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

Queshire · Mar 25, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
"Sunset. Are you winning?"

Are ya winning, son?

Handlewithcare · Mar 25, 2021

Circe got even caught up on memes!

"Are you winning student/lover/sister in arms and mind"
is what I imagine the godspeak variant of that would look like

I like how she is smart enough for all that but still dumb enough to poke Constantine.

Darko · Mar 25, 2021

Handlewithcare said:
I like how she is smart enough for all that but still dumb enough to poke Constantine

Just because a person is incredibly smart, that doesn't mean they also can't be stupid.

Chojin Patriarch · Mar 25, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
12th July 2012
14:00 GMT -7

I purse my lips as I stare at my orrery.

I'm sure that I've seen this before somewhere.

Circe this time! As I thought it might be, given the events. Now to see why she hasn't gotten her fine ass to Aberrance yet... And if anyone's wondering what an Orrery is: Orrery. This one presumably monitors Earth for particularly large magical outbursts.

Not the orrery, which was a protect which combined my arcane experience with and Sunset's arcane knowledge. It is by far a greater tool than any I worked with in eras past. I would never have tried focusing this spell through a simple map or wooden navigational aide. Not the eruption of elementals besieging Cranius's citadel. Temporarily imbuing the inanimate with life is something even a moderately talented magician could do, had they the knowing of it.

Oh, boy. So that rocky fellow Grayven took down wasn't the only one around. Grayven's going to have to do some radiological cleanup, methinks.

This way of concealing a presence.

On the other side of the room, Giovanni Zatara raises his eyebrows in enquiry.

"Professor Larissa, have you made any progress?"

Ah, that explains it. Dang secret identities, eh? More trouble than they're worth sometimes...

That's… A drawback to being available for consultations. Sometimes, people want to consult with you at inconvenient times. As Circe I could arrive at Grayven's side and smite whoever dared attack our ally… But as Professor Larissa -a capable but not especially powerful wielder of magical power- I am forced to moderate my response in the presence of a member of the Justice League.

This 'secret identity' business is such a nuisance. I can see why Diana never bothered with one.

Heh, no Diana Prince in this timeline, eh? Still, this does get us some Thessaly moments. She's a fun character in the 'Sandman' comics...

"No."

And I keep my sighs contained. If a magic tutor such as my false face failed to identify a malefactor that would merely indicate that they had taken a few sensible precautions. But I'm an ancient sorceress. Hiding from the magics I've been using -even at lower levels of raw power- is no mean feat. It's not Dracula -I'll never forget the feel of his magic, all brute force and no subtlety- and Mr. Near confirmed that it's not Dr. Mist -who could certainly hide from me but would sooner cut off his own right arm than be this overt- and it's clearly not a demon. So who does that leave that I would..?

...Would recognise the feel of? After that laundry list of elder magicians, there's not many left. And the few that live that long quickly learn to keep themselves hidden...

Aaaaaah.

That's why it feels familiar. Centuries of feeling the edges of the workings of thousands of Atlantean practitioners means that I've become well accustomed to their style, but this isn't the way they practice in the modern era. It wouldn't even occur to Sunset to use magic in this manner. So, either an Atlantean archmage with an interest in history or someone older.

So modern Atlantean magic has evolved over the millennia? Let me guess, made safer and easier to understand for those less skill in the Art? And in the process made more restricted and restrictive...

I'm sure Adom would love it if it turned out that Queen Gamemnae somehow survived-.

"Are you certain?"

Ehhh... Given previous depictions of Gamemnae weren't pleasant (Remember the Obsidian age, and her 'Morass' spell that made her a giant crone?) I don't think that'll be a good thing.

He doesn't know me well enough to interpret my expressions accurately, but he would spot an illusory mask.

"It reminds me of some of the older Atlantean techniques. Sunset uses the modern thaumaturgically complex forms while this makes more of an effort to work with existing arcane systems."

It's more complex now because of numerous safety features added, I suppose... Bet Arion the Elder will be disgusted by all the 'lesser' folk being allowed to learn the Great Art...

