Chapter 19 - Welcome to Tartarus, my Liege

The Conqueror slowly opened her eyes and the low lit beach filled her view. She inhaled the sharp poignant scent of the black river in front of her. She swallowed hard when she realized all her teachings of Hades were now in full truth before her eyes.

"Well, well… welcome to the underworld," greeted a gritty voice off to the left.

The Conqueror turned her head to the left and assessed the pale, robed man that had a long reaper in his left hand. "You must be Charon." She spotted the black boat behind him.

"No, I'm Tilulu the dancing girl. Of course I'm Charon. Who else would be crazy enough to be down here?"

The Conqueror remained calm despite she was beginning to grasp her fate. She glanced to the right when a man walked past her. His ghostly eyes fixed on her as he strolled past.

Charon watched the same man go past then he mentioned, "Excuse the pauper… he only has ninety years to go before he can cross." He then neared the ruler. "Let's have my obolus." He held out his hand.

"I don't have any money," remarked the ruler.

"Sure you do… you're the Conqueror of most of the living." Charon grinned at the ruler then ordered, "Open your mouth… go on."

The Conqueror opened her mouth almost involuntarily.

Charon stretched out his bleach white hand and plucked a gold coin from under the ruler's tongue. He held it up in display. "See? Somebody among the living cares enough for you." He tucked the coin away then ordered, "Get on board."

The Conqueror paused as another pauper passed her. She shivered some then neared the boat. Her thoughts were a mere daze as she stood in the center of the small boat.

Charon climbed in next then put his long reaper into the water. "How about a guided tour on our way across the river Acheron?" He pointed with his chin off to the right. "That's the river Styx… the river of hate." He smirked at the dark ruler. "I'm sure you can appreciate that river out of the five."

The Conqueror's cold eyes settled on the ferryman. She ignored him and glanced off the edge of the boat but she stiffened once she realized the water wasn't really black but a deep red.

"The river Acheron is the river of sorrow," explained Charon, "there is much blood in sorrow." He watched as the former ruler backed away from the edge of the boat. "You don't want to fall in the Acheron." He lifted his reaper from the water and showed how it was stained red from his time being a ferryman. "I've seen some men try to cross the Acheron. They'd only make it so far before the blood water filled their lungs and they'd scream before disappearing under the surface." He continued to use his long reaper to push the boat across. "Hades only knows what's at the bottom of the Acheron."

The Conqueror glanced over her shoulder when she saw the other shore came closer. Her stomach slightly pitched but certainly not from the boat's rocking motion.

"And here we are the shores of Hades." Charon disembarked just as the ruler did the same. "Follow me now."

The Conqueror tried to recall from her memory how the underworld worked. She knew everything but yet her mind was so foggy for some reason. She could only trail behind the ferryman.

Charon waved his reaper at the snarling, large dog that had three heads. "Down, Cerberus."

The heavily fanged dog's three heads bore at the very evil soul coming with the ferryman. He howled as the pair walked past him.

Charon finally came to a stop before three men in front of a black gate. "I have brought you Xena of Amphipolis." He bowed to the men then turned and left the Conqueror to her fate.

The Conqueror stared at the three lined men and her quickening mind recognized the men. Old paintings from the island of Crete in the Mediterranean Sea and the island of Aegina from the Saronic Gulf quickly flashed in her head.

"Do you know who we are?" spoke the man in the center.

The Conqueror's mouth was dry but she whispered, "You're Minos… the former king of Crete." Her eyes flickered to the man on the right. "Rhadamanthus… Mino's brother and…." Her focus went to the far left man. "And Aeacus the king of Aegina."

Aecus folded his arms over his chest. "I hear Aegina suffered under your reign, Xena of Amphipolis."

The Conqueror clenched her hands at her sides because she realized that it was Aecus that would judge her. Rhadamanthus only judged those from the Chin providence while Minos held final say. Her history with the island of Aegina would not bolster well for her judgment not that she stood a chance anyway.

"We have long awaited this moment, Xena of Amphipolis," spoke Minos. "You have kept us busy with spirit after spirit coming to the gates of Hades but now it is your turn."

The Conqueror wanted to move away, to run and be free of her fate but she stood her ground.

Minos signaled the judge to his right.

Aecus now approached the former ruler and smiled toothily at her. "There are two punishments that await you, Conqueror." He lifted his right hand and waved it past the woman's beautiful face. "First, your inner ugliness from your life will now show outside." When his hand lowered, his smile shifted into a grin of satisfaction.

The Conqueror's skin cracked open all over in various spots. She lifted her hands and saw that her hands and arms were covered in slash marks. Her eyes lowered to take in the view of her now mutilated body.

Aecus chuckled at the astonished look on the Conqueror's slashed face. "For every life you killed you suffer a cut." He backed away but stopped and held out his hands at the Conqueror's ugly body. "Now look how many you've killed, Xena of Amphipolis."

