From the Annals of Bastet

Part 1: The Disappearance

The great hall of the Queen of the Amazons was filled with warrior women, all waiting for the ceremony of the induction of the new Council to begin. The women all had their finest on. Some were dressed in their combat garb, their leather was brushed or polished and the metal glistening in the sun's rays that shone through the skylights of the hall. Others had on the flowing loose-fitting gowns of silk worn on days of high celebration. Deep purples and bright reds and blues swirled among the leather and metal.

Calico was nervous. She looked at her daughter in the audience as she prepared to take her place as a member of the Council of Athena, the advisors to the Queen. She thought about the responsibility of such a position and the time it would take away from her life with her daughter. But also, she realized, it was a great honor. Amberlia was a young woman now, who had proven herself to be steady in combat and resourceful. She no longer needed a mother at home. Calico smiled with pride. She knew that her hunter, gone now, would have supported her. The love they had shared would always be important to her in her understanding of men.

It was not so with some Amazons. The Amazon Nation had been formed out of rebellion to the domination of women by men. Some groups of the warrior women were still leery of all men and militant about accepting males for any duties beyond servants. They still worshipped Hera and made a clear distinction between Amazons and hunters. Calico did not. She believed as her hunter had, that men and women were equals under the law coming together to form a mystical bond. One was never complete without the other. That made for fierce struggles and passionate reunions between the sexes.

The Queen's horn blew and the chanting to the Goddesses began. Hera, Artemis, and Athena were praised for their wisdom, beauty and strength. Calico discreetly skipped over the phrases about Hera as she harbored a grudge for the Queen of the Gods who so ruthlessly pursued her friend Hercules. She knew she was among a growing number of Amazons who felt this way and they had formed a secret society called the 'forum'. She looked over at Kendaa who was standing in the crowd. Kendaa was a strange one; quiet and reserved this woman made no secret of hatred for the Goddess and she had been censured many times for her beliefs. Every time she was brought before the high priestess of Hera for chastisement, it was the high priestess who would feel shame as Kendaa would shrug aloofly to any lecturing or punishment. And she would stand as she did now, her arms crossed in front of her and a look of disdain on her face. The two exchanged glances and Kendaa winked.

Ordinarily, Kendaa would have had on the flowing purple dress she reserved for celebrations which accentuated her golden hair and green eyes. But tonight she was dressed in her warrior's leathers with her staff at her side.

The dancing had begun and young women, Amberlia being one, formed a large circle and began to dance the dance of the warstaff. They used their staffs in a coordinated drill to rhythmic sounds of drums and flutes. Calico smiled at the lithe movements of her daughter as she danced swinging the staff adroitly.

At the end of the dance, the Queen rose from her seat at the head of the hall and addressed the her subjects. "Amazons of the nation, we will be inducting a new group tonight into the Council of Athena. I am honored to have these brave women serve as council to me in the name of the Goddess of Wisdom," she said. "Those to be invested in the council are Calico..."

The Queen's words were cut short by a bolt of lightening and a thunder clap and smoke filled the room sending people scurrying for air. Kendaa made for the Queen and saw through the smoke that several of her sisters were already surrounding the woman ready to defend her. Kendaa looked around and saw Calee coming toward her.

"Where's Calico?" she said looking around.

Kendaa searched the room with her eyes. She saw Amberlia calming some of the other girls. Calico was nowhere to be seen. Then Kendaa saw the peacock feather lying on the seat where Calico was to be seated in the Council. She and Calee looked at each other in horror.

"Calico has brought this on herself for her assistance to the bastard son of Zeus," the high priestess said to the Queen. The hall was now filled with talking and arguing from all quarters as the Amazons discussed the events that had taken place.

"This is an outrage!" Hebea, one of the Queen's advisors retorted angrily. She started toward the high priestess, her eyes flashing. The woman stepped back knowing the Hebea had a temper as hot as her fiery red hair.

"Hebea," The Queen said quietly. "Calm down." Hebea stepped back but never took her eyes off the priestess who had now retreated among her acolytes for safety.

"Hera has made her feelings clear. And the auspices speak against any resistance to her will," said Forcythia, another advisor to the Queen.

The Queen pursed her lips with displeasure. Hera was a strong force among the Gods and it was a foolish thing to defy her. Athena and Artemis rarely took the sides of mortals outright, preferring to work in secret if at all to support any struggle against the Queen of the Gods. As the Queen of her nation, she had to be careful not to bring Hera's wrath down on the lot of them. She nodded to the high priestess and got up from her chair to leave. As she walked between Lady Pegasus and Hebea, she spoke under her breath. "Convene the forum at midnight."

Part 2: The Forum:

Lady Pegasus waited in the clearing with Kendaa. The moon was so bright, no torches were needed and both women were more accustomed to the woodlands than many. Lady Pegasus stretched to relieve her anxiety and her wings fluttered as she tensed her shoulders. This Amazon had the rare blood of the winged horses in her veins but the only outward appearance of this was a set of small white wings on her back that could function at her will.

Kendaa stood as usual with her feet apart and arms crossed. She appeared calm but inside she was seething with anger. She recalled the words of her one-time pursuer, Ares who had wooed her for service in his army. "Get angry," he would say to her as he taught her secret tricks of combat, "but always in cold blood." But she never gave in to him. Not threat, nor seduction nor reasoning could persuade her to join him. And strangely enough, that seemed to make him respect her more.

As the two waited, they heard others coming quietly through the woodland paths. Calee, entered the moonlit clearing dressed for combat, armed with her bow and quiver of arrows on her back and with her falcon on her wrist. She also had Tosh, the huge eastern tiger walking beside her. Beside her was Hebea, ready as always for war. Lady Pegasus snickered sounding a little like a horse, her equine tendencies coming out.

"You look annoyed, my sister," she said.

"Ah," Hebea growled, "I could just chew armor. How dare Forcythia say all that nonsense about auspices. Who made her the oracle at Delphi?"

Carriebaby appeared now from the darkness of the woods. She was dressed as the others were for the serious job of war although her true nature was more one of diplomat than fighter and she was always the first in a conflict to see if words could resolve the situation before weapons. Her face showed the obvious. The time for diplomacy was gone. She nodded to the other four briefly raising her arms above her in greeting. Hebea put her arm around Carriebaby's shoulder and shook her head in silent agreement for the gravity of the situation.

By then the rest of the members had arrived and now the forum formed a circle. Calee was first to speak. She stepped into the circle and began, "I was perhaps the last person to see Calico before she disappeared. Before we start planning for her rescue, I would like to offer a prayer for her safety." The others nodded their approval and the circle became still. "Calico had a special relationship with the Cat Goddess of the Nile, Bastet. She said that Bastet had told her that the ones we call gods are just another form of being with powers beyond ours. But that there was a force above all beings, one with no gender or name. It is to this supreme being I wish to offer a prayer of safe-keeping for our sister."

"As it is spoken, so let it be done," said the others quietly, their serious faces pale in the moonlight.

Calee stepped out of the circle and Hebea stepped in. "You all know that I am one of the chief advisors to the Queen. I know that she is torn between her loyalty to every Amazon and her need to keep the peace with the 'so-called' gods," she glanced at Calee and went on, "She cannot openly support us."

"But she did ask for the forum to be convened," Lady Pegasus added. This resulted in whispers which Hebea quelled with her raised hand. "So even though she supports us in spirit, we are on our own."

"As it should be," Kendaa added stepping into the circle as Hebea relinquished her place. "You all know that I am the first one to oppose the Queen of the gods. But I cannot ask my nation to suffer for my beliefs. I say we pick a small war party. That way, if there is trouble for the nation - and we all know how reasonable Hera can be - there will still be plenty of Amazons left behind to fight for the City and the Queen."

The others nodded their approval.

"Then who shall go?" Hebea said.

