A Broken Clock
Central City at 8 PM a handful of masked bank robbers are running to their van in a back alley when all of a sudden two red and yellow blurs remove the wheels on the van and start throwing haymakers. All the bank robbers out cold both of the Flashes slow down.
Barry: Slow night tonight huh?
Wally: Most of the rogues are in Iron Heights, which leaves the average bank robber some wiggle room to come out and play.
Barry: Makes sense, I might actually get sometime to catch up on work tonight.
Wally: Everything moves at super speed how are you behind at work?
Barry: I also have a wife, kids, this, the superhero team that I co founded. You know we kinda stop the world ending once every six months.
A voice behind them says "Than thank God I have found you than Mr. Allen". Both Flashes turn around to see Rip Hunter leaning on his Time Sphere.
Wally: Well, well, well. Look who decided to finally show face. I am almost forgot you were in the League now.
Rip Hunter: Yes I'm terribly sorry about that. I have been trying to handle this crisis on my own but I can't anymore I need help.
Barry: Ok what exactly do you need? We can call the others.
Rip Hunter: No you two should be enough but keep the other speedsters on stand by. The titan Kronos has been reassembled and broken free of Tarturus. I have tried everything to stop him but he's currently in the time stream right now heading back to the Dawn of Time as we speak. We must hurry!
The two speedsters follow Rip into the Time Sphere, it takes off from the back alley and teleports them directly into the time stream. Meanwhile back at the roof top of that bank two Olympian Gods looking at the alley where Rip Hunter just took the Flashes. These Gods are Athena the Goddess of Wisdom and War she is standing beside Arkantos the Atlantean Warrior turned Olympian God of Heroes.
Arkantos: This plan we conducted with the time traveler, you are certain it will work?
Athena: You're the God of Heroes surely you know of the many speedsters who are called "Flash"?
Arkantos: I know of who they are and their many feats. I don't know if I am worried about them failing so much as what if irreparable damage will be done.
Athena: Rip Hunter's visions haven't failed us yet. This will break time which will bring forth future allies to our present and bring allies from pasts and futures that could have been but never were.
Arkantos: But releasing one of the universe's greatest foes. This doesn't just affect the Earth!
Athena places the palm of her hand on Arkantos' face. They both look into the others eyes both are eyes conveying fear to the other.
Athena: Trust in the process, what we do now we do to secure a better tomorrow. Come there is work to be done.
Meanwhile in the time stream the Time Sphere is dealing with some turbulence as it approaches Kronos.
Rip Hunter: Alright! Here is the plan, you two are going to run at Kronos faster than either of you have ever ran and cover him with the electricity you two generate just constantly shocking him he won't be able to move. While he is dealing with your barrage of lightning I have an amulet made by Hephasteus and Hecate that is currently charging my weapons systems! One well placed hit send him back to Taurturus.
Wally: Got it! In and out 20 minute adventure!
Barry: Are you really quoting Rick and Morty right now?!
Wally: How many times have you quoted Law and Order?
Rip Hunter: Gentlemen please! I'm sure I don't have to tell you the fate of our universe is at stake!
Barry: Right, sorry. Come on Wally let's get to work!
Wally: Age before beauty!
The two speedsters jump out of the time sphere and hit the ground running and charge at Kronos. Kronos has the ability to take many forms but to cause the most damage he can he takes the form of a molten almost volcanic giant. Kronos is marching forward almost to the end the time stream but looks down at his feet because he feels a light shock. The Titan looks down to see the two scarlet speedsters running around his feet shocking them, eventually the two speedsters climb Kronos' feet and make their way around the body. Kronos tries to swat them off of him but even with his control over time he is having difficulty.
Wally: I thought this big dummy could control time?!
Barry: He can which is why we need to pick up the pace and make it harder for him!
Kronos: Foolish Mortals! Run as fast as you like I will still catch you!
From behind the cock pit of the Time Sphere it just looks three blurs trying to catch each other. The sphere's targeting systems are having trouble aiming at the giant.
Rip Hunter: Gentlemen, I think you need to slow it down just a tad. Kronos is using his time manipulation to compensate for his lack of speed.
Wally: If you wanted slow you should've broke Turtle out of Iron Heights!
Barry: We'll try and slow down as much we can. Let us know when you have a clear shot.
The two speedsters begin to slow down which allows Rip's targeting systems to get a clear shot at Kronos.
Gideon: Rip, the two speed force users have slowed down enough to have clear visual on Kronos.
Rip Hunter: Mr. Allen, Mr. West! I have visual you've done your part now get back to the Time Sphere!
