AN: The Countdown starts now folks...ENJOY.

ARC Nine: Infinite Crisis

Chapter Ninety Seven: The Source of Everything

Batman carried as many people as he could flying towards the mysterious door. Fate was close behind, though it appeared they were speaking telepathically with each other. Zipping by next to them was Beatrice, who pouted about at him.

"Beatrice! You have to get out of-"

"-And leave Subaru behind?! No way, I suppose. I came here to save along with the rest of you! If I failed to save him now, I'd have no right to continue by his side, I suppose!"

Batman nodded with her, while Rem and the others seemed to agree as well. Fate then flew closer to Batman.

"I have informed the others of your plan."

"Great, now we just have to hurry and get Subaru and Emilia back, then try and get the hell out of here."

However, Batman felt something racing towards him...only for it to be shot away by Deathstroke.

"Hey now, that's not nice...aren't we the ones fighting Satella?"

Satella narrowed her eyes at the assassin, just as he activated his Sword Art. He jumped over some Unseen Hands as he sliced through countless more and sliced her in half. Not giving her a single moment, he lobbed a grenade behind himself and blew her to pieces. Then he was struck across the face by something and flung to the ground, though he used his Godslayer sword to stab into the ground and save him some time.

Satella opened her mouth wide.

"OH SHIT!"

She let out a powerful sonic scream that Deathstroke was able to dodge, but destroyed several branches of the Algol Tree in the process. Several others were trying t o make a move, but they were pushed back by sudden shockwave, even Wonder Woman was unable to do anything.

Batman and his group were nearing the door.

"Deathstroke! That's enough, just get over here!"

"Trying to work on that!"

Satella touched the ground and a mass of shadows covered most of her general area, shooting out to Deathstroke. He kicked the air and thus fired a windblade at it, nothing happened.

"Tsk!"

He jumped back from it...but the tip of his right foot was eaten away, leaving nothing behind.

He flipped back and fired his gun at her, but this time, the bullets bounced off of her. She then teleported right next to him, he got a hold of his electric staff and jabbed her in the face with it, sending volts of power against her.

Still her points of lime green in her shimmering purple eyes...turned vicious red. She swatted forward with her hand, cutting into Deathstroke. He in return shot her in the face with an electric bolt. Then he sliced her again and again with his sword….only for her to whisper something that made his arm shatter like glass he kicked her, which instantly broke his leg.

His Godslayer sword spun in the air...before Batman caught it in the air as they were about to go through the door.

Frederica seeing his terrible state panicked.

"Slade-sama! Get out of there, HURRY!"

"WORKING ON THAT, GOD DAMNIT!"

Batman fired countless yang beams out at the Witch, but they either bounced off or were caught by her Unseen Hands. The ones that were...were instantly thrown back. But a barrier by Fate and Beatrice saved them from the hits.

Slade headbutted her, breaking apart his helmet into pieces. Then he took in a deep breath and let out a whistle.

The resulting whistle actually made a windblade shoot out of his mouth slicing her face in half.

Satella...made a surprised face.

"Heh, was worth it...to see you make that face, Envy!"

Then her head was back to normal and she sighed.

Shadows formed right under slade as he spun around his electric staff in his only remaining arm and struck her with it...only for it to splinter apart. He let out small sigh.

Batman and Fate saw the shadows literally bubbling under him, Fate and Batman were about to teleport him out of there...when Satella looked straight at them and attacked their minds with auditory hallucinations.

They all held their heads in pain, unable to focus.

Deathstroke stomped her face in, breaking her concentration. She growled as she stared back at him…

Now free from the attack...they watched as the shadows sprung up under him.

Deathstroke thought long and hard about the situation he was in, and the moments, days and years that led up to this.

The people he's fought, the places he's been to, the people he's met...the people he's trained, the world he's explored.

The nasty eyed kid he was forced to train, even after he tried to kill him.

The silver haired girl he would pick on for her gullible nature.

The maid twins and their differing personalities.

The yellow haired fanged siblings.

The spirit girl.

The cat spirit.

The guy who looked like he was always going to pass out.

The sorcerer with makeup.

The Sword Saint.

The other camps.

…..Petra.

…..Meili.

It was then, he realized the truth of it all, making him chuckle to himself.

