2018-04-29 Broken Heart in the Darkness

Batman thought he was going to have Wonder Woman guarding his back but ... an emergency in D.C. took her away. A tsunami took Clark away as well, but he was more in an advisory mode since this involved magic, using his x-ray vision to direct Bruce and Diana. But this had to be done and the Batman was never one to delay things because of long odds. Down in the cave he removes his utility belt and shrugs in the load bearing equipment he last used on the mission against the S-Fan, two suspenders holding 'fangs, bombs and similar devices and an extra wide belt holding double the usual assortment of combat gear, for this is combat. Bruce adjusts the Egyptian amulet around his neck and settles his weighted Kevlar cape on his shoulders. That's for the Moloids he's sure to encounter. Finally across his back, he settles a light rocket launcher.

No one ever said he was limited to batarangs.

Here by his side as well was Carrie. No longer as Red Robin, but equipped fully as Calico. The catsuit worn is fitted with it's own arrangement of devices, some of which were gifted from heroes of a bygone era. The belt around her waist allowed her to control gravity to some extent; as it had for it's original owners the Hawks. Small Black Cat Bombs are loaded into a pouch; the blackout bombs originally from another hero. She had her own equipment as well, the bracers gifted to her which allowed shock to be absorbed on impact, her claw-tipped gloves, and her old slingshot for tight quarter usage. The helm she wears would suit her to see in near darkness easily as well.

There were more serious bomb equipment with her as well. Plastique and detonators kept in separate pouches at her waist. An addition due to the severity of this mission. "Ready as we'll ever be I suppose," she tells Batman once suited up properly.

It had stated out as a fairly ordinary day. Linda has been spending her weekdays up in Westchester, doing some training and taking classes. On the weekend, she comes back to the Metropolis and New York area and does her work stuff. Painting, gallery appearances, sculpting, taking orders from her Agent...and occasionally saving lives.

So she had been at home doing some painting when the phone rang. It was an unlisted number, so she figured it was a robocall...she let the machine pick up...and the person on the other end started with, "This is Batman. I know you are there, I need Proxima at the following location ASAP." OK, so Nightwing knows who she is, she has to figure he told Batman...so she followed the directions given to wind up here. She does not know the younger woman, but she seems competent. Linda feels underskilled...but then again, it is power and not skill she brings to the mix.

Batman has the cape settled as Proxima enters via the hangar. He shuts the fog generators around it off. He nods to ... Proxima. Not Kara, not Supergirl. Keep that straight. "Thank you for coming. I was going to do this with Superman and Wonder Woman. Events preclude that. We're going after a huge gem called the Heart of Darkness. It can possess people. Honestly ... I didn't want Superman for this. He was going to stand off and provide GPS as we entered the caverns. But Diana ... would have been extraordinarily helpful. I doubt Satan himself could possess her. But I have every confidence in you two. Stay close, watch my back. I'll blow the thing up and we'll go for donuts." Small smile then. He really is trying to loosed up. Smile doesn't last long though.

Calico lifts an eyebrow at the unfamiliar individual that enters. He knew more heroes than her, though, and they did need some backup. She'd have to look up this one in the files later. So the cat-clad vigilante nods toward Proxima politely as she checks her gear over one last time. "We'll have to ensure we don't get possessed again... Or if we do that we're restrained until we can have sense beaten into us again," she adds. That IS what took Batman getting it out.

Linda frowns thinking, "The Heart of Darkness, that was the giant Black Diamond which was cut into one thousand identical smaller diamonds a century ago to create the gem Eclipso used...and all the other Eclipsos after it was revealed there was more than one. Someone must have reassembled it...given it's mystic properties it probably fused itself together once all the pieces were black in place." One does not hang with an Angel...or with a demonic cult...without knowing a few things about the paranormal.

Proxima is shorter than she was when she was fused with Matrix, a good six inches shorter and twenty pounds lighter. Her Hair is brown, but she has enough left of the Shapeshifting powers to make her hair tint slightly reddish when she is in costume, turning chestnut to Auburn.

Batman hmmms, "Or there are two similar diamonds, or the one cut up was a shard of this larger one or ... I don't know. Constantine would probably argue that there is one diamond in two guises existing simultaneously and it depends on your point of view. This is why I hate magic and quantum physics. My head is wired for yes/no, right wrong. Anyway this amulet I'm wearing was the best I could do. It will protect me, I think. He hands small skin patches to the two women. "This drug ... has been known to heighten wiil power. It might give you a fighting chance. As I recall ... it takes a few moments of direct contact with the shadow force to possess you. Try to stay close if you can. I have a map in my GPS from the last time I went there. I know where I was taken down. I can surmise where that gem is. I only have that to go on."

Yes. Clark's eyes would have been useful there.

Carrie Kelley reaches out to accept the patch from Batman with a solemn nod. "How long does it take to work, and what is the length of effect? It may be better to wait and take it until needed," she reasons. Or perhaps take it when close. Either way, for now, she doesn't take it just yet. "I'll see if I can load the map into my visor to give visual cues to match up with the GPS location. It will be easier to run out in a pinch if we need." Which likely, they would.

