After finding a new location, the group of hooded people resumed their ritual as women danced and chanted around them. Letting the chanting go on for several minutes, the group leader spoke up again, bringing the dancing to a stop as their focus turned to the man and the task at hand.
PRIEST
The priest of the Flesh has gone. Glory to him!
The others in the group shouted in praise as the man continued.
PRIEST
Although he has departed us, be not disheartened, for the long-awaited time of the blood finally has come. And this time, there will be no interruption. Glory to the blood! And the rebirth of the goddess!
More words of agreement emerged from the small crowd as the priest motioned for their would-be sacrifice to take center stage once more.
From the group, a masked person in a red cloak stepped forward and moved to take their place up on the ladder as they were pinned against the cross-like structure. While continuing his ritualistic speech, the priest was handed a spear that he placed against the masked person's chest.
PRIEST
And now, with this spear, I grant the goddess the gift of blood so that she may bless us with her glory!
His words of offering then complete, the priest drew back the spear before driving it toward the masked person's heart. That was until just before the tip pierced flesh, the weapon was suddenly stopped as the meant-to-be sacrifice's hand suddenly shot up and caught the spear,
PRIEST
What do you think you're doing?!
No verbal reply given, the cloaked person swiftly yanked the spear from the group leader's hand and drove the end of the pole right into his face, breaking his nose in the process and knocking him to the ground as he grabbed his face in pain. Then with a flip and an oddly familiar yell, the now unwilling sacrifice leapt down from the cross-like structure to land surrounded by the rest of the group as their hood fell, and their mask was tossed aside to reveal a shrewdly smirking Xena.
PRIEST
(Angry tone) You again?!
XENA
(Sarcasm) Surprise.
Quickly backing away, the priest shouted for the others to go after the warrior woman.
Weapons now in hand, a number of the hooded people charged toward Xena as she fought back, dropping the first few almost effortlessly. Another of the group raised his sword to attack, Xena caught his wrist in midair with one hand as she launched her fist into his face, causing him to stagger back a step as she released his wrist. Then, hearing someone shouting behind her, the woman planted her hands on the semi-conscious man's shoulders in front of her and kept up as she threw her feet straight out behind her to plant both boots squarely in the center of two more cloaked people's chests and knocking them both to the ground as she let herself drop along with them and drove the face of the man she was still holding onto into the earth where he blacked out completely.
Seeing Xena easily lay waste to more of their fellow cultist yet again, the rest of the group began to flee as the leader shouted for them to return as the dark-haired woman set her sights on him next, only to be cut off by a sudden burst of flames cut off her path and she stepped back with a scowl as Callisto teleported onto the scene and brandished a cocky grin when she saw the sour look on Xena's face.
CALLISTO
What's the matter, Xena? Not happy to see me, are you?
The maniacal blonde idly scratched at her neck as she continued.
CALLISTO
That's okay. Neither am I, really. Lucky for me, I've got a plan to solve both of our problems.
XENA
Oh, yeah? Then why don't you let me in on it?
CALLISTO
(Mocking tone) Tsk-Tsk-tsk, Xena.
Callisto mockingly wagged her finger at the raven-haired woman as though she were scolding an ill-behaved child.
CALLISTO
I tell you, and the first thing you know, you'll be trying to stop me. You just trust little old Callisto when I say you're gonna love it. Or… half of it at least.
The crazed woman laughed as she drew her sword and kept at Xena with an angry screech, only to stop just a couple feet from the woman and with a sinister chuckle turned around and began walking away.
CALLISTO
Sorry, Xena, but as much as I'd love to stick around and toy with you some more, I've got a schedule to keep. Until later.
Looking back over her shoulder, Callisto left Xena with a parting gift in the form of a large fireball shot her way as a light flashed and Ares appeared in the wrong spot and was hit with the ball of fire, which he quickly patted out before shooting Callisto an angry glare as the blonde mockingly wiggled her finger's goodbye at the god and after teleporting over to grab the cult leader, disappeared with an evil grin.
