Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters and works. All other characters and worlds belong to their respective owners. If you recognize something it isn't mine.
Arius' Adventures in DC
Chapter 14: Forced to visit the Underworld
-Arius-
Arius washed his face with cold water as he contemplated what just happened because at first he tried to dismiss the dream as him simply missing Diana, but he knew he wasn't that clingy to dream of a person who had only been gone a week. As bad it was to admit he'd hardly thought about Diana while spending time with Kara.
It also felt too real and Arius thought he knew the amazon well enough to know that she was a warrior at heart and that she would exhaust herself to death by fighting rather than letting herself be captured… That was what really tipped him off that it wasn't just a dream because he couldn't fathom Diana ever being in such a situation… So he knew something was amiss and he knew that there was some weird comic book logic at hand, he just needed to figure out what.
Drying his face and putting on some clothes he began pacing the room, his mind racing. The thunderstorm, the mountain and the chains were the things that stood out the most to him and he felt like if he could figure it out he would know what to do next.
Thinking back on his time with Diana he remembered when he asked her about her parents and she told him that she was created by some magic mud and was blessed by the Olympian Gods to be better than any other amazon, so maybe they could point him in the right direction because he wasn't used to critical thinking after so long and he was already getting frustrated from not figuring it out, but he wouldn't ignore the vision whether it was a warning, a premonition, or completely in his head until he knew Diana was safe.
First stop was Themyscira to see if she was there and if not to ask her mom where she could be, the only problem was that he had absolutely no clue where the island even was, so he picked up the device given to him by the Justice League and searched for it, but the results only served to irritate him more as the device informed him he didn't have the necessary clearance to access the database.
Angrily he turned to the internet, but only found some articles dismissing the island as a fabrication and myths of it. Arius could only gape in disbelief at how braindead humans could be because he knew for a fact that Diana had spoken openly about her amazon heritage, so there was no question if it was real. It seemed the Justice League was his best choice to figure it out, so Arius called Superman and when the Man of Steel answered he wasted no time.
"The phone you gave me says I don't have clearance, so tell me where Themyscira is." Arius said giving the device a look that would most likely have even joker serious.
"Huh? Arius, that isn't something I can tell you. I've never been there and only Diana has access to that information." Kara's cousin explained.
"Can't you just override the system with a code or something?" Arius asked, annoyed because Superman was one of the founding members, so why was something kept from him.
"Listen Arius, I know you're worried about Diana, so am I, but even if we did learn where it was we would still need to get past whatever magic was hiding the island and even then the people of Themyscira don't allow men to set foot on the island. It's best to just wait and give her more time, if she needs help she'll-" Was as far as Kal-El got before Arius got tired of talking to the man, so he hung up and called the man who Diana said was the smartest member of the Justice League.
"..." Arius heard the click of an answer
"Where is Themyscira?" He asked not wanting to waste any time.
"Why do you want to know? Can't you sense her?" He asked and if Arius could he would smack the man through the screen.
"Why would I be asking you if I could sense her? Diana's been gone for a week and someone or something had been making me have dreams that I forgot so I just brushed off, but I had another where she was imprisoned under a massive mountain surrounded by thunder and she was chained to some weird throne." He quickly explained in one breath knowing that if Batman refused to help he'd go over and break every bone in the mans body.
And after a moment of silence, Batman spoke again, his voice even, "I don't know the location of Themyscira either, it's behind the Justice League firewall, but I know someone who can help us locate Diana and see if she's in trouble."
"I could just go to Greece and start blowing up the country until the so called-gods show up and answer to me personally." Arius said his patience was wearing down.
"You could, but I doubt it would work, natural disasters, famine and diseases have plagued the country throughout history killing hundred of thousands, yet there has been no sign of the Olympians and even if it did work and they took you to Themyscira it could potentially sour your relationship with Diana if she sees you ignoring her peoples traditions. It's best to meet up with me and once we gather more information, we can gather other League members and head out in a rescue attempt." Batman explained.
