WONDER WOMAN: The Contest
by JR
Based loosely upon the story by William MessnerLoebs
and Mike Deodato Jr. featured in the Wonder Woman
comic book, issues #0, #90-#100. Now without any damn
censoring.
DISCLAIMER: The following story is an adult-themed
parody of the Wonder Woman comic book. Wonder Woman
and all related characters are property, copyright
and trademark of DC Comics, an AOL Time Warner company.
No copyright infringement is intended. The author
received no payment for this story, and no money shall
be earned by its distribution.
WARNING: The following story contains adult themes
and explicit descriptions of extreme sexual events.
MINORS MUST NOT READ THIS. Many so-called adults
shouldn't, either. If you are below your country's
age of legal majority, kindly bugger off.
WONDER WOMAN: The Contest
PART THREE: STUMBLE, YOU MAY FALL
"That is absurd!"
"My Queen, I have the same right to compete in the
Contest as any other Amazon," Princess Diana replied
calmly. Standing before Queen Hippolyta with feet set
firmly apart and hands on her hips, Diana's demeanor
exuded full confidence.
"How dare you? The new contest was called precisely
because of your unworthiness!"
"If I am truly unworthy, would my participation in
this Contest not prove it, then? To all of us?"
Many voices began to mutter in surprised tones amidst
the crowd of Amazons gathering at the square, several
paces away from the confronted Queen and Princess.
The announcement of a new Contest and the apparent
fall from grace of Princess Diana had been a shock to
many, and the open antagonism of mother and daughter
appeared to confirm the rumors of estrangement.
"No further proof is needed, or is it your wish that
everyone be shown the evidence?"
"With all due respect, the only true evidence of a
Champion's worth should be that of the competition
fields," Diana countered without flinching. "Any
arbitrary restriction, undermines the validity of the
Contest itself."
"The rules-"
"The rules for competition among Amazons have been
well established for centuries, like the bases of our
social structure, My Queen. Do these truly demand
revision?"
A multitude of surprised reactions ran through the
assembled Amazons. The concepts of achievement and
worth were the foundations of the Themysciran
monarchic meritocracy. A challenge upon one system
could be extrapolated to others. The political
implications were clear, as was Diana's defiance.
"My Queen, our customs demand that all Amazons be
free to compete in the Contest, lest we abandon all
notions of fairness in the eyes of our gods and our
people," Diana stated in a clear voice that carried
throughout the square. "All Amazons."
Mutters of agreement arose, most noticeably from the
contingent of Bana-Migdhallans. Several began to
stamp their feet in unison, and the muttering grew
almost to a chant, echoing Diana's words again and
again: "All Amazons-All Amazons -ALL AMAZONS!"
Hippolyta's eyes blazed with anger, but she remained
silent, and after exchanging meaningful looks with
Phillipus, she finally spoke: "So be it. All Amazons
are free to participate in the Contest."
Diana bowed with ceremonial courtesy. "Thank you,
My Queen."
"Interesting new allegiances, my daughter," the
Queen hissed, just loud enough for the two of them
to hear.
"What did you make of it?"
"She is wilier than what I figured," Artemis said.
"Used us for her own interests. "
"She'd better expect no damn gratitude from me. The
Bitch Queen would've lifted her ban on us anyway. We
would've made her do it."
"Let's get registered. We've got to teach these old
cows a thing or two."
As Hippolyta's inauguration speech ended, loud cheers
filled the field from competitors and spectators alike,
the voices rising in the clear air over the plain.
The Contest had now officially started.
Artemis frowned with disgust. The Themyscirans seemed
to treat this as little more than a game, a festivity,
almost. Further proof of their decadence, she decided.
"Over there," Menelae said, pointing.
A stone's throw away on the grounds, talking with a
couple of other Themyscirans, was a tall, black-haired
young woman, whose radiant beauty was apparent even at
the distance.
"Hippolyta´s daughter."
Like all other competitors, Diana wore only sandals,
bracelets and a short, one-piece garment of rough
white fabric, secured to the body with slender cloth
cords. Artemis noticed that even the coarse, Spartan
attire seemed to emphasize the prominent curves of
her body.
