Chapter 7 - You

The morning light caressed each corner of Themyscira, the shadows only seen in the furthest parts of the island, warriors trained, while others worked the fields, tended to horses, as well as other livestock, and a curious little girl looked out the large arching window as she jumped from her bed.

"Mom, I'm sorry for going, I heard someone calling for help but all I found was that book." The young Diana said, looking at Hippolyta who rubbed her hair as she placed it carefully around her shoulders.

"I know, I know Diana. I am not mad, I am only worried." Hippolyta spoke, leaning down to kiss the top of Diana's head as she closed her eyes. "From now on, you must tell me if you hear the gods voice again." Hippolyta who was in fear of her own thoughts, let something slip but could not take it back.

"Mom you don't have to pretend with me, the gods are gone like in the books." Diana thought her mom was joking, making her lean her head up as she looked into Hippolyta's eyes. "It was my friend, sight, she said she was trapped by a bad guy." Diana continued, picking up a toy as she spun, but her words echoed into Hippolyta's mind as she stumbled back slightly.

"What's wrong mother?" Diana hearing a cup fall from a table, looked at her mother who was holding her chest lightly.

"No, nothing Diana. You just never told me of this friend, is she one of the big sisters. Come tell mother of your new friend, it's not like you to keep things from me." Hippolyta soon recovered, playing it off as she lifted Diana, spinning her around as she tickled her stomach a little.

"uh.." Yet Diana didn't speak, after her fit of laughs she merely looked at her mother as if shy, rubbing her hands together as if she didn't know what to say.

"What is it Diana? can you not tell mother, or are you afraid to share your new friend." Hippolyta giggled, she hoped it was just another named like her sister, but from how Diana acted the pit within her heart did not close but grew into a great cavern at her worries.

"She's not like the other Amazons.." Diana said in a quiet voice, her head low as Hippolyta caressed her face gently, worried for the answer but deep in her heart she knew.

"It is fine, you can tell me anything Diana." Hippolyta kissed her forehead, letting her know it was safe as she watched Diana finally look up into her eyes.

"Driesia, that's her name, she's not like anyone else. She talks in my head.." Diana said, she was smiling but it looked as if she was embarrassed, "She told me she was in danger, but when I went I only found the book." Diana continued as she looked at Hippolyta but couldn't tell the change in her mother's heart.

"You know Diana, while young I had an imaginary friend." Hippolyta tried to deny it, but it was just her trying to run from the reality she already knew to be true..

"She's not imaginary mom, she talks to me about the bad temple on this island.. that the bad voice was there, trying to get her." Diana defended her sister unknowingly, getting down on her own two feet as she turned waving her arms for her mother to understand.

"I get it, I believe you Diana, tell me how long have you been talking to your friend." Hippolyta's heart was weak seeing Diana so excited, but she was terrified, how did Diana know that name and how long had they been speaking.

"Uh.. she.. she use to talk to me all the time, but we didn't talk until the day I couldn't remember anything. I was scared, but happy, she said she was lonely. do you know what that means mother?" Diana tried to explain but it was hard for her to understand, and even harder to understand something like loneliness.

"You don't need to worry Diana, being lonely is why we have friends. So we can laugh together, like me and Antiope." Hippolyta poked her daughter's nose, trying to keep a straight face even as she thought of Driesia's loneliness.

'Mother is sorry baby.. all of this because of that man..if only so many things were different, i would let you two be together, to be happy. *sigh, I wish there were another way.' Hippolyta thought to herself, her mind a mess even as she looked at Diana's beautiful smile.

"Come, let's go for a walk and see the amazons train again today." Hippolyta spoke as she could see the sadness in Diana's smile, kissing her forehead as she would allow her to see the warriors again, something they had not done for a while.

"Really mother?!" Diana's voice jumped, even if the worry over her dears friend was great, it was easy to see that getting out of this lonely palace was something they both needed.

"Yes, that means you need to get dressed, and bathe, I can smell you from here, and it smells like a minotaur." Hippolyta spoke lightly, laughing as she pushed Diana along, her lips in a smile as she watched her be taken away by the laughing Amazon guards.

'How has this happened, and what is to be done. The more this continues the more uncertain the future is. Driesia, I am sorry, but it will only continue until..' Hippolyta thought to herself, her hand shook lightly as looked out to the treasury located near the center of city, where a tower sat unmoving, and beon that tower there was the one of hanging shadows.

[Hours later]

"Shhh, this way Driesia.. do as I have taught you and stay within my shadow." The night finally stretched out its all-encompassing weight, it's long shadows crawling up the walls as a voice could be heard within the dark, three bodies moving perfectly together as the smallest of the three stayed within the shadow of the one who spoke.

