Amazon Arrow vs Pyrrah | Year One Encounters

I am Chryseis, Archery Champion of the Amazons, recently sent to Man's World to impose harmony. I wield the Light Rings, ancient gifts from the God's that allow me to manifest a Soul Bow, as well as a virtually endless supply of Soul Arrows. I never miss my target. My Amazonian strength, speed and stamina is formidable. Modern culture and society is complex and foreign to me, but I learn quickly. There seems to be no end to the variety of perils and villains that I must overcome if I am to complete my mission.

 

Pyrrah was the first Archery Champion of the Amazons sent to Man's World during World War II. She recently fell to a lycanthropic curse and has since gone rogue. I was sent to Man's World as Pyrrah's replacement. Pyrrah still wields the Night Rings in addition to her Amazonian physical prowess and lycanthropic abilities.

 

 The Light and Night Rings are ancient weapons forged for the Amazons by the Gods. One ring can be used to manifest a "Soul Bow" while the other ring can generate an endless supply of "Soul Arrows". Manifesting these items drains strength and stamina from the ringbearer; the more strength the bearer donates to the arrow, the more powerful it becomes. A highly-charged arrow can deliver a powerful explosive impact, though this can leave the ringbearer exhausted and vulnerable.

Soul Arrows produce no wounds when they strike a living target, but they do cause excruciating pain. The Arrows dispurse after several minutes.

I am the bearer of the Light Rings, while Pyrrah bears the Night Rings.

 

Pyrrah and I were inseparable lovers for thousands of years, until Pyrrah was selected to become the Amazon Arrow during the early days of World War II. We did not see each other for decades, until Pyrrah fell in battle and became a lycanthrope at the dawn of the 21^st century. Pyrrah was stripped of her title and declared a rogue menace. I won the right to become Pyrrah's replacement and became the new Amazon Arrow. I have been tasked with returning Pyrrah to the Amazon Isles, but this will prove to be a difficult task. Pyrrah is stronger, faster, well-armed, seductive and ruthless. As soon as I arrived in Man's World, Pyrrah wasted no time marking her territory. Pyrrah swiftly defeated and humiliated me, leaving me bound, ravished and publicly displayed for all to see. My confidence was shaken as I realized the power that Pyrrah now possessed... and at how astonishingly aroused I had become while being dominated by my former lover. I vowed never to let it happen again, but secretly hoped that it might.

 

 My arrogance nearly ended my mission before it began. Confident in my new appointment as The Amazon Arrow, I sought to take down Pyrrah swiftly in order to send a clear and powerful message to Man's World that a new heroine had arisen. Unfortunately Pyrrah was not so easily defeated. I was shot with a powerful Soul Arrow, stripped of my uniform,  ravished until I lost consciousness, bound to a rusted fence and left hanging on display. Pyrrah herself called the authorities and the local news to ensure that a message was indeed delivered... I had much to learn.

 

Pyrrah was always a powerful Amazon... strong, beautiful and clever. No matter how outmatched or overpowered she might seem to be in any given scenario, she would always find an unexpected path to victory. That's how she defeated me back in the early 1940's when she won the right to become the first Amazon Arrow. Pyrrah served the Amazon cause in Man's World for decades and was accepted and respected across the globe as an ideal champion and superheroine.

All of that changed when she was bitten by a Lycanthrope.

No one knows exactly how it happened or who the Lycan responsible might be. Pyrrah's loyalties switched overnight; a lust for power now corrupts her soul and she thirsts for Amazon blood. She is more powerful now than ever before, and she is every bit as clever. When she turned, a new Amazon Arrow was selected to replace her and to bring her to justice. This responsibility falls to me.
I have never defeated her in battle. I am alive now only because she continues to let me live.

I loved her once, but I must set that aside. It will take all of my skill and focus to bring her down; I pray that I am equal to the task.

If there is a cure to be found, I will find it.

 

 I had been hunting Pyrrah for hours before sunset, but she used the mountainous terrain to her advantage, preventing me from getting a clear shot at her with my bow. At one point she descended into a low river bed. Rather than follow her I decided to climb to the top of a high platue overlooking the river clearing. I sought the high ground, hoping to pick her off from above. I reached the top of the platue and kept low to the ground while swiftly scanned the riverbed.. but Pyrrah was simply gone. I couldn't see how that was possible. It would have taken superhuman speed to escape that clearing before I acquired my position. The riverbed provided little cover. There was nowhere to hide. I could see clearly thanks to the bright light... of the moon... oh, goddess... the full moon!

