Chapter 75: Attack on Themyscira 1

"Talking"

'Thinking'

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Themyscira, June 14, 12:00, 2017

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!"

An explosion registered just outside the barrier of the magic dome that protected the island. The explosion was so loud that the entire castle, plus the surrounding area, shook in a strong tremor.

The Amazon soldiers, who were standing guard, could see in the distance how a small opening began to tear out of the barrier. The opening was not large, but it was open enough to let a small group of people through.

And that's what happened. A small group of 15 people quickly came through the opening. All of them, projecting great divine power. The guards, seeing that the perimeter of the island had been breached, no longer hesitated and ran to alert their superiors.

The warrior, closest to the room to the war room, rushed in as quickly as possible to report the situation. Said warrior, whose name was Ariel, was a fierce warrior and someone who took her job of guarding very seriously. 

Ariel entered the war room, which had gathered all the army commanders and the Queen Hippolyta, and said.

"My lady, there is an attack in the eastern zone. The barrier has been attacked. I'm afraid... I'm afraid there's a breakout"

"Who... who attacked?" Hippolyta asked quickly. However, in her mind there were numerous thoughts about who had attacked. A feeling of fear began to form in her heart. Fear at the thought that her beloved sisters, and her beloved island, were in great danger.

Unfortunately, Hippolyta's fears were confirmed when Ariel spoke.

"Ares, my queen. Ares is here!"

'Damn' thought Hippolyta. This was bad. Ares meant nothing but trouble.

But, what Ariel said next made the whole room go silent. If Hippolyta thought it was bad before, what Ariel said next only gave an ultimatum to Themyscira and all its inhabitants.

"That is not all, my queen. I'm afraid Ares did not come alone. Fourteen other divine signatures are recorded. He brought a group of gods with him..."

..

..

..

"By Hera"

"Damn you, Ares"

"We are lost!"

All the generals began to despair and have thoughts of doom. They had fought gods before, Titans even and other mythological beings of great power, but that was accompanied by their guardian gods. Zeus, Hermes, Hephaestus, Hera, Artemis and Athena. However, they were no longer there to help and guide them.

Hippolyta also began to despair. But she did not let it show on her face. The situation looked bad, but, they were not totally helpless. Themyscira was no ordinary place. It was a divine settlement with numerous years of history and which harbored numerous secrets. A territory protected by the divine magic of Olympus. IT WAS HER TERRITORY.

Quickly, like an experienced queen, she regained her royal composure, and calmed the situation.

"ENOUGH. Stop whining. That is unworthy of us Amazons. WE ARE WARRIORS. We are not daunted by disadvantaged situations" this made the desperate atmosphere calm down. The generals returned to their heroic demeanor and calmed down. Antiope, with renewed confidence, spoke.

"My queen, tell us your orders"

The first thing Hippolyta did was not to speak to Antiope, but to Ariel, the soldier who was there

"Ariel. Go as fast as you can to Alexa. You'll find her in the library. She has the key to the guard room. In that room is the orb that holds the barrier. I want you to tell her to deactivate the protective barrier on the island. She knows how to do it. Total shutdown"

While Hippolyta commanded the orders to Ariel, she did not stand still and quickly took in her hands a necklace that was previously on her neck. It was a beautiful golden necklace that had a drawn portrait of Diana when she was a little girl. She did not hesitate and threw it heavily to the floor. If that wasn't enough, when it fell to the floor, she stepped on it and destroyed it with her boot.

Ariel was confused by the queen's order and actions. If they opened the barrier, then they would be open to outside enemy attacks and possible subsequent invaders. They would also prevent enemies from escaping through teleportation or magical portals.

The barrier was a magical protective barrier created by Hera and reinforced by Zeus. It prevented outside invaders from attacking through magical portals or teleportation.

That is, if an invader wanted to attack Themyscira, they had to do so through the sea or airborne route. It also deflected electromagnetic waves, preventing technology from functioning properly on this island.

Ares, and the group of gods, had caused such a powerful explosion, that it made the island rumble, but, even so, the barrier was not completely destroyed, but could only open a small opening for them to pass through.

Even if someone had a good look at the opening, they could see that it was slowly closing, a sign that the barrier was recovering. That's how strong this barrier was.

And the queen, Hippolyta, was calling for the barrier to be deactivated. Leaving the island uncovered and leaving it unprotected from external attacks. To Ariel, this was not coherent. So she asked

"My queen, I don't want to question your orders, but, I don't understand. The barrier protects us from external attacks. And it keeps Ares and his group of invaders from leaving through magic or divine powers"

"I know. And believe me. I wouldn't ask if I didn't think it was necessary. The truth is, I just asked my daughter and her superhero friends for help" Hippolyta said, as she pointed to the destroyed necklace. This necklace was connected to a small bracelet that Hippolyta gave her daughter for her birthday. When destroyed, it sent a signal for help to her daughter.

