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

Old Knife · Apr 7, 2023

Vaermina said:
The Void Hound very specifically blocks Entities.

Doesn't look like it's blocking the Butcher right now.

Duke Long · Apr 7, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
Orion collapses to his knees, and Draan causally checks the levels in the troughs.

'casually'

Mr Zoat said:
He's looking a little healthier, but his face and clothing… Hasn't changed back. If it hasn't changed back…

'Haven't changed back.'?
'If he hasn't changed back…'?

Mr Zoat · Apr 7, 2023

Ngamer11 said:
That should say 'Maltus'.
That should say 'built'.
That should say 'Maltus'.

Duke Long said:
'casually'
'Haven't changed back.'?
'If he hasn't changed back…'?

Thank you, corrected.

Ostentatiousnessness · Apr 7, 2023

It feels like it would have been more prudent and less problematic for Paul to call up a Paul in a Marvel Universe and ask to borrow a Hulk for a few weeks.

Zig · Apr 7, 2023

Ostentatiousnessness said:
It feels like it would have been more prudent and less problematic for Paul to call up a Paul in a Marvel Universe and ask to borrow a Hulk for a few weeks.

Most Hulks don't actually work well for Red. Wrong kind of rage.

Istaran · Apr 7, 2023

Bud-E said:
So is it safe to say Paul is now fluent in Mother Box?

Mother box is now pinging very loudly and slowly.

RoninSword · Apr 7, 2023

Vaermina said:
The Void Hound very specifically blocks Entities.

I mean, Draan called what was happening to Orion as a minor manifestation of the Butcher. So not entirely.

Edit: My mistake, it was Kalmin who was disappointed and called it a minor manifestation of the Butcher.

Bramble Thorn · Apr 8, 2023

The flow of this chapter isn't reading right to me.

Mr Zoat said:
He rises to his feet, his force field shutting off. "Disappointing. A minor manifestation of the Butcher Entity. Is the maltusian trying to bond with this battle station's central intelligence?"

This sounds like he knows about Draan's workshop being a battlestation, including a central intelligence that can be bonded with,

Mr Zoat said:
Draan grins through bloody teeth. "You don't remember it, qwardian? Given how well you've internalised the Anti-Monitor's creed, there can't be that many weapon systems that have such an effect on you."

"The Void Hound. It's… Here."

"It has been for some considerable time. Your master gave it excellent disguise systems."

This sounds like he knows about the station because it is something connected to the Anti-Monitor, whose lore he has studied and memorized.

Which is being treaded like a reveal. But he apparently already knew because above.

Mr Zoat said:
"We are inside Erdammeru. The Void Hound. An AI controlled battle station of colossal power. Ranx might be regarded as a cheap knock-off, though I suspect that its original specifications might have been similar."

...

Possibly. I only know it from very old legends which I could never fully investigate."

"How do we stop it?"

"Kill the organic creature directing it. Or the beast-mind itself. Otherwise, unleash a wave of destructive energy powerful enough to atomize it."

And here. where before he was asking it Draan was trying to become the controller, like he didn't think he was for some reason.

Mr Zoat said:
"Would qwa-matter work?"

For a moment he looks… Lost.

"Not if what the maltusian said is true. If the Anti-Monitor built this, for… Whatever reason he saw fit, his gifts will not avail me."

"And you couldn't kill Draan because..?"

"He is the ship's controller. Until that relationship is broken-." He growls quietly. "Without my full workshop, there is little I can do against him."

And the battlestation being a creation of the Anti Monitor is news to him, when above he was expected to know about it because of his connection to the Anti Monitor.

...Nothing may outright contradict other parts, but the flow just feels jinky to me, enough to comment on.

Mr Zoat · Apr 8, 2023

21st January 2013
16:28 GMT

"My… Face."

"We can fix that."

"No." His right hand comes up and feels his right horn. "I am a New God. Our bodies don't change once we reach maturity. Unless some greater power… Warps us. Highfather once had black hair, but it changed after his contact with the Source."

