"Gabrielle!" Half-asleep, she heard a whisper and felt a gentle caress on her face which made her smile.

"Hm?"

"Gabrielle!" The voice was a bit louder.

"Yeah?" the bard muttered feebly.

"It's dawn. We got to move."

"Move?" Gabrielle felt too comfortable to wake up.

"Come on! Wakey wakey!"

Feeling a light shake on her shoulder, Gabrielle began to sober up. She raised her head and noticed a leather tunic under it. Then, as she looked upward, Damian smiled at her. For a moment Gabrielle was confused, but quickly realized that they slept together during the night. She crawled off with an awkward smile.

The pain in Xena's legs became more bearable, and with some flinching, Damian was also able to move his arms around.

"Seems like we'll be in fighting shape, after all," he remarked.

They followed Damian's lead, and eventually, the beaten path went upwards.

"Everything will be fine," said Gabrielle, noticing Xena's long silence. "I prepared for your defense and if we handle the current problem, I believe you'll have a good chance."

Xena turned to her with a sad smile.

"Thank you."

"I wish I'd have your confidence." Damian sighed. "It would be easier if I'd have some previous experience with strange monsters. Few things are more unnerving than the unknown."

Gabrielle noticed Damian's nervousness. She squeezed his wrist and smiled at him.

"You'll soon get that experience."

"Let's hope I'll be able to put it to use later."

After some walking, the path finally evened.

"We're close." Damian pointed forward. "It's just a few…"

They spotted a headless body, lying on the ground and some distance away, there was another, ripped in half. They found two more villagers.

"No. No!" Damian pulled out his sword and looked at his companions with a terrified expression. "It can't be! Are we too late?"

"Hold on!"

Xena released Damian's staff and climbed on a taller tree, going as high as she could.

"If we'd got those horses…" Damian snarled.

"Calm down," said Gabrielle. "We shouldn't make hasty conclusions."

"We shouldn't stand around either. Maybe––"

With a cracking noise, Xena slid down and groaned as she landed.

"I saw movement in the village. There was no sign of them being wiped out."

Damian let out a relieved sigh.

"Then there's still time. I'll go forward and try finding someone to get the judge. I'll be back in a few minutes."

They watched him run away, then Xena turned her attention to the bodies, ignoring the stench of death. They seemed dead for a few days and were all killed in brutal fashion, but none of the wounds gave a clear picture of their killer.

"The villagers didn't recover them," she remarked.

"Maybe they are too afraid to leave."

"Yes." Xena was contemplating. "And it is clear that they weren't killed for food. So, the question is, what does that monster wants and why didn't it kill them all already?"

"Maybe they have something that keeps it away?" Gabrielle guessed.

"Maybe…"

In this moment, Damian returned, and his face did not promise reason to rejoice.

"I have bad news," he said and looked at Xena. "Judge Kleitos died in his sleep a few months ago. I don't know who the new judge is, but likely not as impartial as Kleitos was."

"I guess we'll just have to see," answered Xena, resigned.

Gabrielle's throat tightened. Her friend's chances for a fair trial were getting slim and she only hoped that dealing with the monster eases the village's lust for blood.

"Before we proceed, I'm gonna need your sword, chakram and my staff." Damian raised his palms. "You'll get them back once we start pursuing the monster, but you probably understand that it's not a good idea for you to marching through the village, armed."

Xena had to agree. After her last visit, things would be less tense if Lyros feels to be in control. Damian took the staff and kept the sword in hand as well, while Gabrielle held the chakram.

"First, I'll need to talk with my mother and learn what we can before the entire village learns that you're here." He raised the edge of Xena's sword before her. "Let's go!"

Xena took a deep breath, and they walked into the village. They saw a few people working in the fields or their garden and did their best to avoid them. When reaching a small house, Damian raised his hand for them to stop and knocked on the door.

"Yes?" asked a female voice.

"It's me, mother. Damian."

