FADE IN

ANNOUNCER:
     Previously on Xena...

EVE (facing Xena):
     I promised to protect Orphelia.

CUT TO

Flashback of a younger Nymphidius and Livia.

LIVIA (determined):
     I know what I want, Nymphidius. And someday I'll have it.

CUT TO

Eve and Nymphidius in the hallway of a Roman military building.

EVE (in shock):
     You want me to lead Roman troops into battle.

CUT TO

Eve, on horseback, wearing a Roman helmet and leather armor, leads a group of Roman warriors charging into the thick of the Visigoth army.

CUT TO

A large camp. The people walking around are dressed in rugged clothing, with long beards and shaggy hair.

CUT TO

Alaric sitting in his tent; Zenobia faces him.

ALARIC:
     We obviously want the same thing.

ZENOBIA:
     The fall of Rome.

CUT TO

The hallway; Xena and Gabrielle face Nymphidius and Eve.

XENA:
     I'm sure Rome can take care of its own.

CUT TO

A battlefield. Zenobia stands in Eve's path, pointing a sword at her.

ZENOBIA (sneers):
     Well, if it isn't my old friend--Livia.

CUT TO

Zenobia and Eve fighting.

CUT TO

Xena's room--day. Xena and Ares.

ARES:
      This is much too personal for you. You're losing focus.

CUT TO

The battlefield. Xena stands frozen for a moment, looking troubled and distracted.

CUT TO

Gabrielle in another part of the battlefield.

GABRIELLE (shouts over the noise of the battle):
     Xena!!!

Pan to Xena. She falls to the ground, face down, brought down by a blow to the back from a Visigoth's club.

CUT TO

Ares picks up the bleeding, unconscious Xena in his arms and stand up, his face grim. He disappears with Xena in a flash of light.

[END OF MONTAGE]

DISSOLVE TO

Xena's face, very pale, with a few cuts and scratches on it. Her eyes are closed. She is unconscious. There is blood on her lips.

The camera pulls back to show Gabrielle reaching out to wipe the blood from Xena's mouth. As the camera pulls further out we see a female medic in a long white robe standing by Xena's side, examining the wound in her side.

GABRIELLE (looks anxiously at the medic):
     She'll be all right--won't she? (Off the medic's dubious look) She has to be all right!

MEDIC:
     With those injuries...most soldiers I've seen would be dead already.

Close-up on Gabrielle's horrified face.

The camera pulls back to show Ares standing by the wall, his arms folded on his chest. He looks impassive but his mouth twitches slightly.

GABRIELLE:
     What are you saying?

MEDIC (shakes her head):
     I'm sorry.

GABRIELLE (brokenly):
     No. No--it's not possible. (She takes Xena's hand in hers) She can't die.

MEDIC (gently):
     She's mortal, Gabrielle. She can die.

Pan over the Ares. He stands very still, his eyes closed, as if he were somewhere else.

CUT TO

Athena sits at a desk in a richly but austerely decorated study, reading a scroll. Suddenly she looks up, her face alert, as if she has heard something.

CUT TO

Close-up on Ares. His eyes are still closed, a look of intense focus on his face.

Pan to Xena's bed. Gabrielle squeezes her hand, her eyes filling with tears.

GABRIELLE:
     Xena, no... I--we can't lose you again....

Zoom in on Xena's face, then closer and closer until the screen:

FADES TO BLACK

After a few moments of darkness, a torch-like reddish light flares up. Close-up on Xena's face, fully alert and unmarked. She looks around, clearly bewildered and wary.

The camera pulls back to show Xena, in full warrior gear, walking through a dimly lit tunnel, looking around warily.

Pan to show, from Xena's point of view, light at the end of the tunnel. Xena stops a moment and looks around, then strides toward the light.

CUT TO

Xena stands at a rectangular opening in a wall. There is daylight on the other side.

The silence fills with the sounds of clashing swords and the cries and grunts of what sounds like two people fighting.

Xena steps through the door.

Wide shot of an arena in an empty amphitheater. In a scene that looks almost like a replica of Ares and Livia sparring in Livia, we see Livia fighting with a man in dark leather armor whose face remains invisible. They spar and exchange kicks and punches, their fighting moves like an elaborate dance. They don't seem to see Xena.

Zoom in on Xena as she stands in the doorway, horror and bewilderment evident in her face.

Pan to Livia and her adversary. He succeeds in pinning her arms behind her back, then leans in to kiss her passionately.

