The lead rider brought his hippocampus to a halt perhaps twenty yards from the Amazon vessel. Steve could now see him clearly without the binoculars, and the sight was both magnificent and terrifying. Tall and powerfully built, with features that suggested nobility and authority, he wore armor that seemed to flow like liquid metal while maintaining perfect structural integrity. His eyes held an intelligence that was unmistakably ancient, yet he appeared to be no older than Steve himself.
Most remarkably, he sat astride the mythological creature with casual ease, as though riding a horse made of living pearl through Mediterranean waters was the most natural thing in the world. The hippocampus itself was breathtaking, its equine head noble and intelligent, its scaled body shimmering with colors that shifted in the sunlight.
"Greetings, daughters of Themyscira," he called, his voice carrying clearly across the water with an accent Steve couldn't place. "I am Prince Orion of Atlantis, Herald of the Ocean Master. We wish to speak with you regarding your passage through our territorial waters."
Steve's military training suddenly kicked in, overriding his shock and disbelief. His hand moved back to his pistol as he stepped forward, his voice carrying the authority of an officer despite his inner turmoil.
"Hold it right there!" Steve called out, his voice sharp and commanding. "Captain Steven Trevor, United States Army Air Forces! Identify yourself and state your intentions! Are you friend or foe?"
Diana turned to him with surprise. "Steve Trevor, he has already identified himself."
"I don't care if he's the King of Neptune himself," Steve shot back, his eyes never leaving Orion. "Standard protocol when approached by unknown forces." His voice carried across the water. "I heard you say Prince Orion, but that doesn't tell me anything! What is your purpose here? Why are you intercepting our vessel? Are you allied with German forces or any hostile nation?"
Steve's hands were still shaking slightly, but his voice was steady now, falling back on the familiar rhythms of military procedure. "I need to know if you pose a threat to this vessel and its occupants! And I need a clear answer, not riddles about ocean masters and territorial waters!"
Orion looked genuinely amused by Steve's aggressive stance, his gaze falling on the small metal object in the human's hand. He tilted his head slightly, studying the weapon with curious detachment. "Is that supposed to be threatening?" he asked mildly. "What does it do, exactly?"
The other riders shifted slightly on their sea creatures, but more out of confusion than concern. Several of them were openly staring at Steve's pistol as though trying to figure out what it was.
"It's a gun," Steve said, his confidence wavering slightly at Orion's complete lack of concern. "A firearm. It shoots bullets that can kill you."
"Ah," Orion nodded politely. "And these 'bullets' are they enchanted? Blessed by your gods? Forged from divine metal?"
"They're... they're lead," Steve admitted, feeling increasingly foolish.
"Lead," Orion repeated thoughtfully. "How interesting. Well, Captain Trevor of the surface world, I assure you that your lead projectiles pose no threat to me or my companions. But your aggressive posture tells me much about the conflicts raging above our realm." His expression grew more serious. "You speak of German forces and hostile nations. What do you know of the war that has begun to poison even our deepest waters?"
Steve blinked, lowering his weapon slightly. "Wait, you're asking me about the war? I thought you might be working with the Germans."
"Germans?" Orion's brow furrowed. "I know nothing of these 'Germans' specifically, but we have detected disturbances in the upper waters. Weapons that should not exist, energies that threaten the very fabric of reality." His tone grew urgent. "Tell me, surface dweller, have you encountered weapons that unmake matter itself? That leave nothing behind where once there was substance?"
Steve's pulse quickened. "The disintegration weapons. You know about those?"
"We know someone has gained access to something that should remain locked away," Orion said grimly. "May I come aboard? This is not a conversation for shouting across water."
Diana and Mala exchanged glances. Despite their peoples' complicated history, the urgency in Orion's voice suggested this was bigger than old territorial disputes.
"You may board," Diana called back. "But approach slowly and keep your hands visible."
"Of course," Orion acknowledged. He guided his hippocampus closer to the ship, then stepped aboard with fluid grace. The mythological creature remained in the water, its intelligent eyes watching the proceedings.
Up close, Orion's otherworldly nature was even more apparent. His skin had a subtle iridescent quality, and his hair seemed to move with its own current despite the still Mediterranean air. When he looked at Diana, his expression shifted to one of puzzlement.
"You're not like the other Amazons," he said slowly, studying her with growing intensity. "There's something about you... something familiar, yet impossible." He shook his head. "But that's not why I'm here."
He turned back to Steve. "You spoke of weapons that unmake matter. We have our own names for such forces. Where did you encounter them?"
