The Watchtower hung in Earth's orbit like a silent sentinel, its gleaming surfaces reflecting the distant sun.
Within its reinforced walls, the Justice League had gathered in their circular conference room, expressions of confusion and wariness evident as Batman entered with two unexpected guests.
Superman's eyes narrowed at the sight of John Constantine in his perpetually rumpled trenchcoat, cigarette tucked behind his ear despite the Watchtower's strict no-smoking policy.
But it was the third figure - a dark-skinned man in an impeccably tailored gray suit who moved with a strange, uneven gait - that drew the most curious glances.
"Batman," Superman began, his tone measured but firm, "this is an unscheduled meeting. And you've brought visitors to the Watchtower without prior authorization."
"I wouldn't have called this meeting if it weren't urgent," Batman replied, his voice characteristically flat. "And these... guests... are relevant to the situation."
Wonder Woman studied the strangers with a warrior's assessment. "Perhaps introductions are in order."
"John Constantine," the disheveled Brit offered with a mock salute. "Exorcist, demonologist, and master of the dark arts. Some of you might remember me from that nasty business in Louisiana last year."
"I remember you nearly getting three civilians killed with your recklessness," Green Lantern remarked coolly.
Constantine shrugged. "Details."
"And your other guest?" Aquaman asked, directing his question to Batman.
The dark-skinned man stepped forward, moving with noticeable discomfort, one shoulder held lower than the other. "I am called Manny. I serve as a messenger and agent of Heaven."
A ripple of reactions passed through the assembled heroes - skepticism from some, cautious acceptance from others.
"You claim to be an angel?" Martian Manhunter asked, his telepathic senses probing gently only to encounter unusual resistance.
"I do not merely claim," Manny replied. His eyes suddenly glowed with inner light, and for a brief moment, two massive wings appeared behind him -
Wings who have the effect for instinctual belief in all Creations of God, as is how Yahweh has done things for his messengers to be believed.
"I am."
The display silenced the room momentarily.
"Okay," Flash said, breaking the tension, "so we've got Batman, a sketchy magician, and an actual angel walking into the Watchtower. This sounds like the setup to a really weird joke."
"It's no joke," Batman stated. "We're here because Earth is facing a potential threat of cosmic proportions."
"Another alien invasion?" Superman asked.
"Not alien," Constantine interjected. "Celestial. Big difference."
Batman activated the conference room's holographic display, bringing up images of a young man with dark hair and striking features. "This is Samael Luthor, son of Lex Luthor."
"Luthor has a son?" Green Lantern exclaimed. "Since when?"
"He's been in a coma for nineteen years," Batman explained. "Until recently. He awoke a few months ago and has since enrolled at Gotham University."
"And this concerns the League because...?" Black Canary prompted.
Batman looked to Constantine, who stepped forward.
"Because Junior isn't just Luthor's kid," Constantine said. "He's an archangel. Specifically, the new Lightbringer."
Silence fell over the room again, this time broken by Superman's skeptical tone. "You expect us to believe that Lex Luthor's son is an angel?"
"Archangel," Constantine corrected. "And not just any archangel. The bloody Morningstar 2.0. The bearer of the divine light."
"Perhaps you should explain from the beginning," Wonder Woman suggested, her expression thoughtful. As an Amazon with direct connections to the Greek pantheon, she was more open to divine matters than some of her colleagues.
Manny stepped forward, wincing slightly as he moved. "Three nights ago, a being known as the Spectre confronted Samael Luthor at his residence in Gotham."
"The Spectre?" Flash interrupted. "I've heard rumors, but... he's real?"
"Very real," Constantine confirmed grimly. "Spirit of Vengeance. God's Wrath incarnate. Cosmic enforcer with a nasty habit of dispensing lethal justice."
"The Spectre sensed Samael's awakening," Manny continued, "and took it upon himself to investigate what he perceived as a potential threat to cosmic order."
"Without authorization," Constantine added. "Bit of a loose cannon, our Spectre."
"What happened?" Superman asked, his skepticism giving way to concern.
"The Spectre confronted Samael directly," Batman said, bringing up new images on the display - satellite thermal readings showing an unusual energy spike centered on Bristol County in Gotham.
"The energy discharge was massive enough to register on Wayne Enterprises' orbital sensors."
