Veni. Vidi. Vici. Part 2

Gabrielle was sleeping in the forest near the halls of war, suddenly something hit her and she woke up. She looked around and saw Xena rapidly moving in her sleep, she must of hit her by accident. The Xena woke up and sat up right quickly. Gabrielle watched as a Xena tried to get her breath back. "Are you OK?" Gabrielle asked. Xena looked at Gabrielle and saw the same saddened look in her face that she saw before she went to sleep. "I'm OK." Xena replied, "You?" "How could we let her go into battle, she wasn't experienced enough?" "I know." "Why would Caesar kill her? He hasn't even met her, why would he do that?" "To get to us. He knows that Kallopiea's death will distract us, he knows it will slow us down." "I hate him, he crucified us both, twice, his orders killed Ephiny, and now he's killed Kallopiea too. He deserves to die again, Xena I want to kill him." "Don't talk like that." "Well don't you?" "Gabrielle…" "Xena look deep inside yourself and tell me you don't want his blood." "I do. But it's not going to happen. We have to keep our mind on the job, we have to beat his army, we have to stop Ares, that's why we're here, that's why Kallopiea died and I'll be damned if I don't make her death meaningful." Kallopiea opened her eyes, her head was throbbing where Caesar knocked her out the day before, her vision was blared but she knew she was tied to a chair. Slowly things came back into focus and she saw Ares and Caesar standing in front of her. "So you're a friend of Xena's are you?" Caesar asked, his voiced echoed in her mind because of her abnormally painful headache. "Yes I am." Kallopiea answered. "Good, you're going to be the key to our victory." "No I wont." "I'm afraid it isn't your choice." Caesar laughed. "Your name is Kallopiea, is that correct?" "I will tell you nothing." Caesar hit Kallopiea hard on the head, hard enough to hurt but not knock her out. Kallopiea used every ounce of strength she had left to appear as if it didn't hurt and kept a straight face. Caesar laughed again, "So brave. Are you afraid to die?" "A brave man dies only once a man like you dies a thousand times." "So you know who I am, and you must be able to read or else you wouldn't know the quote. Careful or else you might tell me something important." "So why do we need her?" Ares asked Caesar. "Because he is going to use me to get to Xena." Kallopiea answered. "Isn't that right Caesar?" "Hey I wasn't talking to you." Ares shouted. "Woo, big man." Kallopiea shouted back sarcastically. "By the Gods, your worse then Gabrielle. Gabrielle…. why didn't you get Gabrielle instead of her." "Because Kallopiea was an easier target…. She hasn't killed before, and I knew she wasn't going to start then." "How did you know I haven't killed?" Kallopiea asked. "Because you were fighting with a staff, it's not usually the chosen weapon of a killer, especially a Celtic one." "The Amazons use staffs." "But you're not an Amazon." "You wont win, you must realise that by now. Xena has beat you before, many times, why will it be any different this time?" "You forget, I beat Xena." "Yes you did, once! A very long time ago. Xena is even better now, even stronger; she will kill you and destroy your destiny. You're an even bigger fool then people say if you don't realise that." "Yes well, we'll see about that." "And exactly what are you going to do with me. You aren't planning to kill me, you'd have done that by now, so what do you want with me?" Caesar knelt down and got into eye view with Kallopiea, "I have an offer for you?" "Oh really, I can not wait to hear it." "I want you to help me win this war against Xena." "What?" Ares said shocked. "You want me to help you beat Xena, why would I help Rome, why would I help you and Ares?" Kallopiea asked angrily. "Because you will get something in return." "And what is that?" "You get your own army, willing to do what ever you command." "Hey, this wasn't part of the deal." Ares protested. "I do not want your army, it's pathetic." "You don't want it." Caesar said while cutting the ropes that bound Kallopiea to the chair. "Come with me." He led Kallopiea over to a nearby window and pointed to a huge army training outside. "You really don't want it?" "No." "Kallopiea, don't lie to me. I see it in you." "See what?" "A fire, that burning desire to lead, to conquer, to rule. How about I add to the deal, I'll even show you how to lead, I'll train you to fight. You and I both know Xena wont teach you the things you really want to know, the way to kill, the way to destroy and win. I will." "I would never except that…what do you call it…. offer I suppose. But if I did, how would I help you beat Xena?" "She trusts you, all you would have to do is kill her and you'd get close