Superman, Son of Hippolyta - A T-Rexcellent Reviews Fanfiction
I of course own no DC Comics properties or characters and make no money off of this, I am merely a giant DC Fan who wants to share my stories with all of you.
Chapter 17: Just a Little Faster
On the Island of Themyscira, where Apollo fell…
Like the sun he was the deity of, Apollo rose once more from where he had fallen, sitting up practically unharmed from an event that would cripple most ordinary mortals, but Apollo was anything but ordinary, even by Olympian standards.
The Greek God gave a sigh of relief once he felt his sight return and he once again saw the blue sky above as the last of the prophetic visions finally faded away, it had been a long time since he had experienced a series of visions that intense, not since the Fall of Ancient Greece, in fact…
… but even though the visions were now gone, the echo of the voices that had accompanied them still rang through his skull like a raging firestorm.
"So, the rumours are true, the Bitch Queen of Mount Olympus chose this Demigod boy as her whore worshippers champion, raised by my favourite slave to one day slay ME."
"My Little Fallingstar, you are a true Champion of Themyscira now and a prince any queen could be proud to call her son, Kal."
"Give up, Alkyone, it's over, you and your circle sisters cause is already lost, your destructive hatred has brought enough pain and misery to our tribe already!"
"You thought you were one of us, didn't you boy, you thought you were our precious little prince, our hero, destined to save us from eternal enslavement, you were wrong, you are a dog and this is your leash!"
"Today, I, the Great and Mighty Zeus, King of the Greek Gods and the Sole Ruler of Mount Olympus, bring back order to the world of mortals and immortals alike, today I exterminate the line of Rao for good!"
"Your mad tyranny over this world has gone on for too long Zeus, all this suffering, all this pain, caused because of your own pride and paranoia, it must stop, the cycle ends here!"
It was the last two voices that however, that startled Apollo the most, namely because one of them was his own voice speaking to him, the other one, sounded like the boys, only older.
"Long Live… the King!"
"In their darkest hour, my light burns brightest!"
"Apollo!" A much more familiar voiced cawed loudly, breaking through the last of echoing voices around the God of the Sun.
Momentarily stunned, but after shaking his handsome head clear of the fateful voices once and for all, Apollo turned to see Alectryon perched on his knees, looking at him curiously while his two Sun Steeds, Pyrois and Eous, were standing not far away, still attached to his chariot, neighing in relief at seeing their beloved master awake once more.
"What happened to you up there?" His bird best friend asked in a tone that was close to concerned. "You just freaked out and fell out of your chariot while you were still flying it."
"Nothing, it's not a big deal." Apollo said dismissively as he stood and brushed himself off, dislodging his Phoenix friend from his knee perch in the process, before walking over to his two fire horses. "I just had a vision, remember I'm the Prince of Prophecies? You know, as in one of the things I'm a deity of, I would think after all these years you would be used to me having them Alectryon."
The fiery bird reperched himself on his Olympian friends' shoulder as Apollo did his best to ignore the Phoenix's pestering presence by stroking one of his stallion long faces. "Well yeah, but the last time you had a vision that was that extreme was…"
"When Hercules destroyed what was left of Ancient Greece". Apollo finished quietly for his feathery friend. "When my father's favourite son brought about the end of the worship of the Greek Gods, almost anyway." The Sun God felt a cold sense of dread wash over him at the implications of that uncomfortable comparison.
"Apollo?" Alectryon asked, now very clearly concerned about what his Olympian friend had seen in his latest prophetic episode.
"It doesn't matter right now, Alectryon." Apollo said stepping away from his pair of Sun Steeds who after making sure their beloved master was okay, began casually grazing on the island grass as the Sun God and his fiery familiar began making their way through the Themysciran jungle named after his uncle Pantherus. "What matters right now is us finding that boy."
"What, why?" The Phoenix asked, still clearly concerned about his friend's sudden urgency regarding the boy who had caused his latest bout of prophetic visions.
"I need to talk to him in order to better confirm what I saw." Apollo explained just as he and Alectryon came upon the tree Hermes had left the kid at, only to discover as he walked around it, that the boy was nowhere to be found. "Where is he?"
"Well, that's the thing." Alectryon said from Apollo's shoulder. "While you were still catatonic, I went to go check on him and he was already gone, but I found his tracks, they were heading back to the Training Grounds the Amazons named after Athena and from the looks of them, he was moving pretty fast."
Apollo nodded as he turned in the direction, he knew the Amazons training grounds were and took off running as fast as he could with Alectryon flapping to keep up behind him, while the Sun God might not be as fast as his younger half-brother Hermes or his twin sister Artemis, Apollo had always prided himself on being quick on his feet, something that came with being the male twin to the Goddess of the Hunt he supposed.
He just hoped he wasn't to late to stop what he saw in his last vision, because it certainly wasn't pretty.
