It was exactly at midnight on that day that the world was shaken by yet another horrid story… this time, of a beloved hero.
Breaking news bulletins ran across the biggest and smallest of news stations, all flocking to the sensational story. The only difference lay in how they presented it to the globe.
[Star City billionaire playboy, Oliver Queen, is secretly a vigilante hero.]
[Green Arrow now the key suspect in the death of a young innocent woman.]
[Parents mourn their only child's death at the hands of Oliver Queen.]
[Star City left in tragedy after a horrid revelation involving their Justice League hero.]
[Star City is now without its hero and local billionaire, just like Metropolis…]
The news brought calm evenings to a halt, people of varying ages glued to their TVs and devices, eager to learn more about this shocking story. Many wondered if it was even real.
People have an innate tendency to twist the truth, making it sound more interesting or better than what is being reported by others. Some now believed one version of the story, while others believed another, sparking a division that only spread the story further—twisting the facts even more.
In such a spiral of chaotic negligence and ignorance, the truth becomes the smallest factor, and those logical enough to understand it are treated as fools.
That exact situation was now spreading chaotically to even the most remote nations and states. Mere minutes after the news broke, various celebrities rushed to their social media platforms to share their opinions, influencing their followers and creating more division among the masses.
Arias sat comfortably in Markovic Tower, towering above many other buildings, completely alone. His chair was turned toward the large glass walls that decorated such structures. He sat in silence, bathed in the luminous lights of the dark Gotham City, fully aware that the world was now spiraling into chaos.
A social collapse was unfolding, one whose impact would not be small. Even Arias knew that he didn't intend to trigger such a collapse unless it was to prove a point. Only the most powerful players could truly understand the message behind the chaos—governments, intelligence agencies, and mega-corporations.
Unlike the common people, who were misled by fragments of the truth, these elites had the full picture. They were left to decide what the "truth" would be.
In mere minutes, emergency meetings were convened among the world's elite. Some were pleased, benefiting from the chaos, while others were upset by the losses they were incurring every second.
What was happening? In simple truth, someone had sparked a chain of events, leading to a spiral of misinformation, split opinions, and divided people.
Why was the world in such a fragile state? Because the world had recently experienced a frightening pandemic, saved only by that same person.
It wasn't that they didn't know Arias was guilty of some of the acts attributed to him—it was that it was impossible to deal with him without facing major backlash.
Foreign countries wouldn't intervene, even if they suffered some losses, because one of the most powerful nations in the world had suffered even more. And that same country couldn't confront Arias without leaving itself vulnerable, so they tasked superheroes with doing it quietly. Yet, Arias proved to be incredibly powerful, only leaving scars on those who opposed him.
Such a person could only be left to do as they pleased, within the limits set for them.
For Arias, it was widely known in certain circles that he practically ran Gotham. It was also known that he had organized some of the most incredible events in recent history. His rise from a tragic story to a generous billionaire, his "daughter" being the future queen of a country, and his position as the leader of the most powerful assembly of superhumans…
By any standard, Arias was a minor world elite—untouchable—but without much say in the true running of the world… only a city. Which raised the question: what was his next move?
His subordinate was set to become the president of a world superpower.
It was mind-boggling how Arias had executed such deeply hidden goals, all while maintaining seemingly friendly terms with those around him. In time, these goals would have been dealt with, but the speed at which the events unfolded left the world with no time to react.
Brilliant minds like Luthor and cunning strategists like Amanda Waller were executed before they could fully grasp the threat. And by the time they did… it was too late.
Now, with this current event, piecing together the rumors surrounding Arias and the fact that they had been leaked by a League member, the world elite could only arrive at a frightening conclusion.
This social disaster was simply a by-product of revenge. Arias, too, would suffer monetary losses, but he didn't care. His name had been made to suffer, so he dragged the world elite down with him—so they could understand why it was wise not to disturb his peace.
A simple message: "Don't disturb me, and I won't disturb you."
Could they reveal the truth and make him the culprit? Of course not. That would lead the masses to question everything.
They could attempt a silent pacification of him, but would it work, now that he had proven capable of dealing with the world's most powerful superheroes?
They could do nothing. They could say nothing. They had to quietly struggle and resolve the situation while the true culprit watched them from the shadows.
But how could they resolve this quickly and quietly? By twisting the facts into a believable enough story—covering all gaps with their own fabricated truths.
However, to truly bring this chaos to a stop, they needed to direct the narrative toward a new story—one more tragic, with a bigger villain for the public to hate.
So by morning that day, a new "truth" awoke.
[Parents of the innocent young woman die of heart attacks after the shock of learning the truth behind their daughter's demise… at the hands of Oliver Queen (Green Arrow).]
A completely new story emerged—one of forged evidence, false witnesses, fabricated friends, and so on. A compelling global lie was pushed down the throats of the people.
A collective hate now formed against the one chosen to be the scapegoat. And in a twisted sense of irony… the very people who shunned him were those he had fought for so diligently and passionately.
Stubborn, boorish, and even arrogant at times, but overall a good man, Oliver was now facing a tragic series of events. His name forever stained, guilt, regret, and hate all boiled inside him… but his voice was practically mute, drowned out by the loudness of the hate thrown at him.
That… was Arias's revenge.