The "World of Heroes" DC RPG Season VIII

[Green Lantern]

"Tough shoes to fill,"

Nobody but Kara hears the somewhat nervous whisper her cousin's clone responds with, but she just smiles at him, trying to let him know that there is nothing here to fear. They're heroes, and they WILL come out on top.

As the fight rages on, the forces of evil seem to have the upper hand if only in shear numbers. The more they beat back, the more come to swarm the heroes.

"Zombies work in our favor. No need to hold back."

And with that news, Kara unloads on the Black Lantern's nearest her. Doing as much to make sure they don't get back up as she possibly can. But soon her attention is taken by Black Hand.

"The dead? Yes, Lord Mokkari has fashioned the bodies of the deceased to serve as drones in our army and perhaps for some other uses but many that you fight today are fallen mortals. Your comrades have given in and accepted the equation. Now, you shall perish for your decision. I must take leave and head for the stars. I will snuff out the Green Light of will once and for all but my master gives you a final gift."

He unrobes the blackrobed individual near him to reveal what seems to be the angel, Zauriel corrupted by the anti-life.

"Not fallen...dragged...dragged through the mud and filth. Stepped on, ruined, and now here to deliver your punishments for your sins. You are all guilty of freedom, thought, and choice. You shall be judge. Anti-Life justifies."

As the angel flies at the heroes, pouring burning black flame on them, Kara does her best to take the brunt of the assault. The fire burns, but less so than it would have her first time in the world, as she realizes that Rao and the other gods that had sent her had imbued her with more of a resistance to magic than she had had previously.

"I will handle this perversion. I believe this to be part of why I was sent back."

With that, her own wings erupt from her back, a bright orange and yellow to contrast the shear blackness of Zauriel's. She flies straight at the angel, firing off a blast of her heat vision as she gets in close.

The fallen angel flies at her, his black sword engulfing the sky in obsidian flames as he takes a swing at the Kryptonian. Wings of flame erupt from Kara's back, and torrents of flame pour out of her eyes as she takes the full brunt of the slice.

"ENOUGH! THE WILL OF RAO DEMANDS YOU TO RELINQUISH THIS FOOLISH ATTACK!"

The words pour from her mouth unconsciously, more force behind them than Kara has ever put of her own volition. As the fallen angel once more swings to connect with his dark sword, the flames are extinguished as they touch Kara's body. Her aura begins to expand, a dull blue. As it expands it grows slightly brighter, as it encompasses Zauriel. As soon as he is fully engulfed by the blue field, it snaps back around Kara, radiating from her as a soft blue glow. It's effect however, was evident, as the light had cleansed the angel, and he was once more free from Darkseid's grasp.

 

[trustyside-kick]

OOC: Previously...

Mera rests her right hand, barely touching the left-side of the Dweller's face. She's almost worried to touch it, for it appears that half of his body is flesh on one side and water on the other. The water glows a beautiful light blue hue, leaving her mesmerized it would seem. Though, it is not the brilliant shine within the water that stuns her; it is the thoughts entering her mind.

"I...think I've met you before. I know I have."

The magical water which half the Dweller is composed of shines much brighter as Mera firmly rests her hand upon it. The light magnifies to the point where in the short distance, cornered by Garth and Nightshade, Hagen spots the phenomenom. His first reaction is shock and awe, until he starts to realize what it means and turns to anger. He had felt something odd about the being at Mera's side. He had thought that what he had felt, the mystical energies flowing through the Dweller, made him the possible interloper responsible for how Tempest was not affected by Orm's spell. It's not possible however, and another player is a part of this, but whomever this other player in this twisted game is is not his concern so much as to who the Dweller in the Depths is.

But Hagen has his theories.

"Hagen!!"

Triton's shout is heard throughout the surrounding waters and enters through the balcony of the throne room. Garth and the others ready themself, thinking that Triton is here to fight them but as the Godling is startled to see them Garth knows that Hagen had no in fact somehow contacted him. Which can only mean something for the God of the Sea to be pulled away from battle. The villain notices Hagen's council of mystics unconscious throughout the throne room. Despite seeing Garth's presence and not understanding the situation Triton smirks.

"So I take it Lady Gamemnae will not be joining us, Hagen. While I'd love to do nothing more than crush these minnows and thank them at the same time for I dread the Ancient Sea Witch the city is over-run with these cretins and demons; the Deep Six continuing to guide this frenzy. I fear the only way to win this War is to lose this battle. We must flee the city and fight another day."

"Do that, and there won't be another day to fight, Triton. Those cretins out there are called Parademons. They serve the Dark Lord of Apokolips: Darkseid. If Atlantis falls, his armies will more easily spread across the globe for Global Domination."

"Then what do you suggest we do, welp?"

"As I've been pushing Hagen to help me to do, we need to locate Orin to reverse the spell. The Dweller said--"

"What do you mean locate Orin. The fool is dead."

That is when it hits Garth. Though it does not surprise him. The look on Triton's face, and the look of anger and disgust he throws Hagen makes it clear that Triton had not known that Aquaman had actually still been alive.

"You lied to me, Hagen. You told me the spell would ERASE him from existence."

"You dumb oaf. I didn't tell you that he had to live because I knew you would've never had agreed to help me execute this plan of mine because of your damn pride and twisted sense of honor. Had I told you you would've decided rot in your cell while I was meeting Execution face-to-face at the center of the city."

"So what did the spell do to Orin exactly?"

"It transformed him, just like Orm's own life in this timeline is warped."

The Godling scoffs and crosses his arms. It would seem that the present situation has created a brief undeclared pact of peace between enemies. The armies of Apokolips ravage through the city of Poseidonis and the common thing, possibly the only common thing, between Garth, Hagen, and Triton is that in the end of the day the survival of Poseidonis and greater Atlantis is their number 1 priority.

