2014-07-26 - Apokolips Now!: Brimstone & Hellfire

It all began with a seed. It is a strange seed that is an almost burning red with what appears to be lava lines in it. The boy that brought it in couldn't hold it and used a metal box with plastic handles to carry it to Pym at the University he works at. "It fell from the sky and I just didn't know what else to do with it. So I thought to bring it to you." The boy attended the university, right?

In either case, that is how it ended up in containment at the Avengers Mansion, Dr. Hank Pym and Mr. Tony Stark currently looking it over as they run tests and readings to try and figure out what the darn thing is!

It is very hot, too hot to handle by any normal means actually. It melted the metal bucket after a while and that didn't work out so great during the transportation process. Let's not talk about what happened to Pym's passenger car seat...

Ah, the labs at the Avengers Mansion, so much trouble is started here...

Dr. Pym watches the induction field meters to make sure the thing is held away from anything and everything by a magnetic bubble. He looks through a small leaded quartz window at the thing and says, "I don't like this. We have to stabilize this for transport if we move it now ... bad things can happen. energy emissions just spiked 10 points more. I have ... no clue what is powering it. Any ideas Mr. Engineer?"

So....you have a super-hot something that's melting it's way through metal, fabric, what have you. The heat energy is obviously rising as time passes. How do you contain it? It's an engineering problem that Tony Stark is certainly more than capable of putting his mind to. In essence...he knows how freaking magnets work, so creating a magnetic suspension field only takes a few minutes. Besides, the magnetic field is good practice for working on things like magnetic bottle to contain plasma or anti-matter. Tony Stark: always looking towards the next problem before he finishes the current one. "No clue. Yet." Yeah, it hurts Tony to admit he doesn't know what's going on after a quick scan of the thing. "Definitely heat energy and of non-terrestrial origin, though."

However, the more it is restrained, the more the seed seems to react as suddenly instead of a slow increase, it just spiked 30 points more. And fourty seconds later another 70 points. Not only that, but the seed seems to be GROWING. At this rate, it would only be a short while before it expands not only past the containment field, but also much beyond that. Removing it from the containment field is not a resolution either as it would begin to burn through the floor, the foundation, and beyond to do who knows what at it 'plants itself'.

As the Avengers' resident Alien Expert, Kyle comes into the lab to check out the specimen that Stark and Pym have brought in. He stands there watching the two scientists analyze the seed and he looks at both of them while they monitor the readings from their equipment. "You two mind if I take a look at it?" Seeing as how it has begun to grow past the containment field, Kyle frowns. "I don't get a good feeling from this, guys."

Dr. Pym is rapidly drawing certain unpleasant conclusions regarding their strange visitor. "Another energy spike. It's just eating the coolant I pumped in. The magnetic bottle is holding ... good job. But at this rate we won't have the time to ... Tony, I'm telling the mayor to start an evacuation immediately. You try to get Kara on the phone. She can just fly the darn thing to the Sun. Kyle can you boost containment? It will blow if we try to move it." Hank grabs the phone and hits the hot key. Sadly after past events he only has to hit the key and Case #3 will appear on the mayor's display. Outside sirens begin wailing.

"Hank, you do realize that Kyle has both a containment system and a way of getting it to the sun?" Tony smirks a bit, trying to diffuse the seriousness of the situation and not really trying to be cruel to Hank. He turns to look at the Green Lantern and nods to him. "Get a containment bubble around it and get set to evacuate it the Hell out of here." The engineering genius then heads to where his suit of armor stands off to the side, stepping into it and activating the systems. "If we have to get it out of here, I'll follow as best I can to keep taking readings with my armor." An idea hits him and he turns back to Dr. Pym. "Hank...have you tried hitting it with Pym particles? Reducing the surface area cold reduce the level of radiant heat it's putting out."

Kyle looks from Tony to Hank. "I'm on it." Lifting his right hand, his ring suddenly appears on his middle finger. His costume forms over his street clothes and the mask places itself upon his face. He takes on a look of concentration as he creates a force field around the object and begins to rise into the air. "I can get it to the sun no problem. But we need to get it outside first.

Except the scientists don't get to try the next steps. The time that could have been spent preparing was completely interrupted as soon as Kyle's ring's power touches the seed.

Oh, Kyle knows very much what it is suddenly, because the ring reports back: "Unable to contain. Identified as Brimstone from Apokolips. Warning: One Brimstone has the power to bring an entire planet to waste."