"I know aunt Antiope, a warrior must know when to pick their battles, and how to protect their life even in darkness." Driesia's voice was low, speaking about what Antiope had taught her, watching as Antiope tapped the other woman's shoulder as she disappeared.

"Good, just follow. We will be there in no time." Antiope smiled, walking down tight one-person staircases, and plateau-like areas as they made their way toward the beach. The sky was filled with beautiful moonlight, its glow finally pulling on the waves as the sea's beautiful water began to splash on the rolling sand-like shore.

Almost without question, Antiope was taken back by Driesia as she watched her take her shoes off, her toes sinking into the sand, her body spinning as the sand pushed between her toes. Her arms out to the side as she looked to the moon, her eyes closing to the purple while her skin glowed golden underneath. Her black cloak gave of a mysterious feeling, as her skin shined with the beauty of a dying star, her face a mess of a smile as Antiope looked on with warmth in her heart.

"It feels so good, I haven't been here so long aunt Antiope, it still smells so salty. Thank you, aunt Antiope!" Driesia finally opened her eyes as she stopped, looking at Antiope as she ran into Antiope's arms, wrinkling her nose at the smell of the water.

"You still don't like the sea's smell I see, but it's not something even i like on the best of days." Antiope walked closer to the girl, smiling as she lifted her cloaks hood over her head. "Remember to keep it on, there are eyes everywhere, you wouldn't want your mother to worry." Antiope went to one knee as she told her something important.

"I know, I just wanted to see the moon and the sea with my own two eyes. Driesia said, looking out to the vast sea, but still nodded her head all the same.

"Come, we will do something different today." Antiope smiled, bringing her hand to Driesia as she held it, walking along the cliff line of faces at the shore, reaching a cave that was well lit but deep enough not to be seen.

"Antiope! your finally here!" Before the two could understand what was going on, a voice from inside the cave caught their attention, their eyes looking at a girl in a similar cloak to Driesia who rushed to hug Antiope.

"I see you are already here, it seems you are excited." Antiope hugged the girls small body back, feeling Driesia move behind her leg as she didn't know who this little girl was.

"Uh, your small like me! You know Antiope to, wait is she your mother?! wait what's your name." Diana tilted her head to Driesia, seeing her shrink away as her eyes widened a little, firing off questions that made Driesia withdraw even more.

"That is enough, I will tell you both something after.. for now show me what you two have learned." Antiope placed her finger on Diana's lips gently, trying to calm her wild questions.

The two girls were confused, watching as Antiope walked across the sand to an outcrop of rocks as she sat, her hands reaching down to pick up two spears. They were only wooden but both girls knew these practice weapons very well, their heads turning to each other as blue looked into green. Their face smiling and giggling under their hoods at the look they gave each other.

"You only need to land a strike to get a point, do not try and hurt one another. Understood?" Antiope smiled as the two girls walked towards her, taking a spear as she explained.

The girls once again looked at each other, their eyes somewhat focused as they nodded, Antiope's face was a little taken back at the girls, they hadn't said a word. They both walked to either side as they faced each other, Driesia held her spear to the side in a high stance like an unmoveable wall, while Diana held hers near her face, her body low like she was one with the spear.

"Begin." Antiope seeing the girls so ready, could only shake her head to how long they had been waiting to train, and even more so to how they were determined.

The walls of the cave echoed, the sounds of sticks hitting reverberated to the outside, giving a strangely calm rhythm that matched the lapping of the sea waves, each girl doing their best to out match the other. Diana's body leaned back as she avoided a swinging strike, her body low as she tried to take Driesia's legs out. Driesia moved her leg back that was overextended, as Diana saw the opening to strike at her retreating leg. Her spear striking out only to see Driesia turn slightly, steppping on the spear as she tapped Diana in the chest with her spear.

"It's 5 and 5.. I see you have both grown but I thin.." Antiope wanted to say, but saw as Diana's spear pushed Driesia off balance as she struck her leg hard.

The two continue as Driesia ignored her leg, turning with the strike as she rotated, smacking the spears flat into Diana's stomach, making her slide back along the sand lightly.

'Diana, can you hear me? I'm having my first fight." unknown to Antiope the girls unknowingly called out to each others minds, not realizing something important.

'Me to, and she's strong. I wish you were here to see it.' Diana spoke back to her best friend, her mind childish as she thought her friend was locked away somewhere.

'Me to..' Driesia replied, knowing nothing of Diana or anyone or anything on this island, she didn't see other children but she knew she an Diana could not be the only ones.

The blows echoed louder, their fight no longer cared about the rules as they smiled under their robes. Each one gave it their all as they spoke to their best friend.

'I think..' Diana thought.

'I think..' Driesia replied.

'I think I can beat her!' they both thought as they rushed forward, Driesia's eyes glowing golden at the center, as Diana's skin had a luster to it, Antiope stood, watching the change as the girls moved faster then a human could, their spears colliding as Antiope almost reached them, only to be hit with a wave of golden energy that shot into the sky.

