The clash of the power of Empty Hand and the Shadow Monarch had become a storm that spanned the universe. Arthur and the Empty Hand circled each other in the darkness like two primordial forces of nature, their forms silhouetted against the void that had become a canvas for their cosmic battle. The ground beneath them had long since ceased to exist, it had been vaporized, reduced to nothing by the sheer force of their battle. They floated in the void above the planet, their power radiating outward in waves that seemed to shake the very foundations of reality. Arthur attacked first, his hand rising, his eyes blazing with violet fire. The Abyss responded to his call, its shadows surging forward like a tide of absolute annihilation, their forms writhing and shifting with all of his will. He could feel the familiar embrace of his realm, the comfort of its darkness. He had claimed countless enemies within its depths, had erased beings that had existed for millennia. This would be no different.
But the Empty Hand simply raised its own hand, and the shadows stopped.
They did not falter, they simply ceased to exist, as if the very concept of shadow had been erased from the fabric of reality. The Abyss receded, its presence fading, its power neutralized by a force that was more absolute, more fundamental.
Arthur's eyes widened.
The Empty Hand was amused, "That will not work against me, Monarch of the Dead. Your control is lacking." It paused, its eyes burning. "With no control over the concept of death, you have no hold over beings like myself. You are a pretender, a borrower of power that was never truly yours. You wear the mantle of death, but you do not truly command it, but you know that already."
Arthur's jaw tightened, his power surging, his eyes blazing brighter. He could feel the truth of the Empty Hand's words, could feel his own limitations, he knew that the concept of Death belonged to Didi alone. But he did not yield.
The Empty Hand added. "I know you are after Darkseid as well." It paused, its form shifting, growing more oppressive. "And I can tell you for certain... you cannot defeat his true form with the way you are right now. He is a being of cosmic order, of absolute will, one who seeks the Anti-Life itself. You are merely a fragment of a fragment, a shadow of a shadow.."
Arthur said in defiance. "Just because you cannot, it does not mean I cannot."
The Empty Hand laughed. "Arrogant fool. I am the end of all stories." It paused, its eyes burning brighter. "Including his. Including yours. I have seen beings who call themselves gods born and die at the hands of my creations. I have erased entire universes from existence. And you...you are nothing but a brief flicker in the endless darkness.."
Arthur's smile was thin. "I can see the future." He paused, his eyes blazing with violet fire. "And my story does not end today."
They clashed, their darkness met in the center of the void, a collision of primordial forces that sent shockwaves rippling across the universe. Arthur's fists were wrapped in shadow, his blows landing with a cosmic force. The Empty Hand met him blow for blow, its form shifting and writhing, its power pressing against Arthur.
Each impact sent ripples across reality, stars themselves flickered. The dead universe that had been a home for Earth-7 became a battleground for forces that had existed for so long.
Arthur's fist connected with the Empty Hand's jaw, the impact sending shockwaves and The Empty Hand's counterblow landed on Arthur's chest, cracking his armor, sending him hurtling backward through the darkness.
They circled each other again, their eyes locked, their power surging. Arthur's breathing was ragged, his armor cracked, his power fading slowly. But his eyes still blazed with the fire of defiance.
Arthur's eyes narrowed. He noticed something, something that made his blood run cold. The Earth below them was untouched. The battle that was tearing apart the universe itself had not touched the planet. It was protected, shielded by a power that was not his own.
His voice was barely a whisper, as he realized something dire.. and at the same time, he just heard what Korin Zor-El just said to Raven down in the Fortress of solitude, confirming his theory. "The machine is the Earth itself..."
The Empty Hand smiled."I see that you finally realize what the machine truly is."
Arthur's eyes blazed with fury, "Bastard... you turned an entire world into a fucking machine.."
The Empty Hand's laugh was low. "This is why I said you have no chance at reversing what you want to reverse." It paused. "This universe was merely an anchor for this. The planet itself is the tool I am using to unleash the Great Darkness." Its voice dropped to a whisper. "And all shall return to it once again."
Arthur's power surged, his eyes blazing with violet fire. He unleashed everything, every fragment of his power. The Abyss erupted around him, its shadows surging forward. He could feel his power pressing against the Empty Hand's defenses, could feel the ancient power of death itself struggling against the primordial darkness of the Empty Hand.
But the Empty Hand was still stronger.
Their battle continued, but Arthur was weakening, and his strength was waning.
The Empty Hand's fist connected with his shadow helmet, and his entire shadow armor shattered.
Arthur was sent hurtling through the void, his body crashing into the broken surface of Earth-7, his armor in ruins, his blood pooling beneath him. He tried to rise, but his body refused to obey. His vision blurred, his consciousness fading. The Empty Hand descended, its hand closing around his entire body, its grip like iron.
The Empty Hand grew massive, its form towering over Arthur."Now you will watch as it descends upon everything." Its grip tightened, its voice dropping to a whisper. "And the first light that will go off will be yours and your loved one here... alongside the last remaining sign of life on this universe."It paused, "The Kryptonian child."
Arthur's eyes blazed with defiance, blood dripping from his face, his power gathering for one last attempt. He could feel the Empty Hand's power pressing against his very being now.
He would still not yield, and then, a massive flame connected with the Empty Hand's hand.
The fire tore through the darkness, its heat searing through the Empty Hand's grip. The Empty Hand released Arthur, its form recoiling, its eyes widening with surprise. The flame was unlike anything Arthur had ever seen, it was not fire in the conventional sense, but something more fundamental, something destructive.
Arthur's eyes widened as he looked toward the direction the flame had come from.
A voice emerged from the sky, amused, he was watching the battle and decided to intervene.
"Well, well..." The voice was smooth and confident, and full of absolute power. "What a pitiful sight. I didn't expect to find you looking like this, Monarch of Shadows."
"I guess I have to save you, don't I?" The voice was mocking, clearly enjoying this far too much. "I mean, I was just passing through. I didn't plan on getting involved. But seeing you like this... it's almost embarrassing really. The great Shadow Monarch, reduced to a broken mess on a dead planet. If your shadows could see you now, they'd be horrified... what am I saying of course they see you."
He laughed sharply.
"What am I saying? Of course they see you. They're always watching, aren't they? Always lurking in your shadow like loyal little puppies.. I bet they're absolutely mortified right now. Their king, their monarch, their all-powerful ruler... choking on the fist of some cosmic horror. How the mighty have fallen, eh?"
Arthur's eyes narrowed, his body still aching, his power still flickering.
The Empty Hand's eyes burned with cold fury, as it demanded.
"Who dares interfere?"
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