Gabrielle, I'm all for
your spiritual quest,
and India is a fine
place to go, but...
remind me why we decided
to take the scenic route.
Come on.
Local legends say that these
mountains are a holy place.
No, no, no, no. I don't care
about the local legends.
I'm talking about the local thugs
who tried to cut us up in the pass.
Well, I'd apologize.
Again.
The truth is,
I think you enjoyed it.
Having my leg gashed open?
No, having a good reason
to bust some head.
That's ridiculous.
You smiled.
What?
When that big guy came at you, and
you tossed him at the other three?
You smiled.
I winced.
He was big.
- You smiled!
- I was relieved!
- You still smiled.
- Oh! Give me that.
You've got hands like a sailor.
It was a thing of beauty.
Did you see how they fell over?
Just like a game of dominoes.
Yeah.
It wasn't a game to them.
Let me get this straight:
you're standing up for a bunch
of thugs who tried
to rob and k*ll us?
Those guys were scum.
I admit that.
I just wonder if...
maybe your fighting for good
has more to do with the fighting
part than the good part.
Think my fighting for good is
a cover for something darker?
I don't know.
It's funny.
I come to places like this...
you know, spiritual places...
looking for some sort of answer.
Makes you wonder.
Wonder what?
If instead of reaching out,
maybe we should be looking in.
Was it that vision again?
Xena, would you just forget that?
You always say that we control
our own destiny, right?
Right.
What was that?
Ju-Just stay here.
Don't break those stitches.
I'll be right back.
Gabrielle?
Gabrielle?
Gabrielle?
Gabrielle!
Gabrielle!
Gabrielle, answer me!
Gabrielle!
What happened?
Xena, is it...
I fell down a... hole.
Yeah, what is it with
you and holes, huh?
Look.
My wound. It's gone.
In a time of ancient gods...
...warlords...
...and kings...
A land in turmoil
cried out for a hero...
She was Xena...
a mighty princess,
forged in the heat of battle...
...The power...
...The passion...
...The danger...
Her courage will
change the world...
Where are we?
Good question.
Do you know what
this place reminds me of?
Illusia.
But so far, the only music
I've heard is the birds singing.
Xena, do you think we're dead?
What do you think you're doing,
sneaking up on us?
What are you doing...
b-breaking into this garden?
We didn't break in.
We just fell through a...
a hole in a cave.
A cave? There's no gate
through a cave around here.
What is this place?
Well... that kinda depends on you.
Don't play games with us.
How do we get outta here?
Ask Aidan. He-he...
Aidan owns the whole estate,
and everything in it, except me.
- And how do we find this Aidan?
- Well, he's everywhere.
But start at the house.
Up at the path.
Poor man.
Come on.
It's beautiful.
Don't you think?
Yeah, in that yucky,
"I'm in paradise" kind of way.
Let's find out what's going on.
If Aidan did this,
he's got talent.
And a whole lotta time
on his hands.
They're so unusual.
The poses, the color.
Look.
What do you think?
Without a face,
it could be anyone.
Exactly.
You see, these figures represent
the ultimate inner peace.
- Something anyone can achieve.
- Don't bet the farm on it.
She means it's easier for some
people than it is for others.
Very true.
Took me almost ten years,
but then my demons ran deep.
You can't get rid of those overnight,
but you can eventually release them.
I'm living proof.
I'm also Aidan, and you are?
Xena.
This is my friend, Gabrielle.
Welcome to my home.
This is some hospitality
you've got here.
My leg.
Yesterday it had a gash on it,
and took twelve stitches.
Now it's gone.
Healed completely.
- How do you explain that?
- It's amazing, isn't it?
Technically, I guess you'd
call it, "Mind shifting matter."
You saying your mind
healed Xena's leg?
Oh, no, no.
Not just my mind.
You see, there's breathing
and meditational techniques...
the whole approach to the...
I'm babbling again, aren't I?
If you'd be interested,
I'd love to show you.
It's potent stuff,
but I think we'll pass.
If you'll just direct us
off the place, we'll be going.
A woman of action.
Commendable.
Yet you still eat
and sleep, don't you?
Why not stay the night here,
and start out fresh tomorrow?
- Well...
- Good food, fine wine...
Warm bath?
Excellent.
Gabrielle!
Gods, this is bliss.
How long do you think we've
been in here? I'm prunin'.
Would you relax?
Aidan's right. You need to
just learn to slow down.
You know,
I'm surprised at you, Xena.
Why?
For someone who's seen
what Lao Ma and Alti can do,
it's strange you're not
curious about Aidan.
I've seen enough to know that most
people can't handle spiritual powers.
And Aidan is no Lao Ma.
Well, yeah, he's a bit odd.
That doesn't mean we can't
learn something from him.
I wanna ask him to teach me
his breathing techniques.
Will you come with me?
Thanks, but I've been breathing
just fine on my own for years now.
Well, you know, I could
give him another chance.
After all, the guy did heal my leg.
That's mighty big of you, Xena.
Lieutenant Gar,
reporting as ordered.
With clothes, sir.
Sir?
And inhale.
Slowly up,
through the nose,
and-and-and...
exhale,
slowly down, down.