Arius was slightly put off hearing the man talk so much, but the more he thought about it the more the man's words made even more sense. He was being slightly irrational, but his way would let him release his pent up aggression onto some 'gods', but if by some chance he did find the island and the Amazons took his arrival as an act of aggression and started a battle he wasn't sure if he couldn't accidentally kill some and that was a something he wanted to avoid, if only for Diana's sake.
"Fine. Where do we need to go to meet this person?" Arius muttered begrudgingly.
This time Batman's reply was brief, "Stay put. Someone will be there shortly to guide you." And as if on cue right when Batman finished speaking Arius sensed a familiar energy signature approaching at high speed, Superman on his way and Arius scoffed as he waited annoyed with the hero who rejected his earlier request.
Arius just stared at Superman when he arrived, brushing off the hero's greeting with a curt, "Stop talking and lead the way." Superman visibly paused for a moment before mumbling a quick, "Rude," under his breath before taking off toward the mountains a dozen miles out and Arius followed close behind.
As they entered the mountain range near his home, Arius's mind raced, because his senses didn't detect anyone nearby who fit the description of someone who could help like Batman said, the most promising person nearby was a dumbass who was taking photos of a bear. He'd likely die a brutal death, but Arius didn't care.
He was mainly wondering why Superman had brought him here, but he knew Batman wasn't the type to play around, so he continued following Kal-El as the man entered a narrow crevice in the mountain and followed. The tunnel was dark and silent, and Arius couldn't shake the thought that no one was even here, but then he remembered that he also couldn't sense Diana so they could be cloaking their presence.
The passage stretched on for a while and Arius kept his senses open, but still nothing until they reached the end where the tunnel opened up into a chamber containing a Zeta-tube, a piece of technology that, while useful, was one he didn't like, it reminded him of Darkseid's boom tubes, but he pushed those feelings aside.
He took a breath to calm his emotions because he noticed that he was too antsy. They were going to take the Zeta-tube to their destination and he wondered where they were going as Superman approached the console and inputted their destination. The device powered on and Superman stepped through with Arius following immediately after, his body tense and ready for anything.
The robotic voice announced their arrival.
[Recognized Superman Code: 01]
[Recognized Arius Code: X1]
But as they emerged on the Watchtower, he let out a sigh of frustration and hoped that soon he would meet the person who could help him. Arius took a quick glance around the room and saw no one, so he used his Ki sense to search the entire spaceship, but only Batman was abroad standing nearby, arms crossed, waiting for them.
"Where do we need to go to meet this person who's supposed to help me?" Arius demanded angrily, flaring his Ki slightly, knowing that fear was one of the best motivators to make people work faster, but Batman, ever stoic, just stared at him in silence.
Seconds stretched, the air between them growing heavy and for the briefest moment Batman's lips curled into the tiniest hint of a smile, as though he enjoyed seeing Arius agitated, but before disappearing as Arius' patience was about to snap he finally responded.
"We're not going anywhere." Batman spoke before pausing again and at this point Arius nearly unleashed a Ki roar then and there, the aura of his energy crackling faintly around him and predicting his impending explosion of anger, Batman finally continued, his tone calm and deliberate, "The person we need to speak with is coming to us." The timing of his words were precise and before Arius could press further, the robotic voice announced another arrival.
[Recognized Doctor Fate Code: 09]
Arius raised an eyebrow at the name, his mind briefly flashing to Kara's frequent talk of fate over the past week and almost immediately upon walking into the Watchtower Doctor Fate's attention snapped to Arius and without explanation he quickly weaved his hands in intricate patterns, as he launched a trio of Golden Ankhs.
Arius's instincts snapped to attention and his body tensed, ready to counter the apparent attack and he readied a Ki roar to obliterate the oncoming attack, but while aiming he noticed something strange, Doctor Fate's attack was aimed above him. Even so Arius wasn't taking any chances, so he fired his Ki beam.
