Rejoice readers, for I bring unto you a thirteen page chapter!
Disclaimer: We've been over this I own my OC's, DC owns Justice League.
Chapter Five: It's the End of the World, and I'm Not Feeling Fine
Hades: Did you forget who you're talking to? I am the Lord of the Dead!
Auron: Heh, no wonder no one wants to die. - from Kingdom Hearts II
Harpy was singing. "Well I was just sitting there watching the weather channel when it flashed across the screen. News alert. Here comes a big one. It's the worst we've ever seen. And just to show you how bad it is they've named it Beelzebub. Everybody better head for the hills or hunker down and cover up. Hear the wind, feel the rain, it's coming faster than a freight train. Such a disaster they give it a name, it's a hurricane."
Superman and Wonder Woman were giving her odd looks.
"What?"
"I hardly think that that's appropriate right now." commented Superman.
"You mean because it's a tropical storm and not a hurricane?" Harpy asked innocently.
Superman sighed. "Sure. Let's go with that."
A fire truck was about to fall off of an overpass. Superman caught it, but one of the firemen fell through a hole in the windshield. Harpy swooped in and saved him, and Diana used her lasso to help Superman safely lower the truck onto the ground.
Harpy set the fireman she had rescued on the ground. Superman was making sure that both men were all right when a call for help rang through the air. A little girl was stuck in the tree that was about to be ripped out of the ground by its roots. Diana jumped in saved her but the tree was still going down the street. So Harpy sent out a controlled ribbon of fire and incinerated the tree. The smoldering remains were soon put out by the rain.
Turning around harpy saw Wonder Woman reunite the girl with her mother. She was so fixated on the sight that she didn't notice the streetlamp behind her start to come loose. Fortunately, Superman quickly flew over and got her out of the way before the lamp came crashing down. Harpy flew over to them.
"What happened? You just stopped." she asked Diana.
"I'm sorry. I was just, I don't know." She answered.
"What's wrong?" asked Superman.
"My mother used to say the planets revolved around me. She called me 'her little sun and stars. I left Themyscira against her wishes." Wonder Woman replied.
"Maybe you should go back and set things right." suggested Superman.
"But what would I say to her?" Dianna asked.
"Try the truth." answered the kryptonian.
"If only it were that easy." Wonder Woman responded.
Harpy frowned. "Why can't it be? She's your mother, and she loves you, right? She'd probably be happy just to see you safe." she said.
"Yes, I think you're right." Diana answered.
She started leaving but Superman stopped her "When will you be back?" he asked her.
"I don't know." she responded before flying away.
Batman had called Harpy. Diana was behaving strangely, she had asked the dark knight to look up a man named Felix Faust and wouldn't tell him what it was about. So Batman had asked Harpy to go check on Diana. So now Harpy was outside a very wrecked Museum of Natural History. She had arrived just in time to hear Superman say "When my friends start tearing up museums, it becomes my concern."
"What exactly did the museum do to offend you?" Harpy asked as she landed.
Both Wonder Woman and Superman ignored her.
"We've already alerted the others. When they get here, they'll want an explanation." stated Superman.
"Now tell us what's going on." said Superman once J'onn and Flash had showed up.
"When I returned home to Themyscira I found it in ruins. My sisters had been turned to stone. I looked for my mother and she had been turned to stone as well. Then a magician named Faust showed up. He told me that if I gathered three artifacts for him he would undo the spell."
"And you trust him to keep his word?" questioned Superman.
"Of course I don't trust him. But what else can I do?" she asked.
"Beat him senseless?" suggested Harpy.
"I agree! Let's go kick that would be sorcerers butt." said Flash.
"No, men are forbidden from ever setting foot on Themyscira." Diana stated.
"Somebody should have told him that." Flash responded.
"Besides, I gave my word that I would find the other relics." Answered the princess.
"I'm afraid that leaves us with one course of action…We'll have to help you." J'onn stated.
"Picture it," Flash began as he, J'onn and Harpy exited the Javelin somewhere in South America "the sun, the sea, hundreds of women, just like her running around, and me, the first man they've seen in, maybe, forever. Oh and look what I brought? Iced mochas for everyone! Sweet." He said as he fantasized.
Harpy laughed at him.
"What?" Flash asked in confusion.
"Well if all of the women on Themyscira are like Diana, and if you, not knowing the culture were to offend one of them…" Harpy trailed off.
