Chapter 106 : Negotiations
Author note : Hi everyone ! Here's the next chapter ! Don't forget to leave a comment or review, or throw some stones my way. Also if you have interesting ideas I can use in the future for my stories, I'm all ears.
On my Patréon page, you can find more chapters and stories and you can also show your support if you like. Use this link :https://www.patr*on.com/user?u=66371596 (e instead of *). You can also simply search for Cathbel on the Patréon website.
Squib who became Iron Lad : up to 10 chapters ahead.
Marvel : the Author : same.
Enjoy !
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« The Third Army… » Steel echoed with a bit of confusion on his face. « They have no emotions, you say ? Then… Why are they so dangerous ? »
Ned explained :
« The way they're formed is the true danger. You see… The Guardians weren't content to just wipe out sapient life from the universe. No, they're much more eco-conscious than that : they decided to recycle sapient life into their Third Army. Like zombies in horror movies, if you get scratched by those guys, it's game over. However, while in most films and series it'd take hours or even days, the transformation is quite a bit faster than that. After the scratch, all that's left is a moving, emotionless lump of flesh, directly controlled by the Guardians to do their bidding.»
« That… suspiciously sounds like a magical curse of some kind. »
« It does, indeed, resemble werewolfism, doesn't it ? You know it's funny… They've actually tried to wipe out magic from the universe. Probably because it gave magic users too much power. A power they'd rather keep for themselves… And now, they're wiping out all life with that same magic. Well, at least that's my best guess, anyway. »
« So… A race of little green men which are self-appointed rulers of the universe created some kind of… virus ? A virus that is transmitted by other people through a scratch and that turns anyone into a mindless drone at the beck and call of those same green men ? All this, because what ? They decided emotions aren't hype anymore ? » Constantine's snark was… well, constant.
He wasn't wrong however… How many villains in comic books realities did shit for reasons truly stupid. Like, in this instance, it wasn't really explained why the Guardians suddenly decided to purge all their feelings. Nor why it turned them all into a bunch of murder hobos… They glossed over it during the scene where they forced Ganthet to undergo the procedure, saying how emotions made them flawed beings. But were did the idea even come from ?
« Blue men, but basically, yes. And before you start questioning where I get this intel, I'll tell you. »
Ned looked at Batman and asked him :
« So, now you all know about my situation, but did Robin tell you what happened to my body ? »
The most imperceptible nod was his only answer.
« Yes, well… It turns out Metal-Ned, or as it calls itself now, the Organic Interface, decided to travel to the stars in order to find new and exotic pathogens. His aim, in time, is to decrease the human population. That's the reason why he is currently on his way to Oa, the base for the Green Lanterns and the Guardians. »
« Who is Metal-Ned ? » Superman wondered.
Ned pointed at himself :
« Me. Or rather, it's my old body that's been taken over by the Rithm. »
Constantine scoffed :
« That's what you get for playing with things you don't understand, lad… Better get back to play with your dollies. »
Ned raised an unimpressed eyebrow at this. The man was kind of a jerk, but his expertise was invaluable. There's something that he didn't like however :
« I've spent half my life studying and researching magic, and then creating a completely new field of magic… Without the blood of homo magi, or magical abilities inherited from my parents. I understand what I'm playing with. More than you can possibly know. » He sighed and admitted : « Although it's true I overlooked this possibility. Being chosen as a champion by one of the Elemental realm is more than rare. Being chosen by the Rithm… is unheard of. Isn't it ? »
Being human and being chosen by something other than the Red was pretty much impossible. There's too much of the Red's influence in humans. Only in rare occasion, like in Poison Ivy's case for instance, was it possible for another realm to take an interest. Ned surmised it was actually the reason for Ivy's fixation on plants, her babies, and her hatred for humans who were killing nature.
Swamp Thing was a different case. While he thought at first being a human turned into something else, it was actually a golem made out of plants who had the memories of a human. As for the Black Queen, Swamp Thing's lover, she was… a different case.
