Ult. Wonder Woman #10: How We got to this Place p1

[jackalope]

Ultimate Wonder Woman #10
The Wonder and the Vision: How We got to this Place part. 1

A bloodied fist slammed down, making a wet sound as it connected.

*
Diana swam. The salty water sprayed against her face, her arm sliced into the rocking sea. Above her the night sky was starless, dark grey clouds swirled. Thunder rumbles. She takes another breath. The satchel tied to her bag was like an anchor, pulling her into the depths below. Her legs kicked, ripping through water. Lightning cracked in the sky above her, revealing the giant ship in the distance. A huge wave came up from under her, pushing her sideways. She dived under the next wave, with open eyes she could just see the clear void, speckled with swarms of air bubbles. Coming up for air, she is pulled up in a colossal wave, curling up at its peak; it throws her sideways and drags her down. She thrashes her legs, forcing herself above water. Gasping, lightning lights the sky again and she spotted the ship. She pushes her body forward, ever aiming towards it.

*
A punch flew up, only to be blocked by wrist brace. The arms twisted at superhuman speeds, lashing out, blocking, grasping and breaking holds until one pair of arms grab another and pin them to the ground.

*
Diana swam. Her small arms curling around and spearing the water. She turned her head, glancing at the shore whilst grabbing a quick breath. Her mother stood on top a large stone boulder, her arms behind her, her gaze fell firmly upon her. Her thoughts were impossible to decipher. Diana brought her head back into the water, kicking harder. Just twelve more laps.

The sun shone above her. Behind her she heard splashing. Her arms moved faster, swinging around and spraying water as they pull out. Still the splashing was gaining on her. She kicked. A figure glided by her, as Diana turned her head to breath she saw her. Orana, smiling, her red hair glistening behind her. Diana struggled to move her arms faster but they did not seem to listen to her.
The woman continued past her, and slowly onwards into the distance.

The next lap around, her mother was not watching.

*
A hand snatched a sword standing in the ground, and drew it into an arc. Slashing downwards it was blocked by two metal wrist guards. Sparks flew. The sword remained, shaking slightly as it pressed against the metal braces, forcing them backwards. Underneath a kick flew out, sending the sword wielder flying backwards.

*
Diana rolled and grabbed a sword lying on the ground. Her breathing was heavy but in control. She turned and slashed out, barely missing the dark skin amazon. The veteran's sword now swung at Diana, who dodged backwards and under.

“<Use your brace guards. Aggressive defence!>” Her mother's voice echoed down from the stands.

The distraction almost caused her to be cut. Diana gritted her teeth, leaping upwards and kicking the blade from the older amazon’s hand. The woman grabbed her foot and swung her around. Diana flew back into the stone wall. The woman charged. Diana righted herself, then pushed herself off the wall behind her, sending her into the legs of the charging woman. The force knocked both of them into a roll.

The dark skinned woman pinned the younger girl. Diana punched the woman's face. The woman's hands grasped Diana's throat, squeezing. Diana punched again, hitting the woman's eye, then pulled her body up and kicked the woman off. Standing in before the woman had hit the ground, Diana twisted the woman's arm behind her and applied pressure.

“<Yield!>”

The woman breathed out through her teeth. “<No!>”

Diana slammed the woman's body onto the ground, and twisted the arm further. “<Yield!>”

The woman struggled, her face tight in pain before she shook her head, “<I yield. I yield!>”

Diana released her and stood up straight. The woman lay for a moment before rolling on to her knees. Diana helped her up and then looked out to the stands. The silhouette of her mother standing in the shadows made no movements.

Her mother's voice rung out again. “<Next.>”

A fair haired woman dropped into the arena, armed with a sword and shield. Diana looked to the sword lying on the ground and dove towards it.

Up in the stands, a woman walked to Hippolyta's side. “<Queen, the philosophers say that if we do not meet the God Hypnos in his kingdom of sleep, he will take from us in our waking life.>” The Queen turned her head to meet the woman's eyes, her face stern. The woman hesitated before continuing. “<What I mean to say is, your daughter, she has been awake for five days. How much longer must she...>”

The woman stopped. The Queen turned back to the fighting. “<As long as it takes.>”

*
Sparks flew as the swords met. Diana stepped backwards two steps and pushed boots out into a defensive stance. Her teeth clenched, she stared at her opponent while her right eye swelled.

