Side Story Champions of the Arena: Convergence Battle Royale

[Sark]

"Sh-shut up you Boomer, let me think." She grumbled. The fact he could tell she was thinking so hard irritated her.

"Don't call me baby either, it's weird." She added with a huff. Scowling as she simmered, she at least considered it...sure she was happy where she was so far, but...gah! This was dumb as hell! Why was she thinking so hard about this?

...Then something pretty reckless and honestly dumb came to mind, but maybe she could work with it? Maybe it wasn't all that dumb after all?

"Fine, I'll play your game, Geezer..." She spoke up. She'd play along for now, but without knowing much of what two of the contestants could do, maybe she wouldn't even have to dirty her hands anymore than she already have. Sure, the price of it might be her life, but she'd rather have Arcade talk shit about her performance than praise her for killing someone after he told her to.

So with that in mind, she'd slap his hand with her's and gripped it for a shake. She definitely felt like she was making a contract with the worst fae in existence in that moment and practically hated every second.

@Sark

@Deadlands
View attachment 4078
"Wonderful..." Arcade sighed gleefully. He cupped his hands around Alice and shook hers tightly. "And now, our little game can truly begin!"
View attachment 4079
"This, my dear sweet Alice, is the kind of day Bards write songs about. Glorious songs. I wonder what sort of crescendo yours will have?"

In a flash of flame and brimstone, the Renfreds' home vanished from sight. Even as the fog of the Deadlands began to creep in, the smell of Renfred's cooking still lingered, a parting gift from a better world. A sudden gust of wind covered the scent and scattered the misty cloud. With a few stumbles, Alice was free from the grasp of the Deadlands. Alone, but free.

Alice Swayne: Status: Alive!

During her timeless time in the Deadlands, the Ice Bridge that had brought her there had long since been scattered to the winds. Billy's and Hnikar's lighting blasts had devastated the once serene landscape. What little ice remained was far too weak to cross on foot. Up the coast, she could make out a small camp fire, its tower of smoke reaching out like a beacon in the fading daylight. At its base, sat a familiar young boy, wrapped in bear furs and chewing upon burnt meat. He struck his fire with a stolen arrow, sending its sparks dancing.

@Takumi​

 

[Yun Lee]

"Yeah, they do that. Hold on." Well, she'd wanted to press more buttons...well one button, really because she was curious. Maybe it'd give them something cool, too? Jianyu made a quick warp over to the buttons and lackadaisically pressed the first one, wondering about that magic it was talking about.

"There! It should shut up for a few. Now, where were we...oh! Yeah." Turns out letting this dude eat was brilliant work on her part. He gave away exactly what she needed to hear. She warped again, this time taking her place right by Superboy, machete lodging itself into the tree right next to his head. There was still a smile on her face, but an unmistakeable look of pure contempt in her eyes.

"Did you just say you were part of the Orange Team?"

@Sark​

 

[Jeremi]

@Deadlands
"Oh, my dear sweet Alice..." Arcade smiled as he bent down and offered Alice a hand. "I think I already know..."

With a touch of his palm, Murderworld began to fade away. In its place a new world formed around the pair. A simpler world. They sat in the living room of a sweet suburban house. The room was filled with a warm glow, a product of its bright likes and honey wallpaper. Through a large window, Alice could make out a white picket fence and a small family car. Children's toys littered the floor.

"Wait for it..." Arcade raised his finger, cutting through any remaining tension. With a whimsical scream, two young girls ran into the room, chasing each other with foam swords.

"I'll get you, Captain Alice!" The younger girl cried, pushing her crimson hair from her eyes. "I'll make you walk the plank!"

"Not unless I make you walk it first, you scurvy sea-dog!" The blonde girl called in response, striking her sister's sword with her own.

Arcade raised a finger to his lips, hushing the older Alice. They were to remain silent. Invisible. Part of the scenery.

"Alice! Chise!" A familiar voice called from the Kitchen. "Dinner is almost ready. It's time for you two to get washed up!"

"Never!" The younger Alice cried, raising her sword high. "Pirates never wash! Never ever!"

"Oh really?" Renfred smiled a warm smile as he stepped into the living room. It was an alien sight, to say the least. His face was smooth and clean, unmarked by any scars or wrinkles. He knelt down in the doorway, creasing his apron over his knees as his girls caught him in an embrace. "Because's I've heard that the bravest and coolest pirates wash up all the time!"

"No!" Chise called. "No they don't! All the other pirates will laugh at us if we clean up!"

"No they won't," Renfred laughed, his eyes creasing like a cat's. "And if they try to, they'll have to deal with me. Papa's going to keep you safe from all the nasty pirates. No hurry up and get clean. Your mother will be home before you know it!"

The children sprinted off out of the room, giggling and proclaiming their love for this father. On their way out, they passed straight through their spectators and disappeared down the hall.

"Adorable, aren't they?" Arcade whispered. "You've seen how powerful I am, Alice. You've seen what I am capable of. I've traveled between dimensions. I've pulled you straight out of your timelines. I have the power to make anything I want. I can give you the life you want. Something simple. Something warm. One with all the love you never had. All I need in return is for you to do something for me. Something you won't even remember when I fix your timeline. You in?"

@Takumi

@Camp Angel
The first thing Weapon Hex would notice as soon as she stepped inside the camp was its smell. It was unmistakable. Camp Angel stank of rotten flesh.

Bodies were littered across the courtyard, their chests pierced by the same metal beams that formed the Camp's perimeter. Although their faces were pale and deformed by rigor mortis, the corpses of Maeve, Steven and Haru Okumura stirred vague memories from Hex's time at Arcade's Clearing.

Maeve: Status: Deceased! Redeemed by the Angel!
Steven Universe: Status: Deceased! Redeemed by the Angel!
Haru Okumara: Status: Deceased! Redeemed by the Angel!

Like poured from the hut at the fort's heart. Its door swung open, and in its arch, a tall, shimmering figure emerged. Radiant and beautiful, Warren Worthington III glided across the courtyard to greet Laura with outstretched, bloodstained arms.

"I knew you would come, Laura! A fellow mutant, seeking redemption! Step inside!"

View attachment 4063
"Please, I've made tea!"

@Jeremi​

@Flooded Plains
"Hey-hey-hey chill!" Superboy called, emerging from the blackness. "You need to cool it, Lady!"
View attachment 4064
In a single bound, he crossed the distance between the two parties, his hands raised over his head.
"For the record, I really don't that sparkly knife of yours could trip my nose hairs, let alone behead me. Please. I just came here to get some of that sweet-sweet fruit then hit the road. We cool? This isn't exactly the island vacation I had been hoping for..."

@Yun Lee​

@Deadlands
Henry's attempts to shoot himself free from the spider's web wasn't successful for long. His quick reactions were enough to stop some of the more active spiders from ensnaring him, however, the sheer number of arachnids and their small size meant sweeping them all away with a laser blast didn't keep him safe for long. It wouldn't take long for a rogue laser blast to tear through the flesh on his arm, flooding his system with pain. His efforts has slowed down the Scarlet Spiders plot, but it wouldn't take long for them to recover and return to weaving. Before he knew it, his legs were bound at the ankle with a substance stronger than steel.

"There's no food here, Danger. Only death. Only decay. Only horrible, creeping things. We're sorry, but we need you. For our sake. We must feed..."

@Lucky @Gummi Bunnies​

@Lake Team
As Nezumi began to sing, the wasps began to slow, responding to the tune of his song. It appeared as if the breed of mutant wasps Arcade had deployed shared many similarities with the Wasps of his own world, with a few distinct slight differences. They resisted the call of his song as well as they could, however, they seemed to succumb to it for moments at a time. Certain notes seemed to weaken their wills faster than others. However, their resistance granted them enough freedom to continue to strike out against the Champion, and the large mutant bees seemed immune to the song altogether.

@Gummi Bunnies @Takumi @York​

@Editing Room
"Guilty as charged," Arcade teased, shrugging his shoulders. "But I've never been in the business of being 'liked'. I'm partial to being feared and respected. Being hated comes with the territory." With a clap of his hands, the monitors clicked off, plunging the room into darkness. The only light that remained radiated from Arcade's lighting. "Happy now?"
​

"That's Great, Billy Buddy!" Arcade clapped. He was ecstatic, overwhelmed by excitement. "Welcome to the Winning Team! So glad to you could join us! Not that I was planning on giving you much of a choice. I mean, even with the Wisdom of Solomon the decisions you've made recently have been a little... 'eh' in the logic department. Your questions will be answered in time, but now! Without further adieu!"

The lighting in Arcade's hand began to pulsate and glow, burning through the air that lied between them. He frantically took Billy's hand in his and pulled him closer too him. As their palms connected, Billy could feel a surge of power surge through him. The pain was unimaginable.

"How about I do the honors for you, aye kid?"

Light began to surge from the pair. Blue flames leaped for Arcade's person. Winds howled and the monitors began to crack.

View attachment 4066
"ARCADE!"

In a flash of fire and brimstone, Billy Batson was transformed once again, his blood pumped full of Dark Magic. The worst sides of himself were magnified and his greater sides were corrupted. He was violent. A sadist who was more than happy to turn his powers on the weak and down trodden in the name of profit or entertainment. He self centered and proud, yet crippling insecure behind his cold facade. Hate had replaced his optimism. Fury had replaced his joy.

