Heart of Darkness
Chapters Nine through Sixteen
by Lynn M. Price

Continued from Chapters One through Eight

Chapter Nine
Scrolling Right Along...

The rest of the night passed uneventfully. Mariah finally fell into an exhausted sleep, as did Gabrielle. Gabrielle for a change was the first one up in the morning. She looked at her still-sleeping friend.

She leaned over her and lightly brushed a stray brown curl off of her friend's face. Gods, she thought to herself angrily, hadn't Mariah been through enough? Having a killer disease not once but twice? Forced to learn how to walk again after being paralyzed? Taken from her world, her friends, her family, forced to make a new life in a new world? Kidnapped by a crazed warlord? She thought back to how Mariah acted when they had been taken by Galvous earlier that year. Mariah was scared, but didn't show it. The teacher had been calm, much more self-possessed than Gabrielle expected her to be. The bard was *extremely* impressed with her friend's grace under pressure. Gabrielle thought it over. Maybe going through all those terrible things had made her friend strong enough to deal with the realities and problems life threw at her.

She walked over to her scroll bag and pulled out a gold necklace holding a ring. When Mariah had landed in ancient Greece those many months ago, she had brought two rings with her from the twentieth century. When she struck out on her own, she gave the rings to the bard and the warrior for all that they had done for her. Gabrielle had her grandfather's gold ring; Xena had her silver high school class ring. Mariah had cherished those rings, and she had absolutely no regrets about giving them to her dearest friends. Gabrielle and Xena treasured those rings as all three girls treasured each other's friendship. Clasping the gold ring in her hand, Gabrielle looked at the sleeping teacher. She hoped and prayed her friend possessed the strength to get through this.

The bard put the ring back in her scroll bag, stirred up the fire, and put on some tea. Deciding to let her sleep, Gabrielle fixed breakfast for the both of them, working quietly so as to not yet awaken her.

Mariah awoke slowly to the smell of bacon and eggs. She looked over, and saw Gabrielle setting the table. Gabrielle, seeing her friend was awake, walked over to her and sat on the bed next to her. "Hey, how are you doing?" the bard asked her softly, patting her shoulder, noticing the dark shadows around her blue eyes.

"Better," Mariah said sleepily. She had no repeat of the dreams that plagued her earlier that night. She sniffed. "You made breakfast? Thanks." She threw off the covers, slowly got to her feet, and stretched. "I'm going to get cleaned up. I'll be right back."

"Don't take too long," Gabrielle called after her as she left the house. Mariah didn't. She was back just as Gabrielle put the food on the table.

As they sat down eating, Mariah noticed Gabrielle hadn't lost her touch when it came to fixing good food. "I'm glad to see you still know how to cook," the teacher teased, as she ate the bacon, eggs, and bread, her appetite off slightly because of the dreams.

"Well, when you travel with Xena, you *better* know how to cook!" Gabrielle said with a smile. "And remember, I taught *you*, too! I think you were my best student." The two friends shared a laugh as they both reminisced briefly about their travels.

After they ate and cleaned up the table and dishes, Mariah brought over her dream scrolls. The girls sat at the table. "Where do you want to start?" Mariah asked.

Gabrielle thought for a moment. "Let's start with your first scroll, and read them in order." The bard got up and pulled out one of her new scrolls. "I'm going to take some notes as we go through this. It might help."

Mariah agreed, dug through the pile, and pulled one out. "This one," she said. "This was the first dream I wrote about." She leaned back in her chair and read.

Gabrielle closed her eyes as she focused on her friend's recitation. It was a dream detailing the events of their capture in their camp by Galvous's men. It was incredibly detailed, and Gabrielle could see the scene in her own head as Mariah related it, even though the bard herself had been unconscious through most of it, thanks to a dart in the leg.

After Mariah finished, she waited for Gabrielle to jot down some notes before she began again.

Mariah began a little hesitantly. "Ah, this one may not make much sense to you. This is one of my twentieth century dreams. It deals with a bad day in my classroom. A *very* bad day." The former high school English instructor launched into a dream that was every teacher's nightmare: an unruly classroom full of teenagers, an unscheduled visit by the principal, a fight breaking out, a fire drill, a bomb scare...anything that could've gone wrong went wrong in the classroom in Mariah's dream. Gabrielle ducked her head and grinned a bit at the story. What a wild tale! It was so full of details that the bard could picture herself with Mariah witnessing the events as they happened. When Mariah finished, Gabrielle made some more notes.

"Here's one about our travels together," Mariah said, pulling out another scroll. It was a dream of their encounter with the five bandits outside of Risa, when Mariah had been forced to defend herself against the man with the knife. He gave her a black eye, a souvenir of her first fight, before she finally defeated him. The dream focused on the details relating to her fear and anger at this encounter. Gabrielle added this information to her notes.

This went on for several hours; Mariah reciting her litany of dreams and nightmares, Gabrielle listening carefully and taking notes. Often, Mariah had to explain twentieth century concepts and details and information to her young friend. At the end, the young bard had two scrolls of notes about her friend's dreams.

"Now what?" asked Mariah.

"First we take a break. We need to get up and move around. Let's practice with the staffs for awhile, come back and eat lunch, and then get back to it." Mariah agreed, and the two women picked up their weapons as they left the house. The workout did much to help clear Mariah's head. She felt more alert, more sure of herself, after they sparred for awhile. Gabrielle too felt better, and both were ready to tackle the task again after lunch.

They sat together at the table and poured over Gabrielle's notes. The bard soon noticed a pattern.

"Look, Mariah," Gabrielle said. "First you dreamt about being captured by Galvous, then you dreamt about your old life, then you dreamt about your life here in Greece. The dreams seem to follow that pattern: Galvous, your old life, your new life."

Mariah was thoughtful, almost pensive, as she looked at her friend. "But that seems so deliberate, Gabrielle. I always thought dreams were more random, less focused. This almost seems to have some logic and control and purpose behind it. But why? And why dream so much about Galvous? I mean, I know that was a traumatic time for me, but I've gone through worse." Mariah struggled to put her thoughts into words. "You know, I almost feel like someone's pumping me for information. Like someone's in my mind, directing my dreams, in an effort to know who I am, what I am, what I know. Does that sound crazy to you?"

"Who's to say?" Gabrielle said with a sigh. "But I will say this: I learned more about your twentieth century world in just a few hours than I did all those months we traveled together. Oh, don't get me wrong," she said quickly when she saw a surprised look appear on Mariah's face. "You couldn't tell us much about your world, Mariah. Xena and I understood that. That's why we never pressed you about it. There's an old saying: A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. And girl, do you have the knowledge! Xena was right. She said that knowledge was power, and if people here took your knowledge of the future and used it for their own purposes that it could change our whole way of life. Is there anything else you can remember, Mariah, any detail you've not yet mentioned?"

Mariah closed her eyes and thought hard. "You know, there *is* something else, Gabrielle...I just can't quite tell what it is. I can *almost* see it, but something's blocking it." She opened her eyes. "I'm sorry. That's the best I can do."

"Don't worry," said Gabrielle, placating her. "We've done enough for today. Why don't we head over to the inn for dinner? I don't think either one of us feels like cooking tonight."

Mariah agreed, and they spent the evening at the cozy inn. When they walked in, Clytos took one look at Mariah's tired, drawn face, and told her she wouldn't need to play that night. He fussed over her, made sure she and Gabrielle ate a good supper, and made Mariah drink a cup of tea he prepared. "It'll help you rest easier tonight," he told her. "You look like you could use a good night's sleep." Mariah was grateful for the innkeeper's concern. Gabrielle volunteered to entertain the customers, and told several stories, much to the crowd's delight, earning her a few more dinars. Myklos couldn't make it that night; he sent word that he was tied up with some business. The girls decided to make it an early evening, and soon returned to Mariah's home.

Gabrielle insisted her friend take the bed that night, hoping Mariah would get a good night's sleep. Mariah was grateful for her friend's concern, and soon snuggled under the covers, Clytos's tea relaxing her weary body. Gabrielle watched as her friend soon nodded off.

The bard had an idea, though she didn't dare tell Mariah. When she traveled with Xena, the warrior was frequently plagued by nightmares, too, especially early in their travels together. Gabrielle would often sit with the warrior, and gently talk her through the dreams and nightmares while she slept. It worked for Xena; she hoped it would work for Mariah.

It didn't take her long to find out.

Chapter Ten
Dream A Little Dream...

