Chapter 9-Devil's Confrontation

(Themyscira-3 Days Ago)

"Are you sure about this Menalippe?" said Hippolyta having seen the priestess from the Temple of the Oracle looking pale from the news she was just told.

"The vision was clear your Majesty. A great and powerful demon named Mundus wishes to acquire Hera's Scepter and has sent agents to one of the lost Temple of Hades to get it. One of the agents being sent, is a fallen hero turn into a half-demon your daughter knows, and is leading the retrieval of the scepter," said Menalippe, who saw Hippolyta become pale slightly at that, and called for several Amazons from Bana along with her own.

"You called for us Queen Hippolyta?" said Artemis along with a handful of her fellow Bana sisters that were standing along side Phillipus and the Queen's Amazon sisters.

"I have called you all here for something of an extremely delicate matter, as I have just learned from Menalippe something of great importance about a terrible evil that threatens the world, and cannot be ignored by us. It requires you all head to Man's World and to our ancient homeland of Greece to stop these evil forces from attaining Hera's Scepter before they misuse it to possibly to enter Mount Olympus. Or even open a portal here to Themyscira if they so wish too," said Hippolyta knowing that the Amazon warriors before her would never let that happen to their paradise that was untouched by men.

"We'll leave immediately," said General Phillipus knowing that time was of the essence and to get to Greece they would need some help from the Justice League and Diana to help them reach their ancient home.

(Greece-Present Day)

"Were arriving at the landing area! The excavation team working on the Temple reported seeing monsters and demons so the place is deserted until an investigation is done in the matter," said the pilot of the Hive Helicopter Transport or HHT for short that Nightwing was on with a team of robots, Hive Academy students, and restrained demons that were needed in the help of entering the ancient temple.

"Contact our man on inside we bribed that runs the investigation team. Have him come up with a reason to contain the excavation team and make it seem like they are crazy. Make sure he stalls everything for the next few days," said Nightwing walking to the pilot, who was looking back at him while the copilot was being his eyes, and making sure they were still holding their present course.

"But your team won't be here for a few days," said the pilot confused, as to why he had to give such a command to the head of the Greece Police Commissioner, and have him do what Nightwing was ordering.

"Just being cautious. Besides, the first day may prove difficult, and the item I need to get may take more then one day to get. Last thing I need is for the excavation team to return while were in the middle of this thing and forcing us to change our plans in just taking before leaving with what we need," said Nightwing before heading back to his spot with the pilot nodding before going to contact the Greece Police Commissioner for this area.

"You play the game well when it comes to being a crook Boss," said Seemore smirking at a now sitting down Nightwing, who glared at the kid, and dared him to say more.

"I had many teachers in many arts. How I use them is none of your business Seemore and if you keep prying into it, I'm going to stab your only eye out with my sword when this is over making you useless," said Nightwing seeing Hive student go pale before keeping his mouth shut.

When the HHT landed, Nightwing stepped out first, followed by the Hive students, then the robots, and lastly the demons now freed from their chains while looking hungrily at the Hive students. As Nightwing looked around, several other HHT did the same landing several feet from Nightwing's position before taking off to the refueling area while the half-devil himself finally saw the entrance to the Temple of Hades that had been recently discovered during the digging, and Nightwing decided to check the workers tents to see how far their progress was into the ancient building.

"Seemore, you're the lookout man with the other students, I want the robots to create a perimeter around the site, and I want the demons near the entrance to go with me into the Temple of Hades," said Nightwing, as he was soon followed by several Hive students and robots to check the tents for maps of the temple itself.

"So what did you find Boss?" said Kid Wicked walking up to Nightwing, who had taken off his trench coat, found the map of the internal workings of the Temple of Hades, and began studying it carefully seeing what they were up against.

"What I need to enter the Temple of Hades. Have Angel support Seemore, I want her to fly high into the air, but near the clouds so she can get hide in them, and not get seen should we have company arriving later," said Nightwing seeing the shadow kid nod his head before leaving the tent to give the order.

"Planning on us getting company Boss?" said Seemore from his position while he used the ear piece to contact Nightwing.

