© Copyright 1996-1999 by Clayton J. Powers

Xena: Warrior Princess and the names, titles, and backstory used in "Ares Ascendant" are the sole property of Universal and Studios USA. The author intends no copyright infringement through the writing of this fan fiction.

This story may not be sold and may be archived at public sites only with direct permission from the Cave of Choirs and the author. Any archive or partial archive must carry this entire copyright statement.

"Shut up for the gods sake! Stir the damn things or we'll be eating BURNT lentil mush and if it's BURNT lentil mush we'll have meat in it for a change--YOUR STUPID HEAD!" roared the soldier that had thrown the cake. An elbow came crashing down onto the top of the head of the man who made the threat. Yowling in pain, the man turned suddenly prepared to strike at his assailant. He stopped short for it was his commander, the lieutenant that was in charge of this small scouting party that had thrown the elbow.

"You knock that crap off," the officer yelled at the man he had just struck. "You get to work saddling the horses, and the next time you waste food like that YOUR head will be in the mush for breakfast. NOW GET TO WORK! ALL OF YOU!" Immediately the little glade in which the ten man party now arose was an anthill of activity as the men, wishing not to displease their commander so early of a fine fall dawn, bent to their chores in preparing to move out for the day.

The lieutenant took an instant to kick a lazy bones in the butt to get him moving and then looked around. He was in a lovely glade in the eastern edge of the Pindus Mountains in central Thessally, far, far away from his home near Carchemish. He looked around, took in a sharp breath of cold, dry Greek air and considered closely what his next move would be. Information was his primary objective, his secondary objective was to destroy all that he could. He was to assess the fighting abilities of the states, people, and the terrain of Greece, as well as terrify the populace as much as possible. He was not alone in this mission. There were at least twenty other such parties. All of them were on virtual suicide missions individually, but some of this number surely would return to their bases to deliver the information. The lieutenant knew that he must bring home that information. His Emperor was a god to him, as he was to all of his army. He could not bear the possibility of letting the Emperor down. Failure was not an option to the lieutenant; he would succeed. Nevertheless, he considered himself lucky that he was still alive. The opposition he had met had been very amateurish indeed.

The clearing around the bottom of the glade was surrounded by the lofty cedars of Greece. The pungent odor of their boughs added to the perfume of the morning. The lieutenant noticed the sounds of waking birds, warblers, thrushes, vereos, and many others. Then oddly, the lieutenant heard the raucous screeching of a stork. He craned his head around and saw nothing of the big bird, yet now he was hearing the damn things all around him. He bent to check the cauldron of lentil mush convinced that he had just settled inside a sleeping flock of the birds.

This illusion was shattered by the whirring of ropes though iron carubiners, the thumping sounds of many feet hitting the earth, and the slapping noise of many iron sword blades cutting the air. The lieutenant looked around in utter shock. Surrounding his small force stood at least fifty monsters. He saw giant birds, minotaurs, and cats that walked upright. Some of the monsters seemed to be flying, but some stood with legs akimbo with battle staffs at the high port position. He saw some with swords windmilling the air and others with the batons called chobos spinning like fans. He could not believe what he was seeing, and his men joined him in his paralysis.

One of the apparitions stepped forward. It was significantly shorter than most of the others. It walked with power and authority, in its right hand were a pair of ornately decorated chobos. The apparition had the head of blue bird of prey, and its body was covered by a blue feathered cloak and a short tan suede skirt. Behind the leading figure stood another, considerably broader and taller, who was half human, half redbuck. This figure was carrying a battle staff ornately decorated with fur and eagle feathers.

The lieutenant's men grabbed their weapons and stood back to back. He yelled at them to calm down and reminded them that they were better than any Greek, monster or no. "Duty first!" He yelled. Then the blue hawk walked towards the men and demanded in a rich, softly nasal voice,

"What are you doing on my land?"

The lieutenant looked confused. "A monster speaking to me?" He thought. That voice sounded much too smooth to be a monster! It sounded like a woman's voice!

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON MY LAND?" The hawk demanded again.

What are you doing on Hebat's earth you demon? This'll be OUR land, when we destroy freaks like you!

The bird of prey's right hand shot skyward and tree limbs suddenly rustled. Looking up, the lieutenant saw the glitter of dawn twilight off iron arrow heads. Almost every tree around the glen had an archer in it, and many had more than one. However, if the lieutenant felt any fear in this impossible situation he didn't show it. His example steadied his men. Again the bird of prey stepped forward. The figure then reached up and pushed its beak back. The beak was part of a mask, which in turn was a part of a ornate headdress. Underneath the mask appeared a straight nose in the center of a perfectly oval face. Above that nose were a pair of sharp brown eyes.

"Didn't you see our markings at the opening of the pass?" the woman demanded. The apparition was indeed a woman. You've hunted Artemis' stags illegally. You are trespassing on the lands of the Pindus Amazons! Go back or you will be killed!"

The lieutenant's face broke into a wide, but bitter grin. He then tipped his head back and laughed uproariously. "We've come all this way to see what our Emperor faces when he conquers Greece! THIS is the best that the cowards send against us? WOMEN?"

The lieutenant turned his back to his questioner and yelled at his men, "This ain't serious, boys! Let's take a few to see what Greek women are like and get goin'!"

The short amazon wasn't about to take behavior anything like that from anyone, let alone a foreign clown like him. This was Melosa, Queen of the Pindus Amazons. Her duty to her sisters was to keep all threats at bay. She was also sworn to keep the forests and the animals of the goddess Artemis available to all her sisters. Melosa was a fair, but hard bitten, ruler who commanded respect for herself and her women.

"Drop your weapons and leave. This is your final warning!" The Queen shouted.

"I wonder if you are as good in the sack as you are a talker, harlot! Come to Poppa!" said one of the men with an obscene gesture. The man's comrades broke into gales of lewd laughter.

Melosa had met many louts before, but not many in fancy armor and as disciplined as these men obviously were. She also couldn't believe their stupidity. "Suit yourself," she said quietly. She sharply raised the hand in which she held the chobos and pointed it at the lieutenant. She then snapped her arm out to her side. Lowering her hand she turned her back on the lieutenant and began to walk away, the amazon dressed like the red buck beside her.

Laughing, the lieutenant began to walk behind the queen, taunting her. Then he raised and swept his hand forward, motioning his men to attack. Before the charge could even begin, Melosa's left fist shot into the air, then snapped back to her side. When the fist reached its final position, arrows began to cut through the air in swarms. Eight of the ten men died immediately, many hit with twenty arrows or more in vital spots. The ninth, apparently a sergeant by his fancier armor, was hit three times, mostly in the limbs. One arrow hit him in the left shoulder blade and knocked him to the ground. He was still alive though. The last man, the lieutenant, was hit only twice, both times very neatly in the back of his knees. The wounds brought him to the ground whimpering in intense pain.

Gesturing into the woods, Queen Melosa brought her warriors down out of the trees and a healer from the tree line. Turning to the big amazon, her personal retainer and weapons master Eponin, she ordered calmly, "Stake the dead out by the pass. Bring the leader to my hut when he's been tended to. Bring along all of their weapons and armor. We must examine them closely. I've never seen their like before."

The tall warrior with the broad shoulders and aquiline nose replied simply, "Yes my Queen!" and hurried off. As Eponin went to do what she was ordered to do, one of her sisters began to strip the dead. One of the corpses had fallen head first into the boiling caldron of lentil mush. When the amazon pulled the man out of the pot, she took a ladle and sampled the stuff, then grimaced. With a theatrical "Ptui", she spit the mush out, and then kicked the caldron over drowning the fire. The man whose head was in the gruel was the man who had been warned by his commander a moment before that his head was going to be in the pot unless he shut up. The corpse, in life, never expected that his head would really wind up in that pot. He was wrong.

The amazon village lay several miles away, and the unfortunate lieutenant was carried there like a deer carcass suspended from a pole. This pole was held on the shoulders of two stout amazon braves. The sergeant was treated more kindly. He was dragged face down on a travois behind a donkey. Melosa had ordered that the sergeant was to be saved, questioned, and then set free as a warning. The lieutenant, since he was in charge of this invasion, was to be rigidly interrogated. The lieutenant was thrown onto a rattan table in the antechamber of Melosa's large, but rude, hut and his wounds were tended again. By Melosa's order, he was awakened every few minutes to prevent him from sleeping. All the time he was watched carefully and everything he said was written down. From time to time Melosa herself came in to see him. Often she shook her head because he was muttering in a tongue with which sounded vaguely familiar but couldn't understand. Melosa had found that altogether strange since he had spoken Greek when he was interviewed in the glade.

One day later, the strange lieutenant was eating when Melosa, Eponin, and Ephiny, another of Melosa's most trusted retainers, came in to question him.

Ephiny had recently returned from Athens where she lay in after the birth of her son--a centaur. After much thought, and with the kindness of her father in law, the Centaur King Tyldus, Ephiny had left little Xenon with his grandfather sure in the knowledge that the best person to raise a centaur was another centaur. Ephiny was an amazon to the heart, and living with a male, even if it was a male centaur, was something she just couldn't do. In retrospect, was all she learned at the side of her husband, now dead, enough to maintain their love? "It doesn't matter anymore," Ephiny thought. Her sisters needed her too, and she would have never been allowed back into the amazon sorority if her son had accompanied her. The Sisterhood, she decided, was the only place where she felt like herself.

