Zeus's oracle projection nodded slightly above the altar. Patterns of thunder churned in his pale golden eyes, and beneath that roiling violence lay a faint, almost imperceptible hint of satisfaction.
"Now that's a daughter of mine."
He paused. The edges of the oracle projection began to contract slowly, its dark golden lightning fading little by little from the center outward.
"Three days from now, the divine power pool on Mount Olympus will be open to you without restriction."
"Remember, Diana."
"Faced with Ragnarok, which will reduce our entire pantheon to ashes, anything can be sacrificed!"
As his words fell, the oracle projection vanished completely above the altar. The dark golden lightning dissolved into tiny motes of light, swept away by the sea breeze into Themyscira's deep blue night sky.
Silence returned to the altar.
Diana knelt on the stone platform, her back still perfectly straight. Her pale blue eyes gazed levelly at the thirty-foot statue of Zeus before her, fixed on the staff of thunder in its hand for a long time.
Hippolyta emerged from the shadows, her silver-white hair gleaming coldly in the moonlight, profoundly complicated emotions churning in her deep blue eyes.
She stopped half a step beside Diana and looked down at her daughter kneeling on the stone platform, remaining silent for a long time.
At last, she reached out and gently pressed a hand to the top of Diana's head.
"Go."
Diana did not raise her head.
"Mother..."
"I heard."
Hippolyta's voice was steady and clear, carrying an almost cold composure honed over thousands of years as queen. "You agreed to his terms."
Diana clenched her hands against the stone platform.
"Do you blame me?"
Hippolyta did not answer immediately.
She turned her head, looking past the temple's columns toward the distant sea, silvered by moonlight,