A Fate Far Worse Than Death
JANUARY 28TH
THE WATCHTOWER
Tim had his arm wrapped around Cassie's waist.
Tim: your sure?
Cassie: my strength was amplified by the apple.
Tim: why did Atlas give you more strength? What does he have planned for yo-
Cassie: Tim! This is a good thing!
Tim: Cassie! Whatever reason Atlas gave you strength, it isn't a good one.
Cassie: how do you kno-
Donna: Tim?
The younger couple turned to see Donna standing with her arms crossed.
Donna: we need to try and contact Atlas again. Can you-
Tim: yeah, sure.
Donna: I'll meet you there.
Tim left the two Amazons alone.
Donna: he's right.
Cassie: oh gods, not you two.
Donna: I won't disagree that you can do more good this way, but it's Atlas. He's trying to kill Artemis. I guarantee he has a plan.
Cassie: Just leave me alone.
Donna tried to speak again but caught herself and left her in that room.
She walked to the room where Kaldur, Dick, Conner, Wally, Artemis, Megan and Tim where waiting for her.
Tim sat in the chair.
Tim: Are we ready?
Dick: already working on it.
Donna put a hand on Artemis's shoulder.
Donna: you, ok?
Artemis: I'm fine. Or I will be.
Kaldur: we won't let this prophecy come true.
Artemis: like we did with Patrick's?
Donna: alright, point taken.
Tim suddenly gasped causing Wally to jump back.
Atlas: bow at my greatness. Be at awe, for you are in the presence of the almighty.
Dick: enough with the religious nonsense. We had a chat with Baldur. The real Atlas is still holding the sky. You are just a man. Like the rest of us.
Atlas: I'm nothing like you Richard. You are cruel. You're selfish. From my perspective, you're the big bad.
Wally: (scoff) stupid.
Atlas turned to the kid.
Atlas: still here West? Still trying to find your place?
Wally: I never had to look for one.
Atlas: you want to know something? You were supposed to die that night, not Patrick. But you were to cowardly to do so. Irony
Wally's faced turned distraught as he stormed out of the room.
Dick: where are you? You said that I trapped you somewhere.
Atlas: the only place you could think of. The only place that could hold me.
Nightwing: how long have you been there?
Atlas: long enough to lose my mind several times over.
Dick: why are we enemies.
Atlas: I'm not keen on spoilers. You thought that Cronus, Savage and the Light were your greatest enemies? Well, you're about to be proven wrong.
Megan: what did we ever do to you?
Atlas: YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME!
The team stumbled back in shock at his sudden anger.
Atlas: I never asked for any of this Megan. I am only this way because of you! ALL OF YOU!
Dick: when do we meet?
Atlas: not long now. You'll find me soon. But for now. (He turned to Donna) you might want to go check on Cassandra.
MEANWHILE
Cassie was sitting with her face in palms when she heard a voice.
Atlas: you kept the apple fragment.
Cassie jolted up and saw Atlas standing over her.
Atlas: you're scared. Scared you wont be strong enough to protect Tim. So you stole a piece of the apple, in hopes to get stronger.
Cassandra: you're wrong!
Atlas: I have such plans for you Cassandra.
Cassie: I'm not afraid of you
Atlas: you should be!
Cassandra grabbed the apple pieace and ran to the tube.
MEANWHILE
Donna: what have you done?
Atlas: you're the detective Nightwing. You can put it together.
Nightwing: you're in Tartarus.
Atlas: yes..
Wally: we threw the stone in Tartarus.
Atlas: not all of it. Cassandra stole it in hopes of getting stronger. But now, she's finishing what you started. And I am closer to my freedom than I have ever been.
Donna slammed her hand on the button and Tim stumbled back.
Donna: find Cassie!
Nightwing: on it.
STAR CITY
Cassie tried to throw it into a portal with her strength but it disappeared right before it went in frustrating the amazon.
Wonder Girl: come on!
She rushed to pick it up as Atlas's form approached from the left.
Atlas: poor Cassie, cant even open the portal to Tartarus.
Wonder Girl: no-n-no shut up.
Atlas teleported in front of her.
Atlas: you know it's true, you're not fast enough to throw it into Tartarus by yourself.
Cassandra: Shut up!
Atlas teleported right behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.
Atlas: I'm going to get out of here Cassandra. And then I'm going to kill you, and Donna, and Tim. Diana. I'll kill everyone you love.
Cassandra: (she shook him off her shoulders.) no you're not real! You're just in my head!
Atlas: oh I'm real. And I know the limit of your strength, after all I'm the one who gave it to who.
Cassandra: and that... amplifying my strength, that was your greatest mistake.
Atlas disappeared as Cassandra threw it again, this time sending it into a red fiery portal. The apple was gone but then red lightning grabbed her wrist and began to pull her in as well.
THE WATCHTOWER
Kaldur: there was a massive surge of power!
Donna: where!?
Kaldur: Star City!
Donna disappeared in a flash of yellow light.
STAR CITY
The portal kept slowly and painfully pulling her in as Donna appeared in front of her.
Cassandra: Donna help!
Donna tried to fly towards her only to be help back by the red lightning.
Donna: Cassie!
Cassandra screamed in pain as she slowly went through the portal. The others on the Watchtower watching the security feed in absolute horror, Tim began to tear up.
Tim: no...
Donna kneeled down. Then the red portal opened again, Donna stumbled back as Atlas began to crawl out of the portal like a metal zombie. His metal armor clanking against the ground like a metal pole.
Atlas: I'M FREEEE!
Donna: where's Cassandra, what just happened to her?
Atlas: like when I could not put down the sky until someone took my place, Cassandra has taken up my place in Tartarus. You know me, I love a good myth.
Donna: what are you-
Atlas: when Black Canary found Patrick, she unwittingly provided me with my return. She gave me the idea to turn Cassandra into the strongest Amazon, and make you the Lightning Rod. Cassandra's youth and ego were my allies. So taken with her fame with Wonder Woman. She never saw, she was running right into my trap!
Lightning Rod: how do I get her out?
Atlas: Cassie's gone.
Lightning Rod: how do I get her out?!
Atlas: suffering in an endless hell for all eternity! Another sibling, Donna Troy failed to save!!
Donna: NO!
And the two charged each other.
And that's all for now. Do y'all think Cassie's alive?
Let me know ur thoughts on this story.
Until next time.
PEACE!