With the village set a flame and fire spreading around her, Gabrielle sat on the ground holding Xena's lifeless body. Her heart weighed heavy as she couldn't believe that this was how everyone was going to meet their end. The villagers all gathered around as they stood waiting for the blaze to overtake them. As they waited their fate, Gabrielle looked out at the distant fire that was gradually coming their way.
GABRIELLE
(Thinking to herself) So this is how it ends. It just doesn't seem fair. Xena's gone. Everyone else here is going to die, Aurora's gonna grow up an orphan. None of this is right. Even after everything we've done to protect this place, the very people who had been put in charge of defending this place now have to destroy it.
Gabrielle looked up at the darkening sky as the smoke from the fire rose, and the sun began to set. Physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted, she thought of how the sunset almost seemed symbolic of the situation. As what was possibly one of the single longest days of her life drew to a close, so would the entirety of hers and all the other women's lives. As the village became consumed by the raging inferno, Gabrielle sat with Xena in her arms as she watched the other women coming together as they prepared to spend their last moments in this life with their loved ones. She then looked down at Xena in her arms for a moment as tears filled her eyes before raising her gaze to the sky.
GABRIELLE
(Thinking to herself) Well if this is how it truly does all end, I guess I'll be seeing you again soon Xena.
As Gabrielle and the rest of the women of the village all awaited their fate, Alti stood at the base of the waterfall. Still not seeing anything that resembled a fountain of any kind.
ALTI
(Angry/ Irritated tone) Where is it? How is it possible to keep such a thing so well hidden?
As she looked around and saw nothing, Alti had grown tired of searching and decided that she was going just going to have to extract the exact location of the fountain from the villagers. And seconds later, she appeared before the gathered villagers. Many of the women looked at her in a mix of fear and hatred. Alti searched the faces around her, as Gabrielle looked up from Xena and saw Alti. The fear that she had already found the Fountain Of Youth setting in. After a moment of looking around at the Amazons as the villager continued to burn, Alti spoke.
ALTI
Based on the fact that you've set your own village on fire, you obviously know that you've already lost. Now that being said, I can make all of your deaths much quicker or much, much longer and far more painful depending on the next decision you make.
Clover stepped forward slightly.
CLOVER
You can threaten us all you want, but if you think that we're telling you anything, you're even more insane than I thought.
A number of others spoke up in agreement as they stood before Alti in defiance.
SKYLA
Exactly. We'll die before we let you get your hands on the fountain.
ALTI
(Sinister tone) Very well, since you insist.
In the blink of an eye, Alti warped up to one of the women and sent her flying back into a nearby building that was burning. Gabrielle and the others looked on in horror as a few seconds later the Amazon emerged from the building, screaming in pure agony as she had caught on fire. Her screams cut through the air as several disturbing moments passed before she fell to the ground in silence as her body continued to burn. A number of the women looked away from the sickening sight, as others were in such a state of shock that they couldn't pull their eyes away from the horror.
ALTI
(Sinister tone) And now you're next?
Ati teleported up to Skyla and placed a hand on her head. As she did, Skyla's eyes rolled and her body convulsed as her mind was assaulted with all sorts of horrible images and memories.
CLOVER
Skyla!
With her axe in hand, Clover rushed Alti to get Skyla away from her.
CLOVER
(Angry tone) Get your fucking hands off of her!
As Clover closed in, Alti used her power to throw Skyla into another amazon and send them both crashing to the ground. Clover then swung her battleaxe at the sorceress, but was stopped mid-swing as Alti used her power to hold her completely still.
ALTI
I should've just killed you that first day we met. I think now might be the perfect time to fix that.
Then before anyone could react, Alti used her power to drive a stray sword from the ground into Clover's back.
SKYLA
No!
FAUNA
Clover!
Alti let Clover drop to the ground as Skyla rushed over to her. As Clover layed on her side, Skyla dropped In front of her. Clover looked at her and managed a small, sad smile as Skyla gently reached out to move her slightly, so she could get a better look at the injury. And felt her heart sink when she saw how deep the blade had gone in.
SKYLA
No... Clover.
CLOVER
It's okay. It doesn't hurt.
Skyla looked Clover in the eyes, as Clover already knew what she was wondering and answered before she even asked.
CLOVER
Honestly, I don't really feel anything at all.
A horrified expression crossed Skyla's face as she didn't want to believe what had just happened.
SKYLA
You're not telling me that you can't move, are you?
Clover shook her head no, and Skyla began to cry as she clung to Clover as the others looked on at the heartbreaking scene.
ALTI
Maybe now someone else would like to step forward and give me what I want before someone else ends up like Xena or your other little friends.
IRIS
No matter what you do to us, we won't let you have the fountain's power.
FAUNA
Exactly.
Alti looked out at the crowd who inspired of everything, still remained defiant in just simply giving her what she desired.
ALTI
Fine then. You've all had your chance for me to spare your lives. But if you would rather, I just kill you all now and find the fountain afterward.
(Sinister tone) Then so be it.
The surrounding air suddenly went unnaturally cold as the ground beneath everyone began to shake.
SKYLA
What's going on?!
The ground shifted. Scorched trees were pushed up as they became up rooted and fell over. The burning buildings around them began to crumble. Panicked screams rang out as one of the buildings collapsed onto a pair of villagers, crushing them beneath large some beams of burning wood. Gabrielle's eyes took in the destruction as she didn't want to believe what she was witnessing
GABRIELLE
(Thinking to herself) This is a living nightmare. How is Alti doing this?
Gabrielle held Xena closer and watched helplessly as the fire came closer and cracks began to form in the ground near them. A few villagers were driven back in their efforts to escape the gaps in the ground that were being torn open. And as the fire drew closer, some of the women found themselves trapped between the blaze and the fracturing earth. And with nowhere to run, several Amazons screamed as the earth beneath them gave way, and they fell into the unknown abyss waiting below. One of which was Iris, who clawed at the ledge after the earth gave out from under her, and she struggled to pull herself back up. All around, the village burned and fell apart as multiple women met their end in one way or another. As the destruction continued, Gabrielle spotted a series of small cracks beginning to form around her, and she held Xena's body tighter as she tried to push away from it, but soon found that more were opening behind her as well. She knew it was likely only a matter of minutes until the ground split open. And with Xena's dead weight and everyone else preoccupied with their own survival, Gabrielle was well aware that she wouldn't be able to drag Xena's body away in time. And even though Xena was dead, Gabrielle refused to let her go, as she knew that she had a very low chance of surviving the destruction that was going on around her anyway. As at that moment Gabrielle remembered something that Xena had once said to her when the two of them were barricaded in an old shack after Gabrielle had been hit with a poison arrow and laid dying as an army advanced towards them.
XENA (GABRIELLE'S MEMORY)
You always said that I was the brave one. Look at you now. If this is to be our destiny, let's see it out together. Even in death, Gabrielle... I will never leave you.
Gabrielle looked down at Xena's pale face as clung to her, and the earth continued to crumble around them.
GABRIELLE
And I'll never leave you either, Xena.
Gabrielle leaned down and lightly kissed Xena's forehead and just held her as the ground continued to fall away.
GABRIELLE
I see you on the other side soon.
Everything continued to fall apart around them as Alti stood in the middle of it all. It was only a moment later that an immense, bright flash of light spread throughout the whole village and brought everything to an abrupt and deathly silent end.
TO BE CONTINUED...