Breathless

Chapter 11

A Tournament In Paradise and Battles In Hell

******Themyscira******

******The Arena******

Hippolyta surveyed the six hundred warriors before her. Only one would be champion. They all stood tall, proud, and ready to begin. All were eager to be called the champion of Themyscira, and Ambassador of peace to the world of men.

The queen turned, and looked at Phillipus, and at the two empty seats her daughters should have been in by now. "We are ready to begin and the royal princesses are still not present. Send a guard to their room. I want to know what is keeping them. I do not want them out of my sight today."

"Very well, my Queen." Phillipus gave the orders to one of the elite guard.

The guard took off quickly to the palace. When she reached the floor of the royal bedchambers she was met by the guard at the door. They saluted each other respectfully.

"The Queen requests the presence of the princesses at the tournament, and demands to know what is keeping them," Saphira, the guard sent by Phillipus, said to Helen, the chamber guard.

Helen nodded, turned, and rapped on the door. "Yes, Helen. What is it?" came the unmistakable voice of Diana.

"Your mother the Queen requests your presence at the arena, and wants to know what is keeping you," Helen relayed the message through the door.

"We won't be attending the tournament. Donna is not feeling well, and I am going to stay with her," Donna answered. She giggled softly after each line she delivered. She could even fool her own mother.

Helen stepped back from the door, and turned to Saphira, shrugging her shoulders. Having heard the elder Princess herself, Saphira nodded her understanding to Helen, and left to relay the news to the Queen.

*******The Arena******

Diana shifted nervously. She was both excited, and a ball of nerves. She did not like to mislead her mother. Working in the dark was not her way, but she was certain that this was the will of her goddesses.

"You will perform, and win the tournament without your gifts," it was a powerful masculine voice.

Diana spun around looking for the author of the voice. She found herself in the presence of Aphrodite, Athena, Hermes, and Zeus. The goddesses looked unhappy.

Zeus continued, "If you truly are the champion that my sister, and daughter claim that you are then you will succeed without them."

Diana bowed her head. "What do you mean my lord? I know that I am not to use my powers to have an unfair advantage over my sisters."

"It means, Little One, that you will not have your powers during the tournament. You will win, or lose due to your training, and skill, not due to your gifts," Zeus answered her with authority.

Aphrodite and Hermes looked apprehensive. Athena stepped forward with confidence. "You have everything you need here," she pointed to her head, "and here," she pointed to her heart. "Be strong, brave, and unwavering. We will be watching over you. The moment you are finished, your powers will be returned."

Diana bowed her head again, "I will my lady."

When she again lifted her head, her patrons had vanished, and she knew she had no more power than her sisters. She had been a ball of nerves before, now she was both nervous and frightened.

Looking up at the platform where her mother sat, she saw Phillipus speak into her mother's ear. Her mother looked back at the two empty seats behind her, and nodded.

Diana felt a twinge of guilt, but she knew she could not have endured sitting up on the platform, when with all of her being she desired to participate, and her patrons had commanded her to do so. She promised herself to make her mother proud of her this day.

The queen stood up, and spoke gravely to the six hundred Amazons about to engage, as well as all the spectators. "Today Olympus chooses a champion to go out into Patriarch's world. There are six hundred of you. Only one will be chosen. There is danger headed to our small protected home. A great evil will come upon us, and Patriarch's world. The champion of Olympus and Themyscira will face this evil, and make us all proud. Fight, and compete with strength, and honor my beloved sisters. Our patrons watch over us." She conveniently left out the part where the oracle had told her that men would be helping them in their hour of desperation.

The six hundred Amazons shouted, raising their spears to the heavens in salute.

The first event would be three hundred simultaneous matches. The winners would move on.

Diana was paired up against one of the Bana sisters. She was a fierce looking, blonde warrior. She stood as tall as Diana, and was broader. She acknowledged Diana with a nod then took her fighting stance.

