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

[Bramble Thorn]

"So going back to my question, you wanted something that connected to the collective unconscious of the human species?"

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So Hecate gives a list of two rare and specific things to help the ritual; stuff that she very well may not think currently exist, and need to be made first.

And Paul just pops out and pops back in shortly thereafter, seemingly pulling them out of his ass.
...I imagine after he shows up with the Spear of Destiny as well, she is going to add some other items to the list.

Not something she needs for the ritual, just something that been on her wishlist for a while.
Like when people whimsically wish for something and it comes true shortly after, and then 'wish for a million dollars' just in case the wish store is still open.

 

[Pez]

…Okay the sheer ease and level of rolling over backwards for paul is starting to get real annoying, i feel like there's there no tension no reason to be worry, there is no beating paul, there is no outsmarting him, there is no one who can stop him.

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Paul isn't infallible, and has lost before. He could still lose, here. For all we know, he could succeed in his plans on replacing Zeus, but earn the ire of the Themyscirans (or maybe just Diana). Or maybe the other gods will start seeing Paul as a threat to them, if he so easily and quickly came up with a way to topple the strongest amongst them.

If someone really wanted to beat Paul, the easiest way would be to just remove someone he cares about from existence. Just blow up the planet Jade is on, and Paul will most likely undergo a big change in emotions and thinking and everything that makes the current Paul Paul.

That sounds like a really stupid story.

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I agree. I could barely stomach S3, as their writers went completely woke and pushed us further and further from the original Team that started this all. It's like they decided to do what was done in JLU, but in a bad way.

As I said, I haven't watched it.

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I'll eventually watch S4. I have to admit that I liked M'gann's new look, from what little I saw on YT videos. All that crap with Klarion and the Lords of Chaos was just stupid.

 

[Zig]

So Hecate gives a list of two rare and specific things to help the ritual; stuff that she very well may not think currently exist, and need to be made first.

And Paul just pops out and pops back in shortly thereafter, seemingly pulling them out of his ass.
...I imagine after he shows up with the Spear of Destiny as well, she is going to add some other items to the list.

Not something she needs for the ritual, just something that been on her wishlist for a while.
Like when people whimsically wish for something and it comes true shortly after, and then 'wish for a million dollars' just in case the wish store is still open.

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As she should, seeing as Paul is highly unlikely to actually give her what she originally asked for in exchange for her help.

 

[Noctus]

Hey can anyone help me out? I'm currently reading the Demon Superman and Nazi Earth arc. Just got to the part where Paul reaches the Amazons and puts Diana on some earth so that she heals from the helmet posessing her.

I was wondering if anyone can do me a favor and summarize what happens in this arc? There are somethings that I just can't stomach and this quote is one of them -


"Could we not have a reckoning and instead use the fact that they're having peaceful contact with other cultures who don't share their viewpoint to encourage a gradual social reform process?"

While it is in character with Paul, one of his flaws is his lack of empathy in certain situations despite having the ability to see other people's emotions. I do like that in this story as it keeps him from being a gary stu and reveals how the orange ring has changed his thoughts to become more inhuman over time.

Specifically his interactions with Balewa show off his inability to properly empathize with what's going on. While his suggestions about what Balewa can get out of working with the Nazis are somewhat reasonable, they're more than a little callous. And that's fine, Paul isn't perfect and I do prefer it that way but...

I just can't stomach his approach to Nazi world.

You don't get to do what the Nazis did in Earth 10 and then say "Oh we're so sorry about what happened and all of the genocide we committed."

In this I very firmly empathize with Dr Mist and his desire to see the Nazis bleed. True, as people not involved in the story we can see why letting the demons in would be a bad thing in the long term.

But at the end of the day, if I was in Balewa's position I can empathize with where the man is coming from. And this is from someone who found his Earth 16 viewpoint slightly frustrating when I first read about him.