ARES
(Muttering angrily to himself) I am so looking forward to tearing the blonde psychopath limb from limb.
Without even acknowledging that Xena was there, the god disappeared as the warrior sheathed her sword with an unhappy growl.
GABRIELLE
Seraphin! Wait!
Hearing the bard, Xena turned around to see Gabrielle chasing after a short haired blonde, before catching up and grabbing the other young woman by the arm to stop her.
GABRIELLE
What is wrong with you?! We're trying to save your life!
Seraphin stopped and turned to face her childhood friend.
SERAPHIN
You don't understand, Gabrielle, those people weren't making me do anything I didn't want to.
The bard sighed as she shook her head slightly in frustration and disbelief.
GABRIELLE
Yeah, yeah, you wanna be sacrificed to the temple of Callisto. I get it. But no matter what you say, I am not going to let that happen. I mean, don't you know what she's done?
A look of sheer confusion suddenly appeared on Seraphin's face as that in turn did the same to the bard after hearing her old friend's curious reply.
SERAPHIN
Who's Callisto?
GABRIELLE
Wha...? You mean you weren't being used as a sacrifice to Callisto?
SERAPHIN
No. I was chosen to be the Priestess of the Blood, for the rebirth of the goddess?
XENA
The priestess of blood.
A cold shiver raced down the warriors' spine as the truth of who this cult was dedicated to hit, and she turned to Gabrielle, who saw an uncommonly worried look in her eyes.
XENA
None of this has been about Callisto at all. But someone far worse.
GABRIELLE
Who?
XENA
The Goddess of Dahak. This whole thing's been about Hope.
WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
Xena stood glaring into the distance as the nearly unbearably painful memories that she usually tried to keep buried resurfaced and the heartbreak of what she had lost at the demon spawn's hand returned. But knowing that Solan was at peace, Xena did her best to tuck the thoughts of her son safely away in the back of her mind for the moment as she managed to stifle a tear from escaping the corner of her eye and seemingly ominous wind blew through, which to the warrior and Gabrielle, signaled a merciless storm that they had unknowingly already become caught up in.
XENA
Hope's back and she's gathering a following.
GABRIELLE
It can't be.
The warrior turned to face the bard and her friend.
XENA
It's true, Gabrielle.
GABRIELLE
That's not possible.
Gabrielle stood from where she was sitting with Seraphin and moved to stand with Xena.
GABRIELLE
I killed hope. You saw her body before it was given to the funeral pyre yourself.
XENA
Well, you'll remember who she's the daughter of.
Xena let out a regretful sigh as she continued.
XENA
I should've figured that even in her undeveloped state, just a simple poison wouldn't have been enough to actually kill her. And now Hope's back and building a power base of people to worship her.
SERAPHIN
And why shouldn't we worship her? I mean, we're not fools.
Hearing Seraphin, who had clearly been listening to their conversation chime in, the other two women's attention was drawn back to the bard's childhood friend.
SERAPHIN
Just look at how the world is today. Where's the happiness? The peace? The goddess, Hope, is the savior of this world.
Gabrielle watched as a cold rage flashed in Xena's eyes, and quickly tried making the young woman see reason as the warrior glared ferociously at her.
GABRIELLE
Seraphin, you have no idea what you're talking about. Hope is the daughter of Dahak. The bringer of his destruction.
SERAPHIN
You're wrong Gabrielle. I have to get back to the high priest. He needs me for the goddess.
XENA
(Quiet angry tone) You're not going anywhere.
In a flash, Xena's sword was drawn, with the tip of the blade pointed barely an inch from Seeaphin's throat.
XENA
(Quiet angry tone) Your goddess killed my child. And I'll be damned if I let some idiotic, suicidal, fanatic bring that monster back.
The young woman smiled.
SARAPHIN
You just don't understand, the goddess loves us all. And I know that if your son were still here, she would welcome him with open arms.
The young woman's words inadvertently bringings Xena back to when she held Solan's lifeless body in her arms, the warrior saw red and pressed her sword further against Saraphin's chest, causing a few droplets of blood to trickle out as it just barely pierced her flesh.
