The "World of Heroes" DC RPG Season VIII

[Watchman]

​

"Let's do it."

Wally leads the way with Jay and I flanking him as we race through the city. The massive form of Darkseid appears before us. The three of us hit the Apokaliptan despot at super-speeds.

"Remembertoliftwithyourlegsandnotyourback,guys!"

We pick Darkseid up and race him across the Earth, picking up speed until everything turns into that same dull gray blur that accompanies near-lightspeed travel.

"Mortals...." The word drove shivers down each of the Flashes' spines and something walk over their graves. It felt like every hope they died with that word.

"I find this attempt to imprison me pathetic..."

BOOM

A portal had opened up in front of Darkseid and the Flashes pulling them through. The three of them were thrown in different directions. They found themselves in Keystone City. Standing before them was Darkseid and surrounding the Flashes were the anti-life victims.

"How can you fight an adversary," the crowd called out, "that is everything?"

"Destroy yourselves," Darkseid commanded. The crowd turned on itself. People rioted tearing each other apart.

"You've have insulted your master. For that I shall ruin your lands and damn the ones that you love. And when I have dragged you to your lowest point, when you despise yourself, and I have absolutely decimated all of your hope, I will destroy you."

I roll on the ground to avoid the construct. The Flashes disappear with a sonic boom. Jordan's in trouble, being squeezed by Hand. Pulling out a sonic batarang, I toss it at Black Hand's construct. The batarang strikes the figure of Darkseid and the construct disappears as the gadget's sonic waves ripple outwards. Jordan falls to the ground and catches himself at the last moment, hovering to a stop next to me.

"Welcome to the fight," I say with a curt nod in his direction. Pulling out another batarang, I toss it at the closest Parademon and take the creature out.​

Black Hand launches a construct at Batman. Insect-like constructs cover Batman. A black harpoon goes through his shoulder and barbs form at the the end. Black Hand pulls him up. He holds him in the air with another construct of a skeleton hand.

"You are out of your league, Batman. I could kill you with a thought but I am going make you suffer. Become complete with Anti-Life." He places his hand over Batman's heart.

 

[SuperFerret]

OOC: EDIT: Wrassa frassa Darkseid...

 

[wiegeabo]

"Mortals...." The word drove shivers down each of the Flashes' spines and something walk over their graves. It felt like every hope they died with that word.

"I find this attempt to imprison me pathetic..."

BOOM

A portal had opened up in front of Darkseid and the Flashes pulling them through. The three of them were thrown in different directions. They found themselves in Keystone City. Standing before them was Darkseid and surrounding the Flashes were the anti-life victims.

It takes a few seconds to recover from the disorientation of dropping out of the Speed Force like that. We were so close. As crazy as it sounds, I think we could have done it.

But now...

"No." I finally realize where we are. "Not here."

"How can you fight an adversary," the crowd called out, "that is everything?"

"Destroy yourselves," Darkseid commanded. The crowd turned on itself. People rioted tearing each other apart.

"You've have insulted your master. For that I shall ruin your lands and damn the ones that you love. And when I have dragged you to your lowest point, when you despise yourself, and I have absolutely decimated all of your hope, I will destroy you."

"You're only a master of evil, Darkseid. We will never stop fighting you. Keep him busy guys, I've got this."

I start dashing among the mass of citizens, separating them. But I soon realize that dashing them of to different parts of town alone isn't doing any good because they start harming themselves.

Which leaves me no choice. With each person I grab from the throng, I bind the with rope, chain, whatever i can find. The bad ones I have to knock unconscious.

I'm a few hundred people in when I stop in my tracks.

"Joan...no..."

I see my wife fight like an enraged beast. She knocks down men and women less than half her age as if they weren't even in her way. One man grabs her arm, and she twists his, snapping it. Then she grabs his head in hers-

"God NO!!!" I race across the street and grab her arms, but it's too late. She's already twisted the man's head, his spine snapping with a sickening crunch.

"Joan..."

"All. Is. One!!!" Her words are almost a snarl as she leaps at me, her hands reaching for my throat.

I grab her wrists, my heart in the pit of my stomach with what I just witnessed. "Joan. It's Jay. Look at me. Don't do this Joan. You're stronger than him."

She just hisses at me.

"I love you, Joan. And you love me. Don't you remember?"

"All. Is. One."

I'm left without a choice. "I'm so sorry." I hit her as gently as I can while still knocking her out. She sags in my arms.

I hit Joan. I actually hit her. The bastard made me hit my wife!

"Let her go!" I should at the demon. "Release her or I swear to god I will make you pay for the rest of your life!"

 

[wiegeabo]

You know what? These rings aren't half bad.

Sure it takes a little while to get used to them. But when you're fighting thousands of black lanterns, you pick up on the basics pretty darn fast.

It also doesn't hurt to have another green, and even a blue, lantern at your back. We try and make short work of the lanterns we come across, but they always keep coming back.

"Green Lantern, I don't believe we're making any progress."

"No kidding. And call me Ted. You got any ideas?"

"You were able to destroy one when I arrived."

"Yeah, but it took forever. Taking these guys out one at a time isn't an option."

"Then let's try to take out a lot at one time," Tomar says.

"I haven't really practiced the whole multi-tasking thing."

"No time like the present."

"On the job training it is. Walker, watch our backs."

Saint Walker blasts a couple of dark lanterns. "Certainly, lant-Ted."

I give Tomar a nod. About a dozen rays of light launch out from his ring, latching onto black rings. He puts all his focus into the task. I mimic with a trio of beams of my own. Like I said, I haven't really practiced this.

But despite our concentration, and Walker's powerboost, nothing happens. And the black lanterns we're attacking decide that they've had just about enough.

"It's not working..." Tomar says.

"Stating the obvious...Walker, give us a hand."

"Of course, Ted." Saint Walker blasts at one of Tomar's rings with his blue energy. He focuses on the task at well, and the ring explodes into dust.

"Do that again." Walker complies, and another ring bites the dust.

"Can you split your focus like us?"

