Once Justinian's Honor Guard had gathered around him and Hippotyla she had her surviving Amazons do the same. She first looked toward Diana who Artemis was holding in her arms as she regenerated and walked over to her Queen.
"My Queen, she was grievously injured in the battle. She was burned."
Hippotyla rushed over to her daughter and saw that all over her body she had severe wounds. Some were so deep they showed bone and organs, but thanks to her Demigod status she would live and heal.
That was because Ddraig was nice and had not used his eternally burning fire just because of Justinian.
"My daughter, I am relieved you are alright."
Ddraig being a smartass spoke from Justinian's gauntlet.
[Define alright?]
Hippotyla instantly turned her head to Justinian with clear dislike. It made him squint his eyes as he wasn't going to take disrespect even from her.
"Men are not welcome on Themyscira, even if you did save us you need to leave."
Justinian looked from left to right at the crumbling island. Parts of it were still burning and many sections were melting because of Albion's poisons. Eventually, Themyscira and the Amazons would need to leave because of Justinian's actions.
He no longer felt bad about that and wished Ddraig and Albion destroyed more of it.
"Watch your tone, woman, when speaking to me. I only came because I was offering my aid to my friend Diana, but I will not allow you to talk down to me."
Diana opened her eyes and forced herself to her feet. She knew Justinian was prideful and if her Mother spoke wrong his Honor Guard would end her.
"No. You can stay. Mother, if you respect the gods, you shall respect Justinian. How could you not feel his Divinity?"
Lauralina smiled.
"I like you, you can tell our Lord's Divine majesty. At your scorn of our Emperor, I nearly crushed your head with my mace."
Diana didn't like to hear her Mother threatened and neither did the rest of the Amazons. They gathered their weapons and prepared to fight even Justinian and his Honor Guard which was foolish.
"STAY YOUR WEAPONS!"
Diana roared at the top of her lungs causing her wounds to bleed profusely. Her sisters stopped what they were doing as Diana turned to Justinian.
"Justinian, I will be grateful for what you did here. If not for you, my sisters would have been wiped out. I don't know what those dragons wanted, but it could not have been good. Thank you truly."
"You are welcome. If you ever need my help, just ask. Of course within reason."
Diana nodded.
"I will see you later, we can handle the rebuild."
He nodded as he teleported himself and his Honor Guard back to Mars. When he was gone, Diana turned to her Mother with a look that could kill.
"Why do you always have to be like this? Just because Hercules humiliated us Amazons does not mean that all men will do the same. I have lived among them for years and there is goodness in the hearts of men.
Just like there is evil in the hearts of women. Even my friend Justinian who brought me here and fought for us and the first thing you tell him is to leave? Not even a simple thank you for saving us? No wonder Jason is happy to stay away?"
Hippotyla on instinct slapped Diana which made her touch her cheek. Hippotyla looked enraged and shocked at what she had just done. Diana took a deep breath as she stood up tall and looked her Mother in her eyes.
"Violence is your first response? You think men are violent and without thought when you are the same way. Jason and Hephestus were right. Slap me again if it makes you feel better."
"Diana, I-"
Without even waiting for her to finish, Diana walked off still wounded after fighting and bleeding for this place. If even her Mother did this to her as thanks and scorned her friend Justinian, how could Hippotyla claim to be morally superior to Hercules?
---
As for Justinian, following his successful scheme with Ddraig and Albion he returned to his Throne Room. His Honor Guard all had managed to save a few Amazons, but they had allowed far more to die.
Remnosh herself even killed the guards inside the vault where the Mother Box was contained. Diana may one day find out, but until then his chances to get with her were still not zero.
At the moment he was more focused on his prize. He pulled the Apokolyptian Device out of his Treasure Realm and held it in his hands. Mother Boxes were sentient and connected to the Source of the Source Wall.
Just controlling a Mother Box was enough for the New Gods of New Genesis and Apocalypse. However, he wanted to fuse the Mother Box to his armor which as a part of his soul would grant him access to the Source.
The issue with that was he was not so sure how the Presence would take to that. There were risks involved so he did the next best thing. He placed his hands on the device and he began to use his powers to communicate with the Device.
It responded to him not in words, but intent. It thanked him for freeing it and it begged him to not return it to Darkseid. The Mother Boxes that Apokalypse used were not revered like they were in New Genesis.
They were seen as nothing more than tools for their masters.
'I promise to not send you back. I do have to know, will you work with me.'
The Mother Box instantly agreed as it had been in isolation for centuries in the magically warded vault of the Amazons. Once it agreed, The Mother Box bound itself to him meaning he could now open Boom Tubes to the Multiverse of DC.
Any of the alternative earths, or even through the galaxy or universe he could take a Boom Tube. The Mother Box had many other useful abillities, but it was not a tool. It was a sentient creature and through it serving him he could learn all that the New Gods knew.
'Tell me, what will happen if you bind yourself to my armor? It is part of my soul, will the Source Reject me or cause me danger?'
The Mother Box began to process his question and for a few tense moments, he waited. Ddraig and Albion were worried, but The Mother Box reassured him he would be fine. Before he did that, he decided to be patient.
'I see. Until then, our current partnership works too.'
