Diana P.O.V
"What do you want." I said hatred dripping from my voice.
"Two things and they shouldn't be hard to get. A ghost and a crystal." Felix said.
"A ghost and a crystal? What dose that even mean!" I yelled at him.
"You know what it means." He said. I finally realized what he meant.
"You need a Guardians ghost don't you." Please say no, please say no, please say no.
"Now your getting it, I was beginning to think you were nothing more than eye candy." He said. Normally such a comment would make me absolutely furious but considering what he was asking me to get I was too busy thinking about the terrible things this man could do with a ghost. "Specifically I need one that hasn't resurrected a Guardian yet." He continued.
"How in the name of Zeus am I supposed to get that." I said.
"Simply your annoying lover took one from a few of Mogar's compatriots earlier this year." He said. I knew exactly what he was talking about. Avery had said he had found a dead ghost on mars in his time and was holding on to it so when he found a way back to the city he could return it for some sort of burial. Now I knew the truth, he had saved it from them and was protecting it.
"And the crystal?" I asked
"It's purple, big and shiny you can't miss it. Another thing your lover stole." He said. Again I knew exactly what he was talking about the crystal from Avery's sword Dark-Drinker. He had not told me it was from only saying that it was classified by a direct order from an elder Guardian named Lord Shaxx, all he would disclose was that it was incredibly dangerous and hard to forge.
"Why do you want these things?"
"None of your concern, now I believe you have all the information you require. Now please get going you have to go steal from the one you love. " He said as he turned to leave. I was going to kill him. I picked up my mother and started to leave. "Oh and one more thing. If you even speak a word of this to ether of those guardians Mogar will crush every single one of your sisters." He said. After he was gone I rushed back to the javlin and set my mother down on the small bed in the back of the Javelin. I rushed up to the cockpit and took off. I flew until we were well out of site of Themyscira and then set the javelin down on a small uninhabited island. I got up from the pilots seat and then took her out of the javelin and sat her down in the shade of a small tree away from the javelin. It would probably be better if she didn't wake up inside of a large metal flying machine. I sat down next to her and started to think of a way I could get the ghost and crystal away from Avery. I knew he wouldn't just hand them over they were far too dangerous. I couldn't blame him if the positions were switched I wouldn't hand them over.
"Diana is that you?" I heard a voice next me say. I turned and saw my mother sitting up holding her head. Her black hair falling past her shoulders. I wrapped my arms around her and brought her into a tight hug.
"Thank goodness your alright." I said. She quickly returned the hug and smiled.
"My prayers were answered you returned." She said.
"I only wish I returned sooner." I said as I broke the hug and looked down at the ground.
"But you did return and that is what matters now we can reclaim Themiscira and save our sisters." She said with a simle. "But first were are we?" She asked finally realizing that we weren't on Themiscira.
"Were several miles away from Themiscira." I said.
"Why?" She asked.
"Your not going to like it." I said. I then started to explain what I had to agree to get in order to save Themiscira. By the end of my mother looked horrified.
"How in the name Hera and Zeus are we supposed to get these things. I mean a crystal we can get but a ghost, a ghost Diana how are we supposed to capture a spirit I hope you know because I don't." She said as she started pacing.
"I'm actually shocked your going along with this without much convincing." I said.
"I mean if you have a better plan I'm willing to listen." She said.
"Calm down mother and to answer your first question I do know were to get he wants." I said to her.
"You do! Oh that is great we can go and get them and deliver them to him and while he is reveling in his vile victory we strike kill him and save our sisters." She said maybe a little too happy at that last part. Sure I wated to kill this man violently but I wasn't happy about it.
"Your missing one major thing he needs to reverse the effects on our sisters then we can kill him." I said
"You really think he is going to keep his word." She asked.
"No I don't but what choice do we have." I said.
"You said you knew where the items located the sooner we get he sooner we save our home." She said.
