Last Daughter of Krypton: Legion IC

[ChasNicollette]

Ceriel. Brande's quarters.

It was almost...

It was almost orgasmic.

It was like dying in reverse.

She'd died, once. It hadn't been so bad.

An arrow through her heart, and people she loved all around her, a few small words, and then... sleep. And when she woke, there had been light, and silver spires, and a Voice that simply told her: 'Well done.'

But this was... this was backwards, it was a little uncomfortable. She could attain solidity by vibrating herself to their plane, with permission. But coming through in full glory would have had... ramifications.

But this... this was taking on mortal flesh. This was like... choosing to fall.

Like Michael once had done. (Not that Michael, another one.)

And Zauriel.

Her armour transmuted, alchemy, it was still of Heaven's design but now it was of Earthly metals. Her sword, forged in the foundries of The Fifth Heaven, this still was formidable.

Her body was made flesh, and she staggered back to life.

Her wings curled, and straightened, and she stood tall.

She smiled. Her smile was a little different. She blinked her eyes. Her eyes were red, now, not entirely unlike J'onn's, though the pupils were tall and thin, like a cat's, like a snake's, like a hawk's.

Her flesh gleamed with pale silver, adorned by runes from an alphabet so very very old, In The Beginning Was The Word, and The Word was written down in this alphabet.

She smiled at her daughter's husband.

"'Libera nos a malo.'"

She stood tall, and lent a silvery glow to the gathered dusk of the room.

"Kyle Alec Greystone: You know my name."

 

[AmenRa]

The Martian Manhunter - Legion HQ

When Wraith summoned his powers, calling Shadow from Light, and then Light to Shadow, J'onn cringed.

This transfiguration, this rendering of flesh from the nether-plane of the ether, pulsed a great psychic wave. J'onn's telepathic mind was assaulted at once by this pulse, and for but an instant he became part of it.

The Shadowforce that Wraith summoned was not at all the empty blackness that one would think of as shadow being. It was, as much as is descriptively possible, a bright, shining darkness, not cold and abyssal, but warm and serene.

This was, J'onn figured, the light within Wraith; an ever-burning dark fire that summed up the essence of a pure-hearted warrior, a friend, a brother. J'onn knew better to dare a psychic probed against Kyle, but should he be able to see into the warrior's soul, this is what he would view.

J'onn straightened from his cringing, not at all encumbered, and watched as the angel became corporeal. She was beautiful, regal, and everything a Celestial should be.

The Martian Manhunter smiled.

 

[Lunaramblings]

Cham was not happy to be left behind. He wanted so badly to be near Ayla. To make sure she was safe. He knew she could hold her own, but, now, they had a moment, so close, so perfect. It was like being at the cusp of divinity, only to have it yanked back.

Cham had wandered toward VM3's room. He figured his detective skills could be put to use. Keep his mind busy.

"Cham to Rokk, Going to check VM3's quarters. Kid probably just snuck out for air. But I will see what I can find." Cham didn't wait for a response.

Cham didn't know Jaymie's personal access code. That was beyond his pay grade, so to speak, but Durlan's have superior senses. A quiver of his antennae and he had determined what buttons had residual DNA traces, which had more, which would lead him to conclude they had been touched more than once. He had made it his mission to observe his teammates. They didn't trust him at first, and he didn't trust them either. But they earned each other's respect and trust, but not before many long hours spent watching everyone he could. Including Jaymie. He remembered the general angles of her hand as he had watched her. Shifting his hand he mimicked hers. After only the second try he had gotten it right. The door swooshed open. He entered the room quietly. Letting his antennae lead him. Reaching out, trying to sense the surroundings. He could feel the path they had walked through the room. He traced the steps Jaymie had walked. He shifted, almost unconsciously to match her form, a doppelganger. His foot matching each shift of hers. Slowly he made his way. Probing. Her essence mingled with that of another. Jaymie's uniform scattered. Cham tried to determine why.

A tryst? A fight? Or something else? The room was awash in scents. The scent of smoke, of ash. The scent of tears. Cham became slightly concerned. Was there a fight? No. No blood. No bile. No organic matter. Honestly, Nah wasn't that efficient. If Nah had hurt her there would be blood. Lots of blood. Cham found his way to the bed. Still in the shape of his missing teammate Cham laid down gently. Slipping into the space Jaymie had recently depart. His Antennae quivered. There was something not right. There was a new essences here. Similar to one of Tasmia's dark fields, but.... Alive. Cham shifted forms quickly, becoming a writhing mass of shadow, then shifted back to Jaymie. Slowly he moved over in the bed and changed forms. He shifted to fit the spot that Jo had recently occupied. Then he followed the flow of her essence. Shoving off he landed in the same dent that Jo had made earlier. Fitting it perfectly.

Cham shifted back to his own form and approached the bed again. He could feel the pulse of power there. He could analyze it. He could sense it in every way that counted. He was perplexed. It felt... old, different. There were unique bits to Jaymie's DNA. This was something he would look into. But, more importantly at the moment, whatever had happened here, Cham could not feel anything that indicated that there was a struggle. Cham shifted through the pheromones in the room. He could sense the sadness, then the contentedness that replaced it. Nowhere did he sense fear, anger, hatred, or any other factor that he could conclude would have led to an altercation. Cham left the room.

"Rokk? Where is our new guest? Wraith was it? I would like very much to speak with him."

 

[Varshanka]

Magdalena - Dormitory Levels/Residential.