The Flames of Arson surged from his iron body.
The Speed of Robbery sent his body into shivers.
The genius of Conspiracy filled him mind with brilliant, dark thoughts.
The Strength of Assault made him feel tough enough to turn mountains to dust.
The Guile of Dishonesty fixed a new mask to his face.
The Might of Extortion to enforce his will upon those who might deny him.

Once his transformation was complete, Arcade unleashed a proud cackle.

"It's Alive! It's Alive! Now look to the heavens, Beast!" He shot a finger towards the roof of the Editing Room. "Rise through the roof. There's a lot of killing to be done, and not much time... The Flooded Plains might be a nice place to start. Or maybe you'd prefer to go after Eli? Or those scared kiddies by the Lake? The Island is your oyster, Mr.Ringmaster! Go! Make it fear the might of ARCADE!"

@Lucky​

Seeing Angel in front of her Laura carefully placed Wally down to lean against a nearby tree. "I'd prefer if we stay outside, if you don't mind." She was trying to sound as calm as possible despite the rotten flesh stench escaping into her nose as well as the grizzly scene in front of her.

Not that this was something she hadn't seen before. "You've been busy." She glanced over to the corpses. "Amazed you've had time to make tea."

@Sark

 

[Takumi]

@Deadlands
View attachment 4078
"Wonderful..." Arcade sighed gleefully. He cupped his hands around Alice and shook hers tightly. "And now, our little game can truly begin!"
View attachment 4079
"This, my dear sweet Alice, is the kind of day Bards write songs about. Glorious songs. I wonder what sort of crescendo yours will have?"

In a flash of flame and brimstone, the Renfreds' home vanished from sight. Even as the fog of the Deadlands began to creep in, the smell of Renfred's cooking still lingered, a parting gift from a better world. A sudden gust of wind covered the scent and scattered the misty cloud. With a few stumbles, Alice was free from the grasp of the Deadlands. Alone, but free.

Alice Swayne: Status: Alive!

During her timeless time in the Deadlands, the Ice Bridge that had brought her there had long since been scattered to the winds. Billy's and Hnikar's lighting blasts had devastated the once serene landscape. What little ice remained was far too weak to cross on foot. Up the coast, she could make out a small camp fire, its tower of smoke reaching out like a beacon in the fading daylight. At its base, sat a familiar young boy, wrapped in bear furs and chewing upon burnt meat. He struck his fire with a stolen arrow, sending its sparks dancing.

@Takumi​

"Who knows Geezer, we'll have to see, won't we?" Alice chuckled, though it held little mirth in it.

"Hope you have fun watching in your safe little hole, Geezer." She added.


Maybe it'd all go up in flames? They'd just have to wait and see.

Feeling his hand in hers made her skin crawl, but she resisted the urge to pull away.

Once the Deadlands faded away, she blinked as she stumbled for a moment. So, he took her right to Eli then? If the smoke was anything to go by. Taking a breath, she moved to approach him, albeit cautiously. Coming closer she could definitely tell it was Eli.

@Sark

 

[Lucky]

Henry Hart/Kid Danger

"Well, I am dying right here, it wouldn't make sense for me to lie to you." He would wait to see if the spiders would take a moment to think about his offer. He would watch as they would slowly retreat from his skin and bury themselves in the undergrowth. It was certainly a gambit, but it wasn't a lie. There were others for him to feed him- they just needed to find a way out of these Dead Lands. " I promise that I am not lying to you. There are a ton of delicious morsels outside of these dead lands. There are one or two you can't eat- but everyone else- yours to indulge in to the fullest. You know, there is one meal that you might especially enjoy, the girl who had to kill you is still alive." He would look over at him and would put himself into the squat. He would look over at the unversed and considering he was sent to kill him, he didn't mind at all. " Sure, you can take an arm too, I am pretty sure that he just reforms, a nearly endless full supply until we get out. There has to be a way out."

@Sark @Gummi Bunnies

Editing Room

Billy Batson

Billy would look over at him and would start to float up. He gave pause to what he said. " So essentially, as long as I kill, I will be invulnerable, good to know, I don't think the latter two things can be helped. I don't know anyone in this game expect for my two teammates and Isabeau and hell, I don't even know hem. Also, you didn't pack me a lunch to take with me. So, whatever dad," he replied, the last words rolling off his tongue before he could stop them. It felt wrong.... but he couldn't remember why. He flew up " Just to check, I say your name to change back.... correct? The other word isn't going to do anything.... correct?" He asked. He would wait for the answer before he would fly back to the Northern clearing and locate Isabeau.

@Sark @Minerva

 

[Sark]

Billy Batson

Billy would look over at him and would start to float up. He gave pause to what he said. " So essentially, as long as I kill, I will be invulnerable, good to know, I don't think the latter two things can be helped. I don't know anyone in this game expect for my two teammates and Isabeau and hell, I don't even know hem. Also, you didn't pack me a lunch to take with me. So, whatever dad," he replied, the last words rolling off his tongue before he could stop them. It felt wrong.... but he couldn't remember why. He flew up " Just to check, I say your name to change back.... correct? The other word isn't going to do anything.... correct?" He asked. He would wait for the answer before he would fly back to the Northern clearing and locate Isabeau.

@Sark @Minerva

@Editing Room
View attachment 4087
"Such naïveté..." Arcade turned to leave the editing room. "Who said anything about turning back?"

***
@Lake Team
The surface of the lake began to bubble and fizz. Lightning sparked across its surface.

[KRAK-OOOM]

The lake erupted into a vortex of white waves. A great power was surging down bellow.

[KRAK-OOM]

A second blast could be heard. From the heart of the vortex, a figure soared, claoked in flames. Shazam turned away from the Lake, and blasted off towards the Northern Clearing. The sheer power that radiated from the Magician's Chosen Champion was enough to turn the water beneath him to steam, filling the riverside with a blanket of white smoke. The heat was enough to disperse the smaller bees, who's attack run had already been disrupted by Nezumi's song. Now, only 6 Large Wasps lingered. They were maddened by the loss of their allies, and prepared to make a final death-charge towards the champions.

Fleeing into the river was no longer an option; the vortex would rip a Champion to ribbons in seconds. The Champions were met with simple choice:

Stay and fight, or flee Eastwards into the Jungle.

@Takumi @York @Lucky

Billy Batson

Billy would look over at him and would start to float up. He gave pause to what he said. " So essentially, as long as I kill, I will be invulnerable, good to know, I don't think the latter two things can be helped. I don't know anyone in this game expect for my two teammates and Isabeau and hell, I don't even know hem. Also, you didn't pack me a lunch to take with me. So, whatever dad," he replied, the last words rolling off his tongue before he could stop them. It felt wrong.... but he couldn't remember why. He flew up " Just to check, I say your name to change back.... correct? The other word isn't going to do anything.... correct?" He asked. He would wait for the answer before he would fly back to the Northern clearing and locate Isabeau.

@Sark @Minerva

@Northern Clearing
The Northern Clearing was in a far worse state than Shazam had left it in. The Viper Grass had consumed a majority of the Clearing, and had began to infect and transform a few trees too. They had mutated further, too. The snakes had tripled in size and sprouted additional heads. Some had spouted small, stumpy legs, and it wouldn't be long until they were strong enough to climb the large rock Isabeau had taken sanctuary upon. Time was of the essence.

@Minerva @Lucky

Seeing Angel in front of her Laura carefully placed Wally down to lean against a nearby tree. "I'd prefer if we stay outside, if you don't mind." She was trying to sound as calm as possible despite the rotten flesh stench escaping into her nose as well as the grizzly scene in front of her.

Not that this was something she hadn't seen before. "You've been busy." She glanced over to the corpses. "Amazed you've had time to make tea."

@Sark

@Camp Angel
"Oh?" Angel muttered hesitantly. "Making the Tea didn't take long. I saw you coming a mile off, and thought I would make preparations. Besides, I had help dealing with the rest." Warren went silent for a moment, a peaceful smile sitting upon his lips. "Oh, and thank you for returning Wallace to us... even if he is in a worse condition than he left us in." Warren stepped outside his silver gates and crouched down beside the Flash. He delicately touched a burn on his cheek. The pain sent the young speedster twitch, even in his hazy state. "...but it's nothing we can't fix. Not with the support the Divine has given me. He'll be as good as new before you know it. But I'll need your help to bring him inside... if that's not too much to ask."

@Jeremi

"Who knows Geezer, we'll have to see, won't we?" Alice chuckled, though it held little mirth in it.

"Hope you have fun watching in your safe little hole, Geezer." She added.


Maybe it'd all go up in flames? They'd just have to wait and see.

Feeling his hand in hers made her skin crawl, but she resisted the urge to pull away.

Once the Deadlands faded away, she blinked as she stumbled for a moment. So, he took her right to Eli then? If the smoke was anything to go by. Taking a breath, she moved to approach him, albeit cautiously. Coming closer she could definitely tell it was Eli.

@Sark

@Ice Bridge
"Stop! Show yourself?" The boy cried, grabbing a stick from the fire and raising it alongside his arrow. As the light of the fire cut through the blackness, Eli's eyes widened. Moments later, his shock faded. Disappointment took its place. "Shit. I thought you were meant to be dead."
View attachment 4088
"What were you and Scott getting up to in there anyway? I've wasted a damn day waiting for you." He sat back down by the fire and pulled his cloaks a little tighter around himself. "Goro's dead. No thanks to you. You're welcome, by the way."

Goro Akechi: Status: Deceased! Stabbed to death by the White Mamba!

