When Justinian and his Honor Guard were gone, Raven fell to her knees. She closed her eyes and tried to not think back to that Golden Being she saw in Justinian's mind. He was similar to Justinian himself, just more dangerous for a Demon.
Diana approached her and touched her shoulder.
"What did you see?"
When Raven finished dealing with the emotions and other intentions she saw in Justinian's mind, she turned to Diana.
"He was speaking the truth, however, I saw something I wasn't supposed to. I saw The Emperor."
Diana remembered all the stories Justinian had told her of The Emperor Of Mankind. He had even shown her a projection of what the Master of Mankind looked like and she had to say Justinian was his mirror.
Only Justinian had a beard and a buzz cut, but otherwise, they looked quite the same.
"You saw one of Justinian's memories?"
Raven nodded.
"One of his first. I saw it from his eyes, he was in a crib, and above him was that man. Just a glance and I was expelled from Justinian's mind. I rather not go back in there ever again."
Diana was curious.
"What was so wrong with it?"
The rest of the Titans and Cyborg gathered around her as now they were curious. An insight into the mind of the biggest threat to Earth's independence was going to be useful.
Tim in particular was interested as Bruce to this day had not given up on a contingency. Just that he couldn't even trust his technology and in his growing age, he was slowing down.
"When I read the mind of someone, I see insights into them. Justinian's soul and mind are just so intense that if I tried to push deeper I would have burned my own mind. And in his mind, it was like I was being watched not just by Justinian, but something else."
Diana nodded.
"Those would be Ddraig and Albion, two powerful Dragons that were sealed into his body by The Emperor. Those dragons are powerful and dangerous."
"Probably."
Tigruel as the Titans conversed tapped his fingers together in a sequence temporarily lifting his mental modifications. At that moment, through the Psychic Net, he sent everything that Raven just shared directly to Justinian.
---
Justinian once he returned to his Throne Room smiled to himself as he walked toward his throne. Erda who was still holding Eldora smiled once they had returned. She had been watching through her psychic abillities, but she knew Justinian was in a good mood.
"My companions, this single action may have given us a weapon against a dangerous foe in the future. Trigon is a danger even worse than Darkseid and now, I have this."
He raised his hand where the vial of Raven's blood was located. It was just one of many he had collected, but it was the most significant. Sigismund who was standing by the Throne began to laugh.
"My Emperor, you never fail to get an extra reward for your troubles."
Justinian smiled as that was just his way. He would never do something if it didn't bring him benefit.
"Exactly, once we work on this we can create our own Demons. Through them, we can research more weaknesses in the off chance we face trouble with Hell."
He waved his hand and sent it into his Dimensions.
"I will work on this project myself. With enough of Trigon's progeny under my control, I should have enough to find a means to deal with Trigon if direct combat doesn't work. However, I rather use Direct Combat."
His Honor Guard all knew that was just like him as he liked to push himself in direct combat. Regardless, one of his activities was accomplished and he could focus on the Great Crusade which for now was out of his hands.
If he fought personally in every conquest, it would still take him millennia to fully control The Galaxy. Then again, The War In Heaven had not happened in DC where the Necrons, Old Ones, and C'Tan, fought for over 5 million years.
The C'Tan had released such devastating power, that hundreds of millions of Solar Systems had been obliterated. The Necrons, Old Ones, Krorks, and Eldar, had fought on such a galactic scale that by the point of the Great Crusade in the early 30th millennium the job of uniting the Galaxy had been made more simple.
Still complicated, but not nearly as complicated as what Justinian was trying to undertake. He was starting to question the idiots who wanted to rule the Multiverse as just one Galaxy was a process of its own.
As he was in thought, Ddraig and Albion created their Avatars again. Ddraig walked toward Erda before taking his daughter back into his hands.
"So what now?"
Justinian thought it was obvious.
"What else, but prepare the Systems that are being brought into compliance for integration. We need to begin to seed or terraform the uninhabitable planets for habitation. Once the Segmentum Solar Crusade is over we will spend a few years making sure the planets colonies are operational and the tithes are given.
Then, we go to the next Crusade until the Galaxy itself is compliant."
Remnosh felt that when you were immortal, a long-term goal was needed. It was even worse for Justinian who with all his genetic enhancements to himself and his Perpetual nature would live until this universe died and the next one as well.
"It is something to do when you have all the time in existence"
He nodded as that was one way to put it.
"Once the Milky Way is compliant and experiences a few centuries of peace we then go to the next Galaxy."
For now, Justinian would sit back and allow the Segmentum Crusade to progress. The Green Lantern planet Oa was in the middle of the universe so really far from The Milky Way. Hal Jordon was the Guardian of this sector, but he was still on Earth.
Eventually, the Guardians would try to cause trouble for his actions of bringing back the Burning Martian race. He even made the race better and more dangerous, but he welcomed the challenge.
For now, it was time to see what he could make with this blood.
