THE FIRE THAT ENGULFS ALL OTHERS AND BENDS THEM TO ITS WILL
Xena breathed in deeply, watching as the guards shifted positions. She narrowed her gaze as she looked at the chains which had no key lock. She'd been watching them for an hour or more trying to work if one of them had the keys, it now seemed nether of them did. She snarled aloud pulling violently on the chains why couldn't this be easy? She turned sharply watching as one of the guards was suddenly shoved aside. She narrowed her gaze watching as the underworld goddess came to stand in front of her. Xena looked at her in disgust. "What do you want?" Itzpapalotl didn't think as she grabbed her face savagely. "I want to be there when you scream your last breath."
Xena snarled as she tried to pull away. "Wait longer." Itzpapalotl tightened her grip. "I don't know what disgusts me more your resilience to punishment or your mouth?" She pulled away watching as the tall warrior winced in pain. "Tell me because I'm curious what is having sex with the Blood Jaguar like?" Xena narrowed her gaze saying nothing. Itzpapalotl leaned closer. "I'm surprised you have the patience to have sex with her I'm guessing in bed she's a one trick pony." Xena sneered slightly as she met her gaze. "She's much better in bed than you probably are I doubt you ever get sexual fulfilment on any level. May be it's because you're dead rotting and ugly."
Itzpapalotl didn't think as she grabbed the warrior violently by her hair. "Don't test me…the whip was only the beginning. What Tezcatlipoca has in store for you next is going to make you scream. Unlike me he doesn't care for the torturing the soul. He likes to the torture flesh, muscle and the insides, I dread to think what he'll do with yours Warrior Princess. " Xena snarled as she looked in to her red eyes. "Let me guess because you tried to kill me you're not allowed to torture me again?" Itzpapalotl narrowed her gaze. "Oh is that what you think? Well just so you know I'm not done with you just yet? I want you to see the destruction of my temple! I want you to see what the Blood Jaguar did!"
She pulled her head closer. "I want you to know why I wanted you captured, since you've only seen things from Tezcatlipoca's angle!" She slowly tightened her grip. "Let's see how you like my angle Warrior Princess unlike the fertility goddess my version of showing memories is much more painfully." Xena pulled back trying to avoid her red eyes as they started to glow. Itzpapalotl yanked her head towards her savagely as she tried to pull away. "Don't move now it'll hurt far less!" Xena gritted her teeth as she tried not to focus on the other woman's eyes she'd been through this once already. She could feel her mind starting to pulse as the pain started it felt a knife which was being forced in to her head inch by inch.
She grunted trying to take it as she tried to lower her gaze away from them again. Itzpapalotl sneered in disgust. "Resisting will only make it worse Warrior Princess." She eased up her skeleton hand forming a fist. "It's better that you surrender." Xena groaned as the pain suddenly intensified she was finding it difficult to breath. Itzpapalotl didn't think as she forced the warriors head up so their eyes met. "They say looking in to my eyes is like dying a death." She forced her head up finally making their eyes meet. "Let's see if you see your death Warrior Princess." Xena felt everything go painfully still as the glowing eyes stared in to her own. It felt like her lungs weren't working every muscle in her body seemed to stiffen, in her ears all she could hear was screaming and suffering.
Everything around her was turning to red. In the red she could see images that made her blood run cold, skeletons warriors rising from the dirt. Innocent people being dragged up to temples highest point then tied down as priests leaning over them their bone knifes at the ready. Warriors slamming their axes in to innocents, for nothing more than kicks while others set alight to houses and decimated temples. The ground tearing apart as tunnel of living flesh opened. Its huge outer tentacles pulsed with flesh, muscle and bones as they spilt blood all over the floor. They moved outwards towards the people at the edge. They grabbed anyone pulling them in to the depths of the living tunnel while tearing their limbs off as they passed them to the inner mouths and clawed limbs which threw them downwards in to a dark opening bellow that made her shiver with fear. She'd been in hell and she'd been in Tartarus but this place was turning her stomach yet she couldn't even see in to it. She wanted to close her eyes she suddenly saw everything clear as memories suddenly forced there way in to her mind breaking through the sea of red.
