Alone in the dark, Hanging from a long root over a pit of unending death. This was how Mavican was left, left by Xena, left by Aries. Xena the woman warrior that Mavican had believed she was destined to Kill and take the place of the warrior princess. All these thoughts burned in Mavican’s mind in a whirlwind of rage. That rage was broken by root beginning to snap free of the rock. Mavican looked down into the deep abyss and looked up at the root supporting her ripping becoming thinner. The choice a simple one jump to the next root and live or fall and die. Life or death. One or the other.

Mavican had never given up anything in her life she jumped for the nearest dangling root vine. The fates were not with her the root vine snapped sending her to the depths of darkness. In her frenzied fall she grabbed wildly for another root. She caught one and swing, but the root woundn’t take her to edge so she lunged toward the edge of the pit. Grabbing the pit’s edge with her fingers she clawed her way up to safety. There she collapsed into sleep.

With sleep brought dreams which turned to nightmares. Laughter ringing in her ears. Echoing in her mind. The laughter of Xena and Aries.

“Ha ha h aha ha ha! She begged for your help!” Xena laughed at Mavican.

“Yes she could never take your place. She wasn’t even worth the one night of pleasure compared to you!” Aries laughed.

Mavican awoke screaming her fury to an empty cave. Mavican rose off the cold dank floor to find a cloaked figure waiting in the shadows.

“Greetings Mavican I have come to offer you an alliance.” The man said in a deep powerful voice. Mavican enraged from her dream attacked the man. Mavican charged forward striking with her right fist. He made no attempt to block or dodge the attack. Instead he waved his left hand and produced a cloud of smoke which enveloped him.

Mavican the skilled warrior had put all her weight in her punch. It would have been a devastating blow, but her fist connected with displace mist.

“Now Mavican if your finished? Can we talk?” the man said from behind her.

“I’m just getting stared” Mavican shot back. She span around making a jump kick toward her enemy. The result was the same. Her opposite waved his hand and disappeared. “I can keep this up all day, but I came to offer you a deal that would, in time, bring revenge against both Xena and Aries.”

“I’m listening.” Mavican replied.

“My name is Baltar, I can get you out of this tomb in exchange for you loyalty.” Baltar said.

“I was loyal to Aries and this is where it got me Loyalty is earned not bartered away.” Mavican fired back.

“You were using Aries and he in turn used you as his pawn. I seek to stand beside you a war to build an empire.” So that you may grind the world under your heel. But first you must escape this cave and for that you will need my help.” Baltar said.

“I need no one’s help!” Mavican shouted back.

“Perhaps you could dig your way out of this grave, but as an act of good faith I will release you.” Baltar waved his left hand again producing the mysterious smoke, but this time it enveloped both of them. Mavican found herself standing facing Baltar, however, they were both outside the caved in entrance. Mavican a little disoriented looked at Baltar in the sun light.

He was dressed in a black cloak and beneath that wore a black and dark red robes. Mavican was curious about his left hand because of the mist and so she stared at it. Hoping to learn it’s power. While Baltar’s right hand was bare his left was covered in a black glove made of tough scaly leather. Once he saw her staring at his hand he tucked it in his cloak. He was tall and slender not a warrior Mavican observed, but he wore on his belt a sword with a tip that cured upward. Baltar brought his right arm to the hood of his cloak and insured that his left eye was concealed by his hood.

At the same time Baltar was examing her.

Mavican stood as tall as Xena and she had judged herself to be Xena’s equal in every way. She wore a brown leather armor with bronze metal rein enforcing her armor. This gave her protection without hindering her speed. Her sandals were of the same brown leather with bronze straps wrapping around her shins. On her arms Mavican wore the same armor from that connected to her shoulder armor and stopped at her elbows. On her forearms she had leather gauntlets that only left her fingers exposed. Mavican’s feminine features did not go unnoticed by Balter. Mavican had used this advantage with her opponents, because she had found that it was easier to defeat a warlord in the bed chamber than on the battlefield.

“So you wish to disguise an alliance Baltar?” Mavican said breaking Baltar’s study of physic.

“Yes… um,” Baltar begin trying to regain his train of thought, “Yes an alliance that would yield both our desires.” “Wait, ”Mavican interrupted, “you know what I want. What do you want?”

“I served a God once. This God granted me a position, power and certain abilities that you have observed. That God had a daughter and that daughter replaced me. So I was left alone to fend for myself in a cruel world. My former God was defeated time and time again by Hercules and Xena. I survived by stealing what I could. Waiting for the right events so that I might rise to a place of power once again. There is a young God trapped who awaits to awakened. With your help I can rise this God and then the world shall be ours.”

“Dealing with Gods can be dangerous. They do not always keep their end of the bargain.” Mavican said.

“True,” Baltar replied, “but this God or rather Goddess was born a mortal. She was a warrior that sought to lead her tribe. She was denied. Now she seeks to destroy that very tribe that she once desired to lead.”

Mavican paused at this new information. A warrior Goddess that had once been mortal. She had only dealt with Aries, but this warrior Goddess would understand her hunger for conquest better than anyone ever could. “That is my offer,” Baltar began, “but consider this fact that Aries left you far from any nation. With my help you will be in Greece in second, however on your own it will take you two years to find a town or village. Now do we have deal?” Baltar asked.

Mavican was only half listening to Baltar’s threat of abandonment. Her mind was preoccupied with the benefits of serving a warrior Goddess.

“Yes Baltar I accept your offer.” Mavican replied.

“Excellent,” Baltar said, “now I will teleport us both to the temple where you first attacked Xena. From there we will separate to gather both our forces for the journey ahead.” “Agreed.” said Mavican. Baltar then waved his hand and when the mist cleared they were standing in the temple. The priests of Dimeter were hard at work cleaning up the damaged statues, pillars and icons. One of the priests saw them, came to them and said “I’m sorry the Temple is closed to all worshippers until this rumble is cleared. I’m sure the Gods would like you to help out…” The priest’s voice trailed off as he recognized Mavican. “It’s her!” the priest yelled, “ she’s the one that caused this destruction! Run my brothers!” The priests all fled at Mavican’s cool icy gaze.

“Soon Mavican all of Greece will know the fear these priests have of you.” Baltar said amused at the priests locking the doors and barricading the windows.

“And then the world.” Mavican replied smiling at Baltar.

“One thing at a time.” Baltar said returning a smile of his own. “I’m teleporting to my people and I’ll bring them to join your troops here at this village.”

“Is that an order Baltar? Am I under your command now.” Mavican Enquirer.

“I like to think that you are under my guidance. Fairwell” Baltar said vanishing into smoke.

“Believe me Baltar you will know when I’m under you.” Mavican said to herself.