Disclaimer: \/\/\/

Thanks to La Belle Morte, Kipling Nori, DianaRulz, JoPoGirlsKickAss, and Serenity202 for reviewing!

To a very lovely woman by the name of Medusa Sparrow-Descouedres who beta-read it for me! Thank you!


Part 3

New York City:

As Gold Phoenix flew over the rooftops of New York City, she heard her name and glanced down, pricking her ears. Her unnatural hearing set in, and she glanced down, scanning the rooftops, finally seeing several figures below illuminated by a light coming from a device that was further to their left.

She flew down and realised she was in the abandoned broken down district that had been consumed by fire several years before – now none dared to come near the place. As Gold Phoenix approached the figures, she frowned, recognising them.

"Lashina, Stompa, Guillotina, Bernadeth, and Mad Harriet. Long time no see." She smiled coolly at them, and Mad Harriet laughed delightedly, her silver eyes flashing.

"I can see you're still the same, birdie, still the same!"

"I hear you're calling yourself Gold Phoenix." Guillotina remarked. Guillotina was the leader of the group - with her wild snow-white hair and white clothes with blades running across her body, she seemed like an avenging angel. But Lashina, the silent and brooding beauty hanging at the back dressed from head to toe in purple and silver with her dark hair in a long ponytail was the deadliest.

Gold Phoenix looked nonchalant. "I always was like the phoenix, or so my father told me."

"Who, Darkseid curse his soul, is rotting in hell isn't he, sister?" Lashina asked.

Gold Phoenix forced her body to relax from its rigid position. "He's in heaven with the angels now, no one can ever hurt him again."

Stompa chuckled gleefully. "And the angels always turn out to be the devils!"

"The devils wouldn't dare. And why are you here? Quoting a famous line 'I have places to be, people to save.'"

"His majesty Darkseid wishes to have your presence, so either you can come willingly or fight." Guillotina told her.

Gold Phoenix's eyes narrowed. "Come willingly? Never."

Guillotina's eyes blazed. "Bernadeth! Stompa! Lashina! And Mad Harriet…make quick work of this little one."

Bernadeth chuckled. "Darkseid's will Darkseid's way eh, Guillotina?"

"Truly it is." Guillotina defended Lashina's back and took a swipe at Gold Phoenix, but Gold Phoenix was too quick for her, blocking the blade and causing a deep red gash in Guillotina's side.

Guillotina hissed, but within minutes the five had managed to pin Gold Phoenix to the side of the boom tube, though not without a few casualties. Mad Harriet had been speared through with a knife, and was lying on the floor, breathing her last.

"Bernadeth, Stompa, take Mad Harriet, whilst Lashina and I shall take the girl." Guillotina commanded. Without saying anything, the Furies set about to their tasks and arrived at Apokolips to give Gold Phoenix to Darkseid, having finished their task at last.

The cell of Morgan le Fay:

"But why do we have to go to see Morgan le Fay? Have you forgotten she tried to kill us and nearly succeeded?" Wonder Woman asked Batman anxiously.

"Exactly – if she could nearly kill us, she could get past Gold Phoenix's defences." Batman told her.

Wonder Woman glared at him, her dark hair tumbling forward to hide her face, and walked forward. When they reached the building, they crossed the threshold and walked through the long winding corridor finally coming to a room.

They entered, and inside there was a woman with long red hair and glittering eyes lying slumped on a plain white bed, which was the only thing in the room apart from an adjoined bathroom and a glass wardrobe.

"Look who it is. Is the burn scar still bothering you, Dark Knight?" Morgan drawled, a cruel look passing over her face as she saw Batman and Wonder Woman come inside.

"Enough of your insanity – we need to get some information." Batman said, tight-lipped.

Morgan propped herself up on her pillow, looking lethargic. "Why should I help you? Seven years – Seven years you've locked me up, all my time spent in this room – why should I help you?"

"Because then we could send you back to the past." Wonder Woman answered.

The sorceress sat up straight, looking interested. "Back to Camelot?"

Batman nodded. "We have many learned spellcasters, and if you give us the information we need, you're free to go – if not, you're in here for eternity."

Morgan's eyes narrowed. This was her only chance for freedom; she would do everything she could to get back to Mordred and kill that disgusting vile thing by the name of Arthur with his silly, foolish little sword which he had named Excalibur, and reign over a kingdom of her own after she had executed his followers, Garet, Lancelot, Nyneve, Queen Camilla, Gawain, Genevieve.

"What information?"

Batman sat down on one of the two chairs near the bed, Wonder Woman on the other.

"There happens to be a new superhero called Gold Phoenix. We need to know some relevant information about her. What is her real identity, where does she come from, why is she here?"

Morgan's lip curled in disgust.

Another superhero to join the already seething ranks of under classed people in costumes. "Havn't you already been able to find out enough about her on your own?"

Batman glared at her. "Do you or don't you want to get back to your own time?"

"You have no right!" Morgan snarled, her eyes glowing red.

"I have every right. Now will you give us the information, unless you want to stay here forever?" Batman warned.

Eyes flashing, Morgan clenched her fists and then calmed, breathing in deeply as she consulted her power, trying to coax it from inside her body.

A wind came outwards from her, and Morgan looked into her minds eyes, a picture of Gold Phoenix gradually coming to her. A smile crossed Morgan le Fay's face, and she finally opened her eyes, still smirking.

"Did you find out anything about her?" Wonder Woman asked.

Morgan nodded. "Of course. This woman is quite an interesting person; her mind is a wealth of information."

Wonder Woman glanced at her. "And?"

Morgan licked her lips, which had suddenly gone very dry. "I can only tell you that she is not of this world and that she is here because she is running away from someone."

Batman's eyes were cold. "That's all you managed to find out."

Morgan felt prickle of fear. "No, I swear that's all I can tell you!"

Batman turned to go, and Morgan looked after him, angry. "You promised!"

Batman shook his head. "I made no such promise. You didn't give us the information we needed, so the deal's off." He disappeared throughout the door, Wonder Woman following him, leaving Morgan le Fay to rot in her prison for infinity.

Apokolips:

"Master?" Granny Goodness came in through the doorway, a timid expression on her face.

"Yes, Granny?" Darkseid boomed.

"We have the girl." She informed him. "Though Mad Harriet is dead."

"No matter, Granny, I can take care of that." A smile passed across Darkseid's ravaged face.

Finally.

"Bring her in." He ordered.

The door opened and Lashina and Guillotina came in, dragging Gold Phoenix between them. She was looking infuriated, her cheeks flushed.

"Another costumed vigilante." He remarked. "When will this silliness ever end? Take off her mask."

"Don't you dare -" Gold Phoenix began to say but Guillotina wrenched the mask off her face. Darkseid stared.

He knew that face.

The prominent cheekbones, the smouldering gold eyes, the blood red lips. It wasn't a face many forgot; and he certainly remembered it.

"Belle Krin Seoniesa Crumanil Phoenix d'or?"