"Okay, we're leaving. But before we do, I've got a couple things to say." Xander was definitely wanting out of this reality. Meeting Xena and Gabrielle was a fan boy dream come true. Meeting Ares wasn't.

"War can be a useful thing. When it helps secure freedom from a variety of things. And if you limited yourself to that maybe I could consider you a decent guy. But you force war into something else. Like you did with this war. You made it about pain and blood and death. Innocents die in war, there's no escaping that. But you make sure some of them die on purpose. Which makes you someone to scorn as far as I'm concerned. I have no doubt this offer of yours would turn me into someone I don't want to be."

"You sure about that? With my offer you could have dozens of pretty ones like her." Ares leered at Cordelia.

"The last guy who looked at me like that, I made him faint when I threatened to cut off his fingers." Cordelia said coldly. "What is he to Artemis? Would it piss her off if I cut off his fingers?"

"Half brother and sister and as far as I know, they don't get along." Xander told her. "But since we're leaving, I suggest you keep Lufielne's Knife sheathed for now. If he gets handsy, have at it."

"I will."

"And as for why I called out to Thor, I'm not a worshiper. And we really need to go. Proximity isn't helping the situation."

"Why? Why is us being near each other a problem?" Thor asked. "I can sense the power in you. I saw you use something that reminds me of Mjolinar, which should be impossible since I have Mjolinar, to call the lightening. Can you at least explain before you go?"

"In another reality, you made me from your blood. You call me your son, though in some ways, I'm more of a clone. At least I started out that way. Once you made me, you made me different as well. I've since become more. We both have."

"You were made from a god too?" Thor asked Cordelia.

"Artemis made me from her blood."

"Why did we do this?" Thor asked. He believed them, he could feel the connection to the boy and understood now why the boy was in a hurry to go. Even changed from the base of Thor's blood, they were still close enough for the universe to consider them nearly the same physical person and the universe didn't like the same people being near each other.

"To fulfill the terms of a prophecy that called for specific warriors capable of destroying a creature responsible for millions of deaths." Xander answered.

"And you fulfilled this purpose?"

"Yes and then we needed a new purpose. Which is why we're here. Our parents sent us out to help, wherever help might be needed. Usually the first people we see are the people we try to help."

"I saw you through my viewing pool, trying to help Xena help these people. You've done well."

"I killed people today. It was self defense and I used power to do it. I was in pain, a kind of pain I'd never felt before. Someone shot me with an arrow."

"Oh, that was Strife." Ares said. "He was testing you, he saw you use power to protect Xena and the other women with you. He wanted to see what you would do."

Anger burned in Xander. "He shot me on purpose? Your dimwitted sycophant wanted to see what I would do. People died because of his curiosity. Tell him if he shows his face around me, I'll punch him so hard his eyeballs will be looking out of the back of his head. Thor, it's nice to meet another version of my father. I hope I don't disappoint you either."

"No, you haven't. As I said, I saw you helping these people. I see that killing those people hurt you. You haven't disappointed me, my son."

Xander felt a knot loosen inside him.

"Well, you've disappointed me." Ares said. "I really hoped you'd give my offer some consideration, but apparently you're too much of a goody two shoes."

"I really want to be a good guy. When you create situations like this war, you don't make it easy to be a good guy. But I know something you don't know."

"What would that be?" Ares asked, not liking the smile on the young man's face.

"How much humiliation you're going to experience in the coming years." Xander took Cordelia's hand in his and pressed the button on the control device. An electric tingle and the world shifted. Thor and Xena were both laughing at the expression on Ares face.

"Come on Gabrielle, let's escort Ephiny home." Xena said, helping Gabrielle up. Ephiny was on her feet and her small Centaur son was standing on his own four feet as well. Neither Ephiny nor Gabrielle were too steady, but both wanted to get out of this place as quickly as they could.

"So Galen." Xena addressed the head priest. "Apparently you were supposed to learn something from me today. Did you?"

"I learned a lot about how to actually heal people. I've dedicated my life to healing people and now I find out I haven't been healing them, just making things worse. I have alot to make up for. No wonder Aesclepius was ignoring me."

"Well now you know. I wish you luck, Galen." Xena assured the priest.

"You too, Xena."

"Xena, where do you think Xander and Cordelia went?" Gabrielle asked, as she and Ephiny leaned against each other.

"About the only thing I can say for sure, is somewhere where they can help someone."