Just like that, a little over fifty minutes later, on Themyscira.
Diana stood silently, watching Axel's figure disappear into the night sky. Her shoulders sagged, and exhaustion filled her eyes.
Beside her, Hippolyta gently took her daughter's hands and gave them a reassuring squeeze.
Seeing her mother's concern, Diana took a slow breath before speaking.
"I'm afraid I'll never be able to get rid of him."
"Diana."
Hippolyta shook her head.
"Perhaps I was wrong. The Wraith may truly be a more troublesome threat than Darkseid."
She paused.
"I don't know whether his power rivals Darkseid's. No one seems to know where his limits are."
Her expression darkened.
"But I do know one thing. Darkseid can be killed."
After a brief silence, she added,
"And Darkseid is far easier to understand than Axel."
Hippolyta's jaw tightened.
Her thoughts drifted back to what had happened earlier.
Before retiring for the evening, she had been offering her usual prayers when Axel suddenly descended from the sky carrying Diana in his arms.
At first, seeing her daughter being carried by a man, Hippolyta had assumed Diana had finally found a partner.
That illusion lasted only seconds.
The man showed no respect for royal etiquette, no respect for the gods, and no respect for personal boundaries.
In fact, shortly after introducing himself, he had casually slapped Hippolyta's backside.
The memory alone made her eye twitch.
Only then had she truly understood Diana's constant vigilance whenever Axel's name was mentioned.
Before meeting him, Hippolyta had struggled to understand why Diana had abandoned her life in the outside world and returned to Themyscira to investigate him.
Now she understood completely.
Over thousands of years, Hippolyta had encountered countless enemies.
She had faced conquerors, monsters, gods, and cosmic tyrants.
Yet Axel was unlike any of them.
His greatest danger was not his strength.
It was his unpredictability.
Most enemies had goals.
Even Darkseid operated according to a clear objective. His actions could be anticipated because they followed a purpose.
Axel was different.
Nobody knew what he truly wanted.
Not even Diana.
When he insisted on visiting Themyscira, Diana had been convinced he intended to massacre the Amazons.
Instead, he arrived, helped kill a giant sea monster that had been troubling nearby waters, roasted part of it for dinner, drank several glasses of wine, wandered around the island, and thoroughly annoyed half the population.
Including Hippolyta.
Mother and daughter exchanged a look filled with identical helplessness.
After a moment, Hippolyta sighed.
"There's something else."
Diana turned toward her.
"When I looked at him, I saw traits that reminded me of the gods themselves."
Her expression became complicated.
"We worship the gods, but let's be honest, many of them are frustrating."
Diana couldn't argue with that.
Hippolyta continued.
"Facing an enemy like him is exceptionally difficult."
She squeezed Diana's hand again.
"From now on, I will pray alongside you."
"Mother..."
"Perhaps only the gods can deliver the punishment he deserves."
Diana stared at the ground for several moments before nodding.
Amazon warriors did not break easily.
No matter what she had suffered, self-pity would solve nothing.
The path she had chosen required sacrifice.
That reality would never change.
Then her hand slowly moved to her lower abdomen.
A complicated expression crossed her face.
If Axel's words proved true...
If there really was a child...
Diana's thoughts became chaotic.
She could not imagine anyone capable of killing an immortal monster like Axel.
Yet perhaps someone who inherited his power might someday possess the ability to challenge him.
The possibility lingered in her mind.
Eventually, she released Hippolyta's hand and returned to her room.
Tonight, she had no desire to continue her research.
She already knew enough.
Knowing more about Axel would not bridge the overwhelming gap between them.
Soon afterward, she fell into an uneasy sleep.
Meanwhile, back in Gotham City.
A sonic boom echoed across the night sky as Axel descended toward Wayne Manor.
The crowds that had surrounded the estate earlier had long since dispersed.
Gotham's citizens had their own unique way of looking at things.
From their perspective, the crisis in Washington had ended.
Several individuals responsible for the disaster were dead.
The survivors had fled.
Whether the operation had actually gone according to plan was irrelevant to the public.
The average Gotham resident only cared that their city remained standing.
As Axel landed in the courtyard, he immediately spotted Alfred approaching.
The butler nodded respectfully.
"Master, has Diana been dealt with?"
Axel grinned.
"More or less."
He stretched his arms.
"I didn't kill her, but she won't be causing us any trouble for a while."
His eyes swept across the manor.
"How bad is everyone's condition?"
Alfred's expression became serious.
"No fatalities."
Axel nodded.
"Good."
"However, several injuries are severe."
Alfred began listing them.
"Madam's legs were broken, though doctors expect a complete recovery."
"Bruce suffered extensive damage to his left arm and shoulder. Recovery will likely take at least two months."
"Lex sustained twelve fractures and is currently resting."
"Miss Zatanna collapsed from magical and mental exhaustion. She remains unconscious."
"Victor lost his right arm again. Due to the repeated trauma, immediate reattachment is no longer possible."
Axel frowned slightly.
Alfred continued.
"Fortunately, the arm was preserved. A replacement remains an option if necessary."
"And Floyd?"
"The least injured."
Alfred allowed himself a small smile.
"His spinal injury left him unable to move early in the battle, which ironically prevented more severe damage."
At that, Alfred released a long breath.
"Master, it's fortunate you returned tonight."
"Oh?"
"Had you remained absent any longer, the situation could have become much worse."
As they walked toward the manor, Alfred lowered his voice.
"With everyone incapacitated, certain hidden elements within Gotham became less cautious."
Axel's eyes narrowed.
"And?"
"Bruce managed to uncover several new leads regarding Arkham Asylum during the chaos."
"That's actually useful."
Together they entered the manor.
Axel grabbed several sandwiches from the dining room before heading toward the medical wing.
As he entered, he immediately spotted Clark approaching from the opposite hallway.
The young Kryptonian visibly stiffened.
Axel laughed.
"Relax."
He walked over and patted Clark's shoulder.
"You did good today."
Clark looked uncomfortable.
"It's my responsibility."
After a pause, he added,
"I still don't particularly like you."
"Fair."
"But despite everything..." Clark hesitated. "I don't think all of you are completely evil."
His expression darkened.
"When I think about Doctor Fate and the others, it still hurts."
Axel remained silent.
Clark continued.
"They misunderstood us. We misunderstood them. Everyone made mistakes."
"Mistakes?"
Axel handed him a sandwich.
Clark accepted it.
As they ate, Axel shook his head.
"There wasn't any misunderstanding."
Clark frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Axel shrugged.
"People call it misunderstanding when the truth is less comfortable."
He took a bite of his sandwich.
"Most conflicts begin with assumptions."
Clark listened quietly.
"They assumed they understood us."
Axel pointed at Clark.
"And you assumed you understood them."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Arrogance and prejudice. That's what killed them."
Clark's expression became thoughtful.
Axel continued walking toward the medical ward.
As he passed by, he left Clark with one final sentence.
"Prejudice is like a mountain, buddy."
"Most people spend their whole lives staring at it."
"And very few ever bother trying to move it."