[31st January 2011]

[Bunker, Beneath the Temple of the Shrouded Lord, Tropico]

Taking up religion was not something Paula Nyugen would have envisioned herself doing in general, let alone after the life she had chosen to live. Yet here she was, meditating and praying just after midnight with genuine belief and effort. Taking a half-lotus stance and closing her eyes was her way, and her new patron did not seem too fussed about how she went about it, only that she did.

Of course gaining minor magical superpowers had helped a great deal with her new found faith, and it was surprisingly helpful right now in calming very strained nerves. Less so than her daughter Artemis of course, but it was still there after everything that had happened over the past day or so. First Demons in Hell kidnapping idiot magicians, and now it was supposedly drunken Greek Goddesses nearly killing the young master, and her Artemis too if she had been a few metres from where'd she been, to try kill a meta-human girl.

All because her 'godly' husband couldn't keep it in his pants and the wife blamed the mistress rather than the idiot she'd married. Honestly the more she learned about the afterlife and those responsible for it the more confident she was becoming on the view she had taken the right path for the good of her family. Letting out a breath she opened her eyes, ending the meditative trance but remaining in position another few moments and savouring the feeling of calm and power flowing through her.

Her room within this facility was adequate, if a bit Spartan right now, though hiding its true location from Artemis had been an irritation even she'd brought her upset daughter through the teleportation circle. Perhaps the Justice League already knew of this place, but it was hoped that that was not the case and every effort had been made to ensure the secret base remained exactly that; secret.

It was supposed to be the place with the strongest magical and physical protections available to the two nations, with US support, that ran what was formerly the island of Santa Prisca. At worst it was the place her own new deity was strongest, in and beneath a temple to his name; she smirked to herself a moment 'Hmm...I wonder I shall have to hold prayer serves when it is finished?'

It was an amusing thought, assuming she survived these dangerous times, and for...

Beep Beep Beep

"Ah, seems time to get back to work" she mused to no one as she flicked off the alert on her buzzer, notifying those on the other end she had received it. Later than expected, but better later late than never she reminded herself pushing herself up into a standing position and beginning to get stretch before getting dressed. In many ways it was ideal timing as she had exercised, showered, and meditated so her mind was fully awake right now despite the late hour that it now right was.

As usual she found she missed her old 'uniform' now she was truly healed and could once again strut her stuff, and show off her body like she once had, but she had to admit the enhanced strength and protections of the new set made up for...mostly. It still made her a little sad sometimes though as finished suiting up and strode out the door. It was still rather interesting how fast the underground had been created thanks to the nanotech, rare to see but she'd seen better over the years.

Too obvious it was a legal governmental construction though; none of the little quirks she could remember from various groups she'd worked, or traded with, years prior. Sure there were the magic symbols scattered about the place, but all rather uniform with health and safety warnings about some government regulation you wouldn't see in any respectable supervillains lair. Why warn about the step, or the railings on stairs, when it was much more entertaining to have a lake of lava, or the live fire training yards beside the cafeteria for the giggles?

"This way please Ms. Nyugen, your expected" she was greeted with at the entrance to one of the secure sections and directed by the armed guards there down the right hand corridor. It was still rather strange to be saluted by soldiers, pleasant but strange, but it did generally make moving around a secret base rather easy as she did as directed and used her access card and thump print to open the thick sliding door. Artemis and Jade could wait a little while, and she herself wanted to see her Artemis's reaction when the young master appeared before her once again.

Sure Paula had told her he should yet live when she had taken her from the League base, and then hours ago when he had been confirmed alive as her new God had said; but concern and anger had persisted in daughter just as it had in her. A few more doors later she came into a room where the young master was standing, clad in an Irish army uniform and talking to the Idiot Magician, who was his teacher of sorts, and the man's niece. Paula waited a short while till they had finished speaking, the girl giving the young master a hug, before both retreated passed the guards at the door. Paula strutted over to him, bowing.

"Young Master, you do not know how glad I am to see you well" she stated, then coming out of the bow and cocked her head to the side "Now, how are not dead?"

He groaned, hand coming up to his head "Magic teleport, leave it at that, and I didn't technically die. I'll explain it later as I've spent several, long, tiring, hours convincing everyone I am who I'm supposed to be, and repeating the same story over and over again. Shouldn't complain I helped write the damned protocols, but bloody hell am I sick of repeating it right now...sorry"

Paula nodded, a faint smile upon her face but thoughts on more serious implications on his Lazarus act and her own desires on such "Of course, but I will warn you my young master that I am very curious on such and will persist in seeking answers once you have time to recover"

"Doesn't everyone, but only meself ta blame" he muttered seemingly to himself before sighing, looking at her "I will in time, just we've angry Goddess out for blood, and I'm still technically dead in the eyes of the Team...on that note, Artemis and..."'