Paul's insistence about "showing the Nazis the light," while in character, is more than a little frustrating for me. Overman feeling bad about this does NOT change what happened. It doesn't give him a free pass. I am sympathetic but honestly Paul's approach here just leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth.
If anyone would be willing to give me a cliff notes of what happens in this arc I'd appreciate it.

 

[Darko]

I was wondering if anyone can do me a favor and summarize what happens in this arc

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Sure.

Basically Paul and a bunch of Nazis go to Hell Earth.

Then they encounter some vampires that they beat and recruit to help them.

They get the Spear of Destiny and later fight Demon Superman.

They beat him and the demon possessing him manages to escape but is shot and killed by Paul.

Later, Paul visits Michael Holt, Mr. Terrific, who he previously fought when Holt was corrupted, but now he's not.

Holt gets a Green Power Ring to help him fix the Earth.

Paul's insistence about "showing the Nazis the light," while in character, is more than a little frustrating for me. Overman feeling bad about this does NOT change what happened. It doesn't give him a free pass. I am sympathetic but honestly Paul's approach here just leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth.
If anyone would be willing to give me a cliff notes of what happens in this arc I'd appreciate it.

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Hope the above helps, and yeah I understand your frustration with Paul.

At this point I think I'm just reading this story out of habit, since the main character has become...well...what he is now.

 

[Noctus]

Sure.

Basically Paul and a bunch of Nazis go to Hell Earth.

Then they encounter some vampires that they beat and recruit to help them.

They get the Spear of Destiny and later fight Demon Superman.

They beat him and the demon possessing him manages to escape but is shot and killed by Paul.

Later, Paul visits Michael Holt, Mr. Terrific, who he previously fought when Holt was corrupted, but now he's not.

Holt gets a Green Power Ring to help him fix the Earth.



Hope the above helps, and yeah I understand your frustration with Paul.

At this point I think I'm just reading this story out of habit, since the main character has become...well...what he is now.

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Thanks so much!! Really appreciate it.

 

[Darko]

Thanks so much!! Really appreciate it.

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No problem.

 

[Darko]

Spoiler: Episode 123:Coup Data

Coup Data (Story Only)

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A minor correction.

Maybe add a space between the : and 'Data'.

The other spoiler boxes have a space.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Thanks so much!! Really appreciate it.

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The issue is that he doesn't think of 'the Nazis' as a monolithic blob. There are probably a few people who were involved in the genocide alive, but they're in nursing homes and aren't involved in running things now. The people who are are their grandchildren.

A minor correction.

Maybe add a space between the : and 'Data'.

The other spoiler boxes have a space.

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Thank you, corrected.

 

[Noctus]

The issue is that he doesn't think of 'the Nazis' as a monolithic blob. There are probably a few people who were involved in the genocide alive, but they're in nursing homes and aren't involved in running things now. The people who are are their grandchildren.

Thank you, corrected.

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You aren't responsible for the things your grandfather did. But you ARE responsible for the things that you're doing. The reprehensible treatment that continues on Nazi earth is very much their fault and they absolutely deserve to bleed for what they're doing.

Being a monolithic blob is kinda the point of facism. You know, "one master race" "everyone else is subhuman" etc.

Regardless arguing this sort of thing on a fanfiction forum is a waste of time.

Anyways I do like your story. But there are parts of Paul that bother me a lot. Like his unrepentant imperialism. Just got to him and Jade visiting Havania and his comments about the enslavement of the local people - oof.

The Nazi world arc was only one such example. But that's normal for any story and any self insert. And I still, as a whole, enjoy this story.

 

[Darko]

The issue is that he doesn't think of 'the Nazis' as a monolithic blob. There are probably a few people who were involved in the genocide alive, but they're in nursing homes and aren't involved in running things now. The people who are are their grandchildren

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True, but those grandchildren are still continuing their grandparents work.

They're still killing 'undesirables', they're still oppressing other races etc.

