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LEGAL DISCLAIMERS Xena: Warrior Princess, Gabrielle, Argo and all other characters who have

appeared in the syndicated series Xena: Warrior Princess, together with

names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of

MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures. No copyright infringement was

intended in the writing of this fan fiction. All other characters, the

story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Copies of this

story may be made for private use only and must include all disclaimers and

copyright notices.

DISCLAIMERS This story includes scenes of a man and a woman kissing and/or hugging. Readers who are disturbed by or sensitive to this type of issue may wish to

read something else than this story.

By: Stanley Palmer spalmer@dax.centralia.ctc.edu

Edited By: RavensTale

Xena, Argo, and Gabrielle walk along a trail in a forest-like area. Apollo

is high the day being hot, and calm.

"Xena, I heard a rumor of this area being thick with thieves." Said

Gabrielle walking beside her friend.

"Ya, I heard that rumor too." Xena looks and scans the area intently. "Let's keep our eyes open."

"Where are we going anyway?" Asked Gabrielle as she looked around

cautiously.

"Back to Amphipolis. Answers Xena. "After all

these years I think it's time to return and make amends with my family."

"How far is it?" Asked Gabrielle still concerned about the thieves.

"About three more days." Said Xena hearing a strange sound coming from the

trees.

Xena stopping closes her eyes slowly as she intently listens. Argo lets out

a snort and Gabrielle readies her staff noticing Xena's actions.

"Did you hear that Gabrielle?"

"Yeah, but where did it come from?" Gabrielle looks around very cautiously.

Everything is silent for a few moments then suddenly seven men drop down

from the trees.

The thugs were armored in iron breastplates, steel helmets, and iron

shields. All were swinging their swords ready to fight.

One of the men turns to Gabrielle. Gabrielle sees him and notices something

familiar.

"Ha, well look who we have here?" Stated the leader with an evil smile. "Hey men, it's the little lady that beat us up when we tried to take Xena's

body."

"You know him?" Asked Xena.

"I met him when they tried to steal your body until Iolaus helped me fight

them off." Answered Gabrielle remembering the experience.

"So nice of you to remember me. But now it's time to pay the piper." Said

the thieve.

The thug began to approach Gabrielle. As he approached, Xena effortlessly

kicks him in the gut knocking him to the ground with a thud. Seeing this the rest of the men attacked.

The battle was fast and furious, but as many of the men layed on the ground

groaning or unconscious eight more dropped down and surrounded Xena and

Gabrielle.

"I don't like the looks of this Xena!" Said Gabrielle more concerned now

more that ever.

"I told you that you made an enemy little girl!" Said the leader as he got

back to his feet.

Just then all of them heard a noise from the right.

"Hiyaaa!" Suddenly a young man on a horse raced towards them with his sword

held high. The handle could be made out to have two golden eagle heads.

"STANIDES!!" Snarled the leader.

"Hello again Mirell! Didn't I warn you last time about this kind of

behavior? Let the ladies be on their way." Said the young man calmly.

"And what would you do if we don't?" Asked one of the thieves.

"You don't want to know." Said Stanides.

"Go away Stanides, this doesn't concern you!" Said Mirell angry.

"Oh, but it does. When innocent people are involved it concerns me!" Said

Stanides.

"Enough of this." Said Mirell. "Get him, we'll get Xena later!"

The army ran towards Stanides, but he jumped off his horse and began to

fight them off easily. Xena and Gabrielle joined in the fight as the thieves moved away.

Swords clanged, punches were exchanged, and kicks were thrown. At the end

all the thieves ran away in fear of the three warriors. Stanides put his

sword back in its sheath as he watched the scared thieves run away.

"Thanks! That was incredible!" Said Gabrielle walking to Stanides.

"My pleasure." Said Stanides as he shook Gabrielle's hand. Stanides eyed

Xena.

"Oh, sorry! This is my friend Xena. Xena meet...." Said Gabrielle, but

stopped since she didn't know the young man's name.

"Stanides!" Said the young man as he reached for Xena's hand. Xena expected

a hand shake, but instead Stanides took her hand, kneeled down, and kissed

it. "That's how I always greet the most beautiful women of the land..." Said

Stanides looking up at Xena. "And right now you are THE most beautiful

woman I've ever seen!"

Xena caught his eye and gave him a sly grin.

"Where do you come from?" Asked Gabrielle and Stanides got up.

"I don't really come from anywhere. I'm a traveling warrior." Answered

Stanides as he turned to Gabrielle. "I just go from place to place and help

out where help is needed."

"You sound just like us!" Laughed Gabrielle. "So, where are you headed?"

"Amphipolis!" Answered Stanides. "I have received word that there's a

battle going on there."

"A battle??" Asked Xena stunned. "With who??"

"Some small town called Poteidaia." Answered Stanides as he turned to Xena.

"POTEIDAIA??" Shouted Gabrielle and Stanides looked back. "That's MY home

town!!"

"Yes well, the two towns are fighting over who owns Mount Olympus that

separates both towns from each other. Some say that it's their property and

others say it's theirs. Things seem to have gotten out of hand and a battle

has begun."

"We have to stop them!" Said Gabrielle.

"I'll join you." Said Stanides. "That's where I was going anyway."

The three warriors began to walk. Gabrielle wanted to know more about the

war, so she turned to Stanides.

"Do you know anymore about this fight over Mount Olympus?" Asked Gabrielle.

"Well, not at the moment kid, but I'm sure more will be known in time." Answered Stanides as he walked along side Gabrielle.

"What did you just call me?" Asked Gabrielle.

"Kid!" Answered Stanides.

"Why?" Asked Gabrielle.

"Well, first of all I don't know your name, and secondly I always call a

nice young lady "kid"!" Answered the young man.

"Just what makes you think I am nice?" Asked Gabrielle trying to act tough.

"I can tell." Answered Stanides as he looked at her with a small smile and

she looked back. "I have met a lot of people and I have learned to be able to tell when

someone is nice and when someone isn't, and you are nice!"

Gabrielle was about to answer back, but Xena interrupted.

"Can you two keep your sweet talk for another time? We have work to do."

Xena walked Argo between Stanides and Gabrielle. Stanides stared as Xena

walked by.

"Wow! Truly amazing!" Sighed Stanides.

"What is?" Asked Gabrielle.

"She's a vision in an old silver painting. Absolutely gorgeous!!" Said

Stanides ignoring Gabrielle.

"Excuse me. Can we get going now?" Said Gabrielle a little loudly and

snapped Stanides back to reality.

"Well, if I offended you I must say you're pretty cute yourself!" Said

Stanides as he continued to walk.

"Don't try to sugar me up. I know your kind." Said Gabrielle acting tough

again. "You are the kind of man that gets a girl all excited, take their breath

away, then breaks their hearts, and moves on!"

"Actually no!" Said Stanides. "I am not a heartbreak kid, kid. I never

flatter a woman and just leave, but I know my best friend does that

sometimes. He never settles down." Said Stanides and starred off into space

thinking about his friend.

"Is HE the heartbreak kid?" Asked Gabrielle.

"No! It's just that he is like me. He travels around too much to be able to

raise a family. He enjoys the free life a lot more although sometimes he

thinks of his first family." Said Stanides.

"What happened to his family?" Asked Gabrielle as she looked back at

Stanides and quit acting tough.

"They were killed. I don't exactly remember how since I wasn't there, but

all I can remember is that it was an act of revenge." Answered Stanides and

stopped daydreaming.

"Who is he?" Asked Gabrielle, but before Stanides answered Xena spoke.

"We're almost there." Said Xena.

"How? You said we were days away!" Said Gabrielle.

"I lied!" Said Xena with a smile.

"Oh!" Said Gabrielle and looked across the grassy plain from the top of the

hill they were on.

"We must be careful. We could get caught in between the fight and get

hurt." Warned Stanides.

"Ha! We've been in worse situations that this before and survived just

fine." Said Gabrielle. "What else is there about the battle that you haven't told us yet?" Asked

Gabrielle. "How do you know about it?"

"A messanger came to me. He said that he was working in the fields when the

fight started. While he was walking back to the city he saw everyone

fighting and shouting. Then he saw that a huge force field began to

surround the people. The man went to find help, in Samariah. I was there in

a bar eating some stew when the man came in and asked if anyone knew where

he could find a great warrior. I stood up, introduced myself, and asked if

I could help. He told me everything that he knew and I agreed to

investigate the situation and help if I could. I took the man to an Inn and

paid the innkeeper the ammount needed for the man's stay and set off, then

I ran into you two, and you know the rest." Answered Stanides.

"A force field?" Asked Gab. "How is there a force field?"

"Well, if you want my opinion I belive the gods are involved." Said the

young man.

"I hope we can stop the fight before everyone gets killed." Said Gab still

concerned.

"Actually no one gets killed." Said Stanides. "According to the messanger

the people keep fighting, but no one dies in the war. That's why I think

the gods are behind this whole thing."

The three warriors walked to Amphipolis without saying anything else. When

they got near to the gate the three of them stopped.

"I don't hear the raging of a war." Said Gabrielle.

At that instant a man yelled as he was thrown over the town's tall wall and

fell to the hard ground with a sickening thud.

"Enough proof for you kid?" Asked Stanides. "The war can't be heard from

out here. The fight is concealed in the force field of rage. Anyone can get

in it, but can't come out if they join the fight."

"So what can we do?" Asked Gabrielle.

"Wait here!" Said Xena with a serious expression on her face.

"Oh, no way! If you're going in I'm going with you!" Said Gabrielle

grabbing Xena's arm.

"No Gabrielle! Stay here and watch Argo, I'll be back soon."

Xena walked into the city and Gabrielle agreed to wait.

"So Stanides, what was the name of your fri...." Said Gabrielle, but

stopped as she turned around to find out that she was alone. Gabrielle

looked around, but Stanides was no where to be found.

Xena walked around and looked at the fight taking place. She kept her distance from the warriors as she walked to a house that was

on the other side of

the town.

Xena entered the house of a friend of hers named Micha.

"Micha!" Said Xena as she saw her friend.

"Xena!" Said Micha and the two hugged in greeting.

"What's going on?" Asked Xena.

"Ares has deceived the two cities and started this feud over who owns Mount

Olympus which broke out into this war." Explained Micha.

"Ares! I should have known!" Said Xena.

"For all we know this could be a trap to lure you into serving him in

exchange for the town's peace." Said Micha.

"I don't make deals with Ares!" Said Xena seriously.

"According to a legend there's only one solution to this. You must go to

Mount Olympus and get the sacred stone, then you must put it on the pillar

that is at the front gate. When you do, it will free the people from the

force field and clear

their minds from the rage. The stone is in Ares' temple, it's very

dangerous!" Warned Micha.

"Ares has never stopped me before, so I don't think he will now!" Said Xena

confident and left the house.

When Xena left her friend's house she was once again in the middle of the

battle.

Strangely the people that were fighting didn't die or get hurt, they just

kept on fighting.

One of the warriors saw Xena and was about to attack her since he thought

she was one of the enemies.

Xena took out her sword as the man charged, but she then remembered

Stanides' warning about the force field..."If you join in the fight you'll

be trapped too!"

Xena slipped on a rock and fell as she dodged the man's attacks and the man

was about to stab her, but someone pulled her away and the sword just

missed her.

"Missed me?" Asked a voice behind her.

Xena turned and saw that it was Stanides.

"You have great timing!" Said Xena a little stunned from how close she came

to being sliced.

"I know. But we have to get going!" Said Stanides and the two warriors left

the city.

Stanides and Xena met up with Gabrielle.

"Are you all right Xena?" Asked Gabrielle.

"Fine!" Said Xena with a smile and turned to Stanides with a glimmer in her

eye.

Stanides smiled, but Gabrielle was still not too pleased.

"Why did you leave me here alone for?" Asked Gabrielle as she looked at

Stanides.

"I felt a strange premonition when Xena entered the town, so I decided to

keep an eye on her just to make sure she came out all right." Explained the

young warrior. "Sorry if I offended you kid."

"Well, at least you could have..." Started Gab, but Xena interrupted her

again.

"Gabrielle, it's okay. Stanides just prevented me from being sliced." Said

Xena as she walked by Argo and began to walk.

Gabrielle looked at the young warrior and he gave her a smile.

"Gabrielle, is that your name?" Asked Stanides.

"Yeah!" Answered Gab.

"A pretty name for a pretty lady!" Said Stanides politely as he stood

beside her.

"There you go with your sweet talk again!" Teased Gabrielle.

Stanides decided that it would be better for him to walk, so he left his

horse in the town's stables, and then the followed Xena and Gabrielle.

The three warriors began to walk towards the mountain as Xena filled them

in on Ares' plot and the solution.

"Are you sure this will work Xena?" Asked Gabrielle as she walked beside

her.

"No. But I see no other choice." Said Xena as she noticed that Stanides was

walking closely behind, protecting them from any possible attack.

"Wow! We're actually going inside Ares' temple!" Said Gabrielle in a low

voice.

After a long peaceful walk a Warlord and a large band of soldiers stopped

the three warriors in a big field at the foot of the mountain.

"Xena!" Said the leader. "So nice to see you again after all these years!"

"Graygore!" Said Xena recognizing the Warlord.

Graygore got off his horse and walked over to them.

"And this is the pretty and young Gabrielle." Said Graygore as he smiled

and ran his finger down her cheeks.

Gabrielle slapped his hands with her staff.

"Get your hands off me!" Said Gabrielle angry.

"You just made a big mistake!" Said Graygore and made a hand signal to his

army to attack.

Stanides and Xena took out their swords and began to fight.

Graygore's army was stronger than the last time Xena and Gabrielle met

them.

During the fight two warriors grabbed Gabrielle's arms from behind.

Gabrielle struggled to break free, but she was unable to and since Xena was

busy dealing with a few warriors she couldn't help her friend.

One of the warriors walked up in front of Gabrielle and since she was

helpless he thought to take advantage of the situation and knock her

unconscious.

The warrior got ready to throw his first blow until he heard a voice

behind.

"Excuse me, but she's a friend of mine!"

The warrior turned around and saw that it was Stanides. Stanides punched

the warrior and then fought off the others that were holding Gabrielle

until she was free.

"Thanks!" Said Gabrielle.

"Don't mention it." Said Stanides and then he went off to find other

warriors to fight.

As Xena and Gabrielle fought on low ground Stanides tricked a few warriors

to chase him up a hill. Near to the top there was a loose boulder, so Stanides pushed it and it

began to roll down the hill towards the enemy.

The warriors tried to outrun the boulder, but it was no use.

When the boulder hit the men they flew through the air and landed on top of

the trees that were all the way across the flat plain.

"Rock 'n' Roll!!" Said Stanides with a laugh and ran back down the hill.

After a little while longer the army was defeated and the exhausted heroes

tried to catch their breaths.

After a short rest Xena, Gabrielle, and Stanides continued their journey up

Mount Olympus.

Xena turned to Gabrielle and told her an idea.

"Gabrielle, I have a special mission for you. Go towards the front gate of

the temple on top of the mountain and see how many guards there are

guarding that entrance. This way we will know which entrance to go to where

we will have the least confrontations." Said Xena.

"Okay!" Replied Gabrielle.

"I'm afraid you'll have to do this on your own. "Since there's not a lot of trees or bushes to take

cover in, one person will have a better chance of not being detected than

three. Go and be careful, we'll wait for you here!" Said Xena concerned.

"Hey, don't worry. I'm a big girl Xena, I can take care of myself!" Said

Gabrielle confident and started to walk towards the mountain.

"Take care kid!" Called out Stanides.

Xena and Stanides continued walking and when she and Stanides found

themselves walking side by side Xena turned to the young man.

"I want to thank you for helping Gabrielle back there." Said Xena.

"It was my pleasure to help!" Said Stanides a little nervous now that he

and Xena were alone.

"I bet that in your line of work you meet a lot of people, don't you?" Asked Xena trying to keep the conversation going.

"Well...yeah, I guess...." Answered the nervous warrior.

"Did you ever met anyone that is special to you?" Asked Xena softly.

Stanides couldn't fight his feelings anymore. He wanted to tell Xena that he was in love with her.

The two stopped walking and made eye contact. Xena didn't know why, but she

also began to fall in love with the young warrior. She tried to fight it,

but it was no use.

Stanides made up a response to Xena's question with the hidden message of

his love for her in it hoping that she would figure it out.

"No." Answered Stanides. "Not for a long time, but if I ever do I just hope

that she's as beautiful as you, or that it is you!" Stanides talked with a

passion in his voice and Xena realized what he was trying to tell her.

Xena was flattered by the young warrior's feeling for her since she was

also in love with him.

A few short moments went by and then the two began to get closer too each

other until they kissed and

Stanides held Xena tightly.

After a while Stanides and Xena were sitting on a log with their arms

around each other and Gabrielle returned.

"I'm back!" Called out Gabrielle.

Xena and Stanides quickly separated and put a normal expression on their

faces so Gabrielle wouldn't suspect anything happened while she was gone.

"There are too many guards at the front entrance. There's no way we could

get pass them." Said Gabrielle as the three began to walk.

"Oh?" Said Xena trying to act normal.

"Yeah. Even if we could we wouldn't be able to get too far in Ares' temple

and get the stone without more confrontations inside." Said Gabrielle as

she finished her report.

"Un huh!" Said Xena again.

"Do you two know anything about the back entrance?" Asked Gabrielle

confused about why they were acting so strange.

"Ah...well...no, but we will. We just decided to it wait for you so you

wouldn't miss out on all the...fun!!" Said Stanides as he also tried to act

normal.

Gabrielle suspected something funny was going on, but she decided to forget

it and concentrate on their mission.

Night fell upon the land so the three warriors set up camp to rest.

Stanides couldn't sleep that night so he just sat up and thought.

Stanides looked over at Gabrielle and saw that she was shivering due the

cold night and also because her cover was only long enough to reach her

thigh.

Stanides felt compassion for her so he walked over and fixed her blanket so

it would cover her a little better, then her took his own blanket and put

it on her. His blanket was warm and long enough to cover Gabrielle up to

her neck.

After he covered up Gabrielle he took his pillow and put it under her head. Since she was laying side ways it was easy to place the pillow to

where it would hold her head comfortably and since Gabrielle was sound

asleep she was completely unaware of what was happening.

After she was finally comfortable Stanides kneeled down by her.

"Good night kid!" Said Stanides in a low voice as he ran the tip of his

fingers through Gabrielle's hair on the side of her head.

Stanides walked over to where he was laying down before and took out

another blanket that was exactly like the one he gave Gabrielle from a bag

he had. He covered himself with that one, and went to sleep.

The next morning, Gabrielle felt the blanket and since she didn't know what

it was she sat up a little scared.

When she noticed the long, black blanket and the pillow she was confused.

She saw that there were big, white, thread letters woven on the right

corner of the blanket, so she pulled it over to read what the letters

spelled out. The letters spelled out the name, Stanides, and when she saw

this she realized who was the one who gave her a warm comfortable night.

Gabrielle looked across from her and saw Stanides sitting on a fallen tree

a few feet away facing the opposite direction and found out that underneath

his fighting heart there was also a kind person.

Gabrielle rolled up the cover and walked over to give it back to her new

friend.

"Thanks!" Said Gabrielle as she held the blanket out to him.

"Keep it!" Answered Stanides. "I have another."

Gabrielle accepted the cover and began to walk back, but she stopped and

looked back at Stanides.

"Where's Xena?" Asked Gab.

"I'm right here." Answered Xena as she walked up a trail with Argo behind

her. "I found out that the back entrance has only a few guards. We should be

able to get past them fairly easy."

"Well, then let's go!" Said Stanides and the three started to head up the

mountain trail towards the top.

Once they were on the top the three hid behind the landscape of a steep

hill just a few feet away from the temple's back entrance.

The three looked at the guards as they tried to figure out their strategy.

"It seems that the only and best approach is the direct approach." Whispered the young warrior seeing no other way to attack.

"He's right Xena." Said Gabrielle in a low voice.

"All right then, let's go!!" Said Xena.

Xena ran ahead of the other two and began to kill the guards.

After they were defeated more soldiers came out of the temple to fight.

"Come on! We have to help Xena!!" Said Gabrielle as she grabbed Stanides'

wrist to pull him along.

"Wait!" Said Stanides. "We can't fight them all alone, we need to go and

get help!"

Gabrielle turned to Stanides and got face-to-face with him.

"You know I'd bet this is why you don't have any friends. When someone

needs you the most, you turn your back on them and leave them in the

dust!!" Said Gabrielle upset a little angry and upset.

"Just wait here, I'll be back!" Said Stanides and began to run down the

snowy hill.

"Oohh!!" Exclaimed Gabrielle furious and went to help Xena.

During the fight Xena and Gabrielle got back-to- back.

"Where's Stanides?" Asked Xena.

"He ran away like a coward!" Answered Gabrielle still angry.

After a long fight most of the guards were killed, but the remaining

surrounded the two girls.

"Gabrielle, I thought I'd never say this, but we have to retreat!" Said

Xena and took out her chakrum. "Run down the hill!"

Xena threw her chakrum at the guards that stood in front of the hill and

the weapon cut their cheeks. When they grabbed their cheeks and dropped their swords Gabrielle ran past

them.

Xena caught her chakrum as it returned and ran towards the wounded

soldiers.

"Alililililiya!!" Yelled Xena as she jumped over the soldiers and ran down

the steep hill.

As soon as Xena and Gabrielle reached the bottom of the hill they ran into

Stanides that stood between two trees before a forest.

"What are you doing here??" Asked Gabrielle still a little upset with him.

"You said I didn't have any friends? Well kid I'm sorry, but I'll have to

prove you wrong!" Said Stanides with a smile and turned to the forest

behind him. "Okay boys, you can come out now!!" Shouted Stanides into the

woods.

Xena and Gabrielle looked over the young man's shoulders and saw Hercules

and Iolaus run out of the forest.

"Ladies, meet my best friends!" Said Stanides with a smile.

Xena and Gabrielle hugged Hercules and Iolaus in greeting, but when

Hercules saw the soldiers coming down the hill he got serious.

"I think we'll have to finish this welcome some other time!" Said Hercules

and the five got ready to fight.

The five fought their way back up the hill and they got near to the gate of

the temple.

Hercules ducked to avoid a slash from a soldier and kicked him down. Iolaus

took out his sword and began to fight off some warriors that came out of

the temple. Xena, Gabrielle, and Stanides fought off the other warriors

using their weapons and skills.

After a little while Hercules had a problem with a warrior that had a long

spear that kept on trying to stab him. Stanides saw them and decided to

help.

"Hercules, catch!!" Called out the young man and threw a sword from one of

the defeated warriors to his friend. Hercules caught the sword, cut off the

blade from the peer, then grabbed the long stick and began to spin the

warrior around and around.

Hercules used the man as a weapon against the remaining warriors and after

they were all down he released the man sending him flying through the air

and he landed face first at the bottom of the hill.

The five smiled at the sight of their victory and gave each other a quick

congratulations.

"It's not over yet!" Said Stanides "We still have to get the sacred stone

and save the two cities!"

"Well, what are we waiting for? Come on!" Said Iolaus and the five warriors

ran into the temple's entrance.

The temple was the inside of the mountain's top so the inside looked like a

cave.

Once they reached the middle of the mountain's top they found the sacred

stone on a short pillar. Visual sun rays came down the mountain's tip and

fell upon the stone making it glow.

"Come on let's get it!" Whispered Stanides, but before he got too close

they all heard a clapping sound coming from behind them and they saw a

figure coming out of the darkness.

"Ares!" Said Hercules with a serious expression on his face.

"I must congratulate you!" Said Ares as he stepped out to where he could be

seen. Ares clapped for a little longer and then stopped. "You defeated my army and found the sacred stone...amazing!" Said Ares as

if was impressed with the warrior's skills, but he really wasn't.

"Let's skip the sweet talk. What do you want Ares?" Demanded Hercules.

"Just what is mine dear brother." Answered Ares. "You see since I'm the god

of war I have to cause a war, but when I do you are always there to stop

me." Said Ares as he walked around Hercules.

"That's not going to work Ares. We're not about to let the war between

these two towns continue just because of your thirst for blood!" Said

Hercules as Stanides stepped backwards towards the stone.

As Hercules and Ares discussed Stanides continued to step back closer and

closer to the stone.

When he got close enough Stanides carefully took the stone from the pillar

and put it in a small carrying pouch.

The cave grew dark since the stone's power was covered up.

Ares looked around and spotted Stanides.

"My stone!!" Snarled Ares and took a step towards Stanides, but Hercules

grabbed Ares' arms and a struggle began between the two of them.

"Get out of here!! Shouted Hercules as he and his evil half brother

struggled to get the upper hand over the other.

Iolaus, Gabrielle, Xena, and Stanides ran out of the palace and when they

were out Ares' Temple began to collapse since the stone's powers were

outside.

Hercules threw Ares down and ran outside as the temple continued to

collapse.

Ares got to his knees and screamed out in anger of being defeated and then

vanished.

The temple crumbled and when it was completely destroyed the mountain top

went back to what it looked like before Ares came.

"Come on, we have to get back to Amphipolis!" Said Stanides anxiously and

the five warriors began to run down the hill.

After the long journey back the five warriors reached Amphipolis and saw

that the fight had not ceased. Xena told Stanides what he had to do.

Stanides climbed up the outside wall holding the pouch with the stone

between his front teeth.

When he reached the top of the wall he spotted the

top of the tall pillar that was located just inside of the town's gate. On

the top of the pillar Stanides spotted a odd hole in the middle, so he took

out the stone an tried to put it in the hole and it fit perfectly.

The sacred stone released bright, white light rays that surrounded the town

breaking the force field and clearing the people's minds.

The fighting stopped and the people greeted each other with no recall of

the war.

Gabrielle, Xena, Hercules, and Iolaus smiled glad that their mission was

successful.

Stanides climbed down with a look of satisfaction. Hercules and Iolaus shook hands. As they looked at the people, Xena and

Stanides put their arms around each other.

"You did it!" Said Xena.

"No gorgeous. WE did it!" Said Stanides and they kissed. This time it was

in front of Gabrielle, Hercules, and Iolaus.

The other three smiled seeing their friends kiss in love and Gabrielle

hugged Iolaus and Hercules to thank them.

A while later the five friends walked down a trail.

"Stanides, why didn't you tell me that Hercules was your friend?" Asked

Gabrielle.

"Well kid, remember that friend I told you about that would never settle

down?" Asked Stanides and Gabrielle nodded. "Well, that's him!"

"But, why didn't you tell me his name?" Asked Gabrielle again.

"Well kid I tried to, but we kept on getting interrupted and with all

that's been going on, who had the time?" Explained the young warrior with a

smile.

Later, before Hercules and Iolaus left, Gabrielle walked over to Stanides.

"Stanides, Xena and I talked it over and we want you to stay with us." Said

Gabrielle with a smile. "I think she's finally found someone she truly loves and I've found someone

who will take care of me like a big brother."

"I'd love to stay with you! Answered the young warrior with a smile.

A little while later Hercules and Iolaus got ready to leave and Stanides

left his horse under the care of his friends.

"Stanides, will you ever be with us again?" Asked Iolaus holding the rings

of Stanides' horse.

"Ofcourse I will!" Answered Stanides. "We will always fight side-by-side, I

will just stay two weeks with Xena, then two weeks with you two and then

back with Xena, on and off like that so I won't have to leave one or the

other."

"Okay, but how will you find us?" Asked Iolaus.

"The same way people do when they need your help." Answered Stanides. "I'll

ask around."

The five smiled as Hercules and Iolaus shook Stanides' hand, hugged

Gabrielle and Xena, and left. Then Stanides, Xena, and Gabrielle turned

around and began to walk.

"You know what Stanides?" Asked Gabrielle.

"What?" Asked the young warrior as he walked between Xena and Gabrielle.

"I know I can really trust you now!" Said Gabrielle with a warm smile.

"I have always trusted you. Said Stanides. "You know what kid? I proved you

wrong. You ARE a nice person!"

"I think you and I are going to become good friends!" Said Gabrielle with a

smile.

"Sorry to prove you wrong again kid, but we already ARE great friends!"

Said Stanides to Gabrielle as he put his arms around her and Xena.

Xena, Gabrielle, Stanides, and Argo walked down a trail very similar almost

exactly like the onewhere the three met, except that this time there were

no thieves to stop or stall them from their destination, next mission, or

from their next adventure.