With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)

CrazyNoVa · 2026-02-20T21:25:09+0000

Bigreader said:
Well, he's probably dead, considering what happened with Mars. And demons.

Unless he realized what was happening and used his ring to escape Mars before the demons could get him.

Mr Zoat said:
Sounds legit.

None of the demons they've encountered so far are as resilient as concrete.

Yeah, the classic versions of these demons aren't nearly as resilient as their modern counterparts.

BR549 · 2026-02-21T06:56:20+0000

WereDragon said:
This implies that despite the others in the group fighting demons for some indeterminate period of time Endymion has just been standing around looking pretty. Either that or Taggart has been paying very little attention to his squad mates.

Mr Zoat said:
None of the demons they've encountered so far are as resilient as concrete.

CrazyNoVa said:
Yeah, the classic versions of these demons aren't nearly as resilient as their modern counterparts.

And you especially save the +3 Throwing Roses for things that are actually worth the magic expenditure.

...oh hey, there's an Archvile right there!

Mr Zoat · 2026-02-21T07:42:34+0000

10th December 2022
06:45 GMT

Regenerating my own flesh as fast as I can, I drop the other four onto the roof of the storage bunker beneath us before-.

Endymion tosses a rose to me. Uh-. That-.

That douses the fire the moment it touches me, okay. Useful. I grab the rapidly decaying rose in my right gauntlet while generating a railgun construct. None of the demons we've encountered have had exotic resistances, just tough flesh. As such I feel reasonably confident as I load an iron slug and fire.

The white demon looks mildly confused by the fact that I'm not on fire, but it's clearly intelligent enough to recognise the railgun. It dives to the side, railgun round slamming into the stonework next to it. The second round strikes it in the side as it scrambles back to its feet, knocking it off the teleporter pad and onto the ground behind it.

I… Don't remember if Doom has any flying demons. I think I remember… Red ball things, and burning skulls? I don't remember either of them being particularly fast or agile and I certainly can't see them-

I shift to the side as the pillars containing the Barons of Hell open and one of them takes the opportunity to throw a ball of green plasma at me.

-here.

With the cry of a constipated cockerel, a phoenix explodes into the air to my left. It's… Big. If it were laid out then it would be about ten metres, beak to tail tip. Its wings are leathery and dragon-like, but constantly wreathed in flame which burns without the need for an external fuel source. It has a long neck with a raptorial head at the end. At the other end of the torso are a pair of chicken-like legs while the various parts of its tail droop down like the fronds of a mostly-plucked peacock.

It dives down, smacking one of the Barons with burning wings and tail and causing it to stagger aside.

"Mazikeen, what's the portal doing?"

"Growing in power. Someone is deliberately trying to send something large through."

I move around the combat area and nail the white demon in the head, knocking it down. "Is it two-way?"

"Yes."

I hear Taggart take a shot at one of the Barons as they throw plasma at the phoenix. I'm not sure if plasma counts as 'fire' for the purpose of its flame immunity, but it should have pretty decent defence and hit point stats. Two demons shouldn't be able to kill it quickly. They're only a bad spell in game because a single big creature isn't a threat to a mid-game army, not because their stats are low. If you could summon more than one at a time…

"Then I think we'll take advantage of their generosity. End-."

Endymion has left from the roof and is currently slashing at-. Scan. Nearly invisible pinkies which were lurking around the Baron's pillars. He doesn't seem to have any trouble either in locating them or cutting them down.

"Never mind. Is that plausible?"

"Certainly, but we won't know where we'll end up."

The last of the rose crumbles to ash in my hand, and the white demon raises its arms again… Only for my x-ionised sabot shot to tear its left arm from its shoulder.

"Raagh!"

"Okay." I drop down to just above head height, making eye contact with the white demon. "Hello there."

The demon doesn't bother holding its wound, but instead crouches with its remaining claws extended to tear at me. Its facial structure is essentially human, though it lacks lips and its cranium is significantly taller.

"I know that you can understand me. And I know that you're intelligent. Shooting me required you to understand that I was the one holding the others up. Thinking. Planning. And I will tell you now that I will understand whatever you say. So on the off-chance that this is some sort of cosmic misunderstanding, what's going on? What's this in aid of?"

