Chapter 11: Fire and Ruin
*Flashback on Batman's home world*
It had been 2 months since Wonder Woman's death. Batman was perched on a gargoyle, it was part of a cathedral in Gotham that offered one of the best tactical vantage points in the city. It was raining, thundering, and a messy kind of night where anyone with sense was already inside.
It was the middle of June, the night was cool and the rain was warm.
*RINGGGGG*
Batman glanced up as his suit's heads-up-display showed him another call coming in from the Justice League.
*RINGGGGGG*
He let it go a few more times before cancelling the call. He knew what he was doing, he was shutting people out again, but he didn't care. He had missed every meeting the league had, the closest he got to seeing them being the funeral for Diana, where he had observed the procession from the shadows of a nearby rooftop.
*RINGGGG*
Bruce saw it was Alfred. Another ignore. It didn't matter if it was the league or his surrogate father. He didn't want to talk to anybody. He knew they were all concerned, he wasn't eating, couldn't sleep, and it seemed the only thing that helped was finding some piece of shit rapist or murderer to punch. Hard.
Even the news in Gotham seemed to sense the change. Reports of greater violence against criminals were starting to fill the media with speculation. He just didn't care.
He heard the lightest of footsteps fall behind him on the gargoyle.
"Well, hello handsome."
The familiar voice of Selina Kyle purred behind him.
There was a time where he would be excited, even happy to see her come visit him, better than finding her in the middle of a heist at least. Now, he couldn't even care to turn and face her.
"Go home Selina."
Catwoman swung her whip around the gargoyle and jumped over Batman, landing to face him, "Hmmph, not even interested in what I'm doing out here? No, how are you? Thought we meant more to each other Kitten."
She gave her sly smile and reached out to Bruce's face. Without ever looking at her though, he reached up and stopped her hand before it found its mark. "Maybe once….but that time's past Selina. I told you. Go home... Leave me alone."
Selina physically pulled back, startled at his words, but more shocked at his face. An apathy and stoicism she had seen him give lots of people, but never her. Without a word, Selina fell off the side of the gargoyle, her whip still attached as she swung to an adjacent building. Bruce saw her land and then, after a few seconds, she was gone from his sight.
Bruce looked out over his city. He wasn't needed tonight. Lightning arced across the sky and Thunder boomed. He could go home. No, not yet. Just a few more minutes out here.
He sat, brooding up there, alone.
Alone…..
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Diana could barely keep her eyes open, was she alone? Was she dead? No, she heard screams. She heard explosions in the distance, the sound of blades and metal hitting against each other.
She couldn't move her body, but through half-lidded eyes she could see a familiar black-haired man carrying her, occasionally looking down to check on her condition, barking orders at others nearby and shielding her from debris, heat, and whatever else was happening.
The last thing she could remember was their fight. Then the ground shaking. What had happened?
As she focused, the memories started to flood back to her mind.
They had been there, her and Bruce. The arena. The ground shook so hard it cracked. Darkness seemed to seep out, and next to it a blinding light from above seemed to shoot down into the ground as well. Growing until both beams of light and dark resulted in a small explosion that had sent dust up in every direction. As the air cleared, two individuals were left standing in the center of the arena. A god of War, and a god of Death.
Her memory fogged up again as an explosion brought her back to the present. She was being shielded by a cloak, hm when did Bruce grab that?
"...We have to get off the streets!"
Diana recognized the black slave shouting at Bruce over the chaos, he was one that Bruce had become allies with in the arena.
Screams filled the air and Diana fought to move her body but there was no response, fear was creeping into her heart. What was happening to her people?
"Quick, we can make for the southern stables!"
Diana heard the voice of Pleione, she saw the Amazon with a blackened sword, blood streaming down her arms from multiple cuts.
All she could do was feel herself being jostled as Bruce carried her body, she heard as he kicked down a door, and as they entered into darkness, her brain decided to resume its memory reel.
...Diana had been respectful as she addressed the two gods, ignoring the ominous words she had heard before their arrival, "My lord Hades. My lord Ares. What brings you to Earth for the affairs of the Amazons."
The queen could see that on the ground, Bruce was staring at Hades. A look of pure hate was directed at the god, it quite literally sent a chill down Diana's back, she had never seen a look with that much conviction and anger before.
Hades' face twisted into a scowl, "Do not address this as some kind of visit from above Queen. I have fought through fire and rock and metal to be free from the wretched underworld."
Ares interjected with a smug voice, "Forgive the Brute, but he is correct, this is no pleasant visit, Queen Diana." The god of War smirked as he swung a giant battle axe like a kid warming up for an activity.