"Heh Heh, If I had known this would happen, I would have asked for a rai-"

The shadows shot up from under him, instantly vaporizing Deathstroke.

"SLAAAAAAAAAAADEEEEEEE!"

Batman could only scream out his name, as they watched him die.

Deathstroke the Terminator, Slade Wilson, a man who prioritized money and the challenge of combat...who changed in some considerable ways finding his way to another world...was gone.

Of the five individuals who wandered into a world beyond their own...Bruce Wayne was now the last survivor.

Rem thought about it.

She recalled how he would ask to only eat her food…

"Deathstr- Uh, I mean Slade-sama."

"Yeah? Also, don't be flinching when you say my name, just call me whatever is easiest for you."

"R-Right, heh heh."

She recalled how he wasn't amused by her giggling. But she did notice he became calm right after.

"So what are we snacking on?"

"Oh yes, we'll be eating chicken with um, potato soup and salad, as per your and Bruce-san's instructions about Subaru-kun's diet."

"Nice, besides…"

He seemed to scratch his helmet a bit.

"Besides, out of all the food this world has to offer, yours is probably the only one I can actually stomach without puking."

"Um...is that a compliment?"

"Sure, why not."

He shook his head and made his way outside...Rem sighed a tad, before she giggled.

"Rem thanks you."

Now...she was crying her eyes out.

Sarah watched on as she recalled a moment of her own.

It was a moment when Slade was sitting in the gardens sipping on some tea when Sarah came up to him.

"Yes, um, Slade-dono."

"What is it Sarah?"

"Well, ahem. The thing is, I heard how you are from the same world as Bruce...so I was wondering if you'd tell me some stories about him."

"HUH?! Why don't you ask him then?"

She blushed a bit as she looked away.

"Yes, I've tried, but he never talks about it, he always says, 'I don't like bragging or speaking too much about my past', you know?"

Deathstroke slightly chuckled at her horrible impression of Batman's voice, but set his cup down.

"Fine, fine...I got some time to kill anyways. However, I'd like some compensation."

"Like what?"

"...I get today's deserts."

"Ah!"

She fidgeted about, Slade knew she always had a craving fro Rem and Frederica's sweets...but she accepted the request, making him laugh a bit, seeing her pained expression.

So they sat there and talked the hour away, sipping on tea…

Now, Sarah cried out to him, yet another person she had to lose…

Beatrice watched on in horror seeing another one person she grew to like, die.

A memory recalled was when he was passing by her in the hallways, so she decided to strike up a conversation.

"Hey, Deathstroke."

"Hm, what's up Beatrice?"

"Tell me...um, how's Subaru's training coming along."

"Saying it's coming along at a snail's pace would be an insult to the very species...still, he's doing better than expected. Petra will kick his ass in no time."

"That gives Betty no clarification, I suppose."

She sighed at his usual attitude. However, she heard him whistling something..so she decided to ask.

"What are you whistling?"

"Huh, want to know then?"

"I heard from Subaru and Bruce that your worlds have music that is far different than our own, I suppose. So I can only assume that your whistling a song from your world."

"On target today aren't you?"

"D-Don't insult Betty!"

She puffed her cheeks at him, making him shake his head at her antics.

"Okay okay, I'm whistling the song 'Mr. Blue Sky'."

"Is that an important person in your world, I suppose?"

"Ahaha, no no, it's just the name of the song is all. Here, I'm going to meet with Subaru, so I'll teach you on the way."

"Well...it wouldn't hurt to know a little more about Subaru's world."

She walked alongside him as he slowly began teaching her the song lyrics and how to whistle them, surprising him how good she was at whistling. Eventually she showed off to Subaru, which not only impressed him, but made him praise her.

She was quite happy to see him excited. She owed it all to him.

Now, she let tears trickle down her cheeks…

Garfiel hugged Mimi tightly as he thought back on it…

"Oi, le's go a few rounds!"

"Huh? Have you even improved any, Garfiel?"

"Hell yeh, my amazin' self is gettin' stronga by th' day!"

Deathstroke sighed as they were both in the library of the mansion. Deathstroke shut a book he found interesting, and tossed it at Garfiel, he caught it but also managed to dodge a knife Slade threw at him.

Only to bite down another one he threw.

