THE KING OF KINGS

Demetrius felt the pain as a werewolf slammed in to his horse he was sent crashing to the ground as the animal skidded along the floor. He hit the floor hard on his side feeling the pain of the blow. He grabbed his sword tighter watching as the werewolf who'd knocked him off his horse came towards him jaws wide open.

The elite warrior was suddenly smashed full force by a sword which sent him crashing to the ground. Demetrius pulled up sharply watching as a sword came down on the elite warriors neck before it could raise its head, the blade twisted viciously. He looked up watching as the werewolf warrior slumped down dieing instantly.

He followed the sword up slowly meeting the gaze of a brown haired man dressed in rebel armour who grinned as he looked down at him. Thaddeus pulled his blade free in a swift motion. He grinned slightly showing off his growing canine teeth. "You must be Demetrius the leader of Messene." Demetrius pulled himself up slowly adjusting his helmet. "I am and you are?"

Thaddeus twirled his blade watching as Iris's fist met the face of the nearest foot soldier as she came up behind him. "Thaddeus second in command of the rebels it's good to finally meet you." Demetrius breathed in sharply. "Have you seen my wife? She's a red haired woman she would have red fur if she's changed." Iris swung her sword around. "I saw a red werewolf a minute ago she was tearing an elite warriors arm from his body. There was a centaur and an Amazon with her."

Demetrius shrugged slightly. "Yeah that sounds like her, where is she?" Iris raised a hand. "She's up there near Lycaon's catapults." Demetrius found himself moving faster. He found himself stopping as he caught sight of Xena who was moving in the opposite direction. The dark haired woman ignored him as she moved past.

Her hair was damp with sweat and she had an ice cold look in her eye. She was also covered in blood and none of it was hers. He could see it staining her bronze armour and dripping from her winged shoulder guards. Some parts of the armour she was wearing looked frightening despite that they looked very similar to her normal armour.

He eased up his hand only feel the woman who was with Thaddeus stop him. Iris turned quickly shaking her head. "Don't! She won't listen to you." Demetrius raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What? I don't understand?" Thaddeus swallowed watching as the Warrior Princess slammed her blade in to the throat of the nearest elite werewolf warrior.

"She's wearing Iseron she won't listen to you, she won't listen to us. She'll only listen to Horn Hind who you know as Gabrielle…" He watched as the sword was pulled free and the werewolf's dead body hit the floor. "She's very dangerous and she could snap at any moment." Iris breathed in watching as Lycaon's troops tried to bolt. "If she does snap she might attack any one friend or foe."

Demetrius watched as the Warrior Princess vanished in to the fray. He ducked down as three catapult projectiles fall around him their flames rising as they blew up. "We have to take out those catapults." Iris raised her sword, watching as the red werewolf came in to view, she was fighting two men close to the nearest of Lycaon's catapults.

They were at risk there own catapults were firing on them in a desperate attempt to hit Lycaon's. Demetrius looked at the woman next to him. "We haven't been introduced." Iris breathed in deeply before giving him a smile. "It's Iris, Thaddeus is my other half." Demetrius grinned as he ducked watching as more catapults balls landed around them. "Pleased, to meet you."

He suddenly bolted in to a run the others were at his side in an instant he watched as Lycaon's catapults fired again. They had one chance to do this and they'd have to make it count. He could still hear the roar of battle behind him, if they killed all the men firing Lycaon's catapults it could finally turn the tide of the battle. He gripped his sword tighter as he ran the horrified werewolf's who were trying to get away from his wife as well as Kyra who was on Erasmus's back.

8

Lycaon snarled aloud as he came forward he eyed the blonde werewolf who was still on the floor. "Ready to die?" Gabrielle looked up slowly watching as the werewolf king came closer to her. She felt her body stiffen. "Are you?" Lycaon sneered as he eyed her. "Your predecessor failed to defeat me in battle what makes you so sure that you will?"

