Part 4: Return

As they progress along the winding trail, the surrounding landscape transforms into a spectacle of vivid colors and enchanting sounds. The carpet of dry leaves gives way to a lush green blanket, while the melodious song of birds echoes through the treetops. The wind, gentle and constant, makes the leaves dance in a mesmerizing choreography.

Before them, an imposing structure emerges, erected like a silent guardian of the forest. The temple, adorned with Greek sculptures that seem to come to life under the sun’s rays, exudes an aura of mystery and power. Gabrielle, cautious, scans the surroundings for any sign of danger, but her curiosity is aroused by the magnificence of the building.

“Do you remember this place?” Xena asks, her voice thick with old memories. Gabrielle frowns for a moment, deep in thought. “I’m not sure… It looks familiar, but…” Before she can finish, Xena turns her attention back to the temple, a flash of recognition lighting her eyes.

As they approach the massive wooden doors, marked by scars from past battles, an inaudible murmur seems to echo in the air. Gabrielle raises an eyebrow, alert, but detects no sign of immediate danger. The noise, a distant, indistinct whisper, disappears as quickly as it had appeared, leaving them with a feeling of unease.

Gabrielle, meanwhile, watches her companion closely, detecting a subtle tension in her posture. “Did you hear that?” she asks, but Xena shakes her head in denial. The bard’s gaze drifts to the shadows around them, instinctively on guard against any unseen threat that might approach. A crack echoes through the air, followed by tense silence.

Xena stares at her companion for a moment, waiting for her to identify the threat. Suddenly, she notices her eyes widening, a hand raised close to her face, and a slight discomfort on her cheek. Xena tries to look at Gabrielle’s hand, and notices the contained danger, her bard’s hand holding an arrow.

The warrior takes the lead, pushing open one of the temple’s heavy doors, while Gabrielle remains vigilant behind her. The sound of more arrows being fired against the solid wood makes Gabrielle’s heart race, but she focuses on making sure the entrance is secure before allowing herself to relax.

With the door finally locked, Xena turns to her bard, concern etched on her face. “Are you okay?” Her voice is soft, but filled with care. Gabrielle nods, though she still feels tense at the proximity of danger.

A small scratch on her cheek is a palpable reminder of the threat they faced. “Yes, I am. Thank you,” she replies, forcing a reassuring smile. Xena, in turn, looks away into the interior of the temple, where ancient pillars stand like silent sentinels. Gabrielle joins her, their footsteps echoing through the vast, majestic hall as they explore the mysteries that await within the temple’s ancient walls.

Gabrielle remains in a state of attention, thus continuing to examine the warrior’s face, It was a close call… I have to concentrate… calm down Gabrielle… it was just a scare… The bard continues to notice that small red dot on the warrior’s cheek, from where a drop slowly runs, but uses a part of her sleeve to wipe it. Her warrior, raises a slight smile and holds her hand “Thank you…”.

“It’s a pleasure… always,” Gabrielle responds, smiling back. Xena turns her gaze to the vast hall, filled with pillars as tall as giants. Gabrielle follows her as she slowly moves through the room, feeling the decorations and ornaments, until she reaches a dusty table near the altar, and stares at the furniture.

The bard stops beside her. “What memory is she having… could it have to do with the priestess Lya? Strange that she hasn’t shown up, but this temple isn’t the…” Xena reaches for her hand, holding it tightly, this time intertwining their fingers.

“It was here… that… I almost lost you… and I saw your strength…” Xena remains staring at the piece of furniture, with an anguished look for a brief moment… Before Gabrielle realizes, she hears voices, explosions in the distance, some priests running between the beds, while attending to the sick dressed in combat armor.

In front of her, the warrior appears trying to help her bard, recently killed during a rescue attempt. “Heavens… it’s not possible… it was here that…” The bard remains paralyzed as she follows the anguish of that figure so similar to her, bedridden, but anxious for the attention of her savior.

