Aquaman

Tempest kicked his legs against the water and felt the cool liquid slide past his entire body like an old lover’s caress. He lazily swam back to Atlantis, enjoying himself immensely. It seemed like years since he had just gone out for a swim, just him and the ocean depths. There were no dangerous war-causing subs to track down or evil villains with psychic or reincarnatory powers to defeat. Just the will and the waves.

He stopped and treaded water for a few seconds and took a few deep breaths of salt water. There was nothing that tasted better or felt as good to breathe as fresh ocean water. He was far enough away so that the pollutants that clog the shoreline were a distant aftertaste. He inhaled deeply as his lungs and skin soaked up the oxygen.

Atlanteans are partially amphibious. They absorbed water and oxygen directly through their skin in addition to through their lungs. Tempest felt the life giving water leach through his costume and into his blood, invigorating and revitalizing him. He thought about Arthur and his connection to marine life and how he must feel sensing the life-force all around and intimately knowing the connection between both through sharing the same source of life. Water was important to everyone…water was life. The human body was almost eighty percent water and the average Atlantean more so. Water was the true lifeblood of the planet flowing and spreading in an endless cyclic journey.

Garth knew all this. He felt it deep in his soul, the very core of his being through his mystical lineage. He felt the power and force of the world’s artery, but he knew Arthur was in the heart. Garth couldn’t help but feel slightly envious. He kicked off and started back on his way, taking renewed pleasure in the swaying seaweed and passing fish.

The tranquility ended with a sudden explosion of noise and a brilliant flash of light. Garth spun around to face the source of the disturbance. He squinted through the brightness the lit the darkness of the ocean. His eyes stung from the glare as he fought for a good look. His mouth flapped open as he saw the light for what it was and realized the implications.

Dozens of Parademons sailed through the Boom Tube and straight at the young Atlantean Prince. His eyes flared purple as he braced himself for the onslaught.

The royal palace of Atlantis was oddly silent despite the crowds in front of the imposing structure. Wreaths of flowers adorned the ornamental wall surrounding the building as people swam by in quiet reverence and respect.

King Orin sat motionless on the throne, he had not moved for what seemed like hours. His advisor, Vulko, swam back and forth nervously, occasionally looking out at the crowd.

“I swear it gets bigger ever year,” he muttered under his breath as he tugged on his long white beard.

Aquaman looked up. “Did you say something, Vulko?” he asked the portly Atlantean.

Vulko jumped at the sudden noise. “It was… I meant…” he stammered suddenly.

The sea-king sighed sadly. “You really do not need to tiptoe around the… uh… doggy paddle around the subject. It has been many years. It is an old wound and a fading scar.”

Vulko looked at his king softy. “But a scar that will never fully heal. How long has it been again?”

Aquaman looked away at the far wall. “He would have been eight. Almost nine. As surfacers tell time.” He looked across the throne room to where his wife… his ex-wife… sat looking at a small portrait that hung on the wall.

It captured a moment of better times, a perfect memory frozen. A young king and queen and their infant son looking happy, prepared for anything life could throw at them. Or so they had thought.

Aquaman swam over to Mera and rested a hand gently on her shoulder. Her head whipped around trailing long red behind, her eyes locked coldly on him. Anyone else would have flinched back from the visual blow but Aquaman stood there softly, his own eyes subtly showing the pain he would never voice but still held. Her features melted into mutual sympathy.

“Oh, Arthur,” she muttered softly. “It’s just….” He nodded knowingly.

She smiled for a second before her face refroze. She straightened and rose from her chair.

“No,” she voiced firmly. “I refuse to dwell on the past. I have spent enough time there already.”

She swam across the great hall away from Aquaman and towards Vulko. “There must be something more pressing to deal with than this. Was Garth not meant to have returned by now? It is unfitting for the crown prince to be away so long.”

Aquaman swam up to her. “He’s his own man now with responsibilities and of his own. The Outsiders and his ambassadorship take up much of his time.”

Mera turned back to her former husband. “He also has responsibilities and obligations here.”