"The barrier may protect us, yes, but it also prevents the Justice League from being able to use their technological weapons. If that happens, they won't be able to fight with all their might against these powerful enemies"

"Are you sure they will come, my queen?"

"They will. The Justice League will come to help us. Of that, I am sure"

Ariel no longer hesitated. She curtsied and turned to go after Alexa as fast as her legs could go. Hippolyta did not stand still and quickly commanded orders to the other generals.

"Listen. My daughter and her friends will come. I'm sure of it. In the meantime, we have to make time. They are gods, yes, but this is OUR territory. The island is Greek, so it will limit the power of the gods of other pantheons to a manageable level for us. Added together with our blessings that the island bestows upon us, it makes us a powerful group, my sisters. Let us show them that this island will not fall without a fight"

"Let us show them the fury of the Amazons!"

"Those gods won't know who they messed with"

"Today a new legend of our battle glories will be written".

Those and more positive comments were sung through the excitement of the generals. Hippolyta looked happily at her sisters ready to fight. But again she quickly resumed her royal character, and said.

"Warn through the war drums. Activate Titan protocol. Let every Amazon who can fight take up arms and fight for her land. Let them protect Themyscira"

"So shall it be done my queen"

"Antiope, you will command the ground troops. Lance formation. If they entered from the east, we will not let them reach the west" said Hippolyta to her right hand, her sister, Antiope. Antiope only knelt down and said.

"As you command, my queen"

Hippolyta nodded and turned to see a blonde Amazon, small and slender, but quite athletic.

"Menalippe, you will command the archers. Take advantage of the high ground in the mountains and shoot anything that comes over the sky"

"So shall it be done, my lady"

Finally, Hippolyta turned to see a beautiful black-haired, chocolate-skinned, rather tall and muscular woman.

"Nubia, you will command the catapults and javelins. Support the archers and protect the city"

"Understood, my lady"

With that, the meeting ended and they all left to follow the queen's orders. But before the last warrior left, she was called by Hippolyta.

"Artemis, please, stay"

The last commander who was there. Artemis. Of the youngest warriors. But who had earned her place in the generals' meetings for her incredible skills and her great achievements in the battle against The Light.

Her fierceness, as well as her poise in the battle at Chernobyl, had been key to the Amazons not losing more soldiers. Of all of them, she recorded the most casualties among the enemy soldiers. A worthy achievement for one so young.

As a reward, Hippolyta made her the youngest general in history. Leaving her the task of commanding the elite forces. A group of Amazons specialized in tracking and cover missions. She, along with her elite team, were in charge of following Ares' trail across the world.

Artemis knelt down when she was called.

"My lady, how may I serve you?"

"Artemis. I need your team to guard the weapons and treasure room. Ares may have attacked the island, but I have no illusions that is his purpose. To me, this attack is just a ruse to get something. If I were him, I would send in cover to attack the treasure room. There are all our divine weapons, plus numerous powerful artifacts left by the Olympians before they perished. You have the job of making sure NO ONE takes anything. I'm counting on you"

"Understood, my lady. But if I may ask, what will you do?"

Hippolyta smiled at this question

"I have a job just as difficult as yours, Artemis. I will protect the place I KNOW Ares will attack. I will protect the gates of the Underworld..."

----------

Themyscira, an island paradise lost in time. Whose territory, a superficial territory that covered more than 2000 km2, made it one of the largest islands in the world.

Its vegetation, which encompassed a beach, mountains and even forest environment, and which presented a fauna and flora with endemic species that even today's society believed to be extinct, made it an extraordinary magical place.

Even the air was different. A pure and ethereal air free of the polluting gases that, over the years, humans have been producing with their factories and waste products. Such air was being breathed by Ares, who had entered through the opening that the gods had forced open.

'Yes. This atmosphere... this atmosphere makes me feel alive' he thought.

The smells of the vegetation, added to the mixture of sea salt and sand, made him remember the ancient times when the island was a tourist spot for him and his Olympian brothers.

Themyscira could be the home of the Amazons. But this island had been home to numerous beings. Like the nymphs. The gods. And even, some titans. As it was said. An island paradise lost in time.

Ares was reliving in his head the old, but beautiful memories of his past. The glory days. When they didn't have to hide like cockroaches. When the world... when the world was theirs.

However, the memories ended when a voice spoke. It was Tezcatlipoca, standing beside them.

