SHATTERED WORLDS | DC (2022)

Year 5: Into The Multiverse

Batman

It had been a long and arduous journey for Batman, leading him to a high-security facility where the final piece for his multidimensional teleportation device was stored. With Adeline's unconventional advice guiding him, he had successfully maneuvered through a labyrinth of traps and security measures. Standing before the chamber housing the device, Batman felt a surge of determination. This was the last leg of his journey to dismantle the regime's oppressive hold.

As he secured the device, a small yet crucial component, his thoughts shifted to the impending confrontation with Hal Jordan. The Green Lantern had been guarding the facility, a formidable adversary whose loyalty to the regime was unwavering. Batman knew that his odds of success were slim, but he was willing to take the risk. He had to.

Inside the facility, the tension was palpable as Batman and Hal faced each other. Hal's taunts and jibes were met with Batman's unwavering resolve. "Hal, we've both seen the darkness this regime has brought upon the world. You were once a beacon of hope. Is this what you envisioned?"

Hal's gaze remained unyielding, bitterness etched into his expression. "You think I haven't wrestled with that, Batman? You think this was an easy choice? But I've lost too much to go back now. I can't just abandon everything I've sacrificed for."

Batman's voice softened, a rare warmth seeping through his usually unyielding demeanor. "You were a hero, Hal. You still can be. It's not too late to turn away from this path."

Hal's eyes narrowed, anger and pain flashing across his features. "You don't understand, Batman. You don't know what it's like to see everything you believed in crumble. To lose friends, family..."

Batman's voice remained steady, his words cutting to the core of their shared history. "I've lost too, Hal. We all have. But the difference is how we choose to respond. Do we let our pain consume us, or do we channel it into something greater?"

Hal's grip on his power ring tightened, his resolve deepening. "You're asking me to throw away everything I've built."

"No," Batman corrected, his voice unwavering. "I'm asking you to remember why you became a hero in the first place. To remember the lives you've saved and the hope you've inspired. It's not too late to reclaim that."

Their dialogue resonated with the weight of their choices, the conflict between them encapsulating the larger battle they were a part of. As the tension mounted, Hal's expression shifted, a flicker of doubt crossing his eyes. But just as quickly, the hardness returned. "You can't understand, Batman. You can't understand the sacrifices I've made."

Batman took a step closer, his voice a mixture of empathy and urgency. "I do understand, Hal. We've all made sacrifices, but it's not too late to choose a different path. To make amends."

The room was heavy with the weight of their words, a silent battle of ideals taking place before the physical confrontation. Hal's gaze bore into Batman's, his inner turmoil evident. "And what if I can't?" he finally asked, vulnerability seeping into his voice.

"Then we'll stop you," Batman said firmly, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "But I hope it doesn't come to that."

Their exchange lingered in the air, a microcosm of the larger choices that would define their futures. Hal's struggle was apparent, torn between loyalty and doubt.

Batman stood there, holding the vital piece of the teleportation device, his eyes fixed on Hal Jordan, the once-great Green Lantern. The tension in the room was palpable, a thick cloud of history and conflict hanging in the air.

"You can't keep doing this, Hal," Batman said calmly, his voice cutting through the charged atmosphere. "You've seen what Superman has become. This regime isn't justice anymore; it's oppression."