The air around the gathering point was thick with anticipation. The senior Amazons, some of the fiercest warriors Clark had ever seen, stood with silent resolve, their eyes fixed on the young boy who had earned their respect through feats of strength and character far beyond his years. As Clark and Diana approached, the murmur of quiet conversation ceased, replaced by the solemn hush of expectation. The final trial was about to begin.
Queen Hippolyta stood before them, her golden armor gleaming in the early morning light, casting a commanding presence over the crowd. Her posture was regal, her gaze as sharp as the spear she held at her side, and her voice—when she spoke—carried the weight of centuries of leadership, wisdom, and battle.
"Kal-El," she began, her voice steady, each word reverberating across the courtyard like the toll of a bell, "you have passed two of our trials, and through them, you have earned a place of respect among us. But this final trial is not merely a test of strength or skill. It is a trial that has claimed the lives of many who have come before you—warriors of great renown and courage."
Clark listened carefully, his eyes never leaving Hippolyta's face. He could feel the tension in the air. He had faced dangers before—he had fought powerful beings in simulations, had endured trials that no normal child his age should have survived—but this was different. This was real.
Hippolyta's eyes narrowed as she continued, her voice growing darker. "You are to travel to the Forbidden Island, a place steeped in myth and shrouded in danger. There, deep within the island's mystical forest, you will face a creature unlike any you have encountered. A beast whose name has been spoken in whispers, whose presence has haunted our shores for centuries."
A murmur of unease rippled through the Amazons gathered around. Even Diana, standing beside Clark with her usual confidence, seemed to involuntarily tense up at the mention of the Forbidden Island.
Hippolyta took a slow, deliberate breath before revealing the name of the creature. "The beast you will face is the 'Gorgonaeus'."
Clark's frowned as he recalled the information he learned last night. The Gorgonaeus was no ordinary creature. It was a monster of legend, an ancient being with the power to petrify its victims with a single glance. It was said to be a distant relative of the Gorgons, but far more dangerous—larger, more intelligent, and with the strength to rival the gods themselves.
"The Gorgonaeus is not merely a beast of brute strength," Hippolyta continued, her eyes locked on Clark. "It is a creature of cunning, one that uses the forest itself to its advantage. Its gaze can turn even the fiercest warrior to stone, and its hide is impenetrable to most weapons. But this trial is not just about defeating the creature. It is about surviving the island, about using your mind as much as your strength."
Clark's heartbeat quickened, his thoughts racing. The Gorgonaeus's ability to petrify was its most dangerous weapon, but from what he had learned, it was also its greatest weakness. Avoiding its gaze would be critical, and if the legends were true, the key to defeating it lay in its overconfidence—a creature so powerful it often underestimated its foes.
"You will not face this trial alone," Hippolyta said, her voice softer now, as if offering a small comfort. "Ten of my finest warriors, including Diana, will guide you to the edge of the mystical forest. But from there, you must face the Gorgonaeus alone. No one can fight this battle for you."
Clark nodded, understanding her implication. Although he had trained all night for this moment, fighting simulations of beasts similar to the Gorgonaeus, honing his instincts, perfecting his strategy. But the real thing would be far more dangerous than any simulation.
Hippolyta's gaze softened for a moment as she looked at him, as if she saw not just the warrior standing before her but the boy—young, yet burdened with responsibilities far beyond his years. "You are strong, Kal-El. But strength alone will not win this battle. You must be clever. You must be swift. And above all, you must trust in yourself."
Clark swallowed, her words sinking into him, leaving a lasting impact. But in that moment, standing there in front of the Queen of the Amazons, surrounded by the fiercest warriors in the world, Clark felt something stir within him—a resolve, a determination that had carried him through every trial so far.
He could do this.
Hippolyta straightened, raising her spear high above her head. "The trial begins now," she declared, her voice booming across the courtyard. "May the gods watch over you."
The Amazons erupted in a chant, their voices rising in unison, creating a thunderous sound that filled the air with a sense of purpose and power. Clark's heart pounded in his chest as he turned toward Diana, who was already beaming with excitement.
"You ready?" Diana asked, her eyes gleaming with both confidence and something more—an unspoken belief in him.
Clark smiled, though his heart was heavy.
"Yeah," he said, his voice steady. "I'm ready."