"HYDRA," Steve said, still gripping his pistol though he was beginning to understand it was useless. "A Nazi science division that's developed weapons powered by something they call the Tesseract."
The change in Orion's expression was immediate and terrifying. His face went pale, his eyes widened with what could only be described as horror, and he took an involuntary step backward.
"The Tesseract," he whispered. "You're certain of this name?"
"That's what they called it," Steve confirmed. "A blue cube that generates enormous amounts of energy. I saw weapons powered by it that could disintegrate entire buildings."
Orion's hands were shaking now. "This is worse than we feared. Much worse." He looked between Steve and Diana with growing urgency. "You don't understand what you're telling me. The Tesseract isn't just a weapon, it's one of the fundamental forces of creation itself. In the wrong hands, it will destroy everything."
"What are you saying?" Diana asked.
"I'm saying that if this 'HYDRA' has truly gained control of the Tesseract, they have the power to unravel reality itself," Orion said, his voice tight with fear. "Not just kill people or destroy cities, but to literally erase entire dimensions from existence. We're not talking about a war anymore. We're talking about the potential end of everything."
Steve felt the blood drain from his face. "Everything?"
"Everything," Orion confirmed grimly. "Every realm, every reality, every living being across all planes of existence."
The ship fell silent except for the gentle lapping of waves against the hull. Steve slowly holstered his pistol, understanding now that conventional weapons were meaningless in the face of cosmic forces.
"Then we destroy it," Steve said with grim determination. "Whatever it takes, we find this cube and we destroy it before they can use it."
Orion shook his head sadly. "You cannot destroy the Tesseract, Captain Trevor. It is one of the fundamental building blocks of reality itself. To destroy it would be like trying to destroy the concept of space or time. It would cause the very thing we're trying to prevent."
"Then what do we do?" Steve asked, frustration creeping into his voice.
"We take it back," Orion said simply. "Return it to those who can properly contain its power." He paused, his expression troubled. "But that raises another question that deeply concerns me. The Tesseract was last known to be in Odin's treasure vaults in Asgard, protected by the most powerful wards in all the Nine Realms. If these mortals have it now..." He trailed off, the implications clearly disturbing him.
"What does that mean?" Diana pressed.
"It means either Odin willingly gave it to them, which seems impossible, or something has happened to compromise Asgard's defenses," Orion said grimly. "Neither possibility bodes well for any of us."
Steve ran a hand through his hair, trying to process the cosmic implications. "So we're dealing with people who somehow stole from the gods themselves?"
"So it would seem," Orion confirmed. "Which makes getting your intelligence to your surface allies even more critical. If we are to reclaim the Tesseract, we'll need to understand exactly how HYDRA acquired it and what other cosmic forces might be at play."
He moved to the ship's rail, looking out at his escort of riders on their sea creatures. "My people can push your ship through the water at speeds far exceeding what wind and current could provide. We can have you in London waters within three days."
"Three days?" Steve repeated, incredulous. "That's impossible. This distance should take at least a week."
"Surface dweller thinking," Orion replied. "You forget that the oceans are our domain. We know currents and passages that exist far beneath the waves, routes that can compress distance and time in ways that seem magical to those bound to the surface."
Mala looked skeptical. "And what do you require in return for this assistance?"
"Information," Orion said simply. "Everything you know about HYDRA's capabilities, their plans, their connection to the Tesseract. If we are to take action against this threat, we must understand its full scope."
Diana nodded agreement. "That seems fair. We have much to discuss about the nature of this conflict and the forces behind it."
"Then we have an accord," Orion said, extending his hand to Steve in what the captain recognized as a universal gesture of agreement. The prince's grip was firm but not crushing, carrying an odd sense of pressure that reminded Steve of deep water.
What followed was unlike any travel experience Steve had ever encountered. Orion moved to the center of the ship and simply stood there, his eyes closed, his hands at his sides. The sea around them remained perfectly calm, the only sounds the gentle lapping of waves against the hull and the distant calls of his companions' mounts.
"Well?" Steve asked after a full minute of nothing happening. "Aren't you going to do something? Signal your people? Give some kind of command?"
"I am," Orion replied quietly, not opening his eyes.
Steve looked at Diana and Mala with confusion. "He's just standing there."
"Perhaps Atlantean magic requires concentration," Diana suggested, though she looked equally puzzled.
Another minute passed. The Mediterranean stretched endlessly in all directions, peaceful and undisturbed. Steve was beginning to wonder if something had gone wrong when Orion's expression shifted slightly, a look of deep focus crossing his features.
