7499/Age of Despair Finale: Armaggeddon Pt 1

Age of Despair Finale: Armaggeddon Pt 1
Date of Scene:	15 May 2019
Location:	Apokolips (Sector 38)
Synopsis:	The JL Strike Team heads to Apokolips and prevents the resurrection of Zonuz by defeating Darkseid's minions. Oh, and saves Superman from a fate worse than death!
Cast of Characters:	Superman, Supergirl, Captain Marvel Jr., Constantine, Willow Rosenberg

---

Superman has posed:
    It was always darkest before the dawn, and the Justice League members and their allies were preparing to tread where Angels fear to. Mysticism, Hellfire, Technology, Strength of Spirit, Strength of Will, and Strength of Body were next.

    Youthful exuberance was standing side-by-side with tried and true years of experience. All were present in this group of heroes, who were going to the Monster's Den to rescue the Man of Steel from the clutches of evil itself.

    It all came back to that portal on the Watchtower, a hole riped in the fabric of Space/Time by the Minions of Apokolips, using science and magic all rolled into one. That tear was their way back to where Superman had been taken.

    This endeavour would require a "boost" to open that portal, and hold it, as the heroes had discovered before. It would only remain open for a limited amount of time and would require two anchors, one here on the Watchtower and one on Apokolips.

    A sense of forboding and dread comes across everyone, as though a dark presence was there with you all, just out of view, whether by sight or by mystical or by superhuman senses. Almost like a silent dare - daring you to come...to Apokolips!

Supergirl has posed:
Supergirl was there, ready as ever to take the fight to the otherside. It was time for this to be over, time for them to get back Superman and put an end to whatever plot was going on. "From what I was able to figure out on my research, we are probably dealing with several high powered enemies today. Our purpose is not to engage them but go get back Superman's blood, destroy the altar in case it is linked somehow to their tie on him, and to get back Superman himself." She looks to those gathered.

The Mystical side of the fight had gained a new presence. Zatanna Zatara stood there in her costume, which consisted of a bodysuit with a tuxedo jacket over it. Fishnet stockings. Heels up to there. She even had her top hat upon her head, tilted at a rakish angle. "I'm sorry I couldn't be here previously. Pressing matters in an alternate dimension. I'm going to be an anchor on this side of the gate, to allow for some of the other magic users to go through the portal this time and help with matters there. If they wish. Otherwise, they can remain here and we will link our powers."

Captain Marvel Jr. has posed:
Freddy says, "Just remember everyone, I can not move far from the portal while it is open, unnless We have another way to open or anchor the gate than the one we used last. I tried to invite a friend to help, but I could not find him today."
Freddy had asked Osiris, and tried to contact him now, but so far the prince of Kaandaq has been elusive. His power would have been useful, even if his side of the family is a bit shady.

Constantine has posed:
John is there, trenchcoat, lit cigarette, the old leather doctor's bag, the whole nine.

"Glad you could make it, Zee," he offers Zatanna with a wink. "Worried they might have wanted to give me your spot on the team."

He sets down his bag and cracks his knuckles.

"We'll manage," he says to Freddy. "Got a thing to try on the other side, 'case we lose the portal."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow arrives with John for no other reason than she'd been pretty much holed up in his Library for days now trying to get an edge on all of this. And while she's still not all that happy with his smoking, there's something of a detente going on: she doesn't mention it or try to put them out anymore, and in return she's allowed to give him long suffering and dirty looks. Or at least that's the deal she's made in her head.

Sidling up closer to John she whispers, "Is she another of your 'friends'?" Making it sound very much like the word assignation should be in there, or at least a much broader interpretation of friend than Willow would normally use.

More loudly, "I'd like to go with? I know a little bit about rituals."

Superman has posed:
    Walking into the crowded room is none other than Aquaman. The blonde haired King of Atlantis says, "Hey everyone. So I am a bit late. I heard that there was something big going down, and didn't want to miss the chance to help. I'll stay back, and guard the portal from this side, since a man who breathes underwater isn't going to be all that effective on a planet of fire and ash."

    Arthur pauses, and looks at each member of the strike team. "I'll be here if you need me. Just bring our friend home." With a smile, and a nod, Aquaman says, "Now, who do I get to babysit this time out?" Crossing his arms, he eyes the magic types.

Supergirl has posed:
"Babysit? Not sure that's the term I'd use," Zatanna says as she raises a perfectly manicured hand into the air. "I'll be over here playing travel agent. At least now I have something pretty to look at instead of the landscape of Apokolips," she adds with a wink to Aquaman.

Supergirl glances to the assembled. She crosses her arms over her midriff, taking a deep breath and repeating to herself mentally 'we will succeed.'

Captain Marvel Jr. has posed:
Freddy says to Aquaman, "I would not underestimate you, I can sense your will, passion, and dedication." He is not in the least joking about that. Aquaman may not have the raw power of Superman or Wonder Woman, but he matches their drive, the Compassion of Ate tells him so. It has proven to be a more useful power than one would think. To Zatanna, he says, "Those who are not on the front line are vital to those who are. That is the nature of such things. You can not go too far without support."