"No mames, this place makes me feel weak, wey" said Tezcatlipoca, as he felt the island's atmosphere reducing his already low level of power. They were a shadow of their former selves. And the island only enhanced that weakness.

Morrigan and Seth, who were the next to enter, felt it. This island weakened their powers and their divinity. The others went in and felt this. They thought that, being a divine settlement, that is, a territory where it was permitted to use divine powers without consequence, they could recover from their weakness due to the lack of man's faith. But their hopes died as soon as they stepped on the sand.

Ares saw the confusion on the group's face. This made him amused. They had been foolish enough to think it would be so easy to come and attack this island. Foolish thoughts that most of the attackers had when they came to invade in the pass. With a smile, he explained why this was so.

"You thought it would be so simple. Well, it's not. My father and mother invested much, MUCH, power in this island. Their essences are in the air and in the sand we walk on. Unfortunately, my dear friends, this island is Greek territory. Simply put, being gods of other pantheons, you present weakness and restriction in your powers. Do not worry. They are still by far the strongest in this place. There are only a few Amazons who could fight one on one against you. But don't be confident, the Amazons are skilled warriors, and, above all, they have experience against beings like us"

Ares looked off into the distance. Specifically, with his enhanced eyesight, he gazed into the distance at a door hidden with a strong illusion. A door that, if he didn't know it was there, might even camouflage itself for him.

"Besides, we didn't come to conquer. We have a task. Follow the plan, and we'll get out of this place fast" Ares looked at Tezcatlipoca, Morrigan and Seth. "You guys, you know what to do" This sentence made them nod their heads, as they stopped complaining and became serious. As Ares was saying, they had a job. Failing was not an option.

The three separated from the group and headed off on their respective missions.

Seth began to crumble and melt into the sand.

Morrigan used her powers and transfigured into a raven, and flew away.

And Tezcatlipoca simply vanished into the shadows of the forest trees. 

The others didn't even look twice when they left. They were occupied by something else. Specifically by the noisy drumming that could be heard all over the island. Over 2000 km2, but the sound could be heard loud and clear in every corner of the island. Like the clearest of echoes.

"BOOM, BOOM"

"BOOM, BOOM"

"BOOM, BOOM"

"BOOM, BOOM"

"BOOM, BOOM"

The drums of wars rumbled the earth. In the distance, thousands of Amazons on horseback began to approach. All armed with swords, spears, shields and bows made by Hephaestus himself. Weapons that could even harm the assembled gods.

Not only that, but the gods saw how in the distance, in the high mountains, where the temples of worship of the gods were located, hundreds of archers were tied with pulleys and pointed in their direction. They were thousands of yards away, but no one doubted that even at that distance they would fail.

But this did not matter to Ares. This was not his fight. It was theirs. Turning, specifically looking at Nüwa and Bishamonten, he said.

"I leave them to you" with that, Ares also departed, leaving the rest of the group to face the more than 5000 Amazons that were coming to meet them. His destination. The illusory gate he saw in the distance.

The thousands of Amazons approached about 200 meters away. In front, Antiope wore silver armor that made her look beautiful and heroic. When they reached a certain distance, she raised her hand for the warriors to stop.

When they stopped, she turned to the gods. Her voice, added to the echo of the island, meant that they could hear her loud and clear

"My lords. As members of the race of the gods, we welcome you on behalf of all Amazons. However, you have trespassed on Greek territory without permission, or warning. I am Antiope. General of the army of the Amazons. I ask you, in the name of her majesty, Hippolyta, leader of the Amazons, to withdraw from our territory. We have opened the barrier so that you may use your powers freely"

Olorun, god of the heavens of the Yoruba pantheon, was the one who stepped forward and spoke.

"Greetings, Antiope. I am Olorun. Master of the Southern Sky and bringer of the morning light. And I believe there is a misunderstanding. We were indeed invited by a Greek god. We were invited by Ares"

"Ares is a fugitive wanted for committing treason against Olympus. His credentials as a guest have been revoked. His word carries no weight on this island"

"I see..." Olorun sighed, "Sigh. I don't like bloodshed for bloodshed's sake. I prefer the power of words. But when words don't solve anything, actions do. I'm sorry, but we won't go down without a fight. I hope you understand"

"So be it" Antiope turned to her entire army. "AMAZONS. LET'S SHOW THAT LITTLE GROUP OUR FURY"

The Amazons stood in formation. They drew their spears, swords and shields and prepared to attack.

The archers, in the distance, readied their bows. Hundreds of bows pointed from the mountains towards the group of gods.

And further away, catapults and javelins were prepared. Mechanical structures with the power to hurl mighty metal spears that could destroy armored tanks like a knife through butter.