The door slowly opened, then a woman rushed out and embraced Damian. Her brown hair had gray locks in it which weren't there when Xena met her years ago, and her face also gained a few wrinkles.

"You're here! You're really here!"

"I am. Karpos told me what happened. And whatever hounds the village will die today."

"Karpos survived? At least he managed to escape. Nikon and the others…"

"Yes, we found them." Damian sighed. The woman let go of his son and examined him.

"You're still very skinny. You should…"

At this moment, she noticed Xena, and her eyes widened.

"Mother, calm down," said Damian as the woman's breathing hastened. "She's unarmed."

"Un… what? You… you captured her?" she asked in disbelief.

"I––"

"Of course you have!" Her eyes lit up. "Not even the Warrior Princess can stand against my wonderful son."

"Mother, it's––"

"Wait, you didn't tie her up? You can't be that careless with her!"

"She's not my captive."

The woman blinked, confused.

"I… don't understand."

"Xena intends to atone for her crimes. She'll aid me in taking care of that creature."

Damian's mother was still baffled.

"Is that… some kind of joke?"

"Xena has changed," said Gabrielle. "She turned from her old life and did a lot of good since then."

"This is Gabrielle, a… friend of mine." Damian hastily introduced them to each other. "This is my mother, Chloe."

Gabrielle smiled at Chloe, who didn't know what to make out of her.

"Changed… do you actually believe that this… woman can change?"

Xena could not stand her hateful gaze. Seeing Chloe renewed her memories, like it happened yesterday.

"I'm certain she did," Damian answered.

"Are you serious, Damian? You can't trust her!"

"I don't trust her. I trust her desire to make up for all the evil she's done. Now, could you tell us about––?"

"You really think you can ever make things right after what you've done to us?" Chloe looked at Xena.

"No."

"You can't even imagine the suffering you've inflicted! You––"

"She will stand trial for her crimes, mother!" Damian interrupted. "But right now, I need her. I don't know what are we facing and I'm not willing to take unnecessary risks. I rather have her around just in case, than to risk failure. Now, please, tell us what you know about this monster! Mother!"

Chloe watched Xena with pure hatred, but eventually, she forced herself to turn to Damian.

"I can't tell you more than the other villagers could. We all saw… things. They always appeared during the night and weren't the same for everyone. Nikon and some people tried leaving during the day but…" She shook her head.

"And what did you see?"

Chloe sighed and seemed very reluctant to answer.

"I saw… your father from the window. He was pale and had his mortal wound on his chest. He… he beckoned me, but I dared not to go. I was afraid he… it… would enter, but for some reason, it never did. Nobody saw it in the village during the day, but ever since Nikon and the others were murdered, nobody feels safe. That's all I know."

"As we suspected, it is a shapeshifter," said Damian while rubbing his mother's shoulder to comfort her.

"Did anyone see it outside the village during the day?" asked Gabrielle.

"Well… Roxana said she did. She's the only one who survived apart from Karpos."

Damian grimaced.

"And isn't there… anyone else?"

"I don't think so. Nobody dared to leave the village since these things happened."

"Right…"

They began hearing murmuring, and as they turned around, they saw a gathering crowd.

"Seems like the news of your arrival already spread," said Damian to Xena, then turned to his mother. "We'll talk later once this business is taken care of."

Chloe once again hugged him.

"Please, be careful!"

"Don't worry. With Xena's help, there's no way I can lose," he replied, then looked at his companion and raised his arm toward the villagers. "Let's get this over with!"

Gabrielle gently touched Xena's wrist, who took a deep breath and followed Damian. She saw the villagers all around, watching her with horror and hatred. Mothers wrapped their hands around their children while other grasped their husbands' arms.

"It's her," someone muttered.

"It's true. Damian caught her."

"Murderer!" screamed a woman.

"Justice for Lyros!"

"You should have killed her!"

As Xena turned forward, she immediately stopped. A dirty blonde-haired, young boy was in their way.

