4 Issue #4: X, The Decision.

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(General P.O.V)

The day after the Harvest Festival, the entire city was abuzz with juicy news.

It was a beautiful morning, the sun's glow cast a carpet of light that blanketed the entire Island.

Within the city confines itself, surrounded by smaller buildings in the military sector, was a large structure built of hardened rock that was adjacent to the public baths.

It was tall just as it was wide at the bottom.

This was the colliseum, otherwise known as the Arena of Themiscyra. The purpose for it was self explanatory.

It was the stage upon which the Amazons honed their skills, and showed them off to the spectators watching from the stands.

While each and every woman in Themiscyra was a warrior who knew how to fight, a few took it to the extreme. Worshipping violence and the clash of blade against blade.

These warriors faced a series of challenges, including mounted competitions highlighting their equestrian prowess(horse riding),and combat scenarios featuring individual duels and team skirmishes.

Demonstrating martial skills, strategic thinking, and teamwork, the games celebrated strength, unity, and sisterhood among the formidable Amazons.

Right at the entrance to the Arena, was a statue of Athena, the goddess of wisdom and battle.

A symbol of strength.

Within the arena itself, the clash of Amazonian blades echoed through the air as skilled warriors participated in spirited sparring.

Amid the rhythmic dance of combat, whispers spread like wildfire among the warriors.

"Have you heard the news, Dela?"

One Amazonian asked between swift strikes with her blade, her brows glowing with slight perspiration.

"What news could be worthy of interrupting our training Serin?" replied the aforementioned Dela, parrying Serin's sword attacks with a hint of forcefulness.

She came here to fight, not listen to gossip.

Serin received Dela's blade with her shield, sweeping away the slash. Sparks were produced from the collision.

Creating distance by jumping backwards, Serin chuckled,

"My my, what has you so hostile in the morning?"

"Spill it now, and let me finish what I started – kicking your sorry ass,"

Dela declared, blade pointed menacingly at the opposing Gladiator.

"That's why you don't have a lot of fans dear sister. You're too anti-social."

Serin pointed out.

"But to answer you, A man was discovered on the outskirts of Themiscyra yesterday!"

She went on to reply with a sudden burst of excitement.

"He was captured and is being held in the dungeons."

The revelation hung in the air, momentarily freezing the intensity of the sparring, as everyone within earshot heard her.

Gasps and murmurs swept through the arena.

Most exchanged confused glances, a mix of curiosity and skepticism.

"A man in our sacred realm?" questioned a seasoned warrior who had been practicing with her lance on the side.

She momentarily lowered it, her expression a blend of surprise and suspicion.

"Yes, and the Queen is gathering members of the council to decide on the course of action. I heard he washed ashore last night."

explained Serin.

"Your squad had watch duty during the festival. That's likely why the news didn't reach you," she continued to disclose.

"I heard rumors about it after the Harvest Festival, but I didn't think any of them were true."

Another Gladiator added.

"It doesn't stop there."

Serin added, basking in the spotlight from her sisters' attention.

"Apparently, he fought Captain Alkyone and her squad...and defeated them all!"

"What?!"

"Impossible!"

"Seriously, Serin, you're not messing with us, right?" Another Gladiator asked, sounding a bit skeptical.

"And Captain Alkyone losing? Come on, she's one of the toughest warriors on the island."

Dela's blade halted in the air after she swung it out.

'Alkyone and the others lost?'

"Believe me, why would I make this up?"

Serin defended herself in a whiny tone.

"If it weren't for Princess Diana, who knows what that sneaky man would've done to our sisters... probably something naughty."

A light flush appeared on her cheeks. It was clear she was thinking something perverse.

"Rise above the murk, sister, and let your thoughts soar with the eagles."

Dela slapped the back of Serin's head, touting an unusual saying.

"Ow. What was that for?"

The other girl looked affronted.

"She basically told you to get your mind out of the gutter," another comrade chimed in with a light-hearted chuckle.

Lost in thought, Dela couldn't help but muse, 'A man in Themiscyra...'

A snort, tinged with both uncertainty and humor, escaped her as she tightened her grip around the weapon's handle.

'I wonder, Alkyone. Will this push you? Is this the sign you've been waiting for?'

She levelled an intense gaze at the Senate building in the distance, wondering what the verdict would be.

Somehow, the peace of the Island unknowingly hinged on the decision the Senate would arrive on.

******

Said Senate building was constructed closer to the Royal Palace and served as the convening point for council members.

This was a group of individuals charged with positions of power.

They oversaw different aspects of Themiscyra's government while also acting as an advisory committee to the Queen.