The Conqueror touched her face that was plagued with thick gashes. Her eyes were wide as her hand pulled away she saw a new cut forming in the center of her palm.

"Another life has just died because of your hands," mentioned Minos when he saw the cut form. "There are many that will still die because of you." He then stepped up to the ugly, former ruler of most of the known-world. "Your second punishment, Xena of Amphipolis, is you will spend eternity in Tartarus where you will be confined to a field. The field contains the hacked, bodily remains of all those that you've killed. You will spend eternity making those bodies whole again so that they may finally have peace for what you've done to them." He backed stepped, turned sidelong, and held out his hand to the right.

The black gates of Tartarus creaked open to the black, unknown space behind it.

Minos turned his head to the mangled Conqueror and harshly stated, "Welcome to Tartarus, my liege."

The Conqueror uncontrollably walked up to the open gates then she was engulfed by blackness once she passed the gates. Her scream suddenly exploded through Tartarus to show her arrival then the world around her cleared. She found herself on her hands and knees on something cold but soft, her eyes closed. She rasped as she lifted her head and opened her eyes. The Conqueror scanned her surroundings as her dead heart pounded against her chest.

Spread out for more leagues than any human could see was a covered field of human remains. The stench in the air was that of dead, decaying bodies. In one spot, stood a hill like mound of stacked bodies or pieces with legs or arms jutting out. At the top was one of the Conqueror's flagged pikes with a man's head skewered on top and it was the head of Julius Caesar with his mouth open in his final cry.

The Conqueror now felt a breeze that circulate the stench, which caused something to move on her left hand. She gazed down as the hair of a bodiless, nameless man covered her palm. Horror and terror exploded in the Conqueror's dead body as she realized she was kneeling on top of a thin stack of body parts. She hastily climbed to her feet but her weight crushed the bodily remnants under her boots. The head under her left boot crunched, which meant she'd have to put it together as well as find the rest of its body.

The Conqueror ignored it as she stood on the small mound of hacked bodies. She stared in horror at the endless field of people she'd killed in her lifetime. She frantically shook her head then whispered, "No. By the gods… no." She realized this would take longer than eternity to repair.

Just then she felt a cut form on her left arm and she glanced at it. She then heard some strange noise high above so she gazed up. From the bleak clouds above came a body falling down. She stared in revulsion as the body was marred into pieces in midair then blown across the field to be tangled in the mess.

The Conqueror made a small circle where she stood and her vision just filled with endless mounds, hills, and piles of mutilated bodies. She came full circle and stared at the pierced head of Julius Caesar at the top of the opposite mound. Her rage for Caesar's betrayal never surfaced like it use to every time but instead her dead heart pounded wildly and a cry of pain broke free from her lips.

After the Conqueror tried to release her endless pain, she went down the small pile she was on and her boots connected with the blood soaked grass. She turned to the pile she'd just descended and started her punishment for eternity. Time moved by slowly as the former ruler started to sort the body parts and tried to identify and match but it was almost impossible.

The Conqueror did not cry though. She did not escape her pain. Her memories of her life agonized her. She worked nonstop at her punishment but would never make any really progress. Finally after some unknown time that could have been candlemarks, days, or moons, she stopped and collapsed to the red grass.

The former ruler remained still, breathing heavily, and her inward rage high. Then something caught her ears and it was the sound of somebody coming. She jumped to her feet and held up her mutilated hands. "Who's here?"

From around a pile stepped out a familiar face, his shiny yellow teeth showing. "I'd wondered where you were, Conqueror." Darphus put his hands on his hips. "Once I saw this field, I knew it couldn't be anybody but you." He inhaled until his chest filled then he remarked, "Smells just like you too."

"Leave me, Darphus," snidely ordered the Conqueror.

The dead warlord laughed and shrugged. "I figured we could spend eternity together, Conqueror." He tilted his head as an amused expression over his face. "I see your remark about my ugliness has come back to haunt you."

The Conqueror's bleak azure eyes narrowed at her enemy.

Darphus smiled toothily but he twisted his head to the right, which made his slashed neck show more. "I've brought another old friend of yours too."

The Conqueror took a faint step back when another of her past commanders stepped around the other side of the pile.

"Hello, Xena," greeted the sultry voice.

The Conqueror realized that maybe her punishment for eternity wasn't just this field but all her dead enemies. She glared at her other commander. "How's Tartarus treated you, Draco?"

"Better than it seems to be treating you," replied the smirking warrior.

"It seems Draco and I have a few things in common," mentioned the warlord. He reached to his side where he had his sheathed sword. "One of those is seeking revenge for our deaths."

"You can't kill me," reminded the grinning Conqueror.