Because he didn't have anything like the same level of theoretical knowledge back then that they do now and wouldn't have known how to do that. Ahri'ahn. Where has he been? I haven't seen him in the flesh for…

For…

A long time? To be fair, when you've lived as long as Circe has, more than once a century might qualify as 'often'...

For a while, but I haven't even felt his magic for…

I think I owe Grayven more than I realised for persuading me to leave Kalonymos. For at least two centuries.

Yes, you're having fun, aren't you? For all the hassles, all the annoyances... Getting to teach and see the world again... It feels good, doesn't it?

"Do you think it could be Circe?"

That's a rational enough deduction. And the answer is no, because I'm perfectly willing to evoke spirits and gods whereas his skin crawls at the very notion of even talking to someone who isn't Greek. Which explains why there haven't been any demands issued; that would involve communication and he hasn't been in contact with modern Atlantis yet to recruit a 'surface-face'. I can well believe that he'd kill a surface dweller who 'cosplayed' as him for no better reason than that.

Ah, she's worked that much out about Young Arion? Good to see the plot's been progressing offscreen. And I do not see Arion the Elder getting along with anyone these days... Methinks he'll be headed for a dirt nap.

But there's no reason for 'Professor Larissa' to know that or to be able to identify such subtle distinctions in their magic. A modern magic research would only know of him as a historical figure of note. Few among the people of Atlantis perform magic in historical styles for much the same reason that few people on the surface drive around in Model T Fords. But I suppose that it doesn't really matter if Giovanni thinks it's me or someone else, just so long as he's acting against them. So as much as it hurts my pride…

It'd take an unusual mind to be interested in outdated antiques of spellcraft, eh? I don't doubt there's one or two oddballs in Atlantis who are, though.

I nod. "It could be. I try to avoid people like that, so I've never experienced her magic close up. But whoever it is, according to this…" A portion of the orrery lights up, showing images of a damaged Aberrance street. "They're in Aberrance right now."

"Aberrance. Do you know it?"

And she''s just itching to get down there, isn't she? Not only to help in the fight, but to get a lead on Arion the Elder... She just has to get Zatara moving...

I smile. "Yes, of course. Doctor von Schadel and I have corresponded at length on the use of Atlantean biomancy in his work. And of course the army wanted a second opinion on his implants."

He nods, then returns his attention to the orrery.

A plausible reason for her to know Cranius. Always helpful to establish an alternate identity...

"Can I use this to guide a teleportation spell?"

I didn't think he was powerful enough to attempt such a thing. How much has that necklace enhanced his abilities, I wonder? And would he be willing to let me study it? I'm not interested in drawing on the Plane of Order, but there are techniques that can be applied when using other sources of power.

As long as he doesn't fall prey to 'when all you have is a Hammer...' Man might need to learn proper skills, not just rely on artifacts of power .

"I.. imagine that you can. It can certainly form a sympathetic link for you. I'm afraid that sort of magic is a little beyond me."

I've been lying to people for over three thousand years, so even a lie like that doesn't trip me up. In truth unaided direct teleportation was… Difficult in the immediate aftermath of breaking my pact with Hecate. But something as trivial as moving around the material world at will is well within my abilities.

And for when you can't, there's always Boom and Hush Tubes. The fun part of knowing a New God...

As is maintaining a mental glamour against the type of probe Giovanni just attempted, concealing my real nature behind a façade and disguising that it is a façade. He's.. good, considering his relative youth. But he's using Lord Nabu's tools to punch above his weight and hasn't raised his own skills to match.

Maybe in a few centuries.

If he lasts that long. Superheroic adventuring isn't a career with long-term survivability... Unless you've got a little something extra, like Kryptonian powers or a Power Ring.

He nods politely.

"I thank you for your assistance. Tropsnart em ot eht dleifelttab!"

Good thing he was locked on. Imagine how red his face would be if he ended up at some other battlefield elsewhere on Earth.

(Yes, I know his power primarily works on intent...)

