Aqua Force - part 2

All characters used here are, for the most part, TM and copyrighted to DC Comics Inc.




Aquaman and Mera head back to Atlantis - while Nuada and Atlan head for Thierna Na Oge. The Sea King and Queen are met by an army of formidable foes - verily, a formidable invasion force that even Superman would stand NO CHANCE AGAINST... The Atlantean Mage and Sea Enchantress known as Nuada would also have a nasty surprise once back in Thierna Na Oge - the Conclave there, counseled by Arion, has decided to "punish" them for meddling with the surface... and with the darkest forces of all - which now empower Thanatos.

In Atlantis, Aquaman and Mera prolong the battle as much as they can. They keep at bay the armies of the dead launched at them by Gammemnae, mostly with Mera's hard water power - Aquaman's water hand protects the couple from repeated mystical attacks from many of their quarries. Exasperated, the villains try it the physical way - Aquaman breaks the arms of the humanoid Shark and knocks out the would-be Ocean Master. Mera, for her part, gives Black Manta a knuckle sandwich many times over - repeating that it is for her son's memory... The Atlantean populace comes out, mind-controlled by Starro, and overwhelm the royal couple who will simply NOT hurt them. Among the dead of the sea resurrected for the occasion are old foes of Aquaman - Scavenger, Fisherman, Marine Marauder the 1st, among others - and they call for the couple to be made into "one of them." Ocean Master agrees; "we will not take any more chances with you, dear brother! We have you now - there will be no Mercy Reef! Not this time! We will slay you, once and for all! And so ends your REIGN...!"
Mera looks desperately in the direction of her husband - it seems the end is near and she wants to see his eyes one last time. The mob holds them both down - their arms are unable to mount any counter-attack with hard-water powers or water-hand magicks. THIS is one of those extreme situations where AQUAMAN has to use his TELEPATHY at its fullest - he has no choice. The telepathic powers, if abused, come with a terrible price to pay - the curse of Kordax. But he will have to worry about that later. The priority now is to survive this - for Atlantis! For his beloved Mera. For the memory of his only son.

Aquaman starts a double telepathic assault like nothing he has ever attempted before - first, he stuns all marine creatures present amongst his foes with a powerful mental blast that leaves them all unconscious. Alas, it also leaves Aquaman very much drained of any strength; such is the use of his awesome telepathic powers. They are extremely taxing. But it is worth it here - as he knocks out dozens of them all at once! The ones that are left, who were affected by the mental blast but not rendered unconscious, can still take advantage of his momentary physical weakness and carry out the plans to slay both him and his queen. So, next, with what is left of his strength, he summons every creature of the deep in the immediate vicinity of Atlantis and orders them to attack the city! Hundreds of manta rays, squid, eels, morays, whales and actual sharks answer his summons - and tear into the numbers of his enemies! Mera is freed and takes her presently vulnerable husband to safety - at least she tries to! It becomes clear that they swum in the wrong direction - upwards... and even Mera's hard-water powers cannot break an exit through the Atlantean dome, which is rendered indestructible through magic! Aquaman's water-hand forms a fist and, supported by Mera's hard-water power, he cracks the dome so that they both can escape that way!

Without Aquaman around, the creatures of the deep cease their attack and disperse back to sea - through the same ways they came into the city. That leaves the villains in control of Atlantis however - and Ocean Master proclaims it mightily too; "you have survived this day, Orin - but Atlantis is ours!"

Aquaman seems so weak as though he may be dying... Mera seeks refuge behind some high corals, where she tries to revive him... Her tears quickly merge with the seawater and ascend... and, somehow, they summon the help they both need. The water nymphs of the Lady of the Lake come and take the both of them to the Lady's lair. It is from there that the Sea King and his Queen will mount their counter-attack...