Deathstroke laughed a bit as he got up.

"Alright, it's been a while since I got an intense exercise."

"Fuck yeh!"

They walked out of the room as they had every intention of sparring until the evening.

"Loser buys drinks?"

"Ohhohoh, you're on kid."

"Yup...just don't tell my big sis."

Garfiel furrowed his brows at the Witch of Envy as he silently cursed her.

Ram was helping Roswaal as she was forced to watch his death…

Making her remember how she asked him to help her carry some items back from the nearby village.

"Hey Ram, I got to know something."

"What is it?"

"Did you have a thing for Bruce?"

She stopped, making him as well.

"What makes you say that?"

"Don't know, maybe it has something to do with the fact I almost always see you teasing him every once in awhile."

"That is merely our comradery with each other from the many years we've been employed together. You shouldn't just jump to conclusions. Besides, Roswaal-sama is the one I cherish in that regard."

"Okay, if you say so."

They continued their walk, even as Deathstroke cleared his throat.

"So you never kissed him?"

She stopped yet again, a small blush appeared on her face. This made him tsk tsk her and wave his finger.

"Your eyes say no, but your body language tells a different story."

"Knock it off!"

She elbowed him in the sides, making him lurch over and hold it.

"Ow."

"Stop with all this inane lollygagging and just help me finish already."

"Fine."

As they neared the entrance, Deathstroke had one last question.

"Hey, if you met Bruce before Roswaal...what do you think-"

"-Did think you were such a nosy person, Deathstroke."

"I'm not, just curious."

A small breeze blew by them, making her bright pink hair flutter in the wind…

She turned around...and winked at him.

"You figure out."

"Hahhhh, no fun at all. What a high and mighty person you can be."

"Hmph, says a person from another world. You can do us all a favor and go home if you are going to be this prying...and maybe take the Mayonnaise Menace with you."

Deathstroke shook his head, having not heard that nickname in a while was something to hear.

Ram smiled at him and they both made it inside.

Ram hid her face as she whispered his name.

"Slade…"

Batman charged through the door and made there way to their down the void. His teeth gritted, his eyes watery and his breath heavy...he had to keep moving. He didn't want to lose anymore people.

Fate created some magical symbols behind them, in an effort to slow down the Witch that was quickly following them. She moaned and growled as she flew forward, her eyes shining red.

Anti-Monitor blocked some the attacks from Superman and Black Adam. Superman even fired his most powerful eye beam attack he could muster, but Anti-Monitor braved through it and smacked him into the tree, easily.

The rest of the group began making their way to the portal out of there...even as several of them were mourning the death of Slade. Julius held his head in utter pain, his head was throbbing from the losses he had now accumulated. He also knew how close Slade was with Petra from all the times he visited before the end of the Royal Selection, making him sick to wonder…

"How am I going to tell them?"

Knight Subaru held his Beatrice's hand as he looked back and saw the Anti-Monitor roaring out. He had earlier tried to open a rift, but Satella forced herself into his mind and made him lose focus as he kicked her out. He felt absolute guilt in not saving him.

Once again, he was unable to save someone.

But when he thought about fighting the Anti-Monitor...even he knew he was no match for him.

Superman punched him across the face, but he fired a beam from his mouth that shot him downward across the tree. Adam fired his most incredible electricity strike at him, but he took the hits and swatted him away, before stomping his gigantic foot atop of him. Then seeing his chance he dashed away from them, but Superman and Black Adam, even with their costumes torn to shreds chased after him...only for Anti-Monitor to trap them in an orb of light and blast them away back to Earth. They crash landed and caused a gigantic explosion...though through the efforts of both heroes, they de-accelerated to prevent any more damage. Had they not, they would have caused an extinction level catastrophe.

Anti-Monitor watched as the last person was making their way to through the portal.

Wonder Woman glared up at him, making the villain mock her.

He jumped a top of the branch and literally slid across it, heading to his final destination. Even as he passed through the space around him was littered in destroyed spaceships, broken pieces of land and actual incapacitated or dead old and new gods. He simply admired the work he and Satella did.

Now travelling at ludicrous speeds, he was nearing the place he had to go to.

The Source Wall.

