"Riley...? What are you doing?"
Hannah wanted to swat Hera and Diana's hands away, but she could not even budge both no matter how much she tried. She already knew Hera was physically stronger than her - but her mother?
She knew she had strength, but that was only because she was afraid of disobeying her. It was more psychological if anything, but now that she couldn't even move her wrist for even a single millimeter, it would seem that what Riley said was real, that their mother was, in fact, a themarian.
But that also means that the other things that Riley said were true... and that means -
"Riley, please! Please!" Hannah screamed her lungs out as that was the only thing she could actually do her words, serving as her arms that desperately tried to reach out for her brother, "Please... please don't kill yourself. I love you, okay!? And you know Mom and Dad love you to fucking death! Please.... please, don't leave us!"
"Oh, I am not going to kill myself, Sister," Riley blinked a couple of times as he looked his sister in the eyes, "I believe I do not have any need of it anymore since Hera's ability has now been trained to do what we want it to do."
"W...what?" Hannah turned to look at Hera, only to realize that his hand that was holding hers was actually trembling.
"It knows," Riley breathed out, "It already knows that if it does not do its purpose, it will once again experience what it experienced before."
"I... I don't know what's happening," Hannah shook her head, "I have no fucking idea what's happening, and all I know is that whatever it is, I want to be with you, Riley! So, please... please! Just tell me what's-""I will," Riley smiled at Hannah; perhaps one of the most gentle action he had ever done in his life, "Hera?"
"Wait, wait... I'm doing it!" Her closed her eyes as soon as she heard her name being called by Riley, "I can feel it. It-"
"Wait," Riley, however, shook his head before snapping his fingers. And as he did so, the entire house-no, the entire neighborhood was completely erased.
"!!!" Hannah could not really help but just widen her eyes as she quickly looked around. Diana also did the same; her eyes, however, were squinted as she looked at Riley. Riley did not truly know it, but Diana did not actually know that he was Darkday she had her suspicions, but they were never concrete.
After all, the last thing she wanted to do was intrude on her son's privacy. She promised herself that she would never, ever listen in on whatever Hannah and Riley were doing and up to in their rooms or wherever they were.
But now that he did what he did - it was all but confirmed for her. Well, that... and Megawoman's mangled corpse floating in the air beside Riley.
"Take her with you," Riley then lightly pushed Megawoman, letting her float straight toward Hera. Hera, of course, quickly caught Megawoman; holding onto her mangled corpse incredibly tight. After all, for her and everyone else in this reality, Megawoman is still Megawoman-Earth's mightiest defender.
And at this point, even Bernard, who already knew Riley's identity, did not know how to react upon seeing Megawoman's body. Hannah just stared at it for a few seconds before quickly putting her focus back at Riley.
"T-"
"Now, Hera."
But before Hannah could even say anything, Hannah could not help but just squint her eyes as the view around her suddenly changed. The noise, almost overwhelming her as she could hear voices coming from all directions - it took her several seconds to process that she was actually already in a different place.
"Holy freak...!"
Hannah was then woken up from her stupor as Hera almost screamed as her legs lost all of their strength; her body, almost convulsing from the tremors that were scattering through her skin. Whatever Riley did to her, it would seem that her abilities have fully become obedient.
"You guys..." Karina, who was watching the entire scene unfold, could not help but just cover her mouth while approaching the group. Of course, Diana, Bernard, and Hannah quickly noticed how much Karina actually looked like Riley,
"...Hera, you guys actually did it. Fuck... fuck... Does.... does that mean we can save Renna and the others!?" Karina let out a stuttered chuckle as she quickly rushed to help Hera up. Hera, who was really just happy to be safe and sound, also just started laughing as she and Karina hugged each other while hopping in place.
"You..." Hannah then pointed at Karina while she was celebrating, causing her and Hera to just stop as they looked at Hannah, "...Why do you look similar to Riley?"
"Oh... no." And all of a sudden, the realization dawned on Karina. She wasn't really thinking about it that much when it was happening, since all that mattered was Riley and Hera's plan being successful. But now that she was seeing Hannah, the only thing she could do was to just wince and shake her head.
The Hannah and Diana in front of her right now were not variants, they were copies of the people she knew from before her time. Rennalyn and the other primordials are saying that time travel truly can't exist - but what is this in front of her right now, exactly, if not that?
"I guess... I should start by saying that I am Riley Ross's oldest daughter?" Karina awkwardly smiled, "I am your niece?"
"...What? You look older than me!"
"I am... by a few centuries," Karina sighed, "Uh... welcome to the future? Or I guess, I should say... welcome to the Real Reality."
And while Hannah was completely at a loss as to what was happening, Bernard and Diana were currently assessing their current situation; their eyes moving without pause as they scanned the surrounding area.
"They really did it," Angela, who had been watching the entire thing unfold, could no longer help herself as she approached Hannah and the others, looking at them from head to toe, one by one, "Hera, you really did it."
"...Aren't you the Crimson Paladin?" Bernard blinked a couple of times as he also looked at Angela from head to toe, "Can you explain where we are?"
"Darkday did it..." Angela completely ignored Bernard as she clasped her palms together, "...The entity that is supposed to end us all, might be the one to actually save both worlds. The Pope always believed that Riley was destined for greater things. Could this be-"
"Look!"
And before Angela could finish her words, everyone who was watching Riley's trial all pointed at the Black Tower. Bernard and Diana also quickly turned to look; their eyes widening as they
saw the projections.
"Those hands..." And as the people could really only see through Riley's perspective, the only thing they could see from him were his hands, but that was enough for Hannah to recognize, "...And is that New York? What is he- !!!"
And before Hannah could finish her words, she watched as Riley suddenly lunged himself through one of the buildings; not even caring that he was ramming several people, their blood and guts exploding from his shoulders.
"What... what is he doing!?"
"He... is clearing the trial," Karina whispered out while shaking her head, "Perhaps... it is best
for you not to watch this, Aun-Hannah."
With Hannah and the others gone, Riley truly is trying to clear the trial - but it wasn't
enough for him to just clear it.
"I did not get this opportunity before," Riley surrounded himself with the falling debris of the building; the smile on his face, extremely wide and even more sinister, "Thank you,
Paige...
...People of Earth, and those that might be outside. All of you will die, and I will make sure to
enjoy it."
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