THE SEEDS OF HATE AND ANGER

Itzpapalotl smiled as she stepped closer to the young girl. "Tell me what is it that Quetzalcoatl is keeping you here for? You see as prized as you are I doubt he'd keep you alive unless some kind of trade is evolved." Lila slowly got to her knees she didn't want to lie to the goddess, she was afraid of her. "My life is to be traded for his godly items." Itzpapalotl clicked her skeleton finger. "Ah yes the ones your sister stole." Lila stood up slowly trying to ignore the rotting dead smell. "Yes the items she stole." Itzpapalotl laughed realizing that she had a card to play with. "Well you can rest knowing that she's not coming to save you and you're going to die here."

Lila felt her teeth grind together. "I don't want her to save me, she's not my sister she kills people in cold blood!" Itzpapalotl turned sharply. "I see that my grandson has already given you back some of your missing memories." She looked at her skeleton fingers. "Well you should be happy then to know that she's already dead." Lila stopped still looking in to the woman's red eyes. "You're lying!" Itzpapalotl smiled slightly ignoring the shock on the faces of both un-dead warriors. "Sadly for you little mortal lying really isn't something I ever bother with. I'll tell you the interesting part though your sister had a choice, save you or save Xena."

She raised her skeleton finger. "She chose Xena over you and she died for her choice the Jaguar god Tezcatlipoca tore the flesh from her body and had her bleeding all over the floor. The greatest tragedy of it all was that she never killed anyone during her race up to his main temple. Bled, maimed but never killed and she died the honourable death at the very top of his temple's steps." She leaned forward seeing the shock as it spread across the younger girls face. "The Warrior Princess died along with her so there truly is no one to save you now." She looked at her fingers again. "Let's just say that your usefulness has ended, which is all the more reason that my grandson will give you to me."

Lila stood still for a long moment feeling the goddess's word sink in. "My sister isn't dead and she'll save me!" Itzpapalotl laughed slightly as she eyed her. "Allow me to show you something from your forgotten memories which may change your point of view." She didn't think as she grabbed hold of the young woman's throat again only this time tightening the grip fully as she dragged her towards her. "Your sister doesn't care about you!" She leaned closer seeing the girls scrabble across the floor as she dragged her even closer. Lila breathed in watching as the red eyes started to glow drawing her in. She couldn't break away from them or ignore the horrific images as they flashed through her mind. They were like her nightmares only much worse.

It felt like she couldn't breath and her body had turned to ice as if she was dying. Everything seemed to turn to blood red for a moment only for it to clear as a forgotten memory came back to her. It crashed through like painful wave which she couldn't stop no matter how much tried. It all seemed stop as an image forced its way in to her mind. She could see herself as if she was looking in it was similar to what she'd gone through with Quetzalcoatl only with one huge difference. She could touch things. She could see herself talking with Gabrielle who was seated on a chair their was another woman opposite who she didn't recognise at all despite that she recognised her parents house in Potidaea which looked so much older. Where were her parents? Everything about this felt so wrong and out place, this was obviously the other time which Quetzalcoatl had spoken about. Everything about it felt cold and different, she could see her self only she was so much older. Yet Gabrielle was still young but she was in a terrible state, she could hear their voices clearly now.

8

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!"

8

Lila felt the memory fade in one painful moment as she was savagely thrown to the floor. She groaned in pain as she looked up to the goddess who was smiling. Itzpapalotl leaned forward enjoying the many emotions as they appeared on the younger woman's face. "Now answer me this Lila, does your sister Gabrielle really care about you?" Lila looked down slowly it was such a small memory yet it revealed so much which she remembered clearly now, along with all the emotions she'd felt on that day. Emotions of pain, sadness as well as anger she'd felt them all as she'd tried to get her sister to let go of her hand. She'd been truly afraid of Gabrielle in that moment when she'd realized that her sister could kill her.

Gabrielle had never hurt her yet in this memory she was doing so without a care. It was that same monster from the other memory that had killed those men. It was the same face with its frozen soulless eyes. There was more though she'd had a daughter Sarah she remembered her now so clearly. She wanted to scream at Gabrielle right now for not telling her! Why had her sister kept this from her, how could she do that? That was hers and Lectors child! How dare she change the world and take that away from her! She was so damn selfish and twisted and evil to do something like that, it wasn't her place! In this moment she felt something that was so new to her it was the feeling of burning hated.

It was hate over having her daughter stolen from her by someone who was so selfish and only cared about ruining other people's lives. How many lives had Gabrielle changed, how many loves had she stolen? How many unborn lives had she taken when she'd changed the world in the pursuit of bringing Xena back from the dead? Itzpapalotl felt her smile widen as she felt the girls hated which had just been born. It was so rare that she got to witness the seeds of hate but it was always such a pleasure. More so in innocents because they never knew how to focus on the big picture instead they became obsessed with the person who had caused all their emotions such conflict.

