From the Annals of Bastet.

The skies had cried for weeks now. They were a constant grey and the rain fell on and on without ceasing. The crops of the amazons had been long ruined now and the council was meeting on what to do about a possible food shortage in the coming winter. Calee stood in the rain outside her hut and looked at the dark sky wondering. It seemed so ominous and gloomy; not the soft rain she was used to but a continual hard flow that never seemed to let up completely. She went inside and took off the wet clothing, toweled herself off then pulled on a robe of soft cotton. She combed through her red hair and plaited it in a tight braid. Then she made a fire and began to tend to the chores of her day.

Calee pulled out the chopping board and started to cut the vegetables she had picked from the now drenched garden that the her tribe of women kept. Soup, she thought, would be good for the mood today. She was sparing of the spices because it looked as though the spices would be needed to preserve food in the coming winter. She sighed as she thought that the soup she was making would not be as tasty as she liked. The soup would be plain and she would make up for it with some dumplings in the pot afterward. She poured the vegetables into the pot on the fire, added the dried meat she had left from a wet and dreary patrol from which she had just returned.

She was just about to start the dough for the dumplings when she heard a knock at the door of the hut. "Come." she said absently. Her hawk, Aris, who was perched in her place on the mantle above the fire screeched briefly. She looked up at him and then at the door.

"Come in," she said a little louder. Finally she put down what she was doing and went over to the door. There was no one outside. She shook her head, looked around in the rain to see if she could see footsteps still in the mud. Then she went back to her work.

The soup had been served and the dried fruit and wine laid out as a dessert. Calee nibbled on a fig and poured a second cup of wine for Kendaa. Hygea sat back and motioned she was done. The three had come together at Calee's for dinner and to exchange the news of the day.

Hygea looked at the fire's light and then back at her sisters. "Has anything unusual been happening with either of you?" she said quietly.

Kendaa frowned. "Well, like what?"

"Oh, just anything."

Kendaa shrugged and nodded her head.

Calee nodded also and then recalled the knock and told the other two about it. "I really didn't think anything about it. Why?" she asked her warrior sister.

"Well," Hygea replied. "Odd things have been happening all over. But little things, nothing that would make anyone really concerned. But, like the knock at your door, Calee..." She thought for a moment. "Hebea told me the other day that she was out hunting and had dropped her quiver of arrows when she running. She went back right away to pick them up and all of them were out of the quiver and stuck in the ground in a circle. And after Laurissa's birthday party, she said that when she got back to her hut, everything in her hut had been put in a big pile in the middle. Nothing gone. Nothing broken. Just everything piled in a big pile. Isn't that odd?"

The other two looked surprised at her and then at each other. "What in Hades in going on?" Calee said.

"Everything started with the rain." Hygea added. "Every person I talk to has a story. But when I ask them about when it happened, it's always occurred after the rain started three weeks ago. And the priestesses at the temple said that strange things have been happening there too. Like the stone that Hercules found, you know, the one with the odd writing....it's disappeared."

"That stone was embedded in the altar of Gaia, the earth mother. It was set in mortar!" Calee exclaimed. "How could it have disappeared?"

Hygea shrugged with a look of astonishment on her face as well, "Gone," she said, "nothing but a hole where the stone had been."

"Nothing's happened to me." Kendaa said matter-of-factly.

"Not yet, at least." Hygea answered.

Kendaa walked quickly back to her hut through the rain. She did not want to get soaked to the bone before bedtime. She closed the door of her hut behind her and felt the warmth of her little home. The fire was still burning and nothing was out of place. She breathed a sigh of relief as Hygea's stories had gotten her feeling a little nervous. She took off her clothes and got into the cotton shift that she wore to bed. She put another log on the fire to keep it burning in the night then went to turn back the covers of her bed. From the moment she approached the bed she knew that something was odd. Something was in the bed.

She took the sword from its sheath that hung on a nearby chair and with the point pulled back the covers of the bed. There on the sheets lay Hercules' bracelets, both covered with blood.

The rains had gone on and on and the annoyance of the continual patter and the cold, and the forced imprisonment indoors had begun to make everyone irritable. The council sat in session. Apollena heard the report of the priestesses of the temple, each jealously telling a bigger tale of the strange occurrences that had gone on in their section of the temple. The Queen sat patiently but her tolerance for the petty squabbles of the temple attendants was growing thin. The rain worried her. It was fall and the harvest should have brought in enough food for the winter. But the rains had ruined the crops.

"Enough." she said, ending the argument between the priestess of Artemis and the priestesses of Hera. "I do not care whose problems are worse. We all have a problem and we need to work together. Has anything been broken?"

The priestesses shook their heads.

"Is anyone injured?"

Shakes again.

"Is anything missing?" Everyone shook their head again daring not to speak. The piercing stare of the annoyed Queen silenced their bickering.

"Yes, my liege. The stone that we found in the old temple, the one found by the Greek Hercules, it is gone from the place where we sealed it in the altar of Gaia." said the old priestess of the earth mother. She was happy to have an altar at all as the new gods had completely overshadowed the worship of the earth and the mother. She bowed to the Queen. "It is a small inconvenience, liege. We have no idea what the stone is or where it came from but you should know, my liege that the next hour after it was found missing, the rains started."

Apollena nodded. "Hmmm,...interesting...but it seems to me then that our biggest problem is still the food storage. I want everyone to think on the management of food for the winter. We have three months store now, but that will last only until winter solstice. No more. Then we are on what we can forage or hunt. Winter is not the time for either. Come back to me in three days with...."

The doors of the council chamber opened and Kendaa came in carrying something wrapped in cloth. Behind her Calico, Calee and Hygea followed.

"My liege," she said bowing her head briefly in respect, "my sisters have told me many strange things that have gone on but tonight I found this in my bed." She unwrapped the cloth to reveal the bracelets. Everyone knew the famous items forged for the half-god by his brother, Hephaestus. The room filled with whispers and gasps in an instant. Apollena came over to her warrior and examined the bracelets herself.

