Chapter 50: Barry Allen, Zoom
In another parallel universe.
Location: Earth 101
Time: 16:00 Earth 101 time.
On Earth-101, the air was thick with smoke, the sky perpetually red from the fires that engulfed the ruins of civilization. Buildings lay in rubble, the once-bustling cities now eerie graveyards. The only sound cutting through the oppressive silence was the crackling of lightning and the deafening roar of wind as two streaks of energy tore through the desolate wasteland—one yellow, one red.
Barry Allen, the Flash of Earth-101, pushed his limits, his legs a blur as he sped across the remnants of his world. His chest heaved with exhaustion, his body screaming for rest, but he couldn't stop—not with him on his tail.
"Run, Barry, run!" Zoom's chilling voice echoed behind him, taunting and unrelenting. "You can't escape me! I've already taken everything from you—your friends, your family, your world. There's nothing left but me and you, Barry."
Barry gritted his teeth, ignoring the tears streaming down his face. He couldn't let Zoom win. Not here. Not again.
"You're going to make this fun for me, aren't you?" Zoom continued, his blue lightning crackling ominously as he gained ground. "No matter where you run, I'll find you. You're just delaying the inevitable."
Barry's mind raced as fast as his legs. He knew he couldn't outrun Zoom forever—not on this Earth. His speed wasn't enough. But there was one last option, a desperate move he'd been reluctant to attempt.
Using the Speed Force, Barry could attempt to breach into another universe. It was a risk—one he'd never fully tested before—but he had no other choice.
"I'm sorry," Barry whispered to himself, thinking of all the people he'd failed to save. "I'll make this right. I promise."
He focused, tapping deeper into the Speed Force than ever before. The world around him blurred into a tunnel of light and energy, the boundaries of his universe bending and cracking as he approached the threshold.
Zoom was right on his heels, his laughter echoing like a nightmare. "What's this? You think you can escape me by running to another Earth? I'll follow you, Barry! There's nowhere in the multiverse you can hide!"
Barry didn't respond. With a final burst of speed, he tore through the fabric of his universe, entering the chaotic storm of the multiverse.
________________________________________
Location: Ethan's Universe, Central City.
You will probably be wandering what Ethan was doing in Central City that night, when he was suppose to be moon bathing on his roof.
After reviewing his body status report from Helios, feeling happy, he suddenly had the idea to fly, he leaped off his roof and soared into the sky. Mach 1, 2...7,.....10 and finally 11.2, his speed had increased by mach 1.2.
Looking down, he realized he was above central city.
In the skies over Central City, Ethan Harper was soaring above the skyline, his silvery-white suit glowing faintly in the moonlight. He was testing the latest modifications to his flight systems, enjoying the peaceful night, when Helios' voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Ethan, I'm detecting a massive energy disturbance in the Atmosphere. It appears to be originating from another universe and is converging on our Earth."
Ethan frowned. "Another universe? Could it be an incursion?"
"Uncertain," Helios replied. "But the energy signature is moving rapidly. Impact expected in Central City within seconds."
Before Ethan could respond, a crackling portal of red and yellow lightning erupted in the air beneath him. A figure burst through, tumbling to the ground in a heap.
Ethan descended cautiously, landing a few feet away from the newcomer. The man—dressed in a tattered red suit with a lightning bolt emblem—was panting heavily, his body trembling with exhaustion.
"Who are you?" Ethan asked, his voice firm but not unkind.
The man looked up, his face pale and desperate. "My name... is Barry Allen. I'm... the Flash. Please, you have to help me."
Ethan extended a hand to help him up. "What's going on? What are you running from?"
Before Barry could answer, another rift began to form in the sky, this one radiating an ominous yellow light. Barry's eyes widened in terror.
"He's coming," Barry whispered. "Zoom. He's here."
Ethan's expression hardened as he activated his suit's systems. "Then we'll deal with him together."
The air crackled with tension as the blue lightning grew closer, signaling the arrival of a new threat to this universe.
