The Healer and The Warrior
Disclaimers in Part 1
Part Two:
Chapter Five: Destiny Revealed
The morning seemed to drag by. We barely spoke a word to each other; both lost in our own thoughts, both confined by our own inner walls. Callisto mumbled something about having to stop at a village on the way to get some supplies we needed for our very long journey. I quietly nodded at this and continued to focus on keeping pace with her, not wanting to slow her up or disappoint her in any way. It wasn’t until the sun was high in the sky that we finally came across a village suitable for our needs. Callisto halted her horse just outside the village and motioned for me to do the same.
Swiftly jumping down from her horse, Callisto looks to me and says,
“Xianne, I want to enter the village from here by foot…we don’t want to put these people on edge.”
Realizing that our clothing and armor reveal us as warriors, I nod in agreement and swiftly dismount Alcina. With her steely green eyes and hands on her hips she surveys our surroundings. There is a small boy crouching alone by a nearby stream that catches her attention.
“Boy…you, boy…come over here,” Callisto says in a tone that made even me cringe a little. She wasn’t harsh, just to the point, leaving the poor boy without a choice in the matter. I stand back wearily and take a swig of water. The boy carefully approaches us. He has an overwhelming look of fear in his eyes, a look that perplexes me a little, as I am not familiar with anyone, especially children, being afraid of me. Callisto takes no notice of this, which doesn’t surprise me…she has seen that look many times before. I quietly reflect on this as she says,
“Watch our horses and you will be rewarded well.”
She then pulls out a small pouch, heavy with dinars. She opens the pouch and tosses the boy a hefty sum. The fear in the boy’s eyes is now replaced with surprise as he scrambles to pick up all of the coins. Callisto smiles at him.
“Now, if you do a good job and allow no harm to come to our horses, you will receive the second half when we return. We should be back before the sun disappears to the west.”
The boy looks up at us, giving us a wide smile. He grabs the reigns and with a slight drawl says,
“I take goo’ care ma’ams!”
I smile at this and walk over to the boy to pat him on the head while Callisto removes a few items from her horse.
“Xianne, come on, we have much to do today, and I want to be done as quickly as possible so we can get back on the road,” she says.
I turn from the boy and quickly join Callisto by her side. We proceed at a quick pace toward the village.
We slow our pace as we enter the village, as to not cause alarm. The name on the sign reads “Kyria”. Callisto’s face is expressionless.
“Have you ever been here before?” I ask.
I catch a slight twinge of sadness and pain in her eyes as she says,
”No, Xianne, not this village, but it is just like so many villages I have ravaged in the past...”
Her voice trails off at the end of this statement and she looks away. Quickly she recovers though, avoiding my eyes. My heart breaks for my friend, as I know she is so overcome with the guilt of her past crimes, and struggles with being good everyday. Before I can respond to her, my attention is shifted, as I notice the villagers all stopping what they are doing to stare at us. The looks they are giving us are a mixture of fear and anxiety. Callisto senses my feelings of unease and says,
“Xianne, we may not be received well in this place, as they may have heard of me…let’s just get what we came for and get out of here. Now, I am going to see about some warmer cloaks for us…do you want to come with me, or go off on your own?”
I look again at the villagers. Their coldness toward us is unnerving, but I do not sense any imminent danger. I reply,
“You go and deal with that. I am going to find the physicians hut to get us some medical supplies we need."
Callisto shoots me a playful smile and shakes her head.
“You and your medical supplies. Alright then, lets meet back at the village inn before the sun is low.”
I nod in agreement, and turn in the direction of the physicians hut. But before I can even take a step, I am startled by an old woman, who is standing directly behind me, blocking my way. She is a short woman, dressed in dark robes, with jewelry that appears to cascade down from her ears, surrounding her neck, and then wrapping like two golden snakes around both her arms. Although she is aged, I can see that in her younger days she would have been strikingly beautiful. Her jet black hair is weaved into too many braids to count, and her crystal clear blue eyes radiate with a light that seems to come from deep within her. Her skin is flawless and porcelain white, touched only by the wrinkles of time. Her close proximity to me causes me to take a step backward, and I immediately scan her for any weapons. She has none. There is something about her that I find unnerving, and as I try to sidestep her, she continues to hold me in place solely with her eyes. Finally I break my trance and almost stumble out of her way. She gives me a soft smile, as if she knows me, before looking away, and laying her eyes upon Callisto. This mysterious woman then proceeds without fear toward Callisto, and reaches out to take her hand. I watch in surprise as Callisto allows this, without the slightest hesitation. Turning Callisto’s hand over in her own, the woman examines the creases in Callisto’s palm. Once she is thoroughly satisfied with what she sees, she looks up once again. Callisto’s expression becomes one of amusement, and grinning she says,
“Is everything to your liking, old woman?”
Not knowing what is going on, I quickly move beside Callisto, and ready my hand on my sword. The woman sees me do this and smiles.
“There is no need to be afraid, Xianne,” she softly says.
Then turning her gaze back toward Callisto she says,
“I have been expecting you, Callisto. Please, follow me.”
With that she releases Callisto’s hand and turning, she begins walking toward a small shack, her robes undulating behind her. I stand beside Callisto in shock. Once the woman is out of earshot, I grab Callisto’s arm and say,
“Callisto…how did she know our names? Do you know this woman?”
Callisto looks at me as though she doesn’t know what to say. She finally says,
“No, Xianne, I have never met this woman before, yet I do know what is about to happen.” She pauses for a second before muttering more to herself than to me,
“Honestly, I didn’t think it would happen this soon. I guess I have less time than I thought.” I look at her skeptically as she continues.
“Xianne, I know you don’t understand this, but you will soon, I promise. We have much to discuss. As I told you before we set out, this journey is of far greater importance than you realize now, and we will both be called upon to play crucial roles. Our fate, as well as that of so many others, depends on what we do when the time comes. For now, I am asking you to trust me. Can you do that?”
I look deep into my friends’ eyes. Slowly I nod my head.
“Yes, Callisto, I will trust you…as always.”
Callisto smiles at me and with a sincere yet intense look she says,
“Thank you, my friend. Come, we must hurry, for I am afraid time is not on our side.”
In the distance we see the woman disappearing into the shack. We proceed at a quick pace and upon arriving, Callisto stops just outside the door. My mind is flooded with a mixture of confusion and fear of the unknown. She turns to me and says,
“Listen, Xianne, what is about to happen to me may scare you, but I don’t want you to be afraid. You must promise me right now that you will allow this woman the freedom to do as she wishes with me, and you must not interfere. You must promise me this, or this whole thing ends right here.”
The look she gives me lets me know that she is deadly serious.
“I understand, Callisto, and I will do as you ask…I promise.”
Callisto nods, then slowly opens the door and enters the hut, with me right behind her…
Upon entering the shack I take my first look around and gasp. From the outside, it looks like an old rundown pile of rotting wood. Passing it by on the road, one might not even notice it. Yet, the inside is like nothing I have ever seen before, and the beauty of it takes my breath away. The walls and ceiling are intricately decorated with a brilliance of colors and patterns that seem to dance all around us. On one side of the room, shelves line the corner. Upon them are books, scrolls, and emblems so full of mystic and power that they almost have a life of their own. In the center of the room stands an alter, the top engraved with symbols and pictures that I cannot understand. Beneath the alter is a rug, adorned with the words, “Although I have no choice but to walk in the shadow of darkness, there is truth veiled in the surreal. It is not the destination that reveals an end to the pain that we carry, but the journey itself…” I see Callisto looking around in awe as well, as I sense movement from a corner. I turn my gaze in this direction and see the woman sitting alone in a chair, her eyes closed. Over the next few minutes, from what I can tell, the woman continues to sit and meditate. During this time, two more women appear from behind a curtain and approach us. They don’t speak, but begin a ritual of sorts. They remove our cloaks and weapons and take them away. Then one of the women pulls up and chair and offers it to me. I nod graciously and sit down. The other woman begins to disrobe Callisto entirely. I watch this intently from my position, as Callisto allows all of this to take place. Feeling slightly awkward and nervous I sit on the edge of my seat. The woman who offered me the chair places her hand on my shoulder, in a gesture of reassurance, and smiles at me, before turning and disappearing once again behind the curtain. Callisto is now fully naked and the other woman is helping her up on to the altar. My woman returns with a cup of steaming liquid that she offers to me. Feeling the chill in the room from the cold, I take the tea readily and begin to drink. The hot brew warms me inwardly, and I begin to relax somewhat, though never taking my eyes off Callisto. Suddenly, there is a loud “clap” from the corner of the room where the original mysterious woman has been meditating. All eyes focus on her as she stands up from her chair, hands still together. The two women who have been helping Callisto and me bow, and quickly take their leave.
A thick silence follows, save the sound of the woman’s footsteps as she approaches the altar. My eyes are heavy and my body feels slightly numb. I take no notice of this though, as I am intently watching this woman approach my friend. The woman reaches the head of the altar and stops, placing one hand on each side of Callisto’s face. She looks down at Callisto, whose face is upside down to hers, and quietly says,
“My name is Nadia. Do you understand why you are here, Callisto?”
Callisto nods slightly, without saying a word.
“Good. Then it is time.” Nadia says emphatically.
I watch as she begins slowly walking around the altar, chanting something in a language unfamiliar to me. Her arms are outstretched just a breath above Callisto’s naked body. It is my understanding that she is melding with Callisto’s aura. The words she speaks begin to blur in my mind, and I notice it getting harder and harder for me to concentrate. I wrinkle my brow and bring the tea to my nose, sniffing the fumes, deciphering out each characteristic smell from another. Being a skilled healer, it doesn’t take me long to realize my tea has been tampered with by an herb that will numb my senses and put me to sleep. I open my mouth to protest, but the exhaustion has taken over, and I slump over in my chair, sound asleep, dropping the teacup to the floor in the process. The clamorous sound of the porcelain shattering causes Callisto to jump and she immediately sits upright, eyes in the direction of the noise. As she sees my seemingly lifeless body in the chair her heart nearly explodes and she looks to Nadia with hatred flashing in her eyes.
“What have you done to her?” she says in a very low and deep tone, her muscles taught and the hair on her neck rising, as she grips the altar until her knuckles turn white, fighting the overwhelming urge to jump off the table and kill Nadia with her bare hands.
Nadia breaks her concentration momentarily to answer. She says,
“Callisto, just relax. Xianne is fine. I have just put her to sleep for a while. I could not take the risk that she would interfere in this.”
She touches Callisto lightly on the knee and smiles warmly at her.
“Now just lay back and let me work.”
Callisto allows her gaze to travel to me, and then back to Nadia. Before she can respond Nadia continues with,
“Her tea contained an herb causing sleep, but I have put a spell on her as well, so she may be able to watch all that happens here in a dreamscape. Also, anything you wish to say to her, she will be able to hear and remember.”
Nadia looks intensely at Callisto and with her eyes conveys a message that Callisto understands. Callisto gives her a slight smile and lies back down on the altar. As Nadia once again resumes her work, Callisto closes her eyes and begins to speak to me in her mind.
Xianne I know you can hear me, although you can’t respond. But this may not be a bad thing because I just need to get this out, and I don’t think I could do it if I had to look into your eyes and see the pain sure to be there once you hear what I have to say. I believe this was Nadia’s plan all along, and the real reason why she tampered with your tea. The reason I am no longer a goddess is because a few weeks before I met you, I was visited by an old man, by the name of Maji. He came to me, seeking out the one without fear or the soul to possess such things. He told me of a place called Cimmeria, and of an evil presence in this land, who he referred to as ‘The Other’, which is trying to destroy it. This man, though afraid of me, loved his homeland and his king so much that he was willing to risk his life, not only on the long journey, but also in confronting me. He told me that I was the only one who could save this place, because the demon thrives by devouring the souls of warriors, and grows stronger by consuming their fear. Xianne, I have no fear, and I have no soul…hence Maji’s choice. I was tired of the life I was living. Being a goddess just wasn’t fulfilling me. Everything just seemed so…pointless. I listened to this man, and watched the torment in his face as he spoke of his homeland. For the first time in longer than I can remember, I felt something, Xianne. Pain for what this man had been through, and for his people, a sense of duty…or something. Maji told me that this was part of my destiny, and that by fulfilling it, I would finally be free. And Xianne, by that he meant that this journey will be my last. Maji told me of certain people we would come in contact with along this journey. This is how I knew of Nadia. Maji spoke of you, as well, Xianne. He told me of the one who would accompany me on this journey, and that the goodness in your soul will spill over into me, filling the barrenness there. This will trick the evil one. When he senses me near, he will be sensing your soul inside of me, and it will not be until he consumes my essence, that he will realize his fatal mistake. Once this happens, I will be able to destroy him, from the inside out. Xianne, once he is dead, I will be as well. Maji is a powerful man. He has been given the ability to see the future in visions. He gave me a potion and let me make the choice on my own. My last act as a goddess was sending him back to Cimmeria. In a flash he was gone, and I was alone again. It was then that I drank the potion, thereby taking away my godhood, and returning me back to a mortal. It was at that moment that I made the choice to follow through with this. I chose to shape the future, forever tying you to me. Although I sometimes wonder how much choice I really had in everything. Destiny is not something that can be controlled. I asked Maji how I would find you, and why you were the one to do this with me. He told me that I shouldn’t worry about finding you…I would, and when I did I would know it was you. But, he gave me nothing to go on, not even your name. I questioned him further, but he said I would just know when I found you. And he was right, Xianne. That night in the hut when you saved my life…that was when I knew you were the one. This is why I let you come along on this journey. The reason I wanted to die that night, Xianne, is because I was afraid. I didn’t think I could do this. But seeing the love in your eyes for me as you worked to save my life made me realize that with your help, I could. He also said there were reasons why you were the one to do this with me, but that even you were not fully aware of them yet. He said one day you would be though, and it would be very personal. I have no idea what that means, Xianne, but I’m sure we will figure it out together. This is why I didn’t want you to get too excited for this journey, my friend. Even if we somehow survive and reach the evil one, it will not end well…at least, not for me…
It is then that Callisto stops speaking. Nadia had long since finished her chant, and had been waiting for Callisto to finish, giving us this moment together. I have been watching everything going on as though I am outside of my body. Nadia opens her eyes and raises her hands to the sky in a wide V-shape.
“AND IT WILL BE DONE…” she proclaims.
A blinding flash follows. Once I can see again, I see Callisto, still on the altar, suddenly fully dressed in a type of armor I have never seen before. It is elaborate and beautiful, laden with symbols that shine brilliantly. They are the same types of symbols that decorate this hut. Slowly I open my eyes. The herb has worn off. I look down and realize that I am dressed differently as well, but it is familiar. I have on all of Callisto’s old clothing and armor, that which she has worn since the day I met her. The only difference is that my top contains the mark of the healer, where it did not when the clothing was hers. I look up and see Callisto sitting up, inspecting her new gear. Nadia is nowhere to be seen. All that is left of her is the dark robes she wore. They are now adorning the floor where she had been standing. Callisto looks at me and smiles weakly.
“That’s a good look on you,” she playfully says.
In my scabbard is her sword. Everything that was hers is now mine. I look at her in awe.
“Callisto, your new armor is beautiful!” I proclaim.
“Yeah, it’s not half bad,” she says, inspecting herself once again, playing with her new sword, and smiling evilly. Suddenly she stops and looks at me.
“Come here, Xianne.”
I stand up, somewhat shakily, the residual effects of the drug still lingering I assume. I walk over to Callisto, and stand directly in front of her.
“Are you okay?” she asks, taking my hands in hers.
“I’m fine.” I curtly answer, pulling my hands back quickly.
Callisto looks a little confused but I ignore her.
“Lets get out of here, okay? This place is making me nervous,” I say with little affect in my voice.
Callisto recovers her composure and jumps off the altar.
“After you,” she says, motioning me to proceed with her hand.
I open the door and step into the open air. The day is gone, and I let my eyes adjust to the darkness around us. The fresh air does nothing for the spinning in my head. I have a hot flash and begin to sweat. Then I drop to my knees and begin throwing up repeatedly on the ground. Callisto drops to my side and puts her hand on my shoulder.
“Oh, Xianne, I’m so sorry…”
I look up at her between heaves and lie,
“It’s not you…it’s the after effect of the herb.”
She doesn’t believe this for a minute and just keeps saying how sorry she is. I just want her to shut up. She moves closer and closer to me, pulling me further into her.
“No, Callisto, stay away from me,” I fire at her, trying to push her away.
Tears from nowhere begin forming in my eyes. Callisto won’t listen and just keeps holding on to me. Then the damn breaks and I begin to cry uncontrollably. Callisto pulls me in tighter, but I fight her, pounding my fists against her body. She doesn’t even flinch. Exhaustion overtakes me and I finally give up and just sink into her, shaking and crying. She smoothes my hair back over and over, saying nothing, just letting me cry. I have no idea how long we stayed like this, both of us on the ground, outside this tiny little shack that forever changed my perception of the world. Finally, when there are no more tears left, I sit defeated. Callisto rocks me back and forth, trying to lull away the pain in my soul. I look up at her and meet her eyes.
“I’m just so sorry, Xianne,” she whispers.
A few moments pass between us.
“I know you are,” I finally say, forcing a smile. Then I remember the boy. “Oh no, Cal, we need to get back to our horses!” I exclaim.
This brings Callisto back to reality and she begins to laugh. A little at first, but then it becomes a full belly laugh and she cannot control herself.
“That…poor…kid…” she manages to get out.
I begin to laugh as well, until tears once again are rolling down my cheeks. Finally the two of us manage to pull it together and stand up. We begin running toward the edge of the village where we left our horses. Feeling much better I grab her hand in mid-run and smile at her in the darkness. She smiles back at me. Somehow I realize everything is going to be okay. It has to be. As we reach the place we entered Kyria, Callisto slows to a walk. I stop as well, realizing we are going to have to back track a little because it was light when we arrived and everything is more difficult in the dark. Callisto turns to me and says,
“You know, Xianne, I left out a part in the story I told you.”
I look at her face and can make out that she is grinning at me.
“What is it, Cal?” I curiously ask.
Callisto winks at me and says,
“Once this is over, you will go on, my friend, to rule Cimmeria…as Queen…”
Chapter Six: Learning How To Breathe Again
I have lived a long time for my young age, and in that time I have seen and been a part of many strange things. Things, that although I may not be able to explain, I have learned to accept them for what they are. There have only been a few times in my life that I have been shocked utterly beyond belief. Needless to say, the moment Callisto told me that I was to be the future Queen of Cimmeria, was one of those times.
“WHAT?” I shout at her.
Callisto giggles at my reaction. I can only imagine what the look on my face must be expressing to her.
“ARE YOU BLOODY-WELL KIDDING ME?” I proclaim, hoping very hard that I somehow just didn’t hear her right.
We have somehow managed to make it back to our horses, and Callisto puts her finger to her lips in a gesture to tell me to quiet down. I open my mouth to protest, but it is then I see the boy, asleep against a tree trunk, the reigns of our horses still enwrapping his small hands. I furiously whisper,
“This is not over, Callisto.”
She ignores me as she tiptoes toward the boy. Without a sound, she carefully unties the strings to her money pouch. Peering inside of it, she looks at me and shrugs her shoulders, before bending down and placing the entire thing in the boys’ hands, replacing the reigns.
“You deserve it,” she mutters to him quietly under her breath.
She then begins to walk away, totting our horses behind her. I quickly move beside her, grabbing Alcina’s reigns from her hands.
“Callisto, what are we doing?” I ask, looking back at the slumbering boy, making sure we are out of earshot.
Without looking at me and adjusting her new armor she states,
“It is late and we are going to make camp just ahead. We have both been through quite an ordeal today, and we need our rest.”
The sounds of the night surround us, with only the snapping of small twigs beneath our feet and the slow pitter-patter of our horses to break up the monotony of the earth’s nocturnal creatures. I stare at Callisto, my focus shifted, nearly tripping over one of those small twigs.
“How can you rest?” I utter. “Don’t you think we need to talk about all of this?” I emphatically state, raising my eyebrows.
“Not tonight, Xianne,” she says, her tone flat.
I return my focus to the trail ahead of us, saying nothing. I am angered but I know if I open my mouth now I will only say some things I’ll regret. Fine, I think to myself, she doesn’t want to discuss this, than neither do I. This is probably one of the most untrue thoughts I’ve ever had, but I’m so angry right now I can’t think clearly. Callisto pulls her horse up to a tree and points to a nearby clearing.
“We make camp here,” is all she says.
I nod at her. “Fine by me,” I add in an outright sarcastic tone.
I harshly rip my bedroll off of Alcina and abruptly shake it out in the air and bring it to the ground. Callisto ignores my behavior, which infuriates me further. Without even saying goodnight, I lie down and close my eyes, wanting nothing more than to put this wretched day behind me…
I awake to the sunlight in my face, making a diverging spectrum through the abundance of trees, budding with the tender beginnings of new life. Soon these trees will be thick with foliage, I think, with the change of season and the summer solstice rapidly approaching. I sit up and search the area for Callisto. A wave of nausea passes through me as all at once everything that happened the day before returns to me. Maybe it was just a dream, I think to myself. Yes, that’s what it was, just a very bad dream. This truly sad illusion of hope within me is abruptly shattered as I look down at myself and see that I am wearing all of Callisto’s clothing.
“By the gods…” I whisper out loud.
Having had a decent night’s sleep despite all of the events of the prior day, I do feel better I realize, but I can’t help but wonder what in the underworld I have gotten myself into here. Callisto comes into view, as she approaches from the forest, carrying a small rabbit in her hands. She grins at me and says,
“Breakfast,” holding up her prey triumphantly.
I smile at her. She pretends to look shocked by my reaction to her and sarcastically says,
“Well, Xianne, I see we are in a better mood than last night, eh?”
I roll my eyes at her and stand up to roll up my bedroll, saying nothing to either confirm or deny her statement.
“We do need to talk, you know that, right?” I simply say.
She pauses with her back to me starting a small fire.
“I do know that…but let’s eat first, okay?” she replies without turning around.
The rabbit meat was tender and cooked to perfection, though between the two of us we barely touched it. After we cleaned up our campsite and dispersed our leftovers for the woodland creatures, we mounted our horses and set out on a course headed north. Inside I felt like I’d already been beaten, and we hadn’t even really begun yet. The events of the day before continued to replay over and over in my head like a recurrent nightmare from which I could not awaken. Callisto was frightfully quiet. Having had a change of heart, I no longer wanted to be the one to bring up the discussion first, so I focused on the trail ahead of us, capturing it in great detail. Finally, unable to take the silence any longer, I decided to ask a very benign question.
“Callisto, what is the significance of that clothing and armor?” I ask, pointing to her new garments.
“The armor,” she replies, “is formed from a special type of metal. It is of the strongest metal there is. Here, get out your cooking knife,” she requests.
I look at her curiously and burrow my hand deep within my sac to retrieve my knife. Without saying a word, I pass it to her.
“No, no,” she says and refuses to take it. “You hold on to it. Now, I want you to plunge it into my heart.”
“What?” I gasp and give her a perplexed look.
“Just do it, Xianne,” she says. “Trust me.”
Still very unsure of this whole plan I gently push the blade against her. She rolls her eyes at me in annoyance. Without saying a word she grabs both my hands with hers and forces the knife into her chest. I close my eyes and let out a scream. I can feel my heart racing and my stomach turning. When I reopen my eyes, Callisto is smiling at me. As I withdraw the knife, I realize it hasn’t penetrated at all. In fact, it looks like it is doing a very bad impersonation of an accordion.
“What the…” I softly say, a look of shock on my face.
“See,” Callisto says, “very strong armor.”
I nod in agreement and smile. “Very nice, Cal.”
“I know. This armor and clothing will protect me from anything The Other can throw at me, metallic objects, fireballs, everything…at least, for as long as I need it to.”
Her last statement cuts through me like the cold steel of a thousand blades being hurled at me one at a time. I look down.
“As long as you need it to,” I repeat. “You mean until the time is right for him to take your life.”
“Yes, Xianne,” she softly says, “That is exactly what I mean.”
We rode for a long time after that in silence. Neither one of us knew exactly what to say, the pain still very fresh and raw. Somewhere along the way we had moved out of the forest and had entered some desert lands. The trees were few and far between and the sand was hard on Alcina. I was tired and numb, and if The Other had risen out of the sand at that very moment and taken my life, I wouldn’t have cared less. It wasn’t until dusk had settled in that we decided to stop for the night and make camp. We made a fire and stood beside one another in the sand, watching the last orange and purple glow of the sun settle down for the night.
“Are you sure I am to be Queen?” I quietly ask.
“Yes.”
“That is what Maji told you?”
“Yes.”
“And his ‘visions’…are they always accurate?”
“Yes, I believe so.”
I pause momentarily to think. Callisto rolls out her bedroll and lies down. I sit beside her on my own bedroll, staring at her.
“I don’t know anything about ruling a Kingdom,” I state.
“You will learn,” she says.
“But what if I…”
“You will be great, Xianne. I know you will be,” she says, interrupting me.
“Callisto, I don’t want you to die,” I whisper, as tears form behind my eyes.
Callisto sits upright. Even in the dark, where everything is harder, the look on her face shows me that I have greatly angered her.
“Xianne,” she says, raising her voice, “do you think this is easy for me either? I have come to la…” she pauses. “I have come to care about you very deeply. Do you think I like hurting you in this way? Do you think I want to die now that I have finally found something to live for?”
She stops speaking and tears are rolling down her cheeks. I sit speechlessly, enwrapped in my own sorrow and guilt, silent tears sliding down my face as well.
“I’m sorry,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper.
Callisto pauses and looks deep into my eyes. “I’m sorry too,” she softly says. After a moment she reaches into the darkness and grabs my hand. Giving it a squeeze she says,
“We’ll get though this, Xianne. You must believe that.”
I silently nod at her, feeling my own exhaustion seep down to my very core. I lie down on my bedroll and she does the same. I try to close my eyes, knowing all the while that as tired as I am, sleep will elude me this night. I sense Callisto is having trouble as well. I roll up on my elbow and say,
“Cal, I have one more question.”
“What is it, Healer?” she mutters in a sleepy voice.
“Do you really not have a soul?”
Callisto pauses momentarily before rolling on her side to face me. She sighs as she says,
“No, Xianne, I have no soul. I gave it up long ago when I became a goddess. Though I am mortal once again, my soul is lost.”
“Can you ever get it back?”
“I don’t know, Xianne. I just don’t know.”
Callisto closes her eyes. “Now try to sleep,” she says. “Tomorrow will be better and every day after that the pain of this will get less and less.”
“I’m so sad I can barely breathe,” I softly say to her.
“Then tomorrow I will teach you how to breathe again, my friend,” she says and through the dim light of the fire I swear I can see her wink at me before she rolls over and falls asleep.
The Desert
Standing close, hand in hand
Looking out toward the desert sand
Protected for now by a quiet little oasis
Thinking of how far we’ve come, in so few places
Nervous tension between the two
It’s the end of the beginning for me and you
A warrior, once a god, lacking fear
Leans in close to kiss away the tear
Sun setting into the desert night
Nothing being said, not even the future bright
In time I realize I will die with honor
Tomorrow, your own fear, you will begin to conquer
Written by Callisto
Callisto was right. With each passing day, the pain did seem to dim. I wasn’t sure if it was just the power of denial that was playing its deceitful hand on me or if I was, truly, growing emotionally stronger. Whatever the reason, I just made every moment I had with her count. Each day ran into the next, as it was pretty much the same. We would leave at the crack of dawn, travel all day, only to make camp just before the sun had faded away. Sometimes we would stop in a village we passed through, to get some food or any supplies we needed. Sometimes we would see people in need along the way and we would stop to assist them. One day we even freed a group of people being held by slavers. It was fun to watch Callisto deal with them in her way. They didn’t even know what hit them! She had told me to start out with the villagers to get them safely set on a course for their home. When she caught up to where I was (after properly handing over the slavers to the correct authorities…wink, wink), she laughed, as I had all the villagers fishing and organizing the campsite. Those were good times. The light inside Callisto grew brighter and brighter with each passing day, as my soul continued to spill into her body. The sunset was my favorite time of day, as each evening we would stand, side by side, and watch it slowly slip away. The farther north we headed, the colder it became and the larger my fears grew. The bond we shared continued to grow and strengthen. Times were peaceful and quiet, and our friendship was comfortable. Things went on like this, until just before we entered The Other’s territory…
The night is pitch black and bitterly cold. The only hint of life is the sound of the small crackling fire that Callisto somehow managed to get going earlier this evening, despite the opposing will of the fierce winds. Exhaustion is an understatement, I think, as I realize I am having difficulty even lifting my fork of stew to my mouth. I shiver beneath the blanket that is pulled tightly around me as I try to chew. Everything is more of an effort than it should be. Callisto sits quietly beside me, too cold to even speak. We are far to the north now, somewhere in the mountains, and close to our destination. The weather has not been kind though, and I feel it is the evil one’s doing. He senses us near and he is using his power to try and force us back. Callisto doesn’t really have an opinion about this. She simply says that it will take more than a little cold weather to stop her.
With a shaking arm, she carefully tries to pass our goblet of wine to me without spilling it. She is unsuccessful, as a few drops spill over the side and land on my blanket. Watching this makes me giggle, as I reach over and rescue the goblet from her hands. She grins back and shrugs her shoulders as if to say, “Well, what do ya want from me!!! I’m freezing!!” Lifting the goblet to my lips I practically inhale the sweet nectar, letting it warm me from the inside out. This one shared goblet is a small reminder of everything that the two of us have been through over the past days, weeks…I don’t even know how long we’ve been traveling for now. Having two separate goblets just seemed utterly ridiculous, with the load of everything else we have been hauling around with us. A few weeks back we decided to just discard anything that was not essential to our journey…one of the goblets was the first thing to go. I smile at this memory, thinking of how close the two of us have become…closer than just mere friends…closer, even, than sisters. We can read each other’s thoughts and predict each other’s moves. With her by my side I am happier than I have ever been. The ache in my heart returns at this thought, and I wonder once again how I am ever going to go on without her.
