Dark Knights of Steel #8 (2022)

The Amazons and the army of the Kingdom of Storms join at the border of the Lands of El. Luthor, the Green Man, watches their camp from above as his ring tells him that the age of kings and magic is over. Queen Anissa and her sister Princess Jennifer meet with Queen Hippolyta, who apologises for not taking the threat of the Els seriously and promises that the Amazons will support them unconditionally. Lois confronts John Constantine, who is tending to a mysterious carriage. She tells him that she believes the kingdoms are being manipulated into war, and that Zala's recent actions do not match the girl she knows, but John is blinded by his grief for Jefferson and refuses to listen. Meanwhile, in the dungeons of the Castle of El, Oliver is able to flick a stone from his cell into Dinah's and knock off the locked mask she was forced to wear. He tells her that he killed Jor-El and she tells him that she has been imprisoned because her powerful scream led the Els to believe she was a banshee. Oliver asks if her scream could destroy the walls and she tells him it could, but she can't control it and would likely just collapse the castle on top of them. He suggests he could teach her how to aim her scream and free them both. The two armies march into Hobb Forest, where Harley Quinn and General Waller are waiting for them. They try to negotiate a peaceful solution, but the invaders insist they will only be satisfied if the Els turn themselves over, which Waller refuses. Harley and Waller ride off and Constantine demands that the armies seize them, but the two queens refuse as they came in peace to negotiate. John tries to attack the emissaries himself but suddenly vines erupt from the ground and attack the armies. Luthor flying overhead sees Ivy controlling the plants and his ring tells him to stop her. He dives down and knocks Ivy unconscious, then tells the armies to march on and take the castle. At the castle, Harley and Waller report that diplomacy has failed. Lara orders the army to stand down, saying she will face the Amazons and the Kingdom of Storms alone, but both Waller and Harley tell her that her people need her, and she cannot risk falling in battle. Olsen runs in and announces that the invaders have crossed the forest, and Lara reluctantly gives the order to prepare for battle. The two armies march out of the forest into the field before the castle. Just before Waller gives the orders for the archers to fire Zala and Diana swoop down, ordering them to hold. They land in front of Anissa and Hippolyta to make a last-ditch attempt at diplomacy. Hippolyta orders Diana to stand aside but she refuses, and tells her mother she will have to go through her to get to the Els. Suddenly, the "returned" Jacob Pierce, who Constantine has hidden in the carriage, uses his magic to fill Zala's lungs with water, as he threatened to do before she killed him. Jacob wavers when he sees Zala begin to drown, as having returned from death he is unwilling to kill another, but John urges him to keep going. Diana begs Hippolyta to make whoever is killing Zala stop, but Hippolyta wavers. Lara suddenly flies down out of the sky and lands in the middle of the confrontation. The impact sends everyone flying and breaks Jacob's control, saving Zala's life. Hippolyta tells Lara that if she and Zala surrender peacefully, she gives her word that their lives will be spared and they can avoid war and bloodshed. She holds out her hand to Lara, who takes it and says: "Where's the fun in that?" To everyone's shock, she blasts Hippolyta in half with her heat vision.