The warrior walks away to speak to a soldier, whose tone begins to rise to a small argument. Xena follows Gabrielle, admiring the young bard in bed. “I shouldn’t have left your side…”

Gabrielle feels her heart race, fearing what is to come, then, suddenly, the young woman lets out a hoarse moan, seemingly unable to breathe. The warrior quickly returns and examines her, but that agony explodes into uncontrollable spasms. They both watch, feeling their hearts gallop between their fingers, their pulses becoming confused.

A few seconds later, the young woman stops, lifeless. Her warrior looks at her for a moment, fearing the worst, and tries to apply all her knowledge to revive her, but in vain. Gabrielle feels a tug and suddenly finds herself wrapped in it, this time stronger, but she feels the tremor that runs through her entire body.

Her eyes seek comfort as Xena calms down. “She’s here in front of you, alive! You know what’s going to happen, I don’t want to lose you, stay with me, forever…” The bard returns the hug, hearing from her beloved “Don’t leave me… Don’t leave me…”

Gabrielle realizes that her speech is confused with that of the rescue warrior. “Wake up…” Xena whispers as they watch the scene, at the same time as the figure grows more desperate, ordering the young woman to wake up, and her beloved watches, discreetly reproducing the action, lightly tapping her bard’s hand on her chest, until in a last attempt, the young woman comes back to life.

The warrior embraces her, releasing a contagious relief that reaches Xena and Gabrielle. “Your gaze, all this time… it wasn’t protective… it was caring… God… what luck!” The bard turns her gaze to her beloved. “Thank you…”

Xena returns the gaze. “I am the one who is grateful, for you existing.” Xena allows herself to sink into the bard’s protective arms. Their hearts beat in unison, echoing the shared relief of the young woman who is now safe.

“Are you okay, Gabrielle?” Xena’s voice is soft, but it carries obvious concern. Gabrielle nods, feeling the comforting familiarity of Xena’s embrace. “Yes, I am… I’m still shaking a little, but… thank you for being here… How I’ve missed this…”

Xena’s eyes meet Gabrielle’s, revealing a mix of gratitude and devotion. “I will always be here, Gabrielle. You are my priority, my fire in the darkness.” The bard lets out a soft laugh, causing the warrior to raise a puzzled eyebrow. She notices the confusion. “Okay… what was so funny?”

“Fire in the darkness, I remembered the young woman in Amphipolys…” Xena raises her other eyebrow in surprise, and lets herself be carried away by the untimely joke, accompanying her beloved’s laughter.

“Oh my… and I missed your good humor…” The bard then lets out a sigh and comments “And I of you… These memories are beautiful, but…” should I ask, I wish I could understand… What does all this have to do with what usually happens in the passage of dreams, where are my challenges and enemies? The bard stops biting her lower lip.

Xena shows a slight discomfort, arching an eyebrow. “You can ask, without fear, okay?” The warrior remains attentive and waiting. “Okay… I don’t understand something, this is my dream passage, shouldn’t there be challenges with past enemies, like what happened to you?” The bard shrinks a little, afraid of the answer, but her warrior raises a hand and fixes her hair, while she thinks about the answer.

“I would say so, but sometimes our greatest enemy is here…” The warrior pauses for a moment, and touches her heart. “There came a time when I had to face my darkness, and… you were the flame that lit me up…”

Gabrielle gives a surprised smile, but she begins to feel tired, the walls of the place begin to close in, while her beloved seems to move away. What is this feeling, what is happening? Xena notices the sudden discomfort, and holds her with her arms.

She is weakening… her body… her time is running out… she needs to finish her passage, before it is too late… “ Gabrielle… Hey… I’m here… You need to get to the exit of the passage.”

Gabrielle, seeing her blue eyes, full of concern, concentrates for a moment, and gathers her strength again. Xena follows her gaze, knowing her internal struggle, rooting for victory, but hears her whisper. “Not without you…”. The warrior looks at her, surprised and perplexed. “Let’s go, then…” The bard takes her hand and they head towards the exit of the temple.

