The Challenge
A Superman Tale
By Hordak Alpha

	The Javelin-class starship streaked through hyperspace.  At the controls was Earth’s mightiest hero Superman, the Man of Steel.    Superman gritted his teeth and kept a firm grip on the pilot wheel as he pushed the limits of his spacecraft in a desperate attempt to reach Earth before all was lost.    He was filled with anxiety.        His thoughts wandered to the fact that his wife and the city he loved were in terrible danger, a danger that had come without warning.

           Clark had gotten the sub-space call just a few hours before while he was away on an interstellar mission alone to save a faraway alien world from destruction at the hands of  an oncoming comet.    The Man of Steel had successfully saved the alien world from danger but shortly after a call came in over his comm.

           “Superman, this is Mr. Terrific at the Watch Tower.” said the voice of Mr. Terrific over the sub-space comm,  “What is your current position?”

         “I’m currently orbiting the world of Kanis-Kor.” said Superman,  “I’ve taken care of the situation and I’m about to set out back for home.”

         “Hurry quickly, Superman.” said Mr. Terrific with a dire tone to his voice,  “We have got a situation in Metropolis that is getting out of control.”

          Superman’s face twisted into a serious gaze.    “What is happening?” he asked,  “How serious is the situation?’

   	“Very serious.” said Mr. Terrific,  “We don’t know where this guy came from but he just appeared in Metropolis and started smashing up things.  He said he is looking for you.”

 	“Are there enough league members on hand to keep the situation quarantined until I get back?” asked Superman,   “Even if I push the Javelin to it’s limits it will still take me little over an hour to get back into Earth’s solar system.”

	Mr. Terrific went silent for a moment.   “Clark,” he said after the long silence,  “We’ve already lost a few members and several more are wounded.  The wounded have been brought back to the Watch Tower for serious injuries.”

	“I’m on my way, Superman out.” said Superman as he activated the Javelin’s propulsion systems and urged the ship into hyperspace.

	Explosions rocked downtown Metropolis as the WGBS building toppled to the ground with innocent civilians still inside.      Green Arrow, his uniform in tatters and severe wounds oozing blood down his arms, pressed on valiantly.        With expert precision Green Arrow grabbed explosive tipped arrows from his quiver and kept firing them off, volley after volley, from his personally crafted bow.         Each of the arrows collided one by one against the chest of the powerhouse opponent but each one failed to utter any damage unto the man, if he could be called a man.

	“Pathetic.” said the man,  “The warriors of this time surely are weak.”  The man was a broad-shouldered, muscle-built behemoth with steel gray eyes, chiseled jaw, dark hair and a massive, powerful body.      He dashed forward with a surprising burst of speed and rushed towards Green Arrow.  The behemoth of a man swatted Green Arrow across the chest tossing the green suited hero  towards a jagged pile of debris.          In a blur of red and blue motion Green Arrow was grabbed up and carried away from danger.

 	“At last.” said the powerhouse,  “The true test has finally arrived.”   He watched as the red and blue blur came to a halt a few feet away from him.     He was surprised to see that it was not Superman that had come to challenge him but Supergirl.       “What is this?” asked the powerhouse,  “Must I keep getting delayed from the battle I came for?”   

	Supergirl looked around and gasped in shock at what she saw.   The broken and battered bodies of some of her Justice League team mates were strewn about the battle field.     Sections of street lay about in jagged piles of concrete and buildings that surrounded the devastation all lay collapsed, many of which had been brim full of innocent occupants.       Supergirl locked into a death stare with the horrible villain that had ushered forth all of this violence without a moment’s notice.    

	“Who are you?” asked Supergirl,   “Why do this?”   Supergirl gestured around to the devastation and chaos that lay around her.   “What provocation do you have for what you have done here?’

	“Where is Superman?” asked the powerhouse with a clam tone,  “I want Superman.”

	“You’re going to have to settle for me, monster.” hissed Supergirl,  “Causing suffering and destruction just to draw out Superman really does make you a monster.”

