Second Chances: Artemis

Chapter 27

After Thea had been prepared for her trial, she was standing at the sacred altar of the Amazons with Diana and Antiope.

"Thea Queen, do you accept the risks of this trial?" Antiope asked.

"I do." Thea said.

"You understand that once this trial begins, it cannot be stopped until it is completed?" Antiope asked.

"I do." Thea repeated.

"And you understand that this trial is one you must take yourself, with no outside assistance from anyone or anything, even the gods?" Antiope asked her.

"I do." Thea said.

"Then, it is time for you to travel to the ancient training grounds." Antiope said as Thea felt the world flip under her as she found herself back in the ancient amazonian training grounds, an immense forest.

Thea quickly unsheathed her sword, preparing to defend herself at a moment's notice, when suddenly, an arrow flew by her head and she barely dodged and turned to see Malcolm Merlyn, dressed as the Dark Archer, standing in the forest, his bow aimed.

"Hello Thea." Malcolm said.

"You." Thea said angrily as she charged at him, with Malcolm pulling out his own sword right in time to block her strike.

"There it is Thea. Despite all your claims that you're not a monster like me, you know you are. Just like me and your mother. It's your DNA. You're a killer, just like me. You're no hero." Malcolm said as they fought.

"No. I'm nothing like you." Thea denied as she continued trying to kill Malcolm.

"Admit it. You don't deserve the power you were given and you don't deserve that stone. Your brother may be a monster, but at least he was honest about what he was. You're in denial of your true nature." Malcolm said as they continued sparring.

"No, you're wrong." Thea said.

"Admit it, every evil thing you've done, the things you've blamed me for, you actually enjoyed doing. All the people you've killed, including Sara." Malcolm said and that was when Thea realized what this was.

"You're not real." Thea said, realizing this was the mystic nature of Themyscira.

"Yes I am Thea. You know what I am." Malcolm said as they continued sparring.

"You're not Malcolm. You're me. Or at least a part of me." Thea admitted and Malcolm nodded.

"I'm the part of you that you keep locked away. The dangerous monster that you fear I created, but has always been buried deep within you. Your anger and rage at a world you feel abandoned you, the sorrow you feel for the father you lost, the hatred you feel for the father you have left, the feelings of neglect and abandonment from your brother and mother, the regrets of everything you've ever done, the loss of the only man you've ever loved, the man who's abandoned you twice before and you fear will do it again, the feeling that you don't deserve the powers you've been given." Malcolm said.

"Wow, I am having a real Star Wars moment here and thank the gods none of those tech nerds heard me say that. But you're right I do know you are and I'm done fighting you." Thea said as she kicked him away.

"Excuse me?" Malcolm asked.

"I know who you are. The reason you look like Malcolm Merlyn is because he's the picture I imagine when I think of you. You're the darkness inside of me that I've been running from my entire life. But I'm done running from it and I'm done fighting you. And I'm done being used by other people. First by Malcolm, then by Oliver when I joined his team and then even by Artemis, I feel like she's using me now to fight her war and I'm done with it. I am not a puppet." Thea said.

"Then who are you?" Malcolm asked with a smirk.

"I'm my own person. I'm more than just a pawn to be used by others. I'm more than just an amazon and or socialite or a vigilante. I'm a leader, not just a follower. I'm done letting other people define who I am. And when Ares is gone, I'm done being Artemis's puppet. Do you hear that Artemis? Once Ares is dead, we're going our separate ways. I won't let anyone else use me ever again!" Thea shouted at the sky, wondering if the goddess could hear her.

"Well done Thea." a new voice said and Thea turned to see Malcolm be replaced by Artemis herself.

"Artemis, how are you here?" Thea asked.

"We're not on Earth technically, so we can speak. And I've been wondering when you would finally admit this to yourself." Artemis said.

"You knew I didn't want to be your avatar forever." Thea realized.

"Nor did I intend for you to be. Thea, this whole trial has been so you can finally break free of the chains of your past so you can truly own your future. You couldn't receive the Kronos Stone until I knew you were ready to embrace life without me after Ares is gone. But know that you've never been a pawn to me. I do see you as my equal and our arrangement is a partnership, even if it doesn't always feel that way to you." Artemis said.

"I'm just so tired of having other people pull my strings." Thea said.

"I know. You're a free spirit, like me. One of the reasons I chose you." Artemis said.

"So, are we not getting back together now?" Thea asked.

"We will when you return to Earth, since you'll need my strength and power to defeat Ares, but you still need to determine who you'll be afterwards. Who you'll be without me." Artemis said and Thea nodded.

"So, did I pass the trial?" Thea asked and Artemis smiled.

"Yes you did. You completed it the moment you chose to stop fighting Merlyn. When you return to Earth, the Amazons will know to give you their piece of the stone." Artemis said and Thea nodded.

"On the topic of the stone, you wouldn't happen to know where to start looking for Hades' piece of the stone do you?" Thea asked.

"I wish I did. But my father gave him very strict orders to hide it well." Artemis said and Thea nodded.

"I see you passed your trial." Antiope said when Thea returned.

"I did." Thea agreed.

"Thea, you were gone for three days." Diana said, though she had a proud look on her face.

"It only felt like a few hours." Thea said.

"Time works differently in the ancient realm. But you passed your trial, which means that we can give you our piece of the stone." Antiope said as Lydia returned with a small parcel, which she unwrapped to reveal a rather unimpressive shard of stone.

"I'm assuming it will look more impressive once it's combined with the other two pieces." Thea said.

"Correct. But still, do not let this fall into the wrong hands." Antiope said.

"That's why I want Diana to hold onto it, since she's an actual daughter of Zeus and she can hold onto it while Ares is competing with me." Thea said.

"And since you're now officially a member of our tribe, you can do that. And yes, I will take it off your hands for the time being, since I do agree it's smart to keep the pieces separated until you have them all." Diana said as she took the stone fragment.

"Guard it with your life. Once I find the other two pieces, I'll put the stone back together and use it to destroy Ares once and for all." Thea said and Diana nodded.