"That's were things get complicated. I know were to find them but he won't just hand them over." I said
" HE Diana. If we are dealing with a man then we will force him to give us them." She said confidentiality.
"We are not going to do that. First off because HE IS A FRIEND." I said. I should probably leave out the fact that he has slain gods before.
"Diana no man is a friend of the Amazon's." She said in shock.
"Things have changed mother for the better. Not every man is the vile monster that we say they are I have learned first hand." I said to her.
"What evidence do you have of this." She said angrily.
"Mother how many men have you actually spoken too in the past hundred years." I asked with a deadpan expression. She opened her mouth to retort but quickly closed it and started to think. I could practically see the gears rolling in her head. Before she finally spoke.
"Fine I haven't spoken to a single man in the past century." She said. "We will continue this conversation later we must go." She said.
"Your right we must. Follow me mother." I said as I started to walk back to the javelin. "Oh and mother please don't freak out." I said to her.
"Why would I freak out?" She said confused. I looked back at her and simply grinned.
Watchtower 1 Hour Later.
Diana P.O.V
It had taken far longer than I would have like to get up to the watchtower mostly because my mother refused to get on what she called "a hephaestus dammed creation". Our argument ended when I picked her up and physically strapped her into her seat. We were currently sneak over to Avery's room trying to make sur he doesn't hear us. It was decided on there trip up that I would distract Avery while my mother stole what we needed. Simultaneously I was thinking of ways in order to adequately apologize to him later. Wosre case scenario he catches us, is enraged and I lose the man I love. Finally with that thought everything came crashing down. We were about to hand deliver a living breathing shard of what is most likely the universe's most powerful being and a crystal that said being protector found dangerous to a complete psychopath that definitely knew what he was getting and some monster. My legs just wouldn't move and slid down to the ground my back against the wall.
"Diana are you alright!?" My mother said worried.
"No I'm not mother. Were about to steal two incredibly dangerous and powerful artifacts from the man I love and hand them over too a monster!" I said as I started to cry. My mother stood their in shock. I didn't bother to hide the fact that I loved Avery.
"Th-the man you love?" She said in shock and confusion.
"Yes the man I love mother! He isn't just my friend! Mother, I love him. And I'm about to betray his trust in the worst possible way." I said.
"I don't know what to say." She said silently.
"Don't say anything. Why would you care. You hate all men. If anything you think losing him would be good for me." I said.
"Your wrong I know exactly what it is like to lose the man you love." She said as she slid down next to me.
"What?!" I said in shock.
"I remember it like it was yesterday. Exactly one hundred seventy four years ago on October 22 1827 a man washed up on the shores of Themyscira. I found him first but he was wounded badly. I took him to the healers and they saved his life. I don't know why but I chose to watch over him alone that night. He woke sometime during the night and we started talking. He was a soldier fighting in the greek war of independence. He told me that he was a salior under the British Royal Navy. Their fleet had part of an alliance to aid in Greeces rebellion against the Ottoman empire. Their fleet had engaged the enemy in battle and was winning. But it was still hard fought and he was knocked off the ship and somehow ended up on Themyscira. I don't know what it was that draw me to him but by the end of the night I was in love with him. I managed to convince my sisters to let him live and that he was no threat to us and that I would personally watch him. Over the next few weeks we grew closer to each until one night we layed with eachother and we conceived a child. I was so happy when I found out and for a moment I thought I could have both a husband and my child I dreamt of raising the child with him. When I told him he was of course nervous but he wanted to be with me and the child no matter what... But fate had other plans. The wound he had suffered in battle wasn't healed properly and unknown to us it had become infected and one day he just feel down and died. I never cried so in my life I never had felt so much pain as in that moment. I think you have pieced it together now Diana but that man was your father. So yes Diana I do know. I know better than every amazon on the Island." She finshed her story and by the end of it she was crying. I was in shock, I had heard many of my sisters theories as to who my father was. Due to my powers many thought it was one of the gods.
