After the Fire

Author’s Note: This is a story I wrote for Halloween, 2001. The cat in the story is based on a real feline, my friend’s cat, Trixie. This is a pretty accurate portrayal of her. I mean no copyright infringements on characters owned by RenPics or Universal Studios. This story is for fun and is strictly non-profit. May Trixie shred you to bits if I’m lying :)

Hercules walked along with a relaxed pace, a small smile playing about his lips as watched his friend bounding along beside him, chattering excitedly. They were going home. But more than that, they were going home for the Harvest Festival. And Thebes + festival + food + girls = one hyper Iolaus. The demigod was also looking forward to going home for the celebration, he just tended to be a bit more stoic about it than his enthusiastic partner.

“Come on, Herc,” Iolaus urged impatiently. “Let’s pick up the pace!”

“Iolaus, calm down,” the demigod told him. “The festival doesn’t start for three days. We’re going to make it in plenty of time.”

“I know, but I want to be in Thebes by nightfall. When is Iloran supposed to get there?”

“Today, I think,” Hercules replied.

“I haven’t seen him since he was a kid,” the hunter mused.

“It’s been a couple years for me, too,” the demigod said, a bit regretfully. As most of his “family” tended to be on the side of dysfunction, it made him appreciate his good natured cousin all the more. “I haven’t seen him since...”

“Since what?” Iolaus asked, immediately detecting a somberness come over his friend.

“Since my mother died,” he finished softly.

“It’s hard for you to go back there, isn’t it?” the hunter asked gently.

“Of course it is,” Hercules answered. “No matter how much time passes, I never stop missing her. Sometimes, I stop at the top of the hill, thinking that I just can’t bear to go down and see the house without seeing her waving from the door or working in the garden. But even though it hurts, it also helps. Her spirit is still with that house, and that’s a comforting thing.”

The demigod glanced at his friend, but Iolaus had turned away from him. As he dealt with his own grief, Hercules sometimes forgot that his partner had loved his mother, too. Every bit as much as he had.

“It must be hard for you, too, Iolaus,” he whispered.

The hunter just nodded, wiping a furtive hand across his moist eyes. Finally he turned back to face his friend.

“Alcmene was everything to me,” he explained. “When no one else in the world cared if I lived or died, she was there. I never really told you in so many words, but your house was my safe haven. I always felt loved and cared for there, and your mother always made me feel that I was worth more than I ever gave myself credit for. Sometimes it scares me to think how I might have turned out if she hadn’t believed in me and pushed me to make something of myself. Alcmene brought out the best in me.”

“You were her third son,” Hercules said with conviction. “She did love you, Iolaus, and she told me more than once how proud she was of the man that you became.”

Tears once again stung the hunter’s blue eyes, but he blinked them back and offered his partner a grin.

“Come on, Herc. Let’s go home.”

The two warriors walked through the remainder of the day, stopping only briefly for a quick meal before setting out on their journey once more. They walked briskly, with purpose, and as the sun began to set, they found themselves standing on the hill above Thebes, looking down at the village below.

“It’s almost like going back in time,” Iolaus murmured. “Hardly anything has changed since when we were kids.”

Outwardly, Hercules agreed with his friend. But inside, he felt a stab of sadness. The town may have looked the same, but much had changed. This time, Alcmene would not be waiting for them, ready to greet them with a warm hug, a hot meal, and a vivacious laugh of happiness at having them home. And the house down the road that he had labored to build now stood empty, with no beautiful wife eagerly welcoming him and no children shouting with delight to have their father back. The meadow where he and Iolaus had played as children now bore four lonely graves, a reminder of a life he had once cherished, so long ago it seemed.

With a heavy sigh, Hercules shook his head slightly. Their homecoming was meant to be a celebration, a time to enjoy the festival with old friends. He didn’t want to get bogged down in melancholy over things that were lost to him. He took a deep breath and felt his partner’s reassuring hand on his arm. Even though he hadn’t verbalized his feelings, Iolaus had known. Hercules smiled, feeling some of the sadness leave him as he was reminded of his friend’s presence. The hunter was still beside him, and that alone was reason to celebrate.

The two warriors entered the town, walking with long familiarity to the house where Hercules, and in some respects, Iolaus, had grown up. A warm light shone invitingly from the windows through the approaching dusk, and the flowers in the garden were putting off a heady perfume, desperately striving for one more glorious bloom before the cooler fall temperatures halted their growth.

They had been expecting Jason to answer the knock, so both warriors were surprised and confused when the door opened slightly to reveal a young girl.

“Hercules?” she asked uncertainly.

“I’m Hercules,” the demigod told her, finding his voice at last. “And this is Iolaus. But who are you?”

“Jason told me you’d be coming,” she said with a small smile, opening the door wider and letting them in. “I’m Liriope. Liri. Jason’s been kind enough to let me stay here for awhile.”

“And where is good old Jason?” Iolaus asked, noticing that his partner seemed a bit upset by this revelation.

“He’s in the barn with Iloran,” she answered. “We haven’t eaten yet, because we thought that you might show up tonight. Why don’t you go get them and bring them in? I’ll have supper ready in a flash.”

Hercules watched the girl with narrowed eyes as she moved to the kitchen and began to pull out plates. She obviously had made herself at home, and the demigod didn’t like it. He turned and followed Iolaus outside to the barn. Jason had some serious explaining to do.

“Iolaus,” the Argonaut called out, seeing the hunter enter the barn. He dropped his pitchfork and came forward to greet his old friend, their handshake quickly turning into a hug. Jason likewise greeted the demigod who’d come in behind his partner, not picking up on the slight sullenness in his attitude. Iloran, who had been pitching hay into the horse’s stall, quickly swung down from the loft to greet his cousin and Iolaus. They spent a few minutes all talking at once, excited to be together again. Finally, the rapid fire conversations ceased enough for Hercules to interrogate the former king.

“Jason, who is that girl and what is she doing living in my mother’s house?” he demanded, deciding not to beat around the bush. “Mother’s not even been gone two years yet, and that girl is half your age!”

“Hercules, take it easy,” the Argonaut placated him. “It’s not what you’re thinking.”

“Then what is it?”

“Last week, when I was traveling here from the Academy, I met Liri on the road. She was alone, and she was crying so I stopped to see if I could help. As it turned out, she had been forced into marriage and her husband was a very cruel man who abused her. She was running from him, but she didn’t have anyone to turn to and she had nowhere to go, and no money to get there even if she did. What else could I have done? I brought her here and told her she was welcome to stay for as long as she needed to. I’m hardly ever here anymore, and you know, Hercules, that your mother would have done the same if she’d been alive.”

The demigod couldn’t argue with that. After all, he’d gotten his caring heart and his compassion for helping people from his mother, who had always done everything in her power to help those that needed it, especially those that society had turned its back on.

“Sorry, Jason,” Hercules said sheepishly, holding out his hand to his old friend. “I don’t know what got into me.”

“Forget about it,” the Argonaut told him, taking the offered hand and leaning in conspiratorially. “Hercules, I loved Alcmene, and no one could ever replace her in my heart. But even if I did have feelings for Liri, I’d probably have to fight Iloran for her. He’s been infatuated with her ever since he arrived yesterday morning.”

The demigod grinned at his friend, looking over to where Iolaus and Iloran had fallen into conversation.

“Speaking of which, she told us to come get you. Dinner’s ready.”

The four men quickly teamed up and divided the remaining barn chores, racing to see who could finish first. Iolaus cried foul as a heavy bale of hay came sailing down from the loft, barely missing him as he scurried below.

“Sorry, buddy. Didn’t see you there.”

The hunter glared up at his partner, who was hanging over the loft grinning at him. Muttering under his breath, he picked up a bag of oats and heaved it at Iloran, who caught it effortlessly and opened it, dumping the contents into a feed bag. Hercules scrambled down from the loft and began distributing the hay through the stall. With no warning, he suddenly found himself flat on his back as Iolaus used the handle of a pitchfork to pull his feet out from under him.

“Oh, sorry, Herc. Didn’t see you there.”

Iolaus stood, defiantly grinning, when he saw something sailing through the air towards him in his peripheral vision. Dropping to the ground, he just narrowly avoided being splattered with a shovelful of manure.

“I am sorry, Iolaus,” Jason smirked. “Didn’t see you there.”

“That’s going too far,” Iolaus protested. “I vote that we call it a draw. Not that Iloran and I couldn’t mop the barn floor with you two, but I’m hungry and meal that I didn’t have to cook awaits.”

“You’re always hungry, and when have you ever cooked?” Hercules admonished.

Iolaus merely tossed his blond curls proudly and stalked out of the barn with a water bucket. As he returned and filled the horse’s trough, the others finished up the remaining work and began filing out of the barn to clean up at the rain barrel before going inside. Hercules splashed the cold water over his face and washed the hay dust from his arms and chest. As Iloran and Iolaus splashed each other good naturedly, he re-entered the barn to retrieve the lantern that they’d left hanging. Jason was still inside, and gave his horse a good night pat on the flank before moving toward the door. As Hercules reached for the lantern, a loud hiss made him step back quickly.

“I see you’ve met Trixie,” Jason said with a wry grin.

Looking up at the beam above his head, the demigod saw a scrawny black cat staring back at him with baleful yellow eyes. She arched her back, lips curling in a snarl as she hissed again.

“She’s charming,” Hercules muttered. “Where’d she come from?”

“I don’t know,” the Argonaut told him. “She just started hanging around here a few days ago. Liri’s the only one that can get near her. But, I guess she’s good for keeping rats out of the barn.”

The small cat hardly looked big enough to take on a full grown rat, but the demigod had no doubts that she was ferocious enough to handle something larger than that. After all, as Iolaus had proven over and over again, size wasn’t everything. And what this cat lacked in size, she apparently more than made up for in attitude. Carefully removing the lantern from the wall, Hercules followed Jason back outside to where Iolaus and Iloran were still waiting, and the four men headed into the house where Liri had spread the table with fresh bread, cheese, fruit, and cold meat.

“I would have made something hot,” she apologized. “But I wasn’t sure when everyone would be here.”

“This is great,” Hercules told her, immediately warming up to the girl now that he knew there was no danger of her trying to replace his mother. Looking at her a second time, his heart went out to her. She was very pretty, with long blond hair and warm brown eyes, but she was too thin and had a nervousness about her, like she was perpetually waiting for the next blow to come. The demigod shook his head. She was too young to have to know such pain.

“How’s the Academy these days, Jase?” Iolaus asked, around a mouthful of food.

“Not bad,” the Argonaut answered. “I have several cadets now who are showing real promise. They all work hard, even though they complain about me being a slave driver. No one believes me when I tell them how easy they have it compared to what we went through with Cheiron. But, I don’t have any cadets who are as good as the three of us were.” Jason shared a teasing, nostalgic smile with Hercules and Iolaus before continuing. “But these kids today keep you on your toes. Iolaus, I used to think you had a few tricks up your sleeve. But now I have cadets trying to pull things that you’ve never even dreamed of. I don’t know who was more happy to see the arrival of fall break. The kids, or me.”

