Chojin Patriarch
Veteran Lurker
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Good to know it wasn't abandoned, like so many advanced devices are after their debut. I see Doctor Mist has been busy in the meantime, if he's got this set up. Haste may not be the best option, though. Don't want to go off half-cocked.16th September 2012
19:21 GMT
"…access their world."
So this is where the machine the Sivanas built to send us to Witch World ended up.
So, the Doc was able to separate Nabu from Mike without harm, then. No doubt he and his family are safely off somewhere where they can grieve in peace, and hopefully get a little therapy...Dr. Balewa gestures to the inscriptions drawn onto a portion of the device controlling the start and end points. Further runes link the table Nabu's skull-helmet sits on to the wall array. Looks like… Steering and anchoring.
Not sure how I'll feel if it turns out that Dr. Balewa only needed an hour or so to bypass the whole 'need a host to use magic' restriction.
As far as they know. I expect having it turn out to be a different world entirely would just complicate the narrative...Overman is taking a closer look at the helmet.
"This came from their world?"
OL, you know how bad it sounds when you just say it like that?"Yes. That's one of the functions of the orange light; I can turn people into constructs. Then they become my slaves."
He looks understandably concerned. "Slaves-?"
Doctor Mist has my sympathy, then, for having to put up with it. At least now, you can just dump Nabu in a closet, or maybe donate him to the Corps for some much-needed mystical support."Do not be so confident. I have overcome domination spells before."
"I only use it in cases where the target is irredeemable and there's an operational reason to keep them around. In this case, we need access to his Earth and… You don't have to talk to him for long to realise that he's a lost cause."
Ah, but that's the rub, isn't it? OL isn't part of the League, is he? Or is this about his perceived youth? Someone his age shouldn't be so casual about killing people?"I had assumed that you would not use such methods."
Superman gives me a mildly disappointed look.
"We don't. The Justice League don't."
As long as it doesn't end with Supes going on a murder spree or something on his worst foes... That way leads to injustice..."But sometimes it's really convenient if someone who isn't a member does something and shares what they learned. Superman, I would honestly be happy to debate the efficacy of lethal force with you-. Oh."
I frown.
Gee, if only you'd though of that back before you pissed off Heaven."Something wrong?"
"If the angels hadn't destroyed the Sword of the Fallen I might have been able to use it to turn him back. One of… Larfleeze's Construct-Lanterns is a Guardian. Even if he ended up back as… They used to be before bonding with their symbiotes, it would still have been a big help for the Green Lantern Corps." I shrug. "Missed opportunity. Sorry. Carry on."
Here we go. Finally some backstory on Earth-Hell..."I would have bound him in ways just as unpleasant and far less reliable. With evil spirits, a magician's options are limited."
Superman looks at Nabu. "What happened to you?"
Wow, when Nabu goes emo, he goes emo hard. I suppose the loftier the height, the further the fall..."I realised how worthless everything I'd ever done and every belief I'd ever had was."
"And so you decided to lash out at everyone around you?"
And Karl is probably thinking "Oh. Another evil Superman. I wonder what made this one mad?""You were most persuasive."
Superman blinks, then I see his eyes flick towards Overman for an instant.
Oi, quit the backtalk, you obnoxious bucket. You seem to have forgotten, you aren't in charge of anything anymore..."What happened?"
"No. You'll need me to pass undetected through their wards. I want to see your face when you-."
Not impossible. Sometimes, all it takes is the wrong set of foster parents..."You're not a free agent, Nabu. Tell him what he wants to know."
"You did."
Superman nods. "I thought that was what you meant. Was I-. Was there something wrong with me from the start?"
Or what's left of it. I can't imagine how many have died..."No. You were a virtuous hero. Until you weren't. Or perhaps you were feigning virtue all along. That seems more likely. I certainly wouldn't have tolerated Lois Lane for as long as you did. How many times can a woman fall from a building before if becomes obvious that the problem is her? I wasn't there to witness the change myself, and by the time I returned to the material universe it seemed unimportant."
"So Demon Superman rules over the Earth."
And that is what makes him a good man."If you can call it ruling. He mostly just sits there and listens to the misery of the surviving population. I imagine that his super hearing allows him to hear all of it. I wonder how it will make you feel."
"Sick to my stomach, probably. But I'll sleep better at night knowing that I did something then knowing that I did nothing."
Something sounding familiar, Karl? Or just age and wisdom telling you to learn a little more before haring off to punch faces righteously?"I doubt that. But far be it for me to stop you."
Overman looks thoughtful.
More accurate than he realises. What with the culprit of all this being a Kryptonian Demon..."What is your Superman trying to achieve?"
"Little to nothing. Whatever the netherfiends whispering in his head tell him. I have no particular insight."
Not too bad. As long as they remember to use the glowing brand thing.."And the other heroes?"
"They are his creatures now, ruined in mind and soul. Monstrous beasts without the intellect he himself maintains."
...They can avoid trouble for the most part."And the mark thing?"
"Ritual humiliation. He breaks their will as he breaks their world."
Every being has that potential, Nabu. Even you, which you may not have noticed during your little pity party."That doesn't sound like me. If anything, it sounds like Darkseid."
"Darkseid is hardly the only great evil in the universe. In time, you will be just as bad."
Over twice Superman-16's age. Of course, for a Kryptonian, that's still well in his prime..."I don't believe that for a moment. I just met a Nazi version of myself and even he's trying to be a better man." Superman looks over to Overman. "How old did you say you were?"
"I arrived on Earth in nineteen thirty nine. If that is when I was born, then I am seventy three."
So you remain here, watching for a signal. Or they exit to Earth-10 then use their method to get back to Earth-16..."Then it sounds like I've got a little while. Doctor Mist, can you get us there?"
Dr. Balewa nods. "I can open a portal to their Earth. But if I went through myself, I may have difficulty adapting to a world saturated with demon magic."
Ha!
Well, it would mean a quick mission..."Ah, no, Angelica Blaze. Her or Zauriel. Theurgy should still work, shouldn't it?"
He nods. "I believe so. But it would also draw the attention of the entire world."
That may not be possible, given Supergirl-Hell's state. Fixing the damage done would not be quick, nor easy... It's not like punching the evil out of that Superman will instantly suck the Hell-mojo out of, well, everything."We can't fight everyone on the planet, not if we want to save them." Superman nods. "Call them in, but have them on stand by. What do you say, Overman?"
"You want to save them?"
'Ah, idealistic youth.' Karl's probably having fun seeing such a lively version of himself..."If an evil version of us has taken over and corrupted the place, I'd say it's our job to fix the it."
Overman watches his face for a moment and then looks away, smiling.
Well, there's development. Grudging acceptance of a hard truth. As long as he doesn't go loopy like the one time that he had to execute three Kryptonian Criminals in the post-crisis era. That was a weird story arc."Yes. Let us save these poor huddled masses. I assume that you will not countenance the use of lethal force?"
Superman looks at me for a moment.
"If there-. If there are situations where you can't avoid if without innocent people dying… But try not to."
Whoa, hold it there, blue boy. Want to put together a proper team for this little excursion first?Overman nods, and Superman flies towards the portal.
"Doctor, send us through."
I really hope Overman speaks up about rushing into an unknown situation. Because this is classic Kal-El all over, blindly rushing off to fix something he feels responsible for... Even OL should be a little wary of jumping into a hellworld. I mean, have they even thought about how they'll get home? How they'll beat Superman-Hell, given their weakness to magic (And yes, I know Karl is probably more resistant, but Kal-16?) Heck, what about not instantly being corrupted upon arrival? Too many unknowns, Kal!
...before it becomes obvious that the problem is her?