"Why did you never tell me?" I said
"I was worried how our sisters would react if they found out." She said.
"But my powers." I asked.
"I honestly have no idea. The night you were born a mysterious creature appeared and said that I would be presented with a "gift" from some group called the nine." She said. "I have searched through every book on Themyscria and I found no reference to any group called the nine." She said. I didn't know how to respond. I wasn't angry I understood why she didn't tell me. I guess I was confused.
"Why tell me this now?" I asked.
"As much as I don't want to admit it, there is a very real possibility that this is my only chance to tell you." She said.
"That monster is going to betray us. We both know that for a fact." I said.
"I know and I can't believe I'm saying this but we need help." I couldn't help but look at my mother in shock. "Please tell me your lover will help us." She asked.
"He will help us. I said.
"Good because I am anxious to meet the man that has stolen my daughter's heart." She said as she got up. I got up and hugged my mother.
"After we win I am going to want more details my father." I said
" And you will get them. But I can tell you one thing now." She said.
"What is it?" I asked.
"He'd be very proud of you." She said as hugged me.
Five minutes later
Avery's room
Hippolyta P.O.V
It felt very good to finally tell Diana about her father. It still hurt to remember the day he died but by the same token I couldn't help but be happy when I remember the night we admitted our love for one another. I was broken out of my stupor by Diana's voice.
"Were here mother." Diana said as she was standing in front of a simple door with a note tapped to it.
KEEP OUT
ESPECIALLY YOU FLASH
FROM JAYDEN: FLASH IF YOU EVER TOUCH MY SPARROW AGAIN I WILL SHOOT YOU.
"He seems friendly." I said dryly. I may need to talk to Diana about her choice in men.
"He normally is rather kind. But alot of the stuff he works on in here is rather dangerous if someone just barges in." She said. "Jayden on the other hand is just a psychopath." She said.
"And your in love with-" I asked trailing off at the last part.
"I'm in love with Avery the kind, compassionate, somewhat anti-social one. Jayden is a member of his fire team." She said.
"Good to know." I said.
"Let me go in first so I can explain everything to him." She said as she opened the door and walked through. I was left alone with my thoughts for a solid five seconds before I heard Diana yell.
"YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" I ran to see her standing alone in a very messy room. A bed was haphazardly shoved up against the far wall many tables piled with objects that I didn't recognize spread through out the room. But most prominent was the glass floor and wall that looked out over the earth. I started to wonder around the room looking at many of the objects on the tables. I was barely paying any attention to Diana ranting about this being the one time she wanted him to be anti-social and in his room. My eyes settled on a small picture of Diana and a man. The man in question was rather handsome with messy brown hair and green and blue eyes. In the picture they were apparently near somesort of body of water The man was sitting down at a table and had a large smile on his face while Diana was wrapping her arms around his neck as she kissed him on the cheek. I could tell she was happy in the picture.
"That happened on our first date. We went a small restaurant on the water and got dinner." Diana said as she walked up behind me.
"He's very handsome." I said as I put the photo down. "Do you know where he is now?" I asked.
"Unfortunately no. Normally by this part of the day he is in here working on one of his weapons." She said.
"Hey Diana whose your friend." A voice said behind me. Reflexes took over and I grabbed a sharp looking piece of metal and threw it at the unknown voice. The peice of metal grazed the intruders head. "Not again!" He said as he held his head. Diana quickly put herself in between us and said.
"Wait mother he is a friend!" She said quickly.
"Oh sorry. Reflexes." I said.
"Apology accepted. At least you apologized unlike that absolute a-ho-"
"Ok Flash we get it you don't like Jayden. What are you doing down here." She said cutting him off.
"I heard a bunch of loud noises and I thought there was a problem." He said.
"Well there is a problem. Do you know where Avery is?" She asked.
"No I don't. He and Jayden left on what they described as "Guardian business" several hours ago. Whats wrong why do you need him." He asked.