At this point, the Amazons were teaching that it would not be easy to attack their island. That any enemy would regret coming against the Amazon people.

The worrying thing is that, despite all this, the gods made no pretense of moving. What's more, they showed not a hint of fear, doubt or hesitation on their faces. Something that frankly made the Amazons nervous.

The atmosphere became quite tense. A deep silence was experienced in these few seconds. Silence where crickets could clearly be heard chirping in the distance. However, the whole tense atmosphere was broken when a laugh could be heard.

"HA"

"HA, HA"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA"

The laughter came from the beautiful goddess, Ishtar, who wore golden armor with a golden horned helmet that highlighted her ethereal and divine beauty. However, her face looked maniacal as she laughed uncontrollably.

The laughter puzzled everyone present. Ishtar laughed for a couple of seconds until she had enough and stopped laughing. There were a couple of tears in her eyes derived from this laughter. Wiping the tears away, and looking at the bewilderment on the faces of the enemy army, she explained.

"Excuse me, it's just that, hahaha, it's so funny. Excuse me, but in my time, wars had no talk. It was fist to fist, and then, when we won, we would chat with our prisoners, hahaha. Olorun, how formal you sounded. Even I was impressed"

"Diplomacy is something your time lacked, Ishtar"

"I don't doubt it. But this was not necessary. Amazons...WE CAME TO FIGHT" Ishtar began to pour unparalleled pressure from her body. A pink aura began to seep out. This aura began to combine with the air. As the Amazons smelled this essence, their senses began to gawk.

This was a subtle power that caused the enemies' senses to gawk. Unfortunately, it was men that worked best. It would make the female warriors less effective in their combat.

'Fools. They should have attacked without hesitation. They already wasted a lot of time. Time that is gain for us' thought Ishtar. Ishtar continued with her speech.

'Besides, Amazons, I laugh not just at the formality of this battle. But for your naivety. Did you really think that... it's just us?, Bishamonten, DO IT!"

Bishamonten, wearing asian armor, and carrying a spear in his hand, struck that weapon on the ground. This caused the earth to begin to tremble. The sand began to transfigure and deform.

From it, not tens, not hundreds, but thousands of warriors in Chinese imperial armor, formed. The sand began to deform and become harder to the point of becoming like stone. When it was over, thousands of light brown stone soldiers remained. All wearing Chinese imperial dynasty war spears.

This army, were the famous terracotta warriors. Warriors made by the Jade Emperor himself, and given to the first emperor of the Qin dynasty, Qin Shi Huang. Warriors that, to date, had been dormant until called by the spear of the Jade Emperor. This spear is the one used by Bishamonten.

If the Amazons thought they had the numerical superiority. That was over. Bishamonten, looking at the army, commanded.

"Attack!"

The Amazons were not far behind and shouted.

"Amazons. Attack!"

"AHU, AHU. AHU"

Like a stampede. Thousands of horses against thousands of stone soldiers rushing to fight. Hundreds of arrows launched into the air. Giant javelins hurled at the gods. And the gods, not standing still, moved too.

Olorun, Nüwa and Amaterasu took to the skies.

Susanoo and Perun headed for the sea.

Pele and Illapa went to the mountains to stop the archers.

Bastet, Lugh and Ishtar stayed on the ground to cover Bishamonten, who could not move because he needed to continue administering his power to the summoned warriors.

Finally, the army clashed. Swords against spears clashed. Stone against skin. A raw, cruel and chaotic war began on the island of Themyscira. The sand, once clean and yellow, like the most perfect skin, now lay stained with the blood spilled from the attacks on the Amazons.

A war, perhaps not on the scale of Chernobyl, but just as chaotic, had begun....

-----------

The treasure chamber was a safe that, even by modern engineering standards, could be considered a masterpiece. Built by Hephaestus. The solid concrete double-door security mechanism could only be opened through two master keys that Queen Hippolyta secretly guarded.

Inside, lay a huge room filled with artifacts, weapons and important documents that the age of the gods had left behind. Not only Greek. But there were artifacts of Egyptian, Roman, Ottoman and other civilizations that had fallen throughout history.

Artemis and her elite team of 15 Amazon warriors were guarding the room. On the outskirts, they were all positioned in a formation that left no gaps to cover. They had no key and no way in. But their queen had given an order. And if Ares, and his group, had the idea of forcing their way into this vault, then they were tasked with preventing it from happening.

Outside, the cries of war could be heard. Shouts that had not been heard since the last divine war that Ares provoked in the times of the second world war. Each one, their blood boiled to get out of there and go to support their sisters in the hard battle.