You aren't responsible for the things your grandfather did. But you ARE responsible for the things that you're doing. The reprehensible treatment that continues on Nazi earth is very much their fault and they absolutely deserve to bleed for what they're doing

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Yep.

 

[Cuchulin]

You aren't responsible for the things your grandfather did. But you ARE responsible for the things that you're doing. The reprehensible treatment that continues on Nazi earth is very much their fault and they absolutely deserve to bleed for what they're doing.
Being a monolithic blob is kinda the point of facism. You know, "one master race" "everyone else is subhuman" etc.
Regardless arguing this sort of thing on a fanfiction forum is a waste of time.
Anyways I do like your story. But there are parts of Paul that bother me a lot. Like his unrepentant imperialism. Just got to him and Jade visiting Havania and his comments about the enslavement of the local people - oof.
The Nazi world arc was only one such example. But that's normal for any story and any self insert. And I still, as a whole, enjoy this story.

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Good points, on the other hand he was teaming up with the Nazis to stop Demon Lord Superman who was creating hell on a Alt Earth. I'd argue that it is better to team up with Fascists to fight a threat like Demon Lord Superman than almost any other group, because they tend to be good at fighting and if they get hurt or killed? Than it isn't that much of a loss compared the same thing happening to non-Fascists.

 

[Mr Zoat]

True, but those grandchildren are still continuing their grandparents work.

They're still killing 'undesirables', they're still oppressing other races etc.

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Other race. Singular. And since black people only exist in Africa, most of them have no contact with black people.

 

[Brainwasher-Boy]

You know what? I'm calling it now: Zeus is going to release Wonder Woman from her "duty" in Tartarus, without the need for any violence. He might not be the brightest bolt in the storm cloud, but if he can't see how utterly fucked he is when Paul rolls up to Mount Olympus, he should have died from stupidity centuries ago.

Either that, or we're missing something that Paul's not prepared for. The only realistic way Zeus doesn't kowtow when Paul comes knocking is if he has some major ace up his sleeve he knows could beat him.

Sure, maybe Zeus is just some cocky idiot, but that sounds like the most boring of the three options.

 

[Darko]

Other race. Singular. And since black people only exist in Africa, most of them have no contact with black people.

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But the Nazi government has contact with them and makes their life a miserable existence, so maybe something should be done about that.

You know what? I'm calling it now: Zeus is going to release Wonder Woman from her "duty" in Tartarus, without the need for any violence. He might not be the brightest bolt in the storm cloud, but if he can't see how utterly fucked he is when Paul rolls up to Mount Olympus, he should have died from stupidity centuries ago.

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Paul might still choose to go after him since he'd still be a piece of shit rapist and leaving him with power is just asking for trouble.

 

[Vaermina]

You know what? I'm calling it now: Zeus is going to release Wonder Woman from her "duty" in Tartarus, without the need for any violence. He might not be the brightest bolt in the storm cloud, but if he can't see how utterly fucked he is when Paul rolls up to Mount Olympus, he should have died from stupidity centuries ago.

Either that, or we're missing something that Paul's not prepared for. The only realistic way Zeus doesn't kowtow when Paul comes knocking is if he has some major ace up his sleeve he knows could beat him.

Sure, maybe Zeus is just some cocky idiot, but that sounds like the most boring of the three options.

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The easiest way for Zeus to counter LePaul, would be for Zeus to cast Summon Wonder Woman, since she very explicitly didn't want LePaul doing this sort of thing.

Mind you, given Zoat's history so far my money's firmly on Zeus being rewritten to be just a cocky idiot.

 

[Patrick Holt]

A few more words from Blitzen

21st October 2012
19:17 GMT -5


"Hay!" She frowns at me. "What if I had been on the toilet?"


"You mean the superior men from the future?"


She rolls her eyes. "I don't inhale everything that comes from the Führer's arsehole, no. Did you know they're going to publish a history book that calls the whole period of the First Great War through to the end of the Second Great War a single conflict?

