Post by DiscipleofBob on Feb 28, 2013 1:33:53 GMT -5
Issue 4, Paradise Lost, Part 3
The light from the rising sun tainted the sea red. What only yesterday was the hopeful promise of a brand new day, today only illuminated the desecration of the once pure island. It was the worst night and the worst morning that anyone in Themyscira could remember. Even now, the survivors scrambled to find and tend to the wounded. Bodies were still being found hidden all over the island, some mangled in ways even the most hardened of Amazons found disturbing. Anyone with any training in the healing arts worked to tend the wounded, and the few Amazons with magical skills set to work to undo Circe’s transmutations, unable to tell the difference between cursed sisters and actual feral beasts.
Lyta seemed to have the easiest time reversing the curses, so she worked without rest. Most of the warriors and guards of Themyscira were either wounded, dead, or transformed, leaving only reserve forces to try and secure the island. Troia found herself coordinating the search parties for the wounded and the transformed beasts who could still pose a threat. Artemis, along Hippolyta, Diana, and the remaining leaders of Themyscira, gathered around a large table in the war room, listening as the reports were read.
“23 are confirmed dead. 17 are still cursed and waiting to be cured. 46 are still missing, including dead animals we have no way of knowing if they were once our sisters.” Everyone fidgeted in their seats, listening uncomfortably. Artemis and Hippolyta were both heavily bandaged. Even their Amazon metabolisms combined with their best healing arts could only mend their wounds so far.
“This is an outrage!” Artemis banged her fist on the table, leaving a cracked crater in the stone. “My queen! Please let me take whatever soldiers we have left to retaliate!”
“Retaliate against what? We weren’t attacked by a nation or an army. We were attacked by only three,” Ipthime, the chief architect, replied.
“Besides, we cannot breach the borders of Themyscira. To do so would go against all of our traditions,” Timandra, a historian, added.
“Our borders have already been breached! This was an act of war! We must strike back!” Artemis demanded.
“With what army? Our best soldiers were easily dispatched at the hands of our attackers. Should we gather whomever is left and feed them to the lions?”
“They’ve taken one of our own. That should be enough reason to pursue them!” Diana jumped in, only to be cut off by her own mother.
“I'm afraid the situation is much more dire than the life one Amazon,” Hippolyta said grimly.
“How can you say that?!” Diana shouted.
All eyes turned to Hippolyta, paying no attention to Diana’s outburst. “Do you know something about our attackers, my queen?”
Hippolyta nodded. “There were three women, working in tandem. I only know two by the names they used to refer to each other. One was called Cheetah. Another was called Baroness Paula Von Gunther. The third, however, we know well. The third was Circe.” The other Amazons winced at the name of the sorceress and murmured hushed prayers to the goddesses. “Only she could know the location of our home, and only she could possibly find a way to breach our barrier without alerting us. Her power has only grown over the years.”
“Indeed, if she breached our borders, we stand no chance to go up against her directly,” Timandra agreed. “We should could ourselves lucky we weren’t all slaughtered.”
“It gets worse,” Hippolyta continued, “Their objective was nor our lives or our honor. They stole several artifacts from the Hall of Wonders. Including Pandora’s Box.”
The room turned dead silent. Every child knew the story of Pandora’s Box. Of how the curiosity of a mortal woman unleashed unspeakable evils upon the world. None would dare imagine what horrors Circe could possibly unleash with what lay inside.
“Can she open it?” Ipthime asked cautiously.
Hippolyta shook her head. “I would not think so. The box is protected by the most powerful enchantments of the gods. But she was able to circumvent our protective wards, I do not think we can rule out the possibility. Retrieving those artifacts, especially Pandora’s Box, must be our top priority. It is our duty as Amazons.”
“So we must break one of our oaths to fulfill another?”
