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Chapter Three: "Cause and Effect"
"Do not disappoint me." Michael's words bounce around inside Deerdra's head fading only when she attacks the nearest rock demon, the one Gabrielle is trying to fend off. She comes up behind it then slices it in two at the waist. It howls in pain then crumbles into a mound of rocks.
Gabrielle couldn't see Deerdra because of the demon, but boy was she glad when see did. "Deerdra!" She runs up and gives her a big hug--then realizes that Deerdra may still be hurting. "Oh my gosh, I'm sorry! Are you okay? What took so long?"
Deerdra smiles. "It's a long story. Duck!"
A demon forms from the wall behind Gabrielle and makes a grab for her. She ducks and Deerdra slices off its head. It screams and crumbles just like the other ones. They turn their attention to Xena who is having quite the time fending off two demons. One picks her up and throws her against the wall. She hits with a resounding 'Oomph!', bounces off, and readies to counter attack when she catches a glimpse of Deerdra coming up fast behind them.
Xena smirks. "Time for you cookies to crumble."
Deerdra leaps as high as she can then in one smooth motion she slices down one demon and then immediately slices up on the other forming a giant V.
Xena's relieved to see that Gabrielle is okay and after climbing over the rock rubble, gives her a quick hug. "Are you alright?"
Gabrielle nods. "Yeah."
Xena gets a good look at the shiny new sword in Deerdra's hand. "Nice sword. Where'd you get it?"
Deerdra starts to tell her, but decides that now isn't the time to add to her anxiety. "You wouldn't approve."
Gabrielle sees something big moving behind Xena and toward them. "Uh, guys?"
Xena isn't the only one who has taken notice of Deerdra's sword. Five more demons have appeared, each one holding some type of round metal shield. They stand shoulder to shoulder forming a huge walking wall of rock.
Xena hatches a plan. "Do you still have the Hind's Dagger?"
Gabrielle doesn't have the answer she wants. "Not anymore. The last one I stabbed fell backward with it still embedded in its chest. Another one stepped in front of me before I could pull it out."
Deerdra scans the rubble. "Do you remember where it fell?"
Gabrielle slumps her shoulders. "Behind them."
Deerdra rolls her eyes. "Swell."
Xena revises her plan. "We'll keep them occupied while you sneak around and find the dagger."
Gabrielle knows that they can hold their own, but she worries about their luck running out. "Are you sure?"
Deerdra holds up her sword and grins. "Not problem."
The demon 'army' receives their orders and rushes our heroes, quickly encircling them. Time for Xena and Deerdra to work together.
"Xena, go high!"
"Got it!" Xena flings the chakram as such so it flies around the circle, hitting each of the demons in the face. While they're distracted, Deerdra slashes them across their shins. They yell and crumble, revealing five more demons with shields held high.
"Go low this time!"
"Yep!" Xena again throws her chakram as before, this time hitting the demon's legs causing them to drop their shields just low enough for Deerdra to slash them across the throat. They yell and crumble and reveal even more demons. This group has learned from the last ones. They alternate their shields. Some high, some low. So Xena adjusts the chakram's trajectory so it too goes high then low.
By now, there are quite a few large piles of rock, so during this round of slashing and crumbling, Gabrielle waits for an opening then dashes behind one pile after another until she reaches the dagger.
Unfortunately for everyone, Dahak has also been waiting for an opening of his own. He sees that Gabrielle has left the safety of her comrades and sends a rope flame zipping across the room. It grabs her by the ankle and pulls her down, but not before she recovers the Hind's Dagger from the ruins.
Gabrielle screams at the top of her lungs. "Xena! Deerdra! Help!"
That gets everyone's attention. Xena and Deerdra pause long enough to scan the room...too long. One demon grabs Xena by the throat and pins her to the wall. Another takes a swipe at Deerdra. She ducks then slashes both demons. They yell and crumble but this time there aren't any more waiting for their turn, so they think. There is one more hiding in the shadows. It grabs Xena in a bear hug from behind. "I'll handle this one! You go and get Gabrielle!"
