Stella stared down at the puddle of mud before her. She shook her head nervously.

"What's happening to Valacia??"

She turned quickly to Althea.

"What's happening to us??"

Althea lowered her head, pulling her right hand down along her face. She then gazed out into the forest.

"I don't know." she responded flatly.

A few moments of uneasy silence passed. Althea then picked up a rock and threw it into some bushes. She slowly shook her head.

"Honestly, Stella...I-I don't know."

She looked down at the grassy, muddy ground, biting her lower lip. Her hazel eyes wandered over blades of grass.

"Do you know how many times I wish I was home?"

Althea looked towards Stella.

"Do you?"

Stella sighed, looking up into the twilight sky. She didn't respond. Althea looked back down towards the muddy grass again.

"I wish none of this were real. I wish Attila the Hun wasn't real. I wish none of what we've seen was real."

Althea grimaced.

"But it is, isn't it? We didn't imagine all this shit, did we?"

Stella chuckled coldly.

"Poor Valacia certainly didn't."

Althea picked up her sword from a nearby rock. She placed its tip on a rock between her feet, idly trying to balance the weapon on its tip.

"She's lost her mind."

Stella looked towards Althea.

"Ya think?" she responded with a hint of sarcasm.

Althea gazed at the ground, the barest hint of a smile curling her lips. But there was no hint of mirth in it.

"She pinned his hands to that log with those knives, and started hacking his legs to pieces."

Althea let out a light chuckle.

"Ohhhh, boy. She just started hacking away. The guy was screaming his ass off."

"Can we really go on with this mission, given the state she's in? And after all this, to learn that she had been raped by her father...carrying that inside her all these years...you throw what we're going through now on top of that...I-I can't see how anyone can stay sane."

Stella licked her lips and faced Althea.

"Can we really go on with her like this??"

Althea turned towards Stella.

"And if she doesn't shape up, what's the alternative? Huh? Send her back to Crete? Us heading along with her?"

Althea looked back down at the rock her sword stood on.

"Stop talking nonsense."

"Then what?? What if she snaps again??"

Althea slowly turned towards Stella again. Annoyance crept into her features.

"What do you suggest we do if that happens? Huh? I'd like to hear your ideas."

Stella let out a harsh sight. She abruptly got up and began to pace back and forth. Althea shook her head.

"I don't like this either, Stella. But we have no other alternative but to stay with Gabrielle. There's too much at stake. You heard what Gabrielle said. If Valacia goes off again, she's leaving us behind. Even if Gabrielle was taught by Xena herself, do you really want her to go out there alone and deal with the Huns??"

Althea shook her head vigorously.

"Noooooo, I don't think so. She can't go alone. We can't risk it."

There was a long moment of silence. Stella stared into the hazy twilight sky. She spoke again.

"It scares me, Althea. I've never seen Valacia like this. She's become a completely different person."

"Aren't we all??"

Stella turned towards her.

"Huh?"

Althea rose to her feet. She walked over to Stella, eyeing her with an intense gaze.

"We've all changed." said the Amazon with an edge in her voice. "After what we've seen, how can we be the same?? I'm not."

She drew closer, baring her teeth.

"I'm suffering nightmares. The most twisted, horrifying nightmares I've ever had. I-I don't know how I'm holding on."

"You're holding on because we have a mission to accomplish here."

A set of tears trickled down Stella's cheeks.

"I-I keep dreaming about Yasmin, you know. Every night. Every...single...night."

She bared her own teeth and thrust her thumb into her chest.

"But I'm holding it together. I have to, for the sake of all of us."

Stella drew closer. She shook her head slowly.

"I think Valacia is losing that ability. I'm even wondering now if she'll turn on us."

Althea puckered her lips, and gazed at Stella for a couple of moments in silence. Then she spoke.

"Well Stel, if you really feel that she could turn on us, there's only one way to stop her if she goes off again."

Stella's eyes narrowed in confusion. Althea drew closer.

"We kill her."

Stella recoiled from Althea in horror. Althea grabbed her arm, her lips curled into a snarl. She yanked Stella close.

"Don't you flinch from me." Althea growled.

"Y-You said-"

"I know what I said!!" Althea hissed. "You wanted a goddamn alternative? That's it!! Killing Valacia!! You want to do it?? Can you do it?? Huh?? Can you??"

Stella's lips quivered. Tears rolled down her cheeks. Althea drew closer until they were almost touching, face to face.

"No. Didn't think so." she spat in disgust. "That's the only alternative we have. If Valacia loses her mind and jeopardizes us and the mission, we may just have to kill her. Add that to your list of nightmares. See how easy it would be to focus with that in mind."



Gabrielle stared at the small caravan of Huns, tugging along their cage of prisoners. There were about a dozen prisoners in all. They were manacled. All were adults, men and women. Their clothes were torn, and they looked like they had been badly beaten. They sat on the floor of the cage, heads bowed. Meldinas turned towards Gabrielle.

"This is the second time we are doing this. At least with the last group of people, a few of them were actual soldiers, and knew their way to Constantinople."

Gabrielle nodded.

"Good thing too that I had those maps indicating where the Huns were. I told them about caves where they could hide out."

"But these look like they're all civilians, this time."

Gabrielle nodded.

"Mmm."

"We're going to have to take them over to Constantinople. They can't go by themselves. It's going to add another week or so to our mission."

Gabrielle shook her head.

"We have no choice. We can't let these animals hold onto these people."

Suddenly, the two women heard footsteps. They turned around. The other three Amazons appeared. Althea spoke first.

"Yeah-it looks like there are seventeen Hun soldiers."

Gabrielle nodded.

"Okay. We take them out, and then we get these people to safety."

"That means we'll be taking them to Constantinople." added Meldinas.

Stella looked up into the sky, watching the sun getting closer to the horizon.

"Let's get cracking on this. We're running out of daylight."

The five women moved off through the foliage, being careful to stay out of the Huns' sight. Each woman then settled next to a tree or some thick bushes. Gabrielle and Meldinas stood a few feet away from each other; Gabrielle by some large bushes, and Meldinas by a tree. Meldinas un-shouldered her crossbow, and placed two arrows within it. Gabrielle glanced towards where the other Amazons were, and saw them arming their crossbows with arrows as well. Meldinas lifted her weapon. She squinted, took a deep breath, and fired the arrows.

They tore through the air. Soon, Gabrielle heard the sounds of other arrows being fired. They found their marks. The Hun soldiers cried out in pain as the arrows tore into them. As the dead soldiers fell off their horses, the others reared up on their horses and started shouting to each other. Gabrielle's eyes widened in rage.

"Now!!"

The blonde ran forward, darting through the brush. As she emerged, one of the men spotted her and quickly aimed his bow at her. But it was too late. With a flick of the wrist, Gabrielle threw her dagger at him. It burrowed into his chest. He tumbled off his horse, slamming head-first into the ground. Two more horsemen rode towards her. Gabrielle ran at them, a dagger in one hand, and the chakram in the other. She leapt high into the air. Her feet slammed into the face of one rider. At the same time, she threw her dagger at the other rider. The knife burrowed into the side of his neck. He fell of his horse.

The first rider crashed into the ground. Gabrielle somersaulted back through the air, landing on her feet. A Hun soldier ran towards her, sword drawn, yelling a battle cry. Gabrielle ducked as he swung the sword at her head. The blonde snapped out a foot, hitting the soldier in the jaw. Blood and teeth burst from it. As he staggered back, Gabrielle swung down the chakram at the hand holding the sword. She chopped it off. The man screamed in agony. Gabrielle whipped the chakram across his throat. Blood and flesh exploded from it. He crumpled into a lifeless heap on the ground.

Valacia burrowed a sword into the belly of a Hun soldier, the blade exiting from his back in a burst of blood and flesh. She yanked the sword out of him, and he fell. Another ran at her from behind. He swung his sword at her. She ducked, and thrust her sword backwards into his belly. The Hun soldier let out a loud, gurgling grunt. She yanked her weapon out, and the soldier collapsed in a cloud of dust.

