The "World of Heroes" DC RPG Season VIII

[SuperFerret]

"It's definitely worth a try. However, Darkseid is a powerful being, and we'll need a number of contingency plans."

"And here we are, without the master of contingency plans. Anyone think we should send someone to recruit ol' Bats?"

J'onn, this is Bruce. Question and I are en route to Coast City. We'll be there soon.

~Understood, Bruce.~

"Worry not, Oliver. Batman is on his way."

 

[Saved]

"Rock, paper, scissors for who has to carry Zach?"

"Oh, ha ha."

"No way," I tell Kon calmly, smirking slightly. "I carried him last time - this one is all yours." ​

**** ​

Coast City

Following behind closely, I watch as Kon leads the way. Before long, we reach our destination - a place known as Coast City. He signals me before he descends to the ground below. "Hey, look!" Zach shouts, pointing down to the ground. As I look to where he points, I see a group of people standing around, all of them dressed in bright and vibrant colors. "That's them, alright."

"Well then," I say proudly, filling myself with courage. "Let's make our entrance."

As we begin our decent, I feel something odd - something strange resonating in my head. Putting my hand to my temple, I contract my muscles and slow my heart. "What...what is that?" I ask myself in a whisper.

In my lifetime I've dealt with many strange mental disturbances and pangs, all of them originating from my telepathic abilities. After a while these things become distinctive; each pain or discomfort representing a different telepathic presence or emission. This... this feeling I'm experiencing now, it's not new. Normally, I feel it when in the presence of other telepaths. Someone down there must have psychic abilities - and apparently, they're using them - and quite strongly, too.

Before long we touch down on the ground near the congregation of heroes. "Hey, cous!" Zach shouts to one of the female members who resembles him. "Oh, and hey, Kara," he says nonchalantly to Kon's cousin - also one of the heroes with the group. "Long time no see, huh?"

As I stand silently amidst the people here, a sense of discomfort comes over me. Here I am, in the presence of this world's greatest fighters and protectors; it's all a bit overwhelming, to say the least.

Casually, I examine each hero - noting their features and guessing their identities, based on the knowledge I've obtained during my short stay here on Earth. Browsing through the sea of faces, I suddenly come across one I recognize. I stare at his face - the distinctive green skin, the unmistakable red eyes. "It's him," I say in a hushed tone, lowering my head slightly as I realize the man's identity. "It's J'onn."


That telepathic sensation I had felt earlier quickly becomes clear - it was J'onn J'onzz, the Martian manhunter - one of the last green Martians in existence - and the whole reason I decided to come to this world.

 

[trustyside-kick]

OOC: Previously...

The Aquacave

Orm comes right for me; he's pissed. I manipulate the water temperatures around his legs, and freeze them solid to stop him in his tracks. I stop him just 2 feet in front of me, keeping him from ripping my head off. That is until his hands start to envelope orange and red spirals of magical energy and he punches at the ice, freeing himself.

"There's not going to be any way to calm him down! We need to take him down if we're going to find--OOF!"

He gets his hands on me as I'm trying to call out to the Dweller and Mera. He tackles me into the opposing wall of the Aquacave, and as he is pulling his arm back to land a hard fist into my teeth, I see a water constructed giant lobster pinching him at both arms; courtesy of Mera.

My eyes glow purple just before I shoot a pointblank range eyebeam at Orm's chest which sends him flying.

As I'm about to go on for the attack I notice the Dweller in the short distance, conjuring up some sort of spell. I don't know this dude, but he's impressed me enough with his magic. If he needs time to unleash all kinds of hell on the Ocean Maste--er...Aquaman of this timeline then so be it. And I've got the perfect idea.

Mera starts with another offensive attack as the Orm starts to regain his bearings by hitting him with three hardwater constructs of hammer head sharks in key areas on his body. As he recovers from the hard attack he shoots out an orange and red magic bolt which she deflects with a construct of a giant turtle in its shell forming in front of her. I make with the magic and manipulation and start to whirl the water around Orm so fast it churns and becomes turbulent. As my riptide has him locked and bound, I push it and him throughout the Aquacave, knocking over all of his prized possessions that only spits on the Aquacave I used to know and love as eventually shoots him out of the cave entrance bringing us to open sea.

"Fool! You bring me to open waters? Where the denizens of the deep love and adore me?"

Suddenly we hear a loud cry, and out from the corners of the deep comes a leviathan of a creature I've never seen before.

"...Oh crap."

 

[Green Lantern]

"Good to see I'm not the only Titan representing. And maybe between two of us, we can make up for no Kal, huh Kon?"

Kara smiles at her cousin, so happy to just be standing among the heroes that she had fought alongside for so long once more. She could also feel the yellow sunlight soaking into her skin as she absorbed its energy, converting it to power.

Now they just needed Batman, someone who could come up with a good battle plan to take on a god. Her and Kon could supply the firepower, but no one could do as well as Bruce in supplying the brain power, just as her and Kon were even a poor substitute for Superman.

 

[Karem-Knight]

OOC: [FONT=&quot]Hey trusty and Bounce, just need to say that I've preety much scretched the Nightwing/Two-Face story as thin as it can go and I'm preety much skating on thin ice with Dick to prolong it anymore, sorry . But if you still want to have Dick, Damien and Jason brawl out- I'm more than up for that

Also (to the whole RPG), I don't have a lot of internet connection where I am now so if I've lost anything major just let me know and have this penultimate part to my solo arc be set before any Black Lantern related status.

IC:

Bludhaven memorial podium

"This is Nightwing, I'm at the stand now and no sign of Mr. Hind...." I relay the message to Barbara whispering it as I'm in the mist of a small crowd of Republican voters in favour of Senator Hill. Keeping a secret identity during the mist of a pysco-political assassination is now as easy as one may think.

"Roger that big-bird.....are you sure you don't want any help?"

"Positive."

"Okay, I'll keep Red Robin on bay for you. Oracle out.."

I switch off my communicator a split-second before she does, not to be rude but when I'm up against someone like Dent....it's best to let everything Bruce has taught me shine through and be more like him.

The crowd begins to cheer as I see Senator Hill come through backstage to the main stage waving his hands, you'll think he'll be up for re-election not avoiding bad public press. I keep an eye out for any early warning of Hella or Two-Face, right now I'm starting to realise that it would have been better if I had been in full-costume and now as plain old Dick Grayson.

"Hello and welcome to the Bludhaven Memorial Podium, and let me say thank you for all of you who have contributed to this charity hoping to benefit the city as well as the victims of this terrible tragedey that only happened a mere two and a half years ago this day...."

