Chapter Two: Reign of Fear

[Uchiha Roxas]

Chapter 2.1: The Road to Reign of Fear

The road leading to the event known as "The Reign of Fear" was actually not that much later than that of the Legacy Initiative. It started on the same fateful night that Ian Wickes gained Hal Jordan's Power Ring in Metropolis. Thaal Sinestro attacked Metropolis in the wake of the Heroes disappearance in order to take advantage of the growing amounts of fear ravaging the city. He sent rings across the cityscape, knowing humanity's potential to wield the emotional spectrum and wished to make a few additions to his Sinestro Corps. It was at this moment, that the Reign of Fear began. Somewhere, deep in the night was the only human ever to be inducted into the Sinestro Corps full time.

This man was Nathaniel Grant.

Alone amongst the rioting of that night, whilst Hal Jordan's ring was crashing into Ian's car, Nathaniel was fighting off muggers when the Qwardian Ring made its way to him. He slipped it on his finger without hesitation, the instincts of a soldier recognising a weapon and used this weapon to pacify not only the muggers but a few others as well. He continued to fight in the skirmish, a traitor to his planet, until the Fear Wielders were routed and they fled back to Sinestro's dominion of Korugar; where Nathaniel's training would begin.

Having served in Afghanistan, Nathaniel was already used to strict discipline and training. He took to the ring quite well considering. However, he was not prepared for the corrupting influence the ring had and the intensity of the training he would be receiving; he battled the flesh hungry Arkillo, fighting for his life at every second and went through torturous sessions of his worst fears. Nights spent huddled in the cold Afghan desert. Terrorists killing his friends. The abandonment he felt once he got home from the war. He went through this day after day until he was ready for what Sinestro had in store for him. Emerging from his reconditioning a truly terrifying creature; Nathaniel was charged by his leader to do one thing: Kill the new Green Lantern of Sector 2814...

Nathaniel took to this task with a further. He returned home and wasted no time setting about finding the Green Lantern, ignoring all the other legacies who were running about doing their own thing until he found his target. The new Green Lantern, was the reluctant Ian Wickes. A bar tender and superhero by night but college Video Games Designing major by day; Nathaniel set about observing him until he believed the time was right. It wasn't long until Nathaniel finally engaged Ian in Metropolis' Suicide Slums as the Green Lantern made his way home from work, battle raging the two locked horns with Nathaniel coming out the victor even as Ian showed a small glimmer of promise towards the end, smashing his energy made helmet and putting up more of a resistance. About to kill Ian, Nathaniel decided to go above and beyond his orders thanks to his reprogramming, deciding it would be best to crush the Green Lantern at his best and subduing the planet Earth in the name of Sinestro.

Whilst the Yellow Lantern thought this Taliana Lance, the Legacy of the Black Canary, arrived and saved Ian. He took her back to her home and patched him up, not bothering to pursue Nathaniel whom already had great ideas as to how to set his plan into motion...

This left Ian to wake up alone and confused in Taliana's apartment. The two revealed their identities to one and other and soon more and more heroes/ legacies began to file through Taliana's door. The Martian Manhunter's Legacy arrived, setting himself at odds with Ian as he said he was "more replaceable" than his ring and the surprising arrival of a new Speedster called Darius Allan caught everyone by surprise as he mistook Ian for his predecessor Hal Jordan. Eventually, the gathered heroes went their separate ways. All the while, the Superman Legacy Michael Kent spied on those gathered within the apartment and flew off to contemplate that his classmate, Ian Wickes actually turned out to be the newest induction to the Green Lantern Corps.

More and more legacies began appearing, a new Green Arrow was making his name famous throughout Coast City and Batman had been spotted in several locations but with new friends came even more foes as more and more villains seemed to wish to take advantage of their adversaries disappearance. Some new enemies were even created and soon they would be inducted into Nathaniel's plot. The Yellow Lantern sought out Atlantis, engaged Wonderboy and eventually impeached the Queen to act on the surface world before they attacked Atlantis. The newly elected Queen Cassandra agreed and soon Nathaniel was on his way to making an army.

