Big New Years dump for hopeful good fortunes and writing in the new year. This, Spartans Don't Play Games and a New Story.
Suddenly, Nathaniel's eyes widened and Diana's glazed over for an instant.
The world drained of colour around her, leaving Diana the only thing besides her brother in a world made entirely of black and white.
"Good, now we can talk." Diana watched as the world changed. It shifted and warped until the two of them were back in her brother's appartment in Venice. Nathaniel walked over to the sofa, taking a seat and gesturing for her to join him
"Sit down Diana. We have some time to talk here."
Diana tentatively made her way over to the couch, sitting and finding that even in this strange realm her brother had brought her to, that everything in it at least appeared real.
"What is this Nathaniel?" She asked.
"The tsukuyomi." He said. "It costs me greatly so we must be brief, but as long as we are here we can talk without interuption."
"Why did you bring me here?" Diana asked. "I have to stop Apollo and Artemis. They want Zola."
Her eyes flashed for a moment as she regarded him.
"If this is some way for you to occupy me while they abscond with her-"
"Nothing as such Diana. This is all an illusion." He waved his hand, and suddenly outside the window was not the grey skyline of this colourless version of Venice, instead she saw herself, Hermes, Lennox and Zola, all standing perfectly still.
"Time here passes according to my will. No more than a moment will go by in reality, but this will give us time to talk and plan."
Diana regarded the world around her suspiciously.
"Very well. What must we speak of?"
"The future, dear sister." He said. "We must allow Apollo and Artemis to take Zola."
"What?" Diana demanded.
"Think on it for a moment, Diana." Nathaniel said. "Sun and Moon have no love for the queen of heaven, especially after what happened with Leto and Python. Why would they work with her?"
Diana thought for a moment.
"Apollo mentioned a bargain... they are getting something in return."
"Exactly, and if what Apollo impled was true, then she has bargained away her last chip."
Diana's eyes widened as she realised what Nathaniel was trying to tell her.
"No... She wouldn't."
"She is desperate now sister, every other avenue has been closed to her, now she has only the other gods to turn to."
"But to bargain Zeus' throne. She seeks to claim it herself, does she not?"
"Indeed, but Hera's rage seems to have blinded her. She will trade even the throne for the opportunity to have the Zola and Zeus' babe."
"And so-" Diana began, lowering her head.
"Zeus' throne will be the bounty on Zola's head. Whatever challenges you have so far overcome, they will be paltry in comparrison to what is to come. With the promise of kinghood on the line, the gods will come like starving lions."
Nathaniel rolled his shoulder, an old injury no longer there still somehow acting up.
"I should know."
Diana looked down, her eyes darting around and in deep and frantic thought. Nathaniel watched, but in that moment, his eyes flashed again and a smirk formed on his face.
"But it appears that a solution has just presented itself."
"What?" Diana asked.
"Let my take Zola with Apollo and Artemis."
Diana's eyes widened and then narrowed.
Let the Sun and Moon take Zola to Hera? I think not brother."
"Not them, dear sister, me. I have spoken to Apollo and Artemis in the same way as I speak to you, and we have come to an agreement."
Diana looked on curiously.
"Hera's eyes are on us, and so I must turn against you in order to sell the ruse. I will take Zola with Sun and Moon into heaven. There, Apollo will take the throne, and in doing so, his word is law. In return for ensuring that the child never rises to try and take the throne, Apollo has promised that he will allow Zola and her child to live."
"Truly?" She asked, scepticle.
"Truly Diana. This is the best course. Without a new king, and with Hera's bounty on Zola's head, her and her child will forever be in danger, and by the extention of your good heart-" He looked at her as he used to when they would make mischief in the palace. "-You will also be put in danger. Though I have no desire to return to the business of dieties, It seems my complusions have dragged me back."
Diana only smiled and laughed.
"It is your choice Nathaniel. No one may decide such things and you know it."
Nathaniel rolled his eyes.
"Either way, even if Hera renages on the deal, Zola will be under my protection Diana. I will guard her for you until you arrive."
"I will." She assured. "Promise me you will guard her as if she were me."
"I promise." He said solemly.
Diana got up from the couch. Looking around at the world.
"I never knew you could do this." She said.
