Sisters Of Sorrow
Part Four
by Kathleen Wolf
COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER: Xena: Warrior Princess, Gabrielle, Argo and all other characters who have appeared in the syndicated series Xena: Warrior Princess, together with the names, titles and back story are the sole copyright property of MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures. No copyright infringement was intended in the writing of this fan fiction. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way.
VIOLENCE WARNING/DISCLAIMER: This story depicts scenes of violence. Readers who are disturbed by or sensitive to this type of depiction may wish to read something other than this story.
LOVE DISCLAIMER: This story depicts a love relationship between two consenting adult women. If you are under 18 years of age or if this type of story is illegal in the state or country in which you live, please do not read it. If depictions of this nature disturb you, you may wish to read something other than this story. Please note no graphic sexual scenes are contained within the story.
NOTE: This story is the Seventh in my Sorrow series and begins a few moons after the sixth story ends. I strongly recommend reading the other stories to understand what is going on in this one. You might find yourself a bit confused if you don't, unless of course the idea of Gabrielle having a winged demon daughter makes perfect sense to you too.
TISSUE ALERT: Just going to leave this in forever cause I am a bad judge of the soppy stuff. So you are all forewarned to keep some tissues handy just in case.
FEEDBACK: Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
THANKS: To everyone who reads the story for being so patient for the update… I stand before Amazon tribunal before the next moon to be punished for my crimes. Hopefully I’ll have Part Five finished to use as a plea bargain by then.
'A fact greatly hindered by Gideon's need to bless everything.' She
thought to herself as she turned and surveyed the hall.
Her sight lingered briefly on
the two small girls playing in the centre of the room by the baby cradle. She smiled to herself at how innocent and
unknowing their play was. They had no idea
of the potential threat that bore down on them at this very moment and she wondered
if they even registered why they’d been left here instead of being taken
home.
‘Well that’s about it…’ She had almost resolved herself to being done
when she caught sight of Kisinda’s large snow leopard headdress at the back of
the room. 'One thing more to do.' She was anxious to find out how things were
going at the border but this was one thing she couldn't neglect.
"I'm going to pack up Kisinda's headdress." The ice healer
turned to the Shamaness who was still packing away the various bowls and
goblets from the table only to receive a short nod.
Once the thick hide of her lover's headdress was in her hand she
couldn't help but close her eyes and soak in the energy from it. The new familiarity that holding the piece
brought her made her smile. She'd
packed this very object more than a dozen times for the warrior, spending the
time in hopeless fantasy as she tried to fulfil what little tasks she
could. This time her time was spent in
a new capacity, a role that though still new and fresh had its foundations
within the most loyal and longstanding of loves. She lost herself in the ceremony of intricately folding the hide
so that it would be ready for the journey home.
‘Home.’ She smiled to herself as she closed her eyes and pictured that last
look she’d taken of their mountains at the beginning of this journey. Faces of friends and family paraded through
her mind as she wondered what their reaction would be to the recent changes in
her relationship with Kisinda.
‘I wonder how long we’ll be staying now that the crystal has split?’
She glanced over her shoulder towards Gideon knowing from the woman’s serious
face and busy hands now was not the time to ask her. ‘Just have to quiz Kissy later.’ The thought of a later brought a
slight blush to the healer’s face as she tried to busy herself in the task
ahead.
******
"Thallia, it’s going to happen soon." Madalene leaned over
the small game they had drawn in the sand of the floor when she noticed both
Gideon and the ice healer was occupied. "Give me your hand."
"I'm scared Mads." The youngster's voice was too quiet for
anyone to hear. "Are you sure this
is how things must be?" She asked the question she'd asked many times
before, even knowing the answer would be the same.
"It's okay to be scared." The Princess took the other girl’s
chubby hand in her own and brought it up to the stain of Sorrow's blood on her
chest. "But this will bind us
together." She moved Thallia's
hand back to smear the drying blood on the underside of the tunic she
wore. Without hesitation she then
turned around, bending down to take her sister's sleeping hand and repeat the
move so that the underside of Anastasia's garment was stained as well.
"You never said Tawnie would be here." Thallia whispered
turning to look at the ice healer who was busy in the far end of the room. "She won’t get hurt will she? I don’t
want her to get hurt, she’s nice."
"No." Madalene tried to keep her nose from screwing up and
giving away that she was not completely telling the truth. The visions she had seen, those that she did
understand were too scary to totally share with her young playmate. "Just remember not to act like you know
what's going on." She turned and
watched the movements of the older woman at the top of the room.
“She doesn’t know you know?” Thallia reached out and held tightly onto
Madalene’s hand.
“Of course not.” Mads shook her head.
“Now don’t worry a lot.” She pushed the headdress off her head and laid
it on the floor. “Try to rest a bit.”
“Can we get Tawnie to leave so she’s not hurt?” The brown haired girl
sat down on the skin.
“Thallia, I can’t change things just because I had a spell about it.”
Madalene shook her head as she knelt down beside the other child. “She’ll be okay. I promise.” The little girl put her hand over her heart.
“Okay, okay.” Thallia gave her a slight smile as she tried not to look
nervous.
******
Sorrow reached up and wiped her brow.
The hot sun was pouring down on her but she knew it was only partially
to blame for the exhaustion this work brought her. It had been her request to come to this secluded spot alone to
exhume the ravaged body of the young man she'd found the day of the full moon
celebration. She couldn’t completely
explain it, but for some reason she felt it her duty to finish this. After all she had been the one to find him
and bury him the first time. It should
be her that helped his bones finally come to proper rest.
'I hope your soul will find peace when you are returned to your
family.' She sent her regretful thoughts to the young man's spirit as she dug
further into the earth. ‘And that
whoever did this too you pays for their crimes.’
******
Kisinda folded the last corner of the covering around the body and
fastened it closed for the journey back to the village. The sound of shovelling behind her told her
the Warrior Princess was already filling in the earth to close the temporary
grave. The walk to the southern ridge had
been silent, filled with a building anticipation of the oncoming task. So many questions loomed unanswered and the
ice Shamaness couldn’t shake the feeling that things were building in the
spirit world and one way or the other all of their queries would be answered.
"I still have questions I'm going to need answered regarding the
ceremony." Xena made the comment in an even tone as she tried to focus her
mind on something other than the grizzly work.
The situation with the Kathans for the most part was clear-cut. Gabrielle had for the time being convinced
the villagers that the Nation had had nothing to do with their disappearances
or murders and with any luck once the bodies were returned for proper burial
the village could focus on mourning the lost of its sons while the Nation went
about the business of finding their murderers.
It was a task she intended on taking very personally as whoever had
placed these bodies within their borders was making a direct attack against her
family. The last thing she wanted was
to turn a blind eye while another Alti emerged to make threats.
"I will answer them the best that I can." Kisinda turned and
moved to help her with the task. Under her breath she repeated prayers of
cleansing, hoping that the evil in this area of the forest could be displaced.
"The sacrifice, why did you hide it from us?" Hard blue eyes
turned to the ice warrior.
"We didn't hide it." Kisinda stopped shovelling and shook her
head. "Gideon discussed it with
both the Queen and yourself."
"No." The warrior stopped shovelling as well as she looked
up. “She didn’t.”
"After my crystal split, when the need for the ceremony became
clear." Kisinda looked at her a
bit confused. "Gideon went
immediately to speak with the Queen.
She informed me she had spoke with both of you and though you were not
excited about the idea, you were appreciative of the compromise."
"She did talk to both of us but only to tell us that the ceremony
needed to be held as quickly as possible." Xena stuck the tip of the
shovel into the ground.
“I can’t explain the discrepancy.” The ice warrior shook her head again
as she returned to shovelling. “She had
originally pushed for Madalene making the traditional sacrifice but I swayed
her to the suggestion of involving Sorrow.”
“And why was Sorrow involved?”
Xena dug the shovel hard into the ground.
“For the exact reasons Madalene sited in the ceremony.” Kisinda tried
to keep from reacting to the hardening inquisition. “Sorrow possesses a great power and for a child to be given reign
over that power just by asking for it is a great sacrifice. That it was only symbolic means nothing in
the judge of its weight in the ceremony.”
