Conner stood in the back with the rest of the Titans as the demon read off his demands to the League. The sense of dread was thick as smog. The beast looked grotesque. Thick brown horns sprouted from its head. Its skin was a deep red with glowing red veins. Scars litter its skin. Four golden eyes bore into their souls. Rotten teeth gnash at them as it spoke. Long white hair flowed down its back like fire. Conner was sure he heard someone gag when he first arrived.
“Who is your so-called protector?” Its voice sent chills down Kon’s spine, almost as if it whispered right into his ear. Of course Clark stepped forward. Was it smart? Probably not.
“What do you want with our planet?”
It just laughed, looking down on them all, “you mortals never change.”
“What do you want with our planet?” Clark repeated.
The beast was silent, just smirking. It never took its eyes off Clark for a second.
“If you attack, we will resist.”
“There is a way,” it spoke again, “to spare your world.”
Conner began to approach his father, no one sparing a glance.
“We will not bow to you.” Conner was now next to him, Superman slightly towering over him.
“You shall take my gem as your wife. Call it... a peace offering.”
A wife? This thing threatened the planet to marry off a gem?
“Who is this gem?” To the naked eye, Clark was as stable as a mountain. But Kon saw the tenseness in his shoulders, the stress rising in his veins.
The beast smiled, “My daughter, my eldest. My gem. You shall claim her.”
Conner grabbed him, “Don’t!”
“We have no other choice, a fight is too much of a risk,” Clark whispered back.
Sadness took over the older man’s eyes, “She will understand.”
Like that? Clark- No, Superman was just going to give in like that? Sure he isn’t bowing but sure as hell letting that thing dictate the demands.
No. Conner couldn’t let him do it. It wasn’t fair. Ideas how to stop him ran ramp an t in his mind, anything to stop-
“I’ll do it.” All its eyes snapped onto Kon. Bile threatened to rise as it stared down on him. Its eyes ran over every inch on his body for inspection. “I’m his successor.”
“Conner-” Clark grabbed his arm trying to stop him.
“I am the creation of Earth’s Protector and the smartest mind of this world. I am his superior version.” In any other situation, the people standing behind him would laugh him out of the room for that comment. Yet, every single person behind them held their breath.
