CHAPTER 18
It was with extreme trepidation, and not a little bit of fear, that Xena entered Amphipolis. On the surface, everything seemed normal, but she knew that was just a thin veneer hiding the malignant evil that must reside within.
With determination, Batman followed her into the city. The Joker was there.
Slowly, they made their way through the city, garnering more than a few stares. Cautiously they plodded, until they came upon a single building.
"This is my mother's inn…" Xena said by way of explanation.
Merely nodding, Batman dismounted, waiting for her to do so.
For a moment longer she lingered, then with a deep breath she came down.
Standing together, Xena opened the door and they stepped in.
What greeted her was a picture of serenity and peace that remained unchanged from the last time she'd been here.
The curtains, the chairs, the stairwell, everything. Even Cyrene herself, behind the counter ready to welcome guests. But on closer inspection, she was out of place.
Normally an open, enthusiastic person, she always had a ready smile and a good word to say. But now she had a certain tightness around the eyes that Xena had never seen before. A certain restraint held her body more rigid than usual.
"Mom…?" Xena made to move towards her when Cyrene spoke.
"There's someone waiting to see you in the dining hall." Her speech was as restrained as her outward appearance.
Shifting her gaze from her mother, the warrior princess made her way to the dining hall, Batman in tow.
Steeling herself, she opened the double doors wide. The scene that greeted her was a bleak one.
"Hello Xena." Callisto said.
To her right stood a figure Xena didn't recognize, but could only guess was the man this 'Batman' was after. In his hand was a crossbow, currently pointed at Gabrielle and Robin, tied up together in a chair.
"Batman! Well met old chum!" The Joker chortled, his hilarity sorely out of place.
"A bit crude perhaps," the Clown Prince of Crime pursed his lips disappointedly, nodding at the crossbow and then the two sidekicks. "But when in Greece…" He shrugged his shoulders.
"I suppose letting them go is out of the question?" Xena asked.
"Dear Xena, that same sense of humor," Callisto proceeded to unsheathe her sword.
Xena did the same.
"Oh, oh! I love a good catfight, don't you Batman?" And though he laughed, his aim never wavered from the kids.
"What now?" Batman merely asked.
"We watch," The Joker gestured to the women, now sizing each other up. "You can't get this stuff on pay-per-view!"
"And I wouldn't be getting any ideas 'Flatman', this thing's got a hair trigger. I've got my eye on you!"
Saying nothing, Batman watched both the Joker and the ensuing conflict.
Giving her sword an experimental twirl, Callisto licked her lips in anticipation.
"Here, Xena, Xena, Xena…"
For her part, Xena was no less anticipatory. With a snarl they leapt at each other. The ring of steel on steel reverberated throughout the room.
Coming off the rebound, Callisto made a vicious slash at the mid section. Seeing it coming, Xena blocked, and made a stab of her own.
Shifting her weight, Callisto was able to position her blade in time to deflect Xena's own. In the opening that ensued, she threw an elbow to the face, which impacted with Xena's nose.
Thrown off balance by the blow, Xena stumbled back, yet was still able to jump out of the way of Callisto's sword, which had come back. The pass going wide, she took advantage of the window of opportunity and thrust upwards, her own sword just grazing Callisto's chin.
Having saved herself in the nick of time, Callisto sought more room between them, in order to buy time to bring her steel back into play.
Xena took the momentary lull to regain her own composure.
Having resettled themselves, they began to circle one another. The opening volley was over, and each had tested the other's defenses.
"First blood." Xena said into the ensuing silence.
"It's 'last' that matters dear…" Screaming, Callisto came at her again.
But this time Xena was ready. With lighting like reflexes, she pulled a chair out from one of the tables and threw it at Callisto. Instinctively moving to block it, Callisto left herself open to a body tackle that sent both their weapons flying.
Both women rolled about on the floor, scraping and clawing at one another. Teeth, nails, all came into play as each sought to gain the upper hand.
While all this went on, Robin was not unproductive. He had noticed that no one was watching him and Gabrielle anymore. Oh, the crossbow was still pointed at them, but the Joker was looking from Batman to the fight and back to Batman. No one was taking any notice of the hostages. This was the opportunity Robin had been waiting for.
While bereft of his utility belt, they had not taken away his cape, which in itself was a sort of 'spare' belt. With his hands tied behind his back, he easily reached into his cape and retrieved the file blade he had there.
It took but a few seconds work to free them from their bonds. Cautioning Gabrielle to keep quiet, they moved out of the crossbow's path.
"Batman!" Robin called, riveting attention back to them.
Seeing them safe, Batman raced for the Joker, who was slower on the uptake.
Shock and surprise clouded his features when he saw the sidekicks had moved, but before he could do anything he remembered Batman. Spinning back around, he saw the Dark Knight descending on him.
Panicky, he swiveled the crossbow around and shot at Batman, only to miss as the master detective leapt to one side.
The meddlesome kids free, Batman coming for him, his ally occupied, and his one arrow spent, the Joker didn't have a lot of options. So he did what any sensible man would do: bolt for the back and jump out of a window.
Desperation leant him speed as he fled on foot, Batman right behind him.
Meanwhile, Xena had gained the advantage, and doubling her legs under Callisto's gut, she pushed off, sending the insane madwoman flying through the air to crash against the wall.