"I believe so." Walker thinks for a second, and then lances blue energy at all the rings we've grabbed. With silent screams, the black lanterns all turn to ash.

"Now I think we're on to something. But we're going to need more than just Walker's help."

"What do you...oh, no. You can't be serious."

I look at the flashes of yellow and red in the distance. "Hey, if it was easy, it wouldn't be any fun."

 

[Watchman]

"Let her go!" I should at the demon. "Release her or I swear to god I will make you pay for the rest of your life!"

"How can you fight eternity, young one?"

Neighbors, friends, co-workers, acquaintances, the mailman, the bartender, the check out girl from the grocery store from down the road punch, kick, strike, and lash out against the Flash.

 

[Green Lantern]

"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."

"...Ooh boy. That sounds like my ten year high school reunion. Somebody had better have spiked the punch. Who all is there Babs?"

"The Titans have responded, as have the Flashes, J'onn, Bruce and the Question."

"Who do we have for heavy hitters, aside from J'onn? Superboy I there I assume? What about Wonder Girl?"

"Both are there. And... uh. Supergirl."

"Wait. Isn't she?"

"...Wasn't Jason?"

"Touche. Tell them I'll be there as quickly as I can, and if they need me for anything to open up a line on my Titans comm."

Dick clicked the call off, and ran towards his bike. Seconds later, he was rocketing down the Gotham freeways, heading for where he hoped he'd find one of Bruce's planes.

Hopefully, not the warehouse HE used to get to Coast City...

 

[Saved]

Miss Martian​

I swing my arms at the apokolyptian monsters with all my might, connecting with the exposed jaws peeking out from their heavily armored bodies. With each punch I increase the density of my hands, allowing the force of the hit to be as strong and effective as I can manage.

"Little girl!" One growls, grabbing my hair from behind and pulling me back with amazing force. I let out a small yelp, the pain surprising but easily ignored. Making my form intangible, I slip through his grasp and turn to fight him. Becoming whole once more, I grab his face in my hands and stare into his eyes as I establish a one way link with his mind. Blocking his thoughts, I forcibly send psychic messages into his head - overloading his brain with powerful and influential commands.

"AAAAAHHHHHH!" He cries, breaking free from my grip and clawing at his head in agony. "STOP! STOP!" He cries. As a smile comes over my face, the sound of a loud BOOM catches my attention. Turning to face the noise, I see Darkseid fade away as the flashes follow suit, disappearing within a dark void.

"That's probably not good," I murmur. Allowing myself to be distracted, a parademon catches me off guard and delivers a towering blow - sending me flying through the air like a bolt of lightening. As I continue to fall toward the ground, I crash through a building - breaking through the concrete and steel before colliding into the street below.

"Uuuhhh," I moan, grabbing my head as I slowly rise from the crater around me. "That ... could've gone better." As I push myself off the ground I hear a strange noise fill the air. Grunts and growls begin to echo all about. "What is-"

Suddenly, the bodies of multiple Black Lanterns surround me - charging toward me with malicious intent. They swat and claw at the air in front of them as they move to attack - wanting nothing but the chance to grab me, and do what they will.

"Get ... her," one moans, nashing his teeth as the skin about his face tears with his speech. Rising quickly to my feet, I regain my composure and prepare to defend myself for what might be the hardest battle of my life.

~*Please,*~ I begin, utilizing my telepathy, hoping to influence the mass crowd without a fight. ~*Stand down - leave this area.*~ My words fall on deaf ears as the lanterns continue to approach. Strangely, their thoughts are one track - concerned only with destruction - attacking all who are not part of their union.

"Hive mind? No ... they have individual thoughts, just ... the same kind of thoughts. What was it Zach called these guys? Zombies?" I ask, trying to remember why the term seems to familiar.

"Oh!" I shout as I recall where I've heard the word before. "Earthling horror creatures from their recreational films. They're the living dead." As the lanterns come within range, a dry look comes over my face as I become disappointed with my own naivety. "A bit obvious, I suppose."

 

[trustyside-kick]

OOC: Previously...

Poseidonis, Atlantis
Center of the City

Hagen watches his armies face off against the separated armies of Apokolips. And while his tactic of trying to fight the enemy in scattered groups was genius, the might of the enemy is far greater than anything he has ever seen. Atlanteans have amazing attributes in strength and speed given their underwater adaption to the crushing depths, but it looks like their enemy is just as adapt if not more. Triton returns from the front lines, his wounds and bruises slowly starting to heal.

"The enemy is starting to push us back, Hagen. There is a group of six warriors who seems to be leading them. They are vicious as they are strong."

"A group of six, you say. Generals of the army?"

"Generals? No. You do not understand. There is no form or unity in the enemy's army. Orders are not being barked and obeyed. It is a frenzy, Hagen. An onslaught. I came face to face with the one who called himself Slig. No one ever held such a fight up with me since...since Aquaman."

"I only return to you now for an Atlantean soldier tried to get the best of Slig as his back was exposed. The second Slig turned around, he activated an uncanny power of his, and disintegrated the soldier to dust! Before my very own eyes! I used the foolish distraction to escape to you now, and report."

Triton looks ahead of them, as the armies continue to clash. Confidence that he can lead the armies of Atlantis to victory, slipping by the second.

"Slig called himself to be one of the Deep Six of Apokolips."

As Hagen continues to look, he too starts to lose confidence. He starts to head back towards the palace, Triton starting to follow.

"Summon all the sorcerors and mystics in the city. With our combined intellect and power we will concoct something to counter these raging beasts that continue to plague our waters."

Obeying, Triton leaves Hagen's side. As two guards open the large doorways of the palace, and Hagen makes it to the throne room the unlikeliest of guests greet him.

"Hello, Hagen."

"Garth. And...guests. My my it is a surprise seeing you here. Shouldn't you be--"

"Dead? Or maybe just non-existent? Then again, I don't know what would've become of me if I never met Aquaman as a young boy. Doesn't matter though, because as you should notice..."

"I remember everything, Hagen. Let's talk."