"Well, I will be first," said a male voice.

The Amazons started, drawing their swords. There at the edge of the clearing was Hercules and Iolaus both wet with perspiration and still panting from exertion.

"We ran all the way," Iolaus said trying to catch his breath, "You know Hercules when he gets his mind made up." He laughed and embraced Lady Pegasus as she greeted him. The two were greeted roundly and admitted to the circle.

"How in Hades did you know what had happened so quickly?" Hebea said.

"Well, that is an amazing story in itself," Hercules replied. He glanced briefly over at Kendaa before looking around at the members of the forum. "My half-brother Ares came to me at sunset and told me of the kidnap of Calico. It seems that he is especially fond of one of you but as he will not openly oppose Hera, he asked that I come and lend my aid to the rescue." Kendaa's face remained indifferent but she hoped that Hercules could not see her blush in the moonlight. "It was a significant moment in our relationship!" he added smiling.

Hercules stepped into the circle, serious now. "Amazons, you know that Calico put her life and the life of her daughter in jeopardy to rescue me. It is a moral imperative for me to help her. I can never repay her, but I feel it is important that I lead this mission. I hope you can accept that. Also my relationship with Hera...."

Iolaus spat.

"...cannot get any worse," Hercules went on, laughing quietly. "But yours can and you all know how ruthless she can be. Kendaa is right in expecting that your nation may suffer the consequences of our choices here tonight. Iolaus and I will take two Amazons with us. The rest should stay behind. I have asked Ares to send word to Xena to return to the city of the Amazons to help if more warriors are needed."

The forum members nodded and spoke amongst themselves. Hebea was already preparing the straws for the draw. She passed each woman took a straw.

"I shouldn't be so anxious to draw one of the short ones," Carriebaby whispered to Lady Pegasus as they drew, "This may be our last battle."

Lady Pegasus looked at the huge man in the circle, sweat glistening on his strong arms and the gentle wind rustling his long hair. "At least we'll die happy," she whispered back.

Part 3: The Banishment

Calico awoke to find herself face down in the dirt. The sun beat down on her back and small insects buzzed around her. The celebration gown that she had worn for the ceremony was blowing slightly in a hot breeze. She rolled over and groaned looking up at blue skies. The plains around her were flat and clumps of tall grass waved in the breeze. She got up disoriented and looked around. In the far distance were mountains but there were no landmarks that she recognized at all. She looked up at the sun directly overhead and realized that she was parched with thirst.

The last thing she recalled was looking at Kendaa in the crowd in the hall of the Amazons. She remembered the queen speaking her name, then a clash of thunder. Could Zeus have consigned her to this fate? No, she thought, there was only one being so powerful and full of hate. Hera.

"Hera," she said to herself smiling despite the gravity of her situation, "You spiteful little thing."

Her first task was to find water and shade. Her dress was a flowing, blue gauze material over a silk sheath. She pulled the blue gauze over her head and shoulders to shield her from the sun's relentless glare. She felt the knife that was strapped to her thigh. Thank the Gods she had decided to put it on. Then she looked around to see if she could find any indications of water. She began to walk toward the mountains.

Trees of odd shape came closer as she walked. They were huge with a bough that seemed to branch out above ground forming long tendrils away from the bough. When she finally arrived at one, she decided it would be best to rest and took refuge under one of the trees. As she looked off in the distance she saw a most amazing animal. It was very tall and spotted with a long neck that was almost the height of a man. A herd of six or so of these beasts came loping along then stopped to eat the small leaves that grew up in the tree. They seemed oblivious to her presence.

She rested awhile watching the amazing long-necked animals, then again began her trek toward the distant snow-capped mountains. As she walked, clouds began to roll in very quickly. Calico was used to the mild, unchanging climate of the plains of Greece. She watched in wonder as clouds rolled in, the land became overcast and the rains came in a matter of minutes in a deluge that Calico had never seen. She stood transfixed to see the world turn to water. She drank in the gift from the sky and began walking again and laughed again despite everything.

"Hera, you hoary, old, horse-faced, small-minded little creature...I will have the last laugh," she said as she took off her shoes and began wading around in a puddle of water. The water felt cool and soothing. She began to splash it over her. She was laughing and watching the sky pour rain down when suddenly she froze. There about twenty feet from her was a pride of lions watching her amazed. A male with a huge black mane and five females, some with cubs, watched her with curiosity. She looked at them.

"Well, haven't you ever seen a woman go mad?" She said then she straightened out her dress, pushed back her long golden hair and trudged on through the rains. They made no move to follow her except for one cub who was called back by the cry of his mother.

Calico thought as she walked along of the tales she had heard of far lands. Where on earth could she be now, she could only guess. She came to another of the odd trees and rested again. The rain had stopped as quickly as it had come. As she looked up at the branches she realized that the branches were long and straight, perfect for a warstaff. She took off the gauzy outer layer of her dress and cut off the undersheath to mid-thigh, making a slit on each side to give her maneuverability. Then she climbed the tree and began the tedious job of chewing slowly through a branch with her inadequate weapon.

The manufacture of the warstaff took a good deal of time. By the time she was done, the amazon realized that the sun was setting and she was hungry. From her vantage point in the tree, she looked around the plains. She strained her eyes to see and lost her balance on the branch falling to the ground below. As she raised her head groaning, a snake loomed up before her face with scales like green jade. Its eyes were black holes and as it reared up, behind its head the neck swelled out as if it had a hood. Calico lay very still staring at the animal. Like many, she had a deep fear of the cold blooded creatures that slithered on their bellies. This one looked particularly unpleasant. The two stared at each other.

Then the snake struck like lightening biting her on the chest just above the right breast. She tore the snake off her; screaming, she pinned it through its hood to the ground with her knife. Calico wondered if it was poisonous. She saw the two tiny pricks on her with rivulets of blood running down her chest from the wound so close to the heart.

"A snake!!" she exclaimed taking back her knife and stumbling to her feet. "A damn snake. I've been in a hundred battles, fought sorceresses, hydras, centaurs, warlords and a damn snake is going to kill me?? I don't think so!"

She began walking. The dazzling sunset went unnoticed her as she staggered on dragging the warstaff behind her now. The mountains became a blur. Her feet felt like big blocks of ice; so heavy and cold. Finally she fell, losing consciousness.

Part 4: The Journey

Calee looked at the straw. She had been chosen to go. The falcon on her other hand sensed her excitement and let out a cry. She smiled at Hercules holding up the straw and he nodded his approval. Kendaa had the other straw. She put her arm around Calee, "Once more you and I will go after that brat who takes off here and there whenever she pleases," she joked

Calee laughed. "I'll take a leash."

Iolaus smiled. "You'll need a leash for him too," he said.

Hebea crossed her arms and nudged Kendaa, "We won't even touch that comment," she whispered. Kendaa raised her eyebrows.

By the early morning light, the two Amazons and the greek warriors were on their way through the mountain pass that defined one of the borders into the lands held by the Amazons. From there they headed onto the main road that connected the outlying city-states to the sacred site to which so many would go sometime in their lives for answers; the Oracle at Delphi. The Oracle had been established on a hill sacred to the god, Apollo. It was there that the mystical priestess chosen by Apollo would use these divine powers to advise mortals. Hercules had been to the Oracle himself once. It was one of the few places he believed did hold some divine presence but he questioned whether that power came from any of his relatives. They would never give him a straightforward answer on the matter.

The journey to the Oracle took several days and nights. All the warriors were used to a forced march when it was necessary and both the Greeks and the Amazons pushed on uncomplaining from early dawn to after dark to make quick time. At sunset of the third day, they saw the temple city in the distance.

The Amazons had heard of the sacred place and the Queen had traveled there with an escort once. But neither Calee or Kendaa had been in the party that had gone. They both felt the excitement that was mingled with concern as they approached the site of the temple. In the city streets, the people were taking down their market stalls and closing up for the night.

