ACT TWO

FADE IN

He materializes once again, this time in another part of the underworld. He is in an icy cavern, its walls dark and gloomy. The souls of people drift through the air, moaning with the torment of being trapped there for eternity.

Ares looks around until he finds Xena's soul sitting atop a stone. His heart thumps painfully at the sight of her--barely there; her eyes dull and empty, her figure almost transparent.

ARES (whispers, needing confirmation, solid proof that it's really her):
     Xena?

Xena's spirit looks up at him without interest and then looks away.

XENA:
     Ares. Go away, you shouldn't be here. You shouldn't have looked for me.

Ares is simultaneously relieved that she recognizes him and appalled at her indifference.

ARES (tries to arrange his face into a smirk, but fails):
     What? Not even a hello? (sobering) Gabrielle told me everything, Xena. Not wanting forty thousand souls to seek revenge, taking the hint--that's all very admirable, of course--but just once, don't you think you could forget about the Greater Good and think about yourself for a change?

XENA:
     I don't expect you to understand it, Ares. The guilt, the horror when I think of condemning all those souls... That's just one of the ways that you and I are very different.

Xena pauses for a long moment, Ares looks at her without a word.

XENA:
     But if Gabrielle told you everything then you already know that I have to stay here. There's no other way.

ARES:
     And that's where you're mistaken. I've come here to bring you back. (takes out the contract) We had deal. Remember?

Xena glances at the rolled up parchment with the same indifference she showed Ares.

XENA:
     How did you get that? It was at the bottom of the Ionian Sea.

ARES:
     Xena, I'm a god. You think that I can't find something that I made? I saw you put it there and I retrieved it. (unfurls the scroll and holds it out)

Suddenly a change comes over her, as though sight of the writing, undeniably tangible, rouses her from resignation. Xena jumps off the rock and twists to face Ares, her previously dull eyes blazing with something like her former fire.

XENA:
     Oh, this is rich, Ares! I can't believe you have the nerve to show that to me! No, wait--I can! (she is furious) So this is why you want me back? Come to claim your lost property, have you? Finally got your chance?

ARES:
     No. You know, Xena, I'm doing you a favor by bringing you back. I mean it beats being in this place.

XENA:
     Ares, get this through your thick skull--I don't want to go back and I don't need a favor from you, or anyone else. (the fire gradually seeps out of her voice and the next phrase rings with her former emotionlessness) Go away and let me find peace, Ares.

ARES:
     Fine. You can stay in this wretched place looking for peace for the rest of eternity for all I care. Don't worry about the people you left behind.

He touches her cheek with the back of his hand, she looks a little uncertain--clearly expecting a kiss but unsure of her own response. Ares leans in; Xena closes her eyes.

ARES (leans past her mouth to whisper in her ear):
     Like Gabrielle, for instance. And Eve.

Xena's eyes fly open, she pulls away angrily.

XENA (snarls):
     You wouldn't dare!

ARES (shakes his head):
     You were always stubborn, Xena but you were never stupid. Now's not a good time to start.

With that he disappears, leaving her frowning in puzzled concern.

CUT TO

Ares appears in a peaceful and calm woodland area, a blue mist flows over the land. On the edge of the forest is a cave with two streams flowing side by side from it. One stream is crystal clear, the other black as ebony.

Ares, frustrated by Xena's stubbornness and her unwillingness to let him help, begins throwing lighting bolts into the trees to vent his anger. One by one, trees crash and fall to the ground; some overtaken by flames, others split into a thousand pieces.

Ares soon ceases fire on the defenseless plants and lets out a heavy sigh. Then from within the forest emerges a deer from behind the foliage. There is a large gash in its side. It is bleeding tremendously and sizzling; the poor creature having obviously been caught in the crossfire of one of Ares' stray bolts.

Ares watches as the deer hobbles and staggers before collapsing to the ground in exhaustion. It manages to fall in between the two streams, the black water splashing up onto its body. Ares watches in amazement as the deer is engulfed with a bright light that fades from white to blue. When the light ceases, the deer is magically healed, no evidence that a wound had ever been inflicted.

Ares is speechless, his face filled with wonder and confusion. He walks over to the streams and looks at them, then at the cave and back at the streams again. A small grin crosses his lips, an idea obviously having struck him.

