Hurt/Comfort Warning/Disclaimer: This story may be best classified as a Hurt/Comfort Story involving the charactes Xena: Warrior Princess and Gabrielle. Readers who are disturbed by or sensitive to this type of issue may wish to read something other than this story.

Love/Sex Warning/Disclaimer: This story depicts a love/sexual relationship between two consenting adult women. If you are under 18 years of age or if this type of story is illegal in the state or country in which you live, please do not read it.

If depictions of this nature disturb you, you may wish to read something other than this story.

NOTE: All works remain the © copyright of the original author. These may not be republished without the author's consent.

Any polite comments you would like the author to read send to J.A. Bard Short and to the point would be nice. Venting at the author is not advisable since the Muses protect their own. 8-)

Part 2

Alala went out with the first group of guards to assist with whatever information she had already learned on the village's defenses and weaknesses. Loris, Corita and Eleanor joined Aleka as they made their way in the darkness to the backside of the temple where there was another entrance. Every temple was built with the same sacred dimensions squared. Some were smaller but the basic layouts were the same. The escape tunnels however, were the only thing they differed in. The sacred numbers were as important for the energy of the building as the placement so its front entrance faced the east and the underground entrance was south.

The key moved easily after Loris coated it with something. As they moved cautiously down the darkened stairwell Corita's hand found the first torch. She lit it and they moved on at a faster pace. The tunnel twisted around and went further down into the core of the temple where, if they had a Pythia, she would have had her seat. However, this temple never had one, as it was not built on a power site, but the rules of building an acceptable temple were quite clear, power or no.

"It's around this corner." Loris hissed softly. They were all trying to make as little noise as possible as the passageway magnified any sound. Aleka halted the group and peered around the corner. A gray shadow was sitting in front of a door.

"It's about time, the she wolf remarked to Aleka.

Above the wolf was a torch that was at its end, sputtering as it gave out pathetic attempts of illumination. Aleka moved over to the door that was securely bolted on the outside and listened for any sounds. She could hear very slow breathing of two people in deep sleep or drugged stupor. She motioned for the others and took a step up the hall to listen to what she could hear on the other side of the next corner. It led up to a steep set of stairs. She was wondering how they could put a storage room near such steep stairs when she noted another room adjoining the storage room.

Corita had joined her. "It's the seers room. That door hasn't been opened since it was built."

Aleka could see the dust and rust on the door and floor around it. Recent footprints went by it.

Both went back into the room that Loris had opened. Eleanor and Loris had already moved from Lily to Agnes. Corita knelt next to Lily as her eyelids fluttered opened.

"Hey." Lily's voice cracked as she attempted to get her eyes to focus on Aleka's face. "Glad you could make it." She whispered in relief.

"How soon can we move them?" Aleka asked concerned resting a hand on Lily's shoulder. She could feel the women wince under her touch. By the looks of both women they had suffered the usual fate of people taken prisoners. She was hoping their injuries were not serious.

"Give us about a quarter candle mark. The herb has to take effect. They have nothing more serious then bruises. They're lucky." Eleanor whispered.

"Then I'll just take a quick look around. Care to be a tour guide?" Aleka whispered to Corita.

She smiled and gestured toward the door.

They crept up the stairs listening, careful to not make any sounds that would cause an echo, while the gray wolf ran up the stairs as if having nothing to worry about. They heard men's voices and one woman's coming from one of the rooms above ground. Corita led her to a secret room that buttressed up against the wall the voices were coming from.

"It ain't goin' ta go over well with the village if ya kill off all the people!" One of the men angrily pointed out.

"I didn't say they had to be from your village. You asked for protection from Mekor. I'm telling you what you have to do. There aren't any compromises." The young woman's voice reported briskly.

"We don't have any villages close by except Navito and they already follow your ways. Hades! I didn't hear them raiding any nearby villages for sacrifice." The man continued to argue.

"They don't advertise it." The terse voice returned.

Aleka thought it odd for a follower of any dark power to give a choice, especially when they've already spent a moon's full cycle of their time with them. She wanted to see who this young woman was.

"It's the virgin thing that's …"

"We didn't say virgins. You think there really are many of those!" The young woman's voice was sarcastic. "You just need bodies. Live ones."

"Ya have virgins on the mind, ya know?" A male voice pointed out sardonically.

"And one or two people aren't gonna do the trick. How many times we gotta tell ya that? Look, ya got those two women from the temple. You said the old woman that owns the inn ya wanta get rid of and there are a few more women staying there in her inn. Round em up!" The young voice told them matter of factly. "Get them out of that inn!" She emphasized.

"If we keep gathering women from this village we aren't going to have nothing but us men. That ain't something I'm looking forward to."

"You don't sacrifice all your women. You get the people that you don't need. That includes men. Didn't you say there's a few that disagreed with you on this?"

'Those women are paying customers. It may not be in my inn but they still are paying customers. If word gets out that visitors disappear here, we won't need protection from your god. We'll be just as dead to business as we are now."

One of the dark cloaks got up from his stool. "You came to us. If you don't want our protection, that's up to you." Suddenly the man turned on the villager grabbing him by the collar and pulling him up.

"But then, you may start finding people from your village or anyone visiting you gone." He warned in a lowered voice.

"Ya don't scare me!" The sound of metal scraping and foot shuffling could be heard. "I know how ya take them in their sleep. Ya can't get ta me! Now, get out!"

"You just made a very bad mistake." The deep male voice remarked casually.

"Hades codpiece!" Aleka thought. If those young recruits are set loose on the village there won't be a standing building left. What does he know to gamble against those odds?

Corita was shaking her head next to Aleka. Corita and Aleka listened as the temple emptied of its insolent visitors. Once the unwelcome guests left the two crept back down the stairs to the store room. Lily and Agnes looked better in the torchlight but Aleka could tell it was the drugs in their system that gave the appearance. They would probably both be hurting when the drugs wore off.

"We gotta get going. It seems the deals off with the dark cloaks." Aleka announced softly. "Don't know when the villagers will be back for their hostages but I think their value has changed."

Corita looked at Loris. "The old fool canceled the partnership with the dark cloaks."

Loris grimaced. "Was it the inn keeper, the one with the scar right here?"

Aleka and Corita nodded.

"Barbous. He and Paxter, that's Martha's ex husband, try to run this village like it's their mini-kingdom." Corita explained to Aleka, "One day they have this grand scheme and the next day its something else. For the one moon cycle we've been here this is the scariest scheme they've come up with. The dumbest was to kidnap one of Athena's priestesses and hold her for ransom. How in Athena's name they got the villagers to agree on this dark ones presence is a mystery."

"Well, these people aren't the type to take a change of mind." Lily mumbled between bruised lips. "We met two of them. An older man and a young woman with white hair." Weakly Lily touched her lips, wincing at the feel of the swollen skin, imagining the pain she would be feeling when the drugs wore off. This is not the fun part of this journey, Lily thought to herself ruefully.

"They have plans." Agnes sighed as she looked at Aleka. "They showed us the statue, their talisman." Agnes paused as she took a slow deep breath. She could feel her bruised ribs move at the expansion of her lungs. "I don't know what happened to Alala. They didn't know that we had attacked their friends but the idol had enough power radiating from it for me to know it can be brought back to importance as their talisman. They also have plans for Gabrielle." Agnes again paused for a breath as she tried to concentrate on what she had to say and walking. The drugs were making it difficult. "They referred to her by name. They've been keeping track of her in her dreams. That's how they have this village. They feed off the psyche when they sleep."

"Alala is back with us. Bruised but doing fine." Eleanor informed the two.

Aleka cursed Morpheus under her breath remembering a previous run in with him concerning Gabrielle. Is he the dark one? No, he can't be. This dark one was during Gaia's time. Morpheus is one of her offspring. Oh.

Corita patted Aleka's arm for attention. "That's not good. We need to talk more with Acheta." She said in a low voice.

Aleka nodded as felt Lily stumble. She put a firmer arm around her waist knowing it was going to be painful for her but it was better than carrying her. The Amazon's dignity would not put up with that. "They won't make any serious moves until it has more power. They have to be waiting for someone who can bring that power to a more focused point."

"That someone is Gabrielle." Agnes whispered hoarsely behind her as she walked on shaky legs with Eleanor's help.

"What do you mean?" That familiar dread was working its way up Aleka's spine and resettling in her stomach. She could feel Lily shudder against her.

"From what I gather, this dark one has been using the dream-state to capture souls for their energy." Agnes whispered. "Think as a shaman, Aleka. How many realms of the underworld are there?" She paused as she let the conversation she had overheard replay. "Gabrielle would be like a beacon of light in the dark realms."

"It would be like moths to a flame. That's how the white haired girl described her." Lily mumbled.