"If we hurry," Hercules said, "we still may get in to see the Oracle before the temple is closed for the evening."

They stepped up their pace following the huge man through the streets as he headed for the temple. They came to the door of the temple. It was open. As they walked up the stairs, a woman came out to meet them. "Greetings, warriors," she said quietly and bowed slightly. "The Oracle greets the mighty Hercules, his friend Iolaus and the warriors of the Amazons. It has foreseen your coming and has awaited your arrival."

Hercules nodded. "Greetings to the Oracle," he said quietly standing before her. He remembered her from the time so long ago when he had come to the temple after the death of his family. She was the high priestess of the temple. "I am honored that you come to greet us."

She smiled. "Thank you. You are so unlike the rest of your family," she commented quietly as she motioned them into the temple. Hercules understood the meaning as did the others. Calee spoke to her falcon softly then let it fly and followed the others in.

As the party entered, the high priestess clapped her hands and hand-maidens came in to wash the feet of the supplicants. Hercules sat down on the bench and took off his boots and the others followed suit. The Amazons noted that all the servants were females. It bothered Kendaa to see these women kneeling like slaves before them. As the women washed their feet, Kendaa bent down to the woman before her.

"Doesn't it bother you that act like a slave?" she whispered.

The woman smiled up at her. "We are all slaves to something. I was once a queen. I had many at my command and men aplenty to serve me. But I heard the calling of the Oracle. Now I serve. Don't you? Why do you inconvenience yourself to set out on this perilous journey?"

"Calico is my friend. She is my sister in the nation. I am not her slave nor a slave to anyone!"

As the woman rubbed oil on her tired feet massaging them gently, she smiled. "Neither am I. Remember, we all must serve someone. Service is a choice. Slaves have no choice."

"Many serve no one but themselves," Kendaa replied.

"Then they serve another darker one. We are all part of a great process. We cannot escape our role."

"Then we all have a fate." Calee said.

"We have many fates, our choices define the outcome," her hand-maiden said. She sat back, finished with her work. "And now you are ready. Choose well, Amazon."

Calee looked at Kendaa and then looked back at the woman at her feet. "What if we make the wrong choice?" she said.

"Then choose again. She only is lost who gives up."

When they were done, the group washed their faces and hands in the clean water that was brought to them. The doors to the inner chamber opened and Hercules looked at Iolaus and the others. They were all nervous. He took a deep breath and led them into the inner chamber of the mysterious Oracle.

Part 5: The People

Calico awoke to the sound of humming. She was on her back with nothing but a cloth tied around her hips. A gentle breeze blew over her body. Something wet swathed her face in coolness. She looked up. There above her was the face of a little man. His skin was dark and his face was wrinkled as if he was a thousand years old and had spent every minute in the sun. He smiled broadly revealing aging yellow teeth. He was very thin and her height or less.

Suddenly she realized she had nothing on her bare chest and put her hands up. It took every ounce of strength she had to move them. The funny little man looked at her quizzically. As she covered herself she realized that there was something sticky on her wound and she tried to sit up but but couldn't; her head swam and her stomach turned at the slightest move. The little man pursed his lips and frowned shaking his head and motioning her to be still.

Calico began to look around. She was by a fire. It was night. As she looked around she began to see faces from distance looking back at her. More of the little people stared at her from a distance. As they began to come toward her for a better look she realized that none of them wore anything except the scantiest loincloths. The little man by her spoke to them quietly and they kept their distance. The language was an odd singsong punctuated with clicks. Despite her pain, the Amazon was fascinated and moved by their simple kindness. They had saved her life. The little man touched her skin and then her long tangled, golden hair. He shook his head obviously amazed. These people had short if any hair at all on them. They had never seen long hair, certainly not her color, Calico thought. She was as interesting to them as they were to her. She wanted to learn more but soon drifted back into a troubled sleep.

When Calico woke again, she heard voices chanting. She was very cold now and realized she could barely move. She opened her eyes to see the little people gathered around her by the fire. The man who had tended her had his arms outstretched to the sky and was making a strange, wailing noise. When he stopped the rest of the people did the same. Calico wondered for a moment if she was dying. She felt awful. Her head throbbed. Her body was like ice. She could not feel her limbs and her thoughts were all jumbled. As she lay still, she heard a strange call. It sounded human but animal at the same time. The little people began to talk amongst themselves excitedly. Then out of the darkness came a man walking. He was tall and muscular with long black hair falling in tangled ringlets down this chest and back. He had a strong, handsome angular face. He wore nothing but a loincloth of soft hide and his skin had a strange copper cast to it. Calico thought she might be dreaming.

He stepped into the circle of little people, towering over them. He greeted the healer in their tongue and then came over to her crouching down beside her. She looked into the green eyes of a cat dilated widely in the dimness of the night.

"You have been bitten by the cobra. Only your strength has kept you alive so far," he said. Then he smiled as the Amazon looked amazed. "Yes, I speak your tongue. You come from the plains of Greece, correct?"

Calico nodded grimacing at the pain of this slight movement.

"I am known as Tai," the man said. "I serve the one known as Bastet, whose temple lies up the great Nile in the land of the Pharaohs. I have come to take you to her temple." Her took her hand and put it to his lips. "Your hands are like ice. Can you move them?"

The Amazon shook her head. Tai frowned and spoke to the healer. Then he picked her up gently. As he walked he spoke softly to the warrior who was barely conscious. "You are dying, Calico of the Amazons. I will take you as quickly as I can to the temple of the cat. But I fear for you. Hold on. Be strong."

But Calico did not hear the last words. She felt strong arms around her. Her mind was dazed. Who held her? Her hunter so long gone? Hercules? She did not know. She was falling now into a deep abyss. She could see the light so far above getting smaller and smaller.

Part 6: The Oracle

The temple of the Oracle was not the grand place that Hera's temple or the temple of Aphrodite was. It was simply a moderately sized building with colonnades in the front. Inside was a large sparsely furnished anteroom. On one side was a statue of Apollo, the sun god pointing to the door of an inner chamber. That was the chamber of the Oracle itself.

In here, a woman sat in the middle of a bare room on a high three legged chair. There were torches on either side of the chair. After preparing herself with meditation and prayer, she would go into a trance and the supplicant would stand before her and ask questions of her while she was in this state of communion with higher forces. Beside the supplicant would stand a priestess who would interpret the Oracle's answer as often her words were in riddles, sometimes sounding like nonsense or replies in a different language.

The high priestess met Hercules, Iolaus and the Amazons at the door to the inner chamber.

"Who will speak for you?"

"I will," Hercules replied.

"Then you stand with me," she said motioning the others to follow behind. She led them into the room. The torches blazed, making odd shadows on the walls. In the center of the stark, windowless room sat a plain-looking woman dressed in a simple shift. She was sitting on the chair, her hands folded in her lap and her head back and eyes closed. The Amazons could see her breathing deeply, lips pursed. Everyone started as she opened her mouth and let out a long strange wail.

"Whoooooo comes toooooo meeeeee?"

Hercules spoke. "I am Hercules of Thebes."

The Oracle waited. Moments passed heavily. Hercules looked at the priestess who stared ahead impassive.

"Whoooooo comes toooooo meeeeee?" the Oracle repeated.

Hercules could feel his heart beating faster. He felt his confusion and embarrassment at not knowing what to do. Finally he spoke again, "Hercules of Thebes, with Iolaus of Thebes and Kendaa and Calee of the Amazons."

The room was still. The Oracle did not move, she had not opened her eyes or moved in any way.

"Whoooooo comes toooooo meeeeee?" she said again.