“There are other traditions, contingencies passed down by Hera herself, in the event that we must venture into the outside world.” Hippolyta motioned to two nearby guards who carried in a glass case containing the prized red and gold armor, one of the few artifacts left behind, handling it with sacred reverence. “We will send one of our sisters to serve as our Champion. This armor will protect her, forged by Hephaestus himself to protect she among our sisters who would be chosen by the gods. This tiara shall impart the wisdom of Athena and guide her to her goal. This is not just a matter of our pride, this is a matter of fulfilling our sacred duty to guard those ancient, powerful relics with our lives. And we must get them back at all costs.”
Artemis quickly shot up. “I volunteer! I am still the strongest warrior in Themyscira. There is no other who could better serve as champion.”
“You are wounded, and you could not defeat the enemy at your best!” Diana objected.
“Diana, sit down. Behave!” Hippolyta scolded.
Diana scowled and stood her ground, staring down the fiery-haired beast that was Artemis. “What makes you think that you could fare any better? I would no more stake Amelia’s life on your success than I would a wild boar’s.”
“You dare mock me! Why I should…” Artemis’s temper flared, but she quickly cut herself off in the presence of the queen. “If you weren’t princess I would prove my strength to you here and now.”
Hippolyta shot both Amazons icy glares before loudly continuing over them. “Traditions dictate that we must hold a contest to determine our Champion.”
Artemis scoffed, “There is no point in a contest. No one in Themyscira can best me. We should not waste any more time than necessary.”
“Our borders were breached without our knowledge. We were slaughtered like cattle in the night. We failed to fulfill our most sacred duty as Amazons. Now is not the time to anger the gods further. We must follow the traditions,” Hippolyta said in the tone that all Amazons recognized as an edict of the queen, not a suggestion that was up for debate.
“Very well,” Artemis complied, “I shall gather any who would have the courage to oppose me.”
“I’ll be there,” Diana replied.
“No you will not,” Hippolyta quickly said.
Diana quickly objected, “It is my right as an Amazon to accept the challenge! You cannot deny me that!”
“As your queen I cannot deny you the same right as the rest of Themyscira to accept the challenge. As your mother, however, I forbid it! It is far too dangerous!”
“My mother?! You certainly picked the perfect time to start pretending to be one!” Diana shouted before storming out of the war room. It was clear her presence was a waste anyway.
Hippolyta almost called after her. The last thing she needed right now was the scorn of her daughter. But her duties and position as queen came first. Right now, she did not have the time to be a mother to Diana when all of Themyscira needed the strength of a queen. So reluctantly she let Diana leave. Later she promised herself she would work things out with Diana.
===WW===
Anyone who saw Diana’s warpath from the council meeting to her bedroom quickly made themselves scarce. Her eyes watered, but Diana fought back the tears as she quickly climbed the tower stairs. She burst into her room and threw open the doors to her wardrobe. It was filled to the brim with elegant dresses, gifts from the disciples of Athena, the finest craftswomen of Themyscira, and likely the world. Diana recklessly thrust the dresses to the side to reveal her true objective, a full set of armor from the covered helmet to the greaves.
The leather armor was still stained from yesterday's training session. At one point it was a birthday present, decorated with the finest gold trim and jewels that the disciples of Hephaestus carefully crafted into it. It had taken less than a week for “wear and tear” to reduce it to a more practical state, and it had been Diana's armor of choice ever since.
As she quickly pulled the various pieces of armor from their mantle, she was interrupted as Troia and Lyta entered. “Diana, what is going on?” Troia asked, “Artemis is gathering everyone. She's saying there is to be some kind of tournament?”
“It seems an odd time to hold festivities,” Lyta surly commented, still exhausted from the day's work.
“My mother intends to send a Champion out to find our attackers,” Diana hastily responded. “The tournament will be to determine who is worthy of the title.”
Troia watches as Diana tossed a helmet onto the bed with the rest of the armor. “The queen is allowing you to compete?” Troia asked with suspicion.
Diana hesitated before answering, “She does not. But I will not be deterred any longer by my mother's coddling.” The Amazon princess reached for the armor, only for her hand to be grabbed by Troia.
“Are you insane?! What possible advantage could there be in you going over someone... well, let's admit it, what possible advantage could there be in you going instead of Artemis?”
