The New 52 Redux

by YouKnowItMakesSense

What if Flashpoint hadn't changed reality and the New Earth continuity had persisted? Time and space still tried to assert itself in the form of Eobard Thawne returning to the present as Eddie Thawne, a messiah of resurrection for the world six months after the Blackest Night. And he really does want to change the world.

4. Father and Daughter Reunion

Star City

Scarlet had been hoping for closure in her life, ever since she smothered her father for what that piggy man had done to him. She wanted to feel like she belonged. She and her father hadn't belonged in the old country, partly because they didn't take too kindly to how she felt about girls. The piggy man had tried to make her like her father, into one of his doll things. She had lost that attachment on her face not long after she met Jason. He was like her, very much like her. He seemed to hate the world for what it had done to him. He later told her that a man not unlike her piggy man had killed him. Beaten him to death with a crowbar. Somehow, he had come back, but now he wanted to take on the world. He was the Red Hood. And she loved him like an older brother. She looked beside her to see a man who seemed a little broken. Jason seemed to know him, said they both had the privilege of dying and coming back. Except this guy could jump between bodies somehow. Jericho, he called him. Jason had whispered in her ear not to make eye contact with him. Seems he had a good reason not to like the guy, even though they had shaken hands upon meeting. "Why do you fear me, Sasha Finger?" a voice said in her head. She looked to the man beside her. "And my name is Joey," it spoke again, "Yes, I know. I am inside your head. But do not be alarmed. I merely wish to reassure you that I will not harm you or Jason." Sasha seemed even more discomfited by this but made eye contact with Joey Wilson for the first time. She could see then that he was not the monster Jason thought him to be.

In the front seat of the car, Jason Todd cracked open another can of beer while John Constantine lit another cigarette in the middle of driving. Roy Harper coughed sitting in between them. "You know that shit can kill you, right?" Constantine looked him dead in the eye with an awful, knowing smirk indicating he knew better than Roy imagined. "I'm sure that losing a limb isn't good for you, either," he drawled sarcastically, "You don't see me lecturing you. Bloody Yanks. Your boyfriend's there having a bevvy…third one this hour I might add…and you're here lecturing me on stuff I've been doing since you were a twinkle in your mum's eye. Gimme' a break." Roy quickly decided there was no point lecturing Constantine. "So, why did Ollie contact you and not the JLA or hell, me?" Constantine laughed. "First off, like me, your old man isn't exactly the League's favourite Robin Hood wannabe. Second, this business has to do with Swamp Thing. Alec and I go way back. I told Ollie to let me know if anything happened to him. Figured if someone's gonna' go after the living embodiment of the Green when he's all fired up like this…well, I might need backup. It's been three days since I heard from Ollie and no reply. Makes me think I really do need some extra muscle."

Jason had to laugh at that. "So, Green Arrow wants to protect Swamp Thing and he picks you? You're not exactly a powerhouse." Constantine snickered knowingly, shaking his head with a brownish, yellow smile emerging behind his cigarette. It seemed to him as though these two were both born yesterday. "Who was it saved your arses last night, Todd?" The warlock's question was met with silence, and he laughed again, briefly but enough to show his contentment in having won that argument, before continuing their discussion. "Anyway, you're not half wrong. I'm good, but I do like a bit of backup in these situations. That's why I didn't come alone. Whatever's happening here, it's bloody cosmic. The way Kevin Costner put it on the phone, someone stole the Entity from Alec?" Roy looked a little worried at that, and his eyes darted towards Constantine, with the question of, "What's the Entity?" exiting his lips.

"Where've you been mate? The Entity is Mother Nature. The White Light of Creation. Remember when all those zombies showed up six months ago. It were the Entity what stopped 'em. What happened next was a bunch of bloody drama with the lucky sods who got their flesh and blood back, and eventually it decided to take on Alec Holland as it's host. No better man, if you ask me."

"Zombies?"

"Yes, the bloody Black Lanterns. Where have you been?"

"Uh, Prometheus had put me in a coma."

"Ah Christ, sorry mate I forgot. Put me foot in it there." Constantine decided it would be insensitive to continue to discuss the period in Roy's life surrounding his daughter's death. Poor Roy had been helpless and comatose during that time. Even a smart alec like John Constantine wasn't ignorant enough to do that. "Don't worry about it," was the sincere reply Arsenal gave him, "Hey, looks like we're coming up on the forest. God, I can't get over Star City like this." Trees loomed overhead, tall as the California Redwoods, while the car advanced over the old motorway. Roy checked the map to see where they were headed and Constantine indicated a large lake in the centre, with a cigarette butt, almost singeing the map.

"Yeah, Alec, did all this when he became a host or prophet or what have you. Made it better, brighter. Saw it as a way of creating life from death. Your old man and he decided to call that lake after your little 'un, Lian. Did he tell you?"

"Me and Ollie haven't seen each other in a while."

"A'right. Sorry, our kid." Jason was baffled. John Constantine had a reputation for being uncouth and self centred among the American heroic community. "Wow, this guy actually has a heart," Red Hood scoffed, "I for one, am shocked."

"I'm not a complete arsehole, Todd. Just impatient with the likes of you, who think the world owes you something." Roy had to stifle a laugh at that as Sasha and Joey grinned in the backseat. "Yeah, what do you know?," Jason bit back, "I heard this guy sold his soul to the Devil."