Artie Jr. and Kym look at Mera as she lies in the short distance with Mera separated from the group. Confused as to how they are able to ignore what is going on, grow curious and start to slowly swim over. Before they make it, Mera leans in, and kisses the Dweller.

"MOM!!??!"
"MOM?!!"

The kids' shouting stirs Garth, Hagen, Triton, and the members of the Shadowpact and they also see Mera kissing the Dweller. Swimming faster, by the time they reach Mera and the Dweller she has already pulled away from the kiss.

"Mom, what are you doing?"

"Not to be rude, but that's kinda disgusting and given the situation--"

Artie Jr. stops in rant as he notices that Mera and the Dweller blatantly seem to ignore; the image before him looking familiar. He tries to speak, but the words will not utter from his mouth and he points at the Dweller and then to Mera, then back and forth for a while. They look at each other in a way only lovers would. Kym notices what Artie Jr. sees as well and moves up to the Dweller, and Mera turns to her and smiles at her daughter from a parallel earth.

Outstretching her hand, Kym points at the Dweller, in a way she would always do as an infant with a special someone. The Dweller turns to Kym, still confused but starting to gain memories that he cannot fathom. Memories breach his mind that he does not believe are his, but they seem to be.

No.

They must be.

The Dweller in the Depths slowly glides his hand through the water reaching for Kym's hand. He grabs her index finger, and then Orm's suddenly open wide as he regains consciousness, but then he starts to shriek and yell.

"AAAHHH!"

A magical aura spirals around Orm's body, and a second later a twin of the same yellow magical aura starts to form and spiral around the Dweller in the Depths. Both bodies float towards each other, and while Orm Marius continues to shriek as he experiences pain from whatever spell is at work the Dweller in the Depths remains calm and his eyelids shut.

Suddenly the very city seems to quake and it feels as though it is a massive sea quake. The magical auras spiral around Orm and the Dweller start to widen and solidfy. There is a bright yellow light emitted from the throne room, showering all of Poseidonis and across miles and miles of water to the other regions of the geater Atlantean Kingdom. The light is so bright, that Garth, Hagen...no one can see a thing; they simply can hear the phenomenon occur.

As the light dims, their surroundings appear different...yet familiar. The throne room is just as Garth had left it before history was altered, and certain structures stand where they did not just minutes ago. The spell is undone it would seem. Atlantis and its inhabitants are restored to what it should be. The Deep Six and the Parademons of Apokolips as well as the Atlantean warriors who have been fighting throughout the city stop for a brief second in awe, before returning to mayhem and war.

But most importantly, there is something that Garth and the others notice as the yellow light fully dies out in the throne room...

"Orin!"

"Mera."

Or rather someone.

 

[trustyside-kick]

"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.

Jason Todd- 'Sculpting'
-------------------------
I feel like I've been thrown into a horror flick when I see the site before me. Some sort of zombie-looking thing is creeping towards Killer Moth. Muffled screams come from Moth's taped mouth and he squirms around a bit. To be honest this normally isn't something that bothered me and while I'm cruel when it comes to torture--I mean, in this instance I wasn't actually torturing him for any other reason but TO torture him--but there's a line even for me.

Walking up casually, and pulling out one of my Public Defenders, I put a bullet between the eyes of the slow-moving zombie.

"Relax, Moth. I got 'em."

"That's what you think, son."

"What?"

I turn, and to my surprise, I see my mother.

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.

Three feet to my right, my mother stands still. She looks exactly like she did the last time I saw her, only her voice sounds...different.

Very hoarse and...not right.

"It's been a long time, son."

"What a cliched thing to say. And you actually tried to say that with a hint of emotion; like there was some depth to be in that."

From the corner of my eye, I see the zombie-looking thing I shot between the eyes starting to get up. The hell. These things aren't zombies I guess. That, or cinema gets it all wrong and shooting them in a head is yet another hopeless method to get rid of them. Looking back at my 'mother' and she acts oblivious, meaning it's a distraction.

Doesn't really matter though. The fact that I noticed it's simply a trick. My response would have been the same.

"I always thought that you would've gone to hell for what you did, 'mom'. Guess God had mercy on you for some dumb reason. I'll fix that."

I take the blow torch, and the second she realizes what I'm going to do, she tries to lash at me. But I don't give her the time nor chance. There is no hesitation in my body nor my face as I light the b*tch up. She wails and roars as she burns like the devil she was and is.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!"

"You took away everything from me. Everything that I loved. **** you, 'mom'. Burn in hell."

"AAAAAHHHH...HAAAAAA....AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You're going to have to try better, son. I've come to make up for lost times. Let's have a heart to heart talk..."

She gets up, the fire from the blow torch still spreading across her body; but she doesnt' actually feel it. Several more crashes echo in the distance throughout my loft. Going to have to repair a lot of windows...though it is the least of my worries.

"...or you can just go ahead and give me yours."

 

[Watchman]

"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!"

The constuct demon's hand grabs Jordan sending him in the rubble below. A stream of black light meets a green shield. Black Hand slowly makes his way toward him.

"You have lost, Jordan." A crowd begins to form around Black Hand, all speaking in unison with Black Hand.

"Earth has fallen. The sky bleeds and reality, bends, snaps, and breaks. Anti-Life binds all consciousness together into one but Progenitor Box binds all reality." The crowd increases.

"Infinite worlds destroyed and remade into one. An event greater than the creation itself will annihilate the multiverse and remake it according to Anti-Life. The Fifth World."

"You have lost, Guardian pet," it is no longer Black Hand's voice, "you face my infinite willpower. Oa is on the verge of collapse and nothing will stand in the way of my heaven." He creates a scythe and brings it down on Jordan.

