With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)

Senevri · Oct 10, 2020

There was a bit in this superman/batman comic, could have been the "Whatever happened to the man of tomorrow" one, where Batman changes the original pointy ears to the shorter cartoony ones,, because his outfit scares a child.

Cuchulin · Oct 11, 2020

Senevri said:
There was a bit in this superman/batman comic, could have been the "Whatever happened to the man of tomorrow" one, where Batman changes the original pointy ears to the shorter cartoony ones,, because his outfit scares a child.

I think you mean New Frontier because that's what happens after he and "John Jones" save a child from a cult in a building that catches fire, it ends up being much harder than it should because the kid is utterly terrified of Batman.

Mr Zoat · Oct 11, 2020

Bull's
Start

"…and they're actually following through on their obligations?"

Heledd, the highest ranking of the surviving Highborn of the city of Caeremyr, nods politely.

"Yes, my lord. It seems that even slow learners understood your intent after you fed seventeen slower learners to zombies in front of them."

We're somewhere near where the Earth's south pole used to be. No idea whether or not the pole is still here or if the Earth's rotational axis has shifted. Though even if it hasn't, the fact that magnetic poles shift every so often means this could be the north pole now.

Since my brief chat with actual Grayven, I've been covertly reading up on him. His equipment, his techniques and ways of thinking, his allies… Everything I could get. And I find his decisions so completely natural that I can generally work out what he'll do, because… It's what I'd do. He conquered a down on its luck gordanian clan and built them up as the foundation of his empire, and I've conquered a Sheeda city that was mostly trying to sit this… Thousandth World War out, and built them up.

"Good. And no more arguments about incorporating New God designs into our armour?"

Heledd glances down at his own symbiotic insect armour with New God detailing.

"Not since the last skirmish. The superiority in the quality of protection it provides is inarguable."

Sheeda warfare is very economical. Very… Real Time Strategy. Everything is biological. Biomatter and time are the only resources and flesh vats the only construction centre. Powerful beasts cost relatively small amounts of time but large amounts of biomatter, once you have the genetic design for them. Highborn cost little more biomatter than regular Sheeda but require far longer to sculpt and train. And so cities focus around their core competencies, eking out percentage decimal points in efficiency while they try to be the ones dragging their enemies' corpses into their digesters. Or hunker down and focus on using Deep Crawlers to slowly harvest the residual bounty beneath the Earth.

"Good."

I stride towards the doors which lead to the inner keep's boardroom. Deputations of Highborn from allied, 'allied' and potential ally cities are on the other side. Not a huge gathering, but better unified and better at sharing ideas than most of this war's… I can barely dignify them with the word 'alliance'.

The Sheeda on either side of the doors pull them open and I stride inside, the Highborn within already lined up at each side of the table. Most Sheeda don't give me backchat when we're having face to face meetings, and I get the impression that's due to me fitting into a Queen-shaped hole in their psyches. They're certainly not this agreeable when I can't see them.

I take my place at the head of the table and sit, Heledd taking position behind me. And I wait exactly two seconds before gesturing with my right hand.

"Please, be seated."

And they sit, a simple courtesy permitted by me. Most of them haven't been in a room with this many Highborn from other cities since the Queen's muster prior to the Harrowing.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this war is the height of stupidity, a pointless waste of biomass we can't spare from the task of ensuring Sheedakind's long term survival. You are here-" Because you know that I'd kill you otherwise. "-because you share my belief, and you know that unlike any other would-be king or queen I'll vanish the moment it becomes possible for me to return to my own era. I'm a compromise candidate, but while I'm here I expect obedience."

"Now…" Heledd reaches past me and plugs a small chitin disk in a slot in the desk. "If you would..?"

With brief glances at each other which I commit to memory, other representatives mirror my action with their own disks, which are absorbed by the table. What happens next is a fast digestion-read, funnelling our intelligence reports through the table's brain, filtering the more egregious claims and displaying the most reliable data. The output is… Tiny. With no surface water on the planet the Earth's habitable surface area has increased massively.

With no reliable intercity communication in war time we have little to no idea what the other cities are doing. I'm on the wrong side of the gosh darn planet to help Artemis. I doubt that the other Sheeda would have flat-out destroyed Caernouid. Too much biological matter would be lost, and inefficiency is the Sheeda's one taboo. But with that many Highborn in one place, a lot of things could have happened, and me dashing across the planet at full speed isn't going to help. No one can spend time or biomatter on solving the core problem of our tiny universe, which means that I've got to beat them into order.

