THE UNIMAGINABLE DISTANCES THAT STRETCH OUT BEFORE YOU

Akemi carried on moving up the hill she could her house in the far distance now her home it was a tiny thing compared to what was over that hill. She watched as Ehecatl followed his glowing eyes showing confusion. Ehecatl looked at the steep mountain side, they'd been walking for some time now it was slow going this was very steep hill. He eyed her small house far off in the distance. "Where are we going?" Akemi felt her smile widen, where were they going that was the big question wasn't it? She moved faster seeing the high rise come in to view. She could see the city bellow stretching for miles it was much bigger than Huitzilopochtli's great city.

That was how it should be this was the first city were the Aztec gods first drew breath until the world as C'thulon had created the first generation of creator gods one by one. She felt her foot hit the ridges edge as she stared at the grand spectral bellow. The lesser gods had there cities all over the world but all them hid away in the heavens where mortals couldn't go. Not here though, not in Teotihuacán, here heaven and earth met on the same plain and any mortal who dared to cross it would forfeit their life, because to all it was forbidden. She ran her hand over her pendent but not to her or any one else she brought here. Her master had said that she could always come and go as she pleased.

She wasn't the only one other gods had warriors who could come and go as they pleased. These special people were important as they delivered a message if their god couldn't. She turned watching as Ehecatl ran up the steep hill side coming to a stop. His whole body froze as he looked at the city spanning out in front of them. She eased out her hand feeling her smile widen. "Welcome to Teotihuacán birth place of the gods." Ehecatl stopped still staring at the city in front of him which seemed to span out for miles. He had never seen it very few people had seen it up close like this. People in Mexica could go through a whole life time and not see it.

Even hummingbird warriors and skeleton warriors like him could go through two or three life times and never see it. He looked at the huge temples and stone building which were in their thousands. Who would have imagined it could be like this? It was truly glorious. He wouldn't have thought it before now but then he'd seen the sun gods city from a far and he had believed that, that was the ultimate city. He suddenly felt the fear as it gripped at his soul. "We shouldn't be here it's forbidden!" Akemi smiled easing up the pendent. "To you perhaps but not to me, I'm a messenger for my master I can come and go as I please." She turned to look at him. "I can bring anyone I want inside its city walls, even you Ehecatl.

Ehecatl let his gaze drift over the huge city he stopped still turned to look at her. "Why are we going to the godly city? What's in there that's so valuable to you?" Akemi felt her smile widen. "Have you ever heard of the crystal skulls?" Ehecatl looked at her for a long wary moment. "Yes I've heard of the thirteen crystal skulls, who hasn't?" Akemi grabbed his arm pulling him closer. "Do you know where there kept?" Ehecatl blinked before looking up. "No." Akemi eased out her hand spreading her fingers. "There right down there." She leaned closer. "All thirteen of them…" She felt her cruel smile widen. "But the thing that very few people know and even less realize is that theirs a fourteenth."

She narrowed her gaze. "The fourteenth is the supreme skull the golden skull, its power controls the other thirteen but that's merely the tip of the iceberg. Imagine if you will everything having no meaning anymore because there is no beginning no middle and no end. The power of C'thulon in the palm of your hand, imagine that for just one second." She watched as his glowing red eyes darted in deep thought she tapped his jaw bone. "Yes that's it you can imagine it can't you?" She slowly turned to the city again. "Down there is the true power of the gods and I know how to open the door. I know how to use C'thulon's ultimate secret, but the real question is, are you willing to risk everything to open this door?"

She pulled away easing out her hands. "It's your choice after all, carry on as a bony carcass or come with me and learn the one great secret of the elder god." Ehecatl stared at the city in front of him frankly he didn't care for all she was saying it didn't interest him. Taking this journey was so much more interesting and for her to want him around was what he wanted. Yes maybe he could win her over with this opportunity maybe he could have the true prize and win her love. He turned slowly to face her. "I'm interested in the secrets of the elder god." He raised his hand. "I'm willing to take that risk." Akemi smiled as moved closer to him. "You won't be disappointed this will make everything right again, for you for me and we'll be gods in all of it."

8

Gabrielle turned putting her hand against the old wall feeling the old stone. She had been in these ruins for what felt like a long time. Truth was it was the only place that made her feel safe there were probably warriors out searching for her right now. She leaned down picking up her dog as she kicked a stone aside, not that it mattered they wouldn't find her. She wouldn't let them, after all she could hide anywhere in this city as long as she kept out of sight. She walked forward only to stop as a tingling sensation travelled through her body. It was such an odd sensation it was very likable though she wasn't sure what the feeling it was giving her was. Only that she wanted more.

