The arrival of Darkseid and the reappearance of Apocalypse threw the already precarious situation into utter chaos. The Keepers of the Primal, their initial fear giving way to a grim resolve, struggled to explain the full scope of Darkseid's threat, their earlier omissions now a bitter point of contention with the heroes.
"We underestimated the reach of his influence, the speed of his response," Elara confessed, her luminous gaze filled with a sorrowful regret. "Our focus on the void blinded us to the more immediate dangers."
"Underestimated?" Batman's voice was laced with a dangerous calm. "He vaporized a military base and psychically assaulted an entire city. That's not an 'underestimation,' that's criminal negligence."
Kaelen stepped forward, his ethereal form radiating a plea for understanding. "Our priorities were based on the ultimate annihilation posed by the void. Darkseid, while a horrific tyrant, typically seeks dominion, not utter erasure. We believed we had more time."
"Time we no longer have," Superman interjected, his eyes fixed on the colossal figure of Darkseid looming in the void, the crimson Omega Beams still radiating an oppressive power. "He's not going to wait for us to sort out our trust issues."
Apocalypse, meanwhile, wasted no time in making his intentions clear. He descended from Darkseid's vessel via another Boom Tube, landing with a thunderous impact in the outskirts of Metropolis, his red eyes locked on Supergirl, who stood defiantly alongside Superman.
"Kryptonian," Apocalypse snarled, his voice a guttural rumble that echoed across the city. "Your strength will serve a greater purpose. Kneel before the might of Apocalypse, herald of Apokolips!"
"Never," Kara spat, her fists clenched, the heat vision flickering in her eyes. "I won't be anyone's weapon."
A brutal clash ensued. Apocalypse, with his immense strength and battle prowess, engaged Superman and Supergirl in a devastating brawl. Buildings crumbled under the force of their blows, the air crackling with energy. The heroes, though powerful, found themselves hard-pressed against the relentless assault of the Apokoliptian tyrant.
"He's stronger than before," Superman grunted, staggering back from a bone-jarring punch. "Darkseid must have… enhanced him."
As the battle raged, Darkseid remained a silent, looming presence in the sky, the Omega Beams occasionally lashing out, forcing the heroes to divide their attention. The psychic pressure emanating from him was a constant assault on their minds, a subtle attempt to break their will and sow discord.
Recognizing the immediate threat posed by Apocalypse, Batman, with the tactical brilliance that defined him, began to formulate a plan. "We can't take him head-on," he commed to the team. "We need to exploit his arrogance, his single-minded focus on Supergirl."
Michael, his primal senses heightened by the chaotic energies in the air, felt a dark, insidious connection between Apocalypse and Darkseid, a master-servant dynamic forged in power and fear. He also sensed the raw, untamed power within Supergirl, a potential that Apocalypse sought to exploit.
"He doesn't just want to control her," Michael realized, a chilling understanding dawning on him. "He wants to break her, to mold her into a weapon for Darkseid."
Lyra, her ancient wisdom guiding her, focused her primal energy, attempting to disrupt the connection between Apocalypse and his master. "There is a dissonance," she communicated telepathically to Michael. "A chain of command built on tyranny. We may be able to exploit that weakness."
Just then, a Boom Tube opened directly above the battlefield, and a figure stepped through – Desaad, Darkseid's master torturer and manipulator, his eyes gleaming with cruel amusement.
"Fools of this insignificant world," Desaad's voice was a silken whisper that carried an undercurrent of menace. "Darkseid has offered a… bargain. Surrender the Kryptonian, and your world will be spared… for now."
The offer hung in the air, a cruel ultimatum that forced the heroes to confront the impossible choice. Sacrifice one of their own to potentially save their planet from Darkseid's immediate wrath?
"Never," Superman roared, his defiance echoing across the ravaged cityscape.
As the heroes stood united in their refusal, a new voice echoed across the battlefield, a voice filled with cold, implacable authority that seemed to silence even the raging conflict.
"Your defiance is… noted."
Darkseid's Omega Beams intensified, focusing not on destruction, but on Supergirl, their crimson light radiating an unbearable psychic pressure. Kara staggered, clutching her head, her eyes wide with pain and terror.
"He's trying to break her will," J'onn realized, his telepathic senses reeling from the psychic assault. "We have to do something, now!"
The fractured alliance with the Keepers, the brutal bargain offered by Darkseid, and the terrifying power of the Omega Beams converging on Supergirl created a moment of desperate urgency. The shadow of absolute dominion loomed large, and the heroes knew that their next move would determine not only Supergirl's fate but the future of Earth itself. The cosmic stage was set for a confrontation that would test the limits of their courage and their unity.