He Who Wields The Lightning

by Onomonopia

Champion of the Queen

Adam strained against his metal bonds with his godly strength and shattered the chains to free himself. The moment the bonds had been broken, he hurled himself towards the falling city. He placed himself underneath the center of the city and muttered words of magic, coursing his lightning through the city so that it would not break in half from the strain. Black Adam then pushed against the city with all of his might, feeling it begin to slow despite its weight.

"Truly you have allowed yourself to fall," Ares sighed as he drew a bow with arrows from his arsenal, taking aim at the dark hero underneath of the city. "So you shall fall with them." Ares released his grip and three arrows flew true towards their target, who was far too busy trying to keep the city from falling to notice the impending attack. But only as the three barbed arrowheads embedded themselves into his arms and right leg did Adam notice them. But then he gritted his teeth in pain, forcing himself to keep pushing.

'No...I will not let my weakness get the better of me again!' he roared in his mind as his boots slammed into the ground far beneath where Canterlot had originally rested, giving him one last chance to save the city. With a yell to the heavens asking the gods for strength, Adam pushed against the city, breaking its fall mere feet from the ground. With one last push he held the city of Canterlot above his head. Then, with a sigh if exhaustion he dropped it to the ground in front of him, shaking the landscape around him, but the city remained in one piece.

"Well done, I did not know if you would do it." Black Adam spun in time to feel the blade of war slash across his chest, causing Adam to roar in pain as Ares followed up the slash with a boot to the nose, bringing Adam down to his knees while his vision began to blur from the pain. "Hurts, doesn't it?" Ares asked Adam as he placed a boot onto Adam's face, slowly pushing down with all of his godly power. "You are not as almighty as you believed yourself to be, are you? Now then, Adam, it is time that I sent you to visit my uncle. Please give him my greetings once you are down there."

Ares lifted the blade over his head as he prepared to strike down with the sword, yet Adam managed to get a hand underneath of his boot and, with a push, hurl the god into the air. He forced himself back to his feet before he tore the arrows from his limbs.

'I have lost a decent amount of blood,' he thought as he turned his eyes back up to the God of War that floated above him, bow drawn once again. 'I cannot let this fight be prolonged.' With the power of Amon giving him strength, he shot into the air and drove his shoulder into Ares once again, taking the two of them across the sky as the twin gods battled it out. Ares drove his fist into Adam's wound on his leg, but Adam gritted his teeth before driving his skull into Ares' helmet, snapping Ares head back with the force.

"You have fought like a warrior, now it is time you die like one," Ares chuckled before both of his hands were filled with red power, and he clamped them around both sides of Adam's skull. Adam cried out as the red power began to tear apart his face, filling him with unimaginable pain. "This is what happens when you challenge me at my own game." Adam drove his fist into Ares' skull to separate the two of them, but the pain prevented him from concentrating and he crashed into the streets far below. Black Adam groaned as he pulled his head out of the rubble to see the tip of a sword pointed at his face.

"It is over," Ares muttered before striking.

S=H=A=Z=A=M

Celestia cried out as a spell caught her in the side, staggering her slightly while she tried to keep herself vertical. She threw up another barrier to deflect the other spells that came her way before she unleashed her spells upon those same ponies. Once she had them incapacitated, Celestia looked over the battle with regret and pain in her eyes.

'Why? Why can I not save them?' she whispered within her own thoughts as she looked around at all of the death that had been wrought by Ares and his spell. The once peaceful ponies of her kingdom were trying to slaughter each other, and even with her interference they seemed to be hell bent on doing so. 'I have to think of something, some way that I can get them to stop!' A cry of pain turned her back to the battle and Celestia ran between a large number of unicorns who were firing at each other, throwing up a barrier to deflect the magic away from each of them.