The Ki blast surged forward and he expected a clash and for his attack to overpower Fate's, but to his surprise it passed straight through the golden attack and while Superman darted across the room, intercepting his attack before it could destroy the Watchtower. Arius focused solely on Fate with a mix of confusion and irritation brewing inside him.
While the attack wasn't going to hit him at the last seconds Arius still launched himself to the side and instead of following him similar to how Darkseid's Omega Beams did the trio of golden ankhs halted in midair, surrounding the space just above where Arius had been standing.
Despite this, Arius moved further across the room and began charging another attack, but the trio of golden ankhs dimmed before fading away and as Arius was about to launch another attack, Batman interjected, his voice sharp, "It wasn't an attack." The Dark Knight's timing was really starting to become something Arius hated, but he halted nevertheless.
And for the first time since his arrival Doctor Fate finally spoke, his tone calm, "Indeed, it was not. That was a containment spell. Someone has been spying on you using a highly advanced and complex scrying spell. I was attempting to lock it in place, to reverse-trace its origin and identify the caster."
Arius's eye twitched as he withdrew his charged up Ki attack, "And? Did you find anything?" He asked.
Doctor Fate shook his head, "Whoever it was, they reacted faster than I could, so they were able to release the spell before I could contain it, but I can say with certainty that the spell was Greek in origin and that the caster is most likely a powerful magic user… Perhaps even a deity." He said.
Arius clenched his fists, the new information sinking in because it proved that he was right and if a deity was involved, this was no more chance for it to be a coincidence. The vision in his sleep and now this enforced his thought that Diana was being held captive.
"The one spying on you is likely the same person who gave you that dream of Diana." Batman's calm voice cut through his thoughts.
"How could the two be the same person?" he asked, confused on how Batman was so certain.
Batman tilted his head slightly, his gaze locking onto Arius, "Have you felt like you were being watched since you started having those dreams?" He asked and after thinking for a moment Arius nodded a week ago when he was eating breakfast he felt someone watching him, but he couldn't find them.
"Yeah, for the past week I've had this nagging feeling someone's been watching me, but I thought it was Kara being a stalker with her supervision." Arius explained knowing it was a bullshit reason for him to dismiss his instincts.
Superman cringed at the comment, but Batman remained unfazed, nodding as if that answer confirmed his suspicions. "That only makes me more certain that whoever cast the scrying spell was the same person who sent you those visions. They were trying to get your attention by showing you that Diana is being held prisoner and after they saw that you'd meet someone who could assist you in locating her," Batman motioned toward Doctor Fate, "they abandoned the spell."
Arius scowled, agitated, "Why not just tell me in person instead of playing these stupid games?" He asked, trying to think of why they would go about gaining his attention in such a roundabout way.
"It's likely they're part of the group holding Diana hostage and to remain discreet they sent these rather abnormal messages rather than risking direct contact that could have exposed them to the group. They may even be working against their own allies to give you this information."
The pieces started to come together for Arius, but before he could ask more, Batman continued. "Are you absolutely sure about the details of your dream?"
"Yes. Diana was trapped under a mountain surrounded by constant thunder, chained to a throne. It was vivid—too vivid to be just a dream." Arius said, his tone sharp at the notion of him lying.
But Batman leaned forward slightly, his expression turned grim, "Then it's likely the Olympian gods themselves are imprisoning her for some reason and one of them is reaching to you to let us know."
Arius's eyes widened. The deductive prowess of the Dark Knight had just connected dots he hadn't even considered and he felt grateful that he came to the rather broody man for advice.
"You really are the smartest guy in the Justice League," Arius told Batman, a rare compliment being directed at someone who he considered a weakling and a surge of hope grew stronger, he was this much closer to finding Diana, but Arius was now also more certain than ever that he was about to become a god slayer twice over. First some New Gods and now some Olympians.
Turning to Doctor Fate, Arius's voice hardened with purpose. "Can you open a portal to Mount Olympus?"
