"Yeah?"

"Think we can get off of here now?"

"Hang on!" Re-grabbing the Ambrosia in one hand, Xena grasped her lover’s clenched hands with the other. Flexing her thighs, she flipped them both off the beam, coming to land lightly on the other side of the marble wall.

Gabrielle, after hugging her partner tightly for a moment more, released her hands and stepped away, silently thanking the gods that this part of their ordeal was over.

Stepping away, Xena suddenly froze, her head cocked to one side. "Hold this," she commanded, thrusting the quivering ambrosia into the bard’s hands. She ran to the door, placing her hands on the warm stone and listening carefully. "Those idiots!" she growled, whirling to face her lover. "Gabrielle, down!!"

A split second later, the door exploded outwards, the force of it catapulting the warrior away from the wall at great speed, dynamited chunks of the door’s remains following close behind. Steering her flight as best as she was able, Xena slammed into her dropping partner, bearing them both across the chamber and into the wall opposite. She laid there, stunned and breathless for a long moment. Then, rolling her long body over, she sheltered Gabrielle’s limp form from the hail of bullets sure to follow.

An ominous rumble sounded through the chamber. Deafening silence, then the reverberation sounded again, shaking the ground upon which the two women lay and knocking the onrushing soldiers to the floor. A loud crack was the next sound heard. Knowing well what was coming, Xena tucked Gabrielle’s body completely beneath hers, forming a sort of living cage of safety around her partner. Then, arching her neck forward, the warrior clamped her arms around her exposed head and waited. And then all hell broke lose as the cave crumbled to bits around them, dropping boulders the size of trucks into the chamber, crushing Xena and the soldiers beneath their lethal weight.

The sounds of destruction seemed to go on and on as the cave imploded in on itself, digesting everything within. Screams of pure terror were cut short as rocks crushed the lives of the cavern’s inhabitants, singly, in pairs, and in entire groups. And then, after a seeming eternity of deafening noise, only silence filled the empty air.

*******

Pain.

A red-blooming rose of excruciating agony, sinking its talon-sharp thorns deep within.

Had she ever existed without its malevolent touch? Was there ever a time when she had been free from it? Did it define her being? Was this all there was? She couldn’t remember.

Punctured lungs heaved mightily against well crushed ribs in a feeble attempt to draw in life-giving air. A laboring heart fluttered within a mutilated chest cavity, working in vain against the forces of gravity crushing boulders down upon a fragile, broken body.

Somewhere within the rubble of what was once a massive cavern, pale fingers twitched, then, oh so very slowly, curled to make a fist.

The sound of stones shifting and blackness followed. Silence reigned once again.

*******

Regaining consciousness a second time, Xena gasped sharply against the needled shards which pricked at her within and without. Slowly she turned her head, attempting to open eyes glued shut with . . . blood?

"Gabrielle." The word tore forth from a crushed larynx; more than a breath of air, less than a moan. "Gabrielle."

With a massive effort that depleted her feeble strength, the warrior pried her glued eyelids open, the pain of torn delicate skin inconsequential against the raging torrent already flooding her body and spirit. Sometime between periods of unconsciousness and death the rocks had shifted, providing the tiniest of spaces in which to move and breathe. In the near distance, the ambrosia, seemingly untouched by the ravages of the cave-in, glowed dimly. The muted light glowed over a tendril of golden hair. "Gabrielle?"

Xena shifted and in so doing, recognized the chilled flesh upon which her upper torso rested; flesh which ended beneath the huge bolder sitting snugly against the warrior’s left shoulder. Gabrielle’s fragile pelvis was crushed beneath the weight of the massive rock. Xena shifted again, using all her strength to turn her head more to the side, gritting her teeth against the sight she knew would greet her.

The marble white face of her lover came into her vision, a shattered right cheekbone stripped of flesh and gleaming whitely, wetly, up at her. Blood painted half of Gabrielle’s visage, the unbroken coating clinging to her ravaged flesh like a harlequin’s mask. With a mighty tug, Xena freed one arm, bringing her hand up to brush the bloodied tendrils of fine hair from a crushed brow. "Gabrielle? Gabrielle? Open your eyes for me, alright? Come on, Gabrielle, open your eyes. Open your eyes, damnit! Gabrielle, wake up!!"

The flesh was chill beneath her fingers, like touching death itself. Fluttering fingers trailed down the unbroken half of Gabrielle’s face, over a smooth jaw and down to the pulsepoint in her neck. The sensitive pads of the warrior’s fingers detected the faintest trace of a laboring heart. Joy shot through the Immortal, banishing the pain to some deep part of her soul to be dealt with later. Her fingers quickly returned to her lover’s face while her head bent low in supplication. "Gabrielle? C’mon, open your eyes, beloved. It’s over. We did it. Please open your eyes for me. Please?"

In a moment that could have spanned eternity, jade eyes fluttered open, then slowly focused on the cherished face hanging so close to her own. "Xena?" Her voice was so faint that, if it had been spoken to anyone but the warrior, it would have gone unheard.

Xena’s face lit up in a fierce grin, her pale eyes triumphant and flashing in the ambrosia’s feeble light. "Thank the gods!" Dipping her head still further, she pressed her lips against the very corner of her lover’s broken mouth. "We did it, Gabrielle. It’s over. You’re injured, but I’ll get us out of here. You just gotta hang on for me, alright?"

"Xena?"

"Yes?"

Gabrielle smiled faintly. "It’s too late for that."

"What do you mean? It’s not too late! We did it, Gabrielle! Don’t you see? It’s all over! I’ll get us out of here, you’ll see. I’ll take you to the best hospital in all the world. You’ll get better. I promise."

"Xena, please. Don’t."

"Don’t? Don’t what? Don’t try?!?"

From somewhere deep inside herself, the mortally injured bard found the strength to free her shattered arm and bring it up to tenderly cup her lover’s angled cheek, the thumb gently brushing away the stream of tears which bathed it. "It’s over, Xena. We both know it. Let me go. Let me cross over."