"Nah mate, Lucifer's sound. He wouldn't do me one like that. Nah, it was more like three different Devils. And I got it back and kept all me terms. Aren't I a clever lad? Though what about you, Todd? From what I've heard you and the afterlife aren't exactly on speaking terms. It fucking spat you out and gave you to the Demon's Head of all people. Jesus Bloody Christ." Jason just glowered at Constantine, throwing his can of beer out the window. "'Ey, no littering, our kid. This here place is sacred."

"You see what I don't get about you, Constanteen—"

"I'm not even gonna' bother to correct you, but go on Batboy what is it?"

"What I don't get is how you couldn't just teleport us to Star City. Or summon a host of familiars instead of getting us for backup."

"Magic don't work like that kid. It's all about sacrifice."

"Yeah, but Zatanna just needs to say something backwards and she can do…well, nearly anything."

"That's 'cos that's her school, mate. I'm what you might call a Laughing Magician. I get my power from demonic deals and runes rather than any real training I've had. I know the dark arts backside and front me. That's how I get my power. And to summon a horde of familiars I probably would have had to butcher a family. I can be cruel, mate, but I ain't going that far."

"So, what you're saying is you're a crook?"

"Yep, and unlike you lot, I don't pretend to be heroic."

"Neither do I. But still, why are you trying to save this place, then?"

"Because Alec's a mate, and the older I get the fewer of those I've got. And that's all you need to know. Wait, I see a guy up ahead. I'll go ask him." Constantine parked the car and motioned for the four heroes to stay behind. Lighting another cigarette with a flame spell as he exited, he advanced upon a solitary figure. A brown haired man was lying by a tree, his skin deathly pale, naked and bedraggled. "Alright, mate?," Constantine asked, approaching the man and withdrawing his nearly empty packet of cigarettes, "Wanna' fag? Ah shite, forgot that means you know what here...Hey, wait a minute. Alec?" The man collapsed in Constantine's arms, babbling about the Entity and change. "Christ, how long have you been like this," John questioned, while his friend kept mumbling, "Alec, speak to me man. Where's the Entity. Todd! Harper! We've got a man down." Then a blonde-haired man walked up towards them from behind the tree Alec had been reclining on. He was wearing white robes and seemed to have an eternal sense of happiness about him. "And who in God's name are you?" Constantine defensively queried as Red Hood, Arsenal, Scarlet and Jericho came up behind him.

"I am no one, John Constantine, son of Mary Ann Quinn. Merely a humble gardener to Mr. Alec Holland. He has lost touch with the Green and the Entity thanks to an acquaintance of mine, and I'm afraid it is beyond my power to help him. I am sure he will recover soon, for the Entity has given him life. Praise be!" Jason squinted through his helmet at this fool spouting nonsense and recognised him. "Joey, am I right?" he whispered to Jericho, noticing that despite appearances this man resembled someone he had known briefly in his early teens, "That's the Flash, isn't it? Barry Allen. Man, I heard you were back, but I thought you'd be in Central City." The mysterious figure looked at Jason directly with a soul-piercing gaze. "Jason Todd, son of Sheila Haywood. Died in Ethiopia. Beaten to death with a crowbar by the being known only, but not exclusively, as the Joker. Rose again and became the Red Hood, determined to destroy his father's crusade. Of all the things on your mind as you were pummelled into oblivion, your thoughts were only on your mother...the mother you had lost and then found, and how she was so cruelly being taken from you once again. You're welcome, Mr Todd." Jason raised his gun at the preacher in fear almost instantly. "You tell me right now, how the Hell you know that?"

"You didn't really believe that nonsense about Superboy-Prime punching a hole in reality bringing you back to life, did you? I mean that would have removed your death from history instead of making you rise from your grave like a zombie. Do not worry, Mr Todd. You are merely my gift to Bruce Wayne for his courage. Just as to you, Joseph Wilson, son of Adeline Kane, stabbed in the back by his father, the Terminator, only to transfer his mind from body to body 'till he found a clone to return to…I give you this."

An elderly man stumbled from behind the preacher and looked up. "Master Joey, sir. It's good to see you." "Wintergreen?!" Jericho exclaimed telepathically for all to hear as he rushed up to the man and hugged him, pleading with him, "I'm so sorry!" "Who the hell is that?" Scarlet asked Red Hood. Roy took it upon himself to answer. "That's…that's Wintergreen. He was Slade Wilson's handler. Last I heard, when Joey came back in his dad's body…well, he wasn't himself still. He killed Wintergreen. And I mean…properly killed him. Slade buried him and everything. Became desperate to kill Joey and everything after that."

The preacher then turned to Scarlet. "Your father and uncle, love you, Sasha Finger, daughter of Niko Finger. You will earn their reward when you and Master Todd become heroes and prove yourselves worthy of life." Scarlet seemed puzzled, but the evidence of Jericho and Wintergreen hugging each other gave her pause. Constantine then looked up. "So, I take it a reward for me is out of the question, then?" The preacher laughed. "You, John Constantine, have innocent blood on your hands. You are a self-serving confidence trickster with no true regard for human life. Neither I nor my friend, nor the Entity, owe you a thing." Constantine shrugged. "It's a fair cop." The man then let his gaze fall on Roy. Arsenal had been taking this all in silently. Since Wintergreen had appeared, he had a sinking feeling he knew what was coming.

"Roy Harper, son of Leanne O'Brien, you and your adopted father have served life well, but also defied its tenets. Nevertheless, like Joseph Wilson, your sins are not manifest. My friend and the Entity have told me that there is someone more deserving of life for both you and your father than any other life I could restore. The life of an innocent."

