The two figures, one descending amid holy light and the other emerging from the storm, had identical faces. Both were Batman, and both were Bruce Wayne.
The first thing Darkseid saw was the pair of blue eyes within the blazing holy light behind him. They were also the first color to appear amid the endless white radiance, like an iceberg standing in the distance across a vast snowfield.
As the holy light gradually faded, the youth before him wore silver-white holy armor, with a long white cape draped from behind his right shoulder blade. His medium-length black hair fell behind his head, holy light flowed through his blue eyes, and his handsome features and sacred bearing made him seem like a holy son newly descended into the world.
Light from the heavens shone down through Gotham's not-yet-dispersed storm clouds, forming a brilliant pillar. As he descended within that radiance, six pairs of enormous wings unfurled behind him. The pure white feathers and the light clinging to them covered half the sky.
No one had ever seen Bruce Wayne like this.
Everyone present was stunned, including Harley, who knew Bruce quite well. She pointed at Bruce and stammered, "H-he-he-he-he..."
"I am God's messenger of the gospel, called forth at His summons. God sent me to proclaim good news to the captives in lands of darkness and the shadow of death. Your Savior has been born..."
Bruce's voice seemed to come from an unimaginably distant place, yet in an instant it spread throughout Apokolips. Darkseid could not help turning to look, but he saw only darkness and endless deathly silence.
No response was not the result he wanted. Every creature sent to the deep surface had been thoroughly brainwashed by Apokolips's force field. They should have leapt out and shouted that they