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The Storm Passes

(Authors Note: In the words of Deadpool, “Cue the music”. Immigrant Song. Led Zepplin, 1970)

Apokolips…

Seeing the newly empowered Amazon before him did not hinder Darkseid’s growing fury. So what if she now had the powers of an Asgardian? The daughter of Zeus was still a product of the old ways and would fall before his mightier power.

He picked himself up and scoffed “You think this frightens me? Nothing casts a shadow over death itself!”

He fired his Omega Beams but Diana stood where she was. As they came closer she held her braclets together it like a makeshift shield. The beams grinded against the enchanted metal before breaking away, Diana unharmed by the attack.

To further demonstrate her control over this new Asgardian power Wonder Woman twirled the hammer in the same fashion Thor would. Feeling enough momentum built she released it, the weapon flying through the air before striking Darkseid right in the gut. He groaned in pain before dropping to his knees while the hammer returned to Diana’s hand.

Diana turned to Thor when he finally got to his feet. He was slack jawed at the sight of Diana’s new look and awe inspiring air of power. He tried a few attempts to say something but kept feeling his tongue tied without a proper retort. All he could do was smile and shrug, just happy to see that she was chosen at the right time.

“I see why you like this hammer so much.” She smiled at him while holding Mjolnir in the air.

“Well good to know it’s still a good judge of character.” Thor smirked.

Darkseid growled while holding the sore spot on his stomach. He was being humiliated now. These two Old Gods were acting as though this was some victory so easily earned. But Darkseid would not and would never allow such a thing. Even if he had to burn it all to the ground he was be the only one standing victorious.

A hand raised to the sky as the lord of Apokolips called “To me!”

The call was a psychic link Darkseid shared with all his mindless minions. The Parademons still on Apokolips, bred to only answer to Darkseid and his elite, stopped their advance into the other realm of Asgard and changed their flight pattern to descend on the palace. Their collective screeches were like the distant howl of demonic locusts, drawing both Wonder Woman and Thor’s attention.

Diana turned but Thor held his hand up to halt her, saying “I’ll take care of this. You handle the big one.”

“But you’re hammer!” Diana said trying to hand it back to him.

He ignored the gesture and smirked back to her “They don’t call me ‘the god of hammers’ remember?”

As she could hear Darkseid coming for them now Wonder Woman had no choice but to answer with her own attack, hoping Thor would be able to deal with the Parademons on his own. She flew forward and collided hammer first with the New God. She did not relent. Every chance she had she swung, batter and bashed at the unrelenting Darkseid. Even if she had to break him down into nothing but pebbles she would not let him win.

Thor managed to find a balcony that overlooked the immediate landscape of Apokolips. He imagined Darkseid would often come out to overlook his “glorious world” just to remind himself of his ego. In the sky the Parademons were coming for him like a terrible funnel of tearing and biting monsters. To Thor he only took light of the fact that it would make what came next easier.

The Asgardians’ hands began to spark as he charged an inner godly power within him. It built up inside him to the point where his eyes now began to glow and spark with the divine gift he carried. The Parademons were closer now and Thor had finally felt the last of his inner strength finally ready to release.

“This always leaves a bad taste in the mouth….” He commented.

Finally as the Parademons were practically feet away from him Thor brought his hands forward and unleashed his power. Lightning burst from his hands and arched in the air, practically disintegrating the nearest Parademons. Each bolt arched from one flying soldier to another and another until more than half the swarm was turned to dust that fell to the ground like snow. The remaining hundred or so halted in mid-air upon seeing this as Thor looked to them now with a confident smirk.

“Next?” he sarcastically asked before lancing into the air towards them, the lightning pushing him high off the ground.

Themyscira…

The battle for the home of the Amazons turned in favor for the invading frost giants as they began to overwhelm the warrior women. Those that were not dead from battle had to fall further back with their weapons of war in order to defend the last border before they could reach the island’s main city. If it fell then it meant the end for the Amazons.

While Hippolyta bravely led her troops Wonder Girl dueled against Loki, the god of mischief pulling out all manner of magical trickery to best her. Their fighting forced him to try everything from teleporting casting illusions to finally making several copies of himself to throw Cassie off. But even a young Amazon like her would prove she wouldn’t be beaten so easily.

