ARES
Written by: Steve Roberts
Directed by: Harley Cokeliss
Transcribed by: Pamela Thalner
Disclaimer: No copyright infringement is intended. Purely for non-
profit purposes only. All characters and dialogue are the property of
Universal Studios, Renaissance Pictures, Action Pack, and MCA
Television. This transcript is not a novelization or a script, but is
instead a dry read-through of the episode "Ares". It also contains
camera angles and descriptions of action where I thought it necessary.
* * *
Teaser:
The camera fades in on a wooded area. It is night-time, and the wind --
and animals -- howl distantly. The camera moves slowly over the ground,
panning to reveal a torch on a long pole, bent low to the ground. A
little further on, the scene of a battle becomes apparent: bodies lay
strewn about, weapons scattered around them. A man's voice can be
heard, making soft sounds of pain.
Man: Oh... uhh... ahh.
A pair of boots picks its way through the battlefield towards the
sound. The injured man continues to groan as the camera, staying on the
booted feet of the other man, moves toward him. Finally, we see the
injured man, sprawled against a tree trunk, sword laying on his lap. He
wears armor and a cape and is bloodied from battle, and a sword is
buried in his abdomen.
Man: (to the man approaching) If you've come to kill me, do it now.
We see the injured man's face: he is handsome, with long hair and a
stubbly beard. The other man kneels and we see that it is Hercules.
Hercules: I'm not your enemy. Rest easy, soldier.
Man: Who are you?
Hercules: I'm Hercules.
The man winces in pain.
Man: They say you're a good man.
Hercules: I try to be.
Man: Then grant a man his dying wish?
Hercules: It would be an honor.
Man: My name is Gregor. I have a wife and son in Fallia. Janista and
Titus. Give them these...
He hands Hercules a parchment, then takes the sword resting against his
thighs and hands it over as well.
Gregor: And my love. And tell my son the art of the warrior is not to
kill, but to fight against the forces of evil.
Gregor suddenly goes wide-eyed with pain and sinks back against the
tree, dead. With a sigh, Hercules reaches over and gently closes
Gregor's eyes.
Hercules: I'll do that, Gregor. I promise you.
He touches Gregor's shoulder once more, then stands and walks away.
Cut to the village of Fallia. A woman stands on a ladder, working on
repairing the thatching of a rooftop. The camera looks down on her from
above.
Janista: Titus!
Titus: I'm right here!
The camera pans slightly to reveal a boy of twelve or so coming to the
foot of the ladder. He's carrying a bucket full of mud.
Janista: Good. I need some more mud.
Titus: I've already got it.
Titus takes a couple of steps up the ladder to hand Janista the bucket.
Janista: (chuckling) You're all right, you know that?
Titus: You better say that. You're my mother!
Another boy, twelve or thirteen years old, runs up to the pair. He's
carrying a handmade bow in one hand and arrows in the other.
Ximenos: Hey, Titus, I'm going hunting. Do you want to come?
Titus: (regretfully) Can't. I've got to help Mom.
Janista: Go on. It's all right. We're about done here today anyway.
Titus: Thanks, Mom.
He climbs back down the ladder, and the two boys head off.
Janista: (calling after them) Oh, see if you can bring home some
dinner.
Smiling, she goes back to her work.
Cut to a meadow in a forested area. Titus and Ximenos are making their
way through the wood; Titus is now carrying a long spear, which is
nothing more than a stick sharpened on one end.
Ximenos: One day, Titus, we're going to be warriors and fight with
real weapons.
Titus: Yeah! And we won't be just hunting rabbits. We'll be stalking
our enemy, showing no mercy.
Ximenos: I'm going to be a centaur.
Titus: Yeah? I'm going to be a centurion.
Ximenos: I'm going to be Ares, the God of War himself!
Titus laughs as the boys continue their advance through the meadow.
Suddenly, Titus catches sight of something.
Titus: Shhh! Ximenos, look!
Just around a bush, they spy a large deer grazing in the meadow. Both
raise their weapons and prepare to shoot. Ximenos fires first, but his
arrow misses its target and the deer trots away; Titus' spear lands
nowhere near the deer's previous location.
Titus: Aah, it's gone!
Ximenos: I can't believe I missed!
Aurelius: It wasn't your fault.
A man appears in the shadow of the trees and steps toward them. He's
clad in heavy armor and helmet, with a red cape covering his back.
Aurelius: It was your weapons. They're not true.
Titus: (awed) Are you a soldier?
Aurelius: Ever since the Trojan war. And you two?
Ximenos: We're too young.
Aurelius: No one's too young, if you have the warrior spirit. Let me
show you.
He goes back to where he first appeared and kneels, reaching into the
underbrush. From this hiding place he produces two heavy wooden clubs,
which he brings back and hands to the two boys.
Aurelius: Feels good to have something like that in your hands,
doesn't it? Gives you a sense of worth, of power.
The wind seems to blow strongly at them suddenly, whistling in the
trees.
Cut to a chamber in a cave. Sunlight slants in, helping torches to
illuminate an altar at the far wall of the chamber. The camera moves in
quick and close to reveal that the altar is built of human bones
bleached white, a pair of crossed swords prominently decorating it. The
altar is deep and in its center is a pool of a dark red liquid that
appears to be blood. Deep, menacing laughter can be heard from
somewhere.
Cut back to the meadow.
Aurelius: But you got to prove you deserve that power. I want you to
kill each other.
Titus looks different somehow, suddenly, the skin under his eyes darker
than normal. He glances coolly at Ximenos, who is gazing down at his
weapon, running his tongue over his teeth.
Cut to the chamber. The laughter continues as the pool begins to bubble
and roil.
In the meadow, Ximenos has come to a sudden decision; he turns, falling
into a fighting stance, and raises his club to strike his friend. The
clubs clash against each other.
* * *
Voice-Over: This is the story of a time long ago, a time of myth and
legend; when the ancient gods were petty and cruel, and they plagued
mankind with suffering. Only one man dared to challenge their power:
Hercules! Hercules possessed a strength the world had never seen; a
strength surpassed only by the power of his heart. He journeyed the
Earth, battling the minions of his wicked stepmother Hera, the all-
powerful Queen of the Gods. But wherever there was evil, wherever an
innocent would suffer, there would be Hercules!
* * *
Part One:
In the meadow, the boys continue to struggle.
Aurelius: You've got him!
Ximenos manages to knock the club from Titus's hands and drives his own
into Titus's stomach.
Aurelius: Good. Good!
Ximenos swings his club at Titus' legs, but Titus jumps before it can
connect. He has his club again and he swings it at Ximenos, who blocks
two consecutive swings with his own. He turns to hit him from the other
side, but Ximenos blocks it again; then, going on the offensive, he
strikes Titus' club away once more.
