Work Text:
Tower of Fate
Both Kent Nelson and Nabu were a little annoyed at the fact Mar Novu and Spectre were having an argument right in their sanctuary. Phantom Stranger tried to play peacemaker but neither one was willing to listen.
Really, this was just childish in his opinion given if Jim Corrigan had been allowed, he would have helped The Monitor send Oliver Queen’s soul back in time. Unfortunately, they couldn’t as it would be violating the very laws of nature, to rip the man from his eternal reward after years and years of suffering. Even after becoming the Spectre, Oliver Queen was still very much a man who deserved to rest after all he had sacrificed, especially for the new future he has created.
Mar Novu was not pleased by his original plan having been undermined but he had no idea it was actually Oliver Queen (the very one he planned to send back) who did so, making it a little ironic in retrospect.
The Spectre however was not holding back at all in his words.
“You have defied the laws of nature and order countless times, Novu. All in pursuit of what you believe to be a ‘just’ cause when you have sown nothing but death and destruction in your path. How many worlds, both in this universe or countless others have you ravaged to prepare for the Crisis?” The Spectre said frigidly. “The only reason you still live is because the Source has not given me permission to end you yet, considering you a means to an end. Make no mistake, your time will come. You will answer for your countless atrocities, for your creation such as the abominations that are the Lazarus Pits and more. Oliver Queen most of all has suffered greatly because of you. Attempting to further undermine the golden age of heroism under him will incur my wrath for his mission to lead the heroes of this world against the Crisis is now divinely sanctioned.”
Dr. Fate silently absorbed those words, realizing that even the source had taken a big interest in this.
“You are also responsible for implanting the idea within the Joker to kill Jason Todd, leading to his death at the hands of the Batman who went on to retired in disgrace, you freed Parallax from the Power Battery in Oa, you had Ocean Master and Black Manta work together to assassinate Arthur Curry, and kept Diana of Themyscira and Clark Kent’s heroic urge suppressed with fear.” The Spectre continued, ignoring the shocked looks from Phantom Stranger and Doctor Fate, looming menacingly over the cosmic being. “You allowed and assisted the Time Masters and Eobard Thawne to rewrite history, dooming the world to the likes of Darkseid.”
“All that I have done has simply been to ensure that the world’s so-called heroes understand that they will not win with one hand tied behind their backs while another merely holds a stick.” The Monitor shot back. “That is what my goal has been from the beginning.”
“Except you have forgotten that it is their compassion that makes them better than any and all of your champions such as the amoral Amanda Waller or the gradual madness of each Ra’s al Ghul with the use of the Lazarus pits.” Dr. Fate pointed out. “That is why I believe they will succeed where as you and all of your champions and their schemes will fail.”
“We shall see, Nabu.” Mar Novu said. “We shall see.”
The Monitor opened a breach, walking into it.
“Did he truly do all you have said?” Kent Nelson inquired, taking of the helmet of fate.
“I would not say so if that were not the case, Kent Nelson.” The Spectre rumbled.
“Given all that we know Mar Novu, it is unsurprising he has gone to such lengths for the Crisis.” Phantom Stranger added. “It is also worth noting that Mobius is now back in the Anti-Matter universe, gathering his strength. It would seem come five years earlier had severely weakened him. With the Spectre’s new host, Oliver Queen, he was badly injured at the dawn of time. Not to mention that Darkseid will come for Earth. Especially when he learns of the three Mother Boxes on Earth.”
Kent grimaced, knowing he will partake in that battle, regardless of what Nabu would say (though he had a feeling he would certainly help fight the Shadow demons off). Still, he would need to have a backup plan in place.
‘I wonder how Khallid is doing these days…’ Kent internally mused.
Metropolis
Clark Kent entered his apartment, running a hand down his face. The fight with Starro the Conqueror had been… brutal, to say the least. Thankfully, all had gone as well can be with Bruce, Oliver and Sara suffering the worst injuries. Nothing life threatening but they’d need a day or two before they can continue their nightly activities.
‘And to think I considered the Batman an urban legend for years…’ Clark mused in his head. He shook his head, placing his coat on the coat hanger.
Outside of that, all has been going smoothly as the world has come to accept him. It helps that he’s been stopping crime and helping cats out of trees with the same frequency.
He entered the living room, seeing Lois passed out, the tv on as it played footage of his and the other’s fight with Starro. Seeing Hal’s feral grin as he blasted the Alien Starfish still made him a little worried for his and the others' sanity but at this point, it is what it is. Besides, doing what they did meant you had a few screws loose.
He smiled at her, carefully picking up bridal style, making sure she wouldn’t wake up. He gently placed her on their bed, kissing her forehead before going back to the living room to turn the tv off.