"Flash get the others we have a major problem." She said.
The Skies Above Themiscira
Diana P.O.V
It hadn't been hard to convince the others too help. In fact it had been rather easy. Now after discussing a plan of attack me and my mother were flying back to Themyscira with the item Faust had wanted. We had briefly entertained the idea of making fakes but it if he knew about what a ghost was and what it did he would most likely be able to spot a fake, the same also went for the crystal. The rest of the leauge was flying on a separate javelin multiple miles back and were going to attempt to sneak onto the Island.
"So what do these ghost do?" My mother asked.
"According to Avery they were made by a being known as the Traveler in order to protect humanity." I said.
"That's interesting and I certainly want to learn more about this Traveler in the future, but that still doesn't answer my question." She said.
"Among other things they raise the dead and imbue their Guardian with the enough power to slay gods." I said.
"Raise the dead! The power to slay gods!" She yelled in horror.
"Now you know why I was so scared of the thought of this monster getting his hands on one the results would be disastrous." I said.
"But what could he possibly hope to achieve with them... Oh no." She said.
"What?" I asked worried.
"The gates of hades he must be trying to open them. I mean were else would he get such a creature." She said in horror.
"Thats a possibility but if he is he's doing it wrong he need the key, not a Ghost and a crystal." I said.
"Your right. I don't want to worry you anymore than you already are, but if Avery had these things in his procession, could thi just be some overly complicated plan to get to him." As soon as she said those words my blood ran cold. I started to mutter prayers to ever god I knew asking for them to help us. My mother seeing this slumped back into her seat doing the same. I landed the javelin in the same court yard and we made our way back to the temple. My mother was holding the ghost and crystal in her hands. I could clearly see her hands beginning to shake in rage. I leaned down and picked up a rock and crushed it in my hands.
"Imagine it's that monster head you are crushing. It's surprisingly therapeutic." I said to her. She handed me the ghost and in a single hand picked up a rock and crushed it. I saw a small smile gracer her lips.
"You're right it is." She said. We continued the rest of our treck in silence Every now and them I heard something scrabbled around in the rubble just out of sight. I was desperately hoping that that was Batman and not some creature working with Faust. We finally arrived at the temple when my mother spoke again.
"Diana whatever happens I want you to know that I love you." She said.
"I love you too mother." I said. With that we entered the temple. We walked in and saw a surprising sight. All of hour sisters that had been turned to stone were moved in here. They were spread out across the room seemingly at random.
"I was beginning to think you had double crossed me. But here you are like good dogs returning to your master." Faust said coming out from behind a pillar.
"You want a dog how about I show you my FANGS!!!" My mother yelled. Before she could charge him I grabbed her.
"We brought you what you wanted Faust now turned them back." I yelled at him.
"The items first." He said. I simply threw them at him. Both the ghost and the crystal stopped in midair surrounded by a purple glow.
"Our sisters monster." My mother said. He simply raised his hand in his hand was the medallion with medusa's head. Me and mother both quickly covered our eyes and a bright flash of light shot out from the medallion hitting all of the statues. We uncovered our eyes and low and behold all of our sisters restored to flesh once more. I started to smile but it quickly disappeared when a second flash of light occurred and all of them disappeared.
"What did you do!" my mother yelled.
"I said I would fix your sisters I said nothings about teleporting them underground did I." He said smugly. Our attention was quickly taken away from him by low growl coming from the entrance. We both turned to see Mogar and two other creatures that looked like him but a head shorter carrying the unconscious forms of the justice leauge. They also were followed by smaller creatures that appeared to be holding guns. They proceeded to move behind Faust. He proceeded to hand the ghost and the crystal off to one of the smaller creatures "Now what did I say about help." He said with the same smugness.
"You said help from Guardians they aren't Guardians." I said.
"Sassy until the very end. If you weren't so annoying I'd consider keeping you around for personal fun." He said.
