Disclaimer: I do not own Xena: The Warrior Princess or any of the series' characters. Any resemblance to other fictions are pure coincidental.
Notes: This is an AU (Alternate Universe) and a Xena x Gabrielle fanfiction. I'm a fan of the pairing ok? Xena is my childhood hero and after re-watching the series this year, I decided to make a fanfiction. YEY. Comments are welcome. Reviews are welcome. Please be nice ahahhahahha it's my first Xena fanfic. I hope you all enjoy. :DD
Introduction
In a time of ancient excavations, humans were divided according to their territory—earth, water, sky. When the Aerial Territory proclaimed its superiority and command over the others, people whose souls were linked in every life time must fight to defend their loved ones; to protect their dreams; and to secure a future for humanity.
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Chapter 3: Gabrielle
"Xena.." Marcus called out with an arrow in his heart.
"No" She denied.
Blood splattered on her face.
"Xena.." Grinhilda called out as the soil beneath her became a pool of her own blood.
"No.." She denied again.
"That's it.. Awaken.. your power.." The masked rider whispered. Her deep blue eyes stared at Xena.
"Ah!" She screamed.
Hera embraced her tightly. Her hands caressed Xena's long black hair. She whispered in her ear "It's alright.."
Sweat fell from her forehead. A nightmare. It had been a long time since she had that fear and episode of a nightmare. It was happening again.
Hera pushed her adopted daughter down signaling her to get more rest. She went down the hill and met the villagers leaving Xena under the shades of a big tree. After a few minutes, the village chief handed Xena a bowl of porridge and some water in a canteen. The porridge had gotten cold before Hera convinced Xena to eat. It wasn't satisfying as she felt so weak. Not long after a meal, she fell asleep.
Night time. She had been sleeping for the whole day and yet she still felt so weak-drained. It had been what she felt. She sat upright and leaned against the tree trunk.
"How are you feeling?" Alexis checked her pulse.
"Marcus and Grinhilda.. They.." Xena couldn't finish. It wasn't a nightmare. It was worse-a memory. She hoped that she could just forget.
"Do you remember anything after that?" The healer held her hands tight. Her eyes told Xena that there was something she should remember.
Scared but she closed her eyes and searched her memories. Nothing- it was a blank. She just shook her head.
"Nothing?" Callisto came walking from down the hill in a quick pace. She took Xena by her shirt and pulled her to a stand.
"You remember nothing?!" She screamed at her face as she found it unbelievable.
Alexis tried to calm her down but Callisto shoved her away.
"You killed them. You destroyed the whole village.." It was a hard truth in a whisper full of grief.
" and you don't remember?!" she continued.
"No.. I.." It was the only response Xena could give.
Xena saw Callisto's eyes which had once looked at her with love and admiration. It was breaking her to see such hatred from her friend's eyes.
"You don't remember?! You're joking... You don't remember?!" She screamed hysterically as she slammed Xena's back at the tree.
Once again, Alexis tried to calm Callisto but failed.
Xena was in a very weak state. It wasn't her body. It was her emotions. It was easy for the shorter girl, Callisto, to just push her and forcefully tap her shoulders to face another direction.
"Take a look!" She pointed at a direction.
Nothing.
Amphipolis could not be even called a ruin. It was unrecognizable. The very spot where the village once stood was now nothing but dust. No traces of any existence of both the living and non-living but the round cursed metal still stuck on the earth.
"Do you see what you did?! Do you remember now?! This is what you did!".
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The earth shook below the villagers feet. Terror reflected through their eyes as they watch their beloved village turn to dust by an unknown force.
"Grinhilda!" Callisto screamed. Alexis and Hera held her tightly.
Wood. Stone. Metal. Flesh. Everything. They were completely disintegrated into dust and nothingness.
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"Why are you alive when everything in the village turned to dust? Why are you and that piece of metal survived? What is that thing? What are you!?" So many questions but Xena couldn't give any answer. She didn't know anything about what exactly had happened. One thing was clear to her, the rage and hatred she never knew felt so familiar when she saw Grinhilda's death. It triggered something inside of her.
The village council, elders and Hera saw the scene between Xena and Callisto. They tried to pursuade Callisto to calm down but just like Alexis, they failed. There was an important matter to be discussed which simply cannot wait any longer. Hera ordered two village men to forcefully drag Callisto away.
Callisto's screams was tearing Xena's heart. She knelt as her legs become weaker.
"Why did this have to happen? What was I doing? What did I do?" Alexis could hear bitterness from every question Xena asked herself.
Hera approached Xena and caught sight of the terrible fate that happened to her village and the unfortunate villagers. For seven years, she acted as Xena's mother but as the village chief, she had duties. To protect the village was one of them, which in her heart, she had failed. To think and act for the greatest benefit of the villagers- This was something that she had to make sure she would do.
"Xena, I'm afriad you must go." Her voice was shaking.
"I know that you were just trying to protect the village but the villagers cannot accept you anymore. One way or the other, your actions cost the village enormous grief." Every word was painful to her.
