THESE DYING SPIRES AND BROKEN DOORS
Xena breathed in deeply looking at the sky it was getting darker if the sun was up she couldn't see it anymore. All she could see now was darkness spreading across the morning sky blocking out everything. Torches were being lit below in the villages and small towns as they passed by flying over head. Itzli looked down. "The city should be somewhere up ahead we just needed to keep following the light." Xena turned slightly she opened her mouth only to close it again. Itzli knew exactly where he was going he knew Mexica better than anyone. She looked down seeing another lit village. "How big is the city of Teotihuacán?"
Gabrielle looked down noticing that there were no more torches being lit there was only darkness now which seemed to stretch out for miles. "It's the biggest city of them all the closest region to it is Quetzalcoatl's." She turned to Itzli. "I know you've told me about it but have you ever seen it?" Itzli shook his head. "No we are forbidden to enter the city." He looked up slightly. "I've only ever seen images of it carved in to the walls." He adjusted himself in the saddle. "Only those wearing godly pendants or special pendent can enter it, to send messages to and fro. There are meant to be a set of elite servants who give there blood to the gods when they visit they also clean the ancient godly throne room with in the elder gods temple."
Xena breathed in deeply. "So only the high class live there and enter it then?" Itzli nodded as he met her gaze. "Yeah that just about sums it up." Xena rolled her eyes turning to her lover. "Sounds like one those high class bard parties that you always get invited to in Athens." Gabrielle turned meeting her lover's light blue gaze. "I don't like those parties you know I don't like them." She took in a deep breath. "Yet you always find me a white chiton to wear and tie my hair back with a hair piece and then take me to the door." Xena looked down slightly. "Yes because you look beautiful in those clothes and you deserve to be able to go to those parties. You spend all your time on the road with me you should have better than sleeping on a hard board bed in a tavern."
Gabrielle moved her horse a little closer. "Xena it's not fun when your not around and I've seen you, you stay outside right until their over and then you pick me up. I hate being around those people there pretentious and all they care about is money, power and the men and women they've slept with." Xena lowered her gaze. "I just want you to have a good time to do the things that you don't always get chance to do, that's why I take you to them." Gabrielle looked up slightly. "I don't want to be there though I just want to be with you. When I'm in those places I spend all my time thinking about you and being in our room."
Xena pulled on the reins slightly. "You do?" Gabrielle turned sharply. "Yes that's all I do, I want us to be together." Xena raised an eyebrow as she turned to her. "Why didn't you say anything?" Gabrielle looked down feeling the twinge of guilt in her stomach. "I'm sorry it's just you always looked happy when you dressed me up I just didn't want to hurt your feelings." She looked at the darkness bellow. "It just seemed that you got so much pleasure out of it I didn't want to take it away from you." Xena felt a smile form as she met her gaze. "Well I'm sure I can find other excuses to dress you up in beautiful clothes that look good." Gabrielle found herself laughing. "Good enough for you to take off, right?"
Xena felt her smile widen gods it was good to hear the younger woman laugh again. She had missed that sound so much that to hear it again was just bliss. "Well I have to have a hobby, don't I?" Gabrielle felt a warm smile spread across her lips. "What like putting eels in my bedroll and giving me dribble cups?" Xena smirked eyeing her. "This coming from the bard who poured fish guts all over my head." Gabrielle ground her teeth together trying to stop herself laughing. "You should have seen your face." Xena raised her hand. "Seriously how did you manage to use my breast and back plate as the trigger like that, I never taught you that?"
Gabrielle looked down trying to hide her smile. "It's something I picked up back in Potidaea when I was young. I pulled a similar prank before but it was meant for this boy who used to pick on me but Lila tugged the cord, she didn't speak to me for two days." Xena shrugged slightly. "That's hardly surprising fish guts don't smell that nice." She looked up realizing that there were no longer any dark clouds in the sky just pitch black darkness all around them. There were no villages or roads, just miles and miles of dark jungle which was as silent as death itself. "It's getting darker, it's like there's no more light anywhere around us."
Her eyes shifted as she caught sight of the huge spire of light which was rising towards the sky up ahead breaking the darkness. She found all the words leaving her as her gaze fell up on the massive city bellow which was being dimly lit by the spires light. It was absolutely huge and it stretched out across the whole valley. To say it was big was an underestimate the fact was that you could fit Huitzilopochtli's city in to it four times over. There was something sinister about it though, all she could see were empty streets. Though she wasn't sure if it was her imagination but she was sure that there were small things moving around which looked like animals.