But orders were orders, and none of them would disobey. They wanted to go to help. But none of them moved to do so. Instead, they kept alert, in case any anomaly happened. But so far, there were none.

In the stone corridors, where these warriors met, there was a thunderous silence. However, Artemis noticed that the air felt different. Subtle, but different. There was something strange in the atmosphere. As if the air was getting thicker. As if the wind was carrying sand from the beach....

'Sand... that's it' finally, she realized it was happening.

With authority, she signaled for her sisters to position themselves in battle formation. Which they quickly did. Even though no presence was visible, Artemis still said.

"Come out. I know you're in there, intruder"

A rough, raspy voice answered her call. There was a mocking tone in the voice as it spoke

"Oh, what impressive senses you have, miss. I thought I hadn't been noticed, but you proved me wrong"

Out of nowhere, particles of sand, that were blown in the wind, were gathering. Millions of tiny yellow dots formed, transfiguring the body of a tall, thin but muscular man.

Gradually his features were revealed more clearly. The sand was changing color and giving a hue to the man and his clothing.

Finally, after a couple of seconds, a man in golden Egyptian armor revealed himself. He had a jackal mask and blood-red eyes. In his hands, there were two slender daggers of Egyptian steel. His torso was uncovered. Revealing tattoos in the form of Egyptian hieroglyphs denoting the desert, the sun, death, and destruction. It was Seth. The desert god of the Egyptian pantheon.

"Seth, Egyptian god of the desert and destruction. You are trespassing on forbidden territory. Leave now, or we will attack" said Artemis, as she recognized this god.

Seth was unfazed by the threat. Rather, he was surprised because he was recognized by this Amazon. It had been a long time since he had been recognized. Perhaps since the time of the fall of Egypt. With surprise, he expressed.

"I didn't think there was an Amazon who would recognize me. I see I have an admirer in the ranks of these beautiful warriors"

"Admirer?" Artemis said in disbelief. "Ha, not at all. I can't admire someone who has a history of being a traitor to his family. To me, you are a trash god"

"Pure lies concocted by my brother, Osiris, to discredit my candidacy for the mandate of Egypt. Because of such stories, I lost my right to rule what belonged to me. However, you are not entirely wrong, Amazon. I did kill several gods of Egypt. They made me do it. Mere revenge. I hope you understand that. But I am curious about you, beautiful lady. I feel like an affinity with you. I feel that in your blood runs the blood of Egypt"

This was true. Artemis, along with her sister Alexa, unlike the other Amazons, did not come from a Greek or Roman background. They came from an Egyptian background.

They came from an Egyptian family in the last dynasty of Cleopatra, when the Roman Empire wanted to take possession of the Egyptian Empire. Practically, both lived in the last years of the Egyptian empire.

A hard battle for the territory, where the Romans were the winners, caused many Egyptian families to emigrate to Western Europe. Artemis' family, with only her mother as a guide, was one of these immigrant families.

Artemis' hatred for men came from an event where highway robbers had brutally raped and murdered her mother. And they almost did the same to her and her sister if it weren't for the Amazons who rescued them.

Artemis felt so helpless at that moment. She had no strength. She had no power. She could do nothing to prevent her mother's misfortune.

So when she arrived in Themyscira and the queen, Hippolyta, made them the proposal to become part of her society, she did not hesitate. Her sister became a scholar. And she immersed herself in training and became the fierce warrior she is today. Vowing never again to feel that weakness she felt when she lost her mother.

That she was able to recognize Seth was indicative of the imparted customs of her youth. When she was imparted all the Egyptian mythology and devotion to these gods. She easily recognized this god as being one of the most cruel, but dangerous in Egyptian mythology. So yes, as Seth said, Egyptian blood ran in her veins.

But this itself made her understand how dangerous this god was.

"Egyptian blood or not, even so, I will not hesitate to kill you if you take one more step" Artemis threatened, as she positioned her weapon, a beautiful red spear with a double-edged blade, in an attack position. They all positioned themselves in an attack/defense stance.

Seth smiled at this. "If you recognize me, you know how dangerous I can be" Seth moved.

With thunderous speed, he reached the nearest Amazon, which was the one on the left edge, and in one swift movement of his dagger, this one bent down and severed the tendons of said Amazon's feet.

This brought her to her knees. Seth did not stand still. And he quickly struck with all his might, with his fist, the face of the kneeling Amazon. The blow was powerful and placed enough to make her faint. An Amazon had fallen, and all that, in less than 5 seconds.

"Attack!" Artemis demanded. They all moved. Two Amazons arrived at about the same speed as Seth and swung their sword, right at each side of the god's side. But Seth, contrary to everyone's expectations, did not move. Instead, he let them strike. The swords cut, but no blood was spilled, only sand.

