Mistakes of Fate

This is an alternative look at the Twilight of the Gods. What if Hercules never heard anything about Xena being pregnant?

Disclaimer: I don't own them. I am just borrowing them. You can have them back when I'm done.

Archive: Anyone who wants to. Just let me know.

Gabrielle awoke leaning against a tree. With that awareness came the knowledge of the dire things that had brought her there. With one hand she checked the bandage on her throat. She knew that the delay had cost her. If she didn't reach Ares temple soon, she knew she never would.

She pushed herself away from the tree and began to walk down the path. She left behind a stain of blood on the ground.

Half an hour later she stumbled into Ares temple. The priests and warriors inside stared at her. She tried to gesture that she needed them to call to Ares, but they couldn't understand. In desperation she began trashing the offerings on Ares altar. The warriors present moved to stop her. The priests stared at her like a she was a madwoman.

They reappeared in Ares bedchamber. He set her on the bed and reached a hand out to heal her. She held up her hand to stop him and gestured for him to hand her a scroll from a nearby table. He waited impatiently for her to finish. He couldn't ask her any questions until she could talk. When she handed the scroll back he read: Heal everything except the chords which control my voice. Heal them, but only as if they had healed on their own.

Ares looked puzzled, but nodded his agreement. He healed her as she wished and then went to question her. Before he could, she fell backwards and he realized that she was in a deep exhausted sleep. As he watched her he again read the words she had written on the scroll. It seemed even half-dead, she was still a master storyteller. She hadn't been certain that she would reach him, so she had written what she thought he would need to know.

I'm not certain this will reach you. I'm not certain if it will reach you in time. I will try and give you the information you will need to know.

We ran between her contractions. I carried her towards the end. I don't know where I got the strength. As the baby was born we had to stop. Zeus caught us then. I barely saw that it was a girl as I tied off the baby's link to its mother. I used Xena's chakram to sever the tie. Then I took the baby and ran. I ran as far and as fast as I could. When I knew I couldn't run any farther I turned to face him. I begged and I pleaded. I talked like I had never talked before. When that didn't work I fought. I fought him for a full five minutes. I was amazed that I was actually managing to hold him off. He grew frustrated and he managed to hit me with a spell. I was frozen, I couldn't move as purest agony rolled over me. I couldn't even move my eyes as I was forced to watch him kill that helpless baby. When Xena found me I was holding the body of that poor little girl who never had a chance to live. She reached out and took her from me. She held her close and began to rock. She said only one thing to me. I was going to name her Eve.

We held the funeral pyre that night. Just the two of us. I tried to apologize to her for not being strong enough to save her baby. She just told me to hush. Then she sang a lullaby, over and over as the pyre burned down.

She mounted Argo and left. As soon as I could no longer hear her, I sat up and began to treat my wounds. I found out that her blow had made a deep cut, one that would need stitches to stop the bleeding. I knew that my voice was also damaged perhaps permanently. I bound my wounds as best I could. I wrote this message and then began to make my way to your nearest temple.

I will try and deliver this message myself. If I do not, I hope my message reaches you in time and that you heed its warning.

I have written this for your knowledge in any event.

Xena will kill the gods if she isn't stopped. If you help me, I can stop her.

Gabrielle of Poteidaia

Bard

Amazon Queen

Warrior

This time Gabrielle woke up in a comfortable bed and in no pain. As she lay there, she thought of her plan. The one she had made as she listened to Xena ride away. She knew she could pull it off. She just needed the cooperation of a few key people, and she knew how to get that cooperation. She sat up as she heard Ares enter the room.

"I see sleeping beauty is awake." Ares said sarcastically.

Gabrielle ignored his opening sally as she tested her knew voice. "Take me to see the Fates." Her voice was huskier and slightly deeper.

Ares looked angry. "Why should I do that? You have to answer some questions first."

Gabrielle smiled wryly. "Take me to see the Fates if you want to live?"

Ares laughed. "Now you're trying to threaten me?"

Gabrielle stopped smiling as she stared him in the eye. "I don't have to. Xena has taken care of that part for me. Take me to the Fates if you want to have any chance of surviving Zeus' actions." She stated flatly.

Ares glared at her, but gave in. He grabbed her arm and transported her to see the Fates.

"You can leave now Ares. This is going to be a private conversation. I will call you when I want you to return." Gabrielle said banishing Ares from the meeting.

"I've put up with you so far to get some answers. I'm not leaving until I get some." Ares said angrily.

"You will get your answers after I have made my deal with the Fates." Gabrielle stated evenly.

"They won't let you change the past." Ares stated smugly.

"I'm not going to ask them to." Gabrielle stated just as smugly.

Ares frowned. "Fine, I'm going. But I will want some answers!"

After he had left Gabrielle sighed in relief, before turning to the Fates. They continued to do their work, just as they had when they were pretending not to listen to their conversation.

"Why did you do it? Don't try and ignore me. You made a prophecy regarding the Twilight of the Gods. You said the only way to stop it was to make sure the child was never born. Why did you weave that? Why would you weave something that could mean your own death?" Gabrielle demanded.

Three voices answered her. "Maybe it was the only way. Maybe we had to weave this in order to avoid worse."

Gabrielle laughed at that answer. "And maybe you were trying to be tricky and it backfired. What were you trying to do?"

This time only one voice answered. "They won't tell you but I will. We wanted to make the other gods realize that we were important. If we told them of a prophecy of their death and how to prevent it, they would have to recognize our importance to them. But they failed to stop it. They don't even realize their failure. Even now they are partying on Olympus for having avoided their fate."

It was the Maiden who spoke. She tried to defend herself to her sisters. "She may be able to help us."

"If they're having a party on Olympus, why aren't you there?" Gabrielle asked.

"We weren't invited." The Maiden said.

"You went to all that trouble. You even temporarily have the results you wanted. The gods believe they have won. And you still aren't invited. There is a huge lesson in there, but I'm going to let you figure that one out on your own." Gabrielle said mockingly.

"I have a few more questions for you. Then I will make my deal with you." Gabrielle stated firmly.