I try and keep myself from rolling my eyes, Hill was probably thankful Blockbuster was one of the ones to go when the Joker planted his bomb here that day. Rumour has it, jughead had a hit out for Hill years back. Probably would have happened too if everything hadn't been decimated, with a huge smiley grin.

"...in a way we should all be thankful for learning about the horrors that happened here, so that we as people can help prevent these tragedies from...."

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]BANG

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]An explosion from the inside of the podium is heard as I hear a familiar voice and the same henchmen in black and white get up armed to the teeth as they come outside wounding several of the police officers hired to help Hill.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]"Always insisting on looking on the good side of things don't you, Hill?"

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Seeing Dent, I start to run towards the nearest alley as do a whole lot of other members of the crowd, that is until we see four helicopters, two black and two white cornering the entire area of the podium. Two-Face sees that everyone in the crowd is aware of the unlikliness of escape.

"Listen to me, Dent...you're not going to get away with this...." Harvey knocks Hill onto the floor as the Senator grasps his jaw.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]"Oh but I will, Senator....I will......" [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Dent orders Hella to take Hill by the shoulders and sits him down putting her trademark submachine gun next to his forehead. Looking round each area of the podium, I notice how hard it is for me to escape as the henchmen come closer and closer, still I have a few more tricks up my sleeve as I put my jacket on the floor...slowly.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]"Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, I welcome you here to the trial of one Matthew Edrward Hill, Vice-Senator of this state we reside in right now. I trust we have all heard the stories of affairs, accusations of small tax evasions. But let me tell you, this is just the icing of this cake of injustice....."

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Harvey gets a document out as Hill's face emphasises shock, one of Dent's henchman slowly comes closer with his gun in sight and my jacket nearly down to the top of my wrists.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]"...in here we have examples of bribery, endorsement of drug trafficking, extortion, assault, grand theft and even murder! In here we have the witness statements, photographs from murdered police officers with this public servant interacting with small-time criminals as Jonny Snitches, Killer Moth but to the highest end of Salvator Maroni, Daniel Brickwell, Tobias Whale, Morgan Edge and yours truly, Harvey Dent better known as Two-Face!"

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Dent's guard starts to notice me without my jacket as he sees me he says "Hey yo..." instinct tells me to throw my jacket away and with my domino on I lay my esticma stick to his ribs and throw him to the crowd whilst disarming his gun. A couple see me and I place my finger between my lips telling them to keep quiet. Grappling onto a near by building I manage to jump quickly enough for total evasion of being spotted and see my other possible vantage points.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]"In a country where one of prized heroes claims to fight for "Truth, Justice and the American Way", don't you think it's time that this man be judged for what he has done? With the same chances and choices as everyone else, without power or wealth to stop him......with a fair trial..."

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Harvey gets his coin out and shows it to the crowd and getting his handgun out points it to Hill.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]"...and see if this man truly deserves the reasponsibility he is given."

[/FONT]As Harvey's coin flips in the air, I remember what Dad said the key thing about showbusiness was and how to admire a crowd. As Robin, I could never really show my face to much my only auidence was Bruce and the goons we fought; but with the Titans I had more and as Nightwing, the whole world is my crowd, and that's why two batarangs come flying to the stage as I exit from a fire scape. The batarangs disarm Dent and Hella as well as causing half man to drop his coin as I make an entrance.

[FONT=&quot]"Alright Dent...you want to talk about responsibility...

[/FONT] "...let's talk about responsibility!"[FONT=&quot]

[/FONT]

 

[Byrd Man]

"Good to see I'm not the only Titan representing. And maybe between two of us, we can make up for no Kal, huh Kon?"

Kara smiles at her cousin, so happy to just be standing among the heroes that she had fought alongside for so long once more. She could also feel the yellow sunlight soaking into her skin as she absorbed its energy, converting it to power.

Now they just needed Batman, someone who could come up with a good battle plan to take on a god. Her and Kon could supply the firepower, but no one could do as well as Bruce in supplying the brain power, just as her and Kon were even a poor substitute for Superman.

The Batwing flies over the heroes. The two figures drop out the jet. One of the skydivers opens up a parachute and safely falls to the ground. The other, continues to drop until the last second, when his black cape goes rigid and he glides to the ground in front of the heroes.

"Sorry I'm late," I say as I land in front of the heroes. Question drops down right behind me.

"This is gotta be the real Batman," Ollie says with a smile. "Not even the world's best actor could have hammed up that entrance like the real Batman."

"Coast City is getting worse," I say as I ignore Ollie. "It's more than just Darkseid. My scanners say the whole city is being overrun with some strange disease. From what I could ascertain, I believe it's the Anti-Life Equation. Darkseid has lusted after it for years, and now he has it once and for all. It's turning the whole world into his own personal slaves, billions of mindless devotees to Darkseid.."
​

 

[Keyser Soze]

Jeez... and I thought Nero's constructs were horrific...

In one emerald blast, the child-lizard hybrid constructs cried out as I incinerated them with raw green energy. Then I followed up with a construct of a griffin that I had breathing emerald fire on the psycho clown.

"Stand down, Joker! You can't win! I'm not afraid of you!"

"Oh reeeeeally? Well, I know who you are afraid of."

The Joker formed a life-size yellow construct of Hal Jordan.

"What are you still doing in that Green Lantern outfit, kid?" the construct said, "I'm back, we don't need you anymore. No one wants you."

Then the Hal Jordan construct started taking off his costume.

"Now you best find a pillow to bite on, young man. I'm going in dry. BUENO BUEEEEEENOOOOOOO!!!!!"

 

[Blacklight]

"Oh reeeeeally? Well, I know who you are afraid of."

The Joker formed a life-size yellow construct of Hal Jordan.

"What are you still doing in that Green Lantern outfit, kid?" the construct said, "I'm back, we don't need you anymore. No one wants you."

Then the Hal Jordan construct started taking off his costume.

"Now you best find a pillow to bite on, young man. I'm going in dry. BUENO BUEEEEEENOOOOOOO!!!!!"

"My god..." I muttered, shocked at what this menace is creating. But I can't afford to let it get to me. I can't let my willpower falter. No matter how... disturbing it may be.

"You think I'm afraid of him? I'm the Torchbearer!" I called back, as I shifted my griffin construct into my own life sized hero. One that swiftly kicked the Hal construct in his face.

"This ends NOW, Joker!"

The Batman himself.

