"What is the problem?" Raven stopped floating feeling this would be a serious talk most likely.
"Hold on." Harleen turned and snapped her fingers. Spark of mental energy sealed the room completely from outside prying. "Out of myself, you and Teth-Adam here, the others are still "young" in a way. They need to know about Max's prison."
Raven's eyes narrowed dangerously. It was not a good subject to talk about as far as she was concerned.
"What about it?"
"Calm yourself... half breed." Teth-Adam said tersely. Over the years he searched several avenues about the Greeks. And Tartarus was a big topic in darker magic circles. Let alone in the avenues involving spirit energies. "It took a lot to figure out how you were displaced. Max surely didn't talk about it."
"You do not need to know the answers." Raven did not want to speak about it. One, it was a bad subject. Two Max forbid her from doing so. "I am not going to say it unless you force me."
"No need for violence." Harleen's eyes lit up with raw power. Selina slipped behind Raven stabbing her in the back Ceremonial dagger. "But we are good at it after all." Zatanna created seals of magic interrupting the woman counter attempt.
"Sorry about this." Zatanna said somewhat remorseful. "But if what I found out is true from the Egyptian Pantheon, you will betray him and us in the darkest hour."
Time passed slowly in the chamber. Cut off from the detection of so many prying forces, there was almost no way for outside forces to figure things out.
"Kuk!" Raven spat out black blood. Almost if beckoned out forcefully. It came out like a river. Pamela and Constantine working the magical restraints to keep her subdued. Harleen gently moving through Raven's mind finding the answers needed. 'Do.. not .. go any .. further...'
"Sorry.. but no." Harleen pushed against the mental counterattack that Raven mounted. It was washed away like a people in an ocean. "The price to pay for being to soft. I won't let you hurt him again."
Claire and Orm's eyes narrowed at that. It seems there was still more they needed to know about the situation. Harleen knew too much and was too good at mental games for their liking. Even when she didn't try to be.
"Got it all!" Selina pulled the dagger out. Holding the black blade in her hand, she tossed it to Teth-Adam. Who then sealed it away inside an Urn. "Seal it away far from the other stuff!" He nodded and vanished in golden light.
"What did you do!?" Raven laid on the ground exhausted. Her body barely listening to her. "I feel so weak now."
"As you should be." Harleen waved her hands passing the knowledge to each of them as agreed. A lot to go through when they could make it happen safely. "You by extension are a natural enemy of Champion's like Max. The blood in your veins can be used in rituals to end everything."
"How did you find out?" Raven said from the floor. Slowly a new magic started to enter her body. Three smaller white gems appearing on her forehead. "How did you find that dagger?!"
"Have my ways." Harleen sat down with a bit of a headache. She did just a large amount of power. "Would have been easier without being gentle. Then again, would have fried your brain if I didn't."
"And that is not we wanted to do." Constantine said a little angered. "Crazy bird."
"Enough!" Orm cut in. He moved over to Raven wanting answers. "Is it all true?" He asked with a measure of control. Raven didn't answer. "Are you the daughter of that monster?" His voice coming out a little rattled.
"To scared to even say his name?" Raven countered smugly.
"Tch!" Water broke free of Orm and swirled around Raven in a split second. So fast and concentrated, it tore a few trenches in the magically reinforced floor. "I do not fear him!"
"Easy there.." Selina said in a whisper. "..she is still a friend. Hopefully. Do not make it worse." Gritting his teeth, Orm sat Raven down gently. His eyes not budging away from her. "Your father.. Trigon. He kills everyone in the future, doesn't he?"
"He does." Raven said deadpanned. "Everyone falls against him. Well besides a handful. Max stops everything in the end. But not without a cost."
"How did he stop it?" Claire spoke for the first time. Raven not paying her any attention till now. "How does Max do it?"
"He kept the Dimension together. Which sealed Trigon into in every nook and cranny. It kept him from every consuming another Dimension but also kept life from starting over naturally. Until.. until I undid the seal to cross through time and ended up here."