Aurelius: Good. Now go for the kill!
Titus: What are you doing?!
Ximenos: Ridding the world of you!
He moves in on Titus and swings for him again, but Titus jumps back.
Ximenos continues to flail wildly in what appears to be a genuine
attempt to bash Titus's skull in; Titus sways to avoid each blow.
Ximenos pushes him further and Titus falls, landing on his side.
Titus: No, don't! We're friends!
The look in Ximenos' eyes is bloodthirsty.
Ximenos: No coward's a friend of mine!
He bashes at Titus, who rolls to one side so that the club strikes the
ground, and then rolls in the other direction so that the next blow
also misses. Ximenos stumbles forward from the momentum of his swings,
and Titus kicks up, getting Ximenos in the rear. He takes the moment of
Ximenos' distraction and gets to his feet, running away from the
meadow.
Aurelius finally jogs forward to restrain Ximenos from following.
Aurelius: Let him go. I know who the winner is.
Taking Ximenos by the shoulder, he leads the boy off.
Cut to a rocky field at the base of a mountain. Hercules, still
carrying Gregor's sword, strides in from the lower right corner of the
picture and makes his way through the field.
Cut to the entrance of a village -- Fallia. Hercules enters, drawing
the notice of a woman walking by, and others also turn to look as he
makes his way along the dirt path. The voices of women in low
conversation and children at play can be heard.
Cut to another part of the village. Hercules is still wandering along
the street. He stops, finally, apparently finding his destination: the
woman we saw earlier, exiting a nearby building. As she approaches, he
stops her.
Hercules: Are you Janista?
Janista: I am.
Hercules: (sighing) I have a message for you.
Cut to the parchment in his hand, sealed with wax.
Janista: It's about my husband, isn't it?
Hercules: Yes. I found him dying on a battlefield near Chaldea. His
final thoughts were of you and your son.
Janista looks down in mute sadness; her expression is as if she's been
expecting this news. Hercules offers her the parchment and sword.
Hercules: He wanted you to have these.
Janista: I thank you.
She holds the items against her side, making no motion to open the
parchment.
Hercules: Aren't you going to read it?
Janista: My husband's been off fighting one war after another for
nearly ten years. I don't want to open things up that have already been
closed.
Hercules: I understand.
Janista begins to move past Hercules, then pauses and turns to look at
him again.
Janista: I know you've traveled a long way. The least I can do is
offer you something to eat and a place to rest.
Hercules: I'd appreciate that.
She turns again, to lead the way, and he follows her.
Cut to the inside of Janista's dwelling. Janista enters first, followed
by Hercules.
Janista: Titus? Titus, where are you?
She sets the sword and parchment down on a side table.
Janista: He must still be out hunting with Ximenos. You know, I
haven't even asked your name. I hope you don't think I'm always this
rude.
Hercules: (smiling) Don't apologize. I'm Hercules.
Janista's eyes go wide.
Janista: If I'd known the son of Zeus was gonna be in my house...
She turns and nervously starts picking things up from a table to clean
it.
Hercules: It looks fine to me.
Janista: Even with only half a roof?
She points upwards. There is a great hole in the roof as if something
has fallen in.
Hercules: I thought that was something to enjoy the stars by.
Janista: I wish it was.
She continues to work at cleaning up the table.
Janista: This place is always falling apart. Titus and I can barely
keep up. But I guess we're no worse than the rest of the town. With all
the men gone to war, there's too many jobs and not enough people.
Hercules: Then let me give you a hand before I go back on the road.
Janista turns at this, surprised at his offer.
Janista: You know you don't have to.
Hercules: It's the least I can do to repay your hospitality. But I'll
need to find the blacksmith.
Cut to another part of the village. Hercules approaches the
blacksmith's workshop, passing yet another pair of women who openly
eye him.
Woman #1: Well, hello.
Hercules: Hello, ladies.
Cut to inside the workshop. The swinging doors open and Eercules
enters.
Hercules: Hello! Is anyone home?
Atalanta: Back here.
Hercules sees a woman's figure, turned away from him, obscured by
clouds of steam so that he can't make out details. He starts toward
her.
Hercules: Hi, I... um... uhh... oh, ah...
His speech trails off as he gets a better look at Atalanta. She is
wearing a garment that shows off most of her buttocks, and as she turns
to see him, it becomes apparent that the costume doesn't hide much of
her front, either, even with the metal apron she wears. She is tall,
well-muscled, and handsome.
Hercules: I need some nails, I thought I'd find the blacksmith here.
Atalanta: You did.
Hercules: But you're a woman.
Atalanta: And you're a man. Which I could have figured out even if you
didn't have your foot in your mouth.
Atalanta comes up to Hercules and walks around him, inspecting him.
Hercules: Well, it's, ah, no offense. It was the steam. It got in my
eyes.
Atalanta: They call me Atalanta. What's your name?
Hercules: Hercules.
Atalanta laughs softly.
Atalanta: Well, you're big, and you look fit. But there's only one way
to tell for sure.
As she speaks, she tugs the metal apron off and then reaches for his
hand, leading him away before he can protest.
The next shot we see is Hercules' hand reaching up. Atalanta's comes
into view and grips it. The two are facing each other across a table,
about to arm-wrestle. Hercules doesn't seem to want to do this.
Hercules: Is this really necessary?
Atalanta: No one's ever been able to beat me, so I figure it would
take a guy like Hercules. So shut up and say "one, two, three". Come
on, just say it!
Hercules: (rapidly) One, two, three.
Before he's even finished saying "three", Atalanta's bearing down on
his arm, already pushing it most of the way to the table. Suddenly
realizing she has a struggle on her hands, she begins to push hard,
grunting a little, while Hercules, smiling now at her awareness, pushes
back, bringing their hands up to the halfway point and then over. He's
now smirking as he watches her struggle. As he continues to push her
hand down towards the table, she begins to rise from her seat, her
other hand resting on the table for balance, and suddenly he has a very
clear view of her very prominent cleavage. In that moment his
concentration slips, and Atalanta easily flips their hands back and
wins the match.
Atalanta: (teasing) What's the matter, Herc, more steam in your eyes?
You just proved you're as much of a man as you are a god. So what
brings Hercules to Fallia? And more importantly, how long are you
planning on staying?
She's sitting down again, hands clasping his, and leans in close. He
carefully removes his hands from hers.
Hercules: Long enough to do some repairs on Janista and Titus's house.
(remembering) Oh, yeah, I'm, I'm gonna need those nails.
Atalanta: Slipped your mind, did they?
