The Shadow Monarch In The Marvel World

As soon as the shadows rose, they surged with power. Even in his weakened state, Ashborn's mastery over the [Shadow Monarch Force] ensured that his shadows would stand far above his current strength. Though these newly summoned shadows had yet to bask in his darkness and fully evolve, the sheer depth of his control alone propelled them to unfathomable heights—light years beyond Ashborn's present condition.

But the Phoenix Force…

It was the nexus of all psionic energy, a power that transcended mere strength and bordered on the divine. In the DC universe, another force held sway over reality—the Emotional Electromagnetic Spectrum.

What was that, you ask?

The Emotional Spectrum was an omnipresent energy field, fueled by the raw emotions of all sentient beings across existence—one of the Seven Fundamental Forces of this universe. It was the very foundation of power for the Lantern Corps, each color representing a distinct force of will, fear, rage, love, and beyond.

So, the real question was…

What would happen if the Phoenix Force, the cosmic fire of rebirth and destruction, absorbed not just the Emotional Spectrum of this universe, but of the entire omniverse?

The thought alone was terrifying… but she was doing just that, aiming to be the nexus of the emotional spectrum…

Ember's mortal form began to deteriorate, her flesh melting away to reveal a body of pure, raging fire. But before she could fully shed her human shell, Ashborn acted.

With a flick of his wrist, he tossed a chocolate bar into the sky.

Like an addict drawn to their vice, the Phoenix Force halted its self-destruction, instinctively healing its mortal body as it rocketed forward, snatching the chocolate from the air.

But she never got the chance to taste it.

In an instant, Ashborn appeared behind her, his grip tightening around her throat. Before she could react, he hurled her down, sending her crashing into the earth with a force that shook the city.

Even as she hit the ground, Ashborn didn't hesitate—he reached out, his power surging as he absorbed the corruption that had overwhelmed her.

Ember's flames exploded outward, instinctively fighting back against Ashborn's grasp. The heat was immense, scorching everything in its path, but Ashborn didn't flinch.

Her fire burned him, searing his skin, but he ignored the pain, his eyes locked onto hers as the Phoenix Force slowly regained its reason—bit by bit, the madness faded.

And then, in an instant, the flames vanished.

Ashborn let out a deep sigh, stepping back as his wounds were consumed by darkness, healing as if they had never existed. With a flick of his fingers, shadows wrapped around Ember, ensuring her modesty before disappearing, leaving her fully clothed once more.

"S-sorry," Ember muttered, unsure of what to do after what had just happened.

Ashborn let out a tired sigh, stretching his neck as he considered what to do with her.

"This city is pretty cursed… so maybe we should stay here for a while," he said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Might help you toughen up that weak mind of yours. That was pretty embarrassing."

Ember's face flushed red with humiliation. Remembering how she had gone feral over chocolate made her want to disappear into the void.

"Luckily, you were stupid. This was the first time one of my plans actually worked," Ashborn said with a grin, crossing his arms.

"I brought back every lifeless body in the city and had a single ant block your attack—just to give you the illusion that all of my shadows were insanely overpowered. In reality, they were only planetary level at best."

He smirked, clearly pleased with himself.

"With sheer numbers and that one ant's strength, you assumed you had to go all out. But mid-transformation, you completely threw logic out the window and lunged at a chocolate bar instead—while your body nearly burned itself away from the backlash."

"That's the first time a plan of yours actually worked… good for you," Ember said with a downcast look. She knew Ashborn was terrible at making plans—his intelligence stats seemed more focused on strengthening his mind and learning capabilities rather than strategic thinking. And now, that fact stung even more, another blow to her pride.

"Don't be so down," Ashborn said with a light smile, lowering his overwhelming charm once more. "This city is the perfect place for you to train. No one is perfect, and your only flaw is that you've allowed yourself to feel human emotions without knowing how to control them."

He extended a hand toward her, and after a moment's hesitation, Ember took it.

"So, let's start training…" Ashborn said, stretching slightly before his gaze shifted upward. "But first, we should deal with our guests."

Ember followed his gaze, her expression hardening as she took in the sight above them. The sky was filled with figures—dozens of them, their silhouettes stark against the daylight. The Justice League had arrived. Their presence carried weight, an unspoken challenge that hung heavy in the air.

"I wonder if they recorded all of that…" Ashborn mused, a smirk playing at his lips.

Ember shot him a death glare but didn't bother wasting her energy on a response. Instead, she turned her attention to the figures above, feeling out their power. Most of them weren't a concern, but one stood out—the embodiment of hope, Superman.

His strength wasn't static, it fluctuated depending on what he faced, adapting to the challenges before him. In a way, he was the keystone of this omniverse, a central figure in its story. And Ember could sense it. Marvel had its share of beings who could manipulate the plot, but this was different—this was the universe itself favoring its champion.

"What—" Before Ember could finish her sentence, Ashborn swiftly covered her mouth, already sensing she was about to say something rude.

Her response was immediate—she bit down on his hand.

"Ah, damn it!" Ashborn hissed, shaking his hand as a sharp sting shot through it. Instinct nearly had him swinging a punch at her, but Ember dodged effortlessly, floating just out of reach with a smug look.

"Last I checked, chickens didn't have teeth," Ashborn muttered, flexing his fingers.

Flames erupted around Ember in response, her glare searing hotter than her fire. But Ashborn simply turned away, dismissing her anger entirely—something that, of course, only infuriated her more.

"So, what does the Justice League want with us?" Ashborn asked with a light smile, casually sizing up the heroes hovering above them.

Hal Jordan narrowed his eyes, his green aura flaring slightly as he flew closer. "Who is she, and how was she able to interfere with the Emotional Spectrum?" he demanded, his voice carrying an edge of wariness.

"What did you do? I don't want Omniversal-level beings knocking on my door," Ashborn said with a frown, his arms crossing as he eyed Ember.

She sneered, flipping her hair back with a haughty smirk. 

"I'll just burn them to ash," she said arrogantly, as if the idea of facing such beings was nothing more than a minor inconvenience. With every moment, she was growing stronger—soon, she would become the true nexus of all psionic energy in this Omniverse.

"Says the chicken who just got corrupted over chocolate," Ashborn said with clear disdain.

That was it. Ember snapped.