"So..?"

"The anger I absorbed was so intense that it changed something fundamental in me. And then Draan Del Daar took it. I am free of my rage for the first time in my life, and I want nothing more than to get it back."

"Might be able to do that. And since-" I slam another crumbler ram into the door, then the wall, and then the ceiling device to absolutely no effect. "-we can't get out, we may as well give it a try. Do your New God powers still work?"
Strength To Overcome.
Orion perks up slightly. "I am still not myself, but… Yes."

"Okay. I saw the way the Butcher's Blood attached itself to you, when I drew it out of the people on Volkreg. Hopefully, I'll be able to repeat the process. The downside is that doing so will probably send you back into rage mode. Or worse."

"I will remember who I hate the most. Though I will warn you: if I regain the full extent of my rage, I will hold you responsible for your portion of this."

"I didn't know that Draan was going to do anything like this. If Maltus is destroyed, N.E.M.O. will almost certainly collapse, and the Reach will conquer and enslave the entire region. So long as you can focus until he's stopped, you can have it out with me afterwards."
Slay The Greater Evil.
"That, I can do."

"Kalmin, can you find the AI core?"

"Easily."

"Alright then. Orion, you're probably going to want that axe."

He gingerly walks over to it, bending down like he has joint pain.

"Is there a reason that you're not using your astro-harness? Your blaster could-."

"Using the astro-force requires a spiritual focus that I… Cannot muster like this."

I nod. "Alright, fair enough. Okay, I probably won't be able to connect him to you, but I should be able to generally shape a connection if you can use your own abilities to pull the rage back to you."

"And if he does the same?"

"Don't hit him in the chest with an axe."

"Ping."

"I know it's not helpful, I don't know."

Kalmin hefts his hammer. "You need only convince Erdammeru that you are more in tune with its feral, wrath-filled nature. Then you can use its weapons against Draan Del Daar."

"Would that work?"

"No, but it will distract him while I rend him into his component quanta for making a fool of me."

"Sounds good."

Right. I'd usually do this by accessing the Ophidian and… That's not working. I can't feel the Honden at all. And that should be impossible, but-. Don't know. But I've been studying magic for a while, and my tattoos are designed to connect me to local loci of arcane power. And I've been into the Dream.

I dose myself with the recommended dose of 'vision-assisting' psychoactives, and reach for the structures of my tattoos as if they were physical things. I aim to see the structures of myself as if it were the walls in the Honden. I've done… Things like this before, so…

There.

Now.

Orion still has desires, I still have an orange ring, and I still have a connection. I can-. Huh. The tears in Orion's metaphysique are a lot more visible like this, from where his own red was ripped out and where the new stuff was starting to make itself comfortable.

Okay.

And the entry point in my tattoos looks like that and the pulling shape I used to pull the red light out of the miners looked like this, and I can

Ping.

create the same sort of red-light-drawing structure that I had before. Unless I've misjudged the dose and I'm just tripping at the moment.

Ping.

Thank you.

"Okay, that should do it. Orion, make yourself whole."

"Draan Del Daar, you have taken something from me." "I will have it back. Now."

I can feel the pulling, even as I can't feel what is being pulled. Or see it, or anything else like that. At my neophyte skill level the walls of this room are an impenetrable barrier. I can't grab or pull something I can't see.

But I can suck really hard, with all of my desire and all of Orion's. And I can try sending out a construct lantern because while it's not very likely to kill anything it doesn't cost me anything and it might get lucky.

Yes, Master.

And… I can feel it. I shiver at the sensation of a thundering bull charging towards me with nothing in its tiny bovine mind but trampling me into the dirt, which I imagine is something that Draan himself will do a few moments later if this doesn't work.

And there's the bull, trampling, stomping, and I feel the burning as my tattoos are on fire! Push! Twist! I can see where it can go, where it must go, but anger and hate go where they will!

