THE MONSTERS CREATED FROM SADNESS AND HATE

Xena watched as the Mexican warrior struggled with his bonds again which she'd tightened. She lay back on the bed using her hand to push her bronze armour which was close to the bed into a neater pile. She pulled off the gauntlets putting them on the pile with the other things while using her other hand to smooth down her leathers. Her gaze moved back to her lover who was lying on her bed next to hers, her boots and her staff were propped up close to the other bed. Her sai blade was in her hand and she was turning it slightly. She breathed in slightly adjusting her pillows. "Gabrielle?" Gabrielle lowered the sai blade as she turned to meet her lovers light blue gaze. "Yes?"

Xena looked up slightly. "Why did you turn Itzli in to a snake?" Gabrielle breathed in deeply as she put the sai blade next to her. "I thought it would be amusing…" Xena raised an eyebrow. "Amusing…for whom?" Gabrielle turned slightly. "For myself, like I said I wasn't very sound of mind and at the time it was a cruel joke." Xena narrowed her gaze watching as Gabrielle put the Aztec bag on the bedside table, her lover still had the odd chain around her neck. She put her hands together. "Tell me about the night you made that cavern." Gabrielle looked up sharply feeling her gaze dart slightly. "Xena." Xena sat herself up slightly ignoring the plea in her lover's voice. "Tell me Gabrielle." She raised her hand. "I want to know." Gabrielle sighed aloud she felt her fingers slowly wrap around the pendent on her neck she could feel her memories as they drifted back to the Potidaea. She breathed in sharply trying to focus all her thoughts she wasn't sure if she could remember everything from that day but she was going to try.

8

Gabrielle stared in to her cider she slowly drained the tankard her gaze shifting as she raised the metal mug. "Another." The bar keeper looked up slightly. "I think you've had enough Gabrielle." Gabrielle looked up sharply. "I said I want another." The bar keeper eyed her again. "No you've had enough for one night. That's your sixth tankard, you ought to be getting home your sister will be worried." Gabrielle didn't think as she grabbed his collar yanking him forward savagely. "I said I wanted another or are you not listening to me!" She slowly pulled the Chakram free from her tattered orange skirt, shoving the razor edge against his throat as her teeth grinded together. "Serve me now, before I cut you in to little bloody pieces…"

Her gaze moved sharply as she heard the silence fall on the tavern she ignored it as she sneered at him. She turned watching as one of the bar tenders men slowly raised a chair. Her other hand let go of his collar moved to the sword which was tied to her Amazon belt with its three long hanging leather woven parts which looked tattered now. "Hit me with that chair and I will cut you open…."

"Gabrielle!"

Gabrielle turned meeting her Lila's shocked gaze she looked behind her but not in enough time for her drunken mind to dodge as the wooden chair suddenly came down shattering against her shoulder's and head. She found herself wincing in agony as she fell to the floor in a blurred haze as her hand clutched the Chakram tighter. Lila pulled up her hands staring at the big man who had grabbed another chair. "Please Stop! She doesn't mean any harm, she's drunk!" She turned watching as her sister blinked her drunken eyes trying to focus. She could see a stream of blood flowing down her head from where the chairs wood had smashed.

Aeon turned eyeing Lila as he rubbed his throat he was getting sick of Gabrielle, this was the third time this week she'd acted violent in his bar. The last time it had cost him to replace furniture like a table and a window which a man had ended up being thrown against by her. He had put up with her because she was Hecuba and Herodotus's daughter and they'd been very well respected. Now there eldest daughter was a curse, she was violent trouble maker who liked to get drunk and hurt people. He'd heard that her lover the Warrior Princess had died and since then she had started on a downward spiral. That didn't excuse her language or the nasty manner in which she treated people around her including her family.

Hell if her lover had been alive she'd have been appalled even the Warrior Princess herself had never acted so bitter or been such a nasty piece of work. He leaned over snarling aloud seeing that Gabrielle was still on the floor no doubt still in pain. Hitting his customers was one thing but threatening him was another he was just grateful that one of his barmen had taken her out before she could do him any real damage. She was perfectly capable of killing people, which worried him even more. People came to Potidaea because they liked reading about the scrolls of the Battling Bard. Yet all the most recent visitors had seen was a washed out violent warrior who had lost her way and who loved to drink herself to sleep, it was pitiful.