“Artemis is a warrior, nothing more. She can't see beyond the point of her sword. She would search by process of elimination: killing anyone she meets one by one until by divine intervention she happens upon her target.”
“Then let me go instead. There is no sense in risking your life,” Troia offered as Diana winced. Troia studied the princess's eyes carefully, filled with a carefully controlled flood of rage. “This isn't about Artemis, is it?”
Diana's voice slowly rose as her anger started to pour through. “Am I just supposed to sit here and wait for someone to rescue Amelia? Will I avenge our fallen sisters by waiting?”
“Our people need you...” Troia started.
“For what?!” Diana shouted, “I sit at the table with council leaders and am treated as a child. I try to fight and am protected. As our sisters died I was locked in a tower! Tell me, Troia, if you were in my position would you be content to let someone else go in my stead?”
“Think rationally,” Lyta interjected as she sat down, exhausted from the days' work, “Artemis was bested in combat. Artemis,” she emphasized. “What possible chance do you have that Artemis or another would not?”
“Perhaps none,” Diana admitted. “I studied the outside world a little with Amelia, but you're right. I am no different than any other Amazon. But why does that mean anyone else should go instead, if I am equal? Besides,” her voice grew quiet, “my mother lied to the rest of the Amazons.”
“What?” Troia could not believe the queen would deceive her own people, immediately asking all the questions it brought up, “About what? How can you tell? Why would she lie?”
Diana quickly explained, “She lied to me before when I was young. No doubt she thought it did not matter since I was just a child, but I learned to recognize when she was not telling the whole truth. She lied when she said she only knew one of the attackers. I don’t know what the whole truth actually is, or why she felt the need to hide it, but I intend to find out.”
“Don't do this, Diana,” Troia's voice wavered. “It is my sworn duty to protect you. I cannot let you put yourself in danger.”
“Troia,” Diana pleaded, “I cannot do this alone. I need you. Both of you.”
Lyta shook her head. “Not a chance in Tartarus. What you're talking about is treason.”
“Please!”
The young Amazon was too tired to argue. “Fine! You have my silence, but nothing more.”
Diana turned to focus on her friend and handmaiden, “And you?”
Troia tried to protest, knowing the consequences of helping Diana, possibly to her doom. But what could she do? Her entire life, Diana had been her charge. Her life belonged to Diana. All Troia wanted, all she could hope for from life was to serve Diana and to give her life to her. When the sole purpose for Troia's existence begged for help, when she truly needed her for the first time in her life, how could she possibly refuse? “What would you have me do?”
===WW===
Queen Hippolyta wished she could say the coliseum was packed as it normally was for such an event. It was built to seat the entirety of Themyscira. Now it was over half empty. Every able-bodied Amazon was in attendance, but with so many either dead, missing, or wounded…
Even her own royal box was empty. Of the six seats reserved for Amelia, Artemis, Diana, and her friends, only she was present. After this afternoon’s events, it was understandable if Diana did not want to attend, and Hippolyta knew better than to try and convince her otherwise right now. Normally Alkyone and the rest of her royal guard would attend her, but now only one unfamiliar guard remained.
“You there,” Hippolyta called to the guardswoman.
“Y-yes, my queen?” she stammered. In this troubled time many Amazons had to fill in for other roles.
“What is your name?” Hippolyta asked gently.
“Aella,” the girl answered.
“And what do you normally do?”
Aella hesitated before answering, “I am a falconer, your majesty.”
“I see. If you like, you can sit down,” Hippolyta offered, trying to relax her tone as well as her guard, “Please relax. At this moment, there is no need to strain yourself for the sake of protocol. And I do not think I will be joined by anyone else right now.”
The young guardswoman nervously say down and smiled. She never would have thought to be treated so impersonally by the queen herself.
Realizing that she would probably need to keep directing the flow of conversation, continued, “Do you know anyone who is competing today?”
“Not personally, no,” Aella hesitated before continuing. “My partner might have, but she’s... she’s still missing.”
The queen realized that this subject was almost inevitable. Everyone in Themyscira had lost at least one person dear to them. Many lost the one closest to them, as Aella had. “I’m so sorry. What is her name?” Hippolyta avoided the past tense. It was still too early to give up hope searching for the missing.
