Chapter 2

"Please! Please let me go! I swear I won't tell anyone!"

Gravis, Saul, Darius and Roland just watched the quivering coward and grinned as he tried to sink into a corner of his home. He was on his knees begging for his life for seeing something that he shouldn't have. Gravis bent down to him and looked into his eyes. He smelled the fear in him and was going to exploit it. Gravis reached out and patted the man on his shoulder. The man showed a sign of relief.

"Hey, it's ok. I'll make you a promise." Gravis spoke in a low and gentle tone. "I promise your death won't hurt...much." The man's face went from fear to utter terror. His eyes widened and he was about to let out a scream, but Gravis quickly covered his mouth. The others moved in closer and pulled out knives and swords.

"Any lasts requests before you go to Tartarus?" Gravis asked. He then removed his hand from the man's mouth. Instead of screaming, the man made one more plea for his life.

"Please...don't kill me. I won't tell anyone what I saw. I swear!"

"I know you won't." Gravis quickly answered. "Gentlemen, make it quick and quiet…"

With that, the slaughter began. Roland, Darius and Saul moved quickly and efficiently. The man tried to scream but didn't have enough time. Gravis walked towards the door of the man's home and looked outside. It was late in the morning. The sky was blue, the clouds were white, and the temperature was cool.

"What a day. Beautiful isn't it?" Gravis said. The others finished their duty and walked over to the door and stood behind Gravis. "Let's get to the fort." Gravis looked back to Saul as he was cleaning off his sword from the blood with a piece of the victims' shirt. "Saul, you actually didn't walk away. Did you grow a pair on us?" Everyone grinned as they walked out of the house. Saul closed the door since he was the last to leave. Gravis led the way, Roland was directly behind, and Darius walked next to Saul.

"You guys still remember that?" Saul answered. "That was a few solstices ago."

"Can't blame us!" Darius said still grinning. "You are a mercenary with a conscience." Darius put his arm around Saul' neck in a friendly manner. "But, of course, with my great skill and talent in fighting, I was able to keep her down and....well.... Show her my true talents." Darius grinned and so did Saul as he removed Darius's arm from around him. "You need to relax Saul. Come on. Let's go to the tavern and get some ale. Of course, you're buying."

"Hold on." Gravis said in a non-joking manner. "We have to go to the fort and give a progress report. Remember?"

"Do you actually need four people to give this report?" Darius answered back.

Gravis thought for a moment and then shook his head. As silly as it was to admit it, Darius was right.

"Ok, fine." Gravis said. "Roland will stay with me to give the report. We will meet at The Taros inn. Try and get there before the moon rises. I have to tell you guys something important."

"Yes, oh great and fearless leader." Darius mocked and laughed. Everyone laughed along as they continued on the dusty path.

"You want to help me...what?" Callisto said to the bird. The day brought warmth to the hut, which in turn helped Callisto recover her strength quickly.

"I am a friend that wants to help you get your revenge on those who killed Petris...and you."

Callisto looked around the hut. It was patchy in some areas of the roof, the walls were full of overgrowth and mildew, the floor was muddy in certain spots. The table and chairs were still there, but they looked like they were going to break due to age.

"Tell me bird, why are you helping me now?" Callisto asked. "Why didn't you try to help me get revenge against Xena?"

"In your past, you wanted Xena dead, and I was willing to help you. But you chose to take the path of evil, so I chose to leave you be.

Callisto turned and watched the bird. She wanted to interrupt, but the bird continued.

"I am helping you now because you have left your path that would have led you to your final destruction. You and Petris chose you to happy lives. Away from evil ways. So when you and Petris were killed, it was not for the right reasons. Your soul was restless, and for good reason. I have brought you back so you could deal with those who gave you unrest. Who almost left your soul to forever be filled with pain."

Callisto shook her head and grinned in disbelief. "My days of revenge are over." Callisto told the bird in a stern tone. "I was happy to die, I needed the rest."

"Do you think that Petris felt the same way as you?"

Callisto turned her head from the bird.

"I doubt. He wanted to live and be with you. Now that is no longer possible."

"Shut up." Callisto said.

"None of the love he felt for you will ever be expressed."

"Shut up!" Callisto said again.

"None of the love you felt for him will ever be expressed either."

"I SAID SHUT UP!" Callisto screamed. Callisto picked up a chair and through it in the direction of the bird smashing it. The bird flew out the door quickly avoiding the chair. Callisto cried silently to herself. Deep inside, she knew the bird was right. Petris was not just her partner, he was her best friend. He didn't deserve his death. Callisto sat on the floor and cried quietly to herself.

Twenty minutes had passed. Callisto was now in front of her old bed. She was kneeling in front of it and put her hands on the top of it closing her eyes. This instantly brought back memories of her first night she shared the bed with Petris. She felt the love and warmth as if she was still there. The thoughts she had were pleasant, making Callisto smile to herself and rub the bed slowly and gently. But as she opened her eyes and saw what was left of the bed, her expression changed from happiness to sadness. She quickly removed her hands from the bed. She then reached under the bed and found a small chest. She pulled it out and found her old black armor. The chest had preserved it well. But how did it get here? Who put it there?

"Gabrielle put it there. She had your hut and things left there so it could be a memorial site for you. I also gave her a few dreams and she put your armor under your bed."

"Gabrielle?" Callisto said in a low tone. "You'd think after killing her husband, she would hate my guts."

"She hated you, but at the same time, she cared for you. Everything she did here, she did because she wanted to. Even though Xena was totally against it, she did it anyway. She also arranged Petris to be buried instead of burned. All because she cared for you."

This made Callisto angry and sad at the same time. She held her head as her eyes began to water. She then took a gasp of air began crying again.

"Now you know what happened and what you must do. Petris, nevermore..."

"How long has it been?" Callisto finally spoke holding back the tears.

"Almost a year."

Callisto then nodded her head. "Are those mercenaries are still alive?" Callisto spoke in a low tone.

"Yes."

Callisto looked at her armor again. Her hands reached to it and began to feel the armor. The memories of her battles instantly to her.

"Go ahead. Put it on."

Callisto thought for a minute. Was she going to find those mercenaries after all this time? Once again, she is going to have a chance to avenge the death of someone she loved. Why? What was so special about her? Anyway, this time it was for someone who gave her a gift that she never fully learned, the gift of trust. The thought motivated her to put on the armor. She did.

After she put on the armor, she then took some black dye, which the bird pointed out to her and put it on her face with the bird telling her how to do it. Callisto then stood up and walked towards the door. Her expression was hidden behind the dye on her face, but it was one of contained rage ready to explode. The bird flew over and perched itself on Callisto's right shoulder. Callisto looked at the bird nodding.

"So..." Callisto said. "Where are they?"