"Whoa!!" Zatara cried out as Brunhilde's chariot dipped wildly. "Can't we go any slooowwwweeeerrrrrr?!"
The magician fought his lunch as it threatened to rise out of his stomach. Brunhilde rolled her eyes as she snapped the reigns attached to her six-legged horse. Wonder Woman's shield was strapped over her arm. "Queen Hippolyta is already racing much quicker than us. See? I am sure thy mortal eyes can barely make her out!"
Indeed, the Amazon Queen hurtled ahead of Brunhilde and Zatara by more than a mile, supported in midair by the Sandals of Hermes.
"I - I still don't understand why she's hunting Gudra down like this!"
Brunhilde groaned. "And I thought that thou hath labeled thyself an expert of the occult! 'Tis simple. Hippolyta is connected to her soul, still, and she is searching it out. She seeks to kill the one responsible for removing her soul from her body. Without her soul, though, she lacks any sense of reason or compassion."
"Sometimes I wish I was still pulling rabbits out of hats . . . " Zatara groaned. "Hey . . . I may not be an expert at everything occult, but my magic gives me a pretty good sense of direction. Aren't we going a little too far South to be in Germany?"
"Gudra may have established a base away from Germany," Brunhilde replied. "Now hold on. I am going to increase our speed! Hippolyta's beginning to descend!"
"No!"
Shouts of rage greeted the Amazon queen as she landed on the turrets of the castle. Bullets sprayed from Nazi machine guns, bouncing harmlessly off of Hippolyta's bracelets. Normally when she 'played' the Amazon game of 'Bullets and Bracelets', she carefully deflected the bullets into the ground, so no civilians would be wounded by any ricochets. Now she simply blocked the bullets. They spun off in every direction, some even bouncing back and hitting the soldiers.
Wonder Woman casually tossed a massive army jeep off of the tower. Its occupants screamed as they tumbled downward.
"Queen Hippolyta! Stop!" Zatara cried as he and Brunhilde approached.
"'Tis no use reasoning with her!" Brunhilde declared as she leapt from the chariot and hurried in front of Hippolyta. She battered the Nazis with blows that would injure, but not kill, driving them away from the soulless Wonder Woman. "We have to get the soldiers out of Hippolyta's way. I know her conscience would never allow her to forgive herself for murdering misguided people!"
"Sdniw peews sreidols yawa!" Zatara cried. A strong wind whipped at the Nazis, knocking them across the castle tower and out of Hippolyta's path of destruction. The Amazon paused, then raised her boot and stamped it on the stone roof. It crumbled, carrying her with the rubble out of sight. "Dammit! That means we hafta follow her, doesn't it?"
"Aye! Hurry!" Brunhilde dove into the gaping hole. Muttering something that sounded like 'why me', Zatara leapt after her.
Somewhere in Italy . . .
"Raaahh!"
WHAM!
The tree shattered beneath the force of her fist, showering the once-serene forest landscape with slivers of wood.
<"Where is she?!"> a slim girl raged in Greek. She was in her teens, and would have been on the cute side if not for the incredible look of rage twisting her face. Her white-blonde hair was matted and dirty, and the shining yellow bodysuit she wore was torn in a few places.
Cold blue eyes, brimming with rage, glared at her surroundings. In the distance, a tall mountain loomed. Like the Mount Olympus in ancient myths, its peak was shrouded by mist. Trees dotted its rocky slope. There. That was where local rumors said that Nazis had their base. That was where she would go.
Several more trees met their demise as the girl charged towards the mountain.
The wall exploded, showering the Nazis within with huge chunks of stone. Wonder Woman strolled casually through, eyes narrowed, her mind set on her goal.
<"It's Wonder Woman! We must stop her!"> one of the soldiers cried. He raised his gun, only to see it cleaved in half by a massive broadsword. Brunhilde held her blade's deadly edge to his neck.
"I would not attempt thus, mortal," she said. It didn't matter whether or not the man understood the Valkyrie's words, because an armored fist to the face sent him sailing backwards.
Zatara waved his hands, transforming the Nazi's guns into hissing, writhing rattlesnakes that twisted and turned in their former masters' hands, venom-dripping fangs sinking into their hands.
"Quick! Hippolyta just smashed into another room! We must follow her!"
"Oh more fun!" Zatara grumbled sarcastically.
Gudra's icy eyes pinned Hippolyta down as the Amazon strolled slowly and calmly towards her. Her wind tossed raven ringlets hung around her gravely calm face. She was oddly calm, regarding Wonder Woman with a small smirk.