"Ares is right. We can't truly change the past. We can temporarily put someone in a small world where things happened differently. But we only do that to teach someone a lesson they need to learn." The Maiden said.

"As I told Ares, I don't plan on asking you to. What would have happened if I died when Xena swung at me?" Gabrielle inquired.

"The gods would have died without any warning. Some of them would have died quite horrible deaths. As it stands now, we all die fighting. I suppose some would consider that a mercy."

"You answered my second question already. Let me ask my last. If I can stop Xena from killing the gods, will you let me have Eve? Whether Xena is alive or dead. If I stop her, will you give her back to me?" Gabrielle asked.

"Why would you want her?" The Maiden questioned.

"She was an innocent in your scheme. I will raise her as my own if I have to." Gabrielle assured them.

"How would you stop her?" Three voices inquired.

"I have a plan. But as far as anybody asks, Gabrielle is dead. Are we clear? I will fix your mistake, and you will reclaim Eve from Hades realm." Gabrielle confirmed.

"We accept your deal." The Fates proclaimed.

"Ares, you can come back now!" Gabrielle called.

"I am not your personal servant to do as you wish!" Ares snapped at her as he appeared.

"If you take me back to your temple, I will tell you how I plan to stop the Twilight of the Gods." Gabrielle stated quietly.

Ares growled but did as she said.

"Alright we're here. Start talking!" Ares demanded.

Gabrielle sat on his bed. Ares scowled and materialized a chair in front of her.

"The way I see it, we're going to need help. Major help, from major people. I want to gather a group of warriors to keep Xena hemmed in while I fight her." Gabrielle told him gravely.

"That's it? That is your big 'I have to see the Fates or you will die' plan?" Ares asked incredulously.

"No. There is definitely a lot more to it than that. However that is the ultimate goal." Gabrielle told him.

"What more could there possibly be? I can have however many warriors you need in a flash." Ares asked maliciously.

Gabrielle looked at him contemptuously. "Warriors that can contain Xena? I know exactly who I want. I also know that I won't get all of those warriors unless they truly believe they are needed. Therefore I have to be dead. Xena killed me because she is insane. They won't believe that she is insane unless I am dead. Otherwise they can use the argument that Xena wasn't really trying to kill me. Hence my alive state."

"You make a point." Ares said carefully. "How will you fight Xena if you're dead?"

"This is where it gets slightly more complicated." Gabrielle said with a frown. "You and the Fates are the only ones who know I'm alive. Not even the other gods can know who I am. That means you have to change the way I look."

"That won't work. The other gods will be able to see through any illusion I use." Ares stated flatly.

"I know. That is why you will have to change my actual body to look different. There is the added problem that right now I can't take Xena in a one on one fight, and I need to be able to do that." Gabrielle grimaced at the direction her thoughts were taking.

"Then how do you plan on changing that?" Ares asked, aware that she probably already had the answer.

"The gods can give their chosen special abilities." Gabrielle stated.

"So you are actually willing to be my chosen now." Ares threw his head back and laughed. "How the self-righteous have fallen. To actually agree to become my chosen."

"Actually Ares, being your chosen isn't enough." Ares stopped laughing when he heard that.

"I need to be the chosen of all the gods for this to work." Gabrielle said, as she watched him closely for his reaction.

Ares was astonished. "Are you crazy? How are you planning on pulling that off?"

"That is where you come in. You change me to look extremely different. Then you take me to Olympus where I will tell the gods that Xena is going to try and kill them all. I will offer to protect them from Xena, and that all they have to do is make me their champion." Gabrielle explained quickly.

"I know both of those things. You will have to actually change my body. My voice is already changed and I can change the accent I speak with. As for the second, if you vouch for my ability to defeat Xena if I had the added benefits of being their chosen, they will accept me. Before you interrupt again, let me tell you the rest of it." Gabrielle raised an eyebrow silently asking him if he would stay quiet. At his nod she continued.

When she finished he nodded again. "That might work. However, if I am to show them the scroll you wrote and show them Xena killing you, the two are slightly incompatible."

Gabrielle shook her head. "After I wrote the scroll, I put it in my bag and got up to leave. I had only gotten a few feet when I collapsed unconscious. You can leave there and they will take me for dead. You can show the same scene to the warriors we will gather."

"For the benefit of the warriors, and for Xena, we will hint that I am your lover. Feel free to make my new features something pleasing to you." Gabrielle said with a smile.

"I take it you want me to get it over with?" Ares asked.

"The sooner we begin the sooner this whole charade can be over with." Gabrielle replied. "My name will be Brie, maybe you can fit the look to the name." She said flirtatiously, lightening the mood.

Ares stood and gestured for her to do the same. He led her to the middle of the room, and had her stand where the fire could light her features. He walked around her slowly as he decided what changes he wanted to make.

As he stopped in front of her, Gabrielle had a question. "Will the other gods be able to tell that you have changed me?"

He lifted his head and slowly stood back. Gabrielle was slightly dazed as she opened her eyes. Ares moved to stand behind her. In front of her there was a large full-length mirror. She had looked for only a second before she turned around and slugged Ares in the jaw.

"I said you could make my features pleasing! I did not say you could give me breasts you could lose a small town in! You will fix this right now!" Gabrielle's eyes narrowed as he moved forward. "If you try and touch me again you won't have to worry about Xena killing you." Gabrielle promised him.

Ares laughed. "Fine, I wouldn't want you to have to fight off all the warriors you're going to be inviting." Ares reached out his hands, but left them about a foot in front of her, and a golden glow came from them. "Better?"

Gabrielle looked down. While still a little on the large side they were now in proportion to her size. Which come to think of it, appeared to be even shorter than she was before. She walked over to the mirror to get a better look. Ares walked up behind her again. She looked completely different. She swallowed as she tried to remember that this is what she wanted.

Gabrielle turned to Ares in outrage. "No one is going to take me seriously! I'm even shorter than I was before! No one took me very seriously then either. I can't be an inch over five feet! No warrior is going to look at me with any kind of respect. More importantly the gods won't accept me as their champion."