There, they remembered that this god, despite looking like a man, had been built from sand. In short, he had almost absolute defense.

Seth took advantage of the bewilderment of these Amazons, and quickly grabbed them by the head. With a swift, agile movement, he smashed both of their heads hard, causing the said Amazons to faint, as their skulls fractured with the power of the blow. 3 had fallen.

There, the massacre began…

"You, Amazons, surely feel superior because of your arduous and cruel training" Seth moved and charged with his daggers against an Amazon.

The Amazon was able to put up the shield, but Seth made a sweep with his feet, which made her fall down. Seth quickly got up and slashed diagonally at the fallen Amazon's neck. The cut was so clean, that the head only parted without spilling a drop of blood

"But you don't know what real training is. You can't even imagine it" He moved against another Amazon who had a spear. He could barely duck to avoid being skewered by this spear. As he fought, he kept talking.

"I spent 100 years in the desert without food, water, or companionship, fighting creatures so dangerous that they would make you pee your pants. All as a lesson from my father, Ra, to learn how to rule. And in the end, he chose my brother, Osiris, who was always given everything and never suffered any misfortune. That was not fair"

He quickly threw one of his daggers, which the Amazon nimbly dodged. But Seth did not mind this. He ran and put his other dagger ready to cut. The Amazon made a cut with her spear right in his hand, but his hand turned to sand and did not do any damage. However, this cut caused him to drop the other dagger.

The Amazon thought Seth was finally helpless, but she was wrong when Seth reached over and from his golden shoulder pads, pulled out a blade and slashed right into the Amazon's skull. Instant death.

With her, 5 had fallen. And only a minute had passed....

"But I do thank my father for the training. As hard as it was. It made me what I am. A god that my brother, Osiris, and my nephew Horus, feared, even in their heyday" Seth looked at the quick massacre he had made with satisfaction. Stretching and feigning weariness, he said, "Phew, and I don't have my full power. If I was at my peak, I wouldn't even have broken a sweat. You'd all be dead by now"

However, he could not continue with his satisfaction when he saw a slash of orange, almost red, coming at him. The cut was so fast that he could barely move to dodge. To his misfortune, the cut hit him on his left side.

The surprising thing here is that this cut did not cause him to spill sand. But golden blood. This cut had really hurt Seth.

Seth felt pain for the first time in centuries. He had already forgotten what it felt like to bleed. Staring in disbelief at his attacker, he saw with astonishment at Artemis, who had attacked with her spear.

The surprise was greater when, at last, she recognized the weapon this Amazon was using. Artemis was not using just any spear like the others. She was using a divine artifact. Specifically, an artifact that belonged to Amun I, gifted by Ra himself.

The spear of the dawn. A spear that had the divinity of Ra on it and that could simulate the fire of the sun itself. This fire, which was present in the blade of the spear, was what caused Seth's wound.

"I see... I thought you were just an Amazon warrior. But now, I know you're an elite commander. And a rather young one at that" Seth couldn't help but praise Artemis. Ares had told him that the only Amazons, who could be a 'nuisance' to these gods, were the so-called elite generals. Those warriors who were given the task of commanding a group of Amazons.

And the fact is that these commanders had a divine weapon. A chosen weapon that enhanced their abilities and gave them a divine ability. Like the fire of Artemis' spear.

Artemis, upon being elected commander, was awarded with a divine weapon. She did not hesitate and chose the only weapon that did not belong to the Greek pantheon. But to the Egyptian. That is, this spear.

This, in order to never forget her Egyptian roots. And, above all. Not to forget the weakness she felt that day she lost her mother.

She was no longer weak. She was no longer helpless. She was strong and powerful. SHE WAS AN AMAZON.

Seth, instead of feeling fear, because this Amazon was using this weapon, he only felt excitement. A maniacal smile began to creep across his face. His red eyes glowed madly.

"YES, YES, YES, YES, HAHAHA, YES. Finally, a worthy opponent. OUR BATTLE WILL BE LEGENDARY. May I know the name of you, miss. I want to remember whose head I will hang in my trophy room"

Artemis glared angrily at this god. His words just sounded like idiocy to her. She would not fall. Not today. Not ever. And especially not against this scum calling himself 'god'.

"My name is Artemis of Bana-Mighdall. Don't forget that, you fucking god. Because that will be the name of the warrior who will end your life"

With that said, they both moved....

------------

Ares arrived and entered through the illusory door. His path so quiet that it even seemed that this island was his home. Actually, in part it was. For, he knew this island like the back of his hand.

