(General POV)

Wotan, a sorcerer hailing from ancient times, was a formidable presence on the battlefield. His mastery of the mystic arts, particularly the dark arts, had grown immensely over the centuries as he delved deeper into forbidden knowledge in search of meaning for humanity's existence, if such a thing even existed.

His immortality and unwavering determination made him a force to be reckoned with, instilling within him the confidence to pursue his darkest desires without hesitation. Blotting out the sun was but a step towards his ultimate goal of conquest. With the sun extinguished, he envisioned himself as the supreme ruler, reshaping the world according to his twisted vision of perfection.

His ambition knew no bounds as he sought to impose his will upon the world, driven by an unwavering belief in his own superiority and the righteousness of his cause.

With every incantation and invocation, he drew upon the darkest depths of black magic to overwhelm the Justice League with his indomitable might. Even an experienced sorcerer such as Giovanni had a difficult time keeping up with him, resorting to using shields to protect himself and other League members.

The only one with a long history of stopping Wotan was the Lord of Order, Nabu, but his famous Helmet was currently collecting dust somewhere in the Tower of Fate.

Once halted by the combined efforts of Zatara and the Justice League members, Wotan had briefly ceased channeling the power of the Amulet of Aten, a potent Viking relic with the ability to blot out the sun.

However, seizing control of the battlefield, he unleashed a single dark energy blast to subdue them for a few seconds (if not minutes), buying himself the time needed to reactivate and channel the Amulet once more, unleashing the darkness that would elevate him to the imposing position he desired.

However, his plans were about to be thwarted by the newest figure in DC. Hosting the powers of Dr. Strange, a Sorcerer Supreme akin to Dr. Fate (the embodiment of the Lord of Order, Nabu), he believed that he had what it took to put down Wotan and thwart his evil schemes. (Evil? What happened to perspective?)

He acknowledged the limitations he had and felt them keenly, but he understood the necessity of pushing past self-doubt and maintaining the belief: the forces of good always prevail. (Really?! What happened to perspective, Aiden?)

As Aiden descended through the air, he initiated his first offensive, provoking Wotan's attention and aggravating the dark sorcerer. It was akin to an insect surviving Wotan's tempestuous onslaught.

Aiden deftly conjured arrow constructs, directing them toward Wotan's hands and legs with precision, aiming to ensnare him upon impact.

The plan unfolded seamlessly, the arrows finding their mark with uncanny accuracy, compelling Wotan into a submissive stance as he struggled to retain control of the Amulet.

Believing victory to be within reach, and feeling as if this were the simplest task in the world, Aiden created a plate construct to prolong his suspension in the air. With unwavering determination, he summoned an assortment of weapons from his imagination - from daggers to swords, and even including hammers and frying pans reminiscent of a certain cat-and-mouse duo - propelling them toward Wotan with force.

Aiden harbored little concern for the damage these weapons would inflict upon Wotan, mirroring the sorcerer's indifference toward the city's destruction and his intent to cast humanity and the galaxy into darkness.

Wotan, on the other hand, took a moment to assess this new arrival. As an individual with little patience and simmering rage, he did not take kindly to anyone presuming they could subdue him. Though he found himself momentarily restrained by the binds, he was far from pleased with the onslaught of weapons hurtling toward him with alarming speed.

As the weapons closed in, Wotan's eyes narrowed, and with a swift motion, he broke free from the feeble bonds, ascending higher into the air. In retaliation, he unleashed a counterattack of black magic that swiftly absorbed Aiden's conjurations, threatening to consume Aiden in the process.

Quick to react, Aiden released the plate construct suspending him in the air and summoned a concave Eldritch shield to defend himself. However, even this defense was swiftly dissolved by Wotan's dark magic. Were it not for another, autonomous intervention from the Cloak, Aiden would have surely been overwhelmed by the wave of black magic.

"Your magic is contained, and the need to constantly aid you is taking a toll on me," Aiden sensed an unsettling communication from the Cloak, realizing its attempt to convey a message. "Take off the Sling Ring, and let's end this."

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Experiencing a wave of relief after the harrowing encounter, Aiden decided to heed the Cloak's advice, despite the apparent illogic of it. The Sling Ring was the conduit through which sorcerers channeled their magic, and removing it would seemingly render him powerless. Why then did the Cloak suggest this course of action?

Nevertheless, Aiden had half-expected things to come to this point. With Wotan temporarily subduing the Justice League and Aiden's power seemingly contained, he understood the need to unlock his full potential to stop Wotan.

"I wonder if there will be consequences," Aiden pondered to himself as he removed the Sling Ring.

And in that moment...

Aiden's body suddenly suspended in the air, upright, with no need for constructs as the Cloak of Levitation supported him effortlessly. Elegantly, he rose to reach Wotan's aerial level, glaring at him with eyes glowing with an eerie golden-yellow hue.