Jason’s griping didn’t fool either of his two friends. They easily saw the merry twinkle in his eyes and heard the pride in his voice as he spoke of the Academy. He loved running it and considered it a great honor. It gave his life purpose once more, and he was a natural teacher. Both Hercules and Iolaus could agree that they couldn’t think of anyone better to take the noble Cheiron’s place.

The meal was a lengthy one, with old friends busy catching up and new friends busy getting acquainted. They lingered at the table into the night, talking and laughing, until finally the late hour broke up the party. Jason excused himself and headed for his room, bidding good night to everyone. Iolaus nudged Hercules and nodded toward the kitchen, when Iloran had volunteered to help Liri clean up.

“Jason was right,” the hunter whispered. “The kid is definitely falling for her.”

“I’d hardly call him a kid,” Hercules whispered back.

“Whatever. He looks like a kid to me.”

“That’s because you’re getting old,” the demigod teased. “Everyone under thirty looks like a kid to you.”

“Oh, very funny,” Iolaus said sardonically. “You aren’t that far behind me, you know. Ok, so he’s a young man. But he’s not that far from being a kid.”

“He really reminds me a lot of you when you were his age,” Hercules said thoughtfully, watching as his cousin flirted with Liri, making her smile and blush slightly.

“I don’t see it,” the hunter declared. “He’s a good kid, sorry, guy, but he and I are nothing alike.”

“Anyway,” the demigod continued, stifling a yawn. “Liri’s been staying in your room.”

Iolaus had been such a frequent visitor to the house over the years, the guest room had ceased to be the guest room, and Hercules and Alcmene had come to refer to it as Iolaus’ room.

“Figures,” the hunter muttered. “Guess I’m bunking with you, then. But where’s Iloran going to sleep?”

“He volunteered to sleep out here on a pallet by the fire,” Hercules replied. “He said he didn’t mind, since that’s where he always slept when he and his mother would visit us.”

“Fine by me,” Iolaus responded with a yawn of his own. “Let the youngster have the floor.” The hunter, though invariably growing older, was still in prime condition and was perfectly capable of sleeping on the floor. But after a lifetime of spending countless nights on the cold, hard ground, he was not about to pass up the chance for a warm, soft bed, even if he did have to share with a big oaf that hogged the covers.

Liri was the last one to retire that night. Bidding good night to Iloran, who had indeed made himself comfortable on the floor, the girl paused on her way to bed to open the shutters and let in the cat that had been mewing piteously. Leaping noiselessly to the floor, the feline padded next to Liri as she went to her room, rubbing against her legs as she went.

Hercules glanced apprehensively at the darkening sky as he effortlessly lifted a heavy barrel of mead off the back of a wagon. The merchant he was helping saw him and followed his gaze to the fast approaching clouds.

“Looks like we’re in for a storm,” he commented, stating the obvious. “I hope its nothing that’s going to ruin the festival.”

The demigod grunted an agreement, depositing the barrel behind the man’s stand, stretching his back briefly before reaching for another. He, Iolaus, Iloran, and Jason had all gone into the marketplace of the town early that morning to offer their assistance in setting up for the festival. The entire town was in high spirits, working together in preparation for the weeklong celebration. Everyone was looking forward to the fun, and Hercules knew the disappointment would be great if it were to rain on their parade, so to speak.

Once the wagon had been unloaded, the demigod excused himself and went in search of his friends, finding them sitting together at one of the many tables, eating the lunch that Liri had sent along with them. Seeing him approach, Iolaus slid over to make room for his friend and passed him the basket which contained his share of the meal. They made small talk, discussing the weather and the hopes that the approaching storm would soon blow over. Then rested and hunger sated, the foursome split up once more and went back to work.

By early afternoon, the wind had picked up considerably and black clouds hovered ominously overhead. People began hurrying, to try and secure tents and cover their non-water resistant items. Hercules quickly rounded up his friends, and they all agreed to head for home, anxious to get back to shelter before the storm broke. They walked quickly, but jovially, comparing bruises obtained from the day’s activity. Lightening was beginning to streak across the sky, amid the rumblings of thunder, as they passed through the gate and entered the house where Liri had been worriedly watching for them from the window.

“I didn’t think you were going to make it before the storm hit,” she told them.

“Just in the nick of time,” Hercules announced, shutting the door behind him as the first raindrops began to fall.

“Wait, the cat’s out in the barn,” Liri realized suddenly. “I have to go get her.”

“She’ll be fine out there,” Jason told her. “Don’t worry.”

“But this storm looks like it might be a bad one,” the girl protested.

Jason sighed, looking out at the falling rain.

“You stay here,” he said. “I’ll go get the cat. I should make sure the barn is secure, anyway.”

The Argonaut dashed through the rain, leaping over puddles that were already forming, and darted into the refuge of the barn. He checked his horse, patting him reassuringly, before beginning his search for the cat.

“Trixie,” he called coaxingly. “Come on, kitty. Where are you?” A loud hiss alerted him to the scrawny black cat, perched on his saddle which was resting on a bale of hay. “Come on, Trixie,” he murmured, reaching out for her. “That’s a good kitty. I’m not going to hurt you.” But the feline obviously didn’t believe him, for as he tried to pick her up, she attacked. Jason dropped her with an oath, and the cat sped out of the barn door.

“What happened?” Iolaus asked, as Jason re-entered the house, holding up his bleeding hand.

“She decided to come in by herself.”

Liri looked down at the wet ball of fur cradled in her arms.

“She bit you?” Dropping the cat, the girl approached the Argonaut and took his hand in hers.

“It’s all right,” he tried to protest, but Liri led him into the kitchen.

“These punctures are deep,” she told him. “We need to clean the wounds.”

Submitting, Jason sat and allowed her to minister to him.

“I’m sorry, Jason,” she began, but he cut her off.

“Don’t apologize. The storm probably just scared her. It’s all right.”

Iolaus had been listening to the conversation, and turned to look at the cat. She was sitting on the floor a few feet away, and the hunter could have sworn he saw a look of smugness in her yellow eyes. They stared at each other for several moments, before he looked away, shaking his head with a suppressed chuckle. Of course she looked smug. It was, after all, the defining characteristic of all cats.

At first, it was cozy being inside the house, next to the warm fire while the storm soaked the earth outside. But then it began growing in intensity, until a tempest raged, wind threatening to bring down the house around them. Bright zig zags of lightening flashed from behind the shutters and booming thunder shook the very foundation of the house. Rain pounded on the roof in an almighty fury, as if determined to work its way in. Everyone sat huddled together, barely speaking as they anxiously waited out the storm.

Liri was terrified, each new crack of thunder sending her into the arms of Iloran, who was doing his best to comfort her despite his own nervousness. Jason sat with his head bowed, elbows on his knees as his fingers kneaded his temples. Iolaus kept getting up to restlessly pace in tight circles. Hercules just sat silently, looking at each one of them in turn.

The storm was horrific, its awesome power evident as the wind and rain commanded respect and supplication from every living thing on earth. It went on for hours, full force, threatening the sanity of those forced to endure it. But just when they began to think that they couldn’t take any more, the rain slowed, the wind died down, and the thunder and lightening began to move off into the distance. As the night gradually quieted, the five people gathered together began to collectively relax, letting go of the tenseness that had held them captive as they had sat through the storm, waiting for the constant barrage to either destroy them or end. Finally, it was over, and the exhausted men and woman were able to go to bed.

“Herc?” Iolaus asked as they entered the privacy of their room. “Was it me, or was there something unnatural about that storm?”

“I don’t know, Iolaus,” the demigod replied. “It didn’t seem right to me, either, but it didn’t really seem like something sent by the gods, if that‘s what you mean.”

“I have a bad feeling,” the hunter admitted. “Like that storm was a warning. Signaling the arrival of something terrible.”

Hercules didn’t answer, because he didn’t have one to give. But he suddenly felt far more removed from sleep than he had a few minutes ago. Iolaus had very good instincts, and the demigod had long since learned not to take his “bad feelings” lightly. A lesson he had learned all too well in Sumaria, and one that he was not about to repeat.

The morning sun rose triumphantly into the clear, blue sky, its glorious rays sending warmth into the soaked earth. As a soft breeze carried the scent of fresh rain, and the golden sun set all the droplets of water sparkling, it was easy to forget about the terror and the feelings of dread the previous night’s storm had caused. On such a beautiful day, it was hard to believe that anything could be wrong with the world.

Iolaus had been the first one up and had immediately scampered off to town to survey the damage. He returned to report that there was a lot of cleaning up to do, but that the villagers had all agreed that the Harvest Festival would begin on the following day, as scheduled. Everyone decided that they would take care of the house and yard first, and then go into the marketplace to offer their help. After a quick breakfast that Liri set out for them, the men began working to repair the damage the storm had done to the roof.

“Jason, we need some more tiles up here,” Iolaus called down to his friend. The Argonaut appeared not to have heard, seemingly lost in thought as he rubbed his bandaged hand absently. “Greece to Jason,” the hunter yelled, tossing a broken piece of tile at his old friend.

“Sorry,” Jason called back. He secured another bundle of the roofing tiles to a rope, which Hercules then pulled up to the roof. The three old friends had been together for so long, that they were able to work seamlessly together, scarcely needing to speak as they all fell into a natural routine born of long association. Along with Iloran’s capable help, their job was completed quickly and efficiently. Hercules was the first to clamber down from the roof. Liri had been gathering up the debris from the yard, but she approached the demigod as he gulped thirstily from his water skin.

“Hercules,” she began softly. “I know that this was your mother’s house. Your house. I’m sure it was a shock to come home and find me living here. If you aren’t comfortable, just tell me and I’ll move on.”

“Don’t worry about it,” the demigod told her sincerely. “None of us are home much anymore, and I’m glad that someone is here to keep an eye on everything. And I know that my mother would be happy that someone is around to take care of her flowers.”

“It is a beautiful garden,” Liri enthused. “Alcmene sounds like a wonderful woman. I wish I could have known her.”

“She was,” Hercules agreed, smiling with fond memories. “She would have welcomed you here, so its my pleasure to do the same. You can stay as long as you like, Liri, and I hope you’ll let me know if I can ever do anything to help.”

“Thank you,” the girl whispered, her eyes filling with tears. “The fates smiled on me the day that Jason and I met on that road. He was so wonderfully kind and generous to me, and I’ll never be able to repay him for all he’s done. I’m indebted to him. And to all of you.”

Liri gave the demigod a sweet smile before turning to look at Jason, and Iolaus and Iloran up on the roof. She blushed slightly and turned away as Iloran caught her eye and waved, his naked torso glistening in the bright sun.

“I’d better get lunch ready,” the girl stammered. “I’m sure you’re all hungry after working so hard.”

Hercules grinned as Liri bolted off into the house. Even if Iolaus didn’t admit it, the demigod knew that his young cousin was every bit the charmer that the hunter was. Liri may be shy now, but Hercules had a feeling that it wouldn’t be too much longer before Iloran won her over.