Stella swung her sword hard at the Hun soldier, chopping his head off. The corpse dropped to the ground, spraying blood everywhere. The head bounced off into the grass. She looked towards the cage where the prisoners were. They were staring at the battle, shouting cries of encouragement. Then she saw two Hun soldiers rushing towards the cage, each carrying a large bottle and a torch. Stella's eyes widened in horror.

"No!!"

An angry cry came from her left. Stella ducked, just barely missing the sword. She drove her own hard to the left, hearing a loud grunt. She turned in that direction, gazing right into the brown eyes of a Hun soldier. His face was filled with agony, blood erupting from his mouth. Stella kicked him off of her sword and he collapsed to the earth. She turned towards Gabrielle, who was fighting with a Hun soldier.

"They're going to torch the prisoners!!"

Gabrielle burrowed her dagger into the belly of the soldier she was fighting. As she yanked it out, Gabrielle turned towards the cage. She saw fire roar to life inside it, and soon the cage with filled with hideous screams as the prisoners were engulfed by it. Terror filled Gabrielle's face.

"NoooOOOOOOOOO!!!"

She ran towards the cage. Three more Hun soldiers ran towards Gabrielle. Suddenly, from the left side came Meldinas and Althea. They engaged two of the soldiers in a savage swordfight. The third lunged at Gabrielle. She somersaulted over his head, landing behind him. As the man turned around, Gabrielle kicked the sword out of his hand and whipped the chakram across his throat, nearly cutting off his head. The lifeless body fell to the earth. Gabrielle then ran towards the cage, which was now completely engulfed in flames. The screams coming from within were deafening. As she got nearer, the two Huns who started the fire came running at her, swords drawn. Gabrielle somersaulted over them. As they turned around, Gabrielle disarmed them both with a vicious kick. She then sent a right foot hard into the throat of one soldier, shattering it. He fell to the ground. The other lunged at Gabrielle and tackled her to the earth. He wrapped his hands around her throat. Gabrielle quickly jabbed her hands hard into the sides of his neck. His eyes dilated in shock and agony. Blood erupted from his nose. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell off to the side. Gabrielle pushed away from him, grabbed the chakram, and got to her feet. She turned towards the cage-

-but it was too late.

All Gabrielle could see was the burning skulls of several people. The screams had died away. The entire cage was overwhelmed with flames. There was nothing she could do. Gabrielle looked up at the heavens, her face filled with fury. She let out a hideous scream. The blonde then ran over to a dead soldier, picked up his sword, and went after the remaining Huns, hacking away at them along with the other Amazons. Soon, all of them were dead-

-except one.

He ran off into the forest, screaming in terror. Gabrielle spun in his direction and threw the chakram. It tore through the air like a falcon, tearing into the back of the soldier's head. Blood, brain and bone blew out of it in a huge crimson cloud. He flipped over himself and crashed into the ground.

Gabrielle trembled erratically. She stared up into the heavens, filled with a blinding fury.

"Ares, you twisted piece of SHIT!! IS THIS YOUR LEGACY?! IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT THE WORLD TO BE LIKE?!"

She dropped to her knees. Tears rushed down her face in a torrent.

"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAMNNNNNNNNNN YEEEEEEEEEEEUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!"

Gabrielle curled up into a ball. The other women rushed to her side. Meldinas knelt down by her and wrapped an arm around her as she cried. Gabrielle shook violently, her body wracked with the force of her sobs. The other Amazons stood around them, their faces grim. Tears trickled down Stella's cheeks. Valacia stepped forward. She gazed down at the pair. Gabrielle's sobs lessened, and soon she was quiet. But her head was still bowed. She breathed heavily. Meldinas rubbed her back. Finally, Valacia spoke.

"You still think I was crazy for torturing that Hun soldier?" she said flatly.

Gabrielle slowly looked up at her. The blonde's features were filled with grief and bewilderment.

"W-What??"

"You heard me. You still think I was crazy for what I did?"

She lifted her sword, pointing it at the inferno that was once a cage. The smell of burning human flesh permeated the air around them.

"Look at that. Smell that. And tell me that I wasn't in my rights to do what I did."

Valacia turned back to Gabrielle, lowering her sword.

"And you just buried your chakram in the head of a soldier who was running away."

She leaned down slightly towards Gabrielle. The blonde stared at her. Valacia spoke once more.

"It seems I'm not the only one looking for some vengeance." she said quietly.

Valaica straightened up. She turned to Stella and Althea, who looked at her uneasily.

"Let's get the horses."

Valaica walked off. Althea and Stella bowed their heads, following them. Gabrielle looked down at the ground, her face filled with shame and confusion. She said nothing. Meldinas frowned. She continued to rub Gabrielle's back.

Valacia had her. And Gabrielle knew it.



The days had stretched into weeks. Long, tiresome, terrifying weeks. During this time, Meldinas and her Amazons had been exposed to more death than they could possibly imagine. Each new horror surpassed the last. Even the battle-hardened Gabrielle, with her years of experience, was shaken profoundly by the carnage and utter destruction caused by the Hunnish army. Every new city they had passed through was utterly devastated-each a mirror of the last. The hideous nature of these deaths fueled a deep-seated loathing and fury in all of these women.

Gabrielle was saddened and disturbed by the change in the Amazons' demeanors-and yet at the same time, she knew that this was inevitable. Gabrielle thought back to her more idealistic days, when she refused to kill. Unfortunately, the bitter realities of life made her realize that sometimes, killing was necessary. For survival, and for the defense of one's way of life.

They were now two days from Northern Italy. Gabrielle knew this from the landmarks. Soon, they would be entering the Western Roman Empire.

On this day, it was a bright, sunny morning. Not a cloud in the sky. The four women rode along a dirt path. They were silent. Not a word had been exchanged in quite some time. They were still dwelling on the last city they came through, which had over a dozen massive piles of skulls at its entrance, scores of headless and dismembered bodies of men, women and children strewn about.

It was a scene that had been repeated far, far too many times in the past few weeks. The women were too disgusted and enraged to discuss it. They knew what each other's thoughts were, and there was little point in talking about it.

Suddenly, Gabrielle's sharp ears heard screaming, off in the distance. She turned quickly towards Meldinas.

"You hear that??"

The Amazon queen listened closely for a brief moment. She let out a sharp nod.

"Let's go!!" she responded.

The five women rode their horses down the dirt path. They went around a bend to their right. They saw a small group of travelers who were surrounded by Hun soldiers. The travelers stood near a horse drawn cart. One of them was in the grasp of a Hun soldier, who had run his victim through with a sword. The Hun viciously yanked it out, and the man fell to the ground dead. Gabrielle's eyes widened in fury.

"Death to the Huns!!" she screamed.

The Hun soldiers immediately turned towards the women. With lightning speed, they were upon the Huns.

Gabrielle somersaulted off her horse, landing on the earth. She drew a sword from behind her back and rushed at an oncoming Hun soldier. Their swords collided violently. Gabrielle thrust out a leg, ramming her foot into the left knee of the soldier and snapping it. He cried out in agony and fell on the injured knee. Letting out a savage scream, Gabrielle cut his head off. It bounced along the dirt and rolled into the grass. Another solider rushed at her, taking a brutal swipe at the blonde. Gabrielle ducked, and rushed forward, burying her sword deep into his belly. She instantly pushed the corpse off it with a hard shove of her foot. Two more soldiers rushed at her. Gabrielle drew her chakram and ran at them. She somersaulted over their heads, landing behind them. As they turned around, Gabrielle swung her sword across their bellies, and then the chakram across their throats. Blood erupted from both areas. The Huns dropped to the ground, dead.

