Enslaving Themyscira

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Menalippe watched Diana disappear from sight after being launched away.

Then she watched Damon rise from the throne in the ruined palace and walk toward them step by step.

Despair settled over her.

For a moment, when Diana's divine power had awakened, Menalippe had thought she might defeat him. Instead, Damon was even stronger. Perhaps even Ares himself would not be his match.

The queen had fallen. The general had fallen. Even Diana, whose divine power had just awakened, had fallen.

Who could save Themyscira now?

Menalippe took a deep breath, and her eyes hardened.

If they were going to die anyway, then so be it.

Amazons did not submit.

She had just started to reach for her weapon when someone beside her moved first.

Artemis.

The name belonged to one of the twelve Olympians, goddess of the hunt and the moon. It also belonged to one of the bravest warriors among the Amazon guards.

Menalippe was about to rise and fight at her side, but then Artemis stopped a few steps in front of Damon.

And knelt on one knee.

"Master."

Her action stunned Menalippe.

It stunned the other Amazon warriors.

It even made Damon pause.

He stopped and studied the Amazon warrior with interest. She had long black hair and silver armor in the Amazon style. She was not as tall as Diana, but her figure was more imposing, her features sharp and heroic. Now, though, her face was completely expressionless.

"You are trying to save them?" Damon asked lightly.

"No."

Artemis denied it without hesitation.

"I only wish to tell my master that I come from Bana-Mighdall, the lost Amazons. I am not the same as they are."

She paused, then continued when Damon showed no impatience.

"Long ago, my tribe abandoned our faith in the Olympian gods and turned to Isis, the Egyptian goddess. Isis protected us from the outside world with an eternal sandstorm."

"Later, misunderstanding and conflict with the Amazons of Themyscira destroyed our home. We had no choice but to merge with Themyscira and remain here until now."

Artemis lowered her head.

"So I beg you, my master, give me a chance to represent the lost Amazons and offer our loyalty. I will handle everything for you. I will make everyone on Themyscira your most obedient slaves."

Damon looked at Artemis kneeling respectfully as she waited for his answer.

Then he smiled.

"You will make every person on Themyscira my most obedient slave?"

"Yes. I swear it."

"That way, they will not die. Is that right?"

Artemis trembled faintly and said nothing.

For a while, Damon only watched her.

Then he gave a soft laugh.

"Go. Have your queen and general taken away for treatment. If they die, all your careful effort will be wasted. And send someone to bring Diana back."

"Yes."

Artemis rose at once and turned to the others.

"What are you standing there for? Did you not hear the master's order? You, take them away. You, notify the guards outside and search for Diana."

"Move!"

The sharp command snapped the bewildered guards awake. Menalippe looked at Artemis, then finally rose and obeyed.

Hippolyta and Antiope were carried out. Several others ran in the direction where Diana had vanished.

After receiving Damon's permission, Artemis gathered the guards who would obey her, assembled the Amazons, and announced the fate waiting for them.

They were now slaves.

Some refused. Some resisted.

Artemis suppressed them quickly and without mercy. She had the dissenters suspended and punished, while the rest were shackled and chained together.

"Master, do you have any further orders?"

In an extremely short time, Artemis had brought the situation under control and returned to Damon's side.

"What you did means you will not be able to remain on Themyscira after this ends, does it not?"

Artemis had acted to preserve everyone's lives, but there were plenty of Amazons who would rather die than submit. And to convince Damon, she had been genuinely ruthless. Even if the others understood why she did it once they were free, it would be hard for her to stay on Themyscira afterward.

"Your satisfaction is enough for me," Artemis said quietly.

"You remind me of someone. Her name is Helena. To achieve her goal, she sacrificed herself just as decisively as you and did not care what others thought of her."

Damon patted Artemis on the shoulder.

"As for me, I get bored easily. I will not stay in one place for too long. So long as they do not court death, they will be free once I leave."

"Different times, different places. There should be plenty of interesting things ahead. If you are willing, you can leave with me when the time comes."

"So I do not need the Lasso of Truth to test your loyalty. Do not disappoint me."

"Yes."

Artemis answered softly, giving no sign of what she was thinking.

Before long, Diana was carried back from the sea.

She was still unconscious.

"Go bring me the Lasso of Truth. Have someone clean her up and take her to her room."

Damon gave the order, and Artemis left.

Not long after, she returned with the Lasso of Truth.

The Lasso of Truth was one of Diana's primary weapons. Legend said Hephaestus had forged it from the golden girdle of Gaia, the earth goddess. It was unbreakable, and anyone bound by it could only tell the truth.

Whether it worked on gods, Damon did not know.

But when Diana was bound by it, she became weak and lost access to much of her divine power. It was a little like Kryptonite to Superman, though not as extreme.

Damon took the lasso from Artemis and smiled at her.

"Want to try it? Your chance of beating me is zero, but still."

Artemis shook her head without speaking.

Damon tossed the Lasso of Truth back to her.

"Come with me to see Diana. She is my greatest amusement here."

Artemis stared for a moment, apparently surprised that he had returned the lasso to her. After a brief hesitation, she hooked it at her waist and led Damon to Diana's room.

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