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The Games that Gods Play	By : Ristul Category: DC Verse Comics > Wonder Woman Views: 16896 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Wonder Woman,nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Take your godhood away, and what are you? What can you do? What do you have? Nothing? With all due respect, my lord, that’s why you’re just a miserable and useless little piece of shit.
-Phillip Delacroix to Ares
Within the bowels of the earth, there was a stirring. The soil rumbled, shook, as though giving birth to something new. Or rather, something old. Something ancient and terrible to behold.
“Arise, Lord Cronus!” The cultists chanted in ancient Greek in the makeshift temple. “Arise, and claim your throne from the Usurper! Grant us your justice and your favor!”
Leading the cultists was a young girl with striking red hair. Around her head was a crown of thorns, set above flashing eyes that change their color every few seconds. Her young nubile body exuded sexuality and temptation, despite her seeming youth. Her slim frame carried strength and power beyond mortal men, a gift from her patrons. Patrons she would be restoring to the world.
She was Devastation, created by Cronus to be the dark mirror of Wonder Woman, the champion of the Greek gods.
Deva allowed herself a slight smile. The ground rumbled violently one final time, scaring the cultists into panic, but Deva remained calm. A hulking shadow rose from the ground, pulling free from roots and soil, dirt cascading from the figure’s broad shoulders.
The cultists watched in awe as Cronus, once King of Olympus, roared, “I have returned!”
His eyes glowed with power, then he picked out Deva, and said, “You shall be rewarded for your persistence, daughter.” He made a gesture with his hand, and suddenly there were six more figures behind him, the members of his pantheon.
There was Arch, his strategist, who walked on goat legs, and wore a helmet that obscured his face. He wielded a whip, which crackled with energy, as though eager to torture whoever was caught within its coils.
Slaughter, his deity of war, a muscular and hulking multi-armed centaur with melee weapons of every kind, guided by a single baleful eye in the center of his head. The cultists shrank back in fear at the sight of him, his bloodlust and yearning for combat a palpable force pressing upon them.
Titan, brother of Cronus, was a 50 headed monster, with bodies to match. His interlinked forms marched forward, grotesque and hideous beyond description. He was an unstoppable force, exuding a power that seemed overpowering and impersonal at the same time.
Harrier, Cronus’ representative of speed, soared overhead on huge black wings, casting deep shadows from the setting sun onto the cultists. She shrieked once, and the skies shook with her laughter, a promise of pain to the Olympian gods who had opposed her.
Disdain, manipulator of emotions, would be considered a beautiful woman if not for the fact that half of her body was covered with sores and boils. As she walked towards the cultists, her body shapeshifted into that of a wholly beautiful woman, tall and regal. The male cultists salivated as she played with their emotions, throwing a lustful gaze here, a shrug of the shoulders there.
Oblivion, deity of memory, sulked in the background, a blurred figure in black. She reached out with her power, prying into the memories of the cultists, further enforcing aspects to enhance their devotion to Cronus, and deleting anything which could cause interference with their plans.

Cronus had failed once before. He would not let them fail again. He had overreached the last time, trying for heaven and creation itself, and falling short. This time, he would be content with the world, and the worship of an entire planet. He would crush all the other pantheons that stood in his way. Those of Olympus, Asgard, Egypt, Hindu. No god would be spared from his wrath. He would take their power, enslave those who defied his will. He would leave Hera, Isis, Kali, and the other bitch goddesses in chains at his feet and begging for his mercy.
And he had a special fate planned for the one person most responsible for his previous defeat, Diana, Princess of Themyscira, otherwise known as Wonder Woman to the rest of the world. He would crush her spirit and her people, and take her in front of her horrified patron goddesses.
As the cultists all fell to their knees in devoted worship to their gods, Devastation walked up before Cronus, and lowered herself to the ground. She bowed her head, almost touching the concrete, before raising her head. “Welcome back, my masters.”