What a waste.

The table makes its decision, and an illusion of the Earth appears. Cities are marked by size, alliances in areas of colour whose intensity is determined by the reliability of the information and strength of the bond. Approximate numbers and dispositions of their forces.

Several things become clear at once.

We don't know much about the groups not immediately abutting us.

Anyone who has the resources to fight, is.

Alliances are primarily defensive and made by groups who've taken significant losses.

No one is in charge of anything and that offends me.

I don't have a rival. No one has control of a significant area, and the largest alliances are the most uncertain. There's no one I can crush and then expect everyone else to fall in line.

These people can't overcome their instincts enough to fight effectively. They need me.

"This…" I look around the room as they try to commit every inch of the illusion to memory in case I decide to give them an erroneous copy to take away. "Is how civilisation ends. How a people dies. I will not allow that."

I point, and an alliance cluster near to us expands to fill the illusion area.

"This will be our next target. The leading city of this group. I will lead the vanguard myself. There will be no quarter given. Every living creature will be slain and portioned out, the city stripped of all of value. Then the other members of the group will be offered the opportunity to join us."

I'm painfully aware that I'm channelling Caesar here. And not Julius Caesar. I'm channelling Edward Sallow. But… What else can I do? I need these people to build a solution, and no one has what I need. I can't just bunker up.

"Participation is mandatory. Rewards will be apportioned according to the degree of involvement each city has. Severe punishments will be meted out to any who try sitting a fight out, or not providing resources they have promised. I will notice."

Because I'm becoming dominant. Giving full rein to my conquer-and-rule instincts. I'm not working off half of my nature any more. The New God insignias on the equipment of those directly sworn to me help me buff them, but all here are connected to me sufficiently that I can feel it when they resist.

I don't think they all know that yet.

I wonder who will be the first example? I'm looking forward to it.

"But now: old news. I was in space when this whole mess started. Why are the Sheeda city-states fighting each other?"

No one speaks. I pick one at random and point.

"You. Why are you fighting?"

She looks very briefly around to see if anyone else wants to jump in. No one does.

"There are many reasons. Fighting in the Queen's absence is unwise, for she is harsh in her vengeance upon the profligate and disobedient. But we had all heard your claims of her death and the Harrowing fleet's defeat. If there was no new food to come… The gift of survival would go to the strongest. But it was not until you revealed what lay beyond the clouds that the boldest cities were shocked into action. To think that the universe is so small."

"It wasn't always like that. Once this war is over I will be finding out 'why' and either fixing it or evacuating you all via the Bleed to a new universe. Resisting this sort of fait accompli is fundamental to my nature." I look around. "Were they the reason for the rest of you?"

Some nervous looking around, then a brave soul speaks up.

"For my city it was… Defensive. We were struck at first, and needed to retaliate lest we fall behind. We would… Prefer, a return to order."

I nod. "Sensible. But as I see it, this mess will last until I'm in control of it."

Darko · Oct 11, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
surface are has increased

remove 'are'

Mr Zoat said:
an inefficiency is the Sheeda's

'and inefficiency'

Mr Zoat said:
Highborn in once place

'in one'

Mr Zoat said:
"Is how civilisation

maybe 'is how' not 'Is how' since he started the sentence but then trailed off.

Mr Zoat said:
of all of value.

remove one 'of'

Chojin Patriarch · Oct 11, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
Bull's
Start

"…and they're actually following through on their obligations?"

Heledd, the highest ranking of the surviving Highborn of the city of Caeremyr, nods politely.

I see Grayven's been busy. I'm guessing he had to clear house to find someone who had a lick of sense, enough to understand that resisting him was fatal.

"Yes, my lord. It seems that even slow learners understood your intent after you fed seventeen slower learners to zombies in front of them."

We're somewhere near where the Earth's south pole used to be. No idea whether or not the pole is still here or if the Earth's rotational axis has shifted. Though even if it hasn't the fact that magnetic poles shift every so often this could be the north pole now.

So, more or less where Antarctica used to be. I assume he started his trip somewhere near what was the eastern United States?

Since my brief chat with actual Grayven, I've been covertly reading up on him. His equipment, his techniques and ways of thinking, his allies… Everything I could get. And I find his decisions so completely natural than I can generally work out what he'll do, because… It's what I'd do. He conquered a down on its luck gordanian clan and built them up as the foundation of his empire, and I've conquered a Sheeda city that was mostly trying to sit this… Thousandth World War out, and built them up.

