Warning: This chapter contains erotic and sexual content that may not be suitable for all readers. Read at your own risk.
"That bastard. Those roses. The ones I like. He went to Themyscira. He stole them from my mother's sacred garden. If he has done anything to her and my sisters… I swear I will tear off that mask and cut that demonic face. If only I had my sword. He will not escape this."
Diana Prince swore in her mind that she would make Doom pay for forcing his way into her home. The worst part was committing an illegal act, stealing from a divine place, and not thinking of the worst.
She could still see the roses in her mind's eye: the deep crimson petals, the familiar scent, and the unmistakable proof that Doom had violated the most sacred place in her world. The idea of Doom standing in her mother Hippolyta's garden, his armored form looming over the flowers, roses and sunflowers, filled her with a cold fury she had not felt in years.
A corridor stretched endlessly before her, its stone walls damp with the cold moisture that seeped from the depths of Castle Doom. She walked behind the tall Servo-Guard, a long purple shower robe wrapped tightly around her body and black shower sandals padding silently against the cold floor. The fabric of the garment was soft, luxurious, and a strange comfort in a place that offered nothing.
"But you kissed him. You clung to him. You surrendered to him."
She pushed the thought away. It was not love. It could never be love. It was his psychological manipulation, the control, and a toxic beginning that would end in ruin. She had kissed him. Twice in the same night. No mortal woman would do that with an unknown man, and worse, a kidnapper, unless it was consensual.
"I will never love him… Never…"
On the other hand, the strawberry ice cream he had sent her had not been remarkable, but six days of near-starvation had left her body grateful for the cold sweetness, even as her pride protested.
They both passed a heavy closed metal door. Diana instantly recognized the surroundings and the entrance to the laboratory where she had first been restrained after her capture. She stopped abruptly. The memory inside that place rose unbidden: the cold restraints, the sensation of violation, and the loss of control. Doom's hands on her body and worse was seeing his intimate part. She forced the images away before they could fully expand. She believed that behind those doors was her armor and Wonder Woman's belongings, and she did not forget that some of it was being worn by her clone on her Earth.
She noticed there was a keypad attached to the wall near the door, the entrance control. In addition, there was a circular object above the door. A camera.
"I could destroy the robot and break down the door. Recover what is mine if it is there. Doom is watching me. But… there is no point in doing it."
She preferred to follow the robot, distancing herself from the idea of recovering her armor. They both descended a staircase that led into the depths of the castle. Diana followed without saying a word, her sandals silent against the stone steps.
She felt mute. She could not engage in a conversation with Doom's creation. It had no will of its own. That metallic thing would not listen to her words. She wished Larin were guiding her. Diana wondered where he was now.
They both reached the bottom. Another metal door stood before them, covered in gleaming panels and blinking lights. The servo-guard pressed a sequence of keys on the wall panel. The door opened with a soft hiss. They both entered.
The chamber beyond was large, almost four times the size of the room Doom had provided her. In its center stretched a wide rectangular pool whose clear water reflected the soft lights from above. The floor was smooth and gleaming. Six lounge chairs around the pool. A high platform for professional diving. Everything illuminated by a blue light coming from the smooth ceiling. The design strongly reminded her of the recreational pool aboard the Watchtower: clean lines, precise engineering and an unexpected sense of luxury.
"Why does a solitary man need such a large pool?"
She wondered about the people who lived in the castle. Zora and Larin but three people did not require so much space. Doom's creations had no human needs.
"Why spend resources on something so extravagant? Doom does not seem like a man who enjoys relaxation. Does he want to impress his guests? Or his slaves?"
The robot moved to a nearby wall console and began typing. A second door opened, revealing another chamber beyond. When it finished, the machine turned toward her.
"My lady." The robot said in a monotonous, flat voice. "In the other room is our sauna. I have set the temperature according to the water of the pool and the sauna. You may use both as you wish."
Diana stared at the sauna in the distance, her mind reeling.
"A sauna. Just like the Watchtower. In the first place, why did I agree to come here?"
