his mind. Doctor Strange smiled softly.

“You feel it don’t you? That what you said isn’t right.” Dr. Strange explained.

“How do you know that?”

“I have answers for you if you are willing to listen, and right now to help solve this mystery I need the world’s greatest hero and world’s greatest detective.”

“I see.” Batman remained impassive for a moment.

“Something’s amiss here and I intend to get to the bottom of it. Let’s go.”




There once was a god. He was ancient beyond compare, a god walking among men. He ruled over men when they were nothing more than brutish primitives and he helped raise up monuments to their greatness. He mastered the Art of magic and did battle with the chaos that always threatened to engulf the world.

There once was a man who loved ancient things and he studied the nature of time and what it did to the wonders of the world. This man felt a calling so he took his only son and went to the depths of the ancient world. This man found the tomb of a god and uncovered a sacred helmet.

There once was a god who called upon a new host to take on the mantle of power, to wear the badges of office, to slip on the golden helm. He slew the man and took his son and opened his mind to the Art and did control him.

There once was a man who saw his father die and was raised up by a god to slip on a golden helm and take control of the very powers of fate. The man and god became one, they became a champion of order.

There once was a mage named Doctor Fate and as the tentacles of shadow wrapped around him he grew quite mad. In his madness he did call upon the greatest powers at his command and in his madness he did split the infinity.

There once was a mage named Doctor Fate. Now there is only darkness and the giggling madness beneath a once golden helmet.

[consequences]

First post, If i can't get it in Starcrossed I'll get it here, HaHa.
Great work, but if you let it interfere with Starcrossed, i'll track you down and sing showtunes at you, badly.

[Xon]

ooh, another great story by Stravo.

[Imajor]

<Awe>
THIS ROCKS!!!!
</AWE>

[Stravo]

Split Infinity

Issue #3

A Murder of Crows




The match struck the brick wall and a flash of fire quickly followed. He held the match up to his cigarette and watched the other figures standing under the shadow of the house. They were all congregating, speaking softly and he shook his head ruefully. A collection of some of the most powerful beings in this planet and they were all meeting in secret in a suburb of Boston.

“So this is the trench coat brigade, eh?” John Constantine commented dryly as he took a long luxurious drag of his cigarette.

“Constantine if you have nothing constructive to add to this meeting then I strongly suggest you keep your mouth shut.” One of the gathered hissed.

“Oh new kid in town wants to pipe up and show he has some balls, eh?” Constantine replied wanly.

The figure strode over to him and grabbed the lapels of his trench coat and in one smooth motion lifted him off his feet and slammed Constantine against the brick wall. The figure came into the light. A grinning skull wreathed in flame wearing a black leather jacket and pants leered at him.

“You will pay for your insolence.”

“Oh yeah, smiley, you and what undead army?” Constantine sneered.

“Zarathros, stop it! This bickering is pointless.” another figure snapped.

The skull turned to look over at the tall slim man in the black cloak and fedora.

“I am known as the Ghostrider in this realm, Stranger. You would do well to remember that.”

“The problem, Ghostrider is that this is not our realm, at least not the one that we know.” A woman in a tight form fitting suit with a top hat replied.

Ghostrider turned his attention back to Constantine, empty sockets boring into Constantine with hateful intensity before he simply opened his hand and Constantine landed awkwardly on his feet.

“I feel great wrongs that need correcting. We should not wait any longer.”

“What about Strange?” a slim young woman with white hair asked.

“Clea, Strange has taken it upon himself to further investigate his theory concerning Fate and the Split Infinity. We have decided on a more direct tact.” The Stranger replied.

“In our line of business, direct usually translates into stupid.” Constantine grumbled.

“I can remove his tomgue if you wish Stranger.” Ghostrider sneered.

“Stranger, I’ve always liked Dr. Fate. He explained a lot of things about my powers to me when we were in the League together.” a young man interjected. He wore a light jacket to ward off the cold and his red shirt was battered and well worn, a pair of jeans, with a hole in his left knee and some filthy once white sneakers.

The Stranger smiled softly at the young boy and put a white glove hand on his shoulder.

“Billy, let us hope we are wrong and this is all a simple misunderstanding. But if it is not we will need your strength in the coming battle. You are more one of us than you are one of the others.”

Billy nodded hesitantly.

“Why is this child here? He has no place in the province of warriors and mystics.”

Constantine smiled softly.

“You demons always have problems judging a book by its cover.” Constantine noted dryly.

“Billy, stick close by me.” Zatanna urged and waved the young boy over to her.

“When do we start this? I can feel the spirits of this place watching us and they are not happy.” The tall brooding Indian spoke as he watched the tall tower in the distance, peeking out from the copse of trees like a giant peering over his domain.

“We will need t be cautious, Fate is not just a sorcerer like most of us, but an entity, a god if you will who uses magic as easily as you or I breath air.” The Phantom Stranger noted with grave concern.

“If he has committed wrongs than the spirit of vengeance is ready to strike.” The Ghostrider snapped in a quick motion he extended his skeletal arm and a gout of flame gushed forth and quickly took the form of a motorcycle.

“That is why you will be in the second wave Ghostrider. We cannot risk incurring his wrath if he has not turned.” The Phantom stranger replied coolly.

“The Universe is turning, reality itself is burning, Gray walker is there any doubt, who is at fault in this bout?” a voice spoke up from the center of the Group, a burst of fire erupting from the ground was quickly extinguished, replaced by the large humanoid form dressed in red flowing tunic and cape. Yellow skin and red eyes the creature smiled evilly at the group.

