Daggers of Meggido

Part Two

He nearly ran over the weapon smith as he came running out of the alley like a terrified child. Damien grabbed the man by the front of his shirt, his gaze boring into the man�s frightened eyes. After several heartbeats, Damien released the man and watched him scamper away.

He caught the gun as it was kicked from Neff�s hand by a virago in black leather, leaping between him and the blonde woman that lay in front of Neff. She drew her sword and Damien took two quick steps forward and grabbed her wrists, surprised by the strength there.

Xena whipped her head around to find herself staring into the coldest eyes she�d ever seen. When Xena tried to pull free the grip only tightened until she was forced to drop her sword. No matter how hard she tried, she simply couldn�t break his hold. Instead, she found herself staring back into those cold eyes, as if mesmerized by his presence.

His voice was soft and melodic. �Uh-uh. We don�t have time to play Dungeons and Dragons right now. Perhaps another day.� His smile was incredible and it made her speechless. �Return to camp, Sergeant.�

The man in black leather armor scrambled to his feet and ran out of the alley. Once he was gone, the man with the cold eyes released his hold on Xena. �Are you a god?� she asked.

His laugh matched his speech. �Not quite.� He looked pointedly at the blonde at their feet, bleeding heavily from the shoulder. He released his grip on the warrior woman, letting her go to the blonde.

Gabrielle moaned in pain. Xena afforded her a quick glance, then turned back to find the man was gone. The hackles on the back of her neck were standing, giving Xena a sense that the man was still close by. She knelt beside Gabrielle and lifted her into her arms and headed for the inn.

****************************************

Xena kicked open to door to the inn, ordering everyone out of her way. Without bothering to explain to anyone, she carried Gabrielle to their room, gently placing her on the bed. The wound in her shoulder still oozed blood, but not as much as before.

She placed a bandage against the wound in the front, then turned Gabrielle over to place one on the wound in the back.   �Don�t just stand there and watch,� she said to the man she knew was in the doorway. �Get over here and help me.�

He was not very tall and wearing brown leather pants, white shirt, and brown vest. He shifted the bag he was carrying to his other shoulder so he could reach across the bed to help Xena by holding the bandage still. �What kind of weapon did this?�

�I don�t know,� she replied, concentrating on the poultice she was making. �I�ve never seen anything like it.�

�Gun,� Gabrielle said, her eyes closed against the pain. �I think he called it a gun.�

�Shh. We�ll figure that out later.� Xena spread the poultice over the wound. �I�m going to have to sew this one up.�

Gabrielle nodded and flinched when Xena used her skills with the �pinch� to deaden the nerves in her shoulder. �Who�s your friend?�

The man looked up from his work and smiled. �Bugenhagen.�

�Nice to meet you,� she opened her eyes enough to see him. �Did you happen to see where the weapon smith went?�

�No. Sorry.�   Bugenhagen watched with fascination as Xena expertly repaired the damaged flesh.

The poultice was applied and the wounds on both sides bandaged before Xena turned her attention to Bugenhagen. �Who are you and why are you here?�

He drew back a little bit, surprised by the scathing tone of her voice. �I told you, my name is Bugenhagen. You asked me to come in here and help you.�

�You followed us up here. Why?�

The man shrugged, again avoiding her questioning gaze. He folded his hands in his lap, twisting his fingers together. �You looked like you needed help. I had no idea what was going on.� He looked up, his soft brown eyes meeting Xena�s icy gaze.

�Xena,� Gabrielle reached for her hand. �You have to go find Mulciber. I told him to run--make sure he�s okay.�

Her instinct was to say no. Something wasn�t right, but Xena couldn�t quite put her finger on it. She knew the men from the alley were nearby...she just didn�t know how near. �As soon as I make sure--�

�I�m fine.� Soft green eyes gazed up at her. �Go make sure Mulciber is okay. Please.�

�I�ll go,� Bugenhagen volunteered.

�We�ll both go.� Xena straightened, then handed Gabrielle a sai. �Hang on to this.�

Gabrielle tightened her fingers around the leather bound handle. �Got it.�

�I have to release the pinch--ready?�

�Yeah,� the bard nodded weakly, gritting her teeth and waiting for the flash of pain. Xena�s fingers lashed out with lightning speed.

