The "World of Heroes" DC RPG Season VII

[MadRhapsody]

I pummel Hammond with my constructed crane-arms, working out all the anger over the mindgames he put me through. But Hammond soon recovers, and retaliates with a barrage of orange daggers, hitting me with surgical precision and cutting apart my exoskeleton construct. Once it's taken apart, he knocks me to the ground with a huge orange fist.

[blackout]"How does it feel to be on the receiving end of that, Jordan? Annoying, isn't it?"[/blackout]

I wipe the blood away from my mouth.

"Not as annoying as you."

I fire a blast of emerald energy at the big-headed freak, knocking him through my apartment's back wall.

Time felt like a tornado. No matter how hard you tried to concentrate, everything was a whirl before finally settling down.

"Hal..." His name was the only thing I could say in the spur of the moment. He protected me when I was in danger and tried his best to make sure no harm came to me. He wasn't perfect, seeing as Hector floored him with an orange fist, but he was quick to counter and send him flying through the back wall. The apartment would be in shambles by the end of this fight.

I gathered myself and flew over to my husband's side, taking his hand in mine and looking at him. "I'm glad you're here..."

 

[NiteMare Shape]

I have have searched for several days, following up on dead end lead after dead end lead, unable to find any information on little Maggie or her abductors. It is times like this that I miss Batman...when it comes to world class detectives there was no one better.

Feeling dispair over my lack of success, I turn back to my office to look over all the information that the girl's mother had given me, hoping that perhaps I will find something that I had overlooked previously.

"I will find you Maggie, that I promise you."

Back in my office I have poured over all the files that I have on young Maggie, and the mysterious circumstances surrounding her disappearance, and just as before I come up with absolutely nothing.

"Where are you...?" I ask aloud, not only to Maggie, but for that one piece of the puzzle that has eluded me.

I take a momentary break to endulge in an Oreo Cookie. While I continue looking through the files something clicks...a name.

Victor Peterson.

A janitor at Maggie's school while she was attending summer classes.

He was an early suspect in the police investigation, but was cleared by the police due to a lack of probable cause.

However, his name comes up far too many times in all these files for me not to take a closer look.

"Hold on Maggie, I pray that I am getting closer."

 

[Keyser Soze]

Time felt like a tornado. No matter how hard you tried to concentrate, everything was a whirl before finally settling down.

"Hal..." His name was the only thing I could say in the spur of the moment. He protected me when I was in danger and tried his best to make sure no harm came to me. He wasn't perfect, seeing as Hector floored him with an orange fist, but he was quick to counter and send him flying through the back wall. The apartment would be in shambles by the end of this fight.

I gathered myself and flew over to my husband's side, taking his hand in mine and looking at him. "I'm glad you're here..."

"I'm glad I got here on time."

I squeeze Carol's hand tight, and for a minute, everything else fades away, and it's just me and her. Then I feel the ring on her finger, take in the outfit she's wearing, and remember the situation we're in right now.

"We've got a lot to talk about, later, but now..."

I'm cut off by a blast of orange energy that knocks us both to the ground.

[BLACKOUT]"I'm sorry, was I interrupting something?"[/BLACKOUT]

 

[Johnny Blaze]

The Calm Before ~ Act 2​

Savitar grabbed Hunter and picked him up by his throat. With his free hand, the Lord of Speed rained down blow after lightning quick blow. Zoom's face was bloodied and swollen by the time Savitar was done. The Lord of Speed then casually tossed a beaten Hunter aside like yesterday's garbage.

"You're nothing but a charlatan", Savitar stated as he cracked his neck and slowly stalked in on Zoom as the former villain tried get to his feet.

"A trickster trying to emulate his betters", Savitar kicks Hunter in his side, breaking two ribs and sending his skipping across the ground.

Landing a dozen feet away against the side of an ice cream shop, Hunter tries to get rid of the haze clouding his head. Almost instinctively, Zoom tries to accelerate his healing as fast as he possibly can.

"You have no business masquerading as a speedster, Zolomon. I consider that an insult", Savitar frowned as he waded in.

"You don't even have a connection with God!"

Savitar went to kick Hunter again, but Zoom was ready for him. Healed enough, Hunter shot upwards as fast as he was able, his fist squarely smashing into Savitar's chin.

Savitar is launched into the air and up over the building, and Hunter shakily gets to his feet.

"Jesus", he says as he wipes the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Bastard packs a punch."

"Thank you", Savitar smiles as he streaks in like a bolt of blue lightning, punching Zoom across his jaw. The punch shatters the windows of nearby vehicles and sends Hunter crashing through the window of a pawn shop.

"Funny...after all the trouble you gave Wally, I had thought you'd be tougher", Savitar says as he steps through the shattered window.

Zoom's look of utter surprise brings a wide grin to Savitar's face.
"Yes, you heard correctly. It's funny the things you can learn when your one with the divine."

"I don't care what kind of information you have, or how you know it", Hunter grimaced as he stood up and charged Savitar.
"You won't get the chance to use it."

Zoom tried to punch Savitar, but his fist just passed right through the smiling villain.

"You are an insect trying to kill a god, Zolomon", Savitar says as he elbows Zoom in the face, dropping him to the floor.

"Begone."

