[16th November 2010]
[Watchtower, Low Earth Orbit]
"I don't think this is such a good idea...but yeah I agree; I don't see any better options. Please tell me you have better options than trusting in our Plan...B let's call it" I answered honestly feeling the exhaustion held at bay only through chemical and magical means. Sleep...oh how I needed sleep as hour after hour ground by in the days since the crisis started just about three days ago. The Green Lanterns were supposed to arrive...soon, but soon could a few days or a few hours with no specific details to the contrary. And while humanity was seemingly holding the creature...frontline units, ourselves up here, were starting to show strain while the creature seemed unrelenting in its focus.
Heads began to shake on the screen; a magical conference-call from all around the world as the United Nations Security Council gave their approval to one of my Omega Protocol Contingency Plans. Or, perhaps more accurately, the modified version of the Plan as designed by Lantern Gardner, Doctor Fate, John Constantine...and evidently the magical advisors to the Chinese and Japanese Governments from the notes at the bottom of the plan.
Still, despite my age in the eyes of most here, I got to offer an opinion as the official League-SHIELD liaison guy...and that opinion was I got Nada. Basically like everyone else on the screen from Giovanni Zatara up here with me, to the Queen of Atlantis and her Mage Advisors, all the way through to female Necromancer standing as 'Ambassador' from the Black, or the Rot, as it were called.
Queen Mera, rather heavily pregnant Queen Mera, ran a hand over a tired face before shaking her head "We of Atlantis despise such dark practices as Blood Magic...but our armies tire and the foe continues to spread despite our best efforts. My objections aside the councils of the City-States, and the Mages of the Conservatory of Sorcery feel that this plan as amended by Lanterns Gardener and Lantern Scott is a viable strategy to buy us time to free those enslaved by the Beast"
And therein lay the problem; Starfish-face was shrugging off mind control spells, and adapting to any individual attempts to damage it extensively via magic, far to rapidly due to its Hive Mind nature. What was worse...it was literally eating people, all the while sending their children out as little suicide bombers to disrupt quarantines and clearance operations.
Eating people in almost factory-like conditions so it could create larger, flight and energy weapon capable, Starros and the simple truth was unless we put them damned thing down soon it was going to make a breakthrough somewhere. Or provoke one of Justice Leagues more horrified, and morally upstanding, members to jump in regardless of costs...or even worse the damned thing managed to get into space and spread towards Mars.
'Which is absolutely terrifying to think on considering what this bloody abomination has managed to biomancy here on Earth' I thought resisting a shiver as those on the screen debated again with Doctor Fate and Lantern Gardner about the details of the mass ritual. Whales, humans, dogs, cats...it didn't matter as Starro mulched them down and desperately tried to convert them to Flesh Golem versions of itself, or misshaped constructs to throw in defence of its nightmare factories.
Mars...Martians...was a biotechnology society that was both telepathic and shape-shifting; if Starro managed to get a large enough foothold it would be almost unstoppable based on Lantern Gardner's, and Martian Manhunter's, predictions. Even worse while Mars had the technology to develop a Space Navy well in advance of Earth's as M'gann's Bioship showed...it hadn't beyond a few armed civilian models. I rubbed at the back of my neck and rested back in my chair tiredly.
"The only thing standing between Starro and orbit are the ASAT's every space capable nation is throwing into orbit on short notice, the Justice League up here, and the Hawks FTL capable spaceship. Then maybe three or four armed bioships that Starro may or may not be able to take control of...'
--
[16th November 2010]
[Ritual Site, Glastonbury Tor, Somerset]
"Fear is the mind-killer. Overcome it before it overcomes you. Doesn't matter if you're a cop, a coach or a superhero...we all need to find the strength to be brave. With a little bravery and a half-assed plan, maybe one day you can grow up just like me. I'm Guy Gardner. And I'm a Green Lantern" the young whipper-snapper Lantern was telling the assembly of the more nervous-seeming young magical-users. Alan shook his head and gave Kent...well Nabu...a look.