"That's quite the suit of armour," he nodded to her attire, "if you don't mind my saying so. 'Celestial Knight.' I bet you could even take on a Daughter of Krypton in a straight fight while wearing that. Which, considering I've known some pretty bad-ass Daughters of Krypton, you should take that as high praise. They have a lot of those get-ups in your neck of the galaxy, mass-produced industrial revolution? Or is this more of a-- uhm --'The Few The Proud' sort of situation?"

‘Accessing archival knowledge. Krypton, Kryptonian. Species classification: Heavy worlder. Krypton was a planet revolving around Class K sun. Green Lantern sector designate 2813. Planet Krypton destroyed. Natives possess a variety of exceptional gifts. Including extra-ordinary strength, speed, agility and flight. Further data not available. Or not applicable to this situation.’ the Machine-spirit murmured through her cerebral cortex. The words like a caress of knowledge. A data stream of thought.

Quirking an eyebrow inside her helm Allana listened to both M’onel and the machine-spirit. “Industrial revolution? You have complications with the Cultis Mechanicus?” she asked, confused by his terms. “There are only five Celestial Knights. Sometimes a few more, although such circumstances are very rare indeed.”

“Yes, we are few. And Proud of our status, but it is a great responsibility. One that comes with hazard, and death.”

With a soft whisper the helmet opened and retracted, though it looked more like it melted backwards and then down into the armour itself, Allana eye’s watching M’onel. “You are interesting. You wear heraldry marking similar to mine own.” She said gesturing at the starfield on his garb. “Could you explain the meaning? Is it heraldry, or simply decoration?”

“And I apologize if I ask too many questions. Simply say so and I’ll cease. But the Machine Spirit is not forthcoming with knowledge. I have a basic data file on all the members of this Legion. But no.. detail. Names, ages, Homeworlds. Hololithics. I know whom the members are. But almost nothing else. Although I’m sure the information is there.”

Indicating the bed she indicated once more that he should sit. “Please, recline. Be at ease. Rest. Make yourself comfortable.”

 

[Wyldfire]

The Academy. Senior students quarters.

"Maybe we ought to join the Subs or maybe form our own team." the young green skinned woman said lounging on her bunk. "How long has it been now that we've been looked over?"

"That's not a bad idea Tayla. But it would feel so strange to not be a part of this. And we'd have to return the rings you know." came a reply from the bunk above hers.

"Maybe they'd let us keep them? Seeing as they wouldn't be paying our room and board anymore? A parting gift? said Crystal kid from where he sat at the table the students used for their studies.

Jed Rikane came out of the bathroom towelling off his short cropped red hair. "Having the "Off on our own" talk again I see. Face it guys we're not going to leave as long as there's half a chance of us getting in. I mean hell, Caroline made it didn't she? Didn't even have a call sign that she felt comfortable with. I didn't mind giving mine up so she could use it."

The young Talokian male in the corner smiled and said "More like you'd thought it'd get you closer to her bed, eh Jed?"

The larger youth collored as much as a purple skinned being could. this brought a fit of laughter from the two girls in the room. Something else showed in his reaction to it and Lamprey said "Jed, we all know how you feel about her. And you really need to get some clothes on unless you're making an offer."

 

[Varshanka]

Allana Lang

Age: 14

Screaming in rage at the top of her lungs Allana’s hand reared back, then launched itself forward into the face of the Scrogg. The one who’d just impaled her foot to the granite beneath.

The creature’s head snapped back as bones broke in it’s hideous face. Teeth flew from it’s splintered maw to spew across Allana’s breast plate.

Pounding it’s face and skull again and again she pulped the region. Quickly but methodically. At last the vile creature slumped to the ground. Brain matter covering her armoured gauntlet Allana ripped the bacteria infested blade from her foot. Pain negating endorphins flooding her system in response to the Machine-spirit’s commands.

Lifting her head she glared at the surrounding area, a full Auspex scan picking out several enemy squads.

Bone, muscle, tendon, and exotic metals exploded from her chest plate. An unscanable being shattering defensive systems in an instant.

Burning pain ripped through her before she felt cold. So incredibly cold. And then the heat hit. A wave of heat hotter than a sun. Hotter than a supernovae. Hot as the burning pits of darkness. The Abyss burned within her.

Metal flowed and reformed. Slagging into a burning hot mass of infernal armour. Red.. orange.. white hot. Glowing into a mass of light. The hole that had been punched through front and back melting together to form a solid mass once more.

Twisting around the being that stood where Allana had been glared at the vile creature that had attacked her. A flaming nimbus of hellfire surrounding it’s skull. “Guilty…”

 

[Varshanka]

Allana Lang – a Battlefield.

Age: 16

Her face twisted in a scowl Allana’s blade swung, battering the opposing knight to the ground. His shield rupturing, his knee’s buckling.

The frozen ground was splattered with blood chipped in places where axe and sword had missed. And they’d both missed but Allana had something on her side. Something powerful.

Stepping forward she swung, her energy shield slamming his chest plate. Plate metal buckled, the heavier, larger, stronger knight thrown backwards.

Charging across the frozen lake Allana rushed the fallen Knight. Legs bunching under her and she leaped into the air. Her blade swinging upwards as she came down on him.

A feeble maneuver on his part. Raising his shattered shield, trying to stop her fury. Spell-Blade met steel and bone. Shearing through both as easily as a soft candle.

