ARES!

Soranik and Vath Sarn, saw Markus back to Valdr and parted on seemingly good terms. Markus broke the veil of the red sky and flew straight down to his imperial city. Everything seemed quiet, the people below were still cleaning up where it needed, but other than that everything seemed to be just fine.

Markus landed on the balcony to his palace and walked into his room, Cir-El was nowhere to be seen.

" She must be busy." Markus spoke. " She must have heard me coming back." Markus muttered. He started looking around the palace for any sign of his wife and eventually his search led him to the great hall. " This is the only place left to look." Markus muttered, he pushed open the door to his lunch hall, and-

There was a dark presence. This man was tall, almost as tall as Markus, his muscles were large, his clothing seemed regal, but more importantly, at lying at his feet were Cir-El and the others, Dregg, Grog, Virlal, Sideros, and Elara. " Hello, brother."

" HAAAAAAAAAAGH!" Markus fired a bolt of lightning from his hands that sent the man standing on his wife flying. Markus moved to Cir-El's side, lifting the woman off of the ground and holding her in his arms. " Cir-El are you alright?!"

" Markus... Behind you." Cir-El raised her finger and pointed behind the man'shead.

Markus turned around and a giant fist, clad in black spiked armor was inches from his face.

Markus was sent flying out of the palace with enough force to shake the ground below him.

" THIS IS WHO FATHER MADE TO KILL ME?! I'M ALMOST INSULTED!" This man was powerful, more so than Mongul or even Orion. His spiky black armor and glowing red eyes were threatening to say the least.

" WHO ARE YOU?!" Markus yelled.

" I have many names. You can call me DEATH!" The man roared. He tossed Markus towards the ground, sending out shockwaves, that shook the imperial city, despite the two of them being hundreds of miles away.

Markus pulled himself out of the ground, he was hurting. The force of this brute's blows felt like they could crack his bones ten times over.

" Tell me who you are!!!" Markus yelled.

" Heh! Don't recognize me, brother? I'm hurt." The man spoke.

The man exploded towards Markus.

Markus dodged to the side and slammed his fist into the side of the man's torso, hitting him hard in the kidney. He quickly reeled back and then punched the man in the side of his helmet, knocking him off of his feet. Markus went to grab the man, but before his hand could touch him, he disappeared in a blaze of fire.

" What the hell?!" Markus exclaimed. He looked around for his opponent only to be back handed in his jaw. Markus rolled along the ground, until he managed to flip himself back up right.

" Not bad." The man stated. The man put his hand on the ground and slowly pulled out a long black sword. It was black entirely. The man rushed forward, much faster than before and though Markus raised his arms to block it, he was still sent flying by the kick the man had thrown at him.

" Ugh! He's gotten stronger?" Markus grunted.

Though his fight was far from over.

The man appeared behind Markus and cut him deeply across his back before kicking him in the side of the head.

Markus hit the ground hard. He was dazed. Barely able to see from the blood, sweat, and dirt in his eyes.

" Is that all you've got? Pathetic. When father told me about you, I was impressed, really. All that he had done, was simply to end my life. But standing here, I realize, your nothing more than a worthless, pathetic, excuse for a god." The man bellowed. He slammed his foot down on Markus' chest and twisted it further into the dirt. " I AM ARES! THE GOD OF WAR! And you, little brother... What are you the god of?" Ares asked. Markus struggled to lift Ares, boot off of him. But the more he struggled the harder Ares pushed down on him.

Finally, Markus gave up trying to move Ares. If he wanted to be on top of him, then fine. Let him stay right where he was. As Ares laughed at Markus, Lightning began to crackle around Markus' eyes. Markus grabbed Ares foot, and as Ares realized what was happening, the largest bolt of lightning Markus, had ever produced slammed down on top of him and Ares.

Ares was injured, his arm was bleeding, and his helmet and other parts of his armor had been destroyed. Shock filled his face. But behind that shock was a bit of excitement. His blonde hair blew in the wind.

" Hahaha!" Ares laughed. " You take after father more than I thought. Yes. Even looking at you now, it seems you resemble father a lot from his younger years. Alright, consider me impressed little brother. I'll leave for now.Ares stated.

" You think you can come to my home, attack my people and just walk away?!" Markus bellowed.

" Yes... I do. You've still got a lot to learn, little brother. If you really want to take this to the extreme, then come home. Find me, and I'll show you what a real god of war can do. Oh, and Markus... Don't make me wait." Ares spoke. With a wave of his hand, Ares was enveloped in a bright blaze of fire, and as quickly as he came, he vanished.

Markus, limped it off as best he could, trying to make it back to the city, but Ares had cut him deep. And he was losing blood, fast.

" Markus!" Cir-El flew down to the man as fast as she could, and despite her injuries, she caught Markus just before he hit the ground. " Oh god, Markus, you're bleeding bad."

" Cir-El... You gotta close the wound." Markus groaned.

" Markus..." Cir-EL looked down at the man's back, and to prevent him from losing more blood, she used her heat vision to sear the man's wounds closed.

Markus leaned into Cir-EL's chest and screamed as loudly as his voice would. His grip around her body tightened so much, that Cir-El felt like her body would break. His strength was truly remarkable.

By the time, Cir-El was done, the large gash on Markus' back was steaming, the blood was stopped yes, but there was very clearly going to be a very large scar.

Markus was weak, the pain from the wound been closed was like no other pain he's ever felt before.

" I've got you, Markus. I've got you." Cir-El told the man.

She flew with Markus as far as she could back to the city. She brought him straight to the palace' medical wing, and when she arrived, her body finally gave out. She had been beaten badly by Ares herself.

" Hurry! Take him!" Cir-El yelled.

" Right away!" The palace doctor yelled. He tried to take Markus from Cir-El's arms, but when he tried to lift him, he was too heavy for him to carry. " He's too heavy." The doctor exclaimed. I need help!" Four other doctors came running and together they hoisted Markus off of the floor.

" Ma'am, we need to take a look at your wounds too." One of the female nurses spoke.

" I'm fine." Cir-El told the woman.

" But your majesty."

" I'm fine!" Cir-El snapped. Her step was wobbly, and her voice weak. " Just make sure, he... Lives." Cir-El muttered. She took one step and collapsed onto the floor from exhaustion.

" Your majesty!"