Episode 1 - Trial By Fire

APOKOLIPS

The fiery world of Apokolips isn't somewhere you would ever decide to take a holiday. If you ended up there, you were just unlucky. Or had gone looking for a bad time. Which is exactly where Spider-Man found himself as he stumbled towards the mighty palace that stood tall amongst the pillars of flames. “I must be out of my mind, waltzing up to the king's castle with no backup. Well, I'm the only one here. And besides, there's no one else crazy enough to try this!” With a mighty kick, the metal doors to the grand fortress folded like paper, only to give way to a horrific sight - a horde of identical, winged creatures that Spider-Man knew all too well. “Well, well. The Parademon welcoming party is here. I’ve got no time for you small fries. Where’s your boss?!”

The horde descended, shrieking an unnatural screech that would have frightened almost anyone else. But despite their superior numbers, Spider-Man was confident. “Fine with me. I could use the warm up!” Even while outnumbered, none of the Parademons could hit their target. Guided by his remarkable senses, Spider-Man weaved through every attack aimed at him, while retaliating with precise movements. Their armour crumbled, bones were shattered with unforgiving force. It didn't take long to knock out every single one of them, and any that weren't scampered away in fear, leaving Spider-Man alone. “Gotta say, that was largely unimpressive. Guess old grimace can't find good help these days.”

“You would do well to remember on whose planet you stand, Spider-Man!” From the shadows came forth a hulking brute of a man, carrying what appeared to be a large metallic club. It was none other than Kalibak, one of the strongest foes Spider-Man had ever faced. “Oh I remember all too well. And it certainly ain’t yours, Kalibak. Not until daddy dearest bites the dust. Which, all things considered, might be today if I have anything to say about it!”
In a fit of rage, Kalibak swung his club as hard as he could at Spider-Man, who very lazily just shifted out of the way as it flew past him. “You dare speak ill of the mighty Darkseid?! The only ones to perish today will be you and your fellow earthling intruders!” Kalibak continued to swing his club, giving no thought to where it might end up, only hoping that he might strike his target. Unfortunately for him, Spider-Man seemed practically untouchable, who made little effort while he dodged. “Be still while I destroy you, insect!” Kalibak raged, unable to hit his target. One misjudged swing left him wide open, his jaw seething in pain from a well placed punch from Spider-Man. “It's arachnid. If you’re gonna try and kill me, at least get the terminology down.” Kalibak, with no hesitation and no thought, charged his foe with reckless abandon, his decision taking no time at all to be regretted as he was pummelled with dozens of quick, heavy strikes. “Gotta say, Kalibak, I remember when you used to be a challenge. Now? You ain't much now, are ya?!”

In the past, this matchup always went in Kalibak’s favour. He was the son of Darkseid, lord of Apokolip; a god. But now this mortal was putting up a good fight. His blows were even beginning to hurt somewhat. One caught Kalibak on the bridge of his nose, an especially painful blow. Something wet began to run down his face. Was that blood? No… It shouldn't be possible! “No! Only the Kryptonians could match me. You are just another lowly mortal… You cannot best my strength!” Kalibak’s attempt to finally land a blow swung wide, his momentum carrying him over the walkway and down into the abyss. Spider-Man peered over, trying to catch a glimpse, but could only see darkness. “How a dumbass like that ever led armies has gotta be studied.”

“He has his uses. However, it seems that my son is no longer capable of dealing with you himself. For that, I must intervene.” The booming voice that echoed from the far end of the throne room came from an all too familiar sight - Darkseid. The imposing, all powerful ruler of Apokolips now faced Spider-Man. The moment the hero had been waiting for. “There you are, grimace! Thought we'd have to do a little more damage to drag you out!” Each step Darkseid took from his throne thundered through the room, as if the space itself trembled before his might. Every fibre of Spider-Man’s being screamed at him to turn around and leave, but some deep seated desire kept him in place. Keeping him willing for the fight.

