Chapter 601: Chosen by the Shadow Monarch

JUSTICE LEAGUE WATCHTOWER -

The Watchtower’s main assembly deck had rarely held this many people at once outside of a full-scale emergency. Justice League members filled the rows in loose clusters, Diana near the front with Hal and Barry close behind her, Clark and Bruce standing a little apart as they always seemed to, Zatanna and John lingering near the back with the easy, slightly detached posture of people who technically weren’t full-time members but showed up when it mattered. The Titans had arrived more recently, filing in at Raven’s summons, Beast Boy already fidgeting, Cyborg glancing around the deck with open curiosity, Starfire hovering slightly off the floor, Kara and Raven stood just behind Arthur at the front of the assembly, and Arthur himself waited until the murmur of conversation had settled into expectant silence before he began.

"Thank you all for coming," he said, his voice carrying easily across the deck without needing to be raised. "Some of you already know part of what I’m about to explain. Most of you don’t. I’ll start with what matters most: several of the greatest threats this universe has faced in recent memory have been dealt with. Darkseid. The Monarchs who came here, the ones who attacked Earth with armies of monsters. Very few genuine, world-ending threats remain." His eyes swept the room, steady and serious. "The ones that do remain are not to be underestimated. Not for a moment."

A ripple of quiet unease passed through the gathered heroes.

Arthur raised one hand, and violet-black shadow bled outward from his palm, folding the air itself into a window that opened onto a vast, ancient chamber deep beneath the roots of the World Tree, towering statues ringing a dim, torch-lit hall, most of them dark and unclaimed.

"This is the Temple of the Monarchs," Arthur said. "Nine seats of power, originally held by nine beings who were fragments of the Great Darkness. I’ve killed most of them myself. What I haven’t done, until now, is decide what happens to the power they leave behind."

"The guys that attacked with armies of monsters," Shazam said slowly, from somewhere near the middle of the assembly, disbelief plain in their voice. "You’re saying you’re giving those powers to other people?"

"Trustworthy people," Arthur said, an edge of dry humor entering his tone. "Meaning, largely, the people in this room."

He let that settle for a moment before continuing.

"Nine Monarchs. Four seats are already filled. Myself, as the Shadow Monarch. The Dragon Monarch, our enemy. Kara now holds the Monarch of the Iron Body. And Raven holds the Demon Monarch title." He gestured briefly toward them both. "Five remain unclaimed. I already have candidates in mind."

Bruce’s arms were crossed, his expression unreadable, though the sharpness behind his eyes suggested he was already several steps ahead of the explanation. "I assume there’s a specific criteria," he said. "Given that Raven holds the Demon Monarch’s seat, I think I already see where this is going for the others."

"Yes," Arthur said. "Compatibility matters. The power has to align with something already present in the individual, or it risks overwhelming them entirely. They’re all fragments of the same Great Darkness, in the end.. but once claimed properly, there are no lingering consequences to worry about. What you do with the power afterward is entirely up to you."

"I see," Bruce said slowly. "No wonder you specified trustworthy candidates."

"So who are these people?" Clark asked, arms loosely crossed, curiosity plain on his face.

"Some of them are in this room," Arthur said. He paused, letting his gaze move slowly across the assembly. "Before I name anyone, understand this.. every one of you is free to refuse. No consequence to declining. But this is also a genuine chance to gain real power, and an army to stand behind you, for the battles still ahead of us. I can promise you, those battles will not be easy ones."

His eyes kindled violet, and he turned first toward the back of the room.

"Zatanna. You’ll be the Monarch of Transfiguration. Of everyone I’ve considered, you’re the most fitting choice by a wide margin."

John straightened beside her immediately, all trace of his usual easy humor gone. "Is this completely safe, Arthur?"

"The people I’m naming today, I’m certain of," Arthur said, meeting his eyes evenly. "There won’t be complications once they claim the power. I wouldn’t offer it otherwise."

Zatanna studied him a moment, something thoughtful crossing her face. "What’s this about an army you mentioned earlier?"

"It explains itself once claimed," Arthur said. "You’ll command an entire realm, with forces answering directly to you. The title isn’t ceremonial, Zatanna. You’d be an actual monarch, in every sense of the word."

"That’s... a lot of responsibility," Zatanna said slowly.

"It is," Arthur agreed. "In every sense."

She was quiet for a moment longer, glancing briefly at John, who still looked faintly unconvinced, before turning back to Arthur with a small, genuine smile. "I’ll accept. I trust you."

"Thank you, Z."

Arthur turned next toward the front row.

"The Monarch of the Beginning. The Giant Monarch." He paused, something almost fond entering his expression. "I considered a great many people for this one. In the end, there was no one else I could see filling it. Clark.. you’re more than fitting for this."