The comparison unsettled her. This place, this castle, this prison, felt less like a dungeon and more like a five-star hotel. The pool, the sauna, and the luxurious robes. She walked to the pool and crouched at the edge, touching the water. It was cool against her palm, refreshing and welcoming. She activated her desire to submerge herself and forget everything that had happened. All thanks to Doom.
"I hope you enjoy it, my lady. I will return when you need me. Lady Zora and Sir Larin, or anyone else will not interrupt you." The robot's voice broke her thoughts.
"Thank you." Diana whispered, her voice barely audible.
"After that, rest for a while and prepare for the evening with the master." The robot stopped, its glowing eyes fixed on her.
"Tell me the reason why your master wants me to look attractive. What is it?" Diana turned sharply. "I want the answer."
"The master will tell you in detail later. He wants you to look beautiful." The robot's voice was mechanical. "Just do what the master orders."
Diana was annoyed by the response of Doom's creation. She did not insist further.
The servo-guard turned, its steps echoing against the smooth floor. The door closed behind it as the robot left, sealing her in the vast, silent room.
She stood there for a long moment, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. Anger and confusion.
"He wants me to look beautiful. He wants me to prepare for something. What is he planning? Another dinner?"
She looked at the pool, the water gleaming under the lights. The sauna waited in the adjacent room. Everything was clean, controlled, and carefully prepared.
"This is a trap. It is always a trap with him."
But even as she thought it, she felt the pull of the water, the promise of relief. She was tired and angry.
She sighed deeply and let the shower robe fall to the floor, revealing her underwear. A set of black bra and panties covering her large breasts, her intimate area and her beautiful backside.
"Well… a moment of relaxation would not hurt me… as long as I stop thinking about that bastard."
Diana Prince launched herself into the water like a professional swimmer, fully submerging her athletic and warrior body, splashing large amounts of water onto the edges of the large pool.
///
"Ooh! By the gods… It feels good…" Diana sighed in relief, her closed eyes saying it all, and a small smile forming on her lips. The stress, the fury, and the trauma were disappearing from her being. Forgetting where she was now and the main threat around her.
The water cradled Wonder Woman's body like a lover's embrace, cool and relaxing against her skin. She lay floating on her back, face up with her arms and legs extended, her body suspended in the soft embrace of the pool. The blue light of the underwater lamps cast a soft, ethereal glow across the surface, reflecting in the ripples that spread outward from her gentle movements.
Her simple and functional black swimsuit was completely wet but refreshing.
The water was perfect, neither too cold nor too hot, a gentle caress against her skin. Diana did not know how much time had passed since she entered the pool. It seemed like an eternity. She had held an imaginary swimming competition with her friends and fellow fighters, even though they were not at her side now, but she always won. Diving into the depths of the pool that measured three meters high, holding her breath for long periods of time. Playing at diving, climbing up to the high platform.
In addition, she had carefully surveyed the room from her current position thanks to her good eyesight, searching for cameras, hidden eyes, to detect any sign of Doom's surveillance, or exaggerating, some kind of chandelier attached to the wall with eyes fixed on her body, coming from her fellow fighter and pervert Plastic Man. No one entered here either.
Diana had found nothing.
"He still respects my space…"
Diana did not want to think about Doom again. She was betraying herself. She did not want to think about his plans, his manipulations, and the stolen roses. She only came here to relax.
She let the water carry her to the other end of the pool. The silence was deep. There was no pressure here, no demands or expectations. Only her, the water, and the soft blue light.
"I miss having someone to talk to here."
The thought came unbidden, carrying a wave of loneliness that invaded her like the water itself. She remembered the times after completing a mission when she relaxed with her friends in the Watchtower pool.
