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.

42. The Once and Future King

Citadel of the Seven Seas, Orinopolis, New Atlantis

"I must say you truly have charmed me, King Orm," General Zod addressed his host, "And I do hope your sorcerers will soon find a means of accessing the Phantom Zone. You Atlanteans are nothing like the surface dwellers. Advanced, cultured. And clever enough to strike good deals. Though why you are working with this Black Manta I will never know." "He's useful for now," King Orm insisted to his guest from his throne as he ordered a concubine to pour him a glass of wine, "And I would be honoured for you to act as an advisor to my troops, General for our attack on the surface to…relieve Father Thawne of his Batman problem." "He still owes me Kal-El," the Kryptonian was evidently displeased with his alliance thus far, "You have spoken with him?" "Not for a while," Ocean Master conceded, "Though he is arriving with one of his arms dealers. Someone important. Someone he got a lot of help from breaking out of the Bermuda Triangle." With that, a ship docked outside the citadel, which contained Eddie Thawne and these aforementioned allies. With Black Manta, this group arrived in the private rooms of King Orm where he was hosting General Zod. At Thawne's side was a tall woman with purple hair and blue eyes, who had an aristocratic composure.

"Hello, Siren," Orm coldly addressed Princess Hila of Xebel, "I see you and your Death Squad safely made it out of the Bermuda Triangle." "I wouldn't have made it to the Amazons, so it worked out well for Thawne," Hyde noted. "Worked out well is stretching it, Manta," Eddie added, "But things are better than I could have hoped with this situation." "No, they are not," Hila informed him authoritatively, "I want the boy, Kaldur'ahm given over to us, Orm." "Why on Earth would you want that?" Thawne scoffed, "The boy's father wants him gone. I've given him that chance. And he's too powerful. Electrical manipulation. Not a power I want used against me." "Because he's not the only parent the boy has," Hila reminded them, "And that power is useful. It makes him a unique asset." "Only parent?" Orm asked, "Ah, I always wondered what woman from Xebel had a son with the Black Manta. Good to know, Hila. I suppose since I am marrying your sister today, it would be good form to let her nephew live after killing her husband and the Amazons."

"Another wife?"

"Two more. The attractive teenager from Sub Diego is going to be made a woman by yours truly."

"You sicken me, Orm."

"Whereas I would enjoy you as a wife also."

"Surely marrying two women at once is enough?"

"Well, if all goes according to plan, I shall have two more wives to marry today as well. Where are they, Eobard?"

Thawne rolled his eyes. "Dolphin and Tula shall be given to you as soon as Aquaman is dead. Not before. Koryak and Cerdian, the same. They are beyond my reach anyway. I sent them somewhere not even Atlan could find them, if he is involved somehow."

"Where could you possibly hide them that my father can't ascertain the location?"

"With Atlanna."

"The queen? She's dead."

"No, she's not. That's just what Vulko told her son so he wouldn't go looking for a woman who didn't want to be found. She escaped her prison not long after her second child was born. I would have thought you knew that."

"A second child? Will this pose a threat to me, Thawne?"

"No but know I can bring you down at any time, Orm. You're just useful to me for now. Make sure you destroy Gotham and the remnants of the Amazons when all is done today."

"Of course...sir."

"May I ask a boon," Zod stared cursorily at Thawne, not entirely trusting him. "Very well," Thawne sighed, "But ask it of King Orm, as I must depart for America. An army doesn't coordinate itself, you know?" ''When we attack Gotham," the general answered regardless, "I desire the rite of killing Kal-El." "Which you shall have," Thawne reminded him, "I have not withheld that boon from you, General, even though you have failed me." "And of King Orm," Zod continued, "I wish to be the headsman for the indignant Amazon queen and her irksome child who humiliated me in combat. None shall bring Zod into such disrepute and live." "Well, we wouldn't want to hurt the feelings of someone so egotistical they refer to themselves in the third person," Thawne smiled, "You'll allow that for him, won't you, Orm?" "I don't see why not," the now drunk king slurred, splashing wine on his front, "Their deaths are...sadly necessary." "You have plenty of women, Orm," Thawne sneered, "And are about to gain four very attractive ones today. Do not be so greedy. It doesn't become a king."

"And what would you know of that, Thawne?"

"Infinitely more than you or any other being alive in this day and age, Orm. I have been to the void beyond life and returned from it. A paradox. I am all-knowing in my own way."

"So all-knowing you require allies you talk down to?"

"Yes. And no. It is a complicated facet of my life I wouldn't deign to educate you on, your majesty. Now good day."

In the dungeons, Arthur, Diana, Hippolyta and Jackson sat together, manacled to the wall of their dank cell. "I am sorry, Diana," Aquaman reticently spoke, his resistance sapped, "For you and your mother." "Do not apologise, Arthur," Wonder Woman assuaged him, "I was far more keen on this alliance than you. Now it seems we shall both die together by the hand of your brother's executioner." "You are in the same ship as us, Prince Orin," Hippolyta reminded him, "With little to no hope of escape. We all underestimated your brother. Diana and myself included. I only feel sorry for your young charge here." "It's alright," Jackson told the Amazon queen, "I lived a short life as a hero. I like to think I made up for what my father did to you, Arthur, in the short time we've known each other." "More than you can know, Jackson," Arthur smiled through his bloodied face. Two guards then arrived, one of whom was Attalus Vulko. "Prince Orin, Queen Hippolyta and Princess Diana," the insipid lickspittle drawled with relish at the prospect of their deaths no matter how formal his words were, "I am here to take you from this place forthwith to the main square of Orinopolis, where you shall all be executed for treason against the one true king, Orm Marius." "What about Jackson?" Arthur queried. "Kaldur'ahm is to be set free and returned to the custody of his parents," their gaoler replied. "Parents plural?" Arthur asked. "Hila and Black Manta," was the stoic reply.

