Justice League: The New Wave (IC)

[Aussie_Wolf]

What could only be called a grunt escaped the rider as the bike revved up, flames shooting from the tailpipes like an angry dragon about to feed. Looking at Connor again, The Rider said nothing. She’d offered once, and he’d passed on the chance.

Connor looked at the Rider and sighed. Well it looked like he had a fence to mend there. It was not as if he hadn't wanted to ride with her he had just been whisked off by someone else and had not been given the opportunity to take her up on her offer.

Damn. Why was it that he had finally met a woman that he wanted to get to know and now she looked at him like something she would wipe off her visor. He raised his hand to her and smiled, knowing it was probably fruitless and then shrugged off his quiver. He quickly went through the few arrows he had left. There were 4 arrows from the monastery and 7 from the store he had raided. 11 arrows to fight the next wave of attackers. Not good, not good at all.

He looked around and sighed again. Unfortunately all traces of the mages they had been fighting had vanished as well so there was no chance of him retrieving any arrows. Well there was just one thing for it then.

"I am going to have to scrounge for arrows again. I am really going to have to talk to my mother when I get home. I know these circumstances are exceptional but I am sick of running out of arrows like this. I think she has some contacts in the arms business and I know one person I really want to talk to."

 

[TertiusHuman]

In Unison Raven and The Rider turned their heads and glared at Beast Boy.

“Keep your thoughts unverbalized and you’ll survive this encounter. Speak them and feel a world of hurt. You should be focusing on the enemy, not primal wants.” Out of the corner of her eye, and psychic emanations coming from the two girls, Raven looked over and saw even more. “Never mind, it seems like it’s mating season.” She added with a glance at Kiz and his companion, as well as Heatwave and The Arrow.

OK now that was unsettling.

His thoughts were supposed to be private and not told to a bunch of strangers.

If it was meant to put him in place, it largely succeeded, especially that glare from the lady in leather and flames. He actually changed back into his human form and managed a quite chastised look while looking for something to do, anything to get out of Dodge.

 

[WiredIn]

Joining the Party (tag chas)

Static wordlessly listened to the strategic meeting, unmentioned he placed himself in his own role, he'd play support for the vanguard. He and Kaldur would make a formidable pair, with the majority distracted by the raging demon known as The Rider.

Static floated up next to Kaldur offering him a curt nod, "I think it would be best if I tagged along with you. I'd do the best where i could hit something. When we are finished here, we should talk about your new...traveling buddies." Static gestured to the large group of heroes. "Catch up too, lots to talk about I suppose."

 

[Wyldfire]

Mick laughed a low, rumbling laugh, running a burn-callused palm up Thea's side-- just thoughtful enough to not pet her in the wrong direction. "He does tend to thaw slow, now that you mention it."

Cold glanced at Thea then, and didn't... quite... smile tolerantly. "You're an unknown quantity, but you kick like a mule and you're scratching all the right eyes out, so you get a pass for now, provisional crew membership. But the time and place thing still holds true-- just as it held true for Mirror Master--"

Lisa rolled her eyes at that, as though acknowledging-- in begrudging retrospect-- that maybe her brother had been right about Mirror Master's not being boyfriend material, and that his I-told-you-so had been noted and logged.

"--I just don't actually expect my sister to listen to me when I tell her to watch her hands and keep her mind on the job, so I tend to waste my breath on it less," Cold finished.

Thea liked the way Mick's hand felt. A lot. But after Cold's commentary she behaved herself and stood straight and quit leaning on Heatwave. Time enough for that when they got done with this. That was if she wasn't entirely a cat by the end of this. "Gotcha bossman. Time and place respect on." she said and shot Lisa a wink. "I won't distract anyone."

She noticed Gar's discomfort and shot him a devilish grin and nodded in the direction of the Spooky girl's club, just to let him know she had his back if they got too mean. She then looked down at the the shredded fingertips of her costume and flexed the claws out and used them to, one at a time, shorten the tips of her costume to a fingerless length.

