Surviving Paradise

The Forge of Heroes

^^New Entrance's to The Forge^^

--- Halal's POV ---

I left the room, disgusted with my allies. I had hoped that their disregard for moral ideals would dissipate with the knowledge that good men existed, but the stigmata in their culture was simply too deep. They truly didn't care about men, and viewed them as inferior.

Not that I blamed them, of course. Their entire culture was based on the idea that all bad things in the world were male. That was the fault of the one who educated them that way, Hippolyta and her council.

Perhaps I should have been kinder, though. They weren't exactly trying to kill the children, thankfully, just take them somewhere that wasn't a paradise island with only women. Bad place for a boy to grow up anyway, for several reasons.

I sighed and cracked my neck, deciding to apologize for my rudeness. While raising children was out of my league, as was training them in anything except mechanics and blacksmithing, I was sure I could rustle up a place for them to stay in The Forge.

I also found it hilarious that The Forge would be forging children into warriors, not just metal into swords. Seemed more productive that way. Creating something that would continuously create, not just destroy at the hands of another.

I opened the door of my apartment once more, and walked in, cracking my neck. I smelled ozone, meaning someone had teleported recently, and sighed again.

"Halal-" Artemis started.

"Let me guess. Hera? No-" I saw the giant war-hammer. "Ah. Father was here, and he didn't even say hello. So what did he have to say?" I plopped down in my chair, and snagged the hammer with my left hand.

It was heavy, even for me, and I grunted as I had to use two hands to lift it off the ground, and set it next to my chair. My hammer touched it, and both melted, reforming as my crafting hammer. I hefted it, my arm bulging with the effort, and nodded. "So that's how it is, hmm? Alright."

She cleared her throat. "He debated with us for a moment, and we have come up with a new plan. The women with male children will spend their first seven years with the children, raising them and being their mothers, because no child should be devoid a mother."

"Agreed." I nodded.

"And then after that, they enter the Agoge, and train until they are 15, when they will be allowed to enter Paradise island and enter the Contest. Winning isn't important, only showing the queen that they are worthy of being Amazons." I continued.

"Hmm... a physical Contest? Not Mental?"

"Yes. Even if they choose the path of scholars, they must be sufficiently skilled in battle. Then, If they pass, they are Amazons, and will go back to the forge to train more children, until they reach maturity, when they will be allowed into the world, and only called back if we go to war, though they may visit their mothers at any time at all after that." I finished.

I nodded slowly. "Much better than the original idea, that's for sure... and if the children Fail?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Then they will never be allowed back into Paradise Island until they succeed, though if you let them remain in The Forge is your call. They may also try again, at the next Contest. And again. Into antiquity." She nodded.

I grinned. "Good. That seems like a good system. And their trainers?"

"The mother's, as well as a rotating set decided by my mother, Queen Hippolyta." Diana spoke up, smiling.