Meanwhile, the other Xena stood staring at her younger brother, transfixed.
"What's the matter, Xena? Don't you know me? Or is it just that you're still feeling guilty for getting me killed? Then again, you can always blame it on him." He pointed toward Ares.
Xena looked over her shoulder at the former god of war. "He didn't kill you. Cortese's men did."
"But I never would have fought if it hadn't been for you and your lust for Ares."
"I didn't know Ares back then!" Xena shouted, through tears that were forming.
"Didn't you?" Lyceus shot back. "I think you did. Intimately. Maybe you didn't know his face yet, but you were always his willing and humble servant. No, not just his servant. His whore." He spat out the word.
Xena was pale. "What? Lyceus, no! Why are you saying this?"
"Blood is thicker than water, Xena."
Suddenly, she was remembering that day again, the feel of the sword in her hand, the hot blood streaming from the bodies of Cortese's men, and all the while . . . a presence. Ares. It was as if she were living in that moment again, yet looking back on it at the same time, as in a dream. She spun around.
"You! You used me. And I let you. I wanted you and all the power you had to offer. And my own brother paid for it with his life."
Ares, shocked, tried to reply. "Xena – I – I didn't – it – wasn't your fault!"
A mask of rage slipped over Xena's face. "That's what you always say. You'll say anything to get me back, won't you? As your Warrior Princess!"
Lyceus' eyes danced as he watched this exchange. And then he was gone. As Xena looked back toward her brother, she saw no one.
"Hercules!" A slender brown-haired woman stepped out from behind the cover of trees.
"Serena?" Hercules ran forward to meet her, his face contorted with pain, confusion and concern. "What are you doing here?" Serena had been his wife once, but Ares had had her killed and had framed Hercules for her murder; later, Hercules changed fate with the help of the Chronos Stone. Serena had gone on to marry someone else and had no memory of him.
She spoke to him. "It's me! I . . . I remember everything now. It's so strange. I was your wife. I loved you. I still love you."
It was Hercules' turn to stare. "But how is this possible? I altered fate to save you from . . . Ares." He glared over at his half-brother. "How can you remember me?"
Serena looked at him lovingly. "Oh, it's easy to remember now that I've crossed over to the other side."
"The other side? But you were alive! I saw you in the village!" Hercules was thoroughly confused by now, and his heart stung him with every look at his former wife.
"I know. I was married. I had a child. I was content. And then, one day, Ares came back for me. He said he wanted me back, and that he wasn't going to let you come between us anymore."
Hercules grabbed Ares by the neck. "What have you done?!" he screamed in his face.
"When I refused to go with him, he stabbed me through the heart." Serena spoke the words calmly, and the hint of a smile flitted across her lips.
Ares' eyes widened in shock. "She's lying! I never went near her!"
Serena went on. "It's true. Why weren't you there to protect me, Hercules?" Hercules turned back to look at her with a wounded look in his eyes.
"I . . . I didn't know! How could this happen?"
"Of course, it never would have happened if Xena had just gone back to him like he wanted. Ares was just taking his jealousy out on me." She pointed accusingly at Xena. Xena shook her head in confusion. How did I get dragged into this?
"But you know whose fault it really is, Hercules, darling? It's yours. If you hadn't defied the gods and angered your brother Ares, he never would have killed me. It's your fault. Just as if you'd stabbed me with your own hand." At that moment, blood started gushing forth out of Serena's chest as from a stab wound, and she fell prostrate on the floor.
Hercules dropped Ares and ran to his beloved. By the time he got to her, she was cold and limp.
"You bastard!!" Hercules ran at Ares and knocked him over.
Ares fought back, trying to ward off his brother's blows. "Serena's alive, I swear it! I never touched her!"
Xena looked on without really seeing anything. Her thoughts were with Lyceus. Then she suddenly envisioned his face getting larger, taking up the whole landscape. His eyes were like black pools of nothing. He was laughing at her now. He was enjoying the scene before him.
