THE RISING OF THE COLDEST DAWN

Akemi breathed in running her fingers down the chain as she eyed Tezcatlipoca. "So do we have deal?" Tezcatlipoca eyed her for a long moment. "Yes we do." Akemi smiled watching as he dug his claws deeper in to the torturer who screamed in agony. "Also just to make it worth your while I'll put in an extra." Tezcatlipoca felt a cold smile form. "What would that be?" Akemi leaned forward. "I know that Itzpapalotl will be arriving in Teotihuacán you see she wants my prize, may be you can meet her there." Tezcatlipoca found himself laughing his dark deep laugher echoed through the air as he looked at her. "Why thank you for that interesting piece of information it has really made my day."

He dugs his claws in deeper in to the torturers back enjoying his screams he was so going to enjoy eating him alive. "Now free me!" Akemi turned eyeing the torture. "That can be arranged." She watched as the torturer looked up slowly. "Where are the keys to these chains?" The torture sneered slightly. "I wouldn't ever tell you that!" Akemi sighed as she eased up the musket pointing it at his leg. "You just might live longer if you give me what I want!" She pulled back the flintlock. "Or I can just blow holes in the rest of your arms and legs followed by your face. Since your starting to become living it's going to be excruciatingly painful."

Tezcatlipoca eyed the strange weapon in her hand. "What is that thing?" Akemi sneered slightly as she turned to the torture. "It's none of your concern." She slowly put her finger on the trigger meeting the man's panicked gaze. "Okay I'm going to count to five and then I'm going to start by kneecapping you!" She snarled aloud as she raised the pistol. "Trust me kneecapping hurts like hell they used to do it to me in the seventh hell on very regular bases. That was when they didn't use the knee splitter or put me on the rack." She breathed in deeply seeing the shock in his eyes. "Counting down now, five, four, three..."

The torturer looked up sharply. "I have the key! It's in my headdress on the table next to the tongue tearer and the carving knife!" Akemi felt her smile widen. "Very good." She didn't think as she pulled the trigger watching as his knee was blown apart causing him to scream in agony as his blood splattered across the ground. Ehecatl moved towards the table he put his axe away as he pulled up the jaguar headdress he hadn't seen one of these in a very long time obviously this guy was old. He didn't think as he brought it down hard watching as a thick golden key with silver carvings came flying loose it hit the table hard landing opposite one of the torture devices.

He leaned over picking it up looking at it for a long moment it was a very elegant key he turned throwing it to Akemi watching as she caught it. Akemi turned eyeing the key she looked up meeting Tezcatlipoca's gaze her eyes shifted as she noticed that there were no locks on any of his chains. "So how does this work exactly?" Tezcatlipoca snarled as he raised his hand. "You see the red stone in the centre of the collar it has the key lock in side it." He moved his clawed fingers slightly. "It'll open all the chains at once." Akemi moved the key pushing it harshly in to the red gem stone watching as it glowed with red light she carefully turned it hearing the harsh click.

She pulled back as red light sparked out from the central stone hitting each one of the locks in turn. She stepped back as they opened up falling to the floor with a heavy crash one after the other. She slowly stepped further as the huge god tensed his body causing the huge collar around his neck to hit the floor hard. He turned eyeing her for a long moment as if considering whether or not to hurt her as he opened his huge jaws only to close them again. His huge muscles tensed as he shook his huge mane which was starting to grow back unlike the rest of the fur on his arms and back. "I won't kill you Star Coyote or your slave warrior."

His gaze drifted slightly. "The price of my freedom is worth more than both your lives and I'm willing to give you your lives for mine." He looked down eyeing the warrior at his feet who he had his foot on. "Right now I'm very I'm hungry and I need blood and flesh. You see I also kept a promise that I'd eat someone in question." He pushed down harder with his foot. "I always keep my promises." He watched as the torturer looked up the terror in his eyes, his terrified voice hit the air as he looked up at Akemi. "You said I could live!" Akemi smirked as she put the pistol back in her belt. "Yes I did, didn't I? Well you've got about five minutes before you'll be his stomach, enjoy it while it lasts."

