Issue #22: “King's Reign, Chapter Two: The Siege”

Atlantis was at war.



“So beautiful.”

Ocean Master looked down at the city he had grown up in.

The city he had served.

The city he should rule.

General Gorgon, supreme commander of the Oceanics, waited for a response while a thin smile formed across Ocean Master’s lips. The swordsman and near perfect image of a young Aquaman, Thanatos, stood close by, also waiting for an answer.

Ocean Master turned around to the army of followers, thousands of Oceanics, and raised his staff high.

“My friends, I give you Poseidonis, a brilliant light shining in this dark world. A light…that has been corrupted.”

Cheers from the Oceanics followed.

“But today we have a rare opportunity to take it back! To return this corrupted light to the symbol of order and security it once was. No more dealings with the savages of the surface, no more allowing threats to just stroll in!”

More applause broke forth, the sounds of clanking weapons and howls of anticipation.

“We must take a stand against the man who has tarnished the glory of these oceans! And from the rubble, we will build a utopia! But that all depends on you! Will you take it back!?” Ocean Master said dramatically, pointing his staff at the army.

“My friends, today we make history.”



“It’s Orm, isn’t it?”

“I’m afraid so.”

Aquaman picked up his trident from its resting place beside the throne while Mera spoke with him. It had only been minutes since the mer-folk had hastily evacuated the neighboring city of Tritonis and Ocean Master and his army had taken over.

It had only taken seconds to send all of Poseidonis into chaos.

King Orin held his trident tightly in front of his face, examining it. It was hard to believe that the very same weapon was used to defeat an ultimate evil of a different time. Hopefully it could do the same now. Hopefully.

“Orin.”

Aquaman glanced over at his wife and queen who stared back at him solemnly. He had never seen her quite like this. Her usually bright hopeful face was so pale and emotionless. He walked over to her slowly and placed his strong palm against her cheek.

“Don’t worry, my love. I will return. It’s like you said, Orm may be my brother but he is also a tyrant and must be stopped. That time has come.”

Mera looked away from him, not wanting to face up to what was happening but then turned back to him, peering into his eyes. He stared back into hers lovingly before she pulled him into a passionate kiss. For a moment, it felt as if their very souls were connected by some invisible force. When that moment was over, Orin gently pulled away.

“Goodbye.”



“Orders, sire?” General Gorgon asked.

Ocean Master put his hand up against his chin thoughtfully while looking down over the cliff side. Gorgon waited impatiently for a response with Thanatos beside him.

“Move into the city. I want prisoners. It would be no use becoming king if I had no one to rule. Is that clear, General?” Ocean Master said.

“…Yes, my lord,” Gorgon replied bitterly.

Gorgon grimaced, a bit disappointed to have to leave survivors. That took so much of the fun out of it. He stepped away, about to give the order, when Ocean Master spoke once more.

“And, General,” Ocean Master gave a suspenseful pause, “if you do run into any resistance, though, whether it man, woman, or child, eliminate it.”

Gorgon gave an excited smirk while Thanatos, on the other hand, stared at Ocean Master in surprise, his black eyes wide and his mouth slightly open. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. His dark eyes met with Ocean Master’s.

“Something wrong, Thanatos?”

The young swordsman’s vision dropped to his feet.

“No, my lord.”

“Okay, boys! It’s show time!” Gorgon roared.

An entire regiment of Oceanics rose through the shifting waters with General Gorgon in the lead. Thanatos put a hand on his sword’s handle, watching the Oceanics from his spot next to Ocean Master on the rocky ledge. The Oceanics smacked their swords, shields, axes, and other weapons together in joy, anxious for the fight.

“Let’s go!!!”

The Oceanics began their descent toward the domes of Poseidonis.



“Be ready for the worst.”

Aquaman swam in place out in the open ocean outside of the city, with Garth at his side. A group of soldiers of Poseidonis floated behind them. They were but a few in a large number that Aqualad had mustered but this was still very minimal compared to the numbers they would be facing.

“This won’t be enough,” Aquaman whispered.

“I’m aware. But it’ll have to do.”

The Oceanics were growing closer with each second, their barbaric battle cries ringing through the water. Orin raised his trident a bit while the soldiers of Poseidonis drew their own weapons, blaster rifles. Poseidonis was the most advanced city in the oceans, even more advanced than the cities that were on the surface world. Therefore, its weapons were just as sophisticated. At least they had an advantage in that.

“Here goes nothing,” Garth said with an uneasy smile.

