Chapter 1

The wind blew hard and cold, but the rain was light. Lightning and thunder rang out loudly as if Zeus himself was angry. Callisto continued to travel down the narrow, muddy path. She shivered with each step. Her dress was torn by the sleeves and the neck and was ready to fall off completely. Callisto clung to her rags anyway because it was the only source of warmth left. She walked bare foot in the cold mud. Callisto looked around, but she only saw trees. The lightning and thunder struck again startling Callisto. She quickly looked up to the sky, as if to see if a lightning bolt was coming towards her, but she quickly dismissed the thought and returned her focus to the dark and deserted path.

"Where am I going?"

Callisto thought she was just wandering in the dark and rainy forest. Soon after, the bird flew by her and landed on a tree branch in a large tree to her right. Callisto looked up and then heard the bird talking to her telepathically . . .

"Over there . . . "

The bird pointed its head toward a small, old and weather-beaten hut. The door blew wildly in the wind like paper, the windows were gone and the bricks looked loose. However, although the hut looked like a serious hazard, Callisto entered anyway. Her trembling arm reached out to the door and pushed it out of the way. It swung and then fell to the floor with a light thud. This scared her momentarily, but she quickly ignored it and looked around inside. It was dark, however, the occasional flashes of lightning gave a glimpse of light for Callisto to finally recognize where she was.

"This is . . . this is . . . my home." Callisto said with a very noticeable tremble in her voice. "I live here . . . " The Crow flew into the room and landed on the floor next to a chair. Callisto approached the chair, attempting to turn it around for her to sit down. Upon her touch of the chair, an instantaneous jolt of pain hit her head. It was like that of a migraine but worse. Callisto quickly grabbed her head with both hands. Her dress fell to the floor exposing her pale skin to the cold wind and rain. Like the dress, Callisto fell to the floor on her knees. She closed her eyes and let out a loud scream. However, this pain was only the beginning. The memories of the past came back. Everything came back to her . . .

It was almost one year ago. Callisto decided to go hunting for food for Petris to cook for them. He was very good with that since he learned a little something from Gabrielle last time she visited them. Gabrielle still couldn't believe that the same Callisto who tried to kill her and Xena a few years back was now settled and together with Petris. Since Gabrielle now felt comfortable around her, it was only natural she go around them often although Xena didn't feel the same way.

It was about mid-day. The sun was high, the sky was clear. A simply beautiful day to be outdoors. Callisto trapped three rabbits and was strolling through the woods returning home. As she got to the door, she heard what sounded like a struggle. At first she dismissed it as Petris being clumsy and falling down and about. But this didn't sound like falling down, it sounded like throwing around. She raced to the door and pushed it open. Callisto was in shock when she saw Petris being beaten by five large men. Petris sat in a chair. He was a bloody mess. With cutthroat rage, Callisto clenched her teeth and grabbed the first guy by his head and gave it a twist. His neck was broken. The others looked over and saw how she just continued to twist. Callisto was going to rip his head off. Instead, she looked up at the others and let his body fall. Callisto then looked at what was left of Petris. His clothes were bloody and ripped, both eyes swollen, broken ribs, arms, nose was twisted, ear was ripped half off, it was like he was attacked by a pack of wild dogs. He was still breathing. That was a good sign. The other remaining attackers began to circle around her. Waiting for some sort of opening to attack. Callisto looked at Petris again and she then focused on each and every one of the thugs that now surrounded her. She remembered each of their faces. Callisto grinned and waited.

"OK. Who will be the next to die?" Callisto said in a low and sadistic tone. "Hmmm?"

An attacker came from directly in front of her with a club, but Callisto deflected the blow before he could finish with her right hand and gave him a strong, swift backhand with her left knocking the first down to the ground. Another came from behind with a dagger. Callisto sidestepped to the right and turned towards him and clothes lined him with her right hand. He did a complete flip and landed on his stomach. She ran towards the last two and drop kicked them both. Callisto returned to the attacker with the dagger and took it from him. She then picked him up by the hair and had him stand on his knees. His neck was completely exposed exciting Callisto even more.

"This is going to hurt you a lot...Enjoy..." She told the frightened attacker. Callisto put the knife right on his Adam's apple. Before she could finish however, Callisto felt a sharp pain in her back and in her stomach, which caused her to take a gasp of air. She looked down to her stomach and saw the point of a sword sticking out of it. Callisto never saw the attack coming. She turned her head to see who was behind her but she couldn't see anyone.

"Smile, bitch...." A female voice said behind her with a grin. The sword was quickly pulled from her stomach and Callisto fell to the floor with a thud. The other attackers came to there feet slowly and stood next to a female figure holding a bloody sword. They looked at Callisto as she crawled towards the bloody pulp of Petris. She called his name, but he didn't answer. She looked at him and saw that he wasn't breathing anymore. His body has given up. The attackers laughed and gawked at her. Callisto's breathing began to speed up. She screamed in horror as she watched Petris' eyes remain open, and his body remains motionless.

"Silence her, please." the female told the thugs. They went towards Callisto and gave her one of the worst beatings of her life. From kicks to the jaw to knife cuts on her shoulder, to punches to the face. But Callisto still tried to fight back, but she was bruised and beaten. Callisto stopped trying and took a gasp of air.

"What should we do with her now?" one attacker asked another.

"I don't know about you but I feel a little anxious...If you catch my drift." The thugs all laughed but one. He stood and walked towards the woman.

"I think she got the message. Let's get out of here." the lone thug said to the female.

"What's the matter?" the female said to him. "Afraid of a little fun?"

"This was not part of the deal," he said as the other watched one of them continue to remove Callisto's armor.

"The deal was that she be taken care of. Remember?" the female, said in a harsh voice. "You made the deal with me."

"I want no part of this," the lone thug said as he walked towards the door.

"Help...me..." Callisto struggled to speak as she watched the lone thug walk away.

He looked at her and so did the female.

"You want to be a hero, Saul?" the female asked him. The lone thug looked at Callisto then back to the female. He shook his head and walked out.

"Coward......Coward!" Callisto screamed for the last time as she was then gagged and blind folded.

Unmercifully, the remaining attackers raped her. She was exhausted when they finished with her. Callisto couldn't see what was going on anymore but the last thing she felt was a knife plunged deep into her chest right into her heart.

The pain. All she felt was the agonizing pain. The pain she endured that day both physically and mentally. Petris' death, the fight, the mysterious woman, her last chance of survival walking away, it all came back. All in one long stroke. It slowly subsided as she opened her eyes to find that it was almost dawn. It was much colder than it was during the night. At least the rain stopped. The pain died down completely when she stood up. She looked around the hut and saw the remains of the struggle. Deep inside, Callisto hoped it was a nightmare, but reality showed that the nightmare was real.

"Your awake. Good." said a voice.

She saw the black bird perched on the same chair she tried to sit in. Callisto looked at the bird confused.

"Yes, I am speaking to you, Callisto." The bird said without moving its beak. "I am talking to you through your mind. No one can hear me but you."

"Who...What are you...?" Callisto said in a quiet tone.

"Someone who wants to help you set the wrong things right...."