She listened to the others talking about the baddies and smiled to herself. Lots and lots huh? Looking at her claws she retracted them and said "So, lots and lots of baddies? These guys the mage dudes or are they just meat?"

 

[kizkiz]

Interlude banter... (tag Beast Boy, Raven, the Rider)

In Unison Raven and The Rider turned their heads and glared at Beast Boy.

“Keep your thoughts unverbalized and you’ll survive this encounter. Speak them and feel a world of hurt. You should be focusing on the enemy, not primal wants.” Out of the corner of her eye, and psychic emanations coming from the two girls, Raven looked over and saw even more. “Never mind, it seems like it’s mating season.” She added with a glance at Kiz and his companion, as well as Heatwave and The Arrow.

Kiz looked as Raven's gaze swept over him. "Fucking and killing are the most primal acts of mankind. Death calls-" Kiz coughed. "for life." He shrugged. "And life needs death to have meaning. No reason to shy from either."

He turned to Beast Boy, "Finding people-" he wheezed, took a deep breath, made a little gasp to shove down the coughing fit that was trying to sneak out. "To fuck will be the least of your problems after this."

 

[Varshanka]

Raven (Tag: Rose)

Float/gliding over to Kara and Rose’s moment, Raven softly coughed. Hoping to get their attention before they started kissing, or dancing. “I hate to intrude on this.. moment, but I need a word with you.” She said looking at Rose.

“When you scream.. it’s not just vocal. Now I can block out most screaming, but your.. level is more akin to a nuclear warning siren going off inches from my skull. And that hurts. Makes it hard to do what I need to do.” Sighing Raven rubbed her temples. “I can buffer the pain, make it so you don’t feel it. Bullet will still do damage to muscle, bone, cartilage, but it won’t hurt. If you still had any wounds I could help heal those as well, but you aren’t so that’s a moot point.”

“It won’t last forever. Think of it as a dam. It will slow the flow, restrict the pain. Unless you decide to play with a hurricane. Then it will come crumbling down and the dam will burst.”

Shivering she turned and looked at The Rider. “You are one hyper creeper, you do realize that.. right?” Turning back she looked at Rose again. “Your choice.” The creepiest part about Raven was the way she talked. Drawn and deadpan. Like she was talking about socks, or knitting. Almost like she was in the zombie apocalypse and was half-dead herself. Even though she was dressed more like a vampire-slave-princess. Or a stripper.

 

[TertiusHuman]

Kiz looked as Raven's gaze swept over him. "Fucking and killing are the most primal acts of mankind. Death calls-" Kiz coughed. "for life." He shrugged. "And life needs death to have meaning. No reason to shy from either."

He turned to Beast Boy, "Finding people-" he wheezed, took a deep breath, made a little gasp to shove down the coughing fit that was trying to sneak out. "To fuck will be the least of your problems after this."

Feeling as flustered as one could, it got even worse when man-mountain Kiz added even more. That did it for Gar. He straightened up and a slight fire came to his eyes.

"Really? I mean really? One unguarded thought about how sexy one of the group looks like and everybody gets in my grill about it. Well excuse you perfect people, I will be over there when you start to move out."

With that he turned away and inadvertently marched off into the direction they were meant to go, turning into an emerald fur cat and bounding towards the nearest shelter.

 

[kizkiz]

Kiz watched Garfield veer and scamper away as a cat. He didn't comment as the kid had his outburst. When Garfield disappeared into a stray shadow, he turned his head back to watch Raven and Rose. After a few moments he blinked, panning his head back towards where their enemy had amassed. His eyes dropped, flickered closed, snapped open, slipped down a few inches then a few more. His head moved down. His eyes zipped back and forth beneath his eyelids.

