FOR WANT OF A SINGLE SOUL
Huitzilopochtli didn't think as he brought his weapon down with all his might smashing it in to the floor only to see the Warrior Princess move sideways avoiding it. He could already see that she used a similar style of fighting to the lesser Greek war god the only difference was that her style much more fluid. He pulled his weapon free of the floor, for once he might get a decent mortal challenge which was something he hadn't had in a very long time. He sneered watching as she took a step back her ice blue eyes burning in to him. He could feel her hated from here and he hoped with every part of his being that she was feeling his. "You might have kissed her but that means nothing!"
Xena snarled aloud as she eyed him. "It means everything you bastard it means she betrayed her so called love for you to kiss me!" She felt her hand grip the Chakram in a violent motion. "She said that she wasn't happy with you!" She didn't think as she threw the Chakram at him watching he swung his axe smashing it in mid flight causing sparks to fly. Itzli groaned in agony he couldn't move he was in far too much pain. He watched as the Chakram slammed in to the nearest wall only to fly towards the lesser Greek war god who slowly raised his chains. Ares felt his smile widen as he pulled up his hands higher watching as the gleaming ring hit his chains dead centre.
He felt his smile fade as he watched it fly away from him his chains were still intact it hadn't broken them! He snarled in anger this was a cruel joke! The Chakram was a legendary weapon forged in the one of the finest godly forges and yet it hadn't even touched his chains! He pulled on the shackles violently there had to be some way out of these chains! Xena turned only to feel the pain as the god's fist slammed in to her face as she caught the Chakram. She stepped back ignoring the blood as it started to flow down her chin. She put the Chakram back in place he was matching her move for move just like Tezcatlipoca had done which made her blood boil all the more.
She brought up her foot slamming it in to his knee as he came towards her again which caused him to pull back the pain showing in his face. She didn't think as she threw herself up wards back flipping in mid air only to feel burning pain as her leg was grabbed in mid flight and she was thrown backwards. Her whole body smashed in to the floor rolling across it, she ignored the pain as she came to a stop on her front. She pulled herself up on to her knees only to feel intense agony as his foot slammed in to her chest. Huitzilopochtli laughed watching as the warrior woman was thrown backwards he heard her cry of pain as she smashed in to the nearest suite of armour in his war room.
She hit the floor along with the Samurai suit of arms which was toppled over along with her he laughed again easing up his weapon. "Is this all you have got to show me!?" Xena shook her head trying to clear her painful daze she shoved the Samurai helmet of her mid section as she got up kicking the shoulder plate as side. She felt her world slow down as she looked around her at the war room, which was filled with all manner of weapons. She didn't think as she grabbed the nearest Roman spear from one of the stands. Unlike Ares this bastard could feel pain, so maybe he could bleed as well! She didn't think as she threw it full force at him.
Huitzilopochtli brought up his weapon smashing the spear in mid flight watching as it hit the wall opposite. He looked up as he smashing a throwing axe aside, he sneered in disgust. "Tell me something Xena?" He ducked as another axe flew over his head he turned watching as it smashed against his throne. "Did you enjoy making Gabrielle suffer?" Xena grabbed another throwing axe. "Did you enjoy watching her die at the top of Tezcatlipoca's temple?!" She didn't think as she threw it at him only to watch in annoyance as he smashed it aside with his axe. "You could have saved her! Yet you just let her die, she was suffering so much!" Huitzilopochtli side stepped as another axe flew by his head. It narrowly missed the lesser war god who had to turn sharply to avoid it. "I let her die so she could have something better!"
He didn't think as he grabbed the next throwing axe out of mid air as it flew past him. "What's your disgusting excuse for making her suffer?" He threw the axe back at her watching as she moved narrowly avoiding it. The weapon smashed in to the back wall sending two of the smaller shields flying though the air. They came down causing a hard crash which echoed through the war room. "You almost dragged her to her death using a horse once!" Xena stopped in mid motion staring at him. "How do you know about that?" Huitzilopochtli felt an evil smile form. "I had a look through all of Gabrielle's memories before I turned her in one of my heavenly warriors. I know about everything you have done!" Xena grabbed hold of a razor sharp dagger from the wall. "I love her!"
