The sheer number of Parademons was enough to completely engulf a planet from the outside. For any civilization, such an assault would spell nothing less than absolute annihilation. Even if civilizations in this Void Universe appeared to be somewhat different from those in normal space, they would still face the same fate as any other—unless they could wield overwhelming power to stop the tide.
"I didn't notice it before, but it seems Darkseid doesn't rely solely on Parademons as cannon fodder. He's got some rather formidable subordinates as well," Robert said, his gaze fixed on a distant planet where he could sense the presence of multiple strong individuals.
Of course, none of these presences compared to Galactus, nor did they measure up to the Celestials. But this universe was not one where strength could be judged solely by energy signatures. Among them, the strongest presence—Darkseid himself—was at least on par with the Celestials. The fact that his energy radiated so powerfully, despite his body not being as colossal as the Celestials, was a testament to the incredible strength he possessed.
"Well, isn't that fantastic?" Several Avengers perked up upon hearing Robert's observation. For them, clearing out waves of Parademons was tedious—necessary, but far from exciting. The real thrill lay in facing stronger opponents. Parademons were akin to disposable minions, while Darkseid's elite subordinates were the equivalent of minibosses, or even bosses. Who wouldn't prefer a more challenging fight?
That said, the Avengers harbored no illusions about taking down Darkseid himself. Despite their stellar performance against the Deviants and Eternals recently, they were well aware of their limitations.
The team understood the stories of Darkseid's previous invasion of Earth all too well. During the Age of the Gods, it took the combined efforts of all Earth's deities to repel him. For Darkseid to be the first target of their united front, and for the Celestials to be the second, spoke volumes about Darkseid's power. Even though he was ultimately pushed back, the battle cemented his reputation as one of the most dangerous beings in existence.
Furthermore, the Mother Box incident left a lasting impression on the team. Whether it was the formidable Steppenwolf or the terrifying power unleashed when the Mother Boxes united, it was clear Darkseid was no ordinary foe. The Avengers were content to leave that fight to Robert. Handling the elite Parademons and Darkseid's lieutenants would already push them to their limits.
"Should we split up?" Tony Stark, ever pragmatic, turned toward Robert and Steve Rogers, raising the question.
Dealing with the Parademons was an obvious priority, but with a cadre of strong warriors backing Darkseid, it wouldn't make sense to leave Robert to handle them alone. The Avengers might not be strong enough to take on Darkseid directly, but they could at least assist in thinning his forces.
"You guys focus on the Parademons. Just make enough noise to draw Darkseid's attention to this side," Robert instructed before Steve could respond. His tone left no room for argument. Fighting on Darkseid's home turf was a dangerous proposition. The possibility that Apokolips was heavily fortified—or even weaponized—was too great to ignore.
Instead, Robert's plan was simple: lure Darkseid and his forces away from Apokolips and into neutral territory. Then, while they were distracted, Apokolips itself could be destroyed, erasing Darkseid's advantage in one fell swoop. This way, the playing field would be leveled. But rushing headlong into Apokolips? That was out of the question. The planet was likely bristling with traps and defenses.
As for why Robert didn't destroy Apokolips immediately, the answer was equally straightforward. With Darkseid still present on the planet, its defenses were undoubtedly at their strongest. A premature attack might alert Darkseid and cause him to regroup or retaliate, which would only make matters worse.
"Got it!" The Avengers had no objections to Robert's plan. They trusted his judgment implicitly. He rarely issued commands, but when he did, it was always for good reason.
"Schhh!"
Moments later, a fiery portal appeared inside the Avengers' spacecraft. The combined forces of the Avengers, the Green Lantern Corps, and the Sorcerers of Kamar-Taj surged through it, taking the Parademon army completely by surprise.
"Who are they?!"
Meanwhile, on the besieged planet, the native inhabitants could only stare in stunned silence at the unfolding chaos. They watched as their sky turned into a battlefield, filled with energy blasts and the glowing auras of the new arrivals. The natives, who had been on the brink of extinction, suddenly felt a glimmer of hope.