"I can’t do that, Gabrielle. I can’t do that. I won’t do that! Please don’t ask it of me. Please!"

"I’m sorry, Xena."

"NO!! Don’t do this, Gabrielle! Don’t leave me alone again! Please, don’t leave! By the gods don’t leave me!"

With the last of her strength, the bard slipped her hand behind Xena’s neck and pulled the warrior’s lips down to meet hers. "I’ll never leave you, Xena," she whispered, placing the barest of kisses to those warm, living lips. "I love you." Green eyes fluttered closed and Gabrielle’s breathing stilled, her tortured face relaxed into peace.

Xena’s wail was heard to the heavens. "Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!"

Eyes blinded by tears of grief and fury, the warrior lashed out. "No!" she screamed, slamming a tightly clenched fist into a boulder at her side, splitting the ancient rock and shattering the knuckles of her hand. "No!!" The same hand struck out again, mindlessly, destroying another rock to dust and causing the entire pile above and around her to shift ominously. Not even bothering to protect her body from the shifting boulders crushing against her, she struck out again and again and again in her rage. "No!!!!"

From the corner of her eye, Xena spied the ambrosia glowing placidly from its place by Gabrielle’s head. Snarling, she lashed out a crippled fist, intending to destroy the very thing that had caused the death of her beloved soulmate. She pulled her blow at the last second, cradling her wrist back against her heaving chest and rocking, moaning out her tortured despair in a low, keening voice.

Suddenly, the import of the glowing vision filtered through her rage and grief like sunlight through thunderclouds. Only able to open her crushed fist a few scant inches, Xena reached out her claw-like hand to lay a tremoring touch on the ambrosia, her face a blank tableau. The food of the gods was warm and tingling against the shredded flaps of skin on her fist, its very essence healing her self inflicted injury. Torn flesh mended, bones came together and grew strong, a frozen fist unclenched and straightened. The blank mask was replaced with a look of purpose, even, of joy.

"Gabrielle, wait. Don’t cross over yet. I’ve got ambrosia, remember? It’ll make you strong and whole again. We’ll be together forever. You want that, don’t you? Don’t you?" The light that flashed in the warrior’s eyes wasn’t entirely sane. Turning her hand, she pinched off a piece of the glowing ambrosia, maneuvering it shakily to her partner’s closed, still lips. "Take this, beloved. Take it and we can be together again always."

Tears stung Xena’s eyes once again as she tried to use her only free hand to both open her lover’s lips and deposit the ambrosia into her mouth. The shaking in her body made her attempts fumbling at best and so she reached up, swiping a savage forearm across her tearing eyes.

A vision came to her then. The vision of Gabrielle, dying, looking calmly, bravely, up at her, her beautiful green eyes full of love, devotion, and . . .trust. Trust in her warrior partner to do the right thing, to make the right decision. "Let me go, Xena. Let me cross over."

Fierce blue eyes snapped open again as Xena’s fist clenched, crushing the precious ambrosia into her callused palm. "No! I can’t do that, Gabrielle! I can’t lose you again, not after I just found you! Can’t you understand? I can’t be alone again!!!!"

From deep within, the dark wolf uncurled itself from around her heart, its whisper sibilant and enticing. "Give her the ambrosia. Don’t let her leave you like this. She’ll forgive you. She always has. She’ll understand why you had to do it. Go on. Give it to her. You’ll never be alone again. You’ll travel the world together, just the two of you. No more nightmares, no more grieving. Just peace. And joy. Do it."

Listening to that seductive voice, the warrior’s fist unclenched. She stared at the ambrosia in her palm, strong white teeth worrying at her lower lip. Slowly, she brought the piece back over to her lover’s cool lips. "I’m sorry, Gabrielle. I have to do this. I can’t be alone again. I know you’ll understand. You always were the strong one, weren’t you."

She trusted you, Xena, came the voice that Gabrielle had placed within the warrior’s tattered soul. She trusts you still. Listen to your heart. Listen well. What does it tell you?

For the second time, the ambrosia was crushed in the warrior’s tight fist. Her proud shoulders slumped as her head bowed. "I. . . .can’t. I have to let you go, beloved. It’s what you’d want. I have to honor that." Lowering her lips for the last time upon her lover, Xena whispered again the pledge she’d given earlier that day. "I’ll love you forever, Gabrielle." Straightening as much as she was able in the cramped space, she took her partner’s cool arm and crossed it over a crushed breast. "Cross over and be at peace, my love. I won’t hold you here. Go with my love."

Then, taking in a breath of dusty, oxygen weak air, she began to sing her lover to her rest, her low, melodious tones echoing hauntingly in her stone tomb. As she sang, tears ran from her eyes in a constant stream, bathing the waxen figure beneath her and easing the bard’s passage to the underworld.

As the last haunting tones faded out, the sound of sadistic clapping filled the chamber. "One of your best performances, my dear, but you still can’t dance to it."

"Get out of here, Ares," Xena replied, her voice dull and as lifeless as the body beneath her.

"And miss the scene of a lifetime? Annnnnh. I don’t think so. Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for you to let that little blonde nuisance go? And now, finally, she’s gone. Ya know, this calls for a celebration. Whadda ya say, Xena? You, me, a little nectar. We can celebrate your dark side, have a few laughs, roll around in the furs. Just like old times."

"Ares . . . ."

"Oh come on, Xena! Don’t you think it’s time you gave up this little goody-goody act of yours? Blondie’s history! You don’t have to pretend any more. Not with me. I like you just the way you were, my dear Warrior Princess." The disembodied voice adopted a sultry, seductive tone. "All passion and fire, leather and lust. Mmmmm, those were the days."

"Ares, I’m warning you!"

"What are you gonna do, Xena? In case you hadn’t noticed, my dear, you’re buried under an entire mountain of rock with only a dead bard for company. If you thought her stories were boring before . . . ." Malicious laughter sounded. "And let me tell you, she’s gonna start stinking up your new home pretty quickly. Is that the way you want to spend eternity?"

"Better this than with you."