"Hila's my mom. Shit, why can't I have one decent parent?"

"You should be thankful. Your mother interceded on your behalf. However, she insists that you undergo training underneath General Zod and Koryak when the latter returns to properly make you a member of her Death Squad."

"Koryak?" Arthur asked in disbelief, "What foolishness is this, my son is dead." "So was Tom Curry," Vulko said apprehensively, knowing things were indeed amiss, "Nothing is as it was, my prince. And never shall be again." The other guard then released Kaldur from his manacles and grabbed him by the arm to lead him to his parents. "Don't worry, Arthur. We'll get out of this somehow," the young lad shouted back before he was out of earshot. Arthur hung his head in shame then smiled to himself slightly, as he used his power to reach out telepathically to Porm the dolphin, his adopted mother. Porm nodded in acknowledgement many hundreds of miles away and swam towards a nearby group of blue-skinned people below the Pacific Ocean. Their leader, a young man named Orkanax nodded, and led his people at lightning speed directly through the Panama Canal where they had been waiting all evening. They aimed to gain justice for their ancestor on the Atlantean purists at last.

In the main square of Orinopolis, a magnificent golden statue of Aquaman himself stood proudly holding his trident. And below it was a stage, not dissimilar to gallows, only without the noose and a hooded man standing on it with a blade in hand. On a parapet above these events, stood King Orm and his two new betrotheds, Mera and Lorena, who were looking uncomfortable in ostentatious wedding dresses. Ocean Master leered over his followers menacingly. There were many gathered but none of them seemed exuberant about what was going to happen here. Arthur, Diana and Hippolyta were dragged onto the main stage and forced onto their knees by Vulko and his retinue. The crowd remained silent throughout the time they should have been hurling abuse in the direction of the condemned, but Orm didn't seem to notice as he summoned a priest to perform his wedding. "He shall anoint our unions, the moment the three criminals have been dispatched," he whispered into Mera's ear, "And then you and your child will be safe in my embrace, my queen."

Lorena wouldn't cry. She wouldn't give Orm the satisfaction of seeing her weep. She hated having her life taken from her like this, especially by someone like Orm who she had developed a modicum of trust for in the last few months. She had even found him rather handsome, after seeing his sensitive side as a man trying to rule and noting how much he looked like Koryak when he smiled. She wouldn't have married him, since she found his practice of plural marriage repulsive, but she couldn't deny a hint of admiration to the man. Aquagirl tried to feel strong, thinking of how she had first met Arthur and discovered how to be happy again. She remembered her father and mother, Julio and Alexandra, and her little brothers, Juan and Esteban, who had drowned that day at the San Diego Zoo, and how she had survived because somehow Geist's formula worked on her and she could breathe underwater. Her mother would have wanted her to be strong in the face of something bad happening to her, like she had been when they died. Arthur, who was there for her when she lost everything, would have wanted the same. Sighing, Lorena closed her eyes as Orm traced a finger down her neck all too longingly before continuing to address the mob as the prisoners were brought forth.

"Subjects of Orinopolis! I, King Orm, present to you these criminals. My half-brother, Prince Orin, has conspired against our people and my reign as your king, by infiltrating our city with the Queen of the Amazons and her daughter and attempting to assassinate me. They did not succeed and have now forfeited their lives and the lives of all the Amazon women. Each and every one of them. Now...subjects, please! Listen to your king! Now I understand Prince Orin is popular among our people, but crimes like this have one punishment for all my subjects. Death. And that goes for the Amazons too, who are going to be personally executed by our newly appointed military advisor, Dru-Zod. In honour of Prince Orin's service and that of his family, I have consented to make sure his wife and their unborn child will be protected. I will ensure this by marrying Queen Mera personally here when her husband is no more. She will become my wife and my brother's child shall become mine. I do this to honour him. Also, I shall be taking three more brides today, two of whom were given as part of a new peace treaty with the United States of America. They are two formerly deceased members of the royal family. Tula and Dolphin. I do this to honour a man I loved. In whose name I built my new empire. Despite my love for him, justice will be meted out."

Orm began smiling to himself slightly having finished that sentence, only to suddenly lose that sense of satisfaction as the crowd began jeering him collectively. "Release Orin!" or "Free our king!" were some of the mainstays as Lorena giggled a little only for Orm to strike her in anger. "If they had one neck, I'd hack it through," he muttered before nodding down to Attalus Vulko to kill anyone who tried to interfere. Soldiers outnumbered civilians in Orinopolis today. Orm had made sure of it, anticipating public discontent at such an action, since his entire reign had been fostered around a cult of his half-brother. But he'd constructed a strong military to follow him. The fledgling king had no idea how many of them would die in the next hour. He looked down at Zod who removed his black executioner's hood and advanced on Arthur. "Prince Orin will be the first to die," Ocean Master told his subjects with glee. Some of the civilians tried to advance on the stage only to be beaten back by Attalus Vulko and his guards. Zod then squatted so he could meet Arthur's face. "How would you like to die, hero?" the arrogant Kryptonian asked his victim. "On my feet, facing you," the deposed king looked up defiantly. "With pleasure," the general chuckled.