"No, I have already intervened more than I should. The events you are embroiled in have far-reaching consequences. I must focus my efforts elsewhere to prepare for the chaos that is to come." Doctor Fate shook his head as he began forming more hand signs and a giant golden ankh formed behind him. Fate turned around to leave and with him Arius' fastest way of getting to Diana.
"I was late once. I won't be late again!" Arius' frustration boiled over as he rushed forward and having seen how his Ki blast had just passed through Fate's magic earlier, Arius decided to try a different approach. Instead of a direct blast application of a technique he enveloped Doctor Fate entirely with his Ki, but just like before it had no effect.
However Arius took a more direct approach and attempted to bear hug the man and Fate conjured a transparent golden sphere around himself.
"You dare test Nabu?!" Fate's voice shifted to something more ancient and powerful and Arius himself could feel how he seemed like a whole other person.
The sudden surge in energy was drastic like a cup of water next to an olympic pool and Arius knew that this 'Nabu' was far more powerful than Doctor Fate, but Arius didn't flinch and let his own power flow freely.
"I'd test the 'true' god of the universe himself if it meant saving Diana!" he growled knowing he would fight the one who gave him the body of Broly and with brute force, Arius crushed the sphere and seized Doctor Fate by the collar, lifting him off the ground, "I don't care if you call yourself Doctor Fate, Nabu or Martha. Right now you're my quickest way to Diana and you're going to help me."
The golden man struggled in Arius's grip, glowing brighter as his strength grew and for a moment, Arius was surprised by the resistance, but he just increased his strength to above what he used when fighting Darksied and let his Ki adapt to the magical frequency and after a few moments something clicked into place, and his Ki finally began to suppress Fate's magic.
Realizing the futility of his struggle, Doctor Fate spoke in his original tone, "It's impossible, the helmet I wear allows me to draw power from Nabu, a Lord of Order, but without his permission I cannot open a portal to Mount Olympus." Doctor Fate explained and after sensing that 'Nabu' wasn't in control he lessened his strength, but still held firm.
"And without the helmet Kent?" Batman asked which confused Arius for a second before he pieced together that Doctor Fate's name was Kent, he briefly wondered if he was related to Martha and Johnathan Kent, but dismissed it and hoped that this 'Kent' could take them to Olympus.
"I would not have the power." Doctor Fate said, shaking his head and Arius scowled, his patience nearing its limit.
"Can Nabu hear me right now?" He glared at the helmet and reluctantly Doctor Fate nodded, but Superman placed a hand on Arius's shoulder.
"You need to calm down. Set him down, Arius." Kal-El said, speaking up for the golden man, but the Saiyan wasn't having any of it.
"Get your hand off me if you want to keep it." Arius's voice growled, his tone left no room for argument. Superman's jaw tightened, but before he could push Arius further, Batman interjected.
"Clark. Let it be." He said this was the only time that Arius wasn't annoyed by his timing, Superman hesitated before stepping back reluctantly and Arius turned his attention back to Doctor Fate more specifically his power source.
"Listen Nabu, you better open a portal to Mount Olympus, or I'll destroy that helmet and you along with it. You've got ten seconds." Arius stated as he began to tighten his grip and Doctor Fate squirmed.
"Arius." Batman's voice broke through again, "Give Nabu five minutes to think on it. It will give the rest of the team time to arrive and formulate a plan."
Arius gave Batman a glare, his aura flaring and making the man stumble, "Who do you think you are, giving me orders?" He asked annoyed at Batman and despite his gratitude to the man for helping him piece everything together Arius was close to putting him in a hospital.
"I'm not ordering you," Batman rasped out, holding out a hand to Superman to not interfere, "I'm suggesting it. This way, you won't face the Olympian gods alone. It increases our chances of getting Diana back without unnecessary risks and even if we're useless we can distract them while you rescue her."
