FADE IN

On the same scene as before. A shocked Xena faces the villagers.

XENA (bitterly):
     So, they (she gestures toward the crucified people) were only ones in your village who were willing to stand up to this--Monarch.

VILLAGER #1 (sighs):
     Look, we're not bad people. But we don't want the Monarch's men burning down our crops and our houses--and we don't want to end up like them. (He gestures toward the crosses)

A third villager speaks up--a woman who looks only in her mid-twenties but is already worn out by life's hardships.

VILLAGER #3:
     We've all heard about what happened in Laotia, in Aleta--in Potidaea--

On the word "Potidaea," Xena whips around and gives her an alarmed look.

XENA:
     What happened?

The woman is about to speak but is interrupted by Villager #1.

VILLAGER #1:
     Come on, what are we waiting for? Let's get out of here before there's more trouble!

The villagers start walking away, some of them looking back regretfully at the people on the crosses.

Xena turns and walks toward the crosses. Using her sword, she hacks at the ropes that tie the woman's legs to the cross, then throws the chakram to cut the ropes on her left wrist; the camera follows the chakram back to Xena and then back to the cross where it cuts the ropes on the woman's right hand. With a groan, the woman falls into Xena's arms.

XENA:
     Easy--easy...I've got you.

DISSOLVE TO

The same scene, a little later. The woman and one of the men are sitting by the side of the crosses; the other three men lie nearby, motionless. Pan to Xena, who is taking a waterskin off one of the horses. She brings it to the two survivors. The woman takes the waterskin and drinks avidly, then hands it over to the man.

XENA (anguished):
     There's nothing I can do for your friends... (gestures toward the bodies) I'm sorry. I was too late. At least I'll give them a decent burial.

WOMAN (raises her head and speaks with unexpected forcefulness):
     No. You must leave before those soldiers come back. All of us have to leave--now.

XENA (thinks a moment):
     Do you have a place to go? To hide?

MAN:
     We'll try to make it to Amazon lands.

XENA (shocked):
     The Amazons. They're still free?

WOMAN:
     The ones that survived the Monarch's raids are hiding out in the forests, the swamps and mountains--led by Queen Velasca. (Off Xena's visibly shocked reaction) You know her?

XENA (her face hard):
     Yeah. I know her. Go on.

WOMAN:
     A lot of people are joining them now--the ones who want to fight against this monster. (She leans on the man's shoulders and gets to her feet, facing Xena.) Come with us. They could use a fighter like you.

Xena thinks a moment, then shakes her head.

XENA:
     Later. I have to find--a friend of mine.

She walks to one of the horses, then stops and looks back as the woman helps the man to his feet.

MAN (to Xena):
     Thank you.

XENA:
     What happened in Potidaea?

WOMAN:
     We heard someone there sheltered a rebel on the run--and the Monarch's troops wiped out half the town in retaliation.

Xena shudders, horrified.

XENA:
     Is it a long way from here?

MAN:
     Well, we're about twenty leagues north of Amfissa. (Pan to Xena, who looks confused) You keep going north, you should make it in four or five days, on a good horse like this one. I'd suggest you wear something that... (hesitates) doesn't attract as much attention.

Xena nods, understanding.

XENA:
     Thanks for the advice. Now--take the other horse and go as quickly as you can.

WOMAN:
     What about you?

Xena reflects for a moment, looking at the dead bodies.

XENA:
     There's something I have to do here first.

DISSOLVE TO

A montage of dissolving shots:

* The man and the woman ride off on one of the horses.

* Xena uses her sword to dig a shallow grave off the side of the road

* Xena carries one of the dead

* Xena scoops up the soil and covers the bodies

* Xena mounts the horse and rides off

* A wide shot of the fields and the road, with five empty crosses.

DISSOLVE TO

A city street. There seems to be a stamp of shabbiness, bleakness and gloom on everything, from the buildings to the people's faces.

Ares wanders into view, looking around in obvious bewilderment.

MAN (off-camera):
     Hey! You!

Ares continues to walk on.

Medium close-up on Ares as a hand comes down on his shoulder.

MAN (off-camera):
     I'm talking to you, scum!

ARES (whips around):
     What the--

He finds himself facing three brawny soldiers, uniformed exactly like the ones at the crucifixion in the previous scene.

SOLDIER #1:
     Yeah. You.