 

[SuperFerret]

Casually, I examine each hero - noting their features and guessing their identities, based on the knowledge I've obtained during my short stay here on Earth. Browsing through the sea of faces, I suddenly come across one I recognize. I stare at his face - the distinctive green skin, the unmistakable red eyes. "It's him," I say in a hushed tone, lowering my head slightly as I realize the man's identity. "It's J'onn."

That telepathic sensation I had felt earlier quickly becomes clear - it was J'onn J'onzz, the Martian manhunter - one of the last green Martians in existence - and the whole reason I decided to come to this world.

As the younger heroes join us, I sense the presence of another Martian. M'gann M'orzz, I've heard of her, but we haven't met until now. Unlike many of my colleagues, I've never really entertained the notion of having a sidekick, and thus this "Miss Martian" has had to pattern herself off of me without my direct input. I cannot say that I am upset or unflattered though, she seems a capable individual.

One who is eyeing me with barely contained admiration. I smile and nod, making a move towards her to greet my fellow Martian. Unfortunately, a proper meeting is further interrupted by a familiar black aircraft.

The Batwing flies over the heroes. The two figures drop out the jet. One of the skydivers opens up a parachute and safely falls to the ground. The other, continues to drop until the last second, when his black cape goes rigid and he glides to the ground in front of the heroes.

"Sorry I'm late," I say as I land in front of the heroes. Question drops down right behind me.

"This is gotta be the real Batman," Ollie says with a smile. "Not even the world's best actor could have hammed up that entrance like the real Batman."

"Coast City is getting worse," I say as I ignore Ollie. "It's more than just Darkseid. My scanners say the whole city is being overrun with some strange disease. From what I could ascertain, I believe it's the Anti-Life Equation. Darkseid has lusted after it for years, and now he has it once and for all. It's turning the whole world into his own personal slaves, billions of mindless devotees to Darkseid.."
​

"Now that we've all gathered, we need a plan."

 

[Andy C.]

Fire.

Everything around me is fire.

Billions of atoms fusing and splitting, bursting with cataclysmic amounts of energy.

The heat is unbearable, to say nothing of the utter crushing gravity that pounds me into the floor and keeps me from moving an inch. The pain had blasted my mind into a state of near delirium, my sanity just barely returning to myself before I realize just how much it hurts.

This must be what hell is like.

As it is, I'm at the heart of the sun. Trillions of degrees of heat as billions of years' worth of nuclear fire pour into me, the gravity of mass greater a million Earths crushing down on me. Like Jimmy said, I may be the only one in the universe capable of surviving this. And even then, it's one of the most excruciating experiences of my life.

Finally, after what could be minutes or hours or days, the roof slides shut. The heat dissipates quickly, the gravity returns to Earth-normal, and I start to move again.

After a few minutes, Jimmy steps into the room, looking a little older actually. Not by much, but maybe a year or so.

"Superman?" He asks, like he's trying to remind me of who I am. "Are you....y'know, there? Are you okay?"

"I....I think so, I...." I try to stand up, and nearly crash right through the ceiling when I push against the floor.

"Whoah, you're gonna have to get used to that," Jimmy says with a nervous laugh. "We're guessing your time in the sun has increased your strength and speed and your....well, everything else, by a pretty hefty number. Something like ten to the power of 36. I'd say you're about a fifth of the way there."

"What?! Jim, I'm not sure I can even survive another dunking like that."

I zoom in on the cellular structure in my hand, and I can see the damage that's been done. I've absorbed so much solar energy, it's causing my cells to burst. The matter in my body is breaking down, slowly--I'd still have maybe a year or so before the degeneration becomes fatal.

Still, I feel.....incredible, better than I've ever felt.

"You're going to need to rest a little before you go back under," Jimmy says with a matter-of-factness that shows he's actually been studying this. "The Ascension is going to multiply your powers to a level that won't be possible in the regular world for at least a million years. And frankly, we don't have that long."

"Why, Jimmy? What's going on out there? Mxyzptlk said someone was re-writing the laws of the universe, but who--"

"Darkseid."

".......ah."

Really, that's all that needs to be said. He is cruelty and greed and despotism at its most basic form. Evil in every sense of the word.

And according to Mxyzptlk, I have to kill him.

"I need to get back to Earth, now," I say, about to shove Jimmy out of the way before I realize doing so could break half the bones in his body. "I've fought Darkseid before, and beaten him. With the power this 'Ascension' experiment has given me, I know I can beat him again."

"Two problems with that, Superman," Jimmy cautions me. "First, he's not even on Earth, yet. The Crisis won't happen for a long, long time....relativistically speaking. See, when Mxy brought you back to our universe, he brought you back in time, too. Like I said, the power that we're looking for takes a long time to cultivate, and in the present, we just didn't have enough of it. So, in a sense, we're cheating."

"Cheating?"

"We've brought all of the Supermen from across the Multiverse to the heart of the Sun, and have been exposing you to pure, unleaded sunlight for a really long time. You've spent most of it in a catatonic state, with us giving you an occasional jolt to spend about a nanosecond of consciousness in order to keep for your mind from going completely. The only reason I'm still alive to see it is because I've been taking the fast route--time travel and such."

"It only feels like it's been a couple of minutes....how long was I charging up?"

"Ballpark estimate? Something along the lines of.....about ten thousand years."

I can barely wrap my mind around the idea of it. Ten thousand years at the heart of the sun?! And according to Jimmy, I'm not even at the halfway point?!

"You can't....you can't be serious, right?"

"Serious as a heart attack, Superman," Jimmy says. "This is Darkseid we're talking about here. When you've fought him in the past, you've fought projections of him, avatars, extensions of his will. Now you're going up against Darkseid himself, and the entire span of existence is going to need you to win. You're going to have to fight the very essence of the God of All Evil, and the Ascension is here to make sure it comes out right."

"And the other Supermen from the other universes?"

"They get the same treatment, then funnel all of their power into you. The combined power of every Superman from every universe, charging for fifty thousand years in the heart of the sun, all focused on one point: you. This is what the Ascension is for: we're not just going to make you more powerful, Superman. We're going to turn you into a god."

Jimmy's look doesn't falter in the slightest. When I left Earth, he was still just a goofy kid who couldn't help but get in over his head in trouble. Now, he's got the look of a man with purpose, as if on a mission from a greater power. It's strange, seeing him suddenly grown up and I've missed out on it.

"Take a breather and get some water. You go back under in ten minutes."

 

[Byrd Man]

"Now that we've all gathered, we need a plan."

"What about my idea to run Darkseid through the Speed Force? The three Flashes can trap him there and cut off this Anti-Life stuff at the root."

