American comics: Damn it, I’m surrounded by those who worry about their fathers!.

Chapter 1085 Tom's Dark Heart
At Patrick Farm, the usual living room has been transformed into a makeshift war room.

A tense atmosphere permeated the air.

The "fathers of sorrow" gathered together, each with an unusually serious expression on their face.

Clark stood at the door, looking serious, as if he were a guard.

Mordred sat casually on a high stool, swinging his legs, observing Stephen, whom he was meeting for the first time.

There's always this feeling that Doctor Strange has a dark aura about him.

(Because Stephen had just studied the Dark Book)

Ceresia clutched her Cheshire Cat doll tightly, her little face tense, while Joan of Arc, sitting beside her, gently held her hand, trying to offer her some comfort.

Loki leaned against the window, his sharp eyes scanning everyone.

Mark stood ramrod straight, his body slightly tense, his face full of worry.

Bao Bao sat on the sofa, muttering, "I always felt that Wanda wasn't a good person..."

Wei turned her head in surprise: "When did you find out? How come you've never mentioned it before?"

Bao Bao immediately glared at her sister who was trying to sabotage her: "Mind your own business! Can't I, a genius, observe things with keen eyesight?!"

Wei: "I've never seen anyone as observant as you before."

"That's because you don't understand me, Violet. Even you, besides Dad, wouldn't fully understand my heart."

Wei felt a little hurt, "I'm your older sister, don't I know you?"

"But I think you know your little cake better."

Wei: "."

Wei coughed somewhat guiltily, then turned her head away, not wanting to talk to her sister anymore.

Bao Bao proudly held his head high, but soon thought of another problem.

She tilted her head. "But... what would I be like in a parallel universe? Would I be cooler?"

She's becoming increasingly interested in parallel universes.

the other side.

Tom Patrick stands a little further away.

He was dressed in well-fitting casual clothes, his black hair was neatly combed, and his face was expressionless as he patiently listened to the crowd's discussion.

Courtney Whiteman, star of The Star, stood in the corner, seemingly lost in thought.

She was both excited to be part of such a trans-cosmic adventure and still apprehensive about the chaos caused by the eclipse.

Stephen stood in the center of the living room, his eyes scanning every face present, taking in all these "children" of different shapes and abilities.

He took a deep breath and began to recount the ins and outs of the crisis.

He begins by recounting Wanda's loss of control and descent into darkness, destroying Kamar-Taj, and how she chased America into the multiverse. He then moves on to how he, Raven, and Batman encountered Black Strange, and how Black Strange's attempt to resurrect Christine led to the destruction of his own universe, ultimately targeting Peter Padrick, who possesses special powers.

"...Doctor Dark Strange's power is beyond imagination."

Stephen's voice was heavy. "He has devoured the power of countless powerful monsters and has no bottom line when it comes to his goals. To stop him, Peter was forced to drag him into the deep dream dimension for a final battle, but the situation does not seem optimistic at the moment."

As he spoke, the atmosphere in the living room grew increasingly heavy.

Ceresia hugged the Shiba Inu plush toy even tighter, her eyes starting to redden.

“So,” Stephen said, his gaze sweeping over everyone, “we need to go and provide support immediately. His goal is to devour Peter and gain the power to restart the universe. If he succeeds, the consequences will be unimaginable.”

"What are you waiting for?!"

Mordred was the first to jump off the high chair. "Go and beat that black freak to a pulp and bring Father back."

"But we need to understand his power first."

Tom Patrick began, looking at Stephen with a serious expression.

"My father's abilities are complex and powerful. The Dark Doctor Strange you mentioned, who can hold his own against my father and even gain the upper hand, is no easy opponent. Blindly rushing in is not the best strategy."

He looked at Stephen, "Mr. Strange, as the Sorcerer Supreme, you are most familiar with the characteristics of that dark and strange power. Can you describe his power in detail and its origin?"

"of course."

Stephen gave a brief introduction.

"His power comes from his devouring of other magical creatures, and even beings from other dimensions, to permanently seize their power and knowledge and make them his own, but the price is... his essence begins to merge with those devoured beings, which are often extremely dark and twisted."

"absorb?"

Upon hearing Stephen's introduction, Tom's expression changed slightly.

He glanced at Courtney without making a sound.

A few minutes later, the group began packing their things, preparing to head to the multiverse.

Ceressa and Joan of Arc also rushed off to pack their things. Ceressa stuffed all sorts of strange magical materials and snacks into her handbag while anxiously muttering, "Daddy must be alright... We'll find Daddy."

On the other side, Courtney, the Starchaser, watched everyone preparing enthusiastically, a hint of disappointment flashing across her face.

She also wanted to help and see the wonders of this other world, but she knew she had to go home and explain the situation to her parents first.

Given her mother's overprotective nature, she would likely not agree to her undertaking such a dangerous intercosmic adventure.