"Looks like we're the only ones left, now. I lost track of Hnikar after you cowards turned tail. Kate and Loa are fish food. Looks like we get closer to winning this thing every damn day..."

@Takumi​

"Yeah, they do that. Hold on." Well, she'd wanted to press more buttons...well one button, really because she was curious. Maybe it'd give them something cool, too? Jianyu made a quick warp over to the buttons and lackadaisically pressed the first one, wondering about that magic it was talking about.

"There! It should shut up for a few. Now, where were we...oh! Yeah." Turns out letting this dude eat was brilliant work on her part. He gave away exactly what she needed to hear. She warped again, this time taking her place right by Superboy, machete lodging itself into the tree right next to his head. There was still a smile on her face, but an unmistakeable look of pure contempt in her eyes.

"Did you just say you were part of the Orange Team?"

@Sark​

@Flooded Plains

[CLICK]

As soon as Jianyu pressed the button on the first podium, it began to sink back down below the foam. The forth button followed suit, leaving just 2 buttons remaining. Just like last time, the beeping seemed to subside, and the Flooded Plains remained mostly unchanged.

Internally, however, Jianyu felt something shift within her. Her Psycho Powers seemed to redouble again, leaving those of Byson's in the dust. Mantis too seemed to shiver and quake. Elsewhere on the Island, Laura felt another wave of strength wash over here. As did Max's and Alice's. Mantis looked to Jianyu in confusion. His powers had started to grow too.

By pressing the first button, Jianyu had extended the limit Arcade had placed on the Magical and Pseudo-Magical abilities of the Island's inhabitants. In other words, Arcade had taken the Kiddies Gloves away from his Magic Users. Their powers would no longer be reserved or back fire when used against each other. The Champion's survival odds were about to change dramatically.

Oblivious to the sudden change in the rules and to the feelings behind Jainyu's eyes, Superboy continued his chewing and rambling.

"Thanks for that... where was I? Oh, yeah, I was part of the Orange Team. But like I said, thing's really didn't work out. But hey! Look what happened to them! Who got the last laugh?"
View attachment 4089
"This guy, because he's not dead yet! Alright, so technically Wally's still on the leader-board, but have you seen his survival odds? I'll give you a clue: you can count them on 0.2 fingers. And I'm pretty sure Angel gonna be a goner pretty soon. Crazies never live long. Guess I'm a part of your team now, right? I mean, being an army of 1 is cool and all, but I also, yano, want to win?"

@Yun Lee @Jeremi @Takumi @York​

 

[Yun Lee]

Jianyu couldn't even say anything more to Superboy as suddenly a surge of power flooded through her. What the Hell...? This was more than any boost Mantis had given her...and it felt like it would never wear out, either. She gripped the hilt of the machete, processing just how powerful she felt. She could easily take this island, destroy Arcade, and finish off anyone else who she had a grudge against. Including...

She looked back up to Conner, who seemed completrly unaware of the danger he was in. She could kill him so easily...so many different options on how to finish this fool off fluttered through her mind, ways to eliminate one of those responsible for this. Responsible for unleashing this beast that she now had become.

And yet...there was something else in her mind, and her heart, that stayed firm throughout the thoughts of violence and carnage. A face, just like hers, but kinder. Sweeter. Angelic.

Xiayu.

Xiayu wouldn't want this. Even with her being gone, her beloved sister was still there, taking the form of a conscience. Xiayu wanted to save everyone she could, even Wally. She had died saving others. And Jianyu wouldn't, couldn't, let that be in vain.

"...hmph." Jianyu removed the machete from the tree, looking at Conner seriously now. "If you're serious about joining us, then there are a few conditions. We don't go after anyone peaceful. As desperate as he is to make us think only one will survive...the more people on our side, the better shot we have at getting as many people out of here as we can. People like those at the lake? We leave them alone. They just want to survive, and we're going to let them. People like the Winter Soldier? We take them out before they can hurt anybody else. Maybe they'll have a change of heart like you did, but...I doubt it." The more she spoke her rules, the more she felt conviction in them. Yeah. This could work. It would fuel her Psycho Power, this twisted justice, and at the same time fulfill Xiayu's wish to keep others alive. The two things that mattered combining into perfect harmony.

She extended her free hand to Superboy. "Are you in? I suggest not trying anything stupid if you're not." She glanced over at Tretij, noting even with the mask how pointedly he looked at her. Ah. So he felt the same she did, then. That only boosted her confidence, as seen in the smug smile she turned to the former Orange Team member. "...it would end horribly for you."

@Sark​

 

[Jeremi]

@Editing Room
View attachment 4087
"Such naïveté..." Arcade turned to leave the editing room. "Who said anything about turning back?"

***
@Lake Team
The surface of the lake began to bubble and fizz. Lightning sparked across its surface.

[KRAK-OOOM]

The lake erupted into a vortex of white waves. A great power was surging down bellow.

[KRAK-OOM]

A second blast could be heard. From the heart of the vortex, a figure soared, claoked in flames. Shazam turned away from the Lake, and blasted off towards the Northern Clearing. The sheer power that radiated from the Magician's Chosen Champion was enough to turn the water beneath him to steam, filling the riverside with a blanket of white smoke. The heat was enough to disperse the smaller bees, who's attack run had already been disrupted by Nezumi's song. Now, only 6 Large Wasps lingered. They were maddened by the loss of their allies, and prepared to make a final death-charge towards the champions.

Fleeing into the river was no longer an option; the vortex would rip a Champion to ribbons in seconds. The Champions were met with simple choice:

Stay and fight, or flee Eastwards into the Jungle.

@Takumi @York @Lucky

@Northern Clearing
The Northern Clearing was in a far worse state than Shazam had left it in. The Viper Grass had consumed a majority of the Clearing, and had began to infect and transform a few trees too. They had mutated further, too. The snakes had tripled in size and sprouted additional heads. Some had spouted small, stumpy legs, and it wouldn't be long until they were strong enough to climb the large rock Isabeau had taken sanctuary upon. Time was of the essence.

@Minerva @Lucky

@Camp Angel
"Oh?" Angel muttered hesitantly. "Making the Tea didn't take long. I saw you coming a mile off, and thought I would make preparations. Besides, I had help dealing with the rest." Warren went silent for a moment, a peaceful smile sitting upon his lips. "Oh, and thank you for returning Wallace to us... even if he is in a worse condition than he left us in." Warren stepped outside his silver gates and crouched down beside the Flash. He delicately touched a burn on his cheek. The pain sent the young speedster twitch, even in his hazy state. "...but it's nothing we can't fix. Not with the support the Divine has given me. He'll be as good as new before you know it. But I'll need your help to bring him inside... if that's not too much to ask."

@Jeremi

@Ice Bridge
"Stop! Show yourself?" The boy cried, grabbing a stick from the fire and raising it alongside his arrow. As the light of the fire cut through the blackness, Eli's eyes widened. Moments later, his shock faded. Disappointment took its place. "Shit. I thought you were meant to be dead."
View attachment 4088
"What were you and Scott getting up to in there anyway? I've wasted a damn day waiting for you." He sat back down by the fire and pulled his cloaks a little tighter around himself. "Goro's dead. No thanks to you. You're welcome, by the way."

Goro Akechi: Status: Deceased! Stabbed to death by the White Mamba!

"Looks like we're the only ones left, now. I lost track of Hnikar after you cowards turned tail. Kate and Loa are fish food. Looks like we get closer to winning this thing every damn day..."

@Takumi​

@Flooded Plains

[CLICK]

As soon as Jianyu pressed the button on the first podium, it began to sink back down below the foam. The forth button followed suit, leaving just 2 buttons remaining. Just like last time, the beeping seemed to subside, and the Flooded Plains remained mostly unchanged.

Internally, however, Jianyu felt something shift within her. Her Psycho Powers seemed to redouble again, leaving those of Byson's in the dust. Mantis too seemed to shiver and quake. Elsewhere on the Island, Laura felt another wave of strength wash over here. As did Max's and Alice's. Mantis looked to Jianyu in confusion. His powers had started to grow too.

By pressing the first button, Jianyu had extended the limit Arcade had placed on the Magical and Pseudo-Magical abilities of the Island's inhabitants. In other words, Arcade had taken the Kiddies Gloves away from his Magic Users. Their powers would no longer be reserved or back fire when used against each other. The Champion's survival odds were about to change dramatically.

Oblivious to the sudden change in the rules and to the feelings behind Jainyu's eyes, Superboy continued his chewing and rambling.

"Thanks for that... where was I? Oh, yeah, I was part of the Orange Team. But like I said, thing's really didn't work out. But hey! Look what happened to them! Who got the last laugh?"
View attachment 4089
"This guy, because he's not dead yet! Alright, so technically Wally's still on the leader-board, but have you seen his survival odds? I'll give you a clue: you can count them on 0.2 fingers. And I'm pretty sure Angel gonna be a goner pretty soon. Crazies never live long. Guess I'm a part of your team now, right? I mean, being an army of 1 is cool and all, but I also, yano, want to win?"

@Yun Lee @Jeremi @Takumi @York​

"..." Laura looked over to the both of them with a conspicuous look in her eyes. She didn't trust this man, not one bit. At the same though she didn't wish to be instigator in whatever battle that could erupt. "Of course." So instead she went and picked up Wally on her back once again. "You first." She however did not trust him enough to allow him to get behind her. Laura wanted him in her sights at all times.

@Sark

 

[Lucky]

Billy Batson

Billy stared at him. " You mean.... I'm like this forever...." he replied, not sure what to say. It was weird to think what he had always considered a mask was now his permanent form. He blasted up.