“What are you thinking about?” Callisto asks, through chattering teeth.
I turn my gaze toward her and smile.
“Us.” I reply, while carefully passing the goblet back to her.
“You think too much, Healer,” she matter-of-factly states as she takes the goblet from me, nearly having to pry my frozen hands off of it.
“I know,” I softly reply as I turn my head and look into the distance, consumed once again by an inner grief that is simply too painful to put to words.
Callisto, sensing my deep pain, places her bowl and our goblet aside and reaches behind me, wrapping her arms and blanket around my waist and resting her head against my back. I lean back into her and let her embrace quiet the ache in my soul. We remain like this for many moments, with only the sounds of the fire popping and crackling to break the silence, content in the now with the peace we find solely in one another.
Finally, Callisto speaks.
“I need you to go on when I die, Xianne. I need you to write our story so that I will be remembered…”
Having been almost in a trance, I am jolted back to reality not only by her words, but also by the tone in her voice. It is as though the excruciating battle Callisto has been fighting within herself finally broke free and exploded out of her tongue. I turn around to face her and see her pleading look. She continues with,
“Xianne, I have seen your scrolls and although I can not read what they say, the words seem to dance off the pages.” She looks away sheepishly and adds, “I know that they are simple sonnets you jot down here and there when something of beauty comes to you, but sometimes when I am alone with them I make up what I think they are saying in my head. They are great adventures…of us…traveling the world…fighting the good fight…protecting the innocent…like Xena and her bard…”
She gives me a childlike grin as she turns to catch my eyes. I smile at her in the way a mother smiles at her child and reaching out, I smooth back her long blonde hair. I see her smile gleam and her eyes light up by the flames of the fire, and I know she is thinking about all that could be if things were different.
“Are you serious about this?” I ask with a raised brow.
“Yes,” she firmly states, her facial expression changing to one of a more serious nature. Her eyes alone relay to me how important this is to her. I am always surprised by the feeling that comes with these moments of trust and commitment that pass between us when our eyes lock. It is as though I have never known anything before or after her, and nothing else, past or future, will ever be the same now that I do. Like she is a secret that somehow I have to keep locked away forever in the farthest corner of my mind, so that no one will ever find her. She has become as much a part of me as I am myself. Sometimes I even wonder if my heart will continue to beat once hers stops and she crosses over. I reach up and place my hands on her cheeks, my face mere inches away from hers.
“Then it will be done, Callisto,” I say with sincerity in my voice.
She smiles and says, “Thank you, my friend.”
We push our goblet and bowls aside and lay down together on the hard earth. A night of restless sleep follows for both of us, as our minds refuse to silence, both painfully aware that with each passing day we come closer to the night where we will sleep side by side no more…
The dawn of a new day finally arrives, bringing with it an end to this night of unrest. I sleepily rub my eyes before slowly opening them. Callisto comes into my view, as she is already up and is cooking breakfast at the fire. Slowly I rise to a seated position, allowing my blanket to drop from my shoulders into my lap. The day is brisk, but already much warmer than the night before. I stretch my arms above my head and smile at Callisto as she turns my way.
“Nice of you to join me this morning, Healer,” she playfully smirks.
I roll my eyes at her.
“You could have woken me, you know,” I taunt back.
She has already shifted her attention back to the food but I see her shake her head in amusement. I stand up wearily, wrapping my blanket around me, and walk over to the fire.
“That’s an elaborate breakfast,” I comment, as I see Callisto has gone all out. She is cooking fish, rice, some type of stew, and on the side she has apples, grapes, cheese, and bread.
“Well, while you were sleeping I went into town and bought us all of this food. I figure since I’m not going to be around all that much longer, I should enjoy it while I still can.”
I silently nod at this while I begin rolling up my blanket and bedroll.
“Don’t we need to be on our way, Callisto?” I ask, throwing her a confused look.
“No, we are going to stay here for a few days. From what I can tell, this is the closest we are to Cimmeria while still being out of the demons reach. Once we pass through these woods, we will be in his domain, and the closer we get, the stronger he will become. We need this time to regain all of our strength, because from here on out, we will need it. Besides, when last I saw Maji, so long ago, he said he would meet us here, and take us the rest of the way.”
I continue with my chore as I think about this. I have wanted to meet Maji for some time now. Although I hate to admit it to myself, I have mixed feelings for this man Callisto thinks so highly of. In my heart I know he is a good man. He has defied all odds and taken many risks so that he can save his homeland and his people. Yet, part of me wishes he had never come to Callisto in the first place. If he hadn’t, then we would not be going through any this now, and she would not have to die. We could still be back in the village, having our secret late night talks, drinking Amazon wine. I put my bedroll away. Those times seem so long ago now, another lifetime or something.
“Xianne, why don’t you begin to write our story today?” Callisto says, shaking me from my thoughts.
I smile at her and excitement fills me.
“That is a great idea, Cal. I think I will start right now!”
Callisto laughs, “Well, not without breakfast you won’t,” she playfully adds as she passes me a plate brimming with food. She makes herself a plate as well, and we sit down together to enjoy the meal.
Once we have eaten and cleaned up our campsite, Callisto decides to stop fighting her exhaustion, and goes down for a nap. The thought of writing our story is just too exciting to me, and although I try to sleep as well, I cannot. It is nice to have something else to focus on for a little while, I muse. I sit for a while with a brand new scroll laid out before me, and watch her sleep. By the gods, she is so beautiful, I think, and reach over to brush her hair back a few times. Smiling, I pick up my quill and begin to write. But before I can even write the words, “Once upon a time”, my hand is overtaken by a force not of me. Fear grips me as I try unsuccessfully to regain control of my hand. I immediately assume it is the evil being, causing my heart to beat out of my chest and my mouth to become noticeably dry. This thing forces my hand to the parchment and begins to write. Xianne…please…don’t fight me…I need your help. I read the words and panic ensues. Realizing I still have control of my other hand I swing it over and smack it against Callisto, gripping her arm fiercely. This sudden move startles her out of her slumber and she bolts upright, starring at me.
“Callisto, something is controlling my hand!” I uncontrollably shout, panic in my voice.
“WHAT?” she screams.
The force continues to control me. This is Maji…I am coming to you through the only means I have right now…your mind. In a flash Callisto is up and standing over me, trying to read what the scroll is saying, her peaceful sleep having come to an abrupt end.
“Damn it, this not being able to read thing,” she mutters, rubbing her eyes. “Xianne, what is it saying?”
She looks pleadingly at me, panic in her voice, as she grabs my cursed hand and tries to remove it from the scroll. She fails at this and falls backward. I don’t have much time, Xianne. Please, you and Callisto must listen… Callisto jumps back up and for the first time I can see she has no idea how to proceed, while I can do nothing but allow this to happen. I have been captured by the evil one’s army, and am being held against my will. Tomorrow will most likely be the last sunrise to shine its glow upon my face…at least, in this lifetime. I repeat, out loud, verbatim everything that the scroll reads, as soon as it happens, for Callisto’s benefit. She clumsily plops down in front of me, somewhat in shock, unable to do anything but stare at me.
“It…It’s…Maji?” she confusingly stutters.
Cimmeria is in more trouble than ever. Our king, my dear friend, has been killed, allowing the evil one free reign here. Our armies, though they still continue to fight, have already lost. I have seen you both in your swift and steady approach to my land through my visions, but now you must ride faster than you ever have before, for time is running out. My people are dying at alarming rates…men, women, and even the smallest children, and dying along with them is our hope. Tears form in my eyes as Maji uses his power to show me visions of his people dying in my mind, while still controlling my hand. Children slaughtered, just for the evil beings’ pleasure. The blood of the innocent is everywhere, soaking the ground and turning it a horrific red. Callisto grabs my free hand and seeing the torment on my face says,
“Xianne?”
I just shake my head at her, unable to speak. I have a plan to escape here tonight. But it is close to impossible, even for me with the power I possess. Even if I do manage to escape, I will probably be unable to make it passed the gates. The fate of the world is your hands now, as the evil one has proclaimed that once he is finished with Cimmeria, he will have enough power to conquer places not in his reach now, and eventually, he will own the whole world. Please hurry, my friends. You two are our only hope now… Then, as quickly as it happened, it is over. Maji is no longer with us, and I regain control of my hand. Callisto and I just stare at each other, neither one of us knowing what to say. Finally I say,
“I think we just ran out of time, Callisto.”
She silently nods in agreement, and I can see the wheels already turning in her mind.
“Xianne, we need to go. We need to get to Cimmeria,” she briskly says, stating the obvious.
“Callisto, we need an army,” I numbly reply.
“I know. The Cimmerian army is ours to command, once we get there.”
Relieved that at least something is in our favor, I stumble to my feet and quickly begin gathering our belongings.
“No, just leave that,” Callisto says, “There is no time, Xianne. Just grab what you can and let’s go.”
In a blink she mounts her horse as I grab a few items before doing the same. Before I can take my next breath, we are off. The last thing I do before kicking Alcina into high gear is tear up the magic scroll. No one can find this. I can’t put Maji in any more danger than he’s already in. I grimace inwardly. So much for getting some rest and starting to write our story. That is just going to have to wait. I grab Alcina’s reigns and catch up to Callisto, who is already completely focused on the task at hand. We ride in silence, as fast as we can, stopping for nothing, both painfully aware that the night before may have been the last night of peace the two of us will ever know together.
ÀÀÀÀÀÀÀ
From behind the rocks and with piercing red eyes he has been watching. All he can do is watch, because he is outside of the confines of his domain. Now that Callisto and Xianne have departed he slowly slithers into view. Using what little power he possesses in these parts, in one swift motion he turns himself from a snake into the body of the mortal he was so long ago. Slowly and purposefully he approaches the torn parchment. With another quick and fierce motion, the parchment magically comes together, as though it had never been ripped. Xianne, you fool, he thinks. You should know better than to just tear something up if you want to hide it. Laughing evilly he quickly scans the words.
Maji, that pathetic soul, has gotten word to them. Damn him. I should have killed him when I had the chance, The Other thinks to himself after finishing the scroll. Running the parchment between his scaly fingers he ponders his next move. He realizes that he doesn’t have enough power to make it back to Cimmeria before Callisto and Xianne. He curses at this thought. Once Cimmeria is mine, that will no longer be an issue he inwardly muses, drawing satisfaction from this. He also knows that as much as he hates to admit it, he shouldn’t underestimate Maji.
“That old fool probably will find a way out of his cell,” The Other says out loud and smirks.
He continues to toy with the scroll. Then a small wicked smile appears on his sickening features. Looking around, he mutters to himself,
“Well, if I can’t beat them back there, then I will destroy that which they need to succeed…their unity. And I think I’ll start with that pathetic mortal, Maji…”
With that he laughs loudly and forcefully, and dropping the scroll, he turns once again back into his serpent form, and slowly slithers away…
Chapter Eight: Maji
It is through the eyes of a child and with the wisdom of a near immortal that he has come to witness life. The view is vivid and intoxicating, with clarity that can come only from The One. He smirks. Ah, only from The One or The Other. The Other being the evil demon, whom he has come to hate more than he ever thought he could hate anyone or anything. His own death could be no more painful than the life he has bore, and the sins he foresees. He ponders this again for the millionth time and with hands older than fate he reaches out into the night. “Callisto…” he whispers softly. He stands up, his weak arthritic legs nearly failing him. He is tired but he cannot sleep.
He winces from the pain as he moves about. He peers out the small cracked window of his tiny cell in Cimmeria. The stench of death is pungent and the potency of it makes his stomach turn. “I’m so sorry I failed you, my King,” he whispers, as the recent death of his dear friend just two days ago comes once again into his conscious mind. His only hope is that Xianne and Callisto will heed his words in the pleading message he’d sent earlier this day. He was amazed at how easy it had been for him to enter Xianne’s mind. She has the goodness and the purity of the smallest child he thinks. He worries what this will do to her in the end. He worries about a lot of things.
He clears his mind and tries to use his powers once again to break out of his cell. He fails at this and small tears begin to trail down his face. He has neither the power nor the energy required to break through the evil one’s spell. He knows this and he knows why. It is time for him to revisit the past. The feeling of dread once again comes into his heart, replacing his usual feelings of hopelessness. He knows what he must do, as much as he has been avoiding it. The One enters his thoughts. He knows he cannot fail her, but he is old and tired. So very tired. This is the only way now, he thinks…her words to him on their last encounter. He clears his mind for the second time this night, his only hope that The Other will not sense what he is up to. He has never felt more alone and he is afraid.
He allows his mind the freedom to take its course. He is there, once again, as he has been so many times before. He is young and happy and full of life. The salty taste of his own sweat plays a continuous melody in the background on that hot summer day. The sweetness of the quick kiss he’d given his wife that morning, not knowing it would have been their last, still lingers softly on his lips. He is filled with joy and pride as he waves goodbye to his 4 small children. The oldest being his only son, Jeremiah, a blustering 12. Next in line is his daughter, Emma, of 9 years, followed by twin girls, Morley and Termosa, only 3, Termosa being born an excruciatingly long 3 minutes after Morley. He walks with a slight skip, keeping in tune to the upbeat song he hums to himself on his way to work. He is the King’s first advisor. He smiles at this. He and Christian, the King, go back to when they were just small boys playing their boyish games, dealing with skinned knees and fantasy worlds where they were always the hero’s rescuing the world from those who would do it harm. Maji couldn’t have been happier when Christian had been granted the kingdom. He could think of no other who would do it so much justice.
On this day, Maji arrives at the palace as per usual. Things are as they always are, yet he is not feeling himself. He feels a presence of impending doom lingering about him like mist on the dawn of a clear spring morning, yet nowhere near as pleasant. He senses in the air that something is not quite right. He wrinkles his brow and enters the Kings’ personal chambers. Termosa, the King’s wife and namesake of Maji’s smallest child, greets him with panic on her face. She speaks fast, and Maji can barely understand her. The King is nowhere to be found, he gathers, and there is a note left for Maji on Christian’s desk. Maji picks up the note and scans it with his eyes…
You know who I am. I have your dear friend in my custody. Come
to the edge of the land where the water’s swirl if you ever want
to see him again. Come alone. Or don’t, and watch him die.
Your choice, Maji….