Orana smiled, her red hair caught the sunlight behind her. “<You have grown soft, princess. Man's world has not been kind.>”

With blurred speed Orana whipped her arm. The metallic tiara she was wearing flew towards Diana, who lifted her arm. The bronze coloured shield section upon her arm folded out into a large round hoplite shield, and the tiara deflected off. She glanced over the shield only to narrowly dodge a slashing sword. Orana kicked the shield, sending Diana stumbling back. She swung each of her swords around and pointed them both at the princess. “<Remember girl, aggressive defence.>”

Orana leapt, bringing both of her swords down on to the shield. A flurry of blows knocked Diana further back, keeping her off balance. She striked out with her blade, narrowly missing Orana's shoulder. The older amazon turned, catching her blade across Diana's arm, spraying red blood into the air.

*
The sky was blood red. A young Diana sits with the older amazon Mala, at the edge of the white marble steps of the observatory. Beyond them the sea roars with a constant crash. A seagull hovered in the light warm wind that blew across them.

“<Mala, what is that?>” Diana young voice asked.

Mala turned her eyes to follow Diana's pointing arm out into the ocean. A tiny black speck moved across the horizon. “<That is a ship, from the outer world.>”

“<A ship? Like those you sailed to Troy?>” Diana's eyes were wide with curiosity.

“<Not quite. The technology of the man's world has developed further than from that time. Hephaestus has been busy. The ships they sail now are made of steel and other ores, great engines power them.>” Mala brushed her fair hair out of her face. Diana was still staring out into the world, her eyes still following the ship. Mala smiled.

“<Why does it not see us?>”

“<The purple light that keeps us safe, extends around the island. From inside we can perceive the outside, but from the outside they just see water. It is an illusion, a trick of light.>”

Diana was silent for a moment. Mala thought she could almost see her mind turning.

“<Mala?>”

Mala breathed in the warm air. “<Yes.>”

“<What is the outside world like?>”

Mala sighed. A mind as curious as Diana's would always wonder about such things, no matter how much it was avoided. “<Well, the outside world is...>”

“<Not for you.>” The two turned to see Hippolyta standing beside the vine covered marble pillar. “<If your sciences lessons are complete today Diana, I believe you have training with Venelia.>” The queen's voice was quiet but firm.

Diana stood and lowered her head. “<Yes mother.>” She walked past her and ran down the narrow steps, her bare feet skipping lightly across the carved stone.

Mala stood. Hippolyta's eyes remained on Diana disappearing down the mount. Mala opened her mouth and then hesitated.

*
Diana spun, connected her blade with Orana's, then lifted her shield to block the incoming blows. Diana skidded low, slashing at Orana's legs. Orana leaped over her, striking at Diana's shield whilst she flipped. Diana brought her shield back in time stop two blades striking again. A mighty kick sent Diana flying back, she rolled and returned to her feet.

“<The cut must hurt. I bet you find you do not heal as fast off the Island.>” Orana scraped the swords together. She jumped. Diana leapt and met her in the air. At furious speeds the weapons met, sending both warriors to the ground in a shower of sparks. Orana, on top of Diana's shield, stomped on her hand, sending her sword skidding across the ground. Diana tried to pull her arm up from under Orana's boot.

Orana plunged a sword through Diana's hand, spearing it to the ground. Diana winced.

“<I will bind you with the golden lasso and drag you back to Themyscira if I must.>”

*
Diana walked through the long marble columns. The layered steps lead up to the statue of Aphrodite, standing in the middle of the temple. The statue's striking blue eyes seemed to be following her. As she passed it she made a quick prayer and lifted her hands. The temple was dimly lit, except for the flames of Hestia which flickered in the centre behind Aphrodite. Around the curved wall at the end of the temple, inlaid in the wall were the smaller statues of the other divine patrons of the Island. Hera, Artemis, Athena, Demeter, Hestia, and the only male in the temple, Hermes, each with a small alter with offerings upon it, smoke wafting gently. Diana moved quickly, one of the Seven Priestesses would return shortly, her distraction would not keep them away for long.

She moved to the small doorway near the statue of Hermes and twisted the handle. It opened with a slight squeak that made her cringe. Inside it was dark. She looked around and pulled a torch from her belt. She placed the torch in Hermes' offerings until it caught fire. She looked at the messenger god's face. “<Sorry,>” she whispered and headed into the passage.