Zod then broke Arthur's manacles and punched him in the gut as he stood up. "Return your blow, honoured prince!" the Kryptonian criminal mocked the Atlantean prince. "What is the fool doing?" Ocean Master asked worriedly as Arthur missed a punch and Zod struck him in the back of the head. The general stood laughing with his hands on his hips only to be grazed severely by Arthur's new hook hand on the right cheek, leaving a distinctive scar. "Gah!" he flinched, feeling the blood on his cheek, "You'll die for that now." Zod delivered several hardened blows into Arthur's abdomen and face while Aquaman managed to knick him several more times with the hook, unable to match the speed of his yellow-sun powered opponent. Zod was bleeding a little and so he forced Arthur onto the ground with his strength and placed both his thumbs into the deposed king's eyes. He applied a fierce pressure onto the sockets of the king. Diana pleaded with fear in her eyes as Hippolyta uttered a prayer to Persephone to guide Arthur Curry to the Isle of the Blessed. The rage was palpable in the executioner's eyes.

"No one strikes Zod!"

That was when three civilians rushed Atlan Vulko and two found themselves with swords in their bellies. The crowd erupted and anarchy descended all around the square. Orm turned to run as his guards dragged Lorena and Mera with him into his citadel. "Seal all the entrances!" he screamed desperately, "I want them dead! Zod included! He can't be trusted." The aforementioned Zod was laughing at the chaos as he continued to nearly blind Arthur, who was screaming in pain. "Hear your people die again today, Aquaman" the general continued to deride his enemy, "As they destroy themselves for their misguided love of you. Hear them burn and thrash and flail as your brother's soldiers massacre each and every one of them. Then go to your grave knowing that your Amazon comrade and her mother will be joining you not too shortly as they die in deaths far more undignified and far more agonising than yours."

"Oh, shut up!" Arthur shouted as he drove his hook right into Zod's left eye, the magical energy of Hephaestus poking it right out. Zod's shriek of torment reverberated all throughout the city of Orinopolis as Aquaman regained himself and began to force it in further. "Arthur, no!" Wonder Woman shouted, "He's not worth it." Aquaman heeded Diana's words, albeit reluctantly and struck Zod on the head with his fist knocking out the already shocked Kryptonian. He then broke Diana and her mother from their manacles. "Thank you, Prince Orin," Hippolyta said, "But I fear this is not yet over." She was right, for Black Manta and the Death Squad were advancing on them along with Attalus Vulko and his elite guards. "Maiming your own executioner?" Hyde asked gleefully, "Why Arthur I never knew you had it in you." Hila then brought Kaldur before them with a knife to his throat. "Surrender now or the boy dies," she demanded. Arthur and the two women placed their hands behind their heads as Vulko and Manta prepared harpoons with which to fire through their bellies. "Your people are dying, Arthur," Manta laughed pointing out to now over a hundred people killed by the soldiers in the last few minutes, "Die with them."

Arthur just smirked. "Will I, now?" he asked as suddenly a war horn sounded forth from the ramparts of Orinopolis on the volcano atop. The horn signified an approaching army. Or in this case two approaching armies. That of Xebel allied with the Seven Soldiers of Victory, and that of Orkanax. On the battlefield above, Orkanax moved towards Atlan and bowed. "My prince," he told the ancient sorcerer, "The Blood of Kordax hopes to cleanse the scourge upon our name by fighting to liberate New Atlantis from the yolk of your son, the self-proclaimed Ocean Master, and liberate your other son, Prince Orin. The king who has offered us citizenship in New Atlantis." Even Atlan was stunned by this turn of events. "The Blood of Kordax will never—" he spoke harshly and with great prejudice before his son-in-law interrupted him. "Shut up, Atlan," Garth told his father-in-law before extending his hand to the young man, "I, King Garth of Xebel, gladly extend my hand to do just this, Orkanax. I am sure King Orin will need a vizier when all is said and done. He told me many times of his mother, Porm's diplomacy with you and your kind, and she spoke very highly of you. We would be honoured to offer your kind a chance to be a part of our new empire. The Empire of Atlantis!" Garth then raised his hand and the army behind him lifted their blades in cheer.

"I do not approve," Atlan said quietly to his son-in-law as Orkanax rejoined the ranks. "Tough," Tempest said, his confidence restored in his years as king, "This was your son's idea, and you want him to be king. So let him be king." Atlan then went towards his Seven Soldiers of Victory. "You know what you have to do?" he impatiently addressed the assembled heroes, "All of you." "Infiltrate the citadel," the Spectre answered, "Rescue Aquagirl and Mera, and ensure Orm does not succeed in summoning the power from below for Thawne." That earned a smile from the sorcerer. "Good, I will not allow my daughter-in-law and grandchild to die today," he spoke aloud, "Nor my future granddaughter-in-law." "You see more than I, sorcerer," the Spectre replied. "Of course, I do," Atlan cared not for the seeming wisdom of others, "I'm smarter than you, Angel of Death." He then swam towards Garth who stood at the head of their combined army ready to begin his speech.

"Today, we liberate New Atlantis from the yolk of oppression enforced by Ocean Master, it's most implacable enemy. Today we unite Xebel, New Atlantis, Sub Diego, the Blood of Kordax and untold others into a new unity. With one throne. An empire that will shatter all those who seek to threaten life and peace. An empire bonded with our brothers and sisters on the surface against tyranny. An empire that will last until the end of time, in peace and prosperity for all who live there. My father-in-law has foreseen it. And when we take Orinopolis and save the Earth that empire begins. My children will know peace, now that I have liberated the home of freedom. The oldest civilisation in the world. Today we will free Atlantis!"

