Looking at the open hatch, Diana stopped trying to make sense of it.
If Jack Kadere could be understood that easily, he wouldn't be Jack Kadere.
She turned to find Antiope and check on the island's defenses, but she'd barely taken a few steps when screams erupted in the distance.
"Something's wrong." Her expression hardened. She broke into a sprint toward the sound.
The screams woke everyone. Hera, the woman in the oversized shirt, Laurie, Lilah, and Valentina all rushed outside. The moment they emerged, they saw flames climbing the sky in the distance—a wall of fire illuminating all of Paradise Island.
"What's happening?" Lilah grabbed an Amazon warrior running past.
"That's our alarm. We're under attack." The warrior pulled free and kept running.
Lilah exchanged a look with Valentina. Both transformed into Firestorm and shot into the air.
Enemies flooded toward them like a tide—dense, endless. Each had the head of a beast on a human body, like demons clawing their way out of hell. The Amazons fought bravely, but they were outnumbered and slowly giving ground. Blood splashed across the earth, pooling and churning—and from those pools, more monsters crawled forth.
"The power of the sea." Hera's face paled. "Did Poseidon side with Firstborn? No... Firstborn killed him."
Zeus, Hades, Poseidon—they were of the same generation. When Zeus had cast Firstborn into the Earth's core, he'd given Poseidon custody of Firstborn's weapons and set Hades to guard the exit. But Firstborn had escaped anyway, reclaimed his equipment, and begun his slaughter.
Watching these beast-headed monsters crawl through portals of blood, the implication was clear: Hades and Poseidon were almost certainly dead. If even they had fallen, the gods of Olympus were probably all gone.
Who could stop Firstborn now?
"Jack Kadere!" Hera shouted at Laurie. "Get Jack Kadere—now!"
Laurie hesitated for a heartbeat, then ran toward the Aerie.
She arrived just as Jack stepped out of the hatch. He surveyed the chaos, frowning.
"Can't get a moment's peace around here." He glanced at her. "Watch the ship."
He shifted into Firestorm and launched into the sky.
Two Firestorms streaked through the darkness. Flames erupted among the monsters, coiling around them like burning ropes, trapping them where they stood. Jack climbed higher, lightning crackling around his body, and descended like a wrathful god.
CRACK. CRACK. CRACK.
Bolt after bolt struck the monsters with surgical precision, leaving every Amazon untouched.
Diana looked up at him, the corner of her mouth curving slightly. She slammed her bracers together and thrust forward. Golden divine power rolled out in waves, reducing the monsters ahead to ash. She drew the Sword of Hephaestus, leaped, and landed deep in the distant battlefield.
"Long live the Amazons!"
"Long live the Amazons!"
The warriors roared, voices fierce. Even as sisters fell beside them, no one retreated a single step.
"Aren't you going to help?" The woman in the shirt clutched her child, glaring at Hera. The goddess had recovered her divine power but stood motionless.
Hera shook her head. Said nothing.
"You want them to slaughter every Amazon here? Firstborn won't spare you—and neither will Jack Kadere."
Hera remained silent.
Then a wave of hatred crashed over them, so intense the air itself seemed to darken.
From a pool of blood, something tall and terrible crawled forth.
Over two meters. Dark red flesh, completely skinless—nothing but raw muscle and sinew. Two horn-like protrusions jutted from the backs of its hands, curved like dragon fangs. Something cloak-like clung to its back, but it had fused with the body, black tendrils writhing from its edges.
Its face was barely recognizable. Horn-like growths crowned its skull.
"Firstborn?" Diana stared in shock.
It hadn't even been a day.
Last time she'd seen him, he'd been rough, brutal—but still human. Now he was a monster. In a single day, he'd killed Apollo, the new King of Gods. Slaughtered the Olympians. Probably killed Poseidon and Hades too.
How strong was he now?
Diana drew a breath, shouted, and swung her sword.
The black tentacles on Firstborn's back lashed out, slamming her to the ground and coiling around her. Not the Lasso of Truth—but she felt her strength draining, her life force bleeding away.
Squelch. Squelch. Squelch.
Firstborn's tentacles fanned out, piercing Amazon after Amazon. Their bodies withered in seconds, collapsing into skeletal husks. Firstborn crushed the remains underfoot without breaking stride.
Diana hacked through the tentacles with the Sword of Hephaestus and dropped free—only to be swarmed by monsters. By the time she fought clear and gave chase, Firstborn had reached the plaza.
His hand rested on Hippolyta's head.
"Let her go!"
Diana screamed and charged.
Firstborn's crimson eyes fixed on her.
"All must die," he said, voice cold and cruel. "I don't want to be King of the Gods. I want to slaughter every last one of you and become the only existence."
His fingers began to squeeze.
"No!"
A streak of fire slammed into Firstborn, driving him back.
"She still owes me a horse." Jack Kadere's fist connected, sending Firstborn skidding across the stone. "Can't let you crush her before I collect."
Diana exhaled hard, relief flooding through her. She rushed to her mother's side. She's safe, she's—
The thought died.
Hippolyta—still stone—had risen to her feet. Her eyes glowed blue.
"What... what is this?"
"Diana." The stone statue looked at her daughter with a vivid, tender expression.
"Mother, you—"
"I don't know." Hippolyta shook her head slightly. She bent and retrieved a spear from the ground.
"I know only this: Paradise Island cannot be violated."
Resolve blazed through the air. Diana's expression hardened. The Amazons around them straightened, spirits lifted.
"Actually..." Jack's voice drifted over, mild and thoughtful. "I've violated it before."