"Maybe not," agreed Draco, who unsheathed his sword. "But having you live in pieces for eternity in this field sounds like a great start." He charged the former ruler.

Darphus followed suit.

The Conqueror's warcry vibrated through the field and she back flipped onto a pile of bodies. She just missed the top so instead went surfing down on the crumbling pile. She launched herself into midair from the speed then sailed into the air high above the field. She tucked into a ball to help her go further then when the drop came, her body opened again. She neatly landed on her feet, her boots crushing an arm. She distinctly heard her two opponents running after her not that she could see them with all the mounds in the way.

Darphus and Draco chased after her but the Conqueror had no weapons to defend herself. They chased her almost in a perfect circle in the field.

The Conqueror launched herself into the air as she came back to the mound with Julius Caesar's speared head. She landed at the top of the mound and yanked the spear free. Her purple flag snapped in protest loudly in her right ear.

Draco and Darphus stopped at the bottom of the mound and leered up at her.

"Come on, Xena," coaxed Draco, "I never thought you were the one to run."

The Conqueror smirked then shot back, "I'm not… I'm just buying some time." She gave the pike a sharp slash in the air, which caused Caesar's head to go flying.

Caesar's head landed then rolled a few paces then a booted foot stopped the rolling head. The head then was picked up from the ground by a pair of large hands.

"Nice to see my destiny hasn't changed here either." The heavily clad Roman lifted his pale brown eyes to the Conqueror at the top of the pile.

The Conqueror's lip curled at seeing her old enemy. "Long time, Caesar… I expected you here sooner."

Julius Caesar tossed the head over his shoulder then approached Draco and Darphus. "Come down here, Xena… we can talk this out."

The former ruler grunted then pointed her spear at the three men. "Over my dead soul." Her joke was lost on her past commanders but it wasn't on Julius Caesar.

Caesar smirked then called up, "That is already being arranged, Xena."

The Conqueror shivered at his threat that most likely could mean anything. Her warcry tore through the air and she sprung up, twisted, and landed behind the three men. "Come and get some, boys." She gave a loud cry then came at her enemies.

Darphus and Draco attacked together.

Julius Caesar unsheathed his sword from his side. He stood still and observed as his gold plated chest reflected the movements of the fighting. His focus then shifted beyond the dead ruler and centered on another arrival, an Amazon.

Velasca snuck up behind the Conqueror with her sword at the ready. She raised it once close enough.

The Conqueror moved the thick pike behind her back as the Amazon blade tried to slice her back. She spun around Velasca, kicked the Amazon onto her face, and grabbed up the sword.

Velasca growled and wiped the blood from her face. She jumped to her feet to face her killer. "I had everything planned out," she yelled in outrage.

The Conqueror stepped back and pointed her sword at the evil Amazon. "Except for your death I suspect." Her eyes flickered to the gaping hole in Velasca's stomach. She hefted the pike in her left hand then stared at the four opponents. She suspected that more would show up looking for a piece of her hide. Her confirmation was made when a very familiar man stood atop the pile just a few paces away.

The Conqueror stared in horror at the face she'd never forget. His face often haunted her dreams at night especially as a child.

The man hurried down the pile and stood beside Julius Caesar. "Did you ever know, Xena that you were of Roman decent?" He held out his hand to Julius Caesar. "Caesar here is distant relative of yours."

Caesar showed his smug smile at the Conqueror. "I take it your heritage never came up in the family discussions huh?" He clapped the man beside him on the back. "Your father and I have been catching up on old memories, Xena."

The Conqueror shook her head then hotly yelled, "I am Greek… not Roman."

Atrius, Xena's father, moved past the Roman then chuckled at the dead ruler's fighting spirit. "You were Roman before you were Greek, my dear." He extracted his sword. "I am pure Roman but your mother…" He shrugged then stated, "Supposedly she's Greek but she's all whore."

The Conqueror's anger instantly flared up at her father's words. "You fucking bastard!" She threw the spear with all her strength at Atrius.

Atrius didn't bother to duck as the spear pierced through his gut. He easily ripped it out then tossed it aside. "Temper… temper, daughter." He extracted his sword from his side. "After we're all finished with you, I'll have to tell you the family history. You've followed well in the footsteps." He smirked then approached his daughter.

The Conqueror tensed up as the score of enemies started to close in on her. She spun her sword and stepped backwards between two large carcass piles. Her ragged breathing heightened her senses as she prepared to fight them all.

Abruptly there was a loud cry then a soaring body from nowhere landed in the space between the Conqueror and the approaching enemies.

The Conqueror was stunned and frozen by her shock.

The newcomer was a dark colored female, who had another spear that had the Conqueror's flag. She rammed it into the ground and gave a loud cry as she ran then jumped up. Her famous whirling kick managed to knock out Velasca, Draco, and Darphus then she rocketed into the air and landed beside the Conqueror. "We must run, quickly." She grabbed the Conqueror's hand and didn't waste time in fleeing.