"I'm not sure I can take her in this body." Gabrielle turned around to look in the mirror again. Even with her clothes charred from her fight with Zeus, and bloody from her now healed wounds, she didn't look dangerous in the slightest. She turned back to Ares and attacked him.

Ares defended himself and took several steps backward. "What do you think you're doing?" he demanded.

"I'm breaking in the new body. Just making sure everything works. I'm seeing if I will be able to overcome Xena wearing this body. Testing my strength and reflexes." Then she broke off as the fight began in earnest.

They fought for several minutes in almost complete silence. The fight took them all over the room and had them literally bouncing off the walls. It ended with Ares pinned to a wall with a dagger to his throat. Gabrielle backed away and began to pace. She thought about what she had just found out as Ares watched.

"You made the right decision to make me shorter." She said finally.

"It's nice of you to admit it, but what convinced you?" Ares asked.

"Lately I have gotten very good at fighting inside a taller person's reach without them being able to hit me. If you had made me taller it would have thrown off my fighting style. I would have had to relearn how to fight." Gabrielle looked up at him and smiled. "Although it would have been nice to be taller for once."

"That summarizes your fighting abilities pretty well. You are very good, probably one of the most skilled warriors to be found. The question is, do you think you can take Xena?" Ares asked her.

"Now? No. Xena wasn't quite as fast as I was, before I got this new body. However, she has always had an unnatural strength. That strength in addition to her own skill and endurance makes her very hard to beat. My increased speed won't do the trick. I have an extreme amount of endurance myself. I've had to, in order to keep up with her and her horse. That endurance won't match hers though. I am quick enough to block everything that she throws at me. Unfortunately the strength of those blows would wear me down, whereas my blows wouldn't do the same. I'm fast enough to get past her defenses, and early on Xena made sure I knew how to make my blows count. The problem is Xena can take a lot of punishment. I need to be a lot stronger and even faster to be able to defeat Xena." Gabrielle concluded with a sigh.

"And in order to get that strength and speed you need to be the Champion of the Gods." Ares stated flatly.

"Yes." Gabrielle confirmed. She had ended her analysis of Xena's fighting skills leaning one hip against a table near the fire.

Ares stood on the other side of the table. He leaned across it with his hands planted firmly. He uttered one word into her face. "No."

"What do you mean, 'no'?" Gabrielle questioned as she turned to face him.

"I mean, no you do not need to be the Champion of the Gods to get the strength and speed. All you have to do is be my chosen, and I can give you the strength and speed." Ares told her through clenched teeth. "I don't know why you are being so stubborn. If anything being the Champion of the Gods will put you in a worse position than if you are my chosen. You would be obligated to all of us then!"

"Do you think I don't know that? Do you think I've never realized who I've been traveling with? It hasn't been a full day since Xena attacked me. You think that analysis of my fighting skills, as well as Xena's, was impromptu? I have been thinking and planning since the first day I traveled with Xena. What I would do if she ever went back to her old ways?" Gabrielle's voice was breaking as tears coursed down her face. "The plan has changed over and over. In the beginning the plan was to get everyone I possibly could to safety. As I became a better and better fighter the plan changed more and more to fighting back. Of course, all of these plans were in the unlikely event she left me alive!"

"Every time I saw her help some innocent person, my heart leapt with joy. Every time I saw her backslide into her ruthlessness, my heart broke." Gabrielle had lowered her head, but now she looked into Ares eyes. "If Xena wasn't insane and obsessed with killing the gods, I could have taken her out without any help. I probably would have killed myself in the process, but I could have done it."

"Her emotional state will give her a strength that will be hard to fight. Revenge is a strong motivator." Gabrielle's shoulders slumped.

"You're right though. You could give me the strength and additional speed I will need. I wouldn't have the added complication of dealing with gods unknown to me. I know that." Gabrielle moved to sit by the fire. "The reason I need to be the Champion of the Gods is to get Xena to fight me. As your champion she would mostly ignore me. She would fight me, but not on my terms. I would have to take the fight to her."

Ares was able to follow her reasoning and finished for her. "If you are the Champion of the Gods she will come to you. She will see it as letting the gods know there is nothing we can do to stop her. You will have your warriors ready to hem her in. She will be forced to fight to the finish with you."

Gabrielle kept her back to him, but nodded.

Ares was silent for a moment. He decided to ask her the question he had wanted to ask since he had read the scroll she had handed him. "Why are you going to fight Xena? Why go to all this trouble? She is trying to avenge her daughter. In order to stop her you will have to fight someone you love dearly. Tell me, why would you stop her from killing the gods, when you believe we are in the wrong?"

"Two wrongs can never make a right." Gabrielle said softly as she stared into the fire. "And I'm trying to make it right."

Gabrielle stood up and brushed the tears from her face before turning around. "I am going to need a new outfit and different weapons. I will keep my sai though. If anyone questions it, I can simply say they weren't going to do anybody any good on a dead body. It will sound rather cold and callused. Perfect for the role I am going to play."

Ares smiled as Gabrielle brought herself out of her depression. For the next several minutes they played dress up. With Ares changing her outfits until she found what she wanted.

Their next stop was Ares armament room. Gabrielle walked around the room picking up various weapons and testing them before putting them back down. Ares was surprised when she moved towards the swords.

"You shouldn't be so surprised. I've traveled with Xena long enough to have learned quite a lot about weapons. I may never have actively used one as my weapon of choice, but I have trained extensively with them. I acquired spontaneous instruction from so many different warriors, with so many different techniques; my own technique is rather unusual. I don't have to worry about anyone recognizing my style that way. If I used just one particular form then I might have that worry. But whenever I practice with a sword on my own, it has been to make all those different forms blend into one."

As she spoke she had tested a variety of swords. She eventually came to a stop before a matching pair of swords. She picked them up and did a test swing. She moved into a complicated kata with both blades moving in sync.

"I'll take these." She told him after coming to an abrupt stop. Then she continued to look around the room. This time as if searching for something specific. She picked up a pair of small but deadly matched black daggers. She leaned down and tucked them to fit comfortably, and secretly, into her boots.

