This story is not intended to violate any copyrights held by MCA, Universal Studios, or Renaissance Pictures concerning Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. This story is for fun and no money was made from it.
Iolaus whistled happily as he turned the corner that led home. Hercules and Elissa had gone into the village for the afternoon, and he had taken the opportunity to visit the local blacksmith. The man had been very gracious to him, allowing him use of his forge, and the hunter had crafted a wedding gift for his soon to be bride. Although he had given up smithing some time ago, his skills had not grown rusty and he was quite proud of his efforts. Grinning, he pulled out the delicate chain from his pocket and admired it as he bounced down the path towards the great stone house. In the center of the decorative pendant that he’d so painstakingly molded and etched was an emerald. The stone was tiny, but brilliant, and shone with the exact color of his love’s eyes. Iolaus couldn’t wait for her to see it, but he wanted to give it to her on their wedding day, so his slipped it back into his pocket and entered the house. Elissa and Hercules weren‘t back yet, but to his surprise, a strange man was crouching by the fireplace.
“Can I help you?” the hunter asked in puzzlement. The stranger looked up at him, then turned back to stare into the flames.
“Get out of here,” he commanded. “Now.” Iolaus felt the ire begin to boil up inside of him.
“This is my house,” he said defensively. “And I think you’re the one who needs to get out.” The man rose and strode hostilely up to the hunter. He was tall and muscular, and his eyes were cold and hard.
“Iolaus, isn’t it?” the strange man questioned, not bothering to hide his contempt. “This is NOT your house, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll get out now while you still can.”
“Listen, friend,” the hunter said angrily. “I don’t know who you think you are, but...” His sentence was left unfinished as a hard right knocked him to the floor. Ignoring the stars dancing before his eyes, Iolaus kicked out and swept the man’s legs out from under him, landing the stranger next to him on the floor. Without missing a beat, Iolaus was on top of the man, trying to subdue him, but the stranger pushed him off and reversed their positions. The hunter wriggled out of the man’s grasp, lashing out behind him as he struggled free. He was just about to pounce on his foe again when Elissa’s voice from the doorway stopped him.
“Iolaus, what is going on?” Panting, the hunter paused to look up at the healer, then glanced at his opponent, doing a double take as he saw the man’s expression. The stranger had gone white, and was staring fearfully at the girl, who was now rushing toward him. His initial shock lasted only a moment, and he pulled the healer into his arms for a crushing hug.
“Elissa,” he cried, pulling her back to look at her. “I thought you were dead.”
“What?” she asked in confusion.
“I got a message. From him,” the man glared in Iolaus’ direction. “He said you’d been killed.”
“So I’m guessing that you didn’t get our other message,” Elissa said with a sigh.
“I don’t understand.”
“It’s a long story,” Iolaus volunteered, coming forward and extending his hand as he suddenly realized who the stranger was. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Argeon.” The man obviously didn’t want to take the hunter’s hand, but at a look from his sister he clasped it briefly. Hercules had been watching from the doorway all this time, but now he stepped forward and introduced himself.
“Why don’t we go out to the spring and take care of that eye before it swells shut, and give Elissa a chance to explain everything,” Hercules suggested to his friend. Iolaus was about to protest, when he suddenly got the demigod’s hint and silently followed him out of the house.
“Elissa, what in the name of Tartarus is going on here?” Argeon demanded when they were alone.
“Quit yelling at me and sit down so I can take care of that,” the healer shot back at him, indicating his split lip.
“I’m not yelling,” the sailor shouted. Elissa gave him a look as she put some water over the fire to heat. “I’m not,” he insisted, more quietly this time, as he obediently sat at the table.
“I don’t even know where to start,” she began. Words seemed to escape her as she tried to sum up all the emotions that her golden hunter stirred in her, and it was impossible to put into words just how much she loved him. Briefly she went over the events of the last year, downplaying the whole Sinis mess to avoid upsetting her brother too much. But it didn’t work.
“So let me get this straight,” he said, taking the mug of mead she handed him and taking a long drink. “This twerp drags you all over the country, pissing off all the gods, even gets you killed, and yet you want to marry him?”
“I’d appreciate you not referring to my future husband as a twerp,” she bristled. “Argeon, try to understand...”
“Oh, I understand. All your life you’ve been flitting around, persisting in this idiotic healer charade and embarrassing the family, and now you’re shacked up with a guy that’s just going to perpetuate this fantasy. It’s high time you grew up and started acting like a responsible, decent woman, like Mother did.”
“Something died in Mother the day she gave up her bard’s life to stay home and just be a housewife. I won’t let that happen to me,” Elissa exclaimed. “And what is so idiotic about wanting to be a healer? Is it idiotic to want to help people?”
“It’s a man’s profession,” Argeon told her. “If you want to do that sort of thing, you should stick to midwifery.”
“Where did you come from?” The healer asked in frustration. “Where did you get these ideas? Just because I don’t want to stay locked in the house cranking out babies doesn’t make me evil. It doesn’t make me a failure as a woman.”
“It makes you an embarrassment.”
“Only to you,” Elissa reproached her brother. “Mother was proud of me. And so was Father. Why else do you think he took me with him and taught me everything he knew?”
“So what are you going to do? Go off on your merry way with this guy and end up getting yourself killed again?”
“Argeon, it’s not like that. Maybe I do wish that Iolaus wasn’t always in the line of fire. Actually, no I don’t,” she said stubbornly. “His bravery, and his spirit, and his passion for helping people are what I love most about him. He fights to keep Greece safe and free from oppression from the gods, and if he can accept the risks and consequences that come from that, then I can too. Why can‘t you see that?”
“Elissa,” Argeon said wearily. “You’re my sister. I love you, and I want what’s best for you.”
“Iolaus is what’s best for me,” she said, softening. “He’s a part of me. I don’t think I could go on without him. I really wish you’d just give him a chance. He’s a wonderful man, and I think you’d like him if you just got to know him. Cimon did.”
