Chapter 3: Fear and Discord in Paradise
The Monitor turned to another universe, Universe 65. In this one, Princess Diana had been in Man's World for several years, and was gifted with the title of 'Wonder Woman'. She sought to spread the message of peace throughout the world.
The display screen showed a civic hall in Gateway City...
"Ladies and Gentlemen, visiting ambassadors, honored guests. It is with great pride that I introduce our main speaker this afternoon, She is one of those very special persons who truly needs no introduction but I'll do my best.
"She's a woman who comes from a very special nation on this planet and she comes bearing a message that is vitally important today: that peace and equality are achievable for our people!‘
The emcee's words float back to Diana through the cool darkness which engulfed the main stage of the magnificent arena. She stood poised and ready, wearing the mantle of the fabled warrior Diana Trevor, which was known to the world as her Wonder Woman costume. Her regal blue cloak flowed casually behind her, whim to the gentle summer breeze.
Diana calmly peered at the audience through the glare of the arena's lights while waiting for her entrance cue. So many eyes sought her out, full of great expectations. TV cameras glided gracefully on automated tracks; with a speed rivaling great Hermes’ own, her electronic image is sped throughout this brave new world.
Fascinating and frightening, the creations of Man's World.
“It Is my great pleasure to present... Princess Diana of Themysciral”
A roar of approval rose from the crowd, unrestrained in its cheering and applause. For just a moment, Diana hesitated, a brief tremor of stage fright passing through her. And then she had no more time for such petty, mortal concerns. She stepped forward, her feet effortlessly leaving the ground, and soared into the air above the vast arena. She hurtled past the stage and swiftly flew above the jubilant crowd.
Approval surged from the crowd below and with it all her fears evaporated into mist. She swooped in a tight arc, reveling in the pure sensation of flying and the joy of the crowd's unbridled appreciation. The sky was hers and for a brief, magical moment, there was no strife and no conflict; all that existed was her and the audience, united by a bond of mutual acceptance.
Diana reveled in the glorious attention while also feeling a twinge of remorse. Although she loved bringing joy to the people of this world, a sadness tempered her bliss, that such theatrics were necessary to make her message heard.
Again she forced the doubts from her mind, concentrating instead on the task at hand. Many in this audience came to hear her message but all came to marvel at her powers. If they want a show, they'll get a show, she thought craftily. She rose up high into the air and swooped rapidly down, preparing to execute a plummeting aerial roll.
Diana leaned back, ready to execute her dive, but her mind kept turning over thoughts and fears about the validity of her actions.
Do these people really care about the message of peace I bring them? Wonder Woman pondered, or are they just here to see me fly, like some sideshow attraction? And has the trill of their adulation overcome my commitment to my mission? Am I growing to prefer their praise to my difficult and often thankless task?
Suddenly, she realized she was approaching the ground far, far too quickly. She turned rapidly in mid-flight to avoid a collision.
The Amazon Princess desperately twisted in the air, channelling her rocketing downward momentum into swooping sideways — but she was still approaching the ground far, far too quickly.
Before Diana fully realized what is happening, she slammed into a scaffold of technical equipment, toppling klieg lights, scattering camera equipment. The impact stunned her for a second and as she pulled herself together, TV cameras surrounded her menacingly. The audience's frightened babble sounds like the gibbering of harpies. Formless fear welled up within the Amazing Amazon.
Summoning her resolve, Diana quickly and firmly put aside the event and flew into the air once again, heading for the stage. While the audience furiously applauded her recovery, she was not pleased. She brooded mentally on what could have made her lose control so easily.
She slowed her flight and floated ceremoniously down to the stage, her arms outstretched in a celebration of her flight. Her red boots touched gently upon the stage floor and she held her fists above her head, bracelets crossed in an affectionate salute. Wonder Woman smiled, pleasantly surprised to see a great majority of the audience members returning the greeting.
Relaxing somewhat, she looked out at the rows of expectant faces before her. Thousands of people were perched forward on the hard arena seats, eagerly anticipating her every word. Drawing in a breath, she began.
"Citizens of the world. I bring you greetings from Themyscira. I thank you for the opportunity to address so many of you on the anniversary of my first visit to your world. In this time, I have found you to be kind and receptive hosts. To mark this occasion, my Amazon sisters join with me in inviting ambassadors from five of your nations to be our guests on Paradise Island.
"We have studied your world and your culture extensively and now wish to return your generosity by participating in an exchange of culture and goodwill. We have much to share with one another and much to learn from each other.
”We wish to learn the new ways of Man, of your innovations made in education and the arts during the three thousand years our cultures have been separate. But beyond this, we wish to offer you our ancient ideals of peace and equality.
"I will select ambassadors from five different nations to be our guests. Should this first trip be successful. I can guarantee it will be followed by many more."
Vast applause rippled through the crowd. Diana thought her sisters seemed to have greatly underestimated the world's interest in Themyscira.
"I will choose the five representatives at the end of today's celebration," she continued. "All ambassadors are welcome to apply. Interested persons should..."
Suddenly, her statement was interrupted by the unmistakable crack of gunfire. Wonder Woman quickly scanned the arena only to see someone in the ambassadors' section topple over in his chair, blood splattered across the seat in front of him.
In an upper balcony, her keen eyesight spotted a swarthy, heavyset man in workman's coveralls holding a rifle. His mission apparently completed, he vaulted over a railing and headed for an arena exit ramp.
Diana leapt over the podium and flew low over the heads of the startled audience, determined to catch the assassin. The man in coveralls ran along an upper arena catwalk, pushing forcefully through the crowds, heading down an arena ramp towards a nearby stairwell.
She flew at the gunman, grim with determination. He noticed her heading for him and leapt into the arena. For a moment she lost sight of him amidst the milling crowd.
For eternal seconds, she looked around in dazed confusion before spotting the gunman in the custody of the arena's security agents, several of whom look bloodied and injured from a scuffle.
