The next day… Ethan sat alone in the suite on the top floor of a tall hotel, his chair positioned directly in front of a wide, wall-length window. The sun filtered through the glass, casting long shadows across the room. His gaze remained fixed on the city below—a fractured skyline of cracked buildings, scorched rooftops, and shattered streets.
This part of the city had been spared the worst of the invasion. The real devastation lay miles away, but even here, the echoes of last night's battle still lingered in the air. Twisted lamp posts. Busted windows. Streets littered with debris. The kind of quiet that only followed chaos.
In his hand, Ethan held the Omni-Watch.
Its metallic surface glinted faintly in the morning light, and the soft hum of energy pulsing through it. Despite spending hours in this universe, the watch still showed 80% charge.
Thanks to his encounter with Darkseid. Each time the tyrant unleashed his Omega Beams, Ethan had subtly channeled that devastating energy into the watch, feeding its core and replenishing its reserves. It was a gamble during battle—but one that had paid off.
A small grin tugged at the corner of his lips as he remembered it—how he'd baited the Omega Beams during the battle. The plan had formed mid-fight and was reckless and spontaneous, but somehow it had worked. 'Not bad for a seat-of-the-pants idea,' he thought.
After the fight, everyone had gone their separate ways to rest and recover. Batman proposed a meeting for later that evening at STAR Labs. It wasn't far—just a few blocks from the hotel Ethan now occupied.
Of course, currency was a problem. His money had no value in this world, but a little telepathic persuasion had solved that. He secured the top-floor suite, overlooking the city, a quiet place where he could think and test the limits of his tools.
Fortunately, his phone and wallet had survived the chaos. Thanks to his magic enhancement.
Turning the Omni-Watch in his hand, his brow furrowed as he examined it more closely. Something had changed. Subtly, but undeniably.
The Roman numerals marking the hours were still blacked out, except for two: I and II—now glowing faintly in green.
The hour hand pointed to II. The minute hand moved slowly, steadily—almost as if it were counting down the remaining time he had in this universe.
He hadn't noticed the change until now and then immediately begun experimenting. A thought—a conscious will—was all it took to shift the hour hand back to I.
With a ripple of energy, he had returned to his home universe. And then came back when the hour hand was returned to II.
The trip consumed energy—a lot of it. But it worked.
After a few tests, the pattern became clear. I marked his home: the Marvel universe and II was this world—the DC universe.
He had confirmed a stunning truth: the watch could now mark and store universes, each represented by a glowing Roman numeral. These weren't just markers—they were slots. Each time the watch absorbed enough energy from a universe, it 'locked in' that reality as a destination.
Darkseid's Omega Rays had made it possible. In simple terms, the watch could now store entire universe location within its memory by absorbing ambient or active energies from those worlds.
A function he never even knew existed. 'Rob really left a lot of this up to me, huh?' Ethan mused.
Clearly, Rob had left out a few chapters in the user manual which he didn't provide. Or maybe that was the point. To learn, adapt, and grow. Ethan didn't mind. In fact, he was intrigued.
This universe was dark… filled with powerful threats. But that also meant opportunity. Danger, yes—but also the chance to grow stronger.
More villains means more challenges which means more 'farming material,' as he jokingly thought.
And it wasn't just about him, there was Anna. If he could understand this universe's deeper knowledge of metahuman biology, perhaps he could help her control her mutation—freeing her from the constant fear of hurting others with a single touch.
He possessed extensive knowledge of sinister experiments on mutants and the X-gene. If he could incorporate metahuman research into his expertise, he was confident he could find a solution to Anna's problem.
The day began to pass and he had spent time extending his telepathy across the city—soft probes sent through the collective consciousness. He was learning. Studying. Analyzing.
This was still early in the timeline. The Justice League had only just come together. It wasn't clear yet if this was the "normal" DC universe… or one of the darker, twisted variants.
Whichever it was, Ethan would adapt.
Still, even as he sat back in the chair, watching the evening haze hang over the city, a strange feeling prickled at the back of his neck.