Garth's speech roused the armies as Debbie and their children came toward him. He was so captivated by her beauty and strength. He never thought that he could love again having lost Tula and then Dolphin in such tragic circumstances. Nor did he dream that he would be a father again once his only child was killed. Now he had had thirteen years of happiness with them, even if it was all part of her father's twisted plans for the history of their people. He hoped and prayed he would survive these events so he could go on and be happy with them all. He knew they would. They had to. "Take care of yourself, my love," Debbie said as she laid a kiss on her husband's lips. "And you, Debbie," he pressed his forehead to hers while holding her hand tightly, "The children will stay behind with their grandfather while he coordinates the attack." "But we want to fight," young Orin stressed. Garth glared at the boy who reminded him of his uncle and namesake. "And you are both thirteen," he impatiently and authoritatively told him, "By Poseidon, you're really only a week old the pair of you. I cannot risk losing you. Know that your parents fight for your future today and if you do not see us again, live well in the peace we will have earned from it." Garth and Debbie embraced their children warmly before looking into their eyes. Garth had a look in them that any apart from Debbie and their children had not seen in a long time. One of hope and love. Garth then turned and raised his sword before bellowing "Charge!"

The armies descended as Orm's men rushed from the volcano and magical balls of energy enchanted by his magicians were unleashed taking whole swathes of Garth's army. Tempest unleashed his magic bolts at the first officer he could see, incapacitating him. Entering the crater of the volcano, Garth assembled a battering ram to strike the gates hidden therein. They were made of marble, reinforced by stainless steel and decorated with images of krakens all over them. Archers fired harpoon projectiles from around the crater. More of Garth's forces seemed to be falling at this point, while the Spectre activated a portal to within the Citadel of the Seven Seas, so the Seven Soldiers could confront Orm and stop his insidious plot. Atlan held his teenage grandchildren to him while his younger grandson, AJ sat on his shoulder.

Orm was perusing through a variety of chronicles in a frantic state in the records room of the Citadel. Chronicles written by Princess Atlena, from her time as regent after her brother-in-law Trevis' death. They spoke of Trevis having not killed himself out of shame for exposing the newborn Prince Orin. But because he had locked a terrible monster away. A monster older than the universe. A creature to whom the beings of this universe were playthings. Atlena had felt guilty over taking advantage of her cousin's depression. She knew his death as a royal would be necessary. Earlier records spoke of the blood ritual happening every thousand years and keeping the beast trapped beneath the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The beast had no name except the Timeless Terror, and any who had looked upon it gave conflicting accounts. All that he could gather was that to open it involved a similar ritual to what Arion had used to seal it there all those aeons ago. Shedding the blood of a royal would break the seals. He would release the beast and hopefully the spell would work and he could use the beast to protect him. From Orin, from Thawne, Zod, anyone. He would be undisputed master of the beast and therefore the world. With a small clique of sorcerers, Mera and Lorena held prisoner and the Trident of Poseidon ready, Orm descended into the depths of the Citadel. To the ancient prison Arion had constructed millennia beforehand to house what some would dub a Great Old One.

In the square, Arthur smirked at Black Manta as they readied their harpoons. "What are you smiling about?" Hyde asked aggressively as he walked forward and put the harpoon to Arthur's neck, "You're going to be dead in a minute." "Didn't you hear the war horn?" his nemesis reminded him, "This place is under attack." "That doesn't stall executions, bucko," Manta answered as he moved the harpoon for a strike, only for Garth's battering ram to bash the gate and the whole square to shake. Jackson was released from his mother's grip and took this opportunity to electrocute her with his powers. Diana landed a decisive blow on Black Manta's helmet, while her mother kicked him in the head, knocking the villain out. Arthur and Jackson tore through the Death Squad before embracing. "No time for niceties, lad," Arthur reminded his ward, "Go help those people." Jackson leaped into the crowd and began zapping the soldiers butchering civilians. Arthur turned to his Amazon comrades. "Mother and I will head to the citadel and see if we can get into the armoury," Diana spoke with authority and kindness. "Good," Arthur replied readily, "I'll get that gate open and let our friends in."

Aquaman fought his way through various soldiers to the main gate, where he intended to open the latch and allow their liberators access. He was stopped halfway there by none other than Attalus Vulko, who had fled when the Death Squad had been ambushed. "Vulko, please," Aquaman begged for sense, "Your uncle would be ashamed of you if you killed me." "Oh please, Arthur," the commander spat, "You were a disgrace of a king. Orm has given us strength again where you sowed only weakness." "And does that strength come from the blood of innocents your men have shed today?" his former king asked. "I don't need to explain myself to a false king," the commander was beyond all reason in his fanaticism, "Now die!" Vulko leapt at the man his uncle had raised to the highest office in the depths with his trident. Arthur swerved and began delivering punches combined with strikes from his hook. "The magic of the Olympians will not help you now, false prince!" Attalus bragged as his trident nicked Arthur's cheek. "There is nothing false about me, traitor!" Prince Orin spat in defiance. "You are a bastard!" his opponent reminded him. "So is Orm!" Arthur laughed at the nonsensical logic of his opposition. "He is," Vulko's eyes were twinged with hate and unreason, "And unlike you, a vicious one. Just what Atlantis needs. If he had been king, the Spectre would never have destroyed this place and killed your son." That caused Arthur to see red. With a tinge of remorse that came all too late, he delivered a gut blow straight into Vulko with his hook. An unintentionally fatal one. He only got the opportunity because the commander stumbled due to the gates being struck with the battering ram.

