Superman, Son of Hippolyta - A T-Rexcellent Reviews Fanfiction
I of course own no DC Comics properties or characters and make no money off of this, I am merely a giant DC Fan who wants to share my stories with all of you.
Chapter 7: Only Trivial Sacrifices
On the Island of Themyscira, near the Training Grounds of Athena…
"Kalos! Kalos!" Philippus shouted repeatedly as she looked around the surrounding jungle near the islands training grounds. "Come out here, it's time for your training lesson to begin!"
The General of the Amazonian army shook her head in frustration. "This is the third time he's run off from his training, I'm a war leader, not a babysitter." Phillippus muttered to herself in annoyance.
"Prince Kalos! Come out here right now!" Philippus called out once more, sounding more furious than before as she continued to search through the surrounding jungle for her runaway pupil.
A few metres away, the Prince of Amazons heard his mentor calling out to him and sunk even deeper into his hiding place amongst the bushes, both fear and guilt now weighing him down, but, he still did not come out of hiding.
He didn't mean to run away, he really didn't and the last thing he wanted was Phillippus to be angry with him, his teacher rarely got angry with him, but when she did…
But he was just so sick and tired of training all the time, from sunup to sunset, all day, every day, as far back as he could remember, being trained in the Art of War by Phillippus and doing nothing else.
He didn't understand why it was so important that he train so much, Kal knew his mother and his sister were warriors and thus trained a lot, as did most Amazons on the island, but not every day and certainly not all day long.
So why did he have to? Because he was a boy? Because he was their prince? Anytime he asked his mother or mentor why, they would just tell him that it was important.
But why was it so important? That was what he wanted to know, regardless of the reason, Kal just wanted a break for once, was that really too much to ask?
Still, once he saw that Philippus had her back to him, Kal took his chance and took off into the jungle as fast as he could, his teacher was no fool however and quickly realised he had run off on her, took chase after him, but surprisingly, Kal had somehow managed to outrun Phillippus and hide inside some dense bushes.
Which is what led up to Phillippus fruitlessly searching the dense jungle for him now and demanding he come out of hiding, which Kal still did not do.
Only once he was sure his teacher had moved off and away from his hiding place, did Kal finally crawl out from of the bushes.
Even at only five-years old, when Kal stood up to his full height, he was already taller than any girl on the island bar his older sister Diana and her friends Nubia and Artemis.
Dressed in a simple, makeshift training toga and sandals, which is what the young boy found himself wearing almost every day now, as well as the gem encrusted royal arm bands he'd been gifted with at the celebration of his birth, Kal did not look the part of a warrior prince just yet.
But he was still a prince, and this prince wanted a day off.
After making sure the coast was clear, Kal made his way deeper into the jungle, where he was sure no one would find him, at least for a little while anyways…
A little while later, deeper into the Jungle of Pan…
After the initial thrill of escape and the wonderful taste of freedom had worn off, Kal had found himself becoming quickly bored with his serene surroundings.
Because as he walked further and further into the island's jungle, the hard truth was that, besides taking in the natural beauty of his island, there really wasn't much for him to do or entertain himself with out here.
He couldn't go back to the palace to find his sister Diana or his pet Wolfdog Krypto and play with either of them without being spotted by one of the palaces many guards and he couldn't leave the dense jungle without risking being seen by a passing Amazonian woman who would quickly realise he'd run off from training again and go find Phillippus… or worse his mother.
Realising now just how pointless his great escape from his training had been and the knowing consequences he would no doubt face when he returned to the palace, it almost made Kal wish he hadn't decided to run off in the first place… almost.
So caught up in his own frustrated thoughts, that Kal barely noticed when he reached the edge of the jungle and entered into a part of Themyscira he had never been in before.
It was an expansive clearing in the middle of the dense jungle, almost a meadow in fact, but it was obvious from the clear cutting of the foliage that this clearing had been made by human hands and not by mother natures, and in the center of this carved out meadow… was a strange circle of standing stones.