She then flew down to the gunman's victim, a tall man, with dark skin and hair, wearing an expensively tailored suit. He was slumped forward, blood dripping from his matted hair. A name tag reveals the man to be Rafai al-Sabad, an attache to the ambassador from the Emirate of Kabul. A medic is closing his eyes.
"We lost him, "the medic said ruefully. "Had he received medical attention earlier, we might have saved him. But by the time we arrived, there was nothing to be done."
Diana watched with sadness and helplessness as the attache's lifeless body was carried away.
She returned to the stage with a heavy heart, where the emcee was valiantly trying to keep the audience members in their seats. "Please... please, everyone, "the emcee pleaded, "remain calm. Everything is under control. Everything's fine. "
Taking the microphone from the emcee's hands, Wonder Woman pleaded a different case. "No. Nothing is fine," she said. "A man Just murdered another man! I do not know which set of tensions resulted in this horror but such hostilities are exactly why I am here. Millennia ago, when men fought with mere bronze swords, the Amazons came to men with the doctrine of peace. Today, when those swords have given way to guns and bombs, our message is especially vital. "
The audience rose to its feet in a sudden outburst of cheering and applause. She was slightly taken aback by the enthusiasm of their reaction, and wondered silently, Why is it so hard to bring peace to the world when so many people are hungry for it?
Diana finished the lecture on a triumphant note and returned to the cool darkness backstage where she was welcomed by her closest friends in Man's World: Steve Trevor, Etta Candy, Julia Kapatelis, and her daughter, Vanessa.
"You were great!" gushed Vanessa, giving her an impulsive hug.
"Good ad lib," said Steve with a smile, leading her along the backstage corridors. "You really got them where they live, Diana."
"I'm very proud of you, dear," Julia said. "But now comes the hard part: a task I've been wondering if even one possessed of the powers of the Greek gods can handle."
As Julia opened the nearby door, Diana heard the cacophonous babble of a hundred squabbling ambassadors.
In the course of the ensuing day, she met with dozens of people, each eager to represent his nation on a journey to Themyscira. With the consultation of Julia, Steve, and Etta, she quickly narrowed down the list of applicants.
During the meeting, the arena security force informed her that the gunman had been identified as a hired killer, paid by an anonymous backer to assassinate the entire delegation from the Emirate of Kabul. The assassin had not yet been linked to any political faction, which did not prevent the Kabulian ambassador from making his own conclusions regarding the employer's identity.
"Obviously a terrorist from Fujara!" shouted the Kabulian ambassador. "We are extremely familiar with the backstabbing ways of our notorious mideast 'neighbor'!"
"You are just trying to gain sympathy for your own traitorous country!" the Fujaran ambassador shouted back stridently. "This is nothing but a cheap ploy to generate publicity out of a tragic event!"
Diana strode over to the pair and leveled a calm but steely gaze at them. They turned and looked at her. "And what is this to you?" hissed the Kabulian ambassador. "A woman... and an outsider at that!"
"Gentlemen," Diana began. "If you have a disagreement, there are other ways to solve it than clashing like this. "
"Hah!" shouted the Fujaran representative emphatically. "With this mountain ape there is no option!"
"The Fujarans never listen to reason," responded the Kabulian. "They have heads of brick!"
"Quiet, both of you!" Diana said, cutting their argument short. "If you cannot respect one another, simply avoid further contact."
"We are certain the gunman was from Fujara!" protested the Kabulian.
"We demand a formal apology!"
"That is an important matter, I agree," Diana replied firmly. "However, it is one which should be resolved at a more appropriate time. My purpose here is to select ambassadors to Themyscira, not mediate..."
"Hah!" spat the Fujaran. "Who are you to tell us what to do? A woman! In my country we would never allow a woman to speak so!"
"I'm sorry to hear that," Diana said diplomatically. "If you are so set against the rights of women, why do you wish to accompany me to Themyscira?"
"We are curious, "the Fujaran replied.
"True," added the Kabulian ambassador. "It would be amusing to see what a poor Job women do governing a country." Both men chortled derisively.
"I will keep that in mind...," said Diana.
The two ambassadors return to squabbling over the earlier incident, although with significantly less fervor.
Returning to Julia, Steve, and Etta, the Amazon said with a slight smile, "I may not have stopped their argument but I appear to have reminded them that they do have some things in common."
Diana then requested, "Tell me about those ambassadors."
"They're from two small mid-east nations," Steve Trevor replied, "Fujara and the Emirate of Kabul."
"The feud you saw today has its origins as far back as the middle ages," Julia added. "And they still dispute their bordering territories."
"Fujara is nominally allied with the United States while the Emirate has ties with the Soviet Union," said Etta thoughtfully. "The U.S. and the U.S.S.R. used to exert some influence over them and could normally keep the two nations horn fighting. Unfortunately, Fujara and the Emirate won't listen to either side anymore."
Steve frowned, continuing. "Ever since the two superpowers nearly destroyed the world during the Ares Affair, they lost a lot of credibility with their allies."'
"But that was all due to Ares' manipulations," protested Diana.
"I know that and you know that, Princess," replied Steve. "But most of the world remains skeptical about the actual existence of your gods. Nevertheless, since the Ares Affair, these two nations have been at each other's throat, Just looking for an excuse to declare war. And it seems there's nothing anyone can do about it."
"Don't be so sure about that," Julia interrupted. "Diana, if you invited those two ambassadors to Themyscira, they Just might learn some important lessons, don't you agree?"
"What?!" asked Steve, incredulous.
"Diana, you can only bring five ambassadors," Etta interjected. "Are they really the sort you'd want to invite?"
"Etta's point is well taken, dear," added Julia. "These two could benefit greatly from the visit... or they could ruin it all. And think of your Amazon sisters. If the visit goes poorly, they may not accept any more visitors. That would be a high price to pay.
