"Retreat!" "No." "No." "No." "Nooooo!" "He can't be dead!" "But, Mother... one of the soldiers told me that Aelon had been killed during the battle." " Then why can't you find his body?" " I don't know." "I'll keep looking." "I promise you." " Ah, Son!" " Aelon." "My heart told me you were still alive!" "Ahh!" "Ahhhh!" "Help me, Krytus, please." "Boy, tilling fields all day is not my idea of fun." "Armus is a warrior who grew old." "He needed our help." "Well, I wish he'd ask us to..." "I don't know slay a monster or sumin'." "That's my idea of a good deed." " I'll try to remember that, Iolaus." " Thank you very much." "Hercules!" "Hercules!" "What's the trouble?" "My brother... he's dead." " You have my sympathy." " Yeah, mine, too." "No, no, we just saw him, my mother and I." " Well, he's..." " He what?" "He's a ghost." "This is the story of a time long ago." "A time of myth and legend, when the ancient gods were petty and cruel, and they plagued mankind with suffering." "Only one man dared to challenge their power-Hercules." "Hercules possessed a strength the world had never seen, a strength surpassed only by the power of his heart." "He journeyed the earth, battling the minions of wicked stepmother, Hera, the all-powerful queen of the gods." "But wherever there was evil, wherever an innocent would suffer, there would be Hercules." "Aelon was a great soldier." "He always taught me that he fought twice as hard so that I wouldn't have to join up." "My job was to take care of our mother." "When the other soldier said he'd been killed, I searched all day, but I couldn't find his body until that night." "When... his spirit... walked in the door." "I don't know what else to call it." "My hand went right through him." "It was like he was there except he wasn't." " But he still spoke to you?" " Just a few words his voice sounded so far away, like from another world." "But it's not just Aelon." "Other soldiers are missing, too." "Someone is stealing the bodies of the dead." "And their honor as well." "Does that mean you'll come back to Tantalus with me?" "Yes, it does." "Sounds like I've been gone too long." "Iolaus, care to join us?" "Well... you know, if I gotta choose between ghosts and tilling a field?" "Ghosts are good." "So, Krytus, a young fellow like you must dream of becoming a hero someday." "Any, uh... questions I can answer for you?" "Actually, I wanna be a scholar." "My dad was one." "Besides, I've only heard stories about Hercules." " Are you a hero, too?" " Ah... well, you know, uh... some people like to think so." "Sounds like a good place to interrupt." "Krytus." "So tell me how long has there been trouble in Tantalus?" "Ever since King Memnos died." " The king died?" "When?" " About three months ago." "It's a shame." "He was a good man." "I helped him defend your valley against the Macedonians." "Must have been ten years ago." "You're probably too young to remember." "Yes, but I've heard the tale many times." "Aelon said that when their army stormed the city you held a hundred soldiers at bay by yourself." " Well, it was more like, fifty." " But you did save the king and you broke a catapult in two with your bare hands." "Krytus, I thought you said heroics didn't interest you." "Well, they don't." "But this is Hercules." "Our left flank was weak, yesterday." "We were lucky to hold her back." "Now I don't think she can mount another major offensive for several days, but sooner or later, she'll try again." "Make sure we're ready." "Yes, sir." "This can't be... the same Daulin." "Hercules!" "What in the world...?" "It's good to see ya, Daulin." "You look great not to mention tall." "You're actually looking a bit short." "From the tales we hear, you should be twenty feet high by now." "I was sorry to hear about your father." "You know how much I thought of him." "Thanks." " What brings you back to Tantalus?" " Heard there was trouble." "My friend, Iolaus, and I thought we could help." "If Hercules calls you a friend, then so do I." " Likewise." " There's more than just trouble here." " I'm in the middle of an all-out war." " How's Poene?" "I hope she's all right." "Hercules, it's Poene I'm fighting." "My own sister is tryin' to overthrow me." "This is a joke, right?" "You two always used to pull those pranks on me." "I'd give anything to have those days back, but they're gone." "After I assumed the throne, my sister went mad with jealousy." "She spread lies throughout the town, called for revolution wound up turning half of