Nathaniel smirked.
"Just a new trick I picked up."
"Like the silver soldier in Hades' realm?"
"I was wondering when you would ask about that."
"I've never known you to be able to do such things. You're more careful now as well. You used to be so reckless sometimes."
"I'm no longer indestructable dear Diana. I don't come back anymore."
"Why?"
"You were there when I died, weren't you? You know what I did when I killed Hades the first time."
"You burned his blood form your veins..."
"And in doing so my soul is no longer forbidden to enter his realm. I can die now Diana, and this time it will be permanent."
"It wasn't last time? Mother found your cave, she found means and formulae to resurrect the dead, not to mention the ancient crystal that granted the Amazons their immortality."
"Diana... there are things that I want to tell you, but these require secrecy. There are forces beyond our world, things that are looking for me. I have to stay hidden, and keeping some of these secrets is the only way to do it."
"You are hiding things from me again? And so soon?"
"I wish I didn't have to Diana, and I promise, as soon as the danger is gone, I will tell you everything. Please, just trust me one more time."
Diana regarded him.
"I will trust you with this, but first... protect Zola... please."
"I promise." He said, raising his index finger. "Swear?"
Diana smiled and entwined her own index finger with his.
"Swear."
The world of black, white and grey shattered into a thousand pieces and Diana found herself facing down Apollo and Artemis with her allies by her side. In the second it took for her eyes to sharpen again Nathaniel struck. Lennox was flung into a far wall, persued by Nathaniel and leaving Diana and Hermes to deal with Apollo and Artemis.
As Diana was discussing with her brother, Apollo and Artemis found themselves likewise in the colourless world of the tsukuyomi.
"What is this?" Artemis asked, grabbing at the pendant that hung around her neck.
"A chance to talk." Apollo calmed his sister as he observed the world. The scene shifted and changed, with the two twin gods finding themselves in a rather enlegant boardroom. Sitting on one side, Nathaniel gestured for the two to take their seats. Apollo took the seat directly opposite him, while Artemis chose instead to forgo a seat and lean on the wall.
"What is this about cousin?" Apollo asked, looking around.
"An illusion to speed up perceptions." Nathaniel explained. "Within this world, no more than an instant will pass, no matter the time spent within. We can talk here. Surely there is a way to end this without violence."
"Not likely." Artemis scoffed.
Apollo raised a hand to stop his sister.
"Of course. We have no desire to fight. We only want the girl."
"For what reason?"
"You've already figured it out god killer." Artemis snarled.
"I need confirmation." Nathaniel addressed the goddess of the moon. "I'm not so arrogant to think I know everything."
Apollo raised an eyebrow.
"Only most things?" He asked.
"Most definately, but not everything, especially not the logic of gods."
"Fine then." Apollo said. "Hera has promised the throne in exchange for the girl and her child."
Nathaniel leaned back in his chair.
"I never thought she'd be so desperate."
"She is cousin. She has used up all of her other options for the time being. She has no champion to defeat Wonder Woman, and even Hell could not hold her down for long."
Nathaniel scoffed.
"If you think a man could ever hold my sister, you're not as all-knowing as you claim."
"Regardless. This is her last resort, though I suspect that she has an ulterior motive."
"But?" Nathaniel asked. "I know you Apollo, you wouldn't do something like this without certainty. If there is even a chance Zeus is still alive, you would never aim for the throne."
"No, I wouldn't." The sun god admitted. "But my oracles are seldom mistaken, and never truly wrong. They say Zeus is dead and I believe them."
"Would that I could have such faith Apollo, but I need more than the vague word of oracles known to mislead with cryptic words."
"There are only two possibilities should this deal go uninterupted. The first, and more likely, is that I will sit the throne and become the king of Olympus. Once that happens, I will declare my father's last mistress and her child as under your sister's protection, and forbid Hera from targeting her."
"And the other?"
"My sitting the throne will prompt Zeus to return from whatever hole he is hiding in. The usurpation of his power is something my father would never allow, and so the king of storms will again sit the throne."
"And how does that save my sister and the girl?"
"I will petition father to allow Zola to remain under Diana's protection, or you could simply threaten to do to him what you did to Hades."