Aleka didn't bother to tell her of Morpheus' attempt at taking Gabrielle for a bride, which when all was said and done, didn't seem to have left bad feelings between the three of them, or so she had thought. Is this Morpheus' way of getting back at Gabrielle? It can't be. Artemis' and Athena would not allow it, to say nothing of Aphrodite, who would not admit it, but took a liking to Gabrielle. But then, did this journey that went back before her allegiance to Artemis nullify Artemis' responsibility to Gabrielle? You have too many Gods! This can get very complicated! Xena felt a pause in Aleka's thoughts as if she was pondering something. There are many realms in the unconscious. What do you mean? Sleep, death, initiation, and then there are the realms of the chthon. Chthon. Yes. I remember something about those realms.

The women left the temple out the back way. When they returned to the inn Aleka woke the priestess at Agnes's request. After both Lily and Agnes strongly ordered Aleka to take a nap Aleka allowed the tiredness that she had been keeping at bay to finally settle over her. Rather than go back upstairs, Aleka found a quiet corner to grab a few candlemarks of sleep. She was still a light sleeper and knew she would wake if any danger were near by. Or would she? A nagging fear that Aleka may interfere with Xena's hypervigilance surfaced as she let her heavy lids have their way.

Eleanor quickly gave her an update then explained about the poisoned darts. "But, we've got something that can counter the freezing up of the limbs." She rummaged around in her herb bag until she found a container that was glazed in dark green. She handed some soft succulent leaves to Alala. "Keep it in your mouth. When you feel like you've been hit with one of those darts, bite on the petal and it will release a sap that can keep your wits about you and counter the muscles from becoming like jelly."

Alala shook her head. "I wish I had that when I got hit."

She left again to pass the word to those on duty that they needed to keep a look out for the dark ones and that they were using darts. She sent the two priestesses on guard duty with their Amazon counterpart back to the inn. The Amazons would have to patrol alone this night. She made sure the Amazons understood when to bite on the leaf, giving them two incase they swallowed one before needed. Alala laughed to herself as she thought about the difficulty in keeping something in one's mouth when moving around in the dark. Unseen dips in the ground or the sudden appearance of a tree in front of one could easily make one bite ones tongue to say nothing of what else was in ones mouth.

Chapter 6

Aleka's dreams for that short nap were not comforting nor did they make sense. She dreamed of herself looking up a steep mountain whose peak was shrouded in thick white clouds. One side of the mountain was slate gray and had few easy to see handholds for climbing up its sheer side but Xena wanted to go up that way for it was more direct to the top and beckoned to her adventurous and daring nature. However, she had a group of young women who were not experienced with climbing that type of terrain so Xena was resigned to take the switch backs on the greener side. As she guided the weary travelers up the steep incline, she looked up once again to see if she could get a fix on their destination. A break in the white cloud cover revealed a small white building that was just as white as the clouds. It was the shadows between the pillars that caused her to see the difference and recognize it as a building. Then the view was gone as the clouds once more shrouded it from view.

Perhaps it was Xena's struggle to accept Aleka's memories of what the different realms of chthon represented that had her feeling like she was on an endless series of switch backs.

When Aleka woke she was quickly on her feet looking around the common room where she had chosen to nap trying to pull her scattered wits together. A small torch was burning; giving off shadows that swayed with the flickering as the last of the torches fuel was burning. Her nose picked up food nearby. She spotted a small covered plate near her table with a scrap of parchment tucked under it. Her heart picked up its steady beat. Was Gabrielle finally remembering who she is? She was surprised her hands were shaking as she reached for the scroll.

Aleka closed her eyes and let her heart go back to a normal rhythm. She was relieved when the handwriting was not Gabrielle's but Agnes'. Taking the plate and note over to the flickering light she sat down to read and chew her snack.

Agnes had forgotten something one of the dark cloaks had said off-hand to another and she wanted Aleka to know. Aleka's eyes caught movement from the stairs. She watched a shadow move quietly down the staircase. She recognized the movements as belonging to Alala. She was walking more loosely.

Aleka nodded breaking off half the bread and indicating the cheese on the plate. "Help yourself."

Alala gratefully took a big bite out of the offered bread. "I couldn't sleep."

Aleka reflected on Agnes's note and what they were going to do. She handed Alala Agnes' note.

"Hades balls!" Alala let out in a quiet exasperated puff of air. "She's been having dreams?" She asked Aleka.

"Yea." Aleka was thinking how to explain to Alala that Gabrielle had all sorts of dreams. Bad and good, which she knew about because Gabrielle could be as talkative in her sleep as she was in her waking state. She should have suspected with all the tossing and turning with no sounds coming from her sleeping lips that something was not right.

"So, she thinks Gabrielle is the sacrifice for tonight. If they are planning on reaching her soul though dreams, isn't there a way to protect her?" Alala paused, watching the interesting face that the flickering torch revealed. The blue eyes were bright in the reflected light. She wondered if that was how her eyes appeared to others. These were captivating as they flickered over her face in a quick study. "In Athena's temple we're taught that there are always solutions to every problem whether god contrived or not." She continued.

"Yea. There is." Aleka sighed, as she stretched her long legs out in front of her. "We're just getting cramped for time." Her face became still as she thought.

"If it's during dream time that the dark one will make its move, then most people fall into their deepest sleep time either two or three candlemarks after the moon reaches it's zenith." Alala thought out loud.

"Hmmm." The tall figure rose from her seat. "And I'm sure there's going to be a lot of them around her when she does go into dream-time, ready to snatch her body. We need to get her away from the inn. Everyone else in here hasn't been having any problems with their dreams, so this place is protected. We can't let the dark cloaks come in here in the off chance that their presence may change that."

"Yea. Sure bet. They have the talisman and soon the sacrifice needed to reawaken it." Alala grimaced at the thought that she had been making a lot of mistakes lately. She lost Gabrielle, who now can't even remember who she is, and she lost the talisman, which is going to make life real difficult for a lot of people. "Are you going to tell her?"

Aleka sighed as she studied the stairway to the rooms. "Iaia, Red, or Gabrielle," She emphasized with a smile, "will have to know. Besides, she mustn't think she's alone in those dreams." Aleka's face turned serious. "That's how evil usually works, through the loneliness of its victim." Aleka closed her eyes for a moment. Was it Aleka or Xena that was struggling with this inability to go to Gabrielle and explain what was happening? Gabrielle hated being left in the dark with matters that concerned her and now more than ever, Xena didn't want her to be.

Aleka took a deep breath. She needed to concentrate on her role as the Named. Her usual response to protect most anyone in trouble had kicked in by agreeing to become the leader to this group, or so the excuse she gave herself explained. However the overlapping feelings from Aleka and Xena were tiring. She had been using Agnes and Lily's observations to keep a steady perspective for she didn't want to pull the others into her own issues as Xena. However, combating this dark one of the dreamtime she had no confused thoughts on. The group was in agreement on this and would help the two villages free themselves from this dream enslaver. Aleka had an idea where in the lower realms that the dark one might be keeping the enslaved souls.

"I think while some of them are trying to trap Gabrielle, I mean Red, they may send the townspeople and some of their dark cloaks to keep us busy here."

Alala nodded. "Corita and Loris know about the rituals to protect against unwanted energy. Did you know that the innkeeper comes from a long line of shaman's?" She asked abruptly.

Aleka wasn't surprised. She had seen the she wolf. "That probably explains why whoever sleeps here is not touched." Aleka smiled, "All the shaman's I've known have been a little crazy." That brought a grim smile to her face.

"So, what about Gabrielle or Red? Most drugs would have worn off by now. People who are sensitive to one of the herbs have experienced memory loss but it lasts for a short time, days maybe."

"She may be remembering little bits and pieces. Every now and then it seems she remembers something. Agnes and Eleanor will keep track of her. They've had experiences in such poisonings." Aleka didn't want to say much more for she didn't want to have to explain to Alala the whole long story of the journey. She would rather Agnes do so. She was their spiritual advisor whereas Lily oversaw the guard duty of the group. Aleka was the leader however, and made the final decisions on what would be good for the group. So far it was working without too much trouble except for Lily's occasional disgruntled noises at Aleka's decisions that didn't agree with hers.

Chapter 7

Red's bedroll was near Erica's, so when the woman was awakened Erica had only to lean over and tap Red to get her up. Erica was careful not to startle her, for her staff was within easy reach and she knew her Queen was very good at using it, whether she remembered herself as the Amazon Queen or not.

Brona was quietly waiting for them in the common room. Her partner was noticeably absent. Aleka and Alala materialized out of the shadows as Erica and Red moved toward Brona who was chewing on some bread.

"We've found Agnes and Lily. Lily is sleeping and Agnes, hopefully, is resting." Aleka informed the women.