“Yeah, well, Cimon’s dead, isn’t he.” Argeon immediately regretted the words as he saw his sister’s face fall.
“I can’t believe you just said that to me,” she whispered, trying to blink back the tears welling in her eyes.
“Look,” he said uncomfortably. “You just do what you want. You will anyway. Always have. Just don’t come crying to me when you get your heart broken.”
“You’ll be at the wedding, though, won’t you?” Elissa asked as he tried to leave.
“I have to ship out of Corinth in five days,” Argeon told her, avoiding her pleading gaze.
“The wedding is in Corinth in four days. At the palace. Please, Argeon. We’re all that’s left of the family. It would really mean everything to me to have you there.”
“All right,” he agreed reluctantly. “I’ll be there.”
“You’d better watch your back tonight,” Hercules whispered to his partner, only half kidding.
“If looks could kill,” Iolaus whispered back, feeling Argeon’s glare upon him. The foursome’s journey to Corinth had been fraught with tension. Everything the hunter did or said seemed to rub the sailor the wrong way. And if he so much as took Elissa’s hand he could feel the hatred emanating out of her brother. Iolaus could see the family resemblance, but the sullen man was the exact opposite of his good-natured, fun loving siblings.
“Give it to me,” Argeon snarled, coming forward to snatch the flint from the hunter’s hand. “Who taught you to light a fire anyway?” As he struck the flint to create a spark, igniting the pile of twigs with a small flame, Iolaus took a deep breath and held it, along with the biting remark he was dying to make.
“I guess I’ll just go and gather some more wood,” the hunter said through clenched teeth. “Since you have everything under control here, Argeon.”
“Just make sure you get something that will burn. Not this useless, damp crap that you brought before.” Iolaus tensed for a moment, then stalked off into the trees that surrounded the clearing they were using as a campsite. The first chunk of wood he found, he seized and hurled at the nearest tree.
“Feel better now?” The hunter turned and took Elissa in his arms as she came up behind him. “Iolaus, I’m so sorry about Argeon. I don’t know why he’s acting like this.”
“Because he loves you, and he obviously thinks I’m not good enough for you,” Iolaus told her, resting his cheek against her silken hair.
“I think you‘re good enough. That should be all the reassurance he needs.”
“He thinks I’m trouble, and he thinks I’m going to eventually hurt you. He wants to protect you, but he knows you’re as stubborn as a mule and won’t listen to him.”
“Hey, look who’s talking,” the healer said indignantly. “You’re more stubborn than I am.”
“Stubborn enough that Argeon isn’t going to scare me away from marrying you.”
“I can’t believe it,” Elissa whispered. “In a few days, we’ll be married.”
“And you’ll be stuck with me forever.”
“In a way, nothing’s changing,” she continued.
“But in a way, everything is,” Iolaus finished for her.
“Don’t let him get to you,” the healer told her love, drawing in closer and enjoying the warmth of his arms around her. “His bark is worse than his bite. In the end, he’ll be fine with it.” Iolaus leaned in to kiss the girl, secretly hoping that she was right.
“Well, well, look who’s here. What brings you slumming, Argeon?”
“Shut up, Jamshid,” the sailor growled to his crewmate as he slid onto the empty stool next to him. Normally Argeon avoided the seedy taverns that his shipmates tended to frequent when they were in port, but he had to get out of the palace. King Iphicles, with some encouragement from Jason, had insisted on throwing the wedding in the castle grounds. Elissa had been absolutely delighted with all the preparations he had ordered. The courtyard was being decorated for the ceremony, the banquet room was being readied for the reception, the palace chefs were preparing a feast, and the finest seamstress in Corinth was working on a dress for the bride. Iolaus, who had at first been a little uncomfortable with all the hoopla and finery, had even gotten caught up in the festivities, especially when he saw how happy the healer was. But Argeon still could not let go of the grudge that gripped his heart, and he felt himself suffocating in the midst of all the wedding nonsense. His only solution, so he thought, was to go out and get drunk.
“Ale,” he demanded of the pretty tavern maid that was waiting to serve him. She gave him a shy smile and scurried off to procure his drink.
“I think she likes you. You play your cards right, she could be warming your bed tonight.”
“Forget it, Jamshid,” Argeon told him, downing the ale in one gulp and slamming the tankard on the bar, signaling for another. “Women are nothing but trouble. Take my sister, for example. Do have any idea how many men I tried to talk her into marrying? Good men. Men that had professions, men with money. Men that would take care of her and give her security. But she turned them all down. She preferred to live alone, traveling around the country, making a fool out of herself. And the rest of the family actually ENCOURAGED her. I’m trying to get her to settle down, and act like a decent woman, and she just laughs in my face.”
“I would not tolerate such disobedience from a girl,” Jamshid frowned.
“What am I supposed to do?” Argeon asked, downing his third ale.
“Why don’t you punish her? Make her obey you.”
“Because this isn’t Persia,” Argeon said exasperatedly. “You can’t do that kind of thing in Greece.” He picked up his fourth tankard and gulped it quickly. “But that’s not even the worst part. The worst is that now she wants to get married. All the stable men out there, and she picks a vagabond. He has no assets, no income. But she doesn’t care, because he’s a hero and they’re ’in love’. She actually prefers living hand to mouth with this guy, being a target for every god and warlord in the country, over security with a farmer or merchant. He even got her killed once, but she doesn’t care. They JOKE about it, for Zeus’ sake.”
“Killed? How did she come back?”
“Ares. The god of war. He brought her back for reasons unknown. But they don’t care about that, either. I tried to explain to her that he’ll use that against them later, to make her do something horrible. And she laughed at me. Well, I’ve had it. I’m washing my hands of both of them. The twerp wants her? He can have her. Along with all her stubborn ideas and willfulness. I’m done worrying about her.” Argeon slammed his tankard down with a certain finality.
