That is precisely why I, DeSaad, came to this cursed world in the first place... to prove, as my master, Darkseid, has boasted, that there is no legend, no matter how exalted or ennobled... that cannot, with a little concentrated effort, be (Ha Haaa) totally obliterated once and for all! 
- — DeSaad
Warlord #114 is an issue of the series Warlord (Volume 1) with a cover date of February, 1987.
Synopsis for "When a Legend Dies"
Warlord rides into a town where peasants are terrorized by the local tyrant Baron Kraag. Warlord murders the local tax collector, and rallies the peasants into a revolting They launch an attack on Kraag's castle, but Warlord stops to tend to his horse. The army of peasants is ambushed and slaughtered when they run into traps set by Kraag. Their forces are slaughtered. Kraag gives Warlord a sack of gold for betraying the peasants and leading them to their deaths. Warlord rides away, and Kraag wonders who will follow Warlord when word gets out of his deeds. It is revealed that this is not Warlord, it is Darkseid's assistant DeSaad in disguise. DeSaad believes he can destroy the noble legend of Warlord by ruining his reputation.
DeSaad reveals his disguise.
The REAL Warlord is miles away, in the House of the Celestials astride the Greenfire Sea. He is searching for the mystic V'zarr Hagar-Zinn with his friends Mariah and Shakira. The only traces are a pool of blood, a shred of the mystic's cloak, and a scroll of parchment. The scroll contains instructions to perform a magic ritual. They perform the ritual and it sends them through a portal into another dimension. V'zarr Hagar-Zinn has been imprisoned in an extra-dimensional nether-realm of the Tenth Plane. This is a realm of incarnate evil ruled over by demonic overlords. The demons are about to break into Skartaris using Hagar-Zinn's life force to pierce the dimensional barrier.
Back in Shamballah, Tara worries about the supernatural aging plague that is affecting Jennifer Morgan. She rides around the countryside on horseback until she sees the plague approaching. The plague is now moving fast enough that a dinosaur ages to bones in front of her very eyes. Tara rides home to Shamballah, hoping that Warlord returns soon.
Warlord rescues V'zarr Hagar-Zinn by shooting the chains with his gun. The four heroes battle through an army of hobgobs, whatever those are, and try to escape. Hagar-Zinn leads them outside, and explains that the ritual brought them right to the rest of his cloak. To return to their own plane, Hagar-Zinn must create another portal.
Hagar-Zinn sacrifices himself.
DeSaad continues to ride around on horseback, and spots another peaceful town to ruin. He transforms himself back into the image of Warlord. He is attacked by a hooded assassin who tries to stab him, and wrestles him to the ground. It is one of the Vashek, the most feared and hated killers in Skartaris. DeSaad uses technology created by Steppenwolf to stop his assassin. The assassin reveals herself to be a woman, and explains that Warlord killed her beloved in the war to retake Skartaris. DeSaad laughs and suggests that they work together.
In the American midwest, two men named Billy and Redmond interrogate a man named Andrews. They use bright lights to disorient him until he can't take it anymore. Redmond tells Andrews he can go back to his family if he reveals the location of Lt. Col. Travis Morgan. Andrews tells them about the hidden world called Skartaris inside the Earth, but they assume he's gone insane.
Warlord and his friends ride flying beasts to get to Hagar-Zinn's portal. Hagar-Zinn explains that he must stay behind to close the portal, otherwise the demons will follow them through. Hagar-Zinn gives Warlord a ring to keep him safe during the journey home through dimensions. Warlord, Mariah, and Shakira escape through the portal. Hagar-Zinn is forced to convert himself into pure eldritch magic and destroy the portal by sacrificing himself. The heroes arrive back in Skartaris safely, but they regret leaving the mystic.
Appearing in "When a Legend Dies"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Baron Kraag (Single appearance)
- Demonic overlords
- DeSaad (as Warlord)
- Vashek assassins
- Y'smalla
Other Characters:
- Andrews (prisoner)
- Billy (interrogator)
- Paolo (peasant; dies)
- Redmond (interrogator)
Locations:
- American Midwest
- Skartaris
- Greenfire Sea
- House of the Celestials
- Shamballah
- Tenth Plane
Items:
- Warlord's Pistol
- Warlord's Sword
Vehicles:
Notes
- This is "chapter 12" of the Legends crossover. The previous chapter was Blue Beetle (Volume 6) #9. The next chapter is Cosmic Boy #3.
- This issue and its companion Warlord #115 both take place in between Legends #4 and Legends #5.
Trivia
- DeSaad repeats that Darkseid boasted any legend can be obliterated.[1]
- Darkseid personally sent DeSaad to Skartaris in an earlier issue.[2]
See Also
Recommended Reading
Links and References
  Legends Crossover Core Issues
Tie-Ins
Batman #401 • Detective Comics #568 • Green Lantern Corps #207 • Cosmic Boy #1 • Justice League of America #258 • Secret Origins (Volume 2) #10 • Firestorm (Volume 2) #55 • Cosmic Boy #2 • Justice League of America #259 • Firestorm (Volume 2) #56 • Blue Beetle (Volume 6) #9 • Warlord #114 • Cosmic Boy #3 • Justice League of America #260 • Blue Beetle (Volume 6) #10 • Warlord #115 • Superman (Volume 2) #3 • Adventures of Superman #426 • Action Comics #586 • Cosmic Boy #4 • Justice League of America #261 • Secret Origins (Volume 2) #14 |