Deerdra nods then runs over to Gabrielle who is desperately trying to hold on to anything and everything to stop sliding toward Dahak's fiery chasm. As soon as Deerdra is close enough, Gabrielle latches on to her in a death grip. "For god's sake, Deerdra, don't let go!"
Deerdra sits back with her in her arms and digs in her heels."Don't worry. I'm not about to let that thing hurt you. I will have to let you loose to stop him, though."
Gabrielle tightens her grip. "I'm scared, Deerdra."
"Look at me. Do you trust me?" Gabrielle nods. "Good. Now don't panic. I have to attack Dahak while he's still solid."
Gabrielle reaches up and gives her a big kiss for inspiration. "Kill the bastard."
Deerdra grins at her. "Yes ma'am."
Deerdra's weight has slowed their slide, but they are still inching toward the chasm. Only now, there is a plan. Clinging to each other, they roll into the rocky ruins of the stone demons then allow Dahak to pull them until Gabrielle's feet touches a large bolder.
Deerdra reaches down and grabs the Hind's dagger from Gabrielle's boot. "Ready?"
Gabrielle takes a deep breath. "Do it."
Deerdra stretches behind them and slams the dagger into the cave floor--a hand hold for Gabrielle while she braces her feet against the boulder. Gabrielle hangs on for dear life as Deerdra runs up to Dahak's flame brandishing her 'Sword of Light'.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the cave, Xena doesn't see or hear any of what Gabrielle and Deerdra are doing, the rock demon is making sure of staying in her line of vision. She ducks, it ducks. She weaves, it weaves. She bobs, and catches a glimpse of Gabrielle sprawled out on the floor desperately hanging on to something. Not seeing Deerdra, she assumes the worse and chunks her chakram in the direction of Dahak's flame. She knows it won't kill him, but maybe it will disperse or weaken his flame long enough for Gabrielle to break free. Unfortunately, the demon has other plans.
As the chakram leaves Xena's hand, the demon raises its arm, knocking the chakram off course. It heads straight for Deerdra, slashing her throat right as she prepares to slice and dice Dahak.
Deerdra doesn't realize that anything is wrong until she feels something warm and wet running down her chest and she starts having a difficult time breathing. She puts her hand to her neck to wipe away what she thinks is sweat and comes away with a bloody hand.
"What the Hell?" She thinks. "What? Who?" She's getting weak and is finding it hard to concentrate, much to Dahak's delight. A face forms in the flame and mouths the words, "I win." An arrogant and deadly move on his part.
His smug grin boils her blood. She summons all of her strength and raises her sword, gurgling out an "I don't think so" before slashing downward in the flame and then across horizontally. A white cross briefly appears and Dahak roars in pain. His flame streams upward, washing the cave ceiling if fire before dying out completely. With his flame gone, the rock demon crumbles and the fire rope releases its hold then disappears. Her mission completed, Deerdra falls face first to the floor.
Gabrielle is just getting to her feet when Xena limps over to her. They ask in unison. "Are you alright?" That brings on a bit of nervous laughter from the battered twosome.
Gabrielle watches a wisp of smoke rise from the extinguished flame. "Is he gone for good this time?"
Xena puts her hand on Gabrielle's shoulder and tries to sound confident despite a nagging doubt. "It sure looks that way."
Gabrielle lets out a tremendous sight of relief then wraps her arms around Xena in a big hug. She whispers. "It's over." She lingers for a moment before bringing Xena's happy thoughts to an end. "Where's Deerdra?"
They frantically scan the cave. Rock pile, rock pile, Hind's Dagger, rock pile, lump laying by the chasm.
"Xena, over here!" It's too dark for Gabrielle to tell if she is breathing. "Deerdra?" She runs over and turns her over. Her heart sinks when she sees blood oozing and spurting from the gash that nearly decapitated Deerdra. "Not again! Did Dahak do this?"