The torturer eyed her in disgust. "The Blood Jaguar was never as dishonourable as you are she would kill me to spear my suffering!" Akemi stepped past him looking at the main keep. "The Blood Jaguar is dead!" The man eyed her in disgust. "From what here she was resurrected by Huitzilopochtli and when the time comes she'll be there to kill you!" Akemi turned eyeing Tezcatlipoca. "Please eat him." She turned away as the man was picked up. She moved towards the main seeing that Ehecatl was followed her down the steps she ignored the screaming as it hit the air. She leaned against the inner steps wall reloading the pistol seeing that Ehecatl was grimacing not daring to look back. She took in a deep breath pulling up the loaded pistol this was going to be easy. They just had to get in there and take away the girl and if the guards got in the way they'd kill them. It would be simple effective and they could do this, it was just a case of making sure that the serpent god didn't return because that would destroy the plan.

8

Xochiquetzal looked up watching as Huitzilopochtli turned towards the other room. "What are you doing?" Huitzilopochtli turned eyeing her. "I'm going to apologise to Gabrielle." Chantico looked up sharply. "No I don't think that's a good idea." Ares sneered slightly. "You don't seriously think that she's going to take an apology from you, do you?" Huitzilopochtli ignored them as he moved towards the other room he stopped seeing that Xochipilli was following him. "I have to do this Xochipilli." Xochipilli breathed in deeply. "Then let me go in with you, I don't feel you going to talk to Gabrielle on your own is the best idea." Huitzilopochtli eyed him. "No it is not but it is the right thing to do."

He slowly eased the curtain back watching as Xochipilli followed him. He breathed in deeply watching as they both came in to view. He watched as Gabrielle stepped away from Xena her eyes darkening as the hatred started to burn in them. He turned to Xena whose eyes were filled with concern as she looked at him and then back to her lover. He breathed in deeply looking at Xochipilli for a long moment before turning back. He slowly eased up his hand pulling of his headdress as he took a slow step forward raised his hand. "I am sorry I did not mean to intrude I just wanted to speak with you both." Xena took in a deep breath now was really not the right time for this.

She put a hand on her face. "Can't this wait for another time, now is not a good time?" Huitzilopochtli breathed in deeply. "This should not wait for another time to allow this to wait would not be right." He turned slowly to Gabrielle's he could tell by her jaw that she was grinding her teeth together. "I just came in here to tell you that…" Gabrielle felt her gaze narrow she felt her hand form a fist as she tried to control the anger and pain as it shot through her stomach causing it to twist in a violent knot. She looked up trying to keep her voice even. "To tell me what?" Huitzilopochtli looked down sadly. "I wanted to tell you that I am truly sorry for what I did to you, it was wrong of me."

Gabrielle eyed him for a long moment unable to stop the venom in her next words. "Sorry doesn't change what you've done!" She raised her hand. "It doesn't take away the pain you've caused me ether!" Huitzilopochtli put his headdress down on the table close by as he put his hands together. "No it doesn't." He looked down sadly. "I can't take away the pain but you do need to know something." Gabrielle folded her arms eyeing him in disgust. "What would that be?" Huitzilopochtli eased up his hand. "You are not pregnant with my child." Gabrielle felt herself take in a painful breath of air she really didn't want to hear this even if it was true.

The last thing she wanted to even think about right now was children never mind being pregnant with his. She felt her teeth grind together gods this was awful. She wished that she could be somewhere else but most off all back in her lover's arms. She turned eyeing him again. "Well that's fantastic now how's about you get the Tartarus out of my face!?" Huitzilopochtli moved a step closer only to watch as she stepped back moving behind Xena. "Please just hear me out I want to help you." He felt his eyes dart. "I want to help you get your sister back." Gabrielle sneered slightly. "I don't need your help." Xena turned taking hold of the younger woman's arm squeezing gently.

