***
The battle raged like thunder across the broken cityscape. The heroes fought with every ounce of strength they had left — Superman, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, and Flash standing as the world's last defense against Darkseid. Yet even together, they struggled.
Their blows barely slowed the tyrant's advance, each strike met with cruel laughter and devastating counterattacks that shook the earth.
As the fight teetered toward despair, Hal Jordan's sharp eyes caught sight of a familiar figure descending from the smoke-choked skies. "Where the hell were you?" Hal barked over the roar of battle.
Lucian landed beside him, calm amidst the chaos, his visor glowing faintly. "Evacuation and perimeter duty," he replied without emotion. Before Hal could press further, Lucian leapt into the sky, his form becoming a streak of white light against the darkness.
A piercing sonic boom split the air. The others turned just in time to see Lucian race past, his voice steady and commanding: "Move!"
The heroes shifted instinctively just as Lucian dropped from above like a meteor. He drove his heel toward Darkseid's left leg, but before impact, he unleashed a focused Ki blast downward, fracturing the ground beneath the tyrant's stance. The ground erupted, stealing Darkseid's footing. In that fraction of a second, Lucian spun mid-fall and drove his kick precisely into the joint between shin and foot. The sheer precision of the strike made Darkseid falter and stumble forward.
Lucian used the momentum to spin again, clasping his hands together in an arc that mimicked Darkseid's earlier strike, and brought them crashing down on the back of the god's head. The impact rang out like an explosion. Dust and debris rolled outward as the enemy knelt, his face smashing into the concrete.
The battlefield went silent. For a heartbeat, not even the wind dared to move. The impossible had happened — Darkseid was down.
Hal's voice broke the silence. "Who the hell put him on perimeter duty?!"
Superman was already at Lucian's side, steadying him before he could collapse. "You're pretty strong, aren't you?" Superman said with a grin.
Lucian shook his head, breathing hard. "He's not down yet… and neither am I."
As if to prove him right, the ground trembled. Darkseid rose, brushing off the dust from his armor with a mocking chuckle. "After eons, someone manages to bring me to my knees. Tell me, warrior, what is your name?"
Lucian's smile was razor-sharp. "You're not worthy of it."
Darkseid's smirk hardened. His eyes burned red — and the Omega Beams ignited. Before anyone could react, two searing lances of energy tore through the battlefield. Diana screamed in horror as both Superman and Lucian vanished behind a storm of dust and stone.
When the smoke cleared, Superman stood barely upright, his cape tattered, shielding Lucian behind him. Lucian's eyes widened in disbelief. "Why? You could have saved yourself!"
Superman, his voice faint but resolute, managed a smile. "Now we're even."
Rage surged through Lucian's veins. Without hesitation, he blurred forward in a streak of white light, ignoring the others' cries to wait. He appeared before Darkseid, his Ki flickering around his fists like crackling lightning. The first punch landed squarely in Darkseid's gut with a thunderclap that shattered the sound barrier.
Darkseid reeled, just enough for Lucian to close in again. He didn't rely on brute strength — every blow was calculated, exploiting timing, positioning, and terrain. Lucian darted low, swept his leg through a broken steel beam, and used it as leverage to launch a spinning backfist at Darkseid's jaw. A follow-up elbow strike ricocheted off the god's helmet, and Lucian used the rebound to flip backward, kicking a fallen vehicle into Darkseid's chest like an improvised projectile.
Darkseid roared, blasted the car aside, and lunged with a furious punch that sent Lucian crashing into a nearby building. The concrete wall shattered, dust clouding around him. But even as debris collapsed, Lucian burst through it, using chunks of falling rubble as stepping stones to propel himself forward. He grabbed a stray pipe mid-flight, channeled energy through it, turning it molten and extending it like a glowing staff strike that snapped against Darkseid's ribs.
They clashed again, fists meeting in shockwaves that fractured the air like lightning. The power imbalance was obvious — Darkseid towered over him, each blow able to level a city block — yet Lucian turned every deficit into advantage. He ducked and weaved, redirecting force, angling attacks toward weak joints, even kicking up dirt and shattered glass to use as distractions.
One mistimed step sent Lucian flying backward again, blood streaking down his cheek. Seeing a brief opening, Hal summoned a massive green mech construct, unleashing a barrage of missiles. Diana flanked the attack, flipping through explosions, her lasso gleaming as she closed in. She struck Darkseid's left eye with divine precision, earning a bellow of pain.
Infuriated, Darkseid turned his burning gaze on her. The Omega Beams fired — but before they could reach her, Lucian intercepted the blast, sword raised and body shielding her completely. The explosion hurled them both backward. The upper half of his clothing vaporized, exposing his lean, scarred body — and the tail coiled protectively around his waist.
Diana rushed to his side, catching him before he fell. "Lucian! Are you—" Her words faltered as she saw his face. The holographic disguise that masked his real appearance had broken. His features were now unearthly — ethereal beauty carved from fire and light itself. For a moment, even she was speechless.
Lucian touched his face, realizing the disruption. "Looks like the holo-screen's gone," he murmured,Turning Towards Hal a wry grin tugging his lips. "Having a handsome face is more trouble than it's worth. You wouldn't understand the pain."
Hal blinked, exasperated. "What the hell are you?!"
Lucian smirked, gripping his sword and stepping forward again despite the blood streaming down his arm. "Someone who doesn't quit."
With that, he launched himself back into the chaos, every movement a dance of power and precision — the strategist in motion.
***