	“Leave now, little girl.” said the powerhouse,  “Spare yourself death at my hands and bring me Superman.”   He slowly began to advance towards Supergirl.

	Supergirl stood her ground firmly.  “Stop, don’t come any further or you will regret it.”  she said with a look of hate in her eyes.    Kara Zor-El clenched her fists as the man monster kept advancing towards her without so much of a hint of hearing her warning.       When he got closer a crimson heat blast seared from Kara’s eyes and struck the man-monster across the chest.     Kara kept intensifying the heat of her heat vision beams but the powerhouse kept coming towards her.        The black shirt the man-monster wore stayed intact under the searing heat of Kara’s optic attack.    

	The man-monster smiled.   “You have decided your fate, little girl.” said the powerhouse as Kara continued to let forth her heat vision, “Such an easy little victory you shall be for me.”      He leapt into the air high above Kara and came hurtling down towards her.     Supergirl shot off into the air and intercepted the man-monster in midair by launching a flurry of fist strikes across his broad chest and iron jaw.             Thunder claps echoed across the air but the blows did not phase the powerhouse.      He reached out and grabbed Kara around the neck as he landed on the ground.              Supergirl clutched at the man-monster’s massive hand as she gasped for air.    The man-monster squeezed harder and harder.

	“Pathetic like all of the others I have either wounded or killed today.” said the man-monster,  “I have grown tired of you.”     With that he slammed Supergirl to the ground and began to pummel her with both of his massive fists.      Supergirl struggled with all of her might to make a counter strike but the man-monster would not let up plus he was seemingly too fast for her.     Air wheezed out of Kara as a powerful blow struck and smashed her ribcage.  She let out a hurt cry of blood curdling pain.        As soon as it had began the attack upon Kara ceased as the man-monster was grabbed from behind and tossed aside like a rag doll.       Supergirl struggled to her knees and there looming above her was a welcome sight.         Captain Marvel, Fawcett City’s “Big Red Cheese”, stood looming large with Mary Marvel, his powerful sister, standing at his side.

	“There has been too much slaughter today.” said Captain Marvel,  “It ends here and now.”    Captain Marvel shot towards the man-monster as Mary Marvel helped Supergirl to her feet.

	“Kara,” said Mary,  “My God!  What did that monster do to you?”  Tears welled up in Mary’s eyes at the sight of the beautiful Supergirl.   Supergirl’s very face had been bruised to a pulp within a short matter of time.  Mary put an arm around Kara’s waist and leapt into the air in order to fly Supergirl to safety.

	 The man-monster got to his feet and met the oncoming Captain Marvel with a powerful backhand swat that sent the Fawcett City hero hurtling backwards.    “I want Superman!” roared the powerhouse,  “I do not want anymore imitators or weaklings!!!”     The man-monster rushed forward in a blur of speed and shot a blow towards the hero, who was getting to his feet.   Captain Marvel was tossed backwards from the facial strike that sent him crashing against a wall of rubble.   The man-monster grabbed up the hero and tossed him aside.       Captain Marvel slowly got up and stared down the man-monster.

	“You are going to have to do better than that to keep me down.” said  Captain Marvel,  “Your murderous rampage will go no further.”   In many ways Captain Marvel resembled Superman.   Both of them wore similar costumes, they were close to the same height and both fought for the same ideals.     When it came to strength Captain Marvel came close but wasn’t as powerful as Superman but for the moment Captain Marvel was the only protector Metropolis had at the moment.       Captain Marvel flew towards the man-monster with the speed of Mercury.          The powerhouse flashed forward with a powerful strike but Captain Marvel dodged the strike and flew around behind the man-monster.        Captain Marvel wrapped his arms around the man-monster’s waist.

	“What do you think you are doing?” asked the powerhouse as Captain Marvel intensified his grasp, “You cannot hope to defeat me.”