"Great! Athena's shield, but that really is great to hear!" Erica and Brona looked happy with the news as they patted each other on the back.

"Iaia?" Aleka called softly to the Bard who looked like she was partially awake.

"Ya?" She greeted brightly. She tried to appear wide-awake and rested but her body was protesting this early wake-up call and the good news about Agnes and Lily didn't give her any more energy.

"Have you mentioned to anyone that you've been having nightmares?"

She could feel her face flush. She had meant to mention it to Eleanor, but didn't want to add to everyone's worry so she had not mentioned it to her yet. Besides, the nightmares didn't disturb her this night. She shook her head. She didn't want to remember this evening's dream either. And how did Aleka know about the nightmares? Did Erica tell her?

"Ahh. No." She replied hesitantly.

"I wish you had." Aleka said quietly.

Erica looked from one to the other. "I sleep next to her and I haven't heard her have any nightmares." Actually, Aleka had warned her that Red usually talked in her sleep. As an Amazon warrior, Erica prided herself with being a light sleeper. Her fears that her other personality may be influencing her Amazon warrior abilities resurfaced.

"No. You would not hear anyone cry out from these types of dreams. The dark one works its evil where one can't cry out for help. It's what is happening to everyone in the village except here in the inn." Aleka explained to the three Amazons.

Aleka took a deep breath before going onto the next part, feeling the tension that Red was radiating. When she finished Alala filled in what she knew about the dark cloaks.

Aleka looked closely at Gabrielle seeing a stranger staring back at her and knowing she was not the Gabrielle she knew. Carefully she explained to her what part she was taking in the dark ones bid for resurgence into the upper world watching the colors around her head that indicated how she was emotionally feeling about it.

"I…I don't think I can do this." She whispered frightened. It was one thing to go into danger in the physical sense with a strong warrior type at your elbow, but to have one's dreams taken over. Thinking of the nightmares she had since meeting up with the dark cloaks with the exception of this night, made her frightened. The thought of facing the one-eyed man was scary. And then there's Morpheus. For some reason she felt --apprehensive. To go knowingly into another part of his realm --but Aleka said it wasn't in his realm. She took a deep breath as she tried to stop the shiver that her cold insides was experiencing. Yet, there was a part of her that wanted to take back her dreamtime. She smiled inwardly at this part that was like a warrior determined and loyal to - to what? A sudden realization that she may have put the others in danger by not mentioning her dreams had her looking at her hands that were entwined around her staff. She tightened her hold so the knuckles turned white.

Aleka touched her arm. "If it were possible to prevent putting you in any danger, I…"

"I endangered everyone." Red whispered in a stricken voice. Aleka realized it wasn't Gabrielle that was speaking.

"NO!" Aleka told her forcibly. "We are all in this together. We pull together." Aleka squeezed her arm and continued in a lower voice. "Guilt and feeling as if you are alone is how the dark one robs you of the will to fight. If you take this feeling with you in the dream-time you will become its tool!" Aleka gently pulled Red's body so that it was standing facing her only inches away. "It will try to make you feel that everything is your fault." Leaning closer she nearly whispered in Red's ear as if imparting a secret. "You can create your own reality in dream-time. You know how to do it."

Red held her breath as she let the feel of Aleka's breath on her ear sink down into her. It started a pleasant humming in her body. If felt somehow familiar.

Worried Erica touched Gabrielle's arm. "Red, if you can't do it we'll find another way. You have seen more darkness than most of us. There is nothing to feel ashamed about."

Red's eyes opened abruptly as the energy from Aleka changed with Erica's touch. Aleka stepped back releasing her. Red looked at Erica and patted her hand that was resting on her arm. She wondered if she would feel that way if she saw the eye that kept looking for her, the eye she had a morbid fear of it.

"No. I'll go. So, what happens?" She asked quietly getting a better grip on her fear and the pounding of her heart. She didn't want to think of what was causing her heart to beat so rapidly. Whether it was from Aleka's touch or the facing of the one eyed priest that she knew she would have to face eventually.

"In two or three candlemarks past the moon's zenith you will fall into a dream like state. They will try to pursue you in your dreamscape. We will take your body and find a safe place where we can began to weave our own patterns and attack them there where they think it is safe." Aleka explained.

"They don't know it, but they just showed us how to defeat them. In their dreams!" Aleka told her hoping it would give her courage. "The priestesses have been moving over to the temple since Agnes told us what they were planning. We didn't want to bring any attention to the men who are keeping watch over the inn so we've had to do it between their bladder breaks." She joked trying to bring a smile to the frightened face turned up toward hers. The emerald green eyes sparkled from the torchlight and Aleka held her gaze for a moment longer.

"The Amazons will keep watch to make sure that they don't suspect some of us are missing." She added to break the spell. Her voice was a bit hoarse.

"They'll know just by the body count." Red told her softly finding it difficult to not get lost in the dark centers that were surrounded by strangely familiar blue rings. Sighing she refocused firmly on what she needed to do. The eyes she was caught up in seemed to give her courage. So, she was the sacrifice the dark cloaks were talking about. She was a far cry from a virgin. She shuddered at the memory of another sacrifice she had been part of, closing her eyes and breaking the spell from the blues she had lost herself in. Who was she in this life that something that frightening had happened to? She could see an image in her mind's eye of her leaning over the railing of a ship tossing the contents of her stomach into the pitching seas with the arms of the dark haired warrior supporting her. Britannia.

Aleka rested a hand on her shoulder willing strength and love through the touch, watching concerned as the colors around Red's head changed.

"They won't get a body count. We're going to have them chasing themselves most of the time." Aleka remarked lightly, trying to bring a smile to Red's face. "Erica, you know the plan we had at that small town outside of Itchatia, that's the same plan." She told the worried Amazon.

Erica nodded. "Why didn't anyone wake me." She mumbled.

"You needed to sleep." Aleka told her smiling. "This is going to be a long shift."

"So, what now?" Red nervously asked.

"Go out on patrol with Erica. When we see you start to fall we'll grab you and take you to the temple to hide you until you wake."

"What will happen to me?"

"When you dream now, what do you see?" Aleka had taken the smaller trembling hands in her larger warm ones covering them with her strength.

Red took a deep breath feeling comfort from Aleka's gesture. The cold feeling that gripped her insides began to warm and her hands stopped shaking. She recounted the dreams and the environment she felt surrounded by while in her dream.

"You said there was fire on the other side of the cave you were hiding in?"

"Ya." Gabrielle couldn't stop the shake that went through her. "There's all sorts of cries and screams coming from there. I think that's where the one-eyed man lives."

She paused to let the trepidation pass. "It's a volcano but there's no road to get to it." She frowned for a moment. There was a road but it was far away from her.

"Hmm." Aleka's thoughts were on the description of the one-eyed man. The priest Xena had killed and left for Ares had only one eye. She had left him and the idol that was wrapped in the priest's robe under the tree, just as she had been instructed. Ares said he would take care of the rest. Her distrust of Ares to do something right flared up. He not only forgot to remove the idol but the one-eyed priest whom was now Gabrielle's tormentor. Ares doesn't like Gabrielle, she pointed out to herself. Aleka could feel parts of herself loosening and her sight blurred as Xena's wrath at Ares struggled to free itself from Aleka's consciousness. Stop!

A hand on her arm belonging to Eleanor brought her back. "Center yourself, Named." She told the tall woman calmly.

After a few moments when her sight cleared she smiled at Eleanor gratefully. "I thought you were going over to the temple."

"I came back to tell you we are ready." She turned to Gabrielle and touched her cheek. "We will be with you, just call us."

"Let me escort you back." Alala offered Eleanor. "I'll join you on the trail." She told Aleka.

Aleka nodded. She tried to keep her mind on the overall mission rather than of whom they were using for bait.

Chapter 8

Red moved a step forward at a time listening and feeling the nightlife around her. The need to relieve her bladder increased. Silently she carried on a chastising conversation with the determined organ. Looking around she headed for the dark outline of a bush. Nervously she giggled to herself that even in the darkest part of the night she still wanted the modesty of a bush to cover her personal attentions. Finished she covered the area with debris with her foot and looked around. In the darkness only the bare outlines of the trees against the canopy of stars were clear. Looking back closer to the ground Red let her eyes readjust to the different shades of black around her.

The air was different. She lifted her chin up and felt the breeze lift her bright red hair off her shoulders. There weren't any animals about. She closed her eyes for a moment and was about to whisper a prayer to Artemis but instead remembered she had a covenant with Gaia. Why Artemis as a first choice? She felt the pin prick of the dart and instinctively bit down on the leaf Eleanor had given her. They may have her dreams but they weren't going to knock her out like they had done when the dark cloaks first took her!

