"Why do you care?"

"Well, seeing that this concerns my daughter, my former chosen one, and the one who I want to be my new chosen one, I think thhat I have a right to step in before you do something stupid. Even if Herodotus had died by your hands, it wouldn’t be enough; you know it and I know it. Killing Hecuba wouldn’t stop the thirst inside of you, neither would wiping out Poteidaea. Now yes, I would love to see you loot and rampage the entire earth. But in my name, not in Gabrielle’s name." Ares smiled. *Just a little more gloating should do. Come on Sophia, let it go.*

Sophia stepped up to him. "Move out of my way."

"Make me." Ares braced himself for the blow he knew was coming.

The battle was on. Sophia slugged Ares in the chest; the blow sent him 5 paces backwards. Ares retaliated with an energy bolt that reeled his daughter. She got up and ran full steam at him, tackling him to the ground. She swung her fist at him, But Ares managed to catch it. She swung her free hand and he managed to catch it also.

He slowly bent her hands up, applying painful pressure to her wrists. He rose to his feet, and she had to follow him to keep her wrists from breaking. "Now, if you are ready to calm down a bit, we can talk about this."

"I don’t want to talk, I want to fight!" Sophia jumped up and kicked Ares with both feet; forcing him to let go of her hands. Sophia started to charge him again. Ares sent a more powerful energy bolt towards her. The bolt found its target and sent her crashing to the ground.

Ares realized that he would have enjoyed this if the circumstances were different. His child had grown into a tremendous fighter and her natural darkness inside of her had increased her power and strength. But her darkness combined with Xena’s had started a chain reaction that would eventually led to insanity and her death. Sophia could not handle that much darkness inside of her, and that darkness would drive Sophia to try to satisfy its lusts for blood and revenge; first by destroying everyone and everything around her and second; by destroying herself. *I’ve managed to worm my way into her life finally, I’m not going to lose her now.* "So you want to fight? Fine! But know why you’re fighting and whom you want to fight. Your reasons for fighting are fine. But look in your heart and soul. Do you really want to fight Hecuba? Do you really want to kill everyone in Poteidaea? Tell me, who is it you want to fight? Who are you so angry with?"