Accessing Global Security Satellite System
.
.
.
.
.
Warning!
Detecting large buildup of chronoton energy in Horn Mountain
Warning-!
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
Xxx
"SARA, what is happening?"
TOM was standing up in front of his command chair, staring at the visual recordings of Earth that showed nearly everyone and everything had frozen.
"Some sort of chronotron field has appeared and expanded around the Earth, locking everyone in a state of time freeze."
"You got to be kidding me." TOM muttered and shook his head. "All right, try and contact Sebben or anyone we know. Let's see if we can find someone we know to be friendly still moving and look for the source of that field."
"Right."
TOM sighed and sat down in his chair. "So much for things getting easier."
Xxx
When Team SEKR along with Rex and Raven returned they were frozen in time as well…Only for Raven to break free a second later.
"What has happened here?" Raven asked as she looked around, finding everyone frozen in time. "I don't like the look of this."
She needed to find the source of what has caused time to freeze for everyone here.
This was not the first time Raven had experienced problems with time.
The first one she recalled was when Starfire chased the time traveling villain known as Warp and ended up twenty years in the future. Raven had been surprised to learn the world was still around twenty years later but only because she had isolated herself completely.
However, even if the world had survived, the Teen Titans had not.
Starfire vanished into the future.
Robin left and became a sole crime fighter.
Cyborg's power cells had failed and forced him to use the tower's power, keeping him trapped there for years.
Beast Boy had tried to fighting crime on his own like Robin, only to suffer so many beatings that he willingly locked himself in a cage at a zoo, becoming overweight, bald and utterly terrified of the outside world.
Not much of a world worth living in when you think about it.
Then when Slade had come back thanks to Trigon resurrecting him and making him his Herald, Raven had unintentionally froze time, the stress of the prophecy on her birthday causing her powers to grow out of control to the point she learned new abilities she didn't even know she had. She managed to free Robin from the time freeze but that was of little help since Slade broke free as well, thanks to the powers given to him by Trigon.
The third and final time related adventure was when Cyborg ended up in the deep past by accident, brought on by some ancient witch. It had taken Raven nearly a day to find the spell she used to bring him back. Cyborg didn't speak on much on what happened back then, only his regret of not being present for the end of the battle with the woman named Sara.
Given what happened between her and Malchior and between Terra and Beast Boy Raven understood how Cyborg but the main difference was Cyborg hadn't ended up getting betrayed.
"Do you sense trouble, Miss Raven?"
Raven jumped and spun, only to see Sebben slowly walking towards her. "Sebben? How are you moving in a time distorted field-" Raven started to ask but then stopped herself. "Your Semblance."
"Remember, my Semblance is Clockwork, a form of time manipulation itself." Sebben answered with a smile. "It took me a while to realize what had happened before my Semblance finally kicked in and allowed me to move in this mere eternity between seconds. I am glad you and the others made it back. Did you stop Van Kleiss?"
"Yeah." Raven nodded somewhat solemnly. "I think all the universes have seen have seen the last of him."
Sebben took that as meaning Van Kleiss was dead. "I apologize if Team SEKR and the others went too far in your eyes, Raven. I know you and the heroes on your world try to avoid killing at nearly all costs."
"It's not that. I've been in situations that have led to an enemy dying before and I don't blame SEKR for it. They did what they needed to do. What came after was on Van Kleiss himself." Raven shook her head and replied. "It's this now…This time distortion field…I've been trying to figure out how long everyone has been frozen."
"I can't say for sure how long it has been between now and the time you went after Van Kleiss. I think it happened just after your portal vanished." Sebben recalled. "Still, that can't account for the time the time that has passed before you came back and gained awareness or when my Semblance kicked in for me."
"At least I know it wasn't caused by a Chronoton Detonator." Raven muttered, making Sebben stare at her. "A bomb that literally stops time…Permanently."
Sebben's one eye went wide. "Your world actually has something like that?"
"Unfortunately. Luckily it's known only to a handful." Raven answered. "Even though there is some form of time manipulation here it doesn't look like Van Kleiss ever got his hands on one."
"Thank Glob for that." Sebben sighed but then returned to his serous mood. "I don't think Van Kleiss is behind this. It may have been done through his resources but he wouldn't freeze frame everyone like this while in the middle of carrying out his plan to infect the multi-verse."
Raven looked at Sebben. "You know who it is."
Sebben nodded. "Sammael has made his move."
Xxx
In the far edge of Nowhere, the Grimm army continued its approach, led by the giant ship known only as the Galleon.
On the top deck of the ship, Sir James who was otherwise known as Gentle-Jim gazed at the barrier protecting the ship from the time distortion field that was covering the rest of the world. "This is very impressive. I have forgotten how well our master likes to plan ahead of everyone. Even surprising his subordinates."
"You really have a penchant for stating the obvious, Sir James."
Gentle-Jim looked up, seeing a figure hunched over at the very front of the ship. "Myotis."
