Author's Note:
Mythology Reminder: 'Elpis' is the ancient Greek personification of Hope; the last Spirit to remain within Pandora's Box. This was the spirit reborn into Raven and why she is the Goddess of Hope. In DC Comics, Elpis would be considered the Adara Entity.
Bonus Chapter, Part Nine:
The Ghosts of Prophecy
As Clark traveled through strange dimensions that breached infinite time and space, accompanied by the Goddess of the Past and the Princess of the Amazons, he contemplated Diana's parting words when they had stood in the shadow of the Great Tree Yggdrasil…
Could they truly stop Nekron?
As the last son of Krypton comprehended it, Prophecies must be fulfilled. Of course, they had no set date and could happen farther into the future, but these predestined fates would eventually happen. They had to. They were predestined patterns which were purchased at a tremendous price which the Weave must eventually incorporate into itself.
Raven had once explained to Clark that Darkseid's Prophecy of Stone had actually transpired, he just hadn't noticed it… For one-millionth of a second, the Universe surrounding Darkseid's conceited mind had utterly stopped, instantly destroying the Great Tyrant.
But the Prophecy of Apocalypse which Nekron had acquired was the ending of Life itself… and the Creation of a new Universe. Clark didn't see how it was something that could be minimized.
Clark knew what a General's choice would be. Verdandi had spelled it out for them…
Kill the child and hand over the mother.
Two lives versus Life itself. But the Man of Steel had matured enough to realize that this inhumane choice was far from ideal. It also had far-reaching, incredibly dangerous consequences. It could also lead to the destruction of the known Universe.
Because beyond what even Raven might do, there was…
Bruce Wayne.
Losing his wife and child would plunge Bruce into deepest madness.
And there was nothing Bruce would not do to get his wife back…There was no one among them which he wouldn't sacrifice to achieve his own measure of retribution. For all the incredible things the members of the Justice League could do, they paled in comparison against the destructive power that Bruce Wayne was capable of.
Gotham's favorite son would rip the fabric of existence itself apart if Raven or their son were ever taken from him.
And Clark doubted that he – or anyone else for that matter - would have the strength or conviction to ever stop Bruce. Perhaps Diana, but it would be too late by then. If Raven's son were handed over to Nekron, it would literally be over the Amazon's dead body.
Which would be laying next to Clark's own corpse.
He would never allow Raven or her child to be handed over to Nekron. Which left choice number two... Khamett and his Undead Lantern Corps would be free to enact the Prophecy of Apocalypse on Nekron's behalf.
The League would stop Khamett. They had to.
But Diana's words haunted the Kryptonian once more…
Because even if they somehow averted this catastrophe…
Wouldn't Nekron just try again?
As they neared their destination, a thoughtful Clark resolved that he would pin whatever slim hopes they may have on Raven. He would support the dark-haired Goddess in any way he could… because there was no other way.
Beyond a doubt, they desperately needed a miracle.
Luckily, the Champion of Magic had already shown him a few.
As Clark made his decision and prepared himself for the battle ahead, he was baffled when Urd suddenly abandoned both himself and Diana in a pocket dimension while she continued on alone…
... Why?!
"The time for games is over… The child, Raven."
As Barbara Gordon suddenly stared into dead, soulless eyes and heard those words spoken from peeling, shrunken lips, her hope withered and died. Her blue shield flickered like the last crackling firelight of a dying candle and disappeared with a pop.
The thing that faced her was more powerful than anything she had ever known…
And she had faced Trigon and Darkseid.
It was the darkest entity beyond the Realm of Life and Death.
It was the same Horror which had swallowed up Clark and Diana as though they had been inconsequential specks of dust. Barbara's thoughts were now continually screaming 'give him back!' until she was completely incapable of comprehending anything else.
Somewhere, her husband was locked behind those infinite black eyes which held her motionless in their unfathomable power. Her battered mind became locked into a loop of terror and desperation, constantly falling into the darkness behind those soulless eyes, tumbling into sheer madness.
