FADE IN

Previously on Xena...

[MONTAGE]

RENA:
     This part of Greece has been plagued by raiders' vicious attacks on villages large and small alike. Not much is known about the attacks, only that those villages never survive.

CUT TO

PANDION (voice over):
     We need help defeating a dangerous warlord.

CUT TO

A banner with the symbol of the God of War is set on fire in front of a temple. The priests and priestesses watch with sadness as Brygus' men stand laughing as the banner turns to ash in the flames.

CUT TO

ARES (voice-over):
     Let me guess, you need Xena's help.

Pandion kneeling down in front of Ares, his sword in the dirt and Ares looking at him, intrigued.

PANDION:
     No. We need yours.

CUT TO

Ares fighting against men in a forest, watching a young and old man die in front of him.

CUT TO

Ares fighting some men inside of a rundown temple.

LEAD SOLDIER (mocking):
     Without your powers, you're not that impressive, you know that?

CUT TO

A statue of Artemis on a table.

CUT TO

Gabrielle and Xena look at a village family in surprise.

GABRIELLE:
     Are there others in this village who worship her, too?

The camera pulls in on Rena's face as she smiles a beatific smile.

RENA:
     Oh yes. Everyone.

CUT TO

ZAREK (looks toward Ares):
     Any village devoted to Artemis deserves to be destroyed.

CUT TO

Ares, looking angry.

ARES:
     This is my army now.

CUT TO

PANDION (looking at Ares):
     The very essence of what you were will always be there. Maybe as a mortal you affect them more now than ever. You've become one of us.

Ares looks moved.

CUT TO

MAN:
     He...destroyed my village... (he drifts off)

GABRIELLE (tapping him lightly on the shoulder, trying to keep him awake):
     Why?

MAN:
     Artemis...

GABRIELLE (shocked):
     Because you worshiped Artemis?

MAN (faint):
     Because we wouldn't...

CUT TO

Brygus and Ares are standing in front of each other inside the temple, their swords locked.

BRYGUS:
     Let's take this outside, shall we?

A bright blue light flares up around them and they disappear.

[END OF MONTAGE]

FLASH TO

The village. Xena and Gabrielle stand over the dead man. Gabrielle sighs, pulling the blanket over top of him, then walks over to the window of the room.

GABRIELLE (turns around):
     It's been Artemis all along. (pause) These people must be told.

XENA:
     Oh, they will be.

Xena walks out. Gabrielle turns to watch her leave.

DISSOLVE TO

A small, crowded building. Xena and Gabrielle are standing in front of a group of villagers. Rena and Makis are standing with them glancing uncertainly from Xena and Gabrielle to the restless villagers.

VILLAGE MAN (scoffs):
     Nonsense!

GABRIELLE (sympathetically):
     I'm sorry. (determined) But you've all been deceived.

VILLAGE WOMAN:
     Artemis protects us!

XENA:
     Yes--from her own minions whom she sends to destroy villages that will not worship her!

This is greeted with a loud murmur from the villagers.

XENA:
     The man we brought back into the village, the one who died--

VILLAGE MAN #1 (shouts out, interrupting):
     The one who stayed in his village for a month after it was destroyed, slowly starving to death? (he chuckles) Sounds like a crazy man. And we're supposed to take his word for it?

The villagers are murmuring amongst themselves, nods of agreement and quiet exclamations of "Yes" and "He's right" are heard from a few. Gabrielle gives Xena a silent glance.

VILLAGE WOMAN #2 (stares hard at Xena):
     My son says he caught you desecrating Artemis' shrine a few days ago, before any of this happened. (Xena opens her mouth to speak but the woman cuts her off) So why should we believe you?

The villagers begin to murmur louder, some nodding in agreement, some pointing fingers at Xena and Gabrielle.

Makis steps forward, holding out his hands to calm the crowd. The people begin to quiet down. Makis turns to Xena.

MAKIS:
     Panthus is right. That man, may he rest in peace, may have been mistaken. We can't know for sure. (kindly but with authority) Unless you can provide proof... I think you're better off leaving here before there's any trouble.

Xena sighs and turns, walking off. Gabrielle gives her a sympathetic look and then follows. The villagers continue to murmur in the background.

CUT TO

Outside the building, Xena walks down the street. Gabrielle catches up to her.

GABRIELLE (frustrated):
     That went well.

XENA:
     If it's proof they want, it's proof they'll get.

Gabrielle looks at her curiously, following.

CUT TO

The Areopagus. The sound of clanging metal is heard.

Pan around the exterior of the temple to the field below where Actaeon's army had fought Brygus before. Now, the army of Ares is locked in combat with Brygus' men. In the center of men stands Brygus and Ares themselves, fighting each other.

Brygus isn't using his powers but is fighting as a mortal would. He and Ares are evenly matched--perhaps too evenly; some of Brygus' moves seem to mimic Ares' swings, dodges and kicks.

Ares' inexperienced men don't fare as well on the battlefield against Brygus' soldiers. Pandion fights back well, and so do Iona and Zarek but too many of the others are beaten by Brygus' men. One man is attacked by a group of Brygus' men. His screams are heard as they close in around him, stabbing him from all directions and then they leave, moving on to their next victim.

BRYGUS (glances around):
     Your men are losing, Ares.

Ares is silent as he delivers another blow toward Brygus. Brygus jumps over the blade and kicks Ares back, he stumbles just a bit, clearly tiring from the fight.

BRYGUS (walking up to Ares who is bent over slightly, breathing heavy with sweat on his forehead):
     You seem to forget that you can't fight forever without getting fatigued. Part of the price of mortality.

ARES (slowly steadies his breathing):
     Spare me the lecture on mortality, Brygus.

BRYGUS (mocking):
     Of course you don't need a lecture--you've got the first-hand experience. (he swings and Ares dodges the blade) Your godhood is behind you--just like mortality is behind me.

ARES:
     How did you find the secret to immortality, anyway?

BRYGUS:
     It's all a matter of--who you know.

This causes Ares to pause for a moment, whereby Brygus lands a punch right to his face. The force of it is much harder than any mortal could create. Ares goes down. Across from him, several of the younger soldiers see Ares land on the ground. They charge forward. Brygus looks up at them and shakes his head.

BRYGUS:
     Well, it's been fun but now it's time for what I really came for...

He waves his hand and the soldiers are pushed back by an invisible force, sending them into a couple of other soldiers and knocking them all down into one large heap. Brygus turns to Ares who is getting to his feet.

He grabs Ares forcefully by the arm.

BRYGUS (snarls):
     Payback for destroying my life.

Brygus takes his sword, slamming the hilt of it into Ares' head and he collapses. The two of them disappear from the battlefield in a flash of blue light.

Pandion sees them disappear, uncertainty on his face. Brygus' men push Ares' army back. Pandion looks around and then raises his arm in retreat.

PANDION:
     Pull back! Pull back!

The army begins to retreat, back away from the valley and into the forest beyond. Those who had horses mount and ride off. Pandion, Iona and Zarek do this. Zarek lingers a bit, staring up at the temple on the hill with frustrated anger and then finally turns his horse and rides off, following Pandion and the others out of the field. Brygus' men watch them go, raise their swords and cheer, as we:

FADE OUT

END OF TEASER