Tantalus against me." " That's hard to believe." " It's as painful as my father's death maybe worse." "Hercules, if I knew Poene had wanted the kingdom," "I would have given it to her, but before I could do anything she started this war." "She somehow managed to convice Jarton." " He's running her army for her." " Jarton." "The two of us fought side-by-side for Daulin's father." "We were good friends." "But the bodies, Daulin." "We've heard stories of your dead disappearing." "That's the worst part of this nightmare." "Poene's men steal our dead." "Only the gods know why." "Iolaus, I've had some bad feelings over the years, but the one I've got right now, beats 'em all." "Yeah, I know what you mean." "Hey, if I die someday on a battlefield you better make sure you bury me properly." "No, it's more than that." "I mean, this whole thing is wrong." "This isn't the legacy King Memnos deserves his two children trying to kill each other?" "War is senseless enough, but when it tears apart a family" " Huh... no one can win." " Exactly." "If you had seen Daulin and Poene as kids they were wonderful and inseparable." "One of the main reasons I fought for Memnos was to make sure they got to grow up." "Makes you think a your own kids, too, doesn't it?" "Yeah." "If my children had grown up to wage war on each other" "I don't know what I'd do." "You'd stop them any way you could or die trying." "I'm going to Poene's camp and see if I can talk some sense into her." "I want you to keep an eye on things here." "If Daulin does anything foolish let me know right away." " You know I will." " I know." "Listen, crush-bucket, we fight with King Daulin!" "He's got more money!" "Poene will pay better!" "We play for it two out of three!" "One!" "Two!" "Three!" "Parchment covers rock!" "One!" "Two!" "Three!" "Bite me!" "Dagger cuts parchment!" "One!" "Two!" "Three!" "Ha-ha!" "Rock smashes dagger!" "Fight for Daulin!" "Daulin!" " Good evening." " Hey!" "Who do you think you are?" "Sneakin' up on us like that?" " It's Hercules." " Well, would a look at that?" "Not in the market for some mercenries, are you?" "Uh, afraid not, I'm on my way to see Poene." "Is that right?" "It's what he said, ya half-blind moron." "At least I don't have last night's dinner stuck in my chin hair!" "You haven't seen anything strange out here, tonight, have you?" "Hey, Hercules, I travel with that." "Oh, well, be careful, anyway." "Hey, we ain't afraid a nothin'!" "You know?" "If Hercules is going over to Poene's side and us, fighting for Daulin, isn't exactly written in stone..." "Poene!" "Go on!" "Keep going!" "I caught this one down by the river." "Invading our territory, you must not know what we do to spies." "What?" "Give 'em a big kiss?" "Hercules, my friend, it's good to see you." "It's good to see you." "It's been too long, Jarton." "It has." "Hercules." " Hello, Poene." " What brings you here?" "I keep hearing about trouble." "I came to help." " You willing to fight with us?" " No, not fight, help." "Daulin told me what's been going on between you two." "You haven't even spoken to me, and you've already sided with him." "Hold on, I'm not on anybody's side." "But he says you've been tryin' to take his throne ever since your father died." "I don't suppose Daulin told you that he killed our father!" " What?" " It's true, Hercules." "Daulin poisoned the king." "That's how he got the throne." " All we want now is justice." " But the way that he tells it" "He's lying." "The person you knew as Daulin was a lie." "In truth, he's nothing more than a murdering demon, and he does not deserve to wear my father's crown" " not a man who steals the dead." " Your dead are being taken, too." "And it's destroying their families, not being able to bury them." "Your dead, Daulin's dead, there's nothing I'd like better than to stop this." "Excuse me." "Keep an eye on him." "Make sure he's here for the reason he says he is." "Hey, Krytus, what's goin' on?" "Where's Hercules?" "He's, uh, not around right now." "Why d'ya have that spear?" "To avenge Aelon." "I'm joining up." "But you hate war." "You wanna be a scholar." "Well, sometimes, a man has to do something heroic like you and Hercules." "And if he's not here you can teach me how to fight." "Now, hold on." "All that hero talk was just talk." "I never said you should go into battle." " You could get killed!" " I'm going anyway." "Now, you gonna teach me or not?" "Where's the man who wore you?" "Oh, no." "It's over for you, Graegus." " Graegus!" " Ohhhh!" "I'm