Convert this page to Pilot DOC FormatConvert this page to Pilot DOC Format
© Copyright 1997 by F.S.
This story may not be sold and may be archived at public sites only with direct permission from the author. Any archive must carry this entire copyright statement.
See Childhood's End (Parts 1-2) for the complete disclaimer statement and other notes from the author.
"I'm ready, ma'am," he saluted her. "I'll make it safely, don't you worry. I've been the fastest runner in the regiment since I can remember." So young, but he had already been enlisted in the army, had already had seen so much war. The bard bit back the urge to tell him not to go as he gazed at her expectantly. "It'll get through," he said firmly, with a self confidence that still came easily at his age. "Even if it costs me my life."
"I hope it doesn't come to that," Gabrielle told him quietly as she handed him the package. In it was the eagle head sculpture that had topped her staff when it was given to her by Ephiny. "You know what to say if they ask you."
"Yeah ... something about Centaurs not eating hay?" The boy raised an eyebrow.
"They'll understand what I'm talking about, and they'll know that you're not a spy." Gabrielle resisted the urge to pull him into a hug. She had to show that she was confident of his talents. Instead, she settled on patting him on the back. "Good luck, and may Hermes speed your flight. Remember, you have Vervain's token ... use it if you need. Most of all ... be safe."
"I will. Don't worry. I'll be there and back before you know it!" The boy saluted her again, then took off, heading to the right of the rising sun. Gabrielle watched him go with her heart in her mouth. So many lives depended on that little satchel. Gabrielle bit her lip. She didn't even know the runner's name.
[If anything happens to him, I can't even write a story in his honor. Such are the supposed glories of war ... where even bravery is stripped of its title. ] The bard in her murmured briefly and bitterly. [I wonder how many other brave, nameless souls I'll be sending out soon.] Sighing, Gabrielle turned to face the sun again. Suddenly, she was feeling very old ...
"Good morning," a cheerful voice greeted her. "You came in too late last night for me to see you."
"Kala! What are you still doing here?" Gabrielle asked, surprised. "Shouldn't you be in Spirit's Glade?"
"And leave you warriors here to starve? Hah! Someone has to stay behind that knows how to cook, mend clothes, and do laundry. But rest your soul. I'll go to the woods later today. I just wanted to see you and Xena back safely."
"I'm sorry to disappoint you ..." Gabrielle sighed. "And disappoint everyone else."
"You haven't disappointed us. You kept your promise."
"I didn't bring Xena back ..."
"But you're staying with us and fighting. That in itself is very brave and worthy. You may not be Xena, but you do have the power to help save the village. Martis told me how you came up with the plan with the Centaurs."
"Problem is, how are we supposed to survive that long?" Gabrielle looked away. "The others refuse to retreat, and Falceus is going to slaughter us."
"Nothing's definite yet, Gabrielle." Kala smiled. "At least you've brought freedom to our land."
"At the price of a whole village." Gabrielle closed her eyes. "I've never taken a life, but I've come close. I know how the guilt feels. In a way, I was responsible for a death of an enemy of mine ... I just let another take the blame. This whole thing is my responsibility, and so are all the lives that will be lost. I don't think my hands will ever be clean. If only there was a way to resolve this without the loss of life. However, that would defy the definition of war."
"You've come very far in a very short time. It's never easy, growing up," Kala said gently as she hugged the bard. "You learn that life isn't just sunshine and daydreams. It's a struggle just to live every day. You come to realize that death is a part of life, just like darkness is a part of light. Just remember though, the sunshine and daydreams are still there, if you look hard enough. Don't ever lose that quality in you, Gabrielle."
"Sometimes, I don't think I can keep a hold of it," Gabrielle replied.
"Gabby!" a small voice broke into their conversation. Turning around, Gabrielle half expected to see Xena, but saw Jilly instead. "Where's Xena? Can she come out and play?"
"Jilly, what are you still doing here?" Gabrielle asked, puzzled. Kala gave a wry smile.
"This little tyke decided to hide when all the others were taken to the forest. We didn't discover her until it was too late."
"I didn't wanna leave until I saw Xena again," Jilly said shyly. "Where is she? She's my bestest friend, and I'm her sidekicker. Sidekickers aren't ever supposed to leave their warriors. Look, I've been working on my sidekick!" Jilly tried to perform her favorite move, but fell flat on her rump instead. Gabrielle fought to repress her laughter as she helped pick the girl up.
