Limbo: A place without time, adjacent to all time and space.
Immortus was monitoring the events in the Labyrinths of Limbo. There had never been so much activity in Limbo in Immortus' memory. Normally, he would welcome this interruption of the endless boredom of his existence. But not now! Now, he finally had the company he so desperately had wished for. Aphrodite, the most beautiful of all Goddesses was now in Limbo with him. Her memory stripped from her, she believed herself the wife of Immortus and the queen of Limbo. He would be able to keep her with him forevermore.
But now these mortals were arriving to ruin everything. The Justice Society of America had come to Limbo from the year 1943 to rescue Aphrodite. He needed to kill them! But the arrival of this other team was not part of his plan. The Avengers League had arrived from the early 21st century for reasons as yet unknown. But given their famous nobility and the fact that they have the same leader - Captain America in a future incarnation - it was logical that they had come to interfere in Immortus' plans. He couldn't allow that. The Avengers League had to be eliminated as well.
Immortus had come up with a cunning plan wherein he would pit the two teams against each other. He had primed the two teams for conflict. The Justice Society was awaiting the next wave of agents that Immortus would send against them. Avengers League was also expecting to be attacked, but they had the extra expectation that their attackers would take the form of champions of the past. The two teams wandered the labyrinths of Limbo, separated from their companions and tense with nervousness. Immortus was about to bring the first two combatants together, when Aphrodite entered the chamber.
"Immortus?" she asked.
Immortus was surprised by her unexpected appearance. "Venus, my darling. You shouldn't be here. I have . . . work to do. Please wait outside. We have all eternity to be together."
Aphrodite nodded and walked out of the chamber. She had no memory of Limbo and so wanted to get to know her kingdom better. She decided to take a tour around Immortus' castle. In the meantime, Immortus was bringing the first two combatants together.
Batman vs. Dr. Mid-Nite
Dr. Mid-Nite had decided on the strategy of hiding in the shadows and allowing his enemy to come to him. Suddenly, a trap door opened in the wall. A great suction drew him helplessly into the tunnel behind the door. The door slid closed. Dr. Mid-Nite slid down a chute for a hundred yards. A door opened on the other end of the chute and Dr. Mid-Nite was ejected from it. He landed as best he could. Near the other end of the chute, the Batman was waiting. He had also chosen to hide in the shadows but was distracted by the sound. Investigating, he saw a man in costume, with a cape and goggles. He recognized the outfit.
"So," Batman muttered, "this time they've chosen to send a simulacrum of Dr. Mid-Nite against me."
While Dr. Mid-Nite was still getting his bearings, Batman crept up, using the shadows to cloak himself. Just in time, Dr. Mid-Nite looked around. Had this been anyone else but Dr. Mid-Nite, he would not have seen the dark knight detective, who was so skillful in using the shadows for cover. But Dr. Mid-Nite had a special gift for seeing in the dark. He saw better in the dark. He saw Batman! Dr. Mid-Nite had never seen the Batman before but he had been expecting an attack and this person was supplying it. This was the enemy he had been anticipating!
Batman tried a covert attack but Mid-Nite evaded him. Batman was impressed. Very few people could do that. Maybe this doppleganger had simulated some of Dr. Mid-Nite's abilities, Batman reasoned. He decided to hold back and see what kind of offense the impostor had to offer.
Dr. Mid-Nite moved in on Batman cautiously, wary of this unknown enemy. He feigned a few lunges with his unique combat skills, but Batman didn't fall for the bait. Dr. Mid-Nite moved into the darkest shadows, feeling that he would have the advantage in the pitch darkness. Batman, however, was no stranger to shadow combat. They locked up in the shadows, each one thinking that the advantage would be his. But the darkness served neither. They met on equal terms, using all their formidable combat skill.
They fought for nearly a half-hour, gaining each other's respect. But in the end, one of them was proven the stronger and the more skillful. In a battle of masters, one proved slightly more masterful.
Batman stood over the fallen Dr. Mid-Nite, getting his breath back. The dark knight detective was getting suspicious. Why did this impostor not turn back to his real form as he did before? Why did he not transport away as he did before? And where did this phony learn to fight so well? Something was wrong!
Suddenly, the familiar face of the Space Phantom appeared. Batman was not altogether surprised. He had suspected that this was not the same shape shifter he had fought before. Before the tired masked hero could act, the Phantom grabbed the fallen Dr. Mid-Nite, winked, and transported them both away.
"We're being manipulated," Batman said. "But to what end?"
With no other option, Batman crept along cautiously along, hoping to find something useful.
The Space Phantom reappeared in the chamber of Immortus with the defeated Dr. Mid-Nite. "Here is the loser, great master."