Arius clenched his fists, his thoughts racing and had to admit that once again the man was right because the first person that came to mind was the Flash, because while far weaker than himself, Barry's speed was something even Arius doubted he could match in his Super Saiyan form, so he agreed.
"Nabu, you've got five minutes to decide." He said keeping his grip nice and tight.
"We don't need any more help, just a way to Olympus." Superman added.
And after a moment of silence, Doctor Fate glowed golden once more and Nabu came to the forefront, "I cannot open a portal to Mount Olympus directly. However, I can open one to Themyscira, where a portal leads to the gates of Olympus. Direct help would weaken myself and empower the Lords of Chaos."
"Fine, but I'm not letting go until I see it for myself." Arius nodded and this time he didn't need Batman to explain because what he was going to do was definitely going to cause a lot of chaos.
"Very well." Doctor Fate returned as he dimmed again and with a sigh.
-Diana-
Diana sat slumped on the cold, unyielding throne, her disheveled appearance reflecting the torment of the past week. Her eyes were bloodshot and heavy with exhaustion, but they remained fixed on the screen conjured by Athena.
At first she had seen the screen as a blessing, a small mercy from Athena that allowed her to see Arius while she endured her captivity, but as the days stretched into a week of sleepless nights on the blasted throne that didn't let her fall unconscious, it became a source of pain and doubt.
The cursed screen mocked her as she had been forced to watch Arius, the man she cherished deeply, spending time with Kara Zor-El, Clark's stunning blonde cousin.
At first, Diana dismissed it, confident in the bond she shared with Arius, but as the sleepless days passed, doubt crept into her heart. She'd seen the signs, the subtle sway of Kara's hips, her flirtatious body language, and even the revealing new outfit Diana was certain Kara hadn't owned before her departure. The Kryptonians' intentions were as clear as day to her, but Diana still held onto the belief that Arius would remain steadfast, his feelings mirroring her own.
But Diana's confidence faltered the second day when the screen showed Arius visiting the Fortress of Solitude to spar with Kara. Diana cursed under out loud when she saw what Kara was wearing, the Kryptonian had dressed to seduce him.
The spar began, and though jealousy gnawed at her, Diana couldn't help but admire Kara's progress as a fighter and she slowly became more engrossed, but then came the moment that shattered her composure. After Arius' inevitable victory Kara leaned in to kiss him and he didn't pull away, but he leaned in.
Diana's heart ached as despair washed over her and for the first time since she was captured she felt true hopelessness. She clenched her fists, trying to stifle the tears threatening to spill.
Then by Athena's wonderful grace Clark's timely arrival interrupted the moment and put an end to the would-be kiss. She exhaled shakily, torn between gratitude and bitterness and despite that he didn't reject Kara, Diana still held hope that Arius would somehow choose to wait for her.
The following days were no better because even though the two didn't do anything overly intimate, they still formed a stronger connection and the throne's powers denied her sleep, leaving her physically and emotionally drained.
So as the days passed the screen seemed like more of a torture device then a reprieve to her stint under Mount Olympus. The relentless images of Arius and Kara's interactions felt like a cruel joke and she was left there to stew in her thoughts with only brief daily visits from Athena to distract her.
But doubts also began to creep in, not for Arius, but the very Goddess who was supposedly helping her. The Gods of Olympus imprisoned her so they could learn of Arius' weakness, and she'd seen it in drama shows where there is a good cop and a bad cop. So could Athena be manipulating her? Was the screen a tool to break her spirit? Were the images shown even real?
So Diana waited and like clockwork Athena appeared again, this time carrying a tray of food and wearing a tired smile and in most cases Diana believed herself to be a calm and collected person to speak through most issues that didn't need violence, but this wasn't most cases and seeing the fake smile made her anger boiled over.
With a sudden surge of energy, she pulled against the throne's magical restraints, trying to lunge at the goddess and Athena's tired eyes widened as she darted forward, forcing Diana back onto the throne.
