WHERE THE GOLD AND SILVER COLLIDE
Ares put his hand on his sword, he breathed in deeply he wanted to get out of this place. The waiting was the worst part every minute dragged on and made him want to go home all the more. He had been sent to a room which he couldn't leave, or at least that's what he'd been told and frankly since they had said that Huitzilopochtli had made the seal on his door he had not attempted to touch it. The sun god was once more keeping him away from Xena and Gabrielle. The truth was that he now knew deep down in his gut that he would going back alone, he would not be sending them home by his side. That didn't fill him with joy but he knew that he had no real power here and that his view didn't count for a lot.
No the truth was much simpler than he'd like to admit, he didn't want to face his father. He knew he would have to and none of that filled them joy or happiness. No doubt the other gods would mock him for his stupidity and his father would agree with them as always did. He would just have to deal with it as he always did and ignore it. He would just deliver the Aztec sun gods message and then leave Olympus, frankly he wanted to be alone rather than be humiliated one more time by Athena and the other gods. His sister Aphrodite was the only one who ever showed him any respect he could see that now all too clearly. While the other mocked him she had tried to protect him and even said why he shouldn't go to Mexica. He hadn't listened he'd been disrespectful and he'd make up for the wrongs he'd done to her before he left, in some way shape or form with out getting on her jealous husbands bad side. May be he wasn't the greatest of the war gods but the way he saw it he could be a better god and a better man to those who showed him respect.
"Contemplating the future god of war?"
Ares looked up meeting Huitzilopochtli's golden gaze. "Get out of my thoughts!" Huitzilopochtli smiled raising the golden coated scroll in his hand. "It is funny how change starts wouldn't you agree? It is but a small thing which grows and there is no stopping it once it has truly begun." Ares narrowed his gaze sneering in disgust. "What would you know about how I feel?" Huitzilopochtli felt his smile turn to a wide grin. "Because I have stood where you have at this moment in time..." Ares eyed him for a long moment. "What do you want?" Huitzilopochtli raised the scroll higher. "I want you to take this." He watched as the Greek war god snatched the scroll violently from his hand. "It is to be given to your father it is a scroll to form a truce between our lands."
He stood up slowly. "You will deliver it personality as the portal I send you through will take you directly back to Olympus. You will have no choice but to hand it over to your father because my guess is that he will be waiting for your return on the other side. I am also sure that there is much he will want to discuss with you." Ares looked down for a long moment there really was no getting out his humiliation was there? He looked at the scroll as he watched the sun god turn away. "Your sending me ahead of Xena and Gabrielle aren't you?" Huitzilopochtli turned slightly. "Yes I am, they will both witness you leaving and you know the reason why that is already, do you not?"
Ares looked at the scroll refusing to answer him he watched as the sun god gave him a cruel smile before walking away. He looked up seeing that Manaia was making his way in to the room along with the other gods and goddess. The only two who were missing were the fire and fertility goddess. He could see the warriors coming in from the other room closely followed by Xena and Gabrielle and her younger sister who stopped at the room's edge. He breathed in watching as Manaia turned giving him a smile. "I am sure I'll see you again soon." Manaia nodded. "Yes I have a feeling that you and I will meet again someday I will be looking forward to it."
He turned seeing the hint off pain in the Ares's eyes. "You should say good bye to your mortal friends, there is no shame in it." Ares turned eyeing him for a long moment. "I don't believe they want to say good bye." Manaia shifted his tail around shoving the young god forward. "That question can only be answered when you have tried." Ares eyed him before walked slowly towards Xena who folded her arm eyeing him as he came to stand in front of them both. He could see the uncertainty in Gabrielle's eyes. He knew why it was there it was there because these were always the moments when he had Xena's attention and love even if it was just a fleeting second.