"What?" Flash demanded again, not getting the red head's meaning.
Harpy grinned. "You would have to change your title to "The Fastest Eunuch Alive." she stated. Flash gulped.
"Perhaps we should concentrate on finding the relic." Suggested J'onn.
"No problem." Flash responded ran up the stairs to the pyramid and back out, while jumping a few stairs, finishing in seconds. He returned carrying a huge pot. "See? That was easy." He stated opening the pot.
The ground started to shake underneath them almost as soon as he touched the relic. Harpy took to the air and a giant snake burst from the ground.
"Why is it always reptiles?" Harpy muttered. "Why can't it be bunnies or something?" she said.
"Well bunnies aren't very scary." Flash responded.
"I'd be scared of a thirty foot bunny." stated Harpy.
"A thirty foot fire breathing bunny." she amended when the snake started spitting flame at them. J'onn was hit by the flames.
"Hey, over here you overgrown belt!" Harpy exclaimed as she lobbed fireballs at the snakes head.
"Flash, get J'onn and the artifact to the Javelin!" Harpy called to the speedster.
Flash did what Harpy asked him to while Harpy flew up high, several stories into the air, then came back down, feet first. She impacted with the serpents skull, sending the snake crashing to the ground. Harpy went to the Javelin. J'onn had woken up and then Batman called telling the trio that he had found something on Faust and they needed to meet up with him.
Faust's apartment was large and full of relics, statues, staffs, rods, masks and lots of books.
"Fascinating. Faust clearly has a great passion for learning." Spoke J'onn looking at all the books and relics that were collected.
"Yeah, but what exactly has he been learning?" Harpy commented as she looked over a row of books, mentally comparing Faust's collection to Spero's library.
Flash picked up a golden rod with large crystal medallion on top. "Where'd he get this stuff? Warlocks R' Us?" he asked looking through the clear crystal and examining the rod. He didn't notice how the medallion split at the centre and opened like an eye, or the energy that was charging in the crystal.
"Don't touch that!" Batman warned. It was too late.
The rod released all of its energy from the eye and would have hit Batman had if he hadn't ducked. The blast left a large scorch mark on the wall.
"Oops." Flash said sheepishly.
"Don't touch anything! We don't know what kind of powers we're dealing with." Snapped Batman, as he angrily grabbed the rod out of Flash's hands.
Superman, J'onn, and Diana quickly placed the items they had picked up back where they had found them.
"So, who is this Faust?" Superman asked.
Batman pulled out a photo and set it on the table that was in the middle of the room. "Felix Faust was once a respected professor of Archaeology. But when he became fascinated with the mystical arts he was kicked out of the University for his heretical ideas. He swore revenge on those who mocked him, and several of them later disappeared under mysterious circumstances." He explained.
"I have a pretty good idea what happened to them." Diana said as she looked at a case filled with artifacts. At the very top there were three stone faces frozen in horror.
"Ew!" exclaimed Flash.
"He's mad." Superman stated.
"It get's worse." Batman began. "I found his journal. The last entry makes reference to Tartarus."
Harpy felt her chest tighten up as the old stories flooded into her mind.
"The pit of lost Souls…" Diana muttered.
"Isn't that just a myth?" Superman asked.
"No. It's real." Harpy stated. "Long ago, the Queen of the Amazons fell in love with a being that some would call a god. Hades." she explained in distaste.
"War broke out between the inhabitants of Mount Olympus and the Titans, Hades betrayed his fellows and made a deal with the Titans. He would deliver Mount Olympus into the Titan's hands; in return, he would be given rule over all humanity. Hades tricked the Queen into leaving the gates of Olympus open." Here Harpy began to smirk. "Despite this the Titans still lost. For his treason, Hades was cast into Tartarus, to rule over the dead." Harpy paused, allowing Wonder Woman to end the story.
"For her unwitting role in Hades' plot, my mother was charged with guarding the gateway to the Underworld. To make sure that the gate could never be unlocked, its only key was broken up and scattered across the globe. Mother told me that she kept a piece in the temple, as a daily reminder of her eternal shame." She stated sadly.
"Then these parts we've been gathering are parts of the key." J'onn concluded.
"But why would Faust want it?" inquired Flash.
"Only one reason." Batman stated as he placed the artifacts on the table and put them together. "He intends to use it"
"Where is this gateway to the Underworld?" Superman asked.
"Beneath Themyscira" Diana answered.
