Aquaman

Aquaman walked forward slowly and deliberately. The air stank of fire and sulfur, and the thick acidic air was clinging to his damp skin like grime. He looked at the towering grey skinned giant that stood before him. Skin like raw granite, rough and cracked. The giant’s eyes flash blood red, crackling with lethal and powerful energy. Muscles bulged beneath the craggily surface, mountains and valleys of flesh. The face looked savage and fierce but the eye betrayed the animalistic image. Behind the red orbs was intelligence and cunning without the slightest hint of decency or morality. He was evil incarnate.

Darkseid, lord of the dark and twisted planet of Apokolips, walked forward across his own throne room to meet the Sea King. Aquaman stopped and stood his ground. Darkseid walked right up to the Atlantean and looked down on the smaller monarch. Aquaman didn’t even blink faster as he looked up at the being that gave Superman pause in a fight.

“What are you doing on my planet?” Darkseid said with a deep echoing voice. It grated down spines like rocks on chalkboards.

Aquaman looked right into the glowing eyes, “I believe you have something of mine.”

A few hours earlier Aquaman had looked out at the rocky plain that surrounded the city of Poseidonis. The stretch of open ground was littered with bodies and rubble and the water was thick with oil, dust, blood, and ichor. The water was a hazy brown colour, a cloud that hung in the water and slowly spread outward.

“Casualties?” he asked Vulko, not turning from his gaze on the battle field.

“Forty soldiers were killed and another eighty were injured. Most are expected to make it. We lost almost one hundred craft in the assault with the rest suffering some form of damage. Three quarters are still operational. After their reinforcements arrived we estimate almost three hundred Parademons were slain and half that were incapacitated.”

The king shook his head sadly. “I leave the repairs in your hands,” he told the portly advisor.

“Of course, King Orin.”

“Rebuild the ships. Get to work repairing the least damaged first. We need as many workable ships as soon as possible.”

Mera shook her head in disbelief, “You still intend to go through with this foolhardy plan?”

Her ex-husband nodded, “Can you think of a better one? Or would you prefer to leave Garth to the tender mercies of Desaad?”

Darkseid had grabbed Tempest then staged a mock invasion to distract from the abduction. All the Atlantean soldiers and Parademons had died just to cover the schemes of a mad god. Aquaman felt his blood begin to boil at the thought, the casual disregard for life.

Mera shook her head, “No. We do need to get him back. But attacking Apokolips?! That’s suicide! If you could even get there.”

Aquaman nodded and walked out of the room to a small side room between the throne room and his private quarters. Mera was partially right, he thought to himself. Getting to Apokolips was no simple feat, it existed in a separate part of space and was unreachable by conventional means. He opened the locked door and walked up to his transport tube, the direct link to the League’s watchtower on the moon. He keyed in his personal code and teleported himself millions of miles in the blink of an eye.

The transporter made his skin feel all tingly and distorted, like fingers running themselves up and down his body while he was being shot out of a cannon. Space seemed to twist and bend around his body as he phased between the two points. There was no real sense of movement, but then he wasn’t really moving. Everything moved around him. The teleporter was a combination of Atlantean, Martian, Kryptonian, and Human technology and worth the effort.

Flash was on monitor duty at the Watchtower. Aquaman found the speedster watching every news channel simultaneously while checking the global monitors for crises. “Hello, Arthur,” the scarlet speedster said with a grin as he saw Aquaman walk in. “What can I do for you this evening?”

“I need to get in touch with New Genesis. Mister Miracle or Orion. I have need of a Mother Box.”

“Right. We have a direct line with them in case of emergency. I’ll call em up,” Flash said as he appeared on the communications console. “What do you need a Mother Box for anyway? Other than making Boom Tubes? Planning on speeding up whale migrations with some tubing?”

“I’m invading Apokolips.”

Flash stopped for a second in mid-action. “I don’t think I heard that right. Could you repeat it?”

“Don’t worry,” Aquaman said, “I have a plan.”

Highfather had been more than happy to help and sent Scott Free over with a couple of Mother Boxes. They were the pinnacles of New Genesis’ technology, miniature sentient computers that could open up wormhole like Boom Tubes and reshape matter. Aquaman stepped out of the glowing tube of energy into the capital complex of the dark fiery world. He stepped out of the tube alone, his forces remained behind him in Atlantis.

