The Living Charger

While global headlines buzzed with awe and speculation—"Healer of Cities!", "Aeon: Savior or Strategist?", and "Rogue vs. Parasite: A New Titan Emerges!"—inside a quiet, stylish restaurant tucked in a discreet part of the city, three figures sat in a booth sharing a meal and a conversation that far surpassed the scope of any media coverage.

The restaurant, recently purchased by Ethan Carter himself, was shut off from the public for the evening. Clean black marble floors, warm ambient lighting, and the gentle aroma of spices created a peaceful contrast to the chaos that buzzed beyond its walls.

Ethan leaned back in his seat at the private booth with his hands folded together as he observed the two women seated with him.

Anna sat across from him, sipping her drink slowly, her emerald eyes flicking from Ethan to the girl beside her—Didi. The third occupant of the table, with her carefree smile and oddly calm demeanor, looked no different from an ordinary teenager. But Ethan knew better.

He had brought them here with one purpose in mind.

To tell Anna the truth.

And he had.

Now, silence hung in the air, interrupted only by the faint clink of glass as Anna set her cup down with a trembling hand.

"So… let me get this straight," Anna said with her southern accent thickening in disbelief as she stared wide-eyed at Didi. "You're telling me you're Death? Like, capital D Death? The actual, literal, cosmic concept of death?"

Her eyes searched Didi's face for any hint of a joke, some subtle smirk that would break the illusion.

Didi nodded with a soft smile, resting her cheek on her palm as if it were the most normal conversation in the world.

"Yes, Anna. That's the truth," she said gently. "I am Death of the Endless."

"You can't be serious," she muttered, searching Didi's face for some sign—any sign—that this was a joke. "You help people. You love life. I've seen you save children, play with stray cats, dance in the rain… That's not something Death would do. That's… impossible. How can Death live like that?"

Ethan didn't blame her for her reaction.

In their universe, DC Comics were still in their infancy. No multiverse sagas, no Cosmic Armor Superman, no Endless, no grand narratives of abstract concepts personified.

Her understanding of the DC universe came from a single, incomplete narrative—a few comic books scattered across early media. So this revelation? It was beyond comprehension.

Didi gave a gentle, calm and patient smile, "Unfortunately, Anna… it's true. I'm Death of the Endless. A literal concept given flesh."

Anna blinked and is stunned.

Didi continued, her voice soft and almost dreamy. "And for your question—how could Death enjoy life? Well… don't humans long for what they don't have? Well, I'm no different. For eons, I've watched mortals live—messy, beautiful, fragile lives. And I found myself… curious. I wanted to feel it for myself. So I reincarnated into a human form. I've lived, laughed, fallen in love, made mistakes. That's why I'm here."

Anna's jaw dropped slightly. "You… reincarnated? As a human?"

"That's right."

"But how is that even possible?"

Didi gave a small laugh, almost wistful. "For beings like me, anything is possible."

Ethan finally spoke, "In the vastness of the multiverse… and beyond that, the Omniverse… anything is possible, Anna. Every concept, every idea, every dream has taken form somewhere. Rules are relative. Concepts can evolve. Realities bleed into each other."

Anna rubbed her temples and murmured, more to herself than anyone else, "This is insane… Death reincarnated as a teenage girl."

She looked at Didi again, this time with uncertainty flickering behind her gaze.

Didi turned to Ethan, "I know you don't trust me, Carter. That's fine. But at least believe this—I see Anna as a friend. I mean her no harm."

Ethan didn't answer right away. He simply watched her. His instincts screamed caution. He hadn't expected to encounter a multiversal-tier being so early. It threw his calculations off. He had grown somewhat arrogant after acquiring his powers—I mean who wouldn't, when armed with absolute immortality, adaptive evolution, elemental control, and the divine power of the Phoenix?

But Anna… Anna was still vulnerable. Yes, she had potential. Yes, she had absorbed Lobo's strength and gained a form of immortality that gave Ethan some peace of mind.

But in a universe filled with gods, demons, and cosmic entities, potential wasn't enough.

She needed power—real power. And he had a plan.

Ethan's gaze dropped slightly as he weighed his next move. If he could identify another powerful being in this reality—one whose powers Anna could absorb—he could accelerate her growth. She could become nearly untouchable in a matter of days.

He would power her up further.

He looked back up, fixing Didi with a measured expression. "How can I trust you?"