Gold light flashes and a watch the connections form between him, the orrery and the image of Aberrance. Then there's a flicker and he's gone. I wave my hands, making sure that he hasn't left any sort of observation spell behind. No, he kept to the rules of hospitality. What a pleasant surprise. I can't persuade Constantine to do that even after all of the minor 'corrective' curses I've put on him.

I turn and walk over to desk, pulling out a bundle of threads. Let's see… Social interaction, teaching, physicality, some creativity… I twist the threads into a knot and attach aspects of my character to each one… And stand back as a changeling wearing my 'Professor Larissa' face appears.

I can't imagine what the students are learning from Constantine... Besides being an ornery bastard. And that's a handy trick, even if it isn't as smart as she is.

"Take my classes and help the students."

She nods and heads to the 'Introduction to Magic' class that I'd had to put on hold. It won't require her to actually use magic, which is good because while she can draw on my reserves, if I'm going to be fighting Ahri'ahn I don't want to be at anything less than my best.

...What happens if your magic gets sent awry? Would she just pop out of existence like a soap bubble, or through some Dreamy fluke, become her own person? That would be amusing...

Even if he hasn't left any monitoring spells on the orrery, Giovanni might feel it if I use it. Fortunately, I know the shape of Sunset's magic well enough not to need it. I simply raise my hands and walk towards her heat and skill and friendship, shimmering-

12th July 2012
13:04 GMT -8

Circe Used 'Teleport To Ally'! It's on target!

-into being next to her in the Aberrance car park, the illusion of Professor Larissa well and truly discarded.

Flames are curling around Sunset as she partially etherealises, proving that she's well on her way to true apotheosis. Man-shaped lumps of macadam slump inert in a circle around her where she's defended herself against attack. She glances at me as I appear, and her… Genuine smile actually makes my heart flutter.

Hmm... Is that Filial love or Eros? I wonder. ~~And that's an amusing trick. Transmuting enemies into cookies~~?

Okay, Macadam as in road-fill, not macadamia as in the food filling... Which makes me wonder whether she hit them with a banishment for the elemental spirit, or simply smashed them outright... And now I wonder if an Alicorn's enhanced strength applies to her human form, now...

"Circe!"

"Sunset. Are you winning?"

"Or would you like some help?" Though I doubt Circe would put it that way. She knows all too well how fragile a young lady's ego can be, especially in her chosen fields of study...

Well, most of the combat arm of the Light is here, I see. Shade will probably turn up as part of the League's response, and Adom's probably busy over in Kahndaq. Now, how long until Zatara spots her and jumps her on the assumption she's involved?

Darko · Mar 25, 2021

Chojin Patriarch said:
It's more complex now because of numerous safety features added, I suppose... Bet Arion the Elder will be disgusted by all the 'lesser' folk being allowed to learn the Great Art...

Ahh a racist and a snob.

A true Lovecraft.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Ah, she's worked that much out about Young Arion? Good to see the plot's been progressing offscreen. And I do not see Arion the elder getting along with anyone these days... Methinks he'll be headed for a dirt nap.

Unless renegade recruits him.

He is a Paul and they seem hell bent on working with people that are best left dead.

Chojin Patriarch said:
It'd take an unusual mind to be interested in outdated antiques of spellcraft, eh? I don't doubt there's one or two oddballs in Atlantis who are, though.

In our world there are people who are interested in old cars, old movies, old music and even old ways of living, so the fact that some Atlanteans are interested in old magic isn't that surprising.

Chojin Patriarch said:
I can't imagine what the students are learning from Constantine... Besides being an ornery bastard. And that's a handy trick, even if it isn't as smart as she is.

He may not be as academically gifted as Circe, but he's probably much, much more cunning.

Also he may be teaching them how to use magic for police work.

Circe may not know much about that.

Chojin Patriarch said:
"Or would you like some help?" Though I doubt Circe would put it that way. She knows all too well how fragile a young lady's ego can be, especially in her chosen fields of study...

Especially this young lady's ego.

nobodez · Mar 25, 2021

Chojin Patriarch said:
And that's an amusing trick. Transmuting enemies into cookies?