"I have the Justice League, Teen Titans, and my half-devil cousin breathing down my neck Seemore. What do you think?" said Nightwing before exiting the tent and heading for the entrance of the temple with a handful of robots followed by the demons given by Mundus to follow orders.

"I hear ya Boss. Don't worry I'll keep an eye out for the usual stuff and report in if I find anything," said Seemore through his radio ear piece before using his balloon eye to see everything for mile while Angel was flying into the air to further back the Hive student up.

Nightwing ignored Seemore while making his way into the Temple of Hades, seeing the various statues, writings, and other things that make any archeologist worth his diploma want to wet themselves with glee knowing that such findings would result in fame world wide. However, at the moment, Nightwing wasn't concerned with that, as he needed to get to the room where Hera's Scepter was located, and while it wasn't located on the map that he was looking at, it didn't mean that looking through every possibly room wasn't the best course of action.

According to the map, which held the progress of the archeologist, and the rooms they visited since the dig started, there were quite a few rooms that hadn't been touched yet. After having the robots and demons check out the various rooms that had been opened, Nightwing decided to investigate the area where the archeologists started seeing demons, and monsters before running off to the authorities that currently had them detained.

"This is the room. According to the map, this is the main hall of Hades, and the source of the many disturbances throughout the temple itself," said Nightwing mostly to himself at the moment though he knew that the robots were recording what he was doing back to Brother Blood, who was reporting it to Mundus, and was no doubt testing the half-devil further in order to see what would happen next.

Upon entering the room, the group Nightwing was with spread out, and almost instantly the half-devil knew something was wrong when he felt the silvery hairs on his neck stand on end. No sooner had that happened however, the doors behind them shut, and the many sounds of beasts aside from Nightwing's own demons began to be heard that forced him to draw his sword.

(On the Surface)

"Seemore you see anything?" said Private Hive from his earpiece while standing guard along the dig site and looking around the area.

"Nope! Clear as the diamonds we steal my friend. How's the sky where you are Angel? Anything worth noticing?" said Seemore, as his eye told him nothing threatening was near them.

"I can see fine up here, but I don't see anything that's worth noticing," said Angel, as she looked around her for anything that may have been flying at her high level of altitude, but found nothing, and was happy that was all she saw.

"That's good. The Hive robots aren't detecting anything either. This place is securer then the Federal Gold Reserves we rob," said Seemore grinning at his joke that made some of the other Hive students laugh.

Before he could laugh any further though, there was an explosion heard, and several robots were engaging something or someone in front of them.

"Private Hive what's going on?" said Angel seeing the smoke from the explosion from where she was.

"Were under attack by a group of women!" said Private Hive creating a hexagonal shield to block a sword attack from an angry looking woman.

"What?! How did they ge-AH!" said Seemore finding himself tackled to the ground and his right arm broken in the process before he was silenced by being forced to drink an elixir designed to incapacitate anyone who drank it.

"You should have just killed him sister," said Artemis, who was scowling at the fallen Hive student, and then at the Amazons sister in question.

"One should not kill needlessly Artemis. You know that," said General Phillipus having taken out Seemore herself knowing that Artemis would have slit the boy's throat rather then make him drink the elixir.

Artemis said nothing back to Phillipus, but continued onward to slice through several more robots, and soon had the area under control with the Hive students bound despite a few being able to escape. With the area now secured, several Bana Amazons, and that of their Greek sisters stood guard while a team from both sides went into the Temple of Hades to stop this foe from taking Hera's Scepter.

(Back Inside the Temple of Hades)

Nightwing slashed through a shade like creature of the dead before leaping back to avoid a Minotaur coming at him with a battle ax that was aimed at his head. The attack was to be somewhat expected if this temple was one of many that belonged to the Greek God of the Underworld. The robots had been destroyed immediately by the monster that dwelled in this temple and the demons that were with him were killed by the shades despite the best efforts of the demons themselves. Now Nightwing was in the large room fighting for his life, surrounded by Minotaurs, Cyclopes, Shades, and walking soldiers of the dead that were ready to defend their God's proud temple.

'Well...its not like I won't get a workout from this place,' thought Nightwing before he began moving at a high level speed and began cutting through the undead soldiers while trusting in his sword Yamato to guide him in this battle.

