2
Jotunheim, the Realm of the Frost Giants
"Your strength will be welcome..."
Thor's haunting words were the last thing Wonder Woman heard before being engulfed by the icy nature of the Bifrost. It was a sudden brightness, followed by darkness. It's cold grip was unnerving. Disoriented and cold, Wonder Woman's mind when to her elder brother, Ares. He's always spoken of the cold in the Norse realms, but she never truly believed him. Gods rarely crossed over into other realms. They stayed in their domain, and kept to themselves. Why would he come to this desolate place? Moreover, why Lord Thor request aid from an Olympian?
Others on Olympus were far more powerful than she, yet the god of thunder came to her for aid. Maybe the others knew the risks and turned him down. No matter how he ended up asking a half-breed, she was here now.
"He truly must be desperate," she thought.
The icy grip of the Bifrost, had her now. There was no turning back, for her at least. In the mist of the chaos, Wonder Woman had lost sight of Superman. The vibrant colors of the Bifrost had returned and they were so bright that she was unable to see clearly, until the light from the Earth and Milky Way cleared into a clouded cluster resembling the Norse view of the universe, the World's Tree. Wonder Woman looked in awe. It was a sight to be seen, even the view from Olympus didn't compare. For a moment, Wonder Woman almost forgot she wasn't alone.
"Diana..."
Superman's distorted voice pulled Wonder Woman back to reality. She wasn't alone, 'he' was there. An unwelcome presence amongst the cold winds of the Bifrost. Looking up from the Rainbow Bridge, Wonder Woman saw Superman off in the distance and moving closer.
"Why couldn't he just listen for once," Wonder Woman grumbled under her breath.
"I heard that," Superman replied. "I told you I wasn't going to let you go alone..."
Reaching her side, Superman swirled around her, dancing in the ether.
"And I didn't ask for 'your help'."
Superman wasn't taken aback by her words. He knew them all to well. She was abrasive, rude even, to any interaction with him from the first moment they met. He hoped time would smooth things over, but it hadn't.
"But I offered it..."
Wonder Woman didn't reply as they continued to move through the Bifrost.
"You know nothing beyond your beloved city and farmhouse," she spat. "Do you even know what Ragnarök is?"
Superman was silent for a moment, before he said, "A mediocre Marvel film..."
Wonder Woman cursed under her breath as she couldn't tell whether he was joking or serious.
"I know more than you think Diana..."
Wonder Woman grimaced as Superman called her by her given name.
Familiarity, softness. She was nothing to him. Could be nothing to him. The wrath of her family would follow her, even in the cold of the Norse realms.
"You have no right to call me anything other than Wonder Woman," she replied coldly.
Lifting his hands in surrender, Superman floated further away from her.
"I meant no offense,"
"Then you should have never come here," she replied. "Your presence here is an offense, to me and Lord Thor..."
"I can help," he replied. "Why can't you see that? Even Thor recognizes how helpful I can be here..."
Wonder Woman bit her thumb in Superman's direction.
"This isn't like rescuing a cat from a tree, you idiot," Wonder Woman replied coldly. "This is war. And in war idiots like you get killed..."
She paused for a moment, her breath heaving.
"...The moment I find Lord Thor, I'm sending you back..."
Superman moved in closer, closing the gap between them. He saw her face was flushed. With anger or fear he couldn't tell.
"I'm not leaving you here..." he whispered.
The gentleness of his voice sent a shiver down her spine. Even in the ether she felt the warmth radiating off him. What if... Immediately, she shook the thought from her mind. He was dangerous. Too close... The gods told her so.
"Beware the god with crimson eyes,"
To defy the gods was a death sentence, even if they were family. Why couldn't he just listen for once... This wasn't the place for him.
"...Wonder Woman please, just let me help you..."
Wonder Woman felt the brush of Superman's touch on her shoulders. He felt so warm. She knew she needed to push him away. Wounding his pride or ego would force him to want to head home. To return to the safety of his 'human' world. She lowered her head and whispered.
"I'm not your wife and I don't need 'help',"
A part of Wonder Woman felt sick to her stomach for going so low, but it was necessary. Everyone in the League knew Lois was a liability. She took risks knowing 'he' would come and save her. Even after she almost outed him, he kept pulling her out of messes of her own making. It took Batman blackmailing her to force her to not post her story about Superman. His loyalty to her caused more damage than any supervillain they'd ever face.
