Once inside, the three women quickly headed upstairs to the privacy of their room. Artemis and Gabrielle sat on the beds while Xena took a spot near the window and stood. "There’s a band of thieves led by a warlord named Riberious. They’ve already threatened the village with complete annihilation unless they agree to turn over the gold in the mines."

"What’s the plan, Xena?", Gabrielle asked, knowing that the warrior already had one in mind.

"From what I could gather from the town elders, this group is mostly on horseback. We should be able to use that to our advantage."

"The old pull the rope, catch their necks, pull them off the horse thing, huh?", she said in a bored tone reminiscent of her best friend. Xena smiled at her.

"Well, only if I can’t come up with anything new and original.", she quipped.

"Excuse me for interrupting, but how can you be so sure that the townspeople won’t get hurt if you put up a fight?"

"Artemis," Xena used the tone that Gabrielle found most irritating, the I-can’t-believe-you-don’t-get-it voice. "Some of the people will get hurt, some will even die. I can’t prevent that."

"You can’t do anything to keep them from being hurt? If I had my powers…"

"That’s why you don’t have your powers, Artemis. This isn’t about you or me. It’s about these people. They have to stand up for themselves."

"I could go to Riberious and tell him who I am and threaten him if he tries to attack this village.", she offered.

"And would you watch this village all the time, every day? The Amazons are your people, yet you can’t watch over them constantly. These people need to be able to defend themselves, otherwise they’re always going to be looking over their shoulders for the next attack."

"Artemis," Gabrielle jumped in to help explain. "Look at it this way. When I first met Xena, I didn’t know how to make a fire or anything like that. At first, she would make the fire, and that would keep me warm for the night. But what would happen if she wasn’t there anymore? So she taught me how to make a fire by myself. Now I can stay warm forever. Instead of always picking the right kind of berries, she taught me so I would know. It’s the same with these villagers. We can’t stay here and protect them forever. They have to learn how to defend and care for themselves."

"I never thought about it like that before. I was only thinking of saving their lives.", the huntress replied solemnly. Xena smiled at Gabrielle in appreciation of her talent with words. It was met with an equal smile of thanks for all the lessons learned.

After a quick meeting with the village elders, Xena and Gabrielle split up to instruct the people and set up defenses. Artemis was assigned to help pass out skins of water to the sentries and help set up an aid station for the men that would soon be wounded in battle. "Now I understand why Gabrielle needed to buy so much cloth.", she said to herself as she started to cut the bolt of material down into strips and bandages.

As the battle started, Gabrielle and Artemis reported to the medical tent. "Fawn,", she said, remembering to use the alias, "start setting up basins of water and throw some more logs on the fire outside, we may need it to cauterize wounds."

"Cauterize…you mean burn these poor men? Prometheus made a huge mistake when he gave mortals the gift of healing. If you prayed to Apollo…"

"If we prayed to Apollo and sat around waiting for an answer, half the people we treat would be dead.", Gabrielle responded a little more forcefully than she meant. "I’m sorry, but Xena is right about this. We have to learn to take care of ourselves."

Just then the first of many men to fall in battle was brought in. "We have work to do.", Gabrielle said firmly as she went to examine his wounds. She knew that if it was anything she couldn’t handle that she could send for Xena to help. She also knew which ones couldn’t be helped by anything other than a gentle voice and a soft hand to lead them peacefully over to the other side.

As planned, a taut rope cut down the first bandits to enter the village. With the rope in place, many of the riders were forced to forego their horses, putting them at a disadvantage to the villagers. Another group ran into a pit dug during the night and covered with thin sticks and straw. Still more were brought down by arrows. Xena battled with the villagers, helping to stem the flow of marauders and turn the tide of the battle.

The severity of the injuries increased as the battle went on. Several times Artemis had to excuse herself from the gory sights and step outside. She let out a gasp when she saw a young man being dragged in, an arrow sticking hideously out of his abdomen. "Gabrielle!", she yelled as she guided the men inside.

"Over here.", the bard answered as she quickly washed the blood off her hands from the previous patient. "Okay, lie him on his side.", she locked her eyes with his and spoke softly. "My name is Gabrielle, what’s yours?"

