AWAKENING
Chapter 6
Superman could hear the sounds again. Strange yet vibrant. He wanted to open his eyes to see what it was but his lids were heavy and he was in pain. So he just sunk slowly into the welcoming darkness and allowed its warmth to consume him once again.
But then he heard a melodious sound. It was like a chime on a light summer breeze, clear and strangely hypnotic. He fought to lift his lids.
He saw that face again. The face that had appeared above him amid jumbled images of space and an inverted sky and the sound of the wind rushing around him. Angel. That was the only word that his fogged mind could find. He wanted to speak but the pain was great. His lids were closing and he was sinking once more into oblivion.
Diana looked up at Phillipus and silently shook her head. She stood up and backed away from him.
Phillipus sheathed her sword. "One can never be too careful."
Diana mused, "He has a bad stab wound on his back. I wonder how he got that?"
"If he lives he can tell us."
Diana looked down at him once more. She felt a surge of pity. "Phillipus, he looks no better. In fact, worse."
The General saw the compassionate look on her face. "He does. But the Senate has spoken, Princess. This is not like that wounded Hippocampus you found in the woods as a girl and smuggled to your quarters and nursed back to health."
Diana saw the warning look in her mentor's eyes. She said defensively, "I know that! I am not stupid to suggest it."
Phillipus smiled. "Good. That caused enough trouble if I recall correctly."
Diana smiled wryly. The General beckoned to her. "Let us go."
As they stepped out of the room, Phillipus looked at the guard. "Let us know if he stirs."
"Yes, General."
Apollo was lounging in the woods, lyre down, wine chalice empty, engaged in a rather passionate embrace with two wood nymphs. The golden haired God, as he kissed one mouth to the next, was aware of a feminine figure appearing amidst sparkling stars and watching him with an ironic smile.
He tore his lips away from the nymph and looked up. "What do you want, Aphrodite?"
"I need to speak to you."
He asked lazily, " Indeed? Already bored with Ares' bed? Has poor Hephaestus found out?"
"Should that bother me? No. I have something important to discuss with you. It affects us both. Send these creatures away. Go away. Back to your trees," she said, waving them away.
The nymphs looked at her offended. Apollo frowned. "Hold. What could the Goddess of Love have to say to interest me?"
She said impatiently, "Your temple was destroyed on Themyscira."
Apollo looked unfazed. "You think I do not know that?"
Aphrodite crossed her arms. "And you lie here doing nothing?"
"I am not doing nothing. I am very busy, as you can see," he retorted. "But what of it? The one who destroyed it is going to die. So why should I stir to punish him?"
"Do you even know who he is?"
Apollo shrugged. "One mortal is no different to all the others…"
Aphrodite said dryly, "He is not some ordinary mortal. He is not even human."
"Ah, I see. Pray, do enlighten me."
"He is an alien. From another part of the universe. Far removed from the sphere of Olympus. He is powered by the Earth's sun itself. He is nearly as strong as Heracles and has the potential to become stronger with time."
Apollo sat up and waved the dismayed nymphs away. "Go."
Once they were alone he stood up. He narrowed his eyes at her. "You seem to take a great interest in him. Want him for yourself?"
"Do not be stupid. I have enough lovers to keep me occupied. Though he is tempting. He cannot die, Apollo. Not here. Not now."
"Why not? I would say one less demi-god in the world is in our favor."
"If he dies Ares' power increases."
"You are Ares' lover. And here you are undermining him. For shame, Aphrodite."
"I am his lover but not a fool. This one dies and the balance of power shifts dramatically in Ares' favor and you know how much your half brother loves you…" she said mockingly.
Apollo frowned. "What do you care? You have your Champion."
Aphrodite touched his arm. " Yes, and I have seen my Champion's eyes when she beheld him. You have the gift of prophesy, Apollo. I may not have it but as Goddess of Love, I know emotion and feel the magnetic pull when two souls such as these meet. Whether they find common ground is up to them but they do not have a chance if he dies."
"You want me to do what? Beg the Fates?"
"You have the power to heal. That is all that needs to be done. The rest would be up to them."
"And what of Ares?"
She shrugged. "He will be furious but he knows he cannot harm the Princess or anyone under her protection or else Hera and Zeus will punish him."
Apollo smirked. "Under her protection? The last thing I heard was that the Amazons were going to kill him."
"They will put him on trial. That is different."
"Oh, is it? A tribe of women brutalized by Heracles and his men, now living in isolation away from outside influences, many never seeing a man, you think they would be fair and let him go back just like that to his world?"
Aphrodite tapped her finger to her cheek. "You have a point. Very well. It may require a little thought and help to even up the odds."