"Shall we wish her luck?" Menelae asked mockingly.
"We all make our own luck," Artemis replied.
Sitting between Diana's spread legs, Eurydice placed
her bare feet against Diana's ankles, and grabbing
the offered arms, she reclined backwards so her back
touched the grass-covered ground, pulling the young
Princess's torso forward. Her taut stomach and large
bosom already flat against the ground, Diana pulled
against her friend's grip, seeking to stretch her
long legs even further.
"Limber as ever," Eurydice said.
"I thought we settled that last night," Diana said
with a wide smile.
"I don't know how you two can even walk," Mala
groaned, as she squatted by their side, rubbing her
knees. "My legs still feel like rubber."
"Diana-" Eurydice began, rising an eyebrow.
"I know," Diana said, letting go of her friend and
rising to her feet with graceful ease. "Phillipus,
Megala," she spoke out loud, turning to face the
two approaching women.
"Princess," Megala said softly, while Phillipus
merely nodded as greeting.
"We must speak, if you please," Phillipus said.
"Of course," Diana answered. "I thought you rarely
attended these events, Megala"
"This one I must, Princess," the sorceress said, her
eyes lowered. While most Themysciran Amazons seemed
to be in the range between late twenties and early
forties, Megala alone looked like an old woman. She
had been the only Amazon of advanced age to survive,
centuries ago, the arduous travel to the island,
before the Olympian Purple Fire had freed them from
further aging. Yet, to Diana's eyes, she now appeared
more stooped and tired than what she remembered. "Our
Queen has given me... another duty."
"And it concerns me? Again?" Diana asked, frowning.
"I am afraid so."
"Megala shall monitor you, Princess," Phillipus
explained uneasily. "To ensure that at no point of
the Contest you make use of the gifts of Olympus."
"What?"
"If you use the powers the gods gave you, Megala will
know, and you shall be disqualified from competition."
"Of course I'd never do such a thing! Do you believe
I would cheat on my sisters?"
"I am sorry, Child," Megala whispered.
"The Queen wants to make sure of it, and she ordered
us to tell you thus."
"Does she think I won the first Contest that way?"
Diana asked, her eyes blazing with anger.
"The Queen's mind is her own," Phillipus replied.
"Now please excuse us. We all have our duties."
"May the gods favor you, Child," Megala said, before
following Phillipus away.
"But not too much, I suppose," Mala muttered, while
Diana remained silent, outrage and hurt painted
clearly on her fine features.
Several feet above the ground, Diana's back cleared
the pole. Twisting gracefully in midair, her legs
followed, and she cleanly fell on the bundle of hay
placed to break the jumper's fall. Several onlookers
clapped and a few cheered the Princess's feat.
"New record, I'd say," the Amazon keeping score said,
smiling with proud satisfaction. The first rounds of
the Contest involved tests of athletic prowess and
skill, with the Amazons accomplishing feats that would
have shamed many so-called champions of Man's World.
Brushing hay off her clothing and hair, Diana walked
towards her friends, noticing how her other sisters
looked at her. Several made a point of avoiding eye
contact, or held reserved doubt in their eyes. Some,
like the Bana-Migdhallans, stared at her with distrust
or outright anger.
"I wonder what everyone knows," Diana said uneasily,
as she sat down by Mala and Eurydice.
"Most are just puzzled about the now obvious breach
between you and the Queen," Eurydice offered. "It
doesn't mean they know any details. Neither Mala
nor I were ever told, you know."
"Yes, but then, no one ever tells us anything," Mala
said.
"I would prefer if all was in the open," Diana said.
"Better to face honest reactions than assumptions."
"The Council knows, right? So at the very least all
of Iphigenea's friends know, then. And who knows how
much she embellished it, too!"
"Thank you, Mala," Eurydice glowered.
"So my exploits are sure to grow in the telling?"
"Ah! Iphigenia is probably insane with jealousy,"
Mala elaborated. "You have no idea how much of a
slut she was back in the Old Days-"
"THANK YOU!" Eurydice cut in.