He took in a deep breath there was no denying it though this wouldn't be one of those moments, she just didn't realize it yet but she was about to. He put his hand on his sword. "I believe they are now sending us all back home." Xena eyed him keeping her arms crossed she wasn't going to fall for his little games anymore and if he tried to play one now she'd hit him. "Yes we've heard." Ares felt a slight smile form. "Then I'll see you both very soon back in Greece." Xena felt a sneer form as she moved her hand down putting it on Gabrielle's arm. "I doubt it, isn't the deal still in place that forbids you to get in our way for a whole season?" Ares breathed in painfully she didn't miss a beat did she?
He looked up slightly for once he wasn't going to be rude or condescending he'd try to be civil. She would never love him again he knew that now more than ever that all he could ever hope for was her respect if nothing else. "No you are right the deal still stands and under Zeus's law I will obey it." He turned coming to stand in front of Gabrielle thinking about his next words carefully they could both hurt him. If Xena hurt him though it would be out of anger and because of their past history she'd back down after her point had been made. Gabrielle wouldn't though she hated him and had always disliked his presence if she lashed out she may not stop.
He leaned forward. "You're far more impressive than I thought you were, it seems that I have misjudged you for the longest time." He pulled back watching as Gabrielle's gaze narrowed she wasn't impressed by his comment. He felt a smile form. "I think I finally understand what it is that Xena sees in you." He stepped away from them both seeing Xena's cold gaze fall up on him. "You know there will come a time when you'll both need me and whether you like it or not and you'll both have to come to me for help." Xena felt a sneer form on her lips. "There are far more gods than you in Greece and I'm sure we'll be asking for their help rather than yours." Ares laughed slightly as he stepped back. "We'll see won't we?"
He turned walking back further watching as the fertility and fire goddess came stumbling in to the room. He shook his head in disgust it was all too obvious to what they'd been doing, he could sense it even from this distance. Frankly though he knew better than to open his mouth and make a comment about it, Chantico had a very bad temper and he didn't want to be on the retrieving end off it. Huitzilopochtli watched as Xochiquetzal came to stand close by while Chantico stood behind her. "You are both late." Chantico sneered putting her arm around the other woman's waist. "We were busy." Xochipilli came to stand opposite Huitzilopochtli's side. "I believe they meant no wrong, they just needed some time together."
Huitzilopochtli turned as the understanding dawned on him he turned back to the love god who was smiling. "I understand." He took in a deep breath ignoring Tezcatlipoca who was playing with the collar which would not leave his throat for a long time. His gaze travelled to his parents who were both standing at the room's edge completely quite. It was finally time to send the two gods home who had come here for one reason or another. He moved forward turning to Manaia who was moving closer. "It is time for you to return to your land and to Quetzalcoatl who is waiting for you." Manaia moved closer. "Thank you I am just sorry that I can not stay longer in the place of the gods of all gods."
He raised his clawed hand. "I knew that I had to come here I knew there was more than one reason for my being here, I felt it as soon as I entered the elder gods city." Huitzilopochtli gave him a smile. "I will look forward to your return when the times comes Manaia." Manaia lowered his neck. "Thank you, great Aztec king." Huitzilopochtli breathed in raising his hand. "Allow the power of the sun to be your guide back to Te Ika a Maui." He watched as the golden light shot out from his hand it moved through the air slowly forming a huge portal of golden light which grew bigger. Its golden light pulled back revelling a sandy beach with strange trees which over looking the sea.
Even in the distance he could see the form of Quetzalcoatl lying unconscious in the sand. The smashed trees all around him no doubt from the sudden fall. He had expected him to be awake but something told him deep down that this was the elder gods doing and he had no power to change it. He turned watching as Manaia moved forward. "I wish you well I hope you can make him good." Manaia looked up shifting his fish like tail. "I will not fail you great Aztec king, I will make him in to the god he should be, he will do it out of love for me." He turned giving the sun god a wide smile before turning going in to the light of the huge portal.
He moved through it quickly feeling the sand as his clawed wings hit it on the other side and his nose smelt the rich sea air. He'd missed so much since leaving his home. He moved forward watching as the sea appeared in front of his eyes as he dragged himself through fully. He turned watching as the portal vanished in a flash of gold. He moved across the warm sands of his beach to the fallen god who lay still on the sand. He raised his clawed finger running it across his larger gods scales watching as the good red eye started to move. He breathed in enjoying the smell of the sea air and the calm sight of the ocean waves as they hit the shore.
