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Chapter 372: Homecoming?
Author: Rowing Without Oars 233
Chapter 372: Homecoming?
Lincoln March, a Talon of the Court of Owls, but he was more than just that. The reason he was so special to Gotham and to Batman was because he believed he was a member of the family that had single-handedly built this city.
He believed he was Thomas Wayne, Batman's long-lost brother whom he had never met.
He was supposed to have been Bruce Wayne's younger brother, but a car accident involving their mother, Martha Wayne, forced his premature birth. Afterward, he remained in a children's hospital sponsored by the Martha Foundation until the couple who funded the hospital was gunned down in Crime Alley. The hospital gradually fell into decline, and he was slowly forgotten. That was until the Court of Owls discovered him and transformed him into a weapon to control Gotham.
But that was just Lincoln's side of the story.
Although he himself firmly believed it, it was a worldview instilled in him by The Court since childhood. Batman also remembered having a younger brother, but that brother was supposed to have died within twelve hours of birth.
Whether Lincoln March was truly Batman's brother remained in question. Of course, that was a problem for Batman himself to worry about, just like the Court of Owls.
Orin Vale had nabbed this little mouse on his way out, considering it a packaged gift for Batman. He would let Gotham's tycoon entangle himself with the problems of The Court and the inheritance dispute; he had more important things to do now.
An electric arc streaked across the sky. He burst out of Gotham in a high-speed blur of space-time, tearing through the air before charging all the way into Central City. After flying over roughly half the city, he landed on the Ground and began to slide to a stop, dragging lightning and a whirlwind behind him for several more blocks before his figure flickered into the Laboratory they had prepared earlier.
Power Girl, Huntress, and The Flash were already waiting there.
"Sorry, something came up and delayed me on my way out." Orin Vale patted the residual electric light off his body and walked forward. "Is everything ready?"
"All calibrations are complete."
As he spoke, Barry was flashing back and forth between the control console, the treadmill, and an arched, gate-like device. After a super-speed inspection, he flashed over to lean against the control tower, grinning as he gave a thumbs-up.
"No problems."
Karen took a deep breath. "We're finally going back."
"I told you this wasn't a good idea," Helena muttered.
Karen took her hand. "We've been delayed here for too long. We can't put it off any longer, even if home has turned into Hell. Think about what Kal and your father sacrificed. If we don't step up, won't their sacrifices have been in vain?"
"I knew I could never win an argument with you," Helena sighed softly.
Barry had already activated the treadmill and the tunnel. Indicator lights lit up in sequence, and the engine rumbled with a low hum. He walked onto the treadmill's belt. "Are we good to go?"
"Ready." Helena nodded. She thought for a moment, then looked at Orin Vale. "Are you sure you want to come too? Let me warn you first, our World isn't like this one. Peace and tranquility are likely things of the past forever. It's a Battlefield, a never-ending Hell."
*Sounds just like the place I need.*
"It's fine, I'll go take a look," Orin Vale said with a smile. "Or rather, a part of me will."
Most of his knowledge about Earth-2 came from the comics, so he wasn't entirely sure what he would encounter on the other side. Besides, considering the potential crises in this World hadn't been resolved, he might be needed at any moment. Therefore, the one Orin Vale was sending to scout this time was not his true form.
This was also another test. His research into the Speed Force now allowed Orin Vale to appear in two places at once with ease, even at opposite ends of the Universe. But whether this would still work after leaving this Universe was being tested for the first time.
If it succeeded, it would provide another piece of precious experimental data, the foundation for Orin Vale's vision of "spreading light throughout the Multiverse."
"Alright, since everyone's ready..."
Barry took a deep breath and pressed the switch on the treadmill.
"Then let's... go!"
Speed Force lightning overflowed, instantly filling the entire Laboratory. The Flash began to sprint wildly on the tread, his figure quickly becoming an afterimage enveloped in electric light.
The electric light seemed to punch through Space, drawing endless energy from the Domain of the Speed Force. The Quantum Tunnel roared as it opened. A golden vortex, wreathed in electric current, was stretched open bit by bit, revealing the passage to that mysterious zone before them all.
"It's almost ready!"
The Flash shouted, maintaining his high-speed run.
"If you're going, you'd better be quick. I'm not sure how long this treadmill can hold out..."
In fact, this device was already an improved model, but it was still shouldering a burden no ordinary machine could bear. A faster-than-light speedster and such immense Speed Force energy would have likely turned it into a pile of scrap metal if it were made of Earth materials, just like the prototype machine Orin Vale had first built.
Orin Vale strode forward and walked right into the vortex. His figure was quickly swallowed by the storm of energy, disappearing on the other side.
Karen and Helena exchanged a glance, and hand in hand, they too stepped forward and entered.
The three figures vanished into the tunnel. The Flash pressed a switch and gradually stopped running. Even so, the Quantum Tunnel still shot out a series of electric sparks. Its outer shell parts came loose, looking as if it was on the verge of its limit.