Nightwing felt his danger sense that he had acquired over the years to dodge a large club from a Cyclopes that was trying to smash his body into pudding before spinning around and cut the creature's right leg off making it fall on its back in pain. Leaping forward, Nightwing jumped onto a wall, then off the wall, and straight at the Minotaur he was aiming for. The half man half bull threw its ax at Nightwing, who spun in mid-air in order to successfully dodge the attack, and stabbed the beast in the head with Yamato using the Minotaur's falling form to jump back onto solid ground.

"You are no ordinary mortal," said one of the Shades knowing that the creatures sent to guard this temple all thought the same too.

"Yeah you could say that. Look I'm not here to take everything from this place. I just want one thing and then I'm gone," said Nightwing hoping that if they guardians here knew what he was trying to get they would back off.

"What is it you seek?" said the Shade keeping away from the range of the sword, as it could end its life like it had the others.

"Hera's Scepter," said Nightwing seeing the Shade just float there for a second like it was deep in thought.

"That was left to Hades as a gift. You cannot ask for that nor can you take that from him," said the Shade readying its weapon, as did the other creatures, and Nightwing got ready to fight yet again.

"Look, I know its probably means a lot to the guy, but let's face it, he's really not going to use it anytime soon, and I really need that scepter whether you let me have it or not," said Nightwing, as he tightened his grip on Yamato, and looked around the room filled with the various mystical creature of legend.

"Then...DIE!" said the Shade before the group of mystical creatures charged Nightwing, who readied for them to get closer, and within seconds of them getting within striking distance, the half-devil struck with Yamato.

Multiple flashes covering the room the small army of mystical creatures that were loyal to Underworld God Hades fell upon the sword into a pile of blood and ash. Sheathing his sword, Nightwing found the doors that had closed behind him originally open, and then walked out of the room to search another for Hera's Scepter.

(On the Surface)

Shortly after the team of Bana and Greek Amazons entered the Temple of Hades, did the Invisible Jet land, and the team of heroes stepped off of it with the Amazons bowing to Diana. The Amazons gave them the short version of what Menalippe learned from the Oracle and that the Hive students had been tied up while the robots were destroyed.

"Well at least we know where cousin Nightwing is looking for so all we got to do is get to it before he does," said Dante running a hand through his hair and let out a sigh before heading towards the temple entrance.

"Stay here and keep watch over the area. We'll head inside to try and stop Nightwing while possibly retrieving Hera's Scepter before he gets to it," said Diana knowing that if Nightwing got the scepter and tried to escape it would be beneficial to everyone if there was some form of resistance to stop the half-devil.

"Yes Princess," said the Amazon warrior with her sisters bowing in compliance to the orders by Diana.

"We better hurry before Dante and Nightwing tear the temple apart if they encounter each other," said Nero rushing into the temple with Lady right behind him.

"Hey wait for us!" said Beast Boy with the other Titans with the exception of Raven, who was according to Kyrie, was back at Titans Tower, and had locked herself in her room.

(Inside the Temple of Hades)

Nightwing had walked along several more hallways and rooms finding that they were filled with various things from simple bead necklaces to gold that had not been seen for many years. However, the object he was looking for was not in sight, and Nightwing was beginning to wonder if Mundus had set some kind of trap for him in getting this scepter. But if that was the case, then why waste potential resources like the robots, Hive students, and the demons that were given by the Emperor himself for this mission? The more that Nightwing thought about it, the less likely it seemed that the mission was a trap, and the reason for getting Hera's Scepter was in fact a valid mission by the Prince of Darkness.

Finally, the half-devil reached a room much bigger then the one he had fought in earlier, and entered to see the object he had been looking for on an altar table in front of a statue that represented Hades in all his death filled glory. Looking around, Nightwing didn't see any dead bodies that could come to life, no monsters that could appear, and none of the usual obstacles that could interrupt his means in taking the scepter off the altar table.

Walking up to the altar table, Nightwing gazed down at the scepter before picking it up with his left hand, and flipping off the statue with his right. With his mission now fully accomplished, Nightwing began walking out of the room, but stopped when the statue of Hades came to life, and his eyes became wreathed in flame. The eyes spelling doom for all that were caught in their line of sight, which was currently Nightwing himself, and the half-devil instantly drew his sword once more finding this was becoming quite a habit in this place.

