FADE IN

Ares rises from the table and approaches the warrior.

ARES:
     I've got a message for Brygus, too. One of these days, we'll have a chat--god to god. And he'll regret it. (to his soldiers) Show this man out.

The warrior bows mockingly and leaves, escorted by two soldiers. Ares looks uncertain.

IONA:
     I can't believe it. How would Brygus become a god?

ZAREK:
     Could he have gotten his hands on ambrosia?

ARES:
     All the ambrosia on earth was destroyed years ago. And I doubt that Odin would share his golden apples. (thinks a moment) He's either crazy or trying to scare us. (looks at Pandion) You did say he has the ego of a god. That's probably all it is.

PANDION:
     And if it's more than that?

Ares looks down, then back at them.

ARES:
     Then we'll still defeat him, one way or another. And we will take the Areopagus back as promised. (determined) We head out in the morning.

CUT TO

Xena and Gabrielle are riding along a forest trail. Up ahead is a view of a valley. There is a blackened patch of land in the distance and Gabrielle frowns, the two of them riding toward it.

CUT TO

A large black patch of earth, the plants surrounding it are charred and dead, the remnants of what once was a village is now a flattened patch of dirt covered with ash. Only the remains of one building has been left standing--a few planks of cracked and burnt wood lean against one another in what looks to be a crude make-shift shelter. Gabrielle and Xena walk through the area, their horses in the background. They look on with shock and horror.

GABRIELLE (shakes her head):
     It's just like Rena said. (looks down) I had halfway hoped she had been wrong.

The sound of rustling catches their attention. They turn toward the remains of the building. Slowly walking toward it, they peer underneath the haphazardly placed beams and find a young man in his early 20's, with ratty hair in very tattered clothes with holes and singed edges, is huddled in a corner of the shelter. He looks up toward them. His eyes are hollow, his face and arms emaciated. He's clearly suffering the effects of long-term starvation. He shivers when a breeze blows by.

MAN (cowering):
     Please! Are you going to kill me? The way they killed my family?

He begins to cry and Xena and Gabrielle share a sympathetic glance. Gabrielle comes up and kneels down in front of him.

GABRIELLE:
     It's okay. We're not whoever you think we are. We're here to help you. My name is Gabrielle, and this is Xena.

The man continues to whimper and Gabrielle rests a gentle hand on his shoulder. He looks toward her.

MAN:
     They did this.

GABRIELLE:
     Who?

The man shrinks back and stays quiet, turning away.

XENA:
     You've been living here?

MAN:
     My whole life.

XENA:
     I mean since--

MAN (as if he didn't hear what she said):
     This is my home. Always has been. Always will be.

The man begins to rock, murmuring "my home". Gabrielle watches, concerned, then stands, turning to Xena. The two of them step back to give him some room.

GABRIELLE (shakes her head, grim):
     If this village was destroyed a month ago, do you think he's been living here since then?

XENA:
     From the looks of it...

Gabrielle steps toward him again. He's no longer mumbling but is still huddled in the corner, now with his arms wrapped around his legs.

GABRIELLE:
     Look--this isn't the best place to be living right now. Come with us. We can get you a nice meal and a warm bath. (she holds out her hand) It'll be all right.

MAN (shakes his head, mumbles, not looking at her):
     Never all right. Never again.

Gabrielle watches him, concerned and looks up at Xena as she frowns.

CUT TO

Evening. Xena and Gabrielle ride into the village. The man is sitting behind Gabrielle on her horse, slouching over quite a bit, too weak to hold himself up properly.

CUT TO

Inside a house. The man is lying on a bed, dressed in clean clothes now. He's sleeping. An older woman is standing near the bedside taking away his dirty clothes. She exits the room, walking past Xena and Gabrielle who stand off to the side.

XENA (grim):
     He's in bad shape. I've seen it before.

GABRIELLE:
     What can we do for him?

XENA (shakes her head):
     I don't know. The herbs will help him sleep for now--but it may be too late to save him. (squeezes Gabrielle's shoulder gently) We'll do our best.

GABRIELLE (nods, troubled):
     I've never seen destruction like that before, Xena. I don't know how this man survived.

XENA (determined):
     If he lives long enough to tell us what happened, maybe we can stop it from happening to anyone else.

CUT TO

Rena's house. Gabrielle picks up Samuel. Darion stands next to her.