He breathed in snarling aloud as he eyed her sister. "I want her out of here now!" Lila kneeled down slowly turning her older sister's head to face her. "Gabrielle we have to go." Gabrielle lowered her gaze. "I think…I'm bleeding." Lila sighed aloud as she dragged her sister to her feet. "She's not like this Aeon she doesn't normally hurt people…it's the drink." Aeon sneered as he leaned forward. "You know I put up with your older sister because I had great respect for your mother and father but my patience with her is getting very thin!" He raised his hand to the drunken woman who was trying to focus on standing. "She's a pathetic wash out whose nothing but a curse on our town…how many more people is she going to hurt or badly injure before you see that and stop defending her!"

Lila leaned forward. "My sister is not a pathetic wash out my sister's a hero!" Aeon leaned forward. "Gabrielle isn't a hero she's a cruel, nasty piece of work who would have Xena turning in her grave!" He raised his hand. "I mean look at her, is this Xena's legacy because if it is, I want to kill her just to put her out of her misery before someone else does." Lila pulled up her sister whose feet nearly buckled underneath her. "How could you say that you have no idea what she's been through and how much she's suffered?" Aeon folded his arms. "Does what she been through justify her acting this way Lila? I mean we all thought she'd get better after her trip to Mexica but she's just gotten worse! Plus she brought back that Mexican warrior who she treats like an animal…its just plain awful."

Lila looked up trying to ignore everyone's gaze as it fell on her. "That warrior is evil I've told you this before." Aeon looked up sharply. "Then why is he here? Why can't she get rid of him? I'll tell you why because she's likes kicking him around I've seen it in her eyes!" He turned eyeing the blonde whose scruffy shoulder length blonde hair hung over her eyes. "Its like she gets some sick form of pleasure from it!" Lila breathed in deeply. "My sister is not that evil!" Aeon slammed both his fists down hard. "No your sister is that evil it's just you're so wrapped that you and your daughter Sara don't see her for the monster that she is!" He raised his other hand. "It's a wonder that she hasn't joined Ares." Lila looked up her anger burning. "How dare you! Ever since Xena died Ares has been making Gabrielle's life an utter hell!"

She grabbed Gabrielle stopping her from falling over again. "I don't care what you say there is good in my sister, you just don't see it!" She turned to her drunken sister. "The Gabrielle I know is still there and after everything she's done for this town. I'd think that you people would be more grateful or even take it up on yourselves to help her, instead of belittling her!" She shoved the door open pulling her sister through she gave the tavern keeper a cold look before slamming the door behind her. She breathed in the cold air this was getting hard and she wasn't sure what to do. She'd always been able to help her sister, yet now she was starting to feel at a loss. Her sister had a death wish that was becoming apparent now. Gabrielle tried to place her feet her head was pounding but she had caught the conversation even though it felt distant. "You shouldn't defend me…." Lila pulled her along slightly. "I'll always defend you Gab…your my sister." Gabrielle looked down slightly she was starting to feel sick. "There right though I am a wash out…." Lila sighed aloud. "Stop talking like that, your just going through a bad patch that's all…everything will be okay soon."

8

Sarah watched as Gabrielle was slowly seated in the bedroom were the Mexican warrior had been tied up once again. The man scarred her he had three ugly claw like scars on his face and a hideous headdress. He was no Amazon, he was a sinister character. She sighed as she squeezed the damp sponge out. Her gaze drifted to her mother who was making sure that her aunt's woven brown and red Amazon bodice was still on. "She's drunk again isn't she?" Lila took the sponge from her hand. "Yes…." Sarah rolled her eyes. "Mother you have got to stop her doing this." Lila slowly began to wipe away the blood from her sister's face. "Then tell me how Sarah? Because I don't know anymore…." Sarah pulled back hearing the stress and sadness in her mothers voice. "Did anyone get hurt?"