"Orion!"

Ping.

"My anger belongs to the Source." "And I don't belong to you!"

I see the bull shatter and the small bulls get lassoed into their proper positions and I think that now is a good time to purge those psychoactives, just as long as I keep the pulling force going until we've got it all.

Ping.

Good work.

Ping.

"RAAAAAGH!"

Orion… He's added construct armour and construct knives to the look, as well as Mother Box keeping its position on his skull-belt. Construct fire gutters around his mouth as he brings his axe down to cleave through the doorway.

"Draan Del Dar! Your blood shall be MINE!"

Mr Zoat · Apr 8, 2023

Bramble Thorn said:
The flow of this chapter isn't reading right to me.

This sounds like he knows about Draan's workshop being a battlestation, including a central intelligence that can be bonded with,

This sounds like he knows about the station because it is something connected to the Anti-Monitor, whose lore he has studied and memorized.

Which is being treaded like a reveal. But he apparently already knew because above.

And here. where before he was asking it Draan was trying to become the controller, like he didn't think he was for some reason.

And the battlestation being a creation of the Anti Monitor is news to him, when above he was expected to know about it because of his connection to the Anti Monitor.

...Nothing may outright contradict other parts, but the flow just feels jinky to me, enough to comment on.

Kalmin deduced roughly what happened fairly quickly. He just didn't know that it was the Void Hound that they were on.

Ngamer11 · Apr 8, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
But I can suck really hard, with all of my desire and all of Orion's. And I can try sending out the hellwraith because while it's not very likely to kill anything it doesn't cost me anything and it might get lucky.

Thank you, Master.

Mr Zoat, the hellwraith was destroyed by Nabu 666. Unless it was actually captured and then returned offscreen, though there was no hint of that possibility before.

Mr Zoat said:
And there's the bull, trampling, stomping, and I feel the burning as my tattoos are no fire! Push! Twist! I can see where it can go, where it must go, but anger and hate go where they will!

That should say on fire.

Celtic Spartan · Apr 8, 2023

[COLOR=orange said:
"[/COLOR]I didn't know that Draan was going to do anything like this. If Maltus is destroyed, N.E.M.O. will almost certainly collapse, and the Reach will conquer and enslave the entire region. So long as you can focus until he's stopped, you can have it out with me afterwards."
Slay The Greater Evil.

was that bit of god speech from orion or paul, i'm asking because it sounds like pauls trying to reason with him rather then orion agreeing

Mr Zoat · Apr 8, 2023

Ngamer11 said:
Mr Zoat, the hellwraith was destroyed by Nabu 666. Unless it was actually captured and then returned offscreen, though there was no hint of that possibility before.
That should say on fire.

Thank you, corrected.

Celtic Spartan said:
was that bit of god speech from orion or paul, i'm asking because it sounds like pauls trying to reason with him rather then orion agreeing

Orion.

Chojin Patriarch · Apr 8, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
21st January 2013
16:28 GMT

"My… Face."

"We can fix that."

Well, with a little effort, and probably a lot of Ring Charge. But as we've seen with the Renegade, it won't stick. So for now, Orion's stuck with the... Well, you folks saw the picture. Hopefully he looses some of that demonic chic by the time this is done.

"No." His right hand comes up and feels his right horn. "I am a New God. Our bodies don't change once we reach maturity. Unless some greater power… Warps us. High Father once had black hair, but it changed after his contact with the Source."

"So..?"

The Source changes all it touches. Us lesser beings aren't even aware of it, but New Gods...

"The anger I absorbed was so intense that it changed something fundamental in me. And then Draan Del Daar took it. I am free of my rage for the first time in my life, and I want nothing more than to get it back."

"Might be able to do that. And since-" I slam another crumbler ram into the door, then the wall, and then the ceiling device to absolutely no effect. "-we can't get out, we may as well give it a try. Do your New God powers still work?"