"Excellent," Immortus said. "Lock him up with Dr. Fate."
"Why not kill him, master?" the Phantom asked.
"Not yet," Immortus said. "Aphrodite has a bond with these humans. And she still has her goddess senses. I fear that if she senses the death of an old friend, the shock will restore her memory. Therefore, we will wait until all the fights are over, then I will distract Aphrodite while Tempus slays the fools all at once."
"What about the winners of the bouts?" Space Phantom asked. "Like this Batman?"
"This is merely the first round," Immortus said. "I will pit the winners against each other. These fools will keep fighting until there is only one left. And that one will face Tempus, who will surely defeat him. Trust me. I have planned everything! And now, for the next fight!"
Human Torch vs. Vision
Vision was moving through the walls of Limbo, looking for Captain America. Just then, some sort of message was transmitted to him. Was it a trap, or was it one of the Avengers Leaguers calling for help? Even if it were a trap, there must be someone to spring it, and that person could have information that the Vision required. Therefore, Vision decided to follow the transmission.
Vision stepped out of a solid wall and saw a flaming man flying down the hall. It was the Human Torch. The Torch saw Vision and hovered over him, fireballs in hand.
"Who are you?" the Torch asked. "Speak up!"
If Vision had any emotion, he would have hesitated at the sight of his former self. But the Vision was a creature of pure logic. He perceived this entity as an impostor. Vision wondered whether he would feel angry if he still possessed that capability. It didn't matter. All that mattered was defeating his foe.
The Torch lost his patience and tossed his fireball at Vision. Vision turned himself intangible and the fireball passed right through him. The Torch was surprised. He tried a flame burst of greater power but it also failed to do any damage.
Vision unleashed his laser eye-beams, but the Torch was able to absorb the rays. The Vision realized that he had made an illogical move. Lasers were heat and if this imitator had all the powers of the Human Torch, he could absorb heat. Vision increased his molecular density to the solidity of pure diamond. He swung a devastating punch at the Torch but the flaming hero was too quick for such a clumsy attack.
Vision had one last card to play. Again becoming intangible, he took to the air. He floated up to the Torch. The Torch tried to grab the Vision in a flaming grip, but couldn't touch the emotionless automaton. Suddenly, the Vision reached forward and pushed his wraith-like hands into the Torch's body. Then he solidified his hands. The Torch jerked spasmodically as his internal systems were disrupted by Vision's attack. The Vision sensed that his opponent was actually an android. This led to some confusion.
The Torch fell to the ground, his systems all off-line, except for his self-repair system, which was working at full capacity. Vision studied the Torch. He was beginning to suspect that this being was indeed his past self. He tried to figure out what was going on. As the Vision drifted to the ground, the Space Phantom appeared for a brief moment and whisked the Human Torch away, before the Vision could stop him. Vision was left with no recourse other than to continue his journey through the walls of Limbo in an attempt to find the Avengers League.
Black Canary vs. Wasp
As Wasp flew through the Labyrinth, she noticed a small opening in the wall. Perhaps it was some sort of air vent. Maybe it led to freedom. She followed it. Emerging on the other side, she found herself still trapped in the maze. But she was no longer alone. She spotted a blonde woman in black leather and fishnet stockings. She knew the outfit.
"That's supposed to be the Black Canary, huh?" Wasp said. "Well, she's not fooling this little Wasp!"
Wasp swooped toward her prey. Black Canary, by a fortunate coincidence, decided to let loose one of her sonic screams, hoping to attract the attention of one of her JSA partners. The high-frequency scream stunned the Wasp, who dropped to the ground, regaining her full size. Black Canary turned and saw the Wasp growing. Alarmed by the sudden arrival of this stranger, Black Canary shot out one of her best martial arts kicks. Wasp was still stunned from the sonic yell and couldn't defend herself.
A powerful foot in the face knocked the Wasp unconscious. Black Canary spared no more time on her defeated foe. She started to walk away. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Space Phantom capturing the Wasp. The Black Canary suddenly began to doubt if she had done the right thing.
Battle of the Wonder Women - Diana vs. Hippolyta
Diana slipped around the corner, crimson boots making no sound against the ancient stone of the labyrinth. Her keen hearing detected nothing in the next corridor.
That madman said that I would face an opponent who resembled a hero from the past . . . I would assume he means the Justice Society of America. Captain America was a member of that . . . I could face him, or Sentinel, or even . . .
"Mother!"
"Diana!" Hippolyta leapt back in surprise, her hands moving carefully in front of her in a defensive stance. "What manner of sick joke is this? That shape-shifting fool takes the place of my own daughter?"
The two Wonder Women fell back into fighting stances, sizing their opponents up. Both knew that their lassoes would be ineffective against a wielder of a weapon of equal power. This would be decided by Amazon might and skill alone.