"Happy now?" Vulko asked Arthur as he stumbled off his hook. Aquaman held the dying man in his arms. "I am sorry, Attalus," he sighed, "It was the only way. Your uncle would not have approved of all you have done here today." "He was a fat oaf," Attalus coughed up blood, "The world is ruled by sharks not pen pushers like him. You should know that by now, Arthur. You could have saved Atlantis if you had ruled like the shark you are, instead of the softness those dolphins brought out in you. Your sons would not have been killed if you had just embraced your royal ferocity." "A king must rule wisely and justly," Arthur avoided eye contact with the man he had just murdered. "A king is appointed by the gods," Attalus shook his head, "They should rule arbitrarily as Orm did. He knew his place, and I knew mine. You and your surface world nonsense corrupted our great culture, you blonde fool. The Curse of Kordax destroyed Poseidonis and now you have brought it to our walls." "Orm did that," Arthur reminded him. "No," Attalus looked coldly into his eyes with confidence, "You did. Betraying us to the Amazons. I go to my grave knowing that I was right. The elders were right to defy my uncle concerning you. You have brought more ruin to our people than Kordax. I curse you, Arthur Curry. In the name of Poseidon and Triton, and in the memory of all the family I lost and you did the day Poseidonis fell. Your name will be abominated throughout history. And I will not enter Tartarus as long as I can still haunt you. Though…that might not be for much longer. Die slowly and painfully, you accursed dog." And with that, Vulko expired. Arthur closed the younger man's eyes and stood, hating himself for having taken a life, albeit unintentionally.

Heading over to the gate, he released the latch and saw Tempest and Indigo walk in with their armies, including Orkanax. "King Orin," the scaly commander knelt before him and Arthur placed his hand on the lad's head. "I would prefer just Arthur," he said, smiling through his pain, "If it's all the same to you, friend." Arthur was astounded at how different Garth seemed. He had a dark beard and longer hair and seemed closer to Arthur's own age than his late twenties. "Garth?" he asked curiously, "And Debbie? You both look so different. How?" "Our father," she answered, "Has given us Garth's birthright of Xebel. Allies for you and Mera to overthrow Orm with and to liberate your friends on the surface from Eobard Thawne." "Where is our father?" Arthur asked, still perplexed at everything his half-sister had just told him. "Right here," Atlan said as he teleported in with his three grandchildren. "Are those the twins?" Arthur asked Garth about the two teenagers. "I know, they grow up so fast, don't they?" his father smiled with some mirth, "Seems like only yesterday they were infants. Well...I suppose they were." Arthur was even more baffled by the small, blonde-haired boy his father was holding. "Is that…" he was about to ask when the child said, "Hello, Dad. It's me. AJ. I've come to help you and Mom with this little problem Uncle Orm is causing. Grandpa said he'd help too."

"He will need help, boy. You all will," a dark and familiar voice said from beside them, "For your father has incurred the wrath of Zod one too many times to allow any of his kin to live." Zod was now standing before them with Black Manta and the Death Squad behind him. His one remaining eye blared with rage as the empty socket bled before them in a transfixed bestiality. "Kneel, before you die, Arthur Curry, and I may allow your child to live," the madman shrieked. "No," Arthur told his opponent, standing tall, "Face me like a man, Zod. Or are you too afraid, you'll lose another eye." Zod's socket where his left eye had been was still bleeding. "One who dishonours me so does not deserve death by combat," the Kryptonian spat rabidly, "Only merciless execution. And the obliteration of all they hold dear. I shall take your skin from your body and wear it as armour to remind the world what happens to those who wrong Zod." With those words, Aquaman tensed himself for battle. "You'll have to go through me to get to my family, General," he held his trident at the ready as his family similarly tensed. "Very well," Zod laughed, "I will not honour you by fighting you. Instead, I shall kill…these poor wretches."

Zod turned his head and fired heat vision through his remaining eye onto the crowd before him, burning them all where they stood. So many innocent civilians. Atlan held his young grandson's face to his chest so he couldn't see. "Zod, you are a soldier! This is barbaric. You dishonour yourself by killing civilians like this!" Arthur roared at the top of his lungs. "Civilians?" his foe chortled, "That would imply that Earthlings are people, Arthur. Would you consider one who culls the excess animal population as going against honour? That is the pedestal your surface dwelling friends place themselves upon! Top of the food chain, as if battery farming is as skillful as hunting beasts for food. It is, however, dishonourable to stab a man in the eye whilst he's killing you. Now, kneel and allow me to finish the job or more will die." Aqualad then fired a burst of electricity straight through Zod's heat vision and right into his remaining eye. "Now!" Arthur screamed as he, Garth, Debbie, Tula, Orin and Jackson leapt upon the Kryptonian murderer. Typhoon used her unique power of constricting the water in a humanoid body to force individual members of the Death Squad into unconsciousness. Before she could get a blow in, young Orin and Kaldur combined their strikes to knock Hila into unconsciousness, while Garth used his magic to incapacitate Black Manta.