Aleka and Alala watched as Gabrielle sank to her knees then fall to the leaf covered ground. Dark figures quickly surrounded her. A torch was lit and it revealed a slim figure with short white hair. She gestured and the dark cloaks formed a circle around Gabrielle lying down with their feet out and their heads in the circle.

How convenient for them that she collapsed in an area they could set up their ritual, snickered Aleka.

The white haired leader stepped into the circle and jammed the torch shaft into the ground next to Gabrielle's unconscious body. Without checking to see what condition Gabrielle was in, white hair pulled out a small sparkling form and put it above Gabrielle's head. She took a position at Gabrielle's feet and sat down with her legs crossed at her ankles. Shutting her eyes she began a chant.

Aleka moved to Alala's side. "I can see the energy she's weaving. She's going to close the circle. You grab the body and I'll cover you."

Alala nodded. "Yes. I see it to."

The two were dressed in dark clothing to lessen the chances of being spotted. Alala made a gesture before jumping into the circle and had picked up the unconscious Bard and was out of the circle and into the surrounding trees before a yell was made. The spell in the circle was completed and those within would stay until dawn. That was what Acheta had assured them and a part of Aleka knew this was so.

The dark cloaks that were to protect their comrades came running toward the circle then scattered looking for the body that seemed to have disappeared. Aleka smirked as she led them to the first trap the Amazons had set for them. Erica was waiting with the anticipation of settling a score and the other Amazons hoped they would get their chance.

Aleka tried to keep her mind on overseeing the Amazons in their defense of the village and preventing some of the villagers that showed up to set the inn on fire too busy to complete their task, without hurting them. It wasn't until she could see Selene on her way out that she left Lily's side to check up on what was going on in the Temple. Eos was preparing for the dawn.

The gray she wolf had been restless and paced impatiently next to Aleka as she waited in the shadows watching the villagers and dark cloaks try unsuccessfully to torch the inn. When Aleka started off at a run to the temple the gray shadow was running beside her occasionally lifting her nose to the air. As she neared the temple her gut was doing its familiar twisting when Gabrielle was in danger. A part of her was relieved that there was still an intimate connection with Gabrielle and another was worried at what the feeling hinted at. Don't you get tired of always being on the edge? Xena didn't respond. It was the same question that she would ask herself, sometimes too many times in one day. But she always came up with the same answer… No. Well, sometimes. But I like the challenge and it's not as bad as it use to be. And…You have Gabrielle to fill in the void. She is more than that. Yes. I feel that. It's frightening to have someone mean that much and to live from day to day with your lives always in danger. It would be that way even if we lived in a village. There are bandits, raiders and a crazy neighbor to worry about. Yes, but it is so frightening to be so open to …hurt I was thinking of the loss. Xena thought about the death of Iaia that Aleka had watched from another place. She realized that after her death she had wandered after Iaia out of remorse and out of fear for her safety. Aleka had seen Iaia's future when she sat close to her on the log.

Xena almost halted in her tracks. Aleka had seen Iaia's future! Why didn't she see the groups? She knew she couldn't see the groups for Iaia's future was so vivid before her that she would have remembered seeing the groups! Aleka remained silent to Xena's curiosity.

Chapter 9

Even as Iaia felt the drug from the dart rush through her veins she also felt the counter effect as the burning pain became a dull throb throughout her body. It was so quick. Before her was the familiar cave she had come to know during her captivity by Malucu.

The heat from the volcano on her back reminded her what she had to face. She turned to face the fire that was burning on the mountain. The cries and sometimes screams sent shivers of fear down her back. Looking down at her hands she found herself looking at long thin fingers covered in rings. Iaia's hands. Looking back up at the smoking and fiery mountain peak she remembered her promise to Gaia.

There were souls that belonged to Gaia imprisoned in a fortress beneath the volcano. It had once been hers and a usurper had seized it. This power that had encircled her flames beneath the mountain had tried through the ages to take possession of the flame with human sacrifices but had not succeeded. Now it was back and again trying to possess this eternal flame using the light of one of Gaia's own followers, her. Iaia could feel the fury build up in her at the thought that she was being used against Gaia whom she had sworn fealty to, to atone for her naivete in the deaths of innocent lives that were dedicated to her. She felt a hand on her shoulder and she started. Turning she looked into the yellow eyes of a stranger.

"You must not let your anger be used against you. Remember the end does not justify the means!"

The figure was gone and Iaia was alone again. She was use to being alone.

Standing closer to the edge of the cliff she could see a path that was at the bottom of the cliff that wound its way toward the volcano. She could see no way to get down to the bottom without doing damage to herself. Too bad she couldn't fly. That thought almost had her giggling. Hmm. Now what would the raven-haired blue eyed warrior do? She thought amusedly.

The force from the impact knocked her off her feet and sent her tumbling down the steep embankment that she had been standing on. She had thought it to be a cliff! She didn't know for how long she fell and rolled but between the bruising from the outcroppings and the tumbling end over end, she was a dizzy and battered mess that came to a rumpled heap at the bottom of the dry riverbed. She lay still trying to let her scattered wits and breath get back to some semblance of normal. As her breathing calmed she took an internal inventory. Surprisingly no broken ribs, just tender.

Moving her awareness to outside of her she looked carefully around realizing there was deadness all about her. Rising she heard no sound. Experimentally she picked up a stone and tossed it against the side of the wall. She watched as a small dirt slide started down the side but there was no sound from the movement. Iaia put her hands to her ears and thumbed them. Nothing. It was very strange to have been experiencing the waking world with senses that were acute to her surroundings and now she heard and felt nothing outside of herself.

Well, that push was an obvious hint to get a move on.

The sides of the dried riverbed rose too high around her for her to be able to climb out. In fact there was no where to get a foot or hand hold to climb out. Looking up and down the riverbed under a pale light she could see no evidence of whom or what had knocked her into her present situation. Resigned she headed toward the volcano.

Debris from a long ago flood started to make her passage tedious, as she had to climb over old farm equipment or the bones of animals she didn't care to recognize. At one point she came to a set of ribs that were larger than her forming an arch over debris that looked better going over than through. She gingerly placed her feet over what appeared to be large spinal column of some long ago creature that even her warrior friend would hesitate to confront.

Time, she reminded herself. As she increased her speed she made a mental note to look for something to use as a staff. Not long after the thought she looked up to see an owl sitting on the branch of a dead tree that had been caught up in a flood. Below the owl were broken branches of varying lengths scattered about the tree that laid on its side, partially buried under the hard packed dirt. Without connecting thoughts to action she quickly found a branch that would make an ideal staff for her size. As she continued she idly twirled it receiving comfort from the familiar habit. Her rings however were cutting into her fingers. Stopping her twirls she leaned the staff against her shoulder and started to pull off the rings. She put them in a small purse that was in her waistband and resumed her walk.

The heat increased and the darkened sky caused everything to be in shadows. Rounding another winding curve of the river embankment she faced the opening of what was once an underground outlet for the river's water. Iaia paused as her heart started to beat frantically. In the gray light from the overcast she could see the black opening in the side of the volcano and knew this was where she had enter.

After taking a moment to steady her heart she stepped into the opening and found her own body acted as a soft light in the dark tunnel. She chuckled to herself and thought of the usefulness of this ability. Well, I can't get lost in the dark and that dark haired friend would always know where I was. She frowned. So would everyone else. She wouldn't be able to do anything unseen in the dark. This definitely has its disadvantage.

The soft radiance from her being bounced off the smooth walls revealing scenes taken from peoples lives. Iaia paused to study some of the now faded scenes.

Iaia raised her head suddenly. He knows I'm here! For a moment she let the panic creep up her limbs numbing them with her fear.

Iaia!

Iaia closed her eyes knowing whose thought that was. Eleanor was watching over her.

All right, get a grip. I can do this. She encouraged herself.

She felt his pull and this time she didn't fight the attraction. She passed innumerable darkened passageways that fed into the tunnel she was in. It didn't take too long for her to get confused with where she was going. It was a dark labyrinth. She was getting close for the nefarious energy that she associated with the presence of the one eyed man was getting more intense.

Because the soft glow her body provided did not let her see too far ahead of her the end of the tunnel seemed to come upon her suddenly. A great glowing cavern opened before her emitting a heavy blanket of heat. For a moment she stood just inside the entrance and let her body adjust to it.

The lip of the fire pit was only ten strides from the entrance, which she tentatively stepped up to look around her. With mixed feelings of awe and fear she studied the fire from the restless volcano that was bubbling and spiting up globs of the molten liquid in the pit below her. Her memory flashed on another experience she had of dangling over another molten river with her friend's firm grip pulling her back up from a sure death. She closed her eyes when another memory quickly over lapped of her falling down into a fire pit. The heat from that flame burned her deeply. Quickly she opened her eyes and stepped back from the edge. Those aren't Iaia's memories. She thought to herself with conviction. This Gabrielle doesn't lead a quiet life.