She eyed Huitzilopochtli she knew she was going to go against what she believed in, but she knew that this man was not evil. He had been foolish and he had done something stupid but the fact of the matter was that he loved Gabrielle in the same way she did. She brought the younger woman forward keeping her voice gentle. "Its okay sweetheart just lets hear him out." Gabrielle turned looking at her in shock. "He's a bastard who manipulated me and then slept with me!" Xena moved so she was standing in front of her. "Yes what he did was wrong and I'm not happy about it ether but he's not Ares. He didn't do this to hurt you on purpose or because he was being cold and cruel."

She put her hands on her lovers. "He cares about you in the same way I do." She paused easing up her hand running it through the long blonde hair. "He wanted what was best for you and he wanted to make you happy, he never meant to hurt you." Gabrielle felt her eyes dart she couldn't believe she was hearing this! She pulled up her hand sharply. "Why are you defending him!?" Xena moved a step closer putting a hand on her lovers face. "Because he gave you back to me Gabrielle. He did it with no strings attached and he was kind about it, he understood that we are meant to be together and he gave you up willingly."

Gabrielle breathed in deeply this was all wrong, it didn't even sound right. Since when did any god of war give anything up? Since when do they care for the people they hurt or maim in battle? They normally just took what they wanted and didn't care whose feelings were hurt. She breathed in deeply and painfully. She met her lover's gaze searching once more for anything dishonest once more she saw nothing but honesty. She lowered her gaze gods she was going to have to stop her self doing that. She was going to have to truth her lover right now even if it went against what she believed in when it came to war gods.

Gods this was so hard to even fathom she never heard of a war god giving up anything willingly let alone a person's soul. That was the problem though wasn't it? When she looked at Huitzilopochtli she was just seeing Ares, she always saw Ares in other gods when they'd committed acts of cruelty up on her or Xena. It was just that right now she was seeing Dahak the demon of fire and brimstone. Dahak whose body of moving fire still haunted her dreams, which always took her back to that day when he'd forced himself up on her and made her pregnant with his demon child hope. It still turned her stomach when she thought about it.

Every painful moment wrapped in side his flames unable to be free and powerless to stop him as he thrust harder causing more pain deep inside her. The truth was that now she was just seeing Dahak but Huitzilopochtli was not Dahak. He had not forced himself up on her, he had not been violent to her and whether she wanted to admit it or not she had wanted to have sex with him. She closed her eyes in her memory she had needed it and been graving it and been so willing to accept his touch and his caress. She had enjoyed it there was no point in lying to her self about that ether. No the truth was all too simple and it was staring her right in the face, he loved her and it had showed in the memory.

She slowly opened her eyes meeting Xena's concerned gaze. "Okay…I'll listen." Xena turned looking at Huitzilopochtli who looked slightly uncomfortable. Xochipilli was still standing behind him keeping quite as he watched the both she smiled slightly. He was here to help them even now just to be an onlooker who could watch over the situation to ensure that it didn't get out of control. She turned to Huitzilopochtli. "What is your plan?" Huitzilopochtli took a step forward. "I want to get Gabrielle's sister back and I want to do it by drawing Quetzalcoatl out of his temple and forcing him to fight in Teotihuacán the city of the gods. I have now formed an alliance with the other gods a new order if you will and we intend to dethrone Quetzalcoatl."

He raised his hand. "I will see him fall at my feet and when I do so, I will force him to free your sister and if he refuses I will kill him." Gabrielle breathed in sharply. "Quetzalcoatl will kill my sister before he hands her over, your plan is flawed." Xena turned putting a hand on the younger woman's arm. "Gabrielle, just hear him out." Huitzilopochtli shook his head, "I have a counter plan one of my elite guards will move in to his keep and take her away." Gabrielle put a hand through her hair in frustration. "Yes and he probably has a counter plan for that which involves his elite guard killing her outright. There noble until death there also quite willing to die if it means for filling any order given."

She shook her head. "I only got around to killing the twelve elite that day because they'd dropped their guard. I would have probably been killed outright from what I heard they are real savage bastards who have no morals and are really happy to dish out pain and death. They may be dead but I highly doubt that their replacements are going to be any different." Huitzilopochtli breathed in deeply she did have a point he couldn't deny that and he knew that the elite were trained to do that. They'd kill the hostage if it meant any enemy taking it from them. He turned meeting her green gaze. "I will not let your sister die, I will do everything in my power to make it so that she lives."