"Oh sure, you say that now. But just wait a couple hundred years when your beloved Gabrielle is nothing but dust under your fingertips. She’s gone, Xena. History. Finished. It doesn’t have to be that way with you, though. Join me. It can be like it was before. I’ll take over the Olympian gods and you can rule the earth with an iron fist! It would be glorious! Picture it! All those millions of sheep down there bowing to you, fulfilling your every whim, your every desire. Be my Warrior Princess again, Xena. Unleash your destiny. It’s yours for the taking."

"When are you finally gonna get it, Ares? It’s over. It’s been over! I’ll never go back to you. Why can’t you just let . . .it . . .go?!"

"Like you just let your little friend go? I don’t think so, Xena. I’m afraid I don’t have your talent for martyrdom. Not that it wouldn’t come in handy from time to time. You humans are such suckers for a sob story." A short pause. "Ah well. Tell you what. I’ll leave you in peace for now to do the grieving thing. When you’re tired of what your life has been reduced to, give me a call. Maybe I’ll have a place for you in my new world. You just stay here and work out your mountain of a problem. Get it? Mountain of a problem? Ares, you’ve still got it!" Laughing uproariously at his atrocious humor, Ares winked out of existence in Xena’s mind.

The sound and feel of Ares left and Xena was alone once again. Reaching out a shaking hand, she gently stroked Gabrielle’s hair, humming softly to herself as tears continued to trail down her tortured face. Entombed for eternity with her dead lover. There was some justice in that, she thought. Hades couldn’t have come up with a better Tartarus for her if he’d tried. If she listened hard enough, she was sure she could hear the laughing of all the souls she’d killed. Are you happy now, Hades? Is this what you wanted of me? Well, you got your wish. Congratulations.

As she continued to mindlessly stroke her young lover’s hair, scenes of Gabrielle flashed behind her eyes. Scenes of happiness and heartache; tears of joy and pain; the bard’s bravery in the face of danger and of death. The images ran over in her mind in an unending loop, soothing her spirit as the ambrosia had soothed her body’s aches. The love in those green eyes had been a balm to a dirty, tired and tattered soul. The love they’d shared deserved more of a legacy than an anonymous burial in a mountain tomb. In life, and in death, Gabrielle had been her compass, steering her on the path to goodness. Through the bard’s selfless actions, the warrior had learned that to be good was to do good. There was one more bit of good to be done. When it was over, for good or ill, maybe she’d have her peace.

"For you, Gabrielle," she whispered hoarsely against the tears in her throat. "Stay with me a little longer and help me keep the darkness away."

Releasing her hold on her lover’s tangled hair, Xena reached again for the ambrosia, tearing off a small piece. Taking in a deep breath, her eyes fixed on Gabrielle’s unmoving body, the warrior placed the food of the gods in her own mouth and swallowed.

The pain was intense, making the agony of the cave-in child’s play by comparison. Her guts twisted and threatened to erupt from her flesh; her lungs deflated entirely, then filled to bursting; her heart seized and her brain swelled, pressing horribly against its bony cage. Her lips pried wide in a rictus of agony. She would have screamed had she the breath for it.

It was over as quickly as it had begun. A powerful, roiling energy, the likes of which she’d never before felt, flowed through her body in magnificent waves. It was a very sexual feeling, this godhood. She could well understand the allure. The wolf in her stretched and howled its delight and her lips split in a primal grin. Oh yessssssss. With a casual tug, she pried loose her trapped arm, examining the unmarred perfection of her skin. Oh . . .yessssssss. This is going to be fun.

Straightening her long frame, Xena carefully tucked her arms under the broken body of her beloved, lifting and cradling her with infinite tenderness against her chest. Gathering her legs beneath her, the warrior pushed upwards with the ease of cutting through empty air, scattering boulders with no more effort than it took to breathe. Her grin, a death’s head mask, widened as she sniffed the cool night air pouring in from the ruins. She was free. They both were free.

Closing her eyes, Xena simply imagined the place she wanted to be. Upon opening them, she was there. Maybe there’s something to this being-a-god thing after all.

Ares lay draped across his throne, all black leather and masculinity. He didn’t even have the good graces to look surprised when Xena popped into his temple carrying the dead body of that irritating blonde bard with her. Stroking his beard reflectively, he turned a totally feral smile on the Warrior Princess. "Welcome, my dear. I was wondering how long it’d take you to come to your senses. Still carrying around a lot of old baggage, I see." He laughed at his witticism, swinging his long legs around and sitting properly on his throne.

"Ares," Xena purred, baring her teeth and laying Gabrielle’s body carefully on the black marble beneath her feet. Turning back to the seated god of war, she unsheathed her sword, totally unsurprised to find herself back in her ancient leathers and armor.

Ares’ grin widened. "Come to pledge your sword to my service, have you? Kinky. I like it."

"Think again."

With casual ease, he threw out his right hand, releasing an energy bolt that sped toward the waiting warrior. Just as easily, Xena deflected the white ball back to its owner with a negligent swipe of her sword. Ares ducked, letting the bolt blaze past his left shoulder to set the blood red curtains aflame. "Nice one," he complimented, bowing his head in her direction.

"Draw your sword, Ares. We have some unfinished business to take care of."

The god of war deigned to look innocent, stroking his beard again. "Unfinished business? Hmmm. Let’s see. Those three unfortunate men in that village? Nah, you out maneuvered me brilliantly on that one, my dear. Impersonating your poor, dead father? Nope. Gabrielle ruined that one. Forcing the Furies to make you insane? Uh uh." Looking off into space, he pretended consider further options. "Ahhh, that little deal with the Fates and severing your lifeline." Ares snapped his fingers. "Wrong again. You took care of that one too, didn’t you. Hmmmmm. What else is there?" His handsome face alit with a look of false comprehension. "This wouldn’t happen to be about crushing the life out of blondie there under a mountain of boulders, would it?" He grinned at Xena’s audible snarl. "Just a thought."

"Draw your sword, Ares, or I swear by whatever god you name I’ll slice your head off and feed it to Cerberus."