Curious, Kal made sure that the cost was clear before walking out into the open and moving slowly towards the dark stones that towered ominously over him.
As he got closer, he saw intricate drawings carved into the stones with great detail, he couldn't make out all of images he saw though as many of the pictures had been worn away by both time and the elements, but it didn't really matter, because it seemed almost all of them were depicting the same thing, that is images of both men, and women together.
Men doing horrible looking things to women… and women doing equally horrible looking things to men.
Suddenly feeling very ill, Kal quickly moved closer to the center of the circle, trying not look at anymore of those rather… disturbing images as he walked past those standing stones.
Once his sandaled feet had moved onto cracked stone and off of the soft grass though, Kal stopped and looked at the ruins around him, the standing stones surrounded him on all sides like the rows of razor-sharp teeth belonging to the great sea monster Charybdis, their tops ending in sharp points and that made Kal feel uncomfortably small by standing in their dark shadows.
Feeling his foot touch something cold and hard, Kal looked down a saw a broken chain laying by his feet as well as a dried-up looking bone, bending down to pick both objects up, Kal examined them further, the chain was rusted from past storms and the bone did not resemble any animal bone he had ever seen Krypto chewing on before.
Looking back up, Kal saw the chain was attached to a huge stone slab in the middle of the circle, taller than he was, walking closer to the stone altar, he used the both the bone and the chain to begin climbing up the side of the stone slab, treating the chain as if it was a rope and the bone as if it was a climbing pick.
He had just reached high enough that he could just see over the edge of the stone when the burnt bone in his hand snapped against the hard rock like twig and fell out of his hand, leaving Kal to dangle over the side of the slab with only the chain to hold him up now
Hanging onto the chain, Kal realised he would never be able to climb back up here on his own, so taking his only chance to look, strained his head just barely over the rim of the stone slab and saw… wait…
… was that… blood?
"KAL! GET AWAY FROM THERE! RIGHT NOW!" He heard an all too familiar voice shout at him from the forests edge.
Turning away from… whatever it was he was seeing; Kal saw his teacher Phillippus running up to him from the jungle with an expression on her face that was half angry and half worried.
Kal opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, the young prince felt the chain stringing him up suddenly snap and before he knew it, he had fallen to the hard ground just as Phillippus had reached him.
After making sure that he was okay and unharmed, Phillippus immediately picked him up in her arms and told him they were going back to the city right now.
But even as Philippus carried him back through the jungle, back towards the palace and far away from that mysterious stone structure, Kal couldn't help but look back at it one more time and shiver.
On the way, the pair walked past several Amazons who seemingly heard the commotion and as they watched, the warrior women whispered to one another and despite their hushed voices, Kal could clearly hear their words as if they were standing right next to him… and he did not like what he heard.
"What happened? Did the boy see it?"
"Yeah, he saw it."
"Do you… do you think he knows what it is?"
"Of course not, he's just boy, he doesn't know anything."
The Amazons whispered words caused Kal to frown as he thought about what they could mean all the way back to the palace… back to his mother.
Kal shivered at both the women's whispered words and his own grim future.
As a five-year old boy, there was many things Kal did not know about the world around him, he didn't know why it was so important he train every day, he didn't what that strange stone circle was for, he didn't know what the Amazons whispered words meant or how he could even hear them so clearly and he didn't know why he was the only boy on the island.
But there was one thing Kal knew for certain though… and that was that he was in trouble.
Later, back at the Royal Palace of Hera…
"This is the third time he has run off from his training Hippolyta and at this rate, I don't think it will be the last time either…"
Kal sat sullen on the end of his bed inside his own room, his own one which had been given to him on his last birthday, as he waited for his mother to come to talk to him about his running off from training again, for the third time now, a conversation he was most certainly not looking forward to.
His mother and mentor must be talking very loudly inside the queen's chambers because if he concreted hard enough, Kal could actually hear what they were saying through the place walls… even though he wasn't very close to them.
