The crowd was seething with anger, and under such fervor, Jason naturally resolved that they would all go avenge their fallen comrade. Yet Alaric stopped them.
"Periclymenus was our comrade," Jason said to him.
"He was killed without reason, attacked out of nowhere. As his companions, it is our duty, our right, to avenge him. Mr. Alaric, do you think we are wrong to do so?"
"You misunderstand, Captain," Alaric replied, shaking his head.
"I have no intention of stopping you. I simply think it would be wise for everyone to understand a bit more about our enemy before charging in."
"Oh?" Jason's eyes lit up. "So Mr. Alaric knows who those women are?"
Though Jason himself was not the most capable of heroes, even he knew how crucial information was in battle.
"Of course. If I'm not mistaken, those women should be the legendary Amazon warriors.
The reasoning is simple, they are an all-female host, and their shields bear a crescent emblem.
As is well known, aside from Ares the God of War, the Amazons also worship the goddess of the hunt, Artemis."
Alaric's words sent a murmur of alarm through the gathered heroes.
The existence of a nation composed solely of women had long been a subject of curiosity among men, a land where every citizen was said to be a mighty warrior was, naturally, a fascinating thought to them.
Unfortunately, the men standing here were the Argonauts, heroes who had spent a month enduring the torment of the "pink plague."
Now, even the mere sight of women made them uneasy. To face Amazon warriors was doubly terrifying.
"So the Amazon kingdom is nearby, then?" Jason frowned bitterly. "Damn it. We'd better finish this quickly, avenge him and get out."
And so the heroes acted.
While some searched for missing comrades who had gone hunting, scouting, or fetching water, others, led by Phalerus, hurried to the site of Periclymenus's death.
There, they found the killers.
Yet what awaited them was more than they'd expected: over a hundred Amazon warriors stood arrayed before them, tall, powerfully built, clad in full armor, armed with spears, shields, bows, and javelins.
Their aura was fierce and disciplined, clearly veterans of countless battles.
But among them, two stood apart.
Unlike the towering figures around them, the two leaders were not large; their frames were lithe, almost girlish.
One had black hair, the other white, both appearing to be in their late teens.
The black-haired one possessed the beauty of a goddess.
Her long hair was tied into an elegant knot at the back of her head, her skin glowed with life, and she wore garments woven from supple fabric and leather, distinctly styled yet practical.
Energy radiated from her every movement.
The spear in her hand, the bow across her back, and the glimpse of well-defined abs at her midriff made it clear she was no mere beauty, she was a warrior of the Amazons through and through.
The white-haired girl was no less beautiful, though her bearing differed. Where the black-haired one shone with lively vigor, the white-haired girl exuded a pure, aloof grace.
Yet the weapon she held clashed violently with that aura of purity, a pair of spiked flails, connected by chains.
Each head was a half-meter sphere of metal bristling with spikes, the twin weapons together weighing nearly a ton by Alaric's estimation.
A single swing could crush an elephant.
And yet, in the girl's delicate hands, the massive weapons danced lightly, like a pair of toy yo-yos. Her monstrous strength was unmistakable.
Seeing such a host of Amazon warriors, even the fearless Argonauts began to hesitate.
Though each of them was a hero who could face a hundred foes, these women were no less formidable.
Many among them were warriors of great prowess, and their two leaders looked strong enough to rival the mightiest of the Argonauts.
Their chances of victory were not as high as they'd hoped.
If anyone noticed, it was Alaric, Jason was clearly panicking.
The captain fidgeted, lips trembling as if to speak, but before he could, the black-haired girl at the forefront spoke first.
"Men before me," she said, her voice clear yet commanding, "I am Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons.
Tell me, who are you? From where do you come? And for what reason do you trespass upon Amazon soil?"
Hippolyta. The name struck a chord, Jason felt sure he'd heard it somewhere before.
Summoning his courage, he stepped forward and replied.
"I am Jason, Prince of Thessaly and captain of the Argo. We set sail from Thessaly on a voyage of exploration and adventure.
Our ship was damaged by the winds, so we landed here for repairs. We did not know this was Amazon territory."
"Jason?" Hippolyta tilted her head slightly.
"I've never heard that name. Then tell me, why are so many armed men venturing deep into our forests? I strongly suspect your intentions are not so innocent."
"We… we, " Jason faltered. He wanted to say they were here to avenge a fallen comrade, but surrounded as they were by so many warriors, the words caught in his throat.
He could not bring himself to speak, but among the Argonauts, there was never a shortage of hotheads.
"Your people killed our comrade! We've come to avenge him!"
The words burst forth unbidden.
At that, Alaric saw the black-haired girl's eyes sharpen. Her expression turned eager, almost thrilled.
To the eye, Hippolyta looked like an athlete ready for competition, but those standing before her could feel the killing intent coiled behind that excitement.
"So," she said sweetly, her tone light yet dangerous, "what you mean is… you wish to declare war on us?"
Her honeyed voice carried a blade's edge. Both sides tensed, ready to fight at any moment.
In that fraught silence, Jason's composure shattered.
If battle broke out now, what could he do? With enemies this numerous, even his comrades' skill would not be enough to shield him.
The Prince of Thessaly had always been guided by a singular instinct, to survive at all costs.
"Your Majesty Queen Hippolyta, you misunderstand!" Jason said hastily.
"We have no wish to be your enemies. It was wrong of us to trespass into Amazon lands. We came only to recover our companion's body.
Once we've done that, we'll leave immediately. Please, do not mistake our intentions."
"Misunderstand?" Hippolyta arched a brow. "Then tell me, was it not your own men who just said they came for revenge?"
.
.
.
Guys, do leave some power stones and reviews.
✌patreon.com/bobthewriter✌
If you guys enjoy this story, you can support me on Patreon and get access to Advance Chapters, it really helps me to work on new chapters.