The city shook as two battlefields unfolded side by side.
Lex's second warsuit hit the ground with a metallic thud. Sleeker than the last, violet plating reinforced with green power cores, its hum filled the air like a predator's growl. He activated its shields as Cadmus agents spread out, rifles glowing with experimental tech.
"New suit with better protection, Batman," Lex taunted, voice amplified through his helmet. "Did you think I wouldn't have backups? Did you think I wouldn't plan for you?"
Batman said nothing. His eyes flicked across the battlefield, analyzing. He saw Cadmus operatives moving into formation. He saw Mercy Graves step forward, twin plasma pistols in hand.
"Take the girl," Mercy ordered, aiming at Ace.
The first shots fired.
Ace raised her hands, red light sparking as she redirected the blasts into a car. The vehicle exploded, throwing agents back. Connor leapt into the fray, slamming one soldier into the pavement, his fist shaking the ground.
Constantine stayed back, muttering incantations, glyphs glowing in the air before erupting into fire that cut through the agents' cover. "You lot picked the wrong bloody side," he spat.
Batman moved like a shadow. He hurled a batarang, disarming one soldier, then closed the distance and broke his arm with a sharp twist.
Mercy Graves tried to flank, but he was already behind her. A smoke pellet burst, and in the confusion, he struck her jaw with precision. She crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
Lex snarled inside his armor. "Mercy! Damn it!" He opened fire, twin energy cannons forcing Batman to dive behind debris.
Connor noticed, about to charge Lex, but Batman's voice cut through the comms. "Stay back. Support only. He has Kryptonite to neutralize you."
Connor clenched his fists but obeyed.
Ace blasted another wave of soldiers, her hair singed, her breathing heavy. Constantine burned sigils into the ground, catching two Cadmus operatives in a chain of fire that dragged them screaming.
Lex pressed forward. His cannons tore through Batman's cover, molten rubble spraying everywhere. "You're nothing but a man in a stupid bat costume! And I've already surpassed men like you!"
"I am not like any other man." Batman hurled a small sphere. It latched onto Lex's chest plate and detonated in a surge of blue sparks. The suit sparked as systems flickered, joints locking, but not shutting down. Batman charged, vaulting onto the armor, fists striking weak points with brutal efficiency.
For a moment, Lex staggered, nearly on the ground.
Then the Cadmus reinforcements pushed in. Dozens more, rifles trained on Batman and his allies. The EMP's effects faded as Lex rebooted his systems. With a snarl, he knocked Batman away, the impact shattering a wall.
"Kill them all," Lex ordered coldly.
Gunfire erupted.
Ace dropped behind rubble, panting. Connor shielded her, bullets bouncing off his half-Kryptonian skin, but the force still drove him back.
Lex shouted annoyed. " Use the Kryptonite bullets idiots! Normal ones can't harm him."
Constantine raised wards to block the rest, the strain cutting into his voice as he muttered curses. "Bloody hell, there's too many—!"
Lex tried to call in more squads through his comms, but only static noises crackled in the speaker. " Where the hell are they ! I paid them to fight , not sight see."
Then came a voice, weak, crackling with fear. "I hear you Sir."
Lex immediately yelled. " Why aren't you at my location yet! Where are you? What's the status?"
The soldier gulped."Sir… it's… a crazy girl showed dressed like Wonder Woman! She's taken out all our men!" The voice paused and then came a nervous chuckle. "But she's so pretty though..."
Lex froze. "What? That's impossible. Thousands of trained men. Why are you drooling over the enemy for God's sake!Explain!"
A loud bang cut through the transmission, with a woman shouting "Gotcha!", then silence.
"Hello?! Answer god dammit!" Lex roared, switching frequencies. Nothing. Only dead silence.
Batman, pulling himself from the rubble, gave the faintest smirk. "Seems you're losing control."
Lex's grip tightened on his armor, fury boiling. "It appears so."
***
On the other side of the square, the clash between the kings reached its peak. Their next clash would determine the victor
Arthur spoke calmly. " Seal 13, decision start Release restraint."
13 phantom knights gathered around him, each holding a key to the seal on Excalibur.
Bedivere- Approved. The enemy must be more powerful than oneself.
Palamedes- Approved. The battle must be one-on-one.
Lancelot - Approved. The enemy must not be an elemental.
Galahad - Approved. The battle must not involve personal gain.
Gaheris - Approved. The battle must not be against Humanity.
Gareth - Approved. The battle must not be inhumane.
