Thea strolled up to the three priestesses with an easy smile.
"Didn't keep you waiting too long, did I? If you don't mind, then maybe we can—"
Before she could finish, the tall, muscular woman dropped to her knees with a thud. She held out her short sword with trembling hands, tears welling up in her eyes.
"You are the only true representative of Artemis in this world! I am willing to renounce my divine name and become your eternal servant, to continue serving the Huntress! Please… please accept me!"
Thea blinked, her gaze sweeping over the crowd. No one looked like they'd prompted this—it was purely the warrior's own choice.
Smart move, Thea thought. The woman was quick on her feet, cutting her losses and shifting her allegiance before anyone else could react. She'd lose her divine title but keep her honor. And since Thea wasn't leaving the island anytime soon, no one could drive her away.
Of course, that whole "eternal servant" thing… a bit heavy-handed. Probably she figured Thea wouldn't live long anyway. Too bad for her—between divine blessings, the Chosen's status, and the life bond she shared with her unicorn, Thea could easily live for millennia.
Still, it wasn't a bad plan. The woman clearly wasn't all brawn.
Should I accept her or not…
Out of the corner of her eye, Thea caught Queen Hippolyta giving her a slight nod.
Thea was never one to obey blindly, but since she wasn't particularly opposed, the Queen's gesture made up her mind.
"What's your real name?"
The warrior hesitated, her voice low. "Niobe."
Thea took the short sword, flipped it once, then handed it back.
"I am Thea Queen, the Chosen of Artemis. As the sole earthly executor of Her divine will, I accept your loyalty—until your life's end. You may continue to serve the goddess."
Then she lightly brushed Niobe's shoulder with her Silvermoon Bow.
"Rise, warrior of the goddess. Now… your first task."
Niobe looked up, bewildered. Thea pointed toward the elk.
"You'll be in charge of feeding it from now on."
Yes, that was the real reason Thea decided to accept her. She wasn't about to waste her time playing zookeeper. If this muscle-bound woman already had a bond with the elk, she could handle the feeding duty from now on.
The entire exchange happened so quickly that the crowd barely caught up. Niobe had willingly given up her divine name, effectively ending the contest. Moments later, a wave of shocked murmurs rippled through the audience.
"The Chosen?!"
"That's an honor only ancient heroes could earn…"
"The goddess's voice on earth… her living emissary—by the heavens!"
The three old priestesses stood there, utterly deflated. Their most powerful warrior had just defected, and the remaining Amazons now looked at them with open doubt. Even if the Chosen was appointed by a single deity, her authority was absolute.
The priestesses had always claimed to speak for the Twelve Olympians together. But now? Artemis had her own representative. They couldn't very well announce divine decrees "on behalf of the Eleven Gods." That would shatter their five-thousand-year tradition. It felt unreal, like the ground had vanished beneath them.
Thea didn't bother with their existential crisis. All she wanted was to get back and study her new divine abilities—and that Silvermoon Bow.
But before she could slip away, Hippolyta caught her by the arm, raising it high.
In a loud, solemn voice, the Queen declared,
"From this moment forth, she is our Artemis—our sister!"
The crowd erupted.
"Artemis! Artemis!" they chanted. Diana's voice was the loudest of all.
So… I'm in now? Thea thought, watching the excited faces around her. This wasn't just reputation anymore—having received the goddess's name, she was officially one of them. By law, by emotion, by every measure, she was now an Amazon.
And honestly, since she'd be stuck here for a few more months, that wasn't so bad.
She accepted their cheers with grace—even the priestesses' forced congratulations.
Hippolyta ignored their sour faces.
"Diana, take Artemis to change clothes. The rest of you, follow me—prepare the ceremony to welcome our new sister!"
"Come on, Thea—oh, wait, Artemis! Let's go! They'll be ready soon!" Diana grabbed her hand and dragged her off, the elk trotting after them. Niobe sighed and followed close behind.
"Diana, just call me Thea…"
"No!" Diana snapped, cutting her off. "You must show respect to the goddess—" and then launched into a full lecture.
Thea tuned her out. Respect the goddess? Please. The woman was maybe one step above a cosmic troll. And Diana's devotion? Totally one-sided. For all the divine talk about "sisterhood," Artemis hadn't even mentioned Diana until the very end of her oracle—proof that even a thousand Dianas wouldn't outweigh that deer. The so-called "blessings of the gods" were probably just Zeus forcing everyone to humor his favorite daughter.
Thea sighed inwardly. She needed to fix Diana's worldview fast—or she'd end up getting flattened by her next divine half-brother down the line.
The three women and one elk dashed down the tower steps.
Thea, now unshackled by the island's magic restrictions and bolstered by divine power, could feel her strength surging. She might not have Diana's sixfold blessings, but with her ten years of stored magic and a spark of godly essence, she was already stronger than a suppressed Diana.
The elk was born to run, Niobe was fast as ever, and within minutes, they reached their quarters.
Diana tossed her a set of Amazon armor.
"Here—change into this."
Thea sighed. Uniformity, of course. If she was joining the club, she had to look the part.
"Can't I at least wear underwear?" she asked, eyeing the half-armor suspiciously.
Diana hesitated. They tried it with Thea's black undergarments, but she quickly shook her head.
"No… no good. The straps show through the back. You'll just have to… get used to it."
Well, at least ancient Greece had shorts. She wasn't completely exposed under that battle skirt. Still… the "fresh breeze" look wasn't exactly her style.
Thea's frame was slimmer than most Amazons, but her height helped. She wasn't as tall as Diana—who stood a full six feet—but she blended in well enough.
Once she finished putting on the Amazon uniform, she checked herself in the bronze mirror. Not bad. Throw on a cape, grab a spear, shout "Sparta!" and she could walk straight onto a movie set.
Finally, she tucked the mechanical arm components safely into her storage space with a flicker of magic. After all, this ceremony valued simplicity—and too many accessories would only make her stand out.