"Blood is thicker than water." Her eyes began to focus again. "Ares! Hercules! Stop fighting! Stop it! Our hatred is only fueling Dahak's power!
They both looked up at Xena, as if they had just woken up from a dream. "Lyceus and Serena . . . Dahak took on their forms to get us at each other's throats. Dahak feeds on chaos, hatred, destruction. The only way we can defeat him is if we forgive each other. It's love! That's the answer. The same immortal blood is running through your veins. You're going to have to stop him together!"
Ares and Hercules looked at each other, unsure. Then Ares looked at Xena. "Love, huh? Well . . . it's worth a shot."
Hercules stood up, pulling his half-brother with him. "I'm supposed to love you? After all you've done?"
Ares smiled mockingly at him. "You've got no choice, bro."
x x x
Suddenly, they were no longer outdoors. They were in a pitch-black room. It was impossible to tell how big.
"Great." Ares fumbled in the dark, and his hands reached something round and metallic.
"Get your hands off those," Xena whispered.
"Sorry." Ares grinned in the darkness.
Hercules searched for a light, but found none. He did, however, find Ares' nose. "Ow!"
"Oops." It was Hercules' turn to grin.
"You two have got to stop this," Xena said, like a mother to naughty children.
Ares yelped. "He started it."
"What about you two? Have you learned to love each other yet?" Hercules asked sarcastically.
The darkness made no reply.
Then Ares did something that shocked even himself. "Uh . . . Jer- I mean, Hercules? I just wanted to say . . . about Serena . . . I'm s- . . . I'm so-. . . I'm sorry, okay?" He rushed the last words out. "Now I know how she feels – hunted by the gods. I . . . it was wrong of me to try to possess her. I realize that now. She belongs to herself." Ares felt his hand being squeezed. Xena knew he wasn't just talking about Serena.
Hercules turned to where he thought Ares must be standing. "Do you swear Serena is alive?"
"Last time I checked."
"And you promise never to harm her again?"
"Deal."
"Then . . . I . . . good. Then we understand each other." It was the best Hercules could do at accepting Ares' apology.
x x x
Gabrielle stepped back in shock, but it was too late. A wire mesh cage dropped from the ceiling to cover her. She tried to teleport herself away, but found that she couldn't. She touched the cage, and a shock went through her body, knocking her on her backside.
"Surprise! This cage was designed to hold a god. And Dahak's been wanting to have a little chat with you quite some time now."
"Whatever you've got planned, forget about it. Dahak is about to die." She didn't sound at all sure of herself.
Althea laughed unpleasantly. "Die? Ha! Dahak can't be killed. Especially not by some weak, pathetic mortals!"
"You obviously don't know my friend." Gabrielle grinned, unable to help herself.
Her smile died on her lips when she saw what Althea held in her hand.
x x x
"Xena, you're coming with me."
"Forget it, Callisto! You're dreamin'!"
"Oh, am I? I don't think so. Not when I know where your precious dagger is hidden."
Xena's eyes widened. "My dagger? You stole it, you witch! I want it!" She began to grab Callisto by the throat.
Callisto's bonds fell from her hands. "Ah-ah-ah, Xena. Not so fast." She waved her finger at the raven-haired woman.
"How'd you do that?"
"Let's just say you're not the only one with many skills. Now let's go."
"I can't! I have to stay here and prepare the sacrifices."
Callisto raised an eyebrow, as if pitying her. "Don't be a fool. As soon as all this is over, you'll be thrown on top of the pyre with everybody else."
Xena looked miserable. "Hey! Althea promised me I'd be queen of Greece if I did what she wanted!"
"Poor dear. Don't you know what Dahak does to people who've outlived their uses? Ares, the one from the other realm, betrayed his family and sided with Dahak. He lost his godhood and now he's nothing more than a pawn, hunted like an animal. Dahak doesn't reward loyalty any better than treason. Besides, I have something in mind that's far more powerful than your silly little dagger."
x x x
Xena and her companions were still trapped in the dark, unable to locate any walls, doors, or anything else that might indicate where they were or how to get out. A silence fell among them for a moment as they thought about where they were and how to get out.
