The Adventure Between Worlds, part 3
We left off, Serey and Gabrielle are near a fire, protecting then from evil spirits and Xena is still in the most dangerous part of the land. Read to find out what will happen.
Xena was hurt. Hurt badly. The worst she had ever been (OOG: remember
what pain and visions she had undergone). Not on the outside, although a
few bruises did show, but mostly the damage was done in her soul. She
was barely able to stand up, "That was worse than the Gauntlet" she
thought to her self. All of the sudden everything around her went dark.
She had not passed out and she could still see, so Xena thought
something bad was going to happen. She grabbed her chakram from her
waist and held it poised for attack. Then the attack came. Dryads.
Dryads and thousands of them. She threw her chakram and hit one but
nothing happened. When she caught her chakram she looked at it confused,
and threw it again hitting two in the dead center. Nothing. "They aren't
real," she said to herself still cautious. There were so many of them
you couldn't see the sky. One swooped down on her and cut her arm. She
drew her sword quickly being caught of guard with that sneak attack. She
stood there pivoting in one spot waiting for another to attack.
At that moment she remembered what happened the last time she had run
into a Dryad. She had been with Gabrielle and Joxer. **BOOM**;
**CRACK**, **SNAP** The Dryads began to explode. She stopped thinking
about that and looked around to see what was helping her. When she
stopped thinking the ones thath ad exploded came back. Xena shook her
head then realized what was killing them. "Oh course!" she said to
herself. She sat down where she had been pivoting around, and
resurrected the many times Gabrielle had been by her side. Thinking how
how much they had in common, and all of their differences. She was
remembering when the day kept repeating itself until she could stop a
civil war (OOG: Been There, Done That), when Gabrielle had become an
Amazon (OOG: Hooves & Harlots). While Xena was meditating, the Dryads
had been dying one by one. Soon when Xena opened her eyes they were
gone. "Thank you!" she said aloud finally. That had just made her
realize how strong Gabrielle's and her bond was between each other. She
got up still hurt badly and staggered looking for a sign of humanity.
Niko appeared near Xena. "You did well Xena. Do you understand now, what Gabrielle means to you and how she felt when you left her? Anyway, she is safe, for now, but I can not lead you to her. You must find her, by going through the forest, there," said Niko as he pointed towards a path. "That will lead to where Gabrielle is, that will lead you to the safest place on the land, my land."
Xena followed him but strayed away when.........
Xena sat down and rested for a minute, watching Niko disappear. She
looked at the path she was to take to find her best friend. It looked
like a long walk, but she knew she had to do it. She got up and fell
back down instantly overwhelmed with pain. It felt to her like she had
broken some ribs. "I have to get to her," she said to her self,
"tonight." She looked above the treetops and in the distance and saw a
blue flame. There were some balck showdows hovering over the top of the
flame. "Gabrielle," Xena thought to herself, "she must be in trouble."
Xena started to run toward the forest, when she entered it it grew
very dark. She looked around not seeing anything, not even her hand in
front of her face. She turned around to go back out ofthe forest but she
couldn't find the way she had come in. "Great," she said. She started to
walk, (OOG: Remember Gabrielle can see all of this)slowly but at a
steady pace also. There was a flicker of light in the near distance.
"No," she said to herself, "that couldn't be the exit already." As
always she was right. There was a figure crouched by the fire, dressed
in all black with a hood to hide his face. "Ares?" Xena asked cautiously
is that you, "is that you?"
There was no reply from the figure. Xena slowly approached it and
touched it. The figure whirled around, it was Lao Ma!
"Xena, you lost the innocence in yourself to hate. What I have taught you has backfired on yourself, and therefore, on me. What do you have to say for yourself?" asked Lao Ma. "Your friend, Gabrielle, is safe, yet you aren't, for night is approaching and you haven't found a protector yet. The blue flame you saw, looks like a safe place, yet you can't enter it from the outside. Gabrielle can see you yet you can't see her. She is safe so you must find protection for yourself.
You can't conquer these spirits Xena, not without conquering yourself. Remember what I taught you Xena, to conquer others is to have power, while to conquer yourself, is to know the way. Now go your Way, Xena, before it is too late," she said as she motioned Xena to the circle of flames now 200 paces away. Xena turned towards the flames and then back towards Lao Ma, but she was gone.