“I will never be afraid again, you son-of-a-bitch” she snarled at her opponent. “I will keep on fighting till the end. I will never step back. I will never step down. I will not cower behind my squire. Unlike you. Coward.”

Stepping back, her boots crunched the frozen lake beneath her. “I can walk on water.” She said, her voice changing in timbre. Energy coils ignited, and Allana lifted into the air. Flames melting the ice, returning the frozen lake back to it’s liquid state.

“I can fly.” She snarled, mystic forces rippling unlike her soul. Auburn Hair billowed in the wind. But it wasn’t a natural wind. This wind rippled from the edges of heaven and hell. This wind rippled across the soul.

“I will keep on fighting till I die, and I find you..”

Hair snapped and ignited, flames washing across Allana in a moment. A blink. A spasm of time. Fists ignited as a chain lashed outwards and down. Spearing the fallen – broken – knight.

Horrified screams ripped from punctured lungs as they filled with boiling blood. Moments later twin fountains of flame ripped through the Knights smoldering form.

“…Guilty.”

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Wraith

"How do you know that name? HE stays out of our dealings, and that is a name only few know on this plane."

I walked over to the Angel of the Raven Host. The room, the building, was getting darker. My armor was shifting, changing. It was growing barbs, spikes. Preparing for battle with one of the host of Heaven. My hand ached to hold Dirge, but I also needed no blade to be what I was.

I am the Warlord of Shadow, and I need no trinkets or weapons to face my foes.

"If you are here as a messenger, say it. If you are here as an omen, let it rise from the dark and be seen. How you know that name is perplexing, but in the overall, not important. HE does not send his children out for no reason, so......"

I stopped, having finally looked not at her sword, nor her wings, nor the armor of the Armies of the Light.

I saw her FACE!

"Ceri?" I whispered.

 

[ChasNicollette]

Ceriel. Brande's quarters.

"How do you know that name? HE stays out of our dealings, and that is a name only few know on this plane."

Ceriel regarded him quietly, maternally, gazed at him as she might have gazed at an impetuous son-in-law who despite his maturity managed to barge about without knowing the depth of events surrounding him.

"I should not need to remind," Ceriel replied coolly, her subtly-changed smile giving way to silver-cool iron reserve, "that The Presence doth as The Presence wilt, not as thou wilt."

I walked over to the Angel of the Raven Host. The room, the building, was getting darker. My armor was shifting, changing. It was growing barbs, spikes. Preparing for battle with one of the host of Heaven. My hand ached to hold Dirge, but I also needed no blade to be what I was.

Her silvery glow, in turn, intensified, meeting the building-up of shadows with her inner glory's own incandescence.

"If you are here as a messenger, say it. If you are here as an omen, let it rise from the dark and be seen. How you know that name is perplexing, but in the overall, not important. HE does not send his children out for no reason, so......"

"I am not here for you, Scion," Ceriel admitted, Gospel truth. "But I offer greetings for the sake of old times long past, though longer for you than for me. I am omen, aye, and messenger, hallelujah, but neither for you. For you, I am simply... myself."

I stopped, having finally looked not at her sword, nor her wings, nor the armor of the Armies of the Light.

I saw her FACE!

Realisation dawned on him, and it was like Zauriel describing the dawn of The First Day, and Ceriel couldn't help but smile that subtly-changed smile.

"Ceri?" I whispered.

Careless of and unworried by the thickness and the sharpness of his armour, she reached up and cupped the side of his face, and she smiled softly at him with a Heavenly shine in her ruby-red eagle eyes.

"Hulloh, Kyle," she murmured, her gentleness returning. "Missed yeh."

 

[AmenRa]

Martian Manhunter

There was a reason that his statue was missing from the great hall that held the others.

He was, indeed, the stuff of legend.

But, as much as he had been a hero to the world, to many, many worlds, he held himself responsible for things that had gone wrong.

It was, as he had feared, because of him the last war came about, with the agents of Darkseid, the Army of Apokolyps knocking on Earth's very door.

But he and others, members of the Green Lantern Corps, had driven them back.

That was the Battle of Sanctuary.

And so J'onn J'onzz of Mal'ecand'ra went into hiding. Of his many alter egoes, he chose one that was absolutely uninteresting.

But now, faced with the realization of a renewed and resurrected Zod, and with the appearance of Ceri, and not in the least his love for Kyle's daughter, Liz, the Martian Manhunter was once again.....

....himself.

"It is time," he announced.

J'onn concentrated and found the presence he was looking for.

Assemble the Legion he spoke into Brainiac 5's mind.

Only the voice that version 5.0 of the BRAIN InterActive Construct heard was not of R.J. Brande.

It was the voice of the Martian Manhunter.

 

[ChasNicollette]

M'onel. Magdelena's quarters.

Quirking an eyebrow inside her helm Allana listened to both M’onel and the machine-spirit. “Industrial revolution? You have complications with the Cultis Mechanicus?” she asked, confused by his terms.

Lar hesitated, backtracked, placed a palm on his forehead, smiled lopsidedly. "Wait. No. Not a 'revolution' in the sense of... a violent uprising? A revolution in the sense of Everything Changing. It's an historical turning point for a lot of worlds. Becoming industrialised. I'm not sure what a 'Cultis Mechanicus' is, but it sounds like you've had industry awhile."

“There are only five Celestial Knights. Sometimes a few more, although such circumstances are very rare indeed.”

M'onel contemplated that. "I guess they must be. Upon reflection, that sort of artefact must be pretty expensive."

