Chapter 6

Clash! Bang!

Sounds of lightning echoed throughout the temple. The dark stone room grazed with scorch marks along many of the walls.

Ares arched his back and raised his right arm looking like he was going to throw something, and then shot lightning through his fingertips aiming for Xena!

A loud warcry soon followed, as Xena flipped through the air dodging the bolt with precision, expertly avoiding Ares' assault.

Ares was holding back a little, giving his new protege time to adjust. Just as he saw her land on her feet, he shot another lightning bolt at her!

Xena jerked her body and went into a backflip, narrowly missing the bolt aimed at her feet. As she landed, she faced Ares who seemed to chuckle with excitement.

Ares put his hand to his mouth and blew her a kiss. He loved watching a woman of her skill work.

Xena smirked and began charging him with her sword in hand! She put one foot forward, together, and then leaped into the air doing a front flip over Ares landing behind him. Just as he turned around to face her, she front flipped again kicking him in the chest so hard the God of War went flying backwards. She landed on her feet, and he landed on his back crashing to the ground with a surprised look on his face.

Xena charged him again as he stumbled to get back on his feet. He saw her incoming attacking and dodged her sword swipe with accuracy, but narrowly avoiding it, and knocked the sword out of her hand. Xena swung a punch and he blocked it. She began throwing punches left, right, and center and he blocked them all with his fists. She then lowered to the ground as he watched her, and fiercely punched him with an uppercut attack which sent him yet again flying backwards, but not before he landed a kick to her chest which then sent HER flying backwards. They both crashed to the ground looking at each other with a bit of shock in both their eyes.

Ares feeling the heat decided to launch a fireball instead! But this time, he wasn't holding back!

Xena rolled to the left and grabbed her sword as it was near her causing the fireball to miss her. Ares threw another one and she parried the incoming fireball with her sword sending it charging towards the God of War. He leaned out of the way as it flew passed his head.

Ares fired another, and Xena again smacked it right back! Ares was caught off guard as the fireball headed in his direction. He began to panic until finally it hit him. At that exact moment Xena launched into the air, front flipping.

Ares flinched being hit with his own power, and just as he recovered, he felt two feet kick him, launching him backwards before finally crashing down to the ground. Xena landed on top of his chest, both feet digging in.

Ares a bit shaken, began laughing in a deep dark tone. "Good! Very good!" He licked his lips and began to speak, but before he could he felt Xena's sword pressing against his neck.

"How's this for good?" Xena said, her eyes fixated on the position she's in with the God of War, a rare sight for any half God half mortal she guessed.

"I see our training is finally paying off" Ares said looking at Xena with lustful eyes.

And then something strange happened, Xena didn't want to take the killing blow she was supposed to. Obviously, she couldn't kill a God, but hesitating wasn't her style. And the fact she wasn't pushing the sword through his thick muscled neck was something new to her. Why wasn't she going through with it?

At that moment, Ares eyes flashed all white. And an energy emitted from his body, overtaking Xena, throwing her violently through the air, soaring to one of the temple walls. She managed to right herself and instead of crashing into it, she started running UP it! Flipping herself yet again, through the air. She landed on her feet unharmed, and inches away from Ares.

"You hesitated. Your enemy won't hesitate to take you out, you cannot hesitate to take them out. He said with a stern vigorous tone.

She knew he was right but for some reason she disagreed with him.

Trying to come up with a witty excuse for her lapse in judgment, "I didn't want to hurt you too badly. I like you having the ability to speak."

Ares let out a loud chuckle! And then he put up his hand and motioned her to come to him.

Xena slowly and carefully walked towards him. Each step more cautioned than the last.

"You are doing very well, I think we can call it quits for today."

Xena raised her left eyebrow suspicious of his motives.

"I've got something to take care of, and you should rest. I have something planned for you that you're going to love." He said with sarcasm.

"What do you have up your sleeve now Ares? There's always somethin' isn't there?"

Ares shot another fireball at her hopefully catching her off guard!

Xena parried the incoming fireball with her sword and charged him again! This time HE front flipped over her and kicked her in the back, sending her flying forward and crashing to the ground as he landed. He turned around quickly to see her also get up and he drew his sword raising his eyebrow. Xena smiled devilishly as she swung her sword in her hand waiting for him to make the next move. He began charging her fiercely and swung his sword at her! She parried the incoming attacks as she parried several other attempts, he made keeping her balance nicely during his offensive attacks.

She then went on the offensive and swung hers at him several times, left, right towards his head as it was parried. Down to his right and left leg, both were parried. She then jumped into the air landing a kick on his chest and pushed off it as she backflipped landing on her feet. He stumbled back a bit and began an offensive attack swinging towards her head and arms. Both times Xena parried it. Again, striking towards her head and shoulders, and again she parried it. Finally striking her across her lower thigh making her bleed.

Xena and Ares both clashed swords infront of their faces and they both stopped the attack. He grabbed her by the neck and pulled her closer, and their lips met suddenly. She engaged him sucking on his top lip and then descending to his bottom one. He dropped his sword as he kept on kissing her. Finally, she stuck him in the chest breaking the kiss.

Ares flinched and stepped back some with the sword sticking out of him…. "Ow!" He raised his arms looking like why the hell did she do that?

"I thought we were having a moment?"

"We were, but I still got you Ares… Twice now." Xena said cracking a smile feeling proud of herself.

Ares pulled out the sword and threw it to the ground, and his wound healed. "That's not nice, playing with my emotions like that! We were having a thing, I thought we were having a thing… It was definitely a thing." He said trying to describe what happened between them.

"What's this thing you have planned Ares?" She said trying to change the subject.

"It's a surprise! I've got something very special planned, and I need to finish preparations. Get some rest." He said wiping his lips off, and a blue shining light radiated throughout his body, vanishing without a trace.

Xena looked relieved and began letting down her guard. Her whole body began to change as she felt the need to unwind from what just took place.