“Why don’t you ask your gods for help?” Jamshid inquired.
“The gods,” Argeon chuckled. “Help. Yeah, that’s a good one. I’m sure they’re all leaping at the chance to come down here and bail me out.”
“Why not?”
“I suppose your gods answer every time you yell?”
“Sure. If you ask nicely. And if know just who to ask.” Jamshid stared intently at Argeon, until his meaning hit home through the drunkenness that was beginning to descend over the sailor.
“You mean, you’d ask your gods to help me?”
“I could try, but don’t think it wouldn’t cost you.”
“Do it,” Argeon declared, after a moment’s hesitation.
“Go back to your palace,” Jamshid commanded, rising from his seat and tossing some coins onto the bar. “Wait there. I’ll send word to you when I get an answer.” Argeon watched his shipmate leave, then tried to count out the right amount of dinars to cover his ale, a task made difficult by his increasing inability to focus.
“Argeon, I must speak with you.” The sailor squinted at the man who had slid into the recently unoccupied seat next to him.
“I’d like to stay, Mahre, but I have to be somewhere.” Argeon rose, a bit unsteadily, and tried to leave, but his crewmate held him by the arm.
“Please, just listen to me,” Mahre implored. “I overheard what Jamshid was saying to you. You shouldn’t trust him, Argeon.”
“But he’s going to help me.”
“I’ve sailed with him a long time,” Mahre continued. “And I’m telling you, don’t trust him. Forget about whatever revenge you’re planning. He’s a dangerous man.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Argeon pulled away and almost fell, but managed to right himself and stalk out of the tavern with an over exaggerated air of dignity.
“But he’s a Yezidi,” Mahre whispered sadly, turning back to his drink.
“Iolaus, something about this isn’t right.”
“Herc, please.”
“A message comes for Argeon, he won’t tell anyone what it says, and then suddenly he wants to take you out for a bachelor party like he’s your best friend?”
“Don’t you think I know that this whole thing smells like one big setup? But what else can I do? If he is extending an olive branch, accusing him of something would be the surest way to ruin it. And even if he is planning something, I can’t quite go to Elissa and say ’I know he’s your brother and all the family that you have left but I don’t trust him and I think he’s planning to kill me.’ You should have seen her light up when he told her we were going out together.”
“I still don’t like it,” Hercules muttered.
“Neither do I. But that’s never stopped us from charging in before.”
“Just be on your guard,” the demigod advised, pulling open the door to the tavern.
“Jamshid, I’m not sure about this,” Argeon whispered nervously as he watched the pair walk in. “Maybe we should just forget about it.”
“It’s a little late for that,” the sailor said harshly. “Everything is ready. Anyway, why do you want to back out now? I thought you wanted this?”
“I don’t know anymore. What if something goes wrong?”
“Nothing is going to go wrong.”
“Maybe if you told me what you were planning...”
“And ruin the surprise?” Jamshid grinned. “Just relax. You wanted them broken up, and broken up they will be. It all lies in the kiss.”
“What do you mean? Your love goddess is going to cast a spell to make them fall out of love?”
“Something like that,” Jamshid hedged. “Now go and see to our guest of honor.”
Argeon still wasn’t completely convinced, but he moved forward to welcome Iolaus and Hercules, and the scores of their old friends that been pouring in from all over Greece for the wedding.
“Aphrodite’s going to have her hands full tomorrow,” Hercules joked, lifting his wine goblet at his partner. “With all the hearts that are going to be breaking throughout the country as our little Iolaus takes himself off the market.” The hunter blushed, reminding himself to have a serious “discussion” later with the demigod about that “little Iolaus” crack.
“Oh, I don’t think the lovely ladies of Greece will be too heartbroken,” Autolycus countered, running a hand suavely over his moustache. “After all, they’ll still have me.”
“And you’ll have their valuables,” Iolaus said smugly. As the room dissolved into laughter, he leaned in to whisper into the demigod’s ear. “We’ve been here all night and nothing’s happened. Do you think we were wrong about this being a setup?”
“Maybe all those years of dodging traps and fighting monsters has made us cynical and paranoid,” Hercules whispered back, but he still couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.
“Great party,” Jason commented, coming to sit next to his friends. “But I don’t know why we couldn’t have done it somewhere else. This isn’t exactly Corinth’s finest tavern.”
“There’s a simple reason for that, Jason,” Argeon said with a grin as he overheard the Argonaut. “Those upscale places tend to frown on the entertainment.”
“What entertainment?” Hercules asked suspiciously. At a nod from Argeon, Jamshid pulled open a curtain in the back of the bar to reveal a beautiful young woman. She was very exotic looking, with long dark hair and black eyes, and she was swathed in veils. As the men in the bar began to whistle and cheer, she moved out into the center of the room, beginning a seductive dance as she dropped the veils one by one. Iolaus was just as transfixed as the rest of the men until the girl writhed up to him. The hunter shot an uncomfortable look at his partner as the dancer removed one of the final veils, revealing quite a lot, and placed it around his neck. He tried to discretely disentangle himself, but before he could stop her, she used the veil to pull him in close to her and kissed him hard on the lips. The crowd went wild at this action, but before Iolaus could react, the woman released him and moved back into the center of the room to finish the dance and drop the final veils.
“I think we just discovered Argeon’s plan,” Hercules murmured to his stunned friend. “I’ll bet he’s planning to go back and tell Elissa that something was going on with you and that girl.”
“She’d never believe it,” Iolaus replied.
“Besides, I think you’d have to fight Salmoneus for her,” the demigod chuckled, watching the salesmen worshiping at the feet of the lithe dancer, clutching the last veil she’d dropped.
“Herc, can we go?” the hunter asked suddenly.
“Are you all right?”
“Yeah, I just feel a little...strange. I want to go back.”
