Soul Searching

This story is a sequel of sorts to my story "Rael". It is not really necessary to read that one before reading this, but it is linked below for those that are interested. (Rael is Hercules' half sister from Eire, sired by Zeus. She is a healing goddess.) As always, I don't own the characters from the series and I am definitely not profiting with these innocent works of fiction. No copyright infringements intended.

Iolaus sighed heavily as he reached out a trembling hand to permanently shut the little girl’s eyes. Pulling the blanket up over her, he glanced to where her mother was fitfully tossing in her sleep. The woman was all that was left of a family of eight. Iolaus knew that she had been fighting to hang on for her children’s sakes, but now that the last one had gone, the hunter suspected that she would soon follow. He gathered the child in his arms and carried her outside, wanting to remove her before her mother woke up to see another lifeless body. Iolaus carried her down the main street of town to where Hercules was stationed.

“Another one?” the demigod asked wearily, heart breaking as he took in the small size of the bundle in his friend’s arms. Iolaus gently laid the still form onto a pyre and silently asked Hades to look out for the child as Hercules lit the wood underneath her.

“Herc, we have to stop this,” the hunter pleaded as he slumped to the ground. “This village is destroyed. It’s only a matter of time before this plague reaches the next one. And how long before it hits Corinth? Our friends are dying. All of Greece is dying. There must be something we can do. Obviously the gods don’t care enough to get involved.”

“When do they ever?” Hercules said sarcastically, then an idea struck him. “But on the other hand, maybe there is one god who does care.”

“Are you talking about Rael?” Iolaus asked, a ray of hope beginning to dawn.

“We’d have to go to Eire and find her,” the demigod said slowly. “That would take time, but she may be our only hope.”

“What are we waiting for?” The hunter jumped up with renewed energy. “There’s nothing else we can do here. Let’s go find a ship.”

That task turned out to be more difficult than either one had anticipated. Threat of the plague sweeping through Greece had people flocking to the ports in droves, desperate to leave before their families became infected. Much of the sea travel had halted, as vessels from neighboring countries began to refuse passengers, lest they infect their own homelands. But, as in all crises, the unscrupulous men were using such desperation to their advantage. Ships could be found that would shuttle people out of Greece, providing the price was right. Hercules and Iolaus finally found such a ship bound for Eire that was short on crew. The captain agreed to take them, provided that they fill in and work for the duration of the journey. Both heroes hated to support such a dishonorable practice, but like everyone else, they were desperate. They had to get to Eire as soon as possible, and this method was much quicker than traveling to Corinth and getting Iphicles to arrange a ship for them. In the end, they had little choice.

Iolaus stood at the railing of the ship as they launched and watched as the shores of his home moved farther and farther away. Hercules came to stand beside him, and he knew that his partner was thinking the same thoughts as he was. Could they find Rael? Would she help them? How many more would have died by the time they got back?

It had all started in Pylos. A huge, black X covered the sign at the entrance of the town, serving to warn travelers not to enter due to an epidemic. Of course, Hercules and Iolaus had promptly entered, wanting to help if they could. At first, neither was overly concerned. Both heroes assumed that some kind of illness was making the rounds of the village, and the townspeople were overreacting, as was often the case. But they were both horrified to discover that Pylos was virtually gone. Almost all of the villagers had died, and there weren’t enough healthy people to take care of the sick.

It was the same in all the surrounding villages. Hercules and Iolaus both were confronted with unfamiliar feelings of helplessness. They gathered up the dead and cremated them, and organized the stricken people into a concentrated group in the largest buildings the town could offer, doing what they could to care for them. But both still felt at a loss. They could do nothing to stop the illness as it encroached further throughout Greece. If they couldn’t find Rael and convince her to help, then they were both certain that there wouldn’t be a Greece to come home to.

“I’d tell you to keep an eye on your valuables,” Hercules was saying. “But I know you don’t have any.”

“Not the friendliest looking group, are they?” Iolaus agreed, eyeing their fellow crew members. The hunter turned to look at the passengers scattered around the deck. He wanted to scorn them for running at the first sign of trouble, but he really couldn’t blame them for leaving. They were simply trying to save their families, any way that they could. Exiling a plague area seemed to fall into that category.

“Well, hopefully this weather will hold,” the demigod remarked, squinting up at the bright sunlight overhead. “Even if we weren’t in a hurry, I don’t think I’d want to spend any more time on this boat than I had to.”

Hercules turned away from the window and glanced at Iolaus as he came through the door to their cabin.

“What happened to you?” he asked, taking in the bruising around his partner’s left eye.

“Oh, nothing,” the hunter replied cheerfully. “Acetes accused me of cheating and called me all sorts of nasty things that I took offense to, the least of them being ‘shorty’, and so I felt the need to respond with a few choice phrases of my own, and then he started a fight.”

“Iolaus, wasn’t it you who just this morning called the rest of the crew, what was it? A filthy group of knuckle draggers that has no business walking upright?”

“Something like that,” Iolaus agreed, hopping up on his bunk.

“Then why do you associate with them?”

“Playing cards passes the time,” the restless hunter explained. He looked to where his partner had been staring out of the window at the blackness of the night. “And occupies the mind,” he added softly.

Hercules nodded and turned away from the small, round porthole to sit on his own bunk. It was hard, for both of them, to patiently wait out the long journey without knowing how Greece was faring or if their friends were all right.

“Well,” the demigod tried to reassure himself. “The weather’s holding, we’re making good time, and everything’s been going smoothly so far.”

“That’s right,” Iolaus affirmed.

“So then why do I have this bad feeling that things are about to get a lot worse?”

“Because they always do,” the hunter sighed. “Honestly, Herc. Our lives are right out of some Greek tragedy.”

“Just be sure and stay away from Acetes,” Hercules advised. “He has it in for you.”

“Oh, gee, you think?” Iolaus said sarcastically. “What makes you say that? I mean, he only insults me at every turn. And ran my vest up the mast pole. And has ‘accidentally’ bumped into me about 400 times. And...”

“And now that you’ve just taken his money and beat him up in front of his friends, I’m sure he’ll be extra receptive.”

“Oh, he just LET me beat him. Because I’m under your protection, and he didn’t want me to run crying to you.”

“Ah, I see,” the demigod remarked with a small grin. “Well, when he comes looking for you for round two, don’t think I’m going to step in and save you.”

“Like I would need your help,” the hunter scoffed. “But I think I was more than justified in hitting him, if only for the time he put fish guts in my boots. What do you think?”

“Good night, Iolaus.”

Iolaus sighed as he pushed the heavy mop across the bow of the ship. When he and Hercules were little and would play pirates, swabbing the deck was something they always made their imaginary captives do. Even at that young age, he’d always dreamed of being a hero, albeit living a much more glamorous life than he had ended up with. Never in his wildest dreams did he ever think, even for a moment, that he’d be the one swabbing the decks.

“A hero’s work is never done,” he muttered to himself as a huge wave suddenly appeared out of nowhere and crashed against the side of the ship. Iolaus hadn’t seen it coming, and lost his balance as the ship lurched unexpectedly. He went sprawling across the deck, but quickly recovered and went scrambling after his mop which was sliding toward the railings. The hunter watched the mop slip through his fingers to drop down into the sea below. Swearing in frustration, he got up and kicked the deck angrily.

“Shaping up to be another perfect day,” he shouted to the clouds overhead. Turning abruptly, Iolaus leapt down the hold to go below and retrieve a new mop. He really wasn’t cut out to be a sailor. True, the sea was very dangerous and held plenty of adventure, but being stuck on a boat for weeks at a time was just too much for his insatiable energy. At least on land, there was room to move.

As the hunter moved down the corridor that ran the length of the ship, he heard a faint sound that made him pause. Listening intently, he heard the noise again. He couldn’t be sure, but it sounded like the muffled scream of a woman. Moving quickly now, he began examining the corridor, listening at all the doors to try and identify where the noise was coming from. Finally, he thought he had pinpointed it to a tiny room that held a lot of the ship’s mechanical supplies. Deciding it was no time for discretion, Iolaus put his shoulder to the door and popped it open. In three strides, he was in the room pulling Acetes off of a young girl who was sobbing hysterically. She was scared to death, but he hadn’t appeared to physically hurt her.

“What is your problem?” Acetes demanded furiously.

“I have so many problems with this, I don’t know where to begin,” the hunter said in a voice like ice. He gently stroked the girl’s hair and tried to calm her as she clung tightly to him. “What in Tartarus is wrong with you, Acetes? You’re trying to force yourself on a girl who’s barely more than a child!”

“That’s my business.”

“Well, now it’s mine,” Iolaus informed him, dislodging himself from the girl and getting up to face the sailor.

“Hercules or no Hercules, this time I’m going to kill you.”

“You can try,” the hunter said coldly, taking a defensive stance. Acetes was taller and more muscular than he was, but since when had that ever been a problem? Iolaus ducked the oncoming attack easily, pacing himself until the sailor tired of heaving wild swings at him. Then he started his own assault, lashing out until the sailor fell face first across a pile of thick ropes.

“Had enough?” Iolaus asked, standing over his opponent. In answer, Acetes suddenly reared up and swung a cord of the heavy rope, striking the hunter across the head. Momentarily dazed, Iolaus crouched on the ground and tried to silence the bells ringing in his ears.

“Please, don’t!” It was the girl’s voice. As his vision began to clear, Iolaus saw Acetes pull the girl to her feet by her hair and give her a hard slap to the face, sending her crashing back down to the floor.

“If you want to hit someone, how about me?” the hunter yelled, struggling to his feet.

“If you insist,” the sailor grinned, advancing forward. He still had the cord of rope in his hand, but this time the hunter saw it coming and blocked the swing with one arm as he connected with Acetes’ jaw with the other. As his foe staggered backwards, Iolaus gave him another one in the stomach, and when the sailor doubled over, the hunter finished it with a spin kick to the head. Acetes was propelled backwards and thumped heavily against the wall.

“What in Hades is going on in here?” demanded an angry voice. Panting, Iolaus looked up at the crowd that had gathered to see what all the noise was about. Two of the passengers shoved their way through the door into the tiny room when they spied the unconscious girl on the floor. The hunter’s head was spinning, but he got the gist that they were the girl’s parents.

“Someone better explain this,” the captain threatened as he too entered the room. Iolaus opened his mouth, but Acetes beat him to it.

“He’s gone crazy, Captain,” the sailor exclaimed, wiping the smear of blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. “He tried to attack that girl, and when I tried to help her he turned on me.”

All eyes were suddenly on the hunter, but he was so indignant that he could only stare wide eyed at the captain. He tried to speak, but no sound came out.

“All right,” the captain ordered. “Lock him in here until we can figure out what to do with him.”

“No,” Iolaus protested, suddenly finding his voice. “It wasn’t me. Acetes was the one...” His words were drowned out by the jeering of the rest of the crew. “Please,” he said, turning to the passengers who were carrying their daughter out of the room. “I tried to help her.” They ignored him as they rushed out. The last two things the hunter saw before the door was shut on him were Hercules’ troubled frown and Acetes’ triumphant smirk.

Iolaus squinted as the door to his makeshift cell opened and the bright light of a lamp shone in.