�Okay?�

�Yeah,� Gabrielle whispered the word. �Go.�

******************************************

Most of the weapons lay on the ground beside Mulciber�s stand. It was obvious someone had ransacked his meager belongings. Xena watched out the corner of her eye as Bugenhagen methodically checked the weapons. �Find anything interesting?�

�Blood.� He knelt down and picked up what looked like a human finger. �This can�t be a good sign.�

Xena took the digit from him, turning it over in her hand. The blood was fresh--not more than an hour old. �He can�t be far.� She squatted next to where Bugenhagen had found the hand and noticed the paw prints. At least four fingers in width.

�A dog. Perhaps it was wild--�

�It�s not just any dog.� Xena stood and followed the trail, sensing the evil that hid nearby. The trail led directly into an abandoned building behind Mulciber�s stand. She had only taken a few steps when her sensitive ears heard it. The distinctive, deep, low growl of a dog feasting on a fresh kill. Instantly, she knew Mulciber�s fate.

Bugenhagen must have heard it to, because he started walking toward the sound. Then stopped short inside the doorway to the building. �Uh, this is not good.�

Xena came up behind him, looking over his shoulder to where the huge black dog was finishing his meal. The dog looked up from the leg it was chewing and bared its teeth at them. His low-throated growl was a distinct warning.

�Nice dog--� Bugenhagen ignored the dogs warning and started inside. In a second, the dog was lunging for his throat.

The chakram left her hand before she even realized she was throwing it. Xena watched as the round weapon cleanly decapitated the dog, then returned to her hand. �Bad dog.�

**************************************

The door creaked open and two men stepped inside. The first one wore studded leather armor and carried a long bladed dagger. His long, dark hair was pulled back into a tail--his sharp eyes immediately taking in the room. He turned to his chain mailed companion and said, �Close the door.�

�She�s not here, Michlen.�

�She�s not where we can see her, you fool.� Michlen had not moved from the center of the sparse room. �Lock the door, Boratos.�

Boratos complied, standing at the door with his sword drawn. �How do you know--,�

Michlen cast an evil glare at him, quieting any further questions. His eyes closed as his mind reached out in search of his prey. Slow breathing--the soft scrape of a boot against stone--the smell of leather--with lightning speed he reached out the open window and dragged in a small woman with short blonde hair. He wrapped strong arms around the squirming catch, holding her firmly against his chest.

Boratos stepped toward them, amazed by his partner�s skills. �Nice.� He pressed the tip of his sword against the hollow of her throat.

Gabrielle stopped struggling, trying to weigh her options. �Let me go,� she demanded.

Boratos laughed, pressing his sword into her throat. A trickle of blood trailed down her chest. �Not a chance. We�re going to have some fun with you.�

�No, we�re not.� Michlen pulled Gabrielle�s arms behind her back, causing her considerable pain. �We�re going to get the information we need, kill her, then report back.�

�You�re no fun,� Boratos frowned.

�We�re not here for fun,� Michlen growled, pressing Gabrielle�s arms up toward her shoulders. He smiled at her cry of pain. �Well, maybe a little fun. Put the sword down and get me some rope.�

The moment the sword was sheathed, Gabrielle lurched forward as if becoming faint. The man�s grip on her relaxed just a little. When the back of her head struck his nose, she was rewarded with the satisfying crunch of bones breaking. Michlen released his hold on her, stumbling backward. Gabrielle hit him with a sidekick that knocked him to the ground.

Boratos charged her with his sword drawn again. The sais were in her hands in seconds, the one in her left hand blocking the sword blade while the one in her right slammed into his chest, knocking him into the wall. His head struck with a sickening thud. Boratos� limp body slid to the floor.

The splintering of wood alerted her that someone was trying to break down the door to her room and join the melee. The door fell forward at the same instant she threw the sai in her right hand, chest level, at the figure trying to enter. Gabrielle released a sigh of relief when she saw it caught by her best friend.

�Xena!� She cradled her left arm against her chest. �We need to work on your timing.�
Gabrielle moved around Michlen, unprepared for him to rise up and grasp her injured arm, pulling her toward the window. His dagger pressed against her stomach.

Bugenhagen entered behind Xena and stopped cold.

�Well, isn�t this a nice surprise?� Michlen�s comment was directed at Bugenhagen.

�I�m going to kill you, you soulless bastard!� Bugenhagen charged forward, but was stopped by Xena.

�Not today, Bugenhagen.� Michlen shoved Gabrielle at Xena, then dove out the window.