She moved out from behind the stone wall feeling the sensation again, it was like a pulse which was beckoning her. She felt her gaze narrow as she caught sight of something odd in the distance. It was a spire of green light which was coming up from one of the houses at the edge of the city. It was a very small spire but she could see it so clearly even in the sun light. She moved forward feeling the irresistible pull which she could no longer pull herself away from. It was drawing her in and she couldn't stop herself she wanted to get closer. She wanted to know what was causing it, it seemed so familiar to her and yet she had no idea as to why that was. She held her dog tighter stroking its head.

She was taking a risk she knew that already but she didn't care, she had find out what could draw her in like this. Did that really matter? No it didn't when she really thought about it, only finding out what this was did. She held her dog tighter as the green flames blasted outwards as she changed forms once more and took to air flapping her small wings. She could see her dog fast asleep in her comet like tail she looked up sharply just in time to see three living warriors run in to the ruins not far away. She knew before they even got close that they were here for her. She didn't think as she flew skywards out of their reach before the first could grab her. She flew even higher as both warriors cursed while the other banged his axe against the ruins in anger.

She could see the people bellow becoming smaller there were no other hummingbird warriors in the sky. She could see a few comets moving above the streets but they weren't looking for her by the looks of things. She turned sharply moving even closer to the light she flapped finally getting with in inches of it. She had been right it was coming up from a small house bellow which was very close to the market place. What surprised her most was that no one seemed to be even seeing it. They just walked past it going about their business why couldn't they see it? She came even closer to the light flying around it in slow circles.

She could sense something coming off from it but she had no idea what it was only that it seemed very familiar to her. It was like she knew it, understood it as if it was a part of her, yet she had never seen it before this day. She moved even closer to it watching as the flames going outwards from her body touched it. There were no bad effects her flames just seemed to merge with it. She slowly raised her beak to it touching it very carefully. The next moment surprised her as white light suddenly pulsed outwards. This light band travelled down the green spire at lightning speed only to disappear from sight as it went inside the house. She couldn't help but get a giddy feeling she wanted to touch it again, she moved her beak out tapping the light again watching as more white light steams pulsed downwards. She couldn't help herself anymore she had to know what was causing this, it was fascinating. She flew downwards descending very slowly around the spire touching it over and over again enjoying the light show.

8

Xena looked at the scroll again she had read it so many times now and if what she was reading was right it said that all the patterns on both sides had to be forced together once they started to float, after the words had been spoken. Gods this was boring, may be it was the whole not being able to fight that was stirring her up inside. No it was more than that she'd felt out of place ever since Gabrielle's death, it was a hollow loneliness which was becoming all encompassing. She put her hand on her face. It was making her feel completely out of place and causing her to have emotional outbursts. The greatest irony in all this was she'd seen Gabrielle act this way in most of the visions she'd seen.

The younger woman's emotions had been up and down constantly, one minute she could be on a violent high and the next crying because of how depressed and lonely she felt. She looked at her hands she already knew that for her this was the beginning of it all she could feel it. She had no idea if she could keep it together, only that she was going to have to. She eased out her hand putting it on the decorated skull bringing her lover back was all that mattered right now. She breathed in deeply why was nothing ever simple? There coming here had been a rescue mission for Lila yet it turned in to a complete disaster! She threw the scroll on the table, she wasn't even sure if Gabrielle's younger sister was alive.

Gods she'd never forgive herself anything had happened to the younger girl. Lila was the only one in Gabrielle's family who hadn't judged her based on her past. She had like Gabrielle been very accepting of her and from what it seemed she'd spoken highly of her to others in Potidaea. It was nice to know that for once someone was speaking out of kindness for her and it wasn't because she done something for them to urn their favour.

She looked up only to freeze as the eyes of the skull blasted up with white light which carried on pulsing. Itzli sat up in his seat. "She's here!?" Xena eyed the skull's glowing eyes as she stood up. "How can she be here right now, I thought we'd have to find her?" Itzli looked up sharply. "Does it even matter? We can capture her soul!" Xena stood up fully feeling an odd sensation travel through her body, she couldn't help but twitch. It felt for a moment like Gabrielle but it seemed to change in to something which she just couldn't sense anymore. She looked up just in time to see a green comet fly in through the opening in the back wall. It blasting in to huge mass of green flames as it reformed.

Gabrielle felt the floor as her feet made contact with it she shook her head somehow she was glad that she had no headdress on. She stood up very slowly taking hold of her dog which was floating in mid air. She put it in her arms watching as it came to life again she smiled as she stroked its ears before looking around her. She was in a broken old house which had a table and chairs there was a golden llama looking at her close by. There were also two people in the room both were dressed in white robes. One was quite a tall man who had a deep set face and very dark brown eyes as well as short black hair, she watched as he pulled down the hood of his robe.