She looked at her skeleton hand. "Be happy she's dead…I'm sure she would have hurt you again if you had both met." She stepped closer. "I mean at the end of the day your destiny to die, so you should just accept it." She eased up her skeleton fingers. "That is the way of the world, your born, you have a painfully life, then you die." Her next words were cut of by the sudden screaming from outside which echoed through the air. The whole keep seemed to rattle as something big smashed in to the steps outside. She turned seeing the panic in everyone's faces as the heavy steps echoed as something dragged its self up them closely followed by another being which hit the steps with just as much force.

Itzpapalotl looked up sharply only to hear the scrapping of claws she turned watching as her grandson head appeared as he moved down the keeps steps the anger showing in his eyes. Quetzalcoatl felt a sneer form on his face why his grandmother here? Not that that mattered right now. The only thing that did matter was that she playing with something which belonged to him! He turned eyeing her. "Stay away from my prisoner!" Itzpapalotl put both her hands together smiling slightly. "Did you have a good trip my dear?" Quetzalcoatl flicked up his tail pulling up Tezcatlipoca who was still half conscious. "It was very productive." He eased his lower body around in a violent motion.

He didn't think as he threw the half dead god at the wall close watching as he smashed in to it breaking some of the carvings as he hit the ground. "If you do not wish to end up the same way I suggest you leave!" He pulled himself along the ground allowing Manaia to come by. "I have a guest." Itzpapalotl stepped forward eyeing Tezcatlipoca who groaned in pain. "So Tezcatlipoca didn't do so well that is a shame, I always thought he had promise." Lila swallowed as the huge bird monster came towards her, she scrambled back seeing his golden hawk eyes focus on her as he opened his beak showing off his razor sharp teeth. Its huge feathered head moved as its lower fish half swung around in a coil. She swallowed only to blink as one of his eyes winked at her before it turned away.

Quetzalcoatl eyed Manaia it had taken them a long time to get back on foot they were both tied and he was so thirsty now. He had never been so happy to drink the blood from the altar it had taken the sting out of his hunger but he still needed more. He eyed his grandmother he was no mood to play her games! He eyed Manaia again. "Go ahead sleep in my pool I will deal with all this." Manaia nodded then turned sinking in to the pool his huge feathered wings vanishing followed by his fish like tail. Quetzalcoatl watched the water bubbled before going still. He turned eyeing his grandmother once more. "What part of get of my keep is not clear to you!?" Itzpapalotl smiled stepping sideways. "Come now don't be so cruel to your old grandmother who loves you very much."

Quetzalcoatl slammed his clawed fingers down hard. "Don't patronize me you love my power, just like everyone else does." He flicked out his tongue as he shook his mane of feathers. "Why are you here?" Itzpapalotl stepped closer to him, but not to close she knew better than that. She looked at Manaia whose eyes were closing as he started to fall asleep underwater. "Why are you fraternizing with this weak fool?" Quetzalcoatl flicked out his tongue again. "Who I choose to have sex with is no concern of yours." Itzpapalotl eased up her skeleton hand. "I have told you before that he is no good for you. You're strong and he is weak and you should have a lover who's is as savage as you." Quetzalcoatl narrowed his gaze. "I don't care for your pathetic opinion grandmother."

He eased out his tail picking up Tezcatlipoca again ignoring his groan of pain. "You see he was babbling about you not long ago and what you did in his city!" Tezcatlipoca felt the pain as he was thrown in to the other wall he felt the floor as his body hit it hard on his side. "Your meddling has cost me his kingdom! It's all fire and rubble because you fled leaving him to fight alone!" He eyed Tezcatlipoca who was now lying motionless on the floor. "Now I don't care that you had sex with him but I do care about the deal you made with him! The Blood Jaguar is mine! She was always my prize and if she has a female lover then they belong to me as well! Not to you or that cursed little bitch who calls herself the Star Coyote!"

Itzpapalotl breathed in deeply as she raised her hand. "I was looking out for your best interests." Quetzalcoatl snarled aloud as he came closer to her. "No you had your best interests at heart. Do you realize how much more difficult it will be for me to pry the Blood Jaguar out of Huitzilopochtli's hands now that she's become a hummingbird warrior!?" He flicked out his tongue. "The twelve elite will have to be sent and they'll need to be made much stronger to capture her!" Itzpapalotl stepped back. "Look there is something that's more important than that, something I have which will make the Blood Jaguar seem insignificant just like her sister who you're keeping prisoner!"

She raised both hands. "You could have C'thulon's secret!" Quetzalcoatl turned sharply eyeing her. "I have no interest in the elder god's secret!" Itzpapalotl looked at him for a long moment. "You can't be serious? This could change everything, you could have the world at your grasp with C'thulon's infinite power!" Quetzalcoatl sneered in disgust ignoring the confusion and terror in the faces of the Greek girl and his elite guards. "I'm no fool I will not risk my life for that power which you speak off. The price for playing with the elder god is far too high." He moved away from her. "You can risk your immortality for it but it will be your death in the end."

