Green Lantern John Stewart began his explanation of the Viltrum Empire, the entire room focused solely on him.
The Hall of Justice conference chamber dimmed slightly as his ring projected a wide green image over the center of the table. Stars spread outward in every direction as galaxies spun slowly. Planetary systems appeared and vanished as the projection shifted with his thoughts.
Green light washed across everyone's faces. The Justice League sat around the circular table, the air around them silent and tense. While the Titans stood behind and near them watching with the same seriousness. Debbie remained beside me, one hand resting near her other arm, her expression heavy after everything she had already heard. While Donald stood off to the side with a professional stillness, but even he looked more alert now.
I stood near the table, arms crossed, my eyes locked on the projection.
John's ring glowed brighter as he stepped toward the center.
"Now," John said, his deep voice carrying across the room, "what I'm about to tell you is based on records from the Guardians on Oa, The Coalition intelligence, and various classified transmissions recovered over the last several years."
The projection shifted and a planet appeared.
Viltrum.
It looked beautiful at first glance. Blue oceans. Wide continents. White cloud systems. But there was something harsh about it too. The image sharpened, revealing great mountain ranges, massive cities, fortified structures, orbital platforms, and military shipyards.
John looked around the room and spoke. "The Viltrumite Empire is formally known as the Intergalactic Empire of Viltrum."
The planet rotated slowly in the air.
"Close to a thousand years ago, they were known throughout multiple sectors as heavy planetary conquerors. If you need a simple comparison, imagine if Alexander the Great had led the Spartans, given them a galactic empire, and bred every weakness out of them for centuries."
That sounded about right. Just replace Alexander with Hitler and you be spot on.
John continued. "They stripped much of their own planet's resources during their early expansion. After that, they began searching outward, targeting planets rich in natural resources, and because they believed if they have the power they should take it."
The projection expanded to show lines spreading from Viltrum into nearby star systems. Each line glowed like a vein, connecting conquered worlds.
"They had three primary classifications for civilizations they encountered."
Three symbols appeared. Enemy. Ally. Resource.
John pointed toward the first.
"Enemy means the civilization had enough power to make conquest costly. Not impossible, but expensive. If a planet or empire could make Viltrum bleed in open war, they were classified as an enemy power."
The image shifted to show burning fleets, shattered moons, and warriors clashing in space.
John moved to the second symbol.
"Ally means no open conflict, usually because the civilization had enough military strength, technology, or strategic value to negotiate with them. In most cases, the Empire cooperated with these civilizations only as long as it benefited them."
His face hardened. " But that category was extremely rare."
Then the third symbol glowed.
"Resource means exactly what it sounds like. A civilization judged valuable only for its planet, its materials, its labor. Those worlds were conquered, occupied, stripped, or absorbed into the empire."
The room grew colder and no one spoke for a moment. Then Dick asked the question first.
"Why didn't the Guardians do anything?"
John looked toward him. "Because the Green Lantern Corps didn't exist back then."
That landed with a quiet weight.
John continued. "At that time, the Guardians were not operating the Corps as we know it. There were protectors, watchers, and early experiments in policing cosmic threats, but nothing like the structure we have now. No sector assignments, full Lantern network, or standing intergalactic peacekeeping force strong enough to challenge the Empire directly."
His ring shifted the map again.
"The Viltrumites expanded slowly, but steadily. They avoided certain powers and swallowed others whole."
Hawkgirl leaned forward slightly, her expression hard. "Thanagar was one of the worlds that came into conflict with them."
The projection shifted again.
Thanagar appeared next. A fierce, metallic world with floating cities, military towers, and winged warriors filling the skies.
I glanced toward her.
"How did your people hold them off?"
Hawkgirl reached behind her and brought out her spiked mace. Even under the green projection light, the metal seemed to carry its own strange glow. It looked ancient and powerful, beautiful in a brutal way.
"Nth metal," she said. " A native resource to Thanagar. One of the few materials that can naturally harm Viltrumites."
My eyes narrowed with interest. That was a new development, and a very important one.
She continued. "When the Empire came, they expected another world to break. Instead, they found warriors who could actually make them bleed. It wasn't enough to defeat Viltrum outright, but it was enough to force terms."
"So Thanagar became an ally," I said.
Hawkgirl nodded once." Not happily and fully, but it was enough to survive and stop open conflict."
I stared at the mace for another second.
