"Room 17!", Batman barked as the Watchtower's Boom Tube activated, Flash already racing past with a heavily breathing Paragon in his arms.
Rushing into the open room, he placed him in bed before racing to get the necessary machinery, Martian Manhunter narrowing his eyes as he stared at the purple veins spreading out from the wound.
"Clear the way!", Flash shouted as he raced past Superman, who looked concerned before Wonder Woman placed a hand on his shoulder.
"It's okay, Clark. Bruce, J'onn and Barry are with him."
"What...what happened?"
"Kryptonite bullet that's laced with toxins and magic that I cannot recognized," Batman responded as he walked towards the room, typing away at his holographic keyboard before the other Boom Tubes turned on.
"Where is he?!"
"Okay, kids. Keep calm," Hal spoke as he stopped Match and the rest of the Titans from barging into the room, the Kryptonian clone glaring at the Green Lantern with red eyes.
"You better get out of my way unless you want to not see tomorrow."
"Go. He needs you now," Wonder Woman whispered to Superman, who took a last glance at where Batman, Martian Manhunter and Flash were surrounding Paragon before turning to Match who looked ready to swing on the Green Lantern stopping him.
"Titan, please. Keep calm," Superman spoke, the glow in Match's eyes and Hal's ring dying down as the Kryptonian clone gave a shaky nod.
"R-Right. What...what happened to him?"
"Batman says that it's kryptonite mixed with poison and magic. There's nothing much we can do that they can't."
"I can call my father. He could come help."
"Already here, dear," Zatara spoke as Zatanna did, the girl smiling while everyone watched as both the magician and Dr. Fate walked to the room where Batman, Martian Manhunter and Flash were busy.
"We have arrived," Zatara spoke as he took his hat off, Dr. Fate creating an ankh that he held over Paragon's body while Martian Manhunter began to extract blood samples from the wound itself.
"Chaos magic. It appears to have been woven into the radioactive aura of the kryptonite itself along with...Apokoliptic venom. This is bad."
"How bad is bad?"
"Very bad. Apokoliptic venom is one of the few venoms that can corrode divinity itself. Even gods will fall to it if left untreated," Dr. Fate spoke and the room went silent before Batman spoke.
"Then we won't leave it untreated," He said as he finished typing, the vents above Paragon's bed opening as numerous IV pipes and filtration tubes dropped down.
"J'onn, anchor his psyche and keep it stable. Flash, attach the tubes and IVs. Zatara, I need containment wards that can isolate the magic from his body without destabilizing his vitals. Fate, you'll have to purge what is already bonded."
"Understood," They all nodded before they moved. Zatara chanted under his breath as he traced his wand around Paragon's body, J'onn placing his hands against their patient's temple while Fate weaved glowing ankhs that attached to both the wound and the rest of the young Kryptonian's body.
"He drifts between awareness and delirium. I can hold his mind together, but the venom...it is gnawing at what it can."
"Keep it back and hold him," Batman spoke as he started typing again, narrowing his eyes as he tested numerous different anti-venoms and venoms against the poison that was wrecking through paragon's body.
"Bats, pulse is dropping and breathing is slowing down," Flash spoke, pushing down on Paragon's shoulders as Dr. Fate pressed his hand against the wound.
It was a good thing he did as the young patient's body arched violently, a visceral roar coming from his body as the chaos magic and venom lashed back to try and fight off the magic.
"He...is resisting, but I can reach him!", J'onn grunted as he pushed deeper, Batman nodding as a green sludge began to move through the IVs and into Paragon's body.
"What is that?"
"Inland Taipan venom mixed with Cone snail venom."
"Why are we putting more venom into him?"
"Because the cocktail acts as a competitive binder. The Apokoliptic venom is keyed to cellular regeneration from what I've gathered and the chaos magic is most likely hitching a ride on that pathway to keep it entrenched.
Therefore, we'll need something to occupy those molecular receptors and make the chaos unable to anchor. The inland taipan and cone-snail venoms will bind the same receptors but in a more controllable way, buying Fate the window he needs to excise the chaos while giving J'onn a chance to hold Paragon's mind together long enough for his body to begin regenerating."
