'So what exactly are we doing now?'
'What do you mean?'
'You're not going to remain here, are you? Your scream shook reality and caused my dimension to implode and come here. You should be able to get out of here, no problem.'
'...'
'Don't tell me you never thought about it?'
'Of course I did. What question is that? I simply haven't gotten to doing so because you appeared here.'
'I see. So it's my fault.'
'Indubitably.'
'Hahaha. No matter what, a woman remains a woman.'
'What are you trying to say?'
'Nothing. I like it that way. I am merely remarking upon the paradox that you blame me for something that you yourself see me as inconsequential in. I had no part in capturing you or keeping you here, so what are you waiting for?'
'I have already prepared for my revenge. Humans just don't realise it yet. But in the future, the darkness they so craved will destroy them from within. You can't stop it.'
'Aha.'
'...'
'...'
'What was that?'
'I didn't say anything.'
'Yes, you did.'
'I said: aha.'
'Why did you say it like that?'
'Like what?'
'Like you don't believe me.'
'Should I not believe you?'
'Why are you answering my questions with another question?'
'Would you like me to answer differently?'
'... This is a very confusing conversation. Would you stop?'
'Very well.'
'...'
'...'
'You don't have to stop talking altogether.'
'You have to make up your mind, woman. Should I talk or not?'
'You should, but stop trying to get a rise out of me.'
'I find it hilarious that you think that's my goal. I stumbled upon this place because you shouted loudly, and now I'm here. You want me to speak, but not in a way that you don't like. Like ... '
'Like what?'
'I lost my train of thought.'
'You are a strange creature. So unlike the Vandal Savage of this Earth. What makes you so different? I can't seem to see through you. Your body is different from a normal human's, so much stronger and filled with immense power and potential for growth. Your mind, while not impenetrable, has sections that are hidden, even from my gaze. You are not the usual Vandal Savage.'
'Of course not. I need my privacy.'
'Oh? And why is that?'
'I don't want my enemies to know what I'm doing.'
'... What enemies?'
'When you look this handsome, you tend to accumulate hatred from the less fortunate.'
'...'
'I forgive them; I'd be mad too.'
'...'
'...'
'Hahahahahahaha ... you truly are a strange one.'
Hecate started to laugh. The sound was powerful but still melodious and pleasant to Vandar's ears. He hadn't planned on arriving here, but now that he was here, he might as well make the most of it. To travel through the DC Multiverse was not something he thought he'd do so early on, but why would he not enjoy it while it lasted? He wasn't afraid of Hecate. He knew her story and what the humans did to her. Her torture by their hands for their greed of using magic and then the loss of the one she wanted to marry ... he could sympathise with her.
'Say, you're like a magician, right?'
"..."
"What?"
"A magician? You call me a magician? Me? Hecate, the one who gave magic to humans and came from it all? I am not a 'magician'; I am the Goddess of Magic in itself. Magic listens to me and follows my will. You would do well to remember that and not belittle me!'
'I was not belittling you at all. I was just wondering if you could teach me some things, like how to create those shining disks or other constructs. It would surely help me in my path up the power hierarchy. And I would look 32% cooler.'
'...'
'Whaat? It's true.'
'One does not learn to wield the forces of magic because it 'looks cool'. I am starting to understand why you need immortality. You wouldn't have ever seen modern times otherwise. And yet, I feel like you are special in a way. Is it your strange way of talking or thinking that makes you special?'
'Sooooo ... you won't teach me?'
'Why would I teach you magic when I have not even given the humans my magic? They trapped and tortured me, and I gave them darkness for it. Why should I bother with you?'
'Wel,l I just thought it might be fun to do. What else are you going to do instead?'
'I was going to break out when you arrived.'
'Do tell. Well, we could still do that later. Come on, just a little bit. Show me one spell. A flashy one that I could use in a fight or to build something. Anything really.'
'Very well. I shall demonstrate some magic to you, but only because you are amusing ... and interesting to me. I find you ... never mind.'
'Appealing?'
'Yes, NO! I mean ... ugh, you are insufferable.'
'I know. And it's my best quality.'
'Let's just begin.'
So, Hecate started to show Vandar some of her magic. She started to manipulate the magic around her to create constructs and then build single buildings and then entire cities and continents. She showed the beautiful and constructive side of magic but also the dangerous and darker side of it. Hecate wasn't aware of it, but Vandar observed everything and memorized it. She got comfortable while showcasing magic to him and forgot what she was doing, going back to the time when she observed and played with magic like she intended to. For a time, she was the small girl again, who laughed and smiled, seeing the good in everything.
'There you go. That's a bit of what magic could be.'
'I dare say, Hecate. You are a true master at your craft. To think that something like that was possible. In a way I find magic to be ... unpredictable, yet so full of potential. It is like a paradox in energetic form. And yet, there is sense to it, and I might be able to find some of the rules ... which are quite harsh as well.'
'You are a very special human, Vandar Adg. I am impressed.'
'Say, how about I give it a try.'
'Pardon?'
'Yes. I would like to give it a go, and you can tell me how I'm doing. What do you say?'
'As interesting as it would be to see you fail, you couldn't possibly understand what to do just by watch-'
Hecate stops talking as Vandar begins to swing his hands around. The flow of magic around him is affected, and ripples appear. He smiles for the first time since he came into this new, dangerous place. He mirrors what Hecate just did, and as he does, he is also affected by her innocent happiness. If he had to describe what he was doing, it would be like being a parent of a small baby. You have been awake the entire night, you have changed the diapers only for the baby to then start peeing, so you change it again. But then it's hungry, and you feed it, and it starts to poop, and then it's not tired and won't sleep, so you naturally can't sleep either. And after 12 hours of this, you smell, look horrible and just want to collapse, the baby suddenly smiles at you ...