 

[Bounce]

"You took away everything from me. Everything that I loved. **** you, 'mom'. Burn in hell."

"AAAAAHHHH...HAAAAAA....AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You're going to have to try better, son. I've come to make up for lost times. Let's have a heart to heart talk..."

She gets up, the fire from the blow torch still spreading across her body; but she doesnt' actually feel it. Several more crashes echo in the distance throughout my loft. Going to have to repair a lot of windows...though it is the least of my worries.

"...or you can just go ahead and give me yours."

"Sounds like my mom," Damian deadpanned from the den. The son of the Bat overheard bits of the conversation between Jason and Darth *****, though Damian was a little occupied with problems of his own. The creatures were inhumanly strong and apparently had a trick for regenerating damage almost instantaneously, putting the young assassin at any number of disadvantages. The boy had changed styles to play to defense, making exlusive use of joint locks and redirects as he worked to keep just one step ahead of the three assailants that had him backed into a corner. A little Aikido, some Tai Chi Chuan thown in for flavor, and a lot of making **** up as he went.

He supposed he was fortunate that he didn't have to worry about having his family relations show up. His mother was probably busy orchestrating the next move for the Demon's Head and his father was too occupied with saving the goddamn world to even think about saving his own child.

The boy dodged a punch from one of the zombie-goons, grabbing hold of the extended arm and using it as a lever, artfully undermining the zombie's balance and sending him sailing in a so-called breath throw. The flying goon took out the female zombie on the way down, but that was a short lived victory as Damian had Number Three to cope with.

Strike that. It was time to get the **** out of Dodge.

"Kiss your mom good-bye, 'Hood. Because its go time," Damian quipped, barreling toward the third zombie before ducking low and sliding between the goon's legs. By the time the zombie had turned around, the boy was already leaping out of the loft apartment's window.

 

[Andy C.]

THE FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE...

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Kent," the android Kelex said, "but I am afraid I cannot allow that."

"Is that so?" Lois Lane-Kent said, her voice full of irritation. "Well frankly, I don't really care what you can or can't allow. I'm going, and that's final."

"The Fortress was placed on lockdown for a reason, Mrs. Kent," it reminded her. "In the event of reality-threatening circumstances wherein Kal-El was unavailable to solve, you, along with Miss Lang and the elder Mrs. Kent, were to be brought here to be kept safe. I must encourage you to have faith in Kal-El's Justice League allies, and to remain patient."

Lois huffed angrily. Since the initial attack, she had been teleported out of Metropolis and into the Fortress of Solitude--her husband's idea of getting her out of harm's way. The Fortress was secured by technology that Superman had obtained from dozens of worlds, not the least of which being New Genesis and long-lost Krypton itself, able to hold off any potential threat....including, apparently, the spread of Anti-Life. Its AI had indicated that Darkseid had finally uncovered the Anti-Life equation, and was spreading it across the globe and apparently across the universe. Billions were falling under his thrall, and Lois was tired of feeling useless and helpless while the universe was in danger.

"I know you've got your job," she said, "but I've got a job to do, too. I'm a reporter--my whole life is about spreading the truth. And if this really is it, if this is the last stand of free will against Darkseid? Then I need to be there to tell the story."

"Understood, Mrs. Kent," the android responded, "but I am not authorized to allow you to leave the Fortress defenseless."

Lois's eyes brightened, an idea coming to her.

"Who said anything about being defenseless? You still have the schematics for the Flamebird armor on file, right?"

"Yes, Mrs. Kent."

"Then get ready to fabricate another one, and let me know when it's ready. Superman's still away, so one of us needs to be out there on the front lines."



BELOW METROPOLIS...


"I....am....Lex....Luthor....."

Lex Luthor stared intently into the small mirror, his hands shaking as he gripped it.

Darkseid's spread of the Anti-Life Equation had washed across Metropolis, millions of its citizens giving themselves over to the overlord. Even this far down in his fortified bunker, Lex was not out of the Equation's reach.

"I....am....Lex....Luthor...."

He was the most intelligent human being who had ever lived. His was the single most brilliant mind his species had ever produced. He would be damned if he gave up his intellect, his identity, his magnificence, over to some lesser tyrant.

Luthor focused on the reflection he saw, and reminded himself over and over again of who he was, refusing to swear allegiance to anyone, least of all an alien.

"I! AM! LEX LUTHOR!!!!"



INSIDE A SMALL POCKET DIMENSION TUCKED AWAY ON A HIDDEN FORTRESS AT THE CORE OF THE SUN....


"So...did they tell you what you were here to do?" I have to ask. To say that encounters with Bizarro tend to be unpredictable would probably be one of the world's greatest understatements.

"nO, Me aM kNoW nOtHing aBoUt whAt nO Am hApPen," Bizarro replies in his usual fashion as he flies haphazardly through his makeshift "Fortress," as if giving me a tour that he doesn't quite know how to conduct. "wHoLe uNivErse nO am beInG bRougHt oVeR cOnTroL oF LiGhTfrOnt, hIm wAnT tO sEt eVerYoNe frEe."

"Right, that's....that's why we're doing all this, to stop him. And they told you your part in this?"

"WrOng. BizArRo No aM hEre bEcaUse hIm thInK-tHinG nO sPecIal, cAn Be coNtrOllEd bY LigHtFroNt. BiZarRo nO am mAkE pRoBleM to aNti-LiFe eQuAtiOn, am pRoVe iT rIgHt."

"So can you do it?"

"CaN BiZarRo? No." he says proudly. "In LiE, BiZaRro aLrEaDy sTartEd!"

