Traitor Game L: Existential Crisis

[The Purple Skull]

"We're hitting him from all different angles. The manpower is certainly here to take him down. We just need to buy Thor, Ultra-Rogue, and our other heavy hitters time to ready their attack."

"Perhaps we can be of assistance."

"You! You're the one Clark spoke of, aren't you? The one watching us from a distance."

"Yes....



I am the Winter Warrior.*

For far too long, we've had to deal with both Kulan Gath's dark reign and Batmage's tyrannical reign. Now's the time to end it.

My associates will help you.

WINTER GUARD...ASSEMBLE! Formation Alpha!"

"Amazing! The Winter Guard aren't just the normal run of the mill natives from this world."

"They've been training for this moment since I took them in. They want nothing more than their freedom."

"Then let's make that happen. Give us an opening and we'll finish it!"



*From waaay back in The Traitor Game: The Dark Reign of Kulan Gath!**
**And as the picture shows, he also goes by The Warrior of Ancient Winters!

[Wolvie616]

The Monitor continues, "A powerful sorcerer once changed multiple worlds to reflect more ancient times. His spell was lifted and the worlds reverted back... with the exception of one world. On that world, one man's transformation was so complete, he did not become a man who fought against evil, but replaced the fallen evil sorcerer. The Batmage has maintained the spell that keeps his world trapped in an illusion of the past, further corrupted by the Batmage himself. He is the only member of the Suicide Squad you have yet to face, and he is the only thing between us and victory. You must travel to his world and capture the necklace of Kulan Gath, held deep in his cave. Succeed, and we can move to defeat the Anti-Monitor once and for all."

The group so teleported to the new Earth below.


Meanwhile, Jason Blood and The Cat join the Wanderers in a hellish landscape.

Thor listened quietly for once. The physical and mental strain of his fights were taking their toll. Back to back fights against Kryptonians, Amazons, and The Phoenix Force without proper time to recuperate had left him physically drained, and it had taken all his willpower to resist the mental attacks of The Phoenix. He knew that if they didn't finish this soon, he might not last. He would fight 'till his last breath, but that might be sooner rather than later.

". . ."

Thor took note of this man. Unlike the others, he seemed quite villainous, and unlikely to work well with the group. Should he prove treacherous, Thor would stop him.

"Right on time. We meet again, Sparks" he told Clark, who put a hand out in front of Iron Man and the others.

"Be careful" is all Clark told them. He saw the net Zoom was în and thought to himself he would have to get the man out, which would leave him open.

Magic. Of course, accursed magic was at the heart of this treachery.

"The Sun and Century spawn, from this realm I sunder your bond!" he said, then clenched his fist and right before their eyes Clark exploded in a cloud of blue electricity. It was made clear that Batmage was not willing to listen to any reason except his own. He turned to the assembled heroes with one hand raised, and the other on his utility belt.

"Now, I would ask you to join me but considering your attachments to this reality, I know what your answers will be. Prepare to embrace the void" he told them, levitating into the air. The lack of pupils as he scowled at them and the almost expressionless voice he had was a chilling reminder that this man, once Bruce Wayne, had lost something on his path to godhood that he didn't want back.

Thor, though completely exhausted, was ready to fight again as soon as Clark was murdered in front of him.

Villain, thou hast slain thine final foe! FACE OUR MIGHT, MONSTER!"

The assault began in earnest!

Mary Jane merely nodded, and used the Power Ring to create a dozen green boulders. She hurled them at the Batmage with great force, knowing she could not hold anything back. She hoped the others would back her up on this.

"NO! You heartless monster!"

The Superior Iron Man swoops around, allowing Mary Jane's boulder constructs strike at Batmage.

"Unconventional tactics, you say? Let's try this then..

Switch to Space Armor Mark III!

Proton Cannon! Lock & Load!"

With a speed fueled by birth-given purpose, Weaver opened two Ways: One in front of the beam of Iron Man's Proton Cannon as it careened toward Batmage, swallowing the projectile, and the other directly behind Batmage, releasing the cargo at almost point-blank range!

Dr. Zoom joined the assault magically, and Thor knew that he needed to call in some of his more prized items in order to help slay the mage.

During the initial assault, Thor used his hammer to open up a portal into the Asgardian dimension. During his trial to retrieve the first Items of Power, he had retrieved what was taken from him from one of his lesser selves.



"Friends, this is JARNBJORN. It is my axe, enchanted to cut even through the armor of Celestials. Perhaps we can use it to cut through the magic defenses of this mage!"

[Joe Acro]

An entry from Roy Lincoln's satellite journal

With a speed fueled by birth-given purpose, Weaver opened two Ways: One in front of the beam of Iron Man's Proton Cannon as it careened toward Batmage, swallowing the projectile, and the other directly behind Batmage, releasing the cargo at almost point-blank range!

We all hoped for success as the bright light of the Proton Cannon's blast engulfed our foe.

As the light faded, we learned, unfortunately, that he remained.

