A/N: I wrote this story at least 7-8 years ago, when I was really into the Hercules fandom. I'm not sure if that means it's better or worse than my usual work today. So long as people like it, I'm happy.
Disclaimer: Hercules: TLJ isn't mine.
Ares stood silently and unseen amongst some bushes. It felt strange, hiding from his half-brother, but this time it was necessary. He absently began rolling the large, bright green stone in his hand- a near exact replica of the stone Hercules was preparing to crush. The seconds rolled by slowly as Ares waited for the exact moment.
There! Hercules held the Cronos Stone in between his hands, preparing to smash it to smithereens. With a quick flip of his wrist, Ares made the switch- the fake for the genuine article. The God of War nearly held his breath, waiting for Hercules to inevitably realize something had happened. But Hercules smashed the bright stone as the King of Thieves looked on in dismay. Looking at his prize with satisfaction, Ares chuckled softly. "Dear Brother didn't notice a thing..."
He lingered for a moment. A child's ball bounced toward Hercules' feet. The former Golden Hind walked up to Hercules, not knowing that, at one time, they were married. Hercules murmured a few words as Serena walked away with her daughter. "The best thing that never happened to me..."
Ares smiled evilly and made the trip back to his present.
Four years later...
Iolaus awoke with a pleasant contentment as the birds chirped joyfully. The sun was high overhead, peaking through the leaves of the arching trees. Then he realized there was something seriously strange about that fact. Then it dawned on him. "It's past noon!" He shot up.
The lunch fire was already burning and Hercules grinned at him over the roasting rabbit. "Finally! I thought you'd never get up!"
"Hercules…" Iolaus began. "What…? Why…?"
Hercules' smile didn't falter for a moment. "Don't tell me you don't know what today is."
"Uh… um…" Iolaus stammered as his mind went over a list of Grecian holidays.
Hercules laughed and rolled his eyes. "Happy Birthday, buddy!"
"That's today?!" the blond hunter exclaimed.
"I didn't let you sleep in for nothing. You forgot? You're usually counting the hours till today."
Iolaus smiled ruefully. "It's the old age setting in," he joked.
"Naw, you're not a day over… over…" The demigod's wide grin grew mischeivous. "Just how old are you now?"
Iolaus elbowed Hercules in the ribs, which ended up hurting his elbow more than Hercules' ribs. "Just you wait until you get to be my age, sonny," the hunter said in imitation of an old man.
The Son of Zeus passed over a slab of roasted rabbit. "Here, your favorite."
"Thanks, buddy!" Iolaus ate heartily. It tasted better than usual.
"Aren't you going to open your present?"
"Present?" He spotted an object in brightly colored cloth laying by the fire. "Wow, thanks, Herc! You shouldn't have!"
"Yeah, I know." Hercules grinned again.
Iolaus unwrapped the small bundle. Hidden inside was a small, iron-wrought pendant in the shape of a sword. "Wow!" he exclaimed again. "Where'd you get this?"
"I made it."
"You made it?"
"I know, I know. Not up to my usual standards. Ever since we stopped blacksmithing, I've gotten a little rusty, but I did my best."
"Are you kidding? This is incredible! Is there anything you can't do?"
Hercules smiled and shrugged as Iolaus untied his medallion and laced the pendant alongside it.
Just as they were preparing to pack up camp, Hercules heard the sound of giggling from the flower bushes behind him. "Okay, Aphrodite. You can come out now," he said with a sigh and a small smile.
In a flash of pinkish light, the Goddess of Love appeared, scantily clad as usual. "How's it going, Big Little Brother?"
"Same old stuff. A little of this, a lot of monsters… you know."
Aphrodite smiled then turned to Iolaus. "Hiya, Curly! Happy Birthday! I've got a present for you!" She kissed him on the cheek. "There you go!"
Iolaus blushed furiously. "Aw… Well, thanks."
Aphrodite giggled, but soon grew serious. She turned back to Hercules. "Hercules, I wish I was only here to give Curly birthday greetings, but there's trouble."
"Uh-oh," Hercules and Iolaus said in unison.
"It's Ares."
The demigod rolled his eyes. "What now?"
"He went into the past, Hercules. I don't know how far back he went. Everyone's worried about what he might be doing."
"Even he wouldn't dare try anything, no matter how delusional he may be."
"You know him, Herc. He finds ways around the rules without really breaking them. If you could just see what he's up to…"
Hercules nodded. "We'll see what we can do."
"I'm really sorry about this, Blondie. I know this isn't the best way to spend your birthday."
"Don't worry about it, Aphrodite." Iolaus assured her with a grin. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
Aphrodite smiled and disappeared.
They quickly extinguished the fire and ran off in the direction of the nearest temple to Ares. Hercules seemed to be very concerned, but Iolaus had his doubts.
"Hey, Herc, are you sure about this? I mean, maybe Aphrodite is just playing with us."
Hercules stopped in his tracks a moment and thought about it. "No, Iolaus, time travel is a very serious matter for the gods. Aphrodite wouldn't joke about it. Especially if it involved Ares."
Iolaus looked down the road. "Well, Ares' temple isn't too far away now... I wonder what he's up to this time?"
The blue-eyed demigod shrugged. "Just another convoluted scheme..." They continued on, as the clouds above them whirled and darkened abnormally. Something was coming.
When the heroes arrived at the temple, it was empty, yet warm from the still burning torches. "Looks like someone just left here," Iolaus mumbled.
"Yeah," Hercules agreed and looked around them. The wind howled and batted at the heavy wooden doors. The sky became strangely dark for midday. "And it looks like someone's coming back."
As soon as that last word was spoken, an immense surge of energy burst from the middle of the room, nearly pulling Iolaus off his feet. A dark figure took shape and emerged from the lightning-like energy. Ares, God of War, had returned.
"The Cronos Stone..." Hercules murmured, his eyes transfixed on the large green gem in Ares' hand.
Ares' head whirled to face his adversaries. "Don't you two EVER take a day off?!"
"I destroyed that a long time ago."
"Ah, little brother, you thought you destroyed it a long time ago. But I'm afraid it's of more use to me whole."
"What do you need that for, Ares? You can obviously time travel already," Iolaus said.
"Ha! Shows how much you know."
"The gods aren't allowed to change the timeline, Iolaus," Hercules informed his friend. "Not directly. That is, unless they have the Cronos Stone." The demigod turned to Ares. "Do you want to do this the hard way, or the easy way, Ares? I'm starting to wonder if you remember what it's like to win."
"Laugh it up, Hercules. Let's see you try to beat me this time..." Ares jumped and kicked Hercules square in the chest. Hercules flew back a few feet, but got up quickly. Throwing an uppercut and a few left jabs, the demigod fought back strongly. One punch propelled Ares into the air, as if a stampede of crazed elephants had bowled him over. The Cronos Stone flew from his grasp. "Nooo!!" the God of War exclaimed with his hand extended, hoping to guide it within reach.
"Iolaus! The Stone!!" Hercules yelled.
"I got it!" The Golden Hunter shuffled around a bit as the Stone remained suspended in the air for a moment. It slowly began falling and, with an enormous leap, Iolaus snatched it with both hands. He smiled in victory. Suddenly, the Stone began to glow wildly and the smile on Iolaus' face faded quickly. His body seemed to be fading as well, and before he could reach the ground, he vanished in a blinding flash of light.
Iolaus appeared in the middle of a large field and fell to the ground hard. Distant sounds of battle surrounded him- people yelling, swords clashing... and people dying. Still stunned from the fall, Iolaus sat in dazed wonder of everything around him. A horse sped past, its rider clad entirely in metal. Wherever he was, he certainly wasn't in Greece.
He got up and brushed himself off. Another horse was coming. "Hey hey hey!" Iolaus called to the soldier. "What's going on? Where am I?"
