6606/Sorcerer's World: A Date With DOOM

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Sorcerer's World: A Date With DOOM
Date of Scene: 18 June 2021
Location: Castle Doom and Outskirts -- Latveria
Synopsis: Faust's efforts to recruit another new ally are interrupted but the monarch of Latveria is hardly grateful from the unasked assist.
Cast of Characters: Bruce Wayne, Zatanna Zatara, Hope Svelgate, Clark Kent, Kara Danvers




Bruce Wayne has posed:
The tide might be turning.

After weeks of continually finding themselves at least one step behind Felix Faust and his efforts to do... whatever it is he is attempting to do it feels like the Leauge and other interested parties have finally succeeded in keeping Faust from snatching up whatever magical artifact he decides he wants, have finally stopped him frombuilding allliances with other mystically inclined villains.

The Seige Perilous, a key to the multiverse itself has been kept out of his hands. What's more, it has been given into the safekeeping of a old ally -- one of the Lords of Order himself, Dr. Fate.

It is a nice little equalizer to have in the back pocket.

But while Faust might have been temporarily stimied in his ambitions, no one should believe that one defeat will keep him down, certainly not for long. There are plenty of other sources of power out there in the world, plenty of other mystics hungry for a chance to prove themselves.

So when those mystical waves of Faust's reappearance begin to ripple across the ley lines of the world it is no real surprise. Likewise, the alerts setup in the Watchtower by the League's magical allies sound as well. Giving alert that the mad wizard has once again made his appearance. Nor does it look like a deception, as was the case in Londo. It is not Faust alone, but him and his allies. Fearful of the League's interference once again? Perhaps. Or perhaps it has a little something to do with just where he appears.

Of all the places that Faust and his dangerous band of allies could appear, one would not think a small European nation would be quite so troublesome. But then Latveria is not just any nation, and as quaint and backwards as it might seem on the surface it is what lays at the heart of country that makes this particular target so troublesome.

In the Watchtower, in front of those same monitors that he has spent as much time as he can spare in recent weeks the Dark Knight's eyes narrow behind that cowl, staring at the display as it continues to zoom in, honing it's focus on the exact location of the mystical ripples that indicate that Faust and his allies have once more popped their heads up from wherever it is that they are hiding. And with each recalibration it becomes that much more obvious where they are. Doomstadt. Castle Doom. The Justice League has near carte blanche to operate in much of the world. It is their mandate to defend the world afterall. But not Latveria. None but it's people are truly welcome there, especially not without the consent of their leader.

Victor von Doom.

There can be little doubt of just what Faust's objectives are. And while they might not be authorized to do so, there is little doubt of what Batman intends. "We'll have to do this as quietly as possible. We're going to be violating all manner of treaties here," he says grimly.

He was never much of one for playing by the rules.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
The shiny black top hat catches the light as it rotates brim up in the air just above a slender white finger. Batman had been glued long enough to the screen for Zatanna to become bored or to appear bored. Long legs crossed, tilted back in a high-tech office chair, the raven-haired woman is thinking, lips pursed, cyan eyes downcast while the hat pirouettes.

"Let me see if I can quote our inimitable friend." She straightens and puts on a serious face, "Could I not lay claim to the light and the void if I wished it? Have I not earned such titles? I, who have mastered all arts, all sciences, all secrets? Whose technology and magic cross the stars as easily as they scramble an alpha telepath's mind?"

She laughs, "Him, huh? Not the way I want to spend an overseas holiday. Well, my passport is up to date. Will we need covers?"

Hope Svelgate has posed:
International treaties matter little to Lady Death, humans are humans and they all die eventually. This is particularly where Faust is concerned. His repeated escapes continue to frustrate her, particularly after it seemed he might finally fall to her scythe during the confrontation over the Siege Perilous.

She sits meditating in the abandoned church that is her Sanctuary. Around her the Earthbound spirits that inhabit the place, unable to pass on, flit here and there. When the Ley Lines light up though her eyes snap open.

Lady Death rises to her feet turning to the mystical stained glass that often reveals faraway events of mystical import. When it reveals Latveria and Faust, her long elusive quarry, her eyes narrow. A hand comes up channeling the Energy Arcane into the glass, turning it into a portal, and rising into the air she summons her swords to her and flies through into Latveria beyond.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
The alliances that Faust has already assembled are formidable. Gaining control of the Demons Three -- or perhaps Demons Two now, given what happened at the Gotham Observatory -- is no small thing. Amos Fortune, on his own is not the most impressive of men. But having luck on one's side is never a bad thing. Blackbriar Thorn's command over the elemental powers of the world has already proven considerable. And then there is Eclipso, a former spirit of vengeance with who knows what powers at his disposal. Certainly not a collection of foes to be taken lightly.

But if Faust can actually convince Victor von Doom to join his cause? Their previous problems might seem small indeed. Even having Dr. Fate on their side might not balance the scales. It is debatable if Doom compares to Faust in sheer magical power, but then he doesn't have to. Advanced technology and all the power of a sovereign nation added to the mix? That could spell big trouble indeed.

Levity is not exactly the Dark Knight's strong suit. Especially once the cowl goes on. But then he has known Zatanna for longer then the rest of the League, their history stretching back before he had even taken up the mantle of the Dark Knight. "I don't believe that there is any cover that will get us where we will probably need to go," he says quietly, turning away form the monitors, hesitating for just a moment. "You might want to think about this. There could be... trouble if we do this. I'm not calling in the rest of the League, even if they weren't dealing with other problems. If von Doom makes a fuss we will be censured," he states flatly, matter of factly. There is no doubt that he is giving her an out at least. He'll go it alone if he needs to.

"If you can get me there at least though," he does add quietly. No embassies in Latveria. No teleporters to make use of. Without her magic he is not getting there until whatever is going on is long done.

Of course, unlike in the past just what is happening is not in some public building. It would appear to be occuring in Doomstadt, in Castle Doom itself. A fortress not only filled with advanced technology, but layered with mystical protections. Protections that turn aside any attempt to open portals directly into it and instead shunting them away.

Latveria slumbers, the darkness of night having long since settled over the castle and it's environs. But as that portal opens up it is as if it is a signal flare. A bright, blazing orb shoots up from the center of the castle's court yard, burning like a miniature sun. Dark turns to light and what appears to be a medieval castle is revealed to be far more ominous, absolutely britling with turrets and a virtual army of mechanical war machines of all shapes and sizes.

Clark Kent has posed:
"Bruce." Hey where the hell did that voice come from. "Zee."

Oh, it's Superman. His arms are crossed, he's floating a little off of the ground, and in general the Superman doesn't look thrilled. "Are you two seriously about to invade Latveria?"

Bright blue eyes narrow as Clark takes in the situation, puts everything together, and a litte smile pops on Clark's face. "Without me?"

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Zatanna treads where others fear to go with Batman. Her levity antidote to his seriousness. If she bristles at his protectiveness, it only translates into a moue and a shrug.