enough to do that…I wouldn't" "And why would I trust that you'd keep your part of the deal?" "I'll train you before you kill Xena, you could even have your army before you kill Xena, waiting for you to return." "You lie." "Do I know, well prove it…choose to help me." "Never." "Stay here for a while and think about it, you don't have to decide yet." Caesar started walking over to the door with Ares following close behind. They left Kallopiea in the room and locked the door behind them. "What are you doing?" Ares asked demandingly. "Our goal is to win, once we win we can get a huge army which we lead. Kallopiea can take what ever she wants as long as she kills Xena." "She'll never kill Xena, she's her friend." "No she's not. Kallopiea doesn't trust her, she's very…. closed…she doesn't feel that she belongs anywhere. If we make her think she fits in with us then she will trust us. One thing about Kallopiea is that if she trust someone, she will never stop trusting them, you just need to make her take that first step and you've got her on your side forever." "How do you know that?" "I have spent my entire life trying to understand my enemy, it also works for you allies." "If you're wrong…" "I'm never wrong." Meanwhile outside in the forest near the halls of war the army was getting impatient to launch another attack. Xena and Gabrielle decided to find Beowulf and tell him to prepare to attack Ares and Caesar again. "Beowulf. Where are you?" Xena shouted over the noise of the army. "Here." He replied. Xena walked over to him, he was sat on a log, which had been cut down the night before. Xena noticed a slight swelling around his eyes, he'd been crying. "Are you OK?" Xena asked. "Fine." "Good because we are going to launch another attack, get your part of the army ready." "Xena I can't do it." "What do you mean you can't do it?" "I'm going home…" "No you are not, we need you to do this." "Well I can't" "So you're just going to give up. You're going to let her die in vein." Xena shouted Beowulf paused for a moment thinking about Xena's words. "I'll go on one condition. If we win, and we get to Caesar I get to kill him." "If we win and we get to Caesar, your welcome to try and kill him…. but your going to have competition." Xena ran off and started to round up her troops. Inside the halls of war Caesar walked back into Kallopiea's prison cell. She was sat in the chair looking troubled. "Xena's army is regrouping, she plans to attack us again. Have you thought about my offer?" Caesar questioned "I wont kill my friend." "Let me show you something. Stand up." Kallopiea did as he asked, "See this part of my neck, the muscle that joins the neck to the shoulder." Caesar took Kallopiea's hand and put it on his neck. "Yes." Kallopiea replied now understanding what he meant. "If you wanted to kick that, how would you do it?" Caesar asked. "Why?" "Show me how you'd do it." Kallopiea raised her leg and kicked Caesar on the neck in one straight kick. The impact sent him back a little bit. "Wrong." He criticised. "This is how you do it. " Caesar lifted his right leg behind him, them jumped from his left. He span in the air anticlockwise and his right leg missed Kallopiea's shoulder muscle just a little bit. "You missed." Kallopiea laughed. "I planned to." "Why?" "Do what I just did." Kallopiea tried to copy Caesar's move but failed. "Let me teach you." "What do I give you in return?" "This one's for free." Outside Xena was at the head of her army, she looked back to Gabrielle and gave her a reassuring nod. Then she looked back to the Halls of War and shouted, "Attack!!!" The army went charging forward and clashed into Caesar's and Ares's Roman army. Xena fought hard and after just a few seconds she heard Gabrielle's command of "Attack!" Gabrielle's army joined Xena's in the battle, still badly out numbered again another cry of attack was heard and Beowulf's army came running into the battle. There numbers were still less then the Romans but it was clear that the difference wasn't as great as it had been in the last battle. Inside the halls of war Caesar was still teaching Kallopiea the fighting move. "Now push up with the left foot!" Caesar shouted. Kallopiea did and spun around, just as Caesar had. He quickly moved out of the way and Kallopiea missed his shoulder by a small amount. "Well done." "Thanks. But I still do not understand how that is any better then a simple kick." "It gives you more power, just enough more to kill them instantly." "That would never kill someone instantly." "It's a human weakness, do it correctly and it is a simple way to kill anyone, no matter how strong. But you have to do it precisely, or else it won't work." "Really?" Kallopiea asked "Really." "Do you know anymore that would do the same