Two Huns rushed at Althea with swords. She quickly drew a knife and threw it at one of them. The blade buried itself in his throat, and he crumpled to the ground. The remaining Hun brought his sword down at Althea. She raised her sword. The weapons collided violently with a loud metallic clang. They parried furiously for a few moments. The Hun then took a savage swipe at Althea. She ducked, and a half second later kicked the soldier in the chin with all her might. His head snapped back, blood and teeth bursting from his mouth. He staggered backwards. Althea swung down at the arm holding the sword, chopping it in two just below the elbow. Blood erupted from the gaping wound. The solider screamed in agony. Althea took a swipe at his throat. The blade ripped across it, causing an explosion of blood and flesh to erupt from it. The head was nearly severed from the neck. The soldier dropped to the ground.

A Hun swung his sword at Meldinas. She ducked and buried her sword into the soldier's groin. He let out a hideous scream. Meldinas drew a knife and whipped it across his throat. Blood exploded from the wound. The Hun clutched at it, his eyes bulging out of his head. He fell to the ground, dead. At that moment, Meldinas heard someone rushing towards her back. She ducked and heard a sword whoosh past above her. The Amazon queen thrust her sword back with all her might. There was a loud, wet sound as the sword burrowed into flesh and bone. A strangled grunt came from behind her. She yanked the sword up hard, and suddenly, blood splattered over the sides of her face. She turned around and pulled her sword back. The Hun soldier staggered away from her, intestines coming out of his belly. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he dropped to the earth.

The Hun soldier screamed in agony as Stella's sword cut across his eyes. He dropped his weapon and stumbled back. With a ferocious cry, Stella swung again at his head. The razor sharp blade ripped it in two. Blood, bone and large chunks of brain flew everywhere. The corpse dropped to the ground.

Another Hun ran at her. Stella drew and knife and threw it with a powerful snap of the wrist. It burrowed into the Hun's right eye, all the way to the hilt. The soldier let out a shriek and fell back onto the ground in a cloud of dust.

Two Hun soldiers flew back into trees, their chests split wide open. They fell to the earth. The third Hun soldier stared at Valacia in terror. He ran away from her. Valacia gave chase.

The Amazon was faster. She caught up to him and brought her sword down across his back. Blood exploded from the wound. He cried out in agony and stumbled off to the left, dropping his sword. The Hun soldier staggered back-first into a tree. He stared at Valacia in terror. The Amazon's ice-blue eyes were filled with rage and bloodlust. The Hun soldier instantly raised his arms.

"Mercy!!" he cried out. "Merc-"

The blade burrowed deep into the base of his throat, cutting off any further speech. The soldier's eyes dilated in shock and agony. With both hands, Valacia ripped the sword up through the Hun's head, splitting it in two. Blood, brain and bone erupted from the top of his head in a massive crimson fountain. The soldier dropped into the grass. Valacia spun on her heel and walked back towards the others.

It was all over. All of the Hun soldiers were dead.

Several people knelt down by the body of the man who had been stabbed by the Hun soldier. Two of them, a man and a woman, were crying. The third stared at the corpse in agony. He placed his hand over the dead man's eyes and closed them. Five others stood around them. Another man, tall, with snow-white hair, pushed his way through these five and walked over to them. He gazed down at the dead man, slowly shaking his head in great sadness. He then looked up. Gabrielle and the Amazons approached them. The man walked over to the women, his face filled with profound gratitude.

"Blessed be God that you came to our rescue. If you had not shown up when you did, the Huns would have killed all of us."

Gabrielle nodded.

"You're welcome."

She looked over at the dead man. Her face filled with sadness.

"I'm sorry about your friend."

The man looked over his left shoulder, and frowned.

"Krastis was a good man. An old friend I had known for many years."

He turned back to Gabrielle and stretched out his hand.

"My name is Galeius."

The blonde shook his hand.

"Gabrielle."

Galeius looked at Gabrielle and the other women, slowly shaking his head in amazement.

"You are all incredible warriors. You fight with a ferocity and fearlessness I have never seen."

"These are dangerous times." answered Meldinas. "We have to be at the top of our game in order to survive. Anything less would cost us our lives."

Galeius shook his head sadly.

"Sometimes, even that isn't a guarantee. We were part of a peace mission to the Huns. It had failed, miserably. I was accompanied by two dozen Roman soldiers. We were on our way back to Italy when a large group of Hun soldiers chased after us. Many of my men stayed behind to fight off the Huns so that we could escape. They were among the best men in the Roman army. But they were overwhelmed. More came after us. My ten men were whittled down, one by one. They were able to take some Hun soldiers to their deaths with them, but it wasn't enough. Those Hun soldiers that were left were the ones you encountered."

"Then we should leave right away." said Gabrielle. "More could show up at any time."

Gabrielle looked past Galeius, seeing the two men lift the dead body and carry it over to a horse-drawn cart near a group of trees. The other people followed them. Gabrielle turned to Galeius.

"We'll accompany you to Italy, and protect you."

Galeius smiled in gratitude.

"I appreciate your kind gesture."

"What is the situation between Italy and the Huns?"

Galeius's smile was replaced by a grimace.

"Not good. The Huns plan war. I have to go back to see Aetius and inform him of what has happened. He has been gathering as many soldiers as possible in the event of an invasion. And it looks like that is what will happen. From what I've gathered, Attila is bent on invading the Western Roman Empire."

"Galeius!"

He turned around. A young man motioned him over with his hand.

"On my way, Berac!"

Galeius turned back to Gabrielle.

"I'll only be a moment."

"Don't worry. We can talk more on the road. We should get moving right away."

"Agreed."

Galeius jogged towards the man. Meldinas took hold of Gabrielle's arm. The blonde turned towards her.

"Gabrielle, that man is taking us to see the leader of the Western Roman army!"

"You said that Aetius is the royal advisor of Placidia and her son, Valentinian the Third?"

"Yes! And we can become part of this Roman attack force!"

Gabrielle nodded slowly.

"It would certainly be better than trying to go in through Hun territory."

She turned to Meldinas.

"All right. I'm for this. Let's see how we can fit into whatever plans Aetius has."

Meldinas nodded. She turned to the other women.

"Let's get our horses."

The Amazons nodded. Meldinas and her warriors ran off. Gabrielle gazed at the Roman citizens, who were climbing aboard the cart, some crying, and some arguing about what the Huns had done. Gabrielle's eyes narrowed.

Romans... she thought. It's been a long time.

And now, there was someone even more powerful than them, threatening to topple their place as a world leader. The irony didn't escape Gabrielle.

She then ran off to get her horse.



The horses pulled the carriage through the busy city streets. Gabrielle and Meldinas rode near the front, and the other three Amazons were in the rear. People were hurrying about. There was also a large amount of Roman soldiers present, and Gabrielle noticed that quite a few of them were buying supplies from merchants. Galeius turned towards Meldinas and Gabrielle.

"We should be nearing Aetius's headquarters soon."

Meldinas nodded. She looked around.

"There's definitely something happening here."

Galeius frowned.

"They're preparing for the upcoming conflict-"

"Galeius!!"

Galeius, Gabrielle and Meldinas looked forward. A bald-headed Roman solider, of middle age, rode towards them. He was flanked by six soldiers on either side, all on horseback. A warm smile was on his face. The young man driving the carriage brought it to a stop. Galeius returned the smile.

"Glaturian! I can't tell you how happy I am to see you, my friend."

The Roman soldier's face turned serious.

"Where are all your men??"

Galeius frowned.

"Dead. My meeting with the Huns was a total failure. Not long after we left, the Huns decided to send forces after us. A dozen of our men stayed behind to fight some of the Hun forces that were chasing us, and we were left with ten men. They came after us, picking our men off with arrows, one by one. Our men were able to take down a few of them, but they were all killed. We were surrounded by Hun soldiers, and were about to face death, when these brave women saved us. They are warriors of the first order, and should be commended for their bravery."

Galeius lowered his head, and sighed.

"Unfortunately, before they arrived, Krastis was stabbed by one of the Huns. He's dead."

Grief and rage flashed across Glaturian's face.

"Animals...they'll pay. They'll all pay."

"What is happening with Aetius?"

"He is amassing troops to leave for Northern Gaul to meet against Attila's forces. We are leaving in two days."

