Amazons
"We're dead if we don't fight now while we still have them out of the village," Kaleipus said. "I don't know about you, but I'd rather die on the battle field than died cornered in the back of my village."
"We'll fight and we'll fight right now."
f"What?" He asked. She pointed to Nalani. "What does a damn bird have to do with us?"
"That bird carried a message to the amazons, that damn bird just signaled that our reinforcements have arrived."
"Men come on we strike now gather your arms." They hurried to the edge of the village and unsheathed their swords as they spotted the amazons just coming up behind Callisto's army, which had just gathered. Her numbers were huge but they could take them.
"Archers!" Xena yelled taking up her bow made up the finest wood in Greece. Her arrows were made with the strength to rip through several warriors. They were in for a surprise.
"Black out the sun with your arrows," Kaleipus ordered. "Fire!" They let loose their arrows. Some shooting their arrows to rain down while others shot directly at them. They started falling as the amazons loosed their arrows as well. The army split up. Many fell under their arrows. Some centaurs threw oil pots at them. They were being hit as Xena lit her arrow on fire. She waited carefully for the man most important to be hit before she shot him. The arrow whizzed pass those on fire and the oil caught. She struck the important man in the shoulder and he screamed as he ran around on fire setting others on fire.
"Launch more at the men attacking the amazons and charge!" Kaleipus ordered. They used the catapult and Xena's excellent skills had them on fire in no time before she charged into battle slicing through their skin like butter and their armor did not give them much protection. She threw her chakram at Ephiny's attacker when she met her in the middle and he almost killed her.
"Thanks," Ephiny said as Xena beheaded a man attacking her from behind.
"No problem," Xena said grabbing her chakram." Hang on." Ephiny nodded. "Amazons duck!" Xena yelled. Amazons ducked as she released her chakram and taking out a whole row.
"I see you haven't changed a bit in battle."
"Never," Xena replied.
"Xenon?" Ephiny asked.
"Safe for now." Ephiny nodded.
"Thank you."
"No problem you would do the same for me."
"Still I must thank you anyway, he needed someone he could trust here and I'm glad it was you. If all else failed I can always count on you to get him out of here at least. Xena smiled and nodded as they fought back to back.
"Gabrielle when she forgives you she plans to leave with you," Ephiny said.
"No, she can't do that, she's built a life for herself there. I came to apologize not make her leave her home."
"Well it doesn't matter," Ephiny said.
"I'm going to tell her to stay." Ephiny shook her head.
"What I mean is when Callisto escaped so did Velasca, we had no idea that Callisto has escaped as well.
"Who's she?" Xena asked. Ephiny explained. "So you've had your hands full which would explain why you didn't notice that Xenon was not sending any letters."
"Yes, it's a civil war, Gabrielle is suggesting she take all the loyal amazons to better-unclaimed land. After the massacre Velasca went on and turned some of our fellow amazons against us we're all for it rather than kill our sisters." Xena nodded.
"I know where you can go and keep Gabrielle with you."
"Where?" Ephiny asked.
"Later, Ephiny head for the caves gather the women and children I have a plan to stop Callisto and I'm going to need her to head there." Xena said when she spotted Callisto burning some centaurs. Ephiny saw where she was looking and nodded. The battle seemed to avoid Xena as she stared at Callisto who stared at her eyes demonic.
"Let's settle this," Xena growled. They fought. Callisto realized despite being a Goddess she was losing. She held her stomach and breathing a little hard she began to laugh.
"Go ahead Xena win this war, but by the time you're done your son will be dead." She disappeared.
"Callisto!" Xena shouted. She ran through the battle for the caves. She whistled as she ran through the village and Argo came to her she flipped onto her riding her bareback at top speed. Argo weaved through the trees expertly. Argo came to a halt in front of the caves and she flipped off. She saw Ephiny off to the side with the children as she went into the cave.
"Solan!" She heard Callisto calling. "Solan, come out and meet your Auntie Callisto." Xena looked at her bloody sword and read the names of her children. She felt like her energy had been replenished.
"It ends here and now Callisto." She put her sword away after flinging her blade a certain way that made the blood slide right off.
"Please Xena," Callisto said turning. "You can't defeat me." They circled each other.
"Yes, I can Callisto, because where there is a will there's a way. If I die protecting my son so be it. Everyone's blood is on your hands anyway not mine." Callisto laughed.
"See that's where you're wrong Xena, everyone who dies today and before they're blood is on your hands not mine." Xena shook her head.
"Bad people go to Hell Callisto and when you died that's exactly where you went so you see no matter how many times you say that they're blood is on my hands its really on yours or else you would have gone to the Elysian Fields with your family." Callisto got angry and started throwing light bolts and fire balls at her. Xena did a series of flips out of the way. They fought in hand to hand combat as rocks tumbled down around them.
"You're trying to trap me in here, while you die I'll have to smell your rotting corpse."