"Xena's very lucky to have a friend like you," the bard said sincerely.
Jilly squirmed in delight. Kneeling until she was eye level with the child, Gabrielle used her best storytelling voice. "You know, Xena's somewhere really safe right now. She may come back and play later, but until then, I'll need you to do something for me. Are you willing to help?"
Jilly nodded eagerly. "I like you, Gabrielle," she said confidently as she hugged the bard. "Xena's very lucky to have you for her bestest friend, too. Whatcha want me to do?"
"I need you to go with Kala into Spirit's Glade."
"But I wanna wait here for Xena," Jilly said quietly.
"I know. But you can really help by protecting Kala as she goes into Spirit's Glade, and by helping calm the others there. It's a really special job, and only you can do it. It's as important as any of the Warrior Princess' duties."
"Really truly?"
"Really truly," Gabrielle said earnestly. "Now run along and get ready ... the others will need you soon."
Grinning from ear to ear, Jilly skipped off into the tavern. Gabrielle watched her go with a thoughtful look on her face.
"You know," Kala told her. "I would have never thought that she would have the guts to stay behind like she did, especially after what happened to her the other night. Jilly's always been a shy little thing. All the other kids would pick on her. That is, until your friend came along and changed that. She's a special one, Xena is. She can inspire courage in the most unexpected places. I guess that's the trait that you both share."
"I don't know about that," Gabrielle yawned.
"I'm not going to argue with you again. You'll just have to prove it to yourself that you ARE a hero. Now come and get some sleep. It's been a long night for you." Kala tugged the bard toward the tavern.
They both would have been more uneasy if they had known what was happening right below their feet.
The night had not been easy for Corvin either. Bound, gagged, and stuffed into the tiny cellar below the tavern, he had spent most of his time seething at the great injustices of the world. It should have been so easy! All they had to do was to kill a bunch of villagers and use the little girl as bait for Xena. Once that had been accomplished, then Falceus would have been pleased, and he might have even promoted Corvin to a higher rank. After all, it was he who had captured the little girl in the first place! However, Vervain had fouled up the situation, and now it was he who was the prisoner, thanks to the traitor Martis and all the rest of his troops. Not even one of them had tried to stop the rebellion. Fools, they were all fools! When Falceus got wind of their plans, they would all pay, every last one of them. Of course, if he did not get out of these bonds, then Falceus was likely to destroy the village with him still in it. The thought sent shudders down the soldier's back. He would have to get loose and escape before Falceus' arrival. Then he would faithfully report all the villagers' plans to the great warlord. Perhaps there would be a promotion in this, after all. The thought made Corvin struggle even more. Although he was normally not a very bright man, the situation had made his tiny brain work harder than it ever had before.
Corvin rolled toward the ceramic jugs of wine that Jalen kept in the cellar. Using his tied legs, he aimed a powerful kick at the jars. The pottery shattered. Corvin paused to listen if anyone had heard the sound, then breathed a sigh in relief. The fools were probably still asleep, he reckoned. Grabbing a shard of broken clay as best he could, he began to saw at the ropes which bound him.
Xena sat at the edge of the alter to Apollo, wishing that she was somewhere else. Where was Gabrielle anyway? The little girl missed the bard greatly. When she had woken up to find the her friend missing, Xena had wanted to run out after her. However, Harmony and Symphonia refused to let her go, and instead, the girl found herself confined to the main building.
Turning toward the altar and the scrying tripod, Xena tried to ignore the glimmering of the rising sun shining off the waters of the truth pool. She did not ever want to go near there again. She did not really remember what had happened when she had stepped into the liquid, but she remembered that it had hurt a lot and that she had seen many awful things. Most of all, she remembered the dark clad figure that smelled like death.
Suddenly, she spied something moving near the edge of the altar. Xena went to investigate. Moving in a wide circuit away from the pool, Xena grinned in delight when she saw it was the color changing lizard! Had he followed her all this way? Xena reached out a curious hand and caught the creature. The lizard flushed an emerald green, much to the child's delight.
"Fascinating, isn't he?" a voice told her. Xena spun around. That did not sound like Harmony or Symphonia. Instead of the priestesses, there was a golden-haired man laughing at her. He came closer, and Xena prepared to stomp on his foot if he tried to grab her. There had already been too many bad encounters with strangers lately.