The look on Xena's face turns to disgust. Almost instinctively, she grabs the chakram from her belt and throws it toward Livia and the man who is kissing her.

The chakram whizzes through the air.

Quick pan to Livia as she breaks the kiss, whips around and snatches the chakram, grinning gleefully.

Pan to Xena's horrified face.

Pan to Livia and the man standing next to her. It's Julius Caesar. Livia and Caesar both grin triumphantly, Livia holding the chakram.

LIVIA:
     Surprised?

XENA (through clenched teeth):
     What is this?

CAESAR:
     Xena. What a pleasure.

Caesar and Livia both advance toward her, their swords at the ready. Xena draws her sword.

Caesar and Livia charge. Xena parries their blows but she seems somewhat disoriented and not fully focused. A kick from Livia gets her in the stomach and sends her flying back. Caesar leaps toward her, his sword raised, but she manages to roll over quickly, jump to her feet and parry his thrust. With a furious yell, she swings at him and knocks the sword out of his hand.

Pan to Livia. An evil sneer on her face, she raises her hand with the chakram.

Pan to Xena as she kicks Caesar again and raises her sword.

Pan to Livia throwing the chakram.

Ready to strike at Caesar, Xena shudders suddenly and lurches forward.

The chakram bounces off Xena's back and falls--it's much like the scene in Ides of March except that the chakram doesn't break.

Close-up of Xena falling.

Xena groans and winces as she looks up. Livia and Caesar are standing over her, sneering.

LIVIA:
     This time--I win.

CAESAR:
     This time, I think I'll stick around to watch you die. I should have done that the first time.

XENA (through clenched teeth):
     Nice try, Caesar. I'm already dead...right? (grunts as she lifts herself up on her arms) This has got to be Tartarus...

Livia and Caesar laugh.

LIVIA:
     You know what's funny, mommy. After all those years as a do-gooder, you're still not surprised you'd end up in Tartarus.

CAESAR:
     And to die fighting to defend a Roman colony against barbarians...fighting for the empire I built... (he squats down in front of Xena and caresses her cheek) ...it's the ultimate irony, don't you think?

Xena snarls. She manages to pull herself up and land a punch that gets Caesar in the face, causing him to fall back.

The camera starts to zoom out.

LIVIA:
     Still feisty, aren't we? (sneers) Not for very long.

Xena cries out in pain as Livia's foot slams down on her back.

The camera pulls away rapidly, as we:

ZOOM OUT TO

Xena's bed. Still unconscious, Xena frowns, moans slightly and twitches.

The door flies open and Eve comes in, followed by Nymphidius and Haimon.

EVE (anxiously):
     How is she?

GABRIELLE (turns toward her, anguished):
     I--I don't know...Eve-- (she shakes her head) It's not good...

Eve rushes toward the bed, taking off her helmet in mid-stride; she kneels by the bed and takes Xena's other hand.

EVE:
     Oh, Mother--

NYMPHIDIUS:
     By the gods--

MEDIC:
     Her pulse is dropping. I'm sorry...I don't think there's anything I can do...

Pan to Ares, his face hard.

ARES:
     I can. (to the medic) Let go of her. (he looks at Eve and Gabrielle, a sudden ferocity in his voice) All of you!

The medic shrinks back fearfully. Gabrielle and Eve exchange a hopeful look and move away.

Ares steps toward the bed, kneels down and lays his hands on Xena. He closes his eyes. In the background, Gabrielle gasps as a blue glow starts to emanate from Ares' fingers, flowing into Xena's body.

As the glow fades, Xena sighs and moves her head from side to side. Her eyes remain closed.

Ares lifts his hands, pausing for a moment to brush a strand of hair off Xena's face. Then he rises and steps aside.

Gabrielle rushes toward Xena and unwraps the bandage around her chest.

MEDIC (gasps):
     The wound--it's gone!

Nymphidius and Haimon stare in amazement.

GABRIELLE (overjoyed):
     Xena--

EVE (kneels at Xena's side, tearfully):
     Mother!

GABRIELLE (turns to Ares, incredulously):
     You--you gave up your godhood...?

ARES (shakes his head):
     Not this time. (off Gabrielle's puzzled look) Athena's blessing, remember?

GABRIELLE:
     Oh. (She smiles at him) Ares, I--I don't know how to thank you...

Apparently oblivious to her words, Ares is staring past her at Xena, who stirs slightly and then lies still, her breathing even.

EVE (looks up, worried):
     She's not waking up.

Ares, Gabrielle, and Eve exchange worried looks as we:

FADE OUT

END OF TEASER

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