"— Mommy, tell me a story.
— Of course, my love… but promise me you'll go to sleep after this one.
— Yes! I promise!
— Very well. Then let's go with your favorite: the story of our people… and how we earned our home.
Long, long ago, when history was still only a dream, the world was nothing like the one we know today. In those days, only the gods of Olympus walked the earth. And above them all… stood Zeus, the great king.
The gods could appear in many forms, and each one held a piece of reality: the sea, the sky, the winds, the harvest, war, wisdom… everything had a guardian. But Zeus, in his greatness, desired something new. Something that would not be eternal like the gods, but could grow. A creation that could learn, make mistakes, change— a life that could flourish under his protection.
And so, with his own hands, he shaped a new race out of clay. Some tall, others small. Some strong, others fragile. Each one unique, each one special. And to this new creation, he gave a simple name, yet full of purpose: humans.
They were mortal, delicate like clay still soft, but they were also pure of heart. They walked the world in harmony, working together, revering life, sharing what they had. The gods watched them with pride… though not all of them.
But among the inhabitants of Olympus, there was one who would not accept that creation. One who looked upon it not with admiration, but with fury. The son of Zeus himself — the god who carried the fire of war within his chest. He could not tolerate that such fragile beings might receive so much love, so much attention, so much space in a world that once belonged only to the gods.
His displeasure first grew in silence. Then it turned into jealousy. Jealousy became envy. And envy… finally erupted into hatred.
It was then that he approached humankind. Not with his sword raised, but with words as soft as poison. He sowed doubts in their hearts. Planted seeds of discord, showing them that each could desire more, own more, dominate more. Where there had once been cooperation, ambition took root. Where there had been sharing, greed emerged. Where there had been friendship, distrust blossomed.
The purity of humanity began to fracture.
And with it, war — his true essence — found room to flourish.
With time, some men listened only to his voice. Men who learned to love power more than life itself, men who kneeled before him as servants. And in their corruption, what was once harmony shattered into fear.
Among those who tried to resist were the first women who would one day be known as the Amazons. Strong, wise, and free, they sought to preserve the peace the gods had given humanity. But the men corrupted by the warrior god's shadow saw them as a threat. And so, in the name of their new and terrible master, they captured them, enslaved them, and tried to break their spirit.
But among them, there was one who could not be broken — a young woman, fearless and reckless, who rose against that tyranny and led her people, her sisters, in an uprising so fierce that its echo reached all the way to Mount Olympus.
---
When thunder tore across the sky, the chains shattered. The women who had once been enslaved were set free. The corrupted men fell to their knees. And the rebel god — the one who had sown chaos — felt, for the first time, the weight of his father's wrath.
To reward the women who had suffered so greatly, Zeus raised a new home from the sea — an island wrapped in deep magic, invisible to mortal eyes and unreachable by any army. A refuge where war could never touch them. A kingdom of peace and of love. There, they would be reborn as Amazons, guardians of freedom and worshippers of the Three Great Goddesses.
But balance had not yet been restored. The god of war, consumed by his own envy, felt no remorse. His desire was to destroy everything Zeus had created — even the gods themselves, if it came to that. And for this reason, Zeus made his final decision.
With thunder that shook the world, the king of the gods punished his son, chaining him with shackles that prevented him from feeding upon the war he so adored, limiting his power and rendering him almost… mortal.
And so, the god of war was imprisoned, and he was entrusted to the Amazons, for Zeus decided that only they could withstand the schemes and corrupting wickedness of his son. And that has been our duty, from ancient times until this very day.
//---------------//
The mother adjusted the furs on the bed to make it more comfortable for her little daughter.
"— Is… the bad god still alive, Mama?"
the child asked with a hint of fear, already half-asleep.
"The gods are immortal, my child, even those as weakened as Ares… but he cannot escape the place where he is bound."
the mother said with confidence, gently stroking her daughter's hair.
"And I swear by all the gods in the heavens, my daughter, that nothing — not even a god — can harm you, for I will always be ready to protect you. Now sleep, my angel. Tomorrow is a new day."
she whispered, pressing a soft kiss to the girl's forehead.
"Good night, Diana."
the mother said as she walked toward the door, glancing back at her daughter already drifting into sleep.
---
Hey, how are you all doing? I wish you a wonderful end of the year.
So, this story has been in my mind for a while now.
Batman and Superman have tons of fanfics set in the Marvel universe, so I think it's only fair that the greatest heroine of all time gets one too — and one that isn't about… you know… sex or power fantasies.
So I hope you enjoy it. This is just an introductory chapter. My inspirations come from the 2017 Wonder Woman film, a bit from the New 52 era, and a few animated sources (a well-written Wonder Woman animated series is something we all desperately need).