The future Wonder Woman made the first move, lunging toward her mother as swift as Hermes. Her fists lashed out, blurs too quick for the mortal eye to follow. Hippolyta met her assault, and their ancient bracelets of Amazonium filled the eternal stone labyrinth with metallic clangs as the Amazon Queen deflected the Amazon Princess's powerful attack. Diana managed to slip a punch through her mother's guard, landing it on her jaw. Hippolyta was slammed backward against the wall, and barely had time to register the pain in her jaw before Diana was attacking her again.
Gaea help me! I am holding back because this woman resembles my daughter, Hippolyta realized as she jerked her head to the side, allowing Diana's fist to slam into the unbreakable stone. She's stronger and faster than I, if I hold back any of my skill or ferocity . . . I am doomed!
Hippolyta planted her crimson boot into Diana's stomach sending her flying back into the far wall. She inhaled in surprise as her back struck wood, rather than cold stone.
"What . . . a doorway?" Hippolyta landed a flying kick that drove both warriors through the thin wood. In a shower of splinters, they found themselves rolling across cool marble. They were in a spacious, domed room. A stream of light filtered through a hole in the ceiling to illuminate the perfectly sculpted features of a massive statue. "Suffering Sappho! The Temple of Athena!"
It was indeed Athena's temple, a sacred, ancient building hidden in the jungles of Paradise Island, where the most sacred of Amazon duels and training took place, and where an Amazon awaited the assignment of her World Gauntlet.
"Humph. It appears the monster doing this has managed to copy your knowledge of Themyscira and your rather odd choice of interjections. But has he managed to duplicate your fighting skills?" Hippolyta lunged with a high roundhouse. Diana ducked under the attack and punched Hippolyta in the jaw as she spun around.
"I think you'll be satisfied, 'Mother'," Diana replied as she attempted another punch. Hippolyta's bracelets snapped together, catching Diana's wrist. Her foot whipped up, hitting Diana in the thigh and the side. Diana blocked a kick aimed at her temple and whipped her arm free, only to be badgered with a flurry of kicks that sent her sailing backward. Aphrodite help me, she has my mother's fighting skills . . . and her temper . . .
Hippolyta's roundhouse slapped across Diana's cheek. Spinning with her momentum, the Princess thrust her leg out at Hippolyta, who sidestepped, hooking her arm around Diana's neck to cut off circulation. Diana's boot flew up as she performed a standing split, nailing Hippolyta in the face. Clinging to her arm, Diana hurled the Queen of Themyscira the several hundred yards to the far side of the temple, where she smashed into a thick column.
Flipping in midair, Hippolyta landed on her feet, but Diana had already crossed the distance, and pinned her mother against the wall with a high sidekick. Hippolyta easily knocked her foot away and then whirled around, whipping her Magic Lasso across Diana's face. Biting back the pain, Diana spun with the momentum and kicked Hippolyta's feet out from under her. As she attempted to press the attack Hippolyta kicked out, hitting Diana in the stomach with a double-footed kick. Hippolyta rolled onto her shoulders and into a graceful backhand spring, kicking Diana in the jaw as she did so.
<"You've never been one to press a vicious attack upon a downed opponent,"> Hippolyta laughed in Themysciran, native tongue of both Amazons. Diana blocked her next punch and kicked her back against the wall. Hippolyta struck it and fell, and Diana pulled off her tiara to press the attack, swinging it like a miniature blade. Hippolyta pulled off her own tiara, and the headpieces collided with a metallic clang that echoed throughout the empty temple. Diana forced Hippolyta's backward until its razor tip nearly touched the Amazon queen's throat. Diana was clearly the stronger. <"By the gods! Your strength . . . 'tis like you have had six decades more training since the last we sparred!">
They met eyes, and Hippolyta gasped as she looked into her daughter's crystal blue orbs. <"You are my daughter. . . A shape-shifter may take your body, but he could never take your soul, Diana.">
Diana paused. This was too realistic. Hippolyta was weaker than usual, at the same strength levels she had been at sixty years ago. It was a small margin, but enough so that Diana could overpower her. She also knew all of Diana's weaknesses and mannerisms. Could it be . . . ?
<"Great Hera . . . Mother?"> Diana pulled away, cautious to see if it was merely a ploy. But as Hippolyta embraced her daughter, and the Temple of Athena faded away to the dismal Labyrinth, Diana knew that no shape-shifter, however talented, could fake a mother's love.
Iron Man vs. the Sub-Mariner
Iron Man was happy to finally find a large, open room after having flown through corridor after corridor looking for his "opponent."
He hovered over the room and noticed that down below was a large pool of water. It was certainly an odd thing to see, but Limbo was an odd place.
