The Watchtower was deathly silent, a buzz of power resonating off the walls as the League gathered in the main training room. Batman had been adamant. They needed to be ready.
Ready for what, precisely? The unknown.
But I knew it wasn't simply a matter of being physically ready.
It was about discovering something deeper something that most of them hadn't accessed yet.
And that's where I stepped in.
---
I stood before the Justice League, standing tall in front of all of them. They were all in their standard training attire, some of them standing eagerly, others standing with skepticism. Diana was the only one who looked. unfazed, like this was simply another challenge.
You all have potential," I told them, my voice firm. "But none of you are employing all of it. Not even close."
Green Lantern folded his arms, his typical cocky smile replaced by a stern line. "You've been telling us that for weeks. So, what's the big secret? You going to teach us some magic trick?
I looked over at Diana, who nodded discreetly, affirming my words. Her confidence had increased since the battle against the Titans, but she hadn't yet fully reached her potential.
"No tricks," I said, advancing. "It's not about knowing your true limits. It's about accessing your core not your powers, but your mind, body, soul."
Superman arched an eyebrow. "What are you trying to say? We're not mystics or magic practitioners. I don't even know where to begin."
I looked him in the eye. "I didn't say it would be simple. But it's all about awareness. Control. And… letting go."
Batman's voice broke the tension. "I'm not here to play games. If you're going to make us stronger, do it. Now."
The rest of the League grumbled in assent. They were famished for answers. Famished to know the why of my methods.
"I will," I said, moving to the center of the room. "But you must trust me. Trust me enough to transcend what you believed was possible."
---
I turned to each member of the League. "Let's start with you, Diana."
She took a step forward, her own stance already radiating power and poise. "I'm ready."
I smiled. "I know you are. Now, close your eyes."
She obeyed, and I stepped back behind her, far enough away that she couldn't touch me. I set a hand on her shoulder, my power sliding through her in a gentle wave.
"I want you to concentrate on your link with the Earth. To the land that you're standing on. Sense its power, its strength."
Diana's breathing calmed. I sensed the change in the atmosphere as her aura flared, just a glimmer of the strength that lay trapped within her.
"You're not only a warrior," I went on, my voice soft, "you're a goddess offspring of the earth and the stars. Don't forget that."
Her eyes opened, a gentle light radiating from her body. The air changed again more energetic this time. She hadn't merely accessed her power; she had opened new reservoirs of it. Her sword vibrated in her hand.
"Feel it?" I said.
Diana nodded. "I… do." Her eyes were intense, concentrated, as if a veil had been lifted from her mind.
I looked at the others. "The rest of you. Do as she does. This isn't about raw power; it's about knowing your connection to everything around you."
Superman inhaled deeply, his eyes shut. The others did the same, their faces cautious but hopeful.
I stepped among the group, working with each of them in turn.
With Green Lantern, I urged him to tap into the emotional spectrum in a more profound manner, not simply his willpower, but his attachment to the ring's true source. He struggled, his focus wavering, but I could sense the spark within his eyes when the power coursed through him.
Flash was a challenge. His mind moved so quickly he couldn't sit quietly long enough to concentrate on anything. But when I connected his speed with his mind's perception demonstrating how time slowed when he tapped into his full potential he came to an abrupt stop, gasping for air, his eyes wide. "I didn't know I could do that."
J'onn was a different story altogether. His telepathic powers were unparalleled, but there were walls even he hadn't known he'd erected. I assisted him in breaking them down, linking him to the limitless expanses of the mind his and the universe's. The change in his stance was slight, but I could sense the lucidity in his eyes.
And then Batman. He didn't have powers, but that wasn't the point. The point was to open his mind. I forced him to look at his own limitations, to shed the fear of losing control.
"I don't know what you think you can teach me," he said, eyes narrowing. "I'm not like them."
I held his stare firmly. "You've been struggling on your own for too long, Bruce. But even the best detective can't get it all figured out by themselves. You have to trust."
He stood for a moment without speaking, a reluctant nodding.
---
The room was quiet, but the difference was palpable. The air was charged with new power. They weren't stronger merely physically. They were more present, more attuned to their inner selves.
"Now you understand," I said, turning my back. "It isn't a matter of how powerful you are. It's a matter of how you are powerful."
And with that, I knew we were prepared for whatever came next.
---
**End of Chapter 17**