Disclaimer: The characters of Xena Warrior Princess belong to its creators and not to me. I have no intention of making a profit off of this story so don't even try to sue me considering I'm not in a good mood right now *eg*.

Rating: PG13

Violence/ Sex/ Language: Yes but nothing graphic like those sick video games (why do people even like those? *shudders at thought*)/ none (unfortunately *eg*)/ clean.

Writer's Note: For the purpose of writing this story I have changed Xenaverse history with quite a twist (don't worry you'll be able to tell as you read the story.) So sit back and relax. Hope you like it.

AT THE EDGE OF DARKNESS

By Sally

The black clouds obstructed the moonlight on a quiet evening. The wind was mild and the leaves on the trees barely moved. It was a strange night. The weather was clam and serene, but the darkness of the sky was almost unusual. The clouds not only blocked the moonlight but the stars as well.

Xena felt a stab of pain through piercing through her as she continued to try and fall asleep. She had been trying to persuade herself that she did it for a legitimate cause. There was no other way. She was not the one who challenged them. They were the ones who tried to kill her daughter even before she was born. And twenty-five years later, they still wanted Eve dead. They only cared about themselves. Eve should not have to die because the Fates said that she is the one to bring down the Pantheon. Eve was safe now. She had begun to walk her own path as the Messenger of Eli although nobody truly understood what that meant. This was the right thing to do. But no matter how many reasons Xena came up with, she couldn't get rid of the pain she felt.

Xena jolted up, paused and stared straight ahead for a moment. Then she closed her eyes as a single tear ran down her cheek. She lifted her arm up to wipe it away but stopped. She slowly stood up and left the campsite leaving everything behind except her sword as she disappeared into the dark woods.

She came to a high cliff where she motionlessly stood a few paces away from the edge. The valley down below was even darker than the night itself. It seemed like a bottomless ocean of blackness. It was alluring in a sense that Xena felt like she can fall in and be lost forever. And the worst things was that a part of her wanted that to happen..........much like when 'he' had tried to seduce her so many times. Ares..............the name clung to her like it was a curse. He had been in her life longer than anyone else including Gabrielle and her own mother.

Xena had never quite figured him out. She could never fit him into one category. Just when she thought he was one way, he would turn around and prove her wrong. Like that time on the beach after he had experienced mortality for the first time, and she had helped him regain his sword. He kept his promise and returned her to her body. Honestly, she hadn't been sure if he would keep the promise. On the other hand, she also hadn't been sure that he wouldn't keep it. But when he disappeared after regaining his goodhood, she decided that he wasn't going to stick to his word. She thought she was sure that he could never be trusted under any circumstance. But, she had thought wrong, or at least partially wrong. The trust factor was still doubtful, but he didn't break his promise.

They had encountered several times after that. He would cook up a new scheme to get her to join him, lead his army, and become his warrior queen. But somewhere along the line, he stopped doing that. It seemed like as time went by, his plans were aimed at watching her getting herself out of the mess than actually trying to force her over to his side.

Ares had once said to her, 'You'd be surprised in the change you can inspire in a man--or a god.' Had he meant it then? She only half-believed it when she had heard those words come out of his mouth. She took it more as an exit line than an actual statement.

Now, those words had a more massive meaning in her mind. It was true that Ares had indeed changed ever since she returned from that crucifixion in Rome. She tried to reason to herself, 'Maybe he was just trying a new strategy....' Even as she thought it, she didn't believe one small bit of it. Who was she trying to fool? She knew perfectly why she was feeling this way. It was more than guilt or regret. Not that she didn't have those feelings either, but the word she arrived at was sorrow.

She continued to stand at the edge of the cliff looking down into the pit-like valley down below. Once again, she shed a single tear, but this time, it didn't stop. Slowly, one after another, the tears fell like raindrops. She let them flow freely until it stopped naturally. She cautiously raised both of her hands but without looking down at them. When they were up to her chest, she slowly looked down. They were as clean as after a wash, but that's not what she saw. She saw red........crimson........blood--the blood of the gods. 'There was no other choice', she said to herself. She lifted her face up toward the sky and closed her eyes.

The memory was vivid as if it just happened a minute ago. She was on Olympus with Gabrielle and Eve by her side. Aphrodite had brought them there after they faced-off with Demios and Hades in Joxer's old farm house. Oh yes, and the Furies were trying to take over Gabrielle's mind and make her kill Eve. Gabrielle almost did it, but Xena came in right as Gabrielle was raising her sai. Xena threw her chakram from instinct, and it had almost hit Gabrielle in the head but missed it barely by an inch. The second after she threw the chakram, Xena felt a sudden chill and a sense of fear. She was sure the chakram would have sliced open Gabrielle's head. She didn't mean to aim it that way, but it was so sudden that she couldn't think clearly. She could feel the blood receding from her face as the chakram swished by Gabrielle's head causing her to drop her sai before she stabbed Eve.

