Marvel 1919 : Rise of an Empire

"That's not nearly enough!" Bruce's words carried the weight of someone who understood exactly how dangerous their enemy truly was. "Commissioner, what did you discover when you lit the Bat Signal?"

"Yes, we have dozens of witnesses across Gotham City whose descriptions match the suspect from the Metropolis kidnapping case," Commissioner Gordon explained. His weathered face was grim in the signal's harsh light.

Diana examined the sketch of the kidnapping suspect in the file Commissioner Gordon handed her. Her expression immediately darkened with recognition. "It's a Parademon," she said tersely.

"Well... that's definitely not human," Barry muttered, visibly disturbed by the creature's hideous appearance in the sketch.

"The Parademons must have detected the Mother Box's energy signature in the laboratory," Diana continued, her tactical mind already working. "They took those people to interrogate them about the Mother Box's whereabouts."

"Which means those eight people might still be alive," Bruce concluded after hearing Diana's analysis of the Parademons' motivations.

"Nine people," came a new voice from behind them.

Cyborg's sudden appearance on the rooftop startled Barry, who nearly jumped out of his skin. After scanning everyone present with his cybernetic eye, Victor looked directly at the legendary Batman and continued, "The Director of STAR Labs was kidnapped tonight. My father."

Diana, seeing the arrival of Cyborg, whom she had hoped would join them, showed a relieved but concerned smile.

"Well, another scientist," Commissioner Gordon said with barely concealed frustration. "Obviously, this latest development isn't good news."

"How do we find them?" Cyborg asked, his voice carrying both determination and barely suppressed emotion.

"There must be a staging area nearby," Diana stated with certainty born from experience.

"I've marked most areas on the maps of Metropolis and Gotham City, but I can't discern any meaningful pattern," Gordon admitted, pulling out another document covered in red marks.

"There's no intersection point on land," Cyborg observed, studying the map with enhanced vision. "But there's Stryker's Island, positioned directly between the two cities."

"These are ventilation shafts," Bruce noted, pointing to specific markings on the map. "All of them lead to the abandoned Metropolis engineering tunnels from 1929."

Gordon followed the direction of Bruce's finger, squinting into the distance across the water.

"The lair could be there," Diana concluded.

"Is he coming with us?" Barry asked, gesturing toward Cyborg. "Because your car definitely won't fit him."

"I have a bigger toy," Bruce replied, glancing meaningfully at their newest team member.

"Do you really think we can—?"

By the time Commissioner Gordon turned around to continue the conversation, only Barry remained, looking slightly confused about the sudden exodus.

"Did they just disappear like that? How incredibly rude," Barry commented to Commissioner Gordon with a casual wave of his hand.

Then, in a burst of crackling electricity and golden lightning, he too vanished, leaving the Commissioner alone on the rooftop.

George accompanied Bruce and the other three down into the legendary Batcave. The space was every bit as impressive as George remembered from other timelines. It was vast, technologically advanced, and undeniably intimidating.

Bruce walked over to a large vehicle covered with a black tarp and dramatically pulled it away. "Let's move. Time is running out." He called toward the shadows, "Alfred, bring us some communication headsets."

"Of course, Master Bruce," came the refined British voice from somewhere in the cave's depths.

"This doesn't exactly look like a car!" Barry exclaimed, staring at the strange, angular vehicle that resembled something between a tank and a spacecraft.

"That's because it's not just a car," Bruce explained as he began the startup sequence. "I sincerely hope we won't need to use all of its capabilities."

Thirty minutes later, the five person team arrived at a ventilation shaft on Stryker's Island. They exited the Flying Fox in tactical formation, and George was the first to spot something significant. It was a work identification badge that clearly didn't belong among the scattered debris and trash.

After Diana saw George retrieve the ID card, she closed her eyes briefly and nodded. "We're very close. I can sense the enemy's presence. It's void, dark, and reeking of death."

"Where exactly are we, Alfred?" Bruce asked through his earpiece.

"Stryker's Island, Master Bruce. You should be directly below the main tunnel ventilation shaft. Look to your left. There should be a maintenance staircase leading down to the old machinery room," Alfred's voice guided them through their communications.

"Confirmed. There are quite a few people down there, along with Parademons," George said, his mystical senses extending toward the area Alfred had indicated. "And Steppenwolf is there too."

"Steppenwolf?!" Diana's voice carried both surprise and old hatred.

"Yes, Steppenwolf himself," George confirmed grimly.

"Okay, I'll bite. Who exactly is Steppenwolf? And how can you see him from here?" Barry asked with the curiosity of someone still learning about the larger universe.

