章 90: The Terror Beyond
You idiots did what!" Sean yelled at the original members of the Justice league before it was dissolved.
"Told you he wasn't going to like this." Wonder Woman said to Superman.
"I'm gone for three days signing an alliance deal with the latest ruler of Mandalor and in that time You give Luthor a full fucking Pardon?" Sean said in disbelief.
"We didn't exactly have much of a choice." Superman said.
While Sean was off world for three days a parallel version of the Justice League called the Justice lords had captured the original members of the Justice League. On their Earth these versions were willing to kill as and do unthinkable things seeing their world as perfection when it was more of ruling with a cruel iron fist. With the other Riders on other assignments and everyone else busy they had no other choice but to ask for Luthor's help. In exchange he was given a full pardon from his previous crimes.
Another thing was while they were captured was the Justice Lords fighting against the now revealed Doomsday who crashed into Metropolis. Their Superman Lobotomized Doomsday which Superman Prime would never do unless absolutely required to save billions of lives. Not his own skin.
"You know we won't cross that line. And with everyone else unavailable..." Lantern tried to say.
"Yeah I get that but giving Luthor a full Pardon is what pisses me off. Who's to say he won't do the same shit as the Lord's version did." Sean said.
"I find that highly unlikely." J'onn said before Sean turned and saw the news with Luthor on.
"Really?" Sean said turning the volume up.
"I have been giving some thought into...Politics." Luthor said before Sean turned off the screen.
"None of us have forgotten the Accords or everything else he's done. But we had no choice." Superman said.
"Theres always a choice. I understand none of you will ever cross that line on this Earth but still." Sean said.
"It's done and over with. If Luthor does anything that warrants our attention we'll deal with it." Batman said.
"I should hope so since it will be your fault. Just one time I wish to have a single week of peace and quiet and no nonsense. Thats all I ask." Sean said making some of them laugh.
Later
Down by the docks in Metropolis. Rorke and a small squad of troops were tracking down Grundy before they got a visual.
"Get his attention." Rorke said before one of his troops fired a rocket at him making him roar in anger.
"Leave Grundy alone!" Grundy yelled before he was fired with a disrupter beam that weakened him drastically.
"That should hold him." Forge said as the containment cell was being hanged above Grundy when suddenly out of the water a large monster appeared and on top of the creature was none other than Aqua Man.
His creature forced Rorke's men back before he went to Grundy.
"If you want to live you'll come with me." Aqua man said getting him to get on his beast before swimming away making Rorke frown.
Minutes later
Aqua Man was at Doctor Fate's home.
"Where are we? You promised to give Grundy gold." Grundy said.
"I will but first I need to find my colleagues. We need you for something. Once you finish your part you can have the gold." Aqua Man said before he found Inza Doctor Fate's wife. "Where are Fate and the others?" Aqua man asked.
"Preparing the ritual." Inza said.
Suddenly however a portal appeared and doctor fate along with Doctor Strange, Quan Chi, Shang Tsung, Constantine, Raiden and Horus.
"This is Solomon Grundy?" Quan Chi asked.
"What were you expecting? We should hurry. It won't take long before Sean and the others to hear about our little stunt." Aqua man said.
"I still say we should have just told him." Constantine said.
"No otherwise he wouldn't approve. Killing the worst of the worst is one thing even offering them to the Xenomorph Queen he'll approve of but Grundy is not on the list of our worst enemies." Raiden said.
"To much talking. Grundy bored. What does stupid Magicians want Grundy to do for his gold?" Grundy asked.
"First we need to know your Origins. How did you come to be as you are?" Doctor fate asked. That Question seemed to make Grundy think for the first time in his life.
"Grundy doesn't remember. Grundy's always been Grundy." Grundy said.
"Unlikely." Raiden said.
"Perhaps a simple spell of revelation." Doctor fate said looking into his long forgotten memories. "Ah, I see now. Your name was Cyrus Gold. An evil man who performed many evil deeds. Until the day you aroused an evil as great as your own. They ended your life, cursed you with a powerful grigri. And dumped your remains in a swamp redolent with mystical properties of its own. These magic did not sit well together. And so it was that decades later the swamp gave birth to a walking deadman. Soulless and empty. Always seeking never knowing why." Doctor fate said making Grundy widen his eyes.
