88 Chapter 82: Treason
"Talking"
'Thinking'
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Valhalla, June 16, 2017
Víctor Stone/Cyborg POV
'How long has it been?'
Seconds, minutes, hours, days. I didn't know how long it had been since I'd arrived in this shitty prison. My blurred vision, dizzy mind, and fuzzy thoughts only made my space-time disorientation worse.
They had tried to break me, and honestly by now, I was starting to give in. They wanted information – what?, I didn't know. But already numerous thoughts about whether to talk and get them what they wanted to get out of here were going through my head.
At this point, the only thing keeping me sane was focusing on the great burning smell that flooded the entire cell. The smell of roasting meat, mixed with the iron of dried blood, was a huge reminder of my sad reality.
My body was a mess. Dried blood all over the non-robotic areas of my body. Scarred scabs on my face moistened with my tears. Pain so intense in every nerve in my body that I thought I would never feel again since I became part robot. I knew, after this, my body would never be the same. I would always be left with mental scars from this torture.
The lack of food and water only made my stay here a bigger ordeal.
Not even the Motherbox could help me anymore because after a while, without telling me anything, it activated the power sleep mode, turning off all the technological functions to which I normally had access.
No matter how much I talked to it, no matter how much I begged it not to leave me, the Motherbox no longer responded. Simply put, the Motherbox had left me alone.
Whether this was to maintain power, or whether it simply activated this sleep mode to keep me safe from torture, I honestly didn't care. The only important thing was that I had no escape.
"I want to get out of here" I said to the wind, my only confidant in this lonely prison. Surprisingly, a voice that felt so close but so distant at the same time, answered me.
"How little you endure, child. It's only been a couple of days and you're already breaking" the voice said to me. His words hurt, but his tone lacked the mocking tone that you would normally hear in such sentences. Rather, they lacked emotion. As if this voice had lost the will to live.
'Maybe this is what my voice is like after spending more time here'
"Who are you?" I asked. I tried to focus my fuzzy mind and brought my eyes back into focus on the beautiful hallway where Ares had previously spoken to me. There was no one there. The voice was not coming from the hallway. But, still, it could be heard nearby.
The voice did not answer me. Silence reigned again in the room. The funny thing is that this made me feel empty. Funny. For a moment, I thought at least I would have someone to keep me company. For a moment, I thought my loneliness was over. But then again, my reality was different.
"I think I've given in to my madness. Lack of food and lack of water make me hear things" I said. Maybe that voice is my subconscious wanting to have a friend. Maybe the wind took pity on me and answered my questions. But the reality was different, when the voice answered me again.
"You have not gone mad. Nor am I a figment of your imagination. I am real. Just another prisoner in this impossible-to-escape prison"
"So, you...?"
"I'm in the cell next to you, child. Listening to you bawl and beg. Honestly, at this point it was either ask you to shut up or make me lose my sanity" the man spoke. Finally, a tone could be noted in his voice. A funny one, surprisingly. He was mocking me, but he wasn't doing it in a bad way. It was more like when you tease a friend.
Now I understood that the closeness of his voice was because he was next to me. He was a prisoner in a cell next to mine. Specifically, on my left side if my hearing does not fail me.
Although his words brought a bit of embarrassment in me. But what did I expect. I was a man subjected to the worst of tortures. I think I had a right to cry. Besides, until a second ago, I thought I was alone.
"Sorry about that. I thought..."
"That you were alone?"
"Yes"
"Well, you're not. But I don't blame you for the crying. Honestly, you're taking it better than I thought. I've seen gods bend earlier than you with these torture chains"
This surprised me. It made the point that he knew where we were. And, most of all, it made the point that he knew about the gods, as if this person were....
"You're one of them, aren't you?" I asked. The god, with a dry laugh, answered me.
"Took you long enough to guess, child. Yes, I am a god. And one who was also in the attack on Themyscira. My name is Lugh. God of the arts of the Celtic Pantheon"
This caused me to open my eyes in surprise. I wanted to move, but an electric current made me remember that, at the slightest movement, these things would activate. But I no longer screamed. I just made a little grunt. I guess I'm slowly getting used to the pain.
"How is it possible that you are here, you are not one of them?" I asked. I didn't understand. How this god, Lugh, was here. My mind couldn't come up with the answer. Besides, he was in the attack. In short, he was with them. And, now he was here. That I could not understand.
Silence once again reigned in the prison. Even the wind seemed to die down as if it trying to hear the god's answer. For a moment, I thought he would not answer me, but after a minute, Lugh answered me.
"For treason.... I am in this cell for betraying the gods"
..
..
..