	“Watch me.” said Captain Marvel.    The hero mustered up all of his strength and lifted the massive man-monster skyward.   He then cried out “Shazam!”     A thunderbolt seared down from the sky and streaked downwards.     Instead of being used to turn Captain Marvel back into his child alter ego of Billy Batson, the good captain was turning the thunderbolt into a weapon.     The man-monster screamed in pain as the thunderbolt struck his chest and sent electrical fury rushing through his body.    

	“Shazam!!” cried out Captain Marvel once again as he summoned forth another powerful thunderbolt.      The man-monster screamed again as he was struck again in the same wounded area.    Before Captain Marvel could summon another thunderbolt the man-monster wriggled free of Captain Marvel’s grasp and knocked the hero to his knees with one crushing blow.  The powerhouse then grabbed up Captain Marvel and pile drived the hero into the ground head first.

	Superman cursed under his breath as he was no closer to reaching Earth even at top hyper speed.    Suddenly a Boom Tube opened up within the cockpit and Mr. Miracle emerged to stand behind the Man of Steel.    “Superman” said Mr. Miracle, “Batman informed me of the situation and I’m here to get you to Earth as quickly as possible.”

	Superman set the Javelin ship on auto pilot and turned around in his seat to face the hero of New Genesis.  “Thanks, Scott.” said Superman,  “Your help is greatly appreciated.”        Without another word another Boom Tube opened up with Superman and Mr. Miracle leaping through the sub-space vortex in an effort to reach Metropolis before any more blood could be shed.

	Captain Marvel rose to face his opponent again but was knocked aside once more.      The man-monster had by this time overcome the hero and was pummeling him into submission.     Each time he was knocked to the ground Captain Marvel would kept getting up again in an attempt to fight back but it was all useless at this point.       Captain Marvel’s strength had been drained and he was on the verge of transforming back into Billy Batson.    Before another blow could be struck Mary Marvel shot out from nowhere and tackled the man-monster.       Her momentum was enough to knock the powerhouse aside for the moment.            Captain Marvel fell to his knees from both exhaustion and pain.     

  	Mary Marvel looked upon her brother.   “Go back to the Watch Tower, Billy.” she whispered,  “You cannot do anything else here.”

	Captain Marvel watched as the man-monster got to his feet.      “You think I’m going to leave you here to face this monster by yourself?” asked Captain Marvel through blood tainted teeth,  “Think again, Sis.   We stand together no matter what.”        The Mighty Marvels stood side by side ready to meet whatever fate was to come to them when a sudden flash of light lit up between them and the man-monster.          The Boom Tube opened and out stepped Mr. Miracle and Superman.

	The man-monster smiled. “At last you have arrived.” he said,  “Delaying our encounter was most foolish, Superman.  Look around at what I have done to your city and your friends.”

	Superman looked around at the devastation.    By this time fire engines and police squads had been surrounding the devastated area for quite sometime but were powerless to act against the man-monster.   They had, however, managed to rescue  survivors from the collapsed WGBS office building and a few others, but survivors were fairly scarce.       Superman gazed upon the battered and broken bodies of some of the Justice League members who had faced down the man-monster and died early on.    Atom Smasher lay upon a jagged pile of rubble with his body twisted, contorted and lifeless.         Blue Beetle lay still with his neck broken.       Hawk and Dove lay side by side in a jumbled heap of blood stained ruins.   

	“Demon.” said Superman,  “Your disregard for human life, both super human and human, is unforgivable.”

	“Your insults cannot hurt a man whose heart is without pity or remorse.” said the man-monster,  “I came here to this timeline to face you, Last Son of Krypton, in a match to the death to test my power and strength against history’s greatest champion.”

	“You are in for a world of hurt, mister.” said Mr. Miracle,  “The four of us will make you pay for what you have done this day.”

	Superman motioned with a hand to silence Mr. Miracle.  “No, Scott, I’m not going to risk the lives of you, Captain Marvel or Mary.”  The Man of Steel paused for a moment.   “This monster is mine to deal with.”