"So you are responsible for the changes taking place here?" Zatanna mused. Her eyes lighting up as a golden ankh appeared on her skin. "The reason so many different Scenarios were changed." Raven nodded demurely. "What else did you change since coming here?"
"I do not know." Raven answered honestly. "Max already altered so much to try and fix what I caused by arriving. As well as when Reverse Flash tried to arrive. And a few others."
"Max is against Tiem Travelers. No matter the reason." Pamela said sternly. "Causes to much instability. Messes with and Champion that does not mess with Time specifically."
"Which he forbids himself from doing." Harleen shuddered a little at a memory. From the time she made her wish with Max. "To prevent himself from becoming like Chronus, most Time-based magic and Techniques are ban to him."
"As he is now, yes." Raven ran her hands across her forehead. Having know idea what to make of the jewels. But she felt peaceful and calm. As if they were meant for her somehow. "Buf if you seal his Virtue away.."
*Crackle!* A flame aura appeared around Claire at the mention of Max's Virtue. Harleen and Selina admitting a bloodlust of their own in the mix.
"She" was working towards the same thing to do to him. Against his desires." Selina's muscles started to tense in agitation. "That is a bad idea. Especially with everything going on. You should be smarter than her."
"He would have the power to stop, Blackest Night, War against Darkseid, the Martian Rebellion, the War on Light, and so many more!" Raven yelled almost pleading in a way. "The future is not pretty. Not at all. What is worse..."
"Is the response he has to it all." A voice said calmly in the surroundings. A purple wind entered from the floor. The marks from when Orm wrapped Raven in water having breached the seal of the chamber a little. Enough that Gaia felt what happened to Raven first. "Do not worry, Max is not aware of what has happened."
*Shine!* Exuding a small bit of magic, Gaia fixes the damage in the room.
"Gaia..." Claire's voice came out in a whisper. The symbol of Mars shining in her left eye for a moment. ".. what happens now?"
"The same as before. Prepare for the future. Work pass this for one." Gaia looked at them all for a moment, making sure they were some what squared away. "Why else would this be allowed? Letting you attack a friend and ally. A teacher..."
A yellow miasma flowed off them each. With a wave of Gaia's hand, it was swept away and extinguished. A look of clarity passing of their eyes.
"Divine Buffledement, a spell of the highest order. I am not the one that put that on you. Neither Max." Gaia said quickly. The looks they had on their faces, went from anger to shock. "Other Pantheons did so. TO see how far you would go. And to see where you were lacking."
"By pitting us against each other." Constantine looked at Gaia incensed. "This is shite and you know it. Sometimes I just wished you all would leave us alone."
Gaia's eyes flashed for a brief moment. A frown on her face for a moment. She shook her head departing from them.
"Be careful what you wish for. If not for those like us, your mother would be dead already. As well as so many others."
Gaia returned to Olympus to rest. She was tired. Very tired. The others looking at Raven with a mix of emotions. Out of all of them, the only one to keep a look of anger on, was Claire. Her thoughts on something else.
*Fwoosh!* Claire left in a mirror of flame. Leaving the group alone to deal with the situation as they saw fit.
.
Max's room-
.
Max was currently packing some bags. A few gifts to go out before he returns to General Lane. Behind him, a flame mirror appeared. Claire stepped out angry.
"Max, we need to talk!"
"Um, sure. First, why in the world did you break into my bedroom? I don't do that to you. At least I don't think I have." He scratched his head feeling a little confused. "Just settle down and we can..."
"Who the hell is Trigon! And what the hell is going on!" Claire demanded. Her eyes crazed like a wild animal. Her hair aflame in agitation. "NO nonsense or tricks either!"
"Ok." Max sat on his bed looking at her. "Trigon... very existence is something that is harming this Dimension and a few others. That last enemy before this is finish. If I live that long. But steps have been taken to end it in one go. Plans changed over time."
"How?!" Claire had grabbed Max's hands tightly. Her burning into his own. "Tell me what I need to do specifically!"