"Oh... Well, over a third of the participants in the
previous contest did not sign up this time, Diana.
Most likely they found it ridiculous to take the
Champion role away from you, so you do have some
unconditional support, besides ours."
"That is a relief," Diana said, sighing.
"But that gave many of the Banas a larger chance of
placing. There are far too many of them near the
top spots," Eurydice complained.
"Artemis is particularly good," Diana observed.
"You are clearly ahead anyway, Diana. Eury and I are
also in the top twenty. But with my recent lack of
sleep, I'd need Hermes' own sandals to make it to the
next round."
"My lowly sandal on your fat behind would work as
well," Eurydice offered.
"POSITIONS!"
"Well, we have exalted company," Artemis muttered, as
Diana knelt down next to her in the row of crouched
Amazons preparing for the final race. "Excuse me if
I don't bow, Princess," she added, with an edge in her
voice. "But we are all equals down here."
"We all are, always," Diana replied, smiling, her
clear blue eyes fixing on the deep green of Artemis'
own. "That is what being Amazons is all about."
"Really?" Artemis replied. "Thought it meant to
kneel before royalty."
"MALA! I MEAN TODAY!"
"Not the best time to discuss politics."
"Choose a time."
"GET SET!"
"Midnight? At the square?"
"Fine by me."
"READY?"
"You know, even scowling, you are quite beautiful."
"GO!"
Artemis cursed both Diana and herself. It had been
just a trick to psyche her out, she told herself, but
she should have never let it faze her, not even for
an instant. The rest were already several paces
behind, but try as she might, she could not catch up
with Diana. Her long legs moved with a gazelle's
deceptive ease, each stride devouring distance faster
and faster.
Diana paid no heed to her fellow racers. As she had
been trained, she concentrated solely on the track
and her running. Her controlled breathing, her lean
muscles exploding with power, all were focused only on
the rhythm of moving forward, faster and faster,
until only the motion itself existed.
It was magic, Artemis knew. That was the only way
that a top-heavy bimbo could beat her. The damn
bitch had to be using magic.
Faster and faster.
Running such a distance would have been considered
an endurance race for normal competitors, but for
Amazons it was a sprinting event. There was no time
to parcel energy. All had to be given out front.
Faster and faster.
Hippolyta stared at the race, her brow furrowed, her
fingers clenching her scepter and the throne's armrest.
It was unconceivable that her daughter would win the
Contest again. Surely Diana's time in Man's World,
depending on the crutch of her Olympian powers, had
dulled her edge. Yet she seemed faster and stronger
than ever.
Hippolita sighed. Perhaps it was to be expected.
Diana had left a girl, and had returned a woman, in
more than one sense.
Something had to be done, she knew.
Suddenly, Hippolyta was on her feet, the multitude of
Amazons spectators doing the same, a collective gasp
in their throats.
Diana had stumbled.
While Artemis was carried off on the shoulders of a
throng of wildly cheering Bana-Mighallans, Diana sat
down on the grass next to the track's finish line,
frowning.
"You-You should-warm-down," Eurydice said, still
breathing heavily. Several paces away, a gasping
Mala flattened herself face-up on the ground.
Diana nodded, and began a routine of slow stretching
and relaxing of her muscles. The sweat-drenched tunic
stuck to her body, but her breathing was already
leveling out.
"What happened?" Eurydice asked after a while.
"You didn't cramp, did you?"
Diana shook her head. While she had recovered her
balance and rhythm almost instantly, the misstep had
allowed Artemis to beat her, just barely. She had
never before lost a race in Themyscira. Never.
"I tried too hard."
"Too hard?"
"I was too focused on going faster. I reached my
limits and almost went beyond them. Almost. Had to
consciously stop myself."
"You mean-?"
"Yes. I almost summoned the speed of Hermes, to
augment my own."
"You would've been disqualified."
Diana nodded. "Perhaps my mother was right on this.
I may have been using the powers too much. I used to
need to concentrate to summon them. Now, as soon as
I reached my own limit, I immediately sought to tap
into more power. It was too easy. Far too easy."
