Forced to Join Forces!

Steppenwolf's ultimatum rang through the minds of everyone on Earth like a death knell.

Fear spread.

Despair took root.

At Kamar-Taj, the atmosphere was more oppressive than ever.

The heroes of Earth wore grim, bitter expressions.

They had just suffered a crushing defeat at Link's hands, humiliated in both body and spirit. Their hatred and resentment had not even had time to simmer.

Yet a more terrifying, more powerful enemy was already at their gates.

And the one that enemy had named was Link—the man who had just trampled them underfoot.

What was this? Caught in the crossfire of someone else's fight?

Worse, Link's earlier command—"You will fight for me"—had now become their only choice.

To fight for Link was to fight for Earth.

To protect Earth, they had to obey the dictator they hated most.

It felt worse than death.

"Do we... really have to... listen to him?" Wonder Woman, Diana, asked quietly. She gripped the hilt of the Sword of Hephaestus so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her pride and her beliefs were being tested like never before.

"What choice do we have?" Cyborg, Victor Stone, replied. His electronic eye flashed red as he rapidly analyzed the forces in the sky. "Preliminary estimate: over thirty million enemy troops, and their numbers are still rising. Even their weakest units far outclass Earth's regular soldiers. We... can't win."

Dead silence fell.

Then, amid that hopeless silence, a cold, rational voice broke the deadlock.

"Link."

It was Batman.

He activated his armor's public communications channel, sending his voice directly to Link.

It took every ounce of willpower he had to keep even a trace of trembling or resentment from his voice.

"This isn't a war one hero, or one god, can win. This is a global invasion."

"You need strategy, intelligence