Chapitre 59: Echoes of Thunder [59]
Diana, despite her pain, managed to stand, her gaze fixed on Ares. She knew they would need to unite once more to have any chance of defeating him. Clark, still grappling with the throbbing pain in his muscles, turned his attention to Diana, finding in her eyes the same unwavering determination.
Observing Diana, Ares finally recognized her. A cynical smile formed on his lips as he stared at her.
"The daughter of Zeus..." Ares said, his voice dripping with disdain. "I see you've finally decided to face your destiny."
Diana narrowed her eyes, her expression reflecting contempt.
"I am not the daughter of Zeus," she declared firmly, her voice sharp. "I am the daughter of Hippolyta, molded from clay by her hands. My mother gave me life, not Zeus."
Ares laughed, a dark sound laden with irony.
"Oh, you still cling to those childish tales, Diana? The truth stands before you, and denying your lineage won't change who you are. You are the daughter of Zeus, a demigoddess. Your father's power flows through your veins, whether you accept it or not."
Diana raised her sword once more, her eyes locked onto Ares.
However, Ares remained unfazed. He looked at the gleaming blade of the sword and smirked. There wasn't a trace of fear in his gaze; instead, he exuded an almost disdainful confidence, as if the situation were mere entertainment.
"Do you truly believe this sword can destroy me?" Ares mocked, raising an eyebrow.
Without hesitation, Diana advanced, her mind focused on the imminent attack. But before she could get close, Ares abruptly raised his hand, and the sword was torn from her grasp by an invisible force. The blade hovered in the air, as if possessing its own will, suspended by Ares's telekinetic power.
Diana stared in disbelief, her eyes widening for a moment before narrowing in pure anger.
"No! That sword... it's the God Killer! It's the only thing that can destroy you!" Diana shouted, advancing again with unwavering conviction.
Ares let out a deep laugh, echoing through the ruined halls. His eyes gleamed with a mix of cruelty and absolute certainty.
"God Killer? Do you truly believe that, Diana? That a weapon forged by mortals could contain the power of a god like me?" He shook his head, still laughing. "No, Diana. The true God Killer isn't the sword... it never was."
He pointed at Diana, his expression turning serious and penetrating. "The true God Killer is you, Diana. You are the weapon destined to kill gods. Not a sword, not an artifact, but your very essence. That's why you were created. You were made to destroy me."
With a disdainful look, Ares extended his hand toward the sword, which floated between him and Diana. The blade began to vibrate, the metal crackling with a dark energy emanating from the god. Slowly, the sword started to melt, its form dissolving into a gleaming liquid that dripped through the invisible fingers of Ares's telekinesis. Diana watched, her eyes wide as the blade she had always believed to be her only chance disintegrated before her.
"Stop with the lies, Ares!" Diana shouted, her voice filled with frustration and disbelief. But it was too late. The sword was completely destroyed, her hopes crumbling along with the weapon she had always thought was the key to defeating the god.
Ares cast a cold glance at Diana, a triumphant smile etched on his lips. "See, Diana, the truth you refused to accept. The weapon wasn't the sword; it was you. Face it. Face who you truly are."
Clark, who had been observing Ares's distraction and Diana's expression of disbelief, saw the perfect opportunity. With fierce determination, he charged toward Ares, flying at astonishing speed. Before the god could react, Clark delivered a devastating punch that drove Ares into a deep crater, sending stones and debris flying in all directions.
THUD!
Ares was hurled to the ground, his body colliding violently as the force of the blow reverberated through the castle, shaking its structures.
Clark wasted no time. He flew to Diana, landing beside her, his eyes still fixed on the crater where Ares lay. "Diana, it doesn't matter who or what the God Killer is. That doesn't change what we came here to do. You have the power, and together we can end him."
Diana looked at Clark, uncertainty still visible on her face, but found a glimmer of hope in his voice. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment before opening them again, now filled with renewed determination.
"You're right, Clark. The weapon is irrelevant. It's what we do with our power that truly matters."
From the depths of the crater, a metallic sound reverberated. Ares emerged, his figure now enveloped by a new aura of power. The god of war rose slowly, his eyes fixed on Clark and Diana. He raised a hand, brushing the dust from his armor as a crooked smile appeared on his face.
"I must admit, that was a good hit, for a mortal," Ares spoke, his voice laced with a mix of sarcasm and admiration. "And your speech... inspiring. But tell me, do you really believe you can defeat a god? Only a god can kill another god."