When the horn blew Diana's opponent lunged, thrusting her spear at her with all her might. Not being used to fighting without her powers Diana barely deflected the thrust with her shield on time. As it was, she was knocked off balance, but recovered on time to parry a second vicious thrust.

Her opponent was not slow to note Diana's clumsiness. As Diana parried her second spear thrust, the Amazon slammed into her left shoulder, and shield, then spinning, she landed a solid kick to Diana's ribs knocking her off her feet.

As Diana fell to ground, she rolled away from her fierce opponent. She grasped the end of her spear in her right hand, tightened her grip on her shield and came up into a crouch, swinging her spear over her head like a lasso.

She aimed her swing at the large warrior's lower legs. The large blonde leaped back, bringing her shield down to protect herself.

Diana launched her spear at the warrior's head as she rose from the ground and rushed forward. Her opponent again lifted her shield to deflect the spear. Diana dropped, and swept her feet out from under her.

The large Bana warrior fell heavily on her side. When she moved to rise she was greeted with the end of a sword inches from her neck.

The tall, slender, masked warrior asked, "Do you yield, Sister?" the voice was pleasant, and kind. This warrior was very good. There were very few warriors from either tribe that had ever bested Aella in one on one combat. Of the few that had, she only knew of four that were participating in the tournament. She knew she had never fought this one before, but whoever she was, she had won the fight after a poor start.

"I yield," Aella answered in resignation.

Diana offered her hand to her first opponent of the day. Aella took it, and the two saluted each other.

The first event was over. The defeated warriors left the arena. The three hundred victorious Amazons again faced their queen, and awaited the next event.

******Another Dimension******

******Fourth World******

******Apokolips******

Steppenwolf leered at his two victims, "I see you have saved me the trouble of hunting you down individually. Do not worry, Scott Free. I will not kill you. I'm just going to permanently maim your legs, and then allow you to witness how to properly use a woman. I will take good care of her for you while you are in Granny's care."

Steppenwolf advanced on the two. His electro axe was in one hand, his electro sword in the other.

Scott and Barda's initial shock and terror at being found out passed quickly, and were replaced with indignant rage. Scott was not about to let him humiliate and torture Barda, and Barda would die before she let anyone further torture Scott.

The two separated. Barda fired off her mega rod at Darkseid's general. Scott used his mother box to channel the power in Steppenwolf's weapons against him.

Just as Steppenwolf raised his sword to deflect Barda's attack, the electrical current coursing through his weapons shot through his body. It was not enough to take down a being of his power, but it took him by surprise, ripped a holler of pain from his lips, and allowed the energy from Barda's mega rod to connect with his unprotected body.

Steppenwolf went flying through two heavy stone walls before coming to rest in a heap at the edge of a fire pit.

Scott and Barda rushed to each other. "So, will you leave with me now? Neither of us is safe, but I fear of the two, you will be the worst off," Scott stated.

"I am ready to leave this awful place. Anywhere you decide, as long as we're together," Barda conceded with a gentle smile.

Scott took Barda's hand, kissed her then opened a boom tube. "Time for a new life, if we never see this awful place again it will be too soon."

The two stepped into the boom tube, and without a backward glance, disappeared from Apokolips.

******JLA Universe******

******Themyscira******

******Arena******

The next event was to be a race. They would race in groups of ten. The fastest four of each group would continue the tournament.

Diana breathed a small sigh of relief. She didn't have to win. She just had to make sure she was in the top four of her group. She was a bit tired of her helmet. It wasn't too heavy, but it would be cumbersome to race with it. She wasn't sure about her speed now that she was powerless, but she knew how to push her doubts away and focus on the task at hand. She would make sure she placed in the race without killing herself, and save her energy for the more toilsome events to come.

Diana was to race in the fourth group. She saw that her friend, Artemis, was in the second group. With the exceptions of her mother and Phillipus, Artemis was perhaps, the fiercest warrior of all the Amazons. She had even managed to defeat Diana in hand to hand combat on more than one occasion. Her skills were amazing. Diana somehow knew that if she were…no. Not if. When she reached the end she would have to face off with Artemis.