“Ok,” Hercules said, immediately concerned. “Let me go tell Jason that we’re heading back to the palace.” The demigod was so preoccupied with his partner, that he failed to notice the smirk on Argeon’s face as he sat with Jamshid in the corner.
Iolaus looked out of the window in his room at the palace. The morning sky was streaked with pinks and golds as the sun began peeking over the horizon. A calico sky, as Elissa always called it, and none more perfect for their wedding day. The hunter rubbed a hand wearily over his face and went back to sit on the bed where his intended bride lay unconscious.
“Elissa, please,” he begged, wringing out a cloth in cool water and placing it on her forehead. “Open your eyes. Open your eyes and look at me.” She remained unresponsive, and Iolaus rose to answer the soft knock at the door that signaled the arrival of the palace healer. Hercules and Jason followed the elderly man into the room, and stood with the hunter as Elissa was examined. The healer muttered under his breath as he checked the girl, then excused himself to go make a potion for her. But Iolaus and Hercules just exchanged a silent look. They had seen the work of the gods too many times not to know that whatever had come over Elissa had the mark of divine interference, and no healing potion was going to help her now.
“Where’s Argeon?” Iolaus asked, resuming his place by Elissa’s side.
“We haven’t seen him since he ran out of here earlier,” Jason answered. When the sailor had seen the state his sister had fallen into, he had turned and fled the castle without a word.
“Who would do this, Herc?” Iolaus asked.
“I don’t know,” came the sad reply. “This isn’t really Ares’ style. The only other god I can think of that would do this is... Hera.”
“There has to be something we can do,” the hunter said desperately.
“We’ll think of something,” Hercules told him, laying a comforting hand on his shoulder. The old healer returned with the medicine that he’d made, and Iolaus held Elissa up while he poured the draught down her throat. The hunter did not share the healer’s optimism that the potion would help. His fears were confirmed moments later as a ruckus in the corridor announced Argeon’s return. He burst into the room, hauling Jamshid in with him, and unceremoniously tossed his fellow sailor to the floor.
“Whatever you did to her, undo it now!” he shouted at the man.
“I did nothing,” Jamshid hissed, glowering up at his crewmate. “Therefore I can’t undo it.”
“What is this all about?” Hercules demanded.
“He did this to her,” Argeon cried, rushing at Jamshid. Hercules stopped him and turned to the Persian.
“Is this true?”
“No,” the sailor said firmly. “He asked for help, and I merely relayed the message. This is Argeon’s doing. He wanted this.”
“I didn’t want this,” Argeon cried as the demigod turned his angry eyes on him. “I wasn’t even sure what was going to happen. But it wasn’t supposed to happen to Elissa.”
“So it was supposed to be Iolaus lying there instead,” Hercules growled, waving a hand at the unconscious girl.
“No, no one was supposed to be hurt,” the sailor stammered. For all his bravado, he knew he was no match for an enraged demigod. “They were just supposed to fall out of love. Nothing like this was supposed to happen.” Fortunately for him, Hercules turned his anger back to Jamshid.
“I want to know exactly what you did to her, and I want you to undo it now.” Normally, that tone was enough to have the fiercest warlords jumping to do the demigod’s bidding, but the Persian sailor just grinned at the larger man. “Do you think I’m joking?” Hercules grabbed Jamshid and lifted him off the ground, but the sailor just grinned wider, and then disappeared. In confusion, Hercules looked at the cloak he was left holding. From the folds of the cape, a snake hit the floor with a thud. The demigod jumped back as it struck at him, then the serpent slithered through the door and was gone before anyone could catch it.
Argeon was still staring in disbelief at the discarded cloak on the floor when he left the ground, finding it his turn to be dangled in the air by the demigod’s grasp.
“Are you happy now, Argeon?” Hercules demanded of the terrified sailor. “Do you see what your hatred has gotten you? This was supposed to be your sister’s wedding day. The happiest day of her life. Now look at her.” The demigod released the sailor, putting him down hard next to Elissa’s bedside. “Look at what you’ve done to her.” Argeon looked at the pale features of his sister, then to the heartbroken blue eyes of the man she had loved.
“I’m sorry,” he choked out, getting to his feet and running out of the room.
“Let him go,” Iolaus told his friend as Hercules started out the door after him. Obediently, the demigod stopped, turning to go sit by the window and get his anger under control. Jason looked back and forth between the two partners, finally deciding to leave them alone.
“I’d better go let everyone know that the wedding’s going to have to be postponed,” he said softly, excusing himself from the room and closing the door behind him.
“Why does this keep happening?” Iolaus asked helplessly, venturing to the window to sit next to his friend. “Why can’t I just live my life and be happy? Is that too much to ask?”
“No, it’s not.” Hercules told him.
“It must be, Herc. Just when I think I have everything together and that I can finally just enjoy what I have, something comes along to try and take it away. It’s always been that way, and now I don’t see it ever changing. I’m tired. I’m tired of always fighting to try and hold onto it. I’m tired of always looking over my shoulder, and tired of always worrying about what’s going to happen to the people I love because of something I did. I just want a normal life. I want to be happy with the woman I love. I think I deserve that much. Why is that too much to ask?”
“What are you saying, Iolaus?”
“I don’t know what I’m saying,” came the wooden reply. “I can’t think straight right now. All I know is that this was supposed to be my wedding day, and instead of getting married, I’m here yet again praying that I don’t lose her. I can’t do this anymore.” A knock at the door interrupted their conversation, and Hercules got up to see who was there.
“Hercules, there’s a man here who says he needs to talk to you,” Iphicles informed his brother.
“Now’s really not a good time,” the demigod began, but Iphicles persisted.
“He says that maybe he can help you,” the king continued. “I really think you should listen to him.”
“Ok, send him in,” Hercules agreed with a sigh. After a few moments, there was another knock at the door and the demigod admitted the stranger.
