章節 2: Issue #2: X, The Hunted.
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(General P.O.V)
"This is a world of Myth and legend. Heroes and villains. Magic and science. Good and evil. Virtuous and immoral."
"Nothing that exists beneath Heaven or above Hell is constrained to mere logic or sense. It is a world of destinies. Infinite and Grand."
:- Unknown Scribe from the order of the Church of Blood.
(General P.O.V)
The Harvest Festival was only a few hours away.
Popularly known as the Thesmophoria, it was set in autumn, a festival to honor the goddess Demeter, and her daughter Persephone for their patronage and blessings.
All across Themiscyra, from the Royal Palace to Bana-Mighdall, the furthest end of the Island, a celebratory presence hung in the air.
The festival took place on the beach, overlooking the ocean in front of the city.
Colorful adornments were decorated along the main shore, garlands and colorful drapes of flowers leading from the heart of the city towards the beach.
Warrior race they might have been, but the concept of beauty was not lost to the Amazons. One of their patrons was Aphrodite after all.
Occasional ocean breezes gently sweeped through the island, causing the beachside firepits, prepared for the Star-dance, to crackle with heightened intensity.
The Star-dance was a celebratory dance under the moonlit sky.
One that served as a farewell to Persephone as she descended to the Underworld to be with the God of the underworld, Hades.
It was in part a conclusion and the purpose of the Star-dance.
Demeter's mood would soon sour in the upcoming month; to ensure the prosperity of each year's harvest, the Harvest Festival had never been skipped.
It was integral to Themiscyra.
******
From the balcony of the Royal Palace, the princess of this martriachal nation, sighed helplessly.
A certain yearnness could be observed in her blue eyes, which were firmly locked onto the horizon.
Her long black hair cascaded freely, forming gentle waves around her head.
Adorned in a white chiton, a leather breastplate covered her torso, leaving her powerful arms bare.
All in all, she looked the epitome of an Amazon. A perfect balance of deadliness and beauty.
"What seems to trouble you, my daughter?"
The queen, her mother asked, sliding up to Diana's side and hugging her daughter with one arm.
Diana turned to her mother with an eager smile, making her already beautiful features a sight to behold.
"Mother, you're finally done with the Senate meeting. I thought you'd stay there well into the night."
The two embraced.
"And miss the Star Dance? Not on your life."
The Queen cheekily replied.
"Not on anyone's life. It's your favorite time of the year."
Diana replied with a knowing smile.
"The goddess Demeter truly deserves our appreciation."
Hippolyta said in quiet gratitude, staring up at the sky and the rising stars as the night set in.
Far below,
A procession of Amazons with lyres, flutes, drums and food supplies was making their way to the beach.
Most of the city's inhabitants, their fellow Amazons were already gathered on the beach, the preparations for the Festival in full swing.
The Thesmophoria was at hand.
A shadow crossed Hippolyta's face as she gazed upon the stars.
Memories passed through her mind, reminding her of Themiscyra's awful past.
"In the aftermath of Herakles' rampage, when other gods turned away, it was Demeter and Aphrodite who stood by our side. In times of despair, her unwavering presence merits our reverence. Themiscyra owes its existence to her benevolent patronage."
Diana stared at her mother with understanding.
She...hadn't been alive at that time, but every Amazon knew of the stain upon their legacy that could never be washed away.
The pride they once had was cruelly torn away by Herakles, who was being manipulated by Ares at the time.
Sent by the king of Mycenae for his ninth labor, Herakles was to conquer Amazonium and steal Queen Hippolyta's Golden Girdle.
Things went...horribly.
"Diana."
Her mother's voice broke the youngest Amazon out of her heavy thoughts.
The princess listened intently as Hippolyta spoke,
"The stars float in the endless sky, Orion and Pleadies prominently shining down on us, yet despite the beauty of it, your gaze is firmly locked on the horizon not the sky."
There was an unmistakable question in her statement.
'This is it.' Diana thought. There was no better time to breach the subject than now, the night of the Harvest Festival.
Blue eyes met even bluer ones.
Diana faced her mother head on, shoulders straight and gaze locked onto her eyes.