"What exactly are you doing?" Mala asked, her warrior's impatience beginning to show.
"Calling them," Orion said simply, his voice carrying an odd harmonic quality that hadn't been there before.
Then Steve saw it. Far in the distance, barely visible against the horizon, dark shapes were moving through the water. At first, he thought they might be ships, but as they drew closer, he realized they were far too large and moving in a way that no vessel ever could.
"What the hell is that?" Steve breathed, raising his hand to shade his eyes.
The shapes were approaching fast, faster than anything had a right to move through water. As they came closer, Steve could make out their true nature, and his breath caught in his throat.
Whales. Dozens of them. Blue whales, humpbacks, sperm whales, all swimming in perfect formation toward their small vessel. Behind them came dolphins, hundreds of them, their sleek forms cutting through the water like living torpedoes.
"How?" Diana whispered, her enhanced vision allowing her to see details that left her stunned. "How is this possible?"
Orion's eyes remained closed, but a slight smile touched his lips. "My bloodline carries a gift passed down through generations of ocean rulers. We can speak to the children of the sea, not with words, but with thoughts and emotions. They understand our need, and they answer."
The first whale surfaced near the ship, a massive blue whale whose length dwarfed their vessel. Steve stumbled backward, gripping the rail as the creature's enormous eye fixed on him with unmistakable intelligence. The whale made a sound, deep and resonant, that seemed to vibrate through Steve's very bones.
"She says you smell of fear and wonder," Orion translated, his eyes still closed. "But also of courage. She approves."
More whales surfaced around them, their massive forms creating a living wall of flesh and intelligence that surrounded the ship. Steve had never felt so small or so awed in his entire life. The largest creatures on Earth were gathering around them like friendly dogs responding to their master's call.
"This is impossible," Steve muttered, though the words felt inadequate. "This is absolutely impossible."
"Watch," Orion said softly.
The whales began to move in perfect synchronization, their massive flukes working in harmony to create a current beneath the ship. Steve felt the vessel lift slightly as the water around them began to flow like a river, carrying them forward with increasing speed.
But it was the dolphins that truly took Steve's breath away. They came from every direction, their sleek forms arcing through the air in displays of pure joy before diving beneath the ship. Soon there were hundreds of them, creating a living escort that surrounded the vessel on all sides.
"They're beautiful," Diana said in wonder, watching as dolphins leaped in perfect formation around the ship. "I had heard of such abilities in the ancient texts, but to see it..."
"My grandfather could call the kraken itself," Orion said, opening his eyes at last. "This is but a fraction of what our bloodline can achieve when the need is great."
The sensation of movement was unlike anything Steve had ever experienced. While the ship maintained perfect stability on the surface, he could feel the massive forces beneath them, dozens of whales working in concert to push them forward at impossible speeds. The Mediterranean landscape began to flash past as they accelerated, the coastline becoming a blur of colors and shapes.
"Jesus Christ," Steve muttered, watching the land streak by. "How fast are we going?"
"By your measurements? Perhaps sixty miles per hour," Orion said casually, as if discussing the weather. "We should reach the Atlantic by tomorrow evening."
A pod of dolphins suddenly burst from the water in front of the ship, their acrobatic display so perfectly timed and coordinated that it looked choreographed. Steve watched in amazement as they performed what could only be described as an aquatic dance, their joy and exuberance infectious despite the cosmic stakes of their mission.
"They're celebrating," Orion explained, noting Steve's expression. "It has been many years since my people called upon the great gathering. They remember the old times, when Atlanteans and the children of the sea worked together as one."
"How many?" Diana asked, trying to count the whales visible around them.
"In this formation? Perhaps forty whales of various species, three hundred dolphins, and..." Orion paused, listening to something only he could hear. "Ah, and a family of orcas who wish to escort us through the Strait of Gibraltar. They consider it their territorial waters and want to ensure safe passage."
Steve gripped the rail as a massive sperm whale surfaced directly alongside the ship, its scarred head telling the story of countless deep-sea battles. The creature's eye, ancient and knowing, seemed to look directly into Steve's soul.
"He says you carry the weight of many deaths on your shoulders," Orion translated. "But also the hope of preventing many more. He offers his strength to your cause."
"Tell him... tell him I'm honored," Steve said, feeling somewhat foolish for talking to a whale through an interpreter, but somehow knowing it was the right thing to do.
The whale made another deep, resonant sound before diving beneath the surface, its massive form disappearing into the blue depths only to reappear moments later as part of the living engine propelling them toward their destination.