Nth metal in this universe made sense. It was nearly indestructible in many versions of DC lore. It had anti-gravity properties, strange energy interactions, and strong ties to cosmic and magical forces. If anything in the galaxy could cut into a Viltrumite, Nth metal being one of those things was not surprising. I will have to get some weapons forged from it if possible or maybe armor.
John continued. "Nearly a millennium ago, things changed on Viltrum."
The map darkened. Viltrum appeared again, but this time the image was colder. Red warning lights pulsed across the projection.
"The emperor was murdered by someone the Viltrumites call the Betrayer."
My eyes narrowed I know what's coming next
Thaedus. Unless this merged universe changed even that too.
John continued. "Soon after that, the Empire was hit with a biological weapon they call the Scourge Virus."
The image shifted into a terrifying display of population collapse. A species represented by countless points of light suddenly began disappearing, one after another, until only a tiny fraction remained.
"Reports say the population was reduced by more than ninety-nine percent."
Debbie's eyes widened. "That's genocide," she said softly.
Hawkgirl looked toward her. "If you knew what I know about the Viltrumites of old," she said, "you might not say that with the same sympathy."
Debbie's face tightened. "What about the children?" she asked. "Surely not all of them deserved that."
The room went quiet again, but I spoke before anyone else did. "From what my father told me, Viltrumite children are taught very young how to survive."
Everyone turned toward me.
I kept my gaze on the projection.
"He compared it to the Spartan Agoge. But knowing Viltrumites, it was probably a hundred times worse. Their kids aren't raised like kids. They're raised as future soldiers."
John nodded. "He's right."
His ring projected images. Training arenas. Children being forced through brutal survival exercises. Young Viltrumites fighting one another under supervision. It was a culture where weakness had no place.
I saw Debbie's expression twist with pain. She was probably thinking of Mark, I didn't blame her.
John continued. "After the Scourge Virus, Empire operations halted almost completely. Surviving Viltrumites withdrew from certain planets and sectors. Most returned home or vanished into secured territories. For a time, the rest of the galaxy held its breath and hoped the Empire had finally learned limits."
I spoke quietly. "But that clearly wasn't the case."
John's eyes met mine. "No. It wasn't."
The projection shifted. A new figure appeared.
General Kregg.
Even as a hologram, his presence felt cold. Tall, powerful, military straight posture, hard eyes. He looked like the kind of man who did not need to raise his voice to have people executed.
"Soon after, a group of Viltrumites resumed operations," John said. "At first, they were believed to be rogue remnants acting without the Grand Regent's approval."
My eyes narrowed. " Wait your saying this Kregg was leading them."
John looked at me. "Yes that was what we believed at first."
"At first?."
John nodded slowly and continued.
"At first, the story was that General Kregg commanded a rogue element of the remaining remnants of the empire. The Grand Regent claimed these remnants were acting independently, and that the surviving Viltrumite population was too reduced to risk internal war."
The projection showed two branches now. One branch labeled Imperial Core. Another labeled Rogue Expansion Forces.
"So while this so-called rogue force raided worlds, took slaves, built armies, and gathered resources, the Grand Regent publicly denied direct involvement."
Batman's eyes narrowed. " Sounds like a proxy war or a distraction."
John nodded. "Exactly."
The map expanded again, showing multiple civilizations forming lines of defense.
"This is what led to the formation of the Coalition of Worlds. The Coalition was created to combat the Viltrumite threat directly. Around the same era, the modern Green Lantern Corps began taking shape. From time to time, the Corps and Coalition worked together."
The image showed Green Lanterns, Coalition ships, and various alien worlds forming a defensive network across sectors.
"For hundreds of years," John said, "that was the status quo. The Coalition fought the hostile Viltrumite remnants. The Corps contained related threats where possible. The remaining official Viltrumites spread quietly across other worlds, claiming neutrality or diplomatic distance."
Superman's jaw tightened. "They were buying time."
John looked at him. "Yes."
The projection shifted again.
Hal Jordan appeared in a fragmented transmission window. His face was distorted with static, but recognizable. The green light around the projection flickered like corrupted data. "Five years ago, Hal Jordan sent a classified message before going missing."
Barry leaned forward.
"Hal."
John's face remained grim. "He found out the truth."
The projection of Hal flickered. No audio played, but text appeared beside him, reconstructed from the transmission.
VILTRUMITE DIVISION FALSE.
ROGUE FORCES ARE IMPERIAL FRONT.
EARTH CLASSIFIED AS BREEDING WORLD.