Lila finished wiping the blood away noticing that his sister's glazed eyes didn't meet her own. "Aeon nearly did yes, he had one of his barmen hit Gabrielle over the head with a chair." Sarah sighed aloud. "Then it was only Gabrielle this time." Gabrielle winced as her wound was cleaned fully. "I don't feel so good…." Lila leaned down patting her sister's knee. "You have to stop drinking Gabrielle." Gabrielle sneered slightly. "Don't tell me what to do…." Lila looked up slightly. "I'm not telling you what to do…I just want to help you, you're not yourself…you need help." Gabrielle looked up sharply. "I don't need help! I'm fine!"

Lila sighed aloud. "You do need help…you have a problem with drink." She put her hand on her sister's shoulder watching as her green gaze suddenly froze over. "The alcohol is making you do bad things can't you see that? It's ruining your life." Gabrielle snarled grabbing his sister's hand pulling it of her shoulder. "Don't patronise me…." Lila winced feeling her sister's grip suddenly tighten around her hand. "Xena wouldn't want to see you this way, it would sadden her greatly." Gabrielle didn't think as she got up sharply ignoring her sister's yelp of pain as she tightened her grip on her hand. "Xena doesn't care about me she left me because of some little bitch in Japan called Akemi!"

She didn't think as she pulled out her sword looking at it. "You know what the pathetic thing is? It's that I risked my life to bring her back from the dead! I went to Mexica." She squeezed tighter. "I found the elder god and I begged for him to change time and bring her back. Now look where I am…right back where I started…my trip was a totally waste." She moved the blade slightly. "I just wish another warrior would do me the courtesy of putting me out of my misery because I can't bring myself, to do it!" Sarah moved forward sharply. "Stop it Gabrielle!" Lila winced as she met her sister's cold hateful gaze. "You're hurting me Gabrielle, please let go of my hand."

Gabrielle narrowed her gaze she laughed slightly but it was a cold heartless laugh as she forced her sister to meet her gaze. "Look at you though, Lector at least gave you a child…I don't even have that. All I have is Chakram which is a worthless metal ring which looks nice when it flies around." Sarah moved forward. "Let go of my mother's hand!" Lila looked up slightly she was afraid, she was more afraid than she had ever been. Her sisters cold hateful, jealous gaze just seemed to burn though her. She swallowed gathering her courage. "It's worthless yet you keep it…you put it against your chest and you cry yourself to sleep." She paused for a long moment. "You do have a child Eve is your child." Gabrielle narrowed her gaze. "Well my child isn't home right now! My child didn't coming running to my side ether after the death of her mother."

She sneered slightly. "One day Lila you'll learn that life is just a cruel monster and you're its play toy. You'll wake up that day and come to realize that, you have nothing and all your dreams are meaningless!" Lila breathed in deeply. "So is your aim to become a monster yourself? Because that's what you're turning in to Gabrielle a cruel monster." Gabrielle snarled opening her mouth. Only to close it as she let go of her sister's hand. Lila stepped back rubbing her hand painfully. "Get out of my house! Don't come back ether until you've gotten your temper under control! Also take that Mexican warrior with you!" Gabrielle sneered as she shoved past Sarah ignoring her hateful look. She leaned down grabbing Itzli by his bounds and yanking him to his feet. She ignored his cursing as pushed him through the doorway. She turned watching as Sarah and Lila's gaze followed her as she left the house. She looked up hearing the sky crash with thunder.

8

Itzli looked up feeling the rain crash down around him he was freezing the weather in this country was awful. It could be hot one minute then freezing the next. He'd already had a disease which had caused him to sneeze all the time. He'd only just gotten over it and now he was back in the pouring rain once more shivering with cold, being tugged forward by the Blood Jaguar. "Why are we out here?" Gabrielle turned eyeing him as she stumbled slightly. "Because I want to be out here and you have no choice but to do as I say." Itzli sneered as he pulled on the ropes binding his hands. He could see the colourful Mexican bag which had the feathered serpents items in it still hung over her shoulder. "What's the matter Blood Jaguar family not liking you anymore?"

