The Ties that Bind Us

by Vampire's Phoenix

X-Over with HTLJ. Sauron's defeated, but in another world an ancient evil is far from gone and two of its heroes find themselves cursed. To make things worse, they aren't in familiar territory anymore. I own nothing!

1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

In the aftermath of Dahak's defeat the whole of Greece celebrated his demise. With the spell the demon had wrought over then gone the people were able to pick their lives back up and rebuild the destruction and debris left by Dahak. The armies of the demon had been defeated, brought back by the love of their kinsmen from the dark spell it had wrought over them. Stories were told and songs were sung of the heroic trials of Hercules, the Son of Zeus who had bested the demon and sent him back to his realm of darkness. Songs were also sung of the brave mortal warrior who had been the worst victim of Dahak's evil. Throughout Greece the story spread of the hero Iolaus, whose body Dahak had usurped and whose soul was saved from eternal darkness.

But while the people of Greece celebrated, others mourned their loss. The few that knew the truth of the outcome, close friends and family who had witnessed the ferocious battle for Iolaus' soul and the struggle of the demigod against Dahak. No one could have foreseen what had happened. The situation itself had been bad enough. With Iolaus' body being used, defiled by the foul beast, his soul had remained a wandering spirit, while Dahak had used his body in his attempt to destroy Greece.

Then a miracle had occurred. The demon had been beaten and Iolaus had been returned to the world of life. Through the love and open hearts of Iolaus' many friends and family Dahak had been sent back to his own realm and Iolaus' soul had been returned to its rightful place. The gods had given back Iolaus' life, Dahak was gone, the Horsemen defeated and all was well.

Then all had gone to Tartarus.

No one was sure of what had happened. After just a few short days of their victory it had become clear that Dahak had had the last laugh.

Upon Olympus Zeus sat despondent upon his throne. Even Olympus seemed to mourn this horrible turn of events. Zeus rose from his throne and teleported himself from Olympus' great hall to a chamber in the most protected area of the home of the gods. He stood just beyond the perimeter of a barrier that had been erected by himself and just about every major god on Olympus. Even with such a strong barrier, Zeus could feel the power waning. Not even they could fight the dark powers of Dahak for very long.

Zeus cursed himself. He should have known better that a being like Dahak couldn't be defeated so easily. True, the demon had been pushed back into his realm but that did not mean that his influence had gone. Dahak was darkness, and darkness existed within the hearts of mortals and even gods themselves. A being like Dahak could not be destroyed utterly as they had assumed and the demon had used their ignorance to his advantage. He had shown them how ignorant they were, how even the gods had known so little of the true fabric of things.

They had been blinded, so sure of themselves and their superiority. Now they were paying the price.

For a long time, Zeus' gaze lingered on the two figures suspended in the barrier. On identical twin altars they slept, the magic of the gods halting time within the barrier. Nothing affected them, not outside or inside afflictions. But it would not last long. Dahak's power was not something the gods neither understood nor could hope to fight. It had come upon them so quickly that is was pure luck that they had caught this in time to halt it temporarily. But they were running out of time and soon it would be too late.

Zeus stared into the barrier, watching his son and his mortal best friend sleep. It was so rare for the gods to have compassion for mortals but this blonde had captured the affections of many gods including Zeus himself. Hercules considered this brave mortal to be his brother though they shared no blood. They were best friends, brothers of the heart. For his part, Zeus had come to see the mortal as his own son. His unconditional love for Hercules was the anchor that kept Hercules sane and solid. He had seen the affect the mortal's death had upon his son, and knew that without the blonde Hercules was nothing more than a shell that breathed and walked upon the earth.

Zeus stood there watching the two sleep under the influence of the spell. He didn't even turn as two gods materialized behind him. Ares and Aphrodite came forward to stand on either side of him, their gazes falling on the sleeping pair.

Ares spoke first. "The barrier will fall soon. We can't keep it up for much longer." He turned to his father, who said nothing. "This taint is Dahak's doing. No matter how much we wish it, we cannot undo it."

Aphrodite turned to glare at her brother. "We can't just give up on them! This was as much our doing as it was Dahak's!"

