Sequel to the Charmed Story "Divide and Conquer".
Coming up on Xena: Xena, Gabrielle, Hercules, and Iolas defeat a dragon, and go their separate ways only to find the cities of Corinth and Amphipolis under siege by Velasca and Alti. And the worst of it is they have captured Eve. Will Velasca and Alti win? And are they only ones to worry about? Find out next.
On the road, Hercules, Iolas, Xena, and Gabrielle walk together.
"I'm glad we killed the dragon. But I think it's time we parted." said Hercules.
"Do you have to go?" asked Gabrielle.
"I don't like it either. If we travel separately we could help more people. Don't worry. We'll meet again someday." said Hercules.
Hercules and Xena hug.
"Goodbye Xena." said Hercules.
"Goodbye Hercules." said Xena.
Iolas and Gabrielle hug.
"Goodbye Iolas." said Gabrielle.
"Goodbye Gabrielle." said Iolas.
Hercules and Iolas wave goodbye as they head to Corinth. Xena and Gabrielle head to Amphipolis, where they heard Eve was.
3 hours later, Xena and Gabrielle stop by a river to camp. Gabrielle waters the horses, while Xena sets up the camp. Xena stands up, now very annoyed.
"Show yourself, Ares." said Xena.
Ares appears in front of her.
"I've always wondered how you do that. Maybe it's because you wish you had stayed with me. Well, no matter. I have a replacement for you, one who is going to help me win a lot of battles." said Ares.
"A replacement. Who is she?" asked Xena.
"Why do you presume it's a woman?" asked Ares.
Xena looks at him.
"Fine. It is a woman. But I'm not going to tell you who she is. You're going to have to figure that out yourself. Oh, and I'd be careful going off to Amphipolis." said Ares, vanishing.
"Wait! What do you mean by that? ARES!" said Xena, furious.
"XENA!" yelled Gabrielle.
Xena runs towards Gabrielle's scream, and sees her fighting about 30 soldiers. One soldier grabs Gabrielle's sais, while others begin to beat her up. Xena runs forward, and throws her chakram, knocking 15 of them to the ground. She frees Gabrielle, and hands her sais back to her. Xena and Gabrielle then finish of the rest of the men, who retreats, but Xena manages to grab one man, and hits him on the neck.
"You've got 30 seconds to live. Tell me who put you up to this?" asked Xena.
"A-A-A-" said man, who didn't finish, as his body bursts into flame, and is turned to ashes.
"Whoever did this wanted to leave no evidence behind." said Gabrielle.
"Yeah. Are you alright?" asked Xena.
"I'll live." said Gabrielle.
2 old women were on horses, and they guided the horses to Xena and Gabrielle, and stopped in front of them. The women removed their hoods, and looked like old versions of Xena.
"Leah? Diana? Meg?" asked Gabrielle.
"Queen Diana." said one woman.
"Leah, head scribe to Diana." said the other woman.
"What about your temple?" asked Gabrielle.
"Well. With Hestia's death, the girls disbanded, and went their separate ways." said Leah.
"I didn't kill Hestia. Who killed her?" asked Xena.
"When you were gone for those 25 years, Hestia went to visit our temple, and someone had gotten some hyen's blood, and killed her, blaming her for your and Gabrielle's death." said Leah.
"Who were they?" asked Xena.
"Members of your former army." said Leah.
"What have you been doing now?" asked Xena.
"I'm Diana's confidant, her right-hand woman." said Leah.
"Have you 2 seen Meg?" asked Xena.
"No. Xena, Hestia made me her successor, but I didn't know if I could do it. I had already pledged to serve Diana, so when Diana passes, I will take up Hestia's place." said Leah.
"I wish you to have the best of luck. But why are you 2 here?" asked Xena.
"We heard that Alti has returned, and has freed Velasca. They are working together." said Diana.
"That man must have been talking about Alti." said Gabrielle.
"Where's Eve?" asked Xena.
"Eve and the people of Amphipolis are being held captive outside the city. I think they destroyed the city." said Diana.
"Thank you for your help. You two return to your kingdom where it is safe." said Xena.
Leah and Diana nod, and say goodbye, before leaving. Xena and Gabrielle get some sleep, since they are tired.
Earlier that day...