Someone… or something… was watching him.
He couldn't see it. Couldn't trace it.
But every so often, in the quiet moments, he felt eyes on him. And that meant one thing. Someone in this universe had noticed him.
A small smirk curved his lips. "You wanna watch? Fine. But be ready to deal with me watching back."
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Somewhere in Gotham City, tucked between rain-slicked alleyways and flickering neon signs, a small bar quietly stood as a refuge from the chaos outside.
The sign above the door glowed softly in neon script: "Afterlife".
Inside, the air was calm and dimly lit, carrying the faint scent of aged whiskey and warm citrus. Shelves behind the counter were neatly stocked with various bottles, none too fancy, but comforting. A gentle jazz tune played from a vintage jukebox in the corner.
There were only a few patrons scattered across the place, each nursing their drink with either quiet contemplation or quiet conversation.
Behind the bar counter stood a woman. Not just any woman, but one who seemed... timeless.
Her skin was pale, nearly porcelain, yet radiant. Her hair was jet-black, falling just above her shoulders in a soft, uneven cut. Around her eye was the subtle trace of black eyeliner, not dramatic, just enough to highlight the deep, understanding gaze she gave each soul who walked through her doors. She wore a casual black tank top with a silver ankh pendant resting against her chest. There was something comforting about her presence—something ancient, kind, and unshakably calm.
A middle-aged man sat at the bar, swirling a glass of beer between his fingers. His eyes were puffy, reddened from the weight of sorrow. "She was everything to me..." he said hoarsely. "They killed her. Right in front of me. Just last night."
The woman behind the bar counter offered him a gentle smile. Not pitiful, but understanding. "You must have loved her very much," she said and her voice is soft like a lullaby wrapped in empathy.
The man sniffled before nodding. "I... I don't see the point anymore. Maybe it'd be better if I just... followed her."
She leaned in slightly, folding her arms across the counter. "Please don't say that," she replied with her voice losing none of its softness. "Living isn't something to be discarded so easily. It's not a punishment. Even when it hurts. There's more to life than pain. And your love for her? That doesn't have to end. You can live for her now. Carry her in your heart, in your memories. She'd want that, wouldn't she?"
The man hesitated and his eyes were wet. But something in her words broke through the haze of his despair. His shoulders relaxed just a bit. A trembling smile emerged. "You're right... You're right. Thank you, Didi. You're the best bartender in the world."
She chuckled. "Don't say empty things you don't mean."
"I mean it," he said with more strength. "You listen to people. You see them. Some of us come here to forget, some to mourn, and others just to survive the day. But you help all of them, Didi. You're like... an angel sent to this godforsaken city."
At that moment, the door creaked open and a tall, pale man entered.
A few of the customers turned their heads. He wore a long black coat that seemed to drink in the low light. His features were sharp, his skin nearly as pale as marble, and his unruly black hair crowned a face that held a gaze colder than winter. He walked like a shadow given form, not a sound from his boots on the wood floor. His expression was unreadable, his eyes deep pools of something unfathomable.
The first man looked up and blinked. "Oh... guess I should get going. Thanks again, Didi."
She smiled before giving him a nod. "Take care of yourself, Mr. John."
He fumbled a few bills onto the bar and made his way to the exit, swaying slightly.
A woman near the jukebox suddenly remembered she had somewhere to be. Another man placed money on the counter and left without finishing his drink.
The pale man took his seat at the bar beside where John had sat.
"Thanks for ruining my business and welcome to the Afterlife Bar, brother," Didi said warmly and is already reaching for a glass. "What'll it be?"
"Cut the act, sister," the man said, his voice deep and echoing.
"Oh come on, Morpheus," she teased, "Just once, can't you say hello like a normal person? Or maybe try... 'Hi Didi, how's the bar? You look great, by the way.' No? Is it too much?"
"I'm here for a serious matter."
Her smile thinned but didn't fade. "Is it now, Morpheus?"
"I've been observing someone," he began. "He emerged during last night's battle. A man with immense energy. Fought the avatar of Darkseid and nearly destroyed him alone. He is not of this world. He came from beyond the wall."