"I possess the Gem of Cytorrak! I control the Shields of Set! Such attacks have little effect on me," he goaded.

But his words and my senses told me had had some effect, and that gave me hope, that I might also make a difference.

Zoom decided to act next.

"Wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllle thhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeee innnnnnnnnnnnnnnnterfeeeeeeeeeerencccccccce ooooooof... theseotherswasneitherneedednorwanted... I could have escaped at any time, as given your reputation, I deem your trap... disappointing. Theatrical, and perhaps practical to some extent, but hardly enough for one such as Zoom. I take solace in that allowing the hero to 'free' me, the one you called 'Clark' attained what all of these supposed heroes strive for. Sacrifice. For the greater good.

However.

They are mine to improve and you have interfered enough. You speak of magicks, Bat-Mage? You dare to deem yourself the only mage of import here?

Tell me.

Can you cast your spells faster than the speed of sound?"

Vast amounts of energy crackled around Doctor Zoom before he blurred and blipped from existence.

Instantly, a hundred spells seemed to assault the Bat-Mage from all directions.

I joined in, trying to match my speed and the time of my blows to Zoom's actions. While the strategy seemed to work at first, I soon saw him moving faster and faster. He knew a spell or set of spells to match our speed!

"Then let's make that happen. Give us an opening and we'll finish it!"

Iron Man and his newfound ally were plotting with the others for a coordinated strike. They needed an opening, and I knew our current actions weren't quite enough. Spells and speed wouldn't be enough. We needed something more. So, if ever I was going to use it, it seemed like now.

I'm sure to the others it must have looked strange as I ran. The pin on my shirt detaching itself, flying into the air. The color of my hair changing, a goatee appearing on my chin. However it looked, it doesn't matter. What does matter is that I knew the power of Roy Lincoln was not enough. We needed the power of Sam Lincoln. Batmage was now facing the unmatched strength of the Spirit of America, Uncle Sam!

[Chris Lang]

I'm sure to the others it must have looked strange as I ran. The pin on my shirt detaching itself, flying into the air. The color of my hair changing, a goatee appearing on my chin. However it looked, it doesn't matter. What does matter is that I knew the power of Roy Lincoln was not enough. We needed the power of Sam Lincoln. Batmage was now facing the unmatched strength of the Spirit of America, Uncle Sam!

Mary Jane could not help noticing Roy's bizarre transformation. What in the world...

She stopped. She needed to concentrate on Batmage.

Quickly, she used the Power Ring to conjure up a giant wave of green water that hopefully would hit Batmage with the same amount of force as a huge tidal wave. He was powerful enough that he would most likely survive it, but Mary Jane would hope it would at least soften him up for the others' attacks.

[Wolvie616]

I'm sure to the others it must have looked strange as I ran. The pin on my shirt detaching itself, flying into the air. The color of my hair changing, a goatee appearing on my chin. However it looked, it doesn't matter. What does matter is that I knew the power of Roy Lincoln was not enough. We needed the power of Sam Lincoln. Batmage was now facing the unmatched strength of the Spirit of America, Uncle Sam!

Thor saw Roy leap into the fray. He smiled with tired but giddy glee.

"Come, let's show this mage our might!"

Thor tossed Uncle Sam Jarnbjorn for his use, while Thor kept Mjolnir.



"HAVE AT THEE!"

Thor jumped overhead, striking down at Batmage with the thunder and weight of Mjolnir!

[The Purple Skull]

"If Thor's going high, I'm going low. But first, a quick change.



Switch to Thorbus---errr----Asgardian Blessed Armor!"

"(Whew, close call)"

[Joe Acro]

Above the planet, The Monitor observes the fight with the Batmage carefully. The outcome very well could determine if reality lives or dies. However, his attention cannot remain focused on the events below; a claxon sounds, signifying a major emergency. "Hmm? What's this? Have we been found?" The Monitor ponders aloud. He turns away from the viewscreen to check a nearby console to his right. The console includes various buttons and levers controlling parts of the satellite, a digital map of the satellite, and its own viewscreen which shows camera feeds from multiple locations within the satellite. "It's not a hull breach," he realizes quickly. Then, a moment later, his face turns to shock.

---

In Apollyon's realm, the Wanderers make their way through trap upon trap. After the maze of mirrors, a door leads them to a physics-defying room. As they make their way across, they each seem to blink out of existence. Saturn Girl, however, knows they are still there, just in the space between moments. She links everyone psychically. Jason Blood leads the way, holding the non-flyers in an extended arm shifted into a platform, pushing himself along with combustible elements. Circe's magics reveal the path to safety. In another room, the team must fight their way through a hoard of Nazi zombies. In another, they each have to fight through their favorite loves--twisted into evil opponents. Captain Thunder guides them through a room where they became influenced by the Seven Deadly Sins, his prior experience necessary of removing the influence. They work together to get through an obstacle course requiring multiple skills across different types of terrain. Finally, they climb a seemingly endless set of stairs, eventually revealing Apollyon's chambers.