"A warrior learns to react, to use her tools, without
need for conscious thought. That's what you did."
"Then, while I must try to do my best, I must also be
wary of not going beyond a certain point, on guard not
to push myself past my human limits."
"That can be a liability."
"Yes."
"It sucks."
"Yes. I may not win this, after all."
Diana let go of the string, and the arrow sped from
her bow. Many yards away, the arrow hit the second
target board squarely in the center. The arrow in
the first target had also been a bulls-eye.
"Perfect," Mala said, nodding approvingly while
handing Diana another arrow. "And you claim you
haven't practiced this since you left us?"
"I don't make much use of any formal weapons," Diana
replied, raising the newly loaded bow. "Lasso and
bracelets normally serve me well enough."
The arrow flew, and stuck the center of the third
target, while the crowd cheered and clapped.
"You had nothing to worry about. Your aim is as true
as ever."
"My turn," a voice said behind them.
Artemis strode forward, an arrow already at her bow.
"The targets are not clear yet," Mala said.
"No need," Artemis said. She raised her arms high
above her head, and breathing deeply, she lowered
them while drawing the bow apart. As her outstretched
arms leveled with her chest, she released both breath
and string, letting the arrow fly. With a fluidity
that made it all seem like one single motion, she drew
another arrow from her quiver and shot again, and
again.
The three arrows had each struck a bulls-eye, cleanly
splitting the respective shafts of Diana's arrows.
"Impressive," Diana observed, while Mala muttered a
string of inventive obscenities under her breath.
"You can take that as a metaphor, Princess," Artemis
said, with a wide smile.
Artemis kicked at the pebble on the square's mosaic
floor, sending it to strike one of the many statues.
She had been here only a few minutes, but she was
already growing impatient.
"You are early."
Artemis turned to see Diana walk softly into the
moonlit open space. Despite the night´s chill, Diana
wore only a brief tunic clasped at one of her wide
shoulders, and cinched low at her hips. Artemis,
dressed in the heavy Arabic robes favored by her
people, felt encumbered and at disadvantage.
"I won't have anyone wait for me."
"You did very well today, Artemis," Diana said,
extending her hand in greeting. "Congratulations."
Artemis hesitated for an instant, her eyes narrowing
as she automatically examined the words for hints of
mockery or menace. Grudgingly, she extended her own
hand and clasped it around Diana's bracelet. Diana
did the same, completing the Amazon greeting.
"I thought your people favored modern weaponry over
the old skills," Diana said.
"It's the sensible thing," Artemis replied. "Wars
are not won anymore with spears and shields. But the
competition is of course biased against my people.
Or is it also our fault that the Themyscirans are
antiquated in weapon skills?"
"Yet your archery skill is outstanding."
"Perhaps I'm not very sensible, myself," Artemis
said, shrugging.
"Your style hinted at Japanese Kyudo."
Artemis eyebrows rose in surprise, and her eyes fixed
on Diana's, as if reassessing her.
"I've researched such things," Diana explained. "I've
seen only one other having comparable talent with a
bow, a man some called Green Arrow."
"Your lover?" Artemis asked with a cold smile.
"Not really. I only knew him briefly. He died some
time ago."
"Hm, I'm sorry."
"There is trouble between our peoples, Artemis," Diana
said after a pause.
"Ah!" Artemis laughed mirthlessly. "You just figured
that out?"
"We should cooperate to solve this problem. You are
clearly influential among-"
"Are you serious?"
"We are all Amazons. We shouldn't fight among
ourselves."
"Like you give us much choice!"
"We always have a choice."
"Oh, don't give me homilies!"
"We can work at healing our peoples, at bringing us all
together," Diana said, coming closer to Artemis. "I
personally find you-"
"Bullshit, you'll never accept us."
"That's not true. Why do-?"
"Why does your mother treat us like crap, then?"
"She can be harsh, but-"
"Harsh? HA!"
"After the... Circe incident-"
"It was MY people who then faced the demon hordes to
save your precious island! We paid our debt! We paid
with blood, OUR blood!"