What he heard though, only made the boy feel even more upset…
"Phillippus, I know Kal can stubborn sometimes, but-. "
"Stubborn is an understatement, Hippolyta, your son is becoming more reluctant and unruly at his lessons every day now, he is distracted and unfocused at every command I give him, I can't even let him out of my sight for a moment without risking him running off and hiding somewhere from me."
From between the walls, Kal could practically hear his mother's disappointed sigh.
"Your right Phillippus, I'll go talk to him… I'll put an end to this problem once and for all."
Kal brought his knees to face to help cover teary eyes as he accepted his fate and waited to be punished for his bad behaviour.
He looked up, when he heard his bedroom door creak open, expecting to see his mother, Queen Hippolyta or his mentor General Phillippus, but instead saw his older sister, Princess Diana along with his pet Wolfdog Krypto and her pet Nemean Lioness Rhamnusia.
The huge White Wolfdog bounded over eagerly Kal while the still growing Nemean Lioness followed more languidly, wagging his furry tail back and forth rapidly, Krypto barked excitedly at his beloved boy, only to whimper when he saw Kal's sullen expression which brightened only slightly as Kal put his hands around the canine's large head.
"Hey boy." Kal said, managing a sad smile as his best friend barked and licked his face comfortingly, causing Kal to finally laugh a little, while his big sister's big cat rubbed and purred against affectionately, causing Kal to cheer up slightly, but only slightly. "Hey to you to girl."
"They've both been missing a lot lately, little brother." Diana said as she sat down on the bed next to Kal, putting her arm around her younger sibling's shoulder. "As have I, Kal."
"Thanks Diana." Kal said gratefully as he softly stroked both Krypto's and Rhamnusia's furry heads lying in his lap. "Phillippus is mad at me and I've even disappointed our mother now, I've really screwed up this time, sister."
"You haven't screwed up Kal; you've just been acting up a little lately." Diana said pulling her brother's head to rest on her shoulders. "I promise, Phillippus is more worried about your recent behaviour than angry and our mother could never be disappointed in you, brother."
"I wish I could believe that Diana." Kal muttered into his sister's raven hair, along with what he had just heard spoken between the queen and his teacher, Kal knew that between the two of them, his big sister Diana was favourited child in the royal family on their island.
The other Amazon's looked upon their princess as if she was already some Amazonian prodigy, which she was and everyone knew that his sister was the sunlight of their mother's life, he had heard as much from his sister's friends Artemis and Nubia many times over.
So, what does that make me then? A falling star? Kal mentally asked himself, something that is always destined to fall and fail?
The two royal children and their two great beasts turned their heads when they heard the bedroom door open again and saw their mother, the queen of the island standing in the entrance way in all of her regal beauty.
"Mother?" Diana began. "I was just-. "
"Diana, take Krypto and Rhamnusia outside." Hippolyta interrupted curtly; her blue eyes focused entirely on her son's shining ones. "I need to speak with your brother… alone."
The princess gave her younger brother a sympathetic look as she got from the bed and led Krypto and Rhamnusia back out of the room, both beasts whined as they were called along, but they still came with their furry heads down and their tails between their legs.
Kal watched as his mother waited for her daughter, his pet Wolfdog and her pet Nemean Lioness to leave the room before closing the door behind them and then turning back to face him, Kal looked down in shame as he heard his mother make her way across his room and seat herself down beside him on his bed, right where his sister had just sat.
Both mother and son sat in silence for an unbearably long time, to Kal anyway, before the Queen of the Amazons sighed and looked down at him. "Phillippus informed me you ran away from your lessons with her again today?"
Kal didn't look up at his mother's face when he spoke, he couldn't bear to see the disappointment in it. "I did."
"You've been doing that a lot lately, Kal." The queen continued.
Kal sunk deeper into his seat and into his misery. "I have."
"Kal, you know how important it is to our tribe and to Themyscira that you train in the Art of War." Kal heard his mother repeat the same thing she always said whenever he ran away from his training.
