-Depths of El Castillo, Mexico-
-September 4th, 8:22 pm-
As Lex Luthor's men crowded in on the young superhero team, their leader twirled his eskrima sticks before cracking them hard against the men as they stepped into him one at a time. The large, drawn out cave system along with the tail end of summer made the combat grounds humid even in the evening hours. Still the group known as Young Justice were fighting through the hoard with precision. Finally making it to the end where Lex Luthor gently began to hold in his grasp the stone tablet with blue gem at its center.
“Alright Lex put down the freaky Mayan artifact and just walk away.” Nightwing sternly told Lex who only looked back un-amused. Even without his power suit he didn't seem to take the threat very seriously as he quietly picked up the artifact, which only made Nightwing more mad. “Its seven of us against just you Lex, don't do something reckless.”
“Who said I was even thinking of such a thing?” Lex asked aloud as he grasped the artifact in his hands, cradling it gently. “You don't even know what this is... do you?”
-Central America, Mayan Ruins-
-September 4th, Just after sunset-
The Doombots crowded in on the Young Avengers. Their leader angled his shield to defend the one called Wiccan from a palm-shot blast as he prepared his magic. The ricocheted blast took out one android but another quickly took its place. The deep, drawn out maze of caverns, each a previous chamber of sacrifice hundreds of years ago, along with the last days of sweltering summer heat made the entire area dripping with humidity even in the evening hours. An adolescent assembly of Avengers were assaulting across the accumulated automatons with aplomb. Finally making it to the end where Victor von Doom deftly gripped the stone circle with cerulean shine at its center.
“Latveria has no sanctioned patronage to this region of the world, religious or otherwise. Return the artifact and calmly disperse.” Patriot evenly informed Doom who only looked back as amused as a steel mask can. Even if he wasn't wearing his technomancer armor, which he always did, he didn't seem to take the threat very seriously as he began to scan the artifact, which only made Patriot more Stern. “You are outnumbered and out-gunned, don't do something foolish.”
“The only fool here is you, boy.” Doom replied as he turned the artifact in his hands, scanning the back next. “You haven't the slightest clue why you are here or what you are trying to stop. If Captain America was the government lapdog, you are certainly no more than it's prize breeding bitch.”
Suddenly though the artifact began to glow heavily as Lex's confident look suddenly turned to that of surprise and almost horror. Suddenly the room began to rumble and quake, and the dust rose causing Nightwing to cough. "What the hell did you do Lex?!" Nightwing called out. Only to not get a response from Lex who looked just as genuinely surprised. Before Lex could say something though a blue portal appeared before him. In its very center was a man in some kind of green hooded cloak. The portal seemingly only grew more powerful though. Causing Lex to get pulled in by its powerful force.
"We need to get out of here now!" Nightwing called back to the others. Trying to run out of the room though proved impossible. As the portal only grew more and more powerful. The force was hard enough that Nightwing, even grasping a pole, couldn't hold on and got pulled in.
Suddenly though, the artifact began to glow heavily as Dooms scans were a source of energy of any kind more advanced that the heat of a torch in a hundred years turned the doctors face to that of surprise while Eli look on in horror. Rapidly the room began to rumble as the rubble rose, causing Patriot to cover his face and wish he had brought a mask. "I warned you to put it back!" Patriot called out, only to be ignored by Doom who looked just fascinated as Th Avengers leader looked worried. Before Doom could say something, a blue portal or Kirby Particles appeared before him. In its very center was a bald man in some kind of green trenchcoat. The portal seemingly only grew more powerful though as Victor sent one of his doombots in to send surveillance of the atmosphere.
"Avengers, Fall back!" Eli ordered the others. He was the last to leave, trying to give everyone else the chance to get out of the room if possible. As the portal only grew more and more powerful y the second. The force was hard enough that Patriot, planting his feet wide with shield to protect the others, still got pulled in.
Slowly Nightwing started to come too, coughing from the dust coating his lungs as he struggled to get back up from the weird force that pulled him into that... whatever the hell thing it was. Once he was back up right he was able to get a good chance to glance around. Realizing it was still the temple's underground but something felt very wrong. He couldn't place a finger on it though. So for now he just had to use the detective skills any bat family member worth their grain in salt has.
That was when things got... weird. He glanced over and immediately his attention went to how some of the Young Justice members were there. Kyle, Superboy, Raven, and Beast Boy were all accounted for. The others however were seemingly replaced by some massive green guy thing with wings and someone in the most garish red and blue suit his ever seen. "The hell?" Nightwing started to glance over the two strange men before reaching up to an earpiece. "Oracle come in, something weird just happened... Oracle?" Nightwing realized that something didn't seem right at all. As all he was getting in return was static. Oracle's signal could reach them earlier, was it some kind of interference? "Oracle come in... ORAC-" Suddenly the large green guy was waking up and Nightwing had to hop away from him.
"Gahh..." Hulkling knew today was going to suck, Speed was being particularly a pain in the ass, and a planned romantic evening had to be cut short because of Dr. Doom of all people. With a grunt Hulkling stood back upright, letting his body go back to its usual human form before he looked over. Glancing at Nightwing before suddenly glancing again. "Hey wait, who the heck are you?" Teddy asked trying to shake dust out of his hair.
---
Eventually, Patriot's body stopped squeezing and screaming at him started to look around. He struggled to get back up from the weird force that pulled him into that blue haze but something was off, not just the sense of time loss but like the way his body played in an artificial environment in training sessions at the avengers tower. He came to the conclusion that they was still the temple's underground but something felt very wrong. Doom was nowhere in sight, nor any of his doombots, nor any of the carbon scoring from the blasts either.
That was when things got odd. He glanced over and demanded a Sit-Rep. "Avengers, Roll Call! Anybody transformed or body-swapped?" Patriot started to glance over the strange forms before reaching up to an earpiece. "Attention all avengers on all frequencies, Doom is missing. I repeat, we lost doom, Activate tracking systems based around energy anomaly at my location in the last 24 hours." Unfortunately, all he was getting in return was static. It was subtle at first, But patriot finally noticed how they were being illuminated in the dark cavern, there was a glowing green lantern in the corner of the room.
Ring strength available: 90%, Ring strength available: 80%,
"Ten percent in a second, what the hell?
Separation from Corps, Ring strength available: 70%, Emergency power-down, Ring strength available: 60%,
"What do you mean 'separation of corps?' what the hell happened?"
Space-time anomaly, Ring strength available: 50%, Now located in familiar uncharted sector, Ring strength available: 40%,
That's impossible, there are no 'familiar unknown sectors'
Ring strength available: 10%, Holding at 10% for energy conservation. Theoretical time available at 10%, 23 days or 216 hours or 12960 Minutes. Correction: 12959 Minutes.
"This can't be good. Locate lantern."
"Lantern not found... Lantern not found...Lantern not found...