From the Annals of Bastet

Hercules finished washing by the water and stood up, scanning the shores of the lake before him and then the forest depths behind. He would have liked to have bathed completely but felt it might be dangerous. He used the soft cotton shirt that he wore under his vest to dry off his arms, face, and chest; then he put the vest on, draping the shirt over his shoulder. It would soon dry in the hot sunlight. He looked around for Iolaus then breathed a sigh of relief as the smaller man came through the trees with a fine hare for both of them to eat. The Son of Zeus had started a fire nearby and was waiting for his friend to return with dinner. Both had felt uneasy in this unfamiliar place.

Iolaus dressed the catch quietly and Hercules readied a spit for it. The two had known each other now for so long that they went for long periods without words, knowing what each man's task was. It was a comfortable silence and after the hare was on the fire, they sat down to wait for their meal. Hercules looked around judging from the afternoon sky that it was about midday.

"About midday, I would say," Iolaus said, absently, as he watched the meat cook.

Hercules smiled. "We've been together too long," he replied, and they both laughed.

The two heroes, known throughout their land, were far from that land now. They had boarded a ship bound for the Land of the Pharaohs when a bad storm had blown the ship off course and through the landmark that would some day be known by Hercules' name, out into the waters that ringed the known world. The storm had continued for days and many men had been lost to its fury. Hercules and Iolaus were accomplished seamen. Iolaus had taken over for the lead man on the sails who was too exhausted to go on. Hercules had taken the tiller when the navigator had been killed and, with his strength, had kept the ship from capsizing by holding her on course.

The crew of the ship had become frightened, however, that the storm was caused by the anger of Poseidon because they were carrying the Son of Zeus. Despite Hercules' best efforts to convince them that the Olympian Sea God rarely gave him a thought, he and Iolaus were put ashore on the nearest dry land. Now the pair was alone in a strange place and completely lost. This was not the first time this happened, Iolaus had reminded him, and they both knew it wouldn't be the last.

The meat was done after a short while and the two ate in silence, continuing to watch for any signs of threat. They finished their meal quickly, washed up in the lake, and then erased all traces of their campsite. A seasoned woodsman would be able to tell that men had been there but Hercules and Iolaus did their best and left the rest to the Fates.

They went back to the shore of the ocean and followed it south, hoping that this would lead them toward familiar lands. They walked until night, made camp and slept; taking turns at watch, until morning. Then they set off again on the coastline. They continued for several days this way until it became clear to them that they were going over familiar territory.

"Well, that ties it," Iolaus said, looking down at the remnants of tracks. "We've been here before. This is an island."

Hercules sighed, putting his hands on his hips and squinting into the sun over the horizon. "How good are your boat-building skills?" he asked.

"The same. How well do you swim?" his friend replied. The two set off into the forest to find what logs they could to build a raft. In due time, they had assembled a small craft and used their shirts, stitched together to make a sail. They loaded what provisions they could find onto the craft and set out to sea.

The stars were strewn across a crystal clear night. It was dark and the moon was just the barest of crescents in the black sky. Hercules was lying down and looking at the sky, trying to make out any familiar constellations. Iolaus was taking his turn at the tiller.

"I don't see any recognizable star formations," Hercules said.

"I know, and it is worrying me. We could be sailing off the edge of the earth," Iolaus replied.

"Well, I know Atlas personally."

"Great. We can exchange pleasantries as we fall into oblivion," Iolaus retorted with a snort.

"If Atlas is holding up the world, then he has to be standing on something, don't you think?" Hercules went back to reading the sky and thought aloud. "He never has told me exactly how that works. But then, none of the Gods ever give me a straight answer."

"I thought you once held up the world for Atlas? That's what they say."

"They also say that I slept with all fifty of Thespius' daughters in one night and gave them each a son," Hercules replied laughing. "I'm good, but even I'm not that good!"

They lapsed into silence, watching the sky and listening to the sound of the waves.

"How many then?" Iolaus said, out of the blue.

"How many what?"

"How many of the daughters did you sleep with?"

Hercules raised himself up on his elbows and frowned at his friend. "Iolaus, you know me better than that. I won't leave fatherless children here and there, and I wasn't planning to marry any of them. Well, there was one. Smart and beautiful, Lycia was her name. But she wasn't interested in me like the rest of her sisters." Hercules thought for a moment, lying back down and returning to star-gazing. "Maybe that's why she appealed to me. Funny thing, us humans, we always want what we can't have."

Iolaus laughed softly and agreed with his friend. The two went back to their separate thoughts. Hercules drifted into a light sleep and Iolaus continued to steer.

The sky began to lighten with the dawn and Hercules took over the rudder, relieving Iolaus. They shared a small meal and Iolaus lay down to sleep. The morning sky was a brilliant display of color. The wind began to pick up.

Both men heard the distant sound. Iolaus sat up and Hercules began to scan the sky. Off in the distance, two figures in flight were coming toward them.

Hercules gave a whoop of joy. "Praise the Gods! Dragons! We're saved!"

Iolaus was at his side squinting to see the approaching beasts. Both men began to wave a greeting to get the beasts' attention. As the huge creatures neared them, Hercules saw that one dragon was following the other, pursuing it. He recognized the pursuer as Emira, a large female who had helped him once.

The nearer dragon was a younger one, bright red and strong. As he approached, he bellowed out a cry that made both men cringe at its sound. He circled overhead and Hercules could hear him inhale a huge breath.

"Jump! Save yourselves!" Emira called out in the distance.

The two men dove into the water only seconds before the red dragon released his fiery breath. From below the murky surface, Hercules could see the flames engulfing the raft. Both men stayed down as long as they could but then came back to the surface, coughing and looking around.

In the red sky of morning, the young dragon was finishing off Emira with claws and fangs. Both men watched in horror as Emira cried out in death.

"Young one, how can you do this? Do not let the darkness overcome you!" she screamed, as she fell from the sky. She crashed into the water, creating waves that threw the two men about and almost drowned them. Hercules grabbed Iolaus by the belt and tried to keep them both afloat. He watched as the massive green dragon sank into the sea, steaming the water as the fire within her subsided in death. The raft was in cinders.

When the waters were calmer, the red dragon circled and lit on the water's surface, watching the two men with eyes like black diamonds. He watched for a while, observing the two men treading the choppy waters with effort. Then he spoke and a chill went through them that made the cold ocean waters seem warm.

"Dahak sends his greetings."

Smoke rose from a bonfire made in a clearing deep in the woods. Around the fire stood women in armor, all quiet now. They waited as their sister, Cassopeia finished the last verses of her song.

It was still quiet after she finished. In the fire's light the faces of the women of the Amazon sisterhood called the Forum reflected the calm that the Siren's voice always brought. They stood in silence for some time until Lessa broke the mood to bring them back to the matter at hand.

"Sisters, we have a terrible choice to make," she said quietly. "Actually, we have several equally bad choices."

They all nodded, hesitant to speak the words that they knew were coming. "Even now, the Queen is in council with the leaders of many of the tribes of our nation negotiating a peaceful resolution to the conflict that divides us..."

"Gods above!" Calico said quietly. "Who could imagine? Sister against sister."

Lessa nodded and went on. "And it doesn't look good. The council is divided and the tribal leaders fight constantly. We have to prepare for the likelihood that the Amazon Nation may be in civil war soon."

Kendaa shook her head in utter despair. "I cannot believe that Semina has that much power! I hate to say this but we should have exiled her when we had the chance."

Others agreed.

"We have to decide whether to go as a group and back the Queen, or to divide up and go with the tribes we represent," Lessa said.

"We stay together!!" Calee exclaimed. "If we divide up and there is war, we may end up fighting each other on the battlefield. That prospect is too unthinkable."

"But if we divide up, we can be a voice of unity in each of our tribes. There are many sisters in every tribe that are against this conflict, if we go back to the tribes that we come from and speak out for peace at every turn, then maybe this conflict will be resolved before we get to the battlefield," Chrysim explained, agreeing with Lessa.

The Forum members began to discuss the issue amongst themselves, and tempers flared as the various options were discussed. The sister soldiers were used to conflict and to war, but the idea of fighting one another was frightful even to their seasoned spirits. It brought out old fears for many of them.

Finally, Tedras, who had been quiet all this time, spoke up. "Listen to me, sisters. If we cannot agree, then how can we expect our sisters of all tribes to agree?" She walked around the fire's light, looking into the eyes of the women around her. "So we must come to an agreement now, and stay with it, putting away any doubt. I say, we do both! Let us go to our tribes and speak for peace, but if it comes to war in our Nation, then we lay down our arms and refuse to fight!"

"They'll call us cowards!" said another.

"They can call us what they will...names mean nothing when the blood of your sister is on your sword. Would you rather be called a coward or a murderer of your sisters?" she replied.

Then suddenly Tedras seemed to hesitate, and caught her breath. She closed her eyes for a moment, gripping her chest. Lady Pegasus came to her side.

"What's the matter?" she asked, putting her arm around Tedras' shoulder. The others had been discussing the comments Tedras had made, but stopped now.

"I don't know...for a moment I felt like..." She gripped her chest again and cried out. The winged Amazon helped her to the ground as the others gathered around her with faces lined with concern.

"Perhaps it's her heart!" said Calee. "Though it is strange for someone so young." Calee took her hand, holding it gently. "Stay with us, Tedras," she whispered as she watched the woman's face go pale.

"We have to get her to the infirmary where I have my medicines," Lady Pegasus stated. Kendaa came through the crowd and knelt down beside the woman. She put Tedras' arm over her shoulder and, with ease, lifted the smaller Amazon into her arms, carrying her back to the village.

The glow of the lanterns made the infirmary look eerie. The Forum had disbanded for now with the agreement to go back to their respective tribes to fight for peace. Lady Pegasus had given Tedras a draught of herbs to ease her to sleep but could not find any indication of what was wrong with the Amazon. Tedras had lost consciousness.