Over a hidden intercom, Apollyon speaks, "I am not here in person. I abandoned this place after I finished my work and left it to shape itself as it would. Your efforts are not, however, to be unrewarded. Welcome to the Traitor Game Lost and Found. In this room you will find an Infinity Gauntlet, a digital storage card containing the GLaDOS simulations, a second card with the recording Mojo showed to his realm, the lightsabers of Darth Jubba and Emperor Palpatine, Santa Claus's sleigh, the pencil of the artist Chuck Jones, the fragments of the pyramid central to an assault against Eterna, and two orbs, one containing the essence of The First, the other the essence of 5th Dimensional magic. And so much more, really. Each of these has been important the Traitor Games. As this place was forgotten, so too were these artifacts--protected by the complex itself. Only a team such as yourselves could have found them. Use them wisely."

---

The fight against Batmage is intense. Thor, Iron Man, Uncle Sam, and Zoom face him in close-quarters combat. Thor's blows are bolstered by thunder, Iron Man's by incredible energy, Zoom's by magic, and Sam's by all Roy Lincoln can give him. Harbinger attempts to attack Batmage psychically, on the astral plane. Mary Jane uses her Green Lantern ring to protect those she can with individual force fields, herself striking Batmage with a construct when the moments present themselves. Batmage counters with assorted encantations, relying on his amulets for defense--a strategy that has served him well in the past. The Weaver weaves, doing what he can to alter the outcomes of the spells by twisting the pathways that once made such spells so effective. As fighters are pushed aside, others take their place. Ultra Rogue, Superstorm, Gammastorm, and Amason--they fight on while the others recover. After the deaths of his parents, where many version of him chose to study martial arts, Bruce Wayne turned to the mystic arts, to master them, in order to one day remove all the flaws he saw with society--the same flaws that had corrupted his city, blinded his parents, and left him an orphan. Now he stood in the center of a very physical conflict and his spells, mystical artifacts, and psychic abilities slowly failing him. It is a war of attrition he foresees he might lose.

Lost in the fray is Dr. Terrence Thirteen. Himself lacking powers, he opts not to try to confront Batmage, but instead to use the fight as a distraction and slip away. He passes artifact after artifact, trophy after trophy, of the Batmage's prior triumphs: the hat and wand of Zatanna Zatara, the untattered cape of Superman, the gun of Adam Strange, the head of the Joker, and so many more. After occasionally stumbling from the quakes the battle generates, after passing multiple artifacts, Dr. Thirteen finds the one he is seeking. In its own special nook within the cave is a headless bust that wears the Necklace of Kulan Gath, glowing with energy. He presumes that the energy is in some way serving the Batmage--that the sorcerer is using it as a power booster or conduit. Dr. Thirteen tries to grab it, but the necklace feels too hot. Knowing his human hands are not enough, he says, "Looks like a job for..." and rushes back to retrieve Superman's cape. He wraps it around his hands and its Kryptonian fibers offer him the protection necessary to grab the necklace.

Batmage screams out in pain. A sudden burst of mystical might forces all of his combatants aside. Dr. Thirteen charges back toward the group. "You," the sorcerer says coldly. "You will pay for desecrating my cave."

"Not so fast!" Clark Sparks reappears, seemingly out of mid-air, assaulting Batmage with a swift series of electric bolts.

"Harbinger, I'm trying to contact The Monitor but he isn't answering. We need to leave now!" Roy shouts.

Harbinger replies, "I cannot reach him either. I will teleport myself back and use the controls to summon the rest of you, if I can. Hold off the Batmage as best you can."

They all know they don't have much time. They muster up their reserves, making sure to keep their foe at bay and themselves together. The cave starts to truly shake. They all know it could come down at any moment. After a few minutes, some of them wonder, What is taking Harbinger so long? They have never had to wait this long before. Moments later, the cave finally gives and starts to collapse. Suddenly, true to her word, Harbinger teleports them all to safety.

[Joe Acro]

Returning to the satellite, what they find is... unexpected. The main lobby appears to be damaged in multiple places.

"I do not know what has transpired, but the evidence suggests that our prisoners, Superwoman and Power Woman, are our prisoners no more. They have escaped their confinement, damaged the satellite, and captured The Monitor," she says, a small bit of trepidation and anxiety seeping into her voice. "It took me a few moments to repair the transport console. It is fortunate none of you were harmed."

"If they were free in here, that might mean..." Roy Lincoln says, the spirit of America returning to its dormant state. He rushes off somewhere unseen. He returns in the blink of an eye. "I concealed my work well. Our artifacts are safe," he says with relief.

Clark nods. "Good to hear, Roy. Now, let's see if we can get this place up and running again."

A few moments later, as she looks upon the camera footage, Mary Jane asks, "Who is this? I thought you said Superwoman and Power Woman were behind the attack." The footage clearly shows one woman approaching The Monitor.