His opposite, Ian however, defeated a Red Lantern and decided that it would be best for him to take on the responsibility of Darius. The Speedster had been looking for the former owner of his ring and therefore, seeing as Darius had nowhere left to go Ian inherited that responsibility along with Hal's mission to keep the world safe.

 

[Uchiha Roxas]

Chapter 2.2: The Reign of Fear Begins!

With Darius settled in for the night on Ian's sofa, the MetU student got some rest and prepared for the lessons he had in the morning. He got up, did his usual routine and left Darius in a position of trust that the speedster almost instantly abused as soon as Ian left the room. With Darius having his wicked ways with one of the girls down the hall, Ian went to class and once again managed to bump into none other than Taliana Lance...

Surprised and shocked at the revelation that Taliana went to his University, the two got to talking about the previous night; Ian effectively owned Taliana his life but as they got talking, things began to seem more and more calculated rather than accidental. It wasn't luck but fate that brought the two together and Ian eventually figured out that most of the new Heroes whom had been appearing weren't actually "new" at all, in fact, they were carbon copies of the original Justice Leaguers. Shocked by the revelation both Ian and Taliana tried to figure out what to do next...

Was it their job to reform the League? They didn't have a clue but miles away other things were stirring...

At Wayne Tower, Black Adam and a few other villains appeared, calling the new Batman into action; although at first somewhat successful in his endeavours to try and stop the rampaging lightning imbued tyrant. He was eventually injured but made Black Adam back off long enough so that everyone could see, on every possible signal receiving device, Nathaniel Grant. Sitting in Atlantis, an army at his back Nathaniel not only issued a warning to the heroes of Earth but an invitation to its villains to join him:

"Hello people of Earth, I am Nathaniel Grant. Not long ago, I was a soldier, serving the US Army faithfully until I was abandoned once I was no longer of use. But a new army has taken me under their banner, I fought a new war, and was given power beyond my wildest dreams. I thought my original purpose with this power was to kill what my commander perceived as his enemies. But after fighting the Green Lantern, I realized more drastic actions need to be taken to save humanity from itself."

"The Green Lantern is weak. If that is the best the ring had to choose from, then the world is in a much more sorry state than I originally thought. The heroes and governments you depend on to make your world safe has made the human race weak and complacent. I plan to turn that on it's head though. I, Nathaniel Grant, will rule this planet through fear, and become a legend among the Sinestro Corps, praised by all. There is one issue: in my Kingdom, only the strong will survive."

"To all those that wish to ally with me: if you agree with me that the world is weak and needs to get stronger. If you feel that we should take our rightful place as the center of the universe. Or if you feel like causing mass havoc and anarchy. You should meet me in Atlantis, their sorcerers will bring you here. With our strength, if any so called "heroes" dare to stand against us, they will be destroyed."

Unable to believe what they were seeing, Ian and Taliana were joined by the soon revealed Superboy Michael Kent and Darius prepping for the war. Ian organised the team he had, whilst Batman and Green Arrow raced to their respective locations. If Nathaniel Grant wanted to world he would have to get through the entire Legacy Initiative to do it...

Using the Atlantean summoner's to do his bidding after tricking the "False Queen" Cassandra Petras into aiding his cause; Nathaniel brought each and every villain who decided to ally with him to Atlantis to a grand meeting. Nathaniel explained his plan and soon, it was set in motion, each team went to where they were needed and the Reign of Fear began in earnest.
 

[Uchiha Roxas]

Chapter 2.3: The Joker's Flight! The Battle for Gotham!

His meeting with the Villains concluded, Nathaniel allowed them to go about their business laying waste to the world as long as they promised to rendezvous with him in Coast City. The Joker, whom was present at said meeting, was quite intent on getting to Coast CIty and only needing a few things from Gotham decided not to hang around and instead grab what he needed and go. However, his path would take him through Slaughter Swamp; the death place of Cyrus Gold and birthplace of Solomon Grundy.