"Diana, stop! You'll only hurt yourself!" The Goddess of Wisdom said, her voice tinged with concern.
"Do not take me for a fool O' mighty Goddess of Wisdom and don't act coy! I know what you're doing…" She paused trying to think of what to say her mind dulled from her time awake, "These mind games and this cursed screen! I'm done with them!" Diana growled, glaring at Athena.
Athena for her part only gave a concerned frown, her expression pained, "Diana, nothing you've seen on the screen was fabricated. I would never deceive you." She said and Diana laughed bitterly and the act Athena still kept, not faltering in the slightest.
"Oh, so I'm supposed to believe that you're helping me? What have you done besides giving me false hope only to torment me?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm.
Athena sighed, setting the tray down and meeting Diana's gaze, "I have been helping you, but like I said my actions must remain subtle or the other gods that are closely watching me would have found out my plan."
"THEN TELL ME WHAT THIS MASTERFUL PLAN IS ATHENA!" Diana yelled and all she got in return was a pitiful look before Athena gained a look of resignation as she waved her hand and the room glowed for a second.
"I've been sending mental messages to Arius every day in the form of dreams, urging him to find you." She admitted and Diana scoffed.
"If that's true, then why hasn't he done anything? Why hasn't he even looked for me?" She asked having watched 'Arius' for a week straight and she hadn't seen him look for her a single time or even show that he knew she was being held captive too busy getting cozy with the blonde with tits.
Athena no longer hesitated before explaining, "You know better than anyone else that Arius is no ordinary man, his strength is not just limited to his physical body, his spirit naturally resists outside interference as well which includes my mental projections magic. So the only way I could reach out to him without being caught by the other gods was when he was unconscious and for the past week, I've been sending him visions of you, but it seems the approach was inefficient." Diana narrowed her eyes.
"Inefficient? That's an understatement. He's been spending his time sparring and getting cozy with Kara, so why did you not just send a message to another member of the Justice League and they could have" Diana questioned her mind finally focusing.
"The only one who has the power to rescue you is Arius himself and his lack of relationship with the other members of the League meant that I couldn't be certain that they would recruit him to help, but I've adjusted my methods and while more likely to get me caught last night, I poured more power into the message, ensuring it would leave an impact. Watch." Athena's lips pressed into a thin line as she gestured toward the screen.
Diana turned reluctantly, her skepticism still present as she saw Arius wake with a start, his distress evident. Initially it seemed like too much of a coincidence that right when she began to suspect Athena, Arius finally showed a reaction, but ever knowing Athena reminded Diana that she hadn't pried for any potential weakness of Arius like the other gods had wanted, so she remained quiet and kept watching.
Arius was searching the League Database for the location of Themyscira and Diana wanted to curse her past self for adhering to Bruce's advice and putting it behind a clearance check. When she saw Arius checking the internet next she truly cursed herself because again with Bruce's help they cleaned the internet of all information that could put Themyscira at risk.
And while she shouldn't feel this way seeing the look of frustration and helplessness of Arius' face filled Diana with a sweet and vindictive feeling, it proved he cared for her and she liked seeing him feel a sliver of what she felt. Shortly after he called Superman asking about Themyscira and she knew he was going to reject as she had explained what her island would do if a male landed on it, but it seemed like whatever Clark said was not something Arius wanted to hear as he hung up and called Batman right after.
And while she could only see and hear one part of the conversation between the two she laughed aloud hearing Arius contemplate blowing up Greece to simply see if she was okay, which Athena didn't find as funny, but soon after Arius' reaction proved that Bruce agreed and she was happy that her Saiyan was listening to the sound advice from Bruce.
Soon Clark arrived to pick up Arius which she found amusing and she watched it all barely blinking, but when Doctor Fate appeared in the Watchtower, Athena abruptly waved her hand, cutting off the scrying spell.
Diana's eyes snapped to the goddess, "Why did you do that?" She growled similar to how Arius would when angered.
