The Road to Happiness, The Long One

by Destiny'sPathlayer

Callum Orson and his best friend Mason have a nightly secret, similar to Kara Danvers, daughter of Mr and Mrs Kent of Kent Corporations. When a budding romance blossoms between the dear Callum and the beautiful Kara, Callum finds his previously orderly world thrown into chaos, threatening to destroy anything and anyone dear to him, all the while doing his best to treat Kara right.

40. Chapter 40

On the 16th day of the hero's 16th year

For one single precious held most dear

By the shade of evil with time in his hands

Choices will be made to determine who stands

The hidden hero will be proclaimed

After a fall leaves him heavily maimed

The day's weather will be fought

By winter, summer, and storms a lot

The land of choice is the original spot

Where she died and now lives reborn

In the world of the original's form

The Road to Happiness, The Long One

Chapter 40: Day 16/16, Tuesday

Mason woke up in a cheery mood. He sighed happily, the day's possibilities not dawning on him quite yet. He sat up, getting out of bed, his feet finding the soft comfort of his fuzzy slippers. He stretched his arms and yawned, getting the drowsiness out of him. He went downstairs, found a pan, pulled out bacon and eggs, and began making breakfast. He cracked a few eggs and watched as the day continued to break. His instincts told him to get back to the eggs, and he quickly scooped them up, putting them on a plate, perfectly done. He went to the bacon as Amber came down. She wore a comfortable, fuzzy robe with form-fitting pants and slippers similar to Mason's. She almost silently sat down at the counter directly behind Mason. Mason turned back around.

"Gah!" Mason said, lightly clutching heart. He closed his eyes and sighed. "Been a while since someone scared me like that…" Amber frowned and laughed.

"My bad," Amber said. "I don't try to be sneaky or anything." Mason sighed and rubbed his head with his sleeve.

"Well, I made some eggs, in the process of making bacon. Help yourself," Mason said, turning back around. Amber took a small piece of egg with her bare hands and ate it.

"Hm," Amber said. "These are REALLY amazing!" Mason laughed without turning back around. Amber reached over the counter, opened a drawer, and pulled out a fork. She began picking at the eggs with earnest. Mason continued making the bacon. He made it and pushed it towards Amber.

"Try this," Mason ordered. Amber grinned and snagged a piece of bacon quickly.

"Mmmm…" Amber moaned. "This is somehow even better than the eggs…" She hungrily took another piece of bacon. Mason watched her reaction, beaming.

"That good huh?" Mason asked, grinning. Amber grinned and nodded, her mouth full. Finally, Cal came down, his eyes sleepy, but awake. He looked at the two early risers and sighed.

"Please tell me there's some left over for me," Cal said, noticing the small amount of eggs and bacon left. Mason laughed, and Amber blushed.

"Don't worry, I'll make more," Mason assured. Amber blushed harder as Cal slid onto the stool beside Amber.

"You like Mason's cooking?" Cal asked jokingly. Amber poorly suppressed a smile and nodded. Cal laughed. "Mason's going to have fun cooking for both of us now." They all laughed. Mason smiled as he shook his head.

"You and I both know you could just create your own food, just as good," Mason said. Cal laughed.

"But it's the thought and effort that count," Cal said. Amber laughed and nodded in agreement. Mason shook his head again, still smiling. Mason made more eggs and bacon and served Cal, who dug in eagerly. Amber pilfered pieces of Cal's food, and Cal gave her a look.

"What?" Amber asked innocently, putting some more egg in her mouth. "I'm still hungry…" Cal sighed and moved the plate in-between them. Amber beamed and dug in without shame. For a while, a cold silence filled the air. Finally, Mason spoke.

"You ready for tonight?" Mason asked. Cal sighed and pushed his now empty plate away. He swallowed.

"As ready as I'll ever be…" Cal said. "I'm going to save Kara…"

"And the world," Amber added. "Don't forget the world." Cal smiled weakly, his stare far away.

"Yeah, the world…" Cal said. "Kara… the world…" There was silence again, until Bartholomew loudly entered the room.

"I THINK I'M STILL DRUNK!" Bartholomew yelled, entering the kitchen. Everyone winced at the volume, none of them drunk or hungover. Bartholomew staggered to the table, getting on top of it and laying on it. Cal glanced at Mason, who was doing his best to suppress a smile. Amber frowned and chuckled. Finally, Cal laughed as Bartholomew got off the table and stumbled into the kitchen, opening the fridge and taking a long, spilled drink of milk. He put the milk down and wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

"DO YOU KNOW WHERE THE BATHROOM IS? I THINK I'M GOING TO PUKE! CAL! TAKE ME!" Bartholomew ordered. Cal sighed and stood up, proceeding to guide him to the bathroom. When they finally reached the bathroom, Bartholomew straightened up and wiped the rest of his face from the milk, going over to the sink.

"Thanks," Cal said. Bartholomew grinned at Cal through the mirror.

"No problem," Bartholomew said. "You knew I wasn't drunk?" Cal laughed.

"I knew there's no chance in hell of you getting drunk, especially all night and in the morning. Not to mention you over sold it…" Cal admitted. It was Bartholomew's turn to laugh. He looked at Cal, wiping his face with a towel.

"Touché," Bartholomew said. "Anyway, I could hear the awkward silence from my bedroom. Thought I should step in." Cal nodded in thanks. "You know it's already 120 degrees in your city… 120 degrees, in WINTER! Anyway, you ready for tonight?" Cal nodded.

"I'm going to need something from my bedroom first…" Cal answered. Bartholomew sighed and leaned against the sink's counter, crossing his arms.

"You and I both know the Justice League's going to be waiting there, hoping you stop by," Bartholomew said. "For an apology or another swing, I don't know, but I do know they'll be waiting in both the shadows and the open." Cal nodded and sighed.

"Just real quick, in and out. All I need is to get in our back room," Cal explained. Bartholomew sighed.

"I don't want to pick a fight with the 'heroes' of the world," Bartholomew said. "We'd win, but not without scratches. Speaking of, how are yours?" Cal shrugged.

"Mostly gone. Fully gone by tonight for sure," Cal answered. Bartholomew nodded. "I just need one thing…" Bartholomew sighed.

"Fine," Bartholomew said.

-Break-

"We all ready?" Bartholomew asked Cal. Cal nodded.

"Wait, why can't I come with?" Mason asked. Bartholomew sighed.

"This needs to be covert," Bartholomew explained. "A quick in and out. No danger, no need for extra people. I'm only going as an unnecessary lookout." Mason sighed. Bartholomew opened a portal, and both him and Cal stepped through. Cal found himself in his back room, everything exactly as he had left it. Cal sighed, quietly, in relief. Bartholomew peeked out the opening. He turned to Cal.

"Two," Bartholomew mouthed, gesturing to the opening. Cal nodded in understanding and continued scrambling silently for something. He looked in the entire room and didn't find it. He sighed quietly in defeat.

"I can't find it," Cal mouthed to Bartholomew. Bartholomew motioned towards the opening, frowning. Cal nodded. Bartholomew sighed and held up one finger. He teleported himself outside the room, one floor below, and slowly went upstairs. Cal peeked through the false wall and watched as the two heroes guarding his room, Booster Gold and Plastic Man, got up to check out the steps. After they left, Cal quickly began searching his room.

"Hey, do you two know where the bathroom is?" Cal heard Bartholomew ask like a senile old man. "Wait, aren't you two super heroes? Like Batman and Superman?" Cal began searching a bit more frantically.

"Look sir," Plastic Man began.

"Well, I'm not either Batman or Superman, but I certainly know my why around a villain, or even two at once," Booster Gold interrupted. Cal accidentally tipped over a chair, catching it, but not before the book on it fell to the ground.

"You mean you've killed villains?" Bartholomew asked loudly, trying to keep the attention on him.

"What? No, we don't kill people," Plastic Man answered.

"Why not? You don't have the stones?" Bartholomew asked, pretending to be outraged. "You don't have… what do the kids call it these days… oh… what is it… OH! No balls?!"

"Well, I mean, I'm from the future, so I've killed a few villains in my time," Booster Gold said, his ego buying Cal time, and Bartholomew knew it too. Cal ran his hands through his hair, frustrated at not being able to find it.

"No you haven't," Plastic Man said. "But I mean… I've made them wish they were…"

"Well, I mean, you two haven't ever even made it into the paper have you?" Bartholomew continued.

"Well… I haven't had a front headline, but I've still been in the paper many times," Plastic Man said.

"Why are we talking about you?" Booster Gold asked. "I'm clearly the better hero here!" Cal glanced under the bed, and sighed in relief. He reached out under the bed and withdrew his arm, revealing the pocket watch his father left him. Cal shoved it in his pocket and stood up, turning around to see Batman staring him down.

'Crap,' Cal thought, backing away. Suddenly, the door swung shut.

"You should really keep your old man a bit more contained," Batman said. "He's an obvious sign that you're around." Cal didn't say a word, preparing for a fight. "Anyway, I'm here for a reason. I'm here…" Batman swallowed. "I'm here to say… to say 'I'm sorry'… I'm sorry… for attacking you. I'm sorry for all that and whatnot…" Cal breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's all okay," Cal said. "It wasn't you, not really. Chronos was playing with your mind. I don't know how, but he did. I could feel it…" Batman nodded. There was an awkward silence.

"So… Are you meeting Chronos tonight?" Batman asked. "Or are you here to grab your stuff and clear out?" Cal smirked.

"I'll be there," Cal answered. "I'm just stopping by for deodorant…" Batman studied him, trying to figure out what he was hiding.

"Whatever, as long as you're going to be there… Kara needs you…" Batman said. Cal nodded.

"I know," Cal said. "And I'll be there…" Cal walked around Batman to the door, but before he opened it, Batman grabbed his arm.