"It's your decision, Diana," Julia continued, solemnly. "Consider wisely, as I know you will."
"Hmmm..." said Diana pensively. "I suppose you are right. They would certainly be trouble on the trip. Instead I shall choose ambassadors who are obviously prepared to accept the message of the Amazons."
"Very sensible, Princess," said Steve in agreement.
At the evening's conclusion, the Amazon Princess announced the ambassadors selected for the journey. The festival concluded with a meeting of the chosen ambassadors, who introduced themselves to one another and began conversing of worldly concerns.
During the meeting, Diana stepped out of the stuffy meeting room into the cool night air and offered a prayer to the gods. Instead of the inner glow she usually felt when she prayed, there was only a dull ache, as if the gods rejected her communion. Then the image of Athena filled her mind and Diana realized the gods recommend inviting the Kabulian and Fujaran ambassadors.
Summoning her will, she returned to the meeting room and addressed the group.
"I must apologize for this drastic inconvenience," she began, "but I find myself forced to change the roster of Themysciran ambassadors. I cannot presently explain my decision but I must include two ambassadors who were not originally chosen. As such, I must leave two of you behind."
"I will select the two who will remain by random draw, unless two among you care to voluntarily decline. In either case, those forced to remain will be offered first place on the next exchange with Themyscira."
The response was overwhelming. Every ambassador unquestioningly volunteered to stay behind, reaffirming her faith in her ability to select the finest people from those around her. In the end, she selected those to remain by random ballot; they accepted their exclusion with grace and understanding.
When the five chosen ambassadors are finally assembled, Wonder Woman prepared to address them. They were a varied group, representing many different cultures and interests, their names as unique as any she had encountered here on Man's World: Jules Guisan of Switzerland, Maurice Diawara of the Ivory Coast, Kwa Khin of Burma. Jamal Zayyali of Fujara, and Ahmad ibn Umran Tiryan of the Emirate of Kabul.
The chosen ambassadors made an odd study in contrast. The former three appeared to get along quite well but Jamal and Ahmad continued to scowl at one another, quarrelling intermittently.
The Amazing Amazon took the ambassadors aboard a passenger liner which would ferry them across the Atlantic toward Paradise Island. It was there, at the location of the storm field which surrounded the Island, that technology stopped functioning. Her task would be to escort the ambassadors' smaller sailing ship through the treacherous waters of the enchanted barrier, aided by the sandals of Hermes. The liner had instructions to wait for her to return with the ambassadors.
Julia and Vanessa accompanied Wonder Woman on the Atlantic crossing, a trip which brought back fond memories for Julia. She reminisced about her childhood and recounts her sailing off the coast of Greece with her father.
During the journey, Diana become well acquainted with the ambassadors she had chosen. They were all intelligent, dedicated people, in each of whom she could find appealing qualities. They got along together well enough, although relations between the Kabulian and Fujaran ambassadors remained strained. For the sake of the voyage, they kept their hostile outbursts to a minimum but their contempt for each other was appallingly obvious.
At one point, the discussion turned to the Olympic gods. Maurice Diawara. a very educated man said, "The most difficult thing to accept about all this is the presence of the gods— actual living gods. It's incredible, almost beyond belief."
Diana chose her words carefully. "The gods have passed from the sights and needs of most people," she explained. "While they no longer exercise direct influence over the affairs of mortals, their existence is still quite real. "
"If these gods have left Man," asked Kwa Khin perceptively, "then what was behind this Ares Affair?"
"The gods developed alongside Man," she continued, "although along a strikingly different course. The gods have not and never will simply disappear; perhaps it is more accurate to say they have withdrawn, to leave Man to his own destiny."
"Because of the frequency of warfare on Earth, Ares continued to be worshipped indirectly and did not withdraw as completely as the other gods.
"Ares soon grew angry and brought your United States and Soviet Union to the brink of destruction. But the mighty God of War has seen the error of his ways and has now withdrawn as well, content that Man forge his own wars. A contention which is, unfortunately, far too recurrent."
"A statement which sounds like a convenient excuse for rampant power- mongering, ” growled Ahmad.
"I must admit," said Jules, "it stretches the imagination to believe that traditionally-considered mythical gods are real and can effect such events."
"Is it so much easier," Diana interjected, "to accept a Superman from beyond the stars than it is to accept fundamental concepts from your own history?"
The ambassadors quietly considered her argument during the remainder of the journey to Paradise Island.
When the liner approached the area near Themyscira, Wonder Woman flew ahead, scouting out the storm field. She swooped low, enjoying the cold, salt sea spray on her face. Spotting the perpetual storms which surrounded Paradise Island, she turned back to the liner, where she and the ambassadors casted off on the smaller sailing ship.
As the ship drew near the stormclouds, the small craft was unexpectedly shaken by the suddenly-violent seas. Concern furrows the ambassadors' brows; giving them a reassuring glance, Diana trimmed the sails and headed into the worst part of the storm, praying to Hermes for a swift and uneventful journey. She concentrated on the sandals Hermes gave her, preparing to activate them as they passed through the barrier between Man's World and Themyscira.
Waves buffeted the little ship, tossing it violently from side to side, sending huge gushes of water over the rails. The ambassadors wisely went below deck to wait out the raging storm.
Lightning split the skies as whitecaps crash against Wonder Woman in unrestrained elemental fury. Once again, she appreciated the sheer power of the benevolent goddess Gaea, the storm frightening in its savagery.
A peculiar sensation of fear welled in the Champion of the Amazons as the image of a watery grave flashed through her mind. She struggled to concentrate on the task at hand. She focused her will on controlling Hermes' sandals to allow passage to the Island, all the time fighting the winds for control of the ship.
Then the Amazing Amazon lost control of the sails. The ship was tossed high into the air and then splashes back to the seas, submerging its right side. Wonder Woman landed forcefully in the cold water and fought to pull the ship upright. Waves pounded heavily on the ship.
