Chapter Thirty-Six

Atlantis and Arthur

Steve lead both Wonder Woman and Batman into this personal home office. Diana despite spending a large amount of her time in Steve's home, had never been in there. It wasn't all that much different from any other office, with the large desk and high backed chair. The computer though was a large device with multiple screens, and more encryption then any home computer would ever need.

He motioned them to wait, before picking up his office phone. The conversation was short, consisting on him basically telling the other person of the line, that they were there and wanted to know about anything strange under water. He spent only a moment of his phone, before turning to the two heroes. His jaw tightened with tension, and his brow furrowed.

"A naval sub went dark and sank to floor mid pacific." Steve started to explain, "We sent people to investigate. I took some time but they found the wrecked sub, and its missiles missing."

"What attacked it?" Batman asked from his shadowy corner. "What happened to the missiles?"

"We don't know," Steve replied he's jaw worked for a moment, "Save from your team, there's no one we knew that could have done that amount of damage. See the thing is, it was done by hand."

"By hand?" Wonder Woman repeated frowning.

"Literally. The outside of the sub was covered in hand prints," Steve looked Batman square in the face. "Someone crushed the sub by hand."

"Crushed the sub by hand, and stole the missiles." Batman repeated in a flat voice. "And you kept this quiet?"

"It wasn't my call." Steve replied defensively. "But yes it was kept quiet."

"If this is what set the Altanteans off. We could have investigated it." Batman said his voice emotionless. "We could have prepared for this. If we had have been told."

"What would have me do?!" Steve demanded climbing to his feet, "Go against orders?! Had over everything we know?"

Batman didn't reply as he turned and left to room.

"Peace Steve." Wonder Woman said reaching to rest her hand on his shoulder. "He wasn't attacking you."

"Sorry it's just…." Steve started to explain, reaching up to cover her hand with his, "There's something about him…are you and he…close?"

"You need not worry about that," Wonder Woman said shaking her head, "Not about me, and definitely not about him."

"Not about him?" Steve questioned frowning.

Wonder Woman only smiled.

#SC#

Superwoman had no idea where they were heading. The ocean water had been steadily been getting darker and darker, as Green Lantern's green nimbus had become to only source of light. Her visual powers weren't working as they usually did. Something blocking her x-ray vision, and obscuring her long distance sight.

It was very disconcerting for her; she hadn't been aware of how much she relied on her powers until she couldn't use them.

The moved from open ocean into a long deep ocean trench, the rock faces towering over them on both sided. When suddenly she noticed, the water that had been getting colder the deeper they went suddenly went up a few degrees in temperature. The darkened waters around them, brighten more and more the deeper into the trench they moved.

The rocks gave way from natural formations to smooth man made finishes. Pillars carved into the rock face lined the end of trench, before become large archways.

Mera came to a stop a head of them, raising a hand in gesture for them to halt.

Superwoman's eyes went beyond her guide and blue eyes widened. Her month dropping down in shocked awe behind her mask.

She'd seen many things since becoming Superwoman. Had travelled beyond what many would even imagine. But before her was something that even she had thought of as legend once, but now it was there before her looking so real and so majestic.

Atlantis.

It was in a valley below them, golden and green domed buildings and pointed spires sat amongst natural coral and sea weed gardens. It looked like a city from an ancient world, reformed for an underwater background.

"Oh wow," She heard Green Lantern say behind her.

"There's something strange going on here," Superwoman said softly, tilting her head to squint at the city below. "When I try and scan the buildings, it's like it's going hazy."

"Are you alright?" Cyborg asked turning to the Krytonian.

"Yeah," She replied, before shaking her head clear her senses "It's just weird."

"We have to keep moving," Mera said turning to them, her long red hair flowing around her. "Orm will be holding Arthur within the deepest prisons of Atlantis. We must be careful the lower levels are dangerous."

#SC#

"This place is like a ghost town," Green Lantern remarked as the moved through the edge of the city, the buildings around them were whole and unmarked. But there wasn't another person in sight. "Where is everyone?"

"I do not know," Mera said as the continued on for a moment before she stopped and gestured. "This is the destruction I told you about. Done by the surface weapons."

Ahead large chunks of the buildings had been destroyed, the stone and rock blasted into ruin. Red dirt still circled into water, as if the rocks themselves refused to settle. A single figure sat near the edge of the destruction, an elder lady looked out at the destroyed buildings with saddened eyes.

She looked up with a gasp, as Mera approached her.

"Tell me, where is everyone?" Mera questioned,

"The surface people have attacked us." The elderly woman replied, "The people have gone into hiding, as our brave soldiers move to avenge our fallen King Arthur."

"Oh that's not good," Green Lantern muttered.

