Solomon woke up in the morning, feeling the wrinkles in his bed. He instinctively stretched, even though he didn't need to—an old habit left over from his time as a human. He walked into the bathroom, using his laser vision to clean his teeth, burning away all traces of bacteria.
He smiled at himself in the mirror, admiring his perfect proportions. Leaving the bathroom and heading to his lab, he whistled softly as he walked. The world looked completely different to him now, and for the first time in a long while, that difference seemed to ease the burden on his mind.
Reaching his lab, he looked at the progress he had made in just one day. The lab was futuristic—sleek, polished, and looking as though it belonged a hundred centuries into the future.
Solomon turned toward one of his side projects. Its metal body gleamed under the white LED lights. Its proportions were flawless, and the design was sleek, almost beautiful in a synthetic way.
This creation was meant to serve as a placeholder for his team. He hadn't yet had time to fully analyze the Blockbuster serum or the two metahuman DNA samples he'd collected earlier.
The robot had once been nothing more than a skeletal heap of scrap—wires tangled and exposed. But now its design has been perfected. All it needed was a power source… and a mind.
As he considered that, one name crossed his mind: Ultron.
Solomon understood the devastation Ultron could unleash in this universe—especially with the alien tech that far surpassed anything in the MCU. He shook his head, dismissing the thought. He would never allow his creation to become another Ultron. He would only activate it when he was absolutely certain—when there was no chance of it ever going rogue.
Solomon stepped outside, the dense smog of Gotham's constant pollution hitting his lungs. He scanned the city. Everything was eerily quiet. Unnaturally quiet.
Gotham never went a day without some kind of crime.
Feeling uneasy, Solomon decided to walk the streets. After slipping on some casual clothes, he strolled through the city like an ordinary person. As he walked, a sweet aroma broke through the smog—a rare thing in Gotham.
Chocolate.
Solomon followed the scent until he reached a small shop. That murky feeling he had earlier? He could now see it with his own eyes, a subtle shimmer of wrongness surrounding the place.
"Excuse me," Solomon said, already knowing the answer. "But what kinds of chocolates do you have here?"
An old man stepped out from behind the counter, his face weathered by years of surviving Gotham's chaos. And yet, despite everything, Solomon could sense kindness in him—an emotion increasingly rare in this city.
"Oh, young man. Are you new here?" the man asked, his voice slightly raspy. His lungs bore the damage of factory life.
"Yes, I moved here not long ago."
"I don't mean to pry, but… why would a young man like you come to Gotham?"
"I have a job here, so I didn't have much of a choice," Solomon answered politely.
"Well, good luck, young man—and be careful. Nothing good ever comes from Gotham," the old man said, worried in his tone. He then gestured to a paper listing the chocolate items available.
Solomon pretended to browse, then ordered a few chocolate fudge brownies and three milk chocolate bars.
Continuing his walk, Solomon unwrapped one of the bars as he wandered. Ten minutes later, he heard the desperate, heavy breathing of a woman. Her heartbeat raced with exhaustion and fear. Four sets of footsteps echoed behind her.
He turned a corner into an alley—and saw her.
A girl in a hoodie, her skin unnaturally pale, her lips tinged with violet. Her beauty caught his eye, but more than that—so did the red crystal embedded in her forehead, and the mystical aura radiating from her strange attire.
He knew exactly who she was.
Recognition spread across Solomon's face.
The girl—Raven—turned to face her pursuers. A black sphere of energy formed in her hands, lightless and dense.
She hurled it at the group. It sliced through the air, humming with power.
But just before it could hit, a glowing red barrier appeared. The energy dissolved like it had never existed.
"You think that'll work?" one of them sneered. "We have divine protection from our Lord. Puny magic like yours can't touch that."
"You don't know who you're worshiping!" Raven snapped, gasping for breath. She wasn't physically strong. The only reason she'd lasted this long was the endurance granted by her demonic heritage.
She was nearing the alley's exit when she felt it—a familiar pressure in the air. A power not as great as her father's, but somehow more… oppressive. More precise.
She stumbled out into the street, barely keeping herself upright. That's when she saw him.
A boy with black hair streaked with red stood watching her, his body radiating overwhelming magical energy. It was terrifyingly dense, but perfectly contained.
Solomon shifted his focus from her to the men chasing her. Their fanatical devotion was palpable, like a foul stench. A malevolent energy clung to their bodies—centered on a pendant worn by one of the red-hooded figures.
When Solomon sensed it, his instincts screamed for destruction. The sheer bloodlust, rage, and torment radiating from that gem dwarfed anything he had ever encountered—multiplied a hundredfold.
Without hesitation, he fired a telekinetic blast.
It moved faster than lightning, invisible to the naked eye. The blast struck their barrier, but was instantly nullified, vanishing without a trace.
However, the ground beneath them cracked and exploded. The fanatics stumbled, losing their footing and crashing to the pavement.
