"My Earth was destroyed by Lex Luthor."
This casually dropped statement caused Kara, Kay, Alura, Lara, Lena, and Astra to all blink for a second. To their credit, none of them interrupted.
"He went insane when I spurned his advances," Karen said. "For a bit, we were friends, although he obviously had other intentions. And when he realized that we could never be together, he snapped. And released that monster, Doomsday, to kill my lover."
"Damn," Lena murmured.
Could Lex on this Earth have turned into that? Well, they might have never known, thankfully. Still, the very thought of it shocked Lena to the core.
"There's more, isn't there?" Kara asked.
Kara knew her more mature counterpart well. Karen swallowed the lump in her throat. She was normally self-assured, confident, and strong, but going back through this brought some old demons back through her mind, that she would rather not face again.
"When the walls were closing in on Lex, he caused damage to Earth, because he would rather see everything destroyed them get imprisoned. And then the red anti-matter wiped out everything."
"Red anti-matter?" Astra asked. "How did you survive?"
"I escaped," Karen said. "I tried everything that I could to save them. But the world was beyond saving. Lex was sick and he taunted me until the end. Until I left him for dead as the final wave of anti-matter took everything down. I escaped. It hurt to see all of them die."
"It's not your fault," Alura said sternly.
"Maybe," Karen said. "Or maybe I could have done something more."
"How long have you been here?" Lena asked Karen.
"A year, it took me quite some time to get established here," Karen said. "I didn't want to draw attention to myself but I saw the monster released and Superman fighting it. I had to do something, even though...well there was no Lazarus Pit, no connection to the League on my Earth. And no Lena, Lex made sure of that."
Lena shuddered at Karen's cold statement.
"He's gone, though," Lena said.
Karen just shrugged in an off handed manner.
"Maybe. But, I got a feeling he's still out there. There's something about his specter, looming in the darkness over me."
"He'll haunt you forever,," Astra said. "Along with any regrets you have."
"Sums it up," Karen agreed. "Hope he's okay."
"He will be, although he will have to fight," Lena said.
Going through the Lazarus Pit would resurrect a person physically. However, mentally and emotionally, was another matter entirely. Talia mentioned it to Lena one time. The demons in Harry's mind would be plentiful, although the only solace Lena had was the strength would be as well.
X-X-X
Harry might have woken up, however he was not completely out of the woods yet. He could see taunting images in his head. The demons in his mind went straight on the attack, to try and batter his mind. The voices were even more prominent as they taunted him.
He sensed something. Harry reached out with lightning fast reflexes and grabbed the figure in the shadows by the arm. She jumped up. Harry shrugged off the voices which screamed for blood. They did not rule him.
The gorgeous blonde woman standing next to him, with a blade in her held hand, eyed Harry.
"Good reflexes," she said. "Both to grab me and to kill me."
"And you are?" Harry asked.
The woman inclined her head ever so slightly. "Ta-er a-Sahfer."
"We've met before, and I've seen your face in news reports," Harry said. "You are Sara Lance. Believed to be dead for five years. Although, you were reborn in the League of Assassins."
"They gave me a new purpose," Sara said. "And a new life. I've been chasing my demons. And they strengthen. Just like yours do with each second. Along with the threats which you're facing."
"Mmm, Talia mentioned something."
"Yes, ever since she overthrew her father, the League has been preparing for a threat which could define or destroy the Earth. You succeeded at the second challenge."
"Survived," Harry said. "And I had to go through the Pit. I still hear them."
"The voices," Sara agreed. "The echoes of everyone who has used that particular pit. None more stronger than the previous Ra's al Ghul."
Harry raised an eyebrow. Suddenly, the bits and pieces of information that he had been collecting settled together. Harry had a clearer picture of what was happening, although there were a few pieces which were missing.
"Talia's father?"
"Yes," Sara agreed. "He used the pit to the point of madness."
Harry finally let go of Sara's arm and in a sign of respect, Sara sheathed the blade back away. She sat down, eyes locked onto Harry for a long moment.
"You've passed the second challenge," Sara commented. "The third one is coming and will test us all."
"Don't suppose you know?" Harry asked.
"Nyssa and Talia would know better, although they've been vague," Sara said. "You're welcome to try and ask them."
Perhaps Harry would. Harry entered a trace, to ensure every last echo from the pit had been purged from his mind. Those voices could overwhelm as they kept clawing into Harry's psyche and trying to bring out the dark impulses.
As always though, Harry was the master of his mind. And he mastered them just as well.
X-X-X
Kara looked up and her expression brightened. Harry walked out. Kara zoomed into his arms and wrapped them around him, with a very passionate hug. Harry leaned in and smiled, when tightening his grip around Kara and pulling her in closer towards him.
"It's good to see you too."
Kara just smiled, and Kay and Lena greeted him as well. Alura, Astra, and Lara returned back to the Fortress, but they would get news of Harry's resurrection and would return to meet with him. And likely run him through more than a few tests.
