As the story begins, there is a meeting of many townspeople, discussing their fear of living under the thumb of the gods. Anyone who defies the gods will bring down their wrath on the entire town. Heated debate, and tempers begin to flare. All agree they are tired of living in fear.
Suddenly Xena and Gabrielle arrive, to end the fight. A man reaches inside his coat for a hankerchief to offer to someone, and Gab thinks he is pulling a weapon. Big fight erupts, with Xena and Gab kicking lots of innocent ass. Xena does some impressive flips and kicks, ESPECIALLY for someone as pregnant as she is here!
As fight is resolved, they get to the bottom of the conflict. Ares appears out of thin air. Xena chides him for being in such an unworthy place as this. Ares says that Xena has really been busy, as he looks at her. Says that if he'd known she needed a father HE would have gladly obliged her. Xena says she didn't, she had Gabrielle. Gab just shrugs her shoulders at this statement. Ares says he would have PAID handsomely to have seen that.
Xena tells Ares that this meeting is the beginning of the TWILIGHT movement. Ares says that Twilight is only a myth. Xena asks why his concern, then?? He says he wants to be THOROUGH by eliminating all chances of the Twilight thing, just in case. Twilight being where gods are no longer needed. Callisto the angel appears, watching this proceeding quietly.
Xena tells Ares that he is AFRAID. He turns, looking very menacing. He says, "Decisions you make now don't just affect you and your child, MOM! They affect all mankind. I'd hate to have to kill both of you." He disappears.
Xena chides Gab for being too anxious to draw weapons and fight rather than by using diplomacy.
Eli is there, preaching love to a crowd. He says not to fear the gods but that the gods should fear THEM. Xena and Gab arrive, and Eli recognizes them. Hugs all around.
Xena asks Eli about his war against the gods. Eli says the war is one of love, not weapons and bloodshed. A spy for Ares, called Elos, carries this message back to Ares.
Ares says he is fully aware of all that goes on in his kingdom, but that he needs to pay a visit to Eli.
Gabrielle still feeling guilty for being triggerhappy and more than willing to fight. She tells Eli that she feels that she has betrayed him and his teachings of love and peace. He replies that these teachings are right but she is doing right and she must fight.
Ares appears and makes Eli an offer. Tells Eli to end his crusade and he will let him live. Says Eli must see all the angles of this, and that a smart tactician doesn't walk away until he's seen all the angles. He tells Eli to walk away now.
Callisto appears to Xena, who acts very cold and hateful to Callisto. Callisto says that Xena saved her soul, but Xena says she remembers only evil that Callisto did. Callisto tells Xena not to interfere between Ares and Eli, that Eli must face this challenge alone. This is vitally important.
Xena sees 5 or 6 men from Ares' army approaching. She fights them all off alone, then puts PINCH on the last one. He tells her the info she wants. She says to herself that she is getting too old for this!!!
Eli is praying alone. He opens his eyes and Callisto is there, facing him. She tells him that the kingdom of Heaven is a beautiful place. Eli is very concerned about his conflict with Ares and asks if there is another way. Callisto says that a new kingdom on earth must be built over the old one. Do not be afraid, because he is the hammer that is needed to do this rebuilding job. Eli says he is afraid. Callisto says that his fear was what made him the chosen one in the first place. She kisses him on the cheek, then disappears.
Xena calls Gabrielle and Eli together. She tells Eli that she can get him and his followers to safety because she knows the plans of Ares' army, and that they are coming. Eli says he has made his choice, he is staying. Xena says that he can't possibly win. Eli says he knows this, but sometimes one must lose a few battles in order to win the war. Xena gets that lost puppy look, tells Gabrielle to stay with Eli and don't let anything happen to him!
Xena confronts Ares' army at a footbridge over a valley. She fights them single-handedly, knocking them over the ropes one by one as they approach.