"I'm ready when you are. Into Doomstadt?" She walks over to the screen. "I need a location." As she does, a thrill moves through the Ley Lines; a chill moves up the magician's back.

"Some thing is moving already," she reports, looking back at him from the screen just as Superman drops into the room.

Kara Danvers has posed:
Supergirl arrives right after Superman. She still can't beat him in a race! But her voice sounds not long after his and she's floating beside him, "Violating international law isn't something I can condone but.. this doesn't look good. I don't know what other choice we have.."

She frowns and looks to her cousin, "I've always looked to you for guidance Kal.. this is one of those times when I am going to learn from you even if I have doubts.."

Supergirl is resolute though, it shows on her face, she's going to do this. It's not standard procedure, not for a Titan, not for the Justice League. But it's necessary..

Hope Svelgate has posed:
Lady Death, the White Witch of a few Scandinavian folk stories, wanted by several national and international organizations for questioning about certain events, steps from the portal of the stained glass windows in all her amazonian albino corpse-like glory, long mane of white hair flowing in the wind behind her.

She stands there, watching the mystic signal flair rise into the sky and silhouette the castle, before summoning a mote of her own blue crackling Energy Arcane, "Find Felix Faust." She commands it and releases it, tossing it into the air like one would a carrier pigeon, before the seeking spell zips off.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
It is... questionable what the Dark Knight could do alone against any one of the threats that might be roaming through the Doomstadt right now. Not that it is apparently enough to dissuade him. It apparently isn't even enough to convince him to summon in other members of the team. The wisest course of action? Probably not. But chances are he has some sort of plan. He always does.

Besides, he rather doubts that Zatanna is about to send him off on his own despite either the odds or the fact that they are about to break several international laws.

Of course before they can manage to be off there is Clark and Kara. The Dark Knight glowers at them for a moment, but he does not repeat his suggestion that they might not want to get involved. Super Hearing. They almost assuredly heard it the first time and yet here they are.

He turns back to the monitor, the satellite imaging zooming in for a phenomenal view of Castle Doom and the area around it. "I'm not an expert in magic," he begins. Which, of course, is why he tends to bring these sorts of problems to Zee. "But I imagine Doom has fairly formidable defenses of both the physical and mystical varieties. If you think you can get us directly into sanctum, fine. If not," he says, quickly scanning the image on the screen in front of them before pointing towards a ravine several hundred meters away from the castle proper. "There.." he says. "It looks like there is a mechanical access point for some of his bots there. Not the safest spot perhaps, but better then a frontal assault from the most visible members of the League," he says pointedly, glancing back towards the pair of Kryptonians.

On the battlements of the castle an array of turrets swivvel, the artifical intelligence of the castle seeking the source of the mystical incursion. No dobut so it can be blasted from the sky. Robots of all varieties crawl over the castle walls, seeking out the threat while that burning ball of white light lights up the world around it. No one nearby could possibly miss it. But the windows of the houses in the city nearby all remain shut and shuddered -- the people of Latveria having long since learned that they don't really want to know what their lord and master is up to.

As for Lady Death's seeking spell, that blue crackling energy lancing downward towards the castle. Not unexpected of course. But a dozen or more feet above those same battlements it is as if the energy meets an invisible dome, that crackling blue power scattering over it in a new, impressive display.

And it is as if a thousand mechanical eyes all turn their gaze up towards Lady Death.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
A bright smile greets Superman. "Of course, why wouldn't we when on the trail of Felix Faust?" Zatanna gestures at the screen behind her, shaking her head slowly, "Imagine Dr. Doom and Faust together?"

At Supergirl's appearance, "This is going to be fun. I can feel it already. Hello!"

She watches Batman from the corner of her eyes, all too aware of how her being flippant irritates him. "I can transport us all. One second."

Turning back to the screen, she studies it in silence for a moment. "We can do it.

Hold on to your capes. ".tdatsmooD ot su fo lla ekaT. erehT" She touches the exact location on the screen. A whirlwind fills the room, and the four of them transgress international laws together, leaving a piece of paper to float slowly to the floor of the now vacant room.

Clark Kent has posed:
Clark's careless frown flickers a bit when his cousin floats after him, but there's no real way to bench her without being a huge hypocrite.

The fact of the matter is he got careless fighting Faust, and someone got hurt because of it. Absolutely nothing is stopping Superman from finishing this case, especially not a comic opera dictator like Doom. Clark's knuckles itch and he realizes he's flying in looking for a fight; he has to play this smart or they're going to get a lot of people hurt. "Thanks for the lift, Zee." Superman winks at his old friend as they teleport.

After manifesting in Latveria, Superman looks over at Kara. "Remember: you have almost complete control over your body, here. Just like we can control the gravity around is to fly, we can control our friction and move almost completely silently." Clark hovers off of the ground, focusing his body a little and suddenly cutting off almost all of the usual riot of noise 'being superman' causes. "And your super senses are going to warn you about nearly anything, usually before it's aware of you. We're not as good at speed tricks as the Flash, but it's a close race."

"See what I did there." Superman elbows Batman a little. "Close race?"

Then it's game face time, as Clark follows his own advice, turning his Super Vision up to enough of an intensity that he can see...almost anything. His eyes flash an eerie, flickering white as he tears through the invisible spectrum of the universe, trying to pin down the strange energies Faust is toying with and sorting them out from the background radiation of Doom's constant, arcane experiments in evil.

Kara Danvers has posed:
Supergirl has.. never done this before. She's always been loud using her powers. Stealth has just never been part of it! Latveria is certainly different, it just feels old, even the dirt feels ancient.

She looks to Kal and nods, speaking quietly, "Thank you... I've always been the loud one in the Titans.." She can't help but smile, even with what they are about to do, even with the risk. It's not just their lives that could be lost here.

Supergirl also enhances her vision and begins to scan the area along with Superman. Her powers are not on the same level as his but they are potent.

She will look for strange energies but also anything else that wasn't detected beforehand via satellite, such as more sentries, traps she might detect, or even civilians who might be in danger.

It's entirely possible that some of the villagers nearby did not simply go inside. They could be out doing their everyday labor. If it's even a remote possibility, Kara wants to make sure that no one is in harm's way..

Hope Svelgate has posed:
Lady Death's narrow at the barrier around the castle. The barrier itself might not be so bad, it is the gathering army of robots that poses the real problem. And yet, Faust is clearly inside that castle and she is not one to be denied, not by mortal men.

Floating down to the ground, she draws her Chaos-forged blade Apocalypse and spinning in a circle slashes a gaping rent in the fabric of the space between worlds. Beyond the new yawning portal is visible a graveyard that seems to extend as far as the eye can see, save for the looming shadow of a magnificent gothic castle far in the distance.

"Stig upp de dödas soldater." She intones as Necromantic magics swirl around her, the blue of the Energy Arcane mixing with the Chaos fueled orange of Apocalypse as the aura all around her flares ever brighter. Behind her from the graveyard a small army of corpses begin to rise up, the light of the Energy Arcane burning in their eyes.