As she stood admiring her new outfit and weapons in the mirror Ares spoke up from behind her. "Don't you think that is a tad overkill?" He asked rather uncertainly, as she seemed quite pleased with the end result.

Gabrielle catalogued what she saw in the mirror. She was wearing tight black leather pants similar in design to Hercules. Her top was a black version of the green top she wore at one time, only this one was leather and showed a little more cleavage. Her black boots came up almost to mid calf and were made of the softest leather. Her daggers remained well hidden. She was wearing both swords crisscrossed along her back, so she could draw them both at the same time. Their hilts were just visible over her shoulders. The sai she had fit into loops she had Ares fit onto the pants. They were fitted tightly but comfortably along the outsides of her thighs. The points were held by loops just above her knees. They gave her legs additional protection from slashes. Her long red hair was held back in a braid. Little curls framed her face ruining the no nonsense look the braid gave her. Her pale green eyes were the color of moss on a riverbank. All in all she was a very striking picture.

"No, I don't think its overkill at all. This is exactly the image I want to portray. I look like an amateur. This outfit will impress the gods, but any real warrior can tell the difference. You did so yourself right now. Everything I can do to give the impression that I'm a just playing at being a warrior will be helpful. As far as the gods go, Athena is the only one who is likely to give us any trouble. She may be able to tell the difference too. If you have to, take her aside and explain that there is more going on than is obvious. Don't tell her what it is though. We can't afford to have anyone else know everything that is going on."

"Ares from this point on, I'm Brie. That is how you have to think of me."

"You're ready to go?" Ares asked her.

Ares threw back his head and laughed. They disappeared.

Brie drew closer to Ares side as she wondered how they were ever going to be noticed much less make their announcement. Ares wrapped his arm around her and pointed towards the dais. Brie nodded her agreement and they made their way there.

As they got close to Zeus there was a slight lull in the noise, which allowed his next words to be heard. "Ares! It's about time you got here! I thought you would have been here sooner." His voice boomed. Hera sat slightly behind him. She did not look happy.

"I was here earlier, but I got called away. There is something you and all the other gods need to know." Ares said seriously. As he spoke he let go of Brie and she stepped slightly away from him. Zeus got his first good look and began to bellow.

"You brought a mortal here?" Zeus yelled in disbelief.

Ares kept his face serious and his voice level. "I brought a mortal here for a very good reason. She is the one who called me away."

"There has never been a mortal on Mount Olympus!" Zeus seemed to be stuck on that point.

Ares allowed his irritation to show. "You're going to have to get past that. I have serious business to discuss."

"What could possibly be so important that you brought a mortal here?" Zeus asked, showing signs that he would calm if given a good enough reason.

This time it was Brie who spoke in her husky voice. "How about the fact that you haven't averted the twilight at all. You merely sped it up."

"That isn't possible. The child is dead, it can no longer be a threat to us." Zeus stated flatly.

"You didn't listen to the Fates prophecy. They said your reign would end if the child were born. Well the child was born, and then you killed it. You didn't stop the prophecy from coming true. You just made it happen now. You're fortunate that I'm here to stop it." Brie told him as she stared at him intensely.

Hera spoke up. "Is this true? How can we be in danger if the child is dead?"

"It was never the child you needed to fear. It has always been its mother that was the threat." Brie told the seriously.

At this Zeus leaned back, relieved. "Xena is no threat to us. She is only a mortal. There is nothing she can do to us."

Ares narrowed his eyes as he spoke. "You are too confident. There are ways to kill gods. That has been proven. Xena is a very resourceful woman. She is now insane and seeking revenge."

"How do you know this?" Zeus demanded.

Ares handed him the same bloody scroll that he had been given.

Zeus read it silently before handing it back. "You have proof of this?"

"Yes, just watch." Ares closed his eyes and the air in the room glowed golden for a moment. When he opened them all of the gods were shifting nervously. He snapped his fingers and a copy of Gabrielle's last scroll appeared in their hands.

"How can this mortal stop Xena, who you say has every chance of kill us all?" Zeus asked with disbelief.

"She is good enough to take Xena. If we make her our Champion, she will be able to stop her." Ares spoke with conviction.

At this Athena spoke. "What does your 'Champion' expect to get out of this?"

Brie stepped forward. "If I am able to stop Xena from killing all of you, I want to be immortal. That is my price. No, I don't want to be a god. I simply want to live forever."

Athena looked like she would give more objections. "Look at it this way. If I can't stop Xena, what will you have lost? Whereas if I stop her, you have everything to gain."

When there was no response he leaned forward and placed his hand over her heart. Brie felt a warm glow that spread over her whole body. As Zeus removed his hand, he put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face the gods. "I give you our Champion!"

Brie could see them cheering her, but felt as if she was deaf, the sound seemed muted somehow. The party looked as if it was headed into full swing again. It certainly showed no signs of stopping. Brie seemed to have become the life of the party and was rapidly being overwhelmed. Ares saw her dilemma as he walked up to her. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her as he transported them back to his temple.

She immediately pushed him away. She staggered to the fire and sat before it. Trying to make sense of the last few minutes. It seemed she had what she wanted. A way to defeat Xena. She had the plan in place. Now all she had to do was implement it. Brie decided to sleep on everything that had happened. She had too little sleep to go on, and the changes she had been through were too enormous to face without a little sleep to dull them.

"What do you think you are doing?" Ares asked her. He seemed amused by her presumption.

Brie didn't even bother to sit up. She was exhausted. "I am going to sleep here. I don't care where you sleep." With that she was gone.

Ares smiled and pulled the covers up around her. He went to the main room of his temple and tried to find Xena. She was somehow managing to hide from him. He knew that if Xena could hide from him, she would be able to hide from the rest of the gods.

When Brie woke up, it was to a feeling of warmth. There was an arm wrapped around her stomach and her back was to a warm chest. Well she had said she didn't care where he slept. She moved his arm and sat up. Her stomach growled and she realized she couldn't remember the last time she had eaten. She turned around and pushed on Ares. He came awake with a jerk.