Constantine has posed:
"Best not to talk about it," John says about where he and Zee stand vis a vis their past. Though he carries on to say. "Oh, you're definitely coming with us," John says to Willow. "They're using magic, and tech, an' that's your bag more 'n mine."

Aquaman's arrival is met with the arching of John's brows. "Guess that's up, big man," he says before chuckling at Zatanna's remark. "Don't limit yourself, luv, maybe Arthur and that queen of his aren't exclusive." He tilts a look at Aquaman, "Are ya?"

Even odds if he's joking or not.

"An' yeah, what Freddy said," he adds before spotting Kara. "Speaking of front lines, you going to be alright? Gonna need you over there."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Ew, so you did sleep with her," Willow declares slightly more loudly than she intends. Spending more time with John as his apprentice has meant learning a lot more about the man than she ever wanted. "And what do you mean I'm - Oh. Yeah. That. I guess so. Plus I did find out a few things. I think I might have some ideas..."

Enter Aquaman, which in and of itself isn't so terribly bad. Until he gives the small gathering individual looks, leaving the petite red-head flushing a terribly unpretty shade of pink. A matter made worse by, again, louder than she intends, "Can I change my mind about staying?" when he announces his role as guardian for those left behind.

Cue shades of scarlet.

"So, I was thinking, they've done the most of the work opening the rift between the places. If we do what we did last time, but use the corridor that's already in place, it should mean a lot less magical energy needed on our side. All we have to do is make sure we collapse the thing on itself on our way back with Superman."

She carefully avoids saying 'if we get him'.

Superman has posed:
    Aquaman looks over at Freddy, nods his head respectfully, and says, "Thank you! I have heard great things about you Pantheon! I have been impressed by Supergirl's description of your heroism in rescuing Superman. Well done!" A quick look at Supergirl..."It will work out. You'll bring him back, Supergirl. With you on the team, it can't fail.

    Arthur gives Zatanna a sideways look at her and his smile widens. "Well then, I will try not to give you a view of my bad side. If I had one." He returns the wink.

    Watching carefully as John speaks to Willow, Aquaman listens and then shakes his head at John's remarks. "Of course. Have you met her? Red hair and fury. She would...hurt us all. I see you have a penchance for red heads as well." A nod towards Willow, and not making a comment at her "loud" remarks.

    "Smart one too, by the sounds of it." Aquaman says of her theory. Clapping his hands together, he says, "Excellent! Let us get her done then! Who's up?"

Supergirl has posed:
At the question, Supergirl looks over at Constantine and gives him a tight-lipped smile. "Oh I wouldn't miss this for the world. I'll be there and I'll be fine. We will succeed," she adds, using the words she has been saying to herself outloud to see if it helps at all. It doesn't but she still hangs onto it with both hands as tightly as she can.

Zatanna's smile broadens, going from about 60 watts to a full 100, when she hears Willow's words to John. Unlike Aquaman, she's not above saying something. "Oh honey, the stories we could tell you," she says with naughty sparkle to her eyes. She does consider John's words and looks back at Aquaman. Then back to John. "Nah. You know I don't like to share."

On to the serious stuff though as Willow talks about the portal. "A great idea actually. Instead of forcing our own door, just jimmy the lock they have on this side. Should be easier to maintain that way to just keep it open. The collapse will be the tricky part. May need to draw on all our resources to achieve that part but I'll do a bit of poking at the corridor while you are over there, see if I can find a weakspot."

Captain Marvel Jr. has posed:
Freddy says to Willow, "It is relatively easy for me to close, it was created with Apocalypse tech, it draws upon the Source, I can manipulate things that draw upon the Source. It is one of my powers...the same power in general terms I will use to get us there." The source Manipulation of Zonuz, the most potent, but difficult, ability in his arsenal. He may not know the technical terms, but DOING it is within his power, if he is still functional.

Constantine has posed:
"Hey now," John complains holding up his hands. "Don't get me confused with Harry bloody Dresden, don't date my apprentices," he says about 'having a penchant for red heads'.

He takes a long and anxious drag of his cigarette. "Don't we have work to do?" he asks them all suddenly on task now that the embarassment is all aimed in his direction. Though he does remark to Aquaman. "Not wrong about the smart though."

He stubbs out his cigarette on a piece of equipment and nods to Supergirl, "Yeah, nothing to worry about Big Blue will be back in no time," he says trying to sound sure.

As for sharing? "Depends on the sharing," he remarks before he gets down to business.

"Yeah, collapsing the portal should work, might also be able to summon the door to the House of Mystery from Apokolips too, which means if we need to close the portal early, we're not buggered for a ride home."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Now Arthur earns his own ew in its own right. "Ew. He's old. Who would sleep with him anyway?" Of John. "And he stinks like a subway station."

Until the rest of the conversation returns to magic she's all scarlet and looking to escape. Thankfully Freddy saves her (so to speak). "I read about that when I was researching. I wasn't sure if it wasn't like what I do, but without being able to see it up closer and test it, it wasn't possible to say. So we want to make sure you don't get taken out or the rest of us will have a lot more pressure on us to fill in the void."

Because Zatanna was right, it would take a significant amount of power to close the thing, and if they'd already beein fighting their way back there, any ounce of effort they didn't need to find within themselves and expend would be a blessing.