Hercules sighs and looks down. Atalanta gets up and starts to walk
away, once again revealing the backside of her outfit, and Hercules
starts to look and then looks pointedly away. She laughs as she begins
looking for the nails.
Atalanta: Damn that Ximenos. Doesn't show up for work, doesn't refill
the nail box...
The name rings a bell for Hercules.
Hercules: Ximenos. Isn't he friends with Titus?
Atalanta: Yeah, he's kinda like the kid brother I never had. He does
odd jobs for me around here. He let me down today.
She's apparently unable to find the nails and she tosses aside the
things she picked up while looking for them.
Hercules: Never mind the nails for now.
Atalanta: (suggestively) You got something else in mind?
Hercules: Yeah. Do you know where I can find those boys?
Atalanta, disappointed, sags a little.
Cut to the forest. It's now nighttime, and Aurelius leads Ximenos into
a clearing.
Aurelius: This is my headquarters, Ximenos.
A fire is burning in a clearly manmade pit, and Aurelius strides over
to stand near it.
Aurelius: And this is the army I told you about.
Ximenos: But there's nobody here.
Aurelius: That's where you're wrong.
Suddenly the clearing explodes with activity. Boys of various ages leap
from hiding places everywhere, all of them bearing weapons and clad in
similar outfits, laughing and cackling. They surround Ximenos and
Aurelius in moments. Some of them are quite young, but all have the
same eerie look of hate in their eyes.
Aurelius: Look at them, Ximenos. All primed to kill. We may be small
in number, but with Ares' help, we grow stronger every day. Soon, we'll
be known throughout the land -- known and feared. Are you ready to join
the warriors of Ares, Ximenos? Are you ready to become our brother?
Aurelius approaches Ximenos, his voice low and promising. Three of the
boys surround him from behind, clasping his shoulder and adding their
encouragement.
Boys: Yeah!
Ximenos looks uncertain, but summons his courage.
Ximenos: I am.
Aurelius: Good.
He walks back to the fire pit and kneels to pick something up.
Boy #1: He's going to do the ritual.
Boy #2: Now we'll see if he's with us.
As Aurelius returns, we see that he's carrying a knife, blade hot from
resting in the fire. The boys begin to chant.
Boys: Ares! Ares! Ares! Ares!
Aurelius: But first, you must burn.
The boys behind Ximenos are now holding him fast so that he can't
escape. Aurelius holds the knife's tip to Ximenos' left arm; the flesh
sizzles where it touches.
Ximenos: Aaaaaaaaaahhhh!
Above them, the moon is full; suddenly, it glows golden. A skull
appears in it, jaw gaping wide, and the same evil laughter as before is
heard over Ximenos' cries of pain.
Cut to the smithy. Atalanta is hard at work, hammering carefully at
what appears to be a plowblade. She pauses to ineffectually wipe at the
sweat on her cheek by rubbing her shoulder against it, then returns to
her work.
Suddenly, the doors to the workshop fly open; wind surges in, howling
around Atalanta. As the camera whirls quickly around her, she raises
her head; her eyes are black and blank. She tosses the plowblade aside
and reaches for another piece of metal, which she lays on the anvil and
begins to hammer at.
Atalanta, working as if possessed, begins making sword after sword,
heating each blade to shape it, cooling it at last in water. One by
one, several swords pile up on a barrel next to her, but she continues
to work as though she is unaware of her own actions.
The skull in the moon watches her progress.
At one point, while she has turned away from the barrel to work at the
forge again, someone appears behind her, hiding behind a half-wall to
watch her. When he sees that she can't see her, he lowers a mask,
styled like an animal's face, and creeps up to the barrel, gathering
the swords into his arms. More masked boys appear and help him take the
swords away.
Suddenly, Atalanta catches her arm on a hot piece of metal and hisses
as her skin sizzles.
Atalanta: Ahh!
She clasps her arm; the pain has shocked her from the trance-like
state.
Atalanta: What's happening to me?
She looks around in confusion, but sees nothing -- the boys are gone.
* * *
Part Two:
It is dawn in the forest. The boys return from their foray, leaping
over rocks into the clearing, where Aurelius stands. The masked boy who
took the swords pushes through them and raises his mask; it is Ximenos.
Ximenos: She did it. Just like you said she would.
Aurelius turns to face the other boys, pleased.
Aurelius: Now we have real weapons. Now we're ready to kill -- for
Ares!
The boys raise their weapons and begin to chant, thrusting the crude
clubs and spears as well as the swords into the air with every
repetition.
Boys: For Ares! For Ares! For Ares! For Ares! For Ares! For Ares! For
Ares!
Elsewhere in the forest, Titus is searching for his friend.
Titus: Ximenos! Where are you? Ximenos!
From behind him, Hercules appears.
Hercules: Hello, Titus.
Titus: Hey, how'd you know my name? You're not from around here.
Hercules: I've been looking for you. I'm Hercules.
Titus: You're kidding.
Hercules: (amused) No, I'm not.
Titus: Did my mom send you out to look for me?
Hercules: I came on my own. She thought you'd come back by yourself.
He places a friendly hand on Titus' shoulder.
Titus: I would have. But my friend's still missing.
Hercules: Well, maybe we'll have better luck finding him if we look
together. What do you say?
The two head off. Cut to a shot overlooking a valley, thick with trees,
with a lake at its bottom; the camera picks up Hercules and Titus as
they make their way along the steep hill, heading downwards.
Titus: The last time I saw Ximenos, he was headed down into this
valley.
Hercules: Well, then, that's where we'll look.
Cut to Hercules and Titus, in a wooded part of the valley.
Titus: Ximenos! You down here? Ximenos!
They are approaching the clearing, which is empty and looks as if no
one has been there in a while.
Hercules: What is this place?
Titus: I don't know. I've never been here before.
Hercules bends to examine the firepit as Titus looks at some crude
drawings on a rock.
Hercules: Well, someone was, and not too long ago.
Titus: Hercules! What's this?
Hercules stands and joins Titus. Closer, the drawings appear to be two
crossed swords, painted in a red substance that looks to still be wet.
Hercules: It's something you and I should probably leave alone. What
do you say we go back home?
He starts to gently urge Titus away from the rock.
Titus: Well, what about Ximenos?
Hercules: Ah, I'm sure he's home by now.
The camera fades on the image of the crossed swords, changing to a
mosaic painting of a soldier in profile, sword raised before him. It
pulls away to show that the mosaic is in Janista's home; she has set
Gregor's sword into the wall below the painting and is burning incense
below it. She turns away sadly from the mosaic, moving slowly to sit at
the table. There are footsteps, and two shadows darken the door beyond
her; then Titus and Hercules appear. Hercules clears his throat, and
Janista looks up.