DARION:
     I was getting worried about you.

GABRIELLE:
     I'm sorry we were gone so long. We got--caught up in some things.

Darion looks up at her.

DARION:
     Was it Artemis?

GABRIELLE:
     In a way. More zealots who worship her--and are willing to kill innocent people when they believe it's the will of the goddess.

DARION:
     We have to tell Rena and Makis what Artemis is really like.

GABRIELLE (shakes her head):
     Sometimes people can't see the truth until they find out for themselves.

Darion nods, clearly doubtful. Close-up on Gabrielle as she stares ahead thoughtfully, holding Samuel in her arms.

DISSOLVE TO

Sunrise.

DISSOLVE TO

Ares is in a chamber, putting on the leather armor. He places the metal breastplate over it and then straps the scabbard to his side and sheathes his sword. He turns to the mirror and looks at himself.

DISSOLVE TO

Ares mounts his black stallion, now wearing a face guard. He turns to Pandion, Iona and Zarek who ride up beside them, also wearing armor.

ARES:
     Let's head out.

Ares rides forward and the rest of the army follows. Wide-shot of the army leaving the fortress, some people on horseback, others walking.

CUT TO

Ares is riding through a forest. Pandion, Iona and Zarek are behind him with the rest of the men marching behind.

Ares moves his arm and the wound on his upper arm stings. He looks at it. It's now dry and healing but the gash is still visible. Ahead is a crossroads. There are a few villagers walking along a road in front of them. An old man walks with a cane beside a younger man who helps him out when he needs it. The group of villagers pass by and Ares watches them silently, before heading forward, looking thoughtfully out into the distance.

DISSOLVE TO

Ares and his army are now in the middle of a field, the sun beating down. They ride in silence, the only sound is the hoofbeats and whinnies from the horses and the clattering of weapons and armor.

Ares stares forward, looking out onto the field.

DISSOLVE TO

Ares and his army are marching through a dense grove.

Ares shakes his head and his horse steps into a small hole, causing Ares to briefly lose his balance, shifting in the saddle a bit. Pandion grabs the reigns, steadying the horse. He looks at Ares as he shakes himself off, as if coming out of a daze.

PANDION:
     Something wrong, my Lord?

ARES:
     No. I'm fine.

CUT TO

Ares and his army arrive at the edge of the clearing, a valley before them. Ares looks up and in the distance sees the temple rising majestically from the hill of the Areopagus. Ares slows his horse down to a stop.

PANDION:
     This is it.

Ares nods slowly.

CUT TO

The base of the Areopagus. Ares and his army ride toward it slowly, looking around cautious and alert. The place seems deserted.

IONA:
     Wouldn't you think, if Brygus captures a temple, he'd be interested in keeping his property well guarded?

ARES (looking at the temple):
     Who knows how he thinks. This isn't what I would have expected, that's for sure. Follow me, and stay alert.

The camera pulls back to show Ares riding up the hill, followed by his soldiers.

CUT TO

Ares and the others arrive at the top of the hill, the great temple doors towering in front of them. Ares dismounts, drawing his sword; Iona and Pandion do likewise.

Ares walks toward the doors. Suddenly there is a whizzing sound. We see an arrow headed straight for the camera.

IONA (shouts):
     Lord Ares, look out!

Ares whips around and the arrow hits his armor, leaving him unhurt. A second arrow flies from behind a column. Some of Ares' soldiers rush in that direction. A female archer jumps out from behind the column. Throwing down her bow, she draws a sword and fights the soldiers. Several more female guards appear, ready to attack.

FEMALE GUARD:
     You're trespassing.

ARES (scoffs):
     On my own property?

The guards attack. Ares spars with two of them; he quickly disarms one and knocks the other one down with a kick. Iona spins and kicks another guard so hard that she falls, stumbling into the others; they lose their footing and roll down the side of the hill. Ares, Pandion and Iona look after them, shaking their heads. Close-up on Ares as he raises his eyebrows.

ARES (sarcastic):
     It's all downhill from here.

IONA:
     Brygus needs to hire better warriors.

ARES (puzzled):
     These aren't Brygus' warriors. They're Artemis'.

Ares, Pandion and Iona exchange a concerned look. Then, Ares walks up to the doors and pushes them open with a loud creak. Ares, Pandion and Iona walk into the temple, several soldiers following behind. They all stop dead in their tracks.

