The world reeled in the aftermath of the Thanagarian massacre.
Speculations spread like wildfire. News anchors, military analysts, and even conspiracy theorists flooded every broadcast and online forum with a single question: Who is the Shadow Monarch? What was his purpose? And more importantly, was he friend or foe?
The only reassurance anyone had was that his knights had only acted in Earth's favor so far. But with their overwhelming power, their sudden appearance, and the cold efficiency with which they had wiped out a technologically superior alien fleet, no one felt safe. Not the governments, and certainly not the heroes.
But far from all that noise, Ashborn lived untouched by the chaos.
For the past week, he had wandered across Europe, enjoying quiet days and lively nights. He strolled through vineyards in Italy, visited castles in Germany, and indulged in culinary delights from Paris to Prague. It was a brief return to the calm he enjoyed before the shadow of responsibility loomed again.
That peace shattered when his phone buzzed.
Rex's voice crackled on the line. "That girl, Ace…the one who used to be with the Joker? She came looking for you."
Ashborn, lounging on a seaside patio with a glass of wine in hand, straightened. "Ace?"
"Yeah," Rex said. "When she found out you were in Europe, she left. No clue where to."
Ashborn thanked him and ended the call, his mood sombering.
So much for vacation.
Within the hour, he was aboard his private plane, leaving the golden coastlines of Europe behind. While en route, he opened a news stream, expecting the usual nonsense.
But what he saw made him narrow his eyes.
Metropolis' Central Park had become something out of a fantasy nightmare.
Towering, twisted trees spiraled toward the sky. Multicolored flowers bloomed in impossible shapes, whispering as they swayed. Civilians fled in terror. The Royal Flush Gang, or a new version of it, is running rampant and being fought off by the Justice League. But what caught Ashborn's attention the most… was the castle.
A massive, fairytale-like structure now sat in the center of the park like it had always belonged there.
Ashborn closed his eyes. He already knew the cause.
"Ace…"
He exhaled slowly. The plane would take hours to reach Metropolis. He didn't have that long.
A moment later, only a flickering shadow remained in his seat.
___________
Ashborn emerged from a narrow alley in Metropolis. He wasted no time, heading straight toward the park.
As he arrived, he found the new Royal Flush Gang sitting, defeated and tied up, on the pavement. The chaos had been briefly quelled.
Surrounding the gang were members of the Justice League: Batman, Huntress, Stargirl, Red Tornado, and Green Lantern Hal Jordan. They stood silently, watching a descending helicopter approaching the park.
Ashborn approached.
The League noticed him immediately.
Each member of the league looked at him warily and unfriendly, especially Batman who narrowed his eyes dangerously, but he said nothing.
Ashborn didn't address them. He just glanced for a moment at Batman before his gaze went back to the helicopter. Batman was wearing pants-like armor similar to the one he gifted.
Ashborn's quick glance was caught by Batman and the man's fist clenched realizing where it was aimed at.
The helicopter landed with a soft thud of displaced wind. The doors opened, and Amanda Waller stepped out.
She immediately spotted Ashborn, but didn't acknowledge him. His association with Project Cadmus was buried deep beneath government layers.
Instead, she spoke to the League.
"Ace's powers have evolved," she said. "She's not projecting illusions anymore. She's warping reality."
Waller's voice was grim as she continued.
"She's losing control. And when she finally breaks… everything within miles of here will be reshaped permanently. Hundreds of thousands will die. It'll be a catastrophe."
A heavy silence settled over the park.
The Justice League exchanged uneasy glances.
Batman stepped forward and asked "Who are you?"
Amanda Waller's face was set like stone as she lifted the secure case in her hands and unlatched it.
"It doesn't matter, but this does," she said, her voice cold and resolute, "It is our only solution."
She opened the case.
Inside sat a small, intricate device, sleek, metallic, with a softly glowing core pulsing blue. It looked almost unimpressive, but the weight it carried was unmistakable. A weapon with one purpose.
Stargirl took a step forward, staring at it. "You want us to kill her?" she asked, her voice tight with disbelief.
Waller didn't flinch. "It's her or hundreds of thousands. We can't afford hesitation."
Before anyone could protest or speak, Ashborn was already beside her, having crossed the distance in an instant. Without a word, he reached into the case and plucked the device out.
He held it between his fingers, studying it, casually twirling it like a coin.
Amanda's brow twitched, but she didn't stop him.
Huntress, scowling, snapped, "This isn't a toy. Give it back. Now."
Ashborn's eyes slid toward her, unreadable.
He smiled faintly.
And then, he let go.
The device fell. For a split second, everyone froze, watching it drop.
It hit the ground.
