The Bana-Mighdall

Meanwhile, across the valley…

“Again!”

A bellowing war cry echoed out as the amazons struck out with spears in hand, stepped back and regaining their footing, poised to strike again.

“Again!”

The group of warrior women repeated the strike, stepping back to repeat their morning training rituals. It had been one of the few things to keep their minds off what had transpired the night before. They repeated their mantras over and over again, perfecting their craft. When their exercises were done, the Amazons of the Bana-Mighdall tribe had a moment in their idleness to take stock of who was standing next to them. Even now it was a harrowing sight. The tribe unlike those of the Themysciran Amazons were not blessed with immortality, their lives were lived in hardship while those of paradise island lived in splendour. Even so, the desert living tribe of warrior woman were renowned for the beauty as well as their ferocity. At least the latter had remained true. But the former however…

“I have been robbed. Robbed of what years I still may have left…”

Each of them all were the embodiment of enfeeblement. Their skin once supple and firm was now leathered and sagging from their limbs, riddled with moles and poxes that scarred their flesh and marred their faces. Their hair, once vibrant and fiery as their temperament had fallen out in greasy clumps like a sickness. Artemis fared no better, sneering at the state of her sisters as they hobbled, ashamed of their appearance. They all looked so… OLD, so frail. How many decades of life has that spirit leeched from her and her sisters? How much time did they have left?

The gods deemed to give that cursed spirit the say on their punishment, punishment for what? For attending an execution? For executing a trespasser? Such life-or-**** decisions were common amongst her tribe. Unlike the amazons of this island, her sisters had to live day by day with the threat of being discovered, the threat of being exploited. Her world was harsh, and to survive was to be just as harsh herself. She could admit defeat from a superior foe, but to die of old age was an affront to her martial pride.

“Artemis! Sister!” Called out one of her amazon sisters, running back up from the city with a basket of food for their breakfast. The haggard looking crone kept a good pace running back, despite her appearance, bringing herself to a stop where the rest of her Bana-Mighdall sisters relaxed after training.

“Hola Kalla, did you get enough to eat after our workout?” The tall woman asked, her hands resting at her sides.

“Sister! One of the Amazons down in the city, she’s been restored!”

“WHAT?!” The rest of the sisterhood gasped in surprise, their eyes wide at the prospect as they gathered round Kalla, seeking answers. “How is it possible?” “Tell us sister.”

Offering the basket of breads and fruit to the others, Kalla explained herself to their leader, going over how one of the Queen’s stable masters miraculously had her beauty restored. The others gave a look of shocked disbelief, some looking to their unfamiliar hands shakily or clasping their hands to their faces.

“I need to see.” Stated Artemis, crouching down to see Kalla eye to eye as she distributed food. “Where is she? This… Episteme?”

*

The crowd of amazon women flocked around the dark haired stablemaster, still in disbelief while her sisters surrounded her, cupping her face in their hands or feeling her hair to see if it were all real. Much to all their surprise, it was. Staring back at the blushing Episteme while a dozen of the elderly, gnarled Amazons hovering around her, Diana stood by her mother, watching as Episteme smiled and covered her face with her hands.

“A miracle? A stay of punishment perhaps?” Wondered Phillipus, scratching her chin in thought.

Hippolyta looked to her consort and back to her daughter and back to Episteme. “No… This could not be unique, there is more to what is going on.”

“That the Amazons appeared as beautiful or as hideous as the deeds they perform.”

Both looking to Diana as she watched all the fawning of the stablemaster, the Queen and steward were left in confusion. “What was that my Diana?”

“The wish Boston Brand was granted, he said that we would appear as beautiful or as hideous as the deeds we perform. Perhaps that’s the key?” Turning to face her mother, she took the Queen’s hands in hers, her face softened to feel the woman’s fingers so blistered and shallow. “Episteme told me she felt the change when she tried to improve the mood of one of the roos, Kallus. She brought an apple with her to give to him.”

“An act of kindness.” Muses Phillipus.

“Could it be that simple?”

The three women thought on that, until their attention was diverted to a voice calling out in the distance.

“YOU THERE! WHERE IS THIS EPISTEME?” Called out Artemis, storming through the royal grounds towards the crowd of amazons still surrounding the stablemaster as she stood up to see who was calling her out. Shoving her way through, Artemis’s face was a grim scowl as her eyes fell on the beautiful woman. With her hands at her sides, the representative of the Bana-mighdall glared down at the dark-haired woman, her lip curling into a sneer at the woman in front of her.