Compared to the wider cosmos, the civilizations in the Void Universe were acutely aware of Darkseid, Apokolips, and the Parademons. Despite being separate from the normal universe, the Void Universe was a massive expanse, almost like a smaller self-contained cosmos. It was composed of countless star systems, and its size was roughly one-fifth that of the regular universe.
Within this vast domain, Darkseid's reputation loomed large. Unlike Thanos, whose horrific acts were tempered by his twisted sense of balance, Darkseid's conquests were absolute and merciless. Where Thanos left half of each civilization alive, Darkseid left none. Entire worlds were razed, their populations either annihilated or transformed into Parademons through horrific processes on Apokolips.
It was this brutal efficiency that made Darkseid's forces so fearsome. The Parademon army was not just a horde of identical drones; it was a collection of modified beings from countless civilizations. Each Parademon retained some level of their original strength, with the most powerful individuals undergoing further enhancements to become Darkseid's elite warriors.
This method of "war feeding war" allowed Darkseid to amass a seemingly endless army. Even against the Void Universe's unusually high concentration of powerful species, few could stand against his relentless onslaught.
"Something's wrong…"
Back on Apokolips, Desaad, Darkseid's chief scientist and strategist, noticed the sudden disruption in the invasion's progress. A frown crossed his face as he analyzed the data from the frontlines.
"That planet shouldn't have posed much resistance. Its technology is underdeveloped, and its inhabitants lack significant supernatural abilities. So why is the casualty rate so high? And why is it accelerating?"
"Wait… what's this?" Desaad's eyes narrowed as he examined the surveillance feeds. A group of unfamiliar combatants had entered the battlefield, cutting through the Parademons with alarming efficiency. "These… they're not from that planet. Who are they? And why are they helping the natives?"
In another timeline—one not altered by Barry Allen's time reversal—Desaad might have recognized the Avengers. But in this reality, he had no knowledge of them. To him, they were an enigma, one that was rapidly dismantling the invasion force.
If they continued at this pace, Desaad realized, the losses would outweigh any potential gains. While Parademons were expendable, they weren't infinite. Turning every conquered species into new soldiers was a delicate balance, and this kind of unexpected resistance threw everything into chaos.
"Great Lord of Apokolips," Desaad reported to Darkseid, his tone laced with unease. "The Parademon army is encountering… difficulties."
"What kind of difficulties?" Darkseid's voice rumbled like distant thunder. Seated upon his throne, he exuded an air of dominance and power. "That planet is insignificant. What could possibly be causing a problem?"
"I'm… uncertain," Desaad admitted, his hands trembling slightly. "But there are strong combatants present. They are tearing through the Parademons with ease. If this continues, the losses will be… unsustainable."
"Hm?" Darkseid's eyes narrowed, his displeasure palpable. But as Desaad displayed footage of the battle, Darkseid's gaze locked onto the figures of the Avengers. For a moment, his expression shifted, as if recalling a distant memory.
"Familiar… Could it be?" Darkseid murmured, his voice tinged with suspicion. The image of the Avengers triggered something in his mind—a faint echo, a sense of recognition. Could these beings be from Earth? Could they be the ones who had disrupted the timeline?
"Desaad, recall all Parademons. Summon every elite warrior back to Apokolips. I will handle this personally," Darkseid commanded, his tone brooking no argument.
Desaad's heart sank at the magnitude of the order. But he dared not question it. "As you wish, Great Lord."
Meanwhile, on the Avengers' ship, Robert's lips curled into a faint smile. He could feel the energy gathering on Apokolips as Darkseid's forces mobilized.
"Looks like we've got their attention," he said to Ancient One, who stood nearby.
Ancient One nodded, her calm demeanor unwavering. "Darkseid is beyond my strength. This battle is yours to fight. I'll provide support where I can."
Robert chuckled softly. "You've done enough. Time to finish this."
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