This is good news. If he's already gotten to work on it, I can see what he's done and maybe...

"Wait, you've already 'started'? So that means..."

"NoPe! LiFe-EqUatIon aM aLl tHere!"

Bizarro points to a series of symbols he has scrawled along the walls. At first they look like random scribbles, but once I see them all....

"That's it.....Great Scott, that's it!"

Seconds later, we're out of the tesseract field, fulled back into the waking universe and in the Fortress at the core of the sun.

"Do you have it, Superman?" Jimmy asks us eagerly, the other Jimmy Olsens from the Multiverse looking on from behind him. "Did Bizarro do it?"

"nO, yOu aM hAvE nOtHinG yOu aM nEeD!"

"What?! But that's--....oh, wait, Bizarro-speak, right. So do you have it?"

"We've got everything we need now," I say. "I know how to stop the Anti-Life Equation.....and how to stop Darkseid himself. It's time to head to Earth, and end this once and for all."

 

[wiegeabo]

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.

I take the beating. Honestly, I've been through a lot worse then what these wannabes dish out. And I heal from most of their attack before they've even finished.

But I don't fight back. Because Darkseid might go back on his word.

Then comes the helmet. Everything goes dark, and all I hear is an all-encompassing voice. I focus all my thoughts on what's important to me. The League. The Society. Kara. Bart. Wally. Barry. Joan. Everyone who's every mattered in my life. All my friends and family. And every person in Keystone and the world who's relying on me.

The light strikes my eyes as the helmet is removed.

"Well, Mr. Garrick? Are we all better now?"

SMACK

Desaad goes flying, smashing into a building. I turn to face Wally, a slow grin spreading across my face as he jumps at the blackness in my eyes.

"I'm feeling damn good, no thanks to you. Don't think that beating was really necessary," I say, patting the dust off.

"Well, well, well. Look who's up and switched sides."

I look over, and am suprised by who I see? "Atom? Al, is that you?"

My long dead friend gives me an impish grin. Which is rather impressive since he doesn't have much in the way in lips, being a long dead corpse and all. "That it is. You look good, you ol' sonuva*****."

"I feel good, Al. Better than I ever have."

Al stalks closer to me. "I can see that. So much rage. Just pounding through you. And it's not new. It's been there for a very long time. What happened, Jay? You've never looked so...tasty." He reaches his claw of a hand out towards my chest.

I quickly grab his arm and literally twist it off. "Long story. And hands off the goods , Al." I crack my knuckles and look at Wally and Barry. "I've got some ass kicking to do."

"Well don't take too long Jay. I'm starving. Hmmm, is Joan doing anything right now?"

"Nah, go ahead. Just leave me the good parts."

Al stalks off towards my wife, rubbing his hands together as I launch myself forward and plant my fist in Wally's face...

 

[Blacklight]

I take the beating. Honestly, I've been through a lot worse then what these wannabes dish out. And I heal from most of their attack before they've even finished.

But I don't fight back. Because Darkseid might go back on his word.

Then comes the helmet. Everything goes dark, and all I hear is an all-encompassing voice. I focus all my thoughts on what's important to me. The League. The Society. Kara. Bart. Wally. Barry. Joan. Everyone who's every mattered in my life. All my friends and family. And every person in Keystone and the world who's relying on me.

The light strikes my eyes as the helmet is removed.

"Well, Mr. Garrick? Are we all better now?"

SMACK

Desaad goes flying, smashing into a building. I turn to face Wally, a slow grin spreading across my face as he jumps at the blackness in my eyes.

"I'm feeling damn good, no thanks to you. Don't think that beating was really necessary," I say, patting the dust off.

"Well, well, well. Look who's up and switched sides."

I look over, and am suprised by who I see? "Atom? Al, is that you?"

My long dead friend gives me an impish grin. Which is rather impressive since he doesn't have much in the way in lips, being a long dead corpse and all. "That it is. You look good, you ol' sonuva*****."

"I feel good, Al. Better than I ever have."

Al stalks closer to me. "I can see that. So much rage. Just pounding through you. And it's not new. It's been there for a very long time. What happened, Jay? You've never looked so...tasty." He reaches his claw of a hand out towards my chest.

I quickly grab his arm and literally twist it off. "Long story. And hands off the goods , Al." I crack my knuckles and look at Wally and Barry. "I've got some ass kicking to do."

"Well don't take too long Jay. I'm starving. Hmmm, is Joan doing anything right now?"

"Nah, go ahead. Just leave me the good parts."

Al stalks off towards my wife, rubbing his hands together as I launch myself forward and plant my fist in Wally's face...

The sheer force of the newly zombified Jay had caused me to be knocked back a good distance, but as the bones in my face healed, I managed to get back up.

"Jay... Look at you! What has Darkseid done to you? What have you done to you?!"

As I look at the shell of my former ally... Mentor... Friend; I prepare myself for his next attack.

 

[wiegeabo]

The sheer force of the newly zombified Jay had caused me to be knocked back a good distance, but as the bones in my face healed, I managed to get back up.

"Jay... Look at you! What has Darkseid done to you? What have you done to you?!"

As I look at the shell of my former ally... Mentor... Friend; I prepare myself for his next attack.

"I did what I had to do, kid. And, to perfectly honest, I'm really glad I did. Not because of this godforsaken town. But for the power of it all. You've got to try this, Wally. It feel FANTASTIC! And I finally understand what we were fighting about. And we were on the wrong side. Darkseid is the way. And I never would have believed otherwise."

I hit full speed again and slam my shoulder into Wally's chest, sending him bouncing along the ground into the side of a bank.

A bloodcurdling scream catches my attention. "JAAAAAYYYY!!!"

