In the darkest, most hopeless corner of the universe.
Apokolips.
A planet utterly transformed by industrial pollution and endless war. The sky is a perpetual, dim crimson. Countless ugly, smoke-belching metal towers loom above the land. Demons scurry between vast forges of pain, shrieking like laborers.
At the planet's heart stands a grand, desperately dark fortress of scorched metal. Deep within, in the throne room, an incomparably burly, mountain-like figure sits silently atop a throne forged from the wreckage of countless conquered worlds.
He is Darkseid. Sovereign of Apokolips, tyrant of the cosmos, embodiment of evil among the New Gods.
At this moment, his chin rests on one hand. With an indifferent and almost cruel gaze, he looks down at several kneeling female warriors. These are the Female Furies, the universe's most ruthless and powerful female fighters, his sharpest knives.
"...We have completely subdued the Gygax System. Over half the natives have been turned into new demons; the rest will be sent to the crucible of pain within three days."
The Granny Goodness reports their accomplishment, her tone filled with respect and fervor.
Darkseid's stone-chiseled face betrays no emotion. He nods slowly, his voice low enough to freeze one's soul.
"Very good.
Keep it up.
Go, and spread the darkness of Apokolips to more worlds.
Obey my command! Go!"
The Female Furies, granted their reprieve, salute and withdraw immediately.
At that moment, a hunchbacked figure silently emerges from the shadows of the hall. It is Desaad, chief scientist and master of torture on Apokolips – Darkseid's most loyal minion.
"Great master."
Desaad approaches the throne, bows deeply, and rasps,
"There seems to be... a small problem regarding Steppenwolf."
His original plan was for Steppenwolf to retrieve Earth's three Mother Boxes, open a Boom Tube to Apokolips, and then report the "discovery of the Anti-Life Equation" as a feat and victory to Darkseid. That way, he could not only share in the glory of conquering Earth, but also claim credit for uncovering the "ultimate weapon."
But who could have guessed Steppenwolf would be so utterly useless, failing even on Earth... and losing his life there!
This caused Desaad's plan to veer off course, leaving him on the defensive.
"Steppenwolf?"
Darkseid's gaze instantly chills, his voice filled with disdain and disgust.
"That traitor, that mongrel... What's so noteworthy about him?"
Darkseid never had any fondness for this uncle of his. If he didn't still have some use, Darkseid would have thrown him into the furnace of pain to burn for ten thousand years.
"He... he is dead, master."
Desaad says cautiously.
"Eh?"
Darkseid's brows twitch.
"Dead?"
He snorts coldly.
"That traitor was always mediocre, but not so easily killed. How did he die?"
"To return to my point, master. The details are unclear, but I only know he perished... on Earth."
Desaad watches Darkseid's face carefully.
The mention of "Earth" makes Darkseid's face turn momentarily ugly. That small, insignificant blue planet is the only stain of failure in his glorious history of conquest!
Tens of thousands of years ago, in his youth, the so-called "old gods" and their allies drove him away in shame. It is a lifelong humiliation!
"But, master," Desaad continues, "before Steppenwolf died... he discovered something. Something important!"
Steppenwolf died without evidence, so Desaad skillfully claims the credit with his eloquence.
"Oh?"
Darkseid's icy gaze fixes on Desaad, suspicion in his tone.
"What information?"
Desaad draws a deep breath, eyes wild with fanaticism, and proclaims in his most reverent voice:
"Master! It was found... The ultimate truth you have sought for thousands of years...
The Anti-Life Equation... is on Earth!"
"What?"
BOOM—
An unspeakable wave of godly might bursts from the throne! The whole Dark Fortress, the entire planet, shudders violently!
Darkseid leaps up, his eyes blazing like twin stars, and asks word by word:
"The Anti-Life Equation... on Earth?
Truly?"
"Yes! Great master!"
Desaad is nearly driven to his knees by the sacred power, but endures, answering in a rapturous voice,
"This is a message sent by the Mother Box! The Mother Box... never errs!"
Silence. A deathly hush. Seconds pass.
Then—
"Ha... Hahahaha—!"
A laugh more terrifying than thunder, deeper than any abyss, erupts from Darkseid's throat! In this laughter resounds longing accumulated over eons, the ecstasy of seizing ultimate power, and a verdict passed upon the whole universe!
"Desaad!"
Darkseid laughs, looking down at his loyal hound, and for the first time his tone is almost... grateful.
"Well done!"
"Convey my orders!"
He waves his hand, and the monarch's command, heavy with endless tyranny and darkness, spreads instantly to every corner of Apokolips!
"Assemble all Apokoliptian armies!"
"Open all war foundries! Awaken all weapons of destruction!"
"Prepare... to conquer Earth!"
"This time," Darkseid's Omega-powered gaze smolders as he looks to the ground, a cruel smile on his lips,
"I'll dig up the tombs of those old gods, roots and all!"
"Settle all old and new scores—together!"
….
On the lawn of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, a lively "battle" is underway.
Lucci leans against a great oak tree, teacup in hand, watching two beautiful women spar nearby.
On one side is Wonder Woman, Diana Prince, wearing snug training clothes instead of her usual armor, accentuating her powerful, feminine curves. Barehanded, her every move exudes the strength and grace of an ancient Greek gladiator. Each punch and kick whips up a fierce wind, yet she controls her force perfectly, stopping just short.
Opposite her stands Jean Grey, also in training attire, her posture radiating energy and motion across the grass. Compared to Diana, her moves are wilder, less refined, yet more precise and calculated.
