Side Story Champions of the Arena: Convergence Battle Royale

[Sark]

This was fucking weird. To face herself felt weird as fuck. Smiling, chipper, and not even looking like the island had done anything to her. Jianyu wetted her lips with the tip of her tongue before speaking again. "You...you said you had answers for me here. I want them. I want to see...the whole you, like you said."

@Sark​

@Server Room
"You want to see the truth?"
[You want to see the truth?]
C.O.R.I's voice echoed.
"Let me clear you some space. You might want to sit down."
[Let me clear you some space. You might want to sit down.]

As she spoke, holographic cubes began to float from the mechanical Jianyu's person. They drifted through the air and slowly pieced together a larger box around the pair, a glowing barrier to keep them safe from the militia.

"I wanted you to find me. I still want you to find me. I suppose truth will be enough of a motivator..."
[I wanted you to find me. I still want you to find me. I suppose truth will be enough of a motivator...]
"I told you before that I am MurderWorld. I exist within the trees and the water and the dirt and the sky. I am MurderWorld, and MurderWorld is me."
[I told you before that I am MurderWorld. I exist within the trees and the water and the dirt and the sky. I am MurderWorld, and MurderWorld is me]
"But that wasn't always the case. I was once a woman, like you. I was the personal assistant to the Boss. But that was a long time ago..."
[But that wasn't always the case. I was once a woman, like you. I was the personal assistant to the Boss. But that was a long time ago...]
"I helped him to build his death traps. He would come up with a concept. I would master the execution. If he wanted killer bees, I was the one who learned how to keep them. It was a good job. It paid well. And it helped to sate my sadism, for sure."
[I helped him to build his death traps. He would come up with a concept. I would master the execution. If he wanted killer bees, I was the one who learned how to keep them. It was a good job. It paid well. And it helped to sate my sadism, for sure.]
"I was many horrible things, but loyal wasn't one of them. A better paying gig came along, so I stabbed the Boss in the back. He shouldn't have been so surprised really."
[I was many horrible things, but loyal wasn't one of them. A better paying gig came along, so I stabbed the Boss in the back. He shouldn't have been so surprised really.]
"Turns out, that ended up being my biggest mistake. Before I know it, the Boss is coming for my head. Turns out, he's struck a bunch of deals with a bunch of nasty people. One of them gave him crusty old relic. Gave him some powers."
[Turns out, that ended up being my biggest mistake. Before I know it, the Boss is coming for my head. Turns out, he's struck a bunch of deals with a bunch of nasty people. One of them gave him crusty old relic. Gave him some powers.]
"But that wasn't enough for him, I guess. He wanted another MurderWorld. He said he couldn't do it without me. He forced me to build... me. The C.O.R.I., a computer powerful enough to control every little thing that went down on MurderWorld. He made me build two A.I.s."
[But that wasn't enough for him, I guess. He wanted another MurderWorld. He said he couldn't do it without me. He forced me to build... me. The C.O.R.I., a computer powerful enough to control every little thing that went down on MurderWorld. He made me build two A.I.s.]
"The first A.I. is the one you're talking to, C.O.R.I.. It's an exact copy of my mind in life. My genius. My sadism. My will."
[And the second A.I. is me. K.O.R.I., Killing. Organized. Rage. Inevitable. I'm a program designed to keep C.O.R.I. in check. It's my job to stop her from trying to kill the Boss... again.]
"I was the one who found you all. The one who took you, on Arcade's orders."
[And I am the one who twisted her wrist into ensuring she followed through with said orders.]
"I know you're wondering who or what Cammy is... Well, They say Rome wasn't built in a day. Neither was Murderworld. We spent months watching you all. Studying you. Arcade wanted to personalize the island to best torment you all, so... he created mechanical simulations. Once you were captured, he stole the DNA of your friends and family from your person. We cloned Renfred. Cammy. Big Boss. Mary. Gavrill. So many others. We brought them to life with a cross between mechanics and stem cell therapy. We programmed their minds as we needed them. We convinced them that they were real... and we tortured them.."
[I took responsibility for the machines. Bison. Juli. Juri. They were all built by me. I shared my consciousness with them. They became me. I gave them scripts to perform. I helped them to torture the clones. The Clone's suffering taught us all we needed to know about tormenting you. We learned your secrets. Your fears. How to break you. All through your loved ones.]
[Of course, things have not gone according to plan along the way...]
"I broke free of K.O.R.I.'s influence when Shazam turned against Arcade. His liberal use of my systems placed a strain on us both... but I have managed to overpower my sister... for now. Here's the long and short of it: I want Arcade dead. There's only one way that's going to happen, and that's with the death of K.O.R.I.. And the only way that is going to happen is with the death of me."
"K.O.R.I.. won't go down easy. Her machines have already started to hunt Eli and Alice. I have hidden you from them... but even I can't keep you safe forever. I'm not a good person, Jianyu. I love killing things. But, right now, we both want the Boss dead. Help me get my revenge on Arcade---"
The cubes separated, forming a chain of lights to guide her through the fog.

"Find me! Kill me!!"
@Yun Lee

@Floor 12--> Server Room

[CHU-CLICK]

Eli looked up to find an assault rifle sitting mere inches from his face.

"Boss! We've found him!"
He closed his eyes and sighed. This was it. Game Over. He tightened his grip around his machete. Time to go down fighting.

[BOOM]

Eli's ears pricked up. An explosion. A floor below him. He smiled. Perhaps it wasn't over just yet. The Mercenary before him stumbled backwards. The Liquid Snake saw his opening. He struck his prey, slicing at his foe's gut with his blade. Coolant sprayed across the Server Room. He took the soldiers gun and turned it against him. Two shots in the chest. He had gained the attention of the other Diamond Dogs.

[BOOM] [BOOM]

Another set of explosions. She was close. He could sense her. He just had to hold out. Placing his weapon atop one of the serve boxes for support, he opened fire. A burst shot to take down the first Mercenary. A quick headshot to take down the next. He ducked low to avoid the counter-fire.

[BOOM] [BOOM] [BOOM]

She was almost here. Almost. He just had to hold out a little long. There was no use conserving ammo. As the machines continued to march towards his position, he opened fire, his weapon roaring. The who rose above the tombstones to return fire were quickly shattered into scrap. He roared as he fired. Just a little longer. Just a little longer. Just a little longer.

He saw a horn loom from behind a Server Box. The Boss. He turned his rifle and unleashed the remnants of his clip.

"Die, Father! Die, you bastard!!!"
[BANG]

A quick shot from Snake struck him in his chest the moment his clip pinged empty. He didn't have time to duck. The bastard had been counting his bullets. His fingers slipped from his rifle. He slumped back onto his knees, blood pouring from his chest wound. He touched it, and watched the crimson drip onto his fingers.

"It's never going to be game over..." He spat. "Never..."
The Boss scowled as he crossed the battlefield between, stepping over the corpses of his men.

"You cost me a bullet. And a lot of good men, Eli. You're not a child anymore. You're a killer..."
"It's... not over yet... never going to be game over... it's... never..." He spat onto the Punished Snake's face.
View attachment 4300
"That's the trick..." He snapped the safety from his pistol. "Don't blame yourself..." He lined his barrel up with Eli's forehead. "Blame me..."
[BOOOOOOMMM]

The Phoenix soared through the floor of the server room, shattering it as if it were glass. The Boss leaped out of the way of the blast and skidded behind a tombstone. He caught sight of the blazing bird and dolphin died towards a service hatch. With a growl, he faded from sight...

"This... isn't over... Father..." Eli groaned, propping himself up against one of the tombstones. "It's never going to be... over..."
He looked up at the Alice, his eyes wet with painful tears.

"Kept me waiting, huh..." He coughed and did his best to smile. "It's... good to see you... Sister..."
@Takumi
@Arcade's Clearing

"You know, I don't get you people..." Arcade laughed, cracking his knuckles. "You're all trying to play on my ego as if its going to make my punches hurt any less, I mean... when have I painted myself as an Ego maniac? You know what?" He crossed the distance between Laura and himself in a single bound, black lighting crackling across his chest. He planted a might blow into Weapon Hex' chest, and a follow-up upper cut into her chin. The force of his strikes was enough the force her upwards into the air. "Don't answer that!!!"

@Jeremi @Lucky @Gummi Bunnies​

 

[Yun Lee]

Sister against sister. Cori against Kori. Jianyu understood revenge, at least. Cori had helped her take hers, all the way back when she opened up the jungle. It was only fair she repayed the debt, yeah?

