บท 111: Chapter 111 Darkseid
Location: Unknown Planet
Star Sector: Unknown.
.....
The desolate planet awoke to the sound of moving rocks.
From the cracks of the earth, Harriet arose with a pale complexion and shaky posture.
Blood flowed down her lips and cracks appeared on her skin. The bright red blood seeped out of it and gaping hole in her shoulder was enough to let anyone know what level of hell she just went through.
The blood pouring out had been suppressed by her ridiculously strong self-healing ability.
It was as such for New Gods.
Despite that, it did little to help with the pain. Her bones were cracked, and her organs weren't the same way it once was.
She took two steps forward, using all her willpower to move out of the pit that she laid in before tumbling back to the ground once more.
At that moment, the sound of footsteps fell into her ears. Immediately, her eyes widened as panic set into her.
No! He wasn't gone yet?
She desperately tried to stand up, but once again, the energy she could muster was only enough to raise her head slightly.
The footsteps came to a halt. Two dark combat boots appeared in her vision causing her to freeze.
"You're alive". That voice... She knew that voice.
Following which, Harriet let go and fell with a plop. Her disorderly breathing was clearly reflected in the pumping of her chest.
"Barely". She replied with a single word.
Barda frowned and shook her head with a sigh.
Following which, she proceeded to help Harriet from the ground and supported the latter with the only available hand slung over her shoulder.
"Where ... Where is he?" Mad Harriet was still panicked. Her eyes darted in all directions as she said with a bit of apprehension.
"Relax. He's gone". Her face was expressionless, but her mood was unprecedentedly low.
Hearing her gloomy tone, Harriet also lowered her head, feeling greatly depressed. The Savage grin she normally sported on her face was nowhere to be seen.
They were Furies. Trained to be the best of the best since their days at the orphanage.
While they may not all be the best in terms of raw power, their skills were second to none. They were stronger than Kanto, Darkseid's master assassin who had a part in their training.
After all, they weren't called Darkseid's elite for nothing. When they all acted as one, no one was their match. Not even Kalibak.
Against someone else apart from Darkseid and his brother, the God of New Genesis High father, they never thought they would lose this badly.
It wasn't even up to fifty seconds... How humiliating.
The two walked forwards and came to the spot where the rest of their sisters lay. Barda had pulled them over after escaping the constraints laid on her.
Well.... Let's not say escape. More like they wore off as intended.
"They...". Seeing the miserable figures of rest of the Furies, Harriet couldn't help but swallow.
".... Alive. Thankfully". Barda replied with a solemn tone. "They should heal.... In time".
The vitality of a God wasn't something to be taken lightly. Although still unconscious, they thankfully weren't dead.
Barda dropped Harriet beside their unconscious bodies. Swept her gaze over them and turned around to leave.
"Look after them until they heal".
"Where're you going?" Barda stopped.
"He took Aurelie to Apokolips".
Harriet saw her fists clenched tightly and an expression of realization appeared on her face. Barda was the strongest among them, and this event must have been a big blow to her pride.
Harriet's guess was that she was going to find him. Fight him and defeat him... Or die trying.
For this, she didn't utter a word. Not even a word of encouragement.
They were Furies. In battle, this sentiment was completely unnecessary. Harriet saw Barda's departing back, but she failed to see the conflicting expression on her face.
Amari had immobilized her. She couldn't move, but her ears worked just fine.
His discussion with Aurelie, she heard everything. If the person who defeated her didn't say it himself, Barda wouldn't believe it.
But Aurelie didn't deny, and the thought sent a chill down her spine. Their leader was being abused, and she didn't even dare to open her mouth about it.
Then, she heard Aurelie had thoughts about fleeing Apokolips.
This was the straw that broke the camel's back.
What Aurelie could think of, she could also do the same. Their road to Apokolips had come to an end. There was no more room for promotion. Like Granny Goodness, this was the best they were going to get.
Barda couldn't have that, nor did she want to.
First it was Granny, then Aurelie. Perhaps in a few years, someone would set eyes on her. Perhaps Kanto or even worse... Kalibak.
She shuddered.
She wanted to leave…. Abandoned Granny, flee Apokolips, and escape.
And knowing that Amari had taken Aurelie to Apokolips, she saw her opportunity. She could leave right now, run while no one was expecting her to and when no one could stop her from doing so.
She wasn't like the rest of her sisters who had blind loyalty to Darkseid.
She had her own will. If she killed the rest of the Furies here and now, she could permanently go into hiding.
No one would know she was still alive. But that was a line she wouldn't cross.
She wasn't that ruthless. So she made up her mind.
She would run... Run away from this place, that hellhole, to a possibly better life. One where she could be free.
.....
A moment ago, Granny Goodness just felt the worst horror of her life.
Lord Darkseid had summoned her so she could report on the whereabouts of the Furies.
He wasn't alone, as he had gathered the rest of his Elite to discuss war plans.
It had been a few days since their departure from Apokolips. It was understandable that their master wanted an update on the mission. One which for some reason, he attached particularly high importance to.
"Where are the Furies?" His deep dark voice rumbled. His tone was plain, containing no emotion whatsoever.
