The actions of the Black Robe Enforcers left the Avengers struggling to respond. However, the Avengers' primary concern wasn't public opinion but locating Steppenwolf's exact whereabouts.
Even if the Black Robe Enforcers dominated the media with their rhetoric, Steppenwolf and the formidable Darkseid behind him weren't adversaries they could handle. Neither the Enforcers nor any governmental bodies or ordinary people fully understood the gravity of the situation. Many believed the extraordinary event had ended with the massive destruction and high casualties caused by the Parademons. It was this belief that emboldened the Enforcers to seize the narrative.
What they failed to grasp was that the Parademons, similar to the Chitauri soldiers, were merely expendable pawns. The true threat lay in the entity commanding these creatures, a being far more terrifying.
The Parademons had already caused tens of thousands of civilian casualties. The Avengers feared that if the mastermind behind them acted directly, the devastation would escalate catastrophically.
Although Kara had retrieved the Space Stone from the remote island and used Kryptonian technology developed by Jor-El to block the Parademons' teleportation portals, this solution was temporary.
The Space Stone's energy was nearly limitless, but the device leveraging its power wasn't indestructible. The immense energy strained the device severely. Even Kryptonian technology couldn't ensure its prolonged use without damage.
Not even the Infinity Gauntlet, a tool expressly designed to harness the Infinity Stones, could sustain their power indefinitely.
The Avengers knew the device would eventually fail, and when it did, they feared the Parademons would return in full force, wreaking havoc once more.
To preempt this, Tony Stark, Reed Richards, and Rocket Raccoon worked tirelessly to create a new device capable of safely and efficiently channeling the Space Stone's power. They also aimed to produce multiple devices, uncertain when Steppenwolf and Darkseid might be neutralized, or the Mother Box crisis resolved.
Unbeknownst to the Avengers, Steppenwolf was facing his own frustrations. In a hidden location on Earth, he stared at the three Mother Boxes before him, which stubbornly refused to synchronize.
Steppenwolf's plan had progressed smoothly until now. The Parademons had distracted the Avengers and drawn global attention. Theoretically, nothing should have prevented him from uniting the Mother Boxes to summon Darkseid.
However, he hadn't anticipated Earth possessing a treasure like the Space Stone, let alone the means to utilize it. The stone's energy enveloped the planet, completely halting the Mother Boxes' fusion process.
Even though the Mother Boxes were top-tier Apokoliptian technology, capable of immense power and deemed invincible in many parts of the universe, the Space Stone operated on a higher plane. Representing a fundamental aspect of the universe's core laws, the Infinity Stone rendered the Mother Boxes ineffective.
If someone could fully master an Infinity Stone's power without succumbing to its backlash, they would undoubtedly rank among the universe's most powerful beings. Captain Marvel, for instance, had become a renowned powerhouse after absorbing only a fraction of the Space Stone's energy.
As long as the Earth remained under the Space Stone's influence, the Mother Boxes couldn't merge. Only when the energy blockade ended would Steppenwolf have a chance to proceed.
"Had I known this would happen, I wouldn't have mobilized so many Parademons," Steppenwolf thought bitterly. His overzealous deployment had inadvertently prompted Kara to use the Space Stone.
Now trapped on Earth, unable to summon reinforcements or communicate with Apokolips, Steppenwolf was at a loss. He could only wait for the energy blockade to dissipate, though he had no idea how long that might take.
Meanwhile, the Avengers made unexpected progress. Tony Stark, Reed Richards, and Rocket Raccoon combined their expertise to create a new device that consumed far less energy from the Space Stone. They replaced the fragile Kryptonian apparatus with this sturdier alternative.
"Jarvis, monitor Earth for spatial disturbances. If a portal opens when the Space Stone device fails, activate defensive protocols immediately. We cannot allow the Parademons to harm civilians again," Tony ordered.
Switching the device wasn't without risk. If Steppenwolf was waiting for the blockade to disappear, a moment's lapse could allow the Parademons to launch another devastating assault.
"Wait!" Steve Rogers interjected as Tony prepared to activate the new device.
"What is it, Cap?" Tony asked, puzzled.
"We're forgetting our allies," Steve said calmly.
He wasn't referring to the students from Kamar-Taj but the Green Lantern Corps stationed in the center of the universe.
Earth's own Lantern, Hal Jordan, had been absent for some time, preoccupied with his duties and training. The Avengers had nearly forgotten about the Corps.
"Where's Hal? Why hasn't he checked in?" Tony wondered aloud, quickly reaching out to the Green Lantern Corps.
Despite recent losses against Parallax, the Corps still boasted more members than the Avengers or Kamar-Taj and rivaled Earth's mechanized armies in numbers. The Green Lantern Corps, with recruits from across the cosmos, remained a formidable force.
In short order, with Kamar-Taj's assistance, Green Lantern Corps members arrived on Earth. Their leader, Hal Jordan, greeted the Avengers.
"Hal, where have you been?" Steve asked.
"I've been learning how to better control my powers and exploring the cultures of the planets in our jurisdiction," Hal explained sheepishly.
"I need your help. Do you know anything about Apokolips or Darkseid?" Tony asked, turning to Kilowog, a senior Lantern.
"Apokolips? Darkseid?" Kilowog seemed puzzled but quickly accessed the Corps' central database through his ring.
"There are many planets named Apokolips, but I don't have information on any specific one you're looking for. As for Darkseid, there's no record of him in our archives," Kilowog reported.
Tony frowned. "Could it be that Darkseid has only targeted Earth? Or does he operate outside known space entirely?"
"Not all areas of the universe are mapped. The Corps only monitors known civilizations," Kilowog explained.
Tony nodded, suspecting that Darkseid and Apokolips might be linked to enigmatic groups like the Celestials, who also eluded detection.
"Never mind that for now. Let's focus on securing Earth," Tony said, coordinating with the Green Lanterns to combat any future Parademon incursions.
With the Corps' reinforcement, the Avengers had more resources at their disposal. Tony synchronized the new device with data from Kara's Kryptonian tech, ensuring Earth's energy barrier remained intact.
The transition to the new device proceeded smoothly. As the Space Stone powered it, the Earth's skies glowed faintly brighter—a sign of continued protection.
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