I turn around, annoyed. "Honey. It's just Al. Be a good wife and let him kill you, won't you?"

 

[J'adore]

​

She wiped the sweat away from her forehead, jumping from rooftop to rooftop in a state of panic. Trailing behind her, was Holly Robinson. Harley and Holly had been taking shelter in the Gotham branch of S.T.A.R Labs for the past day or two, managing to shy away from the Anti-Life. There stay had been cut short, as Alisa Adams, head scientist, soon became infected with the Anti-Life, causing the girls to go on the run.

The streets had been swarmed with the mighty equation, leaving them clueless to where the next location shall be. They'd tried everything, contacting Oracle, Checkmate, Alfred, but nothing. No connection, no help.
Harley was left with only one option, go to the person she trusts the most.

"She didn't pick up her cell!" Harley barked, calling over to Holly. Stopping at a high rooftop, she took sharp intakes of breath, awaiting Holly's arrival.

"She's probably been infected! We should head another way, towards Belle Reve...Try and steal a car or something?"

"No! We stick together here Holly! Ivy never gives up without a fight! Plus, she has an underground lair, full of plants and stuff. Enough to protect her from any attack!" Harley put up a fight against Holly, not wanting to be alone by the time she reaches Poison Ivy. She pulled Holly's hand, signaling for her to jump to the next rooftop.

"Ya gotta jump two more rooftops, and then you'll see a huge Greenhouse. She's under there. But, you've got to be quick..." Holly nodded sharply, sprinting to the egde of the rooftop and gracefully jumping across the small gap, landing with great poise. Joining her, Harley brushed past Holly, flipping over towards the last rooftop.

"Hey, no fair! I was in the lead!" She propelled herself off of the rooftop, flipping over next to Harley.

The two girls looked down at the city below. Chaos.

"Try not to break anything. I don't have time to fix any wounds today..."

"Uh...yeah...See you down there!"

​

 

[trustyside-kick]

OOC: Previously...

There is a thunderous boom that makes the ground of the palace shake, and then Orin turns as he lets go of his beloved wife's grasp and sees faces he did not expect to see. Hagen, Triton, and Ocean Master who is lying on the ground short of breath were not the company he had expected to see within his former throne room. Something is not right.

"What is going on. The last thing I remember is returning from Oa and then everything went bright before my eyes. A blue cascade of light emanating from my mystical hand."

"There isn't much time to explain EVERYTHING at the moment Orin I'm afraid to say. Bottom line is Darkseid has invaded Earth again, but this time he decided to bring the hordes of Apokolips. The Deep Six and a swarm of Parademons attack Atlantis and who knows what goes on with the rest of the world."

As Orm Marius gets up, still a bit dazed from the reversal of the spell, he manages to bring a smirk on his face as he thrives on the knowledge of a mess now placed in Orin's hands. The Marine Marvel walks up to his half-brother grabbing him by the cape.

"You, I deal with later."

Shoving Orm to the ground, a site that infuriates the Ocean Master as he is looking up at Aquaman, the Aquatic Ace walks up to Hagen and Triton who seem to be surprisingly non-hostile; though the godling does not hide the hatred in his eyes.

"Triton. Hagen. I can see by how tame you both are, especially you God of the Sea, you understand the potency of the enemy at our gates. Once this crisis is averted, do not mistake the act of patriotism you will perform from here on out changes anything. I left the throne with the both of you in shackles. So it shall be that way in the end."

Orin turns his head to Garth, giving him a stern look.

"And no public executions."

Turning back to the other two villains, aimed at Hagen he whispers into the mage's ear.

"I saved your life this time, you diseased old mystic, but if you do anything that puts my people in harm when you see some sort of bizarre opportunity I will execute you myself."

The former Sea King leans back, giving a look to Triton before turning his back making it clear that Triton's fate will be no different for he definitely knows that Triton heard his whispers. After all, sound travels very well underwater. Garth swims up to his mentor and gives him a hug before he goes. Orin's response is one of confusion, and as Garth looks up at him, Orin pats him on the back and they pull from each other.

"Sorry, just...I really thought I was going to fail Atlan there. Didn't think I'd see you again."

"Atlan? My father? What did that crude man have to do with--nevermind. That is for later. Come, minnow. We have a city to save."

"Not just a city. A world."

Mera swims up to her husband, curling her arm around his.

"If Atlantis falls, the surface will fall."

 

[Blacklight]

"I did what I had to do, kid. And, to perfectly honest, I'm really glad I did. Not because of this godforsaken town. But for the power of it all. You've got to try this, Wally. It feel FANTASTIC! And I finally understand what we were fighting about. And we were on the wrong side. Darkseid is the way. And I never would have believed otherwise."

I hit full speed again and slam my shoulder into Wally's chest, sending him bouncing along the ground into the side of a bank.

A bloodcurdling scream catches my attention. "JAAAAAYYYY!!!"

I turn around, annoyed. "Honey. It's just Al. Be a good wife and let him kill you, won't you?"

As I pull myself back up, I turned to hear the screams. They're Joan's. And from Jay's maniacal choice of words, he isn't going to save her this time.

I run at Joan before the deceased former Atom could reach her, and I then quickly zipped her to the JLA safehouse in the Arctic. I dropped her by Linda and the twins before returning to Keystone in the matter of seconds.

"That's enough, Jay. Whatever it is Darkseid's doing to you... You have to fight it! You're stronger than this!"

 

[Watchman]

As I pull myself back up, I turned to hear the screams. They're Joan's. And from Jay's maniacal choice of words, he isn't going to save her this time.

I run at Joan before the deceased former Atom could reach her, and I then quickly zipped her to the JLA safehouse in the Arctic. I dropped her by Linda and the twins before returning to Keystone in the matter of seconds.