The times her close friend Dinah Lance lay beside her in the pool in a swimsuit, venting to her and reminding her of all of Oliver Queen's betrayals, her voice sharp with anger and pain. Tora Olafsdotter always joined them both in the pool, her icy blue eyes soft as she spoke proudly about the progress of her relationship with that idiot and good man Guy Gardner. As a companion to the last one, Beatriz da Costa joined them and would gift them stories of her bad dates, her bright and contagious laugh, completely unhurt. Finally, Kory Anders rarely joined them, sharing her moments of despair at seeing her ex-boyfriend with his ex-girlfriend and remembering their old moments in the Titans, her voice heavy with longing and loss.
On the other hand, Zatanna Zatara, Karen Starr and Kimiyo Hoshi joined them when they successfully completed their missions. They laughed and talked and shared their secrets, their worries, their hopes. The last three heroines were not the most frequent.
"I miss them. I miss them all."
She opened her eyes a little and submerged deeply, letting the water close over her head. The world became muted, distant, a faint hum of sound and light. She floated in the silence inside the water, holding against the pressure of the water.
"Oh! Yes… It still feels good… If only I could stay here forever. If only I could forget Doom."
After a good while in that position, Diana rose to the surface, her body breaking the water with a soft splash. She wiped the water from her eyes, her hair clinging to her face in dark, wet strands. She pushed it back, letting the cool air kiss her skin.
She began to swim, her movements powerful and fluid. She cut through the water like a knife, her body remembering the rhythms of competition, the joy of movement. She swam from one end of the pool to the other, her arms slicing through the water, her legs kicking a steady, rhythmic beat.
"Oh! Hera… This feels good. Too good."
She swam for several minutes, her muscles warming, her mind clearing. Everything disappeared inside her, replaced by the simple pleasure of movement.
Diana reached the edge of the pool and stopped, her arms resting on the cold marble. She leaned back, her body floating, her eyes fixed on the ceiling above and stretching her strong legs.
The blue light of the underwater lamps cast a soft glow through the room, reflecting in the water like liquid sapphire. It was beautiful, peaceful, and almost hypnotic.
"This is the first time I have felt true peace since he took me."
She closed her eyes, letting the water hold her. She thought of her mother, of Hippolyta, of the garden where Doom had stolen the roses. She thought of Antiope, Nubia, Donna, Cassie, and Yara, of the training sessions, of the laughter and the love.
She thought of Steve, of his rejection, of the family he had denied her.
She thought of Bruce, of his secrets, of the love that had never been enough.
And she thought of Doom. Of his hands on her body. Of his lips on hers. Of his voice in her ear, promising her everything Steve had denied her.
She thought of the roses, the ice cream, the note with its mixture of kindness and threat.
She pushed it away.
After several seconds of relaxation she grew sleepy. She was yawning.
Then she closed her eyes and let the peaceful atmosphere take effect.
The Watchtower training room was a vast, sterile expanse of white and silver, its walls lined with energy-absorption panels. The floor was a smooth metallic surface that could withstand the force of a Kryptonian punch. The upper part of the walls was adorned by a horizontal row of windows that revealed the infinite darkness of space, dotted with the cold, distant light of the stars.
Diana Prince stood in the center of the room with her Wonder Woman armor gleaming under the harsh white light. Her blue skirt swayed with her movements, her bracelets of submission on her arms, her golden tiara catching the light like a crown of fire, and her red boots edged in gold moved with precision. In her hand she held a training sword, not her sword forged by Hephaestus, the edge dulled for safety.
She attacked someone in particular at great speed, but was countered by the block of a green sword, a construct created by a peculiar ring. Both blades screeched from the force exerted by both sides. Diana looked defiantly at the person in front of her. It was one of the new Green Lanterns. She was female. The young woman was Jessica Cruz in her battle suit with black extremities, white boots and gloves, her torso and stomach covered in green with the insignia of the Green Lantern Corps.
Jessica's face was tight with concentration, her brown hair pulled back, her eyes fixed on Wonder Woman with the intensity of a student eager to surpass her teacher. Diana applied more pressure on her sword with extreme ease; her boots remained still while Jessica's retreated and she tried to slip on the smooth floor.
"Come on, young girl. I told you not to be passive with me. Attack me as if I were your enemy." Diana motivated the woman who carried the Green Lantern ring.
