If you Like this story! Check out my other stories! Solo leveling in Westeros.
&
If you wish to read more or simply support me than check out my patreon at
"https://www.patreon.com/FrenzyAren"
You can Get Access to 3 More Chapters OR 7 More Chapters if you want !
/-\
The bar's lights flickered over Arthur's face as he stared at Didi, unblinking, violet eyes faintly glowing under the shadows of his lashes.
"Are you saying," he began slowly, "that the gods of Olympus are about to die? I mean... I made sure not to kill Hercules."
Didi burst into laughter light, and soothing.
"Oh, Arthur," she grinned, leaning an elbow on the counter, "no, silly. It's not because of you."
She took a sip of her drink before continuing with that same sunny tone.
"You see… they think themselves above mortals. Beyond fate. Eternal. Untouchable." She twirled her glass lazily. "But nothing escapes its ending. Everything ends. Even them."
Arthur absorbed that without a twitch.
Didi's expression softened not pity, or sadness.
"Zeus wanted to lock you up because of a nightmare," she said. "A vision he had. Something dark and powerful wielding death taking Olympus, toppling gods, ending their line."
She looked directly at him now, eyes shifting into something, endless.
"It wasn't just a nightmare," she whispered. "It was prophecy."
Arthur remained still. Only his fingers tapped once on the counter.
"And," Didi continued, lifting a single finger, "Zeus wasn't wrong about the power he saw."
She placed that finger gently against Arthur's chest.
"Yours."
Arthur's jaw tensed. And he raised an eyebrow.
"I can control myself," he said quietly. "I'm not going to kill the gods unless they threaten my life or the people around me."
Didi's smile widened soft, playful.
"Arthur," she crooned. "I said you'll claim them. I never said you'd kill them."
He blinked just once.
Then she continued with a tone that carried the weight of cosmology yet sounded like a bedtime story.
"Mortals and gods love believing destiny can be rewritten. That if you peek at the ending, you can turn the pages differently."
A pause.
"But even the choice to defy destiny is part of destiny. The very act of resisting it is what ensures it comes true."
Arthur stared at her.
"You're saying his attempt to prevent the prophecy was meaningless."
"Mm," she hummed, pleased. "Now you're catching on."
Arthur leaned back, exhaling through his nose. "He mentioned another old prophecy…"
Didi raised her glass in a little toast to his intelligence. "There it is."
Arthur scoffed lightly. "I'm not taking part in their problems."
Didi clinked her glass against his.
"You won't have to," she said. "Nothing will stop what's already coming anyway. No matter what choices they make… the conclusion is already written."
Arthur studied her. How serene she looked saying this. How casual.
"Destiny…" he murmured, looking away.
Didi tilted her head. "Speaking of destiny…"
She tapped her glass against his shoulder.
"You're not fully in control of your abilities yet, are you?"
Arthur's violet eyes narrowed. "How do you know that?"
Didi smiled soft, almost shy for half a second.
"Because," she said lightly, "you're not as strong as me yet."
Arthur raised a brow, caught off guard.
"You're saying..."
She slid off the stool, stretching as though the conversation meant nothing.
"I'm not suggesting anything… yet," she said with a faint blush creeping over her cheeks.
Arthur stared.
She walked toward the exit, hands behind her back.
"We'll meet again soon," she said sing-song, "once you're fully in control of your power, Arthur Blackwynd…"
Then she turned one last time, smiling that impossible, ageless smile.
"…Monarch of Shadows."
She vanished like a breeze leaving the room.
Arthur let out a long breath.
"Strange as ever."
He looked back down at his drink, swirling it once.
"But what she just told me is…"
****
ARTHUR'S BASE – NIGHT
The underground training arena pulsed with quiet menace, floors marked by scuffed footprints, claw marks, and streaks of violet energy. The ambient lighting was dim, but not from lack of light it was the shadow mana itself that darkened the space.
Three powerful shadows circled one man.
Galatea, glowing faintly with Kryptonian might and enhanced shadow regeneration, snarled as she launched herself with breakneck speed, her fists shimmering with raw energy.
Quick, the speedster, zig-zagged around them in shadow red-tinted trails, trying to land pressure strikes from blind angles.
Sinestro, his shadow body crackling with shadow ring energy, floated above, raining down constructs and lashes of violent will shaped by the Shadow Power Ring.
And in the center…
Marshal Igris stood unmoving obsidian armor etched in violet, cape fluttering without wind. His Demon King Longsword shimmered with blue lightning, and his eyes glowed with calm violet look.
Then they attacked.
Galatea aimed a flying knee, Quick blurred behind Igris with a double-speed feint, and Sinestro summoned a colossal spiked mace that descended like a comet.
Igris moved.A pivot. A parry.
A blur of swordplay so precise it bordered on dance.
Galatea's strike was deflected with the flat of his blade. Quick was caught mid-speed-step, a hand on his throat as Igris slammed him into the arena wall. Sinestro's construct shattered before it even landed sliced in half by an upward arc that sent him crashing into the ceiling.
All within six seconds.