The helmeted rider lifted his visor. "What, are you daft, man?" he said with a thick accent. "You'd best be away from here! Mordred's army is on the rampage!"
"Yeah, okay, but where am I?"
The soldier gave Iolaus a strange look. "Were you drunk?" He started his horse at a slow canter. "You're in England!" the rider called over his shoulder. "Same as the rest of us!"
"England?" Iolaus muttered. "Where in Tartarus is England?" The man's accent reminded him of an accent from Britannia. That doesn't make sense! thought Iolaus. He looked around and spotted a road. The Hunter followed the road, hoping that it would eventually lead him to a town... and some answers.
After an hour or so of walking, Iolaus thought he could smell salt water. As he walked over a rise, he found himself looking down on a small fishing village. He approached the village with some caution, not knowing what to expect. For such a tiny community, it bustled with life and activity. Hawkers, fishermen, and craftsmen all had small stands along the streets, yelling to potential customers. For safe keeping, Iolaus tucked the Cronos Stone in a pouch at his waist, just in case. First, he would have to find out what happened to Hercules.
He spotted what looked to be a tavern and went in. The stench inside was so thick, he could have cut it with a knife. He gave a cough and approached the bar. "Ale, please."
The barkeep studied Iolaus for a moment. "Money first." The same kind of accent filled the man's voice.
"Fine, fine. Here." Iolaus showed him a dinar. "See? I'm good for it."
The barkeeper looked at the coin. "What the hell is that?"
"A dinar," Iolaus answered, rolling his eyes. "You know? Money?"
The other man just stared at him blankly.
"Dinar. Di-nar. Come on, say it with me now. Di... Nar..."
"I think you've already had enough to drink, friend."
"But I haven't had anything."
The barkeeper just turned away.
"No no no, wait! If you won't take my money, will you at least answer some questions?" Iolaus asked hopefully.
He nodded.
"Okay, I assume you've heard the name Hercules before, right?"
He nodded again.
"Have you seen him?"
After a exasperated sigh, the barkeeper turned around once more to walk away.
"Wait! I'm serious! I really do know Hercules! Have you seen him around?"
Giving a good-natured laugh, the bartender turned back. "Sir?"
"Yeah?"
"If you don't mind, you're scaring away my patrons."
"But-"
The bartender walked away, chuckling and muttering to himself. "Hercules... that's a new one."
Iolaus turned from the bar with a puzzled expression. Thinking aloud, he walked out of the tavern. "Okay, so people around here have heard of Hercules... That's a start. But how did I get here?" He paused, then his eyes widened in realization and dread. Staring at the pouch at his waist, he groaned. "Oh, no..."
Suddenly a terrible yell pierced the sky. Noises of combat came from the edge of the town. "Mordred's army attacks!" came the frantic scream and the bustling fishing town turned into a mass of chaos. Iolaus struggled to keep from being trampled by the hoardes of terrified villagers.
"What's going on?" Iolaus said, stopping one of the running townspeople.
"What do you mean, 'what's going on'? Prince Mordred's army has been terrorizing towns and cities all over Arthur's kingdom! And we're next!" The man pulled himself free and ran off.
Men clad in black armor rode their equally dark steeds into the town and chased the villagers. Iolaus knew just from the way the way they carried themselves that men like these would kill anything that moved. He wondered if they could attack someone that moved as quickly as he did. He approached a few of the riders calmly. They were taking their fun out of a defenseless peddler. "Hey!" Iolaus shouted. The riders turned. "Try your hand at someone who can fight back." He took a fighting stance and stood ready.
One of the riders came after Iolaus in a swift gallop, with a sword prepared to run him through. Iolaus easily propelled himself into the air, catching the man with a well-placed kick. The soldier rose to his feet, but the armor restricted his movement, and Iolaus punched him soundly in the face. Or what would have been the face if there wasn't a helmet in the way. "Ow..." Iolaus muttered as he shook his hand back into feeling.
When Iolaus looked up, there were six riders, rather than only the two remaining, all with swords at the ready. "Uh-oh." Iolaus looked around for an escape. "Um... no hard feelings, right fellas? I was only playing with you. It's actually pretty funny what happened because you thought I was fighting him, but really we're old, OLD buddies from the war way back when..." Iolaus stopped his rambling and cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Heh heh... um... yay Mordred?"
Another one of the black-clad soldiers cantered over, and saluted to one of the men that had a sword at Iolaus' head. "Commander," the newcomer greeted, "King Arthur's Knights have arrived. Thy assistance is required."
"In a moment. I must dispose of this nuisance first."
"Thy pardon, Commander, but it is the general himself that orders it. This one man is of no consequence."
The commander nodded reluctantly. "Very well." He gestured to three of the men. "Do with him as you see fit."
"Yes, my Lord," they answered before the other four rode off. They stood at either side of Iolaus, with swords still at the ready. "Let's take care of this now so we might be able to catch some of the battle."
Iolaus spoke up. "Listen, gentlemen, there's really no need for you to miss all the fun on my account. By all means... Hey, what's that?!" Iolaus shouted suddenly, pointing. The soldiers glanced slightly and Iolaus immediately ducked under the horses and ran off. He didn't want to stand around when there were people who needed his help. The soldier Iolaus had fought still lay motionless on the ground. The Golden Hunter reasoned that the unconscious soldier wouldn't need his horse. Leaping onto the steed, Iolaus made his escape. The riders chased him, but that was to be expected.
As Iolaus led the three soldiers out of the town, he heard the clashing of swords and all his insides itched to join the battle. Naturally, curiosity won over, and Iolaus led his reluctant companions to the scene of the conflict.
As he got closer, there was a small but skilled mass of soldiers fighting against Mordred's dispatch. The new soldiers were clad in glittering armor and magnificent capes of white and royal blue. They were visibly holding their own... and then some. Iolaus' pursuers were fast approaching and the Golden Hunter thought that there was no better way to lose his "tail" than to join the battle ahead. Iolaus pushed his horse to gallop faster.
As soon as he reached the battle, the three riders became rather preoccupied with a white knight. Iolaus quickly leapt out of the saddle and brought one black knight crashing to the ground. Iolaus remembered to pull the helmet off before knocking this one out.
The white knight that took care of his pursuers rode up to where Iolaus was standing. "What are you doing here? Can't you see that we're in the middle of a battle?"
"That's kind of why I came." Iolaus shrugged.
"You're not from around here, are you?"
"Not even close."
"Well, try to keep out of trouble."
Iolaus chuckled. How many times has he heard that sentence before? The knight rode off to rejoin the fighting.
More black knights came from behind and Iolaus found himself surrounded at all sides by the conflict. With a sly grin, the Golden Hunter jumped in to assist the white knights.
Iolaus had managed to take out a few of Mordred's soldiers simply with skill and speed. The dark soldiers had the upper-hand in this one, however, for Iolaus couldn't face so many mounted warriors. One soldier reached down from his horse and lifted Iolaus off the ground, carrying the blond hunter far from the main battle. Almost immediately, one of Arthur's knights broke from the fight and chased after them.
They reached a small grove of trees when Iolaus managed to struggle free and drag the black knight off the horse with him. The white knight dismounted and fought side-by-side with Iolaus. The white knight was good with his sword, but lapsed into power-packed punches, leading Iolaus to believe that he was far more comfortable with hand-to-hand combat. Strangely, the movements the two of them executed felt familiar and natural, and it wasn't long before Mordred's soldier went flying into the trees.
Iolaus took a moment to catch his breath and considered his new companion. There was something nagging him at the back of his mind about the way this knight fought. "Thanks," Iolaus said, approaching the white-clad soldier.
