THE FALLEN WARRIORS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR WAY

Gabrielle looked down slightly she could feel her hands shaking as she looked at the headdress in front of her. It wasn't her headdress but it reminded her off it. The red, yellow and orange feathered Eagle headdress, which had looked like blood flowing because of the overly long red feathers, she breathed in sharply and painfully feeling her whole body shiver. Images just seemed to flow through her mind of bloody temple floors and blood dripping from her hands and the bodies of dead warriors lying all around her. All of there lives taken by her hand in a brutal and violent killing which had been done in the mornings light. No one had lived even those who had begged for there lives, Mexica had made her violent and corrupt.

She was afraid, afraid of that person she'd been, afraid to walk her steps once more, afraid of the images and the shadows and falling back in to them. She looked up watching as Itzli rose up above her his razor toothed smile widening. She could feel her breath quickening as she closed her eyes feeling the world around her slow down. She had to cut all this from her mind or at least try she had to think of her sister, she was doing all this to save her sister. She opened her eyes slowly meeting Itzli's face. Even in the snake form she'd given him she could see the smug look, the look that he had already won this battle and all he had to do was finish it. She didn't think as she swung the sai blade upward watching as it slammed in to Itzli's open jaws as they came towards her. He roared as he pulled back red blood dripping from his snout. She brought up the other blade slamming it full force in to his waving tail which caused him to roar in pain as he dropped the Aztec bag which hit the ground hard.

She watched as his coils twisted and turned violently as he pulled up his bleeding tail. She grabbed the bag bolted in to a run. She leaped over his upper tail which came up behind her narrowly missing her. Itzli didn't think as he swung around watching as she ran towards the opening again. He slamming down his claws as he moved faster trying to keep up with her he snarled as she disappeared through the opening which led to the corridor. He moved faster feeling his claws rip up more of the already damaged floor, even if she got out he could fly, she couldn't! He roared with all his might as he got closer to her, he could see the opening and the light as it streamed through. He pushed his bulk harder tearing up the wall in the process as he moved even closer to her.

8

Xena looked up sharply hearing a loud roar echo from inside the cavern. She grabbed the rope tying it up against one of the fields remaining posts. Something was wrong she could feel it in her gut which was twistingly horribly. She moved closer to the ledge as she got ready to make her way downwards.

"What is going on here?"

She turned watched as Herodotus appeared closely followed by Hecuba and Lector who was dressed in a very old, beaten down armour which had two swords at each side. It was instantly recognisable as Herodotus's she'd seen it in the front room on a stand. The swords were normally above the fire place she rolled her eyes she knew why Lector was dressed that way and it annoyed her. No doubt Herodotus believed that he could just send Lector out with them, which would be suicide considering where they were headed. She turned eyeing Herodotus who came closer staring first at the opening in the floor and then at the un-dead horse who was now very alert and was looking towards the cavern opening.

Herodotus growled his anger burning up as he watched Xena tug on the rope. "I asked you what is going on here!" Xena sneered as she turned to him. "Be quite Herodotus!" She watched as he pulled back in surprise. She turned just in time to see dust fly out from the caverns opening her lover leaped through it slamming in to the floor outside which caused the un-dead horse to rise up on its hind legs screeching in surprise. Gabrielle turned only to watch as Itzli smashed through the caverns opening causing more dust and rock to fly through the air. His huge feathered wings opened as his jaws widened as he flew past her un-dead horse coming at her full force. She didn't think as she ducked down only to watch him roar in agony as his jaws smashed in to the pits wall directly behind her causing screams of panic and terror from above.

His huge bulk twisted and coiled as he swung his head painfully, she moved sideways not thinking as she ran towards her horse. The un-dead animal lowered its neck as she grabbed the reins, she didn't have time to think she had to get him away from her village's people. She jumped in to the Aztec saddle putting the bag in to the holder. The horse suddenly screeched as the earth around them began to rumble and shake. She turned seeing that it was the cavern behind them the skulls were falling out of the walls sides and the very stone itself was cracking. The whole place had served its purpose and now it was about to return to its normal state as it should have been.