 

[trustyside-kick]

OOC: Previously...
​

Jason Todd- 'Sculpting'
-------------------------
I torture the ***** out of Killer Moth. Majority of it is for show for the kid but at the same time, he's a piece of dirt and deserves it. So I enjoy as he squirms and cries in terror when I break off his pinky with a cigar cutter; just an example of one of the many things I've done to him this evening. I blabber about oh "how did you find out about what was in the safety deposit box," yada yada yada and he quickly tells me and screams back to me "you didn't even take what was in the safety deposit box when you took me" and sheds another tear.

Scared and confused. That's what Killer Moth is right now. But then again...aren't we all? All of us in Gotham, that is. I mean, that is why Gotham City is the way it is and has been for the past several decades ever since the Great Depression: the true turning point for Gotham.

I pick up some duct tape from the table, and walk over to Killer Moth. Not hard to guess what I'm going to do with the duct tape, but I do do something that even I didn't expect; it's fun to improvise. I lean in and whisper to Killer Moth something...amusing.

Something that will let him really know what is going on.

"I'm the one who hired you to rob the Second National Bank of Gotham."

As he is about to outburst I quickly start to wrap my duct tape around his mouth, his muffled yells and screams being music to my ears. And Damian watches closely, probably wondering what I said. Then he wanders off a bit.

Maybe the kid's had enough? That won't do but I will bring him back in a bit.

Thankfully, a noise overhead brought the child out of his brooding. What wasn't nearly as welcome was the sudden shattering of the roof as a black-clad figure crashed into the Loft. One wielding a glowing black ring of a somewhat similar design to something Damian had seen just the other day...

"First yellow, now black?" the boy quipped, though it was a rhetorical question. He didn't care about the answer. All he cared about was a repeat performance of his encounter with the yellow ring bearer.

I pinpoint where Damian went to and head to where I hear his voice. 'The hell is he talking about something being 'yellow, now black'?

This time, however, when his knife stuck the monster, the blade gave only a dull thud. It was like striking a corpse. And the creature seemed none the worse for wear.

Only two words can properly express the thoughts going through my head right now.

Holy *****in' *****.

Alright, three words technically.

I react quickly, having nothing but a blow torch in my hand at the moment, and light the zombie looking creature on fire. It wails and turns about, Damian getting in the clear, and I run up and drop kick it out of the window. That crash doesn't perplex me, it is the six sudden crashes that occur throughout my loft.

"I think we've got company, kid. Show no mercy."

Sprinting back to where I left Killer Moth, I start to wonder...what the hell was that earlier?

 

[Byrd Man]

"

Black Hand launches a construct at Batman. Insect-like constructs cover Batman. A black harpoon goes through his shoulder and barbs form at the the end. Black Hand pulls him up. He holds him in the air with another construct of a skeleton hand.

"You are out of your league, Batman. I could kill you with a thought but I am going make you suffer. Become complete with Anti-Life." He places his hand over Batman's heart.

"No!" I spit out. I can feel it all the emotions running through me. Hopelessness, despair, depression. A voice in the back of my head tells me to give in, finally end all the struggle and fighting. I...can't do it.

"No!"

I trash out, fighting through the pain. I quickly pull a mine from my belt and slap it on the construct holding me in place. It explodes, sending me flying into the air and in pain. But I'm free.

 

[trustyside-kick]

Hagen finds himself outnumbered. Before him lies an unconscious Orm Marius resting on the palace floor before Tempest's feet, Mera to Garth's side, and three mysterious figures he has never set eyes on before: two of which are clad in Aquaman's trademark orange and green. The third...gives Hagen an uncanny crawl down his spine. Something is familiar about this creature.

"We need to fix this, Hagen."

"Now."

"Artie Jr. Kym. Guard the door on the outside. Need to make sure that we are undisturbed."

"Sure thing, Uncle Garth."

As Aquaman and Aquawoman from a parrallel Earth who are in fact that children of Aquaman and Mera in their world obey Garth, Hagen becomes confused though he doesn't show it. Cannot be the work of his spell. The young man, donned in the colors of Aquaman referred to Garth as uncle. Definitely cannot be the work of his spell. This situation just seems to becoming more and more out of his hands by each passing second.

"You are going to undo everything you and Triton have done. I've captured Orm; I know he is key for this."

"I should've prepared for such a chance that this would happen. You continue to amaze me, Garth. Normally I'd ask how it is you were somehow unaffected by the spell..."

Hagen looks to the mysterious figure yet again who is in fact the Dweller of the Depths. There is something mystical resonating from it, making him deduce the possibility that this unknown being is behind it. And immediately Hagen plans on executing the mystic the moment he is able to. Thinking that he could surely bring Hagen's downfall if he was able to counter a spell powerful enough to keep Garth protected, Hagen assures himself it is crucial at this point: The Dweller must die.

​

"But I do not have the time for this. There is a war on our hands."

"More than aware, Hagen."

"Then step aside and let me through. My sorcerors will be here any moment. We are going to resurrect Lady Gamemnae and--"

"Gamemnae? Are you crazy? She is likely to destroy Atlantis as to save it because of what happened in the past."

"You forget, Garth. By altering Atlantean history, none of that had ever happened. You did not cast a spell that teleported Atlantis several thousands of years in the past, therefore Gamemnae had never crossed paths with either of you. And when she sees that I, her loyal servant, had brought her back all these years, her gratitude and love for Atlantis will cause her to act immediately."

Garth looks back at the Dweller. Gamemnae was hands down one of the most powerful Atlanteans in the history of their people. He remembers it all. She in fact killed the Justice League even. Superman, Batman, Flash, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, and Plastic Man; none survived. So he knows she has the power. But the question is...can she truly be controlled?

No. Tempest quickly shrugs that idea off, coming back to reality remembering what the Dweller said.

"Reversing the spell you have casted over all Atlantis will save the day, Hagen. You need Aquaman."

"Face it, Hagen. The only way you are going to make it out of this alive is by reversing your horrid spell and bringing back my husband."

"Oh yes. Reverse the spell, undoing everything I have worked hard on and go back to an Atlantean prision awaiting my execution? You think me to be desperate, Garth, for an enemy I cannot defeat attacks my city gates."

"My city gates."

*scoff* "I could not undo the spell regardless. Orm Marius is not the key to reversing the spell, minnow. He is a key. There is but another you need. You need--"

"The Once and Future King."

"Your Orin was not in fact erased from existence. The spell merely has been cloaking him all this time. Imprisoned for the last 35 years."

"Imprisoned?"

The Dweller of the Depths stands there still dwelling in his epiphany. He contiues to recite his words, in a low mumble, over and over again. Garth swims up to Hagen, grabbing him by his garments and lifting him a few feet up.

"What the hell does the he mean by that? You know where Orin is?"

 

[Bounce]

Only two words can properly express the thoughts going through my head right now.
Holy *****in' *****.

Alright, three words technically.

I react quickly, having nothing but a blow torch in my hand at the moment, and light the zombie looking creature on fire. It wails and turns about, Damian getting in the clear, and I run up and drop kick it out of the window. That crash doesn't perplex me, it is the six sudden crashes that occur throughout my loft.

"I think we've got company, kid. Show no mercy."

Show no mercy? Who the hell did this ex-Robin think he was talking to? What, was shoving a Nepalese machete into a dude's chest an act of compassion now? Not that it had done a lot of good. The black ringed beast hadn't so much as flinched when Damian had stabbed it. No blood either. And there were at least six more of them stomping around the loft.

The take-away? This was not going to be a good day.

The one who came next didn't bother with a door, the man just burst through the wall in a shower of shattered wood and drywall. Damian reacted quickly to an outstretched hand, severing the fingers of the hand with a swipe of his knife... and then watching as the detached fingers re-joined the hand.

"Tt."

Okay, so that was a new and annoying little trick. A second, a woman, blocked the exit. The one that Jason had earlier lit on fire crawling back through the broken window, without so much as a single burn mark on him.

This was just another in what was becoming a string of where the **** is Batman when you need him moments.

Damian weighed his options for opponents and decided to make a run at the fairer sex. Getting a short, running start the boy jumped into the air as he prepared to deliver a flying kick that he hoped would open up an exit out of this center of what was looking like a losing situation. Instead he found a high heel impressing itself across the side of his head and felt himself slam against the ceiling before finally striking the floor.

New piece of information. Ninjas.

 

[trustyside-kick]

Hagen doesn't reply to Garth right away, and the former side-kick of Aquaman hurls the villain, tossing him to the opposing wall of the palace throne room. Hagen's body creates a dent in the wall, and by the time the sorcerer gets up, Tempest has already swam up to him, grabbing him once again by the collar of his garments.

"You are going to tell me exactly what that spell did to Orin, Hagen."

"Learning this won't aid you, guppy."

The water on Hagen's backside starts to boil, ever so lightly, by Garth's command. He leans in to the now worried sorcerer's face.

"Start worrying about yourself, and tell me."

"The spell did not obliterate Orin from existence, it merely altered himself and his past. As much as I'd love to, he had to live. As long as he and Orm are alive, the spell remains intact. "

"However, I do not know where he is."

"And how do you not know where he is? You just said his survival is vital to this spell being intact and you don't keep a close watch on him?"

"Orin was no weakling in his actual life, we were certain he would be able to hold his own in this one. Why do you think I have this magical dome around Poseidonis instead of keeping the previous scientifically constructed one that was created centuries ago? In this timeline, we are oblivious to the surface world. The most trouble Orin could run into is a pack of hungry sharks."

"Still doesn't explain why you wouldn't watch over him and keep tabs on him."

"Neither Triton or I even know what he looks like or what he exactly is. That was decided by Ocean Master; that was his treat. Only control we had over his transformation was that Orm could not turn him into a krill or clownfish or something so silly. And the reason was plain and simple: security. I may not have planned for the chance of you somehow trying to thwart my plans Garth but Triton and I made sure that neither of us could be used to locate Aquaman and undo the spell."

"What about using Orm?"

Mera looks over at the unconscious Ocean Master who in this timeline is this Atlantis' apparent Aquaman.

"Can't you look into his subconscious?"

"Yes, goodluck digging through that head. He's experience an entire new life span. I cannot even calculate the time one would need to unlock such information whether by mental capabilities or magic. Not to mention the psychic lock we have on Orm's subconscious. Given the spell is only on his subconscious, it is much more potent."

Tempest starts to make the water behind Hagen boil harder and the villain grunts.

"You're going to unlock that spell on Orm's mind, Hagen, or so help me with Poseidon as my witness, I--"

*CRASH*

Flying through the palace doors comes Artie Jr. and Kym, the Aquaman and Aquawoman from a parallel earth, crashing into the very throne. The distraction makes Garth lose his focus, and Hagen manages to get free from his grip. Through the broken palace doors comes floating in a group of mystics, loyal to Hagen and Hagen alone.

"Ah, I was hoping it would be just any moment now. Triton for once did a job well done."

Artie Jr. and Kym get up with the help of Mera and Tempest finds that they are outnumbered.

"You can either surrender, Garth, which is the smart choice given that it is five against eleven. But, hahaha, I can even the odds and have some of them start to channel to spell. By the time we are done wiping all of you off the face of oceanscape, it will be time to summon Lady Gamemnae."

"NO!!"

Just as Garth is able to strike, with Mera, The Dweller, and both Artie Jr. and Kym ready to go at it a spell activates that no one knows the origin of. Garth looks to Hagen and his sorcerers, but they have not started any sort of incantation yet. Tempest himself was planning a spell, but this clearly was not the result of it, and the Dweller of the Depths hadn't even moved yet; still he continues to mumble as though he is completely out of it.

A second later, three figures emerge from the darkness of a spell. No, not a spell. Some sort of shadow dimensional portal.

"Nightshade? Ragman! Enchantress! But...where's the rest of the Shadowpact?"

"The Chimp didn't want to get wet and Blue Devil and Jim hate the after affects of the waterbreathing spell.