"Bloodied." she said quietly.

"Yes, my liege. I wish to set out with my sisters here at once to Hercules' home in Thebes. I want to find out what is going on." Kendaa replied.

"Good. Go as quickly as you can. On your way, find that odd little creature, Waart, and ask her if she knows anything about any of this."

Kendaa nodded and turned to the others. Calico knew where Waart was but had not told anyone but a few Forum members. Some in the Nation did not like the little woman and the Forum feared for her life. Renegade tribes of Amazons had been forming that were violent and angry about the new temple being built. Waart had received some slurs recently in the marketplace and just a month ago she had been pushed around by a gang of young women who would have injured her more if Lessa had not intervened and broken a few bones. Waart had since then gone into hiding and had taken Tosh with her as protection. Calico and the others went back to their huts and packed quickly and were on horseback shortly.

Riding in the rain was cold and dangerous. The rains had made the paths slippery and mudslides were occurring frequently. The women packed lightly, dressed warmly and wore oiled Egyptian cotton capes that kept out the rain. But they made their way careful through the forest to the caves in the foothills. There, Calico had told them, she had helped Waart move some of her things and make a home for herself stone hollows.

The small troop of Amazons dismounted and went into the mouth of the cave. Calico looked around amazed. There were rich vases as tall as a man and tapestries hung from the rough stone. Rugs of bright colors littered the dirt floor of the entryway and torches on brackets of brass had been put into the walls of the cave. The Amazons felt as if they were entering a king's palace.

"You said you helped her move a few things??" Hygea said.

"What the Hades!" Calico replied, "I helped her move enough to put in three saddle bags. She told me she had put aside the art of sorcery." She made her way down the hall now a little angry.

In the cave she found the short woman sitting at a table, surrounded by scrolls and pouring over them seriously. The room was more sparsely appointed than the entrance had been, but a fire blazed in an open hearth and Tosh lounged beside it. At the sight of his mistress, he had got up and came over to her chuffing.

"What is the meaning of all this, Waart?" Calico said stroking the tiger beside her. "I thought you were not going to practice the dark arts anymore."

"Well, all things change. And practice is the word of the hour. I need to practice. I'm quite rusty at these dark spells. I started with something easy like materializing things. I'm working up to the hard parts." the white- haired sorceress replied without looking up. "I know why you're here and none too soon. The rain, well, that's only part of it....although....it's...well, I can't worry about that... I have bigger problems to attend to."

Kendaa went over to her and tapped on her shoulder. "Hello! Is anyone home?" she said annoyed. "Our world is falling apart and you're babbling. Get a grip and tell us what is going on."

Waart looked up finally at the tall Amazon looming over her. She had a frown of worry on her pale face that made Kendaa regret being so harsh. "The world is in mourning..." Waart said. "The very fabric of existence is being tampered with. Strange things occurring everywhere. And why...well I'll tell you why. Dahak...the Lord of Darkness. The father of Set. The Evil One. He is attempting to make his entrance into this plane of consciousness."

Calico felt a chill go through her that made tears spring to her eyes. She remembered the dark journey she had taken into the realm of Set. The memories of his cruelty and deceit had left her changed forever. She came over to the little woman and sat down beside her. Waart saw the tears as did the others.

"Waart, tell me this isn't so." Calico whispered.

The little woman put her thin hand on the Amazon's. "I wish with all my heart that it was not."

Kendaa put down between them the bracelets of Hercules. "What does Hercules have to do with this?" she said quietly. Hygea stood behind Calico with her hands on the woman's shoulders for comfort.

Waart picked up the bracelets and looked them over. As she turned them over examining them, she shook her head in amazed concern. "Oh my," she said. "The bracelets of Hercules. And with blood upon them." She mumbled a little more and the warrior women had to restrain their irritation.

"I am not sure what we are to gain from this sign." the sorceress said. "All of these things are connected. Hercules has been drawn into the battle and now this has come to us. Perhaps it is a lure to trap you into coming. Perhaps a warning. Or perhaps it is a plea for help."

"And you can't tell which?" Hygea said.

"No," Waart replied. "I can tell you only what my first impression is."

"Good enough for me." Calico answered.

"Someone calls you." she answered.

It seemed so strange for Hercules to be at home for so long. He had mended the wall as his mother had asked and taken out a tree stump in her garden. Then the rains had come. It had been raining for weeks now. He had spent most of the time indoors which was uncomfortable for him. No one had come needing help. All the chores were done. Everyone seemed to have a kind of melancholy on them. Iolaus had stayed for awhile and then gone home. Iphicles had come to visit with his family and had returned to Corinth once the rains started. Now he had been home alone with his mother and Jason for longer than he could ever recall since leaving home as a man. Hercules sat on the stairs of the main hall looking over the room below. Mother and Jason had retired for an afternoon nap. The servants came and went with the business of household. He had too much time on his hands and that was always dangerous for him. He thought of his wife and children, the life he had once had and the happiness he had briefly possessed as a husband and father. That joy would never be his again. He had made a silent vow that he would not endanger a woman again in that way.

He sat back and spread out, resting his elbows on the stairs behind him. He would never have another woman as companion unless possibly Xena, or maybe one of the Amazons. Those were the only women that might be able to stand up under the spitefulness of Hera. Xena had Ares as her patron, and so did Kendaa and Lessa. But if they were with him, that fickle support would vanish in an instant. Calico had the patronage of the shadowy ancient one, Bastet. But Hera had still managed to steal her away although she had survived. But could he live with the idea of another woman subjected to the gods' anger? Burying Serena had almost destroyed him. The tall man shook his head to get the memory out of his mind. Yes, he definitely had too much time on his hands, he thought. He had to find a project that would occupy him completely.