"That's enough, Jay. Whatever it is Darkseid's doing to you... You have to fight it! You're stronger than this!"

"No one is," two fist come slamming down, narrowly missing the Flash. The road now bears a crater.

"Anti-Life will rot your noble soul and empower me, Flash. This is the end times. You can feel it? The vibrations created by Progenitor Box. Reality falling apart and then putting itself together in my image. The only way to survive is to be one. Now join me or let your friend eviscerate you."

 

[Keyser Soze]

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.

"I'd tell you to stop giving me openings like that, but that's what I said to her before we got here. HA HA! You know, when I was screwing her. In her openings. HA! Just kidding. Or am I?"

The Joker charged ahead, leading his army into battle against the assembled legion.

"We can talk it all over later, kids, but right now there's folks to kill!"

 

[Keyser Soze]

The constuct demon's hand grabs Jordan sending him in the rubble below. A stream of black light meets a green shield. Black Hand slowly makes his way toward him.

"You have lost, Jordan." A crowd begins to form around Black Hand, all speaking in unison with Black Hand.

"Earth has fallen. The sky bleeds and reality, bends, snaps, and breaks. Anti-Life binds all consciousness together into one but Progenitor Box binds all reality." The crowd increases.

"Infinite worlds destroyed and remade into one. An event greater than the creation itself will annihilate the multiverse and remake it according to Anti-Life. The Fifth World."

"You have lost, Guardian pet," it is no longer Black Hand's voice, "you face my infinite willpower. Oa is on the verge of collapse and nothing will stand in the way of my heaven." He creates a scythe and brings it down on Jordan.

For a moment I think about giving in, about letting Black Hand kill me and Darkseid's forces carry on their conquest over my dead body. My son is dead, my wife is gone, my city is in ruins - what is there to live for? But just for a moment.

"Your infinite willpower?"

Just as the scythe is about to connect, a green shield forms over my heart. I form a pair of green gauntlets around my hands, and grab onto the black scythe.

"You don't know what willpower is."

I shatter the construct, and lunge up at Black Hand, bombarding him with rights and lefts.

 

[Byrd Man]

​

A crisis is upon us. I elbow a parademon in the face and push him into the path of a Black Lantern.

It's not my first go-around in this kind of event. I've been through my share of events where the fate of Earth hang in the balance. Each time I've emerged, not unscathed but still in good condition.

Except....the last one. The Joker got the better of me, he finally killed me. And in some sick twist of fate, he helped bring me back to life and back to Gotham. It makes me sick to my stomach to think about it. I'm in debt to Joker for my life.

A Black Lantern screams out and charges towards me. I avoid his blast, my shoulder still stinging from Black Hand's attack. Rolling under him, I slap a sticky bomb to the creature's body and watch the blast blow him out of the sky. Shuffling my cape, I can't help but scowl.

I should be elsewhere. I should be defending Gotham.​

 

[J'adore]

They landed with great elegance, sprinting in to the chaotic streets of Gotham. The sky was dark and the screams haunted the two girls. Blood had been shed everywhere, bodys sprawled across the streets.

They blended with the darkness, trying to ignore the endless cries for help. It wasn't until Harley dropped to her knees, that they came to a hault. Her eyes watered and her mouth opened, a silent scream left her lips. Bud and Lou, her babies. Motionless, drenched in blood. Dead. "They killed my babies...Those sick b******* killed my babies!"

Holly pulled the hysterical Harley back to her feet, pushing her along the grotty streets.

"No! Get off! I have to go back to them!"

"Harley, you've got to let it go! They're gone!" She struggled, but Holly still held her grip. The two kept moving, Harley wiping away her small tears. It was a reluctant comfort, but Holly managed to calm her down, slowly but successfully.

-

They'd walked for miles on end, with the occasional sprint and rest. They had encountered no foe or friend yet...But that was all to change. A gruesome, yet poised creature made their way towards the two ladies.

"DeBoRaH dArNeLL At YoYr SeRvIcE!"

Instead of her usual pink ring, her darkened arm stretches out, a black ring glowing on her finger. She propells a strong blast at the females, causing them to react quickly.

They split, jumping apart and dodging the blast. The creature growls, charging her way towards Harley. Wimpering, Harley flips over the incoming creature, watching as her fist hits the hard sidewalk instead. She swings her leg up sharply, knocking the creature back slightly. With the seconds she turns off guard, Holly spins round, slamming both feet in to her stomach.

"NaUgHtY, nAuGhTy!" As the creature released a loud growl, she found a sharp knife stuck within her stomach. She growled once again, gurgling out a thick black liquid.

"You messed with the wrong b*tch today!" Harley screamed, Holly holding back her smirk. The-once-Deborah Darnell-now-black-lantern, drops to the floor, throwing the knife out of her body. Her hand shivers, grabbing Harley's ankle with all the strength she has left.

"Just freakin' stay dead!" Holly screamed, grabbing Harley's gun and firing it numerous times at the creature.

Her head explodes and the two females jump back, getting as far away from the thick black liquid as possible. "I think we're lost..."

"...I think so too, Harleen..."

"Is that...?"

"Selina...It's got Selina..."

The darkened figure jolts down from the drain pipes, holding a large cat-o-nine-tails whip. She chuckles, sounding slightly robotic.

"Anti-life is the answer!"

​

 

[wiegeabo]

"I'd tell you to stop giving me openings like that, but that's what I said to her before we got here. HA HA! You know, when I was screwing her. In her openings. HA! Just kidding. Or am I?"

The Joker charged ahead, leading his army into battle against the assembled legion.

"We can talk it all over later, kids, but right now there's folks to kill!"

"Yeah, and you're one of 'em, you pasty faced psycho."