She felt herself tense in panic she had to get out of here, the cavern was about to disintegrate in to nothing and the ground would rebuild itself. She grabbed the reins tighter while putting her other sai blade away as she kicked the horse's sides. "Fly! Fly now!" Her gaze darted as the huge torn bat wings pulled out to their full length as they began to flap. The horse's whole bulk lifted as it rose out of the cavern it screeched as it rose higher scaring everyone. She watched as her lovers gaze met her own for a split second before the horse took full flight upwards leaving the cavern edge with immense force. She turned seeing that Itzli was flapping his wings as he took full flight.

Xena pulled back sharply as the huge winged snake flew upwards following her lover, whose un-dead horse was now flying high above them. She looked down sharply only to watch as the cavern bellow fell apart its stone designating in to dust as the earth shook. She pulled back blinking in utter shock as the ground rebuilt itself and the cavern slowly disappeared. She could already see the wheat growing upwards on the rebuilt field it was golden and healthy. She didn't think as she turned letting go of the rope as she ran past Herodotus ignoring his shocked expression. She could see her lover and the huge winged snake now flying above the main city. She picked up her pace jumping over the nearest fence as she ran towards the town.

8

Gabrielle turned sharply pulling her horse hard causing him to swerve as Itzli flew past her, his bloody jaws narrowly missing her head. She sneered at him as she turned her horse to face him. Itzli eyed her as he swerved in mid flight. "You think that winged pet changes anything because it doesn't! I'll kill you and eat your un-dead horse!" Gabrielle felt her gaze wander she could see one of the larger windmills bellow turning with great force. Its heavy huge wooden blades with white cotton stood out as they turned. It was one of ten mills in Potidaea and the reason that the village was sometimes called the place of the winds. Her village were bread makers they celebrated this in summer for years by selling tiny colourful windmill toys to children.

Her gaze slowly drifted upwards as she saw Itzli turned reading himself she was going to show him what the word windmill meant. She turned her horse full force as she flew downwards ignoring the terrified screaming from bellow as she flew over people's houses. Itzli snarled aloud she was running away from him! He flapped harder as he followed her picking up speed he could feel the saliva dripping down his jaws, as he came up be side her snapping at her horses back leg. Gabrielle turned in the saddle ignoring her horse screech of anger as it kicked out trying to hit its attacker in mid-flight. She snarled as she caught sight of the windmill which was in mid turn.

She slammed her sai blades hilt upwards full force as the python jaws snapped at her, she heard the roar of pain as the weapon hit Itzli directly in the eye causing him to pull his head back. She didn't think as she used her horse's weight to push him towards the blade as they both flew past it. She narrowed her gaze as he turned just in time to see the mill blade coming towards him. "Welcome to the place of the winds!" She heard his roar of pain as the blade came down in mid-flight slamming in to him his whole snake like body was throw sideways as he was forced down by the mills powerful blade. His huge python like head was thrown around as his whole body got caught in the blade as it turned. She laughed slightly as she watched him get tossed around.

She turned back only to feel her laugh fade as a barn's lower roof appeared directly in front of her. "Oh gods no…" The next moments turned to blinding pain as both her and her horse smashed in to it. Thatched strew and wooden rafters flew past her as the horse instantly lost flight. It flew downwards its hooves desperately trying to find the ground. Its hooves slammed in to the floor as it fell sideways causing her to be thrown off. She gritted her teeth painfully as she slammed shoulder first in to the floor of the barns lower level. She heard the crash as her horse hit the floor close by everything turned to darkness and all the sound died as she came to a painful stop.

She opened her eyes slowly, she couldn't hear anything only the silence and the pounding in her ears. She groaned painfully twitching her fingers she was laying on her back in the straw she could see the gaping hole in the roof which they'd crashed through. She winced as the sound came back in to her ears causing her to groan again. She pulled herself on to her side as she looked at the un-dead horse which was getting up slowly on it its knees. Its damaged leg cracked back in to place as it healed. "You fly upwards when you see a barn roof!" She put a hand on her head lying back down as the animal screeched at her. "Stupid horse…" Her gaze shifted as the world suddenly slowed down.

