Mori hovers in the atmosphere, his arms crossed, the clouds below him reflecting the serenity of the world he's grown accustomed to. But beneath that calm exterior, a sense of frustration boils. The fight with Darkseid had rekindled his spirit, but everything afterward had been too quiet, too mundane. He needed something exciting—a challenge that could push him beyond the limits he knew.
"Man, is there nothing interesting happening on this planet?" Mori mutters to himself. His thoughts drift as his gaze sweeps over the Earth, and for a brief moment, he allows himself to relax. That's when it happens.
A strange sensation washes over him—a faint tug, like a soft breeze pulling at his clothes. Mori furrows his brow, his senses immediately on high alert, but he sees nothing. Then, without warning, the tug returns, much stronger than before, and Mori's body jerks backward, as though an invisible hand is yanking him from behind.
"What the—?" Mori exclaims, his body forced two feet through the air, his aura instinctively flaring to resist.
He quickly corrects himself, bracing in the sky as his confusion deepens. The tug grows more persistent, and Mori begins to feel a subtle sense of unease. This wasn't like any power he had encountered before. He channels more energy into his body, trying to stabilize his position, but the force pulling at him only intensifies, as though responding to his resistance.
Annoyed, Mori powers up to 50% of his strength, thinking it will be enough to break free. For a moment, it works—he manages to push against the force, his muscles flexing as he fights to stay in control. But the mysterious pull adapts, growing stronger in direct response to his efforts.
The force now yanks him backward with such strength that Mori is thrown into a tailspin, spiraling through the air.
"Okay, that's enough," Mori growls, clenching his fists as his aura bursts around him, golden energy crackling like electricity. He attempts to fly forward, pushing with all his might, but it's no use. The pull drags him down—hard—into the Earth below.
With a deafening crash, Mori slams into the ground, carving a massive crater in the middle of a city. The shockwave of his impact sends debris flying and buildings trembling. The civilians nearby scream in panic, running for cover as the dust settles around the newly-formed crater. Mori stands in the center, brushing off the dirt and looking more irritated than hurt.
"Whoever is behind this... you're dead," he mutters, his eyes scanning the skies.
He prepares to take flight again, but before he can, the mysterious force tugs at him even harder, lifting him off the ground and launching him into space. The pull is far more powerful now, and for the first time in a long while, Mori feels a hint of genuine concern. He increases his power even further, but the force scales with him, always one step ahead.
As he hurtles through the void of space, the Justice League Watchtower appears on the horizon. Mori tries to change his trajectory, but the pull drags him straight into the station's path. With another explosive crash, Mori tears through the walls of the Watchtower, causing chaos inside.
Martian Manhunter, who had been monitoring the station's systems, feels the impact. He immediately reaches out telepathically to the rest of the League.
"Mori is here, but something's wrong. He's tearing through the Watchtower uncontrollably. We need assistance."
Mori is barely aware of the warning as he's pulled through the other side of the station, debris trailing in his wake. He tries to use his time-skip ability to create a momentary break in the pull, but even that is overpowered, as if the very fabric of space and time is being manipulated.
He curses under his breath, trying to speak, but the pull renders him immobile. His body feels as if it's bound by invisible chains, every muscle straining against an unseen force. All he can do is watch as the pull drags him farther and farther from Earth, deeper into the cosmos.
Within moments, the moon looms ahead. Mori crashes into its surface with the force of a meteor, creating a colossal crater that sends lunar dust into the black void of space. His body is embedded deep within the moon's rocky surface, and for the first time in years, Mori feels genuine strain.
"This… this is insane…" he thinks, struggling against the relentless force. "If this keeps up, I'll lose consciousness… but why? Why can't I stop this?"
The pull doesn't let up. If anything, it intensifies, ripping Mori from the moon's surface and dragging him through space at unimaginable speed. His body begins to falter under the pressure. Every second that passes, he feels his strength waning. Despite all his power, he can't break free.
Finally, a swirling wormhole appears ahead of him, glowing with an ominous light. Mori is pulled inside, helpless to stop his momentum.
As he passes through the wormhole, strange sights flash before his eyes—otherworldly landscapes, floating spheres of light, and towering trees of impossible scale. Colors and energies beyond comprehension surround him, but Mori barely has time to process any of it. The pull guides him toward one particular sphere, its light tinged with gold. In the distance, a massive yellow tree dominates the horizon, its roots extending into the heavens.
The pull grows stronger, dragging Mori toward the sphere, until he's forced through its outer layers and crashes down in the middle of an ancient, ruined church.
The building is a shadow of its former glory. The stone walls are cracked and weathered, covered in moss and creeping vines. Broken stained-glass windows cast fragmented, colorful light across the debris-strewn floor. Pillars that once held the grand structure together have crumbled, leaving the roof partially collapsed. The air is thick with the scent of decay, and the entire church feels forgotten, as though it has been abandoned for centuries.
Mori groans as he slowly regains consciousness, his vision swimming. He sits up, blinking through the dust, trying to take stock of his surroundings. That's when he notices the two figures nearby.
One stands near the shadows, watching him. The figure is tall and imposing, clad in armor that looks both ancient and battle-worn. The intricate metalwork is scarred from countless battles, but the aura of strength around the figure is undeniable. A helm with a pointed visor obscures the figure's face, but there's no mistaking the warrior's presence—this is the Tarnished, a lone wanderer from an age long past, hardened by countless trials.
The second figure is seated near a small campfire, his face partially obscured by a tattered hood. His clothes are humble, worn from years of travel, and beside him are bags and pouches filled with wares. This is Merchant Kale, a nomadic trader who seems unfazed by the strange events unfolding around him.
Mori, still groggy from the crash, tries to speak, but his voice catches in his throat. His vision blurs again as the exhaustion from the strange journey begins to overtake him.
The last thing he sees before slipping back into unconsciousness is the armored figure stepping closer, his gaze fixed on Mori with a mixture of curiosity and caution.
(Deciding if I wanna nerf him or nah)