Taking out her golden lasso, she lashed it to the mast. She took flight into the air, pulling with all her strength to aright the ship.
The savage seas pounded upon the hull of the little ship, threatening to rend it asunder. The Princess of Power launched herself into the skies, torrential rain pounding on her, trying to crush her down into the beckoning waves. Blindingly bright, jagged flashes of lightning crash all around her.
Offering a quick prayer to mighty Poseidon, she pulled on the rope, hauling the ship out of the water. Suddenly, above the roar of the seas, she heard a loud crashing sound. A violent vibration traveled up the lasso as the mast broke in two.
The ship sank back into the water, pulled down by the hungry seas. Wonder Woman swooped down to pull the ship up again but began to fear for the mission. Without its sails, the ship could not possibly navigate these rough waters.
She pulled on the water-logged boat, towering waves battering the hull. With a splintering crash, the hull split and chunks of the boat drifted away carelessly. Despair stole over the Amazon Princess like a spirit of darkness.
Violent waves tore at the boat, pushing it forcefully backwards.
"Great Poseidon," said Diana in fervent supplication, "hear your daughter's prayer. Aid me in my need!"
The strange sensations of fear within Wonder Woman subsided and she felt a new rush of strength flood through her body. She grabbed the heavy boat, hauling it from amidst the sea, and tilted it carefully, as water began to pour from the hole. The boat then rode atop the waves, buoyant once again.
She flew forward slowly, pushing the heavy boat as she endured the lessening storm. Slowly, the crashing waves subside, darkened clouds part, and light floods the seas, as the little craft sailed serenely into the tranquil waters surrounding Paradise Island.
Expertly, Diana guided the battered little craft along the soft blue waters off Themyscira. The ambassadors came out of hiding below deck to gaze at the lush, fertile island. Even the Fujaran and Kabulian ambassadors were awed by the splendor of the grand, white marble buildings set against the verdant greens of the hills.
She directed the boat toward the main isle and dock, where a group of Amazons, led by Philippus, waited to greet her. As she escorted the ambassadors onto Themysciran soil, Philippus said, "Princess Diana, in the name of Queen Hippolyte, I officially welcome you and your friends to Themyscira!"
Following introductions to the Amazons, the ambassadors all began talking at once, bubbling with excitement and enthusiasm. She watched the group walk up the hill from the shore against the breathtaking backdrop of Themyscira. A sense of anticipation welled within Wonder Woman, knowing that she had done well.
The ambassadors were first shown to their respective chambers, where they were given a chance to freshen up after the taxing journey. Eventually, they were led on a grand tour of Paradise Island.
Philippus led the ambassadors to the Senate Chambers, the statue of Artemis, the Coliseum, and a tour of Themyscira's vast and numerous temples. Both the temple of Hades and Doom's Doorway, however, were excluded from the tour, declared off-limits by Queen Hyppolyte for their innate dangers, especially to humans.
The tour concluded with an audience with Queen Hippolyte, who received the ambassadors in the Royal Palace, greeting them as visiting royalty. The ambassadors were obviously fascinated by Hippolyte's presence and, while the Kabulian and the Fujaran representatives feigned indifference to a female ruler, Diana could tell the nobility of her mother's bearing impressed them. By nightfall, the ambassadors were worn out, while the Amazons were ready for more activities. Diana reminded herself that her sisters were created by the gods to be prime specimens of humankind; the rest of the world might have trouble keeping up with Amazons.
The next day. the tour's informalities ended, the formal portion began. The ambassadors visited the Amazon Senate to watch debates on the day's important issues. The chief topic was continued contact with Man's World.
Diana noticed that the term "Man's World" made some of the ambassadors uncomfortable. It would be good for them to see the world through Amazon eyes, just as it would be good for her sisters to see through the eyes of Man. As leader of the Amazon faction opposed to contact with the outside, Hellene's arguments were remarkably insightful and clear.
The second stop of the tour was the Temple of Justice. The Amazons had a strong and compassionate system of arbitration for settling their disputes, one which the ambassadors should see in action.
Before the arbitration session began, Philippus prepared the ambassadors for the event, informing them the Amazons were not immune to disputes among themselves and when Amazons argue, the dispute would be resolved to mutual satisfaction through arbitration.
The case at hand was over an incident which occurred today at dawn. Ismene and Perimele were arguing over three prize horses which Perimele purportedly sent plummeting over a cliffside.
At first the arbitration went well, although something about the incident made Diana uncomfortable. Perimele's only real defense was that she didn't know what came over her, that she was filled with an irrational compulsion to kill Ismene's horses.
As the discussion continued, Perimele became obviously increasingly upset. Diana wondered if the presence of the ambassadors was affecting her.
Just when the two women were discussing a solution of having Perimele help breed new horses for Ismene, Perimele became visibly angry. It was frightening to watch, as Perimele's face contorted with rage and she toppled the arbitration table. Two other Amazons rushed to restrain her but she effortlessly toppled them as well and immediately charged toward Ismene, the unmistakable gleam of hatred in her eyes.
"Perimele, my sister!" said Diana in shock. "Please, stop! I have no wish to harm you!"
"Who are you to command me?" snarled Perimele. "You, who brings outsiders here?"
Perimele toppled another guard as she spoke and reached menacingly for Ismene.
As Perimele fought her way towards the door, Diana regretfully drew her enchanted lasso from its place on her belt. She unfurled it and swung it about your head, building momentum. Then she cast it out and it soared across the high-ceilinged Temple of Justice, to ward a renegade Perimele.
The lasso whipped down rapidly toward Perimele, who dodged away at the last minute, nimbly avoiding the golden rope. Have I spent so much time among the slower-moving mortals, Diana wondered, that I have forgotten the speed and agility of my sisters?
She reeled back the lasso and flew forward while two Amazons at the door grabbed Perimele and wrestled her to the ground. By the time the Amazon Princess arrived, Perimele had been completely subdued.