"I don't know what you're planning," Batman said. "But… Kara needs you… So promise me you'll be there for her sake…" Cal nodded.

"I promise I'll be there…" Cal said. "For Kara especially…" Batman nodded, and Cal left passing by Plastic Man and Booster Gold, who stared at him, bewildered that he had gotten past them. Bartholomew noticed him, frowned, but followed Cal downstairs. Before he was out of sight, Bartholomew turned to the two 'heroes'.

"You two make me ashamed to be a hero," Bartholomew admitted. "Shape up or get the hell out of the way." Booster Gold and Plastic Man looked at each other in shock. Cal went downstairs, and Miss Charlemagne greeted them warmly. Cal, without words, hugged her. Miss Charlemagne 'oh'-ed and hugged him back.

"Are you okay?" Miss Charlemagne asked. "I saw someone head up to your room. They wore gold and blue and didn't seem to be happy to be here…" Cal shrugged.

"It's okay. They should be leaving soon enough," Cal said. Miss Charlemagne smiled.

"I hope they didn't mess with your room to much or anything," she said. Cal shrugged.

"I'll clean it up, don't worry," Cal said. "It's nice to see you again." He hugged her again. She smiled. Bartholomew waved, and she nodded back.

"Nice to see you too," she replied. "You doing alright?" Cal nodded.

"Miss Charlemagne… do you have a sister?" Cal asked. Miss Charlemagne frowned.

"Yeah, I do," she answered, confused. "What's with the sudden curiosity?" Cal shrugged.

"Just curious," Cal lied. "Well, I'd better get going. Goodbye!" He began to leave through the door.

"Wait," Miss Charlemagne said. "Cal… watch yourself okay? Just… make sure you stay yourself with this girlfriend of yours… okay?" Cal nodded, and she waved goodbye. Cal left through the front, Bartholomew fell close behind. They left through the front gate, and when they were finally out of sight and earshot, Bartholomew turned to Cal.

"So what was so important that we needed to risk ourselves?" Bartholomew asked. Cal didn't say anything and pulled the pocket watch from his pocket. Bartholomew took it in his hands and examined it closely. "Hm, this is a really ancient watch. Probably handed down through generations." He handed it back to Cal. "All that for your father's watch?" Cal laughed lightly,

"As painful a reminder it is, it's all I've got of him…" Cal explained. Bartholomew nodded in understanding.

"And you want to take it with you?" Bartholomew asked. Cal nodded.

"It might be all that's left, concerning hope…" Cal said. Bartholomew nodded. Cal sighed.

"Well, let's get back. You've got a lot to do," Bartholomew said. They stepped through his portal and appeared back in Bartholomew's home. Mason was pacing, waiting for them to get back, nervously biting his nails. Amber sat calmly on the sofa, legs crossed and reading some magazine she found. When they stepped through the portal, unharmed, Mason breathed a sigh of relief. Amber shook her head and smiled as Mason quickly rushed over to hug Cal. Cal frowned, but let it happen.

"Dude, never again! You've been through hell already and you don't need to keep risking stuff and whatnot," Mason exclaimed. "Now, what was so important?" Cal wordlessly pulled his watch from his pocket. Mason shut his eyes and sighed. "You risked yourself for your watch? Something I could have grabbed for you in a heartbeat?" Cal frowned.

"What's with over-protective parent mode?" Cal asked. Mason sighed and sat down.

"I guess it's that whole, your last day on earth type deal," Mason said. "It's yours and it's kinda getting to me…" Cal sighed.

"Well, momma, can I go outside?" Amber asked mockingly. Mason shot her a glare.

"Not funny," Mason said. "I personally don't want Cal to die. He's my best buddy. I have literally you and Bartholomew left. Maybe, kinda, Kara and Barbara. It's an already low number that I don't want to get lower." Amber nodded in understanding. Everyone took a seat.

"I won't die," Cal said. "Come on, it's me!" Everyone sat in a somber silence, pondering what the future held.

-Break-

Chronos casually strolled up to the self-made vault below the amphitheater's stage. Parasite stood beside the vault's entrance, and nodded to Chronos. Chronos gestured to the door, and Parasite swiftly opened it. Chronos walked in to see Supergirl strung up by her wrists, a green glow enveloping the inside of the vault. Kara had on her normal costume, which had seen better days. Cuts of various sizes were all over her body, with one long one at the top of her head. Blood oozed out of the fresher cuts, and over some the blood had begun to dry and the scab. Bruises mottled the visible flesh of her arms, legs, and abdomen. Her eyes were half open, and her breathing labored. Her lips were dry, her toes barely scraping the floor of the vault. She weakly raised her head at Chronos, who smiled at her. Chronos snapped, and a chair appeared behind him. He sat down, crossing one leg over the other. No one said a word for a long while, but finally Chronos spoke.

"Leave us," Chronos ordered Parasite, and he left. There was another long silence before anyone spoke.

"What do you want?" Kara asked. "To gloat?" Chronos laughed, grinning evilly.

"No, no, not to gloat. I'm here to have a little chat about tonight," Chronos answered. "You see, tonight Callum is going to basically surrender himself to me. And you aren't going to say a single word about anything you've seen or heard here the last day or so. Not until it's ALL over at least… Understood?" Kara spat blood onto Chronos' face.

"Go to hell!" Kara said in reply. Chronos wiped the blood from his face.

"Been there, done that," Chronos said. He stood up and took Kara's chin in his hand. "But before you think you can do anything, I want to let you go as Callum arrives. But I can't if you go blabbing your mouth to the Justice League or whomever." Kara frowned, confused.

"Why would you let me go?" Kara asked, bewildered.

"I believe Callum told you the story of Annabeth Monroe, and her ill-timed demise…" Chronos explained, pacing around her, his hands behind his back. "Well, I never had any intention of killing her because I know what it's like to feel the loss of a loved one, especially those you grew to love through experience. I would never wish that loss on anyone, worst enemy or no… I don't want you to die, but you have to understand that I can't let you go without some assurance." Kara studied him.

"So I can go… as long as I don't tell anyone about your plans?" Kara checked. Chronos shrugged.

"More or less," Chronos answered. "I need you to find a way to promise me that you won't tell anything…" Kara thought for a moment.

"You'll have Callum," Kara said. "And if anyone tried to help him in a sort of group and orderly fashion… Well, you would know it was me by how well they reacted to your movements and hunt me down and whatnot…" Chronos laughed.

"I'm afraid if that's the best you can do; I can't allow you to leave…" Chronos said. "I mean, I guess this was a mistake, and I'll have to keep you until Callum is finished. He began to leave, beginning to close the door behind him.

"Wait!" Kara yelled. "What do you mean 'Callum is finished'?!" Chronos waved goodbye as he continued closing the door. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!" Kara screamed louder. "ARE YOU GOING TO KILL HIM?!" Chronos didn't answer as he fully closed and locked the vault door. Inside, Kara's eyes began to shed heavy tears. "Cal… please don't come…" she whispered.

-Break-

100 Years Ago:

A man, appearing to be early twenties, wearing a dark grey suit sat on a sofa, impatient. He checked the grandfather clock to his left, noting the late hour. Sighing defeated, the man stood up to leave, but lightning flashed and thunder quickly followed and someone stood before him.

"Sorry for making you wait," the figure said. "Now please, take a seat." The man sighed and frowned, but sat back down.

"You said you had something for me?" the man asked. "Something lost to my family for generations?" The figure laughed and snapped his fingers, revealing himself.

"You cut right to the chase," the person said. "I like that. Now, my name is Bartholomew. And yes, I have what you're taking about." The man sighed in relief and wiped his forehead with a handkerchief.

"Well, Bartholomew, you said it was lost to my family? My family is pretty set on keeping the past and traditions… What is it?" the man asked. Bartholomew sat across from him, a twinkle in his eyes.

"Well, considering you came, waited patiently for over two hours, and have been very polite and kind hearted thus far, I'll let you in on a secret…" Bartholomew said. He leaned forward, as did the man, and continued, whispering. "You're family's artifact is so ordinary, it's special…" The man leaned back, frowning.

"How does that make it special?" the man asked. "And what is it?" Bartholomew chuckled. He reached into his coat and pulled a small wooden box, no bigger than his hand, and placed it on the table between them. The man slowly, yet eagerly, reached across the table and took the box. He rested it on his lap, breathing deeply, and opened it. Inside was a well-polished, golden pocket watch. The man scoffed lightly and shook his head.

"This has been in my family for generations AND it's been lost for generations?" the man asked. "These things have been around for less generations than you say…" Bartholomew laughed and stood up.

"Exactly," Bartholomew explained. "That particular watch, Mr. Wilson, has been around longer than most of the others. That watch, not the first of its kind, has been around since before watches in general have been. That's the magic of it…" The man frowned. Bartholomew brushed himself off and began to leave.

"Wait!" the man cried. "Why did you go through the trouble of finding this, giving this to me, all without payment?" Bartholomew sighed.

"Mr. Wilson, your family has been so completely ordinary since it was started by James Wilson all those years ago. You all have been average in wealth and standing, but not so in heart. Your family's heart—by which I mean your kindness, patience, loyalty, and consideration for others, has put you above all the rest. To do such a small favor for such a good family… Well, let's just say the future looks a little brighter…" Bartholomew answered. "Oh, and the watch… Let the watch be a continuous reminder of your love of family…"

-Break-

Cal polished the faded gold pocket watch carefully and gently, scared to ruin its magnificent gold color with too hard a rub. He stared at the shiny surface, a faint outline of himself staring back. He opened it to hear its familiar tick-tock and bronze hands. After a while, he shut the watch and sighed. He closed his eyes to think clearer, but was interrupted by Amber's hand on his back.

"Are you ok?" Amber asked. Cal nodded and opened the watch again to check the time: 11:23. Cal the watch down on the table in front of him and held his head in his hands.

