RESURRECTION: Part One
In a time of ancient Gods, warlords, and kings, a land in turmoil cried out for a hero. She was Xena, a mighty princess forged in the heat of battle. The power. The passion. The danger. Her courage will change the world.......
Prologue: Japa
"Gabrielle, if I only had thirty seconds to live, this is how I'd want to live them-looking into your eyes..."
"You're my whole life Xena, I won't lose you."
"You call yourself honorable? You outnumbered her a thousand to one-you're not a samurai, you're a fraud."
"Dignity huh, like you showed my friend?"
Gabrielle prepared to pour Xena's ashes into the fountain of strength. Xena's arm grabbed hers. It was still weird that Xena was dead but she could still grab things. "No Gabrielle." Xena said.
"Xena," Gabrielle whispered.
"No." Xena repeated.
"Xena," Gabrielle turned to check the sun, she had until the sun set to bring Xena back to life, "the sun is setting, I have to bring you back to life."
"No," Xena repeated again, "not if it means condemning the souls of the forty thousand who burned at Higuchi."
"The souls are free." Gabrielle replied.
"They're free from Yodoshi's grasp, Akemi didn't want to tell me this in case I wouldn't come back to help, but for those souls to be released into a stated of grace, they must be avenged." Xena said.
Gabrielle looked at her confusedly. "I must stay dead." Xena explained.
Gabrielle's mouth dropped open, and her eyes started to tear. "But if I bring you back to life..."
"The souls will be lost forever!" Xena finished.
Gabrielle was dumbfounded. "Xena," she said, turning away for a second, then turning back to face her soul mate. "That is not right! I-I don't care. You're all that matters to me!" Gabrielle said, her voice choked with emotion, she had started crying now.
"Don't you know how much I want to let you do this? But if there is a reason for our travels together, it's because I had to learn from you, enough to know the final, the good, the right thing to do. I can't come back.... I can't." Xena had started crying too.
Gabrielle sat on the edge of the fountain of strength, Xena sat next to her. "I love you Xena, how am I supposed to go on without you?" Gabrielle asked.
A tear ran down Xena's face. I'll always be with you Gabrielle..... always." she said as Gabrielle rested her head on Xena's shoulder.
Xena put her arm around Gabrielle as they watched to sun's rays sink behind the surrounding mountains. Xena closed her eyes one last time, and faded away. Gabrielle felt this, looked at where Xena had been moments before, turned to look at the sun again, and whispered "Xena."
Gabrielle traveled through the night, not sleeping. On her way through the woods, she found a fresh dirt mound. What could this be? This is right about where Xena and I parted before the battle Gabrielle thought. A fresh pang of heartbreak hit Gabrielle, making her clutch her chest. After digging it up, she found Xena's armor, and sword. As silly as it is, I just can't part with these things. Gabrielle wrapped the armor and sword up in her saddle pack, and continued traveling.
A while later, Gabrielle was on the ship that had taken her and Xena to Japa. She was back in her usual red attire, with Xena's chakram at her hip, and the urn with Xena's ashes in it in her arms. "A life of journeying has brought to you to the farthest lands, to the very edges of the Earth." Gabrielle said.
"And to the place where I'll always remain...you're heart. So where to now?" Xena's spirit asked.
"I think we should go south, to the land of the Pharaohs, I hear they need a girl with a chakram." Gabrielle said quoting her conversation with Xena before Akemi's messenger had found them back in Greece.
"Where you go, I am at your side," Xena answered, playing along.
"I knew you'd say that," Gabrielle concluded.
Xena laughed, and kissed Gabrielle's head, her hand upon Gabrielle's shoulder. Together, they rode to Egypt.