By the time Xena and Gabrielle recovered, Michlen had disappeared into the crowded street below. �Are you all right?� Xena asked, observing the blood that covered her friend.

�It�s not all mine.� Gabrielle pointed to Boratos. �Is he dead?�

Xena quickly felt for a pulse. �Yeah.�

�I didn�t mean to kill him.�

�I know.� Xena steered her toward the bed and told Gabrielle to sit down. �You�re bleeding again.� She replaced the blood soaked bandages and applied some of the poultice to the cut on her neck.

�Who were they?�

Xena finished her ministrations, then turned to Bugenhagen. She had him by the shirt and pinned to the wall before the smaller man knew what had happened. �Start talkin�.�

�You should have let me kill him!� He tried to shove away from her, but Xena�s grip was like steel. �I had the chance to kill him!�

�Not with Gabrielle in the way--he would have killed her before you ever got to him.� She gave him her most fearsome stare. �It�s time you told us what in Hades is going on around here.�

Bugenhagen met her gaze fully, realizing that he would have to tell Xena everything if he expected their help. �Fine. But not here. We have to head for Megiddo.� He waited to see if either of the women would argue with him. Xena released her hold and he tugged his shirt back into place. �I�ll explain on the way.�

**********************************

�I should have killed the blonde,� Neff said to himself. He was seated on a fallen tree, watching the dark river water flow swiftly past. His shoulder hurt like hell and his damn lip wouldn�t stop bleeding. Neff could hardly believe the blonde had gotten the drop on him. Even harder to believe was that the bitch in black leather armor had kicked his ass before he even knew she was there. She had come out of know where. Subconsciously, Neff touched his eye, which was so swollen he could not see out of it.

The cloth he had been holding against his lip was saturated with blood and Neff tossed it aside. Wouldn�t matter now anyway. He suspected Damien was going to kill him for being so damned incompetent. Neff expected no less.

His horse bolted against its tethers, nearly breaking his neck. It stopped just sort of hanging itself, its ears flat against its head. Neff waited, sensing his presence.

The fire ring suddenly came to life as orange flames danced around its emptiness, leaping high into the night sky. Damien stood beside the fire, methodically disassembling Neff�s gun, tossing the pieces into the flames. Damien�s eyes focused on the fire.

�Somehow, Sergeant Neff, I fail to see how a gun is contemporary to this time and place.� Damien spoke in a tight, controlled tone. �I also fail to see how shooting attractive women is in our best interests.�

Neff didn�t offer an explanation. He wouldn�t have accepted one, even from a first-year cadet. Damien certainly wasn�t going to accept one from him.

�You were sent to guide me through adolescence, nothing more. I have kept you near despite advice to the contrary.� Damien finally looked up from his work, his gaze locking with Neff�s. �Don�t become a liability again.�

*********************************

Bugenhagen sighed, leaning back against a tree. They had decided to camp in the woods just outside Caesarea. �Michlen is an assassin. Boratos, the one Gabrielle killed, was his partner. They work for an evil entity the likes of which you�ve never seen.�

Gabrielle scoffed. �I doubt that. Is this entity a god?�

�Yes, of sorts. And these Daggers of Megiddo are the only thing that can destroy him.� Bugenhagen opened the pouch he was carrying, dumping its contents onto the soft ground. �The Beast knows they come from Megiddo; from the forge of Mulciber.�

Xena picked one of the slim daggers. The blade was in an unusual triangular shape, each side razor sharp. She winced inwardly at the image, on the hilt, of a man being crucified. �But Mulciber didn�t make these.�

�No. The Mulciber from the marketplace had nothing to do with these daggers.� Bugenhagen took the dagger from her, turning it around in his hand. �The name Mulciber is one of the many names of Hephaestus.�

Gabrielle and Xena exchanged knowing glances. �Then Mulciber died for nothing.�

�And many more will die if we don�t stop him.� Bugenhagen looked at each of them, searching for the right words. �They will try to find the forge of Mulciber--probably by going to Megiddo.�

�Will they find it there?� Gabrielle asked.

�Yes, but the metal is all gone.� He patted his hand against the pouch. �I used it to make these.�

�How did you know where the forge was? Hephaestus kept his forges hidden--,�

�I had a vision.� He expected doubtful looks from them, but instead they seemed to understand. �He told me that I must forge seven daggers and that each one must contain the image of this man on a cross.� He ran his fingers across the intricate carving.