Ares snarled. "Really? Is that so? So, remind me again who it was that was going around telling everyone that this was something we needed to look into? That this was a pretty big threat that we needed to handle? No, no you all decided to wait and see what would happen. 'Oh, let's just ignore it and it will go away.'" Ares' tone was condescending, is anger and contempt made plain.

Aphrodite pouted and glared, but didn't say anything. As much as she hated to admit it, Ares was right. Maybe, if they had listened to the war god…

"Enough." Zeus finally spoke. His tone was regal, brooking no argument. Yet, Ares and Aphrodite could sense the underlying tones of sadness in his voice. "This is no time for pointing fingers and finding fault. This must be dealt with." As Ares opened his mouth to argue, Zeus turned his head sharply, his eyes burning and his brow set. Ares quickly closed his mouth and turned away to his father's burning gaze.

Aphrodite turned to her father. "But daddy, Ares is right. We can't fight Dahak's power."

Zeus nodded. "You are right, we cannot. In fact, I estimate that this barrier will not hold past a few days, if that. Once it falls, Dahak's taint will take hold and the madness he has afflicted them with will overtake them."

Tears began to form in the love goddess' eyes and she turned back to the two men. This wasn't fair! After Dahak everything should have been peachy! Sweetcheeks was back and everything was right again! Then that evil thing had to go and do this. It just wasn't fair. After all of this, for nothing. She shifted her gaze to Ares. She was resolutely determined that he would not be given the chance to carry out his suggestion. Killing them wasn't an option, not to her.

As Ares watched the two sleep, he found that even he was sympathetic to the situation. He genuinely had a fondness for the blonde warrior, despite his sickening trait of being attached to his half-brother's hip. Iolaus was a fine warrior, who proudly fought for ideals that he truly believed in, instead of a mindless mercenary or a pathetic barbarian. Despite all he had thrown at the mortal, he had still bounced back, ready for more. For that, Ares sort of admired the mortal.

Ares sighed. He knew that Zeus would never allow the death of his precious son or his mortal friend. "So, what do we do?"

For a while, there was silence until Zeus spoke again. "I have been to see the Fates." Ares and Aphrodite turned to their father, their interest peaked. The King of the Gods continued on. "They have told me many things, including that we cannot break this curse." He held up is hand for silence as his children tried to interrupt. "Gather the other gods and meet me in the throne room. I will share this with all of you. We have some things to decide."

With that he vanished, leaving Ares and Aphrodite in the chamber alone. They looked at one another, then at the two sleeping men, and then vanished themselves.

Moments later, Zeus was back upon his throne, looking every bit as regal as the King of the Gods should. Before him were all the gods of the major pantheon, including a few minor deities that had a fondness for Iolaus. Among the major gods were Ares, Aphrodite, Apollo, Athena, Artemis, Hephaestus, Discord, Hestia, Demeter, Cupid, Psyche, Hecate, Hades, Persephone, and Poseidon. Zeus let his gaze linger on the gods present. Each one of them was here because they all had a legitimate concern for the two involved, except perhaps Discord. Zeus surmised that she was only here to win Ares' good graces.

Zeus waited a few moments before starting. "I have gathered you here, because I have been to see the Fates about the situation with my son, Hercules, and the mortal, Iolaus." The gods present nodded, but stayed silent. Aphrodite clutched her husband, who was equally worried. He was fond of his brother and Iolaus, the blonde being the one who had brought Aphrodite and him together. Artemis kept a stern face, but inwardly she too was worried about her brother and her Golden Hunter. She was extremely fond of the blonde mortal, having gotten over the ridiculous incident of the golden apple long ago. Athena had also forgiven the mortal and was as worried as her sisters.

Zeus continued on. "The Fates told me many things. Including how to break the curse of madness Dahak was wrought upon them." He held up a hand for silence. The gods who had spoken up, asking questions immediately fell silent. "We cannot break the curse, or for long fight Dahak's power. This unfortunately, we already know."

Some of the gods nodded sadly. Persephone held Hades' hand tightly. She was fond of Iolaus, and didn't want to see him in the Underworld after all that had happened. Even Hades was fond of the mortal and had no desire to see him in his realm, nor did he desire the same for his nephew.

