Revenge

by Chrysim

When sinister strangers endanger family and friends, Iolaus comes face-to-face with terrors from his own mysterious past.

REVENGE

by Chrysim



It stood to reason that occasionally Hercules and Iolaus found it necessary to separate to better respond to the relentless cries for help.

So it was that Iolaus found himself solo when the troubles in Montori, a small mountain village in a nearby province, began.

When Darius, mayor of Montori, came to Thebes seeking assistance he was told by everybody he met to find Iolaus.

Eventually Darius found himself in the Casa del Amea tavern which belonged to Markos, Iolaus's older brother.

After Darius explained that he was looking for Iolaus to request his help, Markos smiled, " You're in luck, my friend. My brother's partnership with Hercules keeps him very busy. Iolaus is never home for long. We're lucky if we see him twice a year. But as it just so happens, Iolaus is in Thebes now. Even if nobody else will help you, my brother will. "

The door opened and everybody in the tavern greeted the young man who entered. Markos said needlessly, " That's him now. "

Iolaus was of average height but that was all that was average about him. He had a lean, powerful body that was solid muscle without being muscular. Iolaus was clearly athletic and moved with a confident, relaxed vigour.

His boyish features, ready smile and infectious laughter belied his reputation as an esteemed warrior. In his clear blue eyes Darius saw a good man, strong enough to fight for his convictions.

Iolaus listened to Darius's story and immediately volunteered, " Of course I'll go back with you and try to find out what's going on. ", he said forthrightly, " You can tell me all about it on the way. "

Iolaus remembered the village fondly from his childhood when he'd spent summers there with his aunt and uncle. It was a place of good, hard-working, honest people and he was anxious to help them any way he could.

Iolaus even recalled Darius himself. In those days Darius had been a teacher and Iolaus's restless, super-active nature had often tried his patience.

As they walked through Thebes, Iolaus tried to explain why he'd so infrequently visited Montori, " Since my aunt Adrianna and uncle Trybor passed away there seemed no reason to visit Montori anymore. ", Iolaus said sadly, " It's been such a long time. I don't even know if my cousins Eulaya or Sylvana still live there. Besides, they're married by now, you know, with a dozen kids and enough problems of their own. Last thing they need is a long-lost cousin popping up to complicate things. "

Darius wasn't at all sure Iolaus was talking about his cousins in Montori anymore, " It was your cousin Eulaya who suggested I come to Thebes, Iolaus. We may be off the beaten track but we aren't totally out of touch. Everybody in Montori has heard of Hercules AND of you, too. As for Sylvana, she lives in Hemnolas now. She doesn't visit much either. ", he interposed.

Iolaus laughed and gave up. He had no real excuse for neglecting his relatives and he knew it. It'd just eased his conscience temporarily to pretend he did.

While he was speaking, Darius studied this self-assured young man with the wavy riot of long golden hair carefully. He remembered him as an hyperactive, mischievous, fearless boy well enough. He also recalled that, even as a young boy, Iolaus had exhibited flashes of greatness to come.

Trybor clearly believed that Skorrus, his adopted brother, was unique which in turn meant his nephews, Markos and Iolaus, were special, too.

Darius remembered Trybor saying once, ' We never knew where Skorrus came from or who he was but even as a boy, he was a born warrior. A leader of men. There was never a doubt that he would be famous. Markos is just like his father and is a fine soldier in King Thermopoli's army but Iolaus... He will be more than a general someday. The gods have plans for that boy. Mark my words. '

Darius smiled. Trybor would be proud of the man Iolaus had become.

Iolaus was indeed more than just a general. He was a legend in Thebes, his home town, where his kind and protective nature was well known.

Wherever he went, Iolaus made a strong impression one way or another. His passionate, exuberant, caring personality made him easy to like. It was his curious, impetuous and audacious character, however, that usually got him into trouble.

Although Iolaus could take care of himself very well, he was always more concerned with everyone else. That was perhaps his most endearing quality of all.

Though he wasn't as tall or as big as his legendary partner Hercules, Iolaus was dynamic, strong and very quick. His infinite energy and indomitable spirit together with his exceptional courage and dexterity in battle were the foundation for his justifiable notoriety.

He was the kind of fighter who made enemies wish he was on their side.

He was clever too, much more than he ever let on. Darius had been his teacher afterall and had seen his intelligence firsthand. He was pleased to learn that it hadn't gone to waste. Perhaps he was no philosopher or verbose intellectual but His brand of genius literally saved lives.

On the trek to Montori, Darius gave Iolaus the details of the trouble awaiting him.

Near Montori was an ancient fortress so well built that even though it had been abandoned for decades, it was still in remarkable condition. Iolaus remembered it well. Afew weeks before, some mysterious strangers had taken up residence in the place and suddenly very bad things had started to happen in Montori.

People began to act weird, as if in trances. Some wandered around the village babbling incoherently while others seemed frozen to the spot, unblinking, unknowing, unresponsive to anything around them.

Unearthly moaning and cries of agony were heard nightly from the castle.

Few dared to venture out day or night for fear of falling victim to the evil spell many believed had been cast on Montori by the sinister people in the old stronghold.

In recent days, conditions had become even more bizarre.

Lightning and thunder startled people in the middle of cloudless sunny days.

Savage winds shrieked through Montori causing havoc on otherwise breezeless summer evenings.

Enormous hailstones pummelled the countryside destroying homes and inflicting stinging injuries on those too slow to find shelter in time.

Most disturbing of all, people from Montori had begun to disappear.

Even allowing for the usual exaggeration, Iolaus grew steadily more worried as they neared Montori. He was totally unsure of the nature of the problems affecting the village but he refused to allow superstition to get the better of him.

There had to be an intelligent answer for what had been going on. Either that or perhaps the gods were indulging in yet another irresponsible exhibition of their total contempt for the lives and welfare of mere mortals.

By noon the next day the two weary travellers were within sight of Montori when the previously sunny sky inexplicably began to darken rapidly. The winds became wild.

Iolaus could barely see in the gathering darkness but he thought he caught a glimpse of something in the sky during a brilliant flash of lightning. Though it'd only been a very fleeting impression, it was enough to stimulate his impeccable sixth sense -- even if he didn't quite know what it was that he'd seen.

Instinctively he directed Darius towards a nearby outcropping of boulders.

Thunder roared and awesome bolts of lightning ripped the roiling black clouds overhead. Iolaus had never known weather to change so drastically in so scant a period of time. Darius was terrified and he couldn't blame him. This was very, very strange.

Iolaus unsheathed his sword and took a defensive position while entreating the unarmed and frightened mayor to squeeze himself deeper into the sanctuary of the huge rock pile.

Iolaus strained to see in the intermittent darkness but he heard them arrive well before he saw them. He steeled himself for the assault while every nerve in his body reverberated with fear... Fear which a natural fighter like Iolaus used to energise actions and sharpen presence of mind.

Though he still couldn't see well, his vision had adjusted sufficiently to the meagre light to be able to scrutinise his immediate surroundings. Large shapes seemed to be lumbering closer. Odd hissing and unpleasant growling sounds were echoing all around them.

Lightning split the sky, momentarily illuminating a mass of creatures the likes of which Iolaus had never set eyes on before.

They were big, with the teeth and claws of some fearsome monster, scaly hides and wings of dragon. The fires of hell burned in their evil eyes!

Any other mortal would've run at first sight of them but Iolaus gritted his teeth and stood his ground although he realised that his position was untenable.

He knew the countryside fairly well for as a child he'd spent many hours adventuring with his cousins through these mountains and forests. He only hoped he remembered things as well as he thought he did.

Without looking in his direction, he called to his friend, "Darius, listen to me! I'm going to lead these 'things' away from here. Stay put and you'll be safe. "

With that, Iolaus launched himself vigorously at the enemy.

While they were large and bellicose, they were also very slow and clumsy. Against Iolaus's agility and quickness, their weaknesses were fatal flaws.

Without as much as a scratch he hacked his way right through their ranks, dealing death and ruin with every stroke.

His onslaught thoroughly drew the creatures towards him and away from his helpless friend as he'd intended.

To the west Iolaus recalled there was a precipice that overlooked a lake far below.

Sheathing his blood-soaked sword, he dashed into the wilderness with the infuriated demons hot on his heels.

The pitch-black woodland was an obstacle course of fallen trees, boulders, brambles and hazardous brooks all cascading down an ever increasingly steep incline towards the abrupt cliff edge.

Iolaus's headstart allowed him to slow down alittle so he was able to negotiate with more care than those chasing him could. As he ran, he heard them crashing and tumbling crazily through the forest. Many were injured and couldn't continue the pursuit and still others became lost and disoriented in this foreign, hostile environment.

It was a strategy that was working better than he'd dared to hope it would. Almost too well.

Finally Iolaus skidded to a precarious halt on the treacherous escarpment. Gasping from his arduous flight, he peered warily into the darkness below. The lake seemed alot smaller and he seemed to be much higher than he remembered.

He was thinking that perhaps his plan wasn't such a great idea afterall when his choices became academic. He wheeled to face the horde of extremely provoked fiends that suddenly had him surrounded!

Even as he drew his sword something told Iolaus that this was going to be a far different fight than the first had been. His footing here was very unstable and he therefore couldn't move with his usual speed. He delivered several decent blows before being blindsided.

He hit the ground heavily face-first but rolled over just as one of the brutes was about to seize him. With all his strength, Iolaus plunged his sword deep into the creature. The mortally wounded beast recoiled in pain and fell backwards with Iolaus's weapon still impaled in it, over the cliff.

Iolaus was up on his feet again by then. With only a simple dagger for a weapon, he backed away from the advancing monsters. Hand-to-hand combat was suicide for he knew that his flesh and bone would be no match against their tough scales.

Loath as he was to retreat, it was now his only hope for survival.

Iolaus turned and ran, hurling himself blindly off the reassuring firmness of terra firma into the inky void below.

His multitude of foes immediately followed, their massive wing-beats even drowning out the thunder.

Roughly twelve feet below the cliff edge, completely hidden in the darkness, Iolaus lay still on a narrow ledge. Some of the beasts passed within feet of him as he clung to his precarious refuge, heart thudding wildly, but he wasn't discovered.

He'd vividly recalled this particular cliff with its recessed ledge from a similar prank he'd played on an irate childhood bully.