"What if I can't save her?" Cal asked finally. Amber rubbed his back and sighed.

"If you can't save her, no one can," Amber answered. "If you don't however… Well, I just want you to know that no one can replace her. No one can come close to that… You might wake up every morning with her face seared into your mind for a long time… but eventually… Eventually that pain with subside. Not disappear, but it will become a second thought… But I promise you Cal, if you do all you can to save her tonight… You will…" Cal took a deep breath and sighed.

"How's Mason?" Cal asked, looking up. "How's his project coming along?" Amber smiled lightly.

"He's really throwing himself into this, over doing it in fact…" Amber answered. Cal chuckled lightly.

"Tell him not to strain himself or anything. Bare essentials, that's all. Okay?" Cal said. Amber nodded.

"I'll let him know," Amber answered. She got up to leave, but Cal grabbed her wrist.

"Wait, I just wanted to say… Thanks for that…" Cal said, letting go of her wrist. Amber nodded.

"I meant every word," Amber reassured him. "Especially the part about you doing all you can…" With that, she disappeared, leaving Cal to his watch. Cal sighed and glanced at the watch, putting it in his pocket and putting away the polishing supplies. He opened the refrigerator and held it open for what seemed like hours, till he winced in pain and clutched his heart, falling to the floor. Cal gasped for air, his chest seeming to collapse on him, as if an anvil was on his chest. Cal frantically pulled up his shirt to see the gold growing. Cal put his shirt down and rode through the constant waves of pain, till finally the pain disappeared. Cal breathed deeply, sweat silently dripping down his face, and went to the bathroom. He lifted his shirt to see the gold had spread to near his left shoulder and the right side of his chest. He took a deep breath, turning around, and, using the mirror, saw the exact same positioning of the gold on his back. Cal put his shirt down and splashed some cold water on his face.

-Break-

47 years ago:

A woman sat up on her hospital bed, holding a sleeping child in her arms. A man stood next to her, pride and joy on his face, clear as day. Both a nurse and a doctor entered, the nurse taking the child to do a few tests, and the doctor remaining. The doctor had a mask over his face, but his voice was still clear.

"Have you decided what you are going to name the child?" the doctor asked. The couple glanced at each other, confusion on their faces.

"Um, I believe we already filled out the papers and spoke to another doctor about that," the man asked. The doctor frowned, glanced at his clipboard, and looked back up.

"I'm sorry, are you two not the Jeffersons?" the doctor asked. The couple both shook their heads slowly.

"We are the Wilsons," the woman asked. The doctor 'oh'-ed.

"I'm terribly sorry," the doctor said. He turned to leave, but stopped at the doorway. "May I ask a question?"

"Sure doctor," the woman answered.

"My wife and I are having a child of our own in a few months, but I'm not quite sure how to raise a child… And well, I'm just wondering… How do you know if how you raise your child is the right way?" The couple sighed and looked at each other.

"I suppose you teach him, them, certain values early…" the man answered finally. "Teach them life is precious. Teach them everything about emotions, appropriately of course, and how to understand them is the key to raising a good child…" The woman nodded in agreement.

"He's a philosophy professor," the woman explained. The doctor chuckled and nodded. He stepped back into the room, extending his hand.

"Bartholomew," the doctor said.

"Mr. Wilson," the man answered, shaking his hand.

"Your son will have your grandchildren, a girl and a boy, named Amber Wilson and Callum Orson. I'm sorry to say you won't live long enough to see them, but I promise you that they will make you proud. Your grandchild's fates depend on how you raise your son, and I trust that you two both will raise your son to be the best that he can be…" Bartholomew explained. The couple looked at each other in shock, and when they turned to demand answers from the mysterious doctor, they saw that he had disappeared.

-Break-

Cal broke off the wooden arm of the dummy and spun, slamming his elbow hard into the side of the dummy's blank face. The head flew off into the corner of the room. Cal wiped the sweat from his head and leaned against the dummy. He sighed and went back to the small bench, taking a long drink of water from his bottle. He sat down and glanced at the clock on the wall, 2:58. Sighing and taking another drink of water, Cal became lost in thought as he stared at the wooden boards on the floor.

Mason entered the room, and Cal didn't notice him. He almost silently slid next to Cal, who didn't even move a muscle. There was a long moment of silence, where Mason debated whether or not to speak. Cal was thinking, lost deep in thought. Mason finally broke the silence by clearing his throat, which made Cal jump slightly.

"Just thought I'd update you," Mason said. "Almost done, but floor plan C kinda collapsed, so we're going to have to alter that part." Cal nodded silently. "We could try to fix it though…" Cal shrugged.

"Your choice," Cal mumbled. His eyes were still distant; Cal was still primarily lost in thought. Mason frowned and nodded.

"I'm not going to bother asking if you're alright, but I will ask what's got you so distracted?" Mason asked. Cal sighed and shook his head lightly.

"What am I?" Cal asked finally. "I mean, I'm half human and half…"

"Half god," Mason finished. "I believe the term is 'demigod'."

"Ok," Cal continued. "I'm a demigod—"

"More like a god… I mean, after all, you've survived certain death how many times now?" Mason added.

"Okay," Cal said. "I'm borderline a god… I can't seem to die… I've been told repeatedly that I can accomplish anything… Potens chose me to help protect the world… But he has rules… Rules that limit his influence in the world… But if I can do practically anything, why don't I have rules? What's stopping me from going crazy… like the last time...?" Mason sighed and toyed with his hands.

"Last time you didn't though. You may have gotten close, but almost doesn't count…" Mason pointed out.

"That's true, but consider this… What if next time I can't control it? What if I lose it and I destroy the world?" Cal asked. "Chronos has an army, and this time it isn't just a handful of braindead demon monsters… This time it's… an actual, super-powered army…"

"Cal, if you remember, it was because Annabeth died… and you've gotten stronger since then. You won't let Kara die, and you certainly won't go berserk," Mason reassured him. Cal sighed and ran his hands through his hair.

"Bartholomew said that my pain is my power…" Cal continued. "And if I… If I can do practically anything… and stopping me would just make me stronger… Then what is stopping me from, well, stopping everything?" Mason shrugged.

"In all honesty, nothing," Mason answered honestly. Cal scoffed and glanced at him. "But I know it will never come to that…" Cal sighed. "But if it's any consolation, I'll kill you if it comes to that…" Mason stood up and sighed. "Deal? Can we put this matter to rest so I can get back to work?" Cal smiled weakly and nodded. Mason left. Cal sighed again and glanced at the dummy, which had been replaced by a new, fixed one.

-Break-

Over 16 years ago:

A man and a woman went, hand in hand, down the street, the early morning sun beginning to brighten the world around them, warming their skin. The woman had a slight baby bump, which was just beginning to show, but clearly evident. They were in deep discussion.

"What about the name 'Joseph'?" the man asked. The woman thought for a moment, but shuddered and shook his head.

"No," the woman said. The man frowned.

"And why not?" he asked, confused.

"Joseph is a name that you would name your likeness. But our little boy is just that, OURS," she answered. The man stopped her.

"What did you see?" he asked. She opened her mouth to talk, but he continued. "And don't lie to me, I saw you shudder…" She closed her mouth and continued walking.

"Nothing good," she said finally. "You've got lots of familial issues in other worlds…" The man chuckled.

"I've got lots of familial issues in THIS world," he said. "For instance, naming family." She laughed, amused.

"Are you trying to tell me something?" she asked, joking. The man briefly stopped her and kissed her passionately.

"I will admit that you are, and I say this proudly, are NOT a problem whatsoever," he said. The woman smiled and kissed him back.

"I'm glad to hear that," she replied. He smiled and took her hand. They continued walking, thinking about possible names.

"What about Bartholomew?" he asked. She laughed and shook her head.

"Too close to home, at least in the future it will be," she answered.

"Destiny, I'm running low on names, can't you just peek into the future to what we name him?" he asked. Destiny laughed.

"I suppose I could, but that would ruin all the fun," she replied. "I love seeing you struggling to find the right name. But once it's said, I'll know." The man smiled.

"Well, time to turn to Google eh?" the man suggested. She laughed, and they arrived back at their home, opening the fence and walking to the door. "You know Amber's missed you while you've been off working?" Destiny beamed.

"Well, I'd try to have what people call 'office hours', but my father doesn't exactly appreciate me being gone as often as I am already," she explained. "Hell, he barely let me come down here to see you again…" He laughed and kissed her.

"Well, I'm still glad I see you as often as I do," he said honestly. "Charles?"

"Hm, no," came the reply. He chuckled and opened the door, and a small child rushed forward, whizzing past her father and into the arms of Destiny. Her father smiled, and Destiny hugged Amber back.

"Destiny! I missed you!" Amber yelled excitedly. Destiny beamed.

"I missed you too, Amber," she replied. Amber broke the hug and glared at her father.

"You don't bring her around enough," Amber declared, angry at her father. Destiny smiled at Amber's unabashed frustration. Destiny knelt down next to Amber, rubbing her back.

"Amber, your father doesn't have control when I can come by," Destiny admitted.

"I can't stop her from leaving or coming," her father admitted. Destiny winked at the last word. Amber frowned.

"But Daddy, you can do anything!" Amber protested. "You could stop Darkseid with your bare hands!" Her father knelt down and looked Amber in the eyes.

"I'm not that quite skilled," he admitted, glancing at Destiny, who was still smiling. "And Destiny here is free to come and go as she pleases." Destiny again winked at the word. Amber began pouting and turned to Destiny.

"Can you stay here? Live with us?" Amber begged. Destiny smiled.

"I tell you what, when I'm not here I'll try to call in as often as I can. Sound good?" Destiny bargained. Amber frowned.

"And text?" Amber pushed. Destiny smiled and nodded.

"And text," Destiny agreed. Amber grinned and hugged her again.