But this arrangement is as temporary as his was, of course. No doubt he would have ditched the Gordanians the second they became a liability.

"Good. And no more arguments about incorporating New God designs into our armour?"

Heledd glances down at his own symbiotic insect armour with New God detailing.

I bet that took a little experimentation. And it'll give him early warning of any treachery, if I understand the mechanics right....

"Not since the last skirmish. The superiority in the quality of protection it provides is inarguable."

Sheeda warfare is very economical. Very… Real Time Strategy. Everything is biological. Biomatter and time are the only resource and flesh vats the only construction centre. Powerful beasts cost relatively small amounts of time but large amounts of biomatter, once you have the genetic design for them. Highborn cost little more biomatter than regular Sheeda but require far longer to sculpt and train. And so cities focus around their core competencies, eking out percentage decimal points in efficiency while they try to be the ones dragging their enemies' corpses into their digesters. Or hunker down and focus on using Deep Crawlers to slowly harvest the residual bounty beneath the Earth.

Heh. So, a little like that Human Resources game, but focused entirely on the organic. I wonder what this one specialises in? ...Hmm... Sheeda Earth mod for HoI4 when?

"Good."

I stride towards the doors which lead to the inner keep's boardroom. Deputations of Highborn from allied, 'allied' and potential ally cities are on the other side. Not a huge gathering, but better unified and better at sharing ideas than most of this war's… I can barely dignify them with the word 'alliance'.

Kind of hard to have an alliance where no-one wants to turn their back, for fear of getting a knife in it. No doubt all of the delegates will be watching for the slightest opening...

The Sheeda on either side of the doors pull them open and I stride inside, the Highborn within already lined up at each side of the table. Most Sheeda don't give me backchat when we're having face to face meetings, and I get the impression that's due to me fitting into a Queen-shaped hole in their psyches. They're certainly not this agreeable when I can't see them.

I take my place at the head of the table and sit, Heledd taking position behind me. And I wait exactly two seconds before gesturing with my right hand.

Pomp and protocol. Reinforcing the thought of him as a leader. Conquest by culture. How very Renegade of you.

"Please, be seated."

And they sit, a simple courtesy permitted by me. Most of them haven't been in a room with this many Highborn from other cities since the Queen's muster prior to the Harrowing.

I expect the only reason they weren't eyeing each other up then was fear of the Queen's displeasure. Surely there are stories of the last person to earn that displeasure, and how long it took them to die screaming in pain...

"Ladies and gentlemen, this war is the height of stupidity, a pointless waste of biomass we can't spare from the task of ensuring Sheedakind's long term survival. You are here-" Because you know that I'd kill you otherwise. "-because you share my belief, and you know that unlike any other would-be king or queen I'll vanish the moment it becomes possible for me to return to my own era. I'm a compromise candidate, but while I'm here I expect obedience."

The fact he can pull them apart with his bare hands helps to emphasise that call for obedience, eh?

"Now…" Heledd reaches past me and plugs a small chitin disk in a slot in the desk. "If you would..?"

With brief glances at each other which I commit to memory, other representatives mirror my action with their own discs, which are absorbed by the table. What happens next is a fast digestion-read, funnelling our intelligence reports through the table's brain, filtering the more egregious claims and displaying the most reliable data. The output is… Tiny. With no surface water on the planet the Earth's habitable surface are has increased massively.

Lots of space for the Kudzu coral, lots of space to farm materials... No doubt things are extremely spread out.

With no reliable intercity communication in war time we have little to no idea what the other cities are doing. I'm on the wrong side of the gosh darn planet to help Artemis. I doubt that the other Sheeda would have flat-out destroyed Caernouid. Too much biological matter would be lost, an inefficiency is the Sheeda's one taboo. But with that many Highborn in once place, a lot of things could have happened, and me dashing across the planet at full speed isn't going to help. No one can spend time or biomatter on solving the core problem of our tiny universe, which means that I've got to beat them into order.

Better to trust Artemis can survive on her own, while you deal with the larger picture.

What a waste.

The table makes its decision, and an illusion of the Earth appears. Cities are marked by size, alliances in areas of colour whose intensity is determined by the reliability of the information and strength of the bond. Approximate numbers and dispositions of their forces.

"Strategic overview engaged. Calculating force dispositions..." This really does feel like the introduction of an RTS or 4X game's campaign.

Several things become clear at once.

We don't know much about the groups not immediately abutting us.

Easily settled by aggressive expansion. Up until you run into something surprising. Then things get exciting.