Aquaman glared at her. Deep inside he knew she was not upset about Tempest and that this had nothing to do with him. “I know you were raised in a formal court but Garth wasn’t. He raised himself for ten years and spent the rest of the time fighting brightly clad criminals or training in another dimension.”

“So? You had a similar childhood but you did not neglect your royal duties!”

Aquaman bit his lip silently to suppress his temper. He was torn between the desire to fall into Mera’s arms and hold her tight and the urge to put his fist through the palace wall. He walked away slowly, trying to choose his words carefully. “I am beginning to realize more and more that Garth is a superhero in every sense of the word. He has chosen his life.” Aquaman pushed open the window to the balcony and walked out of the hall. “I had the life of a hero pushed on me. I had little else. I had no real home then; Atlantis had cast me out. Criminals, villains, and adventures sought me out. Garth seeks them. He goes where his friends are and where he’s needed. He’s an adventurer at heart. He’s not torn between the surface and the depths like I was. He knows his place and it’s not here.”

Mera blinked at him in disbelief. “What are you saying?” she asked in wonder. She turned to Vulko and saw a similar look on his aged face.

The sea-king turned back and faced them, his eyes like coral. He had been thinking this over for some time. “I don’t think Garth is the one to replace me on the throne.”

Tempest fired an optic blast at the nearest Parademon and watched the green and yellow creature float backwards. He spun and flash froze ten more in place tuning them in a miniature iceberg. For every one he managed to take out of the fight three more replaced the fallen. Taloned hands and energy blasts tore at his costume and skin. His muscles burned and his body felt weakened but he forced himself to continue. Magical energy coursed though him as he focused on a large group advancing on him. The water around them burst into activity, spinning wildly as Tempest created a small whirlpool in their midst. He raised the water temperature until he heard their screams and smelt boiling skin waft through the water. He kept reminding himself that they were mindless drones, that they had no individuality and were just trained to kill. But they still screamed as they burned. An even larger group swam up and took the place of the injured.

Tempest frowned and continued, he didn’t know how much longer he could continue before he blacked out, but he was going to make them earn every drop of blood!

Mera balked and Vulko looked at his king with a mixture of shock and belief.

“What?!” Mera said as she struggled to find the words, “If Tempest does not replace you, who will?”

Vulko debated with himself whether or not he should ask it. “You don’t mean Koryak do you?”

Aquaman opened his mouth to reply then stopped. He looked out the window at the crowds below and then to Mera. “Now is not the time to talk about this,” he declared. “Not today. Not on the anniversary.”

Mera looked with mixed emotion on Aquaman. She knew not to push the point. “Garth still should have been here by now,” she finally said.

Aquaman sat back down on the throne. “He’s a big boy and can handle himself.”

“That doesn’t mean I can’t still worry,” she said firmly.

Aquaman smiled softly at her. “Fair enough. I can ask the fish to keep an eye out for him.” Aquaman closed his eyes and sent out a quick message then turned back to Mera.

General Rodunn slipped in quietly and waved Vulko over. The advisor swam over and listened as the warrior whispered something into his ear.

Aquaman looked up from his conversation with Mera. “Is something wrong ,Vulko? You look worried.”

Vulko looked at the general, “I think you had better tell him, Rodunn,” he said.

The armored Atlantean strode forward and knelt low before the throne. “We have lost contact with several of our outer guard posts. Last transmissions mentioned a group of fast moving people flying underwater.”

Aquaman rose and his face darkened. “What?! Did they describe the suspects?”

“No. They were too far away to identify. But they were not in subs and moving too fast to be just swimming.”

Aquaman frowned and quickly closed his eyes again. “This is important,” he told every fish within a fifty-mile radius. “Does anyone see any man-things moving fast?”

He waited for a response. The first was from a young hunchback not far from the city. “I see man-things Swimmer,” it said in the melodic voice of the whales. “Moving to your round home. Fast. They swim without moving thick man-thing fins.”

“This is very important. Look closely at them and picture what they look like.”

The young whale formed a mental image and Aquaman focused tightly in on it. He swore. “Thank you, Estua. Swim well and sing happy songs, but it would be best if you left the area. It might get dangerous. Tell the others,” he told the hunchback.

Mera rested her hand on the Sea-King’s shoulder. “What is it Arthur?” she asked.

