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

Darko · Sunday at 8:28 PM

Vaermina said:
There was no conquering, Artemis just made him think he was Paul with arrows.

So Renegad's ally and subordinate defeated one of his enemies in his name and for his benefit?

That's basically conquest.

Vaermina · Sunday at 10:07 PM

Darko said:
So Renegad's ally and subordinate defeated one of his enemies in his name and for his benefit?

That's basically conquest.

Which doesn't really matter given Paul had already been destroyed at that point.

Darko · Sunday at 11:06 PM

Vaermina said:
Which doesn't really matter given Paul had already been destroyed at that point.

Except for the fact that he was still in Grayven and Artemis managed to pull him out until he took over.

Zig · Sunday at 11:07 PM

Vaermina said:
Which doesn't really matter given Paul had already been destroyed at that point.

Paul was destroyed the same way the Ophidian was destroyed when Paragon merged with her. You keep harping on this but it's just not how it works and demonstrably not what happened in the story. They merged. Had Artemis not done what she did it's entirely possible that original Grayven would have won out and yes, consumed Renegade, but she tore apart his soul in a way specifically designed to help Renegade which allowed him to take over the body.

And this is reminding how much I liked their interactions and miss them. Hope she shows up again soon

Someguy Somewhere · Sunday at 11:56 PM

Victory via a valued ally is still victory, even in the face of a personal defeat. Renegade won vs Local Gravyen, even if it was Via Artemis. Friendship IS Magic after all.

Mr Zoat · 2026-02-23T08:46:28+0000

20th August 2013
11:08 GMT -7

"Sinestro?"

"I can't detect them, Lantern Grayven."

"Why not? Neither of them use stealth equipment."

"I don't know. My first guess would be some manner of device which disrupts power ring scans over a wide area, but few civilisations have ever developed such a technology and none of them would have a reason to leave it on a barren world like this."

"You don't think this is a qwardian testing planet, do you? Apokolips has a few places we leave fallow to train parademons on."

"I can detect qwa matter. It's fairly distinctive. And while I can't promise you that I can detect every form of matter/anti-matter transition technology they could invent, I can't detect any sign of the known ones. Besides, the qwardians are not a subtle people."

I nod. "A giant snake isn't very subtle." But he's right. And copying an alien's work? I'm not sure there's enough money in the universe for even a mercantilist like Varnathon to accept that. "And where did it go?"

"Are we certain that it wasn't a multi-sensory illusion of some kind?"

I hold out my right hand. Come

The remains of my daiklave fly into my hand, grip delivering itself into my palm and what's left of the blade jutting out sadly from the guard.

"Something broke this off. Something tougher than my armour."

"Do you believe that it was a Provider created with New God technology?

"No, because that's nonsense. Tron lines are part of how our machines channel our divine power. There are plenty of engineered monsters on Apokolips, but they don't look like that. Even our independent robots don't have them."

"So we're back to an illusion. Or a projection with a physical component.

"Alright, but I hit something."

"Programmable matter?"

"All programmable matter systems I know about have limits. And not trying to sniff my own farts here, but I'm pretty strong. Tanking the daiklave and vanishing when I used the Sword of the Fallen? No system I know could do that."

"Which leaves magic."

"A known issue with a thaumically active world, not one that should be a problem with one that's uninhabited."

"Why assume that we would be able to detect the magician better than we could the Provider?"

"Because that's not how conjuring works. Summoning something that powerful would require it to already exist in the thaumosphere, and then a ritual to bring it forth. We all recognised it as a Provider, and I can tell that the thaumosphere is blank. A really powerful and skilful magician might have been able to pull something right out of the Dream, but the chance of a Dream manifestation being that powerful and looking exactly like a Provider is… Basically zero. Morpheus himself couldn't do that."

"Are you certain that we're on the planet?"

"Are you asking me if I'm dreaming?"

"Or if we could have physically entered the Dream."

"Theoretically possible, except that I've been resonating with other New Gods, and Luna isn't here. Resonances can occur when one party is asleep, but since they can't consciously respond it feels very different. And Luna can enter my dreams whether she's asleep or awake."

"As I recall it, she still has yet to pay you back for that 'disappearing star' trick."

Um.

He's right, unless you count-.