Ephiny was a scout. She was a master horsewoman and fully conversant in the ways of stealth. A wonderful archer and swordswoman, her job was to ride ahead of the amazon column and find danger so that it could be avoided or more easily destroyed. She also sometimes patrolled the borders of amazon territory as an important part of the frontier guard. A born tracker, her senses were so sharp that it was said by her sisters that her Mother was Artemis herself. Ephiny was honest, hard working, and a detailed reporter of what she saw. However, Ephiny did have flaws. She was headstrong and far too willing to hang onto a preconception--even if that preconception was refuted by fact. She was also irritable and too frank by half.

When the three entered the room off the antechamber where the confiscated weapons and accouterments were stored, Eponin cleared away some skins that had been thrown over them. The curly haired blond amazon went through them and examined every sword, dirk, bow and piece of armor. Then she shook her head; none of it was known to her.

"My Queen," Ephiny began, I've never seen anything like this stuff before, but the helmets are of a shape not normally seen in Greece. They're not Mycenean or Spartan. I suspect that they were made in Asia Minor. Notice how the crown of this helmet looks like the bottom of an upturned amphora." The amphora was the terra-cotta vessel used to transport olive oil in the cargo holds of ships.

The Queen and Eponin, whose professional interest was greatly aroused, peered at the helmets and armor. Every piece of leather was dyed a deep black. The piping was made out of pure silver leaf. This was a color combination that the amazon weapons master had always found terrifying. Also, every man had been similarly equipped. This wasn't a group of brigands or mercenaries. This outfit was a uniform. Uniforms were only found on the armies of the richest cities. The swords were of an unusual pattern. They were designed to be used with one hand and they were single edged. The blade was very sharply curved towards the pommel and the blade was somewhat wider at the point than the hilt. The weapons were of the finest hand forged iron. This eliminated any possibility that the swords could be Greek or Celtic.

"Could they've come from Carthage or Egypt?" The Queen asked.

"I don't think so my Queen" replied Eponin. "Firstly, Cartheginean weapons are similar to our own, as are the Egyptian. Secondly, we followed these men for some time and we think that their trail doesn't lead to any nearby port. They've come on a long overland journey. This would fit the fact that they had a four wheel wagon and a pair of mules with them. So North Africa is out. I think they may have crossed the Hellespont at Troy, or what's left of Troy.

"Why hadn't we heard of them before now?" Ephiny asked her sister incredulously.

The Queen answered, "There are a lot of private armies around, and Artemis knows how many brigands and freebooters. A small party like this could have easily slipped this far south. Krycus wasn't the only warlord in Greece you know, Ephiny." Turning on her heel towards the antechamber, the Queen ordered, "Come."

All abandoned the equipment and returned to the lieutenant who lay on the wicker bed, leg wounds bandaged but all four limbs chained to both walls.

"Why did you come here?" Ephiny asked the lieutenant. The answer was a yell in the man's own language, not the Greek of earlier.

Melosa tried to be reasonable. "You forced us to defend ourselves. Why did you do this? If you tell us why, we'll let you go, provided you go home. We're going to do this with your friend anyway. You led them. Why did you attack us!?

The answer was spit back in Greek, "Because you're a subhuman monster you bitch! We're gonna eliminate those half horse abominations you call centaurs, enslave all of the bastards you should be copulating with. We're going send you to our army's field brothels where you belong--Harlot!" Then the strange lieutenant arched his neck and spit in the Queen's face. The tirade continued in the man's other language.

Melosa pulled back in revulsion. Eponin raised a huge hand preparing to strike the lieutenant, who was now clearly out of his mind with rage. Ephiny quickly reached out and caught the fist before the blow could land. "Eponin! EASY!" Ephiny exclaimed.

Eponin roared in frustration and then swept her Queen out of the room--Ephiny right behind. Recovering, Melosa turned angrily to Ephiny and told her, "Keep questioning him. Keep him from sleeping. but don't torture him." Melosa pulled herself to her full height and pointed vigorously to the pinioned lieutenant "HE might be a barbarian; we aren't!"

For two weeks the questioning continued. Even though the lieutenant was hellishly fatigued, all that the shifts of amazon interrogators could get from the man was saliva and gales of shouting in the strange tongue. The sergeant was questioned too, but he was treated with great respect and fed like an amazon. This tactic got nowhere. The sergeant stayed absolutely silent, smiling but silent. Frustrated, Melosa called a council of all the amazon elders. At this council, the Queen also informed them that a similar party had actually attacked the centaur village to the south of their lands. All the invaders were killed fighting like maniacs. After reporting these events, Melosa averred that she had no idea what to do. The Queen of the Pindus Amazons looked up from her seat and scanned the faces of the surrounding women. Her gaze stopped at Ephiny because the scout's face looked interesting. Her eyes were burning with realization.

"You have something to say, Ephiny?" Melosa inquired.

"My Queen, do you remember that you told me a while back that there was more than one warlord in Greece?"

"Yes, sister?"

"Well, we know a RETIRED warlord who'd get some answers from that man!"

As soon as Ephiny finished that sentence, smiles burst upon the faces of the entire council as the dawn rose on the dark problem with which they had all grappled.

Another town, Oechalia, fell victim to destruction by its own citizens raising a panic that swept through Aetolia as if it were a dry, scorching wind. The King of Aetolia, Catreous, became desperate for a solution. His army was useless. He had dispatched a large force to Oechalia, in hopes of preventing the riot that destroyed the town, but his trained soldiers had disobeyed his orders, abandoned their weapons, and joined the murderous throng. The aftermath was the same as Hypata--everyone committed suicide.

In deep despair from his throne room in Chalsis, Catreous called for a reason for these horrible riots. The investigators sent out to find the cause came back scratching their heads with devastated looks on their faces. "We can't find what started these riots!" The investigators told him. They had to be right; the King knew that political conditions that usually lead to riots didn't exist under his rule. His kingdom was prosperous and free of roving bands of brigands and warlord armies. Perhaps some God sent his kingdom back into Chaos for his own capricious ends. No matter what happened, Catreous knew that it would take very powerful help to quell his Kingdom's agony. So gallopers raced through all of Hellas to find the help that Aetolia needed.

Gabrielle was about to try once again to get Xena to talk when someone came up on deck. Gabrielle recognized him as a man that had passed them on the street in Paegae. He was tall, very tall, taller even than Xena. He had dark chestnut colored wavy hair that was cut short, and on his chiseled face grew a neatly trimmed full beard. Strikingly, he had a uniform stripe of pure white hair that started in his beard and continued in his head of hair--a "skunk stripe" as it were. This man was slender, but had a barrel chest. Gabrielle had seen men built like this before and they were all long distance runners. He was dressed simply in undyed, homespun linen, but at his throat on a gold chain he wore a delicate charm--a tiny image of an owl. There was something about this man that made Gabrielle curious. He was always smiling, but yet he seemed as if he was not really of this earth. He carried himself with an ease and serenity that was very different than most men. Gabrielle, who would have normally gone over to him and buried him under conversation, felt that he was involved in something and that he should not be bothered.

So, Gabrielle went back to Xena and said, "Did you see that man over there? He is so good looking and he looks so smart. He's got to be interesting."

Xena still stood looking ahead. Gabrielle's words had gone right past her.

"When am I gonna learn that you are just not interested in girl talk." Gabrielle humphed, and she walked aft and tried to talk to the man at the ship's tiller. The brawny seaman, once Gabrielle's verbal assault began, just rolled his eyes and tried to get on with his job.

The man with the stripe in his hair finished arranging something that he had lashed to the deck and stood upright. He took in a deep, evidently satisfying breath and walked forward and stood next to Xena. Before coming along side her, he looked at her, and the way Xena was dressed. He noticed the thick leather dress and the small, ornately decorated bronze cuirass that she wore. He noted as well the heavy broadsword on her back and the unusual large ring she wore on her right hip. He then opened the distance between them and walked up beside Xena and took a quick look at her face. He saw the forbidding look on Xena's visage and opened up a sharp, crooked grin, and then slowly shook his head muttering, "UUHNN uuhnn."

Xena turned her eyes slowly and leveled a strong gaze upon the man. "May I help you?" Xena asked.

"No." The man said affably. "But you're doing the best impression of a ship's figurehead that I've ever seen."

Xena's serious mien softened almost into a smile.

"You know, you interest me greatly. I have never seen a woman so extraordinarily lovely yet so incredibly powerful before."

Now Xena hardened her expression to flint. "Then take your interest elsewhere or your head will be following it over the side," she snapped menacingly.

The man's smile broadened to glittering brilliance. "My! Don't you need to work on taking compliments better. By the way, you're right. It IS scary jumping into something you don't understand."

Xena's face swiveled fully towards the man, her eyes throwing lightning bolts. A terrifying smile was on her lips. The man's smile broadened even further. Then he bowed his head and raised his hands as if to say, "OK". Turning, the man sauntered to the companionway and ducked below deck.

Gabrielle saw the exchange and hurried to Xena's side. "Xena, what happened? What did he do?" Gabrielle asked.

"He stuck his face in where I didn't want it." Xena glowered.

Chalsis is a modest town for the capital of a Grecian province as is its castle which is on one floor but covers a wide area. Gabrielle noted this difference from the usual fortified Greek town, and she surmised that the King must have either great confidence in his army or disrespect for whatever enemies he must confront. The building, however low it might be, was richly painted in ochre and burgundy, especially so on the dozens of Doric columns that surrounded it. Gabrielle wanted to stop and admire the architecture, but in her year of traveling with the Warrior Princess she had gotten used to losing not a second.