---
While Justinian played mad scientist again, back on Terra in Metropolis the home of Superman the citizens were keeping their distance from a particular group of people. Leading them at the front was a woman with short white hair, and a battle-scared face wearing the uniform of The Inquisition.
She was not just an Inquisitor, but a Lord Inquisitor and one of Ddraig's wives. She was 12 feet tall and walking behind her was her retinue. Standing directly at her side was a Man Of Iron created with the best Psymagic techniques with the quality to match her station. At her right was a young teenage boy who seemed about 15 and wore a set of Inquisitor armor as well.
He was a unique Kryptonian clone named Jason who had been spliced with Burning Martian DNA. He was also trained in the magical arts leading to his unique magic Sun Fire which made him highly destructive. The third was a Space Marine Shaper who was also a Techmarine. As a result, he appeared to be more Machine than living flesh, but that was not the case.
His Machinery was alive and part of his body making it just as dangerous as he was. Aside from these three, they had several Psian Jackels which were cloned with a higher percentage of Kryptonian DNA to act as guards for Inquisitors.
The boy turned his head to his boss with a smirk.
"So, miss what are we doing here?"
"We are here to on diplomacy."
He nodded as he rested his hands behind his head.
"Where is Superman though? I wanted to see him."
Just as he said that Superman flew through the city before appearing in front of them.
"You called?"
Jack smiled as he saw the 'progenitor' from which all his kind originated.
"Wow, it is him. The last true-born Kryptonian. The resemblance is uncanny."
When Superman looked at Jack, he was reminded of the dark fact that the Imperium had its own Kryptonian clones and not just a few of them. They were a whole army and they all originated from him. He blamed Cadmus for cloning him in the first place and having those clones stolen.
Now, he and Kara were not the last Kryptonians, but the Imperium Kryptonians didn't have the culture to be called children of Krypton.
"What are you all doing here?"
The Inquisitor walked forward before she pulled out a paper signed by the current President.
"This is permission signed by the President Of The United States to enter any city in America. I am here as a representative of The Inquisition and The Imperium. Unless you have some issue with that."
Jack grinned as his eyes began to glow an ominous bright gold. Under his skin, golden burning veins began to bulge as he spread his arms out.
"I always wanted to fight the original. Come on, Grandpa, a friendly fight yeah?"
Superman shook his head.
"There is no need for violence. Even without that letter, this is a free country I can't decide who enters or leaves."
Alicena put the paper away as she smacked Jack on the head.
"OWW!"
"Move it, boy."
Jack seemed to deflate as he calmed himself down.
"Bye Superman, let's fight later ok?"
As Alicena and her retinue walked off, Superman watched before they reached Lex Luthor's Tower. Seeing that made him sigh as over the 16 years, Lex had become a trading partner for The Imperium.
They traded technology with each other causing Lex to become the leading developer of advancement in the modern world. Lexcorp was also the leading company allowed in Russia, China, Rhelasia, India, Iraq, Syria, Bialya, Markovia, and Santa Prisca.
It made Lex the richest man on Earth buying huge shares of Wayne Tech. Though, thankfully, Lex had stopped trying to kill Superman as he didn't need to. Lex had already won by siding with the winning team.
Those nine countries were openly controlled by The Imperium and there was nothing anyone could do about it. Justinian had long since sunk his claws into Earth and what was worse was that he wasn't doing anything bad.
Those countries now were more advanced than any country on Earth. They as a unified front with aid from The Imperium had set up a Lunar Colony. The Moon just like every planet in this Solar System was Imperial controlled.
As a result, Earth would soon be renamed Terra and join The Imperium in just six more years. When it did, it would prosper more than it did, but it just felt wrong.
Superman flew off as he and The League these past 16 years couldn't do anything about it.
---
Currently, inside Lex Luthor's office, Alicena and her retinue were seated in front of Justinian's partner in crime. Lex for a man in his 50s looked to be in his 20s, with a full head of hair and muscles to match Senator Armstrong.
He even had the Nanomachines flowing through him which he took as a sign of loyalty.
"My dear, welcome back to Metropolis, I hope The Emperor is doing well."
Alicena scoffed.
"Of course The Emperor is fine. If not for your genius, I would have recommended putting you under more strict contracts."
Lex chuckled.
"My mind can only work with a very long leash. A short one could cut off my mind."
Jack laughed as he leaned back in his chair.
"Good one."
Alicena now got to the point.
"The Emperor sent me because The Imperium has just taken the planet Thanagar. We now possess access to Nth metal a similar material your special war suit is made of. The Imperium is thankful for you allowing us to study it."
Lex smiled as he ran a hand through his hair.
"Well, what you gave me in exchange was just as good. I can make a new suit any time, growing hair like this on the other hand, well not so much. Now, what do you want to do with all that Nth metal?"
There were many things and Justinian personally knew how to make himself even more Immortal. Just like Sun Wukong, one could never be immortal enough.
(P-atreon.com/A_Real_Werewolf234)