"Great plan, but what are the rest of us going to do?"

"I saw Coast City. There's going to be plenty for us to do."

"Right. All in favor of adjorning this impromptu meeting and kicking some major Apokaliptan butt?"

 

[SuperFerret]

"We must try not to harm the innocents in Darkseid's thrall. While the Flashes attempt to remove him from play, I will attempt to free those people from their mind control."

 

[Watchman]

They're here. Of course they would come. It is in the nature. How predictable. They have no idea what they up against. No idea what they face, how weak they were. They march toward their doom. Desaad hurried from monitor to monitor, leering at the gathered group of heroes. He smiled it was time to test his new instruments of pain.

"Ready, the Justifiers, summon Bedlam and his league! It is time for Apokolips to go to war!"

"Sire," he spoke into his communicator, "sire, do you hear me? It is your lowly servant."

"You have my attention. Speak."

Paradise on Earth has fallen. The Amazon fight to hold on but they are beaten, bloodied, and devastated. Their queen is now a mindless slave while their sisters are brought to the Orphanage to be reeducated to be Darkseid's elite warriors and Granny's servants. The space beast from beyond known as Starro has overtaken their island, raining it's spawn. At the center of it all is a void. The God of War ripped out his heart, left him to die, but he clung to reality. He festered on it, fattened off it, ruined it.

"They have arrived. We await your orders."

"Await my arrival, Desaad. Some mortals still cling to hope, that their saviors still stand. I will dash hope from the minds. I will destroy their champions personally. Ready my fleet, Desaad."

BOOM!

"Granny, Kalibak, I depart ensure that Barda does not make it off the island. Burn it to ash if you must." He steps through the portal and arrives at his throne in the middle of Coast City. Surrounding him are the enslaved inhabitants. Some don armor and Apoklipian weapons while others grabbed whatever they could find. They chant his name. Black Lantern dance across the sky and ships patrol the sky. The rest of the war are cover in a similar fashion.

"Go my servants. Drag those that oppose us through the mud and dirt. Tear them down, burn them, bring them down to hell. Ruin the last source of hope in the world, go in my name."

 

[trustyside-kick]

Outside the Aquacave

This mutated creature of the deep that Orm twisted with his magic is like a mix of a sort of a type crustacean like some sort of giant lobster and a gargantuan eel. Needless to say it's an abomination that makes you want to throw up. I'm hoping he doesn't have more of these or anything else similar but I know I don't have to worry about hurting any purely innocent sea creatures. He doesn't have Orin's telepathy so no need to expect some sort of hidden attacks by a hammer head or blue whale or something.

Another reason he just isn't Aquaman. I'm gonna make that clear to him when we take him down and force him to reverse this horrid spell.

I'm able to evade it's two pincers but its tail's response as it turns its large body reacts faster than I accounted for and hits me harder than many metahumans can punch. I spot Mera swimming up to its backside wielding two hardwater crafted swords, slicing at one of its arms cutting one of the pincers clean off.

"Where is that old mystic? Where is--OOF!"

I manage to tackle Orm before he can spot where the Dweller is still channeling the magical energies for whatever spell it is he has in mind to resolve the situation. As Orm takes a firm grip around my waist, he lights me up with jolts of magical electricity but I keep focus; I can heat it up too. The very on Orm's backside starts to boil unbearable temperatures and as I give him one heck of a burn he finally gets go of me and I can recover a few seconds from all that electricity.

When I hear a loud cry echoing throughout the water I turn my head and I see that Mera had just sliced off the tail of the abomination of a sea creature and before I can even react to aid her I see her moving her hands in a slicing motion, sending waves and waves of hardwater curved ike a blade slicing at the hard skin all over the creatures body. She swims up to its head as it is defensless as it is still suffering from all the cuts and blood it is losing and she gives one last slash and ends up cutting its head clean off. My jaw drops like it never has before. I knew Mera was gifted and her powers had such potential but I never thought she would do something like that.

This harsh timeline for her has truly hardened her.

"NOO!!"

Orm swims right past me, swatting me like a fly with a magical spell that makes it feel like he just hit me with a wrecking ball and as he goes for Mera with such hate I can only imagine is in his eyes there is a blue and white glow resonating about him. Seconds later he just...stops. Entirely motionless, and the field remains. I turn to find the Dweller's hands raised and aimed at Orm.

"A stasis field spell. Good one, Dweller."

"But I cannot keep it up for long. His body's strength fights against it."

"I've got a fix for that."

I swim up to Orm, face to face, and give him one punch with all my might focused. My strength doesn't compare to the real Aquaman's might, but Orm cannot do a thing to roll with the hit or anything of the sort as my fist makes contact.

He goes out cold. And my hand starts shaking.

"...OW! Mother...I didn't realize how much that'd hurt me. Alright. To Poseidonis. We need to confront Hagen and Triton, and tell us how to undo it. We now have the key to the original spell."

 

[Eddie Brock]

"Good to see I'm not the only Titan representing. And maybe between two of us, we can make up for no Kal, huh Kon?"

Kara smiles at her cousin, so happy to just be standing among the heroes that she had fought alongside for so long once more. She could also feel the yellow sunlight soaking into her skin as she absorbed its energy, converting it to power.

Now they just needed Batman, someone who could come up with a good battle plan to take on a god. Her and Kon could supply the firepower, but no one could do as well as Bruce in supplying the brain power, just as her and Kon were even a poor substitute for Superman.

"Tough shoes to fill," I whisper. I look around at the other assembled heroes. It's a veritable who's-who in the superhero community. Just as I'm beginning to wonder what all the fuss is about, I hear the name.

Darkseid.

Understandably, my heart sinks for a moment. Whenever Darkseid is involved, things have a tendency to get ugly. Even Kal has his trouble with Darkseid, and he's not even here to back us up. I only hope Kara's right. Maybe - just maybe - we still have enough firepower.

On the bright side, we're clearly not alone.

 

[Byrd Man]

"We must try not to harm the innocents in Darkseid's thrall. While the Flashes attempt to remove him from play, I will attempt to free those people from their mind control."

"That sounds like a plan to me."

Suddenly, the conversation stops as a whole army of Anti-Life infected drones march around the corner with Black Lanterns in the sky as air support.

"That's not good."

I run past Bruce as he removes a batarang from his belt.

"I knew they called you the World's Greatest Detective for a reason!"

 

[SuperFerret]

"That sounds like a plan to me."

Suddenly, the conversation stops as a whole army of Anti-Life infected drones march around the corner with Black Lanterns in the sky as air support.

"That's not good."