Athena's voice was calm but firm, "The wielder of Nabu was attempting to trap and trace my spell and if he succeeded, it would have alerted every God on Olympus to my actions and that would jeopardize everything I've done to help you." Diana's lips parted to argue, but Athena raised a hand gently shushing her.
"Rest for now, Diana, with the help of Nabu's wielder Arius and the Justice League will come for you soon and I must prepare for their arrival." Athena smiled faintly, a glimmer of reassurance in her tired eyes, before she turned and left the chamber.
"Arius... stay safe." Diana sat back against the throne, a small spark of hope within her at the thought of being rescued and being able to see Arius once more, but a seed of doubt still lingered as she couldn't be certain that Athena wasn't drawing the league into a trap.
-Batman-
He stood silently, observing the scene before him with an analytical eye as Arius held Doctor Fate, one of the most powerful beings on Earth, in his grip as though the sorcerer were a mere inconvenience. The Saiyan's strength was impressive as it was unsettling and for once even the ever-optimistic Superman stood by warily, his usual composure strained.
Around them, the remaining Justice League members began arriving in response to Batman's summons. The Flash, was the first to appear, skidding to a halt in a blur of red and gold and thankfully chatting with the very angry Saiyan. The Atlantic couple Aquaman and Mera soon after and after getting a brief rundown from himself they kept away from Arius standing next to Superman. Black Canary followed and lastly Shazam who Batman had reluctantly included knowing the importance of having another magic user on their side.
He had wanted to bring Hawkgirl and Green Lantern as well Sheira's Nth metal mace and Hal's support would have been helpful, but both were unavailable off-world. In Hal's case a mission from the Green Lantern and a for Hawkgirl a personal issue.
While Batman could have called on more heroes like Captain Atom and even Supergirl along with the rest of the League's, he decided it was best to leave them behind to handle Earth's defense, just in case their absence stretched longer than anticipated.
Like always he tried to prepare for every scenario which included contingencies for failure. Automated instructions would activate if they didn't return within a month, alerting the Justice League and Teen Titans on what actions to take.
While waiting Batman took the time to update and potentially finalize his file on Arius, because while he could never be certain of his chances of survival he was almost certain that the Saiyan would survive, and if anything happened to him, Dick would relay the information to anyone that needed to know.
He detailed Arius' tendencies and behaviors, noting that the Saiyan responded best to suggestions framed as logical alternatives and how they could benefit him rather than outright commands as they stung his 'Saiyan' pride. Batman smirked to himself in amusement as he was confident he could even convince Arius to launch himself into deep space and never return if necessary, but he doubted the others, especially Diana, would find it amusing so he dismissed the thought because Arius was an invaluable ally, albeit one who required careful handling.
Going over the information once more, he was almost certain that whichever deity was calling for Arius was setting a trap for them, but he didn't let the Saiyan know because if riled up to a certain point he likely wouldn't listen to reason.
So the five minutes ticked by, and the portal Nabu had promised shimmered into existence. Doctor Fate, still in Arius' iron grip, conjured the gateway with precision and Batman noted the ease with which Fate cast the spell, despite being 'restrained'.
It was clear that both Kent Nelson and Nabu were operating with something else in mind and it was something Batman would investigate once Diana was safe.
The portal led to a clearing in a lush, vibrant garden, where another portal hovered, glowing with an ethereal light as Arius unceremoniously dropped Doctor Fate and charged into the portal without any hesitation.
"Follow behind Arius and stay sharp." Batman's voice was calm but firm as he motioned to the others to enter.
The Flash nodded and zipped through the portal in a streak of crimson, the others followed in quick succession. Aquaman and Mera moving with practiced unity, Shazam with a childlike giddiness that he struggled to hide, with himself, Black Canary and Superman bring up the rear. The squishiest of the two ready to take cover behind the Man of Steel if needed.
With one last glance around the room and a mental checklist to ensure all contingencies were in place, Batman stepped through the portal, his mind as sharp and focused as ever.