"I thought we were retired? This doesn't feel like being retired let me tell you! And listen to that whipper-snapper, why he wasn't even in diapers when we were off saving the world"
The faintest of chuckles emerged from behind that golden helm. Really it was unfair how Kent's magic uniform always got to look brand new while his was a bit more battered and tattered looking "The exuberance of youth my friend, you too were once as enthusiastic in your statements if one recalls correctly?"
Alan gave a shake of his head in part denial, then glanced down at the shimmering ring in his hand, before at the nervous looking figure form of his daughter Jade. Dammit, if only she'd stay somewhere safe and not demand to get involved in such things as...
"Alrite lads and lassies, time to get this little shindig started as dear departed Nan use ta say..." the smoking Englishman half-shouted stepping away from a laptop, stubbing out his cigarette with a boot "...so Gardner, get yer arse over here so ye can do yer fancy ring thing..."
--
[16th November 2010]
[Watchtower, Low Earth Orbit]
Breathe In. Breathe Out. Focus on the flow of energy in the circle.
Of course it felt rather strange being in space rather than on planet, but not so much that it wasn't problematic as I linked into the spell of Zatara and Zatanna. That in of itself was more problematic I found as they seemed more in the line of Sorcerers than Wizards and that was often hard to manage when it was the Sorcerer was in charge of the casting circle.
Too many intuitive jumps in logic that was hard through training and logic to follow I found, but it was working so far so I wouldn't complain too much on it as I and Zatanna followed her father's led. Beyond us few of the others looked on with curiosity, but thankfully staying out of the room and interfering with delicate things like a global magic ritual we were but a small cog in. Even from here I could feel the building of power beginning to spin and vibrate below.
Thank the heavens for teleconferencing magic spells; the ability to coordinate sites all the world, though mostly in the British Isles in terms of concentration, as on the large screen the figures of the two Green Lanterns stepped forward and raised their rings in line to the chant. A chant I duplicated like my two fellow circle members, joining with thousands of others across the world in a spell that would hopefully break the Starro's control of people by creating [Environmental Shields] similar to a Lanterns around all the world. Ceremonial blades slammed into starfish forms...
My eyes snapped open wide as the power touched me, followed through me...it was a vortex...and I...
...I could...feel...feel...
...all as...one...as...feel...know...
Power touched me, and I released my wardings at my own command. From beyond the Planes a voice thrummed in my mind for a split second [Shit...a Gestalt? Waaagh field?. Whoo boy, this spell just got beyond you, us...buddy. All you can do is ride the wave; see you on the other side]
...and then the waved was over me and I plunged into the ocean of power, of feeling, of magic, that vibrated and roared and screamed...
...Mommy, Daddy, take it off! It hurts! It hurts! Its Icky and mean and it hurts!...
...Hold the line! Drive the thing back! We can let it...
...fear, pain, die, die, gonna die...get it off...
...it was eating us, a great gapping maw, devoring and butchering our young. Shock, shock gave way to Fear, then Fear to Rage. Burning, seething anger from mind to mind. Righteous fury at what was being done. At we felt being done...
Justice flows in crimson rivers...
IN BRIGHTEST DAY!
--
[16th November 2010]
[Themsycira, Mediterranean Sea]
The voice hammered around her head, her very soul, as Queen Hippoltya fell to her knees as memories and pain and anger filled her heart. Suddenly her breath was sucked out, then the Battle Rage like she had not felt in centuries burned with her heart. Her children...hers?...she hadn't beyond...her children were dying...butchered...
IN BLACKEST NIGHT!
Magic and power roared over her and her Amazons as they too stumbled, or stood still...or in the case of some few began to chant with voices filled with Rage and eyes full of tears. She could feel them, she was them, one and the same yet separate and apart. Mans World they were...the same, pain, anger, fear, RAGE at the invader that threatened all...they would burn in crimson fire...
--
[17th November 2010]
[Ritual Site, Glastonbury Tor, Somerset]
'Oh Shit, Oh Shit, Oh Shit! I am soooo getting in trouble for this' part of his mind repeated as he was raised up into the air as a swirling vortex of power formed above their heads and his hand, and brightly glowing ring of emerald light rose slowly upwards the roaring red mass. What's worse every other parts of his mind were evidently on autopilot; including the parts that were controlling his body and mouth as the words of the Oath started to spill out his mouth...