The knight of Arthur had been looking back over at the main battle. Startled, the knight extended a gauntleted hand almost bashfully. "Quite alright. The name's Galahad..." his slightly accented voice trailed off as Iolaus clasped his arm, rather than shaking his hand. Despite the helmet covering the knight's entire face, Iolaus could tell the man was shocked to the core. The knight looked down at Iolaus, as if seeing him for the first time. There was a long pause. "Iolaus...?" the knight said in an awed voice, the accent dropped completely.
The Golden Hunter's eyes widened. Of course! Why didn't he think of it sooner? "Hercules?!"
The knight lifted the visor, revealing that familiar face. "Iolaus?!" he said again, as if not believing what he saw the first time. Hercules pulled the helmet off entirely, and Iolaus could see that there were tears building up in his eyes.
"Yeah! Hey, buddy!" Iolaus clapped Hercules on the back, laughing.
Hercules began laughing too and lifted his friend up in an enormous hug. Which, with Hercules wearing his armor, wasn't very comfortable for the recipient. When the demigod finally put him down, the Golden Hunter thought that he would be feeling the effects of that hug for days. "Iolaus, what...? How...?" Hercules sputtered.
"What do you mean?"
"Iolaus, you're dead."
"What?!" Iolaus paused. "I'm dead?"
"Yeah."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"Aw... Not again!" the hunter moaned, running a hand through his blond hair. "I can't believe I'm dead, Herc! So young... So much ahead of me..." He sniffed. "I miss me already..."
Hercules suppressed a laugh.
"How did it happen?"
The demigod stared. "You don't know? Iolaus, you died of old age."
"Old age?!" Iolaus began pacing. "How is that possible, Hercules?"
Hercules took a breath. "Iolaus, you've been dead for over a thousand years."
"What?!" Iolaus exclaimed again. "You can't be serious!"
"I'm afraid so..."
"No, it can't be! I mean, you're alive and well and looking just the same as always, despite a haircut- which looks good, by the way."
"Hey, thanks."
"Which brings me to another question as to why your hair is that much shorter when I just saw you a few hours ago and your hair was as long as always, and why you're in that bright armor and carrying a sword when I know you don't like weapons, and why you're traipsing around under the name... Galahad, was it? ...and talking with a really terrible Britannian accent, and why you seem to have sworn allegiance to some guy named Arthur, and-"
"Whoa, slow down, Iolaus!" Hercules thought a moment. "So... you're not a ghost?
"Uh, not the last time I checked, Herc."
"Oh... Well, I feel a little better about that now."
"I sure don't. Mind explaining a few things for me?"
Hercules smiled. "No problem, Iolaus. First of all, I seem to be immortal."
"No kidding? Immortal?"
"I think after a thousand years, that's a safe bet."
"Wow. Good luck on that."
"Thanks." Hercules chuckled. "Second, Arthur is a good friend of mine from way back when. I can't really go around by the name of Hercules all the time since our journeys have become somewhat-" he coughed, "well, legendary."
"Really? That's great!" Iolaus paused. "...I'm mentioned somewhere in those legends, right?"
"Oh, I made sure of that. But I really don't know where they got the idea that you're my nephew when you're two years older than I am."
"I'm your nephew? Imagine that... Can I call you 'Uncle Hercules' from now on?" Iolaus said with a wide grin.
Hercules laughed. "Don't even think about it." He continued, "Anyway, Arthur needed some help from someone he trusts, so he asked if I would be one of his Knights of the Round Table. Knights carry swords, so I'm kind of obligated to carry one."
"What's Arthur got against square tables?"
"Round tables promote equality. There's no head or end of the table."
"Oh. Well, that makes sense." Iolaus paused. "So... you actually didn't come looking for me."
"What do you mean?"
"I accidentally set off the Cronos Stone. That's how I got here. When I first found out that you were you, I thought that maybe you found a way to track me down."
Hercules smiled and muttered something under his breath. It sounded like "So that's what happened." He said in his normal tone, "No... Sorry, I'm from this time. I know how to work it, though, if you want me to send you back, I can."
"I think I'll stick around for a little while and help out. You Round Table people seem to be up to your necks in trouble."
"That's great! We could use your help. Arthur and Merlin will be happy to meet you. They've heard a lot about you."
"Merlin? I think you told me about him. Doesn't he have some sort of power?"
"Yeah, he's a sorcerer."
"Huh. So what now?"
Hercules put his helmet back on. "Back to Camelot, I guess. The fighting seems to have stopped."
Iolaus looked off towards where the main battle used to be. The white knights were taking care of a few remaining soldiers. The rest of the dark knights were either dead, unconscious, or running for their lives. "Where's Camelot?"
Hercules pointed eastward. "Not too far from here. It's a great city, Iolaus. You'd like it."
One of the knights were calling for "Galahad."
"Let's go. Remember, I'm not Hercules."
"Gotcha." Iolaus winked. "Hey, you really need to work on that accent. It'sawful."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah."
"I mean it! I'm surprised no one's found you out yet." Iolaus cleared his throat. He said with a flawless accent, "I can't possibly imagine how you can find it so difficult. It's quite simple, really."
"Show-off..." Hercules muttered.
"All you have to do is drop your jaw for the a's and really emphasize the rest of the vowels," Iolaus instructed in his normal voice.
"We'll work on it later," Hercules said with a smile.
"Are you sure? Cuz I'm just here to help, Herc."
"Are you sure? Cuz you just seem to be causing trouble," Hercules said with a laugh.
"Hey!" Iolaus exclaimed.
Hercules led his horse with Iolaus back to the other knights.
"Galahad!" one knight greeted. "You've missed all the fun! What happened?"
"Nothing to worry about, Percival," Hercules assured the knight in his very terrible accent. "I seem to have stumbled upon an old chum of mine."
"'Chum'?" Iolaus repeated, holding back a snicker.
Hercules elbowed him in the ribs not-so-discreetly.
Percival raised the visor on his helmet and gave Hercules a strange look. "Is that so?" He looked Iolaus up and down appraisingly. "Well, a friend of Galahad's is always a friend of mine. Well met." Percival took Iolaus' hand in a strong handshake.
"Good to meet you too," Iolaus said awkwardly.
"A strange accent you've got on you. Foreigner, eh?"
Hercules stepped in. "He's a bit of a wanderer. Mixture of everywhere, you understand."
"Aye, and does this friend of yours have a name?"
Before Hercules could intercede again, the Golden Hunter spoke up. "Iolaus."
"Iolaus. A rather peculiar name. Familiar, though."
"After the best friend of Hercules."
"Ah! I see! A strong name, then. Very good."
Iolaus' face very nearly split in half with the grin on his face. Hercules chuckled.
"We'd best be off, Galahad. Your father already left to report to the king."
Iolaus' eyebrows rose.Father?
"Tell him that I will be there shortly. Go ride on ahead. My friend needs a horse," Hercules said.
Percival nodded and rode off after the others.
"Your father? Zeus? How can that be?" Iolaus asked as soon as the knight was out of earshot.
Hercules took the reins of one of the riderless black horses. "No, not my father. Galahad's father."
"But you're Galahad."
"Well, someone used to be Galahad before me."
"I don't think I get it." Iolaus mounted.
Hercules mounted his own horse and they began riding at an easy canter. "One of the Knights, Lancelot, lost his son, Galahad, in a battle with Mordred about three or four years ago. Well, somehow, Galahad looked a lot like me. Not exactly, but very close. I happened to be in the area just before Galahad died, so they immediately came to me for help. They made up some story that Galahad was badly wounded and Merlin didn't want anyone to disturb him. For a few weeks, they taught me how Galahad acted, who and what Galahad knew, how to be a knight, and so forth. Then, I just took his place and acted like nothing ever happened. It's actually not too hard. Galahad seemed to have the same thoughts and ideals as I do."