“Yes, we are few. And Proud of our status, but it is a great responsibility. One that comes with hazard, and death.”

With a soft whisper the helmet opened and retracted, though it looked more like it melted backwards and then down into the armour itself, Allana eye’s watching M’onel. “You are interesting. You wear heraldry marking similar to mine own.” She said gesturing at the starfield on his garb. “Could you explain the meaning? Is it heraldry, or simply decoration?”

He hesitated. She was... pretty. He could see her face and she was. Pretty, in an exotic sort of way, the same sort of beauty male-attracted humans attributed to The Karate Kid.

He shook his head. "I've done a lot of travelling. And a person I knew. Once upon a time. Nicknamed me 'Wanderer' as a result. D'you know what a 'rogue planet' is? A planet cast off from any orbital moorings, a planet without a solar system. The starfield on my chest emblem, beneath the 'M,' this is meant to represent the stars from a rogue planet's viewpoint, 'M' being short for the Greek Alphabet rendering of the Martian word 'M'onel,' meaning 'He Who Wanders.'"

(Upon reflection, sometime after he had designed this suit from the standard Legion cut, Lar had realised that the way the dip of the "M" came down in the middle, this logo could easily be mistaken for a "V" for "Valor." He kept meaning to change it before someone noticed...)

"My family... I don't even know what their crest looks like now. I haven't seen them for a long time."

He rubbed the back of his head with his hand and laughed softly. "Maybe Brainy was right. I do talk a lot around--" pretty ladies "--certain people."

“And I apologize if I ask too many questions. Simply say so and I’ll cease. But the Machine Spirit is not forthcoming with knowledge. I have a basic data file on all the members of this Legion. But no.. detail. Names, ages, Homeworlds. Hololithics. I know whom the members are. But almost nothing else. Although I’m sure the information is there.”

"I've only known The Legion a few months m'self," he pointed out. "Seems like I'm finding out new stuff about them every day."

He shook his head, and his eyes went away for a moment, gazing to nowhere. "Especially today. Today's been a big day for a lot of reasons, not the least of which has been finding stuff out about people."

Indicating the bed she indicated once more that he should sit. “Please, recline. Be at ease. Rest. Make yourself comfortable.”

He gestured reassuringly. "Really. Thank you. I'm all set. My powerset in the light of a yellow Sun is such that my body produces near-zero fatigue toxins. I barely need three hours of sleep a night, and Brainiac says that may even decrease once I've built up a more extensive reserve of solar energy. Essentially, in gravity of this negligible magnitude, I could stand indefinitely."

M'onel inclined his head in a mannerism he hoped was grateful where Allana came from. "But. Thank you. For the offer."

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Embers flare

"Four hundred years ago our people were almost out of hope. The ark was dangerously low on fuel, supplies had run out so far that only a handful of the people could be out of stasis. Life support was terminated in the unused portions of the ship, and the stasis pods were badly in need of maintenance.

We were a doomed people, drifting and alone in the cold dark of space. But we never gave up hope.

In the Year of Landing, Year One as you know it now, we found a beautiful blue planet. Our remaining three probes were sent out and confirmed that this world would sustain our numbers, and while colder than we would like, would allow our people to live. No cities or ruins were encountered, and our instruments detected no technology. It was a perfect planet, completely barren of sentient life. The decision was made by Commander Trill'ket to land, which meant this was our new Hiveholme. Once we entered the planets gravity well there was no going back, as our fuel supplies were incapable of sustaining a burst that would allow us to escape it.

Initially the landing was perfect. We were making our way down past the ionosphere when engines three and seven blew. The explosion knocked out two more engines and the Ark began to fall. We were a doomed people, but it is said that Trill'ket addressed the bridge crew with these words: 'All may seem lost my hive mates, but have hope. The universe is not done with us yet.'

Remember children, even in the darkest night, hope will light a beacon to lead you.

Our light was the two sentients that our probes had not sensed. The beings we now know as The Protectors Rose up from the land and caught our stricken ship. They brought us down into the base of this very valley, where you now live, and helped us make our home here. They asked for no money, no treasures or worship, they acted out of kindness and compassion.

No truer champions of the Quarr have ever existed. Var Sen and his mate Raya have been a part of our lives ever since that day they saved our race from doom. That is why you learn of their story, learn their language, and why we will always honor them as hive mates, even though they only have two arms."

The instructors antenna flexed in amusement as the children laughed. In the back of the room Sharr'Kirra crossed her truehands in a position of amusement as her former teacher finished up his class and dismissed the students. As the final youngling left the room the ancient Quarr, his chitin aged purple in his advanced years rose and made a formal gesture of greeting to the younger Quarr in the room.

"Greetings Lantern Sharr'Kirra. I trust my instruction was as riveting today as it was twenty cycles ago when you were first in my classroom?"

Sharr'Kirra nodded, truehands automatically folding in a gesture of respect. "Indeed honored elder. You paint pictures with your words and teach our younglings well, as you have for all of your life.

He nodded and walked over to the young Lantern. "So, what brings you home Seeker?

"I had a dream, a true dream, and I knew I was needed here. I came to you to say goodbye, my friend. I will be needed elsewhere, but I had the time to see you."

Antennae and truhands showed in happiness as the teacher looked up at his brightest pupil. "It gladdens me to see you. Will I be seeing you again before you leave?"