Xena spots her chakram embedded in the cave wall. When she pulls it out, she sees that Deerdra's blood is still fresh on the blade. "No, I did."
Gabrielle looks up at Xena and sees the bloody chakram. "You what? Xena! Why? What happened?"
Xena feels bad about hurting Deerdra and the pain in Gabrielle's eyes only makes it worse. "That rock thing was blocking my view and hit the chakram right after I threw it. I didn't know Deerdra was over here." She reaches down and squeezes Gabrielle's shoulder and says softly, "I'm sorry."
Despite their animosity, Gabrielle knows that Xena wouldn't try and kill Deerdra during a battle as serious as this one plus she doesn't feel the sense of panic as before. She's concerned, very much so, but there's no dark cloud hanging over her heart. "I'm not the one who needs an apology. Deerdra is going to be really P.O.'d when she wakes up."
"Trust me, I know. We need to get her bandaged up and out of here."
They rip the sleeves off of Deerdra's shirt and wrap them around her neck then gently pick her up and quick step out of the cave and head in the direction of Lenora's house.
"Are you sure you want to take her to this house, Xena? I mean, what if it wasn't real as well?
"Oh, it's real all right. It just hasn't been lived in for a long time."
When they arrive at the house, Xena pushes the door open with her foot and they take Deerdra into the bedroom. Xena uses one hand to strip the tattered, filthy sheet off then helps Gabrielle lay Deerdra's limp yet warm body down on the slightly less filthy mattress.
Gabrielle sits beside Deerdra and caresses her cheek. "She's still warm and her color is good."
Xena checks the bandage. "Yeah, she'll heal up just fine, we need to change out these bloody rags for some clean ones though." She eyeballs the grimy sheet balled up on the floor. "If it was anyone else I wouldn't do this." She rips the sheet in half while Gabrielle unwraps the old bandage.
"It's stopped bleeding." She holds the blood soaked sleeves by two fingers, "I'm gonna burn these," and heads for the kitchen stove.
When Xena joins her, she finds Gabrielle just standing by the fireplace, cloths in hand with an uncertain look on her face and no fire.
Xena smiles and acts ignorant. "What's the matter?"
"Xena, this is stone cold. And, where is the food and the pan and bowls?"
Xena points to the roof.
Gabrielle can't believe it. "Our repairs are still here?"
"Yep, all of them."
Gabrielle shakes her head. "I don't get it. This house hasn't been lived in for years. If it was all a fantasy dreamed up by Dahak, what did we eat? And that bed. I know we slept in it, not that you could tell."
"I don't have any explanations, just that he let us see only what he wanted us to see. And I don't even want to think about what he had us eat."
Gabrielle tosses the rags into the fireplace anyway. "This whole place give me the willies. I hope Deerdra is healed up by morning because I sure don't want to stay here any longer than we have to."
"I agree. It's been a long day, why don't you go back there with Deerdra and try and get some sleep."
"What about you? You've got to be exhausted. You got hurt as well, you know." She rubs Xena's arm.
"Don't worry about me. I'll delouse the other mattress and crash in there."
Gabrielle laughs. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, go on. She'll need to see a familiar face when she wakes up."
"Uh, huh. You just want me there to stop her from jumping up and punching you in the nose."
"That too."
"Good night, Xena."
"Good night." Xena waits until Gabrielle has left the room before making her way to the other bedroom. Each step sends a shooting pain to a different part of her body. "The way I feel, one punch would be all it would take. Grimy or not, that bed is going to feel good tonight...or not." She sighs. There isn't a mattress, dirty or otherwise or a bed for that matter, just an outline of where one used to be. "Kitchen it is." She eases herself down on a chair and lays her head on her arms on the table then dozes off.
