Shadow Monarch in DC

Chapter 527: Prisoners of War

Nyx -Superman was flying in the sky of Nyx, his eyes fixed on the city that surrounded him. He had been here before, briefly, once but the scale of it still took his breath away. The sheer presence of the place, the shadows that moved through it, the power that vibrated through the very air.

He had been waiting for hours.

Marshal Zeus stood nearby, behind him, General Sinestro and General Atrocitus had already secured the demon prisoners, twenty Demon knights, bound in chains of shadow energy, their unconscious forms suspended in a neat row.

Clark landed from the sky and his eyes swept across them.

He had defeated them. He had captured them, he had brought them here, or rather, Marshal Zeus had brought them here, with Clark following behind, his questions unanswered, his curiosity still burning.

And now he waited.

Suddenly a swirl of violet light and absolute darkness appeared and resolved into the familiar silhouette of Arthur Blackwynd. He stepped out of the shadows as if stepping through a doorway, his form materializing with the casual ease of someone who had done this a thousand times.

Clark’s eyes lit up.

Arthur’s shadow armor was still smoking slightly, its surface marked with cracks and scorch marks. His face was pale, his eyes tired, but his expression was calm, almost serene. He walked toward Clark.

"It seems you were waiting for quite some time," Arthur said.

"I could wait for a whole week if need be," Clark said. "I must understand what is going on here. And why you entrusted me with that task."

Arthur smiled.

"Isn’t it simple?" He gestured at the captured demons. "What is there to understand? I wanted someone to take care of a strange thing I anticipated." His eyes glowed violet. "I know how the Monarchs think. They would prepare a trap for me, and for my world. And when I arrived to fight the Monarchs, I noticed that the Demon Monarch’s army lacked his elite."

He gestured at the prisoners.

"These are the leaders of his noble clans. The strongest of his army, and he sent all of them in a mission to slaughter my planet." His voice hardened. "So I wished to capture them. And I only know one person who is strong enough and also kind enough to defeat strong foes without killing them."

Clark’s brow furrowed.

Arthur smiled.

"Don’t get me wrong," he said. "I still think it is a serious flaw that you have. It will probably get you killed someday." His tone was light, almost teasing. "But I found it useful for once. Any of my Marshals, for example, would have killed one of them accidentally."

Clark wasn’t sure whether he was being complimented or insulted.

"Okay..." He shook his head slowly. "Also, hold on... you fought Monarchs? You mean other Monarchs? You are not talking about the Gotham Gate from the past, right?"

He paused.

His eyes swept across Arthur’s body, the pale skin, the faint traces of dried blood and bruises.

"That’s your blood?!" Clark’s voice carried a note of genuine concern. "You just returned from a serious fight... I haven’t seen you in this state at all..."

Arthur’s smile widened.

"I did." He met Clark’s eyes. "For a man with different kinds of visions, it took you so long to notice." Arthur laughed. "And don’t worry about me, I’ll tell you all about it later, with a drink of course." He looked at the captured demons. "And now, we have these to decide what to do with."

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Apokolips - The Throne Room of Darkseid

Darkseid sat on his throne, his eyes burning, glowed with the Omega Effect, before him, his daughter Grail knelt.

Her form was regal, her features sharp, her eyes carrying the same terrible fire as her father’s. She had returned from her mission, her purpose fulfilled, her prize secured.

And she was annoyed.

Desaad stood to the side, his hunched form trembling with the weight of his own ambition. His eyes darted between Grail and Darkseid.

Granny Goodness stood near the shadows, her eyes were also fixed on Grail, as no one trusted her.

Grail’s voice cut through the silence.

"I have fulfilled my task, Father."

Desaad’s head snapped toward her. His voice was a dry rasp, sharp with disapproval.

"Don’t forget yourself!" he said. "It is Lord Darkseid."

Grail’s eyes flicked toward him, "And you," she said, her voice cold, "are not allowed to speak in my presence." Her chin rose. "I will call my own Father however I like."