“I’m sorry to disturb you,” the man said, focusing on the prone form of Elissa on the bed. “But I wanted to help, if I could.”
“Who are you, and how do you know about this?” Hercules couldn’t help being wary of the man in light of the recent happenings.
“My name is Mahre,” the sailor introduced himself with a slight bow. “I work on the same ship as Argeon. I tried to warn him that Jamshid was not to be trusted, but he wouldn’t listen to me. I came to your party last night to warn you, but I was too late. She had already kissed you.”
“That dancing girl?” Iolaus asked, not quite following Mahre.
“She was no dancing girl,” the Persian explained. “That was Agas, the demoness of illness. Her kiss is poison, but not to you. You just held the poison, then with your kiss, you infected her.” Mahre nodded toward Elissa. “Jamshid used his evil influences to get Agas to do this. He is a Yezidi.”
“A what?”
“Yezidi. They worship Ahriman, a very powerful and evil god. It does not matter to the Yezidi that they hurt innocents. Spreading evil wins them favor with Ahriman.”
“Mahre, can you do anything to help Elissa?” Hercules asked.
“I cannot. The only thing that can cure Agas’ poison is the fruit of the tree of life.”
“The tree of life is gone,” Hercules said, remembering how Callisto had burned it.
“I don’t know about that,” Mahre said slowly. “But Gao-Kerena still stands in Persia.”
“Do you mean that if we can get a fruit from Ga..., uh, your tree of life, then Elissa will be cured?” Iolaus asked eagerly.
“Yes,” the sailor affirmed. “I wish I could be of more help, but I must go. I’m leaving on a different ship. If Jamshid knew of what I told you, he would come after me.”
“Thank you, Mahre,” Hercules said sincerely, clasping the man’s hand. “We really appreciate your help.” Iolaus echoed his partner’s sentiments, and the sailor took his leave.
“Persia?” Iolaus said in defeat as his bubble of hope quickly burst. “She’ll be dead by the time we get to Persia and back.”
“Not we, me.” Hercules told him.
“What are you talking about?”
“You stay here with her. I’ll go get the cure.”
“Hercules, what are you talking about? I can’t let you go off to Persia alone. This is my fight.”
“It’s mine, just as much as it is yours. You know you’re going to go nuts if you leave her.”
“I’ll go nuts sitting here not doing anything.”
“Iolaus, listen to me. You know I’d do anything for you. Please, just let me do this. Stay here with her and take care of her, and I’ll be back before you know it. Please, for once in your life, just listen to me and do what I ask.”
“Ok,” the hunter agreed after a long pause. He knew his friend was right. It would kill him to have to leave Elissa, not knowing if she were alive or dead while he was so far away in Persia. “But how are you going to get back in time?”
“Simple,” Hercules grinned. “What’s a sister for if she can’t give you a ride from time to time?” Iolaus grinned back, but his smile quickly faded.
“Herc, be careful,” he said seriously. Their warrior’s handshake quickly turned into a tight hug.
“I will,” his friend assured him. “Take care of her, and don’t worry. I’ll be back soon.” Iolaus watched his partner leave, absolutely hating to see him go off alone, but he turned back to Elissa. He knelt beside the bed and took her hand.
“Hang on,” he begged her. “Help is on the way.”
Hercules called out Aphrodite’s name as he entered her temple. Silence greeted him, so he hopped up to sit on her altar, calling out a little more insistently. A flash of light illuminated the darkness of the room, but to the demigod’s surprise, it wasn’t the goddess of love that appeared.
“We have to talk.”
“I have nothing to say to you,” Hercules spat, turning around to leave the temple.
“Son, listen to me...”
“Don’t call me ’son’,” Hercules said angrily. “You have never been a father to me my whole life. You’ve never helped me when I needed it. That I could live with. But when you gave me up to that psycho to spare yourself, you destroyed whatever tiny shred of a relationship that we had left.”
“You have every right to be angry. But at least let me explain,” Zeus tried to reason.
“Explain? Oh, this should be good. Ok, DAD, go ahead and explain. Explain why you sacrificed me to Sinis to save yourself.”
“I thought that as long as I retained my immortality I had a chance to stop Sinis,” Zeus began. “I never wanted you to be hurt. I just thought that if I could get free, I could save you and all the other gods.”
“Well, you didn’t get free, did you? You took the coward’s way out, turned me over to that maniac, and ended up losing your immortality anyway.”
“Watch your tone,” Zeus commanded. “I’m still the king of the gods.”
“Only because of Iolaus,” Hercules reminded him. “He risked his life and defeated Sinis, bringing us all back, and not one god has even bothered to acknowledge that. Not one thank you or a good job. And don’t try and tell me that tomorrow Ares or Hera isn’t going to be after him again. The whole bunch of Olympians makes me sick. Especially you. Why don’t you just do both of us a favor and forget that you even have a son?”
“You don’t mean that.”
“Don’t I? Do you have any idea how many chances I have given you over the years? How many crimes I forgave you for? How many disappointments I’ve had to get over? You have never once shown me any fatherly affection without an ulterior motive behind it. Well, I’m done with it. And I’m done with you. So just go back to all your mortal playmates and forget about me, like you always do. We have nothing more to say to each other.”
Zeus gave a small nod of understanding before reaching into the folds of his robe and pulling out a stone amulet.
“Here,” he said, tossing it onto the altar. “This will take you to Persia, and when you’re ready, it will bring you home again. Consider it a parting gift. The last one. I know you hate the sight of me now, but I suggest you take it to help your friends. Then you can go back to pretending I don’t exist.”
Hercules picked up the amulet as Zeus vanished. He wanted nothing more than to throw it into the sea, but he knew he had to swallow his pride for his friends. So, he slipped the chain over his head and clasped the amulet where it rested against his chest.
“Take me to Persia,” he ordered, disappearing in a flash of light.