“We have a report of some kind of meteor like coming into the Earth’s atmosphere. Trajectories show that it will impact Central City.” Clark sighed, speeding into his suit before flying off towards Central City, arriving in mere moments.
He flew towards the meteor. His eyes widen when he saw it wasn’t a meteor but a space pod.
A Kryptonian one at that.
‘No… it’ can’t be.’ Clark mused in his head. He pushed the pod away from crashing into the city but instead near the bay.
He looks at it more closely, analyzing it. His eyes widen when he laid his eyes open the crest.
The Symbol of the House of El.
“No…” He heard the speedster enter the area, stopping a few feet away from him.
“Superman, what’s wrong?” Flash inquired.
Superman tore the pod open, seeing a young blonde girl, barely a teenager, inside.
“Is that…?” Flash trailed off, seeing some familiar features in her.
“Yeah…” Superman swallowed thickly.
Kara Zor-El’s eyes fluttered open, looking at the man standing before her in kryptonian clothing. “That can’t be…. It’s only me and Kal-El. He’s only a baby…”
“Except it is me, Kara.” Superman said softly, kneeling in front of the thirteen-year-old. “You were stuck in the phantom zone for nearly thirty years, Kara.”
“Superman, we’ve got company.” Flash said, looking at the military vehicles driving in, parking near them.
Colonel Calvin Swanwick stepped out of the military vehicle, walking over to the heroes and the barely teenaged kryptonian.
“Superman, Flash.” Swanwick greeted them professionally. “Pleasure to meet you both.”
“Thank you…” Flash trailed off.
“Colonel Swanwick. The president placed me in charge of the newly formed D.E.O.” He introduced himself. He saw Kara behind Clark, looking terrified. He felt a pang of grief clutch at his heart at the sight but maintained his stoic composure. “I’m assuming she was the one inside the Pod?”
“Yes.” Superman said. “It’s from my home planet. I don’t know how it arrived now after all these years but what matters is that she and I are potentially the last of our kind. Not to mention she is my cousin.”
Swanwick’s looked sympathetically at the girl, kneeling down. “I’m sorry. I promise that no harm shall come to you so long as I have a say in it.” He looked at the two heroes, standing back up. “I can help with the paperwork if you wish to take custody of her without jumping to many hoops.”
“Thank you, Colonel. Though I only feel trusted worthy enough to share my identity with you and you alone.” Superman said.
“Then I’ll make sure all of this is taken care of personally.” Calvin replied. The two of them walked away as Flash kneeled in front of Kara, trying to make conversation with the much younger counterpart of his friend.
“Good thing to have a trustworthy alien in the government we can trust.” Superman remarked, knowing they were out of ear shot.
“Makes things a bit trickier to explain though I did inform the president of my extraterrestrial origin. It’s why she put me in charge of the D.E.O.” J’onn explained.
“Good because Kara was trapped in the Phantom Zone and if she escaped, it’s possibly the Fort Rozz, a maximum-security prison from Krypton might have also escaped. Meaning several dangerous prisoners are now free.”
“Anyone in particular I should keep my eye out for?” The Martian inquired.
“General Dru-Zod.” J’onn recalled the name from the meeting in Oliver’s penthouse, realizing things just got more complicated.
“How likely is an attack from Zod in the foreseeable future?” J’onn asked, looking grim.
“Unknown though if I had to make an educated guess, somewhere in the next few months. Especially with my presence on Earth. It’ll attract his attention along with what radiation from a yellow sun is capable of turning a kryptonian into.” Superman explained.
“Keep an eye on the skies.” J’onn nodded. “Understood.”
Earth 38, National City
Kara Danvers sat in front of her cousin, both of them in a coffee shop.
“Well, I’m not sure if any of them could exist on this earth, Kara.” Clark said.
“I thought the same for you, J’onn and Bruce but apparently not.” Kara pointed out. “What’s to say they do exist but we simply they look like the one’s I’ve met? Plus, the world could always use more heroes.”
Clark sighed, knowing she had a point. “Maybe you’re right. I’ll call Bruce. Have him see if he can find anything on them.” He then heard his phone ring, seeing Bruce’s contact on the other side.
‘Speak of the devil.’ Both shared the same thought, sharing a look. The Man of Steel answered the phone.
“Hey, Bruce. Everything okay?” Clark’s eyes widen at the words that came out of his friend’s mouth. “What? What do you mean it was stolen?”
Kara gaped at the implications of that. Who could possibly steal something from Bruce Wayne, the freaking Batman himself? Even if he's been retired for several years now with Jason Todd having taken over the mantle of Batman as Dick Grayson retired from vigilantism and became Mayor of Bludhaven with his wife, Kori Anders, and their daughter, Mar'i Grayson Anders, he's still quite scary.