Ares thought about his apology to Hercules. It dawned on him that maybe the big lug hadn't deserved all the stuff he'd put him through, especially with Serena. He's not such a bad guy, even if he is totally obnoxious. Zeus had always favored Hercules, but then, he hadn't exactly had an easy time of it, what with good old Hera's insane jealous streak and all. Now that I'm mortal, I guess I know how it feels . . .
Xena was thinking about Ares. Could this actually be the same Ares who had tried to get her to kill her own mother? He actually apologized. To Hercules.
Hercules was a little dazed by what was happening. His world seemed to have turned itself on its ear. Zeus, his immortal father, was dead, Hera (at least the one from this realm) was on his side, and his hated half-brother, Ares, was actually apologizing for something instead of trying to have him killed. What a week.
While they were thinking these thoughts, Ares noticed something. The darkness was being penetrated by a faint glowing – and it was coming from his own chest. He looked down. The medallion. It was pulsating with a pale blue light, and it felt warm against his skin. The others had noticed it, too, by now, and he took it off to examine it.
"What's it doing?" Xena asked, warily.
"I don't know. It just started doing that."
Hercules piped up. "There's something carved on it. Let me see!"
Ares held his medallion up so that all three of them could see. On one side twinkled tiny blue lights in a pattern that seemed familiar.
"It's Castor and Pollux! It's a constellation!" cried Hercules.
"You're right – but what does it mean? Twins?" Xena queried.
"I don't know. But the other side has something on it, too." Ares flipped the medallion over. The threesome saw there the outline of a male figure, winged and blindfolded, and he carried a bow and arrow. "Cupid! Wait, what? What does Cupid have to do with Castor and Pollux?"
"Well, if Castor and Pollux represent twins, then Cupid represents love," Xena answered.
Ares looked at Xena in the dim but increasing light. "Love? Could be." He winked.
Ares flipped the medallion over again. "Wait, there's an inscription! I can barely make it out, but it looks like it says . . . 'Blood is . . . thicker than water.'" Ares looked up at Xena, now more puzzled than before.
"It sounds like a riddle . . ." Xena said.
"Or instructions," Ares countered.
"Twins . . . blood . . ." Xena murmered. "No – not twins – brothers! Your blood!"
Ares gulped. "Our blood? Uh, Xena, I'm kind of attached to mine, thanks."
Xena pulled out the breast dagger and handed the small blade to Ares. "Just a little bit won't hurt – much."
"Fine." Sighing, Ares cut himself on the fingertip and smeared some of the blood on the medallion. "Care to give it a try, 'bro'?"
Hercules took the knife from Ares and sliced his palm. Still the tough guy, thought Ares. The demigod wiped some of his blood onto the medallion, mingling it with Ares' own.
"Great. Nothing's happening," Ares complained.
Xena furrowed her brows for a moment. "That's only half the riddle. Turn it back over."
The image of Cupid, god of love, met them placidly.
"Well, now what? Don't tell me we have to kiss each other, too." Ares looked perplexed.
"I don't think that's what it means. Cupid is the god of erotic love. And it doesn't seem like that's the case with you two." Xena grinned impishly.
"Ha. Ha."
x x x
The rebel leader looked worried. He and his band of fighters were still about a half-mile from the palace. His scouts had reported that strange things had been seen going on in the vicinity of the palace, and that people were gathering outside. A large fire had been lit, and an enormous funnel cloud seemed to be hovering over the area.
"We've got to get there fast. If Xena and her friends are in trouble, they'll need our help to keep Althea's worshippers from getting in the way. Plus, I have a feeling Althea's got more than a friendly barbecue planned for tonight."
