To Infinity And Beyond.....Pt. 1

To Infinity and Beyond......

There they stood, the cast of the greatest heroes of all time: Dr. Fate, Green Lantern. Flash, Wildcat, Mr. Terrific, Stargirl, Captain Marvel, Powergirl, and Citizen Steel. They were the JSA. Like many times before, they were facing one of their most dire foes, Mordru. Mordru had siezed control of killed over half the JSA and left some so badly wounded that their future was in doubt.

As Mordru began the final incantation to erase the existence of the JSA, the group worked furiously on a plan to thwart him. Mr Terrific motioned for the others to circle in to him. As they grouped, he began....

" We need two groups; one will distract Mordru, and the other to break his incantation field." Terrific hiccupped, and then continued. " Marvel, you and Flash will direct your energies into Stargirl's staff, she will in turn direct it into Lantern, who will absorb the energy, metabolize it within the Starheart and release the energy, which Fate will then use to break Mordru's incantation. The rest of us will buy them time....Let's go!"

The heroes lept into action, but Powergirl stopped Terrific. "Terri....Michael, you don't believe this can work do you?"

"It can, if they can generate enough power."

"And what about us, the distraction team?"

Mr Terrific looked backed at Powergirl."Kara, we all put on this veneer, this cover that as heroes we will always fight, always win out in the end.... the thing is we never factor the cost. My sin is that I cannot help but see the cost to every plan. I...."

"A simple no would've worked Michael." Kara said taking his hand. "Last charge of the light brigade, all aboard...." With the smoldering embers of battle rising around them, they flew forward into destiny.

The distraction team fought valiantly, but were struck down. Fate harnessed the collective energy and attacked. The assault carried through dimensions over planes of existence, time, and space. Mordru was gaining control despite the best efforts of the combined JSA's forces.

A bit off, amongst the debris laid Jakeem and the Thunderbolt. Jakeen had his head nearly severed, but managed to somehow stay alive. The Thunderbolt, impotent to act without a vocal component, meandered about the dying Jakeen. Jakeem fought through the pain and gurgled out...."Help them......give......them.......more.....time...". The Thunderbolt charged into action.

Leaping into the body of the already charged Flash, the Thunderbolt turned Jay into a living bolt of Magic speedforce. He was quickly drawn into the cosmic rod, overloading it and causing it to explode. The Thunderbolt tore threw Alan and Fate in similar fashion. With all of their combined energies, the Thunderbolt broke the incantation shield crashing into Mordru and disappeared in a.....flash.

The fallout was tremendous. Captain Marvel took Courtney to the hospital, her injuries being life threatening. Alan made his way to Fate to find him depleted and dying. Fate looked into Alan's eyes...

"Old friend, it is to you I bequeath the responsibility of the helm of Dr Fate. You are this world's protector ......its guardian.....its......" Fate passed away.

"Its Sentinel." whispered Alan Scott as he surveyed the costliest battle in the history of the JSA.