Side by side, the resemblance between the two was uncanny.
Hippolyta possessed all the features her daughter had. The only difference was the mature air she carried about her.
A proud gleam lit up in her eyes as she observed her daughter.
"Mother, now that my training is complete, I wish to explore Man's world."
Then Diana made her request known, causing Hippolyta's expression to darken.
"Absolutely not."
The queen firmly refused.
Diana narrowed her eyes.
"Why not?"
"Because I forbid it."
Hippolyta replied in a tone that brokered no argument.
"Man's world is filled with depravity and sin. A society we abandoned long ago. And not without just cause."
Diana tightened her hands into fists.
"Which is precisely why I need to go. Where else shall I gain experience as a warrior, mother?"
Her tone took on a pleading note.
"If you're worried about my safety-"
"That's not it."
Hippolyta interrupted, a frown falling upon her face.
She lightly carressed Diana's cheek.
"Let this go Diana. You are the princess of Themiscyra. You have duties and responsibilities. I won't have you running off into flights of fancy. It's time to grow up."
The entire hallway was silent upon the Queen's statement.
Whispers from the Amazons passing by reached their ears.
A single gaze from Philippus, the Queen's consort and General of the Themiscyran army, positioned protectively behind the two royalties, prompted onlookers to hastily disperse.
The general was dark skinned with long black hair. She shared the same beauty that all Amazons had, though her sharp nose and cool black eyes made her appear unwelcoming and stern.
Mother and daughter found themselves holding a contest of wills.
"You cannot keep me here mother."
Diana told her.
"I need your blessing not your permission."
Hippolyta chuckled.
"How bold you've grown, daughter. Do not forget, I am still your Queen and I STILL forbid it."
With that said, the Queen turned around, regal cloak flapping behind her as she left, flanked on both sides with the Royal bodyguards.
"I eagerly await to see you dance at the Festival, Diana."
"Ugh, she never listens to me."
The princess complained, punching a hole into the wall close to her. The entire building shuddered.
Philippus briefly patted Diana on her shoulder.
"I told you it wouldn't go well, princess. Talk to her after the festival."
The general smiled.
"I shall have buttered her up for you."
Diana sighed, watching Philippus walk away after her mother.
Her eyes returned to the horizon, at the point the sky merged with the ocean.
Oh how she longed to see what was on the other side of the veil.
Boom!
A massive crash sounded out from the direction of the forest.
It was only through her Superhuman senses that she was able to pinpoint the location.
On the West side of the island, right over the ridges around the city, smoke was rising.
(Kane's P.O.V)
The leaves crumbled silently under my body as I crawled through the undergrowth, using the surprisingly sharp spear in my hand to cut my way out.
Meanwhile, my mind was occupied by speculations. A healthy amount of disbelief and skeptism as well.
She said Themiscyra.
I hadn't misheard her. Remember, I have very sharp hearing.
She indeed referred to this place as Themiscyra, the island of the Amazons. It explained the women's blatant hostility.
And if it indeed was Themiscyra...
Oh boy. That meant DC Comics.
What...a sobering thought.
Let's pretend that the woman with shifting cords of muscles, a lot of battle experience in the way she moved, was not actually crazy and I had actually washed up on the shores of a fictional world.
I can't pick a fight with them.
For starters, I was stranded on their home turf, lore suggests that one Amazon has strength equal to 10 men.
And that's without counting in Demi-gods like Diana, the LITERAL daughter of ZEUS.
Anywhere else in DC was viable to appear at.
Except Gotham. That place is fucked beyond what Batman can fix.
Despite the presence of beautiful women in the island, their matriarchal system of rule did not look favorably upon men.
Case in point, they were scouring the jungle, hunting me down.
It doesn't matter how, but I need to leave the Island.
Maybe they have a ship docked on the beach? Not likely.
The Amazons were isolationists, they had little interest to engage with the outside world.
My body rolled on it's own accord, escaping a sword thrust that dug into the dirt below me.
I had the danger sense tingling at the back of my mind to thank for that.
Damn, I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't feel one of them approach. Or maybe they were trained to be that sneaky.
What mattered was my next course of action now that my hiding spot was discovered.
