Chapter 7: Not All There

"Aren't you just beautiful, just like your mother." Hercules cooed to Eve as she grabbed at the demigod's finger. She gripped in reflex and Hercules responded to the touch with a chuckle.

"And you've got her strength too." he stated as he smiled.

"So innocent and helpless, how could anyone be so heartless enough to hurt you." he remarked in sadness. Hercules hated being related to his Godly relatives. He always wondered how there could be mortals who had more morals and compassion than such powerful beings. The more he expected out of his family, the more he was disappointed.

Waking slowly from a fitful slumber, Iolaus' eyes slowly opened to the same scene he had been heartbroken by.

"Gabrielle, I hope you can hear me. I just wanted you to know that you are special to me. From the moment I met you, I've felt like there's been something there and if you wake up from this I hope we can give it a try." Iolaus pleaded.

"Hey Herc, do you think she'll get out of this?" Iolaus questioned in hope.

"I'm not sure Iolaus, but Xena will try her best to get her out of this, and I know that usually is more than enough to solve a problem." Hercules remarked as he patted Iolaus on the back.

Xena and Aphrodite appeared in the temple minutes later.

"You're back, how did it go?" Iolaus rushed. Xena slowly went towards Hercules and Eve and held out her hands as Eve reached for her mother.

"I started a brawl between the Thebans and the Spartans. Hopefully the breaking of a truce is enough to inspire some bloodshed." she responded, suddenly her conscience made a momentary come back seeing Eve. "I hope the bloodshed won't be in vain. I also tried to convince Corinth that now would be a good time to break ties with Sparta, but General Ageus didn't seem too convinced." She informed.

"Xena, maybe we should consider letting Gabrielle make her decision about Ares? We can convince her not to join with him and that we can find another method to keep Ares from Eve after she turns him down." Hercules suggested as Xena hugged Eve to her shoulder. Hearing the suggestion, Iolaus was irate.

"How dare you guys even consider that, you know Gabrielle would give up her happiness for you Xena, it won't matter what you say." He jumped up from his place beside Gabrielle and slammed into the temple doors on his way out to fresh air.

"I probably shouldn't have suggested that in front of him. He has a bit of a crush on Gabrielle." Hercules said in remorse.

"Who doesn't?" Xena responded with a shy smile.


"Like it or not, I'd rather have an alive Gabrielle than a dead Gabrielle." Iolaus mumbled to himself.

"Maybe I was a little to hard on both of them." he decided. He began to return to the temple when he noticed a ruckus towards the village. Lines of soldiers were in formation and weapons and animals were being gathered. A soldier came rushing by handing out shields and Iolaus halted him with his arm.

"Excuse me. What is going on?" Iolaus asked.

"Haven't you heard? Corinth, Argos, Athens, and Thebes have decided to form an alliance against Sparta, the council is meeting in Corinth on their way to attacking Sparta." the hop-lite answered.

Iolaus eyes grew wide in surprise, "I guess Xena's power of suggestion was enough." Iolaus announced to no one in particular.


In the Elysian fields, Hades was enjoying a nice dinner with some newly made friends as a guest of honor. He was about to bite into his leg of lamb when a familiar face interrupted the feast.

"Lord Hades you are needed back at the throne room, we seem to have an influx of deaths." Charon informed the dark God. Hades adopted an outraged look and snapped his fingers to materialize himself out of the dinner into his throne.

"That was the shortest vacation I've ever had, I should have known better than to listen to Ares. Nephew you will pay this time. I let you off easily the last time you crossed me. You'll learn not to cross me again. Starting with our deal." The God immediately released the soul he had been holding in return for his rest.


In the dark of the mountain terrain the sounds of clashes of spears and shields traveled over the air. Several phalanxes of Spartan forces were struggling to fight against many support forces fortified by Corinth and Athens. Several shouts over the battlefield signaled a spear thrust. Several Spartans were pierced on their sides resulting in shouts of agony. Blood scattered over the terrain, drenching the grass in dark red life force.

"What in Ares' name is going on?"the Spartan leader exclaimed in confusion as he saw several phalanxes moving in from many directions. The truce had been broken candle marks ago and this was an unwelcome turn of events. Ares appeared in front of the leader.

"What happened to the troops, I told you to get these dead warriors home!"

The leader genuflected, "Lord Ares, we were in the truce when a brawl broke out, and before we knew it, these forces appeared." Ares' brow crinkled in anger and crackles of energy spurted from his body.

"That harpy, I know she's got her hand in this." Ares growled.

To be continued in chapter 8