"No, I'm pretty sure that whole retirement village thing was supposed to be a prank. I think I was a reasonable sport about playing along, but I don't… I don't think she'd use a cannibal snake for something like that."

"What, then?"

"I don't know." I start walking in the direction of the impact crater. "I do know that we're lucky that Iname speaks good English."

"And that I do."

I frown. "Translation is down for you, too?"

"Relk tan chall dan."

"Sorry, I never learned Korugari."

"That's not what the language is called."

"See?"

Okay, Iname should be at the impact site now. She'll do a visual assessment at high speed, find… Probably nothing, and then move in for a closer look. There shouldn't be much there; an impact that size doesn't leave a crater so much as mountains, but if there is then she's got sensor goggles and her own New God abilities. Magic users generally struggle with the combination of speed and exotic resistance.

I'm more worried about Persuader.

She's tough and armoured, but that's it. For a magician who can conjure monsters, she's an easy target.

I look at the broken remains of my most recent daiklave again. And then I toss it away.

Okay, the atomic axe should survive better, but…

"Luna?! If this is a prank, you have outdone yourself! Well done! I am genuinely worried!"

"I don't think that's likely."

"Me neither."

"I can understand not flying if you fear that the flight aura of your rings and your aero-discs might stop working, but why are you walking at a normal pace?"

"So I don't miss anything. And so that Persuader can catch up."

"Given the way she vanished, I suspect that whatever mind directed that magic manifestation is more likely to blame than her getting lost on a flat piece of rock a few metres from your position."

"I agree. Still, even if she was dragged into some sort of pocket universe, she should be able to cut her way out with the atomic axe. But…"

Yeah, if she didn't do that right away, then she's probably not going to.

I shrug, lean forwards and start to r-.

The clouds above me part, stars beyond them seem to wheel, a shape manifesting from the night sky.

It's-.

"Luna?" I stare up at her, dumbstruck. "It actually was you? Damn, I'm-."

The blast from her horn hits me in the chest, smashing me to the ground!

"Die, butcher!"

Vaermina · 2026-02-23T09:00:42+0000

Mr Zoat said:
The clouds above me part, stars beyond them seem to wheel, a shape manifesting from the night sky.

It's-.

"Luna?" I stare up at her, dumbstruck. "It actually was you? Damn, I'm-."

The blast from her horn hits me in the chest, smashing me to the ground!

"Die, butcher!"

Ah, so one of those places that pulls things out of your head.

Neruz · 2026-02-23T09:02:29+0000

Vaermina said:
Ah, so one of those places that pulls things out of your head.

Its Planet Silent Hill!

Duke Long · 2026-02-23T09:10:40+0000

Mr Zoat said:
"Given the way she vanished, I suspect that whatever mind directed that magic manifestation is more likely to blame that her getting lost on a flat piece of rock a few metres from your position."

'than'

I enjoyed them thinking through what could possibly be happening. Good chapter.

Ngamer11 · 2026-02-23T09:11:55+0000

Mr Zoat said:
The blast from her horn hits me in the chest, smashing me to the ground!

"Die, butcher!"

Is someone attacking the Renegade for Grayven's actions?

Chojin Patriarch · 2026-02-23T09:14:21+0000

Mr Zoat said:
20th August 2013
11:08 GMT -7

"Sinestro?"

"I can't detect them, Lantern Grayven."

"Why not? Neither of them use stealth equipment."

Not ruling out the 'illusion strong enough to fool Power Rings' theory just yet. But it would have to be a very powerful illusion indeed. It's got to be something different... Something the Renegade hasn't encountered before...

"I don't know. My first guess would be some manner of device which disrupts power ring scans over a wide area, but few civilisations have ever developed such a technology and none of them would have a reason to leave it on a barren world like this."

"You don't think this is a qwardian testing planet, do you? Apokolips has a few places we leave fallow to train parademons on."

That could account for the environmental damage, and the new thaumosphere, but there's be traces of such a source.

"I can detect qwa matter. It's fairly distinctive. And while I can't promise you that I can detect every form of matter/anti-matter transition technology they could invent, I can't detect any sign of the known ones. Besides, the qwardians are not a subtle people."

I nod. "A giant snake isn't very subtle." But he's right. And copying an alien's work? I'm not sure there's enough money in the universe for even a mercantilist like Varnathon to accept that. "And where did it go?"