I run past Bruce as he removes a batarang from his belt.

"I knew they called you the World's Greatest Detective for a reason!"

As the legion of human drones approaches us, I stand perfectly still, expanding my mind, reaching out and spreading my psyche outwards over the crowd, and then simultaneously touching each and every one of their infected minds, seeking to drive out the Anti-Life Equation.

loneliness + alienation + fear + despair + self-worth ÷ mockery ÷ condemnation ÷ misunderstanding x guilt x shame x failure x judgment n=y where y=hope and n=folly, love=lies, life=death, self=dark side loneliness + alienation + fear + despair + self-worth ÷ mockery ÷ condemnation ÷ misunderstanding x guilt x shame x failure x judgment n=y where y=hope and n=folly, love=lies, life=death, self=dark side loneliness + alienation + fear + despair + self-worth ÷ mockery ÷ condemnation ÷ misunderstanding x guilt x shame x failure x judgment n=y where y=hope and n=folly, love=lies, life=death, self=dark side loneliness + alienation + fear + despair + self-worth ÷ mockery ÷ condemnation ÷ misunderstanding x guilt x shame x failure x judgment n=y where y=hope and n=folly, love=lies, life=death, self=dark side loneliness + alienation + fear + despair + self-worth ÷ mockery ÷ condemnation ÷ misunderstanding x guilt x shame x failure x judgment n=y where y=hope and n=folly, love=lies, life=death, self=dark side loneliness + alienation + fear + despair + self-worth ÷ mockery ÷ condemnation ÷ misunderstanding x guilt x shame x failure x judgment n=y where y=hope and n=folly, love=lies, life=death, self=dark side loneliness + alienation + fear + despair + self-worth ÷ mockery ÷ condemnation ÷ misunderstanding x guilt x shame x failure x judgment n=y where y=hope and n=folly, love=lies, life=death, self=dark side loneliness + alienation + fear + despair + self-worth ÷ mockery ÷ condemnation ÷ misunderstanding x guilt x shame x failure x judgment n=y where y=hope and n=folly, love=lies, life=death, self=dark side loneliness + alienation + fear + despair + self-worth ÷ mockery ÷ condemnation ÷ misunderstanding x guilt x shame x failure x judgment n=y where y=hope and n=folly, love=lies, life=death, self=dark sideloneliness + alienation + fear + despair + self-worth ÷ mockery ÷ condemnation ÷ misunderstanding x guilt x shame x failure x judgment n=y where y=hope and n=folly, love=lies, life=death, self=dark sideloneliness + alienation + fear + despair + self-worth ÷ mockery ÷ condemnation ÷ misunderstanding x guilt x shame x failure x judgment n=y where y=hope and n=folly, love=lies, life=death, self=dark side

"AAAAAGGHHHH!!!!" My voice is torn from my throat in a scream, as I collapse, pulling my mind away from the constant droning incantation in their brains before my sanity is lost. "H'ronmeer... I fear they are lost until we can stop Darkseid himself."

 

[Watchman]

The sounds of boots clicking fill the street. More and more join the ranks, emptying out of buildings and alleyways. One of them on a raised platform held a microphone up.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to the show of eternity! You lucky ones still hold on to enough awareness to realize that you have a front row seat to Armageddon. What's a matter Bruce? No hello to an old friend? Look upon glory, mortals! I'm Godfrey, voice of the Gods!" A number of Justifers raised flags of the Omega symbol.

"The world of the old gods has fallen, she fights alone against her Amazonian sisters! The kryptonian has fled! What chance do you have against my master? He gives you this one chance: give in and become his servants or face annihilation."

 

[Karem-Knight]

OOC: [FONT=&quot]Hey trusty and Bounce, just need to say that I've preety much scretched the Nightwing/Two-Face story as thin as it can go and I'm preety much skating on thin ice with Dick to prolong it anymore, sorry . But if you still want to have Dick, Damien and Jason brawl out- I'm more than up for that

Also (to the whole RPG), I don't have a lot of internet connection where I am now so if I've lost anything major just let me know and have this penultimate part to my solo arc be set before any Black Lantern related status.

IC:

Bludhaven memorial podium

"This is Nightwing, I'm at the stand now and no sign of Mr. Hind...." I relay the message to Barbara whispering it as I'm in the mist of a small crowd of Republican voters in favour of Senator Hill. Keeping a secret identity during the mist of a pysco-political assassination is now as easy as one may think.

"Roger that big-bird.....are you sure you don't want any help?"

"Positive."

"Okay, I'll keep Red Robin on bay for you. Oracle out.."

I switch off my communicator a split-second before she does, not to be rude but when I'm up against someone like Dent....it's best to let everything Bruce has taught me shine through and be more like him.

The crowd begins to cheer as I see Senator Hill come through backstage to the main stage waving his hands, you'll think he'll be up for re-election not avoiding bad public press. I keep an eye out for any early warning of Hella or Two-Face, right now I'm starting to realise that it would have been better if I had been in full-costume and now as plain old Dick Grayson.

"Hello and welcome to the Bludhaven Memorial Podium, and let me say thank you for all of you who have contributed to this charity hoping to benefit the city as well as the victims of this terrible tragedey that only happened a mere two and a half years ago this day...."

I try and keep myself from rolling my eyes, Hill was probably thankful Blockbuster was one of the ones to go when the Joker planted his bomb here that day. Rumour has it, jughead had a hit out for Hill years back. Probably would have happened too if everything hadn't been decimated, with a huge smiley grin.

"...in a way we should all be thankful for learning about the horrors that happened here, so that we as people can help prevent these tragedies from...."

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]BANG

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]An explosion from the inside of the podium is heard as I hear a familiar voice and the same henchmen in black and white get up armed to the teeth as they come outside wounding several of the police officers hired to help Hill.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]"Always insisting on looking on the good side of things don't you, Hill?"

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Seeing Dent, I start to run towards the nearest alley as do a whole lot of other members of the crowd, that is until we see four helicopters, two black and two white cornering the entire area of the podium. Two-Face sees that everyone in the crowd is aware of the unlikliness of escape.

"Listen to me, Dent...you're not going to get away with this...." Harvey knocks Hill onto the floor as the Senator grasps his jaw.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]"Oh but I will, Senator....I will......" [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Dent orders Hella to take Hill by the shoulders and sits him down putting her trademark submachine gun next to his forehead. Looking round each area of the podium, I notice how hard it is for me to escape as the henchmen come closer and closer, still I have a few more tricks up my sleeve as I put my jacket on the floor...slowly.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]"Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, I welcome you here to the trial of one Matthew Edrward Hill, Vice-Senator of this state we reside in right now. I trust we have all heard the stories of affairs, accusations of small tax evasions. But let me tell you, this is just the icing of this cake of injustice....."

