Sins, Sirens and Strife

By Michael Weyer

This was in my mind for a while but Aquaman pushing it a bit more so hope you enjoy.

Earth-51

Gotham City

"I think we need a new place." The Flash tapped his fingers on the round holographic table of Wayne Manor. "I mean it. Look, nothing against your house, Bats, but we could use something cooler."

As usual, Batman ignored him as the Justice League gathered around the main meeting room. John Stewart appeared more confident as he took a place with the rest of the group. Superman was serious as ever, as was Wonder Woman. Cyborg was checking over the readouts of the table as he spoke up. "Flash is actually right on this. I've been thinking of some upgrades myself."

"It's not like you can't afford it, Bats," Flash threw in. "Hell, you could build us a space station if you wanted to."

"That's not exactly subtle," Wonder Woman pointed out.

"Diana, have you seen your outfit?"

Superman smiled at the glare Batman threw at Flash. "If we can get down to business?" The group finally settled in. "Okay," Superman began. "Once more, we're still vetting possible new members. I know we all agreed expanding was a good idea but we don't want to just bring in anyone. Some heroes may be more comfortable on their own while others may not be up for the challenges we face."

"We should be careful," Diana stated. "We are already being hit with some complaints about how we're…elitist."

"Which is why a recruitment drive is a good thing," Superman pointed out. "To prove to the world we can accept others and utilize them in a team. I've been working with Steel in Metropolis. It's not just armor, he's a very brilliant engineer." He turned to Cyborg. "I think you two could work out great."

As Cyborg mused on that, Flash interjected. "I have reached out to our version of Green Arrow. He's said no as he wants to keep a street guy but I'm hoping I can wear him down."

"There's that Shazam guy in Fawcett," Green Lantern piped in. "Seems a bit too offbeat but his power level can be helpful. Plus, those Hawk folks in St. Roch. Thanagarians can be rough but their military experience can be tops."

"And let's not forget there might be more versions of these guys from that other Earth around," Flash pointed out. "Our own Martian would be cool."

"Again, we can work on that soon," Batman stated as he stood up. "Right now, we may have an issue with that function being thrown at the Metropolitan in New York." He tapped some keys on the table.

"You'd think they'd have it in Metropolis," the Flash muttered.

"It's being pushed as a huge deal as it's the first showcase for Atlantean artwork and history on the surface world."

"I still can't believe Arthur is some regal diplomat now," Flash stated. "The guy was just chugging beers one week, he's the flipping King of Atlantis the next!"

"At least he still helps out," Superman stated. "But relations with Atlantis are still rough after what that Orm did. Arthur needs to help mend some of those fences."

Green Lantern nodded. "It doesn't help there's so much suspicion out there. The idea there's some high-tech civilization under the ocean isn't sitting well with some folks in the higher levels of power."

"Which makes this function a target for various forces," Diana mused. "From anti-Atlantis bigots to even some actual governments who may want to take a shot at Arthur.

"It's not just the usual threats." Batman hit a button an image appeared inside the holographic screen. It showed a group of men by a dock area, several with weapons. Standing with them was a gorgeous blonde woman in a green dress. Next to her was a handsome man in what appeared to be a stylized purple armor of some sort with a metallic helmet. Getting more attention was a figure standing nearly seven feet tall. A mask covered his entire head and his clothes were stretched over a body highlighted by a muscular frame that reminded some of the Leaguers of the Hulk. Hoses were attached from the mask to a large canister on his back.

"Whoa," the Flash said. "Who's the luchadore on steroids?"

"Bane," Batman answered. "And your comment is more on target than you know." He pointed to the tank. "That is Venom, an experimental enhancement that the military vetoed for causing brain damage. Bane manages to make it work. It enhances his strength ten-fold. But don't think he's just dumb muscle. He's a brilliant tactician as well. He works as a mercenary but he could be going into business for himself this time."

"You know him," Superman stated as fact.

"We've crossed paths." It was clear Batman wasn't going to share more than that.

"And the woman?" Diana pressed.

