Disclaimer

The characters used in the story are the property of DC Comics and Warner Bros. I used them in my story which is entirely a product of my own imagination.

Note: Gods in Justice League is definitely not my forte. I am not a reader of comics, I love cartoons though, and I base my story on the limited knowledge I gained from the cartoons. I only watched two episodes which featured Darkseid and High Father, and that is as far as my knowledge goes. So, if you feel I have goofed up somewhere, let me know, so that I can correct in the future works.

Chapter 18

No one spoke. No one moved. High father descended to the ground, and rested Bruce's body on his lap.

Orion was the first to recover.
"High Father, what…"
He halted a foot away from them, when something caught his eye.

"High Father!" he gasped, "Tears … in your eyes!"

High Father lay still. The tears only welled up, but did not escape from his eyes. He brought his palm to Bruce's forehead and gently brushed his disheveled hair aside.

Superman was the next to react.
"What…what's going on, High Father?" he asked, his voice jarred. He moved to them and sat on his knees beside him. He stared at Bruce's face blankly.

"THE RAT!" came the agitated voice of Darkseid, before High Father could speak. And for once, High Father's fists clenched involuntarily.

"What…what does this mean?" Superman asked again.

"He was…" High father's voice trembled, but he gulped and steadied himself
"He was never under Darkseid's influence!"

The others gasped.

"He said that he had planned out everything," High father continued, "But…" he placed his hand on Bruce's head, "Where did you go wrong, son?"

"So it was all your plan!" Darkseid grunted.

"No," High Father replied slowly, "But, I should never have let him take the chance!"

"He did manage to fool me," Darkseid remarked slyly, "I will give him credit for that. But he just couldn't hold the bluff long enough!"

High Father remained silent, while the others looked at him for explanation.

"Very well then," Darkseid sighed, "I may not have got what I wanted. But this man…" he pointed to Bruce, "This man will pay. His soul will be trapped here forever, and his body will go to the dump, where it will rot, like everyone's. And one day….his friend will join him too."

Superman charged at Darkseid and held his throat in a firm grip.
"One more word, and I'll see to it that you go to the dump!"

"There is no point arguing with me, Superman!" Darkseid smiled, amidst his choking, "You came with the assumption that your friend is dead, and you go with the realization that he is. You cannot take him!"

Superman smashed his head against the ground, which only added another crack to the arena. Darkseid laughed and picked himself up.
"I still love what I see."

"it won't happen, Darkseid," High Father spoke finally, "I won't let it happen! You will not abuse him anymore."

"There is nothing you can do about it," Darkseid said, "A dead man cannot leave Apokalips."

"I know…" High Father muttered, and then closed his eyes. "But a living man can!"

Darkseid gasped. "You don't say…" and then he protested, "You will not use it on him!"

"I intend to," High Father said calmly.

"No, High Father!" Orion protested, "He might have helped us, but you can use your power only once. If you don't use it on the right person, you will be stripped off your stature as a God!"

High Father sighed.
"If he doesn't deserve it, Orion…then I don't know who else does."

"High…" Orion stopped, as Superman clenched his hand.

"With the powers bestowed on me, I call upon thee, to put this soul back in its place."

He held Bruce's right hand, and threaded his fingers into his. He then placed the thumb of his right hand on the center of his forehead and pressed.

"If I am right, then I will have won your trust and thus the power to breathe life shall be bestowed on me forever. If I am wrong, I shall suffer your wrath, and be no longer called a God. Whatever it is, I am ready to face, as I stand fast on my judgement, and breathe life into…my son!"

"That is just the way to address," Darkseid said to the puzzled Superman. "It's such a waste. He lost his life to give back High Father's powers. And now High Father will lose his powers to give him back his life. Hence, in the end, I remain the winner!"

High Father meditated in his position for a while. And then he withdrew his hands, bent over and kissed on his forehead.

"Wake up, my son!" he said softly.

"High Father, your staff!" Orion cried. The staff rose up into the air and circled around High father. Soon, its speed increased to the point of creating a whirlwind around him. High Father stayed motionless, his eyes closed.

"I HAVE SPOKEN" echoed a voice from the skies. The whirlwind subsided, and the staff flew back to High Father.

Bruce opened his eyes, to see High Father, smiling with satisfaction.

"I have a message for you," Bruce said, in a register slightly above a whisper,

"MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!"

And everyone realized what he meant, when High Father rose back into the sky, his aura gleaming brighter than ever.