Mariah slept.

As she slept, she dreamed.

She was in a strange room, a brick-lined room lit by a reddish-orange glow. Nothing looked familiar to her. Nothing at all.

Gabrielle watched her friend thrash around in the throes of her dream. "What do you see, Mariah?" the bard whispered to her. "Talk to me. Please."

Mariah walked around the room, a room filled with marble slabs, a room dominated by a large statue. She looked at it. The figure was not familiar to her either.

What is this place, she wondered. "Hello?? Is anyone here? Hello?" she called. No one answered.

She called out in her sleep. Gabrielle took her hand. "You're doing fine," she told her sleeping friend quietly.

Mariah roamed around the room in her dream, and soon spied a door. She opened it, and walked through. This room was also lit with that same reddish-orange light. She looked around. There were manacles attached to the wall and hanging from the ceiling. There was a stretching rack in the middle of the room. Mariah shivered. It was how she envisioned a torture chamber. As she turned to walk out, she bumped into someone who had walked up quietly behind her. It was Galvous.

"You!" Mariah gasped, backing away from him.

Gabrielle hear Mariah cry out Galvous's name. She watched her friend struggle in the grip of her nightmare. "Come on, Mariah," she whispered. "You can do it. What's happening?"

"Of course it's me, my dear," Galvous purred as he advanced on Mariah in her dream. "Who do you think brought you here?"

"And where exactly is 'here,' Galvous?" Mariah asked him, her eyes narrowing as she watched him follow her around the room.

Galvous chuckled. "You'll find out soon enough. Soon you'll be here with me. You and Xena. This is a marvelous place, Mariah; normally, it's a place where there's no line between reality and dreams. Your dreams become your reality; reality becomes your dreams. Only in your case, I'll make an exception: I'll make sure your reality becomes a nightmare, and your nightmares become a reality. Welcome to the Dreamscape."

Gabrielle sucked in her breath when she heard Mariah say "Dreamscape." She tried to wake up her friend.

Mariah shook her head as she looked at Galvous. "I've never heard of such a place. I don't believe you."

"Oh, you'll find out soon enough if I'm right, my dear. I've been so looking forward to getting you here. You know, we never had a chance to finish that little chat we started at my camp before Xena killed me. We'll finish it here." She watched him fade away and disappear.

Gabrielle was gently shaking her and calling her name. Mariah opened her eyes and saw her friend looking at her, worry dominating her face. "You were dreaming again. Tell me what you remember."

Mariah described the place she visited and the words she had with Galvous. She saw Gabrielle's eyes widen in understanding. "Do you know what it means?" asked Mariah.

"Yes, I do," Gabrielle replied grimly. "It means we need Xena. And we need her here as soon as possible."

Chapter Eleven
The Bard's Tale...

By the dim light of the glowing fire, Gabrielle sat next to Mariah on the bed and told her friend about her and Xena's experiences in the Dreamscape with Morpheus three years before.

She told Mariah how she had been kidnapped by Morpheus's men and taken to the Dreamscape where they tried to force her to lose her blood innocence. She told the teacher how she avoided killing anyone while she waited for Xena to show up. Gabrielle told her of Xena's heroic struggles through the Dreamscape to come rescue her. When she was finished, she looked at her friend. "I think Morpheus is behind this."

"But why me?" Mariah asked angrily. "I've not *done* anything to Morpheus!"

"No, *you* haven't done anything," Gabrielle said thoughtfully. "But I don't think you're the prime target. I think he's after Xena. I don't think Morpheus ever forgave Xena for coming to my rescue when I was trapped in the Dreamscape. I think he's after her, he's using you to get to her, and he's recruited Galvous to help him. Morpheus can't go after me again, Mariah; I no longer fit his needs. You do." The bard fell silent.

"What do you mean, I fit his needs?" Mariah demanded. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at her friend. "What 'needs?'"

"Well, you've never killed anyone, and, uh," Gabrielle blushed a bit. "You're, uh, still a virgin. You still have your blood innocence and your sexual innocence intact. Although I've never killed anyone, I'm not a virgin anymore." she finished.

For a few moments, both girls said nothing as thoughts whirled through their minds.

Mariah had a question. "But what happens in the Dreamscape? I-I don't understand."

