Xena studied the elite weaponry as Sophia's warrior groups trot by. "Let me guide this team and meet you later."Sophia snatched Xena's chakrum, watching her flinch, then handed it back. "Antigone anticipated your reluctance. Leave Tasha with me."
Gabrielle stormed to Tasha's side. "No, we stick together! If you take one of us, you take all three."
"Really?" Sophia masked a chuckle in large grinning oceanic eyes. "And is this how you feel Xena?"
Tasha fussed Xena's hair. "Hey now Gabby, if Xena wants to stay with mommy. It's okay by me."
Xena hugged Cyrene. "Good journey, Mother."
"Be safe, Daughter." Cyrene watched Tasha trip as Xena helped her down. "Be well!"
Tasha nudged Xena. "She meant behave, Sis!"
Ignoring Sophia's soldiers riding with Cyrene, Xena lead the trio to a small cart where Sophia waited. "It isn't fair to leave a New Yorker to fledglings like yourself."
Tasha hobbled up to Sophia's side. "Have you sufficient coin to hire Xena? You'd be amazed the tricks she performs with a monetary incentive."
Acting on reflex, Gabrielle pulled Xena's tense arm. "Remember, she's pregnant Xena. She'll use it any way she can. But, you can't hurt the baby."
Xena bent peeking around Sophia and winking to Tasha. "I know so many nifty pressure points. The baby won't feel a thing."
Tasha cringed, tugging on Sophia. "She really does, you know."
Sophia distibuted 3 blindfolds. "So do I."
Riding blindfolds in a small hobbling cart; Xena, Gabrielle, and Tasha honed other senses for hints through Dagman's passage. Echoing drops indicated limestone mountain caves. Crunching paces with cool aromatic woodland pines suggested a plush forest descending into a shadowy valley. Marching hooves suddenly hushed as strong salty waves lapped long tides acroos a nearby shore to their right. With bright light baking sweat along their faces, the trio lurched together feeling the marching wagon stop.
"Remove their blindfolds. Bring Xena here!" Sophia directed Xena to gaze upon a distant island. "Recognize it."
Xena hopped out of the cart, staring at a shimmering rainbow city glistening with a hot pink sun sinking from the sky. "Penumbra."
She watched a fleet of row boats launch from the island then scoured the horizon line, judging sailing distances and firm land barings. Behind her, Gabrielle and Tasha slowly climbed from their sleepy squats. Aside, Sophia slyly studied her, offering a welcome swallow from a bladder canteen.
"It's a long road." Xena remarked.
"And a fine city." Sophia replied.
With the reddish sun hitting purple waters, Tasha's imagination pictured the yellow brick road.
Tasha thumbed at the woods on Gabrielle's left. "Lions and tigers and bears, oh my."
Gabrielle prided herself on memorizing the delightful story, the Wizard of OZ. "Oz's wizard wasn't pregnant."
Tasha slapped her own forehead. "Great, Bard at work. Let's see, in your version, Xena's the tin-ax man and you, the comical scarecrow?"
Gabrielle winked. "I'm Dorothy," she said, then whispered. "You have yet to meet the wicked witch of Penumbra."
"I can't wait!" Tasha noticed lightening flashes cut-short in a beige cloud above her. "Rain?"
Xena shrugged. "I don't think that's the weather."
Pointing to another streak continuing in the western sky, Sophia explained, "The Olympians are expressing disapproval. High above us is the last zone of their domain. We live in an oval force of mystical shielding. When we reach Penumbra, you will see less of them. Come, our argonauts await."
Vast areas on the horizon trickled with a turquoise laser lightening show. As the group launched from the shore, they noticed the sky grow bluer with snow flakes dancing across the atmosphere.
Tasha watched in awe. "It's like one giant snow globe."
"Not for long." Sophia waited for her boat to dock and pulled Xena's arm. "Come with me. Gabrielle and Tasha, go with my warriors in peace. A special shelter awaits you outside our city's limit. Not all of Penumbra desire the prophecy to be fulfilled."
Seeing twenty guards massing around Tasha, Xena reluctantly walked with Sophia. "Is Antigone among them?"
Sophia wryly glanced past Xena. "You, of all people, should know, Antigone never yields to the many only to the many needs Penumbra requires."
"I know that's what she says."
Entering the throne room, Xena ignored 4 alarmed guards standing before Antigone seated and reading a tiresome scroll. Xena demanded, "What is the prophecy?"
Antigone dramatically raised her regal brow, fanning fingers toward double-doors on the left. "Sophia, show Xena her inheritance, first."
Sophia pulled a large bolted across massive double-door then noticed Xena remained where she stood. "This treasure is rightfully yours."
