ACT ONE

FADE IN

All four of them descend into Hell, walking along a narrow rock ledge. Eve is holding onto Xena's shoulder for support. Ares is next to Xena and Gabrielle right behind them.

Gabrielle slips, causing small rocks to tumble down toward Xena, Ares and Eve. Eve quickly steps out of the way but Ares slips on the rocks and slides backwards, taking Xena with him. She braces her foot and they stop moving. Xena looks back at Gabrielle who is standing up from the fall that she had taken. She sees Xena's glare.

GABRIELLE:
     Sorry.

Xena shakes her head and then looks at Ares who, is very close to her. He grins. Xena eyes him then snarls slightly.

XENA:
     Would you mind moving your hand?

Ares looks at her innocently. Xena looks down to her side for a moment as if looking at something and then looks back at Ares and glares. Ares lifts his hands in the air and turns around, continuing down the slope. Xena smirks, and shakes her head before following.

The camera watches Xena and Ares walk down then moves back to Eve, Gabrielle walking up to her. The two younger women look at each other, chuckle and then continue down along the path.

CUT TO

The four of them reach a huge vault like room. In front of them stand three giants, holding manacles in each of their hundred hands. The three giants are chained to the wall.

EVE (quietly):
     What are they?

ARES:
     The Hecatoncheires-- (pointing to each one, starting from the left) --Briareus, Cottus, and Gyges. They guarded the Titans before...

XENA:
     They reached the same fate as the gods will if we don't free them.

The giants see them walking up and they roar wildly.

BRIAREUS:
     Oh look, brothers! We've got company.

COTTUS:
     I guess you'll have to do. It's not like we have a choice of entertainment; not many people make it down here.

GYGES:
     You lucked out.

They growl and then proceed forward as far as their chains will let them, waving their many hands at Xena, Eve, Gabrielle and Ares. Xena draws her sword as does Ares, and Gabrielle draws her sais. Eve stands back.

XENA (sneers):
     No...you did.

They attack the giants with a combination of fierce aerial moves and sword blows to their mid sections. Xena, Gabrielle and Ares hold them back while Eve tries to run past, out of harm's way. As they run, Briareus, who sees that Gabrielle is watching Eve and hasn't noticed how close she is to him, reaches out one of his hands and grabs her. She struggles and drops her sais as the giant uses one of his other hands to fasten a manacle around her body.

Eve, now safe, sees her predicament. She notices that one of the sais has fallen very close to her foot. She picks it up, obviously considering battling Briareus herself. She looks at it for a second before throwing it to Gabrielle and calling out to Xena.

EVE:
     Mother!

Xena hears and stops her attack on the other two giants. She reaches for her chakram, but just as she is about to throw it, she sees Gabrielle catch the sai and jab it into the giant's hand. Briareus roars and lets go of Gabrielle; she falls to the ground, rolls over and runs past him out of his reach to where Eve is standing. Xena adapts, throwing her chakram at Gyges' face instead. It cuts a gash in his forehead before bouncing off of the cave wall and similarly injuring Briareus and Cottus.

XENA:
     Ares, come on! Let's go!

They run towards Eve and Gabrielle--Xena catches her chakram as she goes--and all four of them leave the screaming giants to their fate.

CUT TO

Xena, Ares, Gabrielle, and Eve walk through a narrow hall until they come to a pair of large iron rusted gates, ornately designed but rusted. They avoid looking at the sign above the gate.

GABRIELLE:
     The Gates of Hell...

XENA (to Eve and Gabrielle):
     And the sign. Wouldn't recommend looking at it. You remember what happened last time you did.

They nod, agreeing.

EVE:
     Mother, what do you plan to do once you find the gods?

XENA:
     We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Lets just find them first.

Suddenly, there is a flare of white light before them. Xena draws her sword. When the light fades, it revels Archangel Raphael. Xena softens her glare a little but doesn't lower her sword. Raphael seems uncomfortable, constantly looking over his shoulder.

RAPHAEL:
     There's no need for that, Xena. I have something that will help you on your quest. It's from Eli. I don't have much time before Michael finds out I'm gone, so listen good.

EVE:
     Michael keeping you on a short leash, is he?

RAPHAEL (ignores her comment; in Hebrew):
     Kol ha'olam kulo, gesher tsar meod. V'ha-ikar: lo l'fached klal. (translates, off Gabrielle, Eve, Xena, and Ares' curious expressions) The whole world is a bridge--a very narrow bridge. But the main thing to recall is just this: have no fear. (disappears)

GABRIELLE:
     What's that supposed to mean?

XENA:
     We'll find out soon enough. Come on.

Xena pushes the gates open, they creak as she does so, and proceeds into Hell, Gabrielle, Eve, and Ares follow behind her as we:

FADE OUT

END OF ACT ONE