sorry, I..." "I didn't mean to frighten you." " You called me Graegus... why?" " Do you know who he is?" "Of course!" "I know!" "I'm an undertaker!" "He's the dog of war and Ares is his master." "But I have no idea who you are, sir." "Hercules." "That makes sense if Graegus is near." "I should've known it was him." " Who did you think was taking them?" " Ha, the competition." "Ha." "No, no, no, no, when ya lunge, ya gotta keep your elbows in." "And this should be." "But kid real battles get messy fast." "It takes years to perfect these moves." "There's no way y" "When I advance, where do I keep my weight?" "On your front foot." "Otherwise you'll fall flat on your butt." "But listen to me, Krytus, you're just a boy." "You should be home, lookin' after your mom." "If Hercules was here, he'd say the exact same thing." " How do I fight a guy with a sword?" " You don't!" "You get yourself home and hide under your bed till this damn thing is over!" "King Daulin wants to see you now." "Hercules left last night." "One of my scouts saw him going over to Poene's side." "He went to talk to her to try and put an end to this madness." "Why should I believe you?" "You're a stranger!" "But Hercules isn't!" "He was a friend to your father and to you." "He would sooner scale Mt." "Olympus and kiss Hera on the lips than betray a friend!" "True, but I can't take chances with the security of my people." "They've been betrayed enough." "We're through waiting for Poene to strike." "We attack tonight!" "Come here!" "Over here, men!" "Come on!" "OK, kid, come on." "We'll make a soldier out of you yet." " Over here!" " Let's go." "Remember, birdbrain, we don't settle for less than ten dinars a day." "Ten?" "We worked the last job for ten!" "This time, we hold out for twelve!" "Hey, buddy, who's in charge, here?" "Uh, good afternoon, captain... we were wondering if you could use two battle-savvy fighting men?" "We own our weapons, we have excellent references, and..." " Forget it, let's get outta here." " What?" " Come on!" "We're leaving!" " I thought we were...!" " Poene, can I have a word with you?" " What is it, Hercules?" "Do you remember when I was here years ago and Daulin always pestered me to tell him stories?" "He used to follow you like a puppy." "Always saying, 'Please, Hercules, just one more, just one more.'" "I never liked to show it, but I always listened to you, too." " Then you remember the story of Graegus." " He's a feared warrior, isn't he?" "Graegus is no warrior." "He's a dog a huge beast, belonging to Ares, the god of war." "He feeds on dead soldiers." "He grows more powerful with every soul he consumes." " Why does this matter now?" " Because Graegus is here, now, which means Ares is, too." "He's behind this war manipulating it, because the blood Graegus craves most is family blood." "Don't make excuses for Daulin." "This war is about the murder of my father!" "It's about supplying blood for Graegus." "And without proper burial, the human souls he takes can't pass to the other side." "Don't you see?" "You, your brother, your armies, you're all being used." "Hercules, you don't know how evil Daulin's become." "The evil is Ares." "Stop this war before one more family's torn apart." "Believe me once you've lost the people you love you don't get them back." "Get outta here!" "What got into you?" "You just walked away from a sweet deal!" "It was that guy back there." "I've seen him before." " I fought against him." " So what?" "That's the nature of the job!" "Fight against them one battle, fight with them the next!" "But that guy shouldn't have a 'Next'." "A couple of months back I was in a battle in Thrace." "I was sneaking through a trench." "It was pitch dark, raining." "I got the jump on that guy that very same guy." " What do you mean?" " He never saw me coming!" "I rammed my spear right through his heart!" "I killed him." "No, must have been some other guy." "Jarton..." "I need to talk to you." "And I need to talk with you." "What's all this you've been telling Poene?" "Myths of dogs that eat the dead?" "It's nonsense." "I wish it was." "Right now is not the time to weaken her resolve not right before a battle." "A soldier can't afford that!" "What if there doesn't have to be a battle?" " You're dreamin'!" " That's exactly what Ares wants you to think." "He's the one who's causing all this." "He's playing both sides like puppets." "Still the same Hercules." "First sign a evil, you start pointing' your finger at gods