His face was unmoved by her words. His steely blue eyes continued to stare down at her.
"I'm not leaving..." Superman replied as he reached out for her arm. "And speaking out of anger won't change my mind."
Wonder Woman snapped at his touch, brushing his hand away.
"I don't speak out of anger, I speak the truth," she continued. "... you're sticking your nose in things that aren't your business..."
She pointed to herself.
"I am not your business," she continued. "You are acting like 'her'. Selfish and self-centered... I'm doing this for your own good."
Superman once more reached out his hand to touch her, to force her to look at him. Something she never did. She never looked him in his eyes. Pulling her gaze to his, Superman stared into her eyes. They were the palest blue and filled with fear.
"You're afraid Diana..." he whispered. "You don't have to face this alone..."
Wonder Woman shook her head, removing herself from his powerful gaze.
"Remember the gods, Diana," she thought. "Beware..."
"Diana look at me,"
"Don't call me that," she spat. "I fear nothing and no one..."
As Wonder Woman spoke a loud cracking sound rumbled through the Bifrost.
"... what is that?" Superman asked.
Turning their heads behind them, they saw a volley of fire crashing into the Bifrost. As the smoke cleared, there was a rip in the side of the Rainbow Bridge.
"We're under attack!" she shouted.
Cosmic winds began to rush through the newly formed hole. The thrashing winds grazed Wonder Woman's exposed skin. Peeling bits and pieces of her off as the air was sucked out of the Bifrost. In the mayhem, Wonder Woman began to be pulled in the direction of the gaping hole but Superman moved his body in front of her. Blocking her from being sucked out, he wrapped his massive body around her.
"I've got you," he said. "Just hold on."
She didn't reply. Only wincing at the pain caused by Superman's body touching the bloodied patches of her skin. Another volley of fire crashed into the Bifrost. Heavier than before, the fire rapidly started to fragment the beam surrounding them. The encroaching destruction of the Bifrost was eminent and Superman knew Wonder Woman, while strong, wouldn't survive its collapse. He worried even he might not survive it.
"Damnit..." Superman growled. "Where is Thor?"
"I've got you!"
Thor's booming voice echoed around them but turned into a sinister laugh cackling.
"Did he bring you here to defeat me?" the voice cackled. "Brother you have brought me a present I see... They will do nicely as rotting corpses in my new world..."
"Damn you LOKI!" Thor shouted. "I will crush you with my hammer personally!"
The god of thunder sounded close, yet so far. Even Superman's super-hearing couldn't pinpoint his exact location.
"Thor!" Superman shouted. "We need to get her out of this thing..."
"I'm on it,"
The sound of a crackdoom surround them as Thor's lightning began to pull them down. A cooling sensation lingered on Wonder Woman's bruised skin for a moment, until it was replaced by an unnatural warmth. It was molten, as if the sun himself had touched he wasn't here. Only...
"Superman..." she muttered softly.
Burying her face into his chest, she felt it rumble.
"We're almost there..." Thor boomed.
A sudden panic filled her. She'd lost herself for a moment. Lost herself in him. They were close, too close. But the world around them wasn't peaceful. Thor was battling something above them. The sound of clashing thunder and shouting split the sky. Thor cursed in his native tongue.
Thor's voice became strained. Turning her face away from Superman's chest, she saw that they were in the skies high above a massive mountainous landscape. From above, another fire ball tore through the skies. The sound of a gruff scream surrounded them. Wonder Woman watched in horror as Thor's body fell past them.
"Thor!" she shouted.
Superman thought he might be able to grab Thor before he collided with the ground but he was moving too fast for even him.
"I've got to save him!" Wonder Woman said as she struggled against Superman's grasp.
"Don't let her go," Thor said into Superman's head. "My time is almost up..."
"I can..."
"Get her to my son, Magni, mortal,"
As Thor spoke his body had already moved past them. Wonder Woman continued try and push Superman, but he was unmovable.
"... End this conflict... Mortal..."
Looking over Wonder Woman's head, Superman watched Thor gradually come to. There was a peace in his eyes. Death was coming for him and he knew it. Superman held Wonder Woman even tighter as his eyes were fixated on the sky below them. What matter of creature had made the god of thunder accept death?
"We've got to help him,"
"My job is to get you to the ground,"
"No, your job is to let me help him!"