Gabrielle felt her claws dig deeper in to the ground. "Because I hate you far more than he ever could, you made me harm my lover!" Lycaon laughed slightly. "I find your love of that human warrior distasteful. You belittle yourself with a human partner when could be so much more." Gabrielle slowly met his red gaze which looked like it was glowing in the fading sunlight. "I am more."

She felt all her muscles tense again. "I'm Horn Hind." Lycaon snarled aloud. "You could still join me, it's not to late…your predecessor was a great warrior just like you. Together we could lay waste to all who opposed us." Gabrielle eyed him she found herself laughing, she watched as his wide smile turned to a hateful scowl. "I have no interest in anything you have to offer…"

She stood up slowly. "You're a sick bastard who knows nothing of compassion or mercy. You just want to bend the world to your will and force your twisted ideals on to those who aren't as strong as you." She raised a clawed hand. "What disgusts me even more is that you were once human! You were just like those people you terrorise and call the weaker species!"

Lycaon took a step forward his roar hitting the air. "Human's are a disgusting species they stoned me out of my own city after Zeus turned me in to this form!" He shook his head. "I was the grand king of Acadia, I ruled all three regions!" He raised his clawed. "They took everything from me and left me with nothing. Humans are weak they deserve to be crushed they have no place in this world!"

Gabrielle took a slow step forward. "You're the one who's weak, if you truly believe that." Lycaon snarled aloud narrowing his gaze. "I am the father of the werewolf race, my children should adore and worship me for giving them life…they need me!" Gabrielle narrowed her gaze. "Haven't you leant yet that not all children want to be like their fathers?"

She lowered her ears. "Your children don't need you anymore! They haven't needed you in a hundred seasons! You're nothing but a pitiful relic to them of a dead age. They hate you…even those who have followed you only did it out of fear, not out of loyalty." Lycaon took a step closer. "You're just as much a pitiful relic Horn Hind you're only legendary because of me!"

Gabrielle felt her smile widen. "And if you die today I'll become forever immortalized in your children's hearts, while you fade away. I'll always have their love you'll only ever have their utter contempt." She could see his anger burning up as his clawed hand formed a fist. She felt her evil smile widen. "You'll just become a myth that hardly any one remembers."

Lycaon roared as he came forward he swung his clawed hand only to watch as she leapt to one side. He turned watching as she side stepped again, she didn't have his strength or his power so how did she hope to defeat him? Her predecessor had been able to move weapons with his mind but that had not been enough when they'd faced off.

All the wounds he had obtained he'd been able heal it had only felt him weakened and had forced him to make the mistake of retreating. That had been when his sons had tricked him and forced him in to Athena's prison. He could still see their smug faces and Horn Hind's as they'd ran though the huge door which had bolted behind them.

Gabrielle felt the pain as his clawed hand slammed in to her side before she could move. She found herself hitting the ground again only much harder this time. She slammed her clawed in to the ground stopping her self from tumbling any further. She looked down catching sight of one of his claw marks which was slowly healing up but much slower than normal.

Lycaon eyed the wound on the Horn Hinds side which slowly vanish she had the same power as him! Why would the armour give her that ability! He roared in anger watching as she pulled herself up on to all fours. It didn't matter if she was anything like him she could only take so much punishment before her ability began to weaken as well as her body.

Gabrielle shook her head slightly her gaze moved upwards to Lycaon's chest. She couldn't see anything beyond the werewolf kings armour plating which covered all of his chest but not his stomach which was heavily scared. The place where Kronos's rib had been placed was probably very deeply scared but out of her reach.

It was also high up on his chest, she'd have to get his chest plate off by breaking its leather straps at both the top and sides. Then all she'd have to do was rip him open if she could get close enough to him to do so. There was also the problem that if she did rip him open and get a hold of the Titan rib his skin could heal up before she got it free.

If it did so her hand would be stuck and she'd be no more than a stuck target, and he could wound her seriously with every blow. She breathed in deeply she could do this it was easy. She just had to focus and stay in control, which was getting harder. There were moments when she was beginning to feel like she was drifting.