"Cease this, please! Can you not see that you are simply under a spell?" Celestia called out, yet it proved as futile as the other times, for not for an instant did the ponies stop trying to kill those around them. Celestia roared as she expanded the barrier and knocked those ponies off of their hooves, but the effort left her tired and drained. She turned her head back to where a large group was fighting when a spell struck her in the side of the head, her eyes filling with tears as she was flung into the side of a building and collapsed to the ground. The pain coursing through her body was too great for her to overcome.

'Why? Why am I always so powerless to save those I care about?' she thought as she tried to lift her head to no avail, forcing her to watch as the ponies she had sworn to protect slayed each other in the rage in which Ares had put them.

'A true ruler rules their emotions, not the other way around! You were never fit to rule this land, you were too soft!' Luna's words echoed through her head and they hurt worse than any physical pain that she was currently going through. Celestia knew that she was right, that she had never been the strong ruler like her father or her sister had been.

'Is that why I can't protect them? Because I am too weak?' Celestia asked herself as she closed her eyes, accepting her weakness. 'I am, Sister, maybe you were right about--' Then the ground exploded from a distance away and Celestia opened her eyes again to see Black Adam struggling to pull himself out of the dirt. She then watched as Ares appeared behind him with his blade in hand, and she wasn't even able to call out as Ares drove the blade through Adam's gut, who coughed up blood as he looked up at the smiling face of Ares.

But then to Celestia's amazement, Black Adam reached down and grabbed the hilt of the blade, screaming with pain as he began to pull the blade out of his gut against the might of Ares. Adam drove his boot into Ares' chest to push the god back, long enough for him to pull the blade out of his gut. Then Adam rose back to his feet and drove his fist into Ares' face, sending him flying through a number of buildings. Adam collapsed to his knees again as he held a hand to his stomach, where blood poured from him.

'He...he will not stay down,' Celestia thought to herself as Adam shouted some words to the sky, using his lightning to burn his wounds shut once again, before pushing himself back up to his feet. Despite the pain that she could still see on his face, Adam took to the sky once again continuing the fight. Upon seeing Black Adam and the pain he had endured, as well as his will to keep going, Celestia felt a new sense of power flooding through her.

'And neither will I! Maybe it is time I take a page out of Teth's book! Maybe it is time I show them that I am strong!' She then flung her wings out as she took to the sky, casting a magic barrier around herself while she looked for where the largest number of ponies were fighting. Upon seeing that place, she hurled herself into the ground at their center, kicking up a massive cloud of dust and rubble as she impacted the earth. The ponies stopped their battle momentarily to see the impact, but then their eyes widened in horror as they saw Celestia emerge from the crater, her mane a crimson fire that burned with all of her rage, and her eyes glowed with orange light. Her coat now had hints of red within it.

"That is ENOUGH!" she roared to the ponies fighting, the force of her royal voice blowing some of the combatants right off of their hooves. Her presence was enough to cause the ponies to back away from her as she walked through their ranks, making sure that all of the fighting had stopped before she began to speak. "If you foals will not listen to reason, then you will listen to one that is stronger than you could ever imagine! Now then, stand DOWN!" She could see from some of the ponies' eyes that they were hesitant on whether to continue the battle or not, but there were far more defiant eyes within the crowd. One of the ponies fired a blast at Celestia, yet her mane caught the spell and burned it to ash, causing her to slowly turn to face the pony with fire burning in her eyes.

"If you foals want war, then I will give you war!" she roared as she allowed her magic to wash over all of them, allowing them to feel the depths of power than an alicorn wielded. "This is your last chance to surrender! I am your princess...no, I am your QUEEN! My word is absolute and I will be obeyed! Now either bow to me or FALL TO ME!" For a moment Celestia believed that she would have to carry out that threat, but then to her joy, the ponies stopped fighting with each other and all fell to their knees before her. 'They are listening to me! I am strong!' She sighed in relief as she allowed her mane to return to normal, smiling at the ponies, but her eyes still told them that she was not to be messed with.

