Part Six
From the Annals of Bastet

The Amazon village was quiet as evening came on. In the main hall, dinner had been served and cleared away and most of the women warriors had gone back to the huts or on patrol. In the main hall, Baeori had remained alone now after the meal, watching the sorceress from a distance. Bastet, who had once been known as Waart, was sitting by the fire. She had some years ago taken the form of a small brown tabby cat. The young Amazon knew her through their mutual friendship with Kendaa but Baeori had not ever approached the sorceress herself. The creature made her uneasy for some reason, although Baeori had a fascination for the dark arts also. She decided to challenge her discomfort.

"What are you thinking?" Baeori asked the cat who was sitting on the hearth, staring into the fire's light. The young Amazon had come over to the large fireplace.

The little tabby looked up at the young Amazon. "You're so young," the cat said, absentmindedly.

"You think that I'm not hard enough to be an Amazon warrior?" the young woman replied. She could feel her defenses rising. Perhaps this had been a bad idea. She didn't like the idea of sorcery and magic. It made her nervous.

The cat looked puzzled for a moment, shook her head. "No, not at all! I was just thinking about my life and all that I had done and been. And when I looked up and saw you, you had the fresh look of youth."

"You don't know anything about me!" Baeori snapped, "I've been a renegade and a soldier. I'm not so innocent."

The cat cocked her head to one side. "We seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot. My comment wasn't meant to have much depth or meaning. It was just a passing thought," she replied quietly.

The young Amazon felt a little foolish now. Her old demons of self consciousness had gotten her in trouble again. She laughed nervously, under her breath and sat down by the cat.

"I'm sorry. I'm just a little nervous because I don't know much about sorcery."

"Well, stay that way," the cat answered. "Believe me, it is a world of darkness that draws the mind to magic and sorcery. I wish I had never gone there. Once you have, you are marked forever by its brand." The cat stretched languidly and looked back into the fire. "I have the most awful feeling tonight. Something is just not right in the world." Her ears turned back and trembled a little as she stretched.

"Only one thing?" Baeori asked. "Where have you been?"

The cat laughed. "Well, there is much that is wrong in an ordinary sort of way but tonight I feel like there is an extra sort of threat. I think it has to do with my sister. God only knows what she has gotten herself into. She's such a rascal." The cat continued to stare into the fire as the young Amazon yawned and got up.

"Well, I'm going to turn in," Baeori said. "I've been in training all day with Kendaa and a day with Kendaa is like a week with any normal Amazon trainer. And I thought Ares was a tough task-master!"

The cat looked up. "What?"

Baeori was just turning to go. She turned around again. "I said that Ares is a tough task-master."

The cat looked back at the fire. "That's it. This is also about Ares."

Baeori's ears pricked up at the reference. "What about Ares? Is he in trouble?" Then she thought for a moment. "Listen to me," she thought out loud, "as if I could be of help."

The cat had a far away look in her eyes. "You can - but I feel that we need to go now. Will you go with me?" Bastet asked, looking up again at the girl.

Baeori's face dawned a look of surprise. She was just opening her mouth to reply when the mess hall doors opened and Laurissa came in half-carrying Fayee. The smaller woman had gash on her leg.

"What happened?" Baeori exclaimed as the tall Amazon dumped her charge onto a bench, unceremoniously.

"Oh, I fell out of tree and gashed my leg on a branch as I went down. Gods, how annoying!" Fayee replied. She grimaced and reached into the small pouch that she had at her belt. "I'll take care of this in an instant but Laurissa wanted something to drink so we came in here."

Laurissa had already gone into the kitchen and came back out in a moment with a tankard of ale for herself and her friend.

Baeori looked back at the cat who had said nothing at the interruption. The young Amazon looked back at her friends, fascinated to watch Fayee run the stone she had over her wound and bind up the torn skin as if by magic. The thought of magic brought her back to the cat who had jumped down now and was walking over to where the two were.

"It never ceases to amaze me how the One provides when asked," the cat said jumping up by the wounded Amazon, now almost healed.

"Because of the healing stone," Fayee said, putting the stone back in her pouch.

"No, I prayed for help," the cat said looking up at her. The two Amazons looked at Baeori with confusion. She shrugged back. "I ask and it is given to me. How's your leg?"

Fayee smiled, drinking down some ale. "Good as new," she answered after a swallow.

"Excellent," the cat said, jumping down. She went over to a clearing amongst the tables and looked back at the three women. "Are you all ready for an adventure?"

Laurissa downed the last of her ale, glancing over at Baeori, then she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Always!"

"Where are we going?" Fayee asked, standing up and checking the blade of her boot knife quickly.

"I have no idea. I'll tell you when we get there but we must go now!" the cat said, as the three women gathered around her.

Laurissa went into the kitchen and came back in a heartbeat. With the wax stylus that Lyrical used to mark barrels of food, she wrote a note on the wall and wrote the names of the three Amazons quickly. "Gone with Bastet," it said briefly.

The three women formed a triangle around the cat. The small feline had begun to whisper quietly, conjuring a spell of movement. As the women stood still around the cat, a mist began to form, swirling around them.

"Be strong in a world that is weak, sisters," Laurissa called out as they embarked on the journey.

Part Seven

The Coven had reassembled in the circular room far below the streets of the city. Now the women stood quietly in a vast circle around two bound figures. The two Greek warriors stood together back to back, shirtless, their arms chained to long shackles that were suspended from the corners of the ceiling. Both were bound with the same magical steel that had held Hercules just a while ago. Ares tested the chains knowing it was futile. His mother's powers had increased dramatically. The thought was so disturbing that he felt a wave of anxiety he had not felt for many years.

Hera sat in a chair at the north end of the circle, smiling at her son's discomfort.

"You've never been at a loss to find ways to annoy me," Ares said, turning his head to look at his mother and steadying his voice to sound unconcerned.