She was in her body but looking out of it and not in complete control. She'd already had one of these moments just before she'd killed Iona by breaking her neck but she'd returned to her body. She lowered her ears trying to ignore the voices as they suddenly crashed through her thoughts. They were becoming more and more painfully and forceful in her mind.

There was something else though which had dawned on her and scared her, she couldn't feel her lover's presence anymore. She could normally feel her and she knew when she was around. Right now she couldn't feel anything and she had no idea where she was or even if she was alive. She breathed in deeply she had to be alive Iseron would keep her alive.

She felt her feet grip the ground as she leapt forwards her feet left the floor all at once as she opened her clawed hands. The next moments were filled with blinding pain as Lycaon's hand slammed in to her in mid flight. She felt the force as she was thrown backwards. She gritted her teeth as she crashed through a number of fallen banners breaking them.

She groaned in pain trying to clear the stars as she came to a stop. She could see more werewolf's bolting as they tried to get away from both her and Lycaon. Her gaze turned sharply a huge foot slammed in to the ground close to her head, she didn't think as she rolled over as the werewolf kings other foot came down slamming in to the floor were her head had been.

Lycaon snorted in disgust as he slammed his foot down faster than the horned werewolf could move, as she tried to side step on all fours. Despite her speed which was very quick she didn't have strength in her favour. Unlike her predecessor who had been all too much the opposite because of his metal bending power.

He watched as she was thrown full force her body came down slamming down hard on the baked earth a number of fallen tower shields were thrown upwards as her horns smashed in to them. He smiled moving towards her fallen form he could see she was trying desperately to clear her head by shaking it. He leaned forward getting ready to grab hold of one of her horns.

He cried out in pain as she grabbed on to his arm, her claws dug in as she leapt upwards. He roared only to feel more pain as she slammed her claws in further in to his arm as she dragged herself upwards. He didn't get a chance to think as she locked her jaws around his ear. He could feel blood flowing down his back as she ripped part of it off.

He made a grab for her leg only to feel her move out of his grasp as she slammed both clawed hands in to his exploded neck. Her claws scratched his shoulder guards as she got on to his upper back. Gabrielle didn't think as she slammed her horns sideways blood and fur flew through the air as the points cut through the werewolf king's upper mane to the soft flesh underneath.

She found herself ducking as both his clawed hands tried to grab at her she could feel his armoured shoulders jolting as her tried to get her off. She coughed trying to get rid of the blood from her mouth it tasted vile. His blood had tasted vile in his keep and it tasted even worse now it made her want to gag. It tasted like something that had died long ago.

She brought her head around slammed it in to the side of his face as he turned towards her. His howls of pain hit the air again as the antlers points dug in to his skin close to his right eye. She pulled her head back only to feel him grab on to one of her arms which had been with in his reach. She cried out in pain as she was thrown forwards.

She felt the air leave her lungs as her body slammed in to the ground bellow back first. The next moments turned to agony as he slammed his huge foot down on her chest full force. She felt her body spasm in pain as he put his full weight on to her, she could feel her own armour as it was pushed in to her chest, her lungs felt like they were burning as he pushed down even harder.

He suddenly pulled away sharply she didn't get a chance to think as his foot slammed in to her shoulder. She was thrown through the air only to feel pain as she crash landed slamming in to two batting werewolf's who were both knocked completely off their feet. She groaned in pain trying to move away from them as quickly as possibly as Lycaon ran towards her his jaws wide open.

8

Xena turned sharply as he gaze drifted across the battle field, she couldn't feel Gabrielle's presence anywhere. She winced in pain as the voices suddenly cascaded through her head as she tried to feel for her. She found herself screaming in anger as she drove her sword through the nearest elite warrior neck as he came at her.

