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Khandaq was on fire.

A demon stood on the throne.

Armies of death and decay ravaged the streets.

Kent Nelson jolted awake with a start, snatching his hand away from the helm as though it had burned him. From the pilot seat of the Nth metal jet, Carter looked at him with a mixture of concern and apprehension; used to the odd visions his friend would receive from the helm but always wary of what they promised.

“Something I need to know?” Carter asked warily.

Kent swallowed, mentally attempting to block out the preceding part of his vision, the blood, Carter—

“Nothing of import just yet.” Kent replied coolly. 

Carter’s eyes narrowed in suspicion, he was no fool, and Kent knew he’d seen through the feeble lie, but mercifully, he let the subject drop for now. 

“Carter-” Kent began, trying to figure out how to tell a million unsaid things without giving away what he’d just seen. ‘I love you’ sat on the tip of his tongue, but no matter how many unspoken ways they’d said those words over the years, they still got stuck in his throat. “When all this business with Teth-Adam is said and done, let’s go somewhere, just the two of us.”

Carter’s eyes searched his for a long moment, “once all this is over,” he agreed softly.

And over it was, far too quickly. Without time for so much as a caring word or a whispered goodbye. 

“I’m sorry, my love.” Kent whispered into the air, as he entered Khandaq’s throne room. Every last detail was in line with his vision, except for Carter and the spear in his gut, screaming to the heavens. Mercifully, perhaps it truly could be prevented.

The third option. Kent reminded himself mercifully as he crossed the threshold of the throne room, making himself known. 

If he strained his ears, he could just hear the sounds of the others trying to to break through the barrier he had created. A necessary strain on his powers to keep the others out of harms way, though, and the other vision flashed before his eyes, of himself taking Carter’s place, perhaps the strain would be too great of a handicap.

Ah, well. He thought to himself with a grim sense of satisfaction, he’d lived long enough. 

“Sabbac,” Dr. Fate spoke powerfully as he slipped the helm over his head, “order decrees that chaos cannot prevail. By all the lords of order, you will not take Khandaq.”

Fate spread his hands wide in a grand gesture, and a golden ankh made of pure light descended from the sky, locking Sabbac in a crucified position. 

Sabbac growled as he struggled to move, “you are not the wizards’ champion. Is he so weak that he sends parlour magicians to fight his battles?”

Fate only laughed. “The lords of order have no need for champions.” He twisted one hand and the ankh shrunk, forcing Sabbac to his knees. “What fight could you hope to offer the champion if you can’t beat a parlour magician?”

Sabbac screamed, a scream of raw powerful rage, and the ankh shattered into afternoon sun beams. “Is that the best you can do?”

Beneath the helm, Fate smiled. “Fate always has the last word.”

In spite of his best efforts, Fate felt the barrier begin to splinter as he teleported behind Sabbac, forming an ankh around his neck to choke him. Fate moved his hands apart as he ripped a tear in reality. Through another golden ankh, the demon burned hellish red. 

Fate yanked a closed fist through the air, pulling the ankh back, and Sabbac with it. “You’ve overstayed your welcome in the world of men.”

Sabbac roared again fighting the noose. One red molten hand clawing at the golden nose while the other aimed a beam of fire at Fate. Weakened by the combined effect of keeping the portal up, he was knocked back. Fate staggered, his concentration on both spells faltering, the portal fizzled and faded, as the barrier shattered above their heads raining golden shards of light on them both. 

Fate heard Carter’s yell and knew he didn’t have much time. Perhaps it would take one champion to fight another after all. 

Teth-Adam.

Fate projected his voice across the distance. 

Khandaq needs its champion. You may not be what the wizards intended, but you have inspired your nation in a way they have not been since the champion first rose.

Fate tugged on a thread and the container holding Teth-Adam shattered. The helm began to dissolve, it would reappear when needed, but Fate’s time in this battle was done. 

‘Til we meet again, Nabu. Kent thought as the Lord of Order’s tether to this realm disappeared completely.

