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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.

Chapter List
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If you do not treat every fight, whether practice or real, as a matter of life and death, you will not be able to fight to your utmost when your life is in peril, because you have no idea how you would react in a real battle.
-Raschgel
Everybody had been assigned rooms in the base, even the goddesses. Donna dragged an unconscious Gawain off to the room they shared, while Ares watched everything owlishly, still stuck in the stupor of defeat until Jake Kabrinski manhandled him off to his own room. The others scurried around, binding up their injuries. Ares’ minions, Lord Conquest, the Duke of Deception, and the Earl of Greed, carried the unconscious goddesses to their rooms, with several warning glances thrown their way by the wary Amazons not to try anything funny.
That left only Wonder Woman and the King of Pain in the hall, with the lights darkened to simulate night. The newcomers had been briefed on the facility, and Diana could finally relax after the adrenaline of the past few hours.
The King of Pain removed his mask, and she saw the handsome yet grim visage of Phillip Delacroix revealed by the dim lighting. He looked at her, and said softly, “You should go treat your injuries. They are severe.”
“I will in a moment,” said the Amazon Princess.
“What is it?” Phillip was no fool, and he seemed eager to just get it over with.
“I just want to thank you for your help.”
“Again?” He shook his head. “That was what you said several weeks ago.”
“Why?” It was a plea. She wanted to understand this strange and tortured man who worked for her enemy.
“Why?” He echoed. “Because the cold hard truth is that I’d need your help if I am to restore Ares and the other Olympians to their rightful places. Nothing more than that, Princess.” He started to walk off. “Don’t try to read too much into my actions. It’s not worth it.”
She did not accept that. She walked up, overtook him, and then blocked his path out of the hall. “Tell me how you really feel.”
He stared at her. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”
“You did not really need my help.” She had seen what he had done, what he could do. “You did not really need to rescue us, but you did.”
“And that means what? That I’m a good person?” He laughed bitterly. “A person is measured by his deeds, and mine are black indeed.”
She looked at him sadly. “If that is your perception of yourself, then it shall become reality.” She turned and walked away. “I see I am foolish to even try to change your road towards your own destruction. I bid you goodnight, Phillip Delacroix.”

Phillip stared after her shapely behind for several moments, then sighed heavily. He looked down at his groin, and muttered sullenly, “Down boy.”
He was lying to himself, to Wonder Woman, to Veronica Cale. But he dared not allow anyone to get close to him emotionally, not when he knew what he was. Having Gawain and Jake was already bad enough, but they had known him for a long time, and they were hardened enough to accept his fate. But others might not.
Phillip sighed as he kept seeing the two women in his mind’s eye. If you only knew what I am. I don’t want you, either of you, to get hurt.
He slowly marched out of the hall, heading for his own training room. I have ways to make you hate me.

Ares was sleeping soundly until there was a sudden splash of water on his face.
“What the…” He raised himself to a sitting position, then looked around him in surprise. He was in a gym, on a practice mat. Phillip Delacroix stood above him with a pail of water, his minion staring at him with an inscrutable expression.
“Let me go back to sleep!” Ares complained. He did not want to fight, since he was convinced it was a lost cause. The last he remembered was Jake tossing him into a room, and then tiredly flopping onto the bed. Gods did not sleep, but he was just a mortal now.
Apparently Phillip did not care. The King of Pain, the Lion of Ares, just tossed the bucket aside, and said, “Rise and shine, Ares! Today is your lucky day!”
“How am I lucky?” Ares groused. “I lost my godhood, my power, my respect. How could I possibly be lucky today? And as good as you are, Phillip, I doubt you can beat Cronus so quickly.”
Phillip shook his head. “No, today is your lucky day because it’ll be the first day of your learning to stand for yourself.” He strode away to a nearby wall, and tossed a sword with its scabbard at Ares’ feet. “Pick it up.”
The former God of War and Conflict paled. “No.”
Phillip’s ice cold eyes glowed like lasers. “Pick. It. Up.” His tone brooked no disagreement.
Ares swallowed hard. And picked up the scabbard.
Phillip called out, “Bring him in!”
Ares looked in surprise as Jake Kabrinski entered with a youth, the youth he had seen Phillip talking to the previous night. The young boy was tall for his age, about five feet eight, with a head of unruly brown hair. He also carried a sword, and looked just as bewildered as Ares himself as he was led into the gym. “Uh, Jake? What’s going on here?”