Gabrielle hesitated a moment before she answered. "If you're taken there, Morpheus will put you through a series of tests forcing you to make choices." She took her friend's hands in hers as she continued. "It sounds as if they've been probing you, looking for your weak spots. The key to surviving is to defeat the challenges and not lose yourself in the process. If you do give in, Mariah, if you do lose, you'll be sacrificed to Morpheus. You'll be his to do with as he likes."

Mariah thought over what her friend had said. "It sounds like a no-win situation, Gabrielle. If I'm in the Dreamscape and I fail, I'm sacrificed. If I don't fail, what's to stop them from killing me anyway? And what would happen if I refused to go through with the tests?"

"Then you *would* be killed," replied Gabrielle, remembering her own experiences. She felt Mariah's hands tighten their grip on her own. "But as long as you participate in the tests and hold out against them,

they can't kill you. Zeus made sure of that when he created the Dreamscape. But if you're trapped there, Morpheus will use everything he knows about you in an effort to defeat you. But you *do* have one advantage, Mariah: Morpheus and Galvous can only learn about you through your dreams. They can't invade your mind when you're awake. So they only know a part of you; they don't know all of you. If you're ever trapped there, that could be to your benefit."

Mariah stared at the bard as the enormity of her situation sunk in. "What can we do?" asked Mariah.

"Well, we've got to keep you out of the Dreamscape, so we need to keep you under wraps. Morpheus and Galvous can't bring you there. A mortal person has to take you in, so we'll have to be on the lookout for any strangers that come around. That part will be hard. With the summer solstice celebration approaching, there'll be more people in town. In the morning, we'll send a rider to Amphipolis. He should make it there in less than a day, and if Xena rides Argo, she should be here the following day. We need to get her here and let her know what's going on."

Mariah agreed. The girls slept fitfully. The hours passed slowly until the sun crept up over the eastern horizon.

Chapter Twelve
A Note To Remember...

It was after sunset in Amphipolis.

Xena was staying at her mother's inn, each woman enjoying the time together, Xena wondering why she didn't stop home more often.

A man staggered in to the crowded inn. "Where's Xena?" he called out urgently. "I need to talk to Xena!"

The warrior walked over to the stranger and gently pulled him off to the side so they could talk alone. "I'm Xena. What do you want?"

The exhausted man looked at her with grateful eyes. "Thank the gods! I-I have a message for you from your friend Gabrielle."

Xena's eyes narrowed. "What's the matter?" she asked him.

"Here," he said as he gave her the bard's note. "She wrote it down for you. I've ridden hard all the way from Tyldus. She said it was very important."

Xena quickly scanned her friend's note. Damn Morpheus and Galvous both, she thought to herself. She took the man over to her mother by the bar. "Mother, this man needs some food and a bed for the night. I've heard from Gabrielle. I hate to leave, but something's going on in Tyldus and I need to get there as soon as possible. It's too late to leave tonight, so Argo and I will leave in the morning."

"Is Gabrielle all right?" Cyrene asked, worry showing in her eyes. She was extremely fond of her daughter's best friend.

"Yeah, she's fine. A friend of ours is in trouble. I'm going to check on Argo, pack up, and get some sleep. I want to leave early." She bent over and kissed her mother, enveloping her in a warm hug. "If everything goes all right, I should be back in a few days."

Cyrene returned her daughter's hug. "Take care, my little one," she whispered in her daughter's ear.

Xena smiled down at her mother, running a finger lightly down her cheek. She left the inn and walked over to the stable. Argo looked fine, but she decided to brush her down to help focus her thoughts.

As Xena worked on Argo's coat, she thought about her friend's missive. Gabrielle's note had been brief but thorough. The bard explained what was happening to Mariah, and how Morpheus, Galvous, and the Dreamscape were all involved. Xena's blue eyes were flinty; it angered her that people went after her by going after her friends and family.

She finished with Argo, patting her on her way out. "Get a good night's rest, girl. We're going to see Gabrielle and Mariah tomorrow." Argo whinnied in response.

Xena returned to her room at her mother's and packed up her gear. She reached in one of the saddlebags and pulled out the silver necklace holding Mariah's high school class ring. She looked at it, her eyes softening. The warrior often thought of her friend from the future. They were a lot alike, Xena and Mariah. Both had gone through some difficult times on their own before realizing that getting help from others was a sign of strength, not a sign of weakness. The warrior put the ring back in her bag, pulled out her sharpening stone, and sharpened her sword. She wanted to get to bed early so she could leave early for Tyldus. After she finished working on her sword, she went to sleep.