He got up and went down the stairs, left the house for the stables on the other side of the yard. As he walked through his mother's garden, he noticed that the plants were drenched. The rain poured down on him. He looked up at the sky and wondered again as everyone had been wondering, what was going on in the world that could bring such torrential rains. He thought about what petty quarrel or angry feud between the gods had caused them to wreak such devastation upon men. He felt the anger come up that always did when he thought about how such petulant creatures could have such power.

Once in the stable he looked around and decided to practice again some of the blacksmithing that he was only marginally good at. Nessus, the centaur had tried to teach him more on the molding of metals. Hephaestus himself, the master of all metalwork, had tried to give him some of his secrets. Hercules had the will, and the strength. But he just did not seem to have the touch. He took off is wet vest and shirt and began to fire up the bellows to heat the coals that would soften the metal. He wished for a moment that Iolaus has here so they could work together. Jason had mentioned losing his hunting knife. Hercules decided to fashion him a new one; he could give it as a gift in the coming winter solstice celebration. It would take a great deal of time but probably would not be as good as Jason could purchase from the vendors in the market but Hercules decided to try anyway.

The warrior threw himself into the working of the metal piece. Soon sweat ran down his shoulders and chest in little rivers as he hammered and worked the bellows. He was concentrating on the metal piece, holding it tightly with tongs as he worked when he felt a tickle run up his spine as if someone had run a feather up his back. He turned thinking he would see his mother or maybe Iolaus. But no one was there. The sensation gave him an eerie feeling and he shook it off and went back to work. Then he heard a giggle. He laughed to himself. Maybe Xena was here. He put down the tongs and turned around. No one was there. "Alright, what is going on?" he said laughing quietly. He went over to the stall in the shadows and looked in it. "Xena? Mother?" It had sounded like a woman's laugh. "Nemesis, are you here?"

He made a search of the stable and then went up to the hay loft above. No one was around. He looked down at the scene. No sign of anyone. He was directly above the anvil and forge where the coals were red, waiting for him to return. He looked around once more and began to turn to make his way down when something strong pushed him from behind and he fell headlong toward the coals below.

He caught himself by grabbing the sides of the forge and pushing away to avoid being burned. He could feel the heat loom up. He rolled into the ground feeling a pain in his hand. When he looked down, the blade of the knife he had been working on protruded through his hand searing him with its heat. He pulled on it quickly with his other hand cutting and burning that one also. Everything had happened so quickly and completely by surprise that a rage came up in him and he growled at the pain and the anger. He sat for a moment on the ground looking at his hands now quickly bleeding from the wound and pain of the burns on both hands brought tears to his eyes. He looked around. Still no one was there.

Hercules sat at the table with his hands laid on the table palms up. His mother had called for a basin of water and her herb chest to make a poultice for the wounds. She removed the bracelets that were gory now and shook her head.

"Hands always bleed so badly." she said. "I have doctored you boys a hundred times." She began to look through the chest that had been brought.

"Tell me again what happened." Jason said as he sat down at the table across from his stepson. Hercules told them and both shook their heads with confusion. "You know," Jason went on, "I was at the bladesmith's yesterday getting a new hunting knife when I overheard some of the men in the town saying that odd things are happening here in Thebes. I didn't give it much thought, it was Traikus talking. You know how he likes to embellish stories. But then the smith said he had been working at his forge and left for just a moment and when he returned the forge had gone cold, stone cold, he said. He thought it was quite strange."

Hercules cleared his throat to keep from flinching as his mother cleaned the wounds. "Something is certainly odd." he said. "I have never seen rain like this in Greece, have you? And the mood. Everyone is so.... I don't know.... unhappy. I keep thinking about my family but all the thoughts are bad memories; guilt and anger. I thought I was past that."

His mother finished bandaging his hands. She washed her hands in the basin of water beside her, wiped them and then ran them through her son's long sandy blonde hair, pushing it away from his face. She kissed his forehead gently.

"There's nothing worse than the loss of a child. It's so unnatural to have the little ones go to the next world before us." She looked at her son and smiled. "I thank the gods every day that you and Iphicles were not taken from me."

"If it was up to the gods, mother," Hercules replied bitterly, "I would have been gone long before now."

Alcmene sighed but said nothing. She did not want to incite her son anymore. He looked pale and angry. She smiled, "Let me get you something to eat."

"I'm not hungry." He looked around. "Where are my bracelets?"

Alcmene and Jason both looked around. Then all three looked at each other.

"I put them right here." Alcmene said motioning to the place at the table. It still had a stain of blood.

"Something is going on. I'm going to go find out." Hercules said.

"Where will you start?" Jason replied.

"With my father."

In the town of Thebes, the biggest temple was the temple of Zeus. Hercules made his way through the streets with the rain still pouring down. The market had merchants trying to sell their wares even in the rain. He passed through the agora and on to the street where his father's temple was. Once inside the temple, he let the cloak that had kept him dry slip from his shoulders and shrugged it onto a nearby seat. His hands still bandaged, he was trying to move them as little as possible. Then he went into the main hall through a large door that always remained open. Before him was the huge marble statue of a bearded, muscular man sitting on a throne. One hand rested on his knee and the other rested on the arm of the throne. On the statue's wrist sat a great eagle; each feather had been fashioned from gold leaf. The stone man looked so wise. He was handsome with strong fine features. Hercules smiled to himself as he approached the statue. It looked a little like his father. But his father certainly did not possess its serene aura.

The legendary warrior remembered coming here to this same place when he was a boy. He had seen more of this statue than he did of Zeus. Sometimes he would come here and wish that this man had been his father. He would hold conversations with the statue in his head and imagine what the wise old man would reply.

"You know," he said to himself, "in a way, you are my father."

"I am your father! Never forget that." said the voice of Zeus. From beside the statue out of the shadows came the King of the gods. He looked angry. "Mortals think that life is simple. Ask for rain. Pray for deliverance from the warlords. Bless the marriage. Cure my child. Take, take, take."

"They think that's what you want." Hercules replied feeling his jaw tense in embarrassed indignation. "You are the gods! You created everything, or so you tell the people..."