"This is my order to all of you. Go into the streets and stop any fighting that you see between ponies. Unicorns that know sleeping spells, use them without hesitation. Remember, you are fighting to save the lives of your fellow ponies, so be strong and do not fall for Ares' tricks again!" she roared before turning to where she had seen Adam and Ares fly away. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to repay a debt that I owe." She spread her wings and took to the skies, hoping that her ponies would be able to stave off Ares' power long enough for Adam to defeat him.

'And he will defeat him,' she thought with confidence before a hint of doubt entered her mind. 'It is what he will do after that, that has me afraid.'

S=H=A=Z=A=M

Adam roared as he drove his fist with all his might into Ares' face, knocking the helmet from his head and sending Ares straight down into the floor of the castle. Adam reached down and pulled Ares out of the stone to lift him over his head, shocking him with his power before driving him back down into the floor again.

"This ends today, Ares! For all of my people that you killed!" Adam roared as he drove lefts and rights into Ares' skull, shattering the castle around them from the force of his blows. Ares flashed red and vanished from underneath of Adam, appearing behind him with sword in hand. Adam spun around to catch the blade between his hands before it could tear into him, the two straining against each other as they matched their strength. Adam overpowered Ares and drove his knee into the groin of the god, doubling over Ares as Adam took his blade and drove his knee into the side of it, shattering it in half.

"H-how..." Ares asked him weakly before throwing a punch at Adam, a punch that was blocked and countered with a backhand that hurled Ares through the castle wall. Adam tossed the shattered pieces of the blade to the floor before he staggered after Ares, finding the god struggling to his feet in the gardens. Ares drew his spear once again and lunged at Adam, who sliced the tip of the spear off of the staff with his hand before driving his other fist into Ares' side, knocking him to the ground. "You should not still be able to stand. Not after the suffering you have endured."

"You took my nation...my kingdom...and my people from me. Nothing you do to this body...will ever compare to the pain I feel for losing them!" Adam roared as he kicked Ares to the side, giving him an angry glare as thunderclouds began to flash overhead.

Ares shot up and kicked Adam in the gut, doubling Adam over and giving Ares the chance to drive one of his spiked elbows into Adam's back. Adam roared before punching Ares in the knee, smiling with satisfaction when he heard the bone break. As Ares fell to one knee Adam grabbed him by his hair and yanked his head back, unleashing his lightning into Ares' skull. The skull could be seen through Ares skin due to the electricity that was being poured into him, but it was not enough for Black Adam. Adam grabbed Ares by the neck and lifted him up, drove his fist into Ares' back. The god yelled in pain as Adam continued to drive his fist into Ares, not stopping until he had punched a hole through both Ares' armor and the god himself.

"This...is for my home," Adam spat as he hurled Ares to the ground, placing his hand on his knees while he took a moment. Then the rage within his heart fueled him even further and Adam began to stalk towards Ares, who was trying to get back up. Adam grabbed his neck to pull him back up before he drove his fist into Ares' face and sent him back into the ground again.

"This...is for the innocents that you tricked me into killing!" Adam screamed as he electrified his fist and shattered Ares' jaw with the blow, sending the God of War skyward in an arc over the city. Adam shot up after him and caught Ares in the air, the thunderclouds unleashing their torrent upon the two as Adam glared at the being who took everything from him.

"And this..." he began as the storm clouds thundered along with his words. "Is for my people!" Adam drove his fist into Ares' jaw and sent the god even higher, before Adam followed up with a knee to the jaw as well. Then Adam caught him by the throat and screamed into the sky, "SHAZAM!" The word called down the lightning as Adam threw Ares towards the ground and moved out of the way, allowing the god to feel the full brunt of what the lightning did to one who was not chosen to be a champion. Ares was cast down with the lightning into the center of the city before the lightning exploding upon him with its almighty power. Adam then finished the blow by driving both of his boots into the spine of the fallen god, shattering both the armor and the being within.

"And with that...it is over," Adam said before he sighed, looking down at Ares.

'Not yet Adam, he must pay,' the voice of Isis whispered into his ear. Adam's face hardened as he advanced towards Ares once again, but to his surprise Ares spun and tried to strike Adam with one of his hands. Adam was fast enough to catch the strike and the following strike that Ares attempted.

