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All Characters are owned by DC Comics. The following was completed for non profit, entertainment only. "A Dooms Day" By Shawn Murphy Kidcodeine@aol.com Ltcfan@hotmail.com A DC Elseworlds w/Superman, Doomsday, and Hal Jordan (Green Lantern). Premise: It's nearing the end of Superman's first battle with Doomsday, when things take a turn that differs from the original outcome. -------------------------------------------
-Think hard, Clark,- Kal-El, the last son of Krypton told himself. -Everything I've witnessed, everything I've been part of or accomplished in my life; After all of that, it can't end like this. I can't let it.- Superman looked down at the wound, wincing at the pain that came from his torso as he angled himself to better view his injury. He could see it clearly now; it was several inches long, and very deep. His inside was exposed. An artery, he was fairly sure, which was the cause of the bleeding, and several bones. Superman selected the broken artery carefully, found the other end of it, and pinched them together. The pain was blinding. He bit his lip, tasted his blood. Concentrating, Superman glared hard at the mesh of tissue at the tip of his fingers and cauterized the arteries back together with his heat vision. Pain, again. After a few moments, the bleeding slowed down. Taking a deep breath, Superman frowned at the smell that now rose from his wound. He had only experienced that smell a few times in the past. But he knew this would stop the bleeding, and he sensed it would kill any possible infections the creature may have carried with him from where ever he came. The air around him also reeked of charred flesh; although human. If there was one drawback to possessing heightened senses, it would be his inability to shut it off. It reminded him of chaos and burning and death and pain. It turned his stomach, and almost brought tears to his eyes. It reminded him of what he was put on this planet to do, and it reminded him, again, why he couldn't let the Doomsday creature win. The Justice League was gone now, they couldn't help. Earlier that day they had confronted and been severely defeated by Doomsday. And there was no way of contacting the prestigious Green Lantern Corps for aid. The GL Corps were deep in space, hours away by travel for the Man of Steel, and there was no time. Superman would stand his ground, or die trying. He watched Doomsday spot him, growl, and begin to charge like a bull. The Man of Steel dug deep into his mind as the creature moved at him. He remembered years earlier to a battle almost as perilous as this. There was a time when he and the rest of Earth's heroes had fought long and hard to defend the Earth from alien invaders. Batman had persevered as leader, of course, as well as a skilled warrior. Superman had always carried a deep admiration for him, a man who could boast no super-abilities other than that which he had learned. He was impressed with it all; to the best of his knowledge, Kryptonians had never completed such a symbiotic relationship between mind and body as Batman had in his unique art form, which he had adopted from Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Kendo, and several other martial arts. The man knew it all. Superman remembered how Batman had depended on this when an opponent charged him during that battle. What was that move the Dark Knight used again while an opponent charged him? Doomsday was upon him now, and Superman remembered. Stepping aside so quickly no one could have seen him, Superman grabbed Doomsday's extended arm, using the creature's motion against him. As the creature fell past him, the Man of Steel brought his knee up against the creature's groin. The breath knocked out of the Doomsday creature sent a mailbox flying through a bus. Doomsday fell to his knees. Superman sank his elbow into the back of the creature's head, straight and hard. Doomsday fell to the ground, groaning. Superman started to move back, but it was too late. Doomsday swung out an enormous arm and swept Superman's feet out from under him. Something cracked and Superman felt a sharp pain run up his leg. It had been broken. Superman looked at the Doomsday monster, who was standing over him with a steel girder in his hand. When had he stood up? When had he grabbed that? His speed and agility continued to shock Superman. Doomsday swung at the Man of Steel, who barely moved out of the way. The girder left a scar in the sidewalk, and Superman avoided what could have been a paralyzing injury. The Last Son of Krypton looked at his hand, scraped by the girder. It went numb. And then he heard something no one could have blocked out. A sonic boon not unlike the sound he made during some of his quickest retreats to the Fortress of Solitude. It came from space, from straight above the eastern seaboard and flew by Superman so quickly it left him in circles. It left a residue of green energy in its path, too. Superman glanced down toward Doomsday. The creature was pinned, getting whaled on by a monstrosity of a mallet that glowed green. At the receiving end of the mallet, Doomsday. At the generous end of the long stream of concentrated green energy was a tiny ring donned by Hal Jordan, a Green Lantern. -Thank you, Lord,- Superman sighed in relief. -Lord? Why so formal. Stick to 'Hal.' It's more 'me.'