When he could no longer hear their wing-beats, Iolaus carefully inched his way along the ledge towards the mountainside where it widened. As he prepared to climb the rocky, root-latticed cliff face, he was relieved to notice the weather rapidly reverting to normal.

By the time he pulled himself back onto the cliff top, the sun was once more shining brightly.

For an indulgent moment Iolaus lay in the warm sunshine. Then he rolled to his feet and vanished into the forest. He made excellent time once he'd assured himself that none of those creatures were anywhere in the woods lying in ambush.

He approached the outcropping with first caution and then consternation. There wasn't a sign that there'd ever been any trouble at that spot.

Not a drop of blood.

Not a single corpse.

Iolaus knew he'd killed atleast some but where were their bodies?

They certainly hadn't impressed him as being conscientious enough to carry their fallen members away with them.

Darius wasn't in the niche in the rock pile so Iolaus assumed he'd made a successful escape when the coast was clear.

Squinting against the blazing sun, Iolaus gazed up at a not too distant ridge. Above the treetops he could see the grey parapets of the castle perched there. Perhaps he didn't know what those creatures were but he knew atleast where they'd come from.

Several moments later he passed the rustic sign that marked the village of Montori. It was a helter-skelter collection of simple farm houses and huts scattered on both sides of the valley. A narrow, dusty road meandered through it like a thin brown snake.

Iolaus was in serious need of nourishment. Montori had only one tavern and he made a beeline for it. As he opened the rickety door, a large section of the roof caved in unceremoniously.

Iolaus closed his eyes and counted to ten. Evidently this was just NOT going to be his day.

Montori was hauntingly quiet. Though he scrutinised his surroundings with care, Iolaus didn't see a living soul. Following the drama of recent events, he was pretty certain the people had fled into the relative safety of the forests.

Pausing to draw some water from the village well, Iolaus sighed deeply.

His experience with magic, sorcerors and related phenomena in the past weren't pleasant recollections.

Actually, if he considered what he'd just lived through, magic of any kind was now emphatically off his list of fun activities.

The creaking of a shop plaque drew his attention.

He opened the door to the smithy carefully but the roof remained intact. There was nobody inside.

Iolaus tried a few swords haphazardly strewn about the place but he liked none of them. Instead he decided to re-string the best bow he could find in the shop. There were plenty of arrows to choose from but he limited himself to an even dozen because that was all he could afford.

He was just leaving the armoury when his foot kicked something hidden under the dirty straw that covered the floor.

Crouching to examine it, Iolaus was intrigued to find a large, intricately serrated disk-shaped weapon known as a shirikin. He hadn't seen a weapon like it since his days in the East.

Shirikins were used by an elite class of warrior in the enigmatic lands where Iolaus had learned his unique brand of hand-to-hand martial arts. Such a weapon could come in handy so he slipped it into a hidden pocket on the inside of his vest.

The sun was hot as he knelt stealthily underneath a tree by the river which marked the town limits of Montori.

Taking an arrow from his quiver, Iolaus leaned carefully over the bank. In the shaded, still waters he saw several fish gathered there to get out of the hot mid- afternoon sun.

Selecting his target, Iolaus utilised the arrow like a very short spear. Driven by hunger and guided by discipline his aim was true.

He sat back against the tree and admired his catch of the day. With a few judicious cuts to remove skin and bones, Iolaus devoured the fish raw.

It was another singular memento of his years in the East. Nobody in Greece or anywhere else in the Mediterranean ate sushi. Iolaus considered it a practical resource for times like this when he was too hungry to even cook the food.

Closing his eyes, he went seemingly to sleep but his mind was busy devising a plan to get into -- AND OUT OF -- that mountain keep.

It was sundown when Iolaus opened his eyes. Yawning and stretching he stood up, slipped his quiver over his shoulder and began walking along the river bank.

He'd remembered just prior to falling fast asleep that this river was fed by a waterfall that was almost directly below the fortress.

Behind its cascading waters, the original occupants of the old castle had excavated a cavern that included tunnels that connected to several areas within the walls of that structure. Therefore, during a siege, the occupants had covert access to water and escape. Iolaus couldn't recall ever hearing whether the castle had ever been under siege or not but it was a standard strategy for any garrison even these days.

As a fearless boy, Iolaus had regularly explored those tunnels. There'd been the normal rumours of hidden treasure and dreadful demons but he'd never discovered either in his investigations.

The moon was full and bright as Iolaus walked deeper into the forests. He was quite accustomed to travel both by night and through dense woodlands. His eyes and ears missed nothing. His step was quick and imperceptible as he reached the pool where the water fell from the mountainside in an unending cacophony of tinkling splashes. Pausing only to slip his bow over his other shoulder, Iolaus vanished into the shadows.

Iolaus wasn't sure if the current occupants of the castle were aware of these tunnels so he proceeded with caution.

In the back of his mind he was trying to decide whether the earlier incident was a coincidence or a deliberate pre-emptive strike against him? He thought it was conceivable that whomever had mastery of those beasts also had other powers. Like being able to foresee trouble long before its advent.

Trouble like him.

Another nagging question imposed itself. Just where did those corpses at the outcropping vanish?

Iolaus found an old torch and quickly lit it. The tunnels seemed alot smaller and claustrophobic than he remembered. He examined the ground and was sure that nobody had walked in these catacombs for a very long time.

It was humid and very quiet as Iolaus diligently wended his way towards the castle and backwards in time.

As a boy, he'd spent alot of time playing in the old fortress. Even then he'd wondered why it was there. It served no military purpose for any invading army would've stayed in the valley, miles from the fortress. If it'd been intended as a lookout, then it was the most elaborate lookout established anywhere.

Iolaus favoured the notion that it'd been built as a final refuge by one of the warlords who'd misused this territory in the not so distant past.

It'd never seen any action, of that Iolaus was positive. Perhaps that was why it was still in such great condition.

His thoughts returned to its present residents. Who were these guys? How had they come to even know of this place? What was their purpose? Iolaus knew only that they were definitely not very friendly.

There were three exits from the underground passage. One was a ladder which led up into the stables. The second was an ingeniously disguised portal which let into the dungeons. The third led into a small cavern in the adjacent forest.

Iolaus came upon the ladder exit first. He noticed immediately the telltale signs of recent traffic in this area. He opted to bypass the ladder and moved on to the dungeon entry.

He wasn't surprised to find that this egress was apparently undiscovered. Its wooden door had been covered in clay plaster to mimic its surroundings exactly. Even Iolaus had a little trouble before he was able to distinguish it from the rest of the dull brown earthen tunnel walls.

Quietly tamping out the torch, he surreptitiously crept into the dungeon. It was faintly illuminated by a few torches flickering in the cold, dank, pungent air. Iolaus could hear the moans of its inmates as they fidgeted in their sleep.

The sounds and smells weren't foreign to him. He'd spent far too much time in similar conditions and the memories were anything but nostalgic. The less time he loitered in this place, the better.

With a natural aptitude for moving without being heard or seen Iolaus made optimum use of shadows, pillars, crates, barrels and every available nook and cranny in the prison to conceal his trek from one end of it to the other.

It seemed, unfortunately, that it wouldn't be a fruitful journey. The only door out of there was bolted. Less than six feet away there sat four brawny guards arguing over the card game they were playing.

Just as he was about to retrace his tracks to try another approach, there was an impatient pounding on the door. It was hurriedly unbolted to allow another soldier to enter. He was evidently a senior officer and the others immediately gave him their undivided attention.

That was all Iolaus needed to slip out of his hiding place and dart through the open door.

He found himself in a large torture chamber. Some of the odious contraptions stirred long buried and very disturbing memories in him.

He shook his head and chastised himself for losing focus. Nostalgia had its place and time but it wasn't here or now.

There were several doors radiating from the pit and Iolaus chose the closest simply because he wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible.

As he started down a narrow corridor, he heard the scuff of approaching feet. Going back was out of the question so he opened a nearby door and slipped inside with only seconds to spare.

It was a cold storage room. Iolaus lost no time dashing up a flight of stairs into a small kitchen. Because of the hour, it was deserted.

In fact, as Iolaus made his way softly down corridors and through rooms, the entire castle seemed to be empty. There were no guards or sentries anywhere inside. Except for the people he'd seen in the cellars, there were no other persons in the whole castle.

It was strange. He couldn't believe that just a handful of soldiers were responsible for the weird events stemming from this place.

As if in response to his musings, Iolaus detected a loud, chillingly familiar din from outside the castle.

Spying from a window overlooking a central courtyard, he saw ominous black shapes descending from the cloudless night skies to land amidst several bonfires blazing below in the castle yard.

As he watched in fascination, the same nightmare creatures he'd fought and fled from only hours before, transformed into their original human forms.

Even in the unreliable firelight Iolaus could tell that these men were not Greek nor of any other race in the Mediterranean region.

Their sallow complexions and distinctive slanted eyes weren't a novelty to Iolaus though. He'd travelled to and lived in their far off land many years before.

Few here had ever seen men from that part of the world, however, because the Orientals very rarely left their homeland.

These weren't average everyday men either.

On each of their foreheads in blood-red dye was a snake - the sign of Chan. It was the symbol of a cult of ancient sorcerors known as Chan-Gao. They drank human blood, made human sacrifices and practiced other gruesome cabalistic rites.

In the East they were hated and despised as heinous acolytes of Chan -- the snake god of the Underworld and the Dead. Wherever there were Chan-Gao, there was soon plague, war, epidemic, madness and riot.

Iolaus felt the hairs on the nape of his neck prickle with this revelation and a shiver raced down his spine. An oppressive sense of unease began to grow in the pit of his stomach.

Once he'd been ambushed and taken prisoner by a band of Chan-Gao. They'd tried to force him to become one of their disciples. His blonde hair and blue eyes were unique features in their land. For some reason the Chan-Gao considered him a portend or godsend. Yet the more they'd pressured him to join, the more fiercely he'd resisted.

His defiance and resolve had been profoundly tested by their sinister ability to brainwash people. The Chan-Gao used a program of harsh, unrelenting mental and emotional torment to assail and break down the strongest will.

In the end, with steely determination and mental guile, Iolaus had succeeded in defeating the Chan-Gao sect that'd tried to assimilate him. While they'd believed he was joining them, Iolaus had instead plotted an escape.

