The ocean shimmered beneath the invisible aircraft. The wind rustled softly against its open canopy as Themyscira came into view—a paradise of lush greenery, marble towers, and divine silence.
Aubrey sat quietly in the passenger seat, arms crossed and legs bouncing slightly. He still wore the simple outfit the League had given him—barely enough to feel decent, let alone safe.
He glanced at the woman flying beside him. Diana. Wonder Woman. Warrior. Princess. Living myth.
"Hey," he said after a long moment. "Thanks for… not treating me like a nuke in a hoodie."
Diana's gaze didn't leave the horizon, but her voice was gentle. "I've seen your kind before."
Aubrey's brow arched. "Uh, what kind is that? Stray cosmic accidents?"
"No," she said with a faint smile. "Lost souls. Powerful, unsure, and afraid of what they might become."
He looked away, unsure of how to respond to that. Not because she was wrong, but because she was too right.
When they landed, dozens of Amazons watched from the palace stairs. Their expressions were a mix of awe, suspicion, and readiness.
Aubrey swallowed hard. "Is this the part where someone challenges me to a duel?"
Diana nodded once. "It's tradition. You're a stranger with divine aura—and unknown magic. They need to see who you are when pushed."
Aubrey groaned. "I suck at first impressions."
[SYSTEM ALERT]⚔ Combat Trial Triggered – "Judgment of Steel"Win or endure the ritual combat without harming the Amazonian host.Reward: Partial Trust / Amazon Recognition / Skill Imprint OpportunityTransformation Access: Locked unless provoked.
He muttered under his breath. "Of course."
The arena was a ring of marble inlaid with golden patterns. Standing across from Aubrey was a tall Amazon clad in bronze—Antiope's apprentice, judging by her swagger and reputation: Calyx.
"This boy is no god," Calyx spat. "He looks more like a temple thief who touched the wrong relic."
Aubrey raised a hand, half-grin forming. "Technically, I didn't touch anything."
Calyx lunged.
She was fast. Stronger than anything Aubrey had fought on Earth. But he was faster than he'd ever been.
Dodging her blade by inches, he moved by instinct. His body shifted—not transformed, but adapted—his joints bending with strange grace. Every strike he avoided, the System whispered adjustments in his mind.
[Combat Analysis Streaming]Skill: [Evasion Reflex I] AcquiredTrait: [Situational Adaptability] – Partial unlocked
He caught her wrist on a final swing. For a moment, her eyes widened as her blade stopped.
"I'm not your enemy," he said softly.
Calyx wrenched free and backed away, breathing heavily. The watching Amazons murmured.
Diana stood. "Enough."
Later, in the palace courtyard, Aubrey sat on a stone bench with his legs in a fountain, cooling off.
Diana approached with a folded cloak and a tray of food.
"You handled yourself well," she said, draping the cloak over his shoulders. "And with restraint."
He glanced at her. "Restraint's kinda my brand right now. Not trying to explode in god-light in front of your friends."
She sat beside him. "That wasn't just restraint. That was mercy. You chose not to hurt her. That means something here."
Aubrey was quiet for a while, looking down at his reflection. Long red hair. Purple eyes. A body that didn't quite feel like his. A world that definitely didn't.
"I don't know if I'm supposed to be here," he finally said. "But this… thing inside me—whatever it is—it's not going away."
Diana nodded, then placed her hand gently on his shoulder.
"Then we'll teach you how to carry it," she said. "And if you lose your way… I will help you find it again."
Aubrey looked up at her, startled by the warmth in her voice. No judgment. No fear.
"…You sound like a mom."
She smiled. "I've been called many things. Perhaps this time, I don't mind it."
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]🛡 "First Impression" – COMPLETEStanding with Amazon Faction: Neutral ➜ Cautious AcceptanceNew Skill: [Evasion Reflex I]Emotional Sync: Partial. Diana of Themyscira registered as Mentor Node
Would you like to set Diana as a trusted guide?[Y]es / [N]o
Aubrey blinked at the prompt, then slowly smiled.
Yes.