Hercules: There's someone here to see you.
Janista: Titus.
Janista stands, relieved, and goes to her son as he walks up to her.
Janista: Are you all right?
Titus: I'm fine, Mom. Hercules told me about what happened to Dad. I
was worried about you.
Janista takes Titus in her arms, hugging him and smoothing her son's
hair.
Janista: I'll be fine. I just wish you'd known your father. He was a
good man.
Titus: Gonna be a good man too.
Janista: (gently chiding) Not if you're always running off. Where'd
you find him?
Hercules: In the woods, he was looking for his friend.
Janista: Ximenos is a wild kid. I'm sure he's tough enough to survive.
But you! (to Titus) You kept Hercules from fixing our roof!
Hercules: (chuckling) Don't worry, I'll still do it.
Janista: You'd better! I had to go down to the blacksmith's to pick up
the nails you forgot about. Come on, they're waiting for you.
Janista moves away, and Hercules, rolling his eyes, leans down to speak
quietly to Titus.
Hercules: She's, ahh, very thoughtful.
Titus snorts, amused, as Hercules follows Janista. Suddenly there is a
hiss from the doorway: Ximenos' dark head is peeking in.
Ximenos: (in a whisper) Titus! Hey!
Titus: Ximenos!
Titus runs to the door.
Ximenos: Come here!
Ximenos and Titus go outside. They walk together away from the
dwelling.
Titus: I thought something terrible happened to you out there.
Ximenos: It was great. The guy we met, his name's Aurelius.
Titus: He wanted us to kill each other!
Ximenos: (sighs) That was just a game. You'd have found out if you
hadn't run away.
Titus: Are you sure? It felt like I was fighting for real. Like it
wasn't even me!
Ximenos: That just means you have the warrior in you. Aurelius said
all good soldiers do. He's got a whole army, and they're just like us,
Titus.
Titus: You're not going to join, are you?
Ximenos: I already have.
He turns and pushes up his sleeve, revealing the same crossed-sword
insignia that was painted on the rock in the clearing branded into his
skin.
Ximenos: And you can, too. It'll be great. Just like we've always
talked about.
Titus: I don't know, Ximenos.
Titus starts to turn away. Ximenos reaches for his arm, pulling him
back.
Ximenos: Uh-uh, Titus. A soldier doesn't walk away from his comrades.
When I go back, you're going with me. Come on.
Reluctantly, Titus follows Ximenos.
In the village, a small crowd of women has gathered to watch Hercules
work on the roof; he has removed his shirt to make his work easier.
Woman #2: He sure is a sight for sore eyes, isn't he?
Woman #3: (giggling) I'd almost forgotten what a real man looks like.
Hercules takes the empty mud bucket and descends from the ladder to
more comments along the same lines. He begins to scrape mud into it as
one of the women approaches him.
Woman #4: Y-you must be thirsty, Hercules. I brought you something to
drink.
Hercules: Thanks, but, uh, I'm fine for now.
She continues to watch him as he goes to take another bundle of thatch.
Another woman approaches, carrying a plate of food.
Woman #5: After all that work, you must be starved.
Hercules: Sorry, I, I had a big breakfast.
He goes to mount the ladder again. Yet another woman approaches with a
cloth, presumably to wipe off his sweat; he steps back from her.
Hercules: No, thanks. Really.
As he begins up the ladder again, Atalanta comes up from behind and
grabs the back of his pants.
Atalanta: Hercules.
Hercules: Ladies, please.
He's unaware of who it is until Atalanta tugs him down and he sees her.
Atalanta: I need to talk to you.
The urgency in her voice is enough that he puts down the materials,
takes his shirt, and follows her, to the collective sighs of the women.
Cut to Atalanta's workshop. Atalanta paces nervously as she speaks. Her
forearm is bandaged where it was burned.
Atalanta: I don't know, it's as if something came over me. I mean, one
minute I'm shaping plowblades and the next minute I'm hammering out
swords. And I knew what I was doing, but I didn't know why. Who knows
how long I would have kept it up if I hadn't burnt myself?
Hercules: Where are all the swords now?
Atalanta: That's just it, I don't know.
She comes to a halt in front of Hercules.
Hercules: Have other strange things been happening around here?
Atalanta: Not in this village. But in Styra, three families of farmers
have been killed. And in Lixus, there's been rumors about roving bands
of wild boys.
Hercules: Does Hera have a shrine or temple near here?
Atalanta: You think Hera's behind all this?
Hercules: There's only one way to find out.
Cut to a courtyard outside a stone temple, its doors decorated with a
stylized peacock: the shrine is Hera's. Hercules walks through the
courtyard and up to the doors.
Cut inside; Hercules bursts through the doors and inside. It's apparent
that the temple is deserted and has been for some time; ragged, dusty
cloths hang from the ceiling and the sun shines through chinks in the
walls.
Hercules: No guards, Hera? You must be slipping.
He approaches the altar. The altarpiece is shrouded in spiderwebs and
the candles are unlit.
Hercules: Looks like nobody's been in your temple for some time, Hera.
You're not real popular anymore, I guess. But it looks like somebody
made a sacrifice here.
An odd piece constructed of sticks and bones stands on the altar, with
a necklace dangling around it; the pendant is the crossed-sword symbol,
the same as on Ximenos' arm. Hercules fingers the pendant.
Hercules: (sighing) The sign of war. But why in Hera's temple?
He lowers his hand to touch the blood surrounding a fresh spill of
entrails on the altar below the necklace. Realization comes into his
eyes.
Hercules: Ares.
Cut to the pool of blood in the cave. The evil laughter can be heard
again.
Cut to the forest. The army of boys races through the wood, chanting,
incited to war.
Boys: Ares! Ares! Ares! (etc.)
The boys come upon a homestead at night, startling some people with a
cart pulled by oxen. The boys grab a woman and fling her to the ground.
Several shots follow in quick succession: a mask looming into the
camera; the woman screaming; a lit torch catching curtains on fire; a
silhouetted boy raising a sword; a vase being knocked to the ground and
stomped on; an old man crying out; the man, fallen, dropping a bag of
coins which is picked up by another boy; Aurelius raising a copper jar
high into the air, cheered on by the others; Aurelius spilling out
coins from the jar to the ground; a red liquid pouring in pools on the
ground.
Aurelius: Come on!
The boys dance as more of the liquid falls in sheets at their feet. The
sky, red at dawn, shows a curve of sun through orange clouds. Suddenly
the sun seems to double and appears as shining eyes, and the evil
laughter rings out.
Cut to the clearing; it is full day, and the boys are returning from
the raid, laughing and cheerful.