"I wouldn't do what you're thinking about doing," the man warned her. He lifted a hand. Instantly, the lizard wriggled out of Xena's grip and squirmed toward him. "Do you like how he changes color?"
Xena nodded, still suspicious. She did not trust this man.
"Yet, no matter what color he is, he's still the same lizard," the man said as he let the reptile go. "Now, what do you think of this temple?"
"It's boring. I wanna go home."
"Well, maybe you think it's boring because you don't know much about it. Look at that fountain." The man gestured towards the pool.
Xena winced when she saw him pointing towards where the water was emerging into the channel before sliding into the pool.
"Where do you think it comes from?"
"I dunno."
"Do you ever wonder if the water keeps flowing in, why doesn't the pool ever spill over? Can you guess?"
"No." Xena glared at him.
"Well, you're a bright girl. Think about it. The fountain is self containing. It can never overspill itself, and its source is deep within the earth where no one has ever been. But although you can't ever see where it starts, you know it's there."
"So?" Xena crossed her arms and frowned. This guy was boring!
"You aren't one for symbolism, are you?" the man snorted. "Well, what can I expect from a little five-year-old girl, even if you are the Warrior Princess?" he said in a condescending tone.
Xena became angry. "I'm NOT little, and I'm NOT a Warrior Princess!" she yelled as she went over and kicked the man in the shin. The man gave a startled yelp before looking askance at his little attacker.
"Well, now, that's never happened to me before. I'll say this ... you're one gutsy kid," he mused. "I don't know whether to be mad or to laugh. Well, call yourself lucky. I have a soft spot for warrior women and huntresses, even if you are a little young for my liking. So, you don't find the temple's main attraction even a bit interesting?"
"No. I hate it. I wanna go home, or I wanna be with Gabby. I don't wanna be here with the stupid fountain."
The man shrugged. "Maybe you'll find this a little more entertaining." He went to the top of the altar and motioned towards the tripod. Curiosity getting the better of her, Xena followed him and gazed into the liquid.
"I see Gabrielle!" she said excitedly.
"Yes. That's her. You can hear her, too, if you like." At Xena's eager nod, the man waved a hand, and suddenly, Gabrielle's voice filtered into the room. Hearing it, Xena turned to the man, a pleading look on her face.
"Can you take me to her? I wanna be with Gabby."
"That is up to you. The only way I will let you leave is if you swim the waters of truth. Then I'll send you to your friend."
"No! I don't want to do that," Xena shrilled. The man shrugged.
"Well, it is your choice. The priestesses will take care of you as long as you're here. But think carefully, Xena. The truth in your heart cannot be denied forever." The man shook his head. Before Xena could say another word, he disappeared. Frowning, the little girl sat back to gaze at the tripod and tried to ignore the sounds of the fountain as it splashed its way into the pool.
The traps were almost ready. Gabrielle watched as Martis directed the last of them to be put up. Everything was set to kill. That thought lingered in her mind as she remembered that she had to see Kala and Jilly off. Gabrielle ducked back within the tavern, and moments later reemerged with Kala and Jilly at her side. The former was busy giving instructions to Janya.
"Remember, the falafel is in the pantry ... there should be enough for dinner tonight. For breakfast you can have the rest of the honeycakes, for lunch, there's the leftover grilled sheep, and I've stuck in a barley casserole that'll do as tomorrow's dinner. Also, if you get hungry in between meals, there's plenty of nutbread in the larder ..."
"Mother!" Janya rolled her eyes. "We'll be fine."
"Ooo ... you warrior types don't now how to cook! Maybe I should stay behind ..."
"No, Mother. Look, I promise that you'll be the first one we ask to cook when we have our victory feast. Now please go, okay?"
Kala gave her daughter an injured look. "I really don't see why it's necessary, but all right, if it'll make you happy. But remember to put on something warm before you go out and beat up ol' Falceus."
"MOTHER!"
Kala grinned, but the smile soon faded. "Please, Janya, take care of yourself. Don't take too many risks ... I want you to come home to me safely."
Janya's eye filled with tears. "I will, I promise you. Now go, please. You're embarrassing me!"
With a long, reluctant glance back at her daughter, the old woman picked up her skirts and took Jilly by the hand. Their escort, an old soldier, grinned at Janya.
"I'll get them there safely, bet on it. If I meet any of Falceus' troops, I'll give them a welcome they won't forget!" He chuckled humorlessly.
"Be careful," Martis warned. "You shouldn't have any trouble, with Falceus still a day away, but if you do see anybody, report back immediately. Although we've posted scouts everywhere, we never can be too sure."