A bright flash of lightning rushed past them as Thor's hammer whirled into his right hand.
"No need, War," he said, blood seeping from his mouth.
The god of thunder was bloodied and beaten. One of his eyes had been gouged out and there was a hole in his side. The beaten god smiled as he hurled his hammer down toward the ground. A strip of lightning followed behind it.
"Our paths end here, War," Thor said as he looked directly at Superman.
All three figures now hovered above the ground. Resting in a thick cloud, Thor continued.
"I trust you'll keep War safe up here while I handle some of my brother's people…"
"Thor, you asked for my aid" Wonder Woman interrupted coldly."My aid. Not his. Let me do the task you asked of me..."
"And there is something no goddess should witness," Thor added.
Superman turned his gaze downward. Piercing through a blanket of thick clouds he saw giant naked blue fleshed creatures.
"I'll keep her up here," Superman nodded.
"You'll know when it is safe, mortal," Thor added just before he floated down to the
ground.
"But..."
Thor looked lovingly at Wonder Woman.
"Your brothers would kill me if anything were to happen to you," he said. "Your time on the battlefield will come. Glory will be yours, just not this day..."
There were a few moments of quiet between them as they waited above Thor. Metal hitting bone ripped through the air. Grunts, curses, and the smell of blood soon followed. Wonder Woman cursed under her breath.
"Why does Thor refer to you as 'War'..." Superman asked, breaking the silence.
As he spoke, Wonder Woman felt his chest rumbling against her back.
"Nothing that concerns you, human," Wonder Woman hissed.
"Do you hate me that much to refer to me as 'human'?"
Superman's words stung her. While she didn't hate him, he was dangerous. So much so that even fate feared him enough to warn her. He must be avoided at all costs.
"You are a fool for following me here," she said as she noticed Superman starting to lower them back to the ground.
"How so?"
Wonder Woman took a deep breath. The few moments that she'd spent in his arms felt almost like Alexa. She was truly safe. A part of her felt sadness when she saw this man with a woman who 'needed him'. Under different circumstances, if he'd landed on Themyscira, he would have been raised to see his own worth. He was a god amongst men that didn't deserve his humbleness.
Wonder Woman never felt ill from words, but at this moment she knew they would.
"Because you shouldn't have followed someone who 'hates you'," she said coldly as they landed on the snowy ground.
Superman suddenly released her. She took several steps away from him. She looked around at all the nude blue bodies on the ground.
Thor cleared his throat, drawing Wonder Woman's attention. She looked over to a seated Thor under a burning chest heaved as he placed his hammer down beside him.
"I could have helped with them," she said, pointing to the lifeless bodies.
"And I needed to keep my trump card off the table for a bit longer," he replied.
Looking up to Superman, he nodded.
"Thank you for keeping her away. Her wounds would have made her an easy target..."
"I wouldn't allow anything to happen to her," Superman answered.
Wonder Woman rolled her eyes.
"You need to send 'him' back to Midgard," Wonder Woman said, ignoring Superman's answer.
Thor took a deep breath.
"I can't…"
"What do you mean you can't?"
"I can't, War," Thor replied, his breath labored. "Loki's forces almost broke through to the Bifrost. So, I had to brake it…"
"You broke it?" Superman asked.
Thor nodded, "I barely had enough time to get you before they attacked. I had my forces attack the Bifrost, sundering its connection to the Nine Realms. I've given us time to prepare..."
"At what cost!?" Wonder Woman answered. "You need to send him back. He can't be here..."
"I have use of him,"
"No, you don't, he isn't like 'us'..."
"I'm standing right here, you know,"
Both divine creatures ignore Superman's voice and continue speaking.
"But his strength..."
"He doesn't kill!" Wonder Woman blurted out. "He won't be of any use. Too human for his own good."
"Killing isn't always the answer," Superman said.
"Said like a dead-man..." she grumbled.
Pointing to the dead frost giants, she added.
"Try talking with them as they slaughter a whole village..."
Thor lowered his head. Superman and Wonder Woman began going back and forth, shooting insults at one another. After a few moments, Thor gathered himself enough to stand to his feet.
"Enough!" he bellowed. "I have spoken. I destroyed the Bifrost to protect the Nine Realms from my wicked half-brother. That includes Midgard. I have use for both of you in this conflict. Whether you like it or not, both of you are stuck here until this war is over…."