Chapter 12. The Prophecy

Her name was a mystery, and her identity remained a secret. Yet, she walked the steps to the royal palace with both grace and certainty.

Cloaked in the aura of ancient truths, she looked at the palace doors with a gaze that pierces the veils of time. Her dark eyes with black-shaded eyebrows would give a scare to an unborn child still in the belly of their mother.

Her barefoot legs were decorated with ornaments that shingled with every step she took, announcing her arrival to give unsolicited counsel to higher authorities.

Her mind was riddled with insights, a blend of foresight and intuition. A message for the queen, and damnation for the Amazons.

She carried no weapon with her. Her weapon was her mind. She was dressed just like any other Amazon (at a basic level) only with a strong touch of her own eccentric self.

A golden necklace dangled on her chest as she took the last step off the flight of stairs. Her beaded braids waved from the wind as she raised her chin. Before her were two royal guards, guarding the palace doors. She could tell that her appearance before them was intimidating.

[Anyone come in mind?: Images & GIFs]

Just a few steps more, and she would warn the queen.

Those who had long given up on trying to document her trivia chose to give her the only relatable name they could think of. They called her, The Oracle of Themyscira.

The royal guards didn't even bother to ask her what her business was as she came closer to the doors. They just looked at each other with familiarity in their eyes and nodded to each other in acknowledgement. They then opened the doors and let her into the palace.

Without a word, she proceeded as if she owned the place.

It was as if she had chosen this specific moment to intrude in on the queen's ongoing meeting.

Hippolyta had gathered some of her fellow warriors to recollect on the events that had happened a while ago. Barely a day had passed since a mysterious superhuman man had appeared in Themyscira.

But he was now captured and locked in the dungeons of their past.

In her gathering, she had some of her most important and high-ranked people, with one particular princess missing. Well, this meeting would be incomplete without being graced by the presence of the only Oracle in the island.

Always to her right side, Phillipus stood tall, ready and armed as the General of the Amazon Warriors, on this occasion. When neither politics nor war was involved, she remained as a passionate lover to her queen.

Next in the chain of command was Zasa, the commandress. She was currently briefing the queen on what had happened in the battle field.

Totally out of place were the personal bodyguards of the Princess. Two of them were present in the meeting as the third bodyguard hunted down the location of Diana. Philomela and Techne shaddered beneath their armor as the queen threw disappointed glances to their direction.

On the only table in the war room were two respected scholars browsing through a pile of books and maps as if searching for ancient knowledge. These were the Geologist and Documentarian, Dotsia and Taria, respectively. They were trying to uncloak the mystery of a building appearing and then disappearing.

Behind the queen and the General were two Royal guards, keeping a keen eye on those present. Hand-picked by the General and cherished by the queen, they had served as personal bodyguards for the queen for as long as they could remember. They were, Hercula - the champion of combat, and, Althea - the Royal Physician.

In the meeting, there was also three other women who were not high-ranked members in Themyscira. They were mere foot-soldiers, but their importance for this meeting was unquestionable. Leading them was Aresia.

These three women were the first to come in contact with the man, and the queen wanted to hear their narration first-hand. As far as Aresia was concerned, the man attacked them first, and her companions had to stick to that story.

It goes without saying that, she was the one who had first shot Wan Juan, despite his attempt to surrender. Dumbfounded, Aresia's companions could only nod their heads in agreement to the fabricated story.

Zasa completed her briefing on what had happened from the cliff, to the lake and, the clash of Titans in the outskirts of the Forest of Myths.

"Whoever this man is, he is as powerful as a god and should not be underestimated." She concluded.

"But you ensured that he is bound by the silver shackles forged from the aegis of Zeus?" The general asked the commander.

"Yes. Whatever power he possesses is contained, for now." Zasa replied.

"Good job, commander." The queen appreciated her underling.

"How are we coming along with that-" she meant to ask the geologist and Documentarian on their progress in understanding what happened, but a certain Oracle cut her short.

