Violence: What you would find in a normal episode, maybe a little more gory.
Hurt/Comfort: Definite hurt/comfort. May need tissues.
Subtext: None
Rating: PG-13 because of the violence and language
Title: The Spirit Warrior
Date Written: 02/10/99 Completed: 02/18/99
Author’s Name: J.L. Zellers (aka Aria -- the good Aria)

Synopsis: Xena and Gabrielle, en route to the Amazons, split up when road raiders (aided by an army) attack them. Both wish the other were there to help. A spirited sole helps out both, but Xena is cautious of this figure. (Takes place in season 4.) Xena learns the real identity of the warrior, but it is too late... (ALL NEW XENA FAN FICTION)

NOTES: * I created the city of Arepolis (It may have existed, who knows?)
* I also created the burning of Arepolis
* I’ve done my best to keep ‘in tune’ with the series (minus subtext)

Gabrielle is walking beside Xena as they make their way to the Amazon hideout. Ephiny has sent word of trouble with a rouge band of centaurs, endangering the peace treaty between two nations. They aren’t more than a few days from the Amazon’s camp. Gabrielle is telling a story to pass the time by. Xena is looking around and wasn’t paying much attention to Gabrielle.

Xena suddenly stops in her tracks, alerting Gabrielle to the trouble ahead. They both stop to see three men running at them. Xena climbs off Argo and sends her away. She draws her sword, poised for a fight. Our two heros take their stances when three road raiders come their way, yelling and brandishing their swords.

It was a short-lived battle. The raiders were no-match for the Warrior and the Amazon Princess. The raiders fell the ground. Xena approaches the sole conscious raider, with the intention of finding out they attacked.

“I’ve cut off the flow of blood to your brain. You’ll be dead in thirty seconds. Why did you attack us?” Xena asks.

Gabrielle is keeping a watchful eye on the surroundings. Her attention is quickly turned to the thunderous role of horses. “Xena!” She turned to her friend with great worry.

Xena turned to the oncoming army, galloping at full speed. She turned back to the raider.

“Too bad I didn’t kill you,” he said. He died.

Xena whistled for Argo, who came out from hiding in the woods. Xena placed her sword back into its scabbard. Xena then climbed onto Argo, “Gabrielle, get on Argo.” Xena helped her friend up on the horse. Gabrielle placed her arms around the warrior’s waste. They didn’t out run the army, thinking that they were after the raiders. They slipped away quietly, only to be followed by the army.

“Why are they after us,” Gabrielle asked. She looked back to see the army was getting closer. “They’re gainin’!”

Knowing the danger, Xena didn’t exactly want to stop and ask questions. The two headed into the woods, hoping they can escape at night, under the cover of darkness. At least the forest could provide them with some cover for a while at least, but not for long. Xena took the roughest, hardest terrain route, hoping it would slow the army down for a little while. She recognized that a few of the soldiers as well as the clothes they wore around their arms. It was her ‘color.’ This gave the warrior a slight pause. She opted not to Gabrielle about this piece of information.

They went deep into the forest. “We’ll stop here until sundown,” Xena said. She helped Gabrielle off the horse. Xena then followed. Xena looked around, to make sure they weren’t followed. “It might be a good idea if we split up.” She didn’t look at Gabrielle. Xena grabbed one of the saddle bags off Argo.

“Split up,” Gabrielle asked. “Why?” Gabrielle sat down on a tree stump. She was concerned. They just barely got away from the army.

“One of us has to make to the Amazon nation. We lost a half of days travel because of the army,” Xena said. She continued to check around. Her senses were on full alert. She was fully aware of her surroundings.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea,” Gabrielle asked. “We just barely got away.”

“I know that. That’s why we have to split up. There is no sense in both of getting captured or worse. We’ll rest for a few hours then take off after sunset,” Xena said. She left to be alone for while, she walked into the woods.

Gabrielle knew better than question Xena when she got like this. She knew her friend was thinking of some sort of plan to get out of this and get safely to Ephiny. But when Xena got like this, she usually ended up captured, hurt, dead or just plain crazy. This was giving Gabrielle great worry. She knew that it was better if Xena worked it out alone. Gabrielle sensed Xena knew which army is was as she had that look in her eyes. Why she wouldn’t tell her, didn’t bother as much as the concern for their safety did.


The Army Camp

“We lost them,” the soldier said. He had just arrived back from the scouting detail. He was still trying to catch his breathe.

“They’ll try to get out tonight,” Sirius said. “Are the paths blocked?” He was a scruffy looking chap who hadn’t had a bath in weeks.

“All of them but one, like you requested,” Margolis said. He was standing behind Sirius.