With a bark of laughter, the dark god stood up from his throne, all liquid grace and lustful fire. "Xena, Xena, Xena, didn’t the ambrosia come with an instruction manual? You can’t kill me, my beauty. I’m a god, remember?"

Xena’s lips drew back in a smirk. "Oh yeah, you’re a god alright. A god who manages to loose his godhood at the most inopportune times. This is your last warning, Ares. Draw . . .your . . . sword."

Ares huffed out a sigh of resignation. "Oh alright, if I have to. But I need to warn you, Xena, this isn’t how I pictured our first night together." With a flick of his wrist, he drew his sword, twirling it once before putting both hands on the pommel in battle readiness.

Xena flipped once through the air, her sword engaging his before she’d even fully landed. The sibilant hiss and spark of steel on steel sounded loudly through the chamber. Their swords met and held on the first pass. Whirling, Xena made cross body sweep to his left hip which was blocked and rebuffed easily. She ducked a decapitating blow and her return thrust, gauged to hamstring, was again easily blocked. She whirled and tried again, but he caught her off balance and countered her swipe with one of his own, sending her full across the room to land in a crashing heap against the far wall.

"What’s the matter, Princess?" Ares mocked, making no attempt to attack. "Sword skills a little rusty?" He laughed as Xena sprang to her feet and flew across the chamber to engage him once again. "Wouldn’t Gabrielle be shocked to see this sorry sight. Oh, that’s right. Poor little dear didn’t like your dark side, did she."

"Shut up and fight," Xena barked, laying into him with a fury. The truth in his words stung. She was rusty. A thousand sword drills a day didn’t do much when there was no one to use those skills against. She hadn’t used a sword against a living opponent in a hundred years or more and it showed, hugely. Disgusted with herself, she redoubled her efforts but Ares was there to block her every move, his swings as effortless and mocking as hers had been all those many years ago. He feinted left, then right, and she fell for the oldest trick in the book, committing to his second ruse and leaving her own middle unguarded. Her block engaged just in time to deflect a skewering blow. Still, Ares’ sword bit deep into the tender flesh of her side before she could yank away, growling deep in her throat.

"I’m disappointed in you, my dear. I never figured you’d allow yourself to get this sloppy. Maybe I should get Hades to bring your little friend back again. Maybe she could give me more of a challenge."

"You leave Gabrielle out of this!" Her dark side was fully loosed now, howling in fury and rage. She threw her best at him, but he only seemed to get stronger, feeding off of the anger and hatred flowing through her ambrosia-enhanced system.

"Why should I? She’s the reason you’re here, isn’t it? I killed her, not directly of course, but dead is dead, as they say. Now you want to kill me." Broad shoulders shrugged beneath black leather. "Seems pretty simple to me." The two locked hilts and used their free hands to grasp the other’s wrist, staring deep into eyes of chocolate brown and ice blue. Ares gave a little, then pushed, sending Xena once again flying into the far wall. "Forgive me for saying so, but this is getting a little boring, Xena. Think we could hurry it up a little? There’s this nice little skirmish just starting up in the Balkans and I want to be there in time to watch the heads roll."

Xena levered herself back to her feet once again, her head ringing from its impact against the stone wall. Shaking her pounding head once, sharply, she jumped back into the fray, instantly engaging Ares’ strong sword-arm once again.

"Do you really like getting the Tartarus beaten out of you, Xena?" Ares asked, not even short of breath for his labors. "Cause I’m happy to oblige, don’t get me wrong. But I can think of about a dozen things I’d rather be doing with you right now."

Gritting her teeth, Xena went into a series of dizzying, lightning fast moves, her blade dancing faster than even a god’s eye could easily follow. But follow it Ares did, striking and counterstriking with easy abandon, each move stronger than the last until finally he had the angry warrior trapped in a corner of his massive throne room. He moved in quickly, powerfully, crossing their blades and covering her entire body with his own. "Join me," he said, all traces of mockery gone from his voice and eyes. "I’ll give you everything you’ve ever dreamed of having. You’ll never be alone again. I promise you, Xena. I swear it on my godhood."

"I’ll see you in Tartarus first," she spat, uselessly struggling against his large frame. The pure, primal animal magnetism of his body threatened to slice through her defenses as easily as his sword had done earlier.

Feeling her body helplessly responding to him, Ares smiled. "That’s right, Xena. Stop fighting it. We were so good together once. We can be even better now." He crushed his pelvis against her lower body, grinding wantonly and grinning. "Be my Goddess of Desire, Xena."

"Gabrielle . . . ." she whispered in a tortured voice.

"Your little friend can’t help you now, Xena. It’s only you . . . ." As he moved his head closer, Ares licked his full lips, "and me . . . ." He smiled once more as he closed the final distance between their mouths, ". . . together."

Xena forced herself not to react as the dark god’s lips covered hers, seeking, probing. Slowly she withdrew into herself, going down deep into that single calm pool that was Gabrielle’s gift to her soul. ‘Help me.’

With that simple entreaty, the shadows of her darkness bled away as the specter of calm, rational thought, clear as the pool in her mind’s sight, descended to take its place. Anger and grief drained away and she was able to see Ares’ seduction for what it was, a simple trick. A trap, cunningly laid to ensnare a single being. Her. The ambrosia had never been the key. She was. Like Dahok’s need of an innocent soul to complete his passage into the world, Ares needed Xena’s darkness to restore his powers. And to access that darkness, Ares needed to bring back, and then snatch away, the one thing that stirred those powers, for good or ill, more than any other.

"Gabrielle . . . ."

Brown eyes shot open as Ares removed his mouth from Xena’s delectable neck. "Not again!" he whined. "Name me one thing Gabrielle has that I don’t!"

Pale blue eyes opened, their depths calm and serene, as a smirk curled full lips. "It’s more a question of what you have that she doesn’t."

Dark eyebrows rose in inquiry. "Huh?"

Bearing her teeth, the warrior raised a knee that had been trapped between the war god’s thighs. Hard. "That answer your question?"