�Who is he?� Xena asked. �And why is he wearing a crown of thorns?�

Bugenhagen shrugged. �That�s the vision I was given. My god only told me that I must forge the daggers and use them to kill the Beast.�

�The Beast. Is that who attacked Mulciber in the alley?� Gabrielle sat on the ground near Bugenhagen, her fingers trailing over the pouch of daggers.

�No. The man in leather armor is his man-at-arms.� Bugenhagen�s eyes met Xena�s icy stare. �The Beast was the one who stopped you from killing him.�

****************************************

The full moon cast just enough light for him to see the two women at the river. The warrior was casually swimming, while the blonde sat on the rocky shore, nursing her wound. His sharp ears picked up their conversation . . .

�Do you believe what Bugenhagen said? About his vision?� Gabrielle asked.

There was a long silence as Xena cut slow, steady strokes through the water. She stopped in front of Gabrielle, peering up at her. �Yes.�

Gabrielle nodded. �I wonder if Eli sent him to us. So we could help him.�

�Maybe.� Xena pulled herself out of the river and up onto the rocks beside Gabrielle. Water droplets glistened against her dark skin.

�I�d sure like to know more about this �beast�, though.� Gabrielle shifted her position and winced from the pain. �Before we head to Megiddo.�

�So would I,� Xena saw her discomfort. �Here, lemme look at that.� She lifted the bandage, her fingers gently probing the broken skin. �It�s healing well.�

�That why it hurts so much?� Gabrielle complained more than asked the question.

�Probably.� Xena massaged a few pressure points on Gabrielle�s shoulder. �How�s that?�

�Much better, thanks.� She brought her gaze up and toward the trees on the opposite bank. She sensed a presence that likely Xena already knew about.

�Yeah. He�s been there for about ten minutes now.�

�Who?�

�Don�t know,� Xena replaced the bandages and slid into the water. �Go put some of that poultice on that wound while I check out our �friend.��

Gabrielle nodded, familiar with the futility of arguing with the warrior princess.

Once Gabrielle was headed back to camp, Xena slipped under the water and swam toward the opposite shore.

**************************************

Gabrielle smiled when she entered their camp, the pleasant smell of a fresh stew greeting her. �Wow.�

Bugenhagen glanced up from his creation to match her smile with his. �Tastes as good as it smells--guaranteed.�

�Mmm, I�m famished.�   She filled her bowl with a hearty serving and sat down opposite Bugenhagen. �So, tell me more about your vision.�

�Directly to the point.� He sat down, idly stirring the contents of his bowl. �I like that. Are you a follower of Eli?�

Sadly, Gabrielle shook her head. �The way of love was not for me. I wasn�t strong enough.�

�So you did follow his path--for a time?�

�Yeah.� She set the bowl down, her appetite diminished. �But you don�t follow him, do you?�

�No. At least, I didn�t before.� He hesitated, choosing his words carefully. �Eli appeared to me the night I had the vision. He said I had a great destiny to fulfill and not to be afraid of his god--the god of light and peace. Though he knows I could never truly follow his path, Eli said I had been chosen and that my destiny would be passed down to my sons and their sons. . .�

�What is your destiny?�

�To prevent the emergence of the Beast. Bugenhagen met her compassionate gaze, realizing he had to tell her everything. �Each generation will be charged with the safe keeping of the daggers.

�The beast will rise throughout our history--each time we must destroy it or else the world will fall prey to its evil.�

�And now he has risen?�

�No. He has come to us out of place.� He tossed some wood on the fire, watching the flames crackle and pop. �He does not belong here--to this world, in this time.�

�He�s from the future?� Xena walked into their camp, disturbed that she had found nothing of the person who had been observing them earlier.

�Yeah. And the longer he is here, the more damage is done. I must send him back--before it�s too late.�

�And we�ll help you.� Xena filled a bowl with stew and sat down beside Gabrielle.

�I can�t ask you to do that.� Bugenhagen said. �The Beast--he�s as powerful as any god--,�

�All the more reason for us to help you,� Xena said with conviction. �We�ll head out at first light for the forge. Hopefully, we can get there first.�

Bugenhagen watched quietly as Xena finished her food, secretly dumping his on the ground behind him. He would not jeopardize anyone�s life for his quest. He would be heading out alone.