8
Gabrielle slowly eased bloody eagle headdress free, the dried blood was all over her hands and her arms. She looked at the plated beak of the mask which was covered in it. She breathed in looking at the dried blood on her clothes as she sat down looking at it in fire light. She raised her hand staring at the dried blood again. Her insides felt like they were twisting in side of her body and nothing felt clear at all in her mind. She wanted to scream but she couldn't bring herself to do it, she had no energy to do it. She put a hand through her hair in frustration as she stared in to the burning red flames of the camp fire, she could feel herself getting lost in them.
The only feeling that she could feel was the dark overwhelming emptiness mixed with loneliness which was even more painfully than it had been before. She wanted to feel something, any thing but this! Why couldn't she feel anything? She had just killed twelve warriors in cold blood she'd spattered the walls with their blood and hacked their limbs from their bodies, yet she couldn't even feel sadness or even guilt. Only the heart wrecking miserable pain that was always plaguing her days and nights constantly, she turned looking at the small Aztec bag that was sitting next to her which now held the feathered serpent's godly items. The only good thing in all of this was that, that bastard wouldn't find his precious items when he returned to his grand keep.
She breathed in deeply as she watched Itzli pull out a purple herb bag from his belt. He slowly poured water in to a small wooden bowl, he then up turned the bag putting some in watching as the water hissed and churned turning blood red. She watched as he put a damp cloth in it than ran the cloth over his arm which caused the water to hiss as it ran clear healing the bloody wound on his arm. She stood up slowly moving slowly closer to him. "What is that?" Itzli sneered slightly. "None of your business…." Gabrielle didn't think as she grabbed him by the throat. She slammed him full force against the tree closest which caused the bowl to be thrown from his hand. It flew in to the fire causing it to blast outwards violently.
Gabrielle snarled aloud as she tightened her grip not caring for his struggle. "You're my slave everything you do is my business!" Itzli choked painfully only to feel her grip tighten even more. "You selfish bitch don't you understand that not everything is yours!" Gabrielle sneered slightly as she tightened her grip even more. "I've killed twelve warriors tonight!" She slowly eased out the bloody sai blade running it along his face. "So you'll tell me what I want to know or I'll make you the thirteenth!" Itzli looked up slowly, feeling himself stiffen he wasn't even going to question her words, not after today's violently display. He sneered in disgust. "It's called Fire Heat and it's for using on wounds…it only heals the outer flesh."
Gabrielle let go in a violent motion she looked down feeling her rage burn as she walked around the fire sitting down in front of it. She eyed the cooked meat which was some large fat lizard which didn't even feel like eating. If anything eating didn't give her the same joy it used to she used to relish the thought of eating warm meats, vegetables, and desserts with her lover. Xena had sometimes brought her apples or little things that she liked to snack on. Other times she'd bring her treats that they could share together in there room, which made eating something she'd come to enjoy so much. She breathed sharply trying to push the memories aside they hurt so much that it felt like her heart was being ripped out.
The truth was Xena would have never allowed her to eat half the things she'd eaten during her travels, because she'd never liked the idea of her eating disgusting food. She eyed the lizard again it probably tasted nice but the truth was her appetite and love for food had long diminished. It was now just something she did just to stay alive and because it was necessary. She didn't really, care what she was eating anymore. Itzli pulled the lizard off the fire he looked at it then at the Blood Jaguar who staring in to the flames. "It's ready?" Gabrielle looked at the cooked animal again. "I'm not hungry." Itzli looked up sharply. "You said you were! You mean I caught this for nothing! Do you know how much of pain this beaded lizard was to kill?"