	Mr. Miracle nodded.  “I understand.   I’ll get Cap and Mary back to the Watch Tower then.”

	Superman took Mr. Miracle by the arm.  “After you do that I need you to do something for me.” he said.   Superman grabbed Mr. Miracle’s data pad and jotted down some data.   “Use your Mother Box to go to these coordinates and bring back the man named on that data pad.”  

	Mr. Miracle glanced at the data pad.  “Why?’ he asked,  “What is so significant about this guy?”

	“He is the only man who is powerful enough to help me if I need assistance.” said Superman as he gazed about at the devastation, “Something tells me I may need his help.”

	Mr. Miracle nodded and took Captain and Mary Marvel through the Boom Tube while Superman and the man-monster were locked in a strange sort of staring contest.    “You amuse me, Superman.” said the man-monster, “Legends in my time built you up to be a great warrior yet here you are, just as weak as the people you protect.”

	“I defend the people of this world, especially of this city, from warp minded monsters like you.” said Superman,  “Doing the right thing doesn’t make me weak minded at all.”

	The man-monster smiled.   “The words of a weak minded fool.” he said,  “Let us end this pointless conversation and enter into battle.”

      	Superman was the first to act.   The Man of Steel dashed forward and struck the man-monster across the face.     The strength of the blow was enough to force the man-monster to stagger backwards but he was in no way inflicted with pain.      Superman followed through with another powerful punch, this time with a little more strength behind it.     This sent the man-monster hurtling backwards through the air with Superman flying after him. The man-monster collided with the pile of debris that the lifeless body of the Atom Smasher lay upon.    Superman struck the powerhouse in the gut with a powerful blow.   The man-monster wheezed a bit but that was all he did.   Superman grabbed him up by the shirt and tossed the man-monster to the ground with earth shaking force.

	The man-monster got to his feet.  “That is right, Kal-El.” he said, “Do not hold back.    Your strength is the only way you will be rid of me.”   The man-monster leapt towards Superman and managed to knock him to the ground with a fist smashing blow across the Man of Steel’s chest.      Superman had the wind knocked out of him and he gasped for breath for a few moments.   The man-monster took this opportunity to grab up Superman by the neck and laugh right in his face.

	“Let us have some fun, shall we?” suggested the man-monster,  “Perhaps we can bring our little game to the offices of the Daily Planet where your wife, Lois Lane, happens to be.”

	“Leave her out of this.” gasped out Superman,  “This is between us now.”

	The man-monster shook his head and grabbed Superman up in a headlock.   He then leapt into the air and continued to leap across town until he reached the Daily Planet.      He looked upwards.   “Let us pay a visit to Lois shall we?” taunted the man-monster.    Superman struggled against his foe’s grasp but the head lock maneuver was firm and forceful.    The man-monster then took a flying leap into the air.

	The news offices of the Daily Planet erupted into screams of terror as the man-monster crashed through a wall with Superman in tow.     The man-monster then hurled Superman through the air and the Man of Steel crashed into a desk.

	Chloe Sullivan and Lois Lane just happened to be in the offices to see the sight.   “Oh my God.” whispered Chloe,  “Clark.”  She gasped at the sight of the man-monster as he looked from her to Lois.    Chloe grabbed Lois and tried to make a run for the elevator but the man-monster blurred past and blocked their way.   A malicious grin was plastered upon his face.   Superman then shot through the air and slammed his full body weight against the man-monster.      The man-monster crashed through the elevator doors and plummeted down the gaping elevator shaft.    

	Superman looked at Chloe and Lois.     “Have Perry get everyone out of the building’s elevators.” he said,  “That monster will kill anyone he sees.”  Superman then flew down into the elevator shaft in search of the man-monster leaving Chloe and Lois standing in shock.    Superman hadn’t gotten far when he spotted the man-monster climbing up the wall of the shaft.   The Man of Steel shot down towards him but the man-monster intercepted the hero with the surprise of an optic blast.       Superman was knocked upwards and he soared up through the elevator shaft eventually crashing through the ceiling of the shaft.          Superman then crashed through the roof of the building and slammed into the massive planet statue of the Daily Planet.       