Meanwhile, hidden high above in the Themysciran jungle canopy, three sets of shining birdlike eyes narrowed in anger as they watched the two fiery immortals run in the same direction their target had went off in, their feathers ruffled in frustration.
Two pair of the eyes turned to their leader who was at that moment trying to do her best to prevent herself from screeching in anger, not that her two subordinates didn't feel like doing the exact same thing.
This was supposed to be a simple retrieval mission, follow the boy and take him whenever he was finally far away enough from any of those annoying Amazons, as their lord had commanded them.
They had been watching him for some time know, the boy liked to go off on his own to be alone a lot, it should have been easy task to 'convince' him to come with the three of them so he and their master could have a lovely little talk, one on one.
But then first Hera, then Hermes and now that blasted prophetic pretty boy Apollo and his talking flaming rooster Alectryon had showed up, making this formerly simple task a lot more completed.
But it didn't matter, their mission remained the exact same as before, regardless of how many Greek Gods showed up to potentially interfere or how many Amazons decided to get in their way.
They had served their handsome master faithfully since before the before the Fall of Ancient Greece, spying on his fellow Olympians who dared to conspire against his royal rule, tormenting mortals who had failed to appease him and even bringing back beautiful women to warm his kingly bed on occasion, when they themselves weren't warming it.
Their most famous achievement though, was starving the foolish blind King Phineus who had dared to help the Three Fates of Moirai hide from their lords near all-seeing sight, a task they had taken to with the greatest sadistic pleasure, at least until that Golden Fleece wearing fool Jason, his Sorceress girlfriend Medea and his annoying Argonauts friends had chased them off with that bitch Hera's help.
But the rather unfair circumstances of their failure did not matter to their lord, the end result was the same, Phineus had been rescued, Hera's mortal champion had beaten them and their master had not been pleased.
Now it seemed that Hera had found herself a new, possibly even better champion in this Demigodling and thus their master wanted them to now capture and bring the boy back to him on Mount Olympus.
Their master had warned them that if they dared to fail him again, he would…
… it did not matter, they would not fail him, they were Sisters of the Storm and they would not fail their Lord of the Skies this time.
Meanwhile, back in the Palace of Hera, inside the Queen's Royal Bedchamber's…
Hippolyta really didn't know what she should expect to happen this day, but it certainly wasn't this she thought to herself as she paced around her private quarters, having dismissed herself from her Goddess Hera, her Amazonian sisters and even her own daughter princess Diana a little while ago.
Since the moment Persephone had discovered her and her Amazon's great secret thanks in large part to the Dread Queen's Three Headed Hellhound getting out of the Underworld, the usually fearless warrior queen had a rather uncomfortable feeling that it wouldn't be long before the Queen of the Greek Gods herself came to Themyscira, under the pretence of a little, surprise visit to her worshippers.
But in actuality, to gauge the progress of her son in his warrior training to be their future Champion of Themyscira, their ultimate weapon against the Barbarian Horde of Hercules who Kal was destined to one day face in battle and hopefully defeat.
A battle he was more than likely to die in, she knew deep down in her heart.
It was Kal's destiny, not his choice and it never would be a choice for him, she knew, but it was not her choice either and never something she wanted to happen to him.
But nevertheless, it was the reason why Kal was even allowed to live on Themyscira in the first place and being raised as her son besides, Hippolyta had to remind herself regularly every time she thought about it.
It was her Little Fallingstar's princely purpose as her son, his royal duty as the new Champion of Themyscira, it was the responsibility their tribe had placed on him since he had been old enough to start his warrior training and the divine obligation the Queen of the Greek Gods had bestowed upon him the night he had arrived.
It was the fate they had all condemned him to and a sacrifice she hated herself to have to make, but still, she reminded herself that she had no choice and as Queen of the Amazons, it was her responsibility to do what was best for her tribe, her sisters and her daughter.
After all, what was one boy's life compared to the fate of every Amazon girl and women on Themyscira, even a boy she loved so very, very much.
But as Kal got older, things naturally became more complicated for them, first Persephone and now Hermes had discovered Kal's existence on her tribe's island, in the most compromising of ways, which could only lead to more trouble down the line.
Persephone was the wife to Hades and a ruling queen amongst the Greek Pantheon with dozens of notorious immortals under her command and Hermes being the Messenger of the Gods, was always spying and passing along information to anyone who he thought would reward him best for it.
With those two already knowing too much, too soon, how long would it be before every God atop Mount Olympus was aware that there was a Demigod Prince living amongst the Amazons of Themyscira.
…or worse still, what would happen when word of the Son of Hippolyta would eventually reach the ears of Hercules and his Horde of Barbarian's down in the Underworld, imprisoned as they were, for now at least…
… and Hippolyta didn't even want to think what would happen when Zeus found out about all of this.
