72 Prelude To Oblivion

The sky had returned to a clear blue as the season welcomed the coming of spring. No more storm clouds, no more rain. A most enjoyable temperature. One where families would find time to go out and have picnics. Flowers were blooming along with other greenery. The fauna had absorbed the torrential rain of winter.

Half a year has passed since the Atlantean War. Contrary to expectations, this time went by without any problems. No overwhelming violence, no stubborn villains, and no freak accidents. It was as if the entire world was looking to the sky and waiting for a sign.

The Lockhart Estate was a sight to behold. Purple flowers surrounded the manor, followed by the endless green of grass and trees. They flowed in the breeze and sang hymns with their movements. While things seemed peaceful from the outside, it was a bit more active within.

Maids and servants were bustling to and fro. There was a festive atmosphere all throughout the halls. Frills, curtains, and more were being set up. A surplus of decorations. It was obvious that a celebration was soon to come.

The two Lockharts were currently in an expansive library, found in the far side of the estate. The windows were open. This allowed the calming breeze to lighten the atmosphere. Flower petals flew about, painting a beautiful image.

Sora couldn't figure out what was going on. When asking the maids for some context, they were extremely tight lipped. Even Alice wouldn't tell him why everything was so festive. The sleepy man had long since given up and decided to wait and see.

He sat on the edge of the table, leaning back with his hands behind him. His gaze was perpetually focused out the window and into the horizon. A cup of tea along with some fancy desserts were in front of the mistress. One was a chocolate covered cheesecake, with strawberries on top. The lovely doll was addicted to strawberries.

There were even fancier delicacies but that's besides the point. Alice had been reading at some point, but her brain had long since gone blank. She was too busy zoning out and eating cakes. Her legs swung back and forth unconsciously. Sora may have been gazing off into the horizon, but all was not as it seemed.

"Tch." The sleepy man clicked his tongue.

He was nervous. More nervous than he'd ever been. As the months went by, his soul and body grew stronger. This growth allowed him to perceive things in a different way. He could now see things that weren't there before.

Sora wasn't gazing out the window. No. He was glaring at two auras that shot through the sky and disappeared past the horizon. There was a red line and an orange one.

The red aura gave off a sick and twisted feeling. It was full of depravity and blood. The young Lockhart could almost smell the iron just by looking at it.

The orange aura was the opposite. It was calm and tranquil. A nourishing feeling could be perceived from it. As if mother nature was holding him in her embrace.

Two different auras side by side. This wasn't the problem though. Of course it wasn't. Things were never that simple. The problem was the source of these auras. Sora finally turned his head to look at Alice.

"Nom nom nom…Mnnnn…nom nom nom."

Alice was too busy munching on her delicious sweets. It was an adorable cycle. Tasting the delicacy, humming in delight, giving Sora a beaming smile, then digging in once more. She was oblivious to the colors emitting from her body.

The mistress had a body that was extremely mature. She looked to be in her mid 30s, but her body showed no signs of aging. A beautiful asian woman who only slightly resembled the previous mistress of this estate. Her brain was not at the same maturity level as her body. This was Alice Lockhart, the current head of the Lockhart Foundation.

"...Is it good? I wonder which cake is your favorite." Sora spoke up. He couldn't help but pat her head.

"Mmhmm! I really love these strawberry cheesecakes. But I will say…if we ignore this…then the Ombre Rosette, and the Mont Blanc Caramel Pavlova. Mnn. Mnn." She nodded multiple times.

"But only one can be your favorite. Is it the cheesecake then?"

"Mmm…strawberries will obviously win. This is an unfair choice!" She complained. Before she could start pouting, Sora continued with a smile.

"Then is the Ombre Rosette? It definitely looks the best."

"The best dessert is you! You are my favorite." She declared.

"That's unfair…" Sora raised a handkerchief to wipe the frosting from the corner of her lips. "I wouldn't say I have a similar taste."

"That's not true, Sora. You taste like vanilla beans. Like ice cream." She revealed. Sora raised an eyebrow.

'That's right. This isn't the first time someone told me this. I forgot.' He realized.

"Fine, fine. You win, love."

"Hmph. Of course I win. I always win!" She stuck her nose in the air.

The sleepy man cupped her chin, bringing her to eye level. She thought he was going to kiss her, so she closed her eyes. Wrong. Sora kept his face still until she finally opened her eyes.

"...When are you going to tell me why the maids are so busy? What are we preparing for?"

Immediately, Alice turned her head away. She even slapped away his hand. Both of her hands stopped on her hips.

"Not telling. You will only know when the time comes, so stop asking!" She exclaimed.

"Alright…fine. Once again you win."

"Hmph!" The mistress went back to her sweets.

"There's something I need to check out. Do you want me to bring home some food?"

"You're going out? Why?"

"Alice, I haven't left your side in months. Where is the flower I gave you?"

"...It's in the study. You still haven't said why-"

"There's something that's been bothering me. I need to see why that is. Don't forget that you still have work to finish. By the time you finish everything, I will already have returned. Be good." He interrupted.