Iolaus surveyed their work one last time, satisfied that all the tiles were tight and secure. Going to the edge of the roof, he nimbly scurried down the ladder, skipping the last few rungs as he leapt lightly to the ground. A loud hiss startled him, and he turned to see Trixie lurking behind the corner of the house. He shook his head, wondering what Liri saw in such an unpleasant animal. The hunter turned, leaving the cat rubbing against the side of the house, and ambled over to help himself to Hercules’ water skin. A yelp caused both the hunter and the demigod to whirl around, just in time to see the ladder falling away from the house and crashing to the ground, along with Iloran.

Hercules was first to reach his cousin, pulling the ladder off him and kneeling down beside him.

“Are you all right?” he asked anxiously.

“My shoulder,” Iloran groaned, focusing on where the largest wave of pain was originating.

“It’s dislocated,” Iolaus announced, feeling the bones grinding under his fingers.

Hercules gathered his cousin as gently as he could into his strong arms and carried him into the house, followed by Iolaus and Jason.

“What happened?” Liri cried out, rushing over as she saw the demigod carrying the injured young man.

“An accident, but he’ll be all right,” Jason told the girl, putting a reassuring arm around her.

“Shouldn’t we get a healer?” she asked.

“No, it will be okay. Hercules and Iolaus have done this sort of thing so many times they can do it in their sleep.”

Iolaus moved behind Iloran, kneeling and propping him up against his lap. Taking a firm grip on the young man, he held on tightly while Hercules manipulated his arm, tugging the socket back into the joint.

“You’ll have to have a sling for a few days to keep it still,” the demigod told his pale cousin. “But it should be fine. Liri, could you bring him some water?”

The girl was only too happy to oblige as Iolaus helped Iloran get comfortable by the fire. Hercules checked him over thoroughly, and diagnosed the rest of his injuries to be superficial. He was bruised and would be sore for awhile, but overall, Iloran had managed to escape what could have been massive injury.

“I don’t know what happened,” he murmured. “I was just starting down the ladder, and then all of a sudden it pulled away from the house and I was falling.”

“The cat,” Iolaus said, almost to himself. “I saw it there by the ladder right before the accident.” The hunter looked up to see four bewildered faces staring at him.

“Iolaus, surely you aren’t suggesting that a cat pushed the ladder out from under Iloran?”

The hunter had to admit that it sounded pretty ridiculous voiced out loud by his partner.

“No, I guess not,” he concurred sheepishly.

“It was just a freak accident,” Jason declared. “We should just be grateful it didn’t turn out worse than it was.”

“Look,” Iloran spoke up. “You guys should go into town and help get the festival going. I’ll be all right here.”

“Maybe he’s right,” Hercules said. “They’re going to need all the help they can get to be ready for tomorrow.”

“And I for one intend to be there,” Iloran stated confidently with a weak grin.

“I’ll stay here with him,” Liri volunteered quickly.

With those arrangements seemingly suitable to everyone, Jason, Hercules, and Iolaus hurriedly ate and then headed out to help with the festival preparations. The storm had indeed caused quite a mess, but the villagers were undaunted and were working hard to get everything cleaned up and organized. With Hercules’ strength on hand, things began to come together quickly, as he could unload a wagon by himself in the time it took half a dozen men, and he carried off debris from the storm with no effort at all.

While toiling away, preparing for a festival, wasn’t exactly Iolaus’ favorite activity in the world, he was in good spirits and accepted the chores good naturedly. He knew his labors were going to a good cause, one that would reap benefits for him in the end. And most of all, he really just was happy to be back home, surrounded by his friends, ready to enjoy the fun of the festival. For him, this would be a celebration of life and health, and he really didn’t mind the work associated with it.

“Need a hand with that?”

Iolaus turned away from the heavy canvas he’d been struggling to set up to find the owner of the soft female voice. His face split into a broad grin as he identified the beautiful blond woman standing behind him.

“Gabrielle!” he cried out, canvas forgotten as he ran to hug her. “What are you doing here? Is Xena with you?”

“Good to see you, Iolaus,” the bard smiled, hugging him back tightly. “Xena’s in Amphipolos, visiting her mother for awhile. I got tired of hanging around there, so I decided to come to Thebes for the festival. I was hoping that you’d be here, too.”

“Come on,” the hunter told her, giving her another warm smile. “Come help me with this canvas and you can tell me everything you and Xena have been up to.”

Hercules was also delighted to see Gabrielle, and he and Jason immediately agreed that the bard should come back and stay with them.

“I don’t know where you’re going to sleep,” Iolaus joked, thinking of the full house. “You could sleep with me, but we’d have to kick Herc out of the room.”

“The barn is fine,” Gabrielle insisted, giving the hunter a playful swat.

It was late as the group headed back home, but everything was ready for the festival to begin in the morning. Everyone was tired and hungry, but it didn’t stop the laughing and teasing as they made their way back to the house. Liri quickly set out a cold supper for them amid the introductions. Iloran was looking better, and again insisted upon his intent to attend the festival. As they ate, a riotous discussion began over the new sleeping arrangements. Everyone was arguing, taking the noble route and offering to be the one to sleep in the barn. Finally, after several minutes of getting nowhere, Jason rose and cleared his throat.

“As the leader of the Argonauts, the former king of Corinth, and headmaster of the Academy, I believe that I have the authority to delegate the final say. Gabrielle, you will take my room tonight and I’ll be sleeping in the barn. Anyone have a problem with that?”

Jason stared intently at the suddenly subdued faces around him, daring them to challenge him. He smiled wickedly then, before continuing.

“I am not having any ladies spending the night in the barn, and I’d much rather be out there with my horse than share a room with these two jokers. They both snore.”

“I do not,” came a simultaneous, indignant response from Hercules and Iolaus, followed by, “You do, too!” as they glared at each other.

“Good night, ladies,” the Argonaut said grandly, bowing before Gabrielle and Liri. Leaving the girls giggling and his two old friends squabbling, Jason headed out to the barn for a night of peace and quiet.

Iolaus was up with sun in the morning, but he was surprised to see that Liri had beaten him as he found her outside, struggling with a heavy bucket of water. He hurried to take it from her, and was rewarded with a shy smile.

“What are you doing up so early?” he inquired as they headed back to the house.

“Nervous habit, I guess,” she told him. “I know that I’m away from Aegisthus now, but I can’t help feeling that he still has some kind of hold over me. I’m afraid to sleep, afraid that every time I turn around, he’ll be there.”

“You don’t have to be afraid, Liri,” the hunter reassured her gently. “You’re safe here, and none of us are going to let anything happen to you.”

“What are you doing up?” the girl asked him, obviously trying to change the subject.

“It’s the first day of the festival,” Iolaus replied with a huge grin, pulling open the door to the house and holding it for her. “So let’s get the rest of these lazy lumps up and moving.”

Liri volunteered to wake Iloran, who silently thought it was a very nice sight to wake up to, indeed. Iolaus was not about to rouse his partner so carefully, but did so by a flying leap that landed him smack on top of the slumbering demigod. The hunter found himself unceremoniously hurled to the floor, but Hercules was awake. Iolaus knocked softly but insistently on Gabrielle’s door, and received a sleepy reply that more or less indicated that she would be out in a few minutes. Jason had come in from the barn on his own, his internal clock still set for the Academy’s early hour.

By the time Liri had prepared a quick breakfast, shooing away Iolaus whose help was really more of a hindrance, everyone had risen and assembled, ready to depart for the festival. Iloran insisted that he felt fine, but promised his cousin that he would take it easy for the rest of the day. Liri hovered around the handsome young man, ready to be of the slightest help, and oblivious to the knowing glances that the rest of the group exchanged. They all assisted in the clean up, and then finally they were on their way, Iolaus bounding ahead of the rest of them excitedly.

The stoic Thebean marketplace had been transformed into a festive celebration. Bright streamers fluttered in the gentle breeze, and colorful posters advertised all manner of wares for sale. Tempting smells of various foods, both traditional and exotic, wafted through the air, mingling with the scents of spices and oils and perfumes. Beyond the stalls and booths, a large makeshift stage had been constructed for all types of entertainment to be provided. Behind the stage, farmers from all over the area had set up produce and livestock for both sale and exhibition. With so much available to see and do, the group invariably split up.

Iloran and Liri found themselves in each other’s company, walking happily through the stands, pausing to look at the things that caught young people’s attention. Particularly, Iloran glanced longingly at the competitive games, yearning to compete and show off in front of the young lady by his side, but restricted in his bound arm. Eventually, they came upon a booth that was manned by a very familiar figure.

“Salmoneus?” Iloran exclaimed, greeting the salesman enthusiastically. “What are you doing here?”

“Iloran!” Salmoneus cried out. “It’s good to see you.” He looked at the sling on the young man’s arm. “What happened to you? Out chasing more warlords? Or maybe a monster, this time?”

“Nothing like that,” Iloran admitted a bit sheepishly. “Just a little accident. This is my friend, Liri. This is Salmoneus, an old friend.”

“Charmed, my dear,” the salesman said grandly, kissing the girl’s hand. “Well, since you’re here, why not take a chance on my game of skill?”

“What do I have to do?” Iloran asked uncertainly.

“It’s very simple really,” Salmoneus explained. “For only one dinar, I give you three darts. You take your best shot at those sheep bladders on the wall behind me. If you break one, you get a prize from the lower shelf. But, if you break one painted with a red dot, you win a prize from the higher shelf. Surely, this isn’t a challenge for someone with your talents. What do you say?”

Iloran hesitated. He didn’t know Salmoneus very well, but he knew enough to realize that there was probably some kind of trick behind this.

“Come on,” the salesman encouraged. “Three tries, and you only have to break one to win a prize for your lovely lady.”

Liri blushed slightly, and Iloran decided. Digging out one of his few dinars, he set it on the counter, determined to do his best. Salmoneus immediately swept up the money, dropping it into a locked box before reaching under the counter for the darts. The salesman paused for a moment, glancing over to see how Iloran was looking wistfully at Liri. Greed aside, Salmoneus was a warm hearted person. Of course there was a trick to his game. The darts were rigged. Outwardly, they looked and felt normal, but they had been misaligned just enough so that they would not fly true. Quickly deciding that he had to do what he could in the name of young love, the salesman grabbed three darts that were set apart from the rest. He wasn’t stupid, and knew that if people didn’t occasionally win at his game they would wise up and come after him. So, he had three darts that were aerodynamically sound, that he would periodically substitute in place of the defective ones. Handing them to Iloran, he stood back to let the young man do the rest.

Even with a dislocated shoulder, Iloran had no problem using his other arm to hurl a dart and break one of the air-filled sheep bladders, and a red-dotted one at that. Salmoneus waved to the upper shelf, which contained prized of much higher quality than the lower shelf and invited Iloran to take his pick. His blue eyes traveled over the merchandise before he finally pointed to a pretty gold heart on a delicate chain. Salmoneus gave him the necklace with a smile. Iloran’s win had drawn others interested in trying their luck, so the salesman turned away from them to attend to his customers, hoping that it all worked out for the brave young man.