"And King Theodoric and his Visigoths?"

"They will be joining our forces."

Glaturian nodded.

"I see."

Gabrielle turned to Galeius.

"My friends and I want to join your army. We want to fight against the Huns."

Galeius smiled, nodding with approval.

"And you shall!! We could use skilled, brave warriors such as yourselves. I will speak to Aetius on your behalf."

Galeius turned to Glaturian.

"These women are among the fiercest, bravest, and most skilled warriors I have ever seen. If they wish to join us, we should let them."

Glaturian nodded. He turned to Gabrielle and Meldinas, smiling in approval.

"Rome thanks you for your help."

"Can you take us to Aetius?" asked Galeius.

Glaturian nodded.

"He's nearby. Follow me."

Glaturian turned his horse around, as did his other soldiers. Gabrielle, Meldinas, and the others followed. They rounded a corner, and at the end of the small road was a large house. A group of two dozen Roman soldiers stood in front of it. Glaturian and his men entered a large pen next to it, and dismounted their horses. Gabrielle, Meldinas and the other Amazons entered the pen as well, followed by the horse-drawn cart. The young man brought the cart to a stop. The women got off their horses. Everyone got out of the cart. Galeius walked up to Glaturian. He frowned.

"Along with Krastis, there are two bodies of Roman soldiers in the cart."

Glaturian nodded. He turned to his men.

"Remove the bodies, and take them to the back of the house to be prepared for burial."

The occupants of the cart walked over to where Gabrielle, the Amazons, and Galeius stood. At that moment, a man stepped out of the house. He was tall, and had short, silver hair. He was ruggedly built, and muscular. He wore the uniform of a Roman commander. His gray eyes focused on the new arrivals. His eyes widened.

"Galeius!"

The man strode over to him. The two men shook hands vigorously. Galeius smiled.

"Aetius! I thought I'd never see you again, old friend."

"I'm glad you made it back."

Galeius turned to Gabrielle and the Amazons.

"If it weren't for these brave women, we wouldn't have. The Huns chased us down, killing off our soldiers bit by bit, until we were surrounded. These women arrived just in time, and saved our lives. They are incredibly skilled warriors-among the best I have ever seen. They wish to join our army to fight Attila and his Huns. And I strongly suggest that you allow this. We need the best in our army, and I say that they are among the best there is."

Aetius turned to Gabrielle and the Amazons.

"My friend does not make such claims lightly. If he feels that you can make a contribution to our campaign against Attila, then I will honor his request. Rome welcomes your help."

He turned to Glaturian.

"Have them join your platoon."

Glaturian nodded once.

"Yes sir."

He turned to the women.

"Follow me."

Gabrielle and the Amazons followed Glaturian towards the rear of the house and past it into a large courtyard. Dozens of Roman soldiers stood about, tending to their horses, cleaning their swords, and checking weapons inventory. Glaturian and the women stopped before them.

"All right men! Listen up!!"

The soldiers stopped what they were doing and looked towards Glaturian. He spoke again.

"I bring grave news. Galeius's peace mission has failed. No surprise there. However, his party was attacked by Huns on their way back to Italy. Our men did their best to hold off the Huns. A dozen of our soldiers stayed to keep some of the Huns at bay while the other dozen stayed with Galeius and his people. They were killed off one by one, and then they were surrounded. These women came along and rescued them. Galeius has told me they are fierce warriors. They wish to join us in our battle against Attila and his Huns."

The soldiers stared at each other. There was nervous, agitated murmuring among them.

"Women?!"

Glaturian looked off to his left. A large Roman soldier, standing over six feet tall, stared at Glaturian incredulously. He shook his head in disbelief.

"What do you mean that women stopped the Huns?"

Gabrielle stepped forward. Her eyes narrowed in malice.

"He was talking about us."

The soldier glared at Gabrielle with contempt.

"Silence! I wasn't talking to you."

Gabrielle walked towards the soldier, stopping before him. Her lips curled into a cold smile.

"Why don't you make me shut up, you horse's ass."

At this, the men burst out laughing. The soldier's eyes widened in fury. He drew his sword and swung it down at Gabrielle. She thrust her arms out and slammed the palms of her hands onto the sides of the blade, stopping it. The soldier struggled to pull the blade free, but couldn't. With a harsh cry, Gabrielle kicked the soldier hard in the left side. He grunted loudly in pain, releasing the sword and staggering back. Gabrielle tossed the sword aside, then executed a vicious whirling kick. Her right heel slammed into the side of his face, whipping it off to the right. Blood and a couple of teeth erupted from his mouth. The force of the blow spun him around and made him stagger back. Gabrielle rushed forward and threw a violent left uppercut into the soldier's belly. He instantly folded over, his eyes dilated in agony. Letting out a piercing scream, Gabrielle swung a right uppercut with all her might into the soldier's chin. There was a loud crack as his jaw snapped. He flew back through the air, crashing into the ground in a cloud of dust. The soldier did not move again.

A loud cheer rose from the group of men. One of the soldiers rushed over to the fallen man and knelt by him, checking his face and jaw. He nodded, a warm smile crossing his face.

"She broke Dargas's jaw, all right!!"

"Good!!" shouted one of the soldiers. "He deserved it!!"

The other soldiers burst out laughing at the comment. The young soldier rose to his feet, and walked over to Gabrielle. He stretched out his arm to her.

"I'm Palladus. Welcome."

The blonde took his hand and shook it firmly.

"Gabrielle."

Galturian and the Amazons walked over to Gabrielle.

"Good going, Gabrielle!!" said Stella enthusiastically.

Valacia glared at Dargas.

"Ya should have stomped him in the balls."

Gabrielle turned towards her, raising an eyebrow. Meldinas placed a hand on Gabrielle's shoulder, smiling in approval.

"Galturian!"

The commander turned around. Ateius and Galeius approached him. Their faces were filled with anger. Aetius walked past Galturian and glared down at Dargas.

"I want this dog put in the dungeon for a week."

Aetius looked up at his men, his eyes filled with fire.

"These women are here on my account!!" he exclaimed sternly. "They volunteered to join our forces! That and what they did to save Galeius and his people shows their bravery! I will not tolerate anyone treating them as less than equals!! They are warriors!! They are to be respected as such!! If I find out anyone has treated them in the way Dargas has, I promise you that your punishment will be swift and severe!!"

Aetius drew closer the men. The soldiers gazed uneasily at the Roman commander. His features were cold and fierce.

"Remember what we are up against." he growled icily. "We are up against one of the greatest armies the world has ever known. And in order to defeat this army, we must work in unison. We are all equals here. These very same women may save your lives on the battlefield, just as they saved the lives of Galeius and his people."

Aetius's gray eyes wandered over the men. There were a few moments of silence.

"Do I make myself clear?!" he snapped.

"Yes sir!!" they cried out in unison.

Aetius turned to Gabrielle.

"My utmost apologies."

She nodded in return.

"Thank you."

He turned to Galturian.

"Carry on."

"Yes sir."

Galeius glared down at Dargas, shaking his head.

"Disgraceful."

Galeius and Aetius left. Galturian walked over to Palladus.

"Help these women settle in."

Palladus nodded.

"Yes sir."

Galturian turned to two soldiers.

"Get Dargas out of my sight."

They nodded, and Galturian walked off. The two jogged over to Dargus, one grabbing his feet, and the other grabbing his arms. They carried him away. Palladus turned to Gabrielle.

"You handle yourself very well."

"Thank you."

He looked at the other women, and frowned.

"I happen to agree whole-heartedly with Aetius. We're going to need all the help we can get. Attila, from what I understand, is mounting a huge force that includes the Ostrogoths. Intelligence reports indicate that his forces are massive."

He drew closer.

"I must admit, it's rather un-nerving."

Gabrielle sighed, nodding.

"Believe me, I know the feeling. But you have to stand up to people like Attila."

Palladus nodded.

"I know."

He paused a moment, then spoke again.