"You annoy so easily," she replied. "You were always a difficult child."

"Was I?" he said, almost to himself. "I can't remember a time before you made me a god."

"Well, then you were just another small child," his mother replied. "Whining, needy, always asking stupid questions and wanting answers that were not your place to have. I never liked any of my children until they matured. Children are a bother."

"Yes, innocence can be so tiresome," Ares replied.

"How did you get to be such a good parent with role models like that?" Hercules said over his shoulder to his half-brother.

Ares laughed under his breath. "How do you know I am?" he asked.

"Little Amazon birds tell me," Hercules whispered back. "But I digress, are you using your finely honed warrior's senses to think of a way out of this?"

Ares laughed at the joke. "My finely honed warrior senses?" he said under his breath. "Unfortunately, my warrior's senses are telling me we are in this deep." He paused, sighing.

"Silence!" Hera shouted with frustration. "You seem to forget the situation you are in. These are possibly the last moments of your life! You should be considering that."

Both men had turned to look at her. "Your point being?" Ares replied tiredly. It was foolish bravado but he didn't care. His mother's intrusion into the campaign and being taken by surprise by it were weighing heavily on him. He realized again how much he detested the use of magic to wage war. At one time, it would have amused him but now it seemed so cowardly.

Vita leaned over and whispered something in her mistress' ear. Hera raised an interested eyebrow and smiled again. "One of the sorceresses? Excellent!" she said to Vita, then she looked over at her prisoners again. "Your feline companion has returned, Hercules. Come back, no doubt, to save you. I love the sentimental loyalty of humans. It makes them so vulnerable and predictable. I'll leave you two here to think about your situation while I attend to this matter." She got up and waved her hand. The Coven women retreated quietly from the circle, some following Hera and Vita out the main door and others disappearing through other exits that appeared and disappeared as quickly as they were summoned and used. In a moment, the two warriors were alone in the vast cavern.

"Now would be a good time," Hercules said.

"For?"

"Our brilliant escape."

His companion snorted affectedly. "You probably have more strength right now than I do," Ares replied. "When a god loses his power, he becomes pretty pathetic."

"Don't you have the metal left in your shoulder from your sword?" Hercules asked.

"No, my mother thinks of everything," Ares replied. Hercules realized then that his companion had looked unusually pale when they had been brought into the cavern. The two had been separated for an hour or so. Hercules had wondered if he would see Ares again at all but when he was led into the cavern, Ares was being brought in from another entrance. Now as the two men stood together, Hercules realized that he smelled blood from Ares' wound.

"I see your mother has displayed her usual compassion," Hercules said, sourly.

"My mother is…" The War God never finished the sentence. Although barely perceptible, the patter of feet across the floor caught their attention and the two men saw the small black cat dash into the room from the main entrance.

Both men called out at once, warning the little animal of the danger she was in but she ignored them. She circled quickly around the two as they each glared at her as she came into their vision. She collected herself in front of Hercules. "Sorry about this," she said, and climbed up his pant leg, up his naked chest and onto his shoulder.

Hercules grimaced and looked up as she stretched herself up his arm, grabbing hold of his leather bracelet with one paw as she tapped the metal on both men's wrists with the other. Sparks arced out and the locks of the manacles gave way. She scampered across the shoulders of the two men between their heads, and did the same for the others. Hercules stretched his tired arms.

Ares went down on one knee momentarily. The other man turned to help him up but he waved Hercules away. "I'll be all right. We've got to get out of here."

"Follow me," the cat said.

"Look, this was too easy," Hercules said. "They know you are here. They'll be waiting for us."

"I know they know, but they don't know that I know they know," the cat replied, indignantly. "Give me a little credit, will you? I have a plan."

Ares stood up, smiling wearily. He looked over at Hercules. "Well, I'm glad someone has a plan."

Part Eight

Mace awoke with a start. He felt around for the cat and found only space where she had been. Sighing, he got up slowly to start the day's preparations for battle. He stood up and stretched, looking toward the light just beginning in the eastern sky. He could see the sentries keeping watch, and men beginning to stir around their campfires.

Mace went through the routine of the morning, waiting in line for the latrines, the food, and supplies for his battle gear. He ate quickly at his campfire, wolfing down the cold biscuits and cheese. As he finished up his breakfast, he looked over at the city in the distance, wondering about his lover and his friends and thinking briefly about their welfare. The morning had a chill on it that made him shiver briefly. He thought about putting on a shirt under his jerkin to warm his arms, then decided against it as the battle would warm him up quickly and then he'd be too hot. He sighed deeply and thought the same thought that he had every morning of every battle he had ever fought. What if this was the last battle of his life. Was he ready to face his judgment in the afterlife? He thought about the world of the battlefield that he had been trapped in when he had met Hercules. He feared that that would be the judgment to which he would be sentenced, then he looked up the city in the distance again. For the first time in his extended life, he was fighting for something beyond his own personal welfare or ambition. He knew what it was to have comrades he could trust. The feeling was a good one and so different from the dark mood he had carried constantly when he had fought in Set's army.

"Rest in Hell, Set," he cursed under his breath, remembering the fate of his master. The units were lining up now. He got up and prepared for the assault on the city.

The assault started as the sun came over the horizon. As the daylight broke onto the field, Mace was in one of the first units to storm the walls. They met no resistance and as they broke through the gates, Mace came to the front of the lines, afraid that they would be ambushed by some waiting force as they came into the city. He was directly behind Celaus, ready to cover him if the enemy had laid a trap.

The silence in the city was unnerving. There was no one there. The Corinthian army swarmed into the buildings. They found their enemies' bodies lying on the floor or slumped over the tables, some still with weapons or instruments in their hands, doing some martial job when the life had left them. It was eerie. The Greek soldiers whispered and talked amongst each other, retreating back outside to escape the strange sight. The Greek forces were in a state of confusion.

