"It seems we're still underestimating Arthur's strength…" murmured Antiope, her tone wavering between awe and concern as her eyes scanned the scene before her.
She, a veteran of millennia of battles, who had once faced the brutal invasion of Darkseid thousands of years ago, was rarely impressed by displays of power. And yet, here she was—astonished.
"He dodged projectiles… that even my eyes couldn't track…" she murmured, almost as if speaking to herself, analyzing Arthur's fluid movements, his precision, his almost supernatural speed.
Beside her, a few Amazons whispered incredulously as they watched the man with damp hair and a determined gaze.
A man… younger than Diana… and yet, displaying a martial skill that perhaps surpassed that of many demigods.
Before anyone could say anything more, Diana had already approached Arthur like an arrow shot from a bow. Her face radiated curiosity and youthful excitement.
"Can you teach me that too?" she asked, grabbing Arthur's hand with a smile full of expectation and admiration, her eyes shining like a child's before a new toy.
Arthur, who was still wiping blood from his arm with the salty seawater, raised an eyebrow, surprised by the sudden approach, but didn't have time to answer.
"Leave that for another time, Diana," Antiope intervened firmly, her voice as cold as the steel of her sword. She gently but authoritatively pulled Diana away from Arthur. Antiope's expression darkened as she turned her attention back to duty. "The most important task now is to bring the intruder to judgment."
Diana let out a resigned sigh, following her aunt's pull, but threw another curious glance at Arthur, as if silently promising herself that this conversation wasn't over.
(What would she do if they were alone?) Antiope wondered, casting a stern look at her niece before moving ahead, leading the small procession.
Just up ahead, Steve Trevor, still dazed by recent events, was being pushed forward by one of the Amazons who held him firmly by the shoulders.
"Ow! No need to pull me! I can walk on my own!" he protested, trying to break free, but his attempt was pathetic against the inhuman strength of the warriors. The Amazons dragged him along with the ease of someone hauling a stubborn child.
Meanwhile, Arthur cast one last glance at the battlefield, now silent, and walked to the shoreline. He dipped his arms into the cold water, washing away all traces of blood, sand, and sweat. He took a deep breath; whether he wanted to admit it or not, this was the first time he'd done something like this—but he felt nothing. No remorse. Nothing. Then, he rose and quietly followed the Amazons, his steps firm on the wet sand.
---
Inside the Palace of Themyscira…
Steve Trevor was now kneeling on the polished white marble floor, his arms firmly bound by a golden rope that shone like living fire—the Lasso of Hestia. The hall was filled with female gazes—Amazons of all ages and ranks stared at him, some with curiosity, others with distrust.
He swallowed hard. The sensation was strangely oppressive: being the only man there, surrounded by warriors who could, effortlessly, crush him.
(Why do I feel more vulnerable here than when I was flying over the battlefield?) he thought, uncomfortable.
On the other side of the hall, Arthur remained silent, leaning against one of the columns, arms crossed, observing the scene with an analytical and reserved gaze.
Suddenly, Steve felt something strange—as if an invisible force were pushing him to speak. And before he realized it, the words simply slipped from his mouth.
"I am… Captain Steve Trevor, pilot of the American Expeditionary Forces, number 8141921… and… and that's all I can tell you…"
When he finished, his eyes widened, surprised by himself.
"What? Why did I say that?" he asked, turning his head in all directions, trying to understand. His eyebrows arched even more when he realized he kept speaking, even against his will.
"Hmm… Assigned to British intelligence…" he added, then cut himself off, confused. "What the hell is this?" he exclaimed, instinctively pulling against the rope that held him.
Beside him, a woman with a firm expression simply tightened the rope further, making Steve let out a slight groan of discomfort.
Then a soft yet authoritative voice calmly answered:
"The Lasso of Hestia compels those who touch it to speak only the truth."
Steve looked up and saw Diana standing there, beautiful and imposing, with a serene expression, as if this were the most natural thing in the world.
"But it's so hot!" Steve complained, squirming slightly, sweat beading on his forehead.
Diana merely tilted her head and replied simply:
"It's useless… and painful to resist it."
From the back of the hall, Arthur observed the scene with a curious gleam in his eyes. He brought a hand to his chin, thoughtful. He had never experienced the power of the Lasso of Truth.
(Interesting… I wonder if I could resist it…) Arthur pondered silently, almost with a subtle smirk at the corner of his lips.
---
"What is your mission?"
Antiope's firm voice echoed through the hall, laden with authority and suspicion. The Lasso of Hestia tightened around Steve Trevor's body, radiating a hot, uncomfortable energy that made his heart race.
Steve took a deep breath, fighting against that invisible force, trying to maintain his composure.
"Whoever you are… you're in more danger than you realize…" he muttered, almost as a desperate warning, his eyes pleading for them to understand.
"Speak," Antiope insisted, stepping forward, her expression stern and unwavering. "What is your mission?"
Steve bit his lower lip, shutting his eyes tightly, trying to resist… but it was useless. The heat of the lasso felt like it was burning his skin, as if each golden fiber connected directly to his soul.