While the Eagle Emperor was strictly forbidden from ever setting foot on Themyscira himself, the Laws of the Amazons had never stopped that lighting loving idiot from getting something he wanted badly enough and everyone knew Zeus had his ways of getting around even Hera's courtly decree's.
They would come for him, the warrior queen knew that much for certain, from both above and below, they would want to test him, to learn more about this boy who was so special to her and her tribe that he was made except from the sacred law of mortal men being forbidden on Themyscira by the Queen of the Heavens herself.
This little race between Kal and Hermes was only just the beginning, a beginning she did not see ending well for her son.
Because as much Hippolyta wanted to have faith in her son's physical abilities, Hermes wasn't called the God of Speed for nothing, racing against him was a failure waiting to happen.
She just hoped her Little Fallingstar was alright and wouldn't be to hard on himself for losing…
"My Queen?"
The familiar burdening title coming from the unmistakable voice brought Hippolyta out of her troubled thoughts as she turned to see Alkyone had entered her royal quarters unannounced and by herself, her three circle sisters, Myrto, Charis and Philomela nowhere to be seen, nor her seamstress partner Phinea.
"Alkyone, the reason I excused myself earlier was so that I could be alone with my thoughts." Hippolyta stated, turning back around, none too pleased with her circle captain at that moment for disturbing her solitude.
A few moments passed and Hippolyta did not hear Alkyone leave, sighing in frustration, the warrior queen turned back around and caught her captain staring at her bed for some reason.
Alkyone than turned to her with what could only be described as a wanting look and Hippolyta only than noticed that Alkyone was not wearing her typical armour, or armour at all for that matter, instead the Captain of the Queen's Circle was dressed in a simple bright blue toga that seemed oddly out of place on her muscular given how soft it looked and how little it covered.
Alkyone caught her queen staring and smiled almost appreciatively at her for it, a strangely awkward expression on her captains usually hard face and Hippolyta felt herself becoming rather uncomfortable by it.
"My Queen, you left so suddenly, so quickly, that it troubled me." Alkyone said, taking the opportunity to gaze unapologetically at Hippolyta beautiful body in private, believing her queen's staring had permitted her own. "You seemed stressed, so I came to see if there was anything I could do to help… relax you."
For the royal life of her, Hippolyta could not understand why exactly Alkyone had thought she would want company when she had specifically told her fellow Amazons, her circle guards included, that she was returning to her private quarters for a while and that she did not want to be disturbed unless it was something important… like her son returning to her safe and sound.
In truth, her captain's presence at that moment was anything but relaxing to Hippolyta right now, not with the way the bald Amazon was looking at her like how a Dragon looked at a particularly shiny piece of treasure.
The warrior queen did not like the way her captain's eyes lingered around her chest and she especially did not like the way her green eyes kept darting back forth from her queen-sized bed with clear desire.
But despite her obvious discomfort, Alkyone kept smiling, even daring to move closer to her queen, beginning to invade her personal space. "Since we are alone Hippolyta, I was hoping we could try an alternate form of sparring…"
"I am fine Alkyone, and no thank you." Hippolyta said hastily, not even allowing Alkyone to finish her… offer, stepping back and walking out onto her chambers balcony to get some fresh air and some much-needed space from intrusive captain. "I have no interest in sparring of any kind right now and need no help relaxing, I only wish to be left alone with my thoughts, sister."
Hippolyta really hoped that would be the end of this rather awkward encounter with her circle captain and that Alkyone would finally take the hint that she was not interested in having her company right now.
Unfortunately for the Queen of the Amazons, her words were lost on her circle captain, who after a moment of stunned silence, followed her out onto the balcony, Alkyone seemingly persisting to stay by her side, no matter how her queen felt about it. "What are you thinking about my Queen."
Even more annoyed now, Hippolyta did not answer her captains' question, she didn't even turn to face Alkyone again, she just continued to stare out at her tropical island home's beautiful lush landscape while seemingly ignoring her sister, the calm, serene scenery completely contrasting with how the warrior felt deep in her heart at that moment.
But in the end, Hippolyta didn't even need to respond, her silence was all the answer Alkyone needed to know what she was thinking about at that moment.
"You're thinking about him, aren't you?" It was less of a question and more of an accusation and Hippolyta did not like the annoyed tone her captain took when she said it.
"If you mean my son, then yes, Alkyone, I am." Hippolyta answered without turning to face her circle captain, before sighing heavily. "I'm worried Kal will be too hard on himself for losing to Hermes, my son puts too much pressure on himself to be as good as his sister in my eyes, I worry about how much of a toll this defeat will take on his confidence in being able to be our island's champion."
Hippolyta was just starting to think that them telling Kal about his destiny as their future champion so soon was a very big mistake on their part, when she heard Alkyone chuckle ever so slightly at her words and turned to see her captain smiling at her with clear amusement.