Gabrielle sneered slightly as she stood up throwing the Aztec bag over her shoulder. "I never said I wanted lizard!" Itzli sat up sharply. "First you throw my Fire Heart and my wooden bowl in to the fire and now you won't eat the lizard which I spent two hours trying to find!" Gabrielle eyed him in disgust as she picked up the bloody headdress. "I'm going to the stream." Itzli raised the dead lizard. "Yes you should go since your still wearing the blood of those you've just killed!" Gabrielle didn't think as she shoved past him, she didn't have the will to say any thing more she was wearing the blood of those she'd killed. It was all over her hands and her all over her metal wrist gauntlets.
She could feel it caked to the side of her face as well as her arms legs and chest it was awful feeling which made her insides turn. She ignored the feeling as came to a stop next to the stream which some way from the camp, she kneeled down splashing the water on her face. She couldn't help her next movement as they became violently as she began to scrub harshly trying to get rid off the blood on her face. She could feel it coming off her hands and arms she could feel her fingers scratching at her body. She threw water on herself as she began to scrub harder trying to get rid of it. It was all over her coating her refusing to let go of her skin. She didn't think as the panic took over her and she put her whole head under water.
The water was ice cold and chilling she broke the surface throwing her head back which caused her short hair to tangle up wildly. She breathed in trying desperately to control herself as she got rid off the last of the blood on her body. She looked at her clean body only to feel the sadness wash over her, no matter how much she scrubbed, no mater how much she washed it would still be there haunting her. She pushed her wet hair back staring at her own reflection which she didn't even recognise anymore. This reflection never smiled and it never laughed she felt her whole body tense up in panic again as she put a hand on her face. She found herself looking up sharply as an air spitting scream pieced the night air.
She stood up slowly realizing that it was the scream of a child and it wasn't far away. She didn't think as she pulled her sai blade up as she moved forward slowly catching sight a three figures and a smaller one. She narrowed her gaze as she moved closer to the arguing people who paid no attention to her at all. The big warrior stood out the clearest as he violently pulled the five year old around as he pushed his mother back. He turned slamming his fist in to the father's chest as he came forward bringing the man to his knees. "Your child is to be sacrificed to Itzpapalotl!" The father got up his anger showing. "Get of my son!"
The warrior's fist impacted with his face sending him crashing against the tree. "Dirty peasant farmers like you have any choice in the matter! You do as our goddess commands!" Gabrielle moved forward as the sudden rush of adrenaline and hated took over. The man turned but he wasn't fast enough to avoid her sai blade hilt as it impacted with his nose sending blood everywhere. The overwhelming rush and pleasurable joy of doing pain to others had taken over again. She barely registered his painful cry as he hit the floor letting go of the boy who tumbled to the floor his screaming and crying continued. She felt an evil smile form across her lips as she grabbed the fallen warrior before he could get up.
She could see the panic in his face even before she raised the hilt again, she sneered eyeing him. "You must think yourself so big to pick on farmers you bastard." She slammed the hilt in to his face even harder only to hear the sickening crack as his nose broke. She watched him fall back she didn't think as she brought up her foot slamming it full force in to his chest. She leaned over pulled him up again enjoying his utter terror and pain even for a big man his cowardice was amusing. "What's wrong don't you have anything to say to me, any big commanding words?" The warrior's black and gold feathered headdress came off as he looked up. She raised her sai blade running it along the length of his face enjoying his fear.
She tightened her grip "I thought not…."She didn't think as she brought up her knee up smashing it in to his face full force, only to watch as he fell back passing out. She didn't think as she leaned over pulling his axe free from its holder on his side. She turned eyeing the family who looked shocked as she put her sai blade back in place. The mother grabbed her child as she backed behind the father in fear as she smiled slightly. "What part would you like me to cut off?" She grinned raised the weapon higher. "His arms or maybe his legs what part would be fitting for this vile piece of work?" She felt her evil smile widen not caring that she was scaring them. "Or would you like me to cut him open slowly?"