Iron Man made sure that his weapons were primed and ready. He was half-sure that some kind of sea serpent or something would leap out of the water and attack him.
Something did leap out of the water and attack, but it was no sea monster.
It was the Sub-Mariner!
Iron Man barely had time to dodge before the Sub-Mariner leapt out at him.
"Hey!"
"You think you can stop Namor, Prince of the Seven Seas, armored one? I'll rip your hull open like a Nazi U-boat!"
"Only if you can get a hold of me, Spock-ears!"
"Who is this Spock? Making fun of my ears will only increase the bodily harm I will do to you, fiend!"
Iron Man did not respond. He used his boot jets to circle the room. He was gaining momentum and the time to give his opponent a good repulsor blast.
But Namor caught him in mid-air. Iron Man's system alarms went off as Namor dragged him down under the water. They were in Namor's element now.
Iron Man struggled in Namor's fierce grip. The only choice for an attack that he had now was a close-range uni-beam blast, which Iron Man hoped would not kill his opponent.
The uni-beam hit Namor with extreme force. Its burning power made him wince, but he did not let go. When he recovered, he began dragging Iron Man further down to the bottom of the pool.
Iron Man had no choice. If he did not get Namor off of him, the Sub-Mariner would find a way to damage his armor, and probably kill him. It was time to do an attack that would drain his power significantly, but it would get him free.
The Armored Avenger devoted most of his available power to his repulsors and his uni-beam. He let all the power go, and Namor let go. The Sub-Mariner's body was smoking from the heat of the attack. Iron Man began to paddle away as he saw the Space Phantom dive into the water, retrieve the fallen Sub-Mariner, and disappear.
Sentinel vs. Quasar
Immortus knew that combined, Quasar and Sentinel had enough power at their disposal that could tear Limbo apart in the course of their fight. So, he teleported the two to an inhabitable moon orbiting the planet Dorien - a place that would be quite pivotal in an intergalactic war, hundreds of years in the future. That is, from the heroes' point of view.
Oh, great, Sentinel thought as he looked around. I'm in a forest. That's puts me at a disadvantage.
Up above, Quasar sat in one of the trees, looking down.
They're good, Quasar thought. Going old school with a decent imitation of Sentinel. The real one might have been a hero, but I'm not letting this one get me by surprise like last time.
He watched as Sentinel carefully examined his surrounding. He then waited for the JSAer to come closer to the tree he was hiding in. Quasar realized how lucky he was to have been teleported to the tree.
Finally, Sentinel was in a prime position, and Quasar leapt out of the tree, landing on Sentinel.
"What the --?!" Sentinel asked, seeing Quasar come at him. That was followed by "Ummph!" as the other hero landed on him.
Quasar stood up, and blasted Sentinel, who was fortunate enough to get a shield up in time. Sentinel stood up, and shot a burst of energy at Quasar, who sidestepped it. The blast hit a tree, causing the tree to begin falling over . . . right for Sentinel!
"If you'd done you're research, you'd know that Sentinel's powers don't work against wood!" Quasar exclaimed.
Sentinel scrambled out of harm's way, keeping an eye on the tree. He was shocked. The trees on this moon must not be made of wood. Or, at the very least, it wasn't the same kind of wood found on Earth. Sentinel decided to use this to his advantage.
He used his ring to create a field that would allow him to glide over the fallen tree, and Quasar. Before Quasar could turn around, Sentinel had already uprooted two trees, and had them floating above Quasar.
Quasar lifted his hands quickly and blasted the trees. Sentinel saw this and let go of the trees. Quasar's blast hit the trees first, and succeeded in pulverizing them, but the unusual mixing of energies - that of Quasar's quantum bands and Sentinel's ring - created a violent backlash. Quasar passed out. Sentinel stayed his distance, to make sure his foe wasn't just toying with him.
He knew the battle was over when the trees blurred together, and Sentinel found himself trapped in the Labyrinth once more.
Quasar was no where to be found, as he had already been taken to where the losers were taken.
Martian Manhunter vs. Toro
Martian Manhunter was following the minds he sensed elsewhere in the Labyrinth. As he passed through a stone wall, he came across one such mind. But this was not one of his allies. It was a flaming boy. The Manhunter didn't need telepathy to know whom he was confronting.
"Toro," J'Onn said. "Or an incredible simulation."
Toro spotted the green Martian and immediately attacked. The Martian was alarmed. He could not stand against a flaming attack. J'Onn tried to pierce the walls. But he was caught by fireballs. The flames caused J'Onn's powers to fade. He couldn't pass through the wall. Another fireball knocked the Manhunter off his feet. He was too weak to stand. Toro moved in to finish him off.