The dead ruler recovered from her initial shock and hastily escaped with her unexpected savior. Behind her, she could hear the yells of her pursuers but they were falling behind them. She and her savior came to quick stop behind a tall pile of body parts. She glanced around the corner of it and saw nobody was tailing them then she turned her head back. "What are you… you shouldn't be here, M'Lila."

M'Lila smiled at her old friend that she hadn't seen in so many long seasons. "But I am here, my friend." Her smile widened, which brightened her beautiful features. "It has been a very long time, Xena."

The Conqueror wanted to touch the Gaelic but she didn't because of the nearing voices of her enemies.

"We must go," urged M'Lila. She grabbed the woman's wrist and started to haul her away.

"Where are we going, M'Lila?"

M'Lila didn't respond as she was worried they'd be overheard. She finally let go of her friend's wrist when she felt that the Conqueror would stay along side her. "We are getting close," she assured.

The Conqueror shook her head as she wasn't sure what woman had in mind. She came to an abrupt stop when a shadowy figure formed ahead.

M'Lila went a few more paces but stopped and glanced back at her friend. "Come on, Xena. There is only so much time." She followed the concerned gaze of the Conqueror's to the shadowy figure ahead. "It is okay," she hastily assured.

The Conqueror's attention snapped away from the shadowy figure when she heard her nearing chasers. She turned back to M'Lila and the figure that hid in the shadows of a corpse pile.

"He is a friend," promised M'Lila, "we came to help. You must come, please." She held out her hand to offer assurance.

The Conqueror stretched out her hand and her cut fingers laced through her friend's.

"Come, now." M'Lila pulled her friend along hastily.

The Conqueror held her breath as they approached the silhouette that soon took on a face.

M'Lila called out to the figure. "I have her, we must hurry… they are not far behind us."

The Conqueror inhaled sharply when the man smiled at her and took up running pace at her side.

"What can I say, Xena? You still have my heart after so long." Borias winked at the Conqueror then focused on where he was going.

The Conqueror hadn't expected this help but she wasn't in any position to argue either. Just ahead, she saw a wall of fire that rose up to the skies and it was what defined her punishment field from the rest of Tartarus.

Borias rushed ahead of the pair and he leapt through the fire wall to land on the other side. He turned back and yelled, "Hurry!"

M'Lila was next as she passed through it with ease.

The Conqueror came to a jerking halt at the edge of her punishment and Tartarus. "I can't leave this field," she called through the roaring flames.

"Yes you can," hollered back Borias. "Hurry your ass up, Xena!" He was thrusting his hand through the flames while yelling, "Take my hand."

The Conqueror's right hand collapsed his but she still feared the flames as she took a step closer. Her body protested it and her open wounds peeled back at the nearing heat. "I can't come through!" She held up her left hand at the wall of fire as it lapped at her.

M'Lila put her hand through and grabbed her friend's freehand. "Ni h-ea, you must hurry, Xena. They are coming for you!"

"I can't," hotly debated the Conqueror.

"Trust what M'Lila is telling you, Xena," growled the Conqueror's former lover.

"Please, Xena… you'll be safe." M'Lila tugged on her friend's hand.

The Conqueror closed her eyes then quickly went through the flames. Her skin screamed in protest but her cries were muffled by her clamped jaw. She then felt relief when she was safely yanked to the other side. She bent forward then kneeled with heavy breathing.

M'Lila knelt down beside her friend, her hand still linked to the Conqueror's. "See? It wasn't that bad." Her bright smile appeared again as her friend glowered at her for the smart comment.

"What are you two doing here?" the Conqueror whispered as her body started to calm down.

"We're here to help you," answered M'Lila. "We must keep moving… we're not safe here." She hauled the dead ruler to her feet.

The Conqueror straightened out her back, which popped into place. She then stared at yet another familiar face that she hadn't seen in so long. She sadly smiled at him. "Chuang."

Chuang, the Conqueror's commander from Chin, smiled and nodded.

The Conqueror's lips curled as she teased, "Still even loyal to me in Tartarus?"

Chuang bowed then straightened up and clapped his fisted hand across his leather chest. "Always, my liege."

"Listen," broke in Borias, "we don't have time for chitchat if we're going to make it."

"Borias is right," agreed M'Lila. "We must go now." She looked up at her friend then promised, "I will explain as we go."

The Conqueror nodded then she and her small alliance of friends broke out into a jog across the bleak yet fiery domain of Tartarus. To her right, M'Lila stayed at her side and Borias to her left while Chuang remained ahead. "What is happening, M'Lila? Why are you here?" She shook her head then urged, "You should be in Elysia."

M'Lila bitter sweetly smiled at her friend. "I have been judged for life in Tartarus, my friend. I have committed my share of crimes during my life."