"I am not questioning that-"
"Yet we are stuck in a ghetto-!"
"A ghetto? That's ridiculous! My mother would never
do such a thing!"
Artemis stood silent for a instant, her eyes blazing.
"You really believe that, do you?" She shook her
head, and smiled bitterly. "I thought you were a
devious bitch, but now I see you are just stupid."
"Look-" Diana began, frowning.
"Follow me," Artemis said, turning around and
striding away. "Time to get educated."
"I-I didn't know."
"Really?" Artemis replied with a smirk.
"There are... children," Diana whispered. "And old
people."
"Of course there are. Not everyone is immortal."
Diana's eyes followed the girls at play. The pang of
longing she always felt at the sight of children came
remained undiminished. Growing up in Themyscira with
only adults around her, she had never known the joys
of same-age companionship. Seeing children, here,
made the changes in the island hit her more powerfully
than anything else.
"No boys," Diana muttered after a while, shaking her
head.
"We have kept the old ways," Artemis said, looking
away.
Diana knew the Banas gave male children into the care
of specially sponsored organizations, so only females
were raised in the full Amazon ways. "We talk of
ideals of equality, Artemis, yet we embrace sexual
segregation?"
"Isn't that also the Themysciran tradition?"
"Everything changes, Artemis."
The doors struck the side walls loudly, as Diana strode
in, startled guards in tow.
"Mother! How could you? They are Amazons!"
"She would not be stopped, My Queen, we-"
"Leave us alone," Queen Hippolyta said, before facing
her daughter. "Is this how you should request an
audience with your Queen? Are these the manners you
use in Man's World?"
"The Bana-Migdahllans, Mother. You have them confined
to the eastern plains. Why?"
"Why should I explain myself to you?"
"You have a responsability to your people."
"They are Antiope's people. Not mine."
"Yet you expect them to accept your leadership? You
must earn it by treating them fairly."
"They are free to walk the whole island. They are not
confined."
"Yet they are forbidden to build habitation anywhere
else! They are hours away from the nearest water
source. The ground is rocky and barren-"
"An Amazon makes do with what is available. Such is
our way."
"Was our way not that of freedom, equality, and
sisterhood? By creating such forced divisions, by
restricting their liberties, you are branding them as
second class citizens, as pariahs!"
"They had attacked us, killed our sisters! You
expected us to coddle them?"
"Shouldn't we strive to do above what is expected?
At least allow them to make use of their off-island
resources. Machinery could-"
"Would you let them bring their weaponry, too? Their
guns and explosives, so that they could finish what
they failed at before? So they can achieve our deaths?"
"They would no longer let Circe manipulate them."
"Maybe she only spurred them to do as they desired.
They were envious and petty. They sought to reclaim
their heritage? Fine! But let them do so as Amazons,
in the traditional ways! I will not let them bring
the corruption of Man's World into Themyscira! Your
own failures are a warning of-"
"Oh, please! Are reproachs and punishments your only
resources? Why not strip them of the name of Amazons,
too?"
"Crimes must be punished!"
"Better throw us all into Doom's Doorway, then! All
problems can be banished thus!"
"You have no idea. You were not here in the aftermath
of Circe's invasion."
"Yet they were the front line of defense during the
demon war that followed!"
"I recognize their act of contrition, but separating
them from us was the best for all involved," Hippolyta
looked down, before contining in a softer tone.
"Misguided or not, many died during their attack.
Accepting them among us was too much to ask of those
who had been injured, or lost a friend or lover."
"Perhaps, but how long should that go on? Are we
to deal with our grievances by hiding the problems
away? We cannot begin to forgive until we face it."
"Time heals all wounds. Impatience did not make us
survive the centuries here."
"Mother, there are children among them."
For a brief instant, Hippolyta's resolve seemed to
waver. "You seek to improve things," she said in
a thoughtful tone, turning to look out an open balcony.
"We must practice what we preach, Mother."
"Good. Quit the Contest, stay here to work these
matters out, and you will have my full support."
