Chapter 2: The Battle That Would Decide The Fate Of The World

"Your death," I exclaimed in a cold tone.

His eyes glowed with an ominous red light as he retorted, "Bold of you to assume" In an instant, a bright, thin red beam shot forth from his eyes.

Anticipating the attack, I had already erected a formidable barrier around myself, a defensive shield capable of withstanding the force of a hundred nuclear explosions occurring simultaneously at a single location. But to my horror, the beam effortlessly pierced through my defenses, slicing through my flesh. The intense heat it emitted caused my blood to boil, instantly charring my wounds and cooking half of my body.

Immobile and on the brink of death, I collapsed to the ground, barely clinging to life.

"NO!" cried out Flash in anguish.

In that moment, Superman bolted towards him "GAH!!"

With clenched fists, he delivered a powerful blow directly to Darkseid's face, sending him flying several meters away.

Grunting in pain after feeling the pain of supermans punch, he rose to his feet, he declared, "I'm going to need you alive, Kryptonian. The rest can rot in this place."

Flash instantly moved behind Darkseid, his hand vibrating as he prepared to strike.

However, a beam intercepted his path, forcing him to retreat. No matter where he ran, the beam relentlessly pursued him, tracking his every move.

Superman dashed towards Darkseid, landing another forceful punch on his face. But instead, he was met with his fist, the difference in size helped darkseid to hit superman as he have longer and thicker limbs, sending superman hurdling backwards.

"Oof," groaned Superman, as he was caught by Wonder Woman and gently placed on the ground.

Green Lantern unleashed a barrage of green construct missiles and conjured a colossal fist.

Chains materialized, intended to bind Darkseid. Recognizing the danger of the threat, he knew that victory could only be achieved through their combined strength.

As the chains wrapped around Darkseid, the missiles struck, and the giant fist landed a direct hit.

Green Lantern felt the impact, but unease gnawed at him. Darkseid had survived Superman's assault, and it became apparent that their opponent was stronger than the sum of their powers.

Suddenly, with a mere flicker of movement, the construct hand crumbled, and the chains shattered as Darkseid broke free almost effortlessly.

"Impossible," muttered Green Lantern in disbelief.

Darkseid unleashed another beam, this time targeting Green Lantern, who found himself unable to evade its relentless pursuit. In a desperate move, Flash swiftly pulled him out of harm's way, but the beam continued to track them.

"Hal, do something!" Flash cried out in desperation.

Green Lantern quickly erected a thick wall construct, hoping to halt the beam's advance. However, to his astonishment, the construct proved futile as the beam effortlessly penetrated his lantern-powered defense.

"What in the world is this? It won't stop!" Just then, a horde of Parademons approached, heading towards them.

"Use them," Flash suggested.

"What do you mean?" Green Lantern questioned.

"The monsters! Use them!" Flash urged.

Green Lantern formed a construct hand and seized a dozen Parademons, positioning them as a shield to block the beam. The beam ceased its deadly pursuit after taking five life.

Superman and Wonder Woman ganged up on darkseid, engaging in a fierce battle. Cyborg employed his advanced technological abilities, utilizing his transformed arms as powerful energy weapons.

Despite their valiant efforts, they realized that the damage they inflicted upon Darkseid almost paled in comparison to the amount of damage they endured in return. Superman's regenerative abilities allowed him to withstand a tremendous amount of harm, while Wonder Woman's demi-goddess status granted her unparalleled physical strength. Yet, their adversary remained relentless, showing no signs of faltering.

None of them showed any signs of giving up.

Meanwhile, Batman hurried to my side, finding me lying motionless on the ravaged street. With utmost care, he removed my hoodie and discarded the charred remnants of my clothing. His eyes revealed a mixture of shock and sadness beneath his masked visage.

"This... Is.." he exclaimed, his voice filled with surprise and concern. His grief was palpable, even through the stern facade he maintained.

"How bad is it?" Flash appeared beside us, his eyes widening in horror as they landed on my battered form. Green Lantern had resumed his place in the ongoing battle, rejoining the fray.

"It's just a kid," Flash said, his voice heavy with sorrow at the sight of a child suffering in such a horrendous fate.

They knew that death would have been a mercy at my current state.

But they couldn't bring themselves to end the life of a defenseless child, especially considering Batman's rule of no-kill policy and Flash's compassionate nature.

Batman attempted to cover the wound on my chest where the beam had pierced through.

"Can you get the kid out of here?" Batman asked, still holding onto a glimmer of hope for my recovery.

Flash nodded, preparing to lift me up, but I weakly stopped him.

"Wait... Don't," I spoke, surprising them both with the sound of my feeble voice.

"I... I can still... fight."

"Stop! Don't push yourself. You'll really die," flash pleaded, his voice filled with concern, but I paid no heed.

"Just watch," I replied, summoning every ounce of willpower to stand, despite the absence of sensation in my body.

Using my barrier as support, I managed to rise to my feet.