“Who is that?” Billy exclaimed.

“No creature of daylight or order, frolic in fire and sulphur, not born of man, I am the Demon, Etrigan.” The Demon replied with a loud raucous laugh.

“You were not invited.” Zatanna noted with disdain.

“Strange would never ally with one such as this.” Clea spat.

“Unclean spirit, begone!” The Shaman snapped.

“Etrigan, good to see you buddy, we could use the firepower.” Constantine added with a shadow of a smile.

“A most unwelcome sight, I shall not remove myself from this blight, I go where I please, stone ears to your pleas.” Etrigan hissed and nodded to Constantine.

“It matters not, Etrigan will not approach the tower until I give the signal. And Constantine is right, we will need all the strength at our disposal if we are to face Dr. Fate.”

“So who gets to go in the first slaughter – I mean wave?” Constantine asked.

“John, do you mind, a little respect.” Zatanna asked softly.

Constantine winked at her and shrugged his shoulders. He adjusted a red rose on the lapel of his cheap off the rack suit.

“I didn’t take you for a flower person.” Zatanna noted suspiciously.

Constantine grinned mysteriously.

“Think of it as my insurance policy should things go straight to hell.”

Zatanna wondered what he meant by that but her thoughts were quickly interrupted by the Phantom Stranger.

“Constantine, Zatanna, Shaman, Billy and I will go first. Our presence will be considered less loathsome by the guardians of the tower. We should also be able to quickly determine if there is anything wrong and call on the rest of you to follow up.”

“Don’t try to be brave, Stranger. Call us if there is even a suspicion. If Fate is as dangerous as you claim he could destroy all of you before you raise an alarm.”

“Has it occurred to anyone that we’re going to be royally screwed by going through with this plan?” The others looked over at Constantine. “Seriously, we’re going to confront a god about whether he may have gone insane and if that wasn’t already stupid enough, we’re confronting him in his place of power.” Constantine finished with a derisive sort.

“For all your protestations, John Constantine you are going.” Clea noted.

John smiled and took one last drag of the cigarette.

“Luv…I wouldn’t miss this for the world.” He replied with a smile and flicked the stub down to the ground and followed the others into the mists that had suddenly crept in out of nowhere.

“Here we come, the charge of the trench coat brigade.” Constantine muttered as they disappeared into the mists.

“You realize I can hear you, John Constantine.” Phantom Stranger chided gently.





The Tower in New Salem virtually hummed with power. Even Constantine could feel it, very nearly rattling the back of his teeth. Shaman paused and dipped his hand into his medicine bag, he pulled out a fine reddish powder and hummed a song of his people to himself, as he did so he flung out the powder.

Billy was transfixed by the tower, eyes wide in awe.

“This place feels old.” he whispered.

“It is older than this place, Billy.” Zatanna replied.

The powder flared up suddenly and several wavy lines of light became clear to the gathered group. Shaman nodded and looked over to the Stranger.

“The ley lines here are ancient and powerful. It courses through the very stone of the tower.”

“Can you block them?” The Stranger asked, cocking his head as if listening for a far off sound.

“I will try.”

“Let me help you.” Zatanna offered.

“Together then.” Shaman replied with a nod. Billy walked closer to John Constantine who was muttering to himself as he lit another cigarette.

“What do you do?” Billy asked.

Constantine looked down at the boy with a cocked eyebrow.

“I’m a troublemaker and a troubleshooter kid. I tend to show up where the action’s at.”

“But what do you do?” Billy asked, slightly confused by the answer.

“I don’t follow you mate.” he replied with his cockney accent. Billy wanted to smile, it sounded so funny.

“Phantom Stranger is a powerful magician, so is Zatanna, Ghostrider and Etrigan are demons. But you don’t seem to do anything.”

“What am I? A bloody action figure? See John Constantine and his Kung Fu grip is that what you’re getting at?”

“No.” Billy replied sheepishly.

“Come to think of it, you haven’t done much of anything either.” Constantine replied.

“I haven’t done anything yet.” Billy replied defensively.

“Neither have I, mate.” Constantine replied with a wink.

“Done. And John please stop corrupting the boy.” Zatanna announced.

John made a who me? face and ruffled Billy’s hair before following the group towards the tower.

They walked right up to the impressive stone tower and Billy noticed something wrong.

“There aren’t any doors.” he said.

“Doors, Billy Batson are for mortals. This tower is full of entrances, you just need to know where to look.” The Phantom Stranger replied and placed his hand against the stone wall after examining the area closely. His hand suddenly phased through the wall and disappeared within.

“On your first try, that’s good.” Zatanna noted with a smile.

“The spirits of the tower are angry.” Shaman noted with a frown.

“Directed at us?” Constantine asked.

Shaman shook his head.

“No, they are more frustrated than angry. They will allow us to pass.”

“There is no more time for discussion.” The Stranger said and stepped through. The others quickly followed, Billy stared at himself as he passed through the stone wall as if it were not there.

The inside of the tower was an even greater surprise. It was enormous, the tower itself from the outside was tall and slender. The inside was like the expansive rooms of a great manor. Billy started to open his mouth when Constantine cut him off.

“Can’t you just accept that its magic?”

Billy shut his mouth.

“Follow me and do not stray from the path.”

The Stranger slowly ascended a long winding stair. They seemed to climb for a long time, passing rooms and floors full of wonders and horrors. As they neared the top they heard a soft moan, like someone in pain.

The Stranger paused and looked back at the others.

“Go.” Constantine mouthed to him.