“So you wanna rumble while my friends tear up your crib? Either that or you just tell us where you have Scott and Barda. How about it?” The facial features of the New God began to crinkle just slightly, fully aware of why his kingdom was under siege. “Barda is back where she belongs. Her place in my honour guard will take time to reclaim, but she will be up to the task. Scott Free on the other hand… I leave him to Granny Goodness. You, Spider-Man, so bold to part from your allies… You will simply perish.” The intimidating, blood red eyes of Darkseid burned hot, beams of energy casting directly at Spider-Man, who only barely dodged out of their path. However, the quickness of the beams left him little time to reorient himself, leaving him wide open for a charging Darkseid.

The New God’s strength needed little form to cause significant damage, a simple slap sending Spider-Man into one of the pillars that lined the walkway. If it weren't for him being as tough as he was, Spider-Man was sure he would have been a bloody stain on the wall. All the same, it hurt like hell. The pillar itself shattered, falling away and forcing Spider-Man to quickly grab the ledge of the walkway. Not much time was left to think about a strategy, as Darkseid lurched forward, hand extending to grab his foe. A quick jump put Spider-Man out of harm's way, at least for now.

Trying to counter, Darkseid swung back, but this time Spider-Man was ready, a little more aware of the speed of his opponent, his ever helpful Spider-Sense keeping him at least one step ahead this time. “Swift as ever, I see. Your senses have improved much since we last met. As has your strength. Such incredible potential, wasted on playing the hero.” From anyone else it would have been an honourable compliment. But from Darkseid it was poison. The ruler of Apokolips had a habit of taking in the broken and forgotten, as long as their skills could serve his goals.

“You haven't seen my best just yet! How about we continue this dance?” The arrogance on display from Spider-Man didn't go unnoticed. “A bold claim, thinking you could match the power of Darkseid. It seems you need another lesson in humility, boy.” It always freaked Spider-Man out that, despite his immense size, Darkseid was pretty quick on his feet. The distance between the two closed in the blink of an eye, the hero's senses and agility being his only saving grace. He knew full well that if Darkseid got his hands on him, then Spider-Man was done. However, that didn't stop him from trying to antagonise the ruler of Apokolips just a little bit more. “Still waiting for that lesson, grimace!”

The piercing red eyes of Darkseid glowed once again, prompting Spider-Man to try and take cover. Nearby, the crumbled palace doors lay on the ground. Sliding under his foe before he could attack, Spider-Man grabbed one of the doors as he got back to his feet, bringing the hunk of metal over his head and down onto his opponent. The clang reverberated throughout the throne room. “I guess today's class is cancelled.” Decreed Spider-Man, thinking that the surprise attack would have caught Darkseid off guard even a little. The door turning hot red removed that idea from his mind very quickly. Even with his Spider-Sense firing on all cylinders, Spider-Man was unable to clear the resulting explosion, and the many shards of shrapnel that found their way into his body.

The force of the explosion sent him back outside the palace, hurling through the air. Out of instinct, Spider-Man fired a strand of webbing to anchor himself and prevent his fall, only to miss due to his disorientation. Now nothing stood between him and the surface dozens of feet below. Well… this is gonna suck.” Raising his arms, Spider-Man prepared himself for the impact, even closing his eyes and hoping it wouldn't hurt. The impact never came, the hero finding himself hovering several feet from the ground, a firm set of hands on his waist. “Maybe next time, don't go running off without me, ok?” Looking around, Spider-Man was met with a familiar, and thankfully friendly face.

“Heeeey Kara.What brings you here?” Kara, or Supergirl as she was better known by, released her grip. letting Spider-Man fall to the ground as he originally was meant to, just with less force. The impact still hurt however, further exacerbating his injuries. “Chasing after you, dumbass. I couldn't see you after we landed. What were you thinking, going off by yourself?!” Supergirl chastised as she landed next to him.

“I was thinking I could get the drop on the final boss while he was so preoccupied with everyone else. It would make for an easier rescue mission if he's out for the count.” Spider-Man's retort reeked of arrogance, and Kara knew it. An arrogance she was all too familiar with. “Except you can't just run off like that! Not without any backup. And I've got other things to worry about besides you.”