"I will, sir." The soldier saluted Martis and Gabrielle, before heading off with his two charges. Gabrielle watched them go, feeling sad. There was no one to confide in now. Gabrielle felt a pang of sorrow when she thought about Xena again. What words of wisdom would the warrior have for her now? She missed her friend's guidance so much ... pushing away that thought, she gave a comforting hug to Janya, who looked as if she was going to break down into tears.
"She'll be okay," Gabrielle said reassuringly as she watched Kala disappear from view. She turned away, trying to keep calm. How many mothers would lose their children in the coming battle? Looking at Janya, Gabrielle prayed that the girl come through the fighting in one piece. Otherwise, Kala would have to bear yet another loss to Falceus.
"Come on, we have things to do," she said firmly. Heading toward the east wall, Gabrielle thought furiously. There just had to be a way to stop Falceus without costing any lives. A sudden squishing sound stopped her cold. Whatever she had just stepped did not feel altogether pleasant. Soft and gooey, the gummy substance stuck Gabrielle's boot to the dirt. Lifting up her foot, she found that she had stepped in some sort of glowing fungus. Janya, seeing her hesitate, came over. She started chuckling when she saw the cause.
"Guess you found some will o' wisp fingers," she said. "Jilly and Xena were playing with those. Jilly must have dropped them here earlier. I remember when I was a child and I used to play with the stuff. It looks really cool and spooky at night, especially when you know the old story about how it shows the way to Hades."
Gabrielle stared at the fungus, a small germ of an idea growing in her mind. "Janya, do you know where we could get lots of this stuff?"
"Yeah, why?"
"I think I have an idea," Gabrielle said slowly as a grin began to spread on her face.
Helkios shifted uncomfortably as he waited outside Falceus' tent. The mercenary felt uneasy. Warlords were such temperamental people. They could turn on you at any given moment. Helkios slowly let his hand finger his dagger. You never could be too careful.
"Come in," a deep voice told him. Helkios walked into the tent cautiously, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the dimly lighted interior. The only source of illumination came from a small fire in the corner of the tent, and the flickering shadows cast by the flames chilled him, even though it was broad daylight outside. Strewn around the tent were various items involved in petitioning the gods for help. However, Helkios paid no attention to the objects. His concern was not with the gods, but with the shadowed figure sitting in the corner of the tent.
"You called?" he asked as nonchalantly as possible. Falceus rose from his sitting chair.
"What did it sound like, fool?" he sneered. The lines that ran across on the war scarred face deepened as Falceus snarled, warping the hardened surface into a mask of ragged canyons. "Is your party ready?"
"Yes, sir. Although I can't see what purpose it would serve. Why don't you just storm the village?"
"Xena will be ready for that." Falceus' eyes glittered. "We need to know what we're getting into. I want your party to go into the village. We need to crush this rebellion fast, before word gets round. I want to do it with as little force as necessary."
"But why? I think a spectacular show of force would be much better! With your amount of troops, you could crush them like flies. That'll teach your people not to rebel against you."
"I didn't pay you to jabber like that. Just carry out you're orders, mercenary. Because that's all you'll ever be. You know what's the problem with you? You haven't got any vision. How would it look to everybody if I had to take a whole legion of soldiers just to crush one simple village?" Falceus snarled. "I would look pretty damn foolish, that's what."
"Then why did you take so many troops?" Helkios asked curiously. Falceus looked at him contemptuously.
"Because Xena's there, and if your group fails, I'll have to resort to brute force. I mean to destroy this village anyway I can. If that means taking it by force, so be it. But I rather try this way first."
"I still say you should crush them all at once." Helkios winced as Falceus abruptly backhanded him. The soldier found himself on the ground a second later, with a blade pressed to his throat.
"You're full of ideas, aren't you?" Falceus' tone was low and dangerous. "Simple little mind. All you know is brute force." He pressed the dagger in deeper. "But sometimes, there are even more powerful forces than that. Xena's one of them. She fights with her brain ... that's what makes her one of the best. You, on the other hand, fight with your muscle. Now try to put the two together, shall we? Go to the village and strike as fast as you can. They won't be expecting you ... I'll engage the troops on a skirmish near the far side of the fields to draw out the Warrior Princess. While Xena's busy, we'll take the town out from under her. Then the real fun will begin. Be prepared. We'll be there before sunrise!"