"I attempted to intervene before they met," Manny said, gesturing to his awkward posture. "The Spectre was... displeased by my interference."
"He got his celestial arse handed to him is what happened," Constantine clarified bluntly. "Spectre doesn't like anyone getting between him and his target."
"And Samael?" Aquaman asked.
Manny's expression became grave. "He defeated the Spectre. Utterly and completely."
The League members exchanged stunned glances.
"That's impossible," Green Lantern stated flatly. "From everything the Corps' records indicate about the Spectre-"
"The records are incomplete," Manny interrupted. "You must understand the celestial hierarchy. The Spectre, while formidable by your standards, is merely a divine agent, a tool of vengeance.
Samael is a Demiurgic Archangel, one of the type of beings who shaped Creation itself under the Presence's direction."
"For those of us who didn't attend Sunday school," Flash interjected, "could you break that down a bit?"
"In the beginning," Manny explained, his voice taking on a formal, instructional tone, "the Presence - God - created two archangels: Michael and Samael, who would later be known as Lucifer.
Michael was given the power of Creation, Lucifer the power of Will and Light. Together, they formed the multiverse as you know it."
He paused, looking around at the assembled heroes. "All other angels, including myself and the being who would become the Spectre, were created afterward and are fundamentally lesser beings."
"So comparing the Spectre to Samael..." Batman began.
"Is like comparing an ant to a supernova," Constantine finished. "Different weight classes entirely."
"I still don't understand," Superman said, leaning forward. "Are you saying Lex Luthor's son is actually Lucifer?"
"No," Manny clarified. "Lucifer fell from grace eons ago. This is a new Lightbringer. Same power, different... vessel. Different soul."
"A human one," Batman added. "Born to Lex Luthor nineteen years ago."
"You speak of the Presence as if He is the only architect of existence. Yet I have walked Olympus. I have spoken with the gods who claim dominion over fate and war and life itself.
If the Presence made them… why would they speak as if they were not made by Him?" Wonder Woman questioned, her tone not accepting.
"Because your "gods" are proud. But that doesn't make them liars. The Olympians are real - because the Presence allowed them to be.
Each pantheon, each divine court, each so-called god... is but a thread in the great weave. None of them can claim to be the loom." Manny explains in counter.
"Okay, let us not turn this into a theological debate shall we, eh?" Constantine interrupts getting in front of Manny, between him and the league table seat where Wonder Woman is.
"Fine, but why?" Wonder Woman asked directly. "Why would an archangel incarnate as Luthor's son?"
Manny shifted uncomfortably. "The ways of the Presence are-"
"Mysterious, yeah, we get it," Constantine interrupted. "The truth is, they don't know. Heaven's as confused as we are about why this is happening now."
"What we do know," Batman continued, "is that Samael Luthor possesses power on a scale that dwarfs anything the League has encountered before. And he's currently living as the son of one of Earth's most dangerous men."
"This is... concerning," Martian Manhunter stated, his usual understatement evident.
"That's putting it mildly," Green Arrow muttered.
"Has he shown any hostile intent?" Black Canary asked practically. "Any indication he's following Luthor's anti-Superman agenda?"
"Not yet," Batman replied. "His activities have been remarkably normal for someone his age - attending classes, social events, exploring Gotham."
"Apart from the whole 'beating the cosmic stuffing out of the Spectre' thing," Constantine added dryly.
"That was self-defense," Manny countered. "The Spectre attacked him in his home."
"There's something else," Batman said. "After the confrontation with the Spectre, three angels appeared at Samael's residence."
"More angels?" Flash asked. "Is there a convention in town or something?"
"Ariel, Shamsiel, and Yahoel," Manny supplied, his expression tightening. "They were sent to prevent the confrontation but arrived too late."
"And they have their own agenda," Constantine added. "They want the kid to take over the Fifth Heaven - Lucifer's old domain. Seems they've been missing their Morning Star and are eager for a replacement."
"So we have Heaven actively recruiting him," Superman summarized, his concern evident. "What about the other side? Has Hell shown any interest?" he questioned, he himself always having been a believer in God, having grown up in a farm with believing human parents.
"Hell is... aware of his existence," Manny said carefully. "His confrontation with the Spectre did not go unnoticed in the infernal realms."