Celaus was standing at the entrance to the main gate of the city. He could hear men talking from buildings, calling out the same grim status of the enemy army as they searched there. A shiver went through him as he looked around. He called for the officers to have the men retreat to the gate. The occult fate of his foes made him sure that he had to be cautious. Watching as the soldiers retreated from the buildings, he motioned Mace to go with him into one of the buildings to survey for himself what had happened.

Celaus looked around and then turned to Mace.

"What do you make of this?" he said, recognizing the experience of the older man.

"This whole thing has been bound up in sorcery since the beginning," Mace answered. He went over to one of the bodies on the floor, turning it over and examining it quickly. "No wonder we never took any of them alive; I think they've been dead from the start, revived into life by whatever force we are fighting. Perhaps this unholy force retreated knowing that it was just a matter of time before we took the city. I wonder where is Hercules though?" He was about to speak again when an officer came in to report.

"We've found the townspeople, sir," he said. "They're all dead. Women, children, and old men but no young men."

"They're all here," Mace said quietly. "They were the forces that the Coven used."

"Coven?" Celaus asked.

Mace thought for a moment. "Ares visited me in a dream last night," he explained, feeling it was best not to speak the exact truth, "he told me that our enemies are a Coven of witches that have taken charge of a powerful source of magic."

Celaus looked confused and disbelieving when he was interrupted by his general who had marched into the room with a flourish.

"A coven of witches!" the general exclaimed, snorting for effect. "A group of women behind this, that's nonsense! This army was too well organized and equipped to be led by women."

Mace smiled as Celaus shook his head. "Sir, don't underestimate the females of our race. The Amazons have many who were trained by Ares himself. Why would he waste time on females unless he thought they could perform to his standards of warfare?"

"Simple," the general replied. "They need more training then men. Men come by the making of war naturally." He turned and strode out of the room, confident in his statement. "We have taken the city back. We'll bury the dead and return to Corinth. King Iphicles will be glad to have his elite force back and Lord Ares will be pleased at my victory," he said over his shoulder as he left.

Celaus looked down at Mace who was still crouched by the dead man. The young officer looked worried. "We need to make a thorough search of the city. What about Hercules? King Iphicles will not be pleased that his brother was captured and we cannot account for him." He paused for a moment, looking around. "I don't think Lord Ares will be pleased at all," he said quietly and turned, following his commander from the grim scene.

Mace looked down at the dead man. "I think you are right," he said to himself. "I don't think Lord Ares is pleased at all."

Ares and Hercules followed the cat down the corridors of the labyrinth. Ares ran behind the cat who sprinted along, checking briefly when she came to a choice of directions in the maze of hallways. Hercules took up the rear and could see now the gash in his half-brother's back where the metal had been taken out. This small piece of metal had come from his sword and could imbue him with some of his god powers even when his sword was gone. The story of how it had been placed in him was a long one and included the goddess Discord whom both men hated with an equal passion. She had not been seen now for several years and Hercules hoped that that would be permanent.

"Now let's see … it's this way," the cat said, choosing the left corridor, "no, that one." She stopped and ran in the other direction, doubling back and causing the two men to have to stop in their tracks.

"Are you sure?" Ares said, stopping to get his breath. He exhaled heavily and looked over at Hercules briefly.

"Yes, I am sure," the cat said, disappearing from their sight. Down the hall, the torches had gone out and the hall became a hole of blackness. The two men began to follow again but as they came to the darker area both stopped, instinctively sensing danger.

Ares looked at Hercules. "I don't like the look of this," he said quietly as they both paused to listen for a moment.

"Xastet?" Hercules called out. "Are you there?"

His question was met with silence.

"God, I wish I had a sword," Ares said. He looked into the darkness. "Some plan!"

The two men looked at each other. Hercules began to say something when the cat came out of the darkness and looked up at the two.

"Well, are you coming?" she snapped. "My sister is close and she brought Amazon reinforcements. We have to hurry." She disappeared into the darkness.

"Ama …," Ares began surprised, then stopped. Hercules had already followed the cat into the dark. Ares ran his hands through his short-cropped hair, sighing heavily. "How do you mortals make it from day to day?" He plunged in after the others.

Part Nine

The journey took the breaths of the three Amazons away. When they landed in the coldness of dungeon hall, they were shivering as much from the occult passage as from the heavy chill of the subterranean place.

Baeori landed with a thump and a grunt on the dirt of the floor. Fayee landed next to her on her knees and went down on all fours for a moment, feeling lightheaded.

Laurissa landed on her feet, and shook her head. "Whoa, what a trip! Where the Hades are we?" she said quietly. The three looked around but the cat was no where to be seen. They were in a dimly lit hall of rough hewn stone. The air was musty and smelled slightly of human waste.

"Bastet?" Laurissa called out, not too loudly. She crouched down to help Baeori up.

Fayee had already gotten to her feet, holding the wall to steady herself.

"Bastet?" Laurissa called out again. The Amazon looked around. "Damn it, furball, if you have dumped us here and gotten lost yourself, I am going to make you into a pelt when I find you!" she said angrily.

Fayee stood up suddenly. "Wait a minute," she said, almost to herself. The other two looked at her. She stared back at them, as if she was in a trance, then smiled. "Stay here. Wait for me."

Then an amazing thing happened. Baeori had seen this before but Laurissa had only heard about it. The woman stood next to the stone wall, and then she slowly faded into it, melting into the solid rock. In an instant, there was nothing there at all. Fayee had the ability to travel through stone matter.

Laurissa gasped. "That is unbelievable," she whispered. "Now that's got to come in handy! How ever did she learn to do that?"