Earth 1, Los Angeles
Ain’t no rest for the Wicked by Cage the Elephant plays
Driving through the streets of Los Angeles was a black 1962 C1 Corvette, driving quite fast with one hand on the steering wheel as the free hand tapped to the beat of the music.
He parked near a side walk once he heard the police siren.
“Turn the music down, sir.” The cop ordered. He stood in front of the driver, seeing the tall, good-looking, well-dressed man. “Hey, cut the music.”
The driver chuckled, speaking in British accent. “I’m sorry.” He turned down the music on the radio.
“You know why I pulled you over?”
“Well, obviously, you felt the need to exercise your limited powers and punish me for ignoring the speed limit.” The British man said, smiling charmingly. “It’s okay, I understand. I-I like to punish people, too. Or at least I used to.”
“License and registration.” He ordered, shaking his head at the supposedly crazy person before him.
The British man sighed. “Coming right up.” He pulled out a fat stack of cash, counting the money.
The cop looked in disbelief. “Are you trying to bribe me, sir?” He asked incredulously.
“Yes, of course.” The Brit replied cheerily. He held a few bills, holding them “That not enough?” He shrugged. “Take more. It’s only money.”
“It’s against the law, sir.” The cop replied.
The British man chuckled. “You people are funny about your laws, aren’t you?” He looked at the cop, analyzing him. “You break the law sometimes, don’t you?” He smiled sweetly at the cop.
“Sometimes…” The cop began to speak, feeling compelled for some unknown reason. “I put my siren on and drive really fast for no reason at all, just ‘cause I can.”
“Right?” The British man smiled, feeling as if they were going somewhere. “And why wouldn’t you? It’s fun. It feels good to get away with something, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah.” The cop nodded, smiling back before his expression turned to one of confusion, wondering why had just confessed that to a total stranger.
“Uh, it’s okay, Officer.” The British man said knowingly. “People like to tell me things, those deep, dark, naught little desires that are on their mind. It’s a gift.” He smiled once more, turning the charm up. “Must be something about this face.” He mused.
The cop looked down, with the brit knowing precisely what he was thinking. People were so easy to read sometimes.
“You’re tempted to keep that, aren’t you?” The cop looked back at him, looking hopeful. “Well, what are you waiting for, permission? Go on, take it, buy yourself something pretty. You deserve it.”
The cop slowly took the money from the British man’s hand, counting it.
“But if you don’t mind, I really must be on my way.” The brit said.
“Oh, yeah, of course.” The cop said. “Hey, have a nice evening.
“You, too, officer.” The brit increased the volume, looking at the road as he started the car back up. “You, too.”
The British man entered his penthouse suite, knowing all the fun that was most likely going on downstairs in his club, Lux.
“Always a pleasure to see you, Luci.” John Constantine remarked, holding a cigarette in his right hand, sitting on the couch while his left hand nursed some scotch.
“John Constantine.” The newly dubbed Luci remarked. “Most certainly not a pleasure. Now, why are you here?”
John stood up, stomping on the cigarette.
“Let’s just say some rumblings have been going on both up top and down below.” The warlock remarked.
“Really? Cause I can’t particularly seem to care right about now.” He said.
“Lucifer…” The warlock looked at the Devil himself, looking grim. “The barriers are weakening. Dr. Fate’s little introduction to the nine heroes has caused a massive shift. I’m sure you felt it.”
The Archangel ran a hand through his face. “Of course, I did. What kind of Devil would I be if I didn't?”
“Yeah, well seems everything is about to get to hell in the next few years.” The Warlock remarked. “The Dominator invasion was just the beginning of a long line of bastards who are about wreak utter havoc.”
“And I should care why?” Lucifer Morningstar asked, clearly disinterested in the topic of conversation.
“Because it seems the Green Arrow himself, Oliver Queen, is divinely sanctioned now.” Constantine explained.
Lucifer’s eyes widen in shock. “Wait, so you’re telling me a mere human…”
“There’s nothing mere about that man. Trust me, I’ve seen him with my own eyes.” Constantine said.
“A human… is divinely sanctioned by dad himself?” Lucifer asked, looking utterly perplexed at what he has just heard.
“So, it seems.” Constantine said. “It’s being kept close to the chest but some aren’t exactly pleased with the turn of events.”
“Hmm, yes I can certainly name a list of those…” Lucifer mused. “Still, I really don’t care so if you could cause I’ve got a few friends coming for some fun time. I’d invite you but…”
“Rather not have nuts cut off, thank you very much.” The warlocked replied.
“Good cause I’d rather not have you with them. Now, go along.” Lucifer said, ushering the man out of his penthouse.
“Just keep an eye out, Luci.” Constantine said as the elevator. “Don’t’ forget. You owe me one.”
Lucifer sighed, looking out into the sky from his balcony, taking a sip of his drink.
“You really can’t leave little old me alone, can’t you, Dad?”