The stairs winded downwards and then curved down into a circular room. The room was lit with a swirling purple light. Aphrodite's heart. She slowly stepped into the room, her eyes transfixed by the pulsing orb that turned slowly in the centre of the floor. She walked around it as the warm radiance shone on her skin. A copper colour mechanism surrounding, it in the floor, rotated with moving gears that turned silently. The legend was that Aphrodite asked her husband Hephaestus to make an engine powered by her love, to shine out across her chosen people. It would keep them safe from enemies, heal them from injuries, and keep them from aging. Diana had heard the legend many times, but to actually see it was another thing entirely.

She shook her head and looked around the rest of the room. The walls were covered in paintings of Amazon history, but were different from the ones she had seen in the other buildings on the island. Strange metal birds in the sky, an Amazon stabbed by a man, a helmeted man dragging her by her hair. She squinted her eyes, trying to make sense of the stories. Underneath the paintings she can see the sacred items. The Lasso of Truth, the Bow of Artemis, the Shield of Hephaestus, the Spear of Athena, the Sword of Hermes... She had never seen them so close before, only ever at festivals. Her hand touched the golden Lasso.

“<Those are not for your hands.>”

She spun to see Orana standing at the entrance, looking stern. Diana dropped her head. “<Champion Orana. I... I am sorry.>”

Orana walked towards her. “<I'll admit that the pile of burning goat dung was an effective diversion, but when the Priestesses learn that it was you that left it on the steps to the temple, I am sure they will not be happy, let alone what your mother will think.>”

Diana cringed. “<I am sorry honoured Orana, please do not...>”

Orana grabbed Diana's thin arm and slammed it against the table. A sickening crack signalled it breaking. Diana took a sharp intake of breath. Her wide watering eyes darted at her disturbingly angled arm then back to Orana. The older amazon took Diana's hair and pulled her close. “<Do not even think of crying.>” Diana, breathing rapidly, nodded. “<You are never, ever to return to this room, you understand?>” Again, she nodded. Orana bared her teeth. “<Ok, now leave. Remember that it's dangerous to run as fast as you do down all those steps, you might fall and break something.>” She let the girl go.

Diana gently cradled her arm as she left. Biting the insides of her cheeks, she walked up the stairs. Tears streamed down her face. She refused to let herself look back.

*
Diana forced the shield up with an almighty push, throwing her opponent to the side. She twisted over and pulled the sword out from her hand with her shield arm. Rolling on to her knees she threw the shield at Orana, knocking the sword out of her hand. Diana pulled the band of material wrapped around her forehead and quickly bandaged her hand. Orana roared, charging Diana, who deflected her blow with her wrist brace.

Orana turned, kicking Diana in the head and then in her chest, throwing her into the air. Darting at rapid speed, the veteran smashed her down into the ground, cracking the concrete that makes up the roof on which they stand. Orana fell on her, punching rapidly at her head. A shot echoed out, and with superhuman reflexes Orana spun, deflecting the bullet off her own wrist brace. Mike Schorr, standing with his pistol drawn, stared with widening eyes at the fierce red-haired Amazon, then down at his stomach. Blood pooling in his shirt, he fell to his knees.

Diana stared with fury at the fallen Policeman, and then at Orana. She punched Orana hard enough that she flew upwards. Before she was on the ground Diana grabbed her arm and leg, spinning her around like a discus. She released and Orana flew to the edge of the roof top, smashing through the concrete straight off the edge of the building.

*
Diana lay on the bed in the healing house. She snored softly and shifted slightly as if agitated by something. Her arm lay across her chest wrapped in bandages and a metal bracing. The physician, Epione, quietly walked over to Hippolyta, who was standing in the doorway.

“<One night outside from her room, she should be fine. The break was clean, no trouble to fix,>” Epione whispers. Hippolyta nodded, face neutral. “<It is strange,>” she continued, “<in all of this time, I have seen her run across these hills and I've never seen her fall. Still I guess it has to happen eventually.>”

“<Thank you Epione. I trust you will stay with her.>” Epione nodded and Hippolyta walked out into the night. She met Orana partway down the path. Orana bent her head.

“<I did what you requested me to do.>”

Hippolyta walked past her. “<Let us hope it is enough.>”

Inside, Diana dreamed of running.