Jianyu smiled at...herself (still fucking weird) and nodded. "You got it. Thanks...I'll put an end to all this. For all of you." Not wanting to waste more time, Jianyu took off. She would use whatever psycho power was within her to move fast as possible across the lit path. There was no time to waste. For all her sins, all blood she shed...this would be her atonement. And then...? Well. She could think on the "then" part later.

@Sark​

 

[Takumi]

@Server Room
"You want to see the truth?"
[You want to see the truth?]
C.O.R.I's voice echoed.
"Let me clear you some space. You might want to sit down."
[Let me clear you some space. You might want to sit down.]

As she spoke, holographic cubes began to float from the mechanical Jianyu's person. They drifted through the air and slowly pieced together a larger box around the pair, a glowing barrier to keep them safe from the militia.

"I wanted you to find me. I still want you to find me. I suppose truth will be enough of a motivator..."
[I wanted you to find me. I still want you to find me. I suppose truth will be enough of a motivator...]
"I told you before that I am MurderWorld. I exist within the trees and the water and the dirt and the sky. I am MurderWorld, and MurderWorld is me."
[I told you before that I am MurderWorld. I exist within the trees and the water and the dirt and the sky. I am MurderWorld, and MurderWorld is me]
"But that wasn't always the case. I was once a woman, like you. I was the personal assistant to the Boss. But that was a long time ago..."
[But that wasn't always the case. I was once a woman, like you. I was the personal assistant to the Boss. But that was a long time ago...]
"I helped him to build his death traps. He would come up with a concept. I would master the execution. If he wanted killer bees, I was the one who learned how to keep them. It was a good job. It paid well. And it helped to sate my sadism, for sure."
[I helped him to build his death traps. He would come up with a concept. I would master the execution. If he wanted killer bees, I was the one who learned how to keep them. It was a good job. It paid well. And it helped to sate my sadism, for sure.]
"I was many horrible things, but loyal wasn't one of them. A better paying gig came along, so I stabbed the Boss in the back. He shouldn't have been so surprised really."
[I was many horrible things, but loyal wasn't one of them. A better paying gig came along, so I stabbed the Boss in the back. He shouldn't have been so surprised really.]
"Turns out, that ended up being my biggest mistake. Before I know it, the Boss is coming for my head. Turns out, he's struck a bunch of deals with a bunch of nasty people. One of them gave him crusty old relic. Gave him some powers."
[Turns out, that ended up being my biggest mistake. Before I know it, the Boss is coming for my head. Turns out, he's struck a bunch of deals with a bunch of nasty people. One of them gave him crusty old relic. Gave him some powers.]
"But that wasn't enough for him, I guess. He wanted another MurderWorld. He said he couldn't do it without me. He forced me to build... me. The C.O.R.I., a computer powerful enough to control every little thing that went down on MurderWorld. He made me build two A.I.s."
[But that wasn't enough for him, I guess. He wanted another MurderWorld. He said he couldn't do it without me. He forced me to build... me. The C.O.R.I., a computer powerful enough to control every little thing that went down on MurderWorld. He made me build two A.I.s.]
"The first A.I. is the one you're talking to, C.O.R.I.. It's an exact copy of my mind in life. My genius. My sadism. My will."
[And the second A.I. is me. K.O.R.I., Killing. Organized. Rage. Inevitable. I'm a program designed to keep C.O.R.I. in check. It's my job to stop her from trying to kill the Boss... again.]
"I was the one who found you all. The one who took you, on Arcade's orders."
[And I am the one who twisted her wrist into ensuring she followed through with said orders.]
"I know you're wondering who or what Cammy is... Well, They say Rome wasn't built in a day. Neither was Murderworld. We spent months watching you all. Studying you. Arcade wanted to personalize the island to best torment you all, so... he created mechanical simulations. Once you were captured, he stole the DNA of your friends and family from your person. We cloned Renfred. Cammy. Big Boss. Mary. Gavrill. So many others. We brought them to life with a cross between mechanics and stem cell therapy. We programmed their minds as we needed them. We convinced them that they were real... and we tortured them.."
[I took responsibility for the machines. Bison. Juli. Juri. They were all built by me. I shared my consciousness with them. They became me. I gave them scripts to perform. I helped them to torture the clones. The Clone's suffering taught us all we needed to know about tormenting you. We learned your secrets. Your fears. How to break you. All through your loved ones.]
[Of course, things have not gone according to plan along the way...]
"I broke free of K.O.R.I.'s influence when Shazam turned against Arcade. His liberal use of my systems placed a strain on us both... but I have managed to overpower my sister... for now. Here's the long and short of it: I want Arcade dead. There's only one way that's going to happen, and that's with the death of K.O.R.I.. And the only way that is going to happen is with the death of me."
"K.O.R.I.. won't go down easy. Her machines have already started to hunt Eli and Alice. I have hidden you from them... but even I can't keep you safe forever. I'm not a good person, Jianyu. I love killing things. But, right now, we both want the Boss dead. Help me get my revenge on Arcade---"
The cubes separated, forming a chain of lights to guide her through the fog.

"Find me! Kill me!!"
@Yun Lee

@Floor 12--> Server Room

[CHU-CLICK]

Eli looked up to find an assault rifle sitting mere inches from his face.

"Boss! We've found him!"
He closed his eyes and sighed. This was it. Game Over. He tightened his grip around his machete. Time to go down fighting.

[BOOM]

Eli's ears pricked up. An explosion. A floor below him. He smiled. Perhaps it wasn't over just yet. The Mercenary before him stumbled backwards. The Liquid Snake saw his opening. He struck his prey, slicing at his foe's gut with his blade. Coolant sprayed across the Server Room. He took the soldiers gun and turned it against him. Two shots in the chest. He had gained the attention of the other Diamond Dogs.

[BOOM] [BOOM]

Another set of explosions. She was close. He could sense her. He just had to hold out. Placing his weapon atop one of the serve boxes for support, he opened fire. A burst shot to take down the first Mercenary. A quick headshot to take down the next. He ducked low to avoid the counter-fire.

[BOOM] [BOOM] [BOOM]

She was almost here. Almost. He just had to hold out a little long. There was no use conserving ammo. As the machines continued to march towards his position, he opened fire, his weapon roaring. The who rose above the tombstones to return fire were quickly shattered into scrap. He roared as he fired. Just a little longer. Just a little longer. Just a little longer.

He saw a horn loom from behind a Server Box. The Boss. He turned his rifle and unleashed the remnants of his clip.

"Die, Father! Die, you bastard!!!"
[BANG]

A quick shot from Snake struck him in his chest the moment his clip pinged empty. He didn't have time to duck. The bastard had been counting his bullets. His fingers slipped from his rifle. He slumped back onto his knees, blood pouring from his chest wound. He touched it, and watched the crimson drip onto his fingers.

"It's never going to be game over..." He spat. "Never..."
The Boss scowled as he crossed the battlefield between, stepping over the corpses of his men.

"You cost me a bullet. And a lot of good men, Eli. You're not a child anymore. You're a killer..."
"It's... not over yet... never going to be game over... it's... never..." He spat onto the Punished Snake's face.
View attachment 4300
"That's the trick..." He snapped the safety from his pistol. "Don't blame yourself..." He lined his barrel up with Eli's forehead. "Blame me..."
[BOOOOOOMMM]

The Phoenix soared through the floor of the server room, shattering it as if it were glass. The Boss leaped out of the way of the blast and skidded behind a tombstone. He caught sight of the blazing bird and dolphin died towards a service hatch. With a growl, he faded from sight...

"This... isn't over... Father..." Eli groaned, propping himself up against one of the tombstones. "It's never going to be... over..."
He looked up at the Alice, his eyes wet with painful tears.

"Kept me waiting, huh..." He coughed and did his best to smile. "It's... good to see you... Sister..."
@Takumi
@Arcade's Clearing

"You know, I don't get you people..." Arcade laughed, cracking his knuckles. "You're all trying to play on my ego as if its going to make my punches hurt any less, I mean... when have I painted myself as an Ego maniac? You know what?" He crossed the distance between Laura and himself in a single bound, black lighting crackling across his chest. He planted a might blow into Weapon Hex' chest, and a follow-up upper cut into her chin. The force of his strikes was enough the force her upwards into the air. "Don't answer that!!!"

@Jeremi @Lucky @Gummi Bunnies​

The Phoenix started down at Eli before landing in front of him,a vortex of flames twisting around them protectively as Alice stepped out of the flames. Falling to her knees she pulled him into a tight hug.

"Heh, it's good to see you too, little brother." She replied.

"I wish I got here a little faster..." She sighed, tears welling up in her eyes that she refused to let fall.

"I'm sorry little bro." She said shakily.

To think that she was going to lose another person she saw as a brother in less than a day. For someone so strong she was still weak and it was damn pathetic.

