The Rulers' Sanctum - The Prison Dimension
The place was wrong and built to unsettle, to disorient, to break the spirit of anyone held within its walls. The sky was a mass of grey and violet, shifting and roiling and the ground surface smooth and cold, its depths revealing only emptiness.
Beast Boy and Ivy hung suspended in the air, their forms wrapped in chains of light, their arms pinned to their sides, their legs bound together. The chains pulsed with a sickly light.
Gar's voice was hoarse, exhausted from struggling. "You too?"
Ivy's laugh was dry, humorless. "Hey." She paused, her verdant eyes scanning their surroundings with detachment of someone who had been captured countless times before. "Fancy meeting you here. Though I have to say, the décor leaves something to be desired."
"Right?" Gar said, his voice carrying a note of strained humor. "I was expecting, I don't know, lava pits. Maybe a few spikes. This is just... grey. Lots and lots of grey."
"The Rulers are not known for their interior design skills it seems," Ivy said. "Or their creativity in general, apparently."
"Wow. Captured, bound, probably about to be tortured, and you're still making jokes."
"Laughing is better than crying," Ivy said simply. "And I've done enough crying in my life. I'm not about to give them the satisfaction."
The figures emerged from the grey.
There were three of them, tall, robed, winged, their features hidden in shadow, their eyes glowing with the same pale, colorless light as the Collectors who had taken them. They stood in a semicircle before the captives, their presence radiating authority and contempt.
"The Shadow Monarch's judgment is poor," one of them said, his voice echoing through the void. "Giving pieces of primordial darkness to the lot of you. We thought he rid the universe of the Monarchs. But here he is, creating more. Breaking cycles, betraying everything Ashborn stood for."
Ivy's voice was flat, dismissive. "If you are going to kill us, do it and be done with it."
Gar's head snapped toward her. "Wait, why do you want to die so quick?"
Ivy sighed. "I'll die of boredom from their talk, honestly. No wonder Arthur doesn't like them. They seem to be the type to say 'I'm good, so you are beneath me' over and over while expecting everyone to be impressed." She paused, her eyes meeting the Rulers' glowing gazes without flinching. "You're nothing."
The Rulers' light flickered, their composure cracking for just a moment.
"We will not kill you," one of them said, his voice colder now. "We have better plans for you."
Gar's voice was sharp. "What kind of plans?"
"You will serve as a message. A lesson. The Shadow Monarch believes he can defy us, that he can rewrite the order we have maintained for eons. He believes he can create new Monarchs without consequence. He is wrong."
"You're going to use us as hostages," Ivy said flatly.
"Hostages implies negotiation," the Ruler said. "We do not negotiate. You will be sealed, both of you, in a dungeon of our making. A prison designed to challenge the strongest of human hunters. And when the Shadow Monarch comes for you, and he will come he will learn that some things cannot be undone. That some lessons must be paid for in blood... we are only doing this for the good of mankind and the universe."
Gar's eyes widened. "You're going to turn us into dungeon bosses.."
"That is the term you human use, yes."
"That's sick."
"That is justice."
Ivy's laugh was cold, sharp. "Justice. You keep using these type of words. I don't think you know what it means."
The Ruler stepped closer, his presence pressing against her, his power radiating menace. "You have no idea what we are, Monarch of Plagues. What we have seen. What we have done to maintain the balance of existence itself."
"I know exactly what you are," Ivy said, her voice steady. "You're bullies. Old, powerful bullies who have convinced yourselves that you're the good guys because you've been doing it for so long that you've forgotten what it looked like from the other side. Arthur sees through you. That's why you're afraid of him, if my new 'old' memories are correct, I believe you betrayed his predecessor..."
The Ruler's hand shot out, his fingers closing around her throat. "You know nothing!"
Gar struggled against his chains. "Hey! Leave her alone!"
The Ruler ignored him, his grip tightening. "You are nothing. You are a piece of darkness that was never meant to exist. And when the Shadow Monarch comes for you, he will find that even his power has limits."
Ivy's voice was barely a whisper. "I think he'll find you first."