She put her doubts from her mind again. She would focus on the now, and on Artemis when the time came.

Diana noticed with satisfaction that she was not the only participant with a feature hiding war helmet, but she was pretty sure that after the race there would be fewer.

Her race was to start. Diana noted that Artemis had come in first in her group. She didn't even look winded. Diana had a new found appreciation for her sisters. They trained tirelessly day in and day out to discipline their minds, and bodies. She had as well, of course, but with the advantage of being gifted by the gods.

Diana's body was in just as good a shape as any of her sisters, but for the first time she felt what it meant to have an ache in her muscles, to feel her own sweat in her eyes, to feel the very real fear of defeat, to feel her heart race as she prepared to run for the first time powerless.

The horn sounded. Her group was off. Diana ran with all of her might. She could feel the wind on her bare arms and legs. She felt the sand flying as her bare feet raced over it. She had planned to simply place in the top four and save her energy. Instead, she found herself running like a doe.

She covered the four hundred meters in one minute and thirty seconds. She came in second in her group. She felt a bit winded, but exhilarated as well. She had survived the first two events. She found herself smiling with satisfaction under her helmet.

An hour later the racing was over. Now there were one hundred and twenty left. The next events were to be archery, discus, and javelin throwing. Again they were to be broken up into groups of ten. The top three of each group would continue. Diana wondered how it would feel to draw a bow, and throw without her powers.

******Palace******

Donna looked out over the arena, and to the ocean beyond. She wanted to fly to the arena, and watch the competition in the worst way but she stayed as she had promised her sister. She stayed and watched, watched the skies, and the sea for danger.

So Diana was to win the tournament, and then she and Diana were going to save everyone, maybe with the help of some men! She was ready. She would fight anything, or anyone that threatened her mother, sister, or friends with all her might.

******Another Dimension******

******Apokolips******

******Armagetto******

There are very few happy endings on Apokolips.

Two figures raced through the streets. They were pursued by the youngest son of the dark lord, and his parademons. The man was desperate to get his daughter to safety. Her mother had been taken several years ago by the same creature, and he had been powerless to protect her. But he had hidden his only daughter away, and for the last several years he had managed to keep her from the lustful eyes of the elite.

He was a Lowlie. A slave. He existed solely for the pleasure of dark lord. All here lived, or died at his whim. He understood this, but he was not willing for his daughter to suffer what her mother had, and what so many suffered at the hands of the monsters that inhabited the Citadel.

"This way, Lashina! To the Necropolis!" he shouted to his daughter.

His beautiful, raven haired daughter turned, and raced to the opening that her father ushered her into. The two flew further into the depths of city. They were below the pits now in the Necropolis.

Gustand was sure that they would lose their pursuers in the labyrinth. There had to be other Lowlies that would be easier to catch. As they raced through twists, and turns they ran headlong into a young woman racing in the opposite direction. The three fell in a heap on the ground. All three leaped to their feet ready to run, or fight.

Gustand had a spear, Lashina a whip and the beautiful blonde girl they had run into a sword. All three looked like cornered animals. There were tears, fear, and hate brimming from the eyes of the blond stranger.

They realized simultaneously that they were all running away from a common enemy.

"Do not run that way, child. You will be captured," Gustand warned.

"I believe that you are captured, worms!" Grayven gloated as he strode forward. He had six parademons behind him, two of them on giant hounds. From the other direction Killroy appeared with six more parademons.

Grayven gestured to his parademons, "take the females alive. Kill the man."

The parademons rushed forward. They did not fire their weapons for fear of killing the females. As they swooped down Gustand stabbed up with his spear and gutted one of the demons. It fell laughing hysterically as it died.

Lashina flicked her wrist and her whip wrapped around the neck of a parademon. She spun, and flung it into two others, sending the three crashing to the ground.

