Chapter 10

Donna arrived at Wayne Manor as soon as she had been able to get away, still uncertain as to what exactly had happened. Dick had been more than vague when he had contacted her just before dawn, panic lacing his voice. All she knew was that Dick had been nearly beside himself with worry, telling her to come immediately.

She prayed to every god and goddess she could think of that Bruce hadn't suddenly decided that he wanted out of his relationship with Diana. If Bruce broke her sister's heart, Hera help him because there was no place on earth that he could hide from her.

Donna didn't bother knocking as she opened the front door to Wayne Manor nor did she wait for Alfred to appear to escort her to where Dick was waiting for her. "Dick!" Donna yelled as closed the door, throwing her purse on a nearby chair. "Where are you?"

Alfred abruptly came around the corner at that moment, the wrinkles on his face appearing deeper than usual. He looked as if he had aged ten years. "Miss Donna," he solemnly greeted her, attempting a smile that he didn't feel. "It's so good to see you again. Won't you please come with me?"

"What's going on, Alfred? Where are Bruce and Diana?" Donna immediately started questioning him, her stomach dropping into her shoes. "Please don't tell me that Bruce backed out of the wedding. I swear if he suddenly got cold feet and fled…"

"If he has, it was definitely not his choosing."

Alfred's clipped response only caused Donna's worry to rapidly escalate. "Alfred, what happened?" she asked again. "Where's Diana? Did Bruce hurt her?"

Alfred silently led her into the library where she found Dick, Tim, and Superman waiting for her. She came to an abrupt stop at the sight of them, all of the color quickly draining from her face. The silence in the room was deafening as all three looked up at her, the grim expressions on their faces telling her something was deadly wrong.

"Alright, someone please tell me what in Hades is going on before I start to really lose it here," she managed to choke out, her throat tight with panic.

"Well, you got it partly right," Tim responded with a frown.

"Donna, come sit down," Dick calmly suggested as he stood to his feet.

"I don't want to sit down," she angrily snapped as she glared at all four of them, her hands balled at her sides. "I want answers and I want them now."

"We'll tell you everything, but you should probably sit down first," Clark gently told her.

Donna felt like her legs had suddenly turned into rubber as she silently made her way to the couch. "What happened? Where is my sister? Where's Bruce?"

Dick sat back down on the couch beside her, taking her hand in his. "Donna, Diana and Bruce aren't here," he carefully began. "In fact, they're not anywhere on earth…a least not that we know of."

"Where are they, Dick?" she demanded.

"They're in the Underworld," he informed her. "Hades has them."

"What?" she whispered, tears abruptly shining in her eyes.

"Hades sent Thanatos for Bruce and ended up taking him and Diana to the Underworld. Evidently Hades isn't all too thrilled that his daughter is going to marry a mortal man," he explained.

"I can't believe this is happening," Donna muttered, stunned by the news. "We…we have to go after them. There's no telling what Hades will do to them."

"Can they escape the Underworld?" Clark asked.

Donna ran her fingers back through her ebony hair, trying to corral her racing thoughts and the fear that had gripped her. She drew a deep breath as she tried to focus on what they needed to do to save Bruce and Diana. "Yes…but I'm afraid it's very difficult. Hades definitely won't make it easy for them. We need to get to them right away."

Clark placed a comforting hand on the young Amazon woman's shoulder, squeezing it gently. "What do we need to know about the Underworld?"

"Um…let me think," Donna murmured, wracking her brain. "You can't eat or drink from anything in the Underworld or you will be trapped there forever."

It was Tim's turn to voice his concerns. "I'm sure that Diana already knows that, but does Bruce?"

"I'm sure Diana would have told him that as soon as they arrived there," Donna reassured him.

"If she even had a chance to talk to him," Dick grimly thought out loud. "Hades may have separated them right away to keep her from talking to him."

"We can't waste time speculating on something that may or may not happen," Clark interjected as he leaned against the arm of an overstuffed chair. "Bruce is the smartest man I've ever met. Knowing him, he probably knows more about Hades and the Underworld than even Diana herself. What's the best way to get into the Underworld short of dying?"