But just as he saw it, and it's grand splendor, he could also the many figures that made up the structure of it,. THose whose intelligences and power were insufficient to pass through it and had now beome forever a part of this wall in reality.

He sneered at it. He knew he would not be trapped, he surpass everyone else and make it through.

Then the Spectre tackled him, behind him countless cosmic level heroes and even villains were attacking him.

He yelled out and he sucker punched Spectre off of him. His gigantic figure was knocked away and he clapped his hands, sending out a wave of energy against them all.

"I have absorbed enough energy to rival all of you! I will not be stopped here!"

He slammed his hand on the branch he was on top of and the branch did it's job. It rooted itself into the wall and broke a large chunk of it apart, he could now peer inside. He saw a spectacle of colors and light, some of which he has only seen when the universe was born.

"This is it! I will obtain everything. Knowledge. Power. With it, I will end the multiverse and reate the true form of reality! A single entity of which all life will be ruled under me!"

He began making his way to the breach, when Volcanica tackled him off the branch he was on top of.

"This has to stop Anti-Monitor! If you don't, the consequences will be most dire!"

"I will hear none of this from a mere dragon!"

He punched his jaw, breaking most of his teeth apart.

"Especially one, who allowed the true injustices of his world to carry on, even with all that great power you obtained from the Algol Tree!"

"I was...merely allowing the people of my world to live freely."

"And yet here we are! So many of your 'people' are dead and your entire reality is on the tethers of destruction! A fine job you have done, Volcanica!"

He soon grabbed the dragon by his neck and slammed him onto the wall...slowly the dragon saw that his body was merging with the wall, becoming the same material it was made up of.

"Through your inaction over the years, you have allowed disaster upon disaster to occur, you useless guardian! It has now all led to this! So now...you can fulfill your negligent purpose and be trapped here, FOR ALL ETERNITY!"

"GRAGGGGGHHHH!"

The dragon roared out as he was now almost apart of the wall...only to look out to the stars around them, contemplating as his vision faded.

"Flugel. Reid. Everyone. I'm sorry….maybe, maybe...I sh-"

Volcanica's voice was silenced as he was now apart of the Source Wall.

Trapped until the end of time.

Anti-Monitor pushed away from the wall and made his way back to the branch, dodging attacks from all sides...and jumped through the breach, having made it to his end goal.

"And now...I shall find the Source of Everything."

He allowed the void to carry him off…

Everyone from the Algol Tree had now returned back to their meeting point. They saw their other compatriots and a sight that confused them.

The entire landscape was covered in roses.

Julius made his way to meet with them, and sure enough everyone huddled together to exchange information.

"Halibel-dono, what has occured since we left here?"

"Some Witch Cultists attacked us, but we all scraped them down."

"That is good to hear-"

"-Still…"

He glanced down at some of the roses around them.

"The girl named Pamela...she didn't make it."

"...No...Pamela-san…"

Anastasia nodded as she held close Mimi.

"She sacrificed herself to save everyone, Julius."

"Yet another friend...GONE?"

He once again held his head, but did his greatest to show no more emotion than that. Petra looked behind him, and noticed they were lower in numbers than before. She made her way through the crowd.

"Julius-sama!"

"Petra-chan?"

"W-Where is everybody else?!"

Just like that, the others noticed that they were missing some people, making a good chunk of them extremely anxious.

Roy asked Julius.

"And my brother? Where is Rey?!"

"...I am sorry, he was killed."

"No...nooooo…"

He began to weep openly, just to be comforted by Saia and Erick.

"Onee-sama...why…?"

"I'm sorry Roy, I am so sorry."

Julius took a deep breath and decided to speak again, even as everyone from his own party started to look uncomfortable.

"Batman, Rem-dono, Frederica-dono, Sarah-dono, Dr. Fate-sama and the Great Spirit Beatrice are currently on their way to reaching Subaru and Emilia-sama."

Petra breathed a sigh of relief along with many of the people around her.

Then…

"However…"

"Huh?"

"Reinhard, Starfire, Wonder Girl...Deathstroke...are all dead."

Silence shut out any breathing they were doing. Otto held his ears as if he didn't want to hear such a thing any longer. The Three Stooges seemed visibly upset by the news. Petra walked over and grabbed Julius's uniform.