“Here,” Iloran said to the girl beside him, pressing the necklace into her hand. “I’d offer to put it on for you, but...” He waved at the useless arm in the sling with an apologetic smile.

“I can’t take this, Iloran,” Liri protested. “Why don’t you trade it in for something you can use? That knife, perhaps...”

“I want you to have this, Liri,” he insisted. “Please, take it.”

The girl nodded her acceptance and reached behind her to fasten the gleaming chain around her neck.

“Thank you,” she said, looking up at him with brown eyes swimming with emotion.

Iloran reached out to touch a finger to the gold heart, then raised his hand up to stroke her cheek. Leaning in, he met her lips with hers, kissing her softly. Liri responded at first, sliding her arms around him and deepening their kiss. But then she abruptly pulled away.

“What is it?” Iloran asked in confusion.

“I’m sorry,” the girl told him. “But this can’t happen.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m married, Iloran,” she said bitterly. “It wasn’t of my own choosing, and I’d gladly celebrate the end of his existence. But like it or not, I’m married, and whatever is between us is just going to have to stay friendly.”

“But, Liri...”

“I’m sorry,” she repeated, starting to run off as she felt tears fill her eyes. Iloran watched her go, feeling helpless and defeated.

“Maybe I should go talk to him,” Iolaus murmured. He and Gabrielle had been several yards away, watching the scene in secret. The hunter had been hoping that something would come of Liri and Iloran’s attractions to each other, but it didn’t appear now that anything of the sort would be happening.

“Just leave them for now,” Gabrielle advised. “If it was meant to happen for them, it will. Everything meant to happen does.”

“I thought you always believed that we make our own destinies,” Iolaus said, shooting the bard an odd look.

“Destiny is a tricky subject,” she muttered morosely. “Just because things don’t turn out like you think they will, doesn’t mean that’s how they weren’t supposed to turn out in the first place.”

“The fates put you in certain places,” the hunter argued. “But then its up to you where to go from there. Maybe we can’t control everything that happens, but we can control how we react and deal with it.”

“But what if you’re doomed from the start?” the bard asked. “Nothing you do can change that, can it?”

“Gabrielle, where is all this coming from?”

“Never mind,” she sighed. “Forget I said anything.”

“No,” Iolaus told her, concern in his voice. “Something’s obviously upsetting you. I’ve sensed something wrong ever since you got here. Please, tell me what’s bothering you.”

“It’s just that when I left Poteidaia to go with Xena, all I could think about were all the great adventures we were going to have. I never even imagined all the horror and evil and betrayal that we would have to face. It wears on the soul, Iolaus.”

The hunter pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly. When he had first met her, he’d immediately been entranced by her innocence and the purity of her soul. It was indeed a wonderful thing to be around, and he’d understood exactly why Xena had taken the girl along with her. Gabrielle was the one beautiful light in a life that was dark with violence and sin and hatred. She alone was the guide that led the warrior princess into redemption. And it pained Iolaus to see that innocence lost; a shadow over the pure light that shone from her.

“I know,” he comforted her. “And if anyone understands what you’re going through, it’s me. But you just have to remember that the bad is tempered with the good. For all that you lose, you give back to the people you help tenfold. And when all the darkness starts to wear at your soul, you just have to remember that the people you love also love you back, fiercely, and nothing can ever touch that. And when all else fails, you can forget your troubles for a week and have fun at a festival with some old friends.”

Iolaus pulled back from the bard and gave her a teasing grin, but he failed to coax a smile from her expressionless face.

“I’m worried about her, Herc,” the hunter confessed, trailing after his friend as they weaved their way through the crowded street. “She seemed really depressed. I couldn’t help wondering if she was thinking about giving up her life with Xena.”

“If she does, I’m sure it will be because she’s decided that its best for her,” Hercules said reasonably. “This life is by no means an easy one, and she’s right, it does wear on the soul.”

“I just wish there was something I could do to help her.”

“Just be her friend,” the demigod advised. “Let her you that you care about her and will support her, whatever she decides.”

“It makes me wonder though...” Iolaus mused.

“Wonder what?”

“Nothing,” the hunter finally replied.

Hercules turned around to look at his friend and placed an understanding hand on his shoulder. He knew what his partner had been thinking. If the seemingly unbreakable team of Xena and Gabrielle could break up, did that mean that the same thing could happen to them?

“I couldn’t get rid of you if I tried,” the demigod declared. He thumped the hunter on the back and grinned. “Come on, we promised Salmoneus we’d meet him for dinner.”

Iolaus smiled, the worry that had been nagging at him dissolving into relief. He knew that even if the day did come where he and Hercules no longer traveled Greece side by side, the love they had for each other would never wane. The hunter also knew that the same held true for Xena and Gabrielle; he just had to get the bard to see it.

As he started following Hercules in anticipation of a meal, Iolaus was suddenly aware of eyes upon him. Turning, he found an absolutely ancient woman staring intently at him. As he caught her eye, she raised a gnarled hand and beckoned him to come, disappearing inside her tent. Glancing up at the sign above the entrance, the hunter saw that she advertised herself as a seer. He hesitated, watching Hercules’ broad back getting lost in the crowd, before finally going to the tent and ducking under the flap.

“Iolaus, fair warrior of Thebes,” the woman said, her voice raspy with age. She had her back to him, but motioned to the table in the center of the tent. “Sit,” she bade him.

“You see, I have to meet someone...” He trailed off as she turned to face him, her dark eyes piercing in her wrinkled face.

“Sit,” she commanded once more. Dutifully, the hunter slid into a chair. “You don’t want to believe that the future can be predicted,” she began, hobbling painfully over to the table to sit across from him. “You wouldn’t, except that you once had the gift of prophecy yourself.”

“I did,” he admitted. “But that just proved to me that the future isn’t carved in stone. We can alter the events by the choices we make.”

“Indeed,” she drawled. “But destiny plays a part. Things beyond our control do happen to us, Iolaus, and they happen for a reason. Your path has not been easy, and there is more difficulty ahead. The fates have seen to it that you and I meet. You could argue that this was not by chance, but for a reason.”

“And what reason would that be?”

“So I could warn you,” she said mysteriously.

“Warn me of what?” he asked, somewhat skeptically.

“There is a darkness around you,” she began, closing her eyes. “An inherent evil. You have the key to defeat it, but you must find it within yourself. After the fire, you will understand. After the fire, it begins and ends. How it begins is unavoidable, a part of the destiny that you must face. But how it ends, is up to you. Believe in the power of your heart, brave hunter, and heed my words. All will be won or lost, after the fire.”

The woman rose stiffly and again turned her back on the stunned Iolaus. He sat in silence for a moment, then got up, pausing to toss a coin onto the table. As he stepped out of the hush of the tent back into the bustle of the street, he went over her words in his head, trying to decipher the cryptic message.

“After the fire, all will be won or lost,” he muttered to himself, not making any sense out of it. He wanted to shrug off her alleged warning as the mere ramblings of an old woman, but he couldn’t ignore the feelings persistently nagging at him. He’d had a feeling that something hadn’t been right ever since they’d gotten to Thebes, and the seer’s words, enigmatic as they might be, only managed to creep him out further. As Iolaus joined his friends, already enjoying their evening meal, he tried to act like everything was fine, realizing that he had nothing concrete to share and that they would probably all laugh him off as being ridiculous. But the hunter vowed to himself that he would keep his eyes open for any signs of trouble. He cared about each and every person sitting around the table with him, and he was not about to let anything happen to any of them.

The night wore on, and the crowds began to disperse. As the spirited band on the stage finished their last song, the first day of the festival came to a close. Jason, in his unofficial role as patriarch to his motley clan, rounded everyone up for the walk home. They all compared notes as to the day’s activities, everyone talking and laughing all at once. Tired after the long day, they all were looking forward to a good night’s sleep, but as they came through the gate surrounding the house, a figure stepped out of the shadows.

“Liri,” a voice called.

The girl froze as she identified the man.

“What do you want?” she whispered, suddenly terrified.

“Liri, please. I just want to talk with you.”

Obviously, this man was Aegisthus, her husband. Instantly, the men crowded protectively around the girl.

“You aren’t welcome here,” Iolaus informed him. “Why don’t you just go back home?”

“This is between me and my wife,” Aegisthus shot back. “Why don’t you just mind your own business?”

The hunter started to move forward, but Liri restrained him with a hand on his arm.

“It’s all right,” she sighed. “I’ll be ok.”

Wrapping her arms tightly around her chest, the girl followed her husband out into the garden.

“Well,” Gabrielle said, a bit awkwardly. “I’m going to go to bed. Good night, everyone.”

The bard disappeared into the house, but the rest of them had no intention of moving. Watching in the glow of the moonlight as the pair spoke in hushed whispers, the men all waited, ready to intervene if needed. And from the looks of things, they were going to be needed.

“Liri, I love you. I’m sorry for hurting you. Please, just come back home. I promise things will be different.” Aegisthus’ voice was getting louder as he tried to persuade her.

“That’s what you always say,” the girl cried. She was more angry than frightened now. “You never MEAN to hurt me, and you’re always SORRY, but you keep on doing it. Well, not anymore. I’m never coming home again, Aegisthus. Not after the last time.”

“You’ll do as you’re told,” he growled, grabbing her roughly by the arm and shaking her. “Or I’ll show you hurting that you’ve never dreamed of!” Aegisthus raised his hand high, ready to deliver a stinging slap, but found his wrist in an iron grasp.

“Stay out of this,” the man hissed, staring into the cold, blue eyes of the demigod. “She’s my wife, and I have the right to do whatever I want with her.”

Iolaus pulled Liri from Aegisthus’ grasp and passed her to Jason, who put his arms around the shaking girl and led her into the house. Drawing his sword, the hunter pressed the tip of the blade under the man’s chin.

“Married or not, that doesn’t give you the right to abuse her,” Hercules told him calmly, but with deadly seriousness. “Now, you need to turn around and go back home. If you refuse, my friend here will show YOU hurting that you’ve never dreamed of.”

“You’re a big man when you’re beating up on a helpless girl,” Iolaus taunted, steel and contempt in his voice. “But how are you against someone who can hit back?”

Aegisthus snarled, face flushing red with anger. But he knew that he was outnumbered, and his inner cowardice won out over his bravado.

“Fine,” he spat, pushing the sword away from him with his hand. “Keep the little bitch. She was nothing but trouble, anyway.” He turned to go, but realized that Hercules still had hold of his wrist. Aegisthus attempted to pull away, but he was held securely.

“If I ever hear that you’ve come after her again,” the demigod threatened ominously. “Tartarus will seem like a paradise compared to what I’ll do to you. Understand?”

The man nodded sullenly, and when Hercules released him he began walking through the garden, back out to the road.

“Faster!” Iolaus called out, unable to resist. To his delight, Aegisthus began to run. “Do you think that’s the last we’ll see of him?”