thing?" "Many. But if you want to see them you will have to agree to my offer." "I wont kill Xena, remember I haven't killed before." "I remember, but you are ready now. You are a good fighter and you have the right way of thinking put the two together and your perfect." "I know what you are doing." "And what's that?" "You are trying to manipulate me like you did Xena. It will not work." "I'm not trying to manipulate you, I'm doing a deal with you. Choose to fight with me and learn how to be a real leader, choose to fight with Xena and learn nothing." "You are not a real leader so how would you teach me to be one." "What makes your think I'm not a real leader?" "A real leader would be out there, fighting along side his army, like Xena is." "You're right. Which is why I'm going now." Kallopiea looked out the window and watched the battle. Gabrielle was one the ground with a roman about to stab her. She quickly kicked him in the stomach and flipped off the ground, then went on to someone else. Xena was fighting with her chakram, she had each part in her hard and was using it like a short hand held weapon. Beowulf was fighting a Roman. The Roman had lost his sword and was trying to hit Beowulf with his small circular shield. Beowulf dodged and stabbed him in the leg, the roman fell to the ground and Beowulf quickly stabbed him in the heart. Suddenly Kallopiea spotted a roman in different armour, she watched as he fought his way through Xena, Gabrielle, Beowulf's army. After a few minuets he looked towards her window…it was Caesar. Xena, Gabrielle and Beowulf's army was doing well but they were still heavily out numbered, suddenly Kallopiea heard Xena shout "retreat" and the army ran back into the forest. After a short while Caesar came back into her cell. "Why didn't you chase them back into the forest?" Kallopiea asked. "They would have a better position then us, we would lose." "Oh. Do you think you will beat Xena in the end?" "Yes, I do. Xena's army is getting weak, and their food supply is running low, soon their moral will drop and we will win." "So then why do you need me?" "We will win the battle but not the war. Xena will get a new army and attack again, of course our army will have grown by then, but she will she be a nuisance. If she is killed before that then there will be no more obstacles for me to overcome." "Why do you not send an army around behind the forest and one towards them, it would trap Xena in the middle, she could not get away?" "Xena would find a way out, through the trees probably." "How do you know that?" "I am good at reading people, it's want Xena would do, and I know it." "Then why do you not…. nothing." "What?" "No it is nothing. Stupid idea." "Tell me." "No." "Tell me and I will show you another move." "No." "Kallopiea, don't you want to lead the most powerful army in the world?" "Of course I do but I know you will double cross me." "If you are a good leader, I won't need to." "If I am a great lead you will be to afraid not to." "If you tell me, you can lead the army and do it yourself." "I can not tell you." "Why?" "Because it will work, and I can not let you kill Xena." Caesar pulled a dagger out of his armour. Kallopiea took a few steps backwards and prepared for him to attack her. "I was given this when I was made dictator of Rome. I want you to have it." "I still will not tell you." "Then don't. But I want you to take the dagger." "No, it is yours." Caesar grabbed Kallopiea and pulled her towards him. He quickly made her grab the dagger then pushed her back. "Now it's yours." Kallopiea looked to one side awkwardly. "If….if you send half your army behind the forest the send the rest in front you could attack…." "I already said that would work, Xena would escape like an Amazon, through the trees." "Not if you…" Kallopiea paused "…. if you burnt down the forest, she would have to be driven out. If you surround the forest with your men." "She would be burnt alive or taken prisoner." "Yes." "Ares was right you are clever. So Kallopiea, get ready to lead the army with me." "I am surprised you do not just kill me now that I have told you want you need to know." "Why would I kill you, you are going to help me beat the rest of the world." "And then?" "Then you're going to help me beat Ares." Kallopiea smiled, and quickly turned her head to try and cover it. Meanwhile Xena, Gabrielle and Beowulf were gathered around a campfire in the forest next to the halls of war. Suddenly a man came running over to them. "What did you find out?" Xena asked. "I looked around the entire place while you were fighting, the only way in is through the front entrance, or through a shaft at the back. It will be hard to get in though there it is to hot to touch the sides of it and is filled