War of the Titans Chapter 19

Diana stood before Zeus, her gaze unwavering despite the thunderous atmosphere of his throne room. The All-Father loomed above her, his expression a mix of irritation and concern.

“You are bold, Diana, to come here and ask this of me,” Zeus rumbled. “The Half-Titan is too dangerous to let roam freely on Earth.”

Diana took a step forward. “She is just a girl trying to make sense of her powers. We were training her on Themyscira—”

Zeus interrupted with a wave of his hand. “And that training divided your people, did it not? The fault lines within the Amazons show how much of a threat she already poses.”

“She poses no threat if she learns control,” Diana countered. “We were making progress—”

“Progress?” Zeus’s voice boomed, shaking the walls. “Her power grows, and with it, the risk. There are Titans who still harbor resentment against us, factions who could see her as a rallying symbol.

Worse yet, if her mother, Thea, decides to return…” His expression darkened. “Do you think Olympus could withstand a rebellion with Thea leading it?”

Diana faltered. “She needs guidance, not isolation. Bellona and Hera may see her as an asset, but she would be better off with her friends and familiar support.”

Zeus shook his head, his tone final. “Olympus cannot take that risk.”

Emily’s sword clattered as Bellona knocked it from her hands. She stared at her stinging palms, blisters forming from the relentless training.

“This whole thing hurts,” Emily muttered. “I wasn’t even pushed this hard on Themyscira!”

“Pick it up,” Bellona commanded. “Your training isn’t done.”

Emily groaned, her whole body protesting as she bent to retrieve her blade. “My whole body hurts. Can’t we stop?”

Bellona’s expression hardened. “Stop? So you can put your friends and yourself in danger again? Is that what you want, Half-Titan?”

Emily gritted her teeth, her frustration boiling over. But then, her thoughts turned to her friends. Sam, Bran, Tanya… If I don’t learn to control this, I’ll only end up hurting them. I have to do this. She tightened her grip on the hilt of her sword. “Fine.”

Bellona smirked faintly. “Good.”

The two clashed again. Bellona charged, her strikes fast and unrelenting. Emily dodged a downward slash and managed to deflect another. When Bellona swept her leg, Emily leaped over it, barely avoiding the follow-up horizontal swipe. Her heart pounded as she struck back, her blade meeting Bellona’s.

Bellona parried effortlessly and grabbed Emily’s arm, twisting it to disarm her. Emily flipped backward, kicking Bellona’s sword away. She lunged, but Bellona’s armored fist met her face, sending her sprawling across the ground.

Bellona approached, extending a hand. “Break time.”

Emily groaned, taking the hand reluctantly. “You’re relentless.”

“You’re improving,” Bellona admitted. “At least you’re starting to attack instead of running. Where did you learn that? The Amazons?”

Emily nodded. “That, and my dad. He was a mercenary—one of the best.”

Bellona raised an eyebrow. “I do my research on all potential enemies. Your father died recovering some unknown package. He must have been exceptional.”

Emily froze. “My Uncle Gedion never told me what my dad was doing when he died. Just that he died on a job.”

Bellona handed her a flask. “Drink this. It’s replenishing herb water. It’ll restore your injuries and stamina.”

Emily sipped it, feeling the pain melt away. Before she could say more, Bellona’s voice hardened again. “Break time is over, Half-Titan. Let’s increase your survival odds from one percent to two.”

The Justice League gathered, their expressions grim as Diana recounted her conversation with Zeus.

Bran, Sam, and Tanya listened from the sidelines, their worry growing. Tanya threw her hands up in frustration. “So we’re just gonna sit here while Emily’s stuck in Olympus? What’s the plan, huh?”

Bran frowned. “You’re talking about storming Olympus. That’s crazy!”

“It’s crazier to leave Emily there!” Tanya snapped. “Do you want to wait until some god decides she’s not worth the trouble anymore?”

“Enough,” Diana interjected, her voice calm but firm. “We will not abandon Emily. The League has been to Olympus before. The question is whether they will agree to go again.”

Sam sat quietly, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. Bran and Tanya were debating Diana's next steps, but Sam's thoughts drifted. The weight of everything—Emily’s departure, Olympus, gods, and warriors—felt suffocating. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her head, and her vision blurred.

Her surroundings disappeared.

In its place, flashes of chaos filled her mind. Superman rocketed across a battlefield, colliding with a marble column that shattered upon impact. Bellona stood at the center of the carnage, her red eyes glowing ominously beneath her helmet. Wonder Woman’s sword clashed against Bellona’s greatsword, the air ringing with the sound of metal against metal. The rest of the Justice League surrounded her, coordinating attacks, but Bellona moved with deadly precision, her voice a cold taunt:

"You can't save her. You never stood a chance."

Another flash—Aquaman’s trident knocked out of his hands as Bellona’s chain of Gilgamesh wrapped around him. Green Lantern’s constructs shattered like glass. Even Batman, calculated and calm, was forced to retreat.

Sam gasped and clutched her chest as the vision faded. She blinked rapidly, realizing she was back in the League tower. Bran was the first to notice her trembling.

"Sam? What’s wrong?" Bran asked, his voice laced with concern.

Tanya rushed to her side. "Hey, hey, talk to us! What happened?"

Sam struggled to find her words, her breath still shallow. Diana knelt beside her, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

“What did you see?” Diana asked gently, her calm tone contrasting the worry in her eyes.

Sam swallowed hard. “I... I saw Bellona. And the League. They were all fighting her at once. It was—”

She paused, her voice cracking. “It was chaos. She was... she was overwhelming them. Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman—everyone. It felt like... like no one could stop her.”

Tanya stiffened, her usual bravado melting into concern. “Are you saying the League loses? That we can’t save Emily?”

Sam shook her head, her hands gripping Diana’s. “I don’t know. I didn’t see how it ended. I just... I just know it’s going to be bad. Bad.”

Bran sat down, visibly shaken. “So we’re supposed to just walk into Olympus knowing that? How do we even stand a chance?”

Diana’s expression hardened. “Visions like this show possibilities, not certainties. Bellona is powerful, but the League has faced insurmountable odds before. We must prepare and act wisely.”

Sam nodded slowly, her breathing evening out. “I don’t know if we can win, but we must try, right? Emily’s counting on us.”

Tanya crossed her arms, her confidence returning, though her voice reflected doubt. “Damn right, we’re trying. I don’t care how glowing and scary Bellona is; we’re not leaving Emily behind.”

Diana stood, her presence radiating determination. “Then we will face whatever lies ahead together. Emily made her choice under duress. We must ensure she has a choice in her fate.”

Sam glanced at Diana, her voice quiet but firm. “Just... promise me we’ll be careful. Whatever happens, she’s not a lost cause.”

Diana nodded solemnly. “We’ll do everything in our power to bring her back.”