With the village in pandemonium, around them as the Amazons fended off the horde of enemies flooding into their home, Xena and Gabrielle stood off against Alti.
ALTI
Oh Xena, if only those Amazons you killed all those years ago could see you now. Defending this village as though you're some kind of hero.
XENA
I never claimed to be a hero of any kind. I'm just doing what needs to be done
ALTI
How noble. Unfortunately for and them you aren't going to be able to do anything to stop me.
XENA
I've beaten you before Alti, and I'll do it again.
Alti brandished an evil smile.
ALTI
(Sinister tone) You can try.
Xena held her chakram ready as she gave the sorceress an intense stare.
XENA
Trust me I plan on doing much more than try.
And with that, Xena sent the weapon flying as she threw it off to the side. Alti just stood in place as the weapon bounced around and Xena came rushing at her with her sword drawn. As Xena swung, Alti disappeared for a couple seconds before appearing again behind Xena as she used her power to throw Xena forward. Xena hit the ground and quickly rolled to her feet. She then raced back towards Alti and swung her blade. Alti caught Xena's wrist and threw her other arm to the side, and though Alti hadn't physically touched her, Xena felt as though she had been struck hard across the face. Alti then brought her hand back the other way and again due to the sorceresses power Xena felt the sting of being hit without Alti actually, asking physical contact. More insulted the hurt, Xena used her free arm to throw a punch which made Alti release her wrist. She quickly followed up with a slash of her blade, but Alti disappeared and got behind her. Sensing this, Xena turned around as she swung but wasn't fast enough as with a motion of her arm, Alti launched Xena through the air. Hitting the ground, Xena was forced to move fast as she got out of the way of several various objects that had been thrown at her from Alti's power. While Alti kept her focus on Xena, Gabrielle took the opportunity to try and mount some kind of meaningful offense against her. She took her sai's and threw them at Alti. As the weapons came within inches of the shamaness, they suddenly stopped mid-flight and hung in the air as Alti looked over her shoulder at Gabrielle.
ALTI
Nice try. But you're gonna have to do better than that.
Then with lightning speed, Gabrielle's weapons were sent back at her. She dove out of the way just in time as the sai's flew by and stuck into the wall of a nearby building. Gabrielle stood as Xena charged Alti from behind. She quickly closed in and thrust her blade forward. But once again, before the attack could make contact, Alti disappeared. Keeping on high alert, Xena and Gabrielle scanned the immediate area for where Alti would reappear. Gabrielle retrieved her sai's and turned around when was met with Alt rematerializing before her. Before she could react, Alti waved her hand and Gabrielle was sent crashing into the wall. She hit hard and began to slide down before being caught by her throat and lifted back up. She gasped for air as she frantically attempted to pry Alti's hands from her neck. Alti flashed a sinister grin when Gabrielle's head suddenly jerked back and her eyes rolled as Alti used her power to flood Gabrielle's mind with a series of dark images. Practically every horrible thing that had happened in Gabrielle's life rose to the surface of her memory. The painful events flashed through her mind one after another. From her somewhat lonely childhood to Perdicus's murder, Xena temporarily dying after being hit it the head by a large tree branch while rescuing a child, the whole series of events that took place after she had given birth to Hope. The heartbreaking war between the Amazons. The betrayal of Velasca and her supporters, Aurora being kidnapped, and the internal struggle that Gabrielle had gone through afterward. Xena nearly dying again after their last encounter with Alti. Finding so many of the women from this village slaughtered by Alti's army. All of that and more bombarded Gabrielle's mind as blood began to run from her nose while her body convulsed within Alti's grasp. Her limbs went limp as Alti's grip on her as she was pushed against the wall was the only thing keeping Gabrielle up. With the strain being put on Gabrielle's mind taking its toll, Alt knew it wouldn't be much longer until Gabrielle was unable to take any more and her mind completely shut down. Which would either kill her or cause a mental break of one kind or another. Either way, the Gabrielle was right now would be no more. And Alti was just fine with that as she continued to push Gabrielle towards her breaking point. But suddenly as Alti who was too focused on Gabrielle to notice her, Xena launched herself at Alti and tackled her to the ground. As a result, Alti was forced to let go of Gabrielle who dropped to the ground as well. She gasped as her mind snapped back to reality after being freed from Alti's power. Feeling disoriented and with her mind still in a fog, Gabrielle needed a few moments to regain her bearings. She managed to stand up as she put her hand to her head and tried to focus on what she had been doing before Alti had sent her into that horrific trance-like state. As everything gradually came back into focus for Gabrielle, Xena was still fighting against Alti. She slashed at the shamaness with her sword, but had her attack only cut through the air as Alti vanished yet again. Xena flipped her sword down and drove the blade behind her, knowing that Alti was behind her but just missed as Alti realized what Xena was doing and disappeared to escape the attack. She then showed back up in front of Xena who quickly swung at her. But her wrist was caught, and Alti retaliated with her own attack. On most other days Xena would have been able to avoid the attack, but it was clear that due to the events of the whole day Xena's reaction time had grown slower than usual as fatigue had set in. It was less than a moment later as Gabrielle looked on as Alti drove her other hand to Xena's chest with force. Xena felt the shot rattle through her whole body before feeling something else deep within her come undone. Xena's eyes widened for a moment before she fell completely limp. Gabrielle stood frozen in horror as she then saw Alti let go of Xena who dropped to the ground at her feet, where she remained motionless.
GABRIELLE
Xena!
Gabrielle looked at Xena laying there before looking at Alti who stood over her laughing.
ALTI
Looks like I finally win Xena. Now...
Gabrielle watched as Alti lifted her hand and looked at an orb of gently glowing light that she now held.
ALTI
(Sinister tone) The question is what do I want to do with this.
it was then that Gabrielle got a terrible sinking feeling in her stomach as she looked at the strange orb and realized that something truly harrowing had just happened right before her very eyes.
ALTI
(Sinister tone) After all, what use does a corpse have for a soul?
TO BE CONTINUED...