"But fighting without any light? Won't it be hard to see ? ... araghh ..." Helkios gurgled as Falceus pressed the blade down even harder.
"Night will cover our plans. It hampers the other side as well." Falceus' tone was low and dangerous. "Now are you going to question my plans again?"
"No, sir," Helkios whimpered.
"Good. You may keep your throat in one piece."
Helkios gulped as Falceus finally let him up. Rubbing his throat gingerly, he saluted the warlord before backing quickly out of the tent. Hardened soldier or not, he was beginning to feel a little sorry for the villagers of Cyanthus.
"It may just work," Martis nodded as he bent over a map of Cyanthus that had been unrolled on the table. He snapped his fingers suddenly. "Although I have a even better idea. I know Falceus pretty well ... after all, I've fought many a war with him. He's bound to be cautious. He doesn't like looking bad, and although he'll want to crush us, he won't want to use too much force. It'd make him look like a coward."
The soldier thought hard, hands fluttering over the map reflectively. "There's a certain tactic he likes to use ... I remember when he was trying to conquer the small kingdom of Naracassa. He positioned our troops as if he was going to engage in a big battle to the west, while he secretly sent a small elite force to destroy the kingdom from within. It was a brilliant move. Naracassa did not have very many troops, and it wasn't able to split its defenses. When their troops went to engage us in the west, the smaller group moved in and took the kingdom right out from under them. Using only a bit of his vast army, Falceus was able to claim easy victory. Plus, it impressed the heck out of everyone else. Since we don't have that many troops, my guess is that he's going to try that tactic. In fact, I'm willing to bet my armor on it. The old donkey gets a little predictable once you've ridden with him as long as I have. Let's engage him with group of warriors like he expects, but let's leave a few in town to put on our own show. What about it, Janya?"
"I don't know. It's not the best plan, but I can't think of any better ideas." Janya shrugged. "Right now, it's the only plan we have. But whoever goes to engage Falceus will surely be slaughtered. And just because we defeated his smaller war party doesn't mean we won't still have the bigger army to worry about."
"Not necessarily. I've got another idea." Gabrielle's eyes brightened. "One that may save all our lives. We'll engage Falceus' false attack with a small party of our own. But instead of fighting them face on, we'll retreat towards the woods." The bard traced the map, where the darkened outline of the forest ringed most of the village. "Janya, are your sling throwers and archers up to combat?"
"Yes. We're ready to pick off the old buzzards as soon as you give us the word!" Janya said enthusiastically as she grinned at her friend.
"Here's the plan then ..."
Sunset brought a feeling of calm into the village. Gabrielle watched the sun dip below the horizon and felt the cool night wind sweep her hair. The last traps had been set, the sentries were all posted, and all the elements of her plan were coming together. She should be pleased with herself, Gabrielle thought wryly, instead of feeling rather nauseous. Now came the hardest part though ... the waiting. She fingered her staff thoughtfully. Tomorrow, she would ride into war, but this time it would be different. This time it would be she who was leading the troops. How would she keep her oath not to kill then? Gabrielle did not know. As the last of the light faded from the sky, she had a feeling that her innocence and her soul had gone down with it.
"Hey, everything's prepared." Janya said softly as she approached the bard. "The henbane's in place, as are the hay bales, the wine flasks, the will-o-wisp, and the flour. By the way, what was the other stuff you told us to mix?"
"Oh, that was just some embalming liquid. I picked up the recipe from Iolaus. Seems that Hercules once went down to Egypt, where they bury their dead by wrapping them in bandages. Anyway, Hercules had this really big Mummy problem ..." Gabrielle stopped when she realized that she was about to launch into a tale. Old habits died hard. However, there was no time for stories now. "Anyway, you'll see what happens."
" Just as long as it adds to the effect!" Janya paused as her demeanor grew serious. "Gabrielle, about that battle ..."
"Just remember what I told you guys ... throw a few shots and run like Hades was after you. Don't stop to let the soldiers engage you in a fight. We're just giving Falceus something to do while his party is in here. We don't need a show of heroics. I want all of you to come out of this alive." Gabrielle said solemnly, her eyes never leaving Janya.
"We will, Gabrielle. Don't worry so much. All of us Cyanthus girls are great runners. We have to be! We're always dodging the advances of the scum Falceus sends. Anyway, I just wanted to say that I'm glad to have fought by your side. You're a wonderful leader, and Cyanthus is lucky to have you. We wouldn't have a chance if it hadn't been for you." Janya scuffed the ground shyly. "It's an honor to have served under you. All of us think that."