"YAY!" Amber exclaimed.

"I'm glad you're happy," Destiny said. "But I was wondering if I could talk to your father alone. I'll call you when we're done?" Amber sighed.

"You mean you'll call me to say good-bye…" Amber said, pouting. Destiny sighed.

"Maybe, but one day I promise I'll take you to the park for a picnic," Destiny promised. Amber perked up slightly.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Ok!" Amber said, leaving to go to her room. Destiny walked to the living room and sat down on the couch. The man sat down next to her. She took his hand.

"How about… Callum?"

-Break-

The sun was beginning to set, its golden orange hues starting to turn into its deep purple. The warm comfort was also leaving, leaving behind a slight chill in the bone. The moon was full and peeking on the horizon.

Cal put on his helmet, the familiar feeling creating a slight sense of comfort. He took a deep breath and teleported himself to the west gate entering the park. Upon entering, Cal noticed the bright red and blue, and the several officers stood guard around the gate, with a barricade. Behind the police cruisers was police tape and more officers, with a swarm of people, primarily news reports, behind them. The officers quickly stepped aside to let The Protector walk through. He took a deep breath and stepped up to the gates of the park, Reverse Flash and Bizarro instantly appeared on the inside of the park. Reverse Flash held a pair of Cal's specially designed handcuffs in his hands, twirling it around. The Protector took a step forward and extended his wrists. Reverse Flash instantly zipped in front of him, cuffing him in the process. The Protector silently glared at the both of them, and Bizarro growled lightly.

"I hope you took my advice to heart," Reverse Flash said. "And didn't decide to try any tricks…" The Protector didn't respond as he was led towards the amphitheater at the center of the park. They passed countless trees, a few scarce squirrels rustled in the bushes. The walk was fairly long and nobody spoke. Bizarro made a few grunts at various shrubbery and birds, which flew away in haste. As they reached the entrance to the amphitheater, the sun had fully set and only the full moon and the brightest stars shone in the sky. The amphitheater lights were on, a stinging brightness like a nighttime football field. A few new choppers circled around the edges of the amphitheater, their own spotlights emphasizing areas and seemingly searching for something. As The Protector entered the amphitheater, he realized the stands were almost completely full of villains. Taking a deep breath, The Protector took a strong step down the stairs, ignoring the overwhelming jeers and shouts, spit flying on his armor. The Joker leapt forward and slammed his fist into The Protector's helmet. Cal twisted and fell to one knee, dazed. Bizarro slammed The Joker back into the crowd and wrenched him back to his feet, painfully, and The Protector continued his walk of shame down the steps. Chronos stood on the stage, his eyes glinting with evil, and his face contorted into a smug grin. Behind him was Kara, fresh cuts dripping with blood. Bruises showed all over her visible flesh, especially the legs and arms, but one particular bruise made Callum's blood boil. Over Kara's left eye was a nasty, vivid black eye, swollen and partially opened. A small cut on the top of her forehead added to that heat, as it slowly dripped down the side of her face. Kara was hung by the wrists from a glowing green chain connected to the very top of the stage ceiling. The Protector made it to the front of the stage, which was a large semicircle. He noticed a large, covered object in the back corner of the stage before Chronos spoke.

"Hello," Chronos said. "Callum…" The Protector didn't move or speak. Chronos' grin grew. "What? No greeting for your old buddy?" Callum glared at Chronos.

"Let the girl go," The Protector demanded. "Let her go and take me!" Chronos laughed and tisked.

"That's not how this works," Chronos explained. "Callum Orson, son of… Well, no one really cares who your father is, so we'll leave that out. Callum, take off your armor now, or the girl gets a little taste of hell…" The Protector growled lightly, but didn't fight and slowly took off his helmet first. As he did, the crowd behind him cheered and hollered. Once Callum's helmet was off, the crowd fell silent. Chronos' eyes glimmered in triumph. The news choppers above centered their spotlights on Callum, and the world knew. Cal continued to remove his armor, slowly but surely. Finally, Cal threw of his chest plate, revealing a bomb vest, covered with enough explosives to level the entire park and then some. Before anyone could react, Cal flicked his wrist and pressed the switch in his hand, but held it down. The villains panicked, but Chronos just smirked.

"You'd blow up your pretty little girl and yourself to destroy us?" Chronos asked, gesturing to the villains around him. "What doesn't she have to say about this?" Chronos snapped, and Kara was released from the chains, falling to her knees. Kara's eyes opened slowly, taking in everything around her.

"Cal? You came for me?" Kara asked, confused. She registered the bomb vest and the villains and Chronos, and she knew what Cal was thinking. "Do it!" Kara reassured him. Eyes watery, Cal and Kara stared into each other's eyes as Cal let go of the switch.

BOOM

Cal gasped as his eyes flipped open to see a huge smoking crater, about five feet in every direction, but no further. A light rain began pattering the ground, the smoking crater hissing with each droplet. Cal winced as he got to his feet, his under-suit practically gone. The golden glow over his chest had spread, reaching his lower neck and waist. Kara watched in slight joy at Cal being okay. Chronos sat on the edge of the stage, dangling his legs over. When he saw Callum awaken, and his golden glow begin to shine, he raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I'm glad our party can still continue, but what's with the… what's it called… pimp glow?" Chronos asked. "Parasite, let's get him under control." Parasite jumped from the stands and landed next to Cal, who pushed Parasite back before he could touch him. But since Cal was still cuffed, Parasite managed to grab his face. Parasite grinned as Cal felt his strength and power drain from him, but a flash of gold later, and Cal had Parasite's neck in his hand and felt his strength returning, as well as Parasite's strength. Cal's body began glowing harsher, and Parasite groaned. Chronos quickly stood up, ready to intervene.

"Let him go, Callum!" Chronos demanded. Cal hesitated a moment, but let Parasite go, who fell to his knees and quickly scrambled away. Cal broke the handcuffs apart, and his gold became even harsher.

"Now Callum, you should have anticipated I was faster on the draw than a BOMB," Chronos said, gesturing around him. "I do control more than time after all…" He walked over to the large, covered object in the corner of the stage. He pulled it forward and gestured to Cal. "Come on up, and don't bother trying anything. Supergirl will be dead in, well, a heartbeat." Callum glared at him, fists clenched, but walked up to the stage. Chronos grinned evilly and pulled off the cover, revealing a machine.

This machine wasn't super complicated, a large cylindrical tube, with a satellite on the top. Installed into its side was a series of dials, levers, and buttons. The center part of the machine was empty, encased in transparent glass, with stairs and a faint outline of a door behind it. Chronos dramatically gestured to it.

"Now, before we begin, I must admit, that this night, however rainy as it may be, could not have been possible without Mr. Lex Luthor. He helped procure the parts for this machine and the money for all of you to be able to be here. Round of applause to the richest villain around!" Chronos declared, and the entire amphitheater burst into applause. After the applause died down, Chronos cruelly smiled at Callum.

"This machine, Callum, please enter it, is my greatest achievement, next to destroying my worst enemy. This machine gathers all the misdeeds of the entire universe, if set correctly, and the occupant inside is crushed and pressurized until, well, until either the universe runs out of misdeeds since its set time or they die," Chronos explained. Callum angrily stood outside the machine.

"I won't do it," Cal declared. Chronos shrugged.

"Fine, then she will!" Chronos decided. He snapped his fingers and eight villains grabbed Cal and held him back. He went over to Kara and grabbed her hair, pulling her towards the machine. Kara winced and yelped as Chronos tugged her hair.

"NO! WAIT!" Cal yelled. "I'll do it! Just let her go!" Chronos laughed and continued to tug Kara towards the machine.

"Too late Callum, I didn't want any backslash from you and now she suffers!" Chronos yelled. He threw Kara into the machine and closed the door. He went to the dials and levers and messed with the controls a bit. "How does the last year sound? Huh, Callum? Is that enough to put you in your place?!" Chronos pulled a lever and a large, fitting rock fell from the top of the machine and onto Kara, who yelled in pain and struggled to push the rock back up. The rock had one large tube, which acted as a pump and pushed the rock down on Kara harder.

"NO!" Cal yelled. Chronos chuckled evilly.

"You brought this on her!" Chronos said. "You refused to play your part!" Rain poured even harder, and the wind whipped. Cal glared at him, furious.

"Let her go! Stop it! I do it!" Cal demanded. Chronos shook his head.

"Once it starts, I can't stop it. I designed it that way so no heroes could stop it from bearing down upon you," Chronos explained. Cal's eyes flashed gold, and he fought the villains on him off, like a wild beast. He kicked one, punched another, bashed a third with his elbow, kicked the first one again. They didn't stop or let go, so Cal's eyes flashed again and the villains flew back. Cal rushed to the machine and trying to open the door, but it was like it was glued shut. Chronos watched on in amusement as Cal continued to unsuccessfully open the door. Kara's eyes were shut, and her face contorted into a face of devastating pain. Her mouth was open, like she was trying to scream, but no sound came out of her mouth. Cal managed to rip the door off, and rushed inside. He lifted the rock above Kara and held it, ignoring the screaming in his muscles. Using one hand, he took Kara's and guided her out the deadly machine. Kara weakly crawled out, and Chronos snapped his fingers, causing the door to snap back shut. Chronos grinned and went back to the dials, turning each and every dial all the way up. With that, he pulled another lever, and the rock pushed down harder on Cal. Cal winced, but kept his mouth shut. Kara struggled to move or even protest, and Chronos' eyes filled with unmistakable glee. Lightning flashed, and thunder boomed, striking close to the amphitheater. Chronos stood up and addressed the villainous crowd.