"I fear we hurt her badly," one Amazon guard said to Diana. "How could this have happend? Why were we forced to take arms against our own sister?"
"I do not know," replied the Amazon Princess, as they led Perimele to the Island of Healing. "But I am certainly going to find out. "
The stillness in the Temple of Justice was broken by Ahmad. "Well," said the Kabulian, with a sneer, "so much for your vaunted peaceful solutions. "
"Is that how you see it?" asked Diana. "Whatever happened to Perimele was not natural. Some dark enchantment is at work here. In recent days I, too, have felt the same unreasoning fears she described."
"Hah! More ignorant superstition, the same foolish illogic which rules this entire island," he retorted.
''Ahmad," replied Wonder Woman patiently, "I pray you are never confronted with the true power of what you call 'ignorant superstition.' Mankind is already far too beset by it."
The incident at the Temple of Justice placed a dark cloud over the delegation. The ambassadors continued their rounds but with considerably less enthusiasm. The Amazon Princess worried about the impression with which they would return to Man's World.
Perimele's violent reaction was completely out of character for her and Diana pondered what caused it. She found herself increasingly absorbed with such concerns as the tour progressed. Soon the ambassadors were ready to go to the Coliseum to see the Amazon athletic competition.
Every ambassador was visibly impressed with the stunning architecture of the Coliseum.
"It's every bit as impressive as the coliseum in Rome," remarked Maurice Diawara, "and it's in perfect condition." The ambassadors took seats near the Coliseum floor and waited with anticipation.
The first contest was a simple foot race, the speed of the Amazons leaving the ambassadors breathless. "Oh my," said Kwa Khin with a laugh. "If the Themyscirans were entered in the Olympics, there would be no need for any other nation to compete."
The ambassadors watched the strength competitions with awe, the sheer power of the Amazons staggering to them. The Amazons easily lifted heavy weights and threw javelins as far as the best mortal athletes.
The ambassadors agreed the wrestling matches were the most unified of the Amazons' demonstrations, demanding a fine balance of speed and strength to best an opponent. The Amazons were all cautious with one another and never fought at full-strength but still wrestled with grace and great skill. Diana could not help but notice that one of her sisters, Risilis, fought more and more savagely as the competition intensified.
Jamal, however, remained steadfastly unimpressed by the event. "Hah!" He said scornfully. "Do you call this wrestling? An average fighter in Fujara could pulverize these women. "
Suddenly, Risilis looked up from her opponent, whom she was besting with ease.
" What did you say, little man ?" asked Risilis, a cutting edge in her voice. "Have you something to say to me?"
Jamal, never one to back away from a confrontation, rose from his seat. "Yes, Amazon," he says. "You women have not half the skill of a Fujaran athlete!"
"Skill?"Risilis echoed mockingly. She released her opponent and pulled a practice javelin from a nearby rack. "Is that what you wish to see displayed here? Then I will show you the skill of a true Amazon!"
Other contestants run to stop Risilis but she hurled the javelin straight at Jamal before any could reach her. Jamal froze in fear.
The heavy javelin streaked through the air toward the petrified Jamal. Wonder Woman reached out to deflect it in flight but the projectile flew right through her searching grasp.
With a violent crack, the javelin imbedded in the wall a mere two inches to the right of Jamal's head, sending shards of stone flying. Jamal quaked in fear, uncertain of what had just occurred.
"That is a skill, mortal," Risilis shouted, "with which your countrymen cannot possibly compete!"
Risilis grimaced, as if choking her anger back, turned abruptly, and angrily stormed out of the Coliseum.
"Such is the famed Amazon eventemperament," said Ahmad with a cold smile.
Jamal began ranting in Arabic. While Diana could only make out part of his dialogue, anyone could tell the ambassador demands an apology. But more concerning still was Risilis and her strange, uncharacteristic outburst.
"Excuse me," Diana said, interrupting Jamal in mid-tirade. She leapt over the coliseum railing and glided down to the stadium floor, dashing past the Amazon contestants to follow Risilis.
She found Risilis in an empty room in the inner chambers of the Coliseum. She was sitting on a bench by herself, huddled in a ball, knees drawn up to her chin.
"Risilis," Diana said, placing her hand comfortingly on her sister's shoulder. "Why?"
The startled Amazon shook violently beneath her hand. "I don't even know myself," she began. "It's as if I'm fighting some inner beast. It was all I could do not to impale that grinning jackal, Jamal."
"I will avoid the delegation from Man's World now," she continued. "I feel great, uncontrollable rage when they are near."
"At some point we must learn to live with them," advised Diana.
"It just seems so impossible," Risilis responded almost imperceptibly.
"At any rate," Risilis continued, "it is now all I can do not to hurl these ambassadors from Themyscira. I have never been this angry since Heracles and his men ravaged our home city of Themyscira."
"Risilis ..." Diana tried to soothe her.
"Please leave me," said Risilis. "This is something I must wrestle with alone. "
"Very well," said Diana sadly. "I will respect your wishes. But do not hesitate to call on me if I can help at all, my sister."
"Yes, of course" replied Risilies, a smile nearly crossing her lips.
Diana left her and returned to the ambassadors. She did not manage to notice the strange glowing red amulet, of odd shape and design, around Risilis's neck.
When the tour resumed, each of the ambassadors is quiet and reflective. Diana started to fear that if the tour continues the way it had, all hopes of a collaboration between the two worlds would be impossible.
That evening at dinner, she addressed the ambassadors.
"I know that the events of the day have not been what we led you to expect," said Diana thoughtfully. "We do not understand the cause of the friction between you and my sisters."
"It is obvious," said Ahmad, interrupting. "Your people are not ready for contact with the real world."
Philippus bristled. "What do you mean, 'real world?' We are certainly as real as..."