He walked straight past the huddled groups of Lowlies, the poorest and most wretched of Apokolips’ residents, and towards the towering doors of the cavernous entrance to Darkseid’s citadel. He adjusted the Mother Box in his belt and started up the stairs.

The colossal doors swung open with the sound of two bounders grinding together. Steppenwolf, Darkseid’s chief general, strode forward down the stairs towards Aquaman. The huge New God adjusted his grip on his powerful Electro-axe, it was the weapon of choice for the leader of Apokalips’ armed forces.

He spoke with calm, dangerous, authority. “Give me one reason why I should not kill you where you stand, Earth man?” he asked grimly.

Aquaman stopped in front of him. “What? Is Darkseid afraid to face me himself?”

If Steppenwolf could smile at anything other than battle, he would have at this. “Darkseid afraid? Do not attempt to test my intelligence, human.”

“I’m not human,” Aquaman said as he stepped around the armored figure and proceeded up the steps. “If Darkseid isn’t frightened of me he shouldn’t mind my seeing him in person.”

Steppenwolf moved to grab Aquaman’s arm, the sea king spun around and glared at the larger man. “Do you presume to make Darkseid’s decisions for him?” Aquaman asked with narrow eyes. “Are you sure your interference is what your lord wished?”

Steppenwolf paused for a second and Aquaman entered the citadel. The throne room was easy to find. It was in the middle with all the main corridors leading towards it. The room was huge, designed to be imposing and make the visitors feel small and insignificant. Darkseid sat in the middle of the room. He watched the Sea King enter. A smile appeared on the granite lips. This might prove to be interesting.

Aquaboy looked around at all the commotion in the city. People were running all over the place helping to repair the damaged military crafts, ready the city for further attacks, and get everything prepared for Aquaman’s plan. Mera was coordinating efforts of the entire population of the city and had even sent for some troops from the nearby city of Tritonis.

The youth walked about the palace and felt like an intruder. He kept expecting someone to show up and toss him out in the street. He had grown up in the outskirts of Tritonis, the city of Mer-people, and had never really been in Poseidonis before. Even now he had been hurried into the palace and he hadn’t had a chance to look around and see the sights.

He had heard great things about the capital city of Atlantis and wanted to look around while he could. The museum was reputed to be one of the best museums world-wide including sunken surfacer treasure, century old relics, and artifacts dating to before the sinking. Seeing that was mostly for bragging rights. Seren was more interested in the food and big buildings, not to mention the wresting competitions. Four people in a cage-like sphere trying to avoid being pinned to any of the walls. He was lost in thoughts of putting on a disguise and becoming the last-man-standing when he walked straight into Mera.

“Oh… I’m sorry,” she said quietly turning to look at the lad.

“S’okay,” he muttered quietly and trying to walk away.

“Wait a second,” she said, grabbing Seren by the shoulder. “You’re that new Aquaboy, aren’t you?” she asked.

He nodded.

Mera looked him over. “I’ve heard rumors. People say that you’re Arthur’s… King Orin’s child.”

“Yup,” Seren said quietly. “He’s my pa.”

Mera looked at the youth. He was almost twice the age Arthur Jr. would have been if he had lived. She could see the resemblance between the two. The faces and eyes were identical. She could have been looking at a copy of her dead child. “So what’s the idea with the whole ‘Aquaboy’ costume? Hoping to take the place of anyone?”

Aquaboy blinked. “My name is Seren. Not Koryak. I don’t want no stinking crown!”

“Of course,” Mera said sarcastically. “So you just happened to dress up in a costume almost identical to Aquaman’s original uniform and take up the family business? For what? An overwhelming urge to wear orange?”

Seren clenched his fists. “I don’t give a damn what you think,” he said angrily. “I decided to do this because I wanted to. It was my choice to dress like this. My choice to go fight crime with the Titans. I have nothing to prove to you!!” Seren said and swam back the way he came.

Mera sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. “That could have gone better,” she muttered. She just hadn’t been ready for it. He had just looked so much like him, it had thrown her off. She could still remember what it was like holding him in her arms and watching him sleep.

Seren swam back to the guest quarters he was staying at. He wished he could have proven her wrong, but he couldn’t. He wasn’t even completely sure why he was doing the costume thing. He liked helping people, but it wasn’t his destiny like some of the other Titans. There had been no pressure to put on the uniform. He hadn’t felt the urge to go out and make a difference, he had just sort of stumbled into the role.