"My dear acquaintances, I must admit, I expected more resistance, but Callum, possibly the most dangerous enemy of ours, is defeated. This trap with either kill him, or render him completely paralyzed, harmless, and insane," Chronos promised. "Together, the Justice League is no match for us! Together, we shall destroy the world, and rebuild it in our own image! I shall lead us to VICTORY!" The crowd roared in acceptance, but were quickly silenced by a barrage of thunder and lightning. Cal listened in pain as his muscles gave way, only for a moment, which was enough. Cal fell to one knee, and his body screamed in pain. Kara weakly began to try to crawl to Cal's cage. Chronos began a long speech, delving into the plans and ideas he had for destroying the Justice League. Kara finally made it to the glass and laid on the stairs, her eyes filled with tears. Cal noticed her and struggled to shift himself towards her, still trying to comfort the girl he loved, still putting her first above all else, ignoring the agonizing pain coursing through his body like a deadly avalanche. He faltered against the nearly overwhelming pain and the rock was pressed against his back, and he was on his hands and knees. Cal looked at Kara and slowly placed his hand against the glass and smiled weakly. Kara's face turned into a somber, yet comforted, look, and she placed her hand over Cal's. Cal's smile brightened up slightly, but the significant pain was obvious. Kara laid on the cold, metal steps and watched as Cal slowly slumped to the chilling metal grates; the pain overwhelming him. Kara stared into his eyes, etching them into her brain. Cal's gold chest began to dim, slowly but surely. Kara's eyes watered as she watched Cal die the most painful death imaginable. As the rain poured down, as the lightning lit up the sky, as the thunder echoed across the park, Cal slowly died. The rain fell into Kara's eyes, and she struggled to keep her eyes open. The pattering was so calming and relaxing that, and partially due to Kara's exhausted state, Kara fell asleep, wishing, hoping that Cal would come out on top. Cal watched as Kara fell asleep and her face relaxed. Cal struggled to breath, but enjoyed the sight of Kara peacefully sleeping. Cal struggled to breath and his vision began fading as he felt his body, muscle by muscle, beginning to give up. Cal fell to his side, the rock pressing into him and beginning to crush his bones. Cal winced and was ready to die, but as he let go, he saw Kara's sleeping figure through the blurry vision and the water around the machine's door. He saw her sleeping and thought about all the times they had together. The mall, the beach, the park, the Watchtower. Cal focused and, using the last of his strength, got back on his feet and locked his joints. Chronos saw the confused looks in the crowd, and quickly turned to see Callum standing strong in the machine. A look of complete anger and confusion crossed Chronos' face. Chronos stormed over to the dials again and pulled off the top panel.

"You know," Chronos told the crowd. "The machine is automatically designed to put the least amount of pressure, to make the pain last, but it seems Callum is very resilient. Instead, I installed a secret switch to… UP that base pressure." Chronos flicked the switch and watched in amusement as Cal steadily fell to his knees again. Lighting flashed furiously, and a barrage of thunder was like the crashing cymbals, deafening to the ears.

For the next few minutes, Chronos simply watched Cal go through indescribable pain. Chronos' face was one of that of a small child on Christmas: joy evident on his face, like Callum was his Christmas gift. Cal's gold chest slowly shrunk and faded, till Cal was just himself kneeling under the intense pain of everyone's misdeeds. Yet as the gold faded, the wind whipped harder, the lighting flashed more often, and the thunder boomed louder. Every corrupt thought, every evil deed, every little thing that no one had a second thought about that was wrong was bearing down upon him.

Ba bum…

Cal struggled to breathe, every gasp for air a burden.

Chronos watched on in glee.

Some villains watched in unabashed entertainment.

Others winced and refused to watch the torture of their enemy.

Ba bum…

Cal closed his eyes and listened one last time, in his mind's eye, Kara's laugh. A sweet, pure laugh that meant the world to him.

Ba bum…

Cal closed his eyes and pictured one last time, in his mind's eye, Kara's smile. An amazing, perfect smile that meant the world to him.

Ba bum…

Cal closed his eyes and recalled one last time, in his mind's eye, Kara. She was beautiful, plain and simple.

Ba bum…

Her blonde hair fell to her shoulders in light curls.

Ba bum…

Her stunning blue eyes that captured his.

Ba bum…

The rock pressed against Cal's chest gave way, the pain finally ending, but every molecule in his body ached in pain. Nevertheless, Cal breathed a sigh of relief and, with Kara's face still in his mind, smiled and died…

Chronos watched as the rock lifted and checked the panels. 'Session finished' was what it read. Chronos shook his head in disbelief.

"Callum has surprisingly survived an entire millennia of misdeeds, pain, and suffering. Round of applause for his determination!" Chronos ordered, and the amphitheater filled with the sound of clapping hands. Chronos walked up the stairs, politely stepping over Kara, and wrenched the door open. He grabbed Callum by the throat and pulled him out of the machine, taking him to the center of the stage.

"Behold, the high and mighty Callum!" Chronos mocked. Kara's eyes fluttered open at the loud roar of the villainous applause. Kara frowned and watched Chronos dangle Callum over the edge of the stage, his body limp.

"I don't feel a pulse!" Chronos declared. "I suppose he just barely managed to survive long enough to bear the pain…" With that, Chronos dropped Cal's limp body over the edge of the stage. Kara gasped in disbelief and shock, and rolled on her back to take it all in. Cal's body hit the ground with a thud, and thunder rumbled one last time, and the rain stopped. The wind died down. The sky cleared to reveal the beautiful stars and the full, shining moon. But, just as suddenly as the weather stopped, it began again, and light snow began to fall from the clear sky. Everyone stopped and watched in wonder as one snowflake after another appeared from the empty sky. Kara felt one snowflake land on her forehead, and she felt the calming coolness of it. Chronos frowned and scoffed.

"I guess it's going to be a white Christmas, and RED!" Chronos laughed. The crowd followed his lead and laughed back. "We're going to take over the world, one hero at a time!" The crowd roared again. "How about we jump start this puppy now?!" The crowd roared in agreement. Chronos walked over to Kara and grabbed her by the throat, as he had with Callum, and brought her to the center of the stage. He materialized a sword and held it to her throat. "Who wants me to cut her throat?"

"Stab her in the heart!" someone in the audience cried.

"Torture her again!" another shouted.

"Nail her to a tree!" another suggested. Chronos listened to the suggestions.

"Now, now," Chronos decided. "One torture is enough; we don't want her to die on us mid-way. I heard stab her in the heart, let's go with that!" He backed his arm up and readied himself to stab her.

"Wait!" a voice called out. Everyone turned to see who had spoken to see Lex Luthor standing at the entrance to the park. "As your great investor, perhaps I should get the honors?" Chronos grinned evilly.

"Of course!" Chronos answered. "I didn't expect you to come…" Everyone watched in eagerness, except Kara, as Lex took the stage and the sword from Chronos' hand.

"Well, you outed me on national television," Lex said. "I figured the best place to be would be among friends." Lex raised his arm to swing.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you!" a deep and threatening voice rang out. The audience gasped in shock, and Chronos' eyes were wide with both fear and surprise. Kara frowned, confused and scared. Lex looked in confusion.

"I thought you said he was dead!" Lex said, outraged. Everyone looked at the base of the stage to see Callum leaning against it.

But this wasn't Callum.

Callum had deep hazel eyes, but this guy had the darkest blue eyes, borderline black. It was Cal's body, but not his voice, and certainly not his eyes. Callum wasn't himself. The man flexed his fingers like the joints hadn't been moved in ages.

"I wouldn't kill her if I were you," the man said. He walked over to the stairs and climbed them. Lex dropped Kara to the floor of the stage and staggered back.

"You're dead!" Chronos declared. The man grinned evilly.

"Who, me?" the man asked. "Of course not, don't be ridiculous."

"But you had no pulse…" Chronos said, trying to figure it out.

"Ah yes, the old 'super-fast beating heart that seems like it isn't there' trick, yes. That's what you're thinking right?" the man asked. Chronos frowned.

"That wouldn't have worked, I sensed that he was dead…" Chronos said. The man took a step forward, and everyone backed away.

"Well, either way, Callum is dead. At least, he's in Death's landscape. I don't die till Cal's crossed over," the man said.

"Then who are you?" Lex demanded. The man laughed.

"Oh yes, that WOULD be confusing. How do I put this…? You know how Callum is all good and pure and heroic?" the man asked. Chronos nodded. "Well, where do you suppose all his evil and darkness went? I'm the dark side of Callum. Not the evil, per se, but the sadistic anger and selfishness." Chronos frowned.

"What do I call you?" Lex asked. "And why would you want Supergirl to live?" The man sighed.

"I don't have a name, and I don't want one. I share a body with Callum, and he calls the shots. I don't bite the hand that feeds me… however often he does," the man answered, an evil glint in his eyes. "And as for the girl, I don't particularly care for her, but as I've seen Callum refuses to die. For me this is about survival, and if she dies Callum will go insane and destroy pretty much everything, which would negate the need for me and therefore destroy me. I don't hold the keys in the body; Callum does. But I do have one key for the castle…" He spun around and punched Bizarro, who had snuck behind him. His eyes flashed an enveloping black and before anyone could react, the man had Bizarro in a very strong choke hold. Bizarro's eyes closed, and he was soon out cold. Before Bizarro could die, the man tossed him to the side. The man sighed.

"If I kill him, Callum will know…" the man said to himself, eyes closed and breathing deeply. He opened his eyes. "I wouldn't fight me if I were you. I'm physically stronger than Callum." He took a step forward, and Kara scrambled out of the way. "So I'm going to say this once… disband this merry gang of villains, or I'll do Callum and myself a favor and kill you all. I could use the exercise…" Lex nodded discreetly towards Circe, who waved her hands and whispered a spell. The man chuckled, amused.

"You know a fun little fact about magic?" the man asked, staring daggers at Lex. "Magic is energy through a tiny little tube, and one snap," he snapped his fingers, and Circe began choking. "and the tube breaks, cutting off more than just magic…" Lex backed away further in fear, eyes wide.