"Saral.", he gasped.

"Okay, just relax, Saral. I’m going to tell you a story while I do this, okay?", she gently opened his shirt, pulling one arm free and exposing the wound. She proceeded to clean the area with the wet cloths while telling her tale. "There once was a man who…", she continued to speak softly, relaxing him as she determined the course of action. "Saral, the arrowhead has to be pushed through. I’m sorry."

"Do it. I don’t want to die, Gabrielle.", his soft voice pleaded with her. Remembering Xena’s warning about muscles clenching in anticipation, the bard made a quick decision. "Okay.", without warning, she grasped the shaft of the arrow and pushed the head through his back. He screamed out in pain. Artemis winced and shook her head at the sight. Gabrielle acted as if this was something she did normally, although truth be told, this was the first time she had ever had to remove an arrow from someone without Xena standing right there next to her. "You did fine. The arrow is out. Now, where were we in that tale? Oh yes, the handsome prince…", she instructed a nearby member of the walking wounded to help her keep Saral still while she broke off the head. Not being as strong as Xena, Gabrielle was forced to use a sharp knife to cut a notch out of the wood before being able to snap it. "Shh, you did fine.", she said as he screamed again. She maintained the smooth, calming tone as she slowly pulled the shaft out. "Fawn, go outside and place a knife blade in the fire. Once it’s orange, bring it in here."

"Right away."

"Fawn!", Gabrielle yelled, stopping the huntress in her tracks. "Use several layers of cloth to protect your hands from the heat.", she said, remembering how everything was still so new to her.

"Right.", she nodded, grateful for the reminder.

"Okay Saral, this is going to hurt. Do you want me to go get Xena to cut off the feeling?", she asked as she gently rubbed his shoulder.

"No, I know you won’t hurt me more than you need to.", he croaked. She smiled and gave him a sip of water from the nearby skin.

Artemis watched as Gabrielle, whom she thought of as a fragile young woman, placed the searing hot blade against his stomach and then again across the wound in his back. The entire time Gabrielle kept speaking in soft tones, comforting with her voice and touch as she completed her task. Even when she had finished tending to his physical wounds, the young bard continued to talk to him, lulling him into a slumber with a peaceful story.

"Gabrielle.", Artemis called her over much later, after most of the wounded had been treated. "I just wanted to tell you that what I saw you doing today was nothing short of amazing. Even as a full goddess, I couldn’t have comforted him as well as you did. You truly have a talent for healing."

"Everything I’ve learned about healing comes from Xena. I’ve seen the way she treats the injured, and I try to do what she would have done.", Gabrielle explained.

"I could never be as good at healing the inside as you are, Gabrielle.", both women turned to see Xena standing before them. The bard jumped off of the stool that she was sitting on and ran to the warrior’s side.

"You’re hurt.", she exclaimed as she put her arms around the taller woman and led her to an empty pallet. Her fingers nimbly removed the armor and leathers that kept the extent of her warrior’s injuries from view. Artemis went to get a basin of clean water and bandages.

"I’m fine, Gabrielle.", she protested as she tried to stop the probing fingers that were moving around her ribs.

"Lay down and be quiet.", the bard ordered as she placed a firm hand on Xena’s shoulder and pressed down. "Now, not a word unless you’re telling me where it hurts."

"Gabrielle…", she said as she arched an eyebrow. One look at the determination in the storyteller’s face was enough to make her sigh and lie back.

"Let’s see what we have this time…hmm, good gash, nice and jagged. I just love to stitch those up.", she reached for the needle and thread, placing them nearby. Artemis returned with the water and cloth. "Thanks.", Gabrielle said, her eyes never leaving her charge. "And what do we have over here?"

"Hey!"

"Sorry, not my fault.", she answered as she looked at the piece of metal before tossing it out of the way. "Would you have preferred that I left that piece of a dagger in you? Hmmf, I didn’t think so. Now let’s see what else we have."

It took two candlemarks for Gabrielle to finish patching all the wounds and scrapes that Xena had received. She worried that Xena was in more pain that she was letting on because of her ragged breathing when the ribs were being bound. "There, all done.", she handed Xena a clean shirt. "It’s looser than your shift would be. You’ll be more comfortable."