"That I'm not sure of," Batman admitted. "I've run her face through a hundred databases but no hits. Either she's new on the scene or she's very, very good at covering her tracks. Likewise, hard to tell if she's working for Bane or vice versa. What I do know is that if Bane is in New York, the summit must be his target."

"We'll have to keep a close eye then," Superman stated. "But going openly can just scare the target off. We need to know what they're up to."

"That's one good thing about a big society function," Batman noted. "It's easier to blend in."

Cyborg just gave him a look as he raised his one human eyebrow. "Uh huh."

"You know what I mean."

The Flash snorted. "Easy for you to say, Bats. The high society life is totally your scene. Me, I wouldn't even know where to find a tux to rent." He paused. "On that, if I can bring up once more the concept of getting a salary..."

"All opposed?" Batman snapped. At the show of hands, the Flash just let out a tired sigh.

"I hate this," Arthur Curry muttered. "I feel ridiculous."

"Oh, hush," Atlanna stated. The gorgeous blonde-haired woman was clad in a fantastic white dress that shone nicely with the gems of the oceans. A crown was nestled at her head to show her amazing beauty off. "You look wonderful. Tell him, Mera."

Mera smiled as the trio walked into the main ballroom of the New York Metropolitan Museum. She was clad in a lush green dress that fit her like a set of scales and excellently mixed with her bright red hair. In contrast to the two women, Arthur was clad in a simple suit and clearly chafing under it. At least he'd managed to argue against wearing a tie from Mera. Vulko had been upset he wouldn't wear his traditional armor but Arthur had to calmly explain that wouldn't fit for a society event.

He brushed at his face, wincing at the much thinner beard. "I still can't believe you tried to shave me."

"Just making up for years of motherly watching I missed out on," Atlanna stated with a smile. The trio put up with the looks from the partygoers with a few photographers moving to get shots of them. Arthur put up with it while glancing at the nearby bar with longing. Mera pulled at his arm. "Mingle first, then you can drink and one glass tops."

"I can hold my liquor."

"You can but worried about you getting some diplomat into a drinking contest and causing an international incident."

Arthur just grunted as he saw a mild-mannered man in a suit with glasses coming up to him. "King Arthur," he stated. "Clark Kent, Daily Planet. A pleasure."

Arthur hid a smile as he shook Clark's hand. "Sure it is. Sorry but not doing interviews today."

"Perhaps your mother, then?" Clark turned to Atlanna with a smile. "The readers would like to know more of Atlantis' possible reaching out to the surface after so long."

"We prefer to make this a quiet evening," Atlanna stated. "We are more interested in showing the artwork of Atlantis, to showcase our culture than our political future."

Clark nodded. "Very well then." He let the group pass by just as he heard a murmur from the crowd. Turning, he watched as Bruce Wayne walked into the room in one of his usual tuxedos, that dapper smile on his face. Next to him was Diana, clad in a gorgeous red dress, her hair let down loose and easily the focus of any photographer.

Clark moved away from the group to head over, mingling with the other reporters. "Mr. Wayne," he spoke up. "Are you and the Princess an…item?"

"Merely his plus one for tonight," Diana spoke up for all present. "He is a good man but not quite my type."

Bruce just smiled. "Ah, I can do worse than spend the night with a goddess." He nodded as he made his way through the crowd. Diana also broke off to talk to a few dignitaries about an upcoming event she was hoping to sponsor. It gave Clark a chance to observe the amazing Atlantean artwork on display. Scores of statues of past Atlantis rulers were on display along with other arts that were hard to fathom. The designs boasted numerous gems and treasures Clark could guess were worth more than half this building's possessions combined.

He felt Arthur come up to him, trying to keep his voice low. "I used to mock you for the whole secret identity thing," he said in a low whisper. "Now, I get it. I'd love to take off a mask and just hang out at a bar."

"You wanted the throne."

"No, I never wanted it," Arthur corrected. "I had to take it. And to be honest, I let my mom and Vulko handle the real day to day stuff. I've got more on my plate."

"I can relate."

"I don't know if you can." At Clark's frown, Arthur shrugged. "Sorry, Clark but it's true. You can protect folks on a few land masses but I've got the other three quarters of the planet to handle. There is stuff down there you don't know about. Hell, if the governments of the world knew what kind of dangers there were down there, they'd be dropping bombs on us."