"You honor us O Queen of the Endless Night. How may we serve?" The lead skeletal commander asks of Lady Death.

The White Witch's response is but a single action and word. She points her sword towards the castle and its robot defenders. "Attack!"

Bruce Wayne has posed:
The Justice League teleporters can certainly make things a great deal more convenient. But this is another step up. Magic certainly has it's uses.

Unfortunately, as of late at least, it seems to be causing a great deal more problems then it's solving. No doubt much to Batman's irritation. The ravine in which they appear is steep and rocky. A fairly feeble stream trickles through it at the bottom, the quiet gurgle of water rolling over stone filling the evening air pleasantly. Fortunately it would seem that the locals are genuinely adverse at being out at this hour, the light hovering above the castle stretching all the way out here. It is not anywhere as bright as it must be there, right in the heart of Doom's empre. But it's more then bright enough to make it obvious that there are no innocent stragglers about to be worried about. Small mercies.

Embedded in the ravine wall about twenty feet ahead is a gleaming metal pipe. While there might be no people about, the same cannot be said for robots apparently. And while the ravine is nowhere near as full of them as the walls of the Doomstadt there are certainly enough of them.

At least there are until a grenade soars overtop of the ground, landing just a few feet away from the largest concentration of mechanical defenses. A brilliant burst of blue energy explodes from the projectile and an instant later a dozen or more bots drop to the gorund lifeless. But several more hover in midair, turning their attention towards the recently arrived Leaguers.

"Doom's spy eyes. We might want to do something about them unless you want to end up on the evening news," he comments. "And getting that hatch open would be a good, first step if we want to infiltrate the castle," he adds as those mechanical, floating eyes start to turn their way.

Is it any wonder why the inhabitants of Latveria keep their shutters tightly closed at night? Yes, in his own way Victor von Doom might be a diligent lord, keeping his people safe. But his power, his arrogance seems to provoke challenge and as often as not that challenge finds itself playing out here, outside the walls of the Doomstadt while the Latverians just have to hope trouble, disaster passes them by. One more time.

Mystical energies surge anew and when they settle, when the army of the dead emerges to wage war they find the mechanical robotic armies of Doom awaiting them. With that artificial sun still burning bright overhead the first of those laser bursts begin to fall amonst the skeletal warriors.

The seige of Castle Doom has begun.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Turning in place, Zatanna drinks in the energies. The Castle is overwhelming. Dark powers lace the electromagnetic forces that run thousands of robots. The conversation between Superman and Supergirl tells her a lot about how they move through the world. Zatanna's life is stealth, sleight of hand, and the road seldom taken even under the bright lights of her stage persona.

"Creeping will help. I can cloak us more."

A star appears in the sky above them, casting stark shadows in the form of three caped figures and a slender woman. The dark explodes in a fury of magic, a sword pointing the way wielded by a pale hand. The quiet rent open when arcane forces merge in the form of a goddess and her army of the dead.

"Lady Death!" Zatanna breathes, overawed.

"So much for stealth." Zatanna rolls her hand, and a wand appears in her fingers. "Guess we have to get through them first?" Pointing the wand at the first rank of robots. "!ffo meht nruT .nwod meht kconK" (Knock them down. Turn them off!)

Clark Kent has posed:
"Oh cool, the dead." Superman says, visibly horrified. He's seen a lot in his day but a genuine skeleton army takes his breath away a little. It's wrong, right? It feels wrong on a gut level, though he hasn't really debated the morality of it. At least skeletons aren't ghosts; every time Clark's had a run in with the unquiet dead, it's been hell for him. Sometimes literally, in the case of the ghostlike Phantom King, the first victim of the Phantom Zone who literally haunts his way back into reality through refined ecto-technology.

"This Lady keeps showing up at these things. She's an enemy of Faust's, but I have no idea if she's a friend of ours." Superman says, grimly. "Still, cover's cover I guess. I'll get the robots."

Superman moves, fast enough to be difficult to track with an eye. His eyes gleam, and pulses of heat start to stream forward at supersonic speed.

The lenses of the spy-eyes start to slowly melt, careful application of heat vision disabling them without destroying them and sending the inevitable warning to Doom's central command. Instead, for a few moments at least, it'll just look like a sudden onset of incelement weather. Clark's done enough Doomstat runs to not expect more than a few seconds bought.

But they're the Justice League. A few seconds is plenty of time.

Kara Danvers has posed:
Supergirl seconds Superman's cautious assessment of Lady Death, "It.. it doesn't feel right to me either. But it does no good to second guess our allies. But it does feel a lot colder now.. still she's helping us. I guess we can worry about her real motives later.."

She is guessing that Batman and Zatanna have similar concerns.

Her first instinct is to follow Superman but it's pretty clear that he's not trying to lay waste to the entire robot army at once. When she sees the precision in his attack, she holds back, "Yessss.." She can see what he's doing now.. and she's learning!

"That's less attention on us now. I am guessing that it'll be all eyes on Lady Death.. for now."

Bruce Wayne has posed:
It might not be the full force of the Justice League brought to bear but it is enough. Two Kryptonians, one of the most powerful sorceresses in the world and well, him, the Dark Knight. One of those things might seem like it does not belong, but then he has always managed to hold his own. That might be a super power in and of itself.

It does mean of course that a handful of robots and a sealed hatch are going to prove to be an obstacle for about two seconds. Maybe. If the others decided to stop for a coffee in the middle of dealing with them. Either way, the Dark Knight has made his contribution with that mini-EMP and he stalks towards the waiting passage confident that the others will take care of the necessary without any great difficulty.

"She's not a friend," Batman says flatly. "She's made it perfectly plain that she intends to kill him if she can get her hands on him," he points out. Not everyone in the League would necessarily take issue with that. Faust has proven himself a great threat, has proven that he is a monster, and he may be too difficult to contain, given his powers.

But there are lines that the Dark Knight does not cross. Nor is he willing to just turn a blind eye to others doing it in his stead.

One has to assume that seeing the dead rise to lay seige to the Doomstadt does not exactly fill the Dark Knight with a sense of peace. Afterall, his life has practically been built on the bones of his parents. But his approval or disapproval at what is happening at the walls of Castle Doom is immaterial for the moment. That's not why they're here. "We might be in luck," he says, though his tone is as grim as ever. "We couldn't ask for a better distraction. We might actually go unnoticed," he says as he pulls himself up into that tunnel.

Superman and Supergirl probably don't need light and Zatanna can probably whip up some way to see in the dark. Batman? He's a little more simple. A powerful flashlight emerges from one of the pouches of his utility belt and he aims it ahead, down the stark passage that leads towards the heart of the waiting castle. The walls are metal, gleaming in the light and periodically little alcoves seem to hold robotic sentries that seem to be powered down. For the moment. The passage stretches on and on, not a hint of light besides that which they've brought with them.

Far too distant for the Dark Knight to make out come the sounds of conflict, of energy being hurled and met by other discharges, of the blasts of Doombots -- and the explosions as they are crushed in a variety of ways. All from the heart of the castle. Super hearing can be an underrated power.

