An offer from the Gods

Like most days, Themyscira was beautiful today. Diana had returned temporarily to reconnect with her roots and to train with her fellow Amazonians and she had to admit that the missed her home more than she thought. Despite the craziness of her life, she could always depend on Themyscira to be the same, they valued tradition here more than anywhere else in the world. Even her bedroom was just as she left it, no one else had touched it.

She was brought out of her daydreams by her mother, Hippolyta, entering her room with an unusually solemn look on her face. Diana sat up instantly "Mother, what's wrong?" She asked.

"I have received a strange message." She replied slowly. "From Olympus."

Diana stood up and walked over to her mother "The Gods wish to speak with you?" She asked more excitedly than she should have.

"No, they wish to speak with you. In the Temple"

The Temple was where they kept a statue of Zeus, speaking through Statues was the Gods' favourite method of communication so it came as little surprise that that was how they would talk. Still, the Gods rarely involved themselves with the lives of Mortals, they had never requested Diana to speak with them like this. This must be important. Diana dressed herself in her Wonder Woman outfit and left to see them.

The word had gotten around pretty quick that Diana had been summoned by the Gods so when she arrived at the Temple it was deserted. She walked towards the statue of Zeus and knelt down in front of it to wait in silent prayer. It was only a few minutes before the Statue's eyes began to glow and the mouth began to open and close when it started talking.

"Diana of Themyscira" Zeus declared.

Diana lowered her head. "Lord Zeus"

"We have called you here today because we have taken notice of your efforts on Earth. You are a true warrior and a hero to equal the legends of old."

Diana was speechless. He was comparing her to the likes of Achilles and Hercules. "I am honoured, my Lord".

"With a blessing from the Gods, you could grow to be the greatest hero of them all. If you were willing to pay the price."

"I am." Diana replied instantly, not thinking about the price to pay.

"You are certain?" Zeus asked.

"Yes" Any chance to become a better hero had to be taken, and as much as Diana didn't want to admit it, she liked the idea of becoming a greater hero than all the legends.

"Very well, then I bless you, Diana of Themyscira" Zeus said in an official voice. "For as long as you fight as the ancient heroes did your power will increase tenfold." With that the statue returned to it's static form.

What did he mean 'fight as the ancient heroes did'? She pondered his words as she returned to her room where she found her mother waiting nervously.

"What happened?" She asked.

"Zeus offered to make me as powerful as the heroes of old as long as I 'fought as the ancient heroes did'." She answered.

"What does that mean?" Hippolyta asked puzzled.

"I'm not sure but if it makes me more powerful then I have to do it, whatever it takes" Diana declared. They both sat there for a few moments thinking over what Zeus had said, neither of them saying anything until Hippolyta grew a concerned and pained look. Eventually it became too much for Diana to take so she asked "What is it?"

"It's probably nothing but... come with me." They walked for some time, through corridors and hallways with a painful silence until they reached a chamber of statues dedicated to the very heroes they had just been discussing. "What do you notice about the heroes?" Hippolyta asked her daughter.

Diana wasn't sure what she was looking at. The statues were several thousand years old but were still in wonderful condition, the warriors were all armed and in various battle poses. They were completely nude as was the custom back in those days and they...

"Wait, they are all naked" Diana said, suddenly understanding why her mother was so concerned.