"I have a bit more faith in people."

"That's the difference between you and me and Bruce. We see how things are."

"And Diana and I see how things can be."

Arthur smirked. "That attitude is going to be the death…oh, sorry."

Clark smiled back as he glanced about. To anyone else, it was the gaze of a simple guest but in reality, he was scanning the area with his x-ray vision to see if there were any hidden threats about. He saw Diana speaking to someone from the United Kingdom and was about to head over when a hush fell over the room. Confused, Clark glanced to the entranceway and felt his jaw drop at the figure entering.

Diana was used to people staring whenever she entered a room. It had taken her a while to grasp the effect she had on men (and women to be honest) and she was used to it. It could be annoying but she did put up with how, wherever she went, she always knew how to get attention without even trying. For the first time, she finally realized how that felt.

The woman was not just beautiful. She challenged any conceptions of beauty whatsoever. Her blonde hair was impeccable around a face that would have put an entire modeling firm to shame. The green dress was so tight on her that it was like a second skin and easily flowed over her curvaceous form. She smiled as she looked around the ballroom, soaking in how every person in the room was openly gawking at her. That included the women as even Diana had to admit an attraction...even as she felt a sense of danger from this woman as well.

The high heels clicked on the floor as she made her way to one of the displays. It looked to have been part of a wider arch, the shiny gems highlighted by a bright green emerald disc. She leaned in to study it and nodded. "Excellent," she stated in a lush voice laced with some sort of accent. She reached out to grab the green gem at the center and began to pull on it.

"Excuse me," one of the curators said, finally rousing himself to head over and stop the woman. With a flick of her finger, the man ignited in flame, screaming out loud. Mera quickly waved her hands as the water from various glasses flew out. She sent it sailing onto the man to douse the flames quickly.

Diana was moving fast to grab the blonde-woman's hand. She looked Diana over and smiled. "Ah, the Amazon. It's been a long time since I dealt with your annoying ilk."

Up close, Diana could now feel the sheer magical energy of the woman, a wave of darkness mixed with the power within her. Her hand was already pulling the lasso out of her dress when the woman snapped the fingers of her other hand. A smashing sound came from overhead as the glass ceiling to the ballroom crashed downward. Guests screamed and ducked the falling debris as a slew of men in uniforms rappelled down from ropes. Leading the way was Bane, the mercenary on the move to smash a security officer aside, a single blow sending the man flying over a table.

Next to him was the man in the armored suit from the footage Batman had shown the group earlier. He was instantly pulling a sword from his scabbard as he moved to attack. Diana was forced to let the woman's hand go as she lifted her arm up. Metal clashed with metal as the man's sword hit one of Diana's bracelets. She moved to kick back at him as he slashed once more with the blade. Diana instantly realized this man was a warrior while also getting a sense of power that rivaled one she found familiar.

Bruce felt the urge to go in but restrained himself. He instead concentrated on making sure some of the other guests were able to get away from the chaos as several of the other men were firing guns about. He did toss out a glass that, by "sheer chance" managed to knock a gun away just as it was about to fire at an innocent waitress.

In a blur, Superman was there, intercepting the bullets. Aquaman was quick to wade in, soon brawling with several of the gunmen. Mera was backing him up, creating a ram of water to smash one man back. That left Superman to take on Bane as the beefy figure threw out a punch. Superman grunted with surprise at how the blow actually made some impact. He was nonetheless able to handle the other shots of Bane that he threw out in quick succession.

Diana was avoiding the strikes of the sword-wielding man, blocking a few shots herself. She saw Atlanna race by her, heading toward the blonde woman. She was snarling as she threw a fist the woman dodged. "You have no idea what you're taking."

"I do," the woman responded. "Why on Earth do you think I'm here?" She waved a hand and a force sent Atlanna flying back. Arthur had just slammed a gunman through a table when he saw his mother fall. He growled and charged at the woman with fire in his eyes. Without hesitation, the sword-wielding man shoved Diana back, then threw his blade out at Aquaman. He barely dodged it, giving the man a chance to tackle him back down and punch him hard. "No one touches Mistress Amora!" he proclaimed.