Anyone who has the resources to fight, is.

Alliances are primarily defensive and made by groups who've taken significant losses.

Banding together to avoid being eaten alive by stronger enemies. Yet always watching for the opportunity to get yours... What a fuster-cluck.

No one is in charge of anything and that offends me.

I don't have a rival. No one has control of a significant area, and the largest alliances are the most uncertain. There's no one I can crush and then expect everyone else to fall in line.

Heh, this really is a strategy game campaign. Like playing Civilisation with a map hack...

These people can't overcome their instincts enough to fight effectively. They need me.

"This…" I look around the room as they try to commit every inch of the illusion to memory in case I decide to give them an erroneous copy to take away. "Is how civilisation ends. How a people dies. I will not allow that."

That would be a waste of useful things. And we all know how much Grayven hates wastefulness.

I point, and an alliance cluster near to us expands to fill the illusion area.

"This will be our next target. The leading city of this group. I will lead the vanguard myself. There will be no quarter given. Every living creature will be slain and portioned out, the city stripped of all of value. Then the other members of the group will be offered the opportunity to join us."

Vicious. But the example is necessary. Without overwhelming force, they'll be looking at your back with knives in their eyes. And likely their hands...

I'm painfully aware that I'm channelling Caesar here. And not Julius Caesar. I'm channelling Edward Sallow. But… What else can I do? I need these people to build a solution, and no one has what I need. I can't just bunker up.

"Participation is mandatory. Rewards will be apportioned according to the degree of involvement each city has. Severe punishments will be meted out to any who try sitting a fight out, or not providing resources they have promised. I will notice."

On the upside, the reward will encourage cooperation. But even as you show them the carrot, you keep the stick in sight...

Because I'm becoming dominant. Giving full reign to my conquer-and-rule instincts. I'm not working off half of my nature any more. The New God insignias on the equipment of those directly sworn to me helps me buff them, but all here are connected to me sufficiently that I can feel it when they resist.

I don't think they all know that yet.

I wonder who will be the first example? I'm looking forward to it.

Heh. It's a given that there will be someone stupid enough to try. It's only a matter of how long it'll take for their stabbing hand to start itching.

"But now: old news. I was in space when this whole mess started. Why are the Sheeda city-states fighting each other?"

No one speaks. I pick one at random and point.

And it had better not be 'Because.' That's stupid, and just goes to show why they need a brutal leader...

"You. Why are you fighting?"

She looks very briefly around to see if anyone else wants to jump in. No one does.

She can already feel the shit tickling her chin, can't she? Because that's how deep they are in it.

"There are many reasons. Fighting in the Queen's absence is unwise, for she is harsh in her vengeance upon the profligate and disobedient. But we had all heard your claims of her death and the Harrowing fleet's defeat. If there was no new food to come… The gift of survival would go to the strongest. But it was not until you revealed what lay beyond the clouds that the boldest cities were shocked into action. To think that the universe is so small."

To be fair, I doubt many of them gave much thought to anything beyond 'Got mine, want yours.' What matter is it what lays beyond the sky, when you're scrabbling just to stay alive? There was no way to get out there and consume whatever lay beyond.

"It wasn't always like that. Once this war is over I will be finding out 'why' and either fixing it or evacuating you all via the Bleed to a new universe. Resisting this sort of fait accompli is fundamental to my nature." I look around. "Were they the reason for the rest of you?"

Some nervous looking around, then a brave soul speaks up.

Big promises. And one that many of us would likely not bother to see fulfilled...

"For my city it was… Defensive. We were struck at first, and needed to retaliate less we fall behind. We would… Prefer, a return to order."

I nod. "Sensible. But as I see it, this mess will last until I'm in control of it."

And once he is, things will become much more efficient.

This has a very montage feel to it, this whole episode. So many small timeskips, but most of what gets skipped is boring stuff. I mean, would any of us have wanted to actually see Grayven feeding those seventeen slow learners to the pits? With any luck, and more than a little skill on Grayven's part, he might well successfully force the Sheeda onto task.

Godspeech:

No one is in charge of anything and that offends me.

I don't have a rival. No one has control of a significant area, and the largest alliances are the most uncertain. There's no one I can crush and then expect everyone else to fall in line.

These people can't overcome their instincts enough to fight effectively. They need me.

I don't think they all know that yet.

I wonder who will be the first example? I'm looking forward to it.

Darko · Oct 11, 2020

Chojin Patriarch said:
Heh. It's a given that there will be someone stupid enough to try. It's only a matter of how long it'll take for their stabbing hand to start itching.