Xena slept.

As she slept, she dreamed.

She was fighting Galvous in his camp, Gabrielle and Mariah tightly bound to posts, anxiously watching her. As she fought the warlord, she kept an eye on her friends to make sure no one harmed them.

She caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. Two of Galvous's men, swords drawn, made their way towards the women. She pulled out her chakram and threw it at the two men. She was too slow; she watched in horror as the chakram sailed harmlessly out of site. The two men smiled at her as they stopped in front of Mariah and Gabrielle.

"NO!" she screamed as she watched her two friends get run through. This distraction cost her dearly as Galvous used it to run her through as well. As she lay on the ground, the life draining out of her body, Galvous stood over her.

"You're too late, Xena." he said with a smile, taunting her. "How does it feel to know you couldn't save your friends? Or yourself?"

Xena sat bolt upright in bed, breathing heavily, her heart pounding, her hands shaking. Enough is enough, she told herself angrily as she calmed down. Even though it was still dark outside, she got out of bed, dressed quickly, picked up her gear, and went to the stable to get Argo.

It was time to head towards Tyldus.

Chapter Thirteen
A Hard Day's Night...

Mariah had a dreamless night for a change. This was due to her not getting much sleep.

The dreams and what she learned about the Dreamscape bothered her that much. If she nodded off, she would awaken herself, forcing her eyes open. She was quiet about it, though. She didn't want to awaken the sleeping Gabrielle.

The bard was concerned about her friend. She could tell Mariah had not slept much, if at all. Dark rings and shadows encircled her bloodshot eyes, her appetite was off, and she could barely concentrate on what Gabrielle talked about at breakfast. Mariah looked exhausted. Gabrielle tried to get her take a nap, but Mariah gently put her off.

"No, I used to pull all-nighters when I was in college, so I can go for a little while longer without any sleep. I'll grab a nap after I'm through with the my morning flute lessons. Go work on your scrolls. You

haven't had the chance to since you've been here. I'll be all right," Mariah said as she stifled a yawn. There was a knock at the door; it was her first student of the day. Gabrielle reluctantly left the house and decided to go down by the river and work.

The bard worked on her scrolls for awhile but gave up. Concentration proved to be difficult. It was early afternoon when she walked over to the marketplace to see Myklos.

The marketplace was more crowded than usual. People were arriving for the solstice celebration.

The young merchant warmly greeted her, and noticed the troubled look on her face. "What's the matter?" he asked, as he got her a cup of tea.

"I'm worried about Mariah," Gabrielle told him as she drank her tea. "She's not been sleeping well the last few nights, Myklos. Tell me...has she told you much about her dreams?"

The man furrowed his head in thought and worry for his love. "No. She's only talked about some of them, Gabrielle. She told me about the encounter all of you had with Galvous. She told me she dreams a lot about that. She's also told me a few of the dreams she's had about her travels with you and Xena. They're very vivid, aren't they? So much detail!" The merchant shook his head. "I've tried to get her to open up more about them, but she says she doesn't want to worry me. As if she doesn't know she worries me more when she *doesn't* talk about them!" He sat back. "She's something else, I'll tell you that. She's tender, tenacious, caring, determined." Myklos sighed and looked at Gabrielle. "I love her, you know. I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I want nothing more than her happiness."

Gabrielle looked at this man who so deeply loved her friend. Her heart went out to him, and she longed to tell him of Mariah's secret past, but she dared not do it. That was something only Mariah could do...when she was ready.

They heard a commotion. It was Xena riding into town, Argo soaked in sweat from the hard ride.

"Xena!" Gabrielle called happily as she waved to her.

The warrior stopped Argo alongside her, dismounted, and hugged her. Xena looked around. "Where's Mariah?" she asked after she warmly greeted her best friend.

Gabrielle explained, and quickly introduced Xena to Myklos. Myklos shook her hand. "Welcome, Xena. I've been wanting to meet you for some time. Mariah's talked about you a great deal, too. Why don't you take your horse over to the stables? After you get her settled, then the two of you can go see Mariah. And would you tell her that I'll stop over to see her later?" He pointed them in the direction of the stable.