"Ummm ok." Still confused, Max went with it. "Follow me then." He pulled Claire into Tartrus in an instant. "Walk with me." Do not dawdle or.." He did not have to instruct her at all. Claire followed along closely paying close attention. 'Such curious times I am in. Atlas, what is going on?'
'I have absolutely no idea. The scenario is beyond my understanding. I gave up the moment she said Trigon's name.' The A.I. intoned. 'I can check once more.. but other matters seem important.'
Max did not respond. To preoccupied at the speed at which the special cell was constructed. Almost expanded to an additional Tartrus on its own. More energy stored inside than any other cell he made.
"Such power.. is this enough to kill it?" Claire said in awe. Her eyes scanning every corner of the large fixture. Formation after Formation lined the outer area. Magic seals so complex and delicately formed in the stone. "What is that material made of?"
"Element X. A dropped I have recovered since arriving here. All refined by myself for this now. Was suppose to be for something else but... changes had to be made." Max pointed to a few rods at the side. "Amazonium, obtained from trading with the Amazons. Retempered by Hephaestus. Orichalcum from the deepest reaches of Atlantis ruins. And the newest addition... Radion for soul binding my target. Never touch the stuff, you understand?"
"I understand. What is that Black stuff swirling around the outside." Claire pointed at a swirl of magic that moved in a counter clockwise motion. Every pass, it would spread a little further. Become a little stronger. "It feels.. like you. Just draining in a way."
"It is the Rot. Something I allowed to become a part of me. To help with this prison. Put to a lot of work for this one target actually." Max mumbled a little incantation to rearrange some things. A small star formed in the middle of the cell. Magic kept it in check as it would grow. "Need more safeguards."
"Is this not enough?!" Claire was alarmed. This looked to be overkill. "How easy would this kill let's say.. a regular god?"
"Easy. Really easy. But Trigon is way above that. A demon among demons. Beyond that of several devils even. Pain in the ass. That's why as soon as he arrives, he is getting yeeted. Not talking to him or anything stupid like that. Killing all his henchman and underlings as I find them. So bloody hard the way they hideaway.."
"Let me help hunt them down." Claire said determined.
"Well.. you have your singing career to think about." Max rather not pull her into this specific enemy at this time. So many others that needed to be dealt with. But Claire was never one to shy away from danger. The look she gave him was troublesome. "Haaa, talk with Helena. She can help."
"Great. Now can we leave? I do not like this place." Claire was no longer worried for the time being. Which settled her nerves well enough. Max nodded and they moved away. To the side, he stopped looking at his garden. Something was off about it. "What is it?"
"Just looks off. Some of the energy is gone it looks like. That cannot be right." Max moved over to the dome. Claire following with. "I swear it is odd. Maybe I should check on Lala while I am here?"
"Lala? Who is Lala?" Claire heard the name mention before. Just couldn't put a name to the face. "Hiding lovers away inside this dreary place."
"My soul is not dreary. It is.." Max stopped as he looked up. The light inside was a little dimmer than it should be. His eyes narrowing at a small foreboding thought. Hands gripping tightly. "..we should go."
Claire and Max left in an instant. Max making notes to keep a check on the formations inside his soul. A maintenance check was needed. Just to be careful. Claire already calling Helena for details.
.
Olympus-
.
At the base of the mountain, several people moved about. Old customs returned with Athena understanding the need for everyone to get back in touch with their roots. Children playing without a care in the world. Parents working away happily. Satisfied to work so close to those they worshipped.
Off in a mine, however, an unfortunate miner would obtain something dreadful. A timed strike, and a bit of magic from those of Chaos at work, caused a slightly Dimensional Crack. A really small one that went unnoticed to those in the area.
The crack caused just enough that a chain that connected deep between Dimensions rattled. The rattle shaking loose a creature that slumbered as it spent countless centuries recovering. Right under the nose of those that would slay it.
Ouranus, dismembered and mutilated in certain locations, bid his time well. The chance to return made easy by the forces of Chaos intervention. Never missing a chance to dry bring down Gaia a peg or two.
The abomination that was Ouranus moved a little more as it recovered. It wouldn't be long before it's reign of terror would return.