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

Finally, a reference that I get!

 

What, no ceremony, wedding guests or party? Teclis will be disappointed if he's not getting an invite to what's sure to be the most fascinating macabre spectacle of the season, the marriage of convenience between "The Ring Bearer" and a Queen of Nehekhara.

And Ptra only knows what the other Tomb Kings will think of this arrangement, particularly Settra..... and what they'll do if THEY aren't invited.

 

Thank you, corrected.

No, 'ceremonial' in this situation means 'only exists in the technical sense', not 'it was a registry office do'.

 

Not "just" ceremonial.
The "just" is implied, meaning there was a ceremony, but she didn't expect that it goes further than that.

 

I thought you were going to say 'magic bag of endless oranges.'

This is way funnier.
It's such a petty magic.

 

Ah, my mistake.

Fingers crossed we will get to see a Nehekharan Royal Wedding ceremony and the reception afterwards though.

Huh, so when did Paol become acquainted with the other Tomb Kings, given how antisocial they can be towards living non-Nehekharans? Did Settra's desire for physical sensation outweigh his indignity over Paol's unintentional snub by going to Queen Khalida first with his services, rather than the "King of Kings?"

 

He is well under Settra's radar.

Tomb Kings refers both to the kings themselves and the faction. The only 'king' in Lybaras in Queen Khalida, but there are quite a few princes, princesses and priests.

 

Thanks for clearing that up!

In regards to "The Tasters", exactly how did Khalida's court manage to acquire so many, (hopefully), willing and living individuals to perform so novel a service for the undead nobility of Lybaras, being their "sensory providers?"

I get the feeling they'd be akin to pampered pets that their "owners" would constantly fuss over at best, to servants who have to fight other servants on behalf of their masters, as those who command them can only suffer any actual pain through them.

 

Money.

The Desert Dogs were sort of waiting for the other shoe to drop, but 'we'll pay you to eat food' wasn't a problem.

It might get to that point, but there are almost no living people in Nehekhara so serve in that capacity.

 

Desert Dogs? As in Al Muktar's Desert Dogs? Considering their fame as mercenaries and bandits, as well as how much of an adrenaline junkie/glory-hound their leader is, being sensory providers to undead nobility sounds like somewhat of a step-down for that band of warriors.... then again, only the bravest of souls could have the mental fortitude to consume the blandest food known to man while a member of high-ranked living dead sits beside each warrior and watches them eat, shuddering in joy, making sounds of rapture, giving orders as to HOW the mercenaries should eat and drink the meal before them.

The initial comical misunderstandings of the living, to Nehekhara seeking living citizens to inhabit their lands are going to be EPIC aren't they?

"Why are you running away?! We just want you for eating! Yes! For eating! We'll pay handsomely for it!"

 

Probably wouldn't work. Nagash's spell killed everything, from the human population through the plants to the soil microbes. Nothing lives there and nothing can live because the prerequisites of life aren't there. Except water, which is unusually clean due to the lack of algae and humans.

 

Goodness, Paol has his work cut out for him, even with a power ring to help lighten the load, doesn't he? I imagine that he could definitely lay the foundations for recovery though, at least enough of them for Jade Wizards and Archmages, (Anurion The Green being one example if he's still alive) to work with.....

But how is the water in Nehekhara clean? Didn't Nagash pollute the River Vitae with Warpstone and sorcery? Or did he somehow miss any pockets of groundwater scattered across the land?

 

Is the uppercase J intentional?

 

He's British, ensuring their food came from the correct colony market is important to them

 

Yeah but at least Hades is from the same pantheon.

 

Thank you, corrected.

 

That was even better that I'd hoped it would go. I can't wait to see how Paul is going to get out of this one.

 

Missing quotation marks, or is that signifying special speech?

 

I'm sure Athena would like that pussy.

 

That could still be a ways off, given the present matters to be dealt with. I have to wonder how much the Caliph is aware of matters in reality, since dreams coming into the city now would be dark and dismal... Assuming they haven't quarantined such visitors.