The Stranger walked up the last few steps and entered the top floor. It was obviously living quarters. There was a fireplace with a low fire still burning in the hearth, several plush comfortable reading chairs and a very old and eclectic library whose shelves took up an entire wall of the far end of the tower.

The Stranger walked slowly, winding his way through the study towards a door at the far end, it was slightly ajar with light streaming through. Zatanna glanced around nervously, her father Zatarra used to tell her tales of Dr. Fate. Back during WWII he was known to turn battleships into smoke and could do such workings that other sorcerers were left in awe of him. He was a walking god among men.

He had always served the cause of order. It never occurred to her what would happen should that power be turned to ill.

The Stranger opened the door slowly.

“Fate?” he asked softly.

They entered quickly and stopped short. It was a bedroom. A great canopy bed dominated the center of the room and a woman hung suspended from the center of the bed. Her nightgown was slick with sweat,

“Inza!” the Stranger exclaimed and rushed over to the bed.

“Bugger all!” Constantine hissed.

“Who is she?” Billy asked Zatanna who held a hand to her mouth in horror.

The Stranger waved his hands across the bottom of the bed and Inza suddenly free fell from where she had been suspended. The Stranger caught her and held her to his chest,

“Constantine, a little assistance if you will.”

Constantine and the Shaman both rushed over. Constantine held Inza’s hands and nodded to Shaman as he examined her face. She was a beautiful woman, marvelous golden tresses draped across her shoulders and eyes blue as the sky regarded each of them with horror and concern.

“She is Inza Nelson, Dr. Fate’s wife.” Zatanna replied softly and walked over to her. Billy remained standing stock still watching the scene with a growing sense of worry.

“Inza, listen to me. What happened here?” The Stranger asked.

“You have to run.” she whispered.

“She is dehydrated, borderline shock.” Shaman commented as he fished into his pouch and pulled out a small apple. He clasped his hands around the apple and whispered a prayer, he slowly started to put it in her mouth.

She jerked her head away weakly.

“Inza you must eat this.”

“You have to listen to me…” she sounded hysterical, voice shaking. “He is coming.”

“Who? Inza I need to know if its true.” The Stranger urged. Inza’s eyes widened. Billy felt it. The tower was shaking slightly.

“RUN!!!” she screamed.

The floor exploded upward like a volcano and a figure clad in blue appeared in the midst of the explosion of stone and masonry. His golden helm flashed brilliantly like the sun, yellow cape whipped around him like the wings of a great bat.

The Phantom Stranger was picked up by an invisible hand and pulled to the figure who stood on the air as if it were solid.

Constantine clutched Inza to him and pulled her away from the blast as the Shaman reached into his pouch and drew a rune stone. He held it up at head level and spat a word of power. The rune stone began pulsing dangerously.

“So, the ants have come to investigate the affairs of a god, eh?” the Golden helmed one spoke and his voice boomed like thunder while simultaneously sounding as if coming from a deep well. There was an odd resonance as well, as if many were speaking as one.

“You’re not a god, Fate. You are Kent Nelson agent of the Lords of Order.” The Stranger spoke calmly as he was held by Fate, floating before the angry god like a sacrificial offering. Fate turned to face the Stranger and his face was finally revealed.

Instead if the smooth golden faceplate of the helmet there was an evil swollen grin etched on the pure gold, as if shadows themselves had come alive on the helm face and congregated to form an awful mouth, full of jagged teeth and greenish venom frothed at the corners of its mouth. The normally glowing blue eye slits of the helm pulsed a dull red.

“I AM Fate. Kent Nelson died today, Stranger. He saw too much, called on too much power and burned himself out like a mayfly. His pathetic soul withered under the strain and there is nothing left here but Fate and the truth I have seen.”

“What truth is that foul thing?” Shaman shouted.

“That all life must end. The Great Wheel turns and nothing that gods or men can do can stop that. At least that was the case until now.” Fate chuckled darkly, it sounded sick and wet.

“Did you do it?” Stranger asked softly.

Fate pulled the Stranger closer until their faces were only inches apart.

“Do what little man? You think that you can come here and put questions to one who has seen the truth? The shroud has been pulled aside and see reality for what it is. Instead of joining me gray walker you dare oppose me?”

“I oppose darkness in all its forms, even when it infects an old and dear ally.” The Stranger replied.

“Can we stop talking to it, we’ve obviously established that its bloody evil!” Constantine shouted.

“Yes, Stranger, let us end this farce.” Fate hissed and suddenly its jaw widened like some horrid snake, and Fate lunged forward biting the Phantom Stranger, the great jagged teeth tearing through the shoulder and torso of the Stranger. The Stranger screamed as the teeth tore away much of his flesh and the Stranger’s body was held up over Fate’s head.

“Damnit kid! Now would be a good time to get your butt in gear!” Constantine shouted as he crawled away from the battle holding Inza.

Billy stood rooted in fear as he watched the Shaman throw the rune stone at Fate. It exploded against the evil thing’s chest. Fate grunted and dropped the Stranger. The Stranger landed with a bone jarring impact.

Shaman reached into his pouch again. Fate turned its head and the awful fang filled mouth smiled at him.

“Pathetic little witch doctor, you toy with forces you can barely comprehend, time to face your fate.”

Fate stretched forth its hands and twin beams of light lanced into Shaman, through him and exploded against the floor sending Shaman sprawling.

“No!” Zatanna screamed and launched an attack against Fate.

“gniliec espalloc no etaF!”

