Trials and Tribulations

I don't own Xena and I forgot the disclaimer.

I've reedited this chapter for you, the reader. That you can have a better story to read.

Gabrielle forcibly trained with Aphrodite Goddess of war. Gabrielle parried with a sword as she struck at Aphrodite. Aphrodite shouted frustrated with the mortal blonde woman's failure to adhere to one of her lessons, "No, like this! You mean to tell me you travel with Xena but you don't know how to use a sword?" Aphrodite examined the outfit that she put on Gabrielle.

It was a single black leather short skirt. Lines of cloth diagonally crossed her mid section connecting the top to the bottom. Her boots went up to her knees and they to were black with a sexy sleek look, yet designed for balance and support of Gabrielle's heels. She may now be Goddess of war but she retained her sense of style from her love days. All she did was just meld the old with the new.

Gabrielle said, "Aphrodite. Why are you helping him."

She replied, "Duh, he gave me a new lifestyle and my own chosen to play with. Enough talk, now parry!" Gabrielle managed to block a strike from a sword as Aphrodite pressed home the lesson.

8

Xena and Callisto was now within reach of Hades' castle. Callisto mused aloud "I wonder where the three headed beast is?" It was a good question that was quickly answered. A massive form appeared, covered in black fur. Its heads were like pit bull heads and saliva dripped from each of its mouths as it growled at the pair of warriors that stood before him. Callisto said "let me guess, fluffy?" Xena ignored the smart ass comment as she pulled out her whip, "Stay back!"

Callisto unsheathed her sword with her right hand removing her dagger with her left. The dog's six yellow eyes stared them down. Right now both Xena and Callisto were wishing they weren't bound to one another as it would limit their much needed movement here.

One dog head bit at Xena fiercely as she struck it with her whip. She commanded "Get back!" The dog bit at a Callisto next as she swung her sword scratching it on the nose. They were in a standoff. Callisto had an idea. She sheathed her weapons. Xena surprised asked, "Callisto what are you doing?"

Callisto replied trying to reassure Xena, "Trust me."

Xena scoffed, "Trust you?"

Callisto rolled her eyes saying, "Forget it."

Callisto slowly approached the dog. The dog, growling was about to bite at her. She said gently, "Hey. Hey! Easy." She looked at Xena saying, "Sheath your sword." Xena looked at her like she was crazy but she sheathed her sword anyway. The head with the sliced nose seemed particularly angry. Callisto said in a kind voice, "Did I do that? I'm sorry." She put her hands on her chest trying to get across that she was sorry.

The dog heads looked ready bite, however the right one slowly lowered itself to Callisto's level. She lovingly touched the side of its nose. Xena could not believe this was the same Callisto. Then the other two heads lowered to her and she petted them as well. Callisto said, "Xena, come very slowly and keep you distance." Xena walked carefully around the three headed dog. Callisto slowly shifted towards the other side. The dog dropped its large body to the ground. She slowly petted at as they moved to the other side.

Soon they reached the other side of the dog and Callisto stopped petting. As the left the dog heads whimpered. She said calmly "Don't worry, I'll be back. Be good boys." They left. Callisto looked at Xena wanting to be thanked for getting them through a touch situation. Xena replied coarsely, "Thanks."

Callisto said "I always had a thing for dogs when I was little. Big mean ones that scared people. I had one named Severus."

Xena asked, "What happened to him?" Callisto replied somewhat sadly, "He died when I was eleven."

Xena lowered her head, "Let me guess he died when I came with my army."

Callisto replied, "Actually no. He was snakebit about a month before." Xena understood, snakes claimed many of her soldiers lives. Xena felt strange, these two were actually bonding. No it couldn't be. They despised each other intently. Xena dismissed the idea.

They continued on towards Hades Castle ready for anything. They were in its grounds when Chaos above them appeared saying "Well done Callisto. I knew you both would make it here. Didn't expect the dog to survive though or you to calm it. Far as I know, no one has ever done that before, except Hercules. I finally get to test my special guard. I have stolen knowledge of fighting from you both, Ares and several others. And to make it worse, I've revived the great Achilles to lead them. You'll fight him later, now meet my soldiers." Chaos floated well above them watch the fight.

Four guards appeared. Callisto replied "You only have four men to face us two? You must be joking." Chaos replied "Jokes on you."

