Moments after his defeat in Oceania, Klarion the Witch Boy fell through the red and black portal in the Light's stronghold sopping wet. The Witch Boy groaned as he carried himself in cradling his ribs in his hand, his face badly swollen from the barrage of hits he took from Kid Flash during the encounter.
"Stupid kid, I'll kill him next time I see him." Klarion muttered to himself as he sat down in a chair. His familiar Teekl came through the portal a moment later and meowed sitting down at his master's feet.
"Not now Teekl." Klarion groaned. A metal door on the opposite side of the room slid open as Abra Kadabra came into the room.
"I can see your little excursion didn't go as planned." The psuedo magician scoffed.
"What are you doing here Kadabra?" grumbled Klarion.
"I should have known you'd be the first to fall Klarion. It's all over the news." Kadabra told him. Klarion grit his teeth and looked up at him.
"You want to make something of it?" he snarled and a dark aura flared up around him as he stood up.
"I don't know what the Light was thinking making you a member of it's inner circle." Abra said huffed.
"You don't even have real powers! All you are is a fake! You dare think that I'm inferior? I could turn you into a toad right now if I wanted to, or fry you where you stand. My powers are real; I can do whatever the hell I want to you or anyone else Kadabra. And don't. You. Forget it." he warned and stormed off. Teekl hissed at the man raising it's back and went off following its master as he left.
The door slammed shut leaving Kadabra in the room, the faux magician scoffed unimpressed at the boy's immaturity.
"I still say I should have been in that inner circle." He said to himself.
"The reason he's in the inner circle is because he's a Lord of Chaos." A man said startling Kadabra as he emerged from the shadows. A bald headed man in a dark business suit cast a smug smile as he made his presence known.
"He may be immature but he is powerful." Lex Luthor added.
"If you wanted a sorcerer then why not ask Wotan or myself?" Abra Kadabra asked.
"Because the former was busy being a decoy for our Injustice League. And you simply don't measure up." he answered coolly as he walked past.
"Maybe when you gain real magic powers instead of advanced technology then we'll talk." Luthor said as he left the room as well. Again the faux-stage magician found himself alone in the room and scoffed bitterly as he left.
Back in Oceania, Kid Flash remained on the shoreline looking out to the water where his battle with Klarion ended. The speedster hadn't moved from his spot since the region was liberated and seemed lost in thought as Artemis walked up beside him.
"So you finally got your revenge on him huh?" she said in a soft voice looking out at the ocean as well.
"More or less" he answered.
"You know he'll be back right?" she asked.
"More than likely." He replied.
"And he'll probably be even madder at you when he comes back." she said matter of factly.
"Let him, it'll make beating him down again that much more satisfying." He said with eyes locked on the ocean. Wally and Artie's communicators chirped grabbing their attention.
"Guys we don't have time for this, Batman's facing down half his rouges gallery back in Gotham!" Robin ordered as the Bioship flew overhead.
"Let's go." Wally said as the grappling lines dropped from the ship. The pair jumped and grabbed on as they were pulled up as they took off.
Once inside Wally and Artemis took their seats as Megan sat at the controls.
"Activating Mega Thrusters." She stated.
"There's no time for that. We should have been in Gotham yesterday. I'm trying something new everyone hold on!" Robin stated as he took over.
"What are you doing?" Wally asked from his seat.
"Taking a shortcut." He answered as a Zeta Beam Generator powered up behind them. Wally and Artemis looked back over their shoulders and could see it start up.
"You put a Zeta Drive in here?" he said alarmed.
"It's the only way we can be everywhere at once." Robin answered grimly.
"Recognized: Bioship. Coordinates set. Emergency Access granted. Level One." The computer said as the ship was transported in a flash of light.
And appeared over the skies of a burning Gotham City a few seconds later. The team looked out their windows in horror as half the city's buildings were engulfed in flames.
"Oh man…" Kid muttered to himself while Robin remained dead silent and focused on the situation at hand.
"There. Set us down there." he ordered pointing ahead. M'gann complied and set the Bioship down in an open street. Robin undid his harness and bolted out without saying another word.
"Should we…like? Help him or something?" Megan asked the others. Before either of them could answer Robin was already a block away and had locked onto his first opponent.
"Riddler!" he yelled grabbing his attention.