As he'd made his bid for freedom, the mortally wounded leader of the Chan- Gao had warned him that someday he'd pay the price for his deception.

Those words had haunted Iolaus for a long time.

The Chan-Gao were a mysterious and powerful evil society. It wasn't easy to dismiss any threat made by them. He'd seen firsthand the terrible acts of which they were capable.

Iolaus's blood ran cold as he realised that these Chan-Gao were here to exact Chan's revenge on him!

They were beginning to enter the castle. Iolaus was on a gallery which skirted the vast meeting hall two storeys below.

Overlooking the grand hall was a massive alabaster statue of Artemis. Iolaus crouched in the shadows it cast where he could see most of the crowd, including the dias from where the cult leader was about to address them.

He caught the aromatic scent of incense as the group parted to allow a party of terrified women and children to be dragged before the leader. Iolaus readied his bow as he strained to hear what was being said.

" You have been chosen by the servants of mighty Chan to either join us in his service or to placate his appetite. The terror which afflicts you all now can be cured," the hooded leader said in a voice carefully modulated to be heeded but not feared.

A smoking decanter was held close to the tear-streaked face of one particularly hysterical woman. As she inhaled the fumes, her tears and sobbing ceased.

Iolaus hung his head sadly, recognising the blank expression which now replaced her distressed features.

Chan-Gaoists were expert herbalists. They knew how to manipulate mind and emotion through the application of certain herbs and potions.

Iolaus had felt the incapacitating affects of such lenitives himself. It'd taken a tremendous effort to break its hold on him. He understood completely that most people, without some help, just couldn't fight it.

Helplessly Iolaus watched as one after another of the captives were drugged into a zombie-like state.

He was sorely tempted to intervene but there were just too many enemies. In the melée that certainly would've followed any attack he made, the ones he sought to rescue would be in even more danger.

This was a reconnaisance mission not a rescue attempt. Once he had a plan, then he'd be back with a vengeance. This was no time to be reckless.

The sedated prisoners were lead out of the hall and Iolaus was about to follow. Casting a last glance at the people still assembled in the hall, Iolaus was distracted when the cult leader folded back the cloak's hood to reveal the face of a woman.

" I, Lin Don, daughter of Shing Don, faithful priestess of Chan, command you. These are the wishes of our master. The golden-haired warrior we seek evades us still. The people we have taken to entice him here have told us that he is brave. Yet he has not tried to rescue them. So we must hunt him down ourselves."

Iolaus marveled at her voice for it was neither masculine nor feminine in tone but it was authoritative. She was unusually tall for an Oriental. Her eyes were dark with long lashes and seemed very big against her ghostly white skin. She had long, straight raven hair that gleamed like polished obsidian in the torch-light.

" Prepare yourselves well. This time he must not escape. Chan grows impatient for the sweet taste of revenge. ", Lin Don concluded. The assembly began to disperse.

Iolaus had heard and learned more than enough. Going back the way he'd come would be suicide. Looking out the same window as before he noted that now, not surprisingly, there were sentries everywhere. The bonfires, however, had been extinguished. About ten feet from the window ran a portion of the castle battlements. Beyond lay the velvety black curtain of the forests.

Iolaus was just climbing out onto the window sill when a sentry just arriving on the gallery inside caught a hint of movement at the window. He immediately shouted and sentries on the castle battlements and down below in the enclosure began to converge on Iolaus.

Several arrows clicked against the stone of wall and sill as Iolaus launched himself into the warm night air. He'd scarcely landed on the reassuringly solid ramparts when two of the sentinels were upon him.

Iolaus sidestepped the first, kicking him almost offhandedly from the narrow pediments as he blocked the sword thrust of the second soldier, ramming the weapon up into his face and stunning him. Then Iolaus shoved the man into the path of several oncoming comrades whereupon they all fell in a hopeless heap. Iolaus wasted no time making the final jump of his escape as arrows whistled all around him.

The river that ran alongside the castle walls and became the musical waterfall wasn't very deep but it served as the perfect landing in comparison to that of earth and stone. The ice cold waters chilled Iolaus to the bone but didn't deter him at all.

Protected by the silent forest shadows Iolaus put several miles between himself and any possible pursuit before stopping to rest.

Deep in the heart of the forest he climbed a giant tree, settling comfortably in a crook of its huge branches. Laying his bow and quiver on his chest, Iolaus stared up into the night sky and drifted into the misty past.

The leader of the Chan-Gao cult that'd tried to convert him years before had been Shing Don. Evidently the demonic old man had lived long enough to give his daughter specific information about him.

Knowledge that had been excruciatingly extracted from Iolaus through methods that still made him shudder. Those dreadful days were the reason why that baneful equipment in the castle dungeons had triggered such a vague yet deeply disquieting feeling in him earlier. Try as he might, those memories just wouldn't die.

He'd always feared that someday the Chan-Gao would use that information to take revenge on him. NOBODY ever left the Chan-Gao alive. That was why they so zealously interrogated even prospective members.

He felt helpless and exasperated thinking of the innocent people who were in danger because of him. It was the first time he could really identify with how Hercules felt whenever Hera or one of her sycophants involved innocents in plots to destroy him.

While these Chan-Gao weren't gods they had developed extraördinary powers and skills. Iolaus knew they were capable of some extremely sophisticated psychological and psychic exploitation. He didn't completely understand the technical details but he knew they could manipulate other peoples's minds. He'd seen how they could control another person's actions with their own thoughts.

It was frightening stuff and he wouldn't have believed in it if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes.

Iolaus wasn't particularly anxious to face those awful fiends any time soon. He closed his eyes and expelled a deep, worried sigh. Those poor people were in trouble because of him. The very least he could do was liberate them from questionable Chan-Gaoist hospitality.

Before the sun rose Iolaus was stealing soundlessly through the woods surrounding Montori. His tracking and hunting expertise quickly put him on the trail of the refugees. He took care to obliterate the trail as he followed it so that nobody else could. He soon realised where the people had sought refuge. It made good sense.

In the valley below the cliff where he'd outwitted the Chan-Gao, not far from the lake, stood the Temple of Artemis, patron goddess of Montori. The people would be safe within her temple precincts.

Not being religious, Iolaus had forgotten all about the shrine until speculation over the destination of the Montoris had brought it to mind.

Because of his companionship with Hercules, Iolaus had increasingly found himself in the company of certain gods.

Hercules's half-sister Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, was as mischievous as she was beautiful. For reasons known only to her, she took great delight in causing Iolaus trouble. Hercules assured him that that was a good sign. Apparently Aphrodite only bothered mortals she was fond of.

Iolaus had actually met Artemis once, and her sister Athena too. Of all the gods, Iolaus preferred any one of those divine sisters.

He emphatically did not like Ares, God of War; Hades, God of the Dead, was neither here nor there and the attitude of Zeus, King of all the Gods, in his relationship with his son Hercules was beyond Iolaus's comprehension. Then again, Hercules couldn't figure it out either and he was a god.

Then there was Hera, vindictive Queen of all the Gods.

Her relentless attempts to kill Hercules had changed Iolaus's life drastically.

Once he'd been an ordinary man who'd believed the gods were wise, just and benevolent. He'd speculated that the gods were trying to help mankind, to guide humans to a better way of life.

Ever since Iolaus had teamed up with Hercules, however, he'd seen the gods as they really were. Petty, cruel, self-absorbed, contemptuous. His attitude had markedly changed though he still possessed a healthy respect for their powers.

Because he now saw the gods as just a group of arrogant, irresponsible, power-crazed beings with nothing better to do than harass, interfere and torment those less fortunate than themselves, Hera had condemned Iolaus to death.

For his wanton irreverence.

Yeah, right.

Iolaus knew it was really because he was Hercules's ally and, perhaps, because he'd helped thwart some of her plots against her stepson.

It was intimidation on an Olympian scale yet it'd failed to influence Iolaus at all. If the price of being Hercules's friend was to risk Hera's vengeance, then so be it. It was a risk he was more than willing to take.

Besides, Hera's venom had actually brought them closer together instead of driving them apart as she'd intended.

Nemesis, Justice of the Gods, had disobeyed Hera's command and spared Iolaus's life because she judged that he didn't deserve to die. It was a declaration of independence which cost her dearly. Yet she was willing to suffer the consequences for what she believed.

During the course of one of his adventures, Iolaus had inadvertently brought Aphrodite and Hephaestus together.

In gratitude, these two gods had bestowed their divine protection on him. No other god was allowed to touch him.

It was the same kind of immunity Zeus had granted Hercules and so was just as fickle. It had never stopped Hera from trying to kill Hercules through indirect means. Nor had it stopped Ares either. Consequently Iolaus put no faith in it and forgot about it as soon as possible.

The mists still lingered above the crystal blue lake as Iolaus paused to cup his hands and take a drink of its icy refreshing waters. The mountains were still draped in shadow but in the Eastern sky the sun was advancing quickly, harbinger of yet another beautiful day.

Iolaus climbed the steps and entered the extravagant building. It was dark and silent inside. Iolaus saw no evidence of others being present as he approached the altar. Yet he sensed that eyes were upon him. He decided to make his intentions clear in an appropriate manner.

He laid his bow and arrows aside, knelt and burned some incense to pay respect to the goddess. The prayer he said was simple and heartfelt, " Great Artemis, the people of Montori who have served you with devotion are in grave danger from evil strangers. Please grant them your protection so that they may continue to venerate you. "

Iolaus rose, collected his weapons and turned to find people nervously creeping out of the shadows towards him.

The men, women and children of Montori soon surrounded him. The expressions on their faces were a mix of fear, apprehension and hope. Iolaus was about to say something to reassure them when he recognised one of the men,

"Darius, is that you? "

The man in question stepped forward, nodding, " Yes, Iolaus, it is I. I'm amazed to see you standing before me unscathed for I was certain those monsters had killed you long since. "

Iolaus laughed, " An understandable assumption, Darius. It was touch and go there for awhile but as you see, I'm still in one piece. How are you all faring?"

Darius reported the status of his people as plainly as possible. They had food and water, shelter and the sanctuary of the temple but there were some among them who were ill and injured. Some were still lost in the forests.