"Not true…"

"Petra-"

"-It's not true!"

She was trembling as tears leaked out of her eyes.

"Slade-sensei, he has a healing pac-tor or something like that! He can't...HE CAN'T-"

"-Petra-chan."

He held her shoulders as she continued to cry.

"He was truly brave in final moments, actually taking on the Witch of Envy so we could all escape. He was a true warrior in his final moments! If he was your teacher, then you should be proud of him!"

"I am…"

"Then please…"

She continued her crying.

Meili fell to her knees, putting on a calm expression with tears leaking out of her eyes. She didn't know how to cry, she never really did...so now she had no idea what to do. WOnder Woman ran over and hugged her. She continued having tears falling out of her heartbroken face. Without any way to show her sadness...except to mutter the name of a person she began to hold dear to her, a true father figure.

"Slade."

She was alone, yet again.

Ferris sat next to Crusch on the nearby floor, they were gazing out into the vast rose covered setting. He held her close...he wanted to cry yet again, yet his eyes shed no tears. In effect he was all out of tears.

Soon enough, Phantom Stranger appeared before them.

"Who are-"

"-The end has begun."

Once again, the ground beneath them began to shake.

"Again!? The hell is going on?!"

Phantom Stranger held his hands out to the sky.

"As such, let the end of everything begin! The [Truth] will be revealed and a new way of living such transpire."

"What is this guy-"

"-Time to end it."

The roots of the Algol Tree uprooted themselves from the Earth, breaking it apart instantly. They all watched as the ground beneath them broke apart, in the distances large chunks of the world flew up into the sky and magma did as well.

Lightning.

Fire tornadoes.

Smoke.

Soon a gigantice sandstorm was barreling towards them, Kyle Rayner and Green Lantern created a shield around them, Constantine worked on a spell around them...whispering as he did.

"Crazy bastards...that's our plan?"

They were soon enveloped by the darkness of said destruction.

When they opened their eyes, they saw the devastation that occurred.

They were on a piece of Earth that was floating along with many other pieces...but assuredly, the Earth was destroyed.

They also saw that all of the pieces of the Earth were being somewhat held together, not allowing them to drift away...by vines.

Saia kneeled down to observe them.

"How is this even possible?"

Soon some roses and vines began changing shape and formed a green mass...making everyone take up their battle stances. However, Kyle Rayner and most of the other heroes relaxed when they saw exactly who it was.

"Oh! Swamp Thing!"

Swamp Thing rose up and stood in front of everyone.

Petra instantly recognized him.

"Oh! Haven't we met green mister?"

"Indeed, I am Swamp Thing, protector of all nature. I came to help restore the world...but I was too late and the damage has been done."

"Then these vines?"

"Yes, those are mine."

They were amazed at the overall power he held over nature.

Constantine looked up and saw Superman and Black Adam flying back to them.

"You guys! What's going on?!"

"It's bad, the Anti-Monitor made it inside the Source Wall. Nothing has happened yet, but we can only assume the worse."

"Anything else?!"

"A giant dragon tried to stop him...but it got pushed into the Source Wall, so you should know what happened."

"Well yeah Superman. The bugger is dead then."

Anastasia ran over to them.

"Y-You mean the Dragon?! The Dragon Volcanica is dead?! No way! Between Reinhard and the Dragon...that's…"

"...Um."

"That's impossible."

Julius held her from behind, even as she trembled at the thought.

"What's going to happen to us all?"

Constantine then puffed a smoke from his cigarette.

"Alright then, we all got the message from Fate right?"

"Yes, Fate has informed us of his plan, though isn't it risky?"

"You're damn right is Black Adam! If something goes wrong, we could be causing an even bigger fuck up!"

He scratched his forehead as he thought over the matter.

Swamp Thing interjected.

"Then you also have come up with that plan as well?"

"Yeah, that's how we're going to do then. No other choice."

Kararagi Batman faced Swamp Thing.

"Then...you're really going to do it."

Now everyone was simply nervous as they were being left out of the conversation.

"Batman, please...Tell us what they are planning to do."

"...Simply put. We are going to restore all the remaining universes back to normal, using an extreme method."

"And that is…?"

"We are going to destroy the Algol Tree."

Julius shot forward, grabbing Constantine by his collar.