Gabrielle sneered slightly. "They like you even less…." Itzli smiled slightly. "Forgive me but I wasn't the one hurting one of my own family members. Despite that I don't understand your pitiful country or your language I did understand the look on her face when you were crushing her hand." Gabrielle turned sharply. "Be quite!" Itzli smirked. "First you loose your lover and now your family hates you…no allow me to correct that everyone in this town hates you." "Gabrielle swung him around with violent force ignoring his yelp of pain. "You forget that I can kill you at any given moment if it pleases me…." Itzli turned spitting in her face. "Then why don't you? Truth is I'd rather die than spend another moment with you!"

Gabrielle didn't think as she slammed her boot in to his knee full force she watched as he cried out in pain. "I wouldn't give you the pleasure…." Itzli sneered slightly as he limped forward. "You're such a mean little bitch." Gabrielle tugged him further along ignoring the rain as it poured down on her. "Coming from a bastard who likes to sacrifice people, I find that amusing…." Itzli smirked slightly. "A miner detail, which is nothing compared to suffering you've caused." He pulled on the ropes in anger. "What can you possibly hope to gain by dragging me about in the pouring rain you drunken stupid fool?" Gabrielle stopped as her gaze fell on the golden wheat field in front of them. She smiled pulling the Aztec chain out of the bag. "I want to amuse myself…."

Itzli grunted aloud as he eyed Xochiquetzal round weaving pendent in her hand. "The fertility goddess's pendent isn't a toy!" Gabrielle laughed slightly but it was a cold laugh even to her ears. "No I guess it isn't but who said I was going to use it like a toy?" She watched as the pendent blasted in to white light. "I just feel like entertaining myself…." She turned watching all the white ghosts screamed and screeched as they burst out of the pendants light. They turned all there red eyes staring at her. "Make me a cavern with a stone door!" Itzli pulled back in horror as the un-dead servants screeched as they flew in to the field in front of him. The whole of the golden wheat field in front of him suddenly caved in with immense force. "What are you doing? Have you lost your mind?"

Gabrielle grinned watching as the earth bellow was torn apart as rock slowly rose up from bellow. She could feel the earth as it shook with the share force. She looked down watching as it slowly rose higher creating an inner cavern a huge stone door slowly rose up its centre forming in to Aztec god's calendar. Its outer ring spun as the two spinning inner rings came to a stop there red light fading. The outer ring slowly stopped spinning as the huge cavern door opened slowly. Itzli swallowed as screaming jade and red skulls appeared in the caverns walls as the sprits floated around above screeching and laughing. "This is insane the Greek gods will know that your doing this, they'll be furious!" Gabrielle laughed as she pushed him towards the edge. "The Greek gods are all dead with the exception of two and I doubt that ether of them care about what I do."

She didn't think as she kicked him full force off the edge. "You should though!" Itzli howled in agony as he slammed in to the hard floor bellow with immense force. He heard the sound of cracking as one of his ribs broke with the force he closed his eyes feeling the burning pain. He coughed slowly looking up only to hear the Blood Jaguar say something else but it was hard to pick up. He groaned in agony as he looked around only to watch the Blood Jaguar walk down a set of forming stone steps behind him. "You little bitch…you broke one of my ribs!" Gabrielle smiled as she walked off the last step. "Hurts doesn't it, imagine how I felt when I had three broken?" She turned kicking him full force in his chest ignoring his howl of pain. "It felt something like that!"

She turned grabbing him by his rope as she pulled him of the muddy floor the thick mud was now spattered all over his body. "I didn't make this place just for fun though. I made it to torture you…nothing will give me more pleasure before I die than knowing that I trapped you in this cavern and that you'll never escape it…." Itzli felt the savage force as he was pulled towards the Aztec cave whose walls were full of Aztec marking off the gods and snakes. He winced as he looked up seeing a well lit room ahead. Gabrielle blinked trying to clear the slight blur she grabbed the wall stopping her self from falling over. She could feel her head pounding now from all the alcohol she'd drunk.