"Let me take all of you to your quarters. Follow me."

Palladus walked towards a large, low beige building. Gabrielle and the Amazons followed.



Several weeks had passed. Aetius and his army had begun their long voyage to Northern Gaul. King Theodoric and his Visigoths were among them. Gabrielle and the Amazons stayed together, but they were able to bond with the men. The Roman soldiers developed a healthy respect for the independent, proud nature of the warrior women.

Gabrielle and Meldinas sat together, under a tree located at the top of a small hill. It was night. The other Amazons lay nearby, sleeping. Gabrielle and Meldinas gazed at the vast array of camp fires and soldiers across the plain. Meldinas turned to Gabrielle.

"How will you know which one is Attila?"

Gabrielle drew the chakram.

"This will tell me. The chakram seems to be tuned in to the presence of gods. It emits a warm vibration when I'm in the presence of one."

"But Attila's not a god."

"I know. But Ares' sword is extremely powerful. It will emit energy that the chakram can sense. Remember-the sword is Ares' link to the outside world."

Gabrielle nodded.

"I'll locate Attila."

"We'll stick by you. When you fight Attila, we'll help you bring him down."

Gabrielle turned to Meldinas. She let out a warm, sad smile.

"Thank you so much for all your help."

Meldinas shook her head.

"No Gabrielle. Thank you. You're a very brave woman. I can see why Xena loved you so much. The way you care for others...and what you're doing here...I can't help but feel a deep admiration for you."

Gabrielle blushed slightly.

"You're welcome. You're not so bad yourself, Meldinas. Your Amazons couldn't have a better leader. And if your sister is anything like you, I'm sure they are in capable hands."

Meldinas looked into the night sky, gazing at the countless points of light. She spoke again.

"What can you tell me about Xena's brother, Toris?"

Gabrielle chuckled.

"Ahhhhhhh. Good old Toris. Xena's older brother. He was good people."

"That scroll you read. You said that you and Xena were visiting him?"

"Yes. It was the first time that we had seen him in twenty-five years. Toris was ecstatic when he saw Xena. And it was one of the few times I saw Xena really happy. They talked quite a bit, what had been happening in their lives, how things were going for them. It was an interesting time..."



"Here ya go, Xena."

Toris set down the port in front of his sister. Xena picked up the mug and took a deep pull from it. She licked her lips.

"Very good."

Gabrielle put her mug down, nodding in agreement.

"I second that! It's the best port I've had!"

"I knew both of ya would like it."

Toris sat down in his chair, running his hand through his white hair. He shook his head in amazement.

"I can't get over the fact that you haven't aged a bit in twenty-five years, Xena. What are you now? Sixty-four summers old?"

Xena shrugged.

"Something like that. I'm not bothering to count."

"Me either." said Gabrielle. "It's too damn bizarre to think about."

Toris shook his head.

"Bizarre...yeah."

He looked out his window.

"The gods really tried messing with ya, but at least ya finished them off, Xe. Where's your daughter now?"

"She's heading to Chin."

"Hmmm."

Toris sighed.

"Fate is something else, isn't it? You never know what it holds in store for you. I traveled a bit, tried being a soldier for hire, fought in countless wars...it wasn't for me. I was restless for a long, long time. I didn't know what I wanted to do with myself. I just felt aimless for so long. Eventually, I grew tired of wandering around and I tried my hand at business. I took the little bit of money I made and started making port for a living. It took a long while to get going, but eventually things began to pick up. And here I am."

Gabrielle smiled.

"You've done well for yourself, Toris. Cyrene would be proud."

Toris shrugged.

"I can't complain."

His face grew somber.

"But it's hard not having anyone to share it with."

Xena placed her hand over her brother's.

"How long has it been since she...?"

Toris sighed.

"Two years now, Xena."

Gabrielle smiled sadly.

"They can hear your thoughts."

Toris nodded.

"I know. I think about Martha every second, and about how much I miss her...huh..."

He gazed up at the ceiling.

"It's so important to cherish the time you have with your friends. Family."

He held up Xena's hand, and squeezed it. Toris looked at Gabrielle.

"This...this here has more value that all the money on earth. Family. Friendship. We have to cherish our loved ones while we have them, and make the best of those moments. That's the problem with a lot of people. They lose sight of the fact that everything in this life is only temporary. We never know what fate has in store. Do we really control our destiny?"

Toris released his sister's hand. He raised an eyebrow.

"To a point we do. Only to a point. We're not the only players in this game. You can only control so much. Sometimes, life puts choices in front of you. And other times, life makes those choices."

Xena nodded slowly.

"No argument there."

She paused, and spoke again.

"But you still try, anyway. You fight against the odds. Even if it's a losing battle, you fight anyway."

"Sometimes, trying isn't enough Xena."

Xena fell silent. She lowered her head, gazing into her mug.

"No it isn't." she responded quietly.

A few moments of silence passed.

"So!" continued Toris. "What happens now?"

Xena looked up at her brother.

"More of the same, Toris. Gabrielle and I will continue to do what we've always done. Try and make a difference. Help those who can't help themselves."

Toris nodded.

"Hmmmm. How does that make you feel?"

Xena smiled.

"It makes me feel worthwhile. It gives me a purpose in life."

"That's always a good thing."

Xena turned to Gabrielle, grasping her left hand.

"And I get to do it with her."

Toris smiled warmly.

"Even better. You couldn't be in better hands, sis."

Gabrielle smiled shyly.

"Thank you Toris."

The old man rose to his feet, walking over to the window. He gazed out into the clear blue sky.

"I hope I get to see more of you, Xena. I can't tell you how much I missed you."

He turned around to face his sister. A tear rolled down his cheek.

"You're all I got left in the world."

Xena stood up. She walked over to Toris, and they exchanged a fierce hug. Tears trickled down Xena's cheeks.

"Damn straight you'll see more of me, Toris." she uttered quietly, her voice trembling. "I've missed you too. I promise to visit you often."

Xena pulled back and wiped the tears from her face, smiling softly.

"You've got us for a couple of weeks, at least."

Toris chuckled.

"I sure could use the company. And the help."

They hugged each other again. Gabrielle smiled warmly at this touching scene. She wiped tears from her own cheeks.



"It was so good to see Xena happy, Meldinas. Those two weeks with Toris were probably among the happiest times in her life."

Gabrielle sighed.

"Little did we know that six months later, we'd be in Nippon."

"Nippon?"

"Another name for Jappa."

Meldinas frowned. She placed her hand on Gabrielle's shoulder. The blonde made a long, quivering sigh. She wiped tears from her face.

"Anyway Meldinas, we should get some sleep."

The Amazon queen nodded.

"Yeah. We have a long day of travel ahead."

A moment of silence. Gabrielle turned towards her.

"I understand we're getting closer to meeting Attila and his forces."

"That's what the intelligence reports say."

Meldinas took a deep breath. She gazed into the night sky.

"I'm not going to lie, Gabrielle. I'm scared."

Gabrielle placed a hand on Meldinas's leg.

"So am I."

Meldinas turned to Gabrielle.

"And yet, I think about what you and Xena tried doing throughout your lives. Making a difference. I want my Amazons to have a future. I want to make a difference for them."

Gabrielle smiled warmly.

"You already have. All of you have. The five of you are brave women of wonderful character. I'm glad to know you all."

Meldinas smiled shyly.

"Thank you. And like it or not, you are an inspiration, Gabrielle. You always will be for me."

She stood up.

"Good night, Gabrielle."

"Good night."

Meldinas walked over to where the other Amazons were and picked up a small leather bag. Setting it up as a pillow, she laid down on the grass and went to sleep.

Gabrielle gazed at the crescent moon. It wouldn't be much longer now. They were in the Catalaunian Plains. Gabrielle had heard reports of Attila's army consisting of tens of thousands of men. It brought back old memories of all the wars she and Xena had fought in. Fighting against overwhelming odds...

She took out the chakram. Gabrielle flipped it over slowly in her hands, studying it.