And it explodes, pushing out heat and power. It is taking Kyle's greatest concentration to try and restrain it as he says, "It's New God technology, Darkseid's technology!" And the words are interrupted by grunts and sweat. That cool demeanor quickly fades under the heat and power of the Brimstone as it begins to activate and form.

It isn't much time, as there is only enough for Tony Stark to grab his armor and call to the police for a local evac, while Dr. Pym is able to send an emergency beacon to active Avengers and the X-Men. It is chaos.

And it is only because of Kyle's efforts and determination that the team makes it out alive...

...as a red lava bursts forth toward the sky, causing it to burn brightly before fizzing away mostly in the atmosphere.

...The Aftermath...

There are police sirens in the near distance as people are evacuated. The X-Men were alerted, and Emma Frost and Logan were already in town so it made their response more speedy as they arrive on the scene.

That is before them is a nightmare. Where the Avengers Mansion once stood, there are rocks and debris and lava forming and flowing over the ground. Rising up out of the pit of what was once the rebuilt family home of Tony Stark is a red giant monster as it roars up at the sky.



It is huge, burning brightly, and wears black clothes? Well, good to know the firey monster isn't wandering about nude! The fencing of the nearby home which is already starting to burn is taken down by a sweep of its massive arm.

Arriving with Logan on the scene, Emma is busy telepathically sweeping the area for survivors then, "Oh, wonderful. Logan, do what you do best then and find whomever did this and let them beat up and maul you for a bit while those of us who are more competent deal with them?" Eyes focused, telepathically scanning the area as she first arrives.

"Not now Emma I will let that thing kill you" Logan snaps at her. He looks around. "Alright who's running point! tell me what the hell happened." Logan says looking around for any avengers.

Kyle had managed to get a shield around himself and anyone standing next to him when the thing went nuclear. After the house was blown up, his shield shimmers out of existence as he moves out of the crater that used to be the Mansion. His legs are wobbly as he raises his hand so that Wolverine and Emma can see him. "Yo, over here!" As the monster roars he frowns. "Damn Darkseid. I got this." Concentrating, he creates a construct of a large sophisticated looking jet. He hops into the cockpit and fires the thrusters, rising into the air.

"Okay now...that's just rude," Iron Man says as he flies back from the rubble. "I mean, do I send probes to Apokolips that blow up Darkseid's stuff?" Although now, he has an idea for some of those nanites that he has in cold storage. He's got AC/DC cranked up in his armor's audio systems, and the Armored Avenger floats back on his jets to get set in a firing position. "Light him up, folks!" And with a high-pitched whine of energy and the wosh of rockets, Tony unleashes the full power of both repulsors, the uni-beam, and a good chunk of his micro munitions at the gigantic terror.

Dr. Pym begins shrugging into an insulated suit he'd grabbed, eyeing the flaming giant warily. "Hmm 50 or so feet. I have 12 minutes. Tony ... please do the yell. I never emote it right." Hank seals his helmet and begins to grow. Grow. GROW. He matches Brimstone in height and then passes him, standing 100 feet tall. "Hey ugly ... you're messing with a PhD. whose lab you just wrecked!" He grabs a girder from a pile of debris and charges swinging it with both hands.

Emma Frost's eyes flash, "Logan, do be a dear and get the attention of that big thing." Otherwise, Emma going to try and telepathically link iwth the remaining Avengers ~Reinforcements have arrived, and that bestial creature is along the front lawn. I've sent Logan after it. With luck that will distract him for a few moments.~ While Logan gets stepped on.

Another roar comes from the giant fire beast's mouth as Tony attacks it. A massive hand is reaching toward Tony to try and grasp him and do a fun little squeeeeeze of his new toy.

Even as Pym whacks it with debris, it just shakes his head and its black skull-like face stares at Pym with a confused expression. Pym got BIG! It then tries to step forward and heat butt Pym.

The police are working hard to evac people, and people are conflicted between running, staring, and grabbing their precious family jewels before running for it in this rich neighborhood! Ah, insurance rates are so going up after this.

As Emma works to link everyone, Kyle, Pym, Logan, and of course herself gets pulled in, but Iron Man is left out of the mental link. For whatever reason, Emma can get absolutely no sense on him, but she can sense another mind nearby one resistant to telepathic influence.

It is a dark figure up in the sky, floating as they look down at the event far below them. The rest of the minds are chaos and panic, the police and civilians and can be ignored.

Logan ran over to Kyle Rayner "ok light bright, looks like it's me and you to hold that thing off till tony and pym get their toys working. What can we do to that thing? besides stain it's shoe?"