J'Onn still had one power left. The power of telepathy! It was his only remaining weapon. He probed the mind of the flaming boy. To his amazement, J'Onn's mind-probe revealed to him that this was, indeed, the real Toro. Now Cap's story made sense. The JSA was here as well, having come to this timeless place from 1943. Toro was not his real foe.
"Wait!" J'Onn said, weakly. "Please! I am not your enemy!"
Toro hesitated. Mercy stayed his hand. But he was still wary. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"
The Manhunter started to talk, but the weakness overcame him and he passed out. Toro kept his distance, unsure of whether or not the green man was faking or not. When the Space Phantom appeared, young Toro hesitated. He was an inexperienced youth. He watched as the Space Phantom grabbed the Martian. Toro finally acted, but it was too late. They were gone!
Battle of the Flashes - Jay vs. Wally
Flashes of two different eras raced through the Labyrinth. Immortus blocked certain tunnels, and opened others, arranging for the two speedsters to eventually run into each other. Finally, Jay sensed the presence of another speedster nearby. He wondered if this were the Counter-Earth villain again. He ran to see.
The two Flashes almost collided. They stopped just a few feet from each other. They sized each other up.
"Nice outfit," Jay said, amused that Immortus' new lackey wore a costume designed after his own.
As for Wally, he was incensed. He believed this to be an impostor. How dare this phony imitate one of the greatest heroes ever! Wally respected Jay as an inspiration and as Barry Allen's mentor. There was no way he was going to tolerate this fake!
"Speaking of costumes, you picked the wrong one, jerk!" Wally said.
Wally rushed Jay, who easily sidestepped. Wally was surprised. The impostor was a little faster than he had expected. Wally tried another attack, throwing one hundred punches in a second. Amazingly, the other Flash either blocked or evaded all of them. Wally couldn't believe that he didn't connect. This guy was good. Much better than the Johnny Quick imitator earlier.
Wally kept attacking but the other Flash was equal to every challenge. He had an answer to every super-speed attack that Wally attempted. Wally tried the sonic boom, but the other Flash moved out of range faster than the speed of sound. He returned and whizzed around Wally in a taunting maneuver, meant to psyche Wally out. Wally tried vibrations and even tried the light-speed double trick (moving so fast that he appeared to be in two places at once.) but nothing worked. He even tried to absorb the speed of his opponent but the other runner somehow blocked him. This other Flash knew all the tricks. Wally was starting to get frustrated. And that was when the other Flash began his offense. He feigned with super-speed and slipped some punches through the opening in Wally's defenses. Wally was amazed. The other Flash was beating him! This other Flash was not only fast - possibly faster than Wally himself - but he was incredibly skillful in the usage of his speed powers. There was even a grace of movement to his every action. Wally almost found himself envying this other Flash. He didn't think that anyone else but Barry and Jay could move like this.
And then the realization hit him . . . this was Jay! The real Jay! No one else could match his speed and no one could duplicate his style. Somehow, some way, he was face-to-face with a younger version of Jay.
Wally stopped short. He held up his hands! "Hold it, Jay! Stop!"
"Don't call me Jay!" the golden age hero snapped, as he circled Wally. "I'm not your friend!"
"Yes, you are!" Wally said. "Or rather, you will be! Listen, please. You've seen that you can handle anything I throw at you. Would you be willing to hold off on the fighting and listen to me?"
Jay came to a stop. He considered the other Flash's words. Finally he nodded. "It had better be good."
Thor vs. Hulk
Immortus decided that this confrontation was too epic to take place in a tunnel. So he transported both combatants to an uninhabited planetoid.
"So!" Thor said. "Mine enemy would perplex me with visions of an old foe. One who did once defeat me with a base and cowardly attack from behind! Though I know this be not he true Hulk, still will the God of Thunder take some pleasure in the false Hulk's defeat!"
Hulk recognized Thor from their recent conflict and wasted no time throwing himself into battle. It did not occur to the simple-minded Hulk that this was an impostor. Hulk assumed, rightly, that this was the same Thor he had fought before. And that made him all the more eager to destroy the Asgardian.
"Hulk smash!"
The irresistible force collided with the immovable object and the ground trembled. Punches that could shatter mountains were exchanged. Thor used his superior skill and intelligence to momentarily get the upper hand. He clubbed the Hulk in the head with his mighty hammer Mjolnir. The Hulk was staggered. Thor followed this up with a flurry of blows. The Hulk stubbornly refused to fall until almost thirty blows were struck. Finally, the gray monster fell.
But he didn't stay down. His recuperative powers were as amazing as his strength. He started to rise again. Thor was surprised. When he had fought the imitation Solomon Grundy earlier, the creature lacked the strength and savagery of the real Grundy. Yet now, the impostor had managed to duplicate the even greater strength and more ferocious savagery of the Hulk. Something was amiss.