'Well, its not like I didn't ask for this when I took the scepter, and flipped the statue of Hades off,' thought Nightwing wondering if this would have happened had he not flipped the statue of Hades off?

Most likely, but at least then, Nightwing could say he didn't deserve it, and have more of a reason to fight back in self-defense.

"How dare you take what does not belong to you mortal! You steal from the great God Hades: Lord of the Underworld," said the statue of the Greek God before unsheathing his stone like sword that while made of stone could either crush Nightwing or slice him in half.

"Funny, I've always wanted to see if I could make stone bleed, and now I'm going to get my chance by fighting you," said Nightwing hooking the scepter to his utility belt before leaping out of the way of the large sword coming down at him by the statue of Hades.

"Prepare to die before a God puny mortal," said the Hades statue trying once more to strike down Nightwing, only for Nightwing move out of the way before dodging another slash that was horizontal this time, and got ready to launch an attack of his own.

Only to leap back, as he was nearly incinerated by fire being shot out from the eyes of the statue, and forced Nightwing back into a corner with the stone statue ready to strike down the half-devil with it weapon.

'My life was so much simpler and easier when I was just a normal human. Thank God I am a half-devil,' thought Nightwing before he grinned before putting Yamato in his left hand and his right hand transformed into a Devil Bringer.

"You will now perish at the hands of your better foolish mortal. Now DIE!" said the Hades statue slamming his sword down onto Nightwing only for to use his arms demonic energy to shoot out and grab onto a nearby piece of a broken pillar just before the sword came down to crush him.

"Do you know how sick I am of other beings calling me that?" said Nightwing jumping off the pillar before running up the stone blade of the statue and leaping onto the forehead of the statue of Hades with the statue of the Underworld God howling in pain.

Seeing his chance, Nightwing rammed Yamato right into the center of the stone helmet, quickly twisting the hilt of his sword before he proceeded to run down the statue, and cut the statue of Hades vertically in half. Within seconds of touching the ground, Nightwing had his right hand turn back to normal, sheathed his sword, and walked out of the room while the statue of Hades broken into hundreds of pieces.

He barely got 10 feet out the door before he was confronted with small force of women that Nightwing could only deduce from their clothing and weapons to be Amazons from Themyscira. Muttering something along the lines of "ah crap", Nightwing narrowed his eyes while reaching into his utility belt for a bo staff since he didn't want to kill any of them, and made the weapon extend to fight them.

"He has Hera's Scepter!" said one of the Amazons readying her weapon at Nightwing with the others doing the same.

"Surrender the scepter to us now man or feel the fury of the Amazons of Themyscira," said Artemis feeling confident that she could take this seemingly weak man before her despite the face he looked to be athletic enough to make it through this temple.

Who knows, maybe she'll take him back to the Bana side of Themyscira, sire a child with him via his seed, and only then would she throw him away like the nothing he was.

"You must be Artemis. Diana told me a lot about you when we spoke on good terms with each other. You have a real problem when it comes to men, you know that? Also, to your demand, I'm going to have to say no, and if you don't like my answer then I dare you to take the scepter from me," said Nightwing motioning them to fight him with a smirk on his face and it did its job well if he wished to infuriate the Bana leader along with her other Bana sisters.

"Kill this stupid man and hang in remains on the sacrificial table to Hades!" said Artemis looking to kill the man before her that dared mock her and her Bana sisters.

'If I had a dollar for every time someone wanted to kill me for something, I would be as rich as Bruce, and twice as successful,' thought Nightwing smirking further at the mere idea of it since he had so many people wanting him dead past and present right now.

The Bana Amazons charged him first while the Greek Amazons waited to see how the man fought against their sisters and were surprised by the way Nightwing moved. As Nightwing moved, he disabled, and disarmed the Bana Amazons of their weapons with his martial arts combined with his bo staff.

When it was over, the Bana Amazons were on the ground, and out for the count with the Greek Amazons being cautious of Nightwing after seeing his display of skill in combat.

"He fights like a demon," said one of the Greek Amazons making the smirk on the face of Nightwing grow further at that remark.