“Gabrielle… remember, this is your passage, you control it…” Xena stares at her for a brief moment, raising a slight smile. “Our passage…” the bard adds. Looking around, they notice the exit to another clearing, and in it a high rocky wall, very similar to the one at the beginning of the passage.

“Come on, we’re almost there.” Gabrielle points in the direction of the exit and they both take off at a run.

Around them, the environment changes again, the birds’ chirping grows distant, until they disappear, the darkness of a moonless night quickly approaches, accompanied by absolute silence, except for the sound of both of their panting breaths.

Their steps are hard and dry. In the center of the clearing, they find a new figure, its silhouette only visible as a shadow in front of lined torches. The unknown form gradually reveals more details.

A tall, strong being, dressed in dark leather armor, with a beautiful appearance, with a sword at his waist. A laugh begins to be heard coming from this mysterious figure. As they get closer, they hear a booming voice: “Congratulations, welcome to the final test.”

Gabrielle feels her warrior’s hand rest on her shoulder, her gaze sharpens, trying to unravel the person’s identity. That laugh, the ironic tone in his voice, can only be… Ares? The figure hears her thoughts. “Very good, Gabrielle, surprise!” Ares opens his arms, introducing himself.

“It’s interesting to see what your decisions were, but you still haven’t found the key to get out… Tell me, what’s it like to be in her shadow?” Ares points to Xena, who stares at her with a piercing, probing gaze. “What do you want, Ares?” Gabrielle crosses her arms, waiting for an answer.

“What do I want… interesting question, I want what I’ve always wanted, a world ruled by a great warrior, leading it to peace and prosperity, but the focus here is on you, what do you want, hmm?” Her eyes open a little wider and with her arms crossed she stares at the bard.

Gabrielle remains silent for a moment, while Ares raises a hand and points to the left. “Very well, let’s refresh your memory…”. From the direction he pointed, two familiar characters appear, confronting each other in a heated argument, the resounding shouts echoing through the place, both feeling the vibration and the weight of the atmosphere deep inside.

“Gabrielle, she is evil incarnate, she will bring destruction to the world, she is not your daughter!” says the taller, imposing figure. However, she is confronted by her companion. “ She is my daughter!!!” That dark shiver begins to take shape within them, a tremor begins to be felt.

Suddenly the scene changes, to another room, another place… This time they are in a smaller house, decorated with furniture commonly used by centaurs. A boy remains seated near the altar, with long, slightly light hair, with a look similar to that of the warrior, the same blue eyes. Another appears, a red-haired girl, with green eyes, carrying a doll, appearing to be scared, seems to talk to the boy, soon after he seems to fall lying down under the altar, in a deep sleep.

Suddenly, someone opens the door and rushes into the room. “Solan? Solan… I’m here now, your mother is here now, please wake up…” The child doesn’t react at all. Gabrielle can feel the pain running through her, draining her life force like a lit candle melting.

A terrifying shiver is felt when they both hear that hoarse and desperate howl echoing for hundreds of meters, in denial of what happened.

Soon after, in a new environment, in a green pasture, they notice a young woman and a girl, the same girl from the previous scene, the young woman thinks before acting, for a moment she is reluctant, but gives her daughter something to drink, shortly after she lies down and remains inert, the young woman, lost in the midst of mourning, threatens to drink the same drink, but reconsiders and pours it on the ground.

Both feel and can hear every thought of the observed figures. For the warrior, the pain resonates with more intensity, her body reacts by shrinking a little, as if she were feeling something piercing through her. Gabrielle notices and wraps her in a hug.

“Forgive me… all of this was my fault… I thought you were safe in that temple… forgive me, this whole cycle started there.” The warrior’s voice emerges as a whisper, between moans and sobs. Gabriella nods in concern for her beloved. “Hey… calm down, it’s over, I feel guilty too… forgive me.” That scene fades away and another scene appears.