Circe fell over, her face blue, and the man sighed and snapped his fingers again. Circe took a deep breath as her eyes rolled into her head, and she fell into a deep sleep.

"Now, who wants to die first?" the man asked, clenching his fists.

"You can't kill a god," Chronos said, testing the waters. The man smirked and scoffed.

"Correction, Callum can't kill a god. I can…" the man replied. "And I will if I have too… Besides, Callum is a human-blooded god… If I do say so myself…"

-Break-

Cal sat straight up, breathing heavily, his body cold. He glanced around and quickly got to his feet. He was in a mansion of some sort, but the carpets were black, the walls were black, and the doors were black. He noticed the lamp on the desk, with a comfortable chair behind it. He saw the chair opposite the desk and, after glancing around again, sat down in it.

A few moments later, the chair was filled with a blonde woman dressed in complete white. White dress, white shoes, white lipstick, white eyes. Her eyes were milky white, with no irises or pupils. Cal frowned, but didn't say anything. The woman sighed, looking down at her papers, and snapped her fingers, making a glass of wine appear.

"Callum, would you like some?" the woman asked. "I know you're too young, but… there's no time like the present." Cal shook his head.

"I'll pass, thanks…" Cal said. He frowned. "So I've finally died..." he guessed. The woman nodded and looked up from her papers.

"And I'm Death," the woman introduced herself. Cal sighed, but before he could speak, Death continued. "Callum, do you know why you never saw me when you died?" Cal shook his head. "Ok, let me explain. The first time I met you, you were on a special list. A watch list if you will. You waited in this very room, waiting patiently. I remember I kept some coloring books and crayons in here, just in case. We get a lot of children on our watch list, sadly, kinda. Anyway, you were about 4 I believe, maybe 3, and just colored away. When I came back, you just looked at me. I told you that you were dead, and you did the rarest thing, even for full grown adults. You just said, 'Ok'. You didn't ask why. You didn't beg to stay alive. You didn't even try to escape through a door… You just accepted it. I was astounded, and before Potens could come and tell me to put you back, I went to him. I went to him and told him I refused to take you. From then on, I didn't bother bring you here, wasting your time, confirming to send you back. Your body healed you, and your life went on… But now I suppose this is the real deal… You suffered for humanity… Now, I won't bother checking your profile, take the door behind you." Cal got up and walked to the door, but stopped and turned to Death.

"But what about Kara?" Cal asked. "What about the world…" Death sighed.

"I'm afraid there's nothing I can do," Death said. "It's not in my power to disobey Father and send you back to help, as much as I'd like to…" Cal sighed and looked away.

"Then… go back for me!" Cal suggested. "Take Potens and whomever and go save Kara for me!" Death signed and took a drink of wine.

"I can't…" Death said.

"Can't… or won't?" Cal asked. Death sighed.

"I swear to you Callum, I can't. Potens put rules and limitations on all of us to make sure we didn't interfere directly with mankind…" Death answered.

"Give me five minutes with him," Cal said. "And after that, I'll go willingly through whatever door you want…" Death sighed.

"I'll see what I can do…" Death promised, and disappeared. Cal swallowed hard and waited.

'Time is of the essence,' Cal thought to himself. 'Who knows what's happening to Kara…' A few moments later, Potens appeared, his face angered.

"Callum," Potens said sadly. "You're dead. You can't go back. I'm sorry." Potens turned to leave, but Cal grabbed his arm.

"I'm not asking to go back," Cal said. "I'm just asking for you to save Kara!" Potens sighed and shook his head.

"We can't interfere," Potens said.

"Can't or won't?" Cal growled. "I'm not asking for an extra moon here; I'm simply asking for Kara, a completely innocent, beautiful person, to be safe…" Potens was taken aback by Cal's angry tone.

"Callum…" Potens started.

"No," Cal said. "If you can't promise me that Kara will be safe, I'll find a way out of here and make sure she's safe myself…" Potens held his hands up in defeat.

"Fine, Callum," Potens said. "You want her safe… I'll let you make sure she is personally…" He snapped his fingers and a bookshelf behind Death's desk slid to the side to reveal a door. Cal quickly walked over to the door, but paused.

"So after she's save… Will I come back here?" Cal asked. Potens sighed and glanced at Death, who refused to meet his gaze.

"We'll see…" Potens decided. "For now, go save Kara…" Cal nodded and quickly opened the door and entered through it. After Cal left, Potens snapped his fingers and suddenly he was with the rest of his family, sitting at a table.

For a while, no one spoke. Everyone knew why they were here, but no one wanted to speak first. Finally, Potens stood up.

"I've felt the future…" Potens said. "Months after Callum dies, Kara's grief and rage will be too strong to ignore… Her mind will call to a red lantern ring, and the ring will find its way to her… With that ring… Kara will work to undo all the goodness that Callum alone has brought… and then some… So, what are the thoughts?" Everyone sighed.

"Bring Callum back…" Destiny said almost immediately. Karma agreed.

"What are the chances of Kara accepting the ring?" Mark asked. Tiffany shot him a glare.

"Astronomically high. It's more likely that we decide to completely destroy the world and restart…" Potens answered. Mark and Veronica frowned. Walter took Veronica's hand.

"It's simple, we bring him back…" Walter said, staring at Veronica. Tiffany wiped the tears from her eyes. Mark took her hand reassuringly. Potens shook his head.

"You know that I would move heaven and earth to keep Walter," Veronica said. "And Kara would do anything to bring him back… We have to bring him back for her, because—"

"Because you brought us all together," Walter finished. Veronica smiled at him.

"We can't just keep breaking our rules though," Potens said.

"But Callum is already an exception to our rules…" Space pointed out. There was a long silence.

"Perhaps we should let nature run its course?" Time asked. "Nature seems to sort out the evil in the end…" Potens frowned.

"Nature…" Potens mumbled, frowning deeply.

"Perhaps there is a loop hole we can find?" Tiffany asked. Potens' eyes lit up, and he looked at his family with eagerness.

-Break-

Upon entering, Cal was instantly in his body, staring down Chronos and Lex Luthor. Something inside his mind moved, and Cal bent over in pain for a second. Wincing, Cal got back up to see Chronos studying him. Kara looked at him in curiosity and joy.

"So you refuse to die?" Chronos asked. "Do you have a bargain with the devil?" Cal grinned and, without thinking, materialized his golden swords. The crowd of villains bristled, ready to strike.

"Not quite," Cal answered. "More like Death doesn't want me…" Chronos backed away in fear. What Callum didn't realize was that his entire body had a golden glow. His eyes were almost completely gold, both the irises and pupils, but not the whites of his eyes. All around him, a gold aura enveloped him.

"Get him!" shouted Chronos, who grabbed Kara and disappeared through a portal before Cal could grab him. Cal growled angrily and turned to see a mob of enraged villains stomping towards him. Cal threw down the swords, determined not to kill, but prepared to fight.

The first idiot to attack the pissed-off-beyond-belief-Callum-Orson was Reverse Flash, whom Cal punched once, really hard, and knocked unconscious. The next fool was Cheetah, who slashed at Cal with her sharp claws. Cal caught her wrists and kicked her into the wave of criminals. Next up was Clayface, who covered Callum to the point that Cal couldn't breathe. Relaxed, Cal's aura dried Clayface around him, and a sharp twist later caused Clayface to crumble to dust around him. Cal watched as Gorilla Grodd leapt over the villains in front of him, landing in front of Callum and roaring. Cal didn't flinch and caught the heavy punch with one fist, growling and shoving him back. Grodd growled.

"You're… stronger…" Grodd noticed. Cal didn't reply. "No matter, I will still destroy you…" He rushed Cal, and Cal ducked, slamming his fist into Grodd's gut. Grodd flew back into the crowd, following in Cheetah's footsteps. Cal felt a sword swinging towards his back, but before he could turn, a sharp ting signaled the sword had been stopped by another sword. Cal turned in surprise to see Deathstroke standing between him and Lex Luthor, both holding swords. Deathstroke's armor was its traditional black and gold, with silver spots in the armor. Deathstroke stood, gleaming sword in hand. He glanced back at Callum, nodding, and if Callum could see under his helmet, he would has seen the proud grin of his father. Deathstroke continued to sword fight Lex, clashing swords with expertise. Cal turned back to keep fighting the villains, but several flashes of light later revealed the Justice League, in all their glory. Superman nodded to Callum, an apologetic look in his eyes. The rest of the Justice League appeared, and Cal breathed a sigh of relief. Batman landed next to Cal, with Power-Girl hovering beside him. Batman expertly kicked Shade away, and Power-Girl landed a heavy punch in Solomon Grundy's face. Cal grabbed and threw Metallo over his shoulder. Batman calmly grabbed Cal's shoulder, and Cal flinched.

"Go get her," Batman said. Cal nodded and ran towards the portal, but Bizarro tackled him before he could jump into the portal. Cal growled and shoved Bizarro off him, but Bizarro growled angrier and jumped back on him, repeatedly slamming his fist into Cal's face. Cal winced with each hit and struck back harder, causing Bizarro to get off him. Bizarro got off him and flew into the stage wall, grunting. Cal swiftly got to his feet and ran towards the portal, but Bizarro flew forward to intercept him. Cal braced himself, but Power-Girl intercepted Bizarro. Power-Girl briefly nodded to Cal, who nodded back and jumped through the portal. After Cal left, the Justice League swiftly defeated and captured most of the villains, some of which escaped.

-The Forest Where Annabeth Died-

Cal stepped through the portal, pupils and irises pure, glittering gold. The forest around him was green and lush, smelling of fresh, clean air. He noticed the familiar trees, marks still in the grown bark that reminded him of the last time he was here. He looked around to see Chronos holding his sword to Kara's throat. Kara's face was full of fear and pain. Cal tensed, but didn't speak.

