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Converging Armies

Selenta arrived back into the camp, her head lowered to the ground. Her wrist had been bandaged up. As a warrior well versed in the arts of fighting with two blades, she wasn't useless; she could still use a sword in her left hand. She was already approaching the camp of Hercules when she noticed Herici on the side of the camp calling her over.

Selenta didn't know why, but felt that she should go see what he wanted first. Approaching cautiously Selenta asked, "What is it?"

Herici gave a dark smile, "You've battled with the Warrior Princess, I can feel the emotional experience within."

Selenta bowed her head, "I should have had her, but I got careless."

"Perhaps a more hands on approach would do be helpful…" Smiled the over confident man.

Selenta unsheathed his sword, "I could kill you were you stand."

Herici replied with a dark grin, "No you can't. Even Callisto's amazing Thundersword couldn't kill me."

Selenta paused, "You battled Callisto?"

"I certainly did, but Herici did not, I can tell you that much."

"You're crazy…"

Herici's grin faded, "I can assure you my dear Selenta that I'm very much sane. This body you are seeing is not your dear friend Herici. I killed him and took his form to get close to Xena. I am the God known as Chaos."

Selenta gave a double take, "Chaos was only supposed to be a rumor, and a dead one at that."

Chaos began to emanate a dull purple light, "Rumors of my death where greatly exaggerated. Who's to say I could blame them for thinking that though? Even I didn't know that I would survive that one, but then again, a weapon formed by a god of lesser power than would never be able to slay me."

Selenta raised her sword, "I got the point, now why are you appearing to me now and telling me this fascinating fairy tale?"

Chaos admired the persistence of Selenta, she wasn't unlike the Warrior Princess that she claimed to hate and yet aspired to be.

"Hercules will soon be replaced. When I regain my full powers, Hercules will come for me. You see, what I've done to him made him angry at Xena yes, and with poking and prodding from some allies of mine was all that was needed to send him on this little campaign of his. But he hates me, Chaos, as much as he hates Xena. You see, I placed in my world and raped his mind, if you will. The son of Zeus recalls that, and that's good."

Selenta replied, "Well, that's fine, but how are we going to replace him?"

Chaos stated, "Simple, when I assert my true power, he'll come for me and leave the army. That is when it's up to your capable hands to take the reins. It won't matter what Hercules is doing, I can assure you of that much, he'll come for me, even on the off chance he doesn't, my creature, Darkness, that resides in his mind will make sure of that. So, you take over, and there you go, now you have the army that is going to conquer Greece."

Selenta was no fool, "From the tales I heard from you, it seems this war wouldn't really concern you? Why have it at all?"

Chaos replied, "Very astute, you mortals are so impressive despite that small fragile cranium you have. I could really care less about your pitiful wars. There is an entertainment factor, nothing like watching an action adventure. No, the only reason for this war really was a distraction for Xena from not only me, but also keeping her where I know where she is. I know she's here, and not somewhere else, so when it's my time to pay her a visit, I can."

Chaos dare not say anything about the Heart of Chaos, he knew that Xena had that important missing piece. But Selenta would pursue it if she knew that, so he kept it to himself.

Selenta asked, "What can you do for me?"

Chaos smiled, he knew Selenta would find herself in an agreeing mood, "You miss your hand, I can make you a new one. My powers are limited, but my ally can handle a replacement. You agree to serve my will and replace Hercules when the time comes, then you shall have your brand new hand."

Selenta stared at her bloodied wrist as the blood had already seeped through the bandages, "Chaos, you have a deal."

Selenta suddenly stood back as a second figure appeared. She knew instantly who it was, "Aphrodite…"

"Yes mortal, extend your arm!"

Selenta did as commanded and watched as the bandage around her wrist disappeared and suddenly a new hand began to form. She gritted her teeth as some discomfort set in, but smiled when she saw her newly formed hand. She took a moment to stare at it, she'd never take having hands for granted again.

Chaos shot, "What are you waiting for? A Warranty? Go to Hercules side and wait for the moment. It will be soon at hand."

Selenta nodded, leaving behind the God known as Chaos. She would have to pretend from this point on that the being that was Chaos, was just Herici, but she did know something. He was speaking from a point of weakness, otherwise he might have been the one to heal her hand.

She looked at her hand, it wasn't a free gift. She'd just given her absolute allegiance to the being Chaos, weakened or not, she felt that she may have traded the frying pan for the fire.

Chaos stood beside Aphrodite as she asked, "Why get rid of Hercules anyway?"

Chaos replied, "The Demi God is far more capable then you give him credit for. As the angry evil Hercules he can't be controlled effectively, and if he breaks free of the power I have over him, then he'll become a threat. No, Hercules must be taken care of, and replaced."

8

All over Greece, things were in motion, groups of men under banners all sworn to fight against Hercules. The Band of Centaurs themselves were diverting around the Army of Hercules and heading for the plains of Arcadia.

A small contingent of Thebans soldiers had arrived to help guard Corinth, as the volunteer forces of Rhodes were sailing for Greece. Among those volunteer soldiers, included 2000 Athenian soldiers, that had been assigned to guard small Islands in the Aegean, now with the tragedy of Athens, these men represented the last of the Athenians, and these last men, aimed to avenge the destruction of their city.

From Sparta, Aliston marched at the head of 10,000 men. It was the largest single army of Spartans in it's nation's history, but this couldn't hide neither the damage done to Sparta with its loss in Argos, nor could these numbers erase the shame of that defeat.

Aliston stood almost six foot tall, his bright red cloak behind exposing his bare chest as a Spartan King often went into battle lightly armored. He was the epitome of Spartan, and he had an ambition. Kleomidas had made a fool of the Spartans. He'd lost in a badly planned battle, so now it was time to go join the main army and reassert Sparta's roll in the war, and lead it to the victory.

However Aliston realized that he would not be able to remove Callisto from power as the leader this time. Kleomidas had done so and as a result nearly wiped out the coalition, they weren't about to turn power over to another Spartan King. Kleomidas had been Aliston's fellow king in the Dual Monarchy of Sparta, they hadn't always seemed eye to eye, but for Sparta's sake, Kleomidas must be avenged.

From all over Greece the armies were coming, and they were all heading towards the plains of Arcadia, which would soon be the next battleground in the great war of Greece.