"Well Xena, here I am again-taking on a warlord-the most powerful one this time has known."

Gabrielle gazed up into the sky again.

"Keep me company, Xena. Help me find Attila."

Gabrielle looked back at the chakram. Her emerald eyes narrowed.

"Your reign of terror is coming to an end, Attila. You're going to die by my hand."

Rage slowly edged its way into the blonde. She let it fill her. All the countless dead she had witnessed...all because of the partnership between Attila the Hun and Ares, God of War.

It would all end for Attila the Hun. Soon.



The savage nature of man...

The never-changing characteristic of the dominant species on earth.

The drive to conquer and subdue those who are weaker, the drive to amass as much as possible: land, money, property, the hearts and minds of others. To be able to dominate, to be able to control with an iron will.

And one of the most effective ways of doing this is by fear, torture, and murder. To hammer down the dissenters; to force them to bend at the knee. To drive any rebellion, criticism and free thought into oblivion.

The spilling of blood can be an effective way of molding the human mind.

And yet, this same savagery can be used against those who would take and plunder. Used to defend the weak, defend the minds and hearts of men and women who choose to live their lives free of the manipulative machinations of those who would be the puppet masters; those who would control what one would think, say, and do.

Oftentimes, these opposing sides are blurred; those who have the most honorable of intentions, those who have only the worst of intentions. In life, there rarely is black and white.

In the case of the great Battle of Chalons, on the Catalaunian Plains of Northern Gaul, it was quite clear to Gabrielle and the Amazons who was the true enemy...

Attila and his Huns. Attila, the greatest warlord this time had ever known, perhaps one of the greatest warlords in history...controlled by Ares, God of War. A world controlled by Ares would be nothing less than absolute hell on Earth. And Gabrielle was intent on preventing this, at all costs.

The battle had been raging for hours. Romans and Visigoths against Attila and his Huns, along with his German allies and Ostrogoths. The carnage was monumental. Men hacked away at each other, dismembering each other in countless ways. Blood and innards grew more than a foot deep in many spots. The air was filled with crimson spray, shouts, battle cries and terrifying screams.

And within this maelstrom of carnage was Gabrielle and the Amazons, adding to the fray.

Gabrielle ripped her sword across the throat of a Hun soldier. Blood and flesh burst from the gaping wound. He toppled into a ditch. As soon as he fell, another Hun soldier rushed at Gabrielle with a spear. But Meldinas came at him from Gabrielle's right, bringing down her sword across his arms, chopping them off. Blood erupted from the jagged stumps. The man let out a hideous scream. Letting out a harsh cry, Meldinas cut his head off. The body crumpled to the ground, and the head bounced off into the grass.

Gabrielle quickly looked to her right. A large hill was there, and a massive oak tree was at the top.

"Let's head up that hill!!" she exclaimed.

Gabrielle rushed towards it. Meldinas and her Amazons followed. A group of five Huns rushed towards them. Gabrielle unhooked the chakram from her belt. The first came at her, swinging down his sword. She blocked it with her own, and swung the chakram across his belly. Blood, flesh and innards burst forth. The man let out a gurgled shriek and collapsed. Stella ran ahead of her. The next solder swung his sword at the Amazon and she ducked, ripping her own across the left side of his torso. A river of blood shot out of the gaping wound. He cried out and fell to the earth. As soon as he did, the third solder brought his sword down at her. Stella blocked it and kicked the man in the groin. He doubled over and she cut his head off. Valacia and Althea rushed at the remaining two men. Swords clashed. The Huns and Amazons parried violently for a few moments. Valacia then stabbed her opponent in the stomach. Althea stabbed hers in the heart. The two corpses dropped into the grass.

The women then ran up the hill. Suddenly, Gabrielle felt the chakram vibrate softly. It began to grow warm. They reached the top of the hill. The women observed the ferocious battle around them. Gabrielle stared at the chakram.

"Attila is near!!"

Meldinas spun towards her.

"What?!"

Gabrielle quickly looked around. She peered towards a nearby hill...

And she spotted him.

Attila. King of the Huns.

Gabrielle saw the Sword of Ares in his hand. Attila stood near a dark horse. He was of medium build, Attila had a long mane of dark hair. He wore armor over his chest and shoulders, the rest of his clothes were made of leather and deerskin. He wore thick, black boots. He stood alone, within the midst of a large group of trees. Gabrielle's lips curled into a snarl.

"I found him!"

The Amazons stared at Gabrielle. She pointed in Attila's direction. They saw the Hun leader.

"Are you sure??" asked Meldinas.

"He's holding the Sword of Ares! I recognize that sword anywhere! And the chakram is vibrating like crazy!!"

Gabrielle's eyes widened in fury.

"Death to Attila!!"

The Amazons let out harsh battle cries. The women raced down the hill. As they did, scores of Hun soldiers rushed towards them. The woman hacked their way through the soldiers. Blood and flesh sprayed all over them. With difficulty, they fought their way across the grassy flatland towards the foot of the hill. As they neared it, Gabrielle swung her sword across the chests of two Hun soldiers, killing them. They dropped to the ground. Gabrielle raced towards the hill. She glanced back. More Hun solders suddenly surged towards the Amazons, and soon they were completely surrounded. Gabrielle's face filled with fury.

"Shit!!"

She rushed up the hill, sword drawn. When Gabrielle reached the top of the hill, Attila was nowhere in sight. The chakram was still letting out strong vibrations. She ran into the midst of the trees, and continued on for a few moments...

Then Gabrielle reached the edge of a clearing. Dozens of dead soldiers, Roman and Hun, lay within it, some dismembered. The ground was dark with blood. Her emerald eyes darted back and forth. Suddenly, she heard the sound of a twig crack. Gabrielle spun around-

And before her stood Attila. King of the Huns. A cold smile crossed his face.

"So." he began. "You must be Gabrielle. Lord Ares has told me much about you."

Gabrielle held her sword out before Attila. Her eyes narrowed into slits.

"You sick bastard..." she growled. "You butcher. Whatever plans Ares had for you, I intend on destroying them."

The blonde bared her teeth in rage.

"I'm going to kill you."

Attila laughed coldly.

"Ares, God of War, is at my side. This is his sword. I have access to his power. You can't stop me."

A cruel smile crossed Gabrielle's face.

"I can, and will. I've fought gods. I've killed a god. You think you're a match for me?! You're nothing but a pathetic coward. You're so weak that you need to depend on a god's help. And do you really think Ares gives a damn about you?? He's using you, just as he's used everyone else who's served him."

Gabrielle drew closer.

"You're nothing but a pathetic little puppet of Ares!!" she spat.

"And you are about to die, Gabrielle." growled Attila. "I plan to take the chakram from you. Ares needs it to get out of his tomb. He has promised me power beyond my wildest dreams, and these dreams are fast becoming a reality. It only seems fair that I return the favor."

Attila's eyes widened in fury. Letting out an enraged cry, he charged at Gabrielle, swinging the Sword of Ares down at her. Gabrielle lifted the chakram. The two weapons collided. Violent sparks of electricity shot around both weapons. Letting out a piercing scream, Gabrielle rammed her right foot hard into Attila's stomach, then his face. Blood exploded from his mouth and nose. Stunned, Attila staggered back. Gabrielle then swung her left foot at his right hand. She knocked the sword of Ares out of it. It flew through the air, crashing into the ground.

