AS THE FALLEN RETURN TO MEET THEIR FATE

Xena walked in to the main watching as the Huitzilopochtli followed her she looked up slightly as everyone turned to look at them. She felt a sneer form as she met Ares's gaze. He was awake how nice and here she was hoping that he wouldn't wake up any time soon. She breathed in deeply watching as he leaned on his sword giving her a slight smile. Xochiquetzal looked up sharply. "Is everything okay, where is Gabrielle?" Xena raised her hand as she came to a stop beside Huitzilopochtli. "She's fine Xochipilli took her to your garden so she can relax." She stopped eyeing Chantico. "Correction I mean your garden since you made it look nice with that creative thing you do."

Chantico turned eyeing Xochiquetzal. "My garden you mean it's still here? I thought that Tezcatlipoca had destroyed it." Xochiquetzal put her hand on the taller woman's shaking her head. "No he didn't destroy it there are a lot of things he never destroyed and when this is all over there's something we need to talk about." Ares sneered slightly. "I think I'm going to puke." Chantico turned sharply watching as the flames burst through her fingers. "Say one more thing you pitiful little bastard and I will hurt you!" Ares eyed the flames in her hand he ignored her enraged look as he turned away saying nothing. It was godly fire in her hand and he knew better than to push it.

Huitzilopochtli watched as the fire went out as Chantico turned away ignoring the other god. Ares's turned eyeing Xena who said nothing he smiled slightly. "You're looking well Xena." Xena folded her arms eyeing him. "Shut up Ares." Ares eased up his hand. "You know I'd think that you'd show a little more respect I did save your life after all." Xena eyed him for a long moment she should have known this was coming it was so typical of him. "Only because it suited your purposes not because you care." Ares put a hand on his chest. "No if I remember right I turned down." He turned eyeing the sun god. "His stupid offer to save your life now you know, I wouldn't do that for any one else."

Xena sneered as she turned away. "I'm flattered." Ares eased out his hands as he stepped forward. "What don't I get a kiss?" Xena turned around as he came to stand in front of her. She didn't think as she smashed her fist in to his face only to watch as he stumbled back painfully clutching his nose. Ares tried to take the excruciating pain he stepped back further breathing in hard trying to ignore it as he looked up slowly regaining his composer. He breathed in deeply only to feel the shock hit home as he looked at the blood on his hand. He could feel blood running down his nose he turned to the sun god feeling the anger taking over. "You bastard I thought you gave me back my powers!"

Huitzilopochtli looked up feeling a smile form on his lips. "Oh believe me lesser god I gave you back everything, I just changed one little thing which you'll never be able to fix." He had been waiting for this moment for so long the moment when he got to laugh back in the little bastards face and mock him for a change. He felt his smile widen. "I made it so Xena can hurt you." He laughed slightly enjoying the horrified look as it spread over the lesser war god's face. He raised his hand. "Ah yes and as you said Gabrielle is Xena's soul mate so what one gets the other gets it as well which is rather unlucky for you."

Ares felt the anger burn in this stomach. "Take this off take it off now!" Huitzilopochtli stepped closer to him. "You are forgetting that there is a price that every lesser god has to pay for coming to these lands and this is yours. You won't be able to hide behind your power of invisibility any more when you face the one you claim to love." He narrowed his gaze. "If she runs you through with a sword it won't kill you be believe in it will hurt so much that you'll want her to pull it out. You'll learn what pain truly is and every time she hurts you or her lover does. You will know how the mortals feel who have fallen under your sword and felt the pain of your blade."

He came closer watching as Ares stepped back trying desperately to recompose himself. "You are going to have to learn to live with this, like a good little lesser god." He turned away laughing slightly oh that had been so worth it. "We all must pay a price for our tarnished actions and this will be yours." Ares breathed in moving his hand under his nose wiping the blood away. The bastard he couldn't believe that he had done that! It wasn't fair! He looked up seeing Xena shake her head somehow he had fully expected a snide remark or a cold look but all he could see in her eyes was pity.