"The dark times are upon us sisters." The Oracle started as she stormed into the war room with her strong aura of mystery. But she stopped as the general retaliated.

Pulling her sword from it's sheath, Phillipus snapped at The Oracle while taking a step forward. "How dare you interrupt the Queen?!!"

Rolling her eyes at the chivalry, the Oracle pointed her finger at the general and lashed words of threat. "One more step and the plague of leprosy shall befall you and those reckless hands."

Phillipus grunted but the queen waved her hand and signalled him to stop.

"She only comes this far when she has grave news for us to bear." The queen said calmly as she eyed the Oracle with curiosity.

"But, my queen-" Phillipus started.

"Let's hear her out." The queen said. "She is our sister too."

"What brings you here, Oracle?" The queen asked.

Ignoring how she was addressed by her highness, The Oracle of Themyscira moved forward as she spoke. All the while locking her eyes with each and every woman in the room. "I bring forth a prophecy from the deities themselves."

"The Dark Times are upon us." She dropped the bombshell in her mysterious ways and elaborated as far as an oracle dares to. (Which means, she told them nothing useful from that statement - except for one more thing.)

"A sacrifice in the sacred grounds for the gods of Olympus!"

---

"Your mother is not going to be happy about this." A female with shortened, white hair, and a ponytail said to Diana as she raised the spear.

"Your lack of formality never ceases to impress me." Diana replied as she shot the spear into the flowing river. "You are the only one who calls the queen 'my mother'."

"Besides, why would her royal highness be displeased with me for going fishing?" She asked with a tinge of sarcasm in her voice.

The female accompanying Diana during this impromptu visit to the river was called Persephone, and she was not okay with Diana choosing to go rogue with her, once again. She was getting tired of covering for her.

"How about because you are missing an important meeting?" Persephone reminded Diana, disappointment evident in her voice. "Or maybe because, you are fishing for a prisoner who nearly killed many of our sisters?"

"Which one do you think she will be mad at the most?" Persephone asked.

"Relax, sister." Diana encouraged. "I don't see what's wrong with feeding someone when they're hungry. Should I let him starve, instead?"

"That's a trick question, right?" Persephone eyed Diana suspiciously as she pulled out the spear with several fish stabbed to death. "Why not let the cooks do their job, and you focus on being a princess?!"

"Cooks?!" Diana scoffed, her tone amused. "Now, that's a trick question."

"You know immortality means that we don't need food, and that made us the laziest and worst cooks their could ever be." Diana explained. "I doubt what they have given him is any good, if it's sufficient."

"And you think you can make a better meal?" Persephone asked.

"No no-no-no..." Diana denied. "That's where you come in."

"Me?" Persephone sounded surprised.

"You know someone who can." Diana said teasingly. "I bet this opportunity will give you enough courage for you to-"

"Oh, come on!" Persephone rolled her eyes, understanding what she meant.

"Do me this one favour, and I'll be sure to pay you back, somehow." Diana pleaded.

"You mean, like the hundred other favours you owe me?" Persephone asked.

"I'm sure you'll find them to be handy one day." Diana said confidently. "Some people would kill to have a princess owe them a favour... or a hundred."

"Please." Persephone rolled her eyes again. "Why do you even care if he gets a meal or not?"

"Because he asked for it." Diana replied, but a blunt stare from Persephone got her elaborating further. "Doesn't it bother you that he could have killed so many of us, but not even one life was lost?"

"There it is," Persephone remarked, a wry smile playing on her lips. "The soft spot I never really understand."

"You know, for someone who has a strong-willed mother, I don't really get you." Persephone expressed.

"Yeah, whatever." This time, Diana attempted to roll her eyes. "Just get going before she finds me."

"Give her a break sometimes." Persephone said as she took the spear from Diana. "Episteme has better things to do than hunt you down her entire life."

Persephone took her leave and Diana started walking uphill as she spotted a figure on top that she instantly recognized. She waved at Episteme, her bodyguard, and jumped from the river bank to meet with her.

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