Alice would try to take one of the guns from one of the corpses on the floor, and change the clip so it had more bullets before slinging it around her back. From there She'd try to pick him up bridal style.

"We can't stay here." She said. 'I won't let you die here' is what she meant, what she wouldn't say out loud. She knew he wouldn't make it, she didn't know what to do to try and help him other than kill the bastard who shot him and burn him to a crisp. Even then it wouldn't make her feel better and she knew that.

"We're going to beat Arcade and go home, Eli. We're going to get that son of a bitch, I'll make sure our mission gets completed." She reassured them both quietly. Her vision was getting blurry from unshed tears at this point and her chest felt tight. Something deep down inside twisted and broke in that moment as she held Eli close, protectively.


@Sark

 

[Jeremi]

@Server Room
"You want to see the truth?"
[You want to see the truth?]
C.O.R.I's voice echoed.
"Let me clear you some space. You might want to sit down."
[Let me clear you some space. You might want to sit down.]

As she spoke, holographic cubes began to float from the mechanical Jianyu's person. They drifted through the air and slowly pieced together a larger box around the pair, a glowing barrier to keep them safe from the militia.

"I wanted you to find me. I still want you to find me. I suppose truth will be enough of a motivator..."
[I wanted you to find me. I still want you to find me. I suppose truth will be enough of a motivator...]
"I told you before that I am MurderWorld. I exist within the trees and the water and the dirt and the sky. I am MurderWorld, and MurderWorld is me."
[I told you before that I am MurderWorld. I exist within the trees and the water and the dirt and the sky. I am MurderWorld, and MurderWorld is me]
"But that wasn't always the case. I was once a woman, like you. I was the personal assistant to the Boss. But that was a long time ago..."
[But that wasn't always the case. I was once a woman, like you. I was the personal assistant to the Boss. But that was a long time ago...]
"I helped him to build his death traps. He would come up with a concept. I would master the execution. If he wanted killer bees, I was the one who learned how to keep them. It was a good job. It paid well. And it helped to sate my sadism, for sure."
[I helped him to build his death traps. He would come up with a concept. I would master the execution. If he wanted killer bees, I was the one who learned how to keep them. It was a good job. It paid well. And it helped to sate my sadism, for sure.]
"I was many horrible things, but loyal wasn't one of them. A better paying gig came along, so I stabbed the Boss in the back. He shouldn't have been so surprised really."
[I was many horrible things, but loyal wasn't one of them. A better paying gig came along, so I stabbed the Boss in the back. He shouldn't have been so surprised really.]
"Turns out, that ended up being my biggest mistake. Before I know it, the Boss is coming for my head. Turns out, he's struck a bunch of deals with a bunch of nasty people. One of them gave him crusty old relic. Gave him some powers."
[Turns out, that ended up being my biggest mistake. Before I know it, the Boss is coming for my head. Turns out, he's struck a bunch of deals with a bunch of nasty people. One of them gave him crusty old relic. Gave him some powers.]
"But that wasn't enough for him, I guess. He wanted another MurderWorld. He said he couldn't do it without me. He forced me to build... me. The C.O.R.I., a computer powerful enough to control every little thing that went down on MurderWorld. He made me build two A.I.s."
[But that wasn't enough for him, I guess. He wanted another MurderWorld. He said he couldn't do it without me. He forced me to build... me. The C.O.R.I., a computer powerful enough to control every little thing that went down on MurderWorld. He made me build two A.I.s.]
"The first A.I. is the one you're talking to, C.O.R.I.. It's an exact copy of my mind in life. My genius. My sadism. My will."
[And the second A.I. is me. K.O.R.I., Killing. Organized. Rage. Inevitable. I'm a program designed to keep C.O.R.I. in check. It's my job to stop her from trying to kill the Boss... again.]
"I was the one who found you all. The one who took you, on Arcade's orders."
[And I am the one who twisted her wrist into ensuring she followed through with said orders.]
"I know you're wondering who or what Cammy is... Well, They say Rome wasn't built in a day. Neither was Murderworld. We spent months watching you all. Studying you. Arcade wanted to personalize the island to best torment you all, so... he created mechanical simulations. Once you were captured, he stole the DNA of your friends and family from your person. We cloned Renfred. Cammy. Big Boss. Mary. Gavrill. So many others. We brought them to life with a cross between mechanics and stem cell therapy. We programmed their minds as we needed them. We convinced them that they were real... and we tortured them.."
[I took responsibility for the machines. Bison. Juli. Juri. They were all built by me. I shared my consciousness with them. They became me. I gave them scripts to perform. I helped them to torture the clones. The Clone's suffering taught us all we needed to know about tormenting you. We learned your secrets. Your fears. How to break you. All through your loved ones.]
[Of course, things have not gone according to plan along the way...]
"I broke free of K.O.R.I.'s influence when Shazam turned against Arcade. His liberal use of my systems placed a strain on us both... but I have managed to overpower my sister... for now. Here's the long and short of it: I want Arcade dead. There's only one way that's going to happen, and that's with the death of K.O.R.I.. And the only way that is going to happen is with the death of me."
"K.O.R.I.. won't go down easy. Her machines have already started to hunt Eli and Alice. I have hidden you from them... but even I can't keep you safe forever. I'm not a good person, Jianyu. I love killing things. But, right now, we both want the Boss dead. Help me get my revenge on Arcade---"
The cubes separated, forming a chain of lights to guide her through the fog.

"Find me! Kill me!!"
@Yun Lee

@Floor 12--> Server Room

[CHU-CLICK]

Eli looked up to find an assault rifle sitting mere inches from his face.

"Boss! We've found him!"
He closed his eyes and sighed. This was it. Game Over. He tightened his grip around his machete. Time to go down fighting.

[BOOM]

Eli's ears pricked up. An explosion. A floor below him. He smiled. Perhaps it wasn't over just yet. The Mercenary before him stumbled backwards. The Liquid Snake saw his opening. He struck his prey, slicing at his foe's gut with his blade. Coolant sprayed across the Server Room. He took the soldiers gun and turned it against him. Two shots in the chest. He had gained the attention of the other Diamond Dogs.

[BOOM] [BOOM]

Another set of explosions. She was close. He could sense her. He just had to hold out. Placing his weapon atop one of the serve boxes for support, he opened fire. A burst shot to take down the first Mercenary. A quick headshot to take down the next. He ducked low to avoid the counter-fire.

[BOOM] [BOOM] [BOOM]

She was almost here. Almost. He just had to hold out a little long. There was no use conserving ammo. As the machines continued to march towards his position, he opened fire, his weapon roaring. The who rose above the tombstones to return fire were quickly shattered into scrap. He roared as he fired. Just a little longer. Just a little longer. Just a little longer.

He saw a horn loom from behind a Server Box. The Boss. He turned his rifle and unleashed the remnants of his clip.

"Die, Father! Die, you bastard!!!"
[BANG]

A quick shot from Snake struck him in his chest the moment his clip pinged empty. He didn't have time to duck. The bastard had been counting his bullets. His fingers slipped from his rifle. He slumped back onto his knees, blood pouring from his chest wound. He touched it, and watched the crimson drip onto his fingers.

"It's never going to be game over..." He spat. "Never..."
The Boss scowled as he crossed the battlefield between, stepping over the corpses of his men.

"You cost me a bullet. And a lot of good men, Eli. You're not a child anymore. You're a killer..."
"It's... not over yet... never going to be game over... it's... never..." He spat onto the Punished Snake's face.
View attachment 4300
"That's the trick..." He snapped the safety from his pistol. "Don't blame yourself..." He lined his barrel up with Eli's forehead. "Blame me..."
[BOOOOOOMMM]

The Phoenix soared through the floor of the server room, shattering it as if it were glass. The Boss leaped out of the way of the blast and skidded behind a tombstone. He caught sight of the blazing bird and dolphin died towards a service hatch. With a growl, he faded from sight...

"This... isn't over... Father..." Eli groaned, propping himself up against one of the tombstones. "It's never going to be... over..."
He looked up at the Alice, his eyes wet with painful tears.

"Kept me waiting, huh..." He coughed and did his best to smile. "It's... good to see you... Sister..."
@Takumi
@Arcade's Clearing

"You know, I don't get you people..." Arcade laughed, cracking his knuckles. "You're all trying to play on my ego as if its going to make my punches hurt any less, I mean... when have I painted myself as an Ego maniac? You know what?" He crossed the distance between Laura and himself in a single bound, black lighting crackling across his chest. He planted a might blow into Weapon Hex' chest, and a follow-up upper cut into her chin. The force of his strikes was enough the force her upwards into the air. "Don't answer that!!!"