"Blue complains that after the gills disappear he can still taste the saltwater."

The odds are now eight to eleven, and Garth's starting to feel more hopeful.

 

[Keyser Soze]

"No!" I spit out. I can feel it all the emotions running through me. Hopelessness, despair, depression. A voice in the back of my head tells me to give in, finally end all the struggle and fighting. I...can't do it.

"No!"

I trash out, fighting through the pain. I quickly pull a mine from my belt and slap it on the construct holding me in place. It explodes, sending me flying into the air and in pain. But I'm free.

I form a cushion construct for Batman to land in, in the off-chance that he needs it and hasn't already planned three different landings five minutes before he was even thrown. I then turn my attention back to Black Hand.

"So you wanna play dead, Willie?"

I form a construct of a coffin around Hand, putting green nails through it to seal the door shut. Then I simultaneously form a construct of a giant snow shovel and scoop a big chunk out of the street. I drop the coffin six feet under, then drop the soil and concrete back down on top of it.

 

[wiegeabo]

"How can you fight eternity, young one?"

Neighbors, friends, co-workers, acquaintances, the mailman, the bartender, the check out girl from the grocery store from down the road punch, kick, strike, and lash out against the Flash.

"Not this town, Darkseid. Not them. Not her..."

A torrent of anger and grief mixes inside me. A hot fury bubbles to the surface, blocking out everything else.

"I'll kill you for this, you bastard. I'll send you straight back to hell!"

 

[Watchman]

I form a cushion construct for Batman to land in, in the off-chance that he needs it and hasn't already planned three different landings five minutes before he was even thrown. I then turn my attention back to Black Hand.

"So you wanna play dead, Willie?"

I form a construct of a coffin around Hand, putting green nails through it to seal the door shut. Then I simultaneously form a construct of a giant snow shovel and scoop a big chunk out of the street. I drop the coffin six feet under, then drop the soil and concrete back down on top of it.

Black Hand ring lights up. Not that easy Jordan. Steel vines erupt from the ground below. Covered in barbs and razors they wrapped themselves around the buildings of Coast City. Zombie and skeleton constructs of Black Hand crawl there way out of the ground.

"The Black Hand you have fought is dead, Hal Jordan. The new Black Hand is nothing more than a shell, a meat puppet for the gods." The constructs spoke.

"Left to die in the gutters of Gotham, he found a new calling. Repurposed for a new world he was the diving rod that brought them here. Have you questioned why? Why have the gods of the soot and sulfur world have decided to lay waste to reality? The Guardians' sins have ultimately condemned and damned us all. They broke the pact. Their arrogance and cover-up will now be judged by Anti-Life." A demon construct burst from the ground. Black Hand hanging in the sky.

"Do you hear it? The pinging in the fabric of reality. Progenitor Box has been activated. It is only a matter of time now. When your kind is wiped out, nothing will be standing in our way."

 

[Watchman]

"Not this town, Darkseid. Not them. Not her..."

A torrent of anger and grief mixes inside me. A hot fury bubbles to the surface, blocking out everything else.

"I'll kill you for this, you bastard. I'll send you straight back to hell!"

Darkseid stood stoic. His face an unchanging facade of desolation and despair. Two hands grabbed his shoulders. He turned around to face his wife.

"Naive one, how could you fanthom stopping me? I am not one of your petty criminals or mad despots. I am all and whatever will be. I am the void and you are the speck. I am the hole in things dragging you down into the oblivion. Send me back to hell? Look around you. Are we not here?" Joan spoke to him.

"I am your master but that does not make me unfair one. I will give you back your city, your family but in doing so you will willingly sumbit to my creed." Joan's eyes changed from red to normal. So did the others around them.

"Jay...."

"Make your final choice, Flash." Darkseid finally spoke.

 

[Blacklight]

Darkseid stood stoic. His face an unchanging facade of desolation and despair. Two hands grabbed his shoulders. He turned around to face his wife.

"Naive one, how could you fanthom stopping me? I am not one of your petty criminals or mad despots. I am all and whatever will be. I am the void and you are the speck. I am the hole in things dragging you down into the oblivion. Send me back to hell? Look around you. Are we not here?" Joan spoke to him.

"I am your master but that does not make me unfair one. I will give you back your city, your family but in doing so you will willingly sumbit to my creed." Joan's eyes changed from red to normal. So did the others around them.

"Jay...."

"Make your final choice, Flash." Darkseid finally spoke.

Looking on... I feel helpless. Like all these years I've been the Flash haven't helped me at all, cause in the face of utter annihilation, I have no clue what to do.

"Jay..."

All I can do is hope everything turns out okay...

 

[wiegeabo]

Darkseid stood stoic. His face an unchanging facade of desolation and despair. Two hands grabbed his shoulders. He turned around to face his wife.

"Naive one, how could you fanthom stopping me? I am not one of your petty criminals or mad despots. I am all and whatever will be. I am the void and you are the speck. I am the hole in things dragging you down into the oblivion. Send me back to hell? Look around you. Are we not here?" Joan spoke to him.

"I am your master but that does not make me unfair one. I will give you back your city, your family but in doing so you will willingly sumbit to my creed." Joan's eyes changed from red to normal. So did the others around them.

"Jay...."

"Make your final choice, Flash." Darkseid finally spoke.

I glare pure rage at the hulking form of evil as he offers me my soul in exchange for the souls of everyone else. No one would be stupid enough to make a deal with the devil.

Unless there was no other choice.

But years in the game has taught me there's always another option. It might not be obvious, but it's there. Sometimes you just need to think about things sideways. And that's what I'm doing now. I'm just not liking what I'm seeing.

If I give in, Darkseid will only go back on his word, eventually. Maybe not right away, but eventually. When the rest of the world falls, he'll turn his eye on Keystone.

But until then...they would be safe. A safe haven for humanity while the others keep fighting.

"Jay..."

"Joan?"

"I know what you're thinking. Don't...not for us. The world needs you..."

"So do you."