Jessica tightened her grip harder on her green sword, listening carefully to the words of one of the founders of the League. She exerted an impulse that pushed Diana a little but not much.
Diana was about to deliver a flying kick to her because Jessica had her guard down. She did it, but the young woman dodged it in time, retreating with a somersault. The two swords were separated.
"I know your moves, Wonder Woman. You will not defeat me as easily as in the previous sessions." Jessica challenged her.
"You have been training with me every two months since you joined the Justice League. You take my advice with wisdom. You have progressed, Jessica." Diana's voice was calm, in command.
Jessica did not respond, but made a gesture of gratitude. She attacked Diana with a horizontal strike of her sword; Diana dodged it, both fought blade to blade, Diana jumping over Jessica's attacks. Wonder Woman propelled herself from the floor and leapt toward her, kicking the sharp green construct with tremendous force. Jessica retreated from the impact.
"Simon, it's time!" Jessica shouted while creating another green construct.
Diana heard from behind that several projectiles were approaching her; she quickly moved, six shapes of small transparent green missiles heading toward her. Thanks to her skill, Diana dodged them; the projectiles crashed into the floor. She saw that two were coming toward her; using her sword she struck both of them as if they were baseballs, sending them toward the creator of the projectiles, but both exploded mid-path.
"Wow! How did you do that?" Asked a male voice, the one responsible for the attacks was impressed.
It was a young man. Simon Baz. Another of the new Green Lanterns and a recruit for the Justice League. He was floating in the air at a distance from both women. He was dressed in his green battle suit with yellowish-green edges on the sleeveless chest, showing his two marked arms and his brown skin; the lower part of his legs was completely black with green boots, and covering his entire face with a green and black boxing-style mask, showing his brown eyes of surprise. His green ring on his right arm extended toward her.
"Nothing out of the ordinary for me, young boy." Diana smiled, a flicker of approval in her eyes.
She sensed the attack of a sonic cannon forming behind her; she jumped to another side of the room in time. It was the attack formed from Jessica's ring.
"Come on! We have to attack her both at the same time." Jessica said to Simon, her best friend.
He nodded and prepared to coordinate with her.
Diana raised her sword pointing toward them, giving them the signal that she was waiting for both. The two Lanterns exchanged a glance, and then they moved.
Green energy burst from their rings, forming a barrage of transparent green constructs: a massive fist, a sweeping blade, and a net of glowing chains. They attacked in unison, their movements synchronized, their power amplified by their partnership.
Diana moved like water, flowing around the constructs with almost supernatural grace. She dodged the fist, ducked under the blade, and broke the chains with a single precise strike of her sword.
"Too slow." Wonder Woman ordered. "Your attacks from both of you are predictable. I can see them coming before either of you forms them."
"Then we will be unpredictable." Jessica clenched her teeth.
She raised her ring, and a swarm of glowing butterflies burst forth, each one a small explosive. They launched toward Diana from all directions, their paths chaotic and erratic.
Simon followed her lead, forming a huge green dragon that lunged toward Diana with jaws open.
"Better, Lanterns." Diana smiled.
She leapt into the air, her body twisting as she evaded the butterflies. She landed on the dragon's head, her sword flashing as she brought it down in a single devastating blow. The construct shattered, its pieces dissolving into green light.
"Your constructs are strong, Simon but they are too rigid. You have to be more fluid." Diana landed lightly on the ground, sword ready. "And Jessica, your creativity is admirable, but you are overcomplicating things. Sometimes the simplest attack is the most effective."
"Then we will show you simple." Simon's eyes narrowed.
He raised his ring, and a massive green fist formed, rushing toward Wonder Woman with devastating speed. Diana did not dodge. She stood firm. The large fist crashed into her, and she was driven backward, her boots skidding against the floor, her sword falling. She did not stay that way; she went at great speed to connect a severe blow to the young man, but Jessica created a green shield to protect Simon from Diana's counterattack.