"Okay..." Iolaus said slowly, allowing what Hercules said to really sink in. "What I don't understand is why this Galahad was so important that you had to take his place. And for so long, too."
Hercules nodded. "The Lady of the Lake-"
"Lady of the Lake?" Iolaus interrupted.
"A magical being that lives, well, in a lake. She foretells futures and helps Arthur from time to time."
"Oh."
"Anyway," Hercules continued, "she prophesized that Galahad would become the greatest of all knights and, if something should happen to him, that Mordred would never be stopped and all of England would fall under his forces."
"I see..." Iolaus' voice trailed off as they topped a rise. Below them, spanning acres and acres, was a beautiful city. Even from this distance, the Golden Hunter could see the arching architecture spiraling in beautiful forms and enormous gardens weaving in and out between houses. "What in the Light is that?" Iolaus gasped.
Hercules lead him down the hill towards the city as Iolaus stared in wonder. "That, my friend, is Camelot."
The city bustled with activity and life all around them as the two heroes made their way to the castle. Despite the crowds of people, Iolaus could not see one stray cloth or parchment littering the perfect cobblestone streets. There had to be hundreds of shop owners and hawkers, and there were the sounds of haggling over prices, but the blond hunter could hear no sounds of rage over prices, no cursing, and no words of dissatisfaction over merchandise. Random people saw them coming and not only said fond hellos to Hercules, but also greeted Iolaus cheerily.
"This is a little weird..." Iolaus said slowly.
Hercules laughed. "The people here are just civil, Iolaus. Arthur wanted to create the most perfect city in the world. Don't worry. We still have fun."
They passed a tavern and, as Iolaus looked in, he could not see one overly drunk patron in the entire establishment. "...A little too weird," Iolaus muttered.
Hercules and Iolaus crossed the drawbridge into the castle and were immediately ushered into the throne room. Hercules knelt before the dais on one knee and Iolaus followed suit. The Golden Hunter looked up at the king. Arthur was a relatively young man with brown hair and beard. His features seemed to suggest greatness and simplicity at the same time; Iolaus didn't know whether he should be kneeling to the man or talking with him over a tankard of ale.
"Galahad," Arthur said with a smile. "I hear you have been victorious this day."
"Aye, sire," Hercules agreed and smiled back. "Mordred's men didn't stand a chance."
"Glad to hear of it. And who is this man you have with you?"
"Iolaus, your Majesty," the blond hunter spoke up.
Arthur's eyes widened. "Iolaus, eh?
"After the brave and loyal friend of the great Hercules, your Majesty," Iolaus said. Hercules rolled his eyes visibly.
Arthur laughed heartily. "I see. I hear he was rather loud-mouthed as well."
Hercules snickered.
Iolaus put on a face of pseudo shock. "I resemble that remark, your Majesty."
Arthur laughed again and waved a dismissing gesture at the guards. As soon as the three of them were alone, Arthur got off the throne and motioned for them to stand. "He's as boisterous as you described, Hercules."
"I'm not boisterous!" Iolaus protested loudly.
"And as entertaining," Arthur added. "He is the one from myths of old, is he not?"
Hercules nodded with a smile. "The one and only."
"Very good to meet you, Iolaus. Hercules has told me much about you." Arthur shook his hand.
"Not all about me being boisterous, I hope," Iolaus said with a chuckle.
"Not all," Arthur replied with a wide grin.
"Unfortunately, sire, I don't have much good news to report," Hercules interrupted. "Mordred's army is advancing fast, and raiding villages on the way. That was one of their scouting parties that we encountered today. If they can waste that many men on reconnaissance, we're going to have a lot of trouble when the real army rolls around."
Arthur frowned. "Aye, that's quite a predicament, isn't it."
"Can't you talk to this Mordred guy? Reason with him, maybe? There has to be something that he wants," Iolaus said.
Hercules shook his head. "We've already tried, Iolaus. We think he's probably a little insane."
"Besides, all he wants is the crown. Morgan made sure of that," Arthur added with a tinge of bitterness in his voice.
"Morgan?" Iolaus frowned.
"Morgan le Fey," Hercules told him. "Mordred's mother."
"And my half-sister," Arthur said.
"Whoa... This is almost as complicated as your family tree, Herc."
"Don't get me started, Iolaus."
"So what's the plan?"
"We really don't know what to expect. Mordred is irrational and unpredictable. He also has magic on his side. Morgan knows magic from Mab." Hercules paused. "I told you about her, right?"
Iolaus nodded then thought a moment. "Don't we have Merlin?"
"True, but there are certain things that Morgan will do that Merlin won't. Unfortunately, there are some advantages to a lack of morals. In war, at least."
"I have to somehow lure Mordred to face me in battle," Arthur murmured. "One on one."
"I can't let you do that, your Majesty," Hercules said sternly. "None of us can."
"Mordred was my mistake. I have to take care of him. He is my responsibility and I won't have any of you fixing my mistakes." Arthur looked him in the eye. "Do you understand?"
"I understand, sire."
"Good. I must take counsel with Merlin. If you'll excuse me, gentlemen." Arthur left the throne room quickly.
"What does he mean that Mordred was his mistake?" Iolaus asked.
"Mordred is his son," Hercules said simply.
"What? But isn't Morgan..."
"That's right."
"I was wrong. This isas complicated as your family tree."
Night fell upon Camelot, and the city was as beautiful under the stars as it was under the sun. Iolaus wandered the castle grounds restlessly, wondering what he had gotten himself into. He felt better knowing that Hercules was there- however much the thousand years may have changed him. Iolaus never knew Hercules to bow to anyone, much less kneel, and the demigod Iolaus knew would normally be stopping wars, not participating in them. There was obviously more going on in England than Iolaus understood. He stared out into the sparkling night sky from one of the castle terraces.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
Iolaus spun around and his eyes met those of the speaker. She was beautiful, with silky brown hair and a shapely body. Her baby blue eyes twinkled with sly mischief. She was wrapped in a cobalt blue robe that seemed to bring out the best of her features. "Yes," he breathed softly. "Very beautiful."
She smiled, sauntering toward the rail of the terrace. She was so close, he could smell the lavender fragrance floating from her. He stopped himself from sighing. "You can see all of Camelot and the beautiful green hills around it just perfectly from here," she continued in her gentle, accented voice. "I come here when I can't sleep. The sight always calms me, no matter what is going on."
"War has a way of bringing out the worst in life, doesn't it?"
"Indeed." She looked at him, considering him for a moment. "You have quite a strange accent. You're not from around here, are you?"
"No, I'm not."
"Then you must be Galahad's friend that arrived this afternoon."
"Yeah, I'm Iolaus."
The woman smiled. "I am called Guenevere. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
Iolaus was entranced by her. "Believe me, the pleasure is all mine," he mumbled, not really knowing that he was saying anything at all.
"Iolaus."
The Golden Hunter snapped out of his enchantment with the woman. "What?" He looked up. Hercules was standing nearby.
Guenevere smiled again, noting Hercules' arrival. "Galahad. Did you have trouble sleeping as well?"
"No, I'm just here to talk with my friend."
"Oh, I see. I'd best be going, then." Her eyes met Iolaus' again. He could do nothing to break that gaze. "I hope to see you again." With that, she made her exit.
Iolaus thought he would melt to the floor.
"Iolaus..." Hercules began with a knowing smile.
"Isn't she incredible, Herc? Her eyes, her hair, her name... Guenevere. It even sounds beautiful." Iolaus sighed.
"Queens usually have that effect on people."
"Queen?"
Hercules nodded, the tinges of the smile still prevalent on his face. "Yup. Guenevere is the queen of Camelot."
The Golden Hunter groaned inwardly. "Um... But that would mean..."
"That she's married to the king."