Nathaniel pondered for a moment.
"Either way, Olympus is once again united against the return of the Firstborn without name, and Diana's little project is safe."
Nathaniel smiled slightly, holding out a hand.
"We have a deal. I'll inform my sister, and we will have Zola?"
"We?" Artemis asked.
"Of course. You didn't think I would let you take her on your own did you?"
"Do you not trust us Nathaniel?" Asked Apollo.
"That depends. Do you trust me?"
There was silence around the table for a moment.
"That's what I thought."
"You will need to turn against your sister for such a plan to work. We would need to take the girl by force."
"I'm sure you won't mind getting your fancy clothes dirty. Artemis can even bash Hermes' face in a little."
The goddess of the hunt smirked slightly.
"Sounds like fun."
Apollo nodded.
"Agreed. However, there is one more thing."
"And what is that?"
"The prophecy. One of Zeus' children will murder another and claim the throne."
"If you want to take the prophecy, just kill Strife. She's someone no one will truly miss."
"My concern if for your sister and the girl's child still to be born."
"You believe they will murder someone and take the throne?"
"Do you not?"
"Diana? Not a chance. She's far too pure for such subterfuge and barbarity. She'll kill, but not to grab power."
"And the child?"
"It is still to be born, if it seems that the child will fulfil the prophecy as it grows, I will see to its destruction myself if that reassures you."
Apollo nodded.
"Very well, these terms are acceptable."
Nathaniel rose, accompanied by Apollo. The two reached across the board room table and shook hands, their palms glowing with orange-gold and silver-white light.
"Let's get this over with." Nathaniel said, and with a flick of his wrist, the illusion was banished.
High above, Nathaniel stood aside and watched as Apollo and Hera squared off.
"Our deal is complete my queen." Apollo told Hera. "But other deals were made, and I must honour them the same as yours."
"Deals that betray the spirit of our own agreement." The queen seethed, still holding Zola by the chin in a firm grip. "How ironic that you should be so steeped in lies, treason and betrayal, god of truth."
"You cannot betray what you were never loyal to in the first place." Apollo said. "I delived the girl, with the explicit permission of her protectors."
He gestured to Nathaniel and Diana.
"It is no one's fault but your own that you assumed you would get to do anything with the girl or her child once she arrived."
Hera gritted her teeth, looking between the three gods and two mortals who stared her down. Artemis, Diana and Hermes at least looked ready to fight at a moment's notice, while Nathaniel, and Apollo stood relaxed. Their leisurely posture would not fool anyone though, the two were perhaps the most powerful beings present.
Hera's grip on Zola loosened slightly, but she did not fully let go.
"Very well, I'm not so foolish as to deny when I'm beaten. However, I have one last question for dear Zola."
Nathaniel raised an eyebrow.
"Ask away, it's the last chance you'll get I suppose."
Apollo nodded, turning his back and leaving with his sister he began to ascend the steps to the throne, he rounded the spiral steps that led up to the throne, taking him and Artemis out of sight and sound for the time being.
"My dear Zola." Hera forced Zola to meet her eyes. "It seems it's time for both of us to meet out fates."
There was a chilling air around the queen, and Zola's pants began to stain as they were wet with liquid. Strife, who was still present but standing clear of the power with her weak mortal body, spoke up.
"Mother, with the throne of heaven at stake, you're more concerned with making a mortal wet herself. I suppose it's not unlike you."
Hera turned to glare at Strife briefly before returning to Zola.
"Her water has broken and the throne of heaven is none of your concern daughter, with you being rendered to mortality."
Strife scowled while Diana and Hermes' eyes widened. The two rushed forwards but were stopped in place by Hera's power.
"Now now, I was promised one last question. Apollo's ambition has blinded him to a fact I know about my husband."
Hera's power was great, but against Diana and Hermes it was already beginning to wane. Nathaniel stood still though, listening and waiting for the queen to make her move.
"Zeus believes he is entitled to everything. He's a man, he can't not exist, and being one he can't let anyone take what's his. When Apollo sits? Zeus will return to wipe that stain off his seat."
Strife glance up where Apollo had summited Mount Olympus, standing before the throne with Artemis by his side.
"I dare say you have even more trust in father than he does himself."