She struck the shield with her bare fists, but Simon created a green construct of a bowling ball; Jessica deactivated the shield and he threw the ball at full force toward Diana, knocking her violently backward onto the floor. Diana grunted, her arms tense against the force of both. But she refused to fall.
"Good." The princess of Themyscira said, her voice strained but approving. "You are learning to combine your strengths. Simon, your attack was powerful. Jessica, your defense was solid. But you are still not working as one."
Diana straightened, picking up her sword.
"Once more." She ordered. "Come on, Lanterns. Combine your powers once more into a single construct. Show me what the two of you can do."
Jessica and Simon exchanged a glance. Then they nodded with an air of doubt, their rings glowing brighter with insecurity.
"I will provide the structure, Jess." Simon said, his voice focused.
"I will provide the power." Jessica added, feigning an intense voice.
Then they raised their rings together, and a single construct formed: a huge green cannon, almost three times the height of the Watchtower crew members, the barrel aimed directly at Diana. Energy crackled around its surface, building to a blinding intensity.
"Impressive." Diana's eyes widened.
She prepared for the impact, using her sword as a shield.
Several seconds of unease from both Lanterns.
The large green projectile went straight at her.
A beam of green energy burst from the construct, rushing toward Diana with the force of a meteor. She raised her sword, trying to deflect the blast, but the impact was immense. She was thrown backward, her body slamming against the wall, her back bleeding a little. Her sword clattered beside her.
For a moment she did not move or make any breathing movements.
"Wonder Woman!" Jessica's voice was sharp with concern.
"I think we overdid it, Jess." Simon's voice was tense.
Both Lanterns approached her body, which still was not moving.
"Diana, wake up!" Jessica said loudly, touching her shoulder and crouching to check her condition.
Diana opened her eyes with a smile and kicked both pairs of the Lanterns' legs. Both fell to the floor.
Jessica and Simon gasped in pain, their bodies lying on the ground. The pain of carelessness.
"What did I tell you, Lanterns. I am your enemy in this training. It was not clear to you. Those cheap tricks should no longer affect you. Do not be fragile against them." She exclaimed with disappointment.
Diana stood up somewhat limping, her smile spreading across her face. Her armor was scorched, her hair disheveled, but her eyes were bright with approval.
"We understand, Diana. For a moment I thought something serious had happened to you." Jessica spoke, tilting her body while still sitting on the floor.
"I can see blood on your back." Simon added, imitating his best friend's movement, looking at Wonder Woman's visible wound.
"I have received worse. It was not bad at all."
Both young people nodded.
"On the other hand, excellent, youths." Diana continued. "That was exactly what I wanted to witness."
Jessica and Simon exchanged a glance, relief flooding their faces. Forgetting Diana's condition.
"Your coordination of both of you is better. You increased your powers. Session over."
She extended both hands toward them. Both Lanterns took them, and she pulled them to their feet.
"Your defenses are still too focused on the attack." She said in a firm but not harsh voice. "Both of you leave yourselves open to counterattacks. And you are still not fully trusting each other. Both of you hesitated before combining your attacks to form the cannon."
"We were afraid of hurting you." Simon nodded, his voice insecure.
"I am harder to hurt than you think. Next time, do not hold back anymore."
"We will improve more, Wonder Woman." Jessica's voice was determined as she brushed the dust from her suit.
"I know both of you will. Good progress today." Diana nodded.
Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!
Several claps were heard coming from a person.
"Wow, what great advice you give your apprentices, Diana."
A male voice came from above, dripping with simulated admiration.
Diana froze. She recognized that familiar voice.
"Pathetic." The male voice continued. "I should have trained them myself."
Her heart stopped.
Diana looked up. In the window above the training room, overlooking the vast expanse of space, there was a figure leaning against the window frame that covered the exterior. His features were obscured by shadow, but his silhouette was unmistakable to her: the sharp angles of his armor, the flowing curve of his cape and hood, and the cold gleam of his mask.