Hercules sighed shaking his head. "I don't understand what to do," he said to the priestess beside him. She said nothing. Hercules turned to Iolaus who shrugged looking just as confused. Kendaa did the same. Calee looked puzzled, but was staring at the Oracle with a frown on her face. Then she stepped forward before the Oracle, almost touching her.

"I am Calico of the Amazons. I am lost. I need help." She knelt down putting her hands on the knees of the Oracle. "Please help me."

The Oracle took a long deep breath and her head came forward. She opened her eyes and all in the room looked into the beady black eyes of the serpent.

"I am Set, the dark one. You will never be found in this world. You have offended us!!" The Oracle's mouth opened and a forked tongue lashed out within inches of Calee's face. She jumped back quickly. The Oracle began to laugh demonically her face turning to a snake's scaly snout. She leapt off the chair toward the high priestess. Hercules grabbed the priestess as the war party ran from the room. Iolaus and Kendaa slammed the chamber doors shut just in time to feel the heavy thud of something as it slammed against the door. They heard a wailing scream and a hiss.

The priestess put her hands to her face. "My gods, what is happening? This has never happened before!" then she collected herself and went to the door where Iolaus and Kendaa held it shut. Women were gathering now in the hall whispering and crying.

"Quickly, open this door! I must go to the Oracle. I must make sure she is alright!" she said quietly. The two warriors looked at Hercules for guidance.

Hercules shook his head. "I can't let you in there!" he said.

"Open this door now, I command you." she said.

He nodded to Kendaa and Iolaus and they reluctantly stepped back and opened the door.

There was the Oracle; just a woman now in a torn dress lying limply on cold marble floor. Her open eyes were glazed over. The priestess cried out and knelt down beside the figure. Other women of the temple gathered at the door looking on in horror.

Calee went to the woman on the floor. She felt for signs of life then shook her head as she looked up at Kendaa and the others. "She's dead," she said.

"What dark forces invade this sacred place?" the priestess said quietly looking up at Hercules. "Go now, leave the city. We must meditate on this event and purify the temple," she said crying. "Come back in the morning. You have brought evil to this place!"

Hercules turned to the others, a look of anger clouding his face.

Calee burst out at the priestess. "If evil is here, it is the same evil that took our sister!" she said angrily. "We have a common foe. Whoever took our sister also killed the Oracle. And it was Hera who left her mark on the place where Calico was last seen," she exclaimed angrily, "Now who is this Set, the dark one?"

The priestess sat back and shook her head. "Go now."

"Wonderful," Kendaa murmured looking at her sister's furious glare. "Come on, Calee." The Amazons walked out of the temple; Calee calling to her hawk who returned to her wrist as she made her way down the stairs. The two greeks looked at each other completely aghast. They were being cast out of their most sacred site. They turned and followed the Amazons out as women rushed in around the priestess and the dead woman.

The party of warriors left the city. It was dark now. They went into the forest to await the morning light, hoping then the Oracle's words would be interpreted for them.

Part 7: The Onslaught

Lady Pegasus sat back in her chair and laughed. Hebea was finishing a most improbable story and the group was enjoying her wild retelling of the tale.

"Hebea!! You are insane, sister," Carriebaby exclaimed. "I can't believe you'd try to kiss an enemy warrior right in the middle of a battle."

Hebea shrugged, "Hey, he was handsome...I was winning! What more can I say. There are too few handsome men in the world. If we have to have them to make children then for the gods' sakes let's not kill the handsome ones!"

"Was he as handsome as Hercules?" asked another Amazon at the table.

Hebea stared at her appalled. "No more ale for you, dear." The others laughed as they finished their meals. It was evening. The matters of the day had been put aside and now these women could gather around a table and discuss politics, gossip and the news of the day.

The mood became serious for a moment.

"Has anyone heard anything?" Solari asked hinting at what could not be openly discussed. Solari was the best friend to Ephiny, who held the crown for Gabrielle while she was away.

Hebea shook her head and Lady Pegasus shrugged. Solari sighed. "Then there is no information I can take to Ephiny, our Queen?" she said.

Carriebaby was sitting next to Solari. She put her hand on the other woman's shoulder. "It is probably best that the fewer of us who are involved in this, the better. All we can say is that matters are in the best of hands."

Solari nodded and got up. "Well, I am turning in. I don't feel well tonight. I think I'd better rest."

The others frowned and exchanged glances. It was so odd for this champion among the Amazons to complain in the least. The other sisters were surprised to hear her comment.

"Send word around to me if you need anything," Lady Pegasus said. She was known for her medical knowledge and traveled periodically to learn of new herbs and techniques of healing. It was not unusual for her to be gone for months at a time and return with mysterious herbs and potions and amazing stories from far off lands.

Solari nodded and left the mess hall as Hebea poured herself more ale. She looked around. There was no one left in the hall except members of the forum. She looked over at Carriebaby.

"I will be expecting a detailed report from Kendaa and Calee when they return," she said with a twinkle in her eye. "I want to know if Hercules or Iolaus so much as removes a bootlace. And I'll want details!"

Carriebaby laughed. "Those two sisters of ours don't seem like the type that kiss and tell," she said laughing.

The group went on to discuss matters concerning Hercules and Iolaus and to make plans for the coming of Xena and Gabrielle. The forum had decided as a group not to tell the Queen any of this. They knew that Queen Ephiny was anxious to hear word but the powerful priestesses of the temple of Hera surrounded her constantly and had ears in every corner. The forum did not want to make the journey any more perilous for their sister warrior and their rightful if unlikely Queen, Gabrielle. Discussion went on until an Amazon came into the mess hall.

"Lady Pegasus, Solari needs you. She is very ill."

The Lady went with her followed by the others.

Solari had become progressively ill in a short time. Just hours ago she had been complaining only of fatigue but when Lady Pegasus arrived she was fevered. Welts had come out on her and she was coughing up blood. The winged woman examined her with concern and called for her medicine satchel to be brought to her.

"I haven't seen anything like this since my trip to the lands far in the east. It is usually only seen in the winter there."she said.

Queen Ephiny came in with others and asked for a report. The Lady gave what information she could to her liege and began to mix a brew to bring down the fever and help Solari to sleep. Ephiny went to the bedside of her friend. "I will stay with her this evening."

"Perhaps that is not wise," Lady Pegasus replied. "I cannot say for sure whether this problem will not spread to others. I will have to ask all of you to leave for your own good as well as Solari's."

As the party turned to go, they met the high priestess of Hera standing in the doorway. "This is the judgment of Hera. I have consulted the auspices. All of you are in league against the Queen of the Gods and she will punish the city of the Amazons for their disobedience to her. You have brought a plague upon the city." She turned and left. Ephiny looked over at Hebea and then at Lady Pegasus.

"I am so sick of that old hag, I could vomit," Ephiny said. "Now what?"

Hebea took a deep breath, glanced at Carrie and Lady Peg and spoke, "Kendaa and Calee have gone with Hercules and Iolaus to find Calico. Xena and Gabrielle are on their way here to help us if we need it. I say we toss the old bag in a deep hole, burn the temple of Hera to the ground and get ready. If Hera wants a fight, let her come and get us!"

Ephiny thought for a moment and the forum members stood tensely waiting to see if they had sealed their own fate. Then she turned to Lady Pegasus.

"Stay here with Solari and take care of her,"she said. Lady Pegasus nodded. "Hebea, get all the priestesses of the temple together, oh, and don't forget Forcythia, I never liked her anyway. Tell them I want them out of the city by sun rise. Carriebaby, take a contingent of warriors out to meet Xena. I want to know the moment she arrives."

Part 8: The Interpretation

Kendaa looked at the massive warrior, Hercules, who stared absently into the fire's light. How often she had thought idly of an evening with him alone by a fire in the forest. But the romance of her fantasy was long out of reach for the moment. They were all tired and despondent. Hercules and Iolaus were unshaven and all were unbathed as the mission had forced them to march day and night to get to the Oracle. The events of the afternoon had turned against them as the Oracle had been slain by some unseen evil.