Seren smiled to himself. “What a pathetic hero I am,” he muttered.

Darkseid’s laughter filled the room and echoed off the high vaulted ceiling and ricocheted off the cavernous walls. The room was filled with humorless laughter.

“You expect me to just hand over the youth to you?”

Aquaman nodded.

Darkseid just grinned. “After all the trouble I went to getting him I am now expected to just hand him over.”

“Yes,” Aquaman said not moving from his spot.

Darkseid looked straight into the Sea King’s hard eyes. “Now tell me. Why?”

“Because you don’t need him anymore,” Aquaman said.

“Oh really.”

“Yes. You probably finished with him minutes after you seized him. I don’t expect you to waste any time.”

“And say I am finished with him.” Darkseid said calmly. “Why would I not simply have disposed of him?”

Aquaman smiled. “What? And just waste a potential resource like that? I thought you had brains, Darkseid.”

The New God’s eyes narrowed and flared with energy. “Do not test me, Earthling. You do not want to see me angered.”

“No, I imagine I don’t. Nor do you want to see me angry. I will ask you one last time, return Tempest.”

“And if I do not?”

Aquaman’s eyes narrowed. “Then I can promise you that you will have to fight for him. Not just me, not just Atlantis, but the entire Earth. I will not be the last person to come here looking for Tempest. The Outsiders and JLA will follow soon after. Probably even the Teen Titans. I imagine that New Genesis will raise an eventual interest. Apokolips will be swarming with heroes looking to find or avenge the loss. Even if you can defeat them it is bound to tax your resources and test your patience. Not to mention slow down all your current schemes.”

Darkseid looked at him. “You make a convincing point. But I am not swayed. Leave now before I change my mind and destroy you.”

“One last chance,” Aquaman said. “A favor from one king to another.”

Darkseid turned and walked away not even bothering to acknowledge the comment.

“Fine. You had your chance,” Aquaman said, activating a Boom Tube from the Mother Box. He stepped into the tube and sent out a single telepathic signal. One word. ‘Now.’

Boom Tubes opened all across Apokolips. There was a rush from the tubes as several thousand gallons of water poured out. The New Gods had been kind enough to point out an unpopulated aquatic planet to tap. The water shot out and into the fire pits and down to the molten core of the planet. Steam billowed from the colossal pits as water evaporated on contact. Clouds rolled and flowed across the sky for the first time in centuries. In a few minutes it would begin to rain water on Apokolips for the first time in a millennia.

Darkseid looked at the glowing tubes that dotted his sky and threatened to destroy the ecological balance of his planet. He snarled and spun around. Twin beams of pink energy shot from his eyes, the Omega Beams. The locked on to their target of Aquaman and sped forward with impeccable accuracy, dodging around cover and pillars. Aquaman just stepped farther into the Boom Tube and closed it. The beams searched around aimlessly and faded.

Aquaman appeared back in Poseidonis. “Are the ships ready?” he asked.

Vulko pointed to the fleet. Aquaman smiled and opened another series of tubes.

The Atlantean fleet shot out and scanned around for their targets. The main power generators for Desaad’s central complex.

The ships dodged through the air and fired rockets at the shielded generators. Explosions shook the entire block. The armor cracked and the generators exploded sending darkness across the complex.

The fleet leader signaled back. “The power is out and the shield is down.”

Aquaman nodded and sent tubes to pick up the fleet as he activated a personal one. He stepped through and into the heart of Desaad’s fortress. Strapped to the far wall was a bloody and injured Tempest.

“Arthur?” he moaned fighting to remain conscious.

“Yes, Garth,” Aquaman said as he ripped the wires from his youthful sidekick and pulled the restraints from the wall. “I’m here.”

“How did you find me… this place is shielded,” Tempest said weakly. “He kept… bragging about it.”

“Electronically I couldn’t. But you’re the only marine life on this planet. Finding your general location was simple. You stood out in my mind like a flounder in a school of eels.”

Desaad crouched down and hid behind the main torture controls. He pulled on his metallic killing gloves and crept slowly forward. His knees shook as he slipped up behind the Earthling. He powered up the gloves and prepared to send a hundred thousand volts through the invading fish-man’s head.