"Charon and the River Styx," Donna informed them.

"So we go to Themyscira," Dick firmly stated, releasing her hand and standing to his feet. The sooner they left, the sooner they could get to Bruce and Diana.

"We aren't allowed on Themyscira, remember?" Tim reminded him.

"But this is different," Dick shot back. "Diana and Bruce are in trouble. Hippolyta can't turn her back on her own daughter."

"She did before," Donna pointed out. "She banished Diana when she brought the Justice League to Themyscira. Besides, the Amazons will attack first and ask questions later when they see you."

"Can you sneak us in?" Dick asked.

"We all can't go," Tim suddenly exclaimed, leaping to his feet. "Someone has to stay back and protect Gotham."

"I know," Dick replied. "That's why Donna and I are going. You, Barbara, and Clark can watch over Gotham while we're gone."

"Are you sure about this, Dick?" Clark questioned him, not wanting to step on the younger man's toes. He was proud of how Dick had stepped up and taken charge. He knew that Bruce would be as well. "You know Bruce won't be too happy with me if he finds out I let you go into the Underworld after him."

"No one is 'letting' me go anywhere," Dick snapped, his eyes hard with resolve. "I'm going after them and no one is going to stop me. Besides, Bruce would do the same thing if it was one of us trapped there."

A pleased smile spread across the Kryptonian's face as he studied Dick. "Fine," he finally agreed with a nod of his head. "I'll back up Tim and Barbara if they run into trouble, but my first priority is finding Lex Luthor right now. The longer he roams free, the greater the chance that he's going to cause more trouble."

Alfred drew a weary breath, not liking this plan one bit as he stood silently to the side, but knowing that Dick was doing what he had to. He was more than proud of the fine young man that he had become. He just hoped that they would be able to get Bruce and Diana out of that hell before it was too late.

Losing Thomas and Martha Wayne had been most difficult to handle, but he'd had Bruce to raise and take care of, giving him a sense of purpose and direction instead of focusing on the painful loss of dear friends. Bruce had become his son as sure as if his own blood ran through the younger man's veins.

Losing Bruce and even Diana who had become like a daughter to him was too unbearable to even think about now. He couldn't go through that nightmare again.

XXX

Diana suddenly changed her flight path, cutting sharply to her right to avoid the blast of fire coming straight at her. Hades had sent the lioness monster Chimera after her for her first test or 'punishment' as her alleged father had called it. If Typhon hadn't been enough, he'd sent the offspring of Typhon to punish her.

She rapidly threw her arms up to avoid another explosion of fire, her bracers blocking the deadly magical flames. She gritted her teeth against the fierce heat on her face and arms, fighting to catch her breath that the blaze was stealing from her.

She began to push her way against the building flames, trying to think of a way out of this. If she lowered her arms, she'd be burned alive. If she kept driving her way closer to it, the magical fire would envelope her whole and turn her into nothing but ashes.

Then there was the serpent tail to consider, its bite fatal with no cure. There was no escaping the outcome if it sunk its fangs into her. Even her immortal powers and Meta healing couldn't elude the consequences of that death sentence.

Her muscles grew rigid as she decided to press in further, knowing she had little choice. The closer she got, the hotter the flames became forcing her to close her eyes against the searing heat. The stench of ash and burnt hair filled her nostrils, reminding her of her encounter with Typhon.

Thoughts of Bruce flooded her mind, nearly causing her to falter in the standoff against Chimera. She was terrified of what he was going through at that moment, where he was and if he was even still alive. She needed to end this and get to him. It was her fault that he was in the Underworld and she would do whatever it took to get him out.

Inching her way closer, she released a fierce battle cry, pressing her way towards the monster. She swiftly kicked her leg out, her boot connecting solidly with its jaw causing the Chimera to fly backwards. Diana landed on the ground, breathing heavily. She wasn't about to allow it to regain the advantage in the battle again.

Chimera got back up onto its paws, growling furiously as its serpent tale hissed, its long forked tongue lashing out at her. Diana clenched her fists, flying straight at it with blinding speed. The Chimera didn't have a chance to react as the Amazon's fist connected with its head, sending it flying back into a large rock.