and monsters." "Truth is, my friend when power's at stake men can be just as ruthless as gods and as vicious as monsters." "Daulin's proof of that." "You sound like you want this war to happen." "I was sworn to King Memnos." "It is my duty to avenge his death." "Anything happens beyond that it's out of my control." "Who are you?" " You're here with Hercules, aren't you?" " Yeah, when I can find him." "Wait a minute." "What about answering my question?" "Hey!" "Great, are they looking for y" "Over here!" "Shhhhhhh." "This way!" " What a bunch of amateurs." " Amateurs, huh?" "Uh, I meant them guys, not you." "Huh." " Sir, Iolaus is gone." " What do you mean, 'Gone'?" "Where?" "I don't know." "He just disappeared, same as Hercules." "Krytus, you travelled with him." "You know Iolaus better than any of us." "Do you think he's abaondoned us for Poene?" "Sir, Iolaus isn't any more of a traitor than Hercules is." "I'm afraid I can't be as sure of that as you are." "Assemble the troops." "Prepare to attack!" "Are you guys deaf or just plain dumb?" "I told you, I'm a friend of Hercules." " Keep moving!" " I can't believe this." " I'm one of the good guys!" " It's all right." "He's a friend." "Oh-oh-oh, sure." "Don't take my word for it." "You know?" "I think we could all use a lesson in that little word called, 'trust'." "And as for you, thanks for abandoning me down by the river." " Me?" " Yeah, you." "One minute you're there, then as soon as trouble comes along poof!" "You're gone!" "Just like that!" "Thanks a lot." " One of you guys hit him on the head?" " Uh-uh." "Hmm." "Here let me get your hands." " Maybe a walk'll help clear your head." " I don't need to clear my head." " Yeah, ya do." " I do?" "Mm-hmm." "What did you mean about seeing Jarton down by the river?" "Well, I meant I saw Jarton down by the river, about five minutes ago." "That can't be." "Jarton's been in that tent for the last hour." "Well, then he has a double running around, 'cause this guy sure looked like him." " Where did you see him?" " Why?" "What's going on?" " Just tell me where!" " All right, all right." "Well, you gotta go past these bushes here just over the other side" "Where's Hercules?" " Oh, he had to take care of sum in." " Damn." "He told me to tell him if I found out anything about those missing bodies." " And did you?" " Yeah, we should wait for Hercules, right?" "No!" "There's no time to wait!" "Tell me." "Maybe I should just show you." "Jarton." "So the worst really is true." "I'm afraid so, Hercules." "I am but a ghost now." " But, how?" " Last winter" "King Memnos sent me to Thrace to fight on behalf of his brother." " I was struck down in battle." " And Ares stole your body." "Now he's back here, fooling everyone into trusting him." "I'm sorry, my friend." "If I had known" "That's past." "The real tragedy is now." "Daulin didn't murder his father." "Ares did to divide their family and start a war." "They're both trying to kill each other for a wrong neither of them committed." "Without our bodies without ceremony we can't cross over into the afterworld." "We're stuck here in this terrible limbo between life and death." "I'll set things right, I promise." "Some of those we face may once have been friends!" "Even family." "But they are the enemy now." "As I look into your faces" "I see that you have the strength to defeat Poene's treachery." " You have the power to win!" " Yeah!" " Poene, where's Jarton?" " He left with Iolaus, why?" " Which way'd they go?" " That way, toward the cave." "Hercules!" "What's wrong?" "Iolaus!" "Iolaus!" "Hercules!" "Stay away!" " Where are you?" " I'm right above you!" "Hercules, you gotta get outta here!" "It's a trap!" "I'm not gonna leave you behind." " What was that?" " You don't wanna know." "But you know, don't you, Hercules?" "That's right, Ares, I do." "Fresh new face, but the same old stench." " Ares?" "I thought he was Jarton!" " So does everyone else." "That's how this murdering coward is able to turn brother" " and sister aganst each other." " Always harping about family, aren't you?" "I don't know why!" "You don't speak to your father!" "Your step-mother hates your guts!" "And your wife and children have been turned to ashes!" "Leave my family out of this, you bastard!" " Is that any way to talk to your brother?" " Half-brother." "It's a half that doesn't exist as far as I'm concerned." "I knew you were evil, Ares, but to start a war just to feed your dog, you disgust me." "Obviously, you're not a