Didi's answer was smooth and immediate. "Then keep me close."

Anna choked on her drink, coughing as she tried to speak. "Excuse me—what?!"

Ethan blinked in surprise, raising an eyebrow.

Didi gave a sly smile. "You know the saying—keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. If you're not sure what I am, then stay near me. Watch me. You'll know soon enough whether I'm your friend… or something else."

Her gaze never wavered. "I have nothing to hide."

Anna let out a deep sigh and wiped her mouth with a napkin, then looked at Ethan. "Alright, alright—let's not make it more dramatic than it already is. I believe her. She's been kind, consistent, and never once did anything wrong to me. So… let's give her a chance."

Ethan nodded after a beat, though his eyes remained guarded. Didi may have meant no harm now, but she wasn't the only one watching them. More would come. Beings who saw them as potential threats. Or tools.

He needed allies. It was better to have at least one wildcard visible.

"Alright then," he said finally.

Didi grinned, but then her expression grew slightly mischievous. "Glad we're on the same page. But… I have a question, Ethan. Was it really okay to cast a wide-range time spell in public like that?"

Ethan didn't react immediately.

Yes—the spell Ethan had cast during the healing event was a time-based manipulation. Everyone believed it was a healing spell—but anyone with enough knowledge and power could see the truth: it was time manipulation. How did he learn to use such power?

Simple. He made use of the Time Stone.

During his initial training with the Ancient One, Ethan had made a bold request: to subject his body, mind, and soul to continuous exposure to the raw temporal currents of the Time Stone. Most beings would have been torn apart. But Ethan—endured... Adapted and evolved.

He had been trapped in time loops, spatial paradoxes, reliving moments over and over again—until his body, mind, and soul adapted. Until even time itself began to bend in response to his presence.

He hadn't mastered this power fully—yet—but it was only a matter of time.

But Ethan had already gained the rudimentary ability to manipulate time in small areas.

Not a big deal… for now. But it would become one soon.

It was his trump card—one he hadn't revealed until now. Of course, Anna, Jean, and the Ancient One knew about it, and they had all kept it a closely guarded secret… until this very moment.

Ethan raised an eyebrow as Didi spoke, "You might already know this, but many beings are keeping a close eye on you two—especially you, Carter. Why are you showing your powers so openly? Wouldn't it be smarter to stay hidden?"

Anna chuckled softly while sipping her drink. While Ethan replied, "That's the point. If I hide everything, they'll be more curious. They'll start digging, watching and began interfering. But if I show them just enough, they'll think they know me. They'll underestimate me. And that gives me the edge."

A small grin tugged at his lips as he leaned back in his chair. "Besides, if I can't even show a fraction of my power, then what's the point of having it? Let them see a little. That's enough to keep them entertained—and misled."

Didi tilted her head at him. "So, you're throwing a distraction."

Ethan smirked. "Exactly. Throw something at a dog to keep it busy."

Didi blinked and is amused. "You're comparing cosmic entities to dogs?"

Ethan shrugged. "Well, if the shoe fits."

Didi turned to Anna, as if expecting her to disagree. But Anna simply nodded with a smile. "Yeah, he's like that."

Didi laughed. "You're more interesting than I thought, Ethan Carter. Foolish... but kind of cute."

Anna's eyes lit up with a sudden idea. "Hey, Didi—since you're Death, does that mean you can see when people die? Can you see mine?"

Didi didn't hesitate. "Yes. I can see everyone's death. But your fate is a strange one. You're tethered to Ethan, you won't die until he does—which effectively makes you immortal. And with Lobo's powers in you now, you're functionally immortal."

Anna's jaw dropped. "That's... awesome." She turned to Ethan with a playful spark in her eyes. "Looks like you're stuck with me for eternity, Carter."

Ethan smiled warmly. "That's the plan, my dear Southern Belle."

Anna grinned and walked over to him, grabbing his collar and kissing him passionately. Ethan returned the kiss with one hand pressed gently against her back which is going lower while the other caressing her cheek.

Didi coughed, feigning discomfort. "Alright, you two—get a room already."

Anna pulled back slightly, lips still tingling. "Oh, don't worry. I'm planning on it." But then another thought struck her. She turned back to Didi with curiosity. "Wait… you said earlier you loved living. So… have you ever loved someone before? Like, romantically?"