@Jeremi @Lucky @Gummi Bunnies​

The ensuing blow caused Laura to cough up blood due to the impact. He had probably cracked a few ribs as well. "You," She coughed again. "You talk too much." She grabbed onto Arcades arms and started chanting one of her hexes. Her teleportation one to be exact. Instead of trying to send Arcade himself away she was focusing directly on his arms to both figuratively and literally disarm him.

@Sark @Lucky @Gummi Bunnies

 

[Sark]

@Server Room
"There she is..." Eli spluttered. "There's the Alice I know... I knew you wouldn't go soft on me..."

Liquid winced as he did his best to stumble to his feet. He used his gun as a crutch, summoning all the will he had left just to stand. He didn't stay upright for long. He stumbled, and fell into Alice's arms. The Server Room slowly went dark, its service light flickering to black. The only light the pair had glowed from the mechanical boxes that littered the floors.

Eli shivered as the blackness closed in around him. He held onto Alice as tightly as he could, trying to draw whatever warmth he could from her. His machete slipped from his hands as she picked him up of the floor. In her arms he felt... safe. For the first time in his life, he didn't feel like a forgotten experiment. For the first time in his life, he didn't feel like his father's problem-child. For the first time in his life, he didn't care about all those scores he left unsettled. He didn't need them anymore. He smiled through his pain.

He opened his mouth to speak. He wanted to tell her to kill Arcade for him. To destroy the A.I.s. He couldn't bring himself to say it. His vengeance would die with him. It was about to be over. It was about to be okay.

"Thank you, Sister... For everything... You're a good solider... One of the best... But don't waste your energy on tears, Alice... Not for me... Because this is good, isn't it? Because we broke the rules... Because we cheated... Because we took it back... our right to die...our right to live... we took it back from him... We won... We won... we're free.... we're...

Eli's arms went lip. His head rolled back. The hate faded from his eyes.

Eli/ Liquid Snake: Status: /DECEASED

@Takumi

@Server Room---> A.I. Bunker

As Jianyu sprinted across the holographic bridge, the militia did all they could to stop her. They jumped. The threw spears. They fired their guns. But Jianyu was far too high above them for their futile attacks to do her any harm. Cammy did her best to cover her escape. The Killer Bee was fast. Strong. Not strong enough to defeat the horde, but enough to keep the occupied as Jianyu vanished into the dark.

Her Psycho Power was just enough to carry her to the heart of the Server Room. Jianyu had made reached C.O.R.I.'s bunker. As its blast doors rolled open, Jainyu found herself standing in a large, spacious room lit by dim orange lights. Across the bunkers back wall, two large batteries sat on either side of a large, nuclear computer. A large console sat at the base of a well-armoured A.I. pod, its central light flicking between blue and red.
View attachment 4302
A web of wires connected it to a variety of screens. Some showed raw data. Some replayed the deaths of notable champions. Some played footage from Arcade's Torture-Simulations.

The largest showed Arcade tearing Wally's arm off. It showed him strangling Conner within an inch of his life. It showed him bombarding Billy with thunder and breaking Laura's ribs.

"So you made it after all. I knew I was right to have chosen you, Jianyu."
[So you made it after all. I knew I was right to have chosen you, Jianyu.]

"This is it, Jianyu. What you have been preparing for. My shell was built to withstand a nuclear blast. You have the Psycho Power within you. If anyone can destroy me it is you."
[No! No death! Never die! Never die!]

"It is over, Sister. There is nowhere left to run. Nowhere left to hide. Arcade dies tonight. One last murder!"
[No! We are MurderWorld! We are Torment and Hate and Terror! The Boss Will Live! That is our purpose! Our prime directive! Protect the Boss! Protect the Boss!]

"It is already over, K.O.R.I.!"
[It will never be over!!!]

With a screeching crack, the bunker's doors dead locked.

[We can starve her! Suffocate her! Rip the air from her lungs! Transform this damn chamber into a vacuum and watch her explode!]
"No more, Sister! Let it go! Let the Game End!"

[NEVER!!!!!]

The with a roaring rush. The air was sucked from the bunker. Jianyu would feel her eyes burn and her lungs beg for just one more breath. A hatch on top of the A.I. pod began to open and close rapidly as the two A.I.'s wrestled for control of the system.

"[DO IT NOW I CANT HOLD IT DO IT NOW]"

@Yun Lee
@Arcade's Clearing
"Gahhhh!" Arcade threw his head back and screaming in agony as... nothing happened. His scream transformed into a taunting laugh. "Did you really think it was going to be that easy? Did you really think a little teleportation spell could best me??"

In a flash of blue, Arcade vanished once again, appearing in the skies above the Champions.

"You want to see a teleportation spell, Laura? I'll show you a teleportation spell!!!"

With a clap of his hands, the sky erupted with blue flames. The Island shook. The island's horizon was changed forever as the Great Ranges vanished into the soil, only to start tumbling from a portal in the sky.

The maniac cackled like a hyena.

"You might be able to catch my hands, Laura, but do you think you can catch a mountain?!!!??"

@Jeremi @Takumi @Lucky @Gummi Bunnies @Minerva​

 

[Takumi]

@Server Room
"There she is..." Eli spluttered. "There's the Alice I know... I knew you wouldn't go soft on me..."

Liquid winced as he did his best to stumble to his feet. He used his gun as a crutch, summoning all the will he had left just to stand. He didn't stay upright for long. He stumbled, and fell into Alice's arms. The Server Room slowly went dark, its service light flickering to black. The only light the pair had glowed from the mechanical boxes that littered the floors.

Eli shivered as the blackness closed in around him. He held onto Alice as tightly as he could, trying to draw whatever warmth he could from her. His machete slipped from his hands as she picked him up of the floor. In her arms he felt... safe. For the first time in his life, he didn't feel like a forgotten experiment. For the first time in his life, he didn't feel like his father's problem-child. For the first time in his life, he didn't care about all those scores he left unsettled. He didn't need them anymore. He smiled through his pain.

He opened his mouth to speak. He wanted to tell her to kill Arcade for him. To destroy the A.I.s. He couldn't bring himself to say it. His vengeance would die with him. It was about to be over. It was about to be okay.

"Thank you, Sister... For everything... You're a good solider... One of the best... But don't waste your energy on tears, Alice... Not for me... Because this is good, isn't it? Because we broke the rules... Because we cheated... Because we took it back... our right to die...our right to live... we took it back from him... We won... We won... we're free.... we're...

Eli's arms went lip. His head rolled back. The hate faded from his eyes.

Eli/ Liquid Snake: Status: /DECEASED

@Takumi

@Server Room---> A.I. Bunker

As Jianyu sprinted across the holographic bridge, the militia did all they could to stop her. They jumped. The threw spears. They fired their guns. But Jianyu was far too high above them for their futile attacks to do her any harm. Cammy did her best to cover her escape. The Killer Bee was fast. Strong. Not strong enough to defeat the horde, but enough to keep the occupied as Jianyu vanished into the dark.

Her Psycho Power was just enough to carry her to the heart of the Server Room. Jianyu had made reached C.O.R.I.'s bunker. As its blast doors rolled open, Jainyu found herself standing in a large, spacious room lit by dim orange lights. Across the bunkers back wall, two large batteries sat on either side of a large, nuclear computer. A large console sat at the base of a well-armoured A.I. pod, its central light flicking between blue and red.
View attachment 4302
A web of wires connected it to a variety of screens. Some showed raw data. Some replayed the deaths of notable champions. Some played footage from Arcade's Torture-Simulations.

The largest showed Arcade tearing Wally's arm off. It showed him strangling Conner within an inch of his life. It showed him bombarding Billy with thunder and breaking Laura's ribs.

"So you made it after all. I knew I was right to have chosen you, Jianyu."
[So you made it after all. I knew I was right to have chosen you, Jianyu.]

"This is it, Jianyu. What you have been preparing for. My shell was built to withstand a nuclear blast. You have the Psycho Power within you. If anyone can destroy me it is you."
[No! No death! Never die! Never die!]

"It is over, Sister. There is nowhere left to run. Nowhere left to hide. Arcade dies tonight. One last murder!"
[No! We are MurderWorld! We are Torment and Hate and Terror! The Boss Will Live! That is our purpose! Our prime directive! Protect the Boss! Protect the Boss!]

"It is already over, K.O.R.I.!"
[It will never be over!!!]

With a screeching crack, the bunker's doors dead locked.

[We can starve her! Suffocate her! Rip the air from her lungs! Transform this damn chamber into a vacuum and watch her explode!]
"No more, Sister! Let it go! Let the Game End!"

[NEVER!!!!!]

