Power has a price in our world's magic. This is not a rule we have set down, it is embedded in the nature of magic itself. This world is no different.
Great power either requires sacrifice up front, or causes any gain to come with hooks. Those you know that do not pay such a price are often not tapping into greater power when they fight beside you -
[ - a flash of Zatanna doing some kind of straight forward spell causing magical chains to bind a villain - ]
- have a more powerful patron like one of the Lords of Order -
[- A flash of Dr. Fate creating a massive shield with an ankh glyph in the center -]
- or cheat, and even then, constantly displace suffering onto others in their wake.
[A flash of John Constantine flinging fire at demons and then using it to light a cigarette.]
[She speaks aloud again, so others can try to understand.]
With magic, there is always a price.
And in this world Stories have power. Nature abhors a narrative vacuum. Completely willing volunteers, perfectly empowered with exactly what powers they do or do not want, powerful and capable, used to cooperating, and already prone to victory? That is not a Story. This is not our preference, this is metaphysics.
There must be struggle, there must be smallness. You must look up at the steep incline of a dread mountain and feel doom and exhaustion.
Your world's Justice League would die. The one called Superman would fall. He has grown too powerful to easily fall and therefore he would be doomed to. We have picked the better Superman for this world and this journey. He was born from darkness, he knows struggle and despair, and he has recently felt the sting of death. He will be stronger here.
We cannot choose the willing. We cannot be gentle to you all. We cannot give you a choice. You will lose. We must be cruel to be kind.
no subject
Power has a price in our world's magic. This is not a rule we have set down, it is embedded in the nature of magic itself. This world is no different.
Great power either requires sacrifice up front, or causes any gain to come with hooks. Those you know that do not pay such a price are often not tapping into greater power when they fight beside you -
[ - a flash of Zatanna doing some kind of straight forward spell causing magical chains to bind a villain - ]
- have a more powerful patron like one of the Lords of Order -
[- A flash of Dr. Fate creating a massive shield with an ankh glyph in the center -]
- or cheat, and even then, constantly displace suffering onto others in their wake.
[A flash of John Constantine flinging fire at demons and then using it to light a cigarette.]
[She speaks aloud again, so others can try to understand.]
With magic, there is always a price.
And in this world Stories have power. Nature abhors a narrative vacuum. Completely willing volunteers, perfectly empowered with exactly what powers they do or do not want, powerful and capable, used to cooperating, and already prone to victory? That is not a Story. This is not our preference, this is metaphysics.
There must be struggle, there must be smallness. You must look up at the steep incline of a dread mountain and feel doom and exhaustion.
Your world's Justice League would die. The one called Superman would fall. He has grown too powerful to easily fall and therefore he would be doomed to. We have picked the better Superman for this world and this journey. He was born from darkness, he knows struggle and despair, and he has recently felt the sting of death. He will be stronger here.
We cannot choose the willing. We cannot be gentle to you all. We cannot give you a choice. You will lose. We must be cruel to be kind.
This is the nature of magic.