She shouted. The stone ceiling of the tower groaned, cracked and quickly collapsed with a roar. Fate looked up quickly just in time to be caught by the brunt of the falling stones and timbers.

Zatanna rushed over to Shaman and checked him. His eyes were closed and he was so still. Billy trembled as he started to speak, fear still gripping his heart.

“Billy for the love of -- Damnit do what you do! We’re getting slaughtered!” Constantine shouted as he cradled Inza in his arms. She was muttering incoherently.

Zatanna jumped backwards as an arm exploded out from the rubble and grabbed her by the throat. Fate rose from the rubble shaking off the larger stones and held her up high, her feet dangling from the stone. She clawed at the gloved hand that held her like a vise.

Billy saw her face turning blue and the smile on Fate’s once golden helm as it chuckled and opened its maw again. He did not want to see her get hurt, he wanted to stop it and stop it now and there was only one person that could do that, one word that would set things right and stop the horror.

“Shazam!”

A lightning bolt blasted down from the heavens and struck the young boy, enveloping him in tendrils of electricity. The boy was no longer there, in the heart of the electrical storm someone larger now stood, much larger than Billy Batson.

Captain Marvel, the world’s mightiest mortal now stood in Billy’s place.

“You better unhand her Dr. Fate. You’re not hurting anyone anymore!” Marvel boomed.

Dr. Fate looked up at him and the smile nearly split the helmet in two. It chuckled at him.

“Come then and stop me.”





The thunderclap rattled the countryside as it lanced into the tower’s top.

“That’s our signal!” Clea exclaimed.

“Then let the spirit of vengeance ride!” Ghostrider howled and his motorcycle rocketed away from the group towards the tower.

“Off to battle we ride, whether victorious or defeated only fate can decide!” Etrigan exclaimed and vanished in another plume of flame.

Clea briefly wondered if Strange was having any more luck in this mystery. She missed him and hoped him well for she felt the tides of power crashing around the tower and she knew that this battle would be the end of some of them. She vanished in a flash of light as her Art took her to the heart of the battle.




The impact would have shattered mountains. Fate crashed against the far wall, the stone behind him cracked against the impact.

Marvel was upon him with the speed of Mercury. Fate had no time to recover as Marvel drove his fist with the strength of Hercules into Fate’s left side, accompanied by a loud crack.

“I just broke three of your ribs Fate and this is just the beginning. You’ve hurt a lot of people.” Marvel snapped his right fist across the golden helm jerking Fate’s head to the side. “I’m going to stop you right here!”

Fate caught the next punch in his hand. Marvel looked surprised. Fate’s laugh turned into a roar.

“Is that all, boy?” Fate spat and suddenly his fingers became like serpents, hungry mouths at the fingertips wrapping around Marvel’s wrist and slithering up his forearm. “I will educate you in the ways of pain and then you will learn the sweet bliss of death.”

Fate sent Marvel hurtling across the room. As Marvel landed, protected by the power of Zeus, Fate extended a single fist forward and eldritch energy lanced out like a battering ram striking Marvel and enveloping him in crackling blue energy.

Marvel screamed as his body was ravaged by the hungry energies. He stumbled around, trying to fight the pain and right himself, the courage of Achilles not letting him surrender to the pain of sweet unconsciousness. The stamina of Atlas allowing him to endure the pain and stand.

Fate approached each footstep like the footfall of doom as Marvel stumbled and fell.

Fate held a crackling ball of energy in his hand, bouncing it up and down slowly as he approached. Zatanna slowly got to her knees and tried to concentrate for a working of the Art but as she opened her mouth she choked, nothing would come out.

“Silly girl, a simple spell of silence makes you nothing more than a painted cheap harlot. And now with this one blow I end the existence of the avatar of Shazam.”

“There is still a reckoning to be had!” a plume of fire engulfed Fate as the Ghostrider rode over the lip of the ruined tower top and into the room.

Etrigan appeared in a column of fire and exhaled deeply, a blast of infernal fire coupled with the Ghostrider’s hellfire merged to form an inferno that threatened to engulf the entire room, soon both flames consumed Fate, twirling around each other in a mad dance and Ghostrider laughed heartily.

Etrigan finally stopped breathing his flame and peered into the crackling conflagration.

Etrigan’s eyes widened as the fire whipped around like a striking cobra and knocked Ghostrider off his motorcycle sending him crashing to the floor in a heap. The motorcycle continued and crashed into furniture, exploding into a wall of fire.

Fate walked out of the fire and it snaked around his arms and flowed down into his open hands.

“Hellfire? You seriously thought hellfire could harm one who has done battle with demons since time immemorial?” Fate hissed and extended a hand.

Etrigan began making a hexing motion but a bright white light flashed beneath the demon and Etrigan screamed.

“That should hold you demon most foul. Do you think me an avatar of the pathetic evil you serve, I am above such petty concerns as good or evil. I am Fate.”

The blinding white light burned into the form of a pentagram beneath the demon’s feet.

“Aiiii!!!! The demon Etrigan, undone by a pentagram!!” he howled.

Fate’s once golden helm was split into a foul smile as it turned to Marvel who was crawling now towards the Phantom Stranger, the crackling energy eating away at his powerful life force.

“Now where was I avatar of Shazam.” Fate chuckled.

“This ends here, Fate!” Clea shouted and a stream of light daggers slashed by the imposing figure of Fate. Fate screamed and turned around firing off a pair of eldritch bolts. Clea, riding on a disk of light whipped up her left hand and a shield appeared moments before the bolts struck and they crashed against the shield. With her right she made a slashing motion and Fate was struck by a whip of blinding white light.