Outside the walls of the Doomstadt energy flares too as those turret and robotic defenders pour down energy towards the invading dead. Bright flashes of red, blue and green pepper the field, shattering skeletons. And each time those defenders seem to reform, to march on to assail the stark walls of Castle Doom.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Zatanna hears the rattle of bones as the dead advance accompanied by an overpowering stench. Lady Death has brought them the best cover, no matter how questionable and dark her magics - magics that constantly tempt the young magician.

Robots lie in odd positions, stopped in mid-step. Skirting them, wand held over her head (shades of Gandalf and his staff), she follows Batman into the tunnel. She takes a step back at the first powered-down robot that her wand lights, then watches each one they pass, expecting them to come to life, likely at the worst time.

In a low voice to Superman and Supergirl, "Your stealth is another person's army. You know. Think they will wake up?"

Clark Kent has posed:
"You're just jealous of my super stealth powers." Superman says; he a bit less serious, Supergirl may notice, with his 'friends'; he's worked with these people for years and doesn't feel the need to be as much of a Role Model along them, maybe. Maybe he's just confident. Maybe he's really wanted an excuse to punch something Dr. Doom built for a while; it's a great stress relief.

"It's not like killing Faust's ever really stopped him." Superman observes, perhaps fence sitting a little at Batman's implication. "He always finds a way to crawl back, you know?"

Clark pauses, then, his ears pricking. "There." Clark says, eyes narrowing. "Supergirl, you hear that? Batman, Zee, with me. Magic fight, this way."

Clark rushes down the corridors, perhaps not as cautious as he should be in Doctor Doom's lair. But he knows that Faust has been on a role lately, and?

...Superman's eyes narrow as he moves towards the fight.

Kara Danvers has posed:
Supergirl's eyes widen when Batman tells her that Lady Death plans on killing Faust, "What?!" It's a whisper of an objection, not loud, "I.. no we can't let her do that!" Still whispering, "It doesn't matter what he's done.. no he has to be taken into custody."

She can definitely hear the fighting and when Superman hears it too she follows him.

Of course Supergirl sees Superman as a role model. She has great respect for Batman but Superman is her cousin and he understands what she is going through, learning how to use her powers for good.

She isn't far behind him.

Hope Svelgate has posed:
Lady Death lifts back into the air again as the undead soldiers, seemingly intelligent as if possessing their former souls and cunning, march forward from the tear between worlds. "Destroy the metal monstrousities!" She commands, "Clear the way!" She shouts as she then turns her attention to the mystic barrier that exists between herand the castle.

Leveling Apocalypse towards the barrier she begins to gather her power through the blade drawing the Energy Arcane from within and the power of Chaos from the ends of infinity, the blade swirling with orange and blue light. In her mind, in her soul, she can feel the Darkness clawing at her from the amount of power she is drawing upon, ready to consume her once more should she dig too deep. At last she unleashes a powerful blast of mystic force in an effort to simply shatter the barrier beneath the magical onslaught.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
The tunnel is clearly designed to allow the robot force of Doom access to and from his castle. And given just how spacious the metal passage is, some of those robots are pretty hefty things. Not the sort of thing that one wants to run into here in the dark. Or the kinda dark. Between Zatanna and Batman those shadows have been pushed back pretty far.

"We should probably be prepared for that inevitability," the Dark Knight agrees grimly as they creep down the passage, that light constantly moving in his hand, sweeping over their path as he keeps an eye out for traps or other dangers. Of course the robots are going to activate at some point.

And yet, surprisingly, they don't. As the distant noise of conflict reaches the Kryptonian's ears some of the Dark Knight's instinctive caution has to give way to a need for greater speed. He doesn't like it. But he understands the necessity. Sometimes, when taking racing the clock, certain chances have to be taken.

The walls of the passage might show technology that stands in stark contrast to the more ancient exterior of the Doomstadt and more and more of those alcoves appear as they progress to the heart of Doom's domain, filled with what appear to be increasingly deadly Doombots. Finally the passage begins to widen, opening up into what appears to be a grand hall.

The scene in the hall is perhaps what one would expect. Faust is indeed there, only a bell and a jar slowly circling his head -- the shattered silver wheel still missing. Perhaps that is a good sign. Relatively. The Demons Two flank the mad wizard as he stands there, at the base of a raised dias and the throne that sits there, a smug look of victory on his expression. The reason? Probably the fact that great wooden tendrils have pushed their way up through the flagstones of the floor and bind an armored figure in the very center of the hall, gripping arms and legs, keeping him kneeling on the floor. A blue nimbus surrounds Dr. Doom, but it is being hammered by a beam of pure darkness, battering away the last of his defenses -- mystical or otherwise -- as Eclipso sneers on the other side.

"...acknowledge my supremacy von Doom. We can remake the world, with your help. And you can reap the rewards," Faust says, the unabashed smirk on his face not even fading when he glances past the magically bound man and towards the figures emerging from that tunnel.

So in the end the robots do not activate remarkably enough. But as they near the exit of the tunnel in is as if a wall of sheer force slams down. Invisible but undeniably, it hits the two Kryptonians in the lead, dropping on them like the weight of the moon.

Batman and Zatanna can probably be grateful that they took the lead.

The war outside continues, between undead abominations and mechanical monstrocities. Unliving foes pitted against one another in fierce battle. For every skeletal warrior that is blasted into tiny bits of bone and dust another seems to take it's place. And yet the Doombots are every bit as implacable, more crowding those battlements, adding their firepower to suppressing the seige.

While the armies of the dead might not yet have breached Dr. Doom's defenses, it seems like Lady Death herself will have more luck. Whether because that mystic barrier is tied to the increasinly overwhelmed Victor von Doom, or because they simply cannot continue to take such an onslaught, that biting slice of Energy Arcane neatly carves through the invisible mystic shield, leaving a rip in it only visible to the magically sensitive. How long will it last? Who's to say. But it is an opening right now.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
With an elaborate eye roll, Zatanna retorts, "Am not!" She treasures the banter when dark magic and crazy dictators stalk the world. She could not be in better company than with these three, even if overhead, the barrier between the worlds is being ripped asunder by a magic sword. Zatanna shudders at the arcane forces as she runs at full speed behind the two Kryptonians.

Skidding to a stop, Zatanna lifts a hand to magically explore the invisible wall that has fallen between them and the Hall. Faust, on his grand throne, flanked by demons, earns a sneer from her. "He never changes," she mutters, half to herself and the others. Taking a deep breath, she musters all her magic, "!hguorht og ot su rof latrop a nepO .yawrood a nepO (Open a doorway. Open a portal for us to go through.)

Clark Kent has posed:
Faust. Doom. The Demons Two. Eclipso. Any one of these could be a League level threat, and all together?!

"He really is building some kind of magic army." Superman observes the obvious. "Hell. Alright, I'll take Eclipso. Even if we stop Faust he can do a lot of damage here." And God forbid he posess a bigger deal body...this could all actually BE Eclipso, using Faust as a tool to posses Doom. It makes a grim kind of sense.

