Disclaimer: not mine.

Notes: Thanks again for the comments and favorites! WOW :)

Chapter 10

Xena inspected the narrow entrance of the cave. She was going to have to crawl inside, and light the fire once the space widened, for a current of wind blowing from the interior of the gallery seemed to make carrying fire on narrow spaces rather dangerous.

Xena turned to the chamois and bowed her head. "Thank you," she whispered. The animal looked at her one last time and left.

The warrior wasted no time and entered the cave, soon finding herself in a chamber where at least she could sit up. Using daylight for as long as she could, she furthered inside until she decided she would have to lit the torch, using the branches and cloth from the blood-stained bandages she'd changed at night. Then she carefully readjusted the chakram and the knife, and secured on her waist, as much as her aching torso let her, the pouch with water and the healer's kit.

The cave's walls forced Xena to turn right, then left, and she followed them, finding in front of her another narrow pass, after which the cave opened into a bigger chamber where she could finally stand without fear of cracking her head open with a stalactite.

And then the light from her torch revealed her eyes why the cave was known to send the unworthy falling into their death. The ground ended abruptly, and a vertical fall awaited. A very rudimentary rope was the only clue showing her she hadn't been misled. The only thing she hadn't counted on was the deep growl right behind her. Xena went still and slowly turned her head backwards. A huge bear, dweller of the cavity, stood before her.

Xena took a sharp breath and studied her options quickly. She was in sacred amazon territory, and knew that every creature within was to be respected. The bear, however, didn't wait for her to make a decision, and with a roar extended its paw, carving four lines on the warrior's arm, who opened her hand in wrong reflex and lost the torch. Xena cried in pain and grabbed the hurting area. Now, without a light and with no other way out than the void behind her, she tried to remember where the rope lied and leaped into the darkness, calculating the distance and extending her arms, breathing when her hands made contact with the rope. Her arms and shoulders burned from the jolt, but she managed to grab the rope while she heard the bear growling from the distance.

Slowly and ignoring the pain, Xena started descending using her hands, and soon got to the ground, yet lost in darkness. Extending her arms, she checked the space. Cyane had mentioned a huge gallery, and only one direction to follow. She let her hands trace the wall and guide her, and when she figured out the direction, she made sure she stood on the left side of the path, for she knew that another fall awaited her, this time leading the warrior directly to Gabrielle.

OOO

The good memories drown the bad ones, Xena, I hope you find that out when I am gone. Gods, I hope you know this when you find me and I'm…

The notion of her friend arriving too late had been the only thought keeping Gabrielle anguished about the increasingly certain possibility of dying in the cave.

The crystals moved one last time, closing over her head. The physical feeling was odd. She was encased, could not see, and heard nothing but silence, but she had air to breathe.

Maybe for a little time, she thought.

Gabrielle closed her eyes and prepared for the end, biding Xena a silent goodbye.

I love you.

OOO

The gallery was not very long. When Xena reached the end, she carefully stepped towards the other side until she found the chasm, and probed the edge until she found the rope.

Loosing no time, the warrior went down, knowing each step led her closer to Gabrielle, and hoping that, whatever Artemis had done to her, it wasn't too late.

Once inside that lower gallery, she knew there were two possible directions. Now there wasn't time to lose, and the warrior knew she needed to gather something before getting to Gabrielle, not knowing if that was the way she was supposed to go.

Determined, she turned left and breathed in relief when Cyane's description fit reality. She found herself walking among big blocks, and soon a faint glow was revealed in t he distance. Xena quickened her steps, a bit later finding herself on the queens' chamber.

It was a small area naturally shaped by the cave's walls. Xena could see two skeletons, one of them recognized easily as the queen that Cyane had helped bringing inside to her eternal rest. There was no remain of her clothes, but the amethyst pendant still glowed. Xena knelt beside the silent body.

"I killed Cyane, queen of the amazons, to whom you trusted your knowledge and power. She was worthy of all of them. I am not worthy of forgiveness for what I did, nor am I here to ask for it, but inside this cave is one who deserves no suffering." She paused. "I don't know why, but the Fates determined I should know of this place, and here I am, unworthy of the honor." She extended her hand slowly, with great care, towards the pendant. "My name is Xena. I ashamed your nation, I killed your kind and felt no remorse for a long time. And now I come to you and take this pendant to guide me," she said carefully taking the stone. "I will not return ever again, neither I will shame the amazons, and once the queen is safe, I will subject myself to your nation's will," she promised solemnly. "Please show me in which direction is Gabrielle," she begged whispering as she took hold of the stone.

The pendant glowed and, driven by some invisible force, its end signaled forward. With no more time to lose, and using the light from the magical pendant as a guidance, Xena ran, hoping she was not too late.

The gallery was longer than the others, but with a high ceiling and not big obstacles that allowed her to run most of the way, soon reaching her destination, her heart sinking at the sight.

OOO

Ares stormed in the Fate's chamber, where the three women stood, as always, each to their task. "You said she would not die before her sacrifice!," he snarled.

The Fates looked at him in silence.

"What, no speech in canon now? Cat bit your tongue?"

"No. The Goddess threatened to destroy their loom if they said a word," said another voice.

Ares looked as Artemis came out from her hiding, wearing that irritating smug look.

"You thought I wouldn't keep a close look on you, brother?," she said as Ares shot her a glare. "This is my game, you don't get to play in it anymore, so I guess you will have to sit and watch." She leaned on the wall. "Besides, now we're getting to the best part. I wonder how will your warrior get out of this one."

Ares straightened, hands closed into fists. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I so hope Xena saves Gabrielle, Artemis, so you finally see what kind of fire you're playing with."

OOO

Alone, at the end of the gallery lay what seemed a sculpture of amethyst. Only it was not a piece of art, but a case that kept a human being inside.

Xena ran to her side, frantically checking the surface for a dent, something from where she could start breaking the rock to free her. "Gabrielle, I'm here, can you hear me?" The bard made no sign of noticing her presence. It was as if she were asleep. Loosing no time, Xena took her chakram and hit the side of the amethyst with all her might. And didn't even make a scratch. "Hang in there, Gabrielle, hang in there!"

She tried everything. Her fists, her feet, her knife, the chakram. Nothing worked. "Artemis!" Xena cried in desperation, but got no answer. "I did what you told me, I found her! Now take her back!"

Silence.

"DAMN YOU!"

Her cry echoed in the cave until silence reclaimed its throne, leaving the warrior alone again. Come on, Xena, think, there must be a way, you didn't get this far to fail her now. THINK!

Brute force had proven useless, and the only tool she had was her knowledge. Xena searched in her memories, and soon remembered the second thing Cyane had said about the caves: 'where the waters spoke.' Caught up in freeing Gabrielle, she had ignored her surroundings, but once listening, her ears caught the sounds of the water. After one of their extended visits to Amazon lands, Gabrielle had compiled some of their stories, and had told Xena about them as she practiced her bardic craft, as she called one of their source of income. One of the stories was about the beings that dwelled in rivers and lakes, keeping treasures hidden from the greed of mortals. Perhaps the legends were true, and the stream running inside the cave system was one of them.

She had nothing to lose.

Xena stood silent and listened to the flow of the water. Moments passed, and suddenly, the sounds began to take shape, to make sense. First like distant voices, then one, clearly defined from the rest.

"You hurt."

OOOOO