Her eyes were a sparkling blue, like sapphires. Her skin so smooth and unblemished, she looked to have been carved from polished marble, and her hair, so full and vibrant it cascaded down her shoulders like water. Seeing the Themysciran native trace a finger to pull back a strand of that hair made Artemis grimace more for it. To the surprise of everyone there, Artemis grabbed the woman by the front of her robes and pulled her close, narrowing her eyes.

“You… You will tell me how this is possible, or so help me you will answer to the ENTIRE Bana-Mighdall tribe!”

Frowning, Diana quickly approached the warrior woman, meaning to get between her friend and the sister tribe’s representative. “Artemis, you will cease in this…”

“NO!” Roared the former red-haired woman, tightening her grip. “Look at us! LOOK AT US! YOU may have your precious immortality, but WE DON’T! That wretched ghost cursed us, stripped us of our youth, and if there is a way of getting it back, I will do what is necessary to find the answers!”

Letting go of Episteme for only a second, Artemis pulled a hidden knife from the bracer bound around her arm and grabbed hold of Episteme’s neck. “Even if I have to…”

She had seen and heard enough. Grabbing hold of the wrist Artemis gripped at her dagger, the blistered, sagging face of the Bana-Mighdall Amazon was one of contorted rage as she dropped Episteme to the ground and gave a battle cry as she tried to strike back at Wonder Woman. Wrestling herself free and backing off, Artemis crouched and flipped the blade so that it would stick between her enclosed fingers like a stinger, ready to strike as she continued to glare hatefully back at Diana and the stablemaster being helped up by the others.

“You will not raise a hand to my sisters and friends Artemis.”

“And YOU do not determine the fate of MY people.” She hissed back, her eyes twitching as she felt her body shiver. Everyone stood back in horror as they heard the crunch of bone and pull of skin, like the wringing of rope fraying. Artemis coughed and groaned as she became hunched over, clumps of her hair falling from her scalp as her finger and toes nails grew long and chipped. Looking back at Diana, Artemis’s eyes were a milky white, save for a speck of color that seemed almost a stain for irises. Breathing hoarsely, she looked down at her free hand and blinked in horror. “Is THIS what you wanted? What your corpse friend wanted? This curse does not just afflict YOU princess of perfection, daughter of the god born, ALL amazons are afflicted with this curse! And they are DOOMED! ALL OF THEM!”

Shoving an amazon out of her way to exit, Artemis fled, but Diana did not give chase as those words rung through her head. She had not considered it until seeing Artemis’s twisted and ruined body. It was not just the people of Themyscira who had been affected by the wish, all amazons everywhere, regardless of tribe were likely living a nightmare brought upon by Boston’s wish. Turning to see if Episteme was alright, she found her other sisters helping the woman back to her feet, checking her over to see if she were unharmed, before taking to the air to fly off to the other side of the city.

Watching the Bana-Mighdall warrior escape and head back to her encampment outside the city, Hippolyta narrowed her eyes, and turned her attention to her generals.

“Aello.”

“Yes, my Queen?” The elderly looking warrior responded, stamping her spear to the ground, and clicking her heels together.

“I want you to keep an eye on our sister tribe while they are on our island, see to it they do not harm my people, or themselves in this crisis.”

Bowing, Aello nodded and made a hand gesture to the warriors behind her, where four of the royal guard stepped forward and joined her on the march to the city gates. Hippolyta watched them leave and turned to look up to where Diana had flown to.

“Where has she gone?”

“If I am right, she is going to the cavern of our oracles. Perhaps their wisdom and foresight will help guide her in this crisis.”

Hearing a cry from two of the amazons behind them, the Queen witnessed the two helping Episteme to her feet gasp and step back as their bodies shuddered. One of them gasped as they felt their bodies fill out, the drawn, almost emaciated flesh of their limbs filling with vitality, their wrinkles and blisters fading away as skin became smooth and perfect. Scratching to pull away their hoods, their hair grew anew, full, luscious, and flowing down their backs and shoulders like fine strands of silk. Everyone else could only look on with renewed joy and excitement as the changes ended, and they had been restored.

Overjoyed, the three embraced each other, smiling as warm tears fell down their perfect cheeks, their sparkling eyes full of joy and beauty. Despite herself, Hippolyta could not help but smile, perhaps this was not a curse after all. She only hoped the Bana-Mighdall would see the same soon.