He leaned closer watching the other god's body shift a little as he began his slow decent back in to consciousness. He moved his claws through the long feathered mane. "It is time for you to awaken Quetzalcoatl a new dawn awaits you one that you couldn't possibly imagine. It is waiting for you to rise up and embrace it." Huitzilopochtli watched as the portal vanished, he could only hope that Manaia could do what he promised which was no easy task. He knew that because he would have no idea where to begin with his older brothers problems. They were so many and most seemed to blend in to other in a horrible way.
He let his thought go as he spotted the two winged horses which being brought down by one Xochiquetzal's warriors no doubt so Xena and Gabrielle could leave. His gaze drifted to his more pressing concern now which was Ares, he eased out his hand watching as the light blasted out of it forming a new golden portal. He turned eyeing Ares whose face turned to anger as the sight of Olympus's main hall came in to view. "It is time for you to leave Ares, Olympus awaits you." Ares put a hand on his sword taking in a deep breath he had not been looking forward to this and it seemed that as fast he had come he was now leaving.
He turned eyeing Xena and Gabrielle for a long moment before turning away so they couldn't see the pain in his eyes, it time to face the music. He could already see a figure appearing on the other side of the portal obviously the portal had gotten some ones attention. He moved slowly forward feeling like he was making the longest most painful walk off his life. He had lost in what he'd set out to do when he'd seen the elder god he hadn't wanted to do it anyway of fear. At that point he knew that he had, had enough. He had been beaten down by the Aztec gods and he knew that he had no power against them. He would now have to face the humiliation on Olympus and his defeat of the feathered serpent would mean little.
Nothing he ever did ever caught his fathers attention anyway, he stepped in to the light closing his eyes as he walked through it. He came out off the other side watching as the throne room of his father came in to view. He turned seeing Xena and Gabrielle's face for an instant and for second wishing that things were different, wishing that he had there friendship if nothing else. He watched the golden light fade knowing that, that would never be, he would love Xena forever but right now in her eyes he meant nothing. He had her respect but it was an undeserving and pitiful respect. He had done too many bad things thing that he wasn't sure that he could change and make up for, he would never have Xena with out Gabrielle he realized that now.
He also could see that he was lonely he had no one no friends to speak off and all he wanted at this moment in his life was someone to talk to and some one to listen. He knew no one was there and that was a truly depressing thought. He had never contemplated this thought till now or that a day might come when Xena turned her back fully on him, but it had happened now and he couldn't change it. He turned just in time to watch as seven flashes of light fill the room as Aphrodite and Hephaestus appeared closely followed by Apollo and Athena. He looked up just in time to see his father appear in a shower of white lightning. He raised the scroll in his hand it was best to just get this over with quickly.
Zeus moved forward watching as the golden portal faded completely behind his son, he couldn't believe this his son had been returned to him! He had waited for so long for this through out these last days in the hopes of hearing something about his son and for Manaia to bring him back alive and well. He stroked his beard as he came closer seeing that his son was just looking at the floor his face unreadable he could sense an inner conflict a conflict which he had never seen before. "Ares you have returned." He came closer seeing that his son didn't look up it was as if he was holding the weight of the world on his shoulders.
He raised his ringed fingers trying to keep his emotions under wraps, it was so difficult he wanted to hug his son but he knew that Ares had never allowed him to do such a thing. "Did Manaia send you back here through that portal?" Ares eased up the scroll in his hand. "The war god Huitzilopochtli sent me back here." He eased the scroll higher. "Quetzalcoatl is no longer king of the Aztec gods he has been dethroned, Huitzilopochtli is their new king." He pushed the scroll in to his fathers hand in a swift motion. "He wanted me to give this scroll to you." Zeus looked at him as he unrolled the golden scroll with its Aztec symbols he slowly began to read them.
