BREACHING THE DEPTHS OF MY HEART AND SOUL

Huitzilopochtli eyed the skeleton warriors in front of him who were all in chains. There were so many of them, more than he'd ever seen before. He shouldn't have been surprised this had been his greatest campaign by far. Their leader Amimitl had been locked away and now was the time to face them and put across the deal they could not refuse. He moved forward looking at the first row of skeleton warriors who all looked afraid. They no doubt believed that this was going to be the last day that they'd spend alive. Some were looking at him with hated, others with fear but despite these looks they all must have thought that there time had run out. He sneered in disgust as he eyed them. "Well there are so many things I could do to all you."

He eyed the nearest warrior who looked even more terrified as he leaned closer. "I could have you all crushed to dust! I could have your heads put up on display for all to see! I could even send you all to the seventh hell!" He pulled back seeing the panic in all their eyes. "Doing that though would make me no better than the god who cursed you all." He took a step back looking at them all seeing the confusion in their eyes. "Instead only your leader will be punished." He smiled slightly. "All of you will be given a choice." He watched as a couple of them looked at each other. "I will give you all back your living bodies." If they hadn't been shocked before they were now. "Yes I am talking about living, breathing and eating again, even sleeping with people if you wish."

He smiled seeing that he now had their attention fully. "I will give you all this but you will have to serve me with out question. You will all so be mortal again and will have to live out the rest of your lives in my city. What you choose to do with your mortal life will be up to you, my people will help you to get you started with this new life." He raised his hand. "You can choose to remain warriors and will have to serve under my laws of war or you can put down your weapons and settle down. Mark my words though any of your bad habits like stealing, sexual assault or any kind and general violence will be met with death. Your god may have let you run wild and hurt your own people but you won't do it in my city!"

He turned eyeing them again. "You will obey my laws and worship me for the rest of your natural lives!" He eased his hand towards them. "If you're not interested in this offer then your alternative is death. The living priests, priestess and warriors from your city have been given a very similar offer to you all most all of them took it." He felt his teeth grind together. "If I were you I would do the same, this offer is only going to be put forward once." He watched as the skeleton warriors started to talk among themselves. Only to feel him freeze in mid motion as he caught sight of something in the distance it was a shaft of light not even visible to mortal eyes. He ignored the chained warriors who were all heavy surrounded by his hummingbird warriors as he took a slow step forward.

Yes it was a light shaft and it was faint as it someone was trying to cover it. Even so his hummingbird warriors wouldn't have seen it even if they were right beside it. Only the person whose soul it belonged to could see it. It was a souls echo and it was only made by a person's skull which had been covered in scared jade so it could recapture the soul which was meant to be a part of it. It acted like a worm on a fishing rod, the separated soul would feel a need to be drawn back to it and they wouldn't be able to stop themselves. He felt his hand form a fist as he snarled aloud it meant only one thing Itzli was here! Despite betraying him the warrior had returned and if the Warrior Princess was alive she was probably with him right now.

He turned eyeing the head warrior close to him. "Take these warriors to the pool of creation there they can decide their fate." He watched as the hummingbird warrior closest bowed his head. "Yes great sun god." Huitzilopochtli felt his gaze narrow he would not let Xena take Gabrielle from him! She didn't deserve her! Only he deserved to have her! He felt his hand form a fist he loved her more than anything! He looked down watching as the sun light burst out through his closed fist. She had no right to touch her, she had left her all alone all that time ago! Why did Gabrielle ever love her over him? He sneered slightly not that it really mattered anymore because she wouldn't be leaving his city alive!

8

Xena watched as the glowing green eyes studied her for a long moment. "How long have you been here?" Gabrielle looked at the wooden table tracing its lines with her gaze. "I wasn't resurrected that long ago…but I have no idea how old I am." Xena moved her thumb over the smaller fingers watching as the green eyes looked up. "You look about twenty one seasons old to me." She looked down slightly that was a half truth Gabrielle was in fact older than that. Since time had been rolled back though it was only fair to go with how old she was now and not confuse her. She felt a smile creep across her face. "We could always check your teeth though." Gabrielle looked up feeling herself laugh at the other woman's joking comment.