Apollo said wryly, "I think you just enjoy meddling…"
"It is not meddling. It is just a little push to help keep the scales balanced. So, my dear Apollo, I would do this sooner rather than later. The alien is dying faster in that dark dungeon."
Apollo said with a smile. "You are more clever than we all give you credit…Even Ares underestimates you."
She tossed her golden locks and began to fade. "Well, there are so many other enjoyable pastimes than plotting. I will be watching with interest. Pardon me whilst I go seek out some favors from those that owe me."
Seeing the stranger was incapacitated and under heavy guard, the Amazons deemed it the right time to have the final test for the Champion. The test that would see if she really was capable of wielding the indestructible bracelets.
Diana was very strong but her skin was not impregnable and she was capable of sustaining injury from high speed missiles or sharp pointed objects. Normal swords or spears could not cut or stab her easily but magical weapons could cause some injury. To counter balance this weakness was her reflexes and speed and her ability to self heal.
The final test was then appropriate in that it was a test of her speed and reflexes. The Amazons had procured a weapon from the Patriarch's world. It fired a small, hard projectile whose speed was beyond anything the Amazons had ever seen. One small "bullet" was capable of piercing the skin and causing death.
Most of the tribe had gathered on the concourse of the Palace grounds, waiting to see their Princess complete her test. Hippolyta stood looking somber whilst Diana was counseled by Phillipus on remembering to use what she was blessed with, the Hunter's Eye.
Euboea was the one who would fire the weapon. She had been schooled on its use by Mnemosyne and knew what she must do.
Phillipus looked at Diana. "Are you ready?"
Diana nodded. "Yes."
"Remember to anticipate. Use your senses and move. This weapon can seriously injure you."
She left her and went to stand on the side while Euboea and Diana took their places in the middle of the concourse. She raised her hand and shouted, "Begin!"
Diana heard the report before she could see the projectile. She saw it coming and she raised her right arm swiftly. The impact nearly sent her backwards. She recovered her footing in time as another came at her and this time Euboea had moved and taken a different aim. Diana used the other arm. The bullet grazed off her left bracelet. It was jarring. She felt it right down to her bones. Four more came in succession, and Diana blocked them all. She was on one knee, her wrists crossed by the time the last one hit.
The roar of her sisters made her look around. She stood up breathing somewhat heavily. She bowed, acknowledging their applause. Phillipus was beaming.
Euboea embraced her. "That was well done, Princess. Pardon me for firing at you."
Diana smiled. "Thank you for having the courage to do it."
Diana turned to her mother. Hippolyta was already beckoning Pallas, who had two helpers carrying the armor, boots and tiara.
"Well, my daughter, you have triumphed. I congratulate you," she said gravely, gesturing for Diana to come before her.
Diana obeyed.
Hippolyta picked up the tiara and said, "This is not only a symbol of your royalty but it is made of magical components, like the armor, making it durable. Its points are sharp and can cut the strongest of substances. It can…"
Before Hippolyta could continue she was cut off by horns from within the Palace.
"What in Hera's name…?"
The walls from the eastern wing were punched from the inside and from a gaping hole emerged a figure in blue and red. He stood for a few seconds, his eyes wide as he looked at the classical buildings around him, the green vegetation, bright skies and blue sea in the horizon. He looked bewildered.
Down in the dungeons all was quiet. The stranger had been with them for over a day and a half and things had not seemed to get any better for him. The General had come to check on him again and seemed to wonder that as bad as he looked he was still clinging to life.
"He must have a great will," she had said.
The guards were at their various posts. The two who stood outside his door had peeped in at him ten minutes before and he was still unmoving. They were calm and composed, confident that all was as it should be.
They did not see a tall, golden haired figure appear in the chamber and stare down at the man. It was when a bright light flared and it flooded the entire room and seeped out under the doors that they realized something was amiss.
"Merciful Minerva! What is that?"
They stared at the ground, now shimmering at their feet and turned to the door itself. One of them raised a trembling hand to pull the iron handle and pulled the door open.
The light was blinding and they covered their eyes in pain. The other guards further along the corridor saw the light and began to rush forward, swords and spears raised.
The light then suddenly abated. And the entire chamber went dark. The guards called for torches and picked up their weapons.
"What is happening?"
"Bring a light!"
"Be careful! Is he there?"
They lifted the torch to see him lying on the floor. "He is here. I do not understand what that light was. My eyes still hurt. "
"We will have to report this to the General."
"The final test is going on as we speak. We will tell her after the ceremony. Light the brackets on the wall and check his manacles. Ensure they are secure."
One of the women began to light the brackets as another went to check the prisoner's chains. She went to lean over him and she suddenly saw lids fly open. Brilliant blue eyes stared at her. She gasped and pulled out her sword and shouted, "Sisters! He is awake!"