"Blood and souls for Hell! Torture! Pain!"

"And that's it?"

"It is-" It throws itself at me, golden fire billowing around its remaining claw. "-for y-"

My crumbler ram construct hits it in the chest, smashing it against the side of the teleporter plinth and disintegrating its torso.

"-hrr."

"Okay."

I fly upwards, railgun construct seeking targets. One of the Barons has been burned to death by the phoenix, while the other-. Dies to a railgun shot to the head as I watch. Endymion has finished the invisible pinkies and has moved to engage the herd of regular ones swarming up from the bunker. Mazikeen forms bat-like wings for a moment to fly down from her perch. She lands next to the teleporter and begins studying it.

"This is not human technology."

"Sure?"

"It's a block of stone, wreathed in spells. I suspect that the… Pink minotaur things created it. Their sarcophagi appear to be energy siphons of some sort."

"From them to the teleporter?"

"No. From wherever they came from into them."

"Ah!" Sandro flies in on the back of his phoenix, patting out the fires burning across his clothing as he dismounts. "That sounds more familiar-. Oh, you tore the arm off and disintegrated its chest. I was hoping to raise its corpse."

"It was intelligent and a magic user, using an unfamiliar work of magic. We're going to the place it came from, where it undoubtably has allies. Raising it would have certain-"

A zombified Baron of Hell lumbers over.

"-risks. Can it talk?"

"Certainly it can! There might be a little missing after Corporal Taggart shot it in the head, but it should remain fully capable of speech and recollection."

"Gruuhk!"

Sandro stares at it for a moment, then turns back to me. "Should."

"Demon, what are you?"

"I am a.. warrior of Hell. I.. hold the rank of.. baron."

"Good show. Is the demonic attack on Mars a happy accident, or did someone plan it?"

"The eldest has.. been watching for.. some time. Waiting for a human to.. open a portal again. This was not.. like before, not.. an evocation, but many small.. crossings. It took time.. to learn how to.. interfere. We were sent to secure this.. beachhead. To bring more of.. Hell's energy with us, until it encompasses.. Earth. But then an angel.. fell from the sky, and everything… Changed."

"Where was she taken?"

"To the greatest.. of the new ones. Those who will.. overrun the Earth while the eldest ensures that.. the anchor remains."

"And where are the new ones now?"

"Dis. In Hell."

"And where does this portal go?"

"The stolen moon. The dark presence will make.. the moon its vessel and.. destroy this plane of.. existence."

"And where is Deimos in relation to Hell?"

"Above it."

"Thank you." I look up to where Taggart is trying to work out how to get down from the roof, tether him and transition him to us. Endymion strolls towards us, flicking pinkie blood from his sword.

"Right then. Next stop, Hell."

Cool10007 · 2026-02-21T08:01:05+0000

...I think Paul likes being able to cut loose, too. Hell's about to have a very bad day, methinks.

Chojin Patriarch · 2026-02-21T08:20:56+0000

Mr Zoat said:
10th December 2022
06:45 GMT

Regenerating my own flesh as fast as I can, I drop the other four onto the roof of the storage bunker beneath us before-.

Endymion tosses a rose to me. Uh-. That-.

Hey, don't be surprised when the shoujo prince has shoujo magical attacks. Or in this case, a buff/protection spell in projectile form. And a bunker? That would be the normal starting point of the level: a treasure-trove of guns, ammo and items...

That douses the fire the moment it touches me, okay. Useful. I grab the rapidly decaying rose in my right gauntlet while generating a railgun construct. None of the demons we've encountered have had exotic resistances, just tough flesh. As such I feel reasonably confident as I load an iron slug and fire.

Indeed, I don't think anything in the original games had anything special about their defences. Which meant that with patience and dodging skills, you could kill anything with your fist.

The white demon looks mildly confused by the fact that I'm not on fire, but it's clearly intelligent enough to recognise the railgun. It dives to the side, railgun round slamming into the stonework next to it. The second round strikes in the side as it scrambles back to its feet, knocking it off the teleporter pad and onto the ground behind it.

Rare to see enemies dodging and fleeing, but in most cases, they're focused on whoever hurt them last (which can include other demons/grunts, allowing for infighting scenarios...)