"You don't believe that?"

"Not for a moment." Hercules snapped. "I know you all too well. And I have been in the presence of powers even more ancient than you and they say they are not gods. Even Hephaestus says he prays to another."

"Bah! Hephaestus is a fool. He's cripple and inferior to us. As for the ancient ones. Yes, they came before us. But we are the rulers now." Zeus replied angrily. Hercules opened his mouth to speak and Zeus pointed at him, throwing him backwards onto the floor. "I am your father! I made you and I can destroy you! Any strength you have comes from me. I have given you my love when I could. That should be enough for any mortal.

"There are serious matters going on in the universe. Much more important than you will understand and quite beyond your fixing with your two fists such as they are now. Stay out of this. Go home to your mother. I will send for you if I need you." The King of the gods disappeared leaving Hercules to pick himself up off the floor.

"It was you who pushed me!" he whispered aghast. He looked down at his bandaged hands now fisted so tightly that blood was soaking through to the surface of the cloth. He felt such frustrated rage.

He looked up at the statue, "Father," he whispered. "tell me what to do."

The Amazon contingent set out immediately from the cave of Waart toward the city of Thebes. They hoped that as they traveled the land they would ride away from the storm but as they passed through the villages beyond their nation, they saw that the rains had destroyed cropland after cropland. And the rains did not let up.

The troop of women warriors came to the town of Amphipolis, the village that Xena had been born in. The pillaging of the village long ago had started the Warrior Princess on the gory road of revenge that had made her the fierce warlord that she had once been. Then a series of events had changed her life forever. All this history was well known to the Amazons as it had been told to them by her companion and storyteller Gabrielle. Now as they rode into the simple village, they saw the people scurrying about in the rain. The crops were ruined here too. The people were trying to make the best of what would be a bleak fall.

Hygea pointed to the inn that Xena's mother, Cyrene, ran as proprietress. They reined in their horses and went in. There by the hearth sat the warrior princess sharpening her sword while Gabrielle was regaling the patrons with stories of her companion. Xena looked up to see the sister warriors and smiled.

"Great gods on Olympus....look what the cat dragged in out of the rain!" she said putting down the stone. She went over and embraced each woman in turn and Gabrielle joined her.

The Amazons took off their wet capes and laid them out to dry and the party of women sat down by the fire as Xena called for ale. Her mother came over and Xena introduced the Amazons and passed out the mugs of mulled ale. Calee and Gabrielle were already exchanging what information they could about the odd weather and strange occurrences that were happening everywhere.

"Where's Hebea?" Xena said as she went back to her sword work.

"She's a woman of importance now. Head of the council to the Queen!" Calico answered laughing, "We are her humble minions."

"Yeah, right." Gabrielle said.

"Oh but can that woman crack a whip." Xena said. The others laughed. They went on talking and Xena and Calico discussed the problem that had brought the Amazons outside the borders of their homeland.

Then the doors of the inn flew open and a villager came running in. He began to speak anxiously but then stopped and went to the corner looking at the door. Close behind him came a band of warriors. Dirty and loud, they came in laughing at the fear they had instilled. The group of ten or so men spread out through the inn's room knocking over chairs and pushing around the villagers.

"This village is ours now." said the leader as he walked up to the bar of the tavern. He took the tankard of ale that lay on the bar and threw the contents in the face of the man behind the bar.

Cyrene approached the leader at the bar. "If you go peacefully now, I can almost guarantee that you will not be injured." she said. "Take my word for it....this is not the time or place for you to start your career as a warlord. It will be such a short one."

The man laughed and snaked his arm around her waist drawing her to him. "You're a pissy old woman, but I like your spirit." he said.

She smiled even as she felt his fetid breath on her. "I asked them to restrain themselves until I gave the word." she said turning her face from him so as not to be sick at the smell of his breath. "So I say again, please leave now. Damn you, I just replaced this furniture."

The ruffians continued to push the villagers around. As they looked around they saw no one but frightened villagers.

"They??" the leader replied. "I see only scared little rabbits in here. And tonight I think I'll have rabbit stew."

Then Xena dropped from the rafters onto the table in front of the leader, her blue eyes blazing at the affront to her mother and her village. The leader pushed Cyrene away and the warriors began to close ranks.

"Well, if it isn't the warrior princess. Very impressive, but there is one of you and ten of us. Even you can't take on that many." said the leader.

"And did you take into account the four Amazons with me?" Xena replied. Out of the rafters dropped the sister soldiers ready for battle. They landed on tables spread throughout the the room.

The leader gulped. "Amazons?" he said.

"Amazons." the four women replied in unison.

"Let's get this over with. I am tired and hungry." Kendaa said unsheathing her sword.

Gabrielle sat down again at the hearth and crossed her legs. "I think I'll sit this one out."

Then Xena gave the war cry and the battle was on.

"I'm sorry about the furniture, Mother." Xena sat righting one of the few chairs left in one piece. Kendaa and Calico were picking up the mess. Hygea and Calee had gone out with their warstaffs to see that the men that had fled left the village altogether and did not make mischief for anyone on their way. No one had been killed but four of the men were in chains now and the magistrate from a nearby city had been sent for to come with soldiers and deal with them. Cyrene smiled and shook her head. "What is it about this inn that makes people want to fight?" she said.

"Maybe it's me. Maybe they come to make their reputation here." Xena said sadly.

"No, honey, it's always been this way. Maybe this ground is cursed. Perhaps I should move my establishment." she answered joking. "You remember, there was always trouble brewing here. You didn't learn all your fighting skills on the battle field."

"You know, you're right." Xena replied laughing. "This place was always jumping."

Kendaa came over to the two women. "I need to show you something, Xena." she said. She pulled out the bracelets and told the two women what had transpired. Gabrielle paled at the mention of Dahak's name. Xena shook her head.

"This is not good." she said frowning and taking the bracelets in her hands. "If he's hurt Hercules..." Her voice trailed off.