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Harvey gets a document out as Hill's face emphasises shock, one of Dent's henchman slowly comes closer with his gun in sight and my jacket nearly down to the top of my wrists.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]"...in here we have examples of bribery, endorsement of drug trafficking, extortion, assault, grand theft and even murder! In here we have the witness statements, photographs from murdered police officers with this public servant interacting with small-time criminals as Jonny Snitches, Killer Moth but to the highest end of Salvator Maroni, Daniel Brickwell, Tobias Whale, Morgan Edge and yours truly, Harvey Dent better known as Two-Face!"

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Dent's guard starts to notice me without my jacket as he sees me he says "Hey yo..." instinct tells me to throw my jacket away and with my domino on I lay my esticma stick to his ribs and throw him to the crowd whilst disarming his gun. A couple see me and I place my finger between my lips telling them to keep quiet. Grappling onto a near by building I manage to jump quickly enough for total evasion of being spotted and see my other possible vantage points.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]"In a country where one of prized heroes claims to fight for "Truth, Justice and the American Way", don't you think it's time that this man be judged for what he has done? With the same chances and choices as everyone else, without power or wealth to stop him......with a fair trial..."

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Harvey gets his coin out and shows it to the crowd and getting his handgun out points it to Hill.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]"...and see if this man truly deserves the reasponsibility he is given."

[/FONT]As Harvey's coin flips in the air, I remember what Dad said the key thing about showbusiness was and how to admire a crowd. As Robin, I could never really show my face to much my only auidence was Bruce and the goons we fought; but with the Titans I had more and as Nightwing, the whole world is my crowd, and that's why two batarangs come flying to the stage as I exit from a fire scape. The batarangs disarm Dent and Hella as well as causing half man to drop his coin as I make an entrance.

[FONT=&quot]"Alright Dent...you want to talk about responsibility...

[/FONT] "...let's talk about responsibility!"[FONT=&quot]

[/FONT]

"GET HIM!!" A bombard of gunfire comes directed at my stance whilst Two-Face and his new girlfriend try to pick up their weapons. Dodging as many of the hundreds of bullets I'm able to, I take the easy route dropping a few smoke bombs to hide my view from the downside. Landing on top of the building opposite I see the helicopters circling round the area looking for me- black and white.

Harvey's obsession with duality won't let him have all choppers firing weapons, two will have searchlights and the other two will have the guns, but which two? At that incident I see Harvey, Hill and Hella boarding two separate choppers while the henchmen still come out looking for me- only eight of them four in the corners and four for the stage joining Harvey, eight henchmen, I can easily take them. That was always Dent's weakness- numbers.

With only moments to spare I jump from my original area and with the smoke clearing up, I jump down shoving two henchmen heads together and knocking them out. Noticing the others firing blindly, I jump behind them and grapple them to the floor and hang them from a near by lamppost.

"Hey, since today everything is being done in twos...I thought I may as well join the fun by knocking you guys out in twos in the same way...twice! Get it?" I give them a cocky smile before grappling onto one of Dent's choppers. First thing's first, taking out Hella- she is the most immediate threat, then Dent.

Getting closer and closer towards Hella's chopper I realise the helicopter behind me firing wildly. "YOU'RE DEAD MEAT BIRD BOY!!!" One of the goons say I dodge the bullets and getting a few explosive wing-dings get rid of his machine gun, the impact sends the chopper flying down as he gets out with a parachute on. I would go catch him, but I need to save Hill and put Dent back in Arkham.

"GET AWAY FROM US, NIGHTWING!!" Hella says aiming her two semi-automatics at me then firing them wildly, she's too good to risk the danger so I jump to the next landing rail and get onto the chopper breaking the other of Dent's henchmen's legs with my esticma, heh..I really am keeping to this tradition tonight!

"Hella, listen to me...I know you've had a hard life and the world's been harsh on you. But this isn't the way to go about it, you need to know there's another way; please let me help you..." I know the answer before she says it. She looks at me and then throws a switch-blade at me as I dodge it, falling to the night sky.

"GO TO HELL!" She grabs me by the shoulders and starts punching me on repeat.

"I thought you and I were on the same side, but now I know. Harvey was right about people like you and the rest of your freak "family", you just try and help the corrupt. You don't actually want justice!"

I can tell, just by the emotion in her voice...she isn't the same. Dent's managed to make her love him and she'll do anything to protect him. But I know Harvey Dent, he has two loves; Gildia Dent and Two-Face. Nothing else.

"Okay, fine..maybe I should play by your rules now!" I find the weak spot in her armour where I can find bare skin and inject enough tranquilliser to take out Wally on a good day. She lets out a scream as I push her on the side, doesn't take too long before shes fast asleep. I grab the helicopter pilot out of his broken leg pain and take over the joy stick and pilot the chopper, landing it on a sky-scraper near by but jump out and run towards Two-Face. I end up jumping head fist to a series of windows and rolling inside. Before smashing the last one and grabbing onto Dent's landing rail.

"What the hell!?" I hear Harvey say as he flips his coin whilst the gags of Senator Hill. "You!" I jump up and lay a sucker punch to his melted half-face and push him to the end of the helicopter.

"Dent! This ends, now!" I growl with my hands clasper round my shoulders as his two berratas fire holes into the floor of this copter. Head-butting me I move away before he kicks my chest and I fall on the floor. Getting up, he comes towards me trying to pistol whip me as I judo-flip him near the pilots seat and grab Hill while jumping out of the helicopter. We make it to another abondend rooftop as I take the muffle away from his face. "Call for help, quickly if you want to get out of this alive! I'll take care of My. Hyde!" Running again I notice Two-Face's chopper heading straight for me.

"GET HIM, NOW!!" Without warning I smash into the pilots seat, taking him out as the helicopter crashes to the ground only a few feet away. The pilot is heavily injured, but will live; I feel my head ringing and feel the urge to sit down, sleep and probably throw up. But I then feel a sharp pain coming from the back of my head.

"AH!!" The bat causes me to land straight onto the curb as I feel my head ringing more and more I cough out some of the blood and hear Dent's voice, though close to me sounds like it's miles away.

"Like, old times Boy Wonder!"

He drops the bat and then punches me in the back of the head as my nose hits the pavement more blood starts to pour out. "You know why, you always bothered me the most? More than Daddy Bat or Robin two, three...whatever...was because, I knew. I knew one day you would turn out to be a good for nothing pretty boy that was just going to get himself killed or scarred!!"