Its deafening roar suddenly filled the air, causing Diana to clamp her hands down over her ears as the beast began to charge directly for her like an enraged bull. The ground shook violently with each pounding assault of its enormous feet against it, it large deadly teeth snapping viciously.

Just as Diana began to take to the air to avoid its charging assault, its large paw came up, swatting her down. She landed hard with a thud, knocking the air from her lungs and momentarily dazing her. Before she could get out of the way, its large paw came down on top of her, pinning her to the ground.

Chimera bared its teeth as it glared down at her, its serpent tail coming over its shoulder to hiss at her. It opened its mouth to her, its pointed fangs closing in on her as its enormous paw attempted to crush the breath from her lungs.

The creature's hot fetid breath was like blistering explosions against her face, forcing her to turn her head away. She could feel her ribs beginning to crack from the sheer pressure as she used her hands to try to shove its massive head away from her. She had to get out from under it before it crushed her to death or decided to release its fiery flames on her again.

She began to kick up into its underbelly with as much strength as she could muster; swiftly rolling her head to the side as the serpent's teeth came down at her in a deadly strike. Its fangs narrowly missed embedding into her neck, sinking into the ground instead.

Diana began using her fists against it, hitting it as hard as she could. She was not about to give up. Bruce needed her. She was not about to fail him. "You…will nnnot win," she yelled as her fist connected with its jaw, sending it flying off of her.

She quickly scrambled to her feet, grabbing her lasso and throwing it as the beast. Chimera threw both of its heads back, its serpent tale snapping like a whip as it struggled to break free. She tightened her hold on her lasso as she pulled it back to her. Chimera tried planting its powerful paws into the dirt, but Diana would not be denied.

Diana began a savage assault upon the creature, releasing her fury and hitting it with everything she had before finally using her lasso to hurl the beast into a rocky wall. Breathing heavily, she retrieved her lasso, wrapping it up only to feel the unexpected presence of someone else coming.

Diana swiftly spun on her heel, more than ready for another battle only to find the goddess Persephone coming towards her. Stunned, she stood frozen for a moment before she finally was able to make her mind or her voice work.

"Mistress Persephone," Diana breathlessly greeted her with a bow of her head. "I am sssurprised to sssee you."

"Diana, it is good to see you again, but not under these circumstance," Persephone sadly told her, taking her hands in hers with obvious regret shining in her eyes. "I'm so sorry that Hades has chosen to do this to you and your soul mate. I wish there was something that I could do to free the both of you, but I'm afraid that my hands are tied."

Diana held her head high in defiance, her blue eyes simmering with fury. "None of th…this is your fffault, Lady Persephone. This is all Hades do…doing and he shall pppay for his interference."

"I promise you I will do my best to help you and your Batman, but I cannot guarantee your lives," she revealed. "I'm afraid my husband is obsessed with seeing this through to the bitter end whatever that end may be. Diana, even you are not safe from his eternal punishment. He has something up his sleeve that even I do not know what it is."

"I am not go…going to gggive up until I can get Bruce out of here," Diana told her. "That is all that mmmatters to me right now – getting him safely back to Gotham even if it mmmeans giving up my own life."

"That is very noble and brave of you, Diana," Persephone replied in awe at the Amazon Princess's determination. "You must truly love this mortal man."

"More than yyyou can imagine," Diana softly admitted, her heart heavy with fear. "Pl…please, Persephone, can you tell me if he's st…still alive?"

"He is alive and in the Pits of Tartarus. He's passed his first test," she confessed. "Hades and Thanatos are watching his progress very closely, though. As consumed as your father is with punishing you, he's even more obsessed with making the mortal pay for taking you."

"Bruce did not tttake what I was unwilling to gggive," Diana ground out, her chest heaving with the furious resentment storming within. "I want to sp…spend my life with him, Persephone. I love nnnothing more than I love him."

Persephone smiled tenderly, her hand coming to rest tenderly against the Amazon's cheek. "I can see it in your eyes, Princess Diana," she said. "If your love is strong enough, you and your beloved Batman will be reunited."