Now the three women were walking down the halls of Olympus towards the main meeting room where Athena would be. At least that's what Aphrodite had told them before she disappeared. Xena was keeping her guard up. This was a time of crisis, and no one was to be trusted not even the amicable Goddess of Love. After all, she was a deity too, and her life was endangered as much as anyone else in the Pantheon.

Gabrielle felt differently because she felt closer to Aphrodite than Xena did. She had a soft spot for the child-like goddess just like Aphrodite had a soft spot for her. So when Gabrielle asked her to take herself, Xena and Eve up to Olympus to have a final confrontation with Athena, Aphrodite had agreed although hesitant. Gabrielle had promised the love goddess that they would try to "discuss" it before engaging in a blood bath. But both the goddess and herself knew that that was a very slim possibility.

The three continued down the long hallway. Xena halted abruptly motioning Gabrielle and Eve to stay behind her. From behind the dark pillars, the God of War stepped out into the lighted hallway. Xena positioned her sword and narrowed her eyes. Ares wasn't his usual sarcastic self. He was serious.

Xena had mixed emotions. The last time they had met, which was only a few hours ago, he had admitted out loud that he loved her. Xena knew Ares along with every trick he would use to save his own neck. Which was the precise reason why she felt bewildered. She could tell if he was lying........but this time............

Ares stood with his left hand resting on the hilt of his sword. He wasn't going to draw it because he knew Xena wouldn't kill him. She had several chances in the past, but she never took it. Even after becoming the Slayer of Gods, Xena had not ran her sword through him out in the front of the farm house.

"Move out of the way Ares! I will do it if you don't!"

"No you won't." Ares had responded with confidence in his voice and in his mind. Xena kept her sword up, and her eyes were fixed on him. "This is the second time we've met since you became Xena: The Slayer of Gods." That infamous-sounding title made Xena flinch. It was almost negligible, but Ares had noticed it. However, contrary to what he felt he kept pushing on. "You could never do it. I dare you Xena. Do it. Can you?"

What was the God of War trying to accomplish by doing this? Neither one of them knew the answer.

Xena was still looking up at the sky when warm moisture started to fall. It was a light sprinkle and nothing more. It was so unfitting for the current occasion. Thunder, lightening and a heavy storm was more like it.

Xena dropped her head as she drew her sword from her scabbard. She held it with both hands. She positioned it exactly like the way she had at Ares when he appeared from behind the pillars. Was it her fault or his? Or was this suppose to happen..............'fate'. That word had a bitter ring to it. It was pretty much used as a scapegoat for everything inexplicable that happened in life. Outwardly, Xena had won the fight for her daughter's life. She had managed to defeat Athena, and complete the Twilight. She was still not sure how she beat the Goddess of Warfare. It was as if she was empowered by a rage so strong that it made her into a killing machine. Yes, the rage...........the rage she felt towards herself for what she had done.

Xena was still in her previous position with her sword pointed at thin air. She slowly released her left hand as she held her sword up vertically with her right hand. Then she took her left hand and encircled it behind her neck. As she brought it back forward, she brought all her hair on one side and in front of her shoulders. Without a second thought, she smoothly sliced through them. They fell to her feet in a random pile. She looked at the blade of her sword. The crimson spots were evident. She pointed the blade up once again as she walked to the very edge of the cliff. She extended her arm out over the edge and loosened her grip. The sword slipped through her hand and fell into the dark abyss. Xena watched it disappear until it was no longer visible.

Morning came but not with a bright sunshine as the clouds still covered the sky. The Warrior Princess and the Battling Bard were atop their mount riding down a dusty road. Gabrielle had not asked about Xena's physical change for she knew the answer. Strangely, Gabrielle rejoiced this ending as much as Xena did. Years ago, she would have felt relieved, but now, all she could feel was melancholy.

That morning back at the campsite, the first thing Gabrielle noticed when she woke up was Xena sitting up on her bedroll. She looked different aside from the obvious. Gabrielle could tell that her friend had not gotten any sleep, but that was not what was holding her attention. It was the object around Xena's neck. It was a small pendant in the shape of a dagger. Gabrielle had seen that piece of jewelry many times since she had began traveling with Xena. It was never a pretty sight, but now, she saw it a different light. It was more of a symbol of............guilt? regret? ..................no, sorrow. But Gabrielle thought she found a deeper meaning than that. Could it be..........

The answer would forever remain in Xena's heart.

THE END