Attack on Paradise Island pt 2

AN: You guys have been commenting less on the chapters lately. It feels a little weird and unnerving tbh.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Main City Square, Island of Themyscira

March, 2003

"Your highness." salutes one Amazon as Hippolyta, Wonder Woman, Morgan, Superman and Ambrosius approach the city square with the Queensguard in tow even as Pythia glares venomously at Ambrosius from time to time.

The Amazon stands at five feet eleven inches, possesses tan skin, brown eyes, and blond hair that is shaved on the left while the remainder fall down to her shoulders on the right. She wears a standard hoplite armor with the same color scheme of red and blue as Wonder Woman.

Behind her the other Amazons busy themselves with rearranging the city square into a more advantageous setting for the upcoming battle. Using enchantments that seem to have already been placed upon the buildings and streets during their construction, the Amazons go about removing buildings, statues and shrines. Some streets are closed off while others are being opened to be able to manipulate where the enemy goes.

"How far along are the preparations General?" asks the Queen of the Amazons as she and her group stop just shy of entering the city square.

"The preparations are going well, unfortunately they will not be complete in time for the invasion. Therefore we had to alter it to fit within the time span." replies the General as she internally wonders what the male dressed in blue armor has done to earn Pythia's unfiltered hatred.

"Why is time an issue? The traps and monsters within the maze of passageways should buy us the needed time." answers Hippolyta as the group enters the now very different square and walks past where the finished Amazons are getting into formation.

"The monsters in the maze have betrayed us, however that shouldn't have made much of a difference since they don't know much about the traps." replies the puzzled General as she leads them to one of the few Amazons not wearing armor and facing a scrying bowl, denoting her as a priestess.

"They know." says the Amazon as she stops her task and turns to face Hippolyta. "Somehow they know where a lot of the traps are." she says with a grim tone.

"Are there any missing Amazons?" asks Ambrosius, drawing everyone's attention to himself.

"You dare!" snarls Pythia as she grabs him by the throat and turns him to face her. "We are not treacherous like you men. You think yourself our better just because you're a demigod? You're no better than Heracles." says Pythia with disgust dripping from her voice before continuing.

"We Amaz-" begins the Amazon only to stop as she begins to tremble in fear and the words lodge themselves in her throat.

Earlier in the day, Pythia had held a sword to his throat and did not receive a reaction. She had believed that it was simply the arrogance of man coming into play, making him believe that she was not a danger to him. She had believed that despite his stance that screams warrior and the impressive armor that he was simply another man who taught himself above others. She had believed that even if he boasts to be as powerful as Princess Diana that they were simply empty words. However, she now knows that it was not arrogance, rather, it was well placed confidence. She now knows that had he wanted to, she would have been a bloody smear on the ground before even drawing her weapon. She now knows that he is perhaps the most dangerous being on the island, for staring into his eyes, Pythia experiences every possible method that he could kill her. Staring into Ambrosius' glowing crimson eyes, Pythia feels genuine terror from a man for the first time since Heracles. Staring into his eyes, Pythia knows that he could make Heracles' treatment of her seem like child play.

With wide fearful eyes, uneven breaths, shaky arms, and sweaty palms, Pythia relinquishes her hold on him and takes a stumbling step back into one of her soldier's arms.

"Commander Pythia!" exclaims the soldier as the surrounding Amazons draw their weapons. "What did you do, you scum?!"

"I can tolerate many things." answers Ambrosius as he gently rubs his neck and glares at the Amazons, causing many of them to fearfully tighten their grip on their weapons. "I can tolerate being called treacherous, I can tolerate you questioning my integrity. I can even tolerate you projecting your misplaced feelings of hatred for your past husband towards me." he continues as his previously glowing eyes return to normal. "However, I cannot, and will never, tolerate being compared to that fool and piece of filth, Heracles." he says as he spits out Hercales' name with disgust confusing the Amazons.