“Attack!” Aquaman called, raising his trident high above his head.

Some of the Atlantean soldiers began to fire their lasers while others drew swords and charged, colliding into the mass of Oceanics.

With unreal determination, Aquaman launched himself forward straight at the front line of enemies. He rammed the blades of his trident into the ribcage of an unsuspecting Oceanic before hitting another away with a surprise kick.

Aqualad moved his arms back and forth around his body in a smooth movement. The water around him began to sway back and forth, completely in synch with his rhythm. His arms began to move faster and with them, the water.

Chanting an ancient Idyllist incantation, Garth threw his arms out in front him; the water surrounding him blasted forward and slammed into a group of Oceanics that were nearby. He continued his fluid movements while another squad of Oceanics swam at him, weapons raised. Aqualad, reciting another spell, clapped his hands together, causing the water around the Oceanics to split apart as if sliced by some invisible sword, separating the squad into two groups.

“Kill that damn kid!” one of the Oceanics shrieked.

Aqualad said another spell and a large highly-pressurized ball of water formed on the palm of his hand. He threw it at great velocity, smashing into his enemies, knocking them into the distance.

“Who is that?” Lord Ladon asked from the rocky cliffs.

“The young one? An Idyllist. A minor obstacle I assure you,” Ocean Master said.

“An Idyllist? I wasn’t aware that savages like the Idyllists were welcomed in Atlantis these days,” Ladon said, a bit puzzled, toying with the rings on his fingers.

“They aren’t. Another example of my brother’s hypocrisy.”

Meanwhile, Aquaman stormed, head on, into the Oceanic horde, fighting his way in. General Gorgon clashed his axe against the king’s trident while other blades came down upon the king as he became engulfed in the very heart of the army. He repelled the Oceanic attacks but quickly found himself surrounded in a circle of armed forces.

“This is the great King of Poseidonis? I’m not impressed,” General Gorgon said from within the crowd.

Orin scanned the surrounding faces of the Oceanics, trying to find a weak point. His eyes then flickered upward and a smug smile crossed his face. Using his great Atlantean speed, Aquaman darted up through the seas, toward the surface, a trail of bubbles in his wake.

“What do you think you’re doing!?” Gorgon yelled.

“Impressing you.”

Some of the Oceanics pursued him, narrowly avoiding the volley of laser fire that was still bombarding their ranks. Aquaman continued his ascension with haste, ignoring the foes chasing him. He came to a sudden halt just before the line of water that crossed into the surface.

The king then turned himself completely around, floating so he could face the line of Oceanics that were still rising to follow him in a disorderly fashion. He kicked off of the shallow water, diving head first at his opponents. He swung his trident gracefully, slashing through each Oceanic he passed by, continuing his long drop towards the ocean’s floor.

“Not bad,” Lord Ladon said, clapping his pale hands together as he stood on the cliff.

Ocean Master remained still, completely absorbed by the scene before him. He craned his head, watching his brother impale the last of the Oceanics that had followed him and then touch down on the muddy earth. Gorgon’s first regiment was beginning to weaken.

“Not bad at all,” Ladon said again.

Ocean Master’s jaw tightened and he looked to his side, past Thanatos, over at The Shark who stood on the rocks licking his lips.

“You hungry?” Ocean Master said.

The Shark looked over at him and an excited smirk stretched across his hideous face, revealing his dozens of sharp teeth.

“Famished.”



“Did you see what King Orin just did? That was incredible!”

The young Atlantean, Javen, stood next to his best friends Tramm, a mute who was frequently referred to as Lagoon Boy due to his scaly skin and fish-like appearance, and Koryak, a boy who had been found after his entire village had been killed by a toxin in the water. They watched the action that was taking place from the inside of the dome.

An Oceanic suddenly came crashing through the transparent dome wall skidding across the street and then coming to a slow halt. He lay on his back, unconscious. Javen and the others ran to see him up close.

“Wow, Lagoon Boy. He kind of looks like you,” Javen said.

“Tramm is not an Oceanic. Just very similar.”

Vulko was behind them, also looking down at the still body. The youths stared at his old wrinkled face and Vulko pleasantly smiled back.

“I guess we should be locking this one up then. Wouldn’t want him to be causing trouble when he wakes up now, would we?”

“Nope.”



“Orin, look out!”

Garth’s warning rang through the sounds of the battle as Aquaman turned around to see what he was supposed to be watching out for. He scanned his surroundings. Bodies of both Atlanteans and Oceanics floated around, unmoving with red water circling them.