Another punch to the face comes again as I feel the pain worsen I close my eyes taking trying to think clearer. "Looks like, I was right...you are just that same pretty boy trying to get himself kill-.." Dent stops mid-sentence as I grab his fist and snap it before using his body as an gymnastics bench and end up behind him.

"Believe it or not, Dent...the whole world isn't like you!" my esticma stick grabs him by the throat as I make my final say, make him really angry before my killing blow. "I mean who spends months, making a criminal empire nearly the size of Intergang...spanning the entire America continent...only to decide to kill off the major figures in it and destroy it yourself, Harvey?"

"The hell are you talking about!!?" He grabs his gun and launches it to my head, probably the worst situation I can be in right now, I'm in.

"It always used to be Harvey Dent that wanted crime to be history, and it was always Two-Face that was bloodthirsty and intending to rule the criminal underworld. Why then did you kill all those gang lords? Why then did you destroy everything you had spent all that time doing? There was only one person out of you two who would do that. Harvey Dent. But Harvey would never kill.....would he? Two-Face would though....but Two-Face would never and I mean never, give up his power to please Harvey.....there could only be one option..."

"What....what are you saying..?" I feel Dent's grip weakening, I'm not hurting one side of them...I'm hurting Harvey Dent, Two-Face as a whole.

"That Harvey Dent, through years of struggle with himself had finally started to adopt some of Two-Face's thoughts and feelings...that slowly they weren't two different people sharing the same body! They were slowly becoming the same personality..."

"No...NO!...THAT'S NOT TRUE....I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU!!"

"THEN DO IT, DENT! THEN I'LL BE RIGHT!! YOU AND TWO-FACE WON'T BE DIFFERENT AT ALL! YOU WILL BE TWO-FACE!!"

Dent drops the gun in a state of shock as I let go of him he goes down on the ground with his head facing the ground. He stares at his coin for sometime before turning back towards me and flipping it.

"I'm....I'm sorry.....sorry for everything I did to you that day when you were a kid.....I.....I need to go back to Arkham......please....please....help me."

"I can't help you, Dent. Only the people in Arkham can help you; but you need to get rid of Two-Face."

An hour passes as the police vans pick up Dent, I watch on by while resting I then receive news from Barbara on the line as Dent is in chains and nods at me. I give him the thumbs up while I talk to Oracle on the com-link.

"Nightwing..."

"Dick....have you taken care of Two-Face!?"


"Yeah but..."


"Good. You need to get back to the Clocktower now! Something's happening in Coast City, we need all the help we can get!"


"What's happening!?"


".....Darkseid may have just found the anti-life equation."

 

[Bounce]

But the very purpose of that gun is going to ruin his night tonight.

"Now see, this doesn't seem very fair does it? You guys came for the box, I came down for the box. But you guys have more guns. More firepower. More...kick to the party."

I grab hold of my Public Defender and shoot at one of the windows.

For a former Robin, Jason is about as subtle as a nuclear warhead. Its just as well, as the echo from the gunshot and the sound of broken glass most likely masks the sound of a different window being broken. This one from the outside in. Allows the gray and black suited figure the advantage of now having all backs turned toward him as he enters the scene with all the attention on Jason and the other side where the window was shot out.

Now, Damian knows that a good ninja would continue making use of stealth to pause and rationally consider the tactical situation in the room. Determine what the best strategy would be for efficiently neutralizing the various threats present based on priority and how much of a danger any one or combination might be toward him.

**** that.

Damian's boot connects with the back of the nearest skull. Doesn't really matter to him whether the guy was one of the thugs or maybe the hapless janitor who was just having a bad night. Not even pausing as the man takes a face-plant to the floor, the boy begins racing toward the next. This time he brings out the knives.

A line of blood splatters across the wall as the second man gives a shrill scream. Damian wouldn't have imagined such a large guy for an alto. Still, with the tendons he'd just severed in the guy's wrist it was perhaps understandable. A kick to shatter the kneecap and down went number two.

A gunshot sends a bullet buzzing near his head, the boy dodging two more before he manages to come within striking distance. This one sounds like a slaughtered pig as he goes down in a maimed, bloody heap. The white faceplate on Damian's costume splattered with wet blood as he casually steps away and looks over at Jason.

"Tt. Saving all the fun for me?" the child asked caustically, as he gazed out at the remaining goons and Killer Moth.

 

[SuperFerret]

The sounds of boots clicking fill the street. More and more join the ranks, emptying out of buildings and alleyways. One of them on a raised platform held a microphone up.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to the show of eternity! You lucky ones still hold on to enough awareness to realize that you have a front row seat to Armageddon. What's a matter Bruce? No hello to an old friend? Look upon glory, mortals! I'm Godfrey, voice of the Gods!" A number of Justifers raised flags of the Omega symbol.

"The world of the old gods has fallen, she fights alone against her Amazonian sisters! The kryptonian has fled! What chance do you have against my master? He gives you this one chance: give in and become his servants or face annihilation."

Those standing around me help me to my feet as I stand weakly. Thankfully, my strength is returning quickly as Godfrey's message comes out. I'm not sure what it is, it could be the staggering sight before us, it could be the apparent hopelessness of our situation, it could be that without Superman we're somehow lost, it could even be a residual effect of my psychic agony spread out through the others with me, but none of us have made much of a move yet.

I rise into the air, flying up and foreward, toward the Black Lanterns in the sky.

"Surrender or annihilation?" I say, hoping it is loud enough for Godfrey to hear, knowing that I speak for all assembled. I ball my fists and furrow my brow.

"Annihilation it is."

 

[Watchman]

Those standing around me help me to my feet as I stand weakly. Thankfully, my strength is returning quickly as Godfrey's message comes out. I'm not sure what it is, it could be the staggering sight before us, it could be the apparent hopelessness of our situation, it could be that without Superman we're somehow lost, it could even be a residual effect of my psychic agony spread out through the others with me, but none of us have made much of a move yet.

I rise into the air, flying up and foreward, toward the Black Lanterns in the sky.

"Surrender or annihilation?" I say, hoping it is loud enough for Godfrey to hear, knowing that I speak for all assembled. I ball my fists and furrow my brow.

"Annihilation it is."

For a moment Godfrey looked like he was going to enter into another rant but another voice appeared. A loud, booming commanding one. One filled with dread and hopelessness.

"Perhaps I shall turn Mars into a prison planet. A dead planet to house those that feel to think and choose. No matter all will be one soon." The image of Darkseid had appeared before them. A giant of a hologram stood over his army.