“I’ve done enough with magic to know that the symbolic is often more
powerful than the actual.” The Warrior Princess muttered as she released a slow
breath out of her nose.
Part of her wanted all of this to end.
She’d done enough, seen enough of the ways of the Shamaness and it was
not a life she wanted for her daughter.
The pain within her was that she also knew enough to realize that if it
was to be Madalene’s calling there was little she could do to stop it. It would be as unavoidable as her life as a
warrior, the fates had proven that to her long ago. The only condolence was how her daughter chose to impact the
world within her Shamaness role and with their careful guidance she hoped they
could guarantee it to be a good one.
‘And if she’s a Shamaness, she won’t be following in your footsteps.’
The sudden soothing thought made her stop her shovelling. It was a truth that couldn’t be
ignored. If her daughter followed the
ways of magic, there would be danger but not at the end of a blade in
combat. Perhaps with a bit of guidance
Madalene could be steered to focus on the healing arts and to practice a more
passive magic. Perhaps all of her fears
for the future could be halted by the simple replacement of a warrior’s blade
with a Shamaness’ staff.
Kisinda let the silence settle between them and concentrated on her
shovelling. She too had questions to
ask of the other Shamaness, as many things seemed to add up less and less.
"Kisinda, why was it so
odd that Ixter interacted with Madalene?" The Warrior Princess’ voice
broke through suddenly as her mind whirled on inside.
"Xena, why do you think it was so odd?" The ice warrior
countered. "It isn't everyday that
we're able to summon the spirit of a long dead Amazon Shamaness, but then to
watch as a five year old has a conversation with her. I'm sure you can imagine our shock."
“Have you ever heard of a Shamaness named Alti?” The Warrior Princess
stopped again for a moment as she looked to the shroud covered body and then
back at the ice warrior. She watched
Kisinda carefully as the tall woman answered.
“Of course I’ve heard of Alti.” Kisinda waved her hand over her crystal
and cast the air she had captured there away.
“She is a pox on the face of Amazon magic. She used the arts for her own good, her own gain.” She hesitated as she observed the Warrior
Princess studying her. “Do you think
this is her doing? I thought she was
dead, that you’d killed her.”
“I did.” Xena was glad to hear the usual enthusiasm for her deed was
replaced with a sad reverence in Kisinda’s voice. “Even though her remains haven’t been disturbed and she’s nothing
but bone this has her stink, so I don’t know.” She shook her head as a silent
shudder went through her. Again she
looked briefly to the shrouded body behind the ice warrior.
“A powerful Shamaness such as Alti is dangerous no matter what form she
is in.” Kisinda moved her hand to sweep the air away. “From the stories I have heard, the infection of her being will
remain to haunt long after her death.” She stamped her foot into the earth to
settle it down. “Could there be one who
has taken up her cause, reawakened her evil desires?” She appraised
quietly. “Did she have an apprentice?
If she did it is likely that they are as corrupt as her.”
“All of the apprentices she has taken died horrible deaths to aid her
spells.” Xena shuddered at the memories of dark years and unthinkable
deeds. “The last time we battled…” As
her words started she was not sure why she was discussing this fear with the
ice warrior. She consolidated herself that it was in order to truly judge the
woman’s reaction and knowledge of what was going on. “She forced a vision on me the last time we battled. A vision she claimed was the future.”
“What was the vision?” Kisinda’s question came quickly as her hand
stilled in its work.
“Roman soldiers, snow, crosses…” The warrior’s voice was slow. “Gabrielle and I crucified.”
“You think this may be the beginning of her prediction?” The ice
warrior leaned against her shovel.
“I don’t know. I was only showed a small piece of the scene, how it all
starts is a mystery.” Xena shook her head.
“It is possible what she showed you isn’t true Xena.” Kisinda tried to
offer reason. “With a blackness as hers
it is easy to twist powers so that they serve your own selfish goals.”
"Kisinda, how long has Gideon been the North Shamaness?" Xena
poised the question carefully knowing it was far off track from what they had been
talking. For some reason all this talk
of Alti was making the grating irritation within her grow more painful as if
she was missing something obvious.
Maybe this was what her enemy wanted, to distract her from the real
threat with an imagined one.
"For two cycles." Kisinda looked at her wondering why the
warrior would be questioning this.
"She has been in training since childhood but her predecessor,
Xellam, was a very powerful woman who lived a long life." She studied the
silent warrior for a moment.
"Why?"
"Let's just get back to the village and sort out the problem with
the Kathans." Xena shook her head though she couldn't shake the feeling
that something was going on beneath her nose.
A conference with Sorrow and Gabrielle was going to be necessary. Perhaps the Princess or her bard had picked
up on something that could clear this up.
“Then we’ll sort all of this out.”
******
Gideon rearranged the placement of the bowls in front of her. She was thankful that tradition was keeping
the young healer who hovered at the back of the room from asking any questions
about what she was doing. She’d needed
this time to mix and prepare the necessary herbs, a task that required her
utmost attention.
"Tawnie, there is one more blessing I must perform before we are
finished." Gideon waited until the healer had finished with Kisinda's
headdress before she signalled for the woman's attention. "Please lock the door so that I can
disperse the forces we've drawn together here today. We would not want them to
remain fixed on the building."
"Of course." The healer nodded her head as she moved to the
door and swung the plank into place.
She breathed a thankful sigh of relief that they would soon be finished
here and she might be able to get some news on the conflict.
"Madalene and Thallia could you stand by the cradle please."
The old woman instructed the youngsters in a soft gentle voice.
Tawnie watched them do as they were told, though the slight look of
apprehension on the face of the Princess made the hairs on the back of her neck
stand up. It was as she focused on that
thought that the Shamaness began her chant.
"Forces of the forest, creatures of the hunt who flash the night
sky with the pureness of their want."
Gideon raised her voice and her arms above the single bowl she had
placed in front of her before she reached in and stirred the contents with her
hand. "Animals of prey, weak and
huddled in the light to escape the talons of a higher force in the night. Who would take the warm life blood from your
bodies, who would gut you clean?"
Tawnie did her best to read the Shamaness lips, though each new word
she deciphered chilled her body further.
She had never heard a spell like this before uttered by her warrior or
the Shamaness before her and that fact alone began to send up loud warning
calls in her mind.
"Come to me spirits of the forest." Gideon raised her arms
again as her voice grew to a low hiss.
"Young men of wanton lust, whose blood spilled in agony on your
mossy floors. Come to me now and bar
all who would oppose my ascension. It
is I who holds your souls in suspension and you will serve me now if you desire
any hope to be free again."
The room darkened despite the bright day outside as swirls of mist
pushed themselves in through the cracks of the wallboards. As the fog formed into shape, men of all
sizes and heritage crowed the room briefly before their forms again
disappeared.
"Gideon what are you doing?" Tawnie moved forward slightly
when she read the Shamaness' disturbing words and saw Anastasia’s face begin to
contort in shrill cries. The appearance of the ghostly apparitions in the room
forced her into full action as she moved closer to the children. "Stop
this now, you're scaring the children.
I’m taking them out of here."
"None can oppose me now Tawnie." Gideon lowered her eyes to
meet those of the healer. "Even
you!" She laughed long and hard at the small deaf blonde and momentarily
held her step with the steely stare.
"I'm taking the children out of here." Tawnie repeated as she
made another move towards the kids when from out of nowhere one of the men
reappeared in front of her. His face
was stuck in an expression of sheer agony though he moved to fulfil his
master’s request.
"Bind her, she will be a fine witness." Gideon pointed a
finger at the man who immediately obeyed her order.
In the blink of an eye, Tawnie crouched down and returned to a wide
stance with her sias' at the ready. She
deflected a sharp punch aimed at her jaw with the handle of the blade.
"By the Gods!" The healer felt her blood run cold as she
attempted to follow through the block only to have her hand pass through the
man in front of her as if he was only mist.
"I have chosen my minions carefully." The Shamaness flung her
other hand out and another misty form reappeared. "I have spent years collecting them for this very day. Young
men killed in the height of their power and prime. They are the very best warriors for my army. They need not concern themselves with any of
your skills, for you cannot harm them."
"I can try." Tawnie put together a barrage of kicks and
punches, all which floated through the apparition without injuring it. Every move she attempted did nothing but
leave her open for the creature’s attack as he beat her down.
