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"Today… we gather to remember heroes."
Superman's voice carried across the silent plaza, heavy, patient, and full of the grief he had been holding back since Gotham fell. The podium lights caught the lines of exhaustion on his face — even the Man of Steel looked breakable today.
"Each one of these heroes gave their lives in service to our world," he continued. "They set aside the peace of a civilian life and stepped willingly into danger, again and again, because they believed this planet was worth protecting."
Behind him stood the Memorial Wall — a vast, polished slab engraved with the names of the dead. Flowers covered its base, layered so thick the stone was nearly hidden. Candles flickered in the wind. Letters, drawings, photos, shaking handwriting from grieving families and friends… all pinned carefully across the marble surface.
Superman took a slow breath.
"Martian Manhunter… J'onn J'onzz… an alien like myself, who came searching for sanctuary after losing his homeworld. But he didn't hide. He didn't retreat into sorrow. With the power he carried, he could have lived quietly, safely, far from conflict. But he chose to stand with us — to fight evil again and again. His heart was gentle, his compassion limitless, and he used both to guide us."
A murmur of quiet mourning passed through the crowd.
"Captain Atom," Clark continued, his voice softening. "An American soldier. A veteran of the Vietnam War. He began as a Second Lieutenant… rose to Captain… and was betrayed by those he trusted. Used. Experimented on. Thrown into a future where his country barely remembered him."Superman closed his eyes briefly."And yet… he still chose to serve it again. He stood with us as a hero. He fought harder than most — and he deserved far, far better than the end he received."
He swallowed. Even from far away, reporters could see his throat tighten.
"And Green Lantern… Hal Jordan."The silence deepened."My friend. Our friend. A founding member of the League. A man who didn't just serve this world… but thousands of others. He protected the innocent wherever he went. He carried a willpower strong enough to inspire even the bravest Lanterns. Hal always tried to lift others up… always smiled, even when he shouldn't have been able to."Clark's voice broke for just a second."He was a hero to the universe itself… and it will feel his absence."
Superman stepped back from the microphone, his head bowed. For a moment he couldn't speak.
Then he forced himself forward.
"People died. People suffered," he said quietly. "A monster — created to destroy our world — tore through Gotham and stole peace from thousands. We have never seen an attack like this before."He looked out over the sea of mourners."As someone who fought in that battle… I am sorry. We failed to stop him sooner. We failed to prevent the suffering he caused."
He inhaled, steadying himself.
"And I stand alive today — as do many heroes, and countless civilians — because of one man. Because of his strength, his resolve, and his willingness to do what the rest of us could not."Superman stepped aside."My deepest thanks… to Jason Anderson. Leader of the Pantheon. The hero who saved us. Thank you, Jason."
Jason walked forward.
The wind brushed against him, carrying the quiet sobs of families gathered at the front rows. His gaze drifted across the names on the wall, and the flowers beneath them… and a flicker of pain crossed his eyes.
He took the microphone.
"First," Jason began, voice low, steady, and grim, "I mourn the people we have lost. Heroes… friends… and thousands of innocent men, women, and children."
He exhaled."A lot of people are praising me. Calling me a hero. Saying I saved lives."His gaze fell to the ground."But all I can think about is failure."
The silence grew heavy.
"I failed to arrive sooner. I fell into the traps our enemy set. I let myself be led astray. This isn't an excuse. It's a warning — to myself."He shook his head slowly."I failed this time. And I won't fail again."
Jason looked out over the crowd — over the grieving families, the destroyed lives, the heroes standing injured or bandaged among them.
"As for those who lost loved ones… I can't bring them back. Nothing I say can fill the hole Joker left in your hearts."He paused."But I can promise you this: Joker was not the end. He was only the beginning. I will find every person responsible. Every mind behind this attack. Every monster hiding in the shadows."His voice hardened into something cold and deadly."And I will kill them."
Whispers spread across the crowd, but Jason didn't waver.
"It won't bring your families back," he said. "But it will make sure nothing like this ever happens again."
He stepped back, leaving the podium behind him.
The President took center stage next — strong, resolute, determined to reassure a nation unraveling with fear and grief. She spoke of strength, unity, and a country that would not bow to terror. She ended with a moment of silence, heads bowed across the plaza, for all who died in the Gotham Incident.
And in that silence…
No one noticed Jason's eyes drifting toward the sky.
....
After the funeral… after the speeches, the salutes, the quiet sobs, and the final moment of silence… Jason walked the long metallic corridor leading back to his office aboard the Pantheon's space station.
His steps were slow, heavy, as though every stride carried the weight of Gotham's dead on his shoulders.
When the doors slid open, he expected emptiness — just the soft hum of the station.
Instead, he found two figures waiting for him.
Kara.
And Zatanna.
Both standing still, almost nervous in the hallway's sterile light.
Jason stared at them, tired eyes unblinking."…Why are you here?"
Zatanna stepped forward first, swallowing hard before speaking.
"I'm joining your team," she said immediately — no hesitation left in her voice. "I want to be part of Pantheon."
Jason raised an eyebrow, but she continued before he could say anything.
"I know what I did," she said, guilt twisting through every syllable. "I stood against you. I voted against you. I broke my word when I promised support. I never said a good thing about you — because I truly believed your path was wrong. That you were dangerous. That Pantheon was a mistake."
She shook her head, jaw trembling as the reality of Gotham's destruction flashed behind her eyes.
"…But I can't keep lying to myself about what happened."
Her voice cracked slightly.
"I can't keep defending monsters who only want to erase us. Who enjoy destruction. Who slaughter innocents and laugh."She took a breath."No more. So… I want in. Whatever you ask. Whatever you need. I'll do it. I want to stand with you now."
Jason looked at her for a long moment — unreadable, cold, exhausted beyond measure.
Finally, he sighed.
"You're in."
Zatanna exhaled shakily, relief mixing with shame.
Jason then turned to Kara."And you?"
Kara didn't flinch. She stepped closer, eyes fierce but shaken by the memory of Joker tearing through her like paper.
"I want to be stronger," she said, voice steady but heavy with frustration. "I understand now… even as a Kryptonian, even with all the power I'm supposed to have — it wasn't enough."
She clenched her fists.
"Raven and Harley… they held Joker back longer than I did. They hurt him more than I could. So whatever you did to them — whatever that power is… curse, technique, whatever insane thing you pulled from that other world — I want it."
Jason nodded once, curt.
"Fine. Tomorrow morning. Training ground. Be there."
He walked past them, heading toward his office door, but stopped just before entering.
He glanced back.
"You too, Zatanna. Tomorrow."
Then he stepped inside and shut the door.
The room was quiet — too quiet.He sat at his desk, pulled open a drawer, and poured himself a glass of expensive whisky. The kind he normally saved for victories.
He drank slowly… letting the burn travel down his throat.
For one second, he let himself taste it.
Then—
CRASH.
He hurled the glass against the wall, watching the shards scatter across the floor — amber liquid dripping down the metal like blood.
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Jason leaned back in his chair, eyes closing for a moment.
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If you Like this story! Check out my other story ! Shadow Monarch in Danmachi!
AND
If you wish to read more or simply support me just because ? than check out my patreon at
"https://www.patreon.com/Riadooo"
You can Get Access to 3 More Chapters OR 7 More Chapters if you want !