"I believe you."
Adrian gave Rachel a faint smile. "But when it comes to magic, I usually don't take damage, unless it comes from a higher dimension that surpasses the authority of the Trinity Goddess. Something like Trigon's magic."
As he spoke, he gently ran his fingers through Rachel's hair.
Her soft hair always gave him a strange sense of comfort. It was a habit he had carried over from his previous life, though back then, it had been reserved for his cat.
"Compared to that, I'm more concerned about you," Adrian continued. "Magic is unpredictable, vast, and dangerous. You need to stay cautious at all times. Zatanna must have told you about the incident where her magic spiraled out of control. That alone nearly destroyed her."
Rachel nodded quietly.
Adrian glanced at the clock on the wall, then stood and lightly patted her shoulder. "It's late. Go get some rest."
"Good night, big brother."
Though she clearly wanted to stay longer, Rachel obediently left the room.
Once she was gone, Adrian moved to the window, staring out at the endless stretch of wilderness beyond.
His thoughts drifted.
Rachel's future was no longer something he could predict.
Her path had already diverged from what it once was. All he could hope for now was her safety.
Silently, he made that wish.
---
The next day.
Metropolis, Government Office Building.
Hanna stood in the restroom, leaning toward the mirror as she carefully pressed at a stubborn pimple on her face.
The moment she applied pressure, a sharp sting hit her, and she nearly cried out.
She sucked in a breath, trying to hold it in.
"This is what I get for staying up all night," she muttered, frowning at her reflection. "I should've finished everything earlier. Now my skin's a mess. How long is this going to take to fix, two days, three days, a whole week?"
She sighed and reached for her makeup, covering the blemish and the dark circles under her eyes.
The reason for her sleepless night was simple. She had been planning Adrian's birthday, wanting it to be something memorable. In doing so, she had pushed all her work aside until it piled up into an overwhelming mess.
Now she had no choice but to deal with it.
After finishing, she left the restroom and headed to her office.
Stacks of documents waited for her.
The aftermath of the recent alien invasion still required extensive processing, damage reports, public reactions, international responses, United Nations discussions. Everything needed to be compiled and organized.
On top of that, there was parliamentary work waiting for submission.
Adrian, as always, remained hands-off.
Which meant she handled everything.
She briefly considered calling Betty for comfort, but immediately dismissed the idea.
Listening to Betty's bizarre, unsettling messages would only make things worse.
Better to drown in work than deal with that kind of mental disturbance.
Straightening her hair, Hanna took a steady breath and stepped into the corridor.
That was when she noticed someone unusual.
A tall woman approached from the opposite direction, her posture confident, her movements deliberate. Her eyes scanned the surroundings as if searching for something.
Her figure was striking, enough to make anyone look twice.
Hanna instinctively compared herself and felt a flicker of insecurity.
It wasn't that she lacked confidence. Her appearance had always drawn attention. She simply chose not to chase it. Unlike others, she preferred spending her time on things she actually cared about.
Still, the comparison lingered.
Pushing the thought aside, Hanna stepped forward.
"Excuse me, do you need help? I work here."
The woman paused, then nodded.
"Yes. I'm here to see Homelander."
Hanna blinked.
"Do you have an appointment?"
"No," the woman replied calmly. "But if you tell him his cousin is here, he'll come."
Hanna hesitated.
People made claims like that all the time. Fans, opportunists, even potential threats.
But something about this woman's confidence made her pause.
"Please wait in the seating area," Hanna said after a moment. "I'll contact him."
"Thank you."
As the woman turned to leave, a voice spoke behind them.
"No need, Hanna."
She turned, startled.
Adrian stood there.
"When did you get here?" she asked, surprised.
"Just now," he replied. "Go handle your work."
Hanna nodded, giving the woman one last glance before walking away.
"Hey, Adrian," the woman greeted casually.
Adrian looked at her, his expression neutral.
"Kara."
"Long time," Kara said, studying him. "You haven't changed much."
"You came all this way just to say that?" Adrian asked.
"I want to talk."
"We barely interacted before," he replied. "Hard to believe this is just a friendly visit."
"I'm your cousin," Kara said, irritation creeping into her voice.
"Clark's cousin," Adrian corrected.
Kara met his gaze without backing down.
After a moment of silence, she spoke again. "This isn't the place. Let's go somewhere else."
Adrian studied her for a few seconds, then nodded.
"Fine."
---
They arrived at a graveyard on the outskirts of the city.
Gray skies loomed overhead, and the wind carried a quiet chill.
Adrian glanced at the rows of graves.
"Strange choice."
"I come here often," Kara said. "Someone important to me is buried here."
She looked ahead, her voice quieter now.
"There's something about places like this. It forces you to think. About loss, about restraint. Sometimes, I feel like letting go of everything, sinking into something destructive. But I don't. Because I know better."
Adrian's eyes narrowed slightly. "And what is that supposed to mean?"
"Maybe nothing," she said. "Maybe everything."
Before she could continue, Adrian stepped forward and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her off the ground.
"Don't bring my father into this," he said coldly.
Kara didn't resist.
Instead, she stared at him, a faint trace of defiance in her eyes.
After a moment, he released her.
She coughed, catching her breath.
"That's it," she said hoarsely. "Show me who you really are. The one they saw before they died."
Adrian said nothing.
"You fooled everyone," Kara continued. "Your family, the world. You made them believe you were one of them. But you're not. You never were."
Her voice remained steady.
"You see humans as fragile. Something to protect."
"They are," Adrian replied.
"No," she said. "They're not. And one day, they'll prove it."
Adrian adjusted his scarf, his expression unchanged.
"You talk like someone who thinks they understand everything, but has no experience to back it up."
"Maybe," Kara said. "But I know this. You've lost your way."
Adrian turned to leave.
"Go back to your city," he said. "Stay out of this."
"And if I don't?"
He stopped and looked over his shoulder.
"Then you become my enemy."
Silence hung between them.
"Would you kill me?" Kara asked.
"That depends on you."
With that, Adrian walked away.
"Wait!" Kara called out. "Was it you? Did you do something to my ship?"
But he was already gone.
The graveyard fell silent again.
Mist began to gather, thick and cold, swallowing the space around her.
Kara stood alone.
---
Far beyond Earth, at the center of the universe, lay Oa, home of the Green Lantern Corps.
Within its vast halls, the Guardians of the Universe convened.
A projection of Earth hovered above the central table.
"Earth is undergoing significant upheaval," one Guardian said.
Another dismissed it. "It is only one planet."
"It has never been just one planet," the first replied. "Too many events originate there. Too many consequences spread outward."
"If we interfere, we risk imbalance," another countered.
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