They rose groaning, healing through endless shadow regeneration. But if they were living… they'd be dead.
Galatea dropped to one knee, "Damn it all," she muttered, frustration etched in her voice. "I don't feel like I'm improving at all."
A low voice echoed from the shadowed balcony above.
Arthur stood, arms crossed, cloak swaying gently, his violet gaze sharp.
"You are improving," he said. "All of you."
The trio looked up.
Arthur descended slowly, shadows forming steps beneath his boots. His tone was calm, but instructive, like a warlord tutoring his soldiers.
"Igris isn't just stronger because of his rank," he continued. "He has something you haven't earned yet."
He glanced toward Galatea in particular.
"Experience. He doesn't fight to trade blows. He fights to end them. You still fight for pride, for an exchange. He fights to finish. Fast. Precise. Merciless."
Galatea clenched her fists, jaw tightening.
Arthur walked closer.
"You're powerful, Galatea, no one doubts that. But brute strength will only get you so far. If you want to stand beside him as a Marshal one day…" He paused, letting the weight of the words settle. "Then this isn't enough."
She lowered her gaze.
"…Understood," she said, quiet but sincere. She turned and gave Igris a respectful bow. "Thank you. For the lesson."
Igris, now beside Arthur, gave her a knight's nod solemn, respectful.
Arthur gave a faint smile and turned away. "Enough training for today."
Igris bowed low. "As you command, my Monarch."
He walked alone, steps slow, thoughtful.
His eyes glowed faintly. Words echoed from earlier from a pale girl with endless eyes.
"Their time is about to end."
"A power of death will claim them."
Arthur muttered to himself, his voice just above a whisper.
"Should I try to prevent that… or is destiny truly absolute…"
****
BATCAVE -
The titanium-reinforced containment pod stood firm coded with alien suppression fields, and a cocktail of containment tech Bruce Wayne had built over years of paranoid preparation.
Inside it… the Czarnian stirred.
A deep growl echoed from within, low and guttural, as Lobo's body re-knit itself from nothing, muscle spiraling over bone, his tattooed arms flexing like awakened beasts. Glowing red eyes snapped open with a wicked gleam.
Then A grin.
A feral one.
He sat up, cracking his neck.
"Well, well…" Lobo said, his voice rough and delighted, "Looks like the Main Man's been bagged."
He glanced around with half-interest before his gaze locked on the figure standing silently beyond the glass.
Batman.
Cloaked. Still. Eyes white with focus.
Lobo snorted.
"No way. You're the Bat?" he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees with a smirk. "Heard about you. Real spooky. Real serious. Real pointy ears."
Batman didn't respond to the taunt.
Lobo raised a brow. "So, where's tall, dark, and death-glowy? Your shadow boy. The one who rearranged my face alongside that pet of his."
Still, Batman said nothing for a moment. Then,
"Lobo."
The name alone made the chamber feel smaller.
"I have some questions for you."
Lobo stretched with exaggerated effort, his joints cracking like firecrackers. "Of course ya do. You Earth types always wanna talk things out after the punchin's done. Makes no sense. But hey... go ahead, Bats. Ask away."
Batman stepped closer to the console outside the cell. "You came to Earth on a contract."
"Yup." Lobo popped the P with pride. "Biggest payout I've seen in a while, too. Someone out there really, really wants your boy dead."
Batman's eyes narrowed.
"Who sent you?"
Lobo grinned wider. "Oh, now that's the part where things get fun. See, I've been in the business a long time. Long enough to know when a client don't wanna be known, you don't go pokin' the bear unless you wanna get mauled."
He tapped a finger to his temple. "I got some rules. Professional code. Not like you cape types."
Batman was silent again, processing. Every twitch of Lobo's muscles, every drop of sarcasm, noted.
Then Batman spoke, flat and unforgiving.
"That bounty's off the record. Black channel. Private. Which means whoever issued it has serious reach."
Lobo only laughed. "You ain't wrong."
"Is it Warworld?"
Lobo chuckled even harder.
"Bwahaha ohhh, good guess, pointy ears. I ain't giving names and I ain't going to confirm anything."
Batman's jaw tightened.
Lobo leaned closer to the glass now, his grin turning wicked. "hey… I do like your boy. Kicked the hell outta me. Nearly took my jaw clean off, well he did. And that thing he did with the shadows? Tingles, Bats. Like my spine got rearranged by a death god."
Batman didn't move. But his voice turned just slightly darker.
"You're staying here. For now."
Lobo slouched back, resting his booted feet up on the bench.
"Yeah, yeah. I figured. Cage is nice, by the way. Very high-tech. Real tasteful. Y'know, for a dungeon."
He paused.
"Just one question, Bats…"
Batman didn't answer.
Lobo smirked.
"What happens when whoever hired me sends the next guy?"
/-\
If you Like this story! Check out my other stories! Solo leveling in Westeros.
&
If you wish to read more or simply support me than check out my patreon at
"https://www.patreon.com/FrenzyAren"
You can Get Access to 3 More Chapters OR 7 More Chapters if you want