[FLASHBACK]

We see the altar of the two chakrams. The camera circles around it as Ares tells the story.

ARES (voice over):
     I had known about the two chakrams for quite some time. Remember, there were two chakrams--the chakram of light and the chakram of dark. You know why I wanted the light chakram. But, of course, only a mortal with the purest soul could retrieve it--not exactly the company I keep. And besides, the chakram of light could be removed only after the chakram of dark had been taken from the altar. And the chakram of dark in itself was a powerful weapon; it was told that a mortal warrior who carried it would be unstoppable. So of course I wanted it for my champion--the special warrior who would one day rule the earth in my name. There was a trick to retrieving the chakram of dark, too: it could only be taken by someone who had fully embraced the darkness within his soul. I had sent some of my best warlords, but they all failed. As soon as they put their hands on the chakram--

We see a warlord trying to grab the chakram of dark from the altar, an evil gleam in his eye.

ARES (voice over):
     They were terrified of their own darkness and it led them to their destruction.

On the screen, we see the warlord's face twist in horror; he is seized by a red glare and then he is wiped out.

ARES (voice over):
     The results were always the same. And then I found Xena.

Young Xena and Ares stand in front of the temple from "Chakram".

ARES (in flashback):
     Here we are.

XENA:
     So this is it. The world's most powerful weapon lies inside.

ARES:
     Just remember, it's the dark one you want.

A voice interrupts.

KAL (off-camera):
     Not so fast, Ares.

Ares and Xena look toward where the voice is coming from. Kal is standing at the top of the steps of the temple; next to him is a tall muscular man who somewhat resembles Mardonius.

ARES (rolls his eyes):
     Oh, Kal, give it up. This time, the chakram is mine for sure.

KAL:
     What, that girl? Oh please, enough with the jokes. This is my champion, Acadius of Persia. No one can surpass his darkness. He killed his own wife and his eldest son with his own hands.

ARES:
     Why?

KAL:
     To prove to me that he was worthy of the chakram of darkness. You have a problem with that?

ARES (slightly taken aback):
     No, no--that's...very creative. But hey, this is Xena of Amphipolis. Don't underestimate her, either. You should have seen the number she did on the Northern Amazons.

Acadius gives Xena an interested look, which doesn't go unnoticed by Xena and Ares.

KAL:
     Cut the small talk, Ares, and move out of the way!

ARES:
     Kal, Kal, what happened to working together to retrieve the chakram?

KAL:
     You call sneaking behind my back working together? I know you've been secretly sending men here trying to take it.

ARES:
     Oh, and you haven't.

KAL:
     Only because I know you can't be trusted.

ARES (mockingly):
     Oh, Kal...now you really hurt my feelings.

KAL:
     I'll hurt more than your feelings if you don't get out of my way!

ARES (suddenly conciliatory):
     All right, Kal. You want to fight? I'll fight. You and me, right here, right now--one on one--no powers, no tricks, and let the best god win.

KAL:
     No tricks, huh. I'm not that stupid!

ARES:
     Well, that's debatable. Hey, take it or leave it.

KAL (looks at him warily and finally makes a decision):
     Fine. But swear on your father's name that while we're ducking it out, that girl of yours won't try to sneak off with the chakram.

ARES:
     I swear in the name of Zeus, my father, that Xena is not going to take the chakram off the altar while we fight. Now you swear that once I have the chakram, you'll never come after it again.

KAL:
     I swear, in the name of my great heavenly father, that if you get the chakram of dark I will never try to get it from you.

ARES:
     All right, then. Ready?

Ares and Kal take out their swords.

ARES:
     You know, I've been waiting to kick your ass for a long time.

KAL:
     You'll still be waiting when this is over.

Kal lunges toward Ares and the fight begins. They exchange blows over and over.

The camera pans over to Acadius and Xena watching the fight--he from the top of the temple steps, she on the ground below. Momentarily distracted from the fight, Acadius ogles Xena; she turns and catches his stare, and their eyes meet. Xena motions to Acadius by tilting her head. A little hesitantly, he comes down the steps. She motions to him again and they walk over to the side of the steps. Ares and Kal are no longer visible but the noise of their fight--clashing metal and loud grunts--can still be heard.

ACADIUS:
     Well, well, well. Planning to use your feminine wiles on me?

XENA (scornfully):
     Feminine wiles? Please. I'm a warrior. What I want is inside that temple. The power of the dark chakram.

ACADIUS:
     Forget it. The chakram is mine. But (leers at her) if you're really nice to me, I can let you play with it once in a while.

He leans over to Xena and moves to kiss her, but she holds up her hand, stopping him.

XENA:
     I have a better idea. You know, even if you manage to get the dark chakram, you will never be anything more than a lackey of that god of yours.

ACADIUS:
     And that's not true for you and your god?

XENA:
     Oh, it is. But if we grab the weapon together, then we don't need them. Together, the two of us can conquer the world.

ACADIUS:
     With two pissed-off war gods on our tails? No thanks.

