"THE PRINCESS & THE QUEEN" series -SCROLL IX: THE COUP DE GRACE OF THE CROWNED

pt.19

With Alti leaving the battlefield and going right to the village, Xena and Gabrielle chased after her. Not knowing what she was going to do once there and having left Aurora and the other non-combatants inside of the village where they thought it would be safest, the two moved as fast as they could to get back inside the village before anything happened. As they ran a number of their group of friends began to take notice of Xena and Gabrielle running back towards the village.

SKYLA
Hey is that Xena and Gabrielle?

Clover took down yet another enemy as she looked towards where she noticed Skyla looking.

CLOVER
Yeah.

Realizing that they must've had a reason for leaving the battlefield, Skyla and Clover took down the last couple of enemies near them and moved to catch up to them.

CLOVER
Xena, Gabrielle what's going on?

Gabrielle stopped for a moment as Xena kept going.

GABRIELLE
Alti, she's here and she made it into the village.

CLOVER
Shit, if she gets her hands on the fountain of youth...

GABRIELLE
I know.

SKYLA
The people still in the village, they're in serious danger now. What do we do?

GABRIELLE
Xena and I are gonna get to the village, you two go round up some help, if things get worse we might need to fight her within the village and we're gonna need to evacuate those still inside to safety.

CLOVER
We're on it. Come on Skyla.

SKYLA
You and Xena stay safe, we'll be right behind you guys with help.

GABRIELLE
Good.

Gabrielle resumed running towards the village as Skyla and Clover headed in the opposite direction to round up as much help as they could without compromising their defenses too much. Meanwhile amongst the fighting Amarice blocked a strike from the former Amazonian council member, Nova. She pushed back and followed up with a kick to Nova's midsection. The shot doubled Nova over as she took another hit to the back that drove her to the ground. With a scowl on her face, Nova quickly turned over as she swept her leg and tripped Amarice. She went down and Nova lunged at her. Quickly Amarice rolled to her back, brought up her feet. planted them into Nova's stomach and flipped her up over her head and she landed on her back above her. Then without either of them wasting a second, they both kicked up to their feet facing opposite directions. Nova then made an angry yell as she swung back while turning around. Hearing the yell Amarice ducked as the blade missed. She then grabbed Nova's arm and flipped Nova over her shoulder. However, the former Amazonian council member landed on her feet in front of Amarice and proceeded to throw a kick behind her into Amarice's knee. The attack forced Amarice's leg to go out from under her and she dropped to one knee as Nova immediately followed up with a spinning kick across her face. Amarice was dropped to the ground as Nova turned her blade downwards and drove it down towards her. Amarice quickly swung her blade. deflecting the attack as she sent her sword forward as Nova was already preparing another strike. However, her attack was brought to an abrupt stop as Amarice plunged her blade into Nova's chest. The semi-resurrected Amazon looked down as her arm dropped and she saw the blade sunk inside of her chest. She opened her mouth to say something but no words came out as her eyes fell closed and she fell forward onto Amarice as she was once again sent into the afterlife. After a moment Amarice managed to roll the literal dead weight of the lifeless Nova off of her as she sat up a caught her breath from the intense fight. She stood up and retrieved her sword from Nova's chest. She then looked around at the continuing battle as Clover ran up to her.