Boy #3: Did you see the look on that guy's face when I cut him?
Boy #4: He thought he was going to die!
Aurelius: Quiet! Pay attention!
As he strides into their midst, the talking dies off.
Aurelius: You did a good job today. The great god Ares would be proud.
But that was just the beginning. There is far greater glory ahead of
us!
The boys cheer.
Ximenos: Aurelius!
Ximenos and Titus walk into the clearing.
Aurelius: You're late, Ximenos! A true warrior doesn't miss a battle.
Ximenos: You fought somebody?
Aurelius: They were no match for us. Just ask your brothers-in-arms.
Unless you'd rather hang back with the women and children with your
friend here.
Ximenos: Titus isn't hanging back. He wants to join us. I talked him
into it.
Aurelius: You did? Is he telling the truth, Titus? Do you really want
to be a warrior of Ares? Do you have the spine for it?
Some of the boys move to surround Titus.
Ximenos: Say "yes".
Boy #5: Come on, don't be a coward.
Aurelius: You want to be a servant of Ares, don't you?
Titus: I can't. I've got to get back and help Hercules fix the roof.
I'm sorry, Ximenos.
He pushes away from the boys and runs off.
Boy #6: Coward!
Aurelius: Hercules...
Aurelius turns and strides into the cave. He approaches the altar of
Ares, putting his hands on the hilts of the two swords at its base.
Aurelius: Mighty Ares, God of War, make yourself present.
The liquid begins to bubble and churn, accompanied by the standard evil
laughter.
Aurelius: Hercules is in town.
Ares: Hercules, my half-brother. So that's why you've crawled to me in
fear.
Aurelius: I just came to you for guidance, that's all. Who better to
map a strategy against Hercules than the God of War himself?
Ares: Use the boy.
Aurelius nods.
Cut to the interior of Janista's home. Hercules enters, worried.
Hercules: Janista.
Janista is at the mosaic. She turns, startled, clutching the opened
letter to her chest. Hercules comes in and moves next to her as she
composes herself; she's been crying.
Hercules: You were going to read it sooner or later.
Janista: I guess part of me was still hoping that he'd walk through
the door someday.
She dissolves into tears again, and Hercules takes her into his arms
for a comforting hug.
Hercules: Come here. It's all right.
Just then, Titus appears at the door, having returned from the forest.
He stops in shock at what he's seeing.
Hercules: It's all right. I know what you're feeling.
Titus turns, silent, and runs off.
Cut to a village street. Titus is walking slowly, aimlessly, looking
desolate. Aurelius appears without warning, clasping his shoulder and
walking beside him.
Aurelius: Hello, Titus.
Titus: What are you doing here?
Aurelius: I came to apologize. It must have seemed pretty strange out
there today. But every man in my army wants to be your friend, Titus.
And so do I.
Titus: I don't think so.
He pushes Aurelius' arm from his shoulder. Aurelius stops them, turning
to face Titus.
Aurelius: Listen to me, Titus. I have something very important to tell
you.
Titus: (warily) What?
Aurelius: There's a stranger in the village.
Titus: It's Hercules. He came to tell us my dad got killed in the war.
Aurelius is shaking his head.
Aurelius: It wasn't the war that killed your father, Titus. It was
Hercules. And now he's here to take advantage of your mother.
Titus looks stunned as he processes this.
Cut to the altar of Ares; the camera moves in on the altar.
Cut to the village; Hercules is walking around, looking for Titus.
Suddenly Titus appears and grabs at his arm, his voice panicky; he
pulls Hercules along.
Titus: Hercules, come quick!
Hercules: Titus, where have you been--
Titus: Come on, I've gotta show you something!
Hercules: What's wrong?
Titus: Those swords that got stolen from Atalanta? I know who's got
them. It's a gang of kids. They're hurting people, Hercules!
Hercules: Woah, wait a minute, how would you know about the stolen
swords?
Hercules reaches for Titus' arm and pulls it forward. On the inside of
his forearm is the crossed-sword brand, the same as Ximenos'.
Hercules: Where did this come from?
Titus looks up with a slow, eerie smile; the skin below his eyes is
dark. He yanks free of Hercules and runs off as the wind picks up
fiercely. Hercules looks around for a moment and then runs along the
wall.
Hercules: Titus! Where are you? Come back here?
Suddenly, several of the boys (though Hercules isn't aware of their age
yet) leap out from hiding places in the underbrush, their masks down
and swords drawn. They swing their swords, ready for action. One comes
rushing at Hercules from behind; he elbows the boy in the stomach,
grabbing him and tossing him towards one of the others. Another leaps
for him. Hercules knockes the sword out of the boy's grip, grabs him by
the chest and flings him over his shoulder, giving the boy a boot in
the rear to knock him off into the bushes.
A third boy rushes and Hercules kicks him aside; he lands on some stone
steps, clay vases shattering beneath him. The fourth boy comes at
Hercules, sword swinging in an arc that aims for Hercules' neck, but
Hercules ducks easily and, while the boy is still overextended, grabs
him and throws him into a window covered by thatching. Another boy runs
at Hercules, head down as if to ram him. Hercules jumps straight up,
and the boy passes underneath him; when he comes down, Hercules kicks
out behind and knocks the boy into the bushes.
Yet another boy comes at Hercules, sword raises. Hercules easily knocks
the sword out of his hand and grabs at the boy's tunic, pushing the
mask off, and pulls back to punch the boy. He stops, then, stunned at
what he sees, and releases his assailant.
Hercules: You're just a kid.
The boy steps back a couple of paces and performs a roundhouse kick in
the air, dropping into a battle pose with fists raised. Hercules steps
back, and then back further as more boys appear from the bushes, then
more and more, crowding him back further and further.
Aurelius: Now!
From a position on the city wall, Aurelius, Titus, and Ximenos push
over a stockpile of heavy stones; Hercules, maneuvered into the perfect
position, barely looks up in time to realize what's happening before
he's being pelted and then covered by the rockfall. On the wall, Titus
smiles at the others, glad of the results. The camera fades out on one
of Hercules' hand, the only visible body part beneath the stones.
* * *
Part Three:
In the village, Janista runs up to Atalanta.
Janista: Atalanta, have you seen Titus or Hercules?
The two women begin to walk together.
Atalanta: No, I haven't seen Titus. If I knew where Hercules was, I
sure wouldn't be out here.
Janista: Oh, I thought you might've.
Atalanta: No, I haven't seen him since this morning, when I showed him
something in the forge.
Janista: Oh, no!
They stop suddenly, seeing the huge pile of rocks with Hercules' hand
visible. Both immediately kneel and begin pulling rocks off the pile.