This time, in a tavern, a new jovial figure sits at the table while reading some scrolls telling stories about her mother, another person stands behind her, around her, three ghostly figures seducing the bard to act in revenge.

After a few moments, the blow is struck, and the reader now remains lying under the table, a scream is heard “Eve! No!” and the attacker receives a blow to the head, falling down and inert to the floor, while the young woman’s mother approaches. That feeling already present intensifies in both of them, and suddenly they are again before Ares.

“Look, Gabrielle… Those who love care, don’t hurt, am I right? And I believe that those were not such… pleasant moments, correct?” Ares walks around them “You are intelligent, think a little… was all of this worth it? So much suffering, so much pain, while you wanted to be like her, she saw you as a burden, a weakness, is that fair after everything you did, everything you gave up… for her? I, on the contrary, give you two choices: one, join me, and I will make you a queen, not only of the Amazons, but of the world and we will rule it for the sake of peace and prosperity, or choose… her, and remain only with her memory”.

Xena turns her gaze to Gabrielle, who remains staring at him as if he were a target, prey to be killed. Inside, she feels a shiver arise. This look, this fire that is emerging, I have to stop it, I feel it… she won’t be able to control herself… there is no turning back…”.

“The reason for all this was you… you were the one who orchestrated all this… I will not be your puppet!” Gabrielle raises her voice, eager to unsheathe her katana, but Xena steps in front of her, holds her shoulders and stares at her.

A penetrating look, full of peace, expressive enough to attract her attention. Come on Gabrielle, I can’t decide for you, don’t fight, please… remember the advice… don’t become what I have become… please! The bard slowly begins to relax her hands and smiles sweetly at her beloved. “Wisdom before weapons…”. Xena feels relief fill her, letting out a sigh.

“So, have you made your decision? Time is running out…” Ares crosses his arms as he makes an hourglass appear in the air, counting down.

Xena turns to him and moves to her side. Gabrielle remains looking at him for a few moments and nods. The hourglass freezes and Ares raises his eyebrows, waiting for an answer.

“I was responsible for the decisions I made… no matter the consequences… and the one who gave me strength was her.” The bard nods to Xena, who is slightly embarrassed. “I don’t care what you decide to do, the only thing I want is to be with her, forever, whether you like it or not…” Gabrielle then pulls the warrior into a hug, not caring about the cynical look he gives her.

“It’s decided then, very well… I didn’t want to have to do this, but remember, it was your choice.” Ares sighs, makes a gesture with his hands and disappears into thin air. From the top of the cliff, two very familiar figures descend, two warriors appear, whose appearance reflects that of Xena and Gabrielle, but carried by a dark aura, empty, dark gazes, only being possible to see the reflection of the flames of the lit torches.

The hostile duo approaches with a loose, relaxed walk, filled with a sarcastic smile. “Finally, we were thinking you wouldn’t make it this far…” Gabrielle and Xena, with a more rigid look, stare at them, silence prevails between the four.

“ Gabrielle, it’s very strange… that look of theirs is very familiar…”, Suddenly, she hears a voice. “ Yes… it looks a lot like… Alti’s look, don’t you think?” . Warrior and Bard meet their gazes, raised eyebrows follow each other, both can hear their thoughts. “ How are you… really listening to me?” The warrior, in apparent disbelief, remains waiting for an answer. “ Yes… I am listening, now, how I have no idea, but it’s a huge advantage… Let’s use it to our advantage”. Xena nods her head “ Okay, what do you have in mind…? (OK, that got redundant, but you understand me, right?)” .

The two remain in their positions, fists clenched, in a defensive position, Gabrielle further ahead of Xena who is still recovering her strength. “ Okay… last time, remember what she did… we need to find a way to persuade them, or some distraction…”

Gabrielle tries to imagine some alternatives, while Xena follows her, one by one, they are analyzed, however, the last alternative caught her attention. “ I liked that… we can take advantage of the environment, after all, it is our dream passage, we control it.”