"I am a… I am a…" he struggled, but the words simply spilled out, ripped from him by force. "…I am a spy!"
The confession came out hoarse, immediately followed by a sound of pain: Steve's body arched forward, gasping, as if the mere act of admitting the truth had taken part of his life.
The hall fell silent for a moment before he, defeated, let his head drop and began to speak, this time without resistance.
"I didn't intend to hide… I just… I stole a German plane… it was carrying crucial information… documents about a new weapon… a poisonous gas…"
The words now flowed freely, without filter, as Steve confessed everything.
"A gas created by Dr. Maru… or as they call her… Doctor Poison… and General Ludendorff… They plan to use it to kill thousands… maybe millions."
The Amazons exchanged glances, some raising their eyebrows, others clenching their fists, shocked by such brutality.
"If I can get these notes to British intelligence…" Steve lifted his head, his voice filled with urgency. "…I can stop thousands of people from dying. This could end the war…"
Arthur, still leaning against one of the columns, shook his head slightly, his expression laden with skepticism.
(Because of Ares… maybe even those notes won't be enough…) he reflected, keeping his eyes fixed on the prisoner.
Then Diana, who had remained silent until now, furrowed her brow, feeling the weight of his words.
"War…? What war?" she asked, her tone both confused and alarmed.
And it wasn't just her. All the Amazons present suddenly seemed restless, as if something in the air had changed. It was as if they had just realized that the world beyond Themyscira was plunged into darkness even deeper than they had imagined.
Steve's eyes widened, shocked.
"You… you don't know…?"
He let out a brief, nervous laugh, pure desperation, before continuing:
"The war… the war to end all wars. In four years… twenty-five million dead… in twenty-seven countries. Soldiers and civilians. Men, women… children…"
His voice faltered for a second, overcome with emotion. The images of the destruction he had witnessed came to his mind like ghosts.
"…innocents brutally slaughtered… their homes and villages… looted, burned… there are weapons… deadlier than you can even imagine…"
The silence that followed was dense and painful. Diana's heart tightened as the Amazons absorbed those words like an invisible poison.
Steve was then lifted by two warriors and taken to a cell, his eyes still pleading for them to listen, to understand the gravity of it all.
---
A short time later, in the royal hall, Antiope walked briskly through the corridors until she found Hippolyta, who was accompanied by Diana and Arthur. The three of them stood together, gazing out over the serene and untouched horizon of Themyscira—a brutal contrast to the words they had just heard.
"Your Majesty," said Antiope reverently, though the urgency was clear in her voice. "It was Ares… who started this war."
Hippolyta closed her eyes for a brief moment, as if that simple mention could summon old wounds.
Then, with a slow movement, she turned to Antiope, her gaze stern but sorrowful:
"Do not mention that name again… not yet."
Diana, who until then had been listening in silence, could no longer contain herself. She stepped forward, her eyes resolute, her heart pounding with determination.
"Mother… it is the Amazons' duty to stop Ares. It is our destiny."
The queen slowly turned to face her daughter. Her eyes, full of love, also reflected concern. She knew she could no longer shield Diana from that world of pain and war.
Finally, Hippolyta shifted her gaze, looking at Arthur, who watched everything with his usual imperturbable serenity, though his eyes betrayed a certain gleam of anticipation.
"Do you have any advice for us, Arthur?" Hippolyta asked, her voice gentler now, as if seeking support from an old friend.
Arthur uncrossed his arms and took a few steps forward, stopping right in front of them.
He looked directly into Hippolyta's eyes and then spoke with the confidence of someone who had crossed countless battlefields.
"Hippolyta… I'd say this could be… a blessing. Or better yet, an opportunity. The chance to end, once and for all, Ares."
He then turned to Diana and Antiope, encompassing them both with his determined gaze.
"As Antiope said, this war… is surely the work of Ares' hands. If there's a chance… any chance… this is our opportunity to face him."
Antiope smiled subtly, approving Arthur's words. Diana also gave a determined smile, her eyes now filled with a new light, as if she had finally found her true purpose.
Hippolyta sighed deeply, as one who carries the weight of centuries of difficult decisions on her shoulders.
Then, with a firm gaze, she declared:
"Ah… there's no running from this, not this time…"
She turned to Arthur, her expression a mix of resignation and trust.
"Arthur… I ask you to accompany Diana on this journey."
Arthur respectfully inclined his head, then smiled and extended his hand to Hippolyta.
"All right. After all… besides being the first man to set foot on Themyscira in thousands of years… I'm also Diana's instructor."
Hippolyta arched her eyebrows and smiled, clasping Arthur's hand firmly and warmly.
"And… Themyscira's first friend."
Both smiled for a brief moment, a rare instant of lightness in the face of a mission that could forever change the fate of the world.
(End of chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."
Since I ended up having no time to look at this yesterday, I'm going to add a bonus chapter to this fic. The last time I checked, it was at 80, so let's just imagine that it reached the goal hehe.¯\_(ツ)_/¯