"We ride to Thebes to see if he is there or if his family knows what is going on." Calico said. "Join us. I have an awful feeling that we'll need all the help we can get."

Xena nodded and turned to Gabrielle. "Well, I guess that our holiday is over."

"You know, Xena, I think I'll stay here with your mother. You go and find out what's going on." Gabrielle replied. Her friend stared back at her confused.

"Uh,...well, all right."

"You'll make better time without me." Gabrielle added. She turned away from Xena and began picking up more of the debris from the fight. Xena watched her for a moment then turned back to the Amazons who had gathered their things and were preparing to leave.

"Why don't you all stay. It is late and riding in the rain in the night is dangerous." Xena said.

Kendaa looked at the others. "Perhaps she is right."

"Done," Calico said as the other two nodded in agreement. "Thank you, Xena. We'll rest and be off in the morning light." Cyrene showed the women to rooms in the back of the inn and brought food for them. As her mother attended to the guests, Xena approached her friend. "I'm glad in a way that you are not going but it's unlike you not to want to come with me. Are you all right?"

"Yes." Gabrielle replied coldly. "I just don't want to do this anymore. I want to go home. I'm sick of all this fighting and sleeping on the ground in strange places. When the morning comes, I think I'll go home to my village and see my sister. I'll wait for you there."

Xena frowned, "All right."

"You know what?....I think I'll go now." Gabrielle said suddenly.

"You can't go in the middle of the night!" Cyrene said as she approached the two women. She smiled at the young girl. "If the traveling is dangerous for the Amazons, it certainly will be dangerous for you!"

"I will do what I please. You're not my mother." Gabrielle said throwing one of the Amazon's capes over her shoulders. "Tell Calee I borrowed her cape." She took her staff and headed toward the door.

"Gabrielle...?" Xena called out to her friend, completely mystified at her behavior.

Gabrielle turned as she opened the door, "Dahak will protect me." she said and left.

Hercules sat at the table. The dinner plates had been cleared away and his mother was in the kitchen attending to the evening chores. Jason had gone into the town to meeting of the people to discuss what would be done this winter to manage the food supply. Hercules sat for a moment then went over to the fireplace and sat down in the chair in front of the fire. As he watched the fire burning he thought about meeting with his father and the awful lonely feeling he had been left with. "'I will send for you if I need you.' When did you ever need me?" he whispered bitterly.

"He never needs any of us." said a voice. Hercules looked up and in the shadows of the room's corner was the dark figure of Ares.

Hercules sighed disgustedly. "What do you want?"

"Just a moment of your time, brother." Ares said quietly. His figure was translucent as if he could no be fully present. "Father told you that there are serious matters going on. You know it, you can feel it. There are levels of existence beyond this one and beings on those levels higher and more powerful. Hephaestus was right, even we pray to another and it is certainly not our dear father or mother. There is a great struggle going on on one of those levels and it is affecting everything on all levels below it."

Hercules stood up. A chill had gone through him as he heard his half-brother speak. He began to approach Ares but Ares raised his hand. "Don't come near me."

"Are you all right?"

"Do you care?" Ares replied.

"Yes, I guess I do." Hercules answered back, the frown deepening on his face. "Tell me what is going on. How can I help? Can I help?"

Ares laughed and shook his head. Hercules did not know what to make of the laugh. It was not his usual off-handed manner.

"I hope you can, little brother. Dahak, the father of darkness, the Evil One is trying to break through the chains put on him and enter this world. Your world. We can't stop him. He's too powerful. The Ancient Ones have come out of their sleep to help but they too are only a part of this complex puzzle. The real power rests with the beings of this world. You will have to save your own world."

"How did this happen? Tell me what I can do?" Hercules replied.

Ares laughed the strange laugh again. "That is the saddest of all, little brother. You had better take part in this. You see, you caused this problem to begin with."

Hercules stepped back as if someone had hit him. He felt as if someone had. "How?" he said, "What do I have to do with this?"

"You found the stone." Ares answered. "You unearthed the missing piece of the tablets, stolen years before from its sacred resting place. When you helped to tear down the last temple of the Amazons, you found a piece of stone with some writing on it. That stone is sacred. More sacred than any object that any us will ever possess. More sacred than all of Olympus and all the temples and all the oracles. It is part of the greatest gift from the origin of creation to all of its creations." Ares explained, "The tablets were broken but all the pieces were collected and put in a sacred, protected spot. But one piece was taken. And ended up here in Greece. None of us knew that until the you unearthed the piece and it was placed in the temple in Gaia's altar. Then the piece disappeared."

"Hera?" Hercules asked. "Maybe she took it if it holds such power."

"My mother is not that stupid. Even she would not dare to approach such a sacred thing for her own gain. It would mean her end for sure and she knows it." the God of War replied. "I don't know who took it but I know it has to get back to its original place in order to restore balance in this plane and seal the entrance again to Dahak's prison."

"Is this what is causing all the weird things to go on?" Hercules asked.

"Yes, we are all being affected. Strange things are happening as we 'gods' begin to lose control of our powers. Dahak's lieutenants are already here. They prepare the way for him. They are ordinary mortals who believe that he is the one and only god. Fools! You think we are a problem; just wait till you have to contend with this being!" Ares snorted with anger as he shook his head, the silver earring he wore twinkled in the fire's light. "God, what a mess."

"How can I help?" the legendary warrior asked.

Ares looked at him. The God of War was fading in form. "I haven't much longer." he said. "I took your bracelets and put them in the midst of the Amazons. My sweet beauties, they took up the challenge immediately. Kendaa and three other Amazons are on their way with Xena. Leave straightaway when they get here and go to the land of the stones where Dahak's temple is. Xena will know. Look for our signs. The Olympians will try to be of help to you...."

"But Zeus said.."

"Forget Zeus...he has fled this plane with Hera. You should know better than any that he is rarely there when you need him." Ares' form faded into the darkness of the shadows.