Cronusgrinned.

“Why don’t you take a break?” One of the Amazons suggested to Vanessa Kapatelis and Cassandra Sandsmark as they sparred with each other on the training grounds of Themyscira. The air was filled with the sounds of their practice staves and their grunts of exertion.
“Sorry, Mala, but we’re just warming up.” Cassie, known as Wonder Girl to the world, said during a short lull.
“Yeah, we have to be better than what we already are.” Vanessa added. Her eyes still carried some of the shame and humiliation from her ordeals over the past few months. “I will never be exploited in that fashion again.”
Wonder Woman nodded approvingly. Both girls had been threatened with rape, and they were taking the appropriate actions to avoid such an occurrence from ever happening again. It was a traumatic experience, even if they had not been truly violated. She had spoken out against rape again and again, but such terrible acts still happened everyday despite her best efforts.
Why did men view women as objects to be abused in this fashion? Why is it that the violation of unwilling women so pleasurable to men? The Amazons had their own experience with rape eons ago, when Heracles and his men had enslaved them. Diana had not been born then, but the recounts of her sisters had been enough.
Diana thought back to a recent conversation she had with Phillip during a function to raise funds for promoting the rights of women and to campaign against rape. He had been openly scornful of the event and the speakers, but he had forked out the money anyway. Diana supposed she had to thank Veronica Cale for dragging him along for the event, attended by notable women in the world, including writers, superheroines, politicians, and celebrities.
She had asked him what he had thought of the campaign, and his response had been scathing. She recalled…
“You can’t change the nature of human society,” he had said, “And all these slogans will never work. Peace. Hah! To me, it’s just another word for surrender.”
“Violence against women is a terrible thing. How can anybody do such things?”
“Because we men tend to think with our groin instead of our brains, and all the education in the world would not change that,” said Phillip dryly. “Look at yourselves. You stand against rape, but what actions are you taking? Harsher punishment by the law? Nope, didn’t see that here. Counseling for the victims? Sure, but that doesn’t change the fact that it happened. We might as well sit down in a circle and sing Kumbya!”
She bristled at his implied insult. “I support women learning to defend themselves…”
He barked out a laugh, “With their bare hands and swords? Like that would work for the average female, who does not have the time or energy to train themselves to the level of an Amazon! Princess, practically all the women here support gun control, including you, but have you ever wondered if every woman had a weapon she could use to defend herself against rape, with minimal training and strength required? That weapon exists, and it’s called a gun.”
Thinking back on his words, Diana had to concede that he had a point. Her namesake, Diana Rockwell Trevor, had saved her people with a gun, holding against the monsters from Doom’s Doorway. But in the midst of her learning about man’s world, she had somehow become opposed to the weapon on the basis that she faced it in the hands of criminals almost every day, and forgotten that a weapon was only as good or evil as its user.
But what was Phillip Delacroix? Good, or evil? He would say one thing, then do another. He was unpredictable, yet focused in a way that she had never seen before, intent on some goal that nobody could discern, not even Batman. She had known for some time now that he was Ares’ champion, but Phillip’s actions did not at all seem like those that a minion of the God of War.
She watched the two girls train, lost in her own thoughts as the sun slowly rose over Paradise Island.

“So, what did you do?” Veronica Cale asked as they walked out of the restaurant. The cool night of Gateway City chilled her for a moment before Phillip draped a coat over her. She smiled thankfully at him.
“I walked over to the range and shot out all the targets. You should have seen the man’s face.” Phillip said offhandedly as he led Veronica to his car. She laughed as he smirked, “That was when people learnt not to bet against me. I delight in proving people wrong.”
“I can see that.” She said, waiting for Phillip to get to his side of the car. The engine purred to life moments later, and they drove off.
They drove in comfortable silence, until Veronica said inexplicably, “You are not Phillip Delacroix.”
He stiffened. “That’s not what my driver’s license says.”