Xena was fully alert. She was half expecting something to happen upon her arrival in Chalsis. The note was very short on details, but the extreme mystery of the situation made her think that the whole affair was the product of a sophisticated plot. Divine intervention seemed a distant possibility, but masses of armed men was a concept with which Xena was comfortable. A fight is still a fight and she knew that she could handle any kind of contingency when it came to combat. Right now though she needed more information. Xena hoped that the King's briefing would fill in a lot of gaps.

When they arrived at the front gate Gabrielle presented the message that King Catreous had sent them to the guards. These soldiers were initially suspicious of Xena and Gabrielle but the sight of the official seal on the parchment changed their attitudes in a hurry. Soon, under guard, the pair were conducted to the throne room. On their way, Gabrielle asked, "Xena, do you have any idea at all what we might be up against?"

"It sounds like the people in the towns just went berserk," Xena replied. "I have seen people act that way in combat before, but these attacks are for no reason at all. There hasn't been a war around here in many years."

"Berserk?" Gabrielle asked. "Doesn't that just mean crazy?"

"Yes and no, Gabrielle. Sometimes in combat, the stress of the situation causes some people to be totally overcome with rage. You've seen before that grief can turn people into monsters. A berserker exemplifies the worst kind of that sort of behavior. Not only do people under the influence of such feelings start killing everyone and destroying everything that they come across, but they also gain superhuman strength and endurance. Berserkers become almost impervious to pain. The only way you can stop one immediately is to either cut the berserker's head or a leg off or worse. Anything less probably won't stop them. Fortunately, berserkers are stupid. All they can think about is right in front of them. A good warrior can slip the berserker's first rush and get in a killing strike as he passes. It takes a clear head and really quick feet to do it. You can't get in close with berserkers, their strength is just too great."

Gabrielle was utterly horrified at what Xena had told her, but then she said, "You shouldn't have any problem out muscling one though--right?"

"Gabrielle, a berserker can be stronger than Hercules for a few seconds. One time I let one get too close and got his hands around my throat. I had to really act fast or he would have broken my voice box and killed me outright. He was so strong that there wasn't anything I could do without a weapon. Fortunately, I had my dagger and I stabbed him at the base of the skull and scrambled his brains. I was DAMN lucky."

Gabrielle went totally white, so white that Xena had to comfort her. This was the first time Xena had to do that to her friend for a very long time.

"Don't worry, Gabrielle; once a person goes berserk he usually forgets what fighting skills that he might have had. Good fighting needs calculation and imagination. Berserkers have none of that. I know how to handle them, and I'll show how you how to do it." Then Xena's expression turned to pained concern. "Nevertheless, berserkers are very dangerous. I had hoped to never see the day when you would have to kill someone Gabrielle, but this time you might have to. Talking to a berserker is just useless. Frankly, I'm hoping that when we arrive at the throne room, Hercules will be waiting for us." Gabrielle nodded her vigorous agreement.

King Catreous proved to be a small, elderly man with bright eyes and a peppery manner. He carefully laid out the situation as his investigators had discovered it. He was not optimistic. The two towns that had been wiped out were not the only sites of disaster. Scores of smaller hamlets seemed to be affected and the plague appeared to be coming closer to the capital.

"Who else have you contacted?" Gabrielle asked.

"We tried to get Hercules and Iolaus, but our first reply from Thebes was from Alcymene, Hercules' mother. She told us that they were on their way to Sicily. Jason was out of town too, somewhere in Asia Minor."

Xena kept a straight face but couldn't help feel relieved at not having anyone else along. She had taken nearly a year to finally feel comfortable with Gabrielle's assistance. Working with a stranger at the same level of command as herself didn't please the her too much.

The King looked depressed, but a disturbance at the entrance door made all turn as a messenger arrived. The messenger had another of the King's letters with him.

"Send him in!" King Catreous exclaimed after he read the reply. The messenger left and in a few seconds the stranger was led in.

Gabrielle's jaw dropped. "It's the man on the boat!" Gabrielle hissed.

Xena's expression hardened. "Great," she thought.

The man looked very different from when Xena and Gabrielle had first seen him. He was now dressed in a simple grayish blue robe made of the finest silk with gold braid upon the sleeves. He wore the simple gold headband of a priest, or doctor. The little amulet around his throat seemed more prominent somehow. Yet he still moved with a serenity and grace that commanded attention.

The King introduced them all.

"Demodocus, this is Xena, known as the Warrior Princess, and her associate Gabrielle. They are the other respondents to my call. Xena is now a roving.."

Demodocus finished the king's sentence with a small smile. "Penitent?"

Xena's eyes flashed. This man was proving to be a wise ass. "Who are you?" Xena asked rather petulantly. "You're certainly no warrior, or I would have heard of you."

"Well, you might say I'm a warrior, but I fight for people's hearts, not for their bodies. Judging by the description of the situation here you might need my kind of help."

"Why?" Gabrielle asked.

Xena looked Demodocus in the eye very closely but could only read that the man was very easy in his own skin.

"I'm the Chief Priest of the Maiden Athena in Athens." Demodocus said off handedly. "I'm convinced there is evil divine influence at work here. It's my job as the Maiden's spear carrier to help her keep people's passions more even. If there is another god involved I act in the Maiden's stead to prevent that god from doing much mischief. Athena does most of her work on Olympus, and she prefers to keep her works on earth quiet. I'm her eyes on earth so to speak."

Xena was incredulous. "That is the most silly story that I have ever heard. No mortal has that kind of relationship with a god unless they are part god themselves. The only demigod that I know of that is still around is Hercules."

"I have heard stories that you yourself have personal relationships with gods." Demodocus countered good naturedly. "Ares? Hades? Didn't you once defeat the Titans as well?"

Xena shot back. "Very different! I have worked for Hades, and he has done me a favor or two. We certainly aren't friends. Ares is my worst enemy. He wants me to go back to my past, a past I would like to get behind me. He dogs me constantly. As for the Titans, I was lucky that Gabrielle was there. She beat them, not me. The gods are far too erratic to be trusted."

"Xena!" Gabrielle exclaimed, trying to prevent an argument.

The priest held up his hand to the little strawberry blonde. "Patience my friend; with certain exceptions Xena is right. It's an unfortunate fact of life that events are all dictated by the gods and that all the gods have their own purposes. Some of them are none too stable. Also, Xena is right to be cautious. In her position, I would be cautious as well. Just because I'm a priest doesn't mean I don't need to earn her trust. I hope to do that. Just as I hope to show Xena that not all gods are irresponsible."

Xena was slightly rocked back on her heels. It was not her impression that most priests were such reasonable people. Elkton, the mystic that helped her save Gabrielle from Morpheus, was a nice fellow but he still had the tinge of a fanatic. This reasonableness made her suspicious; maybe Demodocus had some kind of stake in these riots?

After a bit, the King finished his briefing, and the general reaction amongst the three adventurers was one of shock and bewilderment. As they turned and walked out of the throne room Gabrielle remarked, "That was the single most remarkable and senseless story I've ever heard. What could be driving those poor people mad? Who could benefit from such a disaster? No warlord took over the villages. Nobody saw any kind of monster. It can't be Ares. Ares always shows up when there is a war going on, but he never starts villages destroying themselves--someone is always conquering somebody else when Ares is around."

Turning to Xena, Gabrielle saw that the her friend was just as perplexed as she was. Turning to Demodocus next, she saw the priest's eyes aflame with caginess. His jaw muscles were working as if he were literally chewing on an idea. "I need to get to Hypata and interview the survivors," he said. They all started walking towards the throne room door.

"Do you have an idea, Demodocus?" Gabrielle asked. The Athenian just smiled and walked on. When they arrived outside, the priest walked over to a large brown mule tied to a second hitching rail. On the mule were two large boxes. Once Demodocus arrived he removed his priestly raiment and his head band revealing the simple homespun linen shirt that he usually wore. Gabrielle could see that the boxes were the same ones that she had seen him so carefully tend aboard ship.

At the rail were Argo was hitched, Xena pulled Gabrielle to her and started talking to her earnestly, "Gabrielle, I think that we have no choice but to split up. If Demodocus needs to find someone to talk to, I need to see the area and scout for the existence of an army. We must cover both villages at once, so I'll go to Oechalia. This means you have to stay with Demodocus. Gabrielle, you must keep an eye on him for me; I don't trust him. I took a quick look at him; he's not armed and he is keeping no obvious weapons on his mule. I don't know what's in those boxes, but I think that he is worth the risk. Also, I don't know if he really is the Chief Priest of Athena in Athens, but if he is, and he gets killed, we'll have to get out of Greece as fast as possible. So, you'll have to keep him alive. Anyway, no matter how much I don't like the idea, it's now high time for you to have an independent mission. You're ready. Don't let me down."

Gabrielle's face lit up in excitement. A huge smile exploded across her face and Xena could see that Gabrielle was struggling to keep from shouting in joy. Gabrielle was already making little gleeful hops while giggling quietly. Finally, Gabrielle came down enough to say, "Oh Xena, thank you, THANK YOU! I won't let you down! Thank you so much for a chance!"

"EEEAAAHGGHHH!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!???"

Xena's, Gabrielle's, and Demodocus' heads whipped around to their right. The scream had come from up the street.

"What in Tartarus?" Gabrielle asked.

In a second, a great series of shouts arose followed by the sound of pounding feet. From in between a group of houses a mob of men came sprinting. Ordinary townsmen, they were carrying knives, clubs, cleavers, seemingly everything that they could get their hands upon that could kill. On their faces was a look of maniacal rage that was utterly terrifying to the city's passers by who scattered like frightened pigeons. The mob moved like a tide sweeping up all before it and leaving many writhing on the ground dead, or dying agonizing deaths. Worst of all, this juggernaut was headed directly for the castle gates.