She does manage to reassure, "Oh, it will work. Unless there's a break between the realities of the two, the House connects to John, not a space. The worst that could happen is they could isolate him in a barrier that would prevent him from reaching out - oh, and the distance. I mean, it's not like it would fold space and time the way movies tell us. It's probably a little more like the rift and has both a physical and metaphyscial space..."

Willow has thought a lot about these things.

Superman has posed:
    Aquaman moves to the background, with a quick nod to Constantine, and a gentle chuckle at Willow's words. Not wanting to interrupt the genius at work, he remains quiet. Admiring them from afar was easy though. This was what made the League so effective. Brilliant minds and bodies, working together in unison to solve a puzzle like this one. To bring a friend home.

    So far Aquaman had nothing to chime in on, as he wasn't really the expert here on Apokolips or magic for that matter. Leaning back against the far wall near the southern bio bed, Aquaman just waits for the others to start the show. All of this talk of Apokolips and the portal gave him a chill suddenly, and he wonders if everyone felt that sense of dread?

Captain Marvel Jr. has posed:
Freddy says to the magic team, "Just tell me when. Getting there is easy enough...but unless they are busy they might be on top of me soon after arrival." He may not arrive n the exact same spot, but it is likely someone will have figured out how to sense his power if they have not been busy with other things. If they can sense it, they will likely attack him as fast as they can mobilize..

Constantine has posed:
"I bloody well do not!" John protests about his smell. Though when he thinks he can get away with it, he sneaks in a sniff of himself, frowning at the odor.

As for the magic, he nods, "Yeah, we don't want to suddenly have to hold the door open while we're grappling with this lot, or trying to stop the ritual." It would be a huge magical load. "Gonna need to make sure we don't let any of the bastards slip by us an' try to close the door."

As for Willow's understanding, "Trust her on that, she's done the math, honest to god math," he was there. "So if she says it'll work it'll work."

He reaches into his coat and pulls out his flask, unscrews the cap and takes a pull. "Anyone want a nip before we go?" he asks offering around to the others.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow politely - as she remembers herself - doesn't expound upon the subway station comment, happy enough to move forward with the other. As for the maths.. well, someone had to double check things, didn't they?

"Not that I'm recommending this, but if we could get them to overload their own rift and use John's way out that might solve all the problems. But I'm thinking the fewer places they have tenuous ties to the better."

As a backup, though, it had merit. Backups were always a good idea!

"So, we go in the back door, figuring they could be expecting us to do that? Maybe on point we should have Kara? To let Freddy get himself in place? Then I guess we figure out from that side where they've got him, interrupt whatever they're doing, and make it impossible to do this again!"

By the end of that she's all sunshine and daisies in her voice - perhaps to bolster her own belief this will work - intent on the idea that if you believe it hard enough it will happen.

Because as she's already pointed out prior, the alternatives were unthinkable.

Superman has posed:
    Aquaman agrees. "That's a pretty good plan I think. The red head is right. You okay with that Supergirl?" Aquaman looks over at her. "I'll keep an eye on the backdoor here, and make sure Zatanna is safe. If anything happens...well, nothing is going to happen. I guess that means you are in charge."

    Looking at Pantheon, he says, "Good luck lad. If you pull this off, I'll recommend to Superman that you become a full member." Aquaman cracks his knuckles, looks around the room, at Zee, John, and WIllow. "All of you should be JL members. Good luck everyone! May Lord Poseidon himself guard you from harm!" Then, he steps to stand by Zatanna, and says, "Once More Unto the Breech..."

Supergirl has posed:
Supergirl gives a nod. "We go in fast and hard. I'm heading directly for the altar. I intend to hit it and destroy it before they have time to react. Then I'll return to watch over Pantheon." She looks to the two magic users. "Willow, Constantine, hopefully you brought some magic that will allow you to track where Superman's blood and Superman himself are. Hit the rituatl as soon as we get there to find out so we have a target."

She looks at Pantheon. "Once they have a place for us, we'll head for it and that leaves you to do what you do."

Zatana pipes in. "With the path open, if he remains near the opening of it, I can possibly use magic to help him as well. So he isn't fighting alone. You all know time is of the essence."

Captain Marvel Jr. has posed:
Freddy could teleport himself, but as noted it would not be safe...if they can open the portal without him he will take it. He waits to see if they can.

Constantine has posed:
John nods, "Well got to make sure that I can open the door from there, but I'll sort that once we get there, otherwise, yeah, what you and Supergirl said," he says to Willow nodding to the Girl of Steel.

He takes a final pull of his flask, then picks up his doctor's bag. "Ready as I'll ever be."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Might not want to try it out when we're there, John. Not unless it's an emergency? I mean, what if they're watching. Then all out surprise is taken away - and they've got a bigger power source behind their magics than we do." Well, unless you counted 'G'od - who John didn't like to be on first name terms with and avoided calling upon at all costs.

"They're also better at rifts than we are." Witness this one still hanging around without any visible anchors or excess power leaks on their side. Not that they'd tried closing it, but Willow was willing to bet it wouldn't have been easy had they tried before now.

Then, seeing as John has bolstered his confidence in the way of many intrepid adventurer, with a sip from his flask, there's nothing left but to start the ritual opening of the portal. Given they've done this once before, other than it being through someone else's rift, Willow was feeling pretty confident about this one.