	The force of impact was powerful enough to tear the statue from it’s mooring.    Superman hurriedly caught awareness of what was happening and he flew down and caught the planet statue before it could crash down on any innocent people on the ground below.    He hefted the statue back to the top of the building and wielded it back in place with his heat vision.

	By this time the man-monster had made his way back into the offices and was stalking towards Lois.   Chloe put herself between Lois and the behemoth and she was promptly swatted away.    She crashed hard against a desk and did not stir.       Lois screamed as the man-monster grabbed her by the neck.    The evil muscle bound villain then leapt upwards and crashed through the ceiling up to the rooftop of the building.     There he found Superman finishing wielding the planet statue back in place.       He called up to Superman.   “Look who I have, Superman.” said the man-monster, “A little play thing to amuse me.”       Superman’s eyes gaped in shock at the sight of his loving wife being grasped by the man-monster in such a horrid manner.

	“Put her down.” commanded Superman,  “This is between us.”   

	The man-monster grinned.   “Whatever you say, Clark.” he said.   The man-monster then promptly dropped Lois over the edge of the rooftop.   As Superman made his move to fly down after her the man-monster leapt up and grabbed the Man of Steel.     He then pined Superman down.   “It is too late. She will die within a matter of moments.” said the man-monster.

	Superman could hear Lois’ screams carry down towards the city streets and then abruptly stop.    The whining of jet engines could be heard that seemed very familiar to Superman.    “Yes, he got her.” muttered Superman.    The man-monster, keeping a firm grip on Superman, was surprised to see the Batwing hovering up with Lois bracing herself across the flat surface of the craft.

	The cockpit hissed open and Batman stood up from the pilot seat.  Without a word he quickly reached into his utility belt and pulled a metal ball out from a pouch.   He then quickly hurled it at the man-monster.    The ball shattered across the villain’s face and a pepper dust was strewn into his eyes.  The pain was intense and the man-monster clutched at his face allowing Superman to get free.      “I knew I’d need that pepper ball one day.” said Batman.

	“Get Lois to safety please.” said Superman,  “I need to get this character somewhere where he can’t endanger anymore people.”

	Batman nodded.   The Dark Knight helped Lois into the cockpit of the Batwing as Superman grabbed the man-monster around the neck and hefted him into the air.    “We are going for a little ride.” said Superman as he carried the man-monster through the air at wind shearing speeds.

	After a brief trip north Superman dropped the man-monster from a frightful height.     The massive villain crashed through the crystalline roof of the Fortress of Solitude and came to rest against the floor with earth shattering force.     Superman slowly hovered down and landed just a few feet in front of the behemoth.    “Now we are far enough away from any civilization so you can’t murder anymore innocent people.” he said.

	The man-monster chuckled, his eyes watering from the pepper ball he had taken to the face.    “If you wish to meet your demise here within a relic of Krypton I have no arguments .” he said.     The man-monster dashed forward and swung a fist straight at Superman.     The Man of Steel brought up his arms and blocked the blow.    A thunder clap echoed through out the Fortress of Solitude as the man-monster’s fist smashed against Superman’s crossed wrists.

	Superman then took a step back to clear some room.   He then dashed forward and smashed his fist across the man-monster’s chiseled jaw.       The man-monster staggered back a bit but that was all.    His eyes glowed with white hot light and he struck Superman with a powerful optic blast across the chest.        Superman crashed to the ground and the man-monster swiftly picked him up and tossed him away.      Superman crashed face first into a crystalline formation on the ground.        Another white hot optic blast lanced forth at Superman and struck him across the back.    The Man of Steel’s signature cape was vaporized into cinders.     