I… Don't remember if Doom has any flying demons. I think I remember… Red ball things, and burning skulls? I don't remember either of them being particularly fast or agile and I certainly can't see them-

I shift to the side as the pillars containing the Barons of Hell open and one of them takes the opportunity to throw a ball of green plasma at me.

-here.

Cacodemons and Lost Souls, neither of which appear in the shareware release, I believe. They first appear on the Deimos levels, and are plentiful in Hell...

With the cry of a constipated cockerel, a phoenix explodes into the air to my left. It's… Big. If it were laid out then it would be about ten metres, beak to tail tip. Its wings are leathery and dragon-like, but constantly wreathed in flame which burns without the need for an external fuel source. It has a long neck with a raptorial head at the end. At the other end of the torso are a pair of chicken-like legs while the various parts of its tail droop down like the fronds of a mostly-plucked peacock.

More impressive than it sounded. I doubt it has any ranged attack options, does it?

It dives down, smacking one of the Barons with burning wings and tail and causing it to stagger aside.

"Mazikeen, what's the portal doing?"

"Growing in power. Someone is deliberately trying to send something large through."

Most likely the Cyberdemon based in Deimos. Or maybe Mancubi.

I move around the combat area and nail the white demon in the head, knocking it down. "Is it two-way?"

"Yes."

As seen at the end of the level in-game. Though that version is basically a killbox that transitions you to the ending text crawl...

I hear Taggart take a shot at one of the Barons as they throw plasma at the phoenix. I'm not sure if plasma counts as 'fire' for the purpose of its flame immunity, but it should have pretty decent defence and hit point stats. Two demons shouldn't be able to kill it quickly. They're only a bad spell in game because a single big creature isn't a threat to a mid-game army, not because their stats are low. If you could summon more than one at a time…

That might be why it's limited to one. Game balance is a fierce and vicious mistress.

"Then I think we'll take advantage of their generosity. End-."

Endymion has left from the roof and is currently slashing at-. Scan. Nearly invisible pinkies which were lurking around the Baron's pillars. He doesn't seem to have any trouble either in locating them or cutting them down.

Spectres, which lurk in the bunker. Mostly there to distract you and try to reduce your topped off ammunition before the boss fight.

"Never mind. Is that plausible?"

"Certainly, but we won't know where we'll end up."

Fortunately, they have options for gathering intelligence.

The last of the rose crumbles to ash in my hand, and the white demon raises its arms again… Only for my x-ionised sabot shot to tear its left arm from its shoulder.

"Raagh!"

"Okay." I drop down to just above head height, making eye contact with the white demon. "Hello there."

And here we go. Actually talking to the mobs... Probably a good thing they don't talk in the original games, can you imagine how annoying it'd be if they had two or three canned taunts they spammed?

The demon doesn't bother holding its wound, but instead crouches with its remaining claws extended to tear at me. Its facial structure is essentially human, though it lacks lips and its cranium is significantly taller.

"I know that you can understand me. And I know that you're intelligent. Shooting me required you to understand that I was the one holding the others up. Thinking. Planning. And I will tell you now that I will understand whatever you say. So on the off-chance that this is some sort of cosmic misunderstanding, what's going on? What's this in aid of?"

And 'who needs to die to end it?' being the unspoken question.

"Blood and souls for Hell! Torture! Pain!"

"And that's it?"

...Seriously, imagine hearing that every time an Archvile pops up...

"It is-" It throws itself at me, golden fire billowing around its remaining claw. "-for y-"

My crumbler ram construct hits it in the chest, smashing it against the side of the teleporter plinth and disintegrating its torso.

"-hrr."

Ludicrous Gibs! ...Yes, I know that's a different franchise, but still.

"Okay."

I fly upwards, railgun construct seeking targets. One of the Barons has been burned to death by the phoenix, while the other-. Dies to a railgun shot to the head as I watch. Endymion has finishes the invisible pinkies and has moved to engage the herd of regular ones swarming up from the bunker. Mazikeen forms bat-like wings for a moment to fly down from her perch. She lands next to the teleporter and begins studying it.

Yep, even if this were the hardest difficulty, they would have no problems at all...

"This is not human technology."

"Sure?"