He looked up sharply staring at his son not being able to keep the surprise from showing. "The Aztec god Huitzilopochtli wants to call a truce with our land?!" He ignored the murmurs behind him. He looked down as he carried on reading. "He says that you helped him and that you rose up with them all to bring down Quetzalcoatl." He looked at his son for a long moment not quite believing those words in his own mind. One thing Ares never did was fight his own battles despite being a god of war. "Is this true?" Athena sneered slightly. "Oh please it's not true, since when has Ares ever fought any battle? He properly asked the Aztec gods to put that down to make him look good!"
Zeus turned sharply his word hitting the air far too sharply. "Silence the question was not to you Athena it was to Ares!" He watched as she fell silent. He knew all to well that no lesser god could trick or force the Aztec gods in to doing anything and no would even dear. It would be suicide to even try he turned back to his son waiting for his reply. Ares put his hand on his sword. "I helped them." Zeus eyed his son in surprise there was no boast in his words, which was so unlike his son. He had just stated it as if it was a fact and no more. He put his hands together feeling uncertainty something terrible had happened to his son for him to be acting this way. "What did they do to you son, did they hurt you?"
Ares smiled but it was a sad smile. "No more than I deserved." Zeus moved closer putting a hand on his shoulder noticing that he didn't pull away. "If you want to talk about it we can talk about it, your mother and I have been really worried about you. The only reason she's not here is because she's helping the other gods to clean up our land, she'll want to see you as soon as she returns." Ares lowered his gaze again feeling the depression sink in. "I'm not ready to talk about what happened to me right now." He eased his fathers hand free carefully. "Maybe some other time, I just want to return to the Hall Of War I have a lot I need to think about." He looked up giving his father a slight smile but it was still a sad one. "Thank you though for being here to meet me."
Zeus stopped watching as son walked past him, Ares never said thank you! This was the first time he'd ever heard that word uttered on his sons lips, he blinked trying to contain his shock as he watched him walk towards the others. Ares watched as Aphrodite came towards him followed by her husband he stopped as she came to stand in front off him the uncertainty in her eyes. He knew what she was going to ask, she wanted to know if Gabrielle was alright she was her friend after all and nothing would ever change that. "Gabrielle and Xena are both alive I was sent ahead of them, by tonight they will be back in one of their homes and you can visit." Aphrodite looked up at him putting a hand on his chest. "I am so glad to hear that."
Ares eased her hand away it wasn't that he didn't want her affection he just didn't want the others to see it. They'd mock him for that they always did. Aphrodite looked up. "I am so glad that you are alright, I was worried about you I thought that you had died." Ares looked down taking in a deep breath he knew his words would sound weak to others but she was the only one who deserved to hear them. "You were right about Mexica every word you said was the truth and I should have listened to you, I am sorry that I didn't listen." He eased his hand away from hers looking at the floor. "There was glory to be had and the face of C'thulon is something that gods like us, are not meant to see." He shook his head as he looked up keeping his hand on his sword's hilt. "I will never doubt your words again, of that you can be sure if of nothing else."
He wanted to say more he wanted to say that he'd make it up to her but that could wait for another time when he was in a better mood though he couldn't see that happening any time soon. He gave her a smile before slowly walking past he didn't want to remain here any longer he wanted to be alone to think. Apollo watched as he walked past. "You owe me a Chariot, you stole mine and it seems that you've destroyed it since you didn't bring it back with you!" Ares stopped turning to look at him in disgust, he had never cared for Apollo and today was no different he sneered as he met his light blue gaze. "If your chariot is all care about then that says a lot about you doesn't it?" He ignored Apollo's surprise as the other god froze trying to get his dense mind around what he'd just said he knew he'd never get it. He carried on walking towards the door not wanting to look at the faces behind him he didn't care if they wore shock or surprise. He stopped closing his eyes as he felt the fire blast up all around him as he teleported away.
End of part 127
Silvermoonlight
Hi all this story is now officially complete, its last four chapters will be posted up in the next week or so. Thank you to everyone who has stuck with this story and reviewed it over it long two and half year life span.