The scroll is rough to the touch and wasteful. Maji’s heart feels crushed by the words…small though they are. The symbol at the bottom is all too familiar to him. He has seen it before in stories and legends. It is a black snake-like figure, darker than the darkest night, with red piercing eyes that cut daggers through the soul. Up until now, Maji had always thought the evil serpent had been just a myth told around campfires to scare small children into behaving themselves. Maji feels like he is spinning. Everything is blurry. Termosa is crying. She is hysterical. Maji doesn’t stop to think. With his hand on his ever-present sword he runs from the palace. He runs like he’s never run before. He runs, ignoring his pounding heart and ragged breath. Toward the edge of the land, he runs. He stops for nothing.
Maji reaches his destination…the edge of the land where the water’s swirl. Deep within his semi-conscious state the old man stirs. It is here that the memories have always stopped. He has never allowed himself think of the events that transpired next. But, on this night, he knows he must. There is no other way now. Holding fast to his belief and his faith in The One he continues this excruciatingly painful journey of the mind.
He stands at the edge and watches the waters. He knows that this is a powerful place, held in balance by the forces of good and evil. He has heard of many who have tried to reach the swirling waters. There are those who believe it has great healing powers; that a simple drink from the waters will save a dying member of their families. There are those who believe that a sample from the waters will provide them with immortality and unending youth. Then there are those who just do it for the thrill and the glory. All have failed. Their bodies taken by this ever-swirling pit of the unknown, never to be found again. Maji has no interest in these waters. He anxiously paces the edge, waiting for something to happen. What that will be he does not know. He can think of nothing but Christian. His impatience and furry overtakes him and he draws his sword and yells,
“Show yourself, you bastard! I, Maji, am here. Where is the King?”
Maji spins around in every direction, his pointed sword wavering from his nerves. In his eyes flashes anger and madness. His mind is dangerously unclear and cluttered.
Then, as if on queue, up from the swirling waters arises the most horrific sight Maji has ever seen in his life. The demon, in the form of a serpent, is 100 times the size of Maji. He is black and his brilliantly red glaring eyes blind Maji. With his angry tongue he lashes out, displacing Maji’s sword and throwing Maji back nearly 15 yards. Maji stumbles to his feet. He has never known fear such as this. For the first time in his life he feels his own mortality. He looks upon this thing in horror. It is The Other, standing before him. In a fit of bravery or insanity, he knows not which, he somehow croaks out,
“Where…where…is the King?”
The Other laughs wickedly at him. Maji fears that Christian may already be dead, and that he will be joining him shortly. With wide eyes Maji stares at this presence before him. He has never known evil in its purest form. The Other stops laughing and with his diamond-shaped head, he slowly slithers toward him, enjoying the look of dread on Maji’s face. After reaching Maji, so close that Maji can feel The Other’s hot breath encompassing his entire body, the evil one winks one red, fire-burning eye, and then without a word, withdraws to the sea.
Not a moment passes before Maji finds his legs and begins running toward the ocean. He picks up his sword from the ground in the process. He chases this being, yelling,
“What have you done with Christian?” and flailing his sword in the air like a mad man.
Maji stops as he reaches the edge and watches the evil demon sink back into the sea. Before he disappears, The Other speaks for the first time. His voice, a sick twisted wave of putrid rot that leeches the air of all that is good and clean and pure. He blares,
“Ah, Maji, you fool. Your faithful King is safe in his dwellings. I will deal with him another time. You have been tricked, for on this day you have lost something much more precious than your King. You have lost your hope for the future.”
Maji stands aside dumbfounded.
“Wait!” he yells. “I do not understand!”
And as the last of the serpent fades into the ocean he laughs once again and says,
“Fear not, you pathetic soul, you will…”
Maji stands alone again, his emotions frayed and his mind confused. He does the only thing he can think to do. He runs, fast, back to the palace. Upon reaching the inner chambers once again, he is greeted by a miraculous sight. There stands the King, consoling his Queen, Termosa. The King sees Maji and grins happily. Maji runs to him and embraces his dear friend.
“Where were you?” he asks, still out of breath and looking upon his King with wide eyes. Christian laughs, a little embarrassed, and says,
“You know, Maji, I have no idea! I was here, in the palace, and then everything went blank. The next thing I remember is being back right here in the palace again, and Termosa running up to me with tears streaming down her face.” The King laughs at himself jollily. “What a strange day!” he proclaims.
“Yes, strange indeed,” agrees Maji.
Then a darkness suddenly enters the Kings’ features and his smile vanishes.
“You know, Maji, I am just now recalling a dream I had while I was missing. It is absolutely absurd that I didn’t remember it before now. But oh, Maji, I should not speak of it…it was just rancid I tell you, just rancid!”
The King pauses and searches Maji’s face. Maji’s heart is gripped by a deadly fear and in a very low and monotonous tone he replies with,
“No, Christian, do tell me, my King.”
Christian places one large hand on Maji’s shoulder and says,
“I dreamt your family was dead, my dear man. All killed in a blast of fire that came from nowhere, or so it would seem. Terrible dream, it was. But this could not possibly be true, right, my friend?”
Christian stops speaking, his eyes full of concern, and the room becomes deadly quiet. Maji stands back, horror on his face. He thinks back to the words of the evil serpent: You have lost your hope for the future.
“By the Gods,” he whispers.
Dropping his sword, he clamors out of the palace, with Christian and Termosa right behind him. They run, with the speed of lightning, toward Maji’s house.
Maji knows the truth even before he pounds up the last hill that overlooks his home. He knows it before he can see the billowing smoke or smell the scent of burning flesh. He reaches his dwellings to find what is left of his wife and children. He drops to the ground beside the body of his ravaged and unrecognizably charred wife. He throws up again and again, until there is nothing left inside of him, and then he dry-heaves up his own bile. Christian and Termosa hold fast to one another and to Maji. They are both crying. Christian keeps saying,
“That was no dream. By the gods, that was no dream.”
Maji can take this no more. He staggers up from the ground and runs. He runs and runs and runs some more. In the background he hears Christian yelling,
“Wait, Maji! Wait!”
He ignores this. He is numb and exhausted so he just lets his legs take him as far as they will.
It is not until he reaches the edge of the land where the waters swirl that he realizes why he has come back to this place. He wades into the churning sea of impendent doom, the death of his mortal body he seeks, for he knows his soul has already died on this day. The waters seem to laugh at him and begin to swallow him, piece by piece. He cares not. He yells the name of his dead wife as he feels the waters begin to rip him apart, his salty tears mixing with the cold blackness of the sea. As he takes what he thinks will be his last breath he smiles, knowing soon he will be reunited once again with his wife and children, in a place far more glorious than the one that surrounds him now.
Then the unthinkable happens. Arising from the waters is a great being, a magnificent aura of goodness and light. A woman’s hand caresses him softly and gently lifts him from the sea, placing him back on the edge of the land. Maji coughs and sputters up some water, looking at this being, with hatred flashing in his eyes.
“You wish to torment me more, oh evil one?” he says.
The woman looks at Maji with softness in her features, and sadness in her eyes.
“Maji, I know what has happened to you on this day. I know what The Other did to your family. I am not him.”
Maji shakes his head.
“I don’t care who you are”, he says, “just let me die…please, just let me die.”
The woman reaches her hands above Maji and uses her glow to comfort him. Maji falls back weakly and stares into the light created by this woman. He sees his beautiful wife on their wedding day. He remembers the way he’d made love to her that night and how she’d held him so tightly and told him she’d love him forever and then for all time after that as well. He is shown the birth of Jeremiah, his first, and then images of the births of his other children follow. Maji covers his face with his hands and weeps softly. The One removes her hands, allowing Maji freedom from these visions.
“Who are you?” Maji asks through his tears.
“I am everything that is good and pure,” she replies, “Those who have seen me call me The One. Sadly, most people don’t even know that I exist.”
Maji sits and rocks back and forth. He can’t feel his arms or legs and he feels as though he has somehow been reversed, with his insides hanging on the outside of his body. He meekly says,
“I understand none of this. I wish to have never woken up this morning. I wish for death. Why must you haunt me with these visions of the past? Won’t you just let me die?”
The One hovers above him. She feels his every torment. She says,
“Maji, I know you have been through more on this day than any one mortal should ever have to face in this lifetime or in any lifetime to follow. But no, dear man, I cannot let you die.”
The One pauses and takes a deep breath.
“Maji, you must listen to me. It is because of who you are that The Other has done this to you. One day, in the future, he will gain enough strength to shift the balance of power he and I share, and he will rise up to take over the world. Don’t you see, Maji, he wants you to die…he knows you will play a crucial role in his demise when the time comes…”
Maji takes a ragged breath, his tears having stopped for the moment.
“Why me?” he softly asks.
“Because only you will know how to find the one who can stop him.”
Maji gives The One a confused look.
“What? The one who can stop him?” Maji stutters.
“All in good time, Maji. All in good time,” she responds and offers him a smile.
The anguish inside Maji builds and shows itself in the form of rage. He looks at The One with daggers in his eyes and shouts,
“Well, if he wanted me dead so badly, then why didn’t he just kill me himself? Why did he have to annihilate my entire family? And, ‘oh good and pure One’, where were you when all this was happening? Why didn’t you stop it?”
With sad eyes, The One rests her gaze on the broken man before her.
“Maji, that is how The Other works. He takes away that which you love the most.”
She looks down, the pain in Maji’s eyes is too much for her to bare. She continues with,
“He overpowered me to rise above the sea. I could not stop him. But it has weakened him considerably, which is why I can easily appear to you now.”
“You’re too late,” Maji simply states. “I’m done with this life. I want to die.”
The One pauses. She says,
“Then you are willing to just die here and now, and let all your future people fall into the hands of the evil one?” she asks.
“Why should I care?” Maji yells. “Everything I had…everything I loved…has been taken from me.”
The One brings her hands up above Maji and lets her light rain down upon him. With one swift motion of both her hands she opens up a window of vision.
“Watch and see,” she says.
Maji sees Cimmeria, in the future, or what is left of it anyway. His beautiful homeland, shattered, burned to the ground. The people are running around in the streets. The chaos is unreal and there are more dead than alive. Children…screaming…crying…dying everywhere he looks. The blood of his people have turned the once green pastures a sickly dark red. The eyes of the people still living are nothing but blank discs, devoid of feeling…devoid of love. Maji tries to look away but he cannot as fresh tears sting in his eyes. He says,
“Please, close this vision. I have seen enough.”
“This is why you should care,” she softly says.
Maji nods his head. No longer angry, despite what he has seen, he gives her his eyes.
“Give me what I need to stop this thing,” he calmly states.
The One places one glowing hand on top of Maji’s head. Her light surrounds Maji and then seeps into him, filling him completely. Maji has never felt so at peace. Once she is done, she removes her hand.
“I have given you a gift, dear man. It is the gift of sight. The ability to see things…in the form of visions. My light has also purified you, Maji. You will still feel emotions and you will still feel the pain from today, only time can heal those wounds, but you are pure of heart and soul now,” she says.
Maji looks up, still feeling like he is barely surviving.
“And this gift,” he says, “it will show me to the one who can stop The Other?”
“Yes.”
The One reaches out to Maji, placing a small vial filled with a clear liquid in his hands. She says,
“Maji, I’m so sorry for your pain.”
Maji nods weakly.
“Thank you,” he softly says.
Staring at the vial he asks,
“What is this?”
But when he looks up, The One has already disappeared.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Christian, who had been looking for Maji for some time now, finally reaches the edge of the land where the waters swirl. Dusk has arrived, and he must squint his eyes to make out the form of his dear friend. Running up to him he says,
“Maji…thank the gods I’ve found you.”
Maji, who has been sitting alone for hours with only his thoughts as company, turns his head and looks up at Christian, noting the puffiness of Christians’ face from the tears he has shed. With a motion of his hand he beckons Christian to sit beside him. Christian stands aside awkwardly before finally sitting down. He stares at Maji and he doesn’t know what to say. Maji stares out toward the sea, the small vial still enwrapped in his hands. Christian clears his throat.
“I have taken care of…” Christian pauses. “I have prepared the funeral arrangements,” he softly says.
Without turning his head Maji says,
“Thank you, Christian.”
“I sent Termosa back to the palace to have our servants prepare a room for you. We want you to stay with us for awhile now, Maji.”
“Thank you, Christian. That would be wonderful.”
“Maji, look at me.”
Maji adverts his gaze from the waters to rest it upon Christian.
“I’m just so sorry,” Christian says, his voice barely above a whisper.
“I know you are, my friend,” Maji replies and gives Christian a sad smile.
“I just feel so…responsible,” Christian says, the guilt he feels overwhelming him.
“This is not your fault, Christian. You didn’t kill my family. The evil one did.”
Christian nods his head, wiping away fresh tears.
“We’ll get through this, Maji,” he says.
Maji nods his head. He has a new purpose now and he knows he must focus on that.
“Maji, I promise you,” Christian continues, “I will make it my life’s work to destroy that thing that did this to you…or I will die trying. You have my word.”
Maji nods his head again, before he and Christian stand up and head back to the palace.
*~*~*~*~*~*
The old man opens his eyes. He has done it. He has revisited the past and made it through. The gift of visions given to him by The One had, indeed, shown him to Callisto. He smiles at this. It seems like an eternity ago that he had set out to find the goddess. He reaches into his pocket for the small vial given to him so long ago. This must somehow be the key, he ponders, as he turns it over in his hands. He thinks about Christian. Christian had, indeed, spent his life keeping The Other under control. He single-handedly created the best army the world had ever known. It wasn’t until he’d gotten sick that The Other had made his next appearance. Although Christian had recovered from the illness that had kept him bed-ridden for months, he was old and weakened by it. It had been easy for The Other to begin tearing apart the army without Christian their to lead them. And then it had been even easier for him to kill Christian in his sleep.
Saddened once again by the loss of his friend, Maji continues to hold the vial tenderly. He had always wondered what it was and what he was supposed to do with it. He had never opened it for fear that he would accidentally spill it. As Maji stares at the vial, something begins to happen that has never happened before. Slowly the vial begins to glow. As the light gets brighter and brighter it begins radiating through the glass casing. It reminds Maji of the light that surrounds The One. With shaking hands he slowly removes the cap and pours a small amount of the liquid into his hands. He squints his eyes at the droplets and, on a gut instinct, he hurls the liquid toward the bars of his cell. Almost magically, the bars collapse, creating a space for Maji to crawl through to freedom. After capping the rest of the liquid and securing it safely away, he scrambles through, wincing from the pain of being beaten earlier this day. Once free, he limps for the gates.
Unbelievably, Maji makes it through the gates and out of Cimmeria. He is not completely safe though, as he is still in The Other’s domain. He is exhausted and he hasn’t eaten in days, but somehow he finds the strength to just keep going. He moves ahead, farther and farther away from Cimmeria. His only thought is reaching Callisto and Xianne. Finally, after many long hours, he trips and cannot get up again. His exhaustion has won out and he passes out on the hard earth.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Night has come, but there will be no stopping to make camp tonight, I realize. Callisto and I have barely said a word to each other all day. We are both still reeling from the events of the morning with Maji and that scroll. We have been riding hard, and I know Alcina is tired and thirsty. Honestly I’m beginning to wonder if Callisto even knows if we are going the right way, as she keeps pulling out the map and staring at it. We are both on edge, not only from all that has happened, but also from knowing that we are in The Other’s domain now. I try to push that thought out of my head as I say,
“Cal, I see a stream up ahead. I’m going to ride over for a minute so I can get Alcina some water.”