"It's a block of stone, wreathed in spells. I suspect that the… Pink minotaur things created it. Their sarcophagi appear to be energy siphons of some sort."

She just doesn't like the name 'Pinkies', does she?

Fortunately, they do come in other colours... Just not in the original game.
EDIT: Oh, right, the Barons are sort of pink, too...

My mistake.

"From them to the teleporter?"

"No. From wherever they came from into them."

Essentially a fuel source of sorts. Sustenance to keep them from snapping back tot heir home dimension, or the like.

"Ah!" Sandro flies in on the back of his phoenix, patting out the fires burning across his clothing as he dismounts. "That sounds more familiar-. Oh, you tore the arm off and disintegrated its chest. I was hoping to raise its corpse."

"It was intelligent and a magic user, using an unfamiliar work of magic. We're going to the place it came from, where it undoubtably has allies. Raising it would have certain-"

And really, I don't think it would have been the best conversationalist anyway, given how it was taunting OL.

A zombified Baron of Hell lumbers over.

"-risks. Can it talk?"

"Certainly it can! There might be a little missing after Corporal Taggart shot it in the head, but it should remain fully capable of speech and recollection."

Well, that's helpful. And a Baron is a pretty strong ally.

"Gruuhk!"

Sandro stares at it for a moment, then turns back to me. "Should."

Oh, hush. Have you seen their jaw structure? I'm amazed they can move their mouth without jamming their teeth into something soft. ...Might explain some of their temperament, really.

"Demon, what are you?"

"I am a.. warrior of Hell. I.. hold the rank of.. baron."

"Good show. Is the demonic attack on Mars a happy accident, or did someone plan it?"

Good, asking the smart question.

"The eldest has.. been watch for.. some time. Waiting for a human to.. open a portal again. This was not.. like before, not.. an evocation, but many small.. crossings. It took time.. to learn how to.. interfere. We were sent to secure this.. beachhead. To bring more of.. Hell's energy with us, until it encompasses.. Earth. But then an angel.. fell from the sky, and everything… Changed."

'Again' being a nod to the deeper backstory from the newer games, with their ancient wars and off-world human kingdoms...

"Where was she taken?"

"To the greatest.. of the new ones. Those who will.. overrun the Earth while the eldest ensures that.. the anchor remains."

So most likely the Spider Mastermind. The demons wasted no time taking advantage of human technology once they learned about it...

"And where are the new ones now?"

"Dis. In Hell."

Exactly like in the game: the final Level of Episode 3: Inferno. A big rolling boss fight in an open arena perfect for circle-strafing and a teleporter to the end-screen afterwards...

"And where does this portal go?"

"The stolen moon. The dark presence will make.. the moon its vessel and.. destroy this plane of.. existence."

Not for long, with these four taking a hand in matters. Heck, they won't even have to run the levels, just fly and shoot.

"And where is Deimos in relation to Hell?"

"Above it."

Heck, depending on whether they feel like closing the portal first, they don't even need to bother stopping on the moonlet.

"Thank you." I look up to where Taggart is trying to work out how to get down from the roof, tether him and transition him to us. Endymion strolls towards us, flicking pinkie blood from his sword.

"Right then. Next stop, Hell."

Hopefully without the painful transition of the final moments of the level...

So, Angelica's location is known, and of course the 'final boss' has her in its lair. Still, unless it has some new upgrade it pulled out because of them or her, this shouldn't be too difficult a fight. Heck, Taggart doesn't even have to come with them, just hang around here sniping demons as they come through... Though given that everyone else is dead, it might be a bit dull.

boo600 · 2026-02-21T08:22:44+0000

I kind of wish Paul would assimilate a few demons, like he used to. Keeps them from resurrecting if that's a thing DOOM demons can do, and they may be useful in a fight, as exotic means of attack (spellcasters) or simply defenses he can send where he isn't, like protecting VIPs. And it's not like he doesn't outclass the Team in raw power or versatility at this point, or like a small backup demon army would make him equal to Superman (since we've upgraded to Stronk Superman who can beat Paul instead of YJ Superman) in a fight.

Bigreader · 2026-02-21T08:35:20+0000

Mr Zoat said:
drop down to just above head height, making eye contact with the white demon. "Hello there."