"I-"
"I don't want to hear your words of encouragement, child"
"I didn't... I wasn't going to... I'm sorry" I said. The truth is, I was going to say words of encouragement to him. It was what I knew. The Justice League was known for always trying to reason with criminals. Giving them words of encouragement. But this god stopped me. I couldn't blame him, though.
"Don't be sorry, child. The last thing I want is your pity. Not now. And not ever...Least of all, when I know I didn't do it"
This made my eyes widen, again in surprise. "Wait, wait, wait, wait. What do you mean by you didn't do it?"
"Like you heard, kid. I didn't. I didn't betray the gods. They set me up. I'm sure of it"
Lugh was overflowing venom in his voice. Even though I could only hear him and could not see him, I could imagine his face boiling with rage. With a tone filled with hatred, he spoke.
"Ares and his group... they have betrayed me"
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START OF FLASHBACK
General POV
Valhalla, June 14, after a few minutes of leaving Themyscira, 2017
In the main hall of Valhalla, the group of gods were gathered after having returned from the unexpected but tough fight against the heroes.
Surprisingly, most of them had injuries. Some minor like scratches, and others serious like facial bones, where numerous blood bathed their bodies. However, none of them seemed to care about that. They were as if nothing had happened.
They literally did not mind the pain. They were already used to these injuries, and more. For them, the pain was just a reminder of all their experience in numerous battles in the chaotic age of the gods they lived through. These wounds, to them, were pure nostalgia.
However, there was something that bothered them. Specifically, the absence of someone. Nüwa was the one who spoke.
"Seth is not here"
Perun, who was next to her, said.
"I didn't feel his divine signature before we left either. He was there when we were fighting, but when we left...he was gone"
This brought a silence in the group of gods that, without Seth, were 14 in number. They did not want to believe it, but that was the reality. Nevertheless, no one said anything. As if saying it was a taboo.
Ares was the only brave one who deigned to speak. Of all of them, he was the most injured. His burns were horrible to look at. His scars made him look like someone out of the scariest nightmares. But this didn't matter to Ares. They were wounds of war.
In a hoarse voice, the result of the destruction of his vocal cords with Edgar's attack, he spoke.
"Seth is dead. The Amazons, or someone from the group of heroes, was strong enough to kill him" Ares didn't stop there. Instead, he looked at everyone gathered with an impassive gaze and said, "I told you this mission was dangerous. I told you that the Amazons were not easy prey. I told you they had experience against us. And YOU didn't listen. Seth paid the consequences of his ineptitude. He got overconfident and lost. This was his"
"No, Ares. This was your doing" Lugh interrupted him. "It's your plan. You decided to send him alone. His death is YOUR fault"
"Is it really my fault?" Ares asked Lugh.
"Yes" Lugh answered him resolutely. Everyone stared impassively at this conversation. A duel of glances began to form between this pair of gods. The atmosphere felt tense in the room. The duel of glances ended, when Ares nodded and said.
"Fine, I'll prove to you that's not true" Ares turned to look at Morrigan, who was watching the discussion uninterestedly with dead eyes, and said, "Morrigan, my dear, please show us what you went looking for"
Morrigan nodded. Summoning her power, she generated thousands of ravens which then descended upon her hands. The thousands of crows, slowly dwindled, becoming and transfiguring into a large, thick book that rested on her hands.
"Here you go. It was in the place you told me. It was very simple to obtain" Morrigan said, as she handed the book to Ares.
The book was golden, like gold plating. It was quite thick and heavy. But in Ares' hands, it felt like a feather. As beautiful as the cover was, to the gods, this book seemed nothing special. No divine power to indicate that it was an artifact. No hint that it was a weapon. But that was not true. This book was definitely very special and important.
"See this book" Ares showed the book to everyone. "Morrigan had as a job to bring it. This book, it's not just any book, people. This book is a secret book that my father, Zeus, left secretly in Themyscira. Not even the Amazons knew of its existence. This book is the handbook of Valhalla. That's right, mates. This book has ALL the secrets of this mythical city. Secrets that only our fathers knew and kept to themselves"
Ares began to pace, as he spoke. "Perhaps, Themyscira had powerful weapons in its vault. Perhaps it had the gates to the Underworld where numerous beasts were found. But as I had mentioned before, that city was never my plan. This city, Valhalla, was always my plan" Ares pointed to the city glittering with splendor, and continued.
"Friends, here are weapons far more powerful than any divine settlement could ever have. Artifacts so powerful that they would make our enemies tremble. And, above all, in this city, lie the last golden apples. Those apples with which Gaea and Uranus got their powers. Those apples that, if we eat them, will give us back our power and even boost it to a level we never thought we had" finally, he pointed to the book and finished, "Those secrets and more, are in this book"
They all looked longingly at the book in Ares' hands. Each of the gods looked as if they were going to pounce on Ares and snatch such a juicy piece of information from him. Ares seemed to notice this, so, smiling, he said to them.