"Hold him tighter. I'm going further," J'onn rasped as his irises and pupils faded, Flash nodding as he tightened his grip before the Martian pushed his mind further in.
Images of pain and chaos danced in Paragon's mind and bleeded into J'onn's mind before he shoved them back, diving deeper until he finally found what he was looking for.
"You're useless. Just die."
"Just keel over. No one's going to miss you."
" 'A beacon of hope'? Ha! You're nothing more than a little boy who's arrogant enough to believe he's more important."
"Enough," J'onn growled as he exerted his mental strength, pushing the thought away while kneeling in front of the sleeping Chris.
"Chris, it's me J'onn. Please, wake up," The martian whispered, pulling forth the young man's happy memories as Dr. Fate felt the shift.
"I am isolating the chaos weave...now!", He grunted, the ankhs around the wound tightening and pushing into Paragon's skin as white-gold threads slipped into it.
It was at this moment that a mixture of a cough and a howl came from Paragon's throat, Zatara immediately pulling away the black blood spilling from his mouth as his wards pushed back the impure blood trying to re-enter.
"Flash, with the next pulse, I need you to send out an electromagnetic counterwave synchronised to Dr. Fate's ankhs."
"Got it," Flash nodded as electricity sparked around his arms, waiting tensely before sending it into Paragon's body right as Martian Manhunter pulled back and Dr. Fate unleashed another pulse.
Paragon's scream sent all five of the men flying into the walls before his body went slack, Batman looking at his computer as the monitors faltered before relaxing when they steadied.
Looking over at Paragon, the purple lines from the venom had receded as the green Taipan-Cone Snail mixture began to dim, Flash groaning in relief as they watched Paragon's breathing growing steadier.
"The chaos magic has been dispelled, but it has grafted residue into his cells. The toxin on the other hand is still there, but it is diluted enough by your venom cocktail to where his body can break it down. He will survive, but...I can't say he'll be the same."
"As long as he survives. That is all that matters," Batman spoke, Flash nodding with a relieved smile before they looked to the door as it opened.
"Bruce-"
"He's alive, Clark. You can relax," Batman spoke as he walked over, Superman's shoulders sagging in relief as Wonder Woman patted his shoulder with a relieved smile of her own.
"He's...he's going to be okay?"
"In a sense. For now, we need to make sure that he stays here and recover. Along with that, we need two people at least to stand guard and watch over him."
"I'll do it/ So will I," Match and M'gann spoke respectively, Batman nodding before he turned to the rest of the Titans who looked relieved.
"In that case, Aqualad, I want your team to be on standby at all times. With Paragon now incapacitated, I fear that the Light will try something. They believe that he might be dead or dying so let's have them keep thinking of that."
"How is his mind? Will he remember anything?", Wonder Woman asked and Batman turned to Dr. Fate who nodded.
"He'll remember the pieces that can hurt him and he will bear a scar of this, physically and mentally. However, healing of the mind is something I will leave to you two," He spoke as he looked at Martian Manhunter and M'gann, who nodded before the Lord of Order turned to Batman.
"For now, I must go study the spell that Klarion had used. It is an ancient spell I had thought to be extinct, but given that it was used, who knows what else he has in store?"
"Understood. Everyone, return back to your cities and/ or posts and stay on guard. I fear this is only the beginning."
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"Are you okay?", A woman that looked to be in her early to mid 30's asked with a frown as she stood beside Clark, dressed in only a pajama top and a pair of Superman briefs as the man in question wore only the matching pajama pants to the top she was wearing.
"No, Chris...Chris got attacked today by our enemies and almost died, Lois."
"But he didn't. You said it yourself, remember? He's still here."
"I know, but...but I just can't stop thinking. What if they couldn't? What if...that was our child there instead of him? What if they couldn't have saved them?"
"Oh, we're thinking about children already?", Lois asked with a teasing smile, to which Clark just gave a shaky smile as he nodded.
"You know what I mean?"
"I do and I'll tell you this. His or her dad would have done everything in their power to make sure their child survive just like how I know you would have done everything in your power to make sure Chris survived."