Linda shrugs and places the patch, even though it is almost certain it will do nothing for her. An immunity of nearly all chemicals came with her powers, including beneficial ones. She will let Batman lead, because Batman pretty much always knows what he is doing.

Batman leads the way, below the main level of the cave, past his outpost and into side caverns he rarely took notice of. That would change obviously. Though one cavern that was much like another until ...

The grotto the three are in opens into a huge cavern, obviously freshly hewn from stone. A deep ravine runs across it with metal framework jury rigged over and around it. In the center of the rift a smokey quartz like jewel sits, over fifteen feet high and pulsating with darkness. Perhaps this is the fires that burn without illuminating the Christians speak of. Moloids are thick in the cavern and there are a number of towering, troll like creatures closer to the gem, bearing huge clubs. Batman melts into the shadows and is all but invisible as he says, "I'm going to try to move around and get a clear shot. I don't want that framework to interfere with the shell. Remain here and attack if they notice me. Provide a distraction to let me shoot. If that isn't possible ... we improvise. Can you shatter diamonds, Proxima?"

Proxima replies, "Probably, I have not had occasion to try...but shattering diamonds is generally much easier than cutting them." She should actually be able to do it from a distance with a Mind Blast...if she can hit it at the right angle. Her fists are more powerful yet, especially if she is focusing her power through her body. The only problem will be if the magic of the gem is protecting it. She adds, "One thing is for sure, this is not Eclipso's gem, that is said to have been about the size of a real human heart."

Calico follows after dutifully. When Batman slips into the shadows she reaches up to touch the side of her visor shifting the spectrum of light she can see so that she can get some idea of where he is. "Right. We can provide distraction enough, and if you have issue with shattering," the hand lowers to pat her belt. "I've got some charges that ought to do the job."

Batman is hard for his friends to track, even knowing he's there and where he's moving to. He moves in odd darts and sprints along the cavern wall and makes a somewhat indirect route to the opposite side a hundred yards from them. He peeks up from a rock and ducks back. Takes a deep breath and pictures the exact shot in his head and then without warning pops up and snap fires the rocket.

Which explodes against a glassy smokey wall of force that springs up.

Batman takes another peek behind the rock as Moloids begin pointing and yelling and mutters, "I hate goddam magic. PLAN B!" He begins reloading.

"Rocket failed," Carrie informs though it may be unnecessary. The Moloids coming out are met with quick, vicious attacks if they get too near. "I guess that means you're up, Proxima. If we can even get a crack on that thing..." The closer that they got to that stone, the more she was counting her time to take the drug. Just in case.

Linda is not like the current Supergirl, her senses are only human. It is odd, her physique in general is far superior to any human, but in that one specific area, she has next to nothing. Not QUITE nothing...she can perceive things a hundred times as fast as usual and recovers from things like light flashes and loud noises far faster. She used to have special perception when she was an Angel...not quite normal super senses but still something. Now she has to make do. She suggests, "If this thing is the heart of DARKNESS, perhaps flash bombs will weaken it."

Taking to the air, Proxima marshals her telekinetic energies ad lashes out at the stone...enough force to punch a fist size-hole in a tank concentrated in an area the size of a fingertip...

The force blast from Proxima meets the smokey field which vibrates under the impact but is still intact. Batman's eyes squint taking in the details. Okay raw force won't do this. It was a decent plan. It just didn't survive contact with the enemy. Still no one got possessed. Maybe that took some time or quiet? With Moloids climbing towards him Batman drops to one knee and begins working on the launcher, loading a new shell. His cape hides his movements. "I need a minute. Keep them off me, Calico. Proxima, keep up the heat." Yeah, close. Well this will show Mr. Miracle he isn't the only show man.

Calico gives a firm nod of agreement and she looks over toward the oncoming Moloids. She spin-kicks low to knock one down, then regains her feet and grabs hold to lob the downed one into the group of new ones. It takes a moment, but then the Moloid explodes from the charge she slapped on it before throwing. "Ew. Effective though."

Proxima is pretty sure TOUCHING the gem would give it fast access, if it is anything like Eclipso's...though his had another requirement. Proxima channels her telekinetic power into her physical body, doubling her strength and toughness, then she flied as high as she can and comes down HARD in the middle of the enemies. The resulting shockwave should be spectacular...

The Moloids decide that Calico is not the target they want and swarm Batman who goes under as the rocket launcher is torn from his grasp. Proxima's dive bombing makes the field dent a little more but this could take a while and ... the darkness is growing in the cavern.

Batman surges up out of the press of the Moloids, fighting with elbows, knees and the sharpened spikes on his arm guards. No sign of the launcher. He tears the amulet off his neck and throws it into the air, aiming it to pass directly under Proxima as she rebounds. Hoping she'll take the hint as more Moloids swarm. Over him again.

Calico hmphs quietly as she turns her attention toward keeping the Moloids and trolls off of Batman. Taking Proxima's suggestion she grabs a handful of flashbangs to start firing into the crowd. "Watch your eyes!" She calls out in warning to Batman and Proxima. Likely it should at least keep them from seeing easily.

