Chapter 256: Echoes of Krypton
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ARTHUR’S ESTATE -
The arena deep beneath Arthur’s estate echoed with the sounds of clashing power fortified walls trembling under the weight of titans that should not exist. From above, behind a pane of enchanted glass in the observation chamber, Arthur sat with Raven at his side. His violet eyes glowed faintly, fixed on the scene below.
Galatea, sleek in her violet-shadow form, had Sinestro pinned to the ground, her hand pressed firmly against his throat, her other arm raised in victory. Sinestro, prideful even in defeat, grimaced before finally letting the tension bleed from his body. Both shadows turned their heads upward toward where their king sat.
Arthur rose slightly from his chair, his voice carrying through the chamber like a calm command.
"Good fight."
The words rippled with power. Both Galatea and Sinestro dropped to one knee in perfect synchronicity, heads bowed, shadows of obedience and pride mingling in the gesture. The arena fell silent other than ripples of shadow energy radiating from them.
Raven, standing with her arms crossed, let her eyes linger on the spectacle. There was no mockery in her tone when she finally spoke, only a quiet awe.
"Your shadows are really something... I’m always in awe at the way they fight."
Arthur’s mouth curved faintly, a smile that never quite reached arrogance but hinted at it. "They can grow even stronger," he said, his gaze never leaving the kneeling generals. "Too bad Earth doesn’t have many worthy opponents left. At least... not the kind they need to sharpen their blades against."
Raven’s lips twitched, with a faint smirk. "Wow. You’re looking down on Earth’s thugs now?"
Arthur finally turned his eyes toward her, the violet glow dimming as his expression softened.
"I do."
That quiet confidence was almost infuriating and Raven felt the heat in her cheeks, so she turned away, focusing back on the arena to hide it.
Before the moment could stretch further, a shadow peeled itself from the far side of the chamber, footsteps echoing. Shadow Lex approached, his violet eyes gleamed with intelligence not dulled at all even by death.
"My king," he said, voice steady, with just the faintest echo of pride. "Forgive the interruption." He bowed deeply, one hand across his chest. "But Owl and I have completed the device you commanded us to construct. We’ve managed to replicate it in sufficient numbers. Now, every low-ranked shadow soldier may be granted the privilege of speech with their monarch."
Arthur leaned forward slightly, interest sparking in his eyes. "That’s good news. They’ve always understood me..my intent, my orders...but seeing them mute, unable to speak back? It was a pain." His tone was calm. Arthur was pleased.
Lex inclined his head, the faintest ghost of a smirk forming, his pride was not for himself, but for delivering results. "There is one more matter, my king." His tone sharpened. "We followed your orders. Traced disturbances across Gotham. Both beneath the streets... and above the skies. Something unusual has surfaced."
Arthur’s eyes narrowed slightly, the glow intensifying. Raven turned her head toward him immediately, her curiosity piqued. She caught the flicker of seriousness in his expression before he masked it again. And then his voice cut through.
"Show me."
Lex bowed again, but his words carried something almost ominous in their precision. "As you wish."
****
The control chamber deep beneath Arthur’s estate thrummed with a low, constant vibration, as though the stone itself resonated with the power of the colossal machine at its heart. Towering monitors stretched across the wall, awash in a cold blue glow that painted shadows across the polished floor.
Arthur stood before it, his violet eyes focused on the feed as the data shifted, scrolling, reforming. Beside him, Raven lingered with her arms folded, her sharp eyes taking in every detail. Shadow Lex stood next to his Monarch.
At the controls, seated with a posture too calm for the tension he revealed, was Shadow Owl. The alternate reflection of Batman’s mind and malice tapped at the panels with precision, fingers flowing across the console like a pianist on his instrument. His violet eyes flickered once as he leaned back, his voice cold and measured.
"My king," Owlman said, not lifting his gaze from the endless streams of data. "You need to see this."