The other half of the roof suddenly shattered as a huge coiled snake like body smashed through it. Itzli's bleeding body slammed in to the upper level above only to smash through it sending wood and straw everywhere. Red feathers drifted through the air as he hit the floor on the other side of the barn with immense force his long neck swaying as it landed in a crumbled heap. Her gaze drifted the windmill blades had thrown Itzli off and he'd hit the barn's roof. She put a hand on her face she could feel blood running down her forehead this really wasn't her day. She got to her knees ignoring the pounding which was sounding like a drum as she crawled towards her horse. She got her feet grabbing on to the saddle as she heaved herself up.

She leaned against the saddle waiting for the pounding to stop as she eased her hand over shakily opening the Aztec bag. She could feel the objects inside but pushed them aside feeling for a large necklace with a round pendent. She slowly eased it out as she blinked watching as everything blurred for a moment. She could see the jade and gold gleaming on the large pendent with its weaving symbols. It was the only of the item she could use the others had never worked for her. She raised it higher as she narrowed her gaze watching Itzli's head as it rose slowly followed by his neck. He was bleeding she turned raising the pendent higher as she stepped forward. "Return to your human form!" She watched as the pendent began to glow with white light.

Itzli's face turned to horror and then anger as he roared coming at her full force. She watched as white and red light burst outwards from the pendent separating in to smaller streams of light. These thick streams slowly turned in to floating ghosts with long skeleton arms and hands and skulled heads there lower bodies made up from long flowing light. They all separated screeching as their red eyes glowed before all turning at once heading towards Itzli. Itzli watched as the ghosts came towards him all them screeching inhumanly. He felt one as it grabbed his neck part way through its strike he tried to move only to panic as they all grabbed him screeching and laughing as they held his coiling body.

He struggled trying to throw them off but it was impossible they where ghostly servants who could reach beyond there plain of existence to anything living. He struggled harder trying to use his tattered wings only to find that he couldn't move them. All their bone fingers suddenly dug in to his body causing him to roar in agony as the pain shot through him. He turned in panic watching as red veins of light appeared all over his body. Gabrielle stepped back watching as the red light consumed the coiling struggling body. It slowly changed shape forming back in to a human body complete with legs and arms and a huge feathered headdress. The ghosts suddenly let go of Itzli she watched as he hit the floor hard the red light vanishing from his body which had numerous cuts and bruises.

She tensed as the ghosts screeched and screamed as they turned back in to a white mass of spiralling light which slammed in to the pendent with immense force. She pushed her feet further in to the floor as the light streams disappeared back in to the pendent. Her gaze shifted as blood from her bleeding hand was slowly sucked down the gold chain towards the still glowing pendent. It disappeared in to the glowing light which faded revealing the weaving patterns once more. Her gaze moved sharply as she walked towards Itzli who was groaning his face as unchanged as ever with it three slicing scars. Despite the bloody cuts and bruises he was moving fine which meant that nothing was broken she eased the pendent over her head.

Her gaze darted as she leaned down picking up her fallen sai blade which was lying close by. She snarled as she came closer until she was standing over him his narrowed gaze slowly met hers. "Get up!" Itzli spat in disgust as he looked at her. "You bitch!" Gabrielle eyed him. "I said get up!" Itzli slowly raised himself to his knees he could feel his red and gold feathered headdress swaying. The hooked eagle beak overshadowed his face he could feel the feathered coils on his arms and legs moving slightly. He slowly stood up ignoring the screaming pain in his muscles. He didn't get a change to think as the claws of the weapon pushed themselves full force in to his neck. He was forced back as she pushed forward.