Xena watched and a short flicker of horror flashed across her face, then her eyes ignited and she roared a great belly laugh as her sword rasped out of its scabbard. "Watch him, Gabrielle!" she bellowed, pointing at Demodocus. Then she raced toward the oncoming threat.

Gabrielle had already reached into Argo's saddlebag to get her staff and expanded it. "Stay behind me, Demodocus!" she yelled.

"You don't worry about me, girl! Take care of yourself!" The priest shouted, as finally the shout of "Call out the Guard!" rang out and the castle's great tocsin began to sound. Demodocus stood, his eyes fixated on Xena's back; his eyes were wide with wonder. "She's turning her fear into POWER! I have never felt such life force before! What joy she has," he thought. The priest looked up in horror at the charging mob of madmen and then raised his arms beseechingly to the sky and roared, "Maiden, hear my shout! See this outrage! Spread oil upon these roiling waters!" He immediately fell upon his face in supplication.

Ululating like a monster, Xena ran towards the mob of squalling madmen while staying low. Just before she made contact with the first men, she raised her arm over her head while bending low from the waist and the knees. Pivoting hard left on her right foot she executed, what would be called in the distant future in arenas far away, a rolling chop block. She hit four men all along the right side of her body at the their knees. Xena had knocked the men in front down, and those men that fell tripped the four men that followed. The four men that took the brunt of the block were out of the fight altogether, their kneecaps shattered and the joints dislocated. The four trailing men were thrown headlong into the air and they landed on their heads knocking themselves silly. Wails of pain and frustration shattered the air.

With a screeching yip, Xena rolled smoothly onto her feet, her left hand reaching across her body for her chakram. Her hand a blur, Xena made a backhanded throw of the weapon that caromed off of the timbers of two houses. The flying ring struck three of the charging mob in turn knocking two out and beheading the third before it buried itself in a hitching rail. At last the Warrior Princess was ready to wade in with her blade.

Gabrielle saw her chance. Four of the mob had stopped running and had turned to face Xena. With her staff parallel to the ground and her arms stretched out in front of her, Gabrielle charged them. With a great grunt, she struck the four men at once at the base of the skull knocking out two and stunning the other two. Changing grips, Gabrielle pivoted back on her right foot and made a sweeping swing to her left which forced her to pirouette. The blow struck one of the stunned men on the left ear knocking him out. Pushing out strongly with her left arm, her last blow hit the other stunned man flush on his nose breaking it and spraying blood everywhere. That man collapsed unconscious as well.

There were still four maniacs left to go. They were now looking dazed and confused although Xena had not touched them. These men had also turned towards the harpy in their midst, their mouths now open in shock. Feeling that a lot of the fight was out of them, Xena deemed deadly force no longer necessary. So she bounded into the air kicking the two on the ends of the group at once. The blows landed on their chins sending them flying. The other two were rendered H'ors D'Combat by a sweeping backhand blow with the hilt of her sword.

Demodocus stood stunned. The priest couldn't believe that he had just seen two women utterly destroy sixteen charging lunatics in the space of thirty seconds! He looked up and whispered "Oh how great is the Maiden!" He then opened one of the boxes on his mule and took out bandages, splinting materials and several vials of liquid then hustled toward the wounded people.

"Whew! Boy, Gabrielle, that was fun!" Xena said with a deep breath as she stooped to grab a handful of water from a horse trough. "THAT Gabrielle is how you deal with berserkers." Looking at Gabrielle she continued. "Great timing. That was as skillful first strike with a staff as I've seen in a long time."

Gabrielle, still panting, smiled widely at the compliment and added, "You've got to show me that move you used to knock all those guys down. The battle was won right there."

"Sure," Xena said while nodding. "Come on now, we've got wounded to tend."

Demodocus reached the pile of downed people. "Ye Gods! What a mess!" he muttered. "LET'S GET SOME HELP OUT HERE!!" he bellowed over his shoulder while stooping. It had taken seemingly forever, but the first squad of soldiers had emerged from the keep and ran up to see. They stood helpless. "Get back to the castle and bring the court physicians. Bring bandages and litters MOVE!!" Demodocus' commanding presence convinced the military men and in a trice they all turned and ran off.

Xena had already untangled the men that she had downed and was kneeling at the side of one of the men whose legs she had broken. The man was conscious but was wailing, "What have I done!? WHAT HAVE I DONE!? KILL ME LADY! Why didn't you kill me?" The man's voice trailed off into deep sobs of anguish.

Xena looked at him with confused concern as she examined one of his shattered knees. She felt a tap on the shoulder and in turning she saw Demodocus. "C'mon, Xena get out of there. I'll do that," the priest said gently. "I'm a physician."

"Like Hades you will!" Xena snapped. "If you're a healer get back there to the women and children. I'll deal with these guys."

Demodocus was about to put up an argument when Gabrielle stopped him, "Demodocus! Xena knows surgery and she knows battle wounds. Come back and look here. There's plenty to do."

Demodocus turned back to Xena. "I'm sorry, Xena. Did I hear this man ASK you to kill him?"

"No problem, and you did hear that. Nobody in this good of shape ever asked me to kill him before."

"Let me touch him for a second?" The priest asked gently. He put both his hands on the poor man's head and looked at him with intense concentration. The man's anguish seemed to ease. Then he nodded. Turning he told Xena, "I have laudanum for the pain."

"No, it won't be necessary." Xena told him, then she tapped the man several times on the leg, abdomen, and finally on the neck.

"I can't feel my legs!" The man hissed in fright.

"Don't worry." Xena replied. I've blocked off their nerves. Setting your knees will be very painful otherwise. You won't feel pain when I do it now. I'll restore your feeling when I'm done.

Demodocus' jaw dropped, and he looked at the big woman with new eyes. Xena turned slightly and she put a tiny smile on her face. "Do you have white willow bark for their pain later?" Xena asked.

"Yes. I have a tea concentrate already made up." Demodocus said, now very impressed. Then saying, "Excuse me." Demodocus took Xena's head in his hands for a brief moment. When he did so, his eyes opened wide and his face expressed extreme pain and sadness followed by understanding and contentment. Before Xena could react he had already gone back to help Gabrielle. So, Xena went back to her work.

The trio worked with quickness and efficiency. They were eventually joined by two more physicians and several loblolly boys who carried the wounded to the castle infirmary and the dead to the morgue. The butcher's bill was surprisingly light. Only thirty two wounded and eight dead. Three women, two children and two men, including the man Xena's chakram had beheaded, had gone to the other side.

The work was hard but it was done. Demodocus had written prescriptions for the wounded's subsequent care and Xena had made sure that the wounded's dressings were changed at the appropriate times. Finally, Demodocus, Xena, and Gabrielle gathered where the late unpleasantness had begun, by the hitching rails.

"Demodocus," if this is any indication of what happened at Hypata and Oechalia, we are in for a dangerous bit of work," Xena began, "Since you are headed to Hypata, I intend to go to Oechalia to scout. I'm mounted, so I should be able to cover the ground and get to Hypata in the two days it'll take you to walk there. I intend to look for an army or any other reason for the start of these riots. I need to move fast so, if it's all right, I'll send Gabrielle along with you." Gabrielle's smile got even larger if that was possible.

Demodocus looked at Xena with an indulgent expression and said, "Sounds like a plan, but I'm not sure that traipsing around the countryside is going to get to the bottom of this horrible affair. Besides the only scraping I intend to do is to scrape the grime off me if I find a nice creek in which to bathe come camp time."

Xena's eyes opened wide and she struggled to keep her temper while adding, "It's my opinion that someone is benefiting from these riots, but I don't know who or why. Terrain is vital in any fight, and I need to see what the ground looks like. You have no need to worry with Gabrielle around either. She's a capable fighter and should be able to keep any danger off of your back."

Demodocus chuckled. "Oh, don't you worry, Xena. I have resources you know nothing about, but I'll appreciate the company. However, I'm afraid that this excursion that you are going on reflects your need to DO something rather than any rational assessment of the situation. Clearly, there is no human agency at work here, but it's one of the gods having a bit of perverse fun. Why not accept that and relax?"

"YOU'RE RIGHT! But dammit, I still have to find out for myself!" Xena's eyes opened wide in embarrassment. She had not intended to say that aloud. Demodocus rocked back on his heels at the violence of the admission then smiled gently.

"Ye gods above this man is irritating!" Xena thought. OK, he's got guts. He didn't run with the battle swirling around him, and he's an incredible healer. I never saw someone so expert and compassionate. He also has some kind of talent that lets him get to the sick in the head that I don't understand."

There was something else. Nobody had been able to read Xena so well before, and Demodocus was an expert with the verbal needle. It was as if he knew what she was thinking before SHE thought it. "Gabrielle is right. He IS good looking." she thought. Xena hoped that fact explained the odd feeling in her gut about this man since he had held her head in his hands. She hoped as well that she wasn't becoming attracted to him. That was the last thing she needed at this point in her life. Her brief reverie completed, Xena exhaled sharply, mounted Argo, and rode off, shooting a loaded glance back at the irritating priest with the skunk stripe in his hair.

Gabrielle had watched Xena's talk with Demodocus with curiosity and concern. Xena, never EVER lost her cool under stress. "What could have happened to her?" Gabrielle wondered. Demodocus' few words had totally taken away her friend's icy command. Not even Ares had done that. Gabrielle, in hope of giving her friend some cover, jumped to her defense, "Watch, Xena's instincts are rarely wrong. There'll be some kind of warlord behind this."

