Firstborn exploded.
Flesh and blood splattered in all directions. A surge of power radiating black light roared upward, punching through the clouds and vanishing.
"Cheating bastard." Jack clicked his tongue.
That had to be Firstborn's divine source fleeing. Whether you called him the Nameless God or the Soul Destroyer, Firstborn was the real deal even without a source—and under normal circumstances, killing him should have meant inheriting his power. But other gods' sources had either scattered like Eris's or been directly designated like Ares's. None of them had bolted like that.
Clearly designed so no one could inherit.
"Was I right? Is the Source Wall using the Firstborn to wipe out the old gods?" Jack muttered. "After all, with the mess he made, there aren't many left."
Around him, the monsters attacking Paradise Island deflated like punctured balloons, sinking into the ground and dissolving.
"Boss dies and the minions auto-despawn. Classic."
He turned—and found himself staring at a pair of eyes blazing with golden, hawk-like light.
The plain woman in the simple shirt.
Her hands had transformed into avian talons, and with the infant cradled against her chest, she launched straight into the air.
She can fly?
Her sudden transformation caught Hera flat-footed. Before anyone could react, Jack raised his hand and sent a bolt of fire into her back.
A muffled grunt. She dropped from the sky, twisting mid-fall to take the impact on her back instead of the child.
Crash.
She hit the ground hard but rose immediately, the infant still secure in her arms. Completely unhurt.
"What are you doing?" Her voice had changed entirely—deeper, resonant, ancient.
"Ath—Athena?" Diana stared at her in shock. This was the voice she'd heard in her mind. Athena's voice.
"She's Athena?" Jack studied the woman with renewed interest. "Not bad, little one. You hid pretty deep."
"Thank you, Diana." Athena addressed her half-sister calmly. "You helped Father return."
"Father? Zeus?" Diana looked at the infant, comprehension dawning alongside fury. "You lied to me!"
"No, Diana. I reincarnated into this mortal body long ago. My divinity remained dormant until Firstborn returned. And now—" She gazed down at the baby. "Since Zeus once gave birth to me, and I have now given birth to him, my mission is complete. He can reclaim the throne."
Her eyes lifted to meet Jack's as he approached.
"So don't stop me."
"What if I do?" Jack stopped directly in front of her and poked the apparently oblivious infant. "Can you stop me? Can this brat?"
The baby gurgled, wide-eyed.
"Hippolyta waking from her statue state—that was you, wasn't it? Which means you can reverse it." Jack tilted his head. "I promised Diana I'd restore everyone on Paradise Island. So here's the deal: turn Hippolyta back, and I let Athena carry you home to Mount Olympus. Fair?"
"Waaah! Waaah!"
The infant started wailing, seemingly terrified and uncomprehending.
"You engineered turning your own daughter mortal, slept with her, and had her give birth to yourself—and now you're playing dumb?" Jack's smile didn't reach his eyes. "Make it quick. Don't waste my time. If you don't agree, I'll cripple your favorite appendage before you grow into it. Won't be acting wild then."
The crying stopped instantly.
Thunder crackled in the infant's suddenly glowing blue eyes.
Across the battlefield, Hippolyta's stone form shimmered—and flesh returned.
"Knew it." Jack chuckled at the wide, innocent eyes now staring up at him. "Old lecher. Good luck. Try not to run into me again."
Athena stepped back, securing the child, and ascended once more. This time Jack didn't stop her.
The group watched in silence as she vanished into the night sky.
The plain woman had been Athena. The infant was Zeus.
Then what had any of this meant?
A soft huff of displeasure. Thunder cracked, and Hera disappeared in a flash of lightning—back to Olympus.
"Looks like that's a wrap." Jack surveyed the aftermath with an amused smile.
These gods were something else.
Hera's jealousy ran so deep she'd let Amazon warriors die and blocked Hippolyta's restoration—probably on purpose. Athena had seduced her own father and then given birth to him—the mental gymnastics required were genuinely impressive. And Zeus himself—the moment someone threatened his equipment, he folded immediately.
"Olympus gods." Jack shook his head, still grinning. He turned to Diana. "Everything's settled. I'm heading out."
"So soon?" The words escaped before Diana could stop them. "Why not stay until tomorrow?"
Hippolyta joined in. "Yes—once again you saved Paradise Island, ended all this chaos. At least let us express our gratitude properly."
"Pass. Things may be resolved, but you've still got a mountain of problems to sort through. Not interested in sticking around for that."
"Donna Troy..." Diana said quietly.
"Time to go."
Jack waved for Lilah and Valentina—Firestorm transformation already deactivated—to follow him toward the Aerie. Laurie had stayed behind to guard it the entire time.
"Wait!"
Diana's voice cut through the air. She ran after him just as he reached the ship.
Jack turned.
Diana kissed him.
It wasn't quick. It wasn't tentative.
When they finally parted, her eyes met his.
"Wait for me. In a few decades—or a hundred years—I'll find you." A fierce smile crossed her face. "And then I'll challenge you."
"Challenge me?" Jack touched the corner of his mouth, watching her turn and walk away without looking back. "Is that a promise or a threat?"
She didn't answer.
He chuckled, turned, and boarded the Aerie.
Next stop: Central City—after the birth of The Flash.