The last chapter of the fanfiction, “Herald of Darkseid!”

Captain Marvel, Superman, and Kara Zor-El confront Darkseid’s horde of Parademons on the outskirts of the moon. Their goal: steal the Parademons’ Mother Box to cover Kara Zor-El’s defection from her master Darkseid.

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Though both Superman and his cousin Kar Zor-El could move faster than Captain Marvel, they could fly only marginally faster. They kept a respectful distance beside Marvel as they crossed open space to reach the Parademon threat.

The robots, which looked like a cross between humans and demons, kept a vigil in front of the moon. Their numbers were massive; they appeared as a wall against it.

At first, they appeared not to notice the coming heroes. That changed quickly as hundreds of pairs of bulging red robot eyes turned on Marvel and her companions.

“Too late to back out?” Marvel asked with her usual sarcasm.

“You stay on target, captain,” Superman said. “Let us clear you a path.”

“I like the sound of that,” Marvel replied.

Her eyes locked on the Parademon Kara had earlier identified as the one holding the Mother Box. Marvel had to steal it away so the Parademons couldn’t reopen their cosmic tube and pull in reinforcements.

The heroes also couldn’t let the Parademons escape to warn Darkseid of the rebellion going on with his herald Kara.

Now the Kryptonian heroes moved ahead of Marvel. She had a bit of a time keeping up. The Parademons all turned in unison, raising the spears in their robotic hands in preparation for an attack.

That attack came in dual energy blasts from the eyes of the Kryptonians. They swept their heads back and forth, their beams cutting into swaths of the Parademons.

They easily cleared a path to the Parademon holding the Mother Box.

Captain Marvel headed straight for that Parademon. She blasted the thing with some of the enhanced energy reserves she’d gained when both Kryptonians blasted her with their eye beams before this fight.

Her attack missed, but it distracted it enough that it didn’t attack Marvel. In the time of that distraction, Marvel moved in close and snatched the Mother Box from the Parademon, taking part of its robotic arm with it.

“Superman!” she said over her comm unit.

Superman looked to the captain and saw her flying away with the Mother Box. Several other Parademons chased her. Superman blasted these Parademons as he moved to intercept Captain Marvel and retrieve the Mother Box.

One of the robot monsters got close enough to slam its spear into Marvel’s arm. The blow knocked the Mother Box from Captain Marvel’s hand.

Superman started for the Box, but another set of Parademons fired energy from their spears, beating him back.

Fortunately, Kara dodged multiple attacks and flew in to grab the Mother Box.

“Get it out of here!” Captain Marvel yelled over the comm to Kara.

Kara looked at her companions. The Parademons were swarming, but Superman and Captain Marvel looked more than capable of handling things.

A good many of the robots already lay in ruins, severed parts floating in the vastness of space.

Without wasting another moment, Kara turned from the carnage and, with the Mother Box in tow, headed for the SHIELD space station.

A few of the remaining Parademons broke off to pursue. They fired their energy spears at her; one hit, but Kara shrugged off the damage.

Superman attacked the pack hounding Kara, making short work of them with his fists. Kara escaped.

“Better back off, Superman,” Marvel said. “This is gonna be pretty, but it may hurt.”

The Man of Steel looked at Marvel. A batch of Parademons swarmed her. She dodged their attacks but did not return their violence.

She was drawing them in.

Instantly understanding Marvel’s intention, Superman grabbed a few of the remaining Parademons and threw them in Marvel’s direction. He then flew as fast as he could away from her position.

With Superman gone, the remaining Parademons now saw Marvel as the sole threat and swarmed to her position.

Captain Marvel let them get in close, continuing to allow their spear assaults without retaliation. She then smiled as she released the energy she’d stored from the Kryptonians in a single, brilliant burst.

Superman had to shield his eyes.

When he looked back, Captain Marvel floated in space alone.

Ten minutes later, Kara arrived at the SHIELD Space Station Scott and delivered the second Mother Box. By that time, Captain Marvel and Superman had decimated the Parademon forces and were on their way back.

Commander Brand was already prepping two shuttle crews to go out and collect the debris before any of it fell into nosey hands, be they governmental or otherwise.

When Captain Marvel and Superman returned to the station, Kara was waiting for them in the shuttle bay. She rushed to her cousin, greeting him with a hug. Once she let him go, Captain Marvel addressed her.

“Thought you said that was going to be difficult.”

“The Parademons don’t normally fight people as strong as us,” Kara said. “They won’t make the mistake of sending limited numbers next time.”

“And we’ll be just as ready then too,” Marvel said. “Not a bad job up there, Kara. Or do I call you Zor-El? Which I don’t think will play very well if you want to fit in with Earthlings.”

Kara smiled. “Kara’s fine.”

“Congratulations are in order.”

That was the voice of Assistant Director Maria Hill speaking over the station’s intercom. She continued. “General Fury would like a word with all of you in the command center.”

Moments later, the battle-worn heroes met with Hill and Brand at the station’s command center. An image of SHIELD commander General Nick Fury appeared on the central monitor.

“Good work out there, team,” Fury began. “But as Ms. Zor-El said, our work’s not done. Only a matter of time before Darkseid realizes his herald has either failed or turned against him and he sends more of those Parademons. Plenty more.”

“Not to mention what he’ll do to the Kryptonians still on Apokolips,” Kara added.

“Which is precisely why I’m assembling a team, one I’m hoping you’ll join, Ms. Zor-El.”

“Of course, general,” Kara replied.

“Don’t worry. Your role is more of intelligence since you know Darkseid and his Apokolips. Captain Marvel’s going with you as field commander,” Fury said.

Captain Marvel was a bit surprised but felt she should have seen that coming.

“I’m also hoping your cousin Superman would help,” Fury said.

Superman put a hand on Kara’s shoulder. “Those Kryptonians on Apokolips are my people too,” he said. “I’m not abandoning them or Kara.”

“Good,” Fury said. “I have a few more people to contact, but then we are going to take the battle to Apokolips.”

To be continued in “Battle for Apokolips,” coming… one day!

While writing this fanfiction, I used Green Ronin’s Mutants and Masterminds, 3rd Edition RPG, to leave some things to chance. Check it out!

Like this fanfiction? Check out Mark’s original “Shadowdance” saga books!

Be sure to check out my other fanfiction too!