"It's devil actually, but thanks all the same," said Nightwing before his smirk became a frown and he looked past the Amazons to see Dante walking up behind them with a half serious half cocky attitude type look on his face.

"Just when I think you can't get any lower in life you have to beat up a whole bunch of hot women. Granted their man hating women, but their still pretty hot looking women all the same," said Dante with Nero behind him followed by Lady, the Titans, and the other members of the Justice League.

"This coming from a guy, who gets shot at constantly by two women he works with, and sleeps in most of the week when he's not eating pizza," said Nightwing getting some of his smirk back, but it left when he saw Dante draw one of his pistols.

"Touché," said Dante seeing the golden scepter on Nightwing utility belt behind his back and knew that the key to victory in this fight was getting the scepter.

"Sisters, I need you to stand aside, and let us handle this. Go back to the surface and wait for us there," said Diana knowing that the Amazons would obey her orders.

"Yes Princess Diana," said General Phillipus, as her fellow sisters helped gather up the unconscious Bana Amazons while Nightwing just stared at the group before him, and didn't even look at the ones that left.

"How's Raven?" said Nightwing wondering how his love was doing after she had entered his mind to see the truth behind his reasons for serving Mundus.

"She's back home having locked herself in her room and Kyrie can't get Raven out from what we were told. Mind filling us in on what she saw?" said Cyborg, as he readied his sonic cannon at Nightwing, who looked back at him with a sad expression on his face, and the half man half machine felt conflicted in aiming his weapon at his friend.

"I see," said Nightwing letting out a tired sigh before his face became unreadable and he ran his hand through his hair.

"What is it that makes you serve Mundus? What is it that makes you serve this evil beast of a demon?" said Diana, as she wanted to know, and possibly help free Nightwing from whatever chains were now invisibly wrapped around the half-devil.

"I want to tell you. I truly do. But you wouldn't understand. None of you here can truly understand, as the mere knowledge of it will put Raven in danger, and I can't allow you to know what it is. I must protect Raven, even if it means fighting against you, and to some degree...her as well," said Nightwing, as his face became serious, and he got ready to draw his sword to fight them.

"Stop this Nightwing. If we use force, then there may be not enough of you left to return to Raven, and that will make her more upset," said Nero preparing Red Queen to be used in this fight.

"She'll understand. Raven always could understand all that was complex in life when no one else could," said Nightwing before closing his eyes behind his mask and let a faint tear drop from it.

"Nightwing?" said Raven's voice inside his mind feeling her trying to reach out to him with her bond and Nightwing tried to block it out, but found that he couldn't due to her relentlessness in the matter.

"I Raven. I miss you so much," said Nightwing mentally to her through their link, as a grin appeared on his face, and his hand gripped the hilt of Yamato tighter.

"Don't serve Mundus anymore. I know the truth now! Mundus will betray you in the end and will not honor his end of the deal. Remember what happened between my Father and Slade? This will happen here to you! Please Nightwing, please come back to me, to the team, to our...our...," said Raven only for the link to be lost and a new cold, cruel, and evil voice filled Nightwing's mind making him grab his head in pain.

"Insolent worm! I am your master and I expect you to fulfill your end of the bargain I made with you. Fail me in fighting these fools and Raven will perish along with the only thing in this Universe that all creatures have in common with the Gods that rule it," said Mundus having sensed the connection between Nightwing and Raven through their bond.

'I understand Emperor Mundus,' thought Nightwing seeing the images Mundus was now showing him that made his muscles tense, his teeth clench, and his sword unsheathed to be stained in the blood of its enemies.

"Ah crap," said Dante seeing the look of fury that now covered Nightwing's face and the demonic energy that was sparking from him in the process.

"Time to die!" said Nightwing before charging forward with Dante rushing forward as well to meet his cousin in battle.

Well...at least no one could say the Sparda family was boring.

(A/N: YAY! I updated. I bet you're all wondering what the big secret is that Nightwing is keeping from everyone and what it has to do with Raven? Well...I don't feel like telling you. HA! I hope you enjoyed this chapter since so few of you reviewed my last one. You made me so depressed; I barely had just enough mojo to write No Mercy and I nearly had writer's block because for it due to getting so little reviews for my work. No respect I tell you. No respect at all. Until next time...PEACE!!!)