The world looked small from up here as Arthur floated high above the clouds where Gotham itself had become little more than scattered constellations of gold and white beneath the night sky. The city still carried scars from the battle. Entire districts destroyed, smoke still rose in distant places.
But it was alive, that was what mattered.
The Earth beneath him was alive, the clouds drifted slowly around his body while moonlight painted his face, his long ashen hair moved gently in the freezing currents high above the atmosphere, and his violet eyes glowed softly in the darkness.
Arthur exhaled slowly, he looked toward the horizon where the curve of the Earth could almost be seen from this height, the stars endless above him, a faint smile crossed his face.
"I've grown to love what I currently have here."
His own voice disappeared into the endless wind.
"I thought I would lose all sense of emotion once I gained full control of my powers."
His glowing eyes lowered slightly toward the sleeping world below.
"But I was dead wrong about that."
For a moment, memories passed through his mind.
Kara smiling at him in his room while fixing his hair, Raven teasing him without mercy.
Clark laughing, his mother hugging Kara.
George pretending not to care while preparing an entire ballroom worth of food.
The Justice League standing their ground against impossible odds.
Hunters refusing to run even while terrified and Humanity surviving.
Again and again.
Arthur closed his eyes briefly.
"My desire to grow stronger changed into the desire to protect my loved ones."
The violet glow around him pulsed softly against the clouds.
"And somehow... that made me stronger than the pursuit of strength ever did."
"Now that," a familiar voice said gently beside him, "is genuine growth."
Arthur glanced sideways.
Didi floated there effortlessly beside him, black hair moving weightlessly in the night sky, her pale face carrying that same warm smile she always wore.
"You've grown a lot," she continued softly. "Don't think of this as a burden, Arthur. Think of it as a duty."
Arthur looked back toward Earth.
"I don't think of it as a burden at all anymore, I've grown used to this. Being a guardian of this world, it is not so bad."
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
"And honestly... I enjoy moments like this."
Didi tilted her head.
"The aftermath?"
Arthur nodded.
"These moments after world-ending events, it gives me a sense of.. life after so much death."
His glowing eyes reflected the lights below.
"When people realize they survived. When they hold each other tighter. When they look toward tomorrow again."
A small breath escaped him.
"It gives everyone hope."
Didi stared at him quietly for a moment before smiling wider.
"How ironic."
Arthur glanced at her.
"A being tied so deeply to death inspiring hope and life."
Arthur chuckled softly.
"It isn't ironic at all."
He looked directly at her now.
"You're the personification of Death."
Then his expression softened.
"But you're also the personification of life."
For the first time in a while, Didi looked genuinely touched by someone understanding that so easily.
The wind moved around them in silence.
Far below, lightning storms flickered over distant oceans.
Arthur's expression slowly changed after a while though. The softness faded slightly, replaced by thoughtfulness.
"There's still one thing bothering me."
Didi already knew.
"The entity of destruction."
Arthur nodded once.
"Yes."
Even speaking about him seemed to make the atmosphere colder somehow.
"If he ever gains full control over the concept of Destruction because your brother no longer cares about his post... then everything changes."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"The Endless aren't simple beings. Destruction isn't just ruin. It's creation too. Collapse and rebirth. Endings and beginnings."
The shadows around Arthur shifted slightly beneath him.
"If that power falls completely into the wrong hands..." he said quietly, "then even the monarchs and rulers and anyone else become secondary problems."
Didi's smile faded slightly.
"The other monarchs don't understand him."
Arthur shook his head.
"No. They think he shares their goals."
A humorless smile crossed his face.
"They think he wants conquest and to achieve their ultimate goal which is defeating the rulers..."
His eyes darkened faintly.
"But I know what he truly wants."
"Absolute power."
Didi eventually looked toward him again, her endless eyes strangely gentle.
"Do you want me to give you full authority over Death?"
Arthur blinked once.
"With that," she said softly, "you'd have far more confidence facing him."
Arthur immediately met her gaze.
There was no hesitation in his answer.
"Don't make fun of me."
Didi laughed quietly at that.
Arthur shook his head.
"I meant what I said before."
His voice carried absolute certainty now.
"I do not want your job. Or complete authority over what you embody."
He looked toward the stars again.
"I'll deal with him my own way, he fears me and my power, he knows I just killed four of the eight Monarchs."
Didi studied him for a few long seconds before smiling proudly.
"I think you can defeat him."
Then her smile became slightly mischievous again.
"But you should still be careful. I can't detect him at all and that says a lot about him."
Arthur's expression darkened slightly.
"I can't either."
That worried him more than he liked admitting.
For beings like them, failing to sense someone meant something truly dangerous, the two floated there together for a while after that, simply existing in the endless night sky above Earth.
Then Didi sighed softly.
"I should leave before your women starts wondering why I stole you away into the night sky."
Arthur snorted quietly.
"They like you."
"They are a fun pair."
Didi floated closer before placing a gentle kiss against his cheek.
"Be careful, Arthur."
Then her smile turned teasing.
"Being a parent might prove far more difficult than fighting a destruction entity."
Arthur immediately groaned.
"Please don't start."
Didi laughed brightly.
Then she vanished and she didn't need a portal, she was simply gone.
Arthur closed his eyes for a moment afterward, the cold win brushing his face.
Then another presence approached.
Arthur didn't even turn around immediately.
Clark floated beside him moments later, hands casually folded behind his back.
"I thought I'd find you here, you were gone from the party for some time."
Arthur smiled faintly.
"Great minds think alike?"
Clark chuckled.
"Or traumatized defenders of Earth need fresh air."
Arthur actually laughed at that.
The sound disappeared into the clouds beneath them.
Clark looked toward the planet below.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
Arthur nodded slowly.
"Yeah, it is."
Then he admitted something quietly.
"I can fly."
Clark raised an eyebrow.
"That's usually how this works, yes."
Arthur ignored the joke.
"But for some reason... I don't do this often."
Clark looked at him knowingly.
"You're always walking toward the next battle."
Arthur glanced at him.
Clark's expression softened slightly.
"That wasn't a good joke..."
A small smile appeared on Arthur's face again.
"No, I do keep walking from one battle to the next."
Clark floated beside him silently for a while before speaking again.
"You scared Kara today."
Arthur's expression immediately shifted.
"I know."
"She tried acting tough after you left, completing gates after gates, joining hunters and destroying monsters whenever she can." Clark continued, "There was one time where she thought you might not come back... she said that to me, and it surprised me because she never really talks to me about what she feels."
Arthur lowered his gaze slightly.
Clark smiled softly.
"She really loves you."
Arthur stayed quiet for a second.
Then he smiled faintly.
"I know."
Clark suddenly grinned.
"And congratulations again."
Arthur groaned immediately.
"Yeah.."
Clark laughed loudly this time.
"Oh no, you know that Bruce already started planning contingency files for your kid."
Arthur slowly turned toward him.
"I'm sure he did."
Clark tried and failed not to laugh harder.
"The man literally said and I quote: 'With those genetics, preparation is logical.'"
Arthur stared at him.
"…I'm going to throw him into space."
/-\
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