She smiles and puts her hand on my cheek. I close my eyes, enjoying the sensation.

"Do it, Flash, and save her."

I jerk back and almost let Joan's body fall to the ground when I realize Darkseid has reclaimed her.

"Become one."

"Joan..." the evil grin on her face, those horrible eyes, his voice...it crushes any hope I have.

Almost any...

I stand up and face down the monster behind all this.

"I...agree."

I notice Wally looking on, and lock my gaze with his. I hope you and Barry can stop me...

 

[wiegeabo]

You know what? These rings aren't half bad.

Sure it takes a little while to get used to them. But when you're fighting thousands of black lanterns, you pick up on the basics pretty darn fast.

It also doesn't hurt to have another green, and even a blue, lantern at your back. We try and make short work of the lanterns we come across, but they always keep coming back.

"Green Lantern, I don't believe we're making any progress."

"No kidding. And call me Ted. You got any ideas?"

"You were able to destroy one when I arrived."

"Yeah, but it took forever. Taking these guys out one at a time isn't an option."

"Then let's try to take out a lot at one time," Tomar says.

"I haven't really practiced the whole multi-tasking thing."

"No time like the present."

"On the job training it is. Walker, watch our backs."

Saint Walker blasts a couple of dark lanterns. "Certainly, lant-Ted."

I give Tomar a nod. About a dozen rays of light launch out from his ring, latching onto black rings. He puts all his focus into the task. I mimic with a trio of beams of my own. Like I said, I haven't really practiced this.

But despite our concentration, and Walker's powerboost, nothing happens. And the black lanterns we're attacking decide that they've had just about enough.

"It's not working..." Tomar says.

"Stating the obvious...Walker, give us a hand."

"Of course, Ted." Saint Walker blasts at one of Tomar's rings with his blue energy. He focuses on the task at well, and the ring explodes into dust.

"Do that again." Walker complies, and another ring bites the dust.

"Can you split your focus like us?"

"I believe so." Walker thinks for a second, and then lances blue energy at all the rings we've grabbed. With silent screams, the black lanterns all turn to ash.

"Now I think we're on to something. But we're going to need more than just Walker's help."

"What do you...oh, no. You can't be serious."

I look at the flashes of yellow and red in the distance. "Hey, if it was easy, it wouldn't be any fun."

"Hey! If you'd just listen-Whoa!!!" I barely dodge the flames of red energy that fire between my legs. "Hey, I'm tying to tell you how to beat these things!"

"HHHSSSSSSSS..."

"Who gives a cat a red ring anyway?" I create a giant bulldog. It grabs the cat in it's jaws by the scruff of its neck and flings it away.

"Tomar, how're you doing?" I ask into my ring.

"Trying to talk to some Yellow La-OOOOOF!!!"

"Sounds like you're doing about as well as I am. Sain-ggkk!"

A large hand grabs my around the back of my neck, cutting off my air supply despite my forcefield. When I'm turned around, I'm faced with one seriously intimidating alien.

"You're one ugly mother-"

"Atrocitus will listen to what you have to say."

"Uh...right. Sure. Ok, here goes. The Black Lanterns are tough. You destroy them, they come right back."

"I am aware of this," Atrocitus hisses.

"If you're so smart, did you know that if you destroy their ring, they stay destroyed too?"

Atrocitus seems to mull this over. Then he suddenly points his ring and lashes out with a wave of fire that burns the nearest black lantern into nothingness. But the ring survives, and despite the burning, the lantern's body begins to reform.

"It does not work!" he shouts at me, struggling.

I green beam from my ring joins Atrocitus' fire in the attack. The black ring shudders, cracks, and then explodes. The partially formed lantern body explodes with it.

"Works better when we team up. I guess combining or light beats the black."

"Then let them all BURN!!!" He unleashes a torrent of flame that engulfs dozens of black lanterns. Their bodies burn, but regenerate. And they fly towards us.

"What are you waiting for, fool? Add your power to mine!"

"Ok, but I'm not that strong of a Lantern yet." I let loose a couple of dozen blasts from my ring, and they hit the black lanterns as well. But the dark rings resist our fight.

"Are you seriously this useless?"

"I told you, I'm new."

I try and focus to help Atrocitus out, but to little effect. Thankfully, a web of blue beams join ours and the black lanterns quickly explode.

"You keep pulling my ass out of the fire, Walker."

"I do what I can, Ted."
​

"I hope there's more of you guys out there."

"As far as I am aware, there is only one."

"One?!"

"The Guardians create one ring at a time. I was the first to be initiated. Every new blue lantern is tasked with finding the next."

"Well, that'll only take forever."

"That is why the Guardians have enacted emergencies protocols during the crisis. They are sending blue rings throughout the universe that will temporarily bolster our numbers."

"Temporarily?"

"One cannot be a true Blue Lantern without the proper training."

"I've had enough of your constant prattle!" Atrocitus blasts Saint Walker with a fury of fire.

"No, wait!-"

But there's no need for me to shout as Walker's energy quickly douses the red flames.

"What?! How?!"

"The anger in your heart would be cooled with just a little hope. What do you hope for?" He engulfs Atrocitus in a blue buble, and the big alien seemingly writhes in pain.

"I...hope...for.......NOTHING!!!" Atrocitus blows the bubble apart.

"Ted!"

"Hold up guys. We're fighting black lanterns right now, remember?" I look at my ring. "What's up, Tomar?"

"I'm bringing some backup."

Spoiler

"That's a lot of backup."

 

[trustyside-kick]

The battle begins. It starts as Hagen himself sends out the fist magical bolt that is deflected by a shield of ice Garth waves in front of him, it melting as Hagen's bolt makes impact. The furious former side-kick of Aquaman retaliates with twin eye beams, with much faster reaction time than Hagen had anticipated. The villain throws one of his loyal mystics in front of him, the pour soul taking Garth's blast of rage. Ragman entangles two mystics and grapples them towards him, as they succumb to the combined might of Artie Jr and Kym: Aquaman and Aquawoman of a parralel earth. Kym's body transforms into hard water and headbutts one as Artie Jr. knee presses the other.