"Don't talk that way." The bard blushed a deep shade of red. "This is a group effort," Gabrielle insisted as she turned to look at where Martis was busy giving orders. "Martis has a lot to do with it, too. He'll be the one carrying out the plan in the village. We're just the sideshow." She sighed and gave Janya a friendly shove towards the tavern. "Get some rest. It will be a long day tomorrow."
She watched Janya head into the tavern and hoped that the young woman would be able to get some rest. As for herself, Gabrielle did not know if she would be able to sleep. Her body felt electrified with some sort of strange energy. However, there was one last thing she had to do before she went into battle.
"Martis ..." she called. The soldier immediately came up.
"Everything's almost ready. The sentries are in place ... we'll know the exact moment when Falceus' "surprise" warrior party rears his ugly head. They'll receive the shock of their lives ... bet on it!"
Gabrielle grinned encouragingly. "Good. I'm sure you'll do fine. But I have a favor to ask you ..."
"Name it, and it will be done." Martis snapped to attention and gave her a smart salute. Gabrielle just rolled her eyes.
"If anything happens to me on the battlefield, I want you to go to Apollo's Spring of Eternal Truth." She reached for a small scroll tucked into her belt and pressed it into Martis' hands. "Here's a map. Burn it after you memorize the directions," she ordered. "Don't want Apollo getting mad at us now, do we? Anyway, once you reach the spring, you'll find Xena there ... will you bring her back to Cyanthus safely?"
"Of course. I swear it on my father's grave. But nothing's going to happen to you ..."
"You never know ..." Gabrielle said softly. "But thank you. Also, this is very important and goes along with the whole 'if bad things happen' package. If I don't make it, when the centaur army and Amazons get here, tell the Amazon warrior they call Ephiny that she has my right of caste. That is VERY important. Also, tell them to take Xena with them ... they'll be able to protect her, and I know it's been a big wish of hers to actually meet an Amazon."
"All right ... I think I've got it ... Ephiny gets the right of caste. The rest of the tribe gets Xena." Martis shook his head. "I still say all of this is pointless. You'll be just fine."
Gabrielle looked away at the darkening night sky. "I hope so."
Helkios quietly slipped through the underbrush. Behind him, his party of fifteen struggled to keep close. In the cold, predawn sky, it was hard to see more than a couple of inches in front of his nose. The route was also very treacherous. Already, he had lost three men to the traps that the villagers had cleverly set. Helkios had to give them some credit. They were good. But not good enough. He could see the dark shadow of the village outlined against the fading starry sky. He checked the position of the moon again. Falceus was about to launch his attack. When the soldiers rode out to meet him, then Helkios would slip into the village walls, still under the cover of night. Cyanthus would fall before sunrise. As if on cue, he saw a runner approach the gates of the village. It must be one of the scouts that Xena had posted, no doubt reporting that he had seen Falceus. Helkios hunkered lower to the ground. As long as no one saw his party, then he would be all right. After all, the scouts were only looking at the main part of Falceus' army. They wouldn't notice a small, discrete group like his.
"They're burning the east fields!" came the shout. "Falceus is here!"
Helkios smiled to himself. Good. Things were proceeding as he had planned. The gate opened, and a band of soldiers emerged, running toward the direction from which the scout had come from. Helkios watched them disappear into the distance, shaking his head. There were so few of them! Xena must have really been scraping the bottom of the barrel. Crouching down again, he waited a couple more minutes until the alarm had died down in the village and the village's soldiers were too far away to come back in time. Nodding to his own soldiers, he proceeded toward the outskirts of the village. They were up and over the wall within seconds. Strangely enough, there were no sentries to stop them. In fact, the entire village seemed deserted. Not a single, living thing moved in the streets, nor were there any torches or fires burning.
"Commander, where is everybody? Who are we supposed to kill if no one's home?" one of his troops asked uneasily. Helkios could not think of a reply. Could Xena be so foolish as to leave the whole village unattended? He did not think so.
"Be ready for an ambush," he cautioned his troops as they walked down from the city wall. Could Xena have known they were coming? But who was leading the troops then? Was this a trap somehow? In the eerie gray light of the sky before dawn, Helkios was not sure of anything anymore.