Kabrinski shook his head, and did not reply.
Phillip waited, then drew his own sword, the sword Ares had given him. He swung it through the air several times…
Then suddenly lashed out at the boy. The boy just managed to draw his own sword in time to parry the blow in a panic. “Hey!”
Ares watched in horror as Phillip pressed the attack silently, while the boy blocked and dodged desperately. The boy screamed, “What the hell are you doing? Jake!” The big man did not move, and stood by one side silently.
He realized Phillip was holding back, and the boy was being herded towards him. He felt the weight of the sword in his hands, but he could not summon up the courage to draw the weapon.
Then Phillip suddenly changed the angle of his attack, his sword tip moving towards Ares with deadly intent. The god of war tried to dodge the blow, but slipped to the ground due to the wet surface.
The King of Pain stopped his attack, not even breathing hard. He barked, “Ramon, what do you think you are doing?”
The boy was panting hard, and replied, confusion plain in his voice, “Uh, defending myself, sir.”
“And what is the best form of defense?”
“Attack, sir.”
Phillip opened his arms. “Then why aren’t you attacking me? I gave you enough opportunities to do so.”
Ramon blinked his eyes in confusion. “But…”
Phillip smiled, and it was not a pretty smile. It was the smile of a killer. “Ramon, I give you another chance to prove yourself. See that man over there?” He pointed to Ares, and Ares felt a cold chill through his very soul.
Ramon nodded. “Yeah, why?”
Phillip announced, “This man was responsible for the deaths of many people. For the sake of his ambition, he was ready to instigate nuclear war on the world. He is evil, Ramon, and I want you to kill him.”
Ares stammered, “You can’t do that!”
Phillip laughed at him, “I can, and I will! Ramon, kill him!”
The boy shook his head, “How do I know you’re telling the truth?”
Phillip jerked his head towards Ares, “My lord, why don’t you tell him yourself?”
Ares tried to work up the saliva to tell his lies, but he suddenly found that he could not. “He is right. I did once try to create a nuclear war. I have caused the deaths of many.” Not by my own hand though. I never had the guts to kill somebody up close.
Ramon protested, “But I don’t have to kill him!”
Phillip’s smile disappeared. “If you don’t kill him, then walk out of this door, and never return. Make your choice, Ramon.”
Ramon exclaimed, “You’re mad!”
The King of Pain replied, “War is madness. Those of us who battle evil are already touched by insanity. I am telling you to do this now because I need you to see and smell your own fear plus that of your opponent in a close fight.”
“We can play here with our swords for an eternity, and you’ll never become a warrior. Or you can kill this man here and prove you have what it takes. If you are skilled, you will kill him and live. If not, you will die. One way or another, Ramon, blood will be spilled here today, his if not yours. You will be hurt. Pain and suffering. You can always walk away, but that’ll only prove to me that you don’t have the gumption to follow the Path.”
Ares realized, Phillip is speaking to me as well!
Ramon began to tremble with fear. “That leaves me with no choice, does it?”
Phillip shook his head, and said simply, “Kill that man.”
Ares raised his scabbard, while Ramon turned to face him. Four meters separated the two combatants. Ares willed himself to draw his sword, and he finally managed to do so, whipping it out, and brandishing it threateningly at the boy. “Don’t come any closer!”
Ramon stared at him, then made a horizontal slash at him. Ares stepped back in fright, and Ramon pressed on, his sword swinging out in dangerous arcs, seeking his life.
The God of War stumbled back, leaving the area of the practice mat that was covered with water. He almost fell again as he left the slippery surface, but when he recovered his balance, Ramon was frightfully near him, with his sword fully extended out in a clumsy fencing lunge.
Ares saw his millennia-spanning life flash past his eyes. He gasped for his breath, then realized he was still alive.
Somehow, while he was flailing for his balance, his sword had pierced Ramon on his right thigh. The boy had fallen to the ground, clutching his wounded thigh. He stared up at Ares, who in turn stared at the bloody blade of his sword.
And still he could not muster up the courage to fight. Why is Athena always more favored by Zeus? What does she have that I do not? Here, I’m beginning to know the answers. One thing I lack… Courage!