Looking for someone, Atlantean?

The Shark collided into Orin, wrapping his arms around the king’s torso and tackling him into the mass of seaweed on the ocean floor below. Aquaman felt the all too familiar sensation of The Shark using his telepathic abilities to tear into his mind.

“I thought Nanaue’s men had taken care of you,” Orin said.

A mental image, a memory of The Shark’s, flashed into Aquaman’s mind; of Oceanics murdering the squad of shark-men that had taken The Shark after his last fight with Orin.

“I see. So my brother saved you.”

“Right you are. And now I get the chance to finally feast on your flesh,” The Shark said, showing off his razor-sharp teeth.

The Shark had Aquaman pinned against the seaweed, on top of him and holding onto his trident with both hands, pushing him down into the mud. The Shark held the handle of the trident against Orin’s neck while the hero tried to push it back toward his enemy.

Mmm. I can smell the blood pumping through those veins. Smells good.

Distracted only for a moment by his enemy’s psychic attack, Orin was not prepared when The Shark opened his mouth wide and his head lunged forward violently. Aquaman let go of his trident and caught The Shark by the chin, keeping him at bay. The villain’s eyes glared down at Orin with rabid hunger. Aquaman used all of the strength he could muster to throw a punch that smacked The Shark away for a moment.

A horn suddenly rang throughout the seas and the Oceanics all looked back toward Tritonis.

“Pull back!” General Gorgon roared.

The remaining Oceanics reluctantly began to swim back toward their base. Orin and Garth couldn’t believe what they were seeing. Their enemies were retreating…at least for the moment. The Shark, who just stood standing in one spot, stared at Aquaman aggressively. The king noticed this and raised his trident, ready to continue their fight.

“Shark! I said pull back!” Gorgon’s voice shouted.

The Shark ignored the Oceanic leader’s orders and began to drift toward Aquaman, hands itching with anticipation.

“I SAID PULL BACK!”

The Shark’s bloodshot eyes darted to his left and then back to Orin. He let out an aggravated hiss before grudgingly departing back to Tritonis.

Aquaman stood motionless, looking hazily around at the remnants of what had only been the beginning of the battle.

“We can’t keep this up,” Garth said.

“I know…”

“Then what do we do? We’ve lost so many soldiers already and it looks to me like Orm’s still got plenty more men.”

Aquaman thought in silence for a moment before looking up.

“We go for the head of the snake.”



“ ‘Go for the head of the snake’? Sorry, but um…have you lost it?”

Aquaman and Aqualad swam swiftly and stealthily above the ocean’s floor. The water around them was now incredibly dark due to nightfall having descended on the sky above.

“You have to trust me on this one, Garth. If we are able to take away their leader, they’ll be scattered and disorderly. Then we’ll have a chance to attack with the full force of Poseidonis.”

“Yes…I understand that but…why is it just the two of us going?”

“Stealth purposes. We don’t want to draw their attention. If we can sneak into Tritonis unnoticed we’ll have a far better chance of taking out Orm.”

“When you say ‘taking out’…do you mean…”

“If we have to, yes.” Aquaman said, knowing what Garth was alluding to.

After a few minutes, they entered the ancient city from the west. With the silhouettes of the large towers looming high above them and the water growing noticeably colder, they journeyed towards the ridge where most of the Oceanics were waiting to make their next move.

“Orin, look.”

Aquaman heard Garth whisper and followed the young man’s gaze to where a light was glowing behind one of the Tritonis citadels. Orin motioned for Garth to follow and they quietly swam over to the roof of the citadel, climbing over it to see what was on the other side. They reached the top of the structure and stared at the sight before them.

An enormous manta ray shaped submarine rested on the ocean floor, men wearing diving suits and Oceanics roaming near it.

“What is that?” Aqualad gasped, clinging onto the roof a bit harder.

“I’m not sure. There are two towers on either side of this area. You take the one on the right, I’ll go left. Let’s see if we can get a better look at this thing.”

Garth nodded in agreement and left the king, paddling quietly away. Aquaman swam over to the opposite tower and once there, kneeled on its edge, resting his trident beside him. He looked down at the machine below and more closely at the surface dwellers, in their deep sea diving gear, and the Oceanics who seemed to be keeping their distance.

Then Orin’s attention was caught by one particular figure below.

The jet black suit and that strange helmet with the almost bug-like eyes.

“Black Manta.”



Aqualad leaned over the edge of the tower balcony, looking over to see his king on the building across from him. In between them, far below, sat what Garth thought was a machine but perhaps maybe it was some kind of metallic beast.