"I don't like this, sir. It's just too quiet. If it was an ambush, they would have sprung it by now! There's something wrong ... it's as silent as death!"
"Shut UP!" Helkios snarled as he felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle.
"We are very close to Spirit's Glade ..." murmured another.
"Be quiet, all of you, or I'll--" his threat was cut short by a sudden, keening wail that ripped through the silence like a dagger through flesh. Helkios felt the blood drain out of his face. That cry had not sounded human ...
"What was that?" squeaked one of his troops.
"I don't know, but we better find out." Helkios unsheathed his sword and headed cautiously forward. Suddenly, a horrible sight met his eyes. He heard the gasps of his assembled troops as they ran toward his location. Paralyzed, they could only gape.
A whitish mist had built up around the village square, and it spread out ghostlike, writhing hauntingly in the semidarkness. The gas had a noxious smell to it, which made them reel and gag. That was not the worst part of it, though. Through the smoky vapor, a glowing figure emerged, its face like a great, white skull, wailing as if Hades itself was weighing down its inhuman soul.
"DOOOOM! DOOOOOM!" the monstrosity yelled. Blanching, Helkios realized that the figure was pure white and nebulous-looking. It was definitely NOT of this world.
"A shade! It's a shade!" squealed one of his soldiers.
"Nonsense!" Helkios tried to gather his wits, which had become clouded. "Shades only come out at night! It's too near morning! It's a trick, you fool!"
"This place is too close to Pan's forest!" another yelped.
"I'll prove it to you!" Helkios ran toward the figure, sword held ready. However, the ghost held up a bony arm and colored fire suddenly sprung from its fingertips. Helkios screamed as it burned him. The other soldiers needed no other encouragement. They fled, only to meet more glowing skeletal shades, all cackling insanely as they pointed sharp swords that dripped glowing ichor. In a few short minutes, the patrol was reduced into a blubbering, incoherent mass of men. Only two of soldiers managed to escape, and they ran as if Ares himself was on their tails. Martis smiled from beneath his mask of flour and will-o-wisp as he watched the two of them scramble back over the walls to spread their grisly tale to their commander.
"Jeez, Gabrielle wasn't kidding around." he chuckled as he wiped the mixture of flour and glowing fungus off his face and put down the wine-flask-turned-flame-thrower. "I would have run myself!" He looked at the cowering men. "Of course, adding henbane to the smoke does helps your imagination somewhat." As his men doused the smoldering hay clumps, he took off the handkerchief he had been wearing to block out the smoke's hallucinogenic effects. "And that colored fire was pretty neat, too. Remind me to ask Gabrielle for the recipe of that embalming stuff someday. " Martis looked to the horizon and shuddered. If there was a someday left. Already, the first sounds of battle were drifting across the dewy plains.
Gabrielle felt her heart tremble as she rode Argo in front of her army. Soon, very soon, they would be there. Already, the light from the burning fields could be seen in the distance. Jumping off Argo's back, she nodded to her group as she sent the horse back towards safety with a pat to the rump.
"Spread out. He's sure to have seen us by now. He'll be coming ... can you see well enough to shoot?"
"Yes. We're used to working in this kind of light. Pests don't always come in the daytime, you know." Janya said tightly. "Are you sure you don't want to arm yourself with a sling or bow?"
"No. I'm not that great of an archer, especially under these conditions. I'll probably end up hitting myself. Anyway, when they get into throwing distance, begin to fire at will. Remember, hold your position until I give the command to retreat. Then break for the treeline. By then, Falceus will know what's going on. But hopefully, it'll be too late for him to do anything about it." Gabrielle gripped her staff tightly. "Form the battle lines."
Everyone quickly obeyed. Gabrielle judged the distance between her group and the trees and sighed. It would be quite a distance to cover. However, there was no time to think about that. The enemy was quickly approaching ...
Falceus watched the figures appear in the distance. He gave a grim smile. Xena. She was right on time. However, instead of riding straight into him, the Warrior Princess stopped just beyond the arrow range of his archers. So, she was going to make him come to her. Not a bad plan, but it would all be in vain. Signaling his army, they began to move forward ...
Gabrielle watched them approach.