Still mulling over the map she responds without looking up.
“Okay, Xianne, but don’t be long.”
I nod and take off for the stream. Once there, I dismount Alcina and lead her to the water. Bending down, I also take a gulp of the cool liquid. As I stand up to stretch I wipe my mouth and catch a glimpse of something on the path ahead of us. My curiosity peaked, I carefully approach this image. It is a man, lying face down on the ground. I reach down and place 2 fingers on the side of his neck to see if he has a pulse. He does, but it is weak and ragged. Quickly I turn him over. Horror fills me at the sight. This old man has been badly beaten. Blood is covering his face and his eyes are black and blue and nearly swollen shut. Before I can do anything, the man’s eyes flutter open. Once he sees me he gives me a soft smile and hoarsely whispers,
“Xianne…”
By the gods, it’s Maji, I realize immediately.
I let out a blood-curdling scream in the form of, “CALLISTO!!!!”
*~*~*~*~*~*
Needless to say, things were not looking up. After hearing my scream, Callisto clamored over to me, dropping the map in the stream in the process. We watched in horror as it floated down stream, smudged and ruined. Maji couldn’t tell us any of what happened to him because he kept riding in and out of consciousness. I worked really hard on tending his wounds while Callisto, very helpfully I might add, furiously paced back and forth. We realized we couldn’t very well transport Maji in the condition he was in, and even if we could, we didn’t know where we were going due to the loss of the map and Maji being unable to tell us. No, things were definitely not looking up.
“Damn. Damn, damn, damn,” Callisto mutters.
I step up and rise to the occasion.
“Yeah, damn is an understatement.”
“You’re not helping, Xianne.”
“Sorry,” I mumble.
I lay two wet clothes over Maji’s swollen eyes, while I continued to clean his wounds.
“Well what in tartarus are we supposed to do now?” she frantically asks.
“Cal, we are just going to have to wait until Maji wakes up.”
“I hate waiting,” she grumbles.
Fortunately for all parties involved, we didn’t have to wait long. Within a couple of hours Maji awoke. Once we’d gotten him some food and water, he perked up and the color in his face began to return. Callisto and I sat in front of him by a small fire, and for a few moments the three of us just stared at each other. Finally, turning to me, Maji spoke.
“Xianne, my queen,” he begins, bowing his head, “it is good to finally meet you.”
A little embarrassed by his gesture and by the title, I smile shyly.
“And you, as well, Maji,” I respond.
Callisto, just about at her wits end, jumps in.
“We can do introductions later,” she says, not even trying to hide the annoyance in her voice. Then, feeling guilty due to the looks Maji and I are giving her, in a lighter tone she adds,
“Maji, my condolences to you for the death of your king. I know he meant a great deal to you.”
Maji smiles and nods his head.
“Yes, he did. Thank you, Callisto.”
“Now, let’s get down to business,” she matter-of-factly states.
Maji took the next hour to fill us in on what had been going on in Cimmeria since he last saw Callisto. The tales he told were so horrific that I will spare you the details here. Things were bad. Really, really bad. Callisto and I had been quiet during this time. Basically we just starred dumbfoundedly at Maji. When he was through, Callisto spoke.
“Maji, I need to know something,” she begins, with sincerity in her voice.
“Yes?”
“Are we too late?” she asks.
“No, Callisto, you are not too late.”
Callisto breathes out a sigh of relief.
“Then all is not lost,” I softly say.
“No, my queen, all is not lost,” he says, and smiles softly. “But we must go now. The Cimmerian army needs you, Callisto,” he says, adverting his gaze her way.
Seeing my look of concern, he adds,
“No worries, my queen, I can walk.”
“No need,” says Callisto. “You can ride with Xianne so she can keep an eye on you.”
I nod in agreement. Maji smiles at us.
“Thank you, my friends,” he says.
With that, I stand up and mount Alcina, offering an outstretched hand to Maji. Once the three of us are set, we head out. Destination…Cimmeria.
Chapter Nine: A Leap of Faith
Waiting…looking around anxiously…blood everywhere…so much blood. I take a breath in slowly and then exhale, seeing the steam of my air disperse as a cloud into the cool morning. For the moment I am safe though exhausted, I think, as my eyes scour the area for Callisto. There she is…strong, brave…fighting with a will I will never know, or even hope to understand, as much as I try. I watch as she swiftly disarms a heavyset man and then disables him further, slicing a gaping wound in his leg. She then grins wickedly at the now begging man in front of her. That look in her eyes I have come to fear, though I shall never speak of this to her. I see her take her blood stained sword and using the tip she brushes her blonde hair out of her face…still smiling. She speaks to him, though I cannot hear what she says, before kicking the pleading man to the ground, knocking his front teeth out. I continue to watch as she turns to her next foe, not missing a beat. Tired and hurt, I begin crawling toward the trees to take cover. A man I don’t see comes up behind me, grabbing my hair and pulling me to my feet, drawing back his sword angrily, about to plunge the blade into my beating heart. Though I am unarmed, he ignores the symbol of the healer on my back. I have come to learn that neither The Other, nor his army, follow the moral code of battle. In fact, they do anything but. Having looked death in the eyes so many times since we began this journey, this sudden turn of events doesn’t even faze me. Death would be almost welcoming now, I think, as I ready myself for what may be the last. Then the man gets a look of enormous pain on his face as he stops what he is doing in mid strike and collapses on the ground in front of me. In his back protrudes a dagger and I see Callisto in the distance in her “post-throw” stance. I give her a weak smile and mouth “thank you” to her as I fall back on my knees and collapse into my hands, shaking and crying. I don’t know how long I stayed there…probably not more than a few seconds, but with what felt like the weight of the world on my shoulders, the moment seemed to drag on endlessly. Then I feel a hand touch my back. I look up and through blurry eyes, wet with tears, I see my loyal companion, Maji, standing above me. Maji sees my tears, which have made small streams down my face where they have cut through the dirt. He gently says,
“Come, my queen, let me take you to safety.”
I nod weakly and allow him to help me to the trees, and out of harms way.
The sounds of the raging battle are everywhere. Overhead is the shrill of fireballs being launched toward us. All around is the wisp of arrows as they fly by, barely missing us each time. And the cries of pain and agony, they are everywhere, and are what bother me the most, as men, thousands of men, fall to their deaths. Some on our side, and some on the enemy’s side. By now there is so much blood covering everyone’s armor that it is hard to even tell who is on which side. We have been fighting for days now, with little or no sleep. After we’d safely made it through the gates and arrived in Cimmeria, the Cimmerian army was ready and waiting, as promised. Callisto took command with me as her second-in-command, and we regrouped to better prepare the men. Callisto also spoke to them in an effort to try and raise moral. It was partially successful. My thoughts are interrupted by Maji. He has been speaking to me for some time, though I only just notice now. He is saying,
“The evil demon is throwing everything he has at us…”
I nod in agreement as I watch him sit in front of me and tend to my wounds.
“You have become a great healer,” I say with praise, as his tenderness gets my attention.
“I have learned from the best,” he responds and gives me a warm look.
I smile weakly at him and give him my eyes for a moment, only to look away in the distance once again.
“I never did thank you for saving my life when you found me lying on the path.”
I wave my hand in the air at him.
“Think nothing of it. Besides, I didn’t save your life, old man,” I say, grinning, “I just fixed you up. You have too strong a will to have died out there like that.”
“That may be true,” he says, smiling, “but thank you anyway.”
I nod my head and meet his gaze briefly before diverting my attention away once again.
After a pause, Maji says,
“I have noticed so many changes in you, Xianne…”
His voice drifts off and I can sense his concern and pain for me. I look at him again and say,
“It is what the situation is, Maji. We cannot choose our destiny, nor how we wish to seek it. This you know, old man.”
Maji reflects on this for a moment.
“This may be true, my queen, yet I do not believe this is the path for you. You are not one for all of this blood shed. It is my fear that the sharing of your soul with Callisto has changed you…hardened you, making you lose sight of the values you once held so dearly.”
“Maji,” I say, flashing him an angry look, “you know as well as I that I can not afford to be questioning any of this. If I do that, I am going to get myself killed…or go crazy…or both! No, old man, this must be the way. My path is with Callisto, helping her fight this evil, and remove it from this land. Helping her any way I can. The loss of part of my soul to her is a small price to pay for the freedom of so many. This is my destiny, as has been decreed. Even you have seen this in your visions. Please, don’t tell me this is not the way for me…not now, not after everything we have been through. Now, just fix me up so I can get back out there…she needs me.”
Maji lowers his eyes to the ground and softly says,
“I am sorry, my queen, I meant no offense. Forgive this old man, please. If I speak out of turn, it is only because of my love and concern for you…and for Callisto. If that which my tongue breeds is so offensive to you then I beg of you to use your dagger and cut it out of my mouth, as so it can never displease you again.”
Seeing that my harshness has upset my friend so, I gently reach out and take Maji’s hand in my own. At this gesture he gives me his eyes.
“Maji, that is not my wish. I value your words, as always. I am sorry I raised my voice to you. I am just tired and disheartened, but I understand that you only speak out of concern. I trust you with my life, and I will always be grateful for your guidance during these times. Please realize, Maji, that when this is over, if all goes as planned, it will be only you and I left standing…and we will need each other then more than ever.”
My implied mention of Callisto’s foretold death grips us both with an agony that is beyond words. An agony that we share solely through the look that passes between us. Maji stands up and helps me to my feet.
“There, my queen, you are ready. Go and fulfill your destiny. Go and be with the one whose soul is of your own.”
I give him a smile and thank him as I once again return to the battle.
I reach the spot where Callisto is fighting. I stand with her, back to back, and we take out the enemy left and right. We are so accustomed to fighting together by now that we can predict the others moves. With the butt of my sword, I deliver a crushing blow to the windpipe of a big, heavyset man, whose armor is too small for him. Once this is done, I bend over and let Callisto use my back to flip over me, taking out 2 men with ease, using a wide V kick. The enemy begins to retreat and I breath a sigh of relief. My sword is covered with the blood of too many men to count, and looking at it sickens me. Callisto is weakened and hurt. She doesn’t let me know this out right, but I can tell. The rage and fire in her eyes is still burning, and she attempts to follow the enemy in hot pursuit. Before she can, I grab her arm and turn her toward me. I say to her,
“Callisto, let them go. We need this time to recover and regroup.”
The anger in her eyes dies away as she looks at me. Realizing I am right, she doesn’t argue, and with arms around each other’s shoulders, we help one another to the safety of the trees. Once we arrive, Maji is waiting with some of the men assigned to nursing duty to help us. We collapse next to each other with our backs to a large oak tree that shields us from sight. Slightly out of breath, Callisto asks,
“Maji, how are our numbers?”
Maji kneels before her with a wet cloth and begins cleaning her wounds. He says,
“Warrior Queen, many have died here today…and those that live can only be described as the walking dead. Our numbers are dwindling, as is the morale of the men. Please do not slay me for what I speak to you now, for the enemy is strong, and his numbers are vast. By my calculations it is almost 300 to 1 out there.”
Callisto smiles at Maji and says,
“You have nothing to fear, old man. Your demise shall never be by my sword. Now, if what you say is true then we must recruit more soldiers for our cause. Whatever the demons numbers may be, I know we have weakened him considerably today. He would not have pulled his men back if this were not true.”
Although Callisto says this with an air of confidence, I sit beside her not so sure. Inwardly I agree that we did, indeed, weaken the enemy, but how long will it take for this evil being, with great powers beyond our mere mortal ones, to summon more strength and come at us again? Callisto is watching me. Being as perceptive as she is with me, I know she is reading my thoughts, which eliminates the need for me to have to explain to her my concerns. She says,
“Healer, what do we do now?”
I take in a deep breath.
“Callisto, I know where we can go to recuperate…” I begin. “My home of long ago…the place I grew up and learned the ways of the Amazons…is not far from here. I know I have never spoken of it to you before, except to tell you that I came from the Northern tribe. There are reasons for this. I was banished from my tribe long ago, for a sin of which I was falsely accused. However, I know my Amazons well, and they would not turn away people who need help.”
My voice trails off as I finish this statement. Callisto is looking at me with a shocked look on her face. The look immediately turns to one of concern as she touches my shoulder and says,
“Xianne, I had no idea…please, tell me what happened back then. There are no secrets between us. Tell me, my friend.”
Maji bows to us and quietly takes his leave, realizing we need some time alone. I look to my friend, as a moment of pure unselfish trust passes between us. I say,
“Callisto, I will tell you my tale…soon. This I promise you. However, now is not the time, as time is not on our side. We must get our men and ourselves to safety before The Other has the chance to regroup and attack again. For now all I can ask is that you trust my intuition. My home in the North is where we can rest, eat, and rejuvenate the morale of our men. Please…don’t push me for more right now…”
My voice trails off and I look away from my friend. Callisto senses my deep sadness and it causes an ache to her inner core. Such sadness for another is not something she is accustomed to feeling. She reaches up and touching my shoulder once again she says,
“Xianne…I trust you with my life…the little I have left of it anyway. Wherever you lead, I will follow. It has never been my style to push you. I know you will tell me when you are ready. However, I do have one question before we head out. How can you be so sure that we will be met with kindness in this place? From what you speak here, it sounds like we will be met with anything but…how do you know they will not just try to kill us on the spot when we arrive?”
I meet her eyes and touch my hand to hers, giving it a quick squeeze. The question is fair, I think, as I begin to stand up, wincing at the pain now radiating throughout my body.
“Callisto,” I say smiling, “call it a leap of faith…”
With that I then reach for my sword, which is painted still with the blood of all the men I have slain on this day…so many men. Before I can get to it though, Callisto snaps it up herself. Then, to my surprise, she takes the sword, and with the strength of what can only be described as supernatural, she cracks the cold steel over her knee. The sword, at one time her own, shatters into a million pieces on the ground before us. Shocked by this sudden act, I look at her with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. Before I can even utter a sound, Callisto says,
“Xianne, forgive this action…please…but I will not have you fight with a sword any longer. Maji is right to be concerned for you. I am concerned as well. Your path is with me, Xianne, but it is wrong for you to kill. I know you know this…I know you feel this when you fight. From now on, I want you to only use your staff…for I will not be responsible for poisoning your soul…not when we have come so far…not when I need you so much…”
Realizing that what Callisto says is true, I stand defeated, and drop my hands to my sides. Filled with shame, I look toward the ground and reply,
“Callisto…I am sorry I cannot be more for you…”
Callisto walks to me and lifts my face up with her hands so she can meet my eyes. With only the distance of our breath between us she softly says,
“Xianne, I could never ask for more from you, my friend, for you have already given me everything.” She smiles at me and continues with, “Now, come…let us quickly gather our belongings. I want to make it to your village by nightfall.”
