Continued from "The Prequel—Gilead #1"…

Gabby:

"WHAT?! You stumble onto my hometown and claim that you are my friend’s SON? What do you take us for?"

Joxer:
"Yeah! We all know Xena’s son is named "Solan," not "Gilead"!"

Gilead:
"What did I tell you? You would not believe me."

Xena:
"WAIT! Stop this arguing, all of you!"

Surprised, everyone turned and looked at Xena. To everyone’s amazement, Xena silently walked up to the boy who called himself Gilead, and stood looking up into his face.

Xena:

"Now, I do not believe you are my son; that is just not possible. My son was brutally murdered at the age of five…which was approximately two years ago. Unless something so grand, so big…an omen comes to us, we have no way of even dreaming about believing your claims."

Gabby could see that the young man named Gilead was hurt and upset; it was evident in his eyes. He did not, however, let his face show it. Of course, no one else picked this up, not even Xena, as she was too disoriented.

Xena:

"You…spoke of a job you had to complete…is that job clearing your name or delivering this overwhelming news to us?"

Gilead was silent. His eyes seemed to be saying, "what do you think?"

Joxer, not believing, jumped in:

"I can’t believe that you’re even remotely considering what this boy says to be true! I say we turn him away into the cold night; if the real robber comes—indeed if this man is not the robber—we can catch the left-handed man if and when he shows up!"

Edgar:

"No! We can’t let this guy go! We’ll toss him in the jail; then we’ll know if there really is a robber. I saw the guy; I know this is not him."

The crowd was not aware how dark it had gotten, and also how many torches had to be lit by the other townspeople. The elder slowly and cautiously approached Gilead amidst the orange, dancing flames.

"If you indeed are not the robber at large, and if you want to clear your name, won’t you help us out? Having you spend the night under our watch is the only way to make sure, so…we’ll do everything in our power to make your stay in Potidaea as comfortable as possible…and if you are in fact innocent, you will not refuse cooperation."

The elder said his last sentence with such finality that no room for argument or dissent was left. The young man gave a small nod in consent; then he voluntarily went into the town’s jail. Once inside the jail building, he was led to a cell in a corner. He sat down on the cot in the middle of the cell, then watched the deputy; the deputy locked the door, and sat down on the stool outside the steel bars for the first shift of watch.

Outside, Gabby waited for the confusion to die out, and searched for Xena. She was going into her tent; Gabby ran and caught up to her.

"Xena; you’re not telling me something."
Xena:
"…You’re right, Gabrielle. That young man…he is a total stranger, yet he seems all too familiar."

The two women came inside the tent and sat down.

Gabby:

"It must be someone that you’ve seen in passing some time before."

Xena:
"It’s not that; I never forget faces. I’ve never seen this boy before. It’s…it’s his eyes. They look like they belong to someone I know…"

Gabby:

"Don’t kick yourself over it. Why don’t you get some rest, Xena; I’ll watch with Edgar and Joxer and the others."
Xena:
"Thanks."

To the relief of some and to the disappointment of others, no other visitor showed up at the town gates for the rest of the night. By the time the first rooster crowed, half of the town’s warriors keeping up the vigil had already turned in; the rest were going to bed only now, the sweet sleep beckoning to them. Then the deputy, who had fallen asleep while watching Gilead’s cell, came running out of the jail.

"Hey, everyone wake up! The young man escaped! THE MAN ESCAPED!"

That did a better job at waking up the town than any rooster could. Within minutes the entire village of Potidaea was awake, deciding what to do.

Elder:
"What do you make of the way the events have turned out so far?"

The elder was not asking anyone in particular, but Edgar picked up the question.

"Do I really have to say it? The guy’s collaborating with that fat robber! They go around, dressed alike, and double team the villages they come across!"

Xena:
"…Everyone, listen…"
Rosette:
"Xena?"
Xena:

"Where would a fugitive from the law hide around here, if the boy really is a robber?"

Elder:
"If someone wanted to hide around the village of Potidaea, there is one excellent location in the mountains."
Xena:
"And that is…?"
Elder:
"The mountains to the west are named the Twin Peaks for their two sky-thrusting peaks. Between those peeks, down at the gorge, are many caves made in the rock themselves; but a landslide has blocked the passage there. You’ll have to make a detour, to the south, and then approach the forest from the southeast. The Twin Peaks are quite famous around this region, as you know. Provided that this robber—or his "accomplice," as Edgar puts it—is from around here or is well accustomed to the geography here, checking those peaks out would definitely be worth our while."
Rosette:
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s get a party assembled and get going!"
Joxer:

"Has it occurred to anyone that this might be a trap?"