When her body felt a hand on her shoulder, pulling her backwards to the shore, back to the proud form of…
Raven.
Her sister, barely able to stand from the pain of labor, was protecting her. Raven had pulled her back, away from dead eyes of Nekron which drowned Barbara's soul in a meaningless ocean of despair.
Raven had stepped forward, to take her place and face the Lord of the Unliving.
This dark-haired, incredibly pregnant woman met that lifeless stare with her own blazing glare of violet resolve, as though magical twilight were refusing to give way to darkest night. The last remnant of lavender daylight spread across the Western sky in Raven's eyes, refusing to concede to night on the opposite horizon.
A battle of wills with a declaration from the challenger.
"This child will never be yours, Nekron… If the despair of the Dead has driven you to madness… If your last remaining hope is truly for an ending… I shall be the one to grant it… But it shall be for you alone."
Barbara watched in silent awe as dark, coiling energy wrapped around her unbelievably powerful sister – while the wind suddenly becoming like a hurricane, whipping black hair across cold darkness as though the shimmering night had come alive – while the arcane power invoked by the Champion of Magic slowly lifted Raven's bare feet above the wet grass and threatened to carry her away.
With sudden dread, Barbara Gordon realized she could not let her sister do this.
She could not let Raven become the Goddess.
For the sake of Raven's unborn child, she had to hold onto her humanity. Desperately clutching the hospital gown which flowed like a blue declaration around her sister, Barbara wrapped her long arms around Raven and begged her to stop through tear-stained eyes.
"Raven… No… No… For the baby… Stop!"
The wind stilled as Raven's bare feet touched back down upon the Cemetery's wet grass once more. Barbara's breath stuttered into a massive gasp as she still desperately clung to her cursed sister.
Raven cast her cold glance upon Nekron.
"Why? Why do you seek this Black Thread of Fate?"
"To have that one thing… which has been denied me… since time immemorial."
"Nothing has been denied you."
"Has it not?... How strange I must seem to you, Child of Trigon… As you seem unknown to me… Gods can no longer comprehend Hope… We know nothing of it…. Too long has the Spirit of Elpis remained on the mortal plain…
When mortal Hope was reborn into your soul… I implored your Father to honor our contract… So that perhaps I could know fleeting Elpis one last time…"
Raven clasped Barbara's hand and held it tight.
"Rest assured, Lord of the Unliving... I shall walk your distant shores soon enough. I have joined my Fate to that of my mortal husband and we shall know your dark waters when the tide has returned to claim us… I promise you this."
It seemed to Raven as though Nekron were now peering through her, into her very soul.
"As I have said… I have no interest in the mortal woman which harbors you, dark Elpis… As always, you shall forever elude me."
Raven understood that the Gods did not pass through the infinite waters of Oblivion when they died. Their divine essence was taken by the Black Racer directly to the Source to be reincarnated.
"And for this, you would destroy existence, Lord Nekron?"
"No... Simply a desire… As I simply desire an Ending… My eternal anguish… Has purchased the Prophecy of the Apocalypse long ago…"
It was almost too much to believe… Raven now comprehended Nekron's most basic desire. How could the God of Oblivion die?
"Nekron… This Prophecy… It is to… destroy yourself?!"
It seemed to Barbara as though Raven could scarcely believe the words she had just spoken, as though a madman had given her some sudden script change and forced her to read aloud for his own twisted amusement.
"Hope is not my only elusive curiosity, child… Death has also eluded me since Life had its first thought… I have become envious of my own waters… Memories, remorse, love… Shadowed reflections long forgotten… All things meaningless to me… I am Oblivion Eternal… Infinite in the memories of the past… yet as significant to the present as its shadow... Unneeded."
Raven knew she was running out of time. Khamett's Undead Lantern Corps were growing restless and her son was too close. There had to be some way…
"With this Black Thread you bring forth… I shall end my own Fate… Death herself has never tasted of my waters… Perhaps it is finally time."
Could he simply be reincarnated?