"I'm hungry, and I need to get started on the rest of the plan." Ares waved his hand and a feast appeared on the table by the fire.

"Never tell me I haven't done anything for you." He mumbled before drifting back to sleep.

Brie smiled and watched him sleep. She moved to the table and ate her fill. She decided she would let him sleep for awhile longer. She left the room to look for a place to try out her new perks.

She eventually decided to go outside. She didn't want to destroy Ares temple in the process of finding out what she could do. That is where Ares eventually found her. Doing flips around a clearing behind his temple.

She stopped when she saw him. "Good your awake. Let's get this started shall we?"

"How were you planning on contacting these warriors of yours?" Ares asked. "Who were you planning on getting anyway? I know already that you're planning on Hercules and his little friend Iolaus. Who else?"

"I'll write out a list. They are all warriors that Xena has fought, either beside or against." Brie told him.

"Why would you want warriors Xena has fought against?" Ares asked.

"Because they survived for one. For another, there aren't that many she has fought beside. They will all be honorable warriors though. In fact, that is what will bring them to us." Brie said smugly.

"How are you planning on doing that?" Ares questioned warily as he followed her back into the temple.

She picked up a quill and scroll and began to write with her left hand. After the first scroll was finished she began a second. The first was a list of all the warriors she was going to need. The second was a letter to said warriors. It read:

You have seen a true vision in your sleep. You are needed. She must be stopped for the good of all.

It was signed Champion of the Gods.

Ares read this missive over her shoulder. "How were you planning on getting this to them?"

She said as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Lord Morpheus, I have come to beg a favor." Brie said solemnly.

"What would you have of me Champion?" Morpheus asked her.

"The vision that all of the gods were shown. I need you to show it to this list of mortals the next time they dream." Brie told him briefly.

"Why?" He questioned simply.

"I need them to give the gods the best defense I can give them." Brie explained.

"I will do as you ask." Morpheus said as he waved her away.

Ares took her back to his temple.

"I need to speak with Hermes now." Brie told Ares.

"Your wish is my command, Champion. Zeus has declared that you be given all cooperation." Brie had jumped a little at Hermes sudden appearance at her ear.

"Thank you Hermes. If you would be so kind as to deliver copies of both of these scrolls to the names on this scroll?" Brie asked him. She handed him the original scroll addressed to Ares as well as the new scrolls with the cryptic message and the list. "You must give them to these men as they sleep. So that they will be there the next morning."

"It will be as you say, Lady Champion." With that Hermes was off again.

"Now we have to advertise my position as Champion of the Gods. I will do this by challenging Xena to a duel. She won't be able to resist the opportunity to destroy something of the gods. Xena will hear of my challenge, then she will come. We will need Hermes to deliver a message to be posted to every town within a week's travel of here. It's the only way we can be certain Xena will hear of the challenge." Brie said determinedly.

She moved to the table and again brought out quill and scroll. When she began to write the challenge with her left hand, Ares expressed his confusion.

"I thought you wrote with your right hand." He said.

"I can write with either hand. I normally write with my right hand that's true. However, switching to my left hand changes not only my handwriting, but also my style. It's strange, but it does." Brie explained. As she finished the challenge she handed it to Ares. "We need to have Hermes post this tomorrow."

"Everything leads back to you disguising who you are." Ares stated dryly.

"It's necessary. I wouldn't be able to do what I have to do if anyone suspects that this is a disguise." Brie told him defensively.

"I don't think you have to worry about it. Everything is different. You don't move, act, or talk the same. When you move it's as if your left side is your strong side. Your voice is huskier with a lilt to it that it didn't have before. You act cold and efficient. The only problem is your face." Ares remarked with a smile.

"What's wrong with my face?" Brie demanded to know.

"You can't quite hide your emotions. It's the only flaw I've seen in your disguise. You need to act cold, efficient, and emotionless. Act as if this means nothing to you. You are just doing a job. If you let emotion slip into your face or voice, all your plans may be in ruins." Ares told her coldly.

Brie was taken back at the complete change in Ares. Then she realized what Ares had just told her. Yes, she needed to act emotionless, but even more, it gave away a piece of himself he kept hidden. He was the one who had learned to act as if it meant nothing and was no more than a job. Only he did it to protect himself from hurt.

Her eyes glowed for a moment as she processed everything this meant about the god of war. Then she slowly wiped every trace of emotion from her face. She looked him in the eye and nodded. Next she turned and walked out of his temple. As she walked she realized that Ares had taught her a new skill. Just as many other warriors had taught her many different techniques.

Over the next two days warriors came from everywhere to Ares temple. Brie stayed in Ares bedroom out of sight. She left Ares to tell them that everything would be explained as soon as everyone had arrived. Most of the warriors were uncomfortable in Ares temple. However all stayed to hear the explanation. Several of the warriors were amazons who arrived together. Many warriors shared tales of how strange things had happened to bring them there so quickly. Those who came by ship told of how the sea was unnaturally calm with strong favorable winds. Those who came across land told of strange paths they had taken which shortened weeks long journeys into mere hours.

The last to arrive brought with him a copy of the challenge to Xena. They were all disturbed by what this meant. Before they could discuss it Ares arrived and told them to go to the clearing behind his temple for the reason they had been called. They all left hurriedly, wanting to hear this explanation.

After they were all gone Brie walked out carrying a large parchment. She walked behind them slowly. After the warriors were settled and waiting expectantly, she walked out of the woods and into the clearing. She did not present an intimidating presence, but when she spoke her voice was commanding.

"I asked you here for one reason and one reason only. I need you to encircle this clearing and not allow Xena to leave until the fight is finished. After the fight is finished you can do whatever you wish. If I have lost you may let her pass or stop her as you wish. The way I see it, if she won I'm dead and beyond caring what happens next. If however, she decides to leave before the fight has come to a conclusion, I expect you to deter her from leaving." As she spoke she kept her face and voice under firm control. Even though she dearly would have liked to laugh at some of the expressions of disbelief that she could see.