Desaad’s mouth opened.

"You.."

"Enough." Darkseid’s voice was a low.

Grail fell silent. Desaad’s mouth snapped shut. Even Granny Goodness seemed to shrink back into the shadows.

Darkseid’s eyes fixed on his daughter.

"Grail," he said, "you did finish your task, that is true."

He paused.

"But what you brought back, as you mentioned, was easily killed by one of the Shadow’s minions."

Grail’s jaw tightened. Her hands, resting on her knees, curled into fists.

"Oh, it is not weak, I assure you." she said, her voice carrying a note of defiance. "As for that human, Arthur... some of his shadows are not weak as well. Forget about the Shadow Lanterns; those are just part of his real force." Her eyes met her father’s. "I am sure you know this, Father, but that man commands a massive army. Much like what you have here in Apokolips, and beyond."

She paused, gathering herself.

"As for the monsters I brought back, I hand-picked them. I saw the humans that hunt them die and struggle against them. The strongest among them." Her voice hardened. "And that dragon was picked up hastily by me I admit, because that Shadow was there and in the way." She turned her gaze toward Desaad. "They should be enough, isn’t that right, Desaad?"

Desaad’s smile was thin, bloodless. "Yes," he said, his voice a dry rasp. "They will suffice for my little project. Though I will need a stronger specimen next time." His eyes gleamed. "But that dragon corpse will do for my prototype Paradragons. We will deploy them against the Shadow Lanterns across the sectors."

His smile widened.

"Naturally, the Shadow Monarch is smart. So he will figure it out."

Darkseid’s eyes burned brighter.

"Yes, he will." He said. "And once he does, we will deploy them on Earth. We will see just how much they can defend against them." He paused. "Once we get our hands on a stronger specimen, we shall create an unstoppable army."

Desaad’s voice was a whisper of reverence. "Of that, I promise you my Lord. The leader of these creatures will be the perfect one."

Darkseid’s lips curved into a smile.

"The Dragon Monarch, is it?" He paused. "Well, let them play, he and the Shadow. and we will reap the rewards."

Grail said nothing.

Her face was a mask of stone, but beneath that she was irritated, and frustrated, of something that she kept carefully hidden. She had brought back specimens of monsters from the dungeons on Earth, She had fulfilled her task. And yet, she was being dismissed, reduced to a footnote in Her Father’s schemes.

Darkseid’s eyes found her.

"You are dismissed, Grail."

She rose. Her head bowed, just slightly, just enough to show respect.

"Yes, Father."

She turned and walked toward the shadows, her footsteps echoing against the floor.

She did not look back, her spine straight, her head held high.

Darkseid watched her go.

His eyes tracked her movement. The Omega Effect pulsed faintly in his gaze, a reminder of the power he held, the power he had given her.

His expression did not change.

But something that might have been suspicion appeared on his face. His hand, resting on the armrest of his throne, tightened almost imperceptibly.

He said nothing.

Desaad noticed the shift. His eyes darted between Darkseid and the fading figure of Grail. But he knew better than to speak when his master was thinking.

Then when she was gone.

Darkseid’s eyes remained fixed on the space where she had been.

His voice was quiet, almost to himself.

"She is hiding something."

Desaad’s head snapped toward him. "My lord?"

Darkseid did not look at him.

"Grail," he said, his voice flat, "has always been... independent. That is what I made her to be. That is what I needed her to be." He paused. "But independence can become defiance. And defiance can become betrayal."

Desaad’s throat worked. "My lord, I can.."

"I said nothing," Darkseid cut him off. "I will say nothing. Not yet."

His eyes burned brighter.

"Let her think she is hidden. Let her think she is clever." His lips curved, "When the time comes, I will know everything she knows. And she will know that I know."

Desaad bowed his head. "As you command, my lord."

Darkseid leaned back on his throne. "And Desaad."

"Yes, my lord?"

"Watch her."

Desaad’s smiled. "It shall be done."

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