I silently nod in agreement. The shattered sword already forgotten, I turn my focus on getting us to my village…my home…and to what may be lying there waiting for me….
The Healer’s Way
When I look at your scars
I see the marks of a thousand battles
When I listen to your voice
The ache in my heart is silenced
When I feel your touch
I know peace and truth
When I look into your eyes
I reunite with my very own soul
I am immersed by warmth and love
When I fight by your side
I am empowered by strength and courage
When we are faced with death
I find comfort in our everlasting bond
And when I heal your wounds
I know my way
Written by Xianne
Chapter Ten: Going Home
Though the distance to my village is not far, the agony of what lies ahead makes it seem endless. I sit nervously upon Alcina, at the head of our army, leading the way. Callisto rides beside me, though intermittently she rides back and forth along the line, making sure everything is okay. Maji rides behind me on Alcina, hands lightly on either side of my waist for balance, though saying very little, knowing well enough when to keep his mouth shut. The way is all too familiar to me…every tree, every stream…I know them all by heart. I am quite sure that even if I was blindfolded, I could still get us to the village with minimal effort. My thoughts are plagued with visions and memories of the past, of my childhood. I cringe and try to push them away, but they continue to creep back in. I thought I had left this place for good…that I had put all of this behind me. It’s funny how we can never leave an unresolved past behind. Old issues, not properly dealt with, always have a way of coming back to remind us that we are nothing more than mere mortals straying from a path that was cast for us much earlier than even when we were just a 2-celled embryo deep within our mothers’ womb. I smile foolishly at my newfound wisdom. Maybe things will be different this time, I silently think. I jump as I feel something touch my arm. I look over and see that it is Callisto’s outreached hand that has caused the sensation. She looks at me with concern in her face and says,
“Xianne, are you okay? You seem a bit…on edge.”
I smile at her weakly, trying my best to hide my fears. “Yes, Cal, I’m fine. I just want to get there.”
She gives me an understanding nod. “I know this has to be stressful for you, Xianne.”
I pat her hand with my own and give her a sincere smile. “It is, but don’t worry, I am fine.”
I look away in the distance momentarily. Then I return my gaze back to Callisto, who is still looking at me with concern in her eyes. I whisper,
“But I’m glad you’re with me.”
She smiles. “Always, my friend.”
I smile back at her, yet I know in my heart that this will not always be true. She knows what I am thinking and in a low tone she quietly adds,
“Even in death, Xianne.”
I squint my eyes at her for a brief moment before looking away to return my focus on the trail ahead, patting Alcina lovingly on the neck. Maji shifts his position behind me clutching tighter to my waist. I can sense him straining his neck to catch a glimpse of everything around us. Speaking to me he pipes in with,
“My queen, these are some of the most beautiful lands I have ever seen!”
Callisto gives him an annoyed look. “Aw, come on, old man. You’re old eyes are failing you. This looks just like every other place we have ever been through.”
Maji pauses momentarily, and then shifting his attention to Callisto says,
“Callisto, you must look beyond the mere appearance of things, and see the deeper meanings in that which surrounds you, for nothing is ever just as it seems.”
Callisto rolls her eyes. “Maji, don’t you ever get tired of trying to see the ‘deeper meanings’ in everything? Damn, I swear, old man, it’s a wonder I have let you live this long.”
I smile at this banter between them, knowing full well that Callisto could never harm Maji. At least their conversation is serving to take my mind off of my problems. I turn my body as best I can around toward Maji and say,
“Thank you, Maji. These lands are very beautiful. At one time I loved this place very much.” Having forgotten her annoyance with Maji for the moment, Callisto turns her attention to me.
“At one time?” she asks.
I say nothing and continue to focus my gaze on the road ahead of us. She pauses before softly saying,
“Xianne, please tell me what happened to you here, so long ago.”
My mouth feels like a desert and I swallow a few times to try to moisten it. I take a deep breath and softly halt Alcina. Turning around I say,
“Maji, will you please take Alcina’s reigns? This path we are on now is very simple to follow, and will lead you straight to my village. I am going to ride with Callisto for awhile now so she and I can talk.”
Maji nods veraciously and immediately takes the reigns from my hands. I dismount Alcina and walk over to Callisto, who has been listening to me and has stopped her horse as well. She smiles at me and offers me an outstretched hand to help me up onto her horse. I grab her hand and swiftly mount behind her.
“Where to, Healer?” she asks, once I have gotten situated, my hands wrapped lightly around her. I point to a small path that diverges into the woods and off the bigger path we are currently on.
“Take that, Callisto. I know where it leads. It is my favorite place in the world. I want to show it to you. It is there where we can talk,” I say.
She nods and diverts her horse in that direction. Looking over my shoulder I catch Maji’s gaze. I pause momentarily as I think I see a twinge of jealousy in the old man’s eyes. Deciding that my eyes must be playing tricks on me, I ignore this and yell,
“Fear not, Maji. We will meet you at the village. We will not be long.”
He nods and waves at us, as we disappear into the woods.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Maji kicks Alcina into motion. What is wrong with me? he ponders. He doesn’t know where these feelings he has been having for Callisto have come from. Am I in love with her? Consequently his feelings for Callisto have affected his feelings toward Xianne as well. He has started to hate the bond they share. He knows there is nothing more between them than friendship, but their bond is so strong…so powerful. He wishes Callisto would look upon him the way she looks upon Xianne. I am beginning to resent Xianne. Something is wrong he realizes. This is not who I am. He pushes these thoughts away for the moment and focuses on getting their army to the village up ahead.
ÀÀÀÀÀÀÀ
The Other laughs to himself as he watches Maji’s torment. The poor fool thinks he is in love with Callisto. What he doesn’t know is that these feelings I have implanted inside of him will continue to grow until he is so overcome with jealousy for Xianne that he will kill her. The Other nods his diamond shaped head and sticks out his long bifid tongue, hissing loudly. So much for their unity…
*~*~*~*~*~*
We ride in silence over the narrow and rock-laden path. I am tired already even though the day has barely begun. I close my eyes and lean my head against Callisto’s back. Sensing my need for quiet, she says little, speaking only when the path forks and she needs me to confirm a direction. Finally, when the path opens up, I hear her gasp. Before I even open my eyes I smile, knowing we have just entered the beginning of my favorite place.
“By the gods, Xianne…” she whispers.
“I know. Beautiful, isn’t it?” I say, smiling.
“Yes,” she gasps, “I have no words to describe this place.”
The clearing is vast with a soft blanket of green covering the earth. There are mountains of white on both sides and crystal clear streams flowing within them, tenderly caressing the rough edges, making them smooth and comforting. Every time I come here, the magnificence of it takes my breath away. The spray from the water exudes a soft mist in the air making a hazy bridge in the gap between the mountains. The birds twirl above us, dancing to the wind, and singing sweetly in tune to the rustle of the waters. We ride beneath the bridge of mist and let the subtle vapor from above cover us. Callisto smiles.
“I can see why you like this place so much,” she says.
I smile back and nod my head. “Yes, it is very peaceful. As a child I would come here to think or to get away,” I respond.
Callisto halts her horse and we both jump down. I smile at her mischievously and say,
“Follow me.”
She grins and does as told. I grip the side of one of the mountains and begin to climb. A few feet up I reach my destination, a hole in the side of the mountain. She follows me in and we both sit down. From this standpoint, we have a clear view of my village of long ago, and we can see Maji entering it, followed by our army. We sit for a few moments and stare. Maji is greeted and welcomed. I breathe a sigh of relief. Callisto, also watching Maji being greeted and having seen me visibly relax, quietly says,
“It was a good idea to come here. You were right, we are being welcomed.”
I smirk. “Well, they haven’t seen me yet, Cal.”
Callisto pauses and looks directly at me.
“Tell me what happened, Healer.”
I take a deep breath and return her gaze, the sadness in my eyes I can no longer hide.
“Did I ever tell you that I had a brother, Cal?” I ask.
“No, you have never told me that,” she says, then looking at me curiously, she adds, “Had a brother?”
I nod slowly, “Zachareus,” I reply, the pain in my heart as fresh as the day it all happened.
“He was younger than me, and he would love to tag along anywhere I was going,” I say, smiling at the memory of how annoyed I used to get at him following me everywhere. What I wouldn’t give to have one more minute with him now.
Callisto nods, intently listening to me.
“One day he and I were out playing. Nothing was out of the ordinary on this day. The sun was shining and the weather was warm enough that we didn’t need our jackets. It was one of those special ‘warmer than normal days in March’, given to us as a gift from the gods to let us know that Spring and the Summer Solstice are on their way.”
I pause and take another breath before continuing.
“Well, we were just outside the confines of the Amazon camp. Zachareus was playfully taunting me as he had just taken my ball and I was chasing him to get it back.”
Callisto grins.
“I think I would have liked him,” she playfully says, and elbows me, trying to lighten the mood.
I smile back and give her a playfully annoyed look.
“Anyway, suddenly there was a rustle of wind. It was so hard that it blew us both back and knocked us off our feet. After this, there was nothing but deadly quiet. Zachareus was about 20 yards from me and we both just sat there and starred at each other. Then, up from the ground arose a horrible, vile presence. This thing was so close to Zachareus that from my position, I could see that my brother was frozen in fear. Not knowing what to do, I jumped up and began running toward my brother, screaming ‘Get out of the way, Zach! Get up! Run!’ He did nothing but stare at this presence before him. Cal, before I could reach him, this being slammed his fist down onto my brother, crushing him into the ground, and killing him instantly.”
I look away and tears begin streaming down my face. I have never spoken of this to anyone before, besides my former tribe, and I didn’t realize how difficult it would be. Callisto grabs my arm in horror.
“By the gods, Xianne,” she whispers, “By the gods.”
I turn her way and smirk.
“That’s not even the worst of it,” I numbly reply.
Touching my arm tenderly she says,
“Then what happened, Healer?”
“Well, this thing just looked at me and laughed at my pathetic attempt to save my brother. I thought my end was imminent, so I stood and waited for him to slaughter me too. But he didn’t. He just kept laughing. It was wicked and horrid. Then, without warning, he winked at me, and withdrew into the ground. Well, I didn’t know what to do, so I ran back into camp, screaming and crying. I reached my mother, who is also the Amazon Queen, and shakily, I tried to explain to her what had happened. She organized a war party and I lead them to the place this occurred. We found the remains of my brother, but the ground where this thing has arisen was in perfect condition. It looked like it had been untouched.”
I pause momentarily and look into my friends’ eyes. There is so much pain in them for me.
“Go on,” she softly says.
“Well, my mother harshly grabbed me aside. She demanded that I tell her the truth of what happened. I screamed at her and said that I was telling the truth. She was so blinded by the pain of the loss of her only son that she turned all her fury on me. She said that I was wicked and deceitful and that I should have been keeping a better eye on my brother. She said the whole thing was my fault. And then, before I could respond, she harshly banished me from the tribe, saying that I was no longer her daughter, and that I needed to leave and never return.”
Callisto stares at me with wide eyes.
“She didn’t believe you?” she asks incredulously.
“No,” I softly reply. “I wandered around for a few years after that, never staying in one place very long. I pushed everything out of my mind, and focused on becoming a great healer. Finally, one day I stumbled across the Amazon Village where you met me. They were very kind to me, and in need of a healer. That was the first place I’d felt settled since everything happened.”
“And then I came along and took you away from it,” Callisto softly says.
“Cal, I said I felt settled there. I didn’t say I felt like I belonged there.”
I look up and meet her gaze, taking her hands in mine. Very seriously I add,
“This, our journey, is the first time in my life that I have felt the emptiness in my soul disappear. This is my destiny. There is no place I would rather be.”
I smile at her as I see her features visibly relax.
“Xianne, I am just so sorry,” she says.
“I know you are. But I think our journey has led me back here for a reason. I think, maybe, I can fix things now.”
Callisto nods and smiles.
“I think you may be right, Healer. So, I believe it’s high time we make an appearance,” she kids.
I nod and begin to climb down the mountain, with her right behind me. Once we reach her horse she turns to me one last time before mounting and says,
“Xianne, I want you to know that if things go badly when we get there, I cannot just sit back and watch them harm you in any way. I will fight your people to protect you, if I have to, Healer. Long ago I promised you that I would protect you against anything, no matter what the cost. Are we clear on this?”
I nod slowly, understanding that she will do what she needs to, and hoping very hard that it won’t come to that. We ride off for the village in silence.
*~*~*~*~*~*
There is a lot of hustle and bustle going on once we arrive in the village. I am pleased to see that my Amazons are caring for our wounded men and giving them food and warm blankets. It has the inner working of my mother’s organizational abilities all over it. The women see us come in, and to my surprise they wave and smile. I recognize most of them. Then I realize that it has been a long time since they’ve seen me, and I was just a child then, so they probably don’t recognize me.
“Damn, talk about efficiency,” comments Callisto, with a pleased look on her face.
I nod in agreement. My nerves are frayed as I scour the area for my mother. By the gods, there she is I realize. With hands on her hips and her back to me, I see her standing with a few Amazons and nodding her head. The women with her then salute her and take off for whatever choir my mother has given them. I grab Callisto’s arm to get her attention.
“That is my mother over there,” I say, pointing her out. “Stay here, I’m going to go and talk to her.”
Callisto looks at me skeptically before finally nodding her head.
“Okay, Xianne, but I am not going to take my eyes off of you.”
I meet her gaze and nod at her reassuringly.
“Just don’t do anything rash, okay, Cal?” I plead to her.
She gives me an evil grin.
“I’ll try not to, Xianne, but I’m not making any promises.”
I shake my head and roll my eyes before making my way over to my mother. I don’t stop to think because I know if I do that I am just going to turn around and head right back out of the village. Once I reach her, I tap her on her back and she turns around to face me.
“Hello, mother,” I say in an even tone.
She stares at me, clearly startled for a moment, before responding.
“Xianne?” she manages to get out.
“Yes, it’s me,” I say, and watch to see her response.
She looks about the same, I notice. She is still in as good a shape as she ever was, with maybe a few more wrinkles than when I last saw her. She continues to stare at me and I know she is in shock. I add,
“The years have been kind to you, mother, and the village is thriving I see.”
Finally, she stops staring and nods her head.
“Yes…um, yes…thank you,” she replies.
After a moment she regains her composure completely and states,
“What are you doing here, Xianne? I thought I was clear the last time we spoke.”
“Mother, I am second in command of this army. That, over there,” I say pointing, “is Callisto, first in command.”
My mother once again resumes staring at me, completely dumbfounded. I continue before she can interrupt.
“We have just come from Cimmeria. I’m sure you must have received word of what has been going on over there, as it is really just a stone’s throw away from this village.”
I shake my head as the memories of the dying people in Cimmeria, still fresh in my head, bleed into my soul.