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

...It's surprisingly hard to tell whether OL is even speaking sometimes. I wonder if there's a faint whisper of his narration audible to those around him like this.

That assumes the caliph has made it known that people bearing that sigil are to be considered honoured visitors.

Eyes on what benefits him, eh? No wonder OL's talking to this fellow. That's a somewhat Avaricious way of thinking, after all.

Now, one of those things, he can help you with. The other...

Though if your information turns out to be inaccurate, well... That can be paid for as well. By you.

I'm sure there are many fine things he could deal in with them.

And I half-picture him sweating up a storm as OL slithers away... It's hard to tell if that was an offer or a threat, after all.

So, to some degree, it's a tourist trap.

Sounds a bit hollow. Let's hope his dealings aren't too cutting.

Ah, he's shopping for a vacation gift for his girlfriend. How sweet.

Aw, offer refused. I guess Kon isn't very good at haggling yet.

And OL should remember how well the most famous attempt to crack the psychic blocks, as seen in the comics.

And in case you need to be told, Kon: That would be bad. Cataclysmically bad.

Worst case, it becomes a contagious cognitohazard. Imagine all of Mars catching fire, literally.

Especially since they would likely be aligned to Avarice, being creatures of primal desire. To hurt, to kill, to terrify, to mate and birth more...

Heck, it might excite some archaeologists once this is all over and life is getting back to normal. So many myths and historical knowledge has been lost, something so close to the original as this would be heavenly.

And it's worth finding out if she even knew they came through here. It might offend her mortally if they didn't pay their dues to her.

And it's only polite to meet your host when travelling through their territory.

I mean... Cats can be friendly or unpleasant. I suppose it depends on her mood.

...Mood not good, then. Anyone got some wine seasoned with blood handy?

Ah... Not happy about the Athena thing, then?

Yes, very good idea. Stay limp, play dead and talk very nicely and very quickly.

And a little bit of cross-pantheon cooperation is always a good thing, after all.

...Don't answer that, OL, or the teeth may come back out.

Boy, talk about consequences. One idle half-joking suggestion years ago nearly gets you eaten. That would have been an anti-climactic ending to his adventure. ...Kind of reminds me of early Sierra adventures, really. Still, let's hope she doesn't hold any perceived insult against OL now. There's an elf maiden to be rescued and a portal to be opened! ...And now this sounds even more like a D&D quest.

---

...but I have never had cause to have dealings with an elf."

...the hole in his chest over where his heart should be.

...as we reach the end of the thoroughfare ...

 

Was he trying to make a cat joke? I can’t find an obvious one in either of the relevant chapters.

 

I get Sekmet is a god but Paul is the avatar of a Universal embodiment who is partly manifesting being backed up by a Kryptonian who's the Avatar of a Titan.
She should be weary of picking a fight here.

 

He doesn't have access to the Ophidian's full power, and gods have tried humbling Paul before, so it's not surprising that Bast would want to punish Paul for a perceived slight.

 

Sure. But the portion he does have plus the Kryptonian channeling Straight Titan power should make her a bit weary.

 

Well, I guess Adom wasn't aware of how insulted Sekhmet felt by the Illustres' comment.

On the Olympian side, I'm hoping Athena and Heph reconnect and get together. Their son is out of Erebos after all, probably on his way to apotheosis as well, there is probably a new god of war that will get established, a wiser one than Ares; so Athena may expand on new responsabilities and who is better to support Heph among the Olympians?

 

Thank you, corrected.

She isn't one of his patrons, so he only heard about her response indirectly.

 

They're also in her place of power, which should give her the homefield advantage.

 

Because LePaul's not an avatar.

At most he's a favored acquisition, and well, that's getting less the more Orange Lanterns there get to be.

Also given how often the Entities are stuck in lanterns, you're likely over estimating their metaphysical weight a good bit.

 

Nah, I doubt that would tire her out. She's probably fairly well rested, besides.