Superman has posed:
    With the power of all those working together, Willow and the mystics begin the ritual. The power in the room flickers. The lights dim, and then return to normal as the power fluctuates from the raw energy in ths opening of a portal through the cosmos to a planet in a distant corner of the Galaxy! Although the trail was already there, a kind of "worm hole" from one point to another, it still took considerable effort to open this portal.

    The portal begins to open. Willow can feel a drain from somewhere, as though the technomancy component was being challenged. The flicker continues, as the portal closes. Zatanna can feel the magic beeing leeched from the ritual by something dark and distant. A magical entity of incredible power.

    A push. The portal opens. John feels the drain as well now, as his senses rebel at the breech in the natural order of things. The Universe screams, a strangely familiar sound, and Supergirl can almost feel Kal El in the distance. Was that his scream?

     Something was fighting them. Pantheon feels an ancient Apokoliptian evil stirring. His instincts at not teleporting to Apokolips first were well founded as he felt something. Power even above Darkseid? Zonuz? Yuga Khan? Impossible...was that the dark entity, calling out to them, with words of power and seduction...! They all hear it in their very souls. The Portal closes. Opens. In spurts. Until, with a last push, it yawns open, like the maw of a dragon, ready to engulf you in flame.

    That is almost what it feels like, suddenly, as the room's temperature rises about 10 degrees celsius in seconds from the massive wind that buffets everyone. The Watchtower's environmental controls struggle to fight the influx of sights, smells, and heat from their destination. The portal opens...and stabilizes, with a yawn of energy. Apokolips! They were successful, but the energy required to hold it open was monstrous! Harder than last time.!

Supergirl has posed:
As the portal opens with the added power of Zatanna bolstering the ritual, her eyes go solid white as she reaches out a hand and sketches a symbol in the air. A glowing blue/white rune appears and floats to the portal as she adds the words, "Kcolnu dna dloh!" She continues to keep her position to hold the portal open on the Watchtower side.

Supergirl is the first one through, likely followed by Pantheon. But as soon as she is through, she turns her vision to pinpointing that altar where they had held her cousin. Her eyes blaze red as she rises into the air. "Let me announce our arrival!" And with that, she heads for the altar. No sonic boom this time but just below that level of speed, a streak of red and blue intending to smash right through the thing!

Captain Marvel Jr. has posed:
If they freed Zonuz, Freddy SHOULD know...he holds part of the power of that deity...and in fact restrains him from using his full power. However, given the state of Apocalyptian technology, someone could have tried to recreate him by at least three or four different means. Therefore, it is likely to be someone of something else, but like Zonuz as Superboy is like Superman...Powerful enough but not quite the original. He is not sure what will happen if they get close together.

Freddy says, "This is going to be tough, they are attempting to draw the power out of the portal and use it for something. I will hold it as long as I can, but that will not be as long as before."

Constantine has posed:
The wrongness of it all is almost enough to make John wretch. Still he steels himself and soldier's forward into the portal, stepping foot onto the alien world.

"Gonna test it anyhow," he calls back to Willow. "Better to spoil our surprise than be needing a door that won't come."

He tugs on the subtle tether between his soul and the house to call the door. If it comes he dismisses it as quick;y as it arrives, before carrying on after lingering for Willow to join him.

If it doesn? Well that's why he had that drink earlier.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Well, so far not entirely to plan. But Freddy wasn't jumped, so that's okay. Kara hopefully wasn't going to need backup, be'cause Freddy's words give her a terrible awful thought that might just make John's checking things out necessary.

"Actually, it makes a lot of sense. I don't think they're using it /for/ something else. I think they're trying to burn us out." That, and she has other suspicions. "And.. they might be looking to make it bigger and permanent."

Now she nods at John. "You really need to check if we can get back another way, 'cause I think we might want to burn the portal."

Superman has posed:
    With the portal open, and the dust, heat and smell of brimstone reaching your senses, it just requires you to take the next step through the portal, onto Apokolips. Through the portal you can see the altar where the team was the last time, and this time, there are several Para-Demons guarding it. You are closer to the fortress this time, locked onto a "Place of Power" like a magnet. So far, the Para-Demons do not seem to see you...yet.

    On the upraised platform where the altar was located, everyone can see the smearing of dried blood and other fluids too disgusting to think about. Broken chains are scattered around the altar, and it looks like the ones that held Superman last time had not been replaced. A warm, reddish visual "glow" is coming from this altar of damnation, as though it was "on" in some way. There even appears to be wisps of crimson "smoke" hovering above the altar, almost taking the shape of a very large humanoid, undulating in silent agony.

    Behind this altar, leading up into the fortress, was a winding set of concrete stairs, worn by thousands of years of use. Those who saw her flee know that this is where Granny Goodness ran up the last time you were here, right after her Furies were defeated. Where it goes, no one knows. Two Para Demons are guarding this stairwell with wicked looking weapons in each of their "claws".

    As everyone arrives, and Supergirl streaks towards the altar, everything happens fast. Pantheon's instincts were correct. The surge of power from the portal goes...somewhere. Now he can feel Zonuz, creeping at the edge of his perception, as the Old God was starting to escape from the Source Wall.