“Enjoying the view?”

Garth swung his body around to find Thanatos. His dark eyes met Garth’s own. The last time they had fought, Aqualad had been able to incapacitate him using his sorcery, but Thanatos no doubt would be more prepared this time.

“I know my master doesn’t take kindly to intruders. Especially ones who are part of that false king’s inner circle,” Thanatos said coldly.

“The only false king here is your master.”

“We’ll see.”

Thanatos advanced toward Aqualad

“You have no weapons, defenseless. Yield now.”

Thanatos pointed his cutlass at Garth threateningly but a wide grin was pasted on Aqualad’s face.

“Defenseless? Not even close.”

Garth quickly recited a spell and held his hands out in front of him. The water around him shot forward, knocking Thanatos back a few steps but then, without a word, Thanatos swung his sword directly at Garth’s torso.

Aqualad dashed to his side, not expecting such a direct attack from his enemy. Before he had another moment to think, Thanatos’ cutlass came at him again.

Garth held out his hands in defense. The whole world seemed to slow. The blade continued its stride toward him but he suddenly felt a great coldness come over himself. The water in front of him became much chillier and it suddenly hardened, freezing up. Thanatos’s sword met a barrier of ice that had formed a wall in front of Aqualad.

“What the…?” Garth said, still holding his hands out. “Did I do-“

Thanatos jammed his blade against the wall of ice, bashing against it repeatedly. After a few attempts, the ice wall completely shattered, shards of ice spraying everywhere. Garth was thrown off of his feet from the blast and crashed onto his back, sliding across the floor.

Aqualad managed to climb onto one knee before he felt the tip of the blade press against his neck. He glanced up to find Thanatos standing above him.

“It’s over.”



Aquaman’s gaze shifted from the strange submarine below to the ancient tower across from him. He could see the outline of a figure putting a sword up to another shape.

“Garth.”

Orin picked up his trident from where it lay beside him and got to his feet. His eyes wandered down to where the manta-ray-shaped submarine lay and he discovered that something was missing.

Wait. What happened to Black-

Something thin and sharp plunged into the side of Aquaman’s neck.

“Ughhhh.”

The king’s mouth fell open and he crashed onto one knee, holding his neck where he had been pricked. His eyes were wide with surprise and his trident fell from his grasp. He slowly turned his head around to see what had happened.

“Long time no see, Arthur.” Black Manta stood tall and proud with an empty syringe held in his hand. “You never call, you never write, and I thought we were good pals.”

Aquaman, not in the mood for Manta’s games, spoke.

“What the hell did you-“ Orin stopped mid-sentence, his vision beginning to blur. The image of Black Manta began to distort and fade away while a sharp pain shot into his brain. “What the hell did you do to me, Manta!?”

“Just a little saponin.” Black Manta tapped the needle on the syringe. “Oh wait, that’s poisonous to you, isn’t it? Oops. I should really be more careful.”

Black Manta’s fist collided with Aquaman’s jaw, knocking him onto his stomach. Orin tried to crawl away but the floor he was on suddenly became the ceiling and the world around him began to swirl. Aquaman felt Manta’s gloved fingers wrap around his blond hair, pulling him up onto his knees.

“Your brother wants this to be some sort of grand battle that will go down in Atlantean history. Honestly, that’ll probably cause more problems than it’s worth. I prefer to do my job hassle-free so this is the way it’s going to have to be, Arthur. He hired me to do a job, so I might as well deliver.”

Aquaman felt Manta’s knuckles crack against his nose, breaking it on impact. Blood seeped from his nostrils, rising in the water. Black Manta tugged Orin’s head closer by his hair, putting his face right up to his helmet.

The Devil Ray submarine’s turbines began to kick in and the roar of the engines thundered far below. Black Manta gave a cold tasteless laugh and his bug-eyed helmet came closer to Orin’s battered and horrified face.

“You hear that, Arthur? That’s the beginning of the end of that fishbowl you call home.”



“Thantatos. What’s happened?”

General Gorgon appeared behind the swordsman, merely blinking at the sight of Garth. Thanatos ignored him, his black eyes locking onto Garth’s own lavender pupils. Gorgon looked from Thanatos to Garth and hissed.

“Well, what are you waiting for? Kill the brat!”

Aqualad felt the tip of the sword push against his throat a bit harder but when he looked up at Thanatos’s face he saw hesitation taking form. Garth looked hard into his enemy’s soulless black eyes, wondering what was going through his head.

