Part 5
Within the next hour, Xena and I were walking through the demolished village. The only standing building was the temple where I had been bound by fire. I was uneasy as I looked at it.
"Xena, I don't know about this." I said softly. She looked at me.
"You look really pale Gabrielle. You should head back. I'll take care of this." Xena offered.
"No. I'm gonna help you." I said. "I want to do this, Xena. I have to do this."
"I understand." Xena said. We rode up to the temple quietly. Xena and I got off of our horses and let them wander and graze. Xena made sure that the slings her twins were in were fastened snugly to her and I made sure the sling for Dawn was fastened snugly around me.
"All right. Let's go." Xena said. Side-by-side, Xena and I went into the temple. All was silent. Everything was still except for the large flame in the fire pit.
"So, this is Dahak." Xena said. "He doesn't look so tough."
"He is." I said. "More powerful that anyone could ever dream."
"I wouldn't doubt it. Gods, that's one big flame." Xena said. She drew her chakram and her sword. She put them on the altar. She looked at me. I put my Sais on the altar. We walked around the fire pit.
"We should be careful, Xena." I said. Xena nodded.
"So, Dahak. You're the evil one these days, huh? Well, you see, my friend here, well, you did something to her last night. We're both here to make sure you are never worshiped again. So, we can do this the easy way, or . . ." Dahak's flame shot up to the ceiling as Xena's eyes widened. "The hard way it is."
"Xena." I said nervously as Dawn began to cry. I felt my stomach lurch. I felt sweat forming on my brow. I felt my legs shaking. Xena looked at me.
"Come on Dahak. Is that all you've got? Just an impressive flame? You aren't even in human form. I mean, you could at least zap on a couple of gauntlets and some armor."
"Xena, please. Let's go now!" I pleaded.
"I'll see you around, Dahak. I don't want to see you until you're brave enough to fight me. So, until then . . ." Xena started. She walked over and found a huge shield. "Gabrielle, help me with this, will ya?" I hurried over to Xena and she and I pushed the huge battle shield over the massive fire pit. It blocked Dahak's flame. "Stand back, Gabrielle." I stood back and Xena stood back a bit as well. She reached for her chakram, which was still on the altar, and she threw it up at the ceiling, and it caused the ceiling to cave in and cover the shielded pit.
I looked at Xena with wide eyes, and she gave me a smile.
"Let's get out of here." She declared. I didn't protest. I followed her out of the temple and just as soon as we got on our horses with the children and got far enough away, the temple exploded, sending brick and stone flying all over the place.
Within the next hour, Xena and I were walking through the demolished village. The only standing building was the temple where I had been bound by fire. I was uneasy as I looked at it.
"Xena, I don't know about this." I said softly. She looked at me.
"You look really pale Gabrielle. You should head back. I'll take care of this." Xena offered.
"No. I'm gonna help you." I said. "I want to do this, Xena. I have to do this."
"I understand." Xena said. We rode up to the temple quietly. Xena and I got off of our horses and let them wander and graze. Xena made sure that the slings her twins were in were fastened snugly to her and I made sure the sling for Dawn was fastened snugly around me.
"All right. Let's go." Xena said. Side-by-side, Xena and I went into the temple. All was silent. Everything was still except for the large flame in the fire pit.
"So, this is Dahak." Xena said. "He doesn't look so tough."
"He is." I said. "More powerful that anyone could ever dream."
"I wouldn't doubt it. Gods, that's one big flame." Xena said. She drew her chakram and her sword. She put them on the altar. She looked at me. I put my Sais on the altar. We walked around the fire pit.
"We should be careful, Xena." I said. Xena nodded.
"So, Dahak. You're the evil one these days, huh? Well, you see, my friend here, well, you did something to her last night. We're both here to make sure you are never worshiped again. So, we can do this the easy way, or . . ." Dahak's flame shot up to the ceiling as Xena's eyes widened. "The hard way it is."
"Xena." I said nervously as Dawn began to cry. I felt my stomach lurch. I felt sweat forming on my brow. I felt my legs shaking. Xena looked at me.
"Come on Dahak. Is that all you've got? Just an impressive flame? You aren't even in human form. I mean, you could at least zap on a couple of gauntlets and some armor."
"Xena, please. Let's go now!" I pleaded.
"I'll see you around, Dahak. I don't want to see you until you're brave enough to fight me. So, until then . . ." Xena started. She walked over and found a huge shield. "Gabrielle, help me with this, will ya?" I hurried over to Xena and she and I pushed the huge battle shield over the massive fire pit. It blocked Dahak's flame. "Stand back, Gabrielle." I stood back and Xena stood back a bit as well. She reached for her chakram, which was still on the altar, and she threw it up at the ceiling, and it caused the ceiling to cave in and cover the shielded pit.
I looked at Xena with wide eyes, and she gave me a smile.
"Let's get out of here." She declared. I didn't protest. I followed her out of the temple and just as soon as we got on our horses with the children and got far enough away, the temple exploded, sending brick and stone flying all over the place.