Washington, beneath the Spire of Sorcery.
Clark stood firm, his sharp gaze locked onto Hawkman as he shielded the others behind him. His fists were clenched, his stance unyielding.
Behind him, Lex Luthor rolled across the ground, bruised, blood staining the corner of his mouth. He adjusted his torn collar with effort.
"Thanks, Clark."
"It's nothing," Clark replied. "The sun's up. I've regained some strength."
Even as he spoke, his attention never left Hawkman.
Nearby, Selina Kyle and Victor Stone were down. Victor lay motionless, his condition unclear. Selina remained conscious, barely, slumped against a chunk of debris as she examined her twisted ankle with frustration.
Zatanna stood not far from them, her eyes bloodshot, streaks of blood running down her face. She struggled to maintain her magic, wiping fresh blood from her nose.
"Damn it… are they all this persistent? Ten hours… he's been fighting me for ten hours!"
Her voice broke as more blood welled in her eyes. Exhaustion weighed heavily on her, every spell draining what little strength she had left.
At her side, Floyd Lawton fought relentlessly. With no bullets left, he had long since abandoned ranged combat, relying instead on his blade to cut down the ghouls pressing in around them. Even without firearms, his precision and endurance made him indispensable.
Earlier in the battle, Hawkman's wings had been disabled, giving them an advantage. But that advantage disappeared the moment Lex lost his armor.
Without it, Lex became a liability. Unlike Victor or Selina, he had no fallback. Even with Clark protecting him, he struggled to stay alive.
Clark himself was far from his peak. He had yet to fully embrace his abilities. He could not even fly.
The fight had reached a fragile stalemate.
Hawkman could not break through Clark's defense, and Clark could not catch Hawkman's speed. Hawkgirl remained a constant interference, while Doctor Fate manipulated the battlefield from high above.
Bruce Wayne, his armor heavily damaged, focused on survival. He kept Hawkgirl occupied, drawing her away whenever possible, preventing her from joining Hawkman. That alone was enough.
High in the sky, Doctor Fate hovered beyond reach.
Only Zatanna could oppose him.
The clash between them was relentless. Nabu's power against Zatanna's backward magic. Both pushed to their limits, blood spilling as neither side gained full control.
Still, Zatanna had managed one crucial victory. She severed Doctor Fate's control over the Spire.
It was the only reason they were still standing.
The battle had begun around ten the previous night. Now it was past eight in the morning.
Everyone was nearing collapse.
Floyd remained the steadiest among them. His stamina bordered on absurd. He had endured far worse during assassinations, waiting days without rest for a single shot.
The others were not so fortunate.
Broken limbs, exhaustion, fading consciousness. Even Clark struggled to stay focused.
What frustrated him most was simple.
He could not land a hit.
Every attempt to catch Hawkman failed. Hawkgirl intervened, or Doctor Fate interfered, shifting positions and breaking momentum.
And now, things were getting worse.
Hawkman's wings were regenerating.
So was his armor.
Clark stared in disbelief.
What kind of metal repairs itself?
Then suddenly, his expression changed.
His eyes widened.
He heard it.
A sharp, high speed sound cutting through the sky.
Hope surged through him.
"Everyone… get ready," Clark said into the unstable comms. "Something's coming. Fast. It's probably Axel."
"Flying?" Lex frowned. "Why is he flying here? Planning to watch us suffer first?"
Selina let out a faint laugh despite her condition. "That does sound like him."
At the same time, Zatanna's focus slipped for a moment.
"Oh thank God… he's finally here, I… wait… no, I'm losing control again…"
Before she could finish, a deafening roar tore through the air.
Boom.
Every head tilted upward.
In an instant, Axel appeared in the sky, directly in front of Doctor Fate.
He grabbed him by the throat.
Without hesitation, Axel drove him straight down from two thousand meters, slamming him into the ground with catastrophic force. The impact rippled outward like a crashing ocean wave.
Doctor Fate reacted instantly, his body phasing as he tried to escape.
It did not matter.
Axel's flames clung to him, relentless, tearing into him even as he fled.
Moments later, Axel stood still.
Doctor Fate's head was in his hand.
With calm precision, Axel removed the Helmet of Fate and looked down at the lifeless eyes.
"It must be exhausting to keep going like this," he said casually. "I'll do you a favor. You can go to hell and see your loved one."
He paused, tilting his head slightly.
"What's that look for? You think you're going somewhere better?"
A faint grin formed.
"Don't be ridiculous."
He laughed, low and sharp.
Then he moved.
In the blink of an eye, Axel was in front of Hawkman.
Before Hawkman could react, Axel forced the Helmet of Fate straight into his mouth.
The force alone shattered Hawkman's jaw instantly.
Then came the shockwave.
Boom.
Clark stared, stunned.
The difference in strength was overwhelming.
In the sky, Hawkgirl cried out in anguish.
Bruce seized the opening and struck her hard, sending her crashing away.
Axel was already there.
He stepped through flames and caught her midair, holding her in place.
He looked at her, almost curious.
"You'll meet him again anyway," he said. "So why rush?"
His grip tightened.
In one brutal motion, he twisted her neck.
It snapped instantly.
Only then did Hawkman's body begin to crumble into dust.
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