The arch criminal turned and was shocked to see Robin fly towards him and threw up his question mark cane, firing the sphere end that turned into a spiked projectile. Robin vaulted over the spiked sphere as it crashed into a building behind him and punched the Riddler in the face flattening him. The Boy Wonder landed beside his head a moment later as his cape touched the pavement. The Riddler groaned and moved slightly, but was clearly out of it as Robin stood up and looked down the street to where his next battle awaited him and took off.
Megan, Kid and Artemis to where Robin had taken down the Riddler a few seconds later. But their teammate had already vanished into the urban environment.
"Sure doesn't look like he needs our help." Artie said.
"C'mon." Wally said pressing on.
In a city square on the other side of the block, the Dark Knight was already entrenched in battle with his primary villains including the Joker, Mister Freeze, Clayface, Two-Face, Penguin and others. And was engaged in a knife fight with the Joker holding him at arm's length as the other villains looked on.
"How does it feel watching your city burn Batsy?" the Joker mocked flashing the knife infront of his own face. The Dark Knight glared at him in silent protest as the Joker came towards him with his wicked grin.
Batman dodged him as the Joker swung his blade back and forth at his stomach and the Joker pursued him. The Joker held his blade over his shoulder as he charged the Dark Knight and Batman flipped over the Harlequin of Havoc's shoulder, as the Clown Prince of Crime followed him with his eyes and was met with a boot to the back forcing him into a pile of garbage. The Joker spun around as a flurry of razor tipped playing cards flew out of his sleeve towards the Batman's face in slow motion. The Dark Knight sidestepped and dodged them as they embedded in the brick building behind him.
The Joker extended his other arm and an explosion erupted as colorful snake streamers shot out an enveloped Batman's arms and torso together. The Dark Knight struggled against them as the Joker got up with his knife back in his hand.
"You like that? It's a new trick I picked up. Those snakes are like steel cables. Totally escape-proof! Not that any of that will matter. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!" the Joker laughed as he approached him.
A trail of explosions went off infront of him a moment later as Robin appeared overhead hurling flash bang grenades at him. The Joker threw his knife at the Boy Wonder just barely missing his face and chest and kicked the Joker in the face. Batman used the distraction to free himself from his binds with a miniature saber saw in his glove and began cutting. The other villains however saw their opportunity and attacked Batman while he was freeing himself. The Joker was in a crumpled heap on his knees and face as Robin stood before him.
"Bird Boy!" the Joker growled from the pavement and looked back at him.
"That wasn't very nice. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!" he said getting up and dusted himself off.
"I was wondering when I'd run into you again. I was beginning to think you abandoned us." He added straightening his jacket.
"I've been busy. You know defending the world from an apocalyptic war. I'm sure you understand." Robin replied in a low, serious voice.
The Joker grinned as he pulled out another razor blade and brushed his hair with it, checking his reflection in it.
"Now that's no reason not to visit your old Uncle Joker is it?" his tone became more deranged as he looked back.
"Let's fix that shall we?" the Joker smiled with a darker tone.
In Washington, D.C. Superboy fought a solo battle against Lex Luthor's hired goons on the steps of the Capital Building. But instead of a secret police, or supervillains like in other countries. Conner was faced with specially trained, military-esk metahumans with strong loyalties to the United States government. And was led by a broad shouldered blonde haired, blue eyed, operative in a white t-shirt with a chest harness and red and white arrow striped shoulderpads with a blue and white star in the middle, with military accoutrements and an assault rifle. Conner narrowed his eyes at the men that stood in his way.
"I'm sorry son, but I cant let you pass." The Americommando said holding his rifle to the side and cocked it. While the rest of his men had theirs trained on the Boy of Steel.
"And I'm afraid you give me no choice." Superboy warned as more rifles cocked.
"Come on don't you know who your defending in there?" he said trying to reason with them.
"We know son." The Americommando replied.
"Then why are you protecting him?" Conner demanded.
"It's our job." He said. The group opened fire on Superboy. The bullets tore through his clothing, as he rushed up the stairs towards them. Letting out a war cry with his fist held back.
In Atlantis the battle for a kingdom's soul waged, between the forces loyal to Aquaman and the minions belonging to Ocean Master and by extension Black Manta. And though the entire population of Atlantis rose up against them they were no match for Ocean Master's secret weapon, which he activated with the press of a button. A large shadow loomed over the battlefield as the Atlantians looked up in horror and saw the massive starfish creature that had been frozen in ice centuries prior in the science center before the raid. The starfish creature loomed overhead casting its shadow over the Atlantians and placed them under its telepathic command.
