Chapter 81: Invitation
Avalon Academy,
Bludhaven, New Jersey
May, 2006
Avalon Academy, private school founded three years ago sometime after our little stint on Themyscira Island, ranked in the top ten high schools in the nation, and Morgan's brain child. For some reason she decided that none of Bludhaven's high schools were worthy of teaching Mordred, and that sending her out of the city was unacceptable. Since she also wants Mordred to possess a social life, home schooling was also out of the picture. So she decided to fix the problem herself by creating Avalon Academy, one institution that is split into smaller institutions based on vocation and equipped with state of the art technology due to a partnership with Ophidia Industries and Wayne Enterprises. Of course no matter the school, children will be children, and bullies will be bullies.
"Mr. Malphas, are you listening?" asks the man that I am currently facing, bringing me out of my thoughts.
"My apologies, I must have dozed off. Could you please repeat yourself?" I reply with a dry tone to let him know how inconsequential his rambling is to me.
"Sir, this is important to your daughter's future, please pay attention." he implores me.
"I fail to see how this incident bears any sort of importance to her future." I answer him with a raised eyebrow.
"If she continues to get into fights then she won't be successful later in life. Teach her control her temper, or at this rate I will be forced to expel her." he says.
"You have never played in any form of politics before have you?" I ask him with a small smile.
"What does that have to do with anything?" he replies as he attempts to nonchalantly wipe his sweaty brows with an already damp handkerchief, his arms slightly trembling, and his hands visibly clammy.
"This effort, if one could even call it that, to blackmail me into doing you a favor is failing." I inform him, causing his eyes to visibly widen as he swallows his saliva. "The first thing you need to know about politics is that you need to always be subtle, and you, my dear principle, are as subtle as a Superman battle." I tell him as I stand up from my seat and turn to leave. "Also, pack your bags and vacate this office. Expect a call that formally fires you later today."
"Wait!" he exclaims before I can open the door. "I know that you're having an affair with Miss Morgan behind your wife's back. If I tell your wife I bet you that she'll kick you out and you'll become poor again."
"Heh." I chuckle as I turn to face him, this is the problem with having only Scáthach and I share the same last name. "That is actually good blackmail material. Not only is it a classic, but it also works."
"See, I'm not stupid. I can play at politics." he answers with a small chuckle of his own as he once again wipes his brow despite the excellent air conditioning system in this building.
"Well, normally it works." I say, wiping the smile from his face. "Unfortunately that information is useless, do with it what you wish. I could not care any less. Also, please tell your employer to send someone more competent next time."
With that said I turn and leave the distraught principal's office into a waiting lounge where Mordred can be found sitting on a couch reading a book.
The past three years have been good to the little troublemaker. At the age of sixteen she stands at five feet three inches, and would look exactly like Arturia were it not for the fact that her hair is constantly in a messy bun, no matter how much Morgan attempts to fix it. She also is far more expressive and boisterous than the King of Knights, almost exactly like her fate counterpart if she didn't have parental issues. She wears the school uniform of white button down shirt, navy blue tie and vest, black skirt, white socks, and dress shoes.
"Sooo,-" she says as she cautiously looks up from her book. "-am I in trouble?"
"No, that was clearly a case of you protecting a peer from a bully." I answer her.
"YES!" she excitedly declares with a fist bump to the air. "That means I can go on patrol tonight. Oooh, maybe I can even go to Gotham and teach Dick a few things." she says to herself while I cannot help but look on with a fond smile.
"Come along little hellion." I say as I walk out of the lounge while she follows me with a skip.
"Don't call me that in school." she whispers to me. "I have a reputation to keep."
"My apologies, princess." I answer with a mischievous smile while I make sure that everyone in the hallway can hear me.
With a blush on her face, Mordred punches me in the shoulder as hard as she can, only to earn a raised eyebrow for her troubles. Seeing that it has no effect on me she returns to her book with a huff.
With a comfortable silence between us we resume our walk through the massive campus towards the parking lot where the car awaits.
"Mother needs to change some of the staff. They're useless when it comes to bullying." Mordred says as we exit the building into the parking lot, her face still buried in her book.
"How bad is it?" I ask her with a thoughtful frown.
"It's not bad yet, but they're escalating since they realise the teachers don't do anything." she answers as she turns the page. "But then again it could be worse, and I'm not seeing it because I don't live in the dorms."
"Who does the bullying?" I ask her as we reach the car and get in.
"Those rich kids from Gotham. Why do they let them in anyway?" she asks as she finally looks up from her book. "I thought that you could only get in with merit, not money, and some of those kids are pretty dumb."
"If they were accepted then they must have at least received the minimum grade in the entrance examination." I answer with a shrug while we drive away from the school towards home.
"Or someone on the acceptance board is corrupt." suggests Morded matter of factly. "Also, can't they go to Gotham Academy? That's where Dick goes." she adds after some thought.
"Either way, it is something to look into. As for them going to Gotham Academy, well I would not be surprised if they did but were expelled for bullying." I reply.
Before Mordred can answer my phone rings while Lex Luthor's name shows up on the bluetooth display in the car.
"Ugh, what does he want?" asks Mordred with clear distaste.
"We will see." I tell her while accepting the call. "Luthor, it has been a while. A few months I believe, what can I help you with?"
