2014.03.12 - Tyrants Meet

Far in the distance of Genosha, there's a great whirl in the air; some days after Superman's return and the defeat of Darkseid. Many may have thought him gone, crippled, or banished. The truth is far less satisfying, to so many who endured the trials and tribulations of the assault and defense.

It would not take amongst the greatest of defenses and technology to sense an incalculable amount of power, one sensed before on Apokolips. Riding upon a mundane metal aero-glider, the God of Evil is approaching the distant nation. Far enough out to not actually intrude upon the borders at the onset, or it's powerful defenses... but with full intention to pass through such, with no hint of slowing. Arms are behind his back, and his features neutral. Vengeance, perhaps? Has he come to systematically attack all those who stood against him on his home planet? From the reputation he has, there could be no other option imaginable...

A booming sonic projection ripples through the air, enough to knock the wind back with a flutter. There's a glimmer of light coalescing, and Magneto's visage shimmers into view between Darkseid and Genosha, giant and as solid looking as if his head had been enlarged to gigantic proportions and apparated before Darkseid. "Darkseid," Magneto says, twin pools of blue light shimmering where his eyes would be behind the t-visor of his iconic helmet. "If you are coming here for vengeance, rest assured I am more than prepared for you. Ware your approach before we annihilate you," Magneto warns, his booming tone carrying a note of clear warning.

"Ah." Darkseid states, tone almost conversational. His aero-glider shifts to hover in the air as he takes in the form opposite him with genuine curiosity. "You can state that with true confidence. A fascinating trait. The Man of Steel at his height does not dare face me without doubt in my heart." This does appear to be a true compliment, which might make his entire presence here more peculiar. "Do you think I come for war? Where are my machines of death? My Parademons? My Elites? Not that many would do much to you. No. You've a power as close to that of a God as I've seen in any human... save one." A slow smile creases his face. "Perhaps you think me a tyrant of simplistic evil. But I believe you have the capacity and vision to understand in truth the events that so recently took place."

"I recognize that your designs are inherently self-interested," Magneto corrects Darkseid. "Superman is an alien out of his depth. You are a prudent, careful, and utterly dangerous opponent. I have no doubt that even without your armies, you could pose a vital threat to Genosha. And I would hate to rebuild the devastation your death would cause." A grim, tight smile crosses the monstrous visage. "I believe that you recognize Superman as one of the few beings in creation capable of contending with you physically, unaided. You had some need for his Kryptonian heritage. You bargained for his strength, and when he reneged, war broke out." "But no, Darkseid. I think there is nothing simple about you. Hence my respect for you, in the form of the weapons currently aimed at this location."

"Self-interested is not an inaccurate way to put it." Darkseid agrees. But he does laugh again, cracking his neck slowly to the side. "Yet you seem confident in your ability to defeat me, despite not truly knowing my limits. If I understand such correctly, you are the font for magnetic energy in this world. It flows through you like blood in your veins, and you manipulate it with the ease of imagination. And with terrible force that could rip a bridge from a river, or heft an entire building into the air. Truly, your abilities are magnificant. The only one in my employ who might defeat you is Mantis. But he is a complacent, ignorant fool. But if you are curious...? All the power of that creature I gave him. I made Mantis the threat he is, of my own bidding. And I could take it away, if I had a mind." But then a laugh follows. "But I did not come here for a fight. If you wished to play, I would not object. Yet is negociation I have in mind. Come; show me the marvels of Genosha. I will raise no hand to it." To a man of Magneto's infinite experience and razor perceptions, there's no sign of deception or falsehood. Such is beneath the God of Evil, beyond the most desperate of situations.

"I have no desire to dance, Darkseid," Magneto says, teeth baring in a wry grin. "We can negotiate quite conveniently right here. Consider it a sign of my immense respect for your person that I am keeping you outside our perimeter. 'Only a fool lets a knife within his arm's reach'," he quotes. "So what brings you to our island?" Some hundred miles away, Genosha floats a few hundred feet above the ocean, with Magneto sitting in his Spire, staring at the image of Darkseid being projected to him, his chin in hand and elbow on the arm of his chair. "I assume you aren't here to surrender, so if you are here for diplomacy, it is either a cessation of hostilities or a desire to ask me to stand aside. I will consider the former, but the latter is non-negotiable. I will not see Earth become another Apokalips."

"Indeed. You do not understand my agenda in the slightest." Darkseid offers, continuing to idly float while he glances towards the distant Genosha. "I do not wish to destroy Earth. I am not particularly interested in conquering it. I am only here to look for something. And that requires humanity to remain intact. Untold death and destruction happens to be against my agenda. And if some great threat stood, intent to consume this planet... I would stand against it." And then a far more bemused expression. "And what happened with Superman...? I had possession of his father. I offered to trade him, for Superman to give up his powers. That is all. I already possess the genetics of a Kryptonian. I was curious whether the Man of Steel would choose one person he loved, or an entire planet dependant on him." "You saw the end result."