“Alkyone. She’s part of the... your royal guard,” Aella explained somberly.
“I know her,” the queen acknowledged. “She has served me well.”
“Will we find her alive?” Aella looked up with watery, hope-filled eyes.
The queen's mind flashed back as her entire royal guard were transformed into dogs in front of her. No beast matching their description yet, and with all the predators roaming free on the island, it was possible they would never be found. “If it is at all possible for us to save any of our sisters, we will do so. You have my word as queen.”
“Yes, ma’am. Thank you ma’am.” It was a small comfort, one that did not raise false hopes but did not crush what little hope remained.
“I feel your pain,” the queen sympathized.
“I can imagine, what with everything that’s happened.”
“I, too, lost someone very close to me. Amelia was my confidant, my companion, my…”
“Partner?” Aella finished.
“She was taken right in front of me.”
“I’m sorry.” It was nice to have someone to talk to. The smallest comfort of a fellow Amazon would be vital in the recovery.
“My pain is the same as that of you and all of Themyscira at this moment. Right now, we cannot mourn our dead when there is a battle to be fought.” The trumpets sounded to trigger the beginning of the festivities. Hippolyta looked out to the coliseum grounds with the rest of Themyscira. Any other day, the entire coliseum would be filled with Amazons looking to prove themselves in the eyes of the gods, but today, between the deaths, the cursed, the low morale, and the exhausted, only eight put themselves forward for the contest. She recognized a couple of the warriors. One one end was Artemis, refusing to show any sign of weakness from her wounds the night before. Artemis was right, she would likely prove the victor.
As Hippolyta scanned each of the warriors, her eyes stopped on the other end of the line where an Amazon was apparently concealing their identity by already donning their helmet and keeping the face guard down. However, her disguise could not deceive Hippolyta, who recognized her daughter's personal armor quite well. It may fool much of Themyscira, but not her nor Artemis.
The queen briefly hesitated. She had forbidden Diana from participating in this tournament, but at this point revealing her identity would only embarrass her further. At the very least the queen could hope her daughter would remain masked throughout the battle.
“Warriors of Themyscira! Today, according to the traditions set by our mothers, the Goddesses of Olympus, we will send one of our own to the outside world. She shall be our Champion, and she shall bring us glory by avenging Themyscira!” Despite the seeming lack in attendance, the roars of the crowd were deafening as ever. The Amazons needed this distraction, however brief, to remind them that they were a nation of proud warriors. “Warriors of Themyscira! Eight of you stand before me, but only one of you will be our Champion! Whomever stands at the end of this trial will be chosen! Now, prove your honor!” On another day, with more contestants, and with more time to spare, a more complex tournament might have been organized. Something with brackets and multiple challenges. The rules were simple enough.
The masked Amazon had taken care to position herself as far from Artemis, easily the favorite to win, as possible. Perhaps she would get lucky and one of her opponents would manage to take out Artemis, or at least wear her down to the point where it would be possible to prevail. The eight Amazons paired off, preferring single combat to one confusing brawl.
Artemis faced down Faruka, an Amazon who had given her eye in a battle long ago. Now donning a patch, it was a battle scar she was proud to wear. The two warriors quickly clashed swords, Faruka fighting conservatively to guard against Artemis’s greatsword. Only Artemis could wield such a weapon with such speed. As each blow clashed against Faruka’s gladius and shield, Artemis patiently looked for the moment. Faruka had trained to overcome her weakness and compensate for her blind spot, but there was only so much one could do. Just as the strikes overwhelmed Faruka, staggering her stance, Artemis leapt to her side where her vision was impaired and bashed Faruka with the flat of the blade. With Artemis’s strength behind it, one solid hit was all it took to down the warrior.
