Chojin Patriarch
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Well, these are trying times. There's no time to complain about those unfortunates of the masculine persuasion being here, especially while here is not where it used to be. And there are probably emergency qualifications for whatever blessings affect the island anyway.17th February 2013
19:21 GMT
I land the construct platform carrying those we've rescued on the Themysciran beach. Tlaltecuhtli has wandered inland a little way, presumably in search of more heartless Aztecs to introduce to the wheel. Kon's explaining things to Queen Hippolyta while Philippus organises escorts for the people we've rescued.
A… Significant proportion of whom are male. And yet no one is complaining about it.
Ah, time to make nice with Apollo, eh?Ow.
I see a familiar face hovering at the periphery of the crowd, preparing to handle any casualties. And I swallow my pride and float my way over to her.
Yes, I think he's made his annoyance over that matter quite clear now. I wonder if that bane's been applied to him the whole time since or just while he's here in a divine-adjacent realm?"So…"
Sadeh regards me with as little expression as she can manage. I earned her regard by replacing the missing body parts of Themyscira's long-term wounded. And then I helped my god dump her god in a pigsty.
...Right. Remember, the gods are staying shut up right now."I'm not going to pretend that I actually feel guilt over what I did, but since I'm still bleeding I'd like some idea of what Lord Apollo wants to make up for it."
She shrugs. "How would I know?"
Oh, is that all it is? Ire?"You're.. a.. priestess?"
She shakes her head. "Direct communication with the gods is unusual. Even after three thousand years, all I can really do is feel his ire radiating from you."
Hopefully at least those lines of communication are still open. I imagine there'd be a heavy firewall, though."Oh. Ah. Okay. Could you please ask for me?"
"I can entreat him in my prayers." She frowns. "Why are you still bleeding?"
...Oh, right, he's still wearing the Tezumak suit."Magic obsidian stab wounds. I-."
My magic armour starts to vibrate. Ring, what-?
Someone reeling it in from the homeland?Something is… Pulling me in the direction of the mainland. No. Pulling the armour. Okay, open, twist around-. Pull myself out and fly up over it and withdraw my constructs-.
It's like a hurricane force wind is pushing on my armour and-.
Strip him of all armour, at the very least? Less things to pull on him?"Paul!"
M'gann shouts as-. Shit. I wrap construct chains around Qualpopoca flails in the air, held down by M'gann's telekinesis. Anchor him to the ground, make sure it's solid. Whatever force is acting on him is still pushing, so I add a little-.
Well, at least they're out. I can't imagine whatever causing this is cause for celebration, though.Ow ow ow.
A little cushion between his flesh and the chains. Looking down at my legs I see small flecks of blood appear as… As the obsidian fragments pull themselves free from inside my body. It's painful, but once they're out my normal ring-assisted regeneration kicks in and the pain abates.
Said hearts no doubt feeling a softer tug, eh?Okay, what's making-?
Everyone who went over Itztépetl is losing whatever obsidian fragments caught on their clothing on in their flesh. The Aztec priests are looking extremely concerned and more than a couple are holding their hands over their hearts-.
Oh, someone's definitely repossessing everything OL and company brought over here."Do you feel it in your hearts!?"
The armour's gone, flying though the air in the direction of the mainland. Qualpopoca is wincing in pain as the… Force pushes him harder.
...Shit. Is Mannheim causing this?A few of the priests who have their wits about them shake their heads.
Alright, so what links the-? Aztec magic. The armour is Aztec magic, Aztec magic turned Qualpopoca into a beastman and the obsidian mountain is made of Aztec magic. The hearts are either taken from sacrificed magical creatures or are parts of human souls. Nothing inherently Aztec about them.
Given that he can basically see whatever's doing this, I'd suspect he's very worried."Cornwall?"
He looks even more uncomfortable. "Something really f-. Bad is happening."
Like it's pouring down into something? Being pulled like a vacuum cleaner's pulling on it?"Can you narrow it down?"
"Raw magic… I don't… It feels like a spell's being… Broken down into raw magic… But… Bigger."
Oh, that's so not good. Not that they could have done anything to stop him earlier anyway..."Mannheim… Ingesting the gods?"
He shakes his head helplessly. "I dunno. I've never felt anything like this before."
I'm guessing he's reverting to human basic."Uh-!"
Qualpopoca is… He's not bleeding, but that looks painful.
OL, remember, he's like fourteen. Even with a crash course in the more mystical aspects of his family's career, he's not going to know what this is."Can you do anything to stop it?"
He shakes his head. "I wouldn't even know where to begin."
One more indignity from his gods, eh?"Qualpopoca, I'm afraid that you're just going to have to endure it."
He grits his teeth. "Y-es. I understand."
Like he knows? At best, he can tell you what happened over there... And make some guesses."Good man. Your majesty!"
Queen Hippolyta walks towards me, glancing at Qualpopoca with clear concern. "What is happening?"
Even Doom's Doorway? Then again, that one opening is usually bad."Something's pulling all Aztec magic that way. Is the gateway to Erebos open?"
"No. The door is barred and will not open."
I'm sure they've tried everything they could already..."And we can't get to Olympus. Are there any other routes off Themyscira?"
She shakes her head. "No."
I mean, the guy was very helpful. Once he stopped trying to kill them."Okay. You're a demigoddess, right?" She nods. "Is there anything you can do to… Bless Qualpopoca here?"
She looks a little pained. "I have not wanted to take advantage of that part of my heritage." She sees the way I stare at her in response and sighs. "Why would you want me to do that?"
What with the 'daughter of Ares' part of her heritage, after all."I'm hoping we can turn the spells holding him together from Aztec magic to Greek magic, so he'll stop getting pulled."
"Anything I could do would be as likely to kill him as aid him."
True. Best not to be experimenting now with a man's life at stake."Ah." I nod. I mean, if she's had three thousand years and not experimented at all, then… It's probably for the best. "Cornwall, is there any sign that it's-."
"…way off."
Let's hope the Amazons can do something for her, then.I look around as Cernunnos carries Nuala towards us. She's… Not in immediate danger of dying, and he was able to save her right leg in its entirety, but… She's looking understandably ropey.
"You have a way off?"
Wonderful. So now they're going to have to visit Elfland, and probably navigate the social minefield of the Queen's Court."Fairy ring. There's a… Fairy ring."
"Excellent, thank you. We-."
...It's stopped? Oh, dear. That may mean Mannheim has finished his metaphorical meal.Qualpopoca slumps as the force pulling on him cuts out.
I leave the chains in place, just in case. "Superboy, would you mind flying up and taking a look?"
Okay, when you say 'gone", what do you mean?He nods and shoots up into the sky, staring in the direction of the land. Then he drops back down.
"It's gone."
...Ooooh, that's bad. Either Themyscira just got relocated again... Or Mannheim ate the entire Aztec Afterlife.
An entire afterlife realm doesn't just up and vanish... Unless Mannheim pulled the whole thing apart by absorbing the power of its deities. Which means he's likely increased his own power somewhat, depending on how they measure up to his base level of power. Could be a drop in a bathtub, or he just doubled his might. And he's likely looking at Themyscira next...