For the first time, Didi's smile faltered. "…Yeah," she said quietly. "I did love some people before. But..."

Her words hung in the air like a shadow. Ethan and Anna both noticed her mood shift. "What happened?" Anna asked gently. "If it's okay to talk about."

Didi exhaled softly. "Every single person I loved deeply... they died earlier than they were supposed to."

Anna's eyes widened as Ethan pieced it together. "I think I get it. Since you're the literal concept of Death, the more you love someone… the closer they are drawn to death… aren't they?"

Didi nodded silently. "Yeah. That's exactly it."

Without a second thought, Anna went to Didi and wrapped her arms around her. "I'm so sorry, Didi. That's horrible… But don't worry—me and Ethan? We're practically impossible to die. You can like us all you want."

Ethan watched in stunned silence and momentarily at a loss for words. Then he just shook his head with a small smile forming. That was Anna—she never held back when she liked someone.

Didi returned the hug and whispered, "Thank you, Anna."

After that, the tension lifted. The three of them sat back down, chatting about lighter things. Anna eagerly asked about other cosmic beings, fascinated by their existence. Didi answered some of her questions, but remained vague about the Endless and her life before reincarnation. She did, however, mention that she had siblings—each representing a fundamental force or concept of the universe.

Ethan listened silently for a while, but once he felt confident that Didi meant no immediate harm, he rose to his feet. "You two carry on. I've got something to take care of."

He leaned down, kissed Anna's forehead, and whispered, "See you soon."

With that, he opened a portal into the Mirror Dimension and stepped through, vanishing in a shimmer of light.

------------------

Within the surreal folds of the Mirror Dimension, reality flowed like liquid glass—up became down, and gravity twisted in impossible directions. Amid the floating debris of fragmented buildings and glowing geometry, Ethan stood calmly before the creature.

The parasite.

It no longer looked like the ragged thing it once was. Now, it had taken a humanoid form—taller, leaner, its body pulsing with veins. Purple skin shimmered faintly under the shifting light of the dimension, and though its features resembled a human, its eyes were still void—empty, hungry.

The moment its gaze landed on Ethan, it snarled—and launched forward. But it never reached him.

Midair, the creature froze, suspended by Ethan's invisible telekinetic grip. Its limbs flailed for a moment before they were locked in place, like a fly trapped in amber.

"You're hungry, aren't you?" Ethan said with a steady and calm tone, as if speaking to a pet.

He raised his hand slowly and placed his palm forward. A spark of brilliant blue lightning danced across his fingertips.

"Then… eat this."

Brilliant blue lightning surged from his palm, arcing through the air with a sharp crack before slamming into the parasite's chest. Lightning wrapped around the creature's body, lighting it up from the inside out.

The parasite convulsed—then… it laughed.

At first, a low, throaty chuckle. But as more energy poured into it, the laugh grew deeper, more manic. The parasite's body began to absorb the lightning, its form pulsing with newfound strength. Its muscles swelled. Its chest expanded. The skin shifted, darkened, and began to thicken into plates.

Its body began to swell with energy, absorbing the lightning like a sponge to water.

Each passing second made it stronger. Larger.

"Ah… there we go," Ethan muttered with a sly grin curling on his lips. "Don't stop now. Eat more."

Then he increased the lightning's intensity. The blue lightning bolts grew brighter and more intense. The very air began to tremble. Arcs of crackling energy danced wildly across the twisted landscape as the parasite roared.

The parasite's transformation accelerated. Its body expanded at an alarming rate—bones cracked and realigned, limbs lengthened, skin thickened and darkened until it resembled the armored hide of a titan. Claws stretched from its fingers, glowing with violet energy. Spines jutted out of its back like jagged obsidian blades.

Within minutes, it towered above Ethan like a beast ripped from some ancient nightmare—resembling a monstrous version of Godzilla, only infused with crackling purple and blue energy.

The ground trembled as it let out a thunderous roar that shook the very dimension.

Ethan finally stopped before lowering his hand. He stared up at the monstrous creature, now panting with raw power radiating from its body.

"You're ready now," he said softly. "My dear charger."

His iris shimmered with orange light as he reached out telepathically. The creature paused mid-growl.

Then, without resistance, it stood still. Obedient. Mind bound by Ethan's will.

Like a puppet suddenly tugged by invisible strings, the creature straightened and stood still.

