Xena had finished her song.

She stared at the funeral pyre, the yellowish-orange flames licking at the twilight sky. Her insides were roiling with rage, grief, and guilt. She looked at Meg and Joxer. Joxer held her tight. Meg had burrowed her face into Joxer's neck. She was crying hysterically. Joxer stared at the funeral pyre, tears streaming down his face. Xena saw all the other women from the diner surrounding them, crying and wailing in grief. Xena's rage rose to almost uncontrollable levels. She clenched her fists so hard that her knuckles were turning white.
"Xena?"

Xena looked down at Gabrielle. The blonde gazed at her in sadness and pity. A tear ran down the Warrior Princess's cheek.

"This is my fault." she said in a hoarse whisper.

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed in anger.

"Don't even go there, warrior." she said in a threatening tone. "You had no way of knowing. And even if you did, you can't be everywhere at once."

Xena stared at the starlit sky erratically.

"I-I should've....I-I should've stopped him-"

Gabrielle clutched her friend's arm, glaring at Xena.

"Xena, look at me. Look at me."

Xena hesitantly looked down at Gabrielle. The blonde spoke again.

"How could you have stopped him??"

Xena stared at Gabrielle, totally at a loss. The blonde nodded her head slowly.

"Exactly. You couldn't. And that is not your fault. You're only a human being Xena. Not a god. You can't take responsibility for the Sovereign's actions. He killed Maria. Not you."

"I-I still feel responsible."

"Xena, I know why you didn't kill him outright. That would've meant Hercules' death as well. Xena, your hands were tied. There was nothing you could do!!"

Xena squinted her eyes shut. She gave a heavy, ragged sigh. Xena opened her eyes and looked towards Meg and Joxer. Slowly, she walked over to them.

"Meg..." Xena said softly.

Meg slowly looked up, turning towards Xena. Her eyes were bloodshot from excessive crying. Xena held out her arms to her. Meg moved away from Joxer, and into Xena's arms. She held Meg close, kissing her on top of the head.

"I...am... so ...sorry." Xena whispered, her voice trembling.

"S-S-She...was o-one of my closest friends..." Meg whimpered. "S-She had a heart of g-gold. She-s-s-she was a sweetheart...Sh-she never hurt anybody...!! Why?!"

Joxer glared at Xena, his face full of rage and hate.

"When are we going after him, Xena?!" he growled with a fury she never heard before. "I wanna piece of that son-of-a- bitch."

Xena pulled away from Meg. She placed a hand on Joxer's shoulder.

"No Joxer. It's too dangerous. I'll handle it-"

"Maria was MY FRIEND!!!" Joxer yelled in an all-consuming fury. "She died like a DOG!! NOBODY deserves to die like that!!"

Gabrielle quickly rushed up to Joxer, clutching his arm.

"Joxer-"

"I WANNA PIECE OF HIM, GODDAMMIT!!"

Joxer yanked himself away from Gabrielle. He drew his sword, and rushed at a tree. Screaming at the top of his lungs, he swung his sword repeatedly into it. Meg stared at him , horrified.

"Joxer!!"

"I'm a good-for-nothing SHIT!!" Joxer screamed. "I should've done SOMETHING!! I'M WOOOOOORRTTTTTHHLEEEEEEESSSS!!!!"

He took one final vicious swing at the tree. The blade buried itself deep into the trunk. Joxer yanked at it and yanked at it. His hands slipped off the handle. He fell hard onto the ground. He covered his face, and wept bitterly. Meg rushed over to him, kneeling down and taking Joxer into her arms. They held each other and cried. Xena walked over to them, kneeling next to the couple.

"Joxer, I'll stop the Sovereign. I swear it."

Joxer glared at Xena through tear-filled eyes.

"I'm coming with ya."

"No!!" exclaimed Meg angrily.

Joxer turned towards Meg, stunned.

"Meg-"

"NO!!" Meg screamed in rage and terror. "I'm NOT going to lose another person I love to that monster!! I WON'T LET YOU GO!!"

Meg wrapped her arms around Joxer in a bone-crushing hug, refusing to let him get up from the spot. Joxer grimaced in pain. Meg held him, staring out the ground in anger and fear.