"You can't do anything that reckless again," Kara said.
"I shouldn't, but I will," Harry said.
Kara just sighed and nodded in solemn agreement. Likely right. Kara stepped back a few more inches and let Harry turn his attention to the third blonde Kryptonian in the room, the oldest of the three.
"Power Girl isn't it?"
"Yes, but please, call me Karen," Karen said. "I feel like I should explain this to you too. What I told the others."
Karen launched into the same story she did, with the others. Harry listened to her. To think that version of Lex had gotten that twisted, well it was a sombering experience. Harry figured there was always potential, but he hoped to steer Lex down a different path.
And in the end, they never would have known. Although the anti-matter wave caused Harry a great deal of discontent for a couple of reasons.
"The red anti-matter?" Harry asked. "It's more widespread than I thought."
"Pardon?" Karen asked.
"I was...I was in a past life, Harry Potter," Harry said. "However, I was resurrected as the infant Kal-El on Krypton, after an anti-matter wave destroyed my Earth. It sounds insane."
"No, no, it doesn't," Karen said. "So, you survived it somehow."
"I have a knack of surviving things I shouldn't," Harry said.
"Stronger than even his," Karen muttered. "He didn't survive Doomsday. But, then again, there was no Lazarus Pit to bring him back from the edge."
This particular bit of information had caused Harry to raise an eyebrow.
"Were you and him…"
"Very, although you seem a bit more at peace with who you are," Karen said. "I loved him, but he could be a chore getting to loosen up and be a bit more carefree. Although, considering the one time he let his guard down...well…."
Karen sighed, and Harry respectfully backed off the line of conversation.
"Still, it all ties together," Karen said. "The red wave of matter, I mean. Everything makes sense, just like that."
"Yes," Harry agreed. "It does."
And they would finid out what this third trial that Talia and later Sara had been eluding to. Although, Harry figured given what they had been going through over the past couple of months, all roads lead to one certain man. But he was not going to foolishy assume without any proof.
X-X-X
Harry went through a multitude of tests to ensure he was strong enough and ready. Tests to assess his physical capabilities and mental ones. Lena and Talia watched from the side, as Talia sent some of her best assassins after Harry. They had been instructed not to hold back, to see how he would take them down.
They were good, although Harry found flaws in their attack and took them down, one at a time. His rapid fire attacks stunned the skilled assassins and brought one of them down, in a blink of an eye. Another loud crack echoed from Harry uppercutting one of them in the jaw.
"Impressive," Talia commented. "He has exceeded pretty much all expectations. Even you have to admit it."
Harry caught one of them coming out of the shadows and took him down. The skilled assassin had been brought down to the ground. Harry disabled him with no more than a few broken bones.
"He hasn't killed them yet," Lena said.
"Well, they're prepared to die, to serve a greater cause," Talia said. "You know this."
Yes, Lena did as well. Another one sent a dart towards Harry. Harry caught it, flipped in the air, and disabled the blowpipe with a very well placed chop to it. The assassin staggered, and dropped with a very obvious groan. Harry hoisted him up and took him down with one skilled sweeping motion.
Another one down, and more to come. Harry evaded their attacks and came down onto them to drop down to the ground.
"Very good," Talia said. "Nyssa, to me."
Talia and Nyssa stepped into the center of the room to fight Harry, and they had been joined by Sara. The three circled their opponent in perfect harmony. Harry almost had gotten hit by the blade. He took Sara's blade from her, and then used it to block Nyssa's sweeping attack. Talia fired an arrow at Harry's leg. Harry blocked the arrow with his free hand and snapped it in half.
"A pleasure to meet you," Harry said.
"Likewise," Nyssa said. "You're strong."
Harry swept Nyssa off of her feet and pinned her down to the ground. Sara grabbed Harry from behind and the two of them grappled, until Harry pinned Sara down to the ground.
Talia disappeared into the shadows. She came back towards Harry. The flicker of obvious enchantment from the blade she held caused Harry to spin around. Harry caught the blade and pinned Talia back up against the wall. Talia gasped from what Harry was doing to her.
"Not bad," Harry said.
"Glad you approve," a gasping Talia said through her breathing. "But, now, I'm going to…."
"Are you?" Harry asked her with a small shadow of a smile.
Harry and Talia fought for position. They circled each other. The two moved in for the attack. A swipe, a sweep, and swords clashed together for Harry pushed Talia back against the wall. He grabbed her arm and used it to deflect the next attacks from Nyssa and Sara.
A small smile crossed Talia's face. He was more ready than they thought. Harry studied the techniques from the students and turned them back on the teachers. Harry sent Sara, Talia, and Nyssa to the ground. He stood over the top of them, with the three women breathing heavily at the exertion they had to keep up for him.
"Want another round?" Harry asked them.
"Give us a second, beloved," Talia remarked.
X-X-X
The entire world had been talking about the Death of Superman at the hands of Doomsday. There had been several eye witness reports. The Talon had been in a state of mourning. Lois and Chloe sat at one of the back tables, with Lois just considering everything that went on.