"The Fates have informed me," Zeus continued. "That the curse can only be broken by Iolaus and Hercules themselves." Once more he held up a hand for silence, using some of his power to quiet the mob before him. Many of the gods were confused. "They have told me that in order to break the curse; they must confront Dahak as whole, sane men. They must do so together, as they are meant to be."

Many gods were confused by the Fates' solution. The madness Dahak had cursed them with would not allow for such a thing! There was no cure for it, no medicine or spell that would give them even a moment of sanity once it had taken hold over them.

Aphrodite started a bit at the latter bit. She allowed a small smile at that thought. If any of the gods would know, it would be her. She knew her brother and his friend better than they would think. She had never visited the Fates, but she didn't need them to tell her that her brother and her Sweetcheeks were soul mates. It was as obvious to anyone who truly knew them. She knew what Zeus meant, that Herc and Iolaus would have to face Dahak together, as soul mates.

Zeus briefly thought back to his visit. When he had visited the Fates, they had shown him the life thread of both his son and that of Iolaus. Though Zeus had suspected, he was still surprised nonetheless. The Fates had shown him the bronze thread of his son, then the golden one belonging to Iolaus. They were weaved so tightly together that it was impossible to tell where one ended and the other began. They shone with the same brightness and sheen, differing only in their colors. Even then, if one stared at them long enough, the two would begin to mesh into one thick strand. Only soul mates showed these types of threads, woven so tightly together that they were practically one. Though, Zeus supposed that it wasn't so surprising. His son and his best friend fit so well together, one completed by the other.

He continued on. "The Fates have told me that this feat is not impossible, though it cannot be achieved in our realm. As we all have discovered Dahak is not a force that can be vanquished so easily. He may have been beaten back into his own realm, but his influence still remains." He took a deep breath. This would cause some sparks. "They told me that the curse originally was meant for Iolaus, but it had spread to Hercules through the bond that they share."

The gods present were stunned and saddened by this piece of information. Artemis closed her eyes as she remembered the suffering her chosen had to go through. Despite their best attempts, it seemed that the demon still managed to remain attached to her hunter. Aphrodite began to cry. She knew how close Herc and Iolaus were. If Iolaus knew that it was his bond with Hercules that Dahak tainted, the golden mortal would be crushed. Hecate showed no emotion. Her milky white eyes were blank and serene. Yet even she had an aura of sorrow about her. Hades and Ares had stony faces that showed nothing, yet by the way Hades clutched his wife's hand he was obviously concerned as well. Poseidon even sagged a little with melancholy.

Discord shifted and growled. She never liked Hercules or his pet mortal and felt inclined to show it. "Then why don't we just kill the stupid mortal? Solve all our problems?"

Before Zeus or anyone else could reply, Athena stepped up in front of Discord. "Are you that blind? Killing Iolaus will not cure Hercules of the taint if he is already affected. Killing them is not an option and we have an obligation to help them."

"Speak for yourself!" Discord shouted. "Why should I care about what happens to that half-breed mutt and his lapdog? I say we just off them both!"

"You heartless bitch!" Aphrodite shouted. Hephaestus held her back as the blonde goddess tried to make a lunge for Discord. A few of the other gods were also rearing to teach the dark goddess a lesson. Unfortunately, others were considering Discord's suggestion, while others agreed with Athena. Arguments began to break out among the assembled gods.

This time Zeus was forced to display more than just a small part of his power to quiet the shouting gods. "SILENCE!!!" His voice boomed throughout Olympus, and could even be felt in the mortal world. When the gods finally quieted, he went on. "We cannot kill them." He thought he heard Discord snarl, but he ignored it. "To kill one, or to break their bond, would drive the other permanently insane. It would only worsen the curse."

"Well then what are we supposed to do?" Zeus glared at Ares for his outburst, but said nothing.

"I have a plan. While in this plain, there is too much of Dahak's influence powering the curse. I suggest we are to send them to another, where they would be able to fight the power of the curse. Since we cannot undo it, the Fates have given me a way to alter it. This shall allow them to better fight the curse. I shall take care of this. What I have called you all here to do is to open a portal."