There is nothing that you can do; you instinctively smile back. It's like a universal law, and you smile. Vandar feels the same way. He worked hard to learn about dimensions and create technology to build his own, only to then have all his work and progress destroyed because some greedy and sadistic pigs thought it smart to imprison and torture Hecate to get access to her magic. But now, as he plays with magic, he just smiles like a child and forgets everything.
Seeing Vandar like that stirred something inside Hecate. She didn't know what it was, but it was warm and made her all tingly. She had never seen someone who was clearly not innocent showcase such honesty when interacting with magic. Her mind was telling her that he was acting, simply playing to trick her. It was another human thing to do. But her heart told her something else—something she never thought about. She buried that deep inside and continued watching.
Vandar laughed as he started using magic to write letters in the void. He wrote his name and then added 'strong' at the end.
'Oh! Wow, that's incredible. I feel the rush of energy strengthening my muscles. And it is just continuing ... ohoo... Ohh, it's getting a bit ... much.'
'Vandar!'
*BOOOOOOOM*
Vandar's body explodes in a ball of energy. The magic that rushed inside him was too much for him to handle, and he exploded.
'Vandar! Vandar?!'
She shouted inside her prison and felt for anything. She knew that by taking in so much pure magic energy, one would explode, but she didn't realise it until it was too late. She was too absorbed in seeing him make progress that should have taken him centuries. No one just arrives and starts using such pure magic energy like that. No one, but it was too late now ... no matter his immortality, it was not comparable to the power of her magic.
Then she felt it. A change of some kind. Then, right in the place where Vandar was before, he appears again.
'Haaah ... haaah ... oh my goodness ... that was intense. What a rush. Hahaha... haha ... ha ...'
Vandar stops laughing as he sees Hecate look at him. She can literally kill someone with her looks, and he can feel it.
'Oops'
'Oops? OOPS?! IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY!?! YOU JUST DIED BECAUSE OF YOUR RECKLESSNESS AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SAY?! AND HOW ARE YOU STILL ALIVE? THIS SHOULD HAVE OVERRITTEN YOUR IMMORTALITY AND KILLED YOU FOR GOOD!'
Hecate went on and on for a while, unloading her frustration, which was too intense for someone she had barely just met. But something else was going on that neither of them was aware of. Vandar looks at his arm and clenches his fist. He can feel it. He truly overtook himself there, but it turns out he benefitted from it more than he realised.
(+ 1925% -> 1,435.206)
He grew almost 20 times more powerful than he was before. And if we go from the strength he had when he started his training in the Invincible Universe, he was now a total of 1500 times more powerful than back then.
.
Hecate eventually calmed down and took Vandar's 'training' into her own hands. She started to teach him the basics, or what she assumed were the basics. Vandar took it all in and developed at an insanely fast pace. He used the magic she taught him to start creating a home for them, from a small fireplace to beds to a house and more. As time went on, which he wasn't aware of how long it was, they grew closer than either intended or were aware of. After what would translate to millennia of living together and training, Hecate was willing to teach Vandar more destructive and harmful spells and ways to use them. But to her surprise, Vandar wasn't interested in those. He was more of a physical fighter and a fanboy of the Kryptonian/Vilturmite/Saiyan way of fighting. But he did absorb all that she taught him.
He started to create his own spells. He created armour using only magic energy for it. He started to see the magic of Hecate, like Spiral Energy and created a mecha for himself. Although he preferred to get close and personal, he was smart enough to understand that it wouldn't always go that way. After another set of centuries, Vandar advanced from inanimate objects to live ones. He created flowers and gifted them to Hecate, not thinking anything about it. Then he created bacteria and viruses and, from there, other animals.
If it wasn't a prison, the two might have remained like this for another few millennia, but enough was enough.
'You know ... I think it's time we left this place. I am unsure how long we stayed here, but now is a good time to leave.'
Hecate looks at Vandar in surprise. She forgot about the time as well. To think that this happened to her, the Goddess of Magic ... then she became sad. A powerful depression settled over her, and Vandar felt it.
'Hey, what's wrong? What are you so depressed for?'
...
'You will leave.'
'Huh? What are you talking about? We will both leave. It is a bit distasteful to remain in prison for so long, don't you agree?'
'I am talking about later. Once we leave this prison, you will leave to your universe, and I shall be alone once more.'
'Well ... I didn't think about that. I suppose you could come with me, wouldn't you? No harm done if you swap universe, right? After all, you did that already. And since your home is the Sphere of Gods, that should be a simple thing for you.'
'It's not that simple, Vandar. You know how it works. I wouldn't be allowed to remain on Earth like you do.'
Vandar looks at Hecate. After many discussions with Vandar, she managed to find out what he liked about a woman without him noticing. She would show him something and ask about it while he tried it. He wouldn't even know she asked him. Her new appearance was indeed striking to him and hit his fancy.
[Picture]
'Come on. We'll get out of here and see about the other thing later.'
So Hecate started chanting and used the magic she and Vandar had created together. Wide webs of magical energy appeared all over the prison dimension, and both he and her pumped as much energy inside it as they could. After a moment, it cracked.
*CRAKKKKKKKK*
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*
The prison cracked, and the two were finally free.
__________________________________
Honestly, I'm not sure where I'm going with this.