The atmosphere shifted into something almost absurd.
It was supposed to be a straightforward battle—Diana and Donna Troy teaming up to take down Ares, perhaps turning the tide through sheer determination, or else being completely overwhelmed by the God of War.
But Jack Kadere's sudden, forceful entrance had thrown the script out the window.
First, he'd stormed in and flattened Ares with a few decisive blows. Then, instead of finishing the god off, he turned his attention to Donna Troy as though she were his real target.
Which side is he even on?
"No one knows what he's planning," Diana said sharply to Donna. "Be careful. I'll deal with Ares as quickly as I can and then come to help you."
She didn't sound certain, but there was no time to debate it. Even though she and Donna had just been overpowered by Ares moments earlier, Diana now had no choice but to try to finish the fight fast.
With a sharp push off the ground, she launched herself toward the God of War.
Ares, still smarting from the inexplicable beating Jack had delivered, was in no mood for restraint. Hearing Diana boldly declare she would "finish him quickly" made his temper flare hotter. They clashed instantly—sword against blade, shield against axe.
Whether Ares's power was diminished from earlier blows, or Diana was drawing on some surge of strength thanks to Jack's interference, the fight was far more even than before. There was a back-and-forth now, a rhythm of attack and counterattack that hadn't been there earlier.
Donna Troy stood watching for a beat too long, caught between confusion and caution.
"Hey."
A hand waved casually in front of her face. She jumped back instinctively, only to find Jack Kadere standing right there, a faint smirk playing at his lips.
He didn't look ready to strike—yet.
"What's your name?" Jack asked, giving her a slow, appraising glance.
Up close, she seemed younger than Diana, maybe sixteen or seventeen. She was slightly shorter, her black hair falling loose behind her shoulders. Her armor bore some resemblance to Diana's, though the darker tones and subtle design differences made her distinct.
Jack's memory clicked. Wonder Girl had two well-known incarnations in the modern era: Donna Troy and Cassie Sandsmark. Cassie, Diana's niece, had blonde hair. Donna had black. That made the answer obvious.
"…Donna Troy," she replied, wary but polite.
"I thought so," Jack said, smiling with genuine interest. "Tell me—where exactly are you from? I've never seen you on Themyscira before."
The unexpected warmth in his tone disarmed her slightly. After watching him flatten Ares, she wasn't sure if she should treat him as an ally or a threat. Still, she answered.
"I've been training in the outside world most of my life. Queen Hippolyta brought me to Themyscira about half a year after you and Princess Diana left."
"Half a year?" Jack mused. "Guess I wasn't keeping track of time while I was… traveling."
To Donna and the Amazons, his absence might have felt like many months. To him, the days blurred.
"And your origin?" he asked suddenly, eyes narrowing with curiosity.
Donna hesitated. "My origin? The Queen said I was an orphan she rescued from a fire. She placed me in the outside world for safety and trained me from a distance until I was ready to return to Themyscira."
Jack's grin widened. "An orphan, huh?"
Without warning, he drove his fist into her midsection.
The blow landed like a sledgehammer. Donna doubled over, collapsing to one knee as the air rushed from her lungs.
"Donna!" Diana's voice cut through the clash of metal in her own fight. Even while locked in combat with Ares, she had been keeping a watchful eye on her younger sister-in-arms. That split second of distraction was all Ares needed—his axe slammed into her shield, the force flinging her across the clearing.
Donna forced herself upright, anger replacing the shock. She swung at Jack with all her strength, but he slipped easily out of reach, moving like water around her strike.
In that instant, his eyes glinted—he had copied her abilities.
"As I thought," Jack said with a low chuckle. "Divine strength, speed… almost like Diana's, but not quite as sharp."
Donna swung again, but Jack caught her fist mid-motion. In one fluid movement, he twisted her arm behind her and forced her down to the ground. With his free hand, he pulled the Lasso of Truth from his belt and bound her wrists tightly.
The golden cord shimmered faintly in the sunlight. Bound by it, Donna's body went limp—her willpower, while formidable, could not overcome the magical compulsion.
"This thing is really useful," Jack said lightly, settling one knee across her back to keep her still. "Now, tell me about your gear."
The words came despite her reluctance.
The Lasso of Persuasion—capable of compelling obedience from anyone with weaker willpower than hers.
The Bracelets of Submission—able to deflect bullets, missiles, and even certain forms of energy blasts.
The Troia Armor—a gift from the ancient Titans themselves, according to Queen Hippolyta. Her shield was standard Amazon make. Her combat staff, however, had been left behind at her quarters—it wasn't practical to carry it into every skirmish.
Jack's smile thinned. There was no way Donna Troy was merely an "orphan" taken in by the Amazons. Hippolyta's story clearly had holes—no queen would choose an ordinary human to be a warrior capable of standing against the God of War. The Lasso of Truth could only reveal what the bound person knew; if Donna herself didn't know the full truth of her origins, there was nothing more she could give him.
He would have to ask Hippolyta directly next time he set foot on Themyscira.
After a few more idle questions, Jack let the silence stretch before suddenly calling out, "Ten minutes!"
Donna flinched slightly beneath him.
"I'll give you ten more minutes, Diana!" Jack's voice rose, carrying easily over the clash of battle. "If you can't beat Ares by then, I'll make you watch while this girl—your stand-in—gets run through with a sword, killed, and then run through again for good measure. Sound scary enough?"
He glanced down at Donna.
"…Scary," she admitted through gritted teeth. The lasso forced the truth from her lips.
Diana's face tightened with fury.
"Ares, if she's still alive after ten minutes, I'll personally crush your head!"
Ares's expression was a dark scowl.
"Don't doubt me," Jack said coldly. "In my world, there are only two kinds of people—those who are useful to me, and those who aren't."
Diana's rage burned hotter, but it was aimed not at Jack—she knew his threat was real, and she also knew she couldn't defeat him outright to save Donna. Her only option was to bring down Ares quickly.
This wasn't about a mission anymore. It was about saving someone who didn't deserve to die here.
Ares saw her hesitation and seized the moment. "You see?" he called. "He's the true threat—someone who cares for nothing and no one. Work with me, Diana. We take him down together, then settle our own score afterward!"
The offer made her hesitate, just for a second.
To join forces… against Jack Kadere—the stronger, more dangerous "foe" standing in their midst.