A True Hero
By the Mighty Lu Bu
Gabrielle cradled the head of Iolaus, with her tears falling on his face. Xena stood by, holding back her own tears. They lost a good friend today, thought Xena, as one tear managed to escape the prison of her yes. "He died like he lived. A hero. He was a good man."
"But Xena, I… He…" Xena pulled Gabrielle's head close to her chest. Dawn was upset too, as if she were picking up on her emotions.
"I know Gabrielle, I know. I'm going to miss him to."
Joxer starred at the body of Iolaus, stunned, without words, unable to move. Everyone turned their heads as they heard the sounds of crashing as they stared into a cave in the distance. Then suddenly to Gabrielle's horror, dirt and dust blew out of the cave.
Gabrielle released herself from Xena's grasp as Xena tried to stop her. Gabrielle shouted, "Hercules!" She ran as fast as she could while Xena followed behind her to catch her, because Xena didn't know if it was actually safe. Then Gabrielle stopped as she saw a figure emerging from out of the cave.
Gabrielle felt a wave of relief when she saw it was Hercules who was emerging from the cave. His hands defeated, lay limply at his side. Head hung low. As soon as Hercules got within a good range of Xena, she asked, "Is Callisto..?"
Hercules starred down at the ground, taking his mind off of Iolaus just long enough to answer. "She's trapped. She won't be getting out anytime soon."
"That leaves only one."
"I know." Hercules turned and looked over to where Joxer was with the body of Iolaus. He walked past Gabrielle. The bard noticed that Hercules was crying, even though he wasn't making a sound that anyone could heard. The only sign of Hercules weeping while he approached the body of his dead friend, was the drops of tears to the ground.
Xena and Gabrielle followed him closely. Gabrielle cradled her daughter gently. Once Hercules reached the body of Iolaus he inserted his left arm under the back of Iolaus and his right arm under his upper back with his hand firmly supporting his head.
Hercules' tears joined the ones that the bard had left behind, on the face of his friend "Iolaus, buddy, friend. I'm so sorry…. I'm going to miss you, and your hunter's tricks. You were always there for me. I wouldn't be who I am today if it wasn't for you. You my friend, you're the real hero. Rest… Iolaus."
8
Xena, Hercules, Joxer, and Gabrielle all worked together to get the wood together for the funeral pyre. They had not seen any sign of Velasca since Hercules cast her off of the cliff. Xena had guessed that Hera pulled her back in order to rethink her approach. The events as sad as they were, had given them a temporary reprieve, a moment to rest and mourn their friend.
Hercules remembered Iolaus, that time when Iolaus battled a she-demon because Hercules was to upset with grief to help anyone. That time when his old hunters tricks defeated a Hydra in a cave. Iolaus would not only be there whenever Hercules needed him, but would be there for anyone who needed him. Iolaus as a man, Hercules thought to himself, is the kind of person that Hercules always tries to be.
Hercules and Xena carefully laid the body of Iolaus on the funeral pyre. Gabrielle watched as she recalled the scene in her head. How Iolaus said "To get her, you have to go through me." Then seeing Callisto grabbing her dagger and throwing it, and how it tore into his chest, piercing his heart. She recalled watching the life slip out of his eyes, she thought back to Perdicas as he too had died by Callisto's hand.
Here she was remembering another victim of Callisto, another who was very close to her. Hercules stepped back beside Gabrielle. Gabrielle's right hand grasped the left hand of Hercules as they watched Xena approach with the torch.
Xena began to sing her funeral song tribute to her fallen friend. The great Iolaus. The wood caught fire as Xena stepped back. Xena watched as the flames surrounded the body of Iolaus. Joxer approached Xena from the side as she finished her song. "Xena, it's just not right. He was the real hero, the world needed him, it should have been me to take the dagger in the chest."
Xena gave Joxer a warm, "We all want to undo what has been done. We each must face these events within us. Don't blame yourself, you stood right beside him in front of Gabrielle. You were willing to die too, and I admire you for that. That is what a hero would do Joxer. It was just his time, Callisto choose him. Nothing more."
She then turned around to face Hercules and Gabrielle. Behind them she saw a hooded figure in the distance. Xena immediately realized that it was Ares, but did not call it out to the others, believing that even as an adversary, that Ares was taking time to remember Iolaus. Ares caught Xena's glance, and disappeared before anyone else noticed.
8
Inside the cave, the Voice of Hera spoke. "Ah Callisto, you are the weak one. You can stay there Callisto. I have no use for failures like you." Callisto tried to shout, but she couldn't because she was still trapped by the rocks. Callisto heard the laughter of the Queen of the Gods slowly disappear.
8
Velasca was suspended in the air, several miles away from the place where Iolaus died. She heard the voice of Hera. "Wait for a bit. Let the mortals mourn. I'll take care of Hercules, then it should be easy for you to take them out. Until then, stay out of sight." Hera released her, and Velasca quickly went into cover.