The more she spun, trying to see who, or what was making the indescribable noises, the more disoriented and frightened she became. In desperation, she hurled a fire ball down one passageway. Then hearing something in another one, she threw one in it. Then as she turned, and turned again, trying to catch whatever was making the noises, she released more and more fireballs, one after another.

As they traveled across the great room and down the tunnels, the fireballs lit up the area, allowing Gabrielle to see the details of the contents of the room. And as frightened as she was, when she recognized what was there, pure terror gripped her. She began screaming, and fell to the floor, paralyzed with fear. 

From somewhere, she heard Xena’s voice, calling to her.

"Gabrielle! Wake up! Come on! You’ve got to wake up!" Xena was shaking her by the shoulders, yelling into her face.  As Gabrielle realized she was with Xena, the terror seemed to lessen. But it was then that she understood what Xena was yelling about. She suddenly saw that flames were devouring the woods all around them; they were surrounded and trapped.

"Water!" Xena was saying. "You’ve got to get some water to put out the fire!"

Gabrielle pulled away from Xena, stood up, put her arms out to the sides and turned in circles. As she did a blue mist streamed out from her hands, turning into a torrential outward rain that expanded wider and higher until the entire area of the conflagration had been saturated.

As the rain turned back into a mist and then into nothingness, Gabrielle collapsed into Xena’s arms. Slowly Xena lower her to the ground, holding her close.

Looking up at Xena, with panic in her eyes she squealed. "Oh, Xena. I was there again! I was THERE!"

"Where, Gabrielle? Where were you?"

"At the altar, The Altar of Dahak!"

"Gabrielle, that was all destroyed long ago. It’s all gone."

"No, it’s still there," she answered. "And so was I!"

Xena held Gabrielle tighter, rocking her, and making comforting and calming noises. Eventually, Gabrielle’s breathing became regular as the terror slowly left her face; she was asleep.

Xena continued to hold her until long after the sun had come up, not wanting to wake her. But when she started moving, stretching her legs and arching her back, Xena relaxed her grip. As she caressed the side of Gabrielle’s face, her eyes opened wide, then seeing Xena, she closed them momentarily, then opened them again.