In the bedroom, Gabrielle touches Deerdra's forehead, (still warm), then crawls into the bed and curls up beside her. She whispers, "Don't be angry with Xena when you wake up. She didn't mean to cut you, it was an accident." She strokes Deerdra's cheek. "Just wake up, okay?"
Morning finds Gabrielle still snuggled up all cozy next to Deerdra. Gabby wakes first. She's eager yet afraid to find out if Deerdra is alive. Tentative, she touches Deerdra's cheek. "Your warm. Good! Now your heart." She lays her head on Deerdra's chest. "Beating away! One final check." She gently removes the neck bandage. "You've healed! Thank the gods, you're alive!" She pulls Deerdra up to her in a hug, waking her.
Residual pain is a b---ch for immortals. Deerdra yells out, her body reliving each hurt from of being tossed around like a rag doll and to being impaled, not to mention the blade of Xena's chakram slicing into her neck. Gabrielle quickly sets her down.
"Deerdra, it's okay. You're safe."
Deerdra's mind is in a fog, racing to catch up to the here and now. The fog clears and the first thing she sees is Gabrielle leaning over her looking happy yet concerned. Her brain is still is still chugging along the memory tracks. She's almost to the station, but she isn't clear as to what has happened, although seeing Gabrielle on top raises her hopes. She smiles. "Hi there."
Gabrielle returns the smile. "Hi yourself. How are you feeling?"
"Better." The train pulls into the station. She bolts upright. "Are you okay? What happened to Dahak? He didn't..."
Gabrielle puts her hands on Deerdra's shoulders. "I'm fine and he's gone-thanks to you."
Deerdra relaxes and leans back and absentmindedly runs her hand across her neck. "Where are we, anyway?"
Not the question Gabrielle was expecting. She decides to nip it before it blooms, however. "An old house. Xena and I stayed here after you..." Deerdra's eyes narrow at the mention of Xena's name. Time to start nipping. "It was an accident. She couldn't see around the rock monster and didn't know you were standing at the chasm. It wasn't a cheap shot, honest."
"I suppose. Where is she, by the way?"
"I haven't seen her since last night. Hmm, I haven't heard her this morning either. I can't imagine her sleeping in."
Deerdra has an idea. "Did my new sword make it to the house with me?"
"No, we left it in the cave--oh."
"Yeah. Three guesses where Xena is right now."
* * * * *
Xena creeps into the cave, sword and chakram in hand. The morning light casts mini shadows upon the cave floor creating dark pockets making it easy to trip over the rocky debris. So Xena does. "What the...?" It's not rocks, but the Hind's Dagger. Its blade is still embedded up to the hilt, however there is a slit where it cut the floor during the Gabrielle tug of war. She wrestles it out of the floor and turns it over in her hand. "Not a scratch. Resilient little thing, aren't you? Now where's that sword?" She spots the swords' blade glinting in the sunrises' beam. It's laying next to the lukewarm chasm and near a large pool of blood. She thinks of Gabrielle and the fallout if Deerdra doesn't recover. "You'd better heal from this." She picks up the sword and the second she touches the metal and sees the odd writing on the hilt, she knows. "Michael! I know this is your sword! Come down here, now!"
He does, materializing behind her, arms crossed and jaw set. "Still impudent, I see. Has death taught you nothing?"
Xena whirls around and points the sword at his chest. "It's taught me not to trust you. What do you want with Deerdra?"
Michael isn't intimidated. "That is none of your concern."
"Gabrielle has deep feelings for her, that makes it my concern."
"Deerdra is not the one who keeps putting Gabrielle in harms way."
Xena jabs Michael in the chest. "Don't push me, Michael. If this thing can slice through rock, then it can damn sure cut you in two."
Michael is unconcerned. He looks down at the sword then back up at Xena. "That was not meant for you."
A high voltage electric like charge heats up the sword's hilt zapping and burning Xena's hands. She wastes no time in letting it go. "Son of a... !"