She held up the parchment she was holding. "On this parchment is a map of this clearing. It also has your placement around the clearing and your partner. I am pairing strong fighters with weaker ones. So some of you should expect to be split from your current partner. You have the rest of today and probably tomorrow to practice fighting with your new partner. After that Xena could arrive at anytime." Brie dropped the map onto the ground. She turned to leave the clearing and had taken several steps before turning back around to speak.

"Yes, I am the Champion of the Gods. Yes, the vision you received in your dreams was true. Yes, the scroll you received was what Gabrielle wrote before her final collapse. Yes, I delivered the scroll to Ares. Yes, I am a better fighter than I look, and yes, I will rip your head off if you mention my height. If you must speak with me, you may call me Brie. Are there any other questions?" She said all of this in an extremely flat tone with absolutely no inflection. Unsurprisingly there were no questions.

There was one fighter there who did have a comment. It remained unspoken until after Brie had left the clearing. In the silence left behind one voice spoke.

"She was wearing Gabrielle's weapons." Amarice's words were uttered quietly, but were heard by everyone.

Hercules and Iolaus turned to her. She appeared to be near tears.

"Are you certain those were Gabrielle's?" Hercules asked her calmly.

She turned and buried her face in Arman's chest. He lead her away to cry in private.

Hercules spread out the map and assumed command. He began calling out partners and directing them to their places. It was soon apparent that the placing was deliberate and well thought out. If Xena truly wanted to get away she could. However, with them there it would take an effort. They really were there only as a deterrent. Or maybe they were supposed to be a show of force.

After two days of constantly staying in one room, then leaving for a few minutes only to return, Brie was bouncing off the walls and ceiling. Literally. She stopped her dizzying flips around the room as Ares entered.

"How are they doing? Are they asking a lot of questions?" Brie asked rapidly.

Ares laughed at her clear signs of boredom. "They're fine. They are asking questions, but mostly just a lot of speculation. Everyone realizes that any questions they have won't be answered directly."

"Good. That only leaves Xena. She should get here sometime tomorrow to scout out the area. That means they will have to do all of there practicing indoors. They won't like not being allowed out, but I will explain things to them." Brie told him with a mischievous smile.

"We are all set for the fight, two hours before noon, day after tomorrow. I will define what their limits are as they are having dinner tonight. After that, we play a waiting game." Brie heaved a sigh at the thought of more waiting.

Brie entered the main hall as everyone was eating. She waited as it slowly became quiet as more and more noticed her.

"From now on you cannot leave this temple. To do so would give away your presence to Xena, and I will not tolerate that. Day after tomorrow, I will enter the clearing for my duel with Xena. You will not leave this temple until you hear her battle cry. Then you are to go slowly and quietly to your positions around the clearing. You are not to show yourselves unless I signal you to do so." She slowly met the eyes of each person in the room. "Are these instructions clear?"

Hercules responded for the group. "Yes, they're clear. We have a few questions though."

"Ask them then." She said impatiently.

"What if Xena doesn't use her battle cry and what will your signal be if we are to show ourselves?" Hercules asked.

"If she doesn't give her battle cry, I will. As far as a signal, I will punch my fist into the air. Is that sufficient?" She asked icily.

"Yes it is. I have one more question. Why are you wearing Gabrielle's weapons?" Hercules questioned angrily.

Brie shrugged. "She wasn't going to need them anymore." She turned and left the room.

As she entered Ares room he appeared reclining on the bed. "You did that very well. You may have a career in being a cold-hearted warrior queen waiting for you when this is over."

"Or I could be dead." She said sarcastically.

Ares laughed. "Such optimism. I don't know how you can stand to be such a cheery person."

Brie laughed and settled in for the wait.

The morning had arrived. Brie stared into the mirror at her still unfamiliar face. She turned to Ares. She had one last request.

"Ares during the fight I'm going to be talking to Xena, trying to get through to her mentally. I want you to show her some of my memories. Specifically the ones I have of when Zeus killed Eve. Can you make it as if she is living my memories?" Brie asked.

"I can do that. But you have to let me see the memory first. Are there any other memories you want to show her?" He asked quietly.

"No. Just that one." She paused. "Actually, if you see that the memory has affected her, show her the scene where she killed me. Although whatever you do, don't show her my memories of that. If you do show it, end it with what she thinks is my death."

"Alright. I'll listen for the right cue." Ares promised.

"Thank you, Ares." Brie smiled up at him. Then she surprised him by pulling him down for a kiss.

"Just giving you something to remember me by." She said with a mischievous smile. She let her face become emotionless as she turned and headed for the door. It was time for all the planning to pay off.

Brie entered the clearing to find Xena already waiting. It was a relief to know that so far the plan had held. She had managed to lure Xena there. Now she had to do the hard part. Fight in earnest the best friend she had ever had.

Xena was unimpressed by her opponent. "You? You are the person the gods chose to protect them from me? Their standards have really taken a nosedive."

Brie gave an emotionless laugh. "Who said anything about the gods choosing me? Certainly I am their champion, but only because I offered them my services. What did they have to lose?"

Xena leaped to the attack giving her battle cry. She was enraged to learn that she had been manipulated into a fight that would not harm the gods.

The first flurry of blows was hand to hand as Xena had not taken the time to draw her sword. Brie blocked everything that Xena threw and managed two solid blows to her stomach. Xena backed away.

Brie smirked. "I may not be very tall, but I am very good. The gods may not have chosen me, but they wouldn't have accepted me if I was in any way inferior."

Xena drew her sword. Brie drew one of hers with her left hand. They fight was engaged. They exchanged blows so quickly that to the untrained eye, you couldn't see who had the upper hand. To the trained eyes of everyone who watched it became clear that while Xena was the more skilled of the two, Brie's speed was enough to counteract it.

They disengaged and began to circle each other warily. Brie was never one to miss an opportunity.

"How does it feel to kill someone who trusts you, someone who would die for you in an instant? I'm just curious how it felt. Tell me, did she fight back? Or did you just cut her throat while she slept?" Her voice was only mildly curious.

"She betrayed me. She helped the gods kill my baby." Xena spat.