The senior warriors gathered around them, forming a tight circle as they began their journey toward the Forbidden Island. The air was thick with anticipation, the sound of the Amazons' footsteps echoing through the ancient pathways that led to the shore.
As they approached the edge of the island, Clark's mind raced with thoughts of the trial ahead. He had trained all night, running through simulations of the Gorgonaeus, learning its weaknesses, perfecting his strategy. And now, it was time to put everything he had learned to the test.
They reached the shore, where a small fleet of boats awaited them. The Forbidden Island loomed in the distance, shrouded in mist, its twisted trees and jagged cliffs barely visible through the haze. It was a place of legend, of nightmares.
Clark took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was to come.
---
Meanwhile
As Queen Hippolyta delivered her speech, outlining the final trial Clark would face, and every Amazon in attendance hung on her words. But what none of them realized was that they were being watched.
High above them, hidden in the shadows of the trees that bordered the mystical forest, a figure stood unseen. Cloaked in dark purple and gold, her eyes gleaming with amusement, Circe—the powerful sorceress and eternal enemy of the Amazons—observed the scene below with a smile that held both malice and intrigue.
She had been watching Kal-El since the moment he set foot on Themyscira, though no one had noticed her presence. Not even Hippolyta, with all her wisdom, could sense the sorceress's subtle magic, weaving through the air like an invisible thread. Circe had always been fascinated by outsiders, especially those who came to the hidden island of the Amazons. And Kal-El—this boy with the inhuman strength—had drawn her attention like no other.
From her vantage point, Circe watched with keen interest as Hippolyta outlined the final trial. 'The Gorgonaeus,' she thought with a smirk. 'An old foe, but hardly enough for the likes of him.'
Kal-El was strong, stronger than any human boy had any right to be. Circe had seen his battle with Philippus, the way he had obviously held back, how he had refused to unleash the full extent of his power. He was unlike the typical men Circe had encountered over the centuries. He had the soul of a hero, but also the caution of someone who feared what he was capable of. That alone intrigued her.
As Hippolyta finished her speech and the Amazons began their preparations to escort Kal-El to the Forbidden Island, Circe's smile deepened.
'So, they think the Gorgonaeus will be enough to test him?' She scoffed silently, her eyes narrowing with dark intent. 'How very quaint.'
Circe had long despised the Amazons. Their strength, their righteousness—it all grated against her own desires for chaos and control. And here, amidst all their honor and tradition, they were giving Kal-El a trial. A test to prove his worth. 'But why let him pass so easily?' she mused. 'Why not make this more… interesting?'
She waved her hand subtly, her fingers tracing ancient symbols in the air. The magic, dark and swirling, crackled beneath her fingertips. She would increase the stakes, make this final trial more than just a simple test of survival. Kal-El would face the Gorgonaeus, yes—but he would also face every other creature that lurked in the dark depths of the mystical forest.
"The Manticore… the Hydra… the Minotaur…" she whispered to herself, her smile widening as the creatures' names rolled off her tongue. "All of them. Let's see how the boy fares against them all at once."
Her plan took form in her mind, the enchantment already weaving itself into the forest below. No one would suspect her involvement—at least, not until it was too late. The Amazons would think it was simply the nature of the forest itself, the unpredictable wildness of the island. And Kal-El? He would face challenges beyond his imagination, fighting for his very survival against enemies he had never seen before.
Circe's eyes gleamed with cruel amusement as she imagined him, a boy thrust into the heart of an ancient battlefield, pitted against the most dangerous creatures from myth and legend. 'Will he survive?' she wondered. 'Or will he fall, like so many before him?' Either way, she would enjoy watching him struggle.
She turned her attention back to the gathering below. Kal-El stood beside Diana, his youthful face steady but filled with the resolve of someone much older. Circe tilted her head as she observed him. He had such potential, this child from another world. Such power that could be shaped, molded, twisted into something darker if guided properly.
But for now, she would simply watch. Let him face the forest, let him battle for his life against the creatures of legend. And if he survived… well, perhaps then, she would reveal herself. Perhaps then, she would make her move.
Circe stepped back into the shadows, her dark laughter echoing silently through the trees. The trial had begun, but it would be far more than what the Amazons intended. Kal-El's path was no longer his own.
---