Ares looks around.

Pan around the temple to show that it is pristine, lit with candles. There is gold on the walls, sparkling in the sunlight that shines through one of the large windows in the back. The place shines like the sun, completely re-decorated from what it was as a temple to the God of War. The room is completely empty except for a large gold statue at the back of the temple. It's of an archer, standing with his head held high and one foot planted firmly on the ground, his other foot raised, propped up by a golden surfboard. In front of the statue is a long table where a golden surfboard lies, and an ornate wooden plaque standing in front of it.

Ares walks toward the statue while Pandion, Iona and the rest stand back. He looks down at the plaque in front of the surfboard, the Greek writing engraved with gold leaf.

ARES:
     It's a shrine to Apollo. (turns back to Pandion and Iona) A tomb.

Ares stares at the statue then turns.

ARES (walking briskly toward the door):
     Let's go.

Zarek grabs Ares' arm as he passes.

ZAREK:
     Wait a minute! (Ares looks at him) We came all this way--for nothing? The temple is yours for the taking!

Ares hesitates.

ARES:
     Artemis turned it into a shrine to her brother. I won't take that from her, or defile his memory.

ZAREK:
     What does it matter? He was your enemy! He and Artemis conspired to bring you down--and they succeeded!

PANDION:
     Zarek is right--we should take it back while we have the chance.

ARES:
     Brygus clearly isn't using it for himself. Artemis can do what she will with it. (looks around the temple, softly) I don't have any use for it anymore, anyway.

He walks toward the door.

PANDION (off-camera):
     What about your promise? To your followers, to Actaeon?

Ares stops and turns.

ARES:
     I have to do what's right for me.

Zarek, boiling with anger, charges forward.

ZAREK:
     No! Artemis will not get away with this! She uses Brygus to take it for herself, and then turns it into a shrine to her dead brother? And that is not an insult to the God of War? (he turns and grabs a torch from the wall) If you're not going to take it back for yourself, I'd rather see it in ashes than in her hands.

Zarek is about to put the torch to a curtain when a blue surge of energy shoots from off-camera, hitting Zarek in the side and propelling him across the room. He lands hard on the stone floor and is knocked out cold; the torch is flung against a stone wall, its flame smothered as it lands on the floor.

Ares, Pandion and Iona whip around in the direction it came from ("whoosh" sound effects).

A man with brown hair and rugged features steps forward, lowering his hand. He is dressed in black similar to Ares, and wearing Ares' gauntlets. Zoom in on Ares' surprised face.

ARES (slowly):
     Brygus.

BRYGUS (grins):
     You got it. (Brygus catches Ares looking at the gauntlets; he lifts his arms) Oh, these? Yeah, I bought them from a peddler a few months back. Said the man who gave them up was willing to pay a fortune to travel to some faraway city.

Brygus walks forward and Ares stands still. Pandion and Iona put their hands on their swords, prepared to attack.

BRYGUS:
     It's fitting, don't you think? (Ares doesn't respond) I have your gauntlets, and I'm the new God of War. I guess it must be...destiny.

Close up of Ares' face.

CUT TO

Rena and Makis' house; the kitchen. Samuel, gurgling happily, is sitting in a sling suspended from a pole while Gabrielle is chopping some apples into tiny pieces and crushing them. Rena sits nearby, smiling.

GABRIELLE (coos):
     You like applesauce, don't you? Yes, we're going to make you some applesauce...

The door opens and Xena comes in, looking concerned.

GABRIELLE (looks up):
     What is it?

XENA:
     The man is awake. Want to come talk to him?

Gabrielle looks hesitantly at Samuel.

RENA (smiles):
     Don't worry, I'll feed him.

GABRIELLE:
     Oh, thank you so much. (She comes up to Samuel, lifts him up in her arms and gives him a kiss) Be good.

Gabrielle and Xena head out.

CUT TO

The man is lying on a bed, his eyes fluttering open and closed, as if he's drifting in and out of consciousness.

Xena and Gabrielle walk in and come up to him. He slowly turns his head, seeing Xena.

MAN (weakly):
     You brought me here... Thank you.

GABRIELLE:
     How are you feeling?

He shakes his head wordlessly and closes his eyes.

XENA:
     Yes. You're lucky to be alive.

GABRIELLE:
     Can you tell us what happened?

The man hesitates for a long moment, staring off into the distance.