"He can't be…."
"I know," Chloe said. "Maybe he's at the Fortress. You know, healing. No body...although I might have to drag you out of there if I have too many more drinks."
"You have room to talk,' Lois said. "And I saw it. It was rough. It looked like a small bomb went off. More than small bomb. A big bomb."
"Lois, you're slurring…"
Lois with a shaky hand, put down her drink. She refused to believe this was the end. She refused to believe this was it, the Death of Superman, the death of, well she couldn't. Although there had been mixed opinions. Lana retired to the back room and Chloe had tried to get her to come out.
"Have you see Alex?"
"Alex doesn't believe it anymore than you do or I do," Lois remarked. "But, if he's not dead, he's not in good shape. You can't survive some of that without…"
A crystal manifested in front of them. Lois almost fell back into her chair. Chloe caught her by the arm and steadied her cousin.
"Okay, okay, crystals are just popping up," Lois said. "Wait is that…"
Chloe pressed onto the symbol. The shield of the House of El popped into life on the crystal. Then Harry's face appeared.
"I'm fine," Harry said. "Resting and recovering, but I'll be back soon. Hold off on telling the world for the moment. But, tell the others, pass along the message."
"Well, I told you he's alive," Lois said.
"Good, then you can stop drinking," Chloe said.
Lois just smiled, she could. Although, she hoped to be around to see the glorious rebirth of Superman. Although Harry being okay would do more than enough for now.
"Better tell Lana and Alex and...well everyone else," Chloe said.
"Right, right, sure," Lois answered.
X-X-X
Lillian Luthor heard about what happened in Metropolis. A small part of her felt remorseful, although a larger part, felt angered beyond all belief that she had nothing to do with taking down that alien menace. And there was something else, a looming specter lurking in the shadows, watching at several key places she had monitored.
The door opened and Lillian looked up.
"It looks like you've seen a ghost."
"No, it can't be, because you're not him," Lillian said. "You're not Lex. You're not my son. You're...what are you?"
"A counterpart from an Earth which was destroyed by a Kryptonian menace," Lex said. "Much like the one you are fighting right now."
"He's gone."
Lex just chuckled, in a way which Lillian did not like. It unnerved her a lot.
"I can be your son. The son you always wanted. Not the disappointment that got himself killed."
"Don't talk about my son like that!" Lillian snapped.
"The truth hurts, doesn't it, Lillian?" Lex asked. "You must wonder what your next move."
"Superman is out of the way, I can move on."
Lex slammed his fist on the table which caused Lillian to shudder. There was something more abrasive and cruel about this version of Lex, which she did not like at all.
"There's no body," Lex said. "He's not dead. He'll be back. You should deal with matters of your own house sooner rather than later. The traitor, Lena."
"Lena?" Lillian asked. "She's…"
"She's in bed with the Kryptonian," Lex said. 'I took care of her back home and I suggest you do the same. Or I will, if you don't have the stomach for it. You talk a big game, but you don't back up. At least my father got things done, even though he lost his mind towards the end."
Lillian's expression darkened. She wanted to throw this Lex out of her office, but a small part of her clung onto the delusion that he could be like her son.
"You need to reshape the world and eliminate the alien menace from taking over," Lex said. "And believe me, when he comes back, he will be far more dangerous and powerful than ever. You need to stop this from happening. "
Lex slipped a vial of a mysterious red substance out of his pocket. The material making up the vial had been like nothing Lex ever seen in his life.
"Careful not to break it," Lex warned her. "Have you best people replicate it. We're going to need it."
"And you just assume I will do what you say?"
Lex chuckled at Lillian's attempt to deny him. He walked a little bit closer towards his mother. Her breathing indicated she was intimidated, which was good.
"You'll need it if you want to survive. For when he shows his true colors, just like he did back in my world. It's not a matter of if, but a matter of when. You need to be ready."
X-X-X
Harry did one more meditation exercise. The voices, the thoughts of bloodlust, had been nearly submerged from his mind. Although there would always been lingering effects, Talia warned him.
The emerald-eyed young man woke up just in time to see Karen lingering outside. She had been staring at him for several seconds.
"I'm not him," Harry said.
"Yeah, I know," Karen said. "Much like I'm not completely like your cousin. We're different, different paths. But, that's fine. You're inspiring and I have hope that your story will end differently than his. You're healing."
Karen crossed the distance and got a little bit closer to Harry.
"I've watched you for a year, well I followed you in the news," Karen said. "And I'm confident that your story will end differently. And maybe, I have this second chance, like you did, to make a better life."
Harry read the signs and read what she wanted. Very carefully, he placed an arm around Karen and pulled her in closely.
"Tell me to stop, I will."
"I haven't yet."
The two met in the middle with a passionate kiss. It had been a long time, and Karen just had to move on. The spark reignited in the buxom Kryptonian blonde. She could sense power, great power flowing through Harry and thought of what he was capable of excited and intimidated her.