"Power is proven not by conquest, but by restraint."
---
The ocean roared with light.
Every strike between Arthur Curry and Orm Marius split the sea, tridents clashing with the fury of the abyss itself. The surface churned under their might — a storm birthed not from nature but from destiny.
Above them, the clouds twisted into whirlpools of lightning.
Below, the ocean kingdoms watched through mirrored waters — the three kingdoms of Atlantis bearing witness.
And through it all, King stood unmoving, his presence a reminder of the consequences that will come.
His gaze followed every motion — not as a spectator, but as the arbiter of fate.
Where his will extended, the seas obeyed; the storm parted around him, unable to touch his calm.
Clash of Kings
Arthur's trident spun, guided by instinct older than reason. Orm countered with the rage of a dethroned son of the deep, striking with all his strength but the Trident of Atlan sang and its song grew louder with every blow.
"You fight for pride!" Arthur shouted.
"I fight for peace!"
Their weapons collided again and the ocean itself screamed.
The blast hurled both men apart. Orm hit the surface, gasping, his trident shattered at the haft. Arthur stood tall, golden armor gleaming in the light of dawn breaking across the sea.
The Karathen circled beneath, her eyes shimmering with reverence.
Above, the surface world watched through satellites and broadcasts, the images streaming across every screen.
King's Judgment
King walked across the surface toward Orm — every step an echo of power that rippled across the ocean.
Each footfall parted the water in concentric rings.
Orm, broken and defiant, raised his head as the towering figure approached. "Go on then," He rasped. "Finish what you started."
King's gaze was unreadable — like staring into eternity itself. The King Engine pulsed faintly, shaking the horizon.
"I can." King said softly.
"And I intend to."
He raised his hand — the air shimmered — and the water itself rose around Orm, suspending him mid-air like a sculpture of living glass. Pressure enough to crush steel gathered around the prince's chest and even then, King's expression remained calm. It was not hydrokinesis, not magic, just intent so intense that it became physical pressure.
From beneath the waves, a single figure ascended — Queen Atlanna, radiant and trembling.
"Stop!" She cried, her voice carried by the water. "Please, no more… he is still my son."
King looked down at her. The weight of the ocean hung upon his next breath.
For a long moment, silence ruled the world.
Then — the pressure dispersed. The water fell away.
Orm dropped to his knees, unconscious but alive.
"Your plea is heard, Queen of Atlantis." King said solemnly.
"Mercy is the truest measure of power. Let your son live… and learn."
Atlanna bowed deeply, tears of relief mixing with seawater.
"You are merciful, my King."
But King shook his head.
"I am not your King. He is."
He turned to Arthur, whose armor glowed with the trident's golden radiance. The storm broke — sunlight piercing through the clouds like divine sanction.
King's voice thundered, echoing across the seas and into every kingdom below.
"BEHOLD!
The rightful ruler of the Seven Seas —
Arthur Curry, bearer of Atlan's Trident, chosen by the ocean itself!
Atlantis has its King once more!"
The Kiss and the Coronation of Light
The Atlantean legions dropped their weapons, bowing in synchronized waves.
Even the sea life followed — schools of fish, whales, leviathans — circling in reverence.
Mera stepped forward, her eyes glistening with pride. "You did it." She whispered.
Arthur smiled, weary but free. "We did."
And under the light of dawn — before all of Atlantis — they kissed, sealing not just love but unity between blood and law, surface and sea.
Every creature in the depths bore witness to the moment — the ocean itself sighing with relief.
King turned away, watching the horizon.
For the first time, a faint, almost imperceptible smile crossed his face.
"Balance restored." He murmured.
The Watchtower
High above Earth, the Justice League stood gathered at the Watchtower's viewing deck. The footage played silently — Arthur stood tall, Mera at his side and King standing in the background like an immovable god.
Superman exhaled slowly. " This time he silenced the entire ocean."
Wonder Woman crossed her arms. "Mercy and dominion in one motion. That is not power — that's divinity."
Batman said nothing. His eyes followed King's figure on the screen, then turned to the silent readings flickering on the console — gravitational fluctuations, energy distortions, planetary resonance.
"He's not just a man," Bruce said finally. "He's… something we can't quantify."
Flash, standing beside him, muttered, "Then maybe we're lucky he's on our side."
Bruce's gaze lingered on the blue-green marble of Earth spinning below.
"For now." He whispered.
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