Concentrate on
the breathing only.
Good.
Good.
I've never concentrated
on just breathing before.
Whoever does?
But that's exactly where it starts,
from a single breath.
Without breath,
there is no life, right?
Right.
- Something wrong?
- No, nothing.
Gabrielle.
May I?
A small warning.
These breathing techniques.
The meditational techniques
that I'm teaching you.
The whole approach to
an inner stillness...
It could stir up some...
thoughts and feelings that you
didn't even know you have.
Some of 'em, not so nice.
- I'm game if you are.
- Good.
I feel like some power has
just poured new life into me.
That's what I'm gonna
call her: Hope.
I guess that was one of those
thoughts that you warned me about.
Maybe we should stop.
Why?
Well, to really do this,
to reach that inner stillness,
you're going to have
to clear a path,
and that means facing whatever
comes up, and just releasing it.
You don't know what I carry.
And to face that...
No, I know, I know. It feels like
a burning fire inside, doesn't it?
I lost my wife and child, too.
- I'm sorry.
- No, no.
The thing is, facing that pain
and coming to terms with it,
and then releasing it...
it's allowed me to do all this.
You want to heal
the world, right?
And I believe you can.
But first you've
got to heal yourself.
It's gonna be hard,
but that's the only way you're
going to access that power.
You're saying that if I do this,
that I can create a perfect
world just by thinking it?
Exactly!
Once you tap into
that inner stillness,
you can do absolutely anything.
You just envision it,
then make it real.
Can I teach others to do this?
Xena?
Guaranteed.
See, you're a good person,
and this place can help
draw that goodness from you.
Here, you can become what
you really are deep down inside.
Everyone does.
We strip away all the layers,
and all that's left is
your core self.
The real you.
Shut up!
Okay.
I take you by the shoulders,
and pull you up toward me.
Bend your back.
That's it. That's it.
Now, raise your
right arm up to me.
Grab hold.
That's it. Now your...
Now your left.
Always breathing, in through
the nose, out through the nose.
A little more.
It's okay?
- Yeah.
- Good. Good.
Now, I want you to focus
the breath into the pose.
Into the stillness.
Focus the breath
into the stillness.
All right, can you feel
your chest expanding?
Yes.
I'm sorry.
I never meant to lie.
Xena, I couldn't k*ll her.
She's my daughter.
You're a mother!
You know this!
I had to save her.
I'm sorry.
By the gods!
It's okay. Okay, here.
We'll rest a minute.
I'm a monster.
No, you're not.
Whatever it was that you
saw or felt, it's just the past.
The past has no power
if you face it.
Facing it gives you the power.
Are you sure you wanna
stay another day?
I haven't felt this clean...
since before Hope was born.
I think Aidan is
really onto something.
Aw, Zeus, you don't
really like this guy?
That's it, isn't it?
You like him.
I should have known.
That's not it.
What he says to me...
about reaching
for the stillness,
releasing the pain...
God!
It all rings true.
Don't kid yourself.
I saw what inner peace
did for Lao Ma.
Aidan's way seems so numbing!
I was skeptical...
until I tried it.
It was incredible.
I realized...
I never came to terms with
my failure as a mother.
I kept the guilt in my heart.
You did the only thing
you could do.
There wasn't a choice.
It didn't make it any easier.
Today...
I faced that pain.
I let it go.
I feel so clear.
So light.
I wish you could
experience that.
Well, apparently,
my mind is just too active.
Isn't that what he said?
All you have to do is look at
this place to see that it works.
It's perfect.
If there is one thing
I've learned,
it's that anything that looks
too good to be true usually is.
I wish you could see how right
this feels for me, how freeing.
Another day, huh?
Well, I guess it won't k*ll me.
Thank you.
How are you feeling?
Lighter. Much lighter.
Excellent, excellent. That's it.
That's the core you
that's surfacing.
Releasing all that pain
and guilt helped free it,
and the longer you stay here
the stronger it'll get,
until there's nothing left
but your pure essence:
a radiant light.
What if it's not radiant?
What if it's darker?
Well, the same thing,
only in reverse.
Instead of being still, and
lighter, you become jumpy
and a darkness starts
to show inside you.
How does it show?
Changes in your appearance,
mental lapses,
delusions, spontaneous bleeding.
It's all very unpleasant.
You're worried
about Xena, aren't you?
Well, you must let that go.
A blind man could see that
she has got her dark side.
I did too.
But I b*at it,
and so can she.
How can you be so sure?
Because she has
powerful help.
You.
Xena!
I've been looking
all over for you.
Are you all right?
Sure, why wouldn't I be?
It's just...
Aidan says that you
could be in some trouble.
It's because of your dark side,
and he says it could get serious,
like bleeding, delusions,
physical changes...
Really?
Well, I'll be sure and
keep you posted.
Are you sure you're okay?
See, I feel so light right now,
and I know I could show you
how to get there if you want.
Know what I want?
Know what I want?
What are you doing?
- What I want...
- Xena, that hurts.
- I'll show you what I want!
- That hurts!
It hurts! That hurts! Stop!
- Xena?
- What?