“Hercules?” he questioned, shielding his eyes against the glare. “Boy, am I glad to see you.”

The demigod adjusted the brightness of the lamp until it just gave out a soft glow, and he set it carefully in the corner.

“You’re in a real mess here,” Hercules told his friend bluntly, sitting uneasily on the rope pile as he watched the hunter pace restlessly in a small circle in front of him. “I hate to tell you, but the captain has sailed with Acetes a number of times, and he’s siding with him over you. I tried to talk to him, but he won’t listen to me.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Iolaus reasoned. “Once the girl regains consciousness, she’ll be able to tell them what really happened.” The hunter narrowed his eyes suspiciously as Hercules ducked his head down and began to intently scrutinize his hands. “What is it?”

“She woke up right after they took her out of here,” the demigod said hesitantly. “But she claims that you were the one that attacked her, and that Acetes tried to help her.”

“Why would she say that?” Iolaus asked haltingly. “I don’t understand.”

“Needless to say, it doesn’t make it look good for you,” Hercules admitted.

“Gods, Herc,” the hunter suddenly blurted out. “YOU don’t think I did it, do you?”

“No, I don’t,” the demigod began, but Iolaus was visibly upset.

“I just kind of stumbled on to them and I tried to save her. Herc, you just have to believe me.”

“Of course I believe you,” Hercules said insistently. “I never thought for a second that you would have done something like this. But why would the girl tell us that it was you and not Acetes that attacked her?”

“I don’t know,” the hunter said in frustration. “It just doesn’t make sense.”

“Well,” the demigod sighed, rising from his seat. “I doubt her parents will want me near her, but I’ll go try and talk to her.”

“Can’t you get me out of here?” Iolaus asked him. “Or at least get me a room with a window?”

“Let me go talk to the girl, and then I’ll see what I can do,” Hercules reassured him. “I’ll leave the lamp though, so at least you’ll have some light.”

Iolaus paced around his tiny cell restlessly until his partner came back.

“I’ve got good news and bad news,” the demigod announced as he returned.

“What’s the bad?”

“The girl was very upset so they gave her some kind of opiate derivative. She’s out cold and I won’t be able to talk to her until tomorrow.”

“What’s the good?” the hunter sighed.

“I brought you something to eat.” Hercules reached into the cloth bag he’d been carrying and handed the contents to his friend.

“Bread and water?” Iolaus arched an eyebrow at the demigod, who shrugged sheepishly.

“It was all I could get,” he said apologetically.

“It’s just as well,” the hunter murmured, ripping off a small piece of the bread. “I’m not that hungry anyway.”

“Are you all right?” Hercules asked, small frown lines of concern appearing to crease his forehead as he studied his friend in the pale light. “You don’t look so good.”

“Get me out of this room and I’ll be fine,” Iolaus assured him, uncorking the water skin and taking a long drink. “Theoretically, if you can’t prove that I WASN’T the one who attacked that girl, what are they going to do with me?”

“Well,” Hercules hedged.

“Never mind. I don’t think I want to know,” the hunter told him.

“Do you want me to stay here for awhile?” the demigod offered.

“I don’t think I’d be very good company right now,” Iolaus said with a small smile. “Why don’t you just leave me to my feast and go out and see what you can do to help clear my name.”

“Don’t worry,” Hercules consoled him, clapping the hunter warmly on the shoulder. “Try and get some sleep, and we’ll sort this all out in the morning.” Iolaus watched his friend disappear through the door and heard the small click that announced he was securely locked in. Tossing his half eaten bread aside, the hunter wearily rubbed a hand over his face before gently massaging the ache in his temples.

“Get comfortable, Iolaus,” he told himself. “It’s going to be a long night.”

Hercules sighed as he stepped up and rapped softly but insistently on the cabin door. He’d spent half the night arguing with the captain and had gotten nowhere. The best deal he could manage was having the man tell him he wouldn’t take action if the demigod and his friend happened to “lose themselves” during the confusion when they landed at Eire. But Hercules knew Iolaus would go nuts if he had to spend the rest of the voyage confined in that tiny closet. They were still days from their destination, and the waves had begun getting rougher, indicating that they might be heading into stormy weather which could further delay him. So, he had no choice but get his friend out of this mess, and to do that, he’d have to find out why the girl had lied. Hercules knocked on the door again, a little more forcefully this time.

“What do you want?” the girl’s father snarled as he opened the door and identified the demigod.

“I know this isn’t the best time,” Hercules began sympathetically. “But I really would appreciate it very much if I could talk to your daughter for a minute.”

“Well you can’t,” the man said defiantly. “Iphianassa has suffered a great shock, at the hands of YOUR friend. You just stay away from her and from the rest of my family.”

“Please,” the demigod pleaded. “I don’t believe that it was my friend who tried to hurt her. If you’ll just...”

“Are you calling my daughter a liar?” The man drew himself up to full height and glared challengingly at Hercules.

“No,” the demigod protested. “But maybe she was just confused. If I could just talk with her for a minute...”

“Oh, for Zeus’ sake, will you let him in?”

The man was pushed to the side as his wife appeared in the doorway in his place.

“I’m not letting him in,” her husband argued. “He probably just wants in here to finish the job his little friend began.”

“You are such an idiot,” the woman berated him. “This is Hercules, champion of men. What harm will it do to let him talk to the girl?” She opened the door wider to permit him to enter as her husband shrunk back into the room, glaring at both of them.

“Thank you,” the demigod said sincerely as he entered their cabin.

“If you say your friend didn’t do it,” the woman whispered to him, “then I believe you. He has such kind eyes that I don’t think he’d be the sort to attack young girls.”

“Usually they’re the ones attacking him,” Hercules grinned.

“Iphianassa’s in here,” her mother explained, indicating the privacy curtain in the corner of the room. “She’s awake, but she’s still a bit traumatized, so please try not to upset her.”

“I’ll do my best,” Hercules promised as the woman led him behind the curtain.

“This is Hercules,” the girl’s mother explained to her, sitting next to her and smoothing back her hair. “He just wants to ask you a few questions, so you just tell him the truth, ok?”

“Hi, Iphianassa,” the demigod greeted her, crouching down beside her bed so that he could be at eye level with her. “How are you feeling today?” The girl stared back at him with frightened eyes. “I just need to ask you something about last night, if that’s ok?”

“I don’t want to talk about that anymore,” the girl whimpered, hiding her face in her pillow. “Please, just leave me alone.” Hercules exchanged a glance with her mother, and then moved up to sit beside her.

“Iphianassa, I know it must have been really scary for you. But I really need you to try and remember. It’s very important that we find who did this, so that we can keep him from hurting anyone else. You wouldn’t want him to hurt some other girl, would you?”

“No,” was the muffled reply from behind the pillow. Hercules reached a hand out and touched the girl’s arm, cursing Acetes as he felt her flinch.

“Please, sweetheart,” he said gently. “You told your parents that my friend Iolaus, the blond man, was the one that tried to hurt you.”

“It was him,” Iphianassa choked out as she began to cry. “He grabbed me and pulled me in that room and attacked me. The other man saved me.”

“Iolaus is a good man,” the demigod told her. “He’s a hero. He saves a lot of people and always tries to help when he can. Are you sure that he was the one...”

“Yes,” the girl shouted. “He did it!” She started sobbing heavily and flung herself into her mother’s arms.

“Maybe you should go now,” the woman said quietly as she tried to comfort the girl. But Hercules was not about to leave without the truth.

“Fine,” he told them loudly, above the girl’s heartwrenching sobs. “Then we’d better make sure that Acetes gets his hero’s due. Everyone will praise him all through the rest of the voyage as he goes about his work on the ship. And when he gets to Eire, I’m sure he’ll thrill all the girls with his story. And Iolaus, well, I guess he’ll be spending the rest of his life in jail. Or maybe they’ll execute him. After all, it’s what he deserves after what he tried to do to you. Don’t you agree, Iphianassa?”

“Do you really think they’d execute him?” the girl asked, turning away from her mother’s embrace and facing the demigod’s piercing blue eyes.

“There are some that want to. Some on this very ship. Why don’t we bring Acetes in here, and ask him what he thinks should be done with Iolaus?”

“No!” the girl said forcefully.

“Oh, I think we should at least bring him in here so that you can thank him. Iphianassa, don’t you want to thank the man that saved you?”

“Stop it,” the girl’s mother hissed, pulling her daughter back into her arms.

“But I’m just curious,” Hercules continued. “Why doesn’t she want to see that man the saved her? And why doesn’t she want justice for the man that attacked her?”

“This is enough,” the woman yelled. “Hercules, you need to leave here now.”

Iphianassa listened to them argue for a minute before she came to a decision. Struggling free of her mother’s embrace, she sat up and faced the demigod.

“I don’t want anything bad to happen to your friend,” she told him.

“Why?”

“Because he was the one that saved me,” the girl confessed haltingly. “The other one was trying to hurt me, and your friend, I...Iolaus, came bursting through the door and lit into that sailor. He WAS the one that rescued me.”

“Why in Tartarus did you tell us it was the other one?” her mother demanded.

“Because I was scared,” Iphianassa admitted shamefully. “Before Iolaus came in, the other man told me that if I ever told anyone what he’d done, he would kill me. And the rest of my family. He said all sorts of other horrible things, and I was just too afraid to find out whether or not he’d back up those threats. I never meant for anything to happen to your friend, Hercules. And I’m sorry I’ve caused all this trouble.”

“This was not your fault,” the demigod reassured her. “You did nothing wrong here. And it took a lot of courage for you to do what you just did. Do you think you could tell the captain what you’ve just told us?”

“Yes,” the girl said solemnly.

“Everything will be all right,” Hercules told her softly. “And I’ll promise you something. You don’t need to be afraid of Acetes anymore. I won’t ever let him hurt you or your family.” The girl finally gave him a real smile, which he returned before excusing himself and leaving to go find the captain.

“I don’t understand what the problem is. I’ve just told you that the girl admitted that Iolaus was innocent.”

“You have to see my side of things, Hercules,” the captain tried to explain. “You and Iolaus are strangers here. You aren’t sailors, and you’re considered outcasts among the rest of the crew. If they’d have had their way, Iolaus would have already been swinging from the mast by now. I’ve been very generous in even allowing you access to him. Acetes is one of the crew. They wouldn’t tolerate it if I were to free Iolaus and pass sentence on him instead.”

“So, you’re telling me that they would rather associate with man that would rape a child over a hero?”

“I know it’s hard for you to understand...”

“No, it’s impossible for me to understand. Look, this man tried to attack one of your paying passengers. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

“Who do you think I am? The captain of the love boat? This is a merchant ship. We transport goods and merchandise, and I did those people a favor by allowing them to come with us. I won’t be held responsible for them.”

“What about being responsible for your men? Acetes attacked and threatened a young girl. Doesn’t that bother you?”

“Well, of course it bothers me. And after this voyage, I’m going to tell him that I won’t require his services on my vessel anymore. But the laws are much different on sea than they are on the land. The same rules don’t apply.”

“I’ve sailed many times before,” Hercules said coldly. “And the same rules have ALWAYS applied.”

“This discussion is over,” the captain informed him with more than a trace of annoyance. “I suggest you leave my quarters before I lose my temper.”

