By
Chapter Two: "Revelation"
Deerdra is lying on the floor of a cave near a fiery chasm a little worse for wear, but otherwise unhurt and very much alive. She wakes up startled and immediately grimaces in pain.
"Ow! Geez that tree packs a punch. You alright Gabrielle? Gabrielle?" She realizes she's not outside anymore. "How in he Hell did I get in here--wherever here is."
Dahak's booming voice resonates from the chasm. "Welcome, Deerdra Reese. Thank you for dropping by. This is an unexpected yet timely visit."
"The pleasure's all yours." She tries to stand but her legs are still weak. She steadies herself by leaning against the cave wall. "If you brought me here to lure Gabrielle into a trap..." She spies her sheathed swords laying behind a pile of rocks.
Dahak chuckles. "I don't need you to lure Gabrielle to me, that is being taken care of as we speak. Convincing her to stay on the other hand is another matter. And since I was fortunate enough to have you dropped off before me--." A rope made of flame shoots out from the chasm and wraps around Deerdra's throat. "That won't be a problem either."
Deerdra's skin sizzles beneath the flame as she tries to loosen its grip. "I will Not be your pawn!"
Dahak states the stomach churning truth. "You don't have a choice."
To make his point, he uses the rope flame to pick her up and fling her against the cave wall. The rope releases and she falls to the cave floor with a dull, dusty thud. Gasping for air she attempts to stand. Dahak laughs and whips the rope around her throat again.
Deerdra instinctively grabs at the rope. "Why do you want Gabrielle? She isn't pure anymore."
"Her blood innocence doesn't matter now. That was only necessary to give me a path into this world." His anger makes It sound as though he is gritting his teeth--if his flame had teeth, that is. "Our last joining would have been successful if it wasn't for Xena. She will not stop me this time."
Even though Deerdra is struggling to break the ropes' stranglehold, she still can't resist yanking his 'chain'. "Yeah, that was a real success. Xena killed your grandson who in turn killed your daughter. You know she won't hesitate to do it again."
Too much yanking. Dahak growls, throws her against the wall then slams her to the ground.
Deerdra coughs up quite a bit of blood and wheezes as she ever so slowly makes it to her knees. She glares at the fiery chasm. "And I won't, either."
That does it. Dahak yells, picks her up, then continually slams her against the cave walls like a pin ball. He doesn't stop until every bone in her body is broken. One last throw then he nails her to the wall, impaling her with a stalactite. To make sure she stays put, four more stalactites pin her wrists and ankles.
Dahak admires his handy work. "Now we wait."
Before she looses consciousness, a disturbing thought occurs to Deerdra. "If you weren't expecting me, then who brought...." Deerdra slumps over, her head hovering just above the stalactite protruding from her chest.
* * *
Xena's in no hurry to get back to Lenora's house so she takes her time in the village's general store. Tired of looking, she places the items on the counter.
The merchant, Joe, a stocky man with thinning hair, tries to crack wise with Xena. "Stocking up for the winter, eh?" He smiles.
Xena just looks at him, making him nervous. He mutters. "It's Springtime, see, so it was a ... never mind." He clears his throat. "I haven't seen you before. Are you new to the area?"
Xena isn't one for small talk, but it is a good way to learn the inside scoop on a place or in this case a person. "My friend and I are staying up the road a-ways helping a widow fix up her place."
Joe keeps tallying Xena's purchase. "Hmm, I don't recall a widow living outside of the village. The only place I can think of has been empty since the family who lived there died."
That gets Xena's attention. "What family and when?"
Joe pauses. "Let's see.. I don't recall their names, but it was a husband, wife, and their two young children. A girl and baby boy."
"What happened to them?" Xena's pretty sure she already knows the answer.
Joe's lowers his voice. "It was pretty tragic. The little girl got sick and died, the baby followed soon after. The parent were so overcome by grief, they committed suicide. The house has been empty going on fifteen years now. People around here think the house is either haunted or cursed- or both."
Xena thinks, Oh, it's cursed alright, then braces herself for the answer to her next question. "Was the woman's name Lenora?"
Joe snaps his fingers. "Lenora! That's it!"
He starts to say something about forgetting such a pretty name but Xena doesn't stick around hear him. Like a shot she's on Argo and headed out of the village absolutely terrified at what she might find back at the house. Once there, she tears inside and yells for Gabrielle. No answer. She reads the note and her stomach tightens. "Damn." She runs out back, finds their trail then stops. "I wonder--." She dashes off in the opposite direction.
* * *
Gabrielle and Lenora walk at a brisk pace through the forest. Gabrielle has been trying to make small talk, but Lenora isn't participating. "So, will you be joining us in the springs?"
Lenora keeps her eyes on the cave entrance. "Oh, no dearie. This is just for you."
Fifty feet from the entrance and Xena comes running up from behind, startling Gabrielle. "Xena! I see you got my note."