As the three of them headed out of the tent, Artemis noticed an object hanging from a knife imbedded into the side of a tree. "My quiver!", she shouted as the unexpected emotion of joy flooded through her.

"I guess she passed her first test.", Gabrielle said as she smiled broadly.

"Uh huh. Now we find out what the next challenge is. Look.", she pointed at the huntress, who was unrolling the scroll that was nestled inside the quiver.

"What does it say?", the bard asked as Artemis returned to their side.

"It says ‘The second trial lies down the deepest path to the lair of the Last One.’ I don’t understand.", she shook her head. "My father is being too vague."

"I think it refers to all these tunnels.", Xena said as she looked at the nearby mountain.

"How will we find the deepest one?", Gabrielle asked as they walked back to the inn.

"We’ll ask the miners. I’m sure someone knows where the deepest tunnel is.", the warrior answered.

"I’m not sure I’m going to like this.", the bard murmured as she thought of the cold, dark tunnels. Xena leaned over and gave her a gentle one-armed hug.

"Don’t worry, Gabrielle. I’ll protect you."

"I know you will.", the look of adoration and trust in the green eyes was almost overpowering to Xena. She smiled slightly and released her hold, mumbling something about getting to sleep and an early start in the morning. Artemis placed one arrow in the quiver before fastening to her back. To Xena and Gabrielle’s quizzical looks, she merely replied, "The quiver gives me an endless supply. No need to worry.", she allowed a smile to come to her lips as she walked past them.

Despite Xena’s protests, Gabrielle insisted on sleeping with Artemis or on the floor. "There’s no way I’m going to take the chance of hurting you by rolling over in my sleep.", she turned her attention to the huntress. "Artemis?"

"Of course you are welcome to share my bed. As uncomfortable as it is, it just has to be better than the floor."

None of them slept comfortably. Xena tossed and turned, partly from discomfort and partly because she wasn’t used to sleeping in an inn without Gabrielle next to her. It was rare indeed when they would decide to get separate rooms, either money or her protective nature would insist on a single bed. Gabrielle’s light snoring and wiggling kept Artemis from getting comfortable, although she knew that true comfort couldn’t have been found on the lumpy pallet anyway. The bard’s dreams were filled with the crimson visions of the day’s events, causing her young body to twitch and flinch. The strong arms that used to hold and comfort her through the nightmares were on the other side of the room.

It took less than a candlemark to find out where the tunnel was and reach it. Xena had packed several days of food, some clothes, flint, oil, and medical supplies into a pack. She fastened it to Gabrielle’s back before hefting the bedrolls onto hers. The need to keep Artemis’ quiver clear kept the huntress from having to carry any of the supplies, though she was forced to carry Xena’s sword and scabbard. All three women each carried a waterskin.

"Everyone stay behind me. Keep your eyes and ears open and your mouths shut. We don’t know what we’re up against.", Xena took the torch from the holder and started to cautiously enter the tunnel. The obsidian walls reflected little light, forcing the trio to remain close to one another. Several times Artemis missed seeing the other women stop and ran into Gabrielle’s back, causing the bard to bounce into the warrior. Both mumbled apologies to Xena, who merely scowled and reminded them to be quiet.

Two candlemarks into the trek, the tunnel started to slope downward. "At least we know we’re on the right track.", Gabrielle quipped, trying to lighten the tense mood. To her surprise, Xena turned and gave her a small smile.

Xena’s boot slipped on a wet spot on the smooth rock. Not wanting to take a chance of the torch landing in any puddles, she let the blankets on her back cushion her fall while she kept her arm out, protecting the flame. Gabrielle stopped and put her hand out to keep Artemis from running into her. Taking the torch from Xena, the bard reached out with her other hand and helped her to her feet. "We have to be careful.", she took the flame and moved it about, trying to see the ground beneath them. She frowned. "The floor is too wet and steep. We’ll never be able to walk without slipping."