ARES:
     Is there a problem?

SOLDIER #2:
     Oh yeah, there is. Your problem.

He laughs, the other soldiers joining in the laughter.

SOLDIER #1:
     You don't serve in the Monarch's army, do you?

ARES:
     Can't say I do.

SOLDIER #1:
     Then what are you doing with that, you dog? (points to Ares' sword)

ARES (puts his hand on the hilt of the sword):
     You keep that up and maybe I'll show you.

WOMAN (off-camera):
     Don't even think about it.

The camera pulls back to show a woman with her sword drawn and pointed at Ares. Along with Ares, we recognize her as Mavican. She is dressed in a uniform like the others', except in a leather skirt instead of pants and with an ornate silver emblem on her chest. There are two more soldiers standing behind her.

Close-up on Ares, who gapes at her, speechless. In his astonishment he lowers his hand from the hilt of his sword.

MAVICAN:
     Now, give it up. (off his uncomprehending look) The sword. Drop it!

ARES:
      Mavican?

Mavican slowly strides up to him until she is right in his face.

ARES (recovering from the shock):
     Well, well. I guess I shouldn't have left you hanging from a vine all those years ago. So--where'd you get the ambrosia? Or was it Odin's golden apples?

MAVICAN:
     I have no idea what you're talking about--or how you know me-- (she studies him for a moment) but it's Captain Mavican to you.

She punctuates this by punching him in the stomach with her left hand, so hard that he gasps and grimaces with pain.

ARES (catching his breath):
     What'd you have to do to get this job? (He smirks at her) Or should I say--who?

Enraged, Mavican moves to punch him again; Ares blocks her punch and simultaneously grabs and twists the wrist of her right arm, making her drop her sword. Furious, Mavican wrests her arms free.

MAVICAN:
     Don't--make--another move.

The camera pulls back to show two of the soldiers with crossbows pointed at Ares. Ares looks from one to the other, breathing hard.

ARES:
     Pity, I was just warming up.

Mavican picks up her sword and glares at him.

MAVICAN:
      Drop the sword!

ARES:
     No chance of a rematch? (off her glare) Guess not. (He unhooks the sword from his swordbelt and drops it on the ground.) Well, you did win fair and square--

He is interrupted by the tip of Mavican's sword pressing up against his face.

MAVICAN (hisses):
     One more word out of you--and that'll be the last word you ever speak. You got that? (She pauses, then removes the sword) Yes, I think you have.

She steps back. The two soldiers taking aim at Ares lower their crossbows. Mavican nods to one of the other soldiers, indicating Ares' sword.

MAVICAN:
     Pick it up.

The soldier picks it up and admiringly examines the hilt and scabbard.

SOLDIER #1:
     Nice workmanship.

MAVICAN (nodding toward Ares):
     Chain him up.

Two of the soldiers grab Ares' arms, one of them taking a pair of manacles off his belt.

SOLDIER #3:
     Hey, Cap'n--take a look at them gauntlets!

He holds up Ares' forearm, showing off the gem-studded gauntlet to Mavican. Ares wrenches his arm free with a snarl. Mavican purses her lips, exasperated.

MAVICAN (to a soldier with a crossbow):
     Shoot him.

The soldier raises the crossbow, aiming it straight at Ares' chest. Ares gulps down nervously, then manages to steady himself.

ARES:
     That's a little extreme, don't you think?

MAVICAN (to the soldier):
     Kill him if he gives us any more trouble. (To the soldiers, nodding at the gauntlets) Get them off him.

Two of the soldiers take off Ares' gauntlets.

ARES:
     Well, now that you ask nicely...

The soldiers chain Ares' hands; Mavican looks him over, then takes hold of the pendant on his neck.

ARES (smirks at her):
     Still can't keep your hands off me, huh?

Mavican contemplates him for a moment, then hits him in the face so hard that he staggers and nearly falls. He coughs and spits out some blood. He looks like he's about to say something but stops under Mavican's glare.

Mavican smiles with satisfaction and steps back, then nods to the soldiers.

MAVICAN:
     Let's go.

CUT TO

A cell in a dungeon, with four bedraggled men lying on piles of straw. A guard opens the grill door.

GUARD:
     You got company!

Ares is shoved into the cell and the door is slammed shut and locked behind him. He stands looking around, disoriented, his eyes still not used to the dark.