Ares’ eyes bulged from their sockets as his hands reached down to clamp over his groin. His knees buckling beneath him, the god of war crashed to the marbled floor with an incoherent grunt. His sword clattered musically next to his toppling body. Another brutal kick from an armored leg and Ares found himself flying through the air, landing sprawled across his throne and toppling it over backwards. He lay on the floor, stunned, his throne half on top of him, his hands still cupping his throbbing groin. Pain? He wasn’t supposed to feel pain! He was a god! He was Ares, God of War! Growling aloud, he tossed the traitorous throne across the room, jumping to his feet. Only to fall back down to his knees again. Oh, he was feeling pain alright. And it wasn’t pleasant.

Panicked, Ares’ dark eyes darted around the floor surrounding him. "My sword! Where’s my sword?!" A mocking laugh made him look over the high pedestal his throne used to sit upon.

Xena whirled Ares’ sword in her hand, her grin fierce, her eyes flashing. "Ya lose somethin’?"

For only the second time in his immortal life, Ares felt true fear. Scrambling to his feet, he fought down the agony in his lower region and attempted to stand fully upright. He held his arms up away from his body, palms open, fingers splayed. "Now . . .now wait a minute, Xena. Couldn’t we just . . .talk about this?"

"Sorry, Ares, but Gabrielle’s the talker. Oh, that’s right! You killed her, didn’t you." She advanced on the dark god as a predator to prey, Ares’ sword flashing in the blood red lighting of his chambers.

Ares stepped backward, stumbling over his throne and almost falling once again. "I’ll bring her back for you! Hades owes me some favors. Hades! Hades, get over here now!"

Cocking her head, Xena moued her lips. "I don’t think he hears you, Ares."

"Ok, ok, talking’s out. Maybe we could reach some kind of a deal?"

"What could you possibly have to offer that I’d be even remotely interested in, Ares?"

Broad, leather clad shoulders shrugged. "My undying gratitude?"

Xena briefly considered collapsing to the floor in laughter. Then she tossed Ares his sword, smirking as the surprised god bobbled the catch, almost dropping his weapon once again.

"Wha . . . ?"

"We have unfinished business, remember?"

Ares shook his head, twirling his weapon and feeling the strength of his godhood flow through his body once again. "You . . .are crazy."

The warrior’s smile turned deadly. "No one’s ever said that to me and lived, Ares. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be the first." So saying, Xena unsheathed her own sword and jumped back into battle. Keeping her dark side tightly contained, she found her skills more than enough to keep Ares occupied. She went on the attack immediately, thrusting, swiping and countering with incredible speed and precision and scoring several hits in rapid succession. The warrior expertly maneuvered her opponent into an untenable position, easily blocking every avenue of escape with her dancing body. Without her dark side to feed him, Ares was little more than a thug with good sword skills.

Ares was panting heavily when he felt his back press firmly against the warm stone walls of his chamber. As he blocked a blow aimed for his chest, Xena slid her blade down until their hilts were locked once again. She grinned at the look of shock on his handsome face. "Ya know," she began conversationally, piercing eyes boring into Ares’ own, "seems like every god up here has something to identify them as Olympian. I wonder what mine is, hmmm? Can’t be my sword, cause you’ve already claimed that one. And I don’t own a bow or a gauzy pink dress." As she pretended to consider, Xena switched her grip on her sword to her left hand, keeping on the incredible pressure, and reached down to unhook her chakram from her waist, holding it up in front of Ares’ face and smiling gleefully. "I think I just found it."

Backing away slightly, she released the sword block, raised the chakram, and brought its cruel-bladed edge down full force on Ares’ sword. With a high, piercing whine and a shower of multi-hued sparks, the dark god’s sword shattered in his hands, leaving only the hilt and pommel intact. Taking another step back, Xena leveled a brutal kick at Ares’ wrists, launching the remains of the sword across the room to land with a clatter on the stone floor. Then she shot out a snapping high kick that connected with the god’s square jaw. Ares dropped as if pole-axed.

Hooking the chakram on back on her waist, Xena switched her sword to her right hand and lowered it until the tip pressed against the underside of Ares’ throbbing jaw. "You’ve been a very naughty boy, Ares." She smirked at the look of abject terror forming in his dark eyes. "I should end your miserable existence right now just on general principles. But that’d be too easy. I think I’ll let your family decide your fate this time."

A sword tip to the larynx stopped Ares’ desperate attempt at a plea for mercy.

Xena tilted her head upwards. "Zeus!"

She felt a shifting sense of temporal dislocation and when she opened her eyes again, it was to see the massive white audience chamber of the Olympian gods materialize around her. Huge thrones of the major deities sat in a circle, each between its own set of Corinthian marble columns which seemed to stretch from the ground into infinity. Zeus’ throne sat at the head of the circle upon a raised, white marble dais. The King of the Gods, resplendent in robes of the purest white, sat slumped in his massive throne, looking very old and weak. As he turned his rheumy eyes toward her, Xena was struck with the idea that perhaps it would have been better for her to have taken care of Ares herself. Even lying huddled and beaten on the floor, Ares looked to have more vibrancy and power in his smallest finger than Zeus had in his entire, withered body.

"You called for me, Xena?" His voice was thin and raspy but still echoed through the otherwise empty chamber.

"Yeah. Ya left your garbage laying around." She prodded Ares with the toe of her boot, smirking as the dark god yelped. "Think I’ll get rid of it for you."

Throwing up his hand, Zeus managed to straighten himself in his throne, pulling the energy from somewhere to do so. A hint of color came back to his wizened face and his eyes sharpened their focus upon the warrior and his cowering son. "Wait! Please."

Stilling her reach for her chakram, Xena looked expectantly at the god king.

"I know you have no respect or trust for those of us on Olympus, Xena. And I also know we’ve never given you any reason to respect or trust us."

"Ya got that right."

"But I have to ask you to believe me when I say that we can handle Ares from here."

Xena barked out a disbelieving snort. "Zeus, you couldn’t handle a spoon. Do you even know how close this bastard came to ending it all? For everyone?"