There was something strange about rising up from where he died. Maybe if he paid more attention in church, he would remember.

[KRAK-OOOM]

He didn't look down or back as he rose up, not sure what to expect or caring where he went.

[KRAK-OOM]

He didn't considered what was happening as he rose, his whole figure enveloped in flames, he would head off to the Northern clearing, not wanting to lose any more time as he was afraid that the longer he took, the more likely he would be too late to save Isabeau. He didn't care about the wake he was leaving behind,knowing that he needed to kill. It wasn't a choice anymore.

When Billy arrived at the Northern Clearing, he noticed that it looked worse from when he had started. It seemed that the snakes had consumed all of the clearing and even some of the trees, whatever they had become was becoming more and more unnatural. There was a small grin as he liked his father's creation... Wrong. Wrong. Focus, Billy. He would use the speed of robbery and grab Isabeau off the rocks, keeping his fire up and lowering it once he grabbed her and then speeding off to the fastest root to the flooded plains, a safe zone.

@Sark @Minerva @Northern Clearing>Flooded Plains

 

[Takumi]

@Editing Room
View attachment 4087
"Such naïveté..." Arcade turned to leave the editing room. "Who said anything about turning back?"

***
@Lake Team
The surface of the lake began to bubble and fizz. Lightning sparked across its surface.

[KRAK-OOOM]

The lake erupted into a vortex of white waves. A great power was surging down bellow.

[KRAK-OOM]

A second blast could be heard. From the heart of the vortex, a figure soared, claoked in flames. Shazam turned away from the Lake, and blasted off towards the Northern Clearing. The sheer power that radiated from the Magician's Chosen Champion was enough to turn the water beneath him to steam, filling the riverside with a blanket of white smoke. The heat was enough to disperse the smaller bees, who's attack run had already been disrupted by Nezumi's song. Now, only 6 Large Wasps lingered. They were maddened by the loss of their allies, and prepared to make a final death-charge towards the champions.

Fleeing into the river was no longer an option; the vortex would rip a Champion to ribbons in seconds. The Champions were met with simple choice:

Stay and fight, or flee Eastwards into the Jungle.

@Takumi @York @Lucky

@Northern Clearing
The Northern Clearing was in a far worse state than Shazam had left it in. The Viper Grass had consumed a majority of the Clearing, and had began to infect and transform a few trees too. They had mutated further, too. The snakes had tripled in size and sprouted additional heads. Some had spouted small, stumpy legs, and it wouldn't be long until they were strong enough to climb the large rock Isabeau had taken sanctuary upon. Time was of the essence.

@Minerva @Lucky

@Camp Angel
"Oh?" Angel muttered hesitantly. "Making the Tea didn't take long. I saw you coming a mile off, and thought I would make preparations. Besides, I had help dealing with the rest." Warren went silent for a moment, a peaceful smile sitting upon his lips. "Oh, and thank you for returning Wallace to us... even if he is in a worse condition than he left us in." Warren stepped outside his silver gates and crouched down beside the Flash. He delicately touched a burn on his cheek. The pain sent the young speedster twitch, even in his hazy state. "...but it's nothing we can't fix. Not with the support the Divine has given me. He'll be as good as new before you know it. But I'll need your help to bring him inside... if that's not too much to ask."

@Jeremi

@Ice Bridge
"Stop! Show yourself?" The boy cried, grabbing a stick from the fire and raising it alongside his arrow. As the light of the fire cut through the blackness, Eli's eyes widened. Moments later, his shock faded. Disappointment took its place. "Shit. I thought you were meant to be dead."
View attachment 4088
"What were you and Scott getting up to in there anyway? I've wasted a damn day waiting for you." He sat back down by the fire and pulled his cloaks a little tighter around himself. "Goro's dead. No thanks to you. You're welcome, by the way."

Goro Akechi: Status: Deceased! Stabbed to death by the White Mamba!

"Looks like we're the only ones left, now. I lost track of Hnikar after you cowards turned tail. Kate and Loa are fish food. Looks like we get closer to winning this thing every damn day..."

@Takumi​

@Flooded Plains

[CLICK]

As soon as Jianyu pressed the button on the first podium, it began to sink back down below the foam. The forth button followed suit, leaving just 2 buttons remaining. Just like last time, the beeping seemed to subside, and the Flooded Plains remained mostly unchanged.

Internally, however, Jianyu felt something shift within her. Her Psycho Powers seemed to redouble again, leaving those of Byson's in the dust. Mantis too seemed to shiver and quake. Elsewhere on the Island, Laura felt another wave of strength wash over here. As did Max's and Alice's. Mantis looked to Jianyu in confusion. His powers had started to grow too.

By pressing the first button, Jianyu had extended the limit Arcade had placed on the Magical and Pseudo-Magical abilities of the Island's inhabitants. In other words, Arcade had taken the Kiddies Gloves away from his Magic Users. Their powers would no longer be reserved or back fire when used against each other. The Champion's survival odds were about to change dramatically.

Oblivious to the sudden change in the rules and to the feelings behind Jainyu's eyes, Superboy continued his chewing and rambling.

"Thanks for that... where was I? Oh, yeah, I was part of the Orange Team. But like I said, thing's really didn't work out. But hey! Look what happened to them! Who got the last laugh?"
View attachment 4089
"This guy, because he's not dead yet! Alright, so technically Wally's still on the leader-board, but have you seen his survival odds? I'll give you a clue: you can count them on 0.2 fingers. And I'm pretty sure Angel gonna be a goner pretty soon. Crazies never live long. Guess I'm a part of your team now, right? I mean, being an army of 1 is cool and all, but I also, yano, want to win?"

@Yun Lee @Jeremi @Takumi @York​

"Scott died." Was the first thing she blurted out, a blank look on her face for a moment, before she blinked in surprise as she cautiously sat at his makeshift camp.

"You waited for us? I figured you'd have moved on to try and get your hands on Orange Team." She spoke, confusion on her face a moment.

Then she felt off, just slightly. Then suddenly gaining an internal strength she didn't have before, feeling like waves of heat under her skin. For a moment she glanced down at her hands as they gently shook, her confusion deepening just slightly. Did Arcade do something to her? Was it just happening to her?

"Looks like we get closer to winning this thing every damn day"

Alice let those words sink in, then smiled. It didn't meet her eyes, however. This whole situation was amusing in it's own twisted way. She probably would of felt better if he had right out attacked her on sight instead, knowing her reason for being here. She'd wait and see if he ever gave her a reason to even try and fight him for now.

"Sounds like you finally acknowledge me as a team member." She hummed.

"Funny, since someone told me that there are no more teams." She mused, gazing into the flames of the fire for a moment, the sudden thought of wishing Hnikar was okay coming to mind.

"You got any kind of plan, kid?" She asked, glancing from the flames to the boy.

@Sark

Nezumi hissed softly as the steam came from the vortex. With the six larger wasps left he knew he couldn't fight them off, at least, not by himself. If he could get them into the vortex somehow then maybe, but...

Gritting his teeth, he took a chance and tried to use the steam as cover and head to the forest.

@Sark @Gummi Bunnies @York

 

[Sark]

"...hmph." Jianyu removed the machete from the tree, looking at Conner seriously now. "If you're serious about joining us, then there are a few conditions. We don't go after anyone peaceful. As desperate as he is to make us think only one will survive...the more people on our side, the better shot we have at getting as many people out of here as we can. People like those at the lake? We leave them alone. They just want to survive, and we're going to let them. People like the Winter Soldier? We take them out before they can hurt anybody else. Maybe they'll have a change of heart like you did, but...I doubt it." The more she spoke her rules, the more she felt conviction in them. Yeah. This could work. It would fuel her Psycho Power, this twisted justice, and at the same time fulfill Xiayu's wish to keep others alive. The two things that mattered combining into perfect harmony.

She extended her free hand to Superboy. "Are you in? I suggest not trying anything stupid if you're not." She glanced over at Tretij, noting even with the mask how pointedly he looked at her. Ah. So he felt the same she did, then. That only boosted her confidence, as seen in the smug smile she turned to the former Orange Team member. "...it would end horribly for you."

@Sark​

@Flooded Plains
View attachment 4103
"Alright, geez!" Superboy groaned. "You can but the knives down now, okay? If I was gonna try fryin' you, I would have done it for the mountains, okay? And guess what? I didn't!" Superboy ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "Look, I'm not exactly a saint. But I'm not about to start hurting good people either. Not anymore. If 'not killing kids' if the bar you're setting..." Conner took Jianyu's had in his. "This Superman is about to smash your expectations!" As theirs clapped together, Mantis met eyes with the half-kryptonian boy. As their eyes met, Superboy felt a shiver run down his spine. "I'm not about to throw my life away, Jain. I'll watch your back if you watch mine."

@Yun Lee

"Scott died." Was the first thing she blurted out, a blank look on her face for a moment, before she blinked in surprise as she cautiously sat at his makeshift camp.

"You waited for us? I figured you'd have moved on to try and get your hands on Orange Team." She spoke, confusion on her face a moment.

Then she felt off, just slightly. Then suddenly gaining an internal strength she didn't have before, feeling like waves of heat under her skin. For a moment she glanced down at her hands as they gently shook, her confusion deepening just slightly. Did Arcade do something to her? Was it just happening to her?