"I had thought thou wouldst come for me!" Gudra smiled. "I did not realize that thou 'twas immortal . . . it seems that I shall have the pleasure of making sure thy soul has no body to return to! Mortal!" She turned to her general. "Gather thy troops and leave the castle. I shall come for thee later. This 'tis a duel I wish to finish myself!"
The decorated Nazi beside her nodded curtly, and hurried off to summon his soldiers and flee.
"Give me my soul," Hippolyta hissed. She was now less than a yard away from the Nazi Valkyrie. Her arm snapped out with catlike speed. Her hand clamped around Gudra's neck in an iron grip, cutting off her air supply.
"Hela damn thee for all eternity!" Gudra choked. Her hands flew up as she jammed her fingers into various pressure points on Hippolyta's arm. The Amazon queen didn't flinch. Pain had no effect on her. So Gudra tried a different pressure point. Wonder Woman's arm fell limp to her side. Not even looking, Hippolyta administered the pressure points that would cancel out Gudra's, and planted her fist firmly in the ancient goddess's face.
Gudra smashed into the wall, cracks spreading across the cold stone. She stumbled to the floor in a shower of fragments.
"Oomph!" Gudra leapt to her feet, eyes blazing. "Thou shall pay for that!"
"I want my soul," Hippolyta stated. She attacked Gudra fiercely, but the Valkyrie fought back. Arms and legs were blurs as they pummeled and pounded on one another. The two combatants turned centuries of experience and training on one another, whirling and kicking. Both were so graceful, each move was so elegant, each technique so exotic and strange, that it seemed as though the two were engaged in a frenzied dance. Gudra forced Hippolyta back with an open-handed strike, but the Amazon rolled with the blow, flipped back to her feet, and charged again. As the two warriors resumed their deadly dance, Brunhilde and Zatara lurked near the hole Hippolyta had created in her entrance.
"So far they have not taken to the outside," Brunhilde whispered. "But all it takes is for either combatant to land a strike, and they could be blown through the wall and down the mountain. As of now, neither has an ounce of compassion, and would not hesitate to slaughter an innocent who strays in their way. We must find Gudra's spear. Then thou canst reattach Hippolyta's soul to her body."
"I canst? I mean, can?" Zatara hissed back. "Wouldn't it be a good idea to ask me these things before assuming them?"
"All thou hast to do is simply whisper backwards 'May soul and body become one again' or knowing thou something far less eloquent, and it shall be done! Now help me find that spear!" Brunhilde hissed.
"No problem," Zatara responded. "It's right over there by the throne. I can sorta see Hippolyta's soul floating around it."
Brunhilde grabbed Zatara by his gaudy magician's coat and sprinted towards the spear, the sorcerer's feet dangling inches above the ground.
Hippolyta's fist managed to slip through Gudra's guard. This time, her punch sent Gudra sailing through the thick wall and out into the cool mountain air. She dove after her adversary mercilessly, her boots barely touching the rocky ground as she sprinted towards the stunned Valkyrie.
"Hurry!" Brunhilde cried to Zatara as she carried the spear out of the castle. "We must hurry!"
"I hear ya!" snapped Zatara as he struggled to keep up with the speedy Valkyrie. "Say, you think you could slow down a bit?"
Instead, Brunhilde ran harder, furthering the gap between her and Zatara. She leapt agilely out of the hole, which was fifteen feet above the ground.
"Shoot . . . how am I supposed to get up there?" Zatara smirked suddenly. He selected just the right words and stated them backwards. Magical energy poured from his fingers tips and the entire wall crumbled to the ground. "Oops . . . that was a little overboard . . . "
Shrugging, Zatara made his way across the rubble. Suddenly, Brunhilde appeared and grabbed his arm, lifting him up like a rag doll and dragging him towards Gudra and Hippolyta.
"Thou art slower than a snail!" Brunhilde snarled. "Quickly . . . draw Hippolyta's soul into her body!"
"Um . . . " Zatara fumbled for words. He was talented, but not experienced with this sort of thing. This was for some ancient sorcerer or sorceress, a witch or wizard of myth, not a stage magician like himself.
"Do it now!" Brunhilde ordered, eyes blazing. Zatara gulped and waved his hands, quickly sputtering out the words.
Nothing happened. "Dammit! I must've worded something wrong!"
"Blast it, mortal! DO THE ACCURSED SPELL!" Brunhilde took to shaking Zatara violently. His top hat tumbled off, rolling down the rocky slope.
Suddenly, a loud, piercing shriek filled the air.
<"I won't let you hurt anyone else, you witch!"> a voice cried in Greek. A black shape swooped from the sky, its long ebony arm battering Brunhilde to the ground. Her head cracked against the rock, and she felt her body form a small crater. Her broadsword, currently sheathed, was torn from her hip and hurled away.
The Valkyrie looked up, and saw a large creature with the shape of a woman standing before her. She was nearly a foot taller than Brunhilde. Her skin was a shining ebony and, instead of hair, she had a nest of writhing, hissing serpents. Two wide wings flapped from the she-demon's back, and her eyes were a glaring scarlet red.
<"Gudra, it's time for you to die!"> the monster screamed, her voice an unearthly shriek. Brunhilde didn't understand the language she spoke, but she heard Gudra's name spoken.
"W-wait . . . I am not . . . " she was cut off as the monster screeched and charged, smashing Brunhilde into the ground once more, massive clawed hands wrapped around her neck.
"Aaugh!" Brunhilde struggled against the beast, but to no avail. By Asgard! This beast 'tis as strong as Hippolyta! Mayhap even stronger!
"Z-Zatara . . . hurry! Return Hippolyta's . . . soul!" Brunhilde croaked out, her hands pushing uselessly against the monster's might.
Zatara began to murmur under his breath. "S'atyloppih lous nruter ot reh ydob!"
Suddenly, the faint mist around Gudra's spear twisted and contorted, growing brighter and fuller. It whirled quickly around the spear, increasing in speed and brightness, until, like a whirling, golden tornado it blasted forward towards Hippolyta, who charged towards a dazed Gudra. Body and Soul reconnected, with a blinding flash. Wonder Woman stumbled to the rocky slope, dazed.
But Brunhilde saw none of this, for she was still helpless at the hands of the monstrous being who mistook her for Gudra.
Blast! I am at the mercy of this demoness . . . yet she seems innocent thus far . . . simply mistaken . . . My warrior's honor forbids me from killing her, yet I cannot find a way out of this that will not harm either of us . . . As blackness began to creep across her vision, the warrior maiden found her train of thought changing quickly. Warrior's honor be damned . . . I shall not let her slay me! I only pray that she is as enduring as she is strong!
Brunhilde slid Hippolyta's shield from her arm, and smashed it into the monster's elbow joint.
"Aaaeeeiiiiieeee!" Brunhilde gulped air as she was released, massaging her tortured throat, and her attacker flapped backwards, more startled than hurt.
"Prepare to be pummeled, demon!" Brunhilde declared as she hurled the shield with every ounce of her Asgardian strength . . .
. . . and watched helplessly as it whizzed, inches from the demon's hissing serpent hair. The ancient shield smashed into the foundation of the castle, spreading an intricate pattern of deep cracks across the stone. The she-demon cackled as she swooped to recover the shield.
"Damn . . . t'would seem that technique takes a tad bit of practice . . . " Brunhilde observed sheepishly. She nearly cried out as the foundation fell to pieces. That, coupled with the damage from Zatara's magic, was too much for the castle, which had been built most unwisely on a slope, and the massive stone structure crumbled down towards the assembled group of super humans, sweeping them up in an avalanche of stone.
Back on Paradise Island, in the capital city of Themyscira, the Amazon Mnemosyne, keeper of memory, poured over countless ancient scrolls that were spread across the table. She was a petite woman, although still athletic. She had dark hair and tanned skin, looking like she belonged in the dress of Native Americans rather than a flowing violet gown. The door to the library opened softly, and Mnemosyne jumped as Antiope strolled in, her sandals making no sound on the marble floor.
<"I am sorry to have startled you,"> Antiope apologized in Themysciran.
<"'Tis all right, General. I was absorbed in the scrolls.">
<"Any mention of this 'Astarte' or her serpent in our tribe's texts?"> Antiope inquired. Mnemosyne shook her head, dark hair glistening in the flickering candlelight. <"Astarte has made no other attempts to attack us. Even she is wary of engaging in combat with the entire Amazon race, especially with all of us on alert. Even the Amazons of Ares . . . ">
<"The Amazons of Bana-Mighdall, Antiope. I will not have any of that 'Amazons of Ares' nonsense in my library. You make them sound like savages. They simply have chosen to dedicate their lives to combat instead of peace.">
Disgust was evident in Antiope's face. <"I do not see why they changed the name of their city from Amazonia to that horrid 'Bana-Mighdall'.">
<"It translates to 'The Temple of Women', Antiope. They simply wanted to differentiate themselves from us. It 'twas their leader Artemis's choice. Remember, before we adjourned to Paradise Island, Artemis had led a colony of Amazons in the Middle East. She has a great fondness for Egyptian and Arabic culture. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to get back to studying these scrolls. I believe that Ipthime, the keeper of memory over in Bana-Mighdall has some scrolls I need. Please ask her for them. I wrote down their numbers on this list.">
<"I will. May Athena aid you in your search, Mnemosyne."> Antiope nodded her head to the keeper of memory and turned, crimson cape fluttering lightly behind her as she stalked towards her chariot.