pet-lover." "You've turned family against each other innocent lives destroyed." "Hey, what can I say?" "Graegus has a special fondness for blood feuds." "Well, this is one feud that is going to end right now." "Always the optimist, aren't you?" "Well, here's the grim reality." "Uh, Hercules, maybe it's time for me to get down, huh?" "Graegus is gonna work up a helluvan appetite, tearing you two to shreds." "I better go stir up a battle to make sure he has something to eat afterwards." "Ares!" "I don't like this." "Uh, hey!" "Uh, maybe it's not so bad!" "If this thing only eats the dead we should be OK, right?" "Ares didn't say it would eat us only that it would tear us to shreds." "So as long as that doesn't bother you" "That's not what I wanted to hear." "Here!" "Burn yourself free!" "Thanks." "Oh, great, now it wants to fetch." "Poene, we have a real problem." " You were right." "Hercules is a spy." " Are you sure?" "I wish I wasn't, but I saw him going over to Daulin's side along with Iolaus." "I should a listened to you from the beginning." "I guess I just wanted to think better of Hercules." "There's no one to trust." "You can always trust me." " I don't know what to do, anymore." " We have no choice." "Daulin and Hercules will slaughter us if we don't attack right away." "Sound the call to battle!" "Ahhhh!" "To the river!" "They're advancing rapidly, sir." "They're attacking at full strength!" "Move to the river!" "Hercules!" "It's got me!" "Ahhh!" "Anytime you're ready, Hercules!" "Ahh!" "Now would be good!" "Ahh!" "Pull tight!" "We got him trapped!" "Iolaus!" "Tie your end off!" " How long is that gonna hold him?" " I have no idea." "The battle!" "Move it, Iolaus!" "No second thoughts." "They deserver to die." "Now, sound the battle call." "Ha-hah!" " We're not gonna make it!" " We have to make it!" "Attack!" "No!" "Stop!" "You've been tricked!" "Stop fighting!" "Stop fighting!" "It's no use." "It's not working." "Jarton, where are you?" "Don't let this happen." "Don't fight!" "Stop!" "Stop!" "Well, that's a little more like it." "Aelon!" "There's no reason for you to fight!" "That's why your loved ones came here to stop you." "Only Ares wants you to fight!" "He needs your blood to feed his dog!" "But Daulin killed King Memnos." "Jarton said so." "That was a lie." "This is the real Jarton." "Hercules tells the truth." "Ares killed our king." "That's right, Ares, run away!" "There'll be no battle tonight!" "That's what you think!" "If only one man dies tonight it'll be you." "Iolaus, no!" "Ahhhhhh!" "Uh!" "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha." "That's the spirit, Hercules." "Ahhhhhhhhh!" "Ahhhh!" "Yuh!" "Ahhh!" "Go!" " For us!" " Get him!" "Go, Hercules!" "What's the matter, Hercules?" "I know there's more fight in you than that." "And a fight is exactly what you want." "You feed on anger and hate." "Ahh!" "Come on, Hercules!" "Come on!" "Fight him!" "Fight him!" "Come on, Hercules, show me that rage inside of you!" " Go, Hercules!" " Come on!" "Get up!" "Fight me, Hercules!" "No, there'll be no more fighting from me or any of these people." "Throw down your weapons!" "Throw them down!" "Do it!" "Hercules, I'll be back." "Know that." "Not today." "Whoo-hoooooooo!" " Poene!" " Brother!" "I should have trusted you all along, Hercules." " So should I. Instead, I was a fool." " It's all right." "At least it's over." "But what about Graegus?" "If that beast is still out there" "Ares and his dog can only survive in a land of war." "As long as you're at peace there's nothing to fear from either of them." "Now, there's one more thing we have to do." "You made us whole again, Hercules." "Now we can cross over to the other side." "It's a very special friend, who can help a man,even after his death." "I guess it isn't possible for us to shake hands, is it?" "I'm afraid not." "Then let me wish you peace." "Poene, Daulin, your father always expected me to be here to help you." "I'm sorry I won't have that privilege." "Your lessons will stay with us, Jarton." "And we'll honor them the best way we can by ruling together." "Thank you." "Looks like we better be going." "I'll say hello to your father for you." "Goodbye, Son." "It's time to make sure these men are never disturbed again." "And peace to you, my friends." "Peace to you, Hercules." "Has a nice ring about it, doesn't it?" "Yeah, too bad we don't hear it more often." "So, Iolaus, where are we going next?" "I don't know, but how about we try to find some fields to till?"