"We both know you're infinitely more powerful than I am," she said after breaking from the kiss I sure as hell didn't need or want, "but that doesn't mean that I still can't affect you in ways that can make your life worse." "What do you want Circe?" "You wound me, lovely Diana." She caressed my face. "I would love nothing more than to have you in my bed...as would War." Olympians were hardly unaccustomed to incest; it went with it. But as gods Zeus had blessed us with a certain block that prevented the defects of incest from going on to others; it was a divine safeguard if you would. It was difficult for mortals to understand the concept. For with Zeus all things were possible; including that. And it was hardly new that my father had slept around like crazy. I was living proof of that. Even the mighty Hippolyta had fallen for his charms. "You know he fancies you; he always has." That didn't surprise me either. "What? He's not with Aphrodite any longer?" Circe scoffed. "Aphrodite is as bad as her father is; she couldn't care less what her paramour does." "I'll never sleep with Ares." Circe raised a red brow at that. "Oh really? We could make it an orgy. Why not? They'll be talking about it for a thousand years. You love those anyway I hear." "Not in this eon." Circe nodded and made a thoughtful sound; but then she waved her hand over me and said, "Abracadabra! And voila! I've just suppressed your entire divine nature for a little while. In essence, my beloved demigoddess - you've been defanged." I did feel different. It didn't start right away though but then it grew sharply, and from the gut. It felt as though I'd just gotten sucker punched. "You bitch...what have you done?" As I doubled over in growing pain Circe took my face into her hands again and gave me another potent kiss. "I'm a plot device dear Di. It's my job in this modern Greek myth to complicate your plot a little more. And as usual, I came through magnificently." She then looked over at the struggling Esperanza now frozen in time. "That poor mortal girl will not survive the next hours to come. Shame, really. She's really quite desirable if you get past the fact her lifespan is nothing but a joke." "Leave...her alone Circe!" Circe frowned with growing frustration. "What did you say, dearest Di? You'll have to speak a little louder." I fell to the ground in agony.
I didn't know how much time had passed as I fought to give it back to her somehow, but then I saw a new pair of bare feet on the platform positioned next to me. I managed to glance up despite the pain. It was a beautiful naked woman covered only in an emerald cloak. I knew instantly who she was too. "Hera..." "Silence, both bastard and bitch." Hera shot potent magical energy into my downed form from her hands. It tore into me and I screamed. I felt like Luke when the Emperor was hitting him with Force lightning at that finale moment in Episode VI. Circe, very powerful, had been covertly enhanced by Hera's godly power. My powers could be downed even longer. There was no spell to break it. For me it was never about spells; it was about willpower. But Hera was one of the oldest beings in creation, and very powerful. Ares and I still had her beat, but Hera was never to be underestimated. She could still do a lot of damage before it was all said and done. And for now she had the definite advantage.