Huitzilopochtli felt his hand form a fist. "Tell me what part of love it was that meant that it was always alright for you to hurt her both emotional and physically?" He stepped forward feeling the full force of his hated as it started to burn. "You are no better than the abusive husbands and wives, I have to deal with on a regular basis when their shoved in front of me for judgement!" He felt eased up his hand. "Do you think that because you are a woman it means that you can get away with what you do?" He moved sharply avoiding the dagger as it was thrown at him. "That is it, is it not? In your land you can do as you please because you are a so called reformed warlord so everyone turns a blind eye on what you do to Gabrielle!"
Xena grabbed another curved dagger kicking over the stand in the process. "You're a god of war you're no different to Ares! You're all the same you take from others and never give them a choice in the matter!" Huitzilopochtli moved a step closer. "You still have not answered my question! What part of love was it that dragged Gabrielle almost to her death!?" Xena turned pulling another dagger free from the stand opposite she could feel her emotions going in so many different directions and she didn't like it. He was taunting her and getting under her skin with his questions. It wasn't enough that he could take Gabrielle from her now he was using her past against her.
She hated it there was so much she wished she could change if she could do it all over again! She would never have hurt Gabrielle in the way that she had done over the years. She would take it all back, every cruel word every snide remark. Every moment when she'd laughed at her or ignored her. Along with all the times when she'd grabbed her or pulled or around, or treated her as if she had no importance. She couldn't stop herself screaming in anger as she threw the dagger at the Aztec god only to watch as he smashed it aside. She couldn't take any of it back though. She couldn't take away the pain she'd caused her lover. No apology would ever take away what she'd done on the horse on that truly tragic day, just as no apology would take away the Chakram which had smashed in to Gabrielle's head in her moment of rage.
Nothing would take away the pain Gabrielle had suffered in the Aztec lands after her death. What apology can you give someone who feels that they've been left for someone else? She looked at the Aztec war god trying to recompose her self, a part of her wanted to cry while another part of her wanted her to scream with rage at this whole manipulation. Huitzilopochtli narrowed his gaze. "Are you so disgustingly arrogant that you can't answer my question Warrior Princess?" Xena held her sword tighter trying to stop her hand shaking. "You don't know anything!" Huitzilopochtli raised his hand. "I know enough to know that your selfish nature has destroyed Gabrielle's life!"
He felt his hand form a fist. "I know about the Chakram to the back of her head!" He turned slightly seeing the surprise as it crept across Ares's face followed by Itzli's. "Tell me what your excuse was for that? Don't tell me that it was your daughter ether! I have seen enough of Gabrielle's memories to know that you can aim the weapon where ever you please!" He raised his weapon hand pointing it at the Greek war god. "I will tell you what it was, she was weaker than you were at the time and you needed a reason to run back to him didn't you?" He sneered slightly. "You dragged her almost to her death with your horse, no doubt for the same reason, because he was whispering in to your ear!"
He felt his hand grip his weapon tighter. "You call me bad but let us both face it you are much worse. You are selfish, arrogant and you always believe you are right." Xena looked up meeting his golden eyes it felt like the walls were shattering around her and all her defences were being torn apart. She hadn't been prepared for this. She'd never had anyone get under her skin this way Ares couldn't do this even if he tried. She wasn't ready to face truths like these at this moment in time, she wasn't ready to face the demons that came with them ether. She raised her weapon higher. "You stole my poem! That was my gift to her!" Huitzilopochtli eyed her for a long moment. "It is not even your poem though is it? You did not write it, it was written for you by Sappho."
He felt his teeth grind together. "So you have no claim over it, I took it because I saw the beauty in its words. Something I very much doubt you saw in any manner, when you took it from the true writer. You saw a gift which would no doubt buy you more time in Gabrielle's bedroll that night. Unlike you I would write down every word of my poem then I would give it to her out of love. Not because I needed to calm my carnal needs as you do!" He smiled inwardly all of a sudden the Warrior Princess didn't seem so strong willed. She had a very soft under belly and it was obvious she wasn't used to it being poked in this way. He felt an evil smile widen. "Tell me was it amusing for you to tell her to leave you? I am sure that you soaked up every moment of her pain when you told her that it was all her fault that your son had died."