"And just what, do find so amusing about this, Alkyone?" Hippolyta asked with narrowed eyes.
"My Queen, please, there's no need for that here, with me." Alkyone said as if she understood what her queen was really feeling, shaking her bald head slightly in a tsk-tsk manner, that uncomfortable smile still plastered across her scarred face. "I know when you're in front of your daughter and our softer sisters, you need to put on this act and you do it remarkably well by the way, I don't think I could stand doing it nearly all the time."
"What are you talking about sister?" Hippolyta asked tensely as she felt her annoyance slowly starting to give way to true anger.
"You know what I'm talking about Hippolyta." Alkyone continued as if they were both in on some secret joke between the two of them that the warrior queen was not currently aware of. "But it's okay, when it's just the two of us my queen, you don't need to pretend anymore."
"I don't need to pretend to do what?" Hippolyta asked, now starting to get really angry.
"You don't need to pretend that boy is your son." Her captain said as she took a step closer into her queen's personal space and placed her hand on her right shoulder. "You don't need to pretend you're his mother, you don't need to pretend that you love him in front of me."
Shocked beyond belief for the briefest moment at what her captain had just said to her, Hippolyta could only stare vacantly as Alkyone leaned her face in towards hers, her green eyes closing as she came ever closer.
But then, Hippolyta felt the anger that had been slowly growing throughout this unwanted intrusion finally simmer the surface and with a surprisingly savage snarl, the warrior queen forcibly removed her captains' hand from her shoulder and pushed her back with surprising force.
Stumbling back, Alkyone opened her eyes to see her Queen own glaring at her. "My Queen-."
"Let's get something straight right now, Alkyone." Hippolyta growled out the words with such ferocity she was sure it would make her daughters pet Nemean Lioness proud. "I'm not pretending and I never have been."
"I do love Kal; more than I thought I could ever love a man or anyone else for that matter besides my daughter." Hippolyta declared to her shocked and seemingly mortified captain. "He is MY son and I AM his mother, he is also our champion and YOUR prince, you'd do well to remember that from now on sister."
Finally, having had enough of this infuriating conversation in its entirety and Alkyone's company in general, Hippolyta turned to leave her own quarters in order to get away from her circle captain for the moment.
But unfortunately for Hippolyta, Alkyone apparently wasn't done with their conversation just yet.
"I don't understand my queen, you didn't love the first Demigodling at all." Alkyone spoke lowly, but Hippolyta could still clearly the confusion and contempt in her captain's voice as she hissed out those words. "I was there that day Hippolyta, I saw it happen, you just couldn't wait to kill him."
The Queen of the Amazons stopped at the door to her room as Alkyone continued to speak coldly.
"After everything that Demigod, his bastard and their Barbarian brothers did to us? Did to you? How? How can you claim to love this one? What makes this boy so different, so… special to you?"
In that moment, Alkyone was truly hoping that her queen would find herself unable to answer her question, thus forcing her beautiful leader to acknowledge that what she had just said was untrue and that she did not, in fact, love the boy that the Goddess Hera had forced her to raise as her son and their weapon of vengeance.
But Alkyone's dismay and disgust, Hippolyta's response was almost immediate. "Thrax was his father's son, not mine, never mine, even if he was born of my body and Kal wasn't."
"Thrax was a curse that was forced upon me against my will by Hercules, Kal is a gift that was given to me by Hera. A gift that I didn't ask for and didn't know I wanted, but one I realise now that I desperately needed as much as I need my daughter, a gift not just for myself, but for our entire tribe and our island, Alkyone."
"A gift I do not deserve." Hippolyta said that last part to herself, so quietly she was certain her circle captain couldn't hear her as she walked out the door, leaving Alkyone alone in her royal bedroom.
Alkyone just stood there in stunned disbelief as she watched her queen walk out the door and leave her behind, just as her parents had left her.
Even after all these years, Alkyone still remembered the day back when she was still called Phoibe, when had to leave her little sea side village, forced to leave by her own parents after they found out what she had done.
Phoibe didn't know how, she had been so careful, but somehow, they had figured out it was her.
They never confronted her about it, never talked about it in front of, she had no idea it was coming, one morning her father had just pulled her from her bed and carried her out onto the village docks over his shoulder like a lamb being taken to the slaughter.
She had called out desperately through her tears to her mother standing in the doorway as she had struggled in her father's hard embrace, but her mother had just stood there before walking back inside, she didn't try to stop her father, she didn't even look at her only daughter as she was carried out of the house and she never cried.
You loved Alexios mother, you cried for Alexios, but you never cried for me, Alkyone though bitterly to herself as she finally left her queen's bedchambers.