Letting out a piercing scream, Gabrielle swung her sword down at Attila's head. Suddenly, his left hand snapped out, grabbing the oncoming blade and stopping it. A second later, Attila's right foot burrowed into Gabrielle's face, shattering her nose. Blood burst from it. Her head snapped back. She released the sword and dropped the chakram, staggering away from the warlord. Attila flipped the sword in the air, catching it by the handle. He then took a vicious swipe at Gabrielle. The blonde ducked at the last possible moment. Gabrielle then swung her right foot with all her might up into Attila's chin. The warlord's head shot back, a fountain of blood and teeth erupting from his mouth. He stumbled backwards, dropping his sword. Gabrielle rushed forward and grabbed Attila by the arms. She kicked him full force in the groin. Attila's eyes bulged in agony. He doubled over. With a furious cry, Gabrielle clutched his shoulders and head-butted him again and again in the face. His nose cracked. Blood spattered everywhere. Gabrielle steeled the fingers in her right hand and plunged it towards his neck. But Attila grabbed her hand at the last second. He then delivered a punishing right uppercut into Gabrielle's stomach. The blow was so powerful that it lifted Gabrielle high off the ground. Her eyes bulged in agony. She landed on her feet. Attila followed it with a left to Gabrielle's face. A stream of blood shot out of her mouth. He then threw a right. More blood flowed through the air. As Gabrielle stumbled back, Attila rammed a foot hard into her chest. She flew back, crashing hard into the ground and rolling over her head onto her stomach.

Attila bent down, picking up the sword of a dead soldier. He raised it and ran at the fallen warrior, plunging it towards her. Gabrielle suddenly twisted to the right. The sword burrowed into the ground. Gabrielle quickly got up, grabbed Attila by the hair, and rammed him face-first into the hilt of the sword. His head snapped back and he stumbled away, falling into the ground. Gabrielle yanked the sword out of the ground. She rushed at Attila, plunging the weapon down at his chest. Attila moved off to the side. The sword burrowed into the earth. He drew a knife and buried it in Gabrielle's thigh. She screamed in agony. He yanked it out. As the blonde staggered back, he rammed both feet into Gabrielle's face. She flew through the air, crashing into the ground near a dead soldier.

The two warriors slowly rose to their feet, picking up swords that were near them. They turned to face each other. The two warriors let out battle cries, and attacked one another.



Meldinas sliced off the head of her opponent. The headless body fell to the earth. Another Hun came at her, and she buried the sword in his gut. She then pushed the soldier off it. Meldinas turned to her right-

-just in time to see a Hun solder run his sword right through Stella's body. It ripped out of her back in a huge explosion of blood. Meldinas's face filled with grief and rage.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

Blood gushed out of Stella's mouth. She stared at the Hun soldier, her face overwhelmed with agony. He yanked the sword out of her body. The Amazon warrior staggered back and fell to the ground. Meldinas flew at the Hun soldier. As he turned towards her, she buried her sword in his belly, down to the hilt. It tore out of his back, spraying out a large stream of blood. His eyes dilated in shock and overwhelming pain. She yanked the sword out of him, and he dropped.

Meldinas glanced towards Stella. The Amazon's lifeless eyes gazed into the sky. Fury surged through the Amazon queen. She turned to her right, and two Hun soldiers rushed at her. Meldina's eyes widened with bloodlust. She let out a piercing scream and charged at them.



Valacia swung her sword in a sweeping arc, cutting off the heads of two Hun soldiers in rapid sequence. Blood erupted from the stumps in a volcanic explosion. It rained down on the Amazon. The headless bodies dropped to the earth. The Amazon heard footsteps approaching her rapidly from the right. She turned in that direction. A Hun soldier charged at her. They swung their swords at each other. Metal collided against metal. There was a brief, violent parry. Valacia then kicked the soldier with all her might in the groin. He doubled over, and she swung the blade down onto his head. It split open like a watermelon. Blood and brain burst forth, splattering on her. She yanked the sword out. Valacia turned to her right-

And a Hun soldier thrust his sword deep into her stomach, through her body, and out her back.

Pain erupted through her body, up into her head in a raging fire. Blood shot out of her mouth in red-black globs. The Hun soldier smiled cruelly at her. Valacia trembled violently...

The she dropped her sword and grabbed the soldier's head. With a strangled scream, she viciously turned it to the right. There was a loud crack. She released him. He dropped to the ground, dead.

Valacia staggered forward. Grabbing the handle of the sword, she yanked it out of her. It flew forth, landing on the ground. More blood burst out of her back and stomach. She let out a gargled cry. The Amazon took a few more steps. Her blue eyes rolled into the back of her head. Then she fell and joined her murderer in death.



The blade tip tore across Gabrielle's abdomen. Blood burst from it. She stumbled away from Attila. Letting out an enraged cry, he brought his sword down at her. Gabrielle lifted her weapon. Both blades collided violently. The two warriors began parrying. Gabrielle thrust her weapon at Attila with lightning quickness, but the warlord effortlessly parried away each attempt. Attila then went on the offensive. He forced Gabrielle back towards a tree. Suddenly, he lunged at her. Impossibly, she pulled off to the left. Attila swung his sword in that direction. Gabrielle ducked, and snuck in a swipe of her own. Her blade tore across Attila's stomach. Blood spewed forth. Attila grunted harshly. As he drew back, Gabrielle whipped her sword up at his face. Attila pulled his head back, but the tip of the blade managed to nick the right side of the warlord's face. Blood spurted from the long cut. He cried out in pain and anger, drawing back further. Gabrielle leaped into the air and rammed her foot hard into his face. Blood and teeth splattered in different directions. He cart-wheeled through the air and slammed hard into the ground.

Gabrielle quickly looked off to her left. Nearby lay the Sword of Ares. The chakram was laying beside her. Gabrielle knew she would only get once chance at this.

She snatched the chakram up from the ground. Gabrielle ran towards the Sword of Ares. Letting out a furious scream, she swung the chakram down with all her might onto the sword. The chakram split the sword in two. There was a violent explosion. It threw Gabrielle back through the air, and she crashed into the ground. Huge sparks of electricity shot around both halves of the sword. Attila groggily looked up. He saw the sparks shoot up from the area where the broken sword was. He instantly realized what had happened. Horror filled his face.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!"

He looked towards Gabrielle, his teeth bared in seething rage.

"You Greek BITCH!!!!"

Attila quickly rose to his feet and rushed at Gabrielle as she got to her knees. He grabbed his sword from the ground as he passed it. Gabrielle turned towards Attila and threw the chakram at him. It screamed through the air. Attila suddenly somersaulted out of its way. It flew underneath, past him. Gabrielle grabbed her sword and rose to her feet. Attila landed before her, and the two began to parry violently. After a heated exchange, Attila snuck in two quick swipes across Gabrielle's abdomen. Blood erupted from the wounds. Gabrielle cried out, staggering back. Attila spotted another opening, and swung his sword down the blonde's face. She pulled back as fast as she could, but the blow was too fast. The tip of the blade cut across the side of Gabrielle's face, cutting a deep gash in it. Blood burst from the wound. She screamed in agony. Attila then rammed his foot with all his might into Gabrielle's face. Blood and teeth burst from her mouth. The blonde's head snapped back. She flew back into a tree, her head hitting it hard and bouncing off of it. She fell to the ground.

At that moment, Attila heard a shrill metallic scream coming at him. His left arm snapped out-

-and he caught the chakram. Attila studied it for a moment, then gazed at the blonde's fallen form.

"Let's see how this works on you." he growled.

Attila ran towards Gabrielle. The blonde grabbed a clump of dirt with her left hand. Attila raised the chakram. As he got closer, she threw the dirt in the warlord's face, blinding him. Gabrielle lifted her feet. Attila's momentum sent him colliding with the soles of her boots, stomach-first. Gabrielle grabbed the warlord's wrists and she flipped him over her. He crashed into the ground.

Both warriors rolled onto their stomachs. They rose, but Gabrielle was up first. She kicked Attila hard in the chin. Blood burst from his mouth. He flew through the air and crashed into the ground, his head hitting a rock. He rolled onto his stomach. Gabrielle snatched up the chakram, then the sword. Raising the sword, she rushed at the warlord's motionless form. She aimed the sword at his back. It was a guaranteed kill-

-then a violent explosion of blood erupted from Gabrielle's right shoulder, just below her collarbone. A large arrow tip ripped out of it.

A huge blast of pain roared through her shoulder. She screamed at the top of her lungs. Gabrielle stumbled past Attila. She spun around-

-and two more arrows burrowed deep into her abdomen. Red-black blood erupted from Gabrielle's mouth in huge globs. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she fell to the earth.