...Huh, I guess my mental image of the Provider was off. More Mawloc than Haruspex, then.

"Are we certain that it wasn't a multi-sensory illusion of some kind?"

I hold out my right hand. Come

The remains of my daiklave fly into my hand, grip delivering itself into my palm and what's left of the blade jutting out sadly from the guard.

Right, sword's still broke, despite it being cast aside. An illusion might have missed that continuity.

"Something broke this off. Something tougher than my armour."

"Do you believe that it was a Provider created with New God technology?

The question would be why? Why make something like that?

"No, because that's nonsense. Tron lines are part of how our machines channel our divine power. There are plenty of engineered monsters on Apokolips, but they don't look like that. Even our independent robots don't have them."

"So we're back to an illusion. Or a projection with a physical component.

Force-field projections? They'd have to be immensely powerful to resist the Renegade at full force. At which point it'd be easier to simply crush him between two flat planes instead.

"Alright, but I hit something."

"Programmable matter?"

There'd be some trace of it after he stabbed it, surely?

"All programmable matter systems I know about have limits. And not trying to sniff my own farts here, but I'm pretty strong. Tanking the daiklave and vanishing when I used the Sword of the Fallen? No system I know could do that."

"Which leaves magic."

Ah, but there's the rub. The Renegade specialised in magic, unlike OL's focus on tech and Orange Light shamanism. So he'd feel the difference, surely.

"A known issue with a thaumically active world, not one that should be a problem with one that's uninhabited."

"Why assume that we would be able to detect the magician better than we could the Provider?"

New God senses, of course. By their nature, New Gods are magical.

"Because that's not how conjuring works. Summoning something that powerful would require it to already exist in the thaumosphere, and then a ritual to bring it forth. We all recognised it as a Provider, and I can tell that the thaumosphere is blank. A really powerful and skilful magician might have been able to pull something right out of the Dream, but the chance of a Dream manifestation being that powerful and looking exactly like a Provider is… Basically zero. Morpheus himself couldn't do that."

Though invoking his name might get his attention now. And I suspect he'd be very curious about this place too.

"Are you certain that we're on the planet?"

"Are you asking me if I'm dreaming?"

"Or if we could have physically entered the Dream."

Not an impossible theory. There are places on Earth where that can happen, in the comics.

"Theoretically possible, except that I've been resonating with other New Gods, and Luna isn't here. Resonances can occur when one party is asleep, but since they can't consciously respond it feels very different. And Luna can enter my dreams whether she's asleep or awake."

Even this far away? You're a long way from Wilson, after all.

"As I recall it, she still has yet to pay you back for that 'disappearing star' trick."

Um.

He's right, unless you count-.

I wish I could remember what that was, but I get the feeling her response would be far more clever than this.

"No, I'm pretty sure that whole retirement village thing was supposed to be a prank. I think I was a reasonable sport about playing along, but I don't… I don't think she'd use a cannibal snake for something like that."

"What, then?"

Not really cannibalism if you're not also snakes. More predation of a very organised form...

"I don't know." I start walking in the direction of the impact crater. "I do know that we're lucky that Iname speaks good English."

"And that I do."

How's the orange Ring doing, then? Or has the Renegade chosen to give up using that as much these days?

I frown. "Translation is down for you, too?"

"Relk tan chall dan."

I don't know what he just said, but I'm fairly sure it was something rude.

"Sorry, I never learned Korugari."

"That's not what the language is called."

"See?"

It's a pity Ringnestro can't produce constructs by himself, or he'd be making so many rolling eye emotes...

Okay, Iname should be at the impact site now. She'll do a visual assessment at high speed, find… Probably nothing, and then move in for a closer look. There shouldn't be much there; an impact that size doesn't leave a crater so much as mountains, but if there is then she's got sensor goggles and her own New God abilities. Magic users generally struggle with the combination of speed and exotic resistance.

And if she can track the caster down, if there is one, they're going to be disabled or dead before they even know she's spotted them...

I'm more worried about Persuader.

She's tough and armoured, but that's it. For a magician who can conjure monsters, she's an easy target.

Especially if said monsters are resistant to her axe. Which given their reaction to his daiklave...