“Kill him!” Gorgon repeated.

Garth kept his own eyes fixed on Thanatos’s face, waiting for the end.

“No.”

The sword’s tip drew away from Aqualad’s neck a little, but only a little. Thanatos remained still and calm while Gorgon’s scaly face was filled with anger.

“What do you mean ‘no’?”

“I won’t kill him.”

Gorgon’s focus stayed on Thanatos a moment longer before he lifted his axe.

“Fine. I’ll do it then.”

“Don’t,” Thanatos said, looking over his shoulder threateningly.

Gorgon paused for a moment, a bit taken aback by the turn of events. Almost immediately though, his expression became quite calm and even arrogant.

“Ha. I always knew you’d wind up a traitor,” Gorgon said.

“I’m no traitor. This one could be of some use to the master. He may want him alive,” Thanatos reasoned, blinking repeatedly.

“Why? Because he’s some sort of mage? Ha. If the master did want him to live, he would have told us. Now, get out of my way or I’ll go through you to get to him.” Gorgon tightened his grip on his axe looking very anxious.

Garth still crouched on one knee, unable to get up, and watched the debate unfold. Thanatos glanced from Aqualad and then back to the impatient Oceanic before him. Without another word, he struck Garth on the head with the hilt of his sword, rendering him unconscious. Gorgon, surprised, stepped back as Thanatos now pointed the cutlass at him.

“He lives.”

Gorgon’s scaled lips curled.

“For now.”




Atlantean soldiers were sprawled along the perimeter of the domes of Poseidonis, the four enormous Devil Ray submarines loomed triumphantly above them. Some of the warriors were floating in scarlet water, their bodies swaying lifelessly while others were badly wounded, attempting to flee. One such soldier tried to swim away from the city but a laser blast from a cannon of the Devil Ray sub closest to him quickly dealt with that.

Oceanics, howling wildly, were colliding into the transparent domes of Poseidonis, entering the air-filled city. The people of Poseidonis tried to run for safety but the wave of Oceanics moved swiftly through the undersea city, driving Atlanteans out of their homes.

“We can’t just let them take over!” Javen said rebelliously but Vulko, despite his old age, managed to hold the boy back.

“You will stay calm, Javen. There is nothing we can do. Not yet anyway.”

The army of Oceanics all grouped up in a disorderly mob in front of the palace steps . Mera, who stood at the top of the stairway to the palace, defiantly noticed that the Oceanics all seemed to be looking toward the dome walls for something.

He had come.

With General Gorgon on his right, Lord Ladon on his left, and The Shark and Thanatos on his heels -- Orm had returned to Poseidonis.



Aquaman opened his eyes a bit but saw at least six Black Mantas holding him up, his touch with reality slipping while the toxin continued to spread .

“That poison will kill you in probably a matter of an hour. But why wait?” Manta grabbed onto the neckline of Orin’s orange scale-mail shirt and held him over the edge of the tower.

Orin looked hard into Black Manta’s face, his vision foggy and his mind numb. The only sound he could hear was the echoing of breaths from his enemy’s masked face.

“Goodbye, Arthur. I would say it’s been a pleasure, but really, let’s be honest. It hasn’t.”

Black Manta tossed the king over the edge of the spire, plummeting into the black abyss below.



Orm Marius stared up through his mask at the glistening palace resting at the peak of the staircase he now climbed. He had finally accomplished what he had set out to achieve so long ago; what he had become a traitor for. This was the day he had been dreaming of since he was just a boy.

The day he ascended these steps and took what was rightfully his.

The throne.



Coldness swept over Orin, descending ever further into the darkness of the sea. He could feel his body systematically shutting down, all sensations in his limbs had vanished and now he was struggling to even keep his eyes open.

But the physical trauma from the poison wasn’t where he was truly in pain.

As much as Aquaman didn’t want to admit it, he had been defeated. He had failed his kingdom but more importantly, his people. Images of his loved ones were fading from his memory; Mera. Garth. Vulko. Gone.

All gone.

This is what it was like to be overthrown by a tyrant. To be dishonored by a man he once called his brother. This is what it was like to lose, to hurt, to be defeated.

His vision blackened and his mind grew blank. Final thoughts of his wife, his queen left him. How he would miss Mera so. If only he could spend just one more day…just one mo-

Without warning, it came.

Complete darkness.



The king of the seas had fallen.

TO BE CONTINUED!



If you wish to comment on this issue, please CLICK HERE to visit the letters page.