All they could do now was wait.

Kendaa leaned on a large post with her arms crossed over her chest. She pondered the events that had taken place in the last week and snorted disgustedly as she thought about how fragile peace was.

"I guess it's our lot to fight," she said quietly to Lady Pegasus as the other finished her work by her patient. "If we're not fighting others, we fight each other. Humans are strange creatures."

"And we're both half-human," Lady Pegasus answered as she got up from the bed and made her way past Kendaa to the door of the hut.

"Don't remind me."

Calico sat on the bed by Tedras now. Lady Pegasus had gone to attend to other duties and asked her to watch over the patient while she was gone. Calico sat listening to the fire burn in the brazier that warmed the infirmary. She was tired and worried about the latest conflicts that had arisen in the council negotiations. The Queen appeared unable now to control the dissension.

Then she heard a sound behind her and turned to see Waart coming in from the night. The small sorceress, who usually kept to herself in the mountains beyond the villages, nodded her greetings and sat down in the chair by the patient's bed. She looked over at Tedras and shook her head sadly.

"I heard and felt the problem. I came as soon as I could."

"I fear we are going to have a civil war soon," Calico replied.

Waart looked puzzled. "Oh my, how unfortunate. I hadn't heard that the tribes were unhappy. A civil war, you say, hmmm...well, that's not good either." She began to mutter to herself and Calico nudged her to get her attention.

"Waart, what are you talking about? What problem are you referring to?"

Waart nodded toward Tedras. "I came as soon as I felt what she felt."

"Do you know what is wrong with Tedras?" Calico asked.

Waart looked at her with concern. She sighed and shook her head in despair. "It's the dragons, the beautiful dragons. Something evil has reached out from the next world and taken them over; taken their souls. Tedras is sensing the enslavement of her people. She is in a deep sleep so that her soul can fly to them and give them strength."

Calico gasped at the mention of peril to the great masters of the air that had often come to her aid. She looked at Tedras asleep on the bed and brushed a wisp of brown hair away from the sleeping woman's face. "I knew that Tedras was from the Isles of the Dragons," Calico said. "I didn't know she was one of them. How could she be, she's human?" She shook her head and looked back at Waart. "She's a dragon?"

"A dragon! No, not just any dragon!" Waart replied. "She is the Blue Dragon!"

*Lyrics from the song "The Old Ways" on the album The Visit by Loreena McKennitt

Waart sat back in the chair and looked into the firelight of the brazier. She looked back at Calico and then began the tale. "The dragons are as old as the beings known as 'gods'. They were created in the earliest mists of time by the force that created all things. Dragons have empathic abilities, which means that they can feel what other creatures feel. For this, they also have the burden of being able to be drawn into the struggles of others. But no creatures struggle like men do, because no other creatures have as much of a burden in choosing between good and evil, self and other. So in the early times, dragons assisted men in terrible wars and wrought unspeakable havoc upon others. This is why some people think of the dragons as the embodiment of evil, for men waged the wars using the race of the dragons and blamed the dragons for the consequences."

Calico nodded, as this confirmed the tales she had heard as a child of the evil of dragons. Later she had learned that these beasts were very different. "Go on," she whispered.

"There were seven tribes in the race of dragons," Waart continued. "They were known by the colors of their scales. The tribes were the Red, the Green, the Yellow, the White, the Black, the Orange and the Blue. Each tribe had been given a special gift. The Red Dragons were the masters of war, swift and strong, they were always victors of any conflict they waged. The Green Dragons could tell the future and know the occurrence of things that happened at a distance. The Yellow Dragons were the keepers of ancient wisdom, they knew many arts and sciences. They taught the ancient people of the East to build and to write. The White Dragons had the gift of healing; their blood could cure all illnesses and their scales, when pressed to wounds made them instantly vanish. For this, the White Dragons have been hunted to extinction; no more are known to exist. The Black Dragons were the keepers of the art of high magic; they could move objects with their minds and possessed other secrets of the dark arts. I was taught by a Black Dragon all that I know many, many years ago." Waart paused for a moment, with a far off look on her face, tears welling in her eyes. Then she shook her head quickly to chase the memories away and resumed.

"The Orange Dragons were given the gift of music. The beating of their wings could make music that made men weep. They could sing creatures into calmness. It is from the Orange Dragons that the race of sirens was thought to have been born. The Blue Dragons had the gift of being most empathic. Some could read minds. They were so empathic that they had the ability to change into any form."

Lady Pegasus had returned now, and brought wine and food. Her wings fluttered as she leaned over to wipe Tedras' brow with a cold cloth. As the three ate, Waart continued her tale.

"They were a proud and beautiful race. But their powers made them a threat to men and so they were hunted down and many were killed. Only three tribes remain of the original seven, the Red, the Green and the Blue. They migrated to distant isles far out in the sea that bounds our world. They vowed only to have dealings with men when absolutely necessary. But the cold and the isolation of the North was hard on these gentle beasts, and their numbers dwindled even more. Especially the Blue Dragons." Waart stopped for a moment to look at the sleeping woman, then she looked back at the two Amazons watching her quietly. "Tedras is the last of her tribe. She is the last Blue Dragon."

The effect of what Waart had told them made the two Amazons remain silent for a while, watching the sleeping woman. Finally, Calico turned to Waart and broke the sad and heavy silence.

"You said that the race of dragons is in danger...from some evil which has enslaved them. Tell us what we can do to help," she said, standing up. She looked down at the small sorceress, wrapped completely in heavy robes, even in the hottest of summers. "Tell me, how can we save the dragons?"

"Can you send word to Hercules, by magic?" Lady Pegasus asked. She knew that the Son of Zeus was a friend also to the dragons, and would want to help in a time like this.

Waart frowned. "I thought of that. But I can't find him." She paused for a moment. "I sent word on the wind, I'm trying not to practice the dark arts anymore but I just don't seem to be able to get away from the old ways. I couldn't find him anywhere. His mother told me that he set sail for the southern lands beyond the sea. I spoke to the dolphins. I even flew to the Land of the Pharaohs ... I visited the temple of Bastet again. They remodeled, and the new statue of the Ancient One is made of solid ebony ... with a huge gold..."

"Hercules!" Calico reminded her impatiently.

"Nowhere," Waart continued, coming back to the subject. "Nowhere to be found. The dolphins said there was a storm at sea and perhaps he was blown off course. They said they would send word to their sisters and brothers to be on the lookout for him. But no one has seen him or Iolaus anywhere."

"They're with them, I can feel it," said Tedras, barely above a whisper. Her green eyes fluttered open and she sat up with Lady Pegasus' help. "They are with my race already. My people have been enslaved by a being called Dahak. It wishes to use them to influence the events of this world. I have to go."

Calico paled at the mention of Dahak's name. She had had dealings with this creature before and had as much regard for it as she did for Hera. The two appeared to be equally disagreeable. And now Hercules and Iolaus were with Dahak. Although the heroes had never lost a battle, this was a formidable enemy. Calico grew more concerned with every moment.

"We'll assemble a war party, right away," Calico said.

"No, I thank you for the offer of help, but you need to stay here and help to settle the problems that plague our sisters," Tedras said, standing up. She was still weak and unsteady on her feet. She brushed her hands through her long brown hair, pulling it back from her face.

"Tedras, I applaud your loyalty to the Amazon Nation," Calico replied, putting her hand on her sister's shoulder. "But I know of this creature called Dahak. If it succeeds in entering this world in any way, the squabbles of a few women will be completely unimportant." She looked at Tedras with concern. "Please, let us help you."

The demure Amazon smiled. "Thank you. I accept your offer. I really didn't want to go alone."

The four women went straight to the council to tell the Queen of this new twist of fate. They arrived at the main meeting hall to find that the doors were closed and two Amazons stood guard outside. As the party approached the two women, Tedras had an uneasy feeling about them. Her fears were confirmed when she saw the marks of Hera on the chests of the two women above the left breast.

"We've come with urgent news that we must deliver to the Queen immediately," Calico said.

"I'm sorry. Semina has given strict orders that no one is to enter the hall now that negotiations are under way," said one of the two women. She smiled as she saw the effect her words had. "Oh, and the Queen agreed," she added, crossing her arms across her chest so that the mark on Hera stood out all the more. The other guard laughed.

Tedras and the others could feel the anger rising within them. Semina had a small contingent of Amazons who were clearly more loyal to her and to Hera, than to the Nation. Lady Pegasus stepped forward and tried to reason with them.

"Listen, I know these are tense times. I respect your beliefs and I would fight beside you to maintain the right to those beliefs. But we have news that could affect all of us; everyone, not only in our nation but also those in the whole world," the winged Amazon said.

The guard who had spoken before stepped up to the winged healer, putting her face so close that Lady Peg could feel her breath. "Why should we listen to freaks and half-breeds?" she said in a growl. She looked at Waart, and then back at Lady Pegasus with a sneer on her face. "There was a time when this nation understood the importance of keeping out undesirables. Now we take any sorry excuse for a creature because she calls herself a woman. I say, go back to the old ways."

Lady Pegasus began to feel the fighting spirit rising also. She was about to challenge the woman when the doors of the meeting hall flew open and a mob of warrior women streamed out following what appeared to be a brawl. In their midst was Kendaa, her elfin face contorted in battle rage. Her victim was none other than Semina who cowered now trying to escape Kendaa's iron grip on her. Semina's priestesses were trying to defend her with ineffectual swats at the tall Amazon; but more effective was Laurissa, who had Kendaa by the belt and was trying to drag her outside, all the while trying to reason with the furious woman.

"Come on, Kendaa. Now, let the woman go. We won't gain anything by hurting her..." Laurissa shouted as she tried to drag Kendaa away. Others were now in fights that had broken out elsewhere in the crowd.