Xena turned towards the flame again and sighed. "What will Gabrielle
think of me?" Xena thought to herself. She winced in pain as she took a
step. She took out her sword and used it as a crutch. Xena started to
remember the last time something like this had happened, it was
Gabrielle who was nearly dragged to her death by herself. She shook that
terrible moment out of her head. She was there right outside of the blue
flame. There was a draft of air created by it. She reached out and
touched it. **OUCH** She got burned badly. She reached her hand out
remembering when Solan had appeared before. But she drew it back quickly
being burned again. It was now deep in the night and she could see the
spirits looking at her and flying towards her. She was not about to call
for help. She sat down on the spot she had been standing. "Gabrielle's
gotten me out of messes before, I hope she can get me out of this one."
Xena said to herself and drifted off thinking only of Gabrielle.
Now that the three are somewhat near eachother, 2 of them protected by Niko, and one in a deadly situation, let's see what happens
Serey stands up and puts the necklace Niko had given her on. She goes over and looks into the bowl with Gabrielle. Serey touches the water and it begins to ripple. When it stops rippling, the two could see Xena in the bowl right outside the flame, sitting in meditation. "Serey puts her hands on the altar and leans on it. "Lost? You're not lost Gabrielle, you're just a little sidetracked, thats all." Serey sits down again. "You don't know lost. You may believe you are lost, or you've known lost, but you are only confused, not only in this world here," Serey says looking and motioning around, "but in the world we know." Serey looks into the fire near the middle of the circle. Gabrielle looks at her. Serey gets a small smirk on her face and a little teary. "I know lost. I am lost. Lost is when you look around, and no one is there for you. Lost is when you search forever for a friend, and never find it." Serey looks up at Gabrielle, who is looking at her. "Tell me this Gabrielle, If you are lost, why is that person outside of this flame putting herself through this to get in here? Why did she scould her hands to reach you? Why is she putting up with everything this world has to offer for you? If thats not a friend, then I guess I've been looking for the wrong thing all this time." Serey takes a deep breath. "I think you need to give yourself a reality check. I don't understand how or why, but I can see your hapiness and pain. Your hapiness practically glows around you. Think of all the things she has put herself through to get to you in the past. The things shes done for you, with you. To me that is the most intimite bond of friendship you can find. Think about it Gabrielle. In the past no one could save her from what she was. If she had never met you, she might not have stayed as good as she wanted to be. Chances are she wouldn't. You had such an effect on her that not only did you change her to good, but she would die for you Gabrielle. You know that, don't you?" Gabrielle nods her head in thought, as she thinks about what Serey is saying. Serey takes another deep breath and lays down to sleep for the night. Her eyes still watery. "You are not lost Gabrielle, just confused."
"Gabrielle, Xena is in the worst trouble in there. Are you willing to risk your life to get her inside the circle?" asked Niko.
Gabrielle responded yes.
"Alright, Serey and Gabrielle, stand behind the flame in the center altar while I open the circle to let Xena in. The spirits will enter but I will try my best to fight them off so you can run. Once the circle is open, duck under the altar. You will be safe there, for a while.
Serey and Gabrielle stood behind the flame.
Niko nodded to them.
"Depart in peace, powers of Air, Fire, Water, and Earth, for a life is in danger, yet don't depart fully, for I will need your help again!" he yelled over the roaring of the wind, the flames, and the howls of the spirits outside the circle. The blue flame turned to greeen and started to decrease in intensity. "I bind all the power within this circle into this attempt, so mote it be. Protect us from the evil spirits! Great Mother!"
As Niko yelled that, a white myst formed around the group, which now contained Xena. The spirits hovered back from the brightness as Niko casted the circle again. The flame soon soared to its normal height, but now, acted as a dome of light.
"Xena, you are safe now. Please, rest, tell us what happened to you," said Niko as he sat on one of the stones in the center altar, motioning the 3 others to sit on the other 3 stool stones. He picked up some herbs and water and began to mix a potion to heal Xena's many wounds.
As Niko walked over to clean Xena's wounds, she quickly dismissed him
and braced Gabrielle in one of the biggest hugs the two had ever shared!
"Gabrielle," Xena said tearing at the sight of her friend kneeling down,
"please forgive me."