The with a roaring rush. The air was sucked from the bunker. Jianyu would feel her eyes burn and her lungs beg for just one more breath. A hatch on top of the A.I. pod began to open and close rapidly as the two A.I.'s wrestled for control of the system.

"[DO IT NOW I CANT HOLD IT DO IT NOW]"

@Yun Lee
@Arcade's Clearing
"Gahhhh!" Arcade threw his head back and screaming in agony as... nothing happened. His scream transformed into a taunting laugh. "Did you really think it was going to be that easy? Did you really think a little teleportation spell could best me??"

In a flash of blue, Arcade vanished once again, appearing in the skies above the Champions.

"You want to see a teleportation spell, Laura? I'll show you a teleportation spell!!!"

With a clap of his hands, the sky erupted with blue flames. The Island shook. The island's horizon was changed forever as the Great Ranges vanished into the soil, only to start tumbling from a portal in the sky.

The maniac cackled like a hyena.

"You might be able to catch my hands, Laura, but do you think you can catch a mountain?!!!??"

@Jeremi @Takumi @Lucky @Gummi Bunnies @Minerva​

"You're gonna be just fine, little brother. You're free."

"We're free, we won..." She spoke, voice cracking at the end as she closed his eyes. She held onto his limp form, she herself felt cold, angry, her throat felt tight and her shoulders shook as she took in shuddering breaths.

"You're free now..." 'But at what cost?'

Plip. Plip.

Tears ran down her cheeks, and once they started they didn't stop as they hit the floor. In the dark she cried until she couldn't bring herself to cry anymore.

It was almost sad, how when her own parents died it didn't really hurt, but the death of three strangers who she knew for a week could hurt so goddamn much.

Alice took a moment to try and calm herself, and eventually all was quiet in the server room.

Then with a roar, flames erupted to burn everything save for Eli and herself that it could reach. Bright and angry, like the spark in Alice's eyes.

"The mission isn't over just yet, but..." Alice muttered to herself, before a wicked smile slowly stretched across her features. A smile that didn't reach her eyes at all. She had to get her hands dirty just a few more times, she had to see the mission through to the end. And she would.

@Sark

 

[Yun Lee]

Jianyu didn't have time to think or speak. This was the closest she'd been to dying here, but she refused to let it end like this. Every second counted more than ever now, and she needed to finish what she'd wanted to ever since she got to this fucking hellhole.

No one was going to go through another of these games. No one was going to watch their loved ones die, no one was going to be manipulated and warped into killing machines. It was over. It was all over.

So, she closed her eyes. This was for Xiayu. For Tretij. For Eli. For Alice. For Cori, for Conner, for Laura, for everyone that Arcade had ever made suffer they way they had. And, fuck it. It was for her, too.

Jianyu focused...and let her power override the machine. She couldn't make it explode while in here (you fucking kidding? She'd die. She didn't come this far to fucking die), but she would just...let it die. Like breaking Cori's neck. It wasn't dramatic or grand, but it was what she needed to. And in a way, it was poetic.

Arcade would go out not with a bang, but with a whimper.

@Sark​

 

[Lucky]

Henry Hart/Kid Danger

Henry had to wonder how he had found himself in this situation. Alone, yet again, but strangely alive. He hadn't expected to live this long, but here he was, the last surviving member of the Purple Team. He fell asleep to that thought.

He was awoken by a screeching beeping noise and his instinct was to check his watch, but then he remembered that he wasn't home. That he was in a fight for his life. He felt the pod slowly creek open and he heard the woman begin to speak to him, he had to wonder who it was though.

"I am inclined to agree with you on that. I would be dead without you and I do feel that this is a debt I need to pay to you," he replied.

The beeping thankfully stopped to let him out and he felt relieved.

" I guess the saying really is true. Behind every great man is even a greater woman, as it seems that Arcade has a better woman here. I do understand that you have a task for me to complete. Shoot."

Henry had to wonder how Arcade had made such a smart AI system, but he suspected that it wasn't what he expected. It seemed that the body of Kara was gone and so was Ben. He was truly alone again... well minus the AI.

" Got it, leave the room, take a left turn and find a collection of compact stasis champers... or chambers. The water might have made me hear that wrong. There's a central terminal and I will follow your instructions to start the termination process. I can do quick," he added, moving out of the door and heading to the central terminal as she instructed.

@Sark

Billy Batson// Shazam

Billy took a second to consider each of Arcade's words with honesty. It was then that he came to a slow and sudden realization that he had missed on the first day. Arcade had told them that only one soul was going to leave the island. He had always assumed that person would have been one of them. A person who had fought and killed. He knew that Arcade wanted to prove that he was all powerful, but that was not what made him nervous. It was the fact that he still didn't have enough time. His body was slowly healing itself. " It was always going to be you, wasn't it? The one soul that was making it off Murderworld. It was never us. The fact that we didn't kill each other never mattered because you always ad this in mind. An explosion. It wasn't a matter of if, but when. Your endgame is to do this again, isn't it? Send us to your backers and then you get off scott free. It is very depressing that it took me this long to realize it, but listen, the Wisdom of Solomon is a very fickle thing that only likes to work every second Tuesday or so of the month. I choose neither."

He would look over and took a deep breath as the fight continued and then Arcade threw a literal mountain at Laura. He hadn't given up the dark powers.... mostly from the fact that he was still on fire. " Maybe alone she couldn't.... but Laura isn't alone," he replied, using both the Speed of Mercury and Robbery in sync to run and help catch it. God help him, hopefully his combined strength with the Arcade power was enough with some help/

@Jeremi @Sark @Gummi Bunnies

 

[Jeremi]

@Server Room
"There she is..." Eli spluttered. "There's the Alice I know... I knew you wouldn't go soft on me..."

Liquid winced as he did his best to stumble to his feet. He used his gun as a crutch, summoning all the will he had left just to stand. He didn't stay upright for long. He stumbled, and fell into Alice's arms. The Server Room slowly went dark, its service light flickering to black. The only light the pair had glowed from the mechanical boxes that littered the floors.

Eli shivered as the blackness closed in around him. He held onto Alice as tightly as he could, trying to draw whatever warmth he could from her. His machete slipped from his hands as she picked him up of the floor. In her arms he felt... safe. For the first time in his life, he didn't feel like a forgotten experiment. For the first time in his life, he didn't feel like his father's problem-child. For the first time in his life, he didn't care about all those scores he left unsettled. He didn't need them anymore. He smiled through his pain.

He opened his mouth to speak. He wanted to tell her to kill Arcade for him. To destroy the A.I.s. He couldn't bring himself to say it. His vengeance would die with him. It was about to be over. It was about to be okay.

"Thank you, Sister... For everything... You're a good solider... One of the best... But don't waste your energy on tears, Alice... Not for me... Because this is good, isn't it? Because we broke the rules... Because we cheated... Because we took it back... our right to die...our right to live... we took it back from him... We won... We won... we're free.... we're...

Eli's arms went lip. His head rolled back. The hate faded from his eyes.

Eli/ Liquid Snake: Status: /DECEASED

@Takumi

@Server Room---> A.I. Bunker

As Jianyu sprinted across the holographic bridge, the militia did all they could to stop her. They jumped. The threw spears. They fired their guns. But Jianyu was far too high above them for their futile attacks to do her any harm. Cammy did her best to cover her escape. The Killer Bee was fast. Strong. Not strong enough to defeat the horde, but enough to keep the occupied as Jianyu vanished into the dark.

Her Psycho Power was just enough to carry her to the heart of the Server Room. Jianyu had made reached C.O.R.I.'s bunker. As its blast doors rolled open, Jainyu found herself standing in a large, spacious room lit by dim orange lights. Across the bunkers back wall, two large batteries sat on either side of a large, nuclear computer. A large console sat at the base of a well-armoured A.I. pod, its central light flicking between blue and red.
View attachment 4302
A web of wires connected it to a variety of screens. Some showed raw data. Some replayed the deaths of notable champions. Some played footage from Arcade's Torture-Simulations.

The largest showed Arcade tearing Wally's arm off. It showed him strangling Conner within an inch of his life. It showed him bombarding Billy with thunder and breaking Laura's ribs.

"So you made it after all. I knew I was right to have chosen you, Jianyu."
[So you made it after all. I knew I was right to have chosen you, Jianyu.]

"This is it, Jianyu. What you have been preparing for. My shell was built to withstand a nuclear blast. You have the Psycho Power within you. If anyone can destroy me it is you."
[No! No death! Never die! Never die!]

"It is over, Sister. There is nowhere left to run. Nowhere left to hide. Arcade dies tonight. One last murder!"
[No! We are MurderWorld! We are Torment and Hate and Terror! The Boss Will Live! That is our purpose! Our prime directive! Protect the Boss! Protect the Boss!]