"I think she always knew," Baeori replied, leaning up against the wall to wait while her friend had gone to reconnoiter. "I'm not sure. She doesn't say much about her past before she came to the Amazons."

"Not many of you do," Laurissa said. "Sometimes I feel like the odd one out being one of the few in the forum that was born and raised in the Nation."

"That must be wonderful," Baeori replied thoughtfully. "I can't imagine being raised as an Amazon."

"Well, I can imagine not. It has its advantages, but also it was a very sheltered life in some ways. I guess we always want what we don't have. It seems more interesting." She looked around. "Best we get ready for … whatever we're suppose to get ready for. Bastet, I'm going to pull your tail for this." She unsheathed her sword and examined the blade while she spoke.

Fayee passed through the stone world with ease, stopping periodically to get her bearings as she came to a hall or room. She paused for a moment as she closed in on a familiar "scent." She peeked out from the face of the stone into a vast cavern. To an observer, the stone of the wall's face took on the slight shape of a woman's face but it was so subtle that one had to be looking at the wall carefully.

Beyond, in the cavern, a group of women dressed in robes stood in a circle around something. Fayee squinted to see if she could better make out the object in the center of the circle then she recognized what she had been searching for. In the center was the cat, her stripes were darker, almost black, but it was Bastet. Fayee prepared to step out into the room when a group of women came into the cave from another entrance. At their head was Hera. Fayee faded back into the stone, cursing under her breath.

"Well, you thought you could fool us with this - how shall I put this - clever disguise," Hera said as she walked into the circle. The cat was crouched down on the floor looking around at the women who encircled it.

"I guess it's true that a tiger can't change its stripes," said the cat. "I felt the gathering of great power. Tell me, Hera, what have you conjured to trouble the world with this time?"

The women began to chant, putting out their hands toward the small animal. The cat jumped suddenly with shock and its fur began to sizzle. It screamed as a burning sensation went through it and in a flash of light, the life energy . of the small creature was forced into the bodies of the women around it. Some of the witches fainted. Hera moaned as the power of the sorceress enriched her own force.

Vita dropped to one knee and began to shiver. Her robe fell away and she put her arms around herself, rocking back and forth for a moment. "God, unbelievable! Incredible!" she whispered. She looked at her arms, white from the cold but now as smooth as alabaster, all signs of aging gone. The witch looked down at her figure, naked under the robe. Her breasts were young and perfect. Her black hair had a bluish sheen now, falling in thick billows down her back. Even her nails had grown in the process of the transformation. She sat back, her legs folded under her. She had a dazed look that cleared as she looked up at Hera.

"I had no idea she was so powerful," Hera said, smiling down at her chief lieutenant. "Now, we have no need for more souls. We have the sorceress's power and we are close to unlocking the last spells of the Book of Night. We will proceed against Olympus itself. To Oblivion with the Greek city-states, they will fall when Olympus falls. Finally I will take my place at the head of the twelve."

She turned and looked around at the women around her. She pointed to Vita. "Get up and go back to where my son is chained up with Hercules. Take five of the sisters and transport both men to the temple of Astarte. We will meet you there. Leave this city to the army outside." She laughed, thinking about what the soldiers would find. "Let them scratch their heads in confusion when they see what is left of their enemies."

Vita put the robe back around her shoulders. "As you wish, mistress," she said quietly. As she left the room, she looked back briefly at the body of the cat then turned and went out, followed by her retinue.

Fayee faded out of the room and headed quickly back to where she had left her sisters. She had gained so much speed racing through the stone that when she came out of the rock, she shot out falling over Baeori who was sitting on the floor.

Fayee got up from where she had fallen. She was breathing heavily from the exertion. "Bastet's dead," she gasped out. "Hera is here with a group of women, witches by the look of them. They are going to conquer Olympus. We're in the catacombs under a city that was taken over by these women. I don't think we'll find anyone alive though when we get up there but the Greek forces are at the gates."

Laurissa stared at her, disbelieving. "Dead?" she replied in a whisper. Baeori frowned, trying not to cry.

"I saw them kill her. Her fur was darker than usual, maybe she was trying to change colors to look like her sister and by their comments, I think these women mistook her for her sister, but they blasted the life out of her with some sort of spell." She gulped and inhaled deeply. "Ares is somewhere down here with Hercules. Hera's forces have captured them somehow and are going to take them to a place called the Temple of Astarte."

Baeori got a faraway look in her eyes. "Astarte," she whispered. "I haven't heard that name for many years."

The two other women frowned over at her, confused. "You know who this is?" Fayee said.

"I'm not sure," Baeori replied, "but I've heard the name."

"Do you know where the temple is?" Laurissa asked.

"No," Baeori replied. "At least I don't think I do."

"Well, we need to look for Hercules and Ares," Laurissa said, starting down one direction of the hall. "You can think about it on the way."

The three women began to search the catacombs.

Part Ten

"Where did they go?" said one of the witches as she looked up at the chains now hanging empty. The Coven members looked around surprised at the disappearance of Hercules and Ares from their bonds.

Another touched one of the manacles. "They were unlocked with magic. Could the sorceress have freed them before we caught her?"

"No," Vita said, looking up at the manacles. She touched the metal also and gasped slightly. Her face tensed with a look of anxious horror. "God, no," she whispered under her breath.

"Hera will be sorely displeased at this. Someone will pay," said one of the women.

The followers looked over at their leader. Vita stared back, recovering from her sudden unsettled feeling. "I will take responsibility for this, don't worry." She put her hands on her hips. "They had help getting out of here. Perhaps they are still around."

"Ares will have gotten both of them away," said another.

"Remember that he is only mortal man right now," Vita corrected. "He and Hercules could not have gotten far." She seemed preoccupied now. The sisters detected a change in her mood. They looked at each other anxiously. "You five go into the eastern halls, reach out with your senses and search for them. If you find them, take them to the Temple. If you run into any of the enemy, kill them and leave for Astarte's temple at once. I will search the western halls." She strode out of the room. The other women looked confused but followed after her, splitting off to go in the other direction when they had reached the hall outside.