Xena thanked him, and she and Gabrielle took Argo to get settled in. As they walked towards Mariah's home, Gabrielle filled Xena in on the details of the last few days, including Mariah's close relationship with

Myklos..

"Xena, what are we going to do?" Gabrielle asked after she finished.

"I'm not sure yet," the warrior admitted. She had a troubled look on her face.

They peered through the window of their friend's house, and saw Mariah bent over the table, sleeping, her head cradled on her arms. Xena looked at Gabrielle, and Gabrielle explained. "She didn't sleep much last night, Xena. This morning, she looked like she had been to Tartarus and back. She looked so tired; her eyes were bloodshot, she couldn't eat..." The bard trailed off as they walked in the house and stood over the napping Mariah. "Should we move her?" Gabrielle whispered.

"Yeah. You go get the bed ready, OK? I can manage her." The warrior put her gear in a corner, and walked over to her sleeping friend. Xena looked at Mariah, gently feeling her pulse. The heartbeat was strong and regular, her breathing deep and normal. She saw the rings of exhaustion around Mariah's eyes. When Gabrielle had the bed prepared, Xena bent over and carefully scooped up her friend so as to not awaken her. Xena noticed Mariah had dropped some weight. It must be due to the stress of the dreams, she thought. She put her gently on the bed and Gabrielle covered her with a blanket.

They looked down at her. "Hopefully, she'll sleep for awhile," Xena said quietly. "When she wakes up, let's get some food in her. She's going to need all of her strength. And we need to talk with her more about what she's up against. Are you hungry?" she asked the bard. At Gabrielle's affirmative nod, Xena said, "How about you stay here with her? I'll go to the inn to get us something to eat. I'll be back in a little bit." The warrior took one more look at her sleeping friend, smiled at Gabrielle, and walked out of the house.

Chapter Fourteen
Innside Information...

Xena walked over to Clytos's inn. When she entered, Clytos recognized her immediately from Mariah's description: six feet tall, long black hair, muscles, striking blue eyes, leather, armor, more leather, the sword on her back, the chakram dangling at her right hip.

"You must be Mariah's friend, Xena," Clytos said with a big smile, greeting her. "She's told us all about you."

Xena was a little taken aback by the warm welcome. It wasn't what she usually received in a strange town. She put a smile on her face. "Yes, I'm Xena. And yes, I'm Mariah's friend." The warrior looked over the room, taking in the faces of the clientele. "She's not feeling too well right now," she said, addressing Clytos. "Could I get some food for her, myself, and our friend Gabrielle? You know, soup or stew, bread...that sort of thing?"

"She didn't look too good when she was in here a few nights ago. Let me go to the kitchen and fix something for the three of you," replied Clytos. "Why don't you have a seat at the bar and have a drink while you're waiting?"

Xena walked over to the bar and ordered a cup of wine, tossing a dinar to the bartender. As she sat there nursing her drink, she took in the conversations of the people around her. There seemed to be one hot topic everybody discussed: the upcoming solstice celebration. She heard a name that perked up her ears: Elkton.

Elkton! The Mystic Head Priest! Yes, she remembered him well. He was instrumental in helping her get Gabrielle out of the Dreamscape three years ago. This could be the break they needed to help Mariah.

Clytos came out with the food, and Xena motioned him over. "I want to talk to you," she said quietly. "What's all this I hear about Elkton coming here?'

Clytos looked at her. "It's for the solstice celebration. Every year, we invite one of the Mystic priests to celebrate with us, for good luck. This year, the high priest himself is coming! He should arrive soon. This should be the best summer solstice celebration ever! People from all over the area are coming."

Xena smiled at his enthusiasm. "Clytos, do me a favor, will you? I'm staying at Mariah's house. When Elkton gets here, send word to me. I need to talk with him. It's urgent," she stressed, as she focused her intense blue eyes into those of the innkeeper.

"Sure. No problem, Xena.. I'll send someone around to Mariah's when he gets here. Oh, and that'll be four dinars for the food." Xena pulled out the money and gave it to Clytos. She took the food, left the inn, and walked back to her friend's house, thinking things over.

Elkton...Xena could hardly wait until he arrived.

Chapter Fifteen
Running On Empty...