"As village chief.." She took a deep breath and continued "I banish you. You are not to set foot on the village or be near its people. Amphipolis is no longer your home."
Xena stood up and it took so much from her. She turned around and saw the eyes of the survivors. Some were full of tears but she was sure that there were not for her. If stares of hatred could stab, she would have been stabbed dozens of times. Every villager who survived had them.
Gone. A place she called home was now taken from her in one night. No tears fell from her eyes as she stood in front of all those villagers. Perhaps she was still in a state of disbelief or perhaps it was so painful that no tears could possible convey it.
Xena knelt down and kissed the ground-a gesture of respect and love. A villager threw a stone at her and screamed "MONSTER! You're a MURDERER!" It hit her hand which was humbled on the ground. The other villagers threw stones as well. She never knew that bruises could hurt so much.
"ENOUGH!" Hera commanded the villagers.
Xena stood up. Standing had never been that hard for her. Her legs felt so heavy.
Hera held back her tears while watching Xena walk away. Some survivors spat on her face as she passed by, others stared with silent fear. Fear? What was she? Was she a monster? Screams and the sound of crushing bones echoed in her head.
Snapped.
With a loud cry she ran, blinded by emotions. Where would she go? Was there a place for her? She couldn't think of anything. Perhaps anywhere would do. Anywhere, where she could just disappear. Xena turned off the mountain path and into the woods-Troll Forest.
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How long had she been running? She ran until she tripped and fell on her face. Exhaustion gave her bliss. It made her mind go blank and go to a peaceful sleep.
Morning fog covered the ground. The tall trees split the morning sunlight making jagged bars like that of a prison hell. Although the Troll forest permitted more light than the forest near the mountain path, it was more earie. Everything was still but surely not silent. One could hear sounds of creatures which had risen with the sun or perhaps creatures which were retiring from the moonlight hunt.
Xena laid on the ground unmoving and felt cold. It was amazing how she slept without fire to keep her warm. She had expected to wake up torn to pieces by the creatures of the forest. After all, she slept at an open space. Perhaps the creatures found her unappetizing or maybe she was just too pitiful to eat. Her peaceful sleep was over and the nightmare of reality had came back. No sobs. No sounds. Just droplets of tears rolled down her cheeks.
It was pass midday when she had an urge to stand up and walk passively between the shadows of the trees like a sleepwalker. The memory of the annihilated Amphipolis disturbed her again. She ran and took out her sword. The trees were perfect for her. They absorbed every blow and anguish. They did not bleed but her hands did. She didn't mind. Maybe she wanted to lose her blood to make up for the ones that she took. If only it was possible. Xena breathed heavily and left her sword stuck on the tree. Sitting down, leaning against the tree, she let blood drop on the ground as she rested her arms on her knees.
Xena suddenly felt something pointed the side of her neck.
"Don't you move. Move and you're gonna get hurt." A woman's voice came from behind the tree.
Xena didn't move.
"How do I get out of this forest?" The woman asked.
"Are you going to kill me with that?" From her peripheral vision, she knew it was a sai.
Salvation.
"I will.. if you don't cooperate. How do I get out of here?" The woman's voice grew impatient. The sai's tip sank a little in to Xena's skin causing her to bleed a little.
"If you're going to kill me, get it over with. Lower your sai a little bit. You're missing the vital point." Yes, that woman and her sai was her salvation from the pain.
The woman was speechless. "Insane." was the word that came in. She shook her head.
From atop of the tree, a sudden creature landed behind the mysterious woman. The ground shook with its weight. The creature hit the woman knocking her a few meters away. Her head hit the ground knocking her completely unconscious.
Xena's hunter instincts temporarily put her back to her senses. She took her sword from the tree and rolled away from it observing the scenario from a safer distance. The creature of the woods quickly ran towards the unconscious woman. Xena tumbled towards the creature and gave it a cut on one of its hind legs. It reacted by giving a strong kick like a horse. Xena's reflexes saved her as she instantly protected herself by blocking the kick with her sword. Still, the creature's kick pushed her a few steps confirming its strength. The creature turned to her allowing the hunter to examine its features. It had a face of a horse and a body of a man. Its legs resembled that of a stallion. Its height was a double of Xena's.
"Tikbalang.. a demon horse." Xena recognized it. She had once encountered this kind of creature when she and a group of hunters were looking for wild mushrooms for the healer.
The tikbalang neighed loudly like a fuming horse. Still laying on the ground was the mysterious woman. She moaned distracting the creature from Xena. It was coming after her again.
Xena leaped and used the tree trunk to get more force for her knees. Using the full weight of her body, her sword pierced through the tikbalang's shoulder reaching its heart. The creature fell on the ground, Xena on top of it. The hunter stood up and pulled her sword out of its body. Brownish blood covered the blade of her sword. A quick kick on its head told Xena that it was dead. Turning one's back from a beast like that without confirming its peace would cause one's life.