He raised an eyebrow. "You must have been so proud with your self that day, when you got to see her walk away like a broken animal with its tail between its legs. She was all alone for two months blaming her self while contemplating suicide the rest of the time!" Xena blinked feeling her stomach twist painfully, Gabrielle had never mentioned that. No it was not that she'd never mentioned it, she had never asked her. Gods why hadn't she asked her? It had been because she had been far too proud and far too afraid of hearing her lover's answer. The whole thing rang of a horrible truth, if the Aztec visions she'd seen were anything to go by then she knew that when she was absent her lover had destroyed her self as she went in to depression.
In both instances Gabrielle hadn't mentioned it no doubt the younger woman saw it as being weak in some manner, because she'd always drilled in to her that she had to be strong from day one. She'd created the Battling Bard, it was all her doing and in doing so she'd neglected the other woman's feelings because she was far to caught up in her own. Huitzilopochtli opened his hand. "I admit I understand hatred in mortals but yours stuns me. You seem to blame others rather than look at your self for your wrongs. If you can give me a reason or tell me what part of love all this is then please do so and I will take everything I have said back." He stood still hearing nothing but the lingering silence.
Xena lowered her gaze to the floor sadly there was no excuse she could give, no decent explanation that was worthy. She felt her sword scrape across the floor. She could say a thousand things but they'd all be a lie to protect her self. It felt like Najara's words about Gabrielle were coming back to haunt her. The words that said, that would hurt her and I would never do that, that's your job. She'd hated the other woman for saying that she'd wanted to hit her, but only because there was truth in it and she didn't want to hear it. She looked at her weapon not knowing what to do next she had been running from her personal demons and she could no longer hide from them anymore.
Ares yanked on his chains he pulled up his boot slamming it in to the stone wall as he pulled with all his might. Something had gone wrong here, he could sense it. It was Xena's soul it was all wrong, as if it had, had everything stripped from its inner core, it wasn't a soul mate thread any longer it was a single soul all on its own. He hadn't realized how bad that stripping was till now there was no part of Gabrielle's soul entwined to hers. She wasn't even acting like her self ether she never stalled like this! She was now an open target for this god who had somehow managed to destroy her emotionally. He could see the uncertainty in her eyes as well as feel her emotional turmoil.
He pulled harder ignoring the pain, he had to free himself! He turned seeing that the Aztec warrior looked as surprised as he was. He snarled in anger as he eyed Huitzilopochtli. "You bastard what have you done to her?!" Huitzilopochtli turned slightly looking at him in disgust. "I have done nothing this is what you're true infatuation looks like when her soft underside is exposed for all to see." Ares pulled even more violently on the chains he breathed in not liking the thought of what he was going to say next as he turned to Xena who was still looking at the floor. "You're the Warrior Princess no one should be allowed to steal anything from you! He stole Gabrielle he should die for that just like everyone else who's ever tried to take her from you!"
Xena felt her teeth grind together as she looked at Ares her voice hit the air in a low hiss. "Then I should start by killing you Ares! You've always tried to hurt her just so you could get to me." She turned back to face Huitzilopochtli finally gaining some control over her emotions as her pain filled words hit the air. "I have no excuse for anything I've done to Gabrielle I've caused her great pain." Huitzilopochtli looked at her for a long moment. "Yes you have and that is why you don't deserve her in any manner. She is a kind gentle soul and you are cruel and you hurt her at every turn." He moved forward feeling the rage start to boil. "That is why it is best that you let her go." He raised his weapon slowly. "If you love her as you claim, you will do this."
Itzli pulled himself up ignoring all his pain he could see the hurt and pain in Xena's light blue eyes. "No Xena its not the right thing to do and you know it! You love her more than life itself! She doesn't belong with my god she belongs with you!" He staggered forward ignoring his god who turned to look at him his rage burning. "She will never be happy here with him, she will die a slow death!" He growled pulling up his hand ignoring the knife like pain. "You may have done some truly terrible things to her but you have done so much more that's right for her. You've been trying to put everything right since you came to Mexica. She originally came to Mexica for you! She became the Blood Jaguar for you! The whole of Mexica felt her wraith and it was all for you, not for him!"