The spears splintered and then started to shatter, the force knocking Antiope back slightly as she back flipped using her hand to slide along the sand. The force knocking the girls back, their cloaks flying with the shockwave as they looked at each other, their eyes meeting as they fell to the ground.

"Your.. me.." The two girls said, their bodies weak as they started to flicker, trying to stay awake but could only fall as their power drained.

The whole island felt a strange force run through each wall, the sky cracking with a line of light as Hippolyta woke from her sleep, her heart tight at this strange force as she rushed to Diana's room.

"Diana! Diana!" Hippolyta pushed the door open, yelling out as she looked at the bed, pulling it back as she saw only pillows. Her eyes being dragged away as she looked at the golden crack within the sky. "The barrier?" Hippolyta's eyes widen as she stumbled, rushing to the door as she almost fell to her knees.

'Ah-yue lu-cau ar-mak hum-a' (He will come for them love. Hurry!' Hippolyta's mind echoed, her hands holding her head as she screamed, the voice echoing within her mind as she listened.

"Everyone! find Diana.." Hippolyta who was on the floor, pushed back the amazons who tried to help her, she spoke low but looked up at their worried faces. "Now! Find her quickly!" Hippolyta yelled, bringing the guards back to reality as she couldn't keep the worry within her heart.

The shockwave seemed to travel, the ocean turned as the sea became uncontrollable, waves crashed as it traveled deep within the sea, the wave knocking on the walls of a throne room as a woman looked up to the ceiling.

The wave continued, shaking the clouds as the moon fluctuated like a mirror along the ocean, the power rushing to the mainland, and even humans could feel it wash over them, as a man sat within the back of a war council full of knights. His eyes glowed as he watched them bicker over their conquest, his lips smiling as the wave washed over him.

'So you are no longer hiding..' The man thought as he disappeared from the room, his body moving outside the dark streets of a castle as he cracked the ground, taking off into the air as he rushed towards a strange light.

[Themyscira]

Antiope rushed to the girls, her eyes looking up into the sky as she looked at the crack. "What have I done.." she thought as she looked at the girls unconscious on the ground.

"You should be more cautious.. but it seems you haven't lost that fire.. from so long ago." Antiope was holding the girl tight, but then a voice echoed out, sounding like whispers as a hand was placed on Antiope's shoulder.

"Who is there!" Antiope spoke, pulling her sword as she turned around, only for nothing to be there.

"You know who I am, do not play such foolish games. There is no time." The voice came again, the walls being covered in darkness as a shadow of a hand crushed the flames shadow, putting it out.

"Why are you here, Enchantress! how!" Antiope yelled again seeing the woman pull herself from the wall.

"I'm not.." Enchantress said as her hand went right through her sword. "But that doesn't matter, time is almost up. the crack in the barrier will not keep him away any longer." Enchantress said, pulling Antiope's chin to look into her eyes.

"I must get them out of here." Antiope understood her words, her mind and heart raced as she tried to pick up the girls.

"There is no time to get them anywhere safe.." Enchantress's words stopped her, playing on how their was no where to go on Themyscira. "But I can help, if only to save my brothers child.." Enchantress continued, saying in sweet words as she stroked Driesia's cheek.

"There is no time Antiope.." Enchantress went on, seeing Antiope think as she looked out to the being she felt get closer. "He is almost here.."

"What do you want.." Antiope bit her lip, she knew what was coming, the girls were not ready, and the amazons would only be slaughtered. Her mind knew it was not right, but this was her fault, and she did not have time.

"You know what I want.." Enchantress said, her grayish cloud-like shadow. It started to spin as a totem was brought from the ground, its body cracked but not broken as Enchantress looked into Antiope's eyes.

"You will not have me forever.. I promise you that.." Antiope understood, but no longer hesitated, picking the totem up as she left a few words before cracking it open.

"Yes, now drink deeply.." Enchantress smiled, watching the black smoke go within Antiopes body, her eyes and neck glowing bright orange as their hands interlocked. The hand flipping as Enchantress stood, her body in almost nothing as she stretched out her hand, as the golden energy from the crack was pulled into her body.

The man flew across the water, but stopped as he looked around, no longer feeling the energy as he held his head and yelled into the sky. The rain kicking as cracks of thunder ran along the high clouds.

[Themyscira]

The island was filled with life, every amazon moved to find Diana, but Hippolyta who had joined seemed to know something. Going to the cave her and Antiope trained at when first came to this island, her head and eyes low as she looked at the three bodies along the floor. The amazons were given a hand to stay as Hippolyta walked closer, her hand rubbing the two young girls faces, while her eyes looked sadly at Antiope

"Antiope.. what have you done.."