“Trouble,” he responded. “General Rodunn, get your men to their ships fast!”

Rodunn snapped to attention. “Yes, your Majesty,” he barked.

Aquaman led the general out of the hall as the monarch headed to his room to change out of his outfit of state. Vulko swam quickly behind. “This is the situation,” Aquaman informed his advisor. “There are a hundred or so Parademons from Apokolips heading right for us.”

Vulko’s face paled noticeably. “What are we going to do?”

Mera caught up to them. “An invasion! From Apokolips?! Should we alert the League?”

Aquaman shook his head. “Superman, Wonder Woman and J’onn might be of use but Flash and Plastic Man would be useless in wetsuits or partially crushed by the depth. And as much as I respect Batman, he isn’t much good in a war style fight, especially underwater where his agility and speed are hindered. And one good blow to their oxygen tanks and every one of them would fall. Something the Parademons would exploit. Brainless and stupid are not the same.”

“So then what do we do?” Vulko asked. “Can our military handle this? What will we do?”

Aquaman threw open the doors to his quarters and entered the royal suite. He walked to a large golden trident hanging on the wall which was the symbol of his dominion over the sea. He didn’t need to lock it up, no one but him could hold it. He picked up the Trident of Poseidon and spun around. “We will fight! Vulko, I want you to call the others. Keep trying to find Tempest. And get a hold of Indigo, or Deep Blue, or whatever Debbie is calling herself now.”

Vulko nodded. “I believe she still lives in the ruins of that surfacer ship, the Titanic.”

Aquaman nodded as he pulled on his armor. “Better call Dolphin, too. She can handle herself in a fight. And call the Teen Titans, the new Aquaboy will be useful.”

“And what about me?” Mera inquired. “I have been fighting most of my life against the foes of my kingdom.”

“I need you to coordinate the military with the rest of us. Stay closer to the city.”

Mera started to protest but Aquaman cut her off, “Your hard-water powers make you one of the most powerful. If the rest of us fall, you will have to save the city. And you’ve had the most experience leading armies.” He walked up to her and rested his hand on her shoulder as he looked into her eyes. “You may not be my wife but you are still the Queen. The people look to you as the soul of the city. They will need your strength here.”

Mera started to protest again but relented. “I’ll go get my own armor on then,” she said with a sad grin.

He ran his tongue past the sharpened teeth and licked his lips out of habit. He really didn’t need to as he was underwater, but it was the effect he was going for. A delicious motion of anticipation.

He turned back to the mass of Parademons as they fussed over the beaten and limp body of the human Tempest. The others were strapping him down to a stretcher for transport back to Apokolips.

Spinesnap, the current assault leader of the Parademon invasion force smiled. He had been rewarded for his skill and cunning with individuality and personality, something all the other mindless shock troop were lacking. He had also been given a special mission he was just about to complete.

The Boom Tube opened behind him and Tempest was carried off to the infernal fires of Spinesnap’s home planet. He smiled and looked over the edge of the thermal cleft. The Atlantic Ocean was constantly expanding just as the Pacific was shrinking. The Pacific tectonic plate was slowly sliding under the North American plate and the Atlantic plates were sliding apart creating a rip in the planet’s crust. A long dagger cut in the surface of the Earth leading down into boiling magma and the geothermal power that helped light up Atlantis. But Darkseid had other plans for the cleft. He motioned for the Parademons to bring it forward.

Aquaman stood a half mile away from his city on a rock ledge facing the oncoming horde. He could just make them out in the distance. A small group speeding towards the city.

He tightened his grip on Poseidon’s Trident. Its godly former owner had put much power into it, if whoever touched it was not worthy to be the King of the Sea they would be driven insane until it was released. Tempest had managed to hold it for a day or two but Aquaman’s own son, Koryak, had faltered after but a few seconds. The burden of leadership was hard and required much training. He wondered if he was making the right decision.

The Parademons were closing in fast. Aquaman could feel them through the water. The shock troops were a blank spot in his senses, a hole in the Clear. They were not truly alive and not a part of the net of the ocean’s energy. The Trident amplified his connection to the Clear, he was no longer just connected to all ocean life, it also empowered him. He could feel the love and trust the fish gave him and drew strength from that support. Millions of minds touching his own. It would drive anyone nuts. Almost anyone.