"Steady, steady ..." she urged the fighters around her. "NOW!!" Stones and arrows began to whizz through the air. She could see that the enemy was beginning to fall, but many of them kept coming. " First line retreat! Second line, prepare ... fire!" Under the protection of the second battle line, the first archers began to retreat. And so they went, line after line, with the forest growing ever closer. The first few of Falceus' men had already reached the front wave of her fighters. Gabrielle tried not to think about anything else but reaching that goal as she ordered the movements of her troops, tried to block the wail from her soul as she watched a few of her people fall, tried to ignore the sounds of death and bloodshed around her. So close, so close! They were almost there ...
Falceus slammed an angry fist into his saddle as he realized that Xena wasn't going to use a direct charge. She wasn't even going to engage his army at all. Instead, she was using ... archers? But how? How could they be so accurate in such dim light? Even his best archers could not get a good aim. It was almost supernatural ... Falceus squinted at the retreating figures. Something just did not feel right! He realized what it was when he saw the small figure of a woman shouting orders. That was not Xena. He blinked. Then this had to be a ploy. As his enemies edged closer to Pan's forest, he realized that somehow, Xena had gotten the upper hand on him. The warrior must have figured out his plans and was counteracting them.
"Sir!" a soldier ran up to him. "They're retreating into the woods, sir. Should I give orders to pursue?"
"No. That's what Xena wants me to do. She must have some sort of alliance with Pan ... otherwise, why would he let her use his woods as a cover? There must be an ambush waiting there!" Falceus gritted his teeth. So Xena had outfoxed him this time. He watched as the girl, obviously one of the Warrior Princess' better commanders, lead the soldiers back into the woods. By the gods, he would not let her go this easily! Grabbing his bow from its resting place on his horse's saddle, Falceus spurred his horse toward the figures. If Xena's soldiers could shoot in this dim light, so could he! He turned his attention to where the last of the fleeing soldiers were disappearing into the woods. The blond-headed commander was one of the last to go. Taking careful aim, he pulled back the bowstring and let the arrow loose. He was rewarded by the sight of the young woman falling. Bull's-eye. Xena may have won this round, but not without losses.
"No! Gabby!" A sudden scream broke out from the temple of Apollo. Xena pushed the scrying bowl over. "NO! NO!" she wailed, trying to clear the image from her mind. She had been watching her friend throughout the night, and now Gabrielle needed her help. Xena was not content with just watching anymore! She had to go to her ... she knew that she could save her, somehow ... Xena looked at the waters of the pool. In the silver starlight, the waves almost had a ghostly glow.
"Gabby ..." Xena choked as she approached the water. "Gabrielle ..." Confusing images jumbled in her head, fighting for dominance. Only one image remained clear through the chaos, the image of the arrow speeding toward her friend. Without a second thought, Xena plunged into the water.
Cold, it was so cold ... Xena fought to stay afloat as the sounds and sights she had witnessed before came back to bombard her with even more savagery. However, the thought of Gabrielle kept the little girl going. She felt the pain increase in her body, and with sudden dread, she saw the black-robed figure appear, blocking her way. Xena refused to run away, though, as it approached her, but kept forging onward, fighting her fear. The closer it came to her, the more her pain grew. Finally, there was less than an arm's length between them. The figure reached forward, grasping, and the girl recoiled, her urge to flee almost overwhelming her. Yet, something within her told her to stay and not be afraid, told her that everything would be all right if she just believed in herself. The voice was familiar and reassuring, calming her fear, and giving her the courage to stand still in front of the cloaked being. Xena watched in terror as the figure raised its hands, and the water began to churn around her. The hands reached back toward the hood and began to pull back the cloth ...
Xena gasped as she touched the other side of the pool and blinked in confusion. What was she doing here swimming in some unknown waters? Why was she dressed in clothes that were too small for her?
"Warrior Princess." A voice drew Xena out of her thoughts. A woman stood by the pool of water and in her hands were some familiar-looking clothes. "I believe you will need these."
Glaring at the woman until the priestess finally looked away, Xena pulled on the leather. It felt so right upon her skin, yet, there was another feeling, too ... of fear, somehow. She clipped on the body armor and belted on her sword. However, as she reached for her chakram, a memory stirred, unbidden. It was a sunny day, with Gabrielle at her side ... Gabrielle ... Cyanthus! Xena turned to the woman, eyes panicked.
"Cyanthus. What's happening in Cyanthus?" she muttered dazedly.
"You are ready to go now," a voice told her. Xena turned sharply around to face a smug-looking, golden-haired man.
"Apollo ..." she said guardedly. The god only smiled. Then the room flashed bright, and Xena found herself facing the rising sun, overlooking the fields of Cyanthus.