Um, macadam has little to do with cookies.

Chojin Patriarch · Mar 25, 2021

nobodez said:
Um, macadam has little to do with cookies.

..I stand corrected. On the upside, that makes Sunset's defences even more impressive.

Fouredged · Mar 25, 2021

Chojin Patriarch said:
..I stand corrected. On the upside, that makes Sunset's defences even more impressive.

I believe the cookie is named after the road style, involving crushed nuts that look like the crushed stones.

l---erddad---l · Mar 25, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
What a pleasant surprise. I can't persuade Constantine to do that even after all of the minor 'corrective' curses I've put on him.

I mean, tbf, I imagine most of those slip off like trying to grab a greased monkey

Coda · Mar 25, 2021

Fouredged said:
I believe the cookie is named after the road style, involving crushed nuts that look like the crushed stones.

The cookie is named after the nuts. The nuts are named in honor of a Scottish scientist.

The road material is named after its inventor, who was also Scottish but not the same person.

Darko · Mar 25, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
Ahri'ahn. Where has he been? I haven't seen him in the flesh for…

For…

For a while, but I haven't even felt his magic for…

Mr Zoat said:
I've been lying to people for over three thousand years

Zoat, how did Circe meet Ahri'ahn?

In this universe she's apparently three thousand years old, but Ahri'ahn may be over five thousand years old, based on Gamemnae, who knew Adom before he was imprisoned in his body, and tried to raise Atlantis from the waters, which he was present for when it sunk, so he was most likely born before she was.

Has he come out of whatever hibernation he was in before in the past and met Circe during one such time?

Mr Zoat · Mar 25, 2021

Darko said:
Zoat, how did Circe meet Ahri'ahn?

In this universe she's apparently three thousand years old, but Ahri'ahn may be over five thousand years old, based on Gamemnae, who knew Adom before he was imprisoned in his body, and tried to raise Atlantis from the waters, which he was present for when it sunk, so he was most likely born before she was.

Has he come out of whatever hibernation he was in before in the past and met Circe during one such time?

Yes.

Those are all of the details I have for you.

Twilight666 · Mar 25, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
Yes.

Those are all of the details I have for you.

Also is this a Renegade only event (Ahri'ahn coming back) and if so why?
Or is he also in the Paragon side, but because Paul wasn't connected to Doom (and Circe being part of the Light) noone found out he is back, and things are developing differently?

Mr Zoat · Mar 25, 2021

Twilight666 said:
Also is this a Renegade only event (Ahri'ahn coming back) and if so why?
Or is he also in the Paragon side, but because Paul wasn't connected to Doom (and Circe being part of the Light) no one found out he is back, and things are developing differently?

The SI doesn't know.

Mr Zoat · Mar 26, 2021

12th July 2012
13:03 GMT -8

I dash out of the boom tube and into one of the insectoid enclosures-. Shiiiiiit die!

The humanoid lump of concrete and steel is blasted apart by my beam and what's left is smashed to powder by my construct hammer.

"Grayven to everyone."

Another lunges at me, concrete forelimb pulverising itself against my cuirass before my counterpunch sends its head flying into what's left of the containment chamber wall.

"The insectoids are out. Iname, evacuate Uncorp but do not let them touch you. Your safety-"

I raise my right arm and bring it down, smashing the still-upright elemental… Thing, to detritus.

"-is paramount."

Because that's what destroyed the world in Marvel Zombies. Pietro got infected, then infected millions all across the world in a matter of moments. The sensible thing would probably be to get her to pull out, but this is going to be a slaughter otherwise. Just have to risk it.

A second of pressure on my back, then two transparent scythes swing at my eyes! I raise my left arm to block, the-. The transparent aluminium grinds against my vambrace as the surprisingly strong whatever-this-is tries to force through its attack before being knocked off by a wrecking ball construct.

"Malefactors include elementals conjured from local materials. Sunset, if you can get here without exposing yourself to the insectoids, do so and unsummon this lot."