"To where?" This time it was Athena who asked. "Wouldn't that alternate universe be too similar for this?"

Zeus nodded. "Yes. We can't send them there. Actually, we will not know where they will be sent. We must use all of our collective power to open this particular portal, so we will not know where they will go. It is unfortunate, but it is their only hope. All we will know is that wherever they end up, they will be able to eventually confront Dahak."

None of the gods spoke or attempted an argument. What could they say? If the Fates said that this was the only way, then what could they do? Not even the gods escaped the word of the Fates. None of them liked this, but they had no choice. As a whole, they agreed to the plan. It had to be done.

Zeus then ordered them to the chamber where Hercules and Iolaus slept. The gods formed a ring around the barrier, with Zeus at the head. He held his hands out and concentrated, using the method the Fates had instructed him to use. Within the barrier, the sleeping men glowed with a light that shone pure white. Then Zeus and all the gods dispelled the barrier and the suspension. The two men slept on, but the white aura was quickly becoming dull and tainted. They had no time to lose.

Calling on all of their power, Zeus channeled it and directed it toward the fabric of time and reality. With considerable force, a tear was ripped and a portal opened. The vortex opened above the twin alters, swirling and settling in place, though not for long. This vortex was not like the other one that had opened up to the alternate world. It was a dark purple, which swirled with a quiet, dangerous force. The gods were using all of their strength to hold it open and to keep themselves from flying into it.

Upon the altars, the small protection was waning. The change Zeus had made to the curse was weakening. There was no time left. With a mighty heave of power, Zeus hefted the two into the vortex. There was a dangerous clapping of thunder that not even Zeus had the caliber to conjure. The two men flew into the vortex, vanishing as it closed.

When the vortex was closed and the tear sealed, the gods collapsed. They had been weakened by the attempt, but they would recover. Soon they would be restored to their former glory and they would reclaim their place on Olympus and the world. Their worries and their concerns lay instead with the two heroes who had vanished into the vortex to an unknown world.

There was no noise in the chamber as the vortex closed from any of the gods, besides the sound of Aphrodite crying on Hephaestus' shoulder. Persephone herself was near tears and clutching her husband like a lifeline. Aphrodite turned to her father entreatingly, but he regarded her with a stony gaze. Hephaestus led his sobbing wife from the room. Hades and Persephone soon followed them. Even Discord was shaken by the event and was offering not even a scowl.

The gods left the chamber one by one, until only Zeus remained. Ares had been the last to leave. Before he did, he shared a good long look with his father. Ares was no fool and neither was Zeus. But Zeus' glare and posture would take no argument or comment. Ares left without a word, but the God of War knew that Zeus understood Ares' stare. That vortex had taken so much of their power. It would take some time before their full powers were restored. They had no idea where they had sent Hercules and Iolaus, through a portal that had taken so much power to open. The vortex and ripped right into the fabric of reality and a level of which not even the other portal had. There was no way to tell where they had sent them, and there was no way they could search even if they did open it again. There would be heated denials and many gods looking the other way and ignoring it, but eventually the truth would become clear.

Zeus stood in the chamber for many moments even after all the gods had left. Ares knew, and possibly other gods but they would deny it. There was no way they could conjure up that much power again. A vortex of that caliber could not be called in this realm again without ripping the fabric of reality and spelling doom for all worlds.

For Zeus, it was heart breaking. He knew that his son's friends would question, plead and beg for answers. He knew that he would tell Alcmene, and that she would tell the others. He knew that once the truth had sunk in, there would be much grieving in the world by gods and mortals alike. But there had been no other way. Even the Fates could not tell them what would lie before his sons, one of blood and the other of his heart. He knew that by now their threads had vanished from the tapestry, an omen that did not bode well for anyone.

Zeus left the chamber, sealing it behind him. He would never want to enter this room again, not after it had once housed two beings that had been so dear to him. There would be much mourning in the world already; he did not need the extra incentive. Besides, he had other things to attend to.