“Knowing Xena, they’ll split up. She wants to use up as many of the men as possible. She herself will have them follow her more than the Amazon Queen. She’ll protect her friend no matter what the cost. By leaving one path open, Xena or her friend will surely take it. There’ll be no escapin’ us this time,” Sirius said. He turned to face Margolis. Both of them were wearing purple clothes around their arms.

“Why would they split up,” Margolis asked. He was not exactly the brightest person in the world, but he was one vicious soldier. He couldn’t figure out the reasoning. Surely Xena would realize that the path would be a trap. She wouldn’t fall for it.

“I trained under Xena. We don’t know where the Amazon’s are hiding out – but Xena does. Sure, we’ll follow Xena, but Gabrielle will be the one joining up with the Amazons. Xena will do her best to keep us away from them for as long as possible. Even putting her own life before hers. Determined. That is the Xena I once knew.”

“Stylous is here,” a soldier said.

“The Amazons have fled their land, went to higher ground,” Stylus said. He was one of the evil centaurs. “We are tracking them.”

“Good, this may be easier than I thought,” Sirius said. “The thought of finally getting Xena will make more me powerful than I could have ever imagined. People will fear me. I’ll be able to finish what Darfus wanted, Xena dead!! Not to mention the down fall of the Amazon nation.” He laughs sadistically. He continues his ranting.

His soldiers cheer. They call out his name and chant “Death to the Warrior Princess!!”


The Camp

Xena was sharpening her sword. The sun was setting behind her. She could feel the warmth of the sun. Gabrielle was taking a short nap before they head out of the forest. Xena suddenly gets a strange feeling. She walks out into the woods. She knows who is about to appear. “Show yourself Ares, I know you are here, I can feel ya!!”

Ares appears, “You are the only mortal that can do that.”

“What do you want Ares,” Xena asked. She rested her sword on her left arm. She did her charming smile that Ares adores so much.

“One of your former soldiers is about to pick up where you left off . . . or shall I say where Darfus left off,” Ares said. He approached Xena. It is obvious that there is some sort of attraction between the two. He pushed back the hair from her face. He did his charismatic smile. He obviously wanted Xena to rejoin him.

“What do you really want,” Xena asked. When Ares came into play, there was always something. Usually he was trying to get Xena to succumb to her dark side again. She had built her defenses up pretty good over the years when it came to Ares. She had no intention of ever taking up an army again in his name.

“I want you to stop him,” Ares said. “While he isn’t as good as you, he’ll disrupt the flow. And I can’t have that.”

“Why should I bother helping you,” Xena said. What happened in Dahak’s Temple is still fresh in her mind.

Ares laughs. He moves back away from Xena. “You’ll find out.” He then disappears.

Xena is suddenly haunted by the ‘vision’ Alti had given her during her search for Gabrielle. Xena returned to the camp. She has doubts as to whether or not they should split up. When she looks at Gabrielle, she is again haunted by the vision. And realizes that if Gabrielle stays with her, the vision will come true. Gabrielle woke up and looked into her eyes.

“Xena,” Gabrielle asked. She looked into friend’s eyes. She could see it. “The vision again? Can you just forget the vision?” Gabrielle stretched and slowly got up. She started to walk over to Xena.

Xena ignored the question. She went back to getting Argo ready. “I want you to take Argo. You can get there faster.”

“Get where,” Gabrielle asked. Gabrielle was also having doubts about splitting up.

“To Ephiny and the others,” Xena said. “Go . . . now.”

“Xena I think we should . . . ,” Gabrielle started to say.

Xena forced Gabrielle onto the horse. “No time to argue.”

Gabrielle complied, it was the only thing she could do at that point. Xena gently talks to Argo, giving her a few instructions and to watch out for Gabrielle. Xena slaps the rump of her horse. Argo races off with Gabrielle atop him. Xena watches them leave.

Soon after Gabrielle left, Xena headed out of the camp. She went into the same direction as Gabrielle, only parallel to her. This gave Xena the advantage just in case anyone would follow her friend. She also wanted to make sure no one would cause trouble for Gabrielle. Xena kept her distance, constantly looking behind her to make sure no one was there.

By days break, Gabrielle had made up for lost time. She was tired and hungry. She was near where Ephiny and the other Amazon’s were holding up after the rogue Centaurs attacked and ran them out of their village. Argo suddenly stopped and Gabrielle’s attention was turned to four soldiers who coming from behind, with swords and staffs ready. They were snickering. They thought this was going to be an easy fight.

She climbed off Argo and sent her away. She was ready to fight. She stood there, with her staff in tow waiting for them. The first soldier came at her, twirling his sword quickly. She took her staff and hit him the gut and then sweep the staff around his legs, taking him off his feet. He fell backward, moaning.

The second soldier, came at her with a spear. She twirled her staff and knocked his feet out from under him. She then whacked him on the head to make sure he stayed down.