'Pity, Martian, you would have been a fine addition to my army, the last Martian for the last army. I offered you freedom, freedom from choice, freedom from thought, freedom from chaos. Very well, you have made your last decision and have chosen oblivion. Martian, you and your comrades are the last of the resistance. I spread across eons, galaxy, and dimension, all is Darkseid," He held two images of Earths in his hands and crushed them.

"I am the center. The Omega. Now face ruin."

The still army became active. The Justifiers ready their weapons. Mechanical agents shot flames upward. Black Lanterns dove in.

"Kill them!"

 

[trustyside-kick]

Poseidonis, Atlantis
Outside the Great Dome

A dark army moves swiftly through the depths. Creeping from every corner of the oceanscape, from every unknown crevice, comes bloodthirsty warriors come to do their master's bidding; to carry out his will. The surface world has already been struck, but when Darkseid claims the capital city of Atlantis the rest of the world will easily fall.


Poseidonis, Atlantis
The Throne Room

The Atlantean War Council gather at Hagen's throne. Triton, the son of Poseidon and God of the Seas, stands to the right of Hagen arms crossed. The matter at hand is that with the discovery of Lady Mera gone missing the chance that a revolution forming is incredibly high. Hagen's men have searched throughout the city, and in areas outside of the Great Dome and still she is not found.

"I think we are being far too delicate about trying to locate Mera, Hagen. It's clear that some of our despicable citizens are hiding her. It's the only explanation. Leave the city? Where else could she go--"

*BOOM*

That is when the first attack on Poseidonis is struck, and the explosion that hits the Great Dome echoes throughout the city, bringing all of the people inside to their knees in terror. Hagen turns to Triton, who immediately reacts by swimming right through the large doors of the throne room, ripping them clean in half, and spotting a view of the rest of the city. Triton's yell rings down the hallway and back into the throne room he is so worried.

"WE ARE UNDER ATTAAAAAAAAAACK!!"

 

[trustyside-kick]

Poseidonis, Atlantis
Outside the Great Dome

Tempest and the others arrive, to find that the siege on the city has already begun. Parademons of Darkseid's army swarm through the waters, attacking the dome. To their luck though, they have yet to have been spotted, and use the depths to their advantage. Mera manipulates the water around them, creating a hardwater mirror construct that fully evelopes them.

"We can enter through the dome the same way I made it out undetected."


Poseidonis, Atlantis
Center of the City

The formed army awaits Hagen's command. Triton remains at the front, to lead the Generals and greater army. It seems that they are simply going to use all the time they can get until the Parademons break through the dome; not the wisest of ideas but Hagen is faced with a force he did not prepare for. He had kept Atlantis hidden from the rest of the world in the last 35 years he changed in his rule. Yet now come a force of uncanny size, surely not the work of Mera and her revolution he thought was being plotted after her disappearance.

Something much bigger is knocking at their door. Hagen comes to Triton's side.

"Have we identified just what those...things are?"

"They are some sort of...winged demons it would seem. Mindless winged demons. They should fall easily."

Hagen nods, and swims high in the city, where all of the citizens of Atlantis and more importantly his soldiers can easily be able to hear and see him. Looking around, he sees his numbers seem to be far greater than that of the enemy outside the Great Dome. He is feeling rather confident. But at the same time he nor Triton truly realizes what awaits for them; what has risen from the shadowy depths.

"Soldiers of Atlantis! For 35 years we have kept these walls safe from the horrors of the outside world. Yes. You helped us keep that peace! Now there is an unknown enemy threatening said protected peace. But we shall NOT hide behind this dome any longer.

"We will show them the MIGHT of Atlantis. WE. WILL. ANNIHLATE THEM!!"

As Hagen finishes his words, he casts as spell that makes the dome disappear, but only for a moment. The rampant and wild Parademons start to enter the city but seconds later his spell is done and the dome re-appears; with the army now separated and scattered. But Hagen isn't aware that there is no true organization for this army of death, though his numbers at least come to his benefit. They are merely chaos incarnate, serving the dark lord Darkseid.


Poseidonis, Atlantis
Outside the Great Dome

The group continues to proceed towards the city when suddenly a peculiar sight crosses their path. A mystical looking sea creature composed entirely of water swims past them with uncanny speed and goes straight for the parademons. It grabs hold of several Parademons by its mouth and claws, ripping them to shreds. The shock of the sight before her causes Mera to lose focus on her own hardwater construct and the group becomes visible to the water creature. As it notices the group, it heads for them, and Mera readies a hardwater suit of armor with a hardwater spear.

As the creature approaches however, it changes shape to the form of a young woman.

"...Mom? Is that...you?...Artie!!"

Turning her head, after the young woman calls out the name 'Artie' Garth starts to wonder just who the girl is and turns his head towards where she looks. Seconds later as a Parademons goes colliding into another past her, a young man donning an identical costume comes to her side.

"What is it, Kym? What's--MOM?! You look so young!"

The brother and sister swim up to Mera, hugging her gently, and then backing away. Mera remains silent as does Garth from the shock. The Dweller of the Depths however, oblivious to just who these people are, speaks up.

"And you two might be?"

"Simple, old man. Arthur Curry II is the name. Though most people call me Artie or Junior. This is my sister, Kym."

"Yup. Aquaman and Aquawoman at your service."

 

[Blacklight]

For a moment Godfrey looked like he was going to enter into another rant but another voice appeared. A loud, booming commanding one. One filled with dread and hopelessness.

"Perhaps I shall turn Mars into a prison planet. A dead planet to house those that feel to think and choose. No matter all will be one soon." The image of Darkseid had appeared before them. A giant of a hologram stood over his army.

'Pity, Martian, you would have been a fine addition to my army, the last Martian for the last army. I offered you freedom, freedom from choice, freedom from thought, freedom from chaos. Very well, you have made your last decision and have chosen oblivion. Martian, you and your comrades are the last of the resistance. I spread across eons, galaxy, and dimension, all is Darkseid," He held two images of Earths in his hands and crushed them.

"I am the center. The Omega. Now face ruin."

The still army became active. The Justifiers ready their weapons. Mechanical agents shot flames upward. Black Lanterns dove in.

"Kill them!"

"Whatever you all do, don't let the equation get to you!" I said as I began superspeed punching one of the Black Lanterns that came at me.

A little too hard even.

"Oops..." I said as it's head came off...

...But then it picked it's head back up and put it back on it's shoulders.

"Zombies? That's a new one..."