He landed and rolled up in one smooth motion, hands up in a warding gesture and the disk of light beneath Clea shattered like glass.

A chain whipped by and struck Fate on his helm with a mighty clang of metal on metal. Helm turned his head and the Ghostrider prepared to strike again with his chain.

“You annoy me petty spirit of vengeance, I banish thee ton the pits of inferno where you belong to the depths of chaos I consign thee!” Fate boomed and his hands made an intricate symbol of power that burned in the very air and Ghostrider looked stricken for a moment.

“What have you done?!” Ghostrider roared and exploded.

Fate laughed heartily as the pieces of the leather jacket Ghostrider wore fluttered through the air like dying butterflies.

A bolt of energy struck Fate dead center and he doubled over.

“Never turn your back on an opponent foul one.” Clea spat through gritted teeth as she launched a series of devastating attacks, eldritch bolts, knives of mystical steel, flames of purity, it all crashed around Fate as she advanced on him, eyes focused on the fallen god with grim resolve. Her hands flashing around her in defensive spells, reflecting or deflecting Fate’s counter attacks.

“You are skilled, sorceress. I can see that the Art flows easily through you.”

“I was trained as a child in my home dimension, the Art flows through me, I breath it, I live it. I am a child of magic.” she replied as she drove him down to his knees, her ivory hair flowing around her as if caught in a hurricane as she channeled power the likes of which she had never done before.

Fate looked up at her between crossed arms and his crimson eyes flashed dangerously.

“And a child you still are.” he hissed.

Twin eldritch bolts were launched at her and Clea easily erected another shield but upon impact the bolts split into a dozen each and they flowed over and around her shield and struck her. She screamed as she writhed in pain, purplish energy coursing through her body and driving her to the floor where she went into a fetal position, convulsing in agony.

Fate stood up and brushed off his chest.

“Did you really think I would be stopped by one as you? While you were learning the Art as a child I was walking as a God among men for over six millennia.”

He held up his hands over his head and a black crackling ball of energy formed between his hands. The energy ball itself moaned in pain and simultaneously hissed promises of agony as Fate drew it up over Clea.

“Now it ends here.”

Clea could only think of Strange and hoped that in the end their sacrifice would mean something.

[2000AD]

first post!. I may not be able to get SC but i can get this.

[Jason von Evil]

Not even the Big Red Cheese could stop Fate.

[Stravo]

By far the hardest thing to write in this chapter was Etrigan's fucking rhyming. Argh!!! There's nothing more childish than sitting in front of a computer going "Defeat, sheet, heat, fleet." UGH. But have to admit it does sound rather cool once you have a few good phrases.

[Jason von Evil]

I know who Constantine and the Phantom guy are. But who's Clea?

[Stravo]

Clea was Dr. Strange's girlfriend and the fact that I trotted her obscure ass out was that I was drawing a blank on the mystical community of Marvel. Marvel just does not have the rich magic cimmunity that DC has, I mean Constantine the Hellblazer has to be one of the coolest mystical oriented heroes to come down the pike in years.

[Jason von Evil]

Clea was Dr. Strange's girlfriend and the fact that I trotted her obscure ass out was that I was drawing a blank on the mystical community of Marvel. Marvel just does not have the rich magic cimmunity that DC has, I mean Constantine the Hellblazer has to be one of the coolest mystical oriented heroes to come down the pike in years.

I forgot what Constantines powers were. Also, which GhostRider did you use, Johnny Blaze or the guy who replaced him?

[Stravo]

Clea was Dr. Strange's girlfriend and the fact that I trotted her obscure ass out was that I was drawing a blank on the mystical community of Marvel. Marvel just does not have the rich magic cimmunity that DC has, I mean Constantine the Hellblazer has to be one of the coolest mystical oriented heroes to come down the pike in years.

I forgot what Constantines powers were. Also, which GhostRider did you use, Johnny Blaze or the guy who replaced him?

Constantine has no powers per se, he's really smart and incredibly knowledgeable about occult and magic. He's true power is in his connections, the fact that he knows alot of people, alot of powerful people. He's cool in that he doesn't throw mystic bolts, his skill is in finding the right people to put in the right place at the right time.

Johnny Blaze as I only have a passing knowldge of the guy that replaced him.

[Ghost Rider]

Awesome job...and great characterization of the assembled...especially Fate going bonkers.

[2000AD]

Awesome job...and great characterization of the assembled...especially Fate going bonkers.

Aren't you pissed off that you were killed?

[Asdeed]

If we clone Stravo, he can work on ALL of his stories full time, hehehe

So uhmm, anyone know where we can find an illegal cloning operation???

[Jason von Evil]

Awesome job...and great characterization of the assembled...especially Fate going bonkers.

Aren't you pissed off that you were killed?

I don't think he was killed, but sent to hell.

[Stravo]

Split Infinity

Issue #4

By the skin of our teeth



The laugh was dark and malignant. Clea heard nothing of it as she fought to control her screams and tightened up into a fetal ball on the cold stone floor. The eldritch energy that Fate had impaled her with was feeding on her very life force, soon to leave nothing but a shriveled lifeless shell behind.

Clea was concentrating all her power in one final stop gag against the impending death. Every ounce of power was being rallied to stop Fate’s attack.

She did not see Fate towering over her holding up his hands above his head, between the golden gauntlets swirled a thick crackling black ball of magic energy. It hissed hungrily, tendrils whipping around the center of the mass.

Fate prepared to unleash his final attack.