Gabrielle sneered as she eyed him. "You know you're only alive because I need you…" Itzli turned spitting in her face. "I should've killed you back in Mexica when I had the chance…" He suddenly felt the pain as she back handed him full force which caused him to fall sideways. He stumbled regaining his balance only to feel the claws go under his chin turning his head slightly. Gabrielle snarled as she eyed him. "You're my servant…ether pledge your loyalty to me or I'll do to you what I did to the feathered serpent's elite warriors." She leaned closer enjoying the look of fear in his eye. "I'm guessing you remember that don't you? The screaming the blood all over the temples walls and the begging for mercy…"

She leaned even closer. "I'll make your death slower than I ever made there's…" Itzli looked down slightly he didn't want to think about that battle, if you could call that. In his view it had been a violent slaughter and it had only enhanced the Blood Jaguars name and her reputation. He looked down slightly not daring to meet her cold hateful eyes. He sighed aloud feeling the last of his strength and fight fade away in nothing and emptiness. He felt powerless once more, at least being the snake had given him some feeling of power and even pride and now like everything else that was gone. "I pledge my loyalty…to the Blood Jaguar…until I'm released from her service…"

"Gabrielle!"

Gabrielle turned sharply seeing that her lover was standing behind her she had no idea how long she'd been standing there. She slowly eased the sai blade away from Itzli's throat as she stepped away from him her mouth forming a weak smile. "You remember Itzli?" She turned eyeing the Eagle warrior. "Well this is Itzli…" Itzli looked up slightly there where crowds of people now gathered at the building open doors all looked scared and none wanted to come in. He eyed the tall warrior woman. His gaze shifted slightly she was a dark terrifying figure her strange armour looked as though it was made from burnt gold and the leather on her body was all black.

She had long dark hair and piercing blue eyes and if her face was anything to go by she wasn't happy. Xena eyed the warriors whose appearance matched what Gabrielle had described the only difference being the Eagle warrior headdress which had yellow jewelled eyes. She breathed in deeply she had seen everything after the screaming ghosts had gone back in to the strange Aztec pendent. She didn't understand what Gabrielle had said to the man or what he'd said back but she had seen enough to know that the conversation wasn't a kind one. All at once her lover's warrior front had appeared but it wasn't the warrior front she remembered at all. It was violent, dangerous and threatening the green eyes had frozen over and it was if the person she knew so well wasn't there.

She felt her gaze dart she'd seen this cold look before while they'd been in Apollonia on vacation when the King of Thieves had dropped in. He had asked about Aztec gold and this cold look had appeared on her lovers face. She had ignored it at the time, now she truly wished she hadn't if she'd have known what came with it. She put a hand on her face for a moment her gaze shifted as she caught sight of blood. "You're bleeding?" She moved forward seeing the bloody bite wound which was leaking from her lovers arm along with a number of other cuts and bruises. She slowly took hold of her lover's hand. "I'll get you some water." Gabrielle turned slightly looking at her bleeding arm. "I'm fine Xena it's just a flesh wound." Xena eyed her as she raised her hand. "Your fine…you just fell through a barn roof! You are not fine…"

Itzli looked up sharply as he caught the warrior's woman's name which was the one word of the Greek language he understood. He felt an evil smile form as he stood up slightly. "So this is Xena your lover?" Gabrielle turned slowly eyeing him. "Shut up…" Xena raised an eyebrow as turned her lovers face back to meet her own. "Gabrielle, look at me." She eased up her hand. "You need to sit down." Itzli smirked. "She's almost as pathetic as you are." Xena grabbed her lovers hand as the sai blade suddenly shot up towards the feathered warrior behind them. She pushed the gleaming weapon down. "Stop it Gabrielle…" Gabrielle turned meeting her lovers gaze. "He just insulted you!"

Xena turned eyeing the feathered warrior she slowly stepped away from her lover as she walked forward so she was facing the man who had an evil smirk on his face. Itzli felt his smile widened as she came face to face with him, he tried to ignore the menacing scowl and the ice blue eyes which burning in to his. He turned slightly looking at the Blood Jaguar. "I can see that you like your women big, butch and stupid…" He watched as the ice blue eyes turned to look at the Blood Jaguar who snarled aloud as her bloody hand clutched her weapon tighter. The blue eyes suddenly came back to meet his own. The next moments turned to blinding pain as her fist suddenly shot up smashing in to his face. He felt the ground as he hit it hard on his back he looked up only to watch as the world faded to darkness as he passed out.

