Xena: The Warrior Princess
Alti's Twilight
Chapter 1: The Return of Alti/Xena's Bounty
It was a beautiful day in the fields surrounding the beautiful town of Potidaea. The sun was shining and the birds were singing their melodious songs of jubilation. Suddenly, the silence was broken by powerful gusts of wind. Startled, the birds left the swinging trees as thunder began to replace their songs. Lighting began to fill the Potidaea sky and the ground began to shake. Then from the angry sky, three bolts of Zeus' fury came down upon the earth. In a flash, from the lighting above a female figure began to appear. Alti, the dark shamaness of the Amazons entered the mortal realm.
Xena and Gabrielle were walking through the forest towards Titus to visit Cyrene, when Xena got that all too familiar feeling.
"Something isn't right" observed the Warrior Princess.
"What do you mean Xena?" asked Gabrielle.
Xena unsheathing her sword spun around and pointed it towards the air. Out of nowhere the God of War appeared laughing.
"Hahaha, I love how you have the ability to do that" laughed Ares.
"What do you want?" asked Xena
with a scold.
Xena inched her sword closer to Ares' throat.
"Why do I always have to want something, to visit you Xena?" asked Ares.
"Can't I just come and visit an old friend?" he continued.
"You're no friend of mine, Ares" said Xena, still holding her sword.
Ares began to chuckle and moved the sword away from his throat.
"Oh, but I will am!" declared the God of War.
"And why is that?" asked an annoyed Xena.
"The Gods have put a bounty on your pretty little head" said Ares as he began to stroke Xena's long, black hair.
"A bounty?!" exclaimed a shocked Gabrielle.
"Why yes, a bounty on the Warrior Princess" he said.
"Why would the Gods put a bounty on my head?" asked Xena as she sheathed her sword.
"My sister, Artemis is holding you accountable for the genocide you committed against the Amazon tribes in Germania" he said.
"Germania, that was ten years ago!" yelled Xena.
"But to Artemis it was mere days ago and she finally got Zeus to drop the hammer" said Ares.
"But why now?" asked Gabrielle.
' "In order for a divine bounty to be produced, evidence must be shown and one must have Zeus' consent." he said.
"What evidence did Artemis have?" asked Gabrielle as she looked at a contemplative Xena.
"The souls of the Amazon tribe I destroyed" said Xena.
"Bingo!!" said Ares.
"Their souls cried out vengeance towards Xena, and Zeus approved" said Ares.
"What are we gonna do Xena?" asked Gabrielle.
"I have to find Artemis and get her to rid the bounty, I don't have much time" announced the Warrior Princess as she began to walk away from the divine being.
"That's where you have it wrong, my sweet princess" announced the God of War.
"What do you mean, Ares?" asked Xena as she stopped in her tracks and turned around.
"Due to my avid persuasiveness, I convinced Zeus to give you more time before the bounty becomes active" he said.
"How much time?" asked Gabrielle.
"You have until tomorrow at sunrise before the bounty is active" said Ares as he laughed an disappeared.
"GREAT!!" said Xena as she took Gabrielle's hand and ran off.