"I make no time for games, Antigone. What does Tasha's pregnancy have to do with you?"
Antigone casually sipped from a petite crystal tea cup. "No doubt, Cyrene advised you of your heritage. Don't you wish this throne, Warrior?"
Xena pointed to Sophia. "You've another daughter. Let it's weight be hers."
Antigone bowed her head to Sophia who curtsied an immediate exit. "We are alone, now, Xena. My guards will not fight their princess. Your Aunt Sophia will not enter this room, and I can not best your skillful sword. Do you wish this monarchy, now?"
Xena walked in a raged circle but calmly replied, "Ask New York, she's a colorful thought on where to place your throne. I'm here for her. I know you gain from this prophecy. All I ask, is a favor when it's over. Mother told me, you would provide our resources."
"True." Antigone lurched a scepter from her throne. "Use this totem to guard your friends from the Woebegone. Until the child is born, he is property to the realms of both mystics and gods. Though, our land and skies are protected, the ground beneath are eternally Hades' domain. According to the preparations described in our mystic's lore, Gabrielle and Tasha are housed in a ceremonial cave which must open to him under the fullest moon. Be warned, the Woebegone steals the memories which make you strong in this life and the next. Hurry, Warrior, time is your enemy too!"
Xena spotted a soldier-guide flagging a torch at an open door to the left. "You haven't asked my favor."
Antigone mockingly laughed. "Use the totem to thwart Hades creature. Don't touch it or let it near the millennium's mother. Should it snatch her strength; Ionus, our savior, will be trapped in Hades's eternal darkness!"
Xena carefully grabbed the scepter, sarcastically asking, "Wish me success, dear grandmother?"
Antigone's eyes darkened red ,palming Xena's shoulder., "With your skills, wishing is an empty factor. Leave as you came, in peace seeking adventure. May Eros be with you."
"By your leave." Xena politely curtsied then swiftly ran to meet her mission.
A crowd of warriors shoved Gabrielle and Tasha into a dark declining cave. It's bizarre frekled walls housed layers of gold encrusted gems, mostly black, white, and red. At the base, greenish hues glowed like grass around their feet. Overhead, a rich purple cloud fogged a small horizon's atmosphere. Avoiding the punchy guards marching outside, Gabrielle and Tasha trampled deeper, finding a meek passage leading into a large torch-lit chamber.
Jeweled stalagmites with flat cusps portrayed a fitting row of 15 chairs before a shale shelf that looked like a stage. Four lightly dusted fixed cots lined the stage with two corner tables catching Gabrielle's eye.
"Food!" She hopped on stage finding the table decorated with twin sets of crystal wine pitchers, two matching floral pottery bowls of white grapes, and twin weaved satchels of twisted wheat loaves. "For how many?"
"For how long?" Tasha held her stomach, slowly reaching the shale ridge. "I guess it's home sweet home, here."
Tearing a piece of bread, Gabrielle pointed up for a small crack above us in the phosphorescent ceiling phasing into a marooning hue. "This must be a temple."
"Ya think?" Tasha slowly crouched sitting on the edge of the shale stage watching for anyone who might wander in through it's cave entrance. "That or someone's tomb. Hopefully not ours!"
"Tomb?" Gabrielle joined her side offering Xena's canteen slung from her shoulder. "Why so glum?"
"A sick six sense." Tasha sipped a small taste and passed it back. "From what you've told me of Antigone, I'm trying to figure out her latest game. Notice, you and Xena are separated again?"
"Don't worry. Xena's on top of it!"
"Yeah, wisdom from Antigone's side of the clan." Tasha wrinkled a stare studying the far end of the cave.
At first, she thought steam floated from some volcanic vent in the marble floor. Then, she watched the steam pour into a human cloud hovering in its own repose. A caped elderly female spirit smiled with her ankle-long white hair flying in a breeze neither Gabrielle or Tasha felt.
"Uh-oh." Tasha felt a kick inside her. "Something's not right, here." She watched her stomach grow 4 inches. "What's in that canteen?"
A strange showering of hot bright rays poured beneath her eyelids like water filling a soul's vessel. Nothing in Tasha's colorful experiences compared with the delicious joy that followed.
"Hello, my mother," a young boy spoke within her. "I'm your son, Ionos. Love be with you!"
Tasha clutched Gabrielle in a tight hug. "My baby is talking to me!"
Pulling Tasha's fingers, Gabrielle struggled for air. "You're day-dreaming. Let go."
Tasha raised empty palms, slapping her own face. "My son is speaking to me. Can't you hear him?" Tasha stood on the shale stage, shouting across the chamber. "Young man, I love you. Know that you can be Ionos, Ionos Antonio Fidelli."