She yanked the weapon free watching as the dead body slammed in to the floor next to her. Her gaze moved sharply as she caught sight of the Lycaon, the huge werewolf king was running forward full force, she suddenly felt her stomach muscles tighten she knew the feeling and what it meant. She found her self flitching in agony as the voices suddenly crashed through her mind again.

She felt her eyes snap open as she tried to ignore them which took far more effort to do now. She shook her head turning sharply only to watch as Lycaon grabbed hold of the two werewolf warriors. One was one of his own men while the other was from the rebel force both were thrown side ways like rag dolls. They crashed in to the ground on opposite sides of him sending fallen weapons flying.

She found herself running faster as Lycaon slammed out his foot kicking a fallen figure. She watched as her lover was thrown upwards with the force of the blow. Gabrielle's face was full of pain as she crash landed she heard the breaking of wood as she her lovers body landed. She snarled in anger as she pulled the Chakram free breaking in to a run.

She was going to kill the bastard! She ignored the sudden pain in her lower back as it suddenly fired up bringing her run to a limping crawl for a spilt second before she managed to pick up her pace again. She was such a fool, the armour had been blocking Gabrielle presence from her and she hadn't even realized it.

It had put images in to her head along with the need for violence and she'd been sucked in to it enjoying its addiction. Her lover was being seriously beaten in battle now by the werewolf king and she hadn't even realized it! She ran faster she still couldn't get rid of the need to bed the younger woman but that wasn't going to stop her and neither was Iseron trying to give her pain! She'd get what she wanted when Lycaon was dead.

8

Gabrielle could feel the blood as it ran down her jaw from a long cut which had been made by a fallen sword which had been left pointing upwards. She got painfully to her knees. She looked down at a spear which was embedded in her mid section she put her clawed hand around it pulling it free trying to ignore the pain as it came free.

She dropped the spear only to realize that a dark shadow was now looming over her. She turned but not quick enough to move as the Lycaon's fist slammed in to her face. She felt the floor as she slammed in to it side ways she could feel her body screaming in pain as her vision blurred. She shook her head trying desperately to get rid of the dazed feeling.

Lycaon's hand wrapped itself around her throat her body was slowly lifted up in to the air as everything came back in to focus. She could see Lycaon's eyes as they looked in to her own. The werewolf's king's crooked smile widened slowly as his red eyes narrowed. She found herself struggling trying desperately to get free.

She felt the agonizing crushing as his hand began to squeeze her feet were moving through nothing but air. The werewolf king lifted her up even higher using one clawed hand. With every passing moment she could feel his claws digging deeper in to her neck. He slowly moved his other hand up to one of her horns.

His huge hand grabbed on tightly wrapping around it she suddenly felt the pain as he began to pull on it. His blood dripping down her shoulder from the razor edges as he held on even tighter. The pain didn't bother him, she cried out in agony as he pulled harder on it. The pain was awful beyond words and she could feel it getting worse as he pulled harder.

It felt like her head was going to explode, she could feel her own blood as it dripped down her neck, only to feel her whole body spasm as the pain got worse. Her ear picked up as a whizzing sound hit the air it was low at first and then it just got louder and louder. She looked up sharply as the Chakram flew forward slamming in to Lycaon's eye full force.

"Let go of her you bastard!"

Gabrielle felt Lycaon's grip loosen as he let go she could see blood dripping from his eye as he roared in pain. Blinding pain hit her again as her body slammed in to the floor back first. She breathed in slowly and painfully as she turned watching as her lover caught the Chakram as it came back to her. The tall dark haired woman was covered in sweat and blood.

She could feel Iseron's presence which was much stronger than it had ever been, the air was thick with it and it made it shiver. The look in her lover's eyes didn't help matters. The blue eyes had completely iced over and there was a cold evil feeling radiating from them which wasn't helped by the psychotic expression on her lover face which was for the most part a cold sneer.

She moved back painfully feeling her bones crack back in to place as they healed along with the other wounds which stung as they closed up. Every time Lycaon had thrown her or she'd been kicked she'd felt at least one of her bones break. The truth was she couldn't take him down on her own as much as wanted to believe she could.