My immediate vicinity's clear and drones are heading in to find my targets.

"Sure. What's so dangerous about-?"

"Master, one of the people here has been bitten. What-?"

Whoever did this caused the concrete to form an ornate staircase down into the holding chambers down from the observation area. I go up at a jog. The insectoids would want to get out, but they're essentially animals navigating an unfamiliar environment. Not all of them will go far.

"If it's a small bite, cut off the body part. If that's not practical, knock them out."

"Will that stop it?"

"No, but it will stop them feeling it. There's no cure yet. Get bitten, you turn. Get cut, you turn. Their spit, their poison, everything-"

A tentacle-covered twelve legged insectoid drops on me from the wall! I catch it in both hands and my arms are swiftly enveloped in sucker-covered tentacles which secrete some sort of caustic substance.

"-about them is designed to infect-"

Which they can't do to my armour but can do to the tiny amounts of organic residue on my armour, a dull yellow foam appearing on my forelimbs.

"-and convert."

"I can kill them, Master."

Construct pneumatic rams begin slamming into where I think this creature's brain is. As far as we've been able to tell they don't feel fear, but there's still plenty of fear in this building alone.

"Nughgreehraughhhh!"

I twist, slamming it against the wall and then getting-. Spartan kicking it down the steps into the containment chamber. It hits the ground and rolls end over end until it hits the back wall. I.. need to fix this. I never thought I'd need to build a place to hold these creatures. The place I put the British cultists isn't big enough or resilient enough.

I fly backwards, pieces of rubble being altered and shoved into place to cover the hole. I transmute a little titanium and steel… That should do for now.

"Knockout, status."

"Car park! Found the wizard!"

I nod. Knockout's resilience is her one useful quality so I don't feel obliged to rush to her aid. Corralling the insectoids is my highest priority.

"The insectoid enclosure is repaired. Iname, if you're able, call for boom tubes and send the insectoids back."

"Yes, master!"

I head out through what used to be a series of secure corridors, now warped into some sort of promenade. A thick vault security door has been crushed like tinfoil, with the controls blasted apart-. From the inside, from the looks of it. Alright, that-.

Wiring leaps out of the walls and wraps around me, electricity arcing!

And doesn't do a thing to me, as my armour is pretty darn insulated, but that would have been a nasty trap for someone without my level of resilience. Construct wire cutters snip and cut through, but the wires are animated and twist around each other to keep the current flowing.

And then they fall dead.

"Sunset to Grayven. I've… Countered the spell, but that was… Really powerful. I don't know if I could stop it quickly if it got cast again."

I pull free of the last few wires, then fly at speed through the redesigned corridors.

"Just do your best. Any sign of Circe?"

"She's in the middle of something."

An insectoid millipede rears up and spits at me-

Boom tube.

BOOM.

-and a construct battering ram shoves it back into the portal aperture as the mutagenic gunk hits my cuirass. FACE ME!

Disintegrate it.

Done, Lantern Grayven. What a fascinating terror weapon they would make.

No, they're too effective and too wild. They'd convert a world before anything useful could be achieved.

They die when they're damaged sufficiently. An advanced world would accept that they couldn't be saved and kill them, at tremendous cost to their morale. Do not allow Earth's abnormalities to jade you to the effectiveness of conventional military power.

I hesitate as something that looks like a bodybuilding praying mantis charges me.

Would it be better to use soldiers? As a federal agent I can call on Department of Metahuman Affairs SWAT teams and since we're in Aberrance I imagine that the Department of Energy's equivalents would be made available as well. With current generation ABC warfare gear they should be able to manage acceptably well.

BOOM

And back into storage it goes.

But they might take casualties. People converted into insectoids. Which would cause people to associate that with Un-Men, regardless of the fact this is only happening because a high-powered wizard is attacking the place and decided they were mildly more convenient than making more elementals. That would set Cranius back and it probably wouldn't even improve the situation. Heavy bombardment would work, and completely stop anything useful happening here.

No, I'm going to have to clear this with my own resour-

Iname appears.