That was even worse she pitied him at this moment he looked down slightly refusing to look in her eyes. Xena looked at the blood on her knuckles somehow seeing his blood wasn't satisfying in any manner may. A part of her had wanted to laugh at his pain but something deep down had stopped her from doing so. He had saved her life and in this instance he would get her respect but nothing more. The truth was simple every time she showed him any feelings he locked on like a limpet and got in Gabrielle's way. She wasn't going down that road anymore a part of her felt a slightly sorry for him but it was not because of what had been done it was because his reaction had been so volatile.

She walked over to the table picking up a cloth which she used to wipe the blood away from her knuckles. Ares turned eyeing her as he managed to gain control over his anger. He eyed her trying to keep his voice even. "Can I have that?" Xena turned slowly to him. "There are more cloths on the table use one." Ares pulled back she wasn't going to give her his? Since when did she not do that? It made no sense he pulled a cloth up wiping putting it to his nose wiping the blood away. "Since when do you not share?" Xena looked up slowly feeling the anger as it instantly started to burn. "You don't get it do?"

Ares stopped still feeling the slight confusion. "Get what?" Xena eased up the cloth she should have said this a very long time ago. "Nothing I use or own belongs to you. Your always pushing the envelope always trying to force your way back in be it sharing thoughts, ideas or even a piece of cloth." She threw the cloth to one side. "I'm done sharing with you Ares, every time I share with you I pay the price. I'm not willing to pay that price anymore I have far too much to loose." Ares snarled slightly. "You're talking about Gabrielle aren't you I hate it when you do this?" Xena eyed him oddly enough this was the first time he hadn't mocked Gabrielle in front of her when talking about her.

She could hurt him which was probably why he was picking his words carefully she doubted it was more than that. She folded her arm keeping her voice even. "Yes I am, I've been through to much and I'm sick of playing this game with you. I won't lie I loved you once but that was a long time ago and we both know that it ended badly." She shook her head. "You want what you can't have and will never have and I know it hurts I've been there believe me." She moved her fingers slightly. "I love Gabrielle and no one is going to change that, I want to spend the rest of my life with her. You will not try to force us apart again with your deceptions."

She moved a step closer keeping her voice even. "You will not destroy what I love most you will not hurt her to get to me again. You won't play your mind games with her ether which you do when ever time she's in a vulnerable position. Believe me when I say that I have no issue with locking you away for an eternity if it comes to that." She looked at him narrowing her gaze. "Don't think for a moment that I'm bluffing because we both know I never bluff." Ares looked at her for a long moment. She wasn't bluffing he could see it in her piercing blue eyes he took a step back saying nothing. He didn't want to take in what she'd just said right now because it hurt too much.

Chantico laughed as she eyed the lesser Greek war god. "You know it's really not your day is it?" She eased up her hand only to stop in mid motion as a sensation hit her that made her skin crawl. She sat up sharply in the throne she could tell that Huitzilopochtli and Xochiquetzal were sensing it as well, she could see it in there faces. She snarled as she pulled herself up ignoring her sluggishness as her brain snapped back in to motion. He would not dare to come here? She turned watching as purple light blasted outwards in the centre of the room. Xena and Ares both moved aside as the huge battered form of Tezcatlipoca appeared.

The huge jaguar god was on his knees his yellow fur with its faded orange colour could be seen, although half of his back and shoulders had no fur. He had no head dress all he had was his hanging cloth which was torn and his gauntlets. His orange eyes were looking at the floor as he breathed in trying to take the pain while shaking his mane which had grown back. Chantico didn't think as she ran at him feeling the rage burn in her stomach as her feet slammed in to the floor. She didn't care why he was here he wasn't going to leave here alive. She could already see Xena pulling out her weapon along with Huitzilopochtli who snarled in anger as he swung his axe.

She slammed her fist in to his face, hearing his howl of pain as he hit the floor on his back. She could see that his stomach was swollen no doubt from eating some one or something. She didn't think as she kicked him in it with all her might. "How dare you come here Tezcatlipoca, you're not welcome here!" Itzli eased his weapon up higher he turned watching as Ohtli and the other elite guards ran in to the keep there weapons raised high. He could see the hateful look as it appeared on Xena's face. He eyeing Ohtli as he came to a stop next to him, he'd obviously heard Chantico's shouting and had come to protect his goddess.