"Blood Jaguar!"
She turned watching as Itzli appeared he pulled up his weapon only to lower it in shock as he looked at the battered warrior who was passed out. "Are you out of your mind!?" Gabrielle sneered raising the axe again. "Yes…I am, now which part of his body does he need the least?" Itzli pulled up in shock. "He's a warrior of Itzpapalotl you insane bitch!" Gabrielle eyed him in disgust. "So I suppose sacrificing small children makes his actions okay!?" Itzli breathed in deeply. "No it doesn't but It's a tradition of Itzpapalotl's the underworld goddess." He turned pointing in to the distance. "Her central temple is that way and if she finds out that you've caused her trouble she'll make you suffer in unimaginable ways if she catches you."
Gabrielle looked up slightly. "I just stole from the feathered serpents keep do you think I care about some bitch of a goddess whose from the underworld!?" Itzli turned slightly to the terrified family. "You know despite that she saved your lives it doesn't mean she won't kill you!" The father stepped forward. "Who are you people?" Itzli sneered in disgust. "My name is Itzli and her name is Blood Jaguar and if you want to breed and have more brats you'll run away!" He watched as the bolted in to a run disappearing in to the blackness of the jungle the child's muffled sobs disappeared in to the night. He didn't think as he grabbed the weapon in her hand throwing it on the floor. "Is it possible for you to just once not cause trouble!?" Gabrielle sneered as she stepped forward her gaze slowly turned to the trees ahead. "How far is this bitch's temple?" Itzli turned sharply. "No! Don't you even think about it?!" Gabrielle moved forward eyeing him. "Tell me about her temple servant!" She stepped forward seeing his fear. "I want to know everything about it right now or I'll break you slowly!"
8
Gabrielle looked up at the sun which was high in the sky she slowly pushed the branches back watching as the huge temple came in to view. It rose up high above the trees overshadowing the landscape. It was built from black and white stone covered by thousands of decorative skulls and ugly monsters along with other images that made anything in Tartarus or hell look mild. She felt her stomach twist as she caught sight of the hideous human bone yard at the very bottom and the blood stained steps. The goddess liked to have her killed victims bodies tossed down the steps after they'd served their purpose. Apparently killing children was something she did quite often and the thought of that made her sick.
She looked around her seeing that the warriors were leaving along with the priests. From what Itzli had said they left the temple after dawn and returned at nightfall. Everyone was terrified of this temple which was named the fire temple. They were also terrified of the goddess and of the rumours that the temple had a gateway to the seventh hell inside it. The seventh hell was a living gate way to a place that was said to be the worst hell imaginable. There were six other Aztec hells but that one was the most feared and the one everyone in Mexica was terrified off. It was pulsing flesh like gate way which once opened would take anyone and anything in to its capping mouth and would not stop until it was filled with victims before closing.
The farmers in this region had suffered under the fire temple for seasons they were all to afraid to fight back most had just come to accept their fate and that of their children. Itzpapalotl was as terrifying as the feathered serpent, she was another god who commanded by using fear and suffering on her followers. She felt an evil smile form across her lips, which was all the more reason to destroy her central temple. Itzli moved forward the truth was the thought of this temple terrified him. Gabrielle sneered as she looked at the hundreds of human bones at the bottom of the temple whose skulls stared back at her in a gruesome display. She breathed in deeply as her foot touched the bloody steps.
She felt her body tense the smell of death and the feeling of this place was vile on so many levels. She slowly eased her sai blade out as she moved up the stone steps. She found herself moving faster only to stop as the bloody stained altar came in to view. Her gaze slowly moved downwards as she caught sight of a child wooden toy covered in blood lying close by. She slowly leaned down picking it up staring in to its stone eyes which were partly covered in blood. She breathed in deeply feeling the hatred as it burnt through her system like fire, she could feel her fingers tightening violently around the child's toy. Even the Greek gods weren't this vile they would never do anything so cruel.
