Adrian stood with Devourer of Heaven's presence occupying his body. Their consciousnesses had become intertwined, and with that bond, he saw things most souls never witnessed — including the birthplace of Devourer of Heaven itself, the place known as the Shadow Land. There, he'd glimpsed Cindy Bowman trapped in eternal battle, facing her deepest fears: terrifying illusions of her own father and mother.
The air hummed with oppressive dread, yet Adrian remained composed.
"I have already sensed your power weakening," he said, his voice cold and steady.
With one hand, he gripped the neck of Devourer of Heaven — a being who had survived countless millennia by toying with the lives and souls of others. With the other hand, Adrian slowly drove the Star Scepter into Devourer's heart.
Devourer of Heaven looked at him with disbelief in his fading eyes as his strength drained away. His life force was dissipating.
"I…"
He had never expected to be outmaneuvered.
"I am eternal," Devourer gasped, his voice trembling.
"I am endless."
A roar erupted from him — one final denial of his fate.
Boom.
A beam of brilliant light flared from the Star Scepter. It struck Devourer of Heaven like sun striking shadow, illuminating him then burning through him until the darkness could no longer stand. The light washed over the fading form in dazzling waves like fire cleanses blight.
Devourer of Heaven let out a bone-chilling scream that echoed across the battlefield.
Nearby, Pat knelt on the ground, covering the ears of his daughter Courtney. Her eyes were wide with shock as she watched Adrian holding the Star Scepter.
Even Devourer of Heaven couldn't seize Adrian's consciousness? Courtney thought, her voice trembling but silent.
Why had he waited — or chosen to do it this way? It was infuriating, yet intriguing.
Across the field, Clark Kent and Wonder Woman watched, stunned. None of them had anticipated such a sudden reversal. In a moment, Adrian had reclaimed control of his own body, forced Devourer of Heaven out, and then pierced his heart with the Star Scepter.
Boom!
Under the intense, purifying light, Devourer of Heaven's body exploded.
Instead of blood and gore, his form disintegrated into countless stardust particles that scattered like motes in the air. A nauseating scent drifted across the battlefield as the light dissipated.
Adrian withdrew the Star Scepter and shook his head, calm but tired.
He walked toward Clark, who was still on the ground.
"Can you stand?" Adrian asked, his voice level.
Clark exhaled deeply and rose slowly.
"I'm fine," Clark said, steadying himself.
After confirming Clark was okay, Adrian turned to Wonder Woman and held out his hand to help her up.
"You look pale, Diana," he said with blunt concern.
She took his hand as she got to her feet.
"This is the first time you've called me by my name," she said, irritation mixing with relief.
"I won't forget your behavior back there," she added, narrowing her eyes.
"You could have taken back control at any time. You just chose to watch me get tormented."
Adrian didn't deny it.
"If I hadn't done that," he said simply, "I wouldn't have had the chance to catch Devourer of Heaven."
"Yes," Diana said, scowling, "but you chose the worst possible method."
She glanced at Clark.
"At least there's one thing," she continued, exhausted.
"What?"
"Clark is not nearly as frustrating as you."
Adrian didn't reply at first. He looked up at the dark clouds overhead, then at the warming light of the sun returning to the sky. Finally, he met Clark's eyes.
"I know Clark always handles impossible choices one way," Adrian said quietly.
Clark didn't answer.
—
A few days later — The Kent Farm, Kansas
Weekend had come. Martha and Jonathan Kent had arrived from nearby Winters, Kansas. Diana and Pat and his daughter Courtney had already left.
Kent Farm looked peaceful again, though beneath that calm, tension still stirred like an undercurrent.
"I heard, Adrian," Martha said gently as she faced him, her large belly calm and wise with experience.
"You proposed to a girl," she said, not unkindly.
Before Diana left, she'd shared a bit too much about recent events with Jonathan and Martha — intentionally or not — and now Martha spoke with earnest concern.
Adrian looked down, expression thoughtful.
"I'm sorry, Mom," he said softly. "Like Clark, I wore red kryptonite for a moment."