Xena draws the Hind's Dagger, making sure Lenora sees it. "Move away from her, Gabrielle--Now."
Gabrielle's confused but knows to do what Xena tells her, especially when she's in warrior mode.
Before she can move, Lenora grabs her and positions Gabrielle in front of her. "Stay back, Xena. She's coming with me."
Gabrielle struggles to break free and manages to give Xena just enough clearance. She eyeballs Lenora's arm. "I don't think so." She throws the dagger, barely grazing Lenora's arm, but enough to make her let go.
She gives Xena an icy stare. "This isn't over." She turns into a small ball of fire and flies off into the cave.
Gabrielle stares in disbelief, not fully comprehending what has happened--then it hits her. She gasps. "Has it been him this whole time?"
Xena puts her hand on Gabrielle's shoulder. "I'm afraid so."
"I think I'm going to be sick." Gabrielle slowly sits on a fallen tree. "What do you think is waiting for us in that cave?"
"I don't know, but I can guarantee there won't be a hot springs in sight." Xena kneels down in front of Gabrielle. "Do you think you can handle seeing him again?"
"I don't know. After the last time..." Her voice trails off as the memory of losing Solan and Hope flashes before her. She swallows back the tears. "It nearly drove us apart."
Xena takes Gabrielle's hands into her own. "I know that you're afraid, but there's a good chance that Deerdra isn't dead and is in that cave."
The dark cloud hovering over the Bard's heart lifts at the possibility. "What? How?"
Xena sits beside her. "Before I set out to find you, I checked the pyre. Gabrielle, there was absolutely no trace that a body was ever there, even her swords were gone.The fire burned hot, but not that hot. And before you say it- I searched the water below the pyre. There was nothing there."
Gabrielle wants to believe it's true, but it sounds like one of Deerdra's What Ifs. "It has been several days, Xena, the swords could have been stolen."
Xena looks directly at her and slowly shakes her head.
Gabrielle closes her eyes and leans back to feel the sun on her face. "It's a trap, isn't it?"
"Yep."
Gabrielle's crippling fear turns into boiling anger. She leaps to her feet. "That's it! I'm through cowering from that--thing! Trap be damned! This ends right here, right now! Let's go save Deerdra!"
Xena's heart swells with pride. Her grin can be seen from a mile away. "Right behind you."
With their senses on high alert and weapons at the ready, they enter the cave. Pulses quicken and palms sweat in anticipation of a Dahak greeting party so it is a relief and a surprise when they are met by a dark and empty cave.
Gabrielle whispers to Xena. "Are you sure this is the right cave? "There's nothing here, not even an altar." She stands on her tip-toes to get a better look at what is in the center of the cave. "It's just a big hole in the ground."
Xena isn't fooled. "This is were the flame ball went." She scans the room and spots a dark blob hanging on the far wall. "There's something on the cave wall over there. Do you see it?"
Dahak's booming voice answers. "Maybe this will help you see it better."
A wide column of fire shoots upward from the chasm, illuminating the hideously mangled body of Deerdra Reese.
All of the blood drains from Gabrielle's face. "By the gods--Deerdra."
Xena reaches for her chakram but before she even gets it unhooked, Dahak's rope flame is around her throat. "Now Xena, I can't have you freeing my bargaining chip."
Gabrielle's color and anger return in force. "What do you want, Dahak? To torture me and my friends? I lost my blood innocence long ago! Leave me alone!"
Dahak is amused and impressed. "My, haven't we grown since our last meeting. Such fire and confidence. Our next child will be unstoppable. Did you hear that, Xena?" He chuckles and tightens the rope sending her to her knees.
"Stop it!" Gabrielle rushes to her side.
He loosens the rope just enough to let Xena breathe. "Then you'll agree to have my child?"
Xena grabs her arm and manages one word. "Don't."
"Agree, Gabrielle or your old girlfriend will end up like your new one."
Gabrielle's mind races. She doesn't want to loose Xena but she sure as hell doesn't want to have that things' baby. A possible solution presents its self. There is movement at the far side of the cave. Somehow, Deerdra is being freed from the wall. The big stalactite holding her in place slowly backs out of her chest with a gooey sucking sound then falls to the floor. Then one by one the spikes in her wrists and ankles pop out and dropped to the floor. Deerdra's body stays suspended in place for a brief moment before being carefully laid out on the cave floor.
Dahak is getting impatient. "Well, which is it? Xena or my child?"
Gabrielle doesn't know how Deerdra freed herself, but she does know that she will need time to heal, so she stalls. "What if I my answer is neither one? Do I have a third choice?"
Xena is incredulous. She shoots Gabrielle a 'What in Tartarus are you up to?' look.
Dahak is not amused. "Third choice is this!" He picks Xena up, throws her across the room then has two huge demons morph out of the cave wall.
Xena curls up to lessen the blow, the rebound sending her bouncing off the wall and to Gabrielle's feet. "What are you up to?"
