I was born a warrior.
Trained from childhood, my path was always meant to lead me to the battlefield.
I left my island under the banner of peace, though I have never truly cared for peace itself. What I feel instead is something far stranger, an attachment to humanity.
My journey to the Underworld made one truth clear. I love humanity, and even more, I admire their progress.
Yet weak leaders will always lead them astray.
Boom!
Wonder Woman moved like a streak of light, crashing into a fighter jet. The aircraft failed to evade in time, and her Vulcan Sword sliced clean through one of its wings.
The explosion roared across the sky, flames spreading through the clouds as the jet spiraled downward.
High above, bathed in golden sunlight, Diana hovered in her red and gold armor. Her expression was calm, resolute, as she surged forward again like lightning.
Bang!
A cry echoed from another pilot.
In an instant, she appeared above a second jet and struck downward. The blade cut through steel effortlessly, splitting the aircraft in half. The pilot ejected, parachute deploying as he fell.
Diana did not pursue. Her focus remained on the battlefield.
One by one, the fighter jets fell, destroyed with precision that made the battle seem effortless.
Bang!
She descended from the sky and landed in a half-crouch, her sword driven into the ground at an angle. Dust scattered around her boots.
"You just cut a fighter jet in half."
The voice behind her was slow, familiar.
Diana paused, then turned.
"Ares?"
Before her stood Ares, the God of War, clad in dark armor that concealed his entire form.
"You, an envoy of Paradise Island, have turned your blade against humans," Ares said, his voice echoing like it came from the depths of a distant abyss.
"Peace sometimes requires force," Diana replied, tightening her grip on her sword.
"Of course." He nodded. "So tell me, what brings you here?"
"For now, I am only watching," Ares said. "I have seen every war on this planet, but a battle between a meta human and mortals, that is rare."
"If war is what ends conflict, then I will use it," Diana answered firmly.
Ares tilted his head slightly. "You fight alongside Homelander. Do you truly believe he is right?"
"I do."
Diana turned toward an advancing tank. Crossing her arms, she deflected the incoming shell before charging forward. In a single motion, her sword severed the tank's treads.
"Leave now," she commanded the stunned soldiers. "Lay down your weapons, or meet the same fate as this machine."
Silence followed.
When the ground forces retreated, she faced Ares again.
"This war will end soon. When it does, you will have no place left in this world."
"I look forward to that," Ares replied calmly. "But tell me something else. Will you share a bed with him?"
Diana's expression did not falter. "He is the one who has strengthened my resolve more than anyone. If I must, I will become what he needs."
Ares chuckled darkly.
"You fear what we might become together," she continued. "That is what truly interests you, is it not?"
Her gaze sharpened.
"You fear him because you believe he will succeed. Without war, what becomes of the God of War?"
A faint smile touched her lips.
"Perhaps you could become something else. Something less violent."
Ares's eyes flared with red light. "Do not mock me."
In an instant, he appeared beside her, grabbing her wrist.
"You know I prefer words over violence," Diana said coldly. "Let go, if you wish to keep that hand."
Ares ignored her warning and seized her other arm as well.
"Look around you," he growled. "This destruction, these ruins, this is my power. If you continue to stand with him, I will destroy you now."
He slammed her into the ground with brutal force.
"This is nothing to me. Even Zeus would hesitate here. Your strength is insignificant."
Bang!
Before he could react, a powerful strike shattered part of his helmet. One of its horns broke clean off.
Ares staggered forward.
Another blow followed immediately, driving him into the ground and carving a deep crater into the earth.
Dust and debris rose as the ground trembled.
Ares struggled to lift his head. Standing above him was Adrian.
"How is this possible?" Ares muttered, disbelief evident in his voice.
Adrian said nothing.
With a roar, Ares lunged forward, his armored fist cutting through the air at incredible speed.
Adrian sidestepped with ease, catching the attack and countering with a direct punch to Ares's head.
Bang!
The God of War was sent reeling backward.
Before he could recover, Adrian's Heat Vision erupted, slamming into his body and driving him into the ground again.
Ares's vision blurred. The sunlight above him faded as Adrian stepped forward, his expression cold and unreadable.
Adrian leapt and brought both feet down toward Ares's chest.
Ares rolled aside at the last moment and tried to counter from behind, but Adrian evaded effortlessly.
Ares's punch connected with Adrian's chest, but it had little effect.
Adrian grabbed his arm and drove an elbow back into his helmet.
Crack!
The remaining horn shattered.
Ares crashed to the ground, dragged along by the force of the impact.
Adrian landed in front of him.
"It would be easy to kill you," he said calmly.
At that moment, Diana charged forward with her sword.
Ares barely raised his arm in defense before the blade severed his hand.
Blood sprayed as he screamed in agony.
"I warned you," Diana said, breathing heavily. "Watch your hands."
"I swear," Ares gasped, "when your child is born, I will take his life."
"You will not live that long," Adrian replied.
His eyes flared.
Heat Vision burst forth at full power, piercing through Ares's chest.
The beam burned straight through him.
Ares's body went still.
The God of War, once unstoppable, fell in silence.
Diana stepped forward, watching Adrian closely.
"Ares will not die so easily," she said. "Gods do not truly die. They fade."
Adrian looked down at the body.
"Is that so?"
He paused, then asked, "Do gods feel pain?"
"Not as mortals do," Diana replied. "But what you did to him, that was not just physical."
Adrian shook his head.
"Then he is no true god."
He turned and walked away.
Diana followed without hesitation.
Behind them, Ares lay in a pool of blood, barely conscious. His arm twitched weakly as his vision dimmed.
If he had not been caught off guard, this would not have happened, he thought.
As darkness closed in, he whispered his final words.
"Was he really… a pony?"