"There won't be young woman." Demodocus replied firmly. "The poor people in this tragedy are but pawns in a divine game. Xena may be wise in the ways of war, and capable of the stupefying feats she demonstrated today, but she still has much to learn about the human heart--especially her own. Perhaps she'll learn something from this experience. I'll tell you something else. Under that warrior's hard shell is a sensitive young woman with immense compassion who doesn't yet know herself. Perhaps, if I'm lucky, I'll really get to know her so that I could show her a thing or two someday. Now what was your name again? Gabrielle?"

"Yes!?" Gabrielle gawped, not only because of Demodocus' notice but because nobody had ever called Xena compassionate before.

Gabrielle was astounded. She could see that Xena was totally disarmed by this man. Hades, SHE HERSELF was disarmed by this man. All the years of accumulated emotional reserve that Xena had built up in her life had been stripped from her in a few sentences, and she could do nothing about it. Gabrielle marveled at that fact. Yet the man had not insulted Xena or made any kind of uncivil remark. Most men around Xena that Gabrielle had met had been crude, insensitive, or downright violent and evil. Nobody had ever been so perceptive, not even Xena's beloved Marcus. Demodocus was also witty. Gabrielle's curiosity was greatly aroused. "Perhaps it would be more fun to follow Demodocus?" She thought. "Naaaah!" she said aloud, to Demodocus' amused surprise.

Gabrielle watched the priest's expression. At times it was soft and distant, and at other times it was sharp and very intent. His facial muscles worked constantly until he muttered what Gabrielle thought was the word `error' several times, then the look of soft tranquillity returned to Demodocus' face.

"You do know something!" Gabrielle exclaimed. "Did you just say error? Did you make a mistake or something?"

Demodocus chuckled. "No, No, No. Not error. I have an idea though, but I need to find out more. Patience my little friend, all will be soon revealed."

"Hey! I'm not so little anymore! I've been working out! Look at that arm!" Gabrielle flexed a bicep with pride.

Demodocus almost fell over with mirth. "C'mon, Gabrielle, we have a god to corral." Demodocus chuckled heartily while he unhitched his mule from the rail and started to lead her out of the castle gate--Gabrielle laughing like a hyena right behind him.

Xena had carefully ridden up the road to Oechalia and had taken the time to examine fields and woods on either side of the route and found nothing. She had looked at possible camp grounds and found nothing. She had explored all the countryside that surrounded the town and still found nothing. Finally, she went into the remains of the town, still not knowing what to expect. What she saw was horrific. She had seen many towns raised to the ground in her past, but this was the worst. All of the major buildings were packed with the charred corpses of women and children and the streets were littered with these awful remains as well. The only thing that remained alive in the town were the insects that had begun to buzz hideously about. As the king had reported, she found no male bodies about. Having seen more than enough, Xena spurred her palomino up the main road to a small clearing on a hill with several large trees in it. There she found what she expected to find, but yet didn't want to find. The site where the men who had rampaged through the town had done themselves in.

That's exactly what they'd done, Xena surmised after examining most of the bodies. Most of the men were dressed in civilian clothing. The few soldiers, who were wearing the uniform of King Catreous, had fallen upon their swords. The others had done the same with farm implements. Some had cut their own throats, for they still had the daggers with which they had done the deed still in their hands. Several had clearly hung themselves from belts or knotted shirts from the trees. Those that hung must have gotten help because the trees' limbs were several feet over Xena's head even when she sat on Argo's back.

Sadly, everything that the King had said had happened did happen. Just as the King said, there was absolutely no sign of any kind of hostile force that came from out of town. All the evidence showed that the men of the town simply went mad and slaughtered everything in sight--men, women, children, dogs, livestock, anything living of any size in town was brutally butchered. Demodocus was right. Only the gods could be responsible. Xena felt sad and utterly helpless. Remembering that the king was sending a force of his army to bury the dead, Xena slued Argo back around to the west, and she and her mount slowly walked towards Hypata.

A few miles west of the wreck of Oechalia there lay a small clearing with a kind of natural amphitheater in it. As Xena approached from the east she became curious because she heard music! Music so close to such a terrible tragedy? The closer she came to the clearing she heard voices, many shouting in anger but many others laughing. She also heard the cooing and screeches of people engaged in activities that could not possibly be anger. With a jolt, Xena realized that there was a debauched open air party going on--less than three hundred yards from a mass suicide! Then, without warning, Xena was seized by a white-hot, towering, rage! She spurred Argo so hard that the spurs cut her beloved horse. The steed reared and bolted forward with Xena bellowing like a wounded water buffalo. Her eyes glittering like hard, blue lightning Xena pulled her sword out of its scabbard and she charged headlong towards the party screaming "I'll KILL THEM! I'LL KILL THEM ALL!!" Yet somewhere in Xena's mind a part of her remained rational.

It was a wildly odd sensation. She was full of all the hot rage of battle, but she didn't cause it. It was as if the feeling came from outside of herself. A little part of her mind stayed rational, but was utterly helpless; all it could do was to stand by and observe. Argo finally rounded the limb of the rock amphitheater and Xena was seized by the intense desire to stop and she sharply reined in the horse who nearly threw Xena off headlong. Her mind fuzzy, and her vision still red with rage, Xena looked and saw what she had thought she had heard. There was before her a scene of the most debauched revelry that she had ever seen. Xena was certainly no prude, and she had been around, yet what lay before her eyes was still shocking.

Seated on a raised dais above the writhing and cooing people was a young man with dark hair, who was rather short, but in excellent physical condition. He appeared to be nearly naked but he was richly decked out with jewelry and smelled of the finest scents. He was clearly enjoying himself. This enjoyment seemed to increase for when he saw Xena ride up, he jumped up like an overly excited child. "Great! WONDERFUL! Another lovely addition to my little festivities. Let me get a better look!"

The man jumped down from the dais and skipped over to Xena and Argo. He carefully looked Xena over with a look that usually would have drawn a hard kick from the her, but Xena was so overcome with rage that she couldn't move or speak. She just sat there quivering.

"Oh MY! They are really growing mortal women BIG nowadays!!" the man observed excitedly. Then amazingly, he began to float up into the air.

"By Zeus!" What a BEAUTIFUL creature!" the little flying man gushed with enthusiasm. I can really see that taking a tumble with you would be a true Olympian experience! Now, let me see what can I do to you gorgeous."

The man giggled explosively, made a small gesture of his hand and Xena was overwhelmed with an incredible desire for him. The small part of Xena that stayed rational struggled to resist with everything she could. Nevertheless, she began to breathe very hard and her eyes rolled back into her head. The feeling was indescribable. Yet she still sat unable to move.

Suddenly, the little man became terribly angry; he thrashed in the air as if he were a baby having a temper tantrum. "NO! NO! NO! NO!! You can't do that ! OH you're a strong one! You won't let me give you any pleasure! Why? Why? Nobody can resist Eros!" He moved his face very close to Xena's and peered into her eyes while still moving around the woman as if to examine her face in all of its detail. Xena moved her eyes along with the flying apparition somehow keeping her mind clear enough to try to divert the feelings she was having. Her eyes began to glare.

"NOW I know!!" Eros exclaimed. "You're that woman Xena that Ares is always bitching about. I just love torturing him by making him lust for you! By the gods, you are a big believer in self denial aren't you?!! Don't you believe in enjoying anything! Can't you feel? You must!!" Xena still sat silent, her face working through dozens of expressions, her eyes following the flying god. She was trying to focus what was left of the rage she once felt towards the apparition.

"Oh there, THERE you're weak! So no quickie from you eh? But you LOVE TO FIGHT!! You have a hard time with anger. I can work with that. Wait! What's this?" The god's expression changed rapidly from that of lust, to rage, to curiosity, then back to rage again. "DEMODOCUS!! YOU'RE THINKING THAT DEMODOCUS IS IN HYPATA!!" The flying god shouted. THAT BIG BITCH ATHENA IS AFTER ME AGAIN!!! SHE IS ALWAYS STOPPING MY FUN!! Rage, RAGE, you silly woman; KILL THAT MEDDLESOME PRIEST!!"

Whatever desire that Xena had for the god disappeared instantly, and whatever rationality she had disappeared as well "KILL DEMODOCUS!" Xena bellowed and she dug her spurs into Argo's bleeding flanks once again. Horse and rider exploded westward towards Hypata, both irredeemably berserk.

"Gabrielle," Demodocus opined, "you can march like a soldier; I'm really impressed. We've gone at least fifteen miles and you look like you could go a lot farther.

"Xena needs to move fast. We average twenty miles a day, and we've done fifty. When I first started following her, I could barely make fifteen miles. She was always telling me to hurry up! Now Xena's started calling me a mule." Gabrielle turned to Demodocus and gave him a big smile.

"What? That doesn't hurt you? That seemed like an insult to me. I know my feelings would be really hurt." Demodocus looked with curiosity at the small woman.

"No, I think its a compliment. You see, I can be pretty stubborn at times y'know? Anyway, that name makes me feel like I can pull my own weight now. There was a long time at the start of our friendship when Xena was always saving me. I saved her a few times by being able to talk; that's why she kept me around. Now we've worked out a real partnership. I tell stories in inns for pay and she gets to stay on her mission. I've also learned a thing or to about fighting." Gabrielle went through a quick kata with her staff. Demodocus watched with surprise and admiration. Finishing with a flourish, she stabbed forward with the weapon while yelling, "HAH!" Gabrielle looked at the priest with an even bigger smile.

Demodocus laughed and nodded vigorously. "I see what you mean!" The priest exclaimed. How long have you been with Xena, Gabrielle?"

"Just under two years."