"You're really Xena?" he asked. Xena felt her stomach jump.

"Yes."

"Why did you kill my father?"

Xena opened her mouth but could not answer. A thin woman rushed forward and pulled the child behind her.

"What are you doing? Don't go near her!" She turned to Xena with a mixture or dread and hate.

"Lysandra, please," Damian addressed her. "Step back."

The woman looked at him. She still kept her child behind her in an attempt to shield him even from Xena's eyes. Finally, she lowered her gaze.

"Yes. Thank you for finding her, Damian." She flashed a feeble smile at him and went back to the houses with her son.

Xena felt miserable. Gabrielle tried to comfort her, but Xena did not think she deserved it.

"Where's the judge?" asked Damian, but the crowd didn't hear it from the excited chatter. "Where––?"

Xena groaned as something hard hit her head. As Gabrielle looked around, she noticed a piece of rock bouncing off of Xena's back. She immediately gripped her staff.

"Stop it!"

More and more people in the crowd joined the stoning. Gabrielle hit a few back, but some got past. Xena made no effort to avoid them.

"Stop!" Damian exclaimed. He caught a stone meant for Xena's head and deflected two other with her sword. "Don't! I said enough!" he yelled.

The villagers finally stopped as Damian looked around with watchful eyes.

"I brought her back for justice, not for a savage entertainment! She will answer for her crimes during a trial after the monster has been taken care of!"

"Indeed!"

A man with a black mustache stepped before them, looking around with stern eyes if there was anyone left who would throw stones at Xena.

"I had to see this myself," he said. "It is truly impressive that you could bring her back." He looked at the Warrior Princess. "I am Judge Theron and I must say, I never dared hoping that this time may come."

"Right now we have a more pressing concern," said Gabrielle, and raised her voice. "Xena came back on her own to help Lyros. She even agreed to accept judgement once we're finished." The villagers whispered to each other in confusion and disbelief.

"It's true," nodded Damian. "She'll help me take care of this problem. Go home and we'll make sure that this monster won't return to torment you this night!"

Hope appeared in the villagers' eyes and they slowly dispersed.

"I will make preparations for the court," said Theron. "I trust you know what you're doing, Damian."

"I am. But we'll need to know more and my mother told me that Rox…"

"Damian!"

A long, red-haired girl ran to them and hugged the young man.

"R-roxana. I was looking for you. I––"

Before he could finish, the girl pressed her lips on Damian's. Gabrielle's eyes widened while Judge Theron cleared his throat and left to make the arrangements.

"I thought I never see you again!" said Roxana. "It's been so long since you've been here and with that monster lurking around…"

As Gabrielle uncomfortably turned to Xena, she noticed a streak of blood on her head.

"Xena, you're bleeding!" She took a piece of cloth and pressed it to her friend's wound. Xena absently put her hand on it.

"My mother told me you met the––" started Damian when Roxana noticed Gabrielle.

"Wait, who's she?"

"I'm…" Gabrielle wasn't sure what to say.

"She's a friend of mine. A bard and an amazon princess."

"Really?" blinked Roxana in surprise. "A real amazon princess? I always wondered––"

"We want to deal with this thing as soon as possible," Damian interrupted. "You saw it during the day, right?"

Roxana rubbed her arm and shivered.

"I…" she hesitated.

"Come on, every bit can help."

The girl took a deep breath.

"Alright. A few people already disappeared back then, but we thought it only comes out during the night. I went to the forest to get a few mushrooms when a huge, black wolf showed up out of nowhere and began chasing me. As I run, I… I began seeing their bodies. All the people who disappeared hanged and impaled on the trees." Tears gathered in Roxana's eyes. "I was sure this wolf was the monster, and I thought it will get me too, but somehow I could outrun it near a cave. I was hiding for… I don't know how long. I was afraid to leave until it was getting dark. Then I mustered my courage and ran for the village. Luckily I got home before the night but… it was horrible!"