In no time the Atlantians were under its control as were Aquaman, Aqualad, Garth, Tula and Mera. Ocean Master smirked and held his brother's trident overhead in triumph. His eyes glowed red as he turned his new subjects on there once and former king as the mindless droves latched onto him. King Orin himself was helpless as he too was under Ocean Master's command, and the droves threatened to tear him apart. Aqualad along with Queen Mera, Garth and Tula strangely enough didn't participate but watched nonetheless. Ocean Master enjoyed the scene and the prospect of the great Aquaman being ripped apart by his own subjects. And although they seemed to be under his complete command, inside their bodies Kaldur and Mera are screaming at Aquaman to get away, as were Garth and Mera. But their cries would go unaided, as their bodies didn't move an inch.
Ocean Master grinned as his whim was heeded and the Atlantians proceeded to tear their king apart. Ripping him from his head, limbs and torso. Tears started to form in the eyes of Aqualad and Tula as they were forced to look away internally. While Garth hung his head and Mera was too shocked to even register. While feelings of rage started to boil over inside Aqualad's body at his mentor's senseless passing. His anger grew at the boy screamed inside his body and finally broke free of the mind control enraged startling Ocean Master and Black Manta. At the same time Tula and Garth broke free of their hold along with Mera who were equally outraged and Kaldur launched himself at the pair of villains.
The Atlantian drew his right Water Bearer creating a hammer construct and flew at them, Black Manta fired his wrist blaster but missed as an enraged Kaldur slammed his hammer into the Ocean Master's ribs breaking them on contact before swinging it at Black Manta's chest. The villain's armor shielded him from the brunt of the attack as Aqualad went on the warpath with him. While Tula, Garth and Mera went after Ocean Master, who was critically injured and couldn't breathe. Aqualad continued battering Black Manta with his hammer construct who seemed helpless against him. Manta retaliated and fired a miniature rocket from his shoulder, but Kaldur dodged it and tore the weapon from his shoulder beating him across the helmet with it. Manta then resorted to his wrist blaster and hit him in the chest point blank. But only angered him further as Kaldur drew his left Water Bearer turning it into a sword and slashed at his chest.
"Stay away from me!" he yelled and continued firing his wrist blaster while Kaldur blocked it with his weapons.
A water whip wrapped around the device tearing it from his arm as Kaldur flew and hit him in the face.
"Now let's see how you feel!" Kaldur'ahm roared grabbing his shoulders and electrocuted him at full charge. The conductivity of the water amplified his powers as Black Manta roared in pain and his skeleton became visible for a few seconds. Aqualad punched him out a moment later.
Before a similar fate could befall him, Ocean Master beat a hasty retreat and teleported from the battlefield before Tula, Garth and Mera could reach him, leaving them to mourn their fallen king. Garth soon crushed the device controlling the starfish creature underfoot returning it and the denizens back to normal. The magic user sighed and closed his eyes knowing he couldn't save his king. Before long the others realized what had happened and were horrified at what they saw. A woman in the crowd covered her mouth in shock, as Queen Mera descended upon her husband's corpse and knelt in the midst of them. And broke down in tears.
Kaldur hung his head and looked away as Tula's eyes welled up and buried her head in Garth's chest who tried his best to comfort her. The royal head scientist Vulko approached Queen Mera from behind gripping her shoulders. The queen instinctively placed her hands on top of his and squeezed them in anguish.
"We may still be able to save him." he mentioned.
"What?" she said looking back at him. Kaldur and the others raised their heads and listened.
"Aquaman's physiology may allow us to reconstitute him and restore him to life." the scientist said sounding hopeful. The queen wiped a tear from her eye.
"Do you really think it's possible?" she asked standing up.
"If we splice some of his genetic material together with that of the starfish creature we may be able to revive him. But we have to hurry, cell death had already started to occur in him." he said looking down at the body.
"Yes, of course." She stated softly.
"Get to it!" he ordered as palace guards rushed to pick up the pieces. While one of the shark men lopped off one of the star creature's tentacles and took it with him. And rushed with the body of Aquaman to the medical center to revive him.
"Do you think it'll work?" Garth asked his friends.
"It has to." Kaldur answered and swam after the soldiers, leaving his friends behind. Garth looked back at Tula as they followed.