Calee finished her small meal of bread and cheese and handed what she had left to Iolaus who was perpetually hungry. He thanked her with a nod and ate.

"I can't imagine that even Hera would dare to slay the Oracle," Calee said as she took the leather thong from her hair and let the red ringlets fall down her shoulders. She ran her hands through it and stretched to relieve the stress.

"Who knows what Hera would do?" Iolaus said between bites.

"I think Calee's right though," Kendaa added. She had finished eating and was re-braiding her long blonde hair in a tight plait. "I think we have another player here." She looked at Hercules who had not looked up from the fire. His face was impassive.

"What do you think, Hercules?" she said quietly touching his arm.

He looked up at her as if he had been far away. "What do I think about what?"

"We were talking about the events today. Do you think Hera is behind this?" Kendaa replied.

"I think Hera is behind every bad thing that happens to me. She hates me for being born," he answered her. "When I was two she sent serpents to my cradle to kill me. I choked them, or so my mother says. I can't remember." He stared back at the fire. "My life is cursed. It seems like everyone I love dies. Xena is alive because Ares favors her. And my stepmother has always favored the war-monging brat. Mother is still alive because Zeus favors her. And Hera is afraid of Zeus although it seems to me he is just as afraid of her." He looked over at Iolaus, "I'm not sure how you've survived."

"Fast," Iolaus said between chews of a mouthful of dry bread, "I'm very fast."

Hercules began laughing despite his mood and the Amazons joined in. Then Hercules shook his head tiredly. "If she ever hurts you, my friend..." his voice trailed off for a moment as he stared back into the fire. "I'll do what I should have done long ago. I'll go to Olympus. I'll cut that old woman's head off and stick it on a spear outside my mother's door." His jaws tensed with anger.

Iolaus grimaced swallowing, "You would do that to your mother?" They all rolled with laughter and the wiry blonde warrior looked over at Calee winking.

The party got up before the morning's first light. Males and females went off in different directions to find a place by the river to bath. They stayed within earshot of each other and hurried to get ready to return to the Oracle by dawn. They broke their fast on the march back to the city and with food and a bath, the spirits of the party picked up.

The people of the town were setting up their wares for the day's business and Kendaa could not help but notice that the citizens took care not to make eye contact with the party as they passed through. The Amazon and her sisters were used to the scorn of other people but she wondered how Hercules would tolerate such a turn of favor. She glanced at him as they walked and he could sense it. He looked back over at her, his face unemotional then quickly he winked. She smiled.

The high priestess met them at the door of the temple. She was wearing the long white robes of mourning. She bowed to the party and greeted them.

"Greetings to you, Hercules of Thebes and to your companions in this mission. In my sorrow, I spoke harshly to you last night. Please forgive me. Come in and take some food with us then I will interpret for you the message of the Oracle."

"More food! Great!" Iolaus said before Hercules could reply. Hercules smiled. "Thank you, priestess. We mourn with you for the death of the Oracle. And I hope that the gods will honor her with a place in the Elysian Fields."

He was relieved as they all were that the holy woman had seen things in their favor. They followed her not into the temple, but into an adjoining building where a table of fruits, cheese, sweet breads and mulled wine had been set out for them. Iolaus dove in without hesitation. The Amazons joined him but Kendaa saw Calee discreetly put away some of the cheese and breads in her satchel for later. After they ate, the food was cleared away and the high priestess led them back into the temple's inner chamber.

There she stood by the seat of the Oracle and looked at them each for a moment before she spoke.

"Now I will tell of this matter. Your friend has been taken by the dark one, Set.

"Long ago, before the coming of the pantheon of the gods who now dominate our world, there were other gods who ruled here. One of these gods was Set whose animal is the snake. Set was cruel and required sacrifices both human and animal to appease him. His cruelty offended his brother and sister gods and he was cast out into a dark realm we can only hope never to travel to.

"I fear to tell you that it is in this dark place that your sister, Calico, has been taken."

"Can you tell us how to get there?" Hercules asked.

"No, I do not have such knowledge nor did the Oracle. I doubt even Apollo himself knows such things. However, there are those who followed the old gods and they may know of this."

"Is one of the old gods named Bastet?" Calee asked.

"Yes," the high priestess replied.

"Calico told us of this being. A cat appeared to her calling herself Bastet. It was she who sent Calico after me when I was taken prisoner by Idolla," Hercules said. He shivered inside briefly recalling those dark times.

"It was Bastet who sent the tiger Tosh to Calico. Even now he remains in the city of the Amazons," Kendaa said. "Perhaps he can show us the way to the dark realm."

The high priestess nodded, "I bid you good luck on your journey," she said.

The warriors looked at each other and Hercules nodded in respect to the high priestess. "Thank you for your services. Again we all mourn with you at the loss."

The high priestess of the Oracle bowed her head slightly and turned and left the room motioning them into the anteroom. Outside, Calee again called the hawk to her and the four started the forced march back to the city of the Amazons with the same resolve with which they had started.

Part 9: The Realm

Calico could not tell whether her eyes were open or not. They felt open but she could not see anything. She touched her face. It was cold but her eyes were open. A wave of panic came over her. Perhaps she was blind. The thought of being so vulnerable frightened her terribly and she had to fight down the panic that she felt. She was standing up. She could feel air moving around her. She felt around her but found nothing. She was too afraid to move. Then she felt something rub against her thigh. She jumped and moved away. She heard the low rumble of a large cat's growl and felt it rub against her again. Smooth glossy fur moved under her hand. "Tosh," she whispered. "Is that you?"

But the familiar chuffing did not come. The beast was not as big as Tosh. And its neck did not have the ruff that Tosh had. "Who is this?"she whispered.

"I am Tai, this is one of my forms," whispered back the figure in the darkness. "It is a form I can take in the worlds of flesh as easily as I take the form of the man that you saw. But I must take the form you feel now in this world, one of the spirit worlds of darkness. That is the world which you are in now."

Calico swallowed. Her mouth was dry. The words were hard to speak, "Am I dead? Am I in Tartarus?"

"No, warrior. You are in a dream state. Your body is with me in your world. We travel to the temple. But Set, the dark one, captured your spirit here in the dark realm when the snake bit you. So I came to give you hope," said the cat.

"It's so dark."

"Yes, warrior. Set loves the darkness. He loves the fear it creates. You must be strong. I cannot stay. In the other world, you and I will soon be at the temple. I must return and protect your body in the world of flesh. Pray to God for strength and hold onto love. With that you will create light in the darkness and offset fear."

Now she could see a bare outline of a large cat beside her; it had black fur that glowed slightly blue and its green eyes shined up at her. As she looked down at the beautiful beast she began to see her own body begin to glow ever so slightly.

"Good, you see?" it said. "When you feel love, you create light. Now I must go. But remember that love, which is the strongest of forces, travels with you. You are a good woman, Calico of the Amazons. You drew the love of a good hunter to you and from that union created a strong spirit in your daughter. You are loved by your sister Amazons who pray for you often and are willing to die to secure your return. You have the love and friendship of Hercules who sees you not only as an attractive woman but as an equal in battle in his fight for justice. Think on all these things."

With those powerful words, the cat disappeared. In its wake for a moment was a beam of light that faded of into the distance. But what it had said to Calico made her glow more and more and now she had the light around her to begin the strange journey.

Part 10: The Return

The march back was grueling as the events that had taken place at the Oracle of Delphi had made the rescue party even more aware of the gravity of the situation. Hercules and the others had slept only a few hours the night before and had kept up a fast pace sometimes running to put miles behind them.

They were all tired but continued on and had made the journey back in amazing time. They traveled now through the forest which laid at the base of the pass through the mountains into the lands held by the Amazons. In their haste, they failed to notice small changes in the forest that might otherwise have warned them of danger.