Iolaus buried his face in his hands. "She's married to Arthur?"
"That would be correct."
"Aw, geez, I did it again!" He sighed and uncovered his face. "Wow, I'm really slow on the uptake today, huh?"
Hercules smiled. "That's alright. We all have our days."
The next morning, the Knights, Arthur, Merlin, and Iolaus all met in the room of the Round Table. Plans to defeat Mordred were already underway.
"I say we try to surprise attack them. If we take them from behind around the pass..." one of the knights was saying.
"Not a good idea, Father," Hercules said in his terrible accent. "That would leave Camelot open to attack."
"Not to mention the fact that an assault from behind is rather dishonorable," Percival added.
Iolaus studied the man Hercules called "Father." His name was Lancelot, and he didn't seem to be much older than their friend Jason was. It was surprising that anyone would believe that Hercules was Lancelot's son.
"And yet we need the element of surprise. We cannot come out victorious without it," Arthur stated.
There was silence as the men considered alternatives.
Merlin stood nearly unnoticed in the corner of the room, seeming to observe the Knights carefully. At last he spoke. "The forest."
A Knight named Gawain brightened. "Of course! Sire, the forest not far from the Lake should serve our purposes grandly. A light fog comes into the forest from the Lake quite often, which will provide much needed concealment. Our men are familiar with the forest and will be able to maneuver easily through it, even with the fog."
"A wonderful advisement as always, dear Merlin." Arthur smiled at the old man in appreciation. Merlin gave a small nod of his head in acknowledgement.
"What's better is the strategical advantage," Lancelot mentioned. "If we can manage to get at Mordred's men from all sides, we may be able to pin them against the lake."
"A fantastic idea, Sir Lancelot," Arthur said. The respect the two men had for each other was apparent, yet Iolaus could also sense some tension. There was no camaraderie between them as there was between the king and the other knights. "However, we have to focus on defending Camelot and the surrounding villages first. If we can spare soldiers to surround Mordred's men, then by all means. But only so long as Camelot is guarded effectively."
"Of course, your Majesty."
Arthur took a deep breath. "I need a moment to take counsel with Merlin alone. Reconvene here in an hour's time."
The Knights bowed, and departed, Iolaus trailing along behind Hercules.
"Father," Hercules called after Lancelot.
The other Knight turned. "Yes, Galahad?"
Hercules drew close, but Iolaus could still hear his words clearly. In his own voice, Hercules whispered, "Stay away from her, Lancelot. Arthur can't ignore what's going on forever."
"Nor can I ignore what's in my heart, my son," Lancelot answered back quietly. "I need her."
"I understand that, but not only is your timing terrible, you risk death. Arthur only ignores it because he needs you. But if others question your actions, you may be sentenced to death for treason. You're one of Arthur's best knights. If you can't deny your feelings, please just wait. Wait until this is all over. We can't afford to deal with a war and a trial of one of the most respected men in the kingdom. Please. If not for Arthur, if not for duty, if not for yourself, then for me."
Lancelot smiled sadly. "Only for you, my son. But for no one else." He paused. "But I cannot wait forever, Hercules. And who knows how long this war will last." Lancelot walked away then as Hercules sighed.
"What was that all about?" Iolaus asked once they were alone.
"Lancelot's in love with Guenevere."
"Oh. That's definitely not good. Can't Arthur do something about it?"
Hercules shook his head sadly. "Arthur knows about it, but is ignoring it for now. If he acknowledges the affair, the people will demand that Lancelot and Guenevere be executed for treason against the king. Arthur can't afford to lose Lancelot because of war, and can't stand to lose Guenevere because of love…"
The two days of preparation before their attack flew by quickly as townspeople scrambled throughout the city to safeguard homes and livelihoods, while the knights worked to be in top fighting condition. When the day before the battle closed in, the air was so tense that the slightest noise made people jump. Iolaus began to notice an unfamiliar hardness wash over Hercules' usually gentle face, and he didn't like it at all. The blond hunter was suddenly forced to realize that no matter how much Hercules seemed to be the same as always, he had changed immensely, and not quite for the better.
As Iolaus watched Hercules hone his sword- which Iolaus found to be very disturbing- there rang out throughout the castle a yell, and the sound of people running. Hercules sheathed the sword and rushed out to the courtyard, with Iolaus at his heels. "What happened?" Hercules asked in an urgent voice.
Several of the Knights were crowded around a serving woman. "She refuses to speak, Galahad. She fears she will be hanged for treason," Gawain said.
Hercules approached her and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, reminiscent of the "good old days." He looked her in the eye and spoke in a comforting tone. "I swear upon my life that you will not be harmed for what you reveal. Please, tell us what happened."
The woman looked uncertain for a moment, but the word of a Knight seemed to be enough. "Your father, my Lord."
Hercules' brow furrowed. "What about my father?" Seeing the look on her face, he assured her again, "No harm will come to you, I promise."
She took a deep breath. "I found your father in… in bed with… with Her Majesty."
The demigod looked at her in shock. "You're sure?"
"I could not be mistaken, my Lord. I wish to God I were."
Percival, who stood nearby, had a look that spoke of nothing but duty. "We had feared this. And there does not seem to be any alternative. I must tell the King."
Gawain looked hesitant. "Are you quite certain of this, Percival? We must place these circumstances in perspective. We've a battle to fight tomorrow. If Lancelot were to be punished for treason, the outcome of the battle could be greatly affected. And not to our benefit, might I add."
"With no offense intended to the present party," Percival said, regarding Hercules, "Lancelot should have thought of that before the deed was done." With those words, Percival left the courtyard.
Hercules turned back to the serving woman. "Do you know where my father is now?"
She shook her head. "He fled moments after my finding him. The queen, however, is still in her chambers, being… attended to… by a guard."
Hercules nodded and dismissed her. Deep in thought, he left the courtyard in the same direction as Percival. Iolaus followed worriedly.
"What are you going to do now, Herc?" Iolaus asked in a hushed voice.
"I really don't know, Iolaus. I don't know where Lancelot is, and even if I did know, I wouldn't be able to do much about it for now."
"Maybe if we hurry, we can stop Percival."
"And do what, Iolaus? You don't know him like I do. I can't possibly convince Percival to do what isn't lawful. He knows nothing but the law."
"Doesn't he want to win tomorrow?"
"Of course he does. But for him, duty comes first. And duty to the King is the highest of them all."
Iolaus shook his head. "I just can't understand you Brits."
They reached the throne room and inside sat a very solemn looking Arthur with Percival standing nearby. Hercules made a hasty bow. Iolaus did the same.
"Your Majesty," Hercules began, "about my father…"
Arthur looked at Hercules with just a glimmer of sympathy. The King was not an angry man by nature, and seemed more worried than mad. "It was bound to happen some time. The choice of timing is… unfortunate. But now that the truth has come out, it will spread like wildfire throughout Camelot, if not all of England. The people will expect to see justice. And justice means death to both Lancelot and Guenevere." The immense regret and sadness in his voice was not hard to recognize.
"But you can't possibly sentence their deaths, your Majesty."
"However much I would like to attribute their crime as one against me as a person, many more people would see their crime as one against me as a king. And that is treason." Arthur looked to Percival. "I must speak to Galahad and his friend alone, Percival. Thank you for calling my attention to this matter."
Percival bowed and left, casting a curious glance at Iolaus. The knight was obviously wondering what Iolaus had to do with the situation.
Arthur regarded Hercules for a moment and sighed. "I never imagined I would have to deal with this so soon."
"Neither did I," Hercules said. He looked at the King seriously. "You're not going to execute them, are you." It was not a question.
Arthur's eyes suddenly grew overbright. "No. Even through all that has occurred, I love Guenevere more than life itself. I cannot fathom being the cause of her death." He stared at his hands for a moment. "She will live… even if she will live with Lancelot."