Of course, there's a rule: Jean isn't using her Phoenix Force at all—only her physical prowess and combat skills.
Since returning from the meeting incident, Jean had challenged Diana under the pretense of improving her fighting technique. Diana, an Amazon princess with a warrior's spirit, gladly agreed.
At first, Diana's millennia of battle experience made things tough for Jean. Lucci, unable to bear seeing his woman struggle, secretly taught her Asgardian Protoss combat skills. These techniques, distilled from centuries of cosmic warfare, are ruthlessly efficient, seeking maximum lethality at minimal cost, and are filled with a fierce, dominating beauty—perfectly suited to Jean.
After this, Jean's combat ability improved at a visible pace. Now, she can exchange hundreds of rounds with Diana without falling behind.
Watching the two shadows twisting on the grass—one as free as fire, the other as agile as light—Lucci feels a rare peace and warmth in his heart.
But this tranquility is soon shattered by a message from Asgard.
"Prince Lucci! Emergency!"
Heimdall's voice—tinged with unprecedented anxiety!
Lucci raises his abrows, his smile fading. Heimdall, always calm, losing composure means something major has happened.
"Heimdall, it's me," Lucci replies with mental power.
"Don't panic. Speak slowly. What happened?"
"Prince Lucci! The Midgardian woman from the small town in New Mexico—she's... she's gone!"
Heimdall's urgency is palpable.
"What?"
Lucci is startled. "The New Mexico town... Jane Foster?"
"Yes, Prince Lucci!"
Heimdall confirms instantly.
"She vanished from right before my eyes—disappeared into thin air!"
"Explain clearly. What happened?"
Lucci asks.
Heimdall, not daring to neglect it, relays everything he saw: Jane Foster's discovery of a gravitational anomaly in an abandoned London factory, her investigation, and her sudden disappearance.
The moment Lucci hears the keywords "gravitational anomaly" and "London," a flash of insight strikes him.
"I see..."
Lucci suddenly understands.
"No need to panic, Heimdall. That place should be the Reality Stone manifesting as the Aether."
"What?"
Heimdall's voice jumps an octave, filled with shock.
"Prince Lucci! You mean... the Aether, the gravitational anomaly caused by the Reality Stone?
The same Aether the Dark Elves used five thousand years ago to drag the Nine Realms into darkness?"
As Asgard's guardian, Heimdall knows all too well how terrifying the Aether is—a primordial Infinity Stone transformed at the universe's birth, a weapon that can twist reality itself!
"Correct."
Lucci remains calm.
"And more than that. Prepare yourself, Heimdall. If I'm right, the Dark Elf King Malekith, who's slept for five thousand years, will soon awaken due to the Aether's reemergence."
BOOM—
This news is like a bolt from the blue for Heimdall! Malekith, King of the Dark Elves! In the era of Odin's father, King Bor, he nearly destroyed the Nine Realms! Older and more terrifying than Laufey or Surtur!
Heimdall knows the stakes are immense: this isn't just a regular crisis, but an apocalyptic catastrophe that could shake the very foundation of the Nine Realms!
"Prince Lucci! Understood! I must report this to the All-Father at once! We must be vigilant!"
Heimdall's tone is grave as he hastily severs the psychic link.
Lucci sets his teacup down, gazing in the direction of London. He's not alarmed.
Dark Elves? Malekith? To him now, they're no more than ants. On the contrary... the Reality Stone, another Infinity Stone, is practically delivering itself to his doorstep. He already holds the Time, Space, and Mind Stones. Now, the one representing reality's distortion and creation from nothingness is coming, too. There's no reason to refuse.
Glancing at Jean and Diana, still enjoying their sparring nearby, he chooses not to interrupt.
Through a psychic link, he explains,
"Charles, I have something to take care of. I'll be back soon."
After explaining, he steps forward, the space before him rippling like water, and his figure vanishes from Xavier's lawn without a trace.
…
Asgard.
After ending contact with Lucci, Heimdall wastes no time—his all-seeing eyes instantly warn the All-Father Odin!
"All-Father! Catastrophe warning! Darkness is coming!"
In the throne room, Odin's face changes dramatically upon hearing Heimdall's voice. He knows Heimdall's character: unless the sky is truly falling, he would never lose composure like this.
"Heimdall! What is it?"
Odin asks in a low, majestic voice.
"All-Father! The Aether! The Aether has reappeared on Midgard! And, according to Prince Lucci, the Dark Elf King Malekith will soon awaken!"
The Aether! Malekith! Even Odin, the All-Father who has weathered countless battles and cosmic storms, narrows his eye instantly. He knows better than anyone what these two names together mean: a darkness that could sweep over the Nine Realms—perhaps the entire universe!
"Damn!"
Odin slams the armrest of his throne, forged by Uru, cracking it instantly! Shock and anger fill him.
The Aether, sealed by his father King Bor, has reappeared!
He cannot let Lucci face Malekith alone. The ancient demon king is cunning and wields terrifying dark energy. Not only does he have a formidable Dark Elf fleet, but also cursed warriors and devastating antimatter bombs!
Lucci is strong, but still young; not knowing the true terror of his enemy, he could be caught off guard and the consequences would be unimaginable!
"Convey my orders!"
Odin decides instantly, rising from his throne. His voice thunders throughout the Asgardian palace!
"Assemble the Warriors Three! Open all armories! Ready the Destroyer for battle!"
"Thor!"
He calls out.
Soon, a burly figure rushes in—it's Thor.
"Father! What's happened? Why assemble the army?"
…