"Hold," said Diana, interrupting her sister Philippus' comments. "There are more forces at work here than we understand. But we will solve this problem, I promise you."
Before any can react to her statement, a messenger dashed into the room.
"Princes Diana," said the young Amazon, "Queen Hippolyte wishes to speak to you immediately in the Senate."
Wonder Woman quickly arrived at the Amazon Senate, where an emergency summit had been called. Torches blazed, fires burned in ornate regal braziers, casting nickering shadows across the room. Her mother Queen Hippolyta, was holding audience with her most trusted advisors. Menalippe stood next to her, a frightened look in her eyes.
"Beloved daughter," Hippolyta began. "I know you meant only the best when you chose the mortals who represent Man’s World here. . . but one of them wishes to destroy us."
"I had a vision," stated Menalippe, "a vision of a man spreading confusion and terror through Themyscira by dark enchantment. His face was obscured from me. as if by a great power, but I could sense it was one of your ambassadors from Man’s World. "
"They must leave,” said Hellene imperiously, "before the cruel one spreads any more of his corruption. I also repeat, this is exactly the sort of thing I warned about when it was first proposed that Man be allowed here." Diana knew Hellene had long resisted any contact with the outside world, so her reaction was not unexpected.
"I fear that the oracle is undeniable, my daughter." Hippolyta said sadly. "We must cast out the offending elements."
The Amazon Princess stood before her mother, defiant but respectful. "If there is one among the ambassadors who wishes us ill," she asserted, "is that a reason to penalize them all? They have enjoyed all they have seen here and, despite the troubles, they are learning great things."
The Amazons paused, listening with rapt attention.
"I entreat you, mother," Diana continued, "allow me time to discover who the corrupting presence is. If one of the ambassadors is truly spreading discord among us, he will soon make a mistake or leave some evidence of his crimes. I will find him out and he will be punished."
The Amazons sat quietly, thoughtfully, weighing words of their Princess, their Champion.
"It will take some effort on our part," Diana added, "and perhaps still more of our sisters will suffer this odd dementia but nothing beneficial ever comes without a price!"
A murmur floated up from your sisters. They again break to discuss the situation and quickly decided.
"Very well," said Hippolyte. "Return to the ambassadors, my daughter, and inform them they may continue with the tour. But we expect you to uncover the perpetrator of this evil. "
"You have my word, mother," replied Diana.
"Then let us be vigilant," said Hellene, "and let us catch this poisoner. "
Diana returned to the ambassadors and explained to them that their status as visitors was in question but they were allowed to stay. She did not tell the ambassadors she knew that one among them was spreading a harmful influence.
That night Wonder Woman kept a vigil above Paradise Island, watching for any sign of trouble. All looked peaceful.
From high above the peaceful Themysciran setting, Diana watched the cool silver moonlight glint off the waters in the Island's harbor. Night animals quietly chattered to each other while the rest of the island slept.
A moment later, the stillness was split by a shout. It was a female voice, shouting, "Halt!" in Themysciran.
Swooping down to investigate, Wonder Woman saw her Amazon sisters leaving their chambers, crossing the green, and entering the ambassadors' chambers.
Making her way into the room, Diana saw the Amazon sentry Noria holding a torch in one hand and a very frightened Jamal Zayyali in the other. Hellene was speaking to him.
The other four ambassadors stood around in their robes, blinking bleary eyes. She noticed that Jamal's night table was overturned, his luggage strewn on the floor.
'What happened?" asked Diana.
Hellene replied in Themysciran. "Noria was on sentry duty when she saw a man lurking outside the ambassadors' chambers. She chased him in here and found this one!" She pointed at Jamal with disdain.
"What are you women saying?!” demanded Jamal, shrugging off Noria’s formidable grip. "Speak Arabic! Or English at least!"
"Why don't you tell us what you were doing?" asked Hellene insistently in English.
"If you have something to accuse me of," said Jamal, "please do so. Otherwise, go leave me in peace to retire for the night." He turned his night table upright and started gathering his spilled luggage.
In the midst of the confusion, Diana's eye strayed to the floor, where Jamal's suitcase was overturned. In the midst of the books, papers, and clothes, she saw several strange silver amulets.
"What are those?" asked Diana.
"I have no idea," replied Jamal, scattering the amulets. "I never saw them before."
As Diana reached for one of the amulets, a slight wave of dark disorder and confusion runs through her, shaking her very soul. The amulet was definitely enchanted.
"He must be hiding something," said Hellene. "Diana, use your Lasso of Truth on him. He will tell us the extent of this plot then!"
"He is a diplomat," Diana insisted. "To force him to speak the truth when we have no real proof of wrongdoing would be a grave international offense.'
"What does that matter?" countered Hellene. "To allow him to continue spreading his poison would be far more harmful than a mere invasion of privacy."
"But this man is not a criminal," Kwa Khin interjected. "He has not been charged with anything. In our world we would say all the evidence against him is circumstantial."
"We are not in the world of Man's so-called Justice," retorted Hellene. "Our laws are different."
"The gift of Gaea's Girdle is a great honor," Diana explained. "I will not use it irresponsibly. If this man is indeed causing trouble here, we will discover this in a way that does not assume his guilt without proof."
Hellen looked upset. "A protectress of evil," she said bitterly.
"Hellene. Jamal is no threat to us." Diana asserted. "Even if he is the one mentioned in the oracle, he cannot sow disorder if we are prepared. "
"He must be questioned!" Hellene raged, her eyes Hashing. "It is the only way!
"What disturbs you so, sister?" Diana asked. "I know you have championed the Amazons who wished to remain isolated from Man's World but your arguments were always sane and sensible. You now sound like the ignorant men who would condemn us without knowledge."
"He must be made to speak the truth! ” Hellene continued to rage.