Magneto's face stops responding for a few moments, then twists into an admission of a grimace. "Yes. He is not an individual for whom long-term planning is a strength." The giant head continues to regard Darkseid with burning blue eyes, expression otherwise impossible to read. "The Justice League rather misled me with regards to your intentions. Touche to you, Darkseid," Magneto acknowledges. "My understanding was that your presence was preparatory for a pre-emptive strike. It appears we both wasted valuable resources in our contest. I am pleased you do not appear to bear any personal enmity towards me for my presence there." "Which returns us to the topic of your presence here, so near Genosha. Why have you sought me out?"

"No, it was not. I tested the Man of Steel, then left. In an unrelated event, I abducted Jon-El, a hybrid who had escaped me. In the process, no civilians were killed. Only those who attacked me were repelled. It was that empty justification that allowed Superman to believe himself justified in reneging on our deal." Darkseid leans forward, almost conspiratorial. "I would have given his powers back, if he gave me back his father. He refused. He was as selfish as a child who realized he made a mistake. But he wished to keep his father, and still get back his powers. I am sure it was because I was evil. He said it was a choice he could not refuse. But I know... the moment he went home and embraced his father, there was no vengeance in mind. It was the outcry from his pets who depend on him, and the heroes who carry his icon on their back. And when he made a show of flying as a faux Man of Steel, wearing Tony Stark's tin shell... that is when I struck. If you had been me... do you feel it justified?" Darkside turns slightly, looking here and there. "I bear enmity for the weak. And those who have naive mindsets. What you did on my planet impressed me. There was no real chance for them to succeed. You saved many lives, perhaps, but my ultimate failing had little to do with your presence." Burning eyes return to Magneto's visage. "Tell me what you desire. What is your dream. Why have you built this grand country, this paradise? In a hundred years... in a thousand... where do you hope to stand?"

Magneto's face remains motionless. There is nothing to read- no tells, no giveaways, nothing. "My dream should be fairly obvious to one as astute as yourself, Darkseid. A land of mutants, isolated and segregated from the rest of the world? You know what I desire," Magneto scoffs. "I will long be dead, but this dream will remain. This land. And in a thousand years, all lands will be as Genosha- united under the common cause of Homo Novus, a species /ready/ for the likes of the galaxy itself."

"I see." Darkseid readily agrees. "So that means humans, ultimately, mean nothing to you. Would that be a correct statement?" After another glance towards Genosha, "I have no objections to you building up a world power of Mutants. I even have no objections to you taking over this world. All I have need for is humanity. At least, long enough to study." A peculiar request, to say the least. "And I wish to give you a token of good will. If you will allow me on Genosha, I swear that you shall see my words true. Trust is not something you and I have... but if you truly think an attempted betrayal would take place... you think you can defeat me, right?" Just a small smile. "If you say no, so be it. I am not a man prone to gifts. It would merely be a tribute of my respect, and proof that in the future, there is no need to be enemies. I have seen there is no need for my invasion forces to overtake this planet. Instead, I shall support those with the vision to do such their own... and revel in the irony that Earth will have no omnipotent evil to blame when they finally fall."

"Trust, no," Magneto agrees. "But a mutual understanding, yes. This is my land, and as of yet, you are my guest, albeit one I hold with wary respect. Traditionally, it is the host who gives a gift. If you are inclined to reverse our obligations, then as host, I must accept your gift, however disinclined I might be to trust you." A hand manifests from nowhere, easily the size of Darkseid's compacted form. "I trust this is something I can transport myself? Or is it something more symbolic and ambiguous than real?"

A shake of the head. "No. You cannot carry it. And it is very much real." Darkseid states upon his hovering aero-glider, smile still there. A sense of a test, but not a malicious one. "I will need to be upon your nation, with a fair amount of open area. The decision is yours. Will you take the risk that I truly offer a great boon, one you cannot fathom or guess? Or will you be prudent, and ask me to leave, fearing I might instead strike out in some petty vengeance? Neither guess is wrong to presume, and a true leader can never know which is correct without a glimpse into the future. Which do you prefer?"

The face goes still again for long moments as Magneto considers. "Come to Genosha, Darkseid. There will be a reception waiting for you." The face flickers into nothingness, then vanishes entirely, as if a sketch erased by wireframe. It would not take the Dark God long to arrive- perhaps ten minutes, slowed as he would be by the injunction field Magneto's erected over the island. It's a remarkable achievement- an island over a thousand miles square, supported by a lattice of steel and stone, and held aloft by incalculable energy, 'coasting' on the Earth's magnetic field. Magneto himself stands on the parade field, along with an 'honor guard' that happens to consist of half a hundred of his Vanguard- the formidable troops who stand nine feet tall in their personal body armor- and with a clear sense that many more troops are not far away, if needed. "Welcome to Genosha, Darkseid," Magneto says in a grave tone. "The Floating Fortress. All due respect to a worthy enemy," he says, offering a polite bow.