Hers folded into sadness. "No my mentor. We will not meet again. May you find joy on this night, and hold hope in your heart." She then extended her truehand, the one bearing a blue power ring, and flew away, south to her destiny, as the older Quarr watched his granddaughter fly away.

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Flames Take Hold

Three days ago: Odym​

"I know it flies in the face of what Ganther and Sayd have decreed, but this is my fate my friend. I have to face it alone." Said the younger Lantern.

"Far be it for me to interfere in fate Sharr'Kirra, but you must do this alone? We could contact Oa and see if a Green is available to join you. I know what is coming is going to be bad. You are the only Blue to pass out upon receiving their ring." said the senior Blue Lantern.

"It must be me alone. Have hope, my friend. Fate is not written in Steelcrete, but flows like the sands of Mars. I face mine eagerly, for it will be the first step in bringing hope to the known worlds."

"Then go, my friend. I will deal with events that transpire here."

******************************​

Present Day:

She flew South. Forests and fields giving way to a vast city, seemingly grown out of the earth from gleaming crystal and shaped earth. The cities of her people were not a blister upon the face of Sanctuary, but were like the bold and beautiful tattoo's that enhanced the planets beauty. Quarr and Kryptonian technology blended to sustain the biosphere's beauty while allowing a sentient race to evolve over the entirety of the planet.

Shortly, almost too soon, the young Lantern landed in front of a nondescript building on the outskirt of the city. She entered the building unchallenged, as the Quarr were a hive race. Peace among their brethren was built into their genetic makeup since the first grubs hatched upon the first Hiveholme. Workers nodded to her, antennae and truhands folded in respectful greeting. Eventually she made her way to the bowels of the building. A Ferrosteel door loomed before her with a DNA matrix keypad on the wall besides it. In the room a older Quarr was working, his head looking over scrolling waves of data on a viewscreen across the room.

"Greetings Lantern Sharr'Kirra. What brings you here today?" He asked, truehands and antenna formed in a gesture of curiosity.

"It is time Father.That which was foretold to me will come to pass today."

The Quarr's head dropped, and he asked with a heavy heart "How much time do we have?"

Her reply was cut short by the deep boom that echoed through the structure. The building shook, and items fell from desks and walls.

"None Father. It is time."

Sounds of destruction came ever closer until with a groan the door to the chamber was ripped away, blasting into the room. A wall of blue energy deflected it off to impact the wall, and a giant stepped through the doorway.

He was tall, easily twice the mass of a Quarr. Bipedal, with hair on his face and madness in his eyes. He looked at the two Quarr, and drew in a deep breath. The blast of freezing air was intercepted by another blue wall of power, and the giant looked puzzled at the young Blue Lantern.

"Oh they come in blue now. How quaint. Step aside Nam Ek, I will handle this little guardian." Said a female voice, speaking the language of the protectors.

"You are not feared here, Lady of Death. You will not have that which you desire." Said Sharr'Kirra. Then, as the smaller female Kryptonian entered the room she drew upon her power, and the power of a race of being that valued hope above all else. The ring on her finger began to glow, brighter and brighter until the Kryptonians were forced to cover their eyes, backing away from the power of three billion beings who would not surrender, who would not despair.

For they knew that above all else, Hope is real, Hope is strong, and Hope can overcome fear.

The blast of power from the ring blasted them both back out of sight, shaking the structure again.


"That was.. amazing my daughter. You are truly a child of the Quarr." said the older Quarr, his pride in his offspring evident in his voice and his body.

"That is not the threat I dreamed of father. It is still coming."
Her ring was still glowing a bright blue when he stepped into the room. He was taller than the female, but not as tall as the giant. His clothing was black and silver, and fit him like a uniform. He radiated power, and evil.
His eyes were like flames of hatred no Red Lantern could ever compare to.

"I would offer you the chance to kneel before me, but we both know that Guardians do not kneel. Unfortunately for you, they can break. But you are honored, little blue child of Oa, for Zod himself will send you from this world."

She barely had time to wonder who Zod was when a bar of fire as hot as a stars heart flew from his outstretched hand. IT hit her hastily thrown shield, then shattered it into a thousand fragments. The older Quarr never had a chance to scream as the fire reduced him to ashes in a second.

Sharr'Kirra was on the defensive then, throwing up shields as fire exploded from his hands, his eyes, and columns of flame sprang up from the walls themselves. Soon the room was awash in flames, but they did not touch Zod. Finally, her shield failed, and her hind leg was reduced to ash, freezing her in place with the agony of the damage wrought by his unholy fire.

He walked forward then, blazing eyes looking down at her. "Time to die little blue guardian. I will have what is behind that door, and your protectors will fall. They had a chance to kneel before Zod, now they will die by Zod."

Through the pain she focused, using her last breath to speak words in the monsters own language. "My death was foretold. It brings hope to the universe, hope that will ultimately see you kneeling in defeat." She then rose to a crouch on her remaining leg, power ring glowing brillantly as she spoke.

In fearful day, in raging night, with strong hearts full, our souls ignite! When all seems lost in the War of Light, look to the stars, for hope burns bright!

With her last spark of willpower, an instant before the flames reduced her to ash, her ring warped space around it, disappearing from Sanctuary, off to it's true wielder.

Zod looked down at where the lantern had died, then approached the vault door. Tearing it from it's hinges, he threw it across the room. In the doorway, the two Kryptonians stepped back away from the green glow of the vault. The glow that meant death to a Kryptonian under a yellow sun.

Zod bathed in the glow and laughed.