It was raining golden light as Carter sprinted into the Cathedral, Atom Smasher and Cyclone hot on his heels. Kent was on his knees, looking drained, as Sabbac grabbed him by the hair and tossed him like a rag doll. 

Carter couldn’t make a sound as Kent flew through the air, he leapt up, wings propelling him forward as fast as he could go. Sabbac grabbed him by the wing, pulling up short at break neck speed. The tendons in his wing screamed in protest as they stretched and ripped. 

“Kent!” Carter finally found his voice as he watched the other man thwack against a pillar slide to the ground, arm at an odd angle and blood running down his face. Kent didn’t stir.

A current of wind buffeted Sabbac backward and he let go of Carter’s wing as he stumbled a few steps. Carter flew forward even faster this time, ignoring the way his wing jerked unsteadily, he tilted his body, angling pressure on his uninjured wing. 

In seconds, he was cradling Kent’s head in his lap. Running gentle fingers through his hair as his other hand desperately felt for a pulse. It was slow and weak, barely there, but it was enough. 

Carter lowered his head to the gently, arranging him as comfortably as could behind the pillar. He pressed a kiss to Kent’s forehead and stood up quickly. He tucked his wings back into his shirt, injured they’d only get in the way. One wing folded oddly, the muscles not cooperating properly. But he shrugged off the pain and unsheathed his mace. 

With a flick of his wrist, he extended the handle to its full length. A glowing electric field expanded between the spikes, it wasn’t perfect, but it could disrupt Sabbac’s magic. Hopefully long enough for Carter to punch him in the face, repeatedly. 

He leapt out from behind the column, thankful as ever for the new recruits who were keeping Sabbac distracted. They weren’t necessarily winning, but they were keeping his attention and they hadn’t been injured yet, which Carter was immensely thankful for. He couldn’t lead more kids to their deaths.

If we all survive this, I’ve gotta talk to Waller about convincing me to hire kids.

He brought down the mace with all his might across Sabbac’s back forcing the demon to one knee. But despite his size, he was quick. He turned on Carter in a heartbeat catching the next mace swing that would’ve caught him across the head. The demon grunted and jerked from the mace in surprise as the electricity sizzled on contact with his skin. 

He snarled at Carter, “what weapon is this!?” His voice was a low growl, thundering through the cathedral.

Carter smiled, a jagged thing. “Something that's gonna give you a bad day!”

He raised for another swing aiming lower this time, hoping to catch the demon off guard. Sabbac raised his arm at the same time, but not for a swing. A plume of fire shot forward missing Carter’s head by inches and catching his shoulder as he dove out of the way. 

Atom Smasher took the opportunity to knock the demon to the ground, while Cyclone used used pressurized wind columns to try to keep him down. Carter ran forward swing down on the demon’s head with all his might. The mace caught him in the face and he roared in pain, throwing Atom Smasher off and breaking Cyclone’s concentration. 

Carter swung again, hoping to luck into another blow. Sabbac caught him by the arm and yanked, Carter yelled as his shoulder twisted off its socket. His mace hand fell uselessly to his side, hanging at an odd angle. He grabbed the mace in his good hand, suppressing a groan as it tugged at his burned shoulder. 

“A god couldn’t stand against me and you think you stand a chance.” Sabbac taunted brutally and Carter’s gaze slid to Kent without his permission. 

With a yell of rage, he swung at the demon blindly. Sabbac only laughed, dodging easily. 

“So weak to be clouded by your emotions. This—“ he batted Carter across the citadel, “—is why your race will fall. You’re too weak for power.”

Carter caught himself awkwardly, the muscles in his injured wing screaming in protest as they quickly unfurled. As it was, he only slowed his momentum, still slamming painfully against a column. 

A pile of fallen rubble flew past his head, slamming into the demon from every direction. He snarled in protest, fixing his sights on Cyclone.

No. Carter thought desperately, not another kid. He picked himself up as fast as he could and threw the mace with all his might, it caught the demon in the back. It probably did more annoyance than damage, but it successfully grabbed his attention. 