She remembered shamefully shrieking and crying all the way down to the docks until her father had finally struck her hard across the face and told her to be quiet just as the boat sailing the colours of Amazonians had appeared in the distance
"You belong with your own kind girl." Was the last thing her father had told her before he flung her over to the ship and at her new sister's feet, causing a cut on a splintered piece of wood that would eventually become a lifelong scar, before walking away and never looking back.
He wasn't wrong, Alkyone admitted reluctantly to herself as she walked down the palace hallway and into the Throne Room, looking around at the proud history of her tribe's warrior women sisterhood presented by the Grecian tapestries hung up on every wall, the battles, the conquests, the killing…
I do belong here and I always will, she thought to herself proudly before she felt the familiar rage return, but that dam boy does not and he never will, especially with not what I've got planned for the future of my tribe once Hercules is gone for good…
Unlike many of her fellow Amazons on the island, Alkyone had long dreamed of the day she and her sisters would return to the Old Way of the Warrior Women before the Fall of Ancient Greece had occurred and forced them to leave their original home of Amazonia.
She was not content to spend the rest of eternity lounging in paradise day after day, hiding away on their island like a coward from Man's World forever, no, that was not what she was destined for, that was not what the Amazons were destined for.
They were destined for greatness that Hercules and his horde of Barbarians had taken away from them, for glory the Goddesses of Mount Olympus had always intended for them, for the right to rule the Ancient Greek World had denied them.
They were destined to bring death and destruction to Man's World and then rebuild it in their own Amazonian image, to conqueror every male member of the human race, reducing them to little more than beasts of burden and breeding stock when needed, to free their subjected sisters across the globe from patriarchal tyranny for good and bring them about to Themysciran ideals, by force if necessary.
This was the path Alkyone had chosen for herself since she and her tribe had retreated to Themyscira in disgrace after the Fall of Ancient Greece, dreaming of the day she, her queen, her princess, her circle sisters and all her fellow warrior women would take back what was rightfully theirs, dominion over Man's World.
It was her destiny, her life's dream, the future she had planned for herself and Hippolyta… and there was no room for any Demigod's in it…
I will not lose another family just because of another stupid boy, Alkyone silently declared to herself as she walked over to the throne room balcony and saw Hippolyta outside back towards the Training Grounds of Athena in an obvious hurry.
Alkyone felt her anger and disgust rise at the sight. That boy will not rob me of MY destiny, I will not allow him to take MY queen or MY princess away from me.
Meanwhile, back in the Training Grounds of Athena…
Hippolyta fears over her Little Fallingstar's defeat at Hermes hands had seemingly come true as the Queen of the Amazons heard the unmistakable sound of the Trickster God's laughter as she returned to the training grounds only to find Hera, Iris and the rest of her fellow Amazons already there, her daughter and her friends among there number now.
She also saw Hermes perched casually atop a set of training equipment, with BOTH of his Winged Boots back on his feet and a triumphant expression across his face, it was clear, he had been there for quite some time now, and Hippolyta felt her angry mood become even more inflamed with maternal rage.
Hermes saw her enter the training grounds and somehow his already insufferable expression became even more smug as he turned to look at her, clearly getting ready to launch into another one of his usual mocking tirade-
"Hermes!" A familiar voice called out from across the yard, stopping the fast-talking deity in his verbal tracks before he could even get started, ironically enough.
All heads, turned in the direction of voice which was followed by an unmistakable howl of Krypto as they saw Kal standing tall atop a statue of the Goddess Athena, Krypto at his back, howling with fury.
Silence ruled the training grounds for a moment before Hermes let out a loud chuckle.
"Well ladies, look who it is, you're new Champion of Themyscira." Hermes declared from where he was reclined against as he looked up at Kal with his trademarked grin on his face. "Also known as the runner-up in our little competition of speed, or would it be more accurate to call you the TRIP-UP instead, kiddo."
To Hermes typical taunting, Kal said nothing, Krypto's angry growl was answer enough as the boy and his dog jumped down from the statue to the dirt floor of the training grounds below, the Wolfdog stalked over to stand beside the watching crowd after getting a reassuring pat on his furry head.
But not Kal, Kal walked straight towards the still reclining and relaxed looking Hermes, he ignored everything else, he ignored the crowd of watching and whispering Amazons, he ignored his stunned sister and her friends, he ignored Hera's critical gaze and he even ignored his mother staring at him with relief in her blue eyes.
His eyes remained focused solely on Hermes smug face.
"Of course, credit should go where credit is due kid." Hermes said as he continued to causally lean back against the training equipment. "I mean, as far as dramatic entrances go, that has to be at least a six out of ten, you getting your pet Fido to howl in the background was also a nice touch, so I'll bump you up to seven out of ten."
Hermes honest praise was short lived though as he went straight back to his usual mocking behaviour. "Though I must admit I'm a little surprised to see you so soon, I'd figured you'd still be off pouting somewhere in the jungle for at least another hour or two."