“I’m releasing Iolaus,” the demigod told him.

“I’ll go and talk to the girl,” the captain sighed. “If she confirms your story, then you can let him out. But I think you’d both better stay out of the way for the remainder of this trip. And that goes double for staying out of Acetes’ way.”

Out of habit, Hercules knocked on the door to the room where Iolaus had been confined. Realizing what he was doing, he quickly unlocked the door and let himself inside. The hunter was sitting against the wall with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. Hercules had brought it to him during the night, but Iolaus had already been asleep so he had carefully covered him and left.

“Are you here to ask me for any last requests?”

“As much fun as that would be, I’m only here to let you out,” the demigod grinned. Iolaus let out a long breath he’d been holding and leaned his head back against the wall for a moment.

“I knew you’d find a way to get me out of here.”

“I went to talk to the girl and she finally admitted that...” Hercules’ words trailed off and his smile disappeared as he watched his friend try to get to his feet. Iolaus stood about halfway up, then reached out for the wall and slid back down to the floor.

“Are you all right?” the demigod asked as he knelt before his partner.

“I’m fine,” Iolaus answered. “I just got a little dizzy there for a second. Probably lack of food.”

“You really aren’t looking so well,” Hercules told him. He reached out a hand towards the hunter’s face, but Iolaus blocked him and pushed his hand away. Undaunted, the demigod reached out with his other hand.

“Herc, don’t. Please.” Iolaus shied away, but not before Hercules felt the heat coming from him.

“Iolaus, by the gods, why didn’t you say anything?” The hunter just hung his head. “Come on,” Hercules urged. “Let’s get you out of here. Just take it slowly.” He helped Iolaus stand up and supported him as he began to sway. They stood still for a moment until the hunter had gotten his balance, and then Hercules began steering him out of his prison and down the corridor to their cabin. He was so intent on helping his friend that he didn’t see the figure approaching them.

“Easy, now,” the demigod encouraged as Iolaus began to lean on him more heavily. “We’re almost there. Just a few more steps.”

“What’s wrong with him?”

“Acetes, get out of my sight,” Hercules snapped, turning his attentions back to his friend.

“He’s got it, doesn’t he? He’s got that plague that’s been killing everyone in Greece.”

“ACETES!”

The sailor was wise enough to quickly back off. Hercules watched him trot down the corridor, turning back to give them both a grin of delight before he went up to the deck. The demigod knew that Acetes would make sure that they’d be in for it, but first things first. He struggled to get the door to their cabin open while trying to hold up Iolaus, who had suddenly become dead weight in his arms as he’d slipped into unconsciousness.

“How far are we from Eire?”

The question startled Hercules, as he wasn’t aware that his friend had regained consciousness.

“A few days, in good weather,” he answered, going back to his task of removing the hunter’s boots. Iolaus turned his head to look out of their porthole window at the black sky above them.

“What about in bad weather?”

“I don’t know,” the demigod answered evasively. “A few more days I guess.”

“I don’t think I can hold out that long,” Iolaus said softly.

“Stop it,” Hercules told him sternly. “Don’t start talking like that.”

“Hercules,” the hunter began, turning his blue eyes to his friend. “It’s time to be realistic. How many people have we seen die from this over the past few weeks? It’s been killing half of Greece, and now it’s finally gotten to me. Rael’s my only chance now, and if we get stuck at sea in a storm, then my time’s going to run out.”

“No,” the demigod said stubbornly. “We are going to make it. You’re going to make it. If anyone can pull through this, it’s you. Now stop planning your death and sit up and help me.”

Iolaus pulled himself up from his bunk enough so that Hercules could help him slip out of his vest. The demigod reached for his talisman and tried to slide the cord over his friend’s head, but the hunter caught the cord in his hand and shook his head.

“Okay,” Hercules reassured him. “We’ll leave that on.” As Iolaus lay back down with a sigh, the demigod went to work unlacing his friend’s leather gauntlets. He had just finished removing the second one when a loud knock sounded on the door. Hercules pulled the blanket up over his partner before going to see who was there.

The ship’s captain, Acetes, and a few others were outside. Hercules quickly slipped out the door and shut it behind him.

“What do you want?” he asked coldly, eyeing Acetes with obvious mistrust.

“Is it true, Hercules, that your friend is ill?”

“Yes,” the demigod answered evenly, turning his attentions to the captain.

“He has the fever that was plaguing Greece?”

“Yes,” Hercules admitted, after a lengthy pause.

“I told you,” Acetes smirked triumphantly. “You have to finish him off now.”

“I’m about two seconds away from finishing you off,” the demigod growled, grabbing the sailor by the shirt and lifting him up so that they were eye to eye.

“Hercules, release him,” the captain barked. “That is an order!” Very reluctantly, Hercules dropped the sailor, who moved back several paces.

“I told you, Captain,” he whined. “He’s insane! I think we should make both of them walk the ...”

“Shut up, Acetes!” The captain glared at the sailor, daring him to defy orders. Obediently, Acetes held his tongue and slunk to the back of the crowd. Satisfied, the captain turned back to the demigod. “Now, Hercules, I know this must be hard for you. But Acetes has a point. Your friend has become a danger to this ship. He could infect all of us.”

“No one is touching him,” Hercules said quietly, but intently.

“Hercules, please, try and understand. He’s going to die anyway, after a lot of pain. It really would be humane to end his suffering now and spare the rest of the ship from the sickness.”

“He’s not going to die,” the demigod said angrily, beginning to lose his temper. “Not from this, and certainly not by your hand.”

“Think of the innocent people on board,” the captain shouted, getting angry himself. “By keeping your friend here, you are handing us all a death sentence. You are supposed to be a champion of men, and now you are sacrificing us all.”

“Nobody is touching Iolaus,” Hercules repeated, moving to stand in front of the door. His bulk filled the frame and made for an imposing figure. “And if anyone is stupid enough to try, he’ll have to go through me.” The demigod stared pointedly at Acetes, but the sailor remained silent.

“Have it your way,” the captain seethed. “My orders are this: no food, no water, and if you are seen so much as an inch out of that door, than both of you die.” Hercules gave the crowd one last defiant glare before reentering his cabin and slamming the door behind him.

“What was that all about?” Iolaus asked.

“Nothing,” the demigod replied, not seeing any point in worrying his friend further. “Acetes was making trouble again, but I handled it.”

“If you’re going to go to the trouble to lie to me,” the hunter said with a faint grin. “Then you should try to avoid yelling at people outside my door.”

“You heard all that?” Hercules asked, sitting on the edge of his friend’s bunk.

“I may have the plague, but I’m not deaf,” Iolaus told him. “Hercules, maybe the captain is right.”

“About what?”

“About me being a risk to the other people on board.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m carrying this illness, and I could give it to everyone else,” Iolaus explained. “I keep thinking of that girl that Acetes attacked. I saved her once, and I don’t want to be the one that leads to her death. I’m a danger to everyone here, and maybe I should just ...”

“No,” Hercules said forcefully. “Iolaus, you can’t listen to all of that talk. You’re here, away from the other passengers, and you’re not a danger to anyone as long as we keep you here. You’re going to be all right, I promise you. I’m not giving up on you, even if you’re giving up on yourself.”

“Thanks,” the hunter whispered, giving his friend a small smile.

“Get some sleep,” Hercules urged, noting the exhaustion on his partner’s face. Iolaus didn’t need much encouraging, and fell into a deep slumber very quickly. The demigod sat looking at his friend, trying to decide how much of what the captain said was true. He had to admit that the man had a point. Iolaus was infected, and therefore it was possible that he could spread the illness to the ship. As much as Hercules wanted to avoid that, he couldn’t take the ultimate measures to prevent it. The demigod would sacrifice almost anything, even himself, and do it willingly without hesitation to save a life. But there was one thing that he couldn’t bring himself to give up. Iolaus. As much as he’d always advocated it, Hercules couldn’t do what was best for the greater good. He may have been risking the lives of the passengers, but letting go of Iolaus was simply too high of a price to pay.

Hercules sighed as he stared out of the porthole window. The sea was getting rougher and the wind was slamming against the ship, heaving it back and forth. But the fast approaching storm was not their biggest problem. Iolaus was burning with fever, and he wasn’t going to last long without water. The demigod had thought about boiling the seawater to purify it, but he realized that it wasn’t a practical idea. Even if he could manage to get a fire going without setting their cabin ablaze, there was no place to ventilate the smoke it would generate. He had no other choice but to try to sneak on deck and get some water.

A timid knock on their cabin door broke him out of his thoughts. Cautiously, Hercules moved to the door and opened it a crack. A boy, almost old enough to be called a man, was outside holding a water cask.

“I thought you could use this,” he explained hesitantly as the demigod eyed him suspiciously.

“Who are you?” Hercules demanded.

“My name is Thyestes,” the boy answered. “The girl that your friend saved, Iphianassa, is my sister.” Hercules opened the door and admitted the boy.

“Thank you,” the demigod said as Thyestes set the cask down.

“It’s the least I could do,” the boy remarked, watching as Hercules poured a little of the water into a mug. The demigod managed to get most of it into Iolaus, who protested sleepily before dropping off once again.

“Is he going to be all right?” Thyestes asked in a hushed tone.

“I hope so,” Hercules replied, wringing out a piece of cloth in the cool water and laying against his partner’s forehead. “This water you brought will have a lot to do with that. How’d you manage to get down here with it, anyway?”

“Everyone’s busy trying to secure the ship for the storm,” Thyestes answered. “It’s a little chaotic on deck and no one’s really paying attention to much else.”

Iolaus moaned softly, shivering violently as his body tried to fight the fever. Hercules laid a comforting hand on his chest before dipping the cloth back into the cool water and replacing it.

“I hope he’ll be ok,” Thyestes said softly. “My best friend died of the fever back in Greece.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Hercules said sincerely. “It’s never easy to lose someone you care about.”

“I was in Athens, going to school,” the boy continued. “Everyone was coming down with it. My parents sent for me, but I couldn’t go back home until... After he died, I went home and my father bought us passage on this ship to try and get away from the plague. Looks like it found us after all.”

“Yeah,” the demigod whispered, brushing a golden curl away from his friend’s face. “Maybe you’d better go now.”

“I can come back,” Thyestes offered. “I can get you what you need. I owe him a debt for saving my sister. And I’d like to help, if I can.”

“It’s too much of a risk,” Hercules argued, but the boy wasn’t taking ‘no’ for an answer.

“I’m not afraid,” he boasted. “I couldn’t help my friends, but I can help you save Iolaus.” The demigod smiled and shook his head at the youthful exuberance as Thyestes slipped out of the cabin. He didn’t want the boy to get involved, but he had to admit to himself that they would probably need his help.

“Herc?”

The demigod had been watching the raging storm through the window, but he immediately moved to his friend’s bedside as he heard his name.

“I’m right here, Iolaus,” he assured his partner.

“It’s bad out there, isn’t it?” the hunter asked.

“Don’t worry,” Hercules told him. “We’ll make it through and then we’ll be in Eire before you know it. Are you hungry? Thyestes brought you some kind of gruel.”

“Who’s Thyestes?” the hunter asked.

“The very grateful brother of the girl that you saved,” the demigod explained. “Here, sit up so we can get some of this into you.”

