HISD Chapter 113 The End of the Divine Battle, The Goddess in Suffering
Tonight, Washington was a city that could not sleep.
First came the chaos, like an apocalyptic omen—unnatural storms tore through the sky, then a colossal blast of thunderous energy struck the central square, shattering concrete and steel like fragile glass. Fire raged across the ruins, engulfing the ground in flames.
Then came the miracle.
A divine figure, radiant and beautiful, appeared above the ruins like a goddess. She descended to bring judgment upon the bone-spiked monster that had earned the title of Doomsday four years ago.
The battle between the golden-armored goddess and the monster erupted instantly, with a streak of violet lightning in the form of a panther joining the clash.
The city trembled as though struck by a titan's hammer. Deep cracks split through the streets, and every surge of power lit up the skies. Thunder, flames, shockwaves, and storms filled the night without pause.
Wave after wave of destructive force spread outward, shattering windows for miles, even scattering the storm clouds above.
And then—just as fighter jets and helicopters scrambled to the scene—it all stopped.
From start to finish, it had lasted less than five minutes.
Where the square once stood, there was now only a vast crater. Flames licked at the ruins, but no living being remained in sight. The goddess, the monster, the violet panther—they had all vanished.
…
"It's now twelve o'clock noon. This is a live report from Washington."
"Last night, witnesses claim the superheroine known as Wonder Woman engaged in battle with an unidentified alien creature, infamous for its devastating rampage four years ago. Many refer to it as Doomsday."
"The battle left widespread damage across the city. Maps will need to be redrawn. The estimated cost of destruction begins at one billion dollars. Several individuals are reported missing."
"Among the missing: Diana Prince, an antiquities researcher, and Barbara Minerva, a gemstone scholar…"
The muffled voice of the news report stirred Diana from a nightmare.
She gasped awake, staring at a wooden ceiling above her—old-fashioned and unfamiliar.
"Ahh—!"
Pain shot through her skull. Her entire body ached as she tried to sit up, but she had no strength left.
Not since her demigod powers had awakened had she ever felt this weak. Not even in her earliest days on Themyscira had her body been so drained.
She closed her eyes, forcing herself to remember. The memories were not dreams.
They were real.
She had lost.
Even after donning the Golden Eagle armor, even after fighting with everything she had, even with Barbara at her side, they had both been utterly defeated.
She could still feel it: her golden wings torn apart by the monster's bare hands, her armor ripped piece by piece until nothing remained but broken fragments.
The image haunted her—lying bloodied and crushed into the rubble, powerless to rise, watching helplessly as the spiked creature pinned Barbara to the ground over and over, shattering her crystalline panther armor beyond recognition.
That despair had carved itself into her very soul.
"Barbara…"
Diana gritted her teeth and forced herself upright. To her shock, she saw Barbara lying unconscious on a nearby bed, her entire body wrapped in white bandages.
Looking down, Diana realized she was wrapped the same way.
With a deep breath, she staggered across the room. Relief flooded her when she confirmed Barbara was alive.
At that moment, the door opened.
Diana tensed.
A tall woman with flowing white hair stepped inside. Her silver-scaled gown shimmered faintly, and her noble bearing was undeniable.
"My apologies," she said gently. "I didn't think you'd be awake, so I didn't knock."
"Who are you?" Diana demanded.
"My name is Atlanna. I am… a woman of the sea. You could say I'm the caretaker here."
"A sea-dweller… a caretaker?" Diana frowned. "You saved us?"
Atlanna shook her head. "No. If he wanted you dead, no one could have saved you."
"He?" Diana's eyes narrowed. She felt the reverence in Atlanna's voice.
"I treated your injuries," Atlanna explained. "Honestly, with wounds like those, I thought you would be bedridden for at least a year. Yet here you are, standing after a single night. Your body truly is extraordinary… But then, you must be extraordinary. Otherwise, he wouldn't have chosen to bring you here."
Her tone carried both awe and sorrow.
Because strength, in this place, was not a blessing. It was why they had been spared. But spared only to face something worse.
There was no hope here. Only destruction.
"Who is he? Where is this place?" Diana pressed.
"His Majesty said that if you woke, I was to bring you to him." Atlanna opened the door wider. "If you can walk, follow me."
…
Still swathed in bandages, Diana pulled on a white robe and followed Atlanna upstairs.
At the end of a grand hallway, Atlanna stopped before a massive set of doors. "He is inside. You must go alone."
Her voice shook slightly. It wasn't refusal to guide her further—it was fear.
Diana took a deep breath. Even broken and aching, she forced her legs forward.
The doors were immense, as if built for giants. And standing guard beside them was a towering figure—a hulking beast with the head of a wolf, armored in silver, massive chains wrapped around its neck and torso.
The alien radiated raw power. Even at her best, Diana wasn't sure she could defeat it.
Yet the beast merely shifted aside, bowing its head to let her pass.
Even this creature feared the one inside.
Diana clenched her fists and stepped through the doorway.
And there he was.
Yi Meng.
The ancient Doomsday sat upon a massive throne of steel, clad in his black armor, red flames flickering in his eyes as he calmly read a newspaper. Even seated, his aura filled the chamber with crushing heat and dread.
This place was hell itself.
Diana's heart twisted with fury and helplessness. Her whole body ached, but she forced herself to speak through clenched teeth.
"Are you mocking me? What do you want? A prisoner? A slave? A dog?"
Yi Meng set the paper ablaze with a breath, ashes scattering in the hot air. His voice was deep, rough, more demon than man.
"I'm not mocking you. You are mocking yourself."
His burning gaze fixed on her.
"Your fight last night was admirable. You pleased me. I told you I would give you a chance. A chance to kill me. That chance has no limit. And no end."
Diana's jaw tightened. "You want me to stay here. To keep giving me chances to kill you."
Yi Meng's lips curled into a grin. "Good things should not be wasted. A rare delicacy must be savored slowly. Not devoured all at once."
DC's old gods were rare treasures, after all. They must be preserved—so they could be destroyed piece by piece.
Rage and despair tore at Diana's heart. But she was an Amazon. A demigoddess. She would not yield.
"Fine. I accept." She raised her chin, eyes blazing. "I will kill you."
Yi Meng leaned back, his grin widening. "That's better."
At the doorway, Steppenwolf glanced at Diana and sighed inwardly.
Hell itself lay before her.
Kill the King of Destruction?
He, too, had once thought it possible—four years ago.
Sometimes, he missed that younger version of himself. Reckless. Defiant. Able to have thoughts other than pure servitude.
But that was long gone. Now, even Steppenwolf bowed to Yi Meng. He was a king equal to Darkseid himself.
[Powerstones plz...
patreon.com/GuessMyName33 for up to 50 chapters ahead
If you like this novel, check out my other novels in my profile!]