"This is beyond anything I could have imagined," Mala said, her usual stoic composure cracked by the sheer majesty of what she was witnessing. "To command such loyalty from the creatures of the deep..."
"Not command," Orion corrected gently. "Partnership. They choose to help because they understand the stakes. The ocean connects all life on this planet. If reality itself is threatened, they feel it in ways that surface dwellers cannot comprehend."
As if to emphasize his point, a group of dolphins began swimming in intricate patterns around the ship, their movements creating spirals and geometric forms that seemed almost mystical in their precision. Steve realized he was witnessing something that perhaps no human had ever seen before, a display of intelligence and coordination that challenged everything he thought he knew about marine life.
"Will they stay with us the entire journey?" Diana asked.
"Different groups will take turns," Orion explained. "The blues will carry us through the deeper Mediterranean waters, then the orcas will take over through Gibraltar. Sperm whales will guide us through the Atlantic depths, and finally the humpbacks will see us safely to your English Channel."
"Like a relay race," Steve said in wonder.
"Exactly. Each species knows their waters best. Together, they can carry us faster and safer than any ship ever built."
"That's impossible," Steve said flatly. "Ships don't move that fast. Period."
By the second hour, Steve was fighting severe motion sickness despite the ship's stable deck. The disconnect between what his eyes saw and what his body felt was wreaking havoc on his equilibrium. He gripped the rail with white knuckles, trying not to lose what little breakfast he'd managed to eat.
"You look terrible," Diana observed, approaching with a small vial. "Here, drink this."
"What is it?" Steve asked suspiciously.
"Ginger root and mint, among other things. It will help with the sickness."
Steve downed the bitter liquid without argument. Within minutes, his stomach began to settle, though he still felt oddly disconnected from his body.
"Better?" Diana asked.
"Much better, thanks." Steve wiped sweat from his forehead. "I've flown in everything from crop dusters to bombers, but this is making me sicker than my first aerobatics lesson."
"Surface dwellers aren't built for this kind of travel," Orion said sympathetically. "Your bodies expect certain natural laws to remain constant."
"Natural laws," Steve repeated with a hollow laugh. "Right. Those stopped applying the moment I met you people."
As the day wore on, Steve found himself drawn into conversations that stretched his understanding of reality even further. Diana and Orion discussed their peoples' histories with the casual familiarity of old acquaintances, despite claiming they hadn't interacted in millennia.
"The last time Amazons and Atlanteans worked together was during the Trojan War," Orion mentioned during one exchange. "My ancestors provided naval support while your warriors fought on land."
"That was over three thousand years ago," Diana replied. "Much has changed since then."
"Has it?" Orion asked. "Your people still train for war on a hidden island. Mine still guard the depths from surface interference. Perhaps we're more alike than either side cares to admit."
Steve listened to these casual references to ancient history with growing bewilderment. "Wait, you're talking about the actual Trojan War? Like, the one with Helen and the wooden horse?"
"Of course," Diana said, looking puzzled by his confusion. "What other Trojan War would we mean?"
"The one that's supposed to be mythology," Steve said weakly. "You know, stories made up by ancient Greeks to teach lessons or entertain people."
Diana and Orion exchanged glances, and Steve caught what looked suspiciously like suppressed amusement.
"Your surface historians have an interesting relationship with facts," Orion observed diplomatically.
"Most of what you call mythology is simply history that's been... embellished over time," Diana explained. "When stories are passed down for thousands of years, details change, but the core events remain."
Steve rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on that had nothing to do with motion sickness. "So you're telling me that every Greek myth is basically a news report?"
"Not every myth," Diana said kindly. "Some are genuinely fictional. But many of the major events your historians dismiss as fantasy actually happened."
Steve stared at them both, his mind racing. "What about the others? The Odyssey? Perseus and Medusa? Jason and the Argonauts? Hercules and his twelve labors?"
Diana and Orion shared another look, this one accompanied by barely contained chuckles.
"All real," Diana confirmed. "Though Hercules was an insufferable show-off who embellished his own exploits terribly."
"I knew Perseus personally," Orion added casually. "Decent fellow, though he had a tendency to exaggerate. The Medusa was only about seven feet tall, not the towering monster the stories describe."
"You knew..." Steve's voice cracked. "You personally knew Perseus. The guy who killed Medusa."
"My great-grandfather fought alongside Jason," Orion continued. "The Argo was a magnificent ship, though the Golden Fleece wasn't actually gold. More of a bronze color, really."
Steve sat down heavily on a nearby crate, his legs suddenly unsteady. "Let me get this straight. Everything I learned in school about ancient history, everything that was supposed to be mythology and legend..."