"Lord Nekron… Please… Allow yourself to be reborn in the Source."
A voice Raven had not expected answered her, arriving from another dimension far outside of their own. With a heavy air of magic, the Goddess of the Past began to materialize beside Raven in a glowing outburst of mystic runes of starry constellations.
Before them, the Big Bang illuminated itself into the night's shadows, recreating a strange new Universe, corresponding itself with Urd's spoken explanation.
"Nekron can never be reborn, my Mistress… With no Past, everything must be recreated anew. Without Oblivion, there is simply nothing… until there is something. And when that something eventually appears, it shall be independent of what had been, having no past to guide this new creation."
Raven glanced over at the ashen-haired, tan figure of Urd who now stood by her side as the illusionary Universe sparkled and then faded from view.
Nekron simply sneered at the Goddess of the Past.
"Why do you interfere with your Master, Water-Bearer?"
Raven was surprised when the first-born daughter of the Fates quickly took a knee, bowing deeply before dark Nekron, while carefully holding an ancient parchment in front of her.
Urd replied with great reverence and a bowed head to the Lord of the Unliving.
"The Contract, my Master... I am required to bring it here. My sister will only accept your amendment if it is ratified by the daughter of Trigon."
Nekron glanced at the ancient document held by his obeisant Water-Bearer and then grudgingly acknowledged Raven, as though she were a part of the dirt.
"This girl is but a child, Urd... Unworthy to craft Fate."
While Urd remained reverent, she was resolved to her appointed purpose.
"She has already contracted with the Fates once, my Lord... with her father."
Although it was difficult to discern Nekron's features or read his emotions, Raven was now positive it was a scowl which was slowly creeping across that decayed, emaciated face.
"So be it!... Well Raven… Shall you allow my Prophecy… to end this Existence?... Or shall you grant me… the Fate of your precious child?... I can be patient… Perhaps I could grant you… a score of years… with your mortal man… to conceive a replacement child... before the End."
As Raven's angry eyes glowed with pure blue fire at Nekron's words, a fierce rage began to push all reason from her mind. As her soul became a maelstrom of emotion, the Champion of Magic felt the sure hand of a still-kneeling Urd grasp her by the ankle, silently imploring the angered Avatar of six Gods to remain calm.
Without so much as raising her head, Urd spoke to Raven in a solemn tone and slowly released her grip, moving the ancient parchment towards the Champion's fiery gaze.
"Mistress Raven… My judicious sister Verdandi requested that I bring this amendment before you… I beg of you… Allow me to fulfill my sister's request and my own sacred duty... Please."
It was the painful intonation of Urd's final word which caused Raven to pause, allowing her passionate rage to slowly subside… Why had Urd begged her to do this?... Was there something in this contract?... Some glimmer of Hope in its words?
Raven read the ancient script until she came to Nekron's amendment:
'… the eternal loyalty and companionship of the first-born daughter of Trigon when she reaches the age of twenty-and-one or the child of that first-born daughter of Trigon.'
So it was there!
But could she actually do this?
Could she truly curse her child to such an abhorrent existence?
Goddess forgive her, they had no other choice...
With her twilight eyes set firmly upon the Lord of the Unliving as she bit the flesh of her own thumb, Raven winced, tasting her own sacred blood. Without blinking or removing her rigid glare from Nekron, the Champion of Magic placed her own bloodied thumb onto Nekron's amendment, allowing her blood to slowly seep into the ancient Contract…
Sealing this pact for Eternity.
Barbara Gordon, Barry Allen and Urd all remained in absolute disbelief as Raven Wayne spoke her response, standing defiantly at the center of Gotham Cemetery. It was as though the world itself dared not to breathe, listening in silence until Raven had finally spoken her following words…
"With my own sacred blood and my own sacred will, I grant my unbound consent to this amendment, Lord Nekron... Let what is done never be undone!"
Author's Note:
Any guesses as to the loophole which Raven has uncovered?
All will be revealed next chapter!