Arthur moved closer, the glow from the largest monitor washing over his face. The feed stabilized, satellite images of Gotham sprawled across the screen, its arteries of streets and alleys lit in white outlines. Yet over that map, dozens of streaks of jagged light were drawn in chaotic patterns, crisscrossing like cracks across glass.
Raven tilted her head, her brows knitting in suspicion. "What are those?"
Owlman’s fingers drummed once against the console before freezing over a key. His tone was detached, clinical. "Supersonic disturbances. Trails left by objects moving faster than sound. Many are easily explained, military aircraft, But..."
Raven’s eyes narrowed, her voice sharper now. "But why are so many of them clustered near here.." Her gaze darted to Arthur, realization flashing across her face. "Wait. That’s right on top of your estate... I see now that’s..."
Arthur let out a long, quiet breath through his nose. The faintest sigh, but one with recognition. His voice carried no surprise. "Kara."
Raven smirked the corner of her lip twitching. "Yep."
Lex finally stepped forward, hands clasped neatly behind his back, his tone precise as if delivering a lecture. "Correct, my king. The majority of those trails belong to Lady Kara Zor-El. Since she frequently visits, and often patrols Gotham’s perimeter, which explains her proximity to your estate. But..." His head inclined slightly, a thin edge of something sharper entering his words. "Not all of them belong to her."
Arthur’s eyes narrowed. He said nothing, only letting Lex continue.
The shadow of Luthor tapped a command into the console. The screen shifted, isolating several of the glowing lines. These ones did not scatter like Kara’s casual patrols. They were sharp, calculated, cutting paths directly into Gotham’s heart.
"We filtered the anomalies," Lex said evenly. "And found something... unsettling. These flights mirror Kara’s velocity, atmospheric re-entry patterns, acceleration curves. But their destinations are too precise. They do not hover. They do not wander. They have always certain specific destinations. Crime lords. Shady thugs." His gaze flicked to Arthur, unreadable but sharp. "Not only in Gotham. Other cities as well. Same pattern."
The silence that followed was heavy. Arthur’s eyes lingered on the lines, unblinking, the glow within them sharpening, burning like molten violet. When he finally spoke, it was low and calm.
"...Same characteristics as Kara’s flight." His fingers curled slightly at his side, knuckles tightening. His voice sharpened as he turned his head. "Are you saying this is.."
Lex finished without hesitation, his voice clipped, surgical. "Yes, my king. The one who supplied that weapon to Roman Sionis is not human. They are Kryptonian."
The words struck the chamber like thunder. Raven’s lips parted, her usually sharp composure slipping. "That’s..impossible. The only Kryptonians left are Kara and Clark. And there’s no way they would..." She stopped herself, her voice lowering, almost defensive. "...they wouldn’t."
Arthur’s eyes did not leave the glowing monitor. His jaw tightened, his glow intensifying until his irises were molten violet. His tone was quiet.
"They are not the only ones."
Raven’s head snapped toward him, eyes widening. The way he said it, it wasn’t speculation. It was knowledge. Something he was certain about.
Arthur’s gaze remained locked on the satellite trails, as though staring through them, past them, to the truth behind them. His voice was sharp. "I know who they are. And it’s painfully obvious what they want."
Raven’s tone wavered, filled with disbelief. "You’re implying..." she swallowed hard, "...that they want Kara and Clark dead?"
Arthur’s lips pressed into a thin line, his expression a mix of recognition and quiet rage.
"Yes."
The single word echoed in the chamber, Raven’s fingers clenched at her arms beneath the folds of her cloak. Lex only bowed his head slightly, the faintest acknowledgment of truth revealed. Owlman said nothing at all, his hands still over the console.
"And if they think they’ll succeed," Arthur murmured, his eyes narrowing with lethal intent, "they’ll soon learn what it means to target the people I care about."
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If you Like this story! Check out my other stories! Solo leveling in Westeros.
&
If you wish to read more or simply support me than check out my patreon at
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You can Get Access to 3 More Chapters OR 7 More Chapters if you want