Chapter 67 - Timey Wimey Past - Part 3

COUGH…COUGH

Jolted back to reality by a coughing noise, Orach and Diana turned towards the source, Batman, with slightly annoyed expressions. His detached and cool demeanor reminded them of the situation at hand.

"I understand the importance of reunions," Batman stated matter-of-factly, "but I suggest we address the pressing issue and bring this event to a close."

Hearing his words, Wonder Woman reluctantly released Orach, her eyes lingering on him slightly before nodding in agreement. Orach was aware of the strain his current transformation was putting on this realm. Wanting to finish quickly and proceed to intriguing discoveries, he agreed. He was intrigued by the separate dimensions he sensed in his current form. These could prove extremely useful, possibly enhancing his understanding of the primordial laws of space and time.

Following the plan, Batman drew a vial of blood from the unconscious Faora and stored it securely. He had asked General Swanwick to keep the League updated on her location, and he attached a tracker to her to prevent her from falling into the wrong hands.

Meanwhile, Earth's defense forces began assessing their losses and the extent of the destruction in Metropolis. The city had suffered significant damage during the attack and subsequent battle.

The Justice League, led by Superman, took part in removing most of the debris, which allowed the army to evaluate the damage more effectively. Orach and Mother Empress also contributed their abilities to the cleanup effort, ensuring swift and efficient progress.

However, Orach's display of power till now, left the soldiers in awe, their fear and reverence evident in their behavior. They cleared a path wherever he went and some bowed their heads, struggling to hide their fear as they watched him walk or fly by.

Later in the day, General Lane, Cyborg, and Aquaman joined the restoration efforts. By late evening, most of the heavy lifting was complete and the army took over the remaining tasks. The Justice League was thanked for their help and as they left, each soldier saluted them out of respect for their assistance and power.

The league members returned to the Hall of Justice, while Orach and his ship headed back to Gotham. Batman, Wonder Woman, and Cyborg urged him to join them, but Orach firmly stated he had only lent a hand, playing his part as a supporter or part-timer. This remark earned him a glare from Wonder Woman, who motioned as if to reach for her lasso to keep Orach in place.

Seeing this, Orach broke into a wry smile. He explained that his current transformation was taxing the primordial laws of this realm. He wanted to explore this world and complete some tasks before time ran out and he needed to release his God transformation to avoid damaging this realm.

His explanation placated Wonder Woman to some extent, and she agreed to his decision to leave their group. Meanwhile, Batman remained silent, and Cyborg could only smile wryly at the exchange.

After Orach left and the rest of the league began to appear, they each found their seats. All showed signs of fatigue from the war once they were seated.

"I am beat! Let's just take the next week off," said Aquaman as he slumped back in his chair.

"Seconded! I feel like sleeping for days!" said Hal.

"I have to go back to work… I bet my captain already has cases piled up for me," grumbled Flash.

"I love a good fight, but I wouldn't mind a leisure day," said Hawkgirl.

"Seconded," Wonder Woman agreed.

"Every bone in my body hurts like hell," complained Hawkman.

"I bet. Just looking at you all makes me hurt all over! Judging from the battle reports, I'm not surprised you all have bruises," said Cyborg, reviewing the latest reports.

The complaints continued, with only Batman staying quiet. Noticing this, Cyborg asked, "Batman, how are you doing? That prisoner was aiming for you many times during the war. Did you sustain any severe damages?"

All who were in the Battle of Metropolis looked at Batman with concern. Despite his prowess, he was still a human without superpowers.

"I'm alright. My new armor took the major impacts, so I only have light bruises," said Batman. Then, tapping on the table to gather everyone's attention, he added, "I know you're all tired, so let's get straight to discussing our next steps."

"The recent war devastated Metropolis and caused many casualties. Despite our efforts, we failed some people," Batman paused, allowing the gravity of the situation to sink in. After a moment, he continued, "This war showed we need better coordination and team training to effectively combat such large threats."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"With that in mind, I propose mandatory group training at least once a month. Additionally, we should probably hold friendly sparring sessions every two weeks. This will allow us to learn each other's fighting styles and grow together. Those with combat experience can guide the others. Most of you have superpowers, but if your opponent is equally powerful, the deciding factor will be experience and combat techniques. I would also like to request Orach's assistance during our training sessions. His perspective would benefit us all."

The suggestion of involving Orach was surprising but accepted since they had seen his effectiveness against Zod.

Changing the subject, Batman continued, "Our coordinated actions during the war introduced the Justice League to the world. While it may sound callous, this war reemphasized the world's need for a strong group of heroes to defend it. We've met with UN leadership and have already been acknowledged. With the recent incident in mind, they will announce our cooperation shortly. For now, the Hall of Justice will be our base of operations. We'll train and deploy teams from here. We're also planning another base for when our ranks grow, but officially we'll continue to operate from here."

Everyone nodded in understanding.

"Does anyone else have any points they would like to discuss?" asked Batman, opening the floor for discussion.

"I do." At that moment, Superman captured everyone's attention.