The bat Mobian known as Myotis was crouched down, perching on the front railing like a gargoyle.
"Sammael has been playing this game far longer than any of us. It's no surprise he would be able outwit that golden rat Van Kleiss." Myotis stated.
"Indeed. With Van Kleiss gone, the surviving members of his Pack will be in disarray. Some will likely try to flee while others try to take his place." James agreed. "It's almost astounding."
"What is?"
"To know that Van Kleiss was vanquished when he was so close to victory. Just mere inches from it, before Sammael stepped and literally snatched it out of his golden hand." James mused. "This alliance between them set forth many of the recent events that have happened this year. Some his would be recruits even aided in stopping threats that would have impeded Sammael's progress."
"That golden idiot, the mad god Crom and just recently the Ice Queen." Myotis recalled.
"And with Van Kleiss joining the ranks of the defeated, a great many obstacles have been cleared and more will be before this is over." James stated, gazing down across the land of Nowhere as the Grimm army sped up its approach. "All for the first of the twelve. What do you suppose it will be like, Myotis? The upcoming battle."
"If it's anything like the Dome of Doom," Myotis grinned, showing his razor sharp teeth. "It will be a massacre."
"Right, you and your team were former gladiators from the illegal Dome of Doom before it was shut down." James stated. "You fought for your lives in battles like this. That's why Sammael recruited you."
"It was more than our skill, Sir James." Myotis sneered. "He wanted our savagery and we were all too willing. So as long as he promises blood and sport, we'll gladly let him point us in any direction. We're not as bound by honor and our word like you."
"My honor and word are the only reason you have not been struck down yet." Gentle-Jim calmly replied as he turned away. "I find this conversation no longer stimulating. When we step forth into battle, maybe we'll be more inclined to tolerate each other."
"Here's hoping." Myotis snickered as the gentleman walked away.
Xxx
"I have to say I am glad you are here, Miss Raven." Sebben said as he and Raven surveyed the frozen room and the remaining fighters. "I know you were brought here against your will but you helped us a great deal in crippling the plans of Van Kleiss. I am not sure Team SEKR could have followed him to this Earth Prime without your help."
"It's still not over yet." Raven replied as they walked past all the frozen fights. "If Sammael is behind this, he wants to delay us long enough to give him the time he needs to get here. I know about the Spiral Gems and one of them is under this fortress."
"The Spiral Gem of Heart." Sebben nodded.
"Do you know what is needed to find it?" Raven questioned.
"Supposedly, the Gem of Heart is locked away behind a special door. A door that leads to a pocket dimension of sorts. This makes them virtually intractable to any kind of tracking ability, both science and magic." Sebben answered, calmly strolling next to the white cloaked heroine. "A secret order hid all the Spiral Gems away centuries ago but Sammael and the Fallen have been looking for them. I suppose you have earned the right to know this much but at least six have been found by me and many others like me who are dedicated to protecting them from falling into the wrong hands. And if you have seen a map of our world, you know the location of the ones we have found."
Raven glanced at Sebben. "How would I know?"
"Do you know about the Huntsmen Academies?"
That stopped Raven, causing her to look at Sebben. "…You hid them in the academies?"
"No, they are under the academies, hidden in away in these vaults like the one under this fortress. We built the academies around these vaults to act like a fortress. They are placed in the center of nearly every major country and surrounded by an army of trained warriors which would make it difficult, even for the Fallen to get past." Sebben answered. "And it helps keep the peace between our countries. Despite the armies and the weapons we have built in the last century, a Spiral Gem can tip the balance in favor of anyone who has one. That's why there are six major academies but with a dozen combat schools all over the world. It helps keep the peace between us."
Raven took a moment to consider this. "So you have six, plus there is the one here. What about the other five?"
"I know Bond has been found by someone it has found worthy. Creation is likely not one on this world but still close by and unfortunately Sammael has an inferior but still useful copy of Destruction. It has the same wavelength and properties as a real Spiral Gem but less powerful and it can be used to track the real one, wherever it is. The other two, the Gem of Nature and the Gem of Mind are still unaccounted for and we've worked really hard trying to find them." Sebben answered. "I am sure you and your fellow heroes took similar kind of practice in your world."
Raven was silent for another moment. "We never hid anything dangerous in a school though."
"It's a bit more complicated than that, Miss Raven. The military and the government can't be trusted to hide the Spiral Gems without the temptation they might one day use them. I have a feeling you know that feeling all too well." Sebben calmly pointed out.
Raven conceded that Sebben had a point there. She had seen her handful of the government doing questionable things that endangered lives and came into conflict with the heroes who try to operate in the law but are not part of any agendas or programs under the control of these governments.
A lot people still gave them grief for that.
