Champions and Heroes
Chapter One
Waking Up
The four women awoke slowly from a deep sleep. Their eyes fluttered open and their breaths became deeper, together, as if from some unheard signal. As they sat up on their beds, the ceiling and the walls brightened as if they were one light, bright enough so everything, what little there was, could be seen, but not so bright as to be harsh. As they looked at each other, there was no sign of recognition in any of them. One had dark, almost black hair, with deep blue eyes. Another had shoulder-length dark brown hair. The third was slight of build with blonde hair past her shoulders. The last was built similar to the blonde, but with reddish-auburn hair. After eyeing the other women - eyes meeting and momentarily locking, they all looked around them. There were no doors, windows, or furniture other than the beds they were on.
"Anyone know where we are?" the Blonde asked. "Or know how we got here?"
"Or who we are?" the Brunette added. "Do any of you know your names?"
"Or how we got these gowns on?" the Redhead asked. "And what happened to our underclothes?"
They were all wearing sleeveless knee-length white gowns and nothing else.
The one with dark hair stood up, and it was evident to the others that she was very tall, at least six feet. "Does anybody see a way out of here?" she asked.
They all got off their beds, and it was obvious none were anywhere close to the Dark-haired one's height. The Blonde went to one wall and began to feel her way across to a corner, reaching high and low as she did. The others followed suit until it was obvious there was no door in the completely smooth, white walls.
Suddenly there was a loud, muffled bang! The Dark-haired one had punched a wall. Then a second, and then a third time. When nothing happened, other than slightly bloody knuckles, she stepped back a half-dozen steps, and with a running start, jumped up and kicked the wall with one foot with no result.
"I don't think that's working," the Blonde said.
"You got a better idea?" she snapped back.
"Maybe if we start yelling," the Redhead suggested, "somebody might hear us and come to get us."
Instead the Dark-haired one picked up one of the beds, backed up to one wall, and ran with it to the opposite one, straining with the effort to crash it into the wall as hard as she could. But it bounced off as her fist and foot had done, with no damage to the wall.
"Maybe if I got some help. . . ." she started to say when a door-sized opening appeared in one of the walls. Beyond the opening were more lighted walls. Without hesitation, the Dark-haired one marched toward it, but the Blonde blocked her way.
"Don't you think we should slow down, and investigate first before we go rushing into something unfamiliar?"
"It looks like some kind of long hallway," the Redhead said as she peered cautiously through the door. "I don't see any doors or anything."
The Brunette joined her, then stepped through the doorway. "This only goes one way. We're at the end. Maybe if we stick together we can see what's down there and protect each other at the same time just in case."
"How about it?" the Blonde asked the Dark-haired one. "Slow and careful?"
"Whatever. I'll take the lead and you can bring up the rear. You two keep your eyes and ears peeled."
And without another word, she stepped into the hallway and walked away from the room, the others trailing behind.
"The door just closed," the Blonde said. "So I guess there's no going back."
They walked about twenty steps when they came to another white room where a door had opened, but larger with one long table and a half dozen armless chairs. On the table were bowls of almost familiar fruit - red "tangerines," short, orange "bananas," bluish-purple "apples," multi-colored "grapes" and "berries." And there were four glass pitchers of a clear liquid, which turned out to be water, and four empty cups. The Redhead sat down and picked up one of the "apples."
"You're not going to eat that, are you?" the Dark-haired one asked.
"Why not?"
"It might be poisoned."
"I think if they were going to kill us, they already would have," she answered. "Besides, I'm hungry."
After slight hesitations, the others sat down and began to eat. As they did, they commented on the how odd, but strangely good, the food tasted even though they weren't sure what they were eating.
"So now what?" The Brunette asked. "Go back down the hall to see if there are other rooms?"
"That won't be necessary," a strange voice said.
They looked toward the voice and saw a person standing there. It could have been a man, or it could have been a woman. The way he, or she, was dressed and built it was impossible to tell.
"My name is Myna. And I know you all have questions."
Before he or she could say anything more, the Dark-haired woman rushed at Myna, intending to capture him, or her. But instead she ran right through the image.
"As you can see, I'm not really here. This is a three dimensional holographic projection. You will meet the real me, and the others, after I have explained why you are here, and why you are needed all of you."
"Why can't we remember anything?" the Redhead asked. "Not even our names!"
"That was done purposely. And the reason for that, too, will be explained later. As for your names you with the blue eyes and the aggressive nature, you are Xena. You with the red hair, your name is Willow. The blonde, your name is Buffy. And lastly, Prue, or Prudence if you prefer."
"So why are we here?" Xena asked.
"And how did we get here?" Buffy asked.
"And where IS 'here'?" Prue asked.
"You all were brought here to help us fight a war. A war that threatens my race's very existence."
"And why should WE fight YOUR war?" Xena asked.
"Because it's what you do. In your lands and in your time, you all were champions and heroes, fighting to defeat evil wherever you found it."
"What do your mean 'in our time?' " Prue asked.
"You all have been brought into your futures, far into it. Several thousand years, in fact."
"You have the technology to bring us through time, but you can't fight your own war? Why do you need us?" Willow asked.
"Because of your very specific talents. Two of you have extraordinary strength and healing abilities. And two of you possess great magical powers. And those skills, working as one, will be needed to defeat the enemies we battle against."
Xena looked at the others, then back at Myna. "And just how do we know that YOU aren't the evil ones?"
Myna smiled. "When you meet the others, and listen to their stories, and see for yourselves what we have suffered, then you will believe."
"We're champions?" Willow said.
"Champions, and more," Myna said.
"Why have you taken our memories from us?" Prue asked.
"As I said, all will be explained later. I will return presently."
Just as Myna disappeared, Willow yelled out, "Which one of us has magical powers?" But it was too late.
To Be Continued