 

[Varshanka]

The Rider (Tag: Beast Boy)

Listening the Rider said nothing to Robin Hood. There was nothing to say, it’s not like the Rider carried extra ammo, or could give him it’s weapons. In Mortal hands they reverted to a shotgun and a length of chain. On in The Riders hands did they gain the aspect of Hell and deal destructive death and damage to all.

The Archer was on his own in the manner of ammo, but there was another that could be helped.

If they wanted it.

****

The rumbling echo of souls in torment drifted across the grass and concrete as the Rider slowly rolled forwards, following, but not chasing or pursuing Beast Boy.

Eventually the slow moving bike rolled to a stop and a smoking black boot dropped the kick stand. Sliding off the still burning bike The Rider looked down at the Green Cat. “I do not judge you, Garfield Logan.” Looking off into the distance the helmeted figure reached up and revealed it’s features. “The night is long and dark. You will travel and be alone. If you survive. I can aid you in this, if you wish it.”

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff260/Varshanka/Jessica%20Parker%20Kennedy/plastique_smallville21.jpg

 

[TertiusHuman]

The rumbling echo of souls in torment drifted across the grass and concrete as the Rider slowly rolled forwards, following, but not chasing or pursuing Beast Boy.

Eventually the slow moving bike rolled to a stop and a smoking black boot dropped the kick stand. Sliding off the still burning bike The Rider looked down at the Green Cat. “I do not judge you, Garfield Logan.” Looking off into the distance the helmeted figure reached up and revealed it’s features. “The night is long and dark. You will travel and be alone. If you survive. I can aid you in this, if you wish it.”

Garfield was sitting on a broken wall, his tail swishing in annoyance as he looked off into the distance. Since he could hear the bike moving in his direction, he guessed that the group had decided on their course of attack and since the only one riding a bike was the chick in leather and flames, or as she is called: Ghost Rider, he guessed that waiting for the heavy hitter to move passed him so that he could follow was the best option.

You can imagine his surprise when the flaming bike came to a stop close to him and the Rider got off. He tilted his head at her words, not sure what to make of it. She didn't judge him? That alone was weird, taking into account all the things he had done wrong in the past, but if this walking judgement of sins didn't judge him...perhaps he didn't do that much wrong?

Then she revealed her face and he blinked, well he now kind of understood why the archer guy had a thing for her, apart from the fact that she had eyes which looked like they could burn your soul and even body apart, she was not bad to look at. He just couldn't quite fathom what she meant with the night is dark and long and that he would travel since the sun was still out...but then again this group was not what you would call ordinary.

"Mreow?"

OK that didn't come out right. Seeing no other choice, he transformed to his human form and stepped off of the broken wall.

"OK I will admit that I have no idea what you are talking about, the long dark night, traveling alone and that. But surviving? Yeah I can get that and since I have barely made it by so far, I'll take any help I can get."

 

[Varshanka]

The Rider to the Green Man

"OK I will admit that I have no idea what you are talking about, the long dark night, traveling alone and that. But surviving? Yeah I can get that and since I have barely made it by so far, I'll take any help I can get."

“The world does not have the Light that exists, so it suffers in the darkness. I have seen things that no longer exist in the mortal realm, as well as things that have never existed in the realm of man. Would my memories suffice? OR do you need to, see with your own eyes?” She/it asked. Their voice not wholly mortal, but not as deeply demonic as it usually was.

 

[TertiusHuman]

“The world does not have the Light that exists, so it suffers in the darkness. I have seen things that no longer exist in the mortal realm, as well as things that have never existed in the realm of man. Would my memories suffice? OR do you need to, see with your own eyes?” She/it asked. Their voice not wholly mortal, but not as deeply demonic as it usually was.

OK there she went with that creepy voice again, just when you think it is safe to go into the water a Megalodon pops up.

Wait did she say memories?

He looked up at her, "Well I am not quite certain how it works, but I know that from a description I can't uhm trigger the change. It has to be a clear image or the creature itself. I practically have to see, or at least that is what I have figured out so far."