"Hurt her! I'm going to kill her!" Kendaa exclaimed, her golden green eyes now wells of wrath. "Half-breed, you say! I may be a half-breed but I fought for this nation while you sat on your...."

The melodic sound of Cassopeia's voice cut through the din.

Suddenly the fury and rage was gone as the siren's voice calmed the crowd. The women were chilled by the words of the singer. The Queen took the opportunity to take control, putting her hand on the siren's shoulder and nodding her thanks as she spoke to the mob.

"Listen, this fighting is doing us no good. It weakens us and strengthens our enemies who are always on the watch to overtake us." The Queen appealed to the fear that always lurked in the recesses of the mind of each Amazon. "If we cannot come to an understanding, then we may as well invite the Athenians or the Parthans to come into our nation, into our huts, and into our beds, and make us their slaves."

Whispers started as the women responded to the Queen's words. She had touched the core of the Amazon being; but there was still dissension.

"We fear the slow degradation of the Nation," said one. "First, women who are not all human, then the Forum admits men into their ranks! Where will it end? Perhaps Hercules has taken over already!"

"Do you see Hercules anywhere here?" Calico shouted with dismay. "Does he ever stand and speak in the council chamber or dance with us in the firelight?"

"Not a bad idea," Lessa stated to Calee, who laughed quietly but both were silenced by the Queen's glare.

"Listen to me, please!" Calico pleaded. "I have learned that the dragons have been taken over by Dahak, the very personification of evil. If this is true, we are all in danger."

"What do we care about a few overgrown lizards!" said one of Semina's priestesses. "They're a dying race of beings that lost to the great Gods of Olympus!"

Calico was standing next to Tedras and saw her pale and draw back at the insensitive dismissal of her people.

Calico put her hand in Tedras' and shook her head sadly. Her words had gone unheeded by the crowd. They had returned to debating again with the Queen. But her words had not been lost on a few. Forum members drew around Calico. Kendaa was at her side in an instant.

"Is this true?" she said, aghast.

Waart nodded along with Calico. Tedras seemed far away but came out of her trance at the question.

"Kendaa...come with me to save my people. Please. I need your strength."

The tall Amazon knew the secret of the dragon-turned-human. They shared the bond of being different.

Kendaa smiled at her sister and nodded. "Try and stop me!"

Tedras turned to Waart. "Will you come too?"

The little sorceress sighed. "I fear I am not up to the adventure. And also, I want to stay here and help the sisters that have taken me in to resolve their differences. But I agree that you need not only soldiers but sorcery." She paused, seeming to wrestle with a thought. "I will call my sister to help you."

"Sister?" Kendaa and Calico, Calee and Tedras, all asked in unison.

Waart looked embarrassed. "Yes, I have a sister. Some say she's my twin as we were born from the same womb at the same time, but we are as different as day and night. I have tried to turn away from the dark arts while she's inventing new ones!"

The Amazons all looked at each other confused; finally Kendaa spoke. "How long will it take her to get here?"

"As long as it will take me to say her name, which I have not spoken for many years."

Kendaa looked at Tedras. "This is your struggle, Tedras. What do you want to do?"

Tedras answered. "Call her."

*Poem by William Blake

Hercules and Iolaus stood, still wet and without shirts, before a huge red dragon. His scales were maroon, darkened with age. He was as tall as the mast of a large ship, and his horns, now yellow with age, were the length of a tall man. He had black eyes like bottomless wells. The two men were not shackled in any way. They were on an island in the far North, in a vast cave that was warm like many of the caves on the island. Its bowels were heated by the lava that flowed close to the surface. Pits of fire dotted the floor of the cave.

"You are alone, weaponless, trapped by endless, frigid waters and surrounded by enemies clearly your physical superiors. This isn't your day, is it?" said the hollow voice of Dahak as it spoke through the old dragon. "I have met you, Hercules. This must be your friend Iolaus. Hmmm.... I expected you to be taller, boy."

"He's tall enough, and don't call him boy!" Hercules exclaimed angrily.

Iolaus frowned and slapped him on the arm. "I can speak for myself!" He turned to the dragon, "I'm tall enough, and don't call me boy!"

"I just said that," Hercules snorted.

"ENOUGH!" bellowed the dragon. "Perhaps you two are unclear about your situation!"

"Well, if you've seen one monster, you've seen them all," Iolaus said, trying to sound unconcerned. "By the way, do you have anything to eat?"

"I was thinking of eating you," the dragon replied.

"You won't hurt us," Hercules replied. "You've brought us here for some reason so let's just get down to business. What do you want?"

"Well, actually, your arrival here was purely by accident. You were on an island on the outskirts of the dragons' realm. Emira sensed your presence and went to your aid. She was the last that had not fallen under my spell, so I sent one of my warriors after her who caught her and killed her. Now I have the dragons, and purely by chance, I also have the Son of Zeus and his friend. How amusing," the hollow voice explained.

"After our last encounter, I slept for many moons, regaining my strength. Soon I will not only be able to control the dragons from my distant place, but now, fortuitously, I have the two of you. I can test my skill at possession on you. You were an easy subject before but that damned siren could break the spell. No matter... I have learned from that incident not to underestimate my opponents. Even a demon can learn."

The dragon started for the mouth of the cave, lumbering slowly. His footsteps made the ground tremble and the two men had to jump out of the way, not to be crushed by him. "I go to feed. I don't think I'll eat your friend today," the dragon said, turning his massive head toward Hercules as the hero picked himself up off the ground.

"Perhaps tomorrow. You are the one I need. He is expendable."

"Expendable!" Iolaus said, coming over to Hercules as they watched the dragon leave the cave. "First I'm short, now I'm expendable. This one's mine, Herc, he's got to go!"

"We can't kill Dahak, he's like the gods!" Hercules replied angrily, looking around the cave. "You can burn them, drown them, chop them up and send the pieces to the four corners of the earth, and still they'll come back! They're like weeds. Besides, if we kill the dragon, we haven't touched Dahak!"

Iolaus nodded. "True, this is going to be tricky." He looked around. "I'm still hungry though, we've got to find something to eat."

They headed out of the cave, but soon returned. Wet and without shirts, the cold of the North Wind made it impossible for them to tolerate even a few minutes outside. The two men looked around at the cave and went to see what they could find. One rat was all the two hunters could track down. It did not go far between the two hungry men.

Soon the dragon returned to his lair, and with him he brought the remains of a huge ocean fish that he had caught. He dropped the carcass on the floor of the cave.

"No need to be rude. Here's food for you. I don't want my victims to be too weak," he said and trudged off to settle down to sleep. "Remember, if you kill this dragon, you will have killed one of the last remaining of the Red tribe. There are only a handful of them now. And nothing will have changed for me," the dragon said as it curled up to sleep. "You can't win."

The two men sat by one of the pits of fire. They had finished cooking chunks of the fish that they had had to tear off. Now the two sat contemplating what to do next. They had lost everything when the raft went down.

"Well, the first thing we have to do is to get some weapons," Iolaus said. "At least a sharp knife."

"I don't know how, we have no forge, nothing," Hercules replied.

"You know, when I was in the Land of Bones," Iolaus said. He thought for a moment, then continued. "There was a very primitive tribe that I met. They had knives as sharp as our sharpest swords, made out of stone. I watched them make these things. I wonder if I can do it myself."

He started to search the floor of the cave and finally, after a while, he found the right kind of stone. He sat down and started to chip away at the face of the stone and within an hour of hard work, he had chipped away a sharp surface. Hercules was skeptical, and touched the surface to test its sharpness. The slight touch drew blood and the hero gasped.

"Iolaus, this is amazing!" he exclaimed. He looked at the cut and then at his friend. "You are a genius!" Iolaus flashed that roguish smile for which he was so well known. "Well, I have to be!" he replied, tossing the stone knife in the air and catching it again on the dull side. "I'm expendable."

While the Amazons discussed the resolution of their differences, the Forum members had chosen a small group to go north with Tedras. The party had retreated to the hut of Kendaa. She was making preparations now to depart, putting provisions together in a small knapsack. Tedras sat on the bed, still pale. Laurissa, Calee and Calico stood watching as the little sorceress closed her eyes, preparing to call her sister.

Waart whispered something and a wind began to pick up. Within moments, a small whirlwind formed before the women and a shape took form. She was as different from her sister as Waart had said. Before them stood a woman of medium height, in a tight black dress that clung to an overly plump, curvaceous figure. Her skin was olive, her hair an ebony black and short, cut blunt so that it hung to the curve of jaw. She had flashing brown eyes that were so dark they were almost black. The only thing that the two women had in common was their long fingernails, but the dark sorceress' were a brilliant vermilion.

"Well, well, well," she said. "You call, I come. It has been awhile...two...three hundred years? But what's a century when it's family!" She sashayed over to Waart and kissed her on the forehead. Waart sighed, looking pained.

"I don't know if this is such a good idea," the little woman said quietly.

"Oh, don't be silly!" her sister replied, laughing. "You always have good ideas! This'll be a hoot. Now introduce me to your friends..."

Waart seemed to hesitate.

"Oh, fine... I'll do it myself." She walked over to Calico first. "Hello, my name is Xastet." She took Calico's strong hand in her own and shook it firmly, peering into the woman's eyes. "You are...?"

"Calico..."

"Ah, yes, the one with the tiger! Lovely beast. Oh, by the way, you have lovely long hair," she said, looking at the blond mane that flowed down Calico's back, almost to her thighs. Calico mumbled a greeting, taken aback by the woman's intensity.

Next Xastet went to Calee. "And you are...?"

"Calee," she replied.

Xastet looked at the red-haired Amazon and peered into her eyes as she had done with Calico. "Oh my! What an interesting lady you are. Waart, darling. You really must write her story! After this whole adventure is finished, you must sit down with her and write down every little word!" She kissed Calee on the cheek and turned to Laurissa. As she turned her back, Calee looked at Calico and they shrugged at each other, smiling.