“It’s forged.” She said flatly. “And so is everything about you. I checked, and whoever you are, you are not Phillip Delacroix.”
He glanced at her, “How did you find out?” He remained calm, and strangely enough, he did not feel angry.
“Little hints here and there. The things you did just didn’t square with what my people say Phillip Delacroix was capable of. He was a fop and a loser. You’re not. You’re also better looking.”
“Thank you for the compliment,” said Phillip. “What else?”
“You work for Ares. Your company is a front for whatever the God of War is planning.”
“And so?” He arched an eyebrow.
“I want in.” Cale tapped the dashboard nervously with a finger. “I’ve read the history. Ares has been foiled by the Amazon too many times before, and whatever his plans are this time round, they’ll surely involve her in some way. And I want in on that.”
“Really.” Phillip’s mind raced. How can Ronnie help us? Will Ares be willing to bring her in? Then another thought struck him. Do I even want to expose her to the dangers of working with us?
In an instant, he answered his own questions. “You have no idea what you could be getting into.”
She laughed, “What’s the worse that could happen?”
Phillip’s tone turned serious. “I read your profile too. Working with Medousa and her sisters, hiring goons to take down the Amazon. You have some experience, for lack of a better word, for this sort of thing.”
“But?”
“But what we’re doing is bigger than even you can imagine.” He swallowed hard. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Why, is that a show of concern from the cold and unflappable Phillip Delacroix?” She taunted.
“Unflappable? Not really. You don’t know how often I get rattled.”
“Phillip…”
“Ronnie, I’ll consider your offer, and I’ll pass it on to Ares. It’s his decision though, and all in all, I’d rather you keep out of it.”
“I didn’t know you were a sexist pig,” she said, all too calmly for his comfort. “You don’t think I’m good enough to handle a part?”
He sighed, “It’s not that, but…”
“You don’t want me to get hurt, I heard that already.” She shook her head. “So why are you so worried for me?”
The car rolled to a stop at a traffic light which had turned red. He tried to turn away, but Veronica placed her hands on his face, and slowly nudged him to face her. He looked down, trying to avoid her gaze.
She said softly, “I never felt anything for men before I met you. To me, men were just tools to be used, exploited. But then I saw you. Focused, brave, determined. I think… I may have feelings for you.”
He let out a long breath, before looking up into her eyes. “Ronnie, I am… surprised you feel this way. But I can’t.” He lifted up his own hands, and gently removed her hands from his face. “I enjoy my time with you, but we, no, sorry, I can’t let it become anything else. There’s too much that could go wrong.”
Ronnie stared at him. “No, that’s just what you think. To think that a man so brave is actually such a coward emotionally.”
She opened the door of his car, and said icily. “Thanks for the ride, but I think I’ll go back to my room on my own, since you seem to dislike my company that much. Good night.” She strode off haughtily.
Phillip groaned and slapped his forehead with one hand. “What did I do to deserve this?”

The Titans stormed Olympus without warning. The gods and goddesses present tried to put up a fight, but were easily overcome. Artemis, Aphrodite, Demeter, Hermes, Hera, and finally, Zeus. Their weapons and power were no match for the power of the Titans, since Cronus was fueled by the devotion of his followers, who numbered in the tens of thousands in secret cabals throughout the world, built slowly and painstakingly by Devastation.
Athena and Aphrodite were the most difficult to defeat, but even they were eventually vanquished by the power of Cronus and his Titans. The gods were chained and shackled, and Cronus tore their power from them and shunted into himself through his sickle, adding to his already prodigious strength. Athena was drained of her godhood, but she manage to escape to Earth.
Then only Zeus and Ares were left, and Ares was elsewhere. Cronus was not worried about the God of War. After Zeus, Ares would be easy meat.
“Go away, foul king!” The King of Olympus used his rage and desperation to power his thunderbolts, but Cronus swatted away his attacks with the Sickle of Adamant with ease.