He reached up and slowly scratched the back of his neck, "What did you have in mind?"

 

[Varshanka]

He looked up at her, "Well I am not quite certain how it works, but I know that from a description I can't uhm trigger the change. It has to be a clear image or the creature itself. I practically have to see, or at least that is what I have figured out so far."

He reached up and slowly scratched the back of his neck, "What did you have in mind?"

“A trip to Hell,” She replied, smoke and flame wisping along her face and neck as chains began to click and slither from under her jacket to encase her legs and feet. “Your blood is damnation for you. Demons don’t have blood.”

It took an eternity for each link to click into place and solidify into armour. Plate armour made of molten souls and wasted lives. Her face melted and oozed, baring bone and teeth before even that was gone and all that was left was flames and anger.

The worse part was the eyes. Black and soulless they stared at him from the core of that burning hellfire. And a had rose up and out, willing to take him to that place nightmares screamed and ran from.

 

[TertiusHuman]

“A trip to Hell,” She replied, smoke and flame wisping along her face and neck as chains began to click and slither from under her jacket to encase her legs and feet. “Your blood is damnation for you. Demons don’t have blood.”

It took an eternity for each link to click into place and solidify into armour. Plate armour made of molten souls and wasted lives. Her face melted and oozed, baring bone and teeth before even that was gone and all that was left was flames and anger.

The worse part was the eyes. Black and soulless they stared at him from the core of that burning hellfire. And a had rose up and out, willing to take him to that place nightmares screamed and ran from.

Ehrm...right...

Seems like she/it didn't quite get the irony of telling a person to go to hell...

But if those creatures that she/it had mentioned was something that he could use, something that could help him survive in the long run...

"I will be honest with you, I am kinda leery of the thought of going to hell. But like you said, I need all the edge and help I can get."

He shuddered at the thought of what his next words might bring about.

"I'll go with you. Just make sure we're back in time for lunch, I haven't really eaten anything today."

 

[Aussie_Wolf]

Connor sighed as he saw the Rider move off. He had been going to go and talk to her and try to mend a few fences. What Raven had said about her had pissed him off. Just because she was a little different she had gotten on her case. Of course she might have more cause than most to have a go at her being a telepath, but seriously had she looked at herself?

Shrugging he looked over at her again and then walked towards Velocity. If he was going to find any arrows or something to shoot people with. Maybe he should construct a slingshot or even a basic sling, at least then he would have an almost endless supply of ammunition.

"Hey Velocity," he said as he got close. "I was wondering if I could ask you a favor. When we start moving again could you search around any malls or similar places for arrows. I am out and I figured it would be a little easier for you to do it than me to leave the group every time I see a place. If you don't want to I will understand of course."

He smiled at her and looked at down. "You know you could be a really deadly fighter if you wanted to be." He coughed and looked around avoiding her eyes then summoned up his courage and looked her in the eyes. "If you carried some knives, at your speed you would be like a blender. However I know how hard it is to take a person's life. Perhaps you could just limit it to cutting vital but non life threatening parts of the body. Say the hamstrings or tendons. Heck carry a cudgel and go around knocking everyone out," he smiled.

 

[Varshanka]

"I'll go with you. Just make sure we're back in time for lunch, I haven't really eaten anything today."

Grabbing the front of his clothing the Rider lifted him up, and then blew the ground apart with flaming chains that seemed to scream with the souls of the damned with their speed. And with the ground around them burning, the Rider and Beast Boy… vanished.

******

Exploding into the nether realms gave the Rider a whole different appearance. No longer shrouded by flames and semblance of humanity, the Rider easily stood nine feet in height with wings o that stretched eighteen or more feet from it’s shoulders and back.

The chains wrapped around it’s body, making it’s armour, were souls that screamed in wailing torment. Gesturing it pointed into the sky. Demons, gargoyles, and dragons. Millions of shapes and forms flew and fought. The burning sulfurous hills and valleys rolled and boiled with the damned. A dark river of boiling blood meandering through everything.