"Oh ... tall one, aren't you? And you are...?"

"Laurissa," she replied, laughing openly. "I can see we're going to have fun!"

"Always, my dear. Life is far too short not to enjoy yourself. I say, play as hard as you work and never go without dessert." Xastet patted her tummy. "As you can see, I never deny myself." She peered into the tall Amazon's eyes as she had done the others. "You have turquoise eyes, that's very rare. And you always wear turquoise, don't you?" Laurissa nodded.

Then Xastet looked at Kendaa who was staring back at her, with a look of consternation. "Are the two of you sisters? You look similar," the dark sorceress asked.

Kendaa dropped the satchel she was stuffing and walked over to the smaller woman, standing close and peering down at her. "No," she said, smiling. "But we're good friends, does that count?"

"Even better!" Xastet said. Then she disarmed Kendaa by taking the woman's hands in hers and kissing them each. The sorceress was serious now. "I was sorry to hear of the fate of your people. Terrible, terrible loss."

Kendaa felt the strong pull of sincere emotion. She smiled and nodded. "Thank you."

Xastet turned to Tedras. She took Tedras' hands in hers and kissed them also, as she had with Kendaa. "No introduction is needed," she said quietly. "Sweet mistress of the air. Your people are very dear to me. If you had not had my sister call me, I would have become involved anyway. I was trained, as my sister was, by a black dragon long, long ago." Xastet's eyes peered into the smaller woman's green eyes. "We'll put this mess to rights," she whispered.

Tedras' eyes welled with tears. "Dahak is a terrible, evil thing. I'm afraid for them."

"Dahak is an insignificant bug," Xastet replied, sneering angrily. "We will crush this latest attempt at freedom." She crossed her arms over her chest and pursed her lips, looking out the window of the hut as she thought out loud. "Dahak is powerful, but far from this plane and locked away. It has found a way to worm its slimy little spirit into this earth plane, again." She turned to the Amazons. "You ladies did a damn good job last time of squashing it!"

Kendaa and Calico pointed to Waart who shrugged. "It wasn't me, I only helped."

"Well, whatever," Xastet replied. She turned back to Tedras. "You just rest yourself while we get this excursion on the road." She turned to Calico. "Now, I know you don't want to hear this but you and Calee have to stay behind."

"No way!" Calico exclaimed.

"Yes, you are needed here; both of you. If you want to avert civil war as the villages squabble over political matters then you need to stay. Laurissa and Kendaa will go with Tedras and myself."

Calico looked crestfallen as did Calee. "I've always, all my life, wanted to visit the isles of the dragons," Calico said.

"I know, but now is not the time. They wouldn't want you to see them as they are now," the dark sorceress replied. "Perhaps you will see them sooner than you think."

Hercules and Iolaus sat by one of the pits that burned, warming themselves. They had eaten and Iolaus had fashioned a crude knife. They looked around now while the dragon slept, wondering what they could do next to help themselves in this predicament.

"Well, at least, let's see what's in this cave," Hercules said. Iolaus nodded his agreement.

The two started off down one of the shafts of the cave, taking the torch they had fashioned from bone and leather with them. The shaft wound around, down and up, in and out, some places so narrow that they had to crawl through a small opening. Each time they took a turn, they would mark the wall with an arrow showing the way back. They figured they had a half-hour of light from the torch, so each man carefully made an estimation of the time gone by so that they would not run out of light.

The two found nothing of interest until they came to another cavernous expanse like the cave at the entrance. In the middle was the remains of a dragon. Scales like polished onyx littered the floor of the cave. The great black body was intact and showed no signs of decay yet, but the form was cold to the touch. The head lay stretched out on the ground. Hercules ran his hands along the black horn of the carcass and the two men marveled at the beast, so regal even in death.

"This was a black dragon," Hercules said. He picked up a scale and turned it over in his hands. It shon in the torchlight. "My father once told me about them. They were very powerful." He tucked the scale in his belt and looked over the carcass. "It hasn't been dead that long. Maybe Dahak killed it because he couldn't control it."

"How the Hades did it get in here? I mean, there's no entrance large enough."

"Who knows. Magic, maybe."

Iolaus looked at the torch. "It's about half burned, we'd better get back."

Hercules nodded and the two started back to the cave of the old dragon.

The heroes had miscalculated the time they had left on the torch. On the way back the fire began to fade. They sped up their pace, running, climbing and sometimes crawling through the narrow places nurturing the dwindling light as best they could; but before they could find their way to the cave, the light went out completely and the two were in total darkness. They sat down and thought, still panting from exertion.

"Well," Iolaus said. "Let's see, we could starve to death, or go back and get eaten or possessed by evil demons. Like he said, this is not our day." Then Iolaus hesitated for a moment as both men realized there was the faintest light with them. "Herc...what's that on your belt?" Iolaus asked.

Hercules looked down and under the belt was the scale of the dragon that glowed faintly now in the darkness. He drew it out and with his touch, it glowed all the more. Now they had some light, enough to see the arrows if they searched and to find a way back.

As they neared the cave, the two men heard a commotion. The dragon was bellowing out an enormous roar. Then the men heard the angry scream of a woman.

When Hercules and Iolaus arrived at the cave again, they found the dragon towering over a tall woman warrior who was brandishing a large sword. She was dressed in the heavy furs and leather of the Northern peoples, had short blond hair and pale blue eyes. She stared defiantly at the dragon above her.

"You have taken Trist and the others!" she screamed angrily. "And you have killed my beautiful Corum..." Her voice broke momentarily, "but you will not take Liego. I will kill him before I let you take one of the last great warriors of the air!"

The dragon bellowed again and then laughed. "Puny, unimportant human. Prepare to die." The dragon drew in a breath to imolate the woman but she plunged the sword into the dragon's chest. The dragon bellowed again and smoke surged out of his nostrils. Then the huge beast crumpled into a heap, falling sideways. The Norse woman cried out as if she had been stabbed herself. She sank to her knees crying. The two men ran toward her.

As she saw the men approach, she was on her feet again in an instant. She pulled the sword out of the dragon and swung it in a deadly arc that missed Hercules by inches.

"Hold on!" Iolaus said, stopping in his tracks. "Calm down! We're on your side!"

She held out the sword before her with a steady grip. Composed again now, she glowered at the two men standing before her. "I am Valiance and I have no side!"

The three stood there for some time. Valiance pointed the sharp blade first at one and then at the other. Hercules looked at Iolaus who looked back at him and shrugged.

"We can stand here all day, but the matter is there are two of us and only one of you," Iolaus said. "We don't want to fight you. We were brought here from a place called Greece, kidnapped by the same creature that took over the dragons."

"Dahak," she replied.

"Yes, how do you know?" Hercules asked.

"I live on an island off the coast of the Scandia. The dragons are my friends. I was here when the first one was taken over by the creature. Emira told me a little about what was going on before she left to go to rescue someone. She said help was on the way."

Hercules and Iolaus looked at each other and then back at Valiance.

"Valiance," Hercules said, "we are the ones Emira rescued. I guess, we're the help."

"You?" the Norse woman replied. "You don't even have weapons! How can you help? No, I don't believe you. Dahak could not tame her. She will be back with help and Dahak will pay for what has been done here."

"Valiance," Hercules said, trying to be gentle, "Emira is dead."

A look of horror dawned on the woman's face. "You're lying!" she screamed, choking back tears. "You are lying dogs and you will die!" Her sword arced out, missing Hercules, who jumped to one side. This gave Iolaus time to approach her from the other side and grab her sword hand. The two grappled as he knocked the sword from her hand but she twisted in his grip, setting him off balance. They went down together and rolled, fighting at close quarters till the Norse woman hit him with a rock, stunning him momentarily. This gave her time to grab his arm and twist it behind him, rolling him over and pinning him to the ground.

Valiance looked over at Hercules. The tall hero had made no attempt to interfere in the fight. He was walking around the body of the dragon now, trailing his hand along the scales of the beast. He had an absent look on his face.

"Herc," Iolaus said, desperately, "you can jump in any time now."

Hercules stopped and looked back at the two, staring at them.

"Just as I thought!" Valiance exclaimed angrily. "You are the dogs of this sorcerer Dahak. You don't even have the loyalty to help each other in battle. I should kill you now."

Then Hercules laughed, crossing his arms on his chest. "This is too delicious!" said the hollow voice of Dahak. "Hercules will stand and watch while his friend is brutally murdered."

The war party had made the last preparations to leave. The Amazons stood outside Kendaa's hut putting on the heavy cloaks they would need to shield them from the cold. They were all dressed now in long pants of suede, vests and boots of leather, and shirts of silk. Kendaa and Laurissa were armed with sword and staff. Kendaa's staff was the ironwood staff made by the god Hephaestus. Laurissa's staff was made of oak, rubbed with silver dust to give it a shine, and embedded at the top with a turquoise stone in the shape of a heart. The stone, it was rumored, was a gift from a secret lover; no one knew who had given her this treasure. Tedras carried no arms as she would soon be a formidable opponent without them. Calico, Calee and Hygea stood by after helping their sisters prepare for the mission and curious now to know how they would depart.

Waart had gone back to the gathering of the Amazons after bidding her sister goodbye. The two sorceresses exchanged whispered words and made an odd sign to each other before they parted company.

Xastet stood in the distance talking with Lady Pegasus. All the warrior women watched as Xastet appeared to be explaining something to the winged healer. Suddenly, Lady Pegasus nodded to the sorceress and smiled broadly. Then she took flight and headed out of the village, into the distant mountains.

"Where is she going?" Kendaa asked, as the sorceress returned to the war party.