When he reached his destination, he found that the place was not empty. For a beautiful woman, dressed in golden armor, was waiting for him. She had a sword in her hand and a ribbon, similar to Diana's, hung at her waist. It was Hippolyta, who could only be described with the word 'beautiful' and 'heroic'. A true warrior queen.

"I see that my stealthy entrance, apparently wasn't so stealthy"

"Gathering a group of 'lackeys' to attack and divert the attention of the Amazons, while you open the gates of the underworld and free the monsters imprisoned here. A clever plan. But predictable. And something you've done before, Ares"

That was Ares' plan. Open the gates of the Underworld and free the numerous mythological beasts to create the largest army on earth. To him, he liked to be followed with devotion and without question. Something the group of gods was clearly not going to do. He wanted this army to follow him and him alone.

"CLAP, CLAP, CLAP, CLAP, CLAP" Ares started clapping for the queen's explanation. "Beautiful and intelligent. Fatal qualities that even we gods admire in a woman. I am envious of my father for being the only one to have tasted such a juicy delicacy. And, more envious because, from that union, came a fearsome and powerful warrior. One that even I hesitate to fight. And very beautiful. Perhaps my destiny was never to taste the mother's flesh. But the flesh of the daughter. I wonder how juicy she will taste. Maybe I'll find out when all this is over..."

"Don't talk about my daughter like that with your filthy mouth, Ares. Diana is the best thing that could have happened to Olympus. The salvation of the earth, and the one who will bring peace. THAT IS MY DAUGHTER" Hippolyta replied angrily.

It was one thing for Ares to make fun of her. That is something she could tolerate, since she knew that this god liked to intimidate with his phrases and thus provoke anger in his enemies. But to insult her daughter, her beloved daughter and her great treasure, that never.

"Now I know where it hurts you most, Hippolyta. An unbreakable woman. That's how everyone described you. And I say a few simple words about your daughter, and you break easily. And you say she's the savior. But we both know the truth. Creating a 'savior' was never my father's wish. YOU and I, know the real reason for Diana's creation"

Ares finally saw a change in Hippolyta's stoic face. There was anger. There was royalty. But now, he saw fear. A cruel smile broke out on his face when he saw this.

'Gotcha' he thought.

'You haven't told her. HA, you haven't told her the truth, HAHAHAHA" Hippolyta could no longer fake her fear. Ares had found out. The truth she had hidden all this time. The truth she kept from her daughter. Her true origin. 

"What a HYPROCRITAL mother you are, Hippolyta. You preach love for your daughter and show your fury at the slightest insult. But you, YOU HAVE LIED TO HER ALL HER LIFE. You have lied to your daughter and you have not revealed the truth to her. You have not revealed her TRUE DESTINY. HER TRUE PURPOSE"

"ENOUGH. SHUT UP. YOU KNOW NOTHING"

Hippolyta moved. Brandishing her sword, a divine artifact left by Hera that could command the very winds.

"SHING" Ares intercepted the attack with his black double-edged sword. An obsidian sword with imperial gold that matched his warrior fury. The more power Ares wielded, the more resilient and powerful the sword became.

"Look at you now. Ha, so desperate. I thought opening the gates of the underworld was going to be fun. But I feel that, if I turn around, and go to Diana to reveal ALL the truth to her, I'll have more fun. Just imagining the look of disappointment she'll get from you, makes my hair stand on end with excitement"

"SHUT THE HELL UP, AGHHHHH" Hippolyta lost her rationality and lashed out in fury. Raw power was released from her body, as she attacked Ares. A beautiful and lethal dance began to brew between these two expert combatants.

They moved so fast that only two blurs were visible. The worst part was that Ares was only defending himself. Hippolyta was attacking with such fury, that she was not letting Ares breathe. At this moment, the queen of the Amazons was proving to be a better warrior than the god of war himself.

Every slash Hippolyta gave brought with it strong gales of wind that cut the god. This was Hera's domain as the queen of the heavens.

Bleeding cuts of golden blood began to emerge all over the body of Ares, who was barely defending himself. However, at no time did he stop smiling. On the contrary, he was getting more and more excited as he felt his opponent was getting stronger.

At this point, Ares was proving that, above all, he was a battle maniac.

"RAAAGGHH" with a scream of fury, Hippolyta slashed right into Ares' side, piercing his shoulder. Ares could take no more, and fell to his knees. Blood began to rain from this wound. But Hippolyta did not stop. She started to bury the sword deeper, making the bleeding cut, bleed even more.

Ares never stopped smiling. With his bare hand, he grabbed the queen's sword, preventing Hippolyta from burying it deeper, and continued speaking.