Looking around her for some sort of clue as to what she could do she noticed along the walls that circled the vast underground cavern were what appeared to be sculptured statues of people. One side had only children.

The figure of an old man dressed in priestly garb materialized abruptly beside her. She felt no fear. Here at last she could face her one eyed tormentor. Seeing him wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. Iaia stood still while the man circled her puzzled at her lack of fear and his inability to seize her. He used his impressive looking staff with a large sparkling jewel at its top to tap the air that surrounded Iaia like a protective invisible bubble.

As if she knew what she was doing, Iaia raised her own staff and pointed first to each direction of the compass then below her then above. In her mind she sang a song to Gaia. She held her staff out turning in a slow circle mentally hearing the musical chants that she was unfamiliar with. When she had completed the circle she rammed the bottom of the staff into the ground. The ground below her quivered but she felt no danger from the priest whose increased frenzy was not missed by her. Turning to face him she heard a great rumbling as the figures that dressed the walls around them started to crumble with a roaring effect. The protection that was around her disappeared leaving her off balance as she felt the energy around her change as a cloud of dust from the collapsing wall figures descended upon them.

The fury of the priest knocked her to one knee and as the dust cleared enough for her to see, Iaia instinctively pulled her staff into a defensive position. The priest raised his staff in triumph to bring it across her unprotected skull but Gabrielle's skills at staff work kicked in and she let the blow's force slide off her own staff. The priest pulled back surprised but did not stop his attack. Iaia was back on her feet. Both warily stalked each other in a tight small circle with the priest trying to find a weak spot in her defense. She needed to get out of the cavern for the trembling ground below her warned her that it was not a safe place to be.

Iaia did a sweep with her staff and then gave an extra whack that Gabrielle would not have done, sending the falling body on an extra roll. She whipped the staff back and knocked the old man's staff out of his hands, hooking it around hers then tossing it into the molten fire below. Her feet were knocked from under her and she felt her own staff loosen from her hands as her attention became focused on preventing herself from falling too close to the edge. A tight grip on her ankle prevented her from going anywhere until she kicked the hand loose.

Iaia rolled free and nearly stopped in her struggle to escape as she beheld the skeleton of a man in a tattered robe whose bony fingers reached out to grab her. His robe hung like a giant sack. The old man had become a child's nightmare of death.

Iaia grabbed a handful of the robe and pulled, intending to pull him and her into a roll so she could toss him over her shoulder, however the skeleton had strength and she could not budge him coming away with torn fabric in her hands. Iaia was pulled toward the skeleton so that her eyes were level with the eyes of the skull. They were reflections of the fire from the molten liquid below them.

Don't look in the eyes! A voice in her ear quickly warned her. Iaia felt herself being picked up and lifted over the head of the skeleton, taking away the attraction of the eyes. Iaia kicked the bony head with her heel and was rewarded with seeing the skull bump and roll over the rim and into the pit below them. With one hand she reached for a wrist that was holding her off the ground as the two made unsteady progress toward the edge. She had a feeling the skeleton was going to jump in with both of them. She wrenched the wrist, which broke and her body slumped and slid to that side when the support was gone. Rolling free and pulling on the wrist that still held her tight she twisted and pushed the bag of bones aside. On her feet quickly she ran back toward where she had thought she had entered the cavern but lost her sense of direction all too quickly once in the labyrinth.

Frantic as the ground was trembling more she paused a moment mumbling a silent prayer to Gaia. Sound came from her mouth! That meant most of the spell was gone! Loudly she started a chant, the one she had heard Aleka say when opening the portals. A small glimmer in the darkness a head of her gave her guidance in which direction to take, or so her faith assured her.

Sounds started to become more noticeable as what was a soft rushing noise increased to a loud pounding, which vibrated in the walls and the ground. The ground rocked beneath her feet sending her to her knees. Both her knees and palms felt scraped as she skidded into the side of a moving wall. Iaia used the side of the unstable wall to regain her feet. She was only able to see a few steps ahead of her and was suddenly looking at a pile of freshly toppled rocks and dirt creating an impassable wall. The dust from the movement in the tunnel was beginning to become too thick for her to breathe without putting her long sleeved cloak over her nose and mouth.

Turning around she looked for another way out but there was no silvery light showing another way. Iaia again tried to vocalize the chant she had been using but the dust was too thick to take a breath. Another strong shake sent more rocks falling into the tunnel before her and Iaia found herself backing up quickly to avoid the falling debris.

Another sharp shake and she was tossed against the side of the wall. As she slid down the wall she wondered how she could be knocked unconscious when this was a dream. Aleka had told her she could control the dream since it was hers. Well, then, she wished her friend who could do just about everything would come and help her.

Chapter 10

Aleka found the entrance to the back of the temple guarded by Grace who gave her the directions to the room the others were in. On Aleka's way to the temple the knot in her stomach was twisting painfully. As she ran down the tunnel toward the seers room, she was feeling her connection with Gabrielle strengthen as if her life was in danger, or was it because Xena's personality was asserting itself because of her worry?

The room where the priestesses where sitting in was emanating a power so strong it was tangible. She pushed open the door and rushed in looking around frantically for any signs of trouble. Agnes, who was still a little weak from her own ordeal, was sitting outside of the circle. She rose stiffly and made her way to Aleka.

"We can't get her back." She told Aleka softly, least she disturb the concentration of the others.

"Why?"

"We don't know. She defeated the one-eyed priest. We witnessed that. But something is preventing her from returning. We had her until suddenly it was like a key turned and we no longer could feel her."

"Can't one of you go after her?"

"No. We have no ties that we can trace her with."

Aleka looked at Agnes. "What do I have to do?"

She placed her hand on Aleka's arm. "It's very dangerous for you to go."

"I'm going."

Agnes nodded. "Named, step into the circle. I will open a door for you. Think of her and a sound that you feel best describes her."

Aleka nodded. The reminder to stay focused as the Named was appreciated. She was familiar with opening circles of power, both as Aleka and Xena. She took a slow deep breath and thought about Iaia and Gabrielle and the person that she had been seeing for the last few days. A wonderful warm sound came to her and Aleka hoped it was not from wistful thinking from both her personalities but rather what Red vibrated to. Aleka hummed it low to see if it felt right. As soon as the energy that surrounded the women abated for a brief moment she stepped into the circle and keeping her eyes opened felt as if she were walking inside the funnel of a whirlwind. She lay next to Gabrielle's inert body in the center of the circle placing her hand over the smaller one feeling the love fill her heart as she continued humming the sound for her friend.

The silver wolf, Aleka's dream body, had only taken two steps through the tunnel when she felt the sudden shift of the earth beneath her paws. She nearly tripped over something that was glowing in the dust filled space. With her nose she prodded the unconscious form. The entire tunnel moved as if it were to collapse soon. The dust was so thick Aleka didn't dare take any deep breaths. She grabbed a part of the dusty fabric on the unconscious form ignoring the dirt in her mouth. Mentally she pictured Agnes and thought of a sound that would represent her. The growl in her furry throat startled her as she closed her yellow eyes to protect them from the dirt that was thick in the air. Again the tunnel appeared and the gray wolf dragged Iaia's still form back through. They both fell to the ground on the other side.

Aleka woke to find a cool cloth over her forehead. She sat up quickly looking around her. Red was sitting up resting with a cold cloth across her eyes. Occasionally she would cough as if her lungs were still filled with dust.

"She's weak but she's doing okay." Agnes told her as she took the cloth from Aleka's fingers. "We need to get back. Lily sent a message that the townsfolk have all waken up as the sun came up."

"Good. How's everyone else?" Aleka asked softly, letting her eyes rest on the tired priestess.

"Erica had said the dark cloaks that were in the circle had roused themselves as if they had bad hang-overs. Two of the Amazons followed them as far as the main road. The white haired woman was leading them back toward the fire pit letting her displeasure be heard.

"Is there any danger?" Aleka asked hoarsely. She coughed to clear her throat.

"We don't know yet. We'll probably know tonight. For now, most of us need to get some sleep."

Aleka nodded. Eleanor gave her a hand as she rose. The rest of the women on queue also rose and started to move out the door. Eleanor returned to Gabrielle and helped her to her feet. She looked pale but her eyes were bright and they flashed Aleka a look that made her feel better. She followed Agnes back out of the temple.

Alala was sitting inside the back passage way keeping a careful eye out around the entrance.

"See anyone?" Alaka asked.

"Yea. A group of dark cloaks looking pretty sickly." She smiled.

"They passed by?"

"The pit can be reached by a shorter route by cutting across the silver groves over there." Grace pointed out. "Corita had warned us to be careful for that reason."

"We've been lucky so far." Alala told them.