“This time I’ll make sure you stay down.” A column of fire shot towards Carter, his injured wing struggled to obey as he forced himself to dodge. He was too slow, he knew he was too slow. 

Kent, I’m sorry.

“I don’t think so.” A new voice responded, intercepting the column of fire and following it back to its source. 

Teth-Adam floated in the center of the cathedral as he leveled punch after punch at the demon.

“So, the wizards send their champion at last. Tired of letting your playthings fight for you?”

“I’m here now, so let’s end this. Champion to Champion.”

Sabbac smiled. “How easily you face your death, Champion.”

“I didn’t perish when I faced your ancestor, and I have no interest in dying now.” Teth-Adam surged forward and with spinning throw launched the demon by his horns into the nearest wall.

“You’ll pay for what you did to my bloodline, and once I kill you. I’ll finish off your playthings.”

A ring of fire shot out in all directions, and Carter dove on top of Kent unfurling his wings over them both as the fire washed across them. He cried out as the heat seared his wings. Every aspect of his body now screamed in protest, but he couldn’t quit not while the kids were in danger, not while Kent was in danger.

Teth-Adam and Sabbac seemed to be evenly matched, gaining and losing ground with each blow. Carter scanned the cathedral for his mace, it had fallen further away than he’d thought, it was on the far side of the room. He made eye contact with Atom Smasher and Cyclone who were hiding behind a pair of columns on another side of the room. 

Carter motioned to his mace, hoping that Cyclone would understand. She followed his hand and then glanced back at him, nodding. She whispered something to Atom Smasher and he moved closer to the fight with Teth-Adam and Sabbac. 

Carter shook his head violently. He didn’t want the kids to get involved in this if he could help it. Cyclone broke their staring contest and began to weave her hands in a familiar pattern. His mace lifted off the floor soundlessly and flew towards him. 

Carter caught the mace with his good arm enjoying, the familiar weight was a small comfort against the pain running across his body. 

He watched the fight, waiting for the best moment he could find. They were moving fast shockwaves of force rippling out across the room as their fists connected. Sabbac’s back was to him, Carter dove in, bringing his mace down with all his might on the demon’s head. Hoping to give Teth-Adam the opening he needed.

The demon grunted, both knees giving out at once. 

Teth-Adam seized the opportunity without hesitation. He grabbed the demon by the horns, one in each hand and pulled apart with all his might. Sabbac ripped down the middle and then dissolved in a haze of fire. 

“That’s good.” Carter murmured as he slumped to the ground. 

Kent did not expect to wake and yet he did. The familiar curved ceiling of the Nth metal metal cruiser winked above him in the dim blinking light. A cursory glance told him that he was in the med bay. 

He moved slowly to sit up, his body felt stiff, but nothing felt as life threatening as it had. There was a bandage across the top of his head, and another wrapped tightly around his ribs. 

On the night stand next to him, a familiar helmet rested unassumingly. He ran a hand across the crown of the helmet, and the cool metal buzzed under his palm in response. 

Carter blinded by rage facing off against Sabbac. Carter throwing himself on top of Kent, wings out spread as fire roared over them, searing his wings. Carter clutching him tighter until the fire passed. Carter distracting Sabbac to keep Atom Smasher and Cyclone safe. 

Kent pulled his hand away from the helm just as quickly as he had touched it. The memories washing over him, not the future, but the past.

As his eyes adjusted further to the dim light, he could make out another figure in the med bay, taking up three beds; one positioned normally and the other two placed perpendicular near the head of the bed. 

Cyclone’s cloud of nanites still hovered over the figure, buzzing softly as they did their work. 

Kent hobbled over to Carter quickly. Nothing really hurt, but everything was stiff and his head felt full of cotton. He leaned heavily on Carter’s bed once he stood beside it. 

He ran the back of his hand across Carter’s cheek gently. His left arm was in a sling and they were bandages up and down his wings. His right shoulder was also bandaged. 

The knot in Kent’s chest unravelled slightly, Carter was injured, yes, but he also very much alive. 