"Well, Callum," Chronos said, speaking first. "I suppose this is the end, but in all honesty I thought it would go differently. I thought you'd be dead by now…" Cal growled. "Now, here's how this is going to go. You're going to give up, and I won't kill your girl…" Cal winced in pain and fell to the ground, his head feeling like it was about to explode. Cal shut his eyes tight, and Chronos watched in curiosity. Kara frowned in fear, but watched in confusion. Suddenly, Cal's eyes flew open, and he stood up. Kara gasped as she noticed his gold eyes turned into a dark blue, almost black. Callum wasn't Callum anymore, and Chronos knew it. Chronos frowned.

"So, you ran like a coward?" the man asked, his dark eyes glinting with amusement. "And left your weak minions to me…" Chronos studied the man, unsure what to do.

"You mentioned being unable to kill…" Chronos started, and the man laughed.

"I suppose I did, but Callum is still weak, and I have been locked up in there for ages, growing, waiting, biding my time… I must say, Lex went out squealing like a pig…" the man replied.

"Impossible!" Chronos called his bluff. "There's no scratches or blood on you anywhere!" The man chuckled.

"I could have killed them all blindfolded without a scratch. Besides, most of their blood has diseases, and I'm all about survival…" the man answered. "But it was fun to watch Reverse Flash's burns and cuts heal…" Chronos shook his head.

"Either way, I had a plan B," Chronos said, snapping his fingers. A rustling in the forest caught the man's attention, and he watched as an ordinary man walked out of the brush. The man studied him.

"Your plan B is what exactly?" the man asked, slightly bored. Chronos laughed.

"I'll let him explain," Chronos answered, gesturing for his ally to speak.

"Well, as you know," the man began, "Callum was chosen to protect worlds, called Guardians. But you see, he wasn't chosen by God, in fact, quite a long shot from God. For his very first pick, he chose by lot, a random picking. And I was chosen, receiving the power of a god. At first, I will admit, I did good and protected worlds from devastation, but then it hit me… Why should I continue to protect world upon world from death and disaster while putting myself in harm's way? After all, nature chose me! I realized that I should wipe out each world, creating a clean slate for all, and reshape it all in my own image. You see, he said I 'went mad with power', but in fact I simply realized the truth… I have a better vision for life than life itself does… I deserve to be the creator and destroyer. I deserve to punish the wicked and reward the faithful. But HE was stronger than me, and cast me into what humanity calls 'hell'…"

"You're the Devil to Poten's 'God'," evil Callum realized. The other man nodded.

"He called me that as he cast me into that abyss," the devil declared. "And I crawled my way out, kicking and screaming, back into the world… I took those with similar ideals and nothing left to become my… protégés, if you will. Darren, for instance, was one of them, and yet you managed to beat him somehow… It's annoying not knowing some things… But alas, I know this doesn't end well for you, Callum, or the girl." Evil Callum smiled and chuckled, which gradually turned into a loud, hearty laugh. Chronos and the devil looked at each other confused.

"What is so funny?" Chronos asked, clutching Kara tighter. Kara's face was white with fear.

"You…" the man said between breaths. "You… made a deal… with the devil!" The man laughed loudly, echoing into the forest. He laughed for a minute or two before calming down and catching his breath. "Haven't you seen TV? The devil always screws over the client in the end!"

"He will not!" Chronos declared. "I could kill him!" The man laughed again.

"No, no you couldn't, and he knows that… You two have completely different ideas of fresh start! You see, you, Chronos, want to rule over everyone and everything, as a complete dictator. But the devil here… He simply wants to destroy everything in spite of Potens!" the man explained, laughing more. Kara wasn't sure what to think anymore. The devil looked at Chronos, defensive.

"I want to build a better world!" the devil lied. Chronos stared him down.

"Either way, Callum is our enemy, so let's destroy him first!" the devil continued. Chronos nodded and threw Kara to the side, twirling his swords in hand. The devil made a spear appear, and wielded it with ferocity. The man watched in amusement.

"Oh, so that's how it's going to be?" the man asked, smiling. "Well, I'd better give Callum back the reins…" The trio in front of Callum watched as his eyes went from dark blue to back to a pure gold. Cal shook his head and rubbed his eyes, frowning.

"Did that just happen?" Cal asked. He noticed the swords and sighed. "Yes it did…" he muttered to himself. He glanced at Kara, worried, but all he saw on her face was pain and fear. Fear of what, Cal couldn't tell, but he wasn't sure he wanted to know. Cal materialized his swords and swung them a bit, getting used to the familiar feel.

"Care for a dance with the devil?" the devil asked, lunging at Cal.

Cal skillfully blocked the spear and narrowly avoided the dual swords. He spun, getting behind the devil, but the devil was quick. He swung his spear around, and Cal ducked. Cal rolled under his spear and jabbed at his calf with one sword, fending off Chronos with the other. He quickly withdrew his sword from the devil's calf and jumped back to safety. The devil growled and admired the wound, thick with red blood. Chronos raised an eyebrow.

"It seems I've underestimated you Callum, Potens chose well!" the devil remarked, touching his wound and healing it perfectly. He straightened up and lunged at Cal again. Cal jumped back, but the spear continued towards him. Cal blocked the spear, pushing it into Chronos' way and got in close, elbowing the devil in the face. The devil grunted and backed away, wiping a little blood from his cut lip. Chronos didn't stop, taking the opportunity to strike. He locked swords with Callum, determined to land the finishing blow quickly. Cal watched each strike, looking for an opening until he felt the spear catch his foot, tripping him. Cal fell to the ground, the air knocked out of him, but rolled out of the way of the swords. As the spear jabbed towards him, Cal rolled back towards Chronos, but after he felt the spear hit the ground, rolled back onto the spear till his weight broke it. Bewildered, the devil backed away as Cal drew closer. Cal briefly spun around, blocking Chronos' strikes and kicking him back. But before he could turn around, the devil jumped on him, burying a knife in his back. Cal grunted and winced, elbowing the devil in the face and throwing him off, but the damage was done. Cal spun around to stab the devil, but Chronos took his chance and stabbed Cal through the heart. Cal fell to his hands and knees, gasping in pain. The devil grinned and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. Cal coughed blood, and the evil duo circled Cal, triumph in their eyes. Cal felt his blood pour onto the ground, wetting the green grass with blood. The devil landed a solid kick in Cal's ribs, sending him flying into a nearby tree. Cal hit the tree with a grunt.

"No!" Kara yelled, scrambling to Cal. The devil and Chronos watched in amusement as Kara limped to Cal, but she didn't make it as Chronos kicked her away from Cal. Kara yelped as she hit the tree, and the evil duo turned their attention to her. The devil walked over to Kara and grabbed her by the chin, admiring her.

"I must admit that Callum couldn't have chosen better concerning looks…" the devil admitted. "However, personally, I would have found someone less of a do-gooder… But, we're not perfect creatures…" He raised his knife above his head and buried it deep within her chest.

"NO!" Cal yelled, but they paid no attention to him. Kara gasped, and clutched the knife, struggling unsuccessfully to keep the blood in. Quickly, the blood poured from her wound, and soon after her eyes went dull and blank. A low growl brought Chronos and the devil's attention back to Cal, who was getting to his feet. Cal's eyes were gold still, and there was a whirlwind of gold around him, tossing the fallen leaves at his feet. The golden whirlwind whipped through his hair, and both Chronos and the devil took a step back in fear. Cal picked up his swords, staring daggers at them. They readied their weapons; a new sword in hand for the devil. Cal took a deep breath and charged.

Cal swung. Chronos blocked. The devil stabbed, and Cal deflected with his other hand. Chronos sliced Cal's arm, and Cal winced, spun around them, and slammed the hilt of his sword into Chronos' head. Chronos stumbled forward, but Cal wasn't finished. Cal faced the devil and with one swift block and one swift cut, the devil's arm came off. The devil yelled in pain, and frantically thrusted towards Cal. One frantic thrust was lucky, and the sword was buried into Cal's stomach. Cal winced, and his golden whirlwind whipped harder. Cal growled, grabbing the devil's wrist, and pulled the sword deeper into him, till only the handle was left. Cal jumped back, and the devil let go of his sword, causing Cal to land the blade coming out of his back in Chronos' shoulder. Chronos yelled in pain, and Cal pulled the sword out of his chest and flicked it towards the devil, which caught itself in his leg. Cal rolled off Chronos, grabbing his swords and getting to his feet. Cal tilted due to dizziness and blood loss, but something inside him kept him mostly upright. Cal wiped the blood from his mouth and watched as the they got to their feet and grabbed their weapons; the devil's arm beginning to grow back already. Cal stared them down, and they lunged towards him.

Chronos stabbed at Cal. Cal side-stepped and blocked it. The devil swung, and Cal ducked and swung at Chronos' leg. Cal swept up Chronos' legs, and he fell on his back. With his other sword, Cal blocked the devil's. Chronos got to his feet as Cal and the devil continued clashing. Moving swiftly, Cal brought the devil to his knees and got behind him and buried his sword in the devil's spine. The devil gasped and fell over, muttering to himself, but still alive. Chronos grinned.

"It seems you have yet to go insane…" Chronos noted. "You're holding back!" With that, he lunged at Cal, and they danced. Cal's whirlwind grew, to the point where it was almost a full-blown tornado. Blows were exchanged, and Chronos started to noticeably weaken. Cal managed to disarm one of Chronos' hands, and soon disarmed the other.

As a last ditch effort, defenseless Chronos spun around Cal's deadly stab, grabbed the sword by its blade, and wrenched it out of his hands. Without skipping a beat, Chronos continued spinning and stabbed at Cal's abdomen. Cal caught the sword by its blade as well, growling. Chronos let go of the sword, eyes wide with fear, and backed away, watching Cal's whirlwind grow and grow. Cal ignored the bleeding from his fingers and flipped the sword, catching by the handle. Chronos continued backing away as Cal grew closer.