“Iolaus?” The hunter looked at his mother standing in the doorway with a tray of food. “Are you hungry?” Without waiting for an answer, Erythia came in and set the tray on the table next to the bed. “
“Thank you,” Iolaus said absently, brushing a stray lock of hair back from Elissa’s pale face.
“I’m sure your friend will be back in time to help her,” Erythia said, taking her son’s hand.
“I should be there with him.”
“No, your place is here now. Elissa needs you.”
“I never got a chance to ask you what you thought of her.”
“I’m afraid I didn’t have much time to get to know her,” Erythia told her son with a smile. “But she seems like a lovely young girl, and she obviously makes you very happy, which is good enough for me.”
“I know I’ve never been there for you,” Iolaus said, squeezing his mother’s hand. “But I’m really glad that you’re here for me now.”
“What’s a mother for?”
“Hercules!”
“How do you know my name?” the demigod inquired of the stranger approaching him.
“I am a Kavi, a seer,” the man said with a grin. “My name is Rustam. I know why you’re here, and I’ve come to help, if I can.”
“It would be a big help if you could direct me to the tree of life,” Hercules told him.
“I’m afraid it’s not that easy,” Rustam explained. “If you try to take the fruit from Gao-Kerena without the permission of the gods, they would be very vengeful toward you.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not in the habit of begging the gods for anything,” the demigod said bitterly, turning away.
“Hercules, wait.” The seer took his arm and held him back. “Our gods are different from your Greek gods. I believe that they will help you.”
“Why?” Hercules could not contain his suspicion.
“I know what Agas did to your friends. She is an evil demoness. But for every evil god or demon, there are good counterparts that devote themselves to battling this evil. Ashavahishta is the adversary of Agas. I’m sure he would be willing to help you.”
“And how do I find him.”
“We must go to the temple of Nairyosangha. He is the messenger between gods and men. He will take your request to Ashavahishta.”
“Let’s go,” Hercules said with a sigh, thinking that it would be easier to go straight to the tree of life and deal with the god’s vengeance.
It was not far to the temple, and once inside Rustam instructed Hercules to light one of the candles on the altar and kneel. Feeling like he was betraying everything he believed in, the demigod did as he was told, reminding himself that he was doing it for Elissa and Iolaus. Bowing his head, and in the most respectful tone he could manage, Hercules asked for an audience with Ashavahishta.
“How long do we have to wait?” he whispered after several minutes of silence.
“As long as it takes,” Rustam answered with a shrug.
“I don’t mean to be impatient,” Hercules said, getting up to pace around the altar. “But time is a factor here.”
“It shouldn’t be long,” the seer reassured him. True to his word, only a few minutes had past when a being materialized in the temple.
“Hercules,” the god said. The demigod stepped forward. “Ashavahishta sent me. My name is Airyaman. I am the god of friendship and healing.”
“Can you help me?” Hercules asked, deciding there was no need to beat around the bush.
“Perhaps,” the god replied. “But first we must talk.” He sat down on one of the benches in the temple and motioned for the demigod to do the same.
“Talk about what?” Hercules questioned warily.
“Your friendship. That is what brought you here, correct?”
“Yes, of course.” The demigod was a little confused.
“Your concern for your friend sent you on this quest.”
“Yes, Elissa needs the fruit from the tree of life or else she’ll die.”
“She is not the one you are concerned for,” the god told him. “In fact, deep in your soul, in a place that you hide away from even yourself, you want her to die.”
“What are you talking about?” Hercules asked in horror. “I love Elissa. I don’t want her to die.”
“No? But she’s taking your friend away from you. The man that has been beside you since you were a child. The man that you have always depended on. The man you trust with your life. The man you love like no other. He is leaving you to be with her.”
“It’s not like that,” Hercules said, squirming uncomfortably. “I know things between Iolaus and I are changing. I know he won’t always be next to me. But he will always be there for me. No matter what.”
“But still, he’s choosing her over you, is he not? You cannot deceive me, Hercules. I can see into your soul. There is a small part of you that resents her for taking him away from you. You must admit that to yourself.”
“Maybe there is a small part of me that wishes it could be just the two of us again,” Hercules said slowly. “Maybe there is a selfish part of me that is a little jealous of Elissa. But she is a good person, and I really do care about her. She makes Iolaus happier than I’ve ever seen him, and I would never truly wish that away from him.”
“And that is why you’re here,” Airyaman concluded. “Not to save her, but to save him. Save him from the pain of losing her. Even though she is taking him away from you, you cannot deny him the love he has found with her.”
“You’re making this out to be more than it is,” Hercules said, becoming annoyed. “Anyway, it really shouldn’t matter who I’m here for. Are you going to help me, or not?”
“Some of the gods feel that we shouldn’t help you. They believe we shouldn’t bother helping a foreigner to our land. Just how far are you willing to go for your friend?”
“I’ll do whatever it takes,” Hercules offered.
“Good,” the god told him. “We need your help. If you can complete the task at hand, you may have the fruits of Gao-Kerena with our blessing.”
“Tell me what to do.”
“How is she doing?” Iolaus looked up through bleary eyes at the luminous sight of Aphrodite.
“She’s getting worse,” he stated. “Can you do anything to help her?”
“I can’t undo a spell that another god has cast,” the goddess told him. “But I can help you.”
“Me? What can you do for me?”
“I can send you to Hercules in Persia.” Iolaus sat silently for several minutes.
“I can’t leave her,” he said finally.
“Sweet Cheeks, you have to remember I’m the goddess of love. There’s no hiding from me. I see it all, even if you don’t see it yourself. Look, I'll watch over her. If anything happens, I promise I'll bring you right back.”
“Ok,” the hunter agreed tiredly. “Let’s do it.”
“Rustam, you can turn back if you want.”
“If you ask me, Hercules, I don’t think it’s right for them to ask you to do this.”
“Well, I’m used to never getting anything from the gods unless you give something back tenfold.”