And just like that, he was gone. Alice never questioned how he could just pop out of existence. It didn't matter to her. As she looked down at the delicious snacks, she suddenly didn't want them anymore. They no longer tasted good.

The mistress soon left the library and went to the study. A large stack of papers awaited her. This way, she could see him faster. So she focused on her work. The divine flower was on the corner of the desk, covered by a glass case. She couldn't help but glance at it from time to time.

…

…

…

In the Watchtower, far above Earth.

Martian Manhunter teleported into the entry bay. He wore a dark blue cape along with a skin tight black suit. He looked extremely serious. Something was on his mind.

"ID: J'onn J'onnzz. Martian Manhunter." The Watchtower's AI announced his arrival.

The martian walked throughout the headquarters, greeting the recently recruited heroes. Not all of them were new, but there were a lot. It didn't take long for him to reach the Hall of Justice. The hero stopped in front of a large high tech door.

There were a few beeps before the door slid open. A long table that spanned the entire room was revealed. There were seats all around, and a holographic image of the Earth floated on the middle of the table.

Multiple iconic heroes could be found here. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Cyborg, Aquaman, Mera, Zatanna, Hawkman, Green Arrow, and more. The martian sat down at a chair before speaking.

"Superman. I've finally narrowed it down as far as it can go. We have a lead."

The kryptonian nodded, while the other heroes fiddled around with their own devices. They didn't know why they were here yet. It was unknown what this meeting was for. Only Batman and Superman knew.

"Put it up on screen." Bruce ordered.

Immediately, an image of Darkstar appeared in the middle of the table. Surrounding this image were five others. Each were different people that bore a resemblance to the main image. Batman frowned.

"I told you to narrow it down to three."

"Before that can be done, you must describe his personality from what you know so far." Martian Manhunter responded.

"Everything is a casual endeavor to him. It doesn't seem like he takes anything seriously. One thing I can say for certain is that he's always tired. Sleep apnea maybe? He doesn't get enough sleep." Superman spoke up.

Due to his focus, the kryptonian was unable to see the reactions of his comrades. Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, and Cyborg had all perked up in surprise. Their eyes had widened. It was as if they knew how dangerous this discussion could possibly be.

Martian Manhunter mulled over the description for a moment before turning back to the images. He waved his hand, and two images disappeared. This only left three profiles.

One profile showed an average looking man with black hair and brown eyes. He seemed to be a tired middle aged worker. Another profile showed a young kid with blonde hair. He seemed to be tired and grumpy. His age was around the middle school years. Each suspect had brown skin and an air of laziness.

The last profile caused everyone to raise an eyebrow. He had snow white hair and eyelashes, with golden eyes that could be mistaken for jewels of honey. This guy looked as if he'd just finished high school. The sleepiness fit him perfectly. As everyone looked at the profiles, the martian spoke up.

"I've been watching these people for a while. We know that his powers have something to do with light, and I can phase through that. This makes me the perfect choice for surveillance on such a person."

Everyone listened with rapt attention. Superman tapped his finger on the table with a constant rhythm. Batman spoke up.

"Continue." He ordered. Martian Manhunter pointed to the middle aged man.

"This man is a drunkard. He frequents a bar in Coast City in between his work hours. His wife passed away three years ago."

The martian tapped on the kid's image, causing it to grow larger. The blonde suspect seemed as if he was spoiled. More photos of him appeared.

"This kid is too young. He has yet to even start highschool, and his maturity level doesn't seem high enough. The air about him makes it hard to remove him from the list however. For all we know, he could be like Shazam."

Finally, the green skinned hero tapped on the last profile. Sora's image grew larger, and more well known photos appeared. He was a celebrity, after all. His photos and videos were all over the gram.

"This is-"

"Sora Lockhart. Butler and personal bodyguard of Alice Lockhart, the figurehead of the Lockhart Foundation. Due to his features, I was the first to research his past. We've met several times, due to our line of work. I've collaborated with him on some business ventures as well." Batman interrupted.

Superman smiled slightly upon hearing this. He leaned forward, resting his chin in his hand. Only then did he speak.

"I remember him. He made a visit to the Daily Planet. The guy didn't seem to like me very much. Batman, what else do you have?"

The brooding hero tapped on a keypad, causing an entire slate to appear beside the image. There was a plethora of information. Some of it had question marks, such as the identity of his parents and more.

"Sora was not always a Lockhart. He's originally from St. Lucy's Orphanage in Gotham. An orphan since birth. It's been around five or six years since he joined the Lockharts. There is something…off about Alice, whom he serves." Batman revealed.

There was a moment of silence as everyone came to their own conclusions. It still seemed as if something was missing. Superman finally popped the question.

"Out of these three suspects, how will we narrow it down?"

"After being near Sora Lockhart for an extended amount of time, I can confidently say…he's a smooth talker." Batman concluded.

It was as if a bomb had gone off in the room. Immediately, everyone focused on Sora's image. That final statement made things start to connect. Cyborg spoke up.