"We should be. I think Acheta has been protecting us with some minor spells. We'll have to thank her." Eleanor told her as she moved to the door to also peer out.

"How are you doing, Iaia?" Eleanor asked placing a hand on the young woman she was assisting.

"I can use a bath and lots of undisturbed sleep. That is, sleep without dreams." Iaia mumbled tiredly.

Everyone nodded.

"How many baths do you think they can get going at one time?" A wistful Eleanor asked.

"They have a large communal tub in the building behind the inn." Alala volunteered. The others brightened at the prospect of not having to wait.

Acheta must have known that the tub was going to be in great demand for she had it warmed and lots of buckets available for the women to do a quick wash before jumping into the larger tub with the Amazons that were already lounging around. As more bodies proceeded to climb in the women who were in the longest reluctantly gave their places up, but willingly helped scoop out the warmer water to make room for the hot buckets of water that were delivered.

Aleka was too tired to wait and did a quick body wash from a bucket feeling as if her skin was coated with dust, then fell onto a pallet that Lily had pushed her toward. This time she dreamed more peaceful dreams, though she didn't remember them when she woke four candle marks later.

Chapter 11

Iaia felt as if she was coated with the dust she had been breathing in her dream body and wanted to soak for a long time. Eleanor had to finally drag her out of the tub as the water was cooling and she was falling asleep.

Erica was already sound asleep on her pallet and the women who were not on duty were all in various stages of sleep.

After four candlemarks Aleka rose and relieved two of the Amazons. Alala and Lily had also awakened and they also took over posts for the exhausted guards that were struggling with their double duties.

Aleka visited the barn and checked on the horses stopping to spend some time brushing Argo. She enjoyed the mare's happy noises at her as she tickled her nose or scratched behind her ear. She had picked up an apple at the inn and though it was a bit dried looking she knew Argo would like that better than not having one. She finally took her leave and headed out toward the path behind the Temple to watch for unwanted visitors.

For the next two candle marks she moved around in the trees looking for any sign of movement around her area. The only visitor was Lily who moved from limb to limb, tree to tree at a good pace and with practiced ease. Aleka smiled for the Amazon Ambassador was picking up the skills she left behind when she became an Ambassador. A smirk on Aleka's lips appeared. I hope she doesn't use them on Lesbos. I know a lot of women that would be very upset that their private meetings in the woods were being watched.

Lily stopped on a limb that was near Aleka's, smiling in the dim light as the winter sun was dipping behind the surrounding mountains.

"Coming in for something to eat?"

Aleka nodded and took one last look around. She could already hear the sound of feet running across branches as another Amazon was taking her place.

"We'll bring everyone in tonight. I would rather we stay closer around the village." Aleka told Lily. Lily nodded and made a quick sign to Brona who was relieving Aleka.

Aleka nodded at Kynthia, Brona's partner who was not as comfortable in trees as her Amazon partner and was gripping the trunk as she looked around.

Completing another cautious look about them, Aleka dropped softly to the ground with Lily close behind her. In winter, daylight didn't last long so the energy level of the women would be high this evening. That was good because they would busy, she suspected.

"You think we should expect trouble?"

"Yea." She was quiet for a moment as the warrior side of her appraised their situation. "We have a few options. We can wait out tonight or make a visit of our own." She glanced at the Amazon next to her. "I'm sure somebody is upset by last nights turn about."

Lily nodded letting a big grin cover her face at the idea of doing something besides sitting around. The longer she was out on the road the more she relished the change of life. The idea of going back to her previous privileged life with a lot of responsibilities that covered mind games and few physical, made her tired just thinking of it.

The pair walked into an inn that was full of excited women and children. The noise was deafening. Erica who was keeping an eye out for the two women, motioned to them when she spotted them.

"What's going on?" Aleka hollered above the din while looking around to gauge the atmosphere. The women were excited about something. The children were merely picking up on their mother's excitement.

Aleka spotted Iaia in the middle of the loud group listening and asking questions. Her eyes didn't lift to meet hers, which in the past, as Gabrielle, they had always had that connection.

Must be losing my touch, she thought ruefully and not without some trepidation.

"It seems they woke up this morning feeling like they've been in a bad dream for a long time and now they are free. Acheta said she had weaved a spell around all the women and children to protect them from the dark one when she learned about the agreement the Reeve had made with the dark cloaks. At the time, she didn't know about dreamtime being a trap but her spell protected them from being taken completely as the men folk. But it didn't protect them from going into a deep sleep." Loris explained as they settled at a back table.

"That's why they wanted your friend." Corita gestured at Iaia who was slowly making her way out of the crowd. "She was going to be the light to guide these women and children toward the dark ones side."

"But why her?" Lily asked exasperated.

Aleka remembered the soft glow of light she had nearly tripped over in Iaia's dreamscape. It was Iaia's form she had pulled back into their circle not Gabrielle's. Aleka was conscious of the increase of her heartbeat as she watched Iaia stop to listen to a small child. Xena was aware that Aleka was fighting with her feelings for Iaia. She didn't have a husband to worry about now and coupled with Xena's closeness to the Bard in this life, it was going to be difficult for both of them to stay focused on their responsibility to the group.

Corita looked at her hands for a moment as she gathered her thoughts. "I have been a priestess for a long time and have been to many lands."

Her voice brought Aleka's attention back to a greater problem.

"What I have learned is that there are people whose kindness of heart is so evident that they would be beacons of light even in the dark landscapes in the dream realms. What land these people are from or what goddess or god they follow doesn't make any difference." She looked up at Lily then deeply into Aleka's eyes.

"There are different regions in the dream time." She began to explain in detail, "Eros guides seers in this dark underground of dreams and will guide those that know how to call for his help into a place where visions and dreams can give meaning to a problem the petitioner is facing in the waking life. As a priestess I have taken the role of the guide in many instances and have heard of a realm that few return from. It is believed that Thanatos has taken many dreamers into a realm this Dark One has taken residence and ownership of. Normally it is Hypnos that oversees the dreamer in Morphuse's realm. I am sure it is in an area that the Greek gods are not familiar with for Athena has not heard of any problems concerned with our mortal sleep." She paused to gauge her listeners processing of the knowledge she was imparting.

"There is another region, an older realm of Gaia's where priestesses and shamans would go that were not strong enough to pass various trials of their crafts. It was called the Realm of Desolation. This may be where the Dark One is. Acheta knows about it. There is a city of stone that had at one time been a learning center where the Seeker would go into a sleep to learn. I think this place is very near the Realm of Desolation, which was how many got lost and did not return. Not even today's gods are permitted to enter the library without invitation and not without a fair amount of courage. The spell that was cast would only allow those that were ready to bear the information they stood to receive on a visit to that dreamscape. I only know of a few who have entered the sacred library and not go mad with what they had waken from, if they had awakened."

"What happens if they don't wake up?" Gabrielle asked in a small voice.

"Their body withers away." Corita turned to her. She smiled at the tired face that was regarding her wondering how much more the small woman was going to have to give of herself.

"Why haven't the gods done something about it?" Erica asked.

"Why? The power that protects it is older then they. Athena and Artemis will every now and then meet near the city and lay wreaths of flowers in memory of the one time they were permitted into the city. Neither wants to revisit."

"How do you know this?" The young red head asked in awe.

"All of Athena's priestesses have a special connection with their mentor. Mine has been in the historical fashion. I was at one time hoping to be granted the blessing of being able to visit. But, that is another story."

Lily cleared her throat and didn't dare look at Aleka. This was something to think about. It certainly was a lot more complicated than what she had known only one season ago.

Agnes and Eleanor approached the women with a pot of food. The innkeeper followed with a trencher of mugs and ale.

Aleka watched Iaia covertly as she busied herself with a loaf of bread and passing the pot of stew to the next person. Iaia's face was a study in concentration as she mechanically ate and offered no conversation. With her hyped up hearing Aleka wondered how much of the conversation she had heard. She was going to have to ask more about the stone city. Something clicked when Corita talked about it and she wasn't sure why it was important. Iaia also showed more than idle curiosity. But then, Gabrielle had a passion for visiting libraries. But her experience with Gabrielle told her that something was bothering her about the stone city.

As they settled down others started to trickle over to their table. The women and children left as it was getting darker. Aleka tapped Lily on the shoulder and reminded her of pulling the women in. Lily nodded and gave one of the Amazons the sign. She left her plate and hurried out the door.

"Trouble?" Agnes asked as she watched Lily and Aleka.

"Why do you ask?" Aleka raised an eyebrow curious how much the young woman was aware of.

"I can feel something in the air. The others are also feeling something when they were out on patrol and just walking around the village." She answered smiling at their leader and teacher, knowing that the question was asked to test her alertness.