Roy turned to his left to see the familiar face of Mia Dearden, the girl he had so cruelly attacked for abandoning his daughter, walking towards him holding the hand of a small girl with black hair. It couldn't be. Never in his wildest dreams could he ever have imagined. Dropping his bow and arrow, he raced toward the little girl, arms outstretched and embraced her. His life suddenly felt like it had so much meaning again. To Jericho, it seemed like his friend had never been happier.

"Lian!"

"Daddy!"

The two held each other for what felt like eternity, and if it had been it could never have been long enough, as Roy cried tears of joy onto the shoulder of the most important person in his whole life. Lian Harper. His daughter. His life. "Daddy, I missed you, so much. What's happened to your arm?"

"Oh, a bad man…a very bad man took it from me. But he's gone, now. Thank God, he's gone, and you're still here. Oh, Lian, I can't tell you how good it is to see you! I'll never let anything happen to you, you hear me!"

"I love you, Daddy!" Mia took Lian away from her father at that instance as he started uncontrollably sobbing. Back with the gang, they all just stood there and took in this most amazing sight. Jason could have sworn he even saw Constantine's eyes go red with joy, only for him to turn angrily at the preacher. "What the bloody hell do you think you're playing at, mate? This is life and death we're talking about here. How did you do it?" The preacher merely smiled even though Constantine had now seized him violently and shook his body with full force. "I am merely the messenger. My friend, the Entity, has done this because he has seen your world. Your world is one where heroes are punished by villains…punished with grief and destruction. They are the last people in the world to deserve this, and yet they suffer it. I cannot control who he resurrects, only inform you all."

"Yeah, but you still haven't explained how you're a dead ringer for Barry Allen, mate."

"I have a theory on that one, but I can't prove it," the voice of Green Arrow announced, walking into the clearing. "There's only one doppelganger of Barry I know of, and that's Eobard Thawne…the Reverse-Flash. Or Professor Zoom some call him. I can't prove this man is him, especially because his actions are nothing like that of Thawne. I managed to get him to fess up and say he's Barry from another universe, but I ain't buying it. I recommend we bring him to the Watchtower. I know none of us are in the League but they're not going to say no to potentially holding the Reverse-Flash of all people." Jason turned to face Ollie in a confrontational and reactionary manner. "This guy's a freaking saint. He just brought Roy's daughter back from the dead and you're trying to say he's some kind of villain. The likes of Superman haven't done that for Christs sake, and you seem to think he doesn't deserve recognition. This is your granddaughter, Ollie!"

"Listen, Jason. No one is happier than Roy and me that Lian is back. But this isn't the first time a villain brought someone back from the dead. Or was it not Talia al Ghul that threw you in the Lazarus Pit?"

"Fair point. But Talia came from a good place doing that. She did it because she thought me being alive and healthy would make Bruce happy, and she loves him in her own twisted way. This guy has got no possible motivation for bringing these people back other than just being a good egg."

"We can't know that, Jason! He could easily be lying to us. Look, we just need J'onn or someone to check him out and see if he's telling the truth. If he is, then good, we have Lian back and who knows else without any risks. But until then, we need to make absolutely sure." Constantine then turned to Jason, concern apparent on his face, knowing that cooler heads were unlikely to prevail with Roy Harper and Jason Todd around. "Locksley's right, mate. We can't just let him walk free."

"Well, we're letting you walk away free, aren't we?"

"Constantine's one of the good guys, Jason. Even if he isn't the most savoury guy around, he's not worth locking up."

"Ooh, no one's ever said that before. Thanks, Russell Crowe."

"Like I said, not the most savoury…"

"Oh, and the guy who brought your granddaughter back from the dead is somehow more evil than him?" Jason scoffed, "You know what, screw the both of you! Roy, are you hearing this!" Roy had since re-joined them with Mia leading Lian further along. "I think Ollie has a point, Jason," he said, reluctantly, "I'm with you, I think this guy is legit. But…we do need to be sure. Maybe calm down a bit, man. It's not like he brought anyone back for you." Jason moved to protest but then nodded his acquiescence, knowing that ultimately the decision here rested far more on Roy's shoulders than on his. Lian then walked up to Jason and tugged at his trousers. "You look a bit like Uncle Dick. What's your name?"

"Uh, I'm Jason."

"You seem cool."

"That's because I am, kid."

"Ha, you're funny."

"Well, I can see she's already making friends again, eh Roy?" Jason then picked up Lian and gave her a bear hug. "Aw, the Titans are gonna' lose their minds when they see you're back, kiddo!" Whilst everyone was enjoying Lian, the preacher walked over to Jericho and they just stared at each other in mutual telepathic contact. Jericho moved to back away only for Wintergreen to restrain him as the preacher placed his hands on the boy's temples. Joey lurched slightly but as soon as the preacher removed his hands he seemed to stand there. Mute as ever, Jericho had forgotten what had just happened, but he somehow felt slightly empty. Wintergreen nodded to the preacher then as he released Joey. "I took the liberty of bringing handcuffs for you, lads. Think he and Mr Holland need to be taken somewhere secure." Constantine then remembered the very reason they had come here. "Oh shit, Alec. He's been babbling away about the Entity this whole time." Lifting his old friend up, they headed for the car while Ollie rang Bruce Wayne. "Yeah, Bruce, it's Ollie. Don't hang up. We've got someone here at Star City needs to be brought to the Watchtower. I don't trust Clark or anyone else, on this. Why do I think? Because this guy's got powers of seduction even I'm finding hard to resist. I'll see you soon. Green Arrow out." Ollie couldn't help but smile however as he pocketed his phone and saw Roy lifting Lian up in the air.