Zod swatted the attacking heroes like flies. "Idiots, all of you!" he screamed maniacally, "Zod cannot be so easily defeated." He knocked Jackson out with a punch and winded Arthur with a hit to the stomach. The only one left fighting him was Indigo, who put up a good show. "You are not killing anyone else today, Zod," Debbie defiantly told him, "Not on my watch." She managed to actually give Zod a black eye by punching him with all her strength while her father watched on sadly and shed a tear, knowing what was to come. Zod then grabbed her by the throat, and Debbie looked to her father shedding a mutual tear in acknowledgement. Garth leapt at Zod only to be tossed aside like a ragdoll. "How would you like to die, Queen of Xebel?" the Kryptonian hissed menacingly through gritted teeth. "Screw you, Zod!" she spat directly into his face. Zod smirked before reaching his free hand through Debbie's chest and pulling her heart out with his super strength. "No!" Garth screamed while Tula and Orin looked on in horror at their mother being killed. Zod laughed while Debbie, her eyes fluttering before her expiration uttered her last words of, "Now, Father."

Atlan suddenly was surrounded by bolts of lightning as Debbie's blood glowed. "Through the blood of my child, General Zod, I banish you and your followers, Black Manta, Hila and their Death Squad to the Abyss of No End. The Howling Halls beyond the universe. Arion's prison for the Great Old Ones. I, Atlan, do this in the name of my daughter, Debbie Perkins, Queen of Xebel and Mother of Destiny. Daughter, I release thee." Zod was suddenly seized by eldritch energy as were all his allies there including most of Orm's soldiers nearby who were still killing civilians. Tendrils of light dragged them through a portal which opened above the square. Tentacles and a dark eye emerged from it. Zod screamed in terror at seeing the eye look directly at him. "Do not look, any of you," Atlan barked at everyone else who turned their heads away. All those held by its tendrils were absorbed into the vortex as the eye withdrew into it. "Release me, I beg of you!" Zod shouted at Atlan, showing genuine fear, knowing that where he was going was worse than the Phantom Zone, "Have pity!"

"Pity? As you had for Debbie. I hope the millennia drag on as long as possible, Zod. Begone!"

And with that, there was a blast of light and the villains were gone. Garth walked over to his wife's body and just stared coldly as their children wept by her side. Arthur was pained, knowing that Garth had been widowed again. His boy. He went to hold him, but Garth simply held a hand up to push away the hug. "This was your plan for her, Atlan?" Tempest coldly asked his father-in-law. "One of them," Atlan nodded sadly, "Arion sent his enemies to the abyss by sacrificing his child to perform a blood ritual. It requires the blood of the sorcerer casting it to work. The rite was only ever used on the worst criminals in Atlantean history. Their torment will be endless." "She was your daughter," Arthur said disgruntledly. "And I am glad she is gone and not you, Arthur, my beloved boy," the sorcerer smiled. AJ ran away from his grandfather and into his father's arms. Aquaman just shook his head in disbelief. "Get out of here, you vile old man," he commanded, the authority of a king returning to him, "We don't need your help anymore." "I foresaw that," Atlan sighed, "Which is why my Seven Soldiers are busy stopping Orm from releasing a separate Great Old One as we speak." Arthur's eyes widened, as did everyone else's and their grief left them, running to join Diana and Hippolyta at the citadel. Atlan merely sighed and departed through a portal to the Netherspace, his family having disowned him for saving his home.

In the armoury of the citadel, Diana and Hippolyta stood over many downed civilians and reclaimed their weapons, particularly the Lasso of Truth and Kindunos for Diana. "The blade suits you, daughter," Hippolyta smiled as she reattached her girdle. "Thank you, Mother," she reluctantly smiled at such praise, "Now let us make sure Lorena and Mera are alright." Lifting her sword up, Diana followed her mother out of the door only for it to slam shut in front of her and time seemed to stand still. "I was hoping now would be a good time to talk," Ares whispered from behind her. "I have nothing to say to you," she tried to ignore her nemesis. "I did not know Hippolyta was mine," the War God sincerely pleaded for her to hear him out, "Truly. Mother informed me long after we met that you were my blood." "I am not your blood," Wonder Woman scoffed, "I am my mother's child forged of clay." "Your mother is my blood," Ares pointedly reminded her, "Therefore, you are." "We all know you treat your blood so well, Ares," the princess laughed, "Like your half-sister. My dear Cassie. You used her like a tool. You nearly broke her when she had risen above so much. You disgust me with your claims of loving your blood."

"Cassandra Sandsmark? Why should I treat her with any respect? My father has a myriad of mongrel children with mortals. It's my own children I care for, and Hippolyta is far from a mongrel anymore. I can't even remember your grandmother, though apparently, she was my wife when I was young. Back before the people of this world had fire. I moved on from her as soon as her body started to age and wither. But then her daughter became Queen of the Amazons, and that changed everything. She was an immortal queen of all-consuming power. I didn't know she was my daughter, and if I'm honest, I doubt I'd have cared, Diana. Not one jot. Your mother was just the leader of my enemies. The women were given eternal life by my mother, aunts, sisters and brother to prove me wrong in front of my father. I hated your mother. And at the moment I am indifferent to Hippolyta. But you…you killed me, Diana. And now not only do you realise you're the only being ever to do that, but you're a kinslayer too."

"What do you want, Ares?"

"Are you not going to call me, Pappóus? I'm hurt, darling. What I want is for you to become the greatest warrior the world has ever known. I don't expect you to serve me, but I expect you to live up to your blood as my grandchild. And to do that you must defeat Eobard Thawne. You will start today…by killing Ocean Master."

