Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters or anything connected to them.
Not many reviews last time... hope you guys are still reading this! Thanks iamdragonrider and Lt Colonel Samantha Carter for reviews. The last chapter was short, so this one is long. My longest yet. I hope I can stir up some emotions... Anyways, enjoy. There are maybe one or two more chapters left. Happy Reading!!!
Our strengths are what divide us from the masses and make us unique. When a member of SG-1 loses their greatest asset, will they still be as valuable as they once were? And can that person come to grips with the loss?
What are we, without our Strengths?: The Hunt
The group entered the forest in silence. SG-1 watched the trees intently, hoping to find this Hunter quickly. After a few minutes of this silence, Krixis spoke up.
"Do not remain silent. There is no chance of sneaking up on a Hunter. The only way to find one is for it to find you."
"OK, so... what do we talk about?" The colonel asked, somewhat annoyed.
"It is not I who wishes to find the beast." Krixis said and continued walking in silence.
"How long will it take us to reach these ruins?" Daniel asked in order to cut off O'Neill's upcoming remark.
"Half a day's walk. Less if we spot a member of the Sisterhood."
"The Sisterhood?" Daniel asked.
"Yes. My Brethren and I guard the outer forest. The Sisterhood guard the ruins and the inner sanctuary because they are female and the venom of the Hunters doesn't kill them."
"So how do we find'em?" O'Neill asked.
"Keep your eyes open."
The group continued down the path. In order to keep from falling silent, Daniel suggested singing a song. The colonel refused, but when Daniel started singing "Row, row, row your boat" he couldn't help but join in. Even Teal'c hummed along. Krixis looked back at them slightly bemused, then smirked and they continued walking.
"-gently down the stream, throw your teacher overboard and listen to her scream."
"O'Neill, I believe the appropriate ending is "merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream."
"Oh, I know Teal'c." Teal'c simply raised an eyebrow at that.
"Quiet!" Krixis suddenly shouted and drew his sword. SG-1 followed suit. "Sound in the bushes. Wait here, keep lookout." Krixis disappeared into the underbrush and SG-1 just waited. There was a sudden gasp off to the right and the clanging of metal on metal. Then two figures emerged from the bushes. Krixis was walking beside a woman that could have been compared to an Amazon from Earth. She didn't wear any heavy armour, just simple royal blue leggings, animal skin boots and gloves and a gold coloured tank top-like shirt. In one hand she held a silver spear and in the other she held Krixis's sword. Her hair was jet black and hung in a tight braid down her back.
"O'Neill, Daniel, Teal'c, this is Ariok of the Sisterhood."
"Greetings." Ariok said and bowed her head; SG-1 did the same. Then she turned to Krixis and gave him back his sword. "Greetings Krixis." She smiled fondly at him. "I still see the sadness in your eyes." She trailed a finger down his cheek. "We all still miss her Krixis; you are not the only one."
"I know." Krixis whispered back.
"Now." Ariok spoke loudly now. "Why have you brought these men before me Krixis? New Brethren? "
"No. Travelers through the Stargate. They entered the forest. Their friend was bitten by a Hunter and they believe they can save her by finding a Hunter."
"Foolish."
"Yes. But they insist on trying."
"I will have my Sisterhood drive the Hunter's toward the ruins. Then you will surely meet one there." Krixis nodded a reply.
"Thanks a bunch." O'Neill added.
"You are brave. The only other man who willingly ventures this deep into the forest is Krixis and we all think him insane for it." SG-1 looked toward Krixis and saw deep within his emerald eyes the glint of insanity Ariok spoke of. "Good luck, Brethren!" And she was gone.
The group began walking again. Daniel was the first to speak. "Who was she talking about when she said they all still miss her?"
Krixis hand tightened on his sword in anger, and then he relaxed. "Years ago, I fell in love with a woman of the Sisterhood. I loved her so much, I ventured deep into this forest so I could spend time with her. One day I got word she had been bitten by a hunter. I had to trek through the entire woods to reach the city where she had been taken. By the time I reached her, I was already too late. She was very far gone. I... couldn't save her. She died."
"I'm sorry." Daniel said.
Krixis reached up to around his neck and fiddled with a necklace. The pendant on the necklace was a long, thin fang; a Hunter fang. "It left this behind. One day, I'll find him or die trying." Krixis let his hand fall to his side and quickened their pace.
"So you do know how we feel." O'Neill stated bluntly. Krixis spun around wildly and clutched his sword. He looked like he could plunge it straight into the colonel's chest, so O'Neill drew his. Suddenly, Krixis's face changed from insanity to panic and he dove forward hitting the colonel square in the chest, knocking him from his feet. Teal'c grabbed Daniel's shoulder and jerked him backwards as a Hunter lunged toward where O'Neill had just stood.
Krixis and O'Neill began rolling down a hill, unable to stop themselves. They rolled for over a hundred feet before the incline flattened and they could stop themselves. O'Neill was the first on his feet but his sword was nowhere in sight. Krixis stood next, his sword firmly grasped in his hand.
"You dishonoured me." Krixis whispered his rage building inside.
"Wait justa minute! You're supposed to help us." O'Neill said franticly looking for his sword.