"Diana, you can't give Faust the key." Superman stated.
"If I don't, my mother and sisters will remain petrified forever." Diana answered.
"And if you do, the world will end." Harpy stated morosely.
"What are you going to do?" J'onn asked.
On the Javelin, Harpy had a hand partially covering her face and was breathing heavily.
"Hey, are you alright?" Flash asked in concern from the seat next to her.
She didn't answer right away. What was she supposed to say? That she wasn't sure the plan would work. That back home she had been told stories about the Olympians as a warning to never interact with those who would call themselves gods because they could probably kill you. That she really wanted to follow protocol and call Tara for back up, even though she knew that Tara would want the key destroyed long before it could reach Faust, leaving the Amazons to their fate.
Instead she said "If Hades gets out he could kill us."
"That won't happen." stated Superman "We'll stop Faust before he can free Hades."
Harpy sighed and leaned back into her chair. It was silent in the Javelin, until Batman spoke up.
"We're here." He stated as the island came in to view.
"Faust!" Diana called.
"Intriguing. Back already? And with hours to spare. I am impressed." the magician stated.
"Have you got the relics?"
Diana showed him the fully assembled key.
"But first, free my mother!" she demanded.
"Oh, yes, yes, of course!" he replied, summoning the Medusa medallion.
"Raves vitae!" as soon as he finished, the medallion glowed yellow and Hippolyta was no longer petrified.
Diana gave Faust the key before turning to her mother.
"Mother." The sort lived reunion was ruined by Faust.
"After three thousand years, the Key is finally complete." He gloated.
"Diana, you didn't." the Queen murmured in disbelief.
Faust turned to them. "Thank you for your assistance. But now that your usefulness is over, there's only one detail left." the Medusa medallion appeared in his right hand
"Petrofachis- What!" his incantation was interrupted by Flash snatching the medallion from him.
"You're not the only one with an ace up your sleeve, pal." Flash confidently stated.
"What is this!" Faust demanded.
His only answer was Batman swinging down and punching him.
"You brought men here? To Themyscira?" the Queen asked her daughter.
"Did you really think she'd trust scum like you?" Batman asked as Superman and J'onn appeared next to him.
"It's over Faust, come along quietly." Superman said.
"NEVER!" Faust shouted before firing magic energy at them. Batman dodged to the side.
Superman flew up but was hit by a pinkish purple energy blast. That's when Harpy decided to make an appearance.
She sent two fireballs at him. They stuck him in the back. Faust recovered from the hit and fired purple energy orbs at Harpy. She dodged them and they exploded behind her.
Harpy sent out a ribbon of fire that she twisted around Faust in an attempt get at the key. Faust caused the ground to rise up and smother it. He then sent more energy orbs at her Harpy was able to fly around most of them, but one hit her and sent her crashing to the floor.
Flash taunted Faust into attacking him. The speedster easily dodged all of the magic blast sent his way so Faust the ground to rise again, tripping Flash and sending him skidding into a pillar.
Faust was about to send another magic blast at Flash but J'onn tackled him, causing him to lose his grip on the key. At this point Harpy has recovered and went to take the key while Faust was distracted by the other league members. She was about to fly out of the building with the key when Faust noticed.
"Give that back!" he demanded.
"How about… no." Harpy responded. Faust fired more magic blasts that Harpy either dodged or countered with fire balls. Seeing that he was getting no where, Faust tried another tactic.
"Empelloy!" he shouted as he tossed several seeds onto the ground. The seeds quickly sprouted into sickly green vines that entangled Harpy and caused her to drop the key. Harpy tried to burn the vines up, but they quickly re-grew and ensnared her once again. The other heroes tried to come to her aide but they to became trapped by the vines.
Meanwhile Faust got the key and subdued the Queen. He cast a spell that caused them both to vanish from the room.
With Faust gone the vines withered, freeing the heroes from their grasp.
"There's only one place they could have gone, follow me." Diana instructed once everyone had regrouped. She took a torches and led them a door. She pressed on a huge switch and the door opened to a flight of stairs the led underground.
"What's that smell?" Flash asked almost as soon as the group began descending.
Harpy answered him immediately. "Death."
When they got to the bottom of the staircase they were greeted with the sight of ruins. Past the ruins was a set of large doors that were locked with huge gears and massive counterweights. In front of the door stood Faust, with the Amazon Queen chained to a broken pillar.