She sighed, quietly turned around, and prepared to leave the living room.

"Miss Whiteman."

A gentle voice called out to her.

Courtney turned around and saw Tom Patrick standing behind her, wearing a warm and welcoming smile.

"Padrick?"

Courtney was somewhat puzzled.

"Just call me Tom."

Tom walked over. "I heard Mordred just subdued a really troublesome... thing? Can you tell me about it? I'm very interested in these kinds of ancient, mind-control-related evils; it might be helpful in dealing with similar threats in the future."

Tom's tone was very sincere, as if he were conducting an academic discussion.

Courtney hesitated for a moment, but since the other party was Mr. Peter's son and was so friendly and eager to learn, she nodded: "Yes, it's called Eclipse, and it's sealed in this dark heart."

As she spoke, she took out a small box.

"It's a bit inconvenient outside, come to my room."

Tom invited Courtney into his room.

Without suspecting anything, Courtney went to Tom's room.

Tom's room was impeccably tidy, and the bookshelves were filled with all sorts of books on magic, history, philosophy, and even psychology, many of which looked old and precious.

Tom politely invited Courtney to sit down and poured her a glass of water.

Courtney was indeed thirsty, so she took the glass of water and took a sip.

“Eclipse,” Courtney’s voice deepened, his fingers tracing the box containing the Heart of Darkness, as if he could feel the darkness within.

“He is not an ordinary monster, nor a demon from hell. Pat—my adoptive father, and the predecessors of the Justice Society—believe that he may be some kind of ancient and terrifying being, perhaps even a fallen god, or an entity born from the dark side of the universe at its very beginning.”

She took a deep breath and continued, "His essence is the mind and darkness. He feeds on the negative emotions of the world—anger, jealousy, hatred, despair... especially those dark thoughts that are suppressed in the heart and unwilling to be admitted, which are his sweetest food."

"He is adept at peering into the most vulnerable parts of people's hearts, then whispering, tempting, and amplifying them until the darkness devours the host, allowing him to gain complete control." "And the source of all this, or rather, his prison, is this stone—'The Heart of Darkness'."

Courtney gently opened the box, revealing black diamonds inside that seemed to flow with viscous black liquid, refracting an eerie luster in the dim light of the room.

"No one knows exactly where it came from. Some say it is the core of a fallen meteor, while others say it was forged by an ancient evil god. Some even believe it is a fragment of a sealed dark dimension. But what is certain is that it is extremely ancient and contains almost all of the evil essence of the Eclipse."

Courtney recalled information about the eclipse.

These were all long-forgotten secrets she had heard from Pat.

"Decades ago, a famous explorer named Bruce Gordon discovered it during an expedition to Antarctica."

"After obtaining the stone, Dr. Gordon's inner demons were stirred. He began to hear whispers and see visions. Eclipse promised to fulfill his deepest desires. At the time, Dr. Gordon was infatuated with a woman named Mona Bennett, but she was already married. Eclipse tempted him, promising to 'help' him 'take back' her from her husband, but the price... was to give up some control of his body."

Courtney's voice carried a hint of unease.

"Tormented by obsession and loneliness, Dr. Gordon finally gave in and agreed to Eclipse's conditions."

"Then, a terrible change occurred. Half of his face became a terrifying shape, as if swallowed by shadows, constantly twisting and writhing. His body also gained superhuman strength and immortality, but his consciousness became intertwined with the madness of Eclipse. He became 'Eclipse,' a being with one half a handsome scientist and the other half a terrifying monster."

"The now-free Eclipse began to wreak havoc in the city, spreading hatred and fear to satisfy his primal urges. The Justice Society naturally intervened to investigate and stop him. At first, they thought he was just another mad scientist who had gained superpowers, until..."

Courtney's tone grew heavier.

"Until the Midnight Healer—Dr. Charles McKennad, and his daughter, Rebecca McKennad, were tragically caught in the chaos of an eclipse and perished."

The noise outside seemed to be shut out, leaving only Courtney's low and sorrowful narration inside the room.

"It was a terrible accident, or rather, a cruel and ruthless act by the Eclipse. Rebecca's death completely devastated Dr. Charles. It is said that at Rebecca's funeral, almost all members of the Justice Society, whether retired or active, were present."

"Dr. Charles' wife was unable to bear the immense grief and could not forgive her husband for failing to protect their daughter despite being a hero. After the funeral, she never contacted him again."

Courtney continued, "At that time, the Justice Society's superheroes decided to stop Eclipse."

"They quickly figured it out: as long as the host Bruce Gordon is alive, Eclipse can keep regenerating and possessing, but if Gordon is killed, Eclipse's consciousness will be temporarily forcibly extracted and resealed back into the 'Heart of Darkness'. Once Eclipse is sealed, the stone is just an ordinary (though it looks extraordinary) stone, and others will not be immediately possessed if they touch it."