"I said bind her. There is much to do." Gideon's angry voice
charmed the other spirit into duty as he circled with his partner around the
ice healer. “Bind her and be the
Generals of my unholy army. Bind her
and let us begin a new era of enlightenment.”
"You'll pay for this Gideon." Tawnie did her best to deflect
the doubled attack but with no chance for offence she knew she was in
trouble.
She tried to hold on as cold hands encircled her and pulled her arms
back into a painful wrench. Struggling
against the hold proved useless as she felt her sias drop from her hands as the
blood was pressed out of her fingers to leave them tingly and lifeless. The hands that held her let go suddenly as
her weapons fell away and she was pushed forward towards her other attacker.
'Have to warn someone.' The
thought ran true and clear through her mind as she took a sharp kick to the
chest. Instead of absorbing the blow
she let herself fall into it. The
painful calculation was successful and resulted in her being thrown close to
the door that she’d barred only moments before. A barred door that separated her from all those that could help
her fight these horrible creatures.
She fought with her mind that screamed for her to protect the
children. The more tactical part of her
recognized that if she fell without even warning the rest of the village what
was going on, the children would be at the mercy of the Shamaness. With the way Gideon was talking these
unbeatable apparitions were numerous and the village would need all the warning
she could give it. That was if any of
them could figure out a way to fight these transparent creatures.
"Sound the alarm!” Tawnie screamed as loud as she could in the
hopes that someone was close enough to hear as her hand closed around the plank
that blocked the door.
"That was a mistake little girl." Gideon growled from her place at
the head of the room.
The door exploded in sparks at the healer's touch and she was thrown
back into the centre of the room. She
skidded to a stop on her back a few feet from the children.
"Please Tawnie, don't fight.
It'll be okay." Madalene kept one hand tightly around Thallia's as
she stretched closer to the healer and met her own green eyes with those of the
stunned woman.
"I have to protect you." Tawnie blinked at the Princess,
shocked by the child’s words and the thick pained feeling that sprawled across
her chest and stomach. “I have to get
help.”
"It will be okay." Mads tried to reassure her as the spirit
men descended again and sent her into darkness.
Within moments the healer was gagged and bound unconscious on her knees
to the far wall of the hall. Her arms
were raised above her head and stretched out so that it would be impossible for
her to struggle against the bonds.
"Now I can begin." Gideon's grey eyes looked at the two
spirit figures standing idle.
"Collect your brethren and hide yourselves to protect this
building. Only reveal yourself if any
try to breech the area around this building.
Go!" Her voice was loud as the two spirits disappeared.
******
Gabrielle couldn't help but feel a weighted sombreness in each of her
steps as she made her way through the village back to the ceremony hall. With both her daughter and partner were off
completely the most grisly of tasks she couldn’t help feeling a bit
useless.
‘There will be much for you to do soon.’ She thought to herself with a
small sigh. ‘Everyone won’t be as easy
to explain this too as Patria, especially as we know so little.’
Danu followed beside her, the
archer silent as she let the Queen regain her headspace after the horrible
revelations.
"I'll feel a lot better when the children are at home." The
bard commented absently. "I bet my
little Xena has got Tawnie and Gideon ran in circles by now. That’s if she
hasn’t made a break for it already." She laughed.
“She’s usually good about staying put when Thallia is around.” The
archer laughed with her. “Something
about that little girl tempers Madalene’s wild streak. Just like you with Xena.” She smiled at the
bard.
“And you with Sorrow.” Gabrielle smiled back. “Maybe her little prediction is true, maybe Thallia is the one
she will join with one day.”
"I have to admit Gabrielle, I am so jealous of you." Danu
smiled softly as she looked down at the ground.
"Jealous of me? Why?" Gabrielle raised a curious
eyebrow.
"Having two little girls, so beautiful and perfect." Danu
finally looked up to catch the bard's green eyes studying her. "I know Sorrow and I have only been
married a short time and there's the house construction and everything
but…"
"Danu…" Gabrielle stopped their progress. "Have you talked to Sorrow about
this?"
"I've tried." The archer sighed heavily. "I'm sorry this isn't the time for
this. I just really wanted to tell you
how much I envy you and that I'm feel so blessed to be a part of the little
Princess' life."
"It's always the time Danu and both of my girls are lucky to have
you in theirs." The bard put a soft hand on the archer’s arm. "We both know the truth is nothing much
can be done about the Kathans' crisis until both the bodies are exhumed. So there is no time like the present and
besides, there is nothing more important than my family." She smiled when
the archer finally looked at her again.
"So what did my daughter say?"
"Nothing." Danu sighed again. "Now wait, that's not completely fair of me.” She stopped and frowned. “I haven't completely brought the specific
subject of children up with her. She’s
been so busy with the house and then there was the fire and then everything
else that keeps the Protector busy.”
She tried not to sound too resentful of her list full of things.
“You haven’t spoke with her at all?” Gabrielle pushed knowing there was
something else going on.
“I've dropped some hints." She bit her lip. "She hasn't reacted very well to any of
them." She signed again. “Mostly I’ve gotten deafening silence.”
“Come sit down.” Gabrielle gently pulled the archer’s arm towards a
bench just off the path. “So what have
these hints been?”
“Just little things, especially regarding the house.” Danu sat down heavily pulling her bow off
her shoulder to rest the tip of it on her boot. “I tried to suggest another bedroom be worked into the plans,
talked about how with the way they’re building the house it will stand for our
children’s children. She just goes all quiet, like she’s realized what I’m
hinting at but doesn’t want to comment.”
“But you’re not sure about that are you?” The bard tried to gracefully
stick up for her daughter.
“No, I don’t know what she’s thinking.” Danu shook her head.
“The one piece of wisdom I can’t stress enough is that our dear
warrior’s often seem like they know what we’re hinting at but often their
silence is only cause their mind is on a hundred different things but none of
them is what we think it is.” Gabrielle smiled softly. “She’s been very consumed with the house,
it’s all Xena and her talk about.”
“I know.” The archer played with her bow. “And I don’t want to seem so ungrateful that our house is so
important but she seems to have forgotten that it doesn’t matter if we have the
highest ceiling or the rarest marble for the floors, the only thing that
matters is that we are together.”
“She hasn’t forgotten Danu.” The bard couldn’t help but smile. “I know it seems like it but our warriors
are a funny lot. They think the best
way to show us how much they love us is by doing extraordinary things, like
building big houses and thinking that we need to have expensive things bought
for us.” She reached out and squeezed
the archer’s arm. “When all we really
want is for them to tell us how they feel, even if it means sleeping out under
the stars every night.”
“I knew I’d feel better if I talked with you about it.” Danu couldn’t
help but smile as she felt a bit of her inner turmoil lift.
“That’s what I’m here for.” Gabrielle couldn't help smiling as she
pulled the archer into an impulsive hug.
"And for the record, I so cannot wait to be a grandmother. I'm not sure Xena will appreciate you two
thrusting her into that role anytime soon, but she'll cope." She pulled
back and was glad to see the archer grinning with her. "Secondly, the best thing you can do is
talk with her about it. It’s easy to
talk to me, but she’s the one you really need to open up to.” Seeing the light
on the archer’s face dampen again she lowered her voice. “It's hard for her, you know that better
than anyone. Things aren't so clear cut
for her." A deep pang of guilt
went through the bard as she voiced the admission.
"I know, sweet Artemis I know." The archer laughed
tightly. “I think that’s why I’ve been
so reluctant to definitely bring it up.
I don’t want to seem insensitive to all of that.”
“Danu, it’s a normal conversation to have when two people are in love
as much as Sorrow and you are.” Gabrielle tried to reason with the blonde. “And she knows that you would never bring up
something just to hurt her but the truth is you need to talk with her about
this. You need to know what she
thinks.”
“I’ll talk to her as soon as all of this settles down, I promise.” Danu
managed a weak smile. "We should
get the Princesses." She backed away from the conversation she knew she'd
started suddenly not able to bear even talking about it anymore.
Gabrielle just nodded as the archer stood up and waited for her so they
could start walking again. She made a
mental note in the back of her mind to have a subtle talk with her
daughter.