XENA:
     Ah, but that's the beauty of my plan. The other chakram, the chakram of light, can kill gods. We get our hands on that, we don't need to worry about those two.

ACADIUS:
     You think I'm stupid? The chakram of light can only be taken by the purest of souls. I doubt we qualify.

XENA:
     No--but she might.

She beckons to Acadius and walks over to the bushes by the temples. She pulls out a terrified-looking woman in white robes, who is bound and gagged.

ACADIUS:
     Who's this?

XENA:
     A priestess from my land--a Hestian virgin. Ares kidnapped her and took her with us so that, once the dark chakram is removed from the altar, she could take the light one for us.

ACADIUS:
     Very clever. I guess he didn't think you'd have the nerve to strike out on your own, did he.

XENA:
     I think Kal underestimated you, too. So now what do you say? (Acadius hesitates) Come on, if we waste any more time they'll be done fighting and then we'll have missed our chance.

ACADIUS:
     Count me in.

XENA:
     Let's go. (looks at him curiously) Say--did you really kill your wife and your son just to prove to Kal that you had a soul dark enough to take the chakram?

ACADIUS (defiantly):
     I did. You got a problem with that?

XENA (smiles seductively):
     I'm impressed.

CUT TO

The interior of the temple. Xena and Acadius open the doors to the altar room. Xena drags in the Hestian virgin with her as Acadius walks up to the altar.

ACADIUS:
     Those stupid gods out there are going to regret they ever brought us here.

XENA (smiles wickedly):
     If they live long enough.

Xena walks over to the altar and reaches out toward the dark chakram.

ACADIUS:
     Hold it. (Xena turns her head) Who said you were going to release the weapon?

XENA (hurt look):
     You don't trust me.

ACADIUS:
     No.

XENA:
     Listen, if we keep arguing, those two will notice we're missing and come after us.

ACADIUS:
     Nice try.

XENA:
     All right, then. You go for it. How's that for trust?

ACADIUS:
     Glad you see it my way.

Acadius places his hands on top of the chakram, which immediately begins to radiate a red glow. Acadius' eyes bulge and he screams in agony, but then suddenly becomes almost unnaturally calm. The light fades and he stands with the chakram in his hand. He throws his head back and laughs loudly.

ACADIUS:
     I can feel its power!

Xena comes up to him and touches the chakram with her left hand, while reaching up to give Acadius a passionate kiss on the mouth. Her right hand slides down to her side.

ACADIUS (breaking the kiss):
     Come on, get your Hestian virgin to take the light chakram! Together, we'll-- (his eyes suddenly widen) Ugh--

Xena slowly backs away from him, a bleeding dagger in her hand.

ACADIUS (enraged):
     You--

He lets go of the chakram as his hands clutch at the wound, and collapses to the floor. Xena looks down at him gleefully and picks up the chakram, smiling wickedly as he looks up in disbelief.

XENA:
     Maybe you were right not to trust me. Did you really think I would leave Ares for you?

She goes over to the bound and gagged woman in white and raises the bleeding dagger to her face. Then she cuts the gag and proceeds to free the woman's hands.

XENA (to Acadius):
     I guess the Hestian virgin idea was pretty convincing, huh? It's all in the strategy. Too bad she's of no use in retrieving the light chakram--I don't think a priestess of Ares is right for the job.

The woman smirks. Just then, Kal rushes in and sees Acadius bleeding on the floor and the chakram in Xena's hand. Ares follows him, looking very nonchalant.

KAL:
     Ares! You lied in your father's name!

Ares strolls up to Xena, takes the chakram from her and draws an arm around her waist.

ARES:
     What are you talking about? I promised you that Xena wouldn't remove the chakram from the altar. I believe it was your guy who actually did the honors. Isn't that true, Acadius?

Acadius can only groan. Kal's face hardens with anger.

ARES:
     Just remember your promise. The chakram's mine, regardless of who took it off the altar. So you can't bug me anymore.

KAL:
     You bastard! Some day, the light chakram will belong to me, and then you'd better watch out!

ARES:
     Some day, Kal, you're going to get in over your head.

He laughs arrogantly and disappears with Xena and the priestess.

CUT TO

Xena and Ares standing in the middle of an open field. Xena is holding the chakram.

ARES:
     Like it?

XENA:
     How is it supposed to work, anyway? It's too small to use as a sword--

ARES:
     Give it to me.

Xena hands Ares the chakram and he throws it at a nearby tree. The tree splits in half. The chakram makes a whooshing sound as it flies through the air and back to Ares.

ARES:
     Now you try.

Xena imitates what Ares did. As the chakram flies back toward her she narrows her eyes to see its movement and catches it with a swift move. But she immediately drops it. There is blood flowing from her palm and we see a wide cut.

ARES:
     Not bad. At least you caught it.

Ares picks up the chakram and hands it to Xena.

ARES:
     Here, take it. It's yours. It'll strike fear into the hearts of everyone that you go up against. It will be the weapon by which you are known.

Xena takes the chakram and looks at it with a dark gleam in her eye. She and Ares kiss.

[END OF FLASHBACK]