Gabrielle eyed him for a long moment. "Why are you doing this, why do you want to help me?" Huitzilopochtli moved a step closer. "I'm doing this because I have done you a great injustice and I want to put it right." Gabrielle turned watching as her dog bounded in coming to a stop near her foot. She looked at it for a long moment before turning to him. "Did you give me this dog?" Huitzilopochtli looked at the small animal as it rubbed against her ankle with its head. "Yes I gave it to you I thought that you should have it, because you liked it." Gabrielle leaned down picking up the dog as she looked up locking her gaze with his.

She stroked the dogs head as she spoke. "Then you didn't give it to me because I asked for it?" Huitzilopochtli watched as her eyes studied him intensely. "Why should you have to ask for anything? If you like or want something then I believe it should be yours with out question." Gabrielle lowered her gaze that answered all her questions didn't it? He had, had sex with her because she wanted it as much as he did he given her the dog because she wanted it. She still didn't like him for doing what he'd done but the truth was that his actions were completely with out malice. She stroked the dog ears she'd liked the dog from the moment she saw it and she still liked it now even though it was from him.

Xena liked the animal as well and now her liking it made a strange kind of sense. It was because somewhere down the line her and Huitzilopochtli had fought each other and come to some kind of a truce. Now none was bearing any hate towards the other because they both loved and cared about her. She breathed in deeply as she looked up. "I don't like what happened between us I won't lie about that." She paused for a long moment. "A part of me dislikes you deeply for what you've done. The problem is that I know that your not Ares, Ares would never give me a pet just because I liked the look of it, he would never be kind or gentle to me when he was in his presence like you were."

She stroked under the dogs nose. "I know that I need help from the gods to get my sister back." She felt her stomach twist in to a painful knot. "If you can get my sister back then please help me, don't lie to me if you can't do it." Huitzilopochtli looked up slightly. "I would never lie to you Gabrielle I give you my word on my honour." He slowly pulled his golden axe free. "I will kill Quetzalcoatl with this weapon if it means your sisters freedom." Gabrielle lowered her gaze. "My sister is not a warrior she cannot defend herself from Quetzalcoatl's evil. I want her to be brought back to my parents alive and well and so far I've not even been able to do that."

She felt her eyes dart. "I don't even know how much damage he's already done to her, I can only hope that she can recover from it." Huitzilopochtli raised his weapon slightly. "If you are anything to go by then I believe that your sister will survive and will fight to the end. You both carry the same blood after all, what you can fight against I'm sure she can in her own way." Xena squeezed her lovers shoulder gently. "I agree with what he says Gabrielle, Lila is strong and I think she can survive this, just like you." Gabrielle looked up slightly she turned to Xena then back to Huitzilopochtli. "I only hope that you are both right because if I fail her I will never be able to forgive myself."

She lowered her gaze. "I failed her in the last life time I wasn't there when she needed me. I wasn't there to stop Gurkhan's men from killing her husband and taking away her daughter. I failed her again by getting drunk and hurting her after my return from Mexica. I cannot let her down again even if she hates me for everything I've done I have to save her and bring her home safely." Xena looked down sadly. "We can save her Gabrielle and none of what happened in that life time will happen again." Huitzilopochtli slowly put his weapon back in place as he turned to Xochipilli who had been listening to their whole conversation. "As Xochipilli will tell you him my self this is not impossible we can win against Quetzalcoatl."

He turned to him. "Isn't that right?" Xochipilli smiled as he stepped forward. "What he says is true Quetzalcoatl will not be seating the throne for much longer once we form our plan and put it fully in to motion. The days of the winged serpent's cruel and barbaric reign will be over soon and we are all willing to risk our lives to see that it happens." He put a hand on his chest. "We all want to bring your sister back to you safety and we all believe that we can we just need time to make our plan as perfect as possible because we will all only get one shot at it. If we fail it may be a hundred years or more before we ever get the chance to do so once again."

End of part 98

Silvermoonlight