Xena looked up to see Gabrielle crying as well, she (Gabrielle) kneeled
down with Xena and hugged her,"I forgive you Xena." She said in a
whisper. The two stayed in each others arms for a minute, both thinking
how they could have done this to each other AGAIN!! Xena took her seat
right next to Gabrielle and allowed Niko to clean her wounds. Xena
patted Gabrielle's hand as she began to speak the unthinkable things
that had happened to her, "I don't remember what happened it came very
fast, like a blur. Do you remember the Dryads Gabrielle?" Xena looked at
Gabrielle as she nodded with keen interest in what Xena was saying as
the last of her tears were drying up,"that's what attack me. Dryads. But
they weren't like the ones I had fought in the past. They couldn't be
killed. The only thing that could kill them was," Xena stopped and
looked at Gabrielle's eyes,"you."
Gabrielle looked at her confused. "The only thing that saved me was
thinking about you, Gabrielle. It was like I had to think of the kindest
most, sweet thing I could and it was you." Gabrielle smiled at Xena.
Xena looked up at Serey and Niko, seeing that she had their complete
attention as well, "I'm not used to being the bard." Xena said making
everyone chuckle. Xena looked at Niko, "So, you've proved your point,
when do we get out of her?"
Everybody then knew that Xena and Gabrielle had strengthened their
bond the best it ever would be, now nothing could come between them.
Ever.
> Xena looked up at Serey and Niko, seeing that she had their complete
> attention as well, "I'm not used to being the bard." Xena said making
> everyone chuckle. Xena looked at Niko, "So, you've proved your point,
> when do we get out of her?"
> Everybody then knew that Xena and Gabrielle had strengthened their
> bond the best it ever would be, now nothing could come between them.
> Ever.
Niko faced the wall of blue flames, sensing Xena's emotion. "Xena, you are right, I have served my purpose. And you have found your Way again. I knew you and Gabrielle could never hate eachother and that is why I brought you here."
Niko looked towards the horizon and saw the sun rising. "The sun will diminish the evil spirits as well as the flames. But once the flames are gone, you have to wait until the next full moon to leave again, which will be in a month, so sit on those 3 stones, facing east." he ordered.
The three sat down and Niko stood on the opposite side of the altar facing east as well.
"Great Mother, the sun is rising, the air is calming, the spirits are going their way, the portal needs to be opened to let us back into the world of mortality, If you could help us, eternally yours we are."
Suddenly, a bright light formed at Niko's hands. He pushed the light away and the portal opened in front of them. The 4 walked into the portal, taking one last look, except for Niko, to the paradise they were leaving. The were soon near the stream in which they started from, 5 days travel away from Poteidaea.
"Your home," said Niko. "Here, take these." He handed the others three crystal orbs. "If you are in desire need to return to the world, just close your eyes, concentrate, and you will be there, in an astral state, until your body is desturbed. In return for this, I ask you to conceal my secret, telling no other. I know I am asking a lot of you, but if anyone ever finds me to be a druid, I would be in grave danger. Dahak has a way of finding things and he believes that all the druids are dead, and if he finds me, he will kill me as well. This, my friends, I ask of you."
>Serey handed Niko the stones back. "Thats alright. I think I've had enough magic land for my life time. Don't worry about your secret. Its safe with me." Serey said then turned to face Xena and Gabrielle. She nudged Gabrielle, a small smile crossed her face as Gabrielle looked at her. "I told you you weren't lost, just sidetracked is all." Serey began to walk away. "Wait." Gabrielle yelled to Serey. Gabrielle ran over to Serey. "Where are you going?"
> Serey looked up at Gabrielle. "Doesn't really matter. Just somewhere." Serey looked at Xena, then at Gabrielle. She looked Gabrielle deep in her eyes. "Shes your best friend. Nothing will seperate the two of you. She has just found love. Whether you like it or not, it is a natural thing. You loved Perdicus and she understood that. Just give him a chance. You never know how things could turn out." Serey began to walk away. As she did so Gabrielle pondered what Serey said.
"Well, I guess this is where we part, for now," said Niko as he looked at the two of them. "I can tell now, that you two will be friends forever and if you ever need anything, I will always be here for you," he said again as he backed away.
Niko raised his arms in the air and a ball of light soon formed around his hands. "I know my secret is safe with you," he said to Xena and Gabrielle as the light illuminated him as he dissapeared. The light floated to the heavens and dissapeared. Most people would think it dissapeared because it became to thin to see but Xena and Gabrielle, with tears in their eyes, new that it slowly slipped into the other world, where they learned that their friendship couldn't be lost through hate.
That concludes this miraculous journey. Niko's secret was never reveiled through Xena, Gabrielle, or Serey. But his power did help the three later in their lives. If you are lucky, you will find out what happens in the next journey of Niko's life.
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