“Finally you, dear son, after your treacherous spawn.” Cronus snarled as he advanced upon the lone god. Briareus, his Hecatoncheires sibling who defended Zeus, was already a defeated mess on the grounds of the Olympian garden. “Alone, you are nothing.”
“Curse you!” Zeus roared as he thrust his last thunderbolt with all his strength towards Cronus. “Die!”
Cronustook the thunderbolt into his chest, the bolt sinking in deep. Then he laughed out loud, jarring the weapon free of Zeus’s grip.
“Now taste my power!” Cronus yelled triumphantly as he raised his sickle above Zeus’s head. Lightning arced from Zeus’s forehead into the sickle, and the King of the Gods screamed in agony, his status stolen by his father. The lightning arcs eventually faded away, and Zeus collapsed to the ground.
Zeus was almost unconscious when Cronus grabbed his hair and pulled him up. He said to his Titans, “Take him away to Tartarus. Titan, guard these fools well. We have two more Olympians to hunt down, Athena and Ares. Let us depart now!” Titan took Zeus and the other Olympians, and left, to imprison them in Tartarus.
Arch bowed, “Father, I have discovered Athena’s location.”
“Where is she?”
“On an island of females, blessed by these gods,” Arch spat out the last word. “She must be trying to seek help from the Amazons, her worshippers.”
“Well then, let us stop her.” Cronus then paused and looked at Arch, “You have something else in mind?”
“The champion of the Olympians, Princess Diana, also comes from that island. I have a suggestion…”

Wonder Woman smiled to her opponents for the day as they faced off in the training grounds. “Come on, Phillipus, don’t hold back!”
The chancellor of the Amazons smirked, “I may have been too busy to train, but don’t forget I am your teacher!” With her was Mala and Io, all wielding weapons and surrounding the Amazon Princess. They paused to look at each other, as though to agree upon a plan, before charging as one upon Diana.
Swords clashed against each other, and Diana fought back with all the skill and passion at her command. With her gods-granted abilities, it was only fair that she fight three of her fellow Amazons at the same time if she wanted to push herself.
Phillipuscame in with her sword attacking at a low angle, while Io came in high. Mala held off, flanking Wonder Woman on one side. The Princess parried Io’s blade, redirecting it down to block Phillipus’s attack. Her superior strength enabled her to hold off the combined strength of both Io and Phillipus.
Malasaw her chance. She stepped in, stabbing in at Diana’s midriff.
To no avail. The Amazon champion used her bracelet on her left arm to deflect the blow. Then she used her power of flight to propel herself into the air…
Only to suddenly fall to the ground, as her power of flight deserted her.
“Woah!” The Amazon fell to the ground painfully. She felt disorientated for a moment, as her powers fled from her. She lifted a hand to her head in distress and fell to her knees. Then the moment passed, and Wonder Woman climbed unsteadily to her feet.
“Diana, what happened?” Phillipus asked moments before a gleaming portal appeared before them. A woman in armor stumbled out. Wounds covered her body, and she seemed in extreme distress.
“Goddess Athena!” Io exclaimed.
“Must… get… away…” Athena said as she collapsed into Diana’s arms.
“Athena!” Diana lowered the hurt goddess to the ground, and shouted to Mala, “Mala, some water!”
“Cronus… is back.” Athena said after taking a few sips from the bottle Mala had raised to her lips. “He has defeated the other Olympians, and the last I saw was him battling Zeus. He took our godhood away, Diana.”
Diana was worried. That’s why my powers are gone. Cronus has stripped my patrons of their status.
“We must return to the halls.” Phillipus ordered. “And gather the Amazons for a war council.”
“Don’t bother.” They turned to look at the person who had spoken, a tall man with goat legs and a whip in his hands. Arch continued, “Your precious Amazons have already been taken care of.”