    The crimson form floating above the altar starts to become more solid...and then Supergirl hits the altar with the force of a nuclear bomb, shattering it into a million pieces! As soon as that happens, you hear a scream happen once more at the top of the stairs inside the tower!

    John feels his connection to the House solidify, but it feels sluggish. As though a presence was trying to prevent it somehow. It takes a moment...and there, it is. He can feel it, right there. Willow's words ring true as well. They are using it for something else, as her instincts guide her vision to the horizon, and the large dark cloud moving this way. A cloud of insects? Flapping wings? Millions of them. Too far for her to see what they were.

Captain Marvel Jr. has posed:
SOME of the pressure on Freddy is reduced by the alter being destroyed, whatever they are doing must have been using it as a mystic conduit to try to draw upon the power of Zonuz. Without the alter, their science alone will have to complete whatever they are attempting. He attempts to get a feel or whst they are doing through both his link to Zonuz and the power of compassion.
Assuming, that is, he can take enough concentration off the portal to be aware of anything else...

Supergirl has posed:
Supergirl barely notices that she hit it other than a bit of resistance from whatever they were channeling. She finds herself tumbling through the air and landing hard but she is back up almost as quickly.

The scream has her turning to the tower. There. She narrows her eyes, calling on her x-ray vision as she rushes back to her teammates, even as much as she wants to rush the tower itself. Maybe she can see through things and find what they are looking for in case they can't track Superman through magic means.

Constantine has posed:
John pulls hard upon the thread like trying to drag a wagon through the mud. When he feels the door at the edges of his senses, lets out a relieved sigh. "There you are, you beauty," he says. Then lets the connection go slack taking the sluggishness into account for his mental calculations.

"We've got another way out," he announces to Willow as he digs into his bag to bring out what he'd need to track Superman.

"Gimme a sec and I'll find us Big Blue," he announces.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Told you it would work," Willow says smugly. "I did the maths."

Of course her smug doesn't get to develop into a full on gloat, because while she enjoys being right, the oncoming cloud of darkness - likely insects - doesn't bode well and she'd rather have been wrong.

She's not sure if the power drain is summoning them, or they're to distract from that drain, but in the long run (and the short) it doesn't matter so much if they can't manage to survive the contact, or the portal falls from their hands.

"Do we ditch the portal? Or?" The parademons are noted. As is the direction of the scream. And the realization that while small strike forces look good on paper, it's usually better to be the big guys on home turf - which they definitely are not. She does, however, work on a shield to cover them while John handles the Superman tracking end of things, leaving Freddy free to do his thing, and Kara hers.

Superman has posed:
    The shattering of the ancient, dark altar shatters the dark mystical component of the ritual, whatever was happening. Supergirl's X-Ray vision reveals a huge laboratory at the top of the stairs, with three beings rushing around the room, trying to flick switches, and maneuver strange devices that looked like a science experiement from Frankenstein's nightmares! One was a large, buxom woman with silver-grey hair. She seems to be yelling and screaming. Another was a strange looking man, that had a nimbus of energy around him. The third was a weasly-robed man, who seems to be yelling back at the screaming woman, and trying to bark orders. It was chaos!

    In the centre of the lab was a large cylinder "tube", with a familiar Man of Steel inside. Wires and electricity surround the tube sending energy into the body. Superman's face was wreathed in agony, and his eyes are glowing in crimson-black darkness, his mouth open in a silent scream.

    The Para-Demons present shriek in surprised rage, as they bring their weapons to bare on the Kryptonian, firing wildly at her speeding form. Several other Para Demons start to head for the portal as well, and the trio there - Pantheon, Willow and John.

    Shrieking at them, they aim their weapons and begin to fire, hoping to stop them from getting up the staircase, and into the dark laboratory of the evil DeSaad! "Kills thems!" They shriek, and continue to fire!

    Pantheon's senses open up to the source, and the echoes of ancient hate and rage that boils there. Freddy can almost feel him, Yuga Khan, Zonuz, trying to get back to the world on this side of the Source Wall. It was almost like an attempt to pour his essence into another form. A powerful form. Someone was trying to bring him back and the ritual was only delayed by Supergirl's heroic destruction of the altar!

    Willow could tell the "insects" were getting closer. And getting bigger. Man sized bigger. They look like the creatures shooting at them! Her shield deflects the blasts, but some of them were heading their way! John can already feel Superman's location tugging at him when he pulls out the hair and starts the spell. He was at the top of the stairs, in the building directly in front of them!

Supergirl has posed:
"We need Superman and his blood or they will always have a tie to him. Lab up there has something going on!" Supergirl points where the lab is at the top of the tower. "Want me to get us there quickly? I can carry you both."

On the other end of the corrider, the heat and ash washing over her, stands Zatanna. She continues to explore the corrider, a rune here, a will o' the wisp there floating out to explore the passage itself and find the weak spot. As she spies the shield being brought into being around the heroes, she begins to twirl her own hands in the air again as she reaches out to the power of the universe. "Tropelet yawa!" Circular runes begin to glow on the outside of that shield. When anything hits them, it disappears within. Then more runes appear above the ones that are absorbing. These are the exits and the blasts that happen to hit portals instead of shield are fired Back at the parademons!