******
Gideon did a slow circle around the three children dropping the mixture
of foul smelling herbs she'd carefully prepared on the floor. She had never felt so powerful as she did
this moment. Here on the brink of her
lifetime ambition, with all her careful planning coming together it was so
unbelievable to think that she was going to possess everything she had ever
wanted. Her first prize being a return
of all the precious years that the crux of time had stolen from her and with
the return of her youth the ability to command powers unknown to even the
greatest of Shamaness’.
"There is no need to be scared little ones." She finished her
walk and dropped the last of the herbs in a line away from them. "You must find solace in the knowledge
that you are giving blessing to the greatest power that will exist on earth. This has always been the plan and you are
playing your intended roles."
"My sister will stop you." Madalene barked the harsh words at
the woman as she watched the Shamaness removing the outer layer of her
ceremonial robes to reveal an aged body marked with blood and paint. "I will stop you."
"You?" Gideon laughed long and hard. "You are but a child who can no more
control the power she possesses then a tree can hold its leaves in the
fall. You will deliver the power that
you hold to me so that I can use it to its full potential. Within me it will no
longer be wasted." She turned to
the table and picked up a thin band of silver that she placed around her head
and around it she threaded a long strip of fur pieced together from different
animals. Throwing it back to trail over
her hair, it hung over her bare back down to almost touch the ground. "And
your sister, the mighty Protector, will be able to do nothing. Her power is wasted in that pitiful form she
takes and she is too blind to embrace all that she is. Her power could rule the world but she chooses
to wallow it in the common defence of this nation. She is a fool, who I will quickly crush to make the rest of the
world quiver under my stare."
"It is you who will be crushed." Madalene kept one hand
firmly around Thallia's and the other reached into the cradle to touch her
sister.
"We will see young one, which one of us truly had the gift for
prophecy." Gideon laughed again as
she reached behind her to take a burning torch from its stand. "For the world as you know it will
change at this moment!" Bending the flickering flame down she touched it
to the herbs that ended at her feet.
“Bow to me ravenous flames of destruction, purge for me all that is
rightfully mine.” In a hungry movement
the sparks travelled the path laid out for them, engulfing the three small
children in their wake.
******
Gabrielle felt the world she looked at drop away as the sudden image of
flames, high and searing filled her every sense. The intensity of it burned the inside of her nose and brought an
instant flush to her cheeks. The gait
of her step stopped instantly as she tried to back away from the fire, only to
find her vision turning to see that the flames encircled her.
"Gabrielle, what's wrong?" Danu stopped her step a few after
the Queen not understanding what had stopped their walk or what had caused the
look of utter terror on the redhead’s face.
"The children." Gabrielle felt her mind freeze and speed up
at the same moment as she realized the vision she was seeing must have been
coming from her young daughter. So
haphazard and powerful, the only explanation was that it was Madalene. “Fire in
the hall.” Not even thinking she broke
into a fast run with the archer's footfalls echoing behind her.
'Sorrow, something's wrong!' Danu sent the message out to her lover
without hesitation, not sure if the Queen had alerted her daughter as
well. 'Get to the Ceremonial hall now,
it’s on fire!'
'On my way.' The Protector's voice came in an instant, though calm and
controlled the archer picked up the nuance of fear and urgency in it.
'Hold on baby, Mother's coming.'
The bard tried to throw all the mental concentration she could find into
the thought as she only hoped in her terror her young daughter would have the
ability to tune into her.
"I've called Sorrow." Danu informed her as they ran full out,
covering the dry dusty ground in record pace.
Her peripheral vision showed her that all of the women they passed saw
the look of horror on their Queen's face and were quickly taking up arms to
follow them.
"Tell her to call Xena." Gabrielle answer came back
quickly. "The children are trapped
in a fire."
'I've already told her Mother.' Sorrow's voice entered the bard's head
just as a vague whistle cut the air above their heads as the winged Princess
flew by.
Danu was thankful for the bow strung over her shoulder. It would only be moments before the rest of
the village arrived to whatever this was, but she would be able to stand by
Sorrow's side until then.
******
"Magnificent!" Gideon
looked at the building flames and inhaled deeply through her nose. "I call on you, spirits of
eternity. Cast your knowing eye on me
and give me that which I desire." She reached out and placed her left hand
into the beginnings of the fire line in front of her. "I pledge you this body, this soul as the vessel of that
which the fire leeches from these abominations." The flames licked around her hands searing the skin to a deep red
hue before the tips seemed to pierce the flesh of her palm and thin trails of
blood dropped down within the heat.
"My blood to their blood.
My body to their bodies."
Her voice cried out in both pain and ecstasy. “My age to their youth.”
'No!' Tawnie's mind screamed instantly when she came back to reality
enough to see what was happening before her.
She struggled with the dirty rag stuffed into her mouth only managing
muffled cries against it.
"Beware of what you ask for Gideon." Madalene's voice came in
an icy calm as the flames of the fire lifted the three forms off the ground and
encased them in sphere of swelling heat.
"I ask for eternity!" The Shamaness threw her head back and
screamed to the heavens, as her eyes grew dark and sinister. "I demand immortality." She pushed
her arm further into the flames just as sharp tendrils of the sphere shot out
into Madalene striking her in the stained area of her shirt above her
heart. "And you will give it too
me." With these words she placed
her other arm into the fire.
Tawnie momentarily stopped her struggle against her bonds as she
watched a continuous bolt of the crimson spell shear off and strike the
Princess. In living arcs of light it
travelled through her body and split to come full circle around her and pass
through Thallia and Anastasia only to rejoin the original beam. The shattering wail of the infant Princess'
cries even reached her broken ears and the stunned look of muted pain on the
other two children's faces sent Tawnie into an immediate struggle against her
bonds again.
******
Sorrow's feet didn’t even touch the ground as she went directly to the
doors of the hall with the intent of simply shattering them open with her
flight. She'd seen the same vision that
unbeknownst to her had rocked into the mind of both her mother and Xena’s. As her fist smacked into the wood of the
door it sent a shockwave of electrical explosion into her and her body
ricocheted away from the impenetrable barrier.
She was tossed across the road like a rag doll, unable to correct her
flight as she slammed into a thick tree.
As the mighty giant cracked under her weight, the Protector skidded into
the ground.
"By the Gods!" She cursed angrily as she shook the pain that
flashed through her body from her head.
Continuing to curse under her breath she pushed the away the wreckage of
the tree and disentangled herself from the underbrush.
"Let's try this again." Her voice came in a thick growl as
long fangs emerged down through her lips in announcement of the complete
transformation she was allowing to occur.
With each step her skin and her hair greyed and snarled around the horn
that emerged from her forehead. In an
act that only caused one disjointed footstep, her hips shifted out to
incorporate her changing form as long spikes curled out from her forearms and
lower legs. Tucking her wings away she
tore into a hard run towards the door, claws barred and ready to shred the
simple wooden planks to toothpicks.
She had never felt such a sluggish feeling in her arms as she reached
the door and began to tear at the door.
A combined attack with her claws and forearm spikes seemed to have no
effect either. Somehow her eyes
couldn't help but focus on the scene inside as again her mind was filled with
her sister's perspective of fire and trauma.
'Madalene, I'm coming!' Sorrow focused what energy she could spare into
the thought as the door before her began to give slightly under her
onslaught. Her damage to the wood was
more the equivalent of what she'd have accomplished against the hardest stone
as small splinters of it tore away, where one would expect it to fall under a
single stroke.
******
Madalene heard the multitude of voices calling to her: The soft continuous pleas that had erupted
from her Mother continued on unending from that first moment the image of the
fire had forced itself out of her mind and out across the land in her
thoughts. The mental void coming from
Xena, as the warrior did nothing but focus on closing the distance between
them. Then in earnest were her sister's
strong words that she was coming to put an end to this. Somewhere within it all the screams of her
small sister slowly began to change from the muffled screeches of an infant
responding out of instinct only to change again to the thicker screams of
knowing and then to childlike pleas for Mommy.
'It's okay Anastasia.' The Princess sent the most calming thoughts she
could find out to her sister in a vain attempt to stop the cries. 'It will all be over soon. You'll see.
Big sister promise.'