Gabrielle kneels beside her. "Freeing you and giving Deerdra time to heal."
"Deerdra?" Xena looks in the direction where she used to be. "How did she get down?"
"Hold on." Gabrielle mule kicks a rock demon then helps Xena to her feet. "I don't know, but I sure am glad she did."
"So am I. Duck!" Gabrielle does and Xena whips out her sword and strikes the demon across the arm, chipping off a small chunk of rock. It roars then lunges at Xena. Too late. She has already rolled out of the way. "You don't like being a chip off the old block, huh?"
Now it's total chaos. A demon steps out of the shadows and wraps its arms around Xena, pinning them to her sides. On the other side of the room, Gabrielle bobs and weaves trying to stay out of arms length of ole chippy. She spots the Hinds' Dagger poking out of Xena's boot, somersaults over then plunges in into the back of the nearest demon--the one holding Xena. It screeches in pain then crumbles into dozens of small boulders. Everything and everyone stop, stunned by what just happened.
Gabrielle glances at the dagger in her hand and smiles. "It looks like our odds just got better."
This pause in the action comes to an end as chippy grumbles and lumbers toward the warrior duo. Xena leans down and cups her hands. "Time to fly!" Gabrielle steps into Xena's hands and she flips Gabrielle up and over the demon. As soon and Gabrielle lands, she plunges the dagger into chippy's back. It screams then crumbles just like the first one. There is no time to celebrate, however as two more demons materialize out of the cave wall.
Xena readies her sword and chakram. "New plan!"
Gabrielle tightens her grip on the dagger. "Right behind you!"
Xena's plan? Have Gabrielle stay behind her while she distracts a demon by chipping away at it with her blades then at the first chance opening, Gabrielle slips in behind the demon and stabs it with the dagger. This plan works for the second wave, but by the third, the creatures have caught on and begin to double team our heroines.
Two 'rockies' have Xena and Gabrielle backed up almost against the wall--not a strategically smart place to be. Xena is doing her best to ward them off, but her sword is getting dull. "We need another pair of hands! What's taking Deerdra so long?"
Meanwhile, on the other side of the cave a tall, golden haired man dressed in silver armor kneels beside Deerdra's mangled body. He closes his eyes and says a few words in a strange tongue then runs his hands over Deerdra's wounds. Her entire body glows bright and warm. Healed, Deerdra takes a deep breath then opens her eyes. The man looking down at her has a ring of familiarity. "I know you."
The man's expression is dour. "I am the Archangel Michael. I will explain later. Right now, your friends need you." He offers his hand to help her up.
Deerdra expects to feel residual pain from her encounter with Dahak so she is slow to her feet. She turns his name over in her head. "Michael, Michael. The same Michael who took away Xena's power to kill gods? And, there is something else I can't quite remember."
Michael doesn't want her to remember just yet so he offers no help for her memory. "Xena brought that on herself. We have more important matters to--"
A light bulb goes off in Deerdra's head. "You're the one who brought me here, aren't you? You plopped me down in the middle of Dahak's cave then stood by while I got the stuffing beat out of me. Why?"
Michael puffs up. He doesn't like for his motives to be questioned, but understands her confusion. "Everything that has and will happen in this cave is a test of your worthiness of this." He unsheathes the most beautiful sword Deerdra has ever seen. Polished silver blade. Shimmering Gold hilt. The blade is narrow at the hilt, wide in the middle, and then tapers to a deadly point.
Deerdra gasps. "The Claidheamh Geal Soluis. The Sword of Light."
Michael is impressed. "Use it without fear or hesitation and take your first step toward your destiny."
With respect and awe she takes the sword from Michael, holding it up and admiring it in the firelight. "My destiny." She stands up straight, puffs out her chest, and squares her shoulders. "I accept the challenge."
Her confidence brings a smile to Michael's lips. "Good." He looks behind her and nods towards Xena and Gabrielle. "There is your first test."
Deerdra whips around and sees what Xena and Gabrielle have been dealing with while she was unconscious. They had been holding their own, but the demons are adapting, changing their attack strategy and are now gaining the upper hand.
Deerdra is surprised then energized. She raises the sword then charges. "To battle!"
Michael smiles as he crosses his arms, confident in the choice to be Heaven's Warrior.
The Archangel Uriel materializes behind Michael. He looks down at the human warriors and scowls. "My doubts about her remain firm."
Michael doesn't take his eyes off of the drama playing out before them. "Even though she passed your test and nearly bested you? She is the one, brother. Those minor 'deities' taught her fighting and weaponry, life will refine those skills and shape her into the warrior we need."
Uriel scoffs. "We shall see." He extends his wings and ascends, disappearing before he reaches the cave's ceiling.
Before Michael joins the other Archangels, he has an admonition for Deerdra. "I championed your cause, Deerdra. Do not disappoint me."
*CONTINUED*
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