Courtney's eyes revealed a complex expression. "There has been a huge, unprecedentedly intense division within the association."

"The original Flash was a staunch opponent of killing. He believed there must be other ways, and once that precedent was set, the Justice Society would no longer be the guardian of 'justice'."

"But Timewalker and Wildcats also have families. Eclipse's threat is real. He has already killed Rebecca and has explicitly threatened to deal with the families of all members. They cannot afford to lose any more loved ones and advocate for a complete solution at the lowest possible cost—killing Gordon."

“My adoptive father, Pat Dugan, who was Starman’s sidekick at the time, ultimately sided with The Flash, hoping to find a way to have the best of both worlds without harming Dr. Gordon.”

"The meeting then reached a stalemate, with the score at two to two, and all eyes were on the association leader at the time—Starman."

Courtney paused for a moment.

"After a long and painful internal struggle, Starman finally voted in favor of killing Bruce Gordon."

After hearing the decision, Courtney seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, as if she had been carrying the same heavy burden.

"The Flash, Jay Garrick, could not accept this decision. He believed it betrayed the ideals of the association's founding, so he immediately took off his helmet and withdrew from the operation."

"So, the plan was executed. They found Gordon, who was controlled by Eclipse, and after a fierce battle, finally..."

At this point, Courtney became somewhat upset.

"The Justice Society 'succeeded,' but the trust among its members was shattered, which led to the Justice Society of that era gradually falling apart and remaining silent for a long time."

Courtney finally finished recounting this long-buried story, letting out a long sigh of relief as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

She looked at Tom, her eyes showing a hint of weariness.

“So, this stone,” she gently closed the lid, “is not just a powerful, evil object; it also carries a tragic history, and we must handle it with extreme care.”

Tom listened quietly the whole time, his face showing expressions of sympathy, shock, and understanding at appropriate moments, perfectly playing the role of a listener.

"A...heartbreaking piece of history."

Tom said to her, “Thank you for sharing, Miss Whiteman. This is indeed thought-provoking.”

He glanced at the box, his expression complex.

Courtney was silent for a moment, then suddenly thought of something and asked curiously, "How come Xiao Mo is unaffected by the eclipse?"

Tom organized his thoughts and explained, "Although inner darkness is indeed the most difficult weapon to defend against, Mordred can easily overcome it because she has seen deeper darkness and will not be swayed by such temptations."

He paused, his gaze naturally falling on the box containing the Heart of Darkness, his eyes revealing curiosity: "What a peculiar creation. May I take a closer look?"

Courtney's consciousness felt slightly blurred at this moment, as if a thin veil had swept over her thoughts.

Tom's voice sounded more believable and reassuring.

Almost instinctively and without any guard, she handed over the box: "Of course... please be careful."

"Thank you."

Tom thanked him and took the box.

He opened the box with gentle and steady movements.

Black diamonds, seemingly with dark liquid flowing inside, lay quietly on a velvet cushion, radiating an ominous yet alluring luster.

Tom carefully pinched the Heart of Darkness between two fingers and held it in front of his left eye.

Deep within the pupil of his left eye, a faint, almost imperceptible, reddish-black light, seemingly originating from the Heart of Darkness, seemed to flash.

Tom stared at it, as if gazing through the stone into some deeper, more essential darkness.

A few seconds later, he gently put the Heart of Darkness into the pocket of his Hogwarts robe, then closed the lid and handed the empty box back to Courtney.

"Thank you so much for sharing, Ms. Whiteman."

"This has been very helpful. It's getting late, you should go home. I'm sure your parents are worried about your safety, aren't they?"

Courtney blinked, feeling as if she had been momentarily distracted.

She took the box and nodded. "Oh, yes... Thank you for listening, Tom. I'll be going now."

Courtney got up and left, completely unaware that she had just briefly lost a small part of her memory, and also unaware of the fleeting sense of satisfaction in Tom's eyes.

After Courtney left, Tom's room door closed gently.

He walked to the desk, picked up the "Heart of Darkness" again, and placed it in front of him.

"Eclipse... Heart of Darkness... Demon of the Mind..."

Tom muttered to himself, his left eye seeming deeper than usual.

……

Half an hour later, the "fathers who were worried about their fathers" were basically ready.

As for Zatanna and the others who went to Gotham, Clark left a letter for them explaining the situation.

America stood in the barn's open space, took a deep breath, and focused her mind.

With her previous successful experience and her strong desire to save lives, she felt much more confident.

With both hands pushed forward, the dazzling star-shaped energy erupted once more, steadily and powerfully tearing through reality and constructing a rainbow passage to the multiverse.

"Doctor, the connection is stable!"

Fine beads of sweat appeared on America's forehead as she called out to the crowd.

Mordred and his militants were the first to rush into the passage, followed closely by Clark and Mark.

Tom walked at the back, glancing back at the farm with a dark glint in his eyes.

(End of this chapter)