Two of the prisoners stir and sit up.

PRISONER #1 (with bitter irony):
     Make yourself at home.

He waves toward a pile of straw in a free corner of the cell. After a moment's hesitation, Ares stumbles toward it and sits down, dropping his head in his hands.

PRISONER #2:
     What'd they get ya for?

ARES (shrugs):
     You know--wrong place, wrong time. (he ponders this for a moment) Really wrong. (pauses) Say--who's this monarch they were talking about?

The prisoners stare at him silently.

ARES:
     What? The king of Corinth?

The prisoners continue to stare at him, the fourth man now sitting up as well.

PRISONER #2:
     Buddy, either they hit you on the head real hard when they grabbed you, or you should 'a been locked up for making bad jokes.

CUT TO

A forest at dusk. The exterior of a cave. The horse Xena took from the dead soldier is grazing nearby. Xena, in her white linen tunic, is on her knees, burying her armor and her sword. She pauses, contemplating her chakram, then puts it into a saddlebag lying on the ground. She slips her breast dagger there as well. The camera pans to the freshly loosened ground where the sword and armor are buried; then to Xena, who is now on her feet, slipping into a peasant-style blue dress similar to the one she wore in Chariots of War.

Xena stands still for a moment. She looks around, then calls out hesitantly.

XENA:
     Ares...

There is no response. Xena sighs and shakes her head.

XENA (mutters to herself):
     What am I doing...

After a moment she sinks on one knee and looks up, in a pose reminiscent of her prayer in Return of Callisto.

XENA (quietly):
     I...I don't know if anyone can hear me. I don't know what this is or where I am--but I have nothing here--nothing and no one. Except--maybe--Gabrielle. (pauses, then quietly) Please let her be all right.

She stays still on her knees, as the dusk deepens around her.

CROSS-FADE TO

The sky at sunrise.

CROSS-FADE TO

City. Morning. An exterior view of a castle. There is something gloomy and forbidding about its look, as if it could be either a fortress or a dungeon.

CUT TO

A hallway inside the castle. A long shot of Mavican talking to a guard outside a pair of massive, ornate doors. She is holding Ares' sword. We can't hear the conversation.

Two guards push open the doors and Mavican goes inside, carrying Ares' sword.

CUT TO

Mavican comes out, without the sword, and walks briskly down the hallway.

CUT TO

The dungeon. Mavican, accompanied by a guard, comes up to the cell where Ares is locked up. Ares is stretched out on the straw, his still-manacled hands folded on his stomach, staring into the ceiling.

MAVICAN:
     You!

Ares sits up, startled. So do the other prisoners.

MAVICAN (to Ares):
     It's your lucky day. The Monarch wants to see you in person.

Ares stands up as the camera zooms in on him. He tries not to show his fear.

The guard unlocks the door.

CUT TO

A long shot of Ares walking down a hallway between two guards, Mavican walking briskly ahead of them.

CUT TO

Ares is ushered through the ornate doors we saw Mavican enter before, inside a large hall.

This is a throne room, large and richly decorated but austere. A throne of black stone with golden ornament stands on a pedestal at the far end of the room. The throne is empty; there are two guards standing at the bottom of the pedestal.

The two guards who brought in Ares march him toward the ornate empty throne, Mavican walking ahead of them. Mavican goes over to speak to one of the two guards by the throne. He walks toward a red-and-gold curtain to the side of the throne, moves the curtain aside and says something, while Mavican walks back toward Ares and the two guards.

MAVICAN (to Ares hisses):
     On your knees.

She nods to the guards, who roughly shove Ares down.

The camera, from Ares' point of view, pans to the pedestal of the throne. A woman enters the frame; so far, all we can see is the red dress and the gold sandals and ankle bracelets. The feet go up the steps of the throne, then disappear from view.

MAVICAN:
     As you ordered, Conqueror--that's the man.

FEMALE VOICE (off-camera):
     Get up.

Startled by the familiar voice, Ares raises his head...

and finds himself starting straight at Xena. She is wearing a Roman-style red dress and a golden tiara--a very similar outfit to the one she wore in When in Rome.

Close-up on Conqueror Xena; she shows a slight sign of shock as she recognizes Ares but her face remains hard.

Close-up on Ares' face, filled with shock, fear, and confusion, as we:

FADE OUT

END OF ACT ONE