The third soldier came from behind her, but Gabrielle quickly twirled her staff into his gut and hit him across the face with the Amazon war staff. He tried to keep his balance but was knocked off his feet when the second soldier made a lunge for Gabrielle. The second soldier’s sword went into the third, killing him.

The fourth soldier was coming at her when Gabrielle’s attention was turned to three more soldiers on horses with spears and swords. She whistled for Argo to return. She climbed aboard Argo to make a quick exit. Argo saved Gabrielle just in time. She was able to get away from them this time. She wasn’t sure about the next time. This incident gave her quite a scare. Her heart was pounding fast as she and Argo made their way out of there. She never looked back.

“She has her horse, clever,” Sirius said. “Don’t just lay there and moan . . . GO AFTER HER!!” He ordered. “You are pathetic excuses for soldiers!”

“Sir,” a messenger said. “Xena is traveling parallel. The scouts picked her up. She’s about a mile behind us.”

“Good. Just as I thought she would.” Sirius said. He rode off. He was ready to claim his first victim, Xena. And to fulfill a promise.

“What about the other girl,” Margolis said. No one knew who Sirius wanted more: Xena or Gabrielle.

“Continue to follow her. Neither one of them must reach the Amazons,” Sirius said. He made a diabolical laugh and headed toward where Xena was at. He had one thing on his mind, the death of Xena.

The Creek in the Woods

“We can’t rest for long,” Gabrielle said to Argo as she petted his mane. “Get some water.” She took a deep breath. The fresh air made her more awake. Her great feeling was disrupted with the sound of soldiers approaching. She turned to look into the woods and she spotted men moving amongst the tress and brush. She was about to get on Argo when three soldiers come running towards her. Do these guys ever give up, she thought. She was ready for the fight.

The first one was successful in knocking her down, and she was quick to return the favor. He fell back into the creek, unconscious. Gabrielle, still recovering, made her way back to Argo when she was trapped. She suddenly wished Xena was there. As more soldiers arrived, the wish was getting only bigger. They were begging her to fight them.

Gabrielle decided to make a run for it; suddenly, a figure appeared. At first Gabrielle thinks it is Xena. The spirited figure attacks the soldiers, Gabrielle joins in the fight and the two dispose of the soldiers just like if Xena was there. Gabrielle turns to the spirited figure, “Who are you,” she asks.

The spirit just smiles then vanishes. Gabrielle didn’t want to waste time so she got out of there before more soldiers arrived. She was appreciative for the help but wondered who it was.

Gabrielle was stunned by the way this person fought, exactly like Xena. Gabrielle doubled her tracks to make sure no one was following her. But somebody was already doing that for her. The last thing she needed to was to bring her new traveling campions with her to the Amazon hideout.

The Spirited Woods

It wasn’t before too long before Xena encountered a few of the soldiers as well. She knew she was being followed. She was careful not to let her guard down. She heard a noise and stopped when she sensed a person coming from behind her on a horse.

“Did you lose your horse,” the voice said.

Xena turned around, “Sirius.” She recognized the voice and the person. She then noticed the colors he was wearing, her old colors. That didn’t cause much alarm as the soldiers did behind him did. They were also wearing her colors as well as carrying her banners.

“You remember my name,” Sirius said. “Take her!” He motioned for his men to charge Xena.

Soldiers came out from behind him, brandishing their swords. Xena was quick to draw hers. She fights them off one by one. Xena wishes Gabrielle was there. Xena was clearly out numbered. Surrendering was not option, so she continued to fight. This was going to be quite some battle for the Warrior Princess.

Xena does a back flip and her battle cry. She twirls her sword around and slashes two soldiers with one swipe. Xena is hit in the back of the head with a sword hilt, knocking her to the ground and the wind out of her. The blow was fast, hard and stunned the Warrior Princess. Just as Xena is about to be overtaken, a spirited figure appears to help in the cause. The spirited sole fights with a staff, leading Xena to believe that is Gabrielle but it is not.

The two warriors fight side by side, Sirius charges Xena only to retreat. “I’m not finished yet.” He wanted to make sure Xena knew his intentions. He wanted this to be a game with her. He wanted to make her afraid of him.

Xena was thankful for the help. When she turned to thank the person, they had disappeared. Xena didn’t exactly want to spend anymore time in this place. She went on head.

Xena suddenly felt dizzy. She paused for a moment, leaning against a tree. She tried to regain her sense of balance. She passed it off as being tired and most likely stemming from being hit in the head. After her brief rest, Xena continued on ahead at a faster pace. She had to catch up with Gabrielle no matter what. Splitting up was looking more and more like a bad idea. Xena had hoped Gabrielle didn’t encounter the same trouble, but was sure she had. Xena knew her senses to well for this not to be true Trouble had a tendency to find Gabrielle. When someone she cares deeply about was in jeopardy, bells go off. This gave her all the more reason to forge ahead, despite her aching head.