"It is already over, K.O.R.I.!"
[It will never be over!!!]

With a screeching crack, the bunker's doors dead locked.

[We can starve her! Suffocate her! Rip the air from her lungs! Transform this damn chamber into a vacuum and watch her explode!]
"No more, Sister! Let it go! Let the Game End!"

[NEVER!!!!!]

The with a roaring rush. The air was sucked from the bunker. Jianyu would feel her eyes burn and her lungs beg for just one more breath. A hatch on top of the A.I. pod began to open and close rapidly as the two A.I.'s wrestled for control of the system.

"[DO IT NOW I CANT HOLD IT DO IT NOW]"

@Yun Lee
@Arcade's Clearing
"Gahhhh!" Arcade threw his head back and screaming in agony as... nothing happened. His scream transformed into a taunting laugh. "Did you really think it was going to be that easy? Did you really think a little teleportation spell could best me??"

In a flash of blue, Arcade vanished once again, appearing in the skies above the Champions.

"You want to see a teleportation spell, Laura? I'll show you a teleportation spell!!!"

With a clap of his hands, the sky erupted with blue flames. The Island shook. The island's horizon was changed forever as the Great Ranges vanished into the soil, only to start tumbling from a portal in the sky.

The maniac cackled like a hyena.

"You might be able to catch my hands, Laura, but do you think you can catch a mountain?!!!??"

@Jeremi @Takumi @Lucky @Gummi Bunnies @Minerva​

"Probably not," She replied calmly looking up at the madness raining down on her and the others. Despite her skills in both martial arts and those of a more mystical nature Laura wasn't quite sure she had what it took to move actual mountains. So instead she tried a different approach.

"Coward." Talking the monster down. "But no, I get it. This is what you have to do to get rid of us right? You've tried everything from making deals and cutting off limbs but here we are. Still standing. Larger than life and you so scared that you have to pick up a mountain to squash
us? I thought we were just ants? Is this how you deal with ants, Arcade?"

@Sark @Takumi @Lucky @Gummi Bunnies @Minerva

 

[Sark]

@Murderworld
[BZZZZ--CHKK]

The light atop C.O.R.I.'s A.I. pod flickered out. Her generators stopped humming. Her screens slowly flickered to black. A single light upon its console continued to blink.

[Failsafe A127Z Initialled. Destruction of Lower Levels initialled. Evacuation procedure initiated.]

The doors to the bunker flew open, providing the Doll with some much needed oxygen. She could see the server room in all its blazing glory. Server boxes had burst into flames. Light bulbs had overheated and exploded. Pipes and tunnels had collapsed. Metallic plates were falling off the ceiling. MurderWorld was dying.

Blue Fireflies swarmed her skin they danced around her. They danced around Vantias. They danced around Alice. They danced around Eli. They danced around Henry. In their warm glow, the Underworld faded away. A shimmering white light filled their eyes, and the island faded away...

***
View attachment 4304
"This looks like a job for.... ah screw it!" Calling upon all the strength left within him, Superboy leaped towards Shazam. Together, the pair did the best they could to brace the great ranges and raise them mere metres above the Earth. Despite their great strength, even they couldn't hold back the world for long. With a snap of his fingers, the stones of the mountains became lead. He charged them with harm magic. He pushed them with his own hands. Despite their best efforts, they couldn't hold back the mountain. They couldn't they--

"You're only still standing because I have chosen to let you life! I could turn you all inside out one by one! Or all at once! I could drown you all like ants!" The seas around the island began to swell and range. "Or melt you beneath my magnifying glass!" The air grew hotter by the moment. "Or perhaps, I could liquify y---"

Arcade flicked his fingers down towards Laura. He realized swiftly that nothing had happened. He looked down at his hand in confusion. He tried again. Nothing.
View attachment 4305
"Curious... It looks like I've lost my---"

With a stumble, Arcade began to fall from the skies, his magic and his powers scattered to the wind. The Great Ranges collapsed into black sand. The afternoon breeze was enough to part its particles.

"I've got him!!" Conner cried as he raced into the skies. He took Arcade by the neck of his shirt and dragged him across the sky, before tossing him onto the rocks near the safest clearing- the waterfall. His fellow champions jogged up to meet him.

[VZZ-BOOM] [VZZ-BOOM] [VZZ-BOOM] [VZZ-BOOM] [VZZ-BOOM]

5 small balls of light appeared beside the river. Jianyu. Alice. Eli. Vanitas. Henry.

The Champions, reunited, closed in around Arcade.

"My dear friends..." Arcade muttered, dusting of his jacket. "Together again, at last!"
View attachment 4306
"It's over, nutjob!" Conner cried, his eyes ablaze. "It's Game Over! You've lost!!"

"Not yet..." He smiled. "Not just yet... the penny hasn't dropped quite yet..."

"What are talking about?" Wally spluttered. "You're beat. You're done... Just tell us where out friends are and--"
View attachment 4307
"Oh... who could have imagined defeat could be so sweet... Would you like to tell them, Miss.Jianyu, or shall I?"

The madman erupted into a fit of laughed. His eyes were creased and red.
View attachment 4308
"I. Lied."

"You what!!??"

"You friends and families being trapped beneath MurderWorld? Lies. Me knowing where the hell they are? Lies. Me torturing them for fun? True under a technicality. I built a few robots. Built a few clones. All to test the psyche's of your friends and how best to hurt you through them. But even that doesn't matter now. Jianyu shut down my dear, sweet K.O.R.I. and Henry terminated my data, so they're all dead now anyway... Of you could even say they were alive to begin with."

"No... that's..."

"It's many things, Mr.West. The word that comes to mind is... spectacular! I promised you a show, didn't I? I promised you blood and gore and spectacle, and I delivered! I broke you all. Each and everyone of you."

Arcade slowly stepped forward, his arms outstretched.

"I turned Jianyu into a vengeful beast!"

"I turned Shazam into a corrupt demon!"

"I turned Hyakkimaru into a raging loon!"

"I turned Henry into the tool of a Spider-Monster!"

"I turned Laura into my Trigger-Spell puppet!"

"And I turned Alice into my-- FUCK!"

Arcade fell to the ground, cradling his knees. Superboy's eyes were still smoking from the precise blast of heat visions.'

"You're telling me... that this was all for nothing??"

"Not... for nothing... It sure was entertaining..."

[CRACK]

Wally struck Arcade in the chest with his good arm, sending ripples of electricity across the man's body.

"Who's next...?" Conner spat. "Who wants to go next...?"

@Yun Lee @Jeremi @Lucky @Takumi @Gummi Bunnies @Minerva
​

 

[Lucky]

Henry Hart/ Kid Danger and Billy Batson/ Shazam

Billy couldn't stop himself form laughing at Arcade. " Here's the funny thing about that corrupt demon thing. I took the power and was filled with darkness.... but yet, I didn't do anything corrupt. Think about it for a second. The only time someone died on me was when I was trying to save people. And trust me, you gave me ample opportunity to kill someone, but each time, there was enough of my good nature to defy it. I broke your conditioning. I broke it and came here and fought against you. Sure, I was scared, sure, I was broken. But corrupt and a demon? Far from it. I knew enough about myself to stop. So no, I'm not going to hurt you and no, I'm not playing any more games. I learned a lot about you as Ringmaster. But I learned one important thing. You want to think you are important- but you're not. You're not a terrifying man. You're the broken man, so afraid of losing that you cheat. So afraid that we can see past the lies. But guess what, Arcade. You are nothing. You are worth it. You never were. So, I only have two words left to tell you. Ok Boomer."

Henry looked over at him and tilted his head. " Honestly, I have bene the tool of worse people. Ray may be a hero, but he's actually a horrible boss. So, kind of have left people in peril, unconscious and other thing.... so yeah. I think what Billy said pretty much summed it up. Ok Boomer."

@Yun Lee @Jeremi @Takumi @Gummi Bunnies @Minerva

 

[Yun Lee]

Jianyu looked at Arcade, watching as he fell. Listening as he boasted. Standing by as he was attacked by the others in the group. "...any objections to me going last?"

@Sark @Takumi @Lucky @Jeremi @Gummi Bunnies @Minerva​

 

[Sark]

@MurderWorld

"You'll get no objections from me..." Conner muttered, his arms folded and his brow contorted into a scowl. "Be my guest..."

@Yun Lee


@MurderWorld

"You know what they say, Billy-Buddy," Arcade snickered, his smile unchanging. "Sticks and stones may break my bones... but you still fried Loa and Kate. Don't get too used to that high horse of yours, Junior. You're about to have a lot of time to think about your actions..."