Once the women were out of view, Vita's body began to tremble as she called upon her powers. She reached out and located the Amazons. "Thank God," she whispered. She felt a wave of lightheadedness as she began to will herself to their location. In an instant, she materialized in front of the three women who were running headlong down the halls of the catacombs. She reached out and steadied herself against the stones of the wall to keep from falling. A trickle of blood fell from her nose.

Laurissa pulled her sword and was on the woman in a heartbeat, forcing her up against the wall with the point of the blade. "Where is Hercules?" she said, pressing her weapon just below the other's chin.

"Damned if I know," said the woman. "He's escaped with Ares. They're not in this place anymore. I think that my sister has taken them to the Temple of Astarte."

"Your sister?" Fayee asked. The three Amazons exchanged puzzled looks, then Fayee realized what had happened. "Bastet? Then you weren't killed?"

The woman shook her head tiredly. "I am as good as dead," she said sadly, "but I have taken over the body of this woman. She was a strong willed person and I'll have to be very careful not to let her ascend back into control. However for now, the group of women led by none other than Hera herself, will think that I am one of them."

"What in Hades is going on?" Baeori asked.

Bastet let out the breath she had been holding as Laurissa took the blade away. "Vita was a Corinthian courtesan who took up the dark arts and …" she began.

"Who's Vita?" Laurissa asked, crossing her arms over her chest and frowning.

"Oh, sorry. I'm Vita," Bastet replied. "This woman came upon the Book of Night, a book of spells set down by the Ancient One Astarte, while she was visiting the land of the Persians to study magic." Vita held up her hand as Laurissa began to ask another question. "I know this is confusing. Remember that I know everything that this woman knows. I am now Bastet in the body and mind of Vita." She went on. "Vita figured out that the information that she had found was important but she could not release the power because she didn't know enough. She approached the goddess Hera who instantly knew that the knowledge that the courtesan had found was momentous. She took over the coven that Vita had started in Corinth and began to unlock the powers of this ancient text. This knowledge is even older than she is. It comes from the most ancient of powers and with it Hera is gaining more force. She was unable, however, to unlock its secrets as the Book requires a stepwise process of acquiring its wisdom. That's why up until now, the witches have been feeding on the souls of the young men of this city. Now Hera will not need the souls of the humans anymore. She and the coven members will leave this city and move on."

Fayee shook her head, confused. "So what's different? What's changed?"

"My appearance here has changed everything. I have been such a fool," the Sorceress replied, shaking her head sadly. "I wish I could tell you everything but I can't. For right now, all you need to understand that Hera has gained my power and with it she now has what she needs." She began to walk along the hallway toward the stairs in the distance. "My sorcery has been seriously compromised but I have enough power to take us all to the Temple of Astarte. I am sorry that I brought you three into this. It is much worse than I thought. Hercules and Ares are approaching the Temple with my sister." She turned to explain further but Laurissa held up her hand.

"Don't explain anymore! We're confused enough as it is. Just take us to where our friends are and stand back," she said.

Baeori and Fayee gave the Amazon war cry.

Chapter Eleven

The black cat stopped in the hall and looked back at the hole of darkness that was the conduit between the two places. She snorted and went back into the hole to find the two warriors. In an instant she was back through with the two tall men at her heels. Hercules stepped out first and drew in a breath as he took in the world of Astarte and her temple. Huge colonnades rose up around him, ordered throughout the vast hall like soldiers standing guard. Though every colonnade had three braziers as tall as he was burning around it, the temple ceiling was so high, it was lost in shadows. The walls and columns were made of a smoky red stone marbled with glittering gold and smooth to the touch. In the distance he could see large doors that were probably the entrance to the temple proper. As he looked around further, he realized that the conduit had placed them in one corner of the huge expanse. He saw no one else around and this disturbed him. The whole place had a feeling of expectant evil.

"This is too easy," he said to himself as he stopped and waited for Ares to emerge from the hole. As soon as he did, the hole was gone. Hercules turned back toward the cat to see her sitting, waiting for them both before the temple door.

"Let's pick up the pace, shall we?" she said.

Hercules halted, putting his hands on his hips. Ares came up beside him quietly.

"What's wrong?" Ares whispered, lowering his voice as he felt the same uneasiness. "So this is the temple of Astarte," he said, almost to himself. He looked around at the room. "My father told me once that the walls were painted with the blood of her sacrificial victims. As usual, he exaggerated."

Hercules looked at the cat in the distance, her tail switching with impatience. "I don't like this at all," he whispered to his comrade. "I feel like we are walking into a trap."

Ares looked around, sighing. He nodded but said nothing. He motioned to Hercules and the two walked on to catch up with the cat.

She looked up at them as they neared her. "Are you all right?" she asked Ares.

"I'll live," he answered tersely. He looked at the huge doors before him. "Hercules is going to stay out here and watch for a rear ambush while you and I go in." Hercules was about to say something but Ares' glance stopped him.

The cat cocked her head in surprise. "I will need both of you to fight the enemy."

"What enemy?" Ares asked as he went to the door. He tried the handle and it began to open with little effort. Hercules disappeared behind a pillar.

"Astarte's followers are everywhere," the cat said, coming up behind him, "and armed with powerful magic."

"Everywhere?" Ares asked, peering through the door slightly ajar. The room beyond looked empty also. Ares stepped back and closed the door. "I don't see anyone," he said, turning back to the cat.

The cat sat down again. "Don't you trust me?" she asked. "I have put my own life in danger to bring you here."

