BLOODY GOLD GLEAMING IN THE DARK OF THE NIGHT

The priest didn't think as he spilled the gold and gem stones across the table. He gazed at the warrior of the sun who was eyeing it greedily. "A hundred in gold and gem stone that was your request was it not?" The warrior of the sun looked at his smile widening. "Yes that was our agreement." The priest sighed aloud sitting back down on the chair close by. "I'm tired of this…I risked my life to come here every month…so your information better be good." The warrior of the sun looked up slowly. "Hey! I'm betraying Huitzilopochtli for you, what ever information I give you, you should be flattered. If anyone knew what I was doing they'd flay me alive or rip out my still beating heart." The priest looked up again. "Your people would also kill us on sight, so please keep your voice down you stupid fool." The warrior of the sun grinned as he picked up a red gem stone looking at it. "What information do you want to give to the feathered serpent?"

The priest narrowed his gaze. "I want to know if the Blood Jaguar is still breathing." The warrior of the sun grinned eyeing the other big warrior opposite who had said nothing so far. "Yes she is but you don't need to worry about her she doesn't have a spine anymore and all her memories had been wiped." He looked around the dark room which was dimly lit with a fire torch. "She can't even kill anymore…I've seen it for myself." He sat back as he started to count his gold. "Her souls been totally washed out so to speak, the bitch is no more than a bed warmer for Huitzilopochtli to sleep with." He moved his fingers through the gems. Only to pull his hand back as the big warrior opposite slammed his axe full force in the table causing the gold to fly upwards before coming down again.

The big warrior snarled as he looked at him. "You, know if you're lying I'll kill you myself sun worshipping worm…."The warrior of the sun turned eyeing the big man. "Look there's no need to get angry, I'm an honest man and I'm just making an honest living." He eased the gold out from behind the imbedded axe. "So there's no need to be cruel to my lovely gold." He picked up the gold watching as it spilt through his fingers as he sat down. "It's very rude." He looked around at his house which was very close to the cities edge hardly anyone really came around this area at this time of night. He smirked as he sat back in the chair. "You have nothing to fear from her." The priest snarled aloud. "Well I hope for your sake that you're right because everyone knows that she kills people."

He looked over the table. "Last thing I want to do is end up like the twelve elite and have my insides splattered all over the walls." He sat back slightly only to hear something grind close by, he turned looking around the room. "What the hell was that?!" The warrior of the sun looked up slowly. "Oh stop being such a spineless fool it was just my dog." He watched as the small dog moved in to the light its big ears moving as it yipped a little. The priest eyed the little dog in disgust as the warrior of the sun picked up the small animal putting it in his lap. "Why do you people insist on keeping Techichi dogs? Their pathetic small things which are better of in the cooking pot if you ask me."

The warrior of the sun sneered at him as he stroking the dogs head. "Then it's so good that I'm not asking you." He smiled at the little dog. "Besides he's my little friend, he keeps me company." The other warrior rolled his eyes. "Your little friend is pitiful." The warrior of sun narrowed his gaze. "Hey he was gift for services to the nobles." The priest folded his arms. "The same nobles you've been betraying for the last season?" The warrior of the sun smiled slightly playing with his gold again. "What can I say I'm just not getting enough in terms of nice things?" He eased up a gold pendent looking at it. "Things your great god is more than happy to throw my way for a little information."

He laughed enjoying the moment. "After all what is a little gold between friends?" He stopped instantly as something creaked behind him in the darkness. The priest stood up forcefully. "Look if you have another annoying little dog put it in a cage because those noises are really…." He stopped still as two glowing greens eyes opened in the darkness their smoke drifting outwards. He swallowed watching as the warrior next to him stood up pulling up his axe as the dark figure came closer. How had someone gotten in here with out being seen?! He watched as the warrior of the sun stood up stepping back slightly as he pulled his weapon free while placing his dog on the table where it began to whimper. "Come out now!"

He raised his axe higher seeing the fire light bathe the female figure whose blonde hair stood out as she took a slow step closer. He recognised the face in an instant. He turned slightly ignoring the shock in the others faces. "Why hello Blood Jaguar, isn't it past your bed time?" Gabrielle took another step forward. She looked at the table with its money their conversation had been so interesting. She breathed in deeply. "Isn't it a little late to be making deals like yours?" The warrior of the sun laughed as he met her gaze. "Oh that's real cute, did Huitzilopochtli teach you that one?" He turned seeing his dog suddenly jump of the table and run in to the corner. "Oh look now you scared my dog, I hate people who scare my dog."