"We are gods. I'm not a fool, Strife. I don't trust him, but I have faith in the only man I love."
Nathaniel watched, unmoving, as Hera turned to stare down at Zola.
"Careful my queen, she's under my protection." He said.
"And what of it god killer?" Hera asked. I still have to take my vengence on your sister. Allow me the my husbands latest mistress, and I will space his most well kept bastard."
Nathaniel turned to look at Diana, who was looking at him with eyes that spoke more than words ever could. He gave her a wink, hidden from the queen by his turned head, and addressed Hera.
"Very well, but make it quick, it pains me to see my sister so distraught."
Hera grabbed Zola by the hair and dragged her as she clutched at her stomach and groaned in pain.
"You girl." She said, pulling Zola to the edge of Olympus as her hold on Diana and Hermes weakened even more. "Did you love him?"
Zola's groan tapered off as she regarded the queen of gods.
"For about an hour, I guess."
"That doesn't seem nearly long enough." Strife quipped.
"No it doesn't." Hera agreed, lifting Zola by her jacket. "So do try to love him, as you grow old. Old, as will the screaming beast of your union, umbilically tailing you for all time, bouncing off cliffs..."
Hera reached back and flung Zola off the edge of Olympus. Nathaniel seemed to fade from existance and Diana and Hermes were released from Hera's grip. The queen whirled around, reapplying her power, but only managing to grab Hermes. As his body stiffened, he plucked a wing from his ankles and threw it at Diana.
"Diana, go!" He yelled. The feather stabbed into Diana's leg, and Wonder Woman found herself floating through the air, now able to fly as the messenger god's power flowed through her. She zoomed past Hera and Strife, over the edge of the cliff, and stopped as she saw Nathaniel standing on the side of Mount Olympus, holding Zola in a bridal carry.
"I promised to protect her as I did you Diana." He said.
"I may have let you get hurt, but I never let you fall."
Diana let out a sigh of relief, before it turned to indignation.
"You could have done that before she was thrown from Olympus brother."
"But where's the fun in that?"
"Can I get out of here?" Zola asked, holding tightly to Nathaniel.
"Here." Diana reached for her friend, who grabbed her back.
"Thanks." Zola said.
"I always have to make sure you stay close." Diana smiled.
"Ha, screw you two-ooooooooo." Zola scoffed before clutching at her stomach. "Ohhhh that hurt."
"Contractions." Nathaniel nodded. Best to get her to a doctor, Hermes can take her while we finish up here?"
"Right." Diana nodded. The two emerged from the edge of the cliff, seeing Hermes alone as Hera and Strife left to witness Apollo's ascent to the throne.
"Zola." He exclaimed, his body starting to loosen.
"Take her to a hospital." Diana said, handing Zola to Hermes. "We have to finish this."
Hermes nodded.
"Wait, but what about you?" Zola asked.
"I'll be fine." Diana assured her. "Do you trust me?"
"Of course I do."
"Can't wait to kiss the baby." Diana smiled and handed Zola over to Hermes. "Hospital, now Hermes."
"Right." With a flash of light, the two were gone.
The throne of Olympus stood empty, and Apollo was ready to take a seat. Surrounding him, Hera and Strife had climbed the mountain.
"You are finished, my queen?"
Hera snarled but did not attack.
"It matters not."
"You're right my lady, I do hope we can put this behind us. That you can admit it was a necessary judgment and that you're ready to stand with your new king."
He tood the seat of the king and instantly, lightning struck the ground at the foot of the throne, sending shockwaves all throughout Olympus.
"Yes!" Hera cried. "New king? Ha! Your reign is over before it begins."
The mountain shook, the thunder crashed and lightning struck over and over again as Apollo sat stoicly as the new king.
"Can't you feel it? You'd do well to get on your knees. The only king of heaven... Zeus has returned."
Rocks crumbled off of the mountain as it shook, casting an avalance into the infinity that was the fall from the domain of the gods. Diana and Nathaniel deftly avoided the falling. One of the boulders was too large to fly around in time, and the two traded looks. With matching smirks, the two launched towards the falling rock, striking it at the same time and and shattering it with their combined strength.