"I know our love is ssstrong enough, but will Hades actually let us leave here aaalive?"

"I'm afraid that remains to be seen, but I am with you, Diana," she promised her. "If there is any way that I can get the two of you out of here, know that I will try my best."

"Thank you, Lady Persephone," Diana responded with a sad smile. "You bbbetter leave before he finds out you tttalking to me. I don't want you to be punished for tttrying to help me."

"Don't worry about Hades," Persephone reassured her with a smile. "You leave him to me. Right now, you need to find your way back to your betrothed. He's a very strong and stubborn man, but he still needs you."

Diana slowly nodded her head as Persephone disappeared from sight, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips as her mind turned to the one who was never far from her thoughts or her heart. She could only imagine the holy terror that Bruce was raining down on Tartarus at that moment.

It suddenly gave her heart a small measure of hope that Bruce was going to survive this hell they were being put through. Now, she just had to get to him before Hades did his worst.

XXX

Batman crouched low behind a rock as another skeleton army came over the ridge. He bided his time, waiting for them to move on. It was the third patrolling party that he'd managed to evade since escaping from the first one.

He ran a gauntleted hand over his mouth and chin to remove the sweat that had accumulated there. Thankfully his uniform was keeping the rest of him relatively cool for the most part. He tried his commlink again, hoping to make contact with Diana, but received nothing but an earful of static.

He needed to hear her voice that always soothed his soul, to know that she was still alive. He ached to feel her velvet soft skin beneath his fingertips, to feel her feminine body that aligned so perfectly with his pressed fully against him. She belonged with him and he was more than determined to prove it to everyone no matter what it cost him.

It had taken him far too long to come to terms with his inner demons that haunted his soul, to finally believe that he could actually be worthy of Diana, deserving of the love that she so freely and fully gave him. He had tasted that sweet solace that life with her could bring…finding that he craved it, felt so very empty without her.

He was not going to let her slip from his life.

After his life with Andrea Beaumont had fallen apart, he'd given up on the notion of true love, believing that it was nothing more than an idealistic dream that people foolishly hung all of their hopes on in search of an idyllic life. The thought of having someone out there in the world that had been specifically created just for him, to complete him and make him whole had been beyond ludicrous. He hadn't needed nor wanted anyone. He had his mission. He had needed nothing more.

Then Diana had entered his life, casting a light so blinding that it eclipsed all of his darkness. She had managed to destroy all of his absurd reasons and beliefs one by one over the years until there was nothing left but the undeniable love for her that consumed every single part of his being.

Just thinking of her now gave him the immeasurable strength to do things a normal man could never do and battling hell itself for her hand in marriage was one of them.

Peering over the rock again, Bruce found no signs of Hades' skeleton army that was searching relentlessly for him. Strange sounds suddenly filled the humid air, mingling with the relentless cries of the dead. It was an unnerving sound, one that told him more trouble was on its way.

Scanning the area, he suddenly spotted a ledge that would make for a good spot from which to survey his surroundings. It was just large enough that it could hold him and yet would allow him to blend in with the dark rock as well as the shadows.

He had to conserve his energy not to mention he couldn't drink any of the water while he was down here. Trying to keep dehydration at bay was going to be more than difficult, but he wasn't overly concerned about it just yet.

He was positive that he'd been in far worse situations over the years. Unfortunately as several flying demons suddenly began to descend on his position, nothing sprung to mind that could top being sent to the Pits of Tartarus to do battle with the most vicious creatures that Greek mythology had to offer.

It was worth every single second spent here if it allowed him just one more day with Diana.

Turning, he quickly shot his grappling gun towards the ledge that he'd spotted, hoping to be able to make his stand there. The rock behind him would provide protection and would prevent sneak attacks from behind, the plateau above high enough they couldn't reach him from overhead.

Allowing the line to pull him into the air, Batman reached for his batarang in preparation of an aerial attack. The flapping of the demons' wings grew louder as they swiftly closed in on him, streams of fire shooting past him and narrowly missing him.

He threw his batarang as a large winged demon dove straight at him, snapping its sharp teeth and swinging its claws at him. The batarang connected with the demon's chest, sending an electrical current through it and paralyzing it in midair.

