After a long search, Batman crouched between two massive rocks, his sharp eyes catching something faint beneath the dust.
"It's here," he said. "Looks like an altar—or maybe a summoning circle. Mera, come take a look."
Mera knelt beside him, brushing away the sand and debris. Her eyes scanned the faint inscriptions carved into the tiles beneath them. She whispered as she read.
"The strongest of mankind… a king among gods… a name forged from six wizards… Shazam."
"Shazam?" Deathstroke muttered, confused.
No one else recognized the name. Even Mera, who had lived for centuries, felt only a vague familiarity.
And then, before anyone could speak again, a blinding flash of lightning erupted from the ruins.
Thunder cracked so loud it shook the entire mountain. White light swallowed the chamber, casting the team's shadows against the stone walls.
When the thunder faded, all seven of them had already moved to defensive positions.
No one gave the order—each of them had survived too long not to know when to prepare for a fight.
Batman stayed perfectly still, scanning the cavern through the fading haze. Then he saw it.
In the center of the rocks, within the circle, a figure knelt—broad, motionless, cloaked in black.
"You are… Black Adam?" Batman asked quietly, stepping closer.
It wasn't hard to guess. The name Mera had read was the key, the very incantation that had broken the ancient seal.
But what was this place?
Above the rocks had been the cursed crown that could summon demons.
Now beneath them—this sealed powerhouse from ages past.
What kind of wizards used one ruin as a storage site for damnation itself?
The figure gave no response. He remained kneeling, silent, like a statue rediscovering how to breathe. But Batman heard it—the slight change in his breathing pattern. He was awake.
Batman gave a quick hand signal. Instantly, the others readied themselves.
Cyborg's arm reconfigured into a plasma cannon.
Deathstroke drew his twin blades, the steel gleaming in the flickering light.
Atom adjusted his suit, ready to shrink or expand in a heartbeat.
Doctor Fate's golden aura flared subtly at his fingertips.
Every movement was measured. Every eye focused on the man before them.
Then, slowly, the black-robed figure rose. His head turned slightly, his hood casting deep shadows over his face as he looked around.
He was gauging them, weighing threats like a predator waking from hibernation.
When he finally spoke, his voice was rough, deep, and ancient. "Who are you?"
Batman answered evenly. "We need you, Black Adam."
The man's eyes narrowed. "Need me?"
"Earth is dying," Mera said, stepping forward. "We need your help—to fight the one destroying it."
Her voice caught his attention. He tilted his head toward her. "That voice… you're the one who awakened me."
His hood fell away, revealing a bald, scarred face etched with power and rage. The air around him vibrated with raw energy.
"Yes," Mera replied firmly. "You've slept for thousands of years. Now, the world teeters on the edge of ruin. Even Kandak—your home—has fallen to Parademons."
"Parademons?" His brow furrowed.
At the mention of his homeland, something inside him snapped awake. Without warning, he shot upward, tearing through the roof of the cavern with a violent blast.
The ruins trembled as debris rained down.
"Damn it," Batman hissed, sprinting after him. "Stop him before he draws attention! Too much noise will bring him here!"
But it was already too late.
Batman had prepared countless scenarios—ways to reason with or recruit Black Adam.
He'd even considered having the Joker appeal to the man's twisted sense of humanity. Anything to make him fight for Earth.
Yet all those plans fell apart the instant Mera mentioned Kandak.
When they emerged from the ruins, the damage was done.
A horde of Parademons had already been drawn to the noise, their wings slicing through the air like locusts.
Black Adam hovered in the air above them, his eyes blazing.
The first wave of Parademons descended—and with one wordless gesture, he unleashed a bolt of lightning that obliterated them all.
The explosion lit up the desert night. But it didn't stop the swarm.
From every direction, more came—a flood of wings and claws blotting out the stars.
As Batman looked up, his jaw tightened. The sky was black with them.
"Damn it!" he barked. "Everyone fall back! Black Adam—come with us! Now!"
The sound was deafening—millions of wings beating in unison, creating a monstrous hum that shook the earth. It was like standing inside a living storm.
Even Black Adam paused. His eyes scanned the endless swarm, and realization hit him.
So this was what "doomsday" meant.
He nodded once to Batman. "Go."
With that, he twisted in midair and flew in the opposite direction, tearing through the dark like a lightning bolt.
Batman and the others followed from the ground, trying to keep pace.
Then—a sound split the sky.
A sonic boom ripped through the clouds, louder than any thunder they'd heard.
A red-and-blue streak came crashing down from the heavens.
Superman.
Before anyone could react, Superman's fist connected with Black Adam's chest, slamming him out of the air and into the ground like a meteor. The impact shook the desert floor.
Batman froze, his voice low. "He's here…"
The team stood in silence, none daring to move.
Atom's voice quivered. "Do we… help him? Or run?"
Batman's hand went to his belt, pulling out his final shard of green Kryptonite. "We wait. I want to see how strong Black Adam really is."
From the crater, a storm of lightning erupted. Superman was thrown back, tumbling through the air as electricity scorched his chestplate.
Black Adam rose again, blood running down his face but fury burning in his eyes.
He was still ready to fight.
Batman's eyes flashed with cold hope. "Magic hurts him. That's our edge…"
Superman recovered instantly, his expression unreadable. He blurred forward in a burst of speed, dodging through the storm of lightning until he was face-to-face with Black Adam again.
His fist collided with Adam's jaw, sending the antihero tumbling through the sky.
Before he could recover, Superman was already there again, another punch, then another—each one cracking through the air like artillery.
The hits came faster than sound.
Black Adam's face was a bloodied ruin by the tenth blow.
Finally, Superman stopped, his hand closing around Adam's throat. His eyes glowed red.
Twin beams of Heat Vision pierced through Black Adam's chest.
The scream that followed echoed across the wasteland.
Batman's jaw clenched. He flipped backward into cover. "Retreat. Now."
"Dr. Fate, Cyborg—open us an exit route!" he commanded.
He knew what they were facing.
A Superman who had abandoned morality wasn't just powerful—he was unstoppable.
And Black Adam, despite his divine strength, was already fading.
Batman's mind turned grim. There was only one card left to play now.
Maybe summoning hell itself was their only shot at survival.
_____
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