“All too easy.” he hissed, frothing black ichor dripped out of the edges of gaping maw, razor sharp teeth filling the grinning monstrosity that split the lower portion of his once golden helm..

“Fate!”

Fate turned its head.

John Constantine stood casually one arm around Inza Nelson, holding her up while the other finished lighting a cigarette. He casually reached into his rumpled trench coat and pulled the carnation loose from the lapel of his shirt.

“Your turn will soon come Hellblazer. Are you impatient for death?”

“My life and soul has been threatened by the best, bloke. No bloody sorcerer gone mad is going to scare the piss out of me…” he dangled the carnation on the tips of his fingers and smiled at the mad Dr. Fate, the cigarette hanging out of the left corner of his mouth. “besides, I’m calling in the cavalry.”

He let the carnation drop to the stone floor where it silently landed and laid still.

“This spell of yours leaves much to be desired. Now if you will excuse me, I will finish this foolish one and then I will turn my full attention to you Constantine.”

“Suit yourself.” Constantine shrugged.

The carnation started to shake and the leaves twisted and grew at an incredible rate as the flower writhed like a thing alive.

Fate paused.

“I feel a disturbance in the ley lines of this place. What have you summoned?” Fate hissed.

Constantine smiled coldly.

“You’re the omnipotent entity, you tell me.”

Captain Marvel ignored the exchange and continued crawling towards the Phantom Stranger who was steadily getting up to his knees, a massive piece of his right shoulder missing from where the massive maw of the insane Fate had bit into him. marvel noted dimly that there was no blood.

“Help me.” Marvel croaked. His body was on fire and even the stamina of Atlas was near its end of endurance. The courage of Achilles allowed him to continue on and the wisdom of Solomon had driven him towards the Phantom Stranger for help.

But deep inside the red costumed Adonis of a man was the soul of a boy. The boy, Billy Batson was in an utter state of panic.

I don’t wanna die I don’t wanna die I don’t wanna die.

“Calm yourself, Billy Batson, the end is not near for any of us.” The Phantom Stranger stated gravely as he reached out and touched Marvel’s outstretched hand. The crackling energy hungrily dancing along Marvel’s body leapt from his hand to the Phantom Stranger and raced up his arm only to vanish within the fold of the Stranger’s cloak.

Marvel groaned and rolled onto his back gasping for air.

“Holy Moley, I don’t want to go through pain like that again. I didn’t think there was anything out there that could hurt me like that.”

The Stranger nodded slowly as he examined his shoulder.

“We are dealing with a god gone mad, now let us see if Constantine’s idea is enough of a distraction.”

“To fight again?” Marvel asked slowly getting up.

“No, to flee with our lives.” The Stranger replied bitterly.

The carnation was now over 7 feet tall, a strange noise like the beating of an insect’s wings accompanied the sudden growth spurt and finally the form solidified into that of a large man made of plantlike material, its flesh more reddish hued than green, the last tell tale sign of the carnation were several red petals now rounding the being’s neck and chest like the mane of a lion.

“You.” Fate snapped.

Constantine glanced down at his watch.

“24 seconds, a shade slow today?”

The earth elemental nearly smiled at the jest but it knew the severity of the danger they were in.

“You have fouled the clean earth of this place.” Swamp Thing rumbled.

Fate through back its head and cackled maniacally.

“An earth elemental? You really think that this Swamp God is any match for me? You are more deluded than I thought Constantine.”

Swamp Thing knew that the mad Fate was correct. He was no match for him, the power flowed through the thing like a storm. He embraced the cold logic of nature and he probed for weakness and soon found it. Directly striking against the god was madness, but the ways of earth and wood were always indirect and devastating.

“Your tower has once stood as a proud rock amongst the earth and wood of this place, but your presence has soiled the tower and the very earth that it rests upon. I have come here to reclaim that earth.”

Fate hesitated for a moment, the black crackling energy cupped in his hands dwindled.

The tower shook, slowly at first but then violently as the very earth itself seemed to rebel against the tower’s presence. The tower started to crumble as the wood within its very foundations twisted and bent to the will of the Swamp God.

“Stop it!” Fate snapped and his hand whipped forward unleashing the ball of black energy. It struck Swamp Thing, consuming the green body leaving nothing but a smoking pile of ash and debris.

“My god! He’s dead.” Marvel exclaimed.

“From earth he came and to earth he remains.” Etrigan cautioned from behind the flaming pentagram where he was imprisoned.

“He’s right, kid, it’ll take more than blowing up his body to stop him as you can see.” Constantine added, the tower still shaking. Marvel glanced down as the far walls crumbled away like dried leaves on the wind. The earth below them was twisting and a small hill suddenly morphed into a face similar to the Swamp Thing’s. Glowing green eyes and a mouth burst forth from the ground as the hill itself seemed to take the shape of the fallen swamp god.

It gave a heavy grunt of effort and a portion of the tower’s foundation erupted up from the ground, massive fissures and cracks raced up the stone walls as a beam of timber lanced out of a wall behind Fate, striking him full in the back like a battering ram.

“You know, I’m glad he’s on our side.” Marvel said aloud.

“Marvel, hurry, evacuate the others, start with Clea and Inza. Come back for the others.”

“And the Shaman?” Marvel asked as he glanced down at the fallen Indian.

“He’s gone, now get to it, kid!” Constantine snapped as Fate began to rise with a guttural growl.

Marvel did not hesitate as he scooped up Inza and Clea, draping each one over his shoulder and disappearing in a crimson flash up into the sky.