That's it I'm going to castrate you then kill you for that comment!" My mother said.
"Mogar please dispose of the trash." He said. Mogar dropped Superman and in a surprising move grabbed Faust's head and picked him off the ground and started to slowly crush his head.
"What are you doing!?" Faust yelled in fear.
"Disposing of trash." Mogar's deep guttural voice boomed. Finally with a final wet and bloody crack Mogar crushed Faust head and let his headles body drop to the ground.
"Hmph... It was therapeutic." Mogar said.
"Why did you do that?!" My mother asked in shock.
"He outlived his usefulness, much like yourselves." Mogar said as he took ghost and crystal from one the smaller creatures besides him. "Kill them." With that order he and the larger creatures turned into an ethereal smoke and dissapeared. The smallers ones pointed their guns at us and began to fire. I quickly started to block the blast with my bracelets while my mother jumped behind a fallen pillar. When one of the creatures pulled it's arm back and a large orb of fire appeared I decided to join my mother behind the pillar. Whatever it was making hit were I just was and exploded with a high amount of force.
"We can't just hide behind here." My mother said.
"Your right and I have a great Idea." I said as I pressed my against the temple wall and place my feet against the pillar and pushed hard. The pillar was sent flying through the air and right into the creatures killing them. One managed to evade the pillar but lost its gun in the process. My mother acting quickly grabbed a spear and jabbed it right into its glowing eyes. The creature disintegrated leaving nothing more than large and disgusting worm. The worm quickly dug into the ground disappearing below ground.
"Ugh what happened?" Superman asked as he and the others got up off the ground.
"You got jumped by Mogar and a few of his lackeys and were knocked out." I said.
"And we lost the ghost and the crystal. Also our sisters were teleported underground. No thanks to you!" My mother said furiously.
"Woah what happened to him!?" Flash asked pointing to Faust body.
"Apparently Mogar was the one in charge and Faust over their outlived his usefulness." I said.
"Whose this Mogar you keep referring to?" Lantern asked.
"The big guy with the axe." My mother said.
"Were is he now?" Batman asked.
"I have a very bad feeling I know." My mother said grimly.
"You don't think they are really trying to open it." I asked her.
"I don't know but Faust did say he teleported our sisters underground so there at least down there." She responded.
"Um excuse me but what are you two talking about?" Flash asked. I looked over at my moher looking for permission. She nodded grimly knowing that we were out of options.
"Underneath Themyscira there is a gate to hades." I said deciding to skip past any and all fluff.
"What!!" They all said at once.
"It is the our most guarded secret. Several millennia the god of the underworld Hades lead a rebellion against the Olympians. In the end he was defeated and was imprisoned inside his own realm simultaneously forcing him to actually do his job and making sure he never returns. After the war the amazons were tasked with keeping the gates safe." Hippolyta explained.
"Why tell us this? I mean it your most guarded secret and amazons aren't exactly fond of men." Batman said.
"I don't have much choice in the matter do I." Hippolyta said. "Now follow me." She said as she walled over to a back wall and pressed her hand against a hidden switch in the wall. The wall slowly slide to the side revealing a dark corridor. What hit me first was the horrid stench.
"It's worse than it normally is." I said covering my mouth. The corridor was covered with disgusting growths and orange sacks filled with an unknown liquid. The walls were dripping a saliva like liquid.
"Is that normal?" Flash asked worried.
"Not in the slightest." I said. We started walking down the corridor but were the end normally was their was a small overgrown room with multiple different paths out of it.
"Which path do we take?" Batman asked.
"I have no idea this wasn't here before." Hippolyta said.
"Superman can you use your x-ray vision to find us a path." Batman asked. Superman walked in front of us and squinted his eyes. He swiveled his head back and forth for about a minute untip he stopped and shook his head.
"Something is blocking me from seeing anything beyond the walls. Queen Hippolyta does your island have any natural lead deposits?" Superman asked.