Probably fairly soon if renegade didn't have them under his influence.

Chojin Patriarch said:
. I mean, would any of us have wanted to actually see Grayven feeding those seventeen slow learners to the pits?

Given how some of the people on this site react to certain disgusting things I'd say a lot of them would like to see that brutality.

Mr Zoat · Oct 11, 2020

Darko said:
remove 'are'
'and inefficiency'
'in one'

Thank you, corrected.

maybe 'is how' not 'Is how' since he started the sentence but then trailed off.
remove one 'of'

No, those are correct.

Chojin Patriarch said:
But this arrangement is as temporary as his was, of course. No doubt he would have ditched the Gordanians the second they became a liability.

Link

Receiving this much pure adoration was perhaps one of the few times that Grogar ever felt anything like appreciation for another group of beings in his life. He'd secretly planned on dicking the Trogs over at the first opportunity after getting what he'd needed from them, but this display of overwhelming love and loyalty made him adjust his plans in such a way that the Trogs would continue to be a part of his schemes from now until the end of time. Part of that, I think, was because Grogar was alone, being the last of his kind. But a bigger part was, even amongst his own kind, he had never received anything even approaching love or appreciation: The Evils were a cruel and selfish lot, and Grogar's first encounter with another of his own kind had nearly been a fatal one, as the only way the Evils knew to react to one another was through the time-honored medium of ultra-violent murder attempts. The fact that an entire race of beings not only accepted him, but loved him to the point of worship, warmed the cockles of his black and twisted heart.

Assblaster5000 · Oct 11, 2020

Chojin Patriarch said:
Heh. So, a little like that Human Resources game, but focused entirely on the organic. I wonder what this one specialises in? ...Hmm... Sheeda Earth mod for HoI4 when?

I'd say that even HoI4 can't be pushed that far, but we all know that's a lie, if it's macro real-time strategy then somebody can bend that game enough to do it.

Chojin Patriarch said:
"Strategic overview engaged. Calculating force dispositions..." This really does feel like the introduction of an RTS or 4X game's campaign.

Reminds of Dark Crusade, but considering Renegade is here it'll probably end up more like Ultimate Apocalypse. Fun times all 'round I'm sure.

Sockmonkey · Oct 11, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
Thank you, corrected.

No, those are correct.

Link

Receiving this much pure adoration was perhaps one of the few times that Grogar ever felt anything like appreciation for another group of beings in his life. He'd secretly planned on dicking the Trogs over at the first opportunity after getting what he'd needed from them, but this display of overwhelming love and loyalty made him adjust his plans in such a way that the Trogs would continue to be a part of his schemes from now until the end of time. Part of that, I think, was because Grogar was alone, being the last of his kind. But a bigger part was, even amongst his own kind, he had never received anything even approaching love or appreciation: The Evils were a cruel and selfish lot, and Grogar's first encounter with another of his own kind had nearly been a fatal one, as the only way the Evils knew to react to one another was through the time-honored medium of ultra-violent murder attempts. The fact that an entire race of beings not only accepted him, but loved him to the point of worship, warmed the cockles of his black and twisted heart.

Damn straight. Bucking Nonsense rules.

Agent Orange · Oct 11, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
inefficiency is the Sheeda's one taboo

Lol wut?!

Before Melmoth's motive rant I might've believed it. Now however I see nothing but hedonism/sadism as their driving force. Their only taboo seems to be 'common sense' or possibly 'long term planning'.

Mr Zoat said:
I'm on the wrong side of the gosh darn planet to help Artemis.

I am really hoping that by the time Grayven conquers all of south hemisphere he'll find out that Queen Artemis had the same idea and that they will have to keep the war of global conquest going regardless of their intentions because of all the momentum they build up.

Culture like this, at the end of time, should end in one huge Ragnarok worthy battle!

Ngamer11 · Oct 11, 2020

Agent Orange said:
Lol wut?!

Before Melmoth's motive rant I might've believed it. Now however I see nothing but hedonism/sadism as their driving force. Their only taboo seems to be 'common sense' or possibly 'long term planning'.

I think it only applies when fighting other Sheeda. They can be as wasteful as they want with people in the past, so long as they keep a large amount to use in/bring back to their time.

Handlewithcare · Oct 11, 2020

Billions of years from now humanity's descendants are even dumber than we are.

How depressing.

Agent Orange · Oct 11, 2020

Ngamer11 said:
so long as they keep a large amount to use in/bring back to their time.