Meanwhile in Gotham City ... Wildcat stands on a rooftop up to his ankles in unconscious and battered Hydra goons. Their leader, a bit larger, stronger and faster than the rest managed to take several punches and even succeeded in inflicting a couple of scratches with a K-bar knife he still clutches. Wildcat adopts a Muay Thai stance and closes when ... the darkest night turns into brightest day. Both combatants look northward for a second and then ... Wildcat is on the man, knocking the knife away and holding him off the roof by his throat. The old cat screams into the gurgling man's swollen face, "What the hell did you guys do NOW!!"

Back to the fight in progress.

Pym yells something obscene that should be written in ten foot tall letters to properly convey. As Brimstone brings his head down Hank blocks it with the girder. Then he drops the girder and say another bad word in million point font. He opts for a kick to the torso. Boots should protect his feet better than his hands. he makes a note to use elbows, shoulders and knees ... less pain receptors there. Where was the damned cry? Typical Tony. "Avengers ... and Allies ... Assemble!

Kyle nods at Logan, "Grab on. I'll get you some altitude so you can get high enough to do some damage to that thing. The head is the weak spot, but at the same time it's surrounded by fire. I know you're tough guy, but can you survive that?" Kyle is sitting in the cockpit of the ship that he constructed out of light. If Wolverine grabs onto the line that he lowers, he'd take them both skywards and hover above it's head. The place transforms into a  40 ft. bipedal mech, something out of one of Kyle's comic books. It is what he knows best, and now Wolverine stands in the palm of one of the hands. Kyle peeks out of the window of the cockpit and then smirks when he hears Emma's voice in his head. He replies, ~Pym, Wolverine, and I will try to distract it. I hope the big brain aka Stark, can find a way to neutralize it. I've only ever seen one man be successful against one of these, and unfortunately, he's not here."

Emma's eyes flash, focusing then as she went to switch over to her diamond form to maintain her invulnerability. "And such charming demeanor. Logan, you sure that this thing isn't over on the student body? You share such similar characteristics." Tapping on her ear to switch to the Xaveri's commlink, hoping it would interface with the Avengers one. <>

The giant hand grabs at Iron Man and closes around him. The heat and pressure are seriously straining his armor's systems. "Note to self...big doesn't mean slow..." He pushes his armor's systems to try and power out, but that's not working. Alarm klaxons and flashing red lights are going off, informing Tony of the obvious danger he's in. With a last effort, he re-routs weapons power to the shields, pushing the bubble outwards. "This better work..."

Dr. Pym aims a kick at the demon's wrist hoping to make him drop Tony. "I'm not going to be taking Jan clubbing for a while. Yay?"

And the fingers start to budge, and then burst open as the thing pulls it's hand back and roars before forming a fist to try and squish the tin man! Of course, that is when Pym kicks it in the chest and it stumbles back. The follow-up attacks don't please it either, but it then tries to punch Pym, and if it hits...it will be a powerful impact that will cause waves! Intelligence of it is obviously low, but the it only seems to be getting more powerful rather than weaker with the attacks.

The approaching plane-thingy of Kyle's gets another roar and did it just flip Kyle and Wolverine off?!

Logan sigh, know that it's gonna hurt like few things can. "fine, throw me as hard and as fast as you can at that thing's head " Logan says baring his claws with a snikt. "make sure your aim is good and you get me near the eyes" he says grabbing on.

Kyle inclines his head towards Wolverine. "You got it, Wolves." Floating back a few feet, he has the mech take a pitcher's stance with Wolverine in the palm of the thing's hand. "Aaaand, here we go!" The windup..the pitch and Wolverine is let go like a rocket towards the beast's eyes.

Kyle is momentarily distracted by wondering if Emma was single.

While still in the mind link. Can you say awkward?

Reaching behind the Mech pulls out a plasma rifle as armor forms over it's body. On the center plate is the Lantern symbol. Kyle then begins to pepper it with green shots of energy that come from the rifle his construct is holding. "Eat some of this!"

Flying backwards from the opened fist, Iron Man gets some distance from the giant flame monster thing. "Okay, this is obviously going to be tougher than I thought...." He's looking around, trying to think of a solution. The problem is that they're throwing everything they've got at the beast, but not much success. Time to get coordinated. With a bit of thought, Tony directs his armor systems to tap into the X-men's communicators and combine them with the Avengers. "Okay, we all here and got our ears open? Great. Not sure who else might be able to join in here, but we've got to stall for time, at least." It's a problem of power, and suddenly, Tony gets one of his ingeniously insane ideas. "Green Lantern....get over to me. Hit my armor with your ring's energy and see if we can supercharge it enough to actually do some damage." Tony's already mentally re-routing all the circuits to expand the energy absorption capabilities of the suit."