Didi placed the glass in front of him and poured a rich, dark liquid from a crystal bottle. "I know," she said simply. "You're not the only one who sensed him."
He picked up the glass but didn't drink immediately. "I observed him earlier and he can move between this universe and another. I cannot enter his mind, he's shielding himself from my influence. I attempted to enter his dreams but couldn't. There is something ancient inside him... Perhaps older than us. It is dangerous. I can feel it."
Didi's expression sobered, yet she remained composed. "I felt the same. I watched him too. The name he goes by is Ethan Carter and I can't feel his end."
Morpheus turned his gaze to her, curious. "Meaning?"
"He is immortal and I don't mean like how people toss that word around. I mean truly immortal. Beyond my touch. I cannot feel his end. And I'm not entirely sure he has one."
Morpheus considered that. "A being outside of the universe... with power that rivals, maybe surpass a god's. He should not exists here."
"Maybe not," Didi said before sitting next to him now. "But he does. And he's not hiding. Maybe he already knows we're watching. I can tell he's... aware. His psychic energy is... vast."
Morpheus sipped his drink, "What do you propose we do?"
"Best to observe for now. Later, we can meet him and find out why he's here. We've both dealt with enough strangers barging into realms they don't understand. Maybe this time, we let him explain himself."
He agreed with a slow blink. Then, his posture relaxed. His gaze drifted to the bottles behind her. "So... how's the human life treating you?"
Didi laughed gently. "Better than you'd think. I enjoy it."
"I still don't understand why," Morpheus asked, "You chose to become one of them. Why reincarnate as a human."
Didi looked at him for a moment before letting out a soft laugh. "You've asked me that before."
"And I've never received an answer I could understand."
"That's because you're always trying to understand with logic, Dream. You forget—life isn't just made of stories and rules. It's made of... moments. Feelings. I wanted to feel what it's like. Really feel it. Not just watch it pass by me like a river I'll never swim in."
"You were always close to them," Morpheus admitted, "but to bind yourself to flesh, to wear mortality like a skin—even while keeping your essence—it's a contradiction."
She tilted her head with smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Maybe. But isn't contradiction part of being human? They say one thing and feel another. Love and hate in the same heartbeat. Fear and hope in the same breath." Her eyes turned softer. "I didn't want to just guide them to the end. I wanted to walk beside them, even if it's only for a little while."
Morpheus studied her, "But you kept your powers."
"I'm still me," she said simply. "Just... smaller. You could say I'm my own avatar, I suppose. Death, in human form, living a human life."
Morpheus looked around before glancing at her. "I didn't understand this even know... But Why the bar, Didi? Why choose this?"
She looked around with her smile softening. "Because here... I get to feel them. Joy. Grief. Regret. Hope. All of it. The weight of life. And sometimes, I get to help them carry it a little. People come here with so much on their shoulders. I listen. I see them. Some cry, some smile. But they all live. I wanted to understand them. Maybe help them. Maybe just be there."
He was silent for a long time before murmuring, "Even after all the darkness you've seen?"
Her smile didn't waver. "Especially because of that."
Morpheus shook his head. "You've always been the strange one."
She nudged him playfully. "And you've always been the moody one."
They spoke for a while longer, discussing the oddities of human nature, the strange flavors of beer, and the minor troubles of blending into mortal life. Eventually, Morpheus stood. "I will keep watching him. If something changes, I will return."
"And I'll be here," she replied.
As he disappeared into the shadows once more, the neon lights outside flickered faintly. The bar was quiet again. The sky had turned orange with evening, and Didi, still behind the counter, wiped down a glass slowly.
She looked at the door. "Ethan Carter... there's something about you," she murmured. "Something... different."
She turned off the bar lights, locked the door, and climbed the stairs to the upper floor—her humble apartment above the bar.
Tonight, she dreamed of red flames and silent stars.
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AN: How do you like their interaction. I wanted to speed up a little bit decided to take this chapter for explaining Didi's personality.
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