"Grundy remembers." Grundy said.
"So does he suit our needs?" Horus asked.
"Yes." Fate said.
"Then we should begin immediately. The fate of both Atlantis and the Earth is at stake here." Aqua man said.
"You know I seem to recall at one point you only cared about your own people." Constantine said amused.
"Times change." Aqua man said.
"No. Grundy wants something." Grundy said.
"What more could you want? You already agreed to take the gold." Shang Tsung said.
"Grundy not want gold. Grundy wants what men took from him." Grundy said.
"Oh so you want your soul back." Constantine said.
"Grundy wants it back. Will Magicians help?" Grundy asked.
"We'll do everything in our power to help." Fate said though it was a lie not that Grundy could tell.
Meanwhile
Rorke's troops were moving out the damaged equipment that Aqua man destroyed when he helped Grundy.
However suddenly one of the cables snapped and fell towards a solider making him gasp and cover his head only nothing happened making him look up and saw Superman placing the piece onto a truck when Rorke approached him.
"Looked like you could use a hand." Superman said.
"No offense but I've had more than enough help from enhanced people for one day, thanks." Rorke said as Sean, Hawkgirl and Wonder Woman landed next to him.
"Whats that supposed to mean?" Sean asked.
"Son my men were inches close to capturing Grundy when one of your friends came and helped him out." Rorke said.
"Huh?" Hawkgirl said.
"He wrecked our tanks attacked my men and grabbed Grundy before he swam away on a fucking loch ness monster." Rorke said.
"Rorke." Sean said gaining his attention. "Who the hell are you talking about?" Sean asked.
"Aqua man." Rorke said making Sean narrow his eyes.
"Are you sure?" Sean asked before he pulled up security footage showing the whole thing. "This doesn't make sense. Arthur wouldn't just flat out do something like this unless he had a very good reason." Sean said.
"Maybe we should hear it from." Wonder Woman said.
"Ay." Sean said.
Soon the four were flying straight to Atlantis.
"We can't assume he's gone bad. Aqua man helped take down Luthor's rule when we were captured for a month on the raft." Wonder Woman said.
"I agree. Besides Aqua man doesn't even know Grundy so it makes no sense for him to rescue him." Sean said.
"Unless he got tired of the alliance thinking his people were being treated unfairly." Hawkgirl said.
"Unfair how? His entire kingdom is back on the surface because of Unicron and he holds a high ranking position in the Legion." Sean said.
"Hold that thought. Look." Superman said pointing up ahead seeing a cruise ship being attacked by some kind of monster.
"Still think Aqua Man hasn't gone bad?" Hawkgirl asked.
"Yes cause for one this thing isn't from the ocean or from the Primordial age." Sean said as they flew in to take down the beast.
Superman was punching the tentacles away but when one of the grabbed him he was electrocuted which actually hurt him.
"This thing is made of magic." Sean said before blasting it in the head killing it as it sunk to the bottom of the sea.
"What was that thing?" Superman asked.
"I don't know. It's not from earth thats for sure." Sean said.
"How can you tell?" Hawkgirl asked.
"For one I know every creature that lives on earth. In the air the land and the ocean. And that thing isn't on the list." Sean said.
Minutes later
After arriving at Atlantis that immediately went to the palace where Queen Mera was at.
"Welcome back my friends." Mera said kindly.
"Hello Mera. We need to speak with Arthur about as to why he helped Grundy escape capture and attacked Rorke's men." Sean said surprising her.
"Why would he help someone against the Legion?" Mera asked.
"Thats what we want to know. Another thing a few minutes ago a cruise ship was attacked by some creature that came from the sea. We need answers." Sean said.
"Well, I'm afraid I can't answer them. Arthur is with the ones known as Doctor Fate and Doctor Strange for some reason. If you want to talk to him you'll have to find them." Mera said making Sean nod before they left.