The Conqueror hadn't known because she was never able to communicate with her friend. "What happened?"

"It is a long story," refused the Gaelic, "but I betrayed my clansmen." She looked away from the troubled features of her friend. She gazed down the long, endless road they were traveling along. "We must discuss our plans."

"Where are we going?" probed the dead ruler.

"Have you ever heard of the Tree of Life?" M'Lila saw her friend's mind working through the thickness in her head. "Perhaps in Norse folklore?"

The Conqueror confusingly questioned, "The Yggdrasil?"

M'Lila nodded then explained, "It is even in Greek stories too… the bay tree?"

The Conqueror's mind ran through the tales then she nodded her head. "The nymph Daphne turned into a bay tree by a river side." She shook her head then quickly added, "Even in Chin folklore there is a famous peach tree and that eating its peach will grant immortality."

"Yes but the peach grows only every three thousand season cycles."

The Conqueror did recall that minor detail. "Every culture has some folklore about a great tree. Why are you bringing that up?"

M'Lila smiled at her friend's lack of perception but she explained it all. "The Tree of Life is the link between all the cultural folklores. It does truly exist because I have seen it with my eyes."

"I think we have a problem ahead," called back Chuang. He stopped as the group came up to his side. He pointed ahead as his feet shook overtop of the ground.

"We must hide," cursed Borias. He waved the group away from the brightly lit road.

M'Lila grabbed the Conqueror's hand then pulled her quickly off the road as the ground shook under her feet.

There was a loud roar in the air.

The group ducked behind a large boulder as the ground continued to shake under their feet.

"By the gods," breathed the Conqueror, "is that really a hecatonchires?"

Borias huffed then murmured, "If it has a hundred hands and fifty heads then it must be huh?" His dark eyes flickered up to the stomping monster.

"There are three hecatonchires of Tartarus," informed Chuang to his former leader.

The Conqueror nodded then quietly stated, "Briareus, Cottus, and Gyges."

M'Lila tilted her head then stared at the gargantuan giant stomping nearer. "That hecatonchires is Cottus."

The dead ruler blinked and turned her head to M'Lila. "How in… Hades can you tell?"

M'Lila slowly revealed a grin then murmured, "Cottus is the ugliest of the three."

"They're all damn ugly," lowly shot back Borias. "We need to do something to distract him."

The Conqueror started to stand up but M'Lila's sure grip stopped her.

"Ni h-ea," M'Lila started in her Gaelic tongue, "what are you doing?"

"I'm going to distract him… be ready to move any heartbeat." The Conqueror stood up then hurried out onto the road.

"She's crazy," spat Borias however he grinned.

Chuang grunted then joked, "She's still reckless like always."

The Conqueror held the Amazon sword in her right hand. She cupped her left hand over her mouth then gave a resounding warcry to get the hideous monster's attention. "Chaaaaayaaaaaa!"

Cottus spun around on his heels and flayed out his hundred swords then his fifty pairs of eyes honed in on the prisoner.

The Conqueror laughed at him and held up her single sword in display. "Come and get some, big boy."

Cottus's mouths all opened and Tartarus erupted from his fifty yells. He then stomped across the short distance after the escaped prisoner.

The Conqueror cracked her neck to the left then muttered, "The bigger they are the harder they fall." She spun her sword, did an about face, and took off at a fast run.

"What is she doing?" whispered the worried Gaelic.

"She's keeping him busy," answered Borias. He clung to the bouncing boulder as the monster came after the dead ruler. Once the hecatonchires was past them, he quietly ordered, "Let's go."

M'Lila stepped up onto the road then stopped. She stared down at Cottus chasing her friend then she heard Borias and Chuang calling for her. She turned her head to them and called, "I must help her. Go, we will catch up."

Chuang stepped back but Borias yanked him forward.

"They can handle it. I have a plan to stop that ugly thing." Borias saw Chuang's agreement so he and Chuang hurried off.

M'Lila followed the distinct cries of the monster and the Conqueror's laughter faraway. Then she was amazed to hear swords clashing loudly but it was impossible for it to be her friend fighting Cottus. Her heart rate picked up and she ran faster. When she broke through a dark mist on the road she came to a quick stop.

The Conqueror's warcry break from her lips while she back flipped from Caesar's attack. "You have gotten slow, Caesar!"

Cottus wailed at the all the escaped prisoners. He lifted his right foot and stomped down but only smashed one prisoner, some scantly clad female.

The Conqueror's laugh filled the air as she did several back flips away from her enemies then sprung high up into the air.

Cottus slashed with three swords at the flying form of the ruler.

The Conqueror easily twisted her body past the large blades and landed on her feet neatly.

M'Lila inhaled sharply at the amazing display because she never imagined her friend learning so well. She hastily joined into the battle and stopped Darphus from coming at Xena. She kicked his sword free then punched him square in the face.