"How else are we going to get there?", Artemis asked, slightly annoyed at the latest development. She was beginning to feel closed in and desperately wished for fresh air. Gabrielle noticed the increased breathing and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"We crawl.", Xena said firmly as she knelt down. Having to carry the torch, she didn’t have the luxury of using both hands and knees. They moved along slowly, Xena alternating the arm that held the light. She refused to pass it to Gabrielle, citing the need for it to be in front.

"Okay, let’s take a break.", the warrior said as she rolled into a sitting position, leaning her back against the smooth wall. Without saying a word, Gabrielle moved next to her.

"Your arms ache.", it wasn’t a question and she didn’t wait for an answer. She took the torch from Xena and handed it to Artemis. "You should have said something."

"Gabrielle, you worry too much about me."

"I only worry because I care so much about you.", she removed the bracers and massaged the sore muscles. "Doesn’t that feel better?"

"Mm.", in the blackness of the tunnel, the bard couldn’t see that Xena’s eyes were closed. With practiced ease, Gabrielle’s fingers sought out and relieved every ache in the powerful forearms. No words were exchanged as the young woman continued her ministrations. Artemis couldn’t see very well, even with the torch, so she closed her eyes and took advantage of the break to rest for a few moments. Xena allowed the gentle massage to continue as long as she could without being obvious. "Okay, let’s get going."

"We take turns with the torch this time.", Gabrielle said firmly as she handed Xena the bracers. The warrior reached out and placed her fingers on the bard’s forearm.

"Gabrielle, thanks. You do that very well, you know.", she gave her a slight squeeze before taking the torch from Artemis. She didn’t need light to know that her young bard was smiling from the unexpected compliment.

They stopped once to eat and several times for short rests. The tunnel was getting gradually steeper as the floor seemed to get even slipperier. Gabrielle’s knee slipped, sending her down, her still tender temple connecting with the heel of Xena’s boot.

"Ow, ow ow ow ow…..", she groaned as she grabbed her head and rolled around, not noticing that she was soaking her clothes as well as the pack in the process. Xena twisted and pulled her up to a sitting position, holding out the torch for Artemis to take from her.

"Are you all right?", she asked as she checked the wound for signs of renewed bleeding. She released a breath slowly as she felt no new blood. Xena’s hand moved behind Gabrielle. "Great.", she muttered as she felt the wet cloth. "Stay here. Artemis, give me the torch.", she held the light near Gabrielle’s head, visually verifying what her hands had told her in the darkness about the wound before turning and heading forward into the darkness.

Xena inched her way along, grimly noting that the slope was getting more pronounced. She was still within earshot when the tunnel suddenly dropped steeply, sending the warrior sliding down several body lengths before landing on smooth, flat ground. A quick examination of the area showed that the running water channeled into a small crevice, leaving the ground dry. The plateau was just large enough to accommodate the three of them comfortably. She threw her chakram, imbedding it into the soft rock, then set the torch into it. "Gabrielle, Artemis.", she yelled, her voice echoing off the black walls.

"Right here.", Gabrielle responded from just above her. "Where are you? I can’t see a thing."

"Gabrielle, stay where you are, there’s a steep drop off.", she warned, but it was too late.

"Whoa!", the bard yelled as she felt herself sliding downward. Unseen, but familiar strong hands caught her just before she would have reached the ground. Although Xena couldn’t see her, she followed the sound of her voice and just managed to catch her.

"Easy now, I’ve got you.", she said as she cradled Gabrielle in her arms. "You okay?"

"Yes, thanks to you. You’re always saving me.", in the dim light, Xena couldn’t see the look of adoration in the green eyes, but she could feel it in the tone of Gabrielle’s voice. Before she could respond, Artemis called out from above.

"Okay, hang on.", Xena called back before reluctantly releasing the storyteller from her embrace. "Artemis, take off your bow, quiver, and my scabbard. Push them forward so they fall down here."

It didn’t take them long to set up their makeshift camp. With no wood to start a fire, dinner was cold dried meat and small sips from the waterskins. Xena removed the items from the pack, trying not to let her disappointment show at all the soaked items.

