Chapter Nine
Chronos had been telling the truth. He had offered the same deal to Callisto, who also ran off, intent on saving Gabrielle and getting the sand before Xena. Both warriors had been touched by the bard, and neither could just forget about her. It's funny how a debt to the world can be erased when someone's loved one is in danger.
While they both ran, the two Gabrielles were getting very bored. Gabby had rediscovered her love for the quill, but there was no ink to write with or scrolls to write on. So both had resorted to a favorite game of both.
"Are you from the land of the rising sun?" Gabby asked kicking at a stray rock on the ground.
"Nope. One more guess."
"Don't need one. You're Joxer!"
Gabrielle sighed. "You know, this game is fun when the person can't guess what the other person is thinking, but when we have the same minds, it's much harder." She sighed again and got up to pace. "I wish Xena would hurry up and save me."
"You mean, you can't wait for Callisto to save us. Xena, no offense, isn't the best warrior in the world." Gabby stood and started practicing with her imaginary staff. Gabrielle's ire was raised, though.
"She's better than Callisto in any world. Sorry." Gabrielle patted Gabby's shoulder with utmost patronizing.
Gabby spun around, holding her fists out. "No, she isn't. Xena couldn't win against Callisto."
"Oh, yes she could. Callisto, no matter what, couldn't wipe the floor with my aunt."
Gabby gritted her teeth. "Xena couldn't wipe the floor with an ant."
Both looked ready to spit nails at each other, but then both sighed. "This isn't helping," Gabrielle pointed out.
"Then what will? At least fighting could have been interesting. I could see where my weaknesses are."
"That," Gabrielle said and put an innocent expression on her face. She pointed towards the guy who was coming in. Chronos' son was back.
"Hi," he said. He held out a tray of something that glowed. "This is ambrosia. I thought you must desire food, so I dug this out of my father's cold storage area. You won't turn into gods—time and all, but you will feel satiated at least for food." He opened up a small square in the glass. Gabrielle nudged Gabby. That might be their ticket out of here.
"Oh, thank you!" Gabrielle said and ran over to him. "Don't close it so fast," she added touching his arm. He smiled and stuttered his next words.
"O-oh, o-okay." Epoch wasn't a bad looking god, but he didn't exactly have experience with the ladies.
Which was why Gabrielle was going to play him like a lyre. "So, Epoch . . . we hate being so cooped up. Couldn't you . . . let us out?" She gave him a dazzling smile. He would have fainted, but he brought his courage back.
"I can't . . . If I knew how I would, but Chronos doesn't share stuff with me. If he knew I was even talking to you . . ."
"Then go away," Gabby said. She was sick of being ignored. She grabbed the ambrosia and munched a bit.
"Wait," Gabrielle said, shooting a glare at Gabby. How could her own self be so hostile? "If you can't help us out, can you at least tell us what Chronos wants with us?"
"You're bait." He blinked a few times, the light from the torches shining in his fathomless eyes. "Your heroes are similar. One twist of fate, and they shared the same lives in different worlds. As they came here, they were in the midst of conflict, which made them aggravated. They lost their soulmates, the two of you . . . And I can see why." He smiled bashfully at Gabrielle. Gabby rolled her eyes. "That made them illogical. And now he puts them in a competition for you. That will make them desperate. As they try and save you, they will come to blows. Two such great strengths will shake this world, and Chronos will be able to widen a gap in the bars of his prison."
Gabrielle looked at him with horror. "But Xena would never put me over the greater good."
"Neither would Callisto," Gabby said firmly.
"They have. Sometimes a person in our lives is more important than anything, even the greater good."
Gabrielle bit her lip. "Is there a way for this to end well? Please, Epoch. You're not like Chronos. I can tell."
Epoch frowned. "The only way would be for your heroes to work together. If they do, they would be able to find the hidden temple which holds the weapon of time—it is a scythe blessed by death. With it, the heroes can strike down even my father. But I'm afraid they won't even look for it. They have been set on fire, and they'll do anything to douse it."
"Can you tell them?" Gabrielle asked.
Gabby also reached out and took his hand. With both bards pleading with him, their eyes begging, Epoch couldn't say no. He had always resented his father and the timeless lands control. He had wanted to free the villages, but he had never had the guts. But he had never actually stared into the face of the victims of his father before. Suddenly, he couldn't take it any longer. "I'll tell them. If I'm in time . . ."
With the sound of clock ticking, Epoch was gone. The glass square sealed up again and the Gabrielles stared at each other. "Well, I really wish I could be there with my staff," Gabby said.
"Me, too. In the meantime, I have faith that Xena will save the day . . . Oh and Callisto will, um, be an equal part in that saving." She gave a wry smile, and Gabby laughed.
"I'm an optimist. When you're on the side of good, everything works out. So let's eat. Ambrosia tastes like marshmallows. Who knew?"
Gabrielle took a piece and both sat there in the hourglass, waiting. It was funny. Only time would tell if everything worked out, but here time was stopped.
The world around seemed to take a breath together, and it was held.