One such group had been on the far side of the lake last night when demons had swooped down from the castle and carried them off before the men from the temple could reach them. Iolaus drew a deep breath, " I know. I was in the castle last night spying on the strangers when they returned with those folk. There was nothing I could do then, one man against a hundred, but now I have a plan. "

He explained who the strangers were and that their friends and relatives languishing in those dungeons were in double jeopardy. It wasn't just their lives but their very humanity that was in danger.

A young man with flaming red hair asked in a frustrated voice, " What do these creeps want with them? "

The colour drained from Iolaus's face as he tried to think of a way to explain this awkward situation, " Well, as it happens, they're being used as bait...", he said with obvious and acute discomfort, "...to try to capture me. "

There was a very disquieting silence as his words sank in. Iolaus saw the fear and resentment in their eyes. He understood how they must feel yet he still needed them to help him to help them.

So Iolaus broke the silence, " If I thought giving myself up would save anybody, I wouldn't be standing here now.", he said earnestly, " But I know these kind, and they won't just go away. Even if they got what they wanted, they'd stay to try to spread their repulsive doctrine far and wide. " His blue eyes flashed with the fires of conviction, " I won't let that happen if I can help it! "

Iolaus wasn't encouraged by the cold silence that greeted his statement but he had to try to do what he'd come here to do, " Regardless of why they've been taken, those are your people in there. Don't you even want to TRY to rescue them?", he asked in a tone that matched the perturbed expression on his face.

Still nobody spoke and the pervasive silence that had irritated him began to make Iolaus angry. He wasn't a man of words. His temperament wasn't suited to speech-making and debate. His emotions were always too near the surface.

Apathy was a guaranteed flashpoint with somebody as passionate as he was. Perhaps because his dedication to the well-being and safety of others was so unequivocal, Iolaus found the lack of such ardour in others especially vexing.

As he looked around at the sea of dubious and distrusting faces, Iolaus felt his muscles stiffen with annoyance, frustration and more than a touch of indignation, " Okay, great! If that's how you feel, I'll do this myself. ", he snapped and started to walk quickly towards the exit.

Several pleading voices called for him to stop but he only turned back when Darius called his name.

Iolaus stood in the doorway with his arms folded across his chest, clearly impatient to remove himself from this hostile forum.

Darius came and stood by his side. He put a supportive hand on Iolaus's shoulder and then he spoke, fully aware that his position as mayor carried weight with his people, " I really don't know Iolaus very well but I do know that he's a noble young man. He's done much good, on his own and in partnership with Hercules. This is an unfortunate situation to be sure but Iolaus is right. Those ARE our neighbours and family members up there. It's our duty to atleast help to get them back."

Darius smiled at Iolaus, who was feeling alittle more hopeful, " I've seen Iolaus's courage with my own eyes. His help and leadership will be invaluable to us. Let's forget about the why and concentrate on how to solve this dilemma. "

Several men volunteered to help and Iolaus smiled in relief and gratitude for the support.

To show that they understood his uncomfortable position, the villagers insisted that he share their morning meal with them. Iolaus eagerly accepted.

As he ate, Iolaus mesmerised the tattered throng with accounts of his adventures with Hercules. He could feel the atmosphere of helplessness and hopelessness gradually disperse. the colourful stories he told with an innate, well- developed flair filled all with awe and delight.

Iolaus grinned; even though Hercules was far away, he was still helping the people of Montori.

Some time later, sitting on the top step of the temple eating an apple, Iolaus was feeling much better now that the air had been cleared. A shadow fell across him and he turned to see a young pretty girl standing behind him, holding a pitcher of water and a flagon. She smiled radiantly, " I thought you might like a nice cool drink. "

Iolaus returned her smile, " Thanks, I would." The girl poured some water into the flagon, passed it to him and then shook her head," I can't believe you don't recognise me, Iolaus?"

He stood up and looked at her more closely. Her free-flowing curly auburn hair and beguiling pale blue eyes highlighted her healthy country charms.

Smiling uncertainly, Iolaus stammered, " Eulaya? Forgive me, cousin, but you've changed alot since last I saw you. "

Eulaya giggled indignantly, " I should hope so, cousin. It's been atleast ten years since the last visit you made to Montori. "

Laughing, the long-lost cousins embraced.

As they separated, Iolaus sighed and his voice was embarrassed, " I know it's been a long time. I should keep in better touch, but I'm always away and time passes so fast..."

They sat beside each other on the step and Eulaya remarked brightly, " I thought your tales were excellent. Thebes may rightly claim you as their local hero but since you did sort of live here, we like to think you're ours aswell. "

Iolaus made a derisive noise and ran a hand through his hair dubiously, " I really don't think so! People generally don't look too kindly on anyone who brings them as much trouble and terror as I've brought to Montori. ", he said, regret and self-reproach evident in every word, " I'm rather surprised they didn't stone me to death! "

Eulaya tried to reassure him, " Iolaus, the people realise this isn't your fault. You're well known in these parts. We know you'd never do anything to hurt anybody if you could help it. In this case, you couldn't help it. How could you? If I hadn't persuaded Darius to go for help, you still wouldn't even know they were here."

Iolaus was comforted and was about to thank Eulaya for her kind words when they were interrupted by a little boy.

The adorable urchin had dark curly hair, deep brown eyes and rosy cheeks. With youthful boldness, he jumped into Eulaya's lap and pointed at Iolaus, " Is he telling you another story, Momma? "

Iolaus laughed, " I've told you all the best ones. Now it's your turn. What's your name? "

Suddenly the tyke was shy and Eulaya, laughing, answered for him, " This is my son Mykol. " She embraced him lovingly.

Iolaus held out his hand, " I'm pleased to meet you, Mykol. My name is Iolaus. I'm your mom's cousin. " The boy smiled and shook Iolaus's hand, clearly pleased to be treated so grown-up like.

Iolaus looked at Eulaya, " I didn't know you were married. Where's your husband? "

Eulaya burst into tears, " Oh, Iolaus, I'm so scared. My husband Giorges was one of the first captured by those fiends. I'm so afraid that he'll never come home. I don't think I can go on without him. "

Distressed that he'd upset her, Iolaus put his arm around Eulaya and let her cry on his shoulder, " Remember when we were kids, Eulaya, and we got lost in the woods? I held you just like this when night fell and you were frightened. Do you remember what I said to you then? "

Eulaya nodded and replied in a shaky voice, " You said, ' Cousin, if you put your faith in me, I will not let you down. ' "

She squeezed his hand affectionately and he smiled optimistically, " We got out of there, right? I know it's alot to ask but, please, have faith once more in me. I will not let you, Mykol or the people of Montori down. "

As she got up to leave, Eulaya kissed Iolaus on the forehead, " I have more faith in you, cousin, than in all the gods of Olympus combined! "

Little Mykol tugged on Iolaus's hand, " Please bring my daddy home. I really miss him. "

Iolaus knelt on one knee in front of the child and smiled, " Don't worry, Mykol. Your dad will be home very soon. Promise! "

The joyous smile on the little boy's face warmed Iolaus's heart.

As his cousin and her son walked away, Iolaus rose to his feet and fierce determination sizzled in his expressive eyes. He strode away to prepare himself for the coming battle.

In the afternoon Iolaus gathered Darius and the other five volunteers in one of the vestal chambers behind the altar.

He chose three who would stage a distraction, " Those creatures have very poor night vision and are clumsy on the ground. Stay in the shadows and among the trees where they won't be able to see or chase you. When you've used up all your arrows, make your way back into the valley but always stay under cover. They shun the daylight so by dawn it'll be safe to return to the temple. ", he instructed them.

One of the men asked, " If they can't fight in daylight, why not attack them then? "

Iolaus grinned indulgently, " It's not that simple, friend. They may not be monsters in the day but they can still fight. If they so wish, they can turn day into night, as they've already demonstrated. Besides, there are atleast a hundred of them and just the few of us. Our chances are better if we use their weaknesses against them. "

Darius expelled a deep sigh and Iolaus looked at him inquiringly, " I mean no disrespect, Iolaus. I have no quarrel with your plan but..."

Iolaus cocked an eyebrow, " But what, Darius? Speak your mind if you have any doubts. "

Darius's expression conveyed his inner conflict, " It's a great idea, Iolaus, to rescue our people. But what happens after the rescue? We'll still be living in constant fear because those monsters will still be in the castle. "

Iolaus shook his head, " I don't think so, Darius. "

He paused and when he spoke again, his voice was grim and fire flickered in his eyes, " While you six distract the Chan-Gao and escort the freed prisoners to the temple, I will be taking measures to ensure that the Chan-Gao never bother Montori again. "

One of the men blurted, " What can one man do against those things? "

Iolaus was about to reply when Darius interrupted, " One man can precipitate the downfall of many, Aelon.", the mayor of Montori said, " Provided he's the right man!" Darius looked sideways at Thebes's young hero and smiled, " Or, in this case, if his name is Iolaus! "

Iolaus shot Darius a bedeviled look as the mayor strode away. He was grateful for the ringing endorsement but uneasy about it at the same time.

Over the years he'd learned never to take anything for granted particularly when going into battle against a superior force.

Anything could happen.

Yet he seemed to thrive on intense pressure. It gave him an edge and he actually liked fighting when the stakes were at their highest or the odds were the least favourable. It brought out the best in him when he needed it the most.

What some mistook for brazen arrogance was actually confidence forged out of a wealth of natural acumen, fired by spirit and courage, tempered by instinct and intelligence and honed by tenacity and pure guts.

Iolaus considered this entire crisis to be his fault and so, as far as he was concerned, its solution rested entirely with him.

He had a plan and felt quietly confident about this upcoming encounter.

He would destroy these Chan-Gao one way or another.

Whether he lived to savour that victory was something he choose to leave unconsidered.

As soon as the moon was high over the trees, Iolaus and his party slipped into the forests. All were experienced hunters and well used to travel in the woods at night so it didn't take them very long to traverse the five miles.

At the edge of the waterfall pool Iolaus paused, " Some of the prisoners will be drugged. They'll follow any instructions you give them without second thought. When you get back to the temple, my cousin Eulaya will give them tea. Hercules's cousin Asclepius taught me about the herbs which I gave Eulaya this afternoon for that tea. It'll cure their condition. " Then they all disappeared under the waterfall.

Half an hour later Iolaus wished his three decoys luck as they left the cavern concealed in the forest and prepared to start their disturbance. Soon after that Iolaus soundlessly pryed open the dungeon door after first leaving his bow and two quivers at the foot of the stable ladder, ready for the pivotal part of his plan.