“I’m not hungry,” Iolaus protested, but Hercules propped him up anyway.

“Just try a little,” he pleaded. “You need to keep your strength up.” He managed to coax the hunter into eating a little of the gruel. Satisfied, Hercules helped him lie down again, but it was only a few minutes before Iolaus was back up.

“Herc,” he whispered desperately. “It’s not going to stay down.”

Instantly, the demigod was beside him, pushing a small bowl into his hands. Hercules sat beside his friend, gently rubbing a hand up and down his back while Iolaus sat panting with his insides twisted in knots. Finally, his stomach heaved and emptied it’s contents into the bowl. Eventually, the nausea subsided sufficiently enough that the hunter could take a small sip of water. Hercules took the bowl from him and eased him back down into his bunk. Rewetting the piece of cloth, the demigod wiped the sweat from his friend’s face.

“It’ll be all right, Iolaus,” he soothed, pulling up the blanket and tucking it around his friend. “Somehow,” he whispered to himself.

Hercules glanced distrustfully at the door as a loud knock sounded. He looked over at Thyestes and placed a finger to his lips to signal the boy to be quiet. Thyestes nodded his understanding and moved to the corner of the room where he would not be seen so easily. The demigod cautiously opened the door a crack and peered out.

“How’s your friend doing?” the captain asked politely.

“He’s hanging on,” the demigod said evenly. “What do you want?”

“Hercules, we need your help. I know we have no right to ask you, but I’ve no other choice. We need your strength on deck. This wind is destroying our sails, and if we can’t get the mast secured, we’ll be in real trouble. I promise you that if you come up with me now and help on deck, I’ll see that you and your friend get whatever you need.”

“Just a minute,” the demigod said abruptly, closing the door on the captain. He would have loved nothing more than to refuse to help him, but he knew that by doing so he was endangering their lives and the lives of the innocent passengers. Much like the captain, he didn’t really have a choice.

“Thyestes,” he said quietly. “Will you stay here with Iolaus until I get back?” The boy nodded solemnly. “I’ll try not to be long,” Hercules continued. “Just keep him covered and tell him I’ll be right back if he should happen to wake up.” The demigod checked over his partner one last time before going out the door and following the captain up to the deck.

The minute he stepped on deck Hercules was immediately drenched. Torrential rains were streaming from the black sky and the heaving waves crashed up over the ship, soaking everything in sight. Everything was in chaos, amplified by the fact that the periodic lightning flashes provided the sole illumination. The crew were all trying to follow orders, but the howling wind made it difficult to hear what was being said. Hercules saw that the binding on the mast had come lose, and that their main sail was flapping wildly in the wind. If it were to be lost or damaged in the storm, then the ship would lose it’s primary means of locomotion.

Hercules began scaling the mast, wishing that he possessed Iolaus’ nimble agility. The hunter had the knack of being able to quickly scamper up the most vertical of obstacles. While the demigod had strength on his side, the darkness, the wind, and the rocking ship did not make his task an easy one. Finally, he was far enough up the mast to reach out and grab the waving sail. The force of the wind on the sail was almost enough to loosen his death grip on the mast and yank him off. A man without the strength of the gods would surely have been flung into the boiling sea.

“Poseidon,” he yelled, the roar of the wind snatching away his voice. “Give me a break, will you?” Hercules didn’t know for sure if they were even still in his uncle’s domain, but it never hurt to ask. Wrestling with the heavy canvas, the demigod somehow managed to haul it into the mast and bind it tightly so that the raging storm would not be able to rip it to shreds. It seemed to take him an eternity, and by the time he finished and dropped back down onto the deck, he was exhausted.

“Good work,” the captain shouted in his ear. Hercules nodded, frowning suddenly as a strange feeling came over him. Something was wrong. Iolaus needed him. True, in the blackness and confusion on deck, it was virtually impossible to tell the sailors apart, but the demigod was suddenly sure that Acetes was not among the crew. Abruptly, he turned and flew back down into the hold, racing down the corridor until he burst through the door to their cabin. Thyestes was standing in the middle of the room, keeping Acetes at bay with Iolaus’ sword. With one quick movement, Hercules slammed his fist into the sailor’s jaw, sending him reeling. Then it was a simple matter to pick Acetes up by the scruff of the neck and toss him out into the corridor, slamming the door behind him.

“That was so cool” Thyestes said in awe.

“Are you all right?” Hercules asked, taking in the boy’s split lip and swelling eye.

“Sure,” he enthused. “Acetes got in a couple of lucky punches, but then I got Iolaus’ sword...”

Hercules stopped listening as he realized that the hunter was no longer lying on his bunk. Moving around to the other side, the demigod found his friend sprawled on the floor.

“Going for a change of scenery?” he asked, kneeling beside his partner.

“I was going to go knock some sense into Acetes,” Iolaus joked. “But my legs had other ideas.”

“Lucky for Acetes,” the demigod said fondly.

“Herc, I can’t get up,” the hunter confessed, sobering.

“Ok,” Hercules told him. “Come on.” He gathered his friend in his arms and carefully laid him back on his bunk. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah,” Iolaus assured him. “Go take care of the kid.”

The demigod had a hard time getting Thyestes to sit still long enough to treat his wounds. He was flush with his success and very excited about it.

“It’s a good thing you got here when you did,” he was saying. “I would have run Acetes through.”

“If you don’t sit down and hold this over your eye,” Hercules threatened, handing the boy a damp cloth for the third time, “I’m going to run you through. You’re not going to make much of a hero if that swells shut and you can only see out of one eye.”

“A hero?” the boy asked, finally doing what he was told. “Me?”

“You risked your life to save another,” Hercules said sincerely. “That’s the truest measure of a hero.”

“Wow,” he whispered.

“Thyestes, you’ve done so much to help us. Thank you for the risks you’ve taken and I don’t even know how to thank you for what you did tonight. But I think you should go back to your cabin now. It isn’t safe for you here anymore, and there’s nothing else you can do.”

“Ok,” the boy agreed. He was a bit disappointed in being dismissed, but mostly he was glowing from the great honor that he felt Hercules had bestowed on him. As solemnly as he could, he stretched out his hand to the demigod. With a small grin of amusement, Hercules exchanged a warrior’s shake with the boy. Thyestes saluted Iolaus, who waved back to him, and let himself out of the room.

“You should have seen him, Herc,” the hunter said. “Acetes burst in here and told the kid to get out. Thyestes stood right up to him and got knocked around a little, but he wouldn’t back down. Then he pulled my sword out and told Acetes to leave before he got hurt.”

“Which one was more scared?” Hercules asked.

“I don’t know. They both looked completely terrified.” Iolaus started to laugh, but was interrupted by a coughing fit. “I couldn’t do anything,” he continued when he could talk. “I tried, but..”

“It’s ok, Iolaus,” Hercules comforted.

“Hey,” the hunter said suddenly. “You’re wet.”

“That tends to happen when it rains.”

“You’d better dry off before you catch your death.” Iolaus’ laughter again dissolved into deep coughs that nearly bent him in half.

“Take it easy,” Hercules advised. “Before your dry wit becomes the death of YOU.” He took his shirt off and used the blanket from his own bunk to towel off his dripping hair.

“Well,” Iolaus panted. “They do say that laughter is the best medicine.”

“Trust me,” the demigod said wryly. “You’re just not that funny.”

“Herc?”

“Right here, buddy. How are you feeling?” Hercules left his post at the window to sit next to his friend.

“Can I have some water?”

The demigod put a hand behind Iolaus and held his head up while he placed a mug of water to his lips.

“I think the storm is letting up,” he commented as the hunter took a sip. A bright flash of lightening streaked past the window, prompting Iolaus to raise his eyebrows at his friend. “Or maybe not,” Hercules continued, easing the hunter back down.

“Herc,” Iolaus began weakly. “I don’t have much left.”

“You have to hold on,” Hercules told him. “You’re all I have left now. What would I do without you?”

“Oh, you’d be fine,” the hunter insisted.

“No, I wouldn’t,” Hercules argued. “I know that you don’t believe me, but I don’t have a life without you, Iolaus. When I thought I’d lost you to the light, it almost destroyed me. I went on with my life, but it was like a big part of me had died. I was just going through the motions, but none of it meant anything. I just can’t go through that again.”

“Herc, you know that whatever happens, I’ll always be with you.”

“Holding you in my heart is a hollow substitute for having you here beside me.”

“By all rights, I should have been dead for years now,” Iolaus reasoned. “Eventually, you are going to have to let me go.”

“Not if I can help it,” the demigod swore. “You just hang on, and keep fighting, ok?”

“Ok,” the hunter promised, cerulean eyes shining with fever, but radiating affection all the same.

“Rest now,” Hercules instructed, smoothing the damp curls back from his friend’s face. Rising, the demigod moved to adjust the flame of the oil lamp, turning it down to dim the light.

“Hey, Herc.” The hunter’s voice was barely a whisper.

“What?”

“Did I ever tell you that I love you?”

Hercules looked into the blue eyes that were like a mirror of his own. Even illness and impending death could not steal the light and laughter from those eyes. Iolaus smiled up at him with that cocky grin that he had seen a million times before, but it was as if the demigod was seeing him for the first time. Iolaus, first the boy and then the man who had never failed to stand beside him through the good and the bad. Iolaus, who had shown him what loyalty, trust, and bravery were truly all about. Iolaus, who had boldly followed him into the line of fire and had never once complained or blamed him when he was hit. Iolaus, who had risked his life for him and who would proudly die for him. With a breaking heart, Hercules had to strain to get the words out past the knot in his throat.

“Every day, buddy.”

Hercules stared out of the window at the approaching dawn. Although the wind was still tossing the ship among the swells, it appeared as though the worst of the storm was over. Faint rays of light were beginning to penetrate the blackness of the sky as the sun burnt through the clouds.

“Rael,” the demigod whispered. “I don’t know if you can hear me or not. Please, if you hear me, help us.”

The sounds of the waves splashing against the sides of the ship were all the answer Hercules received. With a weary sigh, he turned away from the window and sat next to Iolaus. It had been a long time since the hunter had last awakened, and Hercules was beginning to fear that he would not again. Lifting his friend’s head up, the demigod held a mug of water to his lips and poured a tiny bit into his mouth. Hercules held him up until he was sure that the liquid had trickled down his throat, then he laid him back down with infinite gentleness. Wringing out a cloth in the cool water, the demigod bathed Iolaus’ face and chest in a futile attempt to fight the fever that was consuming him bit by bit. With another tired sigh, Hercules tossed the cloth back onto the small table beside the bunk and studied his friend.

As was the nature of the illness, it had hit Iolaus hard and fast and had decimated him quickly. He had already survived longer than many of the other victims had, thanks to his strength and physical condition. But Hercules finally had to admit to himself that the hunter couldn’t take much more. The demigod had already seen enough people die from this plague to know what the end was like. Iolaus had been masking his pain well, but Hercules knew that his friend was suffering.

“Iolaus,” Hercules whispered, taking the hunter’s limp hand in his own and squeezing it gently. “I know you can hear me. Now I just have to get you to listen to me. I know that you would do anything for me, and I shouldn’t have made you promise to hang on. I don’t have the right to ask that of you. What I’m trying to say is that you can let go. If it’s too much... If the pain’s too bad, don’t fight to hold on because you promised me you would. Don’t think that you’re letting me down. If you really want to let go, it’s ok.”