"I won't let you go..." she mumbled fearfully. "I won't let you go. I won't...I won't...I won't...I won't..."

Joxer slumped his shoulders in defeat. Xena placed a hand on Joxer's face. Her own was set in heated, feral determination.

"I swear Joxer. I'll take him down. He won't hurt anyone ever again."

Joxer sighed, Xena rose to her feet. She walked over to Gabrielle. The blonde grimaced in pain. Xena's eyes narrowed.

"You're staying put, you know."

Gabrielle's eyes widened in anger.

"Oh no you don-"

"You're staying put! Those ribs of yours are in no shape for traveling."

"And what about yours?!"

"Mine are just bruised. Nothing broken."

Xena looked up.

"Francisca!!"

Gabrielle growled heatedly.

"Xenaaa...!!"

Francisca ran up to the two women.

"Yeah, Xena?"

"Help Gabrielle back to her room."

"Xena, I can help!!" exclaimed the blonde angrily.

And at that moment, a sharp stab of pain ripped through her side. Gabrielle grunted, doubling over in agony. Xena quickly grabbed her.

"Gabrielle!!"

She looked up at Xena with anger.

"Damn you Xena."

Xena's eyes narrowed.

"Give me the Cronos Stone."

Gabrielle sighed harshly. She took from her belt pouch the broken Cronos Stone, placing it in Xena's hand.

"So-you're gonna lure the Sovereign back to where that gateway is? By Ares' abandoned temple?"

Xena nodded.

"Yes. And once the both of us are in that dimension between worlds, I'll kill him there. Then, I'll come back."

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed.

"You'd better come back. For me and Eve."

Xena swallowed hard. She regarded Gabrielle for a moment, gazing at her with love.

"I will."

She hugged Gabrielle, holding her close. Xena kissed her on the forehead. The Warrior Princess looked at Francisca.

"Take care of her."

"I will."

Xena released Gabrielle. She ran over to her horse, leaping onto it. The warrior rode off into the night.



The fires raged out of control. They consumed all matter of building, animal, and man.

People screamed and ran for cover.

And in the midst of it all was the Sovereign. He strode through the town square of Piros, his arm muscles pulsating with power. The reflection of the fire glowed off of his leather, hair and beard, illuminating him as if he were a demon. A dark, wild expression of glee and maliciousness roiled in his chiseled features. His ice-blue eyes surveyed the destruction and carnage he had caused. Dozens of dead, men, women and children, lay scattered about him. Suddenly, the demigod heard an enraged cry-

And he turned to his left. A man rushed at him, carrying a large ax.

"YOU KILLED MY FAMILLEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!"

He swung it hard at the Sovereign. The demigod snapped out an arm, grabbing the blade. The man's eyes widened in shock. The Sovereign gritted his teeth in rage.

"Now you can join them." he growled.

The Sovereign threw a savage punch at the man. His fist smashed into his face. The powerful blow blasted a hole through the center of his head. Blood, brain and bone exploded from the rear of it. He went flying through the air, crashing into a house that was on fire. The flames consumed his flesh, adding to the smell of death in the air. The Sovereign turned to his right-

And five men, armed with swords, faced him. The demigod smiled coldly. He raised his arms.

"Bring it on."

The five men let out furious cries, charging at the Sovereign. He somersaulted over their heads, landing behind them. The five turned around. The Sovereign swung his right fist back at the three nearest men. It smashed through each of their faces. Blood and teeth erupted from their mouths. They flew through the air, crashing into the burning buildings. The remaining two charged at the demigod. The Sovereign snapped out both arms, grabbing the blades. Both men struggled to pull them free from his grasp. The Sovereign suddenly yanked both blades forward. As the men were pulled forward, the Sovereign grabbed their faces in his massive hands. He then smashed their heads together with all his might. They exploded in a shower of brain, bone, and blood. The two corpses fell to the earth.

The Sovereign looked around again-

And spotted a little girl, frozen in terror. His ice-blue eyes narrowed. He strode with deadly purpose towards the child-

And a woman, armed with a crossbow, jumped out from behind some carts. She stood in front of the child, and aimed the weapon at him. She glared at the demigod in a tearful rage.