Gabrielle moved a step forward saying nothing what had to be done next was right these were evil men so it made it okay. She shifted on her feet smiling as she moved a step closer ignoring the panic in all their faces. The warrior of the sun eyed the others in disgust. "Oh don't be such cowards! She can't kill you." He turned meeting her glowing green gaze. "Poor little thing can't remember how, can you?" He laughed pulling his bone dagger free throwing it at her he watched as it landed at her feet. He smirked hearing the others laugh as she leaned down picked it up. "That right you can't kill anyone anymore I saw you on the training field today, you poor pathetic little thing. Now why don't you go back to our god and be a good bed warmer?"

Gabrielle took a slow step forward ignoring the laugher as she rose the dagger higher looking at it. It had a very sharp blade despite being made of bone. The cut was so fine giving it razor sharp edges. She moved closer to the warrior ignoring his laugher, she felt creep across her face as she swung it watching as it hit its mark. The warrior's scream of agony rang through the air filling her ears as she pushed in to his stomach causing red blood to drip down over her hand. She casually moved the weapon sideways cutting in deeper causing the warrior to scream even more. She breathed in feeling the fire suddenly ignite in her stomach and fill her senses in an intoxicating rush, gods she had missed this!

Ixtli turned the corner watching as Olin followed her, Olin grunted aloud raising his hand. "Look I still think it's to early for a ceremony." Ixtli sighed leaning on her staff. "Look we won the war a ceremony to the sun would be nice." Olin shook his head. "Nice for you…you don't end up cutting out traitors heats and putting them on the altar." Ixtli turned sharply getting ready to say something only to stop as she heard screaming. "What the hell?" She moved quickly realizing that it was coming from the street opposite from one of the houses. Olin moved forward seeing the house come in to view, it was completely dark inside. He could see dark figures moving and hear the screaming which was getting louder and more terrified.

He felt his whole body freeze as blood suddenly spattering all over the windows outer sill. He stood still feeling the world almost go in to slow motion as it began to drip down. "Dear gods!" He heard a sudden smash from inside which sounded like wood breaking. What was going on here? Nothing like this ever happened in this area! He breathed in sharply as a gargling sound hit the air as the last of the screams died down and a banging was heard in side. He stepped forward only to watch in surprise as a small dog bolted out of the front door causing it to creak open. The small dog was shivering and blood was coating its fur it didn't look back as carried on running past them.

Ixtli stared at the open door she could see blood spilling out as the banging stopped. She felt her whole body freeze in panic as the door was suddenly shoved open. She considered herself to be a brave but right now she was terrified. Who ever or what ever was in there was dangerous beyond words she could see the blood even from a distance. Olin breathed in sharply watching as a small figure appeared, he could see the blood running down her face as she stepped out fully in to the light. Blood was all over her hands and her arms as well as her clothes. She slowly raised the bloody dagger looking at it as her glowing green eyes narrowed causing the smoke to turn in to fire for an instant.

He could see the shock in Ixtli's face and he knew it was on his own he couldn't believe he was seeing this! It was the Blood Jaguar there was no mistaking that. He had been there, he had seen her resurrection he had even heard the rumour of her not being able to kill. Yet here she stood covered in blood not far away from both of them her hand shaking as she brought the dagger closer to her face. Ixtli swallowed watching as she licked the blood from weapon with her tongue then swallowed it. "Oh dear gods…" She could see her shaking as her other hand clutched her skirt bellow the waist. It wasn't fear she could tell by the pose, no it was much more sinister. Her breath got caught in her throat as the realization hit home.

The golden haired woman was getting off on this she was so high on her bloodlust that she was turning herself on. She'd seen it before in warriors who became obsessed with killing and couldn't remove themselves from the battle. They somehow began to mistake blood lust with same feelings they had in the bedroom and they couldn't distinguish between the two anymore. She grabbed Olin's arm realizing all too suddenly that they shouldn't be here. The Blood Jaguar hadn't seen them yet because she way to focused on herself. "Let's go now." Olin turned to her only to be dragged backwards. "But that's the Blood Jaguar! Do you see what she's doing?" Ixtli tighten her grip. "I can see perfectly fine and when she comes down of her high she'll kill us, now come on!" Olin turned running after her. "I can't believe it they said she had no ability to kill!" Ixtli breathed in as she ran faster. "Yeah well, tell that to people she's just murdered." Olin breathed in as they turning another street. "Someone has to be told about this! Something's gone wrong she's not been resurrected right." Ixtli met his gaze. "We will tell them but right now I want to get out of here!"