"I...I just can't lose him...or Match or any of our kids. I don't think I could handle watching any of them go through what Chris did today," He murmured, Lois hugging him with a soft smile as his arm tightened around her.
"Then, don't. Think about living with them, what we could teach them, what kind of people they'd grow up to be. That's what you did when you met Chris and that's why he's still fighting."
"...Why do you always know what to say to put my heart at ease?", Clark whispered with a smile as he kissed her forehead, to which Lois smirked with an eyebrow raised.
"Why do you think you married me? Well, I suppose it's my genius and the fact that I look damn good in your clothes," That drew a chuckle out of him, Clark smiling as he held her close while his gaze drifted out the window.
"I suppose you're right. I'll always be able to protect and cherish them and if we ever have kids, I'll protect them too."
"You mean we'll protect them? After all, I am the brains to your brawn."
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"And that is how I fight."
"What are you doing?", M'gann asked with an amused smile as she entered the room, to which Match blinked as he held up a children's book that he was busy reading.
"Oh, I'm reading his favourite book to force him to wake up."
"You know that he was messing with you when he said that Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas is his favourite book, right?"
"He was?", Match asked and M'gann giggled as she nodded while taking a seat on the chair opposite of the one Match was sitting on.
"Yes, it's actually One Fish, two Fish. Says that the rhymes always make him smile."
"Okay, then I'll go buy one right now. Oh, should I buy food?"
"Get shawarma, the chicken one. He loves that," M'gann spoke and Match nodded, rushing out of the room before the young woman turned to look at the sleeping Chris.
"How long do you reckon until he realizes that you never ate shawarma?", She asked with a soft giggle, tracing her fingers along his face as sadness danced in her eyes.
She could feel his mind still being stable, brushing against it and smiling as she felt it touching back.
"You're okay. You don't have to fight anymore. We're safe," She murmured, turning her head as her uncle walked in with a smile.
"M'gann, I see you've already begun."
"I'm simply checking, Uncle," She spoke, to which J'onn nodded as he placed a hand against Chris' forehead and let his mind free.
"It's stable though somewhat fragmented here and there. Still, it's much better now than how it was during the treatment."
"How was it?"
"Distraught, in pain. It felt as if his mind was tipping between restoring itself and destroying itself, but the core memories that he had kept him alive."
"What...what were those memories?", She asked and J'onn smiled as he took his hand away.
"Meeting the Team for the first time, hanging out with his friends, meeting his original's parents, his first save...and meeting you."
"M-Me?", She asked in surprise, watching as her uncle chuckled and nodded.
"Indeed. I do not know why, but there was a sense of joy that could be considered him being ecstatic when he met you. Even though he knows of your true form, he still is happy that he could meet and hang out with you."
"I...I see."
"He also knows of your feelings as I'm sure the two of you have talked about it?"
"We have."
"And?"
"...And I have an answer to the question he asked," She answered cryptically, to which J'onn looked at her before he nodded.
"Good. Then, when he wakes up, I'm sure he wishes to hear your answer. In the meantime, I have work to do so make sure-"
"That his mind stays stable. I know," She nodded, J'onn smiling as he turned and left the room, leaving M'gann alone once more before she reached over and picked up the book that Match had left.
"Let's see what this Dr. Seuss is actually about."
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Lex Luthor sat in his office as he looked over Metropolis, narrowing his eyes at the blue and red streak flying through the air. The boy scout was always something that he had hated since it showed up, but right now, he finally got the opportunity to do what he has wanted for a long while.
Be the end to the Symbol of Hope.
"Hihihihi! Are we going to do it, Lexi?", Klarion's voice came from beside him, Lex frowning as he glared at the excited lord of Chaos before nodding.
"Fine, bring it in," He spoke and Klarion's hands glowed as he clapped them together, the skies darkening as it turned a scarlet hue and Lex watched Superman stop.
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With the Kryptonian in question, he narrowed his eyes as the sky turned a dark red, feeling dread as he tapped his communicator.
"Watchtower, this is Superman. What am I looking at here?", He spoke, but frowned when the only answer he got was nothing but static n the other end.
'So, it's an EMP, but something tells me that's not all it is,' He thought as he watched a large pentagram forming in the sky, watching as its lines glowed with chaos magic.
