Sunlight flooded the apartment, bathing the room in a golden glow. Marcus woke first, his arm draped around Shayera. She was still asleep, peaceful, her features finally relaxed. He watched her for a moment, his heart light. It all felt like a waking dream.
They got up, showered, and had breakfast, a constant, knowing smile on their lips. The tension of the previous days had finally given way to a rediscovered serenity.
"What are you doing today?" Shayera asked, sipping her coffee.
"I'm going to work on the final chapters of my manga," Marcus replied, spreading jam on a piece of toast. "And you?"
"I'm heading back to the Tower," she said, a determined glint in her eye. "The girls want to launch our own investigation. Find the people responsible for... all of that. They're pretty fired up."
Marcus gave a small, amused smile. "I almost feel sorry for them."
"You should," she retorted with a light laugh. She leaned in and kissed him, a soft, promising caress. "See you tonight."
After she left, Marcus settled at his desk, ready to dive into his work. But no sooner had he turned on his computer than his secret Justice League communicator rang. The ID showed Dr. Bernard Klein from S.T.A.R. Labs.
"Hello, Utopian," came the scientist's calm voice.
"Hello, Professor. Is there a problem?"
"None, not exactly. It's just... a delicate situation. Superman, before his disappearance, entrusted me with a device linked to the Phantom Zone. For the last few hours, it's been emitting a repetitive signal. I might need your assistance."
Utopian frowned. "Professor, I respect you greatly, but I'm not Kryptonian. I know nothing about that technology."
"I know, I know," Klein said hurriedly. "But you possess abilities similar to his. You could protect me in case of an... unforeseen reaction from the device. Your presence would be an invaluable safety net."
Marcus sighed inwardly. His quiet day was slipping away. But he couldn't refuse.
"Alright, I'm on my way."
Minutes later, Utopian landed outside the S.T.A.R. Labs complex. Dr. Klein was waiting for him, visibly nervous, in front of a secure laboratory.
"So, Professor?" Utopian asked as he entered.
"Yes, just as I was explaining," Klein said, pointing to a complex machine riddled with blue lights flashing erratically. "The signal has become frantic. I can't decipher it. It seems to be... calling for something. Or someone."
Suddenly, without any warning, the device went haywire. The blue lights turned into a blinding white, and a beam of concentrated energy shot out, striking the center of the room. The air itself seemed to tear, vibrating with an ancient and terrifying power.
When the light dissipated, a figure stood in the middle of the laboratory. A woman, tall, with a body sculpted like a living weapon, clad in dark, organic-looking armor. Her eyes burned with a pure, primal hatred. An aura of destruction radiated from her.
Reign. A Worldkiller. A biological weapon created on Krypton and ultimately banned by its own Science Council.
Her gaze fell upon Utopian, sizing him up with absolute contempt.
"Where is the son of El?" she growled, her voice an echo from hell. "He was promised. It is he I must break."
Utopian instinctively moved in front of Dr. Klein, his own power rising within him in response to the palpable threat.
"Superman isn't here," he declared, his voice firm despite the danger. "But you'll have to settle for me."
The fight for Earth had just taken a cosmic turn, and Utopian once again found himself on the front line, facing a nightmare from the stars.