"A tidbit of information, the Teen Titans have actually told me about Sora. They've been spending time with him lately."

It had been decided. Nobody said anything, but the other suspects disappeared, leaving the Lockhart by himself. Flash was already gulping nervously.

"Batman. Do you know his weakness?" Superman asked. The dark knight shook his head.

"No." Feeling the direction this conversation was already heading, Wonder Woman spoke up.

"Why are you looking for his weakness? This man has helped us save the world twice!" She spoke in an unhappy tone. Flash also spoke up.

"Exactly. You make it seem as if he's an enemy. Why the hostility?" He questioned.

Batman typed into the keypad, which brought up another image. This one was a video. It showed Darkstar with a group of fighters. Each of them wore motorcycle helmets, and they were facing off against criminals in armored suits. Even Darkstar wore a helmet, but his display of speed and strength revealed the nature of his abilities.

The video continued, showing him flash to the last two criminals and slicing off their limbs without any effort. He did this with a simple table knife. One that could be found in any store.

"His methods of dealing with villains are too brutal. If he is willing to do this, who knows what else he'll do. He's dangerous." Batman said.

Green Lantern slammed his hands on the table. Everyone turned to him with a raised eyebrow. The green hero wasn't happy at all.

"None of them died! There isn't any blood in this video! There were no deaths! It just sounds like you guys have it out for him. We've all seen his personality. He's easy-going and only wants to sleep. Where is the danger in that? " He exclaimed. Wonder Woman turned to Superman.

"He is a warrior, Kal. Just like me. When wars occur, we have to kill. When we don't kill, we incapacitate. All I see is a warrior following his training." She argued.

The kryptonian was silent for a while. As he listened to the back and forth conversation between everyone, he finally raised his hand. Only then did he speak.

"Regardless, he needs to be brought in for questioning. Batman, you said this woman was weird, correct? I've seen her as well. Something might be wrong with her. Maybe he did something."

"Like what? Mind control? How could he possibly do that with light abilities?" Green Lantern argued. He was also a user of light after all. In a way.

"We don't know his means. Or his full skillset. Manhunter. I'm going to bring her here. I want you to read her mind and tell me what you see. It's for the greater good." Superman concluded.

"Greater good my ass." Green Lantern quipped.

The kryptonian gave him a stern look before shaking his head. The other heroes were interested in this topic as well. They didn't know anything about Darkstar and had been silent this entire time. Batman eventually interrupted the argument.

"Clark, this may not be the best approach. If Darkstar finds out, this could destroy our relations." He said. Wonder Woman nodded before speaking.

"I agree. These are villain tactics. Would you really stoop so low to kidnap a woman? I'm disappointed in you." She said.

"I'm NOT kidnapping her. I will return her as soon as Martian Manhunter is finished. Darkstar won't find out because we'll be fast. Bruce, is he in the manor right now?" Superman responded.

Batman checked the orbital satellite and zoomed into the manor. The heroes could see many heat signatures, but it showed Alice by herself in the study. Superman looked at the real time image and nodded.

"I'll be right back." He announced while walking out of the room.

"You can't do this!" Flash finally yelled. He couldn't believe what was happening.

"I wasn't asking for permission." Superman growled before the door closed behind him. He was gone.

By this point, even Batman had realized that this wasn't the right way to go. He was starting to regret helping Superman with this operation. Nobody knew it would become like this. Flash stood beside the table shaking in fear. His face was pale.

"Shit. This is NOT good. Not good at all."

Only Flash knew the most about Sora's real strength. They had fought together back on Gorilla Island. He saw the sleepy man almost destroy the island by accident! There was no chance Darkstar wouldn't notice her disappearance. No way.

"Flash. What's wrong?" Aquaman called out. Flash looked at everyone still in the room.

"There's no way in hell that Darkstar won't find out. He's not stupid. I know how he really is. Even though he's always tired, that doesn't mean he won't get serious." He exclaimed.

"We may…have screwed up." Cyborg finally said. Everyone looked at him. The man seemed to be stressed.

'Why?' They were basically asking with their expressions.

"I said that I spoke to the Teen Titans earlier. Robin, Blue Beetle and Beast Boy. He's a smooth talker, remember? I've also spoken with Starfire and Raven. You know what they told me that's different from the male perspective?"

".............................." Everyone waited for him to finish.

"The way they spoke about him, it was as if he was much more than a man with abilities. Raven told me to stay friendly. Starfire told me he was reliable. But the look in Raven's eyes? It was a look of reverence. Of worship. She tried to hide it, but it was obvious."

"So? She really likes him. That doesn't seem too far-fetched." Hawkman interjected.

Batman's face had already turned grim. He made the connection immediately. Raven wasn't quick to accept new people. Unless there was some form of familiarity.

"Raven's father is a god. What does that tell you?"

The room went silent. Cyborg's words hit them like bricks. Everyone's expression slowly turned horrid as they put the pieces together.

".......Shit." They all muttered together.