Both Flashes begin to run down from Kronos' neck and make their way down with the surges of electricity turning into what looks like a speed force thunderstorm. Rip then pulls the trigger and shoots Kronos but as the bolt of energy hits the Titan, Kronos flicks Barry off of him like he he's a common pest. Wally turns around and looks horrified that his uncle is seemingly dead again while in the safety of the Time Sphere, Rip Hunter smirks to himself.
Wally: BARRY!
Rip Hunter: Congratulations Mr. Allen, you have helped me and my associates to complete phase 1. Now we can begin phase 2. Gideon, send a message to the council members that the Flash has begun the breaking time and send while you're at send a message to my best self to check on members of the list that require memories of alternate timelines.
Gideon: Sending all the required messages as we speak sir.
Rip Hunter: Excellent, have you received an update from Arkantos and Gideon?
Gideon: Not yet sir but I do believe they are at Taurturus as we speak.
In the depths of Tarturus, the two Olympians are walking through a cave searching for someone.
Arkantos: Are we certain he is here?
Athena: Positive. My father Zeus much like you and I has been apart of a secretive council with other gods, wizards, and immortals. After the Oan prophesized Blackest Night my father had a meeting with them the Oan, Ganthet among them. They agreed to-
The two gods then see who they are looking. They see a skeletal being wearing black garbs his frail arms and legs chained and even a chain around his neck. This is a God of Death and leader of the Black Lantern Corps: Nekron.
Athena: Keep him here.
Arkantos: Quickly, activate the glamor!
Athena then waves her hands and the two Olympian Gods have turned into hideous demons. Arkantos has taken the form of a red skinned demon with a pentagram branded on his chest with large horns poking out from his fore head and hooved legs. His eyes look reptilian with a bat like nose. Athena has turned into a hideous hag like demon pale skin, dark yellow eyes and a pig like face. Rot covering her body and her arms almost tentacle like.
Athena: How do I look?
Arkantos: Like one of the minions of Gargerensis. Now as the humans say let's give him an Oscar Worthy performance.
The two gods turned demons both let out loud horrifying roars signaling to the God of Death that demons have arrived. The glamor affects their voices as well making them sounding haunting and even changes their mannerisms. They both walk forward and Nekron stares at them not phased by the two demons but curious as to why they are here
Nekron: You are not Hades, I was told he would be the one to torture me for my siege on life.
Athena: We are not here for torture. We are here to admire! Praise be to lord Nekron!
Arkantos and Athena bow to Nekron to try and put him at ease.
Arkantos: Hail Nekron! We are admirers, what you did to the Mortal Realm... The damage you caused. We wish to see it done again.
Nekron: Are you not living beings?
Arkantos (snarls): Death does not matter in hell. We seek the destruction of the mortal realm in it's entirety.
Nekron: Surely you are not capable demonic warriors that could you could orchestrate this yourself. Why do you seek me to lead you?
Athena: We seek to bring death and we wish to join your Lantern Corps.
Nekron: Ah, I see you wish to be apart of my undying legion.
Athena: Yes all we wish is to become you're undying warriors and perhaps your herald.
Nekron: Free me from my chains and I shall grant your wish.
Athena's demonic form cackles and begins to cast a spell while Arktanos' spear turned Trident shoots what appears to be hellfire at the chains. The spell Athena is casting is augmenting the hellfire and weaken the chains. The chains melt and Nekron falls to the ground the melted metal moves toward Nekron and reforms as his Black Lantern scythe. Athena in her demonic form snorts with glee and Arkantos roars in celebration. Athena opens a portal to the planet Ryut.
Nekron: Come, and I shall grant you the gift of death.
Nekron walks through the portal and Athena quickly closes the portal and drops the glamor spell and they return to their Olympian forms.
Arkantos: That worked a little too well.
Athena: It worked and that's all that matters, come we must rendevous with Rip before Hades and Zeus are aware of Nekron's escape. Or that Nekron is alone on Ryut
The two gods teleport away while back in the time stream, Wally re-enters the time sphere and is worried about his uncle Barry.
Wally: Where is Barry?!
Rip Hunter: He is in the time stream somewhere, your uncle is one of the most adept users of the Speed Force he should be fine.