Diana's mouth opened in surprise, but she held her
reply back. With a lop-sided smile, she shook her
head. "It was never about my personal involvements,
was it? That was just the excuse."
"Your role as Princess is best served by working here,
among your people, away from the harmful influences of-"
"I don't know what game you are playing, Mother, but
I refuse to play along. If you have something to
tell me, to explain why you have arranged all this,
please do it now, and drop the entire pretense."
Hippolyta did not turn around. "You know all that you
need to know."
Diana breathed deeply. "So be it. I will find a way
to resolve the situation with Artemis' people, Mother,
but only under my own terms."
"You cannot win the Contest," Hippolyta said, each
word cold and sharp as steel. "You must not."
"The Combat rounds start tomorrow," Diana stated
plainly. "I will win, Mother, and you know that."
Turning around, she left the room.
Hippolyta stared blankly at the empty doorway.
The Bana-Migdhallan facing Eurydice was a head taller,
and over twenty pounds heavier, than her Themysciran
opponent. Except for Diana, who at six feet towered
over her sisters, none of the Themyscirans stood much
higher than five feet tall. Eurydice was tall among
her sisters, yet the contrast with the modern warrior
from Bana-Migdhall was obvious.
"This will be a massacre," Mala said.
The Bana feinted with her left and moved in fast with
a right jab, a left cross following, but her fists
found only empty air. Eurydice had shot down and
forward, moving beneath her foe's arm, and going for
a midsection cinch, she slid and spun around the Bana,
until she was behind her, strong arms tight around her
waist. Before the Bana could regain her balance,
Eurydice twisted back and to a side, throwing her
opponent backwards over her hip and side to slam her
head and shoulders hard against the ground. Eurydice
moved to secure a top position, but her foe was already
unconscious.
"A massacre," Mala repeated with a cheerful smile.
Artemis watched with cold eyes and pursed lips as her
friends fell under the brutal wrestling and boxing
skills of the Themyscirans. She had feared this.
Despite their apparent physical inferiority, the
Themysciran Amazons had several hundreds of years of
experience in close-quarters combat in their favor.
"That's what depending on firearms does," a smiling
Themysciran several paces away said, her voice
clearly meant to be heard by all.
"NEREA! ARTEMIS!" the head judge called out.
But Artemis knew that such extensive experience could
have its disadvantages. People could become trapped
by narrow ranges of conditioned responses. Striding
forward, she went to take her place in the combat area.
Diana watched with interest as Artemis began her first
fight. The slender redhead moved with a panther-like
grace, even as she shuffled her feet in broken rhythms.
She often feinted lunging forward, only to retreat and
sidestep at the latest instant, using stop-check moves
to maintain her distance as Nerea, her opponent, tried
in vain to close the gap. Diana nodded with sincere
appreciation as Artemis danced away from yet another
attempt to force her into grappling distance, using a
heel-of-hand fast strike against the side of Nerea's
face. Such blows had little power behind them, as she
would not risk over-committing herself, but they broke
the flow of her foe's attacks, as well as serving as
an irritating taunt.
Clearly frustrated, Nerea threw a series of jabs and
shot again for a leg takedown, feinting a short lunge
to the left and changing direction to a deeper lunge
right as Artemis seemed to sidestep in that direction.
But Artemis bounced back, her knee moving up for a
face strike. As Nerea instantly cut her lunge short,
her arms crossing to block the knee and grab the leg,
Artemis reversed the twisting of her hips, and in a
single fluid motion she delivered a jumping roundhouse
kick to the now-exposed side of her opponent's head.
Diana's eyebrows rose. Obviously Japanese archery
was not the only oriental martial art that Artemis had
mastered.
Nerea stumbled to a side, dazed, but still in a
defensive crouch. Artemis followed, raising her leg
in an apparent second high kick, only to spin and
thrust her opposite leg in a backwards side kick that
connected powerfully with Nerea's hip.
Nerea fell to a knee with a grunt, seeking to block
a feinted further kick, only to clear the way for a
downward fist that struck her left cheek. Artemis
slammed a foot onto the side of her foe's other knee,
driving her down, and struck with a downward elbow to
the back of the head. Nerea fell and remained down.