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Not sure about the blue ones but if she calls Jay "vater" should they be vuture, and Virst. I know she uses f to say frik the man and Führer so not sure on the accent here.

"Hay!" She frowns at me. "What if I had been on the toilet?"

"It would have to be a very large toilet."

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This doesn't make sense should it be in?
I can stand on a small toilet, or was he just saying he wouldn't have appeared next to her?

 

[_The_Bomb]

There are multiple millions inside a billion.

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One thousand of them, yes. Or a million, if you go by the stupid system the British use.

Expanding risks disbelief.

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Ah, that's a shame. Watching Paul absolutely shatter the worldview of powerful beings is honestly my favorite part of this quest. It makes sense that he would prioritize getting them back on task when he's this mad, but damn is it a shame that he didn't take this opportunity.

 

[Luma]

Good points, on the other hand he was teaming up with the Nazis to stop Demon Lord Superman who was creating hell on a Alt Earth. I'd argue that it is better to team up with Fascists to fight a threat like Demon Lord Superman than almost any other group, because they tend to be good at fighting and if they get hurt or killed? Than it isn't that much of a loss compared the same thing happening to non-Fascists.

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Not gonna lie, if it were me, I'd rather team up with the demons to destroy the fascists than the other way around. Nazi Earth is indescribably more horrific than demon Earth.

Other race. Singular. And since black people only exist in Africa, most of them have no contact with black people.

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Nazis would obviously continue to designate various racial out-groups, probably indefinitely. And the fact that they have no contact with black people clearly doesn't stop them from oppressing them.

Maybe someone should set Earth -14 on them, they could do with some martial law.

 

[Mr Zoat]

One thousand of them, yes. Or a million, if you go by the stupid system the British use.

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We don't actually use that system. Haven't for decades, no matter how much more sense it makes.

 

[_The_Bomb]

We don't actually use that system. Haven't for decades, no matter how much more sense it makes.

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You're telling me that the fact that my thermo professor used this system was odd even amongst British people?!

That's…..that's even worse!

(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

 

[Coda]

I don't believe that it's power

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its

…Okay the sheer ease and level of rolling over backwards for paul is starting to get real annoying, i feel like there's there no tension no reason to be worry, there is no beating paul, there is no outsmarting him, there is no one who can stop him.

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On the flip side, a character who has powers that go neglected when they would be the best way to solve a problem is ALSO super annoying, and combating that is one of the core themes of this entire fic.

Not sure about the blue ones but if she calls Jay "vater"

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"Vater" is just straight up the German word, it's not an accent.

 

[Michael Vonica]

"In Erebos, amongst a horde of Hecate-worshipping shades at least some of whom are Amazons, as a guest of their goddess? I should think so. Certainly wouldn't have to worry about Purist assassins or alien invaders."

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How is that at all safe? Does Hecate have some sort of intense code of honor that would stop her from killing someone she doesn't like? The same grumpy goddess who empowers Circe?

 

[topin89]

…Okay the sheer ease and level of rolling over backwards for paul is starting to get real annoying, i feel like there's there no tension no reason to be worry, there is no beating paul, there is no outsmarting him, there is no one who can stop him.

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I think that's not the real reason for annoyance, and more about no major character development for a looong time, at least for the paragon timeline. I mean, I'm skimming first chapters now, and personal changes are everywhere.

Spoiler: Longread is long

You can see how Paul changed his attitude towards the League after he'd killed Clayface. Kon's gradual social adaptation, Wallace's progression from denial of magic to health potions, other individual grows and the team's social shift. Villains reformation, Paul's relationship with Jade. Enlightenment.