The Flash stopped on the treadmill, leaning on his knees and letting out a long breath. He muttered to himself.
"This is as far as I can take you. Have a safe trip~"
The channel was long, narrow, but warm. During the passage, Orin Vale even felt a layer of resistance, but he straightened up, applied a little force, and instantly broke through it.
Once he broke through that resistance, the path ahead was completely clear.
At the very end, a blinding light bloomed. Orin Vale shot out, his body flipping lightly twice before he came to a stop, hovering in mid-air.
"Calculate the spatial oscillation frequency," he ordered immediately.
His armor was connected to his hyperspace bracelet and quickly tested the frequency of the Space he was in. In the DC Universe, this was the basic standard for identifying a parallel world. The oscillation frequency was like the fingerprint of the Multiverse; every Universe had its own distinct frequency.
"Test complete. Conclusion: this location is a different plane within the Multiverse. The frequency matches the value for the Target with the Codename 'Earth-2'."
At this moment, the two girls also burst out of the tunnel. However, they were clearly not as experienced with Dimension travel as Orin Vale. Before they could adjust their balance upon landing, both of them fell to the ground.
"Are we there yet?" Helena raised her head, shaking it groggily.
"We're here... but can you get your butt off my chest first?" Karen, who was pinned underneath, said. "It's not that you're heavy, it's just that it feels weird to have this area squashed out of shape..."
Helena shot her a glare and stood up without a word.
She knew Karen had been worried that her human constitution couldn't handle the fall, so she had intentionally acted as a human shield, positioning herself under Helena and even sharing her Bio-Force Field with her for cushioning.
It had to be said, when Power Girl acted as a cushion, she was indeed very springy. The buffering effect was maxed out.
When the two girls got to their feet, they both froze.
The sky was shrouded in thick smoke, and the air was filled with the smell of burning and explosions. The open Ground was pockmarked with craters, and broken walls and ruins were everywhere. A seemingly eternal flame lit up the Night Sky, its colors especially vivid against the shattered shadows.
The land was utterly desolate, a place devoid of any sign of life.
"Where is this?" Helena asked blankly. "Are we home?"
"It would seem so."
Orin Vale pointed to a signboard in the nearby Ruins, most of which had been blasted and charred black.
Helena squinted, barely managing to make out the writing on the signboard. Her pupils contracted as a horrifying realization dawned on her.
The sign read, "Welcome to Gotham City."
This place, covered in craters and almost completely flattened, was where she had been born and raised.
This had once been Gotham City.
(end of chapter)
Author: Rowing Without Oars 233
Chapter 372: Homecoming?
Lincoln March, a Talon of the Court of Owls, but he was more than just that. The reason he was so special to Gotham and to Batman was because he believed he was a member of the family that had single-handedly built this city.
He believed he was Thomas Wayne, Batman's long-lost brother whom he had never met.
He was supposed to have been Bruce Wayne's younger brother, but a car accident involving their mother, Martha Wayne, forced his premature birth. Afterward, he remained in a children's hospital sponsored by the Martha Foundation until the couple who funded the hospital was gunned down in Crime Alley. The hospital gradually fell into decline, and he was slowly forgotten. That was until the Court of Owls discovered him and transformed him into a weapon to control Gotham.
But that was just Lincoln's side of the story.
Although he himself firmly believed it, it was a worldview instilled in him by The Court since childhood. Batman also remembered having a younger brother, but that brother was supposed to have died within twelve hours of birth.
Whether Lincoln March was truly Batman's brother remained in question. Of course, that was a problem for Batman himself to worry about, just like the Court of Owls.
Orin Vale had nabbed this little mouse on his way out, considering it a packaged gift for Batman. He would let Gotham's tycoon entangle himself with the problems of The Court and the inheritance dispute; he had more important things to do now.
An electric arc streaked across the sky. He burst out of Gotham in a high-speed blur of space-time, tearing through the air before charging all the way into Central City. After flying over roughly half the city, he landed on the Ground and began to slide to a stop, dragging lightning and a whirlwind behind him for several more blocks before his figure flickered into the Laboratory they had prepared earlier.
Power Girl, Huntress, and The Flash were already waiting there.
"Sorry, something came up and delayed me on my way out." Orin Vale patted the residual electric light off his body and walked forward. "Is everything ready?"
"All calibrations are complete."
As he spoke, Barry was flashing back and forth between the control console, the treadmill, and an arched, gate-like device. After a super-speed inspection, he flashed over to lean against the control tower, grinning as he gave a thumbs-up.
"No problems."
Karen took a deep breath. "We're finally going back."
"I told you this wasn't a good idea," Helena muttered.
Karen took her hand. "We've been delayed here for too long. We can't put it off any longer, even if home has turned into Hell. Think about what Kal and your father sacrificed. If we don't step up, won't their sacrifices have been in vain?"
"I knew I could never win an argument with you," Helena sighed softly.