Hercules looked out over the land beyond his mother's home and waited. The rains were still constant and he could not see much. The waiting for the Amazons and Xena to arrive was agonizing. He went back inside to find something to do. As he came in, he sighed again and disgust rose in him as it had each day before. There by the fire was Jason asleep, drunk from too much wine. Jason had been sober ever since the Argonauts had set out to retrieve the fleece. He had gotten control of the demons that plagued him and had set out to rebuild his kingdom. Then the love that had been between Alcmene and he had blossomed and he had forsaken his kingdom for her. Iphicles now ruled Corinth and Jason had seemed content to be a man of property in Thebes.

Then the night that Jason had gone out to the meeting in the town hall, he had gone out afterward drinking with some of his friends and the wine had again become his constant companion. Alcmene seemed less troubled by it than Hercules was. It seemed as though she believed that if she ignored it it would go away. Hercules was not so trusting. He remembered the years with his stepfather, Amphitryon. Amphitryon was a prominent man in Thebes, and the son of Perseus. But he drank too much on occasion and when he did he was mean and violent. He never hurt Alcmene or Hercules; he didn't dare. But he was ruthless with Iphicles and would throw Hercules' natural superiority in the boy's face constantly. This created a rift between the two boys that had taken years for them to mend.

Hercules turned away from Jason and went upstairs to find his mother. She was lying down in her room. He knocked on the door and waited for her answer. A servant came by and Hercules stopped her.

"Please go in and see if my mother is awake." he said. She bowed and went in. Then she came back out quickly.

"Master, come quickly, I think she is ill."

Hercules rushed past her and went into his mother's chamber. There lay Alcmene on the bed, a cup of wine spilled down the bed and onto the floor. She lay listless and her heartbeat was very faint. By her on the divan was a note. "I cannot lose another husband. Forgive me," it read.

The tall hero fell to his knees by his mother's bed. "What have you done?" he whispered as tears stung his eyes. "Mother, what have you done?"

The troop of women warriors sped as fast as their horses could travel over the muddy land. They had left at the very first light of dawn and had ridden their horses dangerously close to exhaustion. Even the beasts seemed to know the desperate plight that their world was in and cooperated, giving their riders everything that they had.

The women walked now in the rain. Xena was quiet as she walked along. Hygea walked beside her.

"Where's your friend?" she said.

"Gabrielle decided to go home," Xena said curtly. Hygea felt the chill of the woman's words.

"Try not to worry," Hygea replied. Xena gave her a angry glance. But she went on undisturbed. "Things will turn out."

"Yeah, how do you know?" Xena answered.

"Oh, sometimes I know things. It's a gift and a curse," the Amazon replied. "I was born with the power of the sight."

The warrior princess looked at the woman beside her. She was unremarkable woman of medium height and build. She had brown hair and deep green eyes that seemed to be able to see into your soul. Xena walked along saying nothing. Hygea's calm demeanor for some reason made her angry. The warrior princess stopped and turned to face the smaller woman. She towered over her purposefully trying to intimidate her.

"This is my friend we're talking about. My best friend!" Xena said bitterly. The other Amazons had stopped as well now and were looking from woman to woman worried at the confrontation. "You weren't there when Dahak swept Gabrielle away. You didn't fight his lieutenant in that stone temple. I was there..." Xena's voice broken momentarily. "I was there. I felt that power!"

Hygea smiled up at her. She paused for a moment and took a deep breath. "There only one power in all the universe, one. Remember that," she said quietly. "Gabrielle will be fine. Her love will prevail over her struggle with the darkness. We must travel a different path. Now mount up. We may have to ride quickly even if it kills our horses but there is not much we can do about that. The horses are willing to make that sacrifice."

Hygea mounted up leaving the other women staring at her confused. She reined in her horse. "Hercules needs us now."

"The black lotus," Xena said. "She's taken quite a bit." The warrior princess stood over the bed of Alcmene. Hercules sat by his mother as she slept in a deep sleep from which he feared she would not awaken. That had been her intent from the note she had left.

The Amazons and Xena had arrived a short time ago. Their horses were near death and the servants had taken the loyal beasts into the stables to care for them. Hercules had met them at the gate and taken them to his mother right away. He knew that Xena had a knowledge of medicine but was visibly disappointed when Lady Pegasus was not one of the Amazons who had come.

Hercules looked up at Xena. "Can you help her?" he said trying to keep his voice steady. The tension of the gloomy, relentless rain, the accident and his confrontation with his father, Jason's return to drunkeness and now his mother's suicide attempt had taken him to the edge of sanity. He had not felt like this since he piled up the belongings of his home and burned it to the ground after the death of his family. His world was crumbling.

"The cure for black lotus poisoning can be found in most herb chests," she replied. He had a servant bring her his mother's chest and she went to work right away. She nodded as she located the ingredients she needed. "She'll be all right, Hercules," she said as she mixed the brew.

"Come on," Calico said putting her arm around the man, "let her work. Come downstairs and tell us what you know. We will put this all together and plan our strategy."

Hercules nodded and left the room with the Amazons. He led them downstairs and into the dining room and asked servants to bring food and mulled wine.

"You'll have to forgive me," Hercules said. "I'm just not myself right now. No one is." He laughed weakly as he poured them wine.

"We're used to it," Kendaa said. "Imagine a whole tribe of women who have lived together for so long that they have their time of the month at the same time. Now think about what it's like in the week before that. Really, it is not a pretty picture."

Hygea was digging into the fresh bread. "And we're armed." she added.

Hercules laughed deeply for the first time in weeks. He sat down and took a deep breath, looking across at Calico who was laughing also.

"Only our dear Kendaa could be so blunt," she said. "But she is right."

"Oh, by the way, these belong to you, I think," Kendaa said tossing him his bracelets. "I have no idea how they got into my bed and if you don't mind; could you please not leave your clothes around my hut unless I get something in return for it."

The warrior laughed again, "Your boyfriend took them and left them there!" he answered.