She snarled aloud as she slammed the toy down watching as its head shattered against the blood stained altar. She didn't think as she turned throwing the broken toy against the floor. "Your goddess disgusts me." Itzli sneered as they carried moving up the steps. He watched as the inner keep steps came in to view. "You disgust me but I don't complain." Gabrielle eyed him as they moved towards the inner keep, there was more blood spattered across the ground. The stench of death and decay was even worse here it made she felt her stomach twist violently. She breathed in deeply trying to keep herself from throwing up. She turned slamming her foot full force in to his leg ignoring his cry of pain. "Shut up!"
Itzli sneered as they moved downwards in to the temple he breathed in deeply seeing the blood stained walls which made him shiver. There were human skulls both adult and child all over the walls of the main room which was lit by fire torches. He turned seeing another room which was close by which was also dimly lit. He sneered as he raised his axe. "I'll check the other room." Gabrielle ignored him as she raised the fertility goddess pendent which glowed with white light. "Give me black powder!" Itzli ignored the screeching sounds of the spirits were freed from the pendent he slowly walked in to the other room which was filled with sacrificial weapons all of which were lying on a stone table.
He turned as he heard someone move in the darkness he narrowed his gaze hearing them slowly pick up a weapon. He snarled aloud as he heard them step behind him, how pitiful. He didn't think as he swung his weapon right around he turned hearing a cry of agonizing pain. Which was drowned out by the spirits screams in the other room. He turned seeing that his weapon was embedded in the stomach of a big priest whose eyes were wide open in shock. He watched as the bone weapon dropped from the man's shaking hand the man blinked as he started to gag. Itzli eyed him in disgust. "You're pitiful and slow…priest." He pulled his bloody weapon free in a violent motion.
He watched as the man hit the floor on his knees his hand clutching his bleeding stomach. "Any last requests, before I kill you?" The priest looked up slowly as he coughed. "I…I have a daughter…she's in Xochiquetzal's region…tell her that you're her father." Itzli pulled back in anger as he raised his weapon. "I don't care for bastard brats…so your request means nothing to me." The priest looked up in panic. "Please! I was never the noble father she deserved, but you are…you're a warrior of the sun god." Itzli narrowed his gaze. "Actuality my master is the Blood Jaguar and your last day has come, yours and that of your vile temple." He raised the weapon higher ignoring the terror in the man's eyes. "So I have intention of for filling your last request!"
He didn't think as he brought the axe down full force hearing the priest's skull as it cracked. He watched as the man's body hit the floor shaking in death he snorted aloud what a pathetic last request. As if he was going to play noble father too some vile little brat who needed a father he had better things to do with his time. Gabrielle watched as black powder spilled from the spirits hands as they moved all over the temple she grabbing a flaming torch from one of the stands. She knew she was thinking straight anymore but the truth was she didn't care she wanted to see this place burn like Tartarus! It was a disgusting and vile place which should be destroyed.
Her gaze turned as she watched Itzli appear behind her. "Where have you been!?" Itzli watched as the spirits flew past her spilling more thick black powder all over the temples floor. He narrowed his gaze as the all moved outside spilling the same powder on the keeps inner stairs he sneered slightly "I was busy the other room was full of weapons I was breaking them!" It was a lie not that he really cared as if he had to be honest to the Blood Jaguar she was a bitch. Gabrielle kicked a skull out of the way as they walked up the inner keeps steps. Itzli followed her watching as the spirits moved down the steps in front of them leaving more black trails of this vile powder which smelt of sulphur and something else which he couldn't place.
He eyed the Blood Jaguar watching as they walked down the stone steps. "What is this vile powder?!" Gabrielle raised the torch higher. "It's a bringer of death and destruction." She grinned evilly raising the torch high as they came to the bone grave yard at the bottom of the temple. Itzli grunted aloud. "This powder can bring death please what do you take me for a fool?" Gabrielle sneered slightly as she eyed him. "Yes." She eyed the pool of black powder lines at the steps very bottom she didn't think as she threw the torch in to them watching as they burst in to flames. Itzli moved forward watching in shock as the flames followed the dust lines. He watched as the spirits appeared floating over them their job finally done.