"Hellene ..." Diana said, dreading the conclusion she foresaw. "You sound like our sister who recently attacked unprovoked. I fear' the forces of confusion and disorder that Menalippe spoke of have reached you. If only l had a way to know for sure... "
"What?" Hellene said, teeth bared in challenge. "If any here is a pawn of disorder it is you! You protect the guilty!"
Then, in a moment of desperation, the enraged Amazon made a wild lunge towards Diana, reaching for the lasso. "Give me the lasso," she shouted, "I will make him speak!"
As Hellene reached for the lasso, Diana quickly yanked it away from her. Hellene hissed for a moment and then regained her composure, a steely glint entering her eyes.
"Of course," Hellene said. "I do not want your lasso. Had I grasped it, I would be in your power."
"Not in my power," Diana said. "You would merely be required to..."
"Enough!" Hellene roared. "If you insist on protecting the emissary of Man who spreads confusion and discord, you must be an enemy. Stand aside!"
Hellene charged toward Jamal, anger flaring in her eyes.
"Dear sister," Diana said in protest. "I do not wish to fight you!"
Her pleas fell on deaf ears as the once-calm Hellene lunges for Jamal. The Amazing Amazon intercepted Hellene's charge and she crashed forcefully into Wonder Woman.
"Let me go!" Hellene demanded.
"No," replied Diana. An eerie sensation ran through her hand where she held Hellene. She fought back with a strength beyond that of the other Amazons; Diana was now sure she was not really Hellene, but an imposter.
"Who are you?" asked Diana, wrestling with her.
She felt Hellene's body mutate even as she held her. Amazons and ambassadors alike watched in horror as Hellene's beautiful face transformed into that of a hideous, scaly half-woman, half-snake. Her body writhed and undulated as her green snake body tore through the tunic.
"Hast thou not guessed?" she shrieked. "I am Echidna, mother of Cerebus! Thou didst rob me of my sting before you fled our last fight. But now I shall be the death of you!"
Anger wells in Wonder Woman over having been deceived into thinking she was battling a friend. Yet another part of the Princess of Power was pleased to now unleash her full Amazon powers without fear.
Echidna wasted no time, darting forward. Wonder Woman noticed that her tail was still a stump, where once she tore off its serpentine mouth. But her remaining fangs were just as deadly; she leapt forward, snapping with her poisoned bite.
The Amazon Champion struck her full in the face, shattering several fangs.
Echidna grabbed Diana's body in her coils and began constricting. The horrified ambassadors back away but her Amazon sisters ran forward to help.
Fearlessly, Wonder Woman bludgeoned the she-serpent until Echidna fell to the ground, unconscious. She quickly bound her with the lasso, and said, "Now. Echidna... I believe you will answer a few questions."
"What are you doing here?" Diana demanded of Echidna.
"Phobos, son of Ares, gave me a chance to revenge myself on you for defeating me in the world beyond Doom's Doorway," screeched Echidna. "He plucked me from that dark world and kept me, waiting for the right chance to strike. He sent me here today, where I took Hellene's place."
"Phobos charged me with making sure you falsely accused one of your ambassadors and humiliated him by forcing him to speak against his wishes with your accursed lasso."
Diana quickly glanced at the ambassadors but the guilty one amongst them Did nothing to reveal himself.
"If I could not get you to falsely accuse him. I was to attack him. creating hate between Man's World and the Amazons. Phobos wishes to ruin your mission of peace so discord and strife would always stand between the Amazons and the outside world."
"Phobos is the god of fear, not discord." Diana reasoned. "What should be his interest in inciting discord between our two cultures ? Does he wish us to fear each other?"
"Fear is merely one part of his plan." replied Echidna. "I know not the rest. "
"Where is Phobos now?" asked Wonder Woman grimly, binding the monstrous she-god with the golden lasso.
"In a cave near Doom's Doorway."
"Cisseus." Diana instructed one of the Amazons. "Send a messenger to tell my mother what has transpired. Be certain the ambassadors are closely monitored at all times for one of them has betrayed us all."
"Very well." Cisseus said. "But take care against Phobos, Diana. Would it not be best to utilize combined Amazon might against such a foe?"
"No, my sister. I fear time is of the essence, and I must confront Phobos quickly."
Leaving Cisseus behind, Wonder Woman soared into the night sky, sailing with the wind toward the bleak caves which led to Doom's Doorway. She scanned the caves, wary of anything unusual.
Then she saw huge footprints in the muddy ground. She swooped lower to investigate and noted the footprints led up to a large rock wall. Closer inspection revealed a hairline crack running through the rock wall, forming what appeared to be a hidden door.
At the spot where a keyhole should be, Diana saw an indentation shaped like the mysterious symbol she found in Jamal's luggage...
The indentation also seemed to be exactly the same size as the amulet... indeed, it looked as if the amulet would fit exactly into the hole. But in her haste, she had neglected to bring one of the amulets, and she sensed time was running short.
Bracing herself against the impact, Wonder Woman hurled herself forcefully against the wall.
The heavy wall must be magically reinforced for it took a pounding to crack. After several powerful blows it began to crumble, then glowed, as if a powerful, fiery light were on the other side.
Suddenly, the wall shatters, not inward but towards Wonder Woman, stone fragments pelting the Amazing Amazon in a shower of tiny projectiles, drawing gasps of pain as they sliced into her body. Behind the shattered door stood Phobos, flames and noxious smoke pouring from his hands.
"So the little Amazon Princess has come a-knocking on Phobos' door?" he bellowed. "All the better. Come, then. Princess. Be the first to taste death at Phobos' hands.” Phobos lumbered forward and prepared for attack.
Wonder Woman slammed into Phobos, sending the hulking god crashing into a twisted stone pillar. He grinned smugly, even as the Princess of Power pummeled his barrel chest.
"Bold actions from so small a creature," said Phobos, his deep, gravelly voice echoing throughout the cave. "And one already wounded, at that!" Phobos kicked Diana with his huge boot, hurling her out of control, across the cave, to crash into a field of jagged boulders.