Palace of Queen Komand'r, New Tamaran, Rann

Vril Dox's family were not known for their patience, as his father, the great tyrant of space dubbed Brainiac, was evidence of. Rather than allow his home planet of Colu to restrict his genius he had set out into the stars to find worlds, and then placed them inside a bottle. Vril made sure he would be nothing like his father, and so founded L.E.G.I.O.N., an intergalactic police force with him as its leader. To restore balance to the Vega system, which had lost the planet, Tamaran, he had not long ago moved the planet Rann into its original position of orbit. The government of Rann had recently agreed to allow Komand'r, the Queen of Tamaran, known to some as the villainous Blackfire to rule the southern continent of this world, dubbed New Tamaran. Komand'r had taken Dox as her consort due to his intelligence and brilliance, and also felt that she needed to conceive an heir. This puzzled Dox, as Komand'r seemed to have no real love for him and Tamaraneans were hot blooded creatures known for taking their emotions a lot more seriously than other species. Certainly, more so than his coldly logical race. Dox decided to ask her why this was the case one evening.

"Because, my dear, of the Hybrid Messiah." Dox was completely thrown off by this. "Are you talking more emotional nonsense, my queen?" Komand'r laughed. "I forgot your people weren't too fond of superstition. No, my dear, I'm speaking of a tale my grandmother told me when I was young. It spoke of a child whose mother would be the greatest Queen Tamaran knew, who would lead her people to victory and glory unlike any other before her." Dox chortled. "Do not laugh, Vril. I try not to pay heed to such things but the prophecy states that Tamaran would be destroyed thrice, as it has been, and that on their fourth homeworld the greatest Tamaranean queen would give birth to a child fathered by another species. Is that not telling enough?" Dox had to admit her logic. This continent was the third place the remaining Tamaraneans had settled since their home world's original destruction years ago. "But you say Hybrid Messiah, my dear. I am familiar with these prophecies on many worlds, and the child always takes precedence. How can the Madonna supersede the Messiah in this instance?"

"The child will go on to be a hero to their father's people. A great guardian of peace and will be the ancestor of some of the greatest heroes the universe has known. The legacy of Tamaran will live on through them, even when we are all dead. My legacy as queen will be greater, but the universe will adore that child for very different reasons." Dox honestly felt as if he could care less. As logical as he could be, procreating with Queen Komand'r did have its upsides. But he wondered how wilfully ignorant she could be. "But, my queen, you are not the rightful queen." Komand'r slapped him. "And what is that supposed to mean!"

"What I mean, is, your sister was deemed the rightful queen by your people. They only follow you now out of fear, and because your sister adopted Earth as her homeworld for so long. What is to say that you are the mother of this child, and not Koriand'r?" Blackfire paused for a moment, realising that maybe her consort had a point. She had been rejected despite her status as eldest child of King Myand'r to be her people's heir, because she had been born without the ability of flight. Not to mention her grandmother had always told this story with Kory in mind rather than her. Komand'r then decided to beckon in her guards and order the arrest of every member of the R.E.B.E.L.S., the group her husband had formed to wrest control of L.E.G.I.O.N. from the hands of Starro the Conqueror. Her sister was a member of this group.

That night, as Koriand'r and Adam Blake, her latest human lover, lay in bed dreaming of a better night for New Tamaran and the universe, two guards burst in. Kory deflected them both with bursts of ultraviolet light. "Starfire are you okay?" her handsome beau asked as he was flung on the ground. "Listen, Adam, we don't have much time. Call Lobo, Adam Strange and Lyrl Dox. Tell them my sister's finally done it. She's gone mad with power." Adam rushed over to his lover. "I'm not leaving you." Kory held his hands then. "I have to leave first, otherwise my sister will find all of us. I don't know what her reasoning is, but she'll probably go after all of us. Adam Strange is the only one who can get us out of here. He's not under her jurisdiction. Just go and know that I love you." They kissed as Captain Comet rushed out to find their friends.

As Kory escaped, Captain Comet was intercepted in the hallway by two guards who held him down before Vril Dox. "Vril, this is insane! We helped you stop L.E.G.I.O.N." Dox merely smirked. "I cannot defy the orders of my wife, since she is our queen. She wants testing done on you. She believes your power has untapped potential." Adam was then dragged kicking and screaming into the laboratory below them. Dox placed his hand on a comms device. "Commander, is Lobo successfully taken down?" All he could hear was static. Then…"Well, you bastiches think you can get one over on me, huh? Well, you ain't keeping Lobo down! Knew we should never have trusted a Coluan!" Dox gulped. Lobo was loose. He just hoped and prayed that he fled offworld with Koriand'r rather than continue this escapade.

Above the mountain overlooking the palace, Koriand'r was shot down by a sniper, grazing her arm, but leaving no damage. The momentum caused her to careen into the mountain, but she was not out for long As she came to, a squadron advanced on her. "We are sorry, princess," came the words of the commander as he levelled his ray gun on her prone form, "But your sister has ordered your death." Kory hacked out blood on the ground, raising herself up. "X'hal, you fools will be next! She cares for nothing beyond power!" Two blasts of UV light struck down the two men as Kory was lifted up by her brother, Ryand'r, just in time. "Brother! It is good to see you…but how?"