"All done, Master!"

-ces.

"Good work. Now let's go and help Knockout."

DrThoth · Mar 26, 2021

I think calling the League in would be a good course of action; I'm sure a bunch of their members would be resistant to the insectoid's effects for whatever reason. And if Ahr'ian is still around they would be good backup to have.

Darko · Mar 26, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
"No, but it will stop them feeling it. There's no cure yet. Ge

There's always power rings.

Unless the biomancy makes it difficult.

Mr Zoat said:
over end over end until it

'over and over until'

Mr Zoat said:
insectoids if my highest

'is my'

Queshire · Mar 26, 2021

Where's the Insectoids from again?

DrThoth said:
I think calling the League in would be a good course of action; I'm sure a bunch of their members would be resistant to the insectoid's effects for whatever reason. And if Ahr'ian is still around they would be good backup to have.

I imagine that either a civilian will have already called some sort of hotline or they have some sort of alert that would let them know about something as obvious as this.

Mr Zoat · Mar 26, 2021

Darko said:
'over and over until'
'is my'

Thank you, corrected.

Queshire said:
Where's the Insectoids from again?

The originals are from Louisiana. Later additions come from a variety of places.

Ardy · Mar 26, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
The originals are from Louisiana. Later additions come from a variety of places.

Huh, I expected Florida.

Handlewithcare · Mar 26, 2021

I would also like to know where these Insectoids come from? Who made them? And why, if they are so dangerous, they weren't being stored and studied off-world?

Grayven has access to multiple different types of portals that would make the commute for researchers unproblematic.

Chojin Patriarch · Mar 26, 2021

Mr Zoat said:
12th July 2012
13:03 GMT -8

I dash out of the boom tube and into one of the insectoid enclosures-. Shiiiiiit die!

Yeah, I've done that in games myself: Charge in expecting to steamroll an enemy, only to catch their attack with my face. One of the most painful recently was charging at a Space Marine Devastator with a Lascannon. One word: Cored.

The humanoid lump of concrete and steel is blasted apart by my beam and what's left is smashed to powder by my construct hammer.

"Grayven to everyone."

Okay, this is not a place you want melee combatants. good thing Adom isn't here, I guess. I'm not sure that his divinely-granted Potency would protect him...

Another lunges at me, concrete forelimb pulverising itself against my cuirass before my counterpunch sends its head flying into what's left of the containment chamber wall.

"The insectoids are out. Iname, evacuate Uncorp but do not let them touch you. Your safety-"

Last thing you want is a New God Speedster getting anywhere near these things, yeah...

I raise my right arm and bring it down, smashing the still-upright elemental… Thing, to detritus.

"-is paramount."

Ironically, the elementals are probably the best weapon against the infectious bugs. Pity they're not on your side.

Because that's what destroyed the world in Marvel Zombies. Pietro got infected, then infected millions all across the world in a matter of moments. The sensible thing would probably be to get her to pull out, but this is going to be a slaughter otherwise. Just have to risk it.

A second of pressure on my back, then two transparent scythes swing at my eyes! I raise my left arm to block, the-. The transparent aluminium grinds against my vambrace as the surprisingly strong whatever-this-is tries to force through its attack before being knocked off by a wrecking ball construct.

Man, these things are insane. Those blades would make it hard to block...

"Malefactors include elementals conjured from local materials. Sunset, if you can get here without exposing yourself to the insectoids, do so and unsummon this lot."

My immediate vicinity's clear and drones are heading in to find my targets.

Drones with death rays. Another good option to take these things down. Seriously, why were they not entirely wiped out, or at least Boom Tubed to some remote planetoid somewhere? Were Cranius and Crassus that attached to them?

"Sure. What's so dangerous about-?"

"Master, one of the people here has been bitten. What-?"

Kill him quickly! And with no splatter!

Whoever did this caused the concrete to form a ornate staircase down into the holding chambers down from the observation area. I go up at a jog. The insectoids would want to get out, but they're essentially animals navigating an unfamiliar environment. Not all of them will go far.