The Bana-Migdhallans cheered and Artemis smiled.
"Such techniques are foolhardy!" Mala huffed. "She
was too unbalanced. Too much exposure."
"She gambled and won."
"Whose side are you on?" Mala exclaimed.
"DIANA! HELLENA!"
The Themysciran Amazon lunged forward for a leg takedown.
Instantly Diana threw both her legs backwards in a sprawl,
while blocking her opponent's shoulders with her arms and
letting the weight of her upper body drive her down
towards the ground.
The Amazon tried to recover instantly, but Diana had
trapped her neck with locked forearms, pressing it
against her body at an angle, and the attempt to twist
away only applied more pressure to the neck stretch.
The Amazon slapped her hand against her own hip twice,
signaling her acceptance of defeat.
In the sidelines, Artemis frowned.
"That was fast," Mala commented.
"Thanks," Diana replied. "Yours?"
"Schalla?" Mala shrugged. "She couldn't tie her own
sandals even in a good day. And the Banas are a joke."
"Artemis has won all her fights, however, as did the one
called Menelae."
"The large, burly one who looks like a bad statue of a
man? All brute strength and no skill. Nothing to worry
about, Princess."
"She must face Eury now."
"What?"
If the average Bana-Migdhallan towered over most
Themyscirans, the one called Menelae almost dwarfed
them. She had bulging musculature that seemed to
belie her gender, and aggression to match.
Eurydice strained and slipped from the thick arms
that sought to trap her neck. Both rolled in the
floor as she sought to gain leverage, but the larger
woman's mass and strength compensated for Eurydice's
greater skill. Finally, Eurydice managed to stretch
on top of Melenae's body and trap her left arm in
an elbow lock, her crossed arms forming a figure
four around the trapped arm as she bent the forearm
back forcing the joint into progressive dislocation
despite the woman's strength.
In desperation, Menelae clawed at Eurydice's face,
seeking to gouge out her eyes.
"FOUL!" a dozen Amazons screamed in unison, as
Eurydice had to turn her head away and relieve the
pressure on her hold.
Instantly, Menelae twisted and punched at Eurydice's
chest, making her grunt in pain. Reversing their
positions, Menelae mounted Eurydice's figure and
punched repeatedly at her face.
"CLOSE THE DISTANCE!" Mala cried out from the sidelines.
Moving her head side to side to provide an elusive
target, Eurydice grabbed the punching arms and pulled
her foe close into a hug, eliminating the distance
needed for punching. Menelae grabbed Eurydice's
closely-braided hair, and pulled hard. As the hold
eased a fraction, she slammed her forehead against
the side of Eurydice's face, again and again, until
she managed to force a thick forearm against her foe's
neck. Eurydice moved her head sideways to diminish
the pressure against the windpipe, but her struggles
to break free produced no results.
Finally, as lack of breath sapped her strength,
Eurydice slapped her foe's shoulder twice, accepting
her defeat.
Menelae continued to press down.
"ENOUGH!" the judge ordered, but Menelae either failed
to hear her or chose not to.
Eurydice began to struggle with growing desperation,
but to no avail, but just as the pressure began to
be unbearable, suddenly it disappeared completely.
Menelea landed on her back several paces away, her
fall softly broken by the discarded mound of hay from
the previous day's field events.
"She used her magic!" a voice cried out.
"The judge had said 'enough'," Diana stated, while
Mala knelt by Eurydice's side. "The fight was finished."
As the Bana-Migdhallans muttered angrily, Menelae
strode back to the combat area, her teeth gritted and
her eyes burning fury. "YOU BITCH!" she yelled.
"How dare you-?"
"The fight was over," Diana said, her voice perfectly
level and controlled, warning enough about her anger
to those who knew her. "You must disengage after-"
"I am fine, Diana," Eurydice rasped, rising slowly
to her feet. "Do not let-"
"FUCK YOU! IT WAS OUR FIGHT!" Menelae went on.
