Time After Time ϟ Barry Allen [2]

20- Reign of Crisis (pt. 2)

CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS PART TWO and THREE  


PART TWO: 
 "You all have suffered a horrific loss. But you have every recon not to lose hope," the Monitor announces to us on the Waverider. "Seven, in fact, across space and time exists seven heroes. Beings of the purest will that will ultimately..." Baby Jonathan keeps on interupting with his crying.  
   Kara looks down at Jonathan, "I'm sorry, its not working. She hands her second cousin to another version of Mick Rory. 
   "I could've held him," I offer, "Mick's writing, as usual." 
   "No, this'll be fine," Mick replies. 
   "...These beings are known as Paragons," the Monitor explains, continuing on. 
   "You're just telling us this now?" Barry questions. 
   "Barry," I warn him. 
   "I only knew about them recently by consulting the 'Book of Destiny'. I went back into the time-stream to recover it after it was destroyed." 
   "Can it rebuild our Earth?" Kara asks. 
   "It would drive one to madness." 
   "What about my dad?" Mia questions, "can it bring him back?" 
   "It could, but as the Anti-Monitor grows stronger, I grow weaker. We must find all seven Paragons. Kara Zor-El, despite all you have gone through, you are the Paragon of Hope." 
   "You might want to recheck, because I'm not feeling that hopeful," Kara responds. 
   "Sara Lance is the Paragon of Destiny, but I only have descriptions for the other two that I know of. One of a Kryptonian whom has suffered a greater loss than most mortal men, and he is the Paragon of Truth. The fourth is known as 'the bat of the future'." 
   "I can only guess what that means," Kate comments. "Who wants to go find Batman?" 
   "I wouldn't object to talking to Bruce again, if he'll have me," I reply. 
   "I actually need to talk to you," Barry says. "Okay, so Mia and Sara told me that there's this guy. His name is Constantine..." 
   "Oh, hell no. Not John," I whirl around. 
   "We're reviving Oliver." 
   "This is bad. This is very bad." 
   "You can tagalong with us, or stay here. Oliver was your friend too." 
   "I knew him before I knew you--" 
   "Sky, we're doing this. With or without you." 
   "You don't know what it does, the Lazarus Pit. Sara would know. Sometimes people are missing their souls in the void between life and death. He wouldn't want this." 
   "Its happening, Sky." Barry leaves me alone in the room, going off to resurrect our dead friend. 

   "Guys, you can't," I teleport in just as Oliver comes flying out of the Pit. "Is his soul there? What have you done?" 
   "What do you mean, 'is his soul there'?" Mia asks. 
   Barry knocks Constantine out of the way before Oliver can impale him. Sara manages to tranquilize him before he can get to Mia. "What? You tranqued him?" his daughter questions. 
   "Its like Sky said, his body's here, but not his soul. It isn't him yet." 
   "We might have to prepare for him refusing to come back," I tell them bitterly. 
   "Alright, alright, step inside the circle," Constatine says. "Hold hands and we'll begin." He begins to chant, but nothing happens. 
   "What is going on?" Sara asks. 
   "Well, with all the anti-matter in the system, I kind of lost my magical mojo." 
   "If we can't get Oliver's soul back, he's going to be a... monster forever?" Barry asks. 
   "Yeah." 
   "I told you this was a bad idea. Now what do we do?" I question.