"Looks like we get closer to winning this thing every damn day"

Alice let those words sink in, then smiled. It didn't meet her eyes, however. This whole situation was amusing in it's own twisted way. She probably would of felt better if he had right out attacked her on sight instead, knowing her reason for being here. She'd wait and see if he ever gave her a reason to even try and fight him for now.

"Sounds like you finally acknowledge me as a team member." She hummed.

"Funny, since someone told me that there are no more teams." She mused, gazing into the flames of the fire for a moment, the sudden thought of wishing Hnikar was okay coming to mind.

"You got any kind of plan, kid?" She asked, glancing from the flames to the boy.

@Ice Bridge
View attachment 4094
Eli remained silent as Alice spoke, his eyes fixed on the fire. A couple of days ago, he would have been happy to hear that Scott had bitten the dust. But now? After the snow and the bear and the bridge... he couldn't bring himself to celebrate. Maybe the island had emotionally drained him, leaving him as a mere husk of the passionate boy he had been when he arrived. He let the smoke fill his lungs for a moment.

"He was a good soldier. I never gave him credit for that. Not that it maters now." He broken his stair and turned away from the flames. "Do you know why I chose this strip for my camp?" Eli paused for a heartbeat, letting the crackle of the fire fill the silence. "Because it's the only safe way out of the Deadlands. If you and Scott were planning on coming back, this would be the path you'd take back. This would be the path that would lead you back to me." Eli twisted his arrow between his fingers, its steel shaft sparking in the light. "So that I could take my pound of flesh. A 'thank you' gift for leaving me to die..."

His arrow hit the sand with a crunch.

"Imagine that. Me killing you. An arrow in your neck whilst you slept. You wouldn't have felt a thing. It would have been a mercy killing, really. Compared to what I could have done. That was the plan. Now I'm going back to plan A:"
View attachment 4098
"Survive. Half the island's trying to kill us. If we weren't so close to the Deadlands, the island itself would be trying to kill us. I won't them win. I won't let them beat me. And if that means letting you live a little longer, so be it."

@Takumi​

"..." Laura looked over to the both of them with a conspicuous look in her eyes. She didn't trust this man, not one bit. At the same though she didn't wish to be instigator in whatever battle that could erupt. "Of course." So instead she went and picked up Wally on her back once again. "You first." She however did not trust him enough to allow him to get behind her. Laura wanted him in her sights at all times.

@Sark

@Camp Angel
In contrast to the state of the courtyard, Angel's cabin was clean and meticulous. Handcrafted furniture littered its spacious floor, and small bowls of berries, ground herbs we scattered across various counter-tops. Warren cleared a counter of three wooded tea cups and helped to lower the body of the young speedster onto the deck.

"Thank you again, Laura. We'll have him right as rain before you know it. But for now, I must insist you lake a load off your feet. There's isn't a Safe Zone for miles, and the night will be upon us before we know it. Please..." The Angel muttered, removing a glass vial from one of the Cabin's cupboards. He dabbed the silver solution against one of his feathers and ordained Wally with a stroke of his forehead. "Please reconsider my offer and stay for some tea. I would hate to live with yet more blood on my conscience..."

@Jeremi​

Nezumi hissed softly as the steam came from the vortex. With the six larger wasps left he knew he couldn't fight them off, at least, not by himself. If he could get them into the vortex somehow then maybe, but...

Gritting his teeth, he took a chance and tried to use the steam as cover and head to the forest.

@Sark @Gummi Bunnies @York

@Lake-->@Forest-->@Camp Angel
The path through the forest was dark and humid. The wave of steam that had swept the area had scattered most the wasps, but the occasional black insect wandered into Nezumi's path. But the stragglers weren't much of a threat. They were too far from their brothers to coordinate properly. Instead, they simple drifted through the woods as if they were regular insects.

As the roar of the wings of the wasps grew quieter with each passing step, a sense of safety slowly began to waft over Nezumi. As the blackness of night closed in, a single beacon shimmered among the shadows of the trees. A silver fortress with a warm light at its heart.

As the daylight began to fade, the fort was little more than a star in a black sea, surrounded by a strange, familiar stink. Little more could be seen through the veil of night. Through the window of a hut within its walls, Nezumi could make out the shadows of Laura and the Angel watching over a tired, twitching speedster.

@Takumi @Jeremi

Number of Survivors: 17 Number of Dead: 15 MIA: 0 Hours until Extinction: 44 Time: 4:20am

As streams of amber poured over the Great Ranges, the fortunate enough to get some rest woke up to their Forth Day on Murderworld. A new chill lingered in the air. It was dream. The island would remain in one piece for just short of two more days. With every passing second, oblivion grew closer.

Silence. The Sun didn't burst into song. A leader-board didn't flicker onto the sky. Arcade didn't appear with a bouquet of taunts and insults. Instead, the Champions was haunted by nightmares. To those waking, they appeared like hallucinations. Regardless, as the dawn broke, the Champions were painfully aware of what had occurred across the island on the previous day.

Spoiler: Arcade's Odds

1. Billy Batson/ Shazam 21%
2. Xianyu 21%
3. Alice Swayne 19.9%
4. Laura Kinney 12%
5.Vanitas 12%
6. Warren Worthington III/ Angel 10%
7. Eli/White Mamba 2%
8.Max Griffin 1%

The leader-board was far shorter than it had once been. More and more names were being struck off with passing day. Day 3 had been brutal. The Island's population was almost half of what it had once been.

Terry McGinnis had been abandoned to his fate by Nezumi and Hyakkimaru. The Batman, the man the Champions had once been willing to risk their lives for during the flood now lay dead by the river bank. He was
unrecognizable. Just another shriveled, bony body waiting to become part of the soil of Murderworld

Terry McGinnis/ The Batman: Status: Deceased! Stung to death by killer wasps and abandoned by Nezumi and Hyak!

Following the collapse of the caves, Cho and Ratchet were buried. After enduring a series of heavy blow from Vanitas, Cho lacked the strength to hold up the crumbling Drylands. Rachet also failed to get out in time. The pair met their fates in a cloud of dust and smoke, their only comfort coming from the knowledge that Henry had made it out alive

Amadeus Cho/ the Hulk" Status: Deceased! Crushed under rubble! Murdered by Vanitas and Mantis!
Ratchet: Status: Deceased! Crushed under rubble! Murdered by Vanitas and Mantus!

Supergirl's name was noticeably absent from the leader-board. Following the Battle of the Lake, Kara was left reeling from a series of Magical Attacks from Max Griffin and a follow up strike from Superboy. This attack left Kara vulnerable to the flow of the river. Even her Argonian strength couldn't save her from several tons of water and the pains of oxygen deprivation.

Kara/ Supergirl: Status: Deceased! Struck by a Magic Blast and Drowned by Max Griffin.

Jak, like Eli, had been abandoned by his team following the Battle at the Ice Bridge. Unlike Eli, however, Jak was unable to reach solid ground in time. His path to safety had been obliterated by blasts from both Shazam and Scott. He was taken by icy waves in the early hours of the third day.

Jak: Status: Deceased! Drowned in Frozen Waters!

Spoiler: Arcade's Highlights

"Play of the Match" Henry Hart/ Kid Danger and his Spider Stomping!
"Kill of the Match" Alice Swayne and her sharp shot at Scott!
"Assist of the Match" Billy Batson/Shazam and his swift snake save!
"Best Hero" Not Applicable! There are no heroes left!
"Best Villain" Billy Batson and his Deal with the Devil

@Deadlands-->@Black Forest
A bond was made between the young hero and the King of the Spiders. With a silent nod and a lick of his lips, a silent vow was made. The Scarlet Spider's children would not feast upon Henry's bones. In return, Henry would pay him in flesh.

"You are a good man, Henry Hart. Bring us some good flesh, would ya? Some fresh, all-American skin? I'll be waiting for you, pal. And... we'll be watchin'..."

No matter where he turned, Henry felt eyes upon him. Hundreds of eyes sorted into groups of 8. The eyes of the Island's insects would become Reilly's spies. They would ensure that the boy remained true to his word.

As the light of morning cut through the dead of night, the fog of the Badlands seemed to fade. The threads that had once bound him rotted away and faded into the dirty. The King of Spider retreated into the undergrowth, fleeing from the light.

The Deadlands had never obeyed the laws of the Island. When morning came, Henry awoke to find himself standing on the edge of the Black Forest, looking out onto the Great Ranges and the Quicksand Sea. The nearest safezone was mere minutes away. In the distance, he could make out the silhouette of a giant glowing tree.

@Lucky

@Flooded Plains
Conner, Mantis and Jianyu didn't have the privilege of being woken by the beams of the morning Sun. Instead, they were woken the crackling thunder that always seemed to roar in the wake of the 'improved' Shazam. The storm brought bullets of rain to the plains, flooded the already flooded region. Conner Kent looked to the skies, but even he couldn't look for long. It wasn't the light of the Sun that burned his eyes. It was the heat from the Flames of Arson.
View attachment 4104
"Hey, Jain. Remember that stuff you said about only killing bad guys? I think I've found a bad guy... or a bad guy has come and found us...."

Mantis loomed behind Superboy, his eyes fixated on the blazing figure that loomed above them and the soaked girl he held in his arms. He could taste fear, but he couldn't quite put his finger on who it belonged to.

