Issue #16: X, Personal.

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Saintbarbido A/N: Broke the frame of my glasses. The screen huuuuurtttss.

(General P.O.V)

She'd won.

There was no defeating her now. Not when Hippolyta's legacy was bleeding out in the sands of the arena.

Captain Alkyone no more. Meet Queen Alkyone.

And to ensure no thoughts of revolution or a reinstatement of the old regime arose- it was time. Time to cement her reign.

"...Look on dear subjects."

She spoke, voice projected by the enchantments carved on the royal box.

"Look on and bear witness to what happens when you defy royalty."

From the Eastern gate, a squad of Amazons led the 12 Senate members out in chains.

Another wave of pandemonium and confusion rose up.

Especially when, behind them, Queen Hippolyta and the Royal Guard, Pillyphus were similarly escorted, hands bound in silver cuffs not unlike the ones used on Kane.

"Agatha."

Pillyphus called out to her long time friend, an Amazonian with a scar falling from her forehead through her eye and down her cheek.

"This is madness. And you and your squad know this."

Pillyphus added, face pale with blood loss.

Alkyone had ordered for her to be treated. Not out of mercy however- she needed to make an example out the Queen's long time friend and lover.

Devastating Hippolyta made the whole thing that much sweeter.

"Silence prisoner."

Agatha hissed, prodding the blunt end of her spear onto Pillyphus' ribs.

The latter took it like a champ, though the twist of her face showed she felt the pain.

"Pillyphus."

Queen Hippolyta called out in a cold tone.

"Do not beg."

All the guards escorting them shivered at the Queen's frigid tone.

"Hold your head up high. These Amazonian are cowards. Do not waste precious air on them. They're not our true fight, she is."

And that's when Pillyphus and everyone in the Coliseum noticed the dot gently floating down onto the Arena. It grew bigger and bigger until Alkyone's voice cut through the tension with gleeful commentary.

"...and for those who refuse my gracious leadership...I would like for you all to meet my new friend...the witch of Aia."

"It's really her."

Pillyphus bit out.

"It's really Circe. How is she here? The Matron goddesses sealed her away thousands of years ago."

"Alkyone must have found Circe's prison and begun whittling away at it for years."

Hippolyta theorized, just as their procession arrived at their destination.

The execution platform where a guillotine awaited.

They were constructed close to the barricade on the other side of the Obstacle Course.

And had not been in use for hundreds of years.

This ensured everyone in the Arena could see them except for Diana and Kane, who were busy watching Circe.

"Added to the presence of males on the Island, the immortal magicka running through Themiscyra must have further weakened the seal, allowing her to escape."

The Chair of the Council pitched in.

"I said, silence!"

Agatha lashed out with a kick that sent the former to the ground.

"Hey!"

Hippolyta yelled, voice strong despite the predicament.

"Do that one more time and I promise you, not even Circe will save you from my wrath."

The scarred woman blinked in fear. She hadn't forgotten who they were dealing with.

Only for the air to grow heavy. A pressure none of them were expecting pressed on their shoulders.

"Well well well, if it isn't two of my old friends. Still as spirited as ever I see."

Circe said, appearing above Hippolyta and the rest.

The former queen looked up with no fear in her eyes only for her mouth to fall open in shock.

Levitating beside Circe in the air were Kane and Diana, hands clawing at their necks as the Witch of Aia choked them with telekinesis.

"Release my daughter at once!"

Hippolyta slammed her foot on Agatha's knee, snapping it and sending her onto the ground howling in pain.

Then she proved why the Gods chose her to be queen of an Island of warrior women. By using her right foot she flipped Agatha's spear up before kicking out again.

This time her foot landed on the pommel, sending the lance flying towards Circe.

The spear cut through the air sharply, only to stop mere inches away from her.

Then it fell to the ground, all momentum lost.

"And mean as well. Tsk tsk tsk Hippolyta, is this how you treat an old friend?"