Superman hovers in the air, considers his best avenue of attack, and decides to do a fly by just to piss Doctor Doom off. Cracking through the air, Clark shouts, "Up! Up and away!"

There's a slap of wind as Superman tries to plow directly into Eclipso, shoving the...whaever he is, Clark's heard like three different origins, the bad diamond man into a wall. "Do yourself a favor and stay down, for once. None of us are in the mood for this Siegfried and Roy act."

Kara Danvers has posed:
Supergirl is still reeling from what hit her and Superman is already on his feet! He's done this WAY more times than she has clearly! But her resolve hasn't been broken and she's soon back up and glaring at the rogue's gallery from Hell in front of her. This is not going to be easy.

Another blast of wind erupts as Supergirl charges one of the Demons Two. She wants to plow this creature straight THROUGH one of the walls if she can.

Whatever happens she knows that Batman and Zatanna are behind her and Superman. She just yells, it's time for battle, "AAAAHHHH!"

Hope Svelgate has posed:
As the arcane energy clears, the way laid open at least for now, the sword Apocalypse is returned to her side for the moment.

"Withdraw back to the Endless Graveyard, the rest is mine." The White Witch orders the skeleton commander, a rather large set of bones still sporting what appears to be the remains of a World War I army uniform.

With that order given, as the undead legion begins to pull back, she surges forward through the gap that has been carved in the barrier and into the castle proper.

"Faust! Your time has come!"

Bruce Wayne has posed:
Megalomania does seem to be a very common symptom in so many that they end up battling. But to be certain there is a whole heap of it in this room at the moment. Really, it's amazing that the room doesn't simply explode from the competing egos on display.

There may be powerful magics inlaid right into the stones of the Doomstadt itself that prevent magic from easily breaching it's walls. Apparently that protection does not extend to once the breach is already done. The invisible wall of force that slams down and tries cut them off is rather easily circumvented by Zatanna's spell and both her and Batman emerge in the grand hall an instant before the two Supers soar past, targetting their respective foes. "Do what you can to keep this place from collapsing in on us," he says to the dark haired magician, his own gaze focused on the armored man still bound by magically reinforced tree roots. "I, and I can't believe I'm saying this, will go see if I can get Doom free," he says darkly, sprinting towards the King of Latveria.

Altogether, the Demons Three might be even too much for a Kryptonian. They are ancient and they are evil. But they also appear somewhat reduced without their brother and Abengazar only has a moment to widen his eyes before Supergirl slams into him, sweeping him right off his feet and plowing him into the wall. There is just a moment of resistance, the stone there clearly fortified by soemthing else, some energy. But whatever it is it does give way and both girl and demon vanish oin an explosion of rock and mortar and dust as they plow through the wall.

Superman also finds his foe easy enough to sweep off his feet, to carry along and slam him into the wall, the figure's mouth twisting for just an instant as he hits -- the only indication of pain that he allows himself. Then he is all cruel smiles once more. "Mmmm, yes, I can feel your anger. I approve, oh yes I do," he says lowly. "By all means Superman, let it out," he hisses, that grin taking on a wild caste as he holds up a black diamond between his finger and thumb.

Creeping out from behind a column just past Faust, the corpulent Amos Fortune glares as Zatanna with pig-like eyes. "Can I finally put an end to her?" he asks the leader of this group of magical menances, his voice filled with hatred. Someone's really nursing a grudge.

Blackbriar Thorn keeps his focus on keeping Dr. Doom bound, those roots continuing to grow, to thicken and to wrap around the armored man. Right up until the Dark Knight runs up and hurls a half dozen of those razor sharp, bat-shaped throwing knives. The ancient druid hisses as if personally pained, recoiling a little, and the armored King of Latveria drops to the floor.

In the midst of this storm Felix Faust regards the sudden appearance of Lady Death through narrowed eyes. "Has it indeed? Do you even know why you are chasing me? You should be joining with me. This world... this world is out of balance. To long have creatures of magic been shunted aside, being forced to accept the supremacy of science, as if all it's rules somehow bring order to the universe," he sneers. "Cease this facade of righteousness. Join us. And help usher in a new era," he offers.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Battle it is. Zatanna is a long-range caster. Let Supergirl and Superman tank these monsters. She steps through the doorway, thinking that she hates black diamonds, dictators, and Faust. Not in that order.

Lady Death's defiant challenge blend with Supergirl's charge. Perhaps, Faust will overlook her innocuous appearance, though she mistakenly wore her best jacket tonight.

At Batman's behest, she readies herself to keep the walls intact when the tiny eyes, lost in rolls of fat, of Fortune fix on her. "Oh, no. Not you. How could a body like that house such a small soul? "

Raising her hands, a deck of cards appears in the air, a royal flush repeated over and over. Zatanna throws the cards with a twist of the wrist into Fortune's face, their sharp edges meant to blind and cut.

Hope Svelgate has posed:
"Join you?" The wild haired woman, looking like Hell's own valkyrie, laughs out loud as she draws forth a rune-forged Uru metal short sword and focusing her power through it, reshapes it into a deadly looking glowing scythe. "I am the harbinger of Death itself. There is a cosmic order Faust, one that extends far beyond this world. Bringing demons to this world you earned my ire but it is your insolence trying to escape the fate of all mortal men, seeing yourself as above it that has sealed it. But don't worry, you do not need to concern yourself with this world much longer, there is a place waiting for you in Hell."

And with that she lets the glowing rune-forged scythe fly as if it were some sort of boomerang rather than a weapon almost as tall as she is. The spinning blade glowing with that arcane blue energy she wields, guiding it on its course through the air, straight for Faust's neck.

Kara Danvers has posed:
Supergirl is used to colliding through walls, it might as well be part of Krypto-Earthling martial arts at this point, and she soon finds herself gripping the demon she attacked with both hands as they land deep into what is likely unmapped cavern.

Supergirl wastes no time! Her fists repeatedly punch the demon face and throat. This creature is not human, it is aligned with Faust, and she is going to incapacitate it as quickly as she can.

After all it is not the only foe present down here. She does not want to kill it however, no matter how evil it might be, she simply wants it to stop moving but still be alive!

Clark Kent has posed:
"Being creepy isn't going to be enough this time, Eclipso!" Superman shouts, a little unnerved by the rogue angel's enjoyment of a solid beating. He's mostly unnerved because he knows Eclipso can manipulate emotions and minds as easily as his power over darkness; a bad match up for the Man of Steel, but worse for any of the other combatants on the field!

"Aah!" Superman exclaims, as he sees Doom overwhelmed by dark magic and is blasted in the face with the power of the cursed Eclipso diamond!

"I've got...plenty of light to go around, man." Superman says, his eyes flashing with light in an attempt to briefly blind Eclipso's host, and give Superman a second to recover!