'Mads!' Thallia's first word of panic floated through the muddled lines
of thoughts. She’d been trying to stay
quiet until now. Madalene had warned
her that things would be like this but someone now in the middle of it all it
was just too much.
'Thallia, it's okay.' Madalene held onto the other girl’s hand tightly
as she felt herself grow stronger and she found it easier to block out the fear
of the fire in order to concentrate on her messages. 'You just think it should hurt, but really it doesn't. Open your eyes.'
A heartbeat before she prompted Thallia, she filled her own
request. The flames weaved an intricate
pattern around and through them but she was right. The fire did not burn or even singe them, in fact it held no heat
at all.
'I don't like it, even if it doesn't hurt.' Thallia opened her eyes reluctantly, feeling safe under
Madalene's instruction even in this perilous circumstance. ‘Make this stop.’
'You look beautiful.' Madalene turned her eyes from the fire to her
brown haired friend.
'Don't be silly Mads.' Thallia gave her a youthful smirk. ‘We’re in the middle of a fire spell, I’m
petrified and your telling me I look beautiful.’
'I made you forget the fire for a heartbeat didn't I?' Madalene grinned
back at her. ‘It’ll be over soon, I
promise.’ She turned to stare at the
Shamaness through the intermittent flames.
"You will be dealt soon enough." Her voice was a steely
whisper as she narrowed her eyes at Gideon.
******
Xena ran through the trees blindly.
She knew somewhere close behind the ice warrior kept her pace but she
didn't care. With the blinding vision
of fire and Sorrow's plea to get back to the hall, her world had ended. Her daughters were in danger, left in that
danger by her own hand and naïve belief that they were safe within the walls of
the village.
She didn't think of anything other than running.
******
"Sorrow!" Gabrielle announced her fevered arrival on the path
to the Ceremonial hall with a shrill scream.
“What’s going on? Where are your sisters?”
The sound of her mother's voice at the end of the path made the Protector
realize just how long she'd been struggling at this task and getting no
where. Angry with herself and whatever
magic it was keeping her from getting inside, she released a curdling howl as
she focused even more at penetrating the barrier before her.
"Back away from her now!" Danu's strong voice called the bard
beside her to a stop.
The archer had stilled herself mid step, fluidly moving the bow off her
shoulder and levelling it at the first of the grim and disgusting figures that
had emerged from the side of the building and were stalking down on her lover.
The half dozen forms dripped of blood, their faces continually contorted in
pain.
The figure closest to the Princess glanced up its dark eyes at her
momentarily before they turned back to focus on the Protector.
"I warned you." Danu's voice was soft and steady as she let
the arrow fly. Her hand was already in her quiver and fitting another arrow as
her eyes watched her missile pass through the man and strike her beloved in the
back.
"Black magic." Sorrow turned to lisp the reality that had
just cleared in her lover's head as she continued her onslaught on the
door. The arrow in her back didn't even
register in her mind.
"Sorrow, break the door down now!" Gabrielle's order came in
a scared authoritative voice as she reached her hand up and urged Danu to lower
her bow.
Thought the ghostly figures descended on her and hit her with a barrage
of attacks, Sorrow ignored the pain they inflicted on her and focused on
breaking the door down.
******
Tawnie tried to shake what was happening from her tear filled
eyes. The cowardly part of her mind
wished she'd stayed unconscious and wasn't witnessing the betrayal of nature
before her.
Moment by moment, heartbeat by heartbeat, Gideon and her evil magic was
sapping the children of their energy, their life, and their very youth, as with
each moment the Shamaness was growing younger and more powerful.
'I have to stop this before it's too late.' She cleared the thought in
her mind as she pushed away the fear in her mind and the horror of the fire
bubble before her growing larger to accommodate the growing forms within
it. Fighting the fogginess in her
aching head she turned towards the door to see it rattle and shake on its
hinges. 'Sorrow.' The name ran through
her head like a mantra. If she could
just get to the door, just get it open so that the Protector could enter,
surely all this would end.
The problem was she had nothing with which to break the ties that bound
her so tightly to the wall. Tearing her
eyes again from the scene before her, she turned left and was met by the sight
of the one thing that could help her.
Rolled up neatly was Kisinda's headdress and on that headdress remained
the sharp teeth of a snow tiger.
'I just need to reach it.' Her mind struggled against itself as she
began to work on her new plan.
******
"I have to help her." Danu watched Sorrow’s beginning
reaction to the blows being afflicted on her by the ghosts. "If only to distract them." Tossing her useless bow to the ground, she
ran closer to the building.
As the archer breeched some unknown barrier around the building, three
of the ghostly men disengaged their focus on Sorrow and moved to take on the
newly arrived foe. She came toe to toe
with the closest of her enemy, feeling somewhat more powerful as she ducked out
of the reach of a punch though her excitement quickly waned as her own kick
sailed useless through the air.
Gabrielle stood motionless for a moment as she watched Danu’s well-timed
blows pass through their enemy harmless.
Despite her attempts to keep fighting them, the petite blonde soon
found herself being tossed around like a rag doll as the rest of the Amazon's
arrived on the scene. Poised on the
ready behind their monarch, each of them fought to understand what was going
on.
Without orders to attack, Eponin and Solari breeched the ranks that
huddled impatiently around the Queen and went to Danu’s aid. As they crossed
the imaginary borderline, another group of figures appeared to surround them
and meet the growing threat to their Shamaness’ building. Despite their skills,
the elite Amazon warrior’s soon joined Danu in a hopeless fight that gave them
no chances of attack and only minimal defence.
"What are they?" Ephiny came to Gabrielle's shoulder having
been alerted to the crisis.
"I don't know." Gabrielle shook her head as her mind
raced. "Sorrow can't break the
door, she says it's magic. They must be
as well. Gideon is doing something to
the children. We have to get
inside." Her mind rattled off
fragments of thoughts and fears.
“Do I order the guards to attack?” Ephiny felt her heart sink even
farther as her Queen's words registered in her head.
“It only seems to make more of them appear.” Gabrielle shook her head
to the idea as she tried to think. She
knew that if they did nothing but rashly react her entire army would soon be
reduced to a broken and bruised mass.
Driven on by the divine force of a mother’s love she focused her
mind. Three of the original entities
still attacked her daughter at the door and with the intervention of the others
another nine had materialized. If she
sent a contingent of guards into the battle who knew how many of the grisly
figures would show up then. On top of
the fact that there was no way to fight these creatures let alone destroy
them. Arrow, blades, and even
hand-to-hand combat had all proved useless.
‘But there has to be a way!’
“But…” Ephiny went to object but the frantic arrival of the Warrior
Princess coming out of the tree line made her stop.
"Where are the children?" Xena barked out the question as she
did a somersault to land between Eponin and the two entities that manhandled
the weapons master face down into the dirt.
Content on ending this quickly she'd unsheathed her sword mid-air and
swiped it into the first man’s chest.
That the man did not fall, let alone seem effected as her blade passed
through his body made her freeze. Her
moment of hesitation gave the illusionary figure’s counterpart the chance to
land a devastating right cross that sent her backwards and off her feet.
“Oh you’re going to pay for that.” Xena arched herself up and sprung
back onto her feet. In a graceful arc
she twirled the blade up and back to settle in the leather on her back. “Let’s try this again.” She blocked another
of his punches before attempting a barrage of her own. To her dismay those that the apparition
didn’t block floated through his form useless.
As the ice warrior arrived, she ignored the figures and their
fighting. In a calculated rush she
weaved her way through the battle and moved to where the Protector still worked
hopelessly on the door. Her instinct
told her to engage those who fought with her Amazon sisters, but something inside
her pushed her to gain more information.
She was the only one who could get precious answers before time ran out.
"In the name of all that is pure, natural and reverent show me the
font of this evil." Kisinda closed her eyes as she chanted the prayer of
seeing and reached out to lay her hand on the wood of the wall before her. In a flash of light and colours her vision
suddenly extended through the barrier to the room within.
******
Gideon's long low laugh filled the room as the cycles of living shed
from her body as a snake might shed its skin.
Cycle by cycle the weathering of age skimmed off of her, her flesh shorn
down to reveal flawless tanned beauty pulled over hardened muscle. As she seemed to turn and look at Kisinda,
the ice warrior saw her now empty and soulless eyes flash to reveal a spring of
pure power lust inside.