"Ok now I'm even more confused." Sean said.
"At least we got two names now." Hawkgirl said.
"Thats another thing. Doctor Fate and Doctor Strange. Both of them are perhaps the most powerful sorcerers on the planet." Sean said.
"Strange is an old friend isn't he?" Wonder Woman asked.
"Ay. We both studied under a sorceress known as the Ancient one 10 years ago. We both went to her to heal." Sean said.
"Then perhaps she could help us understand..." Superman said.
"Not gonna happen...She's dead. Been that way for 10 years after one of her former students turned on her." Sean said.
Minutes later
Soon the four arrived at the tower of Fate.
"No door?" Wonder Woman asked.
"You really expect there to be one?" Sean asked amused before casting a spell to create one but it backfired. "Hmm?" Sean said confused.
"What happened?" Superman asked.
"Not sure. The only reason a door wouldn't open is because Fate doesn't want anyone in." Sean said.
"Let me try." Hawkgirl said bringing her mace out.
"Honey thats not gonna..." Sean tried to say before she slammed her mace into the wall and surprisingly she actually busted it down. "Work?" Sean said surprised making her smirk at him.
"You were saying?" Hawkgirl said making him shake his head in amusement.
Meanwhile
"I warn you all again. Once the spell has begun, I cannot stop." Fate said.
"And the pain will be unbearable. You've told us before. We're running out of time." Aquaman said.
"Stupid Magician. Grundy not care about pain. Grundy wants his reward." Grundy said as he was strapped down for the ritual.
"Very well let us begin." Fate said as both he and Doctor Strange started casting the spell. As this was happening Grundy was screaming in pain while those who could use magic started chanting for the ritual.
However Sean and his group soon barged in.
"Hey!" Sean yelled as they charged in but Inza created a barrier making them stop.
"More magic." Superman said having enough of this.
However Hawkgirl hit the barrier sending a blast at Inza knocking her out.
"What the hell is that mace made of?" Sean asked himself before they went towards Fate who tried to blast them with a beam from his helmet but Hawkgirl sent it right back.
"AHH!" Doctor Fate yelled as he was hit and the ritual stopped.
"Do you realize what you've done! Leave here now!" Aqua man yelled.
"Uh uh. Not without an explanation as to what the fuck is going on." Sean said.
"You've ruined everything! Aquman, stop them. We can try to improvise something, but we must be allowed to concentrate." Doctor fate said.
"Go away!" Grundy yelled at the four. "Superman always takes everything from Grundy! But not this time. This time Grundy crush!" Grundy yelled attacking Superman while Aquaman attacked Wonder Woman and Horus and Raiden attacked Sean.
"You take Fate and Strange. Your mace seems to work perfectly against magic." Sean said to Hawkgirl.
"Just for the record I didn't start this fight." Hawkgirl said.
"First time for everything." Sean said before Quan Chi and Shang Tsung attacked him next while Hawkgirl attacked both Doctors.
"Ok to much noise." Doctor Strange said. He casted a spell that sent them away to different parts of the world. Superman went with Grundy and Aquaman went with Wonder Woman. Sean of course got Constantine, Raiden, Horus, Shang Tsung and Quan Chi. They appeared on Monster Island as the world called it.
"I don't suppose you'd be willing to tell me what the hell is going on now would you?" Sean asked only to get blasted by magic from Raiden.
"Theres no time to explain." Raiden said.
"Pity." Sean said before whistling and the ground shook before the magic users looked up and widened their eyes seeing Godzilla who roared at them.
"Oh bloody hell." Constantine said
Minutes later
Sean had easily won his fight against the magic users before appearing back in the tower along with Superman with a knocked out Grundy in tow.
Then Aquaman appeared with Wonder Woman out cold before he saw his allies defeated before jumping towards them.
"Hand them over." Aquaman said.
"I want an explanation now." Sean said not in the mood for this nonsense.
"Theres no time to explain." Aquaman said jumping at them making Sean sigh before Superman punched him in the face and knocked him out.
Hawkgirl had the edge against Strange and Fate as her mace seemed to be disrupting the flow of magic around them. She had them backed into a corner and was about to attack again when Sean grabbed her hand.