NOLAN / JONATHAN DEPLOYED AS ADVANCE AGENTS.
DO NOT TRUST—
The transmission broke apart. A tense silence filled the chamber and John lowered his hand slightly.
"That message changed everything. The division between the Grand Regent's 'official' Empire and Kregg's rogue forces was a lie. An elaborate trap."
He turned toward the League. "One side kept the Coalition and the Corps busy. The other searched for worlds with powerful species that could help rebuild Viltrumite numbers."
His eyes shifted briefly toward me.
"Worlds like Earth who have a one-hundred percent compatibility and a large percentage of metagene awakening."
Debbie swallowed hard.
Diana's expression hardened like stone.
John continued. "Once Hal sent that message, the Green Lantern Corps and Coalition understood the truth. A full-scale war has been building ever since."
The projection showed conflict spreading across sectors. Red zones expanded. Green Lantern patrol paths fractured. Coalition fleets engaged Viltrumite strike groups near multiple systems.
"The problem is scale," John said. "The Coalition cannot be everywhere. The Corps cannot be everywhere. And the Viltrumites are patient. They infiltrated many worlds long before anyone realized it. Some hybrids now rule civilizations outright. Others serve as military elites. On some worlds, the people revere Viltrumites as honored beings, saviors, or even gods."
M'gann's and J'onn's faces shifted, they were likely thinking of Mars. I thought of what M'gann had said about Martians.
Then I thought of Kori and the Tamaraneans, and Mark's words from the attack came back to me. She was important for some reason. But Why?
My fists tightened slightly from the frustration of not knowing.
John went on. "The worst part is that we still don't know their official numbers. The Scourge devastated them, yes. But with centuries of hybridization, hidden breeding programs, loyal worlds, and controlled bloodlines, we could be dealing with thousands of Viltrumite-class threats."
"Thousands?" Conner asked quietly.
John nodded. "Purebloods. Type One and Type Two hybrids are the high ranking officers. While Type Three and conscripted forces of the planets they conquer are the main forces. And Type Three's are potentially on the same strength level as someone like Superboy or just slightly higher from our estimates."
The room absorbed that. While Conner clenched his fist, clear frustration on his face.
It was one thing to imagine Omni-Man and Mark as isolated monsters. It was another to imagine an entire galactic system built around producing more of them.
John's projection shifted one more time.
Earth appeared in the center.
"The Coalition is sending an envoy to Earth," he said. "They want to determine whether Earth's heroes are strong enough to join the fight."
Batman's eyes narrowed.
"When?"
"Not immediately," John said. "The conflict has disrupted travel routes. The envoy won't arrive for several months. Six, at minimum, based on the last estimate I received."
Six months. I stared at the projection of Earth. My mind immediately knew who would most likely be the envoy.
Allen. The one-eyed Unopan. In Invincible lore, he was tied to the Coalition. If anyone came as an envoy, it would probably be him.
But this world was different, so maybe he would be different too.
I spoke. "So we have maybe five to six months before the envoy comes."
John nodded. "If nothing delays them further. And hopefully the Viltrumites don't come before then," I added.
No one liked that.
I looked toward Dick. "We need to prepare the Titans."
He nodded immediately. " It's sad. There a bunch of kids who just wanted to do some good and find a home, and now they have to prepare to go to war with alien invader's."
Dick exhaled. " I will call all the Titans back to the tower, and even call back the retired members. I think they will understand."
"We have to find Raven and especially Starfire," I said.
Dick's expression tightened. "Yeah."
I looked away for a second.
Kori being important to the Empire bothered me more than I wanted to admit. There were several possibilities. Tamaraneans were powerful. Their culture already had history with Viltrumites in this world. If the Empire saw them as valuable breeding stock that would explain why Mark had singled her out.
But if there was more to it… I needed to know.
Dick clapped a hand lightly on my shoulder. "Then let's not waste time," he said. "We'll get you reintroduced to the Titans and the Tower, alot has changed."
I nodded. " Sounds good."
The meeting began to break apart after that. Some League members stayed behind to speak with John. Others moved toward Batman and Superman, clearly wanting answers of their own now that the truth had started cracking open.
I caught Batman looking at me once.
There was no softness there, but there was something different. Maybe acknowledgment. This isn't over Bruce, but right now I need your paranoid nature and brilliant mind to keep this world alive. Afterwards me, you and Clark are gonna have a long talk, but not with words.
