Xena, it's not as if people
will stare at you.
- I'm not worried about that.
- It's the latest rage in India.
You know what they say,
"When in Rome--"
Oh, please!
Okay. Different analogy. Um--
- When you want to fly with eagles--
- Don't dress like a turkey.
I don't know, Gabrielle.
Look.
- This is just not me.
- No, it is you.
The color, the jewelry--
it's, um-- it says, um, casual.
It says sexy. It says--
It says a lot.
Glad to see you're getting into
the swing of things, Xena.
Four.
It's a lot to be said about immersing
yourself into the culture of a new land.
What's that?
I don't know.
Some sort of procession?
Let's go check it out.
What has this woman done?
Naiyima's husband is dead.
She must join him.
Has she been found
guilty of m*rder?
Her?
Our custom has been passed down and
can only be changed by a Dharsham--
an enlightened one.
Her husband d*ed.
She must join him.
That is the law.
Well, the law is about to be broken!
Come on.
Gabrielle, take her!
Get back!
Come on!
Come on! Come on! Go! Run!
Get them!
Get those women! Stop them!
- There they are!
- Back!
- This way!
- This way! Run!
Come on!
Take some men and surround
the back of the house.
You men, come with me!
Come on, come on!
You can get it open!
We'll break down the door!
Pry it open!
Pile up some more furniture.
I'm gonna look
for a way outta here.
Naiyima, you must
follow your husband.
No windows! Fantastic!
Naiyima, I don't know what
you think you're doing--
Have courage, Xena.
I'm sending you on
a journey into your future--
a journey to save...
your karmic circle.
All this talk is tiring, Arminestra.
You wanted to negotiate,
but I've heard nothing
that appeals to me.
What?
That spear--
I put it there.
In a time of ancient gods...
...warlords...
...and kings...
A land in turmoil
cried out for a hero...
She was Xena...
a mighty princess,
forged in the heat of battle...
...The power...
...The passion...
...The danger...
Her courage will
change the world...
Is the great peacemaker
deaf as well?
Arminestra?
What is your business
with these people?
My business...
My business...
is to own them,
life and soul.
k*ll the men.
Capture the rest.
Wait a minute!
Well,
the Mother of Peace
has a backbone after all.
Interesting.
But I have an army,
and all you have...
are a handful of villagers
and your message of peace.
The odds are in my favor, I think.
Kelta.
To arms!
Ready? Aim! Fire!
Find Arminestra!
Find the Mother of Peace!
- Alti?
- Xena!
I knew I'd find
your soul eventually.
Reverend Mother, run!
Take her to safety, Acklin.
- Who are you?
- Shakti.
The army needs me.
Go now!
- Come, Arminestra.
- I can't leave.
You're the only hope the people
have, Arminestra. Come now!
Shakti!
Come on!
Xena,
the great warrior, in the body
of Arminestra, the peacemaker.
She's mine!
Xena, you'd better hurry!
Xena?
Xena?
Make move, sweet thing.
Look, I don't have time
for this.
Where is Xena?
Xena.
Xena in the sea.
In the sea. In the sea.
In the sea. In the sea.
Arminestra must have
a place of hiding.
Where is it?
Where was she taken?
Fear. I can feel it within you.
You see, there once was
a powerful shamaness named Alti.
And Alti knew what was
in the hearts of men and women.
You are experiencing the torment of
a thousand lifetimes, past and present.
Talk to me.
Tell me where Xena is.
He didn't know.
Who is this Xena? I thought
you wanted Arminestra.
Xena is Arminestra.
She's an old,
old friend of mine.
And once I capture her...
and make her power mine,
I will have everything that has
made her who she is timeless...
and I will be
the Destroyer of Nations.
It is the beauty of the universe.
Each line has its place.
Each has a meaning.
Each drawing on the other
to complete its totality.
That is the most beautiful
thing I've ever seen.
There is a great evil in the future
that is hunting Xena's soul.
It has found her.
If it succeeds,
Xena's karmic cycle will end,
along with all the good
of her future lives.
- Who is her enemy?
- I don't know.
I had to send her there
quickly to defend herself.
I was not able to tell her
much before she left.
Send me there.
I'm not sure that's wise.
This Karma that you're talking
about, can you see mine?
Can you see how much
Xena's a part of that?
Yes. In many lives,
past and future.
You are right.
But if you are to go,
I must give you the w*apon
I could not give her.
