Iolaus was beginning to feel somewhat like a human punching bag. He sat
quietly on a small cot in the slaves quarters nursing dozens of bruises and cuts. The guards had
known what they were doing and hadn't left a spot on his body free of pain. With a small groan
Iolaus gingerly rolled his shoulders, trying to ease some the kinks out of his stiff joints while
he had mobility. He looked up when a quiet murmur passed through the assembled slaves. Many had
gathered after he had been treated and 'prepared', to listen to his tales of adventure while they
waited for the guards to bring them to the temple.
Iolaus had been happy to oblige as it took his mind off of his pending sacrifice. Now,
however, it seemed the slave population was growing restless. Iolaus felt himself tense in
anticipation, half expecting Narius' guards to storm in at any second. He waited first ten
seconds, then thirty, until a full minute had passed, and there was still no sign of the guards.
He allowed himself to breath a sigh of relief, as he looked about the small hut again, eyes
searching uselessly for a way out.
Amera approached slowly, a cup of water in her hand. She held it out to him without a word
and he took it gratefully. "Thanks."
"It was the least I could do." She replied, shrugging her shoulders timidly. "You gave us
hope, something we've never had before." The girl was quiet for a moment longer before she looked
up at the blonde hunter, her eyes shining with hope. "Shiri came by earlier..."
It took a moment for the words to register in the hunter's brain, and his head snapped up
in shock when they did. Amera read the question in his eyes and grinned slightly. "She's safe,
Narius thinks she's long gone. She ran into a friend of yours, someone called Hercules."
The grin that lit up Iolaus' face rivaled the brightest summer day as he stared incredulously
at the girl before him. "I told ya so." Was all he said, a twinkle in his blue eyes.
"She said to tell you to be ready. They plan to attack on the way to temple, before Narius
can ask Hera for help."
Iolaus nodded...it sounded like something Herc would come up with. Despite his injuries
Iolaus felt like taking Amera and spinning her around. Finally, he could do something to stop
Narius. "Are the others ready to defend themselves?" He asked suddenly, an idea occurring to him.
"They could be hurt in the line of fire if Herc attacks the procession."
"That was the point of the warning, not only to warn you, but to let the slaves here know
that this time we can hit back. Anyone who doesn't want to fight has been instructed to head for
the trees when the attack comes. Everyone else is armed as well as they can. We are ready. It
ends today."
"Good, I don't want any of you hurt because of me."
A commotion by the doorway cut off any reply the girl could have made as Narius barged into
the small hut, preceded by three heavily armed guards. He made his way past terrified servants a
look of distain and disgust very evident on his features.
Swallowing past the sudden dryness in his throat Iolaus stood, albeit painfully, to confront
the warlord, gently pushing Amera behind him into her mother's waiting arms. The guards flanked the
young hunter; taking hold of his arms none too gently. He glared silently at them but didn't resist
their hold.
Narius came to a stop before him, his face twisted into a sneer as he took in the congregation
of slaves, all of whom where watching the confrontation with rapt attention. He smiled without warmth
before indicating to Iolaus. A guard stepped forward and placed heavy manacles onto his unresisting
wrists.
"Time to die for Hera's glory, maggot." He sneered in Iolaus' face as the hunter stared passively
back at him. A small smirk played across the blonde's lips and he smiled back, meeting the dark gaze
with one of his own.
"Hera's glory, huh? That's a good one, I haven't heard that before..." He smirked as Narius
seethed, drawing his fist back to strike the youth.
The mailed fist stopped in mid-swing, barely five centimeters from Iolaus' face. Narius lowered
his hand and glared at the young hunter a look of contempt on his face. "It won't work. You will die
on the alter soon enough..."
"Say what?"
"Bring him. Hera shall teach him all the discipline he needs when his blood mingles with her on
her alter and he shall be hers to command for all eternity." A harsh glare brought the point home and
Iolaus felt an involuntary shiver run through him at the thought of spending eternity at the whim of
the cruelest goddess of them all. _Herc, I sure hope you know what you're doing..._
Iolaus was led out of the small hut into the pre-dusk twilight. The slaves were keep back from
the door while a small army took up positions around their captive. Only when Iolaus was on his way
to the temple were the slaves herded out of their hut and made to follow the doomed man and his escorts.
For Iolaus the short walk to the clearing that housed Hera's temple felt like forever. His senses
on alert for Hercules' attack he had to fight back the urge to jump at every little noise. And he was
growing more and more nervous as the procession neared the clearing and there was still no sign of Hercules.
The little looks of triumph Narius kept shooting in his direction didn't help any, either.
A flash of light reflecting off metal in the trees was his only warning against the sudden attack
by Jason's army. They burst out of the trees on either side of the small road with a suddenness that
took Narius' men completely unawares.
The guards nearest Iolaus instinctively grabbed his arms and attempted to physically drag him
towards the temple, which was visible a mere 300 meters down the path. However, Iolaus was no longer
there. At the first sign of attack he had thrown himself to the ground. From his position he was
methodically kicking at the unprotected legs of his captors. A pair of hands reached for him and he
kicked out wildly, scrambling as best he could with his bound hands to reach the edge of the circle
of guards and his friends that were waiting out there. Mere feet from freedom a booted foot connected
solidly with his midsection sending him down to the earth with a thud.
Stunned from the blow, he reacted too late to the new pair of hands that roughly grabbed his
shoulders and hauled him upright. The young warrior struggled and kicked but to no avail. The man
holding him simply lifted him off the ground and held him by the scruff of his neck. _Well, when all
else fails..._ "HEL-!" A rough hand closed over his mouth before he finished his cry and jerking his
neck back painfully. Then Iolaus felt himself being dragged tossed unceremoniously over the huge man's
shoulder and hauled off in the direction of the temple. _Uh oh...Uh...Herc? Turn around! Turn around
NOW!!!_ Iolaus begged mentally, unable to cry for help due to the rough hand that remained over his mouth.
If Hercules had heard his friend's mental cry he gave no indication as he continued to fight
desperately with the knot of men that clogged up the trail. Trying to reach the center of the circle
they formed and his best friend. The slaves had reacted perfectly, many of them scrambling immediately
for the shelter of the trees. Others who had elected to fight picked up a branch or fallen weapon and
joined in the fray with relish. Jason's army and the slaves made short work of the slavers, and soon
all were unconscious and tied up quietly, or conscious and chained to a large tree, muttering curses
and threats at their captors.