"Oh, here and there. I have a job for her. All of us have our parts to play," Xastet replied evasively. She waved away further questions. "Are we ready?" she asked. She looked around at the women in the party. "Well, let's go into the forest, away from prying eyes." She marched off toward the woods that bordered the village. The Amazons followed quietly, exchanging glances.

Once in the seclusion of the forest, the sorceress stopped in the clearing where the Forum members often met. "This is the place," she said, motioning to the others. She put her fingers of her right hand against her forehead, dramatically. "This place has the auspicious vibrations we need to send us on our way." She pointed to Tedras. "Very well then. Give us the wings we need to fly to your people."

Next, the Amazons saw a sight few humans would ever see. The demure Amazon stepped into the middle of the clearing away from the others, took a deep breath and bowed her head. Her figure blurred and became unrecognizable, then began to expand and grow. A shape of brilliant cobalt blue increased in size before them and within moments, there stood a magnificent dragon, the last of its kind. Its eyes were deep midnight blue. The scales of the body glistened with an opalescent luster. Tedras unfolded her wings and between the cobalt blue of their structures was pale azure webbing. Great ivory white horns stood out on either side of the long serpentine face.

"I am ready," said her deep, vibrant voice. "The winds are in our favor. We will make good speed to the isles."

The beauty of the creature before them transfixed the women warriors. Calico stared up in awe. Kendaa smiled and shook her head with wonder. The others watched in silence as Xastet stepped up to Tedras and ran her hands along the scales of the dragon's massive leg.

"It's been so long since I saw the masters," the sorceress said quietly. She was looking up for a moment, then gasped. "Quickly, sisters, if I may presume to call you that. Dahak has struck another blow!" She turned to Kendaa. "Who is this one they call Hercules? And why does Dahak want him so badly?"

All the Amazons reacted with distress, exchanging glances of worry as the name of the hero came up. The Amazons whispered and gasped, and shook their heads with concern. Xastet realized from the reaction that this male was someone special, someone who commanded the respect and love of women who disdained most men.

"It will take awhile to explain who Hercules is," Kendaa said as she tossed her staff onto Tedras' back. "We'd better get going then." She took the lead in climbing the dragon's leg and helped Laurissa up. The two of them helped the sorceress up and the three secured themselves on the Tedras' back. Calico, Calee and Hygea bid their sisters goodbye and whispered prayers of safety and success.

Tedras, the last Blue Dragon, lifted into the air with ease and circled around till she was pointing north. She caught a favorable tail wind in the dizzying heights far above the Nation of the Amazons, and started toward her homeland.

The figure of Hercules stood smiling as he watched the struggle between his friend and the Norse woman.

Blood ran from a cut on Iolaus' forehead where Valiance had struck him with the rock. Valiance now had him pinned face down; and had pulled her knife, ready to strike. When the voice of Dahak laughed at the desperate man before him, Valiance's anger shifted. She realized the change that had taken place and that these men may have been telling the truth about their origin.

In an instant, the blade that had been poised over Iolaus' back was heading toward the tall man's heart. Hercules caught it deftly, smiling to himself as he examined the blade with interest. Then the weapon turned to a swirling ball of light in his hand and he focused on the two and threw it back at them. Valiance barely had time to lunge sideways, roll to a stand, and pull Iolaus to his feet before the deadly projectile exploded in the place where they had been laying.

The two ran out of the cave with the laughter of Dahak following them. "Run, little mice!" he called after them.

"Run away! I'll find you soon enough! But now I have other matters to attend to." The figure of the hero, now possessed, began to pace and talk to himself. "Come to me, Xastet. Come and join your old friend." The figure laughed.

Outside the warmth of the cave, the frigid arctic wind soon affected Iolaus as he and Valiance ran toward her boat. He lagged behind her and finally went down on one knee, shivering uncontrollably. It took a moment for the woman to notice she was alone. She went back and took her coat off, throwing it around him. At first, he protested but she shook her head and forced him back to his feet.

"I'm used to the cold. You are not," she said, shouting over the howl of the wind. She led him toward her boat and helped him in, then pushed it into the water from the icy shore and jumped in herself. She harnessed the wind and waves to get them on their way. Iolaus watched her, fascinated by her strong, independent manner. Soon the Isles of the Dragons faded, the winds died down, and they sailed into the waters nearer the Scandian mainland.

The sun was setting now in the sky as Valiance trimmed the sails of her small craft and went back to the tiller. She looked up at the evening stars that began to show. Then she looked at the sleeping man, wrapped in the furs she had aboard for that purpose. He was a handsome man, brown from the sun, well built and well muscled. Curled up now in the furs, he looked so appealing. When they had left the Isles, he had told her his name and allowed her to dress his wound. He had seemed so at ease with her, as if he had regarded her as an equal and it surprised Valiance. She thought idly now about his amiable manner and appeal, then an anger came up in her as she thought of the men she had known in her life and she dispelled any thoughts of trusting him. She went back to reading the waves and the wind direction and contemplated when she could put him off at the nearest shore. Soon her thoughts turned back to the losses she had sustained and she closed her eyes, trying not to weep. When she opened them again, Iolaus was sitting up, looking at her.

"I'm sorry about the old dragon," he said sadly. She looked away for a moment and when she looked back, her face was impassive again.

"How is your head?" she countered.

He smiled and touched his forehead gingerly. "I'm fine. I've had worse wounds. I'm more worried about my friend back there," he replied. He looked back in the direction of the Isles. "The Demon told us that it could not enter this world but that it had found a way to capture the minds of the dragons and possess them. It was looking for another host and was going to possess Hercules and me ... well, actually only Hercules. It said I was expendable." He snorted and ran his fingers through his disheveled hair. "Gods ... what a mess."

"The dragons were very afraid of Dahak," Valiance said. "Liego made me promise that I would end his life rather than let him submit to the will of the Demon. He was my teacher, he was like a father to me." She looked away. Iolaus could sense the deep loss she felt by the look on her face.

"Tell me about about yourself," Iolaus said quietly.

Suddenly, she stood up, towering over the sitting man in the small boat. She was as tall as an average man, tan and athletic. She glowered at him angrily. "Look at me!" she said. "I am as strong as any man, swift in battle and accomplished on the sea!" She paused for a moment, looking into his eyes and Iolaus was unsure whether she was going to attack him. Her mood had changed so quickly and he could tell she was in pain, but her pain had turned to anger.

Then just as suddenly, he saw tears in her eyes and she sat down beside him letting the boat begin to drift. "My father was a great chieftain of our people. He wanted sons but my mother gave him only me before she died. From the time I was young, it was quite obvious that I was not like other females. I had no heart for the hearth and home. I hate spinning and weaving, washing and cooking... it's boring! The women of my village tried to teach me but I wanted to play with the boys; to learn to use the sword and staff, or build rafts to sail. They wouldn't let me, of course. My father said I was an embarrassment to my people." She looked over at Iolaus, fearing he might agree but she saw only empathy so she went on. "When I was eleven, my father promised me to a great hero among our people, some said he was a son of the god Thor. He was cruel and hard, and my father believed his strength could tame me and make me the obedient female that he expected. But on the night of our wedding, I ran away rather than bed with him."

"At the age of eleven?"

She nodded and Iolaus shivered at the thought, shaking his head with disgust.

"I got in a boat I had made," Valiance continued, "and I set out to sea, knowing that I would die and wanting to. I sailed for days, no water, and no food. I was almost dead when Emira and Liego found me and took me to the Isles of the Dragons. I lived with the dragons until I was a woman, and they taught me things I never dared to dream of learning. They taught me how to read and to sail by the stars, they taught me the history of different peoples and about art and music. They also taught me about philosophy. They explained to me that there wasn't anything wrong with a woman wanting to be anything she wished, anymore than it was wrong for a man. It was the first time I felt normal.

"But as I grew, they realized I had to return to the world of men someday; so they taught me the art of war." She looked at Iolaus. "I was never happy with my own because where I come from women are property, but I could not stay with the dragons because they are not like me. Even though I loved them, I was lonely. So I was caught between two worlds, and I have been alone ever since, except for brief encounters with my own kind." She turned to him. "Why do men feel women are like dirt under their feet?"

Iolaus shook his head again. "I think there will always be a struggle between men and women, just like there is a struggle between different races. We're a strange creature, all puffed up and yet so insecure." He thought for a moment about what she had said. "Valiance, I know a place where women are the rulers, the warriors, and the citizens. Only women are allowed though. They're called the Amazons, and they are known for their abilities in battle. All women are trained from the time they enter to be good warriors. Believe me, they are."

"Women only? Uh, how do they get baby women?"

"Well, I think they've tried various methods."

"Various methods? I thought there was only one method," Valiance replied, looking puzzled.

"Well, yes, there's only one method, I mean ... you know, for actually creating children. But then some women come there as adults and then, I think the Amazons also used to steal babies. I also heard that some of the Amazons used to force men to have sex with them." He looked at the tall woman beside him, amazed at where the conversation had gone. Her light blue eyes peered back at him, amused now.

"Force them? I didn't know you could do that," she said, smiling at the blush in his cheeks.

"Well, force maybe is the wrong word," Iolaus said, struggling to extricate himself from the topic. "You know, with men, it's kind of a mood thing. You have to be ... you know, ready. Certain things have to ..." He looked at her, hoping she was getting as uncomfortable as he was, but she only stared back at him. "Do you have anything to eat?" he asked.

Valiance felt drawn to this man as she had awhile ago. The feeling was strong, stronger than she had ever felt. She reached across in front of him to a pack on the other side and as she did, she brushed against him. "This forcing of men. I like this idea," she said, as she reached for the pack. "You've opened up a whole new world to me, Iolaus. I must meet these women called Amazons."

But instead of retrieving the pack, the Norse woman had snaked her arm around Iolaus and was pulling him down under her. Before he realized what had happened, he was lying down looking up at her.