The Mother Box hummed and beeped as that worked for it too. With that, he placed the Box on his hip like Darkseid so often did.
"Us acquiring this single device has granted my Imperium wings. With the Boom Tubes Mother Boxes can open, and we can now travel anywhere in the known Universe and Multiverse. And I mean any at any time."
Remnosh turned to him curious as she looked at the small box on his hip.
"That little thing?"
He nodded.
"The New Gods are some of the most powerful and dominant creatures for a reason. With the knowledge I can learn, and the powers of the box, all our technology will reach even higher levels. Until then, we can prepare for the Great Crusade.
Earth won't be our target of conquest until 2025 so we still have 22 years to go. Nothing for us, a quarter of a human lifespan. The humans will weaken, divide themselves based on stupid concepts, giving us the time to take them when they were weak."
Sigismund turned to him.
"What will we do until then?"
"Conquer the Solar System, all of it. The gas Giants, the Asteroids, and even Planet X are out in the far reaches of the Solar System. Once the entire Solar System is compliant we will then begin to conquer distant Solar Systems until the day for Earth to become compliant arrives.
When that happens, we will move through the Galaxy to bring the planets into my Imperium. As I did in the 30th Millennium I will do so in the 21st."
One by one his Honor Guard swore to carry out his will and be his swords and shields. With a grin, Justinian felt his plans were starting to come together.
---
While he celebrated, Diana and the Amazons mourned for the dead. Nearly 3/4th of the Amazons were dead and their magical protections were gone. Someone had checked the vaults and they discovered that The Mother Box from Darkseid's invasion was gone.
The Amazons instantly blamed the Dragons that they were a distraction for Darkseid. Even Diana believed this as Justinian and his Honor Guard were all accounted for at all times.
Even 'Bayle' had roared that Lord Darkseid had sent them for the Mother Box. Diana did call Constantine, Doctor Fate, Zatana, and Giovani Zatara to repair the damage to Themyscira caused by 'Bayle' and Albion. The foundation of the island needed extensive repair and the poisoned and burned areas had to be carved away as nothing stopped them.
Batman once again began speaking against Justinian that this was too convenient. He tried to tell Diana that it must have been an illusion they fought. That Justinian did all this to steel the Mother Box, but Diana nearly punched him.
She was far too hurt at the moment to listen to the scorn of Justinian after all he did for her. In reality, Justinian did exactly what Batman said, but he would never admit it. While Diana and the magic users of the Justice League worked to save Themyscira, other powers were starting to get active.
---
In the Fourth World on Apokolips where Darkseid ruled as despot, he stood in his Throne Room. These days, he was more focused on the New Genesis rather than the Universe as the High Father was pushing more and more against him.
His son, Orion still fought against him, despite him not succeeding to turn High Father's son as loyal as Orion. As he stood with his hands behind his back, into the room DeSaad entered the room.
"Sire, I bring news?"
"Speak."
"One of the Mother Boxes we lost on our first invasion of Earth was reactivated."
Darkseid turned around to face his torturer.
"Where is it?"
"Mars."
Darkseid walked toward his Throne before sitting down.
"Get Kalibak and Steppenwolf here. They will retrieve it before those Martians turn it to their cause."
"Yes, sire."
Once DeSaad made his way out of the room, Darkseid placed a hand on his shoulder. He had only had the Omega Effect for a few decades at that point and the Old Gods had fought against him.
Ares, the God of War had wounded him and humiliated him. A shame he still bore centuries later. Though, it would appear he could rectify that shame by retrieving what he lost.
Soon enough DeSaad returned with his son Kalibak and his uncle Steppenwolf.
"Father."
"Lord Darkseid."
Both kneeled and looked up at Darkseid on his throne.
"I have a task for you two, you shall return not to Earth, but to Mars. The Martians have taken one of our Mother Boxes and you shall move to retrieve it for me."
Kalibak tilted his head.
"How did they get it, Father?"
"One of the Mother Boxes we lost on Earth? Ask no more questions and get going. Take an army of Parademons, it must be retrieved."
Steppenwolf nodded with a grin.
"Of course, Lord Darkseid. We will ensure it is retrieved and the Martians pay a toll for having taken what is ours."
With this, Kalibak and Steppenwolf made their way out of Darkseid's Throne Room to gather their army of Parademons and Apokolips' technology. They still believed Mars was a weak primitive place with a race of psychic savages.
They had no idea the kind of monsters that Justinian and his Martians had become. As for Justinian himself, he opened his Golden Eyes as his Mother Box connected to the Apokolips' servers and warned him of the incoming invasion.
He was grinning as he would get to test all his abillities against the New Gods.
"Kalibak and Steppenwolf, New God Blood. I think it is my birthday."
He turned to his Honor Guard with a grin.
"Prepare Mars to be invaded, get the fortresses all ready to destroy any space fleets. Gather the Psian Jackels, The Space Marines, and the Tempestus Scions. Any that can fight will fight. Prepare the Predakons, The Insectoid army. Get everything."
With his words, Mars began to go on full lockdown to prepare for the invasion. They were not going to be just invaded, they were going to slaughter the invaders to the last.
(P-atreon.com/A_Real_Werewolf234)