A continuation of the story "Forever the Warrior" by my wife Lady Death
All characters the property of Studiosusa/Renpics
Joxer was glad that they could rescue the little girl form the demons. He took his job as Archangel very seriously because now he could make a difference.
Eli had given him his hearts desire after his passing and he never been happier in his life. He had looked in on Gabby and Xena from time to time and he wished that Virgil would forgive Eve because he already had.
He was to accompany two Guardian angels to Earth to save a young man who had lost his way and he was preparing to leave when into his present came Eli
"Joxer i'm glad you are filled with joy to be doing such good"
" Well i feel i could do no less I had the pleasure to know such friends like Gabby, Xena, Hercules, Iolous."
"Well speaking of Iolous he is a big part of the assignment you are going on with the Guardians."
"What do you mean?"
"Well his son has fallen under the influence of the Dark one of the pit."
"Please don't say Dahak."
"No,no my friend this would be his brother demon that is simply called the Dark one."
"Well what about Hercules? Couldn't he do something?"
"Well he is busy with the aftermath of the deaths of some of the Olympian Gods, He is trying to organize them and talk them out of continueing to try and destroy Eve, He is the most important man alive he will play a large part in bringing peace between mortals and the remaining gods of the world."
"Well i guess he is a busy man then."
"Joxer you should go the Guardians will be waiting for you."
"Wish me luck"
" I don't need to you possess all the tools for success you'll ever need."
With that Joxer grabbed his sword which looked like the one he carried in his time on Earth.
He had to concentrate to remember how to dematerialize the last time he tried it he ended up half way into a boulder. But this time he had it down pat he arrived at the side of the guardians after some pleasantries they were on their way.
They materialized in the middle of a crowd in what looked like a busy marketplace. With all the usual smells that accompany the livestock and food stuffs in such a place Joxer was glad he neither got hungry or sick another of Eli's blessings.
They moved across the market as if on a pillow of air seen by none but as they passed any of evil intent their passing left a chill to freeze even the most ardent in place.
Joxer turned to the nearest guardian and said,"Where will we find this boy that we are to help?"
"He resides in the house at the end of the street,sir"
"No, not sir just Joxer please!"
"Ok Joxer it is so what do you think we should do"
"Well we need to talk to someone to see if we can find out how he fell under the influence of the demon."
"Then i guess talking to his dad would be the best bet"
"Some times i wish we had the insight of Eli it would save us alot of leg excuse me wing time"
"All things are as they are for a reason and we should not judge the motives of Eli"
"I agree so lets go"
On their way through the town they spotted a couple thugs following an old lady into an alley they proceded to follow them.
"Joxer what are you doing?"
"Just watch"
As the lead warrior went to pull his sword out Joxer used some of his powers to make it hard to pull out so the harder he pulled the greater it became stuck until finally Joxer released his hold on it and the sword came flying out of it's scarab hitting the man on the nose knocking him out.
"I've always wanted that to happen to someone else" was all that Joxer said as the other men realized that the old lady had disappeared into a hovel on the side of the alley.
"Ok let's move on"
They came upon a hovel that had a feel to it that Joxer couldn't describe it was a mixture of sadness and regret it was emminating like a beaken to their angelic senses they proceded to walk up to the house and walk through the wall inside they saw a very old looking man with his shoulders hunched and he was weeping Joxer immediately recognized him as Iolous the guardians at his side remembered him from his time as an angel and that he was the first hybrid arch/guardian angel in Paradise.
Eli had told Joxer that it was ok for him to let himself be known to Iolous
"Iolous"
"Who calls that name that has brought nothing but pain to my family"
"It's me Joxer"
"Joxer?????.....aren't you dead?"
"Well you above anyone should know that dead doesn't mean incommunicoto"
"Well what did i do now to disgace my family please don't tell me i killed anyone in my drunken stupper!"
"No we're here to help you and your son to get out from beneath the hooves of the Dark One as he is called"
"Well good luck i have been trying to do that for a long time now from the time I found out he was makeing a pact to have his hearts desire fulfilled"
"Do you know what that is?"
"YES DAMN ME TO HADES YES!!!! He wants the demon to return his mother to him she was killed protecting me from the assasins sent from Egypt"
"Well why did they want you dead?"
"Because i sperned the advances of one of the queens favorite hand maidens"
'So she took it as an afront to her honor?'
"Yes she told me it was my honor at stake if i didn't allow her to show her love for me by giveing in"
"And when you didn't she sent them to kill you"
"Exactly"
"Ok we will see if we can't put this to right"
'Hey Joxer i bet you never thought someone would consider you a hero but right now you look better to me than Herc"
With that they left using their angelic powers they followed the stench of evil to a tower at the end of the town entering it they could feel themselves being repulsed by the shear magnitude of it, Joxer went first looking left and right then just when he thought the coast was clear he was attacked from above by a demon almost by instinct he lept to the side and brought his sword down in one seemless motion cleaving the demons head forever from his shoulders they proceded on unmolested to the room that had the emotions of anger and loss coming from it Joxer figured that this had to be the room that Iolous's son was in entering they saw a man that Joxer thought looked like a cross between Iolous and Nebula when he looked up somehow he could see Joxer standing there.Joxer could feel the anger rising in his feelings and he had to consentrate to block such strong emotion out.
Joxer walked over and was about to put his excorcizeing touch to him when all of a sudden the Dark One appeared in front of him.
"What do you think you are doing here goody too shoes"
"Taking back one of the lost sheep of the flock that you tried to corrupt"
"Just as i will corrupt you my friend don't think your angelic powers protect you from me"
"Why would you want to corrupt me?"
'If i could corrupt one as innocent as you i would be able to tip the balance of power"
"Well i don't think Eli would allow that!!"
"What could he do he isn't even here"
At that moment out of Joxer came a blinding light more bright than all the stars in the heavens it washed over Ioulous's son and washed all his evil thoughts out of his mind and left him with the thoughts of love that his father felt towards him all of his fear and longing were washed away with the simple but powereful emotion of love!!
"How did you do this?"
"It wasn't me it was him!!"
Joxer says as he points to the sky,"He thought if we brought one back from the other side of hate that we would have the advantage of the balance of power"
"As you can see he was right."
"By no means is this the end my deluded friend."
"Of course not you can't have evil without its flip side of good."
With that the Dark One left in a puff of brimestone leaving Joxer and the angels alone with the son of Iolous.
"Who are you?"
"Lets just say an old friend of your fathers."
"Ok well my name is Salmonious I know it is a weird name but I was named after a friend of my fathers after something happend to him I don't what my father never told me."
With that they travelled along the path talking all the way about the exploits of a certain short but brave man with no powers but a heart as big as the whole of the world
As they walked Joxer realized maybe he should look in on Virgil a father should always be proud of his son and he didn't think Eli would begrudge him this one thing.......
copyright logan 2000