You must lean the Mehndi.
Teach me.
Is it a problem, Acklin?
- Break the tip and pull it out.
- It's not that easy.
There could be damage to the lung,
and if I pull it out, it's possible that...
Let me take a look at that.
Good Mother, this is not
something for you to see.
- I said I'd come get you when
- I'm not much one for waiting around.
I've been checking out
your army.
Low numbers and even lower morale.
I've seen much of armies.
One does when one is
a messenger of peace.
But just in case.
There. That'll take care
of the bleeding.
Amazing.
Well, we're not out
of the woods yet.
Grit your teeth.
There's not many people
who can take a crossbow bolt
through the shoulder
and still keep their arm.
Your abilities are surprising,
Arminestra.
Just take it as a "thank you"
for saving my life.
What man of peace wouldn't?
You have ended wars
throughout the subcontinent.
But I'm afraid Khindin has no
soul, and she's already won.
I will fight as long as I am able,
but I have to think about my people.
Shakti, if you surrender,
your people will be enslaved.
- And you
- Oh, I'll be ex*cuted. That's a given.
But enslaved or not, at least
my people will be alive.
And as long as they are,
there must be hope.
No, not with this one.
Trust me, Shakti.
I've known her
a very long time.
Just remember,
the key is the Mehndi.
Together, you and Xena
must use it to trap the evil
and bring it back
to be destroyed.
I understand.
Mehndi is the path
to enlightenment.
Feel it.
Don't try to understand it.
Accept.
This is to create the Mehndi.
It will be waiting for you
in the future, there,
hidden in the wall.
The men are in position.
It is time.
Break the door down now.
You are ready.
Move it!
Tell Xena the evil can
only be destroyed here,
where she's still powerful.
Xena!
Something wrong?
No. No, I'm fine.
I was just thinking of someone
I need to find.
What...
What were we talking about?
I was saying that Khindin's
not afraid of your army.
She lives off the fear of others.
She's more than just a warrior.
A warrior? Khindin?
I know this doesn't make
much sense to you,
but she's trying to recreate
powers she lost long ago.
Is she still...
tall, black hair,
a particular w*r cry
when she att*cks?
Leave us.
Gabrielle!
Xena?
Is that really you?
Naiyima didn't tell me that you'd--
you'd look so different.
So do you.
Your name is Shakti.
You're the leader in this land.
This is my Karma.
This is my reincarnated soul?
Naiyima sent you here.
You have to defend your soul
against a great evil.
- I don't know what that is.
- Alti.
- The great evil is Alti.
- I thought you k*lled Alti.
Her evil just moved on
to its next life.
And this time,
it not only has her spirit,
but the strength of a warrior.
That's why the Mother of Peace
had no success with Khindin.
The "Mother of Peace"?
Me.
First things first.
We'll have to set free the people
that Khindin captured.
Xena, the Mehndi is the key.
It's the only way we can
bring Alti back to our world.
We have to use it so
you can defeat her there.
We capture her, and her
men will take revenge.
We'll have to set them free
at the same time.
I'm sure your mind
is as sharp as ever.
But how?
That's a good question.
I'm so close to my goal.
I knew one day I would find
the body of Xena's Karma.
I've been searching for it,
hoping beyond hope that
I could take her power.
And now I've found it.
She couldn't have
done it alone.
I have an enemy in the past,
and I don't know who it is.
Now, I need a sacrifice.
Her.
No! No! Don't!
- No! Not my daughter!
- Come on.
No!
You know, if this doesn't work,
it all ends here.
Everything.
Us, our souls.
We don't have any choice.
It's funny.
Here, you're the warrior,
the hero.
Xena, in this lifetime, the Mother
of Peace would be a goddess to me.
That's a hero.
Be careful.
Good Mother, I'm afraid I
don't understand a lot of this.
Just trust me, Acklin.
You're clear on where
to find the box?
Yes. It'll be done.
Good.
Ah, fear!
I want that fear.
I want that power inside you.
I want the power of your fear,
and I can take it from you.
The blood of an innocent
gives power to no one.
I should know.
No one touch her.
She's here to plead for life.
This one... and those.
Right, Xena?
Let the girl go, and I'll give
you the answer to your question.
I posed a question?
You know why I'm here,
but you don't know how
or who sent me.
Take the girl away.
Fine.
Let's talk.
We have so much to catch up on.
