Khandaq gleamed under the morning sun.
Two weeks had passed since the battle, and the nation was almost unrecognizable. The once barren stretches of cracked desert were now alive with bright green fields. Rivers curved through the land like silver veins. Trees swayed beside fresh roads. Birds perched on rooftops that had never seen wildlife before. The air even smelled clean.
The people had returned in waves. They stepped through the gates and fell to their knees at the sight of flowing water. Children laughed as they splashed in newly formed streams. No one understood exactly how it happened, only that the lightning that fell from the sky had reshaped their homeland overnight.
And at the center of it stood John.
Not as a god who demanded obedience... Just a man who kept his promises.
Still, when he walked the streets, the people knelt. They placed hands on their hearts and bowed their heads. Old men cried. Mothers whispered prayers of gratitude. Soldiers who once doubted him when he left after taking down the dictator stood with their fists over their chests.
Word spread through the reborn nation.
Their savior had returned.
He had freed them once. Then he had given them their future. And now, he had given them life itself.
John stood on what used to be the central plaza. Now it looked more like a garden. Water flowed through crafted channels that ran between patches of fruit trees.
Harley sat on the edge of a fountain, dipping her boots into the water. She watched the crowds with a smirk. "You know, John, I think you broke the record for fastest country makeover. There are home renovation shows that take longer to repaint a kitchen."
Maureen sat beside her, sipping iced tea. "He was awesome. I can barely grow a little plant and look at him..."
John rubbed the back of his neck. "It wasn't that serious."
A woman nearby fell to her knees the moment he spoke. Several others followed. John sighed, trying not to look as awkward as he felt.
"No no, please get up. Everyone. Stand. I'm not your king or your god. I'm just... a man."
They rose slowly, although none of them looked convinced.
A young boy hurried forward. He carried a loaf of freshly baked bread and held it up like an offering. "For you, sir. My mother said this land is alive again because of your light."
John softened. "Thank her for me." He took the bread.
The kid ran off, grinning.
Hawkman flew down and landed with a heavy thud. "You created something incredible. Khandaq has been talking about nothing else for days."
Dr. Fate appeared beside him, walking instead of floating this time. "The balance has shifted. A nation was dying. Now it breathes again. You restored what time tried to erase."
John shrugged. "It was the least I could do."
"It was far more than that," Fate replied, sounding tired but sincere.
Guy Gardner approached with a bag of fruit. "Okay, so I'm not saying I like you or anything, but have you seen these apples? They're like magic apples. I don't even eat fruit and I want more."
Cyclone laughed from behind him. "It's called nature, Guy."
"Nature ain't supposed to taste like candy."
Harley leaned toward Maureen. "Think we should tell him those grow naturally and he's just been eating garbage his whole life?"
"No," Maureen said. "Let him be happy."
...
[Next morning]
Cameras crowded the plaza the next morning. Reporters stood shoulder to shoulder behind a rope line. Microphones pointed toward the raised platform at the center of Khandaq's newly restored square. Helicopters hovered overhead. News drones buzzed like mechanical insects. Every major network on the planet was tuned in. Every leader was watching.
John stepped onto the platform with Harley and Maureen at his side. The crowd of civilians filled the plaza and spilled into the streets. Their cheers faded slowly into a reverent hush.
John looked calm as he approached the podium.
"Good morning," he said.
The cameras flashed.
"I will be simple and clear. Khandaq fell because the world turned its back on it. It stayed broken for decades because no one stepped forward to help... Not even the heroes with godly powers. I left this place once after freeing it from the dictatorship and believed that everything would be fine. Well, the truth is, I was really weak and needed time to recover. So, I had to leave. And now that I've returned..."
He glanced around him at the people of Khandaq. Their eyes shone with hope.
"I will not leave again."
A wave of cheers rose, then quieted as he lifted a hand.
"I will rebuild Khandaq to what it once was and beyond. I will restore every city, every farm, every coastline, every family that was displaced... What you see here is only a fraction of what this nation will become."
Harley elbowed Maureen and whispered, "He's killing it." Maureen nodded.
John continued.
"A part of Khandaq has been brought back to life. But only a part. For years, other nations took land from us while our people suffered. They claimed territory that belonged to Khandaq long before any of them put their flags down."
He looked directly at the main camera. The red light blinked.
And his tone sharpened.
"I'm telling those nations now. Give back the land you stole."