When Xena arrived at Mariah's house with the food, the teacher was just waking up from her nap. She still had dark circles around her eyes, Xena noticed, but they were slightly smaller than before. She put the food on the table, and walked over to the bed.

"Hey, sleepyhead, how are you doing?" teased Xena gently, as she sat on the bed next to Mariah, lightly tousling her friend's curly hair.

"Xena! Oh, thank the gods you're here!" Mariah sat up and grabbed her friend in a tight hug, Xena returning it for all she was worth.

They separated. "Hey, don't worry," the warrior told her softly, her own blue eyes looking into Mariah's weary blue ones. Xena's heart went out when she saw the pain and suffering on her friend's face. "We're going to get through this just like we've gotten through everything else. Do you think you could eat something?" Mariah nodded, and soon the three of them were at the table eating Clytos's wonderful stew and bread. After they finished eating and they were drinking their tea, Xena and Gabrielle decided it was time to talk. As much as it hurt them to do so, they had to fill their friend in on the danger she was facing.

Mariah quickly reassured them. She *wanted* to know the dangers, she wanted to know exactly what she would be up against. Just in case. That had been her philosophy when dealing with her bouts of cancer, and it pulled her through both times. It also helped her with her transition from the twentieth century. In her mind, Mariah equated knowledge with survival. She wanted to be ready, prepared, for anything. She could deal with the known, whatever it would be.

"Mariah, I know Gabrielle told you about the Dreamscape," Xena began. "The plan is to make sure you *don't* wind up there, but if the worst comes to pass and we *can't* stop it, you'll be stuck there until I can get through the Dream Passage to get to you."

Gabrielle looked at the warrior. "You think you're going in there without me? Guess again, Xena. If you're going, I'm going with you."

Xena saw the resolute look on her best friend's face. "Gabrielle, are you sure? It's pretty intense..."

"I'm sure. I'm going with you. That's final. How would you get us in?" the bard asked.

Xena briefly explained Elkton's arrival set for that day. "After the last time, he said if I ever needed a favor, he'd grant it." Xena shrugged her shoulders. "He's a man of his word."

Mariah looked at her friends in amazement. "You mean, you two would come after me? I-I don't know what to say...." Tears of gratitude welled in her bloodshot eyes as she clasped her friends' hands.

"Now that's a worst-case scenario, Mariah...and it still *could* happen, but it's more unlikely now that we know about the plan to take you there," said Xena. "Is there anything else you want to know about the Dreamscape?"

Mariah was quiet for a moment. Her exhaustion made it difficult for her to think clearly. "Yeah, I do." She looked wearily at Gabrielle. "You said that if I'm in there that they would test my weaknesses. How would they do that?"

Xena answered that one. "When you're in the Dreamscape, there's no line between reality and dreams. Galvous was right when he said your dreams would become your reality, your reality would become your dreams. According to what Gabrielle has told me, it sounds as if they've been checking you out for some time now, Mariah, and they'll use what they know against you. You could become your own worst enemy." Xena briefly told Mariah of her own experiences in the Dreamscape trying to rescue Gabrielle.

"If I'm stuck in there, and if you two can't get to me, I'll be trapped in there until I die, won't I?" Mariah asked her friends. She had to know.

Xena and Gabrielle looked at each other somberly. "You sure do ask the tough questions, my friend," Xena said with a wry, gentle smile. "There really *is* no way out," the warrior said softly. "Morpheus will

make you *think* you have a chance, but knowing him, he'll test you until you fail. Your only hope is to hold out as long as you can until we can reach you."

"But if it's you Morpheus is after, Xena, then this is all just one big trap. And if I'm stuck there, and you and Gabrielle come after me, he wins. He gets you two in the Dreamscape, too. He'll kill all three of us. No," the teacher shook her head. "I won't have you two sacrificing yourselves," Mariah told her friends, distress evident in her voice.

"Mariah, you're our friend, our sister. We're a family. Don't you *ever* forget that!" Gabrielle answered emphatically. "You risked your life for us when we were attacked by those raiders outside of Risa, and when we were held in Galvous's camp. We've gone through too much, and we're not going to leave you when you need us. You would do the same for us."