Ares looked down at the small cat. Her green eyes flashed as she peered up at him. Her tail twitched, its tip slapped the marble floor restlessly. Ares smiled, shaking his head sadly. "It is a trap, isn't it?" he asked. "Hercules felt it too. I'm not going any farther until you tell me what is going on." He crossed his arms over his chest.

The feline licked her side several times and stretched. "Well, I suppose it was just a matter of time," she said. She trotted over to the door and touched it delicately with her paw. The massive portals swung inward to reveal another large room. It was lined with colonnades like the outer, but the center of the room was uncluttered with anything except a statue. Ares watched the cat go over to the stone figure. On a waist high pedestal was the likeness of a woman standing with her arms outstretched. In one hand she held a snake. Draped around the figure was a baldric on which hung the Sword of War.

Ares made a dash for the sword, covering ground quickly and leaping up onto the pedestal, grabbing the belted weapon. He pulled it down, tipping the statue over as he tore the belt away and unsheathed his blade. The statue shattered as it hit the floor, and the mortal man was transformed again into the god. His clothing was restored to black and silver. His paleness faded as he took on the eternal vigor of the immortals. He smiled grimly as he turned toward the small cat, holding out the sword toward her menacingly.

"The loyalty that you have developed for humans is commendable but unfortunate," the cat said, padding around the pieces of the statue as they came to rest. Now her voice had deepened to resonate through the room as she approached him. When she looked up at him, her eyes were bright red, luminescent, as if a light was shining into them. "It has led you to your final confrontation."

The War God peered at the small animal, frowning. "When did you succumb to the darkness, Xastet?"

"I have always been the servant of the darkness," she answered. "My whims come and go but my taste for power never wavers. That is one thing that my sister and I do not have in common but I do have with your dear mother."

Ares focused his senses on her, feeling her strength challenge his. The mention of his mother fortified his resolve all the more. His jaw tensed with anger.

"This isn't some cosmic pissing contest for me anymore," Ares said softly, his words came out in measured tones. "It's not about who will win or lose, it's not about power. It's about honor. Even if I lose this time, I will still win."

"Well, aren't we the epic hero?" the cat hissed. "I believe that the new, improved Ares will startle this battle weary world. Is this your latest attempt at notoriety? Perhaps you think that this will finally gain you the place that you can never have with the other gods of Olympus."

Ares shook his head, feeling the room begin to close in on him. It was getting hot. He could feel sweat running down his outstretched arms. He stepped closer to the cat. "This goes way beyond my mother's petty plans, doesn't it?" he spat out, feeling his rage surfacing dangerously. He calmed himself.

The sorceress' eyes flashed up at him in response. "Your mother and I share the need for power but she continued to maintain one foot in the world of light, trying to keep all her options open. One can't do that if you want to play this game. You have to choose. You stand in the light or embrace the darkness. There is no middle ground," she said quietly. "I have made that choice. I always knew that I would, and your mother has led me to the Book of Night which will reveal its magnificent secrets to me." She sighed. "My sister is rushing here to save the day. It's sad, you know. She was actually the stronger of the two of us. She was the one that started me on the dark path. A path that she herself walked so proudly in the ancient days. Now, she's a scribe and a philosopher. Pathetic, isn't it?"

"Do you really want me to answer?" Ares asked, near enough now to use the weapon.

The cat smiled up as the blade touched its chest. "Are you really ready to challenge the boundaries of that weapon's powers and of your own immortality?" she asked, looking at the sword point.

"As ready as I will ever be," Ares whispered, plunging the blade into its chest.

Part Twelve

Hera looked around as she arrived at the temple with the witches of the coven. They had landed in the Courtyard in the front of the massive building. She snarled with displeasure as she realized that they were far from their destination. One of the others came up to her.

"Why didn't we …," started the woman.

"Silence!" Hera barked in response. "The book must be protecting itself. We will have to walk from here on. Perhaps it's another test." She started toward the temple with the others trailing after her. They walked up the stairs to the large outer doors and Hera raised her arms in command for the doors to open but nothing happened.

"What in Hades is going on here?" she asked angrily. The others began to murmur. "This is not from the book!" She stepped back and looked around. "There is someone else here. Someone else is after the book!" she shouted. One of the witches approached her to speak but before the woman could get out a word, Hera slapped her, sending her tumbling down the courtyard stairs to lay dead on the area below. The Queen of Olympus did not look down to acknowledge her, but turned to the door and summoned a lightening bolt to open the locked entrance.

The doors flew open at the assault and the goddess went in with her entourage following her at a safe distance.

Hercules had waited behind the stone pillar for a moment as Ares approached the cat then he decided to go back to the corner where they had entered the temple hoping to find some thing he could use as a weapon. He looked around, pursing his lips in nervous irritation. He thought he had seen another door around here but now there was nothing but walls without any exits. This worried him even more. He took hold of one of the braziers and tipped it over, spilling coals over the marble floor. He then hit the top of the long device on a column. The coal holder went flying and the column's marble cracked at the force of the blow. He was left with a metal staff with three feet at one end. He bent the bottoms so that they stuck out. Now he had a serviceable weapon.

Hercules went back to the entrance to the inner room. He understood that his half brother had not wanted both of them to walk into any trap, but from the door ajar he heard nothing. He looked around nervously then decided to see what Ares had discovered inside. He stepped up carefully to the door and looked into the room.

The sight inside made him gasp. He saw the God of War restored to his celestial form plunging his sword into the cat's small chest. Before Hercules could speak, a flash of lightening engulf both figures.

The tall man called out, running into the temple room. It was filling now with a thick mist and lights swirled around in the fog.

"Ares? What's going on?" Hercules yelled, trying to see into the fog. He was about to enter it when the lights coalesced and surrounded him. He felt something hit his chest, knocking him backwards off his feet. As he hit the ground, he lost consciousness.