The holy blade glowed brighter with each release, the air trembling as its true radiance shone through. The golden sword sang like the sun breaking free.
Arthur finally spoke. " Arthur Pendragon- Approved. The battle must be to save the world."
Excalibur shined brilliantly as the requirements were met. Although it didn't clear all the 13 conditions, it was ready to fire.
Gilgamesh, expression calm but eyes sharp, raised his greatest treasure. Ea, the Sword of Rupture. "What kind of King needs permission of his retainer to wield his strength? Pathetic." He spoke disdainfully.
EA's segments rotated, grinding against reality itself. Crimson energy bled into the air, distorting the battlefield, space warping at its edges.
Gilgamesh spoke with nonchalance. " I shall perform this final blow as a parting gift to you!
I will tell you of the beginning.
Heaven and Earth split,
nothingness praised creation,
my Sword of Rupture cleaved the world!
Mortar of the stars,
heaven's hell is the eve of creation's celebration.
Now you shall die and be silent...
Enuma Elish! "
The sword spun violently , tearing apart space and reality itself as a red wave of destruction spread. Edward whistled. "Always fun to see the mongrel king going all out."
"Prepare to die, King of Knights," Gilgamesh said without hesitation. "This is where your story ends."
Arthur raised Excalibur high, his voice steady. "Not unless I agree with the ending."
The ground shattered as they launched their attacks..
Excalibur's light roared against Ea's crimson void. When the blades collided, the world itself screamed. A pillar of blinding energy erupted, splitting the heavens in two. Wind tore through the city, flattening buildings, scattering debris across miles.
Batman, Lex , Connor, Ace and Constantine were flung across. Lex stabilized himself , Batman fired a grappling hook and held on.
Connor held Ace firmly to shield her. Ace blushed and struggled . Connor just looked down and smiled. "Don't worry, I got you."
Constantine conjured a spell to shield him. He smirked. " Kid's good at this."
For a moment, the two forces were locked in balance, the holy sword pushing back against the void. Arthur gritted his teeth, every muscle straining, his feet carving trenches in the ground.
But Ea began to turn faster. Its power spiraled outward, a vortex that tore into Excalibur's radiance. Gilgamesh's smirk widened as he pressed harder.
"Did you think your borrowed dream could rival the origin of kingship itself? You are nothing before me." He smirked arrogantly.
Arthur felt the weight crushing him, his blade shaking. His thoughts whispered against the noise: Is this how it ends?
He pushed harder, light flaring. But Ea swallowed it, layer by layer. The sword of the planet faltered against the sword of rupture.
"Master, I could use some help here." He chuckled even as he was pushed back.
Batman, catching sight of the clash from the corner of his battle, reached instinctively for his command seals. He could powerup Arthur to unleash everything, even beyond his limits.
But a beam from Lex's suit cut across his path, forcing him down. "You're not interfering, Batman!" Lex spat, firing relentlessly.
Batman gritted his teeth and dodged, then threw a explosive batarang. Lex just smirked and crushed it.
The clash of kings reached its breaking point. Ea's energy surged, overwhelming Excalibur. Arthur gasped, his grip slipping as the void swallowed the light.
"Fall, so called King of Knights," Gilgamesh declared.
Boom!
The explosion ripped through the city. A shockwave expanded outward, throwing Cadmus soldiers through the air like ragdolls. Connor shielded Ace as they slammed against rubble. Constantine's wards shattered, blood running from his nose as he hit the ground.
Only Edward stood still. His coat flapped violently in the gale, but his body didn't move. He smiled faintly, as if watching a show only he could enjoy. He finished sipping the wine and threw the glass away. It smashed against the concrete.
"So Ea beats Excalibur. Neat," he murmured. "It's about time huh?" He sighed and gripped the guns on his hip.
The light finally faded after a while.
Gilgamesh stood, chest heaving, Ea still humming with energy. His armor was cracked, his face bloodied, but he remained standing.
Arthur was on his knees. Excalibur flickered in his grip, still glowing with energy. His body was fading, fragments of light peeling away from him.
He looked down at his failing form, then toward Batman. "Sorry, Master," he whispered. "It seems I failed."
Batman clenched his fist and spoke with helplessness. " Sorry Arthur. I should have done more. It was an honor to fight beside you."
Arthur spoke softly. " It was good enough. Farewell, master ."
His last breath left him as his body dissolved into golden particles, carried away on the night wind. Excalibur vanished with him, its song fading into silence.
Gilgamesh lowered Ea, his smirk returning. "So ends the farce of the so-called King of Knights."