Meanwhile, her opponents approach, but stop a few steps away. “I see that you have matured a lot, from a young peasant girl to a bard and warrior, such versatility… But your darling didn’t like it very much.”

The figure similar to Gabrielle hums. “And you, you were so strong and imposing, now, only melancholy and fragility… How pathetic, letting some random peasant girl give you orders, I would prefer if you hadn’t even survived the challenge of the corridor…” The other figure says in a rougher and hoarser voice.

Both remain silent, refusing to utter or show any response, only probing them with concentrated gaze. Their opponents, already impatient, draw their weapons, prepare their combat stances and try to approach, expecting a fierce fight, but they feel an invisible barrier preventing their advance.

They notice that Xena and Gabrielle remain motionless, but their bodies betray the physical effort, the strange tension on their faces.

Suddenly, the two figures begin to hear in their minds, “ This is not your territory, you have no power here, this is our dream passage… and we order you to disappear.” Xena and Gabrielle’s voices mix, and taking advantage of their enemies’ state of shock, they begin a slow advance. With each step they take, their attackers feel a tremor, and react as if they had been hit extremely hard.

After a few steps, their agony was already evident, and in a final blow, they both raised their heads, raising their arms for a last burst of strength.

With their eyes closed, they explored as much focus as possible, their images formed in their minds, and a smile was outlined, they heard screams of panic, mixed with moans, increasingly distant, but they remained in this effort until they could no longer hear them.

Their presence is no longer felt, leaving only the two of them, listening to each other’s heartbeats, as they relax, exhausted.

Gabrielle quickly tries to catch her breath, while Xena goes limp, panting. Her bard notices and runs towards her, this time in time to offer support.

The bard looks at her, being met by those longing blue eyes, filled with a hope never seen before. “Hey… how are you?” Gabrielle asks worriedly while Xena nods and smiles “Yes… Now much better.” arching an eyebrow. Gabrielle locks eyes with her beloved, their faces come closer and meet in a kiss.

Ahead of them, a solid wooden door with a wrinkled texture appears at the base of the cliff. Xena stands up with Gabrielle’s help and remains staring at that door, with deep seriousness.

She feels a burning in her eyes, and a tear escapes. Gabrielle embraces her in a hug, and feels her beloved’s heart gallop. “So that’s it…”. The warrior’s gaze does not contain the frustration, as if she were saying goodbye. ” I love you so much, my bard… I wish you could stay with me forever… oh, if only I could… but I will wait for you in your next dream… even if it’s just here, it’s enough for me.”

“Xena, calm down… this isn’t the end… come on…” Gabrielle smiles at her, and ends her warm embrace, the door is a few steps away and she starts walking towards it. Xena remains with a fixed, glazed look, struggling to censor her inner knot, to the point where she can no longer feel her body.

However, she sees her arm rising, held tightly by the hand of her bard, who pulls her towards the exit, suddenly she crosses her arm with the warrior’s, and following the impulse given by Gabrielle, they cross the exit together in one jump.

Gabrielle feels a peculiar softness under her back again, the right side of her body warmer, but she no longer feels her beloved’s embrace.

A confused feeling of tranquility and abandonment arises in her, but determined to overcome her sudden darkness. She opens her eyes, a little blurry, and sees at her feet, that gentle old man, accompanied by the young bard, looking at her in fear.

Before getting up, she hears a familiar snore next to her, quiet and deep. She turns around, realizing that she is not alone, that figure so close, lying in complete peace, her long hair spread out on the pillow.

She comes closer, so she can see his face, eyes closed, accompanied by an unconscious smile. The bard then gently lifts her beloved, reclining her on her lap, and while smoothing her hair, she remains nonchalantly looking at her, without saying anything.