Kara glanced toward Clark, something quietly proud in her expression. "Arthur explained to me in detail how important that particular Monarch actually is."

Clark considered it for a moment, then smiled, easy and unbothered as ever. "Extra power never hurt anyone. As long as it doesn’t literally turn me into a giant."

"I make no promises," Arthur said, smiling as well.

A ripple of quiet laughter moved through the assembly, easing some of the earlier tension.

"Well," Arthur said, "lastly, for the ones already gathered here at least."

He turned toward the small cluster of Titans standing near the side of the deck, his gaze settling, and a faint smile spread across his face.

"You."

He pointed directly at Beast Boy.

Beast Boy blinked, pointing at his own chest with exaggerated disbelief. "...Me?"

"Who else, Garf?"

"Yes, you," Raven said, arms crossed, though there was clear warmth beneath her deadpan delivery. "The Beast Monarch. Who else could it possibly be? And don’t worry.. you won’t be turning into a beast... Oh, wait. You already can."

A ripple of laughter broke out across the deck. Beast Boy looked genuinely alarmed. "Can you.. I don’t know... pick someone else?! I’m not sure I’m built for this kind of responsibility, Raven, you’ve know me."

Kara laughed outright at that, unable to help herself.

"You’re missing out," Arthur said, clearly enjoying himself now.

Beast Boy groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Alright, damn it. Fine. I’ll do it! But if I turn into some kind of horrifying beast-monster-thing I’m blaming both of you."

"Noted," Raven said, entirely unbothered.

Arthur’s expression sobered slightly as he continued. "As for the remaining two.. the Monarch of Plagues, and the Monarch of Frost.. I’m afraid they’re not here."

"Let me guess," Bruce said dryly. "They’re in prison."

"One of them," Arthur admitted. "Though I’d argue she shouldn’t be, not after the help she’s given us. Poison Ivy. And Killer Frost, who’s currently walking free, I tracked her down myself, and as far as I can tell, she isn’t committing any crimes at the moment."

"Are you certain about those two?" Bruce asked, something careful entering his tone.

"Yes," Arthur said. "There are other candidates compatible with those particular powers, but I don’t trust them the way I might trust these two. Ivy helped us when it mattered, without being asked twice. I trust her completely." He paused. "Killer Frost, However is a different story... But she won’t be doing anything reckless under my watch, I can promise that much."

"It’s your plan," Bruce said finally. "Do what you think is right."

"We should go collect them both," Arthur said, glancing toward Zatanna, Clark, and Beast Boy. "Everyone I’ve named today will accompany me."

He snapped his fingers, and in a single, silent pulse of violet-black shadow, all four of them vanished from the deck entirely.

For a long moment, the assembly simply sat in stunned silence.

"...Did he seriously just recruit half a superhero team into becoming literal supernatural monarchs," Barry said finally, staring at the empty space where they’d all been standing a second earlier, "and then just teleport everyone away before anyone could ask follow-up questions?"

"That tracks," Hal said, shaking his head slowly. "Honestly? At this point, that’s basically just Tuesday for that guy."

"I have about forty questions," Barry said.

"I have about forty more than that," Hal said. "Starting with ’what happens if Poison Ivy says no,’ and ending somewhere around ’does Beast Boy’s insurance cover becoming a cosmic entity.’"

"I don’t think Titans get insurance, Hal."

"They should start."

Diana, still watching the space where Arthur had vanished, let out a slow, thoughtful breath. "It’s remarkable," she said. "And more than a little unsettling, how easily he moves entire pieces of the universe into place."

"Unsettling is one word for it," Bruce said quietly, arms still crossed, his eyes lingering on the empty deck.

"You picked a different word?" Diana asked.

"I’m still deciding," Bruce said.

Cyborg, still looking faintly stunned from where he stood with the rest of the Titans, glanced toward Starfire. "Did that seem like a lot, to anyone else? Or is it just me?"

"On my world," Starfire said thoughtfully, "the bestowing of great power upon one’s closest allies is considered a significant honor."

"Yeah, well, on my world, we usually get a little more warning before someone points at Beast Boy and says ’congratulations, you’re a monarch now.’"

"It was rather sudden," Starfire admitted.

Barry, still staring at the empty space near the front of the deck, finally let out a short, disbelieving laugh. "You know what the craziest part is? I don’t think any of them actually wanted to say no."

"Would you?" Hal asked. "If he pointed at you and said ’congratulations, here’s an army and a piece of a god’s power, no strings attached’?"

Barry considered that for a long moment. "...Okay, fair point. I probably wouldn’t either."

"Nobody would," Hal said. "That’s exactly what worries me about the other two he mentioned."

/-\

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