"Thank you, dear," the woman called Amora smiled. She looked up to see Bane smashing both fists against Superman's chin and then into his chest. A cracking sound indicated the breaking of bones in his hands but he seemed to feel no pain as he kept punching. Superman finally grabbed his fist and lashed out with his own. He didn't hold back as he normally might as he remembered Batman's report on how strong Bane was. Instead, he lashed out a blow that sent Bane sailing across the room. He landed hard onto the wall and then collapsed in a heap. In a blur, Superman was pulling on the tubes at his back, allowing the green liquid to flow out. Bane gasped and shook in agony as he slumped on the ground.

Superman moved to aid Diana with Amora. The armored man moved before him, swinging out his sword. Superman prepared for it to shatter on his chest and was thus quite surprised when he felt a slashing pain across him. He looked down to see a tear in his suit and blood actually coming out of a cut across his chest. The armored figure charged in and Superman managed to dodge the glancing blow.

Amora was holding up the gem and smiling as she gazed into it. "I believe we have what we came for, my pet." She whispered an incantation and Diana's ears perked up at the language she found oddly familiar. The sword-wielding man moved to her side as a cloud of green smoke flowed over them. It faded to show they had vanished.

Diana moved to Superman. "Are you all right?"

He was still rubbing a this chest. "It wasn't deep. Just…can't believe it happened."

Diana looked to the site from where the woman had vanished as she realized this was a far more dangerous situation than it seemed.

The Flash winced as he watched the holographic footage of the fight in the Justice League meeting room. "Ouch. Sorry I missed this but a few of my Rogues decided to hold a contest on who could rob the most banks in one day."

Superman was smiling. "It's all right. The situation turned out to be more complex than it seems."

Batman wasn't smiling. "The gunmen are all in comas. So is Bane. The doctors can't explain any cause, it's not drugs, it's as if their minds were just…shut down."

"This woman doesn't want them talking," Green Lantern noted.

"Looks like Bane was just the muscle after all," Superman claimed.

"Not in the way you think."

"How so?"

"Because Bane wasn't himself," Batman stated. "I've fought him before, he's no brute. There's no way he would be stupid enough to just rush in and attack you. He'd have used some strategy, maybe getting Kryptonite or such. For him to just straight up punch you…" He shook his head. "No. No, he was somehow influenced."

"He may be right," Diana mused. "The comas, the way that one man referred to her as 'Mistress.' I can recognize an enchantment when I see it." She looked to Superman. "That also explains why his sword was able to affect you."

"Magic," Batman grunted. "I hate magic."

"Then you're gonna loathe this." They all turned to see Arthur enter with a sour expression. He was clad in his golden shirt and green pants with his trident in hand. "My mother finally got around to talking to some folks in Atlantis. It turns out that gem this woman stole wasn't some fancy showcase. It belonged to Arion, some ancient sorcerer."

The Flash blinked. "And….they used it for art?"

"It was originally part of his burial tomb," Aquaman explained. "This was like ten thousand years ago. The tomb was ravaged by a quake and the pieces placed around Atlantis. Guess someone made a mix-up and put it in the displays when it should have been kept under lock and key."

"How much power are we talking about?" Green Lantern asked.

Arthur let out a tired sigh. "Arion was said to be one of the strongest magic-users in Atlantean history. Some of his spells still serve as the basis for our technology. Anything he touched is going to have some power someone else can use."

The Flash rubbed his head. "Some wicked witch comes to town with a guy who can stab Supes and steals a gem from an Atlantean wizard. Can I just go back to fighting bank robbers?"

Diana tapped a finger to her chin. "That language she was using…I think I recognized it. Asgardian."

The others looked at her in surprise. "You're sure?" Superman pressed.

"I believe so." She glanced at Superman. "Which means there's one obvious way to get some answers."