An understandable reaction. It's part of him, on a primal, soul-deep level. His cross to bear, his burden to master. So no wonder he feels like something has literally been ripped out of him...

Strength To Overcome.
Orion perks up slightly. "I am still not myself, but… Yes."

That will change, Orion. Just a little spectrum mojo, and... Boom.

"Okay. I saw the way the Butcher's Blood attached itself to you, when I drew it out of the people on Volkreg. Hopefully, I'll be able to repeat the process. The downside is that doing so will probably send you back into rage mode. Or worse."

"I will remember who I hate the most. Though I will warn you, that if I regain the full extent of my rage, I will hold you responsible for your portion of this."

Yeah, he wouldn't have been involved in this if not for you, OL. This is kind of your fault.

"I didn't know that Draan was going to do anything like this. If Maltus is destroyed, N.E.M.O. will almost certainly collapse, and the Reach will conquer and enslave the entire region. So long as you can focus until he's stopped, you can have it out with me afterwards."
Slay The Greater Evil.
"That, I can do."

Well, I guess 'Wholeness Rightfully Assumed' will be getting quite the workout later. Or OL will need to fire up another clone body.

"Kalmin, can you find the AI core?"

"Easily."

It probably feels like a looming shadow to him, a giant hound peering down at an ant.

"Alright then. Orion, you're probably going to want that axe."

He gingerly walks over to it, bending down like he has joint pain.

Given that form doesn't exactly look flexible, I'm not surprised.

"Is there a reason that you're not using your astro-harness? Your blaster could-."

"Using the astro-force requires a spiritual focus that I… Cannot muster like this."

Ah. Well, at least lock it and set the alarm, so Draan doesn't get any ideas?

I nod. "Alright, fair enough. Okay, I probably won't be able to connect him to you, but I should be able to generally shape a connection if you can use your own abilities to pull the rage back to you."

"And if he does the same?"

Then it's a tug of war. Are you weaker than a Maltusian? How much do you want your Rage back, then?

"Don't hit him in the chest with an axe."

"Ping."

"Now, now, Mister Lantern, that kind of talk isn't helpful." She's right, that is kind of... Obvious.

"I know it's not helpful, I don't know."

Kalmin hefts his hammer. "You need only convince Erdammeru that you are more in tune with its feral, wrath-filled nature. Then you can use its weapons against Draan Del Daar."

...Putting Orion in charge of the planet-killing moon-sized battle platform. That sounds like a marvellous idea. Or worse, OL in charge of it...

"Would that work?"

"No, but it will distract him while I rend him into his component quanta for making a fool of me."

Ah. All right, then.

"Sounds good."

Right. I'd usually do this by accessing the Ophidian and… That's not working. I can't feel the Honden at all. And that should be impossible, but-. Don't know. But I've been studying magic for a while, and my tattoos are designed to connect me to local loci of arcane power. And I've been into the Dream.

Beware the desperate amateur, because they don't know enough to be wary of what they can unleash...

I dose myself with the recommended dose of 'vision-assisting' psychoactives, and reach for the structures of my tattoos as if they were physical things. I aim to see the structures of myself as if it were the walls in the Honden. I've done… Things like this before, so…

There.

Oh, it's been a while since we saw that font. Damn, where's that 'tripping balls' OL picture when you want it?

Now.

Orion still has desires, I still have an orange ring, and I still have a connection. I can-. Huh. The tears in Orion's metaphysique are a lot more visible like this; from where his own red was ripped out and where the new stuff was starting to make itself comfortable.

And I'm picturing something like Balakaika from 'Black Lagoon'. Picture giant, ragged scars like triangular patches over her entire body.

Okay.

And the entry point in my tattoos looks like that and the pulling shape I used to pull the red light out of the miners looked like this, and I can

Ping.

"Oooh! Yes, Mister Lantern, that looks like it'll work. Try it!"

create the same sort of red-light-drawing structure that I had before. Unless I've misjudged the dose and I'm just tripping at the moment.