8

Xochiquetzal watched as her brother eased up a large scroll he slowly unrolled it as he walked towards Xena. "Here is the map of Huitzilopochtli's city." Xochipilli looked up as she eased the jade covered skull in to the bag which she put down carefully. She took the map out of his hand looking at it. "As you can see it's a truly vast city, it's twice the size of this one." He leaned over slightly pointing to the biggest drawing. "That is the main keep, it's a huge building and you can't miss it. Getting in side it though is a huge problem." Itzli slowly came to stand next him, he slowly met Xena's gaze. "Gabrielle died trying to make it up Tezcatlipoca's temple steps. Huitzilopochtli's temple is twice the size and he has twice as many warriors I'd be suicide for you to even try and do what she did."

Xena looked at the map again before meeting his gaze. "Then how do we get in?" Itzli stepped forward putting his hand on the map. "We'll have to work our way slowly up through the city until we get to the temples stairs." Xena narrowed her gaze. "How slowly?" Itzli breathed in deeply. "A day, maybe more if we move through the city at this pace no one will take much notice of us, so long as we don't draw attention to ourselves." Xena snarled aloud as she turned to look at him. "That's far too long!" Itzli slowly met her ice blue gaze. "You cannot just run through Huitzilopochtli's city. You will be captured before you even get through the gate if you barge in there and try to fight your way in. Didn't Gabrielle talk to you about this?" Xena turned slightly. "Yes she did…."

Itzli shook his head. "She was right to tell you that, because you just can't do it." He looked up slightly. "I know this sounds bad but if we do this right we can catch Gabrielle in broad daylight." Xena looked up sharply. "What do you mean catch her broad day light?" Itzli eased up his hand. "The chances are that Gabrielle may leave the temple and we can follow her, so long as she's in human form." He narrowed his gaze. "If she walking around in human form we can capture her and force her soul back in to her skull. The chances are she'll spend much more time in this form because my god sees her as a symbol, therefore he'll show her off to the people." He sneered as he looked up. "Not that anyone should be paraded around like that."

He folded his arms. "My guess is that he won't be able to resist showing her off, since she's so legendary in these lands." Xena looked at the map again before looking up in disgust. "If he knew anything about her, he'd know that she hates being paraded around for others to see." Itzli breathed in deeply. "He doesn't know her, he only knows one person and that person was a shadow." He shook his head sadly. "He fell in love with her shadow." Xena lowered her gaze. "You don't have to help me I know that if Huitzilopochtli finds you he'll punish you." Itzli shrugged slightly. "If Huitzilopochtli finds me, then he finds me and I take my punishment but I'll know that what I've done was the truly honourable and noble thing and nothing can ever change that."

Xochipilli looked up slightly. "Actuality something can change that." He pulled a chain free from his neck throwing it to Itzli who caught it instantly. "What if you were to be my messenger?" He twirled his hand. "Let's just say that you are delivering a message for me. Therefore you can be harmed until you return to me with the reply." Itzli looked at the pendent in his hand. "You offer too much I can't accept it." Xochipilli shook his head. "Please take it, see it as a gift from the god of love." He felt his smile widen. "I offer my gifts only to those who I hold in highest approval." He breathed in deeply. "I intend to visit Huitzilopochtli's keep I feel the time has come to answer the question that I would never answer before."

Xochiquetzal turned sharply. "He could capture you again I'd rather go with you." Xochipilli shook his head. "There's no need if I'm ever to get over what happened to me all those centuries ago I must face him alone and come to terms with the fear that has always haunted me." He lowered his gaze. "I can no longer keep running from him." He eased up his hand. "It'll give me time to see what he's done to Gabrielle and how he's changed her. He may have just simply washed her soul and Re entwined her life threads differently. I wouldn't put it past him though to do more than that if it meant getting what he wants." Chantico grunted aloud as she sat down on Xochiquetzal's throne. "I never knew what he did to you until now."