Xena nodded her head in agreement. "Good, then it's settled. We need to keep you out of harm's way, and we need to talk to Elkton when he gets here just in case the worst does happen. I don't anticipate it will, but it never hurts to be ready for it. Agreed?" Her face gave away none of the thoughts running through her mind.

Mariah agreed.

They heard a knock at the door.

Myklos entered the room. "Xena? Clytos asked me to stop over. Elkton's here. He's waiting for you at the inn." He looked at Mariah's exhausted, worn face. "By the gods, are you all right?" He rushed to her side, concern on his face.

Xena got to her feet. "I'm going to see Elkton. Why don't you two stay here and keep Mariah company? Oh, Gabrielle? Come outside with me for a minute, will you?" The bard followed her friend outside.

"Gabrielle, have there been many strangers coming to town?"

"Yeah," she said resignedly. "People are coming in from all over the area for the solstice celebration."

Xena's face grew grim. "That's what I was afraid of. With all of these strangers, it'll be that much harder to keep an eye on Mariah. Stay here and look out for her and Myklos."

"You *are* anticipating the worst, aren't you?" Gabrielle asked, her green eyes narrowing, her voice concerned.

"Yes," Xena said simply. "Morpheus doesn't give up easily. Neither did Galvous. We have to stay on our toes, be ready for anything."

"Wouldn't it be easier just to get Mariah out of here? Take her somewhere safe?"

Xena was quiet for a moment. "Yes, except there *is* no safe place when you're being tormented through your dreams. We could take her to Athens, Potadeia, Amphipolis...you name the place, but Morpheus and Galvous would still be invading her mind. You saw her, Gabrielle. She looks like she's ready to collapse now. She's in no shape to travel. No, we deal with it here," the warrior said, her eyes hardening. She put a hand on her best friend's shoulder. "Stay with her, Gabrielle," Xena said gently. Try to get her to rest. I'll be back as soon as I can." The warrior walked away towards the inn.

Chapter Sixteen
Nothing Sacred...

The inn was crowded when Xena entered, her eyes adjusting to the light. Clytos waved her over, and showed her to Elkton's table in a corner.

She sat down with the head priest. He hadn't changed much in three years, she thought to herself as she looked him over.

Elkton studied Xena carefully as well. Despite the troubled look around her eyes, he saw a calmness, a serenity on her face that wasn't there three years ago. "Hello, Xena. You're looking well," he said, greeting her warmly.

"Elkton, you're a sight for sore eyes," the warrior said with a small smile as she shook his hand. "And I need your help," she stated, quickly getting to the point.

"What's the matter?" he asked, concern in his voice.

Xena explained what Morpheus and Galvous were doing to Mariah in an effort to exact revenge on the warrior. The Mystic Head Priest was silent during her recitation.

"So, Morpheus is up to his old tricks again." Elkton sighed as he leaned back in his chair. "Your friend...Mariah? What have you told her about the Dreamscape?"

"Everything," Xena replied promptly. "And there's something else you need to know, too, but you can't tell *anyone*." She looked around, leaned in close, and hurriedly told Elkton of Mariah's secret former life.

Elkton's eyes narrowed. "What? She's from the future?" He chewed on his lip as he thought over what Xena said. Like the warrior princess, he immediately recognized the implications of what he heard.

"We have to keep her out of the Dreamscape," Elkton said urgently. "Right now, Morpheus and Galvous can only get to her through her dreams. But if she were taken to the Dreamscape, there's no telling what they could do with the knowledge she would bring. Even if she passed the challenges, they wouldn't let her go." The Mystic thought for a few moments. "If I know Morpheus, he'll make his move soon. With the summer solstice approaching, that would be to his advantage. If we can keep her safe until after the solstice, she should be all right."

"Elkton, we'll protect her as best we can, but I have a favor to ask." Xena paused before she spoke. "If the worst *does* happen, and Mariah *is* taken to the Dreamscape, I want you to send Gabrielle and me through the Dream Passage to get her out. That's her only hope."

Elkton thought over what he heard as he looked into Xena's troubled blue eyes. Reluctantly, he agreed. "Let's go. I want to meet this friend of yours. Maybe I can help her."

They got up from the table. Several pairs of eyes followed them as they walked out of the inn. After the men finished their drinks, they left town.

They rode to Krius's camp to report what they had witnessed.

Continue...

Return to Chapters One through Eight

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