Uh-huh.

I have to wonder what exactly is the loot they bring back? Considering that the fucking Sun is hell bent on disintegrating everything 'not living' to the point that drinking water needs blood (at least I really hope it's blood) in it not to be disintegrated!
Does getting all the cows or whatever really warrant destroying a past culture?

Darko · Oct 11, 2020

Ngamer11 said:
I think it only applies when fighting other Sheeda. They can be as wasteful as they want with people in the past, so long as they keep a large amount to use in/bring back to their time.

Double standard much.

Agent Orange said:
Uh-huh.

I have to wonder what exactly is the loot they bring back? Considering that the fucking Sun is hell bent on disintegrating everything 'not living' to the point that drinking water needs blood (at least I really hope it's blood) in it not to be disintegrated!
Does getting all the cows or whatever really warrant destroying a past culture?

Don't forget all the people they most likely kidnap.

Also I'm pretty sure that they just want the smallest excuse to do their evil shit.

Hell they may not even want an excuse and would just go on killing sprees even if they have resources.

DrThoth · Oct 11, 2020

Random question, but any plans to write a segment where Warhammer Fantasy Paul first meets a Slann? I imagine that would be a course of action he'd consider to help achieve his ultimate goal.

Mr Zoat · Oct 11, 2020

Agent Orange said:
Uh-huh.

I have to wonder what exactly is the loot they bring back? Considering that the fucking Sun is hell bent on disintegrating everything 'not living' to the point that drinking water needs blood (at least I really hope it's blood) in it not to be disintegrated!
Does getting all the cows or whatever really warrant destroying a past culture?

What did you think the Harvest Dreadnoughts did with their time? They don't just take material in, they have to process it as well. That's why the Harrowings take so long.

DrThoth said:
Random question, but any plans to write a segment where Warhammer Fantasy Paul first meets a Slann? I imagine that would be a course of action he'd consider to help achieve his ultimate goal.

I smile at the large reptile. I remember slann from the game looking more like giant frogs, but this... Individual? Is clearly reptilian.

"Hello!"

...

...

...

...

I turn to the skink priest standing next to me.

"Roughly how long-?"

"As long as it takes, human. As long as it takes."

Vaermina · Oct 11, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
"It wasn't always like that. Once this war is over I will be finding out 'why' and either fixing it or evacuating you all via the Bleed to a new universe. Resisting this sort of fait accompli is fundamental to my nature." I look around. "Were they the reason for the rest of you?"

And what will you do if neither of those options are possible?

Ganurath · Oct 11, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
I smile at the large reptile. I remember slann from the game looking more like giant frogs, but this... Individual? Is clearly reptilian.

"Hello!"

...

...

...

...

I turn to the skink priest standing next to me.

"Roughly how long-?"

"As long as it takes, human. As long as it takes."

...The Winslow?

Stsword · Oct 12, 2020

You know, it's somewhat ironic that humankind has been reduced to the Sheeda from the DC 1 Million timeline.

Cities and homes in the 853rd century existed in tesseracts.

So humanity existed in potentially infinitely large cities while leaving the Earth an untouched wilderness.

Well, except for the Green Arrows and the other back to nature types.

Yes, pointy stick launchers lasted at least 823 centuries after the GLC was dust in the wind. lol

Mr Zoat · Oct 12, 2020

Bull's
Stop

Shield-beetle on my left arm I leap from the latest generation rocket-beetle and dive towards our soon-to-be latest conquest.