Bruce Wayne has posed:
With the roots sliced, the armored form of Dr. Doom drops from their grasp, landing heavily on the floor. If there were of just how hard he was being pressed before their arrival it would likely be answered by the fact that he is not immediately back on his feet, instead lingering there, on the floor as the League and Lady Death battle the invaders of his home.

The Dark Knight does not have an array of powers at his disposal so he has to rely on tactics. Magic can do a great many things, almost anything seemingly, but it seems most practitioners at least need to be able to concentrate. So Batman hurls a trio of batarangs at Blackbriar Thorn, batarangs that begin to shriek, barraging the druid with concentrated sonics to buy just a little time. Time enough to offer a hand to Dr. Doom, to help him back to his feet...

...which of course is slapped away by the monarch of Latveria. "Doom neither requires nor desires your assistance," he says, the fierce note in the armored man's voice belied by that faintly pained rasp. No matter what he might says, it would seem even Victor von Doom cannot come away entirely unscathed from an encounter with Faust and his allies.

Perhaps Amos Fortune expected that Zatanna would simply stand still while he plotted his revenge on her. If so, he's in for a bit of a shock when those razor-sharp cards suddenly start flying his way, a number of them finding their mark, leaving neat lines of red marking his face, little droplets of blood beginning to form there as he tries to cover up and protect himself from what is -- in his opinion -- the worst card trick of all. "Stop! What! I swear!" he says, too angry to get out anything intelligible.

As powerful as the Demons Three are, they have already proven unable to stand up to the full force of a Kryptonian. At least on their own. Try as he might Abengazer cannot seem to find enough purchase to stop Supergirl's momentum as he is slammed back through the vary walls of the Doomstadt and then finally the floor as the pair of combatants end up in one of the caverns beneath Castle Doom itself. Those eyes rage, the fires of hell seemingly reflected in those orbs as he tries to free hands long enough to throttle the very life from the blonde superhero. Tries, and again fails. But it might be the subtle shifting of those eyes that gives Kara a clue, a hint that the form of Ghast is plunging down towards her exposed back.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
It seems doubtful that even Eclipso is unphased by the blows that Superman lands, but he continues to cackle away even as he is pounded, countering those strikes with those bursts of pure dark energy. No insubstatial thing this, they hit the Man of Steel with a surprising amount of force. And each time they strike they leave a chill behind -- not physical so much as emotional. As if a little life, a little joy has been drained away to feed a particularly voracious appetite. "Give into your rage!" he yells gleefully again. At least until Clark unleashes that searing red light. Then that yell quickly fills with pain.

At the rejection from the deathly Valkryie, a brief flicker of nervousness spreads over Faust's features. But he does not back down. Not this time. Instead when that scythe flies at him he sidesteps with surprising agility, a vast portal of seeming nothingness opening up where he stood, ready to swallow up that fearsome weapon... and perhaps drag her right along with it. "I make my own fate creature. And it will not be to fall to the likes of you, creature," he says coldly back.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
To kill is to lose a piece of her soul. The card trick slowed the fat man down. Zatanna instinctively veers away from dealing out unnecessary injury or death. Not waiting for Amos to recover, she gathers herself to stop him in his tracks.

Haughtily straightening to her full height, the magician throws her hands open, chanting loudly, ".laes a ekil elohwolb a mih eviG .eci ni mih esacnE" (Encase him in ice. Give him a blowhole like a seal.)

A pearly blue block of ice forms in whorls around Amos, building from his feet, stopping him in mid-step. It englobes him behind its wall with a hole at the top to let in air.

"There. That should stop you cold."

Hope Svelgate has posed:
The spinning scythe comes to a sudden stop before the portal as if it had never really been thrown to begin with, just floating there in the air as it responds to the telekinetic commands of its mistress. Even as the portal suction pulls at the weapon attempting to swallow it away, it is suddenly yanked back to Lady Death's hand with tremendous force.

"The Void? Is that really your best trick?" She asks Faust as her hair and cape flutter in the air as the portal tries to consume her. Ever so slightly her feet sliding towards it but she does not seem terribly concerned. "I have floated in the space between worlds before, but have you?" The morphic weapon Scyinister in her hand begins to glow with the blue light of the Energy Arcane, the scythe changing shape yet again in a long handle and a scythe blade joined by a long chain. With a flick of her wrist the chain blade whips out at Faust, lengthening as much as it needs to in order to wrap around and ensnare Faust. It would seem her intent is to drag him into the Void with her!

Clark Kent has posed:
Clark can take 'weird energy'. That's not why Eclipso worries him so much. The blasts impact Clark, pushing him backwards and slowing him down, but in the grand scheme of things the fallen angel's going to need to step it up to hurt Superman. The real issue? It's...

...the draining effect of the beams. Clark stumbles back as the joy that is so important to his ability to function sputters under Eclipso's influence. He has no defense against the mind effecting magic except his steely will and the knowledge that it would run off. It might be a mistake on Eclipso's part, though, becasue the more Clark is hit, the less fair he fights. There's no joy in the art, there's only...

"You know." Clark, or perhaps Kal-El says, grabbing Eclipso by the collar, "Faust just presented us with a real handy solution to someone finding that damn rock every year or so. I'm pretty sure a swim in space wouldn't kill you. You're not really alive anyway, right?"

Kara Danvers has posed:
The wandering eyes of Abengazer and the sound of the Void opening up behind her give Kara reasons to be wary. She stops punching her foe and flies past him before turning around in mid-flight.

Supergirl is now aware of Ghast. Two against one now it would seem. The eerie sounds of magic outside will have to be pushed to the back of her mind, especially now that she will be engaged in a more even battle.

Kara unleashes her heat vision at Abengazer, then rushes at Ghast, hoping to distract him with more pain long enough to pummel Ghast back out of her newly created cavern.

This means rejoining the greater battle but she doesn't know how strong Ghast is. Separating these two demons, even temporarily, can't hurt.

Kara will attempt to tackle Ghast assuming that Abengazer is not able to intervene.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
Of course the Dark Knight does not really expect that their unwilling host will be particularly grateful for their presence. But then he is not here for Victor von Doom. Not really. They are here to stop Faust from continuing whatever mad plan he has up his sleeve.

Besides, the Dark Knight isn't really much of one for social nicities either. Especially in the middle of a charged situation like this one. Besides, he is fairly certain that von Doom is unlikely to lash out at them right now, not when there are much more objectionable parties present. Fairly certain.

Whatever he might have intended however, Batman has a different problem to deal with. While a portal to the black void of space might not be a daunting threat to Lady Death, it is a bit of a problem for him. As that black maw widens larger and larger he finds himself jerked off his feet, pulled towards that voice. Fortunately he's not given to panic, and instead immediately reaches for the utility belt encircling his waist while jabbing downward with his other arm, trying to find some purchase for those metal flanges jutting from his gauntlets to latch onto. A moment later the grapnel is in his other hand, the titanium tongs fired off and embedding in a nearby column, buying him some time as the explosive rush of air pouring through the portal tugs at him, lifting him from the ground.