7 Amazons remained...
The masked Amazon’s first opponent was Euboea, a fisher and diver. Normally Euboea wouldn’t be caught dead trying to fight soldiers on their own turf, but today she felt lucky with less competition. Predictably she chose a trident and net, the only tools she was familiar with. The masked warrior kept a spear ready. This required patience as the two stood at the lengths of their polearms and exchanged blows. Euboea was quite the hand-to-hand fighter and routinely tried to close the distance, but the masked Amazon kept her distance. Finally, Euboea threw her weapons at the masked Amazon. Her aim was steady and true, but catching fish was far different from battle. The masked Amazon easily dodged the trident and caught the net with her own spear, throwing it back at Euboea. Caught off guard by the concept of the fish fighting back, Euboea was quickly ensnared.
6 Amazons remained...
Philoppe was Artemis’s right-hand general. The dark-skinned warrior was almost Artemis’s equal in combat, and they routinely sparred. Having finished their respective opponents at about the same time they wasted no time crossing blades. But both already knew how this match would end. Philoppe was the superior tactician, but Artemis was the stronger warrior. They fought so often that they each knew every trick and maneuver the other would bring to the fight. In another fight, Philoppe’s cunning might grant her victory, but against Artemis there was nothing she could do that Artemis had not seen a dozen times before, and where Philoppe took a split-second longer between strikes to determine her next move, Artemis fought by instinct and already knew Philoppe’s next move before she did.
4 Amazons remained...
Just as the masked Amazon turned to fight her next opponent, she realized she was actually flanked. The other two Amazons had not bothered to fight each other yet when they could team up to take someone else. As the two strongest warriors in Themyscira fought and wore each other down, the masked Amazon was the weakest link by default. Her opponents were Pallus and Io, a blacksmith and a quartermaster respectively. Their knowledge of the weapons and armor were unparalleled and it showed as well as their teamwork. Silently cursing her fate, the masked Amazon treaded cautiously. The masked Amazon ducked and weaved between jabs. They were trying to lure her into an attack, but she held her ground defensively. Attacking one of her opponents too aggressively could give the other an opening. But there was something off about their footwork, the masked Amazon noticed. Taking the risk, she dashed toward Io, the spear grazing her shoulder and drawing blood, but at the same time she moved inside her guard. Pallus tried to press the attack, but could not make a solid strike without possibly harming her partner. They were excellent craftsmen, and knew the best way to handle the weapons they made, but as the masked Amazon suspected, when it came to battle tactics and footwork they lacked the training of full-time warriors.
Jabbing Io with the butt of the spear, the masked Amazon dashed back to her other opponent and thrust the spear into the ground, pole-vaulting to the other side. Landing in a crouching stance, she picked up the trident from the previous fight and swung it in a wide arc, tripping Pallus. Still dizzy from the blow to the head, Io stood no chance as the masked Amazon quickly closed the distance and punched her out.
Only two Amazons remained...
Artemis and the masked Amazon circled each other as the crowd cheered on. Although the masked Amazon's only hope lying in Artemis being worn out, the warrior was not even breathing hard. Instead Artemis stood tall, proud, and energetic, smiling confidently, whereas the the other Amazon's fatigue was visible even with her covered helmet.
The masked Amazon had hoped to catch her second wind. Unfortunately, Artemis wasted no time charging forward. She barely had enough time to raise her shield. The greatsword clanged loudly as it slammed down on the shield. Even with most of the impact absorbed, the pain shooting through her arm made her wonder if it had broken from the blow. The sheer force was enough to force her to one knee. Artemis was not done yet. As heavy as the first blow was, she followed through with another not a second later.
Bracing her shield as much as she could, the masked Amazon endured again, the pain shooting down her arm and up her shoulder. Like a blacksmith striking an anvil, Artemis kept the strikes coming, giving no quarter. Her opponent had seemingly frozen up, with no opportunity to counterattack without being subject to the punishment from Artemis's blade.
Artemis relentlessly continued the assault. This fight was already over. Instead of her repeated overhead strike, Artemis swung her blade around. The masked Amazon repositioned her shield, expecting Artemis to strike at her head. But the sword went lower than that as Artemis knocked the masked Amazon's support out from under her, throwing her to the ground.
The battle was over. She had hoped to at least last longer than this, to fare better than some of the other opponents, but against Artemis there was little any Amazon could hope to do. She could feel Artemis's heel press against her back.