"No." My mother said curtly.
"Should we split up then?" Flash asked. Everyone of us have him the are you stupid look while my mother said what we were all thinking.
"That is an absolutely idiotic plan that can only get us killed."
"Plus every time we split up something goes terribly wrong." I added. Our discussion was cut short by a loud screem coming from down one of the paths.
"The scream came from this way!" Superman said as he flew towards one of the paths. As we followed him the scream was replaced by the sound of gunfire.
"I know the noise." I said.
"Thorn." Batman said grimly.
Jayden P.O.V
Several hours ago
We arrived at the site of the signal and was met with a surprising sight.
"Yup a titan definitely went through here recently." I said. There was the telltale signs of battle, bullet casings on the ground, multiple craders from explosions and a massive hole in the ground flanked by remains of two dead hive knights.
"Definitely Leo." Avery said. "Signs of battle are still fresh. He went down there." He finished.
"Well let's go find our titan buddy before he gets himself killed." We both descended into the pit moving slowly but methodically we didn't want to run into any traps. The deeper we went the more signs of battle there were. Finally we started to here the telltale sound of gunfire. We arrived to an expected sight, Leo was fireing his favored shotgun Gunnora's Axe into hords of hive soldiers killing many. But he was being overwhelmed by pure numbers. I quickly looked at Avery and he simply nodded giving me the go ahead to start shooting. A thrall was in midair jumping at Leo's back I quickly shot it out of the air with Thorn. Leo turned just in time to see me and Avery jump up and through a brage of flaming knives and a nova bomb at the remaining hive killing them. We walked up to Leo but before we could even speak he punched me hard in my stomach bringing me to the ground.
"What is wrong with you!" Leo yelled.
"Many things but I take it your referring to throwing you through the portal." I said on the ground hunched over in pain.
"Leo that's enough." Avery said.
"After Jayden threw me through the portal I ended up on this Island surrounded by hive. I have been fighting ever since." Leo said completely ignoring me. I probably bruised his honor as a titan by throwing him through that portal.
"How long ago was that?" I asked.
"Twenty to thrity minutes forty five tops." Leo said. Me and Avery just look at each other then back at him. Realizing something was wrong he sighed and asked the obvious question. "How long have you two been here?"
"Just over a year." Avery said.
"Around one month." I said.
"Great." Leo said clearly annoyed.
"Hey in that year Ave managed to get a girlfriend." Avery responded by slapping me on the back of my head for that comment.
"Really now that is a development." Leo said.
"My love life isn't important right now." Avery said.
"I disagree I want to know what kind of woman could get our leader to not be depressed." Leo said.
"Later." Avery hissed. "We need to stop whatever the hive are doing hear."
"Nice transition buddy." I said. He simply glared at me. It wasn't a very effective glare due to the fact he was wearing a helmet.
Several hours later
Avery P.O.V
We had been moving around to what Jayden had helpful started to refer to as the Labyrinth for the past several hours. The hive commonly made their fortresses like this a complete maze for anything not hive. We were startled by a loud scream.
"That wasn't a wizard." Jayden said as he took off down a side corridor with me and Leo in hot pursuit. We arrived at a surprising sight a woman with long red hair was desperately holding a hive thrall back fro ripping her throat out. Another woman that looked like a younger version of her was on the ground her throat gushing blood, a morbid sence of de javu washed over me as i remembered Tokyo. Jayden acting quickly jumped onto the thrall and drove his knife into its head killing it instantly. The woman looked up at shock but that shock quickly turned to rage as she jumped at him and tried to grab his throat.
"This is all your kinds fault!" She yelled as she tried to strangle him. Jayden was holding her off when Leo hit her over the head with his shotgun knocking her out.
"What's her problem." Jayden said angrily.
"Her dead sister." I simply said as I checked the girls corpse for a pulse. You could never be to certain. When I couldn't find one I gently closed her eyes. Jayden was about to speak whenwe heard a deep bellowing.