- the GL responded telepathically, using his ring to do so. If there was anyone in the universe who could help defeat the monster, it was one of the elite members of the Green Lantern Corps. The fact Hal Jordan was the one who came to help was even better. His talents and experience made him a priceless addition to the fight. But he knew there was really little time for thanks. He nodded at Hal, assuming the ring would pick up his thoughts as well, as though they were communicating in space like they had so many times in the past. -You came,- Superman said, -How did you know? I thought the Corps could turn this around, hoped they were nearby … - -And we received those thoughts. That's one of the ring's redeeming qualities. We weren't nearby, but I heard what happened to the Justice League. I was on OA when it happened and left for Earth right away to see if I could be of any help. Superman watched Doomsday get up and glance around, confused. He turned to Hal, -Thank you. You can be. I need … Metropolis needs your help. Earth needs your help.- Superman caught the flailing Doomsday in mid air, swung him around for added momentum, and threw him into the ground, creating a large crater in the concrete. He felt a new will now that had not been there before. With Hal's help there was much better odds. Superman never fed off the glory of a fight, was never selfish when it came to battling like some of his peers had been, and a former member of the GL Corps was there now. The Man of Steel welcomed help with open arms. Everything seemed far less futile. Superman came down on Doomsday feet first, pushing him into the ground like a wedge in a tree stump. Above them, Hal produced a nine iron that stood several stories high. Superman moved to the side, doing his best to keep the creature pinned by melting the tar around the creature with his heat vision, and making it difficult to manage in much less stand up in. -Fore!,- Hal announced so nonchalantly Superman looked at him with a smirk. But Doomsday stood still as the immense golf club came down on him, straining. The sound emitted shattered several windows in the block radius. -My God. I've never seen that happen,- Hal said. -I mean, he's not yellow in hue … - Superman looked around. Doomsday was nowhere to be seen. At closer look, Superman saw that he was still on top of Hal, now over a block away. Hal struggled. Superman caught one of his thoughts. It was one of hysterics, fear. -Get off me …- A blinding explosion of green light penetrated the hold Doomsday had on Hal, but not completely, and the creature was back on top of the Green Lantern before Superman could blink an eye. The Man of Steel saw blood fly from Hal's mouth as Doomsday stuck him across the face. The green mask covering the emerald warrior's face lost consistency and faded with Hal's will. Superman flew at them, his shoulder pointed sharply at the small of the creature's back. Doomsday screamed in pain when the Man of Steel hit, but turned around in a flash, slapping the Man of Steel with the back of his hand. The bony protrusion on the creature's knuckle cut Superman's cheek as he went flying backward. Superman saw water spring up from the ground in all directions. He had knocked over a fire hydrant when the creature hit him. Doomsday had the hydrant in his hands now. He lifted it over Hal's head and Superman saw a look of sheer terror on Hal's face. He looked so vulnerable without his mask. Hal . . ! Doomsday lifted the yellow object over its head and brought it down hard on Hal's face. Superman's ear picked up the sound of several bones crushing. He could hear Hal's heart beat fade, and then stop almost instantly. There was no more breath in his limp body. Superman jumped at the Doomsday creature, and with both hands fisted, knocked him in the head. Than holding the creature over his head, Superman threw him several blocks away where Superman had spotted a deserted gas station. There was an explosion when Doomsday hit. Superman knew it would only slow him down. Looking down at Hal, Superman had to catch his breath. Hal was unrecognizable. Superman looked through the Green Lantern's flesh and could see there was nothing to be done. Placing his hand across Hal's crippled face, the Man of Steel closed the dead man's eyes. -First the Justice League. Now the life of a friend, and the finest Green Lantern I've ever known. Clark, it's got to end here.- -So quickly. I can't . . I can't believe it … - Superman felt a strange sensation on his hand; the one that had been broken. He moved it around without so much as a twinge of discomfort, as if it had never been broken. On his index finger he noticed something that had not been there before. There was now a small green ring. It fit perfectly, as though it had been designed for him. It seemed to have forged itself to the Man of Steel's flesh, like an extension of his hand. Superman felt a boost both physically and emotionally as he stood up and turned to face his opponent. He watched Doomsday round a corner. The creature looked like a furious asteroid; unstoppable, and afire. Soaked in burning gasoline that had no affect on him, the creature charged him again. Superman looked down at his hand. The ring glowed brightly. He made a fist and felt a surge of raw power he had never felt before. Opening his mouth, Superman heard a voice so overcome with determination he hardly recognized it as his own, "Doomsday, your time has come."
All characters are ™ DC Comics
This story is © 1999 by Shawn Murphy.
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