Once more Amos Fortune finds himself thoroughly outclassed by Zatanna and as that ice begins to crawl up his body he desperately tries to bring his own powers into play. But luck -- good or bad -- can only have so much effect one is about to be encased in a giant ice cube it seems. So he glares at the stylish sorceress with those hate filled eyes. "This isn't the end! I'm going to kill you! I swear I'm going to k--" he gibbers as the ice slides up over his mouth, blessingly silencing the man.

On the bright side, at least he didn't end up naked this time. Progress.

Magic and non-physical effects. The one-time Spirit of Vengeance could indeed prove quite the handful for the Man of Steel, neatly sidestepping his near invulnerability against so many other forms of attack. But even as he staggers Superman, the kryptonian hero shows that his powers can hit Eclipso where it hurts too. Afterall, he's practically a solar battery filled to the brim with energy. And if there is one thing that Eclipso does not like it seems to be the full force of the light of day. So he is unable to take advantage of the momentary weakness that assails Clark, instead glearing daggers of hate at the man. "You can not stop me alien. I am inevitable," he hisses back, no more gleeful shouting now.

No, while Eclipso's host may indeed be human, the entity posessing Dr. Bruce Gordon most definitely is not anywhere close to a living being.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
If two of the Demons Three manage to coordinate, to utilize that advantage of numbers could they take on Supergirl? Perhaps. As far as demons go there are few stronger. They are amongst the most ancient entities in the universe afterall. But first they will need to put her in a position to take advantage. And that's proving difficult. Even as he is abandonned, as he tries to get back to his feat, Abengazer finds himself lashed by heat vision, driven back as he lifts a hand to try and shield himself. For a creature used to Hellfire it probably won't do any permanent harm, but that torrent of power is still not inconsidrerable. So he is left behind when Kara leaps forth, plowing into Ghast and flying back up out of the hole just creating, slaming the demon into the wall above as it brings those great fists down on her back. But without leverage? It's not going to stop her.

For Faust's part, when those chains rush towards him he brings his arms up in front of him in a seeming defensive stance. The bracers he wears around his wrists clash together and as they do so he is abruptly surrounded by a mnimbus of golden power, a glowing shield enveloping him. "The void holds no more fear for me then it does you," he sneers in reply, more shimmering portals starting to manifest throughout the room.

Clark Kent has posed:
It'd be so easy.

Dr. Bruce Gordon, Clark thinks, his super-brain remembering the poor man's name. It's not...

...it's not his fault. None of this is. Gordon's spent his entire life trying to find a cure, or at least a way to resist Eclipso, and the dark spirit lives to torment him. With the right throw, Clark could spare the world a generation of the Eclpiso diamond's evil, but what GOOD is it doing?

"We're all in this together." Clark says, shaking his head and feeling a shroud rise up. "Maybe you are inevitable, buddy. Part of the fundament of reality or whatever. But there's another cosmic truth you're ignoring."

Clark holds up his free hand, which he's wrapped his cape around, showing the Eclpiso diamond he's slight of handed into a protected grip. "I've got your marble." Superman winks, and flicks the diamond at Faust's head while he lets Gordon's body go. Sure he's got a shield up, but if Clark knows Eclipso, that won't be a problem.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Her first foe on ice, Zatanna surveys the maelstrom of energies playing throughout the vast room. The portal looming above them threatening Batman multiplies into space holes throughout the room. A wrong step could suck anyone of them into space. Turning as Ghast brings his fist down on Supergirl's back, she observes dryly, anger glinting in her eyes, "You play dirty! Like your brothers!"

She points a finger at the immortal demon; taking a cue from Batman, she creates a magic rope and throws it. It uncoils from her fingertips and wraps around her wrist, then twists around the demon's waist.

"Let's play rodeo!" With a flick of her wrist, the cord whiplashes, throwing the pointy-eared monster toward a portal.

Hope Svelgate has posed:
Lady Death watches as more and more portals to the void open up throughout the room. This is a wrinkle in her plan. She wanted to drag Faust through, but if everyone is drawn in then one of them might interfere with the reaping of Faust, unacceptable.

Regardless of the actual reasoning behind it, the resulting action is something at least resembling helping the others. With one hand she draws the chain tight around Faust's shield and begins reeling him in like a fish as the length of the chain begins to shorten, the rune-forged scythe blade attempting bite into the shield as he goes. Her other hand however draws forth the Chaos-forged blade Apocalypse and at the risk of getting drawn in, she steps towards the nearest portal, hair and cape fluttering towards the void, as she attempts to cleave it from existence with her sword.

Kara Danvers has posed:
Kara was about to throw Ghast into a far wall when he suddenly slips from her grasp! That certainly saves time and she can't help but smile briefly towards Zatanna in thanks for her help. However Abengazer is still walking around and Supergirl turns her attention back to him.

She flies as quickly as she can back down towards the hole she made before. She will immediately unleash her heat vision upon seeing him and make her way forward so that she can grapple the demon again.

Kara took him by suprise before and it's possible that he won't be so easy to subdue this time around. But she is going to try!

Should Supergirl manage to get close, she will punch the demon, and then try to grab hold of his shoulders, then fly out of the makeshift tunnel with him.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
Within all the chaos it is almost possible to feel the seething anger that practically ripples off of Victor von Doom. This is his home. Latveria is his land. And none of those here in this castle have any business in either of these places. Not those insolent enough to think that Doom is a lackey, nor those who seem to believe that he is weak enough to require the aid of anyone else. "Unacceptable," the iron mask wearing monarch of Latveria says quietly, the anger in his voice practically shimmering with heat as well, fists clenched at his side. And despite the portals opening around the room he stands there, unmoving, seemingly anchored to the ground. Whether it is technology or magic, it really doesn't matter. In the face of the growing maelstrom of energies Doom stands now and always, defiant.

The Dark Knight is not so fortunate of course. His technology is formidable in it's own ways of course -- hey, he hasn't been pulled out into space yet -- but he definitely doesn't have any magicks to call upon. More, not all the threats are dealt with or even preoccupied. Those batarangs that were keeping Blackbriar Thorn occupied have been scooped up and sucked into one of the portals. The ancient druid though, it would seem that his roots run deep as he too stands unphased by the portals, his wooden form glaring towards the Dark Knight as great wooden tendrils launch towards the man who clings to that grapnel and jumpline. His only thin tendril to this world.

At least until all those wooden ones are offered up by the elemental sorcerer. Latching on, Batman begins to climb those writhing branches, flipping and pulling himself about like working on some crazed gymnastic beams. And each movement brings him closer and closer to the source.

Already lacking leverage from Kara knocking him from his feet, Ghast is really in no position to resist when that magical rope wraps around him, only having a chance to glance down with widened eyes before he finds himself flung about. When he hurtles towards one of those growing portals he tries to reach out, to grab hold of the edge -- but there is no actual physical edge to grab hold of. They are tears in reality and the pink-hued demon flies right through into the void beyond.