“Welcome Mortal to the Seventh Circle. Violence, murder, suicide, and the like are the sins here. The ones I have Judged are here, paying for their sins.”

 

[TertiusHuman]

When the Rider grabbed him by the clothes, he thought that his smart mouth had gotten him way deep. But before he could apologize or even utter a single word, they burst into the stuff of nightmares and the being which stood before him, was enough to paralyze him. He knew the heat should be unbearable, but he hardly felt it, he knew it was there though. What got to him was the souls screaming and lamenting in pain and agony.

He looked up at what the creature pointed towards, most of what he saw did not make sense, but some of the grotesque creatures were things he could kind of fathom. Especially the dragons, he wondered if all these creatures actually were animals of sorts. But since there were demons, he would not place any money on it.

"I...I...I guess if they are animal, i...i...it should work. Can...can we get out of here now?"

And if anybody ever needed a reminder to live right, he just received a quite healthy dose.

 

[Varshanka]

A Challenge.

"I...I...I guess if they are animal, i...i...it should work. Can...can we get out of here now?"

And if anybody ever needed a reminder to live right, he just received a quite healthy dose.

“In Hell, you gain the power of what you kill.” The Rider replied looking into the distance. “None of these abominations are worthy.” It added as chains reformed into a glowing sword of fire and barbed edges. Vicious and vile the rider held the hilt out to Beast Boy. “Be the Green Man that you are born to be.” It commanded as the gorget armour flowed like rivulets of gold, baring that burning neck.

Kneeling with the hilt held up to Beast Boy it whispered, “End me.”

 

[TertiusHuman]

“In Hell, you gain the power of what you kill.” The Rider replied looking into the distance. “None of these abominations are worthy.” It added as chains reformed into a glowing sword of fire and barbed edges. Vicious and vile the rider held the hilt out to Beast Boy. “Be the Green Man that you are born to be.” It commanded as the gorget armour flowed like rivulets of gold, baring that burning neck.

Kneeling with the hilt held up to Beast Boy it whispered, “End me.”

Garfield stared at the Rider, it wanted him to kill it? In cold blood? He looked at the sword hilt, then at all the creatures around them. He slowly shook his head.

"No."

He wanted to back away, but knew he shouldn't.

"I can't do that. I am not a killer. I have done wrong in my life, but I am no killer."

 

[Varshanka]

Challange.. passed

"No."
He wanted to back away, but knew he shouldn't.
"I can't do that. I am not a killer. I have done wrong in my life, but I am no killer."

Standing up, the Rider, Xarathoz, Demon of Vengeance, looked at Beast Boy. “And that is why I do not judge you. I am the Hand of Vengeance, Commanded by HIM to do HIS will. You are guilty of little sins, lust, greed in petty quantities. But you have not Murdered anyone.”

Chains lashed out, smiting ‘things’ that got to close to the duo, energy whipping up the chains to funnel into the Rider. “So stop feeling guilty. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. If you Murder – you’ll know it - for you’ll face me.”

Diving down at the them a dragon-demon screamed, it’s roar a prelude to the fire and smoke that issued from it’s throat. Never touching the duo, as they were gone before the flames licked the spot they had stood upon.

****

Back in the Mortal realm the flames from the chain still burned, fresh and new. Some would call the marks demonic, satanic. But a true speaker and knower of the ways would see the truth. A celestial mark of travel. A cast out angel, a demon spawned from hell, inscribed a celestial mark with hell chains.

Rolling it’s neck as it mounted the still flaming bike, the Rider pointed back at the group. And then slowly turned and rode away. It’s destination wasn’t the main group, but neither was it heading towards the enemy.