Diana was getting nervous, "What do you mean, lord Ares?"
The god of war just laughed, "Well, Hades and I agree, the Amazons have had far too much time in the light. Too stagnant, we both yearn for changes," he paused, smirking as he spun his axe, "...I have been craving war and Hades craves death. We have grown tired of waiting….Now, we bring it to you ourselves."
Diana was speechless, the gods weren't supposed to interfere on Earth, this broke ancient laws, treaties, agreements, and more, "You...you can't mean that my lord."
As she looked between the two gods, Hades spoke up, "Enough of this, let us show you just how serious we are."
Hades stomped his foot and the crack in the Earth widened, pillars of flame shot out of the ground and reached all the way to the clouds. Other pillars could be seen rising to the sky from other parts of the city. Slowly, gray-skinned warriors were beginning to pile out of the pillars, like portals from hell and the underworld itself.
The god of death had a bright smile plastered on his face, "Don't look so surprised, across the underworld, there is no hatred better shared among the ghosts of men and kingdoms past, than that of the cruel Queen Diana! You have provided us with a very loyal army to our cause."
Hades made a show of blasting one of his soldiers with a fireball, which the man barely seemed to register, "With a few upgrades from myself, they now feel no pain, fear, love, or any of those pesky things. Now they are fueled by our orders….and a hatred for any Amazon, whether it be their women, their queen, or their children!"
Ares clasped a hand on Hades shoulder, which visibly irked the god of Death, but he kept his peace, "Hades and I will raze this empire of yours to the ground Queen, and from the ashes, glorious civilizations will grow atop the death of now, they will grow to fight, war, and die...how the world was meant to be! With the world reset, our vision will be complete."
With a gleam in his eye, Ares levelled his axe at Diana, "...And we will kill anyone in the way. You would be wise to step down….you are favored by the gods, there is no need for you to die, Queen."
The arena was silent, the only sound being the clanging of metal hitting metal as warriors continued to pour out of the pillars.
*BOOMMM*
A shockwave brought Diana out of her stupor, dust had filled the air from...an explosion?...Something.
Pleione was currently wrapping a bandage around Diana, but she couldn't look down to see anything. They were in one of the buildings by the edge of the city, a little more run-down, with the wooden floor caked in a fine layer of dust. The shaking had made particles rain down from the ceiling and they filled the room like a fine snow.
"Wh...hat...wh...a…"
Pleione put a finger to her Queen's lips, "Sshh, rest, do not try to speak, rest."
Diana tried to say more, to see more of her surroundings, she wanted to know where Bruce had gone. Who else was with them?
Suddenly, a black shape flew in from the window, it took Diana a moment to realize it was Bruce, swinging in with the cloak he had donned, his bat eared-shape helmet gleaming in the low twilight.
"They're gone, for now. We can't stay here."
"Ugh...I know, I know." Pleione said with an exhausted sigh, "There should be some stables a few streets down, hopefully the horses are still there."
There was a soft glow of orange in the air, Diana thought a candle was lit, but then realized it was coming from the outside in, fires had started, and they were spreading.
Someone shouted something from downstairs, and Diana saw both Bruce and Pleione grimace at the news. Bruce came over to her, "Sorry about this Princess."
As he picked her up softly, pain arced through her body, she knew he was being gentle but the pain was enough to make her black out again.
….Diana had stood there, between the gods and her people. Her grip loosening, tightening, and changing back and forth as her mind raced for her options.
Finally, she spoke, "You know who I am Ares and Hades. You know I could never back down and watch my people suffer."
Ares grinned like a child who had gotten exactly what he wanted, "Well of course your Majesty. Come then, it has been eons since my blades have feasted."
Without a word, Diana resumed her previous fighting stance, her sword and shield, picked up, and ready to fight. From the corner of her eye she could see Bruce watching, while he was trying to get up, the physical injuries from their previous fight weighing on him a lot more heavily than her.
The god of war was not known for his patience, with a sonic boom, his image appeared to vanish, before re-materializing in front of Diana, her eyes went wide as her blade raced to block the axe that seemed to slice even the air itself. As their blades locked, small explosions seemed to appear behind Ares, the only evidence that showed just how fast he had really moved.
"HAHA, yes, that's it. This is what's been missing from my world!" Ares yelled, Diana disengaged her block and followed up by ramming her shield into the god of wars armor, he was forced back a step, but held his ground. With a smile still plastered on his face, Diana was caught off guard as his free hand shot out and quickly found her throat. With barely any effort the god of war lifted the queen of the Amazons off the ground. Diana attempted to swing her sword towards his neck, but Ares easily blocked it with his axe. With a savory pause, Ares then threw the queen back into the ground, with enough force to cause a small crater and a dust cloud with such force that it ripped some of the flags from their posts.