"I will help them but I want vindication. I will get it here."
Finally the colonel saw his sword and dove for it. Just after he grabbed it, he saw a blade coming down on his shoulder. He raised his sword and parried the strike.
"There's no way you're going to kill me! I have to save Carter and to do that, I'll kill you!" The clanging of swords echoed throughout the forest. Krixis was surprised at his opponent's ability and conviction.
O'Neill ducked to avoid a swipe and rose to feel the blade graze his shoulder, but his armour protected him. The two circled each other both set on the kill. Finally with their swords locked in front of them, Krixis spoke.
"You would kill me, because you believe I have killed her?"
Deep down inside, the colonel wanted revenge; plain and simple. He needed someone to blame; someone who he could fight and he'd found him. When the colonel realized this, the two pushed away from each other. Then the colonel lunged at Krixis who countered but slightly too late and the colonel's thrust shattered the links of chain mail on Krixis's left elbow, causing blood to spill. In anger, Krixis parried the colonel's sword into the ground and leaped backwards.
"You care for her?"
"More than I should."
Then their eyes locked. Within both eyes was the insanity of bloodlust and combat. One would not walk away from this fight. They dove at each other again, swords hitting and armour rustling. When they were in close the colonel threw a hard elbow into Krixis's stomach and they separated again. Winded, Krixis panted to catch his breath.
"I see it in your eyes, deadly conviction. Now you know how I feel." Krixis's stance eased. "You would do anything to save her?"
O'Neill lowered the tip of his sword. "Anything."
Krixis lowered his sword. "You cannot save her with the venom."
"What? Why didn't you tell us that in the first place?" The colonel asked, his anger building again.
"You asked to hunt a Hunter. You never asked for the cure. There is only one way to save her and it is harder than what you set out to do today. You must put her mind at ease."
"How do I do that?" The colonel asked now frustrated.
"You must convince her that this loss doesn't change who she is. To her, she is now useless, but you know different. Am I right?"
"Yes."
"Convince her. Explain to her that we can never know who we really are and that it is through our friends that we can see it. Explain to her that however much she changes, she will still be your friend." Krixis sighed, sheathed his sword and clutched his wound. "I couldn't save her... You have your chance. Go to her."
O'Neill sheathed his sword. "Thank you." Krixis nodded. The moment was interrupted by a shout and a hiss in the distance.
"Daniel!" The two raced up the hill to see Daniel and Teal'c standing back to back. The Hunter had circled them and was preparing to strike.
"Here!" Krixis shouted and threw a rock at the Hunter's head. When he was hit, the Hunter turned around and glared at Krixis. It hissed loudly and struck out. The Hunter locked its jaw around Krixis shin bracer and Krixis went down. O'Neill reacted. He jumped forward and plunged the point of his sword down through the Hunter's head, pinning it to the ground. It made no sound dying. O'Neill released the sword and left it in the Hunter's head. Krixis groaned and then reached down and pried the fangs out of his shin.
"Jack! What happened to you guys? Are you OK?" Daniel asked when the excitement was over.
"Yeah." Jack said, never taking his eyes off Krixis. He walked over and bent down to the warrior. "You alright?"
Krixis inspected the wound. "No venom. You killed it fast enough." Krixis then glanced at the Hunter and stared at the fangs.
"Do we need to finish anything?" O'Neill asked.
"No." Krixis said and then pointed at the Hunter's fang. "You have brought me justice." O'Neill looked and saw the Hunter had only one fang. The other was around Krixis's neck. "Thank you." O'Neill gave Krixis one of his trademark smirks.
"Umm... guys? Don't we need the venom?" Daniel asked.
"Nope. But Teal'c, milk whatever you can outta that snake. Just to be safe." Teal'c complied.
"Go. Follow the setting sun to return to the Stargate. My leg is too injured. I will just slow you down. Trade back for your modern things and return and save your friend. Take my sword, to remember me." Krixis said and handed the colonel his sword. The colonel took it and put it in his sheath, leaving his sword in the head of the Hunter.
"Will you be alright?"
"Ariok will find me. Now go."
O'Neill nodded. "Let's move out people. Goodbye Krixis." Krixis nodded a reply.
SG-1 headed back to the Stargate at a fast sprint. They made the trip in amazing time. Daniel had repeatedly asked what it was that Jack now knew, but O'Neill was too focused on getting back to Carter to answer. They reached the gate just as the sun was going down. They quickly got changed and Daniel dialled the gate and sent the IDC. Then the three men of SG-1 walked through the gate, the colonel with a sheathed sword in his hand. All of them were hoping they weren't too late.
Back beside the remains of the dead Hunter, Krixis leaned back against a tree. He could feel the venom circulating throughout his body and the burning beginning to increase. The colonel had been fast, but the venom that coated the fang had infected the wound. Krixis sighed and relaxed against the tree. He smiled. He'd gotten his revenge and helped save the colonel from suffering Krixis's own nightmares and fate. Now he closed his eyes. Night was falling and the pain was growing. In his mind he pictured his true love.
"I'm coming." He whispered to the darkness around him. "So we can finally be together." Krixis smiled again at the vision of his true love. He took one last breath, and then he was with her.
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