He entered the dungeons alone. This time, however, he forsook the shadows or any sort of stealth. Instead he walked boldly right up to the same four guards seated at the same table arguing over the same nonsense.

" You guys really ought to learn how to play together more nicely. ", he chided, very amused by the surprise on their faces at his unexpected appearance.

All four rushed at him. Iolaus had plenty of room to manoeuvre. He kicked the sword from one soldier's grip while decking a second with a savage punch.

Then he grabbed the swordless soldier, struck him hard in the belly and sent him reeling onto the blade of one of his cohorts.

Both fell to the floor and he spun to face the fourth. That guard ran at him with a long spear but Iolaus was far too agile.

Stepping lightly aside, he grabbed the spear and forced it backwards, ramming it into the soldier's ribs and doubling him over.

Iolaus then wrenched the spear out of his hands and put him out of his misery with a sharp blow to the head.

Without looking, he pivoted and let the spear fly, felling the last soldier with a perfect shot.

Iolaus spent no time admiring his accomplishment. He took the keys and quickly released all the prisoners.

Most were drugged and obeyed his directions wordlessly. Others, having witnessed his earlier actions, did as he told them out of awe and fear.

Only when the last hostage was in the tunnels did Iolaus stop to catch his breath. He wiped away the trail of footprints leading to the hidden portal. He was just closing it when he heard a pounding on the dungeon door.

Iolaus pushed urgently at Darius, " Alright, my friend, get these people out of here quickly! It's only a matter of time before the Chan-Gao realise where they've disappeared. Be careful and be cool. Good luck! "

As he dashed for the stable ladder, Darius called after him, " May the gods be with you, Iolaus. "

Snatching his bow and quivers, Iolaus climbed the ladder and emerged in the stable. He could hear the commotion as his trio somewhere out in the forests rained a hail of arrows into the castle grounds.

He saw that the big bonfires had been lit and allowed himself a small smile of satisfaction.

He'd counted on that.

In the shadows of the stable, Iolaus was within reach of one of the fires. The tips of his arrows were wrapped in bobbins of tallow-soaked linen and caught fire instantly.

he fired his fiery bolt at the castle's wooden shingle roof. None of the guards could see him in the shadows and mistakenly assumed that the arrow had come from outside the castle.

Iolaus shot many more times, dividing his fire between the castle roof and the hideous beasts soaring above him. As his arrows and the arrows from his Montori allies struck home, each stricken creature vanished without a trace in a plume of grey smoke and sparks.

Observing this unexpected phenomenon, Iolaus now realised what had become of the slain beasts at the outcropping. His eyes were cold as he thought spitefully, ' Cool! Environmentally friendly demons! '

Before long, however, the spreading flames dispelled the shadows and exposed his position.

He was about to let fly his last arrow when a trooper jumped off the battlements and hit his arm. The flaming arrow was deflected and landed in the thatch of the stables.

Fire spread with astonishing speed.

Iolaus ducked under the sword of his attacker and tackled him to the ground. They wrestled for several moments before Iolaus was able to administer a knockout punch.

He jumped to his feet just as more soldiers arrived.

The stables were by then a raging inferno. Exit by that route was obviously impossible. Behind him, the castle roof was collapsing. The soldiers surrounded Iolaus but seemed reluctant to attack.

Bloodchurdling screams were issuing from the castle as the flames devoured everything in their path. Burning timbers crashed in great showers of sparks and the walls began to crack and crumble.

Stinging clouds of smoke descended on the courtyard where Iolaus could now feel the heat from the fires. With all the distractions, it was simplicity itself for him to catch his enemies offguard.

He charged at the two closest men and bowled them off their feet. Iolaus barely noticed that, as they tumbled helplessly into the ravenous flames of the bonfire, they literally went up in a puff of smoke.

He snatched up a fallen sword and his swordsmanship soon decimated the forces pitted against him.

As the last soldier pitched a spear at him and turned to flee, Iolaus somersaulted out of danger.

From his knees he tossed the sword in a powerful, fluid motion. It whirred through the smoky air and, as Iolaus bounced back to his feet, his marksmanship produced a final puff of acrid smoke.

A distinctive voice froze him in mid-turn.

" My father died at your hands, as have many Chan-Gao this night. I am the instrument of Chan's revenge. Prepare to die, assassin! ", Lin Don said quietly in her enigmatic voice.

Iolaus completed his turn slowly, ready for the climatic battle a part of him had hoped wouldn't be necessary. " Life is a constant battle between good and evil. This time, your side lost. ", he replied tersely.

As he eyed his adversary, iolaus saw hatred in her dark eyes which no words of reason would soften.

Lin Don twirled the long staff in her hands as if it were a feather. Iolaus had an array of discarded weapons to choose from but fire had ruined the Chan-Gao this night and it was fire he decided to use against Lin Don.

Iolaus snatched a brand from the bonfire and Lin Don seethed, " All the fires on earth and in hell will not preserve you now! "

Lin Don was an expert in the same martial arts Iolaus had learned so they were evenly matched. It was the first time Iolaus had ever fought a woman, however, and he was initially inhibited.

Lin Don had no such qualms. She attacked Iolaus with a fury and he was hard-pressed to avoid the iron-hard staff in her dextrous hands.

His agility and stamina served him well, though, as he sustained a disciplined defensive posture.

As the pace of the battle grew more intense, the better they seemed to react to each other. It was almost like fighting himself... Iolaus knew he had to change his style AND his attitude before it was too late.

Even as he was thinking those thoughts, they came into close contact for the first time. As they grappled, Lin Don adroitly slammed her staff solidly into Iolaus's face. He recoiled angrily, his nose bleeding profusely from the blow.

Lin Don pressed her attack and Iolaus soon forgot she was a woman. He leapt into the air and kicked the staff out of her hands. As she reeled from his manoeuvre, Iolaus clubbed her over the head with his brand.

Sparks flew and Lin Don screamed.

She hit Iolaus with a karaté chop to the neck just as he landed a left jab.

Lin Don retreated, spitting blood from her lacerated mouth while he fell back, grimacing at his bruised neck and numbed shoulder.

He picked up Lin Don's lost staff and ruthlessly broke it over his knee. Then He threw the pieces into the bonfire before they started to circle each other menacingly.

Lin Don raised her hands in a classic technique of intimidation but what she said raised Iolaus's eyebrows, " We could be allies, golden-hair. Together we could unite all the Chan-Gao sects. Nobody could stand in our way! "

Iolaus glared at her with contempt, " I already have an ally, Lin Don, and your evil societies make me sick. " He copied Lin Don's stance, " Nice plan except for one slight flaw. " His eyes were almost as dark as hers, " I stand in your way! "

As if the smoke and heat weren't making matters bad enough, the dying castle began raining red-hot chunks of stone and smouldering timbers into the enclosure.

Iolaus tripped on some such debris in the smoky gloom. He fell awkwardly on the unyielding stones and Lin Don seized the opportunity. Picking up the nearest weapon, a javelin, she pitched it at him.

He barely rolled out of the way in time. The deadly projectile hit a wooden pillar a few inches from his head.

Iolaus angrily wrenched the spear out of the post. He was about to hurl it himself when an arrow soared out of the smoke, striking him in the left calf.

It tore through his flesh and out the other side lodging firmly in the wooden pillar and pinning his leg to it.

Iolaus was thrown off-balance by this sudden immobilisation of one of his legs. He leaned heavily against the wooden pillar to keep from falling and obstinately beat down the pain.

Grimacing, he changed his target and let the spear fly with a scream of agony. He didn't see it strike but he heard a groan and the faint sound of a body hitting the ground somewhere in the dense smoke.

His scream of agony was half-drowned amidst the tumult of the raging fire and crumbling mortar as Lin Don charged at him with a sword.

Choking and nearly blinded by smoke and pain, Iolaus reached inside his vest and retrieved the shirikin. His aim was as accurate as always.

The lethal missile halted Lin Don in her tracks. With a shriek, she collapsed to the ground.

As Iolaus felt warm blood trickling down his leg into his boot, Lin Don's body burst into flame and disappeared in a rancid puff of smoke.

Iolaus leaned against the wooden pillar coughing as the light of the bonfires flickered on his sweat-dampened golden hair.

He closed his eyes, summoning strength, and then abruptly, mercilessly jerked his trapped leg free. Collapsing with an agonised scream, Iolaus rolled on the ground clutching at his wound.

When finally he struggled to his feet, great determination and strength of heart had subdued his pain and blazed brightly in his eyes.

The ruin of the castle saddened him even though he knew there had been no other way to defeat the Chan-Gao.

As he limped across the compound, he wasn't surprised that he didn't find a single body. Combined with the fire and the death of Lin Don, the Chan-Gao and their sorcery had been totally defeated. Without their leader, this band of Chan- Gaoists ceased to exist -- atleast in this world.

Feeling light-headed, Iolaus sat on the ground with his back against the castle wall facing the smouldering ruins of the castle. He braced his left foot against a large piece of charred stone.

He broke the arrow just below the feather-flight and threw it away with disdain.

Then he took a firm hold of the arrowhead protruding from the back of his calf. With his teeth clenched so tight that his jaw ached, Iolaus painfully extracted the bloody dart from his leg.

Drenched in sweat and in severe pain, he bound his wound with shaking hands, telling himself that he'd been lucky it'd missed the bone.

He dabbed at a small trickle of blood still oozing from his tender nose with the back of his hand. As he did so, Iolaus's brows knit in sudden alarm. There was a strong, peculiar, oddly familiar scent on his hand...

Iolaus immediately tried to get up but something was very wrong. As the castle fires began to die down, Iolaus's eyelids fluttered. He fought to keep them open, to get on his feet, to resist the curséd Chan-Gao tranquilising drug that was now coursing through his veins.

Iolaus berated himself for his unwariness. He should've known their arrows would be doctored with their foul concoctions.

He fought with every ounce of strength he could muster but there was nothing Iolaus could do to stop the Chan-Gao opiate. Bit by bit his consciousness slipped further and further into darkness until finally his eyes closed.

A figure stepped out of the smoke and stood staring with malevolent eyes at the man responsible for his death and the death of his daughter.

Shing Don's god, Chan, had granted him a reprieve from death when it became clear that Lin Don's scheme had failed utterly. Chan had a new plan.