Amason approaches, replying scornfully, "SuperPower. Through a mixture of Kryptonian science and Amazonian magic, they discovered how to merge into one being, combining and magnifying their powers. In this form, she has yet to be defeated on my world. But she can't hold it forever. She can only maintain it for a few hours."

"It is one of the ways the Anti-Monitor hoped to best us. When he assembled his Squad of six to match our team of six, he chose a member who was actually two members," Harbinger interjects.

An inconsistent breeze flows through the complex as Roy Lincoln runs by, fixing various items of importance. He also convinced Zoom to help him and gave instructions to Ultra Rogue.

Suddenly, a crackling of energy can be heard. A Boom Tube opens in the center of the lobby. Everyone poises themselves for another attack. "Do not attack! We are allies!" Indeed, it is a Mobius Chair, with the members of the Wanderers and the eliminated that joined them. "We finished our mission," Mr. Blue Skies adds.

"Good work. I'm glad you're here," Roy says, taking a moment's break from his work. "I need you to help fix this place. You have more experience with it than I do. Harbinger will bring you up to speed on what happened and help guide you. I'll take the artifacts you've collected and work on finishing our weapon."

Several moments pass. Everyone helps our where they can. Then Roy Lincoln returns, not by running, but by riding in the Mobius Chair which is attached to and hovering above a Cosmic Treadmill, the other artifacts embedded into the Treadmill or otherwise connected by cables. "This is it. This will have to be it. Now, first, we need to make sure everyone's energized." Roy jumps out of the chair, flicks a switch, and each member of the team finds their body coated in white light, just briefly. They all feel supercharged. "That took a small amount of power. Also, I've managed to make this system compatible to the satellite's computers. They're a little glitchy, but I can get us more backup."

In a flash of light, Martian Manhunter (Hero Supreme), Prisoner 599 a.k.a. Lung, the Sinestro Corps' Terrax, and Victor Jerusalem all appear within the group.

"I don't run the risk of using more of this thing's power right now. But it's time to take the fight to the Anti-Monitor."

Harbinger psychically informs the new arrivals of what's at stake, reminding them from when she met them not too long ago.

Then, an image appears on the viewscreen.



Roy Lincoln and Harbinger then offer final explanations.

"This is the Anti-Monitor's fortress: a giant stone fortress located within an anti-matter universe. This is our last stop, our last mission. We get in there, defeat the forces of the Anti-Monitor, and use this device to save all reality."

"We know from monitoring previous encounters that the fortress is alive. Expect to encounter living statues that can recompose their forms quickly. We will also likely encounter his Shadow Demons--shadow forms of himself that can paralyze whoever they touch. Be careful, as prolonged exposure can wipe you from existence."

"Also, the Squad is still out there. So, fight hard, but fight smart. Any questions?"

Of course there are questions. Questions of survival. Questions expressing doubt at success. Questions upon questions. Some they can answer. Some they cannot. Some they can only offer address with hope and optimism. But the team has resolve. They have come this far. They cannot stop now.

"We must press forward. We must keep fighting. Everything depends on our success."

"No pressure," Roy adds sarcastically. "Now, brace yourselves. We've never transported this many people at once. And some of you have to be given personal forcefields to survive out there. This teleport might be a bit... bumpy."

Roy fires up the Mobius Chair and the teleportation systems of the satellite. In a bright flash of light, they all disappear.

[The Purple Skull]

"Good work. I'm glad you're here," Roy says, taking a moment's break from his work. "I need you to help fix this place. You have more experience with it than I do. Harbinger will bring you up to speed on what happened and help guide you. I'll take the artifacts you've collected and work on finishing our weapon."

Several moments pass. Everyone helps our where they can. Then Roy Lincoln returns, not by running, but by riding in the Mobius Chair which is attached to and hovering above a Cosmic Treadmill, the other artifacts embedded into the Treadmill or otherwise connected by cables. "This is it. This will have to be it. Now, first, we need to make sure everyone's energized." Roy jumps out of the chair, flicks a switch, and each member of the team finds their body coated in white light, just briefly. They all feel supercharged. "That took a small amount of power. Also, I've managed to make this system compatible to the satellite's computers. They're a little glitchy, but I can get us more backup."

"Good to know Clark is alive and well. Hopefully the Winter Warrior and his crew got out before the cave collapsed.

So this is it, huh? Final Stage if you will. Thanks for the power boost, Roy. And speaking of boost...



SWITCH TO WAR MACHINE HEAVY ARTILLERY ARMOR!"

[The Purple Skull]

"This is the Anti-Monitor's fortress: a giant stone fortress located within an anti-matter universe. This is our last stop, our last mission. We get in there, defeat the forces of the Anti-Monitor, and use this device to save all reality."

"We know from monitoring previous encounters that the fortress is alive. Expect to encounter living statues that can recompose their forms quickly. We will also likely encounter his Shadow Demons--shadow forms of himself that can paralyze whoever they touch. Be careful, as prolonged exposure can wipe you from existence."

"Also, the Squad is still out there. So, fight hard, but fight smart. Any questions?"