The Dweller in the Depths, has not yet moved, mumbling under his breath.

"...Imprisoned for the last 35 years..."

During all of the mayhem of the fight Mera is seen taking on two sorcers by herself, using the water between her and them and harnessing it with her raw power like water whips. As she successfully wraps one of the wrists of one of the mystics after he fires a missed beam of energy, she tugs him forward and lets go of her water whip with that hand and forms a water shield for the mystic to slam into. Though the action gives the other mystic she had been teasing with her other water whip an opportunity to strick fiercely. Mera is not swift enough to evade the mystic's spell as he throws out a magical energy rope, capturing her. Though before the mystic can take revenge for his colleague, Enchantress uses her own expertise in magic, meddling with the magical energy rope. A second later Mera is sprung free as the rope opens, and instead envelopes the mystic.

Hagen tries to make an escape, but while the palace doors were blown off these hinges earlier, a black wall of dark energy materializes before he can make it. Turning around, Hagen finds himself greeted by Nightshade who manipulates the shadowy wall she created by shooting out claw-shaped arms to clutch the villain.

"I think it's best you stay put."

After Garth takes out two more mystics, he spots the confined Hagen and swims over.

Which leaves three mystics of Hagen's still not accounted for. The Dweller in the Depths is cornered by three, seemingly defenseless. One would think that the Dweller is in fact unaware of what is going on while he remains in this Atlantean throne room for it is as though he is hallucinating. An outstretched hand as though he is reaching towards someone rather than channeling a spell, the three mystics chuckle as in unison chain lightning seems to surge through their bodies, traveling back and forth through the three bodies. Should the Dweller not act soon, he will be fried.

"Dweller!"

Spotting the situation, Mera reacts swiftly and compresses the water around the three mystics leaving absolutely no room. Unable to move freely to channel their chain lightning spell, the electricity consumes the trio. Quickly Mera swims over to the Dweller. As she approaches him, she notices a certain blue glow emanating from beneath the cloth that conceals not just his face but ironically a large portion of his body; the exposed side being mutated flesh.

"Milady, I thank you. And I at the same time apologize, for my mind seems to have be in another place. I--I don't know why. It's like--AH!"

The Dweller loses balance as he grabs hold of his head; he feels as though he is spinning about. Mera catches him, and for some odd reason as she touches him she feels a certain warmth about him. The pain coursing through the Dweller's body subsides, and he finds Mera looking at him strangely.

"I think I do, Dweller--"

Tempest nods at Nightshade for the goodwork of getting Hagen bound, and looks around palace throne room for a second. Hagen won't be able to summon Lady Gamemnae to attempt to use her to wipe out Darkseid's armies by himself; not without the other mystics to channel the magical power required for it. So now that that is averted, which could've in the end led to another crisis entirely, it is time to bring attention to the solution to the armies of Apokolips wreaking havoc throughout Garth's beloved city.

"You hear the sound of that Hagen? It's the same sound of destruction and insanity that has been echoing through the waters of the city since before I arrived here. Your little stunt to try to gather your mystics to resurrect Lady Gamemnae didn't change a thing. Because it wasn't supposed to. Fate is a funny thing, Hagen. Despite you warping reality to your liking you cannot change Fate. So do yourself a favor, because I know that in the end of the day, you'd do anything to make sure Atlantis is kept safe."

Garth signals at Nightshade to let Hagen go, though at first she looks at him as though he is crazy.

"Help us find Orin."

Mera helps the Dweller stand back on his own two feet, and just stares at him.

"Is there...something wrong, Milady?"

"Well, I--"

The thought on Mera's mind is proving to be more difficult to execute than she initially thought. But there's just something so peculiar and only one way for her to know what she seems to be feeling.

"--let me see you f--"

 

[Watchman]

I glare pure rage at the hulking form of evil as he offers me my soul in exchange for the souls of everyone else. No one would be stupid enough to make a deal with the devil.

Unless there was no other choice.

But years in the game has taught me there's always another option. It might not be obvious, but it's there. Sometimes you just need to think about things sideways. And that's what I'm doing now. I'm just not liking what I'm seeing.

If I give in, Darkseid will only go back on his word, eventually. Maybe not right away, but eventually. When the rest of the world falls, he'll turn his eye on Keystone.

But until then...they would be safe. A safe haven for humanity while the others keep fighting.

"Jay..."

"Joan?"

"I know what you're thinking. Don't...not for us. The world needs you..."

"So do you."

She smiles and puts her hand on my cheek. I close my eyes, enjoying the sensation.

"Do it, Flash, and save her."

I jerk back and almost let Joan's body fall to the ground when I realize Darkseid has reclaimed her.

"Become one."

"Joan..." the evil grin on her face, those horrible eyes, his voice...it crushes any hope I have.

Almost any...

I stand up and face down the monster behind all this.

"I...agree."

I notice Wally looking on, and lock my gaze with his. I hope you and Barry can stop me...

Darkseid swipes Jay's helmet and crushes it with one hand. Someone smashes a baseball bat across the back of Jay's head sending him to the ground. Desaad lets out a cackle. He hits him again, breaking the bat.

"How does it feel, Mr. Garrick? How does it feel to be totally helpless in front of the people that you devoted to save? Is it as painful as seeing your wife as a puppet? Ha! To be beaten, humiliated, and ruined in front of them all!?" He motioned to some Justifers who took out batons and started beating Flash, Desaad continued to laugh. Desaad uncovered a new helmet. Darkseid addressed the populace.

"Your champion lies in ruin, defeated, and now he will one with the equation. Witness the future of all your heroes. Witness the future of your hope."

"Listen to the secret of the universe." Desaad places the helmet over Jay's a head. A voice whispers in his ear.

 

[Keyser Soze]

"Hey! If you'd just listen-Whoa!!!" I barely dodge the flames of red energy that fire between my legs. "Hey, I'm tying to tell you how to beat these things!"

"HHHSSSSSSSS..."