Earth-19999

New York City

Jane Foster leapt back to avoid the swinging sword flying just over her face. She could feel the brush of wind from it as she dodged and then rose up to throw out Mjolnir. The hammer flew out as her attacker just dodged it, somersaulting on the ground. Rising up, the figure threw out a knife which Jane just managed to dodge. She held out her hand as the hammer flew back toward her. As it did, the figure grabbed the handle of the weapon and let it drag her along. Before Jane could react, a pair of boots slammed into her chest to knock her off balance.

She landed in a heap, wincing a bit and grateful she was just in sweatbands and a sports bra rather than her armor. She still caught her hammer as the figure settled back. Sif brushed back her ponytail as she offered a quiet smile. "It took Thor a bit to figure out how to avoid that trick himself."

Thor was leaning on the wall of the training room of Avengers Tower and had to nod in agreement. "As hard as it is to admit, Jane, relying on the hammer was always a weakness of mine. I didn't realize how much until I lost it."

"Which is why learning more of fighting is critical," Sif stated. She offered a hand to help Jane up to her feet. Sif still had an edge in height over Jane which could be disconcerting despite how Jane clearly had more power. She wasn't wearing her usual armor yet she made even a simple black fighting tog look impressive. "It can save your life."

"I'm still a scientist at heart," Jane admitted. "Fighting was never my forte. Even with the hammer, I'm still just wading in and brawling and hoping for the best."

"Again, much like Thor."

Thor frowned. "Sif, I didn't call you from Wakanda just to mock me."

"No, that's the bonus." She winked. "Remember, you're not a prince or king anymore. I no longer have to treat you with such respect."

"When did you ever?" Thor chuckled. He moved off from the wall to clasp a hand to Jane's shoulder. "I know Sif can be a harsh teacher but she's a good one too. Just trust in her as I do." He nodded before heading off to check on the main meeting room of the Tower.

Jane looked to Sif and licked her lips. "Are you…okay?" As Sif frowned at her, Jane went on. "I mean…about me and Thor. I know you two are…close. Have been for centuries which is something I can never be able to match. I just…I wanted to be sure…"

Sif smiled softly. "He chose well with you. And you with him." The smile faded slightly. "I admit for a time, I had harbored feelings for him. I knew they could never be because of his duty to the throne." She looked to Jane. "The way he looks at you…I have never seen him gaze that way at anyone before. I know I could never bring that feeling in him." She pointed to Mjolnir. "That you were worthy to hold that proves what kind of woman you are, Jane Foster. One I would be proud to call a sister in arms."

Jane smiled back just as a loud buzzing came over the room. Frowning, Jane walked out of the training room with Sif following. They were soon in the main meeting room of the Tower where Tony, Steve, Bruce, Thor, Darcy and Vision had already gathered. "What is it?" Jane asked.

Tony was checking a nearby scanner. "One of the breach devices just activated. Triangulating signal…Earth-51."

"The League?" Steve confirmed as Tony nodded. Right on cue, a flow of energy cut through a corner of the room before forming a portal. From it stepped Diana in her usual uniform, nodding to the others as the portal closed behind her.

Darcy blinked at the figure before her. "Shoot, now I'm gay."

"Wonder Gal!" Tony said with a broad smile. "Welcome back."

"Wonder Woman," she automatically corrected. "Good to see you all again." She shook hands with each in turn and Steve once more noted a hesitation when she said his name. He sensed there was some sort of story there but didn't want to press it.

Diana made her way to Darcy who just swallowed as she shook hands. "Darcy. Lewis. Of the Lewistown Lewises and yes, sad to say, that is a real place."

"I'm assuming this isn't a simple visit," Cap stated.

Diana nodded as she removed a small device from her belt. She slipped it into the main database console of the holographic table. "Victor said this should align with your systems," she explained as she tapped some keys. The table flashed to showcase a hologram of the security footage the League had obtained. It focused on the beautiful blonde woman, the image rotating about.

Tony had to raise an eyebrow. "Hmmm….If I wasn't engaged…"

"That would actually stop you?" Bruce teased. Tony just shrugged.

Thor's eyes narrowed as a low growl came to the back of his throat. Sif stepped forward, her eyes widening at first, then also narrowing in anger. "Of course. She would find a way to survive."

