Xena entered a large commander tent and looked around. She saw lanterns and torches hanging, and a nice rug between her and a desk where Markus was sitting looking at a map.

"Xena, I'm glad you're here. I'd like you to look at our battle map." He said as he stood.

She walked up to the desk, and started examining it closely, looking over every detail with a keen eyesight.

"It's a good plan, I'm glad you're with us." Xena said as she smiled at Markus.

"You approve?"

"Yes, I think it's perfect. The first assault taking place in the morning is excellent. This guy has a fairly decent army, so he'll put up a good fight for a bit. As long as we hold the line, we'll be able to overwhelm him with our forces and take the town back."

"We'll begin the fight here at the entrance of Potidaea, where the gate is. We'll begin the assault with arrows and catapults. That should wear down his defenses, while another strike team comes up to the north entrance making their way along the walls and opening the gate for us. Once that's done, we'll enter the town and take it. Shouldn't be more than a few hours if all goes according to plan." Markus looked at Xena deeply into her eyes.

"Tomorrow morning it begins then." Xena returned the look into his eyes and broke contact. "I'll be part of the strike team that enters through the north and gets the bridge down. It shouldn't take much time."

"Right." Markus agreed.

"No matter what, we attack at dawn." She said looking determined. Xena smiled and looked down at her polished boots.

"I'm glad you like my plan." He said smiling.

"You surprised me with how knowledgeable you are with sieges, makes me wonder where you learned it."

"I've been part of a few take-overs being in Ares army. I've learned quite a bit since we last saw each other."

"I can see that." Xena said smiling. She turned around and began walking out of the tent.

"Xena…" Markus said cracking his voice a bit.

"After."

"After?"

"After we take Potidaea. Whatever you're going to say, say it after we've won." Xena stepped out and looked around the many warriors surrounding them, drinking, laughing, talking. It was the night before a siege and they were doing what any good warrior would do, prepare like it could be the last night of their lives. She smirked and began walking through the camp site, looking at everyone doing whatever they needed to prepare themselves. She turned to a path that led into the woods and followed it, she needed time to herself to prepare for what was coming. The further she walked the deeper she went, looking up at the tall trees surrounding her. It calmed her being near nature, hearing the echoes of whatever creature was rustling about.

The deeper she got she looked and saw a large stone in a clear area where she could see the sky. She leaned against it and sat down, looking up to see a full moon as it sat gazing in the heavens, shining down a bright glare onto the area. She closed her eyes and began to clear her mind as she listened to the night, feeling a slight breeze blow by and dance across her face, and causing her long dark hair to glide into the wind.

She began to think about her time with Markus and where she was with him in the past. Seeing him had stirred up old feelings she thought were long gone. He was the one thing in her life that she loved at the time and would do anything for. He got to her like nobody ever did. He was a soft spot for her, and she realized it yet again. Here they were working together under a different cause, instead of ransacking villages and towns themselves, stealing or making a name for themselves, here they were under Ares doing his bidding.

She let out a sigh as she exhaled, and then took a deep breath feeling its clean crispiness fill her lungs with fresh air. Markus was an obstacle she wasn't anticipating, another kink in her plans to further herself and conquer the world as the Destroyer of Nations. She knew her feelings for him had resurfaced and it bothered her because she thought she never wanted to love truly anyone, or anything again. She couldn't help herself as she thought about her past with him, and how she almost became his wife, and their reckless love that they shared. She began thinking of the good times she had with him, how they couldn't keep their hands off each other especially during and after a fight. And how he proposed to her, getting down on one knee swearing before the gods he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Even praying to the great Goddess Aphrodite and thanking her for bringing them together. Xena smiled as she remembered the ring made from sticks and flowers because they could barely afford anything, because after a raid or a theft they usually ended up spending their newly acquired gold on things like upgrading their armor or buying new weapons. But she was young and in love and didn't care about the ring because she knew his heart was pure and his feelings for her were genuine. A rare feat in a man nowadays that seemed too no longer be true. Men usually had an ulterior motive or just wanted another sexual conquest. But Markus was real and loved her deeply… Which is what really scared her and made her say no.

Suddenly as she heard a movement behind her, a stick breaking that caught her attention. She stayed still as she kept listening to see if it was approaching her. Another stick cracked and she turned to look. Within a moment or two, she felt something lethal being thrown at her, so she began running to a tree, leaped into the air, ran UP the tree and did a backflip. An arrow flew passed missing her and stuck into the trunk of the tree. She landed and drew her chakram, ready to strike at a moments notice. She heard another one being launched, and she threw her Chakram at the source, striking the arrow into two pieces falling to the ground. The chakram headed towards a man in the bushes she saw was hiding who had a bow, and it struck him right in the chest, killing him instantly as he fell back onto the ground motionless. She heard more arrows being launched and she did a backflip, flipping herself up into the trees so she could see what was happening. Arrows flying beneath her hitting several spots along the lower trunk of the tree she was in. She saw several movements within the forest of men wearing armor she had never seen before.

She drew her sword as another arrow came flying at her, and she blocked it with precision. Several more arrows came flying at her, and she leaped into the air doing a front flip as they flew past her, and tumbled to the ground landing on her feet, until suddenly she felt a sting in her neck as she gasped. Men began pouring out of the trees and bushes around her, charging with weapons in arms. She pulled out a dart in her neck that caused a sting, that had a funny looking feather at the end. She threw it to the ground as she began letting out a warcry. She jumped into the air and kicked two men in the face as they approached her, knocking them down to the ground. She parried an incoming sword strike and punched the warrior in the face. She began spinning to the left missing another strike and stabbed a man in the stomach. Blood began to drip as he dropped to the ground, sliding off her sword in the process now covered in the red liquid. She swung her sword in a circular motion as she was being surrounded, just in time to slice each warrior through their chests, striking stunning blows.

Suddenly her eyesight began to wane, and her vision became a bit blurry. She couldn't make out faces too well as more people charged her. She raised her sword in a defensive stance as her heart began to quicken, and she suddenly didn't feel well. She let out a sigh as she dropped to the ground, everything going white, motionless.