In the vast ruins, silence instantly fell, so profound that you could hear a pin drop. Lothar watched, wide-eyed, as the figure that had always pursued him fell, collapsing before Darkseid.
"No!!!"
Crackling lightning gathered in Barry Allen's hands, compressed into the shape of a Flash-dagger, which he hurled forward!
"Naive."
Barry Allen, who had only recently learned to fight, posed no threat to Darkseid whatsoever. Darkseid didn't even need to act. With a mere glance, the lightning dagger Barry Allen had thrown vanished into thin air...
"Cough, cough..."
The blood-stained Golden Trident was pulled from Mera's abdomen by Darkseid again, and the splattering blood brought a flush to Mera's pale cheeks.
"This Atlantean is your friend, isn't she?" Tossing away the trident, Darkseid pressed one hand on Mera's head, his gaze then turning to Lothar, who was staring intently at him.
"Do you know the price of angering me?"
Darkseid said softly, his right index finger gently tapping Mera's head, as if he would crush her skull in the next second.
"Not interested."
"I've already said..."
"I have no friends, nor do I need them."
Lothar, who had gained a brief respite thanks to Mera, slowly stood up under the effects of the nutrient solution he had previously injected into his body. His heartless words drew a look of disbelief from Barry Allen on the other side.
"She and I aren't even on the same path."
Lothar scoffed, and the barely conscious Mera slowly turned her head, her weak gaze meeting his indifferent stare. He curled his fingers into a claw, and a not-so-violent energy hurricane wailed around Lothar. The mournful, slicing sound made Mera's situation seem somewhat desolate.
"It seems the one you desperately tried to save doesn't hold you in much regard."
Darkseid released his hand from Mera's head. His calm words, however, were like a stone, stirring ripples in the lake of Mera's heart.
"Data corruption maintenance failed, data corruption maintenance failed. Woz requests activation of backup hidden energy..."
"Data corruption maintenance failed, data corruption maintenance failed. Woz requests activation of backup..."
Woz, the limbless robotic cat, popped up a sky-blue dialogue box in front of Lothar, requesting administrator privileges.
"Tsk..." Lothar narrowed his eyes and quickly pressed close.
"Shut down system, initiate self-diagnostic mode, Woz."
Lothar removed the silver-white bracelet from his wrist and casually tossed it to the ground, where it spun, seemingly unconcerned about its damage. Darkseid watched, silently calculating.
"If that's the case, Atlantean, you also have no reason to exist."
Darkseid's Omega Beams were about to pierce the woman's chest. Mera had even closed her eyes, preparing for death.
BOOM!!!!
Boundless winds and waves whipped her long hair, yet the expected death never arrived. The mournful "howl" of the energy hurricane made Mera open her eyes, and the first thing she saw was Lothar, with his long golden hair.
Thud!
Severely injured, Lothar had no ability to resist Darkseid. He could only barely maintain his balance, refusing to kneel.
"What an un-"
Thump!
Darkseid, still shaken by Lothar's previous explosion, didn't hesitate. He unleashed a full-force punch mercilessly onto Lothar's chest!
His waist-length hair instantly vanished, and the brilliant golden glow faded to black. Lothar, leaving a human-shaped drag mark on the ground, was knocked out of his Super Saiyan state by that punch.
"Lothar!"
Sizzle!
Darkseid, pressing his advantage, immediately pierced Lothar's chest with his Omega Beam! The Reality Stone, completely drained of its last ounce of power, fell utterly silent within Lothar's body, preserving Lothar's hope of survival.
Meanwhile, Barry Allen was clearly not as fortunate. As a Flash, his legs were completely crippled...
"Dishonest?"
"I call this keeping my promise."
"I did take her money, after all."
Lothar lay on the ground, opening and closing his eyes, gasping for breath. Mera, her eyes now open, had uncontrollable tears welling up.
"Are you an idiot?!"
After a long pause, Mera's tearful rebuke finally came.
"..." Lothar struggled to open his eyes. The sunlight, though strong, felt cold on his body.
Thump!
Darkseid mercilessly delivered a killing blow!
Lothar was stomped into the ruins... His severely injured body was instantly buried by the yellow earth, leaving only his head exposed, watching Darkseid approach him step by step.
"The price of angering me is death."
Darkseid, answering his own rhetorical question, looked down at Lothar, buried in the earth, and raised his foot.
Squelch!
A sharp pain from his waist made Darkseid stop. He looked back to see Mera, who had, at some point, shed her golden armor, symbolic of royalty, revealing her dark green tight-fitting battle suit. That was the outfit she wore when she and Lothar first met.
Long-brewing water currents surged underground, quickly forming a protective shield around Lothar, encasing him. Mera, holding the Golden Trident, gave a spirited smile, plunging the trident into the ground!
BOOM!!!!
Amidst the towering floodwaters, Mera's injuries unusually began to rapidly heal.
"Me... Mera...?"
Inside the water shield, Lothar's body was also rapidly being repaired by the warm current.
"You know, Lothar, I have to correct a misconception you have."
Mera, her body injuries recovering but her vitality rapidly draining, interlaced her fingers and made a strange hand gesture. A premonition of ill omen immediately enveloped Lothar's heart.
"You said we're not on the same path, so we're not friends."
"But Lothar, the definition of a friend isn't so narrow."
"In fact, most who walk the same path as you are just traveling companions. Those who walk different paths yet can still share joy and sorrow, they are true friends."
"So..."
Mera, whose body was gradually returning to its peak state, plunged the Golden Trident directly into her own chest!
"?!"
"Ah!!!"
The agonizing scream lasted only an instant. The vibrant life force, after the trident brutally shredded her internal organs, slowly condensed into seven orbs, instantly disappearing into Lothar's body!
"Mera...?"
"Mera!" Lothar, inside the water shield, stared blankly at the figure with the Golden Trident embedded in her chest.
"Thank you for giving me a chance to commit suicide." Mera smiled, devoid of any bitterness. The preparation for this technique required time.
"Listen, Lothar."
"If I don't say these words now, I might not get another chance." Mera raised her right index finger to her lips, signaling Lothar to remain silent.
"I know I can't compare to Hela."
"She's Asgard's first heir, and she conquered the Nine Realms with Odin."
"And I..."
"The Golden Trident, representing the seven sea thrones, I obtained with your power;"
"My courage to ascend the throne of the Ocean Queen was also inspired by you."
"In terms of combat, or methods of action, or anything else, I have nothing that can truly compare to her."
"However, there's one thing I don't believe I'd lose to her in."
Mera gave a playful smile, shrugging and spreading her hands. After leaving her final image and voice in Lothar's eyes, she was assimilated into a formless current of water by the trident's effect...
"Lothar, I like you."
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