The stone tumbled away, revealing a shining bubble composed of a shifting sapphire energy. The bubble popped, revealing beneath it the shaken forms of Wonder Woman, Zatara, and Brunhilde.
"Nnnh . . . Shades of Hela!" Brunhilde cursed, pulling herself to her feet.
Hippolyta stood ready. "Where is Gudra?"
"I don't sense her anywhere nearby," Zatara said. Brunhilde turned to him.
"You saved us!" she said to Zatara.
"I-it was nothing . . . "
Brunhilde shook her handsome head. "Nay! 'Twas something. I am grateful for it."
"Who is that?" Hippolyta wondered aloud. Nearby, sprawled unconscious on the rubble was a young girl, maybe sixteen years of age. She had short golden hair and tanned skin. Her body was clad in a golden jumpsuit, which was torn around the legs. Nearby lay Hippolyta's shield.
"Odin's Eyes! Could that be the spawn of Hela that attacked me?" Brunhilde gasped. "I was attacked by a demoness, a massive creature of darkness, with wings and serpent tresses, not a slim waif like this child here!"
The girl groaned, her head falling to the side. Her chest rose and fell with her light breathing, pale lips parted softly.
"By the Gods," Wonder Woman murmured in amazement. "Her aura is tainted with ancient magic! The Erinyes have possessed this girl. Her mother must have been murdered!"
"The Erinyes?" Brunhilde questioned. "That would explain her demonic form earlier. I am familiar with these punishing goddesses of yours, Hippolyta, and this girl was the very image of one."
Zatara glanced between them, confused. "The Erinyes? Who are they?"
Wonder Woman knelt by the dazed girl. "You might know them as the Furies. They are a trio of goddesses. At the will of Hades or Persephone, they extract vengeance upon mortals, especially if they murder their mother. I am guessing that this girl's mother was murdered, and the Erinyes granted her power for vengeance."
Moaning, the avatar of the Erinyes shifted her wait. Her eyelids fluttered open, revealing stormy grey orbs, glazed over like those of a drugged patient. She blinked, and the haze vanished. A hand was placed against her skull; the simple movement obviously caused her great pain.
<"W-where am I . . . "> she asked shakily.
<"Worry not, little sister,"> Hippolyta responded. Through Athena, the Amazons had learned a few of the outside languages, including Modern Greek, though they spoke Themysciran and Classical Greek on Paradise Island. <"You are safe with us. I am Hippolyta of Themyscira. May I ask who you are?">
<"My name is Helena,"> she responded. Hippolyta's soothing voice and kind eyes reminded her of her mother's, banishing the fear she held. <"I came here to kill . . . you!!"> The soft look in her eyes hardened instantly as she laid eyes on Brunhilde.
Helena was a golden blur as she launched herself past Hippolyta. <"You murdering whore! I'll tear our your spine and flog you with it!"> Her small fist smashed into Brunhilde's jaw, forcing the Valkyrie back a step. Brunhilde raised an elegant eyebrow. The strength the girl possessed was still superhuman, but nowhere near the levels she had displayed earlier, when she had first attacked Brunhilde. As Helena's other fist swung towards Brunhilde, the Norse goddess caught her around the wrist in an iron grip. Helena futilely struck Brunhilde's armor with her free hand. <"Let me go, you wench!">
"Hippolyta! Ensnare this feisty vixen and see if that rope of yours can coax some sense into her!" Brunhilde tossed Helena backwards, and the Golden Lasso coiled around her.
<"Stop struggling!"> Hippolyta commanded. <"Now, tell me what happened. What is your story?">
Her arms and legs grew slack as the power of the ancient lariat worked its way over her mind.