Crack.
Before Huntress could say a word, Ashborn stepped forward and crushed it under his heel. The metal shattered, sparks flickering from the ruined circuitry.
Amanda's voice cut through the silence, sharp and livid. "Do you realize what you've done? That was our only way to stop Ace!"
The heroes around him looked furious. Red Tornado's eyes flared. Stargirl's hands clenched around her staff. Batman's fist curled at his side.
Ashborn didn't flinch.
"I know what you are thinking," he said simply, voice calm. "But this toy isn't needed."
He began walking toward the massive, looming castle at the heart of the park, unconcerned with the seething tension behind him.
But Huntress had had enough.
She darted in front of him, planting her feet to block his path and throwing out her arm. "You're not going anywhere!"
Ashborn didn't slow. With a single, fluid movement, he grabbed her arm, flipped her over his shoulder, and drove her into the ground.
The others moved immediately, startled and ready to engage. Stargirl raised her staff. Green Lantern's ring glowed. Red Tornado's turbines activated. Batman was already moving to flank.
But Ashborn didn't even glance their way.
The sheer disregard sent a ripple of frustration and insult through them.
"Ashborn," Batman barked. "Stop right there."
Ashborn didn't stop walking.
Without looking back, he said, "Your services are not needed. Go play somewhere else."
Stargirl's temper flared. "That's it!" She raised her staff and fired a blast of brilliant cosmic energy aimed straight at him.
But before it could reach him, the earth between them erupted.
A solid wall of bark and thorns rose from the ground, intercepting the blast and blocking it completely.
Everyone stared, stunned.
The park began to stir, trees leaning inward, flowers turning to follow Ashborn, the path ahead parting as though inviting him forward.
"What's going on?" Stargirl asked, stepping back.
Batman's voice was low and grim.
"Ace," he said. "She's protecting him… She wants to meet him."
___________
The castle was quiet. A strange peace settled over the towering walls, as if the chaos outside had never reached within. Inside it was a park filled with trees and toys of children, Ashborn passed them without a pause
At the center of it all within a vast space, Ace sat on a swing.
She swayed gently alone, her expression blank as her eyes followed Ashborn's approach.
"I came back as soon as I heard you came by," Ashborn said calmly, stopping a few paces from her.
Ace's eyes moved to the space in front of her and spoke. "You said I could come to you if I wanted to talk… or if I needed help."
Ashborn took a step closer. "Your time is running out. I'm afraid you don't have much left. If there's anything you want to say… now is the time."
Without waiting for an invitation, he walked to the second swing beside her and sat down.
Ace's eyes shifted to him. "My powers evolved a lot," she said quietly. "And still… I can't affect you. But now… I can feel it. You're strong. Stronger than anything I've seen."
Ashborn didn't respond to the compliment. His voice was steady. "I know your story. The choices that were taken from you. You were cheated out of your childhood… out of your life. I expected this to happen eventually. You are dying."
Ace stopped swinging. Her voice was soft but filled with hopelessness. "Do you want to kill me?"
Ashborn looked ahead. "Even if you die… no real damage will happen. But that's not the right question."
He turned his head toward her, his eyes meeting hers.
"The question is: do you want to live?"
She kept her gaze, her expression emotionless. "Can you prevent my death?"
Ashborn nodded once.
There was a pause. Then she asked, "Why?"
He answered simply, "Try to read my memory again. I'll allow it this time. It's faster."
Ace hesitated. Then, without a word, she reached out with her power.
And what she saw left her stunned.
Flashes of endless blood and carnage. A man fighting armies, killing monsters, commanding shadows. The passage of centuries, where war and death were constants. A life forged through violence, shaped by an unseen force, The System, that dictated every move, every breath. A life of power… but no peace or freedom.
She recoiled slightly, her eyes wide.
Ashborn's voice cut through the haze.
"Now you know."
He looked straight ahead, not needing to explain further.
"Your life was taken by the government. By those who wanted to use you. I was trapped in a hellish cycle created by something worse, a system that forced me to fight in war not mine, to kill and survive, again and again. I never wanted that life. But to live… I had to obey."
His gaze met hers.
"You're like me. But on a much smaller scale."
Silence fell between them again. Then Ashborn asked, voice low, "So… do you want to live?"
Tears welled in Ace's eyes. She nodded.
Ashborn extended a hand.
A vial materialized between his fingers, glowing faintly with a strange, red liquid.
"Drink this," he said gently. "It will undo the damage to your body. And I'll seal a portion of your power, to stop it from hurting you any further."
Ace took the vial with trembling hands, holding it tightly.
And for the first time, her face had a flicker of an emotion… she looked hopeful.