One god, however, lingered near the sealed room. She dared not to break the seal, and thereby anger Zeus. She did not have the power to undo this seal even if she wished it. But Athena was not completely powerless. True, at the present moment she could see no way for her brother and the warrior to return. Such a feat as they had just done was nearly impossible to do again. But that did not mean that was the only way.

With a wave of her hand, she altered the barrier Zeus had left on the chamber. It would not remove it or weaken it, nor would any other god sense the change. This new alteration would let Athena know of any change to the room, including if Hercules and Iolaus were to return.

Athena gave a small smile. She was determined to find a way to locate Hercules and Iolaus, and bring them home. No one else would know of her efforts. She wanted to keep this as secret as possible, especially from Ares. She would not stop trying. She had a very long time. Hercules was immortal, his birthright as a Son of Zeus. This meant, she knew, that Iolaus too, was immortal. She was unsure how this had come about. She had a few theories on the matter, however. She was fully aware of the bond her half brother shared with Iolaus. Any minor deity could see that the two were bonded in such a way that not even death could separate them. They were not simply two men, two souls. They were one being, one soul, inseparable even in death.

Hercules may not have been entirely fond of his Olympian family, but Athena had always had a soft spot for her half brother and his friend. They had gotten along, since Athena was one of the few gods who helped mankind instead of ruling it. The goddess smiled fondly as she remembered the shy, chestnut haired boy she had had the pleasure of meeting not too long ago, at least by immortal standards. Even now, years later the crudely drawn picture depicting a goddess in armor, holding a spear and with a shape that looked vaguely like an owl, still hung in her private chamber on Olympus.

Athena hurriedly wiped the tears that were falling down her cheeks and molded her expression into one of grave determination. She would find a way to bring them home. She was not the Goddess of Wisdom for nothing.

Zeus paced his throne room, unsure of his next course of action. It was a rare moment in his existence when this sort of thing happened to him, that he was frightened of what he needed to do. In actuality he didn't have to do this. He was King of the Gods. But he owed it to her, to the mother of his favored son. He knew full well how Alcmene was going to take the news, and he dreaded being the one to tell her. But it had to come from him, not anyone else. He cared for Alcmene still, and despaired hurting her like this.

He thought back to his conversation with the Fates, and the information they had given him.

There were three Fates who weaved the tapestry of life. Clotho, who spun the threads that gave all living things life; Lachesis, who weaved the threads into the tapestry; and Atropos, who cut the threads with her shears. None of them stirred or was deterred from their work as Zeus materialized in their chamber.

"The Sky God has arrived at last." Lachesis remarked as she worked the threads into the tapestry.

Atropos chuckled as she fingered her shears. "About time he did."

Zeus strode forward. "Then you know why I have come." The Fates said nothing. He continued. "We cannot combat whatever Dahak has done to Hercules and Iolaus. He should have been defeated but-"

"Dahak is not of this realm." Lachesis interrupted. "Even we do not know the full extent of his powers, or of his origins. He is darkness, not a being that can be beaten or destroyed as you claim. He has departed from this realm, but his influence still remains in the hearts of mortals, and gods as well."

Clotho continued as her sister stopped. "Not even the power of the entire Greek pantheon can stop the curse which the demon has wrought upon your son and his soul mate."

"Then what can help?" Zeus was nearing his wits end. His son and Iolaus had been put into a suspension where they slept peacefully but it wouldn't last.

Lachesis beckoned Zeus over to her side. When he complied, she pointed to the enormous tapestry. "Look upon it, Sky God. I wish to show you something." The tapestry was a beautiful sight to behold. Countless threads were woven into a strange pattern only the Fates could understand. Zeus scoured the tapestry, wondering what the Fate wished to show him.

Lachesis wordlessly pointed to one of the threads. As Zeus gazed upon it, he saw that it was a beautiful combination of bronze and gold, shining with a glow that was so rare in the tapestry. The Zeus did a double take as he realized that the thread was thicker than the others. It was actually two threads, woven so tightly together that he had thought that it was one. The two threads were so woven into one another that it was hard to tell where one ended and another began. Zeus knew instinctively who the threads represented.

Atropos approached Zeus. "That gold one has caused us quite some grief, dying and coming back. You are responsible for the first, you know. So much trouble you gave us with that time altering bit."

