"Civilization is a fragile truce between pride and survival."
---
The Watchtower hung above the Earth like a silent sentinel, its steel gleaming under the light of the moon.
Inside, the air was heavy. Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman stood before the viewing pane, gazing down at the planet below.
The oceans glittered with faint light not the shimmer of waves but of energy signatures flickering deep beneath the sea.
A storm was rising.
The Forewarning
King entered the room, silent as gravity itself. His footsteps barely echoed yet the tension shifted the moment he appeared.
Without ceremony, he spoke.
" Whatever weapons, whatever allies, whatever strength you can muster prepare them. A war is coming."
Batman's eyes narrowed behind the cowl.
"You're certain?"
King turned to him, gaze steady.
"I feel it, Bruce. The seas are stirring with fury that hasn't been seen in millennia. The kingdoms beneath are aligning… and they will not stop until the surface is judged."
Superman crossed his arms, frowning.
"What kind of war are we talking about?"
King looked down at Earth. The vast blue swirls of the ocean reflecting in his eyes like cosmic mirrors.
"A war of civilizations."
His voice was calm, yet it carried the weight of prophecy.
"And the only one who can stop it without drowning both sides in blood… is Arthur Curry."
Wonder Woman tilted her head. "Aquaman?"
"Yes," King replied. "He is heir to the true throne. But he lacks the symbol that binds sea — the Trident of Atlan. He must claim it from the Hidden World in the depths of the Mariana Trench."
Batman's eyes flicked to the monitor showing tectonic activity across the Pacific. "And you plan to go with him."
King gave a faint nod.
"I do. The oceans are vast… and even kings get lost in their fury. He'll need someone who can silence the storms."
No one argued. Even Superman who could split mountains didn't question the resolve in King's tone.
The silence stretched, broken only when Batman muttered:
"Then may the world hold together long enough for him to find it."
King turned to leave, his final words echoing through the chamber like the rolling of distant thunder.
"If he doesn't — no surface, no sky, no ocean will be spared."
Amnesty Bay, Maine
The salt wind swept through the quiet docks of Amnesty Bay. The lighthouse shone faintly across the waves.
Arthur Curry — rugged, half-drenched, smelling faintly of alcohol was half-carrying his father home from a night at Sullivan's Tavern.
Thomas Curry slurred with a half-smile.
"You… you saved a Russian sub last week, didn't ya?"
Arthur laughed.
"More like stopped 'em from sinking themselves. You'd think after all these years, people would learn not to fight near whales."
As they neared the cottage, the waves grew restless — the moon pulling them higher than usual. Arthur looked up. Something was off.
That's when he heard her voice.
"Arthur Curry."
He turned — Mera, princess of Xebel, stood near the shore, red hair glinting like fire beneath the moonlight, her armor shimmering like molten coral.
Arthur frowned.
"You again? Last time you showed up, I had to punch a trench creature."
Mera crossed her arms, expression stern.
"Atlantis stands at the edge of war. Orm is planning to unite the undersea kingdoms. He plans to attack the surface. You must stop him."
Arthur gave a humorless chuckle.
"Stop him? I can't even stop my dad from drinking."
She stepped closer.
"You must find the Trident of Atlan. It's not a myth, Arthur. It's the only weapon that can unite the ocean."
Arthur shook his head, exasperated.
"Lady, that's a fairy tale. I live in a lighthouse not a throne room. Find your golden stick somewhere else."
Before she could argue the wind shifted. The waves roared.
A sudden tsunami crashed toward the coast, a massive surge of water and trash, roaring with unnatural fury.
Arthur's instincts kicked in — he grabbed his father, shoving him toward the high rocks. But the force of the wave was too strong.
Time slowed. The wall of water loomed over them until it split apart.
The Hand That Parts the Sea
From the heart of the wave, King stepped through — calm, radiant, utterly unbothered as the raging ocean curved away by his might like a curtain drawn by divine command.
Plastic debris and salt foam hovered midair before dissolving into vapor. The tide retreated as if apologizing for its intrusion.
Arthur stared, half-stunned, half-awestruck.
"What the hell…"
King extended a hand to steady him and his father.
" The world beneath the waves has grown careless," King said evenly. "Even the tides rebel against it."
Arthur blinked, shaking his head.
" Why are you here?"
King gave a mild smile.
" I'm here because the ocean calls for its heir."
Mera knelt slightly, recognizing the aura that radiated from him. Neither human nor god, yet heavier than both.
"My lord King."
King raised a hand.
"No titles. Not tonight." He turned to Arthur. "You and Mera pack your bags. There's a journey ahead."
Arthur frowned, crossing his arms.
"A trip, huh? You're not much for asking, are you?"
King's eyes gleamed faintly, the color of starlight reflecting on deep water.
"The sea has no patience for permission."
And as the tide finally calmed behind him, the moonlight shimmered on three figures — one half-blood prince, one warrior princess and one being whose very presence kept the world in balance.
The journey to the Trident of Atlan had begun.
Read 33 chapters ahead on P.A.T.R.E.O.N
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