Making his way through the swamp accompanied by some of his loyal fans; the Joker first encountered the Legacy of Starfire: Kotand'r. The Tamaranean was naive enough to take the Joker at his word when he said that he was a simple Jester separated from his troupe. It wasn't until the Legacies of Zatanna and the Flash, sent by Ian Wickes from Metropolis, arrived and foiled the Joker's ruse that a fight broke out. The Joker implored his thugs to attack the heroes but they weren't the only thing that the newly christened heroes needed to worry about.

Because just as they had banded together, Deathstroke had also come to aid the Joker.

Trapped in a heated battle, the Joker was halted from proceeding by not only the Flash but also the arrival of the Newest Batman. Unable to resist toying with this particular legacy, the Joker stayed in the Swamp in order to take him out with Slade's help. They even succeeded in bruising him up too but considering that Anthony had entered the battle wounded, it was no surprised. The battle soon became chaos as Batman ducked behind trees, gas flew everywhere and magic spells zipped through the air like no one's business. Even the apparently invincible White Martian R'avin R'age was having trouble keeping the heroes at bay as he disguised himself as the Joker to by the Crown Prince of Crime more time.

But alas, too hell bent on his feud with the previous Batman; the Joker remained where he was. He drew out the fight and eventually even R'avin R'age was almost bested by the new Zatanna before Alan Cypher's theft of Shazam's magical lightning interrupted her powers and forced her to let R'avin go. With that both sides withdrew from the battle and no clear winner could be decided...

Hopefully, they would have better luck elsewhere or the world was doomed.
 

[Uchiha Roxas]

Chapter 2.4: Gods Amongst Metropolis!

Metropolis also became a battleground as Atlantean forces invaded the city through its sewers. Suddenly under siege, the Metropolis authorities had no idea what to do in the face of their Atlantean foe; they tried to hold them off for as long as they could but with Black Adam leading the charge, it was soon left to the likes of Superboy, Wonderboy, Green Arrow and the Nightingale to come to the city's defence.

Accompanied by a demon, a vampire and a sorceress; Adam led quite the force. He spurted about his superiority and Godlike prowess for everyone to hear. He believed he was a God and deserved to be treated as such. Damien's Amazonian sisters rallied against him to meet the Atlantean horde and soon, an all out war between two mythological armies and three godly commanders began to tear Metropolis asunder. As if drawn to the fray by some sort of luck, Alan Cypher, John Constantine's Legacy soon arrived on the scene.

Desperate, the Cranky Magician took control of the demonic priestess of the opposing forces using his own summoning circles. She was turned on her allies with ease and when she eventually decided to turn on Alan too, he banished her back to hell and smiled to himself as he did so. It would be a while before she found her way back up to the Earthly Planes and this gave him more than enough plan to accost Green Arrow and imbue him with his own magical powers. The thing was that Alan had a plan and even though he hadn't informed the others of it, it was a genius plan and all it would need was a little bit of blood from Black Adam himself.

Still locked in battle with Superboy and Wonderboy and even Alistair Zackarius; Black Adam began to grow tired of the children. He never tired, never stopped, even when it seemed as though his allies had abandoned him he just kept on. The new Justice Leaguers seemed unable to match Teth's experience and blood lust. Zackarius was used as a weapon. Superboy was coming undone thanks to the pesky interventions of the sorceress Agrona and Wonderboy could only try his best to lead his sisters by example. Alan knew it was time to put his plan into action, whilst Teth seemed to have the momentum, Jonathan Price shot at him with Alan's enchanted arrows . The Green Arrow's mouth had finally paid off. He'd distracted the former champion of Earth with his taunts long enough to keep him from dodging, long enough to give the others a chance to recover and compose themselves.

Armed with the Spear of Destiny thanks to Alan, Wonderboy pierced Black Adam and drew the needed blood for Alan's plan. Taking said blood, he made an amulet, cast a spell swapping him and the behemoth's voices and without any delay shouted the word "SHAZAM!" himself. He stole Black Adam's powers and suddenly forced to flee, the invading force was routed.

Left victors, the heroes banded together to help the city and whoever they could in the aftermath. Eventually being joined by Queen Arturia...
 

[Uchiha Roxas]

Chapter 2.5: Cataclysm at Coast City

Soon.