The Conqueror smiled at her friend's help. She then heard Cottus's piercing cries, which meant he was about to attack. She saw he was going after M'Lila and Darphus so she warned, "M'Lila!"

The Gaelic peered up when a foot shadow came over her. Her eyes widened then she saw Darphus was too shocked to do anything but she acted quickly. M'Lila copied Xena's amazing back flips and launched into the air but lost control.

The Conqueror held her breath and chased after her friend, trying to gauge it just right.

Cottu's foot flattened Darphus but his screams rang out for missing the dark female.

The Conqueror braced her body as the tumbling woman came at her. She dropped her sword then caught M'Lila with her back slamming into the ground.

M'Lila was rasping but she lifted her head then stated, "You did not have to catch me."

The Conqueror smirked up at the smaller woman on top of her then whispered, "Just giving you a soft landing."

The Gaelic's head snapped to the right at seeing Caesar, Draco, and Atrius coming for them. "We must go." She jumped to her feet.

The Conqueror picked up the sword then sensed the hecatonchires's next attack. "Time to go is right." She grabbed her friend's hand then dragged her away.

M'Lila ran along side her friend back down the road towards Borias and Chuang's direction. She glanced over her shoulder to see that the monster just flattened Caesar and Draco. "Only your father is alive."

The Conqueror grunted then muttered, "Alive… right."

M'Lila had a thin smile as she teased, "Meeting your father was not what I imagined it to be."

The Conqueror glanced at her friend then shook her head with a grin at the joke. "I never expected you'd have such a sick sense of humor, M'Lila."

"If we cannot laugh here in Tartarus then where can we?" challenged the heavily breathing Gaelic.

"By the gods, life was dull without you, my friend." The Conqueror's feature didn't show a smile but her eyes were lighter. "So why the Tree of Life?"

M'Lila glanced over her shoulder. She spied that Cottus was coming for them now. "Because it is the only way to bring you back to life."

"What?" yelled the astonished Conqueror.

"Hurry up, you two!" hollered Borias. "This way! Bring him this way!"

The Conqueror raced for the stone bridge that rested ahead, her feet vibrating under her. She broke out onto the bridge with M'Lila at her side. She glanced over the edge and realized it was a bridge over a deep chasm that seemed bottomless from her point of view. Just as she came to the middle of the stone bridge, she came upon a black pile of almost fine looking sand. She stopped and grabbed M'Lila. "Run ahead, get out of here."

M'Lila shook her head then stated, "I must stay with you."

The Conqueror growled then shoved her friend towards Borias and Chuang. "Go! Now!"

M'Lila stared at her friend but could see she wouldn't accept the help. "Be careful." She turned and hurried down the stone bridge the rest of the way.

"Where's Xena?" demanded Borias.

"She's still on the bridge," informed Chuang, "she found my black powder."

Borias gazed horrified at the man he'd fought along side for many seasons. "You told her about your black powder!"

Chuang cringed but nodded yet his attention was drawn away when the ground shook heavily under him.

The Conqueror grinned up at the hecatonchires's ugly faces then yelled out, "Hey Cottus, I hear you're the ugliest of the hecatonchires!"

The monster roared in protest then stepped out onto the bridge.

"Come on you ugly centaur ass," muttered the crouching ruler. She stepped back, her boots scraping over the black powder. "Come to momma."

Cottus took another step forward.

"Get ready, Borias," whispered Chuang.

Borias walked over to the tall pillar at the ledge. He ripped a lit torch then stepped onto the bridge at the ledge. "Bring him further down, Xena!"

The Conqueror kept her back to her comrades as her boots scraped down the stone bridge.

The monster stepped out again but carefully so he wouldn't misstep and slip.

"The bigger they are the smaller their brain," huffed the ruler. She then stepped back as the monster took a fourth step out onto the bridge. She needed him just a bit further to make sure he didn't grab onto the ledge when the bridge would go out from under him. "Come on! I heard you came out of Uranus, Cottus!" She laughed at her bad joke then back peddled a few steps. Her feet jounced on the bridge when the monster came further out.

The bridge suddenly protested at the great weight. Cracks quickly formed in the center of the bridge, near the black powder, and at each end of the bridge.

"Ooo Hades," growled the former ruler. "Borias, I need that torch now!" She spun around then yelled, "Throw it to me!"

Borias spun his arm with the torch in a windmill technique then launched it.

The torch rocket into the air then went reeling back down a third of the way over the bridge.

The Conqueror sprung up into the air then caught the lit torch before the air could extinguish it. She landed on the bridge but the monster's step made her stumble towards the ledge.

"Xena, look out!" yelled M'Lila.

The ruler caught her balance just in time then stepped into the middle again. She turned to the hecatonchires and leered up at the monster that was now far enough.