“Themyscira, I give you your Champion!” the queen's words were strong, but also rushed and devoid of the same emotion from earlier. A few days ago, this sort of event would have had a grand ceremony and week-long festivities, but there was no time. The Amazons had more duties than usual and less to fill them. The Champion would be needed immediately to embark on her quest. And Hippolyta intended to have a private word with the masked Amazon. Diana's rebellions could only be tolerated so far.
As the Amazons funneled out of the Coliseum, a nod from Hippolyta signaled for Artemis to grab the masked Amazon and bring her before the queen, so that she may be privately demasked. “Did you really think you could have bested me, Princess? Or that your deception would work?” Artemis whispered, “I might have actually been proud if you had faced me without hiding your face like a coward.” The masked Amazon did not resist, but hung her head low regardless, even as she was led into private with the queen.
“Diana, what in Hera's name were you thinking?!” Hippolyta immediately shouted, “I specifically told you not to compete! Did you think that this lie would work? That I would not recognize that armor?”
The masked Amazon remained silent, but winced as if each scolding from the queen was a dagger piercing her heart. “What do you have to say for yourself?” Still, the masked Amazon remained quiet.
Only growing more agitated, Hippolyta yanked off the helmet. “Answer me! This mask will not hide you...” Hippolyta stopped mid-sentence.
Standing before her with tear-filled eyes was Troia, who slowly but cautiously raised her head. “I am so sorry, my queen,” she sobbed. “I could not stop her. And I could not refuse her.”
The faces of Hippolyta and Artemis instantly transformed into the same look of shock. The queen grabbed the handmaiden by the shoulders. “Where is my daughter?!” Troia could only look away in shame.
Suddenly, Aella appeared at the entrance to the room, “My queen! The Armor of the Champion is missing!”
Realization swept over Hippolyta. “Gods of Olympus...”
===WW===
Many parts of Diana's mind screamed at her to return. To turn the jet around and, if she was lucky, no one would notice it return just as no one could notice it leave, even if her secret departure had been dependent on the cheers of the crowds masking the roar of the engines.
At least she could somewhat legitimize her presence in the outside world with the red and gold armor she wore. As a princess she would at least be qualified to fulfill the ambassador role of the Champion. She would do everything in her power to follow all of Themyscira's traditions, since she had broken so many to get to this point.
It had been years since Amelia had last taken her to fly over Themyscira. Amelia called it the 'Heart of Air.' Fortunately, Diana had little trouble remembering the controls. She only had suspicions on whether the aircraft would be able to penetrate Themyscira's barrier. Supposedly the same enchantment that cloaked the island also concealed the Heart of Air.
The lack of resistance once Themyscira was no longer visible in the horizon confirmed it. Diana had finally left Themyscira, though if she had known the circumstances and the price it would take to get here she would have traded it all back in a heartbeat.
Her quest to find the sorceress, the assassin, and the baroness would not be easy. She could only rely on the faith that the gods would guide her path. Diana soared west across the seas to the place in the outside world she felt she would know best.
Diana had not bothered to keep track of time since she left, only that it was at night that the glittering lights of Gateway City appeared on the horizon. She could not land in the city itself, but fortunately just outside the city inland was a small concentration of colored lights. There she would land and begin her search for a sign, any sign, of Circe's wherabouts.
===WW===
Several hours later...
Vanessa and Etta had reached a steady truce of an awkward silence of disagreement. Neither could even bring themselves to even turn on the radio as they shifted uncomfortably in their seats.
Suddenly, an arm wrapped around Vanessa’s neck. She tried to scream but her voice was cut off as the jeep swerved from side to side on the road.
“I TOLD YOU! GODDAMNIT I TOLD YOU!” Etta screamed frantically as she tried to pry the arm from her friend’s throat, but it was like trying to bend a steel frame.
“I don't know who you are, but you picked the wrong captive!” Diana shouted.
Vanessa somehow managed to hit the brakes as the jeep spun off the road. “Can’t… breathe…”
To be continued...