Tezcatlipoca tried to take the pain he could see that Xochiquetzal had moved further back the fear showing in his face. He groaned only to feel the pain as the fire goddess's foot impact with his stomach again. He breathed in trying desperately not to throw up, he coughed feeling part of his food come up which caused red blood to spill all over the floor. He pulled up his clawed hands watching as Chantico's hand opposite filled with lava. "I was sent here!" Chantico sneered in disgust as she leaned over grabbing him by his ear. "Your not welcome here you bastard, weren't you listening before? Xochiquetzal is mine and for coming here you're going to suffer!"

She looked at the lava in her hand as she slammed her foot in to his throat smashing him in to the floor. She forced her foot further in to his wind pipe as she raised her lava filled hand so it was over his face. "Since you didn't pay attention how's about I start by reminding you that your not fire proof!" She felt an evil smile form as she pressed harder against his throat watching as her hand holding the viscous liquid caught fire. She was so looking forward to this. "Let's start by pouring this down your throat!" Tezcatlipoca felt the crushing force on his wind pipe he couldn't breathe. "I came…to deliver a message." Chantico laughed slightly. "How nice well you can take it to your grave you piece of….!"

"Chantico!"

Chantico looked up sharply meeting Huitzilopochtli gaze. "Back off he's mine!" Xochiquetzal moved forward taking hold of the taller woman's arm holding it as she spoke gently. "Chantico let him go he has no power over you, he's afraid of you can't you see it in his face?" Chantico turned feeling her teeth grind together. She could see the panic in Tezcatlipoca's eyes as clear as day he was barely struggling obviously he was too weak to struggle. Didn't that make killing him more worth while? Xochiquetzal watched the long tail trash violently she turned her partner seeing the rage in her eyes. "Please let him go. Look at him he has no power he can't hurt ether off us you took his power away when you destroyed his city, remember?"

Chantico eyed the jaguar god she breathed in painfully hearing her partner's gentle voice which just seemed to cut through her blinding rage. She closed her eyes she was going to hate herself for this but she knew that Xochiquetzal was right. She'd just have to deal with the fact that he'd live this time around. She eased her foot of his throat watching as he choked bringing up more blood which spattered across the floor. She leaned forward watching as he stopped coughing. "You throw up on Xochiquetzal's floor one more time and I'll make you wish you hadn't." She closed her hand watching as the lava turned to red hot dust which she poured on to his face.

He yelped in pain as it sparked before going out, she felt the smaller woman pulled her back she closed her hand watching as the fire went out in her hand. Huitzilopochtli moved forward thrusting his weapon down so it met the huge jaguar god's throat before he could sit up. "Just because she will not kill you, does not mean that I will not." Tezcatlipoca eyed the axe as he eased up his clawed hands trying to ignore the burning sensation on his face. He eyed the weapon at his throat not daring to move. "I'm here to deliver a message, a message from the Star Coyote to all of you." He looked up slightly. "But if you'd rather kill me then it'll be your loss!"

Huitzilopochtli poked the weapon further in to his throat. "I don't care about the Star Coyote she's a pitiful excuse for a warrior. She has no sense of honour and nobility and those who compare her to the Blood Jaguar do not see the Blood Jaguar's true talent for what it is!" Xena stepped forward so she was close to the jaguar god. She sneered meeting his surprised gaze. "The Star Coyote you mean Akemi don't you, you sick bastard?" Tezcatlipoca stared at the Warrior Princess feeling the shock hit home fully she was alive! He raised a clawed hand. "I'm shocked that you survived Warrior Princess, here I was thinking that you were dead."