"On the contrary Callisto, I've chosen to live." Xena released her and back flipped to the entrance before diving out of the small opening left. The rocks closed the opening and Callisto screamed as the rocks fell and trapped her.
"Damn to think if I had kept that baby weight I wouldn't have made it," Xena said thankful she had chosen to continue to practice her warrior skills. She walked out of the cave and Daniel ran to her. She held up her hand and stopped him from hugging her. She would not cover him in blood.
"Ephiny keep them here until the battle is over, Callisto is trapped." Ephiny nodded and pulled Daniel back. Xena whistled for Argo and she came over. "Someone will come to alert you." Xena rode off on Argo quickly. The battle still raged. She joined it and after another hour of fierce battle Callisto's army retreated in fear. The ground was scorched by fire and soaked in blood. Xena sent an amazon to tell Ephiny of the battle and to hold off until the bodies had been cleared and to get the healer who was with them.
"Quickly gather the wounded and put them in the meeting hall," Xena ordered. "These men and women need to be treated immediately."
"Hurry some of them don't have long, if you can walk on your own do so!" The amazon healer yelled. She looked to Xena who nodded to say that she would give her a hand later. Gabrielle and her were face to face.
"Later, right now let's see to the wounded." Gabrielle nodded. Nalani came down and landed on Xena's arm when she held it up. "Make sure Callisto's army leaves the valley." Nalani screeched and flew off. Gabrielle smiled at Nalani and hurried off helping an amazon warrior on the way.
"Xena what do we do with the wounded men of her army?" a centaur asked.
"Take them in with the wounded amazons and men of your village, we will show them compassion and mercy if they'll ever change." He nodded and ordered the men to take their enemies wounded as well.
"Eponin, Solari!" Xena called. They came over and they hugged.
"No time for greetings just yet, help me get the dead to a spot where the children can't see them from the village." They nodded.
"Just beyond the trees is good, no one can see anything from the village except maybe you." Xena nodded to Solari who gathered some men and women to start helping move the dead.
"Make sure they're actually dead!" Eponin yelled so they all heard her. "Separate them into three groups Amazons, Centaurs and their men, and enemy." They nodded.
"Xena, they need you in the meeting hall, its Kaleipus he's wounded!" A centaur yelled.
"Go I've got her, " Eponin said. Xena nodded and gently lowered their fallen sister. She hurried to the meeting hall. Kaleipus had a chest wound. She did all she could, but he was going to die there was no doubt about that. He gave command to his most trusted friend than he turned to Xena.
"Xena no matter what he says or does raise him. He loves you I see that, I know his dreams, take him." Xena nodded.
"I will, I'll do what I should have done at the beginning." He nodded.
"Tell him I love him."
"I will." Kaleipus took his last breath and left peacefully knowing everyone was safe.
"He's gone move him to the other room where his body will be prepared." They nodded. Once everyone had been treated she washed all the blood off of herself and took several deep breaths. She had to face them sometime and now was the time." She entered Kaleipus's hut where a shrine had been set up. Solan was staring at it with tears in his eyes. Daniel ran to her. She hugged him, but didn't pick him up. She whispered something into his ear and he sat down and waited even though he wanted to be in her arms.
"Solan," Xena said. He turned around and he finally let his tears roll down his cheeks. He hugged her tightly. "Solan…"
"No, don't say you're sorry its over, you're all I have left now and I won't ruin it by being mad at you." He was near hysteria.
"Its okay you had a right to be mad, and you're anger would not have ruined anything." She kissed his forehead. "Kaleipus was a good man and wouldn't want to see you crying over him while he was in the Elysian fields. He told me to tell you that he loves you."
"I love him too."
"The dead can hear our thoughts, he knows you love him now more than ever." Daniel walked over and hugged her leg. He figured they had had enough of an emotional talk without him. Solan looked at him.
"I am really sorry about the bump now and the bruises. Can we be friends now." Daniel stared at him and his hand. Xena watched it all silently hoping her son made the right choice.
"No," Daniel said. Solan frowned, as did Xena. "We can be brothers." They all smiled as they hugged. She hugged and kissed them both.
"I want you two to stay here while I go talk to Gabrielle we have unfinished business. I'll bring back dinner it seems." Solan nodded, but Daniel did not. Solan started to teach Daniel how to play marbles to distract him after he protested. Gabrielle was with Ephiny, Eponin, and Solari in the hut Ephiny used when she stayed in the village a few days.
"Now how about those greetings," Eponin said. Xena smiled at her and they all hugged even her and Gabrielle.
"Okay, why don't we just start with your explanation." Xena looked at Ephiny, Eponin, and Solari.
"Come on Xena we've gotten better at eavesdropping on you two even if you weren't here, we may as well as know," Ephiny replied.
"Fine, you always find out everything eavesdropping or not," Xena retorted. They laughed and shrugged. "Let's do this at Kaleipus hut someone is waiting for dinner." They nodded and all took dinner at Kaleipus's hut. Xena offered them no explanation until all three boys were off to bed.