“Etrigan, got an escape hatch?” Constantine asked,

“Etrigan is trapped by this pentagram eternal , no escape possible to the realm infernal.” Etrigan exclaimed angrily.

“Hold, on, I’ll help you out.” Constantine said as he fished into his trench coat.

“Have a care, Hellblazer, Fate is nearly upon us.” The Stranger cautioned.

“Hell, it was your bloody brilliant plan that took away our only real muscle, I don’t have time.”

Fate loomed over Constantine when a thunderclap was quickly followed by the bone jarring sound of an impact of metal against flesh. Fate was driven back through the last standing wall in this chamber of the rapidly crumbling tower.

A hammer flew back from the wreckage over Constantine’s head and was caught by a giant of man standing on a shattered portion of the wall, one leg cocked up on a shattered piece of masonry, the other form against the floor. He whipped the war hammer up into a defensive pose as he surveyed the wreckage.

“Od’s blood I have missed a battle worthy of song here!” the blonde haired stranger exclaimed.

“Listen partner, we could use any kind of help we can get, so we’re glad to see you.”

“I was sent by a friend who said that you may require assistance in this mission. I had no idea that a simple sorcerer could create such havoc.”

“Simple sorcerer?” Fate laughed coldly as he stepped out from the pile of rubble seemingly untouched. “Foolish Asgardian, I did not think that Strange would call upon you for assistance. But in the end you will meet your fate.” The thing cackled and suddenly launched a series of black bolts.

The god of thunder whipped his hammer into a tight spinning circle, deflecting the bolts and advancing on the mad Fate.

“DON’T tell me, that’s Thor? I always thought he was a red head.” Constantine noted as he finally found what he was looking for, a silver flask.

“Everything is not always what it seems, but thankfully Steven Strange has contributed his part to this effort even if he is not here.”

“You ask me, hammer boy over there is about to get his ass handed to him like our good friend Marv—”

A loud smack broke the conversation up and Thor sailed by them landing unceremoniously into the ground, the stone partly giving way like water by the force of the landing.

“I love being right.” Constantine smirked as he undid the flask and poured a small part of its contents on one corner of the pentagram. The flaming symbol fluttered and the corner where the water touched hissed and bubbled away.

“Sanctified holy water with a touch of witch bane is one of the best spiritual cleansers out there.” Constantine noted with pride as the demon howled victoriously and was quickly consumed by a geyser of fire.

“The demon Etrigan is free, now all who love life should flee. When next we meet, let us not forget this defeat.”

The demon vanished with a cackle of glee.

“Nice exit.” Constantine commented dryly.

“Enow base villain, you have but tasted a little of the fury of the scion of Odin!” Thor roared and whipped his hammer over his head. Lightning danced down from dark clouds and arced into Dr Fate, his once golden helm and talisman glowed brightly under the electrical assault. Fate stood calmly under the assault as if standing under a spring shower.

“Our battle is finished, now there is only escape.” The Stranger urged.

“Escape?! Thor the thunderer does not flee battle!” Thro exclaimed angrily.

“Look goldilocks, we’re about to become magical flambé, let’s high tail it!” Constantine urged.

“Go then coward, but this is one villain that will taste the might of Mjolinir!” Thor shouted and released his hammer at Fate who stood calmly and played with the electrical tendrils still jumping around his body, unfazed by the lightning bolts that had struck him.

Fate held up his hands, fingers splayed in an arcane motion and the hammer vanished into a pool of light that sprang up between Fate and Thor.

“Mjoilinir!! What have you done?” Thor demanded.

“Foolish thunder god. I have sent your hammer far from here. Let us see how well you do without it in your possession, particularly when your kingdom is in such dire peril.”

Thor hesitated.

“Of what do you speak, villain?” He pressed.

“The Stranger thinks me mad,” The center of the tower began to give way, stone and wood crackling and giving way to the unyielding demands of the earth below. “But I am a god that has had the scales fall from his eyes. I have seen the truth and in this truth I have split the infinity and joined that which should not be joined and the very universe screams but is it the pain of madness or the pain of birth giving?”

The Stranger’s eyes narrowed on Fate at the last words.

“There are others out there who have seen this truth or think that they can glean the truth and will take advantage of this time for there is such power to be had for those who look for it. And one in particular will come to claim it from those who are gods. Your realm will be the first of many to fall, but there is nothing you can do now, Thunderer. Without Mjolinir, Asgard will fall.”

“My people!” Thor exclaimed and murderous intent flashed in his eyes. “You will return the hammer.”

“I will do no such thing and now you have delayed me. There is still so much to do.” Fate pointed a gauntleted hand at the Phantom Stranger.

“Tell Strange that there are no options, he will fail, for the universe itself will now conspire against him.”

Fate vanished in a flash of light just as the tower collapsed around them and they tumbled down to earth in a crash of stone, wood and darkness.





Dr. Strange smiled softly as they passed through another portal. Batman and Superman flew by his side, Batman propelled by Strange’s will.

“What’s with the smile?” Batman asked.

“I sent a surprise to help some friends in a desperate fight, I was wondering how well it was received.”

“You’re talking as if there are other events transpiring regarding this crisis you keep talking about.” Superman noted.

“Oh, of that there is no doubt, Superman. We are merely one offensive of light against the darkness that has consumed our respective worlds. Many champions are rallying, whether for good or ill. We happen to be but one group.

“You sound as if we might be the only group that stands a chance.” Batman noted darkly as they soared past odd geometric patterns and pulses of crystalline light. Strange said that they were traveling to another dimension, one far flung from where any life on Earth existed.