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Wraith: Legion HQ

Angels, as a general rule, don't like to be touched.

Hell, as a general rule they don't like much of anything outside their Celestial realm (well, except for a few who play a damn good game of texas hold'em).

So when Ceri finally got it through my thick head who she was, the hug I bestowed on her probably shocked the heck out of her, but I felt her arms around me too.

It felt ...good.

I stepped back and looked, really looked at her.

"A thousand years here, ten thousand in my realm, and you still are taking me to school. Mothers never change."

I didn't get a chance to say anything else. In the air in front of J'onn a small blue ring appeared, glowing faintly in front of his face.

"Umm J'onn, that kinda looks like Hal's ring. You not telling us something?"

 

[Varshanka]

Allana Lang - Dormitory Levels/Residential

He gestured reassuringly. "Really. Thank you. I'm all set. My powerset in the light of a yellow Sun is such that my body produces near-zero fatigue toxins. I barely need three hours of sleep a night, and Brainiac says that may even decrease once I've built up a more extensive reserve of solar energy. Essentially, in gravity of this negligible magnitude, I could stand indefinitely."

M'onel inclined his head in a mannerism he hoped was grateful where Allana came from. "But. Thank you. For the offer."

“I see,” she said lifting an eyebrow as if she didn’t believe him, but figured he was being polite. And politeness was close to virtuous, and one could even consider the actions of this M’onel as being the Virtue of Temperance. Self-Control.

Stepping back against the wall she appeared to lean back against it as scans informed her of the imminent return of the servitor drone tagged as “Alfred”. And with a soft hiss the armour split open, pealing back from her in ways that tended to look more alive and fluid than mechanical.

Stepping out, and slightly down – the heels of the armours boots did give her a slight height increase. Bare as the day of her birth, a requirement for full systemic connectivity and biogenic cohesion. Taking a deep breathe of unpurified air Allana flexed her toes and fingers, feeling the atmosphere around her.

Rolling her neck she mentally adjusted to the gravitational well of the planet. “The gravity is a little less than I anticipated.” She commented, to know one in particular.

 

[ChasNicollette]

Ceriel. Brande's quarters. / Lightning Lad, Brainiac 5. Brainy's Lab.

There are things about people that never change.

Sometimes that includes the way they give a hug.

But something about Kyle, no matter what he'd been through, no matter all his pain and his loss... no matter his greater, scarier armor, he still hugged his mother-in-law in the same way. Strong and dark and grateful for the good.

"A thousand years here, ten thousand in my realm, and you still are taking me to school. Mothers never change."

"I think I've changed," she opined, with a soft smile. "I think yeh've changed. But taking yeh to Sunday school is always something I can arrange. Comes with the job description."

But then the walls of time and the fabric of space... shifted... and didn't quite break so much as they bent enough to let a tiny little powerful thing through like it was permeating the membrane of a cell.

"Umm J'onn, that kinda looks like Hal's ring. You not telling us something?"

Ceriel gave Kyle a funny look for a moment, and then gazed quietly at The Ring.

There weren't many left of these. Even less than the Green ones, after Sanctuary.

They were not unlike priests, The Blue Lanterns, and were often praised for their vision and faith. The Death-Angel of The Third Heaven treated them accordingly.

They were good people. They were still good people. Though there were hardly any left.

One less, now.

"There are seven colours in the visual spectrum of light, Kyle," she murmured. "At least as seen by humans. And the presence of all those lights at once is White. And the absence of all of those lights is Black. There are Rings for every colour of the rainbow. Not all of them are good.

"Black tried to take over The Universe and replace the living with their armies of the undead. Improper Resurrection.

"My. Widower. Nearly became one of these. Because once he had died and came back. They didn't want my corpse or Claire's for some reason, and Chloe was immune.

"I don't blame yeh for missing this. Yeh were busy raising my grandchildren. But there was a war across all of space and the face of The Earth and they even brought Coast City into it. Barry wore a Blue Ring, then, remember Barry?

"What does it mean, Doctor Jones?" she murmured, glancing at J'onn. "Are they asking what I think they're asking?"

********​

Lightning Lad stared after Wildfire, blinking.

"Is it me, or did giving that guy corporeal form give him an actual genuine personality?" he pointed over his shoulder with his thumb and turned back to Brainiac.

Brainiac stared to nowhere, and murmured. "Processing."

As though he hadn't noticed the hug.

Garth chuckled softly. "Not that you'd know a genuine personality if it bit you on the nass."

Hands behind his back, Garth began to stroll out of the room, but before he got there, a great cry rang out in the lab and he whirled to find Brainiac Five half laid out on the ground, clutching his head with emerald eyes wide.

All joking aside, Garth sprinted to Brainy's side, dropping to his knees and skidding the last metre. "Dox! You okay?"

The Last Son of BRAINIAC shook his head, awestruck and aghast. "There was a voice in my head. My progenitor knew that voice. The Voice of Mars."

He spoke to his Ring. "Shvaughn. You're on your own with this decryption. I'm crossloading my progress to you. My mind is... my mind is blown."

"Yeah," Garth attempted, "buh, wha?"

Brainiac clutched at Garth's arm, his human arm, and Garth was startled at how strong the Coluan was. "Ranzz. Assemble the Legion. We have a great ally. Great... and terrible."

"Brainy," Garth tried again--

"Assemble the Legion!" Brainiac demanded, and shoved him away, and Garth was on his feet and running and talking into his Flight Ring:

"All available Legion personnel! Emergency meeting! Stat!"