The other Joxer, who had been told to stay by his side, was feeling very anxious. Not only was he going along with his double on what was probably a suicide mission, and his friends had disappeared. Gabrielle had left hours ago. What happened to them?
The group of men and women, all prepared for battle and expecting to be attacked at any moment, pressed on toward the castle.
x x x
Gabrielle, panic-stricken, looked at the cult leader. Althea held a dagger in her hand. Gabrielle recognized it. The Hind's Blood Dagger! "What are you doing?"
"I just want you to know I have you right where I want you. And that I won't hesitate to kill you if you get in my way. You may be the mother of Hope, but you've already betrayed the goddess more than once. Dahak won't always be so forgiving."
"What – are you going to do with me?"
"I haven't decided yet. But what better way to usher Dahak into the world than with the sacrifice of the goddess who sought to destroy him? The one with whom he shared a daughter? What could be more . . . perfect . . . than that?"
"You're sick."
"Sick? What do you know about it?" Althea's face twisted into an angry snarl, and she moved as if to strike the blonde goddess, if only the metal cage hadn't been between them.
Gabrielle's eyes narrowed. "What did you do? Before you became a crazy cult leader for Dahak, I mean."
Althea bellowed in rage. "What did I do? You want to know what I did?" Her voice was a scream now. "I used to be nothing! NOTHING! Just like you! Before Dahak, I had nothing! Just a stupid little family and a stupid little farm, with a bunch of stupid villagers who knew nothing about power, or glory, or –"
"Murder?" Gabrielle interjected.
Althea cooled off. Her voice became a hollow whisper. "Yes. Now that you mention it." She seemed to recall what she was supposed to be doing. "That's enough. Guards!" Two men entered the room. "Take her to the circle."
x x x
Callisto and Naughty Xena were making their way down a long, dark, deserted corridor. Xena obviously didn't want to be seen with her new companion. They finally made their way out of the castle through a secret door that led to the stables.
"Do you really think this is gonna work? 'Cause if it doesn't . . ." Xena waved a fist menacingly at the blonde woman.
Callisto looked determined. "It will. It has to."
x x x
Xena, Ares and Hercules were able to see more clearly now. The room was still dim, but they were able to make out the gray stone walls of an enormous room. No torches lined them, so the medallion still had to suffice as a light source. Finally, as they walked they spotted a rounded wooden door. Hercules stepped up to it first and tried the handle. It was unlocked, so they stepped through.
"That was easy," Hercules remarked.
"Yeah – just like walking into a trap," Xena muttered.
They found themselves in another room lined with gray stone, only this time, it was much smaller, and very well-lit. In one corner sat what appeared to be a throne with a man sitting on it. He was richly dressed, with dark brown hair and black, glittering eyes. His face was handsome, but cold. He stood up as they entered and clapped his hands together.
"Well, well. I'm very glad to have you as my guests. The famous – or should I say infamous – Xena, Warrior Princess, Ares – god – oh, I'm so sorry, ex-god – of war, and Hercules, Zeus' son – my, how silly of me – bastard son. It's been so long since I've had company. Of course, you must excuse me, I've been terrible busy this evening. But I always make time for such honored guests as yourselves." He smiled.
"Dahak." Xena hissed out the name.
"I see you know me? I'm flattered." The man gave a mocking bow.
"I'm sorry. I meant to kill you!" Xena charged at the man, drawing the Dagger of Helios. He made no motion to evade her. Xena lunged forward and struck her weapon through his chest. Her eyes widened. The dagger had gone right through him, leaving him unharmed. He raised his arms in front of him, then pulled them out to the sides in a jerking motion. Xena shot back to her companions from an invisible jolt. A wind seemed to be gathering from around the sides of the room, and began to whirl around them, picking up speed.
"We can't kill him with these weapons, Xena! We've got to find something else!" Ares yelled.
Hercules bellowed, "Hera said the right weapon would present itself when the time came!"