 

[kizkiz]

Interludes into lovers souls (tag Chas)

Kiz watched Garfield veer and scamper away as a cat. He didn't comment as the kid had his outburst. When Garfield disappeared into a stray shadow, he turned his head back to watch Raven and Rose. After a few moments he blinked, panning his head back towards where their enemy had amassed. His eyes dropped, flickered closed, snapped open, slipped down a few inches then a few more. His head moved down. His eyes flickered back and forth beneath his eyelids.

Kiz didn't catch everything that happened next. He was in and out of awareness of the events transporting around his corporeal body. The Rider approached Garfield. They spoke at length. Then grabbing the front of Garfield's clothing the Rider lifted him up, and then blew the ground apart with flaming chains that seemed to scream with the souls of the damned as they cleaved through the air at supersonic speeds. And with the ground around the two burning, the Rider and Beast Boy… vanished.

Kiz's eyes snapped open. They were black holes oozing the void in rivulets down his cheek and up over his eyebrows. Kiz frowned, watching the after image of their departure across the many spectra of his vision.

His massive hands squeezed Lisa's tendrils, a measure of strength returning. "Do you want to engage in something more intimate then the joining of our bodies?" He wheezed at the end but managed to bite off the rising cough. Instead, he took a deep breath and flexed his muscles, like a puffer fish shooting out its spikes, the void script erupted in a solar system's worth of orbital trajectories around both Lisa and himself. Except at the heart of this solar system was not the yellow life giving energy of a sun but the gapping maul of a black hole.

Kiz's right hand slackened and gravity pulled its bulk towards the ground. Before it got halfway, Kiz exerted sufficient force to arrest its descent. He waited for several breaths as the script ate its way through creation or perhaps it was better to say that creation slid around the holes Kiz had made by the manifestation of his Anima. When he found the right passage, he closed his mattock of a fist around it and pulled the script towards Lisa.

The orbiting passage connected to the void script in his hand bunched and wiggled like impatient commuters in rush hour traffic. The countless others continued on unperturbed.

When he opened his hand there was a puddle of blackness that lead into infinite nothingness. "Write your true name upon the ledger of my soul and take a measure of the Void. The Void has already taken its measure of you."

Sure there was volumes of exposition that other masters in others disciplines might have gone in before inducting someone or even offering to share a measure of their power. Kiz never found it of much use. Something you had to jump in head first and maybe you lived at the end. And maybe you ended up as a lifeless shell filled with endless hunger that could never be fed. He'd put down many would be Void Binders. This was a lesser binding, opening a modest line of credit attached to his bank account, but Lisa would become more aware of the endless, infinite, everlasting depths of himself that was not immediately visible when someone looked at, touched, smelled, or tasted him.

 

[Varshanka]

A long long long time Ago...

Two mortals had at one time been blessed with the Garden that was Eden. And then came the time when they were banished. It was the Will of Truth and Light that they no longer walk in the place that was mortal perfection.

And the time came for Xarathiel to be given a Word. The Angel was tasked with guiding one of the four first mortals, guiding them along the path back to the Light. An easy enough task, guide the one called Heḇel.

Xarathiel stood and listened as The Lightbringer spoke, what the Bringer of the Dawn wanted was.. wrong.

“I cannot join you in this endeavor.” Xarathiel said.

“Very well.” Lucifer replied, slowly and cautiously.

Grunting in pain Xarathiel screamed. “Something is.. wrong.” A flash of light marked the spot as the Angel transitioned between Heaven and Earth.

Glaring at Cain, Xarathiel screamed, "Where is Heḇel thy brother?"

Qayin replied, "I know not: am I my brother's keeper?"

Xarathiel said, "What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now thou are cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be on the earth."

Screaming in rage and pain, Xarathiel cast judgment on the first murderer as it’s word was changed by the will of Light from Justice.. to Vengeance. Wings of the softest white erupted into celestial flame burning bright with Holy Fire.

“Begone, Mortal. Begone from these lands blessed by God. Begone before I do more .”