The mist was clearing when Ares roused himself. He got up on his hands and knees with a groan, then he stood suddenly, wondering what had happened. He looked at the Sword of War as it lay on the floor beside him. It still shimmered with power but as he picked it up, he could feel it resonate with a different energy. He wondered if the Sword had taken on some of the dark force from the sorceress. He looked around. The figure of the cat was gone. Over by the door, Hercules lay unconscious. He went over toward his half brother, reaching out with his senses. Hercules was alive but Ares was surprised to feel an odd kind of energy coming from the man. The feeling made him hesitate for a moment. For the first time in their long relationship, Ares felt afraid of him. The feeling was at once surprising and disconcerting. As he approached his half brother, he saw his mother and her entourage coming from the far end of the room beyond.

Ares pointed his sword at her as his mother lifted her hands to call upon her power. The sword began to hum and a streak of light shot from its tip in her direction.

The bolt of light hit the goddess in the chest, sending her backwards with a groan. She gasped, surprised at the power that her son now commanded.

"What have you done?" she called out angrily.

"What have I done?" Ares replied through clenched teeth. "As is becoming my custom, Mother, I am cleaning up the mess that you created with your greedy little ways."

"Son," Hera said, suddenly wringing her hands with concern. "There is another involved now in our journey. Whatever it is, it is powerful. We must combine our might to overcome this new enemy. Let us resolve our differences later and help each other now. You have always come to the aid of Olympus when we needed you."

The pleading sound of her voice caught the warrior god off guard. He hesitated as he looked at the woman standing with her arms outstretched toward him. For a brief moment, the need of a son for acceptance surfaced. Then Hercules began to move, grimacing as he rolled over onto his side. Ares looked from him back to his mother and shook his head.

"You almost convinced me yet again," Ares said angrily. "But I've seen that look too many times. The book is here and it is mine. Go home and scheme some new plot for power. Abandon all hope, Mother." The sword continued to point toward the women in the distance, its dark power now keeping their sorcery at bay.

Hera put down her arms, narrowing her eyes as she thought. The witches around her began to whisper but she held up one hand and the talking stopped. For a moment, the two gods were locked in a test of wills. Ares looked over at Hercules now stumbling to his feet. The tall man brushed his sandy blond hair out of his face and touched the bruise on the side of his head gingerly.

Hera looked at Hercules as he turned toward her. The tall warrior looked down the expanse of the long room and to Hera's surprise he smiled grimly. She could feel a new force coming from him.

"Go home, old woman," he said quietly. "There's nothing here for you." He swept the air with his hand and the large doors of the temple chamber closed with a slam that shook the whole building. Hercules looked over at his half brother.

"I will finally have my vengeance," he said.

Part Thirteen

Bastet summoned the last of her strength to will herself and the three Amazon warriors to the Temple of Astarte. Now in the form of a woman, she was unused to moving so slowly but the perspective of the world as a human was different. As the four women materialized in the cavernous hall, they saw the cracked pillar and the coals strewn on the floor where Hercules had fashioned for himself the makeshift weapon. The sorceress touched the wall.

"Hercules has been here," she said. "He is close." She looked at the doors in the distance. "That is the inner sanctum of the temple." She paused for a moment, hearing the Amazons take out their blades. "Be cautious, and do not take anything for granted," she said. "I am not as I once was and neither is my sister."

"Explain," Laurissa said as they went toward the doors.

"I think my sister has gone over to the Darkness," the Sorceress replied. "I can feel it. What form she has taken I don't know, so be careful as she could have possessed anyone. I think she has entered another."

They approached the great entry way to the temple room. Vita stopped and put her hands on the door, sensing what lay within. She stepped back and nodded to Fayee and Laurissa. The two Amazons pulled the handles of the door and Baeori went through taking the lead with her sword at the ready.

Within, they saw the two warriors facing each other. The Amazons' momentary joy at seeing Hercules and Ares was immediately quelled by the looks on the two men's faces and the Sorceress' warning as she held out her arms and pushed Baeori back behind her.

Hercules looked over at the women. The grim smile on his face filled them with dread. Ares inhaled deeply as he trained his sword on the man, waiting for a moment of advantage. He motioned to the Amazons and the three warriors moved away from the dark-haired witch and took defensive positions behind him. Hercules peered at the blade near his heart, then up at the four warriors. The Amazons raised their swords against him, a posture that none of the sister soldiers ever thought they would assume.

"How could you?" Vita asked as she looked at her sister's dark soul shining through the eyes of the hero.

"This fight is between myself and Ares. You don't belong here. I will give you one chance to take your pretty little warriors and go," Hercules replied, sneering as he spoke.

Vita shook her head sadly. "This is really between the two of us," she replied. "I took you to the path of the dark arts and showed you the world it offered."

"And then you deserted me and went off to search for truth," the dark soul replied. "You left me and went to the Amazons."

"Is that what this is about?" Vita asked, incredulous. "Are you jealous of my relationship with the Amazons?"

"Not jealous, just puzzled. Why ally yourself with such creatures. You and I could have been the masters of Olympus, possibly of this plane of existence," the soul within Hercules replied. "But you turned away, why?"

"Why? Because that path is not what it appears!" Vita cried out. "Are you so blinded by power that you can't see that. Where are the dark ones now? Where are Baal and Astarte? Where are Dahak, Set and Moloch? All of them are imprisoned by the force that balances out all things. You will go there too. You have the good within you, I know you do. You stood guard at the gate the held back Dahak. You helped me conquer him."

"And while I stayed in that dark, cold place," Hercules answered, "Dahak whispered things to me that I had not seen before. He opened my eyes."

"He LIED to you!" Vita shouted. "You know that the power of darkness is in the lie. It has no other power."