She turned forcing Itzli in to the round room which was decorated in jade and gold. She ignored his painful whine as her gaze darted catching sight of a gold platform in the room's centre which had an open wooden chest on it which had no key. "Welcome to your prison…." Itzli looked around sharply he watched as she let go off his rope bonds. "My prison?" He laughed slightly. "So you're going to trap me in here and leave me to die slowly…is that it?" He laughed again despite the pain it took. "Pathetic and here I was thinking you had more imagination." Gabrielle smirked as she slowly pulled off the Aztec bag with all its items putting it inside the open wooden chest. She eased up the fertility goddess's pendent an evil smile slowly spreading across her face. "Oh I have imagination Itzli, after all what is a cavern with out a guardian?"

Itzli looked up sharply he turned as he heard the screeching as the spirits suddenly entered the room. He suddenly felt his body freeze as there skeleton hands came towards him. He felt the pain as they grabbed his body there claws digging in savagely as there skulled faces screamed with laughter. He turned eyeing the Blood Jaguar. "You can't do this to me!" Gabrielle sneered as she swung the chain lightly. "Watch me…." Her gaze moved to the spirits. "Turn him in to a snake…a fat ugly winged python, which can't swallow people whole!" Itzli cried out in pain as the red light spread out from the skeleton fingers its light pulsing through his body in agonizing waves. He tried to struggle only to feel their grip on his body tighten.

Gabrielle watched as his body started to change his legs slowly came together forming a huge tail. His upper body grew up wards slowly lengthening the feathered headdress turning in to a mane of red feathers, as scales burst through the skin. His face began to lengthen changing in that of a huge pythons with long curving teeth and a long forked tongue. His hand slowly turned in to clawed fingers one of them disappearing as red feathers burst through and huge wings grew downwards. The huge body coiled in pain as a feathered tail end burst through. She ignored his screaming as she pushed the pendent in to the Aztec bag and pushed the wooden lid closed forcefully.

Itzli felt all the ghosts hands let go of him at once, his new body hit the floor painfully. He tried to move only to feel that he had no legs and his bulk was slithering along. He raised himself as best he could feeling his claws awkwardly scratch the floor. He looked up in horror seeing that no nightmare could put in to words what had befallen him as he saw his refection in the gold platform. Gabrielle put her hands together feeling her laughter hit the air. "A guardian who can't touch the very items he protects and can never change himself back unless the very person who changed him does so…I would call that very imaginative wouldn't you agree?" Itzli stared at her as her words sunk in fully, this was not happening!

He snarled aloud narrowing his gaze. "I'll kill you!" He slithered forward finding his huge bulk difficult to shift. "You little bitch!" Gabrielle felt her laugher stop instantly as the huge winged python rose above her getting ready to strike. She didn't think as she ran forward with all her might narrowly missing the jaws as they came down. Itzli didn't think as he brought up his clawed hand knocking her off her feet causing her to hit the floor hard on her back. He swung his huge neck up around bringing his jaws down on her shoulder. He heard her scream of agony hit the air as he pushed his teeth in deeper causing blood to spill free from her shoulder all at once he saw the fear in her eyes.

Gabrielle brought up her sword slicing it across the Itzli's upper scaled neck she screamed again in pain as the curved teeth let go of her shoulder. She could feel her own sudden fear which caused her to run forward despite all the pain she was in. She could see his coils twisting violently as he moved towards her full speed. She ran faster hearing the Itzli move faster forcing his new body forward. She could see him right behind her his python like head rising as he got ready to come down on her. She could see the caverns light penetrating the tunnel which caused her to move even faster. She screamed as she felt his claws slice across her lower leg as she jumped through the opening.

She hit muddy cavern outside hard on her side she could see the bloody claw marks and teeth marks which were creating red blood trails down her arm and leg. Her gaze darted as she watched the stone door slam shut just as Itzli smashed in to it with the full force of his body. She could hear his screaming from inside as the huge stone door pushed itself closed despite his huge body pounding it violently. The huge Aztec calendar blasted up with red light all three of its rings spinning to the day of the dead which caused the whole calendar to click as the cavern door closed itself to the world completely. The rings shifted as they pulled themselves out of there combination before going completely still. She suddenly didn't feel so well her head was starting to spin and her body was screaming in pain.