"If it's a small bite, cut off the body part. If that's not practical, knock them out."

Man, Arion the Elder is an arsehole. Did he not realize how dangerous they were? Did he simply not care?

"Will that stop it?"

"No, but it will stop them feeling it. There's no cure yet. Get bitten, you turn. Get cut, you turn. Their spit, their poison, everything-"

"Every dead body that is not exterminated becomes one of them. It gets up and kills! The people it kills get up and kill!" Yeah, this is not a time to be sloppy.

A tentacle-covered twelve legged insectoid drops on me from the wall! I catch it in both hands and my arms are swiftly enveloped in sucker-covered tentacles which secrete some sort of caustic substance.

"-about them is designed to infect-"

Damn, this shit's looking like Dead Space in here! Thank Goodness Anton Arcane wasn't a gamer, he might have gotten inspired.

Which they can't do to my armour but can do to the tiny amounts of organic residue on my armour, a dull yellow foam appearing on my forelimbs.

"-and convert."

"I can kill them, Master."

Don't push your luck, girl. This is no time to try and show off to your sweetie.

Construct pneumatic rams begin slamming into where I think this creature's brain is. As far as we've been able to tell they don't feel fear, but there's still plenty of fear in this building alone.

"Nughgreehraughhhh!"

Thank goodness these things can't think. That'd be even more horrifying, being trapped inside your own body watching it kill and rampage...

I twist, slamming it against the wall and then getting-. Spartan kicking it down the steps into the containment chamber. It hits the ground and rolls over end over end until it hits the back wall. I.. need to fix this. I never though I'd need to build a place to hold these creatures. The place I put the British cultists isn't big enough or resilient enough.

I fly backwards, pieces of rubble being altered and shoved into place to cover the hole. I transmute a little titanium and steel… That should do for now.

Cage is patched up. Now for the escapees. Get scanning, Ringnestro... We got us a bug hunt.

"Knockout, status."

"Car park! Found the wizard!"

"Currently casting Fist! A lot!" I see she's having fun. And we'll get to see if our guesses paid off.

I nod. Knockout's resilience is her one useful quality so I don't feel obliged to rush to her aid. Corralling the insectoids if my highest priority.

"The insectoid enclosure is repaired. Iname, if you're able, call for boom tubes and send the insectoids back."

The only drawback is that the Tube aperture can only form so fast... And only so many at a time... Seriously, Grayven needs to arrange some offworld containment somewhere obscure.

"Yes, master!"

I head out through what used to be a series of secure corridors, now warped into some sort of promenade. A thick vault security door has been crushed like tinfoil, with the controls blasted apart-. From the inside, from the looks of it. Alright, that-.

I doubt the Bugs did this. Presumably Arion's doing... Which raises some questions about how...

Wiring leaps out of the walls and wraps around me, electricity arcing!

And doesn't do a thing to me, as my armour is pretty darn insulated, but that would have been a nasty trap for someone without my level of resilience. Construct wire cutters snip and cut through, but the wires are animated and twist around each other to keep the current flowing.

An unconventional application of summoned Elementals... Quasi-Elementals of Lightning?

And then they fall dead.

"Sunset to Grayven. I've… Countered the spell, but that was… Really powerful. I don't know if I could stop it quickly if it got cast again."

Well done, Sunset. Gold star!

I pull free of the last few wires, then fly at speed through the redesigned corridors.

"Just do your best. Any sign of Circe?"

"She's in the middle of something."

And hopefully staying out of Zatara's sight? Last thing we need is a 'let's you and him fight' scenario.

An insectoid millipede rears up and spits at me-

Boom tube.

Denied! Back in your hole, bug!

BOOM.

-and a construct battering ram shoves it back into the portal aperture as the mutagenic gunk hits my cuirass. FACE ME!

Boy, that's nasty stuff. Might need to quarantine the place and sweep to make sure they didn't leave any surprises about the place...

Disintegrate it.

Done, Lantern Grayven. What a fascinating terror weapon they would make.