Moaning.
The woman was half unconscious. Xena rushed to her side. As precaution for any creature that might appear, she dared not to sheath her sword but struck the sword on the ground. She took in the figure of the woman slowly.
Her breath caught for a second. The woman's hair was beautifully short and blonde. The white coat she wore protected her from getting any scratches. The female hunter picked her up, checking for any injuries that could have needed tending. Under her coat, she was also wearing an armor- a metal breastplate over brown leather and brown leather skirt with silver plated belt. Strangely fanscinated, she caressed the woman's face. Her heart skipped a beat. She seemed so familiar but new.
"Gabrielle.." A name came out of Xena's mouth.
Where did she get that name? Perhaps, it was from a long forgotten memory. Maybe she knew her before she had been taken in by the villagers of Amphipolis. No. It was a different kind of familiarity. It was as if the name came from the depths of her soul.
Neigh.
Another Tikbalang from a distant was heard. It had sensed blood of a kindred. Based on the sound it echoed in the forest, it wasn't very happy. It was more dangerous than ever. Tikbalangs were fast creatures with enormous strength. Xena knew it was luck that she was able to kill one without getting any of her bones broken.
Neigh.
It was getting close. Her sword had to be cleaned to remove the smell of blood from it or else running away would be useless if it could follow them easily. She saw a water canteen and a scroll hanging from the short woman's belt and used them all up to remove the blood from her sword. The scroll was left on the ground. The water canteen would still be useful although Xena doubt they'd find purified water in the forest. She put it back on the woman's belt. Just beside the blonde was her sai. Xena picked it up from the ground and observed the weapon.
"This one's a rare.." She said as she traced her neck for the small wound made by the sai moments ago.
They needed to get away from there. Xena put the sai on the side of the woman's boot. She pulled up the woman to a stand and put her arm on her shoulders. Bending her knees, she was surprised to find her short. Her knee-high boots made her look taller while lying on the ground. Xena knew she was a tall woman but that mysterious woman, Gabrielle, was a little shorter than average.
Dragging the short woman would slow them down and they would end up being caught by a furious tikbalang. Leaving her was not an option. She sheathed her sword on her back and picked up the short woman using both hands. Then, she hurriedly walked away from the direction of the tikbalang-away from the trail.
The Troll forest was not as familiar to her as the forest near the mountain path. Counting trees; memorizing their features; and looking at the near setting sun were her way of keeping track on where they were going and how to head back.
After more than a kilometer of walking, Xena found a tree root cave and hid themselves in there. Her ears were alert for any sign of the tikbalang or other creatures nearby. It seemed safe.
It was almost night time and the blonde was still unconscious. The female hunter went around finding some fire wood. Although Xena had survived the cold night of the forest out in the open, she thought that the shorter woman would need the warmth of fire. Also, she's feeling the hunger. It had been a full day without any food or water. Dying of hunger wasn't her type of way to die. Wild birds would be enough to satisfy her and maybe the blonde too.
A rubber hair band in her pocket came handy to make a slingshot. She was able to hunt for four birds before the night fell.
"Maybe she's already conscious.. I hope she stayed put." Xena walked in quick pace.
The night had deafening silence. Only the sound of rustling leaves relieved her ears. Her hands felt the cold unlike the previous night. Disappointingly, the thick forest blocked the night sky and few stars could be seen. Somehow, it relieved her from remembering the nights she spent with Grinhilda.
It took her an hour before she got back. The root cave wasn't that big and made it easy for her to realize that the blonde was gone.
"Great... where did you go?" Xena sounded frustrated.
Neigh.
The tikbalang's sound echoed more loudly in the night. It sounded different. A tikbalang's battle cry-Xena figured. It was fighting someone.
She threw the firewood and their dinner on the ground. Xena had a pretty good guess who it was fighting that moment.
"Why didn't you stay put?" Xena pursed her lips, pulled out her sword and dashed out of the root cave.
~end of Chapter 3: Gabrielle~
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Author's Notes: Nothing much happened in this chap. I wanted to focus on Xena's feelings and try to be more descriptive with the environment. I hope I'm improving my writing. So.. Inspire me people. XD
Reviews and comments are really appreciated! :D
Trivias:
* Tikbalang is a mythical creature from Philippine folklore. According to legends, it rapes women at night and causes travelers to lose their way in the mountains or forests.
Tikbalang: muhahahhahahha Gabrielle's miiiiiiine!
Gabrielle: OMG... Xena! I mean.. Authoress! Don't you dare let that horse touch me!
Authoress: Chill. Xena won't let that happen. *winks
Xena: You could have just written her to stay put!
Authoress: Then there won't be any story!
Xena: You better make a good logic for it.
Authoress: Yap I did.
(spoiler alert)
Authoress: You used her scroll and left it!
Xena: Oh…
Gabrielle: She what?!
Xena: "Now, take it easy. There were no good leaves in the bush."
Authoress: Where have I heard that line before? lols