”Yeah well, you haven't had to worry about me for a while, have you?” Spider-Man snapped back, catching Supergirl by surprise. “This really isn't the time for this, Peter. Diana checked in - they have Scott and Barda. But we’ve got injured, so we need you back, now!” The tension between the two heroes was palpable, almost as fiery as the planet around her. Kara’s anger lessened once she quickly realized that Spider-Man might end up numbering among the injured, as she spotted the fragments of metal lodged in parts of his body. How he hadn't noticed was beyond her. “Peter… You have shrapnel…”

Only after she pointed it out did Spider-Man take notice himself. “Oh yeah, you're right. Damn. Adrenaline is a helluva drug, right?” Without much of a care, he began to pull the pieces of metal out of his body. For any normal person this would’ve been detrimental, lethal even. Though having a fast healing factor helped for sure, as the wounds slowly closed over. However, it did nothing for the tears in his costume or the blood that had dripped onto it. That would have to be dealt with later. “There. The only cost is a trip to the cleaners. And maybe some late night sewing.”

“Then perhaps I should endeavour to do more!” The two heroes snapped into battle stances in the direction of the voice, their sights set on Darkseid as he advanced down the steps from his palace. “It seems that you have been successful in your mission. Granny has informed me that Scott Free and Barda are gone, rescued by your comrades. A pity.” The ground beneath Darkseid trembled as he took his final step from the stairway. The lord of Apokolips was unimpressed by the efforts of Earth's heroes. “Looks like today ain't your day, Darkseid. How about we call it a draw? You did some things, we did some things.” The wrinkled features of Darkseid expressed sheer annoyance as Spider-Man spoke, the masked hero always making a habit of getting under his stoned skin. Something not many mortals were able to do. Supergirl took the situation much more seriously. “We have what we came for, Darkseid. You kidnapped our friends, and we took them back. Spider-Man is right, even if he sounds like an idiot - we both did some wrongs.”

Apart from the sounds of the flames that spewed from the planet's surface, there was no sound made. Until more footsteps could be heard coming from the palace steps. Spider-Man and Supergirl gazed upwards, their eyes widening in horror at who they saw - Lashina, Mad Harriet and Stompa, otherwise known as The Furies, Darkseid's elite soldiers. “How quaint that you two would be together for your final moments. The last child of Krypton, and her science experiment of a former mate. I’ll see to it that your little incursion isn't without cost. My Furies… Tend to the girl. Spider-Man is mine!”

EQUESTRIA, ABOUT THE SAME TIME

It was a rather quiet night in the town of Ponyville. The rustic town was winding down, stores closing after a long day of trade, children heading home before their parents came looking for them.If you gazed hard enough, you would think that this charming little town was ordinary. It was only once you turned your attention outside of town that you would see something that doesn't look like it belonged - A large, crystalline tower. This was the home of one Twilight Sparkle, the newly deemed Princess of Friendship. Deep in the caverns of this castle sat Twilight and her friends as they sorted through piles upon piles of books, recently donated to fill out her new home.

“Are we really gonna spend all day doing this, Twi? It’s so boring putting books away. I’d rather read them, and by "them" I mean the Daring Do books.” The tomboyish athlete Rainbow Dash was never one for a good bit of literature. Until recently, as the grand adventures of Daring Do had caught her eye, enthralling her in capers featuring an explorer that shared the name as the book. Rainbow Dash’s underhanded and rude comment had almost passed by Twilight and the others, but Applejack, the resident farmer of the group, couldn’t let it slide.

“Rainbow! We all agreed to help Twilight sort out her new home. Have some patience for once, will ya?” It wasn't uncommon for the two to bicker with each other, though it only usually began once Rainbow said something without considering it first. “I’m sorry. It’s all just soooo boring. I’d rather be reading than sorting.” Comments like this were nothing unusual for Dash, but it didn't make them any less irritating given the work they had to do. It had only been a few weeks since this new castle had just sprouted from the ground, and Twilight had little time to grow accustomed to it. She had spent her entire time in Ponyville in her cozy library home, but could no longer return due to its destruction during a battle with a recent threat. It was a surreal feeling to say goodbye to her home and immediately say hello to a new one.