At this point, I should probably be able to say that I've lost count of how many Sheeda cities I've conquered. But I haven't. I know exactly how many. I can recall each with perfect clarity. Every fight. Every wall taken. Every keep fallen. Every skirmish. Every battle. And every one has made me feel more complete. I've.. never wanted to give full rein to this part of my character back in the past, but here? Every Sheeda I kill brings me closer to my objective. Every nation I overrun. Every oath of submission I gain-.
Indefatigable!
The lightning towers shielding the city against fly fliers give vent to their electrical charges, brilliant white flashing across the sky as the rocket beetle mark 2 begins its uncontrolled descent into the city suburbs. But my escort are Highborn, their armour warded against attack by their magic and by the strength of my soul. And I've been getting stronger.
Unstoppable!
No one reports injuries as we pass through their effective range, and… Ah! They're using acid golems to counter our attack! Figures shaped like a poorly-coordinated child's first effort to sculpt a person in clay, vacant eyes glowing faintly with the magic their controllers are using to direct them and the green gel making up their bodies bubbling and churning as they prepare to assail us.
Incomparable!
No actual Huntsman, but those are ridiculously energy-intensive and even my growing alliance can't really spare it. The biliferous creatures are moving to defend their inner keep's walls because their masters have heard from those who fled before my advance how I usually deploy my forces. Decapitate the leader of the defence or capture their production facilities and the battle is over. They can't let that happen.
In Your Face!
My Highborn activate their wing bugs, living hang gliders clamped to their armour and turning their downward movement into lateral movement almost immediately. They rocket away from the keep towards the spinward walls, ready to seize the defences for my army. I on the other hand keep falling, tossing my shield beetle away and hitting the upper level of the keep-
Onslaught!
-and smashing right through the coral that makes up the roof and sending grey fragments exploding outwards in all directions! The second surface my feet hit fails as well, though this time the collapse is much less explosive.
Heeeeeeere's Conquest!
Dust rains down on me, and a chunk of coral finishes cracking off and falls to the ground just behind me.

I give myself an eight. Maybe an eight point five.

Their controllers will send the acid golems down after me once they've overcome their surprise. I need to get going. Daiklave in hand I charge further into the structure the feeling on the edge of my soul allowing me to feel it as my soldiers engage the enemy.

I hear the hiss behind me as the first of the acid golems splashes down and begins eating through the broken coral as it tries to reassemble itself into a shape that will allow it to follow me. The drawback of psychometric control: the controller can only direct it when it and they are roughly the same shape. But when they are they can fight with surprising agility and speed and, frankly, I'd rather not.

A wrath spider scurries around the corner on the ceiling, a shot of venom squirted at me a second before it leaps at my face. The venom I sidestep, blade raised to bisect it as I turn to avoid both halves of its body as they fly past me. Wrath spiders have become a pretty common form of first responder because they're awkward to fight and biomass-cheap. What they're not good at is stopping rampaging New Gods.

Another spider on the wall to the left, three more on the ground. I jump, slashing left as I do so. My daiklave slices through the spider and the wall it's standing on while the spiders beneath me miss their shots, too slow to traverse to keep up with me. Large doorway coming up, and the two Highborn on guard duty are releasing their defensive spells. Ghostly strands anchored in the strength of this edifice grasp at my armour, trying to bind my body and tear apart my soul.
Tear Through Their Lines!
I'm slowed slightly, and then I'm upon them, daiklave slicing through the space the Highborn on the right was occupying before she forward-flipped out of the way. I use my left gauntlet to parry the flat of her spear, sending the point scratching across the floor as she completes her dive and forward-rolls into a defensive crouch. Turning to keep her in sight I spot the acid golem coming up behind us, parrying a sword thrust from her partner and head butting the owner in the helmet as I do so. Small stagger, both our swords out of position as the spear-wielder darts left and stabs at me, hoping to use my larger size against me.
KNEEL
I catch the shaft in my left hand just below the head and pull, the Highborn shaking slightly as her anti-disarming wards cook off and she has a split-second to choose between losing her weapon and being pulled into grappling range of someone monstrously stronger than her. She chooses to let go, and I twist my wrist and narrowly fail to impale the sword fighter as he hurriedly shuffles back.
KNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEL!
I shift my grip, letting the spear slide through my hand and gripping the shaft near to the butt while lunging forward to slash with my daiklave. He blocks with his shield, my swing being slowed as the ridiculously oversized sword overpowers its defensive spells. He sidesteps and cuts at my extended forearm only to be smacked across the cuirass by his partner's spear.

And then cut from shoulder to sternum by a heavy downward swing from my daiklave. He staggers back… Into the first acid golem, his flesh steaming away inside his armour as the acid gets to work. I swing my new spear back to ward off its former owner, then thrust my daiklave's tip into the golem's forehead.
You Are Dismissed
Its eyes flicker as its controller's binding is disrupted, then I jump and trigger my aero-discs as it collapses in a wave of acid slime. Sword-fighter has dropped his weapon and collapsed on the floor, his wounds and exposed flesh smoking from the acid. A downward stab trepans his skull and then I swing back towards the surviving Highborn.

"Kneel."

Her hands are in a guard position and her left holds a long knife shimmering with runes. Some of her armour flickers, but between my goggles and the fact that I own most of this planet Highborn invisibility doesn't really work on me. She lunges, and I drop her spear to half-hand my daiklave and smash the broad side into her knife hand. She keeps the knife but her hand twitches, clearly injured.