They had not expected this. As far as they know, and from what Diana has told them of man's world, Heracles is hailed as a hero there. Stories of his accomplishments are told in awe and many consider him the greatest hero to have ever lived. They had expected these men from man's world to very much respect and revere him like their peers. That could not be further from the truth apparently. This man who seems to be their leader does not respect nor admire Heracles. In fact he seems to hold just as much hatred for the demigod as they do.

"The day I ever become anything like Heracles,-" says Ambrosius bringing them out of their thoughts and shocked daze. "-I will personally see to it that I die." he says as he helps Pythia to her feet.

"How did you know?" questions Pythia with a whisper.

"*That your husband assisted Heracles' troops in subjugating you?*" he asks through telepathy causing her to slowly nod while looking into his eyes in shock before her eyes narrow and she steps away from him.

As Ambrosius makes to answer, a roar resonates throughout the square as a minotaur barrels out of the passageway through the blockades and towards the Amazons in formation. Before the minotaur can reach them however, Superman flies in its path, grabbing it by the horns and pushes against it. Unfortunately the minotaur also possesses super strength, and although it is not on par with Superman, it's still enough to give him some trouble. Especially when it is aided by the momentum of its charge.

Just as the Amazons begin to think that he will lose, Superman stops the beat's charge completely before smashing its head on the ground and knocking it out with a punch.

"They're here." says the priestess ominously as more beastial roars ring out from the passageway.

With the priestess's proclamation the warriors turn to face the passageway as they each draw their weapons with Ambrosius both his spear and trident, and shortening the length of his spear to use in a similar fashion as Diarmuid uses his two spears.

The first thing to come out of the passageway is not a beast or demon, rather it is a man. He stands at six feet and five inches tall, possesses black curly hair that falls just past his shoulders, and a black goatee on his chin. He has high and pronounced cheek bones, tan skin, and black eyes. On his body he wears what seems to be a grey full bodysuit with a spiked black armor on top and a cape on his back.

"Haaa." sighs the man in satisfaction as he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "Freedom at last." he says as he further enjoys his newfound freedom before opening his eyes and surveying his opponents.

"My Hippolyta, you have not aged a day!" exclaims the man as he approaches the group undeterred by the menacing glares from the Amazons nor the scrutinising stares of Ambrosius and Superman. "In fact, you look as exquisite now as you did a millenia ago."

"Mother." says Wonder Woman as she adjusts her grip on her sword and shield. "Who is this?" she asks as she glances at her mother in her peripheral vision.

"Hippolyta,-" says the man with wonder and a smile on his face. "-you didn't tell me you had a daughter. I wonder if she's as loving as her mother."

"That's not possible." whispers Hippolyta in horror. "Last I saw you was near a century ago." she says as she speaks in a louder voice this time.

Hearing Hippolyta's words the smile on the man vanishes and is instead replaced with a frown and his black eyes turn blood red.

"A century?" he asks gently before screaming. "DON'T PLAY WITH ME HIPPOLYTA!" he bellows out with clenched fists as the ground begins to shake and crack, and an ominous aura envelops him. "I HAVE BEEN STUCK IN THAT WRETCHED PLACE FOR A MILLENIA! NOT A CENTURY! A MILLENIA!" he roars out with fury this time causing the ground to open as skeletons begin to rise from it while the beastial army behind him takes a fearful step back.

Before Hippolyta can answer a lightning bolt strikes the ground between the two opposing forces before coalescing into the form of a seven feet tall old man. Unlike most old men, this one is well built with a body packed with bulging and defined muscles. He possesses grey hair and beard on his face, and electric blue eyes that glow with power. For clothing he simply wears a white toga with sandals.

Unlike the other man, whose power did not manifest until he became upset, this one's power engulfs the entire island causing the majority of the occupants to fall on their knees out of fear or simply because of the overbearing, soul crushing power. The only ones that remain standing are Wonder Woman, Superman, Hyppolita, and Ambrosius. However, although they remain standing, it is due to them consciously fighting against the power, and even then it is a battle that they are slowly losing.

"Lord Zeus." says Hippolyta as she and Wonder Woman volunteeringly kneel while Zeus disintegrates the enemy army with a bolt of lightning, leaving only the black haired man alive.