Gabrielle lay, trembling violently. The agony she felt was nearly unbearable. She opened her right eye a tiny bit. The archers were two Hun solders. They ran towards her. One of them stopped by Attila, kneeling down to inspect him. The other one drew closer to her. When this soldier got close enough, Gabrielle quickly sat up and ripped the chakram across his belly. Blood and intestines burst from it, much of the gore splattering on Gabrielle. He let out a hideous scream and fell to the ground, dead. The other soldier quickly rose to his feet and lifted his bow. Gabrielle threw the chakram. It buried itself in the soldier's throat. He flew back through the air and fell to the ground, dead.

Attila groaned. He rubbed his head and slowly sat up. He looked around him, and saw Gabrielle. Wracked with convulsions, she slowly rose to her feet, sword in hand. Attila stared at her in disbelief. He grabbed a nearby sword and rose as well.

Gabrielle glared at Attila. Huge globs of blood dripped from her mouth. She spat out the excess. Gabrielle knew she was done for. The wounds were too serious, the blood loss too much. She twisted her lips into a mocking, bloody smile.

"Youvvvvv lost, Attila." she rasped. "Yeeeeu no longer have access to Arres' power."

She tilted her head to the side and regarded him for a moment. She could see the fear in Attila's eyes. Gabrielle noticed that Attila knew she was telling the truth

"All warlorrrdzz fall. Alllllll uf dem. Yeeeeu no diffrant."

Gabrielle then got into a fighting stance.

"Yerrrr dayzz are numbered. Yeeu might kill meee, but I've won."

Attila stared at Gabrielle in disbelief. He realized he was looking at a true warrior. Mortally wounded, Gabrielle stood there. There wasn't a trace of fear in her eyes. In fact, she was smiling at him mockingly. He swallowed hard.

Gabrielle's smile turned into a snarl. She let out a gargled cry, raised her sword and rushed at Attila. He drew his sword back and ran at her. Gabrielle swung at Attila. He pulled back, dodging the blow. Attila moved past her. She turned towards him. Attila let out a harsh cry and whipped his sword violently at Gabrielle's neck. The blade tore through it, slicing her head off. A massive geyser of blood erupted from where it once was. Gabrielle's headless body dropped to the earth. Her head bounced into the grass, where it rolled to a stop, facing up into the bright blue sky. Her eyelids fluttered and closed.

Attila stood there, panting. He stared at Gabrielle's corpse. Fear coursed through him in huge, pulsating waves. He no longer felt the power he once did. Nor the security. All he felt was a gnawing emptiness, an uncertainty about the future. He looked around erratically.

Attila suddenly felt a need to run. Run far away and regroup his thoughts and plans for the future.

The King of the Huns ran out of the clearing, disappearing into the midst of the trees.



Meldinas drove her sword deep into the Hun soldier's belly. His eyes widened in agony. She pushed him off her sword with a hard shove of her foot. The soldier dropped to the ground. She quickly looked around her. The Huns and Ostrogoths were being driven back by the Roman and Visigoth forces. They rushed past her, yelling at the top of their lungs. Meldinas turned towards her right. Althea ran to her. Her face was ashen with grief.

"Valacia's dead."

Meldinas's face twisted in murderous pain at the news. She put a hand to her mouth.

"No...my God no..."

Althea clutched her shoulder.

"C'mon. We haven't a second to waste. Let's go help Gabrielle."

Meldinas bit her lip and nodded. The two women made their way through the angry mass of Romans and Visigoths. They reached the hill and rushed up it. The two women ran through the thick grouping of trees, finally arriving at the clearing. They saw corpses lying throughout. Althea turned to her left and spotted an area where large electrical sparks crackled heatedly.

"Meldinas!!" she exclaimed. "Look at that!!"

The Amazon queen turned towards her. Althea pointed to the sparks. They rushed over to the spot. They saw the Sword of Ares, fractured into two jagged pieces, crackling with energy. Meldinas's jaw dropped in shock.

"Gabrielle did it!! Gabrielle did it!! She destroyed the Sword of Ares!!"

As they looked at it, the broken sword soon stopped crackling and disintegrated into dust. Only smoke rose from the charred spot. The two women gazed at the area in amazement. They then began to look around.

"Gabrielle!!" Meldinas called out. "Gabrielle!!"

The two women separated, and began walking around, calling out to the warrior. Althea gazed at the bodies of the dead Roman and Hun soldiers that lay about. She looked to her right-

And suddenly stopped in her tracks. Her face filled with absolute horror at the ghastly scene before her.

"Meldinas!!"

The Amazon queen spun towards her, startled by the terror in her friend's voice.

"What's wrong?!"

"I-I-I found Gabrielle..."

Meldinas instantly knew what she meant. Agony and disbelief filled her face.

"No..."

She rushed over to Althea's side, and looked. Her eyes grew as wide as saucers.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"



The evening was crisp, clear, and cool. The sky was filled with billions of stars. Meldinas and Althea stood before the three funeral pyres, each burning ravenously. Smoke and ashes rose into the sky. The women had their heads bowed.

A few yards away, standing at the top of a small hill, the ghosts of Xena and Gabrielle gazed down upon the women. Gabrielle slowly shook her head.

"I wish I could have killed Attila."

Xena placed her right hand on her friend's shoulder. She looked at Gabrielle and smiled softly.

"Gabrielle, you did what you set out to do. You destroyed Ares' sword. Attila doesn't wield the same power anymore."

Xena placed her left hand on Gabrielle's chin and turned her face in her direction.

"Attila doesn't have long to live, anyway. I've got that on good authority."

Gabrielle sighed. Xena drew her into a hug. She kissed the top of the blonde's head.

"You did good, Gabrielle. I am so proud of you."

"I wonder what's going to happen to Meldinas and Althea."

Xena looked down at the two Amazons, smiling gently.

"They'll be just fine. Meldinas is a great queen. Althea is a strong woman in her own right. They'll contribute a lot to their tribe. It will thrive for centuries to come."

The Warrior Princess turned to Gabrielle.

"It's time to go."

Gabrielle nodded.

"Mmm."

The blonde looked back at Meldinas and Althea smiling warmly.

"I'm proud to have known you both. Good-bye, my friends. Have a good life."

At that moment, a slit of light appeared in the space behind them. It expanded into a large, glowing opening. Xena and Gabrielle's bodies transformed into shapeless, cloud-like forms. They elongated and shot into the light. The glowing ball of light quickly collapsed into a pinpoint and disappeared.

Meldinas placed an arm around her friend. Althea wiped the tears from her eyes. She bit her lower lip.

"I-I-I'm going to miss them all so much..." she said in a tremulous voice.

Meldinas gazed at the sky erratically.

"So am I."

She looked down at the leather bag before her. Meldinas reached down and opened it. She took out the chakram. The light of the fires flickered off its shiny surface. Meldinas studied it.

"Gabrielle indeed lived up to her reputation."

Althea nodded.

"She did. She's a true Amazon. A great warrior."

"Yes she is."

"What will you do with it?"

"I'm bringing the chakram back to our tribe. It and the Dagger of Helios will be kept in a safe place. A place of honor."

Meldinas looked at the heavens.

"Thank you, Gabrielle. We'll never forget you or Xena. Never."

She placed the chakram back inside the bag and tied it closed. Meldinas picked it up and turned to Althea.

"It's time to go home to Crete. We have a long journey ahead of us."

The two women walked over to their horses and mounted them. They rode off into the night.

The fires continued to burn. The smoke rose high into the air. History had been made. One of the greatest warlords ever known had been stopped at the Battle of Chalons, on the Catalaunian Plains of Northern Gaul. History records that it was due to the bravery and ingenuity of Flaveius Ateius.

But the Amazons of Western Crete knew better. Victory was due to six brave women, who risked their lives to save the world...

And one of them was the Warrior Bard of Potedia.

THE END

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