"We got company!" Leo yelled as a of hive soldiers came out of a tunnel leading deeper into the ground. We brought our guns to bear and started gunning down any hive that got too close. A knight tried to hit Leo but he ducked under its strike slammed his fist into the knights stomach causing it to kneel over once at his eye level he gave it a devastating headbutt that killed it.
"And you wonder why Asher says Titans are hard headed." I said. With us working together as a fire team again we quickly finished off the hive attacking us. My radar picked up more movement behind us I quickly spun around and brought Nechrocasm to bear on them but instead of hive it was Diana and a woman that looked like a older version of her behind them stood several members of the justice leauge. They all had the same look of shock on their faces.
"What are you doing here!" I yelled in shock.
"We could ask you the same thing." Batman said.
"We asked first." Jayden said.
"Your not going to like it." Diana said.
ONE EXPLANATION LATER
"YOU DID WHAT!!!" I yelled. I was stunned I had honestly no idea how to react. Jayden however did.
"You gave a ghost and the shard of willbreaker to the Hive." Jayden said surprisingly calm. "I have half a mind to shoot all of you!" There it is.
"Wait those creatures are the hive." Diana said.
"Yes you Traveler dammed imbicles those "creatures" are the hive!" Jayden yelled.
"Calm down Jayden. Realistic is the worst thing they could do with those things." Superman said.
"Should you tell them or should I?" Jayden asked.
"Tell us what?" Batman asked suspiciously.
"The Hive are a race that worships death and their worm gods. Specifically through rituals powered by the death of others. Soon after the invasion I broke up a hive ritual taking place in Tokyo." I started.
"Wait those were hive Tokyo not a murder cult?" Lantern said.
"What's the difference." Leo added as he guarded the tunnel the hive came out of.
"Avery we I'm picking up a spike in hive magic and vex energy." Click said materializing over my shoulder. Suddenly the sound of chanting could be heard coming form one of the tunnels.
"Ugh what is that noise." red head that had tried to kill Jayden said as she came too.
"Artemis are you alright?" Hippolyta said.
"Queen Hippolyta what happened were are we?" Artemis said confused. Here eyes finally rested on Jayden and she growled as she tried to get up. "Now I remember. Stay behind my queen I will deal with these interlopers." She said.
"Hold Artemis you will not lay a hand on theses men or you will answer to me." Hippolyta said.
"Why?!" Artemis asked in shock.
"Because they are here to help us." Hippolyta said.
"We can beat them ourselves." Artemis said.
"If hadn't stepped in you'd be dead now." Jayden said.
"I was handling myself just fine!" She yelled at him as she got up in his face.
"Yeah like your friend over their." Jayden said angrily.
BANG*
A gunshot rangout behind us and we all turned to see a knight disintegrate, Leo's shotgun pointed at were its head was.
"You can continue your argument later. Now miss Artemis I would highly you take your sisters body back to the surface before more thrall show up and try to make a snack out of it." Leo said trying to make her see reason. Artemis was about to protest but upon realizing what he just said her face turned pail she turned and looked at the body. She slowly approached it then fell to her knees.
"I'm sorry Alexis. I'm sorry." Artemis said staring at her sisters body.
"Hippolyta can you take her back to the surface she's only going to be a liability like this." I asked her.
"I have a duty as an amazon to see this fight through." She said.
"And you have a duty as a queen to protect your people and you three could very well be the last of." I said trying to make her see reason. My statement clearly struck home because she turned and looked at Artemis.
"Your right. Artemis come we will bury your sister with full honors." She said. Artemis responded by picking her sister up bridal style and started to follow her queen. Hippolyta stopped and looked at her daughter, she walked over and hugged her. "I know your not going to leave until this is over so stay safe, And you Avery Dragoon prove to me that you love my daughter by keeping her safe." She ordered. I simply nodded.