There were also strange reflections being cast and odd things moving around in side the empty houses. Her gaze drifted up to the monstrous central temple that dwarfed everything. It huge stone top had opened up allowing the monstrous spire of white light to breach the heavens she could see bolts of white lightning hitting the spire's lights which lit up the heavens even more. There was no denying the truth which was that this device had blocked out the sun and was sweeping it's darkness over the whole of Mexica. She eyed the city again as they flew slowly over it. "You weren't joking this place is huge." Itzli eyed the temple which they were getting closer to. "The entrance to C'thulon's temple isn't at the top, it's at the bottom."
Gabrielle looked at the huge temple and the light which was going upwards. "Akemi really knows how to put on a show." Xena breathed in as Argo dipped lower as they came in ready to land. She sneered slightly. "Yeah making an entrance was always one her less likeable qualities." She looked down as they drifted over the buildings roofs. The city was a dark and sinister ghost town she could now see what had been moving, there were skeleton animals scurrying out of sight as they flew over. There was more though it was the feeling of something truly powerful and terrifying, she couldn't stop the shiver as it ran down her spine while deep in the pit of her stomach she felt a twinge of fear.
She had, had this kind of fear before in her life but it had been a long time since she'd felt it this deeply. This city was primeval and unlike any thing she'd ever seen. She breathed in deeply maybe she felt this way because this was in essence the cradle of existence and that meant that it was the oldest place in existence. She turned eyeing Itzli who had the same uncertainty and fear in his face, her gaze drifted to her lover who looked surprisingly calm. She looked down slightly but then this was something Gabrielle could do very well. She could mask her fear completely, because she'd taught her how to. In this moment she was regretting that because she wanted to see her fear so she could feel more settled.
Gabrielle took in a deep breath as her horses hooves smashed in to the floor of the square. She could feel the fear in her stomach but she was doing her best not to show it. She pulled the reins feeling her horse come to a stop she turned watching as Argo landed close by. She felt her eyes dart it was so quite. They had landed just up from the huge temple its self she eased herself out of the saddle watching as Itzli got out of Argo's saddle followed by Xena. Her eyes moved sharply as she took a slow step forward only to watch as a skeleton dog ran past her feet. It disappeared in to the darkness of a building, she jolted feeling a hand on her shoulder she turned meeting her lover's uncertain gaze.
Xena leaned over slightly. "Are you okay?" Gabrielle took in another breath. "I'm fine it's just this place, it's scaring me." Xena looked up slightly thank gods the younger woman was feeling the same way she was. She tensed her shoulders as she eased her sword free from its scabbard. "I know just how you feel." Itzli watched as skeleton bird hopped past. "This place is frightening, nothings alive here it's all un-dead." He paused as he looked up. "Is it just me or does this place smell like rotting flesh?" Xena turned sharply trying to ignore the smell. "Yeah it smells like death." Gabrielle sniffed the air only to stop as she turned to him. "It smells like the back of Quetzalcoatl's throat, just with out the saliva." She turned ignoring the shocked looks on her lovers and Itzli's face as she pulled out her sai blades. "We should get moving." Itzli pulled out his axe as he looked around him. "Not to sound like a coward but can we all stay close?" Xena grabbed by his shoulder. "Sure." She moved her hand away from Gabrielle's shoulder. "We'll leave the horses here and move forward on foot."
8
Lila felt the pain as her hand was slammed down hard on the stone she cried out in pain. Akemi slashed the razor sharp blade across her hand watching as the blood ran free. She didn't think as she pulled up Lila's hand squeezing forcefully watching as her blood hit the altar. She turned eyeing the golden skull whose eyes flashed white. "I assume I have this correct?" The golden skull grinded its jaw bone as it spoke. "Yes you have, to move through a future you must take the life blood of another whose past you want invade." Akemi pressed harder watching as the blood pool at the altars centre started to sweep out wards creating Aztec patterns which all spread outwards moving to each of the four corners.