GABRIELLE (gentle):
     I know--sometimes memories can hurt...but anything you can tell us can help us stop this from happening to others.

There is a long pause.

MAN:
     Fire...

Xena and Gabrielle listen closely.

MAN:
     Fire raining down--and everything, everyone... (he closes his eyes, his lip quivering at the memory)

GABRIELLE (touches his arm):
     It's okay. Is there anything else you remember?

The man lies quiet for a long moment.

GABRIELLE (to Xena, quietly):
     He's too weak. I don't think there's anything else--

MAN (faintly):
     Brygus...

Xena and Gabrielle look at him, then move closer.

GABRIELLE:
     Brygus?

The man nods, closing his eyes.

CUT TO

Ares, Pandion and Iona are standing before Brygus inside the temple. Zarek has begun to stir in the background.

BRYGUS (eyeing Ares):
     So this is the Great Ares. We meet again.

Ares looks confused, not recognizing him.

BRYGUS:
     You don’t remember me. You should. I used to be a...fan.

ARES:
     A fan who wants to kill me. Aren't I lucky. (chuckles) I thought this kind of thing only happened to Xena.

BRYGUS:
     Kill you? Oh no. I don't want to kill you. Yet. I have much, much bigger plans for you.

ARES:
     Can't wait to hear them. So (looks around the temple) you're doing Artemis' bidding now?

BRYGUS:
     As a matter of fact--yes.

CUT TO

GABRIELLE (to Xena):
     Who's Brygus?

XENA:
     Never heard of him.

Xena and Gabrielle lean closer as the man opens his eyes.

MAN:
     They said he would come if we did not do what they say. "Beware the wrath of Brygus". He...destroyed my village... (he drifts off)

GABRIELLE (tapping him lightly on the shoulder, trying to keep him awake):
     Why?

MAN:
     Artemis...

GABRIELLE (shocked):
     Because you worshiped Artemis?

MAN (faint):
     Because we wouldn't...

The man's eyes close. Xena and Gabrielle look up at each other, concerned.

CUT TO

Brygus standing before Ares and the others.

ARES (appalled):
     So that's why you're destroying those villages? For Artemis?

BRYGUS:
     Artemis needs worshipers--you know that better than anyone--this is her best chance of getting them. She offers them the chance to worship her and be protected from those that wish to destroy them.

ARES:
     And that would be you.

BRYGUS (grins):
     Good guess.

ARES:
     And if they refuse--

BRYGUS:
     I kill them all! (laughs) The more they fear, the more powerful Artemis becomes and the more people are willing to follow her...because they're afraid of a much nastier fate. If you haven't noticed, more and more villages around these parts are worshiping Artemis--some of them abandoning other gods in her favor. And it's all because they're afraid of what might happen if they don't. As long as I'm around, her power only continues to grow.

ARES (moves closer toward him):
     Not for long.

Ares and Brygus stare at each other for a moment, then Ares draws his sword and swings it toward Brygus. At the same time, Brygus swings his sword as well and the two of them clash, sending bright sparks shooting around the blades.

BRYGUS:
     Lets take this outside, shall we?

A bright blue light flares up around them and they disappear. The screen goes black as we:

FADE OUT

TO BE CONTINUED...

[The temple of Ares underwent major renovations during the production of this motion picture.]

Xena: Warrior Princess Shipper Seasons Season 10 Episode 5 The Power and the Glory I Story By: Aurora Written By: Aurora Edited by: LadyKate Collage By: Aurora Images Gathered By: Aurora Cast Xena Lucy Lawless Gabrielle Renee O'Connor Ares Kevin Smith Darion Alexander Gandar Brygus Tom Norman Pandion Bruce Simmons Zarek Rick Altress Iona Candice Plex Ilana Steph Simpson Rena Meg Ippen Mikas Richard Andarus Eleri Julia Coven Original Airdate March 16, 2010 The temple of Ares underwent major renovations during the production of this motion picture. DEDICATED TO KEVIN SMITH All characters and storylines that have appeared in the syndicated series Xena: Warrior Princess are a copyright and trademark of Universal and Renaissance Pictures. No infringement was intended during the writing of this script. All original characters and storylines are a copyright of the respective authors and of the Shipper Seasons. No script may be reproduced on a website elsewhere without the author's consent. © Shipper Seasons www.shipperseasons.com

This script is provided by GDev Resources.