“Mother, look, I know we have our problems, but I want to thank you for taking such good care of my men. I also know you don’t know what is going on, but trust me, this is a fight that we can’t afford to lose, and when I say ‘we’, I mean the world, collectively.”
She thinks for a moment and in an even tone she quietly says,
“I have heard of an evil presence in that land.”
After a pause she curtly adds,
“Alright, Xianne, you and your army can stay here as long as you need to, but after that, you must leave and not return.”
Before I can respond she turns from me and heads in the direction of her hut.
Well, I guess that could have gone worse, I sarcastically think. Before I can blink, Callisto is by my side, joined by Maji. They are both looking at me.
“Everything okay?” she asks.
“Yes. We can stay until our army is ready again,” I briefly answer, “Now, lets get to it.”
*~*~*~*~*~*
The next 24 hours were very productive. Callisto and I slept, while Maji, who was trying to keep busy due the inner struggle he was having, directed the Amazons as to what needed to be done. By the time I arose, it was the morning of the next day. Feeling better than I had in weeks I walked outside to see how things were progressing. Callisto was already up and running the army through some new drills. Maji was eating and staring at Callisto, as though as hard as he tried, he could not take his eyes off of her. My mother, who hadn’t left the confines of her hut since our conversation, was nowhere to be seen. I approach Maji and sit down.
“Hello, my queen,” he says, almost gritting his teeth.
A little unnerved by his manner toward me, I give him a confused look and ask,
“Is everything alright with you, Maji?”
“Yes, everything is fine. You won’t mind if I excuse myself, will you? I have some things to attend to.”
Before I can answer he is on his feet and moving away from me. Okay, that was weird I think. Before I can ponder this any further, Callisto is by my side. She grabs some food and yells, “Morning, Healer!” before taking off again to work with the army. I can see she is rejuvenated and I smile at her and wave. Then, remembering Maji, I yell after her,
“Cal, wait! Come back here for a second.”
She stops running and turns to face me. Like a child that has just been caught doing something they know they shouldn’t be, she saunters back over to me.
“What is it, Healer? I am in the middle of a really good exercise with the men,” she says, a little annoyed. I ignore her mood.
“Cal, have you noticed anything strange about Maji? He just doesn’t seem to be acting right,” I state.
Callisto ponders this for a moment.
“No, can’t say I have. Although, I have caught him staring at me more often lately,” she laughs, “It’s like he’s a love sick puppy or something!”
Seeing the look of concern on my face she adds,
“Don’t worry, Xianne, he’s harmless. Now eat something, you’re looking really thin. I’m going back to work.”
With that she bounces off toward the men.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Maji, mind cluttered, finds himself in the weapons hut. The thought “I want her dead!” screams in his head. He knows this is madness, but he can’t seem to control it. Frantically, he begins gathering weapons left and right. Callisto will be mine. I will not let Xianne get in the way of my love for her.
Once she is dead and gone, Callisto will have no choice but to pay me more attention. With weapons hidden under his cloak, he exits the hut in search of Xianne.
*~*~*~*~*~*
“Why are you still here? You’re men look as ready as they are going to be.”
I look up to see my mother hovering over me. Oh, for the love of the gods I think inwardly.
“Look, mom, stop worrying. We will be out of your hair in a few hours,” I coldly reply.
Before she can respond there is a gust of wind that knocks us both down, followed by a silence that I have only been witness to one other time in my life. Oh no, it can’t be. Not again. Then, up from the ground arises the being, larger than I remember. Suddenly, before I can move, The Other’s army is swarming upon us. What the…? drums in my head. Without thinking I am up, staff in hand, and blinding fighting for my life.
“The army must have followed our trail here,” Callisto says, out of breath.
We somehow were able to find each other in the midst of all of the confusion and were currently hiding in a small ditch beside one of the huts.
“Callisto, did you see that thing?” I ask, eyes wide.
“Well he was kind of hard to miss, Xianne.”
The being was gone now, having arisen for whatever reason and then disappearing just as quickly. I lean back, relieved that I wasn’t the only one to have seen it.
“Strange how that being and The Other’s army seemed to attack us at the same time,” I muse out loud. “You’d think they were somehow connected.”
Callisto is staring at me, shock on her face.
“What?” I ask, looking down at myself to see if there is anything strange about my appearance that is making her look at me so oddly.
“Xianne, was that being the same being that you and your brother saw so long ago?” she calmly asks.
I nod at her. She jumps up and grabs my arms. Shaking me she shouts,
“XIANNE! DIDN’T YOU KNOW? THAT THING WAS THE OTHER!”
*~*~*~*~*~*
The forcefully winds had knocked Maji on his ass as well. It had been so powerful that it had thrown open his cloak, dispersing his small armory every which way. Grumbling, Maji begins to collect himself and his weapons. He looks down and notices that the blast had also knocked the small vial he carried out of his pocket. As he grabs it up, quickly making sure that the cap is still secure, he realizes that it is once again glowing. Spellbound by this he thinks, it must be glowing because I’m supposed to use it on myself to give me more power to kill Xianne with. Excitedly, he opens the vessel and drinks a sip of the liquid. After a moment he feels nauseated and stumbles to the ground. Coughing and sweating the moment seems to last forever. It feels like something is being ripped out of his body. Once it is over, his clarity returns. He looks around himself, not really knowing what he is doing there. Then he catches sight of all of the weapons that surround him and he gasps.
“By the gods, I was going to kill Xianne,” he stammers out loud.
All at once he realizes immediately that the feelings he’s been having for Callisto are not real. I bet they were put inside of me by The Other, he angrily muses. Then he smiles inwardly. He was trying to destroy our unity and has failed in doing so. Leaving the weapons and replacing the vial in his pocket he makes his way quickly back to camp, feeling younger and more vibrant than he has in years. Not this time, oh evil one, he thinks. Not this time…
*~*~*~*~*~*
Callisto and I sit and just stare at each other numbly. With tears in my eyes I say,
“So it was he…The Other…who slaughtered my brother, and caused this discord between my mother and I?”
“It appears so, Xianne,” Callisto says sadly.
I stare out into space, feeling like I’ve been ripped wide open. Callisto continues with,
“That must have been what Maji meant when I first met him. Remember? He told me that there were reasons why you were the one to do this with me, but that even you weren’t fully aware of them yet.”
Her voice drifts off and she stares at me. After a moment I speak.
“Well, at least now I know.”
“And so does your mother and the rest of your tribe,” Callisto adds and smiles.
I stare at her.
“You’re right,” I say, tears brimming. “Now they have to believe me.”
A young man neither one of us has ever seen before runs up to us and lies beside us in the ditch.
“Hello, my friends,” he comments.
The voice is familiar to Callisto and I, but between the two of us, we can’t seem to utter a word.
“I was…out of it,” he continues. Then looking to me he says, “My queen, I am so sorry for my behavior as of late. The Other had me under a spell.”
He looks away sheepishly.
“There is no time to explain,” he continues, “as I see we are being attacked. What happened?”
Callisto and I just sit and stare at him.
“Is something wrong, ladies?” he asks, getting unnerved by our response (or lack of) to him.
Finally, Callisto croaks out,
“Maji?”
He looks at her as though she has just grown another head.
“Well of course it’s me! Who else would it be?” he says, giving her and I both a skeptical look.
“Uh, Maji, have you looked in a mirror recently?” I ask.
He shakes his head. Callisto removes her sword from her scabbard and passes it to him. The look on his face once he sees his reflection in the cold steel lets us know that he is as shocked by his appearance as we are.
“By the gods,” he proclaims, “I am a young man again! It must have happened when I drank from the vial,” he muses.
“Maji, what in tartarus are you talking about?” shouts Callisto, the events of the day clearly having now frayed her last nerve.
In the next moment a fireball crashes much to close to us and we realize we need to get back out there and help our army in battle.
“No time to explain now,” says Maji, passing Callisto’s sword back to her. “Look, you two get out there. I’m going to try something.”
We nod and at the first opportunity head out. Maji, alone now, takes the vial from his pocket once more. Just as I thought, he muses, it is glowing. Picking up a blade of grass, he pours almost all the remaining liquid onto it. After letting it slightly adhere, he rolls the blade of grass, making a hollow tube. Then, standing up in the ditch, he places one end of the tube in his mouth and blows, dispersing the liquid throughout the entire village. Settling down once more in the ditch, he props his head up and watches to see what happens.
Sadly, Callisto and I and our army, even with the help of my Amazon tribe, are out there getting our butts kicked. Now that I fight only with a staff, I am only able to disable men, not kill them. This may be better for my emotional status, but it is not better for our numbers. Finally getting a break, Callisto runs up to me and says,
“Xianne, I don’t know how much longer we are going to be able to keep this up.”
Noticing the thin film of liquid settling down over the village I reply,
“We may not have to very much longer.”
Catching my upward gaze, she adverts her eyes in the direction I am looking.
“What, in the name of Zeus, is that?” she asks.
I shrug my shoulders and continue to watch the liquid settle around us, and the armies. Then, right before our very eyes, the men in The Other’s army begin to drop like flies, one after another. The liquid seems to only have this effect on their army, as the men in our army are all standing around with confused looks on their faces. I begin to laugh out loud watching this scene. It is the nervous laughter of one who is completely exhausted and at the end of their rope. Callisto joins me in this display of madness until she and I both are on the ground in hysterics. Finally, once all is said and done, The Other’s army has been completely annihilated. She looks at me and says,
“Xianne, I have no idea what that was, nor do I care. Goodnight, Healer. I’m going to bed.”
Before I can respond she walks away and enters the hut we’ve been staying in. Turning, I begin walking toward the queen’s hut. It’s time I had a little chat with my mother…
*~*~*~*~*~*
Maji smiles at the scene before him. I believe I’m beginning to understand my role here, he thinks inwardly. He picks up the vial and turns it over in his hands. There is only one small drop of liquid left in it, and it is still glowing. What am I supposed to do with this now? he ponders. Then, as though he is struck with a bolt of lightening, he knows. Taking out his dagger, he pours the remaining drop of liquid upon the shining blade. The liquid seeps into the cold steel and is then gone from sight. Satisfied, he climbs out of the ditch and heads for the hut, and a warm bed. Callisto sees him once he enters the hut and she pulls him aside. For the next 10 minutes she speaks, and he writes down exactly what she says. Once she is finished he looks up at her with sad eyes and nods his head before carefully folding up the small piece of parchment and placing it in his pocket.
ÀÀÀÀÀÀÀ
This is not happening. This is NOT happening, The Other furiously thinks to himself, as he realizes his entire army has been destroyed. Damn you, Katharine, and damn you too, Maji. Enraged he finds himself back in Cimmeria, at the edge of the lands where the waters swirl. It is here he is the strongest he realizes. He laughs wickedly. I am still a force to be reckoned with, but I’m done chasing her. If Callisto wants me dead, she will have to come to me herself. And then I will destroy her…I will destroy all of them…
*~*~*~*~*~*
Upon entering the hut, I find my mother, alone, sitting on the floor, her knees pulled up to her chest, rocking back and forth. The sight of her unnerves me. This great Amazon Queen looks like a small child who has just been told that everything she has ever known is a lie. I approach her and sit beside her.
“Mom?” I say.
She looks at me and begins to cry uncontrollably. I pull her into me and with tears welling up in my eyes I whisper,
“It okay, Mom. Everything is going to be okay now.”
Pulling back she looks at me, horror on her face. She says,
“I should never have said the things I did to you, Xianne. I should have known you were telling the truth. By the gods, can you ever forgive me?”
I smile at my mother and taking her hands in my own I say,
“Of course I can. We’ll move on from this now…better than before…stronger.”
She reaches out to me and gently caresses my face.
“I’ve missed you so much, my daughter.”
“I’ve missed you too, Mom,” I reply through my tears.
That night I stayed with my mother, and slept beside her, just as I had as a child whenever I had been afraid, so long ago.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Callisto, Maji, and I reconvened early the next morning. Our uplifted spirits from yesterdays’ victory were short-lived.
“His army is gone, but he still lives,” Maji says.
“Tell us something we don’t know, Maji,” Callisto responds after rolling her eyes.
My mom approaches the table, with bread and fruit in hand.
“I thought you all could use a little food for thought,” she replies happily.
Callisto nods at her warily. Even though I have already told Callisto that I’d patched things up with my mother, it is not in her nature to trust so easily. “Trust must be earned,” she’d once told me.
“My dear woman, you are too kind,” responds Maji.
“Thanks, Mom,” I say and smile.
Once she has departed, we find ourselves back in the conversation at hand.
“Do you know where he is, Maji?” Callisto is asking.
“I have an idea, Warrior Queen,” he responds.
“Well, are you going to share it? Or do I have to guess?” she asks, annoyed.
I thoughtfully chew on some bread while listening to them. Clearing his throat and ignoring Callisto’s sarcasm, Maji says,
“I cannot tell you where he is, because I do not know. I can only tell you what I would do if I were in his position. He is most likely at his stronghold…back in Cimmeria, at the edge of the land where the waters swirl.”
I stop chewing and look up.
“I have heard of that place,” I say, dread in my voice.
My tone catches Callisto’s attention and turning to me she asks,
“Do you know how to get there, Xianne?”
Slowly, I nod my head yes.
“Well I am glad that you do, Xianne, because, although I also know the way, I will not be accompanying you both on your journey there,” Maji says.
Callisto and I both stare at him.
“Well why in Hades not?” she loudly asks.
“Callisto, you know as well as I that the role I have played in this adventure is now over. I can offer you nothing more now. The rest is up to you…and Xianne.”
He stops speaking and we all sit in silence for a moment. Finally, Callisto nods her head and says,
“You are right, Maji.” Then turning her attention to me she continues with, “Xianne, I am going to get our horses ready. Say your goodbyes and we’ll head out.”
With that she stands up. Looking deep into Maji’s eyes she offers him an outstretched arm. He clasps her arm up to her elbow with his own. She says,
“Maji, my friend, it has been a pleasure knowing you.”
I sit and watch this, sadness overcoming me as I realize this will be the last time they will ever see each other. Tears glisten in Maji’s eyes. He says,
“The pleasure has been all mine, my friend.”
Callisto then releases his arm, and without another word, proceeds to the stables. Maji and I sit and stare at each other for a moment.
“What about the army?” I numbly ask. “Will they be accompanying us today?”
“No, Xianne. The army is weakened and tired. Besides, they would never go near the place you are going today, even if Christian were alive to lead them,” he says, sadness in his eyes at the thought of his dear friend, and at the thought of never seeing Callisto again.
Regaining my inner strength I stand up and touch my friends’ shoulder.
“I need to say my goodbyes now,” I say softly.
As I turn to go, Maji says,
“Wait, my queen.”
I turn once more to face him. He pulls the dagger out of his pocket and hands it to me. Looking at me intensely he says,
“Xianne, when the time comes, it must be you who slays Callisto. Only by you killing her will the essence inside of her, which you have created, be freed. Then the evil one will see this and as he devours what he thinks to be her soul, he will realize he has been tricked.”