He stood up feeling the pain in his side subside a little. "What's best for her is for her to be with you, she loves you she died to save you. She needs you to save her now. What he's saying is only a half truth he doesn't understand you. He doesn't understand the lengths you would go to, just to make her happy or even just to make her smile." Xena felt her eyes dart as his words began to sink in she had done so many bad things to her lover. She breathed in deeply feeling everything come in to crystal clarity, she had no right to say that Gabrielle belonged to her. The young woman didn't belong to her or any one else she belonged to her self, she had the right to choose who she loved and wanted.
To give her up to Huitzilopochtli wasn't right in any way. If Gabrielle wished to go there willingly then she should be given that opportunity to choose between them both when her soul had been put back inside its true body. Xena looked up slowly meeting Huitzilopochtli's gaze. "It should be her right to choice between us when she's her real self." Huitzilopochtli snarled aloud as he turned to look at her. "She belongs to me!" Xena slowly raised her sword again hearing her calm words hit the air. "She doesn't belong to ether of us she should be put back in her true body and given the chance to choose who she wants to be with." Huitzilopochtli snarled in anger as he brought up his hand watching as a lightning filled fire ball formed in it. "You won't live to see that happen!"
Xena felt every muscle in her body tense as she looked up. "Then I'll die knowing that I fought honourably for the one I love." Huitzilopochtli roared in anger as he threw it at her. Xena didn't think as she grabbed a Roman tower shield from the stand closest as she hit the ground on her knees. She watched as the golden lightning ball smashed in to the wall directly behind her. She closed her eyes as piercing bright light filled the room above her, she heard the clattering as the weapons and shields on the walls were hit by it. She breathed in sharply as the golden lightning started to come down all around her. She grinded her teeth feeling the pain as one of the streams hit her bronze plating at the back she cried out as it stuck her again.
It was hitting everything around her blasting weapons of stands which caused them to fall down hitting the floor. She cried out again as it hit her back plating and Chakram causing spikes of intense pain which were enough to make her eyes to water. She looked up only to watch as the lightning started to hit the shield she was holding causing her scream as it came down hitting her hand. She breathed in sharply keeping hold of the shield despite how much it hurt the lightning just seemed to be hitting anything metal, swords shields and her armour. She opened her eyes a little watching as the bright light faded and the lightning stopped. She looked at her stinging palm which had been holding the shield only to see that it was badly burnt.
She turned as a rattling hit the air behind her she watched in surprise as the weapons on the back wall started to fall down all around her. She didn't think as she pulled shield up wards and over her body as the came down smashing in to it. She felt the weight of a heavy hoplite shield as it smashed in to her shield before hitting the ground next to her. She took in a deep breath realizing that everything had stopped falling she snarled as threw the battered Roman shield off taking hold of the Hoplite by its inner leather straps she slowly stood up ignoring its weight. Huitzilopochtli smiled how interesting that should have killed her but she'd managed to narrowly avoid it.
He threw the mortal Aztec axe to the floor, as he pulled his gleaming godly axe from its holder on his side, he wouldn't miss again! He raised it higher watching as it started to glow with sun light. "Are you foolish enough to take on the might of my true godly weapon?!" Xena turned spitting some blood out of her mouth as she raised the shield higher. "Yes!" She felt her feet slam in the floor as she ran at him raising the shield up fully feeling her scream hit the air. Huitzilopochtli moved closer as he raised his weapon even higher, brave fool. Still this had been one of the more interesting fights he'd seen in his life time, but now it was time to end it. He didn't think as he brought down the weapon only to miss as she ran past him.
He felt the pain as she smashed the shield in to his side, he turned on his heels only to be hit again chest which caused him stumble back. He sneered as he swung his weapon only to see her duck as she used her whole weight to smash the shield it in to his stomach as she turned sideways. He roared in pain only to feel the shields hard metal as she brought it up sideways smashing it in to his shoulder. It hurt but the pain was joyful, she knew how to use a hoplite shield and what it was really meant for, he could admire the skill despite his pain. He brought down the axe only to see it smash in to the raised shield as she twisted on her heel. He felt the pain again as she used her body to force the shield against his chest as he brought up his axe.