Zeus said nothing; only smiled. Clotho also smiled. "Those two belong together. Soul mates from the moment they were born. Neither one is complete without the other. You must already know this, Zeus."

He nodded. "Yes, I know of this."

Atropos snorted. "Good. It saves some explaining." She turned her stern gaze upon the god. Atropos never quite forgave Zeus for the trouble he had caused with that time travel issue. It annoyed her that gods thought they were above the hands of the Fates. Showed how much they knew, especially with this Dahak business.

Lachesis picked up where her sister left off. "As you can see by the dulling light of their threads, Dahak's curse is consuming them. The curse is simply this: a madness that will consume their minds entirely. There is no cure, no medicine that they can be given. Once the curse takes hold, they will be reduced to nothing more than mindless beasts for as long as they live."

The news was worse than Zeus expected. He felt fear, fear for his son and the mortal who had pledged his life to Hercules. "Is there anything that can be done?" His tone was not that of the King of the Gods, but as a father frightened for his children.

Not all that surprised at the god's reaction, the Fates kept a neutral, disinterested air. "There is." Clotho said. "They cannot fight the curse in this reality, so they must go to another one."

Zeus turned to the Fate, shocked. Before he could say anything, Atropos spoke. "They cannot go to that alternate world. It is too similar to this one. For them to have a fighting chance, you must open a portal that goes beyond the fabric of this reality." Zeus was thunderstruck, pun intended.

Lachesis took up the conversation. "Such a feat would require at least the major gods to accomplish. You would not be able to control where they go, however, and you would be rendered weak for quite some time."

But Zeus read between the lines, at what the Fates were really saying. "If we were to do this, they wouldn't come back. Such a feat wouldn't be able to be conjured again without serious repercussions."

Clotho looked up from her weaving, giving the sky god a sympathetic smile. Zeus stood there for moments, staring at the two threads that were wound so tightly together. For one of the rarest moments in his life, Zeus felt regret. Regret for his ignorance of the foul demon, regret for not being able to better help his son and the mortal he claimed to love as a son. But if they were to have a chance, he must take it. He owed them, more and twice over. If he had to, he would order the pantheon to do this.

But there was one thing that confused him. "How would they be able to fight the curse once it takes over? I gather just because they are in another reality the curse will not go away."

The Fates nodded, and suddenly Zeus' hands glowed a bright, pure white. The glow faded and he stared at the three sisters, confused. Lachesis answered. "This will allow you to alter the curse. This power we give you is older even than your grandfather, Uranus. It is as old as the force which all life sprung, perhaps even beyond that." Zeus stared at his hands, stunned.

Atropos continued. "The madness cannot be taken from them, but it can be repressed and altered. The curse would have made them no better than animals. So, this alteration will do something similar."

Clotho continued. "By day, Iolaus shall be a man, and walk upon the earth in that form and Hercules will walk it as a beast. By night, Hercules shall walk the earth as a man, Iolaus as the beast. Once they are gone from here, the alteration will take effect. Use it before you open the portal of course."

Zeus swallowed. He had one more question. "How will being animals help them?"

Lachesis smiled, as if she knew a great secret Zeus did not…which was most likely true. "The animal egos counteract the madness, giving them an outlet, so to speak. They shall be so at different times for the sake of balance. The curse flows from their bond, so they must balance the burden. When they are human, it is up to their wills to fight the madness, though it is considerably easier with the alteration to unburden most of it. It will be no different than how Hercules has always watched his strength to keep it under control. As for when they are beasts they may keep some of their human mind, but it will be up to them and their strength." She turned and looked directly at him. "I would not worry."

His visit with the Fates had saved the lives of Hercules and Iolaus. Though he knew the world would suffer from their absence soon. Some may wish to know what alterations Zeus made to the curse; others would soon voice their complaints about their absence. That Fates had also warned him that once they were gone, their threads would vanish from their tapestry and not even the Fates would know what would lie in store for the two. But the deed had been done. He must now deal with the consequences.