Batman landed skillfully on the ledge, his cape whipping around him as he spun on his heel. He swiftly retracted his grappling gun before beginning a counter attack. He grabbed his electrically charged brass knuckles, making good use of them almost as soon as he had put them on as another demon flew right at him. He punched it square in the face, knocking him several feet back before the creature dropped like a rock.

He fought off three more demons before two of them got smart enough to try and attack him at once instead of one at a time. With his left hand, he pulled out a bola, throwing it at one demon while planting a vicious right hook at the other.

He looked down to find that one of the demons has gotten a lucky swipe in when he'd been distracted by the other, a large slash through the Kevlar covering his right arm. Fortunately, it didn't appear to have created more than just a small gash across his bicep.

He was relieved to see no more flying demons in sight at least for the moment. He knew the reprieve wouldn't last for long though, another test waiting right around the corner for him. He needed to get out of this gruesome inferno he was in. There was no way in hell he was going to let Hades win.

Turning, he surveyed the rocky wall formation behind him, knowing up was the best way to get out of here. He quickly began climbing, deciding against using his grappling gun for now. Flying through the air would only draw more unwanted attention to him and right now he needed to keep moving.

He began moving hand over hand, finding notches in the rock to grab onto. He grunted as he pulled himself higher, glancing up to see that he was still a good fifty feet away from reaching the plateau that awaited him. Glancing down, he found a pit of pure fire waiting for him if he made a mistake.

He closed his mind off to the distance and instead pressed himself forward, focusing his thoughts on Diana. He allowed his fury over what Hades had done to them to fuel his determination, further heating his blood and pushing him onward.

This week was supposed to be filled with final preparations and stolen kisses, packing for their honeymoon and grumbling over the fact that Alfred had moved Diana to a room down the hall instead of sharing his bed with him the night before their wedding, arguing with her about him wanting to go out on patrol instead of being forced to go to his bachelor party.

Now, he was forced to fight not only for his life, but for the life that he was more than desperate to share with Diana. Instead of pulling his fiancé into a side room to steal some private time, he was battling the demons of the Underworld just for a chance to see her beautiful face one more time, to lose himself in those ocean blue eyes and to feel the warmth that filled him every time she smiled at him.

Batman gritted his teeth as he finally reached the top, breathing heavily as he pulled himself up onto his feet only to find something was already there waiting for him. His face remained cold and detached as he straightened up to his full height, staring down his newest obstacle that stood in his path to Diana.

While he wasn't exactly surprised to find the Drakaina waiting there for him, there was still an element of appreciation for the mythological creature that was no longer just a myth as it stood in his way. His hand slipped beneath his black cape, reaching for a batarang and silently calculating just how many of the weapons he had left.

Batman swiftly assessed the dragon-like creature who stared him down, plotting the best way to administer the greatest amount of pain while avoiding as many broken bones as possible. When he found Diana, he hoped to be in one piece for the most part. He just hoped that she was as well when he finally got to her.

The upper half of the creature's body was that of a beautiful woman while the lower half was an enormous snake's tail…reminding him of someone that he'd already faced. This was no doubt Echidna – the wife of Typhon, mother of Cerberus and Chimera as well as many other famous monsters of Greek mythology.

She had long flowing hair and mesmerizing eyes that slyly peered left to right, glowing with keen awareness of everything that was going on around her at once. Her top half was scantily clad, barely covering her very feminine anatomy. Her snake skin was a beautiful speckled pattern that curled into a very deadly viper's tail that whipped threatening behind her.

Echidna stared him down; carefully watching him as she slowly dragged her tongue along her lower lip. "You look positively delicious," she approvingly hissed with pleasure.

Her voice was exactly how he would have imagined a serpent would speak if it actually could, hissing and seductive and so very dangerous. He also knew she wasn't kidding about him being delicious. Echidna loved to feast on raw flesh and he was probably the rawest and freshest that was down here.

"Sorry, but I don't have time to eat," Batman rasped deeply, his focus locked solely on her. "I have someone waiting for me that I need to find."

