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Return of the Warrior

Pass the weed man

Ares appeared before Hercules with a very angry expression on his face. Hercules remained his chair, choosing not to stand in the presence of the God of War. Then he said with an arrogant laugh, "What brings you to my tent brother?"

Anger boomed from Ares as he said, "That child. Why did you take him?"

Hercules answered darkly, "That's my business."

Ares replied sternly, "I am helping you achieve your dreams but that child is the son of one of my most honored warriors."

Hercules replied mockingly, "Yes I know. Your chosen Xena. I figured this would get her attention."

Ares replied, "I know I've occasionally insulted your intelligence…."

Hercules raised an eyebrow, "Occasionally?"

Ares groaned, "Okay I've done everything bad to you that can be bad. But I'm telling this is not smart. Xena will surely come for you now."

Hercules stood up with fists clinched in rage, "And what better way to rid of my greatest obstacle. Besides you worry too much. I beat her, the last time we fought."

Ares shot back raising his hand in irritation, "Fine! But do not harm him or you lose my support."

Hercules without a care in the world asked, "Why do you care? Oh right, you have a thing for her." Hercules shakes his head feigning embarrassment as Ares teleports away.

8

On the road after Hercules

Callisto said hoping to calm down Borias, "Borias, do you realize will be going up against Hercules?"

Borias answered furiously "I don't care! I'm taking him back!"

Callisto replied sarcastically, "Good to see you have a plan. What about Xena?"

Borias asked dismissively, "What about her?"

"It's her son to," Callisto replied.

Borias replied "I didn't have a choice about missing ten years of his life. She did."

Callisto answered back "That's harsh."

8

A desolate landscape near Mount Ararat

When Chaos died his power was supposed to go out of the world but it didn't. Some of his gods remained, and though them, Chaos found a pathway back into this world.

Anarchy, the number two God in the world of Chaos, and thus the most powerful of the remaining Gods. Chaos found him to be the best choice, a place to both plot and hide, as he was weakened here in this world. Thus he had possessed this God. Anarchy still existed within the body of the God, but Chaos was in control.

Chaos stared at the barren landscape. Soon he would rise again and turn this world on its head, recreate his world of Chaos, here on earth. But time was what he needed, and something very special. Something he created in the world of Chaos that held his power, something that would allow him to take his true form and shed the skin of this lesser god.

It was here somewhere, here in this barren husk of a land that dared to call itself apart of this world. His first step would be made here, where no one was looking.

8

In Northern Greece

"Gabrielle duck!" Gabrielle dodges the strike of the creature as she slips behind the creature. The creature bellows in anger as Xena prepares for a lethal strike on the beast. Gabrielle smashes the monster in the back of the skull, the creature turns around and swings at Gabrielle fiercely as the blonde ignores Xena's shout's to watch out. Gabrielle uppercuts the creature with her staff as it falls to the ground.

Xena watches in horror as Gabrielle takes a dagger from her boot and jams it under the creatures chin several times and then decapitates the creature. She holds up the head as blood shoots on her body. Xena walks up seizes the head and grabs Gabrielle shouting "What are you doing!"

Gabrielle, acting on instinct punches Xena in the face, and then regains herself saying, "Xena I'm sorry." Xena while holding her mouth instructs Gabrielle to keep back.

Xena spits out a shot of blood and then looks at Gabrielle saying in a kind of quiet scold. "Gabrielle, what are you doing?"

Gabrielle replied annoyed at Xena's question, "What? The creature isn't a threat anymore, is it?"

Xena tried to seize the dagger from Gabrielle who pulled it back, keeping it from her hands. Xena asked, trying to be calm, "Since when do you carry a dagger?"

Gabrielle replied as she held the blade, "Ever since I felt I needed one."

Xena then touched Gabrielle's shoulder asked, "Gabrielle, there is something bothering you isn't there?"

Gabrielle looked away from the warrior and said, "No, not really." Xena was about say more but…

"Ares!" Xena demanded, "Don't you have a war or the slaughter of an innocent village to attend to?"

Ares appeared with a smile "As interesting as that would be I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be. So Gabrielle giving into a little bit of bloodlust eh? I have to say, for someone who was God of War for a couple weeks or so, Aphrodite didn't do that bad of a job. Speaking of her, we still don't know where she is. However that's not why I'm here."

Xena looked at Ares with that steely gaze, "Why are you here?"

Ares got within Xena's personal space as he saic, "As a friend. One of my warlords has gone and did something foolish it seems."

Xena replied as she stepped back from the God of War, "And let me guess, you want me to teach him a lesson."

Ares grabbed Xena's sides with his hands as he said, "Oh, Xena, you'll want to teach him lesson when you find out what he did. He took your son Xena. He knows, though I can't say how, but he knows."

Xena's face grew red with rage, "And why didn't you stop him Ares?"

Ares pulled back as he said, "I don't interfere in these things."

Xena replied, "Ares! That's crap. Where is he? Now!"

Ares replied, "South of Athens, I think he means to accomplish the objective you could not. Take Athens. It'll be a good show." Ares Disappeared.

Xena was enraged and completely forgot about Gabrielle as she put away her dagger. Xena mounted Argo and Gabrielle got on behind her as she started off in the direction of Athens. No one touches her son.