Divine Arts: Full Restoration

In a matter of seconds, all of my burns and wounds vanished, leaving no trace behind.

"Oh, wow. That took more out of me than I thought," I exclaimed, awestruck by the mana it had consumed.

"What the-" Flash and Batman gasped, their eyes wide with astonishment at the miraculous healing they were witnessing.

I grasped their shoulders firmly. "Don't move."

Healing Arts: Nature's Blessing - Heal.

Instantaneously, all of their exhaustion and pain dissipated, replaced by newfound energy and vitality.

"I can... I can fight and support at the same time. None of you ARE stopping me," I declared, my voice filled with determination.

"Kid, listen to me... It's okay, you don't have to fight. Leave the work to the adults here," Flash pleaded while Batman contemplated the situation.

"Stop treating me like a child," I said in a low, resolute tone. "I'm 16, I'm old enough. Besides, I know you need all the strength and power you can have to fight against Darkseid and those countless monsters." I referred to the Parademons as monsters, careful not to reveal any knowledge I shouldn't possess to avoid the arouse of suspicion.

"She's right," Batman reluctantly agreed, his mind conflicted but recognizing the lack of options.

"Are you serious!?" Flash exclaimed in disbelief.

"Dead serious. Unless we somehow manage to defeat Darkseid and eliminate all those monsters, this invasion could result in the deaths of billions," Batman explained, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

Struggling to find a retort, Flash disappeared to rejoin the ongoing battle.

This was a  ttle not planned, but a sudden invasion. If they knew of these in advance, i wouldn't be allowed to come along. Well not like i'm going with them. I was actually just forced to move to ensure the safety of this world.

Batman prepared his gadget and was about to follow flash, but I stopped him momentarily. "Wait."

I took hold of his hand.

Magic Arts: Physical Enhancement

Casting a spell, I bestowed upon us a temporary buff to enhance our physical abilities.

"Damn, that drained a lot of energy," I muttered. The overdrive effect had already dissipated, and I now had only 9% of my mana capacity remaining.

Restoring myself from the brink of death had exacted a tremendous toll.

"This support will only last for about 10 or 15 minutes," I informed him. "I've given you physical strength nearly equal to Wonder Woman's to aid you in the fight."

Ensuring he understood, Batman effortlessly lifted a massive piece of rubble, testing his newfound power.

"Just how many powers do you have?" Batman inquired, astounded.

"A lot, but I have limits on how long and how many I can use. So don't ask for more buffs," I replied, aware of my restrictions.

If only I had access to my full repertoire of powers and skills from before, obliterating Darkseid from the planet would be a simple task.

"Do you have something to cover my face? No? Alright, let's go," I said, lifting Batman and propelling us towards the battle.

As we arrived, we were met with the sight of a bloodied Superman lying on the ground, while Wonder Woman valiantly faced off against Darkseid, aided by Green Lantern and Flash.

Flash found it nearly impossible to get close, as the red beams relentlessly pursued him, making it exceedingly difficult to deflect or evade them.

"Drop me here," Batman commanded. Responding to his call, I released him 300 feet above the intense skirmish.

A group of Parademons approached, intent on collecting the unconscious Superman.

As I was about to engage the Parademons, I saw Green Lantern and Cyborg in dire peril, caught in Darkseid's grip. Green Lantern's construct was barely holding, while Darkseid effortlessly bent Cyborg's arm, causing him to scream in agony.

I hesitated in my actions, torn between saving them or following Batman's signal to retrieve Superman. Ultimately, I put my trust in Green Lantern and Cyborg's abilities and made my way towards Superman, leaving them to handle their own battles.

Wonder Woman rushed to aid Cyborg, but Darkseid threw him towards her with a brutal force. Batman attempted to intervene by throwing a barrage of Batarangs, but they had no effect on Darkseid's invulnerable form. Flash prepared for another sneak attack, only to be relentlessly pursued by the lethal red beams.

With Superman out of commission, Darkseid's attention shifted away from those with immense physical power and focused on eliminating the Flash, who had the ability to incapacitate him in an instant his guard falter. Darkseid was aware of the danger Flash posed, but he believed he had everything under control despite the difficulty to handle all 5 together.

"No!" Green Lantern screamed as the last layer of his shield shattered.

"Hal!" Flash cried out, fearing the worst.

Batman delivered a powerful kick, catching Darkseid off guard. He wasn't expecting Batman to possess such formidable physical strength, momentarily lossing his balance, loosening his step on Green Lantern. Seizing the opportunity, Batman wrapped his cable around Darkseid's neck, ascending above him and brandishing one of his Batarangs, intending to strike him in the eye.

Flash, seeing the chance, rushed towards Darkseid's front, ready to deliver a devastating blow. His hand vibrated at an incredible speed. However, another beam shot towards him, leaving him with no time to dodge.

Batman, caught off guard by the unexpected turn of events, evaded the beams. But his evasion proved futile, as the beams quickly traced back, finding their way behind Batman.

