Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Blue Eyes, White Horse, and a Chakram

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Chapter 51: Lightening

Callisto wandered out of her room. She could tell by the sunlight that it was still mid-afternoon, but it was quiet in the main room. She had expected to find Gabrielle, but was surprised to find a Herald-trainee in the room instead.

The trainee noticed her, and looked up from the book she was reading. "Hey, there you finally decided to wake up?"

Callisto vaguely remembered the girl. She's been introduced to a lot of people in the past few days. Feeling a bit uneasy about not having Xena or Gabrielle there she asked, "Where's Gabrielle?"

"She went to help Xena, She'll be back in a bit."

Callisto nodded, still feeling uneasy. Jewels noticed the child's hesitance. She got up, and crouched down so she was eye level with Callisto.

"Maybe you don't remember me? My name is Jewels, we met a couple of days ago."

Callisto nodded again. "I… I remember now"

"I brought a story book with me, would you like me to read you one?" Jewels offered.

Callisto smiled. "Sure, got any about Amazons?"

Jewels looked confused. "What's an Amazon?"

Callisto was shocked. How could someone not know about Amazons? Funny she just realized. Her past had been fuzzy, she didn't remember much of anything before the Starry-eyed One introduced her to Xena and Gabrielle. How was it that her head was suddenly full of Amazon tales? She shrugged off the feeling. It really didn't matter anyways. At least she could share some stories with Jewels.

"Well if you don't know, maybe I should tell you a story. Amazons are the coolest. Tribes of women warriors who live without men and fight and…."

The little girl continued, delving into a story about a woman named Cyane and how the Amazons were founded. Jewels, a bit intrigued and not sure what she got herself into, let the child continue her tale.

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"Mother, look I found some more Greek scrolls," Solan called.

Xena moved closer to her son to see what he'd discovered. Two more to add to the pile. These two didn't look familiar to her, but she had decided to bring everything in Greek back to Gabrielle. The mages had also found treasures among the room and each had pilled up a stack that they wished to study further.

Xena took the two scrolls and headed outside to add them to Kaylin's saddle bag. She glanced up at sky, noticing that the sun was lower then she expected. Inside the room they had lost track of time. It was about time that they headed back. Xena turned to head back inside when she felt the prickle of her warrior sense. Something was watching her.

Scanning the area around, she couldn't see anyone, but she could feel it. Kaylin's ears twitched as she picked up on her Chosen's sudden alertness. She too scanned the area.

:Xena, there in the trees!: Kaylin sent an alert.

But Xena had already seen it.

Suddenly, Xena leapt to the side just narrowly missing a thunderbolt strike. She drew her sword and crouched low, waiting to see what where the next attack would come from. Another thunderbolt struck, this time to the opposite side. Taking off her chakram she flung it in the direction of the attack.

The chakram bounced back and forth through the trees, bouncing off of rock and bark in a crisscross pattern that was meant to keep the attacker busy for a while. And that is when the second wave of attack struck her. Out of the trees a swarm of Black Soldiers came at her all at once. The attack was quick, but she was waiting for it. She waited until they got just close enough, and then letting out her war cry she flipped over them.

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Solan froze, hearing his mother's war cry he knew that something was happening. The two mages also froze. Dropping what they were holding they all raced for the door. Samuel was out first; Quinn paused just long enough to stop Solan. "Stay here," she commanded and then was out the door. Solan, paused, conflicted. He knew he should stay put, that is what Xena would have told him to do, but he also knew that she was in trouble and he wanted to help.

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Gabrielle had been lucky to find Lyron free. She quickly told him about the discovery and he was instantly enthralled. He had looked at the scroll. Gabrielle was surprised that he could roughly translate it. He explained that a lot of older writings were originally in the language on the scroll and over time had been translated. He was slow to translate it, as he wasn't a native reader like Gabrielle, but they both agreed that the discovery was amazing.

The bard explained where they had found it and that there were many more books and scrolls in the cave. Lyron was delighted and was eager to see more. Gabrielle agreed, thinking that she would also like to look through the finds.

