43 Raise the Roof

Looking into the cavern chamber it looks like two hundred plus of theses monsters including the Large one that Arthur fought to a standstill with. He was swimming in front of the mouth of the huge Monster and the rest looked like they were just staring fixatedly at it.

Arthur, {What is this?}

Mera, {Don't you recognize a King and a Queen when you see them?}

On the back of the Queen as Mera called it, I saw some boil like protrusions and I wondered if she was sick. Then I saw one pop and out came one of those sickly-looking young creatures that were floating into the cave we were in.

Logan, {That was mildly disgusting, she gives birth through the zits on her back?}

J'onn, {The lack of food must be the reason so many are dying right after birth. She must be waiting for all these to be borne before she starts a new breeding cycle with the food the King brought from the surface world. I feel no sentient thought beyond eat and breed from the Queen. The only thing I feel besides that from the King is the need to feed the Queen.}

Arthur, {Look, the cocoons are on the ceiling of the chamber, we can't break the people out or they would just drown if they aren't dead already.}

J'onn, {I can use my telekinesis to lift the roof to the surface, but I will need Mera to use her water magic to steady the pressure around the cocoons to prevent the people from getting decompression sickness. I will also need to be close to lift something of that size.}

Logan, {If we try and steal their food they will come after us, the Queen too if she is able to move.}

Arthur, {You and I will have to keep them off J'onn and Mera Logan.}

Logan, {Too bad it's so narrow down here or I could change into a form that would demolish them with ease.} The Mosasaurs would make quick work of this group if I could stomach eating them all.

{Looks like we better get moving, the King just spotted us.} I said.

Mera quickly formed a whirlpool around us as we rushed the room and headed for the roof. We all used our strength to break the ceiling away for J'onn to lift easier. The creatures watched us in surprise, probably not yet understanding our purpose. That is until it started working, as the ceiling tore free Mera used her magic to not only help with the water pressure on the cocoons but also to help J'onn with lifting the ceiling itself.

(Obligatory roof joke incoming.)

Logan, {Now that's how you raise the roof!!}

Once they figured out what we were doing the creatures responded about how you would think they would. Nothing like thieves coming in and stealing you fridge right after a successful shopping hunt.

Mera, {They are catching up.}

Logan, {Lets let them do the hard work Arthur, you and I can go kick some butt.}

Arthur, {We will buy you the time Mera!}

As the King reached us, he had eyes only for Arthur, so I went after any that continued towards the roof J'onn was carrying.

I could feel Arthur attempting to telepathically connect to the King but all he was receiving was a wall of hunger and rage.

Arthur, {I wish we could talk. If only I could make you understand that I can't allow you to use us as food.}

I however was getting a crash course in fighting under water. Trying to muscle your way through the water to strike killed 60% of your attack. I accidentally discovered that if I followed the current they were creating with their movements I could make use of their wake and strike them harder than if I was on the surface.

Add to that Ripjaws claws and yes teeth then I became a ball of terror for these creatures. If I wounded one enough his buddies took him away, knowing what I know, it surely wasn't to get them medical attention. That became my method of fighting down here, wound them enough that another took the first away. That took two opponents out of my area.

It seemed like hours of just ripping and biting with no care to what direction I was moving, so long as I didn't let any get past me to the roof J'onn and Mera were lifting.

I saw the King take advantage of Arthurs reluctance to kill him and he got the high ground and started to push Arthur towards the hole in the vessel we had made. I had a bad feeling about this, so I started towards him.

I saw the Queen pop out of the vessel and open her mouth wide trying to drag Arthur to her massive teeth with a tentacle that came from her back. Using the vortex the Queen was creating by trying to swallow Arthur I swam along with the current and tail slammed the King from behind and swiped at the tentacle that had wrapped around Arthur's neck. My momentum crashed us both to the side of the Queen but at least we were out of her suction force.

Logan, {You have to take off the kid gloves here Aquaman. If they get past us, then your wife is next to die. Add to that, we have freed the queen from the cavern so she can go anywhere and feed until the ocean is filled with only these monsters of hunger. I understand your hesitation, but this is the path these creatures have chosen, the path of slaughter, it is just a matter of us walking that path or them.}

Arthur, {The Volcanic vent, I have one shot. Clear out Logan. I am sorry.} I hoped that last thought was only directed at the Queen, as I swam as fast as I could straight up.

I felt an incredible burst of heat and my gills filled with more volcanic chemicals. I looked back and saw Aquaman retrieving his Trident from a crack in one of the volcanic vents. When he grabbed and twisted it the vent spewed more lava directly onto the Queen resulting in her almost instant death.

I heard Mera's concern for Arthur, but she calmed down seeing us both race out of the cloud the new lava stream created. Arthur went directly to an overhang and started trying to collapse it into the trench to seal all the monsters in the hole that was quickly filling with lava.

I swam above Arthur and mentally shout, {Clear out Arthur I don't want to squash you.}

(Red don't kill me too soon, I have so many more to show you.) Next to the Red wall in my mind I created the image of the largest aquatic animal found in the deep oceans of Pandora. I changed into a Tulkun. Three times the size of the largest blue whale ever found on Earth and armored to boot. As soon as I got my barring's I used my armored head to smash into the overhangs and took most of the trench wall with it. I saw the King and his followers buried under all the rubble I created and then a deep exhaustion overtook me.

I was swimming but it was all black and just as I got my head above water my eyes opened to the sight of the docks and ambulances everywhere. I had been unconscious.

Logan, "Please tell me it was Mera that gave me CPR!"

Arthur, "Hey that's my wife you're talking about boy!!"

Logan, "What, you were hoping I would wake up and say, 'Please tell me it was Arthur that gave me CPR', sorry but you're not my type oh great king of the sea's.

Mera's laughter was loud and long!!

J'onn, "CPR was unnecessary Logan, Morph covered your face until we reached the surface and has anxiously watched you since."

I reach for Morph on my shoulder and rub my hand over him, "Good looking out little brother, I want to be awake for my first kiss in this body."

I stumbled to my feet and J,onn steadied me. "Take care Logan you exhausted your energy with that last form."

Mera, "What was that monstrosity? It looked like it could flatten all of Atlantis in just minutes. I have never even heard of something like that. It frightened me more than the creatures."

Logan, "Just call it something from my imagination Lady Mera, a form I don't plan to take again for a very long time if ever." I just hope there won't be a need for something that size again anytime soon.

All around us people were being removed from the cocoons and yelling for their loved ones. A little boy ran to Arthur and said, "Thank you for saving me and mommy, you were always my favorite hero!!!"

Agent Lance walked over, "It's a miracle, of all those you managed to bring back only two didn't survive. Shield will need a full report and any pictures or video you took."

Arthur, "Your joking, right? No way we had time to take video or pictures."

Agent Lance, "Just standard protocol to ask."

Logan, "Well guys, I think I will head on back to safe old Gotham. Too much excitement here for my taste. Thanks for the advice and the lead on a broker, I'll talk with Robin and decide with him what to do."

As J'onn lifted us away I asked him, {You could have done that whole mission by yourself couldn't you have?}

J'onn, {Yes, but I can't be everywhere. It is good to let young and new heroes grow under the guidance of us older Leaguers. I would wager that Mera and Arthur could have done just fine without our presence.}

Logan, {Thank you J'onn, for everything.}