@Yun Lee @Lucky
Survivors Update:
Red Team
Katherine 'Kate' Bishop/ Hawkeye @Atomic Knight [/STATUS: DECEASED: ELECTROCUTED BY BILLY BATSON/SHAZAM]
Hnikar @Crow
Alice Swayne @Takumi [/KILLS: 1]
Eli/Liquid Snake [/KILLS: 1]

Blue Team
Hyakkimaru @Gummi Bunnies
Laura Kinney @Jeremi [/KILLS: 1]
Maeve @Hahli Nuva [/STATUS: DECEASED: IMPALED ON A METAL ROD BY WARREN WORTHINGTON III/ ANGEL]
Max Griffin @York [/KILLS: 1]

Green Team
Isabeau @Minerva
Alani Ryan @Jeremi [/STATUS: DECEASED: ELECTROCUTED BY BILLY BATSON/SHAZAM]
Vanitas @Gummi Bunnies [/KILLS: 2]
Psycho Mantis

Yellow Team
Nezumi @Takumi
Jaime Reyes @Crow
Xiayu @Yun Lee [/STATUS: DECEASED: SACRIFICED TO THE RAVINE]
Ben Reilly/ Scarlet Spider [/STATUS: ???]

Pink Team
Kara/ Supergirl @York [/STATUS: DECEASED: DROWNED AND CURSED BY MAX GRIFFIN]
Jianyu @Yun Lee [/KILLS: 1]
Stephen Universe @Atomic Knight [/STATUS: DECEASED: IMPALED ON A METAL ROD BY WARREN WORTHINGTON III/ ANGEL]
Terry McGinnis/ Batman Beyond [/STATUS: DECEASED: KILLED BY KILLER BEES AND ABANDONED BY NEZUMI!]

Orange Team
Bucky Barnes/ Winter Soldier [/KILLS: 1] [/STATUS: DECEASED: THROWN INTO A WILDFIRE BY JAINYU]
Wally West/ Kid Flash
Warren Worthington III/ Angel [/KILLS: 3]
Connor Kent/ Superboy

White Team
Billy Batson/ Shazam @Lucky [/KILLS: 2]
Jak/Mar @dark [/DECEASED: DROWNED IN FREEZING WATER]
Goro Akechi @Alex Azure [/DECEASED: STABBED TO DEATH BY ELI]
Scott Summers/Cyclops [/DECEASED: SHOT TWICE BY ALICE]

Purple Team
Henry Hart/ Kid Danger @Lucky
Ratchet @dark [/DECEASED: CRUSHED UNDER RUBBLE]
Haru Okumura @Alex Azure [/DECEASED: IMPALED ON A METAL ROD BY WARREN WORTHINGTON III/ ANGEL]
Amadeus Cho [/DECEASED: CRUSHED UNDER RUBBLE]​

 

[Takumi]

@Flooded Plains
View attachment 4103
"Alright, geez!" Superboy groaned. "You can but the knives down now, okay? If I was gonna try fryin' you, I would have done it for the mountains, okay? And guess what? I didn't!" Superboy ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "Look, I'm not exactly a saint. But I'm not about to start hurting good people either. Not anymore. If 'not killing kids' if the bar you're setting..." Conner took Jianyu's had in his. "This Superman is about to smash your expectations!" As theirs clapped together, Mantis met eyes with the half-kryptonian boy. As their eyes met, Superboy felt a shiver run down his spine. "I'm not about to throw my life away, Jain. I'll watch your back if you watch mine."

@Yun Lee

@Ice Bridge
View attachment 4094
Eli remained silent as Alice spoke, his eyes fixed on the fire. A couple of days ago, he would have been happy to hear that Scott had bitten the dust. But now? After the snow and the bear and the bridge... he couldn't bring himself to celebrate. Maybe the island had emotionally drained him, leaving him as a mere husk of the passionate boy he had been when he arrived. He let the smoke fill his lungs for a moment.

"He was a good soldier. I never gave him credit for that. Not that it maters now." He broken his stair and turned away from the flames. "Do you know why I chose this strip for my camp?" Eli paused for a heartbeat, letting the crackle of the fire fill the silence. "Because it's the only safe way out of the Deadlands. If you and Scott were planning on coming back, this would be the path you'd take back. This would be the path that would lead you back to me." Eli twisted his arrow between his fingers, its steel shaft sparking in the light. "So that I could take my pound of flesh. A 'thank you' gift for leaving me to die..."

His arrow hit the sand with a crunch.

"Imagine that. Me killing you. An arrow in your neck whilst you slept. You wouldn't have felt a thing. It would have been a mercy killing, really. Compared to what I could have done. That was the plan. Now I'm going back to plan A:"
View attachment 4098
"Survive. Half the island's trying to kill us. If we weren't so close to the Deadlands, the island itself would be trying to kill us. I won't them win. I won't let them beat me. And if that means letting you live a little longer, so be it."

@Takumi​

@Camp Angel
In contrast to the state of the courtyard, Angel's cabin was clean and meticulous. Handcrafted furniture littered its spacious floor, and small bowls of berries, ground herbs we scattered across various counter-tops. Warren cleared a counter of three wooded tea cups and helped to lower the body of the young speedster onto the deck.

"Thank you again, Laura. We'll have him right as rain before you know it. But for now, I must insist you lake a load off your feet. There's isn't a Safe Zone for miles, and the night will be upon us before we know it. Please..." The Angel muttered, removing a glass vial from one of the Cabin's cupboards. He dabbed the silver solution against one of his feathers and ordained Wally with a stroke of his forehead. "Please reconsider my offer and stay for some tea. I would hate to live with yet more blood on my conscience..."

@Jeremi​

@Lake-->@Forest-->@Camp Angel
The path through the forest was dark and humid. The wave of steam that had swept the area had scattered most the wasps, but the occasional black insect wandered into Nezumi's path. But the stragglers weren't much of a threat. They were too far from their brothers to coordinate properly. Instead, they simple drifted through the woods as if they were regular insects.

As the roar of the wings of the wasps grew quieter with each passing step, a sense of safety slowly began to waft over Nezumi. As the blackness of night closed in, a single beacon shimmered among the shadows of the trees. A silver fortress with a warm light at its heart.

As the daylight began to fade, the fort was little more than a star in a black sea, surrounded by a strange, familiar stink. Little more could be seen through the veil of night. Through the window of a hut within its walls, Nezumi could make out the shadows of Laura and the Angel watching over a tired, twitching speedster.

@Takumi @Jeremi

Number of Survivors: 17 Number of Dead: 15 MIA: 0 Hours until Extinction: 40 Time: 4:20am

As streams of amber poured over the Great Ranges, the fortunate enough to get some rest woke up to their Forth Day on Murderworld. A new chill lingered in the air. It was dream. The island would remain in one piece for just short of two more days. With every passing second, oblivion grew closer.

Silence. The Sun didn't burst into song. A leader-board didn't flicker onto the sky. Arcade didn't appear with a bouquet of taunts and insults. Instead, the Champions was haunted by nightmares. To those waking, they appeared like hallucinations. Regardless, as the dawn broke, the Champions were painfully aware of what had occurred across the island on the previous day.

Spoiler: Arcade's Odds

1. Billy Batson/ Shazam 21%
2. Xianyu 21%
3. Alice Swayne 19.9%
4. Laura Kinney 12%
5.Vanitas 12%
6. Warren Worthington III/ Angel 10%
7. Eli/White Mamba 2%
8.Max Griffin 1%

The leader-board was far shorter than it had once been. More and more names were being struck off with passing day. Day 3 had been brutal. The Island's population was almost half of what it had once been.

Terry McGinnis had been abandoned to his fate by Nezumi and Hyakkimaru. The Batman, the man the Champions had once been willing to risk their lives for during the flood now lay dead by the river bank. He was
unrecognizable. Just another shriveled, bony body waiting to become part of the soil of Murderworld

Terry McGinnis/ The Batman: Status: Deceased! Stung to death by killer wasps and abandoned by Nezumi and Hyak!

Following the collapse of the caves, Cho and Ratchet were buried. After enduring a series of heavy blow from Vanitas, Cho lacked the strength to hold up the crumbling Drylands. Rachet also failed to get out in time. The pair met their fates in a cloud of dust and smoke, their only comfort coming from the knowledge that Henry had made it out alive

Amadeus Cho/ the Hulk" Status: Deceased! Crushed under rubble! Murdered by Vanitas and Mantis!
Ratchet: Status: Deceased! Crushed under rubble! Murdered by Vanitas and Mantus!

Supergirl's name was noticeably absent from the leader-board. Following the Battle of the Lake, Kara was left reeling from a series of Magical Attacks from Max Griffin and a follow up strike from Superboy. This attack left Kara vulnerable to the flow of the river. Even her Argonian strength couldn't save her from several tons of water and the pains of oxygen deprivation.

Kara/ Supergirl: Status: Deceased! Struck by a Magic Blast and Drowned by Max Griffin.

Jak, like Eli, had been abandoned by his team following the Battle at the Ice Bridge. Unlike Eli, however, Jak was unable to reach solid ground in time. His path to safety had been obliterated by blasts from both Shazam and Scott. He was taken by icy waves in the early hours of the third day.

Jak: Status: Deceased! Drowned in Frozen Waters!

Spoiler: Arcade's Highlights

"Play of the Match" Henry Hart/ Kid Danger and his Spider Stomping!
"Kill of the Match" Alice Swayne and her sharp shot at Scott!
"Assist of the Match" Billy Batson/Shazam and his swift snake save!
"Best Hero" Not Applicable! There are no heroes left!
"Best Villain" Billy Batson and his Deal with the Devil

@Deadlands-->@Black Forest
A bond was made between the young hero and the King of the Spiders. With a silent nod and a lick of his lips, a silent vow was made. The Scarlet Spider's children would not feast upon Henry's bones. In return, Henry would pay him in flesh.