Of course there are questions. Questions of survival. Questions expressing doubt at success. Questions upon questions. Some they can answer. Some they cannot. Some they can only offer address with hope and optimism. But the team has resolve. They have come this far. They cannot stop now.

"We must press forward. We must keep fighting. Everything depends on our success."

"No pressure," Roy adds sarcastically. "Now, brace yourselves. We've never transported this many people at once. And some of you have to be given personal forcefields to survive out there. This teleport might be a bit... bumpy."

Roy fires up the Mobius Chair and the teleportation systems of the satellite. In a bright flash of light, they all disappear.

"Wait..these things can come to life?!"

And just as Iron Man said that, one of the living statues appear!

"You will fall before the DREAD DORMAMMU!"

"And Umar."

"SIGH....And Umar."

"Yeah, I don't think so."

Iron Man unloads a repulser blast, and they were gone. But that just as quickly...another appears!

"The Grim Hunt begins a new."

"Smart bombs!"

Yet after the explosion, another statue appears!

"Oh yeah, baby! Don't call it a comeback! It's time to ROCK and R---"

Iron Man opts to just punch the statue into pieces. Of course it doesn't stop the Dirk Anger statue from complaining...

"Take the role, my agent tells me! It'll be a good Traitor Game cameo, he says. That **** is so fired!"

"Okay, eyes open, people. There could be more of these statues ready to ambush us."

[Chris Lang]

In Apollyon's realm, the Wanderers make their way through trap upon trap. After the maze of mirrors, a door leads them to a physics-defying room. As they make their way across, they each seem to blink out of existence. Saturn Girl, however, knows they are still there, just in the space between moments. She links everyone psychically. Jason Blood leads the way, holding the non-flyers in an extended arm shifted into a platform, pushing himself along with combustible elements. Circe's magics reveal the path to safety. In another room, the team must fight their way through a hoard of Nazi zombies. In another, they each have to fight through their favorite loves--twisted into evil opponents. Captain Thunder guides them through a room where they became influenced by the Seven Deadly Sins, his prior experience necessary of removing the influence. They work together to get through an obstacle course requiring multiple skills across different types of terrain. Finally, they climb a seemingly endless set of stairs, eventually revealing Apollyon's chambers.

The journey to Apollyon's hidden chamber

Linda Park, as a result of living with and eventually marrying Wally West, had a good knowledge of physics. But even she was unprepared for what happened in the room where everyone seemed to disappear. Saturn Girl's explanation, that they were in the 'space between moments', still confused her. She was still new to this whole game and there was a lot she did not understand.

Fortunately, Circe's magics revealed the path to safety. Linda still could not understand why Apollyon was making them jump through these hoops, but she did not expect any answer. Her earlier objection to Apollyon had been ignored. Did Apollyon know how important their mission was?

She did not have time to ponder on this any further, as they entered the next chamber. A different voice spoke through a hidden intercom.

"Congratulations. Even though you barely even know each other, you've managed to work together and get this far. Now, another high-tier Traitor Game Power That Be had an idea for this room, and it makes a lot of sense to me. Throughout the Traitor Games, there are a few groups players just LOVE to beat the crap out of. Fortunately, it seems both of these groups are going to be Acceptable Targets for the foreseeable future. I'm talking about zombies, and Nazis."

"Traitor Gamers have gone into battle against Nazis in at least two Traitor Games, Traitor Game 10: I'll Take Valhalla, and Traitor Game 28: Golden Days of Yore. They've gone up against zombies even more times, starting as far back as Traitor Game 9: It's In The Cards. Since then, zombies have turned up in Traitor Game 10: I'll Take Valhalla, Traitor Game 13: Fright Club, Traitor Game 31: The Edge of Madness, Traitor Game 32: Traitor Game of the Living Dead, The Fourth Annual Traitor Game Awards Show, and probably a few other games in between. Zombies are pretty much a time-honored Traitor Game tradition."

"So anyway, what my fellow Power That Be has done has taken these two things, and mashed them together, so now we have Nazi zombies. Some of the Traitor Gamers might have used lethal force against the Nazi grunts in Traitor Games 10 and 28, and these zombies might be those Nazis raised as undead. So here they are ready to fight with you."

As the voice spoke, a large army of zombies, each wearing swastikas and Nazi uniforms, approached the group.

"We don't have TIME for this!" Linda shouted. "We have to save the Multiverse!"

"Don't worry." the voice said. "I know how bad this situation is. But these zombies are just mooks - I don't think there's a single tough one among them. They should be no sweat against the group that's faced several Suicide Squad members, the Starro Swarm, and those monsters on Monster Island. It's what's coming up in the next two rooms you should be worried about. See you later!"

And with that, the voice was silent.

Linda wasted no time. She zipped around several zombies at super-speed, creating a whirlwind that sent them flying up into the air. When they landed, they would fall on even more of the zombies, and knock even more of them down. She continued using quick super-speed attacks to knock down and disable zombies, while the others quickly went to work into taking even more down.