Lila leaned forward she was suddenly didn't feel so good. Akemi let go watching as Lila hit the floor on her knees. The blood was still seeping out from her hand. It ran along the floor and then upwards in to the centre of the altar, she could see the girls body tensing this obviously had to be painful. The golden skulls eyes flashed red for a moment. "Using the vessels blood means that you will freeze their soul until the gate closes as their life's blood will power it." Akemi watched as the two warriors ran forward trying to help Lila only to hit some kind of invisible wall which caused them to be thrown back they hit the floor hard.
She found herself laughing out loud as she eyed them both. "Dense idiots do that again and I'll kill you!" Tlaloc looked up sharply ignoring the pain in his shoulder. He couldn't stand to see Lila be hurt anymore by this insane woman and he'd just lost it. Now all he could feel was pain from what ever he had smashed in to, he eyed the Star Coyote in disgust. "What have you done to her!?" Akemi shrugged slightly eyeing Lila she could see the blood moving down the altar's four corners, it suddenly shot outward running through the patterns on the floor in six steams each coming to a stop under a floating circle. The blood dripped upwards hitting the rings which caused them to start spinning. Each of the golden circles blasted in to white light awaiting her words for their destination.
She watched as streams of white and blue light come up from the bloody streams. She turned eyeing the angry warrior. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm using her to open up the Blood Jaguar's past you dense bastard!" Amoxtli ignored the pain in her arm as she looked up. "You evil bitch she's just a young girl, she's done nothing to deserve this!" Akemi watched as they both got to there feet she eyed Ehecatl who was raising the pistol to one of their heads. She eased up her hand stopping him from firing. She felt a cruel smile form. "You can't free this irritating little bitch, so don't even try it!" She pulled out her pistol pointing it at the big man's face. "Trust me when I say one more slip up and your face is going to be painting that wall!"
She turned eyeing Lila the blood had stopped running out from her hand, she looked ill. "As long as her blood is touching this altar, you can't touch her! Her soul is going to power my travel, in to her sisters past. Oh it's going to hurt her but believe me it's necessary. She powers my jump in to the past with her soul and life's blood. I kill her sister and then I spend the rest of my life screwing the brains out of the Warrior Princess!" Ehecatl looked up sharply. "I thought the plan meant that I got to stay with you!" Akemi turned sharply. "Shut up Ehecatl, you'll get what you want!" She eyed him seeing him smile she wouldn't lie she did care about him and she liked having sex with him. She paused oh what did it matter she could have both couldn't she?
The Xena she knew liked threesomes and sexual fun it would just be a case of sharing. He would still be there when she returned all she needed to do was get them both to go through at the right moment in her own past as the device was shutting down. She'd go through and merge with her younger self taking her place ready for Xena's first arrival in Japan when she'd captured her wanting a ransom. Since Gabrielle would not exist the Warrior Princess would have no soul mate and it meant that she'd never leave. Giving her what she wanted which was a permanent lover for all time. She'd have Ehecatl when she just felt like something different she felt a cruel smile form as she eyed Lila. She kneeled down in front of her. "Before I go I have a question for you."
Lila winced trying to stop herself from throwing up, her stomach was churning painfully and her body felt weak. She wished she could get up, she found her teeth grinding together as she spoke. "What do you…want to know?" Akemi smirked putting a hand under her chin. "Do you sleep with women just like your sister?" Lila snarled in disgust meeting Akemi's dark gaze, she was getting so sick of people asking her that! She held her stomach as her gut twisted causing fire some pain to move through her mid section. She narrowed her gaze. "I'm not like my sister! I don't sleep with women I sleep with men! We don't have the same sexual tastes…"
Akemi felt her smile widen oh how amusing she'd found a soft spot, obviously Lila really didn't like being accused of having the same sexual preferences as Gabrielle. It embarrassed her which made the whole thing even more amusing. She eased her hand out from under her chin. "Shame you might like it." She leaned forward so she was close to her lips. "Why don't I show you what its like?" Her smile was cut off by an agonizing spike of pain as Lila's knee slammed in to her mid section. Lila watched as the other woman moved back the pain obvious in her face. She spoke feeling her teeth grind together. "No I don't think I would!"