"Steppenwolf is a member of Apokolips's ruling elite, part of Darkseid's inner circle, and he serves Darkseid, the God of Apokolips, even though Darkseid is technically his nephew," George began, settling into lecture mode.

"As a ruler of Apokolips, Steppenwolf is the brother of Yuga Khan and one of the oldest members of the New Gods. His true name has been lost to history, abandoned by the man himself in favor of his title."

"After his elder brother became obsessed with the mysteries of the Source Wall and was trapped there, Apokolips fell under the rule of Yuga Khan's widow, Queen Heggra."

"When his nephew Darkseid eventually ordered Desaad to murder Heggra and usurp his father's throne, Steppenwolf followed Apokolips's fundamental law. The strong rule, and the victor becomes king. He became Darkseid's general and now commands Apokolips's Parademon armies. And to answer your second question, Barry, I see with enhanced mystical perception."

"You seem remarkably well informed about our enemies," Bruce observed. "Did you encounter Steppenwolf in your timeline?"

"No, but extensive knowledge forms the foundation of effective magical practice," George replied with a slight smile, then looked at Barry and added, "Barry, you don't need to raise your hand. You can just speak."

"Uh, I was just wondering. When you say 'mage,' do you mean the kind that throws fireballs, or more like Gandalf with a sword?" Barry's curiosity was endearing in its earnestness.

"Something like this," George demonstrated by conjuring a small fireball in his palm, then extinguishing it. "Though we're generally more versatile than most people assume. It's mainly about knowing a bit more about how the universe actually works."

"Alright, class dismissed," Bruce interrupted with typical efficiency. "We need to move now."

They made their way up the maintenance stairs, arriving at the entrance to what should have been the control room. However, they discovered that the original metal bridge spanning the gap had been destroyed, leaving them with no clear path forward.

"So, any brilliant plans from our resident strategists?" Barry asked, glancing between Cyborg and Batman.

"Whatever we do, we don't go in alone," Diana stated firmly. "We work together, or we don't work at all."

The moment Diana finished speaking, Barry's impatience got the better of him. He used his super speed to dash across the gap, reaching the opposite side in a blur of red lightning.

Not to be outdone, Diana effortlessly leaped onto the broken remnants of the iron bridge on the far side, landing with perfect grace.

"I've heard stories about you," Cyborg said to Bruce, making what might have been his first attempt at humor. "I wasn't sure you were actually real."

"When it's useful, I'm very real," Bruce replied with characteristic stoicism. He then deployed his grappling gun and swung across to join the others.

After Batman had crossed, Cyborg glanced at George, then activated his flight systems. Flames erupted from various ports on his cybernetic body as he slowly but steadily flew to the other side.

The four team members on the far side all turned to look at George, who remained motionless on the original platform. Their expectant gazes made it clear that the bridge crossing had somehow become an impromptu showcase of everyone's abilities.

George simply ignored their stares, took a single step forward, and in the next instant had teleported past all of them to appear at the very front of the group, closest to their destination.

Teleportation was simple, efficient, and undeniably impressive in terms of style points. Sometimes the most straightforward approach was also the most effective.

Seeing George signal for stealth from his position near the door, the other four lightened their steps and moved carefully toward the entrance. As they approached, they could hear voices coming from inside the control room.

"I grow tired of your silence!" came a deep, menacing voice. "Tell me, where is the Mother Box?"

Through a gap in the doorway, they could see Steppenwolf holding a terrified man with one massive hand while some kind of spider like creature attached to the victim's head probed his memories.

"Please, we all have families," the man pleaded desperately.

"Then you have weaknesses," Steppenwolf replied with cold satisfaction.

"Steppenwolf," Diana breathed, her voice carrying millennia of hatred as she gazed upon the towering figure.

"Okay, so that's Steppenwolf," Barry whispered, taking in the creature's imposing presence. "He definitely doesn't look like someone you'd want to meet in a dark alley."

"Your assessment is correct," Bruce confirmed grimly.

"I really, really miss Superman right now," Barry muttered, studying Steppenwolf's massive frame encased in thorny, organic looking armor that seemed to shift and move with a life of its own.

____________

Check out the Patreon for advanced chapters right now:

👉 patreon.com/Mr UmU

https://www.patreon.com/Mr_UmU

_______________

Frieren: My Master Serie Don't Know How to Love ~: 40+ Ch.

Warhammer 40K: The Emperor's Raven: 45+ Ch.

Marvel 1919: Rise of an Empire: 100+ Ch.

1960: My Uncle is the Director of the FBI: 65+ Ch.