14994/Warlocks and Magicians

Warlocks and Magicians
Date of Scene:	25 April 2023
Location:	China Basin, Old Gotham
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Adam Warlock, Zatanna Zatara

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Adam Warlock has posed:
Gotham City.

Protected by the Dark Knight himself and so many others who call this dark, dreary place their home. It's raining at the moment, a common occurance in this city. Crime that normally runs rampant doesn't do so today. There's...a strange 'vibe' in the air. Something was coming. But it may be difficult to tell what.

In the China Basin, a brilliant portal opens up, sparking with eldritch energy, mystical flame, and supernatural electricity, all opening in a sudden circle as a being robed in red and black appears out of the gate, a staff in hand as he stumbles onto the ground, panting.

Behind him, some kind of monsterosity attempts to pursue him. One hand. Two. Five. Seven. All trying to push the gateway open so that it might fit, where more hands try to assist.

"Hekatonchires..." Warlock mutters under his breath as he tries to regain his footing.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Here lies Zatanna Zatara's old stomping grounds. More or less. Gotham, Bludhaven, and surrounding areas are where Zee spend her formative years. The daughter of a famed stage magician, she certainly was on the more privileged side of things: not as rich as the Waynes, but certainly not wanting in day to day life. Her love for her home town has led to most of her shows being done in Gotham or Bludhaven. Heck, most of her celebrity can be said to be from Bludhaven and fans there.

Today, however, Zee is not out for any 'stage magic' reasons. She's just out to be out and specifically: to visit a noodle shop that she's always been very fond of. Just a step up from being a *literal* hole in the wall, but it has the best damn noodles this coast.

Or so she claims.

Dressed in a knee-length dark blue trench coat over a white top and black slacks, Zatanna is attired for the weather. It's downright slumming it for the woman who sees fishnets as daily wear. She walks, head down and staring at her phone; much like... anyone else, really. However, her magical senses tingle when that portal opens and she comes to a stop to look up and around. That's a lot of power for an area where the main magic user is... well, her. There's a bit of a frown as she tucks her phone away, thinks with yearning about the noodles going uneaten, and begins turning down side streets and alley ways to seek out the source of the disturbance.

Adam Warlock has posed:
"What the hell is that?!"

"RUN FUCKER, RUN!"

People are screaming as they run through the streets away from the disturbance. Adam keeps his full attention on the portal in question, struggling with closing it. It looks as though much of his strength was drained by whatever he had been doing before he arrived on this dimension, on this planet, but He tries nonetheless.

"You do not belong here, interloper."

Yet, he senses something. No.../someone/. Someone with great magical power and potential still. Golden eyes slightly turn... Zatanna can feel a touch against her mind. Though it is less of someone barging into her minds eye, but someone..knocking on the door politely. If she 'answers', she'll hear a voice. Smooth, soft, and inviting.

<<You...are like me.>>

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
<<Perhaps.>>

Telepathy is not something Zatanna frequently deals in and is not her strong suit, but when one's mind is already receptive: it's easy enough. The woman had just stepped around the corner, stoic as the screaming civilians stream past. Hands in pockets she looks... unperturbed. Which anyone who knows her wouldn't be surprised at. Anyone else? Might think she's a little more than crazy for not flinching at the sight of... *that*.

Hands out and shaken once, twice, before she reaches out as if grabbing for the eldritch energies extending out and away from the portal. "Latrop esolc!" Most of her magic is enacted through intent and the reality of the world makes way. Portals can actually be tricker because rather than, say, opening a door on the street to enter a house across town... not only is it magic pulling against magic, but the dimension the portal connects to resonates on a different energy.

So while she says the words and makes with the somatic gestures to give them weight, it is not so easy as the portal simply blipping closed. It will close, it will just take concentrated effort to make it happen.

Adam Warlock has posed:
<<Perhaps indeed. I require your assistance. I am....tired. I fear my remaining strength may be insufficient and this creature must not come into this world by any means necessary.>>

Zatanna's arrival and immediate use of logomancy helps Adam identify her level of skill. Very, /very/ few magicians rest on Logomancy because of how unreliable it can be and how difficult it is to speak backwards, but Zatanna does so as if it were her native tongue! The portal shrinks considerably, squishing the hands by the fingers of the creature, who roars it's discomfort.

<<Just as such!>>

Adam encourages Zatanna, before he releases his staff and gestures with his hands, similar to Dr. Strange and the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj. Except the eldritch shapes seem more...Quantum. Scientific, almost, in it's execution. As if he were compelling a theory to life, he bolsters Zatanna's magic and the portal closes!

...leaving giant fingers on the ground that quickly seem to decay until it becomes as dust.

Panting slightly, Adam lifts a finger and his staff slides back to his hand.

"Thank you." He tells Zatanna. A hood covers his head and most of him is too heavily robed to ascertain features.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
It practically is her native tongue. Perhaps due to who her father was or maybe it's the very nature of the magic in her. Speaking and even writing backwards takes no more effort than doing so forward. It's trickier in other languages, of course, but thankfully almost never necessary.

Sweat beads at the woman's brow as she works to get the portal closed. When it finally does, tension releases from her body in a rush as she breathes out a relieved sigh. Leaning her shoulder against a nearby building, Zee takes a moment to recover with heavily lidded eyes.

When Warlock speaks aloud, she pushes herself upright with a slight grunt. "Can't have inter-dimensional monsters on the loose in my home," she answers, giving an easy -- if tired -- smile alongside a brief shrug. "You are... not from here." And by 'here' she means much more than just Gotham.

Adam Warlock has posed:
Turning fully, the strange figure approaches Zatanna Zatara.

"Correct."

He lifts a gloved hand to lower his hood, revealing golden skin and hair with brilliant eyes and a face one could call handsome. He meets Zatanna's blue eyes, a warmth and softness to his features as he bows his head. "My name is Adam Warlock. I defend the galaxy from mystical dangers and threats as the Avatar of Life. It's an honor to make your acquaintance miss...?"

He has his staff to lean on, despite putting on a bit of bravado, he seems to be a little bit tired himself!