“Probably,” the demigod answered. “As much as he’s going to resent this humiliation, he’s too cowardly to do anything about it. The only thing that worries me is that he’ll find some other poor girl to take Liri’s place.”

“Or maybe a large tree will fall on him on the way home,” Iolaus giggled.

“Come on,” Hercules said with a roll of the eyes. “Let’s go in.”

“Hercules,” Iloran spoke up, after watching the whole scene in silence. “Do you think that maybe one of us should follow him, just to make sure he really is leaving? I mean, we don’t want him sneaking back here later while we’re all asleep.”

“I think its safe to say he’s gone,” the demigod reassured him. “But if it really makes you feel better, it probably wouldn’t hurt to make sure he really does leave Thebes.”

Iloran nodded solemnly, wanting to do his part to help Liri. He turned and began making his way to the road, intent on trailing Aegisthus until he was convinced the man had truly given up his wife.

“Be careful,” Hercules called after him.

They watched until Iloran was out of sight, then turned to go inside. Iolaus followed his partner, pausing as he spied Trixie crouched next to the house. The black cat was almost impossible to see in the dark, but the light streaming out from the open door had reflected from her yellow eyes.

“Coming in?” he asked, holding the door open for the feline.

With a twitch of the tail, Trixie rose to her feet and began stalking across the yard, away from him. He wasn’t sure why, but for some reason Iolaus felt better not having the cat in the house. Trying to tell himself that he was letting superstition get to him, the hunter went in with a shake of the head.

Jason and Liri both went to bed, but Iolaus and Hercules remained up, splitting a bottle of wine and talking companionably as they waited for Iloran. Finally, he returned, relaying the information that he had tracked Aegisthus for about a mile out of town and that the man did appear to be returning home. Pleased that they had run him off and that Liri would be safe, the three of them finished what was left of the wine in a toast, and then called it a night.

Iolaus was looking forward to the second day of the festival, but some of his initial excitement had worn off and he allowed the others to sleep a bit later than the day before. He was particularly happy to see that Liri had not yet arisen when he got up. The girl still had worries about her husband coming for her, but she was able to finally relax and sleep contentedly, secure in the knowledge that she was among friends who cared about her and who would not let anyone hurt her ever again.

The hunter busied himself with bringing in wood and water and setting a pot to boil over the fire for tea. One by one, the others woke and stumbled in from their various corners, with Jason coming in last, looking like he could have used a few more hours sleep. Liri quickly prepared breakfast as Gabrielle set the table, and everyone sat down for their morning meal before heading back out to the festival.

A somber knock on the door interrupted the levity. Hercules answered it, and admitted the town’s magistrate.

“Good morning, Hercules,” the man greeted him, nodding at the others as he entered. “Sorry to bother you, but I’m afraid we have a problem.”

“What’s wrong?” Iolaus asked quickly.

“A man was found dead outside of Thebes,” the magistrate explained. “He’d been murdered, rather brutally. Someone identified him as the husband of the young lady that’s been seen in your company.”

Liri gasped and turned white. Jason quickly described Aegisthus, and the magistrate concurred that it was the same man they’d found.

“He left here last night, on his way home,” Hercules said thoughtfully. “Do you think bandits could have attacked him.”

The magistrate shook his head.

“He still had his money pouch with him. And the violence of the attack... Well, he was ripped apart with a dagger or a knife. It looks like someone wanted him good and dead.” The man looked pointedly at Liri. “Rumor has it that you weren’t getting along too well with your husband.”

“I know you’re just doing your job,” Jason put in quickly. “But you’re on the wrong trail. Liri was here with us all night.”

“But where was the cat?” Iolaus muttered under his breath, but Hercules had heard him. The demigod shot him a look that clearly indicated he thought his partner had lost his mind, and nudged him to be quiet.

“And the last any of you saw of Aegisthus was when he left here last night?” the magistrate pressed, willing to take their word for it. A few glances were exchanged around the group, and then Iloran spoke up.

“Well, actually, I followed him out of town,” he explained, trying to keep the nervousness out of his voice. “You see, he’d been abusing Liri, and I just wanted to make sure he was actually leaving and that he wouldn’t bother her anymore.”

“Maybe you made sure he wouldn’t bother here anymore, ever,” the magistrate speculated. “Did you kill him to protect her?”

“No,” Iloran declared forcefully. “I just followed him until he had left Thebes, and then I came back here. He was fine when I saw him last.”

“But you were the last person to see him,” the magistrate concluded. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to take you into custody until we can sort this out.”

“Now wait a minute,” the demigod protested.

“Hercules,” the man warned. “He’s a suspect and I’m taking him in. It doesn’t necessarily mean he’s guilty, but we need to hold him until we can get to the bottom of this. I’m just following the law, and if you interfere, I’ll be forced to take you in for obstruction of justice.”

Iloran went with the magistrate willingly, but as they left the house he looked back, pleading with his cousin to help him.

“Don’t worry, Iloran,” Hercules called after him. “We’ll get you out of this.”

“You don’t think he really could have done it, do you?” Liri asked in a tight voice. “I mean, I told him that we could never be together as long as I was married to Aegisthus. You don’t think Iloran could have killed him to free me, do you?”

“No,” the demigod answered. “Iloran would never kill anyone in cold blood. But someone did, and we need to find out who. And you,” he continued, pointing at his partner. “What is the matter with you? Were you really insinuating that a small house cat stalked Aegisthus and murdered him with a dagger?”

“All right,” Jason interrupted as Iolaus opened his mouth to argue. “None of this is going to help us clear Iloran’s name. I think one of us should go to Corinth and talk to Iphicles. He has the power to get Iloran released.”

“I’ll go,” the hunter volunteered.

“You can take my horse,” the Argonaut offered. “The rest of us will stay here and see what we can find out.”

Iolaus went out to the barn and saddled up the horse, and was galloping down the road towards Corinth in a matter of minutes. The others half-heartedly finished their meal, and then went into Thebes to begin their investigation. Gabrielle and Jason searched the crowded streets, talking to people, trying to get information. Hercules took Liri to collect Aegisthus’ body, and they buried him outside of town without much ceremony.

“His father was still alive,” Liri told the demigod. “They weren’t really on speaking terms, but I suppose I should send him a message.”

“This is yours now,” Hercules said, handing the girl Aegisthus’ money pouch. “As is the house and anything else he owned.”

“I don’t want the house,” she declared. “I just want to try and forget about him.” But she took the money, grateful for a few extra dinars.

By the end of the day, the foursome returned home, unsuccessful in their quest. They could find nobody that could tell them anything of relevance, and their search of the area where Aegisthus was killed failed to produce any clues as to who could have committed such a brutal act. Liri hadn’t seen what had been done to her husband, for he had been wrapped in linen. But Hercules had looked, as part of the overall investigation, and what had been done to him made him sick. He had no sympathy for a man who could beat his wife, but nobody deserved to be so grossly mutilated. Whoever had killed him had obviously relished the job, and Hercules knew that they were dealing with a seriously deranged person, as well as one with a lot of strength. The demigod knew he wouldn’t be able to rest until they found the perpetrator and had gotten him locked away from other innocent people.

Liri busied herself with preparing dinner, trying not to think about what Iloran would be eating that night. She sent out a silent prayer for the gods to be merciful to the young man, but secretly she had more faith in Hercules and his friends making everything right. They ate mostly in silence, occupied in their own thoughts. After dinner, as dusk began to fall, Gabrielle excused herself, saying that she had a headache and was going to bed. Liri also went to her room, preferring to be alone to do some thinking. Hercules and Jason sat quietly by the fire, until the sound of hoofbeats signaled the arrival of Iolaus. But as the minutes ticked by and the hunter failed to enter the house, Jason became curious. He stepped out of the door and quickly called for Hercules.

The demigod, picking up on the urgency in his old friend’s voice, rushed outside to see the horse casually grazing in the yard, with no sign of Iolaus. Jason took his stallion by the reigns and began leading him to the barn, but Hercules beat him.

“He’s not here,” the demigod said worriedly as the Argonaut entered. “What do you think could have happened to him?”

“Now, Hercules, don’t panic,” the Argonaut said calmly, always the voice of reason. “I can think of ten reasons why the horse would have come back alone, and none of them are cause for concern. Let’s just start down the road to Corinth and see what we can find.”

“Bring the horse,” Hercules commanded, worried despite his friend’s words. “We may need him if Iolaus is hurt.”

The demigod silently fretted to himself as they started down the road. Jason rubbed a hand wearily over his face, swinging up into the saddle to ride. It was rapidly getting very dark, and they were not going to be able to see much soon, which would make finding out what happened to Iolaus rather difficult. But they had not traveled very far before Hercules spied a still form lying crumpled on the side of the road. Instantly, the demigod was beside his friend, rolling him over onto his back.

“He’s alive,” he sighed in relief as Jason slid down from his horse next to him. “But I don’t know how badly he’s hurt. I can’t see anything out here.”

“Let’s get him back to the house,” the Argonaut suggested. Hercules lifted his friend carefully and draped him over the broad back of the horse. Jason began leading the stallion back towards home, and the demigod walked along at the horse’s side, one hand steadying his unconscious partner, silently pleading that his friend would be ok.

When they arrived back at the house, Hercules carried Iolaus inside as Jason took the horse out to the barn to put him up for the night. Liri came out of her room as she heard the commotion, and was shocked to see the hunter in Hercules’ arms.

“What happened?” she cried. “Is he all right?”

“Liri,” the demigod said quickly as he laid his friend down onto his bed. “Could you please put some water on to boil for tea and bring me some cold water and a towel?”

She rushed off to do his bidding as Hercules checked his partner over. The only injury he could find, apart from a few scratches, was a large lump on the hunter’s head. Liri returned with the things he’d asked for, and the demigod took the bowel of water from her, dipping the towel into it and wiping his friend’s face.

“Iolaus?” he called softly. “I know you’re in there. Come on back to us, buddy. Come on, it’s time to wake up now.”

There was no response, and the hunter lay still as death.

“Come on, Iolaus,” Hercules said, more insistently. “You’re starting to scare me. Come on, buddy, you can do it. Open your eyes.”

A slight moan escaped from the hunter’s throat. The demigod kept bathing his face with the cool water, and after several moments, Iolaus’ eyes began to flutter and he opened them to look dazedly up at his friend.

“Welcome back,” Hercules grinned, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder. “How are you feeling?”

The hunter just groaned, raising a shaking hand up to his throbbing head.

“Liri, stay with him, ok? I’ll be back in a minute.”

She nodded and moved to sit on the edge of the bed, dipping the towel back into the cool water and holding it against the knot on the hunter’s head. Hercules dashed out to the kitchen and threw a few herbs into a mug, pouring the boiling water in on top of them. He stirred it quickly and returned to his partner.

“Here,” he offered, sliding a hand behind his friend’s head and raising him up slightly, putting the mug to his lips. “This will help that headache some.” Iolaus obligingly drank the brew with no complaints, a sure sign that he was in a lot of pain. Jason entered the room, very glad to see the hunter awake, and together he and Hercules helped him undress.