Raven watched in disbelief as the stranger easily dispatched some of the Cult of Trigon—enemies she could neither outrun nor defeat. No matter where she went, they found her. They always found her.
She had tried to escape her father's influence, only to be relentlessly hunted by his followers. Rage and despair boiled within her—but they were locked away, sealed behind the gem in her forehead.
Meanwhile, Solomon's next blast—pure chaos energy—shattered their sacred barrier.
Their smug, crazed expressions froze in place. Disbelief swept across their faces.
Their god had failed them.
They had believed Trigon's power made them untouchable—that even his daughter couldn't harm them.
Now, a complete stranger had shattered their divine protection.
In that moment, between their bloodlust and devotion, a new emotion took root.
Fear.
The cultists panicked, scrambling to escape. They stumbled over each other—except for the one with the relic. The ancient pendant around his neck, once glowing with power, now sat dark and lifeless.
Solomon's gaze locked onto it. When the gem had glowed, he had seen something—felt something. Inside that red light was… life. A silent scream echoed each time the barrier activated. Souls—countless souls—trapped in eternal torment. Their tears long since dried, their energy drained piece by piece.
He would not allow it to continue.
Solomon raised his hand and summoned a barrier around them, cloaking the area in silence and invisibility.
He didn't hesitate.
Flames erupted inside the barrier, dancing along the invisible walls. The cultists pounded against them, screaming—but no one heard them. Passersby walked by as if nothing were happening, blind to the agony just feet away.
The fire licked at their flesh, searing not just their bodies, but their very souls.
They screamed—until there was nothing left to scream with.
The cult's leader knelt in the flames, his laughter echoing through the silence. A bone-chilling cackle that made Raven freeze in place.
She couldn't react. She couldn't move. She was still processing the deaths. This was only the second time she had truly witnessed death—and it paralyzed her.
She was suddenly back in Azarath. Watching that man smile as he burned her world to ash.
The screams of her people still echoed in her mind.
"You think you've won," the man said, still laughing. The flames finally reached him, but he didn't scream.
"You don't know anything. Lord Trigon is coming… and only his disciples will be spared his holy retribution."
Those were his final words, as the fire consumed him—leaving behind not even ash.
"Trigon, holy." Even though Solomon knew how dire his situation was, he almost really to laugh at the thought of Trigon being holy. The same being who was known as devourer of worlds, and had even consumed muluniverses.
Solomon looked behind him, Raven stood there, looking back at him.
"Soo, you want to tell me who you are?" Solomon asked, as with a snap of his fingered, the surrounding rubble floated in the air. Like time reversed, they came back together, like missing puzzle pieces, merging together any cracks.
Solomon also spread his power, wiping the minds of all those who noticed something in the area. Each of them not even noticing that they had just forgotten the last few minutes of their lives.
Solomon's attention fell back on Raven, as she looked at him with trepidation. Even though she could not read his mind, she could still tell that he was a good person.
Solomon took a step forward, Raven instinctively took a step back.
"You don't have to be afraid, I mean no harm"
Solomon said, in the calmest yet softest tone he could muster. Raven wanted to respond, but before she could, she noticed something.
There was an aroma in the air, something smelled so good. Then all of a sudden, her stomach rumbled. It was extra loud too, since they were in a quiet area.
Solomon almost wanted to laugh, as Raven's face turned red. Her pale face, now almost like a tomato, was quite a funny contrast.
Raven had gotten here a day ago, and hadn't eaten anything since. She had been trying to adapt to her new environment, and running from the Cult of Trigon hadn't given her a chance to eat anything.
She did not want to still, especially since everyone here seemed to be trying their best to survive.
"You want some"
Solomon offered his chocolate fudge brownie, still warm from the oven. Raven could no longer resist, as that chocolaty aroma smelled so irresistible, as she hurriedly shook her head.
Let me take you to my house, we can eat there, Solomon offered. He started to walk away, not giving time for Raven to think.
Raven looked at his back as he walked away. She hesitated at first, but the rumbling of her stomach made her run to catch up.
Solomon watched this as he chuckled. He took out one of his milk chocolate bars, and offered it to Raven.
Raven hesitated to take it, before quickly pulling it out of his hands. She opened the rapper, and she took her first small bite. Her eyes widened, as she blushed. This was something she had never tasted before on Azarath.
Its milky smooth texture made it ever more delectable. Its sweetness made her take another bite, as she savored the taste.
"Thank you" She whispered, the first words she said to Solomon.
No problem, Solomon said, he took out the other as he took his own bite. His eyes widened a little, this was the best chocolate he had ever tasted in his life. Even his heightened super senses could not find an imperfection. I guess this will be my go to spot from now on, Solomon though, as he looked into the future.
Even though he had been reminded of the dangers of the Dc Universe things still seemed bright.
The old man who gave Solomn the chocolate took out a black umbrella, as he left his store with a smile.