----Hell----
Callisto found herself back in Hell. This place was far worse than
Tartarus. Hades' domain is too nice for some souls, so he brings them here. The Warrior Queen was smiling evilly, swinging her sword. "Ha!
Thought you could beat me, didn't you, Xena?! Well..who's beaten now?"
Suddenly, a face materialized in front of her, very huge. The face of a demon. Hideous, evil. Red-faced, horns and fangs. It growled, "Callisto! I am *very* displeased. You failed! I think you owe me an explanation."
She stepped back, trembling. "Huh? WHAT..what do you mean, I failed? Xena is defeated!"
"You were not to harm her physically. Yet she has died, crucified by Romans, a martyr for Eli's cause. You were supposed to turn her from the Light."
"Okay..but that couldn't be helped. Caesar is the one who did that.
Besides, it's not a total failure. He's ruling as Emperor. Like you planned."
"NO!! Xena cut a deal with Brutus, his friend. He and some others killed him at the moment of Xena's death."
Callisto shivered. "Oh..right. I hadn't counted on that. Well, how was I supposed to know?"
"You know Xena. You studied her from the time she burned your village. You *should* have known she would have done this."
"Great! So now I'm gonna be punished for eternity?!"
"Not entirely. You have potential as a demon. You will remain here. But I will enlist your services from time to time."
"Really. Doing what?"
"The usual. Causing suffering for mortals, slaughter, bloodshed..things you're good at."
"When?"
"I will tell you when. Enjoy your stay, you will be here for a *long* time." And with that, the image vanished.
Callisto smirked, "Well, we will just see about that. No prison can hold me, Mephisto." As she's walking, the ground breaks up under her. "WHAT?!" She falls through the crevice, down into the lava. She screamed...
----Tartarus----
Hades was in his throne room. He wore a black garment, with a dark
breastplate. He held a helmet in his left hand. At the moment, he was on his throne. Xena and Gabrielle stood in front of him. "Xena. Destroyer of Nations, Scourge of the Gods, Warrior Princess. It is now time for judgment. I have weighed your good deeds against the bad. And believe me, there were many evils you committed. Yet you had chosen to atone for your past..therefore, I have decided that you remain in Paradise. The Elysian Fields."
Gabrielle looked over at her friend. Would they be together?
He turned to Gabrielle. "And *you*. Gabrielle. Bard of Potadeia, Amazon Queen, Messenger of Eli. Though you have experinced the darkness of mortals, even tempted to give in to it, you always found your way back to the Light. You will go with Xena."
Xena smiled. "Thank you. But I have one question. Will we ever be
called back? In India, we found ourselves returning to the future, in our reincarnated forms. To battle Alti in her future life. Will this happen again?"
"Hmm. That's an interesting point. Yes, it can happen. As for Alti, she is a big problem. As she returns, your future selves will battle her. But for now, she is contained here..I'll send her to Hell soon. She can only escape if her reincarnated body makes contact with a soul from this life. But don't worry about it. Your fight agianst evil is over, you fought the good fight. You're at peace now. If I were you, I would not expect to leave Paradise for several millennia. So enjoy yourselves."
Gabrielle stepped forward and bowed her head respectfully. "What about Hercules?"
"My stepbrother. Yes..he will be in the Elysian fields one day, reunited with his family. Deianera and their three children. I think he's in Ireland or Norway now. Now..you may go." He waved his hand and a bright portal appeared near 5the wall. "That takes you to Paradise. Go."
They nodded and walked through the vortex. Then it vanished.
Hades sat still for a moment, silent. He knew that there was no returning for them. The mortals needed a new hero, a champion. Of course, there's Hercules. But the Son of Zeus can't be everywhere. Hades sighed. Several minutes passed. Then, there was a flash of blue sparks and smoke..
As the flash dissipated, a man appeared in their place. A well-built man dressed in black leather. He had short hair with a dark beard, a sword hung on his side.
Hades sighed. "Ares. What do you want now?"
The God of War laughed. "Oh, come now. Do I always have a motive
for everything?"
Hades nodded. "Always."
"Well..fine. Yes, I'm here for personal reasons. Where is Xena?"
"Too late, Ares. They were already judged."
"What?! Call them back."
"Can't. The sentence over a soul cannot be revoked. you know this."
"Damn! Fool. You *knew* I wanted her, so you judged them without me
present. I needed something.."
"Right. You want Xean to lead your army? Give it up. It won't happen."
"I know. But there's more than the army. Dahak! You think just because Herc beat him once, he won't come back? Wrong. He always finds a way. I hope the world has a hero to stop him next time. If not, then--I'm sure you know about the Twilight of the Gods? Yeah. That's what the One Great Evil wants. To kill off every deity, to remove every religion but his. I just have to find a new conqueror to fight for me. But you're wrong..Xena WILL return. I am bound to her. And she, to me. We were close once..I used to be so proud of her. The way she scorched the earth, destroying our enemies..Xena would have ruled all the earth if it wasn't for Hercules. Don't worry. I know she'll be back somehow. I don't know in what form or how long, or even HOW. But she will. I won't forget this! Now, if you'll excuse me, I got wars to wage." He unsheathed his sword, yelling out a war cry. Then he vanished.