"Is mostly true," Diana finished gently.
"That is not everything," Orion said with obvious amusement at Steve's expression. "What you've learned barely scratches the surface."
"What do you mean, not everything?" Steve asked, though part of him wasn't sure he wanted to know.
"Well, there's the entire history of the Norse gods, for starters," Diana said. "Thor's quite real, though he's far more serious than the stories suggest. And Loki is significantly more dangerous."
"The Egyptian pantheon still maintains a presence in their homeland," Orion added. "Bast can be quite charming when she's not in her cat form."
"Cat form," Steve repeated faintly. "Of course she has a cat form."
"Then there are the Chinese dragons," Diana continued, clearly enjoying Steve's mounting disbelief. "The Jade Emperor's court. The entire Hindu pantheon. The Mayan feathered serpent Kukulkan."
"The Aboriginal Dreamtime spirits in Australia," Orion added. "The Yoruba orishas in Africa. Native American thunderbirds."
"Stop," Steve said, holding up his hands. "Just... stop for a minute." He looked out at the whales surrounding their ship, then back at his companions. "You're telling me that every culture's gods and monsters and heroes are real?"
"Not all," Diana said. "But far more than your modern world suspects."
"Where are they all?" Steve demanded. "If there are Norse gods and Egyptian deities and Chinese dragons running around, why doesn't anyone know about it?"
"Because most mortals see what they expect to see," Orion explained. "Your modern world has decided that magic and gods don't exist, so they rationalize away anything that contradicts that belief."
"But some things are too big to hide," Diana added. "The Great Wall of China? Built with the help of Earth elementals. Stonehenge? A focal point for ley line energies. The Nazca Lines? Landing strips for sky gods."
Steve stared at them both in stunned silence. "You're serious. You're completely serious."
"Deadly serious," Orion confirmed. "Your species has accomplished much on its own, but you've had help throughout history. Guidance, inspiration, sometimes direct intervention."
"The Library of Alexandria," Diana said thoughtfully. "That contained records of many of these truths. Its destruction was... unfortunate."
"Why?" Steve asked quietly. "Why keep it all secret? Why let humanity think we're alone?"
"Because knowledge without wisdom is dangerous," Diana replied. "Your people have barely learned to live with each other peacefully. Imagine what would happen if they knew gods and magic were real."
"Wars between believers and skeptics," Orion added grimly. "Attempts to capture and weaponize divine beings. Mortals demanding the gods solve all their problems for them."
Steve thought about HYDRA, about Schmidt's quest for godhood through the Tesseract. "So hiding was protection. For both sides."
"Exactly," Diana said. "Though recent events suggest that protection may no longer be sufficient."
Steve sat in contemplative silence, watching dolphins leap alongside their ship. Everything he thought he knew about the world, about history, about the nature of reality itself, had been fundamentally wrong. Yet somehow, sitting here surrounded by mythological sea creatures and traveling with an Amazon princess and an Atlantean prince, it all made perfect sense.
"You know what the really crazy part is?" he said finally.
"What?" Diana asked.
"A week ago, I would have recommended myself for psychiatric evaluation if I'd believed any of this." He laughed, a sound equal parts amazement and acceptance. "Now? I'm starting to think this is the most rational explanation for anything that's happened to me lately."
"Welcome to the real world, Steve Trevor," Orion said with a smile. "It's far stranger and more wonderful than your textbooks ever suggested."
As night fell, their conversation turned to more immediate concerns. Steve found himself explaining the intelligence he'd gathered about HYDRA's operations, while Orion provided context about the cosmic forces involved.
"Schmidt believes he can become a god through the Tesseract's power," Steve said. "Is that actually possible?"
"Theoretically," Orion replied grimly. "The Tesseract contains the energies of creation itself. Someone who learned to properly channel that power could indeed transcend mortal limitations." He paused. "But the process would likely destroy everything else in the attempt."
"Everything else meaning what, exactly?" Steve asked, though he suspected he didn't want to know the answer.
"Reality," Orion said simply. "All of it. Every dimension, every plane of existence, every living being across the multiverse. The Tesseract isn't meant to be used by mortals precisely because they lack the cosmic perspective to understand the consequences."
Steve stared out at the dark water, processing this information. "So we're not just trying to stop a madman from conquering the world. We're trying to stop him from accidentally destroying all of existence."
"That's a fair summary," Orion agreed.
"And here I thought my biggest worry was getting shot down over enemy territory," Steve said with dark humor.