The image of callisto showed in her mind. Callisto slowly falling through the

moist sand

        "Xena i'm going to hurt you, You caused this you caused this" screamed

callisto"yahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh'

        Xena watched stern faced as Callisto's hands went under the horizen of the

mound of dirt. With a last wail of pain callisto was dead in the earth.

Quickly, Xena arosed from her tortured dreams. Gabrielle moved from the

blanket next to her.

        "Xena, Whats wrong? "asked Gabrielle kneeling down on her nervous friend.

Xena held her head in her hands . Sweat lined her forhead.

        "I h-had a dream. It was horrid. I saw callisto and i saw her die but it was

ten times worse so real. Like it was from the gods!"finished Xena

        "Xena,maybe it was from the gods.......Ares perhap?"asked Gabrielle

        "No,no it wasn't Ares"said Xena shaking her head nervously.

Sudden'y a sound cut through the air . Xena quickly held her head up stopping

the silver arrow from hitting gabrielle.

Without hesitation Xena picked up her chakrum from the dirtand threw it to a

near by tree that ricashade off and into the chest of their attacker. He fell

instantly. Xena walked over to him. Removing the embeded chakrum and tending

to the fallen soldier.

        "Who sent you? "asked Xena heatedly

        "Two warlaods they sent me to kill you. and they will!" said the soldier

        "Who?"yelled Xena fixing his bandage.

        "Queen Callisto and Lord Darfus, but there shall be other come tommorow and

you won't be able to stop them."answered the soldier

        Who else? Tell me now or die where you lie"threatned Xena

        "Xena don't please!"chimed Gabrielle

        " It-It  is ....... lord Sinteres and Tereis who is new to the game. Together

they will be unstopable!!!"cried the soldier.

        "where are they asked Xena.

"The outskirts of Athens"answered the soldier as Xena Punched him

unconsciecous.

        "Xena, but all except the last man were all dead?" asked Gabrielle

        "Only the gods can bring the dead back to life. One of them is behind it

Gabrielle"exclaimed Xena. A few moments later Xena and Gabrielle mounted argo

and started  for Athens.

        A day later Gabrielle and Xena had made camp a few miles away from Athens and

just under the stone fortress that contained the warlords.

        "Gabrielle stay here. I'm going to go look inside"Xena said as she mounted

her horse. Xena galloped off towards the green hills.

Inside the stone castle Xena heard the faint sound of voices. Walking toward

the voices Xena saw the assembled group sitting around a large round table.

        "We will win tommorow as  our joined forces we feast on this land like no

other army has done before!"cried Darfus making a toast spilling a drop of

mead on the table.

        Quietly Xena slipped out of the fortress back to camp................(to be

continued)