Thinking fast as five different Lokis came at her Cassie whipped out her Lasso of Truth. She whipped it down and across at their feet, the Lasso’s magic slipping through the fake Lokis before snagging the ankles of the real one and tripping him to the ground.

“Damn!” he cried before he fell face first onto the ground. “Infuriating ropes.”

Cassie managed to pull Loki away from his weapon before planting a foot on his chest and ordering “Tell your army to stand down! Now!”

He sneered at her before it evolved into a laughing “Even if you were an actual threat I’d never do that! This island is mine. Look around you. Even now your forces are falling. You’ve nothing that can stop-”

A distant sound of something rocketing through the sky was heard. At first only Loki and Cassie had caught it but soon the noise built and built before everyone, from Amazons to Frost Giants, could hear it now.

One of the lumbering monsters turned towards the sky to see what it was only to be met by the sudden force of a missile fired right into its face. A great explosion covered it in flame before the behemoth fell to the ground dead.

The missile, as it turned out, came from an unseen force flying overhead. It continued to fire missiles and guns all at the Frost Giant forces. The lumbering brutes scattered in confusion while the Amazons cheered, taking the advantage of how many had fallen to deal with the rest.

Loki and his men were of course confused but Queen Hippolyta, Cassie and the other Amazonian warriors knew the source of the attack: Princess Diana’s invisible jet. It continued to circle and fire while taking down one giant after another until only six were left; they laying down their arms in defeat.

“Victory!” the Amazons cheered. “Victory for Themyscira!”

Along with the remaining Frost Giants Loki was forced to surrender as well. Both he and the remaining monsters were imprisoned and left to wait for when Thor and the Asgardians would claim them; along with the imprisoned villains from Aeaea. The Invisible Jet finally landed with Hippolyta, Cassie and a handful of other Amazons waiting to greet whom they thought would be Diana. To their surprise however it was another familiar face.

“Steve!?” Cassie said as he hopped out of the cockpit of the jet.

“Sorry I was late to the party.” He said walking up to greet them. “Trying to find a hidden island with an invisible jet’s harder than it sounds.”

“Thank you, Colonel Trevor.” Hippolyta bowed. “But where is my daughter?”

“Diana sent word ahead you guys might be in trouble while she went to deal with the big gravel face. She and Thor dropped off the jet for me to use while they went to Asgard to try and settle everything down.”

“Then she’s still there?” Cassie asked.

Steve shrugged “I don’t know. All I knew was she and the big blonde guy were really worried about making it on time before things got worse.”

Suddenly they heard laughing as they turned to the imprisoned Loki overhearing their conversation. “You’re all fools! Things have gotten worse for you. Darkseid will burn this world and the next! Asgard will fall. And so will Olympus! And then-”

“Oh shut him up, please!” Hippolyta finally said, her soldiers gagging Loki before he was finally dragged away. Despite silencing him Loki’s words bothered Hippolyta as she looked to the skies. “Gods, please…keep my daughter safe.”

Asgard…

The tide had suddenly turned in the favor of the gods while their battle for Asgard continued. Something on the other side of the Boom Tubes had halted the progression of the Parademons. No more swarmed out of the interdimensional portals but of the few that were left, along with the New God generals leading them, the Old Gods still had a grueling fight ahead.

“We need to end this now!” Hogun called to his fellow Warriors Three.

“How? There’s still too many!” Voltagg replied before Mantis blasted him in the back with his energy.

Fandral continued to swash and buckle with his blade before finding himself back-to-back with the Olympian Hermes. They realized they were surrounded as the Parademons circled them with dripping fangs and sharpened claws.

“How fast are you?” Fandral asked.

“You’re really asking me that?” Hermes cockily replied.

Despite this Fandral gestured to his staff he carried and showed his sword and asked “Want to switch?”

Starting to get the idea Hermes nodded before, in a rush of motion, the two tossed their weapons in the air. When they came back down each had grabbed the others and began to attack the Parademons. Hermes’ speed cut and stabbed and poked into several at once while Fandral handled the staff like a natural, batting and bashing away any that were left.

After they regrouped the two handed back their weapons with Fandral commenting “Not bad.”

Meanwhile Sif and Athena had finally managed to overthrow Steppenwolf from his superior positon on the battlefield. The two cooperated, much like Fandral and Hermes, by playing off the other’s strengths and skills to confuse and off-set the lumbering yet agile New Gods. It had come down to Sif blocking his axe before knocking it from his hand and Athena, in a pinch of a second, threw her spear right into Steppenwolf’s hand, pinning him to the ground.