Xena moved a step closer watching as Huitzilopochtli pushed his weapon further in to the battered god's neck. She raised her arm moving her fingers. "Oh yes I'm alive it's amazing what you can do when your lover has friends in high places." She moved her fingers again. "As you can see they fixed the damage you caused." Tezcatlipoca smirked slightly. "Shame I was hoping you'd died along with her." Xena snarled aloud leaning forward. "What makes you think she's still dead?" She felt a cruel smile form as she leaned closer. "After all you gods have something known as the ethereal myth which works really well on dead people."

Huitzilopochtli pressed his weapons tip in harder. "Answer her question what was the message!?" Tezcatlipoca narrowed his gaze trying to ignore the pain as he turned meeting Xena's ice cold gaze. "The Star Coyote sends you all a message she has stolen Quetzalcoatl's prize which is the Blood Jaguar sister." He turned enjoying the look of surprise as it spread over Xena's face and a few of the other gods. He turned back eyeing Huitzilopochtli. "She sends you all her regards from Teotihuacán and if the Blood Jaguar is alive." He turned back to Xena his mocking laugher hitting the air "Which she isn't, to say that she's waiting for her in the temple of C'thulon."

Xena looked up sharply. "Where is Teotihuacán?" Itzli stepped forward watching as the Xena turned to look at him. "It's the birth place of the gods." Xochiquetzal turned sharply. "One of my men told me that they'd seen the Star Coyote entering the elder god's city along with a skeleton warrior. I had no idea that she was going to capture Gabrielle's sister if I'd known I would have, had my men stop her." Tezcatlipoca eyed his ex wife. "You won't be able to stop her no god can, not anymore." He laughed again enjoying the mocking sound. "Your all going to loose control over everything its only a matter of time before what she's done starts to shake these lands and the lands of the lesser gods!"

Huitzilopochtli didn't think as he slammed his foot down on the jaguar god's shoulder causing his laughter to end as he howled in pain. "My patience with you has almost ended. If you wish to live then you will tell me what the Star Coyote is doing in the elder god's city!" Tezcatlipoca felt his teeth grind together as he spoke. "She's bringing about the end of time." Huitzilopochtli eyed him for a long moment. "You are talking about C'thulon's device that can control time are you not, the one that can only be controlled by mortal hands?" Tezcatlipoca eyed him. "I'm surprised you'd even know about it, after all you were born centuries later after it had been shut down." Huitzilopochtli breathed in deeply. "My mother Coatlicue told me about it, she said that I should know about its power so I could safe guard my people against it should anything happen."

Tezcatlipoca looked up slightly. "Your mother's true form is utterly hideous, how Mixcoatl ever came to love her the way he does I'll never know." Huitzilopochtli looked up seeing the confusion on the other god's faces. Only Chantico had been around when he had been born. Xochiquetzal and her twin brother had been born after his mother and father had ascended. He turned eyeing Tezcatlipoca in disgust. "My mother may not be the most beautiful of the first none human gods but she has by far the most beautiful and powerful soul. She carries the true source of life and death with in her very body." He snarled as he slammed his foot in the other gods shoulder ignoring his howl of pain. "If she were still here she would eat you alive for that remark."

He eased up his weapon running it down Tezcatlipoca's chest watching as the blood ran free as the razor tip cut in deep. "You forget that my mother has the power to destroy and recreate gods. She can consume you just as you consume mortals and then use what's left off you to feed any new god growing with in her body." He smiled slightly as he watched Tezcatlipoca open his jaw slightly as the realized that this was no joke. "How do you think it is that I was born so quickly and grew up so fast? Not all of my brothers and sisters were killed by my hand, some met there end when she consumed them and they were powerless to stop her." He narrowed his gaze. "Their consumed powers made it so I could be born instantly and grow up so fast enough to protect her from my remaining brothers and sisters. Afterwards she taught me every thing I needed to know and if you ever curse her name again I will see that you are forced in front of her. She is a kind loving person but she does not take kindly to those who would be cruel over her outward appearance you would do well to remember that!"

End of part 101

Silvermoonlight

Coatlicue appearance looks like walking serpent humanoid in her myth it says that she consumes everything. Yet despite this terrifying appearance she is a very loving mother who cares deeply for her children.