While Thor was distracted by these nagging doubts, the Hulk nailed him with a powerful blow. The punch sent Thor flying hundreds of meters over the rocky terrain. He crashed down hard. Moments later, Thor pulled himself out of the pit his impact had made. He saw the large, gray form of the Hulk leaping in his direction, eager to continue the battle.
Thor realized that the Hulk's strength had increased since the battle started. Only the real Hulk could reach these power levels. And only the real Hulk could have the raging bloodlust for primal combat that Thor saw in the monster he was fighting.
"By Odin! This creature doth be the real Hulk!" Thor said. He wondered why the mysterious mastermind of this dilemma had gone through the trouble of making Thor believe he was fighting someone else. All Thor's instincts told him that he shouldn't continue the battle.
Hulk landed after a long leap and stalked the thunder god. Thor held up his hand. "Hold, sir! I shall not fight thee!"
Hulk was confused. "Huh? Does golden hair give up?"
Thor hated to mouth those words but it seemed the only way to settle things. "Yes Hulk. I withdraw from our fight. The battle is yours!"
"Ha!" Hulk laughed. "Golden hair is smart. No one can beat Hulk. Hulk is strongest one there is!"
Thor's warrior pride burned and he wanted to ram those words down the Hulk's throat, but fighting would accomplish nothing here. "Why are you here, Hulk? Why did you come!"
"Hulk doesn't have to answer questions for man with hammer!" the monster roared. "Hulk wants to go back to his friends. Take Hulk back or Hulk will smash!"
Hulk raised his mighty fists menacingly. Thor was tempted to end the truce and thrash the gray beast, but he kept his self-control. "Very well, Hulk. I will take you back to the Labyrinth!"
Thor didn't get the chance. Immortus was monitoring this. He couldn't allow Thor and the Hulk to join forces. They were to powerful a combination. They had to be stopped!
Suddenly, the giant Tempus appeared before them on the planetoid. The albino giant raised his massive mallet. "My master commands that you must die!" The giant bore down on the two powerful beings.
Captain America of the Justice Society was creeping through the castle of Immortus. He had followed the giant Tempus after the albino behemoth captured Dr. Fate. Tempus left the labyrinth of Limbo through a secret entrance in the rock. Captain America slipped out the same entrance before it closed. He followed Tempus to the colossal castle. Cap was creeping carefully, wary of being discovered. He hoped that he could find and free Dr. Fate. Fate's power would be useful at the moment.
Aphrodite was still taking her tour of the castle. She accidentally came across the Stasis Dungeon. She saw several costumed men there, held immobile by some sort of energy field that froze time. With her memory gone, she didn't recognize the captive men and women. But the sight of them stirred something inside her. Some sort of familiarity. Deep inside, she knew these people.
She looked at the man with the shiny golden helmet. Who was he? Why did he wear that helmet? Aphrodite had no way of knowing that Dr. Fate's subconscious had sent a mystic SOS to Captain America. A summons that reached the right person at the wrong time. It reached the Captain America of the future rather than of 1943. It was Dr. Fate's subconscious that summoned Cap and the Avengers League.
And it summoned someone else as well. No one realized that Fate's distress call had been intercepted by another, more powerful being. Aphrodite knew nothing of all this. She continued to look at the captives. Who were they?
"They are your friends," a powerful, yet spooky voice said.
Aphrodite turned. She saw a ghostly-white man with a green hood. He had an intimidating presence.
"Who are you?" She asked the newly arrived spirit.
"I am the Spectre," the mysterious being said. "I was summoned by Dr. Fate. I have come to your aid. I will return you memory. The machinations of the Dark Council run deep, but this cannot be allowed. You still have a part to play in the war and the council will not keep you from it!"
"I don't understand," she said.
"You will," the Spectre waved his hand. Aphrodite got dizzy and leaned against the wall to steady herself.
"You are again as you should be," the Spectre said. "The balance is restored."
The Spectre vanished.
The Captain America of the Avengers League was still walking the halls of the Labyrinths of Limbo. He hoped that his teammates were all right. He was sorry that Captain Marvel wasn't here to help, but before all this started, Cap had sent Captain Marvel to Japan to investigate reports of a giant monster.*
*(Doom Patrol #12)
Cap, in the meantime, was desperately trying to remember what had happened last time he was here. Where should he be headed?
A voice in his head began to whisper directions to him. Was it a subconscious memory coming out or was it Dr. Fate. Either way, he felt it wise to listen to this voice and go where it led.