ARES:
     These must be the Twin Streams... (he disappears)

CUT TO

Gabrielle is sitting in a forest, writing a dispatch to Eve.

GABRIELLE (to herself):
     Oh, Eve...I wish I knew how to tell you. (dips quill into ink, continues forming characters on the parchment)

ON-SCREEN TRANSLATION AS GABRIELLE WRITES:
     Your mother wanted to be buried in Amphipolis--

Gabrielle blinks to disperse the unshed tears, continues to write.

TRANSLATION:
     I will wait for you there. (pause) Come if you can. Gabrielle.

XENA'S VOICE:
     Oh, Eve...

Gabrielle presses her hand to her mouth, trying not to sob. She looks around her--Xena's ashes, her chakram, other weapons, her armor--shakes her head.

GABRIELLE (softly):
     Even in the air... You're everything, all around. Please Xena... Please.

She looks into the fire, has a split-second flashback of Xena's body burning--grabs the water skin and puts out the fire, then starts coughing in the smoke.

Blue flash off-camera.

ARES' VOICE:
     Hey, Gabrielle.

Gabrielle looks up at him through tears, clutching the empty water skin, her expression guarded but concern in her eyes.

GABRIELLE (gritting her teeth):
     She's gone, Ares. Not even a god can bring her back now.

ARES:
     If you think that then you're crazier than I thought.

Something in his tone, the smug self-confidence that is such a contrast to his earlier emotion, angers Gabrielle beyond all control.

GABRIELLE (her voice rising):
     I could have brought her back, Ares! She could be here right now with me! But Xena said I couldn't restore her life because the souls of the people she killed would be condemned forever. What makes you think anyone has the right to deny their redemption?

Her anger dissolves into sobs, she's crying again.

GABRIELLE:
     I hate her decision but I had to keep it, Ares. I promised her I would. (wiping her eyes) So tell me why you're here or go away.

ARES (walks around the fire):
     How would you feel to have Xena alive again?

GABRIELLE:
     Are you deaf, Ares? I just told you. That's not possible.

ARES:
     Yes, it is. Her soul belongs to me and I can use that to get her back. The thing about the condemned souls; I'll work that out too.

Gabrielle is too stunned even for anger.

GABRIELLE:
     The contract? You're talking about the contract you made with Xena that made her soul yours after death, aren't you? (huffs in disgust) I can't believe you. You want to bring her back as your Warrior Queen, your champion--chained to you by a contract? Xena was right--you're only ever out for yourself.

ARES:
     No, you're wrong. I'm just using the contract as a way to get her back, that's it.

GABRIELLE (her tone is dark):
     I don't believe you.

ARES (paces angrily, avoiding Gabrielle's eyes):
     I miss her, okay? I miss her greatly. I thought you'd be able to understand that after all we've been through over the past year.

Gabrielle's face loses its hardness, Ares stops pacing.

ARES (embarrassed by his outburst, trying to conceal it):
     Besides, I'm the only hope you've got to get her back. I doubt you'll get a better offer--or any other offer for that matter. I didn't have to come here-- (he looks away momentarily, obviously not telling the whole truth) --I'm offering you a chance to do something, instead of sitting here, starting forest fires. For--old times' sake, if you like. I was mortal once, too.

Gabrielle looks contrite, opens her mouth to say something but Ares pre-empts her.

ARES:
     So if you don't want it--that's fine. See you around, Gabrielle.

Ares starts to disappear; Gabrielle's voice stops him.

GABRIELLE:
     Ares, wait!

ARES (appears fully again, folds his arms across his chest):
     Yes?

GABRIELLE (sighing):
     All right, I believe you...for now.

ARES (sarcastically):
     Well, thanks so much. That's real big of you.

GABRIELLE:
     Ares, come on. What do I have to do?

ARES (unfolds arms, nods):
     We need Eve.

Gabrielle looks confused for a second, then her eyes brighten in understanding. She smiles cautiously, obviously pleased.

GABRIELLE:
     Yeah, you're right. We do.

They look at each other, then Gabrielle gets up on Argo's back and Ares waves his hand and she disappears and then he too vanishes from sight as we:

FADE OUT

END OF ACT TWO