Kal felt his hands clench into fists and his jaw tighten as he answered. "I know mother."
"So then, why did you…"
"Because I'm sick of it!" Kal said looking up for the first time in the rather one-sided conversation and Hippolyta was taken aback to see the tears in her son's eyes.
"Kal-."
"I'm sorry mother, I really am, but it's true, I'm sick of training every day, I can't even remember the last time I got to hang out with Diana or play with Krypto or even spend time with you, and I… I..." To the queen's further shock, the bawling boy threw his face into her lap as he continued to sob out his frustrations.
"I'm sorry I ran off from training Phillippus again, I'm sorry, I've been letting everyone on the island down and I'm sorry I've disappointed you again, mother, but I'm sick of it and I'm so sorry for that." The young prince just barely managed to gasp out between intense bouts of sobbing.
Hippolyta watched as her prince and only son continued to cry himself into a fit with his face down in her lap, still proclaiming his regret over his past actions, every shuddering sob he made against her caused the queen's heart ache.
Hippolyta did not say anything, instead choosing to just pull her son close to her and hold him tight in her arms, rocking gently in her embrace and humming a calming melody, like she did when he was still only just a babe, until finally, Kal ceased his crying.
"It's okay Kal." The queen whispered soothingly in to her son's ear. "I'm not disappointed in you."
At her words, Kal looked up at her again and Hippolyta was relieved to see the tears staring to dry from his face. "You're… you're not?"
"N of course, not." Hippolyta said as she gave her young son a warm smile. "I could never be disappointed in you, my Little Falling Star."
Kal sniffed and smiled a little at his mother's affectionate nickname for him. "I really am sorry, mother." He told her sadly with his head down.
"I know you are Kal, I know." Hippolyta said before sighing. "But perhaps, what's been happening with your behaviour lately… is really my fault."
Stunned and more than a little confused by his mother words, Kal looked up at Hippolyta as she began gently brushing back his black hair.
"Mother?" he asked.
"It has become clear to me that've we've been putting too much pressure on you and working you too hard lately Kal… that I've been working you too hard lately." The queen continued. "Your so mature for your age Kal, that I sometimes forget your still only a child and children need freedom… freedom that I've been denying you by insisting you train with Phillippus all day, every day."
"So, let's make a deal Kal, if you promise not to run off from training with Phillippus anymore, you can have every second day off to hang out with your sister, play with Krypto or do whatever you want to do." Hippolyta finished with a warm, motherly smile.
Kal eyes widened in shock and a tentative smile overcame his sad features. "Really mother?"
"As long as you promise to behave for Phillippus from now on and don't run away from your training lessons, then yes, you can have three days a week off." Hippolyta said as she wiped away the last of her son's tears. "Do we have a deal, Kal?"
"Yes, yes mother!" The young boy said ecstatically as he hugged Hippolyta tightly. "Thank you, thank you so much!"
"You're welcome my Little Falling Star." Hippolyta said as she hugged her son back before putting him down. "Now, your sister, Krypto and Rhamnusia are all outside in the Palace Courtyard waiting for you to join them, go have some fun Kal."
Kal smiled once more in pure happiness and after grabbing his favourite ball off the floor, did just that.
But just as he reached the door, he remembered something important from today, something that had been lost in thoughts amongst his fears of being punished for his running off, but now was once again at the forefront of his mind.
"Mother?" He asked turning around to face her again.
"Yes, Kal?" The queen said, still smiling at him from where she sat on his bed.
"What were those stone ruins I saw in the jungle?"
Waiting for a reply, Kal watched as the warm smile on his mother's face falter slightly as she began to fiddle with the bracelet around her wrist, the large green emerald inside glowing in the afternoon light.
"Kal, do you trust me?" His mother asked eventually.
Blinking in surprise at the return question, Kal frowned. "Of course, I do, mother."