Wonder Woman stared at him. Then several Amazons burst onto the practice grounds, chased by a winged titan. Harrier, Diana remembered the titan’s name. It swooped down upon the Amazons with terrifying speed, making contact with their bodies with an amulet of some form.
The Amazons were turned into stone within moments of being touched.
“Nice effect, isn’t it?” Arch snickered as he strode menacingly towards the Amazons and their fallen goddess. “I see the Olympians have decided to grant your people the permanent boon of life. Still, the same magic that sustains your people can be taken away!”
Harrier was chasing down the rest of the Amazons, and that was when Athena suddenly acted. She flicked a dagger at Arch, who deflected it easily with one hand.
Phillipuswas about to leap into action when Athena ordered, “Stop! We have to leave! I shall use the last of my power to create a portal!”
The goddess waved a hand, then collapsed in Diana’s arms. The remaining three Amazons looked up to see a suddenly enraged Arch charging at them, followed by Harrier. A portal formed in front of the Amazons, beckoning them to safety.
“Athena is right! We have to leave!” Diana shouted to Phillipus, Mala, and Io. Their body language spoke of stubbornness, a refusal to abandon their island to the titans’ assault. “We cannot oppose them now! Better to leave and plan, than to fall here forever!”
She lifted Athena up, and carried the goddess through the portal. The pounding of feet behind her told her that her friends were following her. She hated to leave, but she had no choice. Diana comforted herself with the fact that both Cassie and Vanessa had left the island a scant few hours ago, Cassie with Donna on a trip, and Vanessa back to her home in Boston through a gateway.
The small group moved through the portal seconds before it closed, sealing a furious Arch and Harrier on the other side, on Themyscira.
“Where are we?” Io asked, her sword still in her hand. Diana looked at her companions, who were still armed with their weapons. They were on a relatively deserted street, in the midst of a city.
“I do not know, but it should not be difficult to find out.”
They did not have time to converse further, because Mala shouted, “Diana, there are people coming!”
Wonder Woman felt a tinge of hope at the news. “We shall ask them for their assistance.”
Her hopes were dashed when she saw the crowd wielding axes and chains. The most telling sign were their eyes, fanatical and ablaze with devotion to their god, Cronus, as they chanted his name and fell upon the beleaguered Amazons.
Diana reached for her JLA communicator to call for help, then gasped. It was gone! Phillipus, Io, and Mala formed a van in front of a slowly recovering Athena, intent on beating back the mob of cultists.
It was all a trap, Wonder Woman realized. And we have no way to escape!

Cronuslaughed. “Excellent work, Arch! We shall have some entertainment in the future with those Amazons. You have done well.” The portal Athena had opened was subverted by Arch’s subtle manipulation, and it had transported the Amazons to one of the towns where a cult loyal to Cronus held sway.
Arch bowed, “I am glad to please you, my lord. What about the Amazon’s island? Do you wish to sink the island into the sea?”
Cronusshook his head, “No. Let’s keep them there. We can always turn some of them back to flesh later for entertainment.” He smiled cruelly, “It has also been quite some time since I’ve enjoyed a woman. I might just settle for an Amazon. You might do well to have one too.”
The master of strategy smiled under his helmet. “Perhaps.”
The new master of Olympus took out his sickle. “Now, only Ares is left. Let us pay him a visit. Are the beasts from Tartarus ready?”
“Yes, my lord. And they are willing to obey our commands.”
“Good.” Cronus smiled. “Then we might not have to sully our hands at all.”

“You’re still holding out on me.” Ares scolded as Phillip laid on his back on the practice ground, trying to recover after a particularly vicious strike from Ares. “I don’t believe this is all you are capable of.”
The King of Pain raised himself to a sitting position, “I have my reasons.”
“Perhaps you might change your mind after…” Ares stopped, and narrowed his eyes.
Phillip felt it too, a tingling on the back of his neck, warning him of danger. He pushed himself to his feet, and drew Infamy from his back scabbard with his right hand, while transferring the practice sword to his left, ready to use the double blade technique he was most familiar with after years of practice.