"I know some of you would love to stay and fight, but lives are depending on us." Linda said. With that, she quickly moved into the next chamber.

She then gasped when she saw the figure approaching her. It was of a person she longed to see again, but not like this. Not staring at her with a cold steely gaze that showed not a hint of warmth, joy, or compassion.

"Linda." he said, emotionlessly. "You should not have come here."

"Wally?"

(TO BE CONTINUED)

[Chris Lang]

The journey to Apollyon's hidden chamber, part 2

She then gasped when she saw the figure approaching her. It was of a person she longed to see again, but not like this. Not staring at her with a cold steely gaze that showed not a hint of warmth, joy, or compassion.

"Linda." he said, emotionlessly. "You should not have come here."

"Wally?"

"You don't belong here." Wally said.

Linda stared at what appeared to be her husband. His costume was tattered, half of his face appeared horribly scarred, and his hair appeared to have been violently shorn off on one side.

"You have no idea what the Multiverse really is. If you knew what I knew, you'd see how pointless it is trying to save it."

"Wally? What are you talking about?" Linda asked.

"All this time, Barry and I did our best to save the universe. But it's no use. Everything we do will be wiped out eventually. We'll be replaced with people who may have our names, but aren't us. They aren't anything like us! Nothing we do matters."

"Of course it matters! Billions of lives depend on heroes all the time!" Linda exclaimed. "Wally, what's wrong? What happened to you?"

"You want to know what happened to ME?!?" Wally growled. "I've seen it. I've seen the outside of the reality we live in. We dance at the whims of our sick, cruel puppet masters. But eventually the puppetmasters get tired of us. They replace us with new puppets. They replace all our histories. You may be Asian now, but tomorrow you could be black, or a blonde ... and a DUMB blonde at that. Or maybe even a lesbian who has no interest in me at all, and is dating Jesse Quick ... assuming she even exists in that new reality."

Linda gazed in horror at the mad look in Wally's eye. This ... could not be her husband. "You're not Wally." she said, gritting her teeth.

"Am I? Am I?" Wally growled. "No. I'm not. I'm no one. My name has been stripped from me, and given to someone else. And WHY?!? Because those in charge never got over me replacing Barry. To them, I was the treasonous usurper who stole King Barry's rightful throne."

He went on. "Of course, there are other realities. Other Wallys. Maybe your Wally is one of them. But I've only seen ONE of them in these 'Traitor Games'. And do you know what? He was a KILLER! He murdered people as a Traitor working for an evil version of Santa Claus. And do you know what happened when he got caught? The evil Santa impaled him with reindeer antlers!"

"All I ever wanted was to be a hero. To do the right thing. To save the world. And the universe spits on me for it. I've had enough. If this is how the Multiverse treats its heroes, then it doesn't deserve to be saved."

"You're insane!" Linda shouted.

"No, Linda, the whole Multiverse is insane." Wally said. "And it needs to be put out of its misery. It's better this way. Better the quick end. Goodbye, Linda. Don't struggle too much, and it'll be all over soon enough. Quick and painless."

Wally then charged toward Linda with a murderous look in his eyes. Linda quickly countered by zipping to the other side of the room. She moved her arms in a vibratory fashion, similar to a hummingbird flapping its wings. A great wind blew at Wally, slowing his next assault.

"I don't know who or what you are, but you are NOT my Wally. And you will NOT stop me from saving the world." Linda declared. She zipped toward Wally, and punched him straight in the jaw.

It was then that the spell over the room was dis-spelled by one of Linda's companions (Circe or someone else, Linda wasn't sure). 'Wally' stood revealed in what seemed to be his true form ... a dark grey skeletal-looking wraith.

"We are revealed!" the wraith hissed. "Go, all of you! You may pass!"


The wraiths all then disappeared, leaving the way to the next room opened.

"What was THAT?" Linda said. "It was ... some sort of fear spirit?"

Linda decided it didn't matter, and apparently the rest of the group weren't all that bothered either. What mattered was getting to Apollyon's chamber.

(TO BE CONTINUED. At least one more part before Linda's storyline catches up to the present day battle at the Anti-Monitor's fortress).

[Chris Lang]

The journey to Apollyon's hidden chamber, part 3

Linda tried her best to shake off what she had seen. It was not real, she was sure of it. The 'Wally' she fought was revealed as some nameless wraith. However, the way it spoke was that of something that actually had seen the things it described. It played its role a bit too well, as far as Linda was concerned.

Don't let it get to you., Linda thought to herself. It was just trying to get into your head. Demoralize you.

The next room the group encountered would mess with her head in a very different fashion. For it was a room based on the Seven Deadly Sins.

Statues adorned the walls, each depicting a hideous figure in the act of committing a sin. And each had an inscription naming them. Greed. Envy. Sloth. Pride. Wrath. Lust. Gluttony.

Suddenly, Linda found herself looking at Koriand'r strangely. I wish I had a figure like hers. I'm sure she has no trouble getting all the men.