"Then please trust me when I say it does not matter what those stone ruins are, Kal." His mother said stiffly and strangely not looking him in the eye when she answered him. "It's just an old ruin now and it's too… dangerous for you to go anywhere near it, okay."
Kal was silent for a moment before slowly nodding in false understanding. "Okay, mother, I understand, I won't go near it again, I promise."
Hippolyta's smile returned at her son's words as she watched Kal run excitedly out of his bedroom door before getting up and walking back to her own royal quarters.
Stepping out onto the balcony, the queen watched as her son ran up to his sister and their pets, moments later the four of them began playing together as children should.
But despite the heartwarming sight, Hippolyta felt the smile on her face slowly fade away again as she heard Phillippus join her out on the balcony, a long moment of silence passed as the pair of warrior women watched the two royal children below them, toss the ball back and forth between them.
Finally, though, Hippolyta broke the silence and turned to Philippus. "You're sure he didn't see anything." The queen asked, suddenly uncharacteristically nervous.
"He got close, but not close enough to actually see anything besides the stones themselves." Philippus told her queen again, though her tone betrayed her own nervousness.
The queen took a deep breath and closed her eyes before sighing in something close to relief. "Thank the Fates for small mercy's, he asked me what it was, but he was so overjoyed from getting some time off from his training that he didn't pry any further, if where lucky, soon he'll just forget about it."
"Hippolyta." Philippus said after a while, the queen opened her eyes and turned to her second in command and saw her hesitate for a moment before speaking, something that Hippolyta had never known her friend to do. "Considering the… situation, perhaps we should destroy the altar, to ensure no repeat of this incident ever happens again."
Hippolyta was silent for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Yes Philippus, I think that would be for the best, I know some of our sisters won't like it, that altar was built the day we arrived on this island all those years ago, Alkyone and her circle sisters in particular consider it sacred, but I think its past time for certain parts of our tribe's history to be forgotten already, so we may move towards a brighter future."
"Well said my queen, I shall gather Iphthime and her sculpting sisters to see to it immediately, by nightfall, not a single stone shall be left standing." Philippus declared before turning to leave the queen's quarters.
Hippolyta watched her oldest friend leave before turning back to gaze out over the palace courtyard once again, where she watched as her two children played while she feared for their futures.
Greetings to all my fellow fanfic readers and writers, I hope you all enjoyed Superman, Son of Hippolyta Chapter 7: Only Trivial Sacrifices, also, for all of you who are wondering, the stone circle altar that Kal saw in this chapter, the one the Amazons didn't want him to see is based off of real-world stone altars where ritualistic human sacrifice was often performed, often involving bleeding, burning and even disembowelment…
…I'll give you all three guesses on what or rather WHO the Amazon's tended to sacrifice there…
My List of References featured in this Chapter.
1. Kal referring to running away from training as a great escape is a reference to the main characters escape from The Great Escape 1963.
2. Kal stumbling upon the stone circle altar is a reference to Babe stumbling upon the slaughterhouse from Babe.
3. The Amazons whispered dialogue after Kal sees the stone circle altar is a reference to the farm animals whispered dialogue after Wilbur sees the smokehouse from Charlotte's Web 2006.
4. Hippolyta telling Diana to take both Krypto and Rhamnusia outside because she needs to talk to Kal alone is a reference to Mufasa telling Zazu to take Nala home because he needs to speak Simba alone from The Lion King.
As always, a shout out to my amazingly supportive friend and fantastic fellow fanfic writer Ricardo753 for supporting my work, go check out his own stories, their T-Rexcellent.
Now please allow me to thank all of you who have followed, favourited and especially reviewed this story.
SuperWonderStan, ManOfSteel, Luke5921, cabrera1234, Joel, HeartOfChaos13, GR8ER3241, Kalel4444, JustAnotherIntern14, please keep the reviews coming guys, their what fuels these chapters and to all my other readers, if you write me some reviews in the future then you can be seeing your name here to, until next time this is T-Rexcellent Reviews signing off.