<"I am Helena Kosmatos . . . my family lived in a village near Athens. My father was a businessman and my mom stayed at home, watching over my brother and I. My father had just returned home from a trip, and we were in the living room as he read to us, a family tradition. All of the sudden, we heard screams and explosions, and before we knew it, the wall of our house had exploded. I was trapped, hidden beneath a collapsed staircase. The shower of rubble had killed my father and brother instantly, but my mother had been in the kitchen. Even though I was hidden from the view of the murderers, I could see their faces clearly. One was a fat, dark-haired man and the other a tall, blonde woman, wearing armor like the Vikings. She used her spear to kill my mother, sucking the life from her body. They vanished into thin air after that.
<"I swore that I would wreak a vengeance upon them, and suddenly the air around me seem to be crackling with electricity. Three women appeared in front of me, clearing away the rubble. They were huge and dark, with snakes for hair and wings like bats, with whips clutched in their hands. They told me they were the Erinyes. I knew who they were; every self-respecting Greek knows of our homeland's history, and the mythology of our ancestors. They told me that I could have the strength to avenge my family's death, if I pledged myself to their service. I did, and suddenly I found myself with incredible strength and speed. I traveled across the sea, quickly learning where the nearest Nazi base was. I found the castle and attacked! I was transformed, larger, swifter, and stronger. I became a Fury.
<"But now I can't take my vengeance! Hippolyta, I know who you are. You are Wonder Woman! One of the American heroes! What kind of heroine . . . what kind of woman refuses to allow a girl to get revenge against her mother's murderer?">
Hippolyta shook her head sadly. <"Little sister, the woman you accuse is Brunhilde, the sister of your mother's murderess. Gudra has escaped.">
The Amazon's heart tore as she saw the look of raw anguish; sadness and rage mingling together like paints to form a new, vibrant color reflected in the young girl's eyes. A tear ran down her tanned cheek.
<"Aphrodite help you, poor child,"> Hippolyta said, embracing the girl. <"You have no home . . . but taking in homeless girls and women is the most ancient of Amazon customs. You can come stay with me, and be trained as my . . . oh . . . what's the word? 'Sidekick'. Captain America has one, so why can't I? You can stay in the Justice Society's mansion; no one will mind!">
Gratitude beyond words shone in Helena's eyes. <"Really? Thank you!"> Her arms tightened around Hippolyta's lean body.
"Zatara, if you would?" Hippolyta asked. "Please, take us home."
Helena walked out of her elegantly furnished new room, obviously awestruck. Her family was fairly well off, but their home didn't even come close to the grandeur of this venerable mansion. And its colorful inhabitants! Captain America . . . the Flash . . . the Black Canary . . . All had seemed like fables from a far off land, distant as the Olympian Gods she had read about as a child. Now they confronted her, talking to her and treating her as an equal!
<"So, Helena, what do you think?"> Hippolyta asked. The Amazon Queen had changed into more casual garb minutes after Zatara had deposited them at the mansion and she had bid a tearful farewell to Brunhilde, pulling her raven locks back into a loose bun and exchanging her patriotic armor for a crimson toga.
<"I'm still speechless!"> Helena replied. <"This is like my dreams as a little girl, but instead of becoming an American movie star, I'm an American super-heroine!">
<"In training,"> Hippolyta added. <"Your strength is formidable, but you cannot rely on strength, for you may always meet a stronger opponent. I, and the others here, will train you in martial arts, and the use of your powers. You must also learn English to survive here.">
"I is know little English," Helena said, her voice heavy with an accent as she stumbled over unfamiliar words.
Hippolyta smiled. <"That will help us, then, but you must speak it well. Also . . . there is the little matter of a codename . . . ">
Tapping her chin thoughtfully, Helena mulled this over. As she puzzled over this, a wild-haired young man strolled up to her, gazing at up and down appreciatively. He was Bucky Barnes, also known as the Star-Spangled Kid, the sidekick of Captain America.
"Who's this?" he asked, eyes wide.
"This is Helena," Hippolyta said. "A heroine-in-training. She needs a nickname, though."
Bucky smirked. "How about legs? Or bombshell?"
The Amazon glared disapprovingly at him, before translating it to Helena, who whirled about, grabbing the front of Bucky's shirt. Though she screamed in Greek, the tone of her voice left little for the boy to imagine. He surmised that she was telling him which body parts were going to be shoved where if he didn't stop. Hippolyta chuckled.
<"I think I've found the perfect name for you, Helena.">
<"That being . . . ?">
"Fury."
Next issue: Hawkwoman and Black Canary guest-star as a routine mission goes awry, landing the women of the JSA in a strange, exotic world.