Janista: Please be alive!
Within moments the stones begin shifting on their own, and Hercules
pushes up, getting slowly to his feet.
Janista: Look! He's still alive!
Atalanta: Thank the gods.
Hercules grunts in pain as he stands, almost immediately sagging
against a wall.
Janista: Hercules, are you all right?!
He looks up at them, dazed.
Hercules: Where's Titus?
Janista: He's not under there, is he?
Hercules: He's the one who led me into this trap.
Janista: What are you talking about? Titus wouldn't do something like
that.
Hercules: Maybe he wouldn't before, but Ares has hold of him now.
Janista: I've got to find him.
She turns and starts off.
Hercules: Wait, I'll go with you.
He stumbles after her; Atalanta catches him and puts a supportive arm
around him.
Atalanta: You're not going anywhere but with me, Herc.
Hercules: But...
Atalanta: No buts about it, Herc.
Atalanta helps him as he limps along, one hand pressed to his thigh.
Cut to the interior of Janista's home. Titus steps up to the mosaic and
removes the sword from where it's mounted on the wall beneath. He
inspects the blade, turning it in his hands, then swings it to test it,
practicing jabs and thrusts as he moves back to the doorway. Janista
comes in, but since Titus' back is to the door, he doesn't notice her
there until she comes up and puts her hands on his shoulders, turning
him to face her.
Janista: What about me, Titus? You going to try killing me, too?
She backs him towards the wall.
Titus: Warriors of Ares don't kill women.
Janista: Oh, just men?
Titus: When they stand in Ares' way.
Janista: And what about Hercules? What did he deserve?
Titus: To die!
Janista: But why?
Titus glares defiantly at his mother.
Titus: He killed my father! Ares said so! And I saw how he had his
hands all over you last night.
Janista: Titus, you don't know what you're saying. Now please, give
that back to me.
Titus: No!
He pushes past Janista towards the door.
Titus: I'm a soldier now, this belongs to me.
Janista: Well, if you won't give it to me, then you can give it to
Hercules.
Titus' smile is fierce.
Titus: Dead men don't need swords.
Janista: Well, lucky for you he isn't dead. I just saw him.
Titus: You're lying!
Janista: (angrier) No, I'm not!
Titus looks away, a calculating look in his eyes, then runs for the
door.
Janista: Titus, come back here!
It's too late; he's already gone.
Cut to Atalanta's workshop. She is smoothing back his hair to rub a
cloth on his neck, cleaning the last of his wounds.
Atalanta: There, that should do it.
Hercules: Thanks. I didn't think you'd have such a gentle touch.
Atalanta: Come back when you don't need repairs and I'll treat you
even better.
Her gentle caresses begin to get a little amorous, and Hercules,
smiling, gets to his feet.
Hercules: Sorry, but I've got to go find those kids.
Atalanta: (with a shrug) Fine, let's get moving.
She crosses to the wall and lifts down a coiled whip from a hook.
Hercules: This is not your fight, Atalanta, this is between Ares and
me.
Atalanta: Look, Ximenos might be out there. That makes it my fight.
Hercules: I understand your concern--
Atalanta: Yeah, yeah. You don't think I can handle myself? You think
I'm weak?
Hercules: No, no. I would never call you weak. But this is too
dangerous.
Atalanta: Well, that's why I have this.
She flicks the coiled whip at his chest.
Atalanta: And if you still wanna argue, we can always arm-wrestle.
She's gotten in his face now, and Hercules takes a breath and then
steps back.
Hercules: Ahh, after you.
Atalanta walks out of the smithy; after a moment, Hercules lets out a
long-suffering sigh and then follows her.
Cut to Ares' altar. Aurelius is leaning over it, hands on the swords'
hilts.
Aurelius: It was magnificent, Ares. People will be talking about our
triumph until the end of time. Of course, Hercules didn't fall until
*I* delivered the killing blow.
Ares: Fool! Hercules isn't dead!
Aurelius: He, he isn't?
Ares: No, I still feel him.
Aurelius: My troops won't fail you a second time. I promise!
Ares: Not your troops. You!
Aurelius: How?
Blood wells up, then begins to flow from the eyeholes of a grinning
skull mounted over the altar.
Ares: Use my blood.
Aurelius reaches out with a small vial, catching the blood as it falls.
He grins nastily.
Cut to the forest meadow. Hercules and Atalanta are heading for the
clearing.
Hercules: I've always been ashamed that Ares and I share the same
father, but this is as low as he's ever sunk -- using boys to get the
blood he needs to live on.
Atalanta: Can't Zeus do something to stop him?
Hercules: Why would he? It's only human life. That means nothing to
him.
They come to a stop as the wind suddenly picks up, howling high in the
trees. Atalanta suddenly clutches at her arm.
Atalanta: Ow, my arm!
Hercules: Atalanta, are you all right?
Atalanta's bandage falls off, revealing the crossed-sword brand high on
her inner forearm. She looks up at Hercules, and her eyes are black;
when she speaks, her voice is deep and changed, evil.
Atalanta: I'm fine.
Hercules takes a few steps back.
Hercules: Not you too.
Atalanta flicks her whip, and it catches around Hercules' throat. He
immediately pulls at it, trying to free himself as Atalanta pulls on
it. It flies free, and she plies the whip again, cracking it at him.
Hercules rolls out of the way; it hits the ground, and she pulls back
for another try. He dodges just in time, and she cracks it on a rock,
which breaks; then a tree limb, which snaps under the force of the
blow. Hercules grabs a branch and holds it up; the whip's end coils
around the branch, and he heaves, pulling the whip out of Atalanta's
hands.
He turns to throw it aside, but when he looks back, Atalanta is
charging him, catching him around the stomach in powerful arms, and
they turn under the momentum. She punches him once in the chin, but
then he manages to grab hold of her arms; she then tries to knee him,
first with one leg and then the other. To get herself free, she head-
butts him, and this succeeds. When she punches at him again, missing,
he grabs her and twists her, pulling her so she's up against him with
her back to his chest, but she pulls him over her shoulder and tosses
him to the ground.
Hercules: Fighting in a woman's body? You're a coward, Ares!
Atalanta kicks him in the face as he's getting up, and he stumbles back
several feet. He regains his footing again.
Hercules: What's the matter? Can't fight your own battles?
Atalanta, growling, comes at him again; this time, prepared, he hoists
her up onto his shoulders and spins her around, then carries her to the
river's edge and tosses her in. Atalanta pulls herself to the surface
in a moment, soaking wet and gasping for air.
Hercules: Atalanta? Are you all right?
Atalanta: Of course I'm all right, now get me out of here!