Savitar raises his hands up, and snaps his fingers. The sonic explosion is deafening, echoing loudly across Central and Keystone. Hunter and Savitar barely have any time to react as the sonic blast brings the building down on top of them...

 

[Batman]

Flashes of foreign images. Memories in constant vertigo. Relics of a past long forgotten, trying to climb and claw their way out from an abyss of fabricated lies. The life that Bruce Wayne knew was slowly beginning to unravel beneath him. Startlingly replaced by a series of events that seemed distant - unrecognizably cold and urban. Like the damp concrete streets he now stood upon, guided through by a mad jester who's sole purpose seemed only to mock and torment a man he claimed to hate.

But if that was so, why go to all the trouble? How did he know all of this? And if it really wasn't true... then what was the truth going to be? Something darker and bleak? It didn't make sense. His mind began to question itself, as he silently wondered if the images he was beginning to see were meant to be there. Were they really apart of his psyche... or was that what the clown's lies had placed in his mind?

The Demon's Head grasped at his head, visibly pained as he felt it throb with confusion. The Joker madly grinned, careful not to interrupt him. His enemy knew what was happening, and it was a delicious sight to behold: He was beginning to remember.

"-....edicated my life to the pursuit of justic-...", A voice from the past screamed out at him. "-...t's a madman's dream, but a dream I must follo-..."

"Stop it.", He pleaded to himself, with anger leering out from under his voice. "It's not real."

"...-eed a disguise, one that strikes terror in the hearts of ev-..."

"S-Stop. Stop it,", He pleaded once more, his anger subsiding into desperation. "Please..."

"...-y parents graves, I swear to fight against injustice for the people of Gotha-..."

"...-e'll build it here, in this cave. This is where my war begi-..."

"Stop."

"...-rained to hone my body and mind to absolute perfectio-..."

"STOP."

"...-eed the fear of God. The terror of the night to use as my weapo-..."

"STOP IT!"

In a mad fury, The Demon's Head screams out into the night, dropping to his knees in agony. The Joker, the alley... none of it's there anymore. He only sees the cascading images of yesterday. The tale untold of a life embarked by one of the world's greatest warriors. He doesn't know what he thinks of it - every primal emotion in him is lashing out against his traitorous mind. But it doesn't stop. The voices, they never go away. And he is left only to bear witness to the tale.

Then silence.

Followed by an explosion.

The Joker is the first to hear it, turning to survey the coming debris left by an unexpected disturbance from within the city. But his focus is ultimately his undoing, as the mad clown is too late to evade the coming bricks and glass. Struck directly in the head, The Joker is sent back, launched into a bed of trash and filth lining the alley's murderous corners.

For only a moment, Bruce Wayne stares down at the man that's brought him all this way. A man who could have very well illuminated the truth within a life of deciet that he was living. He should have felt gratitude. Not anger. Not the hatred that he felt, driving him closer towards the desire to murder the clown in cold blood for all that he's done.

But the voices of the past were still tormenting him. He didn't have the time. All he knew was that he was just handed the opportunity to escape. He was risking death, of course, but if he didn't take it... he might never see the chance again. And he would rather die than spend another moment among this city's filth.

So he ran. Ran from The Joker, ran from Crime Alley... but never escaping the echoes of the past that was beginning to warp his very reality.

The Demon's Head had escaped back into the darkness.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Groaning in pain, The Joker emerged from the debris, clutching at his bleeding head.

"Oh Brucie, nothing to worry about. Before long you'll remember stuff like this happens in Gotham all the time..."

His smile faltered when he looked around, and realised that his companion had vanished.

"Brucie?"

He looked around, sifting through pieces of collapsed wall in case he had been buried underneath. But in his heart, he knew this wasn't the case.

"Batman?"

Of course, he wasn't going to activate the collar bomb. He'd worked so hard to bring Batman back, he wasn't going to just kill him all over again. Instead, he sat down on the ground, and screamed up into the unforgiving night sky.

"BATMAN!"

 

[MadRhapsody]

"I'm glad I got here on time."

I squeeze Carol's hand tight, and for a minute, everything else fades away, and it's just me and her. Then I feel the ring on her finger, take in the outfit she's wearing, and remember the situation we're in right now.

"We've got a lot to talk about, later, but now..."

I'm cut off by a blast of orange energy that knocks us both to the ground.

[blackout]"I'm sorry, was I interrupting something?"[/blackout]

I gasped when the blast harshly put us down, but our hands never let go. However, I had to release him, a perfectly nice moment, you bastard... and then I sent a bolt of pink energy of my own in Hammond's direction, at least stunning him. I got back on my feet, blasted him with another pink energy, and another before they became flurries that kept beating on him.

"This is for laying your grubby little hands on our son!" I yelled as I created two hands that locked together and smashed him against the floor with a hammerfist. The constructs disappeared and I turned to help my husband back to his feet. My eyes focused on Hammond again, certain that he would get back up real soon.

 

[Keyser Soze]

I gasped when the blast harshly put us down, but our hands never let go. However, I had to release him, a perfectly nice moment, you bastard... and then I sent a bolt of pink energy of my own in Hammond's direction, at least stunning him. I got back on my feet, blasted him with another pink energy, and another before they became flurries that kept beating on him.