Silence.

Xena, tugging her sword on her back:
"I’ll go. Gabrielle and Joxer will come with me; the rest of you should keep on the lookout for the real robber."
Edgar:
"May I join you, Xena?"
Rosette:
"If you’re going, Edgar, count me in."
Edgar:
"…Rosette, my love…you already know my answer to that."

Xena:
"Unless you can fight, Rosette, it’s going to be very dangerous; we’ll basically be playing on his turf, as you know."

Rosette:
"I don’t care! Don’t you see? I’ll be just as safe with Edgar anywhere as I’ll be here in the town, with that robber running loose…and on top of that the young man we saw!"

Gabby:
"She has a point, Xena."

Xena:
"All right. But watch your every move; and don’t get in the way."
Edgar:
"Xena, come on. Take it easy on someone who has never had the chance to hold a sword in her life."

Xena half-frowned.

By the time the sun was high enough, the party of five—Xena, Gabrielle, Joxer, Edgar, and Rosette—had finished their hurried breakfast and mounted their horses. The five horses were packed with tools: rope, swords, poison darts, two fishing nets (to trap them alive), about seven hundred stakes (to use as markers by pounding them into the ground), and a bow and arrows. The five hunters rode out of town with Edgar leading the way, as he was well accustomed to this region.

Edgar:
"You know, never have I imagined that my passion for traveling would someday help catch a robber running loose."

No one responded, making Edgar feel embarrassed and out of place.

Xena looked back at Gabby.

"Are you going to be okay, Gabrielle?"

"I really don’t have a choice here, do I? I chose to come on this hunt; being forced to ride is the price I pay for trying to help my village." She managed a smile, reassuring her friend.

About an hour later, Xena, now leading the way, spoke:
"There it is."

Everyone looked to where Xena’s finger was pointing. Off in the distance, rising high over the trees, stood two magnificently black peaks, almost of equal height.

"Look at all this vegetation. Our horses can’t possibly get through this thick patch of woods," stated Gabby, indicating the forest standing between the foot of the mountain and the five people.

Edgar:

"This is getting worse by the minute!"

Xena, ignoring Edgar:
"Then we go by foot."

The party reluctantly entered the forest. After approximately thirty minutes or circling, going forward, sideward, and backward in the almost pitch blackness of the deep forest, they were utterly and hopelessly lost.

Joxer:

"Um, folks…do you want me to say the magic words, or would you prefer I didn’t?"
Gabby:
"Don’t. Besides, we’re not really lost; we left a trail of markers, so we can always abort this mission and go back."
Xena:

"Don’t even think about quitting on me, you two!"

Gabby was sensing that Xena was troubled; deeply troubled. From the way she snapped at everyone constantly, something was definitely getting to Xena. Gabby opened her mouth to say something, but stopped herself.

Rosette, gulping:
"How did he ever get through this forest?"

Edgar:
"Don’t forget, darling; there is no proof that this man actually went through here, we are investigating a slim possibility."

Then something happened. The trees rustled and started to move, like living people, as if they were uprooted and were traveling on wheels. The earth shook, throwing the party off their feet. Xena unhooked her chakram, but was knocked silly by a moving tree and lost her weapon. Edgar and Joxer drew their swords, and protected Rosette. Then a humanlike figure, that of a young man, materialized out of nowhere.

Gabby:
"It’s Pan, the god of the wilderness and forests!"

Edgar:

"Are you sure?"

Xena struggled up, the wind knocked out of her.

"See for yourself."

Pan spoke in a voice as inhuman as it could get:
"What do you mortals seek in this most inhospitable place?"

Gabby:
"Great keeper of the wilderness, we are searching for the path west, toward the foot of the Twin Peaks."

Pan:
"And what might you seek there?"

Xena:
"We aim to bring a killer to justice, my god; one who has been terrorizing every village south of here."

Pan:

"Hmmm…there were two men that passed through here, both dressed in black."
Edgar:
"Two of them? So, they are collaborators after all!"
Pan:
"The truth will be revealed to those who seek it; how about you?"

