Author's Note: Here it is… the promised chapter. Fortunately, it's nowhere as wild as the first one (Chapter 13). The idea of a three-way relationship wasn't mine, but hey, it's canon now. For those who were rooting for Kara, rejoice.
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A month had passed since the invasion.
The scars of Darkseid's assault still lingered across the world. people were recovering from their losses. And in a dimly lit lab in one of the research facilities owned by Shadow Corp, Gizmo hadn't moved from his workspace.
Ashborn stood at the entrance, silent. The glow of monitors and welding sparks danced across his face as he observed the small, brilliant inventor hunched over his latest project. Gizmo looked exhausted, eyes red-rimmed, his movements mechanical.
"You haven't left your lab since the invasion," Ashborn finally said.
Gizmo didn't look back. "I have work to do."
Ashborn stepped inside. His voice was steady, low. "Are you angry with me? For not being there?"
For the first time, Gizmo paused. He set down the tool in his hand and turned just enough to glance over his shoulder. His expression was tired, not bitter. "I'm not. If you hadn't come back in time… I'd be dead too."
There was no accusation in his tone. Just a quiet truth.
Gizmo lowered his gaze, staring at the half-assembled armor sprawled across his table. "I'm angry at myself. For not being prepared enough. I watched Jinx and Kyd get killed, and I couldn't do anything to help them." His voice tightened, jaw clenched. "I'm building a new variant of the arm guard. But this one... it's for the entire body. I won't watch my friends die again."
Ashborn stood silent for a moment, then nodded.
"Take some rest," he said. "I've spread my army across the globe. If this happens again, if so much as a portal opens on Earth, I'll know. This won't happen again on my watch."
Without waiting for a reply, Ashborn turned and left the lab.
Behind him, Gizmo muttered under his breath, "If only you did that earlier."
Ashborn didn't stop.
Over the following days, he moved from one place to another, visiting his acquaintances, those who had stood against Darkseid, those who had barely made it out alive. He had given them two weeks. Time to mourn. Time to reflect. And now, he came to see them as a friend.
Jinx and Kyd were gone. Nothing would change that. But the others had survived. And to each of them, Ashborn offered what little peace he could provide, his presence, his promise.
Even the Joker.
In the depths of Gotham's underworld, Ashborn found the Clown Prince of Crime in a derelict theater, ranting to mannequins and laughing at ghosts. The moment he saw Ashborn, Joker's grin twisted with annoyance.
"You know," Joker said, arms outstretched like an offended showman, "It's not fair. A god playing in my sandbox. That's just mean. Like a cruel joke, but no one's laughing. And worst of all…" He pointed accusingly, "I know now Batman was your victim. It was not a coincidence. You played the joke. And you used me and Harley to make Batman into the punchline"
Ashborn laughed.
A deep, amused rumble from someone who hadn't laughed in a long time.
Then, without a word, he vanished into the shadows.
Joker stared at the empty space, scowling. "Rude."
And somewhere, in the silence that followed, the world continued to heal.
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In the endless dark of the shadow realm, where the weight of existence trembled under the might of shadows, the white palace stood tall. Gleaming like bone in moonlight, it defied the black sea of the Shadow Realm that surrounded ii.
Ashborn stepped through the veil of shadows and entered the White Palace, his presence melting into the silence like a returning storm.
Within, Antares awaited.
The Monarch of Destruction reclined lazily atop a throne forged of shattered worlds, fragments of dead dimensions still echoing faintly around his seat. His appearance was regal yet unnerving, his aura a blend of destructive power and ancient wrath.
Ashborn raised a brow seeing him on the throne. A grin curled across Antares' face the moment he saw Ashborn and stood up.
"Got tired of standing and took some rest. Anyway, thanks to you," he said, voice rich with dark amusement, "I got to enjoy destroying so much."
Ashborn stepped closer, the shadows parting around his form. "Darkseid?"
Antares' grin only widened.
"I slaughtered him across every dimension," he said, his tone casual, as if recounting a mildly interesting vacation. "And when I went to the Gods Sphere, I found the other gods already in a panic. With the help of some beings called the Endless, they expelled him. Seems they didn't want the destruction of everything and one of them said she is a friend of yours, Didi I believe was her name."
Ashborn nodded slowly. The outcome wasn't unexpected with the presence missing but the speed of it, perhaps, was. Ashborn assumed Didi had helped, she knew the consequences of a full blown war.
Antares stood, his red hair sweeping behind him like the wake of a blood tide. "It's a pity," he said with a shrug. "They gave him to me so easily. But anyway…" He walked forward, his crimson eyes gleaming. "Remember to call me if you need to do something like that again. I'd be more than happy to help you commit genocides and bring everything to ashes."
Without waiting for a reply, Antares turned and walked toward a red gate that pulsed with raw, destructive power. It opened for him like a hungry maw, and with one final smirk, he vanished into it, leaving nothing behind.
Ashborn stared at the space where the gate had closed.
"That was a lot faster than I expected," he muttered.
Turning away from the throne and the now-silent palace, Ashborn departed the Shadow Realm once more.
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+18 Warning: just skip if you are not interested (Kara joins Galatea and Ashborn in bed - a little bit of smut)
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Ashborn stepped into his home, the quiet of the halls greeting him as he closed the door behind him. He knew Ace and Amazo were both at university, meaning the house should be empty. Or so he thought.
As he moved toward his room, a strange sound caught his ear. A soft, rhythmic moaning, barely audible but unmistakably coming from upstairs.
Ashborn blinked, his brow furrowing. With cautious steps, he ascended the staircase and made his way to his room. The door was slightly ajar, and as he pushed it open, the scene that greeted him brought him to a halt.
There, tangled in the sheets, were Galatea and Kara, naked, flushed, and entirely too preoccupied with each other to notice him at first. Kara was panting heavily, back arched against the mattress, while Galatea looked over her shoulder with an unabashed grin.
Ashborn stood still, caught completely off-guard. For the first time in what felt like an age, he was speechless.
Galatea's eyes locked with his, still grinning. "Do you like what you see?" she asked teasingly.
Ashborn tilted his head. "Last I checked, you two hated each other. You were ready to kill one another not long ago. How... exactly did we get here?"
Kara's eyes snapped open as realization dawned. She yelped and grabbed at the sheets in a futile attempt to hide herself, but Galatea laughed and gently held her in place. "No hiding, sweety" she said with a wink.
"After the war, we… talked," Galatea continued. "Sorted out our issues. Turns out, we had more in common than we thought. One thing led to another… and here we are."
Ashborn raised a brow as Kara groaned, clearly mortified. "Tea, stop talking!"
But Galatea's grin only widened. She kissed Kara deeply before pulling her up and holding her in place as she nibbled on her neck and kneaded Kara's breast. She said seductively to "We both know you wanted it, you are eager to feel it. And Ashborn…" she turned her attention back to him, voice playful. "Don't be a fun killer, you know, come and join us. Or are you just going to stand there and enjoy watching me do the work?"
Ashborn, still processing everything, rubbed his temples. Of all the things he expected to walk into today, this was not on the list.
In the end, he let out a long breath and shook his head with a chuckle. "This is the most confusing and random thing I have seen in a while. And you were angry when I said you are kinky"
Tea ignored him.
He turned and closed the door behind him "But what gentle man would refuse such a tempting offer"
Ashborn walked toward the two, Kara looked panicked while Galatea continued to playfully hold and play with kara's body.
Ashborn and Galatea gave Kara the best first time experience she could have asked for.