And Brainiac Five laid down for a moment, staring at the ceiling of his lab, attempting to reboot.

"'Prepare the armies of Man.'"

 

[ChasNicollette]

M'onel. Magdelena's quarters.

“I see,” she said lifting an eyebrow as if she didn’t believe him...

Stepping back against the wall she appeared to lean back against it as scans informed her of the imminent return of the servitor drone tagged as “Alfred”. And with a soft hiss the armour split open, pealing back from her in ways that tended to look more alive and fluid than mechanical.

"Hey, is that--" M'onel began to ask, 'supposed to happen', but he stopped as suddenly-- with beautiful blue eyes suddenly wide, he realised that she was undressing.

Stepping out, and slightly down – the heels of the armours boots did give her a slight height increase. Bare as the day of her birth, a requirement for full systemic connectivity and biogenic cohesion. Taking a deep breathe of unpurified air Allana flexed her toes and fingers, feeling the atmosphere around her.

She was naked and beautiful (oh god yes beautiful) and for all of his wise-alecky remarks Lar had been untouched for quite awhile and it took him much longer than it should have (oh right sprock she's a co-worker) to turn around.

Rolling her neck she mentally adjusted to the gravitational well of the planet. “The gravity is a little less than I anticipated.” She commented, to know one in particular.

"Yeah," he mumbled, managing, through sheer force of will, through sheer... virtue and politeness... to get his eyes back on her face. "It's-- it's a small world, after all."

And then he turned away, whipping back to face the other direction, his cheeks perhaps adorably the colour of his own home sun. He swirled his cape around him like a shroud as though cutting himself off from the world around him, and he took a deep breath.

I guess your culture's changed a lot in a thousand years, he speculated internally.

"Takes a little getting used to," he added, aloud, though whether he was talking about Allana's beautiful nakedness not getting her stoned to death for harlotry where she came from, or talking about how light and fragile everything was on Earth, this was anyone's guess.

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Control Room

Cos had been leaning back in his chair, stretching when his ring pulsed violently in a Call to Arms signal. He went over backwards with a squawk, crashing to the ground in a tangle of chair and legs.

"WHATHEHELLISGOINGONNOW???" he bellowed, righting himself and hitting the command console. Fingers flying he brought up a roster, then separated it into sectors. Active and inactive, on mission and standby. Retired.

A call to Arms could only be made by three Legionaries. He was one, Imra and Garth were the other two.

Imra was busy and he didn't do it. That left Garth, and while Garth sometimes had an attention span measured in nanos, this he wouldn't nass with.

"Garth, what the hell is going on?"

 

[ChasNicollette]

Lightning Lad. En route from Brainy's Lab.

'Garth, what the hell is going on?' burst suddenly from the omnicom on Garth's Flight Ring as he staggered to a halt in the hallway.

Garth blinked, suddenly wondering exactly where he had been running to.

Conference room?

Probably.

Something like that.

Engaging the commlink to Rokk, Garth spoke into his Ring with wild-eyed desperation. "Dude. Sprocked if I know, Cos, seriously. Something's--"

He glanced back over his shoulder at the door to Brainy's Lab, shaking his head.

"Something's seriously freaked Brainy. I mean seriously. He says we have a 'great and terrible ally,' and we've got to 'assemble The Legion,' I guess he'll explain when we're all together, but Cos."

"Seriously."

"He said it blew his mind. This is Brainiac Five we're talking about, here, Cerebrum Lad. Can anything actually do that? Blow his mind?"

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Cosmic Boy

"Blew his mind?? Are you sprocking me?"

Rokk got up and began pacing. blew BRAINY'S mind????

Rokk stopped and reached a decision. He sent a mental message to his ring. Wide band transmission. Even Legionaries on missions were getting this.

"Attention, all active and reserve Legionaries are to assemble in the assembly hall. Members on missions are to return at the earliest after completion, wounded members keep in contact via rings until released from sickbay. retired members attend via comlink or ring. This is a full mustering of the Legion."

He then keyed a private link to Garth "OK buddy, this had better be legit because if it ain't I personally am going to remove parts of your body that you hold sacred!"

With that, he was out of the control room and off to the hall.

 

[TearsoftheWorld]

"Yes sirs. Thank you, sirs." Rond said, his voice shaken slightly at the conclusion of their meeting with the Guardians. The three powerful beings powered down and became statues in the middle of the plaza. Caroline had seen some interesting things in her life, and this had to rank close to the top. She threw Rond a sideways glance and quipped that things could have gone a lot worse.

The answer to Life, the Universe and Everything was all summed up in one word moments later.

Four simple letters.

"Fuck."

"You said it. Well until The Green Lantern... Miz Greystone arrives, someone's bound to ask what these sta-"

"Attention, all active and reserve Legionaries are to assemble in the Assembly Hall. Members on missions are to return at the earliest after completion, wounded members keep in contact via rings until released from sickbay. Retired members attend via comlink or ring. This is a full mustering of the Legion."

Caroline stared silently at her ring for a moment.

"Fuck."

 

[AmenRa]

Of Red Sands and the Bluest Hope the Stars Shall Never Fade....

"What does it mean, Doctor Jones?"[/B][/COLOR] she murmured, glancing at J'onn. "Are they asking what I think they're asking?"

The Martian Manhunter said nothing in response. He had been as surprised as they were at the sudden appearance of The Ring.