Ethan reached beneath his collar and removed the silver Omni-Watch hanging around his neck. He held it out in front of him like an offering. "Now… let's begin."

He gave the mental command.

The creature's chest pulsed. Its mouth opened, and from its gaping jaws erupted a concentrated energy beam, violet and white, aimed directly at Ethan—No, at the Omni-Watch.

The watch vibrated as the energy poured into it. It's surface flickered to life, absorbing every ounce of power like a bottomless well.

Ethan's grin widened. "It's working," he muttered, "Finally…"

He'd struggled for weeks to find a reliable power source to maintain the Omni-Watch's charge in this universe. It wasn't like the Marvel world, where he charge it with his own power, he needs external power source. Here—this early in the Justice League timeline—power sources were rare and underdeveloped.

At one point, he had even returned to the Marvel Universe just to recharge the watch—and, perhaps more importantly, to spend time with Jean.

But this? This was better.

Recently, an idea struck him. It came during Anna's fight with this very parasite.

What if I feed it my own power—make it a living battery?

Then… use it to charge the watch?

He could sustain the Omni-Watch right here, by converting his own energy through the parasite, and turning it into a living power generator.

As the final symbols lit up, the watch let out a soft ding.

Charged: 100%

The monster, now drained, began shrinking—its body reverting to its humanoid form. The thick armor-like skin faded, leaving behind the original, violet-toned creature. It slumped forward while breathing hard. Steam rose from its body as the last of Ethan's energy worked through its system.

The Omni-Watch still shimmered with energy. Fully charged.

Ethan stared at the parasite for a moment before speaking again.

"From now on," he sent a final mental command, "you won't move unless I give the order. Sleep."

Without resistance, the creature's body slumped to the floor and entered a deep, enforced slumber.

Ethan took a slow breath, then looked down at the watch and sighed.

'It's cruel… but necessary,' he thought. 'At least until I find a better energy source. Once I do, I'll release this guy—and I'll make it up to him.'

He turned away, eyes scanning the endless fractured planes of the Mirror Dimension one last time.

Then he raised his hand, sliced the air with his fingers, and opened a glowing yellow portal.

Without hesitation, he stepped through—and vanished.

------------------

Next day...

The morning sun filtered through the blinds, casting a soft glow over the room. Ethan stirred awake as the warmth of Anna's body pressing against his.

Her bare skin was flush against his chest, her head resting on his shoulder, her breaths steady and deep. The bedsheets tangled around their legs, a testament to the wild night they'd shared.

His cock was still buried inside her, her pussy snug around him, warm and wet from the cum that had spilled into her few moments ago. He could feel the slight twitch of her muscles as she unconsciously clenched around him, as if her body wasn't ready to let him go.

He tilted his head slightly, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. She didn't stir, still lost in the depths of sleep.

'God, she looked so peaceful like this,' he thought, admiring the way her lashes fanned against her cheeks. But the memory of last night was anything but peaceful.

Anna had been relentless, demanding, and utterly insatiable. She'd pushed him to his limits, and he'd responded in kind, using his lightning powers to heighten every sensation, every touch, every thrust. His hands had crackled with electricity, his cock coated in a faint, shimmering current that had made her scream his name over and over.

Carefully, Ethan shifted beneath her, gripping her hips as he slowly pulled his cock out of her. He hissed at the sensation, the tight grip of her pussy milking him even as he withdrew. Cum leaked from her, dripping down her thighs and onto the sheets below. She let out a soft, sleepy whimper, her hips twitching as if seeking him out again. But she didn't wake up since her body is too exhausted from their marathon session.

After a long shower and a quiet breakfast, Ethan Carter stepped out of his apartment looking calm and composed.

He then used portal and arrived at Aeon Biotech, as he walked through the main lobby, the staff paused in their work, offering him smiles and words of admiration.

"Thank you for what you did, Dr. Carter."

"You saved my brother… he wouldn't have survived the accident without your intervention."

"You're incredible, sir."

Ethan responded with a simple nod and warm, reserved smiles. He never lingered too long, always moving forward—friendly, but distant. He acknowledged their praise, but didn't let it settle in.

A moment later, the elevator doors opened with a soft ding, and he stepped into his private lift, taking him to the top floors where his personal office awaited.

The moment he entered his executive cabin then a composed voice greeted him. "Good morning, Dr. Carter."