Callisto found herself back in Hell. This place was far worse than
Tartarus. Hades' domain is too nice for some souls, so he brings them here. The Warrior Queen was smiling evilly, swinging her sword. "Ha!
Thought you could beat me, didn't you, Xena?! Well..who's beaten now?"
Suddenly, a face materialized in front of her, very huge. The face of a demon. Hideous, evil. Red-faced, horns and fangs. It growled, "Callisto! I am *very* displeased. You failed! I think you owe me an explanation."
She stepped back, trembling. "Huh? WHAT..what do you mean, I failed? Xena is defeated!"
"You were not to harm her physically. Yet she has died, crucified by Romans, a martyr for Eli's cause. You were supposed to turn her from the Light."
"Okay..but that couldn't be helped. Caesar is the one who did that.
Besides, it's not a total failure. He's ruling as Emperor. Like you planned."
"NO!! Xena cut a deal with Brutus, his friend. He and some others killed him at the moment of Xena's death."
Callisto shivered. "Oh..right. I hadn't counted on that. Well, how was I supposed to know?"
"You know Xena. You studied her from the time she burned your village. You *should* have known she would have done this."
"Great! So now I'm gonna be punished for eternity?!"
"Not entirely. You have potential as a demon. You will remain here. But I will enlist your services from time to time."
"Really. Doing what?"
"The usual. Causing suffering for mortals, slaughter, bloodshed..things you're good at."
"When?"
"I will tell you when. Enjoy your stay, you will be here for a *long* time." And with that, the image vanished.
Callisto smirked, "Well, we will just see about that. No prison can hold me, Mephisto." As she's walking, the ground breaks up under her. "WHAT?!" She falls through the crevice, down into the lava. She screamed...
----Tartarus----
Hades was in his throne room. He wore a black garment, with a dark
breastplate. He held a helmet in his left hand. At the moment, he was on his throne. Xena and Gabrielle stood in front of him. "Xena. Destroyer of Nations, Scourge of the Gods, Warrior Princess. It is now time for judgment. I have weighed your good deeds against the bad. And believe me, there were many evils you committed. Yet you had chosen to atone for your past..therefore, I have decided that you remain in Paradise. The Elysian Fields."
Gabrielle looked over at her friend. Would they be together?
He turned to Gabrielle. "And *you*. Gabrielle. Bard of Potadeia, Amazon Queen, Messenger of Eli. Though you have experinced the darkness of mortals, even tempted to give in to it, you always found your way back to the Light. You will go with Xena."
Xena smiled. "Thank you. But I have one question. Will we ever be
called back? In India, we found ourselves returning to the future, in our reincarnated forms. To battle Alti in her future life. Will this happen again?"
"Hmm. That's an interesting point. Yes, it can happen. As for Alti, she is a big problem. As she returns, your future selves will battle her. But for now, she is contained here..I'll send her to Hell soon. She can only escape if her reincarnated body makes contact with a soul from this life. But don't worry about it. Your fight agianst evil is over, you fought the good fight. You're at peace now. If I were you, I would not expect to leave Paradise for several millennia. So enjoy yourselves."
Gabrielle stepped forward and bowed her head respectfully. "What about Hercules?"
"My stepbrother. Yes..he will be in the Elysian fields one day, reunited with his family. Deianera and their three children. I think he's in Ireland or Norway now. Now..you may go." He waved his hand and a bright portal appeared near 5the wall. "That takes you to Paradise. Go."
They nodded and walked through the vortex. Then it vanished.
Hades sat still for a moment, silent. He knew that there was no returning for them. The mortals needed a new hero, a champion. Of course, there's Hercules. But the Son of Zeus can't be everywhere. Hades sighed. Several minutes passed. Then, there was a flash of blue sparks and smoke..
As the flash dissipated, a man appeared in their place. A well-built man dressed in black leather. He had short hair with a dark beard, a sword hung on his side.
Hades sighed. "Ares. What do you want now?"
The God of War laughed. "Oh, come now. Do I always have a motive
for everything?"
Hades nodded. "Always."
"Well..fine. Yes, I'm here for personal reasons. Where is Xena?"
"Too late, Ares. They were already judged."
"What?! Call them back."
"Can't. The sentence over a soul cannot be revoked. you know this."
"Damn! Fool. You *knew* I wanted her, so you judged them without me
present. I needed something.."
"Right. You want Xean to lead your army? Give it up. It won't happen."
"I know. But there's more than the army. Dahak! You think just because Herc beat him once, he won't come back? Wrong. He always finds a way. I hope the world has a hero to stop him next time. If not, then--I'm sure you know about the Twilight of the Gods? Yeah. That's what the One Great Evil wants. To kill off every deity, to remove every religion but his. I just have to find a new conqueror to fight for me. But you're wrong..Xena WILL return. I am bound to her. And she, to me. We were close once..I used to be so proud of her. The way she scorched the earth, destroying our enemies..Xena would have ruled all the earth if it wasn't for Hercules. Don't worry. I know she'll be back somehow. I don't know in what form or how long, or even HOW. But she will. I won't forget this! Now, if you'll excuse me, I got wars to wage." He unsheathed his sword, yelling out a war cry. Then he vanished.