"I have a question about Orach. I appreciate his help in the battle, but Batman, do you know why Orach chose to appear in his Oozaru form? Couldn't he have just helped in his humanoid form?" Superman asked, looking at Batman.

Everyone remembered the terrifying sight of Orach's Oozaru form upon hearing this question. All the leaguers, except Diana, felt a chill remembering the beast's powerful eyes that made them feel insignificant. They were also curious about why he chose to use that form.

Before Batman could respond, Wonder Woman spoke in a cold voice. She raised a finger and said, "Firstly, Orach doesn't owe the league an explanation for his methods. The world was in danger in more ways than one, and we were still fighting as the situation worsened. We needed help, and he provided it, as a part-timer. Secondly, I doubt Orach made that choice randomly. The conditions on the second battle front may have required Orach's Oozaru form. It might have been the best choice at the time."

Despite some being annoyed by those words, no one could argue back considering Orach's perspective and his power.

Cyborg just then shared the recordings of the battle logs that highlighted their unsuccessful attempts to damage the world engine. "I can't say if Orach could have done better in his humanoid form, but it's worth noting that both the World Engine and the Kryptonian mothership were large constructs. The Oozaru was highly effective against both. Orach annihilated them without leaving any wreckage, while we only managed to slightly move the World Engine before his arrival."

Aquaman agreed and added, "Orach's Oozaru form was really something. Seeing him descend from the sky in that form was terrifying. I've never seen a monster that scary in my life!"

"Tell me about it. The energy blast that destroyed the world engine is far beyond what I can produce," Cyborg said.

"Was it really that impactful?" Flash asked curiously.

Cyborg and Aquaman looked at Flash and each other. Cyborg showed the recording of Orach's entrance, from the initial bone-chilling roar to him obliterating the world engine, which shocked everyone and sent a shiver down their spines. After a moment of silence, Superman spoke again, "Wonder Woman, while I appreciate Orach's help, that form is too destructive. Please try to convince him not to use it on Earth."

Many in the league shared the same sentiment, including Wonder Woman. So, she agreed and nodded in response.

Superman later raised his concerns over the Tuffles issue. Wonder Woman relayed the information that Mother Empress had provided her, and along with Orach's points, the league members began to understand the potential danger of higher realm civilizations. Batman assured them that they would be updated with any findings related to the Tuffles in the blood of Superman, Faora, or Dev-Em II.

The discussion eventually concluded, and the members departed for their respective homes to enjoy some well-deserved rest.

As the Justice League members started their discussions, Orach arrived at Wayne Manor. Alfred, taken aback by Orach's current form, let him in after verifying his identity. Orach later navigated to the Batcave, simultaneously signaling his Mother Empress to control the manor's facilities. This allowed their ship to enter the cave without arousing Alfred's suspicion. He intended to make it seem as though he had activated the facility himself, rather than revealing that the Mother Empress could seize control of any part of the Manor at any moment.

Confident in Mother Empress's control, he delegated the task of landing the ship to her while he returned to his armor. Despite being standard issue, the armor had served him well in the front lines. He touched the armor, remembering his time fighting alongside his Mother. He then supercharged its self-healing factor by injecting his God Ki into it, and within a few minutes, the armor was as good as new.

By the time he had finished repairing his armor, Mother Empress had already safely landed the pod in the Batcave. Her projection materialized from his wrist terminal.

"Young Master, I have been monitoring the League's meeting. Do you want to listen in?" asked Mother Empress.

"No need. Just record it and create a summary for me to review later. I want to use this opportunity to visit a house the time laws showed me. Afterwards, I want to hunt down at least 1 or 2 gateways to the separate dimensions I have been sensing," Orach replied. Mother Empress nodded in acknowledgment of their next steps.

Later, Orach informed Alfred that he would be stepping out for a while and would be extremely hungry upon his return. He asked Alfred to prepare a feast. Before Alfred could respond, Orach vanished, leaving Alfred to shake his head and head to the kitchen to prepare for the feast.

Upon reaching Central City, Orach immediately sensed disturbances in the laws, specifically concentrated around what looked like a scientific facility. However, he decided to prioritize his initial objective, postponing the investigation of the facility for a later date. He continued his flight over the residential areas while simultaneously spreading his Ki, trying to pinpoint the house he had glimpsed before. As he navigated through the city, his senses led him towards a house that was still radiating remnants of the time laws.

Utilizing the cover of darkness, Orach descended silently next to a window, manipulating it open with his Ki control. Without a sound, he slipped inside the house and made his way towards the living room, where the disturbance in the laws was relatively stronger.

He closed his eyes, focusing his energy on tapping into the laws of time. As he delved deeper into his concentration, his mind started to paint clearer images of the glimpses he had witnessed before. When he identified one of the speedster as the Flash, he was initially stumped. This revelation soon left him reeling and he felt a strong urge to strangle Barry Allen. However, he quickly regained his composure, realizing the situation was more complicated than he first assumed. He understood he would need to collaborate with Barry before making any definitive decisions.