“Hercules?”

The demigod jerked awake and glanced first at the still form of Iolaus before focusing his attentions on Thyestes.

“I knocked, but I guess you didn’t hear me,” the boy said hesitantly. Hercules motioned for him to come in as he sat up from his bunk and stretched. “How’s Iolaus doing?”

“He’s hanging on,” the demigod answered with a tired yawn.

“I brought you some more water” Thyestes announced. He set the heavy cask down and was silent for a moment, listening to the ragged sounds of the hunter’s labored breathing. “Do you want to go up on deck for awhile?” he suggested. “I could sit with him, and it might do you some good to get out of this room for a bit.”

“Thanks, but no,” Hercules replied. He was already feeling guilty for having fallen asleep, and he knew that he could not leave now. Iolaus had to fight for every breath he took , and the demigod knew that he could not go on that way for much longer. For whatever it was worth, he would be beside his friend until the end.

“How about something to eat,” the boy offered. “I could bring you something down.” Hercules wasn’t hungry, but he could see that Thyestes was eager to be of help so he nodded in affirmation. After a long look at Iolaus, the boy quietly left the room.

Hercules stood and stretched again, then picked up the cask that Thyestes had brought. Pouring a little water into a bowl, the demigod then took some up in his hands and splashed it over his face. His shirt provided the only convenient towel, so he made due. Hercules ran his hands through his chestnut locks, hoping that they fell into some semblance of order. As he bent to pull on his boots, he suddenly became aware that the cabin had fallen deathly silent. Iolaus was no longer breathing.

Hercules knelt beside his friend’s bunk as hot tears stung his eyes. He had told himself that when the moment arrived, he would stand back and let the hunter go in peace. But the longer he stared at the beloved face of the man that was the brother of his heart, the more desperate the demigod became.

“Iolaus,” he choked out. “You can’t do this. Don’t leave me this way. Come on, buddy, breathe. Gods, Iolaus, please just breathe.” There was no response, and Hercules grabbed his still partner by the shoulders and shook him slightly. “Iolaus! I know you can do it. Don’t give up! Come on, fight it, Iolaus!”

After several tense moments, the hunter’s body jerked slightly as his lungs pulled air in with a loud, grating gasp. Hercules almost collapsed with relief, leaning down to hug his friend to him as the tears coursed down his cheeks.

“I guess we know who the strong one is,” he whispered, running the back of his hand over his eyes. “I’m sorry, Iolaus. I just couldn’t let you go.” He sat for several minutes on the floor beside the bunk with one hand on his friend’s chest to reassure himself that Iolaus was still alive.

Without warning, Hercules suddenly found himself flung across the cabin. Stunned, it took him a minute to get his bearings and try and figure out what had happened. Picking himself up off the floor, he ran to the window in time to see a monstrous wave moving away from the ship. Dazedly he shook his head, unable to fathom how their ship was even still upright if it had been slammed by a wave of that magnitude. But he had little time to ponder it, as he was distracted by picking up the overturned oil lamp before it set the cabin on fire and righting the water cask before it completely drained empty. He also had to pick up Iolaus, who had been thrown from the bunk by the force of the giant wave.

“This is just what you needed,” Hercules muttered, carefully replacing his friend on his bunk. The demigod heard shouts and general chaos coming from above, and although he hated to leave his friend alone, he knew he should go and see if his help was needed. “I’ll be right back,” he promised, pulling the blanket over the unconscious hunter. With a last look, the demigod let himself out of the cabin and made his way to the deck.

“Is everyone all right?” Hercules asked as he spotted the captain.

“Most everyone was below when the wave hit,” the captain explained. “But we lost a few of the crew overboard. The moorings on the lifeboat broke, and some kid got trapped underneath it when it fell.” Hercules looked to the bow where a few men were struggling to life the heavy, wooden boat. As he approached, his fears were confirmed as he identified Thyestes underneath.

“Hercules!” The boys eyes were scared and full of pain.

“Hang on, Thyestes,” the demigod reassured him. “We’ll get you out of there.” He waved away the sailors that were trying to help and took hold of the edge of the boat. With a loud grunt, Hercules lifted the boat up and the men quickly pulled the boy out from underneath.

“Get him below,” the captain ordered. Hercules gently lifted Thyestes and carried him into the hold.

“That boat falling on me saved my life,” the boy said shakily. “If it hadn’t pinned me to the deck, the wave would have taken me overboard like those other men. It just came out of nowhere. Hercules, I saw Acetes get swept over. The wave caught him and the sea swallowed him up.”

“Ok,” the demigod told him. “Don’t try to talk now. Just relax until we have a chance to check you over.”

Thyestes’ parents went into hysterics when Hercules entered their cabin with the boy, but fortunately he was not severely hurt. The demigod suspected that his leg was fractured, and the captain agreed to splint it. Most of his other injuries were all cuts and bruises that would be painful for awhile, but not life threatening. Hercules stayed with the boy long enough to be sure that he was going to be all right, but then he quickly excused himself. He couldn’t help feeling guilty, as Thyestes HAD been on deck getting him food. But he was worried about Iolaus and was not comfortable leaving him alone.

The silence was deafening. It rose up like a brick wall to slam the demigod in the face as he entered the cabin. Immediately, he feared the worst had happened. Iolaus had died. That in itself was bad enough, but he had died alone. Hercules wasn’t even there to say goodbye to the man that had been like a brother to him. He started to shake as he moved closer, taking in the expression on the hunter’s face. It was one of peace, and the dreadful pallor of illness was gone. The demigod felt his legs give out and he sunk to the floor beside his friend’s bunk. But something caught his eye, an almost imperceptible movement.

A ray of hope broke through his despair, but it was almost too much to wish for. Taking a deep breath, Hercules reached out a trembling hand. The skin he touched was warm and damp and ALIVE. Iolaus was breathing, his heart was beating, and the terrible fever that had entwined him in it’s deadly grasp had finally broken. As always, the scrappy hunter had somehow managed to pull through. For the first time in weeks, Hercules felt the fist of fear that had been clenching his heart release him, and his tense muscles relaxed. He knew that Iolaus wasn’t out of danger yet, but if he could survive this, the rest would be a snap.

“What are you doing up?” Hercules demanded as his friend appeared on deck.

“Give me a break, will you warden?” Iolaus teased. “I’m going stir crazy in that cabin and I need some air.”

Hercules wasn’t sure that his friend was ready to be up and walking around, but he had to admit that some fresh air would most likely do him a world of good. Iolaus was still pale and very weak, but rest and time would take care of that. Besides, the demigod knew firsthand that it was nearly impossible to keep his stubborn partner quietly in bed.

“See that?” Hercules pointed to a land mass that was just visible on the horizon. “That’s Britannia. We’re making good time and we should reach Eire in no time.”

“Good, because I for one am getting damn sick of this ship,” Iolaus declared vehemently. “It’s been one thing after another. I think this ship is cursed.”

“The ship is fine,” the demigod told him, trying to keep a straight face. “Personally, I think it’s you.”

“Me?” the hunter asked in surprise. “I’m not cursed. On the contrary, I lead a charmed life.” He grinned wickedly at his friend who just shook his head. He didn’t see how Iolaus could possibly say that, given all that had befallen him in his life. He’d had his share of trouble and pain, and beyond that tenfold. The hunter had been through things that would’ve had ordinary men beaten down long ago. But Iolaus had sailed through it all, never once surrendering his humor or his boundless energy. He truly did have the strength of the gods, in spirit if not in body.

“Let’s just hope some of that charm rubbed off on Greece before we left,” Hercules said softly. “We’ve been gone so long already, I’m afraid of what we’ll find when we get back. What if we’re too late?”

“We’re doing all we can,” the hunter rationalized. “No one can ask more than that. We wouldn’t have been able to help if we’d stayed in Greece. At least by going after Rael, we’re giving the people a chance.”

“You’re right,” the demigod sighed. “I just hate feeling this helpless. Like it’s all out of my hands and I can’t do anything but sit back and watch it happen.”

“Sometimes life is like that,” Iolaus tried to console him. “Even the mighty Hercules can’t fix everything.” When he saw that his words weren’t helping, the hunter tried to change the subject. “So, what are we going to do when we get to Eire?”

“What do you mean?” Hercules asked, puzzled. “We’re going to find Rael.”

“Yeah, but what about after we find her?”

“I don’t know. Find a boat to take us home I guess,” the demigod replied, grinning at the pained expression that came over his friend’s face at the thought of another sea journey. “Why, what else would we do?”

“Well, I thought maybe we could take a few days. Maybe go fishing? They have fish in Eire, don’t they?”

“Of course they have fish. It’s really a beautiful country. You’ll love it.”

“Or maybe you could look up Morrigan?”

“We don’t have time, Iolaus. We have work to do in Greece,” the demigod said abruptly.

“I know, but I thought you might want to say hello to an old friend first.”

“Maybe,” Hercules hedged, hoping that his partner would just drop it.

“I only ever got a vague sense of her through Dahak,” Iolaus continued thoughtfully. “How come you don’t talk about her much?”

“What’s to talk about?” the demigod said slowly. “She was a bright spot in what was a very dark time for me. But things didn’t work out, and we went our separate ways.”

“Still, I would have thought that you’d want to see her. Since we’re going to be right there and all.”

“We’ll see, all right?” Hercules told him. “Now I think its time for you to get back down below.”

“Ok, I’m going,” the hunter grumbled. He started toward the hold but turned back to his partner. “Hey, Herc. By any chance, does Morrigan have a sister?” Iolaus threw his hands up and scampered down below deck as Hercules took a threatening step toward him. The demigod just shook his head and turned back to lean against the railing, staring at the sea with a small smile on his lips. He never could stay mad at his vigorous friend, but after the experience of nearly losing him yet again, it was going to be doubly hard to keep a stern face.

Hercules yawned as he climbed down from the crow’s nest. The monstrous wave that had struck the ship had taken three more men from the already understaffed crew, so the demigod had been putting in a lot of hours to compensate. Now, as darkness began to fall, he was looking forward to a peaceful night’s rest. Stopping in the galley, he helped himself to a portion of dried meat and a little stale bread. Supplies were running low and the food had been rationed, but they were only a day or two from Eire and Hercules had justly earned a snack after his day’s labor. He made sure that he took a little extra, knowing that his partner’s insatiable appetite would appreciate it.

Iolaus was asleep as the demigod quietly entered the darkened cabin. Or at least he hoped the hunter was sleeping. Hercules couldn’t shake the paranoia he’d felt as his friend had lain ill for so many days. He tried to tell himself that he was being foolish, but the longer he stood in the dark, eyes straining to catch the rising and falling of Iolaus’ chest, the more he began to worry. Setting his meal down on his own bunk, the demigod carefully felt his way over to his friend. Leaning closely over the prone figure, he sought to reassure himself that the hunter was still alive.

Hercules suddenly found himself propelled backwards as Iolaus launched himself with a yell. The demigod rolled on the floor, trying to fend off the fury attacking him.