Even as the dust cleared, a sword emerged swinging for the god of war. Diana had made it to her feet but she was bruised, holding her side with her other free hand. The smile on Ares face just seemed to grow wider, back stepping and avoiding the queen easily, "You know, your heart doesn't seem as into this fight, you seem distracted Queen."
Diana didn't realize it but she unconsciously looked at Bruce, he was right, she was not ready for this battle. She was confused, and emotionally spent, but she had to keep fighting.
Ares' words only enraged her more and with a wild swing she struck at the god, as her blade flew towards him though, his axe found its way between them, and her blade...shattered.
Ares gave a fake sad look, "Hm, not made for fighting gods hm?"
Without even giving her time to respond, Ares performed a deadly diagonal slice, Diana didn't even feel it, but as she looked down, a thin line of blood was starting to seep out, from her right shoulder, down to her left hip.
Screams of anguish filled the stand as everyone watching saw the wound. As Diana was in a bit of shock, she reached for a dagger she had in her boot, she had no choice, she had to keep fighting.
Her opponent only mocked her though, "No, I don't think so." He followed up his words by suddenly producing a ball of red energy and lightning, throwing it at her, and striking her square in the chest.
Diana screamed and felt herself be blown back into the sand.
Ares seemed to take his time, striding towards her broken and smoking body at a leisurely pace. Hades seemed to have enough of it though, pushing Ares out of the way.
The god of war was not pleased, "Hades!"
"Enough," The ruler of the underworld said, "With you playing with your meal we'll be here all night. I'm ending this little game now."
Hades pulled a Stygian black blade from his side, "I'm sorry daughter, but nothing must stand in our way."
Diana could barely speak, "Daug...Daugh...Daughter?"
Hades laughed, "Of course, your mother never told you? Sure it is Zeus who breathed life into you, but it was your mother and I who carved you out of the clay. It is we who made you exactly what you are, Zeus just...'lit the torch' as it were."
Diana had a horrified face and Hades nodded, "All true," He raised his blade, "Say hello to your mother for me. You'll be with her momentarily."
Just before Hades let his blade fall though, Diana saw someone hit him from the side, someone had run and side-kicked the god, making him stumble, the blade came down and missed Diana by a few inches instead.
Diana looked and saw that Bruce had finally gotten to his feet, he looked in pain, but the anger on his face seemed to eclipse any of his physical hurt.
Bruce was between Diana and Hades, Diana couldn't understand it, what was he doing?
She heard him mutter to the god, "No...not this time."
Hades straightened up and looked the man over, "Move, mortal, you fought well, and I would offer you a place fighting for us instead...look at how these Amazons treated you, you deserve revenge."
Bruce remained silent, his hand grasping...something, ready for the next move.
Hades sighed, "Very well, die then."
As he raised the sword once more to attack, Bruce threw out something, one of those little blades Diana had seen him work with such proficiency through the games. The bat shaped one. She saw several fly out and sink deep into Hades' face and neck.
"Aghhhhh!" Hades screamed in irritated pain. Before he could bring his blade in for an attack though, Bruce had already thrown down a homemade smoke pellet.
Ares also cursed and ran forward with his axe. Both the black blade and axe whisked through the smoke and found nothing where their targets used to be.
As the gods looked, they saw Bruce carrying Diana towards one of the arena exits.
Diana heard Bruce start to yell, "What's wrong with you Amazons! Defend your queen Dammit!"
His words seemed to break the guards out of the stupor of watching the queen vs. the gods. With yells they realized Bruce was right and started to advance onto the stadium,
Hades swung his sword and with every blow killed a guard, "Armies of the Underworld, ATTACK!"
The previously lifeless looking armies of ashen-grayed men seemed to come alive, yelling, and advancing, meeting the Amazon's in battle.
Diana heard Ares' frustration as he fended off multiple Amazons, "Do not let the queen escape!"
As Diana and Bruce entered the arena exit tunnels, the last thing she saw was the Amazons fighting the dead men, and the last thing she heard were screams, as her civilian citizens attempted to flee. Pillars of flame, swords clashed together, and death on the sands.
It was not her fight with Bruce. This was the true finale. The true ending to the great Games.
End of Chapter 11. Had a really fun time writing this chapter. Hope you all like it, remember to review. Thanks!