"A font of the truest power, untouched, untainted and all for my
taking." The Shamaness' evil words rang out with her laughter as the line
of fire from her hands glowed higher and the floating sphere of fire in the
middle of the room grew brighter and bigger.
"Channel for me sweet crystal of my ancestors, youth and the gifts
of lineage. Repay to me all that I have
given to you in servitude and obedience.
Bow now at my feet to be my servant, obey this great power that is
wielded by my deserving hand alone."
******
Kisinda tore her hand from the wall and stepped back shaking the sight
inside from her head. The
disorientation didn't leave her though.
Instead she stopped seeing the scene inside the building as her mind
flicked back to an early time, a scene she knew in her heart she'd lived before
but had been taken from her.
"The blood." Madalene's voice echoed in her head as the
pressure of a hand gripped tightly onto her own trying to make her listen. "There is always balance, black for
white, light for dark, good for evil.
Use the blood of good to balance the blood of evil. Use the blessed blade of a Shamaness in the
hands of a warrior and you shall overcome."
The warrior Shamaness’ mind flicked from scene to scene: The red stained snow of the mountain as she
cradled her tribe's dying Shamaness in her arms and with a shaky voice took
charge of the crystal shard. The red colour
of her hands as she gutted the proud snow leopard after three days of tracking
the illusive beast with nothing but a short sword and the thinnest of
ceremonial clothing. The pained look in
Tawnie's eye as she’d spilt her own blood into the chasm at the base of the
mountain binding her to the crystal and her duty. The sight of the man's body in the forest, skinned and bloodless
though untouched by the animals. The
trickle of the Protector's blood as Madalene had passed the needle into her
skin. The young Princess secretly
smearing that blood from her own costume onto those of Thallia's and
Anastasia's and the drops of Gideon's blood mixing with her evil spell in order
to bring her plan to fruition.
"Blood." Kisinda
spoke the word to herself as the world finally came back into focus. "I need a knife!" She turned
somehow locking eyes with Gabrielle in the swelling crowd. "I can stop them."
"A knife, now." The Queen repeated the harsh order.
"Here take mine." Ephiny handed over the dagger from her hip
quickly and in quick hurried strides Kisinda made her way to the Regent.
"What can you do?" Gabrielle pleaded with her for an
explanation.
"My blood." Kisinda unable to wait for anyone else to offer
reached down and tore the knife into the hide of her skirt and soon had a piece
of it free. "It is our only
weapon."
"Your death won't help this." Gabrielle forcefully reached
out in a panic with both hands to stop the ice warrior as she began to lower
the blade to the exposed flesh over her chest below her collarbone.
"Please, not my death, just my blood." Kisinda looked deep
into the bard's green eyes imploring her to listen. "It's balance.
Gideon has used her blood to bind the building, mine will free it and
those souls who are forced to fight for her.
It is the only way to get inside to the children."
"Do it then." Gabrielle removed her hand knowing she had no
skill to fight this battle and neither did her lover. In the background Xena and the other Amazon's were continually
being beaten to the ground every time they got up. If it was the ice warrior’s blood that would even the odds, so be
it, she had not the strength to stop this.
“Here me now…” Kisinda dropped to her knees laying the swatch of
leather in front of her. “Spirits of
the forest, keeper of natures gift and promise. Here me now creatures of goodness who cry at the atrocity here
today. Here me Ixter, keeper of the
crystal to whom the greatest betrayal has occurred.” She brought her hands up
with the knife and began to tear its serrated blade into her skin. Finishing
the line, she tore the blade into her skin again to make the blood flow thick
and fast. “See now in me the power to
break the spell of she who brings this atrocity to this soil. See in me the blood of balance, light to her
dark, good to her evil. I bring this
blood of sacrifice, blood of the warrior, blade of the warrior, blood of the
Shamaness, blade of the Shamaness.
Bring to flesh that which is spirit, bring to spirit that which is flesh
so that all are equal.” As the thick
cascade of blood trailed down over her body, Kisinda brought the blade down and
picked up the leather smearing it will as much of her blood as she could.
“Solari, here.” Turning the ice warrior called for the attention of the
closest Amazon, seeing a flick of recognition she threw the dagger. “Use this.”
Solari silently caught the blade, sizing up her opponent who suddenly
seemed less willing to randomly attack her and held back for a more calculated
approach.
Reaching out Kisinda pulled a handful of arrows out of Danu’s quiver
and rubbed the tips into her wound.
Quickly picking up the archer’s bow, she stood and launching herself up
she flipped into the air and landed next to the Protector’s wife.
“Take out who you can with these.” She handed over the weapon and blood
soaked arrows to the grateful archer.
Without hesitation Danu pulled back out of the fighting and slinging
the bow over her shoulder momentarily, launched herself up into a nearby
tree. She worked her way up the
branches quickly to a good height before she balanced herself and levelled her
bow at the fighting below. She first
took aim at the three ghastly men who attacked her lover. The missiles came down sharply in quick
succession but unlike the first time these arrows hit the mark. The creatures withered around the thin
shafts before finally erupting in a cloud that dispersed into the sky.
As the unholy adversary registered the Amazon’s new weapons, another
dozen of the creatures appeared in the small area between the building and the
tree line.
“Kisinda, I could use a bit of that to even the score.” Xena dodged a
high kick as she leapt over another man to come within an arms length of the
ice warrior. She knew the other warrior
would see the necessity of her action she quickly unlatched the chakram at her
side and sliced it lightly into the wound on Kisinda’s chest to coat the weapon
with the Shamaness’ blood.
“Anything for the cause.” Kisinda growled lightly against the slice as
she finally moved the axe from her back in a controlled arc and wiped each side
of the blade into her own blood to cover the shimmering silver with thick
crimson. She knew she should feel some
pain from the wound below her throat but years of battle had taught her there
was a time for pain and in the middle of a battle was not that time. Later she would feel it, but for now the
Princess’ were in danger.
Seeing that Kisinda’s idea had worked, Gabrielle bent down to pick up
the blood soaked swatch of leather the Shamaness had purposely left behind.
“Everyone’s weapons now.” Gabrielle turned to Ephiny who was the first
to coat her sword and head into the battle.
The ranks of the Royal Guard came one at a time to do the same as the
number of apparitions increased. Lastly
the bard coated her own sais with the ice warrior’s blood and headed into the
battle. She was glad for the first time
that Tawnie had insisted she begin to wear them permanently in her boots in
order to get accustomed to moving quickly with the added weight and balance.
“Now you shall find rest.” Kisinda narrowed her eyes at the nearby
ghost that struck Eponin to the ground spilling blood from her lip into the
dusty ground. Holding the blade before
her she moved in to separate him from the injured Amazon, before she swung the
axe in a short arch through him.
******
Tawnie kept her eyes on the floor trying to concentrate on the
movements of her hands. By a miracle
she’d been able to stretch far enough so she’d been able to reach the skin with
her knee and drag it closer. Pushing
the roll up the wall in order to untie it had been another difficult task but
she’d finally managed that as well.
Now with the head of the heavy skin free, she sawed the bindings on her
hands across one of the teeth. With
each pass she knew she was cutting into her arms and hands as well but the pain
didn’t stop her, couldn’t stop her. The
constant battering on the door told her despite all the Protector’s remarkable
strength and skills she was unable to break down the door. That left only her to turn the tables on
Gideon’s horrendous betrayal. She was the
only one who could open the door, the only one who could stop this. She only hoped it wasn’t too late for the
children.
‘Break, break.’ She stopped the sawing momentarily to pull hard on the
bindings, feeling them start to give she pulled harder.
As they let go she fell forward unable to brace herself with her still
partially tied hands. The deep ache in
her head and chest made her stop for a moment before she worked to undo the
completely free her hands and then her feet.
One glance to the unfolding scene told her time was running out. The sphere of fire had tripled in size and
three adult size forms could be seen inside of it. In a moment of heroic need she contemplated going after the
Shamaness herself, but the more rational part of her mind again clued into the
attack at the door and the existence of the Protector behind it.