The air crackled with tension as a streak of dark lightning tore through the skies above Ethan Harper's city. Zoom, the menacing speedster from Earth-101, had pursued Barry Allen into Ethan's universe. His sinister form materialized on a rooftop, his black-and-crimson lightning aura sparking ominously as he gazed over the city.
Barry Allen, bruised and desperate, skidded to a halt near Ethan. "He's here," Barry said, panting heavily. "Ethan, I don't know if we can stop him. He's faster than anyone I've ever seen."
Ethan, standing in his silvery-white suit, clenched his fists. "We don't need to match his speed, Barry. Sometimes, raw power is enough."
Zoom's distorted voice echoed across the buildings as he appeared before them in a blur. "So, who is this stranger. And you, Barry—still running? You can't escape me."
Ethan stepped forward, his presence imposing. "You've terrorized enough worlds. Whatever you're planning here, it ends now."
Zoom tilted his head, a grin twisting beneath his mask. "A slow-moving brute thinks he can stop me? This will be amusing."
In a flash, Zoom lunged at Ethan, striking him at superhuman speed. The force would have sent any normal being flying, but Ethan barely moved, his body absorbing the kinetic energy. With a quick motion, Ethan swung his arm, attempting to catch Zoom mid-dash. The speedster narrowly dodged, moving in a blur to strike again, his attacks relentless and rapid.
But Ethan wasn't ordinary prey. His reflexes, while not as fast as Zoom's, were enhanced by his incredible strength and durability. He calculated Zoom's movements, anticipating his trajectory. When Zoom charged again, Ethan unleashed a concussive wave of moon energy from his palms, forcing Zoom to leap back to avoid it.
"Not bad," Zoom mocked, circling him at blinding speed. "But you're still too slow!"
Ethan smirked, raising his hand as his eyes began to glow with an eerie silver light. "Let's see if you can outrun this."
A beam of petrification energy shot from Ethan's eyes, narrowly missing Zoom. The ground where the beam struck turned to stone instantly, spreading in jagged cracks. Zoom skidded to a halt, his usually confident demeanor faltering for the first time.
"What is that?" Zoom growled, wary now.
"A little gift," Ethan said, advancing. "It's called ending your terror."
Zoom darted around, trying to find an opening, but every time he approached, Ethan countered with bursts of moon energy or a carefully aimed petrification beam. While Ethan couldn't match Zoom's speed, he used his environment and strength to keep the speedster at bay.
In one calculated move, Ethan smashed his fist into the ground, sending shockwaves rippling outward. The force destabilized Zoom's footing, giving Ethan a chance to close the distance. With a devastating swing, Ethan's punch connected with Zoom, sending him crashing into a nearby building.
Zoom groaned as he pulled himself out of the rubble. "You're stronger than I expected, but strength alone won't save you."
He charged again, but this time Ethan anticipated the move. Pivoting quickly, Ethan unleashed another petrification beam. The edge of the beam grazed Zoom's arm, turning part of his suit and skin to stone.
Zoom screamed in rage, vibrating his molecules rapidly to shatter the petrified section. "You think you've won? This isn't over!"
Ethan stepped forward, unfazed. "Run back to whatever hole you came from, or next time, I won't miss."
Zoom clenched his fists, his aura flaring with dark energy. But the memory of the petrification beam and Ethan's raw strength gave him pause. "You haven't seen the last of me, Stranger. And when I return, I'll make sure your world suffers."
With that, Zoom turned and vanished into a breach, retreating back to Earth-101.
As the silence returned, Barry approached Ethan, still catching his breath. "You almost had him," Barry said, his voice a mix of relief and awe.
Ethan relaxed his stance, the glow fading from his eyes. "Next time, I will. But for now, we've sent a message: Earth isn't an easy target."
Barry nodded, determination returning to his face. "Let's make sure there's a plan for when he comes back."
Ethan glanced at the spot where Zoom had vanished. "Oh, there will be. He won't get another chance to escape."