Aleka nodded and finished what was in her mouth. Thoughtfully she placed her hands on the tables edge as if to center herself. "Clorita gave you an idea about the realms in the dreamscape that aren't visited by the gods of today for one reason or another. These realms are grouped under the name chthonie. Chthonie came into being when Zeus and Chronos forced their way into power and Gaia was moved out of her sole rulership. Ga-chtonia became the sacred underworld of the shamans for their initiation journeys. Hypnos knows of only the entrance to chthonie but not the way through the labyrinth of passages that lead to the various realms of this underworld. It is the world of the mystics and shamans that go beyond Hades, Zeus and Hypnos' experiences. Chthonie is still under Gaia's influence and protection. It is in one of these realms that this dark one is residing in and has been doing its business. The idol is its attempt at getting a better opening to the upper world, our waking world. Sort of a key to the door."

"Why can't we just visit the fire pit and be done with them all including the idol?" Erica asked exasperated.

The innkeeper was standing nearby with another pitcher of ale. "That place is not the best place to be visiting. It's too close to the gray city."

"Why, because they've taken it over?" Erica asked.

"Ahh, no, lass. They would not be in the City. They would have taken residence in the caverns and tunnels near the pit. The city is made up of grand buildings carved in the gray soft stone. No one knows really who had done all that work, but there is a spell on the place. Those that challenge the spell and spend the night don't always come back in their right mind."

"There's a gray city there?" Gabrielle asked excited that someone knew more about the city.

Everyone sat without taking a breath. It had to be the stone city Corita was hinting at.

"Aye. But you don't wanna go there." Acheta told Gabrielle firmly, as if reading her mind. She nodded toward Corita and Loris. "They know 'bout the place. Ask them. They call it the City of Stone. Some of the older folks call it the City of Dreams."

Iaia was silent as the pot of lamb stew was passed her way a second time which she mechanically took and refilled her plate. She remembered a dream she had before the haunting dreams of the one-eyed man. It was of a city made of gray stones that were in various sizes and shapes resembling cones. Carvings graced the outside and insides of the homes and various establishments the stone shelters served as. Even the stables for horses were elaborately carved from the stone. She had thought it was bazaar until now. She hadn't had any dreams of the one-eyed priest since she slept in the inn but dreams of the gray city had replaced the scarier ones. A strong urge to get up and leave the inn to visit the stone city was becoming more difficult to suppress. She had awakened several times from her dreams twitching to move but she had so far resisted it. Now that she knew this city actually existed and it was near by, she was worried if she would be able to resist the impulse to visit it.

She wanted to tell Eleanor earlier but everyone was too busy and she had forgotten about it as the day wore on. She had developed a close friendship with Eleanor and her friend Erica and found their conversations about the journey enlightening, to say nothing of the relief she felt that she wasn't alone with her strange feelings.

Aleka was studying the dark circles that appeared under Iaia's eyes. They appeared darker when she held her head at certain angles. She should have gotten rest with the defeat of the old priest, yet she looked even more tired. Agnes and Lily were also studying her. Corita followed their eyes and frowned. The young woman was looking like the men in the beginning of their infatuation with the dark one.

"Iaia?"

She tiredly lifted her eyes to focus on the familiar blue eyes letting the image of the gray city fade.

"What have you been dreaming about since you've been here?"

She shook her head and tried to tell her about the urge to leave the inn but could not. Instead her eyes wandered to the door then guiltily back to her plate. Her thoughts weren't clear and she guessed it was from fatigue.

Lily motioned for the others to leave. This fell under the healer's job so Agnes by wordless agreement remained seated with Eleanor as the others rose to find something else to do.

"We need to make plans for the watch tonight." Aleka worried as she glanced back at the three women.

"Well, I say we make a visit to the caverns." Lily smiled grimly.

Aleka smiled at her eagerness for action. "I think that is a good idea, but not all of us. I don't want to leave the village undefended."

"Three of us could do the job just fine." Lily suggested.

"Right." Erica rubbed her hands. "Now you're talking. I hate this waiting around."

"You may not think so when you get hit with a dart that has something on we don't have an antidote for." Aleka chuckled.

"Who are the three?" Grace asked leaning forward on her elbows.

Aleka took a deep breath. She would have said herself but she remembered the warning that she was not to risk herself unless there was no other alternative. The Named was the focal point of their quest.

"Lily, pick another Amazon and one of the healers. You'll need someone with knowledge of poisons, just in case." Aleka smiled grimly, again looking over toward the three women.

.

By the look on Gabrielle's face she was not having it easy.

"Aleka." Lily placed a hand on her arm.

"Hmm?" She turned back to Lily.

"You're miles away. I said Brona and Eleanor will come along. I want to leave Erica with you and - maybe Alala will want to come along."

Aleka nodded. "I'm sure she will offer. She needs to remove the talisman and destroy it."

Aleka looked back towards the table and was about to walk over when Lily again placed a hand on her arm. Aleka looked down at Lily's seated figure. Aleka sighed and sat back down. She went over with the women what to look out for and what to stay away from. Alala who had been in deep conference with the innkeeper finally looked up and nodded toward Lily's signal.

"I understand you're going looking for their camp." Alala mentioned as she slid into the seat next to Lily.

The others nodded.

Alala smiled. "According to Acheta there are tunnels that the miners made that run beneath the mountain about a quarter of a candle mark from the firepit. Corita also mentioned them in an earlier conversation."

"Mining?"

Corita nodded. "It helps to be a historian. During the fire god's time the majority of the town mined to make ends meet. Not a rich vein of anything but if the family was persistent and saved what little they dug at for a full season, they could take it to one of the main cities and get a good return to tide them over a hard winter for supplies."

Corita winked at them. "It's not something a small village will advertise for then they would have to expend a lot of gold to protect their town, to say nothing of it being battled over by different factions. In the Athens Temple there is a scroll that has the names of all her temples and information on the surrounding area. This town had three different names but the mining town was called The Gray Valley because of the gray cones and rock formations that surrounded the area from volcanic activity long ago."

"Who carved the village that you and Acheta keep talking about?" Iaia asked as she had rejoined them.

"The scrolls called them the Golden Ones. If the place wasn't surrounded with a protective spell to drive interlopers away you could probably look around and find the art work breathtaking." She looked wistful as she talked about it.

"What kind of a spell?" Iaia asked interested.

"It's older than the Greek gods." Acheta remarked as she joined them with a pitcher of cider for Gabrielle.

"Have you been there?" Grace asked.

"Yes. When I was a child and didn't take to the advice of my elders." She said this as one who wanted them to take her warning seriously.

"Well, what kind of spell?" Iaia persisted.

"It's a warding off spell. Anyone who has not been invited and stays goes crazy. If you can get that person out of there within a certain amount of time they might return back to normal, but some people disappear." Acheta told them solemnly.

"Do you know anyone who did? Disappear, I mean?" Iaia asked.

Acheta looked down at Iaia with a quiet intensity. Sighing, she finally sat on the edge of the bench next to Gabrielle.

"You want to know about the City." She told her mater of factly. "So, I will tell you. For many generations it was part of the initiation of a shaman to spend a night there. If you survived, you become a shaman, if not you become a crazy old woman. Both my grandmother and mother had survived it."

"They sat in the library?" Iaia asked softly?

"Yes. There is a mosaic design in one of the rooms where the initiate lays to enter the Realm of the Shadows."

Everyone waited to hear that she had also. "I could not bring myself to go there when it was time for my initiation. She sighed. "I made the mistake of visiting it when I was only a child and feared seeing again what I had seen then. So I became inn keeper instead."

"But you weave spells." Grace objected.

"They are spells a child could do."

Gari came into the inn interrupting the conversation. "A couple of the dark cloaks were skulking around the barn. What do you want to do with them?"

"We'll have a chat with them." Aleka nodded. She turned to Lily.

"Whatever you ask them, the dark one will know." Corita warned.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked.

"In dream time they are the dark ones. It will know what its soldiers had done or said."

"All right. Bind them and make sure they don't go anywhere. Hades! Corita, didn't you say that in here the dark one can't reach the sleeper?"

"Yea."

"Then bring them in here and we'll ask them questions and keep them the night. We may as well see if there is truth to this."

"What if bringing them in here will give the dark one a foot in the door, so-to-speak." Iaia blurted out as she shuddered at the memory of the one-eyed priest.

"We'll take care of that." Acheta nodded.

"Okay. Go get them," she told Gari. Aleka turned to Lily. "Lily, you'll need to get going now."

"I can show you a tunnel from the miners days, if you like." Acheta offered. "I'm the only one that uses it these days but it will let you out near the lake in the forest."

"Can they come in that way?" Aleka asked concerned.

"Not unless they know the password. It's the only spell I was able to learn to counter by the ancient ones."

"Where is the entrance?"