A sultry sounding laugh emitted from her throat as she threw her head back in amusement, her flowing red hair cascading down to her viper's tail. "Oh, the meal would be only for me, mortal," she corrected him as she began to slither a little closer.

"Tell me," Batman replied, unruffled by her growing proximity to him. "Have you seen your husband lately? Tell me…is he hiding somewhere down here in Tartarus licking his wounds?"

Echidna suddenly paused, her glowing eyes flashing even brighter with his question. "How do you know about my husband?"

"Let's just say that we had a very up close and personal encounter," he cryptically informed her.

She studied him for a moment, her gaze narrowing suspiciously as she appraised him. "What have you done to him?"

"It actually wasn't me, but let's just say he won't be causing any more trouble any time soon," he revealed.

"I shall enjoy eating the very flesh from your bones, feasting on you as you beg for me to end your existence," she angrily threatened him.

"As pleasant as that sounds, I'm afraid that I really must keep moving," he shot back, tightening his grip on his batarang. "You see I have an Amazon waiting for me."

Echidna's lips thinned as they curled in sudden realization. "Ah, the blessed Champion of the Gods," she hissed with pleasure as her lips curled into a knowing smirk. "You will find nothing but her broken bloody body waiting for you by the time you find her. I believe Chimera should be finishing her off right about now."

Her words pierced deep into his core, but he refused to allow it to show on his face. He knew his princess. She'd fight till her very last breath to get to him and he would do no less for her. "Then you don't know Diana very well if you honestly believe that."

She began to slither towards him again, licking her lips with hunger as her tail snapped, cracking loudly like a whip. "I can't quite make up my mind what I should do first," she finally said. "Should I just go for the kill with my bite or wrap you up in my tail and crush the life from your body, eating the flesh from your bones while you slowly suffocate."

"How about neither," he ground out, releasing a batbomb and watching as it exploded in her face.

Echidna cried out, growling in rage as the smoke began to clear only to find Batman no longer in front of her. She swiftly turned only to receive a gauntleted fist to her jaw followed by a large black boot to her gut. She shuddered and shook with the assault, stunned by the power behind his strikes.

Her tongue darted to lick at the black blood beginning to ooze from the corner of her mouth, her eyes glowing even brighter. "You will pay for that, mortal! I'm going to eat you alive!"

"You wouldn't like how I taste," he countered with a grunt as he threw another punch. "I'm too tough. I'd only cause you indigestion."

She snapped and hissed at him, trying repeatedly to sink her teeth into him, but failed to make contact as Batman evaded her. She began to push him closer to the edge of the cliff, her tail whipping at him. "There is no escape for you!"

Batman glanced behind him, judging how close he was to the edge of the cliff. He could feel the stones beneath the heel of his boot beginning to loosen and crumble under his weight. He knew what awaited him if he fell off the edge, but the Drakainae was just as equally unappealing.

Echidna laughed something sinister and dark, mistaking his sudden dilemma as something that the mortal could not escape from. "You are trapped like a rat…or should I say a bat?"

"Clever," he muttered in annoyance as he clenched his jaw. "Never heard that one before."

This was taking far too long. He needed to keep moving. From here, he could see the entrance to the Pits of Tartarus above, the opening calling out to him like a beacon in the night. He knew there would be more tests waiting for him there as well, but hopefully Diana wouldn't be very far away.

"You are a mouthy one, aren't you?" she noted in amusement, her tailing lashing out at him and causing him to duck at the last minute. "I shall truly enjoy eating every bit of you."

"Yah, well I bite back," he growled as he threw another batbomb directly in her face causing her to shriek in rage.

"Why you insolent little rodent!" she screeched as she furiously lunged at him.

Batman quickly evaded her attack at the very last moment, tucking into a roll before landing in a crouch and prepared for more. The Drakaina swiftly plunged over the edge of the plateau with a blood-curdling scream that echoed through Tartarus. He leaned over the edge long enough to see her plummet into the liquid pit of fire below, her eyes wide with horror.

"Told you I bite back," he snarled before straightening up to search for the best route to the entrance of Tartarus and with any luck to Diana.