Xena eyed her weapon looking at the dark blood on it which was sticky and dripped off in the most disgusting manner. She turned seeing that her lover had backed up on all fours so she closer to her. She eased the Chakram back in to its holder as she pulled up her bloody sword coming closer to Gabrielle who was breathing very heavily. "Are you alright?"

Gabrielle breathed in feeling the final bone crack back in place she breathed out heavily. "I'm fine." Xena looked up slowly watching as the werewolf king took a slow step back. She could see the problem Gabrielle couldn't get to his chest it was covered with his heavy armour. The straps off which were on both his shoulders and his sides.

Lycaon stared at the Warrior Princess he could feel the dark presence again and it was so close that it made him gag slightly. He narrowed his gaze as he regained his composer…it was her! It was the Warrior Princess he could smell her scent mingled with the dark suit of armour. He breathed in deeply she was only human how powerful could she be?

Not as powerful as Horn Hind that had to be certain, Horn Hind's armour was Titan armour there were no others that he knew of. The only reason Gabrielle wasn't already died was because of the armour she was wearing. A lesser human or werewolf's couldn't take being thrown around like a rag doll or having there bones broken on every single landing.

No this other armour might be powerful but it couldn't be as powerful humans weren't power beings! Even their human looking gods were weak and very foolish. He had nothing to fear from this suit of armour which the Warrior Princess was wearing it. It was probably no more than broken Titan armour which one of the gods had shoved on the warrior woman in desperation.

Needing something that would match Horn Hind, and was almost as powerful the whole thing stank like the god of wars doing. He would be the only god who would go to that length. He would take dark armour though for himself once he'd killed the Warrior Princess he liked the feel off it. He could merge it with his body using his Kronos's rib.

One of the things he had done as often as possible during his time in the keep was to consume godly objects left in the treasury. Eating these godly objects had made his rib more powerful and it had helped him in the years when he'd been staving and had, had no food. He had been able to feed of their energy to keep him self fit.

The treasury in his keep used to belong of a Griffin before he'd killed it decades ago when he had been human. He had put all his treasure in it when he'd still been king of Arcadia. Also everything he had plundered through out the years as a werewolf was there as well. Along with everything he's still loyal warriors had brought to him during his imprisonment in the keep before they'd all died.

Then temple had been built over his prison and he had disappeared in to myth, completely forgotten by all. Until Iona and Jiang had broken the temple wall that hid his keep open and found him. He would not go back to that cage again! No matter what the gods tried to throw at him he wouldn't be their prisoner again!

He took a slow step forward even if Xena was wearing Titan armour it didn't matter she would not defeat him and nether would Horn Hind. He moved closer spreading his clawed hands wide. Nether of their armoured suits could with stand him! He hadn't lived all this time to be conquered by a mortal warrior and her werewolf lover.

Gabrielle shook her head feeling the voices sudden smash through her thoughts, it was becoming more difficult and she could feel her self weakening mentality. It felt like they were trying to drill a hole in to her mind. She could see that her lover still had control, were as she just wanted to let go just so she could have peace, and wouldn't feel the pain anymore.

Her body had taken so much punishment and she was worn down, her wounds weren't healing as fast anymore and she couldn't seem to find any strength to fix them. She felt her eye close slightly as felt her self drift the sound around her slowly vanished. "Gabrielle!" The words suddenly cut through her thoughts in a swift motion she turned meeting her lovers gaze as the sound came roaring back all too suddenly.

Xena slowly met her lover's gaze who for a moment it looked like her lover was drifting the green eyes had glazed over momentarily. "I need you to stay with me!" She pulled the crossbow free keeping her gaze fixed on the Gabrielle's. "Don't you dare take your eyes off me little bard! You hear me?" Gabrielle slowly nodded she shook her head focusing herself once more.

End of part 53.

By Silvermoonlight.

Thank you for the kind reviews and your input HAZMOT I appreciate them greatly.