"Are any of the c-c-clothes dry?", Gabrielle said through chattering teeth. Artemis pulled the torch out of its holder and brought it close to the shivering bard. Xena swore under her breath and unwrapped the bedrolls.

"All the clothes are wet. You’ll have to wrap yourself up in the bedrolls.", she said, trying to keep her frustration out of her voice. The clothes were wet and there was no way to dry them in the damp tunnel. Artemis helped the bard wrap herself up in the blankets.

"Xena, I’m s-s-sorry about the clothes."

"Nothing we can do about it now, Gabrielle."

"Xena, would thin sticks work to build a fire?", Artemis asked. A smile crept to the warrior’s face as she followed the huntress’ line of thinking.

It took only a few moments for Artemis to pull enough arrows out of her endless supply from her quiver for Xena to get enough wood to start a small fire. Artemis kept busy pulling more arrows out and snapping off the points, making a small pile to feed the fire. The obsidian walls absorbed the light rather than reflect it, keeping their small area dim. The warrior looked over at the still shivering bard. "Come sit next to the fire."

Gabrielle complied, moving slowly to sit near the small fire, but trying not to be too close to Xena, who she was convinced was mad at her. Artemis laid out the last bedroll and snuggled into it. "I’m tired but I don’t know if I can get any sleep on top of this rock.", she stated simply. Both women nodded in agreement. Even the hard ground was softer than the flat stone. Xena pulled her sword and whetstone out and began to sharpen her blade. There was no way to make the fire large enough to heat the cavern to a point where the clothes would dry and Gabrielle knew it. Her head drooped as she stared into the fire.

"Forget about it.", Xena said without looking up from her task.

"Forget about what?"

"Whatever it is that you’re moping about. Let it go, Gabrielle. There’s nothing that can be done about it anyway.", she looked up in time to see the bard do an all over shiver. "Why didn’t you tell me you were still cold?", she said as she removed her armor and set it safely out of the way. Xena threw more arrow shafts into the fire before joining Gabrielle under the blankets.

Both women were sitting up, Gabrielle’s head leaning against the warm chest behind her. "Looks like Artemis was able to sleep after all.", she mused as the looked over at the sleeping form. She felt rather than heard the soft chuckle from Xena.

"Your skin is like ice.", the warrior said as she ran her hands up and down Gabrielle’s arms, trying hard not to think of how soft the skin felt to her touch or the fact that the woman she dreamed of was sitting naked in her arms.

"You are always warm.", Gabrielle said as she snuggled deeper into Xena’s embrace. She let out a contented sigh and closed her eyes. "You know,", she said as she yawned, "I could fall asleep like this."

"Let’s set the blankets out and lay down. I’m not in the mood to sleep sitting up.", Xena said as she forced herself to move back from the softness and stand up. She let Gabrielle sit there while she laid one blanket on the ground, folding a third of it over upon itself in an attempt to make it softer for the bard. Gabrielle smiled at the gesture.

"Xena?"

"Hmm?", she replied as she curled up against the bard’s back.

"I think I’d be warmer if you didn’t wear your leathers. I mean, if you don’t mind. It’s just that your skin is warmer.", she let out another shiver as if to prove her point. After a brief mental war with herself, Xena pulled her leathers off and pressed up against Gabrielle, wrapping one long arm around the small waist.

"Better?", she asked as she mentally concentrated on anything other than the sensation of their naked bodies touching. Gabrielle nodded as she drifted off into a contented sleep. Xena laid there, absentmindedly stroking the bard’s belly with her fingers and wondering how she ever survived without Gabrielle in her life. Only when she gave in to the comfort and softness that was her bard and buried her face into the honey colored hair did Xena finally doze off.

Xena awoke to the pleasant weight of Gabrielle’s head against her breast, one arm and leg thrown across her long body. She gently rolled the sleeping bard off of her and stood up, stretching as she worked the night’s rest out of her bones and muscles. She dressed and fed more shafts into the fire as she waited for the others to wake up. In the near complete darkness, it was impossible to tell if it was day or night, or how long she had slept. Although she felt rested, she knew that she was capable of going on only a few candlemarks rest while Gabrielle required at least seven or eight candlemarks. Artemis seemed to take after the bard in that respect too. Xena heated up some tea for herself and ate her meager breakfast in silence as she mentally reviewed their surroundings. The drop to the area that they were in was too high for any of them to get back out the way they entered. Not knowing what was ahead of them didn’t help to ease the warrior’s mind at all. A quick mental inventory told her that even with rationing, they only had enough food for three days. She wondered if Artemis’ quiver could perform the same miracle with food that it did with arrows.