Oh yes there was so much focus it was quite beautiful to watch, he could see that she no longer cared for pain she just wanted to win. Her light blue eyes were watching his every move. Such was a warrior's power when they no longer cared about themselves only winning the insurmountable battle which lay before them. He could read her thoughts but that would be no fun, no he wanted that challenge of truly destroying her. He brought the axe down again watching as the sparks flew as metal smashed in to metal denting the colourful medusa faceplate. He would have admired her more at least for courage if things were different and they weren't fighting over Gabrielle.
May be now it was clear why the lesser war god liked her she had guts and focus, but nether of these would win her this battle. He felt the pain as the shield smashed across his face as he tried to step back. He rose the axe higher watching as the glowing golden light became so much brighter if she didn't know pain in a moment she would do. Xena stepped back just in time to see the godly axe come down out of it flew a huge spire of gold light which looked curved. She raised the shield higher bracing herself as it came towards her. Huitzilopochtli looked up watching as the light hit her smashing the huge shield in two sending its parts sky wards and causing more blood to fly through her teeth as a part impacted with her face.
The light went through her engulfing her for an instant before fading away. The heavy shields part came down smashing the floor on both sides as her wide blood shot eyes stared back at him. He watched as blood as it started to run down her nose, three inch deep gashes slowly started to open up on her arms, legs and chest causing red blood to flow free. Her sword left her hand as she clutched side as another gash opened up causing blood to flow out from under her leathers. He walked forward enjoying every step it would all be over in a matter of seconds. Her face screwed up in agony as he smashed his weapons hilt across it as she turned to look at him. She had to be in agony not many people could cope with having this many wounds opening up all at once.
Her body slammed to the floor on its side going still she put a hand on her face trying to take the pain as more blood ran down her chin. He smiled watching as her eyes opened and she tried to get up. "You are very brave Xena, you are also very noble but your time here in Mexica is over." He slowly raised the axe so it was above her head it would be a clean noble death one blow one kill. Xena tried to move feeling her muscles scream in pain as she pulled her self up with her hands. She blinked watching as everything went out of focus she could feel the blood dripping out from her wounds. She struggled harder pulling up her upper body as best she could which caused her to cough bringing up more blood.
She knew the feeling she'd been here before in Japan it was the feeling of having serious wounds. Her remaining blood felt like it was rushing to her ears which was making her feel dizzy. She looked up slowly seeing the huge shadow above her which she knew was Huitzilopochtli she was a sitting target for him in this terrible moment. She struggled harder to get up gods she felt so cold, it felt like her body was turning to ice. It hurt so much to breath and all she could taste was blood, she moved her free hand trying desperately to find her sword. She had to get up! She couldn't let it end this way, she couldn't take the thought of dying and never seeing Gabrielle's face again.
She wanted to see her forest green eyes again and hear her laugh and enjoy her smile. She struggled trying to pull the Chakram free from its hook ignoring the dizziness which made it difficult for her to focus. She'd let her lover down in Japan she didn't want to hurt her in that way again she wanted to spend the rest of her life by her side! Ares roared with all his might this wasn't going to happen he wasn't going to let it, he loved her he would not allow this bastard to kill her he'd rather die than let that happen! He suddenly felt the shackles open on his wrists causing him to stumble free. He stared at the fallen chains as they hit the wall for a spilt second only to feel him self snap back in to reality.
He turned on his heels running towards Huitzilopochtli who was raising his axe higher reading himself for the final swing. He could see the other Aztec warrior desperately trying to limp forward towards Xena. He wasn't injured like him he knew he could make it! He could see the Warrior Princess's blood staining the floor. It felt like his heart was smashing against his rib cage, the bastard hadn't played fair! He could see the axe falling towards Xena's face. Time seemed to slow and it was such an odd sensation, all he could hear was his breath as it hit the air and his feet as they pounded the sold floor as he ran for all he was worth
End of part 73
Silvermoonlight