The woman opposite was also dressed in white robes but she was very tall, like him she had dark brown eyes. She seemed well muscled and she could a few faint scars on her shoulders. The strange thing though was her face it seemed so familiar, as if she'd seen it before. Strangely though she knew she hadn't. What surprised her most was the way the woman was looking at her. Her brown eyes were wide and staring at her so intensely but at the same time it was such a look of compassion, her mouth was slightly open but it had the beginnings of a smile. The whole expression wasn't awe no it was an expression of pure love but that even to her mind that seemed strange.

Xena carried on staring, she couldn't control all the emotions she felt at this point and she was powerless to try. Gods it was Gabrielle and she was just standing here in front of her. She looked so beautiful as if nothing had even happened to her, no wounds on her body just beautiful soft skin and long blonde hair, all there just the way she remembered it. The only thing different was her green eyes they were glowing and she could see smoke drifting outwards. It was indescribable she wanted to touch the younger woman's face to feel that glowing light. She had no idea why she wanted to touch that glowing light only that for a moment she could think about doing nothing else.

She didn't care about the Aztec clothing with its reds, oranges and yellows. She didn't care for any off it just that the younger woman was standing here in front of her was enough. She wanted to run up to her and kiss her but she knew that wasn't possible right now, the thought of not being able to hurt like Tartarus. It felt like she was reliving a memory from so many years ago when she'd seen Gabrielle talking with someone in a tavern that they were staying at. The younger woman hadn't been doing anything just talking. She could remember it all so clearly she had stopped drinking and just looked at her, wanting nothing more than to just walk up to her and hold her.

Instead she'd just looked in to her ale wishing that she was the one talking to the younger woman and not the older man. She wanted those green eyes to look in to hers so she could melt in to them, in that moment she'd felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. She could look at Gabrielle but she couldn't touch her and that feeling had torn through her heart like a razor sharp knife. Gabrielle looked at the tall woman there was such an odd silence hanging in the air. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to intrude on you and your husband." Xena turned sharply eyeing Itzli, before turning back to meet her lovers green eyes not being able to stop the words that came out in rush. "He's not my husband, were not married he's my brother."

Itzli rolled his eyes why the hell had she said that? They were meant to be posing and that meant posing in front of every one including Gabrielle! Xena took a slow step forward, it was painfully obvious that Gabrielle didn't recognise her if she had she would have said her name. Gods she wanted to hear her say her name, she'd missed that so much even in this short time. Gabrielle looked at the dog in her arm. "I was wondering where the light was coming from it looked like it was coming from your home." Itzli didn't think as he pulled part of his robe over the skull covering it. He blinked in confusion had the skull been letting off a light beam of some kind that only Gabrielle could see or was it Xena who was letting off the light?

Ether way that wasn't good if Gabrielle could see it there was a chance that others might. Xena eased out her hand. "I'm sorry we didn't see any light." She eyed the younger woman Gabrielle had been attracted here by a light almost like a moth to a flame, but where was the light coming from that was talking about, was it the skull? Gabrielle stroked her dogs head. "I'm sorry I interrupted you, I'll go." Xena moved even closer, gods she sounded so innocent and charming like she did when she was younger, before Dahak, Hope and all the suffering and pain which had followed. "Please don't go I'm sure your fox is hungry wouldn't you like to give it something to eat?"

Gabrielle eyed her dog for a moment, she hadn't thought about that. She didn't need to eat but her dog did it was a living breathing animal. This woman also seemed nice and her deep voice was putting her at ease. She eased up her dog. "It's not a fox, it's a dog." She felt her smile widen. "I think he does need to eat though." Xena watched as Gabrielle moved past her she eased up her hand to touch her only to stop as she met Itzli's annoyed gaze. The warrior shook his head just to emphases his point. She snarled slightly she felt like a scowled child who was being told to behave. She wanted to touch her lover! Not being able to touch her was like not having air to breath.

She watched as the blonde woman pulled up another chair sitting her self down. Itzli pulled a cloth from close by covering the skull with it as he pulled his robe free before sitting down. Xena moved over to Argo's bags she opened one pulling out some of cooked meat. Xochipilli had re-stocked them before they'd left. She moved over to table sitting herself down on the opposite side of Gabrielle so she could see her. Itzli felt his gaze dart he had no idea what Xena's plan was here but it was making him feel unnerved. Gabrielle smiled as she put her dog on the table watching as it moved forward sniffing the meat in the tall woman's hand before chewing on it. Xena smiled looking at the little fox, she looked up slightly wait Gabrielle said it was dog.

She moved her hand out stroking its head only to feel it lick her fingers. Trust Gabrielle to fall for something small and cute that was so like her. She eased up her fingers stroking its ears. "What's your dog's name?" Gabrielle looked at the dog it liked this tall woman almost as much as it liked her, how strange. "I haven't given it a name." Xena looked up meeting her glowing gaze. "What would you call it?" Gabrielle eyed her dog which was still being stroked by the other woman. "I'm not that good with Mexican names I can't remember any." She smiled sadly. "It seems so funny don't you think? I'm meant to have lived here my whole life, yet I remember nothing of my life before I died."