In any case, although the stories of Swamp Thing were often intertwined with that of other champions, making it look like they were a lot of champions, the reality was that… those were the only ones. The reason they were often so close together was because the elemental forces behind them were still at war through their champions for supremacy.
However, in Ned's case, there were no signs of those elemental forces. So, he didn't think of them, much less the Rithm whose existence is still very new.
Constantine sat back in his chair, crossing his arms and said nothing. Despite his silence, Ned felt that he hit the nail on its head. So, the middle-aged supernatural detective did what most people did in this situation : he changed the subject.
« I still think we should obliviate all these muggles. They know too much… »
« And I feel like you weren't listening… Compared to the threat we're facing, a little breach in the Statue of Secrecy is nothing. Those little blue guys are all archmages, with an army of super-powered inferi with no weakness to fire. They don't care that Wizardkind and other magic users want to stay hidden on Earth. They're coming to wipe us all out ! No-majs and magicians alike.»
« Jus' saying… » Constantine retorted with a shrug.
Batman talked next, his voice cold and brisk :
« And what do you expect us to do ? Except for the alien, none of us are exactly capable of space flight… You want us to, what ? Prepare Earth for an invasion of magical zombies from outer space ? »
Wonder Woman spoke next for the first time :
« Speak for yourself, Man of the Bat. I actually have access to a spaceship ! » She declared proudly. « I shall aid our fellow Earthling Green Lanterns in battling the tyranny of these so-called Guardians. Anyone willing to fight by my side is welcome aboard my ship ! »
John Henry Irons felt conflicted. On the one hand, going to space has always been his dreams. A dream he didn't think he'd be able to accomplish before amassing a great deal of fortune, designing and building his own rocket and sending it to space with him on it. Now, however, the amazonian warrior was offering him a place on her own ship.
Beyond his desire to go to space, his curiosity about the spacecraft itself was also a great source of temptation.
On the other hand however… What his former protege talked about, a race of aliens powerful enough to be considered the rulers (or guardians) of the universe and not be challenged for it… Or be challenged and still being considered as such. An army of mindless, super-powered drones under their control, capable of turning him into one of them. This was all very terrifying.
This wasn't exactly why he donned on the armor… He wasn't like Superman. Even though he participated during Brainiac's attack on Metropolis, he aimed to help out the civilians. Getting them out of wreckage, protecting them from the drones, preventing the destruction of buildings. Not battle against super-powered foes.
He knew the extent of what his armor could do. And this… this was beyond him. Currently, at least… Still, he also felt the desire to challenge himself. To upgrade his hardware, much like Ned constantly seemed to be doing. And he had just the idea in mind for it…
Constantine got a cigarette out of his cigarette case and tapped the back of it on the box a few times, his gaze vacant, fixed on the ground. His instincts told him this was trouble with a capital T. He knew a great deal about the world and even the dimensions tied to it. The realms of the Endless, the demonic ones, Gemworld and… Well, he knew a lot. About space however, he knew surprisingly little.
And he was fine with that : he had enough on his plate as it was. And being the screw-up he was, he'd rather not add to it.
There was one thing that Constantine had trouble resisting, however. The allure of power. He often rationalized it : it was for the greater good, or he could help more people this way… But the truth was, ever since he was a wee lad, he craved for power.
You'd think he'd learn his lesson given how dearly it cost him, but… Well, in the back of his mind, there was always the idea that, maybe some day, if he had enough power, everything he lost would have been worth it. Maybe he could even get it back. And if not, well he was still left with the afterlife. Perhaps Death would be lenient on him and let him see his Ma and Pa.
The idea that magic existed even on other worlds and that a race of long lived people was harnessing it… The prospect of all the knowledge he could get his hands on if he went there… And who knows ? He could even get his own power ring.
As for Batman and Superman, they had already decided on what to do. Batman might be a common mortal, his sense of responsibility was greater than anyone in the room. As for Superman, he was always willing to help out.
Almost at the same time, the two hold-outs gave their answer :
« A'right ! I feel it's a stupid move, but I'll go. »
« I'm in. There's a prototype I wanted to try on. »