Debbie stood beside me as the Titans gathered near the exit. Donald approached her quietly, but she ignored him for a moment and focused on me.
"You did good in there Cai," she said.
I smiled faintly. " Thanks. You gave them hell too."
She let out a small laugh, but it didn't last long. Her eyes were tired. "Donald will take me to the GDA headquarters, then home," she said. "I need to know what they've done with Mark. I need to see the place where they kept him. And see how he is."
I looked at Donald over her shoulder. He adjusted his glasses and nodded once. "I'll escort her personally, she will be perfectly safe." he said.
I looked back at Debbie. "Should I wait up?"
She shook her head. "Probably not your probably are gonna be busy. Just don't let your grades drop." Debbie chuckled.
"I feel so weird telling you to make sure your grades are good, even though an alien invasion right around the corner."
There was a pause. Then she stepped closer and pulled me into a hug. It caught me off guard for half a second, but I hugged her back.
Her arms tightened around me with the kind of strength only someone who had lost too much could carry.
"I'm so proud of you Caius, and I love you so much. Don't ever forget that." she whispered.
Something in my chest shifted and the word came out before I could overthink it.
"I love you too Mom."
Debbie froze.
I felt it immediately.
Her body went still in my arms. For a second, I thought I had made a mistake, then I pulled back slightly.
Her eyes were wide, shining with surprise. "I'm sorry," I said quickly. "I just… I finally knew what to call you."
Her lips parted, but she didn't speak yet.
"I'm not saying you're replacing my mom," I continued. "You're not. Nobody could. But you've been there for me when I was alone. You checked on me. Fed me. scolded me, and made sure I wasn't drowning in loneliness at that house by myself."
My voice softened. "You've been nothing but a mother to me for years. I just want you to know… you're my family."
Debbie stared at me. Then her face softened in a way I had rarely seen. She had a warm, but sad and happy expression all at once.
She reached up and touched my cheek. "I know, Caius," she said softly. "And thank you."
Her thumb brushed lightly against my skin. "Now go save the world, but please come back home."
I gave a small smile. "You make that sound easy."
"It never is," she said. "But I'll be back home waiting for you."
That hit me harder than I expected for me.
I nodded.
Then let her go.
Donald stepped aside respectfully as she moved toward him. Before leaving, Debbie looked back once more, and I gave her a small nod.
She returned it and then she left with Donald.
I stood there for a second, watching them go.
Dick came up beside me. "You okay?"
I breathed out. "No."
He smiled faintly.
"Wow a honest answer. That's progress."
I looked at him.
He shrugged. "What?"
I huffed. "Don't make me regret doing this, Grayson."
"Too late. You already did. Now your one of us again. And this time we aren't letting you go." Barbara approached from the other side, smiling slightly despite the exhaustion in her eyes.
"He's right Caius, now let's go The Zeta-Tube is ready."
Behind her stood the others. Some had nervous looks , others looked hopeful. Some looked like they didn't know what to say to me yet.
That was fine we had time.
Maybe.
Dick gestured toward the Zeta-Tube chamber.
"Come on," he said. "Time to go back home."
I looked once more toward the Hall of Justice chamber behind me. The League was still inside, still talking, still dealing with the fallout of secrets they had kept for five years. Who knows what else was going to come out.
Then I turned away.
"Let's go."
We stepped into the Zeta-Tube area. The platform hummed with soft blue-white light. The recognition system activated as each person stepped forward.
"Recognized: Nightwing. B-zero-one."
Dick smirked. "Still sounds good."
"Recognized: Batgirl. B-zero-two."
Barbara rolled her eyes lightly.
"Recognized: Kid Flash. B-zero-three."
Wally pointed at the ceiling. "It's Flash now, but whatever. We'll update it."
"Recognized: Superboy. B-zero-four."
Conner crossed his arms. "Still iconic."
"Recognized: Miss Martian. B-zero-five."
M'gann smiled softly.
The others followed. Then I stepped forward. For a second, I wondered if it would still know me.
The system paused and then the voice spoke.
"Recognized: Caius Dawn. B-zero-six. Titan founder access restored."
The words hit the room harder than expected. My Titan founder access restored.
I felt every Titan look at me.
Dick's smile softened. Barbara's eyes warmed. Donna looked like she might hug me again. Conner just nodded once, with a small smile.
I swallowed, and the Zeta-Tube light surrounded us. Blue-white light swallowed everything and then we were gone.