Within the grand hall of the Senate, Princess Diana commanded the attention of a circular assembly.

The assembly comprised 10 council members, each occupying a ministerial seat.

For instance, the minister of agriculture held a pivotal role in food production, wielding authority second only to the Queen in that area.

The minister of the Navy, on the other hand, bore the responsibility of safeguarding the seas surrounding Themiscyra and addressing any potential threats to the island.

Alkyone had previously occupied this position, but was later ousted from the Council due to her violent tendencies, which posed a significant risk to the island.

Instead of just defending Themiscyra, she had actively targeted any vessel crewed by men that came near the island.

"Of all people to stumble upon a man, it had to be her,"

Pillyphus muttered beside the Queen, eyes narrowed at Alkyone standing on the left platform beneath the council.

The Queen who sat on a throne, elevated above everyone except one, said nothing. Her eyes firmly focused on her daughter.

"I'm more concerned about Diana than our volatile sister,"

Hippolyta responded with a touch of worry.

Her face maintained a passive expression, yet her eyes betrayed the storm of emotions within.

"You're thinking she might use this mess as an excuse to leave the island." Pillyphus remarked in a more casual tone.

"Maybe it wouldn't be the worst idea."

"That will never happen, Pillyphus. So don't joke about it."

The Queen replied harshly.

"Members of the Senate,"

Diana called out, drawing all attention to herself.

"We aren't mindless killers. I know many of you may lean toward advocating for pur guest's death, but I urge you to hear me out."

It was telling of her social standing that the room remained quiet, despite the sensitive topic at hand.

"We can't resort to violence without understanding why he's here, especially during the Harvest Festival," she emphasized.

Around the marble table, the council exchanged wary glances, their collective uncertainty palpable.

Murmurs rose up, some in support of Diana's view while most remained adamant, choosing to uphold the law.

Alkyone hid a smile as she left her stand, stepping forward before halting next to Diana.

They locked eyes, Alkyone sporting a confident smile while Diana's expression remained inscrutable.

"You're too young to understand what it is you speak of."

Alkyone muttered under her breath, loud enough for only Diana to hear.

Without waiting to see her reaction, Alkyone turned to the council members.

"Members of the council, your majesty."

She bowed her head.

"Impertinent it might be but I would like to question the princess."

"Alkyone..."

Pillyphus stepped forward menacingly.

There was the correct decorum to follow, and the former council woman was speaking out of turn.

"No."

The Queen raised a hand.

"Let her speak."

Diana narrowed her eyes at her mother.

Alkyone didn't bother hiding the smirk of victory. She didn't know why the Queen was helping her but she didn't care. It had worked out in her favor.

All she wanted was to exact revenge on that arrogant man. She wanted to see him beneath her boots, quaking in fear and begging for Mercy.

The chances of that happening were slim to none. Her hatred for Kane did not blind her to reality. He was strong. Stronger than her.

And as a testament to that strength, she had bandages around her torso from Lyra's body colliding onto her. Breathing carried with it a sharp pain that was going to take some time to heal.

The impact had been powerful enough to instantly take her out of the fight, coming to only after Diana had arrived.

But the fire she had seen in his eyes...remained in her memories. That wasn't a man who would kneel to just anyone.

That left a second option.

Convincing the Council to execute him.

And if she could humble the princess in the process as well, then she would count it as a win. The best part? The law was on her side.

"Thank you, your majesty."

Alkyone said, her tone not sounding the least bit genuine.

Then she turned her focus to Diana.

"Princess, centuries of peace rest on one golden rule – no man on Themiscyra,"

Alkyone declared, everyone in the chamber gripped by her words.

"It's a decree from the Gods themselves. Are you proposing we discard the law that has safeguarded our way of life for millennia?"

"Of course n..."

Diana tried to refute only to be interrupted.

"Then it's decided!"

Alkyone clapped her hands.

"We must eradicate this threat before we incur the wrath of the Gods."

She finished with fervor.

Normally Alkyone's appeal would not have fallen on deaf ears, but her reputation was not the best.

Her views had occasionally had her butt heads with the council before.

Whatever she said would be taken with a pinch of salt.

The council while open to her words, seemed almost antagonistic to her. Unwilling to swallow their pride.

And Alkyone knew this.

She grit her teeth, deciding to shift her approach. If they wouldn't listen to reason, then maybe fear would work.

"He single-handedly took down 16 of our sisters when we attempted to bring him in,"

Alkyone revealed.

"He's dangerously powerful. What if this attack was just the beginning of something more? Something like war from Man's World."

Her words injected a sense of urgency into the discourse. And now rampant discussions were breaking out among the Council.

"She could be right." Said one Council member.