Captain Marvel Jr. has posed:
Freddy decides what has to be done. Instead of supporting the portal with the power of Zonuz, he instead switches his focus to the power of S'ivaa. S'ivaa normally grants him strength, but he has other aspects, he is immune to the power of the Source...and he can create rips in space and time by "dancing". Freddy sets himself in the center or the portal and begins dancing, channeling more and more of the force of S'ivaa and using it. He is going to close the portal all right...he is going to rip it to shreds and throw it at the Parademon wave!

Constantine has posed:
John's spell finds Superman but Kara finds him first. "Yeah, a ride would help. One moment though, I'll give us a bit of an edge."

He ties off the bit of hair to an amulet then slips it around his neck. Once it's in place, he draws his hands together muttering "Obscurum animo, obscure est!" spreading his hands apart at that final declaration.

To those around them Willow, Kara and John are sort of just forgotten about. A mental blindspot for as long as John concentrates.

"Give us a lift?" he asks Kara, though his face is set in concentration.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow might not have been told what was about to happen, but she groks it. Freddy is on the path to making a major BOOM of the impending parademons and the portal and she and John and Kara might not want to be right here when that happens - and they needed to get Superman and his blood.

When John begins chanting, it's all so clear, and something she'd have done if it were in her wheelhouse. Note to self: Find out how he did that and learn it.

"Hey, John? Can you keep this on me when we get past them and inside? If I go for the blood and you two deal with finding Superman we can make this go faster?"

It's a thought.

Superman has posed:
    The chaos in the lab got a lot worse as Supergirl, Willow and John arrive on the scene, below! DeSaad, the weasly man in wine coloured robes sees them in his console. Briefly. "The blasted female Kryptonian is here, Goodness! She shattered your damned altar, Bedlam!!!"

    Howling in fury, DeSaad slams a big red button down on his console, which sends alarms and sirens shrieking! The electricity and power being siphoned into Superman's body within the cylinder rises exponentially, as every iota of power flows into the experiment.

    On the Watchtower, Aquaman stays out of Zatanna's way, as she does her thing. Zatanna can feel the draw, as it begins to get harder and harder to maintain the portal. Pantheon on the other side can feel it as well. Then, almost as suddenly as it begins, it ends.

    The draw against the "tide" vanishes, and now, it is becoming easier and easier to "push" against the portal...it felt like to was being diverted elsewhere, somehow. The power of S'ivaa was working. Pantheon felt the power...and it was ripping him apart. The power was incredible. What would he do with it? Zatanna could feel it being drawn into Freddy, like a sponge.

    With John's spell cast, they become invisible to everything around them. The Para Demons shriek in frustration, firing madly, but not hitting anything. With that, the intrepid trio could easily fly into the lab and see what was going on, and put Willow's plan to good use. In the distance she could sense Pantheon's plan was quickly reaching fruition and by her calculations, it would be like setting off a 100 kiloton bomb.

Captain Marvel Jr. has posed:
Freddy has a number of powers, but wisdom is not one of them. This means he has no way of knowing if his plan is actually going to work, of if he is only going to make things worse. Still, Stubbornness is one of Freddy's traits...and at the vvbery least he if distracting the Parademons away from the rescuers. That in and of itself is not a bad thing. Further, he is not granting more power to Zonuz...that shouls make what they are trying more difficult. All in all, he continues his dance...this is going to be big...

Supergirl has posed:
Supergirl scoops up the pair of magic users without hestitation, streaking into the air and heading for that lab. She goes for the front door, landing on the steps just outside the door. Then she Kicks the door with one of those red boots, as hard as she can to get them entry into the interior. If that doesn't work, she's going for a wall!

On the other side of the portal, Zatanna pauses in her explorations to stare at Pantheon. "What is he..." The power. She can feel it shifting, drawing, building. "Oh Hell."

Finger dance with silver blue runes floating into the air as she yells, "DleihS!" Putting a mystic glowing shield of the same color hovering in the air between the portal and the watchtower side. She is putting her everything in that shield to be certain nothing on this side gets blown up with the passage.

Constantine has posed:
Set down outside the lab, John lets out a breath. "That was a helluva ride," he say the invisibility slipping off Kara once she kicks down the door.

As for Willow and her request he pulls the threads of magic back together, wrapping it around them both but Willow in particular.

"Should be good for a bit, make it count," he tells the redhead.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
'A bit' is all Willow needs.

She's going to put her research to use. There's enough ambient magical energy in the room that hers shouldn't be noticed above and beyond anything here, and she can cast a spell to locate the blood they've taken from Superman. As a component of their ritual, her magics should be able to target it easily enough.

Or so she hopes. Willow begins casting, and once the spell is in motion, will use that to locate Clarks blood to return home with them or be destroyed. Either way, these folks won't have it anymore.

Superman has posed:
    Now it was End Game. Superman's body was reaching critical mass as DeSaad shields his eyes from the lightning storm going on around him. Backing up from the console, Bedlam and Granny Goodness look at eash other, and begin to flee towards what looks like a teleportation platform. "It will work!"

    DeSaad screams with a mad glee as the crescendo reaches a high pitch. Suddenly Superman is hit with a strange, ray of inky blackness from a strange piece of rock near the cylinder. It surrounds Superman, and appears to absorb all light.

