DCU Justice League #6 Aquaman - Malice Painted Black

The tide struck hard against the docks near 'The Harbour Inn', the bar John had been to a few times. Whenever he and Arthur Curry, the Aquaman, would meet up they would come here. If Arthur wasn't in Atlantis, which he assumed he would be, he would be here. It was best to look here first though, just in case.

 

 

The door shot open, inside, there were multiple people who sat behind turned over tables. A blast of a shotgun hit John in the shoulder, but his ring's protective aura stopped any damage. He followed the trail from where the bullet was shot from, behind the counter.

 

 

"Green Lantern?" Asked the man with the shotgun, a look of regret on his face. "I'm so sorry, I thought-"

 

 

John raised his hand to stop him. "It's alright. I understand why you would." He looked around for a moment, "I take it Arthur hasn't been here?"

 

 

The man shook his head. "I haven't seen Arthur at all. I'm worried, is he ok?" John nodded.

 

 

"I'm sure he's just making sure to defend his kingdom, he'll be fine." A lie. He knew that Arthur was one of the targets, that he would be attacked the same way Hal and he were.

 

 

"What's going on? Why are aliens invading? H-how are you gonna stop it?" John looked at him, then the people cowering behind tables. The fear that was stuck in their eyes. The hope they had in him.

 

 

"By having the will to push through it."

 

 

-~-~-

 

 

Standing in the main hall of the Atlanteans Royal Palace was General Murk, commander of the Atlantean army and head of the Elite Guard. Clad in his golden armor, he held his spear in one hand, his other mounted with a golden hook. He stood in front of the army. Next to him, his ally Tempest.

 

 

"What is the word on the king, general?"

 

 

"Is his highness alright?"

 

 

"What caused his blackout?"

 

 

The questions rolled in from his soldiers, though he couldn't answer any of them. A few hours ago some creature had entered the palace. It had a form of disguising itself, as it made its way to his King. After they arrived and slayed the monster, Arthur was already unconscious and twitching on the floor.

 

 

"We do not know what is wrong with the King yet, though our doctors and scientists are working diligently to help him." Informed Murk, trying to calm his soldiers.

 

 

Murmurs occured in the crowd before Tempest spoke up, "We know you all are worried, but we need you to have faith. This is Aquaman we're talking about, he'll make a recovery." Murk gave off a smile to the younger boy. Even as an adult now, he still shows the hope that only a child should have. It was a nice change from the world they were so used to.

 

 

Suddenly the doors of the palace were burst open, sending all the soldiers to turn at the ready. In front of them was John Stewart. "GL?" Asked a confused Garth. "What are you doing here?"

 

 

"You don't know? That means the invasion isn't here yet, only the surface."

 

 

Murk's eyebrows raised, "Invasion?"

 

 

John gave a brief rundown of what went on above, telling them about the White Martians and their "hit-list". Tempest was shocked that such a thing was occuring, while Murk simply grit his teeth. "So he was incapacitated by a psychic attack? How long will it take for him to recover?" John looked at them both then dropped the bomb shell.

 

 

"You don't."

 

 

Varied gasps were heard from the crowd. "What do you mean?" Shouted Garth, worry taking over his voice completely.

 

 

"The White Martians set up some sort of blockade in your mind, leaving you trapped in your own head." John paused before continuing. "There may be a way for me to get him out though. A friend of mine is able to link minds together, almost like a therapy session inside his head. If I can break the blockade, then he'll wake up."

 

 

"Then we'll be joining you." Stated Murk immediately.

 

 

"No can do," John replied. "The psychic link between you and my friend needs time to set in, otherwise he'll lose you, leaving you trapped in his head as well."

 

 

"He is in the medical bay." Stated Garth, hope resonating in his voice. John nodded, walking towards the bay. He stopped and turned as he felt a hand place itself on his shoulder. "And Green lantern? Save my friend."

 

 

-~-~-

 

 

Arriving at the medical bay, John enters to see multiple doctors and scientists tending to Arthur as his body sweats and spasms. Mera sits at his bedside, holding onto his hand. She notices the door open and sees him standing there. "John?"

 

 

He walked forward and looked at Arthur, his condition looked horrible. "I don't have time to explain, but I can save him, though I need your help with something else." Mera's eyes widened as she nodded her head.

 

 

'J'onn, I need you to add someone to the psychic link. Queen Mera of Atlantis'

 

 

'It is done John. She will be the one to rescue Diana Prince?'

 

 

'That's what I'm hoping for.'

 

 

"What is going on? Why can I hear you and someone else in my head?" Mera held the side of her head.

 

 

"Like I said I don't have time to explain, but I need you to find someone. They are in the same state Arthur is in, and alone." He looked to Arthur again, trying not to imagine what others would look like at the moment.

 

 

"But I can not just leave him!"

 

 

John places his hand on Mera's shoulder. "Please Mera, I need you to trust me right now. I will save Arthur."

 

 

She looked at him for a moment before nodding. "Alright then. Now who am I looking for?"