"But it's not all that easy, folks. Look" Ares opened the book and there they could all see that, written on it, were numerous rather incoherent symbols. They were not Greek, Latin, Persian, Egyptian, Celtic or any other language the gods handled. It was a language totally incomprehensible to them.
"The book was written at the time of Uranus. As I mentioned to you, we all came from a common planet called Genesis. This language, my friends, is Genesian, the ancient language of the gods. Language that our parents spoke, but never deigned to teach us"
"Then what shall we do, how shall we learn the language?" asked Amaterasu with clear disappointment on her beautiful face. Ares' words, frankly, brought her illusion. For a moment, she felt she could become more powerful than her father, Izanagi, in his prime. Illusion that was shattered when she saw the unknown language in the book.
How could they want to learn anything, if they didn't understand it. Ares, seeing the disappointment on the face of this beautiful goddess, said to her.
"Calm down, my dear. I have thought of everything" Ares now turned to Tezcatlipoca and said, "You got him, didn't you?"
"Sure, wey, what do you take me for?, the prisoner is in his cell unconscious. I think he'll wake up in a couple of hours"
"Perfect"
"What prisoner?" Lugh interrupted their conversation. He didn't understand what they meant by 'prisoner'. That wasn't in the plan. At least, not in the plan he was informed of. However, everyone seemed to be aware of this. Everyone seemed to know about it but him.
"Oh, yes. I almost forgot our conversation, Lugh. You wanted to know who was to blame for Seth's death. Well, the one to blame for his death, rather, the one to blame for EVERYTHING... is you, fucking traitor"
Ares began to exert an unparalleled imprisonment on Lugh. The pressure was weak. The result of him having expended so much power against Hippolyta and Edgar. But, still, this surprised the Celtic god, for he did not understand what Ares meant by that accusation.
"I... I didn't..."
"Morrigan, again if I may trouble you, my dear" Morrigan nodded at Ares' request and again exerted her power. But this time, a large shadow emerged from the ground and from it a memory was projected for all to see. Specifically, a memory seen from the sky by the ravens of this goddess.
The raven, which was watching everything, and where the memory came from, was seen to be on a tree near a London street. At first nothing could be seen, but then Lugh was seen sneaking to that spot. He was wearing a hood, but even so his features could be seen clearly. He was seen to melt into the shadows, and enter the place without touching.
The raven flew, and then projected a new perspective looking into the window of the house. There it was seen as Lugh talked to a beautiful woman in pajamas. It was Madame Xanadu. The whole memory, was of his visit to Nimue. At the end, it was seen as Lugh passed memories to her with his power, warning her of the gods' plan. And then, the memory was cut off when the raven flew away.
The entire conversation with Nimue, from her arrival, to her departure, the raven had seen it all. All was now revealed to the gods. The betrayal of this Celtic god.
"You see, Lugh. You are the traitor in this group. You have betrayed us. You tipped off the Justice League that we were going to attack Themyscira. But I took advantage of it, and I changed my plans. I asked Tezcatlipoca to be there at dawn and kidnap Cyborg. And boy, did he do it right. Now the Motherbox is in our possession"
"I... I didn't do it... THAT WAS NOT ME. Ares is lying. He is lying. He's lying to you about everything. I DIDN'T DO IT" Lugh pleaded. He wasn't the one in the video. He looked like him, yes, but he wasn't. There were little things that made him different. It was all a set-up. He wanted to warn them about that. About everything. That Ares was lying.
But no one listened to him. They all looked at him with hatred. And the fact is that, for the gods, the most hated were the traitors to their own race. Those gods who sold out their own race for greed, power or a difference in ideals. And for them, Lugh had put himself on this list. For them, Lugh had preferred humans over them.
Lugh saw that he could do nothing. They would not listen to him. Not at this moment when it seemed that everything pointed to him being a traitor.
Besides, fighting was not an option. He was strong, perhaps the best weapon fighter in the group, but he could never even think of facing these assembled gods. Maybe a couple of them, but there were 14 of them, and all as strong as he was.
The best thing to do was to escape. Run away and think of a solution to clear his name. Quickly, he turned around and wanted to invoke his power to escape, but just at that, a snake tail wrapped around his leg, dragging him and preventing him from leaving. Then a sword came and was thrust right into his stomach. This made him grunt in pain.
"AGH!"