"Enough." Sean said before throwing their allies at their feet. "No more games I want an explanation now!" Sean yelled before the room shook and a white light appeared beofre an image of a dark being in the form of a black skull appeared.
"We were trying to prevent that." Strange said.
"What in the hell is that!" Sean yelled before Doctor Fate flew toward the breach and tried to cast a spell to close it but the creature proved to be to powerful so Hawkgirl flew to him and handed him her mace before they both began to cast the same incantation before the breach closed. Soon they both flew down as the others got back up.
"How could you possibly know that incantation?" Fate asked.
"On my planet it's the closest thing we have to a prayer." Hawkgirl said.
"What the hell is going on? I'm completely lost here." Sean said confused beyond words.
"Theres no time." Aquaman said.
"Make time. What was that?" Sean asked.
"All right enough." Strange said before casting a spell that showed ancient events starting by showing Atlantis during the old days.
"Pretty." Grundy said.
"Atlantis?" Sean asked.
"Yes, thousands of years before it sank beneath the waves. During those days Atlantis was ruled by sorcerer kings." Aquaman said.
"And fortunately so. For Atlantis, along with most of the ancient world found itself under attack by extra dimensional beings called the Old Ones." Fate said showing the events of the old ones attacking Atlantis.
"This was before you traveled into the past and created the legacy of the Ghost Riders." Horus said.
"The Old Ones nearly destroyed humanity had those like Godzilla and other Primordials not fought against them as they tried to prepared the way for the most powerful of their number, the great Ichthultu." Fate said showing the events with Godzilla and those like him attacking the Old Ones.
"However Poseidon gambled they could be stopped." Aquaman said.
"He gathered nearly all the ambient mystical energy on Earth and forged it into a single weapon. The power of the Trident served to banish the old ones from our realm." Raiden said.
"But the price was high. Poseidon knew that the same mystic energy he used to defeat the Old Ones also powered the spells that prevented Atlantis from sinking beneath the ocean. He saved the world but caused Atlantis to sink into the ocean till Unicron made Atlantis rise to the surface once again after thousands of years." Aquaman said.
"Now the old ones seek to return to our world. Already, fissures have appeared allowing creatures from their world to gain entrance into ours." Fate said.
"And you didn't think to tell me this because?" Sean asked.
"In order to cast the spell again it required a sacrifice. If we told you you'd no doubt be against it since you don't seem to see Grundy as much of a threat." Aquaman said.
"Well, obviously. He can easily be manipulated." Sean said.
"Would you still say that if you knew who he used to be a long time ago mate?" Constantine asked.
"Meaning what?" Sean asked.
"He's actually Cyrus Gold. I reckon that names rings a bell to you." Constantine said.
"That was a long time ago. Besides why cast a broken spell?" Sean asked.
"What are you saying?" Aquaman asked.
"I'm saying we got to this Ichthultu and kill him face to face." Sean said.
"It's not that easy." Hawkgirl said.
"Whats that supposed to mean?" Horus asked.
"My people once used to worship him." Hawkgirl said.
"What?" Sean said in disbelief. "Why?" Sean asked.
"It was thousands of years ago. He gave us the very foundations of our entire culture in exchange for uh sacrifices." Hawkgirl said.
"I can't believe anyone would worship that thing." Aquaman said.
"It was thousands of years ago. We were still a primitive culture." Hawkgirl said.
"Well, casting the same spell only delays the problem and makes it another worlds to deal with." Sean said.
"He's not wrong." Quan Chi said.
"What do you suggest? We go to his world and kill him?" Aquaman asked.
"Like your not thinking the same thing." Sean said making him smirk.
"True. However I can't go. If we're going to take down this monster one of us needs to stay behind and deal with his forces that come from the breach." Aquaman said.
"Fair enough. All right here's the plan. Aquaman will stay behind and lead Earth's faction of the Legion against these things while the rest of us will go and kill this Ichthultu." Sean said.
"I don't think the Legions technology is enough to handle these things." Strange said.