"Really? The only king?" Apollo asked Hera with a raised eyebrow. "Perhaps I've made a grave mistake."
"Indeed, Apollo. One that will bury you in yours."
"Or..." He said, behind him, the throne of heaven changed. It blazed with the power of the sun, the eagle that had made up the throne's back grew and extended its wings as Apollo's power grew to eclipse even that of Zeus. "You in your grave, Hera."
The queen had to shield herself from the heat of the new king's throne.
"See, you've mistaken the awe of the old, for the shock of the new."
The ancient, classical architecture of the old Olympus fell away, revealing what had been growing underneath it. With the rise of a new king, the old decorations and facades had been striped, leaving behind a massive modern city that shone in the light of the rising sun.
"I am king. And Olympus- My Olympus- will now reflect that."
The god of the sun rose from his throne, with Hera watching in disbelief as her world quite literally came crashing down around her.
"What was it you said about knees Hera?"
Defeated, the queen of gods sank to her knees before the new king.
"My queen, you've shown your true colours." Apollo leaned down and kissed Hera on her forehead. "A pity they're such dark ones."
A mist of green escaped Hera's mouth and with a wave of Apollo's hand, she faded from Olympus.
"My exiled queen."
"It seems that we've missed some important events."
Coming up to the throne, Diana and Nathaniel touched down.
"The girl?" Apollo asked.
"Safe, and about to crown." Nathaniel shrugged. "Our deal is just about complete. Keep your promise and you'll not hear from us any time soon."
"Good."
"Well, well, well." Strife said. "This has been quite the unfortunate seried of events, hasn't it."
"No." Nathaniel said. "You keep your mouth shut Strife. We have this whole thing figured out, and I'll not have you ruin it."
"I'm just saying." Strife grinned. "Apollo, I understand. He's been driven to action by a prophecy and all, I mean, we've just seen who in this family isn't."
She ducked quickly next to the new king, whispering in his ear even as Nathaniel stepped forwards.
"But in your mad grab for power, have you stopped to consider that it's Zola's child who will be the one to murder one of you and take the throne?"
Nathaniel began to laugh as she whispered her poison into Apollo's ear. Strife glared at Nathaniel, incensed that he was laughing at her attempts to cause chaos in their new partnership.
"You believe that that wasn't one of the first things we discussed?"
Strife looked shocked for a moment.
"Nathaniel has already made me assurances, and our agreement was that we leave the girl and her child to themselves unless they make themselves into a threat to Olympus."
Apollo pulled Strife from behind him.
"You have spent millenium sowing discord amongst mortals and gods alike Strife, no more." He waved his hands and Strife began to fade. "Luckily, we have just the prison to hold the likes of you, built to preserve the mortal body away from the power of the divine, and outfited so that no mere mortal could ever escape."
Strife's face took on a look of horror and rage.
"No, NO! I won't. You can't do this."
"In fact, he can." Diana pointed out, smirking.
"You..." Strife shrieked and lunged, only to disappear into thin air.
"Good riddance." Nathaniel nodded.
"Agreed." Diana said.
"Now then." Apollo walked back over to the throne, taking a seat with Artemis sitting on the throne's arm. "It appears that we have things to discuss."
"We do." Nathaniel said. "But first, I believe my sister has a new sibling to welcome into the world."
Diana's eyes widened in panic.
"Zola!" She whirled on the new king of Olympus. "Send us back, now."
Apollo's eyebrow rose, but he waved away the demand.
"Very well, but return when you have finished this business."
Diana shone with golden light, disappearing, leaving Nathaniel alone with the new king and his sister.
"Well this turned out better than expected, didn't it?"
Apollo looked down at his new throne, then back to Nathaniel.
"I suppose. Now though, we must prepare. If the histories you provided are correct, we will not have long to reinforce Olympus and prepare for war. We must gather all of our number who will stand with us."
Nathaniel shrugged.
"Perhaps this will convince Athena to emerge from where ever she is hiding."
Artemis scowled slightly.
"Justice has been rather obstinant about joining us."
Apollo nodded.
"Our sister has not made her opinions known as of yet, we cannot even contact her."
"Hmm, that is odd, Athena has never been one to shy away from offering counsel, even when it isn't wanted."