“It’s still not fair. I want to help you if I can.”
“I appreciate the company,” Hercules said sincerely.
“Hercules!” The demigod whirled around at the sound of the familiar voice behind him.
“Iolaus?” he asked incredulously. The hunter came bounding up the trail towards them.
“Thanks the gods,” he enthused, taking his partner’s hand. “Aphrodite brought me here, and I was terrified that she’d drop me anywhere in Persia except where you were.”
“This is Rustam,” Hercules introduced quickly as the hunter looked at his companion. “Iolaus, what are you doing here?”
“I came to help.”
“What about Elissa?”
“She’s in good hands,” Iolaus told him. “Herc, after you left I realized that I can’t put either one of you ahead of the other. You mean just as much to me as Elissa does, and this time I decided that I needed to be here with you.”
“You might not think that way after I tell you what we have to do,” Hercules said, failing to hold back the grin from his face.
“I’m afraid to ask,” the hunter groaned.
“Nothing much. We just have to stop a three headed storm demon.”
“Oh, is that all. You had me worried there for a second.”
“I’m really glad you came, Iolaus,” the demigod said, putting an arm around his partner as they resumed the trek up the mountain. “I don’t know if I could have done this without you.”
“Sure you could,” the hunter replied with a mischievous grin. “But it wouldn’t be nearly as much fun.”
Fun became the last thing on their minds as they neared the part of the mountain where the demon had its lair. Above the roar of the suddenly violent wind, Hercules ordered Rustam to stay back, safely behind a pile of boulders, while he and Iolaus ventured forward.
“You don’t really want to go in there, do you?” The hunter shouted in his partner’s ear as they gazed into the black depths of the cave in the mountainside. Before Hercules could answer, the demon exploded out of the cavern’s entrance, knocking the two warriors backwards in opposite directions. Both men quickly rolled to their feet and turned to face the monster. The creature was snakelike, and its three heads hissed wildly as it keyed in on the double threat. Hercules drew the sword that he had borrowed from Rustam and charged the beast, as Iolaus simultaneously did the same. Just as quickly, they retreated. The demon’s thick scales protected it well, and they hadn’t even managed to wound the beast. Alternately attacking and retreating, the partners managed to maneuver themselves until they were side by side.
“This isn’t working, Herc,” Iolaus yelled above the wind.
“Yeah, I noticed,” the demigod replied, jumping back as a fanged head snapped an inch away from his leg. “This thing’s probably immortal. We’re going to have to think of something else.”
“Like what?”
“Dronos,” Hercules shouted, nodding back towards the cave.
“Right,” Iolaus cried, charging toward the demon with his sword flailing. As the creature turned its attention to its attacker, Hercules made a beeline for the cave. The hunter had to leap back quickly, narrowly missing the gaping jaws of the demon. His diversion hadn’t lasted as long as he’d hoped, and the monster quickly began moving after Hercules, who hadn’t had enough time to get into position. In desperation, Iolaus dove onto the retreating tail of the beast and hung on. The demon bucked wildly, but could not unseat the hunter, who was holding on for dear life. Iolaus assumed he was safe from the razor fangs, but the monster had more agility than he gave it credit for. In a quick move that almost bent the demon in half, it whipped around and one of the fearsome heads clamped down hard on the hunter’s arm. He yelped and let go, and as the monster righted itself, it’s momentum flung its attacker hard into the mountainside.
As the demon came thrashing into the entrance of its lair, Hercules leapt down from his vantage position and smashed the rock with all his strength. Dodging rubble, he dashed out of the cave as the whole entrance collapsed in a shower of rock, trapping the demon snugly inside, and halting the roaring wind. Brushing off his hands with an air of satisfaction, Hercules looked for his partner to congratulate him. He didn’t see him at first, but then the demigod’s heart skipped a beat as he saw the crumpled form of his friend lying on the ground.
“Iolaus,” he called frantically, gathering the unconscious man into his arms. “Can you hear me?” The hunter groaned loudly, struggling to open his eyes.
“Demon one, Iolaus zip,” he said with a wry grin when he could finally focus on his friend’s concerned face. “Did you get it?”
“Yes,” Hercules assured him. “It’s trapped. All you all right?”
“I think my arm’s broken,” Iolaus told him, wincing as the demigod felt the shattered bones where the demon had clamped onto him.
“He’s lucky that’s all that’s broken.” Both men startled at the voice as Airyaman appeared before them. “I’ve never seen anyone take such a hit with such minimal damage.” The god was impressed as he indicated the wall of stone that Iolaus had collided into. Kneeling beside the partners, the god held out his arms. “May I?” With some reluctance, Hercules backed away from his friend and let the god tend to him. Placing one hand on the hunter’s arm and one hand on the bleeding cut to his head, Airyaman instantly cured both wounds.
“Friend of yours?” Iolaus asked Hercules as he bounded up, whole once more.
“This is Airyaman,” Hercules introduced.
“The god of healing and friendship,” Airyaman clarified.
“And the god that’s going to keep his promise to help us,” the demigod said evenly.
“Hercules, we must speak. I’m afraid that I have misled you. Do not worry. I will give you the fruit of Gao-Kerena,” the god added hastily as he saw the demigod’s eyes narrow dangerously. “It is just that this task of defeating the storm demon was not necessary for that. It was a test of my own devising, for both of you.”
“I’m not sure I understand,” Iolaus said, glancing from the god to his partner.
“I wanted to see how far each of you would go. How much you would risk for each other. Your friendship fascinates me. You share a love deeper than any two mortals I have ever seen in all my eons of existence. Your bond is unbreakable, and both of you were willing to sacrifice what is most precious to you for the other one. Iolaus was willing to give up his life and his love for you, Hercules. And you were willing to give up Iolaus himself.” The hunter looked at his partner, brow wrinkled in confusion, but Hercules refused to meet his eyes as the god continued. “The friendship that you share is a light in a world of darkness. It gives others hope and inspiration, and it will for years to come.”