She raised her hand leaning forward. "Maybe I should check yours to." Xena felt her smile widen even more, it felt like the playful banter they sometimes had during the dark nights when it was all quite and dinner would be roasting over the camp fire. She leaned closer putting a hand under her chin. "What are worried that they might not all be clean?" Gabrielle laughed again. "No, I'm worried that you might bite me." Xena raised an eyebrow meeting her glowing eyes. "I don't bite…hard." She listened as the younger woman's laughter filled the air again gods it was such a beautiful sound. She inched a little closer she was so close to her now that she see the patterns in her green eyes.

She could now see that her pupils weren't glowing but both her iris's patterns were, they glowed with light and the smoke was drifting out from them. She eased up her fingers moving it through the drifting smoke which was warm to the touch. She moved her fingers further though the smoke. No it was more than just warmth she'd could feel her lover's presence. She leaned even closer not really thinking anymore as she ran her fingers gently down her lovers face. She couldn't stop herself as she leaned forward meeting her lips all too suddenly. Gabrielle felt her eyes snap open in shock she moved her other hand only to feel the other woman grab it. The woman was kissing her and she couldn't stop her!

Every thing felt like it had gone wrong she hadn't stopped her when she'd leaned closer she knew what was going to happen the instant before the other woman's hand had touched her face. She hadn't pulled away even though she knew she should have. She felt like a moth to a flame as if she wanted this woman to touch her and she had no idea why. She couldn't even fathom a reason no matter how hard she tried only that she wanted her to. She couldn't pull away from her now but the truth was that she didn't even want to. Gods her emotions felt like they were pulling in so many different directions and she had no idea what to do next. The kiss wasn't anything like she expected, in her mind she had assumed that kissing a woman wouldn't be nice.

This was though this was so nice, but it was more than that she could feel the other woman's emotions in the movement of lips. It was such a desperate kiss with an overwhelming need for a response no that was wrong it was a need for her to respond. There was so much love and passion in it and all of it was focused on her. She'd never felt anything like this since her resurrection, even her Lords kisses hadn't made her feel this way. She knew this was all wrong and somehow she just wanted to respond. She didn't care about the sexual side now or even that she was betraying her Lord she just wanted to feel that love it seemed to speak to her heart.

It took away the echoing loneliness that she was feeling and that made it so much more powerful in her minds eye. It made her feel wanted it made her feel content somewhere deep down in side. She relaxed her hands feeling the other woman loosen her grip on her them as she began to respond, she knew she was being tentative. A part of her was truly terrified and it probably showed, she was positive that the other woman felt it because she seemed to slow down a little then easing up one hand running it gently down the side of her face as if to take away her fear. Xena opened her eyes slowly seeing that Gabrielle had hers closed in this instant.

She moved her hands out keeping up with her slow response as Gabrielle responded back. Gods she didn't want this to end, she wasn't even sure how they'd both gotten to this point not that she even cared. To feel her soul again was such bliss, which made her hate herself for what she had to do next to this woman who seemed so innocent and almost childlike. Xochipilli had said it wasn't her gods even if it wasn't it felt like her regardless. She moved her hand watching Itzli grabbed the dog who snarled trying to bite him. She pulled the cloth back seeing the skull whose eyes were glowing intensely. She stopped the kiss moving both her hands to Gabrielle's face feeling her put her hands over hers.

She leaned up gently kissing her blonde head she could see the smile on her face it was so content, as if nothing in the world could take away the pleasure she was feeling at this moment. "I'm sorry." Gabrielle felt her head being kissed again she could hear the other woman's voice breaking as they both stepped away from the table. "Why are you sorry? I'm not angry, I enjoyed it." Xena wanted to laugh gods she was so innocent she ran her hands through her long blonde hair. She watched as Itzli pushed the skull closer so it was just behind them she turned feeling Gabrielle turn with her so her back was to the skull. She closed her eyes painful as her pain filled voice hit the air. "Even jade will shatter, even gold will crush, even quetzal plumes will tear. One does not live forever on this earth, only for an instant do we endure."