"Twilight? Are you okay?" Spike, Twilight's assistant and, for all intents and purposes, little brother, always knew when something was getting under her skin. The half dragon, half humanoid had learned long ago to see the signs. Out of all the friends that she held dear, Spike was easily the closest. Then again it was easy to see why, given he had known her since his birth. "I'm okay Spike. It's just... a lot to take in. All these new responsibilities with the map and the castle... It just seems like such a long time has passed since we came to Ponyville just for me to make some friends. And yet... my life would be so dull if I never came here!"

The two embraced each other tightly. Twilight was thankful that even with all the changes going on, she still had the constant support of her friends and family around her. As they tried to get back to work, there was a loud knock at the door. A look of confusion was shared around the room, given it was getting quite late. Rarity, seamstress and fashionista, looked over to Twilight perplexed. "Are we expecting any visitors tonight?" The princess of friendship shook her head, and was admittedly a little worried. The group made their way towards the entrance, Twilight at the head of the pack. There was another heavy knock on the tall, bronze doors which took everyone aback. Twilight started to become hesitant to open the door, feeling from weeks ago stirring up. It was only after opening the door and seeing who it was that lifted her paranoia, hearing an all too familiar voice. "Princess Twilight!? I require your assistance!"

***

BACK ON APOKOLIPS

Dodging Darkseid's Omega Beams wasn't exactly a new sport for Spider-Man, but it never got any easier. Even after a handful of encounters with the tyrannical god, the devastating attack always seemed to creep up on him even when he tried his best to keep away from them. “Doesn't help that his beams pretty much lock on!” Spider-Man cried out in his head, his focus mostly on trying to stay alive. He had seen Darkseid use those beams to injure, even at times kill, beings far tougher than he was. "A formidable effort, Spider-Man. But alas, not enough against the might of Darkseid."

In amongst the attempts to strike his foe with his Omega Beams, Darkseid made use of his opponents disorientation by closing the gap between them to attack with his fists. While not every attempt was a success, any that were successful began to take their toll on Spider-Man, every dodge that little more of a close call. He knew that just one good hit would be enough to either incapacitate or even outright kill him. Close by, Supergirl was in the midst of her own battle, though her three on one was arguably more in her favour. Her biggest issue was Stompa, the muscle of The Furies, whose strength was in the same ballpark as her own. “Come on, little girl. It's no use trying to fight us off! We’re the best around here!” Despite their equal strength, Supergirl took advantage of her superior speed to move between the combined assault and look for an opening. She dotted Stompa with swift strikes, wearing down the powerhouse of the Furies. Once she was starting to look disorientated, the young Kryptonian made her move.

A horrendous crunch came from Stompa as Supergirl found her mark, dead centre of the massive woman's chest. The force of the blow sent Stompa backwards, unable to save herself from colliding with a nearby building, the structure falling around her. Even with her biggest issue out of the way, Supergirl wasn't about to take the other Furies lightly. all three of them were Darkseid's personal guard for a reason. “Come on now, ladies. This isn't a good look for you. Let us go and keep your dignity.” Lashina, the leader of the Furies, swung her whip in a ferocious circle. “If we let you walk away, that would put our reputation in question. And Lord Darkseid would have Granny punish us. We can't have that!”

The air crackled as Lashinas whip arced out towards Supergirl, herself barely able to move out of its way. Despite her impressive abilities, the Furies really were not beings to take lightly. Close by, Spider-Man was still fighting for survival against Darkseid, his stamina draining away the more he tried to stay out of the tyrant's reach. Unlike Supergirl, he had a limit. And he had done so much in a short span of time. Darkseid himself was taking notice. “Your movements are less precise. Give up, Spider-Man. There is no escape from Darkseid.” Perhaps escape was impossible. Perhaps in a desperate bid to prove something, Spider-Man had backed himself into a corner, and may have ended up taking a friend with him. “Maybe Darksed should understand I don't surrender. And that he should learn to stop talking in the third person!”

