Not long ago, within the Amazon nation, Diana and the others spent eight hours reviewing ancient records. By the time they finished, the moon had risen high, and they had come up with nothing.
Sensing the group's disappointment, Diana steadied herself and offered a small smile. "Let's take a break. Would you like to try some Amazon cuisine? I can have it brought here."
"We won't refuse that," Hawkman replied without hesitation.
The four of them gathered to eat Amazon specialties, sharing food and a few drinks.
As the conversation deepened, Hawkman's tone turned heavy. "When I heard what happened to Clark, it felt like everything collapsed. He was a good man, a mentor to me. And someone like him died at Wraith's hands."
He lowered his head, then drained his glass in one motion.
Refilling it, he continued, his voice edged with anger. "That Wraith... I can't even rest easy knowing he's still in Gotham. In less than half a month, he turned the entire city into his territory. He's slaughtered thousands of businessmen and politicians just because he didn't like them. I know most of them weren't saints, but punishment should come from the law, not mass execution.
"If we don't stop him, Gotham won't be the end of it. He could bring the same destruction to cities like Metropolis or Los Angeles."
Diana listened, then shook her head slightly. "From what I've seen, Wraith isn't completely irrational. His moral limits are far lower than most, and his methods are far more extreme. He is dangerous, but not without reason."
She paused, recalling her investigation. "I couldn't trace his origin, but I did confirm something. On his first day in Gotham, he was killed by a local gang. He claimed he didn't even know he had powers before that. If that's true, then everything began with that death."
Her expression grew more thoughtful. "If I had found him earlier and guided him, perhaps things would have turned out differently."
She remembered her earlier attempt to steer Axel away from a criminal path. But he had changed too quickly. By the time she tried to intervene, he had already become something far beyond her reach.
If she had met Axel sooner, could things have been different?
The thought lingered, but she said nothing more.
After finishing their meal, Doctor Fate and Hawkman prepared to leave.
"You're welcome to stay," Diana said, frowning slightly. "The Amazons may not be known for hospitality, but that doesn't mean we lack it."
"It's not that," Hawkman replied, shaking his head. "Our cities still need us. Even if we don't always show ourselves, we step in when necessary. It's become part of our lives."
He added firmly, "We'll return tomorrow to continue searching. There's too much here to go through quickly. And don't worry, we're not going to rush off and confront Wraith recklessly."
With that, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, and Doctor Fate said their farewells. Doctor Fate opened a portal, and they returned to the Tower of Fate.
Moments after arriving, something felt wrong.
In the nearby town, residents were rushing through the streets, crowding into stores and buying supplies in a frenzy.
The three quickly approached and questioned them.
When they heard the news, Hawkman's expression darkened. "Washington has fallen? I'd stake my life on Wraith being behind this."
"Not necessarily," Doctor Fate replied evenly. "We don't have confirmation yet."
Hawkman clenched his jaw. "Even if it isn't him directly, it has to be connected. Either way, we can't wait. We're heading to Washington now."
Without delay, the three set off.
When they arrived, the sight before them was chaos.
Zatanna was locked in a struggle over control of the Spire of Sorcery. Two massive mechs bombarded the city from above. On the ground, Selina and others fought without restraint, cutting through anyone in their path.
Hawkman's anger erupted. "That's Wraith's people. This is on me. I should have trusted my instincts earlier. If we had acted sooner, this wouldn't have happened. All these lives…"
"No time," Doctor Fate cut in sharply.
Her magic surged outward, forming a massive arcane circle in the sky. Grief and rage had overtaken her restraint. She wanted retribution for her husband and for everyone lost.
Hawkman and Hawkgirl launched themselves into the air, targeting the two mechs.
On the ground, Bruce and the others were thrown into disarray.
Over the comms, Bruce spoke quickly while scanning the battlefield. "The enemy has air superiority. That puts us at a disadvantage. Clark, you'll need to—"
He was cut off mid-sentence.
A shield burst from the darkness and slammed into his back.
The impact sent him flying into a ruined building before crashing to the ground.
Nearby, Zatanna's voice rang out, sharp with urgency. "Someone's interfering with my control of the Spire. The real controller is here."
"Can you locate them?" Bruce asked, forcing himself up.
Before she could respond, another voice cut in. "The one I'm facing is highly skilled. Her weapon can change form. Bruce, be careful."
"I already am," Bruce replied, bracing himself.
A golden whip suddenly wrapped around the neck of his mech.
He forced one arm between the whip and his throat, then fired his palm cannon toward his attacker.
The blast struck Hawkman directly, but his Nth metal helmet absorbed the impact.
Hawkman closed the distance instantly and drove a kick into Bruce, sending him crashing into another ruined structure.
Elsewhere, on a distant street, Victor stared at the glowing Spire.
"I think I've spotted the one fighting Zatanna for control," he said into the comms, his voice tense.
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