Book Three: Ineffable (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Eleven

Diana looks up at the George Washington statue in the National Museum of American History. It's an impressive piece of artwork but that's not why she's here, she's not here to look at the art, she's here to find out why that dumb medallion has sent her here. She glances over the statue, looking for anything that might give her a hint as to what she is supposed to do next. She moves around the statue, eyes flickering around and over it till she finds what she is looking for. There is a bowl at the back of the George Washington statue under a similar medallion. She glances around and raises her fingers to her head and cloaks herself from prying eyes and then moves towards the back of the statue. She kneels at the bowl and stares down at it. Images flickering through her head. Instructions. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out the medallion, she turns it around in her hand and takes a deep breath, she sets it in the bowl before she pulls the knife from her sleeve. She's really hoping this will only take a prick and not a gallon. She presses her finger to the top of the knife and breaks her skin, she then holds it out over the bowl letting one droplet of blood fall onto the medallion. There is a small spark that erupts from the gold but nothing else seemingly. 

Diana huffs, a little annoyed until she looks up, but she's no longer at the National Museum of American History, instead, she is some elaborate room, white marble, all very typical in Greek design. Golden Promise is resting on a pedestal in the center of the room. Diana stands and moves towards it but doesn't touch it. It looks just like any gold colored rope. But she can feel the power radiating from it. The strength. She lets out a breath.

"In the presence of a legend, babies," she tells her bump and smiles softly.

"So you finally found your way to it" She snaps her head around to find a figure watching her. Tall. Broad. Imposing. Dark hair. Blue eyes. She instantly knows who this is.

"Zeus" She states in greeting, he nods and steps down the steps towards her. She shifts her stance into one of defense.

"Relax, Child," he tells her as he approaches her. "I know why you are here....." He nods to the lasso. "Golden Promise is an impressive weapon" He offers. "Meant to be wielded by our greatest warrior"

"Athena" Diana knows this, she knows the story.

"Hmm, yes, perhaps" He offers casting a glance at her, something in his eyes. "We have yet to see what sort of hero you will become, Savior of Worlds" he offers, she frowns at him.

"I'm the Destroyer of Worlds" She argues slightly.

"She is" He corrects touching her necklace and then moves his finger to press into her chest over her heart. "This is the Savior...." he pulls his hand back. "Inside of you, there will always be the potential for both...Savior and Destroyer.....good and evil....divinity and corruption" He looks at the lasso. "Just as there is in the Golden Promise.....Touch it, let's see what it thinks of you" She glances at the lasso. "Go on, Child" She steps closer to the lasso. "Pick it up" He pushes, she glances at him and then back at the lasso. She picks it up and it instantly begins to glow golden in her hands, Zeus nods, seemingly happy with that result. But Diana is focused on the lasso as she watches it's past unfold in her mind.

"Ares" she whispers as she draws her hand over the glowing lasso.

"Yes," he agrees. She blinks back and lets out a breath. "He will return one day, Diana...." Zeus offers. "And you will be one of a few to face him head-on in battle" She looks at him. "And it will bring you great suffering but it will also bring you great joy" She frowns.

"Damon was right" she comments. "Greeks love their cryptic riddles" he nods in agreement and then begins to walk away. She frowns and holds up the lasso.

"Keep it," He tells her. "You're going to need it" Diana blinks and looks around to find herself back in the National Museum of American History. She looks down and finds the lasso in her hand. She stands and looks around but nothing it out of place. She clutches to the lasso and walks away. She honestly thought that would be a lot harder, she was not expecting Zeus to just let her take the lasso and leave.

..............

Diana leaves the museum to find that more time has passed then she thought. She pulls her cell phone out and cringes at all the missed calls from Alaric. She hurries towards her jeep as she dials his number.

"Diana?" He asks when he picks up, his worry clear in his voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine" She assures him as she climbs into her car.

"Every hour" He reminds her.

"Yeah, I know, look I'll explain everything when I get back," She tells him. "But basically...I just got caught in a time-dilation with the King of Gods"

"Zeus?" he asks her, she hums and throws the lasso onto her passenger seat. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, he was fine...it was weird but....got what I came for so it's a win"

"You got it?" He asks her.

"Yeah...I got the Golden Promise" She starts her jeep. "I'm on my way back now, I'll be back in a few hours"

"Look forward to it" She then hangs up and drives away.

................

"Where were you?" Elena asks Diana as soon as she steps into the Gilbert house, she closes the door behind her, she cocks her head and stares at Elena.

"Where was I?" Diana asks. "Where the hell were you?" Elena cringes a little knowing that was the wrong question to ask. "Running off with Damon to Chicago...without involving us after everything we've done, how much of the intel for the search for Stefan came from me and Ric"

"I'm sorry, Di...It just happened....and we were fine...we didn't need your help" Diana shakes her head.

"Maybe think about that the next time you need some research done, or a ride, or someone to take out the big bad vampire with her brand new weapon" Elena blinks a little.

"You got it?" Elena asks her, Diana hums and nods.

"I did..." She then heads upstairs away from Elena. "But you don't need my help, right?" She asks over her shoulder.