"In other words," Constantine translated, "every demon with ambition is probably plotting how to either recruit him, corrupt him, or destroy him before he becomes a threat to their power structure."
"And caught in the middle is a teenager with the power to reshape reality," Batman concluded. "Who happens to be Lex Luthor's son."
The implications hung heavy in the air.
"There's more," Batman added after a moment. "Samael has a personal bodyguard - a woman named Cassandra Cain."
"Cain?" Green Arrow repeated. "As in David Cain, the assassin?"
Batman nodded. "His daughter. Trained from birth to read body language instead of learning speech. A living weapon."
"And she's completely devoted to Samael," Constantine emphasized. "From what Manny observed from afar, she stepped between him and the Spectre without hesitation, ready to die protecting him."
"So what's our course of action?" Aquaman asked, directing his question to Batman.
"Observation for now," Batman replied. "We need more information before we make any moves. Constantine and I will continue to monitor the situation in Gotham."
"I want to meet him," Superman stated firmly.
"That would be unwise," Manny warned. "Your history with Luthor-"
"Makes me uniquely qualified to assess whether his son poses a similar threat," Superman countered.
"Superman," Batman began, "your antagonism toward Luthor-"
"Is justified," Superman interrupted. "And if his son possesses the power you're describing, I need to know firsthand what we're dealing with."
"I'd advise against confrontation," Manny said. "Samael's power exceeds even Kryptonian abilities by orders of magnitude."
Superman's jaw tightened, but he nodded curtly. "I'm not suggesting confrontation. Just observation."
"What about Heaven's position in all this?" Wonder Woman asked, addressing Manny directly. "Where do you stand?"
The angel's expression became guarded. "Heaven is... divided. Some fear another rebellion if Samael follows Lucifer's path. Others welcome the return of the Lightbringer. Still others advocate neutrality until the Presence makes His will known."
"And you, Manny?" Batman pressed. "What's your position?"
"I advocate caution," the angel replied carefully, neutrally. "Samael represents power beyond your comprehension, but also opportunity. If he chooses to be an ally rather than an enemy..."
"That's a big 'if' when we're talking about Luthor's son," Superman muttered.
Before anyone could respond, an alert sounded throughout the Watchtower. Batman immediately accessed the computer terminal embedded in the conference table.
"Report," he commanded.
"There's been an incident at a Cadmus research facility in Washington D.C.," the computerized voice responded. "A fire has broken out on the ground floor. Local authorities are responding."
"Cadmus?" Superman straightened. "That's a genetics research company with government ties. Why is this coming to the League's attention?"
"Because," Batman replied, his eyes narrowing as he read the incoming data, "Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad were detected entering the facility shortly before the explosion."
"What?" Flash exclaimed, on his feet in an instant. "What are they doing there?"
"Apparently," Batman said with a hint of irritation, "investigating on their own initiative."
"We need to get down there," Aquaman stated, already rising from his chair.
"Agreed," Superman said. "This meeting is adjourned for now. Constantine, Manny - we'll continue this discussion when we return."
As the League members moved toward the teleporters, Constantine lit a cigarette, ignoring the disapproving glances from several heroes.
"Well," he said to Manny once they were alone, "that went about as well as expected. Think they understand what they're dealing with?"
"No," Manny replied simply. "They cannot. Their minds are not equipped to truly comprehend the scale of Samael's power or what his presence here might signify."
"Yeah, that's what I figured," Constantine sighed, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "So what now?"
"Now," Manny said, his gaze turning toward Earth visible through the Watchtower's massive windows, "we wait and watch. The pieces are moving, John. Heaven, Hell, Earth - all converging around a single point."
"Samael Luthor," Constantine murmured.
"Indeed. And whatever he chooses to do next will ripple across all of Creation."
Constantine took another long drag from his cigarette. "No pressure then."
Outside the Watchtower, Earth continued its serene existence, blissfully unaware of the cosmic drama unfolding in its orbit - or of the archangel walking its surface who had just declared to God his intention to create a second Totality.
A second Multiverse.
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(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter!
Do tell me how you found it.
Tell me, how do expect Superman and Samael's meeting to go - if it happens and Superman isn't convinced of otherwise? Would be pretty fun to write when I think about it.
Also, Superboy, so we're finally entering the Young Justice storyline.
Well, I hope to see you all later,
Bye!)