“Do you remember what happened?” Jason asked as the demigod covered his partner with a blanket.

“The cat,” Iolaus murmured. Gods, it hurt to even talk. “Ran out in front of us. Spooked the horse. I got thrown.”

“What is it with you and that cat?” Hercules asked with a trace of exasperation. But he could plainly see that his friend was in no shape to discuss it, so he let the matter drop. “Why don’t you go to bed, Jase? I’ll stay here with him, make sure he’s all right.”

The Argonaut nodded, feeling very drained. Saying good night to his friends, he left the room and went out to the barn. Liri had been hovering in the kitchen, but as she saw Jason leave, she went in to ask Hercules if there was anything else she could do. He thanked her for her help and concern, but assured her that all was under control, so she went back to her room.

Hercules stayed beside his partner all night, monitoring his condition carefully and periodically waking him to make sure he was all right. Finally, as the morning sun began shining through the slats of the shutters, the demigod sat back and sighed, convinced that Iolaus would be fine. Leaving the hunter sleeping, Hercules went out to the kitchen where he could hear Liri bustling around.

“Will you keep an eye on him for me?” he asked the girl, stifling a yawn.

“Of course I will,” she replied. “But where are you going?”

“To see the magistrate,” the demigod answered, holding up a scroll that was sealed with the mark of Corinth. “I’m going to go get Iloran.”

The magistrate could hardly argue with a royal order from King Iphicles, so he was obliged to release Iloran into the custody of Hercules.

“You can’t leave Thebes until this is all straightened out,” the demigod told his young cousin. “But at least you won’t have to stay in jail.”

“It’s great. Thank you, Hercules.” Iloran was so happy to be released, he didn’t mind the provision, especially after he was welcomed home with a warm hug and a sweet smile from Liri. No, it was not going to be any hardship for him to have to spend a little more time in Thebes.

“Iolaus did wake up while you were gone,” Liri told the demigod. “He was hungry, so I gave him some broth. That’s a good sign, isn’t it?”

“Normally, I’d say yes,” Hercules grinned. “But with Iolaus, it doesn’t necessarily mean anything. It would take a lot more than a knock on the head to put him off food.”

The demigod decided to forgo the third day of the festival, in order to stay home and keep his partner company. And also to keep him from getting up and sneaking off into town, but he didn’t voice that motivation to anyone. Jason and Gabrielle also chose to stay home, doing their parts to help entertain the restless hunter. Liri and Iloran, with the encouragement of the others, did go into the festival for a few hours, but they came home early in order to have dinner with their friends.

Iolaus, insisting that he was fine, was up and around by evening, despite Hercules’ objections and pleas for him to take it easy. The hunter did have a reputation for pushing himself when he was not quite at his best, attempting to hide what he perceived as weakness from his friends. But this time he really did feel up to resuming normal activity. He boasted a huge lump on the side of his head and he was plagued with a dull ache in his temples, but overall he was feeling much better and more like his old self.

Everyone helped with the chores and with arranging the evening meal. By nightfall, the house was in order and all were sated from a simple, but filling dinner. Gabrielle was feeling restless, and declared that she was going outside for a walk. Iolaus expressed some concern about her going out alone, but she promised she would stay within earshot of the house. The others talked for a little while in front of the fire, but Hercules soon decided to call it an early night, as he was tired from his sleepless session of monitoring the hunter’s condition the night before.

“Don’t stay up too late,” he advised his partner.

“Yes, Mother,” Iolaus replied with a teasing grin.

Shaking his head, the demigod went into his room and shut the door. Going to the window, he closed the shutters and latched them before plopping down on the bed. Hercules was in the process of tugging his boots off when he froze, certain that he had heard something. It sounded like it had come from under the bed. Trying to tell himself that he was being paranoid, the demigod rose and picked up the candle from the table. Bending down, he lifted the blanket up and peered underneath the bed, seeing two yellow eyes staring back at him and jumping as he heard a hiss.

“Trixie,” he sighed, feeling relieved. “I guess Iolaus’ mad ramblings are starting to get to me.” Hercules opened the door and shooed the cat out of his room.

The feline stalked out to where Liri was sitting on the floor by the fire. Climbing into the girl’s lap, the black cat began to purr as the gentle hands stroked her fur.

“What is it, kitty?” Liri cooed to her. “You want to go outside?” She went and opened the door, letting the feline dash out into the night.

Iolaus was not tired in the least, having slept a good portion of the day, so he proposed a game of cards. Jason declined, but Liri and Iloran were willing. The hunter quickly went outside to find Gabrielle standing in the garden, and he invited her in to play. She agreed, and the foursome were soon engrossed in their game at the table, while Jason stared absently into the fire.

Hercules had fallen into a sound sleep, but something was disturbing him. He felt a tickle on his arm, like something crawling on him. Subconsciously, he brushed it away, but the feeling persisted. Reluctantly awakening, the demigod could feel more of the sensations, all over his body. Something was wrong. Groggily, he rose from his bed, brushing his hands over his arms and chest. Fumbling in the dark, he somehow managed to light the candle that sat on the table next to his bed. As light flooded the room, the demigod couldn’t hold back a yelp at what he saw.

For a moment, Iolaus froze. Hercules just didn’t yelp, and the fact that he just had was enough to send a tremor of fear through the hunter. But it only lasted a moment, and then he was up and running toward the bedroom, calling out his friend’s name with the others close behind him.

Iloran gasped and Liri shrieked at the sight, but Iolaus didn’t hesitate. He rushed inside to help his partner. The room was infested with hundreds of small spiders. They were all through the bed, crawling up the walls, across the floor, and climbing on one very freaked out demigod. The hunter brushed most of the arachnids off of Hercules’ frame, then pulled his partner out of the room, shutting the door behind them.

“We found this under the bed,” Iloran stated, tossing the remains of a large egg sack down on the table. Hercules poked at the object, then sat back with a shudder, reliving his waking nightmare. He ran his hands through his chestnut hair, still wet from the bath he’d just emerged from. The others had taken towels and brooms into the room, disposing of the spiders, understanding completely why the demigod had felt the urgent, immediate need to bathe.

“Herc,” Iolaus began, knowing that he was probably setting himself up for more ridicule. “The cat was in the room before you went to bed, wasn’t she?”

“Yes, and she was under the bed,” the demigod replied. “Let me guess. You think that she purposefully brought an egg sack of spiders into the house and hid it intentionally under my bed?”

“I know it sounds crazy...”

“Iolaus, you have to get over it,” Iloran interrupted. “You’re obsessed with this cat.”

“Well, think about it,” the hunter insisted, growing defensive. “In the last four days, you fell off the roof, I got thrown from the horse, Aegisthus was murdered, and we had a spider attack. And in all four cases, the cat was seen just before each one occurred.”

“That could all be a coincidence,” Gabrielle offered.

“Coincidence or not,” Hercules put in. “There is something strange going on here. I don’t think it has anything to do with that cat, but I have a feeling that someone or something is at work here.”

“What?” Liri demanded, looking hard at Gabrielle.

“I didn’t say anything,” the bard protested.

“No, but you looked at me,” Liri claimed. “You think it’s me, don’t you? You think I’m doing all this?”

“Well, since you bring it up,” Gabrielle said carefully. “Nothing ever happened here until you showed up, and you are the only stranger here among us.”

“And you do have a connection with that cat,” Iolaus added.

“You can’t be serious,” Iloran spoke up, glaring at the hunter. “Liri’s not responsible for what’s been going on here. I think you all are just reacting hysterically to bunch of isolated accidents.”

“I’m not saying Liri’s intentionally causing it,” Gabrielle continued, trying to smooth over the waves. “But maybe Aegisthus is doing it. Maybe he was haunted by demons, and now that he’s dead they’re coming for you.”

“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard,” Iloran spat, blue eyes flashing angrily.

“Look, you don’t need to yell at her,” Iolaus intervened, standing up for the bard. “We’re just trying to find out what’s been happening. Exploring all the theories.”

“Why don’t I just save us all some trouble?” Liri stood up , pushing her chair back forcefully. “I’ll gather my things and leave at first light. Will that make everyone sleep better tonight?”

“Everybody just stop it,” Hercules bellowed, losing his patience. “Arguing with each other is not going to help us get to the bottom of this. Now, nobody is going anywhere. And until we figure this all out, I don’t want anyone going off alone. We stay together, and everyone keeps their eyes open. I don’t want to hear anymore bickering about petty suspicions, and I certainly don’t want to hear anymore about that cat.” He looked pointedly at the hunter. “Everyone understand?”

As they all sullenly agreed, the demigod took a deep breath and rose from the table. He moved to the kitchen, puling a mug from the shelf and filling it with water. Jason appeared at his elbow as he took a long swallow.

“Hercules, I think I have a problem.”

The demigod turned to look at his old friend, noticing that he seemed pale and that his hands were trembling.

“What do you mean?”

The Argonaut began undoing the bandage around his hand. As it fell away, Hercules’ eyes went wide with shock. The puncture marks where Jason had been bitten by the cat four days ago were swollen and red and oozing a yellowish pus.

“Come on,” the demigod said reassuringly, putting a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Let’s go clean that up and get you settled somewhere comfortable for the night, and then tomorrow we’ll go and see a healer.”

Jason’s condition had far worsened by morning. The Argonaut had developed a fever, and he was rapidly losing strength. Gabrielle had insisted that he have his room back, saying that he needed to be comfortable and that she was perfectly capable of making do in the barn. No one really argued with her, as taking care of Jason had become the first and foremost thought in everyone’s mind.

Iloran volunteered to go into town and bring back a healer to the house. He was not gone long, returning with an elderly man who was visiting Thebes for the festival. The healer examined the Argonaut carefully, clucking sympathetically as he looked at the wounds.

“It’s a bad infection.” He gave the verdict somberly. “If he can fight off the fever, he has a good chance of recovering. I’m leaving you these herb packets. Stir them into hot water and give him one every four hours, and keep cleaning out the wounds and applying this salve. I’ll stop back in tomorrow and check on him, but I’ve done all I can do for now.”

Worry and tension hung heavily over the formerly happy household. They all took shifts, tending to their ill friend. Bathing him with cool water, preparing the medicines, treating his wounds. Reassuring him in his lucid moments, and restraining him as he thrashed in fever induced hallucinations. Pacing about the house when they should have been resting, and looking helplessly to each other for comfort, but finding none in each other’s grim faces.

Liri had been sitting with Jason, running the cool towel over his face and chest repetitively, deeply disturbed by the heat radiating from him. She didn’t like to think about what would have happened to her if it hadn’t been for the kindness of the Argonaut, and she wasn’t sure she could bear it if he died.