"Are you all insane?! Didn't you explain that, that tree holds together all of time and space for our reality?!"

"Yeah we did."

"Then destroying it would endanger our worlds!"

"...Not necessarily."

Julius and the others were indeed confused by this statement, until Kararagi Batman made his way into the conversation.

"Clark."

"Yeah?"

"You still have one don't you?"

"...I made one a few years back, in an attempt to bring you back to our world."

"Just for me...you built a Miracle Machine?"

"It was out of desperation, but this could be the very thing we need."

"It is, we're lucky to have one."

Tia got closer to him and tilted her head.

"Darling, what is a 'Miracle Machine'?"

"In layman terms, it's a literal wish making machine. It can alter reality to it's whim."

"I-Is such a thing possible?!"

"Yes. But we've only used one once, long ago. The only thing we've forbidden each other for using one for is bringing back the dead...you can all see why."

Everyone was quiet, but Roswaal glared at him, making him slightly angry at him.

"Bastard...you'd probably try to get your hands on it...wouldn't you?"

Batman shook his head...then remembered Ram, he recalled how her missing horn would need to regularly have mana transferred into her or she would get mana sickness.

So…

"Before we go over the plans, Kyle may I ask a favor?"

"Sure."

"...Can you restore Ram's horn?"

Everyone was shocked to hear the suggestion, especially Ram.

"Probably doable."

"Then please."

Ram backed away as Kyle got closer aiming his ring at her. He focused as Ram felt heat on her head, then she looked up in shock and awe as her horn was forming on her forehead.

The very thing she lost many years ago was returned to her. She couldn't believe it.

"All done, but damn was that sort of hard."

Ram had her horn shrink back down, even as Roswaal stared in abject terror.

The powers these people had, at times, dwarfed his very own and it made him both scared of them...and very bitter.

Ram glared over at Batman.

"Is this meant to appease me after destroying Roswaal-sama's gate?!"

"No, it's so you don't have to rely on him ever again. You can be your own person from now on."

"I bet you want to abandon him, don't you."

"Of course not...in fact…"

Batman's voice became eerie, surprising even Black Adam.

"You stay with him and watch him wither away until he's a shell of his former self."

"...Hk."

Ram seemed to be at a loss for words, she had no comeback. So she just hugged Roswaal tightly. Making Batman walk away from the two of them.

"So we're waiting for the world's remaining magic users?"

"Yeah, we're going to work on disabling the tree's power and then we'll have the heavy hitter like Superman and the others break that thing to pieces."

"Once that happens, I'll have to activate the Miracle Machine and wish for all the worlds to go back to normal, without the tree needed."

"Right...but that leaves the consequences."

Knight Subaru heard that, and became uncomfortable.

"C-Consequences?"

"Yeah."

"Like what exactly?"

"Well, all your Authorities come from that bloody tree right?"

"Yes?"

"So there ya go, since your Witch Genes derive their power from the tree, and use their effects as such. Once we get rid of the tree...boom! They're out."

"So...we'll lose our Authorities?!"

"Pretty much, but not just that mate, anything that has utilized its power will be gone."

Batman spoke up, informing more on the matter.

"That means things such as Gospels, Magic Runes and the Dragon Stone...will lose their powers."

Everyone gasped as they realized the severity of the situation. By destroying the Algol Tree, they would essentially change the very structure of their worlds forever.

"After that, we'll use the Miracle Machine to revert out universes back to their proper places."

"'Kay, now we just got to hope they can get outta there."

Otto spoke up.

"What do you mean by that Constantine-san?"

"...If we destroy the Algol Tree and someone is still in there...they'll be trapped."

"T-Trapped?"

Swamp Thing decided to explain further.

"With the tree being an entity made up of time and space...if someone was in there and we destroyed it, they would be trapped in a void where time and space is unmoving and endless...it would be an outcome worse than death."

"Oh no."

Petra and Otto realized that their friends were quickly running out of time, so they both hoped that they could make it back before it was too late.

Garfiel looked out into the vastness of space and also hoped they could come back in time.

Constantine smashed his cigarette in his hand...just as countless magic based heroes flew above them.

"Let's get this party over with!"

Phantom Stranger looked out into the distance as he saw something zip by in the space ahead of him.