She's seeing someone zooming through the air she can't make out. She speaks into her commlin, the White Queen <> When facing a giant invulnerable monster is not the time to leave oneself vulnerable. <>

And Wolverine is soon going through the air like a true arrow of loooov, oh screw that, of violence and hatred, doing what he does best, and what he does best isn't pretty! Actually, it's ugly, dirty, and smells bad!

Because on impact, his claws is actually ripping through the Brimstone like nothing else was, and the Brimstone screams not in rage or power, but in pain! The eye gets ripped to shreds even as Wolverine's furry little fleshy self starts to get toasty and burn to good and crispy charcoal color!

Dr. Pym grabs the girder he dropped. Well half of it at least. he wants to drop it. It's that hot. Gritting his teeth he stabs at Brimstone's eye, hoping to knock the stabby furry man free and do more damage to it. "Physical attacks! it's vulnerable to physical attacks, energy seems to power it up! Hit it with whatever you can and someone id the new guy!" Kara, please be Kara, or that older really hot not Kara ... or Superman of course.

Logan let's out a blood curdling scream as he esentially burns alive he he is knocked from the monster's skull on the ground by he can't but scream in pain as he cooks from the inside his bones have been heated bu the plasma and flames.

Else where in as this as made global news, in Keystone city Jay garrick watches on concern and torn. "that is a such a terrible thing Jay. I hope the avengers and the league can handle this." Joan says sat in the couch worried and weak. Jay looks worried and conflicted he wants to go help but hear Wally's stern warning to not be a hero while Joan is not well. "I'm sure they will dear. I'm sure they will"

Kyle stafes while shooting his plasma rifle at the monster. He dissolves the construct when Tony calls for him over the coms. "I'll be right there, Tony. Just remember that Wolverine and Hank are at ground zero. We'll do this just like how we did the last time." He flies behind Iron Man and holds his arms out to the side as his body is covered by armor that resembles the Mark IV. On the chestplace is the symbol of the Lantern Corps. "Commencing power transfer." The chest plate of his armor opens and a beam of light strikes Iron Man in the back and his systems begin to charge up with power.

Elsewhere in Metropolis, Superman is dodging blasts of red solar radiation as he happens to glance across the skyline and sees what looks like total chaos. He silently thinks, "I hope they can handle this without me." Before having to dodge more blasts just before he flies down and begins to use his heat vision on a group of blue skinned aliens.

Iron Man is not having a good day as his nano-technology armor is working to repair itself, but it will take time. Kyle then super charges him even as he hears Pym's warning. "Redirecting power to strength and shield." He ignores the warning about about exceeding safe power levels and risking shut-down.

Still, his scanners never stop and he speaks into the comlink, "Whoever is up there has an energy signature that is off my reading scale. It is most certainly not Kara." Iron Man is then flying forward, jet boots flaring as he continues to scan the Brimstone for a weakness. He charges right for the chest, leaving an indent and bringing about a yowl of pain from the fire beast! Tony does think to add however, "And don't worry about Logan, he will be just fine. Just give him a few." Then, "Logan! Can you hear me? Go for the ankles!" Did he just call Wolverine an ankle biter?

Given how well things are going, they need a quick distraction. So Emma shifts out of diamond form, her eyes flashing then as she tries to quickly establish if she can a mental control over of the heavy monster that rages. It hopefully will be enough for her to distract it for a few moments, to try and make it flail about in complete confusion as Emma tried as best she could to interfere with it's higher thought processes.

Pure rage and destruction, it isn't something controllable. It doesn't have the level of intelligence to be sentient. But there is something Emma will see when she is in there: Death, destruction, chaos, and burning with flowing lava pits! A world with no green, and Darkseid, Darkseid, Darkseid, Darkseid, Darkseid! Everything is for Darkseid! It is centered on one thing, obeying Darkseid! It is to destroy the Avengers if it can. Destroy Avengers...destroy Avengers...it isn't here to destroy Earth.

As Tony scans the monster, he will find that beyond where he hit, deeper into the thing, that here is a power source that can be read now that the thing has grown and mutated.

