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. I got the idea for this story after I read Brian Lavender's story To End All Wars. The Worldstone, the Worldgate and the inclusion of angels and demons belong to me.

The Demon
By Kristjan Brezovnik

Callisto came to a village, but there was nothing left, just a big black lifeless stain. This was the fourth destroyed village she had passed in the past two days. She decided to get to the bottom of it.

A priest immediately came to her when she entered one of Ares' temples.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

Callisto glared at him for a moment.

"Ares, you pathetic excuse for a god, get your ass down here!" she called.

The priest stared at her, shocked. No one insulted the God of War like this.

Ares immediately appeared.

"Hello, Callisto. There's no need to insult me in front of my priest."

Callisto grinned and Ares dismissed the priest.

"Okay, what's going on?" Callisto demanded when the priest was gone.

"The annihilated villages?" Ares asked.

"Yes."

Ares thought.

"Okay," he finally said. "Not many know this. In the time before the Titans there were angels and demons, pure good and pure evil. There was constant struggle between them as the demons tried to destroy the angels. Finally, Chaos created the Titans. The Titans banished the demons with the help of the angels. The angels remained outside so the demons could never reenter this world. Unfortunately, one of the demons escaped."

Callisto stared at him for a moment, before replying.

"And I'm supposed to believe that?"

"It's the truth."

Callisto stared at the god and decided that he was telling the truth.

"Why don't you stop it?"

"We can't. Not directly, anyway." Callisto stared at him, not believing him. "There is a way, though," he continued.

"I'm listening."

"We could banish the demon if he possessed someone."

"And none of the gods is willing to be possessed, right?"

"It's not that. If the demon possessed one of us than we could not banish it."

"I see." Callisto thought. As much as she hated the world, she wasn't willing to let some pathetic demon destroy it. The voices in her mind screamed for blood. Silence!

"How?" she asked.

"There is a ceremony that can be performed. You would have to get the Worldstone and you would have to be at the Worldgate."

"And the possessed would also be banished?"

"Yes."

"Thought so. Do you have a scroll or something?"

"Yes," Ares said and a scroll appeared in his hand.

Callisto took it and quickly examined it. It was readable.

"Good," she said and left.

"Good luck," Ares said and disappeared.

"Okay, this is the cave," Hercules said.

"I wonder…" Gabrielle started, but stopped when she saw a familiar figure emerge from the cave.

"Hello," Callisto said and smiled.

In one hand she held a bloody sword and in the other the Worldstone.

"Callisto," Xena said and took her sword.

"Now, now, Xena, I know you would like to play with me, but I'm afraid I don't have the time."

"Give me the Worldstone, Callisto," Hercules said and approached her.

"Sorry, Hercules, but I need it."

Callisto ran to her horse and rode away.

"Damn," Xena said and ran to Argo.

By the time she reached her, Callisto was long gone.

"What do you think she's going to do?" Gabrielle asked when they got to Xena.

"Nothing good, I bet."

"Let's go, there's a long way ahead of us," Hercules said.

The four heroes walked down the road, trying to catch up with Callisto, when Xena suddenly stopped.

"Xena?" Gabrielle asked.

"We are surrounded," Xena said and resumed walking. "There are at least twenty on either side. No archers."

Gabrielle looked around.

The soldiers saw that they were seen so they attacked.

They fought well, but when Xena killed their leader, the rest quickly retreated.

"It's a good thing we didn't have to fight the monster," Gabrielle said, breathless, when she stopped fighting.

"Yes," Iolaus agreed.

"Xena?" Gabrielle asked when she saw Xena rummage around the warlord's corpse.

Xena got up, holding a pouch. She opened it and took the contents out.

"It's the Worldstone!"

"Yes."

"I thought Callisto had it," Iolaus said.

"She did."

"Do you think she's dead?" Gabrielle asked.

"I don't know."

"Let's go," Iolaus said. "The sooner we rid the world of the demon, the better."

Although it was in the middle of the day, the valley looked deserted and lifeless.

"I wouldn't want to live here," Iolaus said after a while.

"Me neither," Gabrielle agreed.

"Does anyone see the pentagram?"

"There," Xena said and pointed at the peculiar stone formation in the distance.

The four heroes went toward it. When they reached it, Xena suddenly knocked Iolaus and Gabrielle unconscious and then attacked Hercules.

"Xena!" Hercules said, surprised, and barely deflected a blow.

Xena didn't respond and continued her assault.

"What are you doing?!" Hercules insisted.

"Whoever gets possessed by the demon will also be banished," Xena explained and continued to attack Hercules.

She was rather surprised when she managed to knock Hercules unconscious. She took the Worldstone and the scroll and went to the pentagram. She consulted the scroll and then positioned the Worldstone in the proper position. Then she started to chant. Suddenly, someone hit her on the head.

It was Callisto. She was all bloody and dirty.

"Sorry, Xena, but you can't handle this," she said and dragged Xena away.

Then she picked up the scroll and started to chant.

When she was done, she dropped the scroll and waited.

"Come, you pathetic… Aaaa!!!!"

The demon came and possessed Callisto. She felt as though fire and ice pierced the remains of her soul at the same time. The voices in her head cheered in anticipation of slaughter.

"Oh, Xena," Callisto called in a thunderous voice and turned to the four heroes, who were just coming around.

On Olympus, the gods were gathered.

"Now," Zeus said and the gods concentrated.

"Get lost, you pathetic demon!" Callisto cried as she struggled to control it.

"How dare you…"

"Silence!!"

Callisto let Xena drop to the ground and concentrated solely on the demon.

Suddenly, the Worldgate opened.

"No!" Callisto and the demon cried in unison as they were sucked through the portal.

The gate closed behind them.

Xena turned to Gabrielle and Iolaus.

"I'm sorry about the hit," she said.

"Why did you hit me?" Gabrielle asked.

"I think you know why."

Gabrielle thought and nodded.

"You were lucky," Iolaus said. "I hadn't expected that or I would have kicked your butt."

Xena smiled.

"You look like a sorry bunch of losers."

They turned around.

"Ares," Xena said.

"Where were you?" Gabrielle asked.

"I was sweating my butt off, trying to open the Worldgate."

"Oh."

"Well, I'm glad you made it," Iolaus said. "The thought of Callisto having all that power gives me he creeps."

Ares laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"Well, as much is it sounds unbelievable, Callisto didn't want the power."

"She didn't?"

"No. Even if she did, she couldn't control the demon, it would destroy her eventually."

"Then why did she do it?" Gabrielle asked.

"She felt that she was the only one capable of controlling the demon long enough for the gods to open the Worldgate, since she fought her own demons every day."

"Oh."

"Well, I'll be seeing you," Ares said and disappeared in his usual flashy manner.

"Well, another job well done," Iolaus said. "Let's get out of here, this place gives me the creeps."

The others agreed and they left the cave.

"Well," Hercules said outside, "it's been nice working with you."

"Yeah," Iolaus agreed. "I hope we meet sometime soon."

"We will. Right, Xena?"

"Absolutely," Xena agreed with a smile.

"Then we'll see you around," Hercules said.

"Yes."

The four friends hugged and they split.

"You know, Xena, I'm glad that there was still good in Callisto. I can't say that I'm sorry she's gone, but I do wish that there was some other way."

Xena stared at her friend and thought.

"Yes," she finally said and started to walk.

Callisto felt as though her very essence was being torn apart. She could no longer control the demon. What was happening to her was worse than Tartarus or her existence on Earth. It was like being gang raped only much worse. She screamed, helpless.

Finally, after what seemed like eternity, something happened. The darkness disappeared and she felt peace.

"Thank you," she heard a chorus of soft voices.

The Worldgate opened and Callisto was softly returned back to Earth. She was surprised and happy. She took a deep breath. She felt whole again and even the madness was gone. It was good to be alive.

Suddenly, Zeus appeared.

"Hi, Zeus."

"Callisto. How did you get back?"

"Well, it would seem that the angels appreciated what I did. They saved me from the demon and sent me back."

"I see."

"How long was I gone?"

"Seven hours."

"I see."

"Well, since you sacrificed yourself for the good of this world, I am willing to grant you one wish."

Callisto rose her eyebrows.

"Do you think you could clean me up first?" she asked.

"Of course," Zeus said and waved his hand.

"Thank you. Now, about my wish. I wish…" Callisto stopped and thought. She had always wanted to visit her family in the Elysian Fields, but now she realized that she could some day join them! The madness was gone and she could change her ways. "I wish that the gods would leave me…" She paused. "…and Xena, Gabrielle, Hercules and Iolaus, and, of course, their families alone. If they need our help, they should tell you and then you can come and tell us."

Zeus stared at her, surprised.

"Is there a problem?" Callisto asked.

"No, I'm just surprised."

"Why?"

"I expected you'd want to visit your family."

"I do and I just might if you leave me alone."

"Very well."

"Thank you. Oh, I'd appreciate if you wouldn't tell them about my wish."

Zeus rose his right eyebrow.

"I won't."

"Good. Say, do you think you could maybe get me a horse or transport me to some village where I could get one?"

Zeus waved his hand and they both disappeared.

"Thank you," Callisto said after she reappeared near a village.

She entered it and bought a horse.

Gabrielle was preparing food for lunch when she noticed that someone was approaching. She quickly recognized the rider.

Callisto.

She grabbed her staff and waited.

Callisto soon reached her. She dismounted and tethered her horse. Then she approached Gabrielle, who stood ready to fight.

"Hello, Gabrielle," Callisto said and looked around. "Where is Xena?"

"She is gathering herbs," Gabrielle said.

"I see."

Callisto took a deep breath.

"What do you want?" Gabrielle asked.

"I came to apologize. I'm sorry for what I have done to you." She took her sword and Gabrielle took a step back. "I can't give Perdicus back his life, but I can give you mine," she said and offered Gabrielle the sword.

Gabrielle stared at the blond warrior, astonished. She looked at the sword and then back into Callisto's eyes. She noticed that there was something different about them, they were more peaceful. The madness is gone, she realized, surprised.

"I forgave you long ago, Callisto," she said.

Callisto felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted off of her.

"Thank you," she said and put away the sword.

She turned around and started to leave.

"Wait!" Gabrielle called.

Callisto turned back.

"Do you want to stay for lunch?" Gabrielle asked.

Callisto stared at the bard, surprised.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

Gabrielle nodded.

"Yes."

"What about Xena?"

"Shouldn't I be asking that questing?"

Callisto flashed a brief smile.

"Okay," she agreed.

When Xena finally approached the camp, she first noticed the horse. She also saw Gabrielle and she was laughing. The owner of the horse, however, was hidden behind a tree. Xena relaxed a bit and rode closer.

"Hi, Xena," Gabrielle said when Xena dismounted.

"Hi…" Xena started, but stopped when Callisto appeared from behind the tree.

She immediately took her sword.

"Relax, Xena, I'm not here to fight you."

"What do you want, Callisto?"

"I invited her over for lunch," Gabrielle said.

Xena looked at her friend, startled.

"I hope you don't mind," Callisto said.

Xena looked at her and noticed that there was something different about her. She tethered Argo and approached the fire.

"Did you get everything?" Gabrielle asked.

"Yes," Xena said, not letting Callisto out of her sight.

"Great. Oh, darn," Gabrielle suddenly remembered and ran to the pot. "Thank gods," she said after she stirred the broth. "Right on time." She turned to the two warriors. "Lunch is ready," she declared. "I hope it tastes as good as it looks."

Gabrielle served lunch and they quietly ate it.

"That was delicious, Gabrielle," Callisto said and Xena rose her eyebrows.

"Thank you."

Callisto got up, Xena's eyes never leaving her.

"I have to go now," she declared.

"Where will you go?" Gabrielle asked.

"Home."

Both Gabrielle and Xena were surprised.

"Home?" Gabrielle asked, confused.

"Yes, I have some thinking to do."

Gabrielle and Xena stared after the Warrior Queen.

"Xena?" Gabrielle asked when she saw Xena's look.

Xena looked at her friend.

"There's something about her. Her eyes."

"Yes, the madness is gone."

"Yes," Xena suddenly realized and turned to the bard. "Why did she come?"

"She came to apologize." Xena was surprised. "She offered her life in exchange for Perdicus'."

"She did?"

"Yes. I told her I forgave her."

Xena smiled.

"Did she say how she came back from where ever she was?"

"Yes," Gabrielle said and sat down. "In the time before the Titans…"

"Gabrielle…"

"Either I tell you the whole story or nothing at all."

Xena sighed and smiled.

"Okay."

"Good. In the time before the Titans…"

The End