I look at the broken remains of my most recent daiklave again. And then I toss it away.

Okay, the atomic axe should survive better, but…

That's a big if. Better hope you can sort this out quickly, Renegade.

"Luna?! If this is a prank, you have outdone yourself! Well done! I am genuinely worried!"

"I don't think that's likely."

But just in case, do offer her your compliments.

"Me neither."

"I can understand not flying if you fear that the flight aura of your rings and your aero-discs might stop working, but why are you walking at a normal pace?"

Do you really want to be hulk-leaping about when something might appear with open mouth right where you're about to land?

"So I don't miss anything. And so that Persuader can catch up."

"Given the way she vanished, I suspect that whatever mind directed that magic manifestation is more likely to blame than her getting lost on a flat piece of rock a few metres from your position."

There is that, true. I'm sure she wouldn't have been KO'd for that long.

"I agree. Still, even if she was dragged into some sort of pocket universe, she should be able to cut her way out with the atomic axe. But…"

Yeah, if she didn't do that right away, then she's probably not going to.

Unless whatever separated you also creates explosive backfires when she tries that again.

I shrug, lean forwards and start to r-.

The clouds above me part, stars beyond them seem to wheel, a shape manifesting from the night sky.

That seems concerning.

It's-.

"Luna?" I stare up at her, dumbstruck. "It actually was you? Damn, I'm-."

I'm mashing (X) to Doubt right now. We've seen this place create one thing out of nowhere...

The blast from her horn hits me in the chest, smashing me to the ground!

"Die, butcher!"

Definitely not the Luna he knows, unless he's deeply afraid of some random fit of outrage and this is a manifestation of it.

Is it me, or is there a common thread forming here? Both manifestations came down out of the sky or the clouds. And it's still raining, too, isn't it? Could there be something about the water of this planet, whether it be in the oceans or the air? ...Or I could just be imaging a connection. At any rate, I expect the Renegade will find out one way or the other what's going on around here eventually...

Mr Zoat · 2026-02-23T09:40:18+0000

Duke Long said:
'than'

Thank you, corrected.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Not really cannibalism if you're not also snakes. More predation of a very organised form...

No, they enable cannibalism by feeding on members of a species and then being fed to members of that species in turn.

I don't know what he just said, but I'm fairly sure it was something rude.

Please. Sinestro is entirely too professional to do something like that.

WereDragon · 2026-02-23T10:46:41+0000

Mr Zoat said:
Please. Sinestro is entirely too professional to do something like that.

So snide and or sarcastic, but politely.

hkim · 2026-02-23T17:43:59+0000

Mr Zoat said:
"Die, butcher!"

Nein, die Butcher ist ze Red Ring, das ist ze Orange Ring.

Vaermina · 2026-02-24T03:41:58+0000

Chojin Patriarch said:
Not ruling out the 'illusion strong enough to fool Power Rings' theory just yet. But it would have to be a very powerful illusion indeed. It's got to be something different... Something the Renegade hasn't encountered before...

You wouldn't use an Illusion to fool a power ring.

You would use an illusion to fool the wearer of a power ring, after all, if he can't hear the real Sinestro AI it doesn't matter the ring says.

CrazyNoVa · 2026-02-24T06:36:03+0000

Vaermina said:
You wouldn't use an Illusion to fool a power ring.

You would use an illusion to fool the wearer of a power ring, after all, if he can't hear the real Sinestro AI it doesn't matter the ring says.

Good point. If there's an illusionist powerful enough to enthrall Grayven, then it's a sure bet that they would be powerful enough to make Grayven see and hear things that aren't really there, and impersonating the Sinestro AI would be child's play for them.

*Insert Genjutsu or Kyoka Suigetsu joke here, depending on your preferences.*

Mr Zoat · 2026-02-24T09:08:17+0000

20th August 2013
11:12 GMT -7

Roll to the left, shove myself onto my feet as her follow up hits the rock to my right-

"Lu-"

Construct shield to block her next shot-

"-na-?"

-which is destroyed, but does its job as she circles in the air above me. Except she doesn't. Because it's not Thursday yet, so-.

"Thou who hast burned worlds and fed upon the flesh of the innocent!"

I glance down at my crotch. Not the time!

"Die!"