I asked if you want me
to teach you what I've learned.
Some other time, huh?
Okay.
- If you need anything...
- I'll come find you.
Thanks.
Are you sure you're okay?
Perfect.
Okay, Aidan, you can
dazzle Gabrielle
with your party tricks and bull,
but I want the truth.
What's goin' on?
By the looks of it,
your fight's already begun.
My fight?
You mean, all that horse manure
about the dark part of me?
It's true.
Here, the real you comes out,
whether it's something
like Gabrielle's or...
Are you saying that these delusions
that I'm having, they're...
they're part of some kind of
w*r going on inside of me?
What do I do?
Do?
Don't!
To stop them?
What do I do to stop them?
Nothing can be done.
Once they start, the only thing
that stops them is death.
Wait.
These delusions you're having.
Right now, that's all they are.
In your mind.
But that will change.
Change? How?
They'll start to bleed
through into real life.
You mean I'll act them out?
Hurt Gabrielle?
Or worse.
I don't belie...
There's gotta be
something I can do.
There is...
for Gabrielle.
You can leave before
you risk hurting her.
No, I would never hurt Gabrielle.
You say that,
and you even believe it,
but if the darkness
in you wins, no one is safe.
Not even the people that you love.
You take it from
somebody who knows.
You get out before it's too late.
For both of you.
I'm dying.
- You're what?
- It's my back... I...
I think I pulled something doing
one of his meditative poses.
Let me take a look at it.
Let's see.
It's a knot.
- Right there.
- Oh, yeah.
I can feel it.
Lie down. I can fix this.
Okay.
There.
That feels great.
Just relax.
I feel so peaceful.
We've come a long way,
the two of us.
- A long way.
- Lie down.
And you've taught me a lot...
about kindness...
and mercy
and love.
Love.
You've got a good heart, Gabrielle.
It's pure and it's honest.
And no one should ever hurt you.
No one should ever hurt you.
Good-bye, Gabrielle.
A service medallion.
Gar?
I know you're out there.
Don't make me after ya, Gar!
Piggy! Come here! The longer
ya take, the madder I get.
And you don't wanna make me mad.
You wouldn't like me when I'm mad.
I can smell you sweatin'...
Piggy, Piggy, Piggy!
Come on, Gar. give it up.
I just want to talk to you
Come on, Gar.
I won't bite.
Yet...
I didn't mean-really
mean it, not really.
I know you won't bite...
not for a while.
These statues were
real men once... your platoon.
- What happened to them?
- Nothing.
Aidan made sure of that.
Nothing, that's what happened!
But I knew.
- Yeah, and I fought it!
- You fought what?
Peace, quiet, stillness!
I.. I tried to warn them,
but everything was so perfect,
they didn't believe me.
Well, you believe me now,
don't you, men?
You tried to warn
them about what?
Aidan! It's all him!
He makes everyone so still.
He leeches their goodness.
Goodness.
In a perfect place going to waste
without evil to keep it
alive and fighting.
- So, Aidan feeds off goodness.
- Yeah.
And when he's done with them,
all that's left is...
Gabrielle.
No! You...
You can't fight him. I tried.
He'll take what good's still
in you and use it against you!
Then I won't give him
the amm*nit*on.
Now, who's talking crazy?
What choice do I have, huh?
If I don't let go of
any goodness that's
still left in me,
I don't stand a chance.
No, you can't! I mean,
if you do that,
what's to stop you k*lling us all?
Even Gabrielle?
One thing, Pops.
- You.
- What?
Now, go!
Cause by the time
I get back to Aidan,
any good that's still in me
doesn't stand a prayer.
You're very powerful, Gabrielle.
The sooner you tap that source,
the sooner we can use it
to change the world.
Now, sink deeper.
And deeper.
Now...
Sink down.
Be still, still as stone,
still as death.
Let her go!
You're too late.
She's too deep.
See for yourself.
Soon I'll drain her completely.
Come on, fight me!
What goodness can I gain?
What little light is left in even
your dark soul to make me stronger?
Gabrielle!
Oh, come on, you can do
better than that!
Come on, ya rat bastard!
Come do it yourself!
No!
Oh, don't!
Xena, no!
Wha...
What happened?
Uh, you're free, now.
Aidan's gone.
Unfortunately, so are your men.
My men d*ed years ago,
permanently pacified by Aidan.
He'd have done the same to me.
But I saw through his illusions,
and I fought him.
It drove me mad.
Well, that's what kept you alive.
Aidan wasn't able
to steal your mind.
You embraced your demons
and they saved you.
To survive, I knew
I'd have to do the same,
even if it meant scaring you
to get a rise out of Gabrielle.
You att*cked him on purpose?
I knew that no matter
how far under you were,
you'd never let me
take an innocent life.
Well, just as
well for me it worked!
I'm free?
I got a wife!
I got kids!
Oh, thank you!
Thank you!
Freedom!
Real freedom!
I learned something about myself.
And you?
Yeah?
I sometimes talk about your darkness
like it's some sort of disease.
But without it, neither one
of us would be here.
It's kind of ironic.
Yeah.
Do I really have hands
like a sailor?