Iolaus' respect for Arthur grew at those words. "What will you do, your Majesty?"
The King looked up at the two heroes. "The people cannot lose confidence in their king, especially when a major battle is eminent. They must think that I intend to carry out their sentences. But if they were to escape and never to be found, there is nothing I can be expected to do about that."
Hercules nodded. "Iolaus and I will find Lancelot. We'll have to arrange for him to meet Guenevere somewhere."
Arthur nodded sadly and sighed. "I suppose it is for the best. Go, and with haste. As soon as you find him, I will tell Guenevere… and make my announcement to Camelot."
With quick bows, Hercules and Iolaus left the throne room and proceeded to the stables. "I can't believe Lancelot would do this, Iolaus. He gave his word," Hercules said as he mounted one of the white horses.
Iolaus chose another horse and mounted easily. "People go back on their word, Herc. It's not different now than it was a thousand years ago."
They left the city at a quick canter. "I just thought Lancelot was different… He's never broken his promise before."
The Golden Hunter shrugged. "There's a first time for everything. Love makes people do stupid things. I think we both know that."
Hercules smiled. "Yeah…"
They made their way into the surrounding forest, looking for any possible trails. The search was quiet for the most part, as each of the heroes studied the area carefully. Hercules glanced at Iolaus, and something caught his eye. After a moment's hesitation, the demigod finally broke the silence.
"You still have that pendant I gave you," he said with a smile.
Iolaus smiled back. "Yeah. You just gave it to me a few days ago… Well, it's been a thousand years or so, but you know what I mean."
"Really? Happy Birthday, then."
"Thanks, Herc!" Iolaus answered with a grin.
Hercules seemed to be thinking. "I wonder what happened to it."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, if I remember correctly, you won't have that pendant for long. You gave it away, or something."
Iolaus stared. "I wouldn't do that!"
"Well, we'll see, Iolaus." Hercules gave him a knowing grin over his shoulder as he rode ahead.
Iolaus was about to catch up with him when he spotted a set of footprints that looked like someone hastily tried to brush them away. "Herc! Over here!"
Hercules doubled back. The footprints headed eastward. "I think I know where he went." With those words, he kicked his horse into a gallop.
After what seemed like an eternity of hard riding, the heroes came upon a small, run-down cottage. The thatching of the roof looked like it was falling in, and the beams of the tiny stable were rotting. The stone walls had scorch marks all over them. It looked like it hadn't been lived in for years.
Hercules rode up to the cottage, dismounted, and tied the reins of his horse to a post outside. Iolaus followed suit. "This used to be Galahad's house- the real Galahad- before he died," Hercules said in a quiet voice. "Some of Mordred's men attacked in the night and tried to burn down the house. Galahad managed to get outside before the fire spread too much, but there were too many men, even for him. I had set up camp not too far from here and saw the smoke. I managed to drive Mordred's men away and put out the fire, but Galahad was already dead."
"Who's there?" a familiar voice shouted from inside.
"It's just me and Iolaus, Father," Hercules answered.
Lancelot stepped outside with his sword in hand, but dropped his guard as soon as he saw who it was. "What are you doing here?"
"I should be asking you the same question."
Lancelot sighed. "I know what you must think of me, son. I swear that I never intended for this to happen. It was, well, an accident."
"Those things usually don't happen on accident, Father."
Iolaus thought the conversation felt all too familiar.
"You swore to me that you would wait! You knew we were facing Mordred tomorrow. Couldn't you have waited one day?" Hercules continued.
"I do not know what else to say, but I am sorry. I have full confidence in Arthur and the Knights. They are more than capable, and far more honorable than I."
"Honor won't win the battle, Father."
There was a moment of uncomfortable silence.
"And what of Guenevere?" Lancelot spoke up. "Will Arthur…" He trailed off, the unsaid question hanging in the air.
Hercules shook his head. "Arthur couldn't do it. He loves her just as much as you do."
The Knight sighed, half with relief, half with sadness. "Then the people will lose respect for the throne…"
"Not if the Queen escapes," Iolaus put in.
"Pardon?"
"Arthur will make it seem like he intends to execute Guenevere, then let her escape."
"And what then?"
Hercules paused, grimacing slightly. "She'll join you."
Lancelot's eyes brightened. "Truly? The King is a far more honorable and gracious man than I had ever imagined."
"He's not doing this for your sake, but for hers. You understand that, don't you?" Hercules added.
Hercules' surrogate father nodded. "I do understand. Thank him for me, from the bottom of my heart."
Iolaus looked at the sky. "Herc, we'd better hurry back if we want to get to the city before it gets dark."
The demigod nodded. "Father, we'll arrange for Guenevere to meet you here. Expect her after nightfall."
"Thank you, Hercules." Lancelot paused. "We might not see each other again."
With a sad smile, Hercules clasped arms with Lancelot. The Knight looked slightly surprised. "It's been… fun. You've always been like a real father to me, Lancelot." Hercules gave him an awkward embrace.
"And you've been more than a son to me these past few years, Hercules. You've been my friend."
Lancelot shook Iolaus' hand and the two heroes then mounted their horses. "Take care, Father. Be good to Guenevere," Hercules said.
"I will."
With that, Hercules and Iolaus rode towards Camelot.
Hercules and Iolaus arrived at Camelot shortly before sunset. The city had a strange air of sadness in amongst the pre-battle tension. As they entered castle grounds, there was an uneasy and mournful silence. "Arthur must have made his announcement already," Hercules whispered as they left the stables.
"We need to find him and Guenevere. Lancelot's waiting," Iolaus whispered back.
They found Arthur in the throne room, with Guenevere standing guarded by his side. The King stood as they entered and quickly shooed the guards away. "Leave us."
"But, your Majesty…" one of the two guards protested.
"Do you not think that Galahad can handle the Queen on his own?" Arthur asked them. They shook their heads shamefacedly. "Then go." And the guards left with a quick bow. Arthur turned to Hercules. "Is it arranged?"
"Yes, your Majesty," Hercules replied. Guenevere looked up at him, startled. She had noticed that he dropped his accent. "He's waiting for her at Galahad's old cottage."
Arthur nodded solemnly. He then took a ring of keys from his pocket, walked over to the Queen, and unlocked the manacles at her wrists. Her startled look turned to one of shock. "What… what is this?" she stammered.
"You are to leave here as soon as the night has set fully, my love," Arthur said in a gentle, quiet voice. "Lancelot is waiting for you in Galahad's ruined home."
"I do not understand, my Lord. Just a moment ago you were planning my death. And now…"
"It was a ruse. I cannot bear to let you die, nor can I let my people doubt me. You must escape, and never return."
Guenevere looked at him with loving eyes. "I thank you, Arthur, from the bottom of my heart. Please know that I never intended to cause you pain."
He nodded again, not saying anything.
Hercules spoke up. "Guenevere, I'll escort you to the dungeon. There's a cell there with a loose stone. Push it open when the guard isn't looking. Your chains will still be unlocked and Iolaus will have a horse waiting for you right outside. Go eastward into the forest and make sure you aren't seen. You'll have to go alone. Do you understand?"
She nodded, her face filled with determination. The former Queen took a deep breath. "Let us go, then."
Iolaus stood waiting just outside the dungeon wall with a brown horse from the village. There was a slight chill in the air as the night darkened even more. The night was so still that Iolaus felt a shiver down his spine. The horse seemed to be uneasy as well. If something didn't go right… But it had to go right. Two lives were at stake.
Suddenly, he heard a sound like the scraping of stone against stone. He looked towards the bottom of the wall as a stone began protruding out of the wall and eventually was pushed aside. Guenevere crawled out.