Dinah puts her hand on my shoulder. "Not the time, Ted. We've got to deal with the other problem first."

"Don't you ever get tired of being right?"

That gets Dinah to smile. And I have a feeling it's the first time she's smiled in a while. "I'll let you know if it happens."

And so this mad battle gets a lot more insane. Pun intended. The swarming darkness that had threatened to overwhelm us seems to finally be turned back by the light. Green, red, yellow, blue, and violet all working together. I mentally run through the spectrum of light in my head and wonder where orange and indigo are. And then I almost get my head chopped off and figure I've got more important things to worry about. Besides, knowing the reds and yellows, maybe we're better off without the two missing Corps.

Amidst the chaos, I can really tell who's winning, or if we're at a standoff. But I have noticed that there aren't nearly as many green rings looking for new owners, and that's got to be a good thing.

"How are you holding up, Lantern Ted?"

"Doing fine, Walker. You?"

"I hold out hope that we will prevail. And I believe we are."

"I hope so too. I almost wish this wasn't a no name sector of space. A fight like this deserves a crowd."

And that's when a giant dark mass seem to grow in space behind the mass of black lanterns. "What in the-?"

"I believe it's a wormhole."

"Oh no. They're not getting away now that we've got these zombies on the run." I yell into my ring. "Tomar, we've got to flank these things and keep them pinned in."

"We're trying. But the yellow corps won't listen to us, and the red corps won't listen to anybody!"

Figures. For the next few mintues of intense fighting, the wormhole grows, and the mass of zombie rejects move towards it.

"Tomar?!"

"We're not going to make it!"

And in a flash, they're gone.

I know sound doesn't travel in space, but somehow, with the battle done, it still sounds too quiet.

"What can we do, Tomar? Can we track them?"

"I'm trying. My ring's locking onto their coordinates...sector...oh no."

"This is gonna be good, isn't it?" I say, sarcastically.

"Sector 2814. Earth."

An audience. "I had to open my big mouth. Ok lanterns, ALL lanterns. Saddle up. We're going hunting..."

 

[wiegeabo]

As I pull myself back up, I turned to hear the screams. They're Joan's. And from Jay's maniacal choice of words, he isn't going to save her this time.

I run at Joan before the deceased former Atom could reach her, and I then quickly zipped her to the JLA safehouse in the Arctic. I dropped her by Linda and the twins before returning to Keystone in the matter of seconds.

"That's enough, Jay. Whatever it is Darkseid's doing to you... You have to fight it! You're stronger than this!"

"No one is," two fist come slamming down, narrowly missing the Flash. The road now bears a crater.

"Anti-Life will rot your noble soul and empower me, Flash. This is the end times. You can feel it? The vibrations created by Progenitor Box. Reality falling apart and then putting itself together in my image. The only way to survive is to be one. Now join me or let your friend eviscerate you."

"Yeah, you're wrong that kid. I'm stronger now. A hellava lot stronger."

"Jay! This little punk here stole my diner!"

I roll my eyes. "Well, then find someone else. I'm a bit busy here if you haven't noticed."

"Hey, the kid's got some tasty emotions."

I punch Al in the face, knocking his head off. "The kid's mine. Go eat the older one if you're that hungry."

"Fine, fine," Al says, putting his head back on, and running towards Barry while shrinking down in size.

"Now, where were we, Wally?"

And that's when the ground explodes in a bright light...

 

[wiegeabo]

Darkseid had been standing proudly over the scene of the battle. His newest acquisition obediently fighting this planet's pesky heroes. And despite the delay they had created, everything proceeded acceptably.

Until the ground exploded.

A blinding light filled the area, distracting everyone not hit by it. Which was indeed everyone, but Darkseid himself.

The would be ruler of the universe finds himself taking a blast to his chest that surprisingly sends him flying. He skids along the ground, leaving a deep trench in his path.

I float in the air, looking down at monstrosity with a mix of anger, revulsion, and superiority. I just put this god on his ass. And the expression on his face when he looks for his attacker and sees me is absolutely priceless.

"You!..."

I launch myself at him.

Spoiler

"Yes. Me."

 

[trustyside-kick]

Feeling he has all the support he needs as his wife and practical son stand with him within the throne room of Poseidonis, it is now that the Marine Marvel locks his eyes on what looks to be an Aquatic Duo clad in his famous colors. Garth looks at Mera, and she nods at him knowing full well what is going through his mind.

"Tell you what, they may need a quick second. Ragman, Nightshade, Enchantress. You go with Triton and aid our soldiers at the eastern part of the city. I will personally watch over Hagen as we answer Atlantis' cry for help in the western region."

The three members of the Shadowpact nod, and Triton reluncantly follows like a lap dog, exiting through the large doorway. As Hagen starts to exit with Garth slowly trailing behind him, giving Orin one last look and a smirk before he too leaves. Mera slowly floats over to the Artie Jr and Kym from a parallel Earth as Orin remains dazed.

"Can...can this be? Or do my eyes deceive me. I...I'd dreamt of what you would look like..."

The Aquatic Ace starts to float over to his...well this Artie Jr is not his exact son but on another Earth, where the devious plans of the wretched Black Manta had not led to the death of Aquababy's death, this is his son. Could tears be shed underwater, surely some would shed from Orin's eyes as he soon embraces this version of Artie Jr with a hug. And it is then, as Aquaman hugs him that Artie Jr understands that on this Earth...something had happened to the Artie Jr. He doesn't dare ask what, and simply embraces the former Sea King back.

Pulling away gently, he turns to the young women with green eyes and blonde hair who smiles back.

"And this, this must be my darling Kym. All grown up. How...how is this possible?"

"We aren't of this Earth, daddy."