"No… Please…" Chronos begged for his life. Cal didn't answer, and his eyes flashed midnight blue for a few seconds, turning the whirlwind the same color, and during those few seconds, the man cut Chronos' head clean off.

For a few minutes, it seemed like nothing moved. No audible sounds came from anyone or even the forest around them. The whirlwind was silent, shifting back and forth from midnight blue to gold, and slowly dying down. Finally, the whirlwind died down and disappeared, and Cal gasped and fell to one knee, his wounds bleeding profusely. Cal's eyes were gold, but he was weak.

He crawled over to Kara and took her in his arms after slowly pulling the knife out of her chest. His eyes became wet with tears. He shut his eyes tight and held her close, holding back tears. Slowly, Kara and Cal were enveloped in a thin, golden mist. Inside the mist, small droplets of gold condensed, and began to slowly patter the couple. With each drop on Kara's numerous wounds, it healed, but with each drop on Cal, Kara's wounds became his, and the blood flowed harder. The mist thinned as the droplets fell, till it was completely gone. Cal was slumped over, nearly unrecognizable. Kara was fully healed, and her eyes fluttered open to see Cal slumped over, beaten and bloody. She gasped and grabbed Cal's head.

"Cal?!" Kara screamed. After Cal didn't respond, she beat his chest with her fist as a rudimentary form of CPR. After several blows to the chest, Kara wiped her eyes and laid on his chest, listening intently for a pulse or heartbeat of any sort, but she didn't hear anything…

"Well, I would have thought a happy ending would be in order…" Chronos mocked, his head reattached to his body. Kara shot up and glared daggers at him. "I never would have guessed that he would give himself up for you… Regardless of his feelings…" He brushed himself off and picked up his swords. "Allow me to let you join him!" He reached Kara and raised a sword to strike.

*CLANG*

Chronos looked in surprise at Amber, who stood between him and Kara. She held a sword in her hands and glared at Chronos. Behind him, Mason was leaning against a tree, his sword in a sheath at his hip.

"You just don't die," Mason remarked. Chronos glanced at Mason.

"And you just don't give up…" Chronos answered. He pushed off Amber and stood between them. He gestured towards Cal. "It seems you're too late…" Mason and Amber tensed.

"Well, it's been a while since I was last here," Mason said. "I got a little lost… Besides, better late than never…" He pulled his sword out. Amber angrily struck at Chronos, who backed away swiftly. Mason stabbed from behind, impaling Chronos, who grunted. Mason removed his sword, and Amber took her chance and lunged forward, stabbing Chronos in turn. Chronos writhed in agony on her sword, eyes wide at the vicious sight of Amber's hate driven eyes. Amber drew back, and the dynamic duo took turns stabbing, slicing, and hurting Chronos, who was completely unable to stop them. Finally, Amber held her sword to Chronos' throat, and Mason whispered to Chronos.

"You know, trying to get me to kill Amber was a smooth move until it didn't work…" Mason whispered. "But the moment it didn't work, I realized that together, Amber and I, well, we must be the key to beating you if you fear us both so much… I see Callum beat you by the new scar around your neck… And now we beat you together… You just can't seem to win can you?" With that, Amber withdrew her sword and slammed the hilt into his temple, causing him to crumple to the ground like a ragdoll. Mason placed cuffs on him, and the devil, just to be safe, and they both turned to Kara, who was sniffling beside Cal's body.

"You look well for someone who was kidnapped," Mason joked lightly. Kara chuckled lightly and sniffled.

"He's dead…" Amber stated, somber. There was a long, somber silence.

"Now what?" Kara asked. After receiving no response, she turned to Mason and Amber, but they weren't moving.

"Now… You have a choice…" someone said. Kara turned back around to see a man standing before her. He had no look, but only a beaming white silhouette. "I am Potens, Callum's grandfather…" Kara frowned in shock. Kara couldn't see, but she felt him smiling.

"Uh… Um…" Kara shook her head. "A choice?"

"Yes, a choice…" Potens said. "But first allow me to explain. I made rules and laws to ensure my family and I would never alter a world out of favor or spite. In doing so, my family has watched and kept these laws… That is, until Callum was born… You see, all my children and their offspring are what you would call 'brain children'. They weren't born, per se, but more like willed into existence. Well, Callum's mother, Destiny, wanted a natural birth, and went out into the world."

"But wouldn't she have disobeyed that whole 'no interaction' rule?" Kara asked. Potens sighed.

"Not exactly," Potens explained. "She wasn't showing favor on this world, but simply living in it. Anyway, Callum was the first actual family member. The first one to grow up… The first one to learn… The first one to be mortal…" He turned around and sighed. "I had no idea the consequences of a natural birth between an immortal and a mortal… I figured two immortal beings would produce an immortal being that could also grow up, but at one point would have to be cut off from humanity… But I had no idea of what a demi-god could do… In truth, if I had known the suffering and pain that would be forced upon Callum I never would have allowed Destiny to mingle… Well, I knew that Callum, as a mortal, would one day die… And there is nothing I could do to stop that… But, fast-forward as you say, to now… I may not be able to bring him back, in fact, he should not have come back the first time, but… Let's just say the smartest beings can find a way out..." Potens chuckled to himself.

"Choice?" Kara reminded him. Potens nodded.

"Ah, yes," Potens continued. "You have a choice… You can allow nature to run its course, and let Callum remain dead…"

"Or?" Kara asked. Potens sighed.

"Or you can take Callum to a certain place, give the right person a certain letter, and they'll take you to a certain place where Callum will be healed…" Potens said. Kara frowned.

"But…?" Kara asked, sensing there was a catch.

"But Callum's soul will be split apart and sent throughout several worlds that he does not exist in, all of which will create new worlds that mirror the ones Callum was sent to, but only changed by the existence of Callum," Potens explained.

"So Cal… will be different?" Kara asked, confused. Potens shook his head.

"Not exactly, Callum will be himself, but in order for this loophole to work, he cannot be as powerful as he is. Callum is mortal and human, but also holds the ability to become immortal and god-like… Where I will send you… Well, it will not heal a god-like being that is dead… In short, it would not understand how a god-like being is dead at all, and therefore solves the problem by splitting Callum's soul into pieces until he is just below the line of god-like…" Potens explained.

"So, he'll be normal?" Kara asked. Potens laughed.

"Callum without powers alone is not normal, but he will still retain his abilities to an extent…" Potens answered. "That means 'yes', he will fly with you and save the world with you and all that…"

"What do I do and where do I go?" Kara asked. Potens sighed.

"You are aware that Callum in other worlds will be as he is, but less powerful and no memory of this world?" Potens asked. Kara nodded. "As your and Callum's souls are connected, a piece of your soul will also tear off to join his. And you also must know that there will be a day that Callum will need to collect himself, and when he so chooses to take you with him, you will witness the alternate lives that Callum has led, and in doing so you will bear witness to Callum's pain in each world… Be warned that some will be worse than others, and some will be nearly unbearable… And some of them will refuse to leave their world, in loyalty to their current lives…" Kara nodded, somber. Potens sighed and handed her a letter.

"Take this to a woman in the mountains," Potens said. He snapped his fingers and portal appeared behind him. "She will show you the way…" With that, he disappeared. Kara thought for a moment and picked Callum up, carrying him over her shoulder. She entered through the portal to find herself in a field of wheat. Ignoring the odd stares of villagers wearing what seemed to be medieval clothing, Kara noticed the mountains that Potens had mentioned and began walking towards it.

Eventually, Kara came upon a cabin in the woods on top of the mountain, and inside was an old woman. The woman frowned, noticing Cal, but took the letter wordlessly.

"Please, help," Kara begged. The woman read the letter, her frown increasing with each word of the letter. Finally, she sighed and looked at Kara.

"Hello, Kara," the woman said. "I am Catherine, and I understand that you know the 'fine print'?" Kara nodded.

"Do whatever it takes," Kara begged. Catherine nodded and gestured to Cal.

"Grab Callum," she ordered. Kara frowned, but did so without hesitation. Silently, Catherine led the way, farther up the mountain, till they reached the highest point, which jutted out into a cliff.

"Throw Callum over the edge," Catherine ordered. Kara frowned.

"But—"

"Do it, or I leave and your chance to bring him back is gone," Catherine interrupted. Kara sighed and walked to the edge of the cliff, glancing down at the vast, foggy space below it. Kara took a deep breath and threw Cal's body into the abyss. Kara waited a few moments before turning to Catherine.

"How did you know Callum's name?" Kara asked, suspicious. Catherine sighed.

"We've met before," Catherine admitted. Kara frowned. "I believe it was when that other young fellow attacked you after stabbing Callum in the back… Callum tackled him I believe… And they both came here…" Kara frowned.

"You brought him back home?" Kara asked. Catherine shrugged.

"More or less," Catherine said. Kara nodded. There was a sudden flash of light and Callum appeared on the edge of the cliff, on his hands and knees gasping for air. Kara shouted with glee and ran over to him, hugging him and kissing him. Cal sat up and hugged Kara tight. Kara grabbed Cal's head and pulled him into a tender kiss, and Cal tangled his fingers in her hair, pulling her close. They kissed for a while, till Cal broke it, took her hands, and stared into her eyes, hazel staring back at her, and blue staring back at him...

"You came back!" Kara cried happily, tears streaming down her face. Cal smiled and kissed her. "I love you…"

"Always," Cal answered. Kara sobbed happily, and Cal kissed her and wiped her tears. "I'll always come back… because I love you…"

A/N: Please feel free to tell me how you liked it! Questions, comments, and criticism are all welcomed! I took an extra day to try and clean up the chapter a bit. Hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading!

Cal and Kara will return, even if it is in another story…