"And what about me?"
Rachel pulled her hood lower as she looked at Wonder Woman, her voice edged with unease.
"Just improvise!"
With that, Wonder Woman rushed forward without hesitation, diving straight into the Atlantean forces and resuming her fierce assault.
"Right... because I'm clearly your backup plan," Rachel muttered under her breath, irritation slipping through her tone as she descended from the sky.
Dark energy gathered in her palm, forming a dense sphere before she hurled it at the nearest Atlantean soldier. The impact sent him crashing backward. In the same instant, her body dissolved into a swirling flock of black crows.
The mass of shadowy birds shrieked sharply as they surged forward, sweeping across the battlefield. Their presence alone was enough to shake the enemy's morale.
Nearby, Wonder Woman swung her Vulcan Sword with precision, cutting down another soldier. As she turned, a violent surge of water shot toward her.
The torrent struck like a massive serpent, slamming into her chest and launching her backward.
With a heavy crash, she hit the ocean's surface, sending waves erupting in every direction.
Not far away, Mera stood balanced atop a cresting wave, her auburn hair damp and clinging slightly as she steadied her breathing. Her silver-white eyes remained fixed on the spot where Diana had fallen.
That single attack had drained a significant portion of her strength.
A thunderous explosion shattered the water's surface.
Wonder Woman burst upward through the spray, droplets scattering like rain around her. Her gaze locked onto Mera with unmistakable fury.
"Who are you?"
Mera's lips curved into a faint smile. "So your master Adrian never mentioned me. I am Mera, Princess of Xebel. And you must be the Amazon from Themyscira."
Her tone carried a clear edge of mockery.
That was enough.
"You undersea people are the real barbarians!"
Wonder Woman surged forward, blade in hand.
Water exploded around her as she cut cleanly through a defensive stream Mera had raised, closing the distance in an instant. Her dislike for this woman was immediate and intense, sharper than her hostility toward the Atlantean army itself.
If Adrian were present, he might have pointed out that some people simply clash by nature.
Mera reacted quickly, drawing more water to shield herself while retreating across the ocean's surface. A massive wave rose at her command and crashed toward Diana.
Wonder Woman braced, arms raised, absorbing the impact before pushing straight through it. Her movement was swift and direct, like a bolt of lightning.
She struck Mera before the princess could fully evade.
A sharp gasp escaped Mera as blood touched her lips. She slammed into the sea, the impact detonating the surface like an underwater explosion. Waves surged upward, towering high above the battlefield.
Hovering above the water, Wonder Woman was drenched, her armor gleaming beneath a layer of seawater, her hair clinging to her skin. She began to descend, eyes fixed on where Mera had fallen.
From above, Shazam glanced over mid-battle and shouted, urgency cutting through the chaos.
"Watch out!"
"What?"
Before she could react, a hand shot out from the water and seized her leg, dragging her down with brutal force.
The ocean roared as she was pulled beneath the surface.
It was Aquaman.
Taking advantage of her focus on Mera, he struck from below, hauling her into the depths. The sudden shift disoriented Diana for a moment, and Aquaman used that opening to lock her arm and drive her deeper.
The water parted violently around them as they plunged downward at incredible speed.
This was his domain.
But Diana was no easy opponent.
She twisted sharply, breaking his hold enough to counter. Grabbing his arm, she pivoted and drove a punch toward his head.
Underwater, her strength was diminished. Aquaman avoided the blow, and the two closed in, trading brutal strikes at close range. Each impact sent shockwaves through the surrounding sea, the force rippling upward to the surface.
Above, Shazam watched the disturbance, his focus sharpening. Without hesitation, he abandoned the fight around him and dove straight into the ocean.
The surface erupted again as he cut through the water.
In seconds, he reached them.
Grabbing Aquaman's arm with one hand and locking his neck with the other, Shazam forced control of the situation and surged upward.
Aquaman struggled, but the hold was too tight. His movements were restricted, leaving him unable to retaliate.
They burst from the ocean in an explosion of water.
Shazam hovered in the air, gripping him firmly.
Nearby, Wonder Woman surfaced, coughing as she expelled seawater from her lungs. The strain of the underwater fight was clear, but she quickly regained her composure.
"I don't want to fight you," Shazam said, tightening his grip slightly. "Call off your army. Now."
"You're outmatched. This doesn't have to continue."
Aquaman's expression remained resolute.
"Outmatched?" he replied coldly. "You understand nothing."
His gaze shifted toward the distant ocean.
"The sea is deeper than you can imagine. It holds secrets older than anything on land. Even if you've reached its depths, you still wouldn't understand what lies beneath."
Then it came.
A sound, low and unnatural, echoed from far across the ocean.
Seabirds scattered in frantic flocks, fleeing whatever stirred below.
The noise carried a weight that unsettled everyone who heard it.
Shazam turned toward the horizon, unease creeping into his expression.
"What is that?"
Aquaman allowed himself a faint smile.
"You think only the surface world has weapons of mass destruction? The ocean has its own. Hidden, ancient, and far more terrifying."
His eyes flickered with quiet confidence.
"If you believe you've already won, then you're mistaken. This is only the beginning."
Below them, the Atlantean forces began to withdraw, pulling back alongside strange marine creatures that moved with eerie coordination.
Shazam watched them retreat, his unease growing.
"What are they doing? Where are they going?"
Aquaman's voice was calm, almost ominous.
"To where they need to be."