"I have no time to explain, sister. Only that these two men have need of our aid. We need to find the Hybrid Messiah." Two men, one of whom she recognised as the time traveller, Rip Hunter, and the other looking vaguely familiar walked up behind her brother. The familiar man spoke first. "This is the first aberration. The history of our time says Princess Koriand'r of Tamaran should be married to Richard Grayson by now, with two children living happily in Gotham. No record of a marriage in this timeline, and she's clearly not with Grayson. The records contradict each other though. This scan says her daughter is alive somewhere." Kory was in shock. "Daughter? I have never had a daughter, nor any child of my body for that matter. And whilst we did come close, Dick and I never married." Michael Jon Carter lifted her up by the hand. "Yeah, and because of that my wife, daughter-in-law and grandson are dead, but I'm not one to judge. Come on, we'll explain on the way." Rip then indicated to Kory the way to the Waverider. "You see, we think your sister is aware of this somehow too. We think…we think she knows you are the Hybrid Madonna and not her." Kory laughed. "The Hybrid Madonna was a fairytale told to us as children. Our mother's mother convinced us I was her. She was talking nonsense, no more than any fable from your world." Ryand'r looked concerned towards his sister. "I am afraid it is not, sister. And unless we find the Psions in Sector 666, your daughter is in grave danger." Kory pushed him away then. "I have no daughter! But I am not going to, as Dick used to say, look a gift horse in the mouth. Of course, Rip Hunter, I will come with you."

A large, albino figure then burst his way from the ground carrying the heads of two dead Tamaraneans. Michael had to hit his own head in awe for that. "Oh, for the Goddess' sake, Rip, you never mentioned he'd be here." Lobo bellowed like all hell in glory. "Kory, what're these bastiches doing with you, eh?" Starfire stood up and headed to Lobo. "Lobo, call Adam Strange and the others. We need to lead a mission to Sector 666. You can bring us there right away can't you, Rip?" Rip Hunter nodded. "Then we're going to need a team to…find this child of mine. And hopefully stop my sister. The R.E.B.E.L.S. will stand again."

New Atlantis

Arthur Curry always loathed the idea of chains. He didn't like the idea of persecution or imprisonment very much, even though he had meted it out many times as king. Perhaps it reminded him of his own exposure at birth by his stepfather, King Trevis, the man who could not father a child on his beautiful wife and cousin, Atlanna. Atlanna had instead been seduced by Atlan, or so the story goes. Atlan had been a similar outcast from the Atlantean Royal Family centuries beforehand, because he bore blonde hair. To many, this symbolised the Curse of Kordax, a prince who was the product of an incestuous rape millennia beforehand who had grown to become a monster. If not for the dolphins and Tom Curry, the infant Prince Orin might have been eaten by the infamous Kordax, a beast he himself had since slain. Despite his blood being entirely Atlantean, Arthur always had an affinity to the surface, for the kindness Tom Curry had shown him. Arthur had since led an effective double life, with his friends on the Justice League giving him a life on the surface, while he and Mera, his beloved, had done their best to form a family over the centuries. Their eldest son, Arthur Jr., had been killed by his enemy, Black Manta many years ago, and permanently left a scar on their love. Their other son, who had been named Arthur as well, was born in the Netherspace after his necronymic brother's demise, with his father nowhere to be seen. The child had grown up fast and was now the Aquaman of his own dimension.

Arthur and Mera never had another child, but Arthur discovered just as they were trying to rekindle their flame, a son from his erstwhile youth named Koryak. He would always love Mera, but their marriage had been all but destroyed as had everything Arthur had ever cared for. During the war that nearly destroyed their universe, the war that took so much from so many and had a battle on every front…the Infinite Crisis some called it…during that war, Atlantis had fallen and Koryak had died with it, leaving Arthur childless and alone. The only comfort he had in those days was his bond with Lorena Marquez, the new Aquagirl, the first in many years since his old friend, Tula had died in a similar crisis to Koryak. He still had Garth, the original Aqualad, but that poor lad had lost his wife and son in that same event that claimed Koryak.

Arthur should have been there for Garth, who apart from Lorena was the closest thing to a child he had left. Then he died, and the new Aquaman was some cousin of his by adoption. That boy had vanished not long ago, after rejecting the idea of taking Arthur's mantle. Then, Arthur and his son were brought back as Black Lanterns to haunt Mera. He hated that. Holding their son's corpse to taunt the woman he loved. At the end, something brought him back. Hal Jordan told him it was some kind of light of life. But Garth had died in the final fight, and he wasn't back. Arthur never told anyone but that killed him. He felt like he had no one. Then Mera had helped him find a young boy, Jackson Hyde, the son of Black Manta. Arthur swore that Manta would never take another child's life and protected the boy from his own father. Then, after reuniting with Lorena and sending Jackson for training with the Teen Titans he felt he could build a new family with Jackson filling the hole in his heart Garth had left.

Now, Arthur and Lorena were being dragged before some sort of tribunal, chaired by his half-brother, Orm Marius. In his father, Atlan's 'infinite wisdom' he had deemed that Atlantean history was cyclical and required two brothers to be rivals as he had been with his own. That was the only reason he had conceived either Arthur or Orm, not for love of either of their mothers, but simply so he could have a new generation of students. Arthur hated him for that. Tom Curry was his father as far as he was concerned, and that's what he liked to tell everyone. Poor Orm never really had a father, his mother being an aunt of Aquaman's former lover and Koryak's mother, Kako, and their clan in Alaska raising him. Orm had always hated his brother and the feeling was more than mutual. Orm had committed many acts of terrorism against both the surface world and Atlantis, all for the sake of usurping the throne he saw as his own. Orm's ambition and ruthlessness made Arthur truly doubt Atlan's wisdom, as chaos and destruction were all that seemed to have come from Orm's existence, as the Ocean Master.