Batman pulled himself up from the wreckage, vision blurred from the shockwave. He looked to where Arthur had been. His jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
Connor's fists shook as he stared at the empty space Arthur once occupied. "He's gone…"
Ace bit her lip, holding back the tremble in her voice. "Then it's just us... And Ruler"
Constantine wiped the blood from his mouth, muttering. "Fuckin fantastic. Counting on bloody Count Dracula to save our hides."
Lex, emboldened by Arthur's fall, laughed inside his suit. "One more nuisance is gone. Soon the rest of you will follow. This is the beginning of my reign."
Gilgamesh stood behind him, Ea still in hand, though his expression betrayed irritation rather than loyalty. His mutter carried across the broken square. "I've allowed too much disrespect from this mongrel. No more."
Lex didn't hear. He raised his cannons again, pointing them straight at Batman.
The night was far from over.
*****
Arthur's last words still hung in the air when his body scattered like golden dust. Batman's grim look never faltered, though his eyes told the story — the battle had just gotten harder. One of their strongest allies was gone, and Gilgamesh still stood unbroken.
Batman calculated in silence. He didn't have the raw power to end this fight, but Green Lantern and Shazam were inbound. If he could stall, if he could hold the line, there was still hope. Not to mention Ruler was here. But he felt a weird vibe from Ruler. He couldn't put it in words.
He clenched his jaw. Survive until backup arrives.
Lex didn't think that way. His laugh carried over the ruin of the battlefield, sharp and cruel. "The King of Knights is finished! The war is already won!" His armor systems hummed back to life, and for the first time all night he let his guard drop in triumph.
Then came a whistling noise .
A streak of air cut faster than sound. Lex's eyes widened as a flash of steel sliced through his field of view.
A moment later, pain like fire ripped up his body. He looked down, disbelieving. His right arm with the remaining command seal wasgone. Severed clean.
He screamed, falling to one knee, clutching the bleeding stump. "Aaaaghhh! Wh-what—" His gaze turned upward, and his face froze in shock. The one who struck him was no stranger.
"Gilgamesh… You! Why?!"
Gilgamesh stood, golden eyes cold, Ea in one hand still humming from its last strike. He scoffed, voice dripping with disdain. "You dare ask why? You insult me, then order me around like a damn mutt!
You think you're qualified to command the one true king? Fool. You should be on your knees, thanking me for sparing your miserable life. I keep you alive only because you are still… mildly useful. I decide what should be done."
Edward clapped theatrically. " "Ah, and just like that, everything turned out all right in the end."
Lex's face twisted with rage, hesitation, and fear. He was thinking how to change this unfavorable situation in his favor.
He turned desperately to Edward, who stood off to the side, an umbrella still lazily resting on his shoulder, watching amused like a man at the theater.
"Ruler! You can't just watch! He attacked his own master! That's a violation of the rlules of this war. You're supposed to stop him!"
Edward scratched his ear with his pinkie, his grin deranged and full of mockery. "Do I look like a guy who cares about rules? Don't forget, you started it. I myself am somewhat of a 'Rule-Breaker'." He emphasized the last part with a smirk.
Lex's teeth ground together. Sweat dripped down his forehead as reality pressed in. His mercenaries were gone. His Cadmus agents were down. His command seals were burned. His armor was failing, and now even his own Servant had turned against him.
The mighty Lex Luthor had fallen from heaven to hell in minutes.
Batman stepped forward, cape shifting with the wind. Connor and Ace flanked him, both tense, while Constantine lit a cigarette and exhaled a long stream of smoke.
"Brilliant," Constantine muttered. "Now all that's left is the golden bastard, and we can call it a night."
Ace crouched down in front of Lex, her eyes unblinking. "Hello, Lex. You didn't think you'd see this day, did you? Are you scared?"
Lex glared at her, even as blood seeped from the stump of his arm. "Scared? Why should I be? You can't kill me. If you do, you'll be hunted for the rest of your life. And Batman..." he jerked his head toward the silent figure looming above them, "doesn't kill. He'll stop you."
Ace said nothing. She simply raised her hand in a grabbing gesture. A spark of invisible energy shot from her palm, stabbing straight into Lex's mind, showing his deepest, darkest nightmares on repeat.
He screamed, clutching his head, veins bulging as the pressure built.
Batman moved quickly, placing a hand on Ace's shoulder, his voice steady but firm. " That's Enough. I know he hurt you, Ace, but don't stoop to his level. He'll pay for his crimes in prison."