"Below this inn."

It occurred to Aleka that maybe it wasn't just Acheta's child's spell that she put over the inn that was protecting the sleepers but the ancient ones spell over the entrance to one of their tunnels.

"Was this one of their cities?" Iaia asked.

"Yes. They had three, my grandmother said. The stone city has no soil to grow anything nor for livestock to feed. It was more of a leaning center and merchant's city. This small town was where the farmers lived and the craftsman that needed the woods and clay pit near by for their work. The tunnel was a quick passage during the winter months to the falls and there are other passages that have caved in. Every seven seasons our winters are so harsh that the snow piles too high for much movement outside."

"The tunnel sounds like a good option. Are you all ready?" Aleka asked Lily and the others. The three women nodded.

They followed Acheta down into her cellar. The cellar looked like any other cellar used for storage until she revealed a stone cover that was covered with straw and empty bags. Aleka blinked her eyes to keep the image of the opening from wavering, as something seemed to pass across her sight. She followed the figure of the older women as she disappeared into darkness under the stone cover. Before her a sudden light flared giving off wavering glimpses of the smooth walls that had notches at regular spaces. Aleka guessed for torches to light the way. She looked at the ground, which was smooth and showed no dust. At regular intervals pillars were placed that had scenes of village life by tall and dark haired people carved into them. The pillars were made of gray stone. Aleka wondered how they had moved the large chunks of stone for the pillars down here. The sounds of footsteps behind her were muted, as sound did not carry well.

Acheta finally held her hand up and put a finger to her lips. Aleka and Lily stood behind her looking out from a crevice onto a waterfall that dropped into a stream that when it rained and during spring thaw would have been gorged with debris and water. It was dark outside and the moon's reflection sparkled off the weak stream that was flowing gently over the cliff and falling to the streambed below without much noise.

Acheta had handed the torch back for one of them to hang in a bracket further away from the exit.

"This is not seen from outside so you must remember the landmarks when you step out. The village is off that way. The entrance to the mine tunnels is up that way. You will reach the stone arch first. You can't miss it. It's a dark shadow that looks like an arch that in the summer would curve over the rising moon. Go left for the mines. The village is beyond the arch and you don't want to get too close. On full moon nights the influence is stronger."

Lily nodded. "Let's go. She stepped out, turned and after carefully studying the area in what little light they had moved off into the direction of the gray city. After taking two steps out of the tunnel Alala turned to take a long last look in the faint light of the moon the landscape around the tunnel entrance. Those in the cave realized she could no longer see them even as she stared straight at them.

Impulsively Iaia put her hand out and watched with amusement when Alala jumped. "Very funny!" She hissed back then hurried to follow the others.

Those that remained in the cave giggled.

Acheta laughed and motioned to Aleka and the others. "This is how to seal the entrance should you need to." She showed them a lever that was a work of art. It was difficult to identify the design but it reminded Aleka of what she had seen in Britannia.

Aleka turned to Candra. "I want you to stay here and watch this entrance. If you should think there is any danger," She tapped the arrows on Candra's back. "light one and shoot one in the air. That will indicate danger. If you need help coat it with witches bane. It gives off a distinctive color. Do you have some in your pack?"

Candra nodded. Who didn't? It's the most used herbs for a variety of aliments.

"We'll have someone posted on the inn's roof who will be watching for your signal and for any unwanted visitors." Aleka explained. "Grace you remain with her."

"Don't you usually have one Amazon and one priestess?" Iaia asked innocently. Aleka took a deep breath for she knew where this was going to lead. She was not feeling comfortable with the thought of leaving her here. Aleka shook her head mentally.

"You're right, so?"

"Alala and Lily said I'm an Amazon." The challenge was there. Aleka was not happy that Gari was out patrolling with Kynthia when if she had thought clearer…

"You're right. But this is …"

"She'll be okay." Grace patted Aleka's arm. "We're all in this together, right?"

Aleka took a slow deep breath. They didn't understand that when things happened it was usually wherever Gabrielle was and she would rather…She stopped herself. Would Aleka act this way toward her members? Probably not. But Aleka never met Gabrielle, another part of her argued. I know her through your memories. It is her path.

"Alright." Aleka put a smile on her face. "I'll send some food down later so neither of you get too weak." She joked. "Remember to keep your voices down. It carries in the night."

Aleka turned and hurried back up the tunnel afraid she would change her mind for the wrong reasons.

The night watches checked in regularly. Gari and Kynthia spotted a group of dark cloaks getting ready for an attack in the woods and had managed to rally enough Amazons to frighten them off with their silent but deadly attacks. White hair was not with them to prod them forward or prop up their resolve. Fighting an unseen enemy in the dark over unfamiliar territory was not to their liking. Aleka suspected they would not have ran of if she was leading them. What was she up to?

Aleka paced worrying about the white haired woman. The innkeeper went back down to deliver a sweet loaf of bread from the previous day for the two women to munch on with hot tea to keep them alert.

It was close to daylight and Aleka felt exhausted. She had finally settled to sleep leaning against the wall in the common room.

Her eyes opened immediately when she heard noise from the cellar. Every fiber in her was telling her something was wrong. She was on her feet and down the stairway ready for anything. Lily was holding the torch and laughing about something to Eleanor. They looked up at Aleka's face as she watched the four women enter. Alala looked exhausted. "Where's Gabrielle and Candra?" She asked careful not to show her worry. They probably were left to guard the entrance but now that everyone was back they could go ahead and close the entrance.

"Where should they be?" Lily asked puzzled.

"They were guarding the entrance you just came from."

"There was no one there." Alala told her worriedly. The others looked at each other. They were already physically spent.

"Did you find anything that needs to be talked about now?" Aleka asked quickly.

"We found where they are living. We caused a bit of a problem in some of the caverns so they can't use them, like smoke and fumes of a revolting type. Not many of them were there so we didn't have much of a resistance. White hair was no where around and there was no talisman."

"Alala would you be able to sense the talisman if you got close enough?"

"Yes. It wasn't anywhere in those tunnels and never was taken in there."

"I've got to go find out what happened to those two." Aleka grabbed the torch from Lily's hand.

"We're going with you." Lily and Alala told her together.

"You're tired. Go rest."

"And you're not? Oh, no you don't. Eleanor do you have something to give us a boost of energy for a while longer?"

"Ya."

She ran up the stairs and was gone for a few moments returning with a hot kettle of water, a few cups and Erica.

"Iaia and Candra are missing?"

"We're going to look for them. Do you think you can hold down things here?" Aleka asked as she swished the cup of leaves around before downing them.

"Hmm. It's been real quiet since Gari and Kynthia scared the wits out of a few stragglers."

"Good. Let's go." Aleka didn't wait for the others. The innkeeper had gone down two candle marks ago with a loaf of bread and some tea. She didn't say anything was amiss. Aleka didn't pay attention to the muted footsteps that were hurriedly following her.

Aleka shinned the torch around the exit looking for anything that would give her a clue as to what happened. There were two cups tucked neatly in one of the empty sockets for a torch keeping the area clear. Aleka stepped out after looking closely at the surrounding area that was being bathed in the morning light. She turned to look around for landmarks then continued to look around for tracks. Alala and Lily looked around keeping guard as they let Aleka look for what she needed to find.

"Over here." She called softly to the other two. The gray wolf was lying next to an unconscious form of Candra.

Candra was draped over a stone with a note attached to her back. Lily picked up her quiver and arrows that were tossed a distance from her unconscious form.

"I bet it's that white haired one. Blast she worked Candra over a bit." Lily was furious. They had walked right by here and missed her.

"Looks like she was just left here."

"How do you know?"

"Everything has the morning dew coating it and she's dry." Aleka could see the footprints that someone had not even tried to hide.

"You think she knows where the entrance is to the tunnel we were in?"

"No. She would have done something about it. Lily, take Candra back. Alala and I will go to the Gray Valley. She says that's where she has Gabrielle."

"Hades! I'll get some of…"

"NO! This may be a trick to pull most of us from the village and then their main force will ride in and burn down the village. Alala and I will be enough. Do what you need to keep the village safe. If you have to close off this entrance for safety, leave a sign on this tree. We'll see it easily from over there and be able to keep to the trees until we know it's safe."

Lily nodded. She lifted the young woman onto her shoulder and carried her back in the direction of the hidden entrance. They watched Lily and Candra's forms disappear as if they had walked through an unseen doorway.

Aleka turned quickly and started the pace at a ground-eating lope in the direction that Acheta said the city was located. The gray wolf ran along side of her looking as if she enjoyed the chance to stretch her legs. Aleka angled off to the right following the gray wolf's silver form that pulled ahead of her. They were going to enter the city from the back instead of the place white hair would be expecting them. Alala gamely kept up.

Continued in Part 3.