"This is for laying your grubby little hands on our son!" I yelled as I created two hands that locked together and smashed him against the floor with a hammerfist. The constructs disappeared and I turned to help my husband back to his feet. My eyes focused on Hammond again, certain that he would get back up real soon.

"And this is for laying your grubby little hands on my wife!"

With Hammond already floored, I fire another blast of energy at him, putting him through the ground, leaving him buried at the base of a smoking crater.

"I think that's him done..."

[BLACKOUT]DONE!?[/BLACKOUT]

A wave of physic energy hits both of us, bringing me to my knees. Underneath me, the ground is cracking and splintering. While we're still recovering from the attack, he blasts back up to the surface, wrapping each of us in a giant orange tentacle.

[BLACKOUT]"I'm just getting started!"[/BLACKOUT]

 

[Watchman]

Gotham City Opera House,

"Master," one of the guards had enter the main hall. Batman and Godfrey stood staring out a window looking over the city. Fires could be seen, gunshots could be heard, "Nightwing and Robin have been spotted."

"Shall I take care of them?"

"Why bother. They are no concern to us."

"Nightwing has proven to be a formidable enemy."

"To you, perhaps. But here they face Godfrey the Glorious One. Here in Gotham they face a god. Weapons that crack reality and bend the mind, do you think children really have a chance?"

"I think you underestimate the humans." Godfrey laughed.

"Please, even if they are able to stop what happens here our plans have taken root through out a thousand universes."

"Very well."

"If it humors you, you may flay the skins of the sons of Batman or better yet bring them alive. I'll give them to Granny." Godfrey pushed open the doors to the main concert hall and the Batman followed.

 

[Byrd Man]

​

Tim and I leave a trail of pain through Crime Alley as the bodies pile up behind us.

I deliver a bone crushing blow to another thug, he whimpers and falls to the ground.

Through the carnage and chaos, I spot a figure running through the battle that looks all to familiar.

"Bruce?"

I handspring over another heavy and fight my way through the small army as I try to get a good look at the man running away from me.

"Bruce!"​

 

[trustyside-kick]

With the Flashes & Sinestro up ahead in the next room of Sivana's underground hide-out, Captain Marvel and Hawkman find themselves left behind for as soon as the speedsters zip through the door in front of them shut.

"Honestly, does he really think that he can prolong this? In the end of the day, he's just a mad scientist."

"A mad scientist that has been giving me trouble for years."

"Yea, that 'Captain Sivana Marvel' robot really was something, wasn't...it..."

Carter's mockery of the villain suddenly comes to a halt as he sees what Captain Marvel had been staring at the entire time Hawkman had his back turned. From the ground beneath rises the villain Ibac. From the loud speakers in the room shouts Sivana's voice after a few seconds of his manical laughter.

"Hahaha...a little gift from Mr. Mind. The calculations that I would be targetted first were very high given my involvement in Grodd's master plan. He's a little...mentally unstable at the moment due to some alterations Mind has made with his brain. But I think you will find that we've tuned him up to be quite the good boy to my every word."

Before Carter can even touch off the ground to fly at Ibac, the villain dashes at him, grabbing him by the throat.

"Ibac...DESTROY them."

 

[Batman]

As he retreated into the cold and damp comfort of a nearby alleyway, the Demon's Head's mind was cycling with torment. Memories that were once nothing more than shattered fragments of a complex puzzle were suddenly being strung together before him. Like an organic reel of memory, long since cut apart and being placed back into piece. Bruce Wayne grasped at his head once more, his fury deteriorating under the pressures of confusion.

"Bruce?"

Another voice. Screaming out from a plague of an existence that wasn't his. Wayne grasped the nearby piping of an old building, trying to block them out. If only long enough to make his escape from the man that would surely try and take him back into captivity.

"Bruce!"

There it was again. This time, louder. More potent and clear, evidently calling his name. The Demon's Head looked up from his dizzying mist of memories to focus on the origin. And unexpectedly... there, above him, it stood. A shadow in the darkness on the rooftops above, it's chest illuminated in a deep navy design. It was barely a foot away from him, staring him down with uncertainty. Wayne tried to get a better look... but the closer it came, the farther back he retreated.

Something about it seemed all too familiar. Like it should have made sense the moment he laid eyes on it. But all he saw and heard were faded images of the past. No names to claim to the individuals that flashed before him. This living shadow, in particular, had brought him a new set of questionable pages belonging to a chapter he could not read clearly enough.

A young boy - dazzling, brightly colored.

Sudden, unspeakable tragedy.

Two unmarked graves, set just near a pair of older ones.

He sees his own hand, placing itself on the shoulder of the young boy. Faded echoes of a conversation. He isn't sure what it is at first, but he can just barely make out the final words: " -ant you to know, that I understand."

The next few images fly by him. The boy once more takes focus, as he adopts a strange costume. Years turn into seconds in an instant, as the boy evolves into a man. By the time Wayne blinks, the man has turned into the shadow.

Memories.

Subliminals.

It's all too much. No. No more... can't take... any more of this...

The Demon's Head flees deeper into Gotham City, increasingly desperate to make himself unseen. He seeks to escape to a place where he is free to make sense of the confusion that plagues him. But the more time he spends in solace, the more he finds himself unsuccessful. So he does the only thing that makes sense. He keeps running.