****

Returning to the Celestial City Xarathiel stood in the Halls of Justice, the domain of Master Yves. The force that gripped his shoulder from behind, would in human terms be called a hand, but it was more than that.

מִיכָאֵל‎ placed it’s hand on the shoulder of the Word of Vengeance, forcing said Word to turn and speak face to face. “I banish they from this place. I banish you from all places that a true servent of Heaven may walk. I banish you from the Light that is True and worthy.”

“מִיכָאֵל‎, Why? Why would you do this to me? Have I not served faithfully?”

“Where were you when The Lightbringer made war in the Holiest of places?” מִיכָאֵל‎ demanded.

“I was serving the Light as it commanded me.” Xarathiel replied.

“I will hear no more of your lies. I name thee Corrupted. Defiler. Deamon. Xarathos”

“No!” Xarathos whispered, shocked to it’s core that the Lord of Hosts - The divine voice of the Light - would declare such a thing.

The blow that impacted with it’s chest, knocking it from the Halls of Yves. The blow that sent it from the boundaries of the Celestial city itself was so sudden a defense couldn’t be made.

The pain was intense, but the blow was so shocking that overrode any pain.

Until the burning began.

Falling from the heights of Heaven for a deed not done, Xarathiel’s wings began to burn. It’s essence turning from a glowing light that bespoke of Heaven it charred, turning darker and darker as anger and pain consumed it’s soul.

It could do naught else, but scream in burning pain.

******

The PIT shook from the impact, fallen ones scampering around surrounded the crater as they waited to feast on the pitiful weakling that had fallen to their depths. But what rose from that deep dark crater was no simple angel that made a bad choice and was cast out for it.

Rising to it’s full height, eyes burning with a previously unseen hate – except in the eyes of the Dark Father – the Demon bellowed in Rage. A gleaming blade of flame flashed into being as a wave of demons descended.

 

[Varshanka]

Thirty Pieces of pain

She had betrayed him. Given him over to the authorities for the lives of her parents, her family. And she was in turn betrayed. Looking down at the ground she saw the bag. The bag that held the heads of her parents, bloody and rotting.

Tears glistened on her face at her shame. He was such a beautiful perfect person. Not beautiful as a sexual or physical description, but a description of his soul. He was so at peace, so happy, and sad, and calm all at once.

And she, she alone, had given him over to pain and torment. To be tortured and killed. Not for being a murderer or anarchist. Not a terrorist or thief. But a man of peace and Truth.

Stepping forwards, she felt the hemp vine tighten around her neck, pulling so hard the branch creaked and groaned above her. It hurt, the vine rope biting and digging into her throat and neck, constricting and blocking of breathe.

It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. She’d heard about it. Step forward, drop, snap your neck and that pain was over. Not like this. Not this burning pain building in her chest. The raw fire in her throat.

She could still breathe, barely. A thread of air passing through her lungs.

*****

Three days she hung there.

Slowly suffocating.

So very slowly.

Three days of dying.

*****

The torture was never ending. How long had she been here? In Hell. Burning and dying. Living and hating it. As bad as the pain of betrayal had been, this was worse. She still remembered the Betrayal. The thirty pieces of silver. The heads of her parents in a canvas bag like so much garbage.

Pealing the skin, the muscle, the sinew, from her bones. Grinding her bones to dust. Feeling the greatest pain as her soul was slowly peeled apart, separated micron by micron. Would this be it? Finally to be done? To be ended?

Screaming.

Someone was screaming in horrific pain. So loud. They were close. So close.

She was screaming.

It was her.

And the pain?

To be aware of your crimes against humanity, and to know that you weren’t done being punished yet.

*****

Millennia she had been here. Ten Millennia? A billion years? Forever.

*****

Forever never ends.

*****

The light was so bright it hurt. So powerful it stopped the pain.

The pain… was gone.

For a moment, as long as she looked at the blinding light it didn’t hurt.

“Forgiven.”

Who spoke? Speaking wasn’t allowed down here.