"I beg you, stop this! You don't know what you're doing!" she pleaded.
"I know exactly what I'm doing. I've dreamt of this moment all my life. Now, let us not keep our new lord waiting." Faust responded as he placed the key into the lock that was in front of the door. The heroes tried to get to Faust, but it was to late. Faust turned the key and the gears began to move, the weights shifted, and the bars holding the door shut released.
The doors opened and fiery light poured out of them. It was like staring into the sun, only you were right next to it. A figure emerged from the fire. It was a huge man dressed in red and black armor. Faust knelt down before him. Harpy was quickly filled with a sense of dread. Every fiber of her being screamed for her to run. Instead she hid behind the ancient rubble.
"Welcome, Lord Hades. To honor you, I brought an offering." Faust said as he gestured to the Queen.
"Do my eyes deceive me? Can it be my dearest Hippolyta, here to greet her lord and master on his triumphant return from, ah, but you know where I've been." Hades said as he took off his helmet revealing a handsome man with an angled face, long curly black hair, a goatee and a small moustache.
"Not a day has passed since I haven't been reminded of your treachery." The Queen responded.
"And not a day has passed since I have yearned to feel the sweet touch of living flesh, again." Hades stated as he lovingly stroked her cheek and lifting her face to steal a kiss from her.
"My lord" Faust interrupted. "I have upheld my end of the bargain; I delivered your freedom and the Amazon queen, now I demand what you promised me."
Diana snuck closer in order to free her mother.
"Ah yes, 'Ultimate Knowledge'" Hades mused as his left hand charged with flaming energy. Then pressed his forefinger to Faust head. "Ultimately, pain and suffering are all man will ever know."he finished. Faust was drained of his life and aged rapidly until he was wrinkled old man screaming in pain.
Diana who rushed in and took one of the swords on the ground and cut her mother's restraints. "Hurry mother!"
"Hippolyta, you didn't tell me you had a daughter." Hades stated before he sent a fireball at the two women. Fortunately, they took cover behind some rocks before it could hit them. Hades stepped out through the fire, "I wonder if she's as loving as her mother."
Superman flew up and punched Hades in the face. It barely fazed him. He flicked Superman away as if he were an insect. Batman threw some explosive bat-a-rangs. They had no effect whatsoever. Flash run in circles around Hades while rapidly punching him. Hades soon grew tired of this. He inhaled deeply and breathed a huge stream of fire after the speedster, but it didn't manage to catch up with Flash's super speed.
While this was happening, Harpy was going over her options. "If I fight him he'll probably kill me. If I call Tara, I won't get any reception because I'm who knows how far underground. If I run to get help, he might notice and kill me. If I sit back and watch, I might get killed in the crossfire… I'm going to die." Well, okay, she was panicking, borderline hysteria.
Suddenly something occurred to her. "The key. If I go all out, act like I'm gunning for him, I might be able to divert one of my attacks and destroy it." Just as she had made this plan Hades exclaimed "YOU DARE TO CHALLENGE A GOD!" Long dead soldiers began to rise out of the ground. "Behold the fate of all heroes!" Hades declared.
Harpy smirked. "Oh yeah. Mr. Arrogant is going down." she thought as she began radiating heat. She incinerated the nearby zombies, before flying up a far out of reach as she could get without being to close to the top of the cave. She looked around to assess the situation.
The undead were everywhere. No matter how many were destroyed countless more took their place. Watching it all with a smile was Hades. Behind him, the doors to Tartarus and the key, still sitting in the lock.
"They're endless, how can we overcome them?" asked Diana
"You can't!" Hades declared.
Harpy, still high above the battlefield, stuck her hands out in front of herself, and summoned flames into both of them. Once the flames had amassed she sent out a large stream of flame that took the shape of an Asian dragon. She twisted it through the battlefield, burning some of the zombies to ash, before directing it at Hades.
Hades sent a fireball that cut through the dragon shaped flame, dispersing it. Then he sent a fireball at Harpy. She dodged it, but the shockwave from it exploding knocked her out of the air. She was caught by Superman.
Faust, who was behind Hades, cast a spell that sent a large orb of magical energy into Hades' back. Energy crackled around him and he changed into a monster with gray skin, sharp teeth, and three tongues.
"I knew it." Harpy thought to herself. "He's no God. He's a demon."