She hugged Damian, crying. He awkwardly patted her back while Xena was contemplating on the tale.

"The villager Damian mentioned also talked about a cave," Gabrielle whispered to her friend.

"Yes. But if it lured people there, why would it allow them to leave?"

"Do you really think you can kill it?" asked Roxana.

"With Xena's help, I think we can," said Damian. "She had experience with strange monsters before."

Roxana gave an uncertain glance toward the woman.

"Is that a good idea?"

"Better than going alone."

"I see." Roxana took out a piece of fabric. "Then let my undying love keep you safe!"

"Come on!" Damian rolled his eyes and reluctantly allowed her to tie it on his arm. When Roxana wanted to kiss him again, he stepped back. "We have to go now. Go home and let us take care of it!"

Roxana waved as they moved toward the forest until they could no longer see her. They gave back Xena's weapons, and soon Gabrielle turned to Damian with a venomous smile.

"So… you have a sweetheart. You didn't mention it before."

"She's not my sweetheart!" Damian objected. Gabrielle raised an eyebrow.

"Then every girl in the village greets you with a kiss?"

"Look, I was in love with her when we were children, but she wasn't interested. She was dreaming about heroes like Hercules. Then, when I got into the hero business, Roxana was suddenly into me." Pathetic expression appeared on Damian's face. "So, we got together, but I quickly realized that it doesn't work. Either I was no longer in love or just turned out that in my fantasy, she was much more… interesting. I just felt she found me more available than Hercules. Sure, there's some appeal in it but when they're only attracted to my heroic exploits… you know."

"Not really, I'm just a sidekick." Nevertheless, Damian seemed genuine. "Then why was she acting like that? You… didn't tell her?"

"I tried. Multiple times. But when she saw where the conversation was going, she just told me to think about it and whenever I returned, she was acting like this talk had never happened. So… I just began to avoid her." He looked at the fabric Roxana tied on his arm and tried taking it off, unsuccessfully. "Damn it!"

"You really should stand up and make it clear then."

"I think I will, if we survive. Gah!"

Gabrielle found it amusing how Damian struggled with the fabric. He finally gave up and let it be.

"You know," he broke the silence after a while, "I think you're more than just a sidekick." As Gabrielle smiled at him, Damian stepped closer and continued. "I… really like you. It was only a few days but I feel we became good friends. I'm sorry if it has to end."

Gabrielle was confused.

"What do you mean?"

"If we survive, Xena will be brought to justice and things may not go as everyone wants it. Theron was always a stern man and losing his wife during starvation only made things worse. It can cloud his judgement and the way I see it, the best you can hope for is a punishment lighter than execution."

Gabrielle's throat tightened.

"Then… someone more objective should be the judge who can rule fairly."

"There's hardly anyone in Lyros who can truly be unbiased. I hope the judgement will be just but truth is a double-edged sword. And as much as I value your friendship, I won't sacrifice the truth for it."

Gabrielle opened her mouth to answer when Xena stopped and raised her hand.

"Wait. Do you smell it?"

They noticed the stench of rotting flesh in the air and carefully proceeded. The smell was getting stronger, and after a few steps, they noticed the first corpse impaled on a tree. The flesh on the mutilated body nearly completely rotted away or was eaten by scavengers. In the distance, they saw the next one hanging on a branch.

"It wants to lure us to itself," said Xena when they spotted a third body.

"That makes our job easier," answered Damian as he cut down the hanged villager.

"Whatever happens, we must stay together. It might attempts to separate us to kill us more easily."

They followed the gruesome trail, which eventually stopped at a cave.

"There it is," said Gabrielle. "That has to be the cave Roxana talked about."

"Yes." Damian took a deep breath. "We should force it out somehow. It is a terrible idea to fight it on its own terms. We could chase it out with smoke."

Xena shook her head.

"If it doesn't work, it will prevent us from entering. For now, we must play its game and be ready for anything."

Damian gripped his sword.

"Let's kill this bastard!"