Circe sneered down, twitching a finger and bringing Diana forward.

"Maybe I should teach you a lesson on manners...what would you say...I make your daughter's blood boil in her veins? You know I can very well do that."

"No..."

Hippolyta said weakly.

Diana was her biggest strength...and weakness.

"Circe! You can't get away with this!"

Pillyphus barked out from the Queen's side.

"Watch me."

Was all Circe said, before Diana's screams of pain filled the entire Coliseum.

Hippolyta and everyone else could only watch in horror as steam left the Princess' body from every orifice on her face.

Her skin also glowed a bright red.

Alkyone seated on the Queen's rightful throne chuckled darkly.

"Yes...yes...more. Make them hurt..."

(Kane's P.O.V)

Fuck.

The situation from before while less than ideal was still salvageable. I don't know how to fight this.

My body was entirely immobile and out of my control. The only thing I could do was regulate my heart beat as the oxygen supply going to my brain was woefully missing.

She had us by the balls, only it was the neck.

She was Darth Vadering me years before Vader was even a thing.

On top of that, Diana's agonizing screams were not only an assault on my ears but an affront to me who owed her a favor.

And Circe, the Bitch of Aia was torturing her before her own mother. This is worse than the Blue Swan mission in Chile. (I try to forget that particular clusterfuck)

Still, we were in a bad spot. And I had to come up with something before my body could no longer take it and pass out.

That's when I heard a growl behind me. A sound that was heard throughout the entire Coliseum if the way Hippolyta and the Amazons below us reacted.

The Hellhound.

My beautiful Beast from Hades!

Yes!

It begun with the warmth of a camp fire before the temperature dramatically rose up.

"Don't think I forgot about you mutt..."

Circe was only just turning around, when a massive tank of flesh, burning with blue flames all over its body collided onto her. Sending the Bitch from Aia flying away hundreds of feet.

Immediately, the force choking me disappeared and Diana and I found ourselves falling onto the ground.

A strand of webbing shot out, grabbing the princess and pulling her to my embrace a few feet before my soles landed on the Arena.

"Jesus...you're burning up."

I told her, actually having to let go. Partly due to the heat and partly due to the enemy still being alive.

We couldn't drop our guard. I could still hear her heartbeat.

"T-thanks."

The Princess threw my way, eyes on the furthest end of the Arena, right where The Hellhound stood. It's back was to us as she faced a hole made in the stands.

Her jaw opened her a surge of blue flames washed into the hole, melting a large portion of that section of the Coliseum.

All the Amazons there had wisely evacuated.

"That W-won't keep her down for long. She's annoying to fight. "

Diana complained, rubbing her neck.

"I know."

Came my answer.

"She's strong. Very strong."

But there was a way to beat her. This is what I do for a living. Killing those that should not be killed...or could not be killed.

"But everything has a-"

I begun.

"-weak point."

Diana completed.

We stared at each other.

"Kane, I need to ask you for that favor you owe me."

Diana said, finally rising up to her feet while grabbing a spear that lay on the ground.

"I need X."

She said in a tone that brokered no argument.

Following her gaze, I understood what she meant.

"Okay. You handle the Bitch, I'll rescue your mother. Lord knows we might need all the help we can get."

"Thank you."

Diana nodded at me, then the look in her eyes changed as she crouched low.

"By the time I'm through with Circe, no help will be needed."

Then she leaped, easily clearing the large distance between us and the Hellhound. Spear in hand- she charged into the fiery pit created by Circe's body.

Meanwhile, I had a job to do.

"Oi."

I called out, walking towards a woman who resembled Diana to a scary degree.

"We haven't been formally introduced your majesty."

I bowed down, proper etiquette demanded showing respect to royalty. They took that shit seriously.

"My name is-"

"Halt!"

A woman with a scar on her face called out, leaning on another guard while favoring her right leg.

Thwip!

Thwip!

Thwip!

