Although Diana wanted to set off immediately, there were still a few things to take care of. Steve Trevor had just escaped from the Germans and nearly drowned, and then had been 'pulled' by the Lasso of Truth. Since Diana was counting on him to lead the way to the battlefield, someone had to escort him to rest first. Only after he had mostly recovered would they depart.
Compared to the original plot, Steve didn't receive such special treatment this time. He wasn't given lodging within the Amazon city but was instead sent to Ethan's nearby wooden cabin.
"Will you come with me on this journey?"
Diana had already figured out that Ethan intended to use this confrontation with Ares as part of her training. What she wanted to know now was whether he would stay by her side the whole time, or leave her to face things on her own.
"I'll follow behind you. Just consider me an ordinary traveler. I won't offer any advice, you'll need to decide for yourself how to handle the problems you encounter."
Diana nodded, understanding what she needed to do next. She then turned to Steve, who was still looking around curiously. "Rest here. We'll leave Paradise Island once you've recovered."
This was exactly what Steve wanted to hear. If it weren't for his current physical state, he'd have liked to leave immediately.
He couldn't understand why this young woman wanted to go to the battlefield, but regardless, as long as he could reach London and deliver the information he had, his mission would be complete.
Only now did he learn that the woman was named Diana. Unfortunately, she left in a hurry before he had the chance to ask more about this place.
Turning to Ethan and Logan beside him, he figured he could probably get some answers from them.
"Where is this place?"
"Paradise Island."
"No, no, what I'm asking is—where exactly is this place? Which country does it belong to?" What Steve wanted to know was the precise location of the island. That would help him plan his route to London.
Unfortunately, even Ethan couldn't give a clear answer to that.
The exact location of Paradise Island was never made clear in the movie. Based on various scenes, it didn't seem to make much sense no matter which direction you considered.
Judging by the type of plane Steve had stolen, it was likely near the Ottoman Empire. A more reasonable guess would be somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea, which would also align with the Greek mythology setting of the Olympian gods.
Later, he and Diana were able to travel safely and directly to London on a small sailboat less than ten meters long. It didn't even seem to take much time. The only logical explanation was that the entire sailing process was skipped. After a supply stop, they somehow arrived in London with no issues.
According to Steve's secretary, he had indeed been missing for quite a while, so this assumption seemed the most reliable.
"Mediterranean… probably…"
In Ethan's past life, there were even people who swore Paradise Island was located in the North Sea. He didn't know where they got that idea, so he just considered it a possible theory.
"As for the country…" Ethan touched his chin, unsure how to answer. "Olympus?"
Paradise Island and the Amazons were created by the gods of Olympus. If anyone could claim ownership of Paradise Island, it would be Zeus. As king of the Olympian gods, Paradise Island would logically fall under Olympus's rule.
"Olympus? Is that even a real country?"
Steve was clearly confused by the answer, but at least he now knew he was somewhere in the Mediterranean.
"Don't worry about it. This place has nothing to do with the war you're fighting in. You can consider it a neutral zone and it won't affect your return to where you need to go."
Ethan's reassurance put Steve a little more at ease. Only then did he notice how empty his stomach felt. Fortunately, there was a variety of food and fresh juices laid out before him.
"Can I…"
"Help yourself."
These things had been prepared for him from the start. As an ordinary human, he needed food and drink to recover his strength. While enjoying a hearty meal, Steve finally learned the names of the two men in front of him.
Ethan and Logan.
Neither of them gave their last names. It seemed they had no intention of sharing them, but Steve didn't mind. After all, they were complete strangers, and a simple way to address them was enough.
After getting some food into his stomach, Steve felt much better and began asking other questions, like why there were only women on this island, how the two men who clearly weren't locals ended up here, how long they had been here, and whether they were imprisoned.
"You're overthinking it. I was once helped by Queen Hippolyta, so I taught Diana a few things. This time, I'm just here to visit Diana."
"Oh."
Steve nodded, but then looked at Ethan with a strange expression, curious that someone who looked about the same age as him would claim to have taught Diana something.
"By the way, that white light wall you used earlier... the barrier... whatever it is—was that some kind of new technology?"
"Just a defensive magic."
Ethan glanced at Steve's expectant expression, and the man didn't disappoint, his face twisted into a confused look, as though something didn't quite compute.
"Magic?"
"Yes, magic." Ethan raised his hand and lightly curled a finger. A fruit on the table floated over to his hand. "This is also magic."
If Steve Trevor had still suspected Ethan was joking before, he was now truly stunned. Magic actually existed in the world? He even stood up and began inspecting everything. To help him confirm it, Ethan handed over the fruit he hadn't eaten yet.
"This is impossible!"
The collapse of someone's worldview was always entertaining, no matter how many times Ethan saw it. Even Logan had switched into spectator mode, beginning to enjoy the show.
"Is there really magic in this world?"
"This world is far more complex and interesting than you think. There's not only magic—but gods as well." Ethan pointed to the ground. "Paradise Island and the Amazons who live here were created by the gods of Olympus. They've lived here for thousands of years."
Steve listened to Ethan's explanation with an expression that screamed, "Are you serious?" If magic was barely believable, then everything about gods and Olympus was beyond him. It didn't just shake his worldview—it shattered it completely.
"There's no need for that face. You'll witness a duel between gods with your own eyes soon enough."
The battle between Diana and Ares was inevitable. As someone who would guide Diana to the battlefield and potentially draw near to Ares, Steve had every chance to witness such a battle, assuming he didn't leave early.
"I'll look forward to it."
Although Ethan said it with certainty, Steve still didn't believe gods existed. He didn't think Ethan was making fun of him; rather, he figured this young magician had just grown up with a different kind of education, maybe he really did believe in the divine.
After all, it was natural for someone who could use magic to also believe in gods.
After downing a large glass of fresh juice, Steve began feeling drowsy. He hadn't had proper rest in a long time, and the pressure of life as a spy had worn him down. Unable to fight the exhaustion, he quickly fell into a deep sleep, even though he'd wanted to ask more questions.
Ethan looked at the sleeping Steve Trevor. His own intervention might change a few things, but it wouldn't significantly alter the man's fate. Still, if they got along well over the next few days, maybe he'd help Steve avoid an early death.
Returning to his room to rest, Ethan didn't go to sleep. Instead, he lay on the reclining chair he'd built himself, flipping through the Book of Inheritance and thinking about his next move.
The Wonder Woman storyline wasn't particularly complicated. In fact, he could've exposed Ares from the beginning, letting Diana confront him directly—even if the battle destroyed London, Ethan wouldn't have cared.
But this time, the goal was to let Diana grow through experience. Letting her use her own judgment to find clues and uncover Ares's identity was the best way to temper her instincts and abilities.
Besides, if the fight happened in London, Ares wouldn't hold back, but Diana likely would. It would be better to draw Ares into the war zone and then stage a final battle in a more open and quiet place.
"So I don't need to do anything, just enjoy the show."
What Ethan was now debating was whether he should take advantage of the chaos.
Ares was still the god of war among the Olympians. If he could collect some of Ares's blood or similar materials, it might be incredibly useful for his own progress.
"If I can collect it, I will."
Even if he couldn't get Ares's blood, Diana's would do. With the blood of a true god or at least a demigod, he might be able to craft a strengthening potion to further elevate his physical attributes.
"Also, there's Hulk's blood and the Extremis virus from Marvel... I could even ask Thor for some blood to compare Asgardian traits to Ares's. Then there are all kinds of unique viruses... If I could collect them all…"
Ethan suddenly realized with all those elements fused together and injected into his body, he might just turn into some kind of freak.
(To be continued.)
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