Saturate2

((cont.))

********

"Hercules, rescue me from this place. Please rescue me." Iolaus whispered. Although in a daze, he could remember
everything. He had fought the minotaur, actually managed to get in a couple of good punches before it overwhelmed him.
Then, without another word, it applied a green substance to his face, numbing him ... saturating his will to fight. It was as if
he'd fallen into a sudden, deep trance. Yes, he could still feel, see and hear everything -- but he could not move or react.

The next thing Iolaus knew he was being sealed into one of those horrible caskets.

"No, no ... Don't do this." he nearly pleaded with the creature, his vast courage now beaten to a pulp. "Hercules will come
for me ..."

"I'm counting on it." was the last comment he heard from the minotaur before the blackness.... and he was alone ... and he
dreamed.

He was with Ania on their wedding day then enjoying her soft and compelling company on their wedding night. He was
hunting with Hercules and meeting his fiancee, Dienarra. Then he was with Ania again on a picnic, laughing joyously as she
told him she was finally pregnant, after trying for so long. Iolaus saw the birth of his son -- oh, how proud he was! But Ania
... she seemed so weak and the midwife was concerned. Ania's soft brown eyes looked up into his, reassuring. The midwife
told Hercules eldest son to go fetch a healer .... The funeral was only a few days later.

Iolaus could feel the tears coursing down his face. He saw his mother, dressed in black, coming up beside him and offering
to take the baby for a few days while he rested. Iolaus agreed. Dienarra was beside him now, big with her third child,
hugging him, reassuring him, asking him if he'd like to stay with them for awhile as Hercules looked on, nodding.

Then slowly, very slowly, as the days passed and the baby - his son - was brought back to him -- Iolaus began to find
courage and calm in his child's gurgles. He knew Ania would want him to be a good father. They had waited for so long to
have children ... and he *would* be a good father. At her grave he had promised ....

"Are you well, friend of Hercules?"

Bewildered, Iolaus could hear the voice intruding. He could not and did not want to answer.

"Hercules arrives! I can hear him. Now, the fun will begin ..."

And the voice of the minotaur faded away.

Run Hercules. Iolaus thought, wildly. Get away. Save yourself. I'm not that important. Take care of my son ...

"Oh yes you are, Iolaus." came a mysterious and uninvited voice, "More than you will ever know. For when I fail him -
when I fail the both of you - you will need to be with him, to stop him before he does something he will regret for the rest of
his life." The message was severe but the tone gentle, "Hercules must never take the wrong path and it will be up to you to
make sure it does not happen ... like it has for all of my other sons ..."

And this was the voice of Zeus.

Iolaus was sure he was going to say more. He wanted Zeus to speak because his voice was comforting in its own way and
he, Iolaus, was confused ... You're going to fail both of us? How ...?

But suddenly his eyes were assailed by light, a crack in his cocoon where a long nailed beast-hand came in and took him by
the throat, pulling him part way out of his prison. Threats were being made to his life. Iolaus could hear it but could not react
... and then he was released.

Shortly after, the casket was being ripped apart and he was falling into strong, reassuring arms and they were gently shaking
him, someone attempting to get his attention. Hercules ... but no! This was a trick ... The minotaur was here again, trying to
get him to follow, to be one of his sheep! Can't do it, Iolaus thought crazily. Zeus said I needed to be there for Hercules
....

He panicked for a moment, looking around the cavern but only saw Hercules - his friend's gentle blue eyes looking down at
him - who continued to reassure him all was well.

*******

After releasing the other prisoners, cleaning up and helping the village people bury their dead, Hercules and Iolaus set out
for home.

Iolaus could only remember fragments of what he was thinking, feeling and hearing while encased but he told Hercules that
he felt Zeus may have spoken to him at one point.

Hercules laughed and told Iolaus he was probably hallucinating. Zeus had other problems, including his grief over what he
was forced to do, turning his much beloved son - a god with the face of Adonis - into a horrible monster. He was too busy
watching Hercules battle the creature to pop into Iolaus mind and tell him stories.

"Yeah, guess you're right." Iolaus agreed. After all, this was Hercules. The strongest, bravest hero in all the known world.
He had a beautiful wife and children and his life was charmed. He had no reason to ever follow a wrong path.

"You have to get home to that boy of yours." Hercules mentioned, noting Iolaus thoughtful expression as they walked, "Tell
him of the adventure you've been on."

"Yeah." Iolaus nodded with a smile, "We have it pretty darn good, don't we? Great families and the occasional monster
slaying."

"You got it, buddy." Hercules slapped Iolaus gently on the shoulder as they continued to walked.

Life didn't get better than this.

From Olympus, Zeus watched the two content friends and sighed deeply. He could hear Hera behind him, cursing and
ranting over the death of her beloved son. He who Zeus turned into that horrid beast. She would have her revenge ... Oh
yes, she would!

With a sigh, Zeus turned away from the vision and walked from the throne room.

If only they knew ....

THE END

15Aug, 2000

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