"My boyfr...Ares??" Kendaa said. She sat down straddling the bench of the dining table beside him and pulled him to her by the front of his vest. "Maybe he's trying to get us together."

"Maybe he wants to cut his heart out with a dull knife," Hercules replied.

She laughed. "Okay, tell me why Ares took your bracelets and put them in my bed." She turned to Calee. "This should be good."

The war party was ready to ride for the coast. There they would embark on a vessel to take them across the great Mediterranean sea and through the narrow channel that led to the great Oceanus, the water the circled the known world. Then they would sail north along the coast around Iberia to the isle of the Stones and the homelands of the Celtic tribes ruled by Boudicca.

Hercules gave last minute instructions to the servants. Iphicles was on his way and had agreed to take Jason and Alcmene back to Corinth while Hercules was away. This had been the first time that Hercules had sent word to his brother asking for help. Iphicles responded quickly and would arrive within the day. The warrior felt relieved that his mother and stepfather would be under the care of someone. He had sent word also to Iolaus but had not received an answer. This troubled him but he could not take time to look for his friend.

Hercules kissed his mother's forehead as she sat by the fire.

"Really, Hercules, I don't know what came over me," she said.

"All the same, mother, I want you to be with Iphicles right now. Just till I return," he answered. He glanced at Jason sitting at the table half asleep from wine.

Jason smiled weakly and waved. "I'll take care of her," he said, slurring his words. "And I'll go to Corinth with her too!"

Hercules put on his cape and went to the door. "You can go to Hades for all I care," he said quietly and left.

More rain. It was maddening for the party as they made their way to the sea port. They rode as fast as possible. Hercules scanned the horizon as he left the Theban territories hoping that he would see his friend but did not. They arrived in one day's ride at the port and were on the high seas quickly.

Xena had experience sailing as did Hercules but most of the Amazons were unused to the motion of the ship and the salt sea air. Xena showed the Amazons the trick she had used to cure her own seasickness and it is worked well on the three affected women. Only Calee seemed unaffected.

The days of the voyage were long and boring. The captain and sailors of the crew left the party alone and went about their duties and this added to feelings of uneasiness as they felt useless. The crew of the ship took their turns at the oars and made good time but the seas were choppy and the captain had remarked from the time they left port that in all his years he had not seen such unusual weather. The crew and captain seemed anxious.

The tension for the travelers soon resulted in harsh words and hurt feelings and within days of setting sail Hercules and Xena were not speaking and Kendaa was angry with her sisters for some reason she could not explain. Calico decided to take control. She called a meeting of the party. Down in the hold, the war party convened though Xena refused to sit down as the only seat still available was next Hercules. She stood angrily with arms crossed on her chest glaring at him.

"We must come together again and make peace," Calico said. "We are doing the work of our enemies if we hold hurt feelings. Xena, what is bothering you?"

"Hercules said I was a war lover!"

"I said you were a war lord once!" Hercules replied curtly, "I recall it well as you nearly killed my friend trying to take my head so you could get your damn army back."

"How much longer do I have to suffer for that?" she answered back quickly, "I said I was sorry." Her voice became louder and tears began to form in her eyes. "I cannot undo my past! All I can do is try again..." she began to shout.

Calico approached her and Xena pushed her away, shoving her to the floor. Kendaa jumped up and went after the warrior princess and the two women stood inches from each other with blood lust rising. Kendaa glared at Xena and as she did she saw the tears that were still in her eyes. Confusion replaced anger and she backed down, now tearful herself at her anger toward Xena and toward her sisters. Hercules was still sitting looking at the two and wondering what had come over him to make him so spiteful. Calee was helping Calico up. The only one who appeared calm was Hygea.

"How can you be so calm?" Kendaa said to her. "The rest of us are ready to chew those oars down to the waterline and you are braiding rope and organizing the saddlebags!"

Hygea took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment as it was her habit to do. "Because I have seen the darkness," she said softly. She sat with her hands on her knees, her head back and her back straight. "Listen to me all those who have ears," she went on, now her voice was deeper and not her own, "the darkness approaches as the forces of a spirit gone astray try to invade this plane. But you have the love of the Lord of Lords, the Light of all Lights. He is your strength and your guide and from Him do you receive all power. For He has said, 'I am the Lord thy God, thou will have no other Gods but Me.' Watch for His signs and the signs of His servants." Then Hygea became silent and still. The party sat in complete amazement; no one daring to move. Even the ship itself was steady now and there were no sounds from the crew above.

And then before Hygea formed the swirling familiar blue light and Bastet in her form as a small, graceful black cat crouched at her feet, the Ancient One's head bowed till it almost touched the floor in reverence. Hygea's body relaxed and she sighed opening her eyes slowly. She looked around then saw the Ancient One at her feet. She started.

"You have been true to your gift again, my dear Hygea. You have spoken the words from a higher order," Bastet said raising herself to her usual sitting stance, her tail curled around her. "Greetings to all of you, blessed ones. Prepare yourselves to go into a dangerous time; but know that all of the love and prayers of your brothers and sisters go with you. Watch for our signs but more than that; put your faith in love. That is all I can say." Her form faded.

"What did she mean, Hygea, 'you are true to your gift'?" Hercules said.

Hygea looked at him and smiled. She seemed a little embarrassed and hesitant. "It is not always easy to speak the truth. I spoke the truth and for it was sent away."

"We don't usually ask an Amazon where she comes from when she comes to join us...but...where was your home?" Calico asked.

"Delphi...I was once the Oracle."

The party sat transfixed. The Oracle at Delphi was one of their most sacred places. It occurred to Hercules that before him was a flesh and blood woman who had once been considered holy and like himself, not completely human. He was confused and amazed.

"Tell me more." he said. "Tell me about being an Oracle." The others agreed and they all sat down around her. Their anger and tension was gone as their fascination rose. She smiled shyly.

"I thought for sure that if I told you, you all would reject me." she said.