She felt herself stop mid sentence why was she telling this woman this? The truth was didn't know why, she just couldn't stop herself. Maybe it was because in this moment she was still feeling lonely and she needed to speak to some one who was willing to listen and this woman seemed to care. No it was more this woman spoke to her like a friend, everyone else spoke to her like she was someone to worship. Xena watched as the dog carried on eating what an awful lie Gabrielle had been fed she breathed in deeply. "You know maybe you didn't live here all your life." Gabrielle put a hand under her chin leaning on her elbow. "Maybe your right, maybe I'm someone else all I ever get told is that I'm a great warrior called the Blood Jaguar."

She tapped her finger on the desk. "Yet my true name isn't Mexican at least it doesn't sound it." Xena smiled as she leaned forward she could tell by the way her lover was tapping the wood with her fingers that she was agitated about something. She normally did it with her quill when she was having trouble writing. "What's your true name?" Gabrielle looked up slowly. "Gabrielle." She lowered her gaze. "I know it doesn't even sound Mexican." She looked at her hand. "I don't even look Mexican ether." Xena slowly met her glowing gaze again. "Gabrielle is a beautiful name." She looked at the dog who was now sitting looking at her. "I'm sure it means something special like you having a beautiful soul."

Gabrielle looked up sharply those seemed like far to kind a words, yet she wished the woman would say them again. "Thank you." She gave the woman a smile seeing her smile back. Xena eased up her hand. "Why are you here all alone?" Gabrielle felt the sadness as it hit home she looked down slowly. "I always feel alone…even when I'm with my own people." She shook her head feeling the frustration hit home. "Even when I'm with My Lord the sun god, I always feel alone." Xena felt the anger burn inwardly she was talking about Huitzilopochtli she breathed in letting it pass. It wasn't Gabrielle's fault she didn't know any better, she was being used by this bastard who was playing her like a chess piece.

Gabrielle looked up sharply not being able to hide the desperation in her voice. "Why is that? How can he love me and say nice things to me and yet I feel all alone?" She put a hand on her face trying to hold back her tears. "How could I have all the wonders of the world and still feel lonely?" Xena eased out her hand feeling the world slow down. She gently placed it on the younger woman's hand before she could stop herself she watched as the glowing green eyes looked up sharply. "You're not alone." Gabrielle stared in to the dark haired woman's eyes she suddenly felt nervous and unsure of herself. "I should go…I'm probably really boring you, with my feelings not that their bad feelings mind you…."

Xena closed her hand keeping her lovers smaller one in place she couldn't feel her fully she felt like she was at least close to her when she was touching her skin which was soft and warm. She recognised the look in the younger woman's eyes it was nervousness Gabrielle was also babbling just like she used to when she was younger. "No please stay." Gabrielle looked at the other woman for a long moment. "Your not one of those women whose going to undress in front of me are you?" She turned seeing the big man close by choke on the water he was drinking. Xena looked down slowly a part of her could think of nothing more wonderful but she knew that it was all just a fantasy in her mind.

She looked up composing herself again. "I wouldn't do anything in front of you that you didn't want Gabrielle." Gabrielle smiled those words made her feel so much safer. She smiled again. "I'm sorry it's just from what I've been seeing lately I believe at some point that I slept with a woman but I don't remember it." Xena smiled a part her was cracking up inside with intense pain, she was that woman and they didn't just sleep together, they were lovers! She wanted to scream and shout that point but she couldn't. She felt herself tense up in anger for a moment. Gabrielle looked in to the dark brown eyes of the other woman sensing the change. "I'm sorry I meant no offence."

She looked down again. "I'm just unsure about love and gender right now." Xena looked up seeing the confusion in the green eyes her lover was so unsure of herself and so afraid she could see it so clearly in her face. She held the smaller hand tighter. "I'm no expert, but I do know this Gabrielle. If you love someone nothing should matter." Gabrielle looked up slowly seeing the tall woman give her a smile she hadn't thought about that at all. Love was love at end of the day and that statement summed it all up in one. This woman was compelling and she just wanted to talk to her more, she seemed to know the world and brought up things that she had never would have thought about. Itzli blinked it was like he wasn't here, Xena was ignoring him and so was Gabrielle. Xena had Gabrielle's complete attention and the younger woman seemed mesmerized by it. He breathed in deeply they needed to carry out the plan and soon. He sat back folding his arms, he hoped that Xena was just stalling to make this easier on Gabrielle since trapping her wouldn't be a very nice affair.

End of part 67

Thirteen crystal skulls have been found to date their origins and uses are still very much a mystery.