Hercules smiled again. "That's power enough." He looked back at Ares, peering into the eyes of the War God. "Well, this is a strange turn of events, isn't it? You can't kill me or you'll kill Hercules, great hero of the Greek people, defender of the weak, savior of the oppressed." He held out his hands at his sides to emphasize his words. The point of Ares' sword rested on his chest. "Can you possibly imagine how much you have made this man suffer?" he said to Ares. "When I entered this body, I was stunned to discover the depths of his loathing for you."

Ares lowered his blade, making the Amazons step back in surprise. He sheathed his sword, keeping his eyes on his half brother. "I know I've made him suffer," The War God replied quietly. "For that I can never make amends enough. I have much to make up for, but I am making it up and that is all that I can do. I cannot undo the past. I cannot ask forgiveness again and again of him. He wouldn't want me to."

"You're wrong," Hercules snapped. "He wants you to suffer like you made him suffer. He wants to see your anguish!"

Ares smiled slightly now, and crossed his arms over his chest. "Now I know that you're lying." He began to pace back and forth before the Greek who stood growing angrier at his enemy's calmness. "I know that Hercules has very strong feelings about what I put him through. I also know that he is not a vengeful man, that's not his way." The War God stopped and turned toward Hercules, glancing at him thoughtfully. "You will have a very difficult time keeping him under control. He has amazing will power and he can persevere longer than any warrior I know, including myself." Ares stepped up to him. "You won't win this one. I know where the book is and I will destroy it. If I don't, your sister will, and if she doesn't, the Amazons will. Give up your hold on Hercules and let him go. If you do that, I will give you the Book of Night."

Hercules' eyes widened with surprise. "You wouldn't dare. That would give me too much power and that is what you fear."

"I'll give you the book," Ares replied. "In exchange, release your hold on Hercules and let him go."

The Greek hero's eyes narrowed. He cocked his head, crossing his arms on his chest now also. "Although I like the idea that you're willing to surrender to me, I must ask you plainly what kind of trick is this?" He gazed into Ares' eyes, smiling slightly, then he added, "It's only fitting that you should capitulate completely to me."

Ares' jaw tensed, but after a moment he smiled back. "Good," he replied. "Good try. Appeal to my hubris. God knows I've given it enough of a workout myself." He turned and motioned the Amazons to spread out. The three warriors backed up. Baeori backed off to the right of the Greek, Fayee to the left, both leaving three long strides between them and the man in their midst. Laurissa backed up and took her position two strides behind Ares as he turned back toward his half brother.

"Well, what is your answer?" he asked. "Leave Hercules, get the book and go."

"My sister will only follow me," the dark soul replied. "She'll never let this go until one of us is dead."

Vita hung her head in despair, giving a heavy sigh. "What a mess," she whispered. Then she looked up and stepped over to the two men. "Then let's do an exchange. I into Hercules and you into Vita. She's already a powerful witch. You'll have two like spirits in one body. And you'll have the book." She looked at her sister's soul in the eyes of the handsome man. For a moment, the Sorceress thought she could see a glimmer of the hero's own spirit peek out. "Come on, sister mine, I promise you – no tricks." The Sorceress looked over at Ares. "Get the book. If she sees it, she'll know you are serious."

Ares pursed his lips in thought and then walked over to where the statute lay in pieces. He tipped a piece over with the toe of his boot and beneath it lay a small scroll, wrapped in soft leather and tied with a scarlet ribbon. He went to pick it up, but Hercules' hand flashed as he put it out and the scroll leapt into his palm from its place amid the rubble. Ares held out his hand and the two were locked in a psychic tug-of-war. Vita had also put up her hands and the Sorceress within called on her strength to break the tie, but it was no longer there. She put hands down and stepped away watching the two men as they trembled slightly, vying for supremacy.

No one had noticed that one of the Amazons had disappeared. She had not moved from the spot but was there a moment and then gone the next sinking into the marble of the floor. Hercules realized it too late, Ares continuing to hold his attention as he fought. Suddenly an arm emerged from the stone of the floor as the Amazon grabbed the scroll and descended back into the marble. In a heartbeat, she was gone. Hercules growled trying to move to pursue the prize, but Ares' power kept him locked in place.

"Well, sister?" Vita said, sitting down now on the dais that had held the statue of Astarte. Her face was pale with fatigue, the once beautiful woman now beginning to show her age. "The book is on its way to the Amazon Nation for safe keeping. Fayee has a way of avoiding detection. There's a lot of stone between here and the Greek mainland."

"It'll take her months to get there," Hercules said angrily.

"Then so be it," Laurissa said. "It won't be the first time that a warrior has had to make her way home alone."

"Face it, Xastet, you're stuck," Ares said. "The offer still stands. I think the idea of an exchange is fair. Bastet into Hercules and Xastet into Vita. Do it now," he demanded. "I won't let you take Hercules out of here."

Hercules looked at the two Amazons and then at Ares. He sighed and nodded. "All right."

Vita got up slowly and walked over to where the tall man stood. She put her hands out and touched his face, drawing him down and the two kissed gently. A swirl of light surrounded them briefly and then Vita drew back sharply, slapping the hero as hard as she could and growling with anger. Hercules reeled back and Vita disappeared in a flash of light. The sound of her laughter echoed through the vast chamber.

The two Amazons ran to their friend.

"Hercules, are you all right?" Laurissa asked. She caught Hercules as he fell to his knees.

"Bastet? Are you all right?" Baeori asked putting her hand on the man's shoulder.

Ares looked around, cursing under his breath. "You won't get away with this, Sorceress!" he yelled. "I will pursue you to any place or plane."

The Amazons looked over at him as he walked up to Hercules. "Are you all right?" Ares asked of his brother.

Hercules looked up. He was still dazed. Laurissa put his arm around her shoulder and helped him to his feet as he looked around, as if seeing the room for the first time. "What happened? The last thing I remember was walking into this room."