The bridge crunched but it wasn't quite giving way as it faithfully held Cottus weight.

The Conqueror was halfway between the end of the bridge and the middle. She had one clear shot at this so she traded the sword and torch hands. She inhaled deeply then gave her loud warcry. The Conqueror mimicked Borias's windmill throw and sent the torch on its way.

The lit torch shot through the air then clunked off of the monster's metal clad chest. It bounced then started its quick decent.

The Conqueror quickly turned and began her frantic run for the end of the bridge. Behind her she heard Cottus cry in protest then there was a loud explosion.

"Jump, Xena!" shouted M'Lila.

The ruler took the good advice then launched her body into the air just as the stone bridge crumpled under her feet. She aimed herself for the ledge that was many paces away.

"Back up." Borias pushed Chuang away but he noticed M'Lila wasn't moving. "M'Lila, I would…." He trailed off as M'Lila rooted her feet then the heavy Conqueror's body slammed into hers.

The Conqueror gasped as she lifted her body off of M'Lila's and stared down at her. "M'Lila, you didn't have to catch me." Her words echoed the Gaelic's earlier ones.

M'Lila softly moaned after deciding returning the favor wasn't in her best interest. "I think you're right, Xena."

The Conqueror deeply chuckled then got to her feet however made sure to help her friend. "Come on, no time to lie around."

M'Lila groaned but got up too.

"Thanks for the black powder, Chuang." The dead ruler smirked at her former second in command.

Chuang dangled a small leather pouch at all his comrades' faces. "Don't leave the living without it."

Borias rolled his dark eyes then ordered, "Let's go… it's a long trip to the Tree of Life."

"Can we walk for awhile?" protested the aching Gaelic.

"We'll stop in awhile," offered the Conqueror.

M'Lila nodded as she walked along side her friend. "You were brave to do that, Xena."

The Conqueror grunted then mentioned, "I am sure Borias would tell you otherwise."

Borias threw a smirk over his shoulder at the women. He held his tongue though then turned his head around.

M'Lila adjusted her red headband then touched the ruler's arm. "You have learned much since we last met."

The Conqueror, for the first time, realized how M'Lila's touch tingled against her skin. She peered at her arm when the Gaelic removed her hand and her eyebrows furrowed tightly. "What did you do?" Where M'Lila had touched her there were no more cuts.

M'Lila pointed at the Conqueror's hands.

The Conqueror lifted her freehand and left hand with the sword. Her hands were completely healed from the cuts of her punishment. Her amazed features turned to the Gaelic for answers.

M'Lila shrugged then quietly offered, "I will tell you when we stop." She brushed back her disarrayed curly locks.

The Conqueror sighed yet she agreed with a simple nod.

The group continued down the torched lined road that seemed so endless. Occasionally they would see other prisoners that were trapped in their punishments. One familiar punishment in Greek folklore was that of King Sisyphus and the Conqueror actually saw him pushing the heavy boulder he was chained to up a hill. The Conqueror decided that punishment was far more to her liking than hers. She also found it amusing to see the former king of Corinth, who's Isthmian Games she still upheld to this day.

After a solid candlemark, the group steered off the road and walked into the ruins of some temple. They sat on the steps and tried to let the dull ache wear out of their legs and feet.

The Conqueror though was the only one that sat on the stump of what was a column. She propped her boot up on the toppled pillar next to her. "Now tell me what's going on here."

Borias sighed then glanced at the group as he suspected he was the one that had to explain. "It's because of Alti, Xena." To this day, he still said the shaman's name with pure hatred.

"It always is," grumbled the Conqueror.

"Now that you're dead," explained Borias, "Alti will take your soul."

M'Lila stood up, came over, and sat on the fallen column next to the Conqueror's foot. "She will be far too powerful to be stopped."

The Conqueror dropped her foot from the pillar and shook her head. "What's this have to do with the Tree of Life?" Her eyes flickered between the three silent faces then it struck her. "You want me to live again so that Alti won't have my soul."

M'Lila leaned forward so that she was closer to her friend. "She must be stopped, Xena."

The Conqueror closed her eyes then turned her head away.

Borias jumped up to his feet then yelled at the Conqueror, "Its time you finally corrected your mistake, Xena!" He pointed finger at the now staring ruler. "You made her and now you must destroy her."

The Conqueror stood up hastily. Her upper lip curled into a snarl at her old lover. "Don't tell me what to do, Borias. You know very well how I respond to that."

M'Lila popped up and got between the pair. "Borias is right," she softly spoke.

Borias side stepped the Gaelic and gently reminded, "Xena, she was my mistake as well."

Chuang sighed from his spot then muttered, "All of our faults." He sensed the group staring at him and he murmured, "All of us saw what she was capable of but we didn't stop her."

The Conqueror's tense expression shifted to M'Lila. "You have nothing to do with Alti though."