"Kneel."

I swing the blade back, striking her in the chest and slamming her back into the doors, then charging forward, stabbing my daiklave into the ground and grabbing her head in both hands.

"Kneel." Accept Your Defeat

The wards on her armour burn out, then she drops from my hands and falls into a kneeling position. I glance back at the corridor and see two more acid golems stumbling after me.

"Pick up your spear and follow."

I grab my daiklave out of the floor and savagely kick the doors in. They explode across the room and-.

Arrows pincushion my cuirass, biting into my armour! No penetrations, but that's more power than I'm comfortable being hit with. I charge-.

"Artemis?"

The figure with the bow straightens slightly, not completely relaxing their hold on their bowstring. It took me a moment; the bow is familiar but the arrows and armour are different and her hair is white, but…

"Wait… Gray… Ven?"

I lower my sword. She lowers her bow.

"Hi."

"I… Thought you were-. Wait, it's you?"

"Ah…"

"The guy who's been rampaging around and conquering every-."

I take a few steps closer, shrugging as I do so.

"Well… Yeah, that's what I do." Hang on. "Are you the one who's been organising the resistance against my campaign? I thought they'd been more unified lately."

She walks slowly towards me, bow hanging from one hand as she pulls off her Sheeda-issue facemask. Aside from the hair she looks the same.

"I thought you died."

"No. Landed on the wrong side of the planet and had to fight my way back. Thought I'd end the war by force on my way."

"So… We can just tell them to stop?"

"Yes. Prob.. ably. Assuming your side are sufficiently unified." Um. "How have you-?"

She jumps up, hands bracing on my shoulders, and kisses me.

RichardWhereat · Oct 12, 2020

Three ships now? Three ships. Luna, Artemis, Melinoe.

BlueMangoAdea · Oct 12, 2020

RichardWhereat said:
Melinoe

I don't remember Grayven meeting her, but my memory is pretty unreliable.

Darko · Oct 12, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
attack b their magic

'by'

Mr Zoat said:
I on the hand keep

maybe 'on the other hand'

Mr Zoat said:
fighter and he hurriedly

maybe 'as he hurriedly'

Mr Zoat said:
She jumps up, hands bracing on my shoulders, and kisses me.

On the cheek, right?

Darko · Oct 12, 2020

RichardWhereat said:
Three ships now? Three ships. Luna, Artemis, Melinoe.

BlueMangoAdea said:
I don't remember Grayven meeting her, but my memory is pretty unreliable.

Renegade never met Melinoe.

Hell I don't think he met any other god aside from New Gods, and technically the Alicorns.

The only encounter he had with an Old God was when Zeus struck him with lightning after renegade insulted him.

RichardWhereat · Oct 12, 2020

BlueMangoAdea said:
I don't remember Grayven meeting her, but my memory is pretty unreliable.

It wasn't Grayven I was talking about, but the MC in general.

RichardWhereat · Oct 12, 2020

Darko said:
Renegade never met Melinoe.

Hell I don't think he met any other god aside from New Gods, and technically the Alicorns.

The only encounter he had with an Old God was when Zeus struck him with lightning after renegade insulted him.

Still wasn't Grayven I was talking about.

moralrelativity · Oct 12, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
overpowered its defensive spells

its -> his

Mr Zoat said:
She jumps up, hands bracing on my shoulders, and kisses me.

I was NOT expecting that.

BlueMangoAdea · Oct 12, 2020

Mr Zoat said:
"Artemis?"

The figure with the bow straightens slightly, not completely relaxing their hold on their bowstring. It took me a moment; the bow is familiar but the arrows and armour are different and her hair is white, but…

Am I paranoid for wondering if this is an impostor? Maybe the kiss is a poison delivery mechanism?

Darko · Oct 12, 2020

RichardWhereat said:
Still wasn't Grayven I was talking about.

Okay, but if it was the MC you were talking about then that would technically be paragon, seeing as we mostly see him, and he's unlikely to get together with Artemis due to the whole age difference.

Melinoe also doesn't exactly like him.

Luna is a possibility if he recruits her in the future.

Renegade will most likely stay with Luna, but Artemis is unlikely, due to the age thing and him already being in a relationship, and Melinoe is also unlikely since they may never meet. Renegade considers the Olympians to be not worth much so the chances of them meeting are very, very small.

BlueMangoAdea · Oct 12, 2020

Darko said:
due to the age thing

Speaking of the age thing, how long have Grayven and Artemis spent conquering the Sheeda?

With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)

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