It feels like for Paragon timeline everything stopped right after he'd defeated Klarion and Nabu. We got his arc culmination and everything after feels like a long epilogue. There was Heaven and Hell arc, with major villain revelation. Really big event. Now, had it changed our hero's motivation, internal thoughts, priorities, anything? Even if it had, I most certainly can't see it. All we got is that to request for some of Sivanas to investigate. Sheeda's Invasion arc? Honestly, it feels like the whole world just shrugging it off. He got qwa-matter in the face and his worries were if his clones' brains can think. I suppose even if he becomes a New God of Utilitarianism, changes would be cosmetic at best.

Renegade had it better. He steamrolled the Light and with it his relationship with Jade, and it changed him. Killed Klarion and was alienated by his peers for the trouble. Saved Lynne and in doing so he had become a father. He got a piece of Anti-Life life equation and struggled to get his emotions back. He got rid of said peace and strengthen his relationship with Luna in the process. Last time, he merged with actual Grayven and if his interludes are any indication, he now has troubles differentiating his former self from Grayven's and not thinking of Apokolyps as his place of origin. So, no wonder his timeline grows in popularity.

At that point, if we can't see inner world shift in out lead character, what about secondaries? Fortunately, they do change. Flash saw enough of Sheeda's deeds to go for lethal option when his best course of action was to swallow the rage. Xor had come a long way from rigid concept of honor to understanding what "world is wrong" means and now slowly absorbs orange philosophy. Komand'r overcame her condition. Nazi supergirl saw exactly how horrible the Third Reich is. Wonder Woman finally got snake eye protection.

Same for the Renegade timeline. The problem is, Paul interacts with tonnes of different characters and the story constantly shifts attention between them, so it's hard to feel progress of any individual person. Like, right now we (probably) would see changes in Olympic Pantheon and maybe some shift in Eris's motivation. And then moving on to something completely different.

That being said, I still enjoy reading this story. I just look at it from a different angle.

Not every series needs constant character development or constant story progress, or even both. I mean, CSI have none of that, and it's still popular. I think. Didn't really watch it. If you don't like CSI, replace with something you do like, it's all about type of fiction. So, imagine if there was a series like CSI, but first three seasons were an origin story, and everything else a classic no major plot procedural. That's what With This Ring now, with more superheroics and less crime investigation.

There's another angle. You can read this as slice of life superheroics. Like, imagine Superman series not focused on hard missions, life and death situations and difficult decisions, but on common robbery, street fights, cats on trees and same such. Banter with Batman at the Watchtower, flirting with Louis, dinner with parents. Ten years ago I would think it would be boring, and then I watched an episode of one slice of life anime where for ten minutes schoolgirls discussed at which end you should eat choco-cornet. Ten. Minutes. Half of an episode. And it was entertaining. I didn't even realize it was this long until advertisement cut.

Finally, for all I know, all this may be intentional. All this constantness may be so when everything changes we could feel it more by contrast. Like, Paul's major antagonist is Boss Status Quo. This may be his influence all along. I mean, isn't it strange that after planetary invasion it's business as usual?

P.S. Still waiting for John Constantine arc resolution. Always are, Always will. Until it resolves.

 

[Mastigos2]

…Okay the sheer ease and level of rolling over backwards for paul is starting to get real annoying, i feel like there's there no tension no reason to be worry, there is no beating paul, there is no outsmarting him, there is no one who can stop him.

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This is more him burning MAJOR favors like mad.

Paul isn't infallible, and has lost before. He could still lose, here. For all we know, he could succeed in his plans on replacing Zeus, but earn the ire of the Themyscirans (or maybe just Diana). Or maybe the other gods will start seeing Paul as a threat to them, if he so easily and quickly came up with a way to topple the strongest amongst them.

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Hell, I'm just waiting for Zeus to pull the "just because I can't see YOU doesn't mean I can't see the people you talk to ABOUT USURPING ME" card.

And yet another piece in the complicated moving object that will be this ritual... I can just picture Murphy rubbing his hands together in glee at the sheer potential for mayhem. It'll be even worse if they successfully buff Hephaestus, get to Olympus and Zeus just goes 'Oh, right, that? Eh, she can leave. I forgot why I sent her there anyway. By the way, have you seen this 'Internet' thing yet? So many naked women!'