From there, numerous tendrils of darkness emerged, trapping his hands and other limbs. These tendrils lifted him up like a chained prisoner.
If this wasn't bad enough, Bastet, the cat goddess, approached, and, in a surprise attack that no one saw coming, slashed her claws across Lugh's face, severely wounding him. Golden blood was spilled as a claw mark from forehead to chin hovered over the Celtic god's face.
"Maybe, Seth didn't like me. He was a pain in the ass, I'll admit. But he was from my pantheon, asshole. You pay for that in blood"
"I didn't. You must believe me, please, Ares is-" However, just at that, a blow came from behind the back of his neck that made him pass out. Ares finished it all, knocking him out.
"Lugh has betrayed us. But we must not kill him. He's still useful to us. Besides, thanks to him we were able to catch Cyborg. Now we must 'convince' the boy hero to help us translate these texts. And also, get the information out of him on how to become multiversal beings. By doing so, we can break the law that binds us and prevents us from attacking the world.
Finally, the age of the gods will return"
END OF FLASHBACK
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"As you see, child. I have been betrayed. I never went to see that woman. Nimue was an acquaintance, perhaps she could even be considered close, but I did not pass that information on to her. It was all Ares' doing. It's all part of a bigger plan. A plan to become the supreme ruler of the gods"
"I... I don't know what to say. I'm sorry" Cyborg was numb from all this information. The story had been amazing. As Lugh told it, he could even feel his hatred as he felt how he was betrayed by Ares. How he was deceived. His words made Victor feel his pain.
However, Lugh interrupted him, "As I said, child. I don't want your forgiveness. I don't want your pity... Sigh, you must not feel pity. In the end, it's not your fault. You're just another victim of this. But I'll give you some advice, kid. You must resist. Despite the pain. Of the inhuman torture you are subjected to, you must resist. Do not break. Because if you do, they will have won"
"Ares said he wanted information, is that what they want?"
"Yes, but not just any information. What they want is a way to break the 'non-intervention' treaty, which ties our hands. Said treaty protects the world and keeps us from getting involved in the current era. That the gods have not moved and let the humans grow is because of this treaty. If they nullify it..." Lugh didn't have to finish the sentence for Cyborg to realize the dangers involved.
"There are other things too. Information that the Motherbox has that Ares surely wants to know, But for the life of you, you must not give them anything. YOU MUST NOT GIVE IN TO THEIR WHIMS, Cyborg"
"What if I do...?"
"Then, all will be lost"
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Jefferson Pierce Academy, Metropolis, United States, June 17, 11:20, 2017
In Raven's class, the students were waiting for the teacher to arrive so that he could start the next class. Like any school, when no teacher was around, the students would get up and chat with their friends.
And this was no different for Raven's group. Right now, Rachel, Garfield Logan (Beast Boy) and Thea Queen, were in a separate corner talking about the events that were happening right now at the Justice League. Well, more like Garfield was talking, Thea was asking questions and Raven was listening intently to everything.
"I'm telling you, girls. No one was hurt this time, but word is that a superhero was kidnapped. The Justice League is in search protocol. That's what I heard from Jaime (Blue Beetle), who heard it from Wally (Kid Flash), who heard it from Flash himself"
The heroes had said nothing. With two days to go before the fight, Cyborg's kidnapping was being kept secret from everyone other than the Justice League. Without accurate information, there was no need to alarm everyone.
Unfortunately, Barry had told Iris, and Wally had listened. And then Wally had told everyone else. And, therefore, everyone already knew. They didn't know in detail what had happened. But they did know something. Someone was missing. Thea, put her hands to her mouth in astonishment, and said.
"It can't be. No wonder my brother hasn't come home. He told my mother he's too busy with League business. Now I understand why"
It was surprising what Garfield was saying. Thea didn't belong to the Titans, but, even so, she still kept informed of League affairs. She liked to hear about the heroes' struggle against evil. Her brother entertained her with such stories. It made her very sad to hear that one of those heroes had been kidnapped.
But for Raven, who listened to everything attentively, she could only think.
'This means Diana and Edgar will still be busy. Sigh. More time being alone' Of course she wasn't alone. She was cared for by Moira Queen at home, and she spent time with Thea. But, still, she missed her two parental figures. And more so when she felt their jobs at the Justice League were more important than her.
"And do you know who the abductee is?" Thea asked curiously. Garfield shook his head.
"No, Wally didn't hear that information. Although he thinks Dick (Nightwing) might know since Batman called him to the Watchtower a day ago. But he's most likely keeping that information to himself. Although, rumors say it may be Cyborg, though it's unlikely"
"Why is it unlikely?" Raven finally asked.
