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Disclaimer: This is a sequel to 'Down The Arrow' and is my take on next year's Arrowverse event.
The crisis that the Monitor had warned the heroes and their allies of a year ago had finally arrived. Courtesy of the being known as the Anti-Monitor. And countless realities and lives had been lost because of him with fragments of those realities floating about in time and space. Earths 1, 2, 3, 38, and several others were among the few remaining and every hero and villain from these Earths were doing all they could to stop the monstrous threat. A threat that was focusing its attention primarily on Earth-1 for the time being thanks to sensing the presence of the Monitor with an army comprised of beings known as the Manhunters, the Shadows, the Daleks, and the Cybermen. Cynthia and her father were the only survivors of Earth-19 and Breacher was downright pissed about that. Showing just why he was so damned feared before and even after retiring regardless of whether or not he wasn't as powerful as he used to be.Oberon, his children, Thailog, Ray Palmer, Sara Lance, the Hawks, Nate Heywood, an arrogantly bitter and pissed off Felicity Smoak, Optimus Prime, a version of Superman, a version of Supergirl known as Power Girl, several Green Lanterns, Ron Stoppable, several Slade Wilsons, a sentient Leviathan and adult Talyn and his crew from a so called unrealized reality, Wolverine from the Age of Apocalypse, and several Power Rangers had only recently joined the high death count during the fight against the Anti-Monitor and his forces. This and other factors were beginning to cause some to lose hope but Oliver Queen of Earth-1 was unwavering in his resolve to not give up. Knowing that if they completely lost hope, all would truly be lost. A certain bargain of his entrenched deeply at the fore front of his mind had effectively told him that the time to pay the price for maintaining the balance while allowing for certain changes was now.But how that was going to be done, he wasn't sure of. At least… Until an idea popped into his head as he recalled some information related to Barry's big bad known as Zoom. “Cisco!” Barked Oliver as he ducked just in time from some flying debris.“Yeah, man!?”“Get me to STAR Labs!” Ordered the formerly retired archer.Cisco looked at him in shock, wondering why the Hell the man wanted to go there! “I don't think now's the time for a breather, dude!”“Just get me there and I'll explain afterwards!”A wince was seen on Cisco's face as he fired off a blast at a Manhunter who had been coming right at him and Oliver. “Okay! Sheesh!” As no need to bite his head off!Quickly, he opened a portal and got himself and Oliver to STAR Labs. Startling a number of people that had taken refuge in the building from the onslaught outside. People that weren't just from Earth-1 for that matter either. “How would you suggest I maintain the balance?”Nobu's words rang in Oliver's mind as he made his way past the frightened people with Cisco close behind as possible. “Man, I don't think you're gonna find a miracle here. Especially if you're lookin' to replace your arm.” Cisco told him while glancing at where a majority of Oliver's left arm was gone.“I think I will, Cisco. I think I will.”An explosion from the outside rocked the building, sending the two flying into the terrified and screaming crowd. But Oliver didn't let it keep him down for long as he forced himself up and hurried to the medical room as a genius known as Zane Donovan ran past the two with several Clone Soldiers carrying several weapons to use on the enemy forces outside. That battle being led by Zane's wife, Jo Lupo-Donovan as she and her forces faught the Anti-Monitor's. For some reason, the Anti-Monitor's screwing with all of Creation had partially fused Global Dynamics with STAR Labs. Whether this was because of the Monitor or something else, no one was certain of. But thankfully, this allowed for access to certain weapons Global Dynamics had.Cisco soon realized where they were going and even voiced this. “Wait, why are we going to the medical lab? That place is no doubt packed right now, man.”Nothing was said as the two made their way into the medical lab that true to Cisco's word, was packed with injured people and those trying to help them out with whatever resources that were available. Dr. Cecilia Reyes, Dr. Allison Blake, Clair Temple, and Nurse Melissa McCall were among those helping the injured. “I read reports of a serum Caitlin and the Wells of Earth-2 made.” Oliver told him as he quickly began to look for said serum as well as he could while ignoring the concerned words and glances from the healers.Thankful that the Superman he knew had managed to cauterize his unfortunate wound before it could cause serious issues for him. Cisco's eyes widened. “What!? Dude! We keep that under lock and key for a reason! That stuff could kill you!”Oliver rounded on him with a fierce intensity to him that made the younger man flinch back. “And we could very well die because of the Anti-Monitor and his forces, Cisco! We need every advantage we can possibly get right now!”His loud words caused everyone in the medical lab to look at them, some had fear on their faces. “What's going on?” Demanded to know Dr. Blake as she came up to the two.“I'm searching for a serum known as Velocity 9, I know its here and I'm confident it'll help us.”“But your body might not be able to handle it! You've never even had the Speed Force in your system!”“Technically, thanks to Elseworlds, I do.”