"This is the second time today, you've pinned me," Iolaus whispered up at her, smiling. He thought for a moment. "It must be my destiny to fall under the spell of tall, strong women."

" 'fall under the spell'... I like that," she said, as she ran her fingers through his hair. "Is that the way they force the men?" she asked.

"Seems to be working for me."

Iolaus reached up, pulling her face toward his, and kissed her gently.

The winds carried the war party toward the Isles of the Dragons swiftly. It was not long before it became cold and gusty and they saw the frozen islands in the distance.

"There are the Isles," Tedras said to her riders over the wind's moan. "Cold and lonely. Many of my people are asleep, captive to Dahak's spell. And I sense a recent passing." She circled over the waters near the landmasses. "What now?"

Xastet looked down over the frozen waste. "Get closer," she said.

The dragon circled down closer to the Isles and she and her riders saw what Xastet had suspected. There on a glacial ridge, looking up at them, was Hercules. He stood shirtless in the icy wind. His skin was almost blue with cold. He stood with his hands on his hips, looking up at the party approaching.

"My dear Xastet," said the voice of Dahak, "I knew you were coming to join me, but I did not dare to hope you would bring mortals here to serve us."

Kendaa and Laurissa exchanged worried glances and Kendaa subtly reached in her belt and put her hand to the hilt of her dagger.

Xastet snorted and looked at Kendaa. "You need not worry. I'm not here to betray you. Dahak believes I will because it has a hard time believing that a spirit can go from the darkness into the light. It believes that redemption is some sort of temporary aberration of the will; and we may be able to use that belief to our benefit. Let me assure you now, if I betrayed you... my sister would hunt me down and destroy me as surely as the sun will rise and set. That is all I can say. Beyond that you must trust me." She looked back down at Hercules, whose body was shivering now with cold. "Take the mortal's body back inside the cave," she called out. "You're killing him out here."

"And do I care?" Dahak answered back.

"No, I don't suppose you do," the sorceress replied. She could feel the demon's grip beginning to work on the Amazons. Kendaa had laid her head down and Laurissa had a far away look in her eyes. Tedras was circling downward, getting nearer the demon. Xastet sighed, knowing the battle would have to play out as it would. She knew the fight was between herself and Dahak now, and the plan would only work if she focused on that.

"Take us down," she said to Tedras who was already looking for somewhere to land. The figure of the hero had begun to walk down a path made in the ice to the cave. Tedras landed on the ridge where Dahak had greeted them. The war party got down and the dragon changed back into the mortal woman they were familiar with. Kendaa threw a fur cloak around Tedras and the three Amazons looked at Xastet as she watched the man disappear into the cave's mouth.

"If we get close to him, we'll just fall under the spell again!" Kendaa said taking up her staff.

"There's not much we can do about that," the sorceress replied.

Laurissa became furious at the off-hand response. "What the Hades do you mean by that?" she asked angrily. "Are you saying you brought us here just to sacrifice us to that thing?"

The sorceress had started down the path. She turned back and looked at the three women glaring at her. "I am saying that you will have to trust me. You volunteered to come. I did not ask you. Tedras wanted you here, I had no say in that. But this is a battle of sorcery, not swords. I only know that there is a reason why you are here." She turned around and began walking down the path to the cave again. The three looked at each other.

"Well, what do you think?" Laurissa asked, looking at the other two.

"I can't leave," Tedras said. "If this is the end for my people, I want to be there with them. I'm sorry I put the two of you in danger." She sighed, and shook her head sadly.

"Don't be silly!" Kendaa replied. "You are Amazon now! You're fight is our fight. The only thing we have to figure out is whether to trust Xastet. I don't know. I know I can trust Waart. But her sister... well." She thought for a moment, running her hands up and down the smooth surface of her staff. "I don't believe Waart would put us in this position unless she was sure she could."

Laurissa agreed. She nodded and looked back at Tedras. "The truth of the matter is that we are here now. We're pawns, I believe, in a battle of sorcery. I say, let's go and follow Xastet and let the Fates do as they will."

The three agreed and started down the path. They caught up with the sorceress as she neared the cave's mouth. She turned and greeted them with a smile.

"I'm glad you came," she said, waiting for them to join her. "I know it isn't easy to trust me. I don't expect that you do. But trust my love for Waart and her love for you." She turned and went into the cave to face the demon. The sorceress and the sister soldiers entered the cave to find the figure of Hercules standing on the body of the dead dragon.

"You're right, as always, Xastet," the figure said. "This is much more comfortable for the man. He doesn't like being cold, did you know that?"

"I wouldn't imagine he would," she answered. "He comes from a warm climate."

"Well, no matter. He is a vehicle for my service just as these lovely creatures are."

Xastet looked over at the Amazons around her. They had the far-away look of possession and she realized she was alone now. She looked back up at the figure of the Greek hero. He smiled now, feeling her loneliness.

"What's the matter, my dear? Feeling overwhelmed? You are out of your league, my sweet. You came out of the darkness into the light, and now you must go back. But you will go back as a slave. I have Hercules, the Son of Zeus. I have the dragons. I have three powerful Amazons. And I have an army on the way."

The figure of Hercules focused on Xastet and the air became colder as the demon within him gathered its powers. "Prepare yourself for servitude."

The dark sorceress took a deep breath and began to muster her own powers. She met the oncoming force with her own. But the moments began to seem like hours, and she felt a trickle of blood run down her face as her eyes began to bleed from the exertion of facing the demon.

A large Norse ship bore down on the small boat adrift in the Northern Sea. Valiance and Iolaus lay asleep, huddled together under a layer of heavy furs. As the waters began to get choppy, both awoke, alarmed at the turbulence of the craft.

Valiance looked up at the ship that had pulled alongside her small craft. She gasped at the face that looked down at her.

"Hello, wife. You are still my wife!" said Ichor, Son of Thor. He gave orders and grappling hooks bit into the wood of Valiance's craft, pulling it to the side of the larger ship. "You can come aboard and join me, or you can die in the cold of the sea. I really don't care which."

Valiance stood up, looking up at the man she had been betrothed to so many years ago. He still looked the same. He was very tall, dark for a Norseman but with eyes so pale blue that they gave him an evil look. He wore the leather and furs of the Northern people and had no shirt, only a vest of fur.

"I'm waiting," he said impatiently.

"Bring us aboard," she said finally. She looked over at Iolaus. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"Sorry for what?" he replied, as a rope ladder was lowered down.

"Sorry for getting you involved in this," Valiance answered.

Iolaus ignored the ladder and turned to the Norse woman, taking her hands in his. "You didn't get me involved! The Fates brought me here. You saved my life!" Then he looked at her, puzzled. "Do you regret being with me?" he asked.

"Not at all. If we die tomorrow, I will die finally having known a man I believe I can trust," Valiance said.

"And I won't betray that trust ... so don't be sorry. I'm not."

They were taken aboard the Nordic ship and Ichor then gave orders to set sail for the Isles of the Dragons. "I go to join my Lord, Dahak," Ichor explained to Valiance as she followed him to the bow. Iolaus was bound and tied to the mast. "He has called me to be his lieutenant in this world. I am the son of a god. Soon I will rule over even my own father."

"You're a fool!" Valiance exclaimed. "I know this creature. He is a demon from a darkness even you cannot understand!"

The big man turned to her and the fury in his eyes frightened her. Before she could step back, he raised his hand and slapped her across the face hard enough to drive her backward onto the deck. As she fell, Iolaus struggled to get free and help her but the bonds were secure and all he could do was curse.

She sat up and wiped the blood away from the side of her mouth, glaring at him angrily. He turned back to the bow of the ship and stood looking out over the sea. "Tie her up with the man," Ichor ordered to his crew. Rough hands grabbed her, hauled her to her feet and two men began to bind her arms behind her. She kicked one man away, and elbowed the other one so he fell back. More crew came toward her but she held her own against her attackers. Ichor looked on with disinterest. Iolaus was struggling to get out of his bonds and could only kick one man as he came around the mast to join the others.

Finally Ichor stepped forward, annoyed that his men could not bring down the woman. He ordered his men to back off and approached Valiance himself. She crouched into a fighting stance, knowing that it was unlikely she could best this half-god. He walked up to her, almost carelessly. She hit him in the face and then kicked him in the stomach but he was unaffected, continuing to look at her as if she were insignificant. Then before she had time to move, he struck her with a powerful blow and she crashed to the deck, unconscious. The dark Norseman looked at the prone woman, kicked her once to see if she was really unconscious, then turned to his men.

"I said, tie her up."

Valiance awoke with a pounding headache. Her arms were tied behind her and she stood next to Iolaus, secured to the mast. He looked over at her with concern.

"Now it's my turn to ask you how your head is?" he asked quietly.

She smiled briefly then stretched her neck and shoulders, trying to get comfortable. "And it's my turn to say, I've had worse wounds," she answered. She looked around at the sea. It was gusty now. "We're approaching the Isles."

"I know. I've been thinking; two half-gods under Dahak's command. That's almost an army right there."

"But my darling husband ..." She snorted her disgust, "he is serving willingly. Your friend, Hercules, is not."

"I hope that makes a difference," Iolaus said. He shook his head. "I hope you were right when you said help was on the way."

Xastet was weakening as she continued to match the power of the demon. The figure of the Greek hero still stood on the body of the dead dragon, his head bowed forward slightly so that he could peer at the sorceress with intensity. In some far corner of Xastet's mind, she idly thought how attractive this man was. The Amazons had told her about Hercules on the journey to the islands and she thought now that under different circumstances, she would be pleased to spend time with this handsome warrior. As she thought about this, she felt the spirit of the hero. She felt his presence, even though he was dominated by the demon. The spirit was as attractive as the man; worldly but still with an innocence, sad from losses, but not bitter. She redoubled her efforts as she felt him call out to her.