Leaving the shadow behind.

 

[wiegeabo]

Leaving the sounds of battle behind, Garrick, Flash, and I quickly make our way out of the room. But the Flashes find they cannot move too fast once everything around us goes dark. The only source of light, my ring. So I focus, expanding the light to give us more room to work with.

"Thanks," Garrick says quietly. I only nod as I swiftly float down the corridor, Flash's beside me. But we're stopped as the sound of two massive doors slam down around us.

"Not good."

I expand my light, and don't like what I see as dozens upon dozens of small laser turrets pop out from all around us.

"Wally...run!"

I barely even see the blurs as laser blast light up the corridor. The Flash's keep out of the lines of fire, but they must be feeling the pressure since only the occasional turret suddenly explodes.

My forcefield protects me, but I'm still forced to increase it's intensity to deflect the sheer amount of weapons fire I'm taking. I tap into our comm system with my ring, hoping I can accelerate my signal enough for them to hear.

"ENOUGH!!!" I wall of energy divides the room in half, and I sweep around in a circle, vaporizing turrets in my anger, thoughts of Mary and Samantha fueling my rage. In short order, the room suddenly becomes silent, smoke from the burnt out husks wafting in the air.

"I have had enough of these games!" A shoot a massive gold fist forward, wrenching an opening into the barrier.

The silence is broken by the sounds of clapping. "Very entertaining."

On the other side of the final door is our target. The sick mind behind the virus that almost took Mary from me. That almost put this world in the hands of an animal.

"Sivana..."

Wally and I get about three steps when it hits. The entire room begins to spin around us, the walls twisting, and the floor bucking. I hear a thump and am vaguely aware that Sinestro his fallen to the floor. Wally is rolling on the ground...I think. I try to stay on my knees, but fail.

"wha-..."

"Like it?" Sivana's distorted voice says from all directions. "It's an omni-directional hypersonic vertigo inducer. A little passe, maybe. But it's hard to fight when the world's spinning around you. And it's hard to run when you can't even stand."

I'm aware that Sivana is standing close to me. But he seems to be behind me and in front of me all at the same time. Suddenly there's a sharp pain in my chest as Sivana kicks me. I finally drop from my hands and knees. Sivana kicks me again, and again, and again.

His panting slightly, but I can almost hear the smile in his voice. "You know, I don't usually like getting physical during a fight...but this is exhilarating!" He kicks me in the face, and I feel my nose spurt blood as I roll away. "Hmmm..."

All I want to do is vomit. I close my eyes against the now blinding lights, but it only makes the vertigo worse. Sivana happily whistles and I hear the scraping of metal on the floor.

"Let's see..." Sivana grunts with effort, and I hear a dull thud. Then another. I finally roll over until I can see-

"No!" Sivana brings the pipe down on Wally again.

"I didn't know hard work could be so much fun!" He says with glee. A small alarm sounds. Sivana sighs. "Always! You heroes, with the constant interruptions." He walks over to a screen. I'm not sure what he sees, but he taps a few buttons and then starts talking.

"Hahaha...a little gift from Mr. Mind. The calculations that I would be targetted first were very high given my involvement in Grodd's master plan. He's a little...mentally unstable at the moment due to some alterations Mind has made with his brain. But I think you will find that we've tuned him up to be quite the good boy to my every word."

"Ibac...DESTROY them."

Carter and Marvel! I try to push myself up, but fall flat on my face. Wally grunts as he tries to do the same. But then comes the scraping again.

"And now for the alien..."

 

[trustyside-kick]

Choking in the grip of the mighty Ibac, Carter grabs hold of his mace as firmly as he can, bashing at the villain's shoulder. Each crack of the mace causes the villain to wince slightly, but the Nth metal only grants Hawkman so much supplemented strength. Simply put: the Winged Warrior is no match for Ibac. Luckily there is someone in the room who has gone toe to toe with the terrible menace before: Captain Marvel.

"YAAH!!"

Uppercutting Ibac in the jaw, his grip on Carter remains ever strong and Hawkman's body jerks as the villain's body leans back from Marvel's hard blow.

"C-Cap...Captain! ARRGGHKKK--!!"

Bringing both of his fists together and clamping them tight, Marvel swings at Ibac with simultaneous blows striking back and forth. When the villain finally lets go of Hawkman, Captain Marvel summons the mighty thunder with the chant of the Great Wizard's name.

"SHAZAM!!"

A loud thud is heard above as the magical lightning strikes down from the skies. Dust and debris starts to fall from the ceiling above them from the Big Red Cheese's summon. Ibac tackles Marvel against the wall, proceeding to knee the hero as he attempts to get up in the chest. As laying on the ground in the corner, again Marvel yells out.

"SHAZAM!"

Another bolt of lightning whiplashes out of the sky, striking at the ground above them once again, and this time large chunks of the ceiling start to break apart and fall all around. Light from above starts to shine with a few rays of sunlight from above. Smirking, as the hero is about to enunciate the name once more as he stands up, Ibac jumps at him, grabbing him at his face, his palm cover Marvel's mouth, and tosses him across the room.

"There shall be no more of that."

"Yes, because there will not be any need of it!!"

