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Crossing Swords

Xena road on Argo through the woods, beside her was Arethian. They had been riding for about an hour or more. Suddenly Xena stopped. Her senses were kicking in.

Arethian asked, "What is it?"

Xena replied, "Trouble, call it whatever you want, but we're not safe, the enemy is too close to us. I need a few of your men so I can provide your people more time."

"How many people will you need?"

"I don't want to risk too many people. Give me 15 Centaurs. Then you take the rest and get to Arcadia."

Arethian questioned, "Are you sure, what about you?"

"Don't worry about us. We'll be fine…"

8

Selenta's men moved slowly through the forest. She wasn't happy about this little march. Hercules was leaving her and her men to take the causalities while his army secured the burned ruins of the Centaur village. She didn't know how long she was willing to keep this up, playing second fiddle to a nutjob.

Suddenly a few arrows flew through the killing a dozen of her men. Then another volley emerged from the trees taking down another Dozen or so. Selenta shouted, "Pull Together! Raise Shields!"

The soldiers did as they were commanded as another volley hit them. This time the majority of the arrows pelted harmlessly off of the metal shields.

"I want you to advance slow and carefully into the trees! Do not run in, they'll pick you off!"

The army proceeded slowly through the woods as a single arrow landed inside the temple of a soldier with Selenta. Selenta pulled the arrow out the man's head grabbing a bow; she aimed it back towards the woods and fired.

8

Xena stood as she heard a noise, she saw a single blood tipped arrow go into the chest of a Centaur archer killing him. By that point Xena was already pulling back her Centaurs to avoid further causalities. With only 14 remaining Centaurs, she didn't have warriors to lose. Hearing a familiar sound, Xena unhooked the Yin Yang Chakram bouncing it off some trees then watching as it cut the heads of the incoming arrows off leaving wooden shafts to harmlessly pelt into the ground.

Xena began riding along the tree line, observing the soldiers as they moved. With a single signal, the soldiers swooped inward and fired a string of arrows killing 10 men, and then disappearing in the woods.

8

Selenta shouted, "Enough of this bullshit! Xena I know you can hear me out there, you and your centaurs. You're trying to slow me down so the others can get away, well that's fine! You wanna slow me down, give your people a chance to escape. Then come out with your sword right now, Mono e Mono, bitch to bitch!"

Selenta waited, pulling out her second sword. Then finally a single figure emerged from the trees.

"Xena, I wondered if actually had the courage to face me."

"Selenta, you should know better than to doubt my courage."

Selenta aimed her blades at Xena, "Well, you still have your courage… but do you have your skill!"

Selenta charged at Xena as the warrior brought her sword up. Xena blocked the first sword and then deflected the other, she twisted at Selenta who only managed to avoid a potentially lethal blow. Xena flipped at the warrior with sword bearing down, but Selenta stepped backwards to avoid the strike stabbing towards Xena's hip, cutting off a piece of the leather bodice.

Xena arched up blocking a strike from the sword, kicking Selenta in the stomach, but taking the hilt of the blade on the side of her own face in the process. Crossing swords, Xena pushed Selenta back a few steps, but then began to fall backwards herself. The blades clanging at seemingly the speed of light. An intense growl from Selenta did not faze Xena as she blocked the pair swords coming at her.

Xena ducked a strike from the sword in Selenta's left hand, and blocked a blade from her enemy's right. The shock of the blow very nearly cost Xena her footing as her own left foot stumbled backwards. Seeing this, Selenta let out a guttural shout and fired forward at the warrior princess. Xena managed to block a pair of blows but ultimately flipped backwards to giver herself some space with Selenta still bearing down on her.

Xena swung at Selenta knocking the warrior's left sword back, stabbing at Selenta, but Xena found her own sword deflected back at her. Xena crossed blades with a high strike from Selenta's left as she managed to avoid a low slice through the air from Selenta's other blade. Xena side stepped a blow from Selenta, slashing at her back, drying a slight amount of blood.

Selenta's reply was rapid as she jabbed her elbow into the Warrior Princess's rib cage. Blocking another sword strike, Xena flipped back again, this time near a soldier. She punched him in the face and took his sword. Now having pair of blades she charged back at Selenta.

Now four blades banged off one another as the vibration surged through Xena's joints. The rapid fire sword fight was leaving both women feeling drained as neither could quite press the advantage. Selenta was feeling the sting from the slash on her back from before while Xena was trying to ignore her aching ribs. Finally with some force Xena smashed the swords of Selenta causing her to step back. Now it was Xena's turn to press the advantage.

Selenta could barely keep up as the furious warrior princess pushed and prodded at her. Arms aching for the high amount of weapon exchanges she fought to keep up, blocking blow after blow. Selenta ducked as Xena's two swords passed harmlessly overhead.

Selenta charged forward at Xena causing the Warrior princess to step back again, but she stayed up this time locking blades in three quick strikes. With a strike to Xena's right, and one to her left, Selenta pushed up, but then suddenly the sword from her right hand flew away, with her hand.

Selenta fell back as quick as she could, her right hand was completely gone. Xena had cut it off. With a quick reflex she threw her remaining sword at Xena, which barely missed the Warrior's ear. Selenta shouted, You Bitch!" as she mounted her horse signaling her soldiers to retreat. She was in excruciating pain. The fight was over just as quickly as it had begun.

Xena watched as the army pulled back from around her. Selenta didn't seem so interested in a fight all of a sudden. Xena tossed the other sword to a soldier, he didn't have one, and she assumed it was his to begin with. Feeling safe, Xena took a step back and moved to find her horse and rejoin the Centaurs. Before she reached the woods, she came across a single blood stained hand next to a heavily nicked sword. Xena shook her head, the way that fight had gone, it could have been her own hand instead of Selenta's. She passed it by and headed back into the woods.