“Something’s coming.” Phillip muttered.
“I know!” Ares snapped.
“Over there.” Phillip pointed to a corner of the field within Ares’ realm.
“How would you know that?” Ares asked.
Before Phillip could supply an answer, a red portal opened, revealing a hulking man with a long beard and a sickle in his hands. Phillip’s mind screamed to him of the man’s power and danger.
“Cronus!” Phillip could hear the anger in Ares’ voice. “Why are you here?”
Cronusdid not reply, instead walking forward confidently. Ares called up his armor, which covered his entire body and induced fear in his enemies. Cronus continued to approach, contemptuous of Ares’ power.
Ares stormed forward, his axe arcing out even as Phillip shouted for caution. Before the swordsman could move to support Ares, a woman and a hulking multi-armed titan appeared before him, preventing him from confronting Cronus. Disdain and Slaughter. Phillip identified the Titans from Ares’ database.
“What do we have here?” Disdain snarled. “A powerless mortal?”
”No matter. I shall crush him!” Slaughter roared and advanced on Phillip.
Meanwhile, Ares was in trouble. Cronus had suddenly countercharged, one hand snaking up to grasp the shaft of the axe and stopping Ares’ attack. His sickle moved near Ares’ head. As he did with Zeus, Cronus laughed as he drew off Ares’ power into the sickle, and the Greek God of War trembled with fear at his defeat.
Delacroix did not bother to engage Slaughter. He knew when he was outclassed, and this was one of those times. Instead, he lashed out with his mind, confusing Disdain and Slaughter for the barest of moments. They might be gods, but they were still vulnerable to psychic attacks on some level. Doctor Psycho had managed to snare Hermes before with his mind. This was no different.
The confused titans moved to his left, and Phillip dashed to his right, flanking them in order to get to Ares. Behind Cronus, he could see a horde of monsters emerge from the portal. Ares was at Cronus feet, lying on the ground in agony.
Get Ares, then get out of here, he told himself. Standing their ground at the moment was suicide.
Cronussmiled as he saw Phillip approach. “A mere mortal wants to challenge me?” He laughed.
Phillip replied through his actions, his swords whipping out with ferocious speed that took Cronus by surprise. His sickle came up to block, but Phillip followed up with a circular swipe with Infamy that nicked the Titan on his right arm. The surprised King of the Gods stepped away from Ares.
“We have to get out of here! Ares!” Phillip yelled to Ares. The god of war did not answer him, still prostrate in shock on the ground. “Shit!”
The beasts charged at him. Phillip flung the practice sword at the first beast, a hellhound, then reached with his left hand into a pocket for an emergency portal marble that Ares had given him. He crushed the marble, and a portal appeared in front of him. He had no idea where it led, because Ares had told him it was only to be used in times of grave peril, which certainly fitted their present situation.
He dragged Ares through the portal. The beasts followed them through.

“Who was that?” Cronus asked as they watched the portal close after more than fifty hellhounds, harpies, and Ker had passed through it in pursuit of Ares and the impudent mortal who had dared to wound him. The wound healed itself in a matter of moments, but the sheer fact of the attack enraged him.
“I have no idea, Father.” Arch replied. “He is probably one of Ares’ mortal associates.”
Cronusnarrowed his eyes. “He is different. There is something about him that chills my bones, Arch. I want him dead, by any means necessary.”
Arch commented, “A mere mortal…”
“Who managed to trick Disdain and Slaughter?” Cronus ran a finger across the blade of his sickle. “No, he is something else. Ancient knowledge tickles the back of my mind, and yet I cannot pull it free.”
“My lord?”
Cronus waved him away. “No matter. It would not matter when he is buried in the ground.”
“What else do we need to do before Asgard?”
There was a pause as Cronus considered the question. Then he said, “Wrap up the loose ends.”
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The Games that Gods Play