"It will have to do." Sean said.
"Very well." Fate said before sending Aqua man to Atlantis to prepare.
"Let's go." Sean said as Fate created a portal and entered the realm of the Old Ones.
"Not exactly what I was expecting." Superman said looking around the area that was floating around before they saw the Old Ones going through a portal to Earth Realm.
"We need to keep those things at bay." Horus said.
"All right then. Me, Fate, Strange, Grundy and Hawkgirl will find Ichthultu and kill him while the rest of you keep these things at bay." Sean said.
"Agreed." Raiden said.
Minutes later
Soon enough the group found Ichthultu above them glaring at them.
"Be on your guard." Fate said.
"Speak not until spook to, dust mote." Ichthultu said.
"Ok that was just rude." Hawkgirl said before one of the tentacles with eyes approached her.
"Who are you?" Ichthultu said.
"Shayera Hol. Hawkgirl." Hawkgirl said.
"You have the stench of the Thanagarians upon you." Ichthultu said.
"Says the giant squid." Hawkgirl said making Sean snort in amusement.
"Definitely Thanagarian. I will speak to the hawk-girl before I destroy her. The rest of you hold no interest to me." Ichthultu said before his minions appeared from the ground and attacked them.
"Ah shit man." Sean said before blasting them.
Hawkgirl tried to help but was grabbed by Ichthultu.
"Give back Bird nose!" Grundy yelled trying to smash the monsters.
"Speak to me, child of Thanagar." Ichthultu said to Hawkgirl.
"I've got nothing to say. I've got a gesture for you, but my hands are tied." Hawkgirl said gaining a small laugh from Ichthultu.
"How I missed your people's spirit." Ichthultu said.
"We don't miss you. We outgrew you thousands of years ago." Hawkgirl said.
"I gave your people everything. Why did you forsake me?" Ichthultu asked.
"Forsake? We threw you out. The price for your favors was too high." Hawkgirl said.
"My tribute was equitable. I earned your faith." Ichthultu said.
"Really? Whats the price for the souls of my ancestors?" Hawkgirl said. As soon as she said that Grundy heard it.
"Snake face steals souls?" Grundy asked before facing Ichthultu. "Give back Grundy back his soul snake face! Do you hear Grundy! Give it back!" Grundy yelled before jumping up to get to the top of his head.
Meanwhile
Superman and the others were still trying to hold back the Old Ones but suddenly the ones that made it through the portal started coming through in a retreat.
"They aren't attacking." Wonder Woman said.
"No, they're running." Raiden said before a familiar roar was heard.
"Hmm?" Superman said before out of the portal Godzilla appeared with Aquaman on his head.
"Godzilla and the other Primordials came to our aid like the last time. I think I can seal the hole with the Trident but I need something to plug the hole." Aquaman said before Godzilla went back.
Back with the others
Sean and his group were fighting off the monsters while Grundy was attacking Ichthultu from the inside which caused him a lot of pain and freed Hawkgirl.
"Sean! Grundy is inside." Hawkgirl said.
"You two go after him! We'll hold them off." Strange said.
"Right." Sean said as the two flew inside the hole Grundy made.
Soon enough they found him greatly wounded from his fight from a monster inside.
"Grundy can't move." Grundy said weakly.
"Keep an eye on him. I'll finish what he started." Sean said before he took her mace and went to Ichthultu and glared at him as his mask went away. "This is your end." Sean said but surprisingly Ichthultu started to laugh.
"Sean Ashburn Kruger. The heir to the General's will." Ichthultu said.
"You know me?" Sean asked.
"I doubt there is anyone like me who doesn't know about you boy. Your destiny was foretold long ago." Ichthultu said.
"I make my own destiny." Sean said before slamming the mace down on him which blew up his core.
The Next day
Sean and his group was at a grave site where they buried Grundy after his wounds proved to be to great to heal from. He was finally at peace.
"He seemed...Happy at the end. I don't know why." Hawkgirl said.
"Thats the thing about life Shayera. Its full of mystery even in death." Sean said with his hand on her shoulder before the group left Grundy's grave.
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