I heard a low growl from behind me... soft, deep and menacing. I didn't want to turn around; I didn't want to see what my former lover had become. I knew that my Pyrrah was now gone. I realized that she was now a monster. I realized that I was no longer the hunter... I was the prey.

 

 Pyrrah overwhelms me. How can I possibly view such a beautiful woman as my enemy? Her scent is intoxicating. Her lips invite me to kiss them. I can feel the heat of her body against mine. I have the strength of an Amazon and yet my knees grow weaker with every passing moment. I can barely remember why we were fighting. Her touch is amazing, and her eyes... her eyes... wait... there was something... I was supposed to... remember about.. about her eyes... important... oh, no... her eyes... her hypnotic eyes... must... look away... must... must... give in... yes... surrender...

 

 I can use the glow from a charged Soul Arrow like a torch in the darkness, allowing me to pursue criminals at night and flush them out of the shadows.

Unfortunately this hunting technique gives away my position... which can prove to be disastrous.

 

 Well... this was bound to happen sooner or later...

 

.....

 

Ahhhh... that's MUCH better!

Now that my dear Chryseis has finished whimpering and moaning, please allow me to introduce myself!

My name is Pyrrah... though you may remember me as the very first Amazon Arrow.

I have been stripped of my title and branded a traitor by the First Ones, the ancient matriarchs that rule the Amazon Isles.

In truth, it is THEY who are corrupt!

The First Ones see the future... they know your fate... and they know how to manipulate the natural order of the world to their advantage. Death fuels them. They instigate wars, famine, genocide... This cannot be allowed to continue!

Do not trust the Amazons... even the champions that you believe to be "heroines". Every last one of the Amazons are enthralled by the magic of the First Ones; a powerful curse prevents my Sisters from recognizing the truth!

I am now a lycanthrope... a weretiger... I am an Amazon no longer... thus I now see clearly for the first time in my very, very long life.

I am immune to the curse of the First Ones!!!

I know what the First Ones truly are!!!

You must believe that the lycanthropes are on your side. Yes, we are killers and we are forced to take lives, but every killing has its purpose. We kill only the minions of the First Ones. You must trust us! Only we can end the reign of the First Ones.

Do not get in our way.

I am hunted by my beloved Chryseis; I am hounded and hated by all Amazons. But this will not deter me from my quest.

Hmmm... speaking of Chryseis: she appears to be waking up... time to give her another dose of ether.

Oh, don't worry... I'm not going to kill her... but I will teach her a lesson... perhaps humiliate her. With any luck she will give up her quest to destroy me and stop interfering with my plans.

Plus... I must admit... playing with her like this is SO much FUN!!!!

Hahahahaha....

 

 

 For untold thousands of years the Amazons favored isolation and non-interference with regards to the affairs of Man’s World, but in the 1940’s our oracles received a terrifying vision: Man would soon harness the power of the atom. Our seers foretold that Man would not only weaponize this knowledge, he would actually use it! Man’s reckless pursuit of land and territory would threaten the existence of the entire world, including our beloved Amazon Isle. We could no longer ignore Man’s indiscretion.

The First Ones elected to send a corps of representatives from amongst our finest warriors to guide Man’s fate; a “Champions Tournament” would be held to select our ambassadors. Hundreds of Amazons volunteered, but only a dozen would be chosen, one for each of our most ancient and powerful weapons. We would have a Sword Champion, an Archery Champion, a Lariat Champion and nine others tasked to put an end to war, crime and conflict throughout Man’s World.

The Archery Champion of that era, the first to be called "Amazon Arrow" was Pyrrah. She was a magnificent warrior and a noble representative of the Amazons. Pyrrah was revered, admired and beloved around the world. She continued to fight as a champion of truth and justice for the remainder of the 20th Century.

She was the ideal heroine.

Sadly that is no longer the case.

 

 Dr. Tronix began his career as a technological terrorist during World War II. Pyrrah (the Amazon Arrow of that era) was often tasked with dismantling his mechanical monstrosities in an effort to clear the way for Allied troops. As is the case for all superheroines, she would frequently find herself in dire peril. Such things happen when you volunteer to stand in harm’s way.

These days Pyrrah tends to run when trouble appears. Her sense of self-preservation has increased significantly since becoming a lycanthropic villainess.