Jessica and Simon did not let those words from the unknown male voice pass and turned their gazes upward, where an unexpected visitor stood. They saw his shadow; it gave an air of earthiness, comparable to the one projected by Batman.
"Who are you? How did you get in here?" Simon's voice was loud as he took a defensive pose, without stopping looking at the dark figure.
"Where did you come from?" Jessica asked in a tense voice, her ring flickering. Imitating Simon's position.
The dark figure did not respond. He simply jumped from where he was, falling in a long, slow descent that ended with a heavy thud as his armored boots hit the ground, cracking it. He straightened, his cape settling around him like a shroud.
He took a step forward, showing his cold mask, his brown eyes revealing the infernal past he had endured, his green hood hiding much of his face and his green tunic covering most of his metallic body, except for his metallic legs and arms. Diana was anxious inside. The Lantern duo carefully observed the characteristics of the stranger—green and metal. A robot man. An air of presence that would make any hero tremble. Now the stranger was more terrifying than Batman. The man stood at a great distance from the trio of heroes with his metallic hands loose at his sides.
Diana's blood ran colder. Her hands trembled. The old fears surged again, drowning the brief peace she had found.
Doom's masked face was on the two young Lanterns, giving them a murderous look in silence; they did not yield to it. Their willpower was strong enough to face magical and cosmic threats. Then the man's gaze settled on Diana.
"Answer us now. Who are you?" Simon Baz continued, his voice charged with fury. His ring ready for an imminent battle with the intruder.
"You do not seem to have good intentions, robot man." Jessica finished the sentence.
"You two are not my priority. Doom asks both of you to lower your rings. You would not want to get hurt."
"You know about that?" Jessica asked.
"What the hell is Doom?" Simon finished, confused.
"You two, listen to him! Do not confront him!" Finally Diana spoke, her voice trembling.
Both Lanterns ignored Wonder Woman, not out of bad faith but from tension and surprise at having an unknown person near them. In addition, they identified in his distorted metallic voice a strange accent. He was half-human, according to their assumptions.
"I know everything about you. I know everything about your galactic corporation. I know about your other companions and the other rings. Thanks to the fact that this place belongs to me." Doom spoke with arrogance.
"What are you talking about?" The female Lantern continued.
"Are you deaf, girl? I own this place. I hacked the entire system. This place is my home now." Doom's voice was calm, amused.
"You are not welcome here! And I am not a girl!" Jessica's ring lit up.
"Leave or we will force you!" Simon raised his construct, a huge green fist forming. He gave a warning to the unknown hooded man.
"Doom does not want blood spilled on his hands. You are not my target. I only want Diana Prince. I need to speak with her about private things. You two leave us alone. So get out of my way!" Doom threatened.
"You know him?" Jessica asked in shock, turning to look at Wonder Woman.
"Yes… Please, do not attack him. Leave us alone. It is not your battle. Do not ask questions. Get out of here." Diana, overwhelmed, grabbed their shoulders with sincerity, squeezing them. Giving them the signal not to confront the stranger.
"Battle? Then he is one of your enemies, Wonder Woman. If that is so, we will not hold back. Right, Jess?" Simon exclaimed.
"Wonder Woman, this will be the next phase of our training. Our objective is to stop what is bothering you now. That green robot seems to know you well. We do not know your history with him. We would love to hear it after we have defeated him." Jessica spoke with a determined voice, ready to attack the stranger.
"Guys, this is not part of the training! He has tricks. Stop now!" Diana tried to make them see reason; she still remained behind them.
"Do you think you can stop me? Not even the two of you could stop Diana when she was holding back her strength." Doom laughed, a low and chilling sound.
"I will make you swallow your words!" Simon shouted at the top of his lungs, launching the green fist at extreme speed toward him. In milliseconds Doom made a gesture with the fingers of both metallic hands, forming a green portal in front of him, absorbing the fist. The fist and the portal disappeared.
"How did he do that?" Both Lanterns said at the same time while Diana remained in the same state of shock.