    Freddy's plan certainly did work, as all of the Para Demons now head towards him in an attempt to stop whatever madness he was performing. Pantheon's plan has one of two outcomes. He expels all of the Portals energy outwards and hopes he can fall back through the portal towards Zatanna. Or, he expels all the energy in a giant conflguration that takes him with it. AT the very least, this would more than likely seal the portal...forever.

    Supergirl, Willow and John arrive...or did they? The door shatters into a hundred pieces, sending shrapnel into the lab. DeSaad shrieks, covering his head and getting cut in several places. "You are too late Supertramp! I can't see you, but I know it is you and your human lackies! In seconds, my True Lord and Master will be back...in the body of a Kryptonian! And he will make you pay!"

    Willow uses her magic and, she can now see that DeSaad is holding a vial of something dark, and red. He turns towards Superman, and it looks like he is preparing to do something with the vial of Superman's blood by pouring it on the stone.

    Bedlam and Goodness look at each other, and both shrug at the same time. Goodness draws her weapon, and Bedlam closes his eyes for a second, only to open them a second later. Glowing, they look right at Willow and John. He touches Goodness, and she takes aim.

Supergirl has posed:
Supergirl frowns darkly as she gauges the room. She doesn't spot the blood as she is busy looking at Superman, at what they are doing. Then she sees the weapon being drawn and aimed at the two who might be able to stop all this!

She does what a hero does. Supergirl flies into the line of fire, making sure that if anyone gets hit, it's her. Even as she goes for Granny Goodness since she's the one with the weapon! That Bedlam is near her is a bonus.

Captain Marvel Jr. has posed:
Freddy is not worried about surviving...he is assured by the voices of is sources that this power may destroy everything nearby, but him it can not touch. He is the eye of the storm...but like a hurricaine the storm will create massive destruction.

He can sense something nearby...something whose existance is as much metaphysical as solid reality...and he knows what it is. Somehow the idiots have pulled out a tiny piece of the source wall...it must have been them doing that which caused Zonuz to stir in the first place and forced Shazam to create Freddy. He can sense it because of his tie to Zonuz. He also detects the energy they are prepared to use channeled through the stone. He does something dangerous...he reached to grab that energy through his own link to Zonuz...with him channeling the source immunity of S'ivaa as well this shough create a feedback loop. He can not tell what the final effect will be, but it probably is going to be big!

Constantine has posed:
If there was something John wasn't good at it was battle magics, shields, lightning bolts, all that D&D shite.

But he was pretty good with fire.

So when Granny and Bedlam turn their eyes on John, John drops the invisibility and steps in their way, drawing his hands apart and unleashing a blast of hellfire at the pair of them. As much to obscure their vision as to do them harm buying Willow precious seconds.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
It's.. it's.. Oh gosh. It's there. With him. And worse, it's very, very clear they've been spotted.

Double worse, that one is about to pour the blood over that stone there. And while Willow isn't sure /what/ that stone is (perhaps of the same thing as the altar? Makes sense to her) she does know one thing: he can't be allowed to complete the ritual and pour the blood over the stone.

Lacking a better plan, or any belief that her magics will withstand his, or do what they need, Willow, instead, focuses on what she knows she can do. Screw the whole dark Jedi thing. She'd been willing to throw in with that before to save Superman, so how is this different? If that blood hits that stone, they're all doomed.

Gathering her not insignificant power to herself (despite her self esteem issues and certainty she's a small fish in a very VERY big pond) Willow draws herself up and advances on DeSaad, hands outstreched in a petite red-headed parody of Palpatine himself and blasts the rock with ritually charged lightning strikes, intent on blowing that to smitherins and rending it magically incapable.

Superman has posed:
    The beams of energy from Granny Goodness's weapon strikes Supergirl. And they hurt! A lot. Not enough to incapacitate her, but they will leave a mark. Until she heals. Granny yelps as Supergirl takes her out with one blow, and Bedlam is not that much better off, as he takes the full brunt of John's flame attack. Shrieking in agony, he is taken out of the fight almost as quickly. Strange though. Supergirl feels drained for some reason, like she just ran a half marathon...if she were human.

    Pantheon in the distance can sense something was happening, as Zonuz brushes past his consciousness. The energy buildup was reaching the point of no return, and would require Freddy to make a decision, soon. The Source groans in agony as though something was being disturbed from a deep slumber as Freddy reaches out with his own connection. It was...like touching pure evil. His spirit recoils as the connection SNAPS into existence.

    Freddy could easily be lost in that tidal wave of darkness, as Willow had almost succumbed to a short while ago. It was temptation multiplied exponentially, and he hears DeSaad's words in his mind, an ancient Apkolips chant. Summoning something forth from oblivion.

    Strangely enough, the only sliver of protection Freddy had right now was the portal's energy. That sacrifice he was making was the only thing slowing Zonuz's spirit down enough to give Willow her chance. The Universe holds its breath for a moment, as this was a fixed point in Time and Space.

    John and Willow's team work were amazing to watch. DeSaad giggles with glee as he reaches to pour the blood on the stone, muttering some strange incantation that John and Willow can sense was dark magic, but couldn't understand the language. Kara can sense something wrong within Kal El's body, as though his spirit was slipping away and something dark and twisted was taking its place.

