It was a cold driving rain as Ceryndip and Jane sat in a small cave warmed by a nice fire.

Ceryndip looked out into the rainy night and said, "You know what I could really go for right now? A big Juicy hamburger with lots of fries," followed by a sigh.

"Stop that. You're making me hungry. we've been here a week now, I think I want to go home."

"We can't, we still don't even know how we got here," Ceryndip said, "anyway, we meet back up with Hercules and Iolaus in Corinth tomorrow for Iphicles' big party."

"And me without a thing to wear." Jane replied with a smile.

It was early the next morning when the two amazons met their new friends on the road leading into Corinth. Walking beside Hercules, Ceryndip asked, "So, tell me...what really happened between you and Jane last week? She's clamed up tighter than a miser's purse."

"Well, not much happened, it was...relatively uneventful."

"Spoilsport...that's all she would tell me, too." Ceryndip had a twinkle in her eye, but she'd seen the blush on Hercules' face.

It was noon when they reached the city. They made their way through the streets on their way to the castle and there meet with Hercules' brother, King Iphicles and his lovely wife, Queen Rena.

Out of an alleyway stepped a shadowy figure and followed them from a distance. Ceryndip looked behind her, then asked Iolaus, "Do you ever get the feeling you're being tailed?"

"Excuse me," said Iolaus.

"You know being followed?"

"Sometimes, why?"

Ceryndip looked behind them again and saw nothing, "Never mind."

Jane then broke in, "So...What do you do at a Winter Solstice Festival, anyway?"

"There's food, games, fun and celebration." Hercules replied.

They reached the castle and were greeted by Hercules' brother and his wife.

"Greetings, brother," came the king, "It's been awhile."

"Yes, it has, my birthday and Callisto."

"Yeah, I'm trying to forget that." Iphicles chuckled.

As they closed the doors behind them, the shadow figure dressed in a hooded cloak reappeared and gazed at the door as if to enter, then turned away.

"So, Hercules, who are your lovely new friends?" asked Iphicles.

"Well, this is Ceryndip...and this is Jane. They are from," Hercules was at a loss to explain, "another land."

The two amazons looked around and like outside, the castle was being decorated for the coming festival in a day and a half.

Later that evening. they all sat around a lavish dining table covered in a variety of foods. they ate and drank and enjoyed the stories of the far off land that Ceryndip and Jane came from.

As they settled in for the night. Everybody had their own bed chambers. Ceryndip couldn't sleep though. She had eaten too much. so, she lay there in the bed staring at the ceiling, until a flash of light caught her attention, she went to investigate, and saw a cloaked figure skulking around the dimly lit corridor. She snuck across the hall to Jane's room.

"Jane, wake up."

"What?"

"Something fishy going on, there's a strange person roaming the halls."

"He's probably a servant, now, go back to sleep."

"A servant wearing a black cloak?" Ceryndip asked. "Get your boots on and follow me."

"Who do you think you are, Nancy Drew?"

They soon found the mysterious figure. He was kneeling in the throne room and he seemed to be hiding something. then, he was gone, in a flash of twinkling light.

"Where did he go?" Jane exclaimed rubbing her eyes.

"Come on, Let's see what he was up to." Ceryndip headed across the room.

"No, wait."

They found a leather bag. Ceryndip untied it and dropped a glowing crystal into her hand.

"It's a rock. Maybe Hercules will know what it is?" whispered Jane.

The next morning the two amazons explained what had happened and showed Hercules the glowing crystal.

"Where did you get this?" Hercules exclaimed, for he did recognize the crystal.

"We saw some weird guy hiding it last night." said Ceryndip.

"Don't forget him disappearing in a shower of light." added Jane.

"This is the Kronos Stone, but I destroyed it." said Hercules

"Kronos, as in, this could be our ticket home?"

"Unfortunately!!"

"You're not going anywhere, girlie," the cloaked figure reappeared in front of Ceryndip.

"That's him, he's back. Who are you anyway?" asked Ceryndip.

The figure pulled back his hood

"Strife!" Hercules exclaimed, "Figures."

"Hand over the stone, Uncle."

"And have Ares misuse it's power, not likely."

"Then, I'll take it."

"You and who's army?" Iolaus countered.

"Me and mine...Brother," came another voice as a large fireball of light produced another figure. This one tall and dressed in tight black leather.

"Ares!" came Hercules and Iolaus in unison.

"And what would the mighty god of war want with the Kronos Stone? You surely don't need it."

Ares stepped forward "If you must know , brother the Oracle at Delphi has prophesied that a fire haired warrior would come and put a stop to my evil ways. Ooooh... I'm scared, if my own brother can't do it , what chance does your little sidekick have," he snickered sarcastically.

"If she's no threat why the big show?" asked Hercules

"Consider it a good will offering, I'll give them the chance to go home all nice and safe, or they might get hurt."

Ceryndip raised her staff and spun it in one hand, coming to a stop short of Ares' nose, "Your majorly deluded pal, were not going any where!"

"And, I'm no sidekick I'm...."

"Doesn't matter," Ares cut her off and gestured. As if hit by a strong wind, Ceryndip was thrown back across the room crashing into a large planter. Sending dirt, pottery and bits of plant flying.

"Hey, you can't do that to my friend and get away with it!" Jane exclaimed. Hercules grabbed her to hold her back and not do something she would later regret.

Ceryndip shook off her little misguided encounter and rejoined the others.

"You know time travel is forbidden tot he gods." said Hercules.

"Yes, but when have you known me to play by the rules!" the God of War gestured and as if out of nowhere, Hercules and his party were surrounded.

They grabbed the heroes from behind but it was short-lived as Hercules was the first to break free. the other followed suite and soon the brawl was in full swing. But it was short as well. Hercules and friends made quick work of Ares' army.

Just then Strife came up from behind Ceryndip and grabbed her around the neck.

Ares spoke up, "Now, give me the Kronos Stone or Strife will wring her pretty little neck!"

"Think again, pal!" came yet another new voice. A hand grabbed Strife's shoulder puling him back, causing him to lose his hold on Ceryndip. He was then spun around and came face to face with a very statuesque woman, who proceeded to pound him into the ground after telling him to "Eat dirt, toad."

His ego bruised, Strife looked over at Ares, "Uncle, you see that? She hit me!"

"You're a god, do something about it," answered the war god angrily.

Strife got up and looked up at her fists clenched.

She growled down at him with a burning fire in her eyes. He turned back to Ares with haunted eyes and disappeared.

"What's it going to be Ares?" asked Hercules.

Ares looked around upset and angry, he army defeated, his nephew had deserted him, "This isn't over brother."

"Never is with you, brother." Hercules replied sarcastically.

Ares, then, disappeared in the fiery ball of light that had brought him.

Ceryndip turned to thank her rescuer and found she only came up to her chin, "Ugh," she looked up, "thanks, I owe you one."

"No problem, I owed him one, my name is Electra."

"I'm Ceryndip, nice to meet you."

Jane came over, "Ceryndip, we can go home, now."

"Yes, well, I've been thinking about that. I'm staying. You go back and tell everyone I'm fine."

"You sure about that?"

"Yes."

"Well, I don't exactly like it, but, I'll tell you what. I'll give you a year and then I'm coming back for you."

"I'll look after her," Electra put a hand on Ceryndip's shoulder.

"Deal," Jane replied.

"Nobody's going anywhere yet!" Iphicles said.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at him.

"If you forgot we do still have a Solstice Festival to attend. It can even double as a going away celebration."

"Kewl, let's party," said Ceryndip with the others in full agreement.

the end or is it?

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