Reporters gasped. Some scrambled to write. Others yelled questions that were drowned out by the crowd.
John pointed at the camera.
"This is not a declaration of war. I don't want wars. I don't want conflict. I want what is ours returned without bloodshed."
Then his voice dropped into something colder.
"This is not a threat but an ultimatum."
Silence swept across the plaza. Even the breeze seemed to stop.
"You have one week to evacuate civilians, sign the documents and hand over every mile of Khandaq's land you claimed. Do it peacefully."
He paused.
"Because if you don't, I will take it back myself."
A ripple of shock spread through the press line.
John leaned forward a little.
"And Waller," he said, voice firm and warning, "don't try anything funny. I'm not playing games with you. Stay out of my way."
Gasps erupted again. Reporters shouted. Governments watching around the world froze.
John stepped back and finished:
"To the people of Khandaq, you are home. And no one will ever threaten our nation again."
The crowd exploded with cheers so loud they drowned out the news drones. Harley whistled as she pointed her fist at Maureen, who fist bumped her with a smile.
"Things are gonna get pretty noisy around here," Maureen said.
Harley grinned. "Doesn't matter. John is the King, we are his Queens. So, technically, this is also our kingdom. Anyone who messes with my kingdom is gonna get their heads smashed with my mallet."
...
[Washington, D.C.] [3 days later]
The Situation Room felt smaller than usual. Too many people, too much tension, not enough air. The table was packed with presidents, prime ministers, defense ministers and senior generals from more than twenty nations. Their aides lined the walls. Security stood outside every door.
The giant screen showed an aerial view of Khandaq: Green fields, blue rivers, thriving villages, and construction happening at an impossible speed. Reports scrolled across the bottom of the screen.
Sovereign recovery
Unidentified renewable energy signatures
Population return exceeding projections
Stabilization of regional climate
In the corner of the display was a paused image of John during his broadcast, eyes fixed on the camera, voice frozen mid ultimatum.
The President of the United States looked tired. He hadn't slept much. He cleared his throat. "Let's begin."
A German minister spoke first. "We all saw the speech. This is a man who reshaped his nation in a single night. That is not normal. That is not something any country can tolerate on its border."
The French President leaned forward. "Not just reshaped. He is building a power base. And he issued an ultimatum to every nation sitting at this table. We have one week."
A Saudi representative shook his head. "We made legal agreements with the previous regime."
Waller spoke coldly. "Those agreements were with a dictator who is now ash and dust. John does not care about legal documents. He cares about power. And he now has more power than anything we can match on short notice."
The British Prime Minister tapped a pen against the table. "Then we hit him before the week is over."
Several leaders reacted at once.
"That would spark a global conflict."
"The other heroes might step in."
"We do not have weapons that can match this man."
"You think Superman can take him down?"
"Harley Quinn with superpowers alone is a tactical nightmare."
"And the girl, Maureen, can freeze anything and use lightning like John and Harley. Her powers are beyond any meta we've ever encountered. How do we fight that?"
A general from the Pentagon studied the screen. "John said this is not a declaration of war. But he made it clear that if we don't return the land, he will take it by force."
The President exhaled. "We cannot let a superpowered monarchy rise in the Middle East. Khandaq cannot become a haven for metahumans who answer only to him."
The Israeli representative leaned forward. "Our border sits right next to the territory he wants returned. We cannot allow a man with godlike power to annex land whenever he feels like it."
Waller folded her hands. "He's not annexing. He's reclaiming territory that historically belonged to Khandaq. Regardless, the threat is the same. He has the power to enforce his demand."
A silence settled around the table.
Then the Canadian Prime Minister spoke quietly. "Are we discussing containment or removal?"
Everyone turned to Waller.
"Is there anyone capable of stopping him?" The US President asked.
"Superman and the other heroes said they won't involve themselves with this matter, regardless of our decision, but Dr. Fate and the Justice Society might join hands with John. And that'll put everyone in a dangerous situation and destabilize the world. So, the best thing to do is to return land and make that place his prison... That's the most peaceful option, right now," Waller said as she looked at the girl in a classic office suit, standing beside her.
The girl took off her glasses.
"However, if he tries to go beyond that, then we'll use someone more than capable of handling him or at least hurt him enough for us to finish the job," Waller simply nodded at the girl.
The girl closed her eyes, took a deep breath and said, "Enchantress!"
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