While in the middle of a dodge, Spider-Man shifted his weight, bringing his feet to bear down on his opponent. The resulting strike cracked the ground beneath Darkseid, his feet digging into the concrete. The kick seemed to have left him dazed, or dumbfounded. Either way, it gave Spider-Man a chance to get some distance between the two of them. “It appears much has changed since we last met. You have indeed grown stronger. It was not just luck that allowed you to defeat Kalibak, but sheer skill and strength. However…” Before he could react, Spider-Man found himself in the looming shadow of Darkseid, the gloved fist of the tyrant driving its way into the masked hero's stomach, creating a shockwave as it connected. The taste of blood filled Spider-Man's mouth as he was thrown back, his body skirting to a halt. Tears had opened in his suit, coated in blood from wounds opened by friction.

“Now do you see how pointless your struggle is? You fight for a victory you cannot hope to claim. To battle Darkseid, is to battle entropy.” The imposing form of Darkseid loomed over his injured opponent, the lord of Apokolips watching with glee as Spider-Man struggled to get to his feet. The hero forced himself to get his balance, consciousness trying to slip away. The taste of blood was still present in his mouth, and the pain of the punch was still lingering. In his mind, Spider-Man tried to formulate a witty retort, but his thoughts kept going blank. The only thing on his mind was the pain… and the anger that came from that pain. A low growl rumbled through Spider-Man's body, so audible that even Darkseid paused his advance, curious as to what was going on. Supergirl and The Furies heard it as well, the former's eyes widening in shock. “Oh no.”

A furious red aura began to surround Spider-Man, almost like fire. Through the lenses of his mask, piercing red eyes could be seen, further intriguing Darkseid. The force of his energy was even starting to affect his surroundings, pushing back everyone else on the battlefield slowly. "So this is the new power I have heard about. It would seem that you continue to evolve under the most critical of situations. It is, admittedly, impressive. But how far does it go, I wonder?” As if to experiment, Darkseid fired his Omega Beams as the still Spider-Man. With eyes wide an amazement, he witnessed the hero not only sidestep his attack, but close the gap faster than expected, giving him the same treatment he had dished out to the hero moments before, a fiery fist now lodged in his abdomen. While it lacked the same devastating force of his own attack, Darkseid could feel that it was much more powerful than the kick from before.

The Furies, concerned for their lord (if concern was something they still had) abandoned their battle with Supergirl to aid him. “Did I give any of you the order to assist me?!” The thundering voice roared out, causing the Furies ears to ring out in pain. The three women unwittingly put themselves into a terrifying situation. “My Lord, we apologise. But the Spider laid hands on you.” Lashina, trying to make excuses for the response of her team. But they had little time to talk as a mighty roar tore through the air, as the now enraged Spider-Man advanced towards them. The Furies took battle stances from sheer instinct, but Darkseid didn't falter. “Remarkable. Such raw power from a mortal. Furies… test him.” The three members of his guard cackled in unison, hideous grins on their faces. Supergirl, seeing what was about to happen, moved to assist her friend, only to be blocked by the horrifying figure of Darkseid. “You would do well to let this play out, Kryptonian. You must be as curious as I am.”

Stmpa, desiring to make up for her earlier failure, charged head first towards Spider-Man, arms outstretched to grab him. To her surprise, the hero braced himself, arms reaching out to meet hers, Their hands met, clenching as one tried to overpower the other. Even with all her might, Stompa was unable to move her opponent. “I will not be bested twice in one day by you Earthlings!” Once again, Stompa tried her best to gain some advantage in this test of strength, but failed once again. While she was completely focused on trying to gain leverage, Spider-Man closed the gap, headbutting her furiously, causing blood to leak from her nose. The shock was enough to force her backwards.

“How dare you, mortal!” Lashina cried out, her whip crackled with electricity as it reached out. To her shock, instead of dodging, Spider-Man grabbed the end of the whip, wrenching on it to pull Lashina towards him. The leader of the Furies could do nothing but watch as she was sent flying towards another building, collapsing around her upon impact. Only Mad Harriet stood alone, yet this only seemed to invigorate her. “Looks like I get to claim all the credit for ripping you to shreds, little man!” Spider-Man's only response was to give her the “Bring it” motion with his hand, which only succeeded in making Harriet more angry. “You wanna play tough before you die? Fine!”