Her horn glows as meteorites fall from the sky behind her, aimed right at me. Now, Luna doesn't like using this spell because getting them back into the right place in the sky is apparently a pain in the neck, and it's also not very oof!

Okay! More accurate! I grab the rock and smash it into the ground, fracturing it and ending her spell's hold on it. I then take a solid stance, not even trying to dodge the next two and instead punching them as the fly in! Two clouds of rubble and jump!

Luna flies underneath me, spear locked in place.

Except she doesn't. Because my relationship with Luna has us bound together by my god-name. I'd feel it if she was actually here, especially if she was angry enough to actually attack me. And our relationship is such that even if she found some part of my history that made her this angry, she's be at least a little conflicted about it.

Someone's using Luna's image to distract me. Perhaps even believe that she's trying to kill me. Or to believe in my final moments that I'd been killed by the woman I love.

Alright, no negotiation. Whoever's doing this is going to die. Magistrate's Rightful Sentence

I land and stare at her as she flaps to gain height. "Alright, whoever you are. What's this about?"

"How many hast thou slain, monster!"

"I don't know! Lots, probably!"

Source, who was the first person I killed? I assimilated Crock, so not him. Sinestro?

The first person you killed with me was a Thanagarian military engineer, but I rather assumed that you started before that.

Well, Klarion was earlier that day, but he reincarnated immediately so I don't think that counts. Queen Bee? But that was a total accident.

"Can you narrow it down?!"

"Entire worlds fed into the gullets of serpents-"

"That was a Citizenry!"

"-while they fought under your banner, and at your direction!"

"That was the other Grayven!"

"We see though your lies, vile worm! We follow your path backwards through time, past your duel with your doppelgänger! We see that you are the guilty one, though his sins are hardly the lesser!"

Ah… Had… Sort of wondered about that. I know Artemis did something that resulted in my personality becoming… Me, not… Him. But if I'm just a him who thinks he's a me… And if it was the Elements of Harmony or something… Would that wear off at some point? Or if I got exposed to the Anti-Life again?

Uuh.

I-.

Spear!

Uou-ugh-!

Luna glares at me from an inch away, eyes glowing white. "Thou art not so tough this time, knave. Hast thine magicks abandoned thee?"

"Hth thtt uthh-."

Lung pierced, great. Luna actually does pose like this, and she enjoys it so much that I haven't beaten the habit out of her like I.. probably should. But since who or whatever this really is insists on copying her behaviour as well as her abilities-

The light stops shining from her eyes as she shudders in shock, looking down at her own chest and the Sword of the Fallen embedded in it.

"Hth hagh?"

May I?

Go ahead.

"Fraudulent horse-woman, Lantern Grayven wishes to inform you that even if you are correct, he intends to live as himself for as long as possible. You, however, are dying today."

And… She's gone. One moment there, the next, a mere suggestion of Luna-shaped vapour, and then not even that.

Ow.

Her spear went with her, but apparently the wound is real. As…

I look around.

As are the craters left by the meteors. Though the meteors themselves weren't real.

"Hk-ha-."

My wound hasn't healed yet. It… Should have done. Luna's actual spear has spells to defy magical healing and resiliencies, but that was some sort of copy and in any case it doesn't still exist. My armour didn't appear to do anything, but… That part makes sense. Point is, with the spear gone I should be healing just fine.

Sinestro?

I would advise against using either of your rings for healing. Not if their functionality is impaired.

Uuuuyyyuuuuugh.

I gently press the exterior of my injury at the front. It hurts, but that's hardly crippling. Not bleeding all that much. And around the back-? Yep, there's the exit hole. Alright, reduced lung capacity…

I take my purple healing ray off my harness and fire it at the wound. The light it emits is… Pretty anaemic, but the pain lessens slightly.

I have even less idea what's going on now. It's not just New God abilities, this thing is a generic arcane device. But the Sword of the Fallen still works… For now.

I look up as the clouds roll back in and consider throwing it into orbit, because losing this is a bigger deal than getting one planet to colonise. This is currently my best weapon against Darkseid, and if this place does something to it…

Heck, if what it's done to me is permanent-.

No, I have to assume that this is a purely local thing. That it can be overcome. And since I can die, I need to keep it with me to prevent that from happening.

And I think I need to go faster.

