Xena: Warrior Princess and all characters are the property of Renaissance Pictures. No copyright infringement is intended through the writing of this fan fiction.

Spoilers: Sacrifice II

"Gabrielle. She can't be gone. I don't believe it," Joxer whispered.

Serafin looked up in a daze. "She's with Dahok, now."

Xena spun to face her. "What does that mean?"

"It's... hard to remember... I'm confused... but I think the pit is a gateway into Dahok's realm. That's where Gabrielle is, now."

Xena's eyes lit up. "Then I can follow her! Bring her back!"

"No, you can't." Serafin frowned in concentration. "You've killed before; you'd be corrupted. Only a blood-innocent can follow."

"But the only one here who's innocent is--" Xena turned just in time to see her friend leap into the pit. "Joxer!! No!!"

Joxer wasn't sure what he'd been expecting when he'd jumped into the pit, but he certainly hadn't expected to land on solid ground after what seemed like only a few seconds of falling. Sitting up, he looked around.

The air was thick; it felt like moving through water. Everything was in shades of red and black. He could see shapes moving around him, but he found it difficult to focus on them. A few feet away, he saw Gabrielle, lying on her stomach, not moving.

Joxer stood up and staggered under an enormous feeling of pressure, pushing at him from all sides. Fighting it, he worked his way, step by step, to Gabrielle's side.

Turning her over, he saw a nasty gash across her forehead, but her chest rose and fell as she breathed. She was still alive. Brushing the hair out of her face, he spoke her name. "Gabrielle?" She didn't respond. He shook her gently, but she remained unconscious.

Joxer drew her into his arms, and struggled to stand against the oppressive weight that surrounded him. The shapes that seemed to inhabit this world began to move closer. They moaned, wordlessly at first, but eventually forming the odd word here and there.

"Gabrielle... Dahok... she... is... his... you... must... join... us... now..."

One of the spectres reached out and grabbed Joxer's shoulder. It hissed and recoiled in pain.

"Innocent... must... leave..."

Not knowing where he was going, Joxer tried to walk away. The phantom images parted to make way for him, wailing their displeasure. The heat was terrible and the heaviness that pushed down on him was almost unbearable. He staggered a few steps, wishing he could wipe the dripping sweat from his eyes.

"Betrayer... must... stay..."

Joxer fell to his knees, still cradling the bard. Unable to stand the pressure any more, he finally collapsed, surrounding Gabrielle completely. He closed his eyes, fighting feelings of nausea and dizziness, and fainted.

Xena was sitting at the edge of the pit, arms resting on her knees, head hanging, trying to come to terms with what had just happened.

She was aware of a bright light and a gust of hot air behind her. An uncontrollable anger grew in her. She turned to face the source of the light. "Ares, if you've come back to gloat, I'll--"

The first thing she recognized was Joxer's armour in a heap on the floor.

"Oh no," she moaned softly.

Walking over to it, she realized it was Joxer, curled up in a tight ball.

"Joxer," she whispered.

Then she saw it, a shock of gold-red hair. Xena grabbed Joxer's shoulder and pulled him out of his hunched position. Gabrielle fell free of his grasp.

"Gabrielle! Thank the gods, you're back!"

"No," said Serafin, "the gods couldn't have saved her. Only he could have. Out of us all, only he was innocent enough..."

Xena gathered her unconscious friends in her arms and hugged them tightly. "Thank you, Joxer," she whispered. "Thank you..."

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