The party stopped to rest by a stream. Kendaa was bending over to drink when she sensed something in the trees above. Before she could call out, the ambush was upon them.

Men emerged from the foliage around them armed and ready. They had arrows trained on them. Hercules momentarily thought of fighting but there were too many and they were heavily armed. His warriors were tired. He put up his hands and called to the others to do the same.

"Wonderful!" Kendaa snorted but she knew he was right. She glanced up into the trees for a moment and then her face became impassive as usual.

From among the invaders came a man who was their leader. He was tall and fully armed with a scar running down his face. He walked over to Hercules and stood before him.

"Remember me?" he said glaring into the warrior's face as men bound Hercules' arms behind him in heavy manacles.

"Should I?" Hercules answered.

This infuriated the other. "You dog! You gave me this," he said as he motioned to the scar on his face.

"Look on the bright side," Iolaus said, "he was probably trying to kill you." Then Iolaus looked at his friend, "You must have been having an off day."

The man growled and struck Hercules across the face. The warrior said nothing but continued to look at the man with contempt.

They were all stripped off their weapons and bound. Calee's hawk, which had remained with her despite the danger, was slain by one of the men.

Calee watched with tears in her eyes as the men used the feathers to adorn their armor. Then they discarded the body carelessly.

The rescue party was led along in bondage toward the city of the Amazons. They endured the jabs and taunting of their captors who made lewd remarks toward their Amazon prisoners. Hercules noted that the men talked, but made no advances toward the dangerous women. He and Iolaus exchanged glances that spoke louder than words.

They walked on through the forest their leader stopped the party.

"We are almost at the city," he said to his men. "I have a score to settle with this one. The rest should be taken back to Toragua." He motioned to the men who would stay with him and the rest of the war party went on with their prisoners leaving Hercules alone with his enemies. He struggled at his bonds, but the scarred man laughed. "That metal was forged by Hephaestus. Those bonds can never be broken," he said. "Your loving step-mother gave them to us to use with you."

He leaned close to Hercules. "She thinks of everything," he said grinning, showing yellow teeth.

He pulled out a knife to use on the hero when a breast dagger pinned his hand to his chest through the heart and a chakram dispensed two others. The Enforcer dressed in her black fighting garb dropped out of the trees and gave the Amazon war cry as she twirled her war staff to face the other three. In the chaos, Hercules struck one with a powerful kick that brought him down.

The Enforcer knocked out the second and the last man started to run off. The Enforcer hurled her war staff like a spear and it struck him in the back of the head bringing him down also.

She rolled the scarred man over and found the keys which would open Hercules' bonds and in a moment he was free. The two embraced and the Enforcer retrieved her dagger.

Hercules smiled. "I never knew when I watched Iolaus make that, that it would come in so handy!" he said. "How long have you been following us?"

"From when you entered the forest," she replied. "I saw them kill the hawk." She shook her head sadly. "The warlord Toragua has taken the city of the Amazons. I wanted to join my sisters in the fight but I thought I would be of more use out here. I guess I was right.

"A contingent of Amazons came out to meet Xena and Gabrielle and were taken prisoner by Toragua's forces coming through the pass. I couldn't do anything to stop them. There were too many. So I waited and met Xena and Gabrielle who had also seen the army coming through the pass." She told him of the terrible plague that was also sweeping the city as they began walking to catch up with the other party. "We all saw you when the men captured you. Xena has gone on ahead to rescue the others."

Soon the rescue party was together again now joined by Xena, Gabrielle, and the Enforcer. The Enforcer went to the hut where she lived in the trees and brought back food and drink. Everyone sat down to rest, eat and discuss their next move.

Part 11: The Fate of the City

The high priestess sat on the throne that was the seat of power of the Amazon nation. Before her on their knees were Queen Ephiny, Hebea, Carriebaby and Lady Pegasus. Her pinched, aging face was a mask of smug conceit. She leaned close to Hebea.

"Do you know what I think?" she said.

"If I could fathom your evil mind, I would immediately go out and kill myself," Hebea answered. "Because it would mean I was insane."

The priestess glowered in anger. "You may get your wish to die sooner than you think," she said. She rose up from the throne. "You will all die soon. If not in execution then in the pain of disease."

She looked over the hall. Many of the Amazon warriors were there in chains guarded by Toragua's men. The rest had been taken ill by the plague which swept through the city. Some had died already of disease or in the battle against Toragua's army and a pall of gloom lay over the women warriors. War they could handle as they always been trained to. But plague was different. The Amazons bore their fate with silent courage as the army of Toragua and the plague of Hera had come to conquer them.

A small man, dressed in black leather with red tattoos adorning his short, stocky figure stepped up beside the high priestess. This was the warlord Toragua.

"Your city is in ruins, Amazons," he said with a wicked smile. "You are my prisoners. My men are immune to this illness. Now I will take what I want and destroy the rest as the goddess Hera has commanded. The women who are decent looking and still strong will be sold into slavery. The young girls I will keep for my army. The rest will be put to the sword."

He turned and nodded to his lieutenants and the army began moving the chained Amazons out of the hall into wooden cages that had been made for that purpose. In the morning, the warlord would choose personally which fate would befall each woman. The four women before the high priestess were taken toward the temple of Hera. They could only guess what their fate would be.

The temple of Hera was located on a hill far away from the main city of the Amazons. It was a gaudy massive building that loomed up as the women were led along by Toragua's men. It far outshone the plain temple of Artemis that was near it down in the forest below the hill. Lady Pegasus glanced at the temple of Artemis in the distance and spoke a quiet prayer to the goddess of the forest; not for herself but for her sisters who were ill and for Calico, still lost.

Hebea looked up at the ornate structure and turned to Lady Pegasus. "I knew we should have burned this thing to the ground when we had the chance," she said.

A man beside her pushed her roughly and was rewarded for his kindness with a sidekick from the Amazon that left him gasping in pain. The conquerors shouted angry threats but kept their distance as they led their captives along.

The temple doors opened and the captives were led in. There in the middle was a massive altar with a ceremonial dagger lying on it. Behind it was the statue of the peacock, the symbol of Hera. And behind that was a larger more ominous figure. A black marble snake rose up towering over stone plumes of the peacock. Its eyes were huge red rubies.

"What the Hades is that ugly thing?" Carriebaby said to Ephiny. "I have no idea," Ephiny replied. She looked around at the others.

Hebea pursed her lips. "Well it certainly fits the decor."

Part 12: The Temptation

Calico walked along what seemed like endless corridors. It was dark and cold. There was no sign of life anywhere. Sometimes the walls seemed as if they would close in on her but she walked on thinking on all the things that Tai had said and keeping the light within her alive.

She came to a door and took a deep breath then she opened it. On the other side was a room resplendent with riches. A warm fire burned in a large fire place and a table was set with fruits and cheese, breads and puddings and mulled wine in a magnificent gold goblets. Calico could not help but be surprised. She walked over to the fire and saw a tiny black kitten snoozing peacefully in a basket. She smiled and stroked its fur and it purred and stretched lazily. From the shadows stepped Hercules. He was dressed simply in black pants and boots and a flowing white shirt open in the front to expose his chest.

Calico ran to him and they embraced. She smiled and laughed hugging him to her. He held her to him as he gazed into her eyes. His eyes were a deep green.

She laughed. "I always thought you had blue eyes," she said shaking her head and putting her cheek to his chest. "I am so glad to see you. I was so afraid. Now you're here. I know we can get out of this nightmare together."

He raised her chin with his hand and his lips met hers. But his kiss was not at all what she imagined it would be. It was cold, hard. And his skin, usually so warm and smooth, was cool to the touch and almost scaly. She drew away slowly and looked back into his eyes. The eyes of the serpent peered back at her. She recoiled, pushing him back.