“Iolaus, it’s me,” he cried when he had managed to catch his breath. Instantly the attack stopped and the weight lifted from his chest as the hunter rose and lit the oil lamp on the table.

“Hercules?” The demigod had expected his partner to be outraged or insulted, but instead Iolaus was grinning at him. “What were you doing?”

“Nothing,” Hercules replied as innocently as he could manage, picking himself up off the floor and dusting off his pants.

“You were doing something,” Iolaus pointed out in a playfully accusatory tone.

“Oh, all right,” the demigod grumbled. “I was just trying to make sure that you were ok.”

“Herc, I’m fine,” the hunter assured him. “You can stop worrying now.”

“I know, I just... Let’s just forget it. Here, I brought you something.” Hercules tossed his friend his share of the food.

“Thanks,” Iolaus told him. He sat down on his bunk and took a bite of the meat, mulling things over as a thought struck him. “You know,” he began casually. “I was pretty sick there for awhile.”

“Yeah,” the demigod commented dryly. “I did happen to notice that.”

“The fever ate up all my strength,” the hunter continued. “I couldn’t do anything but lie there and suffer through it. It was pretty scary.”

“There was a nice sunset tonight,” Hercules said abruptly, turning to look out of the window, but his partner wasn’t about to let him change the subject.

“I was just realizing,” he went on. “My going through that probably wasn’t half as scary as having to watch me go through it.” The demigod remained silently by the window. “Herc, those last few days when I was really bad are all kind of hazy. I don’t remember a whole lot, but I know that I was close to the end and I also know that you saw me through. I just wanted to say thanks for everything you did, and I’m sorry I put you through it.”

“Don’t apologize,” the demigod said tightly. “And don’t thank me.”

“Why not?”

“Because I failed you,” Hercules explained. “I told you that it was ok for you to let go, and then when you did, I begged you to come back. You were in pain, and I was too selfish to free you.”

“Hercules, what in Tartarus are you talking about?” the hunter demanded. “In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m alive. That’s all because of you. I wouldn’t have made it if you had given up on me. I owe you my life. Again.”

“No,” the demigod argued, finally turning away from the window. His blue eyes shone moistly in the lamp light. “You did this one yourself, Iolaus. Maybe I gave you a push, but your strength pulled you through. You’re the one that never gave up. You fought it to the end, and you won. Ever the hero.”

“Anyway,” Iolaus said, feeling a bit embarrassed. “It’s all over now. Looks like you’re stuck with me once more.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Hercules confessed softly. The hunter rose and went to his friend, who enveloped him into a tight, warm hug. “Welcome back, buddy.”

“We didn’t think we’d being seeing you back here in Eire again, Hercules.”

“I didn’t think I’d be back,” the demigod admitted to the man beside him. “But it’s good to see you again, Bronagh.”

“Have you come back for Morrigan, then?” the villager asked slyly.

“Not this time,” Hercules said softly. “I need another goddess’ help.”

“Which one?”

“Rael. Do you know where I can find her?”

“Rael?” Bronagh repeated, his brown wrinkling slightly. “What do you want with her?”

“I need her help,” the demigod said simply.

“Sorry, Hercules, but I’m not sure how to find her.”

“Well, what do you do when you need her?”

“We’ve never needed her,” the man confessed. “Maybe if you go to the temple of Branwen, her mother.”

“But why don’t you ever ask for Rael’s help?” Hercules persisted. “She has the gift of healing.”

“So do a lot of Celtic gods,” Bronagh shrugged. “Ones with a lot more power than Rael.”

“How do I find Branwen’s temple?” the demigod sighed. Once he had gotten his instructions, he declined the villager’s offer of hospitality and went over to where Iolaus was perched on a wooden bench next to the tavern.

“How did it go, Chosen One?” the hunter asked mischievously.

“You’re never going to let me live that one down, are you?” Hercules groaned.

“After we find Rael, you and I are going to sit down and you’re going to tell me everything you did while I was gone. I’ve been hearing some interesting stories....”

“Speaking of finding Rael,” the demigod began. “That’s going to be a little harder than I thought. Seems that no one here has any idea of how to reach her. I think that we’re going to have to go to her mother’s temple and try there. That’s the best advice I could get.”

“Well, what are we waiting for?”

Hercules stared intently at his partner. When they had landed, Iolaus had been the first one off the ship. The demigod had never seen him move so fast. Iolaus had immediately embraced Eire with a burst of energy, relieved to finally be free of the confines of the ship. But even this small exertion had sapped his limited strength. The illness he had battled had left him severely weakened, and Hercules’ critical eye could see the fatigue that his friend was desperately trying to mask.

“Why don’t you stay here,” he suggested gently. “Get something to eat and I’ll go find Rael.”

“Why don’t we both go?” Iolaus replied, a stubborn look that the demigod knew all too well creeping over his face. It was a look that made arguing with him utterly pointless.

“All right,” Hercules relented. “Just stay here for a minute, ok? I’m going to get us some supplies. It’s not far to the temple, but I think we both could use some real food.” He disappeared into the tavern.

Iolaus stood up wearily and walked slowly into the street. He felt drained, but he was determined not to think about that. Their voyage had taken much longer than either one had anticipated, and he was worried about what was happening at home. Every minute was crucial. They had to find Rael and convince her to return to Greece. Then he could worry about himself.

“Blessed be, it is true.”

The hunter had been stretching broadly, and he turned to face the voice that had come from behind him.

“When I heard that a man of your description had just landed, I almost didn’t believe it.”

“Morrigan.” Iolaus wasn’t sure how he knew the woman before him, but he did.

“You didn’t learn your lesson last time? Back for more?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the hunter told her in confusion.

“I’m talking about stopping you once and for all,” she threatened.

The next thing Iolaus knew, he was flat on his back with a knife in his chest. He gasped painfully and reached a shaking hand up to grasp the hilt of the knife, but he lacked the strength to pull it out. From out of nowhere, Hercules appeared and gently lifted him into his lap. The demigod removed the knife and pressed his hand tightly against the spurting wound.

“Tell me, Herc,” the hunter panted. “Do I have a target painted there that I’m just not seeing?”

“Morrigan, what have you done?” Hercules demanded, turning horrified eyes to the keeper of justice.

As she saw her old love frantically tending to the wounded man in the street, a light began to dawn. Morrigan slowly came forward as the magnitude of her mistake hit her.

“Hercules, I didn’t know,” the redhead said desperately. “The last I knew, Iolaus was dead. When I saw him standing here, he looked just like Dahak first did when we found him in Greece. I thought that he’d found a way back and he was coming to finish what he’d started...”

“I don’t need an explanation now,” Hercules hissed. “Iolaus isn’t dead, but he will be soon if we don’t get him some help. You have to go and find Rael.”

“Rael?” Morrigan gave the demigod the same puzzled look that Bronagh had given him.

“Go find Rael,” he shouted forcefully, painfully aware that his partner’s life was ebbing away with each precious second that ticked by. Morrigan hesitated for a moment, then ran off to do his bidding. Someone brought the demigod a clean cloth, and he used it to try and staunch the flow of blood from the wound.

“I’m sorry,” Hercules said softly as Iolaus winced. “Just hang on, buddy. I know you can do it. After all that on the ship I’m not going to lose you here like this. I’m here with you, and Rael’s on her way. You just have to hold on until she gets here. Promise me.”

“I’ll try,” the hunter choked out. Blood began to trickle from the corner of his mouth and the demigod gently wiped it away.

“Where in Tartarus is she?” he asked himself. Someone else offered a blanket, and Hercules covered his partner with it, noting that his skin had already become like ice.

“Herc,” Iolaus began. His words were interrupted by ragged coughing, which brought up more blood.

“Don’t try to talk now,” Hercules told him. “Just stay with me and hold on.”

It seemed like he sat there for a lifetime, watching his friend slip away from him yet again. But just as he was about to lose hope, Rael appeared before them in a warm glow of light.

“We have to stop meeting like this, Iolaus,” the goddess said with a smile. The hunter tried to grin, but his eyes rolled back in his head as he lost consciousness.

“Please, help him,” Hercules begged as she knelt down in front of them.

“Hercules, there’s so little of him left,” Rael said in surprise as she hovered her hands over the still form. “Has he been ill?”

“On the boat over here,” the demigod whispered.

Rael simply nodded and placed one hand over the wound and one on the hunter’s forehead. Brilliant light began to flow from her hands into Iolaus, sealing the terrible injury, but when she finished he was still unresponsive.

“What’s wrong?” Hercules asked frantically. “Why didn’t he wake up?”

“He’ll be fine,” the goddess promised him. “I’ve healed his wounds, but he’s still very weak. He needs to sleep, and sleep he will. When he awakens, he’ll be as sound as ever.”

The demigod let out a long breath he didn’t even know he’d been holding.

“Thank you, Rael,” he sighed. “I can’t even begin to repay you for this, and yet I have something else to ask of you.”

“Go on,” she prompted.

“There’s a plague sweeping through Greece,” Hercules told her. “People are dying by the hundreds. I can’t even be sure that there’s anyone left at this point.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Rael vowed. “In the meantime, take Iolaus to my mother’s temple. It’s down this road....”

“I know how to find it,” the demigod interrupted.

“I’ll stop and tell her you’re coming before I leave for Greece,” the goddess continued. “You’ll be well cared for there.”

“I don’t know how I could ever thank you,” Hercules said sincerely, carefully disentangling himself from Iolaus and rising to his feet.

“What’s family for?” she asked, giving him a comforting hug. Then with a wink, the goddess vanished.

For the first time, Hercules noticed the crowd around him. He left one of the village women with Iolaus as he maneuvered his way to a nearby rain barrel. As he was washing his partner’s blood from his hands, the woman who had spilled it approached.

“Hercules, I’m so sorry.”

“Forget it,” he told her abruptly, drying his hands on his shirt.

“The least you could do is look at me,” she accused.

“What do you want me to say, Morrigan? You almost killed my best friend.”

“It was an accident,” she protested. “I thought Iolaus was gone. I jumped to conclusions, but surely you can’t blame me for thinking...”

“You never did understand what he meant to me,” Hercules said softly.

“What are you talking about?” Morrigan demanded. “I helped you save him from Dahak.”

“No,” the demigod argued, shaking his head. “All you wanted to do was to stop Dahak. If you had to damn Iolaus’ soul in the process, then so be it.”

“The whole world was at stake,” she reminded him. “That’s what I was trying to save. And if it took his soul to do it, then that was a sacrifice that had to be made.”

“That was unacceptable to me,” Hercules declared.

“You really would have given Dahak the world to spare Iolaus, wouldn’t you?” Morrigan asked in astonishment.

“Without Iolaus, I don’t have a world,” the demigod explained. “Not one that I care to live in. He means everything to me. And if you can’t understand that now, then you never will.”

“I don’t understand. I don’t understand how you can sanctify him when it was his betrayal that brought Dahak into the world in the first place.”

Hercules took a step toward her and for a second Morrigan thought he meant to hit her. But then he got control of himself and unclenched his fists.

“Don’t you EVER talk about him like that again,” the demigod said quietly, his blue eyes blazing fire. “You don’t know him, and I don’t think you really know me, either.” He turned his back on the guardian of justice and began to walk away.