Instead of acknowledging her, Zeus turns his attention to the standing Ambrosius and Superman with a frown.

"Kneel!" he orders as he casually increases the pressure on them.

Through gritted teeth they defiantly remain standing until a hand grabs them both by their heads and smashes them on the ground, breaking a significant part of it.

"Father said kneel, mortal." says the person before stepping on them as he makes his way to Zeus and kneeling.

The man stands at six feet four inches, possesses short blond hair and beard, and blue eyes. He bears a powerful build full of bulging muscles bigger than both Zeus and Superman, and simply wears golden bracers on both arms that reach up to his biceps. He does not wear anything on his upper body, leaving it bare for all to see, and simply wears blue pants with a golden belt, and golden boots on his feet.

"Thank you for lifting my punishment, father." says the man from his kneeling position.

"Of course my son. Olympus is currently in disarray, as such I need those that I can trust to be by my side, now more than ever." answers Zeus as his son stands up and positions himself behind the King of the Gods.

While this goes on many of the Amazon cannot help but watch the exchange with horror mounting on their faces.

"Heracles." whispers Pythia as fear and rage fight for dominance within her while Hippolyta watches on with resignation and a betrayed expression plastered on her face.

"Diana." bellows out Zeus as he looks towards the kneeling warrior. "Come to me, my child." he says as he disguises his order into a request.

Not knowing what to do, Diana glances towards her mother for guidance only to see a tear roll down Hippolyta's face.

"It was you." whispers Hippolyta in horror. "It was you who visited me that night a century ago. Not Hades. You." she quietly whispers to herself.

"Indeed it was." replies Zeus nonchalantly. "What of it."

Before anyone can react, Hades makes his presence known once again.

"ZEUS!" he roars out with fury as he launches himself at his brother with a flaming sword.

Before he can reach Zeus however, Heracles steps in his path and knocks the wind out of him with a punch to the solar plexus.

"You have been cut off from your domain for a millenia, Hades. You cannot even hope to defeat Diana, let alone me." says Zeus with a look of disdain in his eyes as he watches Heracles step on Hades back, forcing him to smash his face on the ground.

"I will make you pay!" snarls Hades through gritted teeth from his position on the ground. "You think you can imprison me in Tartarus for a millenia without consequence. When the Koios and Krios arrive we will make you suffer."

"I very much doubt that." answers Zeus with a mocking smirk on his lips. "I have already dispatched Athena, Apollo, and Artemis to take care of them."

"Hahaha. You really are a fool." laughs Hades even as Heracles increases the force of his step on Hades' back. "Those three cannot defeat Koios and Krios."

"Truly Tartarus has addled your brain." replies Zeus. "You know that any deity that is tossed into the pit will be cut off from The Source, the source of the power of every deity. And if they also happen to possess a domain, then that too will be cut off from them resulting in them slowly losing power until they fade completely."

"I thought that I was the only one." says Hades, causing Zeus to laugh.

"Of course you did. Every deity tossed there thinks that they're the only one." answers Zeus with a chuckle. "After all, why would anyone disclose that they're slowly losing power in a place as cruel as Tartarus."

"How do you know this?" questions Hades, only to receive a raised eyebrow from Zeus indicating that he would rather not tell.

"Enough of the distractions." says Zeus as he turns Hippolyta. "I have come here for two simple reasons. To clean up your mess, and to inform you that from henceforth Olympus will no longer sit by and simply observe mankind. From now on, should we feel it necessary we will interfere. Do you understand?"

"Yes my lord." answers Hippolyta.

"My daughter." says Zeus as he turns towards Wonder Woman. "I had planned on bringing you to Olympus with me this day, but it seems that the mortals will require your aid. Besides you are not yet ready." he tells her before turning to Ambrosius. "Watch yourself sea spawn. I will not tolerate any form of rebellion from you. Refuse my order one more time and I will send you hurtling into the deepest pit of Tartarus."

Having said his piece, Zeus grabs Heracles and a still struggling Hades before teleporting out of Themyscira with a flash of lightning and a roar of thunder.