"Is he going to kill us, Arthur?" Lorena pleaded with her father figure, leaning ever closer to him. "No, Lorena, I don't think he will. But he'll toy with us as is ever his way." The commander of the armed forces, the new Vulko, as Arthur had discovered recently, announced them then to a large chamber filled with statues of several Atlantean kings. It seemed new. This city was new, cradled beneath a volcano in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and protected by magma rather than water. The statues of the kings ranged back to the foundation of the original city-state beneath the waves, millennia ago, but the most prominent was the one of Arthur Curry himself towering above them all. The statue depicted him during his darker days, when he had a hook to replace one of his hands and a large beard. A plaque at the base declared was dedicated to the memory of "King Orin the Great, known to the people of the surface world as the Aquaman, and the greatest king our people has ever known." Lorena seemed a little perplexed. Was it really Orm who was in charge of this place? He would never honour Arthur, not in a million years. Arthur himself was likewise bamboozled as the younger Vulko announced: "Ladies and gentlemen, your king, Orm!" Everyone in the chamber bowed their heads except Vulko who took a seat on the council table overlooking Arthur and Lorena. Orm entered wearing his traditional costume as Ocean Master, and nothing else, yet he seemed to command respect as Arthur once had.

"Thank you, my leal subjects. Commander Vulko, you claim to have found these two out on the Ridge." Vulko bowed before Orm. "Yes, my liege. The male fits the description of your brother, and the female matches the description of the girl he found in Sub Diego. But, sir, this cannot be possible. King Orin fell over a year ago and his throne was usurped by the Curry boy. This cannot be him." Orm smirked. "Stranger things have happened. I told you what I heard from the wise one, did I not? That my brother would be needed to defend our people from the Amazons." That was when Arthur raised himself up to protest. "Orm, that is nonsense! I know the Amazons of old and am well acquainted with both Princess Diana and her mother, Queen Hippolyta. They would not make war unless we struck first. And if we did fight them, they would destroy us!" The chamber erupted into anger. The people were jeering Arthur with shouts of defeatism and calling for his execution when suddenly Orm raised his hand and all fell silent. "My brother does speak the truth. This is certainly out of character for the Amazons, who are known for their pacifism. However, a year ago they attacked the continent to the west of us dubbed North America in an unprovoked attack." Arthur was stunned to hear this. Hippolyta was famed as a great warrior, but she was always known for favouring peace above all else. Orm raised his hand almost out of concern for how upset his brother seemed. "Granted, I am aware of rumours abroad which say the New Gods of Apokolips manipulated her as part of their recent attack on this world. But that doesn't mean someone might not do so again. Which is why we need you, brother. Our greatest king and greatest warrior…"

"I am not going to fight the Amazons without proof!"

"Listen to me!" Orm betrayed his previous disdain for his brother with the venom that came from that command, though he maintained his calm dignity, which remained to Arthur and Lorena utterly uncharacteristic, "You know the Amazons of old as you yourself have said. I intend to send you to Themyscira for diplomatic talks with Queen Hippolyta, and if possible, use your friendship with her daughter as leverage. I am not the monster you remember me as, brother. I no more want war than you, Arthur." Vulko looked concerned at this rapprochement. It was apparent to both the superheroes that he bore no love for his former king. "So, sire, what is the verdict to be?"

"I declare my brother, Prince Orin, restored to his full rights as a Prince of Atlantis and grant him special status as Ambassador to the Amazons. I also grant Lorena Marquez of Sub Diego position as a subject of Atlantis' throne, under the protection of the household of Prince Orin. This same privilege will be extended to all of your little 'family," brother. Do you accept these terms?"

Arthur moved his mouth to protest but then looked at Lorena who shook her head as if to say they should play Ocean Master's game in case he lopped their heads off. Arthur knew he needed these kids in his life to temper his hot-blooded rage, since Mera wasn't much better on that front. "I accept, brother…" Arthur then got down on one knee and so did Lorena. "My king…" he said through gritted teeth simultaneously with Lorena. The chamber reluctantly applauded as Orm enthusiastically led them away from the scene, making sure to present his prodigal sibling before a mob that seemed to both despise and lionise their former sovereign at once.

"Chancellor Karrus, I believe that is all the business for the day. I desire my brother and his charge to join me in my chambers in half an hour. I require some rest after today's work of state." Vulko approached Arthur and Lorena. He released her shackles first, but before he released Arthur's he grabbed him by the neck and said "I don't care if you were my uncle's favourite, or this great king your brother has made the people think you were. You hurt him, or betray him, I will not hesitate to kill you both. Are we clear?" Arthur nodded while gasping for breath, before he was released, both from the grip and his cuffs.

Lorena helped pick Arthur up after that. "Are you alright?" He spluttered, "I'll be fine. Let's just see what this insanity is all about." The two partners were escorted through the palace for the next thirty minutes, seeing all the sights they could before ascending a flight of stairs. Throughout the palace they observed frescoes on the walls and ceilings depicting Arthur conquering various foes, such as one of him decapitating Kordax. One resplendent one depicted him with the Justice League from about seven years ago battling the Hyperclan, a group of White Martians who had posed as heroes to conquer the Earth. "Are we sure this is really Orm?" Lorena whispered cryptically into his ear. "I have the same doubts, Lorena. But still…how could he have rallied so many followers if he wasn't of the blood royal? If he's the Orm I remember, most Atlanteans would still curse his name. And how are all these people still alive? Poseidonis was destroyed." Lorena shrugged. "Maybe, they're really from Sub Diego or Xebel or somewhere?"