“Hercules, what’s happened to us?” Morrigan asked sadly. “We made a good pair once.”

“Once,” he said coldly over his shoulder. “Goodbye, Morrigan.”

Hercules returned to Iolaus and gathered the limp form into his arms.

“It’s a good thing you’re unconscious,” he muttered, knowing full well that the hunter would have fought tooth and nail against being carried. He shifted his partner to a more comfortable position and set off down the road to Branwen’s temple.

Hercules found the temple easily, as it was a large, ornate structure in the middle of the cool, green forest. Cautiously, he entered through the heavy oaken doors, his feet immediately sinking into thick carpeting. The air was cool and a gentle fragrance wafted around him. Immediately, several young females surrounded him.

“Hercules.”

The demigod looked up and was completely awe struck by the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

“It’s all right,” she was saying, moving toward him. Her walk was more of an effortless glide that radiated grace. “Let my attendants see to your friend. I promise you he will be well cared for.”

Although he was loath to relinquish Iolaus, Hercules was almost hypnotized by the goddess before him. After a moment of hesitation, he gently passed his precious bundle into the waiting arms of the women. They carried the hunter quickly down a corridor and into a separate room.

“You must be Branwen,” the demigod said after he found his voice.

“I am,” she confirmed. “Come with me now.”

“Where did they take Iolaus?” Hercules asked, staring off down the corridor where the women had vanished.

“Do not worry about him,” the goddess instructed. “Come with me now.”

Somewhat reluctantly, Hercules followed her down a second corridor, away from his partner. Branwen led him into a room where a large tub of hot water and more of her attendants were waiting. After all the time they had spent on the ship, the demigod had to admit that he would enjoy the luxury of a proper bath. But he had to ask that he be left alone, and he did so as politely as he could, not wanting to offend his hostess. Smiling at his embarrassment, Branwen dismissed the women and left him to his modesty, closing the door behind her. Hercules took his time bathing, relishing in the comforts of the hot water and pristine surroundings. When he had finished, he dressed in the clothing that the servant girls had laid out for him, which was the attire of the Celtic warrior. Branwen was waiting for him as he let himself out of the room.

“Thank you for this,” Hercules told her, thinking in the back of his mind how ironic it was that he was thanking a goddess.

“You must be hungry,” she said warmly. “Come and have something to eat, and then I will take you to your friend.” The demigod followed her once again as she led him to yet another room. As he sat down at a large table, the women reappeared to lay a feast out before him. Realizing how long it had been since he’d had a real meal, Hercules fell upon the food gratefully. Branwen sat delicately across from him and watched him as he ate.

“Can I ask you something?” he asked suddenly. At her nod, he continued. “Why don’t the people here have any reverence for Rael? With her powers, I would have thought that she’d have temples all over Eire. Yet she seems to be an afterthought in everyone’s mind.”

“Rael’s powers are actually very limited, I’m afraid,” Branwen explained. “As a goddess, she’s very weak. True, she does possess the gift of healing, but so do many of the Celtic gods. And please don’t take offense, but she is half Greek and so many of the Celts believe her to be inferior.”

“No offense taken,” the demigod assured her with a grin, thinking of how it often pained him to remember he was directly related to the Greek pantheon.

“That’s never stopped her from helping the Celts though,” the goddess said proudly. “She moves among them, keeping herself hidden but healing them when she can. She doesn’t care who gets the glory or the recognition for her work. She just loves to see the sick and the injured whole. She does it for the joy she gets in seeing the faces of their loved ones.”

“I know she didn’t get her compassion from her father,” Hercules muttered with a trace of bitterness. Then he brightened a bit. “So I’d say you’ve done an excellent job in raising her.”

“It shames me to admit it,” Branwen confessed. “But I can’t take any credit for her. In fact, she’s the one who’s taught me over the years. I was made the goddess of love and beauty, but I only paid attention to the beauty part. I was vain and selfish, and I never knew what love was until Rael came along. From the very start, she was a such a sweet child. Always happy and content, and full of kindness and compassion for the lowest of beings. Watching her as she grew over the years, my heart melted and my eyes opened. She taught me that being a god wasn’t about having power over mortals, but having power FOR them. That I was their servant, and my life had no purpose unless I used my gifts to help those that needed them. The spirit that burns so brightly inside my daughter was hers all along. No one gave it to her, but it came from the depth of her heart. Sometimes, it pains me to think that I’m the only one that really sees that.”

“I see it,” the demigod said softly.

“I know you do. Rael was thrilled when she finally met you face to face. She cares a great deal for you, as you do for her. It warms my heart that she has a brother in the world. Especially one with which she can relate to. You are both so very different, and yet in many ways you are the same. I saw her before she left for Greece, and I can tell you that she was very happy to be able to do this for you.”

“Greece would be lost for sure without her,” Hercules professed. “And so would Iolaus.”

“Come,” Branwen offered, rising from the table. “I’ll take you to him now.”

She led him into the room where Iolaus was sleeping. Many of her attendants were milling about, but the goddess dismissed them. Hercules went to sit on the edge of the large, soft bed where the hunter had been placed. He had been bathed and dressed, and the demigod grinned as he thought of the fit Iolaus would throw when he learned that he’d been unconscious while several beautiful women were tending to him.

“How long will he sleep?”

“For as long as he needs to,” came Branwen’s cryptic answer. She watched Hercules fiddling with the blankets that covered his friend. “He is everything to you, isn’t he?”

“Yes,” the demigod replied, staring at his partner’s face. “And I keep coming so close to losing him. You know, people have told me that I carry the weight of the world on my shoulders, and I suppose in a way that’s true. But the only reason I don’t go completely crazy from it is because I have Iolaus beside me to shoulder the burden from time to time. We’ve just been through so much together. There really aren’t words to describe what he means to me.”

“Sure there are,” the goddess said softly. “Two of them, in fact. Soul mates.”

Hercules turned to give her a puzzled look.

“Don’t look so shocked,” Branwen smiled. “Contrary to popular belief, soul mates don’t necessarily have to be romantically involved. For every person on this earth, there is another with the same soul. The two may be complete opposites in every other way, but their souls are mirror images of each other. It creates a connection, a bond, that transcends every other aspect of life. It transcends practicality, reason, rational thinking, and common sense. It can even transcend death. Does that sound familiar?”

“Yes,” Hercules whispered, staring intently at her. “But how...?”

“I’m not the goddess of love for nothing,” Branwen reminded him. “It’s my job to know these things. Iolaus inspires courage and loyalty in you to an extent that you’ve never felt for anyone else. There is absolutely nothing that you wouldn’t do for him, or he for you. There have been roadblocks between you in the past, and I dare say that there will be more in the future. But you overcame them, as you will continue to do, because ultimately nothing could ever come between the love you have for each other. And not even death can sever the tie between you.”

“It’s hard to explain, but I did lose him to death once.”

“You never really lost him,” the goddess explained. “He was always with you. Maybe you weren’t always aware of it, but his presence stayed with you, guiding you and influencing you. And even in death, you were always with him.”

“It’s not the same,” Hercules insisted. “Having his ‘presence’ around me just isn’t enough. I need him here, beside me. But on the other hand....”

“Keeping him close to you means keeping him in danger,” Branwen finished for him.

“I try so hard to keep him safe,” the demigod said sadly. “But I’ve spent too many nights nursing him through injuries sustained one way or another because of me. Injuries that would have killed a less stubborn man. I just don’t know what to do. I can’t stand seeing him hurt time after time, but I’m too selfish to give him up.”

“You are selfish, but not because you want your friend beside you,” the goddess began. “The selfishness lies in your inability to understand that this is what Iolaus wants. At your side is his destiny. It’s his place in life, one that he chose for himself. He is well aware of the risks and the consequences of that choice. Iolaus decides every time whether to fight or not, and he accepts the penalties as they come. Whenever he is injured, you blame yourself. You are taking Iolaus’ free will and turning it into your own guilt, robbing him of heroism. Iolaus doesn’t go into these battles because you do. He fights because somebody has to. He’s trying to help those that can’t fight for themselves, and he’s trying to make the world a better place. How could you possibly blame yourself when he fails?”

“How could I not?” Hercules cried out. “Take Sumeria for example. Iolaus didn’t want to go, but I talked him into it. If it wasn’t for his loyalty and trust in me, he wouldn’t have died by Gilgamesh’s hand. He wouldn’t have had to go through being a vessel for Dahak. And he wouldn’t have almost died again today. All that suffering, just because I had to go and get involved when he warned me not to. It never would have happened if he hadn’t listened to me. And you ask me how I can blame myself?”

“Hercules, your problem is that you dwell too much on insignificant details instead of looking at the big picture.”

“I don’t see how losing my best friend is insignificant,” the demigod said angrily.

“It’s insignificant because you didn’t really lose him,” Branwen reasoned. “I know how painful it was for you, and how lost you were without him. But that is in the past. It’s over now. Iolaus himself has put it behind him and has gone on with his life. But you continue to dwell on it, and you let it mar your future. It’s time to let it go and move on. Iolaus is alive and beside you once more. Don’t waste this precious time with him fretting over the past. Hercules, you have to understand something. Iolaus may not have wanted to go to Sumeria, but he couldn’t let you go alone. The tie of your souls wouldn’t let him. His love for you brought him to Sumeria, where he was taken. But his love for you also brought him back. Without the bond that you share, he wouldn’t have had the strength to transcend the boundary of death to return to you. In what should have been a permanent transition, he was able to break free. He couldn’t have done it without your love for him and the need to be by your side. And as you know, it was your friendship that saved all of humanity. Your willingness to sacrifice yourself to save Iolaus‘ life led to a reprieve of the world. Surely, not even you with your boundless humility can fail to see the nobility of that.”

“Maybe you’re right,” Hercules said softly. He ran a hand over his face wearily, his mind jumbled with all the words that Branwen had spoken. “But how do you know all this?”

“I can read it in your heart,” the goddess told him. “Unlike the mind, the heart cannot hide what it’s feeling. Yours and Iolaus’ have told me everything. Both have their doubts and fears, but there is no denying the strength of each.”

Hercules didn’t answer, but he couldn’t help thinking that he knew which was stronger. He had never once doubted the strength of his partner’s heart, and he knew that it was the force that drove Iolaus on against all the odds.

“I’ll leave you now,” Branwen said gently . “My servants have prepared a room for you across the hall when you want to rest. They will also provide you with anything else you need. Don’t be afraid to ask if you want something, and please don’t worry about Iolaus. Rael promised you that he would be fine and you know that she’d never lie about a thing like that.”

The demigod thanked the goddess absently as she left them alone. He was tired, but he didn’t want to leave his friend. Iolaus had been lying as still as death, and it was extremely unnerving to Hercules. Normally, the hunter was just as restless in his sleep as he was when he was awake. Even when he had been so ill on the ship, he had still been tossing fitfully and showing signs of life. The demigod couldn’t take him so motionless and silent. Carefully, Hercules made himself comfortable on the large bed next to his friend, keeping a firm eye on the slight rise and fall of Iolaus’ chest. He knew that he was being irrational. Rael had assured him that the hunter would be fine, so he knew he had no reason to worry. But he still felt better confirming that the brother of his heart was still alive beside him as he began to mull over all that Branwen had told him.