-Arius-
Arius stood in the lush garden, his eyes darting between the heroes stepping through the portal Doctor Fate made to ensure all his distractions came through and the gateway to Mount Olympus itself. A quick scan with his Ki sense let him know that among the nearly thousand amazons in Themyscira whose Ki signatures were similar to humans with something else mixed into it, but not a single one was Diana.
Among them though one caught his attention, the strongest one that was similar to Diana's own most likely her mother and while he wanted to explore, there was a time and place for everything and his priority was to reach save Diana and potentially kill the entirety of the Olympic Pantheon.
The rest of the Justice League filtered through Doctor Fate's portal, their expressions ranging from awe to wariness and without a word, Arius turned and stepped through the portal to Mount Olympus.
The sight that greeted him was as awe-inspiring as it was ominous. The massive building before him was like a Greek temple magnified a thousandfold. Towering marble pillars lined the perimeter, supporting an intricately carved roof adorned with symbols of power and eternity. Thunder rumbled in the distance, its echoes reverberating through the grand space and despite only seeing the base of the mountain in his vision Arius still recognized it as the exact same one.
His eyes locked onto the twelve figures seated on thrones arranged in a semicircle above him. Their statue just like their presences was immense as they radiated power that would have made most beings tremble and each exuded an aura of divinity, but Arius dismissed them with barely a thought. His focus elsewhere as his Ki sense honed in on something far more important miles below, deep within the mountain, Diana's Ki signature that flickered like a dying ember, weaker then he'd ever seen.
The rage inside him surged and for a brief moment he felt nostalgia at the emotion not having felt it so strongly since Darkseid. Being here fully proved that it was no longer just a vision, what he'd seen was real. Diana was here, imprisoned by the very gods she worshipped and he wasn't going to make it right.
The members of the Justice League arrived, but Arius paid them no mind and left them to distract the puny gods because without a word, his aura flared violently, and he shot downward, drilling through the marble floor, stone and debris parted like the red sea as he tunneled toward Diana's location. The closer he got, the faster he moved, his mind fixated solely on reaching her, but just as he was about to breach the room where Diana was held, a swirling black portal materialized in his path. Its sudden appearance was so swift that Arius couldn't stop himself in time and he barreled through it.
On the other side, he found himself mid-air within a vast cavern, his momentum carrying him down as he crashed into the ground with a force that shattered the stone beneath him.
Growling, he launched himself up into the air, ready to force his way back through the portal, but it abruptly vanished before his eyes, leaving nothing but empty space and as a slow, mocking clap echoed through the cavern followed by an arrogant voice, smooth and cold, rang out from the shadows.
"Impressive, but utterly futile," the voice sneered, "Did you really think it would be so easy to rescue your precious Amazon? And not that you've stepped into my domain don't even think about escaping because I wield power far beyond your understanding."
Arius spun toward the voice, his Ki crackling to life with raw power that cratered the room far more than when he landed and as he scanned for the source. His Ki senses flared, honed in on the only other presence nearby as a figure emerged from the shadows. A man donned in black armor radiating an ominous energy with a smug smile played on his lips as he stared down Arius with cold eyes.
"Welcome to the Underworld where I rule supreme. Submit, become my subordinate and I shall ensure that you live to see tomorrow." the figure said, their tone dripping with condescension and Arius didn't know what he found more infuriating.
The condescending look that he had on his face, the stupid looking goatee that made his mouth look like a goats asshole, the fact that he dared imply that he would submit and become his subordinate or that once again he was stopped from reaching Diana at the very last second. The one thing Arius did know however was that he was going to kill the fucker.
AN: Uhhhh this chapter became a lot longer than I initially anticipated… I thought I was going to write about the big 'ol battle between Arius and Hades this chapter but I guess not. Anyway I still hope y'all enjoy and take in the little hints at future events I sprinkled into the chapter. Have a good rest of your day and vote on the polls if you haven't.
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