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Helping Ares

The Disclaimer hereby announces its intention to run for president.

The sun was setting was troops from Messene and an advance party of Spartans arrived. Even with the new troops, they were outnumbered by Hercules' army, who still occasionally flung catapult round or two at them. However both parties were in stalemate. Neither would advance because neither could afford the losses at this time. Thus the two armies began to settle in.

On Hercules side of the field his three thousand reinforcements from Corinth coupled with the ten thousand men from Delphi greatly strengthened his position. He met for the first time, the Delphi commander. General Herici. General Herici in his own words was an elitist son of a bitch. His pride and arrogance seemed unlimited, and he believed that he was the finest man ever made. However, he was a little guy standing about five foot four, and he hated everyone who was taller than him.

Still he was genius, his arrogance did not cloud his judgment as one of the finest tacticians in Greece. He said "So you're Hercules. Well I expected more from the supposed son of Zeus."

Hercules replied "You have a lot of mouth little man."

"Thinking with your muscle."

Hercules shouted, "I should break your neck!"

Herici smiled arrogantly, "Tsk, try it and my army attacks you, I'm sure the noise of battle will grab the attention of your enemy, and I'm sure once again that the Thebans will have no part. Well if it isn't the tom boy of Thebes."

Selenta had met Herici before, she was quite familiar with the man in front of her, "All's good miss priss, so is ten thousand all you brought."

Herici was slightly amused, "Oh how I enjoy talking to you. Anyway cow face, I have five thousand more one the way, they were delayed in case we had trouble making a proper landing, or met battle head on. Delphi can only spare so many men."

Selenta smiled, "Well needle dick, glad to see Thebes and Corinth don't have to bear the brunt of this war now."

"Of course not, you couldn't handle it. So… we're up against Xena. I was just a captain when Xena came to Delphi ten years ago. I still remember our coward of a king submitting without a fight. I wonder if she'll live up to the stories about her."

Selenta replied, "She does, rest assured. Don't worry we won't let her slaughter Delphi's army."

Herici questioned, "who is this Callisto, I've heard some things."

"Well, she's an irritating blonde, who is an impressive warrior, but on the battlefield she's just another warrior with ax to grind. She's not the real threat. As I said Xena is here, as is Borias and Iolaus. Jason former King of Corinth commands Argos, and to my surprise their actually is a few Athenians as well."

Herici asked, "What about the Spartans?"

Selenta replied, "Our spies don't expect them to be here until later this evening, though small groups of advance parties may be here sooner. Hercules is our overall commander"

Herici scoffed, "Spies… now whose telling bullshit, you've got no spies. You're just guessing and trying to make yourself sound like you're on the ball."

Herici ignored Selenta's foul look as he turned his attention to Hercules, "So muscles, what do you want me to do?"

Hercules eyed the little man, "I need some soldiers for a night raid, Selenta will lead it, but a few volunteers from your corps will bolster our attack plan."

"So, if something happens my men die, I think not, unless a few Corinthians go."

Hercules grabbed him by the shirt shouting, "That's an order!"

Herici struggled, "Let me go, or my army will attack."

"You will die first. What will it be?"

Herici nodded, "Fine, I'll send a few troops."

Hercules dropped him. Herici got up saying in irritation, "You could have least sat me down. This dirt crap ruins my uniform." Hercules snarled at him. Herici replied "Ok, ok. You know Selenta you might want to control the psycho over here. Calm him down or something. All that aggression is bad for his health." Herici left not even bothering to look as Hercules' face.

Selenta shot a cold stare at Hercules, "That's not smart, sure he is a prissy little shit, but he is skilled in tactics, and he will be very useful to us."

"Whatever, as long as he does his job. If we can't find a way to break this stalemate then the whole of Greece will be here."

Selenta's eyebrow shot up, "Maybe there is something else I can do on top of the raid."

8

Xena stormed into Jason's hut, "Ares, what the hell do you want!"