“It really is beautiful here,” Iolaus said softly, staring out over the lush green valley. The hunter had slept for days, up until the point that Hercules had begun to think he wasn’t going to wake up again. But he finally had, and as Rael promised, he was fine.

“Yes, it is,” the demigod murmured absently.

“Hercules,” the hunter began, turning to face his friend. “Don’t be too hard on Morrigan. She didn’t mean to hurt me...”

“I know,” Hercules interrupted him.

“Why don’t you go and talk to her?”

“Because there’s no point,” the demigod sighed. “I’ve already hurt her, and rehashing everything out again isn’t going to solve anything. I’ve been thinking a lot about it ever since we boarded the ship to come here. I went through that whole period after we defeated Dahak in a fog. Looking back on it now, it’s like something I dreamed. I loved Morrigan enough to want to marry her, but I just don’t have those feelings anymore. I still care about her, but there is no future of any kind for us. I’m just so afraid that there was a dark part of me that saw something in her that reminded me of you. The same adventurous spirit. Going through life with a kind of reckless abandonment. Quick to smile, usually at my expense. I hate to admit it, but I think I was using her to try and replace what I had lost in you.”

“There was obviously something in her you were drawn to,” Iolaus said gently. “Are you sure you want to throw it all away like this?”

“Believe me, it’s better this way,” Hercules explained. “Our relationship was always volatile in one way or another. I don’t think we could be just casual friends. With her it’s all or nothing. She couldn’t understand your role in my life, the importance and depth of it, and so in a way she put a choice before me. You or her.”

“And besides,” the demigod continued as his partner opened his mouth to argue. “Every time I see her, she reminds me of....”

“Battling Dahak,” Iolaus finished for him.

Hercules closed his eyes, remembering the worst time of his entire life. The embodiment of evil and darkness masquerading as the one person that he had loved most. To see that beloved face twisted in hate and those twinkling blue eyes black and soulless had torn him apart. Hearing the familiar voice calling him “buddy” but with an obscene tilt to the word. Iolaus, the brother of his heart, taunting him, mocking him, threatening him....

“That was the most horrible thing I’ve ever experienced. That abomination desecrating the body of my best friend.” Hercules opened his eyes and looked at his partner with a small smile. “But I guess you’d know all about that too, wouldn’t you?”

“What do you mean?” Iolaus asked, his brow wrinkling in confusion.

“After you died in Sumeria, when Dahak appeared to you in my form,” Hercules told him.

“Herc, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the hunter said honestly.

“During the exorcism, Dahak showed me how he got you to bring him back into the world. He created an Elysian Fields for you, then came to you as me and promised you power and the chance to return to earth. Don’t you remember this?”

“All Dahak needed to return to the world was a warrior heart, which he got in Sumeria,” Iolaus explained. “After I died, he was free. He didn’t need me for anything else. I don’t know what he showed you, but I was in that pit alone until you came and we defeated him.”

“Then, why did you apologize for betraying me when I found you?”

“Because I did,” the hunter said, looking away. “When I threw myself in front of that dagger, I knew that I was releasing Dahak. I knew I was sacrificing myself, and I knew what that would do to you, and to Nebula. But I just couldn’t let her die that way.”

Hercules was speechless for long moments. He couldn’t believe he had been taken in by Dahak. Everything the monster had said to him had been a lie, so how had he even thought to take the words about Iolaus “welcoming him into his heart” at face value? Zarathustra had even warned him that “Deception is the will and the way of darkness. The demon will say anything to break us down.”

Of course Dahak had known that the way to get to Hercules was by way of Iolaus. He had done it very cleverly, too, the demigod had to admit. But Hercules felt ashamed that he had even for one second believed that Iolaus would ever agree to bring the very demon that he had just died trying to stop back into the world. The hunter would never have fallen for Dahak’s lies, and he would have damned his soul for eternity before he would have trusted him.

“Iolaus,” the demigod whispered. “I’m sorry. I don’t know how I ever could have thought that you would...”

“Herc, don’t,” Iolaus told him. “That was just a bad period for both of us, but it’s over. It’s time to forget about it now and move on.”

“You’re right,” the demigod agreed. And his partner wasn’t the only one. Branwen had also been right about everything. It was time to put all the pain Dahak caused behind them. And knowing Iolaus and the lives that they led, trouble couldn’t be far off. It was time for Hercules to enjoy this time with his friend while they had it, and not let the hurts of the past or the fear of the future ruin it.

“There’s a boat sailing out tomorrow,” Hercules said, putting an affectionate hand on his friend’s shoulder. “What do you say we go home?”

Hercules made his way across the deck of the ship to stand beside Iolaus, who had been leaning against the railing and starting out over the waves. In complete contrast to their voyage to Eire, the return voyage had been peaceful and trouble free. No storms arose to cause any delays, and the ship had made good time. They were due to reach Greece soon, and the hunter had eagerly been scanning the horizon for signs of land.

“Iolaus,” the demigod began, casually leaning on the railing beside his friend. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure,” the hunter replied, not one bit fooled by his partner’s attempt at nonchalance.

“All that time you spent in the Light. What was it like?”

“I thought we were going to put all that behind us,” Iolaus reminded him.

“I’m trying, but I just need to know this one thing.”

“Well, I’m afraid I can’t tell you much,” the hunter explained. “When I rejoined the living, so to speak, most of my memories of the Light faded away. All I can remember are bits and pieces.”

“You said something about it being bliss,” Hercules prodded.

“It was. It was beautiful there. There’s no anger or jealousy or regret. Just peace and happiness. Everything was kind of ethereal, like a dream that you never want to wake up from.”

“Sounds great,” the demigod said tightly.

“It was,” Iolaus agreed. “It was perfection. The Light is everything that we have here, plus so much more.”

“Wait a minute. You told me that there were no fishing trips. And no women.”

“I did, didn’t I?” The hunter gave his friend a small smile of embarrassment. “Well, that wasn’t exactly true.”

“Iolaus,” Hercules demanded. “With all of that ‘perfection’, why did you want to leave the Light? The truth this time.”

“You know that old saying that you never know how many friends you have until you’re dead?”

“Yes,” the demigod answered warily, hoping that his friend wasn’t about to try and joke his way out of the conversation.

“Well it’s true,” Iolaus told him. “In the Light, whenever anyone on earth thinks of you, you can hear it. You know, I used to think that I was living in your shadow, and that no one ever saw me for anything other than your sidekick. But after I went into the Light, I was shown how people really felt about me. I was just blown away by how many people were thinking of me. I never even knew the names of some. People of villages we saved from monsters or warlords were actually sadden by my death. Hercules, you wouldn’t believe how many people I heard calling me ‘hero’.” The hunter’s voice broke slightly on his last word, causing the demigod to smile.

“Of course I would,” Hercules said proudly. “I always knew how many lives you touched, even if you never did.”

“I just never realized how many people cared about me,” Iolaus whispered. He felt hot tears begin to sting his eyes, so he turned back out to stare at the sea.

“But you still haven’t told me why you left the Light,” the demigod reminded him gently.

“I heard everyone’s thoughts,” the hunter continued. “Including yours.”

“I thought about you a lot,” Hercules admitted.

“Yeah, I know.” Iolaus grinned at his friend. “All the time it seemed. But the thing is, Herc, amidst all that perfection of the Light, I wasn’t happy. The ‘bliss’ didn’t really fully extend to me. Something was wrong. I couldn’t help feeling that something was missing. No matter where I went, or what amazing things I saw, I kept hearing your voice and it called to me. And don’t give me that look.”

“What look?”

“That look of guilt, like you’re blaming yourself for depriving me of the ‘bliss of the Light’. I guess the truth is, Herc, that is just wasn’t bliss for me without you there. Michael knew that, and I think that’s why he ultimately let me come back. After all, it’s not a good image for the perfect Light to have one of its guardians moping around all the time.”

“Iolaus,” the demigod began, but there were no words. None that he could speak, although his heart was overflowing. Blue eyes met blue eyes, and he could see that the hunter understood all that he could not say, accepted it, and sent it back to him tenfold before the familiar cocky grin crept over his face.

“Besides,” Iolaus told him. “Someone has to be around to keep you out of trouble.”

Hercules sighed and shook his head. In the spirit of the moment, he was willing to let that crack go by unchallenged. But just this once. He turned to look out over the water, lifting his face to the wind, ready to finally let go of the painful memories that Dahak had caused. Smiling, he focused on a different memory. The day when he had pulled his partner out of the grip of the Light. It had been an indescribable feeling to have his Iolaus back beside him again, a laughing, joking, ball of energy. Hercules had often thought that he would go to Tartarus and back if he could have just one more day with his friend. But through their love for each other, that unbreakable bond, and a wonderful, precious gift from Michael, Hercules’ most treasured wish had come true. The one and only Iolaus, destined to be at his side once more. The demigod’s frozen heart had thawed and his soul had rejoiced, and suddenly life was once again worth living. He felt silly that he had spent so much time dwelling on the memories of Dahak when he had ones like that to remember. A memory that was worth keeping close to his heart.

The excitement of arriving back in Greece had quickly turned to panic as the two heroes saw the large black X that marked the Corinth port. Exchanging worried glances, the partners hurriedly disembarked and rushed into the town, fearing the worst had befallen their friends. But the hush of death was not upon the grand streets of Corinth. People were milling around freely, talking and laughing and celebrating life. Hercules turned to Iolaus and they both mouthed the word simultaneously.

“Rael.”

At the palace, Iphicles told them of the plague that had struck his kingdom. He, himself, had been stricken by the virulent illness, and had thought himself at death’s door when suddenly a flash of warm energy surged through him, curing him instantly. It was the same story throughout Corinth, and the rest of Greece as his scouts had reported.

“The gods must have finally taken pity on us,” the king reasoned thoughtfully.

“One god did,” Hercules said softly, and began to tell his brother about Rael.

It took some searching, but Hercules and Iolaus finally found her. The goddess was tired from her weeks of non-stop healing, but she was happy to see them. She was just finishing her work in a few remote villages, but she had succeeded in single-handedly driving the plague from Greece.

“I can’t thank you enough for everything,” the demigod told her.

“I was glad to do it,” the goddess told him, sincerity shining from the depths of her blue eyes. “You know if you ever need anything, I’ll do whatever I can.”

“Well, now that you’ve performed a miracle, we were hoping that you might stay for awhile.” Hercules felt a small twinge of regret that he had only thought to invite her to Greece when he needed something from her.

“I’d like that,” she said, favoring them with a bright smile. “But unless Ares has mellowed since the last time I was here, there could be trouble if he finds out.”

“Don’t worry about Ares,” Iolaus bragged. “We can handle him.”

“Haven’t you had enough of tempting death for awhile?” the demigod muttered.

“You worry too much, buddy,” the hunter grinned, punching his partner lightly on the arm. Hercules merely shook his head, as he often did around his irrepressible friend, watching him flirting outrageously with Rael.

“I know, you lead a charmed life. But just one more thing, BUDDY.” Hercules grabbed Iolaus by the back of his well worn vest as he tried to follow the goddess. “If you want to keep it that way, you’d better not get any ideas about my sister.”

The End

Disclaimer: Many personal vendettas against Season Five were rectified during the writing of this story.

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