...his body froze in mid air, arm raised up towards the heavens as the pulsing emerald form of Lantern Alan Scot rose up on the side of him, a faint sheen of red tinting the edges of the bright green as the very skies appeared to darken to a blood red colour as the bodies of the captured Starro organisms caught flame...
[The Parliament of Limbs Grants its Blessing to birth this Totem of the Animal called Human. Choose Thy Name Totem of The Red]
'Oh that can't be good' he thought at a voice seemed to echo out from all around him and the skies rumbled and roared like an oncoming thunderstorm. Above him the great mass of swirling red energy, tinged in green, began to swirling and rotate as his Power Ring pulsed brightly and illuminated the world around him.
[Rage Detected...Scanning...Scanning...Information Exchange Requested...User Authorisation Required... Analysing...Authorisation Granted...]
Something shining Red began to pulse in identical movements as something formed above and mirroring his Ring of Emerald Light...
[Will Detected...Scanning...Scanning...File Transfer Underway...Protocols Accepted...Copying...Adjusting...]
AT YOUR CRIMES, MY RAGE IGNITES!
--
[17th November 2010]
[Conservatory of Sorcery, Atlantis]
'Power such unbelievable power' her mind managed to gasp out before the words through her mind even as the Crimson Rage tinted her vision and her body, and those of all around her, seemed to shimmer with crimson light...
NOW YOU'LL FEEL MY WRATH AND MIGHT
Her throat snarled...roared out the words along with those around her as they were one, they were legion...they DESTROY THE ONE WHO WOULD SLAY THEIR CHILDREN...
--
[17th November 2010]
[Ritual Site, Glastonbury Tor, Somerset]
'Ahhh...shite' part of him said, a small confused part that was still functioning despite the overwhelming power pressing him to the ground as the mass of green, yellow, blue, violet...but mostly blazing Red light and magic above him began to coalesce into a humanoid form in the sky above...
...her skin was flawless, dark but more mulatto that black ...a cloak of red sheen from the power that illuminated naked flesh as she gave a feral roar to the night sky. Sparkling emerald eyes...but the look was more Asian than European, giving more of a strange cast to them as they shone beneath a mop of long unkempt red hair that flowed down her waist. Something was strange about the shape, but he could see...
...he could FEEL her howl that hammered like thunder through his very soul. FEEL as the one hand reached out and took a Ring of Shining Red upon her finger...and Green eyes tinted Red at the Edges and firey red hair seemed to burn away the dark gloom of the night around them. In the other hand a great...thing...formed...a Battery of some sort...
...the ring hand stretched out towards the sky and a blinding Crimson filled the sky...
...and billions of voices spoke as one...
FOR MY JUSTICE BURNS! THE RED LANTERNS LIGHT!
Then John Costantine's world tinted Crimson for just a moment that seemed an eternity...
--
[17th November 2010]
[Edge of the Sol System]
"Lantern Stewart? Lantern Jordan are you okay?" Green Lantern Laira Omoto asked cautiously as their Emergncy Response Force paused a moment as they two human Lanterns native to this world paused, gasping for breath.
"Why are their eyes shimmering Red?" Lantern Raab asked leaning in closest to the nearest of the two who were seemingly in a momentary daze...
Laira whirled in space as...something...washed over them and her Ring, and the Rings of the dozen Lanterns around her, announced helpfully "Rage Detected"
'Whatever that means?' she wondered glancing into the far off distance towards their destination...
--
[17th November 2010]
[Watchtower, Low Earth Orbit]
"Why are all the humans glowing Red and chanting together?"
"Wonder Woman's glowing and chanting too..."
"Yeah and...whys Superboy glowing Red as well?"
"Ugh...is this a good or bad sign?"
"Well...all the Starros seem to be on fire...so...maybe?"
--
[17th November 2010]
[Surface of Mars]
Hundreds of millions of Martians froze in their movements, heads turning to the sky above even if they could not see it with their eyes as collectively a thought echoed "What in the name of the Ancestors?"
--