I jerk awake from a deep sleep, I found myself drenched in sweat and gasping for air. The last echoes of the nightmares blinding heat like pure white fire swallowing me still hangs on my vision. My heart hammers in my chest. I sit up in the unfamiliar bed and choke on a breath, fighting for calm. Around me, moonlight filters through small window blinds, casting stripes of pale light across a cluttered, toy-filled bedroom.
The room feels wrong. It's the same size as the master bedroom in my condo, but it's decorated like a seven-year-old's room. Bright posters plaster the blue walls: one shows Superman's famous red-and-yellow "S" shield; another is some armored hero with a glowing sword and the name Paladin emblazoned across the top.
A little bookshelf overflows with colorful comic books and action figures. A small desk with scattered crayons and paper hints at a child's creativity.
I slide out of bed and my bare feet touch the cool hardwood floor. The bed is narrow and covered with soft sheets. The pillow is too small under my head. I'm wearing linen pajamas that looked like they been worn for a while now.
Pinned to the closet door is a chart of planets; on the desk sits a half-completed drawing. Every detail screams "child," and none of it makes sense to me.
I look down at my hands in horror. They match my skin exactly the same light cocoa brown, but these fingers are tiny and pudgy. My arms have lost all the muscles I had. The realization slams into me: I am a kid.
My breathing quickens. I pull at the sheets, exposing my body: it's completely juvenile, a little boy's body from head to toe. My heart thuds in my throat.
Pain pulses through me as two sets of memories collide in my mind. On one hand, I am Jasen a, thirty years old man, born in Baltimore, a reasonably fit and responsible adult. On the other hand, I am Caius Dawn, a eight-year-old boy who lives here in Gotham County.
The second set of memories comes rushing in: I remember my best friend Barbara Gordon with her redhead pigtails and her bright blue eyes behind her big glasses. The martial art classes and languages lessons my parents put me in and taught me.
I remember something vaguely about being in a hospital and being visited by a bunch of doctors and some of my friends. The most surreal of all: I recall that I knew Diana Prince, the real Wonder Woman, as my godmother.
I double over, my whole body convulsing as the disorienting memories sinked in. I was in Gotham.... No I was in the Detective Comics universe. I'm not in my own body, not in my world. I'm in the body of some random boy from this world.
Oh god I'm in the DC universe. My mind began to race.
Thoughts of all the big bad's and greater evils of this universe played through my mind. Darkseid. Brainiac. The Anti-Monitor. The Joker. Lex Luther. for starters
Jasen's mind heart pounded hard from the anxiety as he tried to calm himself.
This has to be a dream a a very realistic dream.
I've never had a dream like this but this is so real.
That's when Jasen her a voice call softly from the hallway: "Caius? Oh, Caius, your awake."
That's when two people opened the bedroom door. These two individuals stood so tall, the moment I saw them I knew who they were just based off the memories. They were this bodies parents and they looked at me with a sense of relief on their faces. I don't know why but I felt glad deep down to notice that.
The man who I knew to be this bodies father, my father stands at the threshold first. He fills the doorway: I think he was nearly six-and-a-half feet tall, with muscular broad shoulders evident even under his black polo shirt that fitted him tightly. His posture was straight and disciplined.
His face is kind but steady the calm concern still showing. He's got warm brown skin and short black hair trimmed neatly in a mid-fade, a few silver streaks at his temples. His light brown eyes were focused on me now. Even with just the bedroom light, I can tell he's handsome in a strong silent type of way, like he spoke with his actions more then his words.
Beside him stands the woman who is my mother. She's almost as tall as him. She looked to be a full six feet even, with long curly dark hair that falls just past her shoulders. Her rich honey-brown skin glowed even in the dim light. She has full, supple lips and golden-amber eyes that reminded me of lioness's eyes. Her build is lean and athletic, like a gymnast, curved and toned in all the right places. She's stunningly beautiful. Right now, her face is full of more worry the my father's.
We stare at each other for a heartbeat. They both had the same startled concern I felt. I knew their names instantly from this bodies memories: Jonathan and Samira Dawn. My parents.
"Caius," Mom says, voice soft. She walked to the side of the bed. "Little one, we heard you thrashing around in your sleep."
Dad steps up to the other side of the bed. He's kneeling now, peering down at me. "Oh, God," he murmurs when he sees me awake. Concern flashes behind his gentle eyes. My body tenses under his gaze.
I don't know what to do or say. I feel like I'm dangling between two worlds part terrified kid, part disbelieving adult. But oddly, some internal instinct cuts through my panic: they're here, they came quickly, they love me and will protect me. My anxiety began to settle. I manage a small, stiff smile. "Mom… Dad… I'm okay. Just a bad dream."