"You are a good man, Henry Hart. Bring us some good flesh, would ya? Some fresh, all-American skin? I'll be waiting for you, pal. And... we'll be watchin'..."

No matter where he turned, Henry felt eyes upon him. Hundreds of eyes sorted into groups of 8. The eyes of the Island's insects would become Reilly's spies. They would ensure that the boy remained true to his word.

As the light of morning cut through the dead of night, the fog of the Badlands seemed to fade. The threads that had once bound him rotted away and faded into the dirty. The King of Spider retreated into the undergrowth, fleeing from the light.

The Deadlands had never obeyed the laws of the Island. When morning came, Henry awoke to find himself standing on the edge of the Black Forest, looking out onto the Great Ranges and the Quicksand Sea. The nearest safezone was mere minutes away. In the distance, he could make out the silhouette of a giant glowing tree.

@Lucky

@Flooded Plains
Conner, Mantis and Jianyu didn't have the privilege of being woken by the beams of the morning Sun. Instead, they were woken the crackling thunder that always seemed to roar in the wake of the 'improved' Shazam. The storm brought bullets of rain to the plains, flooded the already flooded region. Conner Kent looked to the skies, but even he couldn't look for long. It wasn't the light of the Sun that burned his eyes. It was the heat from the Flames of Arson.
View attachment 4104
"Hey, Jain. Remember that stuff you said about only killing bad guys? I think I've found a bad guy... or a bad guy has come and found us...."

Mantis loomed behind Superboy, his eyes fixated on the blazing figure that loomed above them and the soaked girl he held in his arms. He could taste fear, but he couldn't quite put his finger on who it belonged to.

@Yun Lee @Lucky
Survivors Update:
Red Team
Katherine 'Kate' Bishop/ Hawkeye @Atomic Knight [/STATUS: DECEASED: ELECTROCUTED BY BILLY BATSON/SHAZAM]
Hnikar @Crow
Alice Swayne @Takumi [/KILLS: 1]
Eli/Liquid Snake [/KILLS: 1]

Blue Team
Hyakkimaru @Gummi Bunnies
Laura Kinney @Jeremi [/KILLS: 1]
Maeve @Hahli Nuva [/STATUS: DECEASED: IMPALED ON A METAL ROD BY WARREN WORTHINGTON III/ ANGEL]
Max Griffin @York [/KILLS: 1]

Green Team
Isabeau @Minerva
Alani Ryan @Jeremi [/STATUS: DECEASED: ELECTROCUTED BY BILLY BATSON/SHAZAM]
Vanitas @Gummi Bunnies [/KILLS: 2]
Psycho Mantis

Yellow Team
Nezumi @Takumi
Jaime Reyes @Crow
Xiayu @Yun Lee [/STATUS: DECEASED: SACRIFICED TO THE RAVINE]
Ben Reilly/ Scarlet Spider [/STATUS: ???]

Pink Team
Kara/ Supergirl @York [/STATUS: DECEASED: DROWNED AND CURSED BY MAX GRIFFIN]
Jianyu @Yun Lee [/KILLS: 1]
Stephen Universe @Atomic Knight [/STATUS: DECEASED: IMPALED ON A METAL ROD BY WARREN WORTHINGTON III/ ANGEL]
Terry McGinnis/ Batman Beyond [/STATUS: DECEASED: KILLED BY KILLER BEES AND ABANDONED BY NEZUMI!]

Orange Team
Bucky Barnes/ Winter Soldier [/KILLS: 1] [/STATUS: DECEASED: THROWN INTO A WILDFIRE BY JAINYU]
Wally West/ Kid Flash
Warren Worthington III/ Angel [/KILLS: 3]
Connor Kent/ Superboy

White Team
Billy Batson/ Shazam @Lucky [/KILLS: 2]
Jak/Mar @dark [/DECEASED: DROWNED IN FREEZING WATER]
Goro Akechi @Alex Azure [/DECEASED: STABBED TO DEATH BY ELI]
Scott Summers/Cyclops [/DECEASED: SHOT TWICE BY ALICE]

Purple Team
Henry Hart/ Kid Danger @Lucky
Ratchet @dark [/DECEASED: CRUSHED UNDER RUBBLE]
Haru Okumura @Alex Azure [/DECEASED: IMPALED ON A METAL ROD BY WARREN WORTHINGTON III/ ANGEL]
Amadeus Cho [/DECEASED: CRUSHED UNDER RUBBLE]​

Alice listened quietly,g beginning to eat at her for a moment. But she knew what she had wanted to do after accepting the deal, she might not get it exactly how she wanted but she planned to get it somehow.

"For a moment, I thought I wouldn't of made it out of the Deadlands. I was told Scott had died and that I was by myself. I was really stupid, but I guess I have a plan I place. Not a good one, but it's better than nothing." She smiled again, it once again not reaching her eyes as she stared back into the flames.

"I thought you'd have attacked me on sight, honestly. I can work with this though, it gives me time to put my thoughts together before Arcade tries to fuck with my head again." She chuckled dryly. He did say he couldn't be seen helping her, but he never did say she couldn't tell someone he did, now did he?

"He showed up to play mind games, the fucker." She grumbled, running a still shaky hand over her face. Despite the warmth running through her veins like a flame she couldn't stop the slight shake of her hands.

"He helped me leave under a condition, but I plan to do things my way." She stopped talking then, thinking for a moment. Her emotions felt like a whirlwind, but she could almost hear Chise and Renfred encouraging her not to do things Arcade's way, and that was enough of a push for her to keep going.

@Sark

Nezumi kept his guard up despite the feeling of safety he felt. Safety only.lasted so long after all. Upon coming to the hut his eyes narrowed, his brain trying to identify the stench that hung in the air as he quickly recognized Laura amongst those inside.

He had no problem with Laura, personally, but from what he could tell he could make out the form of Wally, and he was sure Wally would want him dead on sight or out of the area. He wasn't sure about Angel, but from the scent in the air it was clear that he should be extra careful regardless.

@Sark @Jeremi

 

[Yun Lee]

It was a nice feeling, safety. That was what Jianyu felt after bringing Connor onto her team. One more member of her little group. One more ally to help her avenge the fallen. One more person to make Arcade pay. And he had a nickname for her? It was...nice. Suddenly she didn't hate this name as much as she used to.

She spent the rest of the night testing out her new abilities, amazed at how powerful she truly was. Stronger than Bison...than all Four Kings combined, even if you threw Sagat in. And she wasn't alone either, which was best of all. Jianyu was able to sleep soundly that night, her hopes for survival that much brighter.

But morning came, and with it, a disgisting sensation. Water. Wet, disgusting, soaking her skin and hair and makimg her clothes stick to her body. She hated it, HATED being wet. But there was another sensation, too, one that jolted her awake. This guy above them...who was he? She swore he was somebody she had seen in passing somewhere...but he was comlletely unrecognizable. Whoever he was, though, he reeked of evil. Of danger.

As Connor reminded her of her words from earlier, she felt her power within, her first instinct to go and fight him and get that girl (she helped try to save Xiayu she would never forget) away from him. But yet...she looked to her team, and saw in them Ben's mutilated corpse. Her sister going over that waterfall. Good people, her people.

She realized just then how much she didn't want to see them die.

"We have to go," she said, grabbing hold of both Connor and Tretij's arms. "We need more people to take him. There's gotta be another safezone we can go to." Nezumi, Laura, Hyakkimaru...maybe they were somewhere, safe and willing to help.

@Sark @Lucky​

 

[Lucky]

Henry Hart and Billy Batson

Deadlands-->@Black Forest.

There was something unnerving knowing that he had just made a bond with a flesh eating spider to stay alive, but some choices had to be made and if he had to survive he would have to make tough choices. Ray would have been proud of his decision.

" Thank you for that compliment. I promise I will bring you some good flesh to feed on, can't promise it will be all American and I trust that you will be watching us."

Henry felt that was being watched by all the spiders and he knew that he would have to keep his word. Now was the matter of finding other people who could feed the King of Spiders so he wouldn't die. He would do whatever it took to get home.

It was one thing to know that the badlands fog had started to feed. He watched as the threads that had cut him and he watched as they waent away and he had to wonder what challenges awaited him today, he had no clue what had happened while he was gone.

When he woke up, he realized it was the dawn of a new day. He immediately recognized that something had changed as he didn't remember that there had been a Quicksand Sea on any map he had seen. Had Arcade turned he island into a death zone? He wasn't certain- but he figured what happened, but he headed for the giant glowing tree.... but stopped mid-point seeing a storm. Nope, there has to be another way, he headed to the edge.

----------------------------------------

Billy took a breath as he slowly lowered himself onto the ground, not looking over at the group and not saying a word. The silence was more deafening than the words he didn't speak. He didn't lower his Flames of Arson, but he didn't stay too close to the water, not letting go of Isabeau, looking at the other champions. Kill or be killed. That was the way of the game, that was all Billy Batson knew. But yet, it felt wrong, it felt broken. He looked over at them, waiting to see a reaction.

A bad guy- that did seem to be a fitting word for him. He wasn't the hero he once was, but he wasn't a villain yet. All of his kills had been an accident.