She paused watching as Gabrielle look up sharply, the next words left her mouth before she could stop them. "I love you Gabrielle, I'll love you forever." Gabrielle felt herself freeze in utter shock she knew those words! She knew them she couldn't even remember who had spoken them only that she could remember their voice faintly. It was like an echo and it made her world coming to a grinding stop as she watched the woman step back the pain in her eyes. Her eyes she remembered her eyes! She couldn't remember anything else but she could see them so clearly now they were these eyes that were looking at right now! They weren't brown though they had been light blue, like sapphire as it was being pieced by sun light.

Itzli ignored the dog who tried to bite him again, he held it tighter this had been the most risky plan he'd ever seen! He couldn't believe Xena had done what she had done it was insane and yet somehow Gabrielle had just walked blindly in to her trap. He watched as fire burst though the jade patterns which started to float as the skull lifted itself in to the air. It was to late to go back nothing could stop this now, he watched as the skulls mouth started to open sending hot air outwards. Gabrielle blinked feeling the hot air hit her back it sent a shiver down her spine. She turned seeing a bleached white skull with glowing eyes come in to view. Jade patterns were floating around it moving in fire spires circles.

What ever thoughts she had at that moment faded as terror and fear took over as well as the realization that she had been tricked hit home. She eased up her hand seeing that green fire had begun to consume her body. She wanted to cry out or scream yet she couldn't the skulls eyes had her locked in place like a deer in arrow sight. She could see the pain the other woman's eyes, pain which she could read so clearly. It was the pain of not wanting to do this, the pain of loving her and not wanting to hurt her, but having no choice. Xena felt her teeth grind together as her lovers body was consumed by flames she could the terror in her glowing green eyes.

Her lover's eyes just seemed to stare at her in both fear and panic as the face was consumed by flames. Itzli watched as the green flames were consumed by the skull which dragged them in to its mouth. He felt the breath get caught in his throat as Xena came forward using her hands to force the floating patterns together which caused the jaws to instantly shut. Itzli cried out as the dog bit his hand he let go of it watching as it landed at his feet only to turn to snarl at him. He eyed his fingers which were bleeding. "You annoying little…." Xena slowly eased the still floating skull out of mid air. "Leave it alone its afraid of you." She eyed the little dog. "It's just doing what all dogs do being loyal to their owners."

Itzli eyed the skull whose patterns hadn't stopped floating. "I can't believe you just did what you did! You could have ruined the plan! I mean what were thinking with kissing her!?" Xena eyed the skull in her hands whose eyes were starting to glow brighter. She turned eyeing him. "She responded to me it was like she wanted to kiss me!" Itzli looked up sharply. "Did you see how innocent she is? She didn't know any better!" Xena eyed the skull in her hands. "I don't know what your complaining about it worked didn't it!?" Itzli groaned as put a hand on his face. "I can't believe you I saw how you were looking at her! I mean you tried to touch her before she'd even sat down!"

Xena felt her hands tighten around the skull she felt her next words come out in rush. "I love her! I needed to kiss her!" Itzli breathed in deeply, he didn't want to argue with her anymore. He just couldn't get over how insane and reckless she was being. He shouldn't blame her, the truth was she was coming apart they both knew that already. He rubbed his face Gabrielle had always been so much easier to deal with in some respects, Xena wasn't though. She was very much guided by her emotions and when she lost her temper, it was like alcohol being poured in to a fire all in one go. Gabrielle had always listened to his plans, Xena just didn't do that and it made things hard.

Xena was about to say something only to be cut off as the skull in her hands started to shake violently. She could hear the teeth chattering only made louder by the gold one in the back of the jaw. She looked down trying to hold it tighter only to feel the shaking become even more violent. What in Tartarus was going on? Itzli watched as the skull rattled in her hands. "What the hell? Did you push the patterns together?" Xena eyed the patterns which were now together. "Yes!" She looked down feeling the pain as the skull started to shake even more. Itzli moved forward seeing the green fire as it started to force its way out of the jaws which were trying to hold it.

