ACT THREE

FADE IN

The four of them continue through the depths of Hell.

In front of them is a long, narrow rickety wooden rope bridge suspended over an abyss. There are little glass spheres floating in the air above them, like jars with fireflies inside; each one glowing with a different color--gold, green, blue, orange and others.

EVE (looking up):
     They're too beautiful for this place; there's something not right about them.

GABRIELLE:
     What are they?

ARES (realizing):
     They're the gods, being held prisoner in these spheres.

GABRIELLE (understanding):
     Because their worst fear is being helpless and confined.

XENA:
     We need to get them down.

ARES:
     Uh...how?

He is not impressed with the set-up.

Xena reaches up but the spheres immediately move far out of her reach. There is no question of getting them by hand. She steps onto the bridge, looking up and trying to figure out a way of reaching them.

Once she is a fair distance from the edge, Lucifer suddenly appears. Xena draws her sword.

LUCIFER:
     Well...look who's here. The Warrior Princess, the blonde sidekick, the whiny brat and our pitiful excuse for a God of War.

ARES:
     Thanks for the roll-call.

XENA:
     I'm not in the mood for games, Lucifer. Get out of our way.

LUCIFER:
     Not in the mood for games? (he laughs bitterly) You were ready to play games the last time we met; I seem to remember. I wouldn't trust my memory anymore though...it's not been the same since I was sent down here.

XENA:
     You wouldn't believe me if I apologized, so I won't. Now cut the crap and move.

LUCIFER:
     Now, why would I want to help you?

He draws his sword and lunges at Xena, who parries his blow. They fight. They are evenly matched; what advantage Xena has in skill is matched by Lucifer's demonic strength and sheer size.

As the bridge is so insecure, neither of them attempts any flips or jumps; the bridge would almost certainly collapse if they did.

LUCIFER:
     I'm better than you expected, aren't I? I've kept up the standard down here--I've made it a better place.

XENA (not impressed; strikes at him):
     Oh, really?

LUCIFER (blocks her):
     Interesting thought, hm? That you sent someone to rule Hell who actually made it better? I can't wait for you to finally run out of lives--and get you down here. I've got a place especially prepared for you.

From the cliff edge, Ares, Gabrielle and Eve are watching. On hearing Lucifer's final line, Ares roars forward onto the bridge, trying to shoot a lightning bolt at Lucifer. However, no gods have power in Hell, so it fails. Ares loses his balance and slips over the side of the bridge, barely managing to grab onto a trailing bit of rope.

XENA:
     Ares!

Xena flips to Ares. As she lands, the bridge sways dangerously. Ares loses his grip briefly with one hand, but manages to take the arm Xena is offering him. He is still in danger though.

Lucifer strides across to them.

LUCIFER:
     How sweet. Wouldn't it be unfair if dear War God here just happened to fall into the chasm?

Xena and Ares are both straining from the effort of not tumbling down.

XENA:
     It's not gonna happen.

LUCIFER (sighing):
     No, it wouldn't be very fair, would it? The same kind of fair as my kind cast down here because you couldn't bear to face what you'd done? No, I suppose not.

He pauses. We see the far side of the bridge for the first time: there are hundreds of winged demon-creatures pounced, ready to fly over and topple all four of them into the fiery pit.

LUCIFER:
     Although, I'm the King of Hell. Why do I care what's fair and what isn't?

Gabrielle has also seen the demons.

GABRIELLE:
     Wait!!

Surprisingly, everyone stops and looks at her.

GABRIELLE:
     Lucifer, who do you hate more than anymore else in the world?

LUCIFER (nods towards Xena):
     Her and you. Why?

GABRIELLE:
     Hm, really? Guess that leaves Michael off the hook.

Lucifer immediately abandons Xena and Ares and goes over to Gabrielle. In the background we can see Xena helping Ares back onto the bridge.

LUCIFER (growling):
     What about Michael? How dare you mention him to me?

Lucifer is instantly far more interested in what Gabrielle is saying, as soon as he hears that Michael is a part of it.

GABRIELLE:
     What if I told you that we were fighting against Michael and the God of Love?

LUCIFER (nods towards Eve):
     I wouldn't believe you.

GABRIELLE:
     Lucifer...what would you give to see Michael and his little scheme stopped?

LUCIFER (scowling):
     What do you want?

Xena and Ares appear from the bridge. Ares is not hurt, although he looks a little shaken.