XENA
(Quiet angry tone) Well, then since you're clearly so eager to throw your life away, maybe I should just do it for you right now so I have one less headache I have to deal with.
GABRIELLE
Xena, stop.
The bard placed her hand on Xena's arm in an attempt to calm the woman.
GABRIELLE
You know that I'll always regret what happened to Solan. And I'm as much to blame for his death as Hope because I refused to see her for what she truly was. But killing Saraphin won't bring him back. We both know that you'll end up hating yourself for killing her because she's just a confused girl who's looking for meaning in the wrong places.
A long, tense moment of silence passed, as Xena remained unmoving and Gabrielle brought her hand closer to the one gripping the blade.
GABRIELLE
If not for her, me or even yourself, think about Solan. He was innocent in all of this. Don't let your pain and anger diminish his memory just to exact vengeance against someone who had nothing to do with what happened to him.
Another few seconds passed, and the warrior woman finally took her blade away from Saraphin's throat and took a deep breath to calm herself down as Gabrielle dragged the short-haired blonde away to tell her the truth about her so-called goddess.
ARES
Hope is building an army of the ignorant.
Materializing beside Xena as she Saraphin being led away, Ares rested his hand on the hilt of the sword at his side as he scoffed.
ARES.
If mortals are stupid enough to believe Dahak will actually bring them peace, I say they all deserve what they get. You know, I really don't get why you continue to protect them.
XENA
You say that as though I'm not one of them.
The god of war shrugged.
ARES
Well, you know you don't have to be.
Xena scowled.
XENA
(Quiet angry tone) Shut up, Ares. Don't try to change the subject. Hope must die.
ARES
My thoughts exactly. Which is why if Hope wants a fight, I'm ready to raise an army hundreds of thousands in number of all my warriors across the land combined to do it.
The god moved to stand right in front of the raven-haired woman as he continued.
ARES
And not to press a point, but I could really use an overall commander for said army.
The woman scowled.
XENA
Your army means nothing to me.
ARES
Come on, don't you think you're taking this whole Hope thing just all a little personally?
Seeing the silent flames of rage building behind the burning blue eye's of the warrior about to be turned loose on him, and knowing the history between Xena and Hope, the god realized it would be better to let the topic go for the moment as he raised his hands slightly in a surrender-like gesture and continued.
ARES
Okay. Well, when you realize you're wrong, call me.
He lowered his hands and scowled as the last words he spoke before vanishing left Xena wondering if they were meant to be taken as a warning or a threat.
ARES
If you survive.
With Ares gone, Gabrielle walked over to Xena.
GABRIELLE
Are you okay?
She gently touched the warrior's arm as the woman turned to face her.
XENA
Ares is right. I'm taking it all too personally.
GABRIELLE
Xena, it's understandable that you'd be upset or angry about this. If I had just…
XENA
No don't, Gabrielle.
Xena raised her hand to softly cup the bard's cheek.
XENA
I know I blamed you at first, but what happened to Solan was no one but Hope and Callisto's doing. Expecting you to accept that Hope was what she was with no real proof when she was your child wasn't fair and if I had gone about it differently after she was born, then maybe things might've ended up differently.
Gabrielle sighed sadly.
GABRIELLE
I guess in the end, we both feel responsible for what happened. So then we can both share the responsibility of stopping Hope for good.
XENA
And to do that, we need to find her while still has a mortal form.
GABRIELLE
That's if we can get past her powers.
XENA
Giving that, she still hasn't made an appearance. It's possible that she's still not at full strength yet.
The warrior thought for a moment before continuing to speak.
XENA
Go talk to Seraphin. See if she knows what that rebirth thing she mentioned actually means.
GABRIELLE
You think that right now, Hope might be vulnerable?
XENA
That's exactly what I think. And if I'm right, we might have just the chance we need to kill her and put an end to this nightmare once and for all.
TO BE CONTINUED…