 

[ChasNicollette]

Heisenberg Certainty.

Kiz's eyes snapped open. They were black holes oozing the void in rivulets down his cheek and up over his eyebrows. Kiz frowned, watching the after image of their departure across the many spectra of his vision.

His massive hands squeezed Lisa's tendrils, a measure of strength returning. "Do you want to engage in something more intimate then the joining of our bodies?"

Her eyelids fluttered, and a shiver ran down her selectively-tangible spine at the... intensity of that haptic sensation. She craved touch, it was true, and wasn't especially selective about where she got it (hence the ill-advised relationship with The Man in The Mirror). But that was... that was almost enough to make her feel solid again.

"Yuh, uh, yeah, what are you thinking, little foreplay?" she stammered at first, but managed to steady her voice by the end of the sentence.

He took a deep breath and flexed his muscles, like a puffer fish shooting out its spikes, the void script erupted in a solar system's worth of orbital trajectories around both Lisa and himself. Except at the heart of this solar system was not the yellow life giving energy of a sun but the gapping maul of a black hole.

Lisa's breath, such as it was, caught in her throat, such as it was, and eyes that had fluttered a moment ago were as round as supermoons now. Even in a world made of special effects-- she looked like living CGI herself-- that was impressive... chilling... real.

When he opened his hand there was a puddle of blackness that lead into infinite nothingness. "Write your true name upon the ledger of my soul and take a measure of the Void. The Void has already taken its measure of you."

"I'd say it has," Lisa murmured, then gazed into the depthless fathoms cupped in his palm. "Normally I wouldn't get ink done on the first date, but this seems..." she trailed off. "My true name?"

That was an interesting question for a Rogue.

Was she The Glider? The Golden Glider, like The Central City Picture News sometimes called her in headlines? Was she Lisa Snart?

As the indigenous peoples of Australia might sometimes opine, "White Man got no Dreaming." Was even a ghostly creature such as herself in touch enough with her spiritual aspect that she knew what her name had been before she had been born? That she knew what name The Presence, The Light, had breathed onto the window of her soul and written in the breath with Its finger?

There was a weight to this moment that was heavy on her heart, but that her shoulders rose up against to support like Atlas held the stars.

She reached out with her own finger, and stilled the selfish, crooked spirit that rested jaggedly within her ectoplasm. And she dipped it in the squid-ink and painted... on ghost-girl instinct...

...letters that only those who knew the machine-code of The Universe could read.

Her ineffable name.

S-E-C-R-E-T.

 

[ChasNicollette]

Particles and Waves.

Static would find Kaldur brooding about Kiz' comment about losing battles--

--he hadn't meant to devalue Kiz' wealth of experience, however it had come about, precisely the opposite--

--this appeared to be a pattern for the mystical powerhouse, receiving compliments but spurning them with crushing rebukes. Of course, being superhumanly powerful and skillful while simultaneously willing to fight the good fight didn't automatically come with good interpersonal skills.

Batman, Neptune be with him.

Jason Todd, of course.

Ambush Bug.

Booster Gold.

And-- ugh. G'nort.

Still, team dynamics were essential, as Martian Manhunter himself had often discussed with King Orin.

In the future, perhaps they could find a way to show Kiz they appreciated his contributions without coming across as demeaning or damning with faint praise. Or perhaps Kiz would "lighten up."

Things to worry about if they survived all this.

Static floated up next to Kaldur offering him a curt nod, "I think it would be best if I tagged along with you. I'd do the best where i could hit something. When we are finished here, we should talk about your new...traveling buddies." Static gestured to the large group of heroes. "Catch up too, lots to talk about I suppose."

Emerging from his reverie, Kaldur nodded to Static. "Yes. It has been an... interesting year already. I look forward to finding out what you've been up to."

"Our electrical powers have always been complementary. Using them synergistically could prove devastating to our enemies. Come, let us prepare for battle."