"Kym's right, pops. We were actually handling things on our own world when we were suddenly swimming these waters instead."

"The Dwell--er, well we learned that whatever Darkseid doing it is somehow altering the very essence of space and time. The possibility of the crossing of Earths and inhabinants of said Earths are highly probable."

Nodding, things start to come together for the Marine Marvel. In all his years of playing the role of the hero he has seen things that would cause the average face to be struck with confusion and awe. So the scenario at hand does not surprise him, and deep down in a way that can only be understood by him and those close to him...he cherishes a moment to be re-united with Artie Jr; even if it is a different version.

"Mera, I want you to make sure that Vulko and...uh...infant Kym are safe and accounted for. You two, come with me and we will secure the northern part of the city."

 

[Bounce]

​

"Kiss your mom good-bye, 'Hood. Because its go time," Damian quipped, barreling toward the third zombie before ducking low and sliding between the goon's legs. By the time the zombie had turned around, the boy was already leaping out of the loft apartment's window.

The problem with leaping before you looked was that you generally solved one problem by creating another for yourself, one that had to be solved on the way down. While most heroics was undertaken in the most polished manner possible, sometimes even a trained ninja had a bad day with it. As it happened, the fall from Jason's apartment window was long enough that Damian had time to think of a way out of it, but short enough that he didn't have time to act on that plan.

The kid slammed down on a group of trash cans, an explosion of aluminum marking an epic fail to an attempt to stylishly make a Batman-worthy exit from the loft apartment. "Tt," the boy muttered, shuddering as he tried to sit up as a dull pain lit up his backside like he'd just received the ass kicking of a lifetime.

Overhead, the two black ringed bozos coming out the window after him proved inspiration enough for the wounded Damian to hop back to his feet. Clutching his back, the son of the bat focused on putting one foot in front of the other as the George Romero fans slammed down onto the trash cans where he'd been laying just a second earlier. Fighting them was proving futile. What Damian needed was transportation out of here.

Glancing around, the boy saw a '67 Mustang on blocks, a Harley that was missing its front axle, and a rusted Ford Pinto that appeared to be the only thing which might be remotely operable.

"This is so not cool," the boy complained bitterly, limping his way toward the Pinto.

 

[Catman_prb]

The Batwing puts on a burst of speed as the pair entered Coast City.

"From what I can make out, there are two main stages of fighting in the city," Oracle announced over the radio.

"We can see them," Dick confirms "Black Lanterns and Parademons,"

"I'll help the Titans," Tim said with a grim determination, looking fixedly out of the window.

Dick shrugged. He knew full well that Tim hadn't been back to the Titans since he and Rose had moved out of the Tower, but it wasn't his place to manage his surrogate brother's life. If this was how he wanted to reunite with his friends...well then so be it.

"Sure thing," Dick said stoicly. He pulled hard on the driving yolk, hovering the jet still over the battleground below. Tim moved towards the back of the jet and opened the hatch, winding rope around his hand.

"Stay safe out there," Dick says, touching his fingers to his forehead.

"You too," Tim said, giving an unnervingly familiar nod before leaping down into the fray below.

"Is he okay?" Barbara asked over the radio.

"He'll be fine," Dick said, moving the jet towards the centre of the battlefield. As he did he noticed something. He noticed three things.

"Are you sure?" she asked, her voice sounding distant. He rememebered things. An awful lot of things from a long time ago.

"..."

"Dick, you've got to stop freezing me out," Barbara's voice snapped him back to the present.

"I'm no- look is now really the time? Can you see what I see?" Dick snapped.

"Holy sh- is that Darkseid?" Barabara's voice asks, crackling over the static of the radio.

"And Sinestro. And the Joker. And I'm fairly sure that they all have power rings," Dick said, slamming on the yoke.

"Dick, be careful," Babs says, real fear in her voice.

"I always am," Dick said, dropping the Batwing down straight onto a new squadron of parademons. He popped the pilots seat and jumped out into the fray, drawing his billy clubs.

"Hey boys. You miss me?"

 

[Keyser Soze]

Darkseid had been standing proudly over the scene of the battle. His newest acquisition obediently fighting this planet's pesky heroes. And despite the delay they had created, everything proceeded acceptably.

Until the ground exploded.

A blinding light filled the area, distracting everyone not hit by it. Which was indeed everyone, but Darkseid himself.

The would be ruler of the universe finds himself taking a blast to his chest that surprisingly sends him flying. He skids along the ground, leaving a deep trench in his path.

I float in the air, looking down at monstrosity with a mix of anger, revulsion, and superiority. I just put this god on his ass. And the expression on his face when he looks for his attacker and sees me is absolutely priceless.

"You!..."

I launch myself at him.

Spoiler

"Yes. Me."

"Oh Captain my Captain! HA HA!"

The Joker hovers up to join Sinestro, ready to help him take on Darkseid.

"I was wondering when you'd show up."

 

[Blacklight]

"Yeah, you're wrong that kid. I'm stronger now. A hellava lot stronger."

"Jay! This little punk here stole my diner!"

I roll my eyes. "Well, then find someone else. I'm a bit busy here if you haven't noticed."

"Hey, the kid's got some tasty emotions."

I punch Al in the face, knocking his head off. "The kid's mine. Go eat the older one if you're that hungry."

"Fine, fine," Al says, putting his head back on, and running towards Barry while shrinking down in size.

"Now, where were we, Wally?"

And that's when the ground explodes in a bright light...

As the light forces Jay to let his guard down temporarily, I rush at him with a superspeeding right hook, his body flying through the air from the knockback.

"If you're not going to listen to reason, Jay..." I say as I prepare for another rush.

"Then I'm just going to have to knock some sense into you!"