"I don't see why, it's like I told you before Hermes." The utter calmness in her son's tone caused Hippolyta to pause just as she was about to call out his name. "I'm not done with you yet."
"Oh really." Hermes asked smiling, suddenly sounding very interested in what the boy had to say to him.
"That's right." Kal told him with narrowed eyes. "The way I see it, this little game of ours isn't over until one of us give's in, I never gave in and in case you hadn't noticed Hermes, I haven't given up yet either."
No, Kal, please, you don't need to do this, Hippolyta thought to herself in hidden distress. My Little Fallingstar, please, you don't need to prove anything, the least of all to us, least of all to me.
"Wait a minute, you mean you're actually going to try AGAIN?" Hermes asked sitting up, sounding genuinely surprised by this before letting out a low chuckle. "Kid, you're an absolute glutton for punishment, anyone ever tell you that?"
"What is your brother doing, Diana." Euboea asked her friend and princess.
"I really don't know." Diana said, uncharacteristically nervous in that moment. "I just really hope he knows what HE'S doing."
"Maybe, but at least I'm not all talk like you are, Hermes." Kal said aloud, getting gasps from the audience of watching Amazons, Hera and Iris however, just grinned whilst Apollo and Alectryon shared surprised expressions.
Hermes smile instantly disappeared off his face and was replaced with a furious frown. "Excuse me, kiddo, what did you just say to me?"
"You heard me Hermes; a true prince does not run away and hide." Kal said, quoting the words Phillippus had drilled into him when he had gone through his running away from his training phase. "Nor does he rub his success in others faces, especially when he hasn't even really won yet."
"Oh, kid." Hermes said, his voice dangerously low as he looked down at the glaring boy. "You're just asking for it now, you know that, right?"
"Prove it then." Kal demanded calmly, his voice never rising even once, never once taking his blazing blue eyes off Hermes teal ones. "Come down here and face me like a real warrior would."
Hermes stared intensely at Kal for a long moment, a stare which Kal returned, unflinching of the Olympian's cold gaze, before the familiar smug smile reappeared across Messenger God's handsome face.
"You've got guts kid; I'll give you that much and I do find you rather amusing, let's play a little longer than, shall we." Hermes said as he jumped down to face his younger adversary before glancing at Hera, Iris and the crowd of watching Amazons with a smirk. "We've even got an audience this time."
Hippolyta, who by now had moved over to stand by her fellow Amazons, finally moved forward to put an end to this little ego driven game, but one look from Hera stopped in her royal tracks, don't coddle the boy, Hippolyta, this is something he clearly feels he needs to do.
With great reluctance, Hippolyta conceded and step back to stand behind her daughter and put her hands on her shoulders.
Meanwhile, not too far away, Apollo and Alectryon had climbed to the top of the palace roof, giving them both a bird's eye view of these events as they unfold before their very eyes.
"Apollo?" Alectryon asked the Sun God whose right shoulder he was perched on. "Considering what you told me you saw in your visions; don't you think we should go down there and put an end to this contest already?"
"Your probably right Alectryon." Apollo mused thoughtfully, keeping his golden eyes on the scene below them. "Probably, not certainly though and besides, I want to see how this plays out first, it could be important for the future."
"Ahh, you and your prophetic visions of the future." The Phoenix sighed, but obeyed his Olympian friend's decision, for better or for worse.
"I must say, I'm impressed kid, most people who have tried to best me are usually smart enough to give up after the first failure." Hermes said as he and Kal took positions from each other across the training grounds. "But you, kiddo, you are a special kind of stubborn, you just keep on trying… and failing."
Kal said nothing in response to Hermes remark as he took his place opposite to that of the trickster deity, he simply turned to face him with a knowing smile.
This unexpected expression obviously did not go unnoticed by anyone, especially Hermes.
"Okay kid." Hermes finally asked after a few moments of silence, which felt like an eternity to the talkative Olympian. "What's with the look?"
"Look?" Kal inquired innocently enough, even tilting his head to the side in a rather adorable fashion. "Why, whatever do you mean, Hermes?"
"Don't play innocent with me kiddo." Hermes said before pointing to himself. "I invented that concept; you know exactly what I'm talking about." Hermes accused, glaring suspiciously at the suddenly very confident looking young prince before him.
"That not-so innocent, suspicious half-smile that implies you know something which I do not." The Greek God said before snorting. "Like that's possible."
"Maybe, but I guess you'll find out soon enough, won't you Hermes." Kal said, his smile becoming even broader as Hermes glare just intensified.
"Well, aren't we confident, though I'm not quite sure why, because in order to beat me, one has to actually be able to touch me and if I recall correctly, kiddo." Hermes said smirking smugly. "You trying to catch me before did NOT go well for you last time."