“Yet you were willing to risk our lives just to prove that?” Hercules demanded.
“Please believe me that you were never in any grave danger,” Airyaman said with a benevolent smile. “I was watching, and I never would have let either of you come to real harm. But I did this for you as much as for me. The depth of your friendship is beyond what even the two of you can see. You both needed to come to terms with that and work through it. Iolaus was able to do so, and that is why he is here in Persia. Have you worked through it, Hercules?”
“I know how much he means to me,” the demigod said angrily. “I don’t need to ‘work through it’ and I don’t need some stupid test to make me realize it.”
“No matter,” the god said reassuringly. “It will come to you with time. And speaking of time, you haven’t much left.” He pointed to the horizon where a large birdlike creature was rapidly approaching. Both warriors quickly assumed a fighting stance, much to Airyaman’s amusement.
“Camros is not a threat to you,” the god chuckled. “He is bringing you the fruit of Gao-Kerena.” Iolaus relaxed and sheathed his sword, but Hercules remained tensed as the creature swooped in and dropped the fruit into Airyaman’s palm. The god handed the red, shining orb to Iolaus as Camros flew out of sight.
“Thank you for this,” the hunter said sincerely, clutching the fruit tightly in his hands.
“Return to Greece,” the god told them. “And never lose faith in the friendship that binds you. It will see you through the darkest of times. As long as you remember that, nothing can ever harm you.” With a small wave, Airyaman vanished.
“I think the Olympians could take a few lessons from that guy,” Iolaus commented as Rustram approached the pair.
“Thank you for all your help, Rustram,” Hercules told the Persian as he gave him back his sword.
“It was an honor,” the man replied, shaking hands with both warriors. He wished them luck and took his leave, starting back down the mountain.
“Let’s go home,” Hercules said, slinging an arm around his partner. “We’ve got a wedding to go to.”
“Everything’s ready,” Hercules announced, coming into the small room where Iolaus was pacing. “What’s wrong? Worried about your wedding night?”
“Very funny,” Iolaus shot back. He took another lap around the room before turning to his friend. “I have to know. Were you this nervous before you got married?”
“I was absolutely terrified,” Hercules admitted with a grin, plopping down into an overstuffed chair. “Don’t you remember? You practically had to drag me out there when I married Deianeira.”
“Yeah, right.” Iolaus wasn’t really listening. He stopped pacing to lean against the wall, fidgeting with the cuffs on the blue silk tunic he was wearing. “Herc, can I ask you something?”
“Sure,” the demigod told him, a little surprised at the seriousness in his friend’s voice.
“I’ve been wondering about something,” Iolaus began, pulling up a chair next to his friend. “In Persia, when Airyaman was talking about our friendship and what we were willing to give up, he said you were willing to give ME up. What was he talking about?”
“He thought that I didn’t want Elissa to be cured because she was taking you away from me, but I was working to save her because of you. That I was giving you up to her, because its what made you happy.”
“Is that true?” Iolaus asked quietly.
“No,” Hercules answered after a long pause. “Because she does make you happy, and I could never begrudge you that.”
“Hercules,” Iolaus said, leaning forward in his chair. “Airyaman was right. After all we’ve been through together, we do have a bond that goes deeper than just friendship. And no one, not even Elissa, can ever change that or take it away from us. A piece of my heart belongs to you and only to you, and it always will.”
“Iolaus,” Hercules whispered. “I...” His throat constricted and prevented him from saying anything else. The hunter just gave him a brilliant grin and punched him in the arm as the door opened and Iphicles announced that it was time. Iolaus started to follow the king out of the room, but Hercules held him back. The demigod pulled his friend close to him and hugged him tightly, finally having worked through his conflicting emotions, like Airyaman had predicted.
“Let’s go,” Hercules said confidently. “Your bride is waiting.”
The two men hastened out to the courtyard and took their places in front of Amphion, who had eagerly agreed to perform the ceremony. Iolaus shot a look at Iphicles who was standing nearby, and mouthed his thanks. The king nodded with a sad smile, remembering all too well the day he had wedded his beloved Rena, still feeling the pain of her loss. A murmur rustled through the crowd of friends as Elissa appeared on Jason’s arm. Iolaus watched them walk towards him, overcome by the sight of her. The shimmering white gown she wore only accentuated the white light that radiated from her. She showed no trace of her recent illness, as the fruit from the tree of life had restored her completely, and as she beamed happily at the hunter, she was a vision of beauty. Jason ceremoniously handed her to Iolaus, and stepped back with a proud smile.
Amphion began speaking of the love they shared, but Iolaus and Elissa scarcely heard him. They were lost in each other’s eyes, and everyone watching could tangibly feel the love they had for each other. It passed over the crowd in a warm wave, resulting in quite a few teary eyes from the guests, including Aphrodite. Hercules alone could see her, perched delicately on the castle wall against the backdrop of another perfect calico sky. He gave her a broad grin as he realized she was there offering her protection, determined to keep any of the other gods from interfering.
A loud cheer snapped Hercules’ attention back to the ceremony. Amphion had just pronounced Iolaus and Elissa as husband and wife, and they were leaning in for their first married kiss. Hercules watched his friends with a light heart. He knew that the dark forces in the world would never stop trying to tear them all apart, but it didn’t matter now. For now, everything was right with the world. Airyaman’s words had been the truth. As long as they had faith in each other, nothing could ever harm them. Elissa held out her hand to the demigod, and he stepped forward to hug both of them to him. His family, the ones closest to his heart, was safe and happy and he was determined to do his best to keep it that way. No matter what he had to sacrifice.
Disclaimer: No one was harmed during the wedding of Elissa and Iolaus, although Autolycus did manage to make off with a few of their wedding gifts. He later returned them, thanks to a little friendly persuasion from Hercules.