Robin made to go help when Gabrielle laid a restraining hand on him. "It's Xena's fight." She said simply, sadness and pride reflected in her eyes. And though it was against his better judgement, he stayed put.
Getting to her feet, Xena watched as Callisto dragged herself up from the floor. Popping her neck, Callisto loosened herself up. Then, rolling her head around a few times, she came at Xena again.
Hand to hand they went at it. No snappy dialogue, no witty banter, just two women dead serious about hurting one another.
A kick to the stomach made Callisto wince, as well as giving Xena a chance to throw a palm in her face. Rocked back, Callisto was helpless to stop Xena from picking her up like a suitcase and throwing her across the room to slam into the wall once more.
Groggy and shaken, the blond banshee rose to her feet again, only to be met with a chair in the face. The seat shattered across her skull like so much balsa wood.
Grabbing Callisto's hair, Xena slammed the villain's head into the wall repeatedly, heedless of the blood streaming down her opponent's face.
But the Queen of Mean wasn't finished yet. With feline agility, she wrenched her body around and thudded into Xena's solar plexus. The wind taken out of her, the warrior princess doubled over.
It was now Callisto's turn to go on the offensive.
Taking hold of Xena's hair, Callisto slammed a knee into the other woman's face. Not content, she then crashed Xena's own head against the wall.
Her enemy down and winded, Callisto looked around for her blade. She either didn't see or didn't care that the hostages were free and the Joker gone.
Rummaging through the rubble, she located her sword. Testing its edge with her tongue, she smiled with satisfaction. Walking back over to Xena, she stood above her prostrated foe, relishing the moment. It was just as it should be. Xena on the ground, helpless, broken, waiting only to feel the cold metal slice into her flesh and separate her from this mortal coil called life.
She raised the sword with triumph, much to the consternation of Gabrielle and Robin, who was himself still barred from interference, though he was on the verge of breaking that pledge. But as fate would have it, he wouldn't need to.
The warrior princess hadn't stayed alive all these years by being soft. And while still not fully recovered, she did have enough resources left to avoid being skewered. Rolling towards Callisto, Xena managed to get out of the way of the sword while at the same time tripping up Callisto and sending her back to the floor.
Jumping on top of her, Xena rejoined the fight with her nemesis. Around and around they rolled, each seeking purchase upon the other. Like two maddened snakes they twisted and twined, fighting for dominance.
With a Herculean effort, Callisto wrenched them upright, at the same time cracking her head against Xena's. Stunned, they staggered away from each other, each shaking their head to clear it.
Regaining their composure, they simply stared at each other for the longest time before the final explosive exchange.
Having rushed each other at the same time, Gabrielle and Robin had trouble making out what happened next.
In a flurry of energy, both women warriors threw punches that hit home. Rocked back, each nearly fell to her knees. Shaking off the effects, they lashed out again. The blows sent each careening into nearby tables for support, but still they stood. Leveraging themselves up, they stumbled towards one another once more. Again they each threw a punch that connected with the other. And again each nearly, but not quite, slumped to the floor.
Beaten and battered, they appraised each other from under sweaty and matted hair. A silent communication transcended the need for words. Like two animals, they looked into each other's eyes, each knowing that at the end of the day there could be only one. The determination, the ferocity born of some wellspring more primeval than they could imagine, showed clearly upon their faces.
There could be only one.
To themselves the movement seemed glacial in its slowness; to the onlookers it was with the speed of lightning. Thrusting themselves at each other, each threw a final blow to end it. Their hearts, their souls, their entire beings were put behind the punch. A blow that could break stone, shatter bone, pulp wood, that was the magnitude witnessed.
When their fists connected, the sound could have been heard from the streets.
With a sickening CRACK! the blows found their way home, spinning each woman around, eyes glazed over. Each fell to the floor heavily. Neither moved.
Her heart in her throat, Gabrielle rushed to Xena's side, Robin right behind her.
The bard took Xena's head into her lap, tears streaming down her face as Robin franticly searched for a pulse. When he found one he relaxed. It was then that the warrior's eyelids fluttered open, and she smiled briefly at her stalwart companion. Gabrielle warned her not to speak, but Xena would not be denied.
"Is she…" was all she was able to croak out.
Robin rushed over and checked Callisto.
"She's alive," he said, relief coloring his voice.
The warrior princess simply nodded and proceeded to pass out.
***
Running through the knee-high grass, heedless of the pain in his side, the Joker made his bid for freedom.
Any semblance of rational thought he may have still retained went out the window the same time he had. He was reacting from pure instinct. Self-preservation. And instinct told him to run away as fast as he could. Where he was going, or what he was going to do, didn't impress itself on his mind. All that mattered was eluding the Bat.
By this time dusk had fallen and his way was illuminated by the light of the full moon hanging motionless in the starry sky above.
A rustle in the bushes to the left. Was it Batman? Tensed, he awaited the spring, only to see a rabbit emerge. Running once more he noticed a flicker in the night. Was it the Bat? No, just an actual bat.
Continuing on his way, he stumbled over a half-buried log. Muttering, he started to get to his feet only to stop cold.
There on the ground in front of him, lit by the glittering light of the heavens above, was a shadow. A shadow that continued to lengthen as its owner came closer. A shadow that ended in two long points at the top. A shadow very much like a bat.
Turning around slowly, the Joker looked up into the face that had chased him over half a world and millennia into the past.
"Hello Joker…"