He flicked out his tongue before easing his body in to the cool waters feeling it wash against his scales soothing them. "Now get out of my keep before I kill you!" Itzpapalotl eyed the other sleeping god in the waters. "You're doing this because of him aren't you!?" She sneered slightly. "Your throwing away the opportunity of being all powerful because of your obsession with him!" Quetzalcoatl swung his head around as he dipped his wings in the waters. "Do not push your luck Itzpapalotl I can still destroy your city if it pleases me! I'll see that every man, woman, warrior and child as well as your un-dead legions meet an end that would make even you shiver!" He slammed his clawed fingers down in front of her. "So don't tempt me! The only reason I haven't killed you already is because Mixcoatl used to enjoy your council!"

Itzpapalotl looked at his clawed fingers she breathed in deeply obviously she'd over stayed her welcome. She eyed Lila for a long moment she would still have The Blood Jaguars sister. After all there was more than one way to get what she wanted she'd just have to be patient. If her grandson didn't want the world then she'd have it instead. Quetzalcoatl watched as Itzpapalotl vanished in a flash of black flames. The foolish bitch if she wanted to die chasing after C'thulon's powers then so be it, he had far more sense. He turned eyeing his two head warriors who instantly fell to the floor on their knees along with the Greek girl. "Chain up that fifthly Jaguar god with my godly chains and put him on display outside!" He watched as they lowered their heads further, the truth was he didn't care right now for showing them his malice or anger he just wanted to sleep. He pulled his wing back under water then dipped his head slowly in to the cool waters. He lowered himself to the bottom feeling his eyes close as sleep took hold.

8

Akemi turned another street of the old abandoned city she could feel the cold air as it blew past her. Every building here was so old that it was a surprise that any of it was still standing. She had been resurrected here not so long ago and the smell was just the same then as was now as was the airy feeling of walking through what was in essence a ghost city. For most a ghost city was just a poor term for an abandoned city but not here, no this city was crawling with ghosts. Ghosts whose red eyed could sometimes be seen in the windows of houses or moving around the corners of streets. One minute they could be seen clearly and the next they faded back in to darkness vanishing all together.

Truly ancient magic ruled this city, magic that most men, women and even lesser gods couldn't understand. This was the cradle of creation all godly power had been born here. The first human beings had been crafted here aeons later only to be copied by all the other gods who created their many different versions all of them being diverse and different. All the godly types could all be traced back here the dragon gods of Japan and China were descended from these Aztec serpent gods. As was the Rainbow serpent of Australis and Manaia the guardian god of Te Ika a Maui. The monster gods with beast like quality had passed on there attributes to the Egyptian god's among others.

Every human god, be they Norse of Greek could also trace his origins back here. You had to admire C'thulon even though he was a total bastard he had made it so every generation following the Aztec gods would be very diverse. Not one god that she'd seen in any scroll had ever looked the same as another and that was an incredible act of creation. She tuned seeing the main temple come in to view. "We need to go there." Ehecatl looked around him, he was meant to be the un-dead and unafraid yet he could feel a shiver running up his spine. He could see ghosts moving all around them some were not see able by human eyes. He could see guardian spirits with their red glowing eyes and long skeleton hands and razor sharp teeth who screeched before vanishing.

He looked up watching as a child ghost ran right past him laughing as it hid in a building peering out. Ghosts of men and women kept on walking though him and the buildings all going about their business on the plain of existence they were stuck on. He was sure most didn't realize they had died and that was the reason why they were stuck here. Maybe some didn't want to go to there next life, ether way it all felt wrong to him. That in its self was odd even for him to think about since his soul was trapped in his bones. He kept on seeing bone animals peering out of the darkness at them. They all seemed to have gathered in little groups not wanting to come out the houses and ally ways.

Walking skeleton dogs and llamas and in some cases bone birds which pecked the ground, only to hop back in to the darkness as they walked past. He breathed in deeply looking at Akemi. She obviously couldn't see all of this, only pieces like the bone animals and guardian spirits. Somehow he was glad she couldn't it was disturbing even for him. He looked at the huge temple which was at the cities centre it was a monster that seemed to rise above everything. He didn't even need to ask her what it was he already knew, it was the old meeting place of the Aztec gods. Long since abounded by them after Quetzalcoatl's became king of the gods, the serpent god had never cared for meeting with the other gods.

Before he had taken power it had been used by Coatlicue and Mixcoatl who had seen it as the one true place for talk among the gods. If he'd had a heart he knew it would be smashing against his rib cage right now. He was feeling very fear with every step he took and he couldn't stop feeling it, no matter how hard he tried. He was walking on scared ground that so few had walked on and it was a terrifying beyond words. Godly temples, as well as building older than time its self and the notion that C'thulon had once stood over it all was truly mind blowing. He took a deep breath moving faster he wasn't sure he could get used to this.

End of part 69

Silvermoonlight