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I rather think Murphy would get pimpslapped by Eris and then she'd take over the " rubbing (her) hands together in glee at the sheer potential for mayhem" position

 

[Vaermina]

Hell, I'm just waiting for Zeus to pull the "just because I can't see YOU doesn't mean I can't see the people you talk to ABOUT USURPING ME" card.

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Given Hera was able to see him, Zeus certain should be able to.

 

[Cuchulin]

Not gonna lie, if it were me, I'd rather team up with the demons to destroy the fascists than the other way around. Nazi Earth is indescribably more horrific than demon Earth.

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...Did you even bother to read the parts about Demon Lord Superman's Earth? Because that world was dying, no one was really safe from being maimed or kill and most people would have been much better off in a Mad Max style wasteland.
Also team up with literal embodiments of evil slowly torturing people to death against a group the includes people that are misguided, willing to jump at chance to escape their fascist society or even actively trying change things for the better? Yeah, seems like you are siding with hell against both the Nazis AND the Justice League.
Seriously, maybe you need to look in the mirror and ask who the real "bad guy" is.

Nazis would obviously continue to designate various racial out-groups, probably indefinitely.

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Except that they aren't really doing that, They are mostly content with what they have and how things are.

 

[Michael Vonica]

A fate worse than death was implied for Zeus. This story is getting a bit formulaic. Here's a prediction. Zeus walks in on the Titan ritual to share some stern words on everyone planning his death. The ritual gets ruined somehow, and goes out of control. Zeus and Hephaestus get sucked into the baby titan, and turn into some horrible electric metal machine god.

 

[Mr Zoat]

27th October 2012
18:39 GMT +3

While Queen Mera could probably convey herself through the waters of the underworld in greater comfort than she feels in my construct-grip, that would mean enduring the effects of the water. As a result, she's looking around with a considerable degree of curiosity while seated in a construct aircraft chair.

Artur stayed behind with his father. I really think it was a bit much for Orin to call this 'an insane scheme', and I did notice him biting down the rest of that sentence. What's insane about using a titan to empower a crippled god to overthrow the head of the pantheon to free a woman from a place she doesn't want to leave?

"I've been meaning to ask. Why does every Atlantean I've spoken to get uncomfortable when I mention Queen Gamemnae? Sephtian told me that he didn't know exactly what she did…"

"I doubt that anyone alive does. With the return of Mighty Adom to Kahndaq I have taken the opportunity to study that period of our history, and it was an unpleasant time and long ago. Our records are far from perfect, and much that is commonly believed has come from myth and legend."

I mentally shrug. We live in a world where people who believe that the Roman Empire didn't exist are allowed out in public. I can hardly expect the Atlanteans to keep perfect records for five thousand years.

"As you know, she was a sorceress of incredible skill and power. She was sent into exile from Poseidonis as a child, and returned as a powerful sorceress. Supposedly, she returned the entire continent of Atlantis to the surface and turned the entire population into who they were before Ahri'ahn altered their ancestors."

"Removing the Purebloods' superior strength and endurance would make it easier to maintain control. I mean I… Doubt that she inherited the title."

"Perhaps. She is also supposed to have allowed any who would not serve under her rule to drown in waters that they had easily have breathed before she worked her magic."

"I wonder how she got that powerful. I can't think of any other magic traditions in the area that were the equal of the Atlantean one."

"If it happened like that at all, I would guess that she was educated by the descendants of Atlantean exiles. It was the trauma of so much upheaval and death that left her name as a curse in our culture. If you want an accurate record of her history, Adom would be a better person to speak with."

"Yes, but I don't want to mess about with his memory of his old friends. His positive attitude to Atlantis is at least partially based on it."