Iolaus quickly helped her to her feet and pushed the stone carefully back into place. "Were you seen?" he whispered.
"I do not believe so," she answered.
He nodded and took her and the horse to one of the castle gates. He handed her a cloak and a small bundle. "Food and money. Arthur thought you might need these, just in case."
She smiled at him with small tears forming in her eyes. "I do love him, you know."
"I know," Iolaus answered. You just love Lancelot more… he thought. She stowed the bundle in the saddlebag and put on the cloak before giving him a quick hug. If it wasn't so dark, Guenevere would have seen him blush. He helped her mount the horse and handed her the reins. "Good luck," he whispered to her.
With a sad smile, she pulled the hood of the cloak over her head. "Thank you," she said just before galloping eastward into the forest.
Hercules woke Iolaus up right at dawn the next morning. Even at such an early hour, the Golden Hunter could hear the sounds of people readying armor and weaponry. "Iolaus, are you sure you want to do this?" Hercules asked him in a worried tone. "What if you get hurt?"
Iolaus grinned. "And let you guys have all the fun?" He held back a chuckle in an attempt at a straight face. "And seriously, Herc, do you really think you could win this thing without me? We all know I'll be the best fighter out there. Not to brag or anything, but when it's true, it's true."
Hercules laughed. "'Not to brag or anything'… That's a good one."
"Hey!"
Despite the jovial attitude they showed that morning, Hercules and Iolaus entered the forest with the rest of the Knights and soldiers with a quiet seriousness. Almost like magic, (and Iolaus had, looking back, often wondered if it was Merlin's doing) fog covered the forest like a thick blanket. It was difficult to see past ten feet ahead of them, but the soldiers were well familiar with nearly every inch of the area. Iolaus, obviously less familiar with the forest, followed Hercules closely.
"Galahad, Bedivere has gone with the King to the edge of the forest near the Lake," Gawain whispered.
"Is that such a good idea?" Iolaus asked. "Arthur shouldn't be in this battle. What if something happens to him?"
"It is a point of honor with the King," Hercules said in his terrible accent. "Mordred is to be here. The King wishes to face him himself."
"He did not go with just Bedivere, brave Iolaus," Gawain assured the blond hunter. "I made sure skilled warriors accompanied him."
Silence overcame them again. They inched through the forest, straining to hear the slightest twig breaking or leaf rustling to warn them of the coming attack.
Suddenly, Iolaus saw a flash of black through the white of the fog. He held a hand up to stop the men around him then pointed. Hercules nodded and signaled to the rest of the men. Without further hesitation, they closed in on the group of Mordred's men and the battle began.
As if a signal fire had been lit to begin the fighting throughout the forest, yells rang out from the fog with the sounds of clashing metal. Iolaus took care not to kill any of Mordred's men, and blocked their attempts with his sword. A few well-placed kicks and punches guaranteed that the men would think twice before attacking Camelot again.
The battle seemed to go on for hours, but as the last few dark knights were being taken care of, Iolaus saw that the light from the sun was not even directly overhead yet. Just as he took off the helmet of one knight to punch him out, there was a sharp cry that rang through the forest. "The King! King Arthur is slain!"
The Knights grew distracted and those fighting nearly forgot to continue. Hercules took care of the three he was fighting easily and shouted to Gawain, "Keep fighting!" He beckoned to Iolaus, and ran off in the direction the shout had come. Iolaus quickly knocked out the de-helmeted man he still had in his grasp and rushed to follow Hercules.
They reached the edge of the forest and found Arthur lying by a tree with his sword, Excalibur, held lightly in his outstretched hand. A man, who Iolaus assumed was Bedivere, sat at Arthur's side. Arthur was obviously not dead, as he was still breathing, but even from a few feet away, Iolaus could see that the wound near the center of his chest was fatal. It would only be a matter of time.
"Galahad," Bedivere gasped in between tears. "Mordred came and murdered the rest of the soldiers as if they were nothing. I was wounded and quite nearly fell unconscious. I suppose he left me for dead. And then he and his Majesty fought…" Bedivere choked on his words. "I yelled in shock, and Mordred fled in that direction." He pointed southward.
Hercules looked at Bedivere after examining Arthur's wound. Sorrow and anger filled his face. "There's nothing I can do for him. But I can take care of Mordred." Hercules ran in the direction Bedivere had pointed, telling him to stay with Arthur as he and Iolaus hurried to catch Mordred.
They found Mordred by the shore of the Lake, dispatching two of Camelot's soldiers with ease. "Mordred!" Hercules shouted.
He was a young man who looked to be just younger than Arthur was, though Iolaus knew that it had to be the effect of magic. Dressed all in black armor, Mordred looked almost shadow-like, with smooth movements to match. Even his hair and eyes were near pitch black, as if he had been carved from the darkest stone. His terribly pale complexion deeply contrasted the rest of him, and Iolaus thought momentarily that he looked to be the embodiment of death. "Galahad, I presume?" Mordred said with a thick accent. "The greatest of all the Knights! …Or so I hear. Come to fulfill the Lady's prophecy? Should I be shaking in my armor?"
Hercules' face was hard. "You should be."
"Come on, then, Great Knight." Mordred, without hesitation, swung his sword down upon the Son of Zeus. The fact that his sword met considerable resistance from Hercules seemed to surprise Mordred. Hercules met Mordred's sword blow for blow, and soon it seemed that the illegitimate son of Arthur was struggling to keep up.
Iolaus could see Mordred's strength waning and with a few swift swipes of the sword, Hercules disarmed Mordred and pinned him to the ground. Hercules held his sword threateningly at Mordred's neck. "H- how…?" Mordred stammered. "How could you beat me? I was supposed to be unstoppable! Mother increased my strength!"Obviously not enough to defeat the son of a god… Iolaus thought to himself.
"You should have thought twice about coming after Arthur," Hercules said through clenched teeth. He seemed to be seething with anger. "He was a good friend of mine. You should have left him alone." Hercules lifted his sword.
"Hercules! No!!" Iolaus shouted, reaching out and gripping Hercules' arm back. "You can't!" Then he saw it. He didn't know why he hadn't seen it before on Hercules' face before… the tightness around his eyes… Fear… Uncertainty… "You can't. Please." Iolaus looked at him pleadingly.
The demigod's eyes softened and glanced down first at Iolaus, then at Mordred. "I… I'm sorry, Iolaus. I…" Hercules stammered for a moment and fell silent for a loss of words.
With Hercules' guard dropped for that one second, Mordred suddenly slipped from under the blade of Hercules' sword and drew his own blade once more, pointing it at Hercules' back. Taken completely by surprise, Iolaus stood unsure of what to do. "Huge mistake," Mordred growled, preparing to run Hercules through.
"Not quite…" a voice said in a weak tone as a sword swung down on Mordred, killing him instantly.
Hercules turned around and saw Arthur clutching his fatal wound, standing only with the support of Bedivere. Hercules and Iolaus rushed to help Bedivere lay Arthur on the ground.
The King's breathing was rasping and labored. "It is done," he said with visible relief. "Bedivere… my sword…"
"Yes, your Majesty?" Bedivere said with tears flowing freely from his eyes.
"Throw Excalibur in the Lake."
The three warriors started in surprise. "Whatever for, sire?" Bedivere asked.
"The Lady… I might still be saved. Throw Excalibur in the Lake… Please."
Hercules and Iolaus looked at each other. Bedivere took Excalibur from Arthur's hand and clutched it tightly, not knowing what to do.
"He can't be serious, can he?" Iolaus whispered to Hercules.
"I don't know, Iolaus," Hercules answered.
"I can't, your Majesty," Bedivere said finally. "The people will want it as a memory of your greatness."
Arthur took another rasping breath. "Please, Bedivere. Throw the sword in the Lake."
