With Alti leaving the battlefield and going right to the village, Xena and Gabrielle chased after her. Not knowing what she was going to do once there and having left Aurora and the other non-combatants inside of the village where they thought it would be safest, the two moved as fast as they could to get back inside the village before anything happened. As they ran a number of their group of friends began to take notice of Xena and Gabrielle running back towards the village.
SKYLA
Hey is that Xena and Gabrielle?
Clover took down yet another enemy as she looked towards where she noticed Skyla looking.
CLOVER
Yeah.
Realizing that they must've had a reason for leaving the battlefield, Skyla and Clover took down the last couple of enemies near them and moved to catch up to them.
CLOVER
Xena, Gabrielle what's going on?
Gabrielle stopped for a moment as Xena kept going.
GABRIELLE
Alti, she's here and she made it into the village.
CLOVER
Shit, if she gets her hands on the fountain of youth...
GABRIELLE
I know.
SKYLA
The people still in the village, they're in serious danger now. What do we do?
GABRIELLE
Xena and I are gonna get to the village, you two go round up some help, if things get worse we might need to fight her within the village and we're gonna need to evacuate those still inside to safety.
CLOVER
We're on it. Come on Skyla.
SKYLA
You and Xena stay safe, we'll be right behind you guys with help.
GABRIELLE
Good.
Gabrielle resumed running towards the village as Skyla and Clover headed in the opposite direction to round up as much help as they could without compromising their defenses too much. Meanwhile amongst the fighting Amarice blocked a strike from the former Amazonian council member, Nova. She pushed back and followed up with a kick to Nova's midsection. The shot doubled Nova over as she took another hit to the back that drove her to the ground. With a scowl on her face, Nova quickly turned over as she swept her leg and tripped Amarice. She went down and Nova lunged at her. Quickly Amarice rolled to her back, brought up her feet. planted them into Nova's stomach and flipped her up over her head and she landed on her back above her. Then without either of them wasting a second, they both kicked up to their feet facing opposite directions. Nova then made an angry yell as she swung back while turning around. Hearing the yell Amarice ducked as the blade missed. She then grabbed Nova's arm and flipped Nova over her shoulder. However, the former Amazonian council member landed on her feet in front of Amarice and proceeded to throw a kick behind her into Amarice's knee. The attack forced Amarice's leg to go out from under her and she dropped to one knee as Nova immediately followed up with a spinning kick across her face. Amarice was dropped to the ground as Nova turned her blade downwards and drove it down towards her. Amarice quickly swung her blade. deflecting the attack as she sent her sword forward as Nova was already preparing another strike. However, her attack was brought to an abrupt stop as Amarice plunged her blade into Nova's chest. The semi-resurrected Amazon looked down as her arm dropped and she saw the blade sunk inside of her chest. She opened her mouth to say something but no words came out as her eyes fell closed and she fell forward onto Amarice as she was once again sent into the afterlife. After a moment Amarice managed to roll the literal dead weight of the lifeless Nova off of her as she sat up a caught her breath from the intense fight. She stood up and retrieved her sword from Nova's chest. She then looked around at the continuing battle as Clover ran up to her.
AMARICE
Clover?
Clover noticed Nova's body on the ground.
CLOVER
Good, you're not in the middle of anything.
AMARICE
I literally just got done dealing with her. Why?
CLOVER
Hurry and get to the village. Alti got in and were gonna need everything we have to stop her and keep the others inside safe.
AMARICE
Got it. I'll head there now.
CLOVER
Good. And grab a few more to help if you can.
AMARICE
Okay.
With that the two hurried towards the village, pushing through any enemy that stood in their way. Meanwhile, weapons clashed again and again as the heated fight between Ephiny and Velasca continued. Velasca yelled angrily as she pushed Ephiny's blade away and landed a kick to her ribs. Ephiny staggered as she reflexively grabbed at her side. But Velasca kept up the pressure as she followed up with a swing of her sword. Ephiny blocked and Velasca threw her knee into Ephiny's ribs again. The pain from the shot forced Ephiny to lower her guard and gave Velasca an opening, which she immediately capitalized on when she drove her blade forward. Ephiny moved just in time as Velasca attempted to impale her on her blade. She pivoted around Velasca and turned with a swing towards Velasca's back. Thinking fast, Velasca raised her arms as she reached behind her and blocked Ephiny's attack.
VELASCA
Really Ephiny, going for a cheap tactic like that.
EPHINY
You're one to talk given the way you stabbed Gabrielle in the back when you tried to kill her to become queen.
VELASCA
(Unamused tone) Aren't you clever.
Velasca shoved Ephiny's weapon away as she turned with a swipe of her sword. Ephiny hopped back as Velasca's blade just barely missed her midsection. She then retaliated with an overhead swipe that was in turn blocked. Ephiny threw a knee into Velasca's stomach causing her to drop her guard. Ephiny followed up by sweeping Velasca's feet from under her. Velasca dropped forward and Ephiny drove her blade down at her but missed when Velasca kicked her boot back into Ephiny's knee. Ephiny dropped down and caught another kick to her face, stunning her for a moment as she was forced to catch herself from falling back as Velasca stood up and sent a third hard kick into the side of Ephiny's head dropping her completely to the ground. Ephiny attempted to get up but was hit with yet another kick, this time to her ribs as she rolled to her stomach and tried to get up as Velasca spoke and kicked her once more.
VELASCA
I guess this is the end of the line you and me Ephiny.
Ephiny was struck again as Velasca watched her try to get up.
VELASCA
You know you're death could've been avoided if I had just been made queen as I should have been. In fact, I'm sure none of this would have even happened if I had been given my rightful place as queen. Xena and Gabrielle wouldn't have been brought to the village if Gabrielle wasn't queen. Therefore we likely wouldn't have run into them because they wouldn't have known about those kidnapped women from the village. And if Xena and Gabrielle weren't ever here, there likely wouldn't have been that hunting that ended up bringing Alti here as a result. So this village being destroyed is really yours, Xena's, and most of all Gabrielle's fault!
Velasca raised her blade and yelled as she drove it down towards Ephiny. In a quick movement, Ephiny gripped her sword as she turned to her back and swung her weapon. Time stood still for a moment as Ephiny huffed and saw the blood began to flow from the gash across Velasca's throat. Velasca gargled up blood as she dropped to her knees before falling to the side as her consciousness faced into oblivion and she was gone. Ephiny slowly stood as she tried her best to ignore her pain and began to walk away when she saw a number of the others rushing through the secret waterfall entrance to the village. After looking around and seeing that there was still fighting going on around her, Ephiny knew that something must've been very wrong for so many to be running back into the village. So despite being hurt, Ephiny moved to catch up with the group that she saw consisted of Xena, Gabrielle, Amarice, Skyla, Clover, Iris, Fauna, Cora, and Willow. She was very quickly filled in on the fact that Alti had left the battle for the village. So as the group reached the waterfall they pushed through and entered the village as the final showdown against Alti was about to begin. But what would happen as a result would be something that none of them could have ever predicted.
TO BE CONTINUED...