Proxima knows what Batman wants, it is evident. She flies up and grabs the amulet...then quickly heads away from the giant crystal to get some acceleration room. Once as far away as she can get in a strait line, she flies towards the crystal as fast as she can, throwing the amulet towards the crystal at the last moment so it has as much inertia as she can give it before pulling out. Of course, the flaw in the plan is that she hits the ceiling and is embedded in it for a time.

The attack by Proxima penetrates the magical shield. The amulet explodes with a blinding flask equal to Calico's flares and then the huge stone begins fracturing, shards flaking off it. The fracturing accelerates as the afterimages fade.

Meanwhile a small hill of Moloids spasm and scream, then go into convulsions as Batman electrifies the bunch and surges to his feet AGAIN. He lays into the ones still standing around him until they get the idea to run.

The Moloids in general begin a retreat, trolls leading the way and stomping on a few as the diamond begins to reduce itself into dust.

When the Diamond starts to disintegrate, Calico looks around the ceilings quickly. Just in case... "We may want to vacate," she calls out over the din. "Usually when magic things crumble there's always something else that goes with it, too!" They WERE in a cave after all. Maybe she was being paranoid but it never hurt to make sure.

OK, so here Linda is, stuck in the ceiling. The good news is that she is unable to see the blinding light flashes. The bad news is, the impact kind of shattered the ceiling, Proxima can feel it shift when she tries to move. She puts up her force field and spreads it as far as she can, calling out to those below, "Ummm, guys, better get out of there. Right now, I am the only thing holding this roof up. When I move, it is all coming down."

Batman grabs the launcher and begins to run for the exit. Well the way they ran in. Magic is a pain in the neck. He hates it. "We're clear, come on! Get out!" Could she stand a cave in and dig herself out? He did have the mining rig ready but ... this could get messy fast.

Calico wastes no time on exiting post haste once she calls out to vacate. The time was gone when she would solely wait on Batman to call the shots. She leaps over a few downed Moloids in her own haste to leave, and soon enough is back to the entrance.

Could Linda survive a cave in...well possibly the initial impact. The problem is, while she can hold her breath for like half an hour, she does need to breathe. Digging out before she ran out of air might not happen. No, the only way to handle it is to move faster than the collapse. Once the all-clear is given she pulls out of the hole, moving back along her original path of impact and then flying back to where the roof remains unbroken enough to prevent collapse...where hopefully Batman and the redhead will be waiting.

Batman has a filter mask over his lower face as dust and gravel fills the tunnel they use to escape. For the moment though all is black from dust and debris billowing in a huge cloud. "Calico? Proxima? Everyone here? I can use my heads up to pick our way back. Proxima, do you need a filter mask?" He feels around for a wall to orient himself. Then stands fully. He supposes they got that thing. The roof caving in proves that, right?

Calico, once a student of the Bat himself, was already prepared for such an instance. A filter mask was slapped into place and it tightens around her jawline to ensure that there would be as little residual dust coming through as possible. If that thing was bad just to touch, breathing in diamond dust would probably not be good either. "Here, Boss," she calls out from habit in spite of no longer being his Robin. "I've got night vision too. Proxima?" Her gaze sweeps around to try and find the third of their group.

The problem here is that Linda is pretty much blind when the lights go out. She does hear Batman calling, and expands her force field around her so clear the air so she can breathe without choking. She calls out, "I hope you brought a light, because without one I am blind as a bat, no pun intended."

Batman smirks a little. "Some bats have excellent vision, actually, especially night vision. Fruit bats in particular. Hang on," he says. He pulls a line from his belt handing it to Calico and Proxima. "Let's not get separated or lost on our way out. That'd be anti-climactic at least. Besides, Alfred is preparing a rack of lamb. We don't want that to get cold. He was preparing a whole Grecian feast for Diana. Said he was overjoyed at having royalty dine."

"I'm sure Diana would enjoy that. Just make sure the wine is that super strong stuff she likes," Calico responds as she takes her portion of the line. The night vision did help, and she ensure Proxima gets her length too. "I'll walk behind you. At least that way we'll ensure we all get out safely."

Proxima lets the others lead her out, in this case she is the most helpless one. She is not really comfortable with that, but knows that it is necessary. All heroes have their strengths and weaknesses...someone with no weakness is not a hero, for they have nothing to fear. A Hero is not afraid to fear, but faces their fear and move past it.

Batman nods to Calico and says, "Retsina. I can't stomach the stuff. Next time she's over, I'm going to try to get her to break a plate ... after I switch the set for replicas. I'm going to get Alfred for once." He grabs a light from his belt and tells calico to take the lead before dropping back to cover the rear.

He says, "Proxima you did well. I'll keep you in mind for future cases if that's all right. Superman and Wonder Woman wouldn't have performed any better than you and Calico." Well there was the matter of a missing amulet. That was going to cost Bruce Wayne a new wing for the museum. But why be petty?