This fiesty golden warrior was the companion of another even greater warrior, Hercules. Chan had decided that He would forego the satisfaction of killing Iolaus for the superior objective of proselytising Hercules.

The plan was rather simple. First they would convert Iolaus -- whether he wanted to be or not. Then he would do the same thing to his friend Hercules. With such a pair in the service of Chan, the prospects for a new age of evil domination were astronomical.

Darius and his fellow volunteers guided the hostages through the dark tunnels as quickly as they could.

As they emerged from beneath the waterfall, they paused to watch as the castle began to burn. In the ghoulish fire-light Darius shuddered at the sight of the hideous monsters that hovered over the castle.

He finally tore himself away from the drama and followed the rest of his party through the sheltering forests. Every so often they would stop to look back at the blazing inferno.

Even when they reached the temple they could still see the fire. The night breeze carried on its soft eddies the faint sounds of hellish cries and the pall of smoke.

Eulaya gazed at the distant flames for a long time until her husband Giorges joined her. He had quickly returned to his senses after drinking the tea she'd given him.

Now he wrapped his huge arms around his wife protectively and said, " Darius told me that it was your cousin who rescued us, darling. He's a very brave man."

Eulaya closed her eyes and luxuriated in the warmth and security of an embrace she'd feared never to enjoy again, " Iolaus promised Mykol that you'd come home soon. ", she said dreamily, " He always keeps his word. "

Giorges hugged Eulaya affectionately, saying, " Darius told me that these fiends want Iolaus for one of their own. I think they'd be invincible with him as their leader. "

Eulaya shuddered at the thought and rebuked her husband mildly, " Don't even think such things, Giorges! "

He whispered in her ear, " Never mind, my love. Soon there won't be any of those creatures left for anybody to lead. Your cousin is making sure of that right now! "

Eulaya turned away from the fire as the first weak gnawings of unease made her shiver, " I just hope that his plan works. If it doesn't, Montori won't stand a chance without him. "

Giorges tried to reassure her, " Don't worry, Eulaya. Look at that castle! His plan has already worked like a charm. He knows what he's doing. In afew hours all this will seem like one great big nightmare and we can thank Iolaus for waking us up from it! "

Eulaya said fervently, " The sooner he's back here, the sooner I'll believe that! "

Eulaya wasn't the only one feeling apprehensive about Iolaus. Darius watched the bright orange tongues of flame shooting into the night sky with trepidation.

Somewhere in that inferno one very special young man was risking his life against overwhelming odds. Why had he insisted on going alone?

Darius knew that Iolaus had a very strong social conscience. People had to learn to look out for themselves. That was why he'd sought their help, such as it was. It was important that the people of Montori played some kind of role in the over- throw of their oppressors. Yet Iolaus had taken great care not to endanger any of their lives.

All of the risk he'd reserved exclusively for himself.

Darius sighed.

Iolaus was a true rarity. A consummate warrior with a heart of gold.

He kept watch diligently as the fires began to wane and clouds shrouded the ghostly white moon. When the three villagers Iolaus had recruited to provide the distraction returned to the temple Darius began to fear for Iolaus in earnest.

When the sun came up and Eulaya found that Iolaus hadn't returned yet she couldn't repress her deep concern.

" Darius, it's because of us that Iolaus is here at all. We have to atleast send somebody back to the castle to see what happened to him. Maybe he's injured. We can't just abandon him now that we're saved! ", Eulaya argued at an impromptu town meeting.

Other villagers quickly supported her and a rescue party consisting of Darius, Aelon and the other original volunteers returned to the castle in a valiant attempt to determine Iolaus's fate.

They found that the stable entry was buried in debris and none of them could find the secret door that lead into the dungeons. They went out through the forest cavern and tried to open the castle gate but it was still firmly bolted.

Smoke still rose from various parts of the castle. None of its high towers remained intact but the battlements were as inpenetrable as ever.

They called his name in a last ditch attempt to verify whether he was still inside the ruins or not but only silence followed each cry.

With heavy hearts they headed back to the temple.

On what should rightly have been a very joyous day for them, they were instead filled with grief and mourning.

Particularly Darius who felt responsible. Although it was difficult to reconcile it with the scene of devastation he'd just observed, deep down inside of him Darius clung to an infinitesimal ray of hope.

Iolaus woke up shivering in the dark. He tried to move and found that he couldn't. He was spread-eagled on a cold, hard surface. His wrists and ankles were immobilized in tight-fitting iron bands at the four corners of a stone platform. Iolaus's left calf muscle throbbed and he foggily recalled what had transpired.

A numbing wave of dread swept through his body, " Please let this be a dream. ", he murmured to himself.

Even as he said it, he knew it wasn't.

His thoughts were scattered. How had he gotten here? Weren't all the Chan- Gao dead? Why hadn't they killed him by now?

Willing himself to calm down, Iolaus stared into the gloom surrounding him. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, he made out the sinister silhouettes of all too recognisable objects. He smelled the lingering pall of smoke and closed his eyes as an annoyed expression settled on his face.

His demolition plan hadn't quite done all it was supposed to do. He was in the dungeon torture chamber under the castle and it seemed to have survived the fire intact.

Someone lit a torch and stepped up to his right side. Iolaus squinted in the sudden light, " Who are you? ", he demanded, unable to see a face in the shadows of the torch-bearer's hood.

Iolaus didn't need to see any face to know who it was as soon as he began to speak, " It's been a long time but I'm sure you remember me. I am..."

"...Shing Don? ", Iolaus whispered, unable to believe his ears, " Aren't you dead? "

Shing Don's laugh was a harsh series of hollow croaks, " You're an experienced man, Iolaus. This isn't the first time you've seen the proof of divine forces at work. Afterall, were you not raised from the dead yourself by the intervention of Hercules? "

Iolaus immediately realised what this whole business was about. He chafed at his restraints in frustration. Maybe this had been the original plot all along. It didn't matter.

Iolaus stared at the soot-blackened ceiling, " Shing Don, tell Chan this is a waste of time. I will never EVER help you to get anywhere near Hercules! ", he said between clenched teeth.

" The people of Montori think it's safe to go home but I have reinforcements on the way. Their days of terror aren't over yet. ", Shing Don said in his infuriatingly emotionless voice.

Iolaus swallowed his rancour. Shing Don knew him too well. The old crone knew exactly which buttons to push.

The torture had commenced.

" The people of Montori don't mean anything to me.", Iolaus responded, his tone sharp with resentment, " They turned their backs on me when I needed help. They can all go to hell and so can you! ", he said as vehemently as he could, hoping his reverse psychology worked.

Shing Don leaned over Iolaus's prostrate body, peering into his defiant blue eyes.

" Even though you hide your thoughts well, Iolaus, I will break you! ", he hissed in his captive's ear.

Iolaus grinned grimly and said with brash impertinence, " A charlatan like you doesn't scare me, Shing Don. I beat you before and I'll do it again! Just like Lin Don!", deliberately provoking his captor.

It accomplished two things. It enraged Shing Don and distracted him from analysing his psychological defenses any further and it bolstered Iolaus's dispirited spirits.

Scowling with outrage, Shing Don hit Iolaus hard in the face with the back of his hand, " You will pay for killing my daughter, murderer! "

He put out the torch and became invisible in the darkness. Iolaus licked his split-lip, " That's right, crawl back under your rock. ", he muttered spitefully. He tested his bonds again and conceded that there was no way he could break them.

He would just have bide his time and wait for his chance.

Iolaus was falling asleep when he felt something touch his right hand and he was instantly alert. He strained to see in the darkness. Something cold and rough as a rasp wound itself around his forearm.

Iolaus flinched as he realised what it was but almost immediately regained his composure.

' This is a ruse.', he told himself, ' There are no snakes here. ' He refused to look because that would've validated the hoax. Instead he called into the silent gloom, " You'll have to do better than that, Shing Don. "

Iolaus was angry with himself for allowing Shing Don to play with his mind. He stared at the empty blackness above him and began to murmur something over and over.

Sheets of bright orange flame sprang up all around him. He shut his eyes tightly and continued to chant. The flames disappeared as suddenly as they'd appeared. Iolaus addressed the darkness, " Special effects just aren't your forté, Shing Don.", he said derisively.

The platform Iolaus was trapped on began to rotate. As it spun faster and faster, the strain on Iolaus's body intensified exponentially.

Iolaus squeezed his eyes shut and concentrated. Even when he heard a scream and realised it was his, Iolaus refused to relinquish his tenuous purchase on reality.

When the platform came to a gradual halt, Shing Don was disappointed. Instead of a babbling, shattered victim begging for mercy, Iolaus glared at him, perhaps alittle wild-eyed, but with undiminished spirit.

In the cold pitch-blackness Iolaus allowed himself a shudder. It had been a close thing. From an unassailable inner sanctuary, Iolaus's mind and spirit united to rally his shaken sanity.

Shing Don permitted him scant time for recuperation. He tried yet another strategy.

He placed his hand on Iolaus's chest and smiled at the strong pounding of his heart. He applied pressure and Iolaus felt a searing pain.

Shing Don removed his hand and in it, dripping with blood and still beating, was a heart!

Iolaus was naturally horror-stricken but it was only a brief triumph for Shing Don. Iolaus closed his eyes and drove his primal fears down. The terror in his eyes that had satisfied Shing Don so much had been replaced by the sparkle of renewed defiance when Iolaus opened them again.

He glared at Shing Don and shouted, " Your carnival tricks don't scare me, you sick old fraud!"

Shing don decided that, if the only way to tame this rebellious golden- haired troublemaker was by pain and drugs, that was what he would use. The means didn't matter so long as the ends meant Iolaus's complete and abject submission.

So Shing Don tried to force potent, mind-altering opiates down Iolaus's throat.

When Iolaus refused to open his mouth, Shing Don jabbed a pointed object into his ribs but he still refused to coöperate. Iolaus's ribs were soon black and blue but his mind was still his own.

Shing Don tried the trance-enducing vapours his daughter had used so effectively on the villagers.

Iolaus held his breath. Using a technique he'd perfected through his meditative expertise Iolaus could hold his breath an unusually long time. Well before his threshold was reached, Shing Don gave up.