My voice sounds like a child's, higher and smaller than I remember. It's jarring. Saying mom and dad felt even crazier, considering I haven't talked to my parents in a long time.
Samira wipes sweat from my brow and forehead with her palm. "Sweetie, you're burning up." Her hand is surprisingly cool. Jonathan's eyes narrow in on me.
"I'm fine, really," I croak softly. "Just… just a nightmare." I can feel how small I sound.
Samira exchanged a quick look with Jonathan and then gently lifts the thin blanket. She sees I'm soaked. "Here, lie back down, honey. You needed this rest." She offers me the blanket again.
I gulp, confused. Rest? My then vision flickers as I try to process the radio clock beside the bed. It said 1:13 a.m. That's right mind thought. My memories said today was my birthday. June 13th.
Jonathan sits on the bed beside me on the left side, and Mom sits on the other side. It's the strangest, coziest sandwich I've ever been in. Jonathan's hand is large on mine, grounding. He meets my eyes and smiles sadly.
"Caius," he begins, voice warm and velvety like a storybook narrator. "You're nine years old today. Happy birthday, son."
My head is still spinning. My memories said I was nine today. The mind swirling in my skull cries out: I'm not nine, and I'm not Caius. But I knew saying that wouldn't help me. I didn't know how crazy that would make me sound.
Jonathan clears his throat. "We've got something important to tell you, okay? Something I should have told you before now."
My stomach flips. Oh god what is it now. I don't I can handle anymore surprises. What am I adopted. I'm not getting the dog I wanted. You have super powers and your not from Earth?
Well actually that last one is more likely.
He looks at Samira who nods at him, then he looks back at me. "I… we thought you should know the truth. The real truth, Caius."
Samira's eyes were kind but had an intense look to them. She smooths my pillow gently. As I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself.
I force myself to relax and I remind myself: this body doesn't have any bad memories of his parents. His dad is not your old dad, he's not going to hurt you.
Jonathan begins in a calm, rich voice. "Son, I have something very important to say so listen carefully, and you must not share this with anyone we don't approve of. Do you understand?"
I nodded. " Yes sir."
"Son. I… am not from Earth."
My mind almost stops spinning as I processed what I heard. I thought of how the man infront of me. Caius's father is an alien? It sounds insane, yet I feel I should have expected it considering the world I'm in, but the only real question I had was what type of alien he was.
Jonathan continued: "My home world is called Viltrum, and my name isn't actually Jonathan Dawn. That is my name I go by on Earth but on Viltrum my name is John-Dahn. We are… people of great strength and longevity. You will learn more about it all in time. But for now, know this: because of what you are, one day you will wake up and have gifts like mine. Abilities. Powers. I am also the superhero known as Paladin."
"I came here with another comrade from my planet. You know him as Omni man. Like me he was sent here to observe and this world's people grow to the level needed to reach the stars. Me and Omni man settled here on earth and started families. I mainly work the Justice league, while he works with the Global Guardians sometimes, but he mainly works with me in the League.
My vision blurred for a second as everything catches up. Jonathan is from Viltrum, whatever that is. I know the name from the Invincible comics and show. I know about Viltrumites being a powerful aliens race… I definitely know about the Empire. But none of this makes a lick of sense.
Why the FUCK were Viltrumites in the DC universe. Why were two of them on Earth? Depending on the DC universe we are in that could be a dangerous thing. Not every superman is build the same, some are slightly weaker. Not every wonder woman is immortal. And not every Batman has prep time.
Jasen's anxiety began to raise again. His mind began to raise through all the possibilities.
I'm either in a new merged universe that has similar events and stories of the two. Which is scary enough because, DC's story events are on so many different levels mainly world ending or life extinction. While Invincibles are more about the Viltrumites.
The other possibilities are I am in a coma. Or I have found my self in a new universe created by some god or higher being. But I doubt the Presence, the God of the whole DC universe made this world.
Jonathan places a hand on my shoulder. His grip is firm but gentle. " It's okay son take your time, but wait before asking your questions okay. I'll explain everything slowly."
I didn't trust myself to speak anyway. A cold shiver of fear and awe washes through me. I swallow hard as my chest tightens.
"When the time comes, your Viltrumite powers will awaken. And I will teach you how to use them, and the responsibility that comes with them. Viltrumites have incredible strength, speed, stamina and endurance. And we leave a extremely long time. We aren't that to far off from Superman's people. Minus a few set of powers and weaknesses. Unless you count the hybrids but that's something we can talk about another time."
That's when a memory Caius of doing a book report on different species for school. He chose kryptonians, because superman shared alot of general info on his people. And the whole kryptonite thing is generally known in this world to.