"It is a pleasant change to have a nation in the Middle East open to the use of magic."

"Sephtian mentioned that her body.. was..?"

Mera smiles and shakes her head. "A myth. The Temple of Orcus holds no body that could come from so powerful a sorceress. I believe that it was later addition to the story. Older versions of the myth mention the bodies of her victims piled to the roof or the bodies of the royal family drowned by her spells."

"I didn't think undoing the spells altering Atlanteans was possible."

"All things are possible. But I do not know how she might have done it. It should be beyond any mortal." Her eye is caught by Persephone's forest. "This place is not what I expected."

"Nothing like Orcus's domain?"

"No. The domain of Orcus is supposedly a far drearier place."

"It's not too late to change lanes. Shop around a little for superior afterlife services."

"It would be politically unwise. Orin is a Christian, and while Atlantis is not a deeply religious country it would not look well for both monarchs to bow to foreign gods."

"Then send Orcus our way and we'll see about bringing him up to our level."

"I have never spoken to him directly. According to our priests, our gods speak even to them only extremely infrequently and indirectly."

"There's your problem! How can they possibly provide a good service if they don't know what the customer base want?"

I bring us into land, noting the absence of dead witches and spotting my own patron- "Hey, Eris!" -taking a smoke outside Hecate's home.

"Hey hay, I'm Eris." She lowers her cigarette and looks Mera over. "I think Hecate needs a bigger house."

"What do I want out of life and death?"

She frowns. "You know what you-. Are you seriously testing me?" I nod. "If you hadn't just won me a bet with that spear I'd nearly be annoyed. You want people to stop being stupid and to take the opportunities presented to them. You want the Reach gone so you can build a new civilisation I'd say from its ashes, but you'd probably say something about people being unified by shared adversity. You like helping people but aren't prepared to completely baby them -which I appreciate- because if you have to do everything then what's the point of anyone else even existing."

"That's life."

"I don't believe you'll stay dead next time any more than you did the last two."

"Good answer. And that's why she's better than Discordia."

Eris smiles at me fondly, making eye contact with Mera. "See, that's what's great about him. I think I'm about to have to thump an uppity mortal, then he comes up with something like that and it means more because I know he means it. Now gimme that spear."

Mera hesitates for a moment, but while she's an archmage Eris is a goddess and her decision was effectively made the moment she agreed to come down here. Dismissing the protective spells she placed upon it, she cautiously hands it-.

Eris grabs it from her and stares at it as if transfixed.

"I don't even know what this is."

"Technically, we don't either. It's usually referred to as the Spear of Destiny, but its precise origin is lost in the mists of time. And you can tell what it does."

Eris skips back into Hecate's house. "Hec-a-tay! My guy wiiii-iiins!"

"Shall we?"

Mera and I enter the… Huh. It's expanded again, and the empty pool-area outside is explained by the fact that they're all hard at work in here. Since their knowledge of thaumaturgy is 'poor' by modern standards they're forced to brute force spells guided by their long experience, casting and reacting and judging by feel whether it works or not. The Maltusian power ring is on a plinth in the centre of the ritual space, and Eris has marches over to Hecate to wave the spear at her. We follow after her as Hecate stares at it, then tries to get it off the boasting chaos goddess.

"Eris, not the time."

Eris pantomimes sighing, then offers it to Hecate.

"This…" I feel Hecate running power into it and notice Mera shuddering faintly next to me.

Hephaestus looks it over, before turning to the fascinated Hecate. "Will it work?"

"'Will it'-? Is that all that occurs to you?" Hecate keeps working, beckoning to some of her devotees with her spare hand. "This, and more besides. We will need to rework the spell to take this… This thing into account."

Mera takes a step closer. "Might I enquire-?"

Hecate looks at her for about half a second. "If you want to help, grab a bench. We're going to break history here!"

"Do you mean-?"

"I know what I said!"

 

[Doccer]

explained by the face that

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fact