Three candlemarks later, all three women were awake, fed, and ready to continue on their journey. Xena removed her chakram from the wall, took the torch, and led the way. The tunnel leading away from where they slept was wide and dry, allowing the women to cover the distance at a much quicker rate. Gabrielle filled the air with stories of Hercules, to which Artemis was quite pleased. So long as Hera was underfoot on Mount Olympus, the subject of her half brother was taboo. She interrupted the bard often, asking questions or requesting clarification on certain points. Xena was glad that Gabrielle had chosen not to tell stories about her.

It took over twelve candlemarks for them to finally reach the end of the tunnel. All were well aware that there wasn’t enough food to cover the journey back. Xena’s hope that the quiver might be able to replicate the remaining food was dashed when the huntress explained that it could only be used for arrows, which was why the second scroll didn’t continue to repeat itself once removed.

The tunnel opened up into a huge cavern, illuminated by red hot rocks. The heat alone was enough to make all three women perspire, much less the imposing figure that sat in the middle of the room. Xena moved in front of Gabrielle, a protective habit that she found she still couldn’t break away from. She silently wished she had made the bard bring her staff along instead of deciding that it would be better to leave it back at the inn.

"Xena, is that what I think it is?", the young woman asked with awe and fear in her voice. Artemis simply continued to stare at the large, scaly creature.

"It’s a dragon. Very old if the color is any indication.", she said, noting it’s inky black color. "I thought they were all dead."

"This must be what the scroll meant. The last one.", Gabrielle said quietly, in fear of waking the massive winged creature. The dragon’s head moved and snorted, a puff of smoke appeared from the two large nostrils.

"Stay behind me.", Xena said as she pulled her sword from the scabbard on Artemis’ back. She slowly entered the cavern again, this time keeping large rocks between her and the dragon. A low growl filled and reverberated off the walls as the dragon’s red eyes locked with the ice blue ones of the warrior. For several long moments, no one spoke, the mammoth creature continued to maintain eye contact with the sword carrying human.

"I don’t understand what this has to do with my quest.", Artemis said quietly to Gabrielle. Xena held her hand out to silence the huntress.

"So...you have come to slay the last dragon, have you?", the winged creature lifted a paw and licked it, totally nonplused. "I must say I’ve waited a long time for someone to come and challenge me. There is no way that you can defeat me with that little thorn, woman.", the deep voice was obviously female.

Artemis moved up next to Xena and lightly touched her forearm. "Xena, let’s find a way around her. This can’t be the trial."

"I have a feeling that it is.", Gabrielle said softly. "She is the last one, just like the scroll said."

"I won’t stand by and watch the last dragon be slaughtered.", the huntress said vehemently. She addressed the dragon. "What is your name?"

The dragon looked at the soft brown eyes before answering. There was something familiar about the human with the bow and arrow, something gentle and safe. "My mate called me Shalia. I haven’t spoken that name in many winters.", there was a touch of sadness to the dragon’s voice that pulled at Artemis’ heart. "He was caught in a rock slide and the humans butchered him."

"How did you end up here?", Xena asked.

"This was our lair until the rock slide. I’ve been trapped in here ever since.", Shalia let out a deep breath, sending a wall of smoke and heat in their general direction. Xena immediately stepped in front of Gabrielle to protect her.

"How have you survived in here all this time? I mean, it’s not like there’s a constant food supply or anything.", the bard said, although she remained behind the leather clad woman.

"I am cursed by the gods, pure one. So long as my heart is not pierced, I will not die. I am forced to remain here forever, entombed within my own lair for eternity."

"The gods would not curse you. The immortality that was bestowed upon you was a gift.", Artemis said haughtily, remembering the day that she and Apollo bestowed that gift upon the mighty winged creatures. It was under Apollo’s direction that they be given the one vulnerability of their hearts, lest they have no fear or compassion.