"Is your line secure?" he asks me, causing me to raise an eyebrow while Mordred closes her book as interest settles in facial expression. "It is." I simply answer while gesturing for Mordred to remain quiet.
"Very well, I will be brief with you." he says as he gets straight to the point. "I am extending an invitation to you for a certain group that I believe you would be interested in. We call ourselves The Light, and our purpose is to prepare humanity for the inevitable war that is coming."
"War?" I question as I decide to play ignorant.
"Do not play dumb Ambrosius, it is beneath you to do so at this time, and frankly it insults my intelligence." answers Luthor in a forceful tone. "I will admit that when we first met I truly believed your stupid gold digger born from old money act. However, I know better now. A mutual acquaintance of ours has opened my eyes." he informs me, no doubt with a smile on his face at finally having 'figured me out'.
"Very well, however that does not answer my question. What war?" I ask him once again hoping that he isn't talking about the fact that the gods are claiming Earth for themselves as if it is going out of style.
"The war for Earth, the war against the gods." he answers. "I know that the invasion was a product of a god placing his claim on Earth, Darkseid I believe his name is. I also know that another god claimed Earth, causing Darkseid to use those aliens as a proxy instead of attacking the Earth directly, and I also know that the greek gods themselves are coming back."
Luthor's words cause me to frown as I process the fact that he figured it out. When we returned from Themyscira, it was decided that we would keep the information private between the UN and the Justice League, with Morgan placing a spell on those who know that will make it so that whenever they attempt to divulge the secret it comes out as gibberish. Whether they attempt to write it, speak it, or even use sign language.
Of course the gods had to make our lives difficult. With the ban on interfering with mankind lifted, many of the gods had no qualms with reacquainting themselves with the female form. Children with powers have been popping up out of nowhere for the last three years. The goddesses however have been silent and this feels like the calm before the storm. Especially since Hera has not come out of Olympus to punish Hippolyta for her perceived transgression.
"Who is 'we'?��� I ask him.
"I believe the members that you would recognise are Ra's al Ghul, and Queen Bee. As for the others, well I don't think that you would know them, but I'll name them anyway. Vandal Savage, Ocean Master, Klarion, and Brain. We are willing to elect you as the eighth member of The Light, get back to me soon." he says before hanging up.
"That's bad, isn't it?" asks Mordred as we arrive home and I park the car in the parking lot under the castle.
"It is certainly not good." I answer with a frown. "Not only are we doing damage control due to the gods' recklessness, but we also have to worry about The Light. Luthor, Queen Bee, Ra's, Ocean Master, and Brain can be disposed of easily. However, Klarion is a Lord of Chaos while Vandal Savage is immortal." I explain before turning to face her. "This is a teachable moment. The scenario is as given,how do you deal with this issue?" I ask her
Crossing her arms, Mordred sits there for a few minutes in thought.
���Turn it into an advantage?" she hesitantly answers.
"Are you asking, or telling?" I reply with a raised eyebrow.
"Telling." she answers with no hesitation.
"Very well, how do you turn this into an advantage?" I ask.
"By joining them and using their resources to empower your own faction, then once you're done you can take them apart from the inside." she answers with a smirk and a self assured nod.
"Good answer." I reply with a frown due to sensing a sudden surge of divinity near me. "Now go inside without me, I have something to do."
With a puzzled look on her face Mordred nods and leaves the car.
"You may show yourself now." I say to the empty parking lot before a beautiful woman materialises in the passenger seat next to me.
The woman stands around five feet nine inches with dark red hair tied into a messy top knot with two bangs framing her beautiful face, enchanting blue eyes that slightly glow, and pronounced high cheekbones. Her build is athletic while lacking the muscles that warriors like Wonder Woman possess, and she wears a simple green shirt that leaves her somewhat toned stomach exposed. On her legs she simply wears a long cloth that covers her privates and is held up by a golden chain, while her feet are bare of all except a pair of golden anklets on her ankles. What gives her identity away however is the cape made of peacock feathers that she wears over her shoulders.
"How may I help you Queen Hera?" I ask with a slight bow of my head.
"As expected, you quickly figured out my identity without any aid. It seems that you may be as smart as Athena claims." answers the Queen of the Gods with a faint smile on her lips. "I believe that you are one of her favorite humans currently."
"I am honored." I simply answer.
"Manners also." says Hera with faux surprise while I look on with a face devoid of emotions. "Fine, I can tell when my actions are not appreciated, so I will get to the point of my visit."
"I appreciate that." I tell her with genuine joy.
"First, let me tell you that your plans have not gone unnoticed by us goddesses. You cannot simply send your wife to sway our Amazons to your side without being noticed, we are not fools like Zeus." she tells me. "However, we will not intervene. As much as you fear what Zeus may do to your family, we ourselves are tired of his tyranny. That is the reason why your efforts have gone unimpeded, and I have not punished Hippolyta."
"What is your offer?" I ask her.
"It's simple, I want Heracles to suffer, and Zeus' death so that I may take the throne as Olympus' ruler." she answers with a grin far too reminiscent of Lupa. "In exchange we covertly aid you in your endeavors, and ally with you once the final battle arrives."
"Very well." I say in acceptance before asking. "What of Darkseid and Allfather? I am not naive enough to believe that the final battle will not involve them."
"That is not my problem. Also, beware of the coming tides." she answers before disappearing from my car.
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