DISCLAIMER AND AUTHOR'S NOTE: All Xena stuff is the legal property of MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures. No copyright infringement was intended in the writing of this fiction. All other characters that appear belong to me. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Copies may be made for private use only and must include this copyright notice and disclaimer. This story is set in the alternate reality of the Hercules - The Legendary Journeys episode Armageddon Now 2.

All's Well...
By Kristjan Brezovnik

"Oh, Xena!" a high-pitched voice called teasingly.

Xena looked and saw a slim, blond warrior dressed in black leather armor looking at her and smiling.

"And who might you be, hm?" she asked, amused.

"Someone who is going to kill you," the blond warrior replied.

Xena rose her eyebrows and laughed.

"So," she asked when she stopped laughing, "you think you can defeat the Conqueror, hm?"

The blond warrior smiled.

"I know."

"And what makes you think I will fight you at all?"

"Your pride. Or are you too scared, hm?"

Xena's face became angry.

"I'm afraid of no one."

"Then why don't you come down and fight me, hm?"

Xena laughed.

"I have others who do the fighting for me."

"You mean you're afraid, hm?" The blond warrior looked around the people, who were staring at her, astonished and also curious. "Can you image?! Xena the Conqueror is afraid to fight the little old me!"

"I'm not afraid of you!" Xena yelled angrily.

"Then prove it!"

"Darphus!" Xena called and got up.

Her second-in-command immediately approached her.

"Yes, my empress?" he asked, his head bowed.

"Your sword," Xena said as she took off most of her clothes, so she could move more easily.

Darphus was surprised.

"Your sword!" Xena yelled at him and he immediately gave her his sword. Xena turned to the blond soon-to-be-dead warrior. "I hope you have said your prayers, little one," she said, cried her war cry and attacked.

The blond warrior was ready and Xena was surprised not to find her where she had expected when she landed after several flips. She felt her behind her back and she quickly turned, barely blocking a thrust. She backed off for a moment, realizing that this woman was a serious threat. At least more serious than others.

They quietly circled around one another and then Xena attacked again. Although she was a superior fighter with plenty of experience, she was also a bit rusty, not fighting a real fight in a long time. Sure, she did practice every day, but that could not compare to a real fight against an opponent who was not afraid of hurting her. Another problem was also the fact that her challenger seemed to know her every thought, her every move, her every weakness, not to mention her superb fighting skills. She may be young, but she was full of energy and had recent fighting experiences. There was also something else Xena noticed in her brown eyes, hatred and rage and pain, and she knew what a dangerous combination that was to fight, especially when she herself didn't care about the woman at all.

The fight went on for quite some time and both the people and Xena's soldiers were astonished. The people made a large circle and tried to get a better view at the two bloody and tired combatants.

"Solan, don't!" a man suddenly called.

Xena jerked at the name and looked around. The blond warrior noticed her confusion and she paused for a moment, letting Xena drop her guard a bit more. Then she suddenly attacked with all her strength, knowing that she won't be able to fight much longer. Too late Xena realized her mistake and her opponent managed to stab her.

The silence was complete and no one dared to move as Xena collapsed to the ground. The blond warrior stared at her blankly and she noticed that Xena was staring somewhere into the crowd. She looked, but could find no one of particular interest.

Suddenly she heard footsteps approaching. It was Darphus. She monitored him closely as he came to Xena and checked her.

"You killed her," he said menacingly as he got up.

"Yes," the warrior admitted.

"You will pay for that," he said and picked up his sword.

The woman stared at him blankly as he approached her. Suddenly her hand shot out and Darphus stopped, astonished, and touched his neck. He pulled the dagger out and stared at it, confused, before he collapsed.

The woman looked around.

"Anyone else dare to challenge me, hm?" she asked tauntingly.

No one dared to move.

"Theodorus!" the woman called.

A man stepped out of the crowd and approached her.

"Callisto?" he asked.

Callisto took a deep breath, thinking. She looked around.

"Get them off the crosses and take care of them," she said and nodded in the direction of the crosses. "Then release all the prisoners and also take care of them. After that, gather the palace staff."

"Yes, Callisto."

"When you're done, find out which soldiers belong to Xena's army when she attacked Cirra and arrest them. Go."

Theodorus turned to leave, but Callisto remembered something else.

"Oh, Theodorus, find someone named Solan and bring him to me. Don't harm him."

"Yes, Callisto," Theodorus said and left.

Callisto went up the stairs and sat on Xena's throne. She looked around the people, who were staring at her, not knowing what to expect. She smiled bitterly, not knowing herself what would follow. She had killed Xena, saved the most endangered people and was about to kill the rest of Xena's army. After that, nothing really mattered.

She was deep in her thoughts when Theodorus brought a struggling boy. Callisto just stared at him for a while.

"You are Solan?" she finally asked as she waved Theodorus to let go of the kid.

The boy looked around and then back at Callisto.

"Why do you want to know."

"Yes or no?" Callisto demanded.

The boy stared at her and her eyes told him that it was not healthy to mess with her.

"Yes," he admitted.

Callisto took a deep breath and stared at him for a while.

"Were you the one someone called while I was fighting Xena?"

"Yes."

"Where are your parents?"

"They're dead."

"What were their names?"

"My father was Borias."

"And your mother?"

"I don't know."

"What happened to them?"

"Xena killed them."

Callisto thought, not being able to make any sense of it.

"What were they doing when they were still alive?"

"My father was a great warrior." He paused. "He used to fight for Xena, but when he changed, she killed him."

Callisto was surprised. Things were getting clearer.

"And your mother?"

"I don't know."

Callisto thought. Could it be that this boy was Xena's son? She stared at him, thinking what it would be like if he was. She finally decided that it didn't matter anymore, Xena was dead, the war was over.

"You can go," she finally said.

The boy was surprised. He wanted to leave, but Callisto saw that there was something on his mind.

"Yes?" she asked.

"What will happen to those that were on the crosses?"

"They will be taken care of."

"Are they free?"

"Yes."

Solan hesitated.

"My friend was on a cross. Can I visit her?"

Callisto stared at him for a few moments and the took a deep breath.

"Yes," she said and turned to Theodorus. "Take him to his friend and then tell the people that they can visit the wounded and take them home if they're not too heavily wounded."

"Yes, Callisto," Theodorus said and left with Solan.

Callisto stared at the people for a while longer. Then she got up and went to the palace to see where Xena had lived.

She walked down the corridors when she suddenly felt that she was not alone. She looked around and saw a god appear. She assumed it was Ares.

"Well, well, I never thought it possible," Ares said. "I must say I was a bit disappointed at first, but then I realized all the new possibilities. With you..."

Callisto turned away and resumed walking. Ares stared after her, surprised. He vanished and reappeared in front of her.

"Get lost, Ares, I don't care for your petty schemes," Callisto spat at him.

Ares stared at her, surprised.

"I want you to command my army," he said.

Callisto smiled cynically.

"I don't want to command your army. Find someone else stupid enough for the job," she said and resumed walking.

Ares grabbed her and turned her around, but he was surprised when his nose had a very painful and a very close encounter with her fist.

"Beat it, Ares."

"No one talks to me like that!" Ares said menacingly.

"And what are you going to do, hm? Kill me? Go ahead, I don't care. There's nothing you can do that will make me work for you. Go back to Olympus and annoy the gods," Callisto said and resumed walking.

Ares seriously considered frying her, but he changed his mind and left, angry.

Callisto soon found Xena's rooms. She entered and looked around. They were huge, like everything else. She went to the bed and looked at it for a few moments. Then she climbed on it and lay down.

She stared at the ceiling for a while, not really thinking about anything. Finally she got up and went to find Theodorus. She knew that the palace staff was already gathered. It was time to make some selection.

After she had ordered some executions, she started to leave.

"Callisto," Theodorus called after her.

"Yes?"

"Xena's army has been arrested."

Callisto stared at her second-in-command for a few moments, thinking.

"Take me to them."

Theodorus led the way.

Callisto inspected the soldiers, they were all men.

"I'm looking for a woman," she said.

The soldiers were confused.

"The only woman among us was Xena," one of them finally said.

Now it was Callisto's turn to be confused.

"Always?"

"Yes."

Callisto stared at him, confused.

"Kill them," she finally ordered and left.

Theodorus stared after her, surprised, and then motioned to his men.

Callisto spent the next few days studying records and listened to reports. She finally had enough and she decided to check up on the people that were being taken care of in the palace. Many of those that were crucified had died, but some had survived.

She spotted Solan sitting beside a young strawberry blond woman. She noticed that her legs had been broken and she figured that she must have been crucified. She wondered what the woman had done to deserve that kind of punishment. She decided to find out.

"What did she do?" she asked Solan when she got to the bed.

Solan jerked and turned around. He stared at Callisto, not sure whether he should be afraid or grateful.

"She wrote pamphlets against the Conqueror."

"I see. What's her name?"

"Gabrielle."

Callisto stared at the woman.

"Thank you for saving her," Solan said.

Callisto looked at him, surprised.

"You're welcome," she said after a while and left.

Just as she was going through the door, a man stepped through. Callisto stopped and stared at him, astonished. She knew him, but she was not quite sure from where.

The man nodded as he was about to pass by. Callisto stopped him, suddenly remembering.

"You saved my life," she said.

The man looked at her, surprised and confused.

"I have?" he asked. "When?"

Callisto was confused.

"Don't you remember me?" she asked.

"Sure I do. You're the woman who killed the Conqueror."

"No, from before. Have you ever been to Cirra."

"Cirra?" The man thought. "Wasn't that village burned down by Xena?" he asked.

"Yes."

The man shook his head.

"No, I've never been there."

Callisto stared at him, disappointed.

"What about your father?"

"No."

Callisto sighed, confused.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Iolaus."

Callisto sighed again and left. She had no idea what was going on. She clearly recognized the man, but she saw in his eyes that he had no idea what she was talking about. She couldn't understand how that could be. Suddenly she stopped as a flashback hit her. It was the woman that had killed her parents, but this time she could see her form. It was very slender and she had long hair.

Callisto stood still for a few moments, shocked. Finally she shuddered and moved on, but the image of the woman was still in the back of her mind.

During the day Callisto had more flashbacks and the image of the woman was becoming more and more clearer. In the evening, Callisto was afraid to go to bed, not wanting to dream about the woman. She finally suppressed the memories and thought about Xena's death.

The next morning a blood-curling scream shocked many of the people in the palace. Callisto's men recognized it and they avoided looking into each other's eyes for a while.

Callisto sat up, all sweaty and shivering, she had seen the woman's face. She sat for a few moments, shocked. Then she got up and looked for a mirror. She quickly found one and looked at it. She stared at the woman who had killed her family for a few moments, realizing that it was she. She finally screamed and hit the mirror, which broke into many pieces.

Callisto fell to her knees and cried.

She cried for a long time, curled up like a fetus, until her body stopped producing the tears. She lay still for several hours before she finally sat up and hugged her knees. She wanted to avenge her family for so long, she wanted to kill the woman who had killed her parents and now she found out that she herself had killed them. She didn't know how or why, but she knew that it was she. She sat still and thought what kind of punishment would be severe enough for someone who had killed her family.

Several days passed and no one had seen Callisto. Normally, Theodorus wouldn't be worried, he was used to her disappearances, but he had a feeling that she was still in the palace since no one had seen her leave. He knew that Callisto killed those who aroused her from her reveries, but he had a feeling that this time it was different, especially since Callisto had screamed twice and the second scream was even more full of pain than the first.

It was a big palace and he had it searched. He himself went to Callisto's room, hoping to find some clues there.

What he found instead was Callisto herself, still hugging her knees, staring at nothing. Theodorus stopped, surprised and not sure how to proceed. He stared at her for a while and he soon realized that this wasn't one of her normal reveries, but that she was really hurt.

"Callisto," he called and started to approach her.

There was no response.

"Callisto," he called again, louder this time.

Again there was no response. He kneeled beside her and gently shook her, keeping his eyes on her weapons.

"Callisto," he called, but Callisto didn't respond.

Theodorus considered what he should do. He finally decided to take her to the bed. He scooped her up and carried her to the bed, where he laid her down and covered her with the blanket. All this time Callisto gave no sign of being aware of her surroundings.

Theodorus wasn't exactly a gentle man, but he liked Callisto and he wanted to help her. He gently shook her again.

"Callisto," he called, but Callisto didn't respond.

He considered what he could do to snap her out of her state and he quickly found a possible way.

"Xena," he called and shook her.

There was no reaction for a short moment and then Callisto suddenly moved and grabbed Theodorus' neck and stared at him demonically.

"Callisto," Theodorus said, trying to break Callisto's grip.

Callisto blinked her eyes, confused.

"Theodorus?" she asked and released him.

"Yes," Theodorus said and rubbed his neck.

Callisto stared blankly at him for a few moments. Then she lay back, turned away from him and curled up like a fetus.

"Callisto?" Theodorus asked, concerned.

"Leave me alone."

Theodorus wanted to ask whether she would be all right, but he changed his mind. He stared at Callisto for a few more moments and then he left.

Callisto stared blankly in front of herself for a while, but then her body finally started to protest and she fell asleep.

Everything was calm at first, but then memories started to come back. Callisto wanted to scream and close her eyes, but she couldn't and she watched as the woman, she, killed her own parents.

Suddenly everything changed and she found herself in a cave. She looked around, but she was alone. She started to walk around the cave when she suddenly heard footsteps approach. She looked and froze, shocked, when she saw who came.

The two newcomers came closer, it was her parents. Callisto just stared at them, too shocked to say anything, but when they got close enough and her mother wanted to touch her, Callisto backed off. She stared at her parents for a few more moments and then turned away, ashamed.

Her parents looked at each other and then stepped closer.

"Callisto," Arleia said and put her hand on her shoulder.

Callisto turned and stared at her mother.

"What is wrong, Callisto?" Arleia asked.

Callisto stared at her mother for a few more moments before replying.

"I... I... I killed you," she finally said, tears flowing down her cheeks.

Arleia looked at her husband, surprised, and then back at her daughter.

"No, Callisto, you didn't."

"I did, I know that now. I don't know how, but that woman was me."

"Yes and no. She may have been you, but you did not kill us. And it wasn't her intention to kill us."

Callisto was surprised.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Come," Arleia said and offered her hand.

Callisto stared at it for a few moments and then accepted it. They took her to a small pool.

"Look," Arleia said and pointed at the pool.

Callisto looked and froze as she saw Cirra. The image changed and she saw herself or at least her other self. She saw her go after her parents, warning them that it was not safe, but they didn't listen. She saw her follow her and her mother to the barn, wanting to protect them, she saw her kill the man who wanted to take them away and then she saw her kill her father.

Callisto winced when she saw her mother ran to her dead father. The image then changed and Callisto could see the other woman's face, it was full of pain and shock. She was confused. Then she saw her mother attack the other woman and the woman slowly, almost like she was dreaming, raised her hand and fried her. The woman then went to her younger self, took her in her arms, caressed her and soothed her. Finally, the woman left, leaving her there to die. Callisto was confused for a moment, but she quickly realized that it was an act of mercy. Finally, she saw the man who looked like Iolaus, and probably was, come to the barn and take her out. He then gave her to her uncle and disappeared. The images finally disappeared, but Callisto kept staring at the pool.

"You didn't kill us, Callisto," Arleia said softly and caressed her daughter.

Callisto stared at her mother and tears started to run down her cheeks.

"Mama," she finally whispered and hugged her mother, who hugged her back.

They hugged for a few moments and then they broke the hug. Callisto turned to her father.

"Daddy," she said and hugged him.

Pankos hugged her back.

"It's okay, Callisto, you don't have to blame yourself," he said.

"Thank you," Callisto said when they stopped hugging and wiped her tears.

Her parents smiled.

"You have your whole life before you, Callisto," Pankos said, "and you can change things."

"I know, Daddy, and I will."

"Good."

"Will I ever see you again?"

"You will, when you die, and then we will be together for ever."

"Oh, Daddy," Callisto said and hugged her father.

"We love you, Callisto," Arleia said and joined the hug.

"I love you too, Mama," Callisto whispered.

"I love you too, Mama," Callisto whispered and jerked as she woke up.

She looked around, momentarily confused, and then turned on her back as she remembered her dreams. She took a deep breath as she remembered that her parents had forgiven her, it was like a huge burden had been taken off her shoulders.

She lay still for a few moments and then got up. She refreshed herself and then went to find Theodorus.

"Callisto!" her second-in-command said when he saw her enter the mess hall.

"Hello, Theodorus."

"Is... Is everything..." Theodorus started when he noticed that she was obviously in a good mood.

"Yes, everything is okay now."

"I see."

"Anyway, I'm back and I'm planning to make some changes around the world. So, tell me, what's been going on lately, hm?"

The End