"Did she really? Well, it just goes to show that the gods will turn your backs on you. I mean Zeus was crowing about how he saved Olympus single handedly. He must have conveniently forgotten the mortal who helped him." Brie gave an unconcerned shrug and went on the offensive.

She pulled her other sword and attacked. It was all Xena could do to block the swords as they slashed at her. Brie never slowed and eventually she got past Xena's guard. She managed to slice Xena's thigh. Brie drew back and gave a half bow. "First blood to me." She said emotionlessly.

As Brie moved in to engage, Xena flipped away and drew her chakram. She threw it to the side. It began to bounce from tree to tree. All the while Xena stared into Brie's eyes. At the last second, Brie moved her sword to block the chakram. It bounced from her sword to embed itself harmlessly in a tree.

She waited as Xena got to her feet. "I could have ended it there Xena. Do you want to know why I didn't?"

"Because you are an overconfident fool? I won't give you another chance like that one." Xena hissed at her.

"No, I'm not overconfident. I'm extremely aware of how dangerous you are. I am also aware of the advantages I have. I intend to keep those advantages." Brie responded.

"I didn't kill you then because I think there are things you need to know before you die. One of which is that you had an amazing friend. You had a friend who fought the King of the Gods on your behalf. She took every blow he dealt her and came back for more. She protected your baby Xena, until Zeus got tricky. He hit her with a spell, a spell that froze her in her tracks. She couldn't move as what felt like lightning rolled over her body. She was forced to watch as Zeus picked up your baby and held it. She saw him reach out and snuff the life from your baby. Can't you just see it, Xena? Can't you feel what she felt as the child she had sworn to protect was killed?" She spoke emotionlessly. The words were all the more powerful for the lack of emotion she showed saying them.

Xena was about to respond, when suddenly she could see it. She could feel what Gabrielle had felt as she fought Zeus. Xena felt the pain, emotional and physical, that Gabrielle had gone through as she had fought Zeus. When Xena came back to herself she opened her eyes, not even aware that she had closed them.

Xena looked into Brie's eyes. Eyes that showed no emotion as Brie spoke. "I guess vengeance is a hard thing to let go of. First with Lyceus and now with your child. Tell me Xena, has searching for vengeance ever done you any good?"

Xena attacked. She rained blows upon Brie, but they were all calmly blocked. "Tell me Xena, when you had vengeance for Lyceus, did it make you feel any better?"

Brie switched from defense to offense as she asked her next question. "Did killing Gabrielle make you feel better?" As she blocked Brie's strikes she saw herself killing Gabrielle. She saw Gabrielle's last moments.

Xena didn't even realize that she had tears pouring down her face. They fought for several minutes in silence. Until Brie once again had Xena pinned to the ground.

"What would you do, if I let you up and let you leave?" Brie asked her.

"I would go and kill the gods!" Xena yelled as she tried to free herself.

"Why?" Brie asked curiously. As if she hadn't the slightest idea why Xena would want to do so.

Xena looked at her incredulously. "Because they killed my baby!"

"How does that give you the right to kill them? They killed an innocent child for survival. You used to kill innocent children for fun. You killed your best friend for an imagined betrayal." Brie sighed.

"It doesn't matter. You have failed in your goal. The gods no longer have anything to fear from you." Brie decreed.

"I am still alive. I will kill them. I will escape from any prison you try and put me in." Xena said venomously.

Brie shook her head. "You won't be going to prison. You have learned nothing. You feel no remorse for killing your friend. You are still stuck on the path of vengeance. Your sentence will be Tartarus when you die."

"You are just going to kill me in cold blood? Somehow I didn't expect that of you." Xena said thoughtfully. "Just for the record, I do feel remorse for Gabrielle's death."

Brie stared into her eyes and read that this was the truth. "Do you still wish vengeance on the gods?"

"Yes, I want them to pay for what they have done." Xena said calmly.

Brie nodded. Xena was no longer insane her remorse showed that. Her determination to kill the gods was what sealed her fate. "No Xena, I am not going to kill you in cold blood. I will give you a choice. While I realize that you will always wish the gods dead, if you swear never to attempt to kill a god I will let you return to your life of fighting for innocents."

"You would never accept my word, knowing how strong my hatred is." Xena told her.

"This oath you would be held to by the Fates. If you attempted to kill a god they would cut your thread." Brie explained.

"Why would I make an oath like that?" Xena asked in disbelief.

"Well, that's the other choice you have. You can make the oath or you can live out the rest of your mortal existence as a cripple who can't even feed herself. You would live in one of Ares temples and be taken care of by his priests. Either way you will no longer be a threat to the gods." She just shrugged, as if it didn't matter to her which Xena chose.

"You wouldn't dare." Xena said incredulously.

"Personally, I agree with you about the gods. However, whichever you choose I will have done my job. Which was to make sure you couldn't kill them." Brie let her see the determination in her eyes.

Xena was truly defeated. She knew she would never be able to stand life as a cripple. She would never allow it if she had any other option. Unfortunately she did have a choice. She made her decision.

"How do I make my oath?" Xena said through gritted teeth.

"Simply swear to the Fates. I won't let you up if I'm not satisfied with the oath." Brie waited with a mask over her emotions.

"I swear to the Fates that I will never kill or attempt to kill a god. Are you happy now?" Xena asked as tears leaked from her eyes.

Brie slowly sat up and moved away from the quietly crying figure. "I'm happy now."

Brie moved to the middle of the clearing. "Fates! I have kept my end of the bargain! Now it's time to keep yours!"

There was a flash as a bundle was left at her feet. As she leaned down to pick it up, she heard the warriors coming into the clearing from the trees. She quickly picked up the bundle and carried it to Xena.

"Here, I believe this belongs to you." Brie said as she handed it to Xena.

As Xena's arms curved around the bundle, the silence in the clearing was broken by the cry of a baby.

Xena quickly pulled the blanket back, to see the features of a newborn baby. She looked up in disbelief. "This is my baby? This is my Eve?" She asked even as she held the baby closer.

"Yes, this is your Eve." Brie said. She looked up to see many faces filled with amazement.