Corinth. Hercules and Iolas arrive to find the streets bare. Not a merchant or a customer was on the streets. They walk up and notice an Amazon sitting on a window perch. She sees them, and jumps down from the window, and lands in front of them.
"Who are you?" asked Hercules.
"I am Velasca. Goddess of Chaos, and I rule Corinth." said Velasca.
"I don't remember you in the pantheon of gods." said Hercules.
"I ate some ambrosia to become my perfect self. But Xena and Gabrielle locked me away with that blond idiot, Callisto. Thankfully, Xena killed her. Now I will rule this city." said Velasca.
"Sorry, but I can't allow you to do that." said Hercules.
Velasca laughs and charges. Hercules and Iolas fight Velasca. She is very skilled, and knocks Iolas unconscious in the first 10 minutes of the fight. The battle now is between Hercules and Velasca.
On a nearby rooftop, a brunette wearing silver and black armor appears in a flash of light. Hercules sees her.
"Alti. Back again. How many times do you have to die to stay gone?" asked Hercules.
"Xena hasn't been able to defeat me. What makes you think you can?" asked Alti.
"You aren't going to rule Corinth." said Hercules.
"Sorry, but we are. Here is something to remember me by." said Alti.
Alti throws an energyball, throwing Hercules into the gates behind him.
"VELASCA! Bring the demi-god's friend. We need to be prepared." said Alti.
"Fine." said Velasca.
Velasca grabs Iolas. Hercules, now standing, runs towards her.
"Let him go." said Hercules.
"No. You see we need him, along with our other captives. You see the people of Corinth fled into the palace, where King Jason II rules." said Velasca.
"So Jason finally had a son." thought Hercules.
"I must go. Enjoy your time here. Don't interfere, and you may live. For awhile." said Velasca.
Velasca, Iolas, and Alti vanish in flashes of light. Hercules heads to the palace, hoping to speak to King Jason II.
At the palace gates, Hercules arrives, and enters. King Jason II greets him.
"Hercules. It's great to see a friend of my father's." said Jason.
"And before you ask about our age, I'm a demi-god, so I age slower than most humans. But Iolas, Xena, Gabrielle, and I were resurrected from a future day, and sent back into the past to help out." said Hercules.
"Then you can help us." said Jason II.
"Velasca, a renegade Amazon goddess took my friend Iolas. I'm going to stop her. You can count on that. But I'm going to need a horse. I have to go to Amphipolis. Xena and her friend Gabrielle went there to see Xena's daughter, Eve." said Hercules.
"Take me with you." said Virgil, walking up to Hercules.
"Who are you?" asked Hercules.
"I'm Virgil. Joxer and Meg's son. My dad was killed by Xena's daughter, before she became good. Velasca's killed my mother, and my brother and sister." said Virgil.
"Then we must hurry." said Hercules.
Hercules and Virgil get on horses, and ride out of Corinth. A couple hours later, they rest to take a break. A flash of light forms into Aphrodite.
Same time as Ares arrived at Xena's camp.
"Aphrodite. This is a pleasant surprise." said Hercules.
"Xena's going after Alti and Velasca. She's going to need your help." said Aphrodite.
"I know. Velasca took Iolas." said Hercules.
"Alti took Eve, Xena's daughter." said another voice, appearing.
"Hera." said Hercules.
"Hercules. Listen. I'm not your enemy anymore. I'm hoping one day we can be friends, but Alti and Velasca make a powerful team. You, Xena, Gabrielle, and your young friend here, may have a chance, but Aphrodite and I have decided to help you. With Callisto dead, Velasca is the only goddess we have to take care off. She isn't one of us, and she ate the ambrosia without our consent." said Hera.
"Fine. We'll work together, but you can't expect me to like you right away. Not only did you make me do many tasks, but you killed my wife and children." said Hercules.
"Hercules. Let's put the past behind us for now." said Hera.
"Agreed. Go to Xena's camp, and stay with her. Virgil and I will meet them at Amphipolis." said Hercules.
"No. We'll teleport you there. You're going to need to be together as soon as you can." said Aphrodite.
"Fine." said Hercules.
Aphrodite, and Hera use their powers, and the 2 gods, Hercules, Virgil, their horses, and belongings vanish.