But Abengazer is still very much on this world. Once more he raises huge hands to fend off the beams of fire that lace out at him and when Supergirl soars down to meet him he's ready. Even as she strikes him, he strikes right back. And while she might be the stronger, the difference is not that great. Still, the demon is rocked back, staggered by the blow though quickly trying to bring his hulking size into play. To corner her, to wrap those huge hands around her.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
Despite being reeled in, Faust does not seem to be daunted. Arrogance? Perhaps. But he has been gathering artifacts and tomes of magic for weeks, seeking to draw all magic to him. He was always formidable. But never moreso then now. Those lips curve into a smirk and the golden nimbus of energy that shields him begins to crawl along those magic chains that encircle him. Even as it's apparently drained away, devoured by the mystic bindings, that nimbus creeps higher and higher. What's he trying to do?

She might never find out. As that black diamond hurls towards him it is brought up short of his flesh by that same shield. Still, Faust blinks in surprise -- probably less from the fact that it is right there, in front of him, so much as from the fact that Eclispo is following right after. The shadowed figure plows right into the shield magus as he reaches for that diamond, carrying them both to the center of the room, ripping him free of Lady Death's coils. But loosening his hold on those spells.

That, it would seem to be, is what a certain someone was waiting for. Strange, frightful words pass his lips, pass that iron mask that hides his features away in low, dark mutterings. And those portals that have been opening about the room beging to shift, begin to slide and begin to merge and grow. They spin, with growing wildness, coalescing together before soaring through the room towards new targets. One washes over the frozen Amos Fortune as he vanishes from sight, another encompassing Blackbriar Thorn leaving the Dark Knight to suddenly drop as those wooden limbs that seek to entangle him suddenly vanish. Abengazer is no different either, engulfed in nothingness even as he launches himself at Supergirl anew. Finally, the largest of the portals comes crashing down where Faust and Eclipso lay in a tangle, banishing their unwelcome presence.

And in the center of that huge throne room, Dr. Doom turns that furious, baleful gaze to those that still stand, untouched but his reprisal. So far. "None may invade the Sanctum of Doom."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Unimaginable energies spin vortexes around them, sucking their enemies away into Nothingness, into the great void. As impressed as she is by what she witnesses, Zatanna grins, her quirky humor coming into play as she watches them whisked away. She pulls an imaginary chain over her head and makes a flushing sound, unable to keep a giggle escaping her.

The smile fades as she draws herself up to face Doom. "Nor will I willingly return, Dr. Doom. I know when I'm not welcome," the magician replies as she walks over to Batman and offers him her hand.

Clark Kent has posed:
Superman breathes.

Magic, man. It's a headache.

"Alright, you had the last word, Victor." Superman's had history with Doctor Doom; not as much as the Fantastic Four, but invoking the name feels approprate as he lands gracefully in front of Zatanna and Batman, a literal shield between the mad doctor and the people who've just committe the unforgiveable insult of helping him. There'll be a revenge plot for this night, Clark knows, scowling. What this man could accomplish if he had a heart worth a damn.

"We were just here to help, Victor. There's no need to keep this going, even if you can't bring yourself to say 'thank you'. Why don't we both just walk away, alright?"

Superman's body language has nothing to do with walking away; it's very clear to Doom that if he's going to try anything on the Justice League, he'll have to get through the Man of Steel first. Clark's gambit is direct but effective; how much damage is Doom willing to put up with tonight?

Hope Svelgate has posed:
Lady Death watches events play out before her as Faust is pulled from her chains and sent through a portal. Furious she rounds on Doom, "There are no walls which may hold back Death, no sanctuary which is safe. If you bring one marked by Death into your walls then Death will follow." The white pits of her eyes blaze with the blue light of the Energy Arcane.

With that said she turns and raises her Chaos-forged blade Apocalypse to slash a rent between worlds, beyond which can be seen a graveyard extending as far as the eye can see and the distant silhouette of the Fortress-Castle Winterhaven. "Stay away from Faust if you don't want to become marked yourself." She warns Doom before stepping through, the tear closing behind her.

Kara Danvers has posed:
Kara is mid punch when her opponent vanishes. Her fist swings air and the misty remnants of the demon. Confused, she turns around, and sees Dr. Doom standing in front of the others..

She hears her cousin's offer of peace as she appears now at the entrance of the broken wall, "He's right." She address Doom, "There is no need for further bloodshed. We didn't come here to fight you, we came here to fight Faust, and now that fight is over."

Kara looks around, there is no sign of any of the demons, "What happens next is up to you Doctor Doom."

"I'd like to think that you aren't ruled by violent instinct. You aren't an animal. You are the head of state of this kingdom. What is best for your people right now after this attack?"

Bruce Wayne has posed:
The Dark Knight rarely shows his emotions, those cowled features almost always set into a grim look of determination -- and nothing more. But the slight tensing of his jaw suggests his mood might more closely mirror that of Dr. Doom right now. It is a nice fantasy, to believe that depositing Faust and his 'friends' in space will end the threat that they present. But it is a fantasy, and Batman only traffics in reality -- no matter how harsh and unpleasant.

Still, while Doom's intervention may have deprived them of the chance to put an end to Faust's machinations once and for all, it also prevented him from ending up floating in the void of space. All things considered that's something he would rather avoid if at all possible. So he takes ZAatanna's offered hand, accepts the offer of help to get back to his feet and gives the League's preeminent mage a slight nod. He can be as brusque and lacking in social nicities as Doom himself, but he also can moderate himself a little better. Most of the time.

Of course Lady Death's exit is not a particularly pleasant one -- my, those of a supernatural bent seem to be a testy lot don't they? -- and for a moment that blackhearted stare of Dr. Doom is directed towards that closing portal, those metal gauntlets clutched into tightly bound fists. Definitely a few anger issues there.

But this is hardly the time to chase her. To go running off after another fight at the monarch of Latveria turns back to the Justice League, all traces of anger drained from those eyes -- the only thing visible behind his mask -- leaving only the customary cold arrogance. "Doom needs not your help Kryptonian. Doom needs nothing from any of you," he states, positively frosty. "But Doom can be magnanimus, despite your presumption. You will notice that you are not floating in the cold of space," he points out. Despite the masked features it is almost possible to see the arrogant twist of his mouth. As if he saved them, as if he spared them. Instead of the other way around.

"Doom will overlook this invasion of his nation. This time. Never again. Go. Now," he says, gesturing sharply, his words a command. And like all pronouncedments from Victor von Doom, he expects it will be obeyed.

With that he starts to stomp off towards his throne. Then, unexpectedly, he pauses. He glances back over his shoulder. "Stop him. He intends to remake the world in his own image. This Doom will not allow," he says, the customary arrogance to his words gone, leaving him sounding almost exhausted. Perhaps even a touch vulnerable.

Or perhaps it is an illusion. An instant later he is once striding to his throne, back ramrod straight, that aura of disdain for them once more looming overpoweringly across the room.

So. Faust and his allies escaped. But once again he has seemingly been denied his prize. But how long until he strikes again?