Ping.

"...Can't it be both? But yes, this should work."

Thank you.

"Okay, that should do it. Orion, make yourself whole."

And here comes the spiritual tug of war. Except now it's two-on-one.

"Draan Del Daar, you have taken something from me." "I will have it back. Now."

I can feel the pulling, even as I can't feel what is being pulled. Or see it, or anything else like that. At my neophyte skill level the walls of this room are an impenetrable barrier. I can't grab or pull something I can't see.

But you can act as a conduit for it. A pipe for it to flow through, from the reservoir within Draan into the waiting vessel of Orion.

But I can suck really hard, with all of my desire and all of Orion's. And I can try sending out the hellwraith because while it's not very likely to kill anything it doesn't cost me anything and it might get lucky.

Thank you, Master.

...Stuff the Hellwraith, which is still gone, right? Send out Satanus. He might last longer.

And… I can feel it. I shiver at the sensation of a thundering bull charging towards me with nothing in its tiny bovine mind but trampling me into the dirt, which I imagine is something that Draan himself will do a few moments later if this doesn't work.

And there's the bull, trampling, stomping, and I feel the burning as my tattoos are no fire! Push! Twist! I can see where it can go, where it must go, but anger and hate go where they will!

Oof. Being stampeded across his soul. That has to sting.

"Orion!"

Ping.

"Now, Sweetie! Take back what's rightfully yours!"

"My anger belongs to the Source." "And I don't belong to you!"

I see the bull shatter and the small bulls get lassoed into their proper positions and I think that now is a good time to purge those psychoactives, just as long as I keep the pulling force going until we've got it all.

Yeah, last thing you need is an incurable headache ahead of a desperate fight against an enraged maltusian.

Ping.

Good work.

"Well, I can't believe that worked. But it did! Everything's going right where it should be."

Ping.

"RAAAAAGH!"

"...You may want to duck. And try to look small and pathetic."

Orion… He's added construct armour and construct knives to the look, as well as Mother Box keeping its position on his skull-belt. Construct fire gutters around his mouth as he brings his axe down to cleave through the doorway.

"Draan Del Dar! Your blood shall be MINE!"

...Fingers crossed he settles down once his mad-on towards Draan is finished with.

Well, then. Let the clash of the titans begin! Hopefully it goes better this time, now that you can recognise the Boss' tells and hit boxes. Meanwhile, OL, Jade and Kalmin get to try and subvert the Void Hound while trying not to get splattered by the fighters. This promises to be an exciting few minutes, at least.

BR549 · Apr 8, 2023

It's not too often that OL finds himself one of the weaker links on the team.

But when you have 'New God mainlining the Butcher' and 'pissed off Qwardian' as teammates, you stay behind them.

Duke Long · Apr 8, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
And I can try sending out a construct lantern because while it's not very likely to kill anything it doesn't cost me anything and it might get lucky.

Yes, Master.

Since it's a non-specific construct lantern now, I'm trying to remember what he even has. The most relevant one is probably Satanus, right? He also has a bunch of Reach thralls, the saremite (is he still around?), that fungoid, T.O. Morrow (I think he's still hanging around with Red Tornado?), and Nabu 666 (he's still stuck on some guy's head, right?).
Did I forget any?

Darko · Apr 8, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
us. High Father

"Highfather"

Darko · Apr 8, 2023

Chojin Patriarch said:
Now, now, Mister Lantern, that kind of talk isn't helpful." She's right, that is kind of... Obvious.

"Bravo in stating the obvious."

Chojin Patriarch said:
..Putting Orion in charge of the planet-killing moon-sized battle platform. That sounds like a marvellous idea

It's a signature Paul idea.