Logan is in shock as the constant pain finally overwhelmed his system. his body can be heard sizzling and the stench of burning human flesh is radiating off of him. His body is healing but it's slowed by the fact that it's also still burning.

Emma Frost calls out, speaking telepathically ~Charming, this lovely monstrosity works for Darkseid and has been sent to destroy you all. And I would assume given the sense of hostility from our approaching aerial adversary that he's likely a hostile as well, though I can't quite identify him.~

Kyle floats above the battle and begins to concentrate. A faint glow surrounds Wolverine, Hank, and Emma. He speaks through Emma's mind link, ~I need everyone to listen up. I've given you shielding against fire and blunt force trauma. It's going to take the entirety of my concentration to maintain this. So, Iron Man, you're still charged up. Now would be the time to hit it with everything you've got. I'll make sure no one is hurt. Quickly, guys.~

Dr. Pym backs away from the giant and begins shrinking till he's merely ten feet tall. His preferred size for speedy work. "Tony. You need to fire a positive charge into the thing's core. If you do its body of plasma will repel it and Kyle can destroy it. Hurry ... it's getting stronger." He moves to get Logan and Emma away from the thing. "Kyle, I have them, drop your shielding and CONCENTRATE!"

Emma's not touching the little bits of Logan left, letting Henry take them. "Charming. Darlings I believe that we're likely going to have a degree of cleanup." She does, however, try and disconnect Logan's pain receptors telepathically before shifting back to diamond form.

Logan starts to stir, his claws come out and his breathing now has a slight groan that grows slightly loud and more like a growl with each passing breath. His limbs are starting to twitch unable to move correctly as the connective tissue in his body is seared off the bones but is starting to heal.

"oooowwwrrrrrrrrrr" Logan says out loud clearly straining incredibly to get up. As the heat finally dissipates from his body enough to it's not longer actually burning his flesh he starts to get up and lets out a guttural primal bone chilling noise. Logan is back to his feet. not quite all there mentally he's somewhat feral but ready to fight.

Iron Man says over the comlink, "Alright, let's get this done." He pulls back and readjusts his repulsors and soon the negative magnetic aims at the 'heart' of the beast. "Come on Greenie! Let's get this done, because I have to see if I can save my suit collection from this mess!" Because of course, it's all about Tony!

Kyle maintains the shielding on the others until they can get clear of the beast. What he was going to attempt next required hella timing on his part. He instructs his ring to change it's energy output to the same magnetic weapon that Tony has. Over the comlink he states in a loud clear voice. "This is how it's going down..." He creates a construct of another mech, this one extends extra legs to brace itself and it consists of mostly a rail cannon. Kyle sits in the pilot's chair. "Emma, use your power to distract it's mind. Logan, slash it across the back of the ankles. Hank, hit it in the center of the chest. Finally, Iron Man and I will coordinate our fire to finish it off. Remember as soon as you execute your part, get clear of the immediate area. Execute in 3...2...1..Go!" Looking at the gauges inside of his construct, he charges his ring power. He would need to recharge after this, and he probably won't be in any condition to be talking either. He says a small prayer in Spanish under his breath.

Emma is out of the range of the blast as she won't have diamond form. Her telepathy can only do so much to distract the monster, but it does do something, helping prevent it from easily counter attacking.

Kyle and Iron Man are blasting it away with the negative magnetism and stuff! It is drilling down into the chest and the center of its power source!

Logan is recovered enough and pissed off enough, that he goes charging forward to start lashing ankles as the thing tries to step on him! He does start to step on Logan actually, but it wasn't the brightest idea, cause...well...you know, CLAWS. It slices right up it's foot, causes its head to jerk back and the fire Brimstone beast itself which opens its chest up further to exposure to Iron Man and Green Lantern!

As soon as the source is reaching though, Pym actually ends up going mega-big to protect Emma and news reporters that have wandered too close to the scene of the 'crime' from getting hit with the terrible blast, taking the damage primarily for himself as a true hero is willing to do!

Houses and property damage is massive, the Avengers Mansion is next to nothing, and Iron Man crashes the the ground with a big UMFPH!

That is when Asia shows up chewing popcorn, holding the popcorn bag out toward Tony as his armor shuts down from being overheated and drips off him. "Why did you break the house Uncle Tony?"

Darkseid smirks from his place far above, examining the heroes from his place at high. Suddenly there is a loud boom, and a black spot that clouds the sky. Soon the figure disappears into it, and the seeming black hole closes up, leaving nothing behind.