A she moved towards the door, she hoped Gideon was consumed enough by
the spell that she would have the door open before the Shamaness could do
anything. Wedging her hands under the
large wooden brace she worked to free it and opened the door just as more of
Gideon’s undead army appeared to stop her.
******
Xena completed a sidestepped circle with her opponent, holding her
chakram as a stationary weapon she watched him move.
‘Time for you to die a second time.’ Her mind seethed as she faked a
left-handed attack, before switching the hand she held the chakram in and
attacking him from the right. Her left
hand covered now in Kisinda’s blood as it dripped down from the blade held onto
his arm tightly and kept him in place as she swiped the blade down deep into
his throat.
“Thank you.” The man’s voice was a hiss as his body contorted around
the blade and then disappeared.
On the other side of the clearing, Kisinda hunted another foe up
against the building. The second man
seemed to be more aggressive and less fearful of the Shamaness and her new
weapon as he attacked her and soon met with the heavy blade of her axe as his
head was separated from his body and his form also disappeared.
“This is just a distraction, we have to get into the building!” Xena’s
stern voice called for the ice warrior’s immediate attention. All around them Amazon’s banished weapons
soaked in Kisinda’s blood and for the first time the multitude of ghastly
apparitions seemed to be thinning.
“The door still won’t budge.” Sorrow howled in agony as she continued
to attack the door. With each swipe she
felt weaker and more sluggish but even that didn’t deter her from keeping up
her onslaught on the wood.
“Let me try.” Kisinda urged the Protector back as she stood level in
front of the door her bloody axe pulled back and ready to strike.
A heartbeat before she released the trigger on the weapon, the door was
flung open and the bruised and beaten figure of her lover stood in the space.
“She’s killing them.” Tawnie pleaded in a maddened voice when she came
face to face with Kisinda not even seeing the blade levelled at her as her body
was pulled back inside at the hands of more unholy minions.
“This ends now.” Xena’s voice came from behind, as she pushed her way
into the building killing those spirits that filled the doorway and attacked
the ice healer. The Protector and
Kisinda pushed their way in after her, leaving the remainder of the unholy army
outside to be dispatched the Royal Guard.
Having weaved her way through the fighting crowd, Gabrielle was last
into the room and was stunned into silence by the scene before her. Vague
glimpses of her children caught between the flickering flames caused the panic
within her to reach an even higher pitch as she swung her sais back down into
her boots.
“Xena!” The bard’s yell sounded in the almost silent room, mixing with
the breathy rhythmic sound of Gideon’s chanting and the death cries as more of
the ghost men were released into true release.
“You can not stop me now!” Gideon growled as she was torn from her
effort by Gabrielle’s voice.
“We’ll see about that.” Xena snarled back at her. “Release the children now.” She used the
wasted words to gauge the situation.
It was difficult to see if within the fire her children were dead or
still alive but regardless she had no intention of letting this continue. Gideon would pay for her crimes and if the
Warrior Princess had her way it would be her hand that brought down the
punishment. The screams from her lover
edged on her nerves further as another ghost appeared behind her and she turned
to swing her weapon into him in a crushing blow.
“Foolish warrior.” Gideon raised her hands out of the flames, taking
with her balls of fire that she cupped in each palm. “You can no nothing to oppose me. I am more powerful than anything you’ve ever known. All you will do is die and with your head I
will have the whole of the Amazon Nation bowing at my feet.”
“Does anyone mind if I shut her up?” Xena’s hand stood triggered with
her chakram aimed at the Shamaness.
“By all means.” Sorrow stood strong beside the warrior breathing
hard. Without a weapon blessed by the
warrior Shamaness’ blood, even all of her unnatural strength had proved useless
against the men inside the building. On
Kisinda’s instruction she’d retreated to the Warrior Princess’ side and left
the ice warrior to kill the rest of them. “You take her I’ll get the
children.” She sidestepped over to the
flames and without hesitation reached in with the intention of pulling the
children out.
“Deal.” Xena spoke the word as the telltale sound of her weapon cut the
air towards the Shamaness.
“You underestimate me Xena.” Gideon raised a hand and the weapon
ricocheted off an invisible target sending it back at the warrior. Having to swing her arm to absorb the
increased power the warrior tried to hide her surprised reaction at the blade’s
return.
Any thought of secondary attack was momentarily stopped as the hall was
filled with the sharp shrill notes of an animalistic howl.
“I can’t reach them.” Sorrow wailed as was forced to pull her arms out
of the flames when the burning to her demon fleshed crossed even her bearable
threshold of pain. She cradled the
smoking limbs to her as she looked to the ice warrior begging for help.
“They can not be released from the fire until we break the spell.” Kisinda swung her axe through a line of
skinned men, cutting them all in half.
“Even if you could stand the pain it would kill them to pull them
through it.”
“Oh Kisinda, so torn between the blade and the magic. Even now you use your gifts in such a
wasteful manner. Though I applaud you
for figuring out a way to fight my minions.”
Gideon grinned at her manically.
“How do you possibly think one as weak as you could destroy one as
strong as me? Think of all your lessons
Kisinda, I have been your tutor and mentor.
There is nothing you know that I do not and everything I do that you
cannot even fathom. You are best to run
now and pray I spare you.”
“I am no longer torn between the two as I embrace them both. It is with the blade of a warrior and the
blood of a Shamaness that you will be defeated Gideon.” Kisinda stood strong
and twirled her axe once from hand to hand as she moved to a place next to
Xena. “You claimed long ago you could
see into my soul Gideon, if you truly can you should know more than anyone I
have never run away from a fight in my life.”
“You are a foolish proud warrior, too weak to truly see all that the
crystal could offer you.” The evil Shamaness flung a handful of fire at the
Warrior Princess in retaliation.
Xena was about to react, when the blade of Kisinda’s axe appeared
before her and the fire was sent back at the Shamaness who sidestepped away
from it. The back wall of the hall
erupted in instant flames under the onslaught.
“How do we break the spell Kisinda?” Gabrielle rushed to her daughter
an instant before the Protector was going to try again to break through the
ravenous flames in desperation. “How?”
“My blood on a weapon.” Kisinda instructed the Queen as she closed in
on the Shamaness. “Try to cut the spell
open.” Hearing the instruction the bard
reached down and pulled a still bloody blade from her boot. Taking the hilt in two hands she stabbed it
deep into the swirling wall of flames.
“Weak weapons and a cowards blood.” Gideon laughed again. “You think too much like a warrior, it is
your innate fault Kisinda and for one last lesson I will show you the error of
your ways.”
“Do your worse.” Kisinda readied her blade in front of her.
“First lesson young one.” Gideon raised her hands holding the flame as
an arc between them. “Never attack
directly that which you can attack from behind.” With those words the arc shot
out and moved around the ice warrior taking the healer by the throat and
pulling her through the air dropping her down between the two adversaries.
“Tawnie!” Kisinda heard her own sacred voice before she could stop
it.
“And with all adversaries, you must make sure to have their attention.”
Sending a second spike out of her arc, Gideon’s flame shot out to take the bard
by the throat as well as she struggled to tear her sais into the sphere. Sorrow’s burnt hand reached out a heartbeat
too late to stop her mother as Gabrielle was pulled across the room and down
next to the ice healer. The rope of
fire around her throat making it nearly impossible to breath but she tried in
vain to struggle against it.
“Sorrow break it open, we’ll take care of her.” Xena instructed in a
stern voice as she kept her place, as she moved to take a place next to
Kisinda. Not hesitating the Protector
put her hands around the hilt of the weapon as she pulled it out and then again
buried it deep into the flames.
“Lesson two.” Gideon snarled as her arc of fire held the bard and
healer in tight grips. “Attack that
which is weakest in your enemy, those that they love. Say goodbye to your
pets.”
“The children.” Gabrielle hissed out the scared word unconcerned for
her own state and only worried for her daughters. She held her lover’s blue eyes, the only one able to see the
innate fear that flowed behind the Warrior Princess’ tough exterior. “Save them first.”
“Enough of this act of martyrdom. Your children are dead.” Gideon held
them in tightening grips to cut off their abilities to speak. “You can get out of this with your lives if
you bow to me now. Order them to lower
their weapons Queen of the Amazons.” She squeezed the bind around Gabrielle’s
throat. “Tell them to lower their
weapons and surrender to me.”