“And you're gonna take a risk on a small possible technicality!?” Cisco asked of the older man in stunned disbelief.As never had he knew the man to be willing enough to do something like that! Dr. Blake interrupted before Oliver could even speak. “I'm, I'm sorry, but WHAT is this… Velocity 9?” And what the Hell was a Speed Force and an Elseworlds!?Oliver turned away to search again as Cisco turned his attention to the lovely Doctor. “Its… Its a serum designed to help boost a Speedster's speed. But its got some bad side effects. Like the kind that could kill you.”Dr. Blake's eyes, along with that of a few others, widened in stunned shock. “I'm willing to take that risk Cisco. Now, please tell me where its at before we're all dead.”“But…”“I know, I get your concern. But there is NO choice. I made a deal with the Monitor last year during the Elseworlds situation that kept Barry and Kara from dying like the Book of Destiny said they would in order to maintain the Balance. The time to pay up on that deal is here and now!” Oliver told him bluntly and out of the corner of his eye, he could swear he saw the faint outline of the Monitor himself giving a small nod to him before vanishing to re-join the fight with full focus.Even as his words about suggesting how to maintain the Balance rang once again in his mind. Cisco could only stare at the other man in stunned shock and horror. His lip beginning to quiver some as he processed this. “You… You took their place didn't you? But… We… The world! The world needs you!”“I did. It was a price I was and am willing to pay. And no, it has people like Barry and you, people like Kara and her cousin. They and you are real true heroes unlike me. A damaged man with a shit past. The past year with Kelly and William has been the happiest year I've had in a long, long time.”A sad smile appeared on Oliver's face as he thought of the past year. One filled with happiness and new experiences where Smallville, Earth-38, his son, and new love in Kelly was concerned. All things he had enjoyed as much as possible as he knew that sooner or later, his deal to take the place of Barry and Kara would come to fruition. Part of him however had hoped it would have been a little longer then a year but life just didn't work that way unfortunately. Cisco couldn't help himself as he hugged the older man as Dr. Blake and others watched on, stunned that this man would be so willing to risk himself like he was. And it made Dr. Blake hope like Hell once more that Jack was okay out in the chaos. A line of thought that Melissa had about her son and his Pack. A line of thought that Clair had about Matt, Luke, and the others.Cisco pulled away with a sniffle. “I… I hate this, man. I hate it so damn much.” Muttered the Meta-Engineer unhappily as he walked away and went to a locked cabinet, unlocked it, and brought out a small kit.He then brought it to Oliver as he opened it, the contents being a small injection gun with a vial of liquid attached to it. “You'll have to inject me. Can you handle that or should someone else do it?” Asked Oliver of the emotional young man in a surprisingly gentle voice.“I… I can do it. Even if I don't want too. And I really don't want too.”Oliver nodded at that, pulled off his glove with his teeth as Dr Blake came over and pushed up his sleeve. “You're a brave man, I hope you know that.”He nodded at her as the Velocity 9 was injected into him, making him wince as a yellow streaks of lightning that turned green seconds later went all around him. Even being seen in his eyes. “Cisco… Do me a favor?”“Anything, man, anything at all.” Replied the sad young man while Dr. Reyes was getting in touch with Professor Charles Xavier through a comms device to have him start spreading the word about what just happened.“Please tell my family and Kelly that I love them all very much. And that I'm sorry things couldn't have been different for all of us.”Ohh how Oliver wished things could be so damned different. He'd even just been getting to know Emiko after she found her way to Earth-38 to have a few words with him. And then the Monitor summoned as many heroes as he could for the battle of the fate of all of Creation, putting a stop to getting to know her. “I… I will, man. I promise.”Oliver nodded at him in approval as he clapped the younger man on the shoulder. “Thank you. You're a Hell of a man, Cisco Ramon.”And with that, Oliver was gone in a flash, leaving Cisco and the others where they were with tears in their eyes and a strong hope that he would succeed. With his new found speed courtesy of the Velocity 9, Oliver kept on running right around the world several times in order to have the momentum needed to make his way upwards and into outer space where the Anti-Monitor was just above the Earth. Preparing his ultimate weapon to wipe out Earth-1. “HULK AND METAL MAN HELP BLUR!” Roared out the green skinned figure known as the Hulk.“Da!”Both managed to grab the green blur that was Oliver Queen and launched him into the air just as he came at them after his sixth run around the world. The momentum of both things taking him higher and higher into the air and soon, out of the atmosphere as his body turned into a yellow streak of lightning. “ANTI-MONITOR! YOU HAVE FAILED THIS REALITY!”“I AM NOT AFRAID!”The Anti-Monitor opened fire on the streak of yellow lightning but Oliver surged onwards until his bodyless self went straight into the giant sized weapon and exploded. The energies mixing together began to send out waves of energy and the Monitor, seeing this as his chance to fix things, opened the Book of Destiny to do what was needed. Unfortunately, he failed to realize that this and those two combined energies did not make for a good mix as the Anti-Monitor was heard shouting out denials until he was no longer heard from or seen anymore. The combination of the energies and the Book of Destiny immediately began to re-shape all of Creation until it was one whole instead of many as the streak of lightning that was Oliver found its way into the past.Where just as the Particle Accelerator was exploding and infusing its own energy with the Oliver bolt as it descended from the Heavens and struck one Barry Allen. Cementing his future as the heroic Speedster known as the Flash.