"Who gives a cat a red ring anyway?" I create a giant bulldog. It grabs the cat in it's jaws by the scruff of its neck and flings it away.

"Tomar, how're you doing?" I ask into my ring.

"Trying to talk to some Yellow La-OOOOOF!!!"

"Sounds like you're doing about as well as I am. Sain-ggkk!"

A large hand grabs my around the back of my neck, cutting off my air supply despite my forcefield. When I'm turned around, I'm faced with one seriously intimidating alien.

"You're one ugly mother-"

"Atrocitus will listen to what you have to say."

"Uh...right. Sure. Ok, here goes. The Black Lanterns are tough. You destroy them, they come right back."

"I am aware of this," Atrocitus hisses.

"If you're so smart, did you know that if you destroy their ring, they stay destroyed too?"

Atrocitus seems to mull this over. Then he suddenly points his ring and lashes out with a wave of fire that burns the nearest black lantern into nothingness. But the ring survives, and despite the burning, the lantern's body begins to reform.

"It does not work!" he shouts at me, struggling.

I green beam from my ring joins Atrocitus' fire in the attack. The black ring shudders, cracks, and then explodes. The partially formed lantern body explodes with it.

"Works better when we team up. I guess combining or light beats the black."

"Then let them all BURN!!!" He unleashes a torrent of flame that engulfs dozens of black lanterns. Their bodies burn, but regenerate. And they fly towards us.

"What are you waiting for, fool? Add your power to mine!"

"Ok, but I'm not that strong of a Lantern yet." I let loose a couple of dozen blasts from my ring, and they hit the black lanterns as well. But the dark rings resist our fight.

"Are you seriously this useless?"

"I told you, I'm new."

I try and focus to help Atrocitus out, but to little effect. Thankfully, a web of blue beams join ours and the black lanterns quickly explode.

"You keep pulling my ass out of the fire, Walker."

"I do what I can, Ted."
​

"I hope there's more of you guys out there."

"As far as I am aware, there is only one."

"One?!"

"The Guardians create one ring at a time. I was the first to be initiated. Every new blue lantern is tasked with finding the next."

"Well, that'll only take forever."

"That is why the Guardians have enacted emergencies protocols during the crisis. They are sending blue rings throughout the universe that will temporarily bolster our numbers."

"Temporarily?"

"One cannot be a true Blue Lantern without the proper training."

"I've had enough of your constant prattle!" Atrocitus blasts Saint Walker with a fury of fire.

"No, wait!-"

But there's no need for me to shout as Walker's energy quickly douses the red flames.

"What?! How?!"

"The anger in your heart would be cooled with just a little hope. What do you hope for?" He engulfs Atrocitus in a blue buble, and the big alien seemingly writhes in pain.

"I...hope...for.......NOTHING!!!" Atrocitus blows the bubble apart.

"Ted!"

"Hold up guys. We're fighting black lanterns right now, remember?" I look at my ring. "What's up, Tomar?"

"I'm bringing some backup."

Spoiler

"That's a lot of backup."

Hust as the massive gathering of the Parallax Corps approached, a portal opened near the heroes, and The Joker emerged from it.

"What's this? You're letting yellow mellow with you now, but I wasn't invited to the party?"

By his side were Larfleeze and Dinah, who had originally been kidnapped, but now seemed to (reluctantly) be here by choice. A good deal of time had passed since their disappearance, and in that time The Joker had made his goals clear to her to get her on-side, for now at least. Yes, The Joker had been a very busy boy since he was last seen....

"For those of you who don't know me, I am The Joker. Now let me introduce you to my b***hes!"

The portal opened wider, and from it emerged an army of Star Sapphires.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Black Hand ring lights up. Not that easy Jordan. Steel vines erupt from the ground below. Covered in barbs and razors they wrapped themselves around the buildings of Coast City. Zombie and skeleton constructs of Black Hand crawl there way out of the ground.

"The Black Hand you have fought is dead, Hal Jordan. The new Black Hand is nothing more than a shell, a meat puppet for the gods." The constructs spoke.

"Left to die in the gutters of Gotham, he found a new calling. Repurposed for a new world he was the diving rod that brought them here. Have you questioned why? Why have the gods of the soot and sulfur world have decided to lay waste to reality? The Guardians' sins have ultimately condemned and damned us all. They broke the pact. Their arrogance and cover-up will now be judged by Anti-Life." A demon construct burst from the ground. Black Hand hanging in the sky.

"Do you hear it? The pinging in the fabric of reality. Creator Box has been activated. It is only a matter of time now. When your kind is wiped out, nothing will be standing in our way."

"So in other words... it's Tuesday."

I start trying to tear apart the vast constructs that have cast a shadow over Coast City. I'm not making much headway - whatever has taken a hold of Black Hand is something incredibly powerful - but I can't give in. I won't give in.

"Plenty of chumps have came making big talk and scary noises in the past. Darkseid himself a few times too. But the Justice League, and all the other protectors of this world... we always stop people like you. Because behind the theatrics and the scare-tactics, you're all just *****ES!"

 

[wiegeabo]

Hust as the massive gathering of the Parallax Corps approached, a portal opened near the heroes, and The Joker emerged from it.

"What's this? You're letting yellow mellow with you now, but I wasn't invited to the party?"

By his side were Larfleeze and Dinah, who had originally been kidnapped, but now seemed to (reluctantly) be here by choice. A good deal of time had passed since their disappearance, and in that time The Joker had made his goals clear to her to get her on-side, for now at least. Yes, The Joker had been a very busy boy since he was last seen....

"For those of you who don't know me, I am The Joker. Now let me introduce you to my b***hes!"

The portal opened wider, and from it emerged an army of Star Sapphires.

Don't say it, Ted. Don't say it, Ted.
"You have got to be kidding me?!"

Idiot.

The Joker. It had to be the Joker. But...Dinah is with him?!?!

"Dinah, what in hell is going on?"

"I don't really believe it either. But the Joker...made a rather compelling argument."

"Seriously?" Geez, Ted. Stop giving him openings like that.