The Amazons around her stood still, staring up at the figure that they knew and loved. They also struggled inwardly against the demon. Tedras was calling to the spirits of her brothers and sisters, trying to rouse them from their sleep. She stood with a blank expression on her face, but a war was going on inside. Her people, the very existence of a race, were in jeopardy. She willed herself to resist the demon, even if passively.

Kendaa stood motionless also, but inside her the dryad was reaching down into the icy earth to call upon the source of life for all things. Dahak would have to possess the earth itself in order to harness her completely. Her knuckles were white as she gripped her staff.

Beside her, Laurissa stood equally quiet, pale and motionless. She called upon a different source of strength. Generations of women before her had fought to build a nation. She came from one of the oldest maternal lines of Amazons. She heard the call of a thousand women back in time, commanding her to be strong in a world which was weak.

Moments went on unbroken. Xastet remained locked in a mystical battle with the demon. She tried to remain focused on her mission, but for an instant she thought of her sister.

The demon gasped. "She's coming too!" he said, angrily. "You thought to fool me, but I know your thoughts!"

Xastet growled, realizing she had given away the plan. "Quickly," she whispered. "Come quickly, sister."

As if by Xastet's command, from the bowels of the cave that Hercules and Iolaus had explored not so long ago, came a small tabby cat. It walked out into the cave and sat down, looking up at the figure of the hero, then at Xastet.

"You took your sweet time, sister!" Xastet said, annoyed.

"Don't be angry, Xas ... I had to check on something very important," Waart replied, changing into the little sorceress again. "It will change everything."

A small black bat flew out of the cave and landed on the other side of the demon. The figure of the hero began to look from sorceress to sorceress, and then at the bat. He looked worried now.

"What's the matter, dear?" Waart asked, sweetly. "Do you sense the agony of defeat?"

Tedras let out a scream. It started as an anguished cry and ended as a warcry of victory. Kendaa went down on one knee and took a deep breath of relief as she threw her head back and joined Tedras in the warcry. Laurissa joined in as she shook off the possession herself.

The bat had begun to glow and then swirl and expand. Then the figure of Corum took shape. There before them stood the great Black Dragon, Prince of his race and keeper of high magic. His eyes glistened dark red and his scales shined like a raven's wing; even his horns were black. "Welcome to my lair, little demon!" cried the sonorous voice of the Dragon. "You thought you had destroyed my with your magic but the life force is strong in those who have the light as master. The touch of the hero gave me power to go on."

Xastet gasped. "My Lord!" she cried and tears sprang to her eyes and flowed where blood had. The two sorceresses and the Black Dragon formed a triangle around the demon. Hercules' face briefly reflected the death's head of the demon as it struggled to keep hold of him.

"Demon," Corum said, ominously, "You are hopelessly surrounded by the power of the light. So be gone back to the darkness, I command you."

Hercules screamed. It was hard to tell who was in ascendance. At first he sounded as if he was in pain, but then the cry sounded angry.

Then the demon was gone, scurrying like a spider, back to the darkness to wait. Hercules went down on his knees, breathing heavily. Kendaa and Laurissa bounded past the sorceress and up onto the dragon, flanking him and taking his arms over their shoulders to help him down. He tried to speak but all he could do was groan.

Tedras ran over to Xastet and threw her arms around the dark sorceress, kissing her on the cheek. Xastet jumped, surprised. Then she understood.

In the distance, the roars of dragons waking from sleep, split the air.

"They're all waking!" Tedras said. "It's over!"

The Black Dragon gave a deep sigh. "No, my child. Unfortunately, it is not," he said. "A ship speeds its way here. It is in the harbor even now. Dahak's lieutenant knows that his master is gone, defeated now. A wise man would turn and sail for home. But this is not a wise man. He is vain and full of pride." The dragon looked toward the door.

From out of the cold, walked Valiance. She looked tired, her face was bruised. She looked over and saw her mentor and gasped. "Corum, you're alive!" she said, choking back tears.

"Yes, child. I was not completely gone from this world," said the dragon. "Where is the other Greek, my daughter?"

The Norse woman looked grim. She walked over to where Hercules stood. "The Lord Ichor, Son of Thor challenges you, Hercules, Son of Zeus, to a duel of single combat. If you do not take his challenge, he will kill your friend Iolaus." Her face reflected the gravity of the challenge.

Hercules stood for a moment, unable to react. He was still confused from the recent possession. He looked at Valiance with a frown and then nodded slowly as if coming out of a daze. Kendaa stepped in front of him and faced the Norse woman. It was eerie how similar the two were. Both were tall and blond, forceful and determined.

"He's in no condition to fight. I will go up against your Ichor, Son of Thor," Kendaa said, giving a sarcastic tone to the man's title.

Valiance gritted her teeth with anger. "He's not MY Ichor. And he will only fight this man. Do not underestimate him. He is the son of a god! He is proud and will not go home unless he has the head of Hercules nailed to his bow."

"Well, that's a pretty picture!" Laurissa said, coming up beside her friend. "Thank you for sharing that with us."

"I'm afraid Ichor will not be going home, then," Tedras added, joining her sisters. "We will not let him kill Hercules and we will not let him harm Iolaus."

The tension between the four women was palatable. They stood there for a moment glaring at each other. Hercules was more lucid now, and tried to step in between them but Valiance put her arm out barring his way. Her eyes never left Kendaa.

The two sorceresses sat on a rock nearby in the shadow of the great Black Dragon. They all watched the confrontation with amusement. Xastet began to laugh softly. She turned to her sister.

"I love these Amazons," she said.

"You're Amazons?" Valiance asked of Kendaa.

"Yes, what of ..."

"And you force men to have sex with you?" Valiance asked.

All three Amazons and Hercules took a step back, completely astonished at the question. "No, we do not force men ... well, there was that one time with Ar.... WHAT is the point of this question?" Kendaa asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Iolaus told me about the Amazons," Valiance said.

Hercules shook his head, he was laughing now too. He went to a rock by the sorceresses and sat down. Laurissa and Tedras were smiling also. Even the two women facing each other were having difficulty remaining serious.

"What are we going to do?" Laurissa asked, finally. "Kendaa, you can't face this half-god." She turned to the Black Dragon and the two sorceresses. "Can you help us?"

"Delighted to," Xastet said. She and Waart got up and stood on either side of Hercules. He looked up at one and then the other. Each woman placed a hand on his cheek and the hero glowed momentarily. In an instant, Hercules was renewed and refreshed from his ordeal and he stood up, walking over to the women.

"I'm ready," he said, smiling and folding his arms across his chest.

Xastet watched as the women and the hero discussed his choice of weapons and the Amazons and the Norse woman each offered him a sword for consideration. "Lovely man," Xastet muttered to her sister. "When the Father of All Things designed the human male, THAT is what he had in mind!"

Waart nodded.

Valiance led the war party from the mountain cave down to the beach where Ichor waited with his men. Iolaus stood among them, bare-chested and shivering in the wind.

Valiance growled at the cruelty of her people. "Cover him," she commanded, looking at the man closest to him.

The Norseman spat on the ground.

"Cover him or I will cover him with the clothes I take from your lifeless body," Valiance threatened.

The man looked at Ichor who turned and nodded to his crewman. Furs were then brought from the rowboat and Iolaus finally was shielded from the wind.

Hercules stepped up to the Norse half-god who stood with his hands on the hilt of the sword that he had unsheathed and pointed in the ground in front of him. The two men were well matched in height and build. Hercules realized that he did not feel the cold, and he wondered if the touch of the sorceresses had anything to do with it. He turned around to look at them and a sense of awe came over him. As he scanned the mountains behind them now, he saw a myriad of dragons that had come from their caves to observe the duel. Corum stood just up the trail watching him. The others, Green, and Red, looked down at the beach, and the Son of Zeus could feel them willing him to victory.

Hercules stepped past Ichor who watched him with curiosity, and walked over to Iolaus. The crewmen parted for him, grumbling.

"How are you?" Hercules said quietly to his friend.

Iolaus made a face that said "I've been better." Hercules patted his friend on the shoulder, turned and walked back to his opponent. Tedras stepped forward and gave him her sword.

"I will use this to honor your race," he said. He raised the sword toward the dragons on the mountain, and they bellowed out their replies of support.

"Good luck," Tedras said quietly and stepped back away from the two.

Hercules and Ichor looked at each other.

Ichor smiled and shook his head. "This is going to be easier then I thought," he said. "You use the sword of a woman." He snorted affectedly and the men behind him laughed.

Hercules looked at the sharp sword, light but strong and highly polished to a mirror finish. Lessa had fashioned this sword at her forge for Tedras, using the secrets given her by the War God, Ares, and by Hephaestus himself, the master of all metalworking. He looked at the blade and then at Ichor.

"Well, you know what they say, it's not the size of the sword ... it's how you use it!" he said.

The two men raised their blades and the fight was on.

The fight went on and on with grave precision. Both of the heroes were strong, fast, and well versed in offense and defense with a sword. Both men now had cuts and bruises here and there, their bare arms bloody from slight wounds. There was a grim look of determination on both handsome faces.

Waart looked worried. She turned to her sister. "You know, even if Hercules is only wounded, he will be wounded by a fellow immortal. His wound will not heal! We'll have to research some powerful magic to deal with this," she said quietly.

"Got it covered," Xastet replied. "And a new home for the dragons. I can't believe you let our dear dragons live up here in the cold!" she added.

"Me? Why is it all of a sudden MY responsibility?" Waart asked.

"Well, you're the elder," Xastet said.

"By a shred of an instant," the other said. "You are so irritating."

The two would have gone on arguing but their attention was refocused on the fighters as the two men came together, blades crossed at close quarters. For a moment, the two seemed immobile as they each tried to force the other back. The blades were dangerously close to Hercules' face and the hero could see his own reflection in Tedras' blade. He stared at Ichor who stared back, both men trembling with the force of effort it took to hold his own. Then for an instant, Hercules saw the reflection of Hephaestus' face in the blade. He forced Ichor back and the Nordic hero fell backwards into the water.