"Who are you, you evil creature? You're not Hercules! Uhh..." She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand in disgust. "You are Set, the dark one."

He came toward her slowly reaching out. "Don't be afraid. I can be anyone you want. Stay here with me and we will rule the world of darkness together." He took off his shirt and cast it carelessly on the floor. "I'm here all alone," he said holding his arms out, pleading. "Thrown away for being what I have to be. Rejected by my own." He had backed Calico up to the table now and she was trapped between the table and this dark seductive figure. He came close whispering to her. "I won't hurt you."

She reached around and found a knife on the table. "Don't come any closer," she said holding the blade out in front of her. "I have to warn you, I am very good with these things."

He smiled and moved his head slightly and the blade vanished. "I want you to come to me freely and be my queen. I have powers that no one, not even your pitiful gods could conceive of. But I am lonely, I need a mate."

Calico was momentarily torn. The eyes of the creature had turned human again and were a piercing green. It looked like Hercules and sounded like Hercules. She was drawn to him standing here before her half dressed, arms outstretched waiting to be embraced. She looked around for something to help her decide what to do. He smiled.

"Come to me, Amazon. Come be my lover."

Calico noticed as she looked around that the room had become dimmer. The kitten was gone. The food which had looked so delicious when she had entered now was rotting and decayed. She looked at herself. The glow she had had when she entered was fading.

"This is all an illusion," she said. "You are drawing power from me. The food, the kitten, Hercules. It's all meant to draw me in." She backed off. "This is not working. You can't fool me. I have known love and I have made love and that is one thing you will never know. You are trapped here because of it!" She backed toward the door. The figure of her friend and hero tensed its jaw and anger suddenly clouded the handsome face. "Well, Calico of the Amazons, if temptation will not work, then perhaps terror will."

Suddenly Calico was falling. Above her was the room now at the edge of a cliff. On the cliff's edge stood the man who looked like Hercules, but the cruelty in his eyes as he smiled watching her fall was that of something dark. She was falling into a pit of fire destined to burn.

As Calico fell panic overcame her and she screamed as she saw the flames below. She had seen someone die by fire once and she could only imagine that the pain was unbearable. She cried out. Around were snakes coming out of the cliffs around her striking at her. Fire and snakes, things she feared most, she thought. The things she feared most. Then a thought came to her. "This is an illusion." She stretched out relaxing into free fall. Her dress flapped around her and her long hair trailed up around her face. "This is an illusion." She closed her eyes and thought of the face of her daughter, the arms of her hero Hercules and the war cries of the Amazons in victory. A blue light began to surround her and everything seemed to fade away.

Part 13: The Allies

The four Amazons, Queen Ephiny, Hebea, Carriebaby and Lady Pegasus stood waiting at the foot of the stairs to the altar of Hera. They were tired, bound with their hands behind them and surrounded by men from Toragua's army. Everyone waited for what would happen next. From a side entrance to the altar room came the high priestess dressed now in the ceremonial robes worn to worship the spiteful goddess. Peacock feathers adorned her hair and dress.

She walked to the altar and held out her arms in supplication to the statue. "I wear the sign of the peacock to please you, my goddess,"she said.

"The peacock probably wasn't too pleased about it," Lady Pegasus commented.

"Of course we are talking about Hera here, who cares what has to suffer to please her," Hebea added.

The high priestess flew into a rage grabbing the dagger and shaking it angrily in the faces of the amazons. She snarled at Hebea. "You..." she stumbled for words furiously. "You will pay. I have killed your sisters and someday I will rule this nation."

"But not today..."said a male voice. Hercules came out of the shadows in the back of the room swinging the heavy manacles of Hephaestus over his head around and around. He released the deadly projectile and it sailed over the head of the high priestess and crashed into the peacock statue sending it smashing into the snake figure.

The two statues crashed down.

"Ayieeeeee" came Xena's cry as she leapt out into the midst of the surprised enemies. She hurled one chakram that took out two and the Enforcer took out several with another as she joined her mentor. Iolaus came from another direction with Gabrielle behind him swinging her warstaff. The battle was on.

Hebea lost no time in tackling the high priestess to the ground. She knocked the high priestess out with a blow with her head and scrambled to get a hold of the dagger as the other three kept the men closing in on them at bay with kicks from their legs. Hebea was struggling to get the knife in place when she was hauled to her feet and the her binding cut in a heartbeat. She turned to find Calee and Kendaa beside their sisters freeing the group. Hebea took the knife and buried it in the nearest enemy then took his sword and waded into the battle with Kendaa.

The others joined in. The angry screams of Toragua's men and the war cries of the Amazons mingled in the chaos of the fight. At one point, Xena jumped up on the altar and looked over the scene swinging her sword in a circle at her side as she chose her next victim.

Soon there were nothing but the slain and the surrendered. It was at that unfortunate moment that the high priestess regained consciousness and looked up into the faces of Ephiny and Hebea peering down at her.

"I should kill you," Ephiny said wiping the blood off her sword on the discarded headdress of peacock feathers. "But if I did that, I would be no better than you. And that thought, I cannot bear."

She motioned to Hebea who hauled the old lady up unceremoniously. "Come on, sweetheart," she said as she pushed the woman before her into the circle of the captured. There were only a few left standing. Lady Pegasus was tending to one man hardly older than a boy. She had just finished the field dressing when she cocked her head excitedly toward the door. Kendaa heard it too.

"Quiet," she said, "Listen."

Hercules motioned for silence and all heard the sounds of screaming coming from the city. Mingled with the chilling screams of humans were the roars and growls of animals. They finished binding the few left standing and went to the temple door and out into the night. Lady Pegasus flew off circling the city and flew back quickly with a look of amazement and tears in her excited eyes.

"The animals!" she cried embracing her sisters, "Artemis has called the animals of the forest to slay our enemies. There are hundreds of them. Bears, wolves, lions and stags. Horses, hawks and of course, Tosh. He's there too! They're taking back our city!"

Part 14: The Room

Calico continued to fall. The flames were gone now and so were the snakes. Blackness was all around and she could only sense the feeling of going downward. She closed her eyes and imagined herself falling into a large pillow. Suddenly she hit bottom which made her gasp.

She lay for a moment not wanting to open her eyes. Would she be back by the fire with the funny little people? Perhaps that was all a dream. Maybe she would still be on the plains with the long-necked animals grazing around her the treetops. She could sense a cover over her and smelled the aroma of cinnamon and myrrh. She opened her eyes and saw a plain room. Three sides were open onto balconies with gauzy curtains waving gently in the breeze. She lay on a soft bed with sheets of cotton dyed light blue. Her hair was tied back and she was dressed in a blue cotton gown. From behind the gauzy curtains, she could see a huge black cat jump down from a perch on the balcony beyond and as it entered the veiled room it transformed to the man Tai. He walked with the grace of the cat over to her bedside and rang the tiny bell that rested beside her. Then he sat down by her side and smiled.

A small woman came in. She was dressed in robes of blue and had long white hair. Her face was pale but cheerful.

"Hello, my friend," she said smiling.

Calico raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Do we know each other?"

The woman shook her head looking confused, "No, no. Of course not, what am I thinking! That is another incarnation. Forget I said anything. How are you feeling?"

Calico smiled back. "A little weak."

"Well, I should say so! Ripped away from your homeland by Hera. Plopped down the wilds of the dark continent. Bitten by a cobra. Your soul taken into the dark realms by the evil Set who tempts and terrorizes you and you're 'a little weak'. Well, that's an Amazon for you!" She shook her head as she tapped Tai on his muscular shoulder. He laughed nodding in agreement.

She clapped and a servant brought in breads and sweet wine mulled with spices and mixed with fruit juices. Calico ate and drank down the brew and it made her dizzy and relaxed. The woman in blue left bidding her get some rest.