Michael chuckles and holds out his hand over the sword. It slowly rises to his open palm. He points it at Xena's chest.
Xena looks up from massaging her hands. "Do it, Michael. Do it. You know you want to."
He thinks long and hard, weighing the consequences. A voice from behind saves him from making a disastrous decision.
"Michael?"
Gabrielle and Deerdra are standing just inside the cave entrance. Michael hesitates then lowers the sword. "Gabrielle, it is a pleasure to see you again." He nods an acknowledgement at Deerdra. "Deerdra."
Gabrielle could feel the tension between the two of them the moment she walked into the cave. "What's going on?"
Xena crosses her arms. "That's what I'd like to know."
"Get in line." Deerdra walks past Gabrielle. "You said that you would explain. So start."
Gabrielle was just thrown a curve. "Wait, you two know each other?"
Xena is enjoying making Michael look bad. "Who do you think took her off the wall and gave her that sword?"
Gabrielle doesn't believe it. "You were here the whole time and didn't do anything to help us?"
Michael remains imperious. He ignores Xena and Gabrielle and stares intently at Deerdra.
Deerdra takes the hint. "Um Gabrielle, why don't you and Xena wait for me outside. He's not going to say anything while you two are here."
Gabrielle has her doubts. "Are you sure you want to be left alone with him?"
Deerdra has doubts of her own. She also wants answers. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Don't worry."
Xena grunts, "We'll be right outside," then makes a point of brushing up against Michael as she walks past him and joins Gabrielle.
Deerdra crosses her arms and gives Michael a once-over. "Okay, they're gone. Now tell me, what is going on?"
Michael takes a deep breath and prepares for the typical barrage of questions and accusations. "This was a test of your abilities and to determine if you are worthy to carry the sword. You passed, by the way."
Deerdra begins a slow burn. "A test? A test? You put Gabrielle in harms way to, what...see if I can wield a sword? It's a fancy sword, I'll give you that, but still. That thing could have killed Xena and me and impregnated Gabrielle again. If you wanted to get my attention, you could have found a less dangerous way."
"I have discovered over the years that you respond best to dramatic and sometimes brutal action. I did not arrange this-encounter. I just seized the opportunity. Plus, Gabrielle was never in any danger. One of you would have saved her."
"One of us? You mean me, right?"
"I am about to place a huge responsibility upon your shoulders. I had to prove to the others and myself that you truly are the one."
"The one, huh? Wait, what others?"
"What do you remember when you died, after things faded to black? Close your eyes and think."
Deerdra hesitates. He doesn't seem threatening, but he did just stand and watch them fight a major battle. Curiosity gets the better of her. She closes her eyes and concentrates. "I see arrows, flaming arrows. They're being aimed at me from up above. Uh, now I see a cave with two massive iron gates blocking its entrance. I feel...despair coming from the cave." She stops and furrows her brow.
Michael moves her past this memory. "Do you remember anything pleasant?"
Deerdra pushes past the sorrow. "There's a big room with hundreds upon hundreds of small balls of light." She smiles. "I feel new life and hope here. And, singing? Yes. I here singing. So beautiful. It's coming from behind giant golden gates. You're there. And I see the other ones like you. You stop me from going through the gates. 'Not yet', you said." She opens her eyes and looks at Michael. "What do you call this wondrous place?"
Michael puffs up. "Heaven."
"Heaven, huh. So why was the big one with red hair trying to kill me? Or was that his way making me feel at home?"
Michael frowns. "Uriel. He is not fond of humans and does not believe you are up to the task. That was his way of testing your fighting abilities and your determination."
"I'm determined to live, alright." She sighs. "All these tests. Makes me wonder if life is nothing more than a test."
Michael doesn't respond.
"Oookay. You said that I'm the one. The one to do what?"
"Heaven needs a warrior here on Earth to banish all demons and in affect save mankind."
Deerdra rolls her eyes. "Oh, is that all."