"My daughter is here, and safe; currently sparring with Jade to let off some steam. She is rather mad at you for scaring her so, though I did not warn you of such..." Paula said with a smile at his facial expression despite the other, more warlike, matters that would soon be at hand "...you might be lucky and her urge to punch you subsided. Not that I disagree, you had us rather worried you know, I'd be inclined to give you a good spanking for such if I wasn't such a professional"

"Ugh...okay, good to hear. Now have you had any...visions in the mean time?"

Paula nodded "Oh, yes, though more direct instructions from our mutual divine master. You probably won't be happy to know, but the Justice League and my daughter now know of my new allegiances in life, and benefits of such, for instance. Firstly we are to protect young Cassandra, and prepare for war more importantly, and I have passed that unto SHIELD here; the Lord of the Dance, Constantine, and Doctor Fate have expressed agreement, and others have assembled here too such as The Shade and Etrigan should the need arise to defend this facility and the girl. Amongst other things, but are for me I do believe"

"Yeeeahhh...he does that" he answered her rubbing at the back of his head "...but we'll need them, I'm supposed to be briefed...yeah another one...in about two hours, so we'll both be attending that. Till then I'm to go and see that I am physically okay...which is you to test me out"

Paula smiled beatifically back at him but staying silent in her amusement as he looked at her and then sighed "Yeeeahhh...I don't like that smile. Did you know I nearly died? And that I totally do not need a trashing because an attack could come at any moment...shoulda kept me mouth shut"

She kept smiling as she moved to the side of him and patted him on the back as a sign of encouragement, and to start moving forward. Also perhaps to confirm that he was, in fact, actually really alive as she squeezed his shoulder and patted his back again. It was really hard not to just grab him here and now and demand/beg him to tell her how to do such a thing when an actually crazy God tried to kill you "Oh, I shall be kind young master do not worry. I'm suspect such orders will arrive momentarily to my communicator"

Amusingly it did arrive after a few minutes, just as she escorted him to the training area, the secure one where Jade was allowed to practice under guard, and where Paula did as well. It had also confirmed there was to be briefing on what was to occur next; not surprising as there seemed to indecision as to what to do next beyond fortify select areas and stand on the defensive.

Sadly, thankfully, a decision beyond her pay-grade and she shoved aside concerns as she passed the saluting guard at the door, and then entering with a swipe of her key card. Just as she expected both her daughters were sparring...in truth fighting it out without weapons...though that stopped a moment after they entered as Artemis got distracted by the young master's arrival...

'Ouch' Paula noted as Jade's foot slammed into her sister's face and sent her sprawling, before her eldest daughter collapsed to her knees panting in exhaustion. Between the sweat and the bruising it was pretty clear Artemis had been dealing with her fears and anxiety in a constructive manner at least. The young master sighed at the apparent end of the fight as Artemis lay on her back groaning and Jade merely studied him with an exhausted sag of her shoulders, then strode over towards them. He stood over Artemis, hand extended down towards to help her stand...something she took after a moment's hesitation.

"Sk...skulls? Really you?"

"Yeah, in the flesh. Magic, and..." the young master answered as he pulled Paula's daughter up to stand...then allowed her poke and prode at him to confirm he was solid "...ya'know, things, explain later and..."

Smack

Artemis slapped him hard on the face as Paula let out a little chuckle as her daughter wagged her finger at the young master clearly that odd mixture of nearly crying but too angry to do so "Skulls! Don't scare me...US...like that ever again!"

Her charge accepted the slap, muttering a complaint while also looking apologetic as he changed to trying to mumble a reply...only to be cut off as Paula watched her daughter grip his head with both hands and give him a forceful kiss. Not much technique behind it Paula found, but teenagers so she assumed she'd get better at in time as Jade just shook her hand, motioning tiredly with her hands as the whole thing was over in a few seconds. Paula grinned at the young master's stunned expression, and her Artemis's sudden embarrassment but back to finger wagging with that blush "And that's for coming back alive!"

"Oi! Evil Zombie Master..." Jade decided to interrupt her sister's moment with a whine "...since you're not dead, stopped slobbering all over my little sis and heal me. Why am I gettin' ignored...what'am I chopped liver? Heal meeeee!"

"Aw, that mean old Artemis beat you up Jade dear?" Paula teased earning a glare from her eldest, but apparently not too eager to get back for another round without help. The young master seemed to snap out of his shock, getting a playful shove from Paula to get over and to the play acting invalid on the mat a metre away. Artemis had gone into nervous mode, so best to give her a moment to recover her confidence if she was going to try the whole seduction angle.

Certainly might make things easier in persuading the young master to provide whatever magical ability he had used to avoid not dying to her children. Just needed a bit of effort and time, and avoiding another scare like the one just gone by "...getting soft are we? Well, let mother show you girls how things are done. We have to whip the young master here into shape again, now don't we hmmm? Orders from above!"

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