Strange frowned slightly.

“I am Earth’s Sorcerer Supreme, Superman is the mightiest champion of truth and justice in any reality and you are the world’s greatest detective, pinnacle of human accomplishment. I don’t have any doubts that compared to other groups, we will be the one that has the greatest chance at unraveling this mystery.”

Batman did not look convinced.

“I for one think it may have been a better idea to pool our resources with these other groups than to strike out on our own.” Superman added.

“Each group has a purpose in the great scheme of things. Some will serve as bulwarks against the darkness, some will delay the advance of shadow and chaos, some will unearth mysteries to aid in our own quest and some will fall.”

“I don’t like the sound of that.” Superman replied with a frown.

“I was expe4cting as much. The depths of what we may be exploring is mind boggling. We’re talking about two realities that should never have been merged now one.”

“That is the obvious symptom, but I fear that this may just the beginning. We will need to probe the very foundations of reality to discover what precisely has been done.”

“This seems a tad out of our depths don’t you think?” Superman asked, this was more metaphysical than what he was accustomed to.

“Speak for yourself.” Batman interjected.

“HOLD.”

The group sailed to a stop.

“You can come no further.”

Strange stood up straight and brought his cloak around his body as he prepared himself. Several figures stood on a perfect pulsing sphere. Behind them there was a massive cube that floated in the center of a Cartesian like plain.

“Who are you?”

“Who we are is unimportant, but we know who you are Strange and we know what you are looking for out here. We are holding it and we won’t let you come any closer.”

“I see.” Strange replied.

Batman and Superman exchanged knowing glances.

“We give you this one last chance to turn back.”

“They won’t and you know it brother, why must we play this charade.”

“Because its the honorable thing to do.”

“I wish this to end already.”

“It will brother, the strategy has been worked out and not even this trio can oppose us.”

“Reveal yourselves!” Strange demanded, he made a motion with his left hand and a burst of light exploded above the sphere.

The figures were revealed. One was a tall broad humanoid with blue skin and fiery red hair draped over his shoulders, his muscles resembled tectonic plates as they moved beneath his armored flesh. Another wore battle armor and blasters along his arms, he looked eager to engage in combat, the third was a Golden figure who seemed to be running in place, he had a soft secretive smile on his handsome face. The last figure was a tall slim gaunt figure dressed in a long flowing robe.

“Elders of the Universe.” Strange breathed.

“Whoever they are they’re obviously hiding something.” Batman stated grimly.

“We’re not going anywhere.” Superman added and stood up, hands at his hips.

The Champion smiled triumphantly.

“Remember brothers, the Kryptonian is mine.”

“Fine by me, I’ll fry the other two.” The Obliterator said with a snarl of delight.

“I take it this is the part where we fight?”

Strange did not answer Batman, instead he prepared his defensive spells as the elders began to move.






Heimdel stood proudly at the top of the Rainbow bridge of Asgard. Behind him stood the proud gates of Asgard. The rainbow bridge spanned the dimensional gulf between Midgard and Asgard. The Bridge was the only way for anyone to approach the realm of the Norse gods. Heimdel had been tasked with the assignment of watching over and guarding the rainbow bridge since the establishment of Asgard.

His eyes sharper than any other god could see the most remote object half a world away. Heimdel took his duty extremely seriously and was rarely seen far from his post.

He sighed softly as he heard some of the carousing that occasionally filtered over the gates from Valhalla. He had rarely seen the inside of the great mead hall. Duty was duty and he would never shirk it for a tankard of mead and roast mutton. Still, there were times when he wished he could join his brothers in such festivities.

BOOM

He whirled around and his eyes widened. A large tube of light had exploded out of nowhere at the anchorage of the rainbow bridge and strangely armored troops were rushing out of it hefting unmistakable weapons of destruction.

“Hurry you dogs, Darkseid expects this city to be taken within the hour and you know what happens to parademons that fail our lord.”

“I would not be concerned about your lord right at this moment, but be far more concerned about me, commander. Now hurry and secure the LZ.” An armored human spoke majestically as he strode out of the strange tunnel of light. Heimdel recognized the human as a villain that his sire Thor would occasionally face, his name was Dr. Doom.”

“Right away lord Doom.” The parademon commander snapped to attention.

Doom looked over at Heimdel.

Heimdel did not hesitate and brought the horn to his lips and blew as loud as he could, a long trumpeting of danger and alarm. Asgard needed to be alerted.

Doom raised a hand and blasted Heimdel. The photonic accelerator blast consumed Heimdel for a moment and sent him tumbling over the edge of the Rainbow bridge. Doom lowered his hand and turned to the parademon captain who was urging his men on to pull a large metal tube structure through the Boom tube.

“I want that plasma battering ram set up now.” Doom ordered tersely.

“It shall be done my lord.”

Doom nodded and allowed his troops to move quickly and resolutely with their weapons and equipment. Soon the gates would be down and then the true challenge would begin.

“Remember your orders, commander. All Asgardians but Odin can be slain. Odin MUST be taken alive.”

“We have not failed a mission yet my lord, we are Darkseid’s blackest legion.” The parademon commander assured him as the first parts of the plasma battering ram were put in place.

[Stravo]

Due to weird baord errors of late I have to essentially bump this as soon as its posted or it won't show up on the new posts. Please enjoy this latest "issue" of my crossover comic tale.

[Ghost Rider]

Sweet set up.

Bats, Supes and Strange vs the Elders

Doom and Darkseid taking on Asgard.

Very nice.