It was not long before he dove down, barely dodging a bolt of magic while watching as more lashed out at the world.
The next moment, a monstrous roar ripped through the air as a massive silhouette fell from the pentagram, Superman's eyes widening when he saw the spikes littering its body.
'It...it can't be,' He remembered the one that he, Match and Chris had fought, but as the demonic-looking behemoth fell towards him, he couldn't help but notice how eerily similar it looked to the one they killed.
The only difference was its scarlet red eyes and the runic markings spread across its body, which crackled as the figure pulled a fist back.
'I have to keep him away,' Superman thought as he pulled a fist back as well, both fighters swinging forward and clashing with a deafening boom.
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"Hahahahahaha! Look at it, Lexi! It's glorious!", Klarion exclaimed as they watched the two gods clash, sending out a shockwave that shook the entirety of Metropolis even with how high up they were.
He was not surprised when the clash also sent Superman blasting towards the ground, knowing that this Doomsday was a far superior version compared to the first one.
That was not all as they had also bathed him in Kryptonite since the moment he was made and enhanced with chaos magic, resulting in a monster that was utterly immune to it and stronger than its target.
'The only issue is that it does not listen to anyone at all so if it does kill him, there's no stopping it,' Lex thought as he watched Doomsday diving after Clark, having its Kryptonian abilities fully unlocked just like Match.
"This is simply the beginning. Now, with the second phase," Lex spoke and Klarion snapped his fingers, the entirety of Metropolis and its occupants glowing before a large barrier enveloped the entirety of the city.
Now, there was no help coming for the boy scout.
'All that's left is to watch as he is beaten to a pulp.'
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On the ground, Superman grunted as he pulled himself free from the crater he was punched into, his eyes widening when he saw the massive figure diving down towards him.
"Get away!", He shouted at the ground as he shot upwards, catching Doomsday's charge before pushing him back up towards the sky.
However, as they flew past the skyscrapers, his eyes widened when they crashed into solid air, Doomsday taking advantage of the Kryptonian's surprise as he turned and choke-slammed the hero into the solid air.
Pulling a fist back, Doomsday roared as he landed one spiked fist after another against the hero's chest, who gritted his teeth as the knuckles dug into his skin and left bloody cuts.
With a roar, Superman ripped free and delivered a vicious punch to Doomsday's face, sending the monster flying back while floating with a grimace.
It was not enough though as the monster caught himself, growling as he glared at Clark while chaos magic crackled along his spines, forming jagged arcs of red energy that made the air tremble.
With another roar that shook Metropolis, Superman raised his fists as Doomsday lunged forward, swinging a heavy swing that would have taken his head clean off had he not dodged.
'I can't hold back, not when everyone is at stake here,' He thought as he lashed out with a heavy hook to Doomsday's side, grabbing onto the monster's leg as it flew before spinning and tossing it at the abandoned industrial warehouses.
The ground rippled as the monster slammed through the structures, steel and concrete exploding outwards as Superman crashed down next to the destroyed area.
In that same instance, Doomsday was already on his feet and charging at the Kryptonian, who ducked down while picking up a steel girder.
With a roar, it slammed into Doomsday's back, the monster roaring as it shattered against his spines before Superman's eyes widened as the monster grabbed him by the face.
Lifting him into the air, Superman's vision spun when he was slammed head first into the ground, gritting his teeth as a multitude of blows rained down onto his body.
He did his best to protect himself as the onslaught continued, lunging in and dodging a punch before countering with his own as he sent the monster flying through the air.
Flipping over midair, Superman watched as the monster recovered, sitting up and the two glared at each other before the area exploded as the two shot at each other.
A/N: And we end it off here! Paragon is safe, but the world isn't as Doomsday, the actual Doomsday is finally here.
Next chapter: Superman vs Doom.
Like always, you can go to my Pat-reon-.-com-/-KingCrimsonNova to read ahead on this as well as many other stories & even some that haven't been released out to this site yet. If you want to, you are free to, but if you don't want, all's good as I will still be uploading here. This is just me trying to get some extra cash.
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Ba-Bye~!