"Now, Xena . . . ."

"Shut up, Ares!" The war god whimpered again as the tip of Xena’s sword pricked the tender flesh of his neck, drawing mortal blood. "Say another word," she warned, "and Daddy won’t be able to stop me."

Zeus came to his feet, looking like nothing so much as an old, life-weary mortal. "Please, Xena. It’s true that we’ve had our share of . . .trouble . . .with my son. But with the loss of his sword, Ares has become a mortal. By all rights, he should be on the earth right now, but my power is holding him here. Despite our differences, he’s still my son and I have no desire to see his life ended."

"But it’s alright to stand by and do nothing while he ends the lives of others? Zeus, your son killed my partner."

The god king shifted uncomfortably, unable to meet the warrior’s piercing gaze. "I know that, Xena," he whispered finally. "And you have my deepest sympathies for that unfortunate occurrence."

Xena’s eyes widened in disbelief. "’Unfortunate occurrence’? Gabrielle was murdered by your bastard son, Zeus! What good are your sympathies gonna do her now? Or me?"

Zeus stood with his head bowed, his shoulders slumped, silent for a long moment. When he finally looked up, his gaze was compassionate and direct. "Xena, you could have killed Ares in his chambers easily. You had shattered his godhood and made him mortal. Yet you didn’t end his life. Why?"

"Because I don’t kill defenseless men." She looked down at Ares. "I’m beginning to question the logic of that, however." She switched her gaze back to Zeus. "You’ve involved me in your machinations for the last time, Zeus. Against my better judgement, I’m gonna deliver this bastard into your care. But here me well. If I ever, ever hear so much as a peep from his direction again, I’ll come back here and finish the job. And no one is gonna stop me. Ya got that?"

Zeus nodded his head quickly, the look of relief on his face unmistakable. "Thank you, Xena. You have my word that . . . ."

"Spare me your useless platitudes, Zeus. Just do your job, cause you’re not gonna like what I’ll do if I have to come back here." Sheathing her sword, Xena bent down and grabbed a handful of leather vest. With a fluid tug, she pulled Ares up to his feet and sneered into his pale face. "I hope you live a long, miserable life, Ares." With a titanic shove, the warrior propelled the war god the length of the massive chamber to land, in a crumpled heap, at the feet of his father.

With a final, disgusted look, Xena spun on her heel and stalked toward the exit of the Audience Hall. Just as she was about to step through the door, another figure materialized in front of her, hands upraised in a sign of peace. "Get outta my way, Hades," the warrior growled, pushing the god away with a forearm to his throat.

Hades staggered form the force of the blow, but managed to remain on his feet. Reaching out a long, desperate arm, he snagged the retreating warrior. "Xena, wait."

Snarling, the Warrior Princess spun around, shaking off Hades’ grip and applying one of her own to his throat while her free hand unhooked her chakram and held it up before his face. "Hades, I never thought I’d ever despise anyone more than I despise Ares, but you jumped really easily into that number one slot with that stunt you pulled. So unless you let me go in peace, I’ll slice you up into so many pieces even Persephone won’t recognize you."

Hades swallowed hard against the pressure at his throat, but maintained his steady gaze. "I’ve come to explain."

"Explain?! Explain what? How you used Gabrielle as bait to pull me into another one of your Olympian chess matches? How you stood by and did nothing while Ares ended her life? How do you want to explain that to me, Hades? Huh?"

"You were the only one who could stop him, Xena. Tell me, if I’d come to you with this request myself, would you have listened to me?"

"You’ll never know the answer to that one, will you."

The god of the underworld looked down at his shining black boots. "No, I suppose I won’t."

"I thought as much. Just go back down to your underworld and stay out of my life, Hades." Rehooking her chakram to her hip, the warrior spun once again and continued out the door and down the long hallway, her raven hair streaming behind her in inky waves. Tears of grief blinded her eyes, but she kept walking, needing to be as far away from this place as possible, for fear that she would destroy everything in her path if she stayed even a minute longer. Being newly risen to godhood, she didn’t even consider exiting the way she’d entered.

Sighing and shaking his head, Hades dematerialized, then reappeared just steps ahead of the angrily striding Warrior Princess. Reaching out an arm, he clamped a heavy hand on Xena’s shoulder and they both disappeared from the Palace of the Gods.

Xena’s chakram was already out and at Hades’ neck by the time they both regained solidity. "You better have a damn good explanation for this, Hades," the warrior snapped, perfect teeth bared in a primal snarl.

The handsome god’s dark eyes were calm. "Look around you, Xena."

Without lowering her weapon from Hades’ throat, Xena looked at her new surroundings. She was standing on the far shores of the River Styx. In the near distance, Charon’s boat sat, silently rocking in the bobbing current. The hideous ferryman looked on with glee at the scene transpiring before him. It had been eons since he’d seen any action. Even Gabrielle’s re-emergence into the underworld hadn’t been done through the usual channels, leaving Charon to grumble about his lost fare to the three heads of Cerberus. "Why am I here?" the warrior finally asked, slowly lowering her Chakram from Hades’ throat.

"It’s about time, don’t you think?" He thrust out an arm, indicating the waiting ferry. At Xena’s mistrustful expression, Hades smiled. "It’s no trick, Xena. You’re still a god. That hasn’t changed." His smiled broadened at the arched eyebrow shot his way. "Really. You can leave at any time. I won’t hold you."

Warily, still anticipating all manner of trickery, Xena walked over to where Charon stood waiting. The ferryman’s black lips twisted into a ghoulish smile. "It’s about time you got down here, Xena," he said in a gravely voice. "You made me a rich man over the years. Speaking of which . . . ." He held out a withered, scabrous hand.

The warrior looked back at Hades, who nodded encouragingly. Shrugging, Xena reached into the cleavage of her leathers, not surprised when her searching fingers brushed against a silken pouch. Pulling it out from between her breasts, she loosened the drawstring and upended the satchel, blinking as a single dinar, so bright it appeared newly minted, winked up at her from its place in her palm.