"Indeed, we suspect that whatever force has ushered out father from existance may have taken her as well."
"Well if the seat of wisdom and justice is open, I know a woman perfect for the job."
"We will look into it. Now, for the moment we will need your sister to continue our negotiations. You may return to her now."
"Good. I suppose I'll be seeing you soon... your majesty."
With a flash of purple in his eyes, the space around Nathaniel bent and warped, sending him away from Olympus and down onto Earth, where is sister was waiting with her new sibling.
Down on Earth, Hermes and Zola appeared in a delivery room.
"Quickly Zola, we don't have much time."
"I thought labour was normally supposed to last hours." Zola groaned, feeling another contraction pass.
"Divine birth is anything but normal Zola." Hermes said. "Lay down."
Zola laid down on the table and with a quick readjustment, Hermes was assisting the woman with birth.
"Push, Zola, push." He said. "You're almost there."
Outside of the clinic, a bright orange-gold glow left Diana standing in the dirt rode she had so recently fought Apollo and Artemis in.
Lennox was sitting on the same bench he had been before, recovered from his bout of unconsciousness rather quickly, but not enough that he could have aided in the battle on Olympus. Kneeling in the dirt road. Hera cried into her hands, still wearing the clothes that she had been when she was exiled from the heavens.
Diana walked over to Lennox, casting a confused glance at Hera.
"Been like that since she got here." He said.
"Apollo exiled her."
"Taken our father's place then?" He asked.
"Taken and made it his own, Lennox."
"You let 'im?"
"We had an agreement, Zola's safety, for my support of his claim."
"Right, not a bad deal really."
"Where is Zola?" Diana asked.
"Haven't seen her. Should I 'ave?"
Inside the clinic, Zola was panting and covered in sweat as she presure in her body disappeared.
"That... was..." She gasped for air, her eyes closed. "Can I see my baby?"
A flash of blue light illuminated Zola's face, and her eyes widened as her protector and her child disappeared in that same flash of light.
"Hermes?" She asked, raising her voice.
Outside, Diana and Lennox were waiting for Zola to emerge from the clinic when a shout rang loudly.
"HERMES!" Zola screamed, just as Nathaniel appeared from a tear in reality.
Looking around, Nathaniel saw Hera crying in the dirt, and Diana and Lennox racing into the clinic.
"What did I miss?" He asked aloud, looking around before following his sister.
Bursting into the room, Diana raced towards Zola.
"Zola." She exclaimed. "What?"
"He took my baby!" Zola screamed. "HE TOOK MY BABY!"
"Hermes stole the child?" Nathaniel asked, shocked. "...How did I not see that coming?"
"Ha!" Hera barked out a laugh as she appeared in the doorway. "What else would you expect from the god of theives?"
"I know right?" Nathaniel asked. "I really should have seen that coming."
"Where is he!?" Zola yelled, grabbing a metal tray from the side table and throwing it at the two. Nathaniel deftly dodged the tray, but Hera was not so quick or lucky. The edge struck her on the cheek, making her cry out and clutch at her face.
"You insolent little whore!" She yelled. "I'll-"
"Hera." Diana interupted. "You're-"
"Bleeding?" Hera noticed the blood running from the cut in her cheek. "That's impossible... I'm?"
"Mortal." Nathaniel smiled. "Damn sun god stole my punishment. Copycat."
"Ha!" Lennox scoffed. "Deserves it, don' she?"
"Oh most certainly."
Meanwhile, on the bed, Diana held Zola close to her as she cried for her baby.
"Zola, listen. I swear on my life that I will find your child and bring it back to you."
"Of course she does." Nathaniel groaned. "Just when this whole thing was wrapped up so nicely."
Diana's eyes snapped to her brother's, shutting him up.
"I will not rest, my dear friend. We are both betrayed this day. I will find Hermes, I will hunt him tirelessly. I will find your baby and I will make Hermes pay for what he's stolen from you."
Deep in the Earth, far from the light of the sun, the moon, or the sight of any other god, a baby wailed for its mother in a crib.
"Waaaaaa!" The baby cried.
"Crying? Heh." Hermes regarded the child as Demeter reached down to pluck the child from its crib. "I think it may be a bit early for that."
