It was a safe bet that the League teleport block team was parked someplace safe in Europe.  They would be targeting Eclipse through Valkyria’s eyes.  The area they could cover from a distance was small, but that should be perfectly adequate for this situation.  They had the limit, Kang considered, that the strength of a teleport block team was the strength of its strongest member.  If the strongest member failed, the next strongest member would still be blocking.  A team of weak blockers could still wear out a strong teleporter by a process of exhaustion.  That was one of Kang’s standard classroom demonstrations.  The Strike Force began to fan out, left and right, moving toward Eclipse. 

“That’s far enough,” Eclipse announced.  The Strike Force kept advancing. 

Eclipse gestured, ending with one hand facing skyward.  The Namestone appeared, its cerulean fire burning a few inches above her palm.  The Namestone’s eldritch tune was faintly audible.  Eclipse brought up her own body aura, a color not different from the Namestone’s, and what sounded to be her own theme music, a mixture of brass and sweet woodwinds clearly audible in Durand’s microphone. 

“Behold the Holy Namestone.  Come no closer, or face my gifts.” Someone, Kang thought, had given Eclipse superb training in rhetoric. “The Namestone is mine.  I took it.  I keep it,” she said. 

“You defy the League!  International law specifies: The League of Nations owns the Namestone.  Hand it over!” Valkyria screamed. 

“You know the Maze Rule: Namestone belongs to he who takes it.  I took it,” Eclipse answered calmly. 

 “No, it belongs to the League!” Valkyria shouted. 

“You keep repeating that same wrong statement.  I just told you: I took it.  It’s mine! Are you deaf, or just stupid? Or maybe both; you’re for sure stupid.” Eclipse’s response dripped with contempt. 

“The Namestone is too dangerous for mortals,” the Screaming Skull announced. “Eclipse!  Give me the Namestone, or face my wrath.”

“And you’re supposed to be an improvement, fathead?” Eclipse asked.  Kang’s eyebrows rose.  Few indeed were the people who would gratuitously insult a Lord of Eternity, no matter that the Screaming Skull was widely known to be one of the dimmest bulbs among the Lords.  “Team! The Namestone is indestructible! Kill her!” Valkyria drew her explosive throwing katana.