"You have lied to her. You have kept the truth from her. The truth of what she is. Diana is not the savior of the world or the savior of Olympus. No. She's not even close. She is a weapon. She was created for that purpose. TO BE THE ULTIMATE WEAPON. THE SLAYER OF GODS. The weapon that will destroy all of my father's enemies. Diana, she is simply a tool of Olympus"

"SHUT UP, just... shut up. She's not a weapon, Ares. She is my daughter. My beloved, little, daughter"

Ares spat some blood onto the floor. His shoulder ached with hell. "You know, I can mock, but I respect you. And besides, I prefer to break my enemies with my sword, and not with mere hurtful words. Don't worry, I won't say anything to her"

"That's a relief-" Hippolyta sighed in relief. But she was interrupted by Ares.

"BUT. I've had enough of sentimentality. Too much emotional talk for today. Tezcatlipoca already talks a lot of family crap and frankly, I'm tired of it. It's time for me to get serious, and open the gates of the underworld"

Ares began to put out a red aura. A red aura so powerful that it began to shake the entire room. Cracks began to form in the room from this pressure. Hippolyta, who thought this god was hurt, was surprised when she felt a power similar to when Ares was at his peak. At this moment, if he was wounded, he was not showing it one bit.

As the aura covered Ares' body, it began to grow disproportionately. His muscles began to grow to the point where his arms were larger than the head of the queen herself. His body also began to grow to the point where he was over eight feet tall. Her red eyes, glowed brighter than ever.

The sword, his black obsidian sword, began to grow along with him, until it reached a wingspan of almost 2 meters.

As he grew, he gradually rose, leaving a small-looking Hippolyta beside him, quite surprised, and, above all, frightened. The ground began to crack as well. And the door, that door to the underworld that was in this room, shook and rattled.

"You know, it makes me laugh when they think I'm still hurt. Don't get me wrong. I'm not at my peak. But I'm not hurt anymore. And, most of all, this island not only brings back beautiful memories of my past glories, but it also brings me power. A power I have not felt in a long, long time"

If the gods felt weak being here, with Ares it was the opposite. This was his territory. Greek territory. This island, it only made him stronger, to the point where it felt like he had been injected with numerous steroids.

"I won't tell your daughter anything. That is a promise. But I can't promise I won't do anything to you. Unfortunately, you're in my way"

Ares moved at a speed that, even for Hippolyta, was hard to see. With a single blow from his huge fist, he sent the queen flying like a rag doll crashing into the wall.

Hippolyta got up quickly, but Ares was quicker. Despite his enormous size, he was proving that his speed had increased proportionally to his strength. Ares struck the queen's head hard. Blood gushed from her nose and mouth from this blow.

Ares moved, and with a single motion, bent the queen's arms at inhuman angles. This only made her scream in pain. As if that wasn't enough. With his huge foot, he stomped hard on the Amazon's leg, destroying every bone in it.

Although Hippolyta, by sheer force of will, wanted to get up, she could no longer. Ares had easily incapacitated her.

"I won't kill you. It wouldn't be fun to do so. I'd rather you watch a horde of murderous monsters destroy all your beloved people"

Ares was moving closer to the door. Every step he took made the earth rumble. Each time he approached, the gate moved as if waiting for this god to take back what was his. His beloved army of monsters.

Hippolyta tried to move. Despite all her broken bones, and bent limbs, she tried to crawl. But it was useless. Tears began to stream down her face as she felt utter despair at this. If Ares opened the doors, all was lost....

Ares began to imbue the gates with his power. The numerous chains, which protected the door and prevented it from opening, were being destroyed as Ares exerted his power. All seemed lost.

Just before the last chain fell, a loud, but crisp, "BANG!" was heard.

A large, orange ball attacked the god's back. Which caused him to grunt in pain. A third-degree burn was left as a mark by this ball. Then, another, and another, and another ball arrived

"BANG!"

"BANG!"

"BANG!"

More and more balls flew at the god's back, severely wounding him. Which made him stop generating his power at the door and turn to look at his attacker. With a hatred deep in his heart, he said.

"It's you... Ghost Rider"

There he saw it. A flaming skull, in a leather biker outfit, was pointing his shotgun at him. Edgar had arrived. For Ares, this meant nothing good. This opponent was powerful. And his infernal energy, his orange fire, was very harmful to his divine race.

However, for Hippolyta, Edgar's arrival meant hope. A hope that, just a few seconds ago, she felt was lost. For Edgar's arrival only signaled the arrival of her daughter, and thus, the arrival of reinforcements. The Justice League was here.

The Ghost Rider had arrived. And he was ready to fight against the god of war...

-------------

AN:

My P@treon 

TioIroh99 (10 chapters ahead)

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