Even though the red kryptonite no longer affected him, he'd used it as an excuse to explain things.
"That's not the point," Martha said.
Marriage is sacred. It's built on trust. Two people must face life together and overcome challenges."
Martha's voice was firm but warm, rooted in the wisdom of her own life.
"You're a remarkable young man, Adrian. You face life and death decisions every day. I hope you understand those values."
He listened without argument.
Martha took his hand, squeezing it.
"I know you and Clark are alike. You are both gifted, and different from everyone else. Maybe that girl made you feel both special and normal. That may be love — or something very close — but it isn't marriage yet."
Adrian paused, then smiled faintly.
"I understand what marriage means to me," he said. "I won't be so rash again."
Martha smiled back.
"Hmmm. I'm not opposed to you dating Lois," she said thoughtfully, "I just think you aren't ready for marriage yet."
After patting his hand, she walked downstairs.
Adrian watched her go without speaking. After a moment, he turned and climbed to his room.
As graduation season approached, he had to prepare for university admissions. With his record and abilities, any reputable college in Kansas would likely accept him.
—
The next morning, Clark came downstairs and Jonathan called to him.
"Clark," he said, "can you tell me why you have a scholarship to Central Kansas University?"
"That's the one I want to go to," Clark said calmly.
Jonathan placed a heavy envelope on the table, his expression tense.
"What about Miami University? Or Ohio State?"
Clark shrugged as he changed his shirt.
"I want to stay closer to home," he said evenly.
Martha stood nearby, calm and supportive. She placed a hand on Jonathan's arm.
"Clark thought about this a lot," she said. "We should respect his decision."
Jonathan shook his head.
"Clark, this is one of the biggest decisions of your life," he said.
"I know," Clark replied.
"Your situation is different from Adrian's," Jonathan continued. "He can choose any school. Your choices are more limited."
Stepping forward, Jonathan's frustration surfaced.
"Is Lana going to Central Kansas University too?" he asked sharply.
"I don't know," Clark said, his calm cracking slightly. "But this isn't about Lana."
"Then is it about us?"
Jonathan's voice rose.
"Do you think I can't handle this farm without you?"
Clark bristled.
"This place needs me!" he said.
"No!" Jonathan snapped. "This place doesn't need any of us more than your future does! We aren't holding you back."
The tension broke at that moment, footsteps echoing in the hallway.
"I was just passing by," said Adrian as he appeared, acknowledging both of them with a nod before heading upstairs.
As Adrian walked away, Jonathan muttered to Clark, still frustrated, "I have to get out to the fields."
Adrian understood everything that had happened between father and son — but he didn't interfere.
Up in his room, he sat at his desk and turned on the projector.
The white screen on the wall flickered to life in black and white.
On the screen was a great city — one with a long, storied past, as if carved from history itself. In a dark alley, a lone woman walked cautiously.
It was Amanda Waller.
In the alley stood a tall, imposing man. He stepped toward her with a look of rage.
"Amanda," he growled, "you think you can escape me? You will never break free. Even if you kill me!"
Amanda's voice wavered as her nightmare unfolded.
"No… Dad… you're not real. You're my nightmare."
She pulled out a pistol and fired.
Bang.
The shot hit home, and the figure of her father fell.
The scene shifted abruptly.
When she opened her eyes, she was in her childhood room — the place of memories she wished she could forget.
Adrian watched as Amanda struggled with her own darkness. He felt no expression, no reaction. What she saw were echoes of her deepest fears — exactly what the Shadow Land produced.
The Shadow Land was where Devourer of Heaven was born, a void born of human darkness — fear, anger, guilt. Anyone who entered it faced personal torment, as if walking through purgatory itself.
Having seen its secrets, Adrian could now pull people into and out of it. The projector wasn't random — it was a tool he had set up to study its effects.
He had experimented by sending Amanda into that place, letting her face her deepest pain.
He wasn't cruel — he was calculating, always searching for a deeper understanding of strength, weakness, and fear.
He turned off the projector, leaving the image of that city frozen in his mind.