"Yeah, except they don't have the bearing of Sub Diego or the abilities of anyone I've met from Xebel. Not to mention one of them is Vulko's nephew. I recognised him. He was just a clerk when I met him first, and one of many nephews who all perished with him, how could he have become Commander of the Guard?"

"Maybe he'd been secretly loyal to Orm all along and helped bring him to power?"

"Maybe all of them were. And if that's the case, I failed more as their king than I could possibly imagine."

Entering through two double doors, Arthur and Lorena saw three beautiful concubines walk out the door before them and check out Arthur. "I see your brother isn't that much different to you." Arthur's face became far more stern at that. "I'll have you know, I'm a one-woman man. It's not my fault that when Mera isn't around to glare them to death, I'm so irresistible." Lorena laughed together with her mentor as they walked through the door. Orm was sitting down with his mask off being bathed by another servant or concubine in a jacuzzi. Aquagirl had to admit there was a resemblance between the two, having rarely seen Ocean Master's face. Orm's hair was brown to Arthur's blonde, and his skin was tanned where Arthur's was fair, but facially he seemed to have the same noble bearing and comely symmetry of his half-brother. When he saw Arthur and Lorena enter, he stood and beckoned the servant to place his robe over him. "Brother, and Miss Marquez! It is truly wonderful to see you both again." With his robe tightened and modesty ensured, Orm ran to them and gave both Aquaman and Aquagirl a bear hug. Once the servant was gone, Arthur shoved his brother out of the way. "Okay, Orm, what game are you playing? What's with this whole cult of me going on around there."

"All your questions will be answered in due course, beloved brother. But first tell me, how is it you come to breathe again. And your hand's grown back."

"The Blackest Night…"

"Ah, so you're one of the Entity's chosen. How quaint. In a way so am I. You see, I turned on Alexander Luthor when he destroyed Atlantis all those years ago. Gorilla Grodd snapped my spine and threw me from fifty feet. Then, I was awake. Sort of. It seemed rather odd. I felt…well, dead. Which I was. All that time I was in some sort of limbo. Reliving my life, and all my battles with you. I got to see things from your perspective. I realised then that, well, you are a great king, brother. Greater than even Haumond. And I was forever the enemy of the Atlanteans."

"So…you love me now because you felt guilty?"

"That's the sad part, Arthur. Love and hate often has a fine line. As much as I resented you for everything you had and I didn't, that feeling was so passionate it wasn't hard for me to finally care for you when I began thinking clearly.

"Forgive me if I'm skeptical."

"Of course. You don't have to believe any of this with what you've seen and heard so far. All I ask is that you hear me out. I realised that the people of Atlantis saw you this way, as well, even though many still harboured resentment for what became of Poseidonis. So, as soon as I ascended to sovereignty, I needed to foster a cult of your greatness. Regardless, while I relived all of this, my greatest desire was to return to you and make amends, so that we could rebuild Atlantis together. As to how I got here, all I can say is a shining ray of light came to me, and I lived again. I was washed up on some island. I returned to my people in Alaska. I found out what happened to Koryak. I wept for my nephew, brother, I truly did. Time passed, and I began swimming further and further into the depths of the Atlantic. I met young Atlan Vulko alone, cradling his dead family. He joined me and grew to believe in me. Across the oceans, while you were gone, we rescued thousands of our people from slavery. They hailed me as a great liberator. As their king. I would do anything to protect them. So, I made a deal with the devil. When Libra came and announced the coming of the New Gods…I joined him, albeit reluctantly. He provided me with the technology to terraform a New Atlantis. And I did just that. We laboured for months beneath this rock building a whole new world. And now, we have a New Atlantis. Ten cities beneath the earth's crust, with only five still to go. And Orinopolis as the seat of my power, with the Citadel of the Seven Seas standing here as both my home, and the defensive bulwark against any intruders entering my realm. I would die before I let any of my people be harmed. And I've been rebuilding our population. I reinstituted polygamy laws in order to keep the birth rate up."

"I hope those don't apply to me as one of your subjects!"

"Please, Miss Marquez. I am not some misogynistic beast. All women are given first refusal on a partner, and none are forced to marry by law. The only punishment is women over the age of thirty without a mate are levied an additional tax."

"You think that's a good thing? Arthur would never have done that as king."

"That's where you're wrong, young lady. My brother was an astute king. He would have seen how our people were dying, and he would have done the same. I doubt with a wife as lovely and fierce as Mera he would have partaken in it personally, but you never know, a king must set an example. Besides, in the long run I have saved our people from remaining endangered. In a decade or so, our population levels will have soared. But that still won't be enough. So, I sought out our father, Atlan, for in his eternal wisdom I hoped to find a way to stabilise New Atlantis within my lifetime. Instead I found our sister, Debbie Perkins. The one who had an incestuous obsession with you and your son without knowing it. She showed me to a man who could raise the dead. His name was Eddie T., or so he called himself."

"As fascinating a story as this is, brother. It is not the reason either I or Lorena are here. Why did you sell Atlantean weapons to Black Manta and the Death Squad!"