Doom did not finish the gesture with his fingers and formed another portal in the middle of his rivals. Both saw the portal between them; the green fist came out and struck both, knocking them out of their positions and making them retreat.
Both falling to the floor, gasping in pain.
"Damn it!" Simon exclaimed, beginning to stand up.
"Simon, behind you!" Jessica shouted with all her soul, trying to get up from the attack.
Simon did not expect a mortal blow from behind that sent him crashing against the reinforced wall of the training room. Jessica looked at the portal that had formed behind her best friend seconds earlier; there a metallic fist was floating inside. The portal and the metal arm disappeared.
"Doom, stop now!" Diana screamed with all her soul throughout the room.
Jessica, now steady, heard something forming behind her; she quickly formed a green shield from her ring. She turned and a strong impact struck her shield, caused by a metal fist that appeared from another portal. Jessica saw that from the portal the head with the hood and half the body of the unknown man emerged. He was giving her a murderous look.
"Do you surrender, girl?" He exclaimed with contempt.
Jessica did not respond, only a mental No. She thought this man was a sorcerer similar to Doctor Fate. She did not foresee that from the man's other fist a purple attack with magical runes would form; he launched it with such force that it pierced her defense; the attack struck her body, sending her flying against the floor, bouncing.
Now Victor von Doom fully exited the portal, closing it. He looked at the two young people lying against the wall and on the floor, respectively.
Both were unconscious.
"Pathetic!" Victor mocked.
Without warning, he stopped a sword strike from Diana with two fingers of his hand; she had come at him with tremendous speed and force. The edge did not cut his metal fingers. Wonder Woman looked at him with fury.
"You damned man, I will make you pay for what you have done to them." she shouted.
Doom did not respond. From his other hand he launched a blast of air that slammed Diana's body to the floor; her sword fell in front of him. She gasped in pain, trying to stand.
"Those young people do not deserve to be called heroes. They did not have the willpower to face Doom." He spoke with arrogance. "Therefore, they do not deserve to have those rings."
Doctor Doom raised his hand forward, made a gesture with his fingers, and the two green rings came off the fingers of their respective bearers. The knocked-out bodies of Jessica and Simon emitted a green glow, their Green Lantern suits disappearing, returning to their civilian clothes. The rings floated in the air and went toward Doom's raised hand, as if the latter were a magnet. The two rings rested in his palm; he formed a fist and kept them safely there.
"You damned man! How did you do that? The rings should not obey you." Diana gasped, standing completely.
"Your universe is mine. I managed to conquer it and killed everyone I consider a threat. Your two apprentices were the last on my list. I collected all the green rings, the blue ones, the yellow ones, the orange one, and the red ones. All the rings of the universe belong to me. All their former bearers are dead. In addition, I obtained the Helmet of Nabu. The Spear of Destiny… Only the two of us remain."
"That is not true? You are lying. I do not believe you have accomplished such a feat. My allies will enter here and help me defeat you."
"Everyone is dead. Your apprentices will die soon. The blow I dealt them was devastating. You cannot escape me, Diana. Not in your dreams. Not in your waking hours. I am always with you." Doom's voice was threatening and intimate.
"They cannot be dead. Get out of my head!" Diana clutched her own forehead, keeping her eyes open. Trying to calm herself.
"Your head is my head, Diana. Your body is my body. Now you belong to me." Doom's sinister laugh echoed in the training room.
He materialized before her, his presence suffocating. His hand caressing her face. She tried to move or attack him, but her body was frozen, trapped in another nightmare.
"Wake up!" He whispered. "You are not prepared to see my triumph. A world where I won. I am disappointed in you. Wake up now, Diana!"
Diana's eyes opened, heeding the warning of the ruler of Latveria.
The real world rushed back in a flood of sensations: the cold water hitting against her skin, the soft blue glow of the pool lights. She gasped, her body jerking into an upright position, her hands gripping the edge of the pool.
"Another nightmare. Another vision with Doom."
She could still see it: the purple light of his magic, the crumpled bodies of Jessica and Simon, the mockery in his voice as he claimed their rings. She could still hear his laugh, cold and triumphant, echoing through the void of space.