Meanwhile, Eli is before a crowd of followers again. Ares appears and Gabrielle pulls her sais to defend Eli. Ares tells the people that Eli will lead them to their deaths. Eli says that he only leads them to the truth. Ares pulls his sword, as Eli faces him totally unarmed. Ares lunges at Eli with the sword of war, but Gab blocks his thrust with her sais. Eli demands that she not interfere, that his good will be wasted if she does. Again Ares swings at Eli, but Gab blocks him again. More pleading from Eli to Gab, who finally lets Eli do it his way. Eli tells her that it is for the greater good. Ares thrusts his sword completely through Eli, who falls to the ground dead.
Ares disappears again. Gab can't believe that Eli is dead. She cradles him in her arms and cries for him. Joined by many others.
Xena cuts the ropes of the foot bridge, and soldiers fall to their deaths below. The rest can't cross the canyon. Then she hurries back to the village.
Xena arrives at the village, where Gab sits helpless beside Eli. Callisto watches silently. Xena asks what happened, but Gab is too overcome to answer her. Someone in the crowd says Gab betrayed Eli and should be punished. Xena chides the crowd for this attitude. She asks Gab if she tried to fight for Eli, to defend him. Gab really gets ugly and demands that Xena don't blame her. Big argument between Xena and Gabrielle here. Xena says that the only reason that people like Eli exist is because people like THEM exist to protect them, because they won't protect themselves. Gab very angry, says Ares was right, that the entire future is shaped only by warriors.
Gabrielle goes out into the desert alone, throwing her sais at a tree stump. She has lots of anger and frustration. Ares appears to her, and she throws sais at him. She tries to fight him but he disappears and reappears. He tells her that "might is right." He tells her that if she had only listened to him she could have saved Eli. He passes hands over Gab, making a red glow over her body. She gets to feel how a god feels, every day of his life. He tells her that this power can change the world, if she will only let it. After all, wasn't that what she wanted? He disappears again.
Xena singing the funeral dirge as she lights the pyre. Gab watches this, then turns and walks away.
Callisto appears to Xena. She says Eli lived and died by his message. As long as she kept that message in her heart, Eli would always continue to live. She said that he would live on as his soul is reincarnated into a new body.
Callisto tries to explain this love to Xena, who is very vile toward her. Callisto says she really cares about Xena and Gabrielle.
Gabrielle is alone, speaking to Eli's ashes. She says that he believed in her, so please have faith in her now.
Callisto brings Xena to an altar where the Dagger of Helios is hidden. Xena wants to kill Ares with it, but Callisto tries to talk sense into her. She said that Eli chose his path, Xena must choose hers. She grabs the dagger, saying it is easy to preach peace and love when you live in Heaven, but where she came from you must fight to live. Tells Callisto to come along, and watch the twilight of the gods. Xena grits teeth, and leaves. Callisto in great pain at this.
Ares is speaking to the crowd. He says that Eli AND his crusade are dead. The crowd chants "ELI!" Ares is angered, draws his sword to kill the leader of the chants for Eli. Gabrielle steps out of the crowd and confronts Ares. Great fight ensues with Gab disarming Ares. Throws sais at Ares but misses, then they fight with Gab swinging Ares' sword. He gets it back, and prepares to kill Gabrielle.
Suddenly Xena's chakram zips through the air, cutting the blade off Ares' sword. Ares in disgust at Xena, who draws the dagger on Ares' throat. He says he is disappointed that she could only come up with a dagger to kill him with. But she explains WHICH dagger it is, and he is very concerned. She tries to slash his throat but sees the reflection of Eli in the shiny blade. She throws the dagger down.
Ares immediately retrieves the dagger, grabs Xena and holds it to her throat. Threatens to kill her, but she laughs at him. She uses Eli's statement that she will become more powerful than he could ever imagine if he does it. He throws dagger down, vows to resume the fight in another more private place at a later time.
Eli and Callisto appear to Xena and Gabrielle. Eli thanks each seperately for their faith and for doing what he wanted them to do. He said that their enduring faith for each other was the greatest miracle of all.
Callisto says that it was time to reincarnate her spirit into the world. Xena with bewildered look on face asks if it was her all along? Xena and Callisto make amends for a life of hate and evil they brought upon each other. Xena says that now it is time that they each gave back what they took from each other.
Callisto becomes a light, enters Xena's body. She is the child.
Eli says that love is truly the way. He disappears.
End of show
-Shadow Warrior