Last time I saw you,
you were k*lling me.
You know what I'm after.
I can guess.
Your soul has moved on
along with your evil.
You're looking for that
spiritual power you once had.
You found it in the karmic circle.
Very good.
But I was shortsighted.
The spiritual power I was feeding
on was nothing compared to this.
Every person here has
generations of power,
just waiting for me to take.
And you know the key.
- Fear?
- Fear.
I know.
It's like heat radiating
from your victim.
But fear is a flaw, Alti...
a subtle, human flaw given to us
by the gods so that
they can exploit us.
You think it's wonderful to have
that power, but it's not.
It's not?
What the power of
fear gives me,
I can look into your
mind for the truth.
Who sent you, Xena?
Who is it?
Who's my enemy from the past?
Is it an enlightened one?
A Dharsham?
Now!
To arms!
Everybody out!
Okay, run! Run!
- Bless you, Arminestra!
- Head for the trees! Run! Run!
Spread out! Run!
The Mehndi is the path
to enlightenment.
It will be waiting for you
in the future,
hidden in the wall.
No! Good Mother, you can't k*ll!
Let me see.
I've never known such pain.
I'm sorry, sweet Mother.
I couldn't let you k*ll.
I know you were protecting my soul.
Otherwise, Arminestra's--
my Karma would've
been destroyed.
I've done what you asked.
Thank you, friend.
Well, how pathetic.
The great warrior can't k*ll.
Take her away!
I'm in awe, Xena.
I truly am.
I see you found your friend.
Gabrielle, was it?
Yes, she has a lot of power.
Her past lives have filled her.
Soon, that power...
your power... will be mine!
No, not here.
The people need to witness
the death of their heroes...
Shakti and Arminestra...
on the stakes.
Now, don't worry.
You'll die slow.
I wanna feel every
delicious moment of your pain.
Come!
Xena.
Alti just left.
If we're gonna bring her back
to the past and b*at her,
you'd better start painting.
What if I don't remember
everything Naiyima taught me?
Don't try to think, Gabrielle.
She said that the Mehndi
was the path home.
Trust that.
Just let it happen.
It's time.
You must join your husband,
Naiyima, in death.
Your spirit will rise,
like smoke from the fire.
It's judgment day.
Today I realize what
I was truly meant to be.
So the gods have told us,
so it must be done.
Give her to the flames!
Get Naiyima to safety!
Go! Hide her!
Run! Run!
Watch out!
Another chance!
You brought my soul back
to try to defeat me, Xena.
The problem is, you also
brought back my powers.
What's the matter, Xena?
Having a problem fighting me
in my spiritual state?
Don't worry.
I'm real.
Formed from the evil of the earth.
And I'm a much better fighter
than you ever dreamed.
What's she told you
about me, little girl?
Has she told you
about my powers?
Has she told you about this?
That's my gift to you.
That's your future.
She's responsible
for your death!
You bi-i-i-itch!
Give me that pain!
Give it to me!
You're the best thing in my life.
No!
You must be the Dharsham,
the one that sent them.
I can feel it.
I'll have Xena's power, but yours
is nothing compared to that.
I will have it!
Gabrielle, Naiyima's not
Alti's enemy.
It's the Mehndi.
Gabrielle. Gabrielle.
Thank you, Xena.
You destroyed Alti
at the one time
in her Karma when she
was most powerful.
The "one time"?
Oh, yes.
Her soul is not destroyed.
It will return many times,
filled with evil.
But you will always
be there to meet it.
And you, Gabrielle,
you both walk a path together.
Think of yourselves
as lines in the Mehndi...
separated,
but forever connected.
Mehndi contains truth.
I guess it's a day
for changes. Oh, yeah.
How does this feel?
Feels pretty good.
I wish I had some word in it though.
You know, it was like
this in that vision.
I know.
I've been thinking about that.
Xena, Alti was evil.
Why should we believe
anything she showed us?
The Mehndi contains the truth.
I wish there was some
way that
we could do that again,
just-- just to really know.
Naiyima could've told us.
Yeah.
There's so many questions
I wished I had asked her.
About what this all means.
You know what she said?
She said that your Karma and mine...
they're intertwined.
Maybe it's not the first time
we've walked down this road, huh?
Maybe it won't be the last.
How would I recognize you?
We need a sign.
This way, no matter
how we look,
we'll always remember
the women we were.
- Like it?
- I love it.