Mr Zoat · Apr 8, 2023

Duke Long said:
Since it's a non-specific construct lantern now, I'm trying to remember what he even has. The most relevant one is probably Satanus, right? He also has a bunch of Reach thralls, the saremite (is he still around?), that fungoid, T.O. Morrow (I think he's still hanging around with Red Tornado?), and Nabu 666 (he's still stuck on some guy's head, right?).
Did I forget any?

I honestly have no idea.

Darko said:
"Highfather"

Thank you, corrected.

Venustoise · Apr 8, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
But I can suck really hard, with all of my desire and all of Orion's. And I can try sending out a construct lantern because while it's not very likely to kill anything it doesn't cost me anything and it might get lucky.

Yes, Master.

I'm confused. Why is he sending out a construct lantern? Is there someone here he wants killed or...?

Duke Long said:
Since it's a non-specific construct lantern now, I'm trying to remember what he even has. The most relevant one is probably Satanus, right? He also has a bunch of Reach thralls, the saremite (is he still around?), that fungoid, T.O. Morrow (I think he's still hanging around with Red Tornado?), and Nabu 666 (he's still stuck on some guy's head, right?).
Did I forget any?

No, that's all of them. Well, all of Paul's anyway. I know TV Tropes has most of them listed.

Edit: Paul also has the Karrakanian 'New Ascendant' he assimilated in Fleet Traction.

Mr Zoat · Apr 8, 2023

Venustoise said:
I'm confused. Why is he sending out a construct lantern? Is there someone here he wants killed or...?

Yes. Draan Del Daar.

Jack of Olives · Apr 8, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
"RAAAAAGH!"

Orion… He's added construct armour and construct knives to the look, as well as Mother Box keeping its position on his skull-belt. Construct fire gutters around his mouth as he brings his axe down to cleave through the doorway.

"Draan Del Dar! Your blood shall be MINE!"

Those are some impressive quotation-marks you've got there, Orion! Grats!

Duke Long · Apr 8, 2023

Venustoise said:
I'm confused. Why is he sending out a construct lantern? Is there someone here he wants killed or...?

No, that's all of them. Well, all of Paul's anyway. I know TV Tropes has most of them listed.

Huh, I hadn't appreciated how much stuff there was on this story in TV Tropes. There really is a lot. Congrats to whoever went to all that work.

Coda · Apr 8, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
Though I will warn you, that if I regain the full extent of my rage, I will hold you responsible for your portion of this.

Either "warn you, if I regain" or "warn you that, if I regain".

Mr Zoat said:
The tears in Orion's metaphysique are a lot more visible like this; from where his own red was ripped out

Semicolon should just be a comma.

Mr Zoat · Apr 8, 2023

Coda said:
Either "warn you, if I regain" or "warn you that, if I regain".
Semicolon should just be a comma.

Thank you, corrected.

RoninSword · Apr 8, 2023

So it appears that Orion can now just generate Red constructs. Here's hoping that they can still return his form to normal (perhaps move all that Red Light into a Ring?)

Bramble Thorn · Apr 8, 2023

Venustoise said:
I'm confused. Why is he sending out a construct lantern? Is there someone here he wants killed or...?

He's sending out the construct to be annoying.
Hopefully distract Draan Del Dar during the battle with Orion and the other heavy hitting combatants.
...It's job is to be the Green Arrow / Black Canary in a Justice League fight.

Mr Zoat · Apr 9, 2023

21st January 2013
16:31 GMT

The doorway opens before the axe can strike it, allowing Orion to charge through. Kalmin glances at the abandoned astro-harness for a moment before marching after him, with Jade and I flying along behind.

"What's the chance of a full-on manifestation of the Butcher Entity?"

"Given how it fled last time it was here, it seems unlikely. They have memories, as well you know."

I remember the… Strangely calm Red Lantern version of me I met at Vanishing Point. He said he achieved that state by accepting his anger rather than trying to hold it in check or channel it. And he had to connect to the Butcher first.

"Should we leave Orion to fight Draan and head for the bridge?"