"Reject you!" Kendaa answered. "Why would we do that?" Calee agreed shaking her head with confusion.

"To have been sent away from Delphi is a great disgrace among our people," Hercules explained. "I personally don't understand it but many would say that Hygea has violated a sacred trust."

Xena agreed. "Five years ago I would have felt the same. But now, many of the things I used to believe in don't make any sense anymore."

"Tell us what happened," Hercules repeated looking back at Hygea.

Hygea began her story. "I was different from the other children. From the time that I was young, I could hear the messages of other beings not in this world. Sometimes they were dark and evil and those I learned to ignore. Sometimes they were....it's hard to explain...beings of light. You know it when you hear them because you are filled with a kind of peace and tranquility. My mother had the gift and so did her mother. Each generation was brought before the Oracle priestesses but none were chosen until me. When I was seven I went to the temple and was accepted into the priesthood. It was a sacred trust and still is to me, but it is sacred beyond what the temple priestesses understand.

"The Oracle is supposed to receive the words of Apollo, the sun god. But Apollo is only one of the beings that I hear. I can hear the other gods too. Ares and Artemis and Athena. Oh, and Hera, yeah....I hear her all the time. To tell you the truth, the broad never shuts up," she said flatly. The group laughed. "She's one of the ones I have to ignore....mainly because if I don't I'll never get any sleep."

"When I came to the temple, I was trained to be an Oracle. It takes seven years to be trained. A lot of work and prayer. But the messages I received did not always meet with the approval of the priestesses and I was often censured."

"Then what you are saying," Hercules replied excitedly, "is that the Oracle does have political influence!"

"Of course," Hygea replied.

Hercules jumped up. "I knew it!" he said pacing around. "Here my father wanted me to think that the Oracle was some kind of link to the truth...the center of wisdom that he and his children gave to us through the goodness of their immortal hearts. Crap!" he said sticking his face in Xena's. He went on, "Just another way to control us. Oh, gods!! I knew it!" He calmed down and sat down again, "Sorry, go on."

"Get a grip, big guy." Xena whispered.

Hygea smiled. "I'm glad someone is happy.....I was censured often, as I said. And finally, during an important festival, I was speaking the message I heard in response to the questions of a prince in Athens. I heard many answers to his question but some were from a benevolent source and some were from a source less holy. I gave him the answer thought reflected the truth, that reflected his first and best destiny. The speaker of the message filled me with such joy and peace, I was sure that he would benefit from this answer. He was furious. He told the priestess that his family would withdraw their support of the temple. The priestess asked me if I was sure I had spoken the words of the gods. I said 'yes', I was quite sure about the message. So the next day, I was quietly sent away."

Hygea paused for a moment then went on. "Of course, I went back to my home but my mother was so horrified that I had been sent from the Delphi temple that she turned her back on me. My father commanded that no one in the family was to speak to me or say my name. No one in my village would talk to me. So I wandered the Greek city-states for fifteen years never finding a place where I could be accepted. Once they found out who I was I was driven out."

"How awful," Calico said putting her hand on Hygea's shoulder. "I can't imagine any mother rejecting a daughter as kind as you."

"Thank you, my friend. It was awful. I knew I would wander forever and the gift I had that helped others would not help me. When I prayed for guidance to find a home where I could be accepted, I heard only silence."

"Then one day, I was walking alone on the highway. A band of men came along. I ran into the forest and ran as fast and as far as I could but I was no match for them. They pursued me and surrounded me. They started to make threats and tear off my clothing pushing me around between them and laughing. I was terrified. I pleaded with them to have mercy but it only made their maliciousness greater. Then a band of women dropped from the trees. I was stunned and just crouched there while the two parties fought. It wasn't long before Lessa and her companions had rescued me from the men. That was when my life as an Amazon started. No one asked me where I had come from. They just asked me to join the Amazon nation as a free equal and took me in."

"As it should be," Calico added.

Hercules was quiet now. He sat for a while and stared off. The others were talking about the code of the Amazons but Calee noticed the change in his mood. She reached out and touched him.

"Are you all right?" she said putting her hand on his bracelet.

He looked back at her. He opened his mouth to speak then paused and just looked at her. By now the others had noticed. He looked at Hygea and smiled, and gave a laugh under his breath as if he was embarrassed. Then he slid onto the deck so that he was kneeling right in front of Hygea. He put his hands on her knees; his face studied hers intensely. The blue eyes peered into her own.

"Hygea. Will you ask them? The messengers....ask them...am I immortal?"

The quiet Amazon smiled a sweet, tender smile that Hercules would never forget. "I don't need to ask them that question, Hercules. I know the answer. No, you are not immortal. But then neither is your father."

Everyone stared at her and there was complete silence for awhile till Xena looked at Hercules and frowned.

"We've changed course," she said. The party headed for the main deck.

Arrows were trained on them as they emerged from the hold onto the deck of the ship. The men with armed bows were situated around the ship so that they could not be rushed in an assault. Xena looked at the captain.

"What is going on?"

"We heard about the Oracle!" he replied. "No wonder this voyage has been cursed by bad weather! We are putting you all off on land as soon as we can find an island. There should be some off Iberia. You can make your way from there."

"This is ridiculous," Hercules said. "She hasn't brought the bad weather. If you will recall, the weather was bad in port long before she came on board."

"All the same," the Captain answered, "No one cursed by the gods will sail on my ship."

Hygea stifled a moan. "Listen, Captain. I will jump overboard right now and take my chances in the sea. Please do not abandon my friends,"she pleaded.

She went to the railing and would have jumped but Calico held her back. "There's a reason why you have been brought with us," she said to the distraught woman. "You belong with us. We all go or we all stay."

Hygea shook her head sadly. "I can't believe this is happening again."

"Fine." Kendaa said putting her hands on her hips. She glared at the Captain and let her gaze travel around to the men with weapons trained on them. "Put us ashore. We will reach our destination with or without you."