Obi one : yells General Grievous.

Mr Zoat · 2026-02-21T08:49:37+0000

Chojin Patriarch said:
Hey, don't be surprised when the shoujo prince has shoujo magical attacks. Or in this case, a buff/protection spell in projectile form. And a bunker? That would be the normal starting point of the level: a treasure-trove of guns, ammo and items...

It's mostly barrels.

Cacodemons and Lost Souls, neither of which appear in the shareware release, I believe.

Entirely correct. Zombiemen, demons, spectres, imps and the two barons.

More impressive than it sounded.

Yesterday I had to fight 12 of the things with a mid-sized Haven army. They've got good initiative and movement, and they get back up once after their die, they're immune to fire and they do fire damage to anything that attacks them in melee.

I doubt it has any ranged attack options, does it?

No.

She just doesn't like the name 'Pinkies', does she? Fortunately, they do come in other colours... Just not in the original game.

She's talking about the Barons.

Duke Long · 2026-02-21T09:37:05+0000

Mr Zoat said:
The white demon looks mildly confused by the fact that I'm not on fire, but it's clearly intelligent enough to recognise the railgun. It dives to the side, railgun round slamming into the stonework next to it. The second round strikes in the side as it scrambles back to its feet, knocking it off the teleporter pad and onto the ground behind it.

'it in'?

Mr Zoat said:
"Okay."
I fly upwards, railgun construct seeking targets. One of the Barons has been burned to death by the phoenix, while the other-. Dies to a railgun shot to the head as I watch. Endymion has finishes the invisible pinkies and has moved to engage the herd of regular ones swarming up from the bunker. Mazikeen forms bat-like wings for a moment to fly down from her perch. She lands next to the teleporter and begins studying it.

Missing line between paragraphs.
'finished'

Mr Zoat said:
"The eldest has.. been watch for.. some time. Waiting for a human to.. open a portal again. This was not.. like before, not.. an evocation, but many small.. crossings. It took time.. to learn how to.. interfere. We were sent to secure this.. beachhead. To bring more of.. Hell's energy with us, until it encompasses.. Earth. But then an angel.. fell from the sky, and everything… Changed."

'watching'?

I'm guessing the eldest is the Icon of Sin?

Chojin Patriarch said:
'Again' being a nod to the deeper backstory from the newer games, with their ancient wars and off-world human kingdoms...

I figured it was referring to the Wolfenstein demons Oh El mentioned earlier.

boo600 said:
I kind of wish Paul would assimilate a few demons, like he used to. Keeps them from resurrecting if that's a thing DOOM demons can do, and they may be useful in a fight, as exotic means of attack (spellcasters) or simply defenses he can send where he isn't, like protecting VIPs. And it's not like he doesn't outclass the Team in raw power or versatility at this point, or like a small backup demon army would make him equal to Superman (since we've upgraded to Stronk Superman who can beat Paul instead of YJ Superman) in a fight.

Sadly, despite deciding to assimilate more monsters a while ago (I think when he assimilated the ghost hydra heads and Construct-Lanterns were temporarily his only usable ability), he seems pretty reluctant to use assimilation except when it's the best way to deal with an enemy, or they have information he wants. In this case I can understand it somewhat since he is still on something of a power budget, though presumably he can still recharge by either making a lantern or taking power directly from the Honden.

Vaermina · 2026-02-21T09:53:42+0000

So... Do you think Zoat will remember that Orange Lantern's tattoo's make it dangerous for him to go to Hell?

Mr Zoat · 2026-02-21T12:41:09+0000

Duke Long said:
'it in'?
Missing line between paragraphs.
'finished'
'watching'?

Thank you, corrected.

Zig · 2026-02-21T14:52:38+0000

Vaermina said:
So... Do you think Zoat will remember that Orange Lantern's tattoo's make it dangerous for him to go to Hell?

It was only a major issue last time because he had turned himself into a demon and someone was specifically targeting him to funnel hell energy into him faster. By default it would only be a problem if he spends years there.

With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)

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CrazyNoVa

I trust you know where the happy button is?

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This is filth! FILTH!!

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I can't see in this damn thing

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Welp

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Doom. Boom!

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Well worn.

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Not too sore, are you?

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