Kalmin snorts. "Draan is a maltusian with some sort of connection to Erdammeru. He can find us wherever we go, and unless your exo-mantle has been considerably improved since I reviewed its capacities, you don't have any way to evade him."

Unless…

It used to be the case that maltusians could directly relay their own energy to Darkstars. The practice fell off because the new generation of suits were powerful enough that it wasn't really needed anymore, but…

"Jade, is your suit designed for direct empowerment?"

"It can be empowered, but we can't contact anyone outside of this place. And I doubt that Draan will-."

"Oh, well done Illustres." Kalmin's smiling. "That hadn't even occurred to me."

Jade considers for a moment. "You think you can drain his innate powers the same way you drained his rage?"

"Um."

"DIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

"I'll have my passion back, now."

"Honestly, I was going to ask Kalmin if he could build something."

"I could pull power out of him and into her, but I can't force him to express it."

"I don't think-"

A wave of energy shoots towards us down the corridor, and Jade and I duck behind a construct barrier I erect.

"-that's going to be a problem."

Something in the waves tries dragging at the power in my construct, but fails to get a grip. I wait until the feeling stops, then drop the barrier and accelerate to-.

Draan is in the air, twisting around an axe swing and then ducking under a gout of fire breath as Orion flies after him with construct wings. Wait, why is Draan dodging? He took the axe fine during their last fight. Because he doesn't have a reservoir of red energy to work from? Because Orion's too powerful for it to work? Because the forge is a couple of miles back?

Draan gestures, and Orion is suddenly a fraction of his size-. Distance, he's warped the distance. He's flying back towards us, but Draan just sneers at his effort-.

Then shudders as Kalmin taps his hammer against Jade's energy intake.

"I-. How have you-?"

He makes a throwing motion with his right hand and I interpose myself, shield constructs, armour plates and the best spatial warps I can manage. Those last just a fraction of a second as the dull grey lightning-.

Fzm!

Jade uses the boost to fire a more powerful maser bolt than her system can usually manage. Draan jerks his head away, but doesn't look injured.

"I won't miss the fool who designed that energy-."

Fires erupt around him as Orion appears, axe raised! Chains leaps out of the inferno and drag at his wrists and ankles as Orion brings his axe down!

CRUNCH!

Orion rips the axe out of Draan's head at once, and-. On any normal being, a skull wound like that would be fatal. But Draan's eyes are still focusing, still-.

Orion exhales, red flames flowing over Draan's body! And this time it takes, his skin blackening and his yellow blood boiling away.

"Wonderful rage…"

Orion brings his axe down once more, and Draan is cleaved in twain.

"RAAAAAAGH!"

Orion brings the axe down again and again and again until it embeds in the floor. Then he stamps and stamps until-

Ping.

-there isn't a great deal left of Draan's body.

Ping.

One more gout of flame, and Orion stops, standing… Very visibly not becalmed.

Ping.

"NO!"

Ping.

"No. I will not turn back having come this far."

He reaches down, running his right forefinger and middle finger through Draan's remains, scooping up a blob of Draan's… Internal liquids. He then reaches up to his bone-plated forehead and… Draws the red sigil with it.

"I have hatred and focus. My hate is for my father first of all. LANTERN!"

"Yes?"

"I will forge the ring. Do not follow me."

No fear.

"Right, ah… Kalmin? We should probably head to the bridge."

"And do what? None of us can commune with Erdammeru."

"Is there a communication system in there?"

"Yes, but using it requires that Erdammeru has accepted a master."

"Alright. In that case, we should go back to the exit and try to-."

A side door opens, and Captain Chance of the Free Lancers strides in.

He stops when he sees the remains on the floor.

"Bollocks. No bonus then, I take it?"

RoninSword · Apr 9, 2023

That seemed to easy? Waiting for the other shoe to drop.

BlueMangoAdea · Apr 9, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
He stops when he sees the remains on the floor.

"Bollocks. No bonus then, I take it?"

Quick on the uptake, I see.

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

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