Yes, people thought the same thing of another bug species. That didn't work out too well for them either. You know, the shiny black ones...

No, they're too effective and too wild. They'd convert a world before anything useful could be achieved.

They die when they're damaged sufficiently. An advanced world would accept that they couldn't be saved and kill them, at tremendous cost to their morale. Do not allow Earth's abnormalities to jade you to the effectiveness of conventional military power.

In other words, Earth is too nice? But he has a point. Unless their very blood releases mutagens, killing them all would be the best idea...

I hesitate as something that looks like a bodybuilding praying mantis charges me.

Would it be better to use soldiers? As a federal agent I can call on Department of Metahuman Affairs SWAT teams and since we're in Aberrance I imagine that the Department of Energy's equivalents would be made available as well. With current generation ABC warfare gear they should be able to manage acceptably well.

No. One scratch and you've got a fresh convert. And these things have shown they're too wily and adept at ambush tactics to be easily fought that way...

BOOM

And back into storage it goes.

"This could take all day..."

But they might take casualties. People converted into insectoids. Which would cause people to associate that with Un-Men, regardless of the fact this is only happening because a high-powered wizard is attacking the place and decided they were mildly more convenient than making more elementals. That would set Cranius back and it probably wouldn't even improve the situation. Heavy bombardment would work, and completely stop anything useful happening here.

So it'll come down to nigh-invulnerable heroes laying in with blades and bullets. Short of some manner of kill-switch, and I doubt Anton thought that far ahead. He would have wanted these things to rampage unstoppably, of course. And if they could kill him? Then so be it.

No, I'm going to have to clear this with my own resour-

Iname appears.

"All done, Master!"

Well, then. Thank goodness for speedsters.

-ces.

"Good work. Now let's go and help Knockout."

And introduce Arion the Elder to the Knuckle brothers: Righty and Lefty...

Then the Sword of the First and Second, if he's still got it.

Now, to see if the League arrives at the same time Grayven's forces do to confront the villain of the piece. Because between emergency calls and Zatara's inbound presence, there's going to be a lot of people coming to Righteously Punch Arion the Elder's Face...

Let the fun begin...

A little Godspeech:

BOOM.

-and a construct battering ram shoves it back into the portal aperture as the mutagenic gunk hits my cuirass. FACE ME!

Darko · Mar 26, 2021

Handlewithcare said:
Who made them

I think it was Anton Arcane.

Darko · Mar 26, 2021

Chojin Patriarch said:
Man, Arion the Elder is an arsehole. Did he not realize how dangerous they were? Did he simply not care?

He probably doesn't care.

Also with his power he may be able to control them.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Presumably Arion's doing... Which raises some questions about how

Magic.

Rebu · Mar 26, 2021

Ardy said:
Huh, I expected Florida.

There are some places even insectoids fear to tread.

Alasnuyo · Mar 26, 2021

If it is indeed Arion that is attacking, what is this supposed to even achieve anyway?

Mr Zoat · Mar 26, 2021

Handlewithcare said:
I would also like to know where these Insectoids come from? Who made them? And why, if they are so dangerous, they weren't being stored and studied off-world?

Grayven has access to multiple different types of portals that would make the commute for researchers unproblematic.

This has all been covered in the story, but in summary:

Anton Arcane made them after the original Un-Men turned on him. They're big, aggressive and with Arcane dead they don't obey anyone. Most of them also used to be regular people who were infected by an existing insectoid, and the transformation is very fast. They're kept in Aberrance because Cranius is researching them and... Actually, the site is pretty secure. There are levels of force you can't secure places against.

RichardWhereat · Mar 26, 2021

Will we find out what is happening with Tim Hunter?

Ngamer11 · Mar 26, 2021

RichardWhereat said:
Will we find out what is happening with Tim Hunter?

All we know is that he's studying at the White School. It's probable that we'll never see him in the story.

Rafin · Mar 26, 2021

Can Grayven really not think of more efficient ways to beat them? If the Illustress was here he'd probably do it with brain-seeking fillaments tipped with X-ionised knives.

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

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