"Found him!"
The owner of the spear I had stolen, the blonde chic from before, called out to the others, glaring down at me.
Her taut body was exposed before my eyes, skin glowing with a bit of perspiration.
She was tall, in her twenties and naked as the day she was born.
"Tch."
Making a disgusting noise at my staring, she stabbed down at my form once more.
The thrust missed me by inches, the blade getting tangled up in the brush.
"You men are the...waaahhh!!!"
A startled cry burst forth from her lips as I swiftly knocked her feet from under her, securing the spear shaft around her ankles and giving it a decisive pull.
She fell, her head smacking onto a rotting log of wood that was on the ground before me.
"Sister!"
All too soon, my focus shifted to the rest of my would be killers, rushing towards our position from the jungle around us.
"Get away from her!"
A brunnette yelled, pulling on her bow.
The rest of them followed her example.
The hail of arrows that followed were not aimed for my body, instead they served to separate me from the blonde Amazon on the ground.
I took note of that. They were more focused on saving an ally than killing me.
I jumped, marveling at the fact I cleared more than 30 meters of distance, a feat right above the world record.
Landing in a crouched position, I bent my knees, unintentionally posing like a certain friendly neighborhood spider hero.
It hadn't escaped my mind that the abilities I was exhibiting, were highly similar to what Spider-man could do.
I got to my feet, a curious glint in my eyes while looking down at my hands.
It's clear now. However unbelievable it would seem, the fact remained that this wasn't a dream.
I was somehow stranded in Themiscyra, an Island full of warrior women and I suspect I had...superpowers.
Sounds like the synopsis of a wish fulfillment novel but trust me, I had pinched myself over 10 times already.
This was happening. I was in a fight for my life and I had powers.
I wonder...
What can I really do? And the abilities like danger sense and increased strength, were they as Spider themed as I suspected or was something else at play?
Now that I think about it, there was that purple, blue and red spider that bit me.
But that was barely an hour ago, could the process to change my d.n.a and awaken Spider-Man's powers be that fast?
In the fleeting moment it took for me to ponder, I found myself encircled by unclothed women armed with razor-sharp weapons from every direction.
I spun around slowly, making eye contact with each and every one of them.
There were 16 in total.
Eventually, my gaze landed on an Amazon who stood head and shoulders above the rest.
She was completely bald, but that did little to diminish her beauty, only serving to make her more exotic.
The ugly sneer she wore while hatefully glaring my way took that away. And all that was left was a psychotic looking bitch.
In her hands, she held two huge axes, the edges glinting even in the low light.
A burst of Killing Intent exploded out of her.
"Had enough ogling? Do you also desire to hold us down, strip us of our dignity and ravage us?!"
She asked, twirling the pair of weapons with ease and expertise while taking a menacing step forward.
Regrettably, I tore my gaze away from her bountiful breasts, establishing contact with her vengeful eyes.
"Appreciation doesn't need to come from a place of lust, lady. In any case, you're the ones walking around naked."
I shot back.
"All men are the same! Scum honorless trash that deserve culling."
She answered, an evil glint in her eyes.
"We should kill off your whole gender."
Whoa. That's a bit extreme. I'm getting major villain vibes from her.
Shit. She's really not planning on letting me live.
"Can we talk this out?"
I asked, still trying to resolve things peacefully.
"Those things look sharp." I pointed out, referring to the weapons in their hands.
My palm tightened around the shaft of my own stolen spear.
"I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end."
Without saying a word, baldy lifted her axe up into the air. A gleefully bloodthirsty smirk lighting up her face.
"Archers behind, everyone else, kill him."
"""Aahhhh"""
And now I had 10 women trained for thousands of years coming for my head.
This was obviously a less than ideal situation.
No matter whether you're a target or the executioner, drawn out fights are dumb.
Guess it can't be helped then. No point in hiding anymore. I'll have to get serious.
With a sigh, I took off my glasses, carefully folding them and placing them into my pocket.
The Amazon's loud battle cry irritated my ears.
"I'm about to fuck you up.
I exhaled, letting out the frustration building up within me—losing the Tokyo contract, a hefty 250 grand down the drain.