He tried to rise despite the pain but Sif had climbed to his chest before kicking him square in the jaw to knock him out, saying “Enough out of you!” before both she and Athena nodded to each other.

During all of this both Zeus and Odin had seen how their subjects had become far more effective working together against the invading army of Apokolips. The two had finally looked to each other and in silence realized there was only one way to put an end to this madness.

As Kalibak led the charge with a bellowing “Leave none alive! For the glory of Darkseid!” the two Father Gods finally joined together.

Both Zeus and Odin raised their scepters, their symbols of authority and power, and began to summon all their strength. The skies above began to grow dark as thunder and lightning crashed and boomed all across the clouds. All had stopped as the storming weather grew more and more violent as the Father Gods commanded all the forces of nature at their disposal.

Kalibak’s only words were “Aw hell…” before he and his forces felt the earth shaking force of a bolt commanded by two ancient gods.

The flash and noise were such a staggering force to the senses that the remaining warriors covered their heads and fell to the ground in pain. They felt as though the plain of Asgard itself would crack beneath them as the tremors continued to rock the very ground under their feet. It was like being next to a flash of lightning that was on a continuous strike, never letting up and never fading away.

When everything finally settled the Old Gods recovered to see what had happened. Kalibak and Mantis were the only survivors, the two singed and twitching in pain while all the Parademons had been atomized into nothing. The battle was over and the New Gods stood victorious.

Despite the cheers from their fellow gods Odin looked to Zeus and proclaimed “Victory is not won yet. Not until the head has been removed from the snake.”

“Agreed.” Zeus nodded. “Then let us see if your children need a hand in chopping it off!”

Apokolips…

All across the city the slaves of Darkseid had halted to behold the sight above as thunder and lightning crashed above and inside Darkseid’s palace. Every boom, every shake and every flash had both dazzled and intimidated the lesser citizens of the hellish planet while seeing Parademons fall from the sky some dozen at a time.

Enough of their fellow soldiers had finally fallen to where the few remaining Parademons flew off in fear. Thor, victorious, floated in the air with his inner thunder god strength surging through him. He laughed and dared them to come back and finish the fight but his attention was caught by the flash of Omega Beams from inside the palace.

Darkseid had become desperate in his response against Wonder Woman. He would not and never relent even if he did seem to be at his limit. He fired his Omega Beams and kept a constant stream, forcing Wonder Woman to keep her guard up as he stomped towards her. Upon finally reaching her he grabbed for her, the thunder powered Amazon meeting his hands with her own as they were locked together.

“You may have the powers of an Asgardian flowing through you but it is nothing compared to my power!” he spat. “I will end you! I will annihilate you! I will-”

Thor flew in and delivered a hard thunder-powered sock to the face, sending him back while he quipped “You will really need to learn to stop talking so much.” He landed next to Diana and asked “Need a hand?”

“Why? Have you nothing better to do?” she qipped, the two sharing a smile.

They looked at Darkseid as he screamed “Enough! I HAVE HAD ENOUGH!”

His eyes began to glow more burning red than ever. They knew that his next attack was going to be all that he could muster behind it. Both Wonder Woman and Thor stood ready before the former realized her friend was without a weapon. While she still carried Mjolnir Diana reached down and handed him the God Killer blade.

“For Asgard.” She said, showing her respect to him as she handed him her weapon.

Thor, hesitating for a moment, finally took the blade before returning with “For Themyscira.”

Hearing that had touched Diana more than she expected. He could have said for Olympus or even for Zeus and she would have accepted it as a token towards her father and the Olympians that she worshiped. Instead he provoked her island home and her people, showing he had more respect and honor towards them. It surprised Diana to the point of smiling so much it warmed both hers and Thor’s hearts.

They turned back as Darkseid finally fired his Omega Beams, in turn both of them unleashing the thunder they wielded from within to meet them. Bolts of thunder clashed with beams of cosmic energy and splintered against each other but did not stop. It surprised both Thor and Wonder Woman that their combined strength still only matched with Darkseid’s. But they would not relent. They would not stop. Not until this was over and Darkseid was finished here and now.

The two focused all their might and eventually felt their attacks winning over Darkseid’s. The New God gritted and roared before he felt his own Omega Beams forced back on him along with the power of thousands of volts of electricity following.