When he finally spoke, there was an edge on his voice. " Take her, don't look for me, don't seek me. " As he would take a moment, he would lower Isabeau to the ground, before he would turn back to them. " I'm broken- this is the last good thing I will be able too, run, " he replied. There was a shift in Billy, as he looked at them and would grab Superboy and Mantis and fly up into the air, using the speed of Robber, the strength of Assault and Flames of Arson., " I'm sorry..... I'm sorry, I thought I had more time.... but I guess I was wrong. I'm just his plaything now. But then again... aren't we all?

@Yun Lee @Sark @Minerva

 

[Yun Lee]

"NO!!!!! NO DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE!!!!!!!" Jianyu was horrified. No...nonononononononononono!!!!! Not even looking at Isabeau, Jianyu clung to her two, refusing to let go. Allowing herself to be pulled up with them, she would use the momentum to fling herself forward, shoving Billy in the chest, hopefully with enough force to free Tretij and Connor. "YOU WON'T TAKE THEM FROM ME DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE!!!!!!" She screamed bloody murder, the primal fear of losing her darling team overwhelming her, making her lose control.

Using everything she had, she blasted Billy square in the chest with as much of her Psycho Power as she could muster. She wouldn't lose them. No nonononononononononononono

@Lucky @Sark​

 

[Lucky]

Billy Batson

Billy stared, an empty vacant look in his eyes, unable to process what he was doing, unable to stop himself. He wished she would have listened. He wished he could have been slower, he would look at her and with missing a beat would do two things. He would intestify his flames of Arson on his body. He would also move out her range, using the speed of robbery to move up and down, doing his best to avoid the blast, staring knowing what she felt. He had once been a leader of a team. And now he was here.

Using everything she had, she blasted Billy square in the chest with as much of her Psycho Power as she could muster. She wouldn't lose them. No nonononononononononononono

" I DON'T HAVE A FUCKING CHOICE. I MADE A DEAL WITH ARCADE AND I'M IN CONTROL- NOT." It was impossible to tell if he was telling the lie or the truth. It was also noticeable of one other thing. Billy still felt like punching a brick wall. In a twisted game of fate, both the Shazam powers and the Arcade one agreed on one thing, Billy had to live, so despite being weakened, they would give him a slight brief frame of invulnerability if his dodging failed.

@Yun Lee @Sark

 

[Yun Lee]

Jianyu shrieked, unable to speak anymore as she was desperate to save them. Bison had the power of telekinesis, right? Right???? She'd try and use her mind to plunge them into the ocean, stop the fire, save them all. Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease

@Lucky @Sark​

 

[Lucky]

Billy Batson

Something that Billy had forgotten and that perhaps Arcade and Jianyu certainly didn't know. The powers of Shazam weren't uncorruptable. That were only meant to be gifted to good people, but the Wizard had made mistakes before and given it to people less than worthy. As he was moved, his body started to spark off electricity, black corrupted electricity. He stared. Fuck, fuck, he didn't want to kill anyone, but he wasn't sure how to resist telekinesis. Please look and stop, god this was bad. It wouldn't hurt him.... but for anyone else in the water.... he wasn't sure the same could be said.

@Sark @Yun Lee

 

[Sark]

Alice listened quietly,g beginning to eat at her for a moment. But she knew what she had wanted to do after accepting the deal, she might not get it exactly how she wanted but she planned to get it somehow.

"For a moment, I thought I wouldn't of made it out of the Deadlands. I was told Scott had died and that I was by myself. I was really stupid, but I guess I have a plan I place. Not a good one, but it's better than nothing." She smiled again, it once again not reaching her eyes as she stared back into the flames.

"I thought you'd have attacked me on sight, honestly. I can work with this though, it gives me time to put my thoughts together before Arcade tries to fuck with my head again." She chuckled dryly. He did say he couldn't be seen helping her, but he never did say she couldn't tell someone he did, now did he?

"He showed up to play mind games, the fucker." She grumbled, running a still shaky hand over her face. Despite the warmth running through her veins like a flame she couldn't stop the slight shake of her hands.

"He helped me leave under a condition, but I plan to do things my way." She stopped talking then, thinking for a moment. Her emotions felt like a whirlwind, but she could almost hear Chise and Renfred encouraging her not to do things Arcade's way, and that was enough of a push for her to keep going.

@Red Team Camp
"Conditions?" Eli leaped out of his skin and dove for his arrow. His gritted his teeth and raised his blade. His eyes thinned. "You're trying to tell me that you've thrown in with him?"
View attachment 4106
"Playing this stupid game is one thing, but eating out of his hand is insane. What's wrong with you, Alice?" He spat with disgust. "Was killing Scott not enough for you? What did he offer you? What was your soul worth?"

@Takumi

Billy took a breath as he slowly lowered himself onto the ground, not looking over at the group and not saying a word. The silence was more deafening than the words he didn't speak. He didn't lower his Flames of Arson, but he didn't stay too close to the water, not letting go of Isabeau, looking at the other champions. Kill or be killed. That was the way of the game, that was all Billy Batson knew. But yet, it felt wrong, it felt broken. He looked over at them, waiting to see a reaction.

A bad guy- that did seem to be a fitting word for him. He wasn't the hero he once was, but he wasn't a villain yet. All of his kills had been an accident.

When he finally spoke, there was an edge on his voice. " Take her, don't look for me, don't seek me. " As he would take a moment, he would lower Isabeau to the ground, before he would turn back to them. " I'm broken- this is the last good thing I will be able too, run, " he replied. There was a shift in Billy, as he looked at them and would grab Superboy and Mantis and fly up into the air, using the speed of Robber, the strength of Assault and Flames of Arson., " I'm sorry..... I'm sorry, I thought I had more time.... but I guess I was wrong. I'm just his plaything now. But then again... aren't we all?

@Yun Lee @Sark @Minerva

@Flooded Plains
Tretij countered the blazing champion's rush with little more than a blank, frozen stair. Shazam's might fist struck one side of his chest and passed out the other. Batson took little more than a fistful of smoke with him into the sky. Mantis remained uninjured and incorporeal, his eyes following the fighters as their soared up into the sky.

Conner wasn't so lucky. He could muster littl more than a muffled cry as Shazam took his throat in his hand and dragged him up, up and away. He his invulnerability failed him under the heat of the Flames of Extortion. His coat caught alight. Then the hairs on his arms started to combust. Moments later, he felt his skin burn.

"Let go of me, dirt-bag!" Superboy cried, pounding on Billy's forearm. His grip had to break eventually. It had to. And he wasn't going to stop until it did. He called upon his speed and strength to batter Batson with everything he had. "Don't--you---know---who---I---am???"

As the indigo light of the Psycho power consumed the trio, Superboy's Instincts overcame him. He knew Jainyu's plan was in a heart beat. They didn't need to share words. As Jainyu's telekinesis sent the trio tumbling towards the waves, the half Kryptonian summon what remained of his will. With a rebel yell, he coiled his arms around Shazam's arms and tested the Might of Extortion against his own.

In a tandem with Jianyu's telekinetic push, Superboy dragged Shazam beneath the waves of the Flooded Plains.

@Yun Lee @Lucky​

 

[Lucky]

Billy Batson

Billy took a moment to consider what to do next as he fist met air, but he wasn't about to let anything happen that would stop him. He wasn't about to argue with the fact that he was able to lose him and he took a deep breath, considered his next move, knowing that he was about to be fighting Superboy and Jianyu at the same time. He needed to think.

He didn't even argue against him and he knew that whatever he did, he was doing it for his family. There was something good about knowing that. He had to get back to them, he didn't care what he had to do, seeing as he had set Superboy on fire, he knew that he was going to drag him into the water and the electricity crackled around his body more.

" No, I won't be letting go any time soon,I'm the bad guy, that's fine, it's through no fault of mine," he growled back at him. God, this plan was dark, but he wasn't sure how it would work. But in theory, he knew that it could work. He would just need to focus on everything that he was about to do and he ignored what he told him.

As the indigo light of the Psycho power consumed the trio, Superboy's Instincts overcame him. He knew Jainyu's plan was in a heart beat. They didn't need to share words. As Jainyu's telekinesis sent the trio tumbling towards the waves, the half Kryptonian summon what remained of his will. With a rebel yell, he coiled his arms around Shazam's arms and tested the Might of Extortion against his own.

What none of them realized was that Billy had a plan of his own. He had a feeling back when Arcade had struck him and when the powers had battled that both existed in his body. Before he was shoved beneath the waves, he would close his eyes and shout the word he knew. " SHAZAM!" As Billy expected, lightning came down to strike him as he would descend into the waves with Superboy…. but he was slightly worse.

His body had filled with the same electricity as back after the guilt kill. Expect for two significant differences. One, it was black. Two, he was in control. While his own electricity was striking any water he touched, he sent a carefully guided bolt to strike the tree in the exact position that it would tumble down. He would use his own will to push up against Superboy, and the strength of Extortion. But it was coupled with a bit of the strength of Hercules. For what Billy had never considered about his Shazam powers was their origin. Solomon, Hercules, Achilles, Zeus, Atlas and Mercury.... were all flawed heroes. Solomon had no qualms with ordering a baby to be cut in half to prove a devious point, Hercules had used assault to achieve his ends, Achilles had no problem extorting and using others to avoid conflicts, Zeus had never been the most honest man, a pinnacle of dishonesty, Atlas had held the world, a world that was constantly on fire from the gods and Mercury was the god of thieves. In a twist of fate, the Shazam powers god were not only compatible with the power of ARCADE. They were perfectly matched.

@Sark @Yun Lee @Minerva