He stood there in his Manhunter uniform, saying nothing, his face an unreadable mask of......J'onn.

And then, one of his brows lifted ever-so-slightly as he turned his head just perceptibly towards Ceri and Wraith.

"Yes," he answered, "the question is obvious."

Silence for a moment.

"They require an answer," he stated in a low voice.

In the beginning, long before Those That Know learned that which they now know, there were the Manhunters of Mars. Peacekeepers. Judges. Lawmen. On the Red Planet of Mal'ecand'ra, the Manhunters were The Law.

The Guardians of the Universe saw the Manhunters, and they themselves created a race of automated entities that served to perpetuate the ideals of law and justice. And these creations they called The Manhunters.

Soon, the Manhunters gave way to the Green Lantern Corps.

And, of these Green Lanterns, some were called to a purpose of hope, and in the dwindling aftermath of wars between the Green and Red, the Blue came to be.

J'onn J'onzz of the Manhunters of Mars reached for The Ring.

Even before he could grasp it, the Ring settled itself on the middle finger of his left hand.

The Martian Manhunter, solemnly and quietly, recited The Oath.

"In fearful day, in raging night,
With strong hearts full, our souls ignite,
When all seems lost in the War of Light,
Look to the stars-- For hope burns bright!"

And, in another voice, the Voice of Mars that had so long carried the weight of justice and law, he said:

"The Legion assembles in the Conference Room," he told them. "I must go."

And with that, the Last Son of Mars became intanglible and moved through walls and floors until he came to the gathering room where the Legion was forming.

J'onn solidified, becoming whole again, and he crossed his arms as his cape came to rest against his broad shoulders.

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Wraith

Well that was.. interesting.

"Think they have a good dental plan?" I asked the angel next to me.

I stepped back and looked at Ceri. "Things are progressing here faster than I like. I am going to go get the others from Shadow and bring them here.

Oh, just a heads up, James is there. He calls himself 'The Doctor' now and looks a little different. Also has two hearts.

Still the same James. His words chase their tail around the room a while before he starts making sense, but when he does you better listen.

Back in a few with the kiddies."

I called upon Shadow and left Earth, reappearing in the room with my family.

"Change of plans, J'onn called a full muster of the Legion, so war council is happening there. Dad, you coming with me or on your own? you got here by yourself so I figure you can leave if you want."

 

[Varshanka]

And then he turned away, whipping back to face the other direction, his cheeks perhaps adorably the colour of his own home sun. He swirled his cape around him like a shroud as though cutting himself off from the world around him, and he took a deep breath.

I guess your culture's changed a lot in a thousand years, he speculated internally.

“Are you alright?” Allana asked, the door opening for Alfred. As it rolled in with appendages outstretched, and draped with several garments, she watched M’onel, her eyes watching his face, the way he averted his eyes, and turned red.

Collecting the robe from the mechanoid she slipped it on, the shimmering white clothe concealing her form, and the fine – nearly invisible – tattoo’s that marked her flesh. “Are you, embarrassed, by nudity? I have shared apothecarion beds with wounded comrades, both male and female. The bathing facilities are not separated, nor are living facilities. Civilians, serf, peasants, they have separated facilities. But knights, who live, breathe, and die with their comrades, their brother, and sister, knights. They do not have the freedom of living apart. We eat together, we die together. By my oaths, and my status as a Celestial Knight I am allowed certain liberties. One of them is a place to sleep and pray alone.”

Reaching out she collected a sword from the back of the armour, belting it to her waist. Adjusting the robes slightly, she made sure the silver trimmed hem brushed the floor. Satisfied she slipped her hands into the opposite sleaves. “If my actions, or words, are inappropriate, or make you uncomfortable. Inform me, and I shall endeavor to alter them to a less disconcerting pattern.”

Collecting the food tray from the servitor drone, she began eating, Although for the moment she was sticking to fruits, or rather what she hoped was fruits.

"Takes a little getting used to," he added, aloud, though whether he was talking about Allana's beautiful nakedness not getting her stoned to death for harlotry where she came from, or talking about how light and fragile everything was on Earth, this was anyone's guess.

“Yes, a lesser graviton field will take some adaptation on my part I suppose. Althought the atmosphere is also more, polluted with chemicals than I am used to. Has my testing been assigned as yet?” She asked as the servitor maneuvered back out the room and into the hall.

 

[ChasNicollette]

Lightning Lad. En route from Brainy's Lab.

'Blew his mind?? Are you sprocking me?'

Garth shook his head, even though he realised full well that Cos couldn't pick that up from an audiosend. "I wouldn't sprock around about spet like that."

And then it came, in Rokk Krinn's resounding Stentorian tones, The Voice of Resistance, this was a leader's voice.

No wonder he won all the elections.

'Attention, all active and reserve Legionaries are to assemble in the assembly hall. Members on missions are to return at the earliest after completion, wounded members keep in contact via rings until released from sickbay. retired members attend via comlink or ring. This is a full mustering of the Legion.'

Not just any conference room for this one. The Assembly Hall was the conference room they used for those aforementioned elections, or whenever President Chu wanted to say something inspiring.

This was The Big Conference Room.

Garth hesitated, then started running again.

And then Rokk spoke to him again: 'OK buddy, this had better be legit because if it ain't I personally am going to remove parts of your body that you hold sacred!'

Garth grimaced.

Of all times for me to have to start trusting Brainy implicitly...

And kept running.