"I'm not gonna let you hurt my child, you bastard."

The Sovereign snorted.

"Try and stop me."

The woman fired the crossbow. The Sovereign's hand snapped out like a cobra, snatching the arrow from the air. Then with a flick of his wrist. he threw it back. It embedded itself in the woman's shoulder. She cried out in agony and flew back against a carriage. She dropped to the ground. The little girl's eyes widened in horror.
"Mommy!!"

The Sovereign strode up to the injured woman, who lay on the ground, trembling in fear. The demigod eyed the little girl with a cold smile.

"Say good-bye to your mommie."

A hideous snarl formed on the Sovereign's face. He raised his fist, preparing to hit the cowering woman-

And the Sovereign heard a savage cry from his left. He spun in that direction-

And Xena slammed into him like a battering ram.

They flew through the air, smashing through the wall of one house. They hit the floor. Xena rolled off the Sovereign. She was armed with steel knuckles, studded with spikes at the end. She also wore boots with steel tips and heels. The Sovereign quickly got to his feet. His eyes widened with rage.

He took a vicious swing at Xena. She ducked the blow and with a harsh cry, rammed her fist with all her might into the Sovereign's face. His head snapped back. Blood burst from his nose. Xena executed a vicious whirling kick. Her heel rammed into the demigod's jaw. The violent blow sent him crashing through the wall, onto the ground outside. He shook his head, staring at Xena in shock. The Warrior Princess hissed with fury.

"You... bastard." she growled dangerously. "I'm gonna make you pay for what you've done."

The Sovereign snarled at her with defiance.

"You're just like that milk sop Hercules!! I know your history!! I was watching you from that dimension between worlds!! You could have ruled this world!!"

Xena's ice-blue eyes widened in rage.

"Don't...you... dare mention Hercules' name!! He's a million times more man than you'll EVER be!!"

The Sovereign quickly grabbed a plank of wood and threw it at Xena with all his might. Incredibly, she leapt out of the way, crashing through the top of the roof with a piercing war cry. Xena flipped through the air, landing behind the Sovereign. He got to his feet, and rushed at her. The demigod threw a right. Xena ducked the blow, rolling off to the side. Xena knew she had to be careful. Even one of the Sovereign's punches could kill her. Matching his superhuman strength would not be possible. She had to out-think him, outmaneuver him.

Xena picked up two large metal pipes. The Sovereign charged at her again, throwing a left. Xena knocked the oncoming blow off to the side with a pipe. She rammed the other hard into his abdomen. The demigod grunted loudly, doubling over. Xena then swung both pipes hard into his chin. His head snapped back, blood bursting from his mouth. Xena leapt into the air, ramming her feet repeatedly into the Sovereign's face. She drove him back across the town square. Xena then somersaulted, landing on her feet. She swung the pipes at his face-

And two massive hands shot out, grabbing them. The Sovereign thrust out a foot. Xena flung herself up and away from the kick. She grabbed the Sovereign by the hair and rammed her knees hard into his face. The violent blow sent the demigod reeling. She released his hair, landing on the ground. Xena then executed a whirling kick, hitting the demigod squarely in the chest. He flew through the air, crashing into a wagon. The wagon was ripped in two. He fell to the earth.

Xena stood there, laughing harshly.

"You're pathetic!! No wonder Ares beat you!! Hercules is a way better fighter than you are!!"

The Sovereign quickly rose to his feet, his ice-blue eyes wild with rage.

"I'm gonna rip ya in TWO!!"

Xena grinned at the demigod heatedly.

"Ya gotta catch me first!!"

Xena whistled for her horse. It ran into the square. Xena somersaulted onto it. She rode off. The Sovereign quickly looked around, spotting a black horse. He ran towards it, leapt onto it, and followed Xena out of town into the forest.