"Our economy is barely standing, brother. I would make a deal with Hades himself to rebuild us. And weapons manufacturing thanks to my expertise and Libra's technology is the backbone of that economy. Xebel is one of our oldest trading partners, and it's not like your kind, the heroes, to buy weapons."

"Fine, I don't agree with you…but you have got a point. Just tell us why you want me alive."

"Oh, I don't. You're far better off to me dead, Arthur. I can claim myself as the inheritor of your legacy. You became my favourite person because you were a core piece of propaganda for me. Having said that I am happy to see you, and glad we will have your aid in the coming war."

"If I have to choose between Diana and you, then I choose Diana!"

"But what about him? What about the death whose guilt has wracked you since your return? Will you choose the Wonder Woman over him?"

"Arthur?"

The voice which had just spoken was entirely new and had been uttered before either Aquaman or Aquagirl had a chance to query what Ocean Master had just said. Arthur looked behind Orm and was nearly in shock to see Garth walk through the door behind him. He still had his garb as Tempest on him and looked quite poorly, with a long beard and an eye that had clearly lost some sight with a scar running through it. Despite this, the lad seemed happy to see him. The young man still had the fire in his eyes that had drawn Arthur Curry and him together all those years ago. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Arthur? You're alive?"

"You're alive?!" Arthur rushed headlong into the lad who was as good as his son. Garth. His boy. "It's so good to see you!," Aquaman stated, pushing his ward before him, hands proudly on the man's shoulders, "But Orm, how?" His brother smirked. "Eddie was very generous. Said that Garth would be an excellent way of convincing you of my good intentions." Arthur stammered a little, as Lorena began crying tears of joy behind him and ran up to Garth as well. Debbie Perkins sailed in behind them, evidently three months pregnant. "It's lovely to see you, Arthur." Arthur was disgusted. "Debbie? Orm, she's our sister. How…" Then he saw she had her hands placed on Garth's shoulders where his had just been. "Oh, I see you've been back a while then, Garth."

"He has been back in the land of the living ever since you have, Arthur. And he and Debbie make quite the dashing couple, if I may say so. Now, let us not dwell on the past any longer, family. A feast has been prepared in your honour, brother. And I do hope you all shall attend."

Justice League Watchtower

Four people stepped out of the Watchtower's transmat beam: Batman, Green Arrow, John Constantine and that mystery preacher the latter two picked up in Star City. They had ditched the Titans in Metropolis, as Ollie hadn't been keen for Bruce to have a reunion with Jason Todd right now. Ollie knew Bruce wasn't too happy to see him either. Besides, with Ollie's archery and Bruce's…well, just being Batman…they could fend him off without the help of the Titans. They felt they needed Constantine on hand for any magic tricks this preacher might pull though. "So, Dark Knight, any chance of payment yet?" Bruce gave his famous glare at the occultist. "Money so you can keep smoking yourself to death?"

"Hey, I happen to know you're a bloody billionaire. Now I ain't saying nowt' in front of Johnny come lately here, so long as I have a guarantee of payment from you when we meet again in Gotham."

"I sent Alec Holland to a Wayne Foundation hospital, that's all you should care about. I have an acquaintance, who might be able to help restore him."

"Poison Ivy, yeah? Yeah, she might help a bit, though he won't be the same. Tell me, what means of torture are you gonna' use to learn about the Entity, bats?"

"No torture. J'onn is coming home from vacation in a couple of days. He should be able to read this man's mind. For now, I've asked Cyborg to send Red Tornado back from S.T.A.R. Labs as a sentry." A giant hulking, red robot appeared before them and Constantine backed away. "Fucking hell! Tornado, man, what happened to you?"

"Batman, please do not inform me he is joining me on sentry duty."

"No, he just came along to help Swamp Thing. He and Ollie are only here as guests. They'll be gone soon." Ollie looked slightly miffed at Bruce for saying that. He was hoping his old friend wasn't being as entirely cold and calculating as he used to be. Bruce had a strict moral compass. He didn't tolerate murder. It would take Ollie a long time to earn his trust again, and as for Constantine, Ollie doubted he'd ever earn that trust. The man would sell his own grandmother for a pack of cigarettes. Matter of fact, Alec mentioned that he did once. Ollie also had chosen Constantine to escort him and Bruce to the tower because he didn't trust any of the others, especially Jason Todd, who seemed gung-ho about breaking this man out. Thankfully, none of them had access to the tower, so there was no fear of them rescuing him now. Heading with Red Tornado to a cell nearby, Bruce programmed in a code and placed the preacher inside. "You will thank the Entity one day, Bruce Wayne, son of Martha Kane. For Jason Todd and Stephanie Brown."

"Now, I know you're lying. Steph was never dead in the first place."

"Yes, and that's what the Entity wanted you to think. He moves in mysterious ways." Bruce re-entered the code and sealed the preacher away. "Red Tornado, you are to watch that creep at all times. And report directly to me about whoever comes and goes from this place and make sure I know when J'onn arrives. Don't tell Clark, Diana, anyone. We don't know who he might seduce. If what Ollie said about Jason and Roy is right, then we're all in danger. Ollie, Constantine…Good luck."

"Wait, where's my mon—"

The occultist and the archer were suddenly vanished off the tower as Bruce clicked his fingers. He then turned to Red Tornado. "Red, I'm sorry I have to ask you this. But there's a reason I picked you to guard him. If Ollie's right, and this man is Eobard Thawne. And if he tries to escape…I can't believe I'm saying this. Destroy the Watchtower…"