"Duh, Cyborg is our mentor. And we know his ability to create portals. I don't know who the Justice League fought, but I don't think they'd be capable enough to catch someone with the power of Cyborg's technology. They'd have to be gods to do it, hahaha"
Garfield's conversation was interrupted, when just at that, the professor walked in. It was the literature professor, Professor Evans. A professor in his 50's, who wore glasses and looked quite academic. Specializing in classical literature, he was a great professor with a great level of teaching.
"Everyone to your places, guys. Open the book to page 50, I want a summary of that page" Professor Evans gave directions, however, what he said next surprised the young Titans in the room.
"Rachel, if you would be so kind as to accompany me to principal office with your things. Your tutors are waiting for you" the most surprised by this, was none other than Raven, who could not disguise her surprise on her face, though it quickly returned to her emotionless face. Nodding, she got up, grabbed her things, and walked to the exit with the professor.
The professor quietly led her into the principal office. Nodding to her, he told her to come in. When she entered, she could see that, indeed, in the office was the principal, Edgar and Diana. Both dressed in normal clothes.
The principal, a rather large man in age, but still standing strong, said to Professor Evans.
"Thank you, Professor. I'll take over here"
"Yes, Principal Grant" with that said, Professor Evans nodded and returned to his classroom.
Theodore "Ted" Grant was a famous boxer in the 60's and 70's era. His fast and skilled fighting style earned him numerous world boxing titles and earned him the nickname 'The Cat'. However, Ted had another identity. At night, he became a vigilante who liked to beat up criminals on the streets, called Wildcat.
He, like Doctor Fate, and Dinah Drake, the mother of Dinah Lance (Black Canary), were selected by the government to become the first group of 'superheroes' to do missions in the cold war. Also, like Kent, he was Dinah's godfather, and it was also he who taught her how to fight so well.
At 85, he had already retired, secluding himself in a cabin in the woods. Retirement that ended when Dinah came looking for him to ask him to become principal of this school.
Maybe he wasn't a teacher. But that didn't mean he didn't have experience with imperative youngsters. Who better than him to run a school full of metahuman children.
Being a vigilante from the past, and someone who was a pioneer in the heroism sector, he was highly respected by everyone in the Justice League. Respect that was shown by Edgar and Diana.
He, with no metahuman abilities, no special suits, just pure willpower and combat ability, demonstrated the human capacity to do good. Worthy of being called a 'Hero'. Wildcat was synonymous with heroism for the new generation of the Justice League.
"Ready, guys. The three-day leave of absence has been issued. You can take Rachel with you" said Ted, as he handed Diana his signed leave of absence from Raven.
"Thank you, Theodore. We really appreciate it"
"Don't worry about it. Enjoy your vacation. For, if what Dinah told me is true, then you will need it. Girl, remember this is special leave. Arriving you have to catch up. NO EXCUSES"
Raven didn't understand anything. She understood only one thing. Edgar and Diana had come to get her out of school. And that was enough for her. In the end, she just nodded obediently at the principal's words. Finally, Diana and Edgar shook hands with Ted and left the place.
Raven walked with them. Thousands of questions roamed through her head. Finally, curiosity got the better of her and she asked.
"Ed, what's all this?"
"Three days' absence. Or do you want to come back. I mean, if you want to keep studying we can go back and-"
"No, it's not that. I just...I thought you'd be busy with the kidnapping"
"You know about the kidnapping?" asked Diana in astonishment, to which Rachel nodded. Seeing the doubt on her face, she said to her, "Kid Flash"
That made them realize who it was that dropped the soup. Apparently, the speedsters couldn't keep their mouths shut.
'Damn, Barry, and his big mouth' they thought. Letting out a big sigh, Edgar crouched down to Raven's level and said.
" What they say is correct, Raven. There's been a kidnapping. A friend has been taken. And yes, the League is in emergency protocol. But we've already done our part (AN: he talks about them going to Lucifer). It's time for others to do theirs. Right now, they are retrieving and gathering as much information as possible for the next meeting which will be in 4 days. In 4 days, we may have to go on another dangerous mission"
"Mmmm, I understand" Raven nodded expressionlessly. But Edgar, who knew her well, could tell the sadness in her actions.
"BUT, that's in 4 days. So we have 3 days to enjoy. So we thought it over, and..."
Diana continued. Almost jumping up, she pointed to a rather large, modern Travel Van. It was a mobile camper with all the luxuries.
"We're going on vacation - isn't that great?"
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AN:
Next : Mad Dream
Next Next: Pre-battle preparations 1
Next Next..... Next: Thor vs Wonder Woman
My P@treon
TioIroh99 (10 chapters ahead)
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