While the most agile of the Furies, Harriet seemed so slow next to her opponent. Every attempt to skewer him only met empty air. It looked as if, even while in this rage filled state, Spider-Man's agility was still on point. “STAY STILL!!!” Harriet shrieked as she became more agitated, her fury beginning to blind her actions. In the middle of her flailing strikes, both her hands were grabbed, with one swift move from Spider-Man destroying her gauntlets. The Fury wasn't even given a moment to comprehend what had happened before she was grabbed by the neck and launched into some nearby debris, joining her sisters in the dirt. In just a handful of movements, Spider-Man had defeated all three of the Furies.

“Most impressive. It would seem your combat abilities has improved far past what I had expected. You would be a fine addition to my army!” Having watched the fight unfold, Darkseid now saw an opportunity, abundantly aware that the two heroes that stood before him had no chance to win should they engage. He would use that. “He would never join you, Darkseid! We’re both leaving, right now!” Supergirl cried out, her eyes glowing red. Darkseid knew that she would be the hardest to turn, given she was much like her cousin. But perhaps her friend wasn't as righteous. “We shall see. Is it your choice to fight, Kryptonian?” Rather than respond, Supergirl unleashed the full might of her heat vision, Darkseid countering with his Omega Beams.

THe rays of energy clashed, Supergirl trying her best to stand her ground while Darkseid seemingly tried very little. With his efforts on Supergirl, it was the perfect opening for Spider-Man to make a move. Moving to his opponent's side, the hero began laying heavy blows into Darkseid's stomach, each blow letting out a shockwave. While it didn't hurt much, the fact Darkseid was even acknowledging them at all was more than enough to annoy him. “Then I take it this is your answer, mortal? Then consider this planet your grave!” In a surprising move, Darkseid halted the fire of his Omega Beam, allowing Supergirl's heat vision to strike him. Yet the sun-fueled heat did little to damage him. He walked forward to close the gap between them, the young Kryptonian trying to draw more power than what she could call upon.

“He wants to make this a fistfight? Fine. We don't have to beat him, just catch him off guard. Then we run!” Supergirl knew retreat was the only plan they had, but knew she and Spider-Man had to get an opening. While her friend was powered up, they might as well take advantage of the situation. Once Darkseid stood in front of her, the tyrant raised his fist to bear down on Supergirl, believing she was too stubborn to give up the attack. He was proven wrong in the middle of his fist coming down, with Supergirl turning off her heat vision and side stepping his attack. This whole time, Spider-Man had still been keeping up his own attack, his punches hitting harder every time they connected. Now the strength of a Kryptonian would now be aimed at Darkseid.

The two heroes, having fought beside each other in many battles, now launched a joint assault on the Lord of Apokolips. Darkseid knew that Supergirl would be the biggest issue. Still possible to defeat, but not easily. And while Spider-Man would be easier to deal with, the longer the fight went on would make his defeat tougher to achieve. Another advantage Darkseid had was his eons of experience compared to the two heroes, his godly speed and strength far surpassing that of almost anyone that ever challenged him. He began to trade blows with Supergirl, each strike they landed on each other shaking the ground around them. In the middle of each move they made, Spider-Man would find an opening to get his own hit on Darkseid. The tyrant tried his best to land a blow on the enraged hero, but with the efforts of Spider-Man's agility, and with Supergirl still trying her best to take him out of the equation, Darkseid was unable to land a hit on either of the heroes.

Each time he tried to lash out at Supergirl, Spider-Man would intervene, and would himself dodge any attack meant for him. In a way, it was admirable just how well the two fought together. But for Darkseid, it was becoming an annoyance. “This farce has continued long enough!” Now tired with how long the fight had been going on for, Darkseid unleashed his Omega Beams on an unaware Supergirl, the ancient energy slamming into the Kryptonian, causing her immense pain despite her durable skin. To ensure she stayed down, Darkseid grabbed her by the neck, only to slam her into the ground, layers of rock and concrete giving way from the impact. Spider-Man, seeing his friend being harmed, roared out before pressing his one attack again. Lashes of red energy flew by him, the Omega Beams attempting to find a new target. Yet he persisted in avoiding damage.