 

 

"Have you ever heard of the Amazons?

 

 

-~-~-

 

 

"Sound sleeper, isn't he?"

 

 

The moment was on repeat. The light flicking on. The glowing red eyes staring back into his soul. The blood, oh god the blood. It stained the sheets, his clothes, the walls. His fingertips mutilated, lacerations and stab wounds riddling his body. His mouth hung open, his tongue was removed. Teeth cracked, some gone. His lips were stained red, as was the area around his nose. There was a slight noise.

 

 

Slap. Slap. Slap.

 

 

The sound of his eyeball, hanging from it's socket, softly swaying. It made contact with his cheek creating the sound.

 

 

Then it went black. The light suddenly turned on again.

 

 

"Sound sleeper, isn't he?"

 

 

The scene replayed. Over and over again. An infinite amount of times, he just watched. Watched his son's lifeless body. The boy was tortured for a mistake he made. The pain he must have felt.

 

 

Off in the distance of the blackness, there was a green light, unbeknownst to Arthur. John only could watch what Arthur saw. 'Oh my god. This… this is what happened?'

 

 

Arthur had told him he lost his son, that it was his fault. But this wasn't a death, it was inhuman. Like some wild beast ripped him apart. He had to save him. Arthur would be trapped here forever if he couldn't.

 

 

"Arthur!" John shouted, not gaining his attention. He tried again, but still it had no effect. He got closer and eventually his call reached him.

 

 

His head turned back. "John? Why are-? How are you here?"

 

 

John walked closer, kneeling down next to him. "I'm here to bring you home." John reached to place his hand on his friend's shoulder but a yellow energy blast hit him, sending him away.

 

 

Black Manta was walking forward, his eyes glowing yellow rather than the usual red. Arthur was confused, this hadn't happened before. It was always rinse and repeat. He watched as his enemy made his way to his friend. John got up, realizing that this must have been the failsafe to keep anyone from saving Arthur.

 

 

"Another person that will suffer because of you." The killer extended an energy blade from his wrist, bright yellow in color. John recognized it as ion energy, the direct counter to his ring. As Manta rushed forward, John formed a shield on his wrist. The blade went right through the construct, piercing his skin. Meanwhile, John's free hand had formed a gauntlet construct. The gauntlet made contact with Manta, sending him flying backwards, giving John time to stand. John raised his ring, firing a blast of

 

energy off. The Black Manta projection countered it, firing a blast of yellow energy that began eating away at John's own beam.

 

 

"Arthur, you need to snap out of this! This event is in the past! You're stronger now because of it!" John screamed out, being overcome by the ion energy.

 

 

"I'm not. I'm not strong… not at all. This is my fault. My own son is… is…" tears drained from his eyes. "I failed him. He needed me and I wasn't there." Arthur's mind was shot. He was broken. This moment was his lowest point in his life. One man had brought him from being the King of Atlantis, to someone who couldn't stand on his own two feet.

 

 

"Then what would he say right now!?" Arthur's eyes left his son's corpse and looked at John. "What would he think of you!? What would Arthur Jr. want you to do!?"

 

 

Arthur's mind began to playback memories like a film reel.

 

 

"Daddy, why do people not like the up world?"

 

 

"We can be friends again! Like Papa and Gramma!"

 

 

"You're like a superhero daddy! Aquaman!"

 

 

"I don't want to go to sleep daddy, I want to hear about my favorite hero's adventures."

 

 

Arthur's eyes shut, feeling tears well up.

 

 

"Daddy, why do you look sad?" Arthur looked up, seeing his son. He was older by a few years, still just a child though. He lowered his head and felt more tears.

 

 

"Don't cry daddy! You have to fight the bad guys!" Arthur kept his head down facing the ground.

 

 

"I failed you. I let you down. I let him..."

 

 

"You didn't fail me! You could never let me down." Arthur's sob hitched, looking up at his son once more. "As long as you keep being a hero, my hero, I can never be let down. You honor my memory with every single life you save."

 

 

Arthur stared at his son, tears were still streaming from his eyes. He suddenly lunged forward, pulling the boy into a tight embrace. His face was buried into his son's shoulder.

 

 

John slowly felt the power of the ion energy fade, as his eyes opened he saw the projection of Black Manta fading into dust, as did the room with Arthur's murdered son. The only thing he saw was Arthur, holding onto some kind of bright light. He felt weird, as he looked down his arm began to fade. "Mission accomplished."

 

 

Arthur felt the same, as his legs began to disappear.

 

 

"Thank you. Thank you so much."

 

 

"No problem, dad. Now, go and save the world."

 

 

As Arthur's eyes opened, he felt lines of tears on his cheeks. The room around him was bright white, a contrast to the previous blackness. He tilted his head to the right to see John up on another medical bed, rubbing his head.

 

 

"Thank you, John."

 

 

John smiled at him, "Anytime."

 

________

 

 

Follow BluJay for issue seven of DCU Justice League, releasing tomorrow!

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