Her voice is her own again, and Hercules leans down to help pull her
out of the water.
Atalanta: What happened?
Hercules: You just tried to whip the hide off me, that's what
happened.
Atalanta: What are you talkin' about--
Hercules: Ares got into you, you went crazy.
Atalanta: He must have been the same reason why I was makin' those
swords. I had the same strange feeling.
Hercules: Well, warn me the next time you get any strange feelings.
Cut to the clearing. Titus sprints in at top speed.
Titus: Aurelius! Aurelius! Hercules is still alive!
Aurelius and several other boys approach him.
Aurelius: Old news, Titus.
Titus looks stunned.
Titus: But what are you going to do about it?
Aurelius: I'm not going to do anything. *You* are. Ares wanted you
dead when you screwed everything up, but I made him give you one more
chance. Hold up your sword.
Titus lifts the sword so the blade is level with the ground. Aurelius
unstoppers the vial and pours the thick, dark liquid over it.
Aurelius: Ares' blood is pure poison. One cut, and Hercules is dead.
Ximenos holds his sword out.
Ximenos: Titus is my friend. I fight with him.
Aurelius pours the blood over Ximenos' blade as well.
Aurelius: You better win with him.
Cut to the forest. Hercules and Atalanta are still on the move;
suddenly, Janista runs up from behind.
Janista: Hercules! Stop!
Hercules and Atalanta pause so that Janista, still panting from her
run, can catch up with them.
Janista: Titus is acting crazy. He's still trying to kill you.
Hercules: I know that, I know that. I know where to find him.
He presses her arm reassuringly, then starts to walk away; Janista
takes his arm to stop him.
Janista: Please, don't hurt him. He's all I have.
Atalanta: He'll be all right.
Hercules: The only one I want to hurt is Ares.
Atalanta: Go home, Janista. We'll handle this.
Janista: I'm coming. He's my son.
She speaks with a fierce urgency; Hercules and Atalanta glance at each
other in a resigned manner.
In the clearing, the boys march around the firepit, thrusting their
swords into the air as they chant.
Boys: Ares! Ares! Ares! Ares! Ares! Ares! Ares! Ares! (etc.)
Hercules, Atalanta, and Janista approach, watching this display from
the cover of the underbrush. The chanting becomes faster and the boys
pick up their pace, dancing around the pit. Hercules glances at the
women, then moves out and into the clearing; they follow him. As he
gets closer, we see Aurelius separate himself from the others,
encouraging the chanting, inciting it to a frenzied pitch.
Hercules: This is where it ends, boys.
Aurelius turns to look as the dancing abruptly dies off.
Hercules: Game is over.
Aurelius: That's what you think. (shouting) Great God Ares, show him
your power!
Cut to the altar. The pool of blood is roiling and churning more than
ever before, and a sound like a groan erupts from it.
In the clearing, vines shoot out from the ground and wrap around
Hercules', Atalanta's, and Janista's legs. They move so swiftly that,
try as they might, the three are unable to prevent themselves from
being wrapped up in them. In moments, they are cocooned in a giant web
of heavy vines.
Fade out on the image of the moon, orange and heavy, with the laughing
skull visible in it.
* * *
Part Four:
Hercules, Atalanta, and Janista are still trapped in the vines. Two of
the boys are watching, masks down; Aurelius walks up between them and
rests a hand on each of their shoulders.
Aurelius: He's all yours.
He gives the boys a little push, and they walk up to the cocoon. As
they approach, one lifts his mask: it's Titus.
Titus: I thought you were my friend, Hercules.
The other boy -- Ximenos -- lifts his mask as well.
Titus: But you murdered my father! And you came to take away my
mother.
Ximenos: We're gonna fix it so you don't hurt anybody anymore.
Hercules: Ares is filling you with hate and lies. He's using you!
Ximenos: Shut up!
Hercules: What's the matter? Does it hurt to hear that the God of War
is a vulture? Because that's what Ares is. He'll have you kill me, then
he'll make you kill your friends, and who knows, he'd probably make you
kill each other.
Janista: He's telling you the truth, Titus. He came here as a friend.
Aurelius: Don't listen to them!
Atalanta: Ximenos. Hercules hasn't hurt anyone, he's trying to help
you get free from Ares.
Ximenos and Titus appear to be confused, glancing at each other as if
considering their words.
Aurelius: What are you waiting for? Kill him! Kill them all!
Hercules: You must be the leader. You look like the kind of puppet
Ares would like.
Aurelius: A puppet couldn't kill you, Hercules. You fell right into my
trap. I'm Ares' general.
Atalanta: And what kind of general could that be? A general nuisance?
Aurelius: For that, you die first! Kill her! Show Hercules what's in
store for him.
Janista: No, Titus, don't do it!
Hercules: Titus, Ximenos, think about it! You don't want blood on your
hands.
Boys: Kill them! Kill them! Kill them!
The chanting continues as Aurelius speaks.
Aurelius: Don't listen to him, Titus. Hercules is a liar! He killed
your father, Titus.
The boys continue their frenzied chanting, waving their weapons in the
air; Titus still hesitates, though he appears to be attempting to
gather his resolve.
Janista: No, Titus! Don't do this!
Atalanta: Don't do it, Ximenos.
Hercules: Think about your father, Titus. You, too, Ximenos. They
fought against the very evil that Ares stands for.
Hercules has been struggling with the vines all this time, and now,
pulling hard on them with a mighty effort, he manages to break several
vines and push his way free of the entangling web. He steps forward.
Hercules: You're not killing anybody.
He turns to free Atalanta, then faces Titus and Ximenos again. Reaching
forward, he flips the mask off Titus' head, then Ximenos', as Atalanta
gets Janista free.
Hercules: What's it going to be, boys? Whose side are you on?
They look at each other warily.
Titus and Ximenos: Yours.
Hercules: Good choice.
He reaches for them both, tugging them back to where Janista and
Atalanta stand.
Aurelius: Don't listen to him! You want to feel the wrath of Ares?
Hercules: If you'll excuse me, it's time to teach someone a lesson.
Aurelius: Attack! Attack!
As Hercules strides forward, the boys plunge towards him, and Aurelius
draws his own sword. Hercules clotheslines one boy and punches another
in the stomach.
Atalanta: Great. I wanted to fight, but not with dwarves.
She pushes Ximenos aside and steps forward anyway, flipping her fingers
as if to say "bring it on". One boy comes at her; she grabs his hands
and flings him aside, then clotheslines a second as he charges.
Hercules has reached Aurelius by now, who holds his sword out.
Aurelius: Stand back, Hercules. This sword is poison.
Hercules: That just makes it more interesting.