"The law is clear on the matter. Although Alkyone is the one to hold us accountable. That fact grates me."

Another chimed in.

"16 of our sisters, especially from her squad is nothing to scoff at. We should eliminate him immediate."

The general consensus seemed to be leaning towards the outcome Diana wanted to avoid.

"Please."

Diana spoke.

"Let us not be hasty. I agree with our sister in that he's strong. But she's wrong about everything else."

Alkyone clenched her jaw but wisely chose not to interupt.

"Alkyone, spill the truth. Encountering a lost soul, your initial reaction was senseless violence, wasn't it?" Diana challenged, undeterred.

"Senseless violence?"

Alkyone repeated with a derisive snort.

"What is senseless about defending my home?"

"I saw the battlefield."

Diana countered, stepping forward.

"The numerous arrows shot towards a single position suggest they were trying to kill him, not the other way around."

The looks Alkyone was getting changed. Now they seemed tinged with suspicion.

"In other words, what Alkyone was doing was not defending our home."

Diana asserted.

"Our dear sister was setting a bad precedent for who we are. Warriors, not cruel uncivilized beasts."

The Minister of Agriculture, sensing the division in the room, sighed.

"If he did indeed harm our people and is as dangerous as you say, then no amount of discussion will change the result."

"I agree."

The current minister of Justice pitched in.

"In light of this information, that is the only option left. Death by execution."

A few more council members supported the sentiment.

'Your move, princess.'

Alkyone thought with a malicious grin.

"Execution without a fair trial?"

Diana asked in disbelief.

"That is completely unethical! Mother please!"

Amid the mounting discord, Queen Hippolyta, the silent observer, maintained her regal composure. The Senate, now visibly divided, awaited the queen's wisdom.

Seizing the moment, Diana presented an alternative perspective, urging the assembly to view the situation through a different lens.

"Yes, the man is dangerous, a seasoned warrior,"

Diana acknowledged.

"Yet, he had the opportunity to kill our sisters but instead tried to escape. That's how I caught him. Trying to flee for his life."

She implored the Senate.

"Perhaps it is time Themiscyra opened its borders for relations with the outside world,"

Diana proposed, sparking even more pandemonium in the Council room.

Voices clashed in a cacophony of disagreement, the fervor escalating.

"Preposterous!"

"Even for the Princess that is too immature!"

"Open our kingdom to the filth of man-kind?"

"Silence," Queen Hippolyta's authoritative command cut through the tumult, restoring order.

The queen turned her head left, to the only other seat, level with her own.

The one occupied by the High Priestess, the Queen's religious and magical advisor.

She served as a spiritual guide, conducted sacred ceremonies, interpreted prophecies for divine guidance, preserved sacred knowledge, mediated disputes with wisdom, and acted as a conduit between the Amazonians and the gods.

She was Queen Hippolyta's messenger with the Gods. And her counsel was never taken lightly.

"What does the Oracle make of all this?"

Queen Hippolyta inquired, her eyes reflecting the weight of the decisions that lay ahead.

The High Priestess wore ethereal blue robes with golden sacred symbols on intricate Amazonian fabric.

The attire served to reflect her spiritual role.

She was adorned with ceremonial jewelry and a black headdress, with a veil that covered her face.

Only a pair of glowing green eyes could be seen pulsing through the veil.

She looked more gypsy than a warrior.

And even the air around her felt charged with a certain godly aura. To complete her look was a large Staff held in her right hand.

The staff lightly glowed within the chamber.

The entire Senate went silent, awaiting the High Priestess' words.

The Oracle's wisdom would illuminate the path forward for Themiscyra.

And with a voice as light as a feather yet broader than the ocean, she spoke.

"Killing of any kind is forbidden during the week following the Themosphoria."

She paused before continuing.

"The man who has touched our shores stands apart from Herakles and his horde. He belongs to a new era, outside the bounds of our age-old immortal grudge."

"And yet," Her tone changed, growing heavier.

"The law must be observed. I believe this gives him equal right to life and death. With the choice...resting on the Council's shoulders and you my Queen."

The earlier arguments were now quelled as attention went back to the Queen.

'What will you decide mother...' Diana thought in worry.

"I see."

Queen Hippolyta mused, nodding her head at the high priestess.

"Once more I appreciate your counsel dear sister."

"I merely perform my duties, your Majesty."

The High Priestess bowed.

Pillyphus raised her eyebrows at the resolute look that fell upon the Queen.

'I guess she has arrived at a decision.' The General of the army thought.

Queen Hippolyta rose gracefully, her majestic presence eclipsing that of the High Priestess.

"I have reached a decision."