WONDER WOMAN : THE ENEMY OF MY ANCESTOR
PART 6
The air in the dungeons was damp and heavy, carrying the scent of moss and salt from the sea. Deep beneath the royal palace, the cells were carved directly into the island's bedrock, a labyrinth of shadows and cold stone. Few ever found themselves imprisoned here, and fewer still lived to speak of it. Leandros sat on the cold ground in the back of his cell, his wrists bound by iron chains tethered to bolts in the wall. The cell's single torch cast flickering light on the walls, reflecting the golden accents of his dark tunic.
Leandros's reminisces, his earliest memories were strange and fragmented, like shards of a dream that barely held together. He remembered darkness, the press of earth all around him, and the ceaseless movement of many legs. He had been an ant once, mindless and tireless, toiling beneath the soil. Then, on an ordinary sunny day in Phthia, the gods intervened. Zeus's hand swept down from the heavens, and in an instant, everything changed. Consciousness flooded Leandros's mind as his small, segmented body stretched and grew. He became something entirely new. Something human. A boy. He remembered lying in the grass, dazed and overwhelmed. The sunlight was warm on his skin, but it felt foreign, alien. He tried to move, but his limbs were clumsy, uncoordinated. It wasn't until a shadow fell over him that Leandros stirred. A thick piece of cloth was thrown over him. Startled, he scrambled upright and pressed his back against the nearest tree, wrapping the cloth around himself with wide eyes fixed on the figure before him.
The man's face was hidden by the glare of the sun, but his stance was relaxed, his presence oddly reassuring.
"Who are you?".
Leandros asked, the words tumbling out of his mouth before he even understood how to speak. The man stepped forward, his features coming into view. Golden hair framed a strong, confident face, and his piercing eyes seemed to take in everything at once.
"My name's Achilles. Who are you?".
"I…i don't know".
Achilles chuckled, the sound warm and amused.
"A lot of boys have been showing up lately who don't know their names. Let me guess, you were an ant once?".
Leandros blinked, confused. Achilles studied him for a moment, then extended a hand.
"Come with me. We'll figure out what your purpose is".
The words stirred something deep within Leandros—a flicker of recognition, or perhaps hope. He took a deep breath, then stepped forward and clasped Achilles's hand.
The memories were disrupted as the sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the corridor. Leandros tilted his head toward the noise, his blank white eyes narrowing. When the heavy iron door creaked open, Diana entered first, her posture tense, followed by Alexa clutching the Lasso of Truth, and finally Hippolyta. The queen stepped forward, her expression stern.
"Leandros of Phthia. The lasso of truth weathers all lies and illusions. Speak freely and we may yet understand your purpose here".
Leandros extended his wrists and Alexa wrapped the golden cord around them, the strands tightening until the faint glow intensified, prompting a spontaneous burst of honesty.
"Purpose? I was never afforded the luxury of choice. I wasn't born—not like you. My brothers and I had no mothers, no fathers. We were ants, blessed by Zeus to become human and taught the ways of war by Achilles".
Diana stepped forward and spoke,
"I was not born either, Leandros. I, too, was shaped by the will of the gods. Sculpted from clay, blessed with life. My sisters taught me the art of combat, but tempered it with compassion".
"Compassion? Your ancestors weren't known for such virtues. The Amazons of my time were legends—fierce, merciless warriors who served the god of war without question".
Queen Hippolyta stepped forward and spoke,
"What you say is true, Leandros. Our days amongst men were stained with cruelty, we obeyed the will of Ares. I redefined what it meant to be an Amazon when i broke the chains that bound us, it is high time you broke yours".
Leandros found himself in deep thought at the queen's words, his uncertain eyes shooting to the chains that bound him to the dungeon wall,
"I was crafted to fight, to conquer. A sword cannot be used to cut down a tree or to plow the land, only to kill".
Alexa knelt beside him,
"The Amazons know what it means to be weapons for gods. After we prevailed against Ares, many of us were left without purpose. Some did not come to Themyscira but chose to remain in the world of men".
Alexa paused, her gaze shifting to the chains that bound Leandros,
"But even the bloodiest sword can be melted down and shaped for a new purpose".
Leandros sat still, his head bowed slightly, the golden glow of the Lasso of Truth reflecting faintly in his lifeless eyes, Diana stepped closer, her voice steady but with a hint of concern,
"Nobody denies your courage and skill Leandros, not even Gloria. But this war will require you to be more than a warrior, more than just a weapon".
Leandros sat motionless in the heavy silence that followed Diana's words,
"I was taught that glory is measured in blood. But now i see that it isn't the blood spilled, but saved".
It was then that Leandros noticed the lasso hadn't glowed for a minute, this wasn't magic forcefully extracting the truth from him, he sought it himself. A glimmer of satisfaction flickered across Diana's face, having succeeded in showing Leandros there is more to existence than battle and violence. Hippolyta noticed it,
"It was your will that brought this man to our island, Daughter. And it is your will that must now carry us forth against the might of Olympus".
Diana and Alexa's eyes widened in astonishment at this declaration.
"But mother—you are the queen! Your will has been our course for millennia, how can i take on such a burden?".
"None of us are ready when the gods call for war. I wasn't ready to defy Ares. Leandros wasn't ready to become human. A true Amazon does not cower from responsibility".
Alexa, who had been quietly observing stepped forward,
"You already took the first step when you risked Apollo's wrath to free a tortured soul. The strength to lead is within you".
Diana's gaze lingered on Leandros, still bound by chains, her mind spun. To appease Apollo, or to shield Leandros? To appease Apollo was to placate a god whose pride was as great as his power. Offering Leandros in exchange for peace would be a temporary relief—perhaps Apollo would spare them, or at least pause the conflict long enough for them to seek allies. It was pragmatic. It was safe. But what would it mean to stand as a leader, if her first action was to sacrifice a warrior who had already shown his willingness to fight beside her? Her thoughts shifted to the other option, shielding Leandros, and the risk it carried. A declaration of war would be made. The Amazons, despite their strength, were a small people compared to the might of Olympus. The gods would not relent, and she could already see the battle lines forming. The cost of this choice would be unimaginable, yet she knew one thing for sure: to let Apollo take Leandros would mean dishonor. To shield him, to stand against Apollo's fury, would be an act of defiance, a statement that no Amazon, no matter the odds, would bow before a god's will.
Hippolyta's voice broke through her internal turmoil, steady and unwavering,
"The first decision you must make. Is whether to bow to the gods' will—or to lead the Amazons with the courage I know you possess".
Diana finally spoke, the decision that had plagued her was now clear,
"Leandros. I cannot allow you to suffer for our survival. To sacrifice you to Apollo, would betray the very ideals I fight for".
She looked at him, her gaze steady and sure, and then turned to face her mother and Alexa. Hippolyta's eyes softened, though her expression remained one of quiet expectation. Alexa nodded in silent understanding, her expression one of quiet pride. No matter the gods, no matter the cost, she would never again allow fear of them to dictate her actions. The Amazons would stand united, as they always had, and Diana would lead them through the coming storm.