Together they made a copy of the scroll. Gabrielle re-wrote it in both Greek and Valdemarian for him. They had just started to break it down, going through each line and trying to decipher the meaning when Gabrielle got an eerie feeling in deep down in her gut.

"Are you alright, Gabrielle?" Lyron asked concerned that the bard had suddenly gone pale.

"Yes, no…. something is going on..." she tired to explain. The feeling settled and then suddenly she felt a white-hot bolt of energy shoot through her. She fell to her knees. Breathing very fast, she whispered, "Xena." And then louder "Xena, I'm coming."

Grabbing the edge of Lyron's desk she forced herself back on her feet. She steadied herself for a moment, and then bolted for the door.

Lyron was left standing in his office, momentarily stunned. Then he came to his senses and ran after her. He got to the outside door just in time to see her on her Companion's back racing off. Quickly he put the clues together, she said Xena, and Xena was supposed to be by the waterfall in the Companion's field. He scanned the area, looking for a white uniform. Grabbing the first Herald he saw, he yelled, "Sound the alarm, Xena's in trouble."

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Solan couldn't stand it anymore he could hear that battle outside. There was the distinct ring of swords clashing with an occasional explosion. He cautiously peeked his head out the door. Xena was engaged with several Black Soldiers, she was holding her own, but they were putting up a fight. He grimaced as she stabbed one in the chest and then slit the throat of another. Both went down to the ground. She turned to take on another one, and simultaneously kicked backwards sending another solider sailing through the air.

Kaylin wasn't far away; she too had engaged several of the soldiers, and was doing her best to guard Xena's back. Quinn and Samuel had also gotten involved. They were taking turns lobbing different types of lighting and fiery orbs at a dark hooded figure, who was sending thunderbolts right back at them. It seemed that all three of them had some sort of shield that was reflecting the attacks.

Solan shifted his sites back to his mother. He saw her knock another one down, but then saw the two that he thought he had killed get back up again. Xena saw this as well, and was starting to get frustrated. These guys weren't dying, and they weren't stopping. She flipped over the mob, giving herself some room. She was now facing Solan, and they briefly made eye contact.

:Get back inside!: He heard her voice in his head.

A solider hit Xena from behind, momentarily stunned she fell to her knees. They had gotten too close, and she struggled to get up. More were coming she could feel them pressing in on her. Another blow struck her to the side of the head. She had had just about enough of this. She gathered her will and send out a burst of fire in a ring around her. The four closest soldiers caught fire and in the confusion, she was able to get enough clearance to flip out and back into the clear.

The soldiers that had caught fire were struggling, they had panicked and ran, and were all now fully engulfed. Xena let off two more fireballs, each hitting a solider squarely in the chest, they too burst into flame. She turned suddenly felling another one behind her.

Quinn and Samuel weren't having much better luck with a robed figure. He was strong, and Samuel could feel his shields start to falter. Each of their Companions had taken up besides them, protecting their flanks and adding their own personal energies to their Chosen's Gifts. Quinn too was having problems with her own shields. They were both acutely aware that neither one of them had ever engaged a real mage enemy before, and it was very different then the training they had received.

Xena had taken a moment in the confusion of the fire to check on her Herald comrades. They both seemed to be struggling. She realized that the mage was engaged with them, and she took the opportunity to strike. She let her chakram fly through the air once again, heading directly at the robed figure.

The figure, seeing the movement out of the corner of his eye, held his hand up and the chakram stopped in mid-air and then fell to the ground. He smiled, realizing he had the upper hand; he lobbed a thunderbolt at the warrior, who had turned to engage another solider. The thunderbolt hit her. She was not prepared as the power seared through her. She instinctively raised her shields just as she lost consciousness.

Kaylin was instantly at her side, she kicked the solider away. Samuel's Companion joined the fight, each Companion protectively on either side of Xena. Solan was stunned. He had to do something, he couldn't just stand there. Gathering his wits he surveyed the battlefield. Xena had the Companions protecting her, and with the soldiers that Xena had burned down, there were fewer there to deal with. The mage was engaged with the Heralds. No one was watching him. His eyes fell to his mother's chakram, lying in the middle of both battles. Quietly he slipped away from the cave entrance and headed toward it.