    As Willow's energy hits the rock, nothing happens. At first. It glows with a reddish flame, and Desaad twirls around and screams at her, "No! Do you know what you have done, insignificant mortal?" The rock sends a feedback charge to her fingertips, making them tingle.

    A consciousness touches her, red hot anger setting her mind on fire. It seeks out a consciousness, finding hers, and tries to take her. In her mind she feels another presence. Freddy. His connection to the rock and Zonuz stops the connection, and some of that energy has to go somewhere. The rock explodes and the presence's voice disappears, echoing into darkness.

Captain Marvel Jr. has posed:
Freddy feels the power surding...but because of the feedback loop he is no longer at the eye...it slams into the world around him and hits with enough force that Freddy is thrown hundreds of feet and is barely holding to consciouness...and that not for long as he sees the army of Parademons being drawn into the rift in rality that used to be the portal...sealing it with their very bodies and energies...and Freddy slips into darkness unsure if he is going to follow them into oblivion.

Supergirl has posed:
Despite the pain, Supergirl did what she needed to. But then suddenly that pain seemed a lot worse as she felt herself go very weak. "By Rao, what is going on..."

She actually staggers, putting a hand over the blast mark on the side of her abdomen where she took the hit. She pulls her hand away and finds blood there. "That's not good." Then she looks to the others. "I hope that exit you suggested works because I have no powers for the moment."

Despite being rendered to 'just human', she rushes to the pod where Superman is still in the contraption. She might not have her powers but she will do everything she can to get him out of there. "Someone get that vial!" she yells as she works on getting her cousin out.

Constantine has posed:
John can feel the unstable energies whirling around them. It was time to go.

"Good job," he says to Willow putting a hand on her shoulder before he turns to the nearest wall and calls for the door, tugging hard on the thread to summon it into being.

"Working on our way out!" he calls in reply to Kara. "Will, you got that vial?"

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow may or may not have a clue what she's doing. That's irrelevant. When DeSaad hisses at her in that way, demanding if she knew what she was doing, her eyes narrow down on him, the arcs of lightning not abating. "I'm turning to the Dark Side you sorry piece of ancient history!" and she doesn't give up.

Not even when the sear of blinding pain etches across her brain - at this point she'll go down with the ship if it saves them. And then there's the cooling surcease of Freddy's mind, his work back at the portal linking them and anchoring her in this maelstrom until the stone shatters.

"That vial is mine," she tells DeSaad, flushed with both power and confidence, determined to retrieve the last component they came for. Willing to employ all means necessary - which is to say, lightning at this point.

Superman has posed:
    They can all feel it. In the centre of the Portal, Freddy's sacrifice could be felt throughout the Plains of Darkseid. The energy was going to be released that would destroy this area. The oncoming storm was heading towards DeSaad's fortress with rapidity. John, Kara and Willow could feel it. Willow's connection to Freddy tells her...he had to release it. Now.

    Supergirl feels a little of her powers return, enough for her desperate surge of strength and speed to get Superman out of the "red sun" cylinder, which was all put shattered junk now. A slow moan escapes Kal's lips, letting her know he was still alive, but the 3rd degree burns all over his skin was frightening. SO far, he wasn't healing, but Apokolip's sun was not the sun of home. Earth.

    A faint hum near the teleportation pad reveals that Bedlam and Granny Goodness were gone. John Constantine calls for the door, and this time, strangely enough, it comes to him almost instantly and with a sense of urgency. It was like they all could feel the pressure of the explosion as the ground begins to shake.

    DeSaad is kneeling on the ground, moaning and crying, with the vial clutched in his right hand. Looking at Willow with hatred, he throws it at her, and turns to run. "Take it!" And he is gone.

    Back on the Watchtower, Aquaman points into the rapidly collapsing portal, and says, "Zatanna! There! He's there! Can you get him with your magic?" Arthur points at the rapidly disappearing Freddy Freeman. If Zatanna didn't close the portal in seconds, they would be destroyed as well!

Supergirl has posed:
The glow around Zatanna's eyes intensifies. All the spells had dropped except one portal. Only now, she moved it. "Rof eht Evas!"

The portal opens directly in front of the flying body of Pantheon. The second portal opens on the side of the shield next to Aquaman.

Boom! The body of the man lands, sliding across the metal floor of the watchtower medbay even as the explosion blasts against the shield. Zatanna grits her teeth, holding it by sheer will as she focuses all that power on that spot. A moment later, the entire thing is gone. She collapses, falling on her bottom right there on the floor.

Constantine has posed:
"Thanks, luv," John tells the House as the door appears and he rips it open revealing the entryway beyond.

"C'mon you lot time to go!" he shouts standing in the doorway holding open for the others.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
It was both satisfying and disappointing to have the vial just tossed at her, especially when Willow had set herself up for a good fight with the man, feeling the glory of her newfound confidence and dark powers - or at least she thinks she's embraced the Dark Side. It's going to be a little bit disappointing later, but right now she has the vial, and with Kara taking Superman, and John holding the door open, Willow clutches the vial to her chest and returns back to the House of Mystery.