In Xena's camp, a few miles away. Hera, Aphrodite, Hercules, Virgil, their horses, and Hercules and Virgil's stuff appear.
"What's going on?" asked Xena.
"We're here to help you stop Velasca and Alti." said Hera.
"They have Eve and Iolas." said Hercules.
"And the people of Amphipolis." said Xena.
Ares appears in a flash of light.
"Looks like the cavalry has arrived." said Ares.
Xena and Hercules glare at him, both showing their dislike for him.
"I guess I'm not wanted here." said Ares.
"No, you're not. But you're needed here. Whether we like you or not, we're going to need all the help we can get to stop Velasca and Alti, and save Eve, Iolas, and the people of Amphipolis." said Xena.
"Ares, Aphrodite, Hera. Meet us at Amphipolis tomorrow." said Hercules.
"Fine. Until then." said Hera.
The 3 gods vanished in flashes of light.
"Let's get some sleep. We're going to have a major battle tomorrow." said Xena.
Xena and Gabrielle sleep in 1 area. Hercules and Virgil sleep across from them.
The next morning, Xena, Gabrielle, Hercules, and Virgil eat breakfast, take turns having baths, and pack up. They ride their horses out from the camp towards Amphipolis.
Amphipolis. Alti looks in her pot for signs of Xena, and sees the group 1 mile from the city of Amphipolis.
"They're almost here. We need to get ready." said Alti.
"Fine. But I don't like this." said Velasca.
"Well. You want Dahok to kill you, then that's your affair." said Alti.
"No. I don't. I just can't believe we have to take orders from a child." said Velasca.
"Watch what you say. She'll be back soon." said Alti.
Velasca looks over at a dungeon cell which is holding Eve and Iolas.
"It was smart making the people of Amphipolis invisible to everyone else's eyes, so anyone thinks they were abducted." said Alti.
"And really they're at the city hiding in fear, since they saw us take Eve." said Alti.
"QUIET! I'm trying to concentrate!" yelled a voice from around the corner.
"Well, we have to prepare. Your mother is coming with Xena, Hercules, and Virgil, Joxer and Meg's son." said Alti.
"Well. We're going to need my father's help to stop them." said a voice.
A figure walks around the corner, revealing herself as Hope.
"My father resurrected me, and then I resurrected you, Alti. And Velasca, I rescued you from that pit. I can just kill you, Alti, and send Velasca back into her imprisonment." said Hope.
"No. We'll remain right here." said Velasca.
"That's more like it. Let me know when they've reached Amphipolis." said Hope.
"There they are. They've arrived." said Alti.
Hope and Velasca look in with Alti, and see Xena, Gabrielle, Hercules, and Virgil enter.
"Finally. Now we have some fun." said Hope.
The 3 women vanish in black lights.
Amphipolis. Xena, Gabrielle, Hercules, and Virgil arrive.
"Something's not right." said Xena.
Ares, Aphrodite, and Hera appear, and are able to sense the spell on the city, and reverse it showing the 4 heroes the people of the city hiding in their homes out of fear. Velasca and Alti appear in black lights.
"It's about time you got here." said Velasca.
"We're going to take you down." said Xena.
"Not if I have anything to say about it." said a voice.
They look behind them to see Hope, her hair cut short, like Gabrielle's. She is wearing an identical outfit to Gabrielle's. Alti leaps forward, and fights Xena. Hercules fights Velasca, while Ares, Aphrodite, and Hera fire energy balls at Velasca. Hope and Gabrielle fight. Virgil sneaks away, and begins searching for Eve and Iolas. Virgil sees a dungeon, and runs towards it, while the fight continues outside.
"I hope I can get to them in time." thought Virgil.
Virgil walked to the dungeon, and opened the door. He walked in, and stood face to face with someone he thought he would never see again. Livia. Livia charges Virgil, and he fights her. Virgil stabs Livia with his sword, and Livia laughs.
"I'm sorry you've turned evil again." said Virgil.
Livia laughs again.
"I'm not Eve. I'm her dark side that Alti brought out. And when the spell wears off, and I return to her body, she'll die." said Livia, laughing.
Virgil tends to Livia's wounds, before running into to find Eve and Iolas. Livia's laughter echoes the halls, as Virgil grabs a torch from the wall, and runs into the dark hallway to find Iolas and Eve.