"He killed them. He killed them all..."
But it was not real. She knew it was not real. It was just another dream, just another manifestation of her fear, her guilt, and her helplessness. She had received no proof that Doom had harmed her friends. She was going crazy, trapped in a cycle of nightmares and waking hours that blurred together.
"I cannot keep living like this. I cannot keep falling asleep and dreaming of his mask."
She splashed water on her face, the cool liquid grounding her. She took a deep breath, steadying herself.
"I need to do something else. I need to stay awake. I will go to the sauna."
She climbed out of the pool, water cascading down her body. She grabbed the bathrobe from the floor, draping it over her left shoulder, and slid her feet into the sandals that were nearby. She walked toward the sauna room, her steps echoing against the floor.
The room was divided into two sections. One door led to the sauna, its wooden surface warm to the touch. The other led to a bathroom, its door slightly ajar.
She opened the second door.
It was a small and elegant bathroom: white marble tiles, a glass shower stall, a tall coat rack in one corner, a shelf of plush towels and a large mirror that dominated the wall above the sink. The room was warm, filled with the faint scent of lavender and eucalyptus.
"Not bad. I need to dry off before entering the sauna."
She hung the robe on one arm of the coat rack. Her swimsuit was still wet, clinging to her skin. She sighed in annoyance, peeling it off. The fabric clung stubbornly, but she managed to remove it, hanging the pieces on other arms of the rack. Now she was completely naked, her body exposed to the soft light of the bathroom.
She looked at herself in the mirror.
Her body was beautiful, sculpted by years of training and blessed by Aphrodite. Her skin was smooth, her muscles toned, her curves generous. She had always been proud of her body, of what it could do, of the strength it carried.
But something was different.
She tilted her head, studying herself more closely. Her bare breasts seemed fuller, her hips slightly wider and her bare buttocks rounder. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but it was there.
"When did that happen?"
She remembered Steve's hands on both pairs, his touch warm and reverent. She remembered Bruce's hands, slower, but no less intense. Finally, she remembered Doom's hands, cold metal against her skin, possessive and demanding.
"His touch changed me. He changed me."
She felt a strange surge of heat in her chest, a longing that she immediately suppressed. She shook her head, angry with herself.
"What are you doing, Diana? You were not supposed to like Doom's touches." She answered herself.
She grabbed a towel from the shelf, its fabric soft and absorbent. She began to dry herself, starting with her hair, then her arms, her torso, her legs. The movements were mechanical, practiced, but her mind was elsewhere.
"I cannot keep thinking about him. I cannot remember his hands. Nor the kisses…"
She turned, trying to dry her back, and she caught a pink glow in the mirror. It was small, faint, and barely visible—a subtle pink mark on the nape of her neck. She froze.
"What is that?"
She approached the mirror, her eyes straining. Her vision cleared, and she saw it more clearly.
A small and delicate symbol, similar to a tattoo. A heart with a halo above it and a demon's tail curling away from the base of the heart, its tip sharp and almost possessive. All in bright pink.
Diana's breath caught in her throat.
"In the name of the gods…"
She touched the mark, her fingers tracing its shape. It was smooth against her skin, almost like a scar, but with a faint warmth, as if it were alive. She pressed harder, trying to rub it away. It did not disappear.
She rubbed harder, the skin reddening under her fingers. The mark remained, stubborn and unyielding.
Finally, it began to fade, slowly. The pink light dimmed, the symbol sinking into her skin like water into sand. In a matter of moments, it was gone, leaving no trace.
Diana stared at her reflection, her warrior heart pounding.
She searched her own memory, trying to recall when it might have appeared.
The pool?
The night she had kissed Doom?
The moment she had surrendered to him?
"He marked me… He left his magical imprint on me… I did not even notice."
A cold dread settled in her stomach. She had given Doom her body, her lips, her surrender. And now he had left a mark, a symbol of his possession.
"Hera! I hate his pheromone trick."