Xena stepped back looking at the unconscious warrior she shook her hand slightly. She could tell by the smile on his face that what he'd said was another insult of some kind. She narrowed her gaze shutting him up was probably a good thing he was making her lovers mood worse and stopping the younger woman from paying attention to her. Her gaze drifted as the barn door was pushed open fully and Lector ran in to the barn closely followed by Gabrielle's parents. Lector pulled back in panic as the winged horse with glowing red eyes screeched at him. He turned seeing a warrior in some strange feathered headdress lying passed out on the floor. His gaze quickly turned to Gabrielle who had now seated herself on a broken hey barrel. "Are you all right…we saw you go through the barn roof!" He turned hearing the winged horse snort. "On you're…horse thing…" Gabrielle turned slightly. "I'm fine…" Xena eyed her wounded lover she didn't believe that comment for a second. Lector looked the huge opening above. "Where is the serpent?"

Xena narrowed her gaze pointing at the Mexican warrior on the ground. "Right there…" She turned watching as Herodotus and Hecuba came closer there faces full of utter confusion. Hecuba moved closer to her daughter seeing the wounds. "Oh gods your hurt…I'll get you some water." Gabrielle raised her hand. "I'm fine! Look this isn't the first time I've fallen through a roof…" To count it would be the third time the first two were when Xena had been teaching her to ladder walk, in her previous lifetime. She got up only to feel a sudden spell of dizziness which caused her to start swaying. She felt her lover grab her arm guiding her back in to a sitting position she suddenly felt nauseous. "I don't…feel so good…" Xena ignored Herodotus as he came to stand next to her, his face showing concern. She slowly kneeled down in front of her lover. "You need to take it easy sweetheart you just fell through a roof and you hit your head."

In The Lands Of Mexica

Lila breathed in deeply as the woman finished tying up the ends of the new clothes which she'd been dressed in. She felt embarrassed she had never been stripped off her clothes before. The two women who'd redressed her didn't have the gentlest touch ether. Also the two warriors in the corner had been watching the whole thing which just made her even more embarrassed. Even though there eyes were white and sightless she was sure that they were seeing everything. She could see blood stains on both there weapons which were heavy and savage looking. Lila felt one of the women pull the straps tighter on the colourful loose red dress with it weaving gold patterns which stood out in the fire light.

An orange collar lined with gold and jade was pushed over her head while gold bracelets were pushed on to her wrists. She turned only to feel the red and gold and yellow feathered headdress with its gold plated patterns of a bending serpent as it was pushed on to her head. She didn't dare breathe as one of the women took away her clothes while the other who was dressed in white and gold brushed down the dress. The headdress was all feathers and gold but it wasn't heavy which surprised her, she swallowed as two new warriors walked in to the room reliving the other two who nodded as they left. One was a small female warrior with a red and yellow coloured bodice and hooked beak headdress while the other was a large man.

He turned slowly coming towards her she could see the muscle on him was slick with sweat. His huge black and red feathered head dress with its crooked beak only added to the terrifying look. A spotted fur skin covered his shoulder and his coils with there black feathers swayed in the firelight as he came closer to her. Tlaloc smiled as he put a hand on the young woman's face turning it to one side. "Very nice…" Lila looked in to the man's sightless white eyes which stared back at her she swallowed not daring to free herself from his grip. "Please don't hurt me…" Tlaloc pulled his hand away as he looked at her she was a blur of red to him in which he could see her skeleton under her skin moving and the light of her very soul as it burst through her eyes.

He watched as his sight returned to normally for a moment giving him the chance to see a beautiful living being, but it was short lived. He pulled his hand away feeling his anger return. "You shouldn't fear me…." He watched as Amoxtli his companion came closer her face showing no emotion. He raised his hand. "Although my flesh is merely an illusion, you should enjoy it…" He moved his fingers slightly. "You wouldn't like what's underneath." Lila watched as he stepped back she could see huge slicing scars on his mid section as if something massive had bitten down on his body once. Lila took a step back as he stepped forward. "What's underneath?" Tlaloc raised an eyebrow. "My prison…."