“The children.” The Queen pleaded again soundlessly.
******
‘Sorrow, we’re not dead.’ Madalene turned her head within the sphere
and looked out at her sister, catching green eyes with green as she sent her
thoughts through the flames. ‘We’re
fine, the flames aren’t even hot in here.
You need to concentrate on Gideon, you can’t release us without killing
her.’
‘Madalene, are you sure?’ Sorrow stopped her assault on the barrier
momentarily as her eyes studied those of her sister’s knowing something was
never going to be the same after this day.
‘Save Mother! Gideon will kill
her even if she does surrender the Nation.’ Madalene’s thoughts pleaded with
her. ‘What’s done is done, this is how
it has to be. Get behind her, split her
attention.’
‘Hold on sis.’ Sorrow held the green eyes that starred out at her a
moment longer before she sprang into action.
******
“This proud Nation would never bow to a corrupted power such as yours.”
Kisinda shifted her stance as she tried to formulate a plan in her mind. Though the bloody sias had penetrated the
wall of the sphere, it was not doing enough to break the spell and worst of all
her beloved and the Queen were now at this monster’s mercy.
“For a stoic warrior you talk far too much.” Gideon laughed openly at
her.
“For a Shamaness you know nothing about fighting.” The ice warrior felt
the movement of the Protector before she even really saw it. Feeling the flinch in the body beside her
she knew that Xena had also registered Sorrow’s attack and together they would
back the Protector up in any way they could.
In a flash Sorrow was behind Gideon and reaching around the Shamaness
she used her superior height and physical strength to force the older woman’s
arms into a full nelson behind her head.
The hold forced her to release her grip on the healer and the bard.
It was Gabrielle who was the first to move as the choking at her throat
disappeared, pulling the injured healer with her to a safer place behind Xena
and Kisinda.
Xena didn’t bother to pause for any of the ice warrior’s further advice
as she charged forward and used the position her daughter had forced on the
Shamaness to strike.
Gideon thrashed and fought against Sorrow’s grip, breaking free just in
time to stand toe to toe with the Warrior Princess. Before she could speak Xena struck her with a hard snapping kick
that spun her around and sent her to face the Protector who backhanded her,
sending her to the ground.
“While you play with me your children are dying.” Gideon wiped at her
bloody cheek as she turned to look at Xena.
“Break the spell now!” Enraged by her taunting the Warrior Princess
reached down and picked the Shamaness up by her throat. She lifted the woman up like a rag doll
until her toes hovered slightly above the ground.
Seeming to not be concerned by the restricted airflow, Gideon reached
out and placed her hands in a vice like grip around Xena’s forearm. Instantly the warrior’s angry hold fell away
and her knees began to buckle under her.
Her eyes flashed the alarm she felt at what was going on as she was
forced to lower the smaller woman to her feet again.
“I’m tapping you.” Gideon’s eyes were wild. “Just like I’m tapping your children.” She licked her lips. “And you mighty Protector.” With a vicious
look she snapped her gaze around at Sorrow and an invisible force struck the
Princess sending her back and out through the fiery back wall of the hall. “The rest of my followers can deal with you
until I am ready to finish my spell.”
“Kisinda, what do we do?” Gabrielle placed a hand on the stationary
warrior’s shoulder trying to force her into action.
“She’s taken too much power, sold too much of her soul.” The ice
warrior’s eyes opened bright and focused.
“She has to die.”
Kisinda spun her axe to bring the blade to the ground as she used it to
lever a jump that sent her over the Shamaness’ head. As she reached the ground she snapped the handle into Gideon’s
arm breaking her hold on Xena.
“You cannot defeat me Kisinda.” Gideon seethed as she was pushed away
from the warrior. “You do not possess
the knowledge of a Shamaness.”
“But I have always possessed the skill of a warrior.” With arms straining Kisinda swung the heavy
axe behind her and sent it spinning across the room. The sound of it filled everyone’s’ ears as for an eternity it
spiralled its way through the air until with a deafening bang the front blade
impeded deep within the fire sphere. At
that instant the flames froze and solidified into a dark red mass around the
children. The sphere’s symmetry was
only broken where Gabrielle’s sias still stuck out of one side and where
Kisinda’s axe was impeded in the other.
As everyone watched the break where the ice warrior’s axe penetrated
began to split further as a slight meandering crack worked its way up and
around the sphere.
Her blood soaked blade had been enough to stop the damaging effects of
the incantation, but Kisinda knew this wasn’t a time to stand by dumbly to see
if the sphere would crack more. With
only rage and anger as her weapons she bared down on the other Shamaness.
Still down on one knee, Xena watched the impact of Kisinda’s axe as she
took a couple of deep breaths trying to shake the imprisoned feeling that
Gideon had shackled around her moments before.
Seeing the ice warrior moving barehanded to attack Gideon, the Warrior
Princess pounced up to take her own revenge.
******
Sorrow had barely been able to dislodge herself from large crevice
she’d sunk into the dry earth with her fall before a barrage of Gideon’s
ghostly creatures fell upon her.
“Get off me!” Her thick booming voice howled at the attacking figures
as something in her mind snapped and she felt herself fall into a pure
rage. A rage fuelled on by her inability
to do any damage to the creatures.
“Sorrow, hang on.” Danu called to her lover having seen from her perch
the Protector’s body explode through the back wall of the hall. On quick and sure feet, she moved her way
through the tree branches to get within firing range of the back of the
building.
A careful leap through the gap in the trees over the road almost ended
disastrously as the dry branch she landed on began to crack but another quick
dive sent her onto a more stable branch.
Crouching down on one knee, she levelled her bow and picked off a
number of the figures that cowered over her lover.
As one of the arrows struck into the ghostly man above her, Sorrow put
her hand around the shaft holding in within him until he disappeared.
‘It’s a little weapon but I hope this works.’ She thought to herself as
she retracted her claws to make her hand more manoeuvrable and stabbed out with
the small arrowhead at those above her.
Reaching back into her quiver, Danu’s hand met with nothing but emptiness. At the worst possible time she had run out
of arrows. Surveying the ground it was
obvious that her Amazon sisters were finally getting a firm upper hand over the
creatures and in a calculated jump she returned to the ground.
“Eponin, I need a blade for Sorrow.” Danu dropped her bow and useless
quiver off into the long grass under the tree as she called to the nearby
woman. “She’s got about a dozen of them
pinning her down around the back of the building.”
“I’m on it.” Solari dispatched the man before her and took off around
the building.
******
“You cannot defeat me.” Gideon laughed in a low tone as she slammed
Kisinda down into the thick table and under her weight it shattered into a
million pieces. “You cannot kill me, I
am your sister in the crystal. Would you send the Northern tribe into
darkness?” The shard of crystal she
spoke of swayed around the band at her neck as she hovered above Kisinda’s
prone form. “Spilling your own blood
was a foolish move Southern Shamaness.
You are too weak to land the death blow and for that mistake you will
lose your life.”
Xena was about to answer Gideon’s challenge when the shrill slice of a
blade coming over her shoulder broke the air.
“You hurt my children…” Gabrielle voice was firm as she stood with her
arm still extended in the forward motion that had sent the bloody sias across
the room and into Gideon’s chest. “The
blow is mine.”
“But…” Gideon staggered and turned to face the bard as her hands went
to the tip of the blade that protruded out of her chest. “You are the weakest here, you are not even
a warrior. How could you kill me?” As
blood poured from the wound, spurting with each beat of her heart she slid down
to the floor.
The words seemed to reverberate through the bard for a moment, before
the stillness of the room was broken by Sorrow’s arrival through the broken
back wall. With the death of the
Shamaness the multitude of imprisoned souls that held her and Solari in battle
outside the back of the building had disappeared.
“Where is she?” The Protector’s harsh voice questioned a moment before
her gaze came onto the fallen Shamaness.
“Dead.” Xena spoke in an empty voice as she looked at her lover. The shake in the bard’s hand told a tale
that no one else would see at that moment.
“The children.” Kisinda’s weak voice pushed as she pulled herself from
the wreckage of the table. “Sorrow,
you’re the only one with the strength to break the sphere.”
Continued in Part Five…