A few strands of spider web covered her mouth and body, shutting her trap.

I did the same to the other guards as well, not having the patience or inclination to deal with more Arissa types.

Hippolyta and the former prisoners looked at the webs around the immobilized Amazon's strangely.

"You're Kane. The man my daughter was so taken with. I have to say, you're more attractive in person."

Hippolyta said from the head of the group, eyes roaming over my shirtless form.

"You flatter me your Majesty."

I smiled at her.

"What say you we get those dastard things off your wrists?"

She held out her hands.

I grabbed the chain connecting the manacles together and applied pressure.

Snap! The chain links broke.

The manacles followed right after. Then I repeated the same to what I suspected was the upper brass of Themiscyra.

The attire they wore certainly gave credence to the notion.

"That was pure Osmium. Not even an enchanted blade could have cut through, yet you broke them quite easily."

A regal and tough looking Amazon said from the Queen's side. She had a hand over the left side of her belly; where I could see blood leaking through her clothes.

Despite the injury, her body was tilted my way, prepared for any move made on Hippolyta.

"I'm a man of many talents."

I responded just as the Coliseum trembled with a powerful impact.

Diana vs Circe was well in it's second round.

"I believe it would be wise if you escorted her majesty from the Arena. Something tells me things are about to get more hectic."

I pointed out, another shake rocking the ground we stood on.

"I believe so too."

Hippolyta agreed, turning to address Pillyphus and the others.

"Unseen and unnoticed, the flesh wounds from our past went untreated and now they have festered. I want Alkyone's head."

The last part was said while she stared at the Royal Box on the stands.

"And a new crown as well. The one on her head is tainted by her idiocy."

Her subjects stood to attention.

The wave of discontent and outrage in the Coliseum was quickly changed to cheers and adoration.

"Tch. The lot of them should face execution if you ask me. Not one stepped forward to defend their queen."

The Queen's Royal Guard said, sneering at the spectators in the stands.

"Then I wouldn't have subjects to rule over then, would I Pillyphus?"

Hippolyta shot back.

"Besides, it's the sheep mentality problem."

I pitched in, only to change my follow up statement as we were out of time:

"And you should really be going now...

Danger Sense had started going out of whack.

"Duck!"

Especially when my Hellhound pet was sent flying away from her position, body sailing above us before smashing onto the wrecked obstacle course behind.

It wasn't the only thing to follow though, as massive pieces of rock and a cloud of dust was right on her heels.

I jumped over the Queen's group, landing behind them in a bid to intercept the projectiles.

Okay, how does Spiderman do it in the movies again?

Oh yeah.

I stretched the right hand to the left and vice versa, then I let it rip, producing and spinning the webs from my spinneret in a splattered shape.

I could intuitively reshape my webs into what I wanted although that only worked for simple shapes like balls, nets e.t.c

The ends of the webbing attached to each side of the arena creating a blanket of sorts that stopped every projectile in place.

"Now for the kicker..."

I listened intently, before pulling the blanket back, like the string of a bow and when Diana was sent flying into the skies I released the web blanket.

It snapped back in place, all those rocks and pieces of the Coliseum thrown back the way they came. The target being Circe whose position I could auditory tell.

Clash!

Boooom!

More dust arose.

A whistle left my lips and without waiting a single second, I started running forward, knowing two things.

One, Circe was most definitely not dead and two with the three of us maybe we could change that.

Woof!

My Beast from Hades came through, appearing at my side and keeping pace with me despite moving at speeds that I was sure would outpace a car.

I jumped ontop of her, rubbing her head with pride just as an enraged Circe burst out of the devastated stands.

"You fucking stinky mutt! I will-"

She started, only for me to give the signal.

Blue flames hotter than anything else leapt out of the Hellhound's mouth. The flames were so ferocious, they looked more white than blue.

They completely burned a hole through the Coliseum, exposing the whole structure to the open air, and the ocean beyond the coast.