“You fool, would you have run if I had told you to run?” He pressed a gentle kiss to Carter’s un-bandadged shoulder. “I’ve already lost Inza, old friend. Would you force me to lose you too?”

He sank heavily into a nearby chair, reclining as much as its structure allowed. “Perhaps, I really am getting too old for this…” He massaged his head gently, “saving the world is a young man’s game.”

Kent sighed again, hand moving from Carter’s face to grasp the hand that wasn’t currently in a sling. Carter’s chest moved up and down rhythmically and Kent let himself watch Carter breathe for a long moment, relishing the fact that he was still alive. 

Eventually the lights in the room grew brighter, as the ships built in day/night cycle adjusted the light accordingly. Finally, Carter stirred. 

Dark black eyes met Kent’s, full of warmth and love. Carter squeezed his hand, smiling softly. “You’re alive.” He croaked, voice dry. 

Kent, whose own aches and pains were no doubt much less severe than Carter’s, immediately made to stand and get water. But Carter squeezed his hand again, drawing his attention. “Stay.”

Reluctantly, Kent relaxed back into the chair. “You’re a fool.” Kent said eventually.

Carter’s eyes crinkled as he smiled. “You always were the brains of this outfit.”

“You should not have attempted to intervene with Sabbac, old friend.” There were so many more names he wanted to use, but forcing himself to think of Carter only as an old friend might allow him to get through this conversation without breaking. 

Carter bristled immediately, “would you have preferred I leave you to die when I could have done something!?”

“Yes!” Kent breathed the word before his mind caught up with his mouth, that had been his plan, but he knew Carter wouldn’t approve. “It was the only option where everyone lived.”

“Everyone else you mean.” Carter corrected with a hiss. 

Kent glanced down at their fingers, still intertwined. “I’ve lived a long life, old friend. I’ve seen things I never would’ve dreamed of as a boy. I’ve gotten to love many incredible people. I’m content.”

“Well, I’m not.” Carter exclaimed attempting to push himself up, but falling back to the bed with a groan. “You don’t get to decide to just die without giving this a try—“ Carter paused with a grimace, though whether it was from his injuries or the memories Kent couldn’t say. “You bastard,” Carter seethed suddenly, “you asked me to go away with you when all this was done, all the while you were planning this?!”

Kent’s gaze trailed back to Carter’s, “the vision wasn’t set in stone yet. Fate was unsure whether or not Sabbac would be released.” He swallowed, “I had hoped, foolishly, that things might not go wrong and perhaps we could try.”

“And you thought that I would be ok, knowing that you did this willingly?”

“Better me than you.” Kent stated with more finality than he felt, remembering the vision of Cater’s death. 

“What?” Carter whispered.

“The vision,” Kent began. “It showed me more than the possibility of Sabbac,” he squeezed Carter’s hand, “if you went to face him first, you would die, that thread was certain.”

“Ok.”

“Ok?”

“You think I’m not prepared to die to save the world too.”

I wasn’t dying to save the world, Kent thought desperately. I was dying to save you. 

“You aren’t at war anymore, Carter. This isn’t Thanagar!” 

“You think I don’t know that?!” The mention of Carter’s home planet made him bristle as it always did. It was not a happy world, but he still missed it desperately. “You can’t leave me alone in this world, Kent.” A singular tear trailed down his cheek as he watched Kent. 

And just like that, all the argument deflated out of him. “Ok.”

“Ok?” It was a happy parallel to their words only minutes ago.

“Ok.” Kent said again, “I’m getting too old for this anyway.” He brought their twined fingers up to Carter’s cheek and the latter leaned into the touch. “I did promise you a vacation.”

A slow smile spread across Carter’s face. “I think the kids can save the world without us for a while.”

Kent leaned down to place a gentle kiss to Carter’s lips. Carter sighed against him, darting his tongue into Kent’s mouth as he attempted to deepen the kiss. Kent pulled back with a fond smile, “we’ll have plenty of time for that later. Rest for now.”