Ares looked down at his chest. His medallion was glowing brightly now, pulsating faster. Suddenly, he grabbed the breast dagger from Hercules and tossed it to Xena, along with his medallion. Something in the look they exchanged indicated that she understood what he wanted her to do.
Hercules had decided to make another run at the man, if for no other reason than to buy them some time. Dahak obviously isn't going to fool around for long. He drew back his fist, ready to deliver a punch to the abdomen, and something unexpected happened. He made contact!
Dahak went flying backward onto his back. He looked stunned. "This isn't possible!" Then he regained his bravado. "Don't fool yourselves into thinking you have a chance. Bow down to me now, and I'll spare your pathetic mortal lives! Otherwise, your blood and the blood of your friends will bathe the earth when I come into my kingdom!"
Ares smiled determinedly as he and Xena rushed into the fight. "Blood runs hardest when love is involved."
x x x
As Gabrielle was being led from her prison, she could hear the chanting hit a crescendo. Even though she knew it to be useless, she pulled at her chains, never taking her eyes off the dark nimbus whirling around the high tower of the castle. Suddenly, the guards went flying as a force emanated from her being.
Looking down Gabrielle noticed the faint blue sparks leaving herself and gathering around her one by one until their brightness was too much. She lifted her hand to shield her eye only to hear the clank of metal as Hephaestus' handy work hit the floor.
"What in Zeus'..." she began as the Orbs of light circled her before heading towards the nimbus, where Dahak prepared to make his entrance.
x x x
"Do you think that just a few punches will save your world from me?" Dahak said as he roughly wiped the spittle off his lips. "Nothing can stop me!! I am DAHAK!!" He raised his hand, sending Hercules against another wall.
"A little help, here!!" Hercules yelled and looked toward his companions, only to gasp in amazement at what he saw happening.
"No!!!!!, " Dahak screamed, the sound resonating through the chambers as he witnessed the beginning of his demise. The orbs of light that had stripped the bard of her powers began to encircle the forms of The God of War and the Warrior Princess as they held the medallion between their joined hands.
"No, I will not let you!" he screamed, and threw a fireball at the force field surrounding the two. It only made the power wrapped around them go faster and faster as it grew brighter until finally the orbs shot through Xena's midsection and into Ares.
With a grin on his face Ares formed a bolt of lightening and saying, "Blood is thicker than water," he released the bolt, " and it runs deepest when love is involved"
x x x
Dahak shrieked as the crackling bolt buried itself in his chest and staggered erratically.
Ares turned to his companions and grinned triumphantly. "Hah!" he shouted over the gurgling screams, "how do you like—"
His victory speech was cut short by the impact of a fist to his side, sending him flying into a stone wall.
"Ares!" Xena turned to the crumpled figure, but a hard hand closed around her throat and lifted her off of the ground.
Dahak bared his teeth at her, his free hand lightly brushing his robes. "Just kidding," he drawled, "I can't count how many of those puny little bolts Zeus tossed at me before I killed him."
"Not—not possible," Ares huffed, using the wall to push himself up to his feet. "Zeus was killed by a mortal!"
Dahak shrugged. "The idiot came to my realm with some big plans to defeat me or something. Guess your rules don't work all the time." He nodded to Ares, as if in concern, "How are you liking that poison, by the way? I designed it. Perfect for annoying godlings. It's eating at your flesh as we speak. Can't feel half of your body anymore, can you?"
"Oh?" Ares smiled through tightly gritted teeth. "I feel great. The stuff's rejuvenating."
"Ahh," Dahak said, "You're using your powers to hold it back. Too bad you don't have enough coordination to remove that dart."
"Why…" Xena's voice was barely a croak, and her hand was white as she gripped Dahak's hand, preventing him from crushing her neck. When Dahak turned his attention to her, she continued. "—do all you evil bastards like—" she raised her hand, and the breast dagger glinted for a moment under the strong lights, "—this neck-grabbing thing so much!" She struck like a snake, the sharp point tearing into Dahak's cheek.