The first servant girl looked up slightly. "You're cursed because you deserve to be." She eyed the woman next to him. "Both of you." Tlaloc growled walking towards the first servant woman whose eyes suddenly showed her fear. "I was killed for sport I'd hardly call that deserving!" He turned watching as the other servant girl lowered her head quickly leaving the room. He raised his hand eyeing the other woman who all of a sudden didn't seem so bold. "Perhaps you'll be joining me one day when the feathered serpent gets bored of you and feels that you've outlived your usefulness…" He watched as she stepped back showing more fear as he leaned towards her. "When that day comes you'll learn that there is no paradise, no hummingbirds. Only the screaming of your own mind as you realize what the seventh hell really is…"

He raised his hand to her ignoring the dark haired prisoner's confusion. "Remember that before you decide to let your arrogant tongue slip again." He watched as she suddenly bolted leaving the room in an instant her fear getting the better of her. He breathed in deeply how he hated the living beings that walked through the feathered serpents keep. They could breathe air, feel their skin being touched and kissed and could sleep with another living being and feel every moment of it something which he could barely remember and could no longer feel. Oh yes he could sleep with a woman in this skin but he never felt a thing it was a cruel existence which he was powerless to change.

Amoxtli slowly sat herself down on the pillows as she eyed the prisoner her gaze drifted back to her companion. "You always have to scare little girls don't you?" Tlaloc turned eyeing her she was as cursed as he was, like him her skin was merely an illusion for the people's eyes in the city. Their skin was fickle, it would just vanish and then terror would break out. Blood would soak the streets and people would cry, and screams would fill the night air and he would see it all in all its bloody nightmarish glory. In which he had no control and his body was forced by the feathered serpent to do terrible things. A violently slave ruled by a violent god who, would allow him to wake up back in his false flesh once more and see the blood shed he'd caused.

He closed his eyes for a moment before turning to Amoxtli. "Don't deny me my only pleasure…its all I have." Amoxtli slowly picked up the drink from the wooden table near by. She took a drink hoping to taste something only to taste nothing despite the feel of the liquid running down her throat she threw the half finished goblet at the table watching as golden liquid was plashed everywhere. She missed food she missed not being able to taste it or even drink it, she'd loved food once but then it was food that had gotten her in to this nightmare. Her hunger had gotten the better of her and she had taken food from the feathered serpents table…she'd been eaten alive by him as punishment she still had horrible nightmares about that day.

Not that the living nightmare she was in now was any better. She sighed aloud and now they were both stuck guarding this Greek prisoner. For the rest of the time she was here, until the feathered serpent got around to sacrificing her. She looked up eyeing Tlaloc. "You should frighten children it's much more fun…" Tlaloc eyed the prisoner again as he took a step forward so he was towering over the Greek woman again. "What's your name?" Lila swallowed. "My names Lila…" Tlaloc narrowed his gaze. "Well Lila we are here to watch you…that is until the feathered serpent gets bored of you or you've severed your purpose...what ever that purpose may be"

He pulled up his hand grabbing her face not savagely but with just enough force for her to understand how serious he was. "If you decide to run away or play any foolish games we will be the first to kill you, because that is our purpose. We will kill you slowly and painfully and make you beg for death." He leaned closer seeing the terror in her eyes. "Is that understood?" He watched as she nodded her body shaking he pulled his hand away. "Good." He tapped his finger on the table as he turned. "Now where would you like to go Lila?" Lila felt herself breathe in sharply. "Go?" Amoxtli grunted aloud as she sat up. "Yes go you little fool? The feathered serpent said your prison was the city and this temple did, he not?" Lila nodded. "Yes…he did." Amoxtli sneered slightly. "Then where would you like to go?" Lila stepped back. "I don't want to go any where." Tlaloc walked up to her pushing her forward gently. "Oh but you do, allow us to give you the grand tour of the feathered serpent's kingdom. It is after all the last place you'll probably ever see…"

End of part 11

Silvermoonlight.

The horse is bat winged, the reason for the wings will be explained in coming chapters.

Thank you for all the reviews HAZMOT and Haxan.