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These pages were last updated: November 26, 1997
ŠNovember 1997
The following is a bit of alternative fiction based on certain characters from the Xenaverse. It is not meant to infringe on anyone else's rights. If you don't agree or disapprove, please go read something else.
SQUICK alert: This Tartarus for Hell's sake! Expect grodities.
Language alert: Swearing! Yup!
Xex Alert: Yep there will be. Sizzling Hot, but later.
The plains were just that. Plain. And Grassy. They seemed to extend into forever, with no apparent end in sight. Tok, who looked much better than she did last night, padded by Izzy's side and sat down on its haunches.
Izzy assured Xena that there was more variety than could be perceived here at the edges. There were beautiful spaces ahead, though they wouldn't be stopping there. She wanted to get them through as quickly as possible. She'd quipped about fighting with the plainsmen yesterday, but upon remembering her own experiences, she'd determine to try and avoid them. There was no guarantee that they would win a battle with the inhabitants. In fact, it was more likely they would lose. On foot was best for now.
She had them bring some fire wood for the night's camp. The trail they were taking wouldn't lead them to any woodland. They would be hiking and the woods were too far.
Izzy wasn't sure where they would find themselves the next morning. They could all be camping safely that evening, or they could be split up by death, or not. She didn't know how the tokens worked. When Tartarans got "killed" they usually ended up in their original starting zone, she explained. She couldn't even begin to count how many times she started over. It was why most people quit before reaching ninth level. They got tired of beginning again. Of course, one got to know the lands well, real well, that way. Then she quipped, "Xena probably still has her old room." The warrior had folded her arms and smirked back.
"So you expect us to die so soon then?" asked Melosa. She was a practical woman and liked to know things ahead of time, if possible. She shrugged on the burden of her supplies, resettling the pack on her hips. Her skin glowed a healthy pink in the early morning sun. All of them would be very tan by the time they returned to the fields.
The demon looked out on the plains. "The trial zones have their dangers, but now. .now we come to a different kind of land. You don't know it like I do, nor do you know the peoples. To some, you will be food," Salmoneus blanched, "to others you will be entertainment," She grinned toothily at them and their imaginations took over, "and still to others, you will just be humans, not worth their attention or time." She pointed at the pelt on the back of Melosa's pack, "The dumbunnies are the least of the creatures that can bite, scratch, maim and kill you. There are plants here that will snake out, grab you and have you for lunch. Sometimes the land will be so rough you will think that it is deliberately trying to stop you from your goal. I've fallen off more cliff faces than I care to remember. So watch your step. In Tartarus, nothing is as it seems."
Oriena spoke up. Her hand was placed nervously on her knife hilt, "Is there any safe place?"
The demoness laughed. Then she waved out her hand, "Oh there are plenty of places rest and gather your resources. You might call that safe. There are villages full of human beings who have "reformed" enough to get along. There are villages where humans and demons intermingle. Tartarus isn't all bad. Nothing is all bad. But, it is not safe like Elysia." She held up a red finger and pointed it at Oriena, "If you wanted that kind of safe, you should have stayed back there." Her firm gaze pierced through all of them. Marcus folded his arms across his chest and tried to look tough, but he gulped. Perdicus fidgeted. Only Xena and the Amazons didn't flinch.
The blonde stepped forward, cut to the quick. Her expression was menacing. Melosa pulled her back. The brunette smoothed her lover's arm soothingly, "We're not worried about that," said the Queen, "we just seek our own." Oriena worked to calm her expression.
Izzy nodded quietly, "See that you're careful then. I'd hate for you to waste your tokens on stickberries." Oriena winced at the reference, remembering the early morning's lesson.
She'd thought they were strawberries. Izzy told her afterwards, that they were probably related. Certainly they were juicy enough. They had made a fine addition to breakfast and Oriena had been sure to explain the process of getting them to Melosa. No sense in everyone suffering. The memory was embarrassing.
The blonde had been about to reach out when a red hand had grabbed hers. She'd looked up into fierce green eyes and an angry violent expression that sent fear to her very core. "What do you think you're doing?" the creature had snarled. Oriena thought she'd seen every single tooth the demon had. The creature's grip was so strong on her wrist it left bruises.
Oriena had stuttered for the first time in her life. She couldn't even remember what it was she'd tried to say. She'd been harshly pushed back by the arm, then, the demoness had bent to the ground, picked up a bit of wood the size of a forearm and stuck it abruptly into the bush.
The long sharp needles had gone straight through and there were so many of them it reminded her of those quilled beast one sometimes saw in the woods. "Now you can pick the berries," said Izzy, "You have about a candlemark before it reloads." The demoness plucked a few needles out and held them in her hand. "These could come in handy later, do you want them?" The blonde had nodded, not really wanting them, but not wanting to incur the demon's wrath again. Izzy handed the evidence of her stupidity to the woman, said, "They're not poisonous, go ahead and pick them," and then stalked off to find out if anyone else was involved in foolishness.
They started out at a conservative pace. Tok rambled ahead, sometimes getting lost in the grasses, but she never went too far. Salmoneus, whose thighs were a bit achy, was able to keep up, though he was surprisingly silent.
Izzy's gaze constantly roamed as if she were searching for something, though she led them unerringly in what seemed to be a northern direction. The demoness would stop, every now and then, to show them tracks or other signs of life and explain which creature was edible and which they should avoid. She did the same with the plant life, explaining the seasons, the kinds, edibles versus poisonous, preparations. Once Oriena got over her mad, she asked more questions than Melosa. Xena asked more questions than Oriena. Salmoneus took copious notes. (A tour book was beginning to sound like an option).
The morning passed quickly. They stopped briefly for lunch, munched on some leftover berries and dumbunny and a few other things. Izzy stood watch and ignored the conversation. Tok gnawed on a bone.
It was kind of hard to miss the pensive expression on the demoness' face. Xena could feel the tension emanating from the creature and she felt it mirroring within herself. She stood up, stretching casually and meandered to where the tall one gazed out upon the land.
"Something bothering you?" the warrior asked. She stood loosely, letting her feet get to know the ground. Izzy looked at her, then back up and out.
"Yes," she said. Her eyes scanned the horizon and narrowed, "You should be in Elysia." Her expression was cold.
Xena's nostrils flared at Izzy's tone of voice. "Oh?" she answered. Her voice was dangerously low.
"All of you should be." The demoness placed a hand on her knife and Xena's own hand bent toward her Chakram. So this is it then? She felt an excitement build in her that was almost sexual. She prepared herself to respond as quickly as possible to the threat. Then Izzy returned her gaze to Xena's and the warrior noticed that there was no maliciousness in the look, no hatred, no prejudice.
There was only worry. Lots of worry.
The warrior's hand eased away from the Chakram. Her body relaxed, but the sexual feeling remained. It was a bit disconcerting, irritating. Izzy smirked despite herself. She shook her head, "It's not me you have to worry about Xena." She pointed out to the plain and the warrior looked. A cloud of dust seemed to be moving their direction. Izzy finished her statement, "It's them."
Xenite Temple | Fan Fiction Site | Home Page
These pages were last updated: November 26, 1997
ŠNovember 1997