"Don't be foolish, Ares. You know I won't kill him."

"No? Why not? You do realise he's summoning something down there. The kind of creature my aunt, Hestia, told us of as a thing beyond time when we were children."

"What are you babbling about?"

"Have you ever heard of the Great Old Ones? Ah, I can see in your eye you have an inkling of what I speak of. They are beings…from before our universe was born. They have either died, retired or been trapped by some form of primitive resistance to them by now. We helped in some cases. Well, Orm built this city above one of their tombs. And he's going to unleash the creature and become its master through a blood sacrifice of his unborn niece unless you stop him."

"Of course I'll stop him."

"But you have to kill him. He knows of the Great Old Ones. He is insane. If he lives, he might try and do something else. Kill him, Diana. You don't have the power to banish him anymore. You're not chthonic now."

"I will deal with him in my own way, Ares. Now let me go."

"Naturally. Just remember what I said. Ocean Master cannot live."

In the bowels of the citadel, shamanic mages assembled around a green pool, tinged with red from the blood of all who had had theirs shed within it. They began ululating as Lorena and Mera were brought before them. Orm was now wearing his traditional Ocean Master costume, and had his wrists bandaged, having smeared some of his own blood on his face. He caressed Lorena's face inappropriately and longingly again, so she bit his thumb. "Feisty, eh?" he smirked as he smeared his blood from the thumb on her cheeks in defiance. Lorena wouldn't have this. She wasn't helpless. She stood up in anger only to be held down by one of Orm's elite guards who had been guarding this pool. "Charybdis leave her be," he told the guard, "She can still be my bride when this is all over. She can hardly resist a god now can she? Actually, the power I will have when this is done…god isn't a word that would do it justice." "What are you doing, Orm?" Mera asked. Her eyes widened as he withdrew a knife and traced it along her belly. "Using the blood of the royal family to awaken an ancient evil my ancestor, Arion stored below this volcano years ago," he exposited grimly, "It's why I built the palace here. So that if my power were ever threatened, I could call upon the beast with some dark magic I learned during my time with the refugees…to unleash it as my slave upon an unsuspecting world."

"And you would use my child?"

"Well, it requires a life to be taken in the ritual. All the magic to access the dimension does, as well as specifically Arion's unfiltered, royal Atlantean blood. As Arthur's child…that baby has the perfect supply. Do not fret Mera, we shall have many more children after today."

"You are sick, Orm. We should never have trusted you."

"You know I did want peace. I genuinely did want Arthur and the rest of you to live happily…but I got a better offer from Eddie Thawne. Sorry about that, but soon you'll be a queen again. Just see the baby as one of the eggs for our omelette."

Mera spat in his face. Orm seethed in disgust as he hit her with the handle of the knife in the cheek. Lorena raged again as Charybdis held her back. The piranha-faced creature looked hungry, but Orm managed to successfully calm him down with a steady motion of his hand. "None can stop me, Mera," he chillingly told her, "You may as well accept your fate. I am sorry your child will be lost to you, but as I said…it is meaningless in the long run. Commence the ritual!" The sorcerers started chanting in an ancient language as they all slit their wrists, and Orm opened his bandages to pour into the pool. Then a green mist appeared above them. "It can't be coming already. Can it?" Then an albino face emerged with a green hood from the mist. "Atlantis forgive me. I hope this makes amends," the Spectre said as he smote all of the sorcerers with lightning. Orm fled in terror only to be punched in the face by Steel behind him as Mera and Lorena were released from their bonds by Frankenstein and Ryan Choi. "Ryan, you're alive?" Lorena asked incredulously. "Long story involving the Microverse," he laughed.

Orm was then put on his knees while the Spectre and Doctor Fate consumed Charybdis in their spells. "But…I was going to release the Great Old One," he wept in disbelief, "Become all-powerful." "As ever, Orm," Mera remarked, "You prove yourself pathetic again." She then punched him in the face and he fell over. Lorena seemed uncomfortable, having not enjoyed one bit of the experience of being Orm's captor and forced fiancée, so Mera gave the young girl a hug. "Hush child, we are safe," she reminded her surrogate daughter, "And my child will have an excellent godmother in you, Lorena." "Thank you, Mera," she cried into the bosom of the closest thing she had to a mother. Diana and Hippolyta arrived down and Diana was as surprised as anyone Orm was already beaten and being dragged to a cell by people she didn't expect to see here. She wanted to argue. Something inside her was saying she should call for his execution, but she wouldn't. Instead, she hugged Mera and Lorena as peace was finally restored to New Atlantis.

The dead of Orinopolis was over a thousand that day. Many Atlantean civilians had been caught in the crossfire or deliberately killed on Orm's orders. Now he rotted in a dank cell whilst Arthur pondered his words holding his wife. She held AJ close to her as he felt her stomach knowing his sister awaited within. "Are you not excited AJ is here, Arthur?" his queen asked him, "And that you are going to be a father again?" "I am, Mera," he said, his manner not displaying the truth of his words, "Truly. But I have a child that Vulko claimed is alive. Koryak." "His body disappeared from Poseidonis," she said, "I meant to tell you." "That explains it then," he sighed, stroking his chin in contemplation, "But he also said Tula and Dolphin were alive. There is something truly disturbing about all this. There's no sign of any of them." "I think," Mera said, laying a kiss on her husband's lips, "You should be with Garth. They're lighting the funeral pyre tonight." Arthur nodded and headed down to meet his ward.