"Aagh!" Dahak screamed and dropped the warrior princess to clutch at this face.
"Hercules!" Xena yelled hoarsely at the demigod, who was getting to his feet, shaking his head to rid his vision of the fuzziness that Dahak's last blow before he'd been hit by Ares' bolt had created. He looked up and quickly began to head toward Xena.
"No, help Ares!"
"But—" He protested.
"Now!"
Satisfied that Hercules was following her orders, Xena doubled Dahak over with a hard kick to the stomach and raised her sword, ready to slice through his exposed neck.
"Wait!" Dahak flung out a hand and lifted his head.
Xena froze in surprise.
It was Ares' face, looking up at her with blood dripping out of a ragged wound on his cheek.
The idiot thinks he can trick me just by using Ares' face, Xena thought contemptuously as she rolled her eyes and raised her sword again. Suddenly, some hard pressure settled on her shoulders, and the room seemed to spin wildly and blur while the figure in front of her filled in and became increasingly solid.
"Xena," it said mournfully.
She narrowed her eyes, confused. It was hard to think.
"I trusted you, Xena. I thought you cared about me."
She lowered her sword uncertainly as the form straightened up. She heard Ares' voice coming from Ares' mouth. Ares' eyes. Fragments of thoughts appeared and disappeared as quickly as sparks.
"I loved you, Xena. Did you know that? That's why I came to you."
Ares' shape stepped closer to her. "I came to you because I needed you. I loved you."
"Ares?" Her tongue felt huge and clumsy in her mouth, and she fought to remain standing.
"Are you going to kill me, Xena? Don't you love me?"
"I—I…"
He was right in front of her now, and he took her hand in his, leaning forward so that his lips were close to hers. Warm. Her eyes threatened to close.
"Let's forget about Dahak and go back. I don't need to be a god. I want to spend my life, live, be with you… I would rather die in your arms than live forever without—Ugh!"
The shape sprouted a dagger hilt in its temple, and Ares' voice sliced through the wool in her head.
"Snap out of it!"
Xena watched 'Ares'' body fall to the floor, then looked at the blood that trickled off her fingertips.
"I'm right here, Xena!"
She saw Dahak's head flop to the side as he lay on the stone floor.
Shaking, Xena drew in deep breaths. The fresh air seemed so sweet after the pressure. She turned her head to look at Ares, who was standing, leaning heavily on Hercules and looking at her anxiously, and offered him a weak smile. She opened her mouth.
A blast of heat from behind her blew her hair up and into her face to flap wildly.
Whipping around, she watched as the crack that had appeared in Dahak's head near the dagger widened, and flames shot out into the air.
Cracks sped along the fallen body until it looked as if it was covered by a blazing net, and then it shattered like pottery. An enormous pillar of flame rose out of the shards, bellowing like a foghorn. Behind it, the floor trembled and buckled until a gaping hole broke open, red with heat and flame that licked up its sides. Streamers of fire erupted from the shape and whipped toward her.
Diving into a somersault, Xena let out a yell of frustration. "Why don't you ever stay dead?"
It roared and renewed its attack.
Xena dodged the flame whips, her face set with concentration. There were too many of them. A glancing blow caused her to hiss and a patch of skin on her arm to sizzle disgustingly.
Ares grabbed Hercules's arm when he tried to jump into the fight.
"What in Tartarus are you doing? She needs help!"
"She's much better at dodging those things than you will ever be. You'd just slow her down," Ares snarled back. "If you want to help, look!" He held up the blazing medallion. "I figured out how this thing works."
"I thought we—"
"Our love for each other? Forget it. Look, it's working now, and I don't feel any sort of affection," he spat out the word as if it were a curse, "for you. Twins are so close that they're like the same person right? They share everything. This thing's power isn't unlocked by our love for each other, but by what we share: our love for her."