	Superman spun to face the powerhouse and he flew straight at him.    Superman used his body as a battering ram in order to smash into the man-monster.    The man-monster flew backwards and smashed into the statue of Jor-El, shattering it to pieces.          Blood trickled from a cut on Superman’s bottom lip and that was pretty much the only wound the Man of Steel had sustained since the battle had begun.       The man-monster got to his feet and laughed.

 	The laughter of the villain from a future time echoed through out the interior of the Fortress of Solitude.     “You have tried your best but even you cannot stop me.” he said,  “I am the most powerful being in the universe.”

	Superman scowled.   “That is the entire reason why you came here?” he asked, “You wanted to beat me just to prove that you are powerful?”

	The man-monster nodded.  “I have succeeded.” he said as his eyes glowed with a brilliant light.     In a brilliant dash of speed the man-monster rushed towards Superman and fired an optic blast at point blank range at the Man of Steel.            Superman was engulfed in the blast and was sent crashing into a wall of the Fortress.        His shirt hung in tatters and he got to his feet.       Another optic blast fired forth and a figure rushed out of the shadows to intercept the blast.          With the swing of the figure’s enchanted sword the optic blast was deflected back towards the man-monster and sent the villain crashing into a crystalline wall.

	“I see Mr. Miracle found you.” said Superman as he addressed the blonde haired figure that stood in front of him.

	“Sorry it took so long.” said He-Man,  “Miracle had to find out where you were after we materialized in Metropolis.”

	The man-monster got to his feet.   “What is this?” he asked in anger,  “Yet another interloper?”

	“More than that.” said He-Man,  “Superman is a friend of mine and I don’t like it when my friends are brought into danger by the likes of you.”

	“I do not have time for this.” hissed the man-monster,  “I have killed several today.   It will not hurt to add another to the body count.”

	The man-monster dashed forward.  Superman and He-Man rushed forward to intercept him.    The two strongmen of right joined into attack against the man-monster dealing powerful, bone crunching blows across the face and chest of the villain.     The man-monster was then sent hurtling back by a combined facial power punch by Superman and He-Man.      The man-monster crashed into a formation of jagged crystals and lay still for a moment as blood gushed from his mouth.

	“This has become a whole lot easier with you here, Adam.” said Superman with a relieved look on his face.

	“You aided me once before, Clark.” said He-Man,  “It is only right that I return the favor.”

	The man-monster got to his feet and fired forth a powerful, concentrated blast of white hot power.      Superman fired a powerful blast of heat vision that intercepted the man-monster’s attack.     He-Man pointed his Sword of Power at the man-monster and fired a powerful lightning beam at the villain.     The heat vision and lightning beams converged into one and the strength of the joined attack was too much for the villain.   The man-monster gave out and was struck down by the combined attack of the heroes.      

	The man-monster toppled to the ground and before he could make another move Superman rushed towards him.   The Man of Steel sucked in a great amount of air and blew it back out again in a concentrated blast of freezing wind.     The man-monster was frozen solid.      He-Man watched as Superman picked up the Phantom Zone projector device that was always kept in the Fortress of Solitude.      Superman activated the device and a rotating cube appeared around the frozen man-monster.      The villain was then transported into the Phantom Zone where he could no longer hurt another person in the outside world.

	Superman walked over to He-Man and shook his hand.   “Thanks again for your help.” he said,  “You have helped me save the innocent lives of countless others.”

	“I am glad I could help.” said He-Man,  “If you ever need me again just send for me and I shall be here to fight at your side once again.”

	Superman nodded.  “I will but now I need to get back to Metropolis.” he said,  “Many innocent lives were lost today for nothing and I need to return in order to try and ease the minds of all witnesses of the day’s events.”

	“Understood.” said He-Man,  “Mr. Miracle left the Mother Box device with me.” He-Man then handed the Mother Box to Superman.

	Superman adjusted the coordinates and a Boom Tube opened that would carry Superman and He-Man back to Metropolis.