Flying at Ibac, Hawkman swings his mace low, striking Ibac in the groin and then proceeding to bring the mace up at his chin as the villain's body jerks from the previous attack. It doesn't do much for Carter really but it gives Captain Marvel the time to recover from Ibac's previous attack and that's all that matters.

"Come on, Cap! You've beaten this guy before, right? Make with the special effects and light show!!"

Charging Ibac with his shoulder as Carter ascends out of the way at great speed, Captain Marvel takes Ibac by the neck, and starts to swing him about. The sight looking like nothing short of a mini red tornado as Marvel spins about at such great force with the speed of Mercury, he eventually lets go and Ibac goes flying at a ready Carter.

"Batters up!"

Swinging the mace at Ibac's face, the villain ricochets and Marvel catches hold of him once more. This time with his arms grappled around the villain's own, the Big Red Cheese lets loose another lightning attack as he calls out the wonderous name.

"SHAZAM!!!"

Hurling Ibac towards the ceiling, he crashes through the already battered and weakened ceiling reinforcement and the magical lightning bolt strikes dead on. Falling back down as gravity demands, Ibac comes crashing down. Walking up, the Winged Warrior smacks his mace down hard on the villains forehead. Captain Marvel smirks and replies.

"You know, I'm pretty sure he was out before he even hit the floor again."

Smashing at the villains face once more, Carter holsters his mace by strapping to his belt waist.

"Just making sure is all."

Both heroes looking at the door blocking them from the others, Hawkman gestures Marvel and the Big Red Cheese smashes cleanly through it like paper with Carter flying behind him.

 

[wiegeabo]

I just need a second. Just one second to clear my head, and I'll have Sivana on the ground before he knows what happened. But the mad doctor is smart. There's no relief. My mind is begging to shut down, but I force myself to stay aware. I hear a sickening sound as Wally loses whatever was in his stomach. And mine rolls in sympathy.

I hear a couple of heavy thuds, but no bragging. No happy whistling. In fact, when Sivana speaks again, his voice is laced with annoyance and anger. At least, I hope it is. He could be dancing a jig and I'm not sure I'd no the difference right now. I can barely remember my name...

"Blasted Lanterns." Sivana grumbles. "Even the fake Lanterns have protective fields. Well, I've got just the thing for that." I can't see Siviana and grabs a rifle almost the size of his body. Nor am I very much aware when he walks over to Sinestro and takes aim.

"Let's see your field stop this."

I hear the wine of building energy-

***

Sivana gurgles as my hand lashes out and closes tightly around his throat. I encase his weapon in a bubble as it discharges and detonates safely. I stand up and lift the foul man off the ground, glaring at him with pure death in my eyes.

"h-h-how-ho..."

"My ring protected me." I drive my forehead into Sivana's face, and toss him aside. "I just needed you close enough to make sure you couldn't spring any other surprises on us."

"s...ss...sounds-" Garrick squeaks. But I ignore him. If I disable the hypersonic sound, the Flashes will be able to stop me. And I don't want them to stop me.

Sivana tries to crawl away from me, but I slowly follow, towering over him. "That's impossible!" he coughs through his sore throat. "You couldn't have known! No Lantern can mount a defense when their brains are being scrambled."

I reach down and pick him up by the front of his lab coat. I don't want to use my ring for this. I want to feel what I'm doing with my own hands. "I'm not a Lantern!" I shout in Sivana's face before tossing him against the wall. He falls in a slump. "And this isn't a Lantern's ring."

"No...please..."

"You attacked my friends. You helped kill millions." I prop Sivana up and punch him in the gut. Then prop him up again and backhand him across the face. "You nearly destroyed the ones I care about!"

I punch him across the face. Then again. Then again.

"s-s-stop...p-p-please...s-stop..."

I let Sivana drop to the floor in a pile. "Keep begging." Grabbing him by one wrist, I drag him across the floor and over to the rod of metal he used to beat the younger Flash. "Let's see if this is as fun as you said..."

I raise the pipe high...

 

[Catman_prb]

Tim and I leave a trail of pain through Crime Alley as the bodies pile up behind us.​

I deliver a bone crushing blow to another thug, he whimpers and falls to the ground.​

Through the carnage and chaos, I spot a figure running through the battle that looks all to familiar.​

"Bruce?" ​

I handspring over another heavy and fight my way through the small army as I try to get a good look at the man running away from me.​

"Bruce!"​

"Bruce? What the-" Tim started, before receiving a fist in the back of his skull for his troubles.

He sprawled on the floor, planting two feet on the thugs chest and simultaneously pushing himself up and the thug down. He hit the floor with a crunch. He looked back at the rapidly fading figure of what looked like Bruce Wayne running through the crowds in Crime Alley.

He fired his grapnel onto a nearby roof and winched himself up, pulling out his binoculars as he did so. He landed on the roof with a thud, immediately scanning the crowd.

"Robin to Oracle," Tim said into his earpiece "I think we've found Bruce,"

"Then what the hell are you talking to me for? Grab him and bring him back to the cave,"

"He's running through an angry mob, it's kind of hard to catch up," Tim said as he looked through the hundreds of people.

"Well then get a tracker on him! God damnit Tim, I shouldn't have to be telling you this,"

"Sorry for keeping you informed," he muttered, before his eye caught on another important person in the crowd "We have a problem,"

"What now?"