"I've heard of how she struck terror into half of Greece," Demodocus said, "I have also heard that life in the areas she had conquered wasn't that bad, and I heard the stories of her reform. Actually, those stories were yours. I was in the audience during most of last year's bards' competition at the Athens Academy. So I saw you perform with great enjoyment. Those stories were exciting, and they were really moving. Gabrielle, you care about Xena a lot. I feel it."

"Why thank you Demodocus. You feel it?" Gabrielle looked quizzical but shook it off. "Never mind. I could have stayed at the Academy, but following Xena for a week teaches more than any academy can teach in a lifetime, and it's a LOT more exciting." Gabrielle continued, "Yeah, I do care about her a lot. She has suffered enough for twenty women. Her father and two brothers are either dead or missing. Her relationship with her mother is strained at best. Every man she ever loved is dead; one of them even died TWICE in her arms! She has seen, and maybe inflicted, more of war, death, and destruction than nearly anyone alive. Thank the gods her heart is so strong. What she has gone through would have killed any other woman, or man for that matter, many times over."

Gabrielle began to mist up; a hint of a tear formed on her cheek. Seeing this, Demodocus placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. Gabrielle looked at him appreciatively, wiped away the tear and smiled.

"Xena is very different from you, Gabrielle. Don't you get on each other's nerves?"

"We used to when we first met. I talk a lot, (if you haven't noticed) and Xena wouldn't tell me anything. I found that really frustrating. She still has a habit of trying to act like my mother, but let me tell you, I straightened her out on that many times. See, Xena's a loner, and I'm very sociable. (in case you hadn't noticed that either.) I've helped her out with being around people and she has taught me how to survive in this rugged world. For example, Xena's instinctively suspicious. Me, I'm trusting, maybe too trusting. Well, since we've been friends she's been trusting more and I've been more, well, careful. We compliment each other now."

"I had a good reason for joining Xena." Gabrielle continued while Demodocus listened carefully. Do you remember the old saw about, 'Those who can do--do?'"

"Yeah, " Demodocus replied. "And those who can't do--teach."

"Well, I was headed towards teaching in a big way. I was always lost in my books or in my head--fantasizing about being in some exotic spot getting into adventures. I would do my chores, and I was betrothed to a nice, boring guy. (Only to find out five months after I'd left him he'd become a professional soldier--DOH!) I eventually married the man, but a harpy named Callisto murdered him right in front of me and Xena." Gabrielle's eyes went soft with pain for a moment then cleared. "But that's another story."

"Oh, Gabrielle I'm very sorry." Demodocus said quietly, his face etched in deep concern.

Gabrielle smiled, "Thank you, Demodocus. I appreciate the thought, but it's over now. It was nobody's fault--not even Callisto. She was mad."

"Maybe I could have helped her?" Demodocus replied.

"Maybe you could have." Gabrielle replied but a hint of bitterness showed in her eyes. She went on. "Well, then my village was raided by a warlord named Draco. I was sure that I was going to be enslaved, raped, murdered or worse; then out of nowhere comes this big, black haired woman who just ANNIHILATES fifteen heavily armed MALE warriors with her bare hands--in her shift yet! How could I NOT follow her?"

Demodocus saw that Gabrielle had dealt with her bad memory and her enthusiasm was back. He chuckled and put his hand on Gabrielle's shoulder again. "Xena's found a great friend in you, Gabrielle. I'd bet you're a great help to her. It is one of the great joys in life for the Gods to have given a person a friend who provides unconditional support. I would think Xena feels blessed by your presence."

"I don't know, Demodocus. Xena is closed mouthed generally, but I'm sure she really appreciates me being around. She did tell me that our friendship binds us closer than blood ever could. Boy, did it feel good when she said that! I just wish she wouldn't put herself under such pressure. She is so driven to make amends. It's almost as if she has to save everyone in the world that's in trouble to make up for her past." Gabrielle looked at Demodocus searchingly then asked, "You knew about that already didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did." The priest answered.

"How?" Gabrielle asked.

"It's what I do."

"You said you were a priest," Gabrielle gawped.

"I am. To me, being a priest of Athena is much more than praying and running rituals. People get confused about the meaning of wisdom. Most think that it only means learning. It does mean learning, but the Maiden represents much more than that. She represents balance, ease in all things including the heart. That's what I do. I try to heal wounded, troubled souls. The best way to do that is to help people to believe in, no identify with, something bigger than themselves. I'm also an initiate in the cults of Asclepius and Psyche."

"You pray to Psyche too? Well, you are a fine healer but what does it mean for a healer to pray to Psyche?" Gabrielle wondered.

"It means a great deal to me. Psyche is the symbol of the soul and very important in helping people get peace of mind. See my interest is not in setting broken bones or stitching up cuts. I help people with their feelings, like helping them if they feel depressed all the time. I have made up some medicinal preparations that can really calm upset people down too. In the boxes on my mule are my vestments, a small altar, my apothecary, and my scientific equipment. I dabble in alchemy too. Athena is big on intellectual pursuits. For example, I just got this formula from a Persian trader. Mix charcoal, brimstone and saltpeter in the right proportions--strike a light to it, and BANG!! Biggest noise and flash you ever saw."

"Wow! That sounds like fun, and Xena might even be able to use it." Gabrielle said excitedly, then a look of curiosity came onto her face She continued with a question.

"How did you become a priest, Demodocus? I mean you seem to be a regular kind of guy. Most of the priests I've met are so distant and grand, come to think of it, so is my image of Athena. You're so sociable and easy going."

"Gabrielle, faith has always been important to me, but I chose the wrong aspects of life and gods to worship. I'm one of the sons of one of the most important families in Athens, and I was really wild. I started worshipping Dionysus too much; you know, too much of the grape?"

Gabrielle nodded, she knew of men in her town that were besotted with the god of revelry. Many of them became sad, scared people who were very difficult to deal with. Some of them were violent. Gabrielle didn't like being around people who were drunk--period.

"I was a terrible rake when I was a kid as well. Eros and Dionysus are gods that when put together too much are dangerous. One day I woke up not knowing were I was, and found out that I had gotten a girl pregnant. I had the money to take care of her, but my parents refused to let me marry her because she was below us socially. So I paid the parents a thousand dinars and that was the end of it. Some time later, I found out that he baby was staked out on a hillside to die after it was born, and the girl was banished. I don't know to where." Demodocus's humor dampened into gentle sadness.

Gabrielle reached back towards the priest and put her hand on his shoulder and said, "That is so sad. What happened?"

"The night I found out that the baby was killed, I went to my room and destroyed all the wine and beer that I had and I vowed to quit drinking and be a lot more responsible with my socializing. I then fell down on my knees and asked the Maiden for the wisdom to never go back to my old way of life. That very night while I was wide awake, Athena came to me, and my life has never been the same since. She came to me because I had made the right decision and that I had shown myself to be worthy of her attention. She told me that she wanted me to spread the word that faith can defeat the worst of villains, and that the worst of villains is often ourselves. I was confused about that. It was a riddle to me."

"Gabrielle, I want to tell you the next year of my life was the hardest period that I ever experienced. It ended up that praying hard to the Maiden, and finding and talking to people that were going through the same thing helped me get over the wine. All though the terrible experience of drying out, the Maiden was with me. When I had finally shaken the demon wine, Athena told me to go to her temple on the Acropolis and ask to be accepted as a novice. When I arrived, I told them what Athena had told me and they looked at me strangely. They told me that I had to prove that Athena had come to me. Most of the priests of Athena have great intellectual gifts, and they are very learned men. Their intelligence was Athena's gift. I was just a teenager with but the basic schooling. I didn't even think I was all that smart. What could I tell them? So, I prayed silently to the Maiden who answered me with a voice in my head. 'Touch them and tell them their hearts.' she told me. So I did. The Maiden had given me the gift of seeing into a person's heart unerringly, even if they didn't know their heart themselves. I told the priests what was bothering them so accurately that they immediately admitted me to the order."

"Oh my!" Gabrielle exclaimed. "No wonder Xena was acting so strangely around you. You said something to her that showed that you knew her better than she knew herself. She was actually flustered!" Gabrielle stared at the priest in wonderment.

"Not quite Gabrielle, I can't read minds. I don't know what people think. I know what people feel, and I know those things that people cannot face in themselves. Athena has given me sight into what Eros is doing to make people unhappy. That is why she calls me her eyes."

"Eros? The God of Erotic love? What does he have to do with making people unhappy?" Gabrielle blurted out. Gabrielle blushed. Any mention of that god just made her self-conscious in front of this stranger.

"Gabrielle, Eros is far stronger than just sex. Eros is the god that gives people any kind of passion; Rage, fear, sexual attraction and frustration are but a few of these passions. Our feelings come from him. But he is a trickster, and often very cruel. He only feels satisfied when people act on the feelings that he gives, no matter what the consequences may be for the unfortunate mortal. That is one reason that Athena is involved in watching him. She gives people the power to NOT act on feelings that may be destructive. I show people how to get the Maiden to help."

"I understand. Our village didn't worship Eros and I only knew about his, well, intimate work." Gabrielle added firmly, "Demodocus, if I hadn't seen your effect on Xena I would have told you to your face that I thought you were lying. But now I know that you're telling me the truth. Gee!" Gabrielle then continued, "Tell me, Demodocus. What am I hiding from myself?" Gabrielle begged.

The priest turned and put his hands on Gabrielle's head and concentrated. Then he took his hands away and let out a breath and smiled. "I can't tell you anything, Gabrielle, you aren't hiding anything from yourself . You see, you're a rare gem, a completely open, spontaneous, and happy woman. You're doing what you want to do. You're associating with the people you want to associate with, and having a wonderful time to boot. There are a couple of small things coming from your exposure to your adventuring life that you find painful, but you are accepting them and working out the consequences for yourself. You have strong faith, especially in things you feel to be good for all. Frankly, you're amazing. I'm surprised the Maiden hasn't come to you herself."

Gabrielle bowed her head modestly, and her fair skin reddened into a bright blush. "Thank you," she replied. Then she followed this up with a loaded question, You said that Xena is a sensitive woman that doesn't know herself. How do you know?"

"I touched her heart." The priest said slightly sheepishly. "I used my gift."

Gabrielle's eyebrows went up and she looked at her new friend's face carefully. Demodocus had this odd, distant look on his face; the look was odd because his brown eyes were on fire. "Well then, what do you think?"

He turned to Gabrielle and said quietly, "Xena of Amphipolis has the most wonderful, powerful, soul that I have ever encountered in a mortal. Only the Maiden exceeds her. There are depths of feeling, compassion, and humor in Xena, that are awesome to contemplate. She has, as you have said, suffered enough for most of humanity, but she accepts that with such courage, that I have begun to doubt that she is a mortal. Only the deep bleeding wound caused by all of the losses and betrayals she has suffered in life and her mistaken, twisted reaction to that pain, with the regret that it has caused her to have, is holding her back. No one uses her own fear so well. She can turn it into physical power. Her gifts are beyond magnificent." As he completed that sentence tears began to run like waterfalls down his cheeks.

Gabrielle looked at Demodocus open mouthed. "Demodocus, are you saying that you love Xena?"

"I don't know my friend," the priest replied, "but even though she does not know it, she has me by the gut, and I don't want her to let go!" The priest looked at Gabrielle with a wan smile on his face. "I, I think I'm going to walk on ahead for a while. Would you lead my mule for me?" The priest handed the reins to Gabrielle and walked rapidly, quickly opening up the distance between them.

Gabrielle stared at the priest's back. It was all that she could do.

Demodocus forced the pace the next morning. He was worried. The priest had awakened with a strange feeling that something awful was going to happen. Things were going well and they were making good time when something spooked Demodocus' mule.

"Hey Maude! What are you doing?" Demodocus' mule had begun to shy and prance around, in a second she began to bray with screeching intensity. "Maude calm down! What are you afraid of?"

Gabrielle yelled, "Maude? you named your mule MAUDE?" And Gabrielle started laughing very hard indeed. "Maude, GODS!"

"Yes, Maude! She's my aunt. Thickest individual on this earth. My girl here isn't as bad as her! Whoa, there girl? What's the matter?" The priest tried to calm the skittish animal but her agitation increased.

Gabrielle suddenly screwed up her face in disgust. "I think I got our answer Demodocus!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah, Gabrielle, I smell it now!" An expression of deep sadness came over the Priest's face and he mouthed a quick prayer. They were getting close to Hypata.

Both were moved to tears when they arrived. Gabrielle had become somewhat hardened to seeing death, but she had never seen it on this scale before. The stink was incredible; the intense violence of what had happened in the town horrific. Gathering back some of their composure, they carefully examined every burnt out house and searched the surrounding countryside until, outside the outskirts of the town they found a small, stone, animal byre. In it, they heard the sound of weeping. Going in they started searching in the hay loft.

"Come out! We don't want to hurt you!" Gabrielle shouted.

"It's all over now; you're safe!" Demodocus added. "Please come out! We want to help!" After a bit they localized the sound and swept away the hay. They found a woman and her toddling child both quivering with fright.

"Gabrielle, go to Maude and look in the box on the right side of her. In it you will find a bottle marked 'Valarian in wine' and bring it in here, and bring the water skin too. Gabrielle nodded and quickly left. Then turning to the poor woman he said, "It's all right, it's all over now. I'm going to give you something to calm you down." Then, sitting next to the distraught woman, he put his arm around her and tried to comfort her again, but the woman was inconsolable. All she could do was emit huge racking sobs and call out a word that Demodocus could not understand. The child apparently in good shape sat silent and shaking. Demodocus then put his hands on each of the people's heads and concentrated. This eased their terror somewhat but not completely. Gabrielle then came back in and delivered the valarian and the water. The priest asked her to go back and to get some of the food out of the left hand box on the mule.

"Now I know this smells like rotten laundry, but drink it, just a few sips it will calm you down. I have water here too to wash away the aftertaste." The woman at first shunned the draught but after a bit she did take it and drink. Demodocus opened the toddler's mouth with some difficulty and put a few drops of the potion in his mouth. The woman took the water skin and drank from it thirstily. Demodocus was then pleased do see that the drug had taken immediate effect and the woman had stopped her wailing.

Gabrielle came back with the food which she gave to the unfortunate victims. "How are they doing?" Gabrielle asked.

Demodocus got up and urged Gabrielle back outside and filled her in. "Bad. The both of them have had a horrible fear planted in their minds. I took some of it away but not all of it, and it might come back. I am now convinced that Eros is involved in this awful affair. The god looks at a person's heart and finds an inability to deal with a feeling and then plants huge amounts of that emotion in the poor person's heart. His objective is to get the unfortunate victim to ACT on those feelings, not just acknowledge them and move on. That is how he gets the worship that all the gods thrive upon.

"As for them," Demodocus pointed at the woman and child, "I have given them something to calm them down. Both of them have weak characters and thus are very vulnerable to this kind of psychological attack. I will send them down to Chalsis with the soldiers that are following us and then on to Athens to the Temple clinic. They are going to need a lot of directed talk and drugs to deal with the damage done to them. Even then they will have to deal with the consequences of this event for the rest of their lives. Right now they need food and rest. Fortunately, I have enough food on my mule to feed us all for at least a week."

After they had left the byre and set up camp near a stream, Demodocus began to work with the unfortunate family. The woman was incredibly jumpy. Any unknown sound or even the rustle of leaves would make her cower, and the baby screech with fright. Demodocus spoke to them, held them, fed them and gave them the valarian. All of which seemed to help. Demodocus had Gabrielle watch what he was doing and then he left Gabrielle to care for the unfortunates while he set up his altar from one of Maude's boxes and then sat cross-legged on the ground, and sat in repose. Gabrielle wondered what was going on, but she had gotten to know the priest well enough to know that he was probably directly communicating with his patron goddess. It was indeed a remarkable thing to behold.

Gabrielle had just given a dose of valarian to the woman , when she looked up at the priest. He had sat bolt upright. His eyes were wide in shock.

"What's wrong Demodocus!?" Gabrielle asked in alarm.

"Gabrielle, please get the woman and the child under cover. I have just felt the most powerful surge of rage I have ever felt. I fear that we are both in danger. Please do it quickly."

Gabrielle complied and she hustled the unfortunate pair into a group of large rocks in a thicket of trees where they slept, still stuporous from their earlier treatment. Then she returned to the priest who had resumed to his meditation.

"Demodocus?" She asked, shaking him by the shoulder.

The Priest's eyes opened. "Are they safe?"

"Yes, they're hidden in that thicket. " Gabrielle said pointing. "What's going on?"

"Gabrielle, I never told you this, but do you remember Xena saying that Ares is after her?"

"Yes?!"

"Well I have a god after me too--Eros. I believe that Eros wants me just as Ares wants Xena. I was once such a strong worshiper of Eros that he wants my worship back. If he cannot have my worship, then he wants my death. I fear that this entire awful affair may be an attempt to get to me!"

Gabrielle looked sick. She nodded. Demodocus' look narrowed and he cocked his head.

"Do you hear that, Gabrielle?"

"Yes. It's a horse! And going like Hermes too."

Both stood and looked into Hypata. After a few very long nervous moments, out of the smoke emerged two familiar figures. Gabrielle relaxed then yelled, "XENA OVER HERE!!" The horse and rider heard the call and changed course towards it.

Suddenly the priest grabbed Gabrielle by the shoulder and exclaimed, "Gabrielle, Xena's insane with rage! Eros has possessed her!!"

"GODS!!" Gabrielle barked and she turned and ran to Maude where she got her staff and expanded it. The moment she turned, there came from the throat of her best friend a long, strangled howl of senseless fury that Gabrielle had never heard before. She had been expecting Xena's intimidating ululation, but Gabrielle remembered that all calculation is lost in a person gone berserk. Finally, when Xena and Argo were close enough, Gabrielle could plainly see that Xena was not there. The Warrior Princess' beautiful face was locked in a rictus of pure insanity--her eyes inhuman in their brightness. Argo too was affected. Sweat lathered the Palomino's withers, and Gabrielle could see the cuts on the horse's flanks made by Xena's inhuman spurring.

Xena was closing fast. "Can you calm her if you get your hands on her?" Gabrielle yelled at Demodocus. But when she turned she saw that the priest had thrown himself on the ground his arms stretched out in front of him. She knew that he was calling on Athena to aid them. "OK Kiddo, Focus!!" Gabrielle muttered and she stood ready.

"OK Xena keep coming!" Gabrielle whispered to herself. She found Xena's eyes and fixed her gaze upon them. She tried to make herself look as big and intimidating as possible. The palomino now looked as big as a house. Behind her she could now hear Demodocus yelling in a tongue she did not understand. She could also see that Xena had not even seen her. Xena was focused on the priest behind her. Argo was now charging flat out right at her. Gabrielle felt every breath rasp out of her lungs, her pulse pounded in her ears. In a trice Argo was on top of her.

Just in time, Gabrielle sidestepped and with both hands she swung with all her might at Argo's mouth. The blow struck home. Before the maddened horse could react, the torque of Gabrielle's blow had carried her all the way around in a pirouette. Catching her balance Gabrielle then struck the Palomino on the right front knee, collapsing the leg and making the animal fall. Xena was thrown headlong out of the saddle. Normally, that would have amounted to nothing. Xena would have pushed out of the stirrups, done a front flip and ended on her feet ready for battle. This time she landed hard on her back. Xena's sword, which she had obviously forgotten to draw, flew uselessly from its scabbard into the bushes.

"Sorry Argo!" Gabrielle yelled. Gabrielle knew not to relax. Xena is incredibly tough. A charge was inevitable. Gabrielle could also see that Xena's reflexes were much slower than normal, and her tactical sense was gone. The expected charge did come, for Xena had regained her feet and started running, screeching all the way, directly at Demodocus, her arms outstretched reaching for the priest's throat. Behind Gabrielle Demodocus was now praying loudly.

"Oh Mighty Maiden, your enemies have taken your daughter! Restore tranquillity to her soul! Let not Eros steal the earth and destroy all you and your father Zeus Thunderer have built!"

Xena kept coming and Gabrielle interposed herself between her and her target. Xena was looking right through Gabrielle, her face twisted in rage. Then Xena's face softened suddenly, but her charge continued unabated. Gabrielle sidestepped to her left and got in a strong blow to Xena's stomach, but Xena grabbed the staff and pulled. Gabrielle held onto the pole and the pull got her close enough to Xena to allow her to get in a right backhand which threw Gabrielle head over heels behind her. Xena's pull had sent the staff flying far out of Gabrielle's reach.

"OH BOY THAT HURT!" Gabrielle blurted, shaking her head. Scrambling to her feet, she looked up and saw Xena within feet of her target. Thinking that Demodocus was dead, and she was going to follow him, Gabrielle ran towards her best friend in the hopes that she could at least divert Xena from her obsession. Then to her intense surprise, Gabrielle saw the priest stand before Xena until just before she got in a blow. The priest then ducked a wild right hand. Pivoting hard to his right, he buried a shoulder in Xena's belly then grabbed one of her legs and stood up. This move threw the big woman onto her head behind him. Equally quickly, Demodocus dove towards Xena where he was able to get a hold of her by the head.

Demodocus had hold of Xena by the chin while she thrashed about as if she were a salmon on a hook. Desperately, Gabrielle dove and landed her body on her big friend's legs pinning them. The struggle was extremely difficult for Xena's strength was incredible. Suddenly the priest started singing! "Maiden! Calm thy mighty daughter's soul, come to me and touch her with thy steady hand, take from her the rage that vexes her so!"

Gabrielle, still clinging for dear life to Xena's thrashing legs, turned her head towards the priest. Demodocus was staring at Xena with intense concentration mouthing the words to a chant that Gabrielle did not recognize. Then Demodocus took in a sharp breath, his eyes became as big as platters, and he screamed a shout of rage and pain that was more terrifying than anything Gabrielle had ever heard before. Somehow Gabrielle mustered the strength to hold on even tighter, even though Xena's thrashing became even more violent. Xena's hands flailed at Gabrielle's back and she nearly got a good hold of her hair. Then looking at the priest again, she could see him look up and scream, "THE MAIDEN!!"

Gabrielle screamed. Over the head of the priest a huge owl appeared that seemed to be made out of blue diamond. The apparition shimmered and incredibly another apparition took the bird's place. Kneeling there, her feet and knees at least four feet off the ground, was a woman who was more than a woman. At least 10 feet tall, she was incredibly beautiful with golden hair that cascaded like a cape down her back. She was dressed in a simple, nearly sheer, blue robe and her incredible, carved face was centered around a pair of glittering gray blue eyes. Reaching down from her perch, the apparition touched the heads of both Xena and Demodocus. Then in her head, Gabrielle heard a woman's voice that was rich, deep and silky smooth begin to speak. Gabrielle watched the apparition in awe.

"Mighty Warrior! Feel my hand! Struggle not, for you are with a gentle soul. Let my Eyes see into your heart and sweep away your anger. That anger was never yours. My kinsman Eros stole your life from you; I now give it back, so that my Eyes can teach you to keep it forever. Happiness and peace will some day be yours Xena. Blend your wisdom with Demodocus for some day the gods will bow to YOU!

At the pronunciation of 'YOU' Xena bucked and shrieked a blood curdling scream. It was not the scream of a young woman. It was the scream of an enraged and terrified little girl, then all was silent. Xena finally relaxed. Gabrielle looked at the faces of both of her friends. Xena's was at peace with her eyes closed--her breathing deep and rhythmic. Demodocus' eyes were open, his face, while still strong with concentration, was full of relief--a tear came down his right cheek.

Gabrielle relaxed her grip and stood. The vision of the Maiden Athena stood as well; a lovely smile was on her serene face. Gabrielle stared at the goddess who slowly turned her head and fixed Gabrielle in her gaze. Gabrielle stood stark still with a stunned look on her face, for she felt that the goddess was looking into her very being. Athena stooped slightly and reached out to the little strawberry blonde and caressed her face. "Well done little Bard!" The Goddess' awesome voice exploded into Gabrielle's mind. "There is no greater love in the universe than that of one who would lay down her life for a friend. I will never forget you." The great apparition stood to her full height and evaporated. Gabrielle fell over backwards landing flat on her behind; she sat there astonished with her mouth agape.

Gabrielle recovered her wits at last. She looked at Xena and Demodocus. Xena seemed to be asleep. Demodocus was whispering into her ear and stroking her hair. Gabrielle got to her feet and offered to help.

"Thank you, Gabrielle, but look after our orphan family. We need to get our charges indoors. The struggle is not yet over." Gabrielle hustled off to check on the woman and her child and to find Argo. "Thank the Gods!" Gabrielle exclaimed, for both the woman and child were safe in their hiding place--still fast asleep.

When she went out looking for Xena's horse she didn't have to go far. Argo was up and about. Gabrielle approached the palomino in a circumspect manner, but the horse seemed to be over her madness as well. When Gabrielle approached, Argo threw her head and tried to nicker Gabrielle. Gabrielle smiled and petted the horse at the animal's usual greeting to a friend. She looked carefully at Gabrielle's mouth and found that the blow had hit her on the end of the nose and it was only bruised. The knee was badly swollen but when Gabrielle felt it she found nothing broken and there was no cut. There was a deep cut on either of the horse's flanks that would need stitching. At least there was someone around who could provide that medical attention. Gabrielle grabbed the horse's reins and led her back to the priest.

The priest had propped Xena up against a tree and was giving the big woman some water. Xena was awake but stuporous. Gabrielle bent down and took a look and then asked the priest about it.

"What happened, Demodocus?" Gabrielle asked. "You screamed when you touched Xena. Are you all right?"

"Yes, Gabrielle, I'm fine, but spent." The priest said looking wanly at Gabrielle. "The scream was me taking all of Eros's rage from Xena. I can deal with Eros, Xena couldn't. Even then I could not take it all; that is why Maiden herself came and took the rage Eros planted from the both of us. That was an extraordinary event! Athena is so modest she almost never manifests herself. Even the visions in which she came to me were in my head. That was the first time I had seen her in person. Athena cares very much about what happens to this woman." Demodocus had nodded towards Xena with a big smile.

"How's Xena?" Gabrielle inquired.

"She's spent like me. I've also given her a mild dose of valarian. When she wakes up she'll calm, but Gabrielle, you will not recognize her."

Gabrielle became frightened. "Why? What do you mean?"

"Gabrielle, people over the years build defenses around the feelings with which they are least comfortable. That's true with Xena. Most of her personality is healthy, indeed most of it is supermortally healthy, but there are issues with which she is very vulnerable. Eros gets what he wants by stripping away those defenses. So the reserve, the sardonic humor, and the coolness under pressure will be completely absent. She will be extremely emotional and totally in touch with all the wounds that her spirit has had to endure through the years. If I cannot rebuild those defenses against all these past issues, she will either go into a suicidal depression or become irredeemably mad. The first possibility is horrible, the second possibility, in which she would become a completely remorseless, conscienceless killer is too terrifying to contemplate. With my help, I hope to get the Xena's incredible courage to do the job."

Gabrielle was now white with fear. Gabrielle had repeatedly made Xena make promise to her that whatever happens she wouldn't become a monster. Now the priest was telling her that if he fails, Xena could no longer fight that horrible impulse to kill, or kill herself. Gabrielle began to feel sick. "Can't Athena rebuild her defenses for her, or heal her soul's wounds?"

"It doesn't work that way my friend," Demodocus said gently. "You see, the human spirit is stronger than any one god; most people don't understand that. The gods represent only aspects of life. The human heart, if strong, represents ALL of life. That is why some faiths claim that there is only one God. Indeed one faith, one that is very close to my heart, says that there are no gods at all, but that everything we perceive is nothing but an illusion. The human spirit is everything. What I need to do is to begin to show Xena that she is godlike, but to reach that godliness, she cannot continue to live only in her head and body. She must learn to live in everything. Generally, that's a very long term process, and even then most people never achieve that amount of wisdom. I hope with the help of the Maiden, and me, she can go back to what she was doing in the past to cope. She needs to pushdown the pain that she is carrying so that she can confront it little by little when she is ready. What I need to do is to show her how to surrender to her own godliness. The risk is, will we be able to do it fast enough, for Eros is very close, and we need her to fight him."

"Can she do it at all? Demodocus, I am really frightened for her!"

The priest smiled widely and said, "Have faith, Gabrielle. You said that Xena's heart is strong. I can assure you that was a VAST understatement. Come on now, we have to build some travois for Maude and Xena's horse."