Barry had already activated the treadmill and the tunnel. Indicator lights lit up in sequence, and the engine rumbled with a low hum. He walked onto the treadmill's belt. "Are we good to go?"
"Ready." Helena nodded. She thought for a moment, then looked at Orin Vale. "Are you sure you want to come too? Let me warn you first, our World isn't like this one. Peace and tranquility are likely things of the past forever. It's a Battlefield, a never-ending Hell."
*Sounds just like the place I need.*
"It's fine, I'll go take a look," Orin Vale said with a smile. "Or rather, a part of me will."
Most of his knowledge about Earth-2 came from the comics, so he wasn't entirely sure what he would encounter on the other side. Besides, considering the potential crises in this World hadn't been resolved, he might be needed at any moment. Therefore, the one Orin Vale was sending to scout this time was not his true form.
This was also another test. His research into the Speed Force now allowed Orin Vale to appear in two places at once with ease, even at opposite ends of the Universe. But whether this would still work after leaving this Universe was being tested for the first time.
If it succeeded, it would provide another piece of precious experimental data, the foundation for Orin Vale's vision of "spreading light throughout the Multiverse."
"Alright, since everyone's ready..."
Barry took a deep breath and pressed the switch on the treadmill.
"Then let's... go!"
Speed Force lightning overflowed, instantly filling the entire Laboratory. The Flash began to sprint wildly on the tread, his figure quickly becoming an afterimage enveloped in electric light.
The electric light seemed to punch through Space, drawing endless energy from the Domain of the Speed Force. The Quantum Tunnel roared as it opened. A golden vortex, wreathed in electric current, was stretched open bit by bit, revealing the passage to that mysterious zone before them all.
"It's almost ready!"
The Flash shouted, maintaining his high-speed run.
"If you're going, you'd better be quick. I'm not sure how long this treadmill can hold out..."
In fact, this device was already an improved model, but it was still shouldering a burden no ordinary machine could bear. A faster-than-light speedster and such immense Speed Force energy would have likely turned it into a pile of scrap metal if it were made of Earth materials, just like the prototype machine Orin Vale had first built.
Orin Vale strode forward and walked right into the vortex. His figure was quickly swallowed by the storm of energy, disappearing on the other side.
Karen and Helena exchanged a glance, and hand in hand, they too stepped forward and entered.
The three figures vanished into the tunnel. The Flash pressed a switch and gradually stopped running. Even so, the Quantum Tunnel still shot out a series of electric sparks. Its outer shell parts came loose, looking as if it was on the verge of its limit.
The Flash stopped on the treadmill, leaning on his knees and letting out a long breath. He muttered to himself.
"This is as far as I can take you. Have a safe trip~"
The channel was long, narrow, but warm. During the passage, Orin Vale even felt a layer of resistance, but he straightened up, applied a little force, and instantly broke through it.
Once he broke through that resistance, the path ahead was completely clear.
At the very end, a blinding light bloomed. Orin Vale shot out, his body flipping lightly twice before he came to a stop, hovering in mid-air.
"Calculate the spatial oscillation frequency," he ordered immediately.
His armor was connected to his hyperspace bracelet and quickly tested the frequency of the Space he was in. In the DC Universe, this was the basic standard for identifying a parallel world. The oscillation frequency was like the fingerprint of the Multiverse; every Universe had its own distinct frequency.
"Test complete. Conclusion: this location is a different plane within the Multiverse. The frequency matches the value for the Target with the Codename 'Earth-2'."
At this moment, the two girls also burst out of the tunnel. However, they were clearly not as experienced with Dimension travel as Orin Vale. Before they could adjust their balance upon landing, both of them fell to the ground.
"Are we there yet?" Helena raised her head, shaking it groggily.
"We're here... but can you get your butt off my chest first?" Karen, who was pinned underneath, said. "It's not that you're heavy, it's just that it feels weird to have this area squashed out of shape..."
Helena shot her a glare and stood up without a word.
She knew Karen had been worried that her human constitution couldn't handle the fall, so she had intentionally acted as a human shield, positioning herself under Helena and even sharing her Bio-Force Field with her for cushioning.
It had to be said, when Power Girl acted as a cushion, she was indeed very springy. The buffering effect was maxed out.
When the two girls got to their feet, they both froze.
The sky was shrouded in thick smoke, and the air was filled with the smell of burning and explosions. The open Ground was pockmarked with craters, and broken walls and ruins were everywhere. A seemingly eternal flame lit up the Night Sky, its colors especially vivid against the shattered shadows.
The land was utterly desolate, a place devoid of any sign of life.
"Where is this?" Helena asked blankly. "Are we home?"
"It would seem so."
Orin Vale pointed to a signboard in the nearby Ruins, most of which had been blasted and charred black.
Helena squinted, barely managing to make out the writing on the signboard. Her pupils contracted as a horrifying realization dawned on her.
The sign read, "Welcome to Gotham City."
This place, covered in craters and almost completely flattened, was where she had been born and raised.
This had once been Gotham City.
(end of chapter)
