"It has been over a week since Superman was last seen." On the television a wrecked desert was shown with craters and long ditches. "This is the aftermath of the battle with an unknown creature.'
On the screen it showed Todd crashing down into the city. Afterwards it switched over to a computer model since the rest of the clip wasn't appropriate for television.
"Experts concluded that Superman was injured, but he should be fine. So the question remains, where is he?"
Switching off the television, a teen with short black hair and striking blue eyes shook his head. On his upper body, his entire torso was wrapped up in a banaged. While it didn't do all that much for him, it made Felicia and Lala feel better.
"Nearly being gutted can only be considered injured. Do I need my arm ripped off or something for them to consider badly?" Jason grumbled. "Why don't they go and get impaled a few hundred times and see how they fair against it?"
"Well, how should they know how close you came to dying? You do heal extremely fast after all." Felicia commented.
"Still, is it too much to heal for a week or two?" Jason asked lightly. "It's too inhumane for them to expect me to be running around a day or two later after such a fight right?"
"Dear, they don't consider you human." Lala answered.
"I'm going to the roof." Jason shook his head walking away.
"I thought you were fully healed." Felicia asked with a hint of concern.
To boost his healing and gather solar rays, Lala built a machine that amplifies it on the roof. So it sort of turned into his treatment room to heal him up.
"I am. I just feel cooped up."
After he left the room, Felicia looked over to Lala. "Is his new costume ready? I think he's going to need it soon?"
--
While sitting on the roof, Jason looked out across the city. He could see tags containing his symbol being posted and many wondering where he was. While it is slow, the world has begun to honor heroes.
Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned around to see a bald man in his thirties stepping out of a portal. In his hands, a large book was opened in his hands with an almost sinister grin on his lips. Dusting his suit as he closed the book, the man looked at him and almost did a double take.
"You are younger than the previous Supermans." These were the first words out of the man's mouth.
"Who are you?" Jason asked, standing up. While he was tall, the man was still taller than him.
"Lex Luthor. I am here to kill you."
Blinking almost unimpressed. "Why?"
"No matter the universe, Superman will always be my enemy. This Book of Destiny told me and even told me his name, Clark Kent." Lex happily explained. "Though it didn't tell me of my universe as he was too nerdy to be him."
"Is that so?" Jason said before looking at the green rock in the man's hand.
Picking it up in his hand, he assumed it was kryptonite by the man's reaction. Crushing it into dust that blew away into the wind. Jason almost felt bad for the man since he didn't know that kryptonite didn't work against other dimensional kryptonians. Well most of the time since if the world were close enough and had similar history it would work.
"How? That was kryptonite, your weakness." Lex almost looks scared.
"I'm too lazy to explain it, but let me give you a parting gift before you leave." Jason calmly said.
Punching the man making him stumble, Jason opened the book and sent the man home. A massive influx of knowledge entered his head before he closed it. Realizing that the book could rewrite reality, he knew it was too dangerous to leave around.
"Was that your Lex Luthor?" Jason asked his father.
Floating above the building, James gently shook his head. "My Lex, while a genius, his only achievements were cloning himself and ruling over a planet."
"Well, for someone so smart, it's kind of hard to believe he can't figure out his own Superman identity. He literally said it." Jason shook his head. "I'm going to lock this up in the fortress."
---
Since Lex's visit, nearly a century has passed by in a flash. Standing before a grave, Jason while he grew slightly older and more mature. He still looked to be in his early twenties while his eyes carried a lot of weight and sadness.
Behind him as the world rapidly progressed thanks to Lala's inventions and humans stepping foot into the wide cosmos. The general life on this planet rapidly improved alongside most of humanity accepting and learning there are both good and bad apples among the alien species.
"It has been nearly thirty years since you passed on. It's been hard, but we are getting by one day at a time. I'm still known as the greatest hero, Superman but my influence has long since escaped the boundaries of Earth. Thanks to becoming the King of Deviluke, I also used its power to help less fortunate planets."
While speaking of his recent adventures and what he has been up to over the last few years. Jason still felt saddened as he looked at the name written on the tombstone.
"Dad still misses you and has recently taken up fishing as a hobby. I don't know if it is a blessing or what but he built a multi-million dollar company. Knowing you would find humor in it due to your favorite movie, he named twelve boats after you."
"My son with Lala is taking over as the New King of Deviluke next week. He is also welcoming his first son in a month, and if anything to go by. He's going to have his hands full." Jason smiled.
"My other son with Felicia. He reminds me of myself when I was younger, lost and unsure. Even when he passed fifty he is still unsure if he wants to take on my mantle or become his own hero. In the end, I figure he will soon learn he is more interested in research than running about being a hero."
While running his hand down an all familiar tombstone from his dreams. The one where he stood on a wasteland facing this tombstone.
"My two wives are still causing trouble. Just last week they ended up traveling to Smallville by accident. The sight of my father when he was still in highschool was a shock to say the least." Jason went on before his ears twitched.
"I wish you would have accepted the elixir but I respect your choices. Everyone is meant to live and die, just some live longer than others. So until next year Liz, it looks like I am being called."
With his red cape following him, Jason bursted into the sky to do the job he meant to do.
To be a hero.
---
Thanks for reading. Now I know the ending was rushed and I could truthfully just continue. It's the thing about hero stories, which is that they can continue on almost endlessly. However, I always planned this to be the ending, and while I could have continued on, it was time to end the story.
So I thank you all for reading, and hope to see you in the next story.