"How...how can you be so strong?" Ares weakly muttered as Adam glared into his eyes with power. "I am a god! An immortal being! How can you--?"

"Because I am not just a mortal with the power of a god," Adam muttered as he narrowed his eyes at Ares. "I am a champion with the power of six gods within him. And against that kind of might, it is no surprise that you lost. But...I must thank you for something," Adam admitted, causing Ares to look at him with complete shock. "If you had not tricked me into attacking the U.S., I would have never come here, never realized what a failure I had become as a champion. But I have redeemed myself, I have become the champion that I was supposed to be. Now allow me to show you my gratitude!" Adam then pulled against Ares with all of his might, tearing both of Ares' arms straight from his body. That God of War screamed in pain as he collapsed to the ground, blood pouring from the wounds.

"And now, I finish this...and avenge my people!" Adam roared as he grabbed Ares by the throat and lifted him up, the cloud thundering with anticipation of what was to be spoken. "SHA-"

"Teth!" Black Adam stopped mid-word and looked to the sky to see Celestia flying towards him, managing to stay aloft despite looking like she had been through a war. She skidded to a stop next to him and for a moment he saw horror in her eyes as she looked at what Adam had done to Ares, but then she shook her head and gave Adam a weak smile. "I am glad that I found you. When I saw that you had been impaled I was afraid that..."

"You can see that I have lived," Black Adam said before he turned back to Ares, drawing his hand back to finish off Ares. "Sadly, Ares will not be able to say the same."

"You think you can kill me? I am a god! I am immortal!" Ares groaned, but Adam chuckled at the words.

"That is what all gods say, until the are slain," Black Adam snarled as he prepared to strike, but when he attempted to do so, he felt Celestia's magic holding his arm back. "Why do you stop me, Celestia?" Adam asked without turning. "You have seen what he has done to me, to the both of us. He deserves what I am to do to him."

"He is a threat to my people, to all of us," Celestia agreed before strengthening her magic. "So that is why I expect you to let him live. Remember your promise?" Adam snarled at her, but this time her eyes shone back with a fire he had never seen before. There was a newfound strength in her eyes.

"You cannot stop me," Black Adam growled, but Celestia didn't look impressed. She then looked around both of them, Adam following her gaze to see the ponies of Canterlot, all of whom were looking upon the scene. "Why are they here? It is dangerous."

"No, I can't stop you. But I shouldn't have to," Celestia began as her eyes softened at the sight of her subjects. "They are afraid Teth, they are afraid of Ares. He didn't just attack our home, he forced these normally kind and caring ponies to fight each other to the death. They were forced to kill their friends and families due to his magic, something that they may never forgive him for. They see him as a monster.

"As they should," both Ares and Teth said at the same time, Teth tightening his grip on Ares' throat to shut him up.

"Yet, Ares has been defeated and peace has seemingly returned to my land," Celestia said. "You have saved them. But now all eyes are on you Teth, the ponies are now waiting to see who you are. As terrified as they are of Ares, they do not know whether they should thank you or be afraid of you. They still remember the promise you made to me, that you would not kill again. If you kill Ares, then they will believe that they have traded one angry god for an even stronger one. But some still believe in you. Some still see you as a hero. That is why they are here, to see who you are."

"Then you are all fools," Ares choked out. "Do you really believe that this...monster...will ever give up on his revenge when it is literally within his grasp? No Adam, I know you. Now kill me and become the new God of War. Then wage your righteous war upon the universe!"

"They believe in you, Teth," Celestia said as she looked at him with hope in her eyes. "And so do I. I always have." Black Adam looked from Celestia to Ares to the ponies of Canterlot, conflict storming within his heart. 'Ares is an evil, an evil that should not be allowed to live any longer, lest he unleash similar pain like what I have felt.' Adam began to tighten his grip on Ares' throat, but then he turned his gaze back towards Celestia, who still had the belief in Adam in her eyes.

