The Dawn of Hope

The Battle of Freedom

Themyscira, ca. 1480 BC

Diana sat uncomfortably on her seat, shifting as she waited for her mother to return from her visit with Queen Hera. She had a bad feeling about the news that was to come, chaining up Heracles and presenting him to Olympus would definitely not be appreciated by certain Gods. 

The throne room was mostly silent, ignoring the hushed whispers as all the notable Amazons sat in around the long table, all in an apprehensive mood. The rush from Heracles' defeat and humiliation at the hands of the Amazons had passed, and the fruits of their deeds had now ripened. It was time to face the consequences for their rash decision, and Diana knew that the Amazons were going to be punished in some way or another.

Suddenly, the giant doors leading into the War Room opened slightly with the sound of metal, letting in a crack of sunlight. All the whispers silenced, awaiting the arrival of the Queen.

The doors quickly fully opened, presenting two Amazonian guards side by side to the Queen of the Amazons herself, all three decked in breastplates and greaves. The two soldiers carried a 9 foot dory each while the queen had a xiphos sheathed, her hands holding a large scroll.

The entire table stood in respect to Hippolyta, only sitting back down once she nodded for them to do so.

The Queen herself walked to the head of the table where her empty seat was, sitting down with a somber expression. 

Hippolyta's gaze swept over the gathered Amazons, her eyes full of both pride and sorrow. She unrolled the scroll and placed it on the table, revealing intricate symbols and the wax seal of the gods.

"Sisters, the gods have spoken," she began, her voice steady despite the gravity of the situation. "Queen Hera and the council have chosen to forgive us for the killing of Heracles. They acknowledge his crimes against our people and have decided that our actions, while severe, were justified."

A wave of relief swept through the room, but it was short-lived as Hippolyta continued.

"However," she said, her voice growing sterner, "Ares, the god of war, has not taken this lightly. He sees our defiance as a direct challenge to his authority. In his fury, he has vowed to raze Themyscira to the ground. The gods are unable to intervene in his wrath for he is going to avenge a fellow God, something that they are not allowed to hinder according to Ancient Laws. We stand alone against his vengeance."

A heavy silence settled over the room as the weight of Hippolyta's words sank in. Diana clenched her fists, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and determination.

"How much time do we have?" Philippus asked, breaking the silence.

"Not long," Hippolyta replied. "Ares has already prepared his forces. We must ready ourselves for war immediately."

Artemis stood, her expression fierce. "Then we will fight. We have faced impossible odds before and emerged victorious. This will be no different."

Diana rose as well, her voice steady and strong. "We will defend our home with everything we have. Themyscira will not fall."

The Amazons around the table nodded, their resolve hardening. They had trained their entire lives for battle, and now, they would put all their skills to the ultimate test.

"We will need to prepare every warrior, every weapon," Antiope said, her strategic mind already working. "We must fortify our defenses and be ready for an attack from any direction."

Hippolyta nodded. "I will lead the preparations. Philippus, gather our finest warriors and organize them into battalions. Artemis, oversee the armory and ensure we have enough weapons and armor for every Amazon. Diana, you will lead the charge. Your skills and bravery will inspire our sisters."