The door opened, and Iolaus entered with yet another mug of the herbal tea. It hadn’t been working, but they had dutifully kept administering it because it was all they had. The hunter handed Liri the mug and then slid behind Jason, lifting his old friend upright so that he was lying back against his chest, his head lolling against Iolaus’ shoulder. Liri put the mug to his lips, pouring in just a bit at a time, giving the liquid adequate time to trickle down the Argonaut’s throat, until the mug was finally empty. Iolaus gently laid his friend back down and straightened the blanket covering him.

“This is all my fault,” Liri whispered.

“What are you talking about?” Iolaus asked her.

“I’m the one that wanted to keep the cat,” she explained, tears filling her eyes. “If I hadn’t insisted that we bring it inside during the storm, Jason wouldn’t have been bitten trying to catch her. He’s going to die, and its all my fault.”

“You sound like Hercules,” the hunter remarked, pulling the girl into his arms as she started to weep.

Curiosity getting the better of her, Liri choked back her sobs and asked him what he meant. Iolaus smiled, brushing the golden hair back from her face and wiping the tears from her cheeks.

“Every time something happens to me, Hercules blames himself,” the hunter clarified. “If I get hurt in battle, he thinks its his fault.”

“Why does he think that?” she sniffed.

“I don’t know. I guess he thinks that he should have been able to protect me. Or else, that because I was in the wrong place at the wrong time with him, that he had somehow put me in the line of fire. I could never make the big lug understand that it was my CHOICE to fight beside him. That I knew about the risks, but I decided to fight anyway, and I was willing to accept the consequences. That my being a part of his life, the partner by his side, was my decision, one made of my own free will. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“I think so,” she said hesitantly.

“My point is, that Jason chose to try and catch the cat. You didn’t force him, and you certainly never intended for him to be hurt. Nobody blames you for what happened, so you shouldn’t blame yourself.”

“I just can’t help feeling guilty,” Liri sighed.

“Try and fight it,” Iolaus advised. “Because Jason has enough to deal with right now. He doesn’t need to feel he has to shoulder your burden of guilt on top of everything else. Believe me, Liri, when I tell you that it’s a hard thing to face. I’m speaking from long experience here.”

“I’ll try,” she promised.

“Good.” The hunter smiled and touched her lightly on the arm. “Why don’t you go and try to get some sleep. I’ll sit with Jason for awhile.”

Liri nodded and rose, pausing to look back at the Argonaut before she slipped out of the room. She was exhausted, and was planning on going to bed, but a soft knock at her door stopped her.

“I know this isn’t the time for this,” Iloran began as he entered her room. “But we have to talk, Liri.”

“What about?”

“Us.”

“Iloran, this ISN’T the time to talk about it. I can’t even think about us when Jason is so sick.”

“I just want to ask you one thing.” Iloran sat down next to her on the bed and took her hand. “Liri, I’m not asking you for any promises or any kind of commitment right now. All I want to know is, do you have the kind of feelings for me that I have for you?”

The girl was silent for several heartbeats, finally raising her head to look into his hopeful blue eyes.

“Yes,” she said softly. “But, Iloran...”

Her words were interrupted by his lips as he leaned in to kiss her gently before he rose and went to the door.

“Then I’ll wait for you,” he vowed. “I’ll wait until the time is right and you feel you’re ready. I’ll wait for as long as it takes. Good night, Liri.”

“Good night,” she murmured as he let himself out and shut the door. She wasn’t sure what to think, feeling a stab of guilt for allowing herself to think of anything but Jason. Sighing, she decided to sleep on it, and hope that everything would work out in the morning.

The bright sun signaled the arrival of another glorious day for the Harvest Festival. But the fifth day of the celebration was the farthest thing from the minds of Jason’s friends. The healer had come back as promised to tell them all that the Argonaut was fading, a fact that was already painfully obvious to all of them. Jason’s breathing had become a labored pant, and the fever was consuming him. Nothing they had tried was working, and although they collectively would never give up, a feeling of despair had settled over the house.

Iolaus and Hercules spent a long day next to their old friend, caring for him and talking to him, pleading with him to hang on and urging him to fight. Jason was lost in unconsciousness, but they bombarded him with memories of their wild youths as cadets at the Academy, laughing through the tears as they recalled crazy antics. But as evening approached and the Argonaut slipped a little further away from them, the two partners looked into each other’s eyes, both feeling helplessness at being unable to prevent what was starting to seem like an inevitable end.

Liri went out to the kitchen to prepare dinner. She knew that no one would probably feel like eating, but it gave her something to do, something to occupy her mind. Iloran silently helped her, a solemn expression on his face, a look of sadness in his blue eyes. Salmoneus had heard about the Argonaut’s condition, and had actually closed his booth down in order to stop by the house and see if he could do anything to help. Everyone was grateful for the salesman’s offer and for the concern he showed, but there was really nothing he could do, so as darkness began to fall, he went back to the festival with a heavy heart, almost certain that the next day’s news would be of the noble Jason’s death.

Iolaus eventually found himself alone with his old friend. With a weary sigh, he held the Argonaut’s head up and held a mug of water to his cracked lips, forcing him to take a little of the fluid. The hunter eased him back down, pausing to gently squeeze his good hand before dipping the towel into cool water and swabbing it over his friend’s face and torso. Jason’s injured hand had swollen to over twice its size, and angry, red streaks were encroaching up his arm. It killed Iolaus to see his friend, someone he both loved and admired, so sick. To see such a hero suffering and wasting away before his very eyes.

“You can’t go like this, Jase,” the hunter whispered in his ear. “You, me, and Hercules still have adventures down the road. You can’t break up our team. And what about all your students? The Academy needs you, Jason. All those kids look up to you, and they’re counting on you to teach them what they need to be warriors. Not just battle skills and strategies, but everything you’ve learned from experience. And all of us here need you, too. Please, Jason, just try and hang on.”

“Iolaus?”

The hunter looked up to see Gabrielle in the doorway.

“Hi,” he murmured, sitting back in his chair and running a hand tiredly over his forehead.

“I brought some more water,” she told him, lugging the heavy bucket in as she looked at him critically. “Why don’t you go and try to get some sleep?”

He shook his head, looking back at the Argonaut. It was silly, but he almost felt like as long as he was with Jason, he could keep him from dying, somehow.

“Iolaus,” the bard said gently, resting a hand on his shoulder. “You need to get some rest. I’ll stay here with Jason, and I promise I’ll come get you if there’s any change.”

“I’m not tired,” the hunter lied. “But maybe a little air would be good. I’ll just go out to the barn and make sure his horse is taken care of. Jason would never forgive us if he sees that we’ve been neglecting his stallion while he was sick.”

Changing places with Gabrielle, Iolaus paused to look down at his friend as the bard slid into the chair he’d just vacated. The hunter gave Jason’s blanketed leg a pat, then forced himself to leave the room. He did feel a little better as he left the house and ventured out into the cool night air. Taking a few deep breaths, Iolaus began walking to the barn, but something distracted him. He stared off toward town for a few moments, then went running back into the house.

“There’s a fire at the festival,” he cried, almost running into Hercules as he flew through the door.

“What?” the demigod asked in alarm.

“The sky’s full of smoke and you can see the flames from here,” Iolaus told him. “We have to go help.”

Iloran and Liri had quickly congregated around the demigod as they’d heard the commotion.

“You two,” Hercules commanded. “Gather up all the bandages and blankets that you can and bring them.” They both nodded and immediately scurried off. “Gabrielle,” the demigod called, seeing the bard emerging from the bedroom where she’d been tending to the Argonaut. “Take care of Jason. Iolaus, let’s go.”

But the hunter was already out the door.

The fire had been terrible, sweeping through the marketplace of Thebes and consuming the stage and most of the booths and stands. Nobody was sure just how it had gotten started or how it had spread so quickly. A few people were whispering about divine intervention. But for the size and intensity of the flames, miraculously, there were few injuries. The townspeople had all worked quickly and efficiently, containing the inferno and controlling it until they were able to put it out. Tragedy had most definitely been avoided, but it pretty much spelled an early end for the Harvest Festival.

They had stayed until the fire was completely out, checking for casualties and tending to minor injuries. Hercules was reluctant to leave until he had taken down all charred structures which he felt could pose a danger to the people if they collapsed. But finally, even the demigod was ready to leave the rest of the cleanup until morning and he, Iolaus, Iloran, and Liri headed for home, exhausted, sooty, and a bit singed around the edges.

The hunter was fatigued and wasn’t thinking of much on the journey home, other than how he’d love nothing more than a hot bath and a good night’s sleep. But as he pushed open the gate in front of the house, something flashed through his mind. The words that the old seer had prophesied to him the first night of the festival.

“After the fire it begins and ends....” he whispered to himself. Looking up sharply, the hunter spotted a figure silhouetted in the doorway. He squinted through eyes still stinging with smoke, gasping as he saw who it was. “Jason!”

The others had been a few paces behind him, for even when tired Iolaus still bounced ahead with boundless energy. But they came running quickly as they heard his cry of surprise, and had piled in behind him as he stopped abruptly.

When they had left, Jason had seemingly been at death’s door. Now he stood before them, a strange light in his eyes, a cold smile twitching his lips. His hand was normal once again, and he was using it to stroke the back of the cat cradled in his arms. Iolaus could hear her loud purring from where he stood, and his heart froze as she turned those yellow eyes on him with a look of pure malice.

The Argonaut stepped forward, moving toward them with all the stealth of a cat stalking its prey. He halted his approach a few feet away from the hunter. The feline leapt out of his arms as a great ring of flames appeared across the yard, enclosing them all within a wall of fire. Even with all that was happening, Hercules was still failing to comprehend what was going on.

“Jason?” he asked disbelievingly. “What are you doing?”

Smiling cruelly at his words, the Argonaut drew a sword and advanced on his old friend, ready to split him open. But his blade clashed against steel, as Iolaus threw himself in front of the demigod and met Jason’s sword with his own. Spurred by an unholy madness, the Argonaut fought with seemingly unstoppable energy. But working together, Iolaus and Hercules were able to overcome him. The hunter disarmed him and the demigod subdued him, finding it necessary to pin him on the ground, sitting on top of him while the Argonaut squirmed and cursed.

“Hercules,” Iloran said urgently, holding tightly to the terrified Liri. “We need to find a way out of here. There’s no telling what he’s done to Gabrielle.”

“Iolaus,” the demigod called, scanning the burning ring of fire thoughtfully. “Do you think you could clear the flames and land all right if I tossed you over?”

But the hunter wasn’t listening to him. His attentions were captivated by the cat crouched on the ground in the darkness, flames dancing in her yellow eyes. A frightening realization had just struck him, one almost too horrible to think about. Iolaus hadn’t noticed it before, but he was suddenly aware that whenever Gabrielle was around, the cat was nowhere to be found. He had already connected the appearance of the cat with all of the accidents that had befallen them over the last few days, but what he’d failed to see was that the appearance of the cat was sequential to a disappearance by Gabrielle.

With a loud hiss, the cat sprang from the ground, sailing through the air toward him. But they were hands, not paws, which struck his chest. A woman’s body knocked him to the ground, in place of the small, sleek feline. And a human face peered into his. The face of a friend, with eyes of pure evil.

