Sand Superman possessed a righteous heart and a longing to be a true hero. Yet, his unique physiology made every contact with Superman catastrophic, triggering explosions capable of destroying worlds. Reluctantly, he had left Earth, returning to his own dimension. In doing so, he had absorbed a portion of Superman's power, permanently reducing Silver Superman's strength by one-third.
Do not underestimate this seemingly small portion—it was enough to make Silver Superman fall from his pedestal. Before Sand Superman existed, Silver Superman could casually pull entire planets through space or reverse the flow of time with his Super Speed. Now, even moving a single continental plate of North America required effort.
This weakening, though a narrative decision in the comics, reflected a tangible decline: Silver Superman had become a more ordinary hero, his limitless potential constrained.
When Malrick arrived, the unconscious Silver Superman was precisely in this stage of diminished power. From Malrick's perspective, the energy seemed to separate from Superman, merging with the yellow desert sands beneath him. Simultaneously, spiritual energy from the Quark Dimension combined with it, giving birth to a nascent consciousness.
Malrick intervened. He put away the blood he had gathered and reached into the sand beneath Superman, pulling out a humanoid form. Sand Superman had not yet gained full awareness. Malrick pressed his palm to the sand construct, channeling one-third of Silver Superman's power as a radiant ball of sunlight, guiding it back toward the hero.
At that moment, Superman stirred, blinking in confusion.
"What is this? Oh… this stranger, are you saving me?"
He looked at Malrick uncertainly, then realized and smiled, waving in gratitude.
"Thank you. This light feels… comforting. Incredible power. But I'm not hurt, so perhaps it isn't necessary."
He began to float upward, seemingly ready to depart.
"Wait," Malrick called, shaking his head. He released the remaining sand in his hand. With Superman's power expelled, Sand Superman remained as loose sand, leaving only a confused soul.
"Superman, the comfort you feel comes from your own power—it had been absorbed by this sand."
Superman's eyes widened.
"How is that possible, friend? You jest, surely?"
"Don't you feel something missing? Do you feel weaker?" Malrick asked.
"I… let me see," Superman frowned, concentrating. After a few moments, he shook his head, mildly amused. "No, I feel fine, even a bit refreshed by the desert sunlight."
Superman's body naturally suppressed his power when not in use, so he did not notice the loss. Malrick realized he needed to explain before leaving. Doing a good deed should not go unnoticed.
A few minutes later, Superman understood.
"So, a portion of my power combined with external spiritual energy to form a new life," he said, observing the faint, ethereal shadow in Malrick's palm.
"And if I reclaim my power, what becomes of it? Will this new life endure?"
"Of course not," Malrick replied. "It will return to its own dimension, becoming free-floating spiritual energy once again."
Superman hesitated, clearly reluctant. His heart was pure, too kind to harm even an unformed life.
"If I reclaim my power, I'd be stifling this new life… I cannot do that, my friend."
Malrick was momentarily stunned.
"But it hasn't fully awakened. At most, it's an embryo. Taking it back is hardly a loss—it's like using a small umbrella." He grimaced. "Terrible analogy, Deadpool-level humor."
Superman froze, then laughed heartily.
"You are truly fascinating, friend. Yet your words have convinced me. I cannot let this life die."
He approached Malrick, winking. "No small umbrellas this time."
Malrick's eyebrows shot up in surprise. That sunny, straightforward Silver Superman never missed a chance to make life interesting. He handed over the power to Superman anyway.
"You don't need to demonstrate your resolve. Since you've chosen, act as you see fit. Only a small portion is required—far less than one-third of your strength."
Superman nodded, reclaiming part of his power while leaving the rest within the spiritual energy. This portion equaled roughly one-fifth of his total strength—enough to continue Sand Superman's existence while still reducing Silver Superman's peak power.
Malrick watched quietly, treating it like a live comic book. Though it was Superman's decision, it aligned with the DC Universe's destiny. The narrative had always allowed Superman to reclaim power from Sand Superman, but he chose not to. His weakening ensured that he could not prevent Anti-Monitor's rise in Crisis on Infinite Earths, allowing the DC Multiverse to reboot safely.
Minutes later, Sand Superman, a near-perfect reflection of Silver Superman, was born. He instantly understood past events. After expressing gratitude to Superman and Malrick, he returned to his original dimension.
"Consider him your child. Does it sadden you to see him leave?" Malrick asked.
Superman shook his head, hands on his iconic red trunks.
"He will live his own life. I must return to Dr. and the others. Friend, would you like to come?"
"I have already received what I came for. My mission here is complete. Perhaps we shall meet again someday."
With that, Malrick's figure blurred and faded, like ink on white paper. In the desert, only Silver Superman's cape flapped in the wind.
"He knows my identity, yet I do not even know his name… Truly a mysterious friend."
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