Out of the past

This chapter has been reedited in order to bring it to a higher level of quality

I don't own Xena and for forty-seven million Conan O Brien doesn't own the tonight show.

Xena and Callisto continued their journey through the land of Chaos seeking Gabrielle. Callisto really didn't want to find the irritating blond but since there was nothing else to do then why not. Besides she could kill her and Xena could do nothing in return. Sick ideas crossed her mind.

The world seemed to get darker and less familiar again. The sky had returned to its much darker purple as ominous feeling pervaded among them.. Xena had a hunch that Chaos was about to set something up, She didn't know what it was. Then they stopped at a road sign, it was a rickety burnt out thing. Neither could make it out as the town behind it was obscured somehow as if some deep dark shadow covered it.

Then Chaos appeared wearing a purple kings robe and a court jester hat. He held a purple colored staff made of redwood. The symbol on it was yin and yang. He floated above the warriors and glared downward at them as Xena return the sentiment with her own steely gaze.

He spoke with an arrogance, "Welcome Xena, Welcome Callisto, how's the service here."

Xena answered ever the one for wit, "I think an armless midget could do a better job."

Chaos relaxed his eyes as he replied in an unconcerned voice, "Sorry you feel that way, I'll have to employ a couple. Now welcome to my game. In order to move forward, all you must do is make it through this town. Easy I think."

Callisto asked the obvious question, "What's the catch?"

"You don't recognize this town Callisto?" Stated Chaos confidently. He snapped his finger and fire erupted covering the landscape with voices crying out. It illuminated the shape of the town. Callisto hit her knees, "Cirra."

Chaos laughed, "Add a bit of fire and suddenly it feels like home to you. As I said the both of you must advance through this town and make it to the other side." Chaos bowed arrogantly and then disappeared.

Xena tried to get Callisto to her feet but the distraught woman merely pushed her away. Xena understood what was wrong. Being face to face with her tragic past, Callisto was crippled before it. Xena tried again to usher her up. Callisto's anger fueled as she shouted, "Xena! You killed my family! Xena! Smell their flesh Xena! Did they deserve to die!"

Xena had an idea. She answered coldly, "Yes they did." Callisto lost her temper completely and chased after Xena screaming at the top of her lungs.

This was what Xena wanted as she ran into the burning village. The screams, the echoes. It seemed so real. Xena made it about halfway through when she stopped. She saw a herself watching proudly over the burning village. Xena honestly did not remember doing that. Then she realized, that it was her, somehow. Another version of her.

Chaos might have formed a creature based on her evil self. Callisto grabbed Xena from behind. Xena was knocked to the ground by the angry warrior as she pounded Xena's head with a rock, all to no avail as Callisto could not harm Xena.

Callisto then saw the Evil Xena. She looked down at the Xena she was beating and the Xena on the horse. Evil Xena shouted as she slashed two villagers who tried to stop her. The fell dying from the wounds they had received.

Callisto got off of Xena and ran towards Evil Xena. However she hit the magical barrier. Callisto shouted, "Noo!" She was like an angry child wailing at the world and it's injustice. She saw her child self escape from a burning house. Then the fire engulfed building. Her mothers screams overpowered all the other noises. Her sister cried out loudly. Callisto was again at her knees overcome with grief, crying meekly, "mommy." Xena noticed that the child Callisto was doing the exact same thing in the exact position, just mere feet away. Rocking back in forth on her knees with her arms over her chest crying.

Evil Xena prepared to take the army away, proud of what she had done, while leaving the town to burn. The house collapsed and the screaming of Callisto's parents stopped. Evil Xena looked at the child who had got up and stared at her. For Xena this was like a lightning bolt as she recalled this particular moment. Child Callisto shouted with anger "Why!" As did adult Callisto who was staring at Evil Xena with rage. Evil Xena kicked her horse and left breaking eye contact with the girl. Callisto was shouting loudly as Evil Xena left them behind, "Why! Whhhy! Why!" She fell again to her knees weeping.

Xena knew Callisto was incoherent at the moment. If she saw Xena she might attack again and not be able to stop. Xena took some cloth and from behind worked her hands until Callisto's eyes were covered. Callisto for her part was too lost in emotion to resist. She took Callisto's hand careful not to speak and walked with her out to the other end of the city. Xena couldn't help but see the young Callisto crying in the dirt, a reminder of painful time in Xena's mind. After they finally left the town Chaos appeared again.

Chaos said, "Well done Xena." Callisto removed the blindfold finally getting a grip on reality. She was still in rough shape however. Chaos continued, "As I suspected, for all the blood she has spilt, all the homes she burned. She still can't bare her past. Callisto you never accepted what happened. Instead you fight against it and fight everyone for it."

Callisto looked at him in anger, "You try it!"

Chaos continued, "No." He then turned to Xena and said triumphantly, "Xena did you like my creation. She is every bit like you were once upon a time. Wild, uncontrolled, filled with hatred. Your still like that at times. I've studied you. You kill more often and more gruesomely when people threaten the life of your precious Gabrielle. If you lost her, you might do it all over again.

That's a weakness. Your greatest one. You know when you were strongest? was when your forsook love."

Xena answered, "That Xena was a fool. She knew nothing of the truth. That Xena deserved to die."

Chaos replied coldly, "You deserve to die." Xena paused "Yes."

Chaos then examing Callisto closely, "You made it through, even though Callisto nearly had a mental breakdown. Callisto, for all your strength and skill you proved one thing to me. You're a little helpless child in the face of your past."

Callisto replied, "I don't care. You delight in torturing us."

Chaos answered "I'm the God of trial, so you will be tried. I'm the God of Choice so your choices will be analyzed, options will be put forward. Its my job, but your right I do enjoy this.

I do enjoy seeing the pain your eyes. Maybe it's the chaos factor. The thing about chaos is you never know what will happen. And anarchy, its fair. I will see you soon. Xena don't worry about your friend, she'll find you." He laughed as he teleported away.

Callisto turned to Xena as angry as ever. She said exuding her desire to mutilate and torture the warrior princess, "Xena, I will never stop hating you! You took everything from me! My family, my life! You Xena!" All Xena could ever do was nod in guilt.

In the midst of the rant the world changed around them. All the land was cut off accept a ten foot circle that enclosed them. Callisto tried to get free as Xena stared around. Xena said, "Chaos has trapped us here." She looked over at Callisto who was still trying to free herself. Xena tried to move away from the pedestal that appeared before her feet, but could not. They were stuck until chaos would release them.

Yes Evil Xena is an independent character who has a major role in this story.