"Joker," he growled, leaping of the building and gliding down the ground using his cape.

 

[trustyside-kick]

OOC: Previously...

Shortly after Orin, Mera, and Kym had returned to Atlantica from the incident with Black Manta a meeting was called amongst the Atlantean Council and the Throne. Manta's men were taken into custody when the Atlantean Guard arrived at the facility near Mercy's Reef and are currently locked up.

"So as you can see, my King, designs for a brand new dome are already being taken care of. When the construction team working on the project have more, you will be the first to be notified."

"Good. Whatever we can do to make sure that this situation doesn't happen again should be done. I don't want Poseidonis to be as vulnerable as it was."

"Just a thought, Garth. I understand that one of the reasons Orin here never had the reconstruction of the dome over Poseidonis done was that with the rising of Atlantica he did not want Poseidonis to be somewhat isolated."

"Yes, the idea was to unify the cities of Atlantis more than they have been in the past. I felt that re-creating the dome would practically cut us off from our brothers and sisters at the other cities even more than we already have in the past."

"Perhaps we can create a larger dome. A dome over the entire estate of Atlantica. It would be a great feat...but it would both keep our people unified--perhaps even more than anything else being under the same shield--and it would grant protection not just to Poseidonis which seems to draw the most crime and danger but also our sister cities of Tritonis and Thierna Na Oge."

As the Council discusses Garth's idea the great doors of the room open wide and it is not a warrior of the great army or even an Atlantean that swims through, but rather a dolphin. Immediately the creature swims up to Aquaman and the room briefly goes silent.

"I see."
​

Getting up from the table, the Marine Marvel makes an announcement.

"There is something I must personally investigate several miles west from Poseidonis. Rest assured, I will return the moment I am finished."

"Very well, Arthur. I think we can carry on until you get back."

The dolphin leading the way, the Aquatic Ace follows and exits through the large room doors. After the guards seal the door shot, Garth looks to Vulko who doesn't look back but rather looks elsewhere at the door being shut.

"Now onto the next matter at hand. The true reason for this meeting. With Orin gone, this may perhaps go much better than I thought it would. Vulko, if you would."

All the council members look to Nuidis Vulko and he is silent for a brief moment. It is obvious that what he has to say...he simply does not approve of what is about to be said but it must be said.

"Black Manta's attack made Garth and myself realize something. Unless we make a change to Atlantean Law, our people will never truly be safe."

"Yes. Orin almost lost Kym and Mera...he's already lost two children before. You all know the tale...I want to ensure that that never happens again. And while the dome will indeed help keep our people safe we must ask ourselves...what really is the problem? Yes, Black Manta's men are now sitting in Atlantean prison chambers sealed with air in confinement and guarded right now...but what is to stop them from breaking out, or Manta himself from breaking them out and finishing what he started? Or any of our prisoners for that matter?"

The council remains silent, not uttering a word still. They all simply await for King Garth to finish his words with great anticipation.

"We are too lenient when it comes to criminal punishment. Gentleman, I am proposing...that we amend Atlantean Law and no longer grant imprisonment to those who definitely deserve worse. The ones that truly are a great threat to the safety of our people."

"I'm talking...executions are in order..."

 

[Blacklight]

Sivana gurgles as my hand lashes out and closes tightly around his throat. I encase his weapon in a bubble as it discharges and detonates safely. I stand up and lift the foul man off the ground, glaring at him with pure death in my eyes.

"h-h-how-ho..."

"My ring protected me." I drive my forehead into Sivana's face, and toss him aside. "I just needed you close enough to make sure you couldn't spring any other surprises on us."

"s...ss...sounds-" Garrick squeaks. But I ignore him. If I disable the hypersonic sound, the Flashes will be able to stop me. And I don't want them to stop me.

Sivana tries to crawl away from me, but I slowly follow, towering over him. "That's impossible!" he coughs through his sore throat. "You couldn't have known! No Lantern can mount a defense when their brains are being scrambled."

I reach down and pick him up by the front of his lab coat. I don't want to use my ring for this. I want to feel what I'm doing with my own hands. "I'm not a Lantern!" I shout in Sivana's face before tossing him against the wall. He falls in a slump. "And this isn't a Lantern's ring."

"No...please..."

"You attacked my friends. You helped kill millions." I prop Sivana up and punch him in the gut. Then prop him up again and backhand him across the face. "You nearly destroyed the ones I care about!"

I punch him across the face. Then again. Then again.

"s-s-stop...p-p-please...s-stop..."

I let Sivana drop to the floor in a pile. "Keep begging." Grabbing him by one wrist, I drag him across the floor and over to the rod of metal he used to beat the younger Flash. "Let's see if this is as fun as you said..."

I raise the pipe high...

"Sinestro, STOP!" I yelled out before he could slam Sivana's head in.

"We're the good guys, man. We don't beat little, bald midgets' heads in with lead pipes!"

 

[trustyside-kick]

The dolphin that had warned Orin about the scene before his very eyes spotted the body almost an hour ago. To the Marine Marvel's luck, no sharks in the nearby waters have smelled the scent of blood yet otherwise there may have not been a body left to investigate. And since the Aquatic Ace has arrived on the scene he has kept a constant telepathic signal echoing the waters so that no sharks that do dwell nearby swim to the site to contaminate it with their lust for blood and fit of rage.