Hercules began to sputter, "Love? You? Xe—"
Ares held his fist in his half-brother's face, threatening to punch him again. "We don't have time for this. Look at her! She's hurt! If it hits her anymore, she'll slow down, so hold this," he raised the medallion, "with me, and focus on her! Don't let her be hurt!"
Hercules touched the golden disc, and it shone so brightly that he had to avert his eyes. He turned to look at Xena, seeing her move faster, her sword a blur as she slashed at the flaming god whenever a chance was offered. Focus on her.
Her chilling war cry rang through the air as she began to beat Dahak back.
He nearly dropped the disc when the door beside him slammed open. Gabrielle stumbled through, caught her balance, and raised a hand to her mouth in horror.
Ares' arm shot out and pulled Gabrielle over to the two brothers. "Help us," he said. "This thing makes Xena stronger against Dahak."
Gabrielle noticed that he was leaning on Hercules's arm and holding his side. "You're hurt—"
"It uses love against hatred," Ares interrupted. "You love her, too. Touch it and will her to be stronger."
Determination filling her eyes, Gabrielle nodded, placed her hand next to his, and turned her face to Xena.
Brilliant sparks of blue, green, and yellow coruscated along the length of her sword. Xena glanced at it, feeling power pour into her.
A wide, feral smile on her face, she dove in between the now snail-slow whips, grasped the humming hilt with both hands, and thrust it deep into the heart of the flame.
Ear-splitting squeals filled the air. Dahak staggered, tongues of fire writhing in agony. They shriveled and winked out, leaving a fire-blackened, emaciated human form clutching at the gaping wound in his chest.
Xena frowned as she watched him double over and hack up thick clumps of blood. "You're Dahak?" she said.
Black stumps in a cracked, bleeding mouth formed a smile. "What?" He croaked. "Not what you were expecting? Having that one over there for your pet," bloody spittle sprayed, "shouldn't make you forget what petty, cruel bastards immortals are." He thrust his hips suddenly, hoarse laughter accompanying the vulgar gesture. "Like what you see? I was beautiful, beautiful as him," he pointed at Ares again, venom in every move, "and Chronos cursed me because Rhea loved me. Cursed me with immortality and fire. I'll eat him," Dahak snarled. "I'll rip out his guts and drink his brains!"
"Chronos is dead."
Dahak laughed until blood choked him. "I know. Bastard didn't even give me the pleasure of killing him. I'm going to kill his children. I'm going to dismember the Olympians, one by one, and then when they're in pieces, I'll drain their creations of blood. Every animal, every human, everything! I'll drink their blood until I'm alone in a black, empty world, and then I will laugh."
Slowly, Althea walked through the open door towards the small, black body. "What about me?" she said in a small voice. "You promised that I would never be lonely again for all the slaves fighting to serve me."
There was another gurgling laugh, and a sandpaper-like whisper, "I'll kill them all…" He reached out and grasped a handful of Althea's hair. She screamed in pain and clawed at the flaking arm.
"Dahak," Xena said sharply.
He looked up as she leapt, blade held horizontally. It bit deep into his throat, releasing a torrent of black, congealing blood. His head separated slowly from his torso while he toppled over backward into the flaming pit at his feet, and his flailing hand caught Xena's sword arm.
Althea screamed again as she fell with Dahak and Xena, disappearing quickly over the edge.
"Xena!" Ares rushed to the lip of the pit and leaned over as far as he could. Rolling flames spluttered and receded while he watched until the yawning abyss was cold and black.
It was so empty. He swallowed, disbelief and raw, thudding pain tearing at his insides.
"It's always a damned lava pit." A ghostly whisper drifted from the darkness, echoing slightly.
He drew in a sharp breath. "Xena?" he said quietly, afraid that if he spoke too loudly, the dream would end.
He started when a sooty hand shot out and closed around his gauntlet.
Xena hauled her torso up over the edge, blew her bangs out of her eyes, and said, "Yeah?"