He stopped his pacing as a disheveled Aphrodite appeared in his throne room. "Daddy! We have to talk." The goddess had been crying for quite some time. Zeus remained silent, but he had an idea of why she was here. "This is completely unacceptable and unfair!" She stalked up to Zeus, who stood silent. "You knew! You knew that this would take up almost every ounce of power we had! You knew we wouldn't be able to do that again! How was what we did supposed to help Herc and Iolaus! All we did was sentence them to a lifetime in a foreign world! How is that helping them! How are we supposed to help them! How are we supposed to bring them back?" When Zeus remained silent, Aphrodite's eyes filled with water and her voice dropped to a whisper. "We can't get them back, can we? How could you do that? How could you sentence your son and a mortal who you claimed to love just the same to a destiny not even the Fates can foresee? How could-"

"Aphrodite, be silent." Zeus' voice remained low and steady, but Aphrodite could sense the undercurrent of power and authority. She was immediately silent. "This will not be discussed further. We did what had to be done. There will be no further discussion. Now leave." Zeus' tone left no room for argument. Fresh tears were cascading down Aphrodite's cheeks as she left.

Zeus took a deep breath, then teleported from Olympus and down to Earth. He stood in the middle of Alcmene's beautiful garden. Zeus smiled. Alcmene's work could rival even the gods when it came to her garden. His smile disappeared as his gaze turned to the house. This was no pleasurable visit.

He drew himself up, the image of the King of the Gods. He remained in the center of the garden as Jason ambled from the house, a basket in his arms.

Jason stopped short at seeing Zeus in the walkway. His eyes widened and he dropped the basket he was holding. He turned back to the house and shouted, "Alcmene! Zeus is here!" He turned back to the god, pale and breathing quickly. Alcmene ran from the house to stand by Jason. She clutched her husband in anticipation as Zeus approached the couple. Neither mortal was assured by the god's stoic expression.

Alcmene took a deep breath. "Zeus, my sons? Hercules, Iolaus?" She stopped, her emotions starting to take a toll on her. Jason held his wife's hand and patted it comfortingly.

"What she means is," he continued for her. "Are they alright? Are they coming back? What happened to them?"

Zeus regarded the two mortals sadly before delivering the news. "No. They will not be coming back."

Jason and Alcmene stood in mute shock, tears running freely down Alcmene's cheeks. Jason had paled considerably and was in no better condition than his wife. "What are talking about? Are they, are they…"

Zeus shook his head. "No, to our knowledge they are very much alive. But they are no longer in this plain, nor are they in the alternate world."

"Then where are my sons?!" Alcmene screeched. Jason held her back as she tried to leap for Zeus. "What's wrong with them? What aren't you telling us?" The woman cried as she began to break down.

Zeus' eyes mirrored her sadness. "Dahak cursed them, using powers none of us could counter. The Fates informed me that there was a way to undo it, but it could not be done in this reality."

As understanding began to dawn on the two mortals, Jason found that he was growing angry as he realized how this tragedy had befallen them. "Dahak was destroyed! We beat him! We saved Iolaus and we beat him! How could he have cursed them?"

"Dahak is not from this reality. His powers and his origins go beyond even our understanding. Though he no longer holds sway in this realm he does hold some influence. It was through this influence and his weakened bond with Iolaus that he was able to curse them with madness. It would have consumed their minds entirely. The only way for them to combat it was for me to alter the curse, which only would have held if we sent them from this plain."

Alcmene continued to sob, speechless at what Zeus was telling her. Her boys were gone? This could not be happening. Not after all of this. All of their fighting, all of their suffering, and Dahak had the last laugh.

Zeus continued on. "The Fates informed me of how to alter the curse, and I have done so. It took the power of all the major gods and many minor ones to open the appropriate portal. With them gone from this plain, they are able to fight the curse. With time, they may find a way to break it and confront Dahak."

Both mortals stood silent. Then Jason swallowed, asking the questions no one wanted to ask. "Where are they? When will they come back?"

When Zeus remained silent, both mortals had their answer. Alcmene finally broke down, sobbing uncontrollably in Jason's arms. Her legs would no longer support her and she sagged, her husband supporting her. Jason too, was crying and holding on to his wife for all he was worth. Zeus had left the two to their mourning, tears cascading down from his own eyes.

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