"We're too late, they've left already." Superwoman stated. "I hope the others are ready for them."

"I'll send them a message that the troops are on the way," Cyborg said, reaching a hand to where his ear would have been. Before a computerised voice stated loudly.

Error. Unknown interference. Error.

"I can't make contract," He told the others. "Something's blocking to signal."

"Then we get Aquaman out of his cell and up to the surface as quick as we can," Green Lantern stated "Hopefully he can talk his troops down."

#SC#

The majestic city had given way to stone ruins. The trench lead from the edge of the city deeper into the ocean. The bright glow of Atlantis faded slightly, and the water turned cold. Mera stood on the edge of a deep gorge, looking down.

"Arthur is down there," She informed them. Her face tense, as she tried to scanned to darkness below.

"This is too easy, "Green Lantern said glancing around, "Shouldn't there be a guard on something?"

A low rumbling sound came from below, almost like a growling sound.

"You had to say something didn't you," Superwoman remarked shooting the Green Lantern a look.

Half a dozen black tentacles appeared over the edge of the gorge, lashing out at the four standing there. They each dove out of the way, before turning to attack in return. Superwoman's heat vision severed one tentacle into small pieces, as Cyborgs laser weapons did the same to another.

A high pitch shrieking sound filled the air, as the rocks beneath them gave way. Sending their platform into the gorge below. Each of them moved into open water, away from the tumbling rocks. And for the first time got a look at the creature that had attacked them.

It was massive, with multiple black tentacles that trashed in the water around it. The head was bulky with a mouth full of razor sharp teeth. Two large red eyes, seemed to glare at them before it sent more tentacles flying their way.

Heat vision and laser sliced through a number of them. Green constructs slammed into existence, holding the creature at bay. It shrieked again, before every single one of its tentacles went flying at Superwoman and Cyborg. As the stood next one another.

Cyborg was knocked back with a yell, as four large tentacles wrapped themselves around Superwoman bragging her into the deeper water, before slamming her into the gorges wall again and again.

She yelled at the impact, rocks flying around her. But as it lifted her to do it again, a pair of glowing green scissors sliced through the limbs that were holding her. She kicked off from the wall, sending massive cracks outward as she shot upward.

The uppercut she gave to creature knocked it backward, before she grabbed hold of it and slammed its head in the gorges wall. Once and then twice. Just as it had her.

Letting it go, she watched at the fall to the bottom of the gorge. Following by tonnes of rocks, as they buried the creature in the deep beneath the rubble.

She returned to the edge of the gorge, where the others were standing.

"Well that was something…." Green Lantern remarked.

"Let us find Arthur." Mera said, and together they moved on.

#SC#

Arthur's prison wasn't far from where they had fought the creature.

The blond hair, blue eyes King of Atlantis watched in shock as Mera entered his cell. Followed by the team he'd helped stop Darkseid.

"Mera," He said, reaching forward to hug the red head. Before turning to the others, "You guys came."

"Course we did," Green Lantern stated.

"Arthur," Mera said stepping back to look at her King, "Orm has moved to attack the surface world."

"Then I guess we have to stop my crazy half-brother," Aquaman stated, with a determined look.

"What happened down here?" Cyborg questioned.

"Orm managed to gather together some outcasts, and criminals of Atlantis," Arthur explained, he's expression intense. "Along with his loyal guard members, that had left with him. He attacked a sub, and stole it missiles. He then used them to stage an attack on Atlantis. He announced that had been killed in the attack."

"Why?" Green Lantern questioned.

"Orm had always wanted the throne, and he hates the surface world." Aquaman replied. He looked away from the group as he explained. "He fears that one day the surface will become more powerful then Atlantis, that they would attack us. He was angry at the very idea of it, and begun to hate the surface world."

"We have to get you up there," Superwoman said, "Seeing you alive, that will stop the attack."

"It will stop those loyal to the throne," Aquaman corrected, "We'll then have to stop those loyal to Orm."

"Superwoman you should go," Cyborg said looking to the dark haired woman, "You're faster than any of us. And chances are they'll need you."

She turned to look from face to face, before nodding.

"I'll see you up there," She said, before adding. "Hurry."

She shot upward at a speed the would have crippled humans, heading for the surface.

For Metropolis.

A/N I know at the beginning I said I was combining different era and different source Superman to make Superwoman. But I truthfully unsure which one she is directly coming from. I originally choose the idea that in space and such she held her breath. I was then wondering how long I could keep her underwater before she would need to breathe. But there is an earlier version of Superman, he didn't need to breathe at all. The solar energy replenishing him enough, that neither food nor air was needed. So I think I'm switching, what do you think would it work or is it too OP.

P.s I'm not doing talking in space because that's just over the top.