And then there was the matter of my missing equipment: a meticulously assembled poison collection built over three years, my customized Remington M24 sniper rifle, and my precious Damascus Steel daggers.
All valuable. All costly.
It's safe to say that someone attempting to end me was the final straw.
I was done with this shit.
(Alkyone's P.O.V)
"Are you unhurt, Izah?"
I asked my sister.
The pesky girl had the gall to pout.
"Get up."
I ordered in annoyance, and without question, she fell in line.
Izah knew not to disappoint me, especially in front of an enemy, a man no less.
Disappointing me would be followed by a brutal beating in the arena. It was 'sparring' after all.
Amazon law was strict. Especially in terms of settling a grudge. We had a thing for vengeance. And our fury knew no bounds.
Izah was cowed. Gritting her teeth and glaring at the...disgusting creature that had washed up on our soils.
A man.
He was...pleasing to the eyes I suppose. A tough jaw that could take a punch, though he tried to hide behind those glass things on his eyes.
And his body...slim but possessing a hidden strength. This was a man that knew how to move in a fight.
Good. No one less than a warrior deserved dying by my axes.
I was about to call him out on his deception of his true abilities when I saw his eyes.
They roamed, devouring my sisters. Lavishing them to an inch of their lives.
I remember a weight upon my body. Helpless to the sheer animalistic strength that bastard Herakles exhibited as he pushed me down.
An image of Herakles superimposed itself on the intruder's body. And I knew Fury!
I raised my Axe.
""Archers behind, everyone else, kill him."
My sisters moved to comply. Well oiled they were.
Each making up for the defenciences of the other yet powerful on their own.
The archers notched their arrows in readiness and the rest of my sisters and I moved forth, swords drawn ready to execute the blight upon our land.
Only for me to come to a screeching halt.
"Stop!"
The words left my mouth before I could control myself.
My sisters halted.
"Captain. Is something the matter?"
Arissa, my second in command asked.
I was not known for my cowardice or hesitation in the battlefield.
"Everyone, fall back."
I gave another order.
While confused, my sisters complied. They couldn't feel it...
The way the Intruder suddenly went from prey to predator. The second he removed those glass things, he changed.
His entire presence and demeanor. It was like looking at two different people.
"What's your name?"
I couldn't help but ask, wanting to know who this man, giving off a more dangerous aura than Herakles himself, was.
Cool black eyes blinked at me.
"X."
He replied in a lazy yet focused tone.
"Now, can we get back to killing each other?"
Then he moved.
It was fast and unexpected. Within a few steps he would be upon me.
"Archers! Fire!"
At my command, a barrage of arrows flew out from behind me, each aimed at a vital spot on his body.
He spun, twirling the spear around while holding it closer to the base. A massive pressure wave was released slapping all the arrows out of trajectory.
The wind was strong enough to push me a step back.
Our attack outdone by him merely striking the air. What a scary opponent.
I shall have his head.
"Sisters, Pegasi formation!"
Another order given that was adhered to.
I rushed forward, swinging out my axes towards his neck. There was a collision of metal against metal that made my hands tremble.
The intruder held back my axe blades with the shaft of Izah's spear. The stupid girl just had to lose it and give the enemy a weapon.
X exerted a little strength and I was thrown back, flipping to bleed out my momemtum.
But that was okay. I was the head of the Pegasi formation and over me, the wings flared.
Arrisa and Lyra holding two lassos jumped in, tying them around the enemy's limbs to restrain his movements.
"Archers! Now!"
Izah gave the command in my stead.
Foolish girl must have wanted to settle the score with X.
More arrows flew his way, this time unimpeded in their flight. I ran forward as well, ready to unleash the killing blow as this man was done for.
No one had survived our Pegasi formation. It was designed to deal with those stronger than you.
Then something happened that completely changed everything.
X weaved through the projectiles, dodging each and every arrow with minimal ease.
Evading them wasn't the problem.
From a long range and with hard practice, you could read the trajectory of an incoming arrow and react accordingly.
The only person that could dodge so many of them from this close was the princess, and she was a different beast altogether.
What I was seeing was nothing less impressive.
My axes shook in my hand.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票