"I’ll take that if you don’t mind!" Snatching the coin from Xena’s palm, the ferryman put it to his mouth and bit down, grimacing at the pain in his rotting teeth. "Just wanted to be sure ya ain’t tryin’ to cheat me or nothin’." Grunting, Charon stuck the dinar into one pocket of his filthy robes. Then he waved her forward. "Come on, come on, I ain’t got all day, ya know."

With one long, last look at Hades, Xena stepped onto Charon’s boat, standing as far from the odiferous man as possible and still remain aboard the craft. The boat jarred slightly as the ferryman used his long pole to push away from the shore. The warrior-turned-goddess let Charon’s monotonous travelogue of underworld sights flow into and out of her brain as she considered her situation. In truth, she had no idea what was going on and, further, had no notion of what could ever have possessed her to step aboard the rickety ferry in the first place. Sighing silently to herself, she crossed her arms over her chest and resolved to take things as they came to her. It wasn’t as if she couldn’t get out of this at any time, after all.

Hades was waiting as the ferry came to a gentle stop on the other side of the massive river. Jumping from the boat as soon as it had docked, Xena came to land beside the god of the underworld, hands on hips, eyebrow arched in inquiry. Hades merely smiled enigmatically once again. "Walk with me." He gestured toward a long, dark tunnel.

Xena strode after his retreating back, catching up to the god just inside the tunnel. It hit her all at once, this little trip. After three thousand years, she was finally being judged. A little prickle of tension made its way to her shoulders and her throat became dry. "This doesn’t make any sense."

"What doesn’t?"

"Tartarus isn’t much of a punishment if I can leave it anytime I want to."

Hades smiled knowingly. "If you’re bound for Tartarus, Xena, I think your own sense of honor will keep you there better than any ten of my dogs, don’t you?"

Looking down as her boots scuffed along the sandy floor, Xena nodded. "That’s true."

The pair walked in silence down the seemingly endless tunnel for long moments. When Hades next spoke, his voice was soft and contemplative. "You’ve done a great many unforgivable things in your life, Xena."

The warrior’s voice was just as soft. "I know."

"You’ve done a great many wonderful things as well. Unfortunately, the majority of your good deeds can’t be weighed in the balance since the souls you helped belong to other gods. They can’t speak in your defense, much as I’m sure they’d like to."

"I know that, too." Xena stopped and placed her hand on Hades’ arm. "What about Sara? She was the true innocent in all this. She didn’t deserve her fate, no matter how important the cause."

Hades nodded. "She was given a choice, Xena and she made it with a pure heart. Her soul is at peace and she is very happy."

The warrior narrowed her eyes. "How do you know that? Her soul doesn’t belong to you."

"No, but the other gods and I, we . . .talk." His brown eyes were sincere. "I’ve never lied to you, Xena. And I don’t intend on starting now. Please believe me when I tell you her noble calling was well rewarded."

After holding Hades’ gaze for a long moment, Xena nodded and dropped her hand. The two began to walk down the tunnel again in silence.

"I’d be lying if I said my decision concerning the final disposition of your soul was an easy one," Hades remarked after several moments. "The extra time I’ve been given didn’t help as much as I’d hoped it would."

"Listen, Hades, spare me any more of your sob story, alright? Just send me to Tartarus and get it over with. We both know it’s where I belong. I give you my word I won’t try to escape."

Gently grasping Xena’s long arm, Hades gently turned the warrior to face him. He placed his free hand over her eyes, then withdrew it after a heartbeat. He turned her again to face a portal five steps beyond. "Go to your judgement, Xena of Amphipolis."

Squaring her shoulders, Xena took in a deep breath and, body and bearing proud and erect, walked those last five steps alone. Raising a hand to the stone door, the warrior licked at her dry lips, said a quiet and private farewell to Gabrielle, and pushed.

The light that greeted her from the other side was blinding in its intensity. She threw up a hand to shield her eyes as she stepped into the area revealed by the open door. Blinded for the moment, the tall beauty used her other sharp senses to tell her more about her surroundings. The light, however, seemed to have some dampening properties because she could feel nothing beyond her own sense of self. After several deep breaths, Xena lowered her hand, blinking in the radiant light. Holding herself steady, she watched as several shadowy forms slowly made their way toward her position. She blinked back the tears in her eyes which trebled her vision, damning the light beating so steadily down on her. One figure detached itself from the rest and moved steadily closer.

She stood her ground, refusing to betray her inner nervousness. She was a warrior and she would accept her judgement as a warrior. Broad shoulders squared as a proud head lifted regally. Her nostrils flares as she fought to keep her hands loose at her sides. The figure stopped about ten feet away, waiting patiently.

As if from the very heavens, a thunderous voice rolled through the still air. "Xena of Amphipolis, your soul has been fairly judged by the God of the Underworld. Take ye your rightful place among the dead."

The radiant light dimmed to the light of the sun as the world around Xena came into sharp relief. She blinked again, still unsure of her fate. Blue eyes widened when they set upon the figure standing so patiently before her, bearing a smile brighter than even the light that had moments before been blinding her. "Gabrielle?"

"Xena!!!" Shouting with joy, the small bard launched herself from her waiting place, leaping into Xena’s strong arms and burying her face into raven hair.

Sobbing, the warrior caught her beloved, bearing the small body up with the strength of her arms and twirling her around in the pure Elysian air. The thundering sound of applause and cheers rolled over and around the two, but both women were blissfully unaware of anything save the other so closely entwined. The strength gone from her legs, Xena tumbled to the ground, bearing Gabrielle carefully down with her and burying her head against her lover’s shoulder, still sobbing uncontrollably, all decorum and reserve gone.

Tears spilling in torrents from her own eyes, Gabrielle stroked the raven head buried in her neck, trying her best to give comfort to her sobbing soulmate. "I don’t deserve this. I don’t deserve this," Xena kept mumbling as Gabrielle rocked her in her arms.

Gently easing the warrior away, Gabrielle tenderly cupped Xena’s cherished face between her palms. "Yes, Xena, you do deserve this. You deserve it more than anyone I’ve ever known. You’ve spent three thousand years in Tartarus, my love. It’s time for you to come home."