She breathed in tapping her fingers on the thrones handles as he turned to meet her gaze. "What he did to you wasn't honourable." Xochipilli shook his head. "A lot of the other gods don't know about what he did, but then no one ever questioned anything he did in younger more violent days. They were all too afraid to." Xochiquetzal looked up slightly. "Those days don't bear thinking about there were three contenders for Mixcoatl's godly throne. We had Huitzilopochtli Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl all fighting each other for it." She breathed in sharply. "We all knew it would be a bitter fight and anyone who got caught in the cross fire would pay the price."

She eased up her hand. "Their war caused a lot of lesser gods to flee in fear and as usual Itzpapalotl was playing sides." Chantico sneered not bothering to hide her disgust. "Nothings changed she was still playing sides when I took on Tezcatlipoca. She later fled from the scene after Huitzilopochtli appeared leaving your ex husband high and dry." She looked up slightly. "No doubt she'll go running back to Quetzalcoatl like she always does and trying to blame everything on Tezcatlipoca. Or she'll go to some other spot in Mexica and cause more trouble, like the conniving bitch she is." Xena looked at them for a long moment. "I was wondering what had happened to her…."

She felt her fingers start to crunch the map as the intense anger started to boil in her stomach. "I'd love to burn down all her temples." Chantico snarled aloud eyeing her. "Well then that's one thing we can both agree on Warrior Princess. I would have loved to have seen Itzpapalotl's face after Gabrielle burnt her first temple down, it must have been quite an interesting picture to say the least." Itzli put his hand on the map again, he watched as Xena's hand began to ease as she gained control over her anger. "We still have an issue in terms of Huitzilopochtli's city. We can land the winged horse outside but we have to cross the bridge and we may still be caught." He shook his head. "If I haven't disobeyed my god then this would be simpler."

Xochiquetzal breathed in deeply as she eased up her pendent looking at it. She closed her eyes as she pulled it free from her neck. She watched as Xena's ice cold gaze met her own as she eased up the pendent. "Take this." Chantico narrowed her gaze. "You can't give her that it's yours and you only just got it back!" Xochiquetzal turned putting a hand on the fire goddess's shoulder. "No I can give this to her and I will…because it's the right thing to do and you know that, don't you?" Chantico eased up her hand to say something but stopped. She wouldn't win this argument that was already certain. She sat back breathing in deeply before looking up meeting the violet gaze. "Fine…."

Xochiquetzal moved towards Xena who face's was showing very little emotion she watched as her brother stepped back so she could stand next to the Warrior Princess. She breathed in deeply easing out her hand with the pendent in it. "Please take this, I took everything from your lover and I won't do that to you, you should have this, it'll help you." Xena eyed her for a long moment, every part of her wanted to throw this gift back in her, but the truth was she needed all the help she could get. She leaned over easing the pendant free from her hand only to stop as she raised it in the air. "I can't use this! Gabrielle could only use it because you took her tattoo and drank her blood!"

Xochiquetzal raised her hands. "It will work for you…you are in essence one soul that's been separated in to two what works for one will for the other." Xena sneered as she eyed her. "Not right at this moment we aren't I'm one soul and Gabrielle has no connection to me what so ever!" Xochipilli stepped forward putting meeting her ice blue gaze. "It will still work for you Xena." Xena watched as the white light blasted out from the pendent before fading away she slowly put it over her head. She turned eyeing the fertility goddess. "If your wrong!" Xochipilli put a hand on her shoulder pushing her back a step. "My sister has done many wrongs Xena, but she is not one to ever lie about things." He looked up slowly. "She just wants to make this right we all do, you have to have faith in us."

Xena eyed him before turning away. "You'll excuse me if I find that very hard right now. It's not everyday you have to watch the person you love die in front of you…." She watched as the fertility goddess looked down the guilt showing in her eyes. She eased up the pendent looking at it. "I'm sure though that this will be very useful, isn't it true that it can create anything you want?" Xochiquetzal nodded. "It'll do anything for the human blood of the mortal who is using it." Xena narrowed her gaze. "Can you turn back time?" Xochiquetzal shook her head. "I don't own that power…only my ex husband does." She sighed aloud. "The elder god also forbids changing time on any great scale in these lands. For he is the master of time and the heavens to play with time will bring about his wraith. We may be his children but we all fear his anger because he can destroy any of us in the blink of an eye." Xena eyed the pendent, before meeting her gaze. "Shame it can't do everything then…."

End of part 60

Silvermoonlight

Techichi dogs were the descendants of the modern Chihuahua they may have looked more like a Fennec Fox but with a dog's tail and much smaller ears.