Chojin Patriarch · 2026-02-24T09:39:48+0000

Mr Zoat said:
20th August 2013
11:12 GMT -7

Roll to the left, shove myself onto my feet as her follow up hits the rock to my right-

"Lu-"

Well, illusion or projection or whatever, her attacks are definitely nothing to sneeze at. Best to not get hit, Renegade. Though i suspect that's easier said than done, since if it is an illusion of some kind, it can probably cheat by ignoring the laws of physics.

Construct shield to block her next shot-

"-na-?"

-which is destroyed, but does its job as she circles in the air above me. Except she doesn't. Because it's not Thursday yet, so-.

I shudder to imagine what they get up to on Thursdays, but let's go with... Physical training?

"Thou who hast burned worlds and fed upon the flesh of the innocent!"

I glance down at my crotch. Not the time!

Ah, autonomic reactions to stimuli. Good to see part of him is somewhat human.

"Die!"

Her horn glows as meteorites fall from the sky behind her, aimed right at me. Now, Luna doesn't like using this spell because getting them back into the right place in the sky is apparently a pain in the neck, and it's also not very oof!

I would hope the meteorites are either regenerating or at least very durable, otherwise she'd have to gather local stone to repair them too...

Okay! More accurate! I grab the rock and smash it into the ground, fracturing it and ending her spell's hold on it. I then take a solid stance, not even trying to dodge the next two and instead punching them as they fly in! Two clouds of rubble and jump!

Luna flies underneath me, spear locked in place.

Not that durable, then. At least they don't explode on impact.

Except she doesn't. Because my relationship with Luna has us bound together by my god-name. I'd feel it if she was actually here, especially if she was angry enough to actually attack me. And our relationship is such that even if she found some part of my history that made her this angry, she's be at least a little conflicted about it.

And more likely to approach you personally to discuss it, rather than leaping to impalement.

Someone's using Luna's image to distract me. Perhaps even believe that she's trying to kill me. Or to believe in my final moments that I'd been killed by the woman I love.

Alright, no negotiation. Whoever's doing this is going to die. Magistrate's Rightful Sentence

Assuming he'll be able to kill them outright. Could need a swipe with the Sword of the Fallen first.

I land and stare at her as she flaps to gain height. "Alright, whoever you are. What's this about?"

"How many hast thou slain, monster!"

What, today? Or overall? And are you asking him to count his kills or the other Grayven's? Would their army's kills count?

"I don't know! Lots, probably!"

Source, who was the first person I killed? I assimilated Crock, so not him. Sinestro?

...Possibly Teekl? I mean, I doubt anyone's kept track for that long.

The first person you killed with me was a Thanagarian military engineer, but I rather assumed that you started before that.

Well, Klarion was earlier that day, but he reincarnated immediately so I don't think that counts. Queen Bee? But that was a total accident.

And also not by your hand. Her mistake for trying to mind-control someone who had a strong dislike of mind-control.

"Can you narrow it down?!"

"Entire worlds fed into the gullets of serpents-"

"That was the Citizenry!"

And not really his fault anyway. that was a pre-existing behaviour.

"-while they fought under your banner, and at your direction!"

"That was the other Grayven!"

"We see though your lies, vile worm! We follow your path backwards through time, past your duel with your doppelgänger! We see that you are the guilty one, though his sins are hardly the lesser!"

Oh, man, this is going to get meta about the discussion of is he the SI or just Grayven who thinks he's the SI, or something of both..

Ah… Had… Sort of wondered about that. I know Artemis did something that resulted in my personality becoming… Me, not… Him. But if I'm just a him who thinks he's a me… And if it was the Elements of Harmony or something… Would that wear off at some point? Or if I got exposed to the Anti-Life again?

Though given that they'd somehow merged into one anyway, as far as I understood it, it's really just a matter of perspective.

Uuh.

I-.

Let's not think about it in the middle of a fight, yeah?

Spear!

Uou-ugh-!

See? That's what getting distracted gets you.

Luna glares at me from an inch away, eyes glowing white. "Thou art not so tough this time, knave. Hast thine magicks abandoned thee?"

"Hth thtt uthh-."

At least she's not speaking in full Royal Canterlot Voice. I doubt being deafened at close range would help his comprehension.