Meanwhile on the other side of the time stream Barry Allen is running faster than he ever has. Barry looks around to see where he is. He starts to visions of the lightning bolt that became the Flash, the formation of the Justice League, being disintegrated by anti matter during the 1st Crisis as well as being reassembled and effectively resurrected by the Speed Force, and even coming back during Darkseid's invasion that nearly destroyed the multiverse. As Barry is running he starts seeing visions of a variety of different things. He sees Atlantis in the old days when it was once a large continent only for it to be sunken part by part over the centuries, Captain America falling into the ice in Arctic Circle, and a strange space ship with the name Enterprise on it. Barry's visions get strangers he sees a man fighting Nazis in what appears to be the 60s based off the structure of the buildings and the cars, he sees entire towns getting evacuated into vaults and nuclear missiles striking the ground, he even sees a heavily armored man fighting demons mars. Barry sees a variety of zombie apocalypses, skies blotting out the sun, and different worlds. The one vision that sounds out to him however was a vision of Central City that looked like it had been devoid of life for at least a decade resembling more of a desert than a city. This vision showed many undead citizens lead by zombified speedsters of both Central and Keystone City fight Captain Cold, Heatwave, Batman, and Rip Hunter. The Flash running around the time stream like a bull in a china shop can be felt across time and space; at the Great Clock alarms are going off in every sector, in Kronika's fortress her hourglass begins to crack she stands with Hermaes Mora and Geras looking angry at the cracking of the hour glass, and just outside of Lord Simultaneous Fortress speed force Thunderstorms rage on. Barry then tries to "hit the brakes" and comes to a screeching holt and is back in the alley. Barry leans up against the dumpster panting desperately trying to catch his breath. The Time Sphere then appears, Rip Hunter and Wally both surprised albeit different reasons to see Barry. Wally runs out and quickly hugs Barry and Rip Hunter jumps out to make sure the other Flash is ok.
Wally: Uncle Barry! Are you good?
Barry: Yeah I'm good I'm good.
Rip Hunter: Kronos flung you across the time stream how did you survive?
Barry: I'm not sure I guess I built up enough energy it formed some kind of field around me protecting my physical body. Once I hit the ground if you can even call it that I just started running. Saw historical events, I saw my own history, and I saw I don't know maybe alternate realities. I'm not sure, various different versions of armageddon. One really stood out to me.
Rip Hunter: Do tell?
Barry: Central City turned into this arid desert... me and the other speedsters that live here and Keystone as zombies. There was a resistance movement lead by what looked like you and Bruce.
Rip Hunter: No doubt you saw what sounds like many alternate timelines. I wouldn't worry about it too much Mr. Allen. Despite a few slip ups here and there I think the world has handled the situation with various zombie viruses quite well. Thank you both for your help I appreciate it immensely!
Wally: Of course! So does this mean were going to see you at League meetings and events now?
Barry: Maybe even monitor duty?
Rip Hunter: Perhaps indeed. I told Booster I wouldn't be able to come to the remembrance event but now I think I might have some free time on my hands. But in the mean time Mr. Allen I believe you have some paper work to catch up on.
Wally: And I told Linda I'd be home for movie night what time is it?
Rip Hunter: I have a time machine of course we came back to the moment we left. Do you think me some rookie Wally?
Wally: Fair enough. We'll be seeing you Rip.
The two scarlet speedsters run off back to their homes inn the suburbs outside of Central and Keystone City. Rip Hunter looks up to the bank roof top to see Arkantos and Athena staring down at him, he hops in the Time Sphere and pilots it to the rough top.
Rip Hunter: I trust you had a successful mission?
Arkantos: Perhaps a little too well. Athena's glamor helped us play the role of two zealous demons to the letter. He has no doubt rebuilt the battery and has sent rings across the cosmos. You are certain he won't attack soon?
Rip Hunter: The last time he tried an uncoordinated invasion of the universe, Earth and the various Lantern Corps were the ones that stopped him. According to my visions he will re assemble his black lantern armies and wait to gain a sizable force before coming here.
Athena: But he will be defeated by Maxis and Primis and cause the resurrections needed to combat our true enemy.
Arkantos: Surely there was not a better way than breaking out two of Taurturus' most dangerous prisoners? Surely we could have gone to Lord Simultaneous or The Great Clock for assistance.
Rip Hunter: You and Gandalf have your doubts I am fully aware and understand. But we are doing this according to my visions and the information given to us from the future.
The three of them then receive a telepathic message from Gandalf The White saying "If you are hearing this then it is time we met! We need to discuss the plan moving forward.
Rip Hunter: Bollocks, well I know you're both gods with many great divine powers and access to magics that even the sorcerer supreme would struggle to comprehend... but I don't suppose you'd need a ride?
Arkantos: Despite your maturity and wisdom you have your father's sense of humor.
Rip Hunter: Just get in.
To Be Continued...