We're Not In Kansas Anymore

[crusaderinacape]

Welcome to Shiruta. Drive safe.Not exactly the sort of sign you'd see marking Kahndaq's capital city, as the smouldering corpse of the Batwing some miles back will attest to. With the majority of the Feitherian guard airborne and engaged with the Justice Society, Batman's journey to the palace is relatively easy. When you've just survived a dog

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[nation_extras]

And it's about to get longer.

Time seems to slow, then stop around the Batman, as a familiar figure seemingly walks out of thin air to face him.

"Batman."

[crusaderinacape]

Familiar, but a figure he hasn't seen in some time.

"Stranger," thankfully he's learnt to listen when this particular man speaks, "What's going on?"

[nation_extras]

"One of my old nemeses' reach is exceeding her grasp." the Stranger says. "Her name is Tala, and she rules a segment of the netherrealms some generalize as 'Hell'. She is the paramour of the sorceror Tannarak, whom some of your number recently defeated and humiliated." A pause. "Those that were termed 'The Circle'."

"I generally cannot interfere in struggles such as this, but Tala is my responsibility. Before I can say anymore, we need others."

The Stranger gestures, and another appears.

[zee_zatara]

An errant fireball shoots out of Zatanna's fingertips the moment she appears.

Clearly, she's still in battle mode.

Immediately noticing that she's changed where she is, she yells, "ezeerF! etapissiD!

The fireball freezes before it can do much damage and then fizzles out of existence as she looks at the Phantom Stranger.

"Oh. Hi."

[mrs_dibny]

The heroes will not have much time to bond. An ominous figure dressed in black flies through the sky approaches them with the speed of a comet.

[nation_jla]

After sending Black Adam flying, the Martian Manhunter flies up to meet this new foe. A cursory brain scan...provides something unexpected.

"Sue..."

[mrs_dibny]

The impossible becomes possible as the figure approaches. Sue Dibny has powers and she is on the attack, starting with a superstrength punch to Martian Manhunter.

[nation_jla]

The element of surprise is what gets the blow to ring true with little defense, as the punch sends the Manhunter careening to the ground.

[dcn_horsemen]

Deep inside the palace, Tala is glowing and speaking in tongues. Completely focused on the spell energies that are bringing the Rock of Eternity down onto the city of Kahndaq.

[crusaderinacape]

Let her try that with a few tear gas cannisters added to the equation.

[dcn_horsemen]

The tear gas fills the room...however, the glow around Tala seems to be protecting her from the agent. In fact, she hasn't even noticed that they were there.

It might require a more direct action to shake her from her reverie.

[crusaderinacape]

Never hit a woman. A phrase Ivy, Quinzel, any number of others had taught him was false.

The tear gas provides the cover he needs to get close to her. He aims a firm punch at her jaw, "Playtime's over."

[dcn_horsemen]

The battlefield was littered with bodies.

The heroes had done reasonably well. Atom Smasher and a good portion of the Feitherians were down. The dessicated zombie that was attacking Flash and Thunder was down as well. The grouping of bugs attacking several members of the JSA were dispersed by a well-placed spell from the Thunderbolt.

Not all was well, though. Mr. Terrific had been stung by one of the insects and had fallen deathly sick...the Flash had to run him out of the area to safety and had not returned yet. And the triumverate of the General, Black Adam and Black Mary had fought the remaining heroes to a standstill, even managing to knock Jakeem out cold, leaving the Thunderbolt without a master to dictate its orders.

Now this fourth being was engaging the Martian Manhunter...and winning. Superman was getting his faculties again, but there was a massive show of superhuman force going against the combined might of the Justice League and the Justice Society.

And then lightning struck the Rock of Eternity.

[big_red_cheese]

Captain Marvel charges from the Rock.

"Mary!" he bellows.

[dcn_horsemen]

Mary had just used a haymaker to send Hourman flying when she looked up at what was coming in. Three figures, the fastest of which looked...oddly familiar.

[dcn_horsemen]

Billy, however, is met by the other wielder of the lightning. He skyrockets into the air and slams into Captain Marvel.

[dcn_horsemen]

The General, meanwhile, was trying to mow through everyone else not currently engaged. Stargirl, Thunder, Plastic Man, Power Girl, whoever.

"That the best you got? Fuck, even if Tala does screw the pooch on this one, maybe I just kill everyone and run Kahndaq myself!"

[kara_zor_l]

"Language, jack@$$! There's kids around!"

Okay, so Stargirl wasn't really a kid anymore.

Still.

Her eyes were still shooting solid beams of heat vision while she tried to pummel The General.

[jay_garrick]

A blur of red and blue continues to provide cover from and distraction to the General.

"Somehow, Power Girl, I don't think he has a swear-jar around his house."

A little nerve-jab here. A little poke here. Helping get his targets out of the way of his punches.

He could take out the General if he needed to -- but he's not sure even the General would survive having his brains phased out of his head. So instead he'll let the others handle this guy. Jay will just help make sure that everyone else survives.

[plasticman]

"Stress. That's your problem," Eel wraps himself around the General's face, morphing into an eye mask, "Someone get this guy a shiatsu, stat!"