@Lucky

@MurderWorld
"Let's put this in perspective, kid... You left Warren to die. You could have saved him. You could have called off the Spiders at any time. Look at it this way... beyond the 'moral implications of your actions', you just committed a crime in front of trillions of viewers across the multiverse. You're going to go down in history as a murderer. You can tell yourself that heroes have shades of grey, but the rest of the world might beg to differ. What kind of hero leaves a mentally unhinged man to die a horrible painful death?" Arcade released a dramatic, sarcastic gasp. "That sounds awfully villainous to me!"

@Lucky
​

 

[Lucky]

Billy Batson/ Shazam

"First off, I am going to correct you on two things. Thing one, I was trying to save both of them when those kills happen. It was never meant to be a double kill. Two, and honestly, the more important thing, it was Kate.Her name was Kate and I still regret both of those kills. That won't go away ever. Oh and three, I'm not your kid, boomer."

Henry Hart/ Kid Danger

" Let me put in something into perspective for you, Arcade. This was not the first time I have ever done something that would be considered a crime in front of ton of people. I got a mental list. So let' get started, Arcade. I have been fighting criminals just as insane as Angel and some equally worse and left them nearly dead. Cheated at a dodge ball game. Had to fight literal babies when a supervillain turned them into monsters, went to date a villain once, vandalized a building, once unleashed killer bees on a birthday party and that was all within the las few years. I wouldn't be surprisd if worse things are yet to come. I may be a sidekick to our town's local powered human..... but I wouldn't call us heroes. I would say we fall in that morally gray anti-hero and anti-villain."

@Sark

 

[Takumi]

Jianyu looked at Arcade, watching as he fell. Listening as he boasted. Standing by as he was attacked by the others in the group. "...any objections to me going last?"

@Sark @Takumi @Lucky @Jeremi @Gummi Bunnies @Minerva​

"Fine by me." Alice piped up as she carefully set Eli down.

@Murderworld
[BZZZZ--CHKK]

The light atop C.O.R.I.'s A.I. pod flickered out. Her generators stopped humming. Her screens slowly flickered to black. A single light upon its console continued to blink.

[Failsafe A127Z Initialled. Destruction of Lower Levels initialled. Evacuation procedure initiated.]

The doors to the bunker flew open, providing the Doll with some much needed oxygen. She could see the server room in all its blazing glory. Server boxes had burst into flames. Light bulbs had overheated and exploded. Pipes and tunnels had collapsed. Metallic plates were falling off the ceiling. MurderWorld was dying.

Blue Fireflies swarmed her skin they danced around her. They danced around Vantias. They danced around Alice. They danced around Eli. They danced around Henry. In their warm glow, the Underworld faded away. A shimmering white light filled their eyes, and the island faded away...

***
View attachment 4304
"This looks like a job for.... ah screw it!" Calling upon all the strength left within him, Superboy leaped towards Shazam. Together, the pair did the best they could to brace the great ranges and raise them mere metres above the Earth. Despite their great strength, even they couldn't hold back the world for long. With a snap of his fingers, the stones of the mountains became lead. He charged them with harm magic. He pushed them with his own hands. Despite their best efforts, they couldn't hold back the mountain. They couldn't they--

"You're only still standing because I have chosen to let you life! I could turn you all inside out one by one! Or all at once! I could drown you all like ants!" The seas around the island began to swell and range. "Or melt you beneath my magnifying glass!" The air grew hotter by the moment. "Or perhaps, I could liquify y---"

Arcade flicked his fingers down towards Laura. He realized swiftly that nothing had happened. He looked down at his hand in confusion. He tried again. Nothing.
View attachment 4305
"Curious... It looks like I've lost my---"

With a stumble, Arcade began to fall from the skies, his magic and his powers scattered to the wind. The Great Ranges collapsed into black sand. The afternoon breeze was enough to part its particles.

"I've got him!!" Conner cried as he raced into the skies. He took Arcade by the neck of his shirt and dragged him across the sky, before tossing him onto the rocks near the safest clearing- the waterfall. His fellow champions jogged up to meet him.

[VZZ-BOOM] [VZZ-BOOM] [VZZ-BOOM] [VZZ-BOOM] [VZZ-BOOM]

5 small balls of light appeared beside the river. Jianyu. Alice. Eli. Vanitas. Henry.

The Champions, reunited, closed in around Arcade.

"My dear friends..." Arcade muttered, dusting of his jacket. "Together again, at last!"
View attachment 4306
"It's over, nutjob!" Conner cried, his eyes ablaze. "It's Game Over! You've lost!!"

"Not yet..." He smiled. "Not just yet... the penny hasn't dropped quite yet..."

"What are talking about?" Wally spluttered. "You're beat. You're done... Just tell us where out friends are and--"
View attachment 4307
"Oh... who could have imagined defeat could be so sweet... Would you like to tell them, Miss.Jianyu, or shall I?"

The madman erupted into a fit of laughed. His eyes were creased and red.
View attachment 4308
"I. Lied."

"You what!!??"

"You friends and families being trapped beneath MurderWorld? Lies. Me knowing where the hell they are? Lies. Me torturing them for fun? True under a technicality. I built a few robots. Built a few clones. All to test the psyche's of your friends and how best to hurt you through them. But even that doesn't matter now. Jianyu shut down my dear, sweet K.O.R.I. and Henry terminated my data, so they're all dead now anyway... Of you could even say they were alive to begin with."

"No... that's..."

"It's many things, Mr.West. The word that comes to mind is... spectacular! I promised you a show, didn't I? I promised you blood and gore and spectacle, and I delivered! I broke you all. Each and everyone of you."

Arcade slowly stepped forward, his arms outstretched.

"I turned Jianyu into a vengeful beast!"

"I turned Shazam into a corrupt demon!"

"I turned Hyakkimaru into a raging loon!"

"I turned Henry into the tool of a Spider-Monster!"

"I turned Laura into my Trigger-Spell puppet!"

"And I turned Alice into my-- FUCK!"

Arcade fell to the ground, cradling his knees. Superboy's eyes were still smoking from the precise blast of heat visions.'

"You're telling me... that this was all for nothing??"

"Not... for nothing... It sure was entertaining..."

[CRACK]

Wally struck Arcade in the chest with his good arm, sending ripples of electricity across the man's body.

"Who's next...?" Conner spat. "Who wants to go next...?"

@Yun Lee @Jeremi @Lucky @Takumi @Gummi Bunnies @Minerva
​

@MurderWorld

"You'll get no objections from me..." Conner muttered, his arms folded and his brow contorted into a scowl. "Be my guest..."

@Yun Lee


@MurderWorld

"You know what they say, Billy-Buddy," Arcade snickered, his smile unchanging. "Sticks and stones may break my bones... but you still fried Loa and Laura. Don't get too used to that high horse of yours, Junior. You're about to have a lot of time to think about your actions..."



@Lucky

@MurderWorld
"Let's put this in perspective, kid... You left Warren to die. You could have saved him. You could have called off the Spiders at any time. Look at it this way... beyond the 'moral implications of your actions', you just committed a crime in front of trillions of viewers across the multiverse. You're going to go down in history as a murderer. You can tell yourself that heroes have shades of grey, but the rest of the world might beg to differ. What kind of hero leaves a mentally unhinged man to die a horrible painful death?" Arcade released a dramatic, sarcastic gasp. "That sounds awfully villainous to me!"

@Lucky
​

BAM

Alice had approached Arcade, and had quickly threw a left hook before grabbing him by the tie and slamming her head into his nose with every intent on breaking it.

"Let's make one thing clear Geezer, whatever the fuck you were gonna say about me? Eat it. I'm not your anything. You don't own me. We aren't the same like you said earlier, either. You? You kill for fun and to get your rocks off. Me? I do what I can to protect and keep others safe, since it's in my job description. Plain and simple." Alice seethed.

While the fighting had happened between Arcade and the rest before his powers stopped, Nezumi had made his way to the clearing. In the end it was a good thing, seeing as the end of it led to this. He hung back and simply watched as the others began to beat the shit out of the Mastermind for now, arms crossed.

@Sark @Yun Lee @Lucky @Jeremi

 

[Sark]

@MurderWorld
"What does it matter?" Arcade snorted, blood trickling down his face. "What do your excuses matter? You all played my fucking game. Got all bloody. All violent. And why? Because I told you to. You never should have trusted me."

Arcade pried his tie from Alice's fingers and did his best to stumble to his feet.

"Excuses excuses. It's All excuses with you people. You're all right. We're not alike. Because I don't make excuses for what I am. Sick. Crazy. Sadistic. I stopped denying myself when I was a child, and look at me now, ma!"

He threw out his arms and span around in the fading sunlight.