With a sigh, he left the house and headed towards the street where he had seen the yellow speedster kneeling and shouting in anger. Repeating the same exercise of manipulating the laws of time, he managed to perceive more of the scene. This time, he noticed the speedster conversing with a projection, which he inferred to be some kind of AI. He hypothesized that either the yellow speedster was injured or his power was depleted, leaving him stranded in the city. He resolved to have Mother Empress track down the AI, as it seemed that, like him and Mother Empress, the yellow speedster also relied on his AI. Therefore, finding the AI would lead them to him.

Having set his task in motion, he quickly returned to the skies of Gotham, eventually reaching the stratosphere. He then closed his eyes and sent out his God Ki in a pulse that resonated across the Earth. Several locations emanating the primordial law of space attracted Orach. Using his Ki, he probed these access points to gauge the strength of the laws within. Whether these were homes of gods, domains of witches and warlocks, or prisons of devils and demons, all felt a formidable force probing their space, causing alarm.

Many God Kings and those in charge of various pantheons prepared for a potential invasion, escalating tensions. Sensing the aura, they suspected it was the new colossal entity that recently appeared. However, their uncertainty about this entity's intentions only fueled their anxiety.

Yet, after 20 minutes, the aura vanished without a trace, leading to widespread confusion among the entities.

Orach had found a dimension that appealed to him more than the others. His eyes snapped open, and he extended his hands, covered in Ki. He made a grasping motion as if clawing through space itself, tearing open a rift that he subsequently entered. He left behind only a wisp, enough to close the rift behind him and serve as an anchor.

Somewhere in the dimension

RRRRIIIIIPPPPP

A rip in space gradually appeared, and soon two arms emerged, gripping the sides of the tear. A leg followed, then a head, a chest, and finally, the other foot. The rip sealed itself, influenced by the crimson Ki of the figure who had just entered the dimension.

"I was right to come here. Although it's part of the same lower realm, it has the highest concentration of laws I've observed in this lower realm. It's decent enough for meditation and gaining insight," said Orach, sensing the strength of the laws present in this dimension.

He then observed his surroundings, a desolate plain strewn with destroyed buildings, shattered rocks, and ash. It quickly became clear that this dimension had been invaded and pillaged by an outside party. Admiring the natural beauty of the blue-green skies and crimson clouds, Orach felt a wave of pity for such a dimension having suffered an invasion. However, considering his desire to control a separate dimension for tests and possibly to establish a base, it seemed as if he had been gifted a dimension for his use. His initial plan was to negotiate with any natives he might find, but the situation simplified matters. Now, all he needed to do was clean up.

To be certain, he spread his God Ki throughout the dimension and was surprised to find a single sign of life. He also discovered a well-maintained gravesite. Seeing this, Orach sighed softly and moved towards the life sign he had detected. He deduced that the remaining inhabitant of this place was relatively young and hoped that they would be reasonable and allow him to use this dimension.

He soon found an almost intact building with light emanating from one of its floors. He approached the window of that floor and peered inside, finding a room filled with books either on desks or on shelves. It appeared to be a library.

Entering through the open window, he made his way to the light source and found a young girl, around 13 years old, asleep with her head in a book and drool trickling from her mouth. He was astounded that she had managed to survive alone in this dimension, and he wondered how long she had been isolated.

Observing the peaceful expression on the sleeping girl's face, he couldn't bring himself to wake her. However, he soon noticed her furrowing her brows and a tear rolling down her cheek as she murmured, "Mother…" This resonated with him as he felt a strange kinship with the child. After a moment of emotional equilibrium, he gently laid his right hand on the girl's head, allowing his soothing God Ki to flow through her.

The girl's expression began to calm, and a slow smile spread across her face. The gentle Ki calmed her inner mind, allowing her to wrestle control from the part of her power that was haunting her like nightmares. It gave her the strength to overcome her fears and face her inner demons.

While channeling his Ki into the young girl, Orach noticed a blend of bloodlines. Her heritage was a mixture of human and, surprisingly, high-demon clan? This discovery puzzled him as the high-demon clan, a powerful civilization from the higher realms, was known for their pride and isolation. They only minimally interacted with his realm's alliance and, due to their emphasis on bloodline purity, they never intermingled with other races. Finding this bloodline in the lower realm was unexpected.

Upon further investigation, Orach discovered that the bloodline was not that of a pure high-demon. It seemed to be an evolved or refined version, likely belonging to a lower realm demon who had gained enough power to refine his bloodline to match that of a high-demon clansman. The girl's bloodline showed signs that one of her parents might have reached the level of a low-ranking high-demon clansman. Orach was genuinely impressed and developed respect for the parent who achieved such purity through their own efforts. He resolved to ask about her parents delicately once she woke up.

Later, he released the girl's head and decided to read while waiting for her to awaken. Surrounded by many books, Orach skimmed through each until he selected two of interest: historical records of Azarath and basic magic concepts. He had encountered magic on his missions but had never managed to learn from the aloof Sorcerers. For some reason, they always fled upon discovering his identity, which always frustrated him. Now, with these lower realm books in front of him, he believed the fundamentals would be similar and decided to learn them.

So, while the native girl slept peacefully, drooling slightly, the outsider to her realm engrossed himself in reading.