SHATTERED WORLDS | DC (2022)

Year 3: The Many Things To Come

Constantine/Batman

Batman had granted John permission to take the rest of the night off to be with Zatanna and unwind. He had earned it, after all, Batman thought.

However, for Batman, it must have been one of the longest nights he had ever experienced. The prospect of jumping back into action kept his heart racing all night. He tossed and turned until dawn finally broke, and he wasted no time in waking John up, much to John's chagrin.

Batman quickly gathered the rest of the team to discuss the plan. Although most of it was straightforward, it required precise timing and no errors. The covert team was to distract Damian while another team got the attention of Superman and Sinestro. Meanwhile, Batman and John would lure Raven into a trap. The goal was to subdue Raven long enough to launch a full-scale magic attack on Superman without her interference. The tension in the room was palpable; everyone was anxious to see if this plan would work. Soon after, everyone dispersed and went on their mission.

Batman left with John and Selina, and John called for a magical taxi with a monkey wearing a detective outfit. Batman and Selina looked at John, perplexed, as he greeted the chimp as Detective Chimp.

"I won't even ask," Batman said, getting into the taxi. Once inside, the chimp addressed Batman.

"It's an honor to work with you, Batman. One detective to another," Detective Chimp said.

"Likewise," Batman replied, still bewildered by the situation.

"Chimp is going to help us. He found a building suitable for performing the ritual," John explained.

"Does it have to be a specific building?" Selina asked. Detective Chimp and John exchanged annoyed glances.

"Yes, dear. It can't be just any building," John responded, insulted by the question.

"Sorry, I'm not well-versed in magical spells," Selina replied, sheepishly.

After a quick ride, the taxi pulled up in front of an abandoned church that had survived the explosion in Metropolis.

"Metropolis?" Batman questioned.

"Yes, it's empty and far enough away from Superman, so he won't hear the girl cry out for help. Now, let's get to work."

The four of them entered the church. From the inside, it seemed like nothing had happened to it. The old, dark ambiance of the building indicated that it wasn't just any ordinary structure but that it had something special about it. The team began placing the candles where John directed them. Despite the critical importance of candle placement, it was quite anticlimactic. John simply pointed to a general area to place them as he smoked his cigar.

"So this is it? Seems too easy," Batman remarked.

"Just relax, Batsy. It's going to work. Now, all we have to do is wait for your team to do their part," John replied.

Sinestro/Superman

After months of hard work, Superman's dream world had finally become a reality. Crime rates had been reduced to a minimum, global war was no longer a concern, and even issues like hunger and homelessness had been tackled with great success.

For those who accepted Superman's leadership, life had never been better. However, for those who opposed him, it was a constant struggle, like walking through a minefield each day with no guarantee of returning home.

Despite his perfect world, Superman knew there were still serious issues to be addressed, such as corruption and the illegal production of the super pill. However, weeks had passed since he had launched his investigation, and he seemed no closer to discovering the source of the pills. Every interrogation had hit a dead end, as the captured criminals refused to talk.