Michael is getting impatient with her attitude. "Humans and their jokes. Do you really fail to see the gravity of what I have told you? If you accept this challenge, it will change your life and send you down the path toward your destiny."
"Is that you being dramatic again, because you already have my attention. We joke to keep our sanity. And I would better understand if you would cut the drama and just come out and tell me exactly what you want of me."
Michael takes a deep breath to calm himself. "I want you to leave your family and friends and travel across the land killing any and all demons you encounter."
Deerdra knows she is getting on his nerves and if what she's heard about his treatment of Xena and in essence Gabrielle, she's going to keep going. "Now was that so hard?"
Michael has had it. He shakes his head and slowly walks away. Deerdra stops him.
"Michael, wait. I'm just teasing you. I understand, it just hasn't fully sunk in yet. You're saying that this is my purpose, why I'm here? To hunt down and kill evil entities like Dahak?"
Michael's mood brightens. "Yes! I--we are offering you the opportunity to do something important with your life, to make a difference in this world...to give your life meaning." He mentally takes a step back. "If you choose to do so, that is."
Deerdra is silent, letting it all sink in. "To have a clear path after all this time. Whew, that's heavy." She paces the cave floor, thinking and pondering, weighing the pros and cons. "Accepting would mean that I would have to leave everyone I care about. Leave Gabrielle. That would make Xena happy."
Michael isn't without sympathy. He puts his hand on he shoulder. "I know it will be difficult, but for Gabrielle's safety you must. These evil 'beings' will not be looking for her, but if presented with the opportunity--."
"Yeah, I get it. It's just..." She sighs. "I finally find someone I trust enough to give my heart to completely and I have to walk away from her." She turns to look at Michael. "Am I also destined to walk this world alone?"
"That I do not know. But you would not have been chosen if it was not believed that you could shoulder the burden." He delves into his pep talk. "You are an excellent fighter, as tenacious as a lion. Heaven needs a warrior such as yourself. Someone who lives to fight and will not back down no matter the odds." He leans down and looks her square in the eyes. "Simply put, Heaven needs you."
Deerdra knows he is full of hot air. Nevertheless, she is flattered. "Tenacious, huh? But why me and not Xena? She relishes a good fight as much as I do and is just as determined, especially if Gabrielle is involved."
"It is true that you two have the same desires. However, we need someone who will be around for generations to come for as long as humans inhabit this Earth, evil will exist to torment their souls."
Deerdra thinks out loud. "I can finally put my immortality to good use." She stands up straight and puffs out her chest. "I accept the challenge."
Michael grins from ear to ear. "Excellent!" He places the sword in her hands. "There is one rule you must follow. You are not, under any circumstance to use the sword to kill a human being."
Deerdra give the sword a whirl, slicing and dicing the air before sliding it into its scabbard. She reaches back and attaches it to her back harness. "I can't imagine killing anyone at all as being big in your book."
Michael's voice is stern. "It is not. You are to avoid killing anyone for any reason. If not...one of us will determine your punishment."
Deerdra doesn't like the sound of that. "One of you. Meaning the one that tried to kill me."
Michael crosses his arms. "Yes."
"Knocking people unconscious it is. I am curious. Will it just be me or will I have a demon fighting army to assist in the saving?"
Michael frowns. He's none too eager to explain so he keeps his answer short and devoid of any detail. "You will run across others, but they will not have your set of skills nor will they be immortal."
Deerdra doesn't push. She can hear the reluctance in his voice. "Do you need me to start right away? I'd like to spend a little more time with Gabrielle."
"I understand. You will know when it is time for you to leave."
"Let me guess, I'll come across a fork in the road."
Michael grins, "Something like that," then slowly flies away, his form fading as he ascends back to his Heavenly post.
"Whew! Saving mankind. No pressure there." She begins the slow walk toward the first of many gut wrenching decisions she will have to make in conjunction with her new 'career.'
*CONTINUED*
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