With that, Pan disappeared. Then the trees moved again, and cleared a path, which obviously led to the Twin Peaks. As if to confirm that, Pan’s voice spoke:
"This passage will lead you to justice."

Edgar and Rosette were speechless; they had never actually encountered a god in person before; neither had anyone else in Potidaea (besides Gabby).

Walking for about twenty yards brought the mountain range into sight. They hastened their walk to a trot, and when they reached the clearing, they saw standing in the clearing none else other than the young man named Gilead.

Edgar:
"You! Where is your fat buddy?"
Gilead whirled around before Edgar even began to spoke; it was as if he felt them coming up behind him.

Gilead:
"My "fat buddy" has gone into one of these caves; I don’t know which."
Gabby:
"Why did you run, if you really are innocent? And what’s with this "son of Xena" business? We are all burning with questions."
Gilead:
"We—I—have a job to do. You all better stand back, because no mortal can challenge a god."

Joxer:
"What did you say, a god? What god?"

Rosette, to Gilead:
"Oh really; then are you implying that you are an immortal?"

Gilead raised his voice to be heard above the chatter:
"ARES!!!!"
Xena:
""Ares"?"
Gilead:
"Ares. He is impersonating me!!!!!"

Edgar and Rosette:

"Ares?"

This time, Xena, Gabby, and Joxer were the speechless ones, while Edgar and Rosette blurted out, "Ares, the god of war? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT???"

Gilead:
"Ares has disguised himself, then proceeded to go on the rampage that destroyed ten villages. I was originally on a quest to find Xena, but I had gotten sidetracked!"

Gilead then whirled around, pulling his sword out in the process. He hoisted his sword up, and stabbed at a black-clad figure about to get the jump on him. It was the fat robber.

Upon parrying the sword blow with his bare hands and backing up a step, the fat man underwent a complete transformation right in front of the six people standing in front of him. Soon, the jolly, scarred face turned into the long-haired, bushy face of the god of war.

Ares:
"I knew you’d find me sooner or later; well actually later, since you are nothing more than a mere mortal."
Xena:
"Ares, how do YOU tie in to all this? And why is this boy claiming to be my son?"

Ares, instead of answering, created a cloud of purple fire and hurled it at Edgar, Rosette, and Joxer. The fireball landed in front of the three; the force of the impact sent them unconscious.

To the surprised Xena and Gabby, Ares offered the following explanation:

"Can’t let any outsiders in on a family reunion now, can we?"
Xena started to say something, but Ares cut her off:
"Oh, don’t worry. They’ll wake up from their little sleep and not remember anything they saw today. Now, for Potidaea!"

With this, Ares created another fireball and shot it into the sky; Xena and Gabby turned to see it fly back eastward.

Gabby:

"What do you mean by "a family reunion"? And if so, why didn’t you knock me out?"

Silent, Ares merely gave an evil smile.

Xena struggled to keep her grip on reality.

"…All right, fine. So be it; you have been framing this young man…but what is this deal with him being my son?"

Ares shook his head as if he couldn’t believe it.
"Xena, Xena…my dear Xena. You fool; how could you not figure that out? Did you ever take a really long, good look at this boy?"

Gilead and Xena stood and looked at each other. Xena looked Gilead over; starting from his black boots, up to his pants, his scabbard tied to his belt; his washboard abs, his black vest. Her eyes went to his sword, held in his right hand, then to the scar running down his right cheek, then his eyes. There she froze. In the eyes of this young man that stood in front of her now, Xena saw something familiar; she probed deeper.

A flashback came to her, the memories of giving birth; giving birth to a beautiful baby boy. Gabrielle, who had helped with the delivery, along with a few other women, had held the crying baby, wrapped in a towel, to Xena. Xena, lying on a bed and exhausted, barely had the strength to smile and touch her new son, the son of Barius, whom she once loved but was now dead.

"He is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen," she had told Gabrielle, who had tears in her eyes. Gabrielle, speechless, nodded; she received the baby back from Xena, tickled his nose, and said to him, "Hey, kid. I’m Gabrielle, your mom’s friend. You can call me ‘Aunt Gabby’ if you want…"

Another flashback came…this time she was in the Centaurs’ world, holding the dead body of the five-year old Solan, looking at Hope—the dark child of Dehak the Devil and Gabrielle—with eyes filled with rage. Gabrielle was looking into space, entranced. Xena had cried until she thought she was going to drown in her own tears. The rigid, lifeless body of baby Solan was getting colder…

Xena, suddenly back in reality, shouted out.