"Someone had to fix the mistakes of fate." Brie said as she stood and began to walk away. She was halfway across the clearing when Ares appeared and grabbed her arm. Then they both disappeared.

This time the hall was mostly empty, and the only noise was that of a couple of gods murmuring to each other. Only the major gods were present this time.

"I see Ares has brought you to receive your reward." Zeus said.

"We will give you the immortality you were promised and we would like to offer you the job full time. Ares made a valid point. There are ways to kill gods. We would like you to protect us from them. You have proven yourself capable of doing so." Zeus smiled as if he were giving her the greatest gift she had ever been given.

"I don't want a reward. That isn't why I did it. I don't want to be your champion any more. I would just like to go back to my life." Brie said wearily.

"Why would you want to do that? We are offering you the greatest position a mortal can aspire to." Zeus asked astonished.

"I just want Ares to remove this disguise so I can get back to my life." Brie stated angrily.

Athena broke in. "There is no illusion on you. We would be able to tell if there were."

"No there isn't an illusion. In order to stop Xena she couldn't recognize me. I had Ares change my actual body. Now I would like to be changed back. I have some celebrating to do." Brie said firmly.

"Ares what is she talking about?" Zeus demanded.

Ares looked to Brie, and she nodded. Ares proceeded to tell them precisely what had happened.

"I think I speak for all of us, when I say that now I am even more firmly convinced that you are the right person to be our champion." Zeus said. All of the other gods nodded their agreement.

"You went against your best friend, in order to protect us." Hera explained.

"Let's not get confused here. I agree with Xena. Not that you should be killed, but that you shouldn't be allowed to get away with everything you do to mortals." Brie explained.

"I couldn't reconcile with myself if I had to protect you from the consequences of your actions." Brie walked to the opposite end of the hall while the gods conferred.

"What would it take, for you to agree to be our champion?" Zeus called to her.

Brie thought for a moment before heading back to the other side of the hall. "I would have to be allowed to pick my battles. You wouldn't be able to tell me: Go fight this person. You would have to convince me it was the right thing to do. Then I would do it my way. You would give me the ability to change to this form and back. Brie would be your champion. Gabrielle would just be an ordinary mortal. I have one more condition. If you don't agree to this I walk."

Brie waited for their reaction. She had come up with the last condition solely to make them give up on her as their champion. They would never agree to it.

"What is this last condition? Tell us and we will discuss it." Zeus told her.

Brie explained her last condition. She walked out of the hall to wait. Three hours later they called her back in.

"We accept your conditions." Zeus announced.

Brie was floored. She had never expected them to accept. She had trapped herself. She walked up to Zeus. He put his hand again to her heart. This time he gave her immortality, and the ability to change between the two bodies.

"Ares, take me to Xena. I'm going to have a lot of explaining to do." Gabrielle told him. She looked surprised for a moment. Her voice was back to normal. She looked to Zeus.

"Your voice will change back again when you are Brie." He assured her.

Ares took Gabrielle back to Xena. They returned to the clearing they had left from. Everyone had set up camp. When everyone saw exactly who was with Ares, there was a loud commotion as everyone tried to talk at once.

Gabrielle tried to get everyone to be quiet but it wasn't working. Ares threw a fireball straight up. It exploded in the air, causing everyone to quiet.

"If you will wait, all of your questions will be answered." Ares growled.

Xena walked forward carrying Eve. She stopped a few feet in front of Gabrielle. "Gabrielle, can you possibly forgive me?"

Gabrielle smiled. "You're forgiven. You may need to forgive me though."

Xena looked surprised. "I killed you. What could you possibly need forgiveness for?"

"Actually, I need everyone's forgiveness. Xena, I wasn't dead. In order to get everyone here, and in order to get them all to be willing to fight you, I had to make everyone believe I was dead. I wasn't. I faked dying from your first strike. The others saw me do so. They also saw me get up and write a scroll, then collapse. They all assumed I was dead. Instead I was merely unconscious for a few moments. Then I got back up and went to Ares temple. He healed me, and then he helped me implement my plan to stop you. He took me to see the Fates. I was able to make a deal with them. If I was able to stop you from killing the gods, I could have Eve back. I did everything I had to do to fix everything." Gabrielle told them as she watched for their reaction.

"How? How did you do everything?" Xena asked. That seemed to be the general reaction.

So Gabrielle told them. She told them everything up to the gods asking her to be their champion. She told them that she decided to name a condition she knew the gods would never agree to.

"What was the condition that you named?" Xena asked.

Gabrielle looked down for a moment. "I told them that if I was to be their champion, I wouldn't defend anybody who wasn't punished for breaking the rules. I told them that I would have to be the one to decide if a rule had actually been broken. I told them that if said god was found guilty of breaking the rule deliberately and with full knowledge of the consequences, I would also be the one to decide that gods punishment." She looked up when she heard the roar of laughter. They were all falling over themselves laughing. Gabrielle giggled nervously as she waited for them to stop.

"You want to hear something even funnier?" She asked as the laughter dropped down to the occasional snicker.

"What?" At least half of them asked.

"They agreed to it." There was dead silence.

Xena was the only one who spoke. "You mean to say that you are the immortal Champion of the Gods, and you get to decide when they are breaking the rules and what their punishment is?"

"Um, yes?" Gabrielle said tentatively.

Xena broke into laughter, and the whole camp followed her. Xena calmed down and wiped the tears from her eyes. "That is so much better than killing them. The best part is that they can't have realized what they've let themselves in for."

Xena pulled Gabrielle into a hug. "Thank you, for fixing everything, and for not giving up. You are going to have a big job ahead of you, keeping the gods in line. We'll just have to make sure you're ready for it." Xena smiled as she let her go.

Gabrielle smiled and hugged herself. It was good to have a happy ending. Or maybe it was a happy beginning. She couldn't tell which. She did know that she had one more person to thank. She walked through the camp calling greetings and sharing hugs and laughter. She left the clearing and headed for Ares temple. She never would have been able to fix everything without his help. Now she was going to be around, saving the world, and protecting the innocent, for a long time. Thanking him would only be the beginning.