with steam." "I thought it was there, I remember it from before. There is tunnel that goes through all the floors to keep the place warm. But the steam stops once a day, so that it doesn't get to hot. It is not for long but we should be able to get inside by the time it comes back on." "When do we leave?" Gabrielle asked. "Now. I am not sure how many we can get through, two maybe three." "Well I'm coming." Beowulf said. "Me to." Gabrielle added. "Then let's go." Inside the halls of war Caesar and Kallopiea left the cell and walked over to Ares. "What is she doing out?" Ares shouted. "She has a plan, we are going to burn down the forest Xena is in and surround it with men. She wont get out but even if she does our men will capture her and kill her." "And you trust Kallopiea, a friend of Xena." "No but her plan will work." Ares walked close to Kallopiea and started to slowly walk around her. "Well, well, well, it looks like you're not a friend of Xena's after all." "Well, well, well, it looks like you do not love Xena after all." Kallopiea said sarcastically. "I love Xena." Ares defended. "And she is my friend." Kallopiea replied. Xena, Gabrielle and Beowulf reached the shaft behind the halls of war. "When will it cool down?" Gabrielle asked. "This is as cool as it will get." Xena replied. "So what's the plan?" Beowulf asked. "We go in there, you two capture Caesar, I'll get Ares." Xena explained. "What do we do when we have them?" "Force them through the shaft back out here. Then we will attack again, their army won't fight if we have the leaders. Now let's go." Kallopiea and Ares looked at each other threateningly. "Want happens when we kill Xena?" Ares asked Caesar. "Then we go on to Rome, we will take that then we go from there." Suddenly a grate was pushed up from the ground. Xena, Gabrielle and Beowulf jumped out and looked at Caesar, Ares and Kallopiea. "Kallopiea?" Gabrielle said surprised. Caesar and Ares ran at them with there swords. Xena, Gabrielle and Beowulf charged at the Emperor and the god. Kallopiea watched in the background unsure of what to do. Ares pushed Xena against a wall knocking her unconscious then started attacking Gabrielle. Caesar quickly ran over to Xena and bent down to stab her with his sword. Kallopiea ran over to him and pushed him off Xena. "Kallopiea what are you doing?" "Caesar I am sorry but I can not let you kill her." Caesar pushed Kallopiea out of the way and again walked over to Xena. Kallopiea ran over to him and pushed him away from Xena and pinned him on the ground. "No!" She shouted at him. Caesar raised his sword and was about to slit Kallopiea's throat. She quickly took the dagger he gave her out of her boot and stabbed him in the heart. Caesar looked at her for a second shocked then died. Ares turned around and looked at Caesar's dead body then disappeared. Xena slowly started to gain conscious, she saw Kallopiea over Caesar's body with a bloody dagger over him and walked over to her. Xena bent down next to her and pulled her off of him, she looked at Kallopiea's face and saw a tear rolling down her check. Beowulf came over to her and put his arms around her hugging her. "It's OK." He whispered softly. "It's OK." The following day Xena, Gabrielle, Beowulf and Kallopiea decided to go back into central Greece. On the way they stopped at a river so Xena could catch some fish for lunch. "Kallopiea come on in, I'll teach you how to fish." Xena said trying to cheer her up. "No I'm just going to go up stream, I'll be back soon." Kallopiea said and walked off. "Is she going to be OK?" Gabrielle asked. "She'll be fine." Xena replied, "I think getting captured just shook her up a little." "Actually, Kallopiea told me the other day she had never killed before." Beowulf said, "She didn't want me to tell you but I thought I should." "She must be feeling terrible, why didn't she say?" Gabrielle said concerned. "Maybe we should go after her." Xena suggested. "I think she would prefer to be alone." Beowulf said. "Beowulf, I've been meaning to talk to you." Xena started, "I'm sorry for how I reacted when we thought Kallopiea was dead. It's just she is so young and…" "Xena, it's OK. You were right I shouldn't have let her go to war." "You did the right thing, as much as I hate to admit it. You and Kallopiea were right, it is up to her what she does. She is actually quite wise for someone who's so young." Kallopiea sat on a rock next to the river. She listened peacefully at the sound of the water running. After while she took Caesar's dagger out of her boot and tossed it from one hand to another. "Caesar I'm sorry." She said quietly to herself, "I'm so sorry." Veni. Vidi. Vici. Part 2 by Kitana copywrite Kitana 2002©

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