M'Lila licked her parched lips then nodded her head. "You're right but...." Her hand came up and touched the ruler's right cheek. "I was your last hope in life." She placed her other hand to the ruler's other cheek. "It was because of my death… my sacrifice that made you so angry."

"No," whispered the ruler, "it was Caesar's betrayal, M'Lila." Her past pain filled her eyes. "It was never about you."

"But it was," protested the Gaelic, "and I must set that right again." She then leaned in the rest of the distance.

The Conqueror's cracked lips were sealed by M'Lila's sweeter ones. She moaned at the tender depth in her friend's kiss. She felt her face no longer cold but swallowed by warmth then her eyes fluttered open at the end of the kiss.

M'Lila's genuine smile brightened between them when she saw her friend's beautiful face restored.

The Conqueror lifted her hand and touched forehead where she knew there'd been a large gash. It was completely gone and no scar left behind. "What… how'd you do that?"

M'Lila pulled her hands away to reveal the ruler's healed face completely.

Borias observed with open interest at the scene.

"It is because I love you," murmured the Gaelic. "For every heart that loves you, your wounds will heal to an extent." She gathered the larger hands into her dark ones. "Just stop and think about those that love you."

"Nobody does," protested the ruler softly.

"Yet I do," argued the Gaelic. "Stop… listen for once, Xena." She squeezed the ruler's hands. "When the living think of the dead, the dead can hear their thoughts. Listen…"

The Conqueror did listen for the first time since her arrival here in Tartarus. Her eyes drifted shut and she tightly held onto M'Lila's hand for moral support.

"Xena… Xena…," whispered Cyrene's voice. "I know you can hear me. I am so sorry… I never told you how sorry I am. I was never there for you after Lyceus's death." Cyrene's voice faded then came back again. "I'm so sorry, Xena. I spent moons regretting that I shunned you and now I pay with a life where I can't tell you that there was never anything to forgive you for." Cyrene's voice faded again but returned at a low whispered, "I love you, Xena no matter who you are because you will always be my little one. I love you…"

"You were my greatest enemy, Xena but I always knew you would defeat your own darkness. I was proud of you that day when you conquered your darkness. The Amazon Nation will honor your sacrifice as you've repaid your debt." Cyane's whisper wavered then filled the Conqueror's mind again. "I am learning to forgive you, enemy of mine."

M'Lila felt how tightly the ruler clenched to her hand. She squeezed back then whispered, "Listen, harder now, Xena."

The Conqueror inhaled sharply when the usually sweet but now painfully constricted voice of the rebel leader came to her.

"Conqueror, I know you can hear me… wherever you are. I know you probably think I am strong… but I can't be, not now. You can't leave me. I know it's not your time. I can feel it… in my heart. I feel this emptiness that I never felt before… and it scares me. Above all, just remember to fight… fight to come back. Your realm needs you… I need you." Gabrielle's whispered plea floated away but rested in the Conqueror's mind.

The Conqueror slowly opened her eyes and sadly stared at M'Lila. She understood the very emptiness that Gabrielle felt because it was the same kind she'd felt when her brother died.

M'Lila peered up into emotional blue eyes. "Now do you see?"

"Yes," whispered the ruler.

Borias stepped closer to the pair, his voice breaking the spell between them. "Alti must be stopped, Xena or else she will condemn thousands upon thousands of souls to her karma. If she takes yours then there is no stopping her."

The Conqueror bit her lower lip then softly asked, "Why are you helping, Borias?" She shook her head then reminded, "I killed you."

"In fair combat and under Alti's influence," also reminded the former warlord. He then rested his hand on the ruler's left forearm. "You may have never loved me, Xena but… you had a place in my heart." He tilted his head then his usually harsh voice calmed. "And you have always protected our son from a life of violence."

"Solan," she sadly whispered and dropped her eyes.

"He fairs well," confidently stated Borias, "I thank you everyday for keeping him safe, Xena."

The Conqueror locked eyes with Borias. "He'll never know or follow his parents' lives."

Borias nodded then removed his hand. When his hand drew back, the Conqueror's skin was healed over her forearm. "We must hurry now… Alti could take your soul at anytime. Time is a luxury that we can't squander right now."

Chuang stood up then neared the group. "Let's go."

The Conqueror and the rest of the small party continued the journey on the road. Her thoughts wondered off to the evil shaman back in the land of the living. By the gods, she realized that once Alti had her soul that she would undoubtedly strike out against Melinda, Janice, the Amazons, her mother, and most of all Gabrielle. A sense of urgency to stop the shaman filled her as her long stride grew faster.

M'Lila hastened to stay along side. She peered up her friend's determined features and she whispered, "She will not succeed, Xena."

"No, she won't," snarled the newly driven ruler. "Not in this lifetime or any other."



Continued.