Maji pauses, allowing this realization to sink in.
“WHAT?” I shout at him. “I have to be the one to kill her? You have got to be kidding me. So, when did you think that you would tell me this, Maji? Why didn’t you just wait until the very moment we arrive at The Other’s stronghold? Does Callisto know about this?” I ramble on furiously, panic in my voice.
Maji places his hand on my shoulder to try to calm me.
“She knows, Xianne. She is the one who thought we should keep it from you until the very last minute,” he says, his voice trailing off.
I sit back down, crushed, realizing that not only am I going to have to deal with her death, but also that I am going to have to be the one to bring it about.
“Gods-damn it,” I mutter under my breath.
“I’m sorry, my queen. We should have told you sooner.”
Suddenly realizing that I still have the dagger in my hands, I look up at Maji and sarcastically say,
“So I’m guessing this what I am supposed to kill her with?”
“Yes, Xianne. You must use that and nothing else,” he responds.
I turn from him, anger now replaced by the same never-ending grief I carry.
“I have faith in you, Xianne. Remember, this is Callisto’s destiny,” he says.
“I know, Maji. I know.”
We both stand up. Maji reaches across the table and gives me a hug. I return his embrace and allow his strength to hold me up. In my ear he whispers,
“Once this is over, I will be there, my queen. You will look up and see me. I promise, you will not be alone.”
Pulling back I nod my head and, securing the dagger safely away, I give him a partial smile. Making my rounds throughout the village I say my goodbyes and thank you’s before joining Callisto in the stables. Geared up, we head out, toward the edge of the land where the water’s swirl, the final battle and the fate of the world lying delicately in our grasps.
We ride most of the way in silence, both painfully aware that these moments will be our last together. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t let it go.
“Why didn’t you tell me that I am the one who has to kill you?” I ask, my voice controlled.
Callisto closes her eyes momentarily and lets out a sigh.
“I didn’t know how to, Xianne,” she replies sadly.
I look away in the distance.
“I don’t know that I can,” I softly say.
Callisto looks at me, anger flashing in her eyes.
“You have to, Xianne. It’s the only way.”
I nod at her and direct my gaze on the trail ahead of us, wanting no further discussion of this. Just outside of Cimmeria I realize that I do not want these words to be the last we speak to each other. As we enter the gates I look at Callisto and say,
“Cal, I just want you to know…it has been a privilege and an honor to have known you. You should feel no guilt about any of this. Once this day is done, I will go on. I will rule Cimmeria, and I will make things better here for the people.”
Callisto looks over at me and smiles. Reaching across to smooth back my hair she says,
“Thank you, my friend. Thank you for everything.”
I nod at her and smile back, as we make our way to the lands’ edge.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Having only heard tales of the swirling waters and never having seen them first hand, the power of them makes my stomach turn. I can’t help but stare at them, as Callisto dismounts from her horse.
“Over here, Xianne,” she calls out to me.
Finally tearing my eyes off of them, I turn Alcina in Callisto’s direction and dismount her as well. As I begin to tie Alcina to a nearby tree, Callisto stops me.
“No, Xianne, let her go,” she says.
“What?” I ask, a perplexed look on my face.
“If you tie her up then she won’t be able to run away if things get bad, and she may be killed.”
Well, duh, that makes sense. I pat Alcina lovingly on her soft nose.
“Go on, girl,” I say to her. “I will find you once this is over.”
Callisto and I watch as our horses take off and disappear into the woods. As we proceed to the edge of the land, Callisto grabs my hand and gives it a squeeze.
“This is it, Xianne,” she whispers. “Don’t fail me, Healer.”
Before I can respond, The Other rises up from the waters and in one swift motion, drags us both into the sea.
*~*~*~*~*~*
When I awake, I find myself in pain and bound back to back with Callisto. We are in some type of cave or cavern or something and it is very warm. We must be beneath the surface of the earth. There are stalactites everywhere, with water slowly dripping from them.
“Cal, are you okay?” I whisper.
She remains silent. Using my back, I begin pushing against her to try to wake her up. Please don’t let her be dead. Not yet…not like this. She groans slightly.
“Cal?” I ask again.
After a moment that feels like a lifetime she says,
“Xianne?”
I breathe a sigh of relief.
“Yeah, I’m right here,” I respond.
“Do you know where we are?”
“Not a clue.”
“Outstanding,” she says.
I feel her begin to fidget.
“Damn, I can’t reach my sword,” she whispers in annoyance.
Then, remembering the dagger Maji gave me, I begin wiggling it out of my pocket.
“What are you doing?” she asks.
“Just hold on a minute,” I reply.
Successfully I get the dagger out and then, using my body, I nudge it over to my hand.
“Yes!” I say, grabbing hold of the handle.
First I cut through my ropes and then, once free, I cut through hers. We sit beside each other, rubbing our sore hands.
“Why didn’t he just kill us?” I ask, somewhat taken aback.
“Because, Xianne, he thrives off of our torment,” she replies and smirks. “He should have just killed us, because he’s not going to get another chance.”
“Oh no, Callisto?” a sickening voice responds.
I sit back, frozen. The Other rises before us, so close I can smell his putrid breath and almost feel his scaly flesh. Before I can do anything Callisto jumps up and grabbing me, throws me back nearly 10 feet, the dagger clamoring out of my hands. I look at her in shock.
“Stay back, Xianne. This is between him and me now,” she says.
I watch in horror as Callisto begins to fight this demon. The unfairness of it all is just utterly ridiculous. With her sword she tries to slash him, over and over, getting nothing but air. He avoids her blows and laughs at her, mocking her. Sweeping his serpent-like tail swiftly beneath her, he takes out her legs, knocking her down. Then drawing his head back, he breathes fire directly at her. She rolls out of the way, just in time. In an instance she is back on her feet. I stand up and run to her side.
“XIANNE GET BACK!” she screams at me and pushes me away again.
Then turning to me she yells,
“I CANNOT FIGHT THIS THING IF I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT YOU!”
Immediately shifting her attention back to The Other, she stops as she sees him once again laughing at her. In a childlike voice he mocks Callisto, saying,
“Oh, Xianne…I cannot fight this thing if I have to worry about you…oh boo-hoo-hoo.”
Then in his real voice he continues with,
“You two make me sick. Okay, enough of this. Time to die, Callisto.”
With that he comes at her again, breathing fire, his eyes glowing red. Callisto uses her powerful armor, given to her by Nadia, to deflect the flames, throwing them back in The Other’s face. He cries out in pain. Now, seriously pissed off, he leashes out his tongue, slamming Callisto back into the rocks and knocking her armor off with one swift flick. I watch in horror as she stumbles back to her feet. She is hurt badly now, and is barely able to raise her sword. The Other laughs again.
“I thought you were supposed to be some great warrior queen, Callisto,” he says. “You are just like every other warrior I’ve ever killed. It’s too bad too, I was looking for a good fight. Ah well.”
With that he comes at her again. I can’t just sit here and watch this. But what can I do? She won’t let me help her. Then Maji’s words echo in my head: Xianne, when the time comes, it must be you who slays Callisto. Remembering the dagger, I search the ground for it. I see a small glow of light from behind some rocks. Very covertly, I inch toward it. Relief fills me as I see that it is, indeed, the dagger. But why is it glowing? Having no time to wonder about this, I quickly I pick it up and return to my original spot.
Things have gotten worse. Callisto is bleeding heavily now, and taking ragged breaths. The way she is moving reveals to me that her right arm has been broken and she has to use her left arm to fight. The Other is toying with her, making her suffer. In a last ditch effort, Callisto runs up the rocks and, performing a flip, she tries to take The Other off guard and get behind him. Unfortunately, he sees what she is trying to do, and smashes his tail into her, crushing her back to where I am standing. I run to her side, my back to The Other.
“By the gods, Callisto,” I whisper, tears spilling from my eyes at the sight of her. With my hands I lightly caress her face.
She looks up at me from behind swollen eyes and says,
“It is time, Healer.”
I nod at her and with shaking hands I take the dagger and push the blade lightly against her body. Seeing my hesitation, Callisto calmly says,
“Just do it, Xianne…please…”
“I can’t, Callisto,” I say, barely holding the blade against her. “I just can’t.”
Callisto smiles at me and gently wraps her hands around mine.
“I love you, Xianne, my sweet friend,” she says, and then in one quick motion forces the blade deep into her body.
*~*~*~*~*~*
“NOOOOOO!” I scream.
Her eyes roll back in her head and she releases her grasp around my hands. Her arms fall limply to the sides. She coughs and sputters up some blood and then is silent. My hands are still tightly wrapped around the handle of the dagger, and are covered with her blood.
“By the gods…no,” I whimper softly.
I try to carefully remove the dagger from within her body. The squishing sound it makes sickens me and once it’s out I angrily hurl it toward the rocks.
“NOOOOOO!” I scream again, crying hysterically.
The Other, who did not see what happened because my back was to him, incorrectly assumes that it was he who’d killed Callisto. He begins to laugh at my torment.
“Aw, is your little warrior friend dead, Xianne?” he blares. “Well, not to worry, my dear, you will be joining her shortly.”
I turn around to face him and pull Callisto’s lifeless body into my lap. I smile at him wickedly through my tears, the hate I feel for him beyond words. Under my breath I numbly say,
“That’s what you think.”
Then, without warning, The Other and I watch as Callisto’s essence exudes from her body. He launches toward her, and devours her in one quick gulp. Smiling evilly he says,
“Her soul alone will give me the strength and power I need to conquer the rest of the world.”
Then, as though he’d forgotten I was still there, he directs his attention toward me.
“Now for you, Xianne,” he says, laughing.
I sit and continue to smile at him, the last of my strength dying along with Callisto.
“Goodbye you bastard,” I calmly say.
Before he can respond he gets a look of enormous confusion on his horrid face. He begins to writhe uncontrollable and then sputters up a green ooze.
“NOOOOO!” he screams.
I watch with satisfaction, as I know that Callisto is ripping him apart, from the inside out. His scaly skin begins to crack and break off in pieces. His red eyes bulge out of his skull. That a girl, Cal. Destroy him. Make him suffer. Then with one last cry from The Other, he explodes, the pieces of him raining down everywhere. I tuck my knees in and cross my arms, burying my face, to avoid the falling particles. Once all is silent again, I look up, still cradling Callisto’s corpse. There standing before me, is her ghostly image. Her light is bright and I need to squint my eyes. With out a word, she approaches me and takes my hand. There is a soft wind and the next thing I know I am out of the cavern and back at the edge of the land, her lifeless body gone from my lap. I look out to the waters and notice that they are no longer swirling, but calm and peaceful. Callisto’s ghostly image is nowhere to be seen, but as I look down I notice that in my hand is the necklace I gave her so long ago. Tears sting in my eyes at the sight. I gently tie the necklace around my neck and sit back, trying very hard to let the peaceful vision of the waters calm me.
“Xianne?” says a familiar voice.
I look up and see Maji, standing before me. I just shake my head, unable to speak. Looking down I realize that I am still covered with the blood of my best friend. He sits beside me and embraces me. No words are spoken between us as we just hold on to each other and cry. We stay this way for a very long time. Finally Maji pulls back and reaching into his pocket he hands me a small piece of folded parchment. Looking at him curiously I ask,
“What’s this?”
“You’ll see, my friend. You’ll see,” he replies.
Then, helping me up with strong arms, he says,
“Come, my queen, it is time to begin again…”
Slowly I open my eyes, silent tears sliding down my face. Maji leans in and touches my shoulder. I look up at him and smile softly, noticing that he has been crying as well. Nighttime has fallen on this village and my people are sitting all around me, silently staring at me, pain on their faces. Timothy is playing with my hair, twirling it around his tiny fingers. With wide eyes he looks up at me and asks,
“Queen Xianne, what was on that piece of parchment?”
I smile at him and then delicately reach into my pocket to retrieve it. After carefully opening it I begin to read the words out loud that I’ve read so many times before in silence.
Dear Xianne,
Hello, my dear friend. By the time you read this I will be dead. Tonight is the
last night I will spend on this earth in this lifetime. Tomorrow you and I will face The
Other for the last time. I have had Maji scribe this letter to you from me. I don’t know
how tomorrow is going to go, and there are some things I need to say to you.
Xianne, without your strength and courage we never would have made it this
far. You have shown me nothing but kindness, and your loyalty to me and to this quest has
truly overwhelmed me. Before you, I never knew what it was like to care so much. You
saw beyond my past and have helped me fulfill my destiny. Our paths are tied forever, my
friend, so even though I will die tomorrow, we will see each other again…one day.
I will never forget you, my friend, and when you speak to me I will hear you, for
as you know, the dead can hear the thoughts of the living. But I don’t want you to cry for
me, Xianne. You have set me free, and with that, you have given me the greatest gift I
could have ever asked for.
I know you will make a wonderful queen. The people of Cimmeria are lucky to
have you. And, Xianne, I will be there with you, relishing in your accomplishments and
mourning in your failures. You may not be able to see me, but I will be there.
So, until we meet again, my friend. I will be waiting…
Callisto
Once I am done, I carefully fold up the parchment and replace it in my pocket. Feeling better than I have in awhile, I slide Timothy off my lap and stand up to stretch. I wink at him as he smiles and waves at me, running back into the arms of his mother. My people begin coming up to me, one by one, offering me their hands and their condolences. I thank each of them in turn. Just as I am about to head back to the palace with my guards, I hear a loving voice, unfamiliar to me.
“Hello, Xianne,” she softly says.
I look up and see what can only be The One shimmering before me. Her goodness and light overwhelm me. Turning to Maji I whisper,
“In your description of her, you didn’t do her justice.”
Maji smiles at me and bows his head before her. The villagers kneel down among us.
“Hello,” I softly reply, still shocked by her sudden appearance. “What are you doing here?” I shyly ask.
She hovers above me and I can feel her goodness spilling over into me. She says,
“Xianne, the telling of your story has purified you. You have finally let go of all of the pain and hatred you once felt for The Other. I have waited a long time for this moment.”
She smiles and continues with,
“The vial I gave Maji so long ago contained a bit of my essence. Although you didn’t know it, Xianne, he poured the last drop of it onto the dagger with which you used to kill Callisto. His doing this, and the purification of your soul here today, has allowed me the opportunity to appear to you and give you a gift.”
With that she moves aside and opens up a window of vision. The image is of a woman, dressed in a dark cloak. She has the hood up and I cannot make out her face. The woman steps out of the image and onto the hard earth, standing before me. I wrinkle my brow and watch as the now empty bubble image dissipates and The One fades from view. With shaking hands I reach up and slowly remove the hood of this mysterious woman’s cloak. I stand in back in shock, as I recognize her face like I would recognize my own. She says,
“Hello, Healer.”
Grabbing her tightly and pulling her into me, with tears of joy in my eyes, I whisper,
“Callisto…”