What ... what's coming over me?

Then, other strange thoughts came to Linda. "You know what? We shouldn't just stop at claiming the artifacts we need. I bet Apollyon's sitting on lots of treasures worth millions and millions. And we could clean it all out and have it all to ourselves." she found herself saying out loud.

"What ... why'd I say that? No, wait. It doesn't matter. I know who I am. I'm Wally's chosen heir to the Speed Force and I have a right to do with this as I please."

Others around her were saying and doing strange things that seemed wildly out of character.

"On second thought, maybe we can put this off for a while. I don't feel like going all the way to Apollyon's chamber right now." Linda said.

This place ... the Sins ...

"Maybe while we're here we can raid his refrigerator. I'm sure he's got lots of food to spare. First dibs!"

Captain Thunder at this point intervened. He made a speech telling of his previous experiences with the Seven Deadly Sins and how the room was influencing everyone, but Linda zoned out. For the first time, she realized that Captain Thunder's pecs were turning her on. She started having strange fantasies about Captain Thunder, fantasies which involved inviting him to her bedroom and ...

"Wait a minute. This room is controlling us?" Linda exclaimed. "This is SICK! Why would Apollyon design a room like this? I'll KILL HIM! KILL HIM! KILL HIM!"

Captain Thunder had to restrain Linda before she could rush off and do something rash. Soon after, however, the strange feelings she was having passed.

"I ... think I'm myself again." Linda said. "Thank you, Captain Thunder. And let's not speak of what happened in this room again."

Indeed, Linda felt that in the great account of their journey, this part would probably be one of those parts best glossed over, as it was, on the whole, highly embarrassing to many.

So they left the room, and their next task was an obstacle course that required different skills to get through. "What is this, an MMO?" Linda asked, rhetorically. However, after the last two rooms, the obstacle course seemed tame. For Linda, it was easy to traverse over desert, snow, water, and forest thanks to her super-speed.

Finally, after a seemingly endless flight of stairs, they reached Apollyon's chamber.

(concluding post of the Apollyon Journey before returning to the present day next)

[Chris Lang]

The journey to Apollyon's chamber, conclusion

Over a hidden intercom, Apollyon speaks, "I am not here in person. I abandoned this place after I finished my work and left it to shape itself as it would. Your efforts are not, however, to be unrewarded. Welcome to the Traitor Game Lost and Found. In this room you will find an Infinity Gauntlet, a digital storage card containing the GLaDOS simulations, a second card with the recording Mojo showed to his realm, the lightsabers of Darth Jubba and Emperor Palpatine, Santa Claus's sleigh, the pencil of the artist Chuck Jones, the fragments of the pyramid central to an assault against Eterna, and two orbs, one containing the essence of The First, the other the essence of 5th Dimensional magic. And so much more, really. Each of these has been important the Traitor Games. As this place was forgotten, so too were these artifacts--protected by the complex itself. Only a team such as yourselves could have found them. Use them wisely."

"So you had to test us?" Linda said. "Some of those tests I could have done without."

Another voice spoke. It was the other voice from the intercom. Linda turned to see a white robed figure nearby.

"Yes, it was a test. The Powers That Be are all about testing people." the figure said. "Apollyon might have retired, as has the higher-tier Power associated with him during the first forty recorded Traitor Games, but he still doesn't believe in coddling people. So yes, a few mindgames were played on you. Anyway, everything Apollyon listed can come in very handy. Though even I don't know how he was able to obtain some of the things he obtained. The lightsabers were easy, as anyone could have grabbed them after Darth Jubba and Palpatine were killed in the Seventh and Twenty-ninth Traitor Games. But those essence orbs might have been a bit tricky."

"But it doesn't matter. They're all yours to take. Don't mind me, I'm just sorting a few things out. We're moving a few things to the other Traitor Game Lost and Found branches, since we probably won't be using this one much in the near future."

The figure then grabbed a few DVD boxes. Linda caught a quick glimpse of the boxes. Traitor Game 9: It's In the Cards, Traitor Game 31: The Edge of Madness, Traitor Game 38: The Dark Reign of Kulan Gath, Traitor Game 25: Crisis, Traitor Game 33: Deadly Reunion, and Traitor Game 40: War of the Exiles (with the Presider Wars). The figure then noted Linda's curiosity.

"Oh, those? Those are just records of past Traitor Games, some of which are closely connected with the adventures many people have just been through. You won't need them for what's coming up. I'm sending them to some people who might want to see them for themselves. None of you really have the time to view them right now - you've got a Multiverse to save."

"So go out there and do it. I'm counting on you."

So Linda and the rest of the Wanderers gathered up the various weird items that Apollyon had listed. In truth, they didn't really need the figure's urging to go and save the Multiverse. So with barely a backward glance, they left the Traitor Game Lost and Found and the figure, and headed off to rejoin the Monitor.