Phobos leapt forward, pressing his advantage. He struck the Champion of All Women with his flaming fists. Slowly, Diana's perceptions of the cave grew hazy, fading to a gray swirl, and then descended into blackness.
Later, Wonder Woman slowly regained consciousness. struggling through the gray haze. She was outside, on the beach before the cliffs of Themyscira. Amazons were assembled along the cliffs, watching in terror. The ambassadors huddled along side, staring in mute incomprehension.
Phobos towered above you. "Eris! Sister of Discord! I have won! I offer you the Amazon Princess as a prize!"
As if in reply, the skies suddenly cracked and a great bolt of lightning seared the heavens. Violent winds whipped around Diana, the air fairly aglow with energy'. Crackling noises spilt over from horizon to horizon and for a moment, the huge face of a mocking goddess filled the sky.
Then another flash of lightning cut through the cold air and she appeared: a huge goddess never before seen, possessed of a face both malicious and mirthful. She was dressed like a gladiator, entirely in black, her armor bearing a frightening similarity to Ares’ own. Emblazoned on her shield was the amulet symbol which has recently appeared on Themyscira.
"Eris . . .?" said Diana weakly, her breath catching sharply in her chest.
"Quite right, little sister!" said the goddess, her voice cold and smooth. "Eris, daughter of Ares, goddess of Discord. Confusion, and Strife. And what a delightful game this has been!"
Wonder Woman struggled to bring herself fully conscious, taking advantage of the time Eris spent boasting.
"As a result of your failed, pitiful conference, the Amazons will never again permit contact with Man 's World. Eris continues. "The mortal ambassadors, similarly, will have some lovely horror stories to tell about the vaunted women of Themyscira!"
"What do you want here?" asked Diana, both growing bolder and buying more time.
"Want? Want?" said Eris mockingly. "You drew me here. Or, rather, your Amazon sisters drew me. Their conflict with the outside world attracted me... sustained me. Such wonderful strife between your sisters and the outside world!As long as tension exists between your peoples, I am strengthened!" she said triumphantly.
"You were the corruptive presence which Menalippe sensed." said Diana, incredulous. " You made one of the ambassadors spread your amulets about the island."
"Of course." Stated Eris. "Your Kwa Khin has been my pawn the entire game. Jamal was a much more likely candidate for your suspicions than honorable Kwa Khin of Burma, whom you would never have suspected. How our Judgments work against even the noblest of us!" Eris laughed deeply. Diana looked solemnly at Kwa Khin, who sat oblivious on the cliff side. He had a glazed look in his eyes, a victim of Eris' magic.
"How you must yearn to combat me!" Eris said with a roar of laughter. "But don't expect to defeat me as easily as you did my father, Ares. Your lasso is now occupied keeping Echidna bound. Its cursed powers will avail you naught. "
"Wait," said Diana. "So Jamal is innocent?"
"Innocent of the crimes of which you and your Amazon sisters suspected him, perhaps," replied Eris, "although I have enjoyed flaming the fires of Fujara's hatred of Kabul. It was the perfect situation to exploit. The mortals from Man's World are so wonderfully territorial. It was merely a small step from accelerating the conflict between those nations to creating a conflict between Man 's World and your pathetic Themyscira."
"Mankind is still as suspicious of women as it was three thousand years ago; your sisters still have a lingering fear of all men from Heracles' abuse. This was an explosive situation waiting to erupt. It took very little effort to encourage your peoples to seek severance of all connections and live in permanent hate and exile."
"Now come." Eris continued, raising her club. "Fight with me! How you must hate me for what I have done to your plan for peace. . . and for what I have done to your sisters! Come, little daughter!'
"I am no daughter to you," replied Wonder Woman.
"You are my very truest daughter!" Eris retorted, circling the Amazon Princess. "Regard the Discord you sow in Man's World each time you visit! Look how you destroy all their pre-judgments, their attitudes of men and women, and even their beliefs toward peace and war! See the confusion you inspire! It is Discord most divine!"
"If I inspire discord," replied Diana, "then I also champion causes which more than heal any momentary confusion I create."
"No!" Eris shouted, shaking her club at her. "You'll never win! You contend against Man's most basic urges! You are challenging the male's urge to dominate the female! Man is a shambling brute and you would try to stop him from squabbling over territory? Such a concept is absurd!"
"You are wrong, Eris," Diana said. "Sexism and hate are not Man's most basic urges. Among many they are very strong impulses, I grant you, but they are far from the deepest. For the force that is strongest in Man is not of your creation, or Ares, or even Zeus himself. It is the gift of our mother, Gaea. You know the force I mean!"
"Enough of this! "said Eris furiously. "The only method of fighting Discord is with Discord!" The goddess raised her club above her head and prepared to attack.
Eris swung her massive club at Wonder Woman as she stared at her, grim with determination. Incredibly, her swing missed. The goddess bellowed and screamed in disgust.
Diana stepped away from her and flew over to the ambassadors, who cowered at her approach. Eris thundered across the ground toward you.
"Now you see what we face," Diana told the ambassadors, pointing to Eris. "That is the form our adversary takes. She is Discord personified. Could you take all the fear and mistrust and hate between our two peoples and give it life, she would be its image!"
The ambassadors considered your words, all the time looking at Eris, with her manic face and contorted stance.
"How dare you ignore me, whelp!" Eris wailed. "Come here and fJght me!"
"That is the voice of our controversy," Diana continued. "I ask you, my friends, to Join with me, that Eris gains no more power from our strife."
The ambassadors looked away from the Amazing Amazon, confused and frightened.
"You are making a fool of yourself, little Amazon," said Eris, gloating. "This ridiculous excursion has been a disaster for these petty men. They will never again listen to you! The only way you can possibly renew their trust is to defeat me. I have ruined your plans for peace . . . display your strength and regain these mortals ' confidence."
Chapter excerpt truncated at the edge.