"Hahahahahaha!"

Circe appeared high above us, cackling like the witch she was.

"I see you little man. How resourceful, not many can tame a Hellhound."

She spread her hands out, a malicious grin on her face.

"But you've just dug your own grave, all elemental magic share the same weakness. An opposing element."

Oh crud.

Behind her, tons of water rose out of the ocean. Her range was insane!

The Tsunami of water was easily high enough to blot out the sun, casting a shadow over the Coliseum.

The Hellhound started whining, taking scared steps back.

"Yeah, I agree as well. Let's get out of here."

I ordered and without wasting time, she was off, approaching the obstacle course.

"You can't outrun this and you can't hide!!"

Circe's voice reached me despite the noise of surging water above us.

Krakoom!!!

A pillar of green lightning fell from the sky, decimating what remained of the obstacle course with impunity.

First telekinesis, then hydrokinesis and now electrokinesis?

That's final boss capabilities. Way too high for the current me. I've only been in this place for 3 days!

Before I could figure a way out of the tight spot we found ourselves in, Circe's water attack finally arrived.

I looked back, seeing the destruction about to befall us, only for my vision to be covered by blue flames.

And then I was somewhere else. Still in the Arena however. Looking around, I discovered I was surrounded by some of the Hellhound's flames left burning during her initial attack.

Did she teleport me through the flames?

Turning back in urgency, I was treated to a sight that made my blood run cold and hot at the same time.

My former position was gone, now covered in a large crystal ice structure and within that ice, staring right at me, (she knew where I would pop out-meaning that she was the one that sent me away, saving my life) was my...was my friend.

Her eyes did not blink. The blue flames burning on her fur were nowhere to be seen.

Then the ice cracked.

And shattered into a billion pieces, dissolving into mist and disappearing into the air.

I reached out with a hand, before letting it fall listlessly.

"I finally have a name for you...Pyra."

Diana landed right next to me, feet pattering on the now wet ground.

My voice chopped through the silence of the Arena with the force of a guillotine.

"Hey Diana, Let's Kill this bitch."

"Gladly."

Diana curtly replied.

(General P.O.V)

Descending from the heavens like some sort of sick and twisted god, the witch of Aia stared down at the insignificant insects on the ground.

"Kill me?! Do you know how many have tried that? Even the gods could only seal me. I'll show you where happens to little shits who try and act tough around me-"

The whole Coliseum started shaking madly, prompting the spectators on the stands to escape as a large chunk of it was unceremoniously torn away.

The super massive chunk of stone cast a shadow over Kane and Diana.

Circe grinned maniacally, a split lip (Diana had gotten in a few shots in) looking macabre on her wild face, filled with hatred.

"-Crush them!"

She finished and without much preamble, the chunk fell down on the Demigoddess and the assasin.

The entire Arena went silent, awaiting the inevitable impact.

ZzzZzttttt!

Thwip!

Only for the boulder to part in two, a fast moving glowing yellow whip slicing the rock in two.

"Borrowed a page from your book."

Kane smirked at Diana, holding onto two dozen feet long tendrils of web.

Yellow sparks of bio-electricity ran down the length of the tendrils which were more like whips, hissing erratically.

Diana winced.

"More lightning...yay..."

Kane's eyes were dragged to the burn marks on her hands.

"Oh trust me, mine won't just leave scars, it will split her apart."

"I hope so."

Diana replied, a hard look in her eyes as she stared up at Circe.

"I admit, I need all the help I can get."

Kane stepped closer to her.

"Then listen close...she has a range on all her magic spells. It's a pretty big one but outside of it..."

"The magic fails."

Diana finished.

"Done whispering?"

Circe asked.

"Because if you are...it's time to spill Zeus blood on these sands. There's a ritual to do."

Interesting. But not important for now.

I turned to fully face her. My new target.

"And Circe, you made one mistake. You made things...personal. And you never make things personal with an assasin."