'But you have never given up on me. Even after I failed you...and your people multiple times,' Adam thought as he turned his gaze upon the ponies of the city. 'And all of you have already suffered so much, from both those who have sought to harm you and those who failed to protect you. I took those you cared for in an act of revenge...and I promised I would no longer live for vengeance. I will not fail you again.'

"As I said before Celestia, I am whatever my people need me to be," he snarled at Ares, not moving for a moment before he sighed. "And right now, they need a hero they can believe in. As much as it pains me to say it, Ares...you live." Adam dropped Ares to the ground before looking around at all of the ponies, who held their breath silently. "Ponies of Canterlot, the one who has caused you so much harm has been defeated! Now it is time for his judgment!" Adam nodded to Celestia who walked up beside him, glaring down at Ares.

"Ares of Earth, for the murder of many of my subjects, I hereby decree that your sentence will be to rot in a prison for all of your immortal life!" As she said this, she created a portal with her magic, pulling the Phantom Zone projector from within. "To the Phantom Zone with you!" She pushed the button and a portal of energy appeared behind Ares, who turned to look at it before a blast of red light tossed him into the portal. He roared one last time at Adam before the portal closed, leaving Celestia and Adam to look at where he had vanished. Then the cheering started and the ponies all rushed towards the two, chanting their names as they surrounded them.

"I admit, I never thought I would see the day when I was deemed a hero again," Adam muttered to Celestia as the two floated above the cheering ponies. Celestia looked upon Adam for a moment before she tackled him, hugging him close with her wings.

"I knew that you wouldn't fail me," she said. Adam said nothing in reply, but he did allow a small smile to cross his face as he looked out over the ponies. "Hey, we did just banish a god to another dimension, right? Won't Earth be thrown into chaos if the God of War isn't there?"

"Trust me Celestia, I think things will be better without him there," Adam muttered as he gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Besides, it is not like humanity ever needed his help. Now let us focus on the future of our world instead of my past one." Celestia nodded as she released him, gazing upon all of her subjects with a smile, while Adam simply thought,

'I may have been a monster in the past, but today I change for the better. You had my word Shazam, that I would use your power to benefit everyone. And I always keep my word.'

S=H=A=Z=A=M

"Fools, do they believe that this prison can hold me forever?" Ares weakly laughed as he fought back to his feet, looking around at the red sky and the gray land beneath him. "For no prison can hold War. Just as the sun rises, there will always be..." Then Ares stopped as he felt the very ground shake beneath him. The wounded god turned to see a monstrous figure approaching him from behind. A massive, gray figure he knew all too well.

"No...what are you doing within this realm!?" Ares roared as the creature's arm shot out and grabbed Ares by the face. Ares didn't know what was more terrifying, that the creature was here...or that he was not safe from it in his ethereal form. "W-what are you-"

"What am I?" it asked him in a deep voice as its red eyes narrowed. "I am your doom." And then the monstrosity clenched his fist.

Comments

[FleetlordAvatar]

Funny how payback works isnt it Ares?

[JDPrime22]

Incredible. Black Adam didn't succumb to his hatred and let Ares survive, only to have the God of War face his doom in the Phantom Zone. Keep up the fantastic work, you're doing a hell of a job with this story.

[seeker of truth n]

I love this story

[badninja]

Now is it Darkside? He could be the only one who could go to the phantom zone and do this, right?

[EpilepticWombat]

Is it ma Darkseid!? We're running out of all powerful red eyed gray people.

[Onomonopia]

5427881
look at the choice of wording.

[The yeti]

It's doomsday right?....right?

[JakeAndDollars]

Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes!

[EpilepticWombat]

5427920 why do you torture me so? One Omega wielding stone faced god is all I ask.

[Onomonopia]

5429031
Soon, but not now.

[EpilepticWombat]

5429046 alright, I'll sit patiently. *begin foot tapping*

[Kichi]

It's coming... Very good history, too bad for the bad things that happened, but it helped the history...