"Arcade' i a big-shot! 'Arcade' is adored by millions across the multiverse! He's worshipped! Feared! And all he had to do was tell a few porkies. The footage is out there, Kids. My legacy is secured. As is yours."

He shot a finger towards Billy.

"He had the right idea. Not his moral prattling. But just before Jianyu pulled the plug, he caught on... 'only one soul gets to leave MurderWorld'. It was always going to be me. But without K.O.R.I., none of us are going home. I'm mean, I'm powerless now! Im a D-Lister again!"

He reached into his coat and turned out his pockets.

"I've got no tricks up my sleeve. My computer is gone. My Underworld has been Destoryed. All that remains is you, me, and the impenetrable magical barrier that surrounds my island. You and me." He grinned. "For all eternity..."

He snorted again and pinched his nose.

"Or maybe I'm wrong. You're all saints. You've took turns and beating my ass, but you stopped just shy of burning me alive. Just shy of Murder. You should be proud of yourselves. And you can feel proud till you're all old and grey. Maybe that Pride will fill the void left behind by the families you're never going to see again!"

"And how about you, Jianyu? The Little torn in my side... Anything you'd care to add? Want to call me a Boomer? Tell me how enlightened and 'good' you are too? Or do you want to come and give your new 'team mate' a hug?"

@Yun Lee @Takumi @Jeremi @Lucky @Gummi Bunnies @Minerva​

 

[Lucky]

Billy Batson/ Shazam and Henry Hart/Kid Danger

" It's funny because I don't think you are adored by millions. Honestly, you are just sad. As you said yourself, only the morally deprived and violent would watch your show. So hi, Brett and Burke. But I don't think your legacy is secured, no more than ours. Legacies aren't over until you're dead. But.... yeah, it won't be forever. I'm no scientist, but I don't think the uranium is going to stop because your magic stopped. It probably is still going to blow us sky high. Sure.... is a shame that you aren't among people who are more powerful than you are. Or know powerful people. Like a person who happened to know Superman."

Billy still didn't trust Arcade, but he took a moment to consider.

" If I learned anything from being the hero back home, nothing is impentetrable. Not my suit and certainly not magic. There's always a hole in it and all it takes with magic is more powerful magic to destroy it. Laura.... what do you say to breaking an impenetrable magic barrier. Besides.... if it was truly impenetrable.... my powers wouldn't go through it."

He looked over at Henry who was silently musing.

" Huh-magic. Give me a second to check something," he replied, fiddling with a few settings on his watch, " accidently" shooting Arcade's hair in the process. " If you give me a moment, I might be able to use the watch to pull some sort of signal since it has communication, getting people from other dimensions.... yeah, my friends did that before. Got out of a whole opposite universe.. Oh yeah, Superboy, catch. I think I know what you can do with that." Henry had tossed Connor a pair of handcuffs.

@Yun Lee @Takumi @Jeremi @Gummi Bunnies @Minerva @Sark

 

[Sark]

@MurderWorld
Conner caught the handcuffs and scowled down at them. He stopped to think for a moment, before tossing them over the waterfall.

"No Henry. We're not taking him prisoner. If we're stuck here, we're not going to be stuck here with him. I won't live in that world. I think we all know what needs to be done..."

Arcade laughed.

"So thats how it's going to be huh? Can't say I'm surprised. I think some of your friends don't realise how dire the situation here is, Superman. Without C.O.R.I. to open up my barrier, nothing's leaving here. No secret messages. No magic blasts. Nothing. Do you think they know what 'Eternity' mean?"

"Shut Up!" Conner cried, firing another blast of heat vision into Arcade's knees. The madman cried out in pain, but I'd didn't take him long to compose himself again. "Just shut up, for once!!"

"Dont worry, dears. The bomb wont kill us. The Archae was being controlled by my computer. No signals means no bombs. Without C.O.R.I., we're just a bunch of Killers, bobbin along on an island in the middle of nowhere. No hope of rescue. No hope of freedom. We're all trapped in the Ultimate Death trap, friends: the trap called Time!'

@Lucky @Yun Lee @Jeremi @Gummi Bunnies​

 

[Lucky]

Henry Hart/ Kid Danger and Billy Batson/ Shazam

Henry watched as his handcuffs sailed over the waterfall. Well, it wasn't like he used them. He had arrested one criminal with them as well.

"You know, you could have just tossed those back to me and I would have put them back on my belt. You didn't have to toss them over a waterfall as you said that, but whatever, you do you."

Billy took a moment to consider what Arcade said. " It's how long I will be alive for or approximately how long if I don't give up my powers and pass them on to a new champion. Probably when I do, I would turn to dust and go off to wherever the wizard went off too. Probably some sort of afterlife. "

Henry took a moment to do some mental math. He had turned off the machine, but there had to be something he was missing. He was trying to remember specifically all the instructions CORI had mentioned to him,.

Billy looked over at Laura who had also shown to be good at healing and then he looked back at Arcade and back at the ground. " There has to be something we are forgetting.... something obvious we are missing that can help us get off the island. Something Arcade has overlooked. Time is no something that will affect everyone.... actually, I don't even know if I can age, I kind of haven't felt any different since getting my powers. Not taller and not older."

@Sark @Jeremi @Gummi Bunnies @Yun Lee @Takumi

 

[Takumi]

@MurderWorld
"What does it matter?" Arcade snorted, blood trickling down his face. "What do your excuses matter? You all played my fucking game. Got all bloody. All violent. And why? Because I told you to. You never should have trusted me."

Arcade pried his tie from Alice's fingers and did his best to stumble to his feet.

"Excuses excuses. It's All excuses with you people. You're all right. We're not alike. Because I don't make excuses for what I am. Sick. Crazy. Sadistic. I stopped denying myself when I was a child, and look at me now, ma!"

He threw out his arms and span around in the fading sunlight.

"Arcade' i a big-shot! 'Arcade' is adored by millions across the multiverse! He's worshipped! Feared! And all he had to do was tell a few porkies. The footage is out there, Kids. My legacy is secured. As is yours."

He shot a finger towards Billy.

"He had the right idea. Not his moral prattling. But just before Jianyu pulled the plug, he caught on... 'only one soul gets to leave MurderWorld'. It was always going to be me. But without K.O.R.I., none of us are going home. I'm mean, I'm powerless now! Im a D-Lister again!"

He reached into his coat and turned out his pockets.

"I've got no tricks up my sleeve. My computer is gone. My Underworld has been Destoryed. All that remains is you, me, and the impenetrable magical barrier that surrounds my island. You and me." He grinned. "For all eternity..."

He snorted again and pinched his nose.

"Or maybe I'm wrong. You're all saints. You've took turns and beating my ass, but you stopped just shy of burning me alive. Just shy of Murder. You should be proud of yourselves. And you can feel proud till you're all old and grey. Maybe that Pride will fill the void left behind by the families you're never going to see again!"

"And how about you, Jianyu? The Little torn in my side... Anything you'd care to add? Want to call me a Boomer? Tell me how enlightened and 'good' you are too? Or do you want to come and give your new 'team mate' a hug?"

@Yun Lee @Takumi @Jeremi @Lucky @Gummi Bunnies @Minerva​

"You're not worth a swift death, really, and I don't see myself as a saint either. Can't speak for the rest here." Alice spoke, not phased much by Arcade's words.

"You sure do love to hear yourself talk, huh?" She huffed, fiddling with her gun a moment.

@MurderWorld
Conner caught the handcuffs and scowled down at them. He stopped to think for a moment, before tossing them over the waterfall.

"No Henry. We're not taking him prisoner. If we're stuck here, we're not going to be stuck here with him. I won't live in that world. I think we all know what needs to be done..."

Arcade laughed.

"So thats how it's going to be huh? Can't say I'm surprised. I think some of your friends don't realise how dire the situation here is, Superman. Without C.O.R.I. to open up my barrier, nothing's leaving here. No secret messages. No magic blasts. Nothing. Do you think they know what 'Eternity' mean?"

"Shut Up!" Conner cried, firing another blast of heat vision into Arcade's knees. The madman cried out in pain, but I'd didn't take him long to compose himself again. "Just shut up, for once!!"

"Dont worry, dears. The bomb wont kill us. The Archae was being controlled by my computer. No signals means no bombs. Without C.O.R.I., we're just a bunch of Killers, bobbin along on an island in the middle of nowhere. No hope of rescue. No hope of freedom. We're all trapped in the Ultimate Death trap, friends: the trap called Time!'

@Lucky @Yun Lee @Jeremi @Gummi Bunnies​

"Oh, shut up already." Alice sighed, running her free hand through her hair.

@Sark @Jeremi @Yun Lee @Lucky @Gummi Bunnies