Dark Alliance 7

Hades did indeed possess the So'unga and it had altered his appearance, making him even more fearsome than before. He laughed cruelly as he observed the small force gathered.

"Hippolyta, is this the best you could do?" His expression changed abruptly at the sight of the two demons facing him. "And you have allied yourself with demons now? You have truly fallen from grace!"

"Come down here and say that to my face you asshole!" Chryseis yelled. What the hell, if I'm gonna die anyway, might as well speak my mind. "I don't think you've got the balls to take out both me and my father!"

"She's kind of pushing her luck, isn't she?" Kal asked softly. "I mean, he is still a god, right?"

"Not the wisest course of action," Hippolyta agreed with a smile. "But I must admit, she has courage."

Hades merely laughed, seeming amused by Chryseis' anger. "Poor little half-breed, not even knowing the truth about yourself. You cannot hope to defeat me!"

"That's a lie!" Chryseis was getting angrier by the minute. "I already know who my mother was! She was killed by demons right after I was born and my father killed them! He and I are—"

"Little fool!" Hades roared with laughter now. "YOU were the one who killed your mother! She died in childbirth and your father failed to save her!"

"NO! YOU'RE LYING! I KNOW YOU'RE LYING!" Chryseis swung the Tetsuseiga in a wide arc above her head and brought it down, unleashing massive streams of energy toward the god. Hades leapt out of the way, still laughing as if this were merely a game to amuse him.

"Forgive me, child." Sesshomaru spoke softly, but Chryseis still heard him. "I could not tell you."

"It's not true!" Chryseis sobbed, blinded by tears. "It's not! I didn't kill her!"

"No, you did not." Sesshomaru unsheathed the Tenseiga. "I failed to save her. This sword can bring someone back from death, but I was not there. If anyone is to blame, it is I."

"How touching." Hades' voice dripped with sarcasm at Sesshomaru's confession. "Now your failure is absolute, Sesshomaru, son of the Great Dog General. Die with the knowledge that you have failed to protect those who meant the most to you!"

Hades released a vortex of power from the So'unga, aiming for Sesshomaru, but Chryseis knocked her father to the side and released a similar vortex from the Tetsuseiga. The impact rocked the island as the two swords' powers cancelled each other out. Chryseis rose shakily and stood beside her father as he rose.

"My father hasn't failed!" she shouted for all to hear. "I'm still alive because of him and we know how to beat you! YOU'RE the one who failed to take over Themiscyra the first time, so now you steal my grandfather's blade and are forcing it to help you!"

"She's right," Sesshomaru gasped as Kal and Diana joined them. "It still produced the Dragon Twister, but it was so weak that the Backlash Wave completely cancelled it out. We have the chance to defeat him now. Chryseis!"

"Yes, Father." The young half-demon continued glaring at Hades with undisguised hatred.

"On my signal, release the Backlash Wave again." Sesshomaru raised the Tenseiga, feeling its power rush through him. Chryseis did the same with the Tetsuseiga. "Now! Dragon Strike!"

At her father's command, Chryseis released a second vortex with a cry of "Backlash Wave!"

As the Tetsuseiga and Tenseiga combined forces, the Amazons shielded their eyes from the blinding flashes of lightning and Kal dragged Diana back from the fearsome wind gusts produced. Throughout the attack Sesshomaru and Chryseis alone remained standing, pouring all their will into controlling the destruction they had unleashed. Slowly they too fell to their knees as the winds and lightning diminished and finally died.

"Was that it?" Kal asked as he helped Diana and Hippolyta to stand. "Is it over?"

"I don't like it," Chryseis gasped, trying to catch her breath. "That just seemed way too easy. Even if So'unga was an unwilling participant, Hades shouldn't have been that much of a pushover."

"I agree," Sesshomaru said. "But we have gained a tactical advantage now; our combined attack will have neutralized So'unga's power for a time."

"What exactly does that mean?" Diana wanted to know.

"So'unga will be nothing more than an ordinary blade until it can recover," Sesshomaru answered. "Although I very much doubt that Hades will be aware of that fact."

"How bad do you think we hurt him?" Chryseis demanded. "If we didn't cause serious injury, then he's gonna be seriously pissed off."

"I'd say he already is," Kal broke in. Hades was now hovering above them and it was obvious that the god was now in a towering rage.

"You really thought to defeat me with your pathetic little trick?" he sneered. "Now you will all pay the price for your arrogance!"

With that, Hades blew a flaming breath that cut Chryseis off from Sesshomaru and the Amazon army, isolating her from any help. "First I will deal with this insolent whelp, then I will destroy all of Themiscyra!"

"That'll be the day!" Chryseis yelled back defiantly. Great, she thought sarcastically. Just what I always wanted, to die in the fucking Alamo. "Catch me if you can!"

Chryseis suddenly leaped straight up into the air, hovering even with Hades. The Tetsuseiga now barely resembled the sword Diana had examined earlier—the blade had grown and changed shape to look more like a scimitar and it seemed to be glowing with power.

"Were you aware she could do that?" Diana asked Sesshomaru.

"No. But as I said, her powers manifested when she had need of them." He paused for a moment to consider, and then added, "Or when she is extremely angry."

Angry certainly described Chryseis as she lunged for Hades. His derisive sneer changed to consternation as the So'unga did not respond to his commands. Barely in time he raised the sword to block Chryseis' vicious swing. God he might be, but swordsman he was not. Desperate, he threw every magical attack he could think of at the half-demon, hoping to catch her off guard as the flames died down. She blocked each one with the Tetsuseiga, countering with lethal intent.

"By the gods, I have never seen anything like this," Phillipus said softly.

"I trained her and have never seen this," Sesshomaru admitted. "She has manifested some powers before, but nothing like what we're seeing."

"And it's time we give her a hand before that sword recharges," Diana put in before taking to the air herself. She sped toward Hades with the intent of knocking him off balance from behind just as he struck a powerful blow that knocked Chryseis out of the air…

And faster than should have been possible he spun and drove the sword through Diana's body.