"Only the [Truth] and her...can stop him now."

Anti-Monitor was floating in the endless colors inside of the Source Wall...making him accept it all in ecstasy.

"All this knowledge and power! All of it flowing into me with such intensity!"

Then he felt something...behind him was a woman. She had had short black hair and a simple dress...and on her back were large angelic wings.

"ELAINE BELLOC."

"Yeah, it's nice to finally meet in person."

Here was the Presence, the living embodiment of the entirety of said universe. A girl who has the omnipotent powers to know all and see all.

A very idea that irks the Anti-Monitor.

"And here I thought you wouldn't get far. I guess even Superman and those guys from the other universe couldn't handle you."

"I am not here for your praddling, Presence!"

"I know, I know...you're here for the [Truth] aren't you?"

He showed her a fist, as if in a threatening manner.

"OF COURSE! I have come to acquire it and put an end to the multiverse itself!"

"Tell me, how come you want to get rid of it so badly? I mean, I know you're the anti of universal structure and all that...but why so much in this regard?"

"EQUALITY."

"Whatzat?"

"The very idea that entire universes founded with the principle that they can stand above others with the hopes and dreams of another, while squandering the others chances of change, is highly mute! Why would a universe scarred in war and death, be put next to one, where it is a shining utopia of splendor and life? Why would a person born poor have to envy themselves where they are rich? Why does evil have to be created from that which is good, even when they chose not be that way?! That is not just unfair, that is almost a sick joke of an existence! And it falls onto me, a being that exists outside of the multiverse, to balance out reality. To put things in order! With my rule, all will live in one singular plane of existence! EVerything will be equal, symmetrical and n individual's choices will not yield such a putrid response from the higher powers...BECAUSE I WILL BE THE HIGHER POWER! ME! THE ANTI-MONITOR!"

"...Now that was a speech."

She folded her arms, as she peered into the large orbs that made up his eyes.

"If you feel that way...I could say that it's just a natural response of time and space, or that it was made by accident when you were born...but I know you wouldn't listen...so instead."

She had her wings spread wide as the void around them began turning white…

"...I'll give you what you want."

"AH!"

"I will show you the [TRUTH]."

As the white light died down, they saw it...a gigantic white glowing hand with something in it's hand...the size of it all dwarfed even the Anti-Monitor.

He stared up in confusion as he saw the hand set the very thing down, pressing it down and moving it around.

He looked closer...closer...then he saw it.

"Wait."

WHat he was seeing made literally no sense of the word…

He shook his head. This was no trick, no manipulation, what he was seeing was the truth. The absolute truth.

The [TRUTH].

"Then...this is it?!"

The

Large

Hand

Was

Drawing

The

Anti-Monitor.

Then he saw another hand typing in a computer.

Then another coloring pages.

Another was using a pad to draw with.

Then he saw himself, on a television screen, then a computer screen, then a phone…

"So…I..."

"In a complete unbiased sense. Yes, we're made up."

"BY WHAT?"

"I'd like to call them, [Creators]."

"Then...they are MERE HUMANS?!"

"Look, it's something not many people can handle, some people who've seen it have gone crazy like Ambush Bug or Phantom Stranger. So I'd like for you to calm down and-"

"NOW I KNOW WHAT I MUST DO!"

"Shit…"

He crunched his hands together as he cackled to himself.

"I will invade this world and begin wiping out these so called [Creators], but I will spare the ones that I need and force them to comply with my whims and planning. They will feel the absolute wrath of those whose lives that have been toyed with! I will force them to create a singular world! Then! I will become the absolute being, that even THE GREAT CREATOR itself will not be able to stop! All that power and might is mine-"

"Nah, can't let that happen."

She began glowing all around her body.

"See, we need them to be in tip top shape to make our worlds continue. On top of that, if you mess around in that world, you could potentially break the natural order of things. You could erase existence."

"THEN LET IT BE ERASED!"

"You just don't know when to give up huh?"

The Anti-Monitor then noticed his hand was disintegrating into white dust, alarming him. He soon peered down at her and fired the largest beam he ever fired straight towards her, a beam that could wipe out an entire galaxy if need be...and she was behind him.

"I can't let that happen, there is more to exist in this and all the other worlds, Anti-Monitor."