Ares smiled at Xena casually approaching her, "Doing some soul searching Xena, since I've been stripped of my rights as a war god."

Xena put a sword to his throat asking, "Does this mean I can kill ya."

Ares cocked his head, "Not exactly, oh I'm still a god, but my powers have been limited by father and Poseidon. Needless to say I'm here for you Xena."

Xena scoffed, "Why? You want to watch me heading an army? That job was passed onto Callisto"

Ares smiled joyfully, "As amazing as that is to watch, no, I need your help."

"That's insane, after what you did to Athens, you want me to help you?"

Ares replied with a stern tone, "I did not have Athens destroyed."

Xena rolled her eyes, "Oh, you weren't with Hercules when he crushed Athens? Who was it, a twin?"

"I was there, but I did not order the complete destruction of the city. Someone else had Hercules do it."

Xena maintained her glare at the god, "Who else deals in mortal blood and would be interested in conquering Athens?"

Ares sighed, "I don't know, maybe one of Chaos' rouge gods. Point is, if I'm ever to go back to Olympus I need to find out who it was."

Xena shot her hands in the air, "Whatever. I don't have time for you."

As she was walking out Ares enraged, punched a hole in the wall , "I'm serious Xena! I did not ride horseback over half the country for you to walk away from me!"

Xena turned around, "No! You rode horseback across all of Greece so that you could resume your pathetic games!" Then she stormed out.

Ares calmed down, sighing in defeat, "Maybe the other one will help me"

8

Callisto walked around the lines checking on the soldiers. She overheard one say, "It is hopeless, we can never beat Hercules."

Callisto grabbed him by the shirt as she shouted, "Listen here, you better get that nonsense out of you mind and be ready to fight or I'll slice your throat and leave you to die, do you understand me?"

The soldier frightened replied, "Yes ..yes…ma'am."

Callisto released him and continued about her walk through the camp.

Another soldier was place a helmet on a gathering of rocks on a freshly buried soldier. The soldier saluted the grave, "This is for you man." Callisto grabbed his shoulder warmly. She saluted the grave too before slowly letting go and continuing her walk through camp.

Then suddenly she came upon Ares. Callisto groaned, "Ares. What do you want?"

Ares replied, "Just admiring your effects on the troops. I have to say for a heartless murderer you some to have quite the nice touch."

"Ares, I don't care what you have to say, you're the reason I'm here on this battlefield."

Ares smugly answered, "I never told Hercules to go after Solan. That was his idea, or least someone else gave him that idea."

Callisto's eyes flared, "Who else would know of him. You've been watching Xena for years like some creepy stalker."

Ares grinned, "Well you know, every breath you take, every move you make…"

Callisto shook her head, "Go away Ares."

"I need your help."

Callisto let out an exasperated sigh, "Ask Xena, she's the one you're always harping over."

Ares reached out with his arms, "She already said no. So I need your help."

Callisto shot back coldly, "No! Besides you're not entirely innocent of what occurred at Cirra."

Callisto walked away as Ares cursed himself. Ares then suddenly had an idea, "Maybe I'm thinking about the wrong blond."

8

Gabrielle was tending to the injured when Ares walked up to her. Gabrielle replied coldly, "Stay away Ares."

Ares smiled warmly, "you haven't even heard what I had to say."

Gabrielle shot back, "I don't care!"

"Not even if I said there was another enemy that you didn't know about. One who was really behind Hercules doing what he is doing."

Gabrielle replied, "Ares. I know you, your trying to manipulate me."

Ares sighed, "No I am not, well maybe a little. But that's not the point. I gave up most of my power to find this enemy, and I need your help."

Gabrielle's look was one of surprise, "You mean you are no longer a God?"

Ares pulled in closer to the bard, "I'm still a God, but with only my strength and immortality to help me, not the rest of my powers. I need your help Gabrielle."

Gabrielle thought about it for a moment, then she wondered, what if Ares was telling the truth, she finally said, "What do you need me to do?"