Hercules considered for a moment. "I think you should do as he says, Bedivere," he said quietly.
"Galahad, I can't." The Knight turned back to Arthur. "Your Majesty, please. The power contained in this sword could ensure England's safety for centuries to come."
"Bedivere, please, before it is too late…" Arthur's eyes grew unfocused. "Return Excalibur to the Lady…"
Perhaps as a last favor to his king, or perhaps as a way to end the king's pleading, Bedivere took the sword to the edge of the Lake and threw it high into the air. Excalibur gleamed and glittered in the faint sunlight as it spun toward the surface of the water. And just as it was about to fall in, a lady's hand pierced the surface and caught the sword by the hilt. The hand pulled the sword into the water until they could no longer see it. Out in the distance, the warriors could see a boat floating through the fog toward the shore. Three figures stood upon the boat, pushing it along with an oar. As the boat drew nearer, the figures were revealed to be three women, all clad in black with golden crowns on their heads. The boat, too, was draped in black cloth.
"Help me… to the boat… Quickly…" Arthur whispered.
Hercules took Arthur's right side as Bedivere took the other, and Iolaus helped the boat get to the shore of the Lake. Arthur had become very pale over the past few moments and had to be carried over the rim of the boat. Immediately, one of the women began tending to him. "Where will they take you, sire?" Bedivere asked. "What will happen to you there?"
"An island in the middle of the lake… called Avalon," Arthur choked out. "It may already be too late… I may return… if not, I have died…"
Bedivere nodded, still weeping. The three warriors stood away from the boat as it set off. "Farewell…" Arthur's voice called and the boat vanished in the fog.
The three of them stared at the point where the boat had vanished for a moment. "Do you think they can help him? Do you think he really will come back?" Iolaus whispered.
Hercules cleared his throat awkwardly before answering. "I really don't know, Iolaus. I hope so."
A few days had passed. Iolaus had agreed to stay a little longer in order to help Camelot get back in order, but he was already missing his own time, people with the same accent, and the Hercules of the past. When he finally approached the Hercules of the future one morning, he did not have to say a word. Hercules knew that he had to go.
"Can I be honest with you, Iolaus?" the demigod said that afternoon as they took a walk through the palace gardens.
"Have you ever been any other way, Herc?" Iolaus answered with a smile.
Hercules smiled back then grew serious again. "Well, the truth is, something happened to me after you died. I'm not sure what it is. I suddenly didn't have my heart in what I was doing. I… just didn't know what I was doing anymore… Does that make any sense?"
Iolaus thought for a moment. "I think so. Back when you were about to kill Mordred, I knew something was different." Hercules nodded. Iolaus continued. "I noticed it before, but I think… I think I didn't want to believe you could ever change. It's like… It's like you lost your confidence."
Hercules nodded again. "Exactly. I lost my confidence. I began doubting myself. Since you died, I've never really been sure of myself." He smiled sadly at his friend. "That's one of the things I miss about you, Iolaus. You always kept me on track."
"I haven't had to do much, Herc. You already know what's right. You've been on the right track all your life. I keep telling you that if you just do what you know is right in your heart, you'll never fail."
The demigod chuckled. "So you do keep telling me." He stopped walking suddenly. "I miss having you with me, Iolaus."
Iolaus looked back at Hercules seriously. "I never left you, Herc." Iolaus held back a smile upon seeing Hercules' tear-filled eyes. He was always so sensitive, Iolaus thought. He suddenly had an idea. "Here," Iolaus began, his hands untying the lanyard around his neck. He took the sword-shaped pendant from the lanyard and tied it back around his neck. He stuck the pendant into Hercules' hand. "So you never forget."
Hercules looked down at the pendant and laughed, a tear falling down his cheek. "It all makes sense now," he murmured quietly. He hastily wiped away the stray tear and smiled at Iolaus. "Thank you," he said, giving the hunter a huge hug. Iolaus made a mental note not to let Hercules wear armor when giving him a hug. "Ready?"
Iolaus nodded, rubbing his ribs. "Let's go get Merlin."
Just outside the palace gates, Iolaus stood with Hercules and Merlin as he prepared to make the trip back to his own time. The Golden Hunter reached into his pouch and pulled out the Cronos Stone. "You sure this will work? If this doesn't, I'm kinda stuck here."
"Don't worry so much, Iolaus," Hercules said with a sly grin as Iolaus handed him the Stone.
"Okay…" Iolaus took a deep breath. "Go ahead."
Hercules smashed the Cronos Stone into dust. He clapped his hands together to dust them off. "There, now there's no chance Ares will get it back now." He turned to Iolaus. "Do you think you could do me a favor?"
"Sure, Herc. What is it?"
"Um, could you not talk about my being immortal to… well, me? I… I mean, he… He has a lot on his mind without worrying about that."
Iolaus smiled knowingly. "It's alright. I'll do my best to keep it a secret." He winked.
"Well," Hercules said awkwardly. "I guess this is goodbye."
Iolaus nodded, clasped arms with him, and gave him a small embrace. "Take care of yourself, Hercules. I'll see you in a few minutes."
"Goodbye, Iolaus. I'll miss you," Hercules said. He fingered the pendant absently, which now hung on a small chain around his neck.
"Ready?" Merlin asked them.
Iolaus nodded again. "Ready." He closed his eyes. Suddenly, he felt himself become almost weightless. There was a strange whirring in his ears and he felt his hair whipping the back of his neck. Hercules watched as his friend faded, then vanished from sight.
"Iolaus!!"
Iolaus heard Hercules' voice call his name right before landing hard onto the cold stone floor of Ares' temple. "Owww…" he groaned, rubbing his rear and wincing. "You'd think Merlin would be a little gentler…"
Hercules was suddenly at his side. "Are you okay, Iolaus?"
The hunter nodded and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet by Hercules. He looked around. Ares was lying on the floor, evidently trying to stop seeing stars. "What happened?" Iolaus asked.
"I was about to ask you the same question." Hercules looked at Ares and shook his head. "You caught the Cronos Stone and disappeared. I beat up dear ol' brother there and you reappeared."
"That quick, huh?"
"Yeah, well, Ares wasn't up to his usual standard."
"He was that bad?" Iolaus whistled.
"Tell me about it."
Ares got up and faced them. "Mark my words, Hercules, I'll get you someday. And your little sidekick too!"
"Not likely," Hercules answered.
Ares growled then disappeared in a streak of blue light.
The two heroes walked out of the temple with a shrug and wandered out onto the road. "Where's the Cronos Stone?" Hercules asked after they were some ways away from the temple.
"We don't have to worry about Ares getting the Stone back. It's completely destroyed."
"Then how'd you get back?"
"Merlin."
"Merlin?! What does he have to do with all this?"
Iolaus thought for a moment before answering. "The Stone sent me to your friend Arthur's time. I wandered around for a while, met some of Arthur's knights, and helped them with a… small skirmish. One of the knights, Galahad, crushed the Stone and Merlin sent me back." Iolaus decided that it wasn't good for anyone to know too much about their own destiny. Besides, Hercules didn't really believe in destiny.
"Galahad? That's a funny name."
"That's what I thought," Iolaus said with a grin. "You would have liked him, though, Hercules. He was a lot like you."
"Is that right?" Hercules smiled back. But suddenly, his smile faded. "Iolaus?"
"Yeah?"
"What happened to the pendant I gave you?"
"Oh…" Iolaus coughed uncomfortably. "I don't have it anymore."
"What happened to it?" Hercules looked almost hurt.
"I gave it away."
"Gave it away? To who?"
Iolaus gave a small smile. "There was someone who needed it more."
The End.
Disclaimer: No Cronos Stones or Cheap Imitation Cronos Stones (found at a store near you!) were harmed during the production of this fanfiction.