Hades turned around a blasted Faust with a fireball. Harpy took advantage of his turned back and sent a steady stream of intense flame at him. Hades turned around and walked through the flames to get to Harpy. Harpy called up more power, making the flames more intense. Hades slowed down a bit, but he kept walking. He didn't notice the flames that got around him went on to bombard the key, not breaking it, but still leaving large cracks in it.
Finally, Hades got to Harpy. He caught the red head by the arms and lifted her up to eye level. He carefully examined that part of her face that wasn't covered by her mask.
"Tell me child. You wouldn't happen to know a white winged woman named Dahlia, would you?" Hades asked.
"What does my mother have to do with anything?" Harpy snapped.
Hades chuckled. "I see that you inherited none of your mother's intelligence. She knew better than to challenge a god." he stated.
Harpy began to giggle, then it turned into outright laughter. "First, my mother was an idiot. That's why she's dead. Second," she said pausing for a moment as a grin overtook her face "You are no god." she finished. Hades angrily slammed her into the ground. With her hands now free Harpy summoned the last of her strength and sent a fireball at the key. The key, already weakened from her previous assault, shattered.
"No!" Hades exclaimed.
Exhausted and injured, Harpy blacked out just as the door to Tartarus began sucking up everything in it's path.
Ivy felt cold. She opened her eyes. She was alone in a room, laying on a soft bed. She tried to stand but collapsed onto her hands and knees. "Harpy!" she heard a voice call in alarm. It was Superman. He helped her back into the bed.
"How long was I out?" she asked.
"About three hours." Superman answered.
"I want to go outside." Harpy stated.
"You need to rest." Batman stated as he entered the room.
Harpy frowned. "Resting in here won't help. I need the sun." she explained.
"You can't even walk." the Dark Knight pointed out.
"Superman can carry me. Right?" Harpy turned to the Man of Steel. "Uh, sure." he replied.
"Fine." Batman growled.
Superman had carried Harpy to the beach, where he set her down in the warm sand. Harpy stretched out her wings in order to absorb heat from the sun. She paused for a moment, having realized something. She turned to Superman.
"How come I'm not in Tartarus right now?" she asked. Seeing the confused look on she elaborated. "How come I didn't get sucked in when I passed out?"
"Flash grabbed you, then used his speed to keep you both out of the vortex." Superman explained.
"Oh." Harpy said.
A little while later Diana and her mother walked up. "I heard you were out here. My mother wanted to meet you." .
"You fought bravely against Hades, and you destroyed the key causing him to be banished to the underworld. You have the eternal gratitude of the Amazons. Later, when you are feeling better, I would like to formally honor you and your comrades. " Hippolyta stated.
Harpy tilted her head to the side, thinking. "I should be able to stand on my own in a few hours." she said after a moment.
"You'll be able to heal that quickly?" Diana asked in disbelief. Harpy shrugged. "The only reason I can't walk without assistance in because my energy reserves and body temperature are low. Once I warm up I'll be able to walk. But it will be a few days before I can fly, and at least a week before I can use my fire element again." she explained.
True to her word, hours later, Harpy was able to walk on her own. There was a ceremony in which Hippolyta once again thanked the heroes and presented them with golden laurel wreaths. Finally the Queen addressed Diana. "As your mother I am overjoyed that you have finally returned to us…but as your Queen I must uphold the laws of Themyscira. For bringing these men here to our island, you have broken our most sacred law. This cannot be overlooked."
"But Mother!" Diana protested. The Queen raised her hand to silence her. "Diana I have no choice. It is with a heavy heart that I must exile you from Themyscira." she stated sadly. The League was in shock. Harpy recovered the most quickly. She turned to Diana. "You didn't tell us just how serious this law was." she murmured so that only the Princess could hear. Superman stepped forward. "She only did this because she loves you. You can't punish her for that."
"No. Mother's right." Diana interrupted. Then to her mother she said "I did break the law and I humbly accept your judgment. The fates were against us, Mother, goodbye." she turned and walked toward the Javelin.
"This is so bogus." Flash muttered as Harpy pushed him toward the Javelin.
"Don't make this harder than it already is." Batman whispered to him.
Once back in her apartment, Ivy emailed Tara her report. Then she went to bed knowing that news of Hades escape, no matter how brief, would not go over well.
Right so that's all for this chapter in case you missed it, Hades mentioned Ivy's mother, now think about how long he was imprisoned. That should give you some idea about how long Ivy's people can live.
Review please!