The Ruler laughed. "We are beyond his reach. We are beyond everyone's reach. We have existed since before the first star was born in this universe. We will exist after the last one dies. And you... you are nothing but a temporary inconvenience."
He released her, stepping back.
"Prepare them," he said to the others. "We have a message to send."
.
.
.
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Arthur's Estate -
The door burst open.
Jaime stumbled into the sitting room, his armor retracted, his face pale, his eyes wild. He was breathing hard, his clothes torn and singed from the fight in Jump City, his hands shaking.
Arthur was on his feet before Jaime had taken three steps into the room. Kara rose as well and Raven appeared in the doorway, her dark robes billowing around her, her eyes blazing with concern.
"What happened?" Raven asked.
Jaime took a breath, steadying himself. "They took him... Five of them, maybe more. They came out of nowhere, in the middle of the boardwalk. Beast Boy fought them, he was incredible, Arthur, you should have seen it...but they overwhelmed him. They took him through a portal, and I couldn't stop them!"
"Who?" Raven repeated. "The Rulers?"
Kara's jaw tightened. "Must be them..."
"They took him," Jaime continued. "I don't know where... they said they were sending a message."
Kara's voice was sharp. "What kind of message?"
Arthur was silent for a moment, his eyes glowing faintly. Then he spoke, his voice flat and controlled.
"They're sending me a lesson. They want me to know that my defiance has a cost."
Raven stepped into the room, her arms crossed, her expression dark. "We should help him. Gar doesn't deserve this."
Arthur looked at her, "I expected them to be stupid," he said quietly. "Arrogant. Based on every memory I have of Ashborn, every scrap of knowledge about their methods... I expected them to try something like this. But I have to admit..." He paused. "I wanted them to be better."
"Tell me you had a shadow on Gar," Raven said. "Tell me you saw this coming.."
Arthur's smile was thin, "I had something better on him. Fear not." He paused, his eyes meeting hers. "The moment I gave you all the Monarch powers, I knew what was at stake. And every single consequence will be fought off personally by me."
Raven's eyes widened. "You knew this would happen?"
"I knew something would happen. I didn't know the exact shape it would take." Arthur's voice hardened. "They didn't just take Beast Boy. They took Ivy as well. They'll seal them both, probably turn them into dungeon bosses, like chained beasts waiting to be killed by human hunters." His eyes blazed. "It's a sick joke. And I'm not going to let them finish it."
"We can't allow that to happen!" Raven said, her voice rising.
Arthur held up a hand, his expression softening. "Do you trust me?"
Raven stared at him for a long moment. Then she stepped forward, placing her hand on top of his.
"Always."
Jaime stepped forward. "Whatever the cost, Arthur, we have to save him. I came to you first, before even informing Robin and the others. I thought... I knew you were the only one who could do this."
Arthur nodded slowly. "Of course. And don't let them know. Not yet. I'll handle this personally. I know where they are. I know who took them as well."
He extended a hand toward Raven. "Come. Let's go together."
Kara stepped forward, her voice hesitant. "Should I..."
Arthur turned to her, his expression softening. "You'll remain here with our daughter and my Marshals. The Rulers are not that low, but they can go low. I don't trust them. Neither should anyone, so protect this place."
Kara nodded, though her eyes were worried. "I'll remain here, then. But do be careful."
Arthur's smile was warm, if only for a moment. "Of course."
Raven took his hand, and they disappeared in a gust of shadows.
George appeared in the doorway, his expression composed, though his eyes were full of concern. "Poor Master Arthur," he said quietly. "Can't even get a proper break."
Jaime turned to go. "I'll go, then. I'll respect Arthur's wishes. I won't inform the Titans."
Kara looked at him, her expression grateful. "Thank you. Panic does nothing after all, trust Arthur with this, you know how he is."
Jaime paused at the door, glancing back over his shoulder. "I'm doing it precisely because of who he is." He paused. "He's the only one who can do this. And he's the only one I'd trust to do it."
He walked out.
Kara stood alone in the sitting room, her eyes fixed on the space where Arthur had been.
"Come back safe," she whispered. "Both of you."
/-\
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