Xena unsheathed her sword with that 'love of battle' smile on her face. Callisto screamed as she prepared to fight. A guard drove at Xena full force. She deflected the blow and shot back with her sword but guard deflected her attack. Xena took another shot swinging for the guard but parry and the soldier nearly took her head with a swing from the sword. Xena was forced back as the soldier skillfully parried her every move.

Callisto tried to stab a soldier but her sword caught his and he turned his wrist skillfully nearly hitting her, pulling back and then swinging an uppercut that Callisto sidestepped, however her shoulder got cut slightly in the exchange.

Xena's shoulder bled to as a result of Callisto's wound. Xena tried to parry and managed to hold a soldier off who struck at her chest. She pulled back loosening her Chakram and threw it at one of the guards. She looked stunned as he caught it. Callisto stood motionless as well seeing the soldier catch the chakram.

The guard who caught it passed it to another guard who caught it with ease. Chaos was laughing manically as the soldier threw the chakram at Callisto who managed to as Xena then caught the chakram. Xena yelled, "Callisto throw your dagger!" She threw her dagger at one man while Xena threw her chakram. The chakram impacted the dagger sending the dagger away from it's intended target who stood prepared to catch and instead into the throat of another guard who was not prepared. Callisto caught the chakram as it came back to her.

Chaos, enjoying the battle shouted, "Nice!" A purple light hit Xena's head and then it reverberated into the heads of the three surviving guards. "That should stop that from happening again." Callisto had an idea, she looked at Xena who nodded in agreement. Callisto threw the chakram at Xena. Xena caught it and threw it back. They did this several times at such speed that the guards stopped to watch.

Then when Xena threw it at Callisto, Callisto hit it with her sword sending it towards guard. The chakram bounced off the helmet of the guard, dazing him, and then it bounced off the wall behind him. Then it planted itself into the back of the neck of the guard, killing him. A guard removed the chakram and prepared to throw it at Xena. He bounced it off the floor at such strength that Xena just barely caught it inches before her neck.

She put it away for the time being. As the two remaining guards circled each other Xena and Callisto stepped back to back from one another. Each with a sword. The guards struck first as Xena and Callisto blocked the blows. They locked sword with their opponent.

Xena had her sword knocked away and she in turn knocked her opponents sword away. They were now fighting bare handed. They crossed fists deflecting each as they both tried for the money shot. Then he hit her leg with a pressure point shot. Xena's mouth was open from the pain. She used her own skill to undo it. She had noticed Callisto suffered from the same injury. Xena said to the guard, "So you know pressure points."

Callisto tried to fight off each blow but continued to have difficulty as Xena's injury from the pressure point nearly got Callisto decapitated but she managed to avoid it. As she fought on, her opponent with his left hand hit her in the neck. The flow of blood was cut off from her brain. As Xena's nose began to bleed she fell back as her defenses fell from the impact of the pinch.

Callisto too fell back as she suffered the affects of the pinch, being easier to undo the pinch on another person, Xena struck the two points on Callisto's neck which had the affect of taking the pinch off of both of them. The guard swung his sword skillfully at Callisto, but she managed to counter with a slight slash to the upper arm. Callisto like a shark, smelled the blood in the water. She screamed loudly as she drove her sword at the wounded guard.

Callisto hit his sword with such force he staggered back from the blow. Callisto was loaded with adrenaline as she struck the soldier again and again. The guard fell against the way but managed to keep his sword up as Callisto struck again, this time removing his sword hand. She did a twist with her sword and removed the mans head in one strike.

The blood spilled onto the stone floor as she moved to help Xena. With their combined efforts the were able to overwhelm the last guard. With one final strike Xena stabbed him in the heart as Callisto sliced his throat. He shot blood on to the stone wall as he fell over dead.

Chaos flew around the sky. "Impressive! You both are too good!"

Xena replied a bit tired, "You said they were talented."

Chaos replied "They are talented. Never has a fight with four simple guards been this difficult for you two, I'm sure. Go free Hades if you wish, if you can get by my champion. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" He left.

Callisto looked at Xena and said, "Just because we work well together, don't get any ideas. When we get free, I will kill you."

Xena replied in solid agreement with Callisto, "Don't worry, I didn't." Callisto for all her evil and anger didn't believe her own words. She hated Xena, however now because of the working of a rouge God, they were now compatriots on the battlefield. They entered Hades castle to face the legendary Achilles. The man who has been called the greatest warrior in Greek history.