Aurelius: One cut, one tiny little nick, and you're dead!
Hercules: Then you better not slip.
He swings the sword at Hercules, who ducks and dodges subsequent blows.
Aurelius thrusts at his side, but misses, and swings around to punch
Hercules in the face. Hercules rolls out of the way, and when Aurelius
charges him again, Hercules trips him; Aurelius drops the sword as he
falls.
Two boys are attacking Atalanta with staves. She grabs one staff, then
the other, and uses the leverage to knock both boys down.
Hercules picks up a stick and starts toward Aurelius again; Aurelius
gets up and flees. Hercules looks after him, disgusted, tossing the
stick aside.
Atalanta: Come and get me, boys.
She does a high jump and kicks two more boys in the face, then glances
over to Hercules.
Atalanta: You see that? Huh?
Hercules nods at her, then takes off after Aurelius.
Aurelius has fled into the cavern, to Ares' altar.
Aurelius: Ares, help me! Hercules is here!
Ares is silent, but the pool of blood is bubbling like a fountain.
Aurelius gasps and steps back as the cave begins to shake and dust
falls from the ceiling.
Outside, Hercules stops as a fireball engulfs the cave. It's pouring
out from the altar, through the tunnel, and in its wake, smoke and
shadow cloud around a tall, lumbering figure with glowing eyes, a
gigantic fist like a mace and a short, curved blade in its other hand.
Ares: So there you are, little brother!
Aurelius: Stand back, Hercules! I am protected by Ares himself. We
have a deal.
Ares: Deal?
Ares raises the fist and swings at Aurelius, who goes flying through
the cavern.
Aurelius: Nooooo!
He catches against a column and sags to the ground. Hercules approaches
the giant.
Hercules: Thought maybe I'd seen the last of you, half-brother. Well,
you haven't gotten any better-looking, that's for sure.
Cackling with laughter, Ares swings the blade at Hercules. Hercules
catches Ares' hand between his own to stop the deadly arc; Ares knocks
Hercules away with his fist, and Hercules lands several feet away.
Wincing, he gets to his feet. Ares is still standing there, and
Hercules runs at him. He catches the mace as it comes toward him again,
blocking a blow from the blade, and punches Ares in the stomach with
both fists. The mace comes down on his back, and then Ares gives him
another shove and Hercules scoots back several feet. He fingers a cut
on his arm. Ares laughs. Hercules runs at him again. This time, as he
gets close, he tucks into a ball and rolls between Ares' legs. From
behind, he gives Ares a shove; the giant stumbles, off-balance, and
while he's still getting his balance, Hercules comes back around to the
front -- just in time to catch the arm swinging the blade again. He
struggles to turn the blade, but the mace swings out and catches him
again, tossing him across the clearing.
Ximenos and Atalanta jump. Hercules looks up, then looks at his hand;
there's blood on it, from where it was pressed to his nose. Ares is
laughing maniacally. Hercules rises again.
Titus: Hercules, get up! He's coming!
Ares is lumbering across the clearing now. Hercules gets to his feet
and turns.
Ares: Take your last breath, Hercules.
Titus: Here, Hercules! Use my father's sword!
He tosses the sword over to Hercules, who catches it easily, looking at
the bloodstained blade.
Ares: Time to die, little brother.
Hercules: I hate my family.
He runs back to Ares, jumping into a flying leap for him. Ares raises
his arms, but Hercules is quicker, plunging the sword into his belly.
As he falls, smoke begins to billow from within the giant body, and
Hercules passes completely through him, landing with a roll on the
other side. He scrambles to his feet, but Ares is groaning and then
falls, hard enough to make the earth shake. The body explodes in fire
and light.
Ares: Next time, Hercules! Next time!
The twin lights that were its eyes float up and away; nothing is left
but smoke.
Hercules: I'll be looking forward to it.
He looks over at the remaining boys.
Hercules: Is that the god you worship? That...
He gestures at the place where Ares fell, then gives up trying to
speak.
Hercules: Take those masks off.
The boys do; they look normal, if dazed, for the first time.
Hercules: Go home. Go back to the villages and farms that you came
from. And if you have to fight, fight for peace, not for war.
Shedding their weapons and masks, the boys move off into the forest.
Titus remorsefully looks up at Janista.
Titus: Sorry, Mom. For everything.
Janista: Shhh. It's all right, Titus.
Atalanta is holding Ximenos, who looks as if he's going to cry.
Hercules comes back to the group.
Janista: Is it over?
Hercules: For this town, for today. Come on, let's go home.
He heads away from the clearing, and the others follow him.
* * *
Part Five:
Ximenos walks out of Janista's house, followed by Atalanta, who gives
him a little push. Titus follows them, and Hercules and Janista are the
last to leave. They pause to talk.
Hercules: The circumstances were all wrong, Janista, but I'm still
glad I got the chance to meet you and Titus.
Janista: So am I, Hercules. And don't forget, there's always room for
you under our roof. After all, you built it.
Chuckling, he pulls her in for a hug.
Hercules: Thank you.
He releases her with a last squeeze of her hands, turning to the boys
with a mock-stern air.
Hercules: Now, for you two.
Titus: Sorry for all the trouble we caused you, Hercules.
Ximenos: We wouldn't have done it if we'd known.
Hercules: Well, no hard feelings.
He wraps an arm around Ximenos' shoulder and squeezes him, poking Titus
in the chest.
Hercules: As long as you promise me it won't happen again.
Titus and Ximenos: It won't.
Hercules: Good.
He turns and takes Titus aside, a hand on his shoulder, walking a few
paces away.
Hercules: The last words your father spoke to me were meant for you,
Titus. He wanted you to know that the art of the warrior is not to
kill, but to destroy the forces of evil. I hope you'll never forget
that.
Titus: You've got my word.
Hercules: Good. Then you'll grow up to be the man that your father
wanted you to be.
He walks Titus back over to his mother, and when he turns, Atalanta has
approached him, her hands behind her back.
Hercules: Atalanta, what can I say?
Atalanta: Just shut up and say "one, two, there".
Hercules: You're not gonna, like, flip me or anything, are you?
Atalanta: Would you just say it?
Hercules: One, two, three--
Atalanta puts her arms around Hercules and dips him, for a long, slow
kiss that doesn't end until he's upright again.
Atalanta: Come back and see me sometime.
She gives him a final kiss, and he lets out a sigh.
Hercules: Yeah. I'll save my strength for you.
He steps away from her, still chuckling, and gives the others a wave as
he starts to walk away.
Atalanta: Bye, Hercules.
Janista and Titus have joined Atalanta and Ximenos, and they watch him
go.
Ximenos: And thanks!
Atalanta: Shush.