“Hope,” he whispered, not entirely sure how he knew it was Gabrielle’s demon daughter masquerading as the bard.

“I must be getting better,” she said, letting a purr creep into her voice. “It didn’t take Xena nearly this long to catch on. Maybe you aren’t as smart as I gave you credit for.”

Iolaus struggled, but he was trapped beneath the willowy female who had an unnatural strength. Turning his head, the hunter looked to his friends for help, but they were powerless to come to his aid. Hope had rendered them unable to move. Only Hercules seemed to be able to fight against her, but he was straining, moving forward at a snail’s pace.

“What do you want?” the hunter shouted, feeling a tremor run through him. He felt a deep and abiding fear, the fear of having to relive what he had gone through with Dahak. Iolaus knew he would gladly die before he’d cause his friends that grief once more.

“You,” Hope hissed at him. “My father took your life. He used you as his vessel, giving you powers that you’d never dreamed of before. But then not only did you defeat him, but you somehow defeated the death that he’d bestowed upon you. This should be the reign of Dahak, and instead, you walk the earth in his place. I will avenge my father’s death, and I will see you suffer unimaginable torments for all eternity.”

“If you want me, take me,” Iolaus said defiantly. “But leave my friends alone!”

Hope smiled, a demonic look passing over her face.

“As you wish.”

A bright bolt of lightening shot out of the sky toward them, engulfing them in a strange blue light. Then it disappeared, taking both Iolaus and Hope with it as the ring of fire collapsed and died. Everyone was in shock for several moments. The blinding flash of light had temporarily blinded them, and it took a few minutes before the spots cleared from their visions and they were able to start making out shapes in the moonlight.

“Jason?” Iloran asked, putting a hand on the Argonaut’s shoulder as the older man groaned and sat up. “Are you all right?”

“I think so,” Jason replied. “But how did I get out here? The last thing I remember was.... What in Hades happened?”

Iloran looked over at his cousin, who had crawled to the smoking area of ground where his partner had vanished. He didn’t know how to answer Jason’s question, not sure what had happened. But he had a bad feeling that the brave hunter had just sacrificed everything to save them all.

Hercules reached out a hand, touching his fingertips to the still warm ground.

“Iolaus?” he whispered. But the only answer he received was the lonely sounds of the autumn night.

“What’s wrong?” Iloran asked, noticing that Liri seemed a bit distracted.

“Can I ask you something?” she said uncertainly. When he nodded, she continued. “I’ve been wondering about something. When Hope took the form of the cat, why do you think she was drawn to me? Do you think that maybe I have a darkness inside me? One that I don’t know about but that she maybe could sense?”

“Not a chance,” Iloran declared confidently. “I think she was just using you, to take the suspicion from herself. Or, maybe she was just looking for a little affection. Being abandoned by your own mother has to be rough, even if you are an instrument of evil. Maybe she just wanted to be loved, if only in its briefest sense.”

“We all want that,” Liri said softly. Iloran grinned and took her in his arms, drawing her to him to kiss her deeply.

“Well,” came an icy voice from the doorway. “I’m glad someone is able to act like nothing’s happened.”

Liri started guiltily, and Iloran turned to meet his cousin’s disdainful glare.

“Hercules,” he began gently. “I know how upset you are now, and I hope you know that I would never to do anything to cause you more pain. You have to know that I miss Iolaus too, and I’d give anything to have him back here with us. But he’s been gone for weeks. Not even the gods know what’s happened to him. It might be time to face the fact that he might not be coming back again.”

“If he can’t come back,” the demigod stated wildly. “Then I’ll find him. You might be able to just give up on your friends, but I can’t.” With this outburst, Hercules turned and stormed out of the house.

“I’ll talk to him,” Jason sighed, having witnessed the last part of the exchanged. He followed his friend outside, finding him leaning on the stone wall that surrounded the house.

“Hercules,” the Argonaut began, trying to reason with his friend. “Iloran had a good point.”

“What? That I should give up on Iolaus?”

“Hope was strong,” Jason said softly. “Maybe too strong for Iolaus. The fact is, he’s been gone a long time, and not even your father knows where she took him. If he went to another realm, you’re never going to be able to find them.”

“I have to try,” the demigod insisted desperately. “I can’t just let him go, not without a fight.”

“This battle wasn’t yours TO fight, and you‘re going to have to accept that sometime.”

“I can’t lose him this way,” Hercules whispered hoarsely. “I can’t! I can’t just give up on him.”

“Hercules, you don’t even have the first clue where to look,” the Argonaut reasoned with him. “And no one thinks that you’re giving up on Iolaus. You’re just moving on.”

“Moving on,” the demigod laughed bitterly. “Like Iloran’s doing?”

“Don’t blame them for being young,” his old friend chastised. “And they are right. There’s nothing more that they can do. It’s time to move on.”

“I suppose getting on with my life is what Iolaus would have wanted.”

Jason smiled, getting a strong feeling of deja vu. He remembered years long gone, of their youths spent at the Academy. They had once believed Hercules to be dead, when the gods had taken him unexpectedly to Olympus. Iolaus had been prepared to abandon the Academy, not sure that he could remain there without Hercules. Finally, he had told Jason of his decision to stay, because it was what Hercules would have wanted. Jason had been a young prince then, and he never could have imagined that there would come a day when he’d give up his throne, or lead the Argonauts in a second quest for the golden fleece, or even take Cheiron’s place as headmaster. He certainly had never expected to again be in the same scenario of that long ago day once more. But now, he sent a silent prayer of thanks to the fates for granting him that honor.

“Why don’t you ask him yourself?” Jason suggested quietly, a huge grin splitting his face.

Hercules looked at his friend sharply, then followed his gaze out to the road, his heart stopping as his jaw dropped. He stared at the figure of Iolaus, afraid that it was an apparition that would disappear if he blinked. The hunter was coming toward them slowly, limping a bit, but as he spied them he smiled and waved. That was all it took. The demigod bounded over the wall, feet scarcely touching the ground as he sped toward his friend, almost knocking him over as he swept him up into a crushing bear hug.

Iolaus hugged him back, laughing over his friend’s unbridled enthusiasm. When Hercules finally put him down, looking at his friend with shining eyes, the expression of pure love, relief, and joy on his face was enough to almost break the Argonaut’s heart. It definitely brought a tear to his eye.

“Are you all right?” The demigod asked. “What happened? Where were you? Where’s Hope? What took you so long?”

The hunter laughed again at his friend’s rapid fire questioning. It was a sound that Hercules felt was sweeter to his ears than the finest musical score.

“That’s a long story,” Iolaus announced, a merry twinkle in his blue eyes. “And I’m hungry.”

Immediately, Jason and Hercules escorted him into the house. Once she got over the surprise, Liri began to fuss over him, setting a “snack” out before him to tide him over until she could prepare a celebratory dinner in his honor.

“So, spill it,” Hercules commanded. He had given his friend a few minutes to take the edge of his hunger, but he could wait no longer. “What happened?”

“Well,” the hunter began, taking another bite of bread and chewing thoughtfully. “I’m not really sure where I was. One second I was out in the yard, and then the next I was in a... A kind of big cave. Rock walls and floor. I couldn’t see a ceiling. But I was surrounded by that same ring of fire. Hope appeared, and we began to fight.”

His voice trailed off and his eyes took on a faraway look.

“We fought a long time,” Iolaus continued. “For days, it seemed. We must have been on some kind of spiritual plane, because I don’t really remember feeling any pain, even though she was kicking my butt. Just shame and fear of what would happen if I lost. I kept fighting, but she was wining and the flames all around us started getting taller and brighter.”

“Then what happened?” the demigod prodded.

“I don’t know for certain,” the hunter replied. “In the back of my mind, I started thinking about you, and about everyone I cared about back home. I knew that I couldn’t lose. I couldn’t let you down. I knew you were back here, Hercules, waiting for me. Cheering me on and believing in me. I knew you’d never give up on me, so I couldn’t let myself give up. And when I started thinking of this, the flames lost a little of their intensity.”

Iloran and Liri were listening, wide eyed to the story. Iolaus blinked, coming back from the memories, and resumed his tale more animatedly.

“I started thinking of something else, too. All those accidents Hope caused could have been really bad. I mean, let’s face it, getting thrown from a horse and falling from a roof are two activities with the potential for massive injury. I couldn’t figure out why Hope had been toying with us, playing these petty games. Then I started thinking, maybe we had someone on our side from the start. Maybe someone was watching over us, blocking her power and giving us some degree of protection. I thought of Michael, and I asked him to help me, to give me the strength of the Light. Immediately, I began to get the upper hand, and the flames began to shrink as I started winning.”

“Then you beat her?” Iloran enthused.

“Well, not right away. That old seer at the festival had told me to trust in the power of my heart. I didn’t really know what she meant by that, and as I fought Hope, I still wasn’t sure. But I looked inside my heart, and what I saw there was an energy, a resolve, and the power I needed to defeat her. It came from wanting to do what was right, and wanting to protect the innocent. But, mostly it came from love. The all consuming love I have for those I care about, which makes me willing to sacrifice everything, even myself, to keep them safe. Somehow, this weakened Hope. I got in a good kick, and sent her flying into the dying flames. There was a massive explosion, and then the next thing I knew, I was waking up in the meadow beyond the ridge.”

Everyone was in awe of this story. Hercules especially was struck speechless. He had always known his brave, selfless friend had a huge, caring heart, but he had never suspected that the depth and strength of his feelings would be the ultimate weapon to destroy the ultimate evil. For Iolaus had not won this battle with physical means. Instead, it was his absolute, unconditional love for his partner which had given him the strength to defeat Hope. There was nothing she could do to harm him, because he remained safe and protected in the knowledge that the bond between them was forever unbroken. The strength of his heart and the love he held there weakened any hold she had on him, and turned her power back against her.

Jason had spent his life giving speeches, so he was naturally the first to recover and verbally acknowledge the moment.

“I propose a toast,” he said regally, lifting his wine glass high. “To Iolaus, and his powerful heart. We will never forget what he was willing to sacrifice for us, and we will remember, always, his victory. Iolaus, you’ve always been a hero. But tonight, you become a legend.”

The toast was the first in a long succession that night. They ate and drank and talked and laughed for hours after the golden sun had set, relishing in Iolaus’ triumphant victory and his even more triumphant return. But finally, the tug of Morpheus became too much to ignore, especially for the battle weary hunter. Bidding fond goodnights, he headed for his room, trailed by his partner. Iolaus had been acutely aware of the perma-grin that Hercules had plastered on his face all night, and he had definitely not missed all the fond looks that had been coming his way.

“Guess I was gone longer than I thought, huh?” he asked teasingly.

“Just don’t go vanishing on me like that again, ok?”

“All right. Herc, you weren’t WORRIED about me, were you?”

“No,” the demigod answered with a happy grin, looping an arm around his friend’s shoulders. “I knew you were coming back.”

Finis

Disclaimer: No psychotic felines were harmed during the writing of this story.

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