This chapter is a gift for lalunaticscribe for her lovely review. Thanks for reading ^_^
Now that he was closer to the dome, Yami could feel the malicious shadows throbbing angrily like a panicked heartbeat. It was enough to set his teeth on edge and to cause the small hairs on the back of his neck to rise.
Flash was hovering around Superman, looking worried and spouting nonsense. Apparently seeing the Man of Steel bleed was not a common occurrence.
"You should bandage that." Yami directed the superheroes absently as he stepped closer to the dome to inspect it. "Wounds inflicted by the shadows will be much slower to heal than normal injuries." Bakura chuckled darkly.
Flash set about bandaging Superman's neck while Bakura joined Yami in examining the shadow game dome, J'onn following along silently.
"What are you able to determine about this anomaly?" J'onn asked politely, he had not missed the intent expressions on either of the young faces.
"You must be joking. There is no way these kids are our experts." Green Lantern said with a pained grimace as Diana helped him hobble closer. J'onn sent him a half-frantic signal to shut up, eyes widening almost comically. Fortunately Yami and Bakura were both currently more interested in the ongoing shadow game than any perceived insult.
"We are dealing with someone without any training in shadows. No one who knew what they were doing would ever create something so unstable. No doubt the creator has been consumed along with the building and the hostages." Yami answered J'onn, but he seemed to be speaking more to Bakura.
"How is that possible?" Diana asked with a kind of mortified curiosity. This time it was Bakura who answered.
"In the right circumstances, it only takes someone desperate enough, someone hurt enough not to care about the consequences to call on the Shadows and start a Game." Bakura's voice was surprisingly somber, and he looked at no one but Yami during his explanation.
"The one who started this Game likely used their life and soul to compensate for lack of power and ability. Regardless of the outcome of this Game, we won't be able to save the one who started it." Yami continued, eyes narrowed and fists clenched.
Diana jerked back in shock, nearly dropping John. Once the two of them righted themselves, Green Lantern did his best to stare Yami down.
"We don't just write people off. Even if they are criminals." Green Lantern hissed, sounding genuinely angry. Yami didn't flinch. He met Green Lantern's gaze, scarlet eyes blazing into green. It was John who looked away.
"The one who started this Shadow Game used their soul to fuel it. There will not be anything LEFT once the Game is over." Yami's regal disdain was almost palpable and the fire in his words burned at Diane and John even as he clarified the situation for them.
"But how do we get inside?" Superman interrupted the battle of wills as he and Flash joined the conversation. Flash had done a surprisingly good job. The gauze around the Kryptonian's neck was as neat as any ER doctor could manage.
Bakura laughed. "Foolish alien mortal! You would not last five minutes in a Shadow Game!" Bakura's laughter only became creepier once he spotted the blood still seeping through Superman's bandage. But his point was a valid one. None of the Justice League had any defenses against the Shadow Realm or its magic.
"Then what do you suggest?" Superman tried his best to be polite but Bakura was really starting to annoy him. The Man of Steel had never met anyone who got under his skin more than Bakura.
"We will go alone." Yami answered. And before anyone could fully process that statement, Yami and Bakura had both stepped through the dome.
The Justice League was left outside, unable to follow.