He breathed in realized what was about to happen, it was too late to pry the skull free of Xena's hands! Xena didn't get a chance to think as the mass green flames forced open the jaws fully. It flew out of the opening like a Chinese rocket filling half of the room as it freed it's self fully from the skull prison in a violent motion. It blew up upwards and outwards like real fire smashing through the houses roof sending wood and stone everywhere. She watched out of the corner of her eye as the little dog ran through the back opening with Argo as the wood began to fall around them. She held the skull tighter protecting it as the roofs supporting rafters broke and everything fell inwards towards them.

She closed her eyes there was no time to run, this was going to hurt. What had gone wrong?! She'd done everything just like the scroll had said! The next moments turned to pain as the roofs wood began to hit her whole body along with the straw and stone. She held the skull to her chest as she hit the floor on her knees feeling it more wood slam in to her back. She hit the floor hard on her front as she was buried by it she could hear Itzli crying out in pain as he was buried along with her. She gritted her teeth trying to take blows as the wood hit her shoulders and body. Everything turned to agonizing pain as she felt a hard piece of stone slam in to the back of her head. Her body sagged as she passed out once again in to the cold echoing darkness as the sound died around her.

8

Gabrielle breathed in feeling the pain all over it had been pure agony as she'd freed herself from that dark terrifying place which had trapped her. She screamed feeling the pain go through her spine again. It was too much to take and she had no idea how to stop it. She knew she was completely powerless at this moment. She had no idea were she was or even what was happening the green flames were blinding her! She watched as they slowly dissipated revealing the city bellow which she was high above. She knew the moment that they vanished that everything was wrong she wasn't in her hummingbird form. She was in her human form and her Aztec clothes were back in place.

She felt the panic and the terror that followed as she started to fall. Her upper back was on fire it felt like something was sticking out of her back. What ever it was it felt heavy as if there was a mass of weight pulling on her both of her shoulder blades. It was a dead weight and it was causing her to fall faster with each passing moment. She breathed as she ascended downwards completely helpless to stop herself from falling. Where ever she landed it was going to hurt and there was also a possibly that it could kill her since could no longer becoming a hummingbird. A part of her wished that the flames hadn't cleared at least then she wouldn't feel this terrifying fear now. May be it was the realization as the streets got closer that waiting for the pain was much worse than being in pain.

She could see the market place bellow and the fountain which she was heading towards. She closed her eyes only to open them again what in Tartarus was the point? She felt the pain as she smashed in to a stall top part causing the owners to scream as items flew through the air as the sped by. She seemed to carry on gliding towards the fountain of water. She smashed in to its hard stone statue which caused every nerve ending in her body to fire up with pain. Blood flew through her teeth as her whole body fell backwards. She felt the fountains ice cold waters come up all around her as she hit them. She felt her fingers twitch as she lay half submerged in the crystal clear water trying to take the pain.

It felt worse than pain though it felt like her whole body was on fire and she couldn't think straight. She couldn't focus no matter how hard she tried she felt her head as it fell against the fountains edge cold stone edge. In this one moment she wanted oblivion just so she didn't have to feel this pain which was all encompassing. What had that woman done to her? She watched as the whole world around her started to go out of focus. She wanted to hate her just for this pain but a part of her just couldn't. She'd never felt warmth and love like that before it was love which had taken away her feelings of loneliness the same painfully loneliness, which she was now starting to feel once more. She tried to get up only to feel her body sag as she started to close her eyes. She could hear shouting and see the faint shadows as they appeared all around her. Some moved out their hands grabbing hold of her body trying to lift her out of the fountains waters. She watched as the world around her disappeared in to a dreamless darkness which had no light or noise.

End of part 68

Silvermoonlight

Thank you everyone for all your thoughts and reviews.