"The point is that the wrong hands do not just include Sammael and the other Fallen. There can even be elements inside the governments who are sworn to protect the very people they would endanger with their intentions, even if they are good. The Huntsmen system operates outside government and military jurisdiction and thus the academies are the logical choice to hide the Spiral Gems, even if it is dangerous in another way, like being vulnerable to infiltration and subterfuge." Sebben continued. "Fortunately, even if an academy falls, they would still have a hard time reaching the Gem hidden inside."
Raven looked at Sebben. "…You are talking about these vaults the Gems are hidden in. You need something to open them."
"Yes. The order I mentioned, entrusted four special beings in helping to hide the Spiral Gems by enchanting the vaults so only those who wield a specific power can open them as part of a multi-lock system and of course there is finding the vaults as well." Sebben nodded. "And all academy staff are given a series of scenarios of what might happen and the most recommended approach to each potential disaster out there. One example would be if an academy is taken by the Grimm, the others would respond by first securing their own Gems, then contacting each other to coordinate a large strike force to take back the fallen academy, even if its usually hard to clear Grimm out of an area once its been infested enough."
The two stopped before Team SEKR as Raven asked her next question. "And what does Sammael need to open the vault here?"
Sebben closed his eye. "…The Fire Elemental."
Raven raised an eyebrow but remained silent.
"The Fire Elemental is one of the elements representing the building blocks of life. The others being Ice, Candy and Slime. They, or rather their predecessors were the ones who helped the ancient order hide the Spiral Gems, making it so one Elemental could open a certain vault. And the vault here for Heart can only be opened by the Fire Elemental." Sebben sighed. "And we have reason to suspect they are with Sammael now."
That was bad news and Raven knew it. "How? Why?"
"The power of the Elementals reincarnates every one hundred years and those that gain the power have to live with the consequence that they might be hunted for it. We've done our best to try and protect them, in fact you met three of them recently." Sebben answered, drawing a curious look from Raven. "The children who were at the Hall of Heroes and watched your sparring matches."
Raven remembered them. "I knew three of them were special."
"Yes. They were just rescued by a special team I helped put together and it was from an alien planet nonetheless. Ice, Candy and Slime but Fire was still unaccounted for at the time." Sebben continued. "They hold great powers, enough to alter the very world which makes them the people you want on your side. We tried to find Fire several but she either slipped away or was snatched away at each turn but now we think she's in the hands of Sammael."
"As a hostage or did she agree to work for him?" Raven asked, recalling not so fond memories of Terra.
"Not sure yet." Sebben sighed. "But Sammael is really good at twisting people, convincing them to rely on him."
"I've met people like that." Raven muttered, remembering such people.
Slade.
Malchior.
Blackfire.
Brother Blood.
The Brotherhood of Evil.
Even Trigon.
All fine examples of people who were good at getting others do what they want.
"I have a feeling Sammael organized everything from the beginning, from your abduction from you world along with the others, all the way to the battle here." Sebben stated. "He wanted someone here, keeping the Gem of Heart out of anyone else's hands until he had the means to reach it and then caused all of his enemies to gather and fight here, likely to destroy each other on his behalf. And worst of all, we had no choice but to play his game or risking the entire multiverse getting destroyed by Van Kleiss."
"And now we're standing here in what is likely the next part of his plan." Raven stated, seeing everything clearly now in front of her.
"And if we don't hurry, we might not get everyone to live through this part." Sebben stated, grunting as his Aura shimmered.
"Are you all right?" Raven quickly asked.
"I'm fine. It's the strain of using my Semblance to keep moving in this time field." Sebben answered. "It's a bit of drain."
"Here." Raven placed a hand on Sebben's back and then pointed at Scotty. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos."
A white light covered Sebben and Scotty, releasing the latter from the time field and allowing him to move freely.
"Wha-Who-What?!" Scotty quickly looked around.
"I just used my own powers to free you from the time field." Raven lowered her hands. "You don't have to put an effort with your own powers anymore."
"Miss Raven." Sebben smiled gratefully. "I believe we are all lucky to have you here, despite the circumstances."
Raven nodded while Scotty looked at them. "Uh…Did I miss something?"
"Not much." Raven answered. "But we need to get moving and shut down the time field freezing everyone here along with the rest of the world."
"Time…field?" Scotty asked before groaning and falling on one knee. "Aah…Going Ascendant took a little bit out of me."
"You were in that state for a good while, even when you chased after Van Kleiss." Sebben placed a glowing hand on Scotty's shoulder and used his own Aura to boost Scotty's back up. "That was a risk."
"Aye but it paid off." Scotty nodded, already feeling better. "So what are we doing?"
"Looking for who or whatever froze time around here and fast." Sebben answered.
Xxx
As the three hero/Huntsmen started to move out to find the source of the time field, Scaramouche grinned as he walked into a special lab.
"Boy, oh boy." Scaramouche grinned in excitement as he walked and looked around the room, seeing the gadgets and weapons lining the walls. "Santa was good to Van Kleiss. Too bad I was always a naughty little boy."
And boy did he plan on being naughty tonight.