Unfortunately the method Shing Don tried next was one Iolaus was totally defenseless against. With sadistic pleasure Shing Don produced a small jar. He deliberately passed the container under Iolaus's nose. Shing Don was pleased by the apprehension that sprang into his eyes as iolaus recognised the unmistakable odour.

It was an hallucinogenic.

Iolaus knew what was coming and there was nothing he could do to prevent it which made him furious. He scoffed contemptuously, " You call yourself sensei, Shing Don? You're master of nothing! A joke! You can't even control one single man without drugs?! Chan is a poor judge of competence to put his trust in somebody as useless as you! "

Iolaus saw the indignation in the evil sadist's eyes. For a moment he dared to think that his desperate criticism had actually swayed Shing Don's mind.

However Shing Don was far too intent on conquering Iolaus to be diverted. He held the jar over Iolaus's arrow wound and poured the potent elixir into the raw, bleeding puncture.

His entire leg burned from the astringent opiate. Iolaus felt its insidious effects immediately as his eyes glazed over in a thick, disorienting mist. This time the draught overwhelmed him quickly as it over-powered defenses already weakened by pain and stress.

In a dream-like state Iolaus heard a welcome voice as Hercules stepped out of the shadows, " What are you doing, Iolaus? The people of Montori are being massacred! Help them! "

Before Iolaus could respond another familiar voice demanded his attention, " I always knew you were a wimp, Iolaus. Look at you! Helpless as a new-born kitten! ", Xena remarked harshly as she stepped up beside Hercules.

Iolaus shook his head vigorously, " Nothing you say is true! ", he cried.

Yet a third voice penetrated the gloom, " Denial is a typical side-effect of guilt, my friend. It was only a matter of time before your heroics got somebody killed! How can you live with yourself? ", Jason chastised him as he joined Hercules and Xena.

Iolaus closed his eyes and refused to believe.

Hercules said, " If you don't help these people, Iolaus, our friendship is over! I can't be partners with a man with no honour! "

Xena raised her wicked jewelled dagger, " I should just put you out of your misery right now! ", she hissed.

Jason shook his head with regret, " You always were too reckless and too obstinate, Iolaus. Things were bound to end this way! "

Iolaus screamed, " What do you expect of me? I'm doing the best I can. If you aren't here to help me, then leave me alone! "

Hercules said, " You are stronger than you think, my friend. GET UP! "

Iolaus looked closely at his ally.

As his reasoning reasserted itself, Xena and Jason disappeared but Hercules lingered afew seconds longer, " Move, Iolaus! NOW! "

Acting on that subliminal message Iolaus lashed out with his right foot.

Shing Don had released Iolaus's wrists and ankles as he prepared to move him to another torture rack.

Iolaus hit Shing Don solidly and knocked him to the floor. He opened his eyes and rolled off of the platform.

Shing Don was trying to get to his feet. Without conscious thought Iolaus leaned against the platform to compensate for his injured leg and kicked Shing Don again with his right foot.

The Chan-Gao leader fell insensate on the ash-coated floor and Iolaus shook his head frantically to clear the lingering effects of the hallucinogenic.

He smiled grimly to himself as he pushed off from the platform.

The mind was an amazing thing that worked in mysterious ways. Using an hallucination of his dearest friend to rouse him from his trance at just the right time was pure brilliance.

Even if he said so himself.

Iolaus was negotiating his way through the gloomy obstacle-riddened chamber when he heard Shing Don groan loudly. He was tempted to go back and finish his enemy off but the urge to get out of the awful place was more compelling.

He wasn't fleeing, just changing the venue.

Turning his back on the torture chamber, Iolaus quickly worked his way towards fresh air and daylight.

He'd just emerged into the glare of an overcast day when there was an unearthly bellow from within the bowels of the castle. The ground began to rumble and the already damaged castle began to disintegrate even further.

Iolaus dodged numerous pieces of falling masonry as he staggered across the debris-strewn courtyard.

His eye caught the glint of something shiny on the cobblestones and he paused to investigate. It was the shirikin. He snatched it from the ground eagerly and had just taken a step towards the gate when night seemed to fall across the courtyard.

Looking up, Iolaus saw an enormous black snake writhing in the midst of the deteriorating castle.

Stumbling towards the gate, Iolaus abruptly stopped. There was no way he could open it on his own. He turned to face the serpent.

He picked up a discarded spear and held it in both hands, " C'mon, Shing Don, let's get this over with! Once and for all!", he yelled at the creature looming over him.

With an ear-splitting hiss, the snake lunged at Iolaus, its cavernous mouth adorned with nasty-looking teeth and a set of four impressive fangs.

Iolaus was ready. He waited until he could feel the hot breath of the snake before throwing himself to one side.

The snake hit the castle-gate and demolished it.

Somersaulting, Iolaus came to his feet out of harm's way and charged, with an exuberant battle-cry, at the serpent. He sank his spear as brutally as he could into the snake's large yellow eye.

It recoiled before Iolaus could let go of the spear and he was lifted high above the ground. Iolaus held on for dear life as the snake shook its head wildly trying to shake him off.

Iolaus felt the spear beginning to snap well before it actually did. It was barely enough time to swing himself as vigorously as he could towards a section of the castle roof that hadn't collapsed yet.

Iolaus landed lightly on his feet like a cat but his injured leg gave out on him and he collapsed on one knee. The roof was severely weakened by the fire and began to disintegrate as he crawled across it as quickly as he could. With a tumultuous groan the roof gave way just as Iolaus propelled himself into the air.

Several yards away stood the sooty statue whose shadows he'd sheltered in when he'd observed the Chan-Gao assembly. Iolaus landed in the crook of Artemis's folded alabaster arms but it was a very tenuous refuge.

Shing Don had lost track of him for a moment but his leap onto the statue caught his eye.

Now the enormous snake slithered to hover inches from where he crouched breathlessly at its mercy.

Iolaus seemed paralysed but he was actually trying to draw Shing Don closer to the statue. When he deemed the snake was close enough Iolaus sprang his trap.

The statue was teetering on the brink. From the moment Iolaus had landed on it, he'd realised that but Shing Don hadn't.

Iolaus bolted forward in what appeared to be a suicidal attack but even as Shing Don prepared to clamp his rabid fangs down on him, the statue tilted and toppled.

The massive solid statue hit Shing Don and bore him down beneath its weight.

Iolaus had, meanwhile, leapt onto a still fully intact, soot-covered marble staircase balustrade and skidded his way to the ground. He intended to land on his feet but his left leg buckled again. he ended up tumbling clumsily into a dazed, painful heap.

On his hands and knees, Iolaus scrambled for cover but as the statue and Shing Don crashed not far away from him, the severely damaged floor above caved in.

Iolaus fell face-first in the ashes and covered his head as Debris rained down in all directions in the aftermath of the statue's tremendous impact. the air rapidly became clogged with ash and dust.

Enroute to the temple, Darius and his companions were startled by the earthquake and the unearthly howl that emanated from the castle. When the ground stopped shaking, they started to run back towards the castle as fast as they could.

When things finally stopped falling, Iolaus began to extricate himself from the pile of rubble. Choking in the suffocating air, he painstakingly removed pieces of debris bit-by-bit before finally being able to stand up. He shook the soot out of his hair and staggered breathlessly out into the courtyard. When he was safely away from the ruin, Iolaus fell to his knees on the ash covered cobblestones.

As he gasped for air, his face contorted with pain from his exacerbated sundry injuries. Despite his discomfort, he felt a presence and reluctantly looked up.

He shook his head in grim disbelief as Shing Don approached him from out of the castle ruins, " This guy's got more lives than a cat! ", he complained.

It didn't occur to Iolaus that his adversary could very well say the same about him.

Seeing his enemy apparently so incapacitated pleased Shing Don tremendously. He couldn't resist gloating, " The pain you feel now, Iolaus, is but a preview of what truly awaits you. It would've been so much easier just to have joined us, foolish boy. It still isn't too late. Spare yourself any more suffering, just accept your fate! "

Iolaus pushed himself to his feet and, while he favoured his injured leg, stood steadfast and defiant in the face of Shing Don's threats and entreaties.

Resolve darkened his azure eyes with its fire and his words were every bit as fiery, " Get it through your addled brain, old man, that I DO NOT want to be Chan- Gao! Do you think pain or the threat of it scares me, Shing Don? It hasn't stopped me yet has it? Aslong as I live, I'll fight you! Accept that! "

Brave words but even as Iolaus spoke them he was frantically searching for a weapon to back them up.

A sword skipped across the cobblestones in a shower of sparks and came to rest beside his right foot.

Iolaus looked behind him and saw Darius standing in the ruin of the gate. He raised the sword in a salute to Darius's timely assist and then turned back to the task before him.

He smiled at the welcome feel of lethal steel in his hands.

With dire menace in his eyes, he looked down the blade of his sword at Shing Don, " Can you read my thoughts now, sensei? "

Shing Don didn't respond. With obvious expertise, he manipulated the long staff in his gnarled hands.

He swung low, trying to strike Iolaus's injured leg.

Iolaus backed away and countered Shing Don's blows with great competence. He continued to retreat to keep his injury well-guarded against Shing Don's aggression.

As they weaved across the castle enclosure, Iolaus called to Shing Don, " By the way, thanks for opening the gate for me, sensei. " He saw Shing Don's eyes narrow at his taunting. Iolaus judged it was time he went on the offensive.

So, with a powerful two-handed blow, he cut Shing Don's staff in two. Before the sorceror had time to react, Iolaus kicked one of the halves out of his hand and tackled him to the ground.

Iolaus held Shing Don's armed hand at bay as the chan-gao leader struggled to keep the sword away from his throat.

Shing Don was much stronger than he looked. He twisted and shoved Iolaus forcefully away.

As he scrambled to get on his feet again, Shing Don aimed a powerful blow in his direction. Iolaus saw the blow coming and countered it with his sword.

Locked in this stalemate, they both slowly got to their feet. Shing Don broke the draw by kicking Iolaus's good leg out from under him.

He fell heavily but was able to parry Shing Don's next blow from his knees. Iolaus slid his sword along the staff in Shing Don's hands with blinding speed. The keen blade severed Shing Don's right thumb before he even realised the danger.

Shing Don yelped and retreated in severe pain. Iolaus tried to capitalise on his advantage but when he attempted to, he couldn't get to his feet.

