B E Y O N D . C R I S I S

Katana’s blade clangs off the swords of two attacking mummified knights before slicing through them both with quick precision. Manhunter, in full werewolf mode, scampers past him as she continues tracking a scent through the halls that will lead Shadowpact to the exit portal that will safely take them to the surface. Blue Lady trails behind at the rear of the group as she drags a heavy ball she is chained to along with her, demanding incessantly that Z or Ibis undo the binding spell restraining her abilities.

( There is not enough to for them to stop and accomplish that, though. )

The six Guardians of the Universe convene in their private chamber within their Citadel on Oa, homeworld of the Green Lantern Corps. Hovering between them is a tiny three-dimensional representation of the universe. The focus of their attention is on the various flashes of yellow light that seem to be occurring all over the universe.

“The Sinestro Corps has gone to war with itself.”

”Mongul has acquired a yellow power ring, as Green Lantern 2814.1 reported. He now leads an insurrection.”

“It was a mistake to allow him to remain on Ma'aleca'andra. We should have defied J’onn J’onzz and relocated him to Ysmault forever.”

“Revisions to our agreement with the Ma'aleca'andrans can wait for another time.”

( Yes. This Sinestro Corps civil war presents us with opportunity. )

In the empty construction site of a Wayne-Powers wind power farm, two women fight each other for the title of the Destroyer, though each are unwilling to admit their distasteful motivations for this. It is a charade of honor and justice hiding truths like selfish pride and petty vindictiveness.

As they dance atop the metal cables and platforms surrounding the unfinished wind towers, unnoticed destruction escalates around them. Loose tools spill over a platform, crashing several stories down onto one of the mag-lev generators. The locking mechanism of one of the giant, unfinished fans is knocked loose, allowing the blades to turn in the wind. One of those blades catches some of the metal cables strung about and slowly begins winding.

( Neither woman realizes the dangers of what is happening until it is too late. )

Um, Warhawk’s got like... everyone’s attention now. You better hurry before the clone gets pulled into it too. It looks like if you turn left down the next hallway you can intercept him if he’s heading to the arena.

Artemis and Whisper turn left down the hallway and break into a run. A fair bit of this plan is being made up as they go, but the basics are that Warhawk makes some noise while they grab Chris Knolls’ clone unnoticed. That still stands, even though things aren’t happening exactly as they thought.

Reaching an intersection where the hallway ends in a T, they look both ways for any sign of who they are looking for. Artemis catches sight of him almost to the entrance to the arena.

( So much for intercepting. )

The underground metahuman fighting circuit has returned to Las Vegas. A local convention area has been displaced by 64th century technology to accommodate the arena. It dramatically appears to most people as magic despite being nothing of the sort. It is all for show, and it is a show many pay to see.

Dr. Cyclops sprints to the center of the arena, where he deems the best position. His visor rotates around his head. Its singular eye searches out his target and begins firing beams of energy. The target, Ragdoll, dodges in insane fashion, twisting his body in extreme contortions as he crawls and rolls toward Dr. Cyclops. The distance between the two combatants closes, and Ragdoll worms his way around Dr. Cyclops’ body. Dr. Cyclops’ eye rotates around 360 degrees trying to blast Ragdoll but continually misses as Ragdoll tightens his hold.

( This bout is near its end but not in the way anyone expects. )

”You’re a fool! I am a Daxamite, alien! And you have chased me to a system with a yellow star!” Mentally exhausted from days of being chased through the stars, Arnul Dan hovers in the air of this jungle planet, where his Daxamite physiology is empowered by the radiation of the sun above.

Beams of heat vision begin lancing out from Arnul’s eyes, wildly scorching the jungle around him.

“Bend light all you want! I can now see through your cloak! I am the hunter now, you sickening beast!”

( His surroundings fill with smoke as his heat vision continually flashes everything around him into smoldering ash. )

She’s setting you up for a takedown. Get to high ground before the leg sweep comes. Now!

Batman leaps clear just before White Canary’s leg sweep. He sails backward and high, grabbing onto the bottom of a catwalk running above the large water tanks of this renovated area of the Gotham Aquarium. Under his own strength and momentum, he pulls himself up onto it and sees White Canary making her way up to him as soon as he has his footing.

You have the advantage. Go on the offensive. Use the railings to limit her mobility. Joint locks!

Batman sighs and goes at White Canary, dealing out punches and knees. He tries to work her arm around the railing, using it to add leverage to lock up her arm. It fails, and he doesn’t even clearly see what she does to get out of it. He just feels a kick to his shoulder blade before he head is pulled down and bounced off the railing.

Batman shoves himself back to the opposite side of the catwalk to avoid another kick. The metal rattles as his back hits the railing. When she comes at him again, he gets a little wily. He vaults himself over the railing, holding on and quickly swinging down under it back onto the catwalk. He throws a punch while she turns to keep up with him. It misses, though. His next punch is then deflected, and a kick to his chest knocks him a few steps back.

Too much wasted movement! Keep it tight and close! She can’t overpower you! Focus on your Shotokan!

( Right about now, Batman is thinking how unfair it is to feel like the third wheel in this fight and be the one getting his ass kicked. )