Lung pierced, great. Luna actually does pose like this, and she enjoys it so much that I haven't beaten the habit out of her like I.. probably should. But since who or whatever this really is insists on copying her behaviour as well as her abilities-

The light stops shining from her eyes as she shudders in shock, looking down at her own chest and the Sword of the Fallen embedded in it.

Rule... Something or other: Don't waste time posing while your enemy is still alive.

"Hth hagh?"

May I?

Ah, Ringnestro. Helpful as ever.

Go ahead.

"Fraudulent horse-woman, Lantern Grayven wishes to inform you that even if you are correct, he intends to live as himself for as long as possible. You, however, are dying today."

I hope he put a really good sneer into that last bit. It just isn't the same if he can't do the lip-curl and moustache twirl...

And… She's gone. One moment there, the next, a mere suggestion of Luna-shaped vapour, and then not even that.

Ow.

At least the Sword is consistent at however it's removing these illusions.

Her spear went with her, but apparently the wound is real. As…

I look around.

Now that's just annoying, though. Enough physical presence to allow him to suffer harm, but not enough to survive the Sword's anti-magical effect? So if he keeps getting hit, he will eventually succumb.

As are the craters left by the meteors. Though the meteors themselves weren't real.

"Hk-ha-."

You're right, that really isn't fair, is it?

My wound hasn't healed yet. It… Should have done. Luna's actual spear has spells to defy magical healing and resiliencies, but that was some sort of copy and in any case it doesn't still exist. My armour didn't appear to do anything, but… That part makes sense. Point is, with the spear gone I should be healing just fine.

Whatever's behind this really stacking the deck against him.

Sinestro?

I would advise against using either of your rings for healing. Not if their functionality is impaired.

Annoying, but sensible. Especially when the Orange Ring is probably the better healer of the two.

Uuuuyyyuuuuugh.

I gently press the exterior of my injury at the front. It hurts, but that's hardly crippling. Not bleeding all that much. And around the back-? Yep, there's the exit hole. Alright, reduced lung capacity…

Clean through-and-through, at least. Nothing left in the wound to make it more annoying.

I take my purple healing ray off my harness and fire it at the wound. The light it emits is… Pretty anaemic, but the pain lessens slightly.

I have even less idea what's going on now. It's not just New God abilities, this thing is a generic arcane device. But the Sword of the Fallen still works… For now.

Side-effect of the weaker thaumosphere, or is all magical energy around him being dampened somehow? Or perhaps its an aggressive anti-healing effect focused on him.

I look up as the clouds roll back in and consider throwing it into orbit, because losing this is a bigger deal than getting one planet to colonise. This is currently my best weapon against Darkseid, and if this place does something to it…

Heck, if what it's done to me is permanent-.

I suppose even He would succumb to the Purple Death ray given a well-timed blast. Ideally after being stabbed by the Sword of the Fallen to delete the Omega Effect.

No, I have to assume that this is a purely local thing. That it can be overcome. And since I can die, I need to keep it with me to prevent that from happening.

And I think I need to go faster.

So either springing or sprinting. Drawbacks either way, but needs must.

Let's hope the impact crater is the center of all this, or he's going to spend an annoying amount of time traversing to it only to find out it's not. And slowly being chipped apart as he goes, since the source of this seems to be targetting him personally. We can but hope that the ladies aren't suffering as badly as he is.

boo600 · 2026-02-24T09:59:11+0000

Chojin Patriarch said:
I suppose even He would succumb to the Purple Death ray given a well-timed blast. Ideally after being stabbed by the Sword of the Fallen to delete the Omega Effect.

I believe that Grayven is talking about the Sword of the Fallen itself; it's still working, but he's concerned it might be permanently damaged by whatever anti-arcane effect is in play. So he considered throwing it out of the atmosphere - which he apparently has the power to do? - until he's learned what's going on. But it's a bad idea on multiple accounts, and he's keeping it in reserve for now. (I'm more worried about a Sudden Convenient Spaceship showing up and stealing it, odds be damned, while Grayven is worried he might need it to survive the current crisis).

Duke Long · 2026-02-24T10:01:54+0000

Mr Zoat said:
Except she doesn't. Because my relationship with Luna has us bound together by my god-name. I'd feel it if she was actually here, especially if she was angry enough to actually attack me. And our relationship is such that even if she found some part of my history that made her this angry, she's be at least a little conflicted about it.