Ace didn't even blink, her voice flat, edged with years of pain. "And will that reverse everything Connor, me, and the others went through? Will we get back the years he stole from us?"
Connor stepped forward, fists tight. "I can't forgive him. People like him never suffer in prison. He'll bribe his way out in a few years, and the cycle starts again. He doesn't deserve to live."
From behind, Constantine shrugged, smoke curling around his words. "I say let the kids have their revenge, mate. They've earned it."
Batman sighed, shoulders heavy beneath the cape. His voice was low, but unyielding. "I can't allow it. You're still young. Once you walk down that path, there's no turning back."
The tension in the air was palpable, the choice between vengeance and justice pressing down like a weight.
Lex sneered through his pain, blood staining his lips, but Batman's presence remained an immovable wall.
****
On the other side of the square, Gilgamesh's focus shifted. He twirled Ea lightly, as if the weapon wasn't tearing reality itself just moments before.
His red eyes fixed on Edward, his tone dripping with authority. "Now, Ruler. I haven't forgotten your disrespect from last time. This time, there will be no escape."
Edward chuckled, tilting his head. "Escape? You're the one who ran away last time, Goldy." His grin widened, sharp as broken glass.
"Though… I do sense something different. You sacrificed half your treasury to upgrade your Saint Graph just to face little old me, didn't you? I'm flattered."
Gilgamesh scoffed, raising his blade. "Do not flatter yourself, mongrel. I wish only to crush you so utterly that nothing remains. Not a bone, not a drop of blood. You are just filth, a bloodsucking parasite hiding in the dark, pretending to be a king."
Edward laughed. The sound was wrong. It was bone-deep, mocking, and cold, sending shivers through every mortal spine on the battlefield. "Ahahahaha! Oh, that's good. That's very good." He clutched his stomach.
"So how should we do this? Will you come at me? Should I come at you? Shall we come together? Ooh. At the same time? Oh you'll come. THEY ALWAYS COME!"
Gilgamesh looked at him with curiosity. " You are insane it seems."
He stopped abruptly, smile vanishing. His crimson eyes locked with Gilgamesh's. His voice dropped to a razor's whisper. "I'm not insane, I'm just ahead of the curve.
But let's be clear about something first. I am not your equal. I am much, much better."
Gilgamesh's smirk returned, though his eyes narrowed. "Delusional mongrel. Apologize with your death."
He raised Ea, its segments spinning, the air twisting under its weight.
Edward sighed, tilting his head as if bored. "Level Zero. Restraint release."
The world around them changed.
Darkness swallowed everything. The city, the stars, even the moon vanished as if they had never been. What remained was blackness — thick, suffocating, infinite.
And beneath it came the sounds. Wet, sick squelches. The crawling, slithering noises of mangled flesh. It was as if the battlefield itself had been consumed by some ancient nightmare of horror.
Constantine stiffened, his cigarette falling from his lips. His voice was hoarse. "Bloody hell… I smell it. Something foul. Worse than demons. This is some… Lovecraft-level horror."
Batman stepped instinctively in front of Ace and Connor, shielding them with his cape. He flipped down enhanced night vision lenses, trying to pierce the dark. At first there was nothing. Then he saw it.
A glowing heart. Deep red. Pulsing.
Thump. Thump.
Every beat echoed through their chests, primal fear digging into their souls. Ace shivered, her eyes wide. Connor nearly gagged, fighting back bile. Even Constantine, hardened as he was, muttered a shaky prayer under his breath.
Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes, Ea still in hand, but his smirk faltered slightly. "That… looks dangerous."
The red glow throbbed, growing brighter. It was a heart. Enormous, suspended in the dark void. Each beat sent a wave of dread across the battlefield.
Then it burst.
Blood sprayed across the blackened ground, thick and endless. Connor stumbled back, covering his mouth to stop himself from vomiting. Ace's eyes were wide, torn between disgust and fascination.
Even Batman tightened his jaw at the sight, forcing down the instinctive fear clawing at him.
From the ruptured heart came a shape.
A man, tall and pale, stepping forth as if born from the blood. His hair was long and black, his beard framing sharp, regal features. Red medieval armor clung to his frame, polished yet drenched in gore.
Beneath him, a monstrous black horse snorted fire, hooves cracking the blood-soaked ground.
The fear in the air shifted. This was no monster. This was a king of monsters.
Gilgamesh smirked, though his grip on Ea tightened. "So this is your true form, Dracula."
Edward's lips curled into a smile. His voice rumbled like thunder. "Yes. And now, Goldy, it's time you learned what true fear is."