He turned back only to see the fire moved upwards in side the temple's inner keep. He didn't get a chance to say anything else as fire burst out the temples opening with immense force. He watched in horror as the temple top half was blown to pieces sending stone everywhere. Huge flames rose upwards, creating a raging inferno, which rose high above the tree line bellowing black smoke skywards. He turned listening to the Blood Jaguar's cold laugh she could kill and destroy and she knew about things which he couldn't even fathom. He watched as another part of the temple was blown part sending more burning rock flying all around them. He had to know what that powder was called! He had to know how it was made!
8
Xena felt her breath come out harshly as the goddess of the dead let go of her face she could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Her blood felt like it was rushing in to her ears. All were Gabrielle's last emotions from her memory, she felt her hands form fist as she met the goddess's red gaze. "You're disgusting…." Itzpapalotl sneered as she met the woman's ice blue gaze she didn't think as she brought her hand around smashing it full force across the warriors face. "You just saw what your lover did to me and your defending her!?" Xena turned slowly ignoring the cold feeling off blood which was bleeding down her cheek from a cut which had been made the goddess's clawed boned finger on impact.
She breathed in deeply trying to calm her self down. "She was right to blow you temple of fire sky high, I would have done the same thing!" She felt her arms tense as cruel smile spread across her lips. "It's just I would have enjoyed it more." Itzpapalotl snarled aloud as she stepped forward. "Defiant to the end…aren't you? Tell me is it courage or stupidity that keeps you talking?" Xena pulled on her chains violently. "No it's the fact that my lover has made fools out of gods like you already. I'm sure she can do it to you and Tezcatlipoca again." Itzpapalotl narrowed her gaze in disgust she raised her skeleton hand feeling it form a fist. "If you were a prisoner in my keep you would be dead and living out your eternity in the seventh hell!"
She smiled slightly. "The only part of you, your lover would have to take home would be your skull." Xena sneered slightly as she leaned forward. "You're not in charge though, so you don't get to decide my fate." Itzpapalotl snarled aloud. "He's only keeping you alive so he can rip you open when the Blood Jaguar shows her face, you should remember that Warrior Princess! You're just bait, no one cares if you live or die!" Xena breathed in slowly feeling her heartbeat slowly calm to a steady pace. "Actuality the Blood Jaguar does, I wonder how many more of your temples she'll burn down before she gets here. If she hates you as much as I already do I can see every temple in your region going up in flames. Now isn't that a comforting though?"
Itzpapalotl moved forward roaring in anger. "Don't test me!" Xena smiled slightly. "Or you'll what, kill me? You not allowed that pleasure only Tezcatlipoca is." Itzpapalotl narrowed her gaze as she lowered her hand stepping back she snarled as she pushed past the guards who had been watching the exchange. Xena turned watching as she disappeared from sight, she closed her eyes watching the guards take up there positions again. She was so tired she wanted to sleep, for the first time in so long she wanted sleep. Feeling her lover's broken emotions and border line pain which felt like it was leading to insanity and panic were even harder to take in than the other emotions she'd felt last time she'd been through this. She took in a deep breath trying to focus herself she had to keep her self strong which was starting to get harder. If these gods saw any signs of weakness showing they would use them against her. She felt her stomach scream silently as the feeling of hunger and thirst kicked in she breathed in again trying to ignore it.
End of part 37
Silvermoonlight.
I forgot to mention this in the last chapter Acamapichtli was the first king of Tenochtitlan. Admittedly the dates in Ancient Greek History and Aztec history don't match, but I guess this fiction and the WXP universe is well know for twisting dates to fit in the series.