Kal's eyes narrowed even harder, but he did not lose his princely composure, and instead returned trickster deity's smug smirk with one of his own. "Oh, Hermes, I'm NOT the same prince you tripped up before."
Something about the seriousness of Kal's tone gave the Messenger God and the watching crowd all pause for thought as they examined the seemingly same boy from earlier more carefully than before and saw nothing physically different about him whatsoever.
"Ooohhh, really." Hermes asked doubtfully while raising his right eyebrow. "Something life changing happen to you in that jungle after I left, did it?"
"You could say that". Kal answered with a mischievous smile. "You could also say, that your about to experience immense pain in your midsection at my hands Hermes."
So stunned by the boy's boast was everyone, that silence once again ruled the area, until Hermes finally let out an almost nervous laugh, almost.
"Ahh well, that's quite the substantial bluff you just gave." Hermes said. "But a boy's bluff and nothing more, I've been observing you closely for some time now kiddo, and there's no way you-."
As Hermes continued to monologue about what he thought he knew, Kal just smirked again and what happened next… well, what happened next shocked both Greek Gods and Amazonian women alike.
Kal dashed forward across the yard at lightning-fast speed, moving so fast, so suddenly, that Hermes wasn't even able to finish his sentence, instead, his mocking monologue was cut short as he had the air knocked out of his lungs with a pained gasp by Kal's fist connecting with his stomach.
Shocked, wide eyed and in a surprising amount of pain from the gut punch, Hermes looked down in disbelief at Kal who looked up at him smirking triumphantly while his fist remained firmly impacted somewhere deep between the Greek Gods lung and colon.
Hermes shocked was shared by all those watching, as the Amazons, both older women and young girls alike stared in awed silence by this unprecedented display of super speed from their prince, Queen Hippolyta and Princess Diana especially, even lady Iris appeared shocked while Hera just looked noticeably impressed.
"I knew it." The Queen of the Greek Gods whispered quietly to herself, a pleased grin on her beautiful face.
"B-but… but… how…?" Hermes was barely able to gasp out the words through the sudden and shockingly immense pain.
"I told you that you would find out soon enough Hermes." Kal said right before pulling his fist back and giving the trickster deity a solid uppercut to the torso that sent him flying back through the air before landing on the ground a few feet with a pained groan.
"You all have no idea how cathartic that felt for me." Kal said to the shocked crowd of astounded Amazons as he cracked his knuckles.
"Did… did you see that in your visions, Apollo." Alectryon asked in a stunned voice as he and the Sun God watched this young Demigod punch out the Messenger of the Greek Gods in only two blows.
"No Alectryon." Apollo replied in an equally shocked tone to his flaming, feathery friend. "No, I did not." But considering what I saw in my visions, I'm not too surprised either, The Sun God thought privately to himself.
"So, Hermes, tell me, how does it feel to be the PUNCH-line of the joke for once in your immortal life." Kal asked, smirking as he watched the God of Speed slowly get back to his booted feet.
Hermes didn't bother to answer the boy's question, he was too busy trying to figure out exactly how the kid had managed to move so fast and get two punches in him as well as avoiding doubling over from the pain still coursing through his torso. This doesn't make any sense, I've been watching him for days and not ONCE has he ever shown this sort of speed, even when he was chasing after me.
Unless… had the prince been holding back this whole time? Had the kid been trying to get him to underestimate him, just so he could get those two surprise hits on him in front Hera and her worshippers in order to make him look like a fool?
Such a thought was far from comforting to the hurting Hermes.
But… was it possible though? Had the God of Speed been outmanoeuvred? Had the Master Trickster actually been tricked himself?
"Wait a minute." Hermes gasped out as he finally regained his composure and examined the boy with a far more suspicious eye. "There IS something different about you, isn't there? You were not this fast before, kid; I would have noticed if you were."
"Would you really Hermes?" Kal asked doubtfully. "Because you seemed awfully busy earlier running your mouth." The kid then smirked in the exact same smug manner as Hermes had been only moments ago.
"Or maybe your just not as clever OR as fast as you like to think you are?" Kal added mockingly.
Those intentionally insulting words hit all the right nerves on Hermes immense Olympian ego, as the Messenger of the Gods felt his anger override both his confusion and the pain he felt, he forgot all about his doubts and focused solely on the task at hand, teaching this little Demigodling his place in the Greek Mythology Food Chain.
Which was, Olympians on top and Demigods on the bottom.
"I will NOT be made a fool of by a Demigodling." Hermes declared defiantly as he stood up tall and proud like a true Olympian and pulled out his Caduceus staff from his satchel and got ready to fight. "I think it's time I started taking this little game of ours a bit more seriously, kiddo."
"That would be a nice change of pace." Kal said smiling as he backed up and got ready for real combat. "Bring it on Hermes."
"Kal!" Hera called out to him from the watching crowd.