Diana nodded. "You do know her then."

"Amora the Enchantress."

"Sounds like a bad Vegas act," Darcy stated.

Thor was not smiling. "She's a witch of the highest order. A powerful sorceress whose attitude reminds me of some of those reality television show women Darcy insists on watching."

"Hey, don't be knocking the Real Housewives!" Darcy stated. "I still tell T'Challa a Wakanda version would be great!"

Thor went on. "She's a vain selfish seductress who sees everyone else as merely toys to manipulate. A simple kiss can literally enslave any man or woman to her side. They would do anything for her no matter what. Amora loved to play games for power or just set people into conflict for her own amusement. She could be a tyrant if not for how petty she truly is. Even Loki couldn't stand her."

"Boy, if that doesn't say a lot…" Tony muttered.

Sif crossed her arms. "Roughly a thousand years ago, Amora attempted to poison Frigga. Her plan was to then take advantage of Odin's grief to seduce him and become the new Queen of Asgard."

A grim smile came to Thor's face. "Like so many, Amora underestimated my mother. She was a master herbalist and knew from a scent her drink had been tampered with. Frigga was no mere lady but a fine warrior in her own right who literally beat Amora down when she discovered the poison in her cup. My father then exiled Amora from Asgard forever upon pain of death."

Sif sniffed. "She got off far too lucky. If your father had ordered her head taken, few in Asgard would have wept."

"It looks like she made her way to your universe," Steve said to Diana. "Any idea what she's after?"

Diana shook her head. "Not yet. Her attack on the conference appeared to really be a distraction to gain control of a mystical gem. Batman is calling on some contacts to learn more." She tapped the controls again to show more images of the fight. The monstrous forces were impressive even for the Avengers. However, what got their attention was the pair of stunned looks on the faces of Sif and Thor when the image of the dark-harried swordsman came into view. Seeing the looks, Diana froze the image to focus on him.

"It…can't be…" Sif whispered.

Thor's face was a mixture of shock, disbelief and a small bit of hope. "Balder."

"Balder?" Jane frowned. "As in…Balder the Brave?" When one had Mjolnir, one immediately made it a priority to learn all one could of Norse mythology.

"He's dead." Sif turned on Thor, her voice still in disbelief. "We were there, we saw it!"

"Who is he?" Steve pressed.

"Balder," Thor replied, rubbing his beard. "My best friend. One of the finest warriors in Asgard. We were friends in childhood, almost like brothers. He was with Sif, the Warriors Three and myself for centuries…" His face darkened. "Until four hundred years ago when we were defending from an attack by some demonic followers of Surtur. Balder fought as valiantly as he was always did before he was stabbed by one of the creatures. He plunged with it into a massive chasm. We all assumed he had to have perished."

"Evidentially, they don't make fatal falls like they used to," Tony inserted.

"Amora must have him under her spell," Sif declared. "That's the only way he would be serving that witch."

Thor's jaw set as he turned to Diana. "What did they take?"

"An ancient artifact from Atlantis."

Tony gawked. "You have an Atlantis in your world? And it's not a casino/resort?"

Sif frowned at him. "Why is that a surprise? You have an Atlantis on this world." Thor nodded with her. They both seemed taken aback at the shocked looks the others gave them.

Jane let out a familiar sigh. "Thor. Sif. We've talked about this. You need to stop assuming everyone knows about these amazing fantasy and historical things."'

"Wait, are they pulling a Wakanda and hiding in plain sight or just too secret to know?" Tony pressed.

"Shelving that for now," Cap stated. "It sounds like this woman needs to be stopped."

Thor nodded. "Indeed." He turned to Sif. "Contact Valkyrie in Wakanda."

"We'll start calling the others…" Cap began only for Thor to cut him off with a wave of the hand.

"No. Amora is one of us. This is an Asgardian matter."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Okay, Thor, let's take a moment to contemplate what I'm about to tell you. I've lost count how many times I've gone into a situation on my own and it's blown up spectacularly in my face. When I am actually airing concerns of exercising caution, that should be a major warning sign."

"He does raise a great point," Darcy noted. "Strength in numbers and all that."

