Final Draft: 123199; 11:30a
Amazons nested like giant birds in the trees, hidden by the confusing swirl of a drizzly fog. It was a clammy kind of cold, the kind that made a body shiver because one's clothes stuck to one's goosepimpling skin. Eudora felt the chill that caused her breath to vapor, but less so than any of her sisters. She stoically waited for the signal, vainly working to see past the slow, roiling gray air into the enemy's camp. She kept her teeth from chattering by clenching them.
The action made her feel more ferocious and dangerous than she already was. Her blue eyes had been narrowed with hate and determination since waking. She had been more than ready.
In her heart she envisioned those who had taken her, or who had taken or killed her sisters. Even though she had found great comfort in love, she had also experienced loss. Velona was still missing, and her disappearance was so well timed that Eudora had no small fear that the fierce woman had fallen prey to the Amazon's foe early on. The grief she felt was powerful and would have been all consuming had she not found tender consolation in her soulmates. But she had never ceased loving Velona, even when she had been angry and doubtful.
Eudora held within her the memory of the tracks of her lover's struggle and though the enemy's were cleverly concealed, she knew who to blame. The knowledge and belief flamed within her like an absolute, bitter fire in her breast.
The desire for vengeance burned bone-deep within the Amazon. She was strong enough, devout enough and cold purpose seared her mind. Eudora had no need to feed into a frenzy the night before during the traditional war dance. Nor, despite her love for Jacosta, had she required the blessing.
Since her decision was made Eudora could feel herself spitting every enemy bloody upon her sword. Every last one. There had been no necessity for more of war's flame in her.
So now she waited with a grim patience that made the cold of the air seem very warm.
Somewhere past the fog, Xena was, with her usual deadly skill, quietly killing and removing the two guards that stood in the Amazons' way. If they timed it right, Eudora had been told, the Amazons would be in and out of the camp before anyone knew of it. It would be so. Eudora was confident. A predator's grin spread across the lovely redhead's face. Hades would have many bewildered souls in his kingdom this morning.
There was a soft bird call that to Amazon ears, made the summons. To others the noise woud be kind that could easily be interpreted as normal in an early morning fog.
Eudora slid her way down to the forest floor and she and her sisters stealthily made their deadly way into the camp. With the guards to call warning gone, it was easy to slip quietly into the battered tents, raise her knife to a throat, and make another mouth for her victims to try to silently to scream with.
They ran swiftly from tent to tent, making the dead until one the soldiers of Aulix's camp could gather their wits enough to raise their swords. The enemy lost several in their sleep before an unexpectedly loud and shrill warning was given. Once discovered, some Amazons within the sleeping quarters let loose with startling cries of battle, adding to the panic.
Then it was war, savage and pure.
Eudora reveled in it. Those who fell to her blade had little chance. A righteous ire lent speed and accuracy to her sword arm and it seemed as if she gained strength from each battle.
Words and curses sprang to mind, but never past her lips. She was too angry for mere words.
"Let them die. Let them pay," was her inner chant.
Velona was her constant vision.
The men who died at her hand were fortunate. The mask hid the terrible expression on her face, the death that was in her heart.
At the beginning, the cover of the deep fog kept most of the fight within the frail housing. Then it spread, like blood, into the dirtpacked roads of the soldier's makeshift town. Despite her own ruthless pleasure in the fight, Eudora knew that, somewhere, somehow, things had not gone as planned. They had been discovered and that meant that Xena's design had been foiled.
The awareness made Eudora fight all the harder, until she was lathered with blood, gore, and sweat. There was enough that she had to tilt her mask up onto her head, away from her face, so she could wipe her eyes see.
That made her job more difficult. The foe kept running away.
But Eudora didn't care. Inside she was bursting with the bright light of war's glee. It made her feet faster than theirs, her triumph greater.
Xena could be heard ululating in the distance. There was no doubt she was doing great damage. The thought sped Eudora, and her fellow Amazons on.
Eudora knew this: If the intent of the battle didn't succeed at least Aulix would learn one thing. Amazons had been made for war.
He had forgotten that if Artemis was their chosen goddess, Athena was their mother and Ares their father.
His troops suffered now for his lack of education.
OH let them suffer.
There was a terrible crack of thunder. A flash of brilliant light broke through the gray to momentarily blind Eudora. Then other, burning kinds of screams filled the air from both Aulix's soldiers and those Amazons who were unfortunate enough to have been caught within the tent.
There was another flash, and another.
The stench was awful. The sound was overpowering.
Eudora shook it off, and continued to blaze a bloody path, but those Amazons who remained within the confines of the tents fled from within out into the corridors of the camp. There was a cruel mocking laugh that, though it was not loud, was heard deep within the body. "Xena," someone said, "did you really think you could sneak up on me? I've been waiting for you!"
Eudora stabbed her next victim and then paused. Only a Goddess could make a body feel that way. Jacosta had been right.
The gods were taking an interest in this battle.
The unexpected sound of the warrior's scream sent shivers of dread through Eudora's stomach. The noise caused the Amazon to rapidly free her sword from the chest of a large, unkempt man. Eudora hastened her steps, no longer caring to battle for revenge's sake. Love, and fear for her beloved, drove her with all its will now.
The fog, which had been a friend to that point, hindered her. She had to rely on the sound and light of Xena's battle to guide her. Eudora dodged explosions and fights. By the cries alone Eudora knew it was not a good battle for the warrior. She hastened her steps, determined to join her soulmate, to help against this new, obviously dangerous foe.
Then Eudora stopped, abruptly. Awed.
A woman stood in her path. She was tall, beautiful and white with power, exactly as the Amazon had heard. Lightening was spread all over the woman, alive and vibrant. She wore nothing but that bright fire, save a black collar. An arm was raised, casual and elegant. Where the woman pointed, Zeus' own power lept and crashed loudly into the camp. The vision made the warrior tremble. When the woman of Zeus' fire finally turned to face Eudora, the Amazon saw that the woman's eyes seemed to hold all the colors of the world. The redhead was lost in an infinite loop of heartbeats.
Who was this?
Then some voice, raw with anger, broke the trance. "Electra! What are you doing just standing there! Kill the damn Amazon and be done with it!"
There was another shout, this time familiar and welcome. Eudora found herself flying for a distance, then rolling to safety, covered by a warm, reassuring presence. The Amazon's mask was jerked from her head by the impact, but she never felt safer.
Thunder followed the path where they had been, moments too late.
Xena's worn smile warmed Eudora through. "You okay?"
The Amazon nodded and took a breath. "As ever," she said.
They stood quickly. "I think its time to leave," Xena commented.
Eudora nodded, then shouted. "Retreat!! Retreat!!" Amazons fled the camp, laying carnage before them as passage.
Before leaving Eudora had reached to grab her mask, but it was split in two. Useless.
She left it there on the ground, silent testament to battle.
If it seemed like the fog lifted, just a little for the escape, no one noticed. Most of the Amazons disappeared into the forest, followed by persons less familiar with its paths. But not all.
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