"Well, what now?" she said sleepily to Tai who was sitting at the end of her bed munching on a piece of sweet bread. He finished and wiped his mouth. Then he came over beside her and gathered her up in his arms with ease and walked out onto the balcony.

There before her was the mystical land of the pharaohs that she had only heard about in tales. Before her stretched the great river Nile. Beyond it on the other side lay a great city whitewashed in the desert sun. Directly across the river was a massive temple. Tai explained it was the temple to the Sun God Ra with a hundred stone lions lining the way to the entrance. The sight was breathtaking.

"I think I should try to stand," she said quietly looking up at him.

"Does my touch offend you?" he replied.

"Quite the contrary," she answered back yawning. "Ooo, excuse me. I'm tired but I should at least stand so that I can get stronger again."

The mysterious man with the eyes of the cat smiled but did not move to let her go. "That will come," he said. "For now, let me carry you." then he nodded to a long boat docked on the pier below. "As soon as you are stronger, I will take you back to the land of the Greeks. With a fair wind, it is a week's journey by barge up the Nile and across the seas to your homeland."

Calico was feeling very sleepy from the wine now and nodded off putting her head on his shoulder. He carried her back to the bed and laid her down putting the light covers over her gently. Then he kissed her cheek and spoke. "Sleep well and dream of friends and heroes." Then the tall man transformed into a large black panther again. It looked around the room for a moment sniffing the air then curled up on the floor beside the bed of the Amazon and went to sleep.

Part 15

The animals of Artemis had swept through the city killing the men who were wandering around drinking and looking for loot. The carnage occurred so quickly that few were able to escape. The sick Amazons who could walk stumbled out of their homes to find their sisters in cages looking surprised at the bodies of the men around them. The cages had saved them from the same fate. Any men of Toragua's army still left alive had fled the city into the hills. Hercules and the rest of his growing party of rescuers walked through the city now freeing the caged women.

"We still have the plague to deal with," Lady Pegasus said as she examined one of the amazons who sat crouched by the cage where her sister had been imprisoned. She was feverish and welts covered her body. Hercules picked the woman up and carried her into her nearby home. When he returned he turned to Lady Pegasus and Xena who were discussing possible remedies.

"What about Niclio?" he said.

"That's just what we were thinking. I'll go at once," Xena replied.

She turned to leave when they all saw a wall of mist coming through the city streets. Hercules looked at Iolaus then at Xena. Gabrielle came over to her friend.

"Xena, have you ever seen anything like this?" she asked.

"No, and it scares me."

Out of the mist walked the fair goddess Aphrodite, her chiffon dress swaying around her gracefully as she emerged.

"Hi, big brother,"she said, smiling that dazzling smile that made grown men swoon.

"Aphrodite, what is going on?" Hercules said. "Now calm down, sweet cheeks," she said. She looked back at the mist that was slowly enveloping the city. "This is a cleansing mist,"she explained. "It will cure all the sick. And it's great for the skin tone. "Horse-face has really stepped in it this time," the goddess continued laughing, "She couldn't just steal the Amazon. Nooo. She had to make a pact with Set, the dark one. This upset the balance of power with the gods! So we all joined forces to put things right. It was a blast! Gotta go," She walked back into the mist passing the Enforcer on the way, "Oo, killer outfit," she said winking at the young woman.

"What about those who have died?" Ephiny called after her.

Aphrodite waved her hand as she disappeared. "That's Hades' gig."

Kendaa shook her head and Calee shrugged, "What about Calico?"

By morning the sick were feeling stronger and the bodies of those Amazons slain had returned to life with tales of a brief trip to the underworld where they had met the dark god Hades and his shy bride Persephone. The Amazons cleansed their city of the bodies of their invaders and funeral pyres burned through the night sending the souls of the dead to Tartarus.

All the while the forum members worked side by side with the other Amazons to clear the city and make right what had been upset. But these women looked periodically up at the temple of Hera. They thought of their sister, still gone and talked about what to do next to find her. None of the gods had said anything about the stolen warrior. Here before them was the physical presence of the one who had started all the trouble; the one they had sworn as an enemy.

Evening had come to the city and tired Amazons were winding their ways home. Kendaa was on her way home when she decided to sit down for a moment in the marketplace by the well and watch the sun set. Hercules and Iolaus came and sat by her. Hercules sat back on the steps of the well letting the breeze cool his face. Xena soon made her way into the market place looking around for Gabrielle who joined her in a moment and the two joined the party of tired warriors taking their ease for a while by the well.

Calee and Hebea were seen walking in the distance and the band called to them to sit to watch the sunset. Lady Pegasus arrived to draw water from the well to wash her hands. And finally Carriebaby and the Enforcer showed up and sat down. They all looked into the setting sun which made a outline of the temple of Hera in the distance.

"What are we going to do about Calico?" Kendaa said tiredly.

"What are we going to do about Hera?!" Hebea added angrily.

As they looked at the temple outlined by the red sky, the peace of the evening was shaken by a bolt of lightening that struck the distant building sending stones flying everywhere. As the amazed warriors watched, fire shortly consumed the rest of the structure. Ten people sat transfixed by the turn of events looking at each other with faces of sheer astonishment.

Calee summed up the sentiment. "Way to go, dad!" She glanced over at Hercules who was laughing. The party barely had time to recover their senses when from the shadows stepped the dark figure of Ares, god of war.

Hercules got up, unsure how to feel about the presence of his half-brother.

Ares put up his hands, "The god of war comes in peace," he said smiling at his own joke. Xena and Gabrielle exchanged glances and Xena rolled her eyes.

"I have the coveted task of telling you that your friend Calico is on her way back. She is well and in good hands."

"What!!" Amazons and Greeks alike jumped up as yet another turn of events dumfounded them. They surrounded the god of war who stood relishing the attention. He glanced sideways at his hero half-brother and laughed. "As much as I would love to take credit for this, it was Calico's own strength that delivered her from darkness. But I don't want to spoil a good tale so I will let her tell you herself. She is, even as we speak, on a barge sailing across the sea from the land of the Pharaohs." He turned and walked away and then stopped.

"Oh, one other thing..." He held out his clenched fist in air and the flapping of wings was heard before a hawk appeared out of the thin air and landed on his fist. Calee's hawk. Calee called to it excitedly with tears of joy running down her cheeks and the bird flew to her wrist.

Ares disappeared, "I've always been partial to hawks. Birds of prey, you know," his voice said as he vanished.

Epilogue:

Calico looked around at the chaos of the party. Hercules and Lady Pegasus were bickering in fun about the proper way to string a bow and what shape of feathers made the truest aim. Iolaus looked on adding his two dinars which only the Enforcer was listening to as she sat beside him finishing off a dessert and laughing.

She laughed, "They're not listening to you!" she exclaimed.

"And why not?? Every old hunter knows..." he went on to explain the ins and outs of the subject.

Hebea, Kendaa and Xena were having a contest to see who could put out the flame of a candle with a whip without knocking over the candle. Carriebaby was talking to Gabrielle about the setting of tales to pen and papyrus and exchanging short stories on how they had talked themselves and their respect friends out of difficult situations.

Calee was lying by the fire watching the whip contest with Tosh who chuffed as she scratched him under the chin. Her hawk was resting quietly up on the mantle.

Calico watched this scene of friendship and thought about what she had learned about love and fear through her journey to the dark realm. She put her arm around her daughter Amberlia sitting next to her.

"Was it terrible, mother?" she said reading her mother's thoughts.

"Yes, it was." She kissed her daughter on the forehead. "And I hope not to do any traveling for quite some time!"

They both laughed. Calico thought she could see the glow of the light of love radiating through the room. For a moment, she felt sorry for the queen of the gods, whose life was spiteful revenge and power through fear. She felt pity for a moment, but just for a moment.

Finis