Slowly, painstakingly, Michael managed to bring a semblance of order to the chaotic rift, the swirling energies within responding to his focused intent, his emerald energy acting as a tuning fork in the symphony of chaos.
The tear in reality began to mend, the unnatural distortions in the city subsiding as the magical storm found a fragile equilibrium, the sky above Starling City gradually returning to a less apocalyptic shade of grey.
Exhausted but resolute, Michael descended, the vibrant emerald aura around him fading, leaving a shimmering trail of harmless, residual energy in his wake.
Superman landed beside him, his expression a rare blend of awe and genuine concern, his powerful frame radiating a palpable sense of relief.
"That was… remarkable, Michael. I've encountered beings with immense power, but the way you interacted with that energy… it was unlike anything I've ever witnessed.
You didn't just push against it; you… guided it." He extended a hand to help Michael steady himself.
Michael, leaning heavily on a relieved Zatanna for support, managed a weary smile, a trickle of blood tracing a path from his nostril. "Lian Yu… it was a rather unconventional postgraduate program."
Batman landed silently nearby, his cape billowing in the receding magical winds, his gaze intense and analytical, his usual stoicism momentarily cracked by a flicker of something akin to astonishment. "That energy… it wasn't magic as Zatanna wields it. It wasn't metahuman in any conventional sense. Your control… it was precise, deliberate. What exactly are you, Queen?"
"Something… in between the cracks, perhaps," Michael replied, choosing his words carefully, the effort of speaking evident. "A conduit. I learned to tap into forces… primal forces. The island… it resonated with it. I just… listened."
Zatanna, her relief palpable, enveloped Michael in a tight embrace, her voice thick with emotion. "You magnificent, reckless darling! You scared me half to death! Don't you ever do that again! Nrets egnahc ot emoc evah uoy!" (You have come to change threats!)
In the aftermath of the crisis, a new dynamic undeniably shifted between the heroes. Superman witnessed Michael's immense power and his surprising, almost intuitive control, recognizing a potential ally with unique and invaluable capabilities.
Batman, though his mind still struggled to categorize the phenomenon he had witnessed, couldn't deny the effectiveness of Michael's actions and the sheer courage he had displayed in the face of the unknown. Seeds of respect, sown in the heart of chaos, had begun to firmly take root.