Wotan was quick to notice the sudden improvement in aura and knew he needed to act swiftly, but Aiden was even faster.

Striking first, Aiden channeled a foreign power and unleashed mystical fireballs from his hands at high speeds towards Wotan. Unable to conjure a more unique counter in time, Wotan resorted to recreating his dark Eldritch Blast to consume both the fireballs and the sorcerer who had launched them.

Seeing the retaliation, Aiden drew upon more power from the foreign entity and ignited a more potent pillar of fire from his hands to counter the Eldritch Blast. The clash of these potent energies produced a shockwave that pushed them both back and broke their spells.

Recognizing a worthy adversary, Wotan decided to elevate his game by channeling the Amulet to reach his apex. Meanwhile, Aiden knew he needed to maintain the offensive and keep the dark sorcerer on toes.

Quickly, Aiden summoned crackling blue runes on his fists and punched the air, creating a sweeping lane of electricity that surged towards Wotan at high speed. However, as the lightning lane approached him, Wotan's body became engulfed in darkness, causing the lightning to miss him. He then reappeared somewhere above, having evaded the attack.

Realizing that the lightning lane would linger for a few moments longer, Aiden followed up by opening a portal to redirect the bolts towards Wotan's new position, calling down lightning strikes to strike the dark sorcerer.

Wotan writhed in agony as the Bolts of Balthakk coursed through his body, but his power allowed him to endure the onslaught. He had reached his apex.

Despite a rush of disappointment and a growing sense of urgency, Aiden remained determined to end the battle decisively. His initial attempt with the Bolts of Balthakk had proven insufficient, indicating that subduing the sorcerer would require more time and strategic planning. Nevertheless, impatience gnawed at him, urging him to hasten the confrontation.

To keep Wotan occupied, Aiden summoned the Winds of Watoomb, conjuring a cyclone to disrupt Wotan's spells and confine him within its confines. Though the cyclone succeeded in breaking Wotan's attempt to ensnare Aiden with dark magic, it failed to fully trap him. Nonetheless, it bought Aiden the time he needed to execute his next move.

With swift precision, Aiden summoned six crimson bands, at strategic intervals, and ensnared the dark sorcerer, preventing his escape despite his frantic efforts to evade capture. Drawing Wotan closer, Aiden positioned his hands above himself with practiced expertise. As he brought them down, a cascade of additional hands materialized behind him, branching out from the main body in a mesmerizing display of the Images of Ikonn.

Wotan, desperate to break free from the clutches of the Crimson Bands of Cytorrak, realized his imminent demise as he gazed into all of the Aidens' glowing eyes. In that moment, he feared that this encounter with Aiden, a sorcerer of unparalleled swiftness and decisiveness, would mark the end of his immortal existence.

---

(Aiden's POV)

While removing the Sling Ring had indeed altered the trajectory of the battle, I was beginning to regret my decision.

Unlocking the full extent of my power and knowledge revealed why my magic had been restricted initially. By only casting the first spell, I had felt the sense of losing control as my body became more autonomous by the milli-second, taking over and doing things beyond my wildest imagination.

As cool and exhilirating as it felt performing impossible feats, the sensation of losing my free will was unsettling. My philosophical thoughts on good and evil were clashing, boiling down to one simple belief that would determine my next course of action.

"Wotan." I heard myself and other selves say in unison as they encircled the bound sorcerer. "I don't believe in the notion of good and evil, neither that of black and white. It's all a matter of perspective. And from where I stand, your very existence continues to endanger life itself."

"Therefore, I will administer Justice as I see it fit." I continued. "There will be no more reincarnations for you. This is the end of your line, Wotan."

"No- no- no..." My mind wrestled with the notion of permanently ending Wotan's existence. The internal conflict spilled into the physical realm as my various selves voiced my struggle. "No killing. No killing. Give me back full control."

"He must be eliminated, or his malevolence will persist," argued the opposing voice vehemently. "As should anyone else who threatens Earth."

"I said no killing," countered my other voice adamantly. "I refuse to take a life. I demand control. Put the Sling Ring back on."

"Enough," my resolute self intervened, silencing the internal discord and proceeding to enact Justice.

"Yeah, that's right. Enough," a deep voice chimed in as something encircled one of my fingers. "We'll handle it from here."

Exploiting my inner struggle, someone had seized the opportunity to reattach the Sling Ring, limiting my power once more. With my abilities curtailed, the Images of Ikonn dissipated, along with the Crimson Bands, granting a terrified Wotan the chance to escape from the League's grasp using his teleportation abilities.

~Prime.

This chapter served as a showcase, albeit a somewhat cliché one. However, it also lays the groundwork for Aiden to make critical decisions regarding his path in pursuit of Justice.

Advance chapters in Patreon if you'd like to read ahead.

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