章 4: Chapter 4. The Lake

(Continued Narration)

So, there I was, running from a group of women that didn't appreciate a clean surrender. Thanks to my newly acquired Super Attributes, the arrows in my body didn't faze me.

I had jumped from the dome-top building to a tree on the other side and started running again, hoping to get the shores of the Paradise Islands and figure out how I would escape.

It could be far, but I had super speed that enabled me to move more quickly. It was currently at (145/200) and declining due to my injured artery as I dashed deeper into the woods on the outskirts of Themyscira.

Glimpses of the island's beauty caught my eye, but this was no time for sight seeing. I focused on moving past the trees as fast as I could.

I could move faster than I ever imagined in my entire life, but that didn't stop me from hearing the uproar building up from behind me.

"The entire island must be on high alert." I thought to myself, figuring that news about a man being on the island had already reached the queen and the warriors were mounting their horses.

I stepped out of the woods into a path that lead to a huge rock to the top. The opposite side of the path winded down and stretched back to the city of Themyscira with the towering buildings.

Beyond the path's edge, there was a cliff that dropped to a lake that led to another forested area on the far end.

My instincts told me that past this water body would be the shore that granted me a chance outside this island. Surrender was not an option, and it's not like I could fight against a bunch of women that have been training for years in order to fight in an impromptu war .

They were strong and powerful, and even with my super attributes, I couldn't hold out long before they skinned me alive. Thus, the only viable option I had right now was to get out of here (or at least take the chance).

The lower bottom of the path that stretched to the residential area started to get dusty, and before long, a huge tornado of roaring women was racing towards me.

On the top side, just beyond the rock was another group ululating as they shot countless arrows, almost simultaneously, towards where I was.

The woods behind me rattled with fazing ferocity as a bunch of warriors ran with the spears in hand, while throwing them at me.

I had to act fast or I would be dead meat to this women who have been dying for some action for a thousand years. And, those arrows and spears weren't going to keep missing their mark forever.

I rushed to the edge of the cliff and jumped towards the lake with as much strength as possible. That sent me flying in the air for sometime, with a trajectory that crossed a quarter of the lake before I descended and submerged into it.

[Big Lake: Images & Gifs]

Holding my breath underwater, I started kicking as fast as I could, trying to push myself up. My eyeballs felt as if they were being prickled by the dense fluid in the turbulence that followed by my cannonball.

Arrows pierced into the lake around the area I had sunk in with a thirst for blood. Moving up would be a risky gamble as more arrows would just keep coming at me.

I was defenseless underwater and my current agility stats were at 50/200, making it harder to dodge arrows that came close enough. I got grazed all over, but I was lucky that I could still evade the projectiles.

I chose to dive in deeper and reduced the chances of dying this young, making it close to the bottom of the lake. Thankfully, my super strength allowed me to hold my breath for much longer than normal, and superspeed allowed me to swim even faster.

Even in my dive, the arrows were still coming, but getting slower with depth due to the viscosity. That allowed me a chance to look around in the lake and see if I could spot a potential escape point.

The lake was dark, and I could barely make out anything, apart from the projectiles above me. This was not the time, but I was also beginning to feel super uncomfortable in my clothing in that moment.

I was still wearing my business suit; a black coat, a white shirt and tie, and, khaki pants with a pair of decent loafers.

The suit was expensive, but F$$$ it! I just could stay under the water with my coat on, so I removed it and left it to float upwards.

Feeling a bit freer, but still uncomfortable, I pushed myself with my hands and legs and started to swim further away from the danger zone. Far from the sinking arrows and spears.

I then swam towards the surface before I ran out of air and died a sorry death underwater. I might have been blessed with some great abilities, but that hadn't changed so much of who I was, then.

My face came out of the water with the greatest relief of all time, relaxing my lungs and cheeks as I breathed out, before immediately taking in the deepest breath I ever had.

I rubbed my eyes with my fingers, before looking up to see the Amazon Warriors reloading and locking in to their new target.

I observed as the last few arrows that were in the air sunk through the point where I had fallen into the lake through, and got impressed by how far apart I was from it.

"I can really swim!" I said with excitement, almost forgetting about the impending danger lurking all around me.

The Amazons were scattering to surround the entire lake and they had their weapons in hand and ready. I turned to look all around, realizing that there was really no exit for me, from above.

"The lake must be connected to the sea (or ocean)." My thoughts ignited in search for an escape plan.

But this lake was huge. Who knew how tiring it would be to swim back and forth the entire lake while getting shot at. I had really been pushed to a corner now, and I didn't wanna follow through with the potentially only way out.

Uh-ohhh..

My expression fazed and my muscles tensed as I saw the archers tensing the strings of their loaded bows, ready to shoot at me one more time. Why couldn't they just accept my surrender?

They had already injured me so much, and I was honestly surprised that I still felt.. strong. Stronger even beyond my average workout day.

If this was it for me then, I would fall down with pride. I would die like the man I was.

The archers let go of their arrows as they shot upwards, but calculatedly in a way that they would reach me. Spears swung and let lose in the air and flew in harmony with the arrows.

Some bitches these women were!

I sank my face back in the water and kicked so hard, that I was sure I had solidified the water from the pressure. I dived back underwater, but not too deep this time. I changed my course towards the forested area I had seen and swam like a champion with my eyes closed.

Blood was still oozing out from my body and mixing with the cold water as the barrage of projectiles penetrated this cursed domain. My life flashed before my eyes as I imagined that the worst was upon me.

I should have done more with my life. I should have done everything I enjoyed. I could have been nicer to people and hang out some more.

Go out to parties with friends. Take a break and travel the world. Use my money to build a better world by helping others.

Spend time watching and reading stuff I loved when I was younger. I had immersed myself into the business world, and even failed to start a family. (Arguably, I was only twenty years old).

And the worst part was... My career was still a long way from becoming a success. My boss still had me run coffee errands even though I was no longer an intern. Honestly, I was glad that I didn't get to make it to the meeting he had sent me to on his behalf.

Not that the alternative was better anyway, but it meant that I had a fighting chance. Waking up and finding myself in Themyscira gave me a shot at the adventure I always desired. I just hoped that I would somehow end up being a friend instead of for.

Especially now that I was about to swim to the other end and fight the Amazon Warriors with all my might. I wouldn't go easy on them because my life depended on it.

But I wish that they'd go easy on me since they were all so freakishly strong.

Not that I was complaining, but, cut me some slack. I may have found out that I was as powerful as two Amazon Warriors combined into one, but it's not exactly an upper hand if I don't know how to use it.