The blond girl sliced a parademon clean in half with her sword. The three stood with their backs to one another ready for more.

Grayven and Killroy both laughed. "Looks like two more for the Furies," Grayven observed. His amused face suddenly took on a deadly look and he unleashed his omega beams on Gustand knocking him to the ground mortally wounded.

"Father!" Lashina screamed kneeling by his side.

Grayven and Killroy were suddenly by their side. Killroy quickly disarmed the blond, and Grayven stomped down on Lashina's wrist breaking it.

Lashina cried out in pain, and rage and tried to rise to fight.

Grayven proved much too powerful. He grasped her by the throat and her injured wrist, and pushed her back down to the ground.

Lashina could tell that her father was still alive, and she could hear the struggle and the cries as Killroy took his pleasure from the blond girl.

"Do not worry, worm. I will let the worm that is your father, live until I am done with you, then I will feed him to the hounds. You two will go to be trained as Furies, and you will be my personal slave," Grayven gloated as he stripped the struggling girl.

"You are very strong. Good. It will make this all the more enjoyable for me. Please. Continue to resist," he mocked.

Gustand died hearing the cries of his daughter before the hounds were loosed on him.

There are very few happy endings on Apokolips.

******JLA Universe******

******Themyscira******

******Arena******

All three events involved hitting a target. Not just seeing how far one could shoot or throw.

Diana let her breath out as she had been trained, willed herself to be steady, focused on the target and released the bow. Her arrow flew straight and true, hitting the bullseye dead center. She repeated her performance two more times and moved on to the discus throwing.

The targets seemed so far away. She concentrated and focused again. When she took her turn she was calm, relaxed and ready. She took the discus and pretended that the distant target was the cruel face of the man in her vision. She spun and released. Her aim was flawless.

The javelin throw was no different, except that this time Diana had no doubts. She did not need to calm herself. She was confident, and she performed to perfection.

Now there were thirty six competitors left. She had made it this far. The next event was one of her favorites. It was another race, this time on horseback.

Diana loved all animals in general. She could spend the entire day roaming the woods, when she was allowed, just playing with, and discovering new animal friends. She had a special place in her heart for horses in general, and her friend, Pegasus, in particular. Pegasus, like his ancestor, was winged, intelligent, and powerful. She was saddened that she would not be able to ride him today. The two were old friends, but she could not afford to give herself away too soon, and of course none of the other horses that would be in the race were winged.

The horses were brought out. She was given a large pinto stallion. The race was as much a test of their ability to befriend, and work with the horse as it was about winning. There would be a few of her sisters who would not be able to even start the race.

Diana approached her horse boldly, but gently. She sang softly to him, as she allowed him to smell first her hand, and then her face. She blew on his nose, and caressed his face.

She remembered having ridden him before. She had called him Auvaun or Strength. He was powerful, and next to impossible to control. She and Donna had, of course, been able to due to their gift of communicating with animals. While Diana did not at the moment, have her special ability, she did have her strong love, and understanding of horses to help her.

Auvaun seemed to remember her voice, smell, and touch. He neighed softly, and nibbled on her hand gently. Diana smiled, and continued singing softly. She tangled her left hand in his mane, and walked with him to the starting line where most of the others were already gathered. Of the thirty six remaining competitors twenty eight had been able to calm their horses, and get them to the starting line.

Diana lifted herself lightly onto Auvaun's back. She leaned forward caressing his neck, and face. "We have to win, Auvaun. Be strong, and quick and help your princess. I know that you will run with all your might."

Auvaun was very still, as he listened to Diana's beautiful voice, and her request. He neighed softly, and pawed the ground in anticipation. His whole body became animated as the other twenty seven Amazon's and their horses lined up for the race.

Diana gripped Auvaun with her knees, and leaned forward, "Run like the wind, my beautiful friend."

The horn sounded and the race was on.

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