"I mean no offense…" Thor began.

"Okay, that term has a zero percent success rate."

"I know Balder. If anyone has a chance of breaking Amora's hold on him, it's me." Thor turned to Sif. "We need to contact Valkyrie. She can be a good aid as well."

"Thor," Steve began.

Wonder Woman held up a hand. "Captain, we fight magic and gods. Strong as you may be, this is a conflict beyond most mortal men."

Steve still wasn't sure but slowly nodded. "Fine. But keep in contact with us. Just say the word and we'll be there in moments." He nodded to Tony. "We at least have to give him a chance."

"Ooooh, can I come?" Darcy pressed. "Come on, I wanna see another Earth!"

"Please, take her," Tony half-pleaded. "Otherwise, we put up with her complaining about it for hours on end."

Jane smiled to Diana. "She's really a capable helper."

"If I was more capable, you'd pay me more."

"I'm on a budget."

"You're a freaking goddess now!"

"A goddess on a budget."

Diana laughed lightly. "Oh, Bruce is so going to enjoy this…"

The darkened catacombs had been deserted for long, even insects had long abandoned it. It was one of those places where dust had culminated for so long that it was now an entire layer upon the various columns and the broken statues. The air was thick and musty as Amora and Balder calmly walked forward to find the main chamber. Amora was quite calm as she held the artifact in her hands. Balder simply stood behind her attentively as she headed to the platform set inside what had once been a grand temple.

The columns were long shattered yet the stone work of the steps leading to the altar were clear. They surrounded a large stone shape that resembled a figure of some sort but without any detail. Amora placed the gem at the statue's center as it affixed itself to the strange material. She whispered, speaking an incantation in a language dead long before humanity existed. The gem seemed to shimmer with light as Amora backed up slowly.

The green energy flowed over the statue, covering it completely. It flowed into a mist that shimmered with obvious power. Balder was dedicated to his mistress and thus stepped forward to protect her. Yet he still felt foreboding at the aura of darkness that seemed to grow with the green cloud.

Amora smiled as she saw the figure slowly form itself from the cloud of energy. It was a woman whose beauty rivaled Amora's own, incredibly gorgeous but her skin a tad darker. Her long hair was lush and black while also streaked with red and purple in a wild mix. Her dark eyes seemed to flare with power as they gazed outward. Her green uniform flowed over her body, showing off her nice curves as it held to a classical Greek style.

The woman groaned and stretched out with cracks in her body. She looked to Balder and smiled. "Ah, so you're the one who freed me. You have my gratitude." She held up a hand as a ball of flame formed within it. "In exchange, I'll make your death as swift and painless as possible."

A coughing sound got her attention and she turned to the blonde woman nearby. Her eyes narrowed and flared with energy. "Amora," she hissed.

"Hello, Circe," Amora stated in a friendly tone. "It's been such a long time."

"I have spent…" Circe cocked her head as if listening to something. "Almost two thousand years trapped within that horrific prison. Yet it was more tolerable than having to endure your face again."

"Oh, really, Circe. Are you still holding a grudge?" Amora seemed to have no worries about the obvious anger on the other woman's face or the ball of fire in her hand.

"You sold me out!"

"As if you wouldn't have done the same if the positions were reversed."

"True but you did it to me first! That's the aggravating part!"

Amora waved a hand. "I didn't go to the trouble of tracking you down and freeing you to rehash old times, Circe. I did so because we have an opportunity to both get the power and glory we want."

Circe gawked at her. "Are you mad? After what you did? Why should I-"

"The daughter of Hippolyta lives on Earth."

Circe froze in place. The ball of fire slowly extinguished itself as a wicked smile crossed her features. "Well, why didn't you just say that in the first place?"

Amora's own grin was just as twisted. "I believe it's time both our former pantheons got a long overdue lesson in manners."

Balder simply stood at the side as the two magical women exchanged a long handshake.

So hope you enjoy. Also, if you want to imagine major characters….

The Enchantress: Charlize Theron

Circe: Angelina Jolie

Balder: Liam Hemsworth (oh, come on, it's perfect)