Wonder Woman's sword flew behind Batman, shielding him from harm. The sword was ensnared by the Lasso of Truth, and Wonder Woman retracted her weapon, pulling it back to her.

Green lantern made a thick dome of construct that stopped the beams in less than a sec, but that was enough to get the flash running away.

As their battle raged on, I continued to dispatch the Parademons mid-air, swiftly eliminating them with powerful punches. I contemplated using my magic to cast a chain spell to annihilate them all at once, but doing so would drain me further, risking a potential fall without any means of support upon landing and also releasing the support casted on both me and batman.

I flew at full speed, utilizing my flight and super strength, eventually reaching Superman. However, a horde of Parademons descended down, thrusting me into another intense battle.

Their numbers seemed endless, overwhelming me with their relentless assault. It was becoming increasingly frustrating and annoying.

"Superman!" I screamed, desperately hoping he would awaken.

Suddenly, Aquaman came to my aid, leaping onto the backs of the Parademons. His figure and his fearless actions were truly impressive, leaving me in awe.

With his trident, Aquaman effortlessly decimated the Parademons, reducing them to pieces with each strike.

"Hold this!" Aquaman threw his trident towards Superman.

I caught it swiftly as thebtrudent brings me to superman, swiftly killing the Parademons carrying his unconscious body.

"Superman, hey... Wake up!" I slapped him, hoping to bring him back to consciousness, but my efforts proved fruitless.

"Let's go," Aquaman said, diving into the ocean from hundreds of feet above, with his spear in my hand. I followed suit, carrying Superman while engaging in a free fall, using Aquaman's trident to slay any incoming Parademons in all directions.

Just before we were about to hit the water's surface, I manipulated the air to slow our descent. In that moment, a shark leaped up, devouring the incoming Parademons.

"Thanks," I expressed my gratitude to aquaman as I returned his trident to him.

I carried Superman back to solid ground, with Aquaman defending us against the incoming Parademons, fending them off with his incredible strength and fighting prowess.

Healing Arts: Healing arms

I could only use one of the lowest healing spells I knew. Using a larger spell would drain me too much in this invasion, but even a slow heal was better than nothing.

After five seconds, Superman began showing signs of waking up. I stopped and started shaking him, desperate to wake him.

"Superman, HEY!" But his eyes remained closed.

"QUICK, WAKE HIM UP! THIS NUMBERS ARE TOO MUCH FOR ME!" Aquaman screamed, his voice filled with desperation as he struggled against the overwhelming horde of parademons.

Even the sharks he had called upon were now unable to consume any more, their bellies full to the brim.

"Just hold on for a bit longer."

In that moment, Flash came to our rescue, running above the water's surface and swiftly eliminating any parademons in his path.

"I give up. That guy Darkseid always has his eyes on me, and those beams are crazy fast too" Flash said, much to Aquaman's relief of someone to aid them "So, how's Supes?" Flash asked while on his killing spree.

"Not good," Aquaman replied.

"What about the others?" I asked him.

"They're fine, especially Batman. Somehow, he's throwing monstrous punches. I wonder if it's his suit."

"Forget about that. Let's get Superman out of here first. We need to support them"

"Roger" Flash carried Superman away to safety.

I got back on my feet, crushing the parademons that approached me.

"Let's go!" I said as I carried Aquaman back towards Darkseid.

"So, you're just a kid?" Aquaman started a small conversation.

"I'm 16," I replied. "So don't treat me like a kid. I go by mental maturity, not physical age. What's important is that I'm mature enough."

"Good point. Well, I have a son... You might-" I quickly shushed Aquaman, not letting him finish.

"Not interested."

"That's a shame."

On our way, Cyborg was down on his feet but still shooting, while Wonder Woman tanks Darkseid's beam with her Amazonian bracelets, reflecting the beam back at the parademons. Without Superman in the fight, she couldn't attack, as her attention was solely focused on tanking the beams and providing ranged support.

Batman was beside darkseid, giving him a hard time getting back on his feet properly with his repetitive attacks.

Green Lantern sent a barrage of ranged constructs at the enemy. After realizing the vast difference in their physical abilities, even with the ring supporting him, he felt a tinge of envy towards Batman, who was now able to exchange blows with Darkseid. Just minutes ago, Batman seemed like the weakest in the group, but now he possessed monstrous power.

Upon reaching the battlefield, we glided down, Aquaman thrusting his trident towards Darkseid's head, and I followed suit with a blade made of barriers, sharpened as much as I could.

I had barely 2% mana left to support Batman. As soon as it ran out, he would be overwhelmed. It had only been eight minutes since all of this began.

Everything was happening too fast. I had just three minutes left to maintain the support buff on Batman. I poured all my remaining strength, saving enough for Batman. I asked Aquaman if he could hold on, silently dropping in to attack, hoping to end it all.

Then, suddenly whisperes in our head "ALL HAIL DARKSEID."