Aquaman spun round and kicked Desaad in the chin. “Try washing your hair sometime. I smelled you the second I stepped into the room.”

Desaad howled in pain as he hit the far wall. “My jaw, my poor jaw…” he moaned rubbing his face. “You’ll pay for that!”

Aquaman helped Tempest to the Boom Tube and handed him to Mera who was just on the other side. Aquaman began to step through, then paused. The sea king walked to the torturer.

Desaad cowered from the Atlantean. Aquaman snarled at him. “You’re a sadist gaining pleasure from hurting people and inflicting pain.”

Desaad shrugged. “It’s a living.”

Aquaman smiled evilly. “Not any longer.” He reached out mentally and grabbed a hold of the cringing lackey’s mind. “I can’t punish Darkseid directly, but I can take it out on you.” He telepathically twisted and pulled at Desaad’s mind.

Desaad howled in pain and fought the telepathic invasion. The sea king slowly broke through the mental blocks and psychic guards placed in there. Aquaman gritted his teeth from the effort, the mind was so twisted and alien. Drastically altering his mind would be impossible, but he just had to make one tiny change.

Aquaman relaxed, “Done. From now on you are no longer a sadist. You’re a masochist.”

Desaad looked up at him. “What?” he whispered quietly. It didn’t seem like it would change much.

Aquaman smiled. “You now only gain pleasure from your own suffering,” he said. “Your own discomfort and no one else’s. From now on the only person you’ll get off on torturing will be yourself.”

Aquaman turned and walked through the Boom Tube.

Darkseid looked at the computer readouts and frowned. There was flooding and water damage and sudden mudslides all over Apokolips. The cities were protected from invasion and assault and even plagues but not from water damage.

Desaad whimpered from behind him where he was driving needles into his legs. “What now, oh great Lord Darkseid?” he muttered softly.

Darkseid looked at the screens one last time then shut them off. “It matters not. Nothing the insect did affects me in the least.”

“But he took the prisoner!” Desaad whined.

“After we had completed the scans and found out what we had wanted.”

“You never told me what to look for exactly… What was I looking for?”

“Magic. Or what the humans call magic. It is something that intrigues me. I have seen it do much, even humble pure Anti-life*. I want to know more. It is an x-factor in my plans, and I hate x-factors.”

(*see the must read ‘Cosmic Odyssey’ mini.)

Desaad nodded then stabbed himself through the hand and bit back a scream.

Aquaboy looked at Tempest where he lay in bed. “You look like shit,” Seren commented.

Tempest smiled. “Gee. Thanks ever so much.”

“Don’t mention it. And I’m tempted to pay you back for those lumps you gave me earlier.”

Aquaman raised an eyebrow, “I don’t believe I heard about that.”

Garth shrugged, “I wanted to make sure he was the right kid for the job. Worthy to follow in my footsteps.”

Aquaman nodded, “And my blessing wasn’t enough?” He stopped for a second, “What do you mean ‘follow in your footsteps?’ He goes by Aquaboy, not Aqualad.”

Garth shrugged, “He’s still kinda following after me.”

Aquaboy looked at Garth, “Wait a second, you used to be called ‘Aqualad’?!”

“So?”

“What kind of dumb name is that? Aqualad. Yeesh.”

“What kind of dumb name is Aquaboy?”

“Better than Aqualad, laddie.”

Garth frowned at the youth as Seren stuck out his tongue.

Aquaman watched the display. “I guess now is as good a time as any since you are all here.” The monarch waved Vulko over and gestured Mera closer.

“What is it?” Mera asked.

“As some of you may know I’ve had my doubts over Garth’s role in Atlantis’ future. I do not believe he is suited for the burden of leadership and kingship. I spent more time training him to be a sidekick and a hero than being a king.”

Garth sat up straight in disbelief. “What?”

Aquaman nodded. “Sorry, but it’s true. You’re a better hero than I am but you’d make a lousy king.”

Garth shrugged, “Well you got me there.”

“Spread the word, Vulko. This is an official proclamation,” Aquaman continued. “Effective immediately my new heir and prince of Atlantis is my son, Seren.”

Mouths dropped and eyes widened at the news. Mera struggled for words and Vulko looked dumbfounded. Seren just stared at his father. “I’m the what?!”

The End...

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