The Parademons rounded a ridge and spotted him, they shot forward raising guns and blades. Aquaman stood there motionless as they closed in. They sped up and snarls ripped from their guttural throats. They wanted blood. It was what they were bred and raised to do! Spinesnap waved them forward.

Aquaman stood there motionless. They sped even closer. Aquaman didn’t even blink. They powered up their weapons and lifted their weapons. Aquaman just raised a hand. The tops of the rocky outcroppings surrounding the city popped open and dozens of large cannons slid out. Targeting sensors locked on to the rapidly moving targets. Aquaman quickly thrust down his hand and the waters became alive with energy blasts.

The Parademons swerved and tried to dodge but were cut down by hundreds of crisscrossing energy blasts. The seas boiled as particle bolts from both side shot through the ocean. The waters ran red with Parademon blood.

Spinesnap roared and charged at Aquaman, “You will fall beneath my blade, Sea King!!” he howled.

The wickedly sharp sword came swinging down at Aquaman. The Trident flashed and deflected the blade. The two weapons locked together reflecting the flashing lights all around them.

Spinesnap pushed hard, causing Aquaman to stagger backwards slightly. “These cannons were not here last time!” he snarled.

Aquaman shrugged. “I’m getting really tired of my city being attacked. I prepared.” He pushed back and Spinesnap slid backwards.

The Parademon general flew back suddenly, causing Aquaman to stumble forward. Spinesnap then shot forward, his blade held out like a harpoon as he flew at the Sea King.

Aquaman flipped the Trident around and slammed the three points upward into the sword and Spinesnap’s hands. The Parademon floated there for a second pulling to free his weapon. Aquaman concentrated. He pushed his will through the Trident. While he held it he wasn’t the just defender of the Ocean, he was the Ocean. There was a rippling of power and Spinesnap was thrown off. A whirlpool formed around him like an underwater tornado sending the spinning Parademon into the hail of laser fire.

Aquaman raised his hand again and the cannons stopped firing. The bodies of over twenty Parademons floated limply through the crimson water. He knew they were mindless drones but he still mourned the loss of life. And things were going to get much worse.

Vulko’s voice broke the graveyard tranquility. “King Orin, are you unharmed?” he asked over the small com-link.

Aquaman walked up to a higher ridge and looked out. “Fine. For now. I dealt with the advanced scouts but the main force is still advancing. How are the cannons?”

“Overheating. They were designed for larger targets like ships or Millennium Giants. Locking onto human sized individuals damaged the targeting computers.”

“As expected. Are our troops ready?”

“Yes. They are ready to move out when you give the word. Indigo has arrived while Dolphin and Aquaboy are on their way. Still no word from Tempest.”

“Probably out with the Outsiders having a grunge match with the Brotherhood and Baron Blood or whatever his name is,” Aquaman muttered. He strained his eyes and looked to the distance. He couldn’t see the main force yet. Something was blocking his view. He strained his eyes forward for a better look, but still couldn’t make out any Parademons. They were all blocked by a wave of boiling water and steam. But he could feel the size of the hole, reinforcement must have arrived from Apokolips. “Vulko… you had better give the order to recall the ships stationed around Santa Prisca.”

“Are we ending the blockade?”

“No, I’ll just have some Kraken and whales take over. But we need every ship we can get.” Aquaman said grimly, and then he saw through the steam at what was coming. What was causing the seas to bubble. Now it was close enough he could feel the rumble of footsteps and hear it’s inhuman voice.

“Thou foul sinners face the fury and wrath of the fallen angel! Prepare thyself for oblivion!!” it called out through the watery depths as it trudged forward in front of the army of Parademons.

“Oh shit,” Aquaman muttered. “Brimstone…”

To Be Continued...

Next Issue: So far Aquaman has fought Wight ‘Shark’ Bisbet, Bane, O.G.R.E. subs, and Piranha-Man. But can any of that prepare him to face a walking five story man of flaming lava?? And what about all the Parademons?

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