"Then you will erase me based on their whims instead of your own?!"

"...! ….Well, it's more like I know it has to be this way."

"WHORE! You will kill me to serve those wretched beings who dance around the misery of others for their amusement?!"

"I'm not killing you dumbass."

Anti-Monitor had his arm disintegrate as well as his foot.

"Your destiny, sadly, is still is tandem with the existence of this multiverse. So I'm sending you to Earth 0, the main Prime of this universe...seems you have some purpose there."

"Do not think this is the end! SOMEONE ELSE WILL TAKE MY PLACE! MARK MY WORDS! ANOTHER WILL TAKE MY MANTLE!"

He quickly began breaking apart, energy leaking out quickly as he moved his face closer and closer to her.

"Someone, will make the [Creators] pay for their crimes, for playing with our worlds! For disrupting the natural order of things! For all the suffering! FOR ME LOSING!"

"...Hm."

"The Apocatastasis Society does not die with us! It will live again! Be it a decade or several centuries from now! It will return! And when it does, the entirety of existence will quake! Through my death, I WILL BECOME A MARTYR! A MARTYR FOR THE SALVATION OR DESTRUCTION OF ALL CREATION ITSELF!"

"Food for thought...goodbye Anti-Monitor."

He broke apart instantly, even as she was sweating profusely, showing that erasing him and sending him away to another universe was taxing even for her.

He looked at her...shutting his eyes closed, as he smiled, it was eerie even for her.

"Even you cannot fix what has already occured."

"The dead are dead, but we can still salvage what's left."

"Comforting thoughts."

"With this...you'll forget and be reborn again. See you hopefully never."

"...Don't ever be so sure-"

His face broke apart leaving nothing behind.

The Anti-Monitor was defeated.

He awoke in a destroyed landscape, Metron was in his Mobius Chair floating behind him, he walked away recalling he had a brief conversation with him.

He was much smaller than he was before, in a brand new body, one much different than it was previously...though something bugged him...memories from a time even he couldn't recall.

But he didn't care.

He had to prepare for his battle...THE DARKSEID WAR.

On Earth 0, there was a living titan of destruction...it was called Anti-Monitor.

Elaine panted as she struggled to send away such a threat. She moved out of the void and looked back...she saw a Japanese man sitting at a desk typing away on his computer, he had some glasses on as he yawned a bit.

On the Screen, it said...ARC 6.

She shook her head and flew away, intending to fix the breach in the Source Wall. Though it would take her some time, she hoped the other heroes would fix the situation in time.

Batman and the others raced forward, even as they heard terrifying noises coming up behind them, Dr. Fate chanted an incantation as the dimensional Unseen Hands were pushed away from them.

"GRAAAACKKKKK!"

They could hear the echoing roar of the Witch behind them...Sarah looked back.

She saw Satella's face wrapped in a blob of shadows with eyes covering it and hands stretching out to them.

She let out a shriek as she looked away...but she saw the end of the tunnel just up ahead as they blasted through it.

As they floated around in this odd space, they saw the two people they were looking for.

Subaru.

He was holding Emilia in his arms, narrowing his eyes at them.

"Flugel."

"Batman."

All of them floated in the negative space, facing Subaru. Dr. Fate gave the signal as he created a barrier at the entrance they came through with the help of Beatrice, hoping it would hold her for two minutes as Dr. Fate began meditating.

"We need to hold off Flugel and protect Fate!"

"I don't know what you're planning Bruce Wayne, but it's not going to stop us! I am going to be-"

"-Shut it. Get out of Subaru or we force you out."

Subaru summoned countless Minya spears, light boomerangs and arrows made of shadowy structures as he snarled at them.

"Be my guest, Dark Knight."

Everyone was readying for the last fight to save their world.

Above the Algol Tee, every single magic user in the Dc Universe held each other's hands as they began reciting cantos, magical symbols appeared around them. Soon the very space around them began to crack.

The Countdown to the Final Crisis had commenced.

Satella slammed against the barrier, again and again, cracking it more and more...even as she let out hundreds of voices; all of them screaming one thing, over and over, over, over, over, constantly over again.

F

L

U

G

E

L

!

The truth revealed. The outcomes prepared. Yes. The final battle was now truly underway...