The aero-disc is in no rush to thrum forward, arms still behind the titanic figure's back. He has no need to fly in truth, but finds it to possess more dignity, and a show of his world's technology is hardly a negative. A slow look around takes in the maneuvering island with interest. "Oh? How do you keep such aloft... your own powers?" Heavily, Darkseid thumps upon the ground. A glance is given to a number of enemies that would make almost any hero or villain hesitate. If there is any threat, such is not visible. "We need not be enemies at all. Such is why I came. I can offer you two things. This is the first." Suddenly, Darkseid's eyes roar with Omega energy. After a few seconds, a bolt flies straight towards Magneto. Although this might cause alarm, suddenly it descends and strikes into the open ground. Slowly it spreads out in a massive red pool. No amount of technology or sensory input could make much sense of it. It is truly the entropic cosmic energy of the very universe, half of the Source itself. But nothing is being damaged or modified in any way... And then, with a great crack... hundreds of men are standing. Many are liable to look horribly disoriented. Magneto would need only a glance to confirm what just happened. Every single Mutant he took with him to Apokolips that fell in the great war has just been... revived? There is no other word for it. Is it some illusion? Some trick? That will be for Magneto to discover on his own, but it certainly lends more credit to the fact that his claims of divinity are closer in practical use to the many that shout it to the heavens.

Magneto's reaction is nearly cataclysmic, but as Darkseid averts his gaze at the last moment, the Master of Magnetism narrows his eyes, watching the impressive display of power. "That is an impressive feat, Darkseid," Magneto says, his tone still cooly controlled. "Beyond any force or magic I have seen. Superman was well out of his league to attack you head on. I am surprised Stark had the audacity to do so." He folds his arms across his chest. "I can see why lesser beings call you 'The Dark God' of Apokalips," he concedes with a gesture.

"Stark is dead for a reason. He was an arrogant fool, blinded by the indoctrination of an alien taught to never go too far. Had Superman not corrupted his beliefs, I would be dead, and Apokolips itself threatened. I would claim to never underestimate the Iron Man, but I have removed that need from this world." A hand extends to everyone present. "The Omega Force can alter the very heartbeat of the universe. It can transmute matter. Erase matter into nothing. Create matter from nothing. And even birth organic life. And, to those who truly displease me, it can banish someone within a pocket dimension. One that lasts an eternity, even if by some miracle they are saved a second later. They will be broken and shattered beyond all hope. I have a massive planet with technology nearly on par with that many in this universe believe so close to perfection to be nearly magic, the Celestials. One capable of destroying a planet, a sun, or more. The ability to literally create endless Parademons, and the equipment to supply them. I have lived over four hundred thousand years, Magneto. I have conquered more worlds than the years humanity has existed as a conscious being. Do you really think, with such at my disposal, the destruction of this one planet is beyond me?" Although even were that the case, there's the great question of 'why not'. "I return your bretherin, for they were mislead by the blind justice of your heroes. It is they who incited you to lead them to death. But unlike them, I can return them. And it intrigued me, to hear you say you will some day die and hope to see Genosha rise to greatness..." Darkside begins to hover back up on his aero-disc. "For the last thing I can offer you... is immortality. To truly live forever until your mortal form is destroyed. And you could lead your dream until the very end of it's success. ...Consider such things carefully. With me behind you, there will be no need to feel content with this floating land, feared and reviled by the weak and unevolved..." Turning, the God of Evil begins to once more fly away from Genosha.

"All things pass, Darkseid," Magneto says, his voice booming to follow the Dark God. "Even me. It is the way of the universe. Even the sun will burn and wither and die," he adds, calling after the would-be God. "But I assure you, that my progeny- my children of Genosha- will survive the death of the Sun itself," he adds, rising into the air. "I do not need your immortality, Darkseid. My people are my immortal legacy. I will die, but I will live on through them."

"Hah. You are a true leader, Magneto. There are many ways to rule. And a religious ferver of a martyr can indeed last for thousands of years. But you are right. Nothing is eternal. After awhile, time becomes so abstract, you can flicker into awareness with the rise and fall of an entire civilization. It is not such a grand and easy life. I will some day pass, to. And I know how, if not when. But I will hope my legacy is to see my world crumble and burn, as I proved to all my leadership was true, and there will be no way to save the ashes..." And with a heavy thrum, he rockets away, no longer within easy verbal range.