Superman jerked upright and stared around him. "Where am I?"
The woman screamed in Greek. It was loud and seemed to vibrate in his ears. He winced. Everything seemed almost exaggerated and his super senses could hear a cacophony of sound, including the all too familiar sound of gun fire and then cheers from above.
He had no time to even penetrate the walls with his vision as the women around him, who he noted were in some sort of ancient armor, were coming at him.
"Please! Where am I?"
But they did not seem to be in any mood to indulge him and they were shouting that strange language. He stared at the manacles around his wrists, ankles and felt the one on his neck. For a moment he wondered if he was on Almerac again. No, that was not possible. He studied the chains and saw that it was made of iron. With one casual twist he ripped the chains from the wall. He tore them off his body.
The guards gasped and attacked.
The guards came at him and he fast realized that his powers of diplomacy were not going to work here. He had to defend himself! The idea of attacking or hurting these women did not appeal to him but they were ferocious and seemed adamant on not letting him leave the chamber.
Superman used his heat vision and freezing breath. They were stunned to see their weapons melt before their eyes or their sword arms frozen in blocks of ice. Those that managed to get a strike were stunned to see their weapons break on his back and arms. He turned and blew down the long corridor and they rolled to the ground like dry leaves in the wind.
"Magic ! He is using some kind of magic! "
He looked up and lifted off and rammed through the many floors to emerge into the circular foyer of the eastern wing of the Palace. The two guards at their posts had to cower a moment as marble chunks sprayed around the room.
The Man of Steel stared in amazement at the architecture and statues on the pedestals. It all looked Grecian. Clark Kent had read and studied enough in university and written articles to recognize the statues of Hermes, Artemis, and even the winged horse, Pegasus.
It was when voices behind him shouted, "Stop him!" and a horn started to blow that he jerked to action. He tuned to the wall and punched it apart. There was no talking to these women and the longer he stayed someone would get hurt.
Guardswomen on the outside rushed to him as he emerged onto the concourse and when he emitted glowing beams from his eyes at their weapons, they screeched and dropped their weapons in pain.
Guards from battlements fired arrows. His hands moved swiftly and swiped them away. He saw a large crowd of women standing on the middle of the concourse, staring at him. His eyes took in everything around him. Where in heavens name was he?
Hippolyta grabbed Diana's arm as she turned and saw the man emerge and the audience gasped to see him take on their sisters with ease.
Someone was screaming. "He is using magic!"
Before Phillipus and her sisters could react, Diana pried the Queen's fingers off her arm. She reached for the tiara and hurled in his direction.
Superman heard it coming. He tried moving swiftly but it slashed him across the chest. He grunted and his hand went to the gash and he lifted his fingers to see blood. Nothing could cut his invulnerable skin unless it was magic based or kryptonite!
"Magic!" he muttered with distaste.
His eyes looked up and he saw the tall figure with black hair capture the golden weapon as it returned to her grasp like a boomerang. Their eyes met.
He stared at her. She glared back. He added wryly to himself. Angel she is not!
"Princess, you managed to injure him!" Euboea's voice jerked into Diana's consciousness.
She seemed to prepare to throw it again and this time he stunned the entire congregation by lifting off the ground and heading for the clouds.
"Hera!"
"Merciful Minerva!"
"Gaea! He flies!"
Diana stood, her tiara in hand stuck mid air, her eyes wide and her voice remarked in bemusement, "It…he flies…"
Phillipus cried urgently, "What if he brings back other men?"
Diana undid her lasso and she took to the air. Hippolyta cried, "Diana! No!"
She could see his blurring figure as he climbed the skies and she muttered as she pressed herself to try to catch him. "Hera, he is fast."
He seemed to stop and turn as he saw huge Eagles in the distance coming at him. The horns had alerted the Sentinels. He stopped abruptly and made a sharp turn and descended, only to see her emerging several meters below him.
His eyes blinked. He had seen other beings fly in his travels and even on Earth but seeing her airborne was the last thing he expected.
She looped the lasso and let it fly. The magical rope climbed the air and caught his ankles. Diana pulled with all her might. He lost his balance and like a sinking stone began to plummet. She gasped as his sheer weight took her down with him. They soon collided into each other and the impact took both of them by surprise.
They spun out of control, falling fast.
Exotic birds and animals were feeding or resting peacefully. They heard the hissing of the wind and looked up to see something coming down. They fled for their lives as the two bodies hit the thick, forested canopy in the deep valleys of the mystical areas.
Author's Note : Thanks for the reviews so far. I know,I know! Now you have to wait before they utter a word to each other. But it should be interesting, right? ;)