Jhedora nodded toward the rows of massive gold pyramids lining the underground chamber and said, "The Temple's neural network allowed us to observe humanity at the most intimate level possible. Even after your kind had sealed this body underground, bound in your hatred. The evil of humanity was all around me."
"That's where you're wrong," Amy said. "People are basically good, despite their flaws."
"You are an ignorant child," Jhedora said. "I have seen the most private thoughts of every human being walking the Earth. All your violent desires, all your perverted longings, they all run through my own mind. You are all sinners, all of you. As such, you all must die."
"But not yet?" Amy said. "That chick over there who stupidly calls herself Madam Corruption, she said me and my kind, superheroes, are random variables the Temple doesn't know what to do with. And you can't bring yourself to wipe out humanity until you figure out what makes us tick?"
Jhedora's dark eyes stared right at Amy. Amy smiled.
"We drive you crazy because we're actually good. The Temple, with all your advanced technology and neural networks, you can't stand the thought of someone being genuinely good, can you?"
Jhedora threw her head back and made a hissing noise.
Corruption jumped to her feet and ran up to Amy. She leaned in close, like she had before, so her face was right up against Amy's. "Hold your tongue when speaking to the priestess."
"This is going to be gross," Amy said. She pushed her neck forward and wrapped her mouth around the front of Madam Corruption's face. Amy teeth bit down onto the woman's nose, her jaw pressing as hard as possible. The combined taste of blood, flesh, and snot filled her mouth, but she kept biting.
Corruption pulled away from Amy, her face a bloody mess.
Amy spit the woman's nose out of her mouth and felt her body break free of the field holding her in place. She flew upward, wiping the gore from her face, and looked down at Jhedora.
"You and me, mummy. Let's go."
"I would not demean myself by fighting..."
Amy flew straight at Jhedora, fist first. In the split-second it took for her to cross the chamber floor, a wave of golden yellow light shone from Jhedora's wrappings. This light shot outward from her body and struck Amy, who now knew it was more than just light, but some sort of energy. A harsh stinging sensation shot through her body, and the pure ionic force of the blast sent her flying backward, out of control.
Amy slammed back-first into the one of the gold pyramids, pressed against it by some unseen force.
"Sinner," Jhedora said.
Amy didn't feel like talking. She dug her fingers into the side of the pyramid, feeling its gold surface break, glass-like, as she forced her hands into it. Somewhere off in the distance, just for a second, Amy thought she heard screams.
"You cannot damage the neural network with your..."
Amy still didn't feel like talking. She drew her arms forward, fighting against whatever energy held her in place. Amy held chunks of the pyramid in both hands. Glittery bits of light fell from each. Suspecting both arms would be pinned back at any second, Amy threw both pieces right at Jhedora. The pieces disappeared in bright bursts of yellow light shooting out of Jhedora's body.
"You think this will harm me?" Jhedora said. "I am the pure essence of the Temple."
Amy tuned her out, instead concentrating on drawing her legs upward, so that the bottoms of her feet pressed against the side of the pyramid. She kicked forward and, after another stinging sensation, felt herself break away from the pyramid, free to fly on her own.
Not missing a beat, Amy flew right at Jhedora again. Another blast of golden light, shot out of Jhedora's body, this time sending Amy to the chamber floor, which broke apart and separated into a minor crevasse as Amy's body slammed downward into it.
Amy crawled out of the rubble surrounding her and got to her feet. Jhedora floated in the air above her.
"There is nothing you can do," Jhedora said. "Fighting me means fighting all of the Temple."
# # # #
Next: Trouble.