Phillip taunted, “Ramon, given up already?” Ares suddenly had a sneaking suspicion that Phillip was the one who had made his sword wound Ramon, through some sort of sorcery. Why? He asked himself. Why would Phillip hurt the boy? What is he trying to do with us here?
Ramon clenched his fists. He tore off part of his shirt, and then used the cloth to bind up his thigh, staunching the bleeding on that leg. Blood seeped from the wound still, but it’d do.
It would have to. The boy picked up his sword, gritted his teeth, and before Ares could react, attacked again. This time, Ares barely avoided the cut. He thought he had escaped injury until the sharp tang of pain on his right hand near the wrist told him otherwise. He looked at his hand. There was a shallow cut, about four centimeters long on the edge.
Ramon had stopped, clutching his leg again in pain after his attack. But he looked up at Ares, and then forced himself to his feet. Despite his pain and discomfort.
Another thing I lack… Determination!
Ramon swiped at him, this time a vertical slash downwards. Ares could only keep moving backwards in fear, unable to engage. He took a quick look at Phillip, who simply smiled at him. His eyes seemed to be telling him, “Ares! Your opponent is crippled! Why are you backing away?”
Ares looked down at the floor, while Ramon tried to balance himself for the next killing blow. Most important thing I lack… Resolve!
Ramon took several cautious steps towards him, while Ares gave ground. What am I? Why is it that this boy can stand here and fight me? Why doesn’t he just walk away like any sane man? He is wounded, a cripple, yet he fights on. Ares tightened his grip on his sword. I must convince him to leave! “You know who I am, boy?”
Ramon raised his sword, his mouth in a grimace of agony. Readying himself for another blow.
Don’t say it! Another part of his mind insisted, but Ares shouted desperately, “I am Ares, son of Zeus the King of Olympus! God of War and Conflict!” The boy just stared blankly at him. What the…
Phillip sighed with disappointment, loud enough for everybody in the room to hear. “Ares, Ramon is barely educated. He hasn’t learnt any history. He doesn’t know where Greece is, and he can’t even spell your name.” The King of Pain shrugged. “Sorry.”
Ares sobbed in despair, tears running down his cheeks. I truly have nothing! When all is said and done, am I so insignificant? He stared at Ramon’s injured leg. Even when you’re wounded, you can still fight on. Do you know how useless I feel right now? When I can’t even defend myself against a half trained boy smaller than me on a crippled leg?
He roared in frustration. I must surpass myself! Father Zeus, you have never praised me, and now I know why! Watch me now!
“ARRRGGGGGHHHHH!” He raised his own sword, and stabbed his own right thigh, the sword punching completely through the leg. Pain washed over him, but he persisted, enjoying the burning sensation.
Ares pulled out his sword. I am better than Athena! And now, I shall start to prove it!

Ramon stared in horrid fascination at his opponent. He barely heard Phillip laugh in maddened glee, “Ramon, there are many types of warriors in the world! Never underestimate your opponent!”
As he watched Ares clutch his own leg, Ramon felt his own wound tinge in agonized sympathy. The man tore off part of his clothes, following what Ramon did and staunching the bleeding by tying the cloth tightly around the thigh.
The bleeding controlled, Ares picked up his sword. He pointed a finger to his own wound, and then to Ramon’s. The boy felt fire flash through his body when the man smiled. It was a promise of death.
“Kill!” Ares bellowed. “Kill! Kill! Kill!”
Ramon was taken aback for a moment. Fear threatened to overcome him, but he forced himself to stand his ground.
Ares’ voice shrunk to a deadly whisper, “Kill you.” His eyes glowed with awareness.
Ramon did not know why, but he felt a smile come over his face. Is this what I had been waiting for? Why I could not finish him off just now? In the middle of this fight for our lives, why do I suddenly sense a kinship with this man? As though we walk the same road…
Ramon gripped his sword. All the lessons with Jake started coming back to him, when before his mind had been a blank, and he had simply fought like an amateur. Balance. Footwork. Speed and control of the blade. Direction. Angles of attack.
Ares took the initiative, his blade coming down towards him with wicked speed. Ramon dodged, his feet instinctively moving him to one side, preparing his counterthrust.
Game on.

“Phillip, did you expect this?” Jake asked softly as the battle finally began in earnest. The clash of swords filled the gym, while blood from the two fighters soaked the practice mat. It was an even fight. Ramon was better trained and faster, while Ares was stronger and had better reach.
“No. I did not expect Ares to stab himself. But all the better.” Phillip grinned. “If they can survive each other, they’ll be stronger for the experience.”
“You’re crazy, you know that?”
“Huh. That’s how I survived this long.”
Phillip smiled when he heard the soft snick of the door to the gym being opened slightly, and the gasp of surprise, seemingly from a young girl. The door closed back.
Jake scratched his chin. “It seems that we might have an audience soon. I hope you know what you’re doing.”

Wonder Woman woke up to a soft chime on her door. Donna walked in, and greeted her, “Diana! Good morning!”
Diana smiled. “Sorry for making you wake me up.”
“No problem. That’s what sisters are for, right?” Donna sat down beside Diana. “Oh, take your time. Gawain is fixing breakfast for us.”
“Must be nice having a man at your beck and call.” Diana teased as Donna blushed. She envied her sister for snagging somebody like Gawain Sharpe. The man had his faults, namely being a money-obsessed bounty hunter on the shady side of the law. But even she could see that Gawain cared for Donna, in ways that Terry Long, Kyle Rayner, Roy Harper, never did. He could look beyond her position, her status as a Princess, as an Amazon, as a superheroine, and at the woman beneath.
“Breakfast is served!” A voice shouted from outside their room. “Uhm, can I enter?”
Donna and Diana giggled like schoolgirls as they checked their own decency. They were clad in sleepwear, and Diana supposed that some countries in the world might consider them indecent. But not where they came from. Still, it was better if they changed. Diana looked into the wardrobe and found some clothes that were similar to what they usually wore on Paradise Island, sleeveless robes that was suitable for both physical and mental pursuits. Somebody had been prepared for them.
“You may enter!” Donna called after they had quickly changed.
Gawain Sharpe walked in with a tray of bread and eggs. “Fresh from the kitchen, my ladies!” He laid the tray at the foot of the bed. “Please help yourselves. I certainly will.” He grinned as he grabbed a piece of toast.
Diana shook her head and reached for the food. The three of them ignored their present situation and just tried to enjoy the breakfast, the moment of serenity and peace that came from being with friends and loved ones. The specter of Cronus was never far from their minds, but there would be time to deal with it later.
“Diana! Diana! Come quick!” And just as quickly, the moment was destroyed.
“Cassie, what is it?” Wonder Woman leapt to her feet, as Cassie ran into their room, panting hard.
“Ares… he’s…” Cassie swallowed a deep gulp of breath.
“Yes?” Diana stroked the girl’s back reassuringly.
“He’s fighting with somebody in the gym. There was blood everywhere…” Cassie whispered in horror.
“Gawain?” asked Donna.
“Your wish is my command.” Angle Man reached for his triangle, and Diana felt the by now familiar sense of disorientation as they appeared in the gym. She gasped in shock.
Blood was sprayed all over the gym in dark red blotches. And the cause of it, the sword duel between Ares and Ramon, was still raging strongly. The two combatants bled heavily from innumerous wounds all over their bodies, but they continued to fight on. Ares swung his weapon down, and Ramon blocked desperately, but the edge of Ares’ blade still caught him on the shoulder. The young boy spun away, but not before cutting the God of War deeply on one arm. The action was fast and furious, and Diana could not ever remember the God of War fighting with such determination and resolve. Not in any of the histories of Greece and Olympus. Not ever.
She realized they weren’t alone. Phillip and Jake stood nearest the two fighters, Jake leaning down to whisper in Phillip’s ear at certain intervals, at which the King of Pain would nod or shake his head. The other men, Ares’ minions, were already in the room, aghast at the bloody duel taking place before their eyes, and the sight of their master so badly hurt.
Diana guessed that Phillip had something to do with it, and she was not sure if she should feel glad he was teaching Ares a painful lesson, or helping Ares overcome his faults. Because if the God of War ever overcame his own cowardice and lack of skill… Wonder Woman shuddered at the implications.
The Amazons and the Egyptian goddesses were next to enter the gym, and they were stunned as well. Athena looked to be in shock at the sight of Ares disregarding his injuries and fighting for all he was worth. He did not seem to be in his usual mode of mindless battle rage, but rather fighting with control and not just a little skill.
Both men were swaying now, weak from the loss of too much blood. Ares’ men started to move forward, but Jake Kabrinski suddenly blocked their way. “No one is to interfere.”
Ares and Ramon were in a stand off, their swords wavering, their bodies about to collapse. Their eyes were dimmed with fatigue and pain. Blood streaked down over Ares’ face, and the God of War quickly raised an arm to wipe the blood away, blocking his own vision for a moment. Ramon did not take advantage of that slight slip.
“End it.” Phillip declared. “If you are skilled, you will live. If you are not, you will die. Finish it!”
Both fighters yelled as they charged at each other. Ramon leaped slightly into the air, his sword flashing from his upper right down to his left at the same time, forcing Ares to pull back his own stroke.
The boy landed on the practice mat with his left foot, sliding forward on the bloody surface while he reversed the slash in a backhand, before Ares could swing down. The reverse cut pulled against Ares’ torso, starting from the hip to his upper left chest, unleashing a spray of blood. The observers stared in awe as the God of War bit back a scream of pain, falling back to the ground, flat on his back, and his sword leaving his hands.
The gathered crowd could not believe their eyes when Ares grinned from his position, a smile returned by Ramon, just before his eyes rolled up into unconsciousness. Ramon collapsed to the ground. Jake moved unhurriedly to the boy, and then reached down to hoist him over a shoulder.
Phillip walked over to Ares, and reached down to the former god’s nose, testing for signs of life. He smiled. “Jake, Gawain, Lord Conquest, take them both to the infirmary. Ares is still alive, the cut isn’t that deep.”
As Ramon and Ares were carried off, Athena pushed her way forward. “How dare you do this to a god of Olympus? Ares might be a useless fool, but what you did was extremely disrespectful.”
Phillip stared at her. Then he laughed. “Disrespectful? Yes, I am disrespectful.” He taunted her, “So what are you going to do about it?”
Athena grabbed a spear from a nearby rack and thrust it at him. Phillip barely moved as he easily avoided the thrust, then grabbed her spear with one hand. He pulled hard on it, and stepped forward at the same time. Off balance, Athena found herself moving forward.
Phillip raised his other hand, and thrust two fingers right into Athena’s nose. He grinned cruelly, then pulled his fingers down with brutal force. The former goddess dropped to her knees in pain, blood flowing from her nose. She screamed in shock, her hands reaching to her face to staunch the blood from her nose.
The gathered Amazons and goddesses looked on with dismay. Diana wanted to move forward and fight Phillip, but something about him stopped her. It was a sense of foreboding, of danger, of death. A feeling that she, nor any of her Amazon sisters, had never encountered before.
It was sheer, utter fear. Of knowing that she was completely outmatched. That the man before them had been through unspeakable experiences that had tempered him to an unbreakable edge.
“Is that all you have?” Phillip whispered. “If that is the best you can do, then you can forget about defeating Cronus.” He raised his voice. “You gods are a bunch of pansies, and I dare any of you to disagree with me.”
He waited for a response. There was none as his cold eyes scanned the crowd. Nobody dared to return his soulless gaze, not even Wonder Woman. “Nobody? Scared? Of me?”
He continued to speak, his tone hard, angry, and filled with contempt, “Good. Because knowing what you are and what you are not is the very first step towards making progress. I am going to beat all of you into shape, right now. So step forward, any one of you. I’ll use just a scabbard. You can use any melee weapon you want. It won’t matter.”
He took out his own scabbard with his magical sword, and drew the sword. He proceeded to place the sword in a weapons rack, and then stood in the middle of the gym with just his scabbard.
“Arrogant little male.” Artemis stepped forward, her teeth gritted with determination. Diana reached to stop her, but the stubborn Amazon shrugged her off. “I will show you how Amazons fight.” She took a sword from the rack, and approached the King of Pain.
It didn’t take more than five seconds before Artemis was on the ground clutching her belly in pain. “Next.”
Io and Mala glanced at each other, then charged at him at the same time.
He smiled, “Two on one? It’s a fine idea. Too bad it won’t work.”
They did not last more than ten seconds before they were both on the mat, defeated.
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The Games that Gods Play