The young voice chuckled, "Ionos is my prophetic destiny. Your Antonio has yet to come."
Gabrielle pulled Tasha to a bed. "You better lay down, dear. Your face is flushed and your pupils are as wide as a canyon."
Tasha struggled, reluctantly dropping onto a cot. "No, wait Ionus! What do you mean?"
Feeling his light dim inside, Tasha touched tears rolling down her cheeks. Across the chamber, she watched a ghostly figure withdraw in a backwards steam seeping into the floor.
"What's happening? Is he dying?" Tasha looked to Gabrielle's bunny pink eyes. "I feel so cold."
Patting Tasha's back, Gabrielle caught a stumbling sound. "We got company." She wisp a log from a pile stacked off the shale stage. "Who goes there?"
Plodding footsteps marched behind the 15 stone chairs.
"Apparently, anyone. What's wrong with you too?" Xena hopped onto the first flat stalagmite. "What happened to her?"
Gabrielle turned around seeing Tasha deep in sleep. Her stomach resembled nine months of pregancy.
"She's overtired." Gabrielle snatched a blanket from a spare cot. "She even told me her baby boy talked to her."
Xena hurried an armload of wood, building a quick fire on stage. "Did she mention a spirit yet?"
The cave walls blinked echoing an awful growlers groan. Tossing Gabrielle her staff, Xena drew her sword and waited.
"Xena, what is this place?" Gabrielle shook as the shale cave rumbled.
"This world's last chance." Xena strapped Antigone's scepter with leather ties around her quiver. "Be strong, Gabrielle!"
Gabrielle screamed, "What's happening?"
Watching her fire burn larger kindling, Xena piled logs building a blaze fit for a funeral. She watched Gabrielle shake Tasha's limp hand then tap her face, no response. Again, the cave echoed with a louder version of the growlers grown.
"Xena, help her. What's going on?"
"Keep behind me, Gabrielle. Until that child is released, all Hades is about to bust loose!"
Gems jumped from the ancient homes along the walls grumbling. Xena's bonfire danced from humming winds no one felt. In the distance she spotted a thick stream of clouds shaping into an elderly female spirit.
"Who are you," Xena cried.
The spirit rose widening it's arms into a clouded dome. Beneath their feet, growls rumbled.
"Who are you," Xena demanded of the spirit.
More gems flew from the walls cracking and spitting rock shards. Xena leaped from a circular depression widening a hole in the center of the stage.
"Keep the fire going, Gabrielle!"
Seeing Tasha's cot slip towards an orange smoking hole, Gabrielle tugged Tasha's lifeless frame. "Xena!" She grabbed Tasha's arms. "I need help! She's too heavy."
"Roll her off!" A ghostly shrill joined another episode of growlers groan. Seeing Gabrielle lug Tasha safely to the wall, Xena pulled off her quiver shaking on the fumbling shale floor.
"Stay back!"
"What are you doing?" Gabrielle shouted.
"I said stay back!" Watching the hole, Xena saw an orange aura rise with it's own arms of flames. As she raised the sceptor, a flying gem knocked her grip loose. The scepter bounced on the edge of hole's depression.
"YiYiYi!" Xena leaped into a hail of Hades damned soldiers soaring from the hole. "Guard Tasha, Gabrielle!"
"I'm trying." Gabrielle twirled her staff, clenching teeth to Hades damned crawling an approach.
Xena lopped off a head from a mangled org warlord. "Beware the Woebegone is almost free!"
"What are you talking about?" Gabrielle carelessly fumbled her staff
Jumping again, Xena's whip plucked arms off two worm-infested warriors. She grinned winning ground closer to the septor. Three brittle skeletons tripped from her sword, trying to steal her totem. When she finally raised her arm with the Antigone's scepter, Gabrielle leaped into the orange aura.
"No!" Xena watched her best friend sizzle in shrieking agony. Xena's tarnished gold armor filtered none of her pungent pain.
"No!" Xena raised her arm reaching a hand wanting to trade her life for Gabrielle's smoking to ash.
Forever, she would be too late. Then she caught sight of Gabrielle's last concerns.
Seeing four worm-infested warriors march for Tasha weakly perspiring against the shale wall of their stage, Xena leaped with scepter and sword for a second battle. "YiYiYi Ya!"
Two crouched holding spears piercing Xena's legs as she landed. She rolled in agony, forcing one arm to wield Antigone's totem scepter. "Leave me, Woebegone."
The hovering spirit plugged the orange aura back into Hades's hole. Watching the damned crawl closer, Xena grabbed her trusty chakrum.
"Yi; " she weakly cried using her last breath to cast hope bouncing off bodies and across the walls.
Her soul leaped to her feet, quickly waking before Hades' throne.