A violent explosion had sent Thor and Diana off their feet and back. When they landed they dropped their weapons and depowered; one due to exhaustion and the other from losing the weapon that had granted her the power to begin with. When the blinding light subsided the two looked up and were surprised to see no sign of Darkseid at all.

Thor turned his head and asked “Think we got him?”

His answer came as something crashed down on them from above, coming through the ceiling. Darkseid’s heavy boots planted right onto both of them, groaning in pain before being hoisted up by their necks.

Looking at him the two could see that Darkseid had taken critical damage from the blast. His face was scared with pulsing vein-like marks all over it. There was severe scorches around his eyes and it seemed as though some of his teeth had been knocked out in the process. A lot of his armor was broken around the neck and shoulders as well, exposing more of his grey, rock-like body.

“You were right, Asgardian.” He said. “I won’t waste my time with words anymore. I’ll just end you both here and now!”

He choked and gripped them tight as the two felt they could not fight anymore. So much strength was used in fighting him that they felt exhausted. Yet Darkseid still had enough in him to choke the life from them. They coughed and banged at his hands to try and break his grip but it was proving useless.

The skies suddenly thundered as Darkseid realized this was not from Thor nor Wonder Woman. It was coming from somewhere beyond the final Boom Tube that remained open. Even the two struggling heroes looked back as the noise grew louder before a great, divine beam blasted from one side and struck Darkseid at the other.

As the Lord of Apokolips was thrown back against the rubble of his once great throne Diana and Thor dropped to the ground before seeing the beam slowly fade away. Now standing ahead of them were the figures of Odin and Zeus, the two responsible for saving them.

The two father gods looked at Darkseid, beaten and winded to the point of barley being able to stand. He slumped back against the remains of his throne and breathed deeply as the two approached him, scepters at the ready should he try any final acts.

“Yield.” Odin only ordered once.

It was clear that both he and Zeus would only make this offer once. If Darkseid refused then they would end him in an instant. It was up to him to decide if he would risk it or final subside.

“Very…well…” he finally agreed. “But know this…old fools. Your time will come to an end. Power such as yours can never last. And in the end only I will remain.”

“You may be right.” Zeus answered. “Perhaps that day will come. But not this day. Today you will wallow in your own defeat. And you will know that it was by your own graces that you lived today.” As he and Odin turned he gave a final “Think of that….New God.”

While leaving Darkseid the two walked towards their children. Odin picked up the discarded Mjolnir with ease before walking to Diana. He offered her a hand, as did Zeus with Thor, the two being helped to their feet.

“I believe I owe an apology.” Zeus begrudgingly admitted to Thor. “I was too eager to find an enemy that I had was quick to find one in you Asgardians. I should have known better than to only believe what was on the surface of the problem.”

“I believe that is a fault we both share.” Odin now said. “I had always feared the return of the Olympians of my world. Never once had I considered that those from another would be more…tolerant.” Zeus nodded at that being the best word to use. “But we Darkseid is not wrong. Both you and I, Zeus, are products of an older time.” He then handed Mjolnir to Thor and smiled “That is why we have to put our faith in the next linage of gods to follow.”

Thor nodded as he took back his hammer and looked at Diana. The two had felt a far larger accomplishment than beating Darkseid after hearing such words. Perhaps there was a chance for future peace between their pantheons after all.

“Come.” Zeus declared. “We’ve still much work to do.”

Themyscira…

It had seemed poetic that the very place where the adventure had begun would be where it would end. Both the forces of Olympus and Themyscira stood opposite to the assembled host of Asgard. Both gods and mortals were together to see all of this finally come to an end.

Thanks to Loki’s Motherbox from Darkseid it had provided a portal between the two dimensions. It provided the perfect means for the first order of business: prisoner transfer. The surviving Frost Giants, the Wrecking Crew, and Loki were being led one-by-one through the portal to await the prisons of Asgard. At the same time Ares and Circe had been brought back to face the judgement of Olympus for their crimes.

There was a brief moment where, as they passed, both Ares and Circe shot poisonous looks at Loki for his treachery against them. The Asgardian turned his nose before finding the Enchantress, also imprisoned, awaiting him herself. The same burning look on her face seemed to fire through him but Loki took it in stride before being forced back to Asgard along with the others.