Turning his head, Kal saw the Queen of the Greek Gods throw her Lotus Sceptre at him, knowing her godson would need an Olympian weapon of his own for this fight, catching the offered weapon, Kal nodded at his godmother. "Thank you, Queen Hera."
"Just make sure to hit that annoying Messenger Boy over the head with it at least once for me, that will be thanks enough for me, Kal." Hera said, smiling warmly at her godson. "I'd wish you'd luck too, but I think we both know you don't need it, dear."
"No, Hera." Kal said turning with a smile to a still fuming Hermes. "No, I don't think I do."
"The time for talking is over." Declared Hermes, who was more than ready for their battle to finally begin. "It's time for us to bang our staffs together."
"I couldn't agree more Hermes." With drawn weapons and eyes narrowed, both Kal and Hermes launched themselves at super speed towards the other, their staff-like weapons colliding together in a series of thunderous clashes that sent shockwaves through the training grounds and the surrounding jungle.
The same part of the jungle where the three Sisters of the Storm laid in wait, they had stalked through the leafy canopy towards the Training Grounds of Athena where their target had now revealed himself at last, displaying newfound speed and agility he had never shown before, which was very concerning for their mission's chances of success now…
… but it did not matter, they would just wait for boy and Hermes to tire one another out from their egotistical competition and then capture the boy when he was exhausted before that bitch Hera and her annoying Amazons could do anything about it.
They would not fail in their mission to capture their prey, because if there was one thing every mortal and immortal from the time of Ancient Greece learned, it was that Zeus always got what he wanted sooner or later…
… always.
Greetings to all my fellow fanfic readers and writers, I hope you all enjoyed Superman, Son of Hippolyta Chapter 17: Just a Little Faster, so unfortunately the Hermes Arc isn't quite concluded with this chapter guys, but it will be in the next one, I promise.
The Kal vs Hermes fight was originally planned for this chapter, but I want to do it justice and that's means giving myself more time to write it and I decided I didn't want to make you all wait any longer for the next chapter to come out, so I saved the actual fight for next time, but I think this chapter still has plenty of exciting revelations and events taking place in it.
Next up is the FINAL round in Kal and Hermes game, our hero meeting the prophetic Apollo and the feathered Alectryon, then facing his first REAL threat to Themyscira as the Amazons new Champion by the Sisters of the Storm who have been sent by Zeus to capture him…
…and for those of you who are wondering what new creature from Greek Mythology is going to make an appearance in the next chapter, the reference to the Blind King Phineus from the Legend of Jason and the Golden Fleece should give you all a big hint about what's just waiting in the wings for Kal…
Also, if any of you would like to support my work in other ventures, I have YouTube channel under the same name as fanfic account, T-Rexcellent Reviews, if you're interested, please consider giving it a look, a like and subscription as it would really help me out.
Now onto answering some more fan questions from all of you guys…
1. Joel, thanks mate, I'm glad, that was partly the point of Rao's inclusion in this story after all.
2. CrazyCaz, your right on the money their mate, Kal know has someone who understands his inner potential better than even the Greek Gods possibly could, someone who can help him train and hone his powers just as he would have been back on Krypton before it was destroyed.
3. Erika Lopes, that was honestly accidental on my part as I've never actually read the Injustice Comics or played the games myself, that part was inspired by all the Titans bowing down to Godzilla at the end of Godzilla: King of the Monsters but I can see the similarities you speak of.
4. Yeye anaawangazia, hey mate, I hope seeing Hermes get beaten in this chapter was worth the wait, that wise voice that spoke to Kal in the Dreamscape was Rao his people's God, not Jor-El his father, also the reason Kal didn't unlock his flight capabilities in the last chapter will be cleared up in the chapter after this one.
As always, a shout out to my amazingly supportive friend and fantastic fellow fanfic writer Ricardo753 for supporting my work, go check out his own stories, their T-Rexcellent as well as my new creative consultant and Greek mythology expert Luke5921, proud to have you onboard as an advisor as I write this story mate.
Now please allow me to thank all of you who have followed, favourited and especially reviewed this story.
SuperWonderStan, ManOfSteel, Luke5921, cabrera1234, Joel, HeartOfChaos13, GR8ER3241, Kalel4444, JustAnotherIntern14, Erika Lopes, SilveerKnighT, SuperKamiGuest, dakota, Shall-lin, d,Chinook, MoonKnight030, StevenBodner, Daka, evolution-500, Goldenhue, welcome007, Dak, Arik Kkuznetsov, Yeye anaawangazia, HaywireEagle, TheCrackKing, Artimuos Sen, CrazyCaz, Bashleyz, Falcon6 and Al, please keep the reviews coming guys, their what fuels these chapters and to all my other readers, if you write me some reviews in the future, then you can be seeing your name here to, until next time this is T-Rexcellent Reviews signing off.