She crawled across the muddy wet floor catching sight of the stone steps which she crawled up trying to ignore the rain which was still coming down all around her. She dragged her body to the top and on to the grass close by only to feel her stomach twist violently. She couldn't do anything but close her eyes as she lost the contents of her stomach. The rain was stinging her wounds and she couldn't see anymore everything was blurred. She pulled her hands forward hearing screeching from behind her which was no doubt the spirits drinking her blood which was the price she was paying for there services. She clutched the ground feeling weakness take over her body.

She heard the screeching and laughing disappear all at once and all she could hear was the rain as she dragged herself further forward. She breathed in feeling the cold and the wet all at once. She was so cold, so lonely and Xena's arms weren't there to hold her. She couldn't stop the strangled sob as it felt her mouth and the tears as they began to fall from her eyes. She had no idea how long she'd been crying but it didn't matter the strength was now truly leaving her and all she could do was give in to it. She hit the floor on her side slowly rolling over on to her back. The world slowly turned to darkness as she felt her eyes slowly close and her body go completely still as she passed out.

8

Gabrielle looked up slowly meeting her lovers shocked gaze. "I would have probably died that day…if Aphrodite hadn't found me and bandaged up my wounds." Xena blinked again trying to think of what to say she breathed in sharply finally focusing herself. "You hurt Lila?" Gabrielle slowly leaned down un- hooking the Chakram from her belts hook. "Yes…I did…." She rose the gleaming Chakram higher looking at it. "If I could take it all back, I would in a heartbeat she was just trying to help me and all I could do was lash out at her and treat her cruelly." She slowly stood up walking towards her lover putting it next to the Warrior Princess on the bedside table. "You shouldn't have given me your Chakram I was never worthy of it."

She pulled away slowly. "I used it for personal violence and not to help others." She slowly sat herself down on the bed feeling her body tense. "People hated me and cursed my name." She laughed slightly but it was a sad dishearten laugh. "Some warrior I turned out to be, I failed everyone who ever believed in me and trusted me…." Her gaze drifted to Itzli who was struggling with his bounds. "The feather serpent will make Lila remember all this and there's nothing I can do to stop it." She put her hands together. "When she sees me again she'll ether turn her back on me or hate me for everything I've done…." Xena raised an eyebrow. "She won't hate you…."

Gabrielle looked up slightly. "I never did come home…after that night even after I got better…I was too afraid. I just took Argo and I ran away, I never looked back." She lowered her gaze feeling the sadness wash over her. "I never apologised to her or Sarah for all the pain I caused. I never even said goodbye or even that I loved them." She ran a hand through her hair in frustration. "If I'd have known that I would never see Sara again or Eve, I would never have said these things." Xena breathed in deeply. "I miss Eve, Sarah and Virgil." Gabrielle slowly ran her finger over the Aztec pendent. "So do I." She breathed in deeply noticing that Itzli's gaze was now fixed upon her. "You were right…."

Xena looked up sharply watching as her lover pulled herself under the covers of the bed. "I was right about what?" Gabrielle slowly turned over pulling the cover over herself fully as she turned away from her lover. "I am a disappointment to you." Xena breathed in deeply watching as her lover turned away from her as she closed her eyes trying to some get sleep. She sat still her thoughts drifting sadly to her daughter she breathed in deeply letting them go, she couldn't change the past. She could only hope to live a better life and create a better future. Her gaze drifted up slowly to her lover whose deep breathing could now be heard. Sleep had over taken the younger woman. She stood up slowly walking up to her lover's bed noticing the Mexican warriors eyes follow her she kneeled down next to the bed running her fingers through the long blonde hair she breathed in gently leaning over placing a kiss on her lovers face. Her voice was barely a whisper. "You're not a disappointment…If it weren't for you…I wouldn't be here."

End of part 13

Silvermoonlight

For those who read the story before this one you may recognise the shoulder wound Gabrielle received. The idea being that despite her changing time she was always destining to receive that wound and it was always meant to be prominent in her life.

I hope you liked the flashback this wasn't originally going to be in the story, but I changed my mind and thought I'd put it in. Her outfit in the flashback was the season 5 warrior one with the orange skirt.