"SOLAN!!!!!!!!"

Gilead stood still, his face showing his five year-old self and smiling. Xena ran up to Gilead, and hugged her son, now bigger and taller then herself. She felt the two years’ worth of torment, the suffering, melt away; she had her son back. Also, Gabrielle, who had loved Solan so much and hated to part with him when he was given to the Centaurs, now realized this, too.

"…Solan?"
"Yes, Gabrielle. It’s me, Solan." Gilead/Solan sounded like a happy five-year old; at this moment, Ares broke in.

"All right, enough with the mushy stuff. Don’t make me hurl my breakfast, you three."

Xena turned and faced Ares.

"I suppose you won’t tell us how Solan got to be here, all grown up?"
Ares:
"…Let’s just say that the ones sitting high on Mt. Olympus decided to give this mortal a new life."
Gabby:
"BUT WHY?"
Ares:
"Hey, do I look like Zeus or Hera?"
Gabby:
"…?"

Xena:
"Why did you frame my son?"

Ares:
"Now Xena; let’s not get the wrong idea here. When this young fool was killed, the great Zeus, and his wife Hera decided to bring him back for reasons I do not care to share with you. I was sent on this little excursion to test this fool’s ingenuity."

Gabby:
"You wanted to test him; see how quickly he could clear his name…"
Ares:

"Not me; Zeus."

Then, turning to Gilead/Solan, Ares said:
"Well, my weak-minded friend, you have completed your training…save for the one final little part."
Gilead/Solan:
"I’m ready."
Gabby:
"Ready? "Training?" What do you mean, Ares?"

Ares sent out a fireball toward Gilead; Gilead parried the blast with his sword. Gilead’s sword glittered like none of this world, and its blade sparkled like a beautiful jewel. Gilead, with inhuman speed, dealt Ares a blow to the arm, cutting into his skin. Not being the Hine’s Blood Dagger, it could not kill Ares, who was a god; but it made a deep incision into his arm. Ares leapt back, surprised. He looked down at his arm; the cut skin had no blood. As Ares stared at it, the wound closed up and his arm was restored.

"I don’t have the Hine’s Blood Dagger with me, but this is the next best thing," warned Gilead.

Ares:

"Hmph! I guess my job here is over. See you soon."

Ares disappeared.

Xena and Gabby were still not sure this was not a dream. Gabby approached Gilead/Solan, to feel him. Gilead turned toward Gabby before she took even one step.

Gabby:
"How in the world…? …Tell me, can you read minds, Sol…Gilead? Which do you prefer nowadays? Solan or Gilead?"
Gilead/Solan:

"No I cannot read minds; it’s just that my hearing is very acute. And you may use whichever name you like."
Xena:

"Son, come here. Let me feel you…"
Gilead walked over to his mother and gave her a big, strong hug, lifting her off the ground.

"We have a lot to catch up on, mom."
Xena couldn’t hold back tears.

"You called me "mom"…for the first time in your life…"

Gabby:
"Um, you two, we still have to think of what we’re going to tell Edgar and Rosette and Joxer, as well as everyone else in Potidaea, who should be asleep."

Xena:
"…"
"How about telling them the exact truth?" Gilead joked.

Xena:
"Solan!"

Gabby, smiling:
"I’ll think of something."

Gabby and Xena got up on their horses. Gilead, after fastening the unconscious Edgar and Rosette on one horse and Joxer on another, got up on the one remaining horse, and led the two horses with his hands. Xena and Gabby led the way back; when they had re-entered the forest, they saw that Pan was waiting for them, holding Xena’s chakram.

Pan:
"I believe this belongs to you, Xena?"
Pan tossed the weapon at Xena. Xena received it, having completely forgotten that she had lost it when the moving tree hit her.

"Thank you, my lord."

Back at the village, Gabby and Xena introduced Xena’s "adopted son," Gilead, to the townspeople. Joxer went on his way about midday, always the lone traveler. The next day, as the trio prepared to ride off into the distance, Gabby once again bade her town goodbye.