I know most of these things already, but what's this about hybrid's?
My mouth goes dry. I force myself to nod like I understand. his voice was smooth, deep, but so gentle. This explanation is just like how Omni-Man explained it to a kid mark in Invincible. This is all too surreal.
But I know he's leaving out all the parts of about the Empire being world conquers, basically the Nazi's of the invincible universe. But why are their two planetary conquers on this planet at the same time.
I understand with the thought of the Justice League and Global Guardians. Since this is the DC universe there will also be the Suicide Squad. JSA. Doom Patrol. The Green Lantern Corps. Not that the Viltrumites care about all the organizations.
Considering I'm friends with a young Barbra Gordon, and I Caius doesn't have an memories of the Teen titans, means they don't exist yet. Which means this world is probably in the early years of the Justice league being a thing, while the vigilantes who aren't associated Global Guardians were doing their own thing for a while.
That's when I noticed Mom's face is oddly flushed. I followed Dad's eyes to see her reaction. She looks…sad. Just seeing her expression tells me she knows more than Dad is letting on. Does she know the truth about why dad's really here?
Jonathan then continued softly: "There's more. Your mother… she's is from Earth but not in the way you think."
My focus snaps back to Mom.
Samira reaches forward and brushes a curl behind my ear. "Caius…" she says softly, "unlike your father, I was born on Earth but a very long time ago. I am… one of the Amazons. Like Wonder Woman."
A chill ran down my spine. She's an Amazon… Like Diana. My godmother who I called my aunt. I remember her more clearly now. She showed up from time to time when Caius was younger, and when he was sick.
Samira's eyes glimmer, almost golden in the low light. " Like your Aunt Diana of the Justice League. I lived on Themyscira for many years as one of the Amazons before I came to man's world to be with your father, and had you."
She smiles a little as she was reminiscing on her past. "Diana and I were like sisters . We worked hard and competed against one another. Funny I was actually in the running to be the emissary to go into Man's world. But she bested me and became the one instead. But I… ended leaving leaving Themyscira sometime later when your and I met."
My mind processed everything at once alot more easier. If it wasn't for the fact that my mentality was that of a adult, and that I was almost to familiar with the lore of the DC comics I would be confused: So my Father Jonathan is Viltrumite, and my Mother Samira is Amazon.
Which makes me a Viltrumite–Amazon hybrid. Which isn't bad at all. Children of amazons are basically demigods. Possessing enhanced physical attributes likes strength, speed, and endurance. But considering viltrumite DNA is so pure it overwrite the weaker traits and genes. But this is the DC universe, so that might be different here.
Not to mention I don't know how smart atoms work in this universe or how anything works with the meta gene. So I guess I will have to wait and see when I get older.
That's when I noticed Dad squeezing my shoulder. "We know it's a lot. You're probably feeling overwhelmed. And you should feel whatever you need to feel. We just want you to know the truth. That's all, for now."
I nod slowly. The weight in the room is heavy, but not suffocating. My heart rate is slowing down; their calmness felt contagious. I feel an odd sense of pride that these people are my incredible parents. But fear bubbles under that pride too. I know what dad is and the type of future it could hold.
Dad gave me a small smile. "Okay, now enough talk for now. Why don't you rest? Your birthday party is still on tomorrow, and we want our boy well rested for later on."
Mom then smooths the blanket over my chest. As she tucks me in. "We'll talk more when you're ready. Right now, just get some sleep."
I manage a shaky nod. "Okay. Thank you… Mom. Dad." Saying "mom" and "dad" still feels a little funny on my tongue and a little weird. But I or Caius meant it.
They both lean forward to give me a kiss on my forehead. Their reassurance feels real, comforting. Like I almost don't want to wonder how or why I was in this world, but I know that's a fantasy I have to ignore for now.
Finally, they turn to leave. Dad ruffles my hair. "Sweet dreams, birthday boy."
I lie back as they slip out of the room. The light dims as the door shuts. I'm alone again, heart thrumming in my ears.
With the house quiet, I pull the blanket up under my chin and lay back. My mind is racing from everything. I replay everything they said, trying to form a coherent picture. I knew about everything in the comics from the different DC comic book era's , and Invincible. Being in a world with all of it so real was scary and exciting.
Outside, the city's sirens are distant, a reminder of Gotham's dangers.
I promised myself: I will figure all this out somehow, and I will find a way back home. Which is possible due to all the reality traveling, but its still hard. Like trying to navigate the bottom of the ocean blind. There are plenty of parts even the Atlanteans don't go.
But for now… right now I am exhausted. As my eyelids grow heavy, I release a long breath. Another day. We'll deal with all this after a good night's sleep.