----------
Suddenly, a crackling of energy can be heard. A Boom Tube opens in the center of the lobby. Everyone poises themselves for another attack. "Do not attack! We are allies!" Indeed, it is a Mobius Chair, with the members of the Wanderers and the eliminated that joined them. "We finished our mission," Mr. Blue Skies adds.

"Good work. I'm glad you're here," Roy says, taking a moment's break from his work. "I need you to help fix this place. You have more experience with it than I do. Harbinger will bring you up to speed on what happened and help guide you. I'll take the artifacts you've collected and work on finishing our weapon."

Several moments pass. Everyone helps our where they can. Then Roy Lincoln returns, not by running, but by riding in the Mobius Chair which is attached to and hovering above a Cosmic Treadmill, the other artifacts embedded into the Treadmill or otherwise connected by cables. "This is it. This will have to be it. Now, first, we need to make sure everyone's energized." Roy jumps out of the chair, flicks a switch, and each member of the team finds their body coated in white light, just briefly. They all feel supercharged. "That took a small amount of power. Also, I've managed to make this system compatible to the satellite's computers. They're a little glitchy, but I can get us more backup."

In a flash of light, Martian Manhunter (Hero Supreme), Prisoner 599 a.k.a. Lung, the Sinestro Corps' Terrax, and Victor Jerusalem all appear within the group.

"I don't run the risk of using more of this thing's power right now. But it's time to take the fight to the Anti-Monitor."

(Next: Both Mary Jane and Linda join the final battle)

[Chris Lang]

Present Day: The Endgame Begins

Harbinger psychically informs the new arrivals of what's at stake, reminding them from when she met them not too long ago.

Then, an image appears on the viewscreen.



Roy Lincoln and Harbinger then offer final explanations.

"This is the Anti-Monitor's fortress: a giant stone fortress located within an anti-matter universe. This is our last stop, our last mission. We get in there, defeat the forces of the Anti-Monitor, and use this device to save all reality."

"We know from monitoring previous encounters that the fortress is alive. Expect to encounter living statues that can recompose their forms quickly. We will also likely encounter his Shadow Demons--shadow forms of himself that can paralyze whoever they touch. Be careful, as prolonged exposure can wipe you from existence."

"Also, the Squad is still out there. So, fight hard, but fight smart. Any questions?"

Of course there are questions. Questions of survival. Questions expressing doubt at success. Questions upon questions. Some they can answer. Some they cannot. Some they can only offer address with hope and optimism. But the team has resolve. They have come this far. They cannot stop now.

"We must press forward. We must keep fighting. Everything depends on our success."

"No pressure," Roy adds sarcastically. "Now, brace yourselves. We've never transported this many people at once. And some of you have to be given personal forcefields to survive out there. This teleport might be a bit... bumpy."

Roy fires up the Mobius Chair and the teleportation systems of the satellite. In a bright flash of light, they all disappear.

Mary Jane readied herself with her Power Ring. She noted the dark-haired woman in the red costume she had never seen before.

"A Green Lantern." Linda said. "Where there's a Flash, a Green Lantern isn't far behind."

"A Flash?" Mary Jane asked.

"I call myself Hummingbird, but Flashes and Green Lanterns teaming up seems to be a tradition. I wish we had more time to talk. But we've got to get moving."

They had now arrived at the Anti-Monitor's fortress. "I know. We've come a long way. We'd better look out for those Shadow Demons they were talking about. And those statues..."

Even as Mary Jane spoke, some of the statues came to life. Iron Man, however, was ready to deal with them.

"Wait..these things can come to life?!"

And just as Iron Man said that, one of the living statues appear!



"Yeah, I don't think so."

Iron Man unloads a repulser blast, and they were gone. But that just as quickly...another appears!



"Smart bombs!"

Yet after the explosion, another statue appears!



Iron Man opts to just punch the statue into pieces. Of course it doesn't stop the Dirk Anger statue from complaining...

"Take the role, my agent tells me! It'll be a good Traitor Game cameo, he says. That **** is so fired!"

"Okay, eyes open, people. There could be more of these statues ready to ambush us."

Sure enough, Green Lantern Mary Jane and Hummingbird encountered one just a second after Iron Man spoke.

"I've SEEN that cartoon! DON'T eat at Joe's!" Mary Jane exclaimed, sending a Power Ring hand to grasp the statue of the Eat At Joe's bear and send it flying far away into the sky, colliding with a Team Rocket statue that had blasted off.

And then another statue came to life, and glared at Linda.

"PERVERTS! COMMUNISTS! ALL OF YOUUUU!!!!" The Utterly Senseless Censorbeast exclaimed. "DEVIANTS AND DELINQUENTS!"

"We don't have time for this!" Linda exclaimed, using her speed powers to create a whirlwind that sent the Censorbeast (or rather, the statue of the Utterly Senseless Censorbeast) flying far out of sight.

"We've got to get moving. We need to get past all these dangers, and the Shadow Demons that are ahead. The Shadow Demons are going to be even worse than those statues."

OOC: Okay, everyone else can post now if they want, now that my characters have caught up to the plot.