Chapter 62: A Race to the End
Supergirl:
Jumping through the portal and landing in Jump City, I turn around and watch as everyone else follows after me. Even Zatanna, John, and Ares are here.
"Ahh," Ares moans, shaking a little. "I am used to that kind of travel."
"Yo," John says, helping steady Ares. "You okay?"
"I am fine," Ares answers, shaking his head.
"You better be fine," Reverse-Flash says. "According to you, we only have minutes to stop the Lords of Order before they can complete the ritual."
"Everyone," I shout, waving my hand in the air. "Come on!"
Jumping and flying into the air, I lead the charge toward the library's entrance. As we all either run or fly toward the doors, I hear something moving and turn my head.
"Watch out," I scream. Stopping in mid-air, I fly and grab Cheetah and Reverse-Flash before they can get crushed.
"What the heck is that," Cheetah asks after I fly them back. All of us stop and watch as the two statues beside the stone stairs come to life. Dust falls from the two stone giants as they move their arms and legs. Standing up fully now, the two statues' stone eyes turn a bright yellow color.
"A magical bobby trap," John says, "The bloody bastards!"
The statues turn their heads to us. Pulling back their massive arms, they throw them forward.
"Watch out," I scream again, pushing everyone back. Looking at the stone giants as they throw their arms forward, they punch the ground nowhere near us, causing an earthquake that shakes us but doesn't knock any of us off our feet.
"They...miss," Firestorm says.
"No," Zatanna says, "They didn't. Incoming!"
When the stone giants punch the ground, they make cracks that appear all over the stairs. The giants punch the ground again, making cracks that reach all the way down to the streets. Punching the ground a third time, part of the stairs and the street break off. The pieces that break off fly into the air and gather around each other. They combine into human-like bodies and surround us.
One of the stone giants pulls back his arm again and this time, without a doubt, he throws it at us. Using my laser visions, I shoot at his arm, burning and destroying it. While this stone giant steps back, the other stone giant and all the stone monsters around us attack.
"Heads up," Slade yells as one of the stone monsters lunges for him. Pulling out one of his guns, he shoots the stone monster in the head. Slade doesn't destroy it but he does force it back. As Slade forces the stone monster to step back, he pulls out his sword and slices the head off. The rest of us do our best to destroy the stone monsters and even the stone giant.
Working with Blue Beetle, we fly up and fire at the stone giant's head, blinding him. While he is blinded, Firestorm sneaks up from behind and throws a fireball at the leg.
"Supergirl," Zantanna shouts, a beam shooting out of her top hat and hitting a stone monster. However, despite the stone monster being destroyed and breaking into hundreds of pieces, those pieces fly into the air and re-form themselves.
"Ahhh," Captain Cold screams, freezing a stone monster. "I am getting really sick of enemies that can't just die!"
"Supergirl," Zantanna shouts again. "These stone monsters are nothing more than distraction! We need to get into the library now!"
"Then go," Oliver yells, stabbing a stone monster in the head with one of his trick arrows. A second later, the stone monster's head explodes and it falls to the ground. "We can handle this!"
I nod my head and look at the group.
"Zantanna! John! Ares! Follow me!"
The three look up at me and nod their heads. They fight their way out and toward the library's entrance. As the three head for the entrance, the stone giants, the one without an arm and the one without a leg, move toward us.
"Go," Blue Beetle says. "As Oliver said, we can handle these perdedores!"
The giant without a leg reaches up to try and grab me but Blue Beetle shoots one of his arm cannons and destroys the giant's hand.
"Thanks," I say before flying off. Breaking through the collapsed entrance, the four of us then look around for where the Lords of Order went.
Green Arrow:
A stone monster lunging for me, I jump and flip through the air. While in mid-air, I quickly fire an arrow. My arrow bursts into a net that captures and traps the stone monster.
"Beaten," I say with a smile, "But not destroyed."
Hearing a bunch of footsteps and roaring, I look further up the stairs and see a bunch of the stone monsters chasing after Supergirl and the others.
"Stay here," I say, firing another arrow. This arrow leaves behind a cable as it hits the ledge of the library. Jumping into the air, my arrow pulls me up. Pushing a button, I cut the cable and fall in front of the stone monsters.
"You want to get inside," I say, pulling out a handful of trick arrows from my quiver. "You have to get through me."
The stone monsters all charge at me. They run up the stairs and attack me. One of them even throws pieces of itself at me. Jumping and rolling out of the way, I pull my back bowstring and shoot the stone monster. Firing an ice arrow, it hits the stone monster and freezes it.
Firing more net arrows and ice arrows, I beat the stone monsters without destroying them. Reaching behind me to grab another arrow, I load it into my bow and aim it at another stone monster. However, about to let go, something happens.
All of a sudden, I can't breathe. The world starts shaking, and my arms and legs go numb. As they go numb, I can no longer hold up my bow and arrow.
"Nooo," I say weakly. Looking up, I see three stone monsters charging toward me.
Lord Structure:
"The gem is here," we all chant, holding up our hands. "The gem is to be sacrificed. The gem will open the portal."
As we keep chanting, the stones around us start glowing dark red. The torches are blown out but we are not left in the dark. In the center of the ritual ground, there is a large statue, bigger than any others. Place directly in its open palm is Raven.
From down on the ground, I can see ancient markings appear all over her arms.
"The gem will open the portal. The gem will unleash him. The gem will---"
During the chant, Sister Symmetry is hit in the back. She falls to the floor with a smoking back.
"Who dares interrupt the ritual," I scream. The other lords and I turn around to see Zatanna, John Constantine, Ares, and Supergirl.
"We dare interrupt your ritual," John Constantine answers with a smirk, pointing at himself and the others. "As surprising as this may sound, we rather this world not burn. After all, where else can I find Boston Ale than in Boston?"
Reaching into his coat jacket, John Constantine pulls out a small dagger with a blue blade. Aiming the blade at Count Control, he fires a beam that freezes Count Control's hand.
"Gotcha," Constantine says. Seeing this, Count Control breaks the ice around his hand. He then teleports, appearing behind Constantine and firing a beam. Constantine jumps out of the way and rolls into the ritual ground. He starts running, with Count Control flying behind him.
Hearing a battle cry, I turn my head to see Ares with a large black sword in his hand. Jumping from the entrance, Ares dives toward Master Pattern but Master Pattern catches Ares's sword in his hands.
"Get Raven out of here," Zatanna says. "Without her, the ritual won't work!"
Supergirl nods her head and flies to Raven. However, before she can reach her, Sister Symmetry fires a magical beam at her. Supergirl is knocked into the ceiling before falling to the floor.
Watching as Sister Symmetry fires another magical beam, I hear a footstep and turn around to see Zatanna stepping out of a trick box, the trick box fading away seconds later.
"Zatanna," I say, holding out my hands and filling them with order magic. "Do not be foolish. I know you can sense it too. The natural balance is dramatically out of order. We are simply trying to restore it."
"By unleashing Trigon and having him destroy everything," Zatanna says, pulling her out top hat and wand. "No. This world may be broken but I still believe we can save it. Me and everyone fighting out there."
"You are on the wrong side," I state.
"No," Zatanna replies. "No, I'm not."
Bringing my hands together, I combine the magic together and fire a golden beam at Zatanna.