Hippolyta had stopped Circe’s advance however and said to Zeus and the other gods “If you will allow, Lord Zeus, let the Amazons have this one. Her actions in this matter are more personal As such they require a ‘personal’ touch.”

It took him a moment to decide but Zeus nodded, the Amazon soldiers taking Circe away. Knowing that whatever punishment they would have for her would be a dream compared to being imprisoned in the Underworld with Ares Circe quickly thanked Hippolyta for the act. After that she stood tall and silent as she was taking to the dungeons.

Finals goodbyes were then shared among the gods and heroes. From the Warriors Three bidding farewell to Hermes, Apollo and Artemis to Athena and Sif; the two giving the other a weapon of choice as a sign of good faith and future success for the other in battle. Finally Odin and Zeus met for one last time.

“Farewell then, Lord of Thunder.” Odin bowed. “I trust, should we meet again, the circumstances be friendlier.”

“As do I.” Zeus now bowed as well. “Until then, All-Father of War.”

The two walked back to their respective groups and look as there was one final goodbye to be given. It was one that both were reluctant to share as they feared it meant never seeing each other again. Still they had to face it as they had faced the cosmic devil and cause of all of this grief in the first place. Thor and Diana stood face-to-face for one last time.

“You fought well….for an Amazon.” Thor quipped.

“As did you….for a blonde.” She returned.

The two laughed at this before Thor looked down at his hammer and said “Not many have been able to carry Mjolnir into battle. Even a powerful gladiatrix like yourself. That is a tale I will surely tell all after today.”

“As will I.” she nodded.

“I….I suppose this is it then.” Thor finally said.

She nodded as well, both looking away, and replied “Yes. I will miss you of course.”

“Of course. And so shall I. Although you do have that funny ‘Mother-Box’ thing to always come and find me. That is if you have more trouble with New Gods and the sort.”

She smiled “Be assured you’ll be the first I’ll tell.”

He nodded again before Thor began to lean in close to Diana. She watched as he did, a little surprised at first, before she slowly leaned in as well. Their lips began to part as they came closer. Some deeper connection was sparking between them as they drew closer and closer until…

Both Diana and Thor stopped. Each looked over the others’ shoulder to see their loved ones behind them; especially Steve Trevor and Lady Sif. They both knew they could not do it. Not here. Not when they had someone else to go back to. Not when as much as there was a passion between them they could not indulge it.

The two heroes hugged with Thor only saying “Goodbye, Diana.”

“Goodbye…my friend.” She replied.

With that the two began to walk back, Thor eventually parting with the other Asgardians through the Boom Tube while Diana stood and watched as both he and the only door between their worlds eventually faded away.

“What was that all about?” Cassie asked, indicating the near tender moment.

“Yeah. You two seemed….kinda friendly back there.” Steve commented.

Diana only shrugged “Just a parting of two warriors, brought together through our passion for our homes and our people. I can honestly say I’ve not met many gods like him.”

“No?” Steve asked. “How about handsome pilot mortals?”

She laughed and the two shared a kiss. Cassie smiled at the gesture before the Olympians eventually departed Themyscira, the Amazons bidding their patron gods a farewell. Eventually the trio of Diana, Steve and Cassie would take the invisible jet back to Man’s World.

Washington D.C. , Two weeks later…

A once calm and peaceful night in the United States’ capital was interrupted by the appearance of the Silver Swan, a criminal woman using her cynbernetic wings and sonic device to cause mayhem as she robbed the national treasury. She burst through the doors and was airborne with her sacks of robbed gold and jewels. She was, however, stopped by the appearance of an old foe awaiting her in the skies.

“A late night withdraw, Swan?” Wonder Woman smirked as she floated casually in the air. “Drop what you’ve stolen and come along quietly.” As the Silver Swan was ready to fight her Diana only replied “Alright then…but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

The something happned that the Silver Swan did not expect. Wonder Woman’s hands sparked with electricity. Her eyes glowed and she seemed to have a new awakened power within her that had charged her already divine powers even more.

Was it because of her time holding Mjolnir? Perhaps some latent power that manifested due to her heritage to Zeus himself? Or perhaps it was because there was more than a few “sparks” shared between her and Thor? Either way Wonder Woman smiled with a new sense of pride, power, and responsibility as she planned to use this newfound power for the benefit of all in Man’s World.

THE END