"I don't want to kill you," Hercules said, panting.

Ichor got up, smiling mirthlessly and putting his sword in his other hand so that he could wipe off his blade hand on the shirt of one of his warriors. "I do want to kill you," he replied, panting also. He walked back toward Hercules. "And after I kill you, I will kill your friend and hang both of your bodies off the bow of my ship. Then I will have your women for my concubines and take them each on the foredeck as my men watch."

Hercules sighed and shook his head. He looked over at the Amazons and at Valiance and smiled, then he raised his sword for the next encounter.

"That is not going to happen," he said quietly.

Ichor reached him and the two went at it again. They parried and thrust, kicked and rolled, each trying to get the upper hand. Hercules was still being careful to try to beat Ichor without having to kill him. Ichor did not have such constraints. He meant to defeat the Greek or kill him; it did not matter which one.

The two swords clanged as they came together. The Amazon blade glinted in the light as it met the other blade. Then the blades parted as the two men swung again and when the blades hit this time, Ichor's weapon shattered in two. The blade went flying and the Norseman was left with only a finger's span of metal above the hilt. He was momentarily stunned by the event and Hercules kicked him backward onto the ground and stood over him with the blade to his throat.

"Surrender," Hercules said quietly.

"You'd best kill me," Ichor replied, looking up at him. "I will not go back in defeat and I will not relent. If you don't kill me, I will follow you back to your land, laying waste to everything in my path. I will fight you again and again until I win."

Hercules stood over the man reflecting back on all the men and monsters who had tried to make a name for themselves with his blood. He thought about Hera who punished him over and over for the sins of his father. He thought about Ares who plagued him out of jealousy. He looked up at his friend standing among the enemy. Iolaus' face was serious, knowing the struggle Hercules was making. Iolaus nodded once.

Hercules raised the blade and plunged it into Ichor's chest. The force of the sword pierced the man clear through and pinned him to the ground beneath. The Norseman made no sound. He never flinched. He smiled arrogantly up at the Greek, then the life went out of him.

The Son of Zeus got to his feet with effort, still straddling the dead man. He looked over at the crew of the Norseman. "Go away. Get in your boat and get out of my sight," he said, quietly. "And take this with you." He motioned to the body.

Hercules bent down and pulled the sword from the body. The men came over, seeming hesitant to approach him. They grabbed their leader, dragging him back to the rowboat, shoving off without a word.

Hercules took the bloody blade and plunged it back into the earth till only the hilt stuck out. Iolaus came up beside him looking at the blade also. The two exchanged a look and Iolaus shook his head sadly. Then he shrugged off the fur wrap.

"Untie me, will you?"

Hercules undid the leather straps as the others approached and hugged them both.

"Thanks for saving us from his ... uh ... attentions," Kendaa said to Hercules.

"Right," Hercules replied, laughing. "I don't think that would have happened."

Laurissa looked over at Tedras. "Well, if he tried to have his way with you, he would have gotten a big surprise!"

The group laughed as Valiance picked up the fur cloak and put it back around Iolaus' shoulders. The exchange of glances between the two was not lost on the Amazons who looked at each other.

Then Xastet came over and addressed the group with a wave of her hand. "Very well, smoochie, smoochie. Now that we have exchanged pleasantries, we must be on our way."

Hercules frowned. "Who the Hades is this?"

"Waart's sister," Kendaa replied. "Another sorceress, long story." She turned to Xastet. "All right, what's the plan?"

Xastet turned and pointed up to the ridge that overlooked the beach. There on the ridge stood Hephaestus, God of the Forge. Behind him stood Lady Pegasus with her hands on his shoulders, looking over them at her sisters.

The Queen put her head in her hands, sighing heavily. "Semina, we have been over this a thousand times. This is a nation of many beliefs. We take women from all places and cultures, and it is our most sacred rule that as long as a woman is willing to fight by our side for the freedom of the Nation, then her past and her religion are her own business."

Semina stood up from the table in the main council hall. The long table held many prominent Amazons, some dressed in battle dress and some in the chitons of formal occasion. The table had been laid with bread and fruit. Goblets of wine or fruit juice, freshly squeezed, sat before each woman. Semina took the opportunity to peer dramatically down the table at the Queen, sniffing haughtily.

"Hera is offended," she announced.

Lessa groaned. She sat on the Queen's left. "Many gods are offended by us. Hera will have to stand in line," she said.

"I, for one, would be willing to build an altar to Hera," said Ceallach, sitting next to Lessa, "if you will leave us forever, Semina."

"You are going to build an altar to Hera?" said Klio, who was standing up behind the Queen. She laughed softly. "And this altar would be ... "

"A tree stump with a candle and a dead chicken on it. I didn't say it would be a great altar!" Ceallach replied, grinning.

"You are evil!" Lessa said, laughing.

"And I'm Amazon!" Ceallach replied, and the two women crossed wrists, clanging the metal of their bracelets together in comradeship. There were snickers up and down the table, but some of Semina's followers began to object to the comment.

Semina clucked, shaking her head and cutting off further discussion. "I am the gadfly for the Amazon soul," she said, throwing her head back for dramatic effect.

"You are a pain in the Amazon ass," Calico, on the Queen's right, said quietly.

Semina stretched her arms, throwing her head back again. "I will ask for a sign from Olympus," she replied, sighing. She began to chant loudly.

Hygea was sitting about halfway down the table, leaning her head on her fist, elbow on the table. She was half-asleep. Suddenly, she sat bolt upright, slamming both her hands on the table. "Whoa, incoming sign!" she exclaimed. Then she got up and ran out of the hall.

Amazon sisters began to whisper and talk amongst themselves. Calico and Lessa got up and began to follow her when Hygea came running back in, excited.

"Get out here, quick! All of you ... quick!!" She ran back outside as the others got up and followed her.

There, in the blue of the distant sky, was a sight that took the breath away. The last remaining dragons flew in formation over the land. Their shadows darkened the fields below as they flew over. The beat of their giant wings kicked up winds that made hair and dresses fly around as the women looked up in wonder. Calico stood with her hands shielding her eyes from the sun so that she could see the magnificent sight. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

Two of the dragons veered off and headed for the field beyond the village where the Amazons held their practice and their games. It was large enough for Tedras and Corum to land with ease. The two dragons circled and landed with amazing gentleness for creatures of such enormous size. Their riders began to dismount. From Tedras' back climbed the two Amazons and the two sorceresses. From Corum's back jumped Hercules, Iolaus, and Valiance. Sister soldiers streamed onto the field to greet their comrades and their friends. The rest of the dragons headed on toward Hephaestus' valley far off in the distant mountains where he had invited them to make their new home in the warmth of Helios' radiance.

With the return of the heroes, Semina found her power to influence the Amazons fading. Xastet soon joined the Queen in persuading the high priestess to cease causing discord among the Sisters. The dark sorceress' flamboyant presence outdid Semina's and the high priestess went, grumbling, back to Hera's altar to whine to her mistress.

Epilogue:

Calico sat watching Valiance work with a staff with Hygea. The Norse woman had shed the heavy furs and leather of the north, to wear a short skirt and vest of suede now. Iolaus stood by the team, watching and giving pointers though not many were needed.

Cassopeia walked up to where the warriors were training and sat down. She looked at the opponents. "Well," she said, pursing her lips, "not much training needed here. Just teach her the warcry, and give her something sharp." She shook her head. "Better her than me."

Calico laughed. "You're not so bad yourself with a staff."

The Siren laughed also. "No ... I'm a singer, not a fighter," she replied.

"But when you sing, no one fights," Calico said. "At least not until they get stupid again."

Cassopeia smiled at the compliment and the two continued to watch in silence. Finally, the sparing was over and the three joined their friends. Calico handed Valiance a water jug and the woman drank deeply, handing it afterwards to Hygea.

"Now then, just who is this Hera person that I have been hearing about?" Valiance asked of the group.

Calico sat back. "Well, let's see. Imagine Dahak as a woman. Now imagine her about a week before she gets her time of the month ... that's Hera!" she said flatly. Everyone laughed.

In the distance, thunder rolled.

Iolaus turned and looked toward the sound in the distance. "That's probably the old bag herself," he said, "storming through the halls of Olympus, screaming about the insolence of Amazons."

Everyone laughed all the more.

Hercules sat alone in the infirmary and looked at the wounds still raw from the battle he had had with Ichor. They hurt more than he had been willing to admit in the days after the war party had returned. He had realized soon after the battle that, made by a fellow immortal, they were different from other wounds he had endured. He had minimized the injuries but many comments had been made and Tedras and Lady Pegasus had finally persuaded him to tend to them. He looked now at the crisscross of cuts on his arms and understood what his friend Chiron had gone through. He looked up as Lady Pegasus came in with Tedras.

The winged healer came over beside him. She examined the wounds and shook her head.

"These should be well healed by now. I guess it's true what they said about immortals' wounding of other immortals."

Hercules nodded but said nothing.

Tedras sat down on the other side of him. "You are worried, I know, but this will help." The demure Amazon showed him a package wrapped in suede. She undid the string which appeared to have been tied long ago. The string was so old, it fell apart as she undid the knot. Within were two dragon's scales the color of pearls. "These are all we have left from our brothers and sisters of White. They will heal any wound. But they can only be used once."

Hercules sighed. "You should save them then," he said.

Tedras rolled her eyes. "I knew you were going to say that!" she exclaimed. "Now don't be difficult." She took a scale in each hand and ran them up and down the hero's arms. Magically, the wounds disappeared.

Hercules smiled as the injuries vanished. He reached over and pulled Tedras' face to his and kissed her gently. "Thank you."

The Blue Dragon smiled.

Finis