"You want to make it yours, fat tits? Do it now!
RIGHT NOW!"
"This is not-"
"Or must I make another one of your lap-bitches cry
like a baby?"
"DIANA, NO!" Mala exclaimed, stepping in front of
Diana as she moved towards Menelae. "If you do it,
you will be disqualified."
"Are you afraid, bitch? Worried there's no cock to
fuck you afterwards?"
"Don't let them make you forfeit the Contest!" Mala
insisted.
"Come on, fat tits, I'll-!"
"You will shut up," Mala said, turning around and
letting her fist connect with the surprised Menelae's
face. The large woman stumbled back, nose spurting
blood, stunned amazement in her eyes.
Several Amazons, Themysciran and Bana-Migdhallans,
moved to come between the two, but from the Queen's
pavillion, Phillipus voice filled the field. "LET
THEM!" she commanded. "They started, now they must
finish."
Menelae grunted in wordless anger and rushed at Mala.
Even taller than Diana, her bulging body made the
small blonde Amazon seem like a child.
Mala stepped forward, her hands extending to grab at
her attacker's own, her body twisting sideways and
slightly down, so her side and hip struck Menelae's
groin, while securing grips on one wrist and around
one shoulder. In a seemingly effortless motion, she
spun and threw Menelae over her side, slamming her
against the ground with the redirected power of the
large woman's own rush. Instantly, Mala's hand slid
down Menelae's forearm to grip two splayed fingers.
With almost disdainful nonchalance, she twisted and
broke the trapped digits, even as her other hand
grabbed the woman's short hair and pulled her head
down to meet her rising right knee, first once, then
twice. As the last blow threw the large woman head
back, Mala pushed and threw all her weight forward,
thighs and buttocks slamming against her foe's torso,
making her fall back sprawled on the ground. As she
half-sat, half-squatted over the fallen torso, she
instantly delivered a flurry of open-hand heel strikes
to Menelae's face.
Diana grabbed Mala's forearm. "Enough, Mala."
"Oh, my," Mala said with a smile, disengaging. "I
may have overdone it a bit."
The Bana-Migdhallans stared with plain shock, while
the Themysciran just nodded in a matter-of-fact way.
Despite her size and continuous complaining, only
Diana, Phillipus, or the Queen herself, had ever
bested Mala in hand-to-hand combat, and she had been
the runner-up in the previous Contest.
"You didn't have to do that," Eurydice said, shaking
her head, while the unconscious Menelae was lifted
and carried away.
"Oh, yes, I did," Mala replied.
"Now you are disqualified, silly."
"Ah, it was worth it," Mala replied with a smile. "I
was going to let Diana win again, anyway."
"Now it's just Artemis against you, Princess,"
Eurydice said, turning to Diana.
"I know," Diana answered, turned her gaze towards
Artemis, whose eyes were already fixed on the Amazon
Princess. Their eyes met, and locked. "That will be
interesting," she muttered.
"ATTENTION!"
The call broke the silent challenge, and both Diana
and Artemis turned towards the Queen's pavillion, where
Phillipus announced: "THE COMBAT MATCHES ARE NOW OVER!"
"Why, that's quite irregular," Mala muttered.
"In both the combat rounds and the overall Contest,
the finalists are Diana of Themyscira, and Artemis of
Bana-Migdhall."
Cheers rose from different groups at either name, but
they all fell silent, as Hippolyta herself rose and
with an imperious gesture, she called all eyes to her.
"These are brave, new times, which require new ways,"
Hippolyta said solemnly. "All previous scores are now
disregarded. Both competitors stand equal, as all
Amazons are equal."
Many cheers rose again, this time from both groups of
Amazons at once. Diana frowned.
"The ultimate Champion of the Amazons will be she who
first succeeds in fulfilling the final test. A most
fitting test, suggested by someone close to me," the
Queen continued, a bitter smile fleetingly on her lips.
"The retrieval of the remains of Pandora's Box, lost
milennia ago, and presently hidden in the depths of the
NetherWorlds beyond Doom's Doorway!"
TO BE CONCLUDED
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