In the square, many bodies were being burned but pride of place was being granted to Indigo. Debbie Perkins, Queen of Xebel, who had given her life to drive the invaders from Orinopolis. Orkanax took Atlan's place in the funeral rites at Garth's request as he burned her corpse in the magma of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. "Goodbye, my love," he said without sounding in any way sad as Tula and Orin wept for their mother. Arthur then joined them as he saw the Seven Soldiers lamenting their fallen comrade in equal measure. "It was good of them to provide their aid tonight," he said grimly but sincerely, "Who knows what Orm might have done with that power?" He knew Garth would not want to talk of his loss. And he didn't want to talk strategy either. He just ignored Arthur altogether before turning around and saying, "I need to talk to Mera and Jackson as soon as possible, Arthur." "About what?" he asked his old ward. "Family business," Garth said dispassionately, "It need not concern you." That broke Arthur's heart. In so many ways. He may have regained his biological son but it seemed now as if he'd lost his adopted one.

Garth came to Mera's sanctum and hugged her and AJ intensely. Jackson was sitting with Lorena holding her tightly, reminding her that she was loved and that as long as she had friends in them, whatever Orm did or would have done to her didn't matter. Just two friends showing an intense platonic love and protection of each other's feelings. "Garth," Mera said, "I am so sorry." "I am used to it, Mera," he glibly noted, "You know that now. At least she died with purpose. Unlike Dolphin and Cerdian. Now we have two children I must be a father to." "Did you love her in the end?" she asked the younger man caringly. "Deeply," Tempest said, allowing a tear to fall from his face for the first time since she died, "Very deeply. I didn't know I could love like that again after Dolphin. But there is something I need to tell you, Mera. Jackson should probably listen as well." Kaldur perked his ear up then at the mention of his name. "You see Mera," Garth continued, "My mother was from Xebel. She was a princess of Xebel. Do you remember your mother?" "Not really, no," she shook her head, "She left when myself and Hila were very young. Why?" "Because she was Berra," he answered, "My mother. You are my half-sister, Mera." Mera was shocked, though not entirely taken aback. Garth and she had always had an affinity. She assumed it was her maternal feelings for him as Arthur's charge, similar to how she felt for Lorena. But like with Jackson it was a bond of blood they hadn't quite realised. Or both, as anyone with wisdom could see. "Well then…it is my honour to call you brother," she kissed him on the cheek and they hugged again as AJ childishly held onto their legs.

The next day, Arthur was seated on the throne of Orm. The new king it seemed. But he didn't want to be. There was an assembly of the nobles sitting before him as Diana and Hippolyta joined them. "You are king once more, then?" the former asked her old friend. "Not by choice," he grumbled quietly, "I'm just the senior member of the royal family still standing." "And you saved the city," she reminded him. "No, my father did that at the cost of my sister's life," he sighed, "A sister I didn't even know. All for filthy blood magic." "You led the charge, Arthur," Wonder Woman retorted, "People saw your fight with Zod when you should have lain down and been executed. Embracing the Blood of Kordax has given them your support and many see this as a new era of peace for the entire ocean world. You could be a popular king again." "King of an insular society I don't want to rule," Aquaman scoffed, "I'm tired of serving people like this. People are fickle." "You are a fine king, Orin," Queen Hippolyta said immodestly. "Ah, praise from on high indeed," he smiled with genuine appreciation at the compliment, "But I cannot, Queen Hippolyta."

"No, Arthur," Garth said as he entered with Mera, AJ, Jackson, Lorena and his children, "You must take the throne. Not of New Atlantis. That is nothing. Meaningless. A city state." "Then where?" his adopted father queried, "Are you abdicating Xebel?" "Sort of," he told him, "I will remain their king, but your father wanted reformation after today. The end of an absolute monarchy, with an elected federation running all the aquatic civilisations. But with one figurehead, and some kings to hold some executive power." "Federation?" Arthur laughed, "Don't be ridiculous."

"Why not? I have brought Xebel to your side, that's your only real obstacle. The rest already serve you, more or less."

"I can't—"

"You'll only be a figurehead. Appoint someone you trust to rule here. Your family will be a constitutional symbol of our tradition. It's not perfect, but as Atlan said…Atlantis and Xebel are stagnant utopias which won't accept change all that well. We need you to be something you're not. Continue being a hero to represent our people well. For us. For Atlantis."

"Atlantis is gone."

"Atlantis is not one place. It's the sea. It's where all marine life lives. Atlantis is the seven seas of the Earth. And they will need a leader greater than me to take them into battle, Arthur. My friend. My father. My king."

"There's no swaying you is there? Very well. I shall be your figurehead, Garth."

Garth then snapped his fingers and two guards brought forward a golden crown bejewelled and appearing to have the gills of a mermaid. It was Arthur's old crown. Not to mention the Trident of Poseidon was there as well. Handing them to Aquaman, Tempest stood back and smiled before proclaiming their new sovereign. "All hail Emperor Arthur of House Curry, the Resurrected! Lord of the Seven Seas and Emperor of Atlantis! High King of all who dwell in the deep! Saviour of the World! All hail, Arthur, the Once and Future King!" The cry went up around the assembly as Diana and Hippolyta withdrew their blades and knelt before Arthur in respect. Mera approached her husband and held his hand, saying "Our daughter will grow up with a hero for a father, Arthur. She always would have. But now she can grow up in a world her father helped to save from the very brink."