When word spread that they were going to kill Steppenwolf, not only did her Mage Legion erupt with excitement, but even Highfather's Elite Guard struggled to contain their emotions.
They'd originally thought this would be just another routine skirmish. No one had expected such an honorable mission.
Avenge Queen Avia! That was the sentiment burning in everyone's hearts.
Legion members scattered toward their quarters, intent on retrieving their most prized equipment to use against Steppenwolf.
Gem Magic was convenient, quick, and efficient. This particular school of magic had truly flourished under Thea's guidance, and she'd subsequently introduced it to the Legion. Sargon the Sorcerer, resting in the heavens above, could finally rest easy knowing his legacy lived on.
Rare gems had now become strategic military resources for the Legion, ranked alongside adamantine and mithril. Once engaged with the enemy, tens of thousands of gems would be hurled at once—the spectacle of such magnificent, overwhelming force simply defied description.
Lower-ranked mages throwing gems imbued with high-level spells could turn the tide of almost any losing battle.
Now, hearing they were going to face Steppenwolf, everyone brought out their personal treasures, vowing to make the enemy pay dearly.
Reassembling the troops took some time. "Burning with passion" didn't begin to describe the fervor of these soldiers. Many silently cursed themselves for not learning more spells or practicing more combat techniques in their spare time.
"Justice will prevail!" Thea led them in a few rallying cries before opening a Boom Tube to Earth-2.
The orange-red portal remained open for an entire day, finally transporting the entire army through.
Steppenwolf's forces were also deploying. Thea gazed across at them, a shadow passing over her expression. The enemy had concentrated all their troops in what should have been Metropolis. The once-thriving City of Hope had become utterly lifeless.
In this timeline, Metropolis had suffered catastrophic destruction the moment Steppenwolf arrived. Lois Lane was dead. Jimmy Olsen was dead. This universe had no bald Luthor, but Lena Luthor had also perished on this soil. The Superman who once brought hope to the people had transformed into something else entirely—becoming one of the very monsters he'd once fought to destroy. Fear, confusion, dread... negative emotions permeated this world, clinging to every survivor.
This world shouldn't be so desolate. If there's no hope here, then I'll bring it myself!
Pale blue. Azure. Brilliant cyan. A faint blue glow first emanated from her body, and as her conviction strengthened, the light intensified.
The Light of Hope!
Thea felt a profound calm wash through her heart. She hadn't expected this—in this universe, in this land already half-destroyed by evil, the World Will had helped ignite the flame of hope within her.
She'd assumed Rage would be the third emotion she'd master. Instead, Hope had arrived first, reaching a level of complete control.
The World Will was pleading with her. Save this land. Save the intelligent beings here. Thea agreed without hesitation. Purging evil and bringing new hope to this world—that was her mission now.
The emotion of Hope inspired all those fighting for justice. Orion and Bekka didn't understand what Thea had done, but they could feel their convictions solidifying and their combat power rising. That much was undeniably real.
The soldiers were affected even more profoundly. Everyone felt strength surging through them, as if the entire Legion's combat effectiveness had increased by twenty percent out of thin air.
This was the power that Hope brought.
"We should strike now while morale is at its peak! One decisive charge!" Orion, the second-generation New God, felt divine power continuously rising within him and excitedly suggested the attack.
Thea closed her eyes to commune with the emotion of Hope, completely unmoved by his suggestion. Are you kidding me? This was a Mage Legion, not a cavalry unit. Did he think everyone was Gandalf, charging in with a sword in one hand and a staff in the other?
Blockhead! She mentally tagged Orion with that label before turning her gaze toward the distance.
A sinister, cold pair of eyes met hers directly.
Steppenwolf, God of Hate! His strength had at least quadrupled since their last encounter. His true form had personally arrived on Earth-2.
She quietly assessed the balance of power between them. In terms of raw strength, he probably had a slight edge over her. After all, he was Yuga Khan's brother, Darkseid's uncle. Even without any new breakthroughs, the sheer accumulation of divine power over such an immense lifespan should put him above her.
But now, with the emotion of Hope gathered within her, it was truly hard to say who would win.
Simultaneously, another figure radiating malevolent energy entered her field of vision. A figure in crimson robes seemed to sense Thea's gaze and removed his hood, looking up to meet her eyes.
Disgusting. His face was cracked and twisted, the exposed skin an iron-gray color. His eyes gleamed with murky malice. Apparently sensing her scrutinizing gaze, he began muttering words in some evil tongue before vanishing from her sight.
Oh? This one's a caster! His methods differed from traditional mages—more like a warlock or sorcerer.
Rather than manipulating physical elements like earth, fire, water, and wind, he wielded the power of demons and Hell. That was the fundamental difference between him and Thea.
This was DeSaad, one of Darkseid's generals, a member of the Dark Elite, the one who managed Apokolips's internal affairs—the God of Pain. His strength was slightly inferior to Steppenwolf's, but his methods were far more varied and troublesome.
Both sides had deployed two New Gods each. Pairing off against opponents for decisive battles was inevitable.
Thea considered her options. Should she face Steppenwolf herself and let the slightly weaker Orion handle DeSaad?
Or should it be warrior versus warrior, mage versus mage—eliminate DeSaad quickly, then go support Orion?
One approach was steady, the other aggressive. Thea didn't rush into battle. Instead, she ordered the army to first set up camp in Gotham, establish a temporary magical network, organize equipment, and set up teleportation nodes. A Mage Legion required extensive preparation before it could unleash its full combat potential.
The mighty army descended from the sky upon Gotham. Surviving citizens emerged from streets and alleyways, secretly observing these soldiers who seemed so out of place in their devastated world.
When numbers exceeded ten thousand, they seemed to cover the mountains and fields—and this was a million. Dark robes, pristine white staffs... the mages' appearance made the survivors feel like they'd fallen into a dream. This can't be real... are they filming a movie?
The New Gods paid no attention to what ordinary people thought. Thea began constructing the temporary magical network while her subordinates spread out to manage the camp.
Terraform Spell. Gust Spell. Flame Spell. Disintegration Spell.
Tall buildings were toppled, dust was swept away, vegetation was burned, garbage was dissolved. Bekka was experienced in this, methodically directing the army in setting up the camp.
Her boyfriend Orion tried several times to chat with her but was coldly pushed aside each time. Get lost! Can't you see I'm busy?
Thea was equally occupied. The magical network was indeed a powerful tool, but its limitations were significant. Even with Highfather's vast resources, it was impossible to build a network covering the entire Multiverse. This meant they had to establish a temporary local network wherever they went, then connect it back to New Genesis.
The work was both tedious and boring, yet she was the only magical deity on this side—there was no way to slack off.
As Thea worked with a resigned expression, she inadvertently heard someone nearby mentioning her name.
Listening closely, she nearly burst out laughing.
Outside the camp, two old men were peering at them through binoculars.
It was Old Batman and Old Green Arrow.
"Did you see her display of power just now? That pure, holy radiance... how could she possibly be your daughter?!" Old Batman didn't know what the Light of Hope was. He only knew that after looking at Thea a couple of times, the pain that had plagued him for so long seemed to ease.
Thea gave a few instructions to her adjutant Bekka, who immediately sent people to escort the two old men into the camp.