"A baby cannot help but do that, thief." Demeter said, cradling the baby.
"This child, Demeter? It will have plenty to cry about later." He followed after the goddess of harvest.
"Death, betrayal."
In the far south, buried under a mountain of snow, a massive, bloody arm burst forth from the world.
"Perhaps the fall of Olympus, or depending on how you look at it, a beginning."
A portal appeared in the air with a concusive BOOM. A man donned a helmet and entered into the boom tube, to a destination unknown.
"New Gods."
At the edge of the multiverse, bound beyond the reach of ordinary men, of ordinary gods, the old man watched. He saw as his elder son's eyes, his reach, extended closer and closer to the younger son he tried in vain to protect. Asura had only just awakened, and even with all of the old man's subtle aid, he would not be ready.
He was as Asura should always be. A light, shining in the darkness and warming those close to him, but at the moment, he was no powerful enough to be anything but a candle to be blown out in the gale that was Indra's strength.
Luckily for the old man, there was hope. A way to bolster his second son against his first. The ancient chakra of the bijuu had been found and absorbed by mortals beyond his son. The women of Indra's island home possessed enough that they might tip the scales in Asura's favour. The old man wasn't sure it would be enough, however. Indra had learned more since his last lives. He had changed. The old man feared that his elder son might become powerful enough to kill his brother permanently, ending the cycle of rebirth that had perserved their souls beyond the deaths of their original bodies.
No, to tip the scales, to ensure that his eldest child's nightmareish vision, that his nightmareish world, would not come to power, he needed someone, several someones, all from that world.
Chakra was a maleable thing, and so the old man reached out into the multiverse he had for so long been unable to connect to. He reached through the chakra, to the only being with it who might be able to truly help him.
He arrived on the island of Themyscira, a spirit floating through the air, surrounded by serpents. He felt the chakra from them, and clapped his hands together.
"Gather." He intoned in a language so old it had been lost to the ages. Lost since the crisis that Indra had set off to rid the multiverse of chakra. The energy drained from the snakes, red and blue chakra wafting off of the transformed amazons from where they had once stored it within themselves. As the process continued, the old man moved into one of the bedrooms of the palace, the room of his son as he had grown up. Curled up beside the bed, crumpled into a ball and crying, Hippolyta knew nothing of the ancient being who floated unseen before her.
The old man reached out a hand letting it brush her head even though his fingeres curled into the air like mist the moment he touched her. In a moment he found himself within a realm of black. There was darkness all around, a world of shadow without end.
"Come." He intoned again, and rising in a ripple of black water, Hippolyta emerged before him. She frantically searched the area before her eyes landed on the old man.
"No." She whispered in horror. "Not another one, I hoped the half-faced man would be the only one."
The old man offered her a hand, which she observed tentatively.
"The boy treads a path into darkness. You will help me to right all that has been wronged."
Hippolyta eyed the man with suspision.
"Who are you?"
"The boy is my child, born again across the ages. He wars now with his sibling and to end their terrible battle yet to come, I need the power your people possess."
"Nathaniel?" Hippolyta asked. "His father? You? Hades!"
Her posture became defensive as she assumed a stance. She struck with a well aimed blow, all her time within the nightmare of her son's pain failing to dull her abilities in combat. Her fist only passes through the man's body.
"The boy houses the soul of my son, he is Indra as much as your child. He wars with his sibling, who followed him into the world. You are closest to his vessel in blood, and so I ask that you aid me in saving him from the darkness."
Hippolyta looked around, seeing the despair that surrounded her.
"I can help my son? Can I save him."
"His fate is tied to the survival of the world, his sibling must emerge victorious in this conflict to redeem him from the darkness."
The man's purple ringed eyes flashed and suddenly a portal appeared in the darkness.
"This must be your choice. Will you aid me in saving my son and yours?"
Hippolyta regarded the portal, and stepped through.
"I need to help him. I have to save him, no matter what."
"Good."
The old man followed Hippolyta into the portal, taking with him the combined chakra of the amazons in order to aid Asura in his battle against Asura.
And the end of Zola's pregnancy. We are seeing the realisation of some plot points and some info dropped early. Not as many fights like in the comics but resolved differently.