Tempus charged Thor and the Hulk. The Hulk roared his animalistic defiance. Thor clutched his hammer and tensed for the battle. "Thou hath the seeming of a Frost Giant, creature," Thor shouted, "and Thor shall defeat thee as I have many a giant!"
Hulk leaped at Tempus. The albino behemoth swung his bludgeon and swatted the Hulk away. Thor threw his hammer and knocked the giant weapon out of Tempus' hand. Tempus looked down at Thor angrily and suddenly temporal beams came from his eyes. They struck Thor.
Tempus announced, "I now subject you to the force that we who rule in Limbo are immune to . . . the ravages of time!"
The beams which were meant to age and infirm the victim had no effect on the immortal Thor. "I know not the nature of yon optic bombardment, but e'en thy icy glare doth have no effect on an immortal born!"
"So!" Tempus said. "You too know the honor of life eternal! It matters not! Tempus will still defeat you!"
The Hulk grabbed a large chunk of rock and threw it at Tempus. The giant spotted it at the last moment. Opening his mouth, a powerful maelstrom of wind emerged, blowing the rock back at the Hulk. The Hulk shattered the rock with a powerful punch. Thor grabbed the Giant's foot, and yanked it out from under him. Tempus tripped and crashed to the ground. Tempus was looking furiously at Thor, when the Hulk leaped onto his face and began to pound on the albino giant. Tempus used his wind-breath to blow Hulk off of him. The Hulk staggered back a few steps but didn't allow himself to be blown off. Thor grabbed Tempus' mallet and swung it, shattering in against Tempus' head. Tempus was dazed and stunned. The Hulk continued to pound on his face. Thor raised his hammer and brought it down on Tempus.
And that was it. Tempus was defeated. Thor and the Hulk eyed each other. Thor smiled. "Thou art a rare warrior, Hulk. I would be happy to call thee friend."
The Hulk had gotten used to fighting alongside Thor and his simple mind had almost forgotten the previous battle. When Thor called him ‘friend' it touched a cord deep inside the Hulk. It reached a lonely part of the Hulk that wanted to be liked, a part that wanted friends.
"Friend?" Hulk repeated. "Yes. Hulk wants to be friends."
"Then let us go together, Hulk, to rescue our companions!" Thor said. "And woe to any who would stand in our way!" Thor opened a portal back to Limbo.
Jay had listened to everything Wally had said. It's true that Wally seemed to know a lot of intimate details of Jay's life, but it was possible for mystic beings like Ares and the dark council to find these things out. But there was something about this younger Flash. Something earnest and good. His instincts told him to believe this crazy story.
"You realize how crazy all this sounds," Jay said. "But considering we're two superheroes in Limbo trying to rescue a goddess, I guess crazy is relative."
Wally held out a ring. "Here. You gave this to me recently."
Jay took the ring. He compared it to his own. They were identical, right down to the scratch on the left side. Jay knew that ring like the back of his hand. It was the same one.
"So it's true," Jay said. "You're from the future."
Wally nodded. "And we'll be good friends one day. In fact, I'm glad to see you here now. You're a scientist. Maybe you can think up a way out of this."
Jay nodded and thought for a minute. "Hmmm, I think I've got an idea."
"I'm all ears," Wally said, eagerly.
"We need to combine our speed," Jay said. "One of us has to go faster than the speed of light. We have to attempt time travel. And we'll need to vibrate at the same time. Vibrating allows us to pass through dimensions."
Wally was stunned. Jay continued. "Think of our world and Limbo as a tic-tac-toe board. We're on the top left and Limbo is on the bottom right. Let's imagine it's possible to travel diagonally in time and space from the past on Earth to the present here. Or, as near as you can get to the present in a place where time doesn't exist. You'd travel through time as a specter, not a physical part of the universe, as long as your vibrations were the right frequency, because you'd be non-existent, being between here and there. By following the correct trajectory at the proper speed and vibration, you can start running here and come out on Earth in any given year."
"That's a hell of a wild theory," Wally said. "But even if it's true, I know from . . . certain things that have happened to other speedsters in the past that going faster than light is a big no-no. It leads to a person getting trapped in the speed-force."
"It's a risk I'm willing to take," Jay said. "One of us has to get out of here and call in the reinforcements."
Wally nodded. "Maybe you're right. But let me do the running."
"Nope!" Jay said. "I'm the scientist. You can't maneuver the fifth dimension the way I can. This will take perfect calculations to run a diagonal route through time and space and come out at the right spot."
"You're right," Wally said. "As always. Well, are you ready to get started?"
"Let's go."
"Good luck, Jay," Wally said. "I'll keep my fingers crossed."
The two speedsters started running. They started to pick up speed but then Wally started to slow down as Jay absorbed his speed. Jay moved faster and faster, breaking the light barrier. Jay vanished.