Closing her eyes against the tears, Xena brought her head forward, her lips unerringly finding those of her partner, their souls blending with sweetness of their reunion. They lost themselves in the purity of that perfect kiss until the sounds of rowdy cheering and wolf whistles forced them to break away, each sporting a flush of embarrassment. Xena dragged an arm across her wet eyes, then looked back into the deep green pools so close to her. Her half grin was faintly embarrassed, faintly innocent.

Gabrielle’s return smile was all love. She held her hand out to her partner. "Ready to meet your adoring public?."

"Not really."

Chuckling, the bard rose to her feet, pulling her taller partner up with her. Clasping Xena’s hand securely, she swung them both in the direction of the cheering crowd. The glade went silent with anticipation. "Ladies and gentlemen of Elysia, it is my great honor to present to you: Xena of Amphipolis!"

The roar of the crowd was deafening and Xena winced as she followed her lover’s lead, slowly walking to the gathered souls waiting to welcome her. One woman stepped away from the crowd, her bearing erect, her salt and pepper hair flowing in the slight breeze, her bright blue eyes shining with love.

"Mother?"

Like Gabrielle before her, Cyrene ran into her daughter’s arms, hugging the tall warrior close to her own body, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Welcome home, my little one," she whispered in a tremoring voice. "Welcome home."

Xena’s own tears started again as the beloved feel of her mother’s firm, strong body pressed against her own. "Mother, I’ve missed you so much. So much."

"I’ve missed you too, my daughter. I love you, Xena."

Laying a kiss on her mother’s hair, Xena pulled away and stroked Cyrene’s smooth cheek, smiling and crying at the same time. Despite their differences, her mother had been sorely missed and it felt better than Xena had ever dreamed to see her again. "I love you too, Mother."

Smiling, Cyrene reached for Xena’s hand as Gabrielle re-appropriated the other. Together, the two women guided Xena further into the crowd. People too numerous to count gathered around the trio, shouting congratulations and welcome to the wayward warrior. Ephiny and the Amazons saluted her with their swords, then swarmed Xena, laughing and kissing her welcome. Beloved friends and old lovers all came to offer their congratulations and love. Toris also came to greet her, giving her a kiss on the cheek and a fond slap on the back. As the crowd started to clear, giving her space to move, the warrior spotted a sandy-haired boy standing patiently. Their faces lit up at the same time, both running to one another to meet in the middle. "Mother!" the young man shouted, throwing his arms around her neck and kissing her on the cheek. "You finally made it!"

"Solon! By the gods it’s good to see you again!" She wrapped her arms so tightly around her son that she thought she would crush him, but the boy gave no sign of discomfort, instead burrowing his way further into her warm, strong embrace. After a moment, she pried his body away, holding him at arm’s length. "You haven’t changed a bit."

Solon rolled his eyes. "This is Elysia, Mother. I’m not supposed to change."

Xena grinned. "Well, I’m new here. Don’t know all the rules yet."

"I’ll be happy to teach them to you." The young man smiled shyly.

"Deal."

Back on his own two feet, Solon took over the guiding chore from Cyrene and Gabrielle, giving both women a solemn wink. "There’s someone who’s been waiting to say hello." Taking his Mother’s warm hand, the young man led Xena away from the crowd to a tree shaded glade a short distance away. Then he released her hand, giving her a gentle push forward.

Shrugging her shoulders slightly, the warrior walked toward the sheltering trees. A tall, strapping man stepped out from the trees, his eyes twinkling and his grin wide on his handsome face. "Welcome home, sis."

"Lyceus!!!" Whooping her battle cry, Xena closed the distance between them with long, loping strides. She flew into her younger brother’s arms, bearing them both to the ground. Together they rolled through the sweet clover as pollen coated their clothes, laughing and crying and tumbling about like two giddy teenagers. "I never thought I’d see you again!"

"The feeling’s mutual, sis. But then when Gabrielle spread the good word . . . ." Grinning, Lyceus sat up, bearing his sister up with him and hugging her hard. "You’ve got a wonderful friend there, Xena. You’d better do right by her, or else . . . ." His eyes twinkled, belying the seriousness of his threat.

"You’d better not be threatening my partner there, Lyceus," came a voice from behind them.

Xena spun, grinning as Gabrielle strode into the glade, her golden hair fanning back from her brow. Standing in the sunlight, her face aglow with love, Gabrielle was the most beautiful, most cherished and desirable woman Xena had ever known and the warrior fell in love with her all over again. Fluidly rising to her feet, Xena extended her long arms and gathered her beloved bard into a warm, loving embrace. Then she bent down and their lips met once again, warm affirmation flowing quickly into unequalled passion.

A soft clearing of the throat broke them apart and the pair looked up at Lyceus who was sporting a blush of his own. "I’ll take that as my cue to leave." He grinned mischievously. "I never thought I’d see the day when my great sister turned into a pile of warm mush."

Laughing, Xena gave her brother a fond swat on the rump. Then she looked down, smiling into her lover’s eyes. "So, what now?"

"Now?" Gabrielle beamed. "Now I get to show you around Elysia. Oh, Xena, you’re gonna love it here. The fields, the trees, the beauty everywhere! Of course, I never could get you to stop and smell the roses, but . . . ."

Wrapping an arm around Gabrielle’s shoulders, Xena grinned, letting the warm voice of her soulmate wash over her as they walked from the glade. The sun was shining, the breeze was fresh and fragrant with spring growth. After three thousand years, her soul was finally at peace. Her long legs scattered pollen in faerie drifts as they walked along and her smile threatened to become permanently etched into the lines of her face.

There were no worries, there was no grief. For the first time in a very long time, she could view the future with a sense of joy and hope. Gabrielle was by her side and always would be. The specter of death no more loomed over their shoulders, teasing and taunting. Plans could be made without fear of danger or separation. For the warrior from Amphipolis and the bard from Poteidia, there was all the time in the world.

Finis.

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