Sometime Later
“Oliver Queen was more then just a vigilante or a hero with a bow and quiver full of arrows. He was a friend, a brother, a son, a lover, and a father. One of the things he long believed in was that the essence of heroism was for one to die so that others could live. And this was something the man I'm proud to call a brother exemplified until his final breath against Darkseid.” Spoke the newly minted Green Lantern known as John Diggle at the funeral of one Oliver Queen just days after the big battle with the God of Apokolips known as Darkseid and his massive army.Though his body was not in a casket due to having taken the highly dangerous serum known as Velocity 9 in order to stop the 'Dark God' once and for all and vanishing entirely in the process. And save for only a few select individuals like Cisco Ramon and the Monitor himself, no one else knew the real truth of what had happened where the Anti-Monitor was concerned. As Creation had been re-shaped and the truth had to be forgotten and placed Darkseid and his forces in the place of the Anti-Monitor. Barry, while in attendance for the funeral, was forced to wear power dampeners so that he couldn't run back in time and prevent Oliver from dying and it was something he hated monumentally. A tearful Kara was being held by Clark as her body rocked with sobs over the loss of a good friend like Oliver.He and so many others who'd lost their lives to Darkseid and it was just so damned unfair. A pregnant and tearful Thea could be seen hugging her equally tearful mother with Kelly, Emiko, Laurel Lance, Roy Harper, Walter Steel, Samantha and William Clayton all around the two as the funeral service drew to a close with some final parting words from John Diggle. “Oliver, you will be missed, my brother.”
Elsewhere
From the platform that the Monitor alone stood on, he observed the funeral of Oliver Queen with a somberness about him as he also looked over all the changes made to Creation. Seeing that while certain alternate realities had merged with the formerly Earth-1 that was now Earth Prime, others were still seen as books, movies, tv shows, music, and other various forms of media. Among those still being more of a fictional thing being the world known as the Terminator 'Verse. Which was a good thing considering that if the virus like nightmare known as Venjix had access to that sort of technology, Earth Prime would have been in even worse shape some 40 years later. “The price to maintain the Balance has been paid. Creation owes you a great debt, Oliver Queen.” Murmured the near God like being to himself as he continued to observe all that had been changed in the aftermath of the battle with the Anti-Monitor.
The Afterlife
Oliver Queen opened his eyes in confusion, confusion that only furthered when he heard a voice that shouldn't be possible. “Hey, the bum's awake finally!”“Now Akio, that's no way to let one know of certain things.” Added another familiar voice in a teasing manner.One that also shouldn't matter. “Wha?”“Easy, son, here, let me help you.”Oliver looked at his father in stunned disbelief, which was how the man was able to help him get up. “Am… Am I dreaming? Or is this some kind of sick joke?”“Its no dream or sick joke, you really are in the Afterlife, son.” Robert Queen told his son in a warm and proud voice.“Yeah, bro, you kicked some serious as-butt and because of your actions with that Anti guy, it got you where you rightfully belong with us.” Added one Tommy Merlyn with a smile on his face.Unable to help himself and being unable to detect any kind of tricks, Oliver began to weep as those present hugged him. Sara and Quentin Lance among those doing so. “I… I don't belong here. Not after some of the things I've done.”“Queen, the Big Man himself obviously thinks different and there's no point in arguin' with him.” Quentin told him bluntly.And with logic like that, Oliver found he couldn't argue against it. Causing those there with him that he hadn't seen in years to chuckle. Robert clapped him on the back. “Come on, son, we've got some catching up to do.”“And much time to do it.” Added Yao Fei Gulong.“Lead the way.” Replied Oliver with tears in his eyes.And so they did.
Author's Notes: Hope folks enjoyed this take on next year's event. Even though its unlikely to be anywhere near like this but oh well. I might do a second chapter that goes into detail of what all is part of the one and only Earth after all that happened if there's any interest in that. As for those mentioned in this story and anyone curious, here's some info. Hulk and 'Metal Man', who is Piotr 'Colossus' Rasputin are from Marvel, same as AoA Wolverine, Cecilia Reyes, and Clair Temple and those she mentions. The Clone Soldiers are from Star Wars and at a point before a certain order is given. Melissa McCall from Teen Wolf, Dr. Allison Blake, Zane Donovan, Jo Lupo, and Jack are from Eureka. The Leviathan known as Talyn is from Farscape.
Thailog, Oberon and his children are from Gargoyles. Ron Stoppable is of course from Kim Possible. Optimus Prime from Transformers, Manhunters from DC, Daleks and Cybermen from Doctor Who, and the Shadows from Babylon 5. Kelly of course is just an OC who had a brief mention in 'Down The Arrow'. The Laurel at the funeral is E-1 but with E-2 Laurel's Cry.