The Watchtower was unusually quiet as the team recovered from their ordeal on Apokolips. Though they had secured the Artifact of Dominion, tensions simmered below the surface. Kei, Ignis, and the rest of the Justice League were physically exhausted, but their minds were restless.

Kei sat alone in the observation deck, staring out at Earth through the reinforced glass. Her thoughts were a whirlwind of suspicion and determination. Lucifer's cryptic behavior, the overwhelming power of their enemies, and the looming sense of an even greater threat weighed heavily on her.

Ignis joined her, pulling up a chair and leaning back casually. "You're brooding again," she teased, though her tone was gentler than usual.

Kei sighed, her breath fogging the glass. "I can't stop thinking about Lucifer. Something about him doesn't sit right. He's too... casual about everything. And that power he used against Kalibak—it was unreal."

Ignis tilted her head, her fiery hair glowing faintly. "You think he's holding back?"

Kei nodded. "More than that. I think he's playing a game, and we're the pieces."

Flash's New Speed Test

Elsewhere in the Watchtower, Flash was testing his newly enhanced speed in the training simulator. After the battle on Apokolips, he'd been eager to push his limits.

Cyborg monitored him from the control room. "You're hitting Mach 15, Barry. That's crazy even for you."

Flash grinned, his voice crackling over the comms. "Crazy? This is just the warm-up!"

Suddenly, a blinding surge of energy erupted around Flash as he pushed himself further. For a brief moment, he seemed to vanish entirely, reappearing with a gasp of shock.

"Barry, what happened?" Cyborg asked, alarmed.

Flash looked at his trembling hands. "I... I think I just tapped into something else. Like another dimension's speed force or... something bigger."

The Next Artifact's Location

In the main hall, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Lucifer gathered to discuss their next move. Batman's holographic map displayed a new, ominous location: the Forbidden Tombs of Chronos, a dimension rumored to hold the Crown of Eternity.

Superman frowned. "The Tombs of Chronos? That place is a deathtrap. Time itself bends and warps there. We'll be fighting the environment as much as any enemy."

Lucifer smirked. "Sounds like my kind of place. Twisted, dangerous, and filled with secrets."

Wonder Woman crossed her arms. "This isn't a game, Lucifer. The stakes are higher than ever, and we need to be united."

Lucifer's smile faded, and for a moment, his tone turned serious. "Trust me, Diana. I understand the stakes better than anyone."

Kei's Confrontation

Kei entered the hall, her icy presence chilling the air. "Then maybe you can enlighten us, Lucifer. What are you really after? Because I don't buy for a second that you're here out of the goodness of your heart."

The room fell silent as all eyes turned to Lucifer.

Lucifer rose from his chair, his expression unreadable. "My motives are my own, Kei. But if it eases your mind, let's just say our goals align—for now."

Kei stepped closer, her eyes narrowing. "For now? That's not good enough. We're risking everything out there, and you're playing games."

Lucifer's eyes glowed faintly, his celestial energy radiating in a barely contained pulse. "Careful, little Guardian. You may be powerful, but you're not invincible."

Before Kei could respond, Superman stepped between them, his calm yet commanding voice breaking the tension. "Enough. We're a team, whether we like it or not. Let's focus on the mission."

Arrival at the Tombs of Chronos

The journey to the Tombs of Chronos was harrowing. The dimensional gateway opened into a realm of swirling golden mists and floating debris. Time itself seemed fractured, with echoes of the past and glimpses of possible futures appearing and disappearing in the fog.

As the team navigated the labyrinthine tomb, they encountered distorted versions of themselves—illusions conjured by the tomb's temporal energy.

Flash stared in horror as an older, battle-worn version of himself appeared, covered in scars and missing his left arm. "Is this... my future?"

Wonder Woman saw a vision of herself as queen of a desolate Themyscira, her people turned to stone.

Kei and Ignis, however, faced a vision that cut deeper: a version of themselves fighting against each other, their powers clashing in a destructive storm.

Kei clenched her fists. "This isn't real. It's just the tomb messing with us."

Ignis nodded, her flames flaring in defiance. "Let's burn through this illusion and get what we came for."

The Crown of Eternity

At the heart of the tomb, the team found the Crown of Eternity, its golden surface shimmering with untold power. But as they reached for it, the guardian of the tomb emerged—a colossal, time-warped titan wielding a staff that could manipulate time itself.

The battle was chaotic, with time loops and distortions making every move unpredictable.

Superman struggled against the titan's immense strength, while Wonder Woman deflected its time-warping attacks with her shield.

Kei and Ignis combined their powers, creating a storm of fire and ice that destabilized the titan's temporal energy.

Finally, Lucifer stepped forward, his voice calm and commanding. "Enough of this."

With a wave of his hand, he manipulated the very fabric of time, freezing the titan in place. His power was overwhelming, leaving even Superman momentarily awed.

"Take the crown," Lucifer said, his tone unusually serious. "Quickly, before time resets itself."

Returning to the Watchtower

Back on the Watchtower, the team secured the Crown of Eternity alongside the other artifacts. But the tension between Lucifer and Kei reached a breaking point.

Kei confronted him once more. "You could've done that from the start. Why did you wait?"

Lucifer's expression was unreadable as he replied, "Because you needed to see it for yourselves. Power isn't just about strength; it's about knowing when to use it. Perhaps one day, you'll understand."

As he walked away, Kei turned to Ignis, her frustration evident. "We can't keep letting him call the shots. He's hiding something—something big."

Ignis nodded. "Then we keep an eye on him. And when the time comes, we'll make sure we're ready."

But even as they spoke, the Watchtower's alarms blared, signaling the arrival of an even greater threat. The final artifact was within reach—but so was the enemy who sought to claim them all.

To Be Continued...