“You are an oddity, Spider-Man. Such ferocity, such power. Yet no perception of how to use it!” The two powerhouses traded blows, though one combatant felt it more than the other. Even the fires of rage couldn't burn forever, as Spider-Man was quickly finding out. The flaming aura that coated his body was beginning to fade. The assault on both sides continued on, but this time Darkseid was in control. The only thing keeping Spider-Man in the fight was his reflexes. But this could only last so long. Any injuries he sustained while trading shots got little chance to heal. Any energy he had left was slowly slipping away, with Darkseid's punches getting closer and closer to landing a proper hit each time he tried. "It would seem you are tired, Spider-Man. How long can you persist before the end?" The tyrant of Apokolips chuckled as his assault continued, knowing his victory was only a matter of time now.

Despite his obvious fatigue, Spider-Man fought on with everything he had. Choosing the right moment, he flipped himself into the air, placing him right above Darkseid and in position for a heavy kick, like he had done earlier in the fight.Only this time his opponent was more aware, reaching up and grabbing Spider-Man by the ankle, wrenching him from the air and slamming him into the ground, just as he had done with Supergirl. A shattering of bones could be heard ringing out as Spider-Man impacted the concrete, coughing up blood. He had reached his limit, the fiery aura that surrounded him dissipated.

"A pity. Surviving my Omega Beams was an impressive feat. Perhaps if you had surrendered I may have considered sparing you. But you had to keep fighting me. So I shall give you one final chance - Join my army. Be my sword against the Multiverse! Or die..." No longer a request, or even an offer, but now a demand. An Ultimatum. The barely still breathing heap that was Spider-Man tried to respond, but only coughed up more blood. He knew he was done. "Is this how I go out? To him? After everything I've survived, everyone I've lost... He kills me?

Darkseid glared down at his fallen foe with disdain. Not because he hated the hero at all, but because he expected a much grander fight. In a fit of anger, he grabbed Spider-Man by the neck and lifted him up to bring him face to face "One last chance! Join me, or I will reduce you to ashes!" There was only one response that could be given - A surprise punch to the face. The world grew silent, as if someone had committed a horrible sin. Though here, it might as well be sinful to attack Darkseid, who was not pleased at all. But Spider-Man didn't care "Even dying is more preferable to joining you. Do your worst..."

"So be it..." For a second time, Spider-Man was thrown into the dirt, this time face first. The ground caved even further and more bones could be heard breaking. In a fit of rage, Darkseid pummeled the half conscious hero, each punch caving the ground more and more. Eventually, Spider-Man was left bloodied and broken. Without another word, the fearsome Omega Beams fired out, engulfing the heros body. As the dust settled, there was nothing left but charred concrete. Supergirl could only watch in horror as her friend was slain, tears filling her eyes as they began to glow a hot red, but her instincts kicked in, knowing she was now horribly outnumbered. “Peter… I'm sorry…”

With sorrow in her heart, she took to the skies, hoping to rejoin her comrades and get to safety now that their mission was complete. The Furies, having pulled themselves together from the beating they took, could only watch as she sped away. They were about to pursue until Darkseid spoke. “Leave her for now. Once the other earthlings hear of their fallen warrior, they will flee. They will have learned a valuable lesson today - Apokolips is mine. And none challenge me here!” His conquest complete, Darkseid motioned his Furies to fall back to the palace should the heroes have any other tricks to play before they retreated. As he left, he took one last look at where Spider-Man once was. "A pity. You could have been my finest warrior. The potential in your DNA would have thrived under my guidance. Now... Be dust."

Author's Note

Ok, so this is my first time back at this story again. I admittedly gave up when push came to shove but this time should be different. I only ask for any creative points of criticism and not just "This bad" sort of stuff.

Cheers guys, hope to hear more from you.

EDIT - Hopefully this new version works better for the story as a whole.