"I will protect her with my life." I said.
"Hey Amazon!" Jayden said as Hippolyta was leaving.
"What." She asked
"Your gonna need these if you run into any hive on your way back." Jayden said as he threw her the bow No turning back and a quiver full of arrows as well as the sword Unspoken Promise. "Careful about the arrow heads they explode upon impact with a target." Jayden warned.
"Thank you hunter." She said.
"That's very kind of you Jayden." Diana said almost in shock.
"We need to move." Jayden said.
"If you are going to come with us you are going to need to abide by a few rules. I said.
"What are they?" Batman asked.
"If one of us give you an order follow it, Stay behind us at all times, Do not engage any of the hive without the intent to kill, and finally if you see a thrall that is hunched over and glowing don't touch it they explode." I said.
"We don't kill." Batman said.
"Will you stop with that holier than thou bullcrap, we don't have time for it." Jayden said.
"Let's move. Leo you take point, Jayden stay in the back and make sure we don't get surrounded. I will stay in the middle and make sure we don't get separated." I ordered and with that we move out towards the sound of chanting. It didn't take long to find the source of the chanting. We entered a massive cavern with what appeared to be a ruined city overgrown with hive corruption and partial vex conversion. At the end of the cavern stood a massive gate, on said gate wasanother corrupted vex gate with an absolutely massive crystal floating in front around said crystal was four smaller crystals. Outside of the city was an army of hive soldiers milling about in the city and the plain outside of it. We were currently taking refugee behind a large fallen pillar near the entrance to the cavern.
"How many do you count Jayden?" I asked the hunter while he looked through the scope of his sniper Revoker.
"What I can see is at least 1000 acolytes, 500 knights, 300 wizards 50 of which are praying to the crystal. 50 ogres all in overwatch positions, around 20 shriekers 10 on each side of the gate. Given this is the hive were dealing with you should probably add a few zeros to the numbers I just gave you to take into account the ones we don't see." Jayden said grimly.
"This is an invasion force!" Superman said.
"No it's a holding force, There only job is to defend this ritual." As soon as I said that Nokris floated his sorry hide int the cavern, clutched in his claws was the shard of willbreaker and the ghost.
"Whose the big guy?" Lantern asked.
"Nokris a hive necromancer." I said simply. Nokris flew up to the crystal and began to chant followed by the other wizards. Suddenly the crystal and the ghost started to float out of Nokris's hands and started to glow. The chanting also started to get louder until it was all I could hear. The four crystal surrounding the largest crystal started to spin faster and faster until they were a blur. Energy started to seap out of the ghost and shard of willbreaker into the largest crystal until a blinding light was covering the crystal finally the light shot out of the crystal and impacted the gate doors. Energy began coursing up and down the corrupted vex gate until that energy shot into the middle of the gate rending reality asunder at the point were the two beams met and a portal started to grow until it encompassed the entire gate. Finally the chanting stopped and the light dissapeared and all that remained was a portal.
"What was that?" Diana asked.
"I don't know?" I said fear creeping into my voice.
"Something is coming out of the portal." Flash said urgently. A massive figure could be seen stalking towards the portal from the other side. Finally the figure exited the portal and my mind shut down.
"By the Traveler it can't be!" Leo said in horror. I need to get Diana out of here I can't go through that again.
"But he's supposed to be dead!" Jayden said. There standing was the very bane of my existence Crota the Son of Oryx. Following him was his personal retinue. A second shadow appeared on the other side of the portal this one even bigger than the last. Please don't be him I thought. By my worst fears were provine correct. Crota bowed to the figure that exited the portal they all did a full head taller than Crota with massive wings and to red horns jutting out from the sides of his head, There stood the greatest threat to the Last city their ever was, the creature that killed the awoken queen, the hives dark god Oryx the taken king lives again. With a bestial roar he announced his return and the very stars themselves shuddered in fear.