Akemi winced trying to take the pain as she moved back feeling her anger start to boil and churn in the pit of her stomach. She grabbed hold of the Lila's hair savagely pulling her towards her so there faces were almost touching. "Do that to me again and I swear to you, that I will cut off your foot!" She kept her in place. "You know this device is going to cause you so much pain, so you should sit back and enjoy what's left of your miserable little life because the next few hours for you aren't going to be nice for you." She let go easing her self to her feet ignoring the dull pain in her stomach. "It'll make any pain you've ever suffered seem like nothing!"
8
Quetzalcoatl tried to ignore Manaia's words which were floating around in his head. He tensed as he moved up the keeps inner steps watching as the other god followed him. He hated the truth he'd always hated the truth which was probably why he got such a thrill out crippling those bellow him so he could force them to never utter the truth. He hated it even more when people got under his skin, just as Manaia had done, but the truth was that as much as he wanted to hurt him for that truth he had no will to do so. He knew that he was lonely and he didn't have anyone to talk to, the days had long gone since he had had a conversation with anyone.
A part of him cried out for this loneliness which was there forever haunting him, though he tried not to think about it. He narrowed his gaze as he looked up at the sky as he came out of his keep, it was pitch black and there was no more sun light. He felt his teeth grind together it wasn't even night. He looked down at his city he could see that the torches were being lit bellow he turned looking in to the far distance the only light now showing was from the white spire far off in the distance. He didn't think as he moved forward smashing the chains as side as he got close to the keeps edge, he didn't think as he threw himself off spreading his wings fully taking flight.
He turned watching as Manaia follow him with out a single word, how was he going to get in to the elder gods temple? That was the question that was now tearing in to his mind like a knife. He was forbidden to enter it yet his prize was in side there! He also couldn't get through the lower entrance it had been made for mortals not gods. His only option he had would be to shatter apart the top half and crawl in. He sneered slightly he liked the thought of that even less it meant he would have to steal his prize quickly and leave. If the elder god saw him with his head inside the temple he would have to deal with his violent wraith.
The thought didn't thrill him ether he looked down as he saw his city fade in to the distance as they both left it behind. His gaze drifted as he caught sight of white heavenly tunnels somewhere far away opening up. Hundreds of small glowing objects were falling out in there thousands raining down over the city in the distance, he felt a smile form it was Huitzilopochtli's city. Obviously the sun god had lost control over his hummingbird warriors how amusing, what he wouldn't give to see the look on the bastards face. Maybe when he had his prize back he could send in his forces out in bulk and then destroy the sun gods realm while his defences were down. Yes that would be a nice picture to watch his enemy crumble at his knees.
He flicked out his tongue oh how he loved the idea of seeing those people scream and for the streets to flow with the blood of the sun gods warriors. That was an image that would give him pleasure, if he didn't have this to deal with this. Sadly though he did have this to deal with it and that only made his anger burn all the more. He watched as the lit villages passed by bellow, he hated having to deal with such a disgustingly trivial thing such as this. He was the king of the gods and it had always been Tezcatlipoca job was to do his dirty work! He carried on moving seeing that the light spire was getting closer he was not looking forward to this!
He hated the fact that he was here all because of a mortal! He used to eat mortals for fun yet now here he was flying towards the elder gods city because he needed to steal back what was rightful his from one! He'd see that the Star Coyote knew the true meaning off pain by the time he was through with her! He would not allow her the satisfaction of seeing what ever plan she had come to fruition not if it meant mocking him. He was king of the gods no one should ever mock him. His word was absolute, all who had failed to realize that, had paid the price and become his to defeat, and she would lean that same brutal lesson!
He turned eyeing Manaia he wouldn't admit it but he surprised that the lesser god was coming with him. He obviously knew the risks yet he came so willingly. Why was that? Why would he go with him to the place of creation? Maybe he wanted to see it or maybe he wanted to be by his side though he doubted that, even the other gods didn't want to be by his side. He eyed him for a long moment for once he'd have to trust another god. He hated trusting other gods he always felt that they'd betray him like they had done so many times back before when he'd been young and innocent. So many times he had been kind and then he'd been betrayed and that was why he didn't let the gods under him have alliances. He hated alliances he hated them talking about him behind his back. He flapped his wings harder he would never allow them to dethrone him with their talk. He flicked out his tongue smelling the rotting flesh of the elder god's city it had been centuries since he had been inside its huge and terrifying walls
End of part 106
Silvermoonlight