The compounded hardships of physical and psychological abuse, pain and exhaustion were rapidly taking a toll on his stamina. Notably, his leg and his ribs hurt beyond the point of distraction. It was by virtue of pure will-power that he'd made it this far. He knew that he wouldn't be able to keep this fight going much longer.

It was time Shing Don and his daughter were reunited.

He reached inside his vest and removed the silver shirikin. As Shing Don stormed at him, wielding his staff remnant, Iolaus tossed the lethal disk.

It struck Shing Don and the expression on his devilish face told Iolaus that his aim had been as accurate as always.

The sorceror fell slowly forward to the ground as Iolaus drew a deep, relieved breath.

The last Chan-Gao's body burst into flame and vanished in a puff of yellow smoke.

Iolaus relaxed, even allowing himself a faint, tired smile, " Chalk another one up for the good guys. ", he said quietly, using his sword to climb labouriously to his feet. He retrieved the silvery shirikin and slipped into his pocket thoughtfully. If for no other reason, it'd make an interesting keepsake.

As he stumbled through the shattered remnants of the castle-gate, Iolaus turned back for one last look.

It was too bad about the castle but all that mattered was that the people of Montori were safe.

Their future was secure now.

Darius and the other volunteers emerged from the forest. Iolaus smiled at them very wearily, " Did everybody get back to the temple alright? ", he asked.

Darius shook his head in wonder, " Your plan worked to perfection. All the hostages were rescued without a hitch. The only casualty, we thought until just alittle while ago, was you! "

Iolaus laughed although it hurt and quipped, " This is the first time I've returned from the dead WITHOUT Hercules's help! "

He sat down on a large boulder as terrible, unrelenting pain and exhaustion began to overwhelm him.

Darius saw Iolaus's badly bleeding wound and his bruised ribs but he could also see an inner torment in Iolaus's unusually frosted blue eyes.

Darius had seen the climatic battle Iolaus had just won and could only wonder what other battles he'd waged since last night. He'd certainly taken a beating judging from the bruises and lacerations visible inspite of the soot, grime and blood that seemed to cover every inch of Iolaus's slight body. He looked so tired that Darius wouldn't have been surprised if he slept for a week.

The mayor knelt and began to bind Iolaus's wound, " Why did you have to do this all by yourself, Iolaus? You very nearly got yourself killed! "

Iolaus leaned back on the boulder and closed his eyes, shading them with his fore-arm and tried unsuccessfully not to flinch as Darius bandaged his leg, " This was unfinished business between me and the Chan-Gao, my friend. It was bad enough people were terrorised and held hostage because of me. I couldn't risk anybody else's life but my own. It was the only way. ", he explained in a voice hoarse with fatigue.

When he didn't say anymore, Darius looked up and saw that Iolaus had passed out.

Aelon and the others immediately put together a bier. When they tried to lift Iolaus onto it, however, he woke up with a jolt. He saw the bier and shook his head, " Sorry, I'm not an invalid just yet. ", and stubbornly got to his feet.

Darius had anticipated his reaction and was there to catch him when he faltered. He handed Iolaus a walking staff, " Heroes first. ", he said.

Iolaus cast him a bemused look but for once said nothing.

They set off for the distant temple.

It was an arduous journey through the forests. Iolaus's left leg continued to bleed badly and by the time they reached the shores of the tranquil lake, he was feeling very faint from the loss of blood.

Little Mykol, playing on the temple steps, paused in his play as he saw Iolaus leaning heavily on his staff, fighting grimly to hang onto consciousness just a little while longer.

Mykol called excitedly for his mother and Eulaya came running.

When she saw Iolaus, Eulaya thought she was seeing a ghost. It wasn't until he looked at her and smiled that she let herself believe that he was really alive.

She ran to his side crying as her fellow villagers hurried to join her. With their kind guidance, Iolaus finally made it inside the temple.

Eulaya and Darius escorted him into one of the vestal chambers. He sat on the bed as Eulaya placed a bowl of water on a nearby table. Darius shook his head as Iolaus laid down wearily, " You're a very brave and incredibly stubborn young man, Iolaus."

But Iolaus didn't hear his remark. Eulaya gently brushed some of his damp golden hair away from his pale face and realised that he'd passed out, " Just look what those fiends did to him! His ribs. His leg. Who knows what other horrors he's been through! ", she cried softly, " Does he even realise the magnitude of what he's done? "

Darius was delicately attending to Iolaus's leg wound again, " I saw the very end of his battle, Eulaya. It fills me with awe to realise that he was fighting those monsters all alone for hours. Where does he get such tenacity and stamina? It's phenomenal! "

Eulaya laid a compress on Iolaus's feverish brow and said affectionately, " Iolaus is a born hero if ever there was one. Even when we were kids, he was always looking out for the younger ones. He saved me and Sylvana from alot of cruel pranks, too. He never seemed to be afraid of anybody. He's always been my favourite cousin but I've never been more proud of him than I am now. "

Hours later Iolaus woke up with a start from a very distressing dream. As his pain reacquainted him with reality, he sighed, " I don't know which is worse sometimes, fantasy or real life! "

He heard a footstep as Eulaya walked into the room carrying an oil-lamp. What a beautiful sight to wake up to anytime.

She was delighted to see he was awake, " Welcome back, cousin. How do you feel? "

Iolaus smiled as he slowly sat up, " Would you believe I've actually had worst days than this? ", he said sardonically.

Eulaya touched his forehead, " You still have a fever, Iolaus. You should stay in bed until it breaks. "

He gently removed Eulaya's hand and looked at her kindly, " Thanks for taking care of me, cousin. I'm sorry to be a bother."

Eulaya shook her head, " It's the very least I could do to repay you for returning my husband to me, for saving Montori from those awful monsters and, as always, for being your sweet self."

Iolaus blushed and flexed his leg, " I just hope the people of Montori forgive me now that the danger is past. "

Eulaya was thunderstruck by what he'd said, " Don't be ridiculous, cousin! If not for you, our village wouldn't even exist now and who knows what would've become of us! I know that I speak on every single person's behalf when I say, we are eternally grateful to you. "

Iolaus said earnestly, " This is a good town with really good, decent people. The good things are always worth fighting for and, besides, that's my job, so to speak. "

He grinned, " Now, let's discuss the really important stuff. Like, what's for supper? "

Eulaya laughed as Iolaus stood up carefully, " I never realised you were so funny, Iolaus. Hercules must have a really good sense of humour. "

He took several tentative steps and then followed Eulaya from the room, "Sometimes it's very hard to remember that he's a god, cousin, because Hercules has really good everything! ", he said with typical invective.

When Iolaus joined the villagers for their evening meal, he was treated as an honoured guest. The villagers, perhaps to make amends for being so initially indifferent to him, went to great lengths to sing his praises.

Iolaus felt very uncomfortable as the conquering hero. He decided to put the lessons on tact and diplomacy he'd learned from Chiron into practice.

He abruptly picked up little Mykol and sat him on his knee, " Would you like to hear another story about Hercules, Mykol?", he asked.

Immediately all of the children gathered around his chair and he took a deep breath. For this, he didn't mind being the centre of attention.

Early the next morning, Iolaus made his way outside and stood with his eyes closed, basking in the glorious sunshine.

The air was sweet and fresh.

He smiled, feeling very contented. It was as if a heavy load had been lifted from his shoulders.

Four days later the people of Montori were back in their village and Iolaus made his farewells.

His leg was well on the mend thanks to the herbal balm Hercules had taught him about. Eulaya wanted him to stay until he was totally mended but Iolaus was already restless.

The blacksmith made him a fine new sword and insisted that he take back the dinars he'd left in payment for the bow and arrows, " If a debt is owing, it is WE who owe it to YOU.", the farrier said sincerely.

Eulaya's husband Giorges, a carpenter and wood craftsman, gave him a stout, intricately carved walking staff, " May this token of my gratitude serve you as well as you did us. ", the big man said humbly.

The women of the village made sure he had a wineskin full of water and a pouch full of food.

Darius shook Iolaus's hand warmly, " Thank you for your help, Iolaus. If we're ever in trouble again, I'll send for you. "

Iolaus smiled sardonically as he shook Darius's hand, " Don't worry, my friend. If there's trouble, I probably won't be far away. I seem to have a penchant for it. Either I cause it, find it or it finds me. "

Darius nodded sagely as Iolaus turned to leave, " Men born with your courage and spirit, Iolaus, seldom live trouble-free lives! "

Eulaya gave him some salve for his tender ribs, " I hope it isn't ten years before you come for your next visit, Iolaus. ", she teased.

he hugged her warmly, " I will try harder, Eulaya, so be ready. You never know when I may turn up again. "

Eulaya's eyes were moist, " It's been wonderful to see you again, cousin. I wish we'd had more time together. Please take care of yourself and, once again, thank you for everything. "

Iolaus kissed his cousin softly on the cheek, " I was glad to help. If the need ever arises, you know where to find me."

As he turned to go, little Mykol ran up and wrapped his tiny arms around Iolaus's leg, " Thank you, Iolaus, for bringing my daddy home. Do you think that maybe next time your friend Hercules can come too? "

Iolaus laughed and tousled the little boy's hair, " You're welcome, Mykol. I'm sure Hercules would love to come visit Montori. I'll ask him. Promise! " The little boy let him go and ran to his parents.

Iolaus waved good-bye and, expertly twirling his new staff, headed out of the village. Just as he passed the signpost, a young teenage boy came running up the road.

He stopped, " I have a message for Iolaus of Thebes. Do you know him? "

Iolaus hid his face in his hand and shook his head. Not MORE trouble. He took the scroll from the boy.

It said:

Dear Iolaus:

' I am sorry to interrupt your vacation but we may have trouble in Corinth. Come as soon as you can. '

It was signed:

Hercules

Iolaus rolled his eyes and laughed, grimacing as his still tender ribs protested. VACATION! If only he knew!

He sent the boy ahead with the news that he was enroute and turned to look at the ridge where the fire-blackened parapets could barely be seen among the trees. The castle still existed in his memories atleast, as strong and proud as ever.

The people of Montori were free and safe again and that was all that mattered to Iolaus. Quite fortunately nobody had been killed save for the Chan-Gao and they'd gotten exactly what they'd deserved.

The soft summer breeze ran its fingers through his thatch of golden hair and his usual high spirits made his azure eyes sparkle as Iolaus embarked upon his journey towards Corinth.

THE END