XENA:
     Safe passage to the gods. If we rescue them that puts a dent in Michael's plan. And, come on...what good are they doing you? I don't see a lot else down here--it must be inconvenient to have to keep making sure they're still here, right?

She is persuading Lucifer quickly--he is essentially convinced--although, unlike in "Heart of Darkness" there is nothing remotely sexual in the scene.

LUCIFER:
     I'm the devil. Convenience isn't really part of the job description. (he sees their persuasive faces) Fine. Agreed. But only because I hate Michael more than I hate you. But not by much.

Out of Lucifer's view, Xena rolls her eyes.

ARES:
     Great. Now how about you get rid of your pet bats over there and let us through?

Lucifer bristles at the reference to his incredibly dangerous, high skilled minions but does not comment. He waves his arm and they fade away back into the shadows.

LUCIFER:
     They're gone. Now get out of my sight before I change my mind.

He disappears in a flicker of red light and as he does so, the spheres holding the gods move downwards just enough for Xena and Ares to reach them. They grab them, along with Eve and Gabrielle.

XENA (counts them):
     Two of the gods are missing.

Gabrielle, Eve and Ares look at her.

EVE:
     How can that be? They all had the same fears, didn't they? And they all died at the same time so they should all be here.

GABRIELLE:
     No, they didn't. Zeus and Hera died when you were born. So...

EVE (realizing):
     That means that they have progressed further into Hell...because they've been dead longer than the rest.

Xena crosses the bridge in front of them, Eve, Gabrielle, and Ares follow, holding onto the ropes on the side of the bridge, trying not to lose their balance. Once they've crossed, they start looking around.

ARES:
     Now where?

Xena points to a narrow, twisted passage cut into the cliff.

XENA:
     In there.

ARES:
     Oh, joy.

He turns to Gabrielle and Eve.

ARES:
     Hope neither of you is claustrophobic.

EVE:
     Who knows, we might lose you...

XENA:
     Come on, we have to go.

They enter the passage.

CUT TO

The other end of the passage. The four of them enter into a huge cavern, whose main focus is a swirling black vortex. Its center is an ominous shade of red. Zeus and Hera are floating perilously close to it, unconscious. Their bodies are flat and rigid.

GABRIELLE:
     That would be...

EVE:
     Not good.

ARES:
     For once I agree with you.

XENA:
     See the red part in the middle? That means they're almost gone--we don't have a lot of time.

GABRIELLE:
     How come the rest of the gods are trapped but Zeus and Hera are totally unconscious?

EVE:
     They're so deep inside their own nightmares that they have lost their sense of self, their sense of reality. There's no reason to hold them prisoner by force when their own mind will do just the same.

Ares looks at Xena, who is studying the two gods and the vortex.

ARES:
     I've said it before and no doubt I'll say it again: what's the plan?

XENA:
     We go save your parents. You two stay here and look after the rest of them. Don't let them out of your sight!

GABRIELLE:
     Good luck.

EVE:
     Yeah. Good luck.

Xena and Ares go towards the gods--Xena to Hera and Ares to Zeus--and enter into their nightmares.

CUT TO

Hera's nightmare. She sees herself as Io, the girl she persecuted for her affairs with Zeus. She's turned into a cow and there are giant gadflies stinging her. As she whips about in a frenzy, all she can see are eyes--hundreds of eyes, staring at her accusingly. Xena looks at Hera.

XENA:
     Hera, this isn't who you are! You are the Goddess of Family. Stop tormenting yourself about your past. This is not your destiny--change yourself and change it.

CUT TO

Zeus' nightmare. He sees himself as Prometheus, suffering at the claws of the eagle that he himself had once set on the helpless Titan. He is naked from the waist up, covered only by a loincloth, and is bound by his wrists and ankles to a giant boulder. Ares speaks to his father.

ARES:
     You're meant to be the King of the Gods. Prove it! There's no purpose in tormenting yourself over the past.

CUT TO

Hell. There is a flare of light and Xena and Ares are taken out of Hera and Zeus' nightmares. They look at Zeus and Hera, who have begun to shake. Within seconds Hera and Zeus are freed from their nightmares. They drop to the ground and the red area of the vortex totally disappears. The gods look around, bewildered.

XENA:
     Let's go home, shall we?

Gabrielle and Eve look at Xena, then at Hera and Zeus.

GABRIELLE:
     Yeah.

FADE OUT

END OF ACT THREE