"It appears to be...suicide. But I have a certain disbelief in that theory. If this man was going to commit suicide, why would he bother having an oxygen tank and scuba mask on his raft? And all the way out here? There's not a Naval station for miles, nor a nearby coast."


Poseidonis, Atlantica

The members of the Atlantean Council are still silent from Garth's proposal, and he can see their distaste for the idea. He himself deep down doesn't approve of it. And had Orin suggested it years ago? Surely Garth would've spoken against it. But a lot has changed since then, and back then Garth wasn't King. He didn't have the responsibility he has now.

"I know the idea sounds barbaric, but how many more children must fall victim to supervillains? To any villain? Locked away, in Atlantean Dungeons right not lies the likes of Triton the Sea God. Triton! At least with a threat like Devilfish Orin had him sent away in the Secret Sea. But alternatives must be made."

He thinks about his family, and then he thinks about Orin's own family. Garth has forever looked up to his mentor and friend, and aspired to be like him in so many ways. But there is definitely one thing he does not want: his habit of losing the ones close to him. Garth doesn't want to awake one day, where Cerdian or Dolphin are not there waiting for him.

Garth won't willingly admit it out loud, but...when he had heard that it was Mera and Kym taken and not his own wife and child given he is the King and the chances seemed higher...he was relieved. And that's what caused him to suggest such a drastic thing: he shouldn't ever have to experience that feeling he now feels guilty for having even though it was simple, pure, normal emotion and reaction.

"...And I'm well aware that it takes a two-thirds vote amongst the Council before any amendment to Atlantean Law can be made. So I ask you all, right here. Right now. What say you?"


Several miles west of Poseidonis

"This just...doesn't make any sense."

After debating about the possible scenarios that could have taken place, Orin looks through the man's wallet and ID. He's no detective, but he hopes that the name of the man may be of some importance. But as he reads the name it does not ring any bell as he was hoping it would. Before he decides to bring this to someone more attune to this line of work, the former Sea King takes a brief moment of silence as he closes his eyes.

Focusing his mind, he taps into The Clear, scanning all of the sea creatures spanning the ocean for miles. And what they see...he now sees. What he's hoping for? He's hoping that some creatures were around when this man apparently 'committed suicide': a theory Orin still refuses to believe.

...Nothing. Not a creature was in sight when this man died. So the only one that apparently knows what happened, is lying dead right in front of Orin now.

Some blood starts to trail down the man's side, dripping within the raft that Orin had not noticed before. Curious, he turns the man over to his side, and finds more blood.

"Odd."

Taking the man's shirt off, there's a message carved into the man's back; hence all of the blood dripping within the raft. What's so strange about it is not just the message, but the fact that it does not look like it was carved with any kind of weapon or sharp object. Plus there is nothing else on board the raft that could've created any sort of incision. However, the message reads in blood:

THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM​

 

[NiteMare Shape]

Back in my office I have poured over all the files that I have on young Maggie, and the mysterious circumstances surrounding her disappearance, and just as before I come up with absolutely nothing.

"Where are you...?" I ask aloud, not only to Maggie, but for that one piece of the puzzle that has eluded me.

I take a momentary break to endulge in an Oreo Cookie. While I continue looking through the files something clicks...a name.

Victor Peterson.

A janitor at Maggie's school while she was attending summer classes.

He was an early suspect in the police investigation, but was cleared by the police due to a lack of probable cause.

However, his name comes up far too many times in all these files for me not to take a closer look.

"Hold on Maggie, I pray that I am getting closer."

3 days.

It's taken me 3 whole days to get any leads on Peterson's whereabouts. All I had managed to find were the same deadends that had been turning up since I took this case. After finding that he has not resided in his last known address for more than six months, I decided to try the school where he had worked as a janitor, only to find that he had been fired for "innapropriate conduct," and his former employer had neither any idea where to find him, or any inclination to help me find him.

Growing ever more frustrated with my lack of progress I had begun to head back toward my office when one of Peterson's former co-workers stopped me, to tell me when I may be able to find him. It appears that Mr. Peterson frequents a local gentlemen's club known as Buddy's Place. Apparently, if I am not able to find him at the club, I will find someone who knows where to find this man.

I hope that my informant is right, because little Maggie has been missing for far too long, and I am well aware that with every minute that passes, the chances of finding the girl alive grow fainter.

 

[trustyside-kick]

"Sinestro, STOP!" I yelled out before he could slam Sivana's head in.

"We're the good guys, man. We don't beat little, bald midgets' heads in with lead pipes!"

As Captain Marvel smashes through the chamber door with Hawkman following right behind, they notice some sort of bizarre force at work as it that...well from Carter's eyes at least there are multiple copies of his comrades and Doctor Sivana himself all over. Also, Hawkman and Marvel just...float in the air as they both experience their own versions of oddity and illusion. One thing for sure is clear:

With each 'copy' of Sinestro lies one of Sivana lying on the ground, wall, and ceiling, with the reformed villain holding a lead pipe in his bare hands.

"Sinestro! What are you doing! Just stop whatever device is at work here so we can be done with this mess and bring Sivana into custody!"