Standing under his throne were Desaad, Kalibak, Stepphenwolf, Virman Vundabur, Kanto, Doctor Bedlam and of course, Willik.
These were the available members of Darkseid's elite who weren't currently undercover or on a mission.
Each one carried no expression and looked at Granny goodness in unison.
If one ignored... Everything about Darkseid, they could take it for a casual question. But just that sentence alone made Granny anxious.
Those damn bitches! Why were they taking so long?
"My Lord, the Furies have not responded to communication since their exit to complete your orders. But with their level of skill, it should only be a matter of time before .....". Then, she noticed Darkseid's forehead crease which left her astounded.
The God of Tyranny was always indifferent. His stone like features displayed perfect indifference, seemingly as if he couldn't give a damn for anything in the world.
Even when something displeased him. It never showed.
And now, that crease showed something she had never seen on his face before.
Darkseid's displeasure.
The next event almost made the old woman like her have a heart attack. Darkseid's eyes shot out Omega beams towards her direction. The beams were so fast that she couldn't react.
Luckily, they zipped right past the corner of her head and shot straight out of the palace.
Granny stood still in shock. Looking at Darkseid's indifferent face, she felt her erratically beating heart and the fear within was infinitely magnified.
Plop!
Falling to her knees, she hurriedly cried out.
"Spare my life, My Lord. I give you my word that the Furies will return successful".
Perhaps thinking that was a show of his displeasure at her vague answer, Granny immediately pleaded for mercy while assuring an unknown victory.
She couldn't care whether her words would come true or not. Now, she just wanted to save her old ass.
Silence reigned as the God Of Tyranny didn't respond. Dessad's eyebrows furrowed at the actions of his master.
The heavy atmosphere was particularly oppressive. Granny was almost sweating at this point.
However, the next sentence made her wish he had stayed silent.
"Well... It looks like your word and assurance has been broken already".
"Huh?... Wait... What?"
Granny was dumbfounded. What the hell did he mean?
"Apokolips has welcomed intruders. The very same ones I ordered your Furies to capture. The leader, Aurelie is in their possession indicating the defeat of the Furies, failure of the mission and possible death".
She couldn't believe it. The Furies, her Furies had lost?
Darkseid didn't give her time to process.
Following which, he moved his blood-red eyes to Granny and uttered coldly.
"Your words are now equivalent to lies. You disappoint me Granny".
Bam!
If she had a heart attack before, then these words were equivalent to a death sentence. Granny shivered while her brain kicked into high gear.
Hundreds of thoughts flew through her mind instantly as she tried to devise a way to save herself. Gain his favor again or at least ..... Reduce her death sentence.
From death to torture for twenty years would do just fine.
"The Furies have failed you, my Lord". She bowed with her head knocking against the floor.
"Then let me atone for their mistake by capturing the intruders and bringing them to you".
At that moment, she felt it. The mocking eyes of Darkseid's elite.
Even Virman Vundabur, that ungrateful good for nothing disciple she raised at the orphanage, was the same.
"Empty promises will only make your situation worse". Desaad spoke with ridicule.
Granny shivered but gritted her teeth and insisted.
"Let me lead the Parademons to battle these intruders. I will atone for my sins, even with my life if necessary".
The words "if necessary" being the point of hidden emphasis.
Granny was going to grasp at any straw that could guarantee her life at this point.
"No".
It was official. This was the worst day in her thousands of years of existence.
Was this the end for this old woman?
Just when she thought she was done for, Darkseid spoke.
"You can't even defeat your disciples. What makes you think you would survive an altercation?" He muttered plainly and spoke to Stepphenwolf and Kalibak without turning his head.
"The Furies have failed. Granny Goodness will suffer for their ineptitude. Go. Capture the New God and bring him to me, as well as the Kryptonian. He was stupid enough to set foot on Apokolips himself". His eyes glowed brightly.
"He will pay for his insolence".
"After all. I've been expecting him".
It was like a bolt from the blue. Granny's eyes widened as realization came upon her.
And judging from the expressions of everyone else in the council that note no surprise, it seemed that they all knew as well.
Darkseid never expected anything from The Furies. Simply because they were never going to succeed from the beginning.
The mission to capture the New God was nothing but a sham. Instead of capture, it was better to use the words "Testing capabilities".
The Furies were destined not to succeed. As for whether they would live... It all depended on the target's mood.
This was the truth behind everything, and it made her feel cold all over. Darkseid truly was ruthless.
To test the strength of a possible enemy, he directly sacrificed his elite guards as pawns.
Now from the looks of it, Aurelie was the only one left. And perhaps the only reason she was alive was because he needed to use a boom tube to get here.
"It will be done my Lord".
"I will be done, my Lord".
Both New Gods called out simultaneously.
At that moment, however, the sound of eerie chuckles could be heard by all of them.
"Hehehehe. I'll pay, huh?"
Everyone's attention was drawn to the space crack that appeared in the middle of the room.
"You're pretty funny". His words fell, a dark red orb of pure destructive energy flew out of the crack at high speed.
Darkseid's expression changed drastically.
Boom!
All of Darkseid's palace went up in an explosion of red.
.....
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