Immortus was not happy with what he was seeing on his monitors. Things were not going as planned. He had to reevaluate his methods. Unfortunately for him, he didn't get the chance. An alarm warned him that someone had entered the room. He turned to see Captain America of 1943 entering the room.
"How did you get here?" Immortus asked.
"It doesn't matter!" Cap said. "All that matters is that this madness end! Release Miss Venus. The JSA will never stop until we've freed her!"
Immortus knew this to be true. While he had some of the JSA in his power, others still remained. Powerful opponents like Thor and the Hulk. Then, an idea came to Immortus. He'd use Cap's concern for his friends against him. With the press of a button, the unconscious Star-Spangled Kid appeared.
Immortus aimed a weapon at the boy. "Surrender, Captain, or the boy dies!" Immortus ordered.
Cap hesitated, trying to come up with a plan to rescue Bucky, Aphrodite, and Dr. Fate. He didn't know that help was close by. Help from himself!
Avengers League Captain America had followed that little voice in his head, through the secret exit from Limbo and into Immortus' castle. It guided him to the right room. Peeking out from hiding, the Avengers League Cap saw Bucky being held hostage by Immortus. Cap became enraged. He had seen Bucky die once before and he would not allow the boy he loved like a son to die before his eyes again! Cap threw his shield . . . hard!
Immortus was smashed with the shield. He stumbled to the ground, stunned. Cap of the JSA grabbed Bucky and pushed him to safety. He stood in front of Bucky, protecting him. He and the other Cap looked at each other. Cap 1943 was unsure what was going on but this man helped save Bucky so he was obviously a friend. The other Cap gave a nod to his past self. They both closed in on Immortus. "Give it up!" They ordered the king of Limbo.
Immortus sneered. "I still have instrumentality at my command! I'll . . . "
"It will do you no good!" another voice said. Immortus looked to see who had spoken. He was shocked to see who it was.
Dr. Fate, who had spoken the words, was accompanied by Dr. Mid-Nite and J'Onn and rest of the freed members of the Justice Society and the Avengers League. He was also accompanied by Aphrodite! "I have my memory back, you fiend!" she said angrily. "And I freed your other 'guests'!"
Another portal opened. Thor and the Hulk appeared. "Hail fellow warriors!" Thor called.
Hulk roared. All the heroes surrounded Immortus. His shoulders sagged. It was all over.
"I have no reason left to fight," he said. "Without Aphrodite, this serves no purpose. Go! Leave Limbo! I will bother you no longer." Pressing a button on his belt, Immortus vanished.
"So that's it?" Iron Man asked. "We just let him walk?"
"He'd be difficult to find," Dr. Fate said. "And I perceive that he meant what he said when he vowed to leave us in peace. He has no further reason to menace us." Fate looked at Aphrodite, who was very unnerved by all this.
"I agree," Cap of the JSA said. "Let's not look for a fight. This one is over. Let's all go home."
Namor looked at the Avengers League. "Who exactly are you people?"
"It's better that you do not know," Aphrodite interrupted. "Trust me. Some things are best left to be discovered in their own time. Now then, with the help of Thor and Dr. Fate, I can transport you all home. Including the other members, like Batman and Toro who are still wandering the Labyrinth. You'll all get home safe."
The three of them started to make preparations to send the others back. The Avengers League Captain America looked at Bucky, who had just woken up. Bucky saw two Caps and was confused. Cap approached him. He smiled at Bucky in a loving way. Bucky was confused.
"I missed something," the Kid said.
Cap suddenly grabbed Bucky and gave him a big hug.
"Breathing becoming an issue," Bucky gasped.
Cap let him go. He beamed affectionately at the boy. "Just take care of yourself, okay Bucky? And remember, I'll never forget you!"
"Uhhh, yeah. Okay," Bucky muttered, confused.
Cap 1943 watched this, concerned. What did this bode for the future?
"Tis time!" Thor said.
Soon, all the members of both teams were transported back to Earth of their own time period. Thor, Aphrodite, and Dr. Fate remained momentarily. "It's best that the JSA members don't remember any of this," Dr. Fate said, "Any knowledge of the future could be catastrophic."
"Agreed," Thor said, "With a boost from thine sorcerers skill, I will grant the Justice Society a gift using a skill I rarely use . . . the gift of forgetfulness!"
Thor and Fate arranged for the JSA's memories of the event to be blocked. The three powerful beings said their good-byes and departed from limbo. The first meeting of the greatest hero teams of all time was over!
Next: In Justice Society of America #27, Flash meets some legendary speedsters, as well as an old rival. Plus, meet the British Knights!
To follow the Avengers League's next arc, read Captain America #3, then continue in Avengers League #18, where it's the beginning of the end!