 

[trustyside-kick]

"The man's name is Gregory Lewis."

Taking the body to the nearby authorities several miles west in Maine, Aquaman finally discovers more information about the man he found lying out in the ocean, wrists slit and back carved into by an unknown object. The coroner a the morgue confirms that the cuts and incisions were indeed not made by any material known to man. Nothing would make such a sleek, precise, clean cut. Not even the best surgical equipment.

"A Civil Engineering who specializes specifically in the Coastal Engineering field. He's worked on various projects around the world, design sea walls for both Norway and the United States eastern shore."

"An engineer, huh? I wonder what brought him out so far from the eastern shores, as though he was on the way to Atlantis. But I'm surprised an intelligent man such as himself would come so ill-prepared. Sure, he had a scuba mask and oxygen tank..."

Placing the oxygen tank down gently, lying it next to the corpse on the table Aquaman looks at the dead man's eyes carefully: noting his expression.

"There's no way possible he'd be able to make it down to the city gates. It's almost as if he was...running from something."

"Well, given that all you found on his raft was his body, and light scuba gear...something else definitely make these wounds on his body."

"Hmmm...'The Calm Before The Storm'..."

Looking closely at the man's expression--a mix of shock and pure fear--the Marine Marvel takes another look at the oxygen tank and scuba mask. This engineer knew the journey downward would've caused his serious health risks but still he did his best to reach Atlantis. As though to warn Aquaman of something.

"...what were you running from, Gregory?"

 

[wiegeabo]

As Captain Marvel smashes through the chamber door with Hawkman following right behind, they notice some sort of bizarre force at work as it that...well from Carter's eyes at least there are multiple copies of his comrades and Doctor Sivana himself all over. Also, Hawkman and Marvel just...float in the air as they both experience their own versions of oddity and illusion. One thing for sure is clear:

With each 'copy' of Sinestro lies one of Sivana lying on the ground, wall, and ceiling, with the reformed villain holding a lead pipe in his bare hands.

"Sinestro! What are you doing! Just stop whatever device is at work here so we can be done with this mess and bring Sivana into custody!"

I hear Flash and Hawkman shout at me. But I ignore them. The pipe held high, I glare down at this pathetic little man.

"...no...mercy..."

"You are right. You deserve no mercy."

"stop..."

I ignore everyone else and raise the pipe higher, grinding my teeth, ready to smash the mad doctor's head in. He cowers and whimpers, a bloodied and bruised mess, acting like the coward he really is.

I smile, and let the pipe fall to the ground. I crouch down, and Sivana cowers even more. "I feel better now."

Standing, I point my ring and start destroying each control panel.

***

The relief is just as shocking as the sound had been. The vertigo stops so quickly that I'm momentarily more disoriented than before. But then, blissfully, my balance returns.

I push myself to my knees, and sit there as my body readjusts. I look at Sinestro. We all look at Sinestro.

And he just looks back at us. "What? You didn't think I'd actually do it, did you?"

 

[trustyside-kick]

The relief is just as shocking as the sound had been. The vertigo stops so quickly that I'm momentarily more disoriented than before. But then, blissfully, my balance returns.

I push myself to my knees, and sit there as my body readjusts. I look at Sinestro. We all look at Sinestro.

And he just looks back at us. "What? You didn't think I'd actually do it, did you?"

Hawkman looks at Sinestro with his arms crossed, not convinced of the way the reformed villain plays off his recent actions in a joking manner. Part of the Winged Warrior is confident that had Wally, himself...had no one else been here he might have brutally murdered the mad scientist for the personal pain he had brought on.

"Now, then...let us hand him into police custody. I'm sure the government will just love interrogating him to finally put a stop to Grodd's master-plan."

"Yea, and with the destruction of that space satellite, all of the 'VD' victims should no longer heed to Grodd's demands. Looks like we saved nearly half the world from killing itself."

Captain Marvel flies over to the scared villain, and takes him up by his lab coat collar with one hand easily. Smirking at the villain as Sivana hangs his head in shame, he blasts through the ceiling of the underground facility, leaving the heroes behind.

 

[Keyser Soze]

"Bruce? What the-" Tim started, before receiving a fist in the back of his skull for his troubles.

He sprawled on the floor, planting two feet on the thugs chest and simultaneously pushing himself up and the thug down. He hit the floor with a crunch. He looked back at the rapidly fading figure of what looked like Bruce Wayne running through the crowds in Crime Alley.

He fired his grapnel onto a nearby roof and winched himself up, pulling out his binoculars as he did so. He landed on the roof with a thud, immediately scanning the crowd.

"Robin to Oracle," Tim said into his earpiece "I think we've found Bruce,"

"Then what the hell are you talking to me for? Grab him and bring him back to the cave,"

"He's running through an angry mob, it's kind of hard to catch up," Tim said as he looked through the hundreds of people.

"Well then get a tracker on him! God damnit Tim, I shouldn't have to be telling you this,"

"Sorry for keeping you informed," he muttered, before his eye caught on another important person in the crowd "We have a problem,"

"What now?"

"Joker," he growled, leaping of the building and gliding down the ground using his cape.

The Joker let out a groan of exasperation as Robin landed in front of him.

"No! Batman! You should be going after Batman, not wasting your time with me! We're going to lose him!"