'she'd'

Mr Zoat said:
"That was a Citizenry!"

'the'?

Mr Zoat said:
"We see though your lies, vile worm! We follow your path backwards through time, past your duel with your doppelgänger! We see that you are the guilty one, though his sins are hardly the lesser!"

'through'

A bit awkward that he swears to kill this person and immediately afterwards it's revealed to be a misunderstanding, and they seem to have at least some sense of morality. But if they can't be convinced then there's nothing for it, of course. Just a tad tragic.

Most likely Iname and Persuader are also being attacked for killing heaps of people in Grayven's service.

I think you also missed these corrections from a couple of days ago:

Mr Zoat said:
"There are a gladiatorial arenas you could go to. I think Okaara has some. Rashashoon does as well-."

Extraneous 'a'

Mr Zoat said:
The head comes in and I leap, sword ready. It tilts its head upwards again, but if I've judge the angles right-.

'judged'

boo600 said:
which he apparently has the power to do?

He has genuine superstrength, I think he's somewhat comparable to a kryptonian in strength. Though that's me guessing.

boo600 · 2026-02-24T10:11:39+0000

Duke Long said:
He has genuine superstrength, I think he's somewhat comparable to a kryptonian in strength. Though that's me guessing.

I guess he fought Kara a bit when setting up Stormwatch... ugh. I keep mentally gauging him as 'blockbuster plus' since he has Blockbuster superstrength with the flaws taken care of by his godhood, but that means that superstrength is the power his godhood boosted.

...I just didn't think he was that strong, even having joined with True Grayven, a proper New God of Conquest with a huge territory. Actually breaking escape velocity... why isn't he hulk jumping? Even if his rings aren't reliable, he should be able to manage a platform to kick off of if he needs to change direction, and he should be immune to fall damage if everything goes wrong.

WereDragon · 2026-02-24T10:17:38+0000

Mr Zoat said:
Ah… Had… Sort of wondered about that. I know Artemis did something that resulted in my personality becoming… Me, not… Him.

Always very strange when characters treat the word of people actively trying to hurt them as somehow reliable.

Darko · 2026-02-24T13:11:28+0000

Mr Zoat said:
Thou who hast burned worlds and fed upon the flesh of the innocent!"

I glance down at my crotch. Not the time

Guessing you two role-played this in bed.

Mr Zoat said:
punching them as the fly in! Two

"they fly in"

Steelplaza · 2026-02-24T13:28:16+0000

boo600 said:
Actually breaking escape velocity... why isn't he hulk jumping?

Before the attacks started, he wasn't doing it because he wanted to avoid attention. After the snake attacks them and Iname and Persuader disappear, he's taking a moment to think things through and try to puzzle out what's going on.

Mr Zoat said:
I shrug, lean forwards and start to r-.

Here near the end of Part 8, he's finished considering matters and is just about to accelerate and start the hulk jumps, but that's when fake-Luna attacks.

Zig · 2026-02-24T14:49:31+0000

boo600 said:
I guess he fought Kara a bit when setting up Stormwatch... ugh. I keep mentally gauging him as 'blockbuster plus' since he has Blockbuster superstrength with the flaws taken care of by his godhood, but that means that superstrength is the power his godhood boosted.

...I just didn't think he was that strong, even having joined with True Grayven, a proper New God of Conquest with a huge territory. Actually breaking escape velocity... why isn't he hulk jumping? Even if his rings aren't reliable, he should be able to manage a platform to kick off of if he needs to change direction, and he should be immune to fall damage if everything goes wrong.

In general, because he can fly. Right now, he already told Sinestro: because he wants Persuader to be able to catch up.

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

Connoisseur.

Well worn.

Connoisseur.

Not too sore, are you?

The Critical Fumbler

Dedicated ragequitter

Well worn.

HISSSSSS!

Glomerulus

Experienced.

Veteran Lurker

Dedicated ragequitter

Bookwyrm

Know what you're doing yet?

Well worn.

I trust you know where the happy button is?

Dedicated ragequitter

Veteran Lurker

Welp

Glomerulus

Welp

Bookwyrm

Connoisseur.

Custom Title

Not too sore, are you?

Users who are viewing this thread