Chapter 14: The Crimson Awakening

The red mist engulfed the battlefield like a living storm, thick and suffocating. Clark coughed as the particles swirled around him, seeping into his skin. His vision blurred, his muscles burned, and for a moment, he felt… nothing.

Then, something ignited inside him.

A pulse of energy surged through his veins. His body, already in the process of regaining its lost power, reacted violently to the serum-infused mist. He fell to one knee, his breath ragged. His heart pounded like a war drum, his senses overloaded.

But he wasn't the only one.

Around him, Talia's enhanced soldiers convulsed as their bodies absorbed the airborne serum. Their muscles expanded, their veins glowing faintly with raw energy. Their once-human eyes burned red.

This wasn't just a power boost.

This was transformation.

The League Ascends

Talia stood on the steps of the compound, arms crossed, watching the chaos unfold with a calm smile.

"You see now, beloved?" she said, her voice cutting through the battle. "The League of Shadows will no longer need to fight from the shadows. We will become gods."

Clark clenched his fists. His power was returning—but it wasn't right. It was unstable, fluctuating wildly. He could feel the sun's energy stirring inside him, but the red mist was interfering, twisting it, making it unpredictable.

Batman's voice cut through the comms. "We need to get out of this gas. Now."

But the enhanced warriors were already upon them.

Clark barely had time to react before one of the transformed assassins lunged at him with inhuman speed. The blow connected with his chest, sending him crashing through a stone pillar. Pain exploded through his body. He wasn't fully back to strength yet.

But he was strong enough.

With a roar, he launched himself forward, his punch landing with enough force to send the assassin skidding across the courtyard. Another came at him, but Clark dodged, countering with a brutal elbow strike.

The battlefield erupted into chaos. Batman fought with deadly precision, adapting his tactics to the enhanced enemies. Waller's operatives, outmatched, fell back, using explosives and high-tech weaponry to hold the line.

Talia simply watched.

Then, she whispered a command.

"Bring him down."

Superman vs. The League

The moment she spoke, five of the most enhanced warriors turned their full attention to Clark.

He barely had time to react. They moved like lightning, striking in perfect coordination. One caught him in a chokehold from behind, while another delivered a devastating kick to his ribs. He gasped—their strength was immense.

But something inside him pushed back.

His body burned, but it wasn't pain—it was energy. His cells were absorbing something. Adapting.

Then, he felt it.

The heat in his eyes.

One of the assassins raised his blade for a finishing strike. But before he could bring it down—

Clark's heat vision erupted.

A blinding red beam sliced through the mist, hitting the assassin square in the chest. The force sent him flying, smoke rising from his armor.

The others hesitated for just a second.

It was all the opening Clark needed.

With a burst of speed—faster than he'd moved in months—Clark broke free, launching into the air. His feet barely touched the ground before he struck again, his fist connecting with another warrior's jaw. The force shattered the man's mask, sending him crumbling.

His powers were coming back.

Not all at once. Not fully. But enough.

The Turning Point

Batman leaped onto a nearby rooftop, scanning the battlefield. "Clark, the mist—it's burning off."

Clark looked up. The sky was shifting.

The red sun that had hung over the world for a full decade… was fading. The last remnants of Kryptonite burning in the upper atmosphere were finally depleting. The natural yellow sun was breaking through.

And he could feel it.

Talia's eyes widened in realization. "No…"

For the first time, there was fear in her voice.

Clark landed in front of her, his eyes glowing faintly with heat vision. "It's over, Talia."

But she wasn't done yet.

With a flick of her wrist, she activated a detonator. The ground trembled as hidden charges beneath the compound exploded. The entire mountain began to shake.

"You may have won this battle," she said, stepping back as smoke and debris filled the air. "But the war is far from over."

Before Clark could stop her, she vanished into the chaos.

The fortress was collapsing.

Clark turned, his body surging with strength. He could feel the yellow sun's energy flooding into him now, accelerating his recovery.

But they had to escape.

He activated his comm. "Everyone, fall back! Now!"

Batman and Waller's team regrouped, retreating as the entire mountain began to cave in. Clark stayed behind, using his strength to hold up a crumbling section of the fortress just long enough for the last operatives to escape.

Then, with one final surge of effort, he launched himself into the sky—just as the entire League stronghold was swallowed in a fiery explosion.

Aftermath

The team regrouped miles away, watching the burning ruins from a safe distance.

"We stopped the immediate threat," Batman said. "But Talia got away."

Clark clenched his fists. "And she still has some of the serum."

Waller's voice crackled over the radio. "We'll track her down. But for now, you did good, Kent."

Clark looked down at his hands. He could still feel his strength fluctuating, but one thing was certain—his powers were coming back.

And by the time they faced Talia again…

He would be ready.

TO BE CONTINUED...