"Bah, a gift. It is a gift to live day after day, trapped in a place that used to bring pleasure and joy? To be unable to fly through the air? To be alone?"

"Perhaps we can help you find a way out of here.", Gabrielle offered. Xena reached back and put her hand on Gabrielle’s forearm.

"No, that’s not what she wants.", in a louder voice directed at Shalia, she said "Is it?"

"Xena, you can’t be thinking...", Artemis said, her brown eyes growing dark at the thought. "No! I won’t allow it. She is the last one. Once she is gone, there will be no more."

"Artemis, don’t you see how unfair it is for Shalia to go on suffering here?", Gabrielle spoke up, moving out from behind the warrior and addressing both the dragon and the huntress. "She is all alone here. If you let her go, she can be with her mate again."

"Artemis? The goddess of the hunt?", Shalia said as small puffs of smoke came from her nostrils. The red eyes darkened. "You are why I cannot die and you call it a gift? I beg you, goddess, free me from my prison. Let me go."

"I only meant to help. Perhaps we can free the rocks and let you out of here."

"I have tried for twelve winters to move the rocks that keep me trapped in here. Do you really think that you three can move them?"

Xena looked at the large pile of boulders that covered what was once a large opening. It was obvious that there was no way to move them, even if Hercules was there. "She’s right, there is no way to move those rocks."

"Then you have no choice but to kill me, warrior woman. Take your little sword and plunge it into my heart. Kill me and set me free.", the deep dragon voice was ringed with sadness.

"No, I will not allow this.", Artemis angrily cried. "You are the last one, Shalia. I will not allow Xena to take your life."

"I won’t kill her, Artemis. This is your quest, your trial. It’s up to you to do it.", Xena said as she dropped her sword on the ground, no longer fearing the lonely dragon.

"No!"

"Artemis, can I talk to you privately?", Gabrielle asked as she guided the huntress back into the tunnel. Xena stayed in the cavern, keeping an eye on the mighty winged creature.

"Gabrielle, nothing you can say will make me change my mind. When Apollo and I decided to give them the gift, it was because they were in danger of extinction, of being no more. How can I take the life of the last one?"

"Artemis, listen to me. I know it’s hard for you to understand, what with being a goddess and all, but all creatures need companionship. I know you thought you were doing the right thing by protecting them, but it’s time to let go. Let Shalia go and be with her mate. Don’t you think she’s suffered enough? If something were to happen to Xena, if she should…", she didn’t finish the thought. "I wouldn’t want to go on if I thought that I would never be with her again in the Elyssian fields…or Tartarus."

"But there are other people who can take her place, Gabrielle. You can make new friends. Surely Shalia would be able to find a place where she would be happy."

"The only place that makes me happy is by Xena’s side. The only place that will make Shalia happy is to be by her mate’s side. Let them be together, Artemis. You are a kind and compassionate woman. Surely you can see now that letting her go would be for the best."

"Gabrielle, what if you’re wrong? What if she could find happiness just by being free?"

"I know that she misses him very much. To go day after day without the peace of mind that someday she could be with him again must be unbearable. I can see why she sees your gift as a curse. I know it would be for me.", she said the last words in a softer tone as the thought of life without Xena filled her with a sense of sadness worse than when she lost Perdicus. Artemis put her hand on the bard’s shoulder.

"You really wouldn’t want to continue on with your life without Xena?"

"It’s not a case of wanting to continue on, I couldn’t continue on without her.", she said sincerely.

Artemis stepped back into the cavern and walked over to Shalia. "I didn’t know. I understand now."

"You will release me?", the deep voice of the dragon asked. Artemis took a deep breath before returning her gaze to the red eyes that were begging for an answer.

"I will release you."

With tears in her eyes, Artemis raised her Amazon bow and took aim. After a momentary hesitation, she released the string, sending the arrow true to its mark. Xena bolted from her position and knocked the huntress to the ground as Shalia howled in pain and slumped limply to the ground. "Thank you.", she said before closing the red eyes one last time.