As he spoke, the energy around Ares began to intensify, and an armor forged of pure dark energy started to materialize on his body, covering him from head to toe. The plates of the armor were imposing and menacing, glowing with a light that seemed to emanate from the depths of his divine essence.
Clark watched as Ares armed himself, his eyes narrowing. He took a step forward, maintaining his firm posture.
"I only believe in one God, and I'm sure He doesn't dress like that."
Ares let out another laugh, filled with disdain. "Ah, of course, the faith of humans... Always so pathetic. Do you truly believe that a benevolent, invisible, incorporeal entity would intervene to save creatures as weak as you?"
Clark didn't react; his expression remained serene, unshakable. Ares's words were absorbed like wind passing through him, meeting no resistance. Clark knew in whom he believed, and nothing Ares said could shake his conviction.
Clark then communicated through the mental link with Diana.
'Diana, I'll go ahead and distract Ares. Trust me and be ready to use your bracelets. We need the right moment.'
Diana nodded discreetly, her eyes steady as she watched Ares. 'Understood, Clark. I won't fail.'
Clark advanced swiftly, charging at Ares with all his might. Ares tried to defend himself, but Clark's speed and strength were overwhelming. Each blow Clark delivered made the ground tremble, and Ares's body was tossed around like a mere rag doll.
BAM!
BAM!
THUD!
Ares attempted to retaliate, but Clark's fists struck with such rapidity that he barely had time to react. Ares, the self-proclaimed God of War, was being humiliated in physical combat. Clark gave him no respite.
"God of War? What a joke," mocked Clark, a disdainful smile forming on his lips as he struck Ares again, driving him further into the ground.
Frustrated and enraged, Ares gathered all his energy and used his telekinesis to push Clark away. An invisible force hit Clark squarely, hurling him into a stone wall, which crumbled upon impact.
WHOOOSH!
Clark quickly got to his feet, positioning himself in front of Diana to protect her. Ares rose once more, his expression overflowing with hatred.
"I WILL DESTROY YOU, WORTHLESS MORTAL!"
With a furious expression, Ares raised his arms, invoking the elements around him. The skies above the castle began to churn, and lightning descended in a torrential flow, converging toward the god's body. The bolts enveloped Ares, being absorbed and transformed into an electric aura that covered his armor.
WOOSH!
SPLASH!
Diana watched the scene from behind Clark, understanding that they would need to combine all their strengths and abilities to overcome Ares's growing power.
"Prepare yourself, Diana, it's now," thought Clark, sending the mental message.
Overflowing with power, Ares raised his hands and unleashed a torrent of lightning directly at Clark. The bolts sliced through the air with devastating force.
Clark, however, activated his intangibility at the last second, allowing the lightning to pass through him without causing harm. The electric blasts continued their course toward Diana, who was already prepared.
Diana, with her bracelets ready, crossed her arms and deflected the energy of the lightning. The collision of electricity with the bracelets generated a shockwave, reverberating through the hall and creating a flash that illuminated the entire castle.
KABOOM!
Ares looked up at the exact moment his own energy, reflected by Diana's bracelets, returned toward him. The blinding flash filled Ares's entire field of vision, and he could see, in a moment frozen in time, the manifestation of his own fury coming back at him.
The reflected lightning struck Ares directly in the chest, and the energy began to spread through his body, his veins pulsing with the destructive force of his own creation. The dark armor that enveloped Ares started to crack, each fissure spreading as if his essence were disintegrating from within.
Ares screamed, a sound of pain and surprise that echoed through the castle ruins. The brightness in his eyes dimmed as he tried in vain to contain the force that was destroying him. His powerful form began to dissolve, fragments of energy escaping from his body like dust carried by the wind. Ares's expression, once arrogant and full of disdain, was now one of absolute terror. He was witnessing his own annihilation, powerless before the force he himself had unleashed.
Diana observed the scene, her expression remaining resolute. She knew she couldn't let herself be shaken by the sight. Ares, responsible for so much destruction and suffering, was finally being defeated. Clark stood by her side, alert and prepared for any movement until the end.
Ares, enveloped in an increasingly intense glow, became more and more translucent until his entire figure dissolved into pure light. The remaining energy exploded in a final shockwave that swept through the hall but caused no damage. Only silence remained as Ares's body completely disintegrated, leaving behind only emptiness.
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État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone