Welcome to AresJoxerCupidStrife

Title: Hidden Meanings
Author: Brandy
Archive: AJCS
Rating: PG?
Pairing: You'll see.
Category: Perhaps Drama
Warnings: Possible character death.
Disclaimer: I don't own or have any rights to the characters in this
story. Just using them for my own twisted amusement.
Notes: Quick thanks to Christine for the fast beta. As always, any
mistakes are due to my stubbornness.

"Time grows short, War God, which will you choose?" The disembodied
voice hissed again.

Ares jerked against the chains holding him to the side of the cliff,
struggling with all his strength to get free. Below him, the Pool of
Oblivion seemed to wink back at him with its inky blackness.

"One dies, forever gone into oblivion, the other lives. Which will it
be?" The shrouded figure moved closer to Ares, unmoved by his
struggles, or the blood trailing down his wrists.

"I don't understand!" Ares screamed, desperately trying to summon his
powers.

A popping sound brought his head up.

Above him suspended by a burning rope hung two figures, their
features not yet identifiable.

"Choose!" The voice commanded again. "Choose, or lose both!"

The rope snapped another strand, jerking the figures lower, but still
not close enough to see their features.

"CHOOSE!" The voice demanded a final time. Fireball forming in the
black covered hand.

Ares watched in horror as the fireball snapped the remaining pieces
of rope, severing it completely.

Suddenly, the figures were visible to him.

//NO!// His mind shrieked.

Suddenly, his hands were free, and he made his choice.

He reached out and caught one of the falling figures in his arms,
only to watch helplessly as Xena fell into the pool, lost to him
forever.

He looked down. Joxer's terrified eyes looked back at him above the
white gag.

Ares jerked wide-awake and upright in bed, heart pounding, and sweat
dripping off his face.

"A dream, it was only a dream." He muttered, bringing his hand up to
wipe the sweat away, only to stop, and stare at his bleeding wrist in
horror.

End.