The demigod followed Xena down the long, winding road through the forest, cracking his reins with a frenzied hysteria. But her horse was faster. He followed her up a hill. The Sovereign noticed that Xena disappeared around the bend. He followed her path-

And the Sovereign suddenly discovered he was in a courtyard. A large temple was nearby. He dismounted, walking away from the horse. The demigod suddenly realized where he was.

"This is Ares' temple...!! Where is she-oh no..."

The Sovereign suddenly realized he'd been tricked-

And there was a tremendous flash of lightning. The air behind the demigod rippled and churned. Suddenly, a gaping hole opened in it. A twisting, churning, glowing vortex roiled inside of it. Flashes of lightning rippled through its walls. The Sovereign's eyes widened in fear.

"Oh NO!"

Suddenly, the demigod heard a savage cry. He looked directly in front of him-

And Xena slammed into him with punishing force. They both were swept into the vortex.

They whisked through it with impossible speed, following the vortex's twists and turns. As they looked forward, they saw a glowing light ahead of them. It grew more and more intense. Suddenly, it overwhelmed Xena and the Sovereign. They then crashed into hard, rocky earth. The Sovereign got to his feet. He stared at his surroundings. The eerie gray clouds, the barren, desolate landscape.... He was back in his prison, between worlds. The Sovereign stared heatedly at Xena, his eyes wild with fury.

"DAMN YOU!!!"

Xena growled at her adversary.

"Now that we're back in your world, I can kill you. "

With a furious cry, she drew her chakram and threw it at the Sovereign. He instantly dodged it. It burrowed into the rock. Xena drew her sword and swung it at the demigod. His right arm snapped out, grabbing the blade. With incredible strength, he whipped it off to the side, sending Xena flying back-first into the wall. The wind was knocked out of her lungs in a flash. Xena saw a massive fist filling her vision-

And she ducked, barely being missed by the fist. It burrowed into the wall. Xena quickly drew a knife and buried it in the Sovereign's side-

And something hit her face with horrific force.

Xena sailed through the air, slamming back-first into a boulder. She fell to the earth. Blood flowed from her mouth. Dazed, she groggily looked up. The Sovereign yanked the knife from his side and dropped it. He ran at Xena, his fist drawn back.

She rolled out of the way. His fist slammed into the earth, creating a large crater. Xena whipped out a foot. The heel of it slammed into the side of the Sovereign's face, whipping it sharply to the left. He staggered back. Xena got up. Another quick kick to the chin. His head snapped back. Xena thrust her foot at the Sovereign's chest-

And the demigod grabbed her foot.

With a furious cry, he swung Xena through the air, smashing her face-first into the ground. He yanked her up and slammed her into a boulder. Her left shoulder bone popped out of place again. The Sovereign whirled Xena overhead and released her. She went flying into a rock wall with incredible force. Xena fell to the ground and lay still.

Huge waves of pain cascaded through her body. Her head throbbed with each heartbeat, feeling as if it were about to explode. Blood flowed from her mouth and nose, and from numerous cuts on her face.

Her eyes fluttered open. The Sovereign advanced towards her.

Xena silently cursed herself. She had grown overconfident. Xena remembered her fight with Hercules long ago, and the fact that he had defeated her. But Hercules had shown mercy. The Sovereign was a completely different kind of animal. The resemblance on the outside was frightening. Inside, the two demigods were as different as night and day.

Xena thought about Maria. It was trying to confront the Sovereign strength for strength that killed her. Xena was trying to figure out how not to make the same mistake. But she could see that the Sovereign was learning her moves. And that he had no intention of going down without a fight.

The demigod yanked Xena's chakram out of the rock. He studied it for a moment, then looked at Xena.

"I'm gonna take your pretty little head off with this, Xena."

The Sovereign's lips curled in a snarl. He ran towards the Warrior Princess, swinging the chakram down at her. She quickly rolled out of the way as it embedded itself deep into the ground. Xena grabbed a handful of dirt and tossed it into the Sovereign's face. He cried out in anger and pain as the dirt blinded him. He released the chakram-

And Xena jumped up, ramming her right foot hard into his face. The demigod flew back, crashing into the ground. Xena yanked up the chakram. She saw the demigod wiping his eyes furiously. Her eyes widened in rage. She flung the chakram at his head-

And incredibly, the Sovereign grabbed a rock and deflected the chakram. It ricocheted off a couple of boulders, heading back towards Xena. She grabbed it-

And something tore into her abdomen with horrific force.

Xena felt the wind knocked out of her lungs. She looked down just in time to see the rock bounce off her stomach. A vicious explosion of pain threaded its way out of her abdomen, into her head. She flew over a cliff.

The fall lasted a few seconds-

And her back slammed into the earth.

Xena almost blacked out from the pain of the impact. But her fierce will kept her from doing so. She could barely move. Every single attempt at movement was an exercise in agony. But one thing kept repeating itself, over and over in Xena's head:

If she did not move out of sight, she would die.

With unbelievable effort, Xena rolled onto her stomach and crawled behind a boulder. There was not one part of her body that did not hurt. Some places hurt far worse than others. And this time, Xena definitely felt a rib moving. She looked beyond the boulder-

And saw a shadow on the ground, which grew larger by the second-

And the Sovereign landed on the spot, crouching like a spring. He quickly rose and looked around him. He spotted the boulder. The Sovereign did not waste a second. He charged at it, smashing his fist into the boulder. Xena leaped into the air at the last moment, somersaulting over his head. She landed behind him. With a piercing screaming, she flung the chakram at the demigod as he turned around-

And it buried itself deep into his chest.

The Sovereign's eyes widened in agony. Blood flowed from his mouth. He staggered forward. Xena drew a knife from her boot. The Sovereign's eyes widened in fury. With a savage cry, he rushed at Xena-

And she somersaulted over his head, slamming both feet into the back of it with punishing force. The Sovereign tripped over a rock and fell face-first to the ground. The chakram buried itself deeper into his chest. Red-black blood erupted from his mouth in giant globs. The Sovereign struggled to his knees-

And Xena jumped onto his back, wrapping her legs and arms around the demigod. With a hideous scream, she buried the knife deep into the Sovereign's throat. His ice-blue eyes dilated in utter agony. Xena's face twisted in fury.

"This is for Mariaaaaa." she hissed.

She savagely ripped the knife across the Sovereign's throat. A huge fountain of blood exploded forth, raining down the earth. The demigod made a harsh, gurgling sound. His eyes rolled into the back of his head. Xena released him. The Sovereign dropped to the ground, dead.

Xena fell back onto the ground, gasping heavily. She winced in agony at feeling the broken rib and dislocated shoulder. Xena slowly got to her feet. She limped over to the edge of the clearing. Far below her was a river of lava. Xena turned back towards the Sovereign's body. Her eyes narrowed.

"Just in case someone else gets any ideas about bringing you back..."

She shuffled over to the demigod's corpse, kicking it onto its back. Xena yanked the chakram out of its chest, tossing it to the side. She grabbed its arm and dragged the body to the edge of the cliff. Xena pushed it off with her foot. The Sovereign's body fell, hitting the river of lava with a large splash. In seconds, the molten lava consumed flesh, bone, and all.

Xena watched in grim satisfaction. She turned, picked up her chakram, and limped off.



Joxer and Meg sat on a rock, gazing at the setting sun. He held Meg close, tenderly stroking her head. Joxer kissed the top of it. Meg snuggled deeper into his embrace.

"You okay?" he asked softly.

Meg nodded slightly.

"Yeah."

Joxer rocked Meg gently. Inside, they were in agony. Maria's death had ripped away part of their souls. And they needed each other more than ever to get through this pain. Neither wanted to be alone. The grief and pain was too difficult to bear alone.

Joxer heard footsteps. He looked to his right.

It was Xena and Gabrielle. They walked up to them.

"You're leaving?" asked Joxer.

Xena nodded.

"Yeah."

Joxer and Meg got to their feet. Gabrielle sighed, eying the pair sadly.

"I understand why you postponed the wedding."

Meg's eyes lowered to the ground, wandering over it. Joxer placed an arm around her.

"This...this hit me very hard, Gabrielle." said Meg quietly. "And Joxer too. I-It's going to take a lot of time to get over this."

"Maria meant so much to us." said Joxer darkly, his voice shaking slightly. "I...I...I-It's..."

Meg turned towards Joxer, gazing at him with sadness and pity. Joxer gazed at the sky, searching for words.

"It's...I...how can we go on without her??"

Xena walked up to the pair, placing her hands on their shoulders. She gazed at Meg and Joxer with deep sadness. She wanted to alleviate their pain in the worst way. But there was little Xena could really do, except offer one small bit of consolation.

"The dead can hear your thoughts. They will live on in your hearts. Keep thinking of Maria with love."

Gabrielle walked up to Xena's side.

"Joxer, Meg," she began, "Maria would not want you to postpone your wedding for too long. She wants for both of you to be happy together, to live long lives and have children."

"If we have a girl, we'll name her Maria." said Joxer with a slight smile.

Meg turned to Joxer, frowning deeply.

"Joxer, I can't get pregnant!! How will we ever have kids??"

Joxer grasped her hand.

"Meg, no offense, but you're not a doctor. And I wouldn't just take the words of one person either. Maybe that woman who told you that didn't know what she was doing. You've got to get a second opinion."

"Joxer's right, Meg." said Gabrielle. "There's a close friend I know, who's an Amazon. She's treated similar problems in women, and has had a lot of success. I'm going to contact her. You should give her a try."

Joxer turned towards Meg again.

"C'mon. We've got nothing to lose and everything to gain."

Meg looked back at Joxer, smiling slightly.

"You're right."

Meg turned to Gabrielle. They exchanged a hug. Meg pulled back.

"Thank you."

Gabrielle smiled.

"You're welcome."

Meg turned to Xena. They embraced. Xena kissed Meg on the cheek. She gazed at her twin, her eyes full of warmth and affection.

"You take care of yourself." Xena said softly.

Meg smiled gently.

"I will."

"Where are you headed now?" asked Joxer.

"Egypt." answered Xena. "I'm going to meet with Cleopatra."

Meg nodded her head slowly.

"The Queen of Egypt...that should be interesting!"

Gabrielle smiled.

"I agree. I'm looking forward to the trip."

Xena turned to Gabrielle.

"Let's get going. We've got a long journey ahead of us."

"Right."

Xena and Gabrielle turned to Meg and Joxer, smiling.

"Good-bye." said Xena warmly. "We'll see you both soon."

"Have a good trip." answered Joxer.

Xena and Gabrielle walked over to their horses, climbing onto them. They rode off into the forest. Joxer turned to Meg. He placed his hands on her shoulders.

"You and I are going to have several kids. You hear me??"

Meg chuckled. She smiled at him, shaking her head.

"Joxer, we don't know that yet."

Joxer sighed.

"C'mon, hon! It doesn't hurt to think about it, and hope!"

He folded his arms, gazing at the starlit sky. His brows knitted together.

"Hmmm-what will we name our first kid if it's a boy?"

They paused for a few moments in thought. Then Meg smiled warmly. She looked up at Joxer.

"I've got a boy's name."

"Okay! Let's hear it."

"Virgil."

Joxer thought about the name. He rolled it over and over in his mind. A smile formed on his face.

"I like that name!!"

He put his arm around Meg, and kissed her on the forehead.

"You and I are going to make beautiful babies together, Meg. I promise. Just have faith. That's what Maria would've told us."

Meg smiled sadly.

"Yeah. She would've said that. That's just like her."

A moment of silence. Joxer's face darkened. He lowered his head.

"I really miss her." he said quietly.

Meg embraced Joxer, holding him close. She placed